Slayer Command: XCOM with Monsters and Mecha

ShieldCrown · Feb 22, 2023

You and your council of division heads were gathered in the meeting room and looked over the losses and gains of the operation. "We lost forty troopers and four IFVs, but managed to wipe out the Biomorphs and shut down the Breach. We've recovered a significant amount of Biomorphic corpses, and received a major pay day from our backers." You said as you checked the reports. "Letters have already been prepared for the next of kin of the deceased, though I'm not sure how effective that'll be in comforting them."

"Nothing really helps when a person loses someone close to them." Commander Adams said as he sighed. "We've also successfully recorded the operation with the cams carried by our forces, including the ones that could be recovered from the deceased. We can put the footage through some analysis and figure out how to improve our performance in future operations."

"With the new specimens recovered from the battle, I can certainly begin work on better understanding our enemies, and perhaps get some inspiration on how to incorporate their strengths for our own forces." Dr. Vahlen said as went through the part of the report detailing the number of Biomorph bodies recovered and their state.

"I can certainly make use of this victory to spin up some good PR for our organization, and maybe even improve our chances at getting some new recruits." Josephine added in her own ideas. "The new injection of funds will thankfully help make sure none of us are left wanting."

"That will be useful, especially if we want to further expand our base with more facilities, or build more Slayers." Emily said. "The workshops should be finished this month, so that should help with future projects."

"Expanding our intelligence gathering and ability to act on that in a covert manner should allow us to more effectively operate without drawing scrutiny from the more problematic elements that might look for a reason to disrupt our operations." Twilight said while looking over a different report, you think it had something to do with that geokinetic that interrupted their heist on the cartels.

"Ultimately what we do is up to you, Director." Commander Adams said, looking to you for orders along with the other heads.

No pressure.

Facility Power: 6/20
Conventional Units: 16 Infantry Units (2 as Base Security), 2 Transport Helicopter Units, 2 Combat Helicopter Units, 1 IFV Units, 1 Tank Unit, 3 Experimental Tank Units.
Special Units: 3 Slayer Units
Credits: -150+600+715-50=1,215 (+600 Credits Per Turn)

Military: "Director, though we managed to clear out the incursion and seal that Minor Breach, we can't afford to rest on our laurels. Also, it seems that the Biomorphs in the containment zone are beginning to become agitated…." (2 Actions)

[ ] Recruitment Drive: "Director, we lost some of manpower recently, and while I don't desire to sound callous, replacing those losses as soon as possible should be something you should consider." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: More Infantry Units.)

[ ] Armor Acquisition: "It… might be necessary to acquire additional vehicles, especially after the loss of several IFVs and the less than stellar performance of our new tanks. I apologize in advance, Director." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: More Tanks, along with a few other vehicles.)

[ ] Steel in the Sky: "Director, after the performance shown by our combat helicopters, I believe it might be to our benefit to acquire additional aerial assets." (Cost: 250. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: More Aerial Units, Mostly Combat Helicopters.)

[ ] Culling Operation: "Director, while we have secured the containment zone around the Alpha Breach, there are still Biomorphs inside the zone that will prove to be problematic if not dealt with. While I'd prefer having more men and vehicles before we moved out, I'll work with what we have." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Biomorph Forces inside Containment Zone decreased.)

[ ] Bluecap Improvement, Counter-Sabotage: "Director, I'd like for our Bluecaps to be able to mitigate any damage any infiltrators that manage to get past us could manage to inflict on our systems. I think the Engineers would be happy for it." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Base Security Improved. Blue Caps can now attempt to mitigate hostile sabotage.)

[ ] Bluecap Improvement, Advanced CQC: "Director, now that the security is better at detecting potential infiltrators, I think it would be a good idea for them to be given further training in how to subdue and takedown any that resist capture." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: Base Security Improved, Bluecaps have higher chances with subduing hostiles.)

[ ] Battle Analysis: "Director, now that we've had a proper battle with the Biomorphic threat, we can use the data and recordings of our forces as a base to examine our performance and find ways to refine our tactics." (Cost: 50. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: +5 in Combat rolls against Biomorphs, Unlocks Upgrades.)

[ ] Full Mechanization: "Director, I believe that in order to increase our effectiveness, we will need to make sure our conventional forces are capable of higher mobility. I have a proposal for how this might be done, but… it's expensive." (Cost: 300. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Obtain an Unit of IFVs for each Unit of Infantry, Recruitment Actions modified.)

Research: "It seems I have my work cut out for me, Director. So many specimens to go over, and the projects we have tackled yet on top of that. Those new laboratories will be a boon for certain." (2 Actions)

[ ] Chroming Up, The Good Stuff: "Such advanced augmentations, and that's just for the basic medical prosthesis that are available. If we can dig deeper, I feel we can get something that can truly change the way we can enhance the human body." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Unlock Enhancement Cyberware Tech.)

[ ] The Corpse of Giants: "Magnificent, the processes that this alien biology must be capable of maintaining such a creature of this size, I shall make sure that I use all of it to the utmost to uncover its secrets, Director." (Cost: 150, Consumes Preserved Titan Corpse. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Large amounts of Biomorphic Data, Greater Understanding of Titan physiology, ???)

[ ] Mangler Autopsy: "Director, we have a number of Mangler corpses. I believe it would be an excellent use of time to do a proper dissection and learn what we can from these specimens. We may obtain some insights and inspiration from their physiology." (Cost: 100, 1 Mangler Unit Corpse. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: Mangler Data, ???, ???)

[ ] Ultra Autopsy: "An apex life form, these Ultras are quite a fearsome specimen that can be quite dangerous. Of course, we can still potentially make use of the secrets of these creatures for our own goals, Director." (Cost: 150, 1 Ultra Unit Corpses. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Ultra Data, ???, ???)

[ ] Roller Autopsy: "Such a dangerous creature, yet so similar to certain animals on our own planet. I believe we may be able to gain some useful inspiration from this specimen, Director." (Cost: 100, 1 Roller Unit Corpses. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Roller Data, ???, ???)

[ ] Biomorphic Augmentation: "While I can understand a reluctance, in the face of a foe we know so little about, it may be necessary to consider all potential avenues for combating the Biomorph threat. I can begin devising a method by which we could extract useful biological data that we can adapt and apply to our own troops… if you are willing to give the order, Director." (Cost: 200. Time: 2. DC: 75. Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Facility Unlocked, Gain Biomorph Augment Data when dissecting Non-Titan Biomorphs.)

[ ] Better Pilot Interface: "Ah, I take it you will be working on this? Well, I can try to lend whatever aid I can, but this isn't a field that I am overly interested in." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Slayers are easier to operate, Slayer Pilot Training DC reduced.)

[ ] Slayer Armory: "Another project for your Slayers? I suppose having a more varied arsenal would be useful. Perhaps I could help in some capacity…" (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Slayer Armament List Expanded.)

[ ] Advanced Materials: "Inspired by that news from Africa, Director? Having our own teams look into it should produce greater results with our proximity to the Alpha Breach." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Advanced Materials Research Line Opened, New Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] Ace Custom: "Hmmm? Making different models of Slayers? Seeking to make more personalized units for our pilots perhaps? Not sure how much help I'll be in this, Director..." (Cost: 150. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Can Build Slayers with different specializations, Power-Type & Speed-Type Slayer Unlocked.)

Industrial: "Hey, Director! Just got done giving Ryan an earful for pushing his Slayer so hard. We've got some spare time in our schedule this month, but those workshops will be finished soon!" (2 Actions, 1 Locked)

[ ] Slayer Production: "Well Director, while we might not have more pilots currently, I think that having a surplus of Slayers will be a good thing! Having spares in chase one of them isn't working right will certainly be better than not having them. And besides, if we have more now, then when we get more pilots, they won't have to wait too long." (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Additional Slayers Constructed, Unlock Additional Pilot Recruitment)

[ ] Missile Turrets & Flak Guns: "Nothing against our Bluecaps, Director, but I think having some stuff built around the HQ for handling more flighty targets and those with a particular toughness to them might be beneficial for base security. Me and my boys can get something whipped up right quick!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Rewards: Missile Turrets and Flak Guns added to HQ, Increases Security.)

[ ] Pop Goes the Turret!: "Now Director, hear me out. What if we installed turrets that could pop out of the ceiling and floors that shoot at any bug or crazy that manages to get into our base? It's great, ain't it?" (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Internal Hidden Turrets added, Increases Security.)

[X] Secondary Workshops: "Thanks to the idiot we have to start all over. The other engineers weren't happy either so he'll be getting his pay cut until he can pay back the damages his accident caused."(Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Secondary Workshops Built, +5 to Industrial Actions and +1 Re-Roll on Failed Industrial Actions.)

[ ] House of Asclepius: "You want a full-on hospital built into the HQ? Should be better than the basic infirmary already set up. Sure, I can do that for you, Director!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Hospital Built, Infantry Units and Slayer Pilots recover faster and can survive worse injuries, Medical Grade Cyberware can be installed here.)

Diplomacy: "Fully staffed, funding rolling in, and a victory under our belts. I can certainly get plenty done this month, just say the word." (2 Actions)

[ ] Get EVEN More Funding!: "I don't think we should push our luck so soon, but I could probably try to further boost our Funding?" (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 80. Reward: Monthly Funding Boost increased to +800 for 3 Turns instead of +600.)

[ ] Propaganda Machine: "Propaganda is such a… heavy word, Laura. I think morale boosting and advertisement might work better, but the idea is the same. We let people know that we are here, we're here to help, and they can help us help them with a few… donations. I might even help out the good Commander with his recruitment ideas." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Public favor gained, chance of getting funding from public donations each Turn, +10 to Recruitment Drive if taken at the same time.)

[ ] Meta-Human Outreach: "Those idiots over in the US have no idea what kind of fumble they've made, but we might be able to profit off of it. Some support towards the young Meta-Human community could net us some friends with more personal power. Of course there is also the fact that the US might not like use if we go against their wishes." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Favor from Meta-Human Community, Minor dislike from the US, More Meta-Human Related Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] A Merchant in the Day: "Sometimes we need to grease some palms in order to get something that we might not be able to get through regular channels, but everyone likes money, and a bit of charm can go a long way." (Cost: ???. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: ???. Each Sub-Vote counts as an Action.)
-[] Advanced Materials Data (Cost: 200. Reward: +10 to Advanced Materials Research.)
-[] Anti-Titan Missile Launcher (Cost: 250. Reward: Import Inferior Anti-Titan Weapon.)

[ ] An Arm of Silver: "Laura, with the finds from our research division on those new medical prosthetics, we could make a mint on selling out the designs and how to produce them, while also scoring some decent PR from it as well. Just let me talk to a few folks and smooth over the processes." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 55. Reward: Medical Grade Cyberware Distribution, +250 Funding per Turn.)

Intrigue: "Ed has been settling in along with our cyber division, and our ability to operate has expanded considerably thanks to that. And it seems we've received a large surplus of funding. Director, let's get to work." (2 Actions)

[ ] Eye of The Beholder: "I can get some agents sent out to infiltrate and gather Intel on what's going on with the rest of the world, though if we want more in-depth reports, we'll need to focus our attention. Still, this will help us stay up to date beyond looking at the news." (Cost: 150. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: World News/Rumor Mill expanded; basic Spy Network established around the world. Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] Claw of The Executioner: "Director, while I understand that it might not be something you're comfortable with, having some of our agents trained and having contacts that can covertly eliminate targets will leave us with more options in how to deal with situations that might come up." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: A number of Assassins are available for wet work operations.)

[ ] Hack The Planet: "Director, now that we be have a proper cyber division, along with our talented new hire for it, I believe it would be prudent to make use of it to turn the internet into a far more… reliable source of Intel for our continued operations, along with having a potential ability to access systems that could make other operators run smoothly." (Cost: 50. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50/90. Reward: Better Rumor Mill.)

[ ] A Thief In The Night: "Director, sometimes people will hold onto something that could be of better use in other hands. If you wish to acquire something but feel the other party will be unreasonable, I can arrange for an operation to acquire it." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: ???. Reward: ???. Each Sub-Vote Counts as an Action.)
-[] Money (DC: 50. Reward: +500 Credits.)
-[] Advanced Materials Data (DC: 50. Reward: +10 to Advanced Materials Research.)
-[] Anti-Titan Missile Launcher (DC: 75. Reward: Anti-Titan Weapon Schematics.)

[ ] Incident Investigation, South America: "With martial law being declared after the attempted coups, figuring out the details of the incidents and finding a way to mitigate the damages will be important." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Intel on South America Coups and Cultist Activity.)

Personal: Hey, you have some time to yourself! Now how are you going to spend it… (1 Personal Action.)

[ ] Personal Attention: You 're going to put some personal attention to something and make sure it will actually happen! (Cost: 0. +10 to 1 Action.)
-[] Action

[ ] Brainstorm: Sometimes, you come up with all kinds of ideas and sort through them to see which are actually possible and worthwhile to try out. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: New Research Action Added.)

[ ] Buy a Lottery Ticket: Because why not, you might get lucky! (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 100. Reward: 1,000 Credits.)

[ ] Get to know someone: You're going to be working with them, you might as well learn more about your subordinates and co-workers. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50)
-[] (Department Head) Write-In.
-[] (Pilot) Write-In.

ShieldCrown · Mar 22, 2023

[X] Plan House in Order
-[X] Culling Operation (-100)
-[X] Battle Analysis (-50)
-[X] Biomorphic Augmentation (-200)
-[X] Better Pilot Interface (-50)
-[X] House of Asclepius (-200)
-[X] An Arm of Silver (-100)
-[X] Meta-Human Outreach (-200)
-[X] Hack The Planet (-50)
-[X] Claw of The Executioner (-100)
-[X] Get to know someone (Felix Adams)

"Well, this has been a pretty good month." You said as you reviewed the progress made by your departments. "We should be able to get out of the growing pains, hopefully nothing happens to make things more complicated." You then paused and looked up as the department heads stared at you with differing expressions of concern and exasperation.

"Shit, did I just jinx myself?"

Military

[X] Culling Operation: "Director, while we have secured the containment zone around the Alpha Breach, there are still Biomorphs inside the zone that will prove to be problematic if not dealt with. While I'd prefer having more men and vehicles before we moved out, I'll work with what we have." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Biomorph Forces inside Containment Zone decreased.)

(Roll: 68 vs DC: 60, Pass.)

"Hummingbird to Killzone 3, we have a herd of Manglers heading your way. ETA 1 minute. How copy?"

"This is Killzone 3, we are ready to give our guests a warm welcome. Over."

You couldn't help but smile as you watch your troops lure in a herd of Biomorphs into one of the well-prepared kill zones before they are shredded into mincemeat. The sounds of a million bullets cutting down and silencing the alien shrieks of the Biomorphs across multiple kill zones bring you a vindictive sense of glee.

"Those new tactics you came up with are working out very well, Commander." You said, looking over at Adams who nodded with a stoic, professional expression, but you could feel the smug aura he was giving off.

"Thank you, Director." He said.

"So, how do you feel about grabbing a drink in my office to celebrate?" You asked.

"… Pardon?"

Reward: Biomorph Forces Culled, 19 Units of Manglers, 2 Units of Ultras, and 14 Units of Rollers Killed. +500 Funding.

[X] Battle Analysis: "Director, now that we've had a proper battle with the Biomorphic threat, we can use the data and recordings of our forces as a base to examine our performance and find ways to refine our tactics." (Cost: 50. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: +5 in Combat rolls against Biomorphs, Unlocks Upgrades.)

(Roll: 68 vs DC: 50, Pass)

Before Culling Operation…

"There's not much we could do with what we have. We have a lot of infantry units, which can cover and hold a lot of ground. But they aren't very mobile, and they don't pack a lot of firepower by on their own. So, our new doctrine is to have our infantry units dig in to create entrenched positions while our helicopters lure Biomorphs into our well-prepared kill zones. It should have everything like barbed wire and tank traps to stop Rollers, land mines to help thin their numbers, and whatever else the engineers can come up with to make it as deadly a place as possible. As they are busy trying to go through our traps, our infantry in trenches and pillboxes rain lead on the Biomorphs with every weapon we have. Hopefully that will kill everything that got lured in. We'll have multiple killzones so that we can have a rotation of constant luring while giving the Killzones that just killed a horde time to reset their traps." Commander Adams informed you after having a team go over the battle footage with a fine comb.

"This is what we'll do in the upcoming Culling operation?" You asked, to which Adams nodded.

"That's right. It is fairly basic for now. As to how we could improve our combat capability for future operations, we come up with a few suggestions. The cheapest and simplest solution is to give our troops bigger guns that shoot bigger bullets. Heavy Machine guns like the M2 Browning, Barrett 50 Caliber Rifles, Carl Gustav Recoilless Rifles, 6 Gauge Shotguns, and whatever else we could get our hands on. I'd eve settle for an Elephant gun or a World War 1 AT Rifle if there are any. Anything that our troops can carry that packs a punch should be considered." The Commander listed out the first option, and the one you'd figured would probably be the easiest to implement.

"I'll see if Josephine can find someone that can sell their guns to us. What else?"

"Another option we can pursue is to get our own Artillery batteries to blast Biomorphs to smithereens. We needed a mobile platform that can retreat in case the area is overrun with Biomorphs, accurate enough to hit individual Biomorphs, and have a very long range so that they can also help in Titan fights. A mobile missile artillery system is the only artillery that fits every criterion. If we have our troops or buy drones equipped with laser designators, we can be pinpoint accurate with our ballistic missiles. It might not be as accurate in battles with a lot of smoke, but radar guided missile can be used instead." Adams gave you the second of the options, and you paused for a moment at the possible cost of buying a few MLRSs as well as their very expensive ammunition.

"If we can get that Anti-Titan weapon the Chinese have, we can probably use it like what you have suggested. I'll have to see if either Josephine or Twilight can get their hands on it." You added in your two cents.

"The last option and most expensive is to buy a few AC-130 Gunships or more Attack Helicopters. The amount of firepower that can be brought to bear as well as how long the AC-130 can stay in the air would have been a tremendous help in Mexico. More Attack Helicopters would also be great to have in the event we needed a lot of firepower very quickly. Like in the event the Biomorphs broke through one of our lines and we needed something fast to intercept and kill them before they cause too much damage." Adams finished his last suggestion, and you imagined a flight of gunships circling above the battlefield, laying down a rain of lead as your Slayers fought Titans, giants of steel battling monsters of equal size as death fell around them.

It was very cinematic.

"Right, well let's hope the budget holds out for next month." You remarked.

Reward: +5 in Combat rolls against Biomorphs, Unlocked Upgrades.

Research

[X] Biomorphic Augmentation: "While I can understand a reluctance, in the face of a foe we know so little about, it may be necessary to consider all potential avenues for combating the Biomorph threat. I can begin devising a method by which we could extract useful biological data that we can adapt and apply to our own troops… if you are willing to give the order, Director." (Cost: 200. Time: 2. DC: 75. Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Facility Unlocked, Gain Biomorph Augment Data when dissecting Non-Titan Biomorphs.)

(Roll: 90+10 (Laura)+20 (Vahlen)+5 (2nd Lab)=115 vs DC: 75, Pass Artificial Crit.)

"You managed to crack the process?" You asked Dr. Vahlen, who was looking at her tablet with an intensity that you normally reserved for your darling Slayers.

"Yes, even better, I have figured out ways to make use of the procedure with minimal need for custom specialized equipment, which should please Emily down in engineering. It should only take half the time and cost less of our funding in order to construct, provided nothing unforeseen happens to delay it." Dr. Vahlen said as she brought up tablet and showed you what she had designed.

"I imagine they will still need a recovery and acclimation period before they can be deployed on the field." You said as you looked at the tablet. You raised an eyebrow at what you saw. "Huh, CRISPR? And some of this looks like it came from research on minimizing chances of organ rejection… and is that some of our Cyberware research as well?"

"Indeed, figuring out how to combine the procedures to further reduce the risks of rejection for this project was a challenge, but one that's proven to be worthwhile." Dr. Vahlen said. "The sooner we can give our forces the edge they need, the better."

Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Facility Unlocked, Gain Biomorph Augment Data when dissecting Non-Titan Biomorphs. Biomorphic Augmentation Facility will cost less resources and time to build.

[X] Better Pilot Interface: "Ah, I take it you will be working on this? Well, I can try to lend whatever aid I can, but this isn't a field that I am overly interested in." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Slayers are easier to operate, Slayer Pilot Training DC reduced.)

(Roll: 72+10 (Laura)+5 (2nd Lab)=87 vs DC: 50, Pass)

"How are you doing, Rebecca? Is the new interface working out alright for you?" You asked as you and Dr. Vahlen watched from the firing range's bunker. The camera feed the two of you are looking at shows the interior of Rebecca's Slayer as she is using the upgraded pilot controls of her Slayer. You noted that your Slayer's movements are smoother and the delay between input and output is significantly mitigated as Rebecca crouched down and braced the machine gun in a firing position.

"Yeah, this new setup is great! It's a lot easier to understand and use, and it's already optimized with my preferences too! This is great, Dr. Thompson!" Rebecca's voice crackled over the radio, even as she took aim at a distant target. With a pull of the trigger a bullet the size of a 2x4 flew through the air towards a car and struck with enough accuracy that it went in through a side window and out the other. Anyone in the car would have been utterly mist-tified, but this was a just to test the new interface's accuracy.

"Good shot, you threaded the needle on that." You told Rebecca, who let out a cheerful 'Wohoo'.

"This new interface should make training new Pilots easier." Dr. Vahlen said as she looked over the data. "Reworking both the physical controls and the OS must have been quite stressful."

"Pffft, for my darlings I could work through the issues!" You said, smirking.

Now, you just needed more Slayers to actually have Pilots for…

Reward: Slayers are easier to operate, Slayer Pilot Training DC reduced.

Industrial

[X] Secondary Workshops: "Thanks to the idiot we have to start all over. The other engineers weren't happy either so he'll be getting his pay cut until he can pay back the damages his accident caused."(Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Secondary Workshops Built, +5 to Industrial Actions and +1 Re-Roll on Failed Industrial Actions.)

"Finally, it's done! I'm glad that's over with." Emily said as she took a seat while the engineering teams looked over and got familiarized with the new workshops.

"I'm happy for you, I know this has been something of a time sink." You said as you sat down next to her. "Heh, maybe I'll come down here to do some tinkering when I have the time!"

"Well, I look forward to that, Director." Emily said. "Though, maybe don't have me build a Slayer in the workshops? They're not that big."

"My darlings do need plenty of room." You said with a nod. "And hopefully this will make things easier for the other projects, like the hospital!"

Reward: Secondary Workshops Built, +5 to Industrial Actions and +1 Re-Roll on Failed Industrial Actions.

[X] House of Asclepius: "You want a full-on hospital built into the HQ? Should be better than the basic infirmary already set up. Sure, I can do that for you, Director!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Hospital Built, Infantry Units and Slayer Pilots recover faster and can survive worse injuries, Medical Grade Cyberware can be installed here.)

(Roll: 74 vs DC: 50)

"Oh yeah, the hospital is coming along on schedule." Emily said as she pulled out her tablet, everyone had one, and handed it over to you to look over. "Which, let me tell you, is a massive relief. It should be finished by the end of April, along with the new medical staff coming in. Getting the rooms set up for those medical cybernetics you and Vahlen managed to cook up is probably the hardest part."

"I'm sure our troops and staff will enjoy having some good medical coverage instead of having that basic Infirmary setup we had." You said before handing the tablet back. "Speaking of Dr. Vahlen, she'll be sending you some details soon for a new facility. Please, don't freak out when you see it."

"Oh, come on, how bad could it be?" Emily asked with an amused look on her face.

Will Complete Next Turn.

Diplomacy

[X] An Arm of Silver: "Laura, with the finds from our research division on those new medical prosthetics, we could make a mint on selling out the designs and how to produce them, while also scoring some decent PR from it as well. Just let me talk to a few folks and smooth over the processes." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 55. Reward: Medical Grade Cyberware Distribution, +250 Funding per Turn.)

(Roll: 52 vs DC: 55, Bare Fail.)
(Re-Roll: 100+10=110 vs DC: 55, Pass Nat Crit)

"Well, that was a bit of a close one, but I can definitely say that we've managed to come out ahead in that negotiation!" Josephine said as she came in and sat down in her office. "Had to go out and get the deal done myself, but it went wonderfully!"

"…That's a few extra zeroes than I was expecting." You said as you looked over the deal. "I see you managed to squeeze a bit extra than we initially expected to, huh? As expected of the 'Negotiator', eh?" You gave Josephine a smirk while she laughed.

"Oh, come now, my young Padawan. You know that I bring my best when working out a deal myself." Your friend said. She then frowned. "Unfortunately, going out for this meant I couldn't handle the outreach attempt for the Metahumans in the States…"

Reward: Medical Grade Cyberware Distribution, +350 Funding per Turn.

[X] Meta-Human Outreach: "Those idiots over in the US have no idea what kind of fumble they've made, but we might be able to profit off of it. Some support towards the young Meta-Human community could net us some friends with more personal power. Of course there is also the fact that the US might not like us if we go against their wishes." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Favor from Meta-Human Community, Minor dislike from the US, More Meta-Human Related Actions Unlocked.)

(Roll: 67 vs DC: 70, Bare Fail)

"How bad is it?" You asked Josephine, who sighed.

"Unfortunately, our attempts to reach out to them have been difficult. Finding the actual communities of Metahumans has proven difficult, they're still in hiding even after the US reconsidered their stance regarding them, and so the main issue is actually getting the support we could offer to the intended target. Thankfully, the US hasn't noticed our attempt, so they haven't reacted to it." Josephine said. "Hopefully, we can try again and actually work something out. We've narrowed down where they aren't, so finding them during our next attempt should be easier."

"Well, outside of some money down the drain, it's not a total loss. Especially since your deal with the medical Cyberware should easily make back what we used in this attempt." You said.

"Always looking on the bright side, that's just like you." Josephine said with a knowing smirk. "Well, I suppose some celebration is in order, drink?"

Result: DC Reduced for next Attempt, DC: 70 -> DC: 60.

Intrigue

[X] Hack The Planet: "Director, now that we have a proper cyber division, along with our talented new hire for it, I believe it would be prudent to make use of it to turn the internet into a far more… reliable source of Intel for our continued operations, along with having a potential ability to access systems that could make other operators run smoothly." (Cost: 50. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50/90. Reward: Better Rumor Mill.)

(Roll: 72+15 (Ed)+20 (Twilight)=107 vs DC: 50/90, Pass Artificial Crit.)

"…You two are really scary when you work together." You remarked as you stared at the mountain of Intel and Data you were looking at on your tablet.

"Our talents just happened to synergize well on this matter, Director." Twilight said while Ed was playing with a dog that somehow had managed to be smuggled in. His name was Ein, apparently. "This operation simply played to our strengths."

"I imagine that with this, we now have additional sources of Intel outside of what we can get from watching the news. After putting it through the analyzers and drawing out the actually relevant stuff." You said as you looked over the Intel.

"Indeed. We've also managed to track down the source of the leak." Twilight said, and immediately you snapped up and gave him a look that demanded for him to continue. "The individual in question has been detained and brought in for questioning, we've also figured out who it was leaked to in terms of nations and organizations."

"Well, who is it?" You asked, already imagining the bloody vengeance you will extract upon them.

"It was an IT personnel who thought they could get some extra cash. They have been found and dealt with appropriately." Twilight said, dashing your plans. "We managed to find a list of buyers from his computer. Japan, China, Germany, and the US are the nations who bought the leaked blueprints from the leak. A number of other organizations have also bought the blueprints. We can't touch the sovereign nations, but we can do something about these private organizations." I rolled my hand to motion for him to go on.

"One of them is Lockheed Martin. They may want to use the Blueprints to sell Slayer sized systems for us and any nation building their own Slayers, or they want to make their own Slayers so that they could sell it to other nations. It is either of the two, but I'll have Ed keep an eye on them just to be safe. We could have Ed launch a Cyber-attack and wipe their systems, but it could cause more problems in the long run." You agree that it would be best to wait and see what they'll do with it first before making any moves. Who knows, maybe they would develop technology that you can use.

"Another organization that bought the blueprints is a Vasily Heavy Industries. They are a Russian company that have ties to oligarchs that support the Russian Federation. It is very likely a front company that wants to develop their own Slayer for the Russian Federation, so that they can maintain plausible deniability or hide the fact that they have Slayers of their own. With your permission, we can shut them down fairly easily and leave no trace behind." It is probably for the best that the Russians don't develop their own Slayers.

"The third buyer is an African arms dealer called Mohmar Hassan. It seems he is also developing his own Slayers to be sold to African warlords. Interpol has a warrant for his arrest, but he is very good at hiding that it would need some dedicated effort to find him or at the very least find where he is building his Slayers and stop him." Definitely on the 'Erased without a Trace' list. Maybe you could get a bounty on him if you arrest him.

"The last yet most concerning organization is Crossroads Engineering. They were responsible for manufacturing specialty vehicles from cars, trucks, and trains to boats and airplanes. Unfortunately, they have been subverted and transformed into a front for a Breach Cult called the Abyss Breachers that seeks to find a way to travel into the Breaches, believing it to be a way to 'Ascend' to a higher realm and become Gods. I am divided on how to proceed here; do we take them out immediately or infiltrate them so that we can catch a bigger fish later. I'll leave that decision to you, Director."

"Well, looks like you're about to get really busy, Twilight." You remarked as you processed all of this.

Reward: Better Rumor Mill, Figured Out Who Leaked Slayer Blueprints and Who Bought Them. Actions Unlocked.

[X] Claw of The Executioner: "Director, while I understand that it might not be something you're comfortable with, having some of our agents trained and having contacts that can covertly eliminate targets will leave us with more options in how to deal with situations that might come up." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: A number of Assassins are available for wet work operations.)

(Roll: 72 vs DC: 50, Pass.)

"So, you now have access to a few hired killers who we can send out to take out people without it being tied back to us?" You asked Twilight as you looked at the dossiers of the newest additions to the department.

"That is the idea." Twilight said. "We can't always send in the troops, especially if we have a cultist hiding in a position of power."

"So, like the situation a few months ago?" You asked, thinking that you should probably keep a closer eye on that part of the world.

"Indeed, we can also use them to eliminate some other targets of interest once we've identified them. Though with our current network, it won't be as easy." Twilight said. "Having a method to covertly take out our enemies or key personnel in their ranks without bringing out the tanks and looking like we're invading will be a boon to the organization, Director."

"Avoiding that kind of political scandal would certainly make things easier, providing they aren't caught." You said.

"There are precautions in place should that occur." Twilight said.

Ominous, and something you should have expected.

Reward: Assassins Added, Assassination Actions unlocked when you have Targets of Interest.

Personal

[X] Get to know someone: You're going to be working with them, you might as well learn more about your subordinates and co-workers. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50)
-[X] Felix Adams

(Roll: 69 (Nice) vs DC: 50, Pass.)

"So, you wanted to get to know me better, Director?" Commander Adams asked as he sat down on the other side of your desk.

"That's the idea." You said as you took a sip from your cup of coffee. Hmmm, you put too much sugar into it…

"Well… I suppose I can talk about a few things. I was called in once it was clear the Alpha Breach wasn't going to close itself, and that the Australian government couldn't handle it on their own." Adams said, looking off to the side. "Things were bad back then, and that was before the minor breaches started opening."

"Yeah, it was pure chaos." You said as you took a moment to remember where you were. "I was still working on the rough sketches for some domestic work robots and construction suits for a company that would eventually become the Slayers. Josephine had actually gotten you that gig before the company went under after the CEO and several board members were killed from a minor Breach spitting out a Titan nearby where they were. I got my payback later."

Adams took a sip of his drink before continuing, "Then I hear about some mad scientist working on actual, real life mechs to punch the giant monsters." You nodded with a cheeky smile as you considered the title of mad scientist to be a badge of honor. "I meet Rebecca's mom, the test pilot for the Gen-0. Sweet woman, but a little bit too happy to fight giant monsters with grappling and boxing."

"God! She was almost as bad as Anderson!" You said, shaking your head with a small laugh. "She also knew Muay Thai, I had to keep telling her how bad that would go if she used it…" You then frowned. "…I miss her, she was fun…"

"…What happened?" Adams asked. "All I was told was that she gave her life to stop a Titan, and the Gen-0 was lost."

"…She went through a Breach." You told him. "The Gen-0 was down an arm and the head unit was badly damaged that it looked like a crushed tin-can. The Titan was something different, spiky and more spider-like. She rushed it and tackled it into the Breach, while it used its legs to impale the torso unit and spear the head unit."

"I thought Breaches were one way?" Adams asked, looking at you with furrowed eyebrows.

"For normal organics, yeah. Drones could go in, but the moment a Breach closes the connection is cut." You told Adams. "The only one that's stayed open that we could use… well, we built this containment zone around it for a reason."

"And since Sarah was in the Gen-0…" Adams paused, then sighed. "Does Rebecca know?"

"That her mom is gone? Yeah, she still signed up though." You said. "She lives on base, I tried to find any family left but… couldn't find anyone. Records show she had a dad and a sister, but the former is confirmed as a fatality and the other is… missing. No idea where she is, if she is even alive."

"Damn…" Adams said then leaned back and downed his own cup. "… This needs to be stronger." He pulled out a metal flask from his belt and poured something into his cup, which I guess is liquor.

"Yup…" You said as you took another drink from your cup. Hmmm, it is really bitter now…

"…Hmm. You know, when we have to deal with those cultists, or anything else… conventional, I could help direct our troops against them." Adams said after a few seconds of silence. "Plus, I spent some time as a recruiter myself, I might be able to use that to see any diamonds in the rough for us."

"Well, having some more skilled hands could certainly help. And we will have to handle those cultists at some point, and maybe some mercs too if they outsource for muscle." You said as you nodded.

Every little bit helps.

Reward: Felix Adams traits revealed.

Art of War: +10 Bonus Vs Humanoid Enemies.

Eye for Talent: Recruitment Actions have Chance to Spawn Hero Units outside of Crits.

ShieldCrown · Apr 7, 2023

Turn 3 Rumor Mill/World News

North America: "A protest in Los Angeles against Metahuman Discrimination turned into a violent riot when local police forces attempted to disperse the protesters, including a metahuman dancer using their ability to make their performance more eye catching in an attempt to show how Metahumans could use their abilities in ways constructive to culture and art. It is unknown at this time which side triggered the violence, but it has resulted in severe property damage and injuries, along with a small number of fatalities. Investigation into the cause of the riot and the full extent of the damages is ongoing, though several rioters have been arrested and are in custody…"

Additional Intel: Ed managed to uncover some data that the media doesn't have, it seems like one of the "police officers" had an itchy trigger finger and fired a shot at the dancer. There's quotation marks because the officer in question doesn't appear to actually exist in the records of officers in the precinct it happened in, and disappeared after the riot. He did find a match for someone in one of the alphabet soup agencies of the US. He also have the location of said dancer, currently located in hospital. Twilight can sent some Agents to make sure he doesn't disappear if you want…

South America: The South American countries hit by the revolts have started to receive help from UN Peacekeepers to assist in getting things back on track, along with various Aid Organizations sending resources over to help with reconstruction and humanitarian efforts.

Additional Intel: From the look of things, it's all legitimate. Nothing has popped out as suspicious and the cultists haven't tried starting anything with the UN present.

Europe: A large number of immigrants have filled multiple European countries, and it appears that the metahuman population of Europe has expanded soon after as well.

Additional Intel: Looks like the European countries haven't thought of a way to check if their new arrivals are Metahumans or are just more tolerant of Metahumans that they do not care. It seems that this mass migration isn't just to get away from the US or other countries with less than pleasant views on Metahumans. Communities of Metahumans have grown large enough Ed has managed to find some of these havens, and gotten a pair of names connecting to them: "Eden Sanctum" and "Cosmos Inheritance".

Asia: "Minor Breach detected in Asia! Narrowing down the exact coordinates now, stand by!" "Confirmed Biomorphic Signatures! Running them through the system now in order to identify invading force!" "Setting off full alert across the base, all forces be prepared to mobilize!"

You looked at your 'bridge bunnies' as they worked at their consoles and sighed while the klaxon blared and red light filled the base. "Please don't be in a city, please don't be in a city…"

Africa: The research into the exotic materials has borne fruit! A new alloy utilizing these Breach energized metals has been made that has proven to be stronger and lighter than any metal that occurs naturally on Earth! It has an odd pearlescent color that shines red, blue, and yellow when exposed to high energy environments, and has been given the name Auroraium.

Additional Intel: It appears that this new "Auroraium" is easier to produce than the institute might want people to think. It's technically not an alloy at all from what we've managed to glean from communication between the institution and the local government. While we still don't have the exact data on what it's made from, it does seem to be that the only bottleneck to producing it is the energy that a Breach produces.

ShieldCrown · Apr 26, 2023

"Has evacuation begun?" You asked as you looked over the data your people managed to get on where the Minor Breach was, close to a minor town in Vietnamese territory that was close to the wilderness.

"As best as can be done, but from what we've gotten from the locals, it seems like we might have to work around a few stragglers." Commander Adams said as brought up the terrain. "With all of the thick vegetation around the town, we might have some trouble deploying armored support. Though from the Intel we've got, it seems like it's mostly Manglers and only a single Titan, the standard one too, that have managed to arrive."

"So, nothing we haven't already faced before." You nodded before saying, "Just a new setting for the operation. A setting that's not a desert with no one around for miles." You were hoping that you'd get lucky again and not have to worry about collateral damage, but it seems you're not that lucky. At least it isn't at a major or capital city. Even a minor screw up there could cause incredible damage to not just infrastructure, but your organization's reputation as well.

"That is right, unfortunately this environment may be better suited for the smaller Biomorphs than for us. There are plenty of vegetation for a Mangler to rush between in order to avoid our trooper's fire." Dr. Vahlen said as she looked over the physiology of the Manglers. "Even a cursory examination of their body and from the recordings show that they are highly agile."

"Our soldiers have experience with how dangerous they are." Commander Adams said with a scowl.

"Of course, while the situation in Vietnam is a matter of concern, we should also consider how to approach what happened in America." Twilight said. "While the Metahuman performer is safe at the moment, I doubt whoever arranged for the escalation of conflict will be keen on allowing any loose ends to exist."

"Are you suggesting we send someone to protect them in the hospital?" Josephine asked the spymaster of your organization.

"Either that or relocating them to our own facilities, though I admit the latter is likely to be problematic." Twilight said as he looked over the profile of the performer. You had read it yourself, and seen some videos of their dance routines, and found them pretty good.

The use of crystallokinesis made for an impressive addition to the show, you'd give them that much… sucked at rhyming though.

"Both are clear political statements; one is just louder than the other and easier to twist against us." Josephine said.

"So, we have to decide how to handle both the Vietnamese Breach and the Metahuman situation." You said, to which your department heads nodded to you. You needed to consider the environment and what you knew regarding the forces arrayed against your own, along with the potential of civilian casualties and interference.

"Could we make use of local forces?" You asked.

"Possibly, there may also be a way to see if there are any international forces we can call upon who can assist us." Commander Adams said.

"That might cause some diplomatic problems depending on who we can get into contact with, assuming there is anyone available who would answer our requests for assistance." Josephine added in.

"As for our forces, I think we could have our conventional forces either try to help evacuate the civilians from the town and act as a rear guard to take down any Biomorphs that try to go after them, or we could try and rush to get to the minor breach as fast as possible to close it." Adams said. "Meanwhile, we can either have one Slayer focus on dueling the Titan while the other two assist our conventional forces in whatever deployment we have them in, or we could go dogpile the lone Titan and overwhelm it with a three on one fight so that we remove it from the field as soon as possible. Both have their pros and cons, but it's better than nothing."

You had your options, and you could always come up with something yourself, but now was the find to choose…

Vote in Plan Format.

Metahuman Response
[] Guard Duty: Deploy some of your covert-ops agents to protect the metahuman performer so he won't suddenly vanish.
[] Benevolent Disappearance: Grab the metahuman yourself and take them back to a safehouse nearby for protection.
[] Write-In

International Reinforcements
[] US Carrier Strike Group: Ask the US Navy in the South China Sea to lend a hand in the form of Airstrikes and Marine Deployments into Vietnam, (DC 60/90)
[] Vietnamese Military: Ask the Vietnamese Military for assistance in any way they can, the fact that their country is being invaded and that we have a history of successful defenses might help gain their cooperation (DC 30/50)
[] Write-In

Slayer Deployment
[] 1v1 Duel: Have a Slayer duel with the Titan while the others help the conventional forces clear the Biomorphs.
[] Dog Pile the Titan: Have your Slayers 3v1 the unfortunate Titan quickly before supporting the ground forces reach the Breach.
[] Write-In

Conventional Strategy
[] Defensive Deployment: Help the local government evacuate the town by deploying your forces on the town's perimeter and screen against any Biomorph attempting to stream through.
[] Offensive Deployment: Deploy your troops to reach the minor breach so that it can be closed as quickly as possible.
[] Write-In

ShieldCrown · May 31, 2023

[X] Aggressive Plan 2.0
-[X] Guard Duty
-[X] Vietnamese Military
-[X] Write-In: Have two of your Slayers tag team the Titan before going to support the others, while the third serves as the spearhead for the ground forces.
-[X] Offensive Deployment, but only if Vietnamese Military is helping

(Military Reinforcement: Roll 36 vs DC 30/50)

Your request for assistance to the Vietnamese government was answered by the arrival of a small flight of 8 combat helicopters and a flight of 4 fighter-bombers ready for an airstrike to be called in from the nearest airfield. Ryan and Alicia were sent in first in order to tie up the Titan in a gigantic melee fight with the Brute Titan being caught in a two vs one fight with both pilots putting the new interface through its paces in a live combat environment. Rebecca meanwhile would be providing overwatch to the troops that are currently digging into outskirts of the town that have already been evacuated.

Sadly, things didn't go exactly to plan. As it turns out, your Slayer's had an unexpected weakness to trees. Specifically, Rebecca found her scanners and targeting systems having difficulties in getting past the foliage and locking onto any groups of Manglers and so whenever she moved to blast where she thought they were, she ended up missing and just making some craters and breaking trees. The infantry, meanwhile, didn't have time to properly set up killzones and mines yet to repel the charging horde of Manglers. And so the Manglers overrun the defensive perimeter and entered the city with minimal difficulties. When your troops gave chase, they ran into the expected problems of dealing with a highly agile apex predator in an urban environment that favors their monstrous agility. Those who were more isolated or strayed from their squads were picked off from alleyways and one-way streets when the opportunity presented itself. But majority of the horde moved in what you thought must have been quite a stealthy prowl as they managed to go through your forces, even managing to get past the patrolling helicopters and reached the town.

In better news, you got to see Alicia and Ryan absolutely annihilate and functionally bully the Brute Titan to death. The two knightly Slayer pilots moving their machines in a dance of death that overwhelmed the monster, leading to it lose both of its arms before the duo went in for a decapitating execution with both their blades parting the Titan's head from the rest of its body in a less than a minute. It was a flawless maneuver that you would have been normally gushing about and praising the magnificent engineering that needed to go into your darlings in order for that to be pulled off…but you had the tiniest bit of a problem with the Mangler Horde managing to get by your defending force.

The Vietnamese local military and police forces fire their guns at the Manglers to get them away from the still evacuating civilians, the horrific monstrosities turning their attention to the new threat and charging at them. Shots rang out as the soldiers and law enforcement fought hard against the horde, losing several people in the process, their bodies torn apart and mangled, fanged maw feasting on human flesh and snapping bones. Before the Manglers can do anymore damage, your helicopters finally arrived at the scene. The modern attack helicopters fly in and fire missiles at groupings of the now exposed Biomorphs who lacked the cover of dense foliage.

Shrieks and roars of pain and death filled the air as the Biomorphs were blown apart by the explosives while others were shot full of bullets from squads of infantry, both your own and the Vietnamese, caught smaller groups in quickly formed kill boxes and shredded their reptilian-insectoid forms. Rebecca switched to integrated 'pistols' in her Slayer's arms and fired accurate shots that reduced other Manglers to red chunks. "Ryan, Alicia, you guys are near the Breach, right?" Rebecca spoke over comms, receiving one click from each of them in confirmation. "Slash it, smash it, rip and tear it with your hands if you have to! We don't know how long it takes for reinforcements to come through a minor Breach like this if they stabilize it, and I don't want to find out!"

"Calling in air strike, sending coordinates to ally airbase." Alicia called out as she sent a signal to the squadron of bombers awaiting order. The four jets that were on standby over the town, quickly flew over to the target. Explosive ordnances are dropped at the stabilizing growths around the portal, causing bloody chunks of the growths to be blown off the structures and causing them to fall apart into piles of charred meat and viscera. "Effective hit on target, portal is destabilizing!" Alicia confirmed the success of the attack as the Breach warped and collapsed in on itself with a pop.

All that was left was mopping up the remaining Biomorphs, your Infantry and the local forces working together to clear out any buildings and handle the locations where the helicopters couldn't safely fire their weapons. Any that tried to escape back into the wilderness were eliminated with great prejudice using high explosive ordnance and a rain of hot lead shredding their bodies into a bloody mess that little more than a pile of smoking ripped up meat.

One of your technicians needed to be excused as they experienced some severe nausea at the sight, and you made a note to keep some medication on standby in case this becomes a recurring problem. You were fighting biological horrors from another dimension after all, who knows what foul abominations you would face in the future. You might end up fighting a shoggoth at some point!

Huh, something to consider.

Once your forces were certain that no further Biomorphs were living in the AO, and then did another three thorough sweeps through the town to be extra sure, the bodies of both friendlies and hostiles were retrieved and given to the proper people to handle things. That is to say, you took your people and a lion-share of biomorphic cadavers and left the locals to their own dead and a few biomorphs that couldn't be fit into the cargo space of your transports.

Units Lost: 1 Infantry Unit

Collateral Damage: Local Police and Militia (-100 from Mission Payment)

Slayer Damage: Minor Damage (-50 from Mission Reward)

Biomorphs Slain: 46 Manglers, & 1 Titan (+660)

Reward Total: (460+0+200)+(-100+0+-50)=510 Funding

ShieldCrown · Jun 18, 2023

"We did good in Vietnam but I can see some room for improvement. What do you recommend we focus on next?" You asked, looking at your department heads as all of you were gathered at the start of the new month.

"We managed to acquire large amounts of funding thanks to a mixture of our investments last month and what we earned from the mission in Vietnam." Adams said while bringing up the data onto the tablets. "This gives us more resources to aid in our operations. Our Slayers are doing amazing against their Titans but our regular forces are our weakest link at the moment. We need more equipment and force multipliers to effectively combat the regular Biomorphs which ironically gives us the most trouble."

"We also have a surplus of Biomorph cadavers." Vahlen remarked. "At this point, we have enough that I could likely glean enough from the combined number that I could develop something from them."

"The hospital is still being constructed and will finish by the end of the month." Emily said. "But I can think of ways to make full use of that extra bit of funding in order to really push our self-sufficiency to something more effective. If we have the budget, I could just build a vehicle or aviation factory so that we could just build our own vehicles. I can't build a top-of-the-line fighter from the get-go, but more outdated stuff with licenses that we could buy like Humvees or Little Birds shouldn't be too hard to get. Once we have the general know how, we could even design our own vehicles if you want."

"The Metahuman situation warrants some investigation, and we still have limited information on the South American incident and the presence of hostile forces on the continent." Twilight said, shifting through the files. "And while we have enough Assassins to covertly neutralize threats, we need more competent spies in order to gather Intel."

"Regarding the Metahumans, I might be able to talk to the performer and get something to help our own agenda regarding them." Josephine said, adding her own thoughts. "And maybe I could get Emily something to help, just need some spending power."

Facility Power: 7/20
Conventional Units: 15 Infantry Units (2 as Base Security), 2 Transport Helicopter Units, 2 Combat Helicopter Units, 1 IFV Units, 1 Tank Unit, 3 Experimental Tank Units.
Special Units: 3 Slayer Units
Credits: 165+950+500+510=2,125 (+950 Credits Per Turn)

Military: "If only we had a way to set up a proper kill zone faster, maybe even set up a pre-fab FOB near these Breaches. I know that our head engineer has some kind of idea for pop-our turrets, maybe…" (2 Actions)

[ ] Recruitment Drive: "Director, we lost some of manpower recently, and while I don't desire to sound callous, replacing those losses as soon as possible should be something you should consider." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: More Infantry Units.)

[ ] Armor Acquisition: "It… might be necessary to acquire additional vehicles, especially after the loss of several IFVs and the less than stellar performance of our new tanks. I apologize in advance, Director." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: More Tanks, along with a few other vehicles.)

[ ] Steel in the Sky: "Director, after the performance shown by our combat helicopters, I believe it might be to our benefit to acquire additional aerial assets." (Cost: 250. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: More Aerial Units, Mostly Combat Helicopters.)

[-] Culling Operation: "Director, while we have secured the containment zone around the Alpha Breach, there are still Biomorphs inside the zone that will prove to be problematic if not dealt with. While I'd prefer having more men and vehicles before we moved out, I'll work with what we have." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Biomorph Forces inside Containment Zone decreased.)

[ ] Bluecap Improvement, Counter-Sabotage: "Director, I'd like for our Bluecaps to be able to mitigate any damage any infiltrators that manage to get past us could manage to inflict on our systems. I think the Engineers would be happy for it." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Base Security Improved. Blue Caps can now attempt to mitigate hostile sabotage.)

[ ] Bluecap Improvement, Advanced CQC: "Director, now that the security is better at detecting potential infiltrators, I think it would be a good idea for them to be given further training in how to subdue and takedown any that resist capture." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: Base Security Improved, Bluecaps have higher chances with subduing hostiles.)

[ ] Full Mechanization: "Director, I believe that in order to increase our effectiveness, we will need to make sure our conventional forces are capable of higher mobility, protection, and firepower. I have a proposal for how this might be done, but… it's expensive." (Cost: 300. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Obtain an Unit of IFVs for each Unit of Infantry, Recruitment Actions modified.)

Research: "Director, given the surplus of Mangler cadavers we have in cold storage, might I suggest we start on research regarding them?" (2 Actions)

[ ] Chroming Up, The Good Stuff: "Such advanced augmentations, and that's just for the basic medical prosthesis that are available. If we can dig deeper, I feel we can get something that can truly change the way we can enhance the human body." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Unlock Enhancement Cyberware Tech.)

[ ] The Corpse of Giants: "Magnificent, the processes that this alien biology must be capable of maintaining such a creature of this size, I shall make sure that I use all of it to the utmost to uncover its secrets, Director." (Cost: 150, Consumes Preserved Titan Corpse. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Large amounts of Biomorphic Data, Greater Understanding of Titan physiology, ???)

[ ] Mangler Autopsy: "Director, we have a number of Mangler corpses. I believe it would be an excellent use of time to do a proper dissection and learn what we can from these specimens. We may obtain some insights and inspiration from their physiology." (Cost: 100, 1 Mangler Unit Corpse. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: Mangler Data, Mangler Augmentation, ???)

[ ] Ultra Autopsy: "An apex life form, these Ultras are quite a fearsome specimen that can be quite dangerous. Of course, we can still potentially make use of the secrets of these creatures for our own goals, Director." (Cost: 150, 1 Ultra Unit Corpses. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Ultra Data, Ultra Augmentation, ???)

[ ] Roller Autopsy: "Such a dangerous creature, yet so similar to certain animals on our own planet. I believe we may be able to gain some useful inspiration from this specimen, Director." (Cost: 100, 1 Roller Unit Corpses. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Roller Data, Roller Augmentation, ???)

[ ] Slayer Armory: "Another project for your Slayers? I suppose having a more varied arsenal would be useful. Perhaps I could help in some capacity…" (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Slayer Armament List Expanded.)

[ ] Advanced Materials: "Inspired by that news from Africa, Director? Having our own teams look into it should produce greater results with our proximity to the Alpha Breach." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Advanced Materials Research Line Opened, New Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] Ace Custom: "Hmmm? Making different models of Slayers? Seeking to make more personalized units for our pilots perhaps? Not sure how much help I'll be in this, Director..." (Cost: 150. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Can Build Slayers with different specializations, Power-Type & Speed-Type Slayer Unlocked, Significantly Opens Up Slayer Research Tree.)

Industrial: "You know, if we had ways to build our own stuff, we'd probably save a lot more than outsourcing it, not having to worry about it be unavailable or the price getting hiked up…hmmm." (2 Actions, 1 Locked)

[ ] Slayer Production: "Well Director, while we might not have more pilots currently, I think that having a surplus of Slayers will be a good thing! Having spares in case one of them isn't working right will certainly be better than not having them. And besides, if we have more now, then when we get more pilots, they won't have to wait too long." (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Additional Slayers Constructed, Unlock Additional Pilot Recruitment)

[ ] Missile Turrets & Flak Guns: "Nothing against our Bluecaps, Director, but I think having some stuff built around the HQ for handling more flighty targets and those with a particular toughness to them might be beneficial for base security. Me and my boys can get something whipped up right quick!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Rewards: Missile Turrets and Flak Guns added to HQ, Increases Security.)

[ ] Pop Goes the Turret!: "Now Director, hear me out. What if we installed turrets that could pop out of the ceiling and floors that shoot at any bug or crazy that manages to get into our base? It's great, ain't it?" (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Internal Hidden Turrets added, Increases Security.)

[X] House of Asclepius: "You want a full-on hospital built into the HQ? Should be better than the basic infirmary already set up. Sure, I can do that for you, Director!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Hospital Built, Infantry Units and Slayer Pilots recover faster and can survive worse injuries, Medical Grade Cyberware can be installed here.)

[ ] Biomorphic Augmentation Facility: "I'm not sure how to feel about this, but I guess we need every advantage we need against the Biomorphs. Your call, Director." (Cost: 250. Time; 2 Turns. DC: 45. Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Actions Unlocked, ???)

[ ] Tank-tastic!: "You know Director, I think if you give me the funding, I could make us a dedicated facility for vehicle production. I'm sure that the commander would like to avoid an incident like last time." (Cost: 300. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Can produce vehicles in-house instead of buying them, unlocks internal vehicle development research.)

[ ] Wings of Iron: "I could also take that funding and make a facility that would let us produce aircraft. Air superiority has been something we've had that Biomorphs seem to lack at the moment, and not having to rely on outside contractors for them would be nice." (Cost: 600. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: Can produce aircraft in house, unlocks internal aircraft developments research.)

Diplomacy: "The Metahuman issue in the US isn't looking good, and if what I read in the reports are true then we may have something to worry about in Europe too." (2 Actions)

[ ] Get EVEN More Funding!: "I don't think we should push our luck so soon, but I could probably try to further boost our Funding?" (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 80. Reward: Monthly Funding Boost increased to +800 for 3 Turns instead of +600.)

[ ] Propaganda Machine: "Propaganda is such a… heavy word, Laura. I think morale boosting and advertisement might work better, but the idea is the same. We let people know that we are here, we're here to help, and they can help us help them with a few… donations. I might even help out the good Commander with his recruitment ideas." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Public favor gained, chance of getting funding from public donations each Turn, +10 to Recruitment Drive if taken at the same time.)

[ ] Meta-Human Outreach: "Those idiots over in the US have no idea what kind of fumble they've made, but we might be able to profit off of it. Some support towards the young Meta-Human community could net us some friends with more personal power. Of course there is also the fact that the US might not like use if we go against their wishes." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Favor from Meta-Human Community, Minor dislike from the US, More Meta-Human Related Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] A Merchant in the Day: "Sometimes we need to grease some palms in order to get something that we might not be able to get through regular channels, but everyone likes money, and a bit of charm can go a long way." (Cost: ???. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: ???. Each Sub-Vote counts as an Action.)
-[] Advanced Materials Data (Cost: 200. Reward: +10 to Advanced Materials Research.)
-[] Anti-Titan Missile Launcher (Cost: 250. Reward: Import Inferior Anti-Titan Weapon.)

[ ] Performer Persuasion: "We have a few agents of Twilight guarding the meta-human dancer, the irony of having some of our assassins acting to protect a potential target is not lost on me. However, we could use this to earn some favor among the Meta-Humans, we just need some time to talk to them." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: ???)

[ ] License Liaison: "I think I could get some of the licenses for us to order more vehicles and aircraft on a more consistent basis, or to make it ourselves if our head engineers convince you to build those factories." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 10/30/60/85. Reward: More Vehicle Options.)

Intrigue: "With the leads we have on the metahuman havens in Europe, it appears that they are beginning to form factions. And we still know little about the initial incident in South America…" (2 Actions)

[ ] Eye of The Beholder: "I can get some agents sent out to infiltrate and gather Intel on what's going on with the rest of the world, though if we want more in-depth reports, we'll need to focus our attention. Still, this will help us stay up to date beyond looking at the news." (Cost: 150. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: World News/Rumor Mill expanded; basic Spy Network established around the world. Actions Unlocked.)

[ ] A Thief In The Night: "Director, sometimes people will hold onto something that could be of better use in other hands. If you wish to acquire something but feel the other party will be unreasonable, I can arrange for an operation to acquire it." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: ???. Reward: ???. Each Sub-Vote Counts as an Action.)
-[] Money (DC: 50. Reward: +500 Credits.)
-[] Advanced Materials Data (DC: 50. Reward: +10 to Advanced Materials Research.)
-[] Anti-Titan Missile Launcher (DC: 75. Reward: Anti-Titan Weapon Schematics.)

[ ] Incident Investigation, South America: "With martial law being declared after the attempted coups, figuring out the details of the incidents and finding a way to mitigate the damages will be important." (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Intel on South America Coups and Cultist Activity.)

[ ] Incident Investigation, North America: "While we have a few leads that we can follow, further investigation into what happened during that protest should be considered, Director." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Intel on Anti-Meta Forces and Meta-Humans of note.)

[ ] Intel Gathering, Eden Sanctum: "Ed had found some leads into Meta-Human havens in Europe, one of which called Eden Sanctum according to what we've found. Investigating this could give another means of getting in with the Meta-Human community." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Intel on Eden Sanctum.)

[ ] Intel Gathering, Cosmos Inheritance: "Another lead is a group we know as Cosmos Inheritance. Like Eden Sanctum, all we really know is that it's a European haven for Meta-Humans. Investigating this other group could be helpful as well." (Cost: 200. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 70. Reward: Intel on Cosmos Inheritance.)

[ ] Knock-Off Investigation: "Thanks to our new Cybersecurity team and Ed's work, we've managed to figure out who has the data on the Slayers. But we don't know how close they are to reverse-engineering their own variants." (Cost: 150. DC: 70. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Reveals Knock-Off Slayer Progress.)
-[] Japan
-[] China
-[] Germany
-[] US
-[] Lockheed-Martin
-[] Vasily Heavy Industries
-[] Mohmar Hassan
-[] Crossroads Engineering

Personal: Hey, you have some time to yourself! Now how are you going to spend it… (1 Personal Action.)

[ ] Personal Attention: You 're going to put some personal attention to something and make sure it will actually happen! (Cost: 0. +10 to 1 Action.)
-[] Action

[ ] Brainstorm: Sometimes, you come up with all kinds of ideas and sort through them to see which are actually possible and worthwhile to try out. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: New Research Action Added.)

[ ] Buy a Lottery Ticket: Because why not, you might get lucky! (Cost: 100. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 100. Reward: 1,000 Credits.)

[ ] Get to know someone: You're going to be working with them, you might as well learn more about your subordinates and co-workers. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50)
-[] (Department Head) Write-In.
-[] (Pilot) Write-In.

ShieldCrown · Jul 24, 2023

[X] Plan Buff Soldiers
-[X] Military total cost: 450
--[X] Recruitment Drive (Cost: 150)
--[X] Full Mechanization (Cost: 300)
-[X] Research total cost: 250
--[X] Mangler Autopsy (Cost: 100)
--[X] Ultra Autopsy: (Cost: 150)
-[X] Industrial total cost: 250
--[X] Biomorphic Augmentation Facility: (Cost: 250)
-[X] Diplomacy total cost: 300
--[X] Propaganda Machine (Cost: 150)
--[X] Performer Persuasion: (Cost: 150)
-[X] Intrigue total cost: 300
--[X] Eye of The Beholder (Cost: 150)
--[X] Incident Investigation, North America (Cost: 150)
-[X] Personal
--[X] Get to know someone: (Cost: 0)
---[X] (Department Head) Doctor Moira Vahlen
-[X] Total cost: 1550/2125

Military: "If only we had a way to set up a proper kill zone faster, maybe even set up a pre-fab FOB near these Breaches. I know that our head engineer has some kind of idea for pop-our turrets, maybe…" (2 Actions)

[X] Recruitment Drive: "Director, we lost some of manpower recently, and while I don't desire to sound callous, replacing those losses as soon as possible should be something you should consider." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: More Infantry Units.)

Roll: 91+10=101, Crit!

You watched as the ten platoons worth of infantry got settled into the barracks, claiming bunks and getting to know each other. "Well, it looks like we have gotten a significant increase in manpower." You said to Adams, who nodded as he looked over the roster of the newly arrived recruits for the organization.

"Two hundred more souls added to our ranks, bringing our infantry forces up to five hundred infantrymen split between twenty five platoons." The commander said. "We effectively have up to two to five companies depending on how we manage them."

"With around forty troops supplementing our base security." You remarked.

"Well, we could reorganize to have a security company until we get the Bluecaps fully trained up and increase base security." Adams said, grimacing as he thought about the state of security in the HQ. The Bluecaps wasn't quite up to his standard yet.

"In any case, I'll be having them do regular simulated battles to give them time to get used to how we do things and the new equipment to keep them sharp. And speaking of new equipment."

Reward: Gain 10 additional Infantry Units

[X] Full Mechanization: "Director, I believe that in order to increase our effectiveness, we will need to make sure our conventional forces are capable of higher mobility. I have a proposal for how this might be done, but… it's expensive." (Cost: 300. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Obtain an Unit of IFVs for each Unit of Infantry, Recruitment Actions modified.)

Roll: 94

The motor pool was filled with twenty five sets of four IFVs, all of the funding given to the acquisition of highly mobile vehicles in order to supplement your forces being stretched in order to match the quantity of regular infantry while maintaining enough quality to actually do what you needed them for.

"So much money poured into this, hopefully it'll be enough to make a difference in future operations in open battlefields. Like during our battle in Mexico." Commander Adams said, eyes narrowed as mechanics got to work checking each of the IFVs and making sure each was ready for deployment.

"It'll give our infantry better mobility in the fight, while being able to support our tanks." You said, looking over the tablet and seeing how the IFVs are assigned to each Infantry unit. One platoon of twenty troopers split between four IFVs. "Of course, for anything that's more close quarters, I don't think they'll be as useful. But having an autocannon on your side is better than not having it."

"How the vehicles affect our doctrine is more noticeable. With the IFVs, we could have the vehicle provide overwatch while the dismounts build their defensive positions around the IFV instead of building it from scratch. This should minimize what happened in Vietnam from happening again."

"Lastly, we can replace the heavy machine gun squads, with more AT Rocket teams for killing heavily armored Biomorphs like Ultras and Rollers. The IFVs autocannon are capable enough in mowing down the Manglers that we can have the dismounted focus on Biomorphs that the IFVs struggle in dealing with."

"This should help a lot. Good job Adams."

Reward: Infantry Units converted into Mechanized Infantry Units

Research: "Director, given the surplus of Mangler cadavers we have in cold storage, might I suggest we start on research regarding them?" (2 Actions)

[X] Mangler Autopsy: "Director, we have a number of Mangler corpses. I believe it would be an excellent use of time to do a proper dissection and learn what we can from these specimens. We may obtain some insights and inspiration from their physiology." (Cost: 100, 1 Mangler Unit Corpse. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 40. Reward: Mangler Data, Mangler Augmentation, ???)

Roll: 75+10+20=105, Crit!

"Ah, Director! I'm pleased to say that we have made significant progress in our autopsy projects and have made a number of discoveries and innovations." Dr. Vahlen said as she saw you come into the primary laboratory. "I believe we have found a number of applications for the physiology of the Biomorphs that we can apply to the troops."

"Good to hear the investment was worth it." You said while pulling up your tablet and syncing it with the R&D computers to review the data yourself. "Tell me what you got."

"Very well. Starting with the specimen of the 'Mangler' type, I've found that their physiology favors limb strength and reaction speeds, allowing them to move faster and react in high speed combat." Vahlen said as she pulled up some renders showing the musculature and nervous system, with parts of both highlighted in a bright green. "These Manglers effectively live in a world that moves slower than they do. They're body is almost designed for extreme speed, agility, and a savage take down of other life forms." Vahlen then pulled up a model of a human body, parts of the limbs and the spinal column marked in the same green highlight. "Using the knowledge I've managed to gain from this study, I have devised a bio-augmentation that would give a measure of this power and speed to our own troops, letting them react and move faster and hit harder than they previously were able."

"Not bad, could probably make fighting with Metahumans or Biomorphs in CQC be something more than a pipe dream." You remarked, pausing when you noticed Vahlen giving you a raised eyebrow. "Hey, my Slayers are giant robots fighting giant monsters, that's completely different!"

"Of course, you're absolutely right, Director." Vahlen said in a way that even I know that she is being sarcastic. "I did see some additional potential in using their more obviously exotic features, but finding a way to safely integrate that into a human body has been… difficult. I'll give a report once I've determined how to get around it."

"I'm sure the troops will appreciate your concerns." You said.

"Speaking of concerns, I've found something odd." Vahlen said, pulling up more data regarding her findings. "While I fully expected these Biomorphs to be highly refined in terms of their evolutionary biology, I've found hints of something strange when comparing the Mangler with the Ultra Biomorph against each other…"

Reward: Mangler Data, Mangler "Skirmisher" Bio-Augmentation Gained, 1/3rd of a puzzle. Mangler "Retractable Claws" Bio-Augmentation Research Unlocked

[X] Ultra Autopsy: "An apex life form, these Ultras are quite a fearsome specimen that can be quite dangerous. Of course, we can still potentially make use of the secrets of these creatures for our own goals, Director." (Cost: 150, 1 Ultra Unit Corpses. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: Ultra Data, Ultra Augmentation, ???)
Roll: 96+10+20=126, Crit!

"What is it?" You asked Vahlen as she pulled up the data on the Ultras next. The big and armored creatures looked like they were meant to just walk through a barricade while soaking damage from everything that wasn't rated as Anti-Tank or armor piercing.

"While there are several noticeable differences between Manglers and Ultras, I have discovered that both species of Biomorph share a number of traits on the genetic level, too many in fact." Vahlen said. "It's almost as though what we're seeing may not be necessarily multiple species of hostile extradimensional organisms, but perhaps something more sinister. I'll need at least a few more samples before I can be certain though."

"Okay, what about in terms of the bio-augmentation?" You asked, to which Vahlen moved a bit to the side as she looked over what appeared to be some kind of vest?

"While I am considering less invasive methods of using the biological armor of the Ultras, I have made something that will harden both the flesh and bones of our troops in order to better handle kinetic impacts and physical trauma. While it doesn't make their skin or bones invincible, it would allow them to withstand tremendous amounts of forces. It may be the difference between instant death and a critical yet survivable injury." Vahlen said. "Combined with the augmentation from the Mangler, this could make our soldiers capable of superhuman levels of combat. Hpwever, utilizing too many bio-augmentations at once may have side effects I've yet to realize so until we have a better understanding, I caution that we limit ourselves to one Augment per human."

"Every little bit helps, Dr. Vahlen." You said, before thinking. "You know, we can talk more about your other ideas if you'd like later, I should have some time this month."

"Ah, I see it's my turn then." Vahlen said. "Well, let me know when you wish to talk, it's nice to discuss things once in a while."

Reward: Ultra Data Gained, Ultra "Stalwart" Bio-Augmentation Gained, 2/3rds of a puzzle, Ultra "Super Growth" Bio-Augmentation Research Unlocked

Industrial: "You know, if we had ways to build our own stuff, we'd probably save a lot more than outsourcing it, not having to worry about it be unavailable or the price getting hiked up…hmmm." (2 Actions, 1 Locked)

[X] House of Asclepius: "You want a full-on hospital built into the HQ? Should be better than the basic infirmary already set up. Sure, I can do that for you, Director!" (Cost: 200. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 50. Reward: Hospital Built, Infantry Units and Slayer Pilots recover faster and can survive worse injuries, Medical Grade Cyberware can be installed here.)

Emily was giving you a tour of the finished hospital complex, moving down the halls. "We've got a fully staffed and supplied facility here, though adding in the equipment needed for installing those cybernetic prosthetics was a bit of a pain and getting these medical personnel educated on how to use it was a time consuming process near the end." She said as she brought you to the room for cyberware surgical treatment.

"But is everyone settling in?" You asked while Emily opened up the room and led you into it, showing off the various stations and surgical table. There was a storage unit with some medical grade cyberware arms, legs, and even prosthetic eyes. Those were probably going to be the biggest advancements you could bring out.

"As well as can be, we don't have any big civilian housing complexes." Emily said, going up to the cyberware storage. "Probably going to be a project later on. Anyway, the different kinds of doctors are all briefed and willing to work together. I'm sure our troops will appreciate better medical care, heck I'm glad I won't need to be flown out if something happens in engineering."

"We could probably install some extra rooms for more advanced cyberware once we get around to further decrypting the data." You said as you started to form plans for the future, but turned as you heard Emily scoff.

"Assuming Vahlen is willing to spend time away from her attempts to play Doctor Frankenstein with our people." Emily said with some hostility. "I'm more surprised you aren't working more on the Slayers. Don't get me wrong, every little thing helps, but what Vahlen plans…it doesn't feel right."

"I understand how you feel, Emily. But like you said, we'll need every advantage we can get." You said, while also somewhat agreeing that you wanted to work on your darlings some more. Sure, they've worked so far, but that was with both a numerical advantage and against a known variant of Titan.

You didn't know how long that was going to last.

Reward: Hospital Built, Infantry Units and Slayer Pilots recover faster and can survive worse injuries, Medical Grade Cyberware can be installed here.

[X] Biomorphic Augmentation Facility: "I'm not sure how to feel about this, but I guess we need every advantage we need against the Biomorphs. Your call, Director." (Cost: 250. Time; 2 Turns. DC: 45. Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Actions Unlocked, ???)

Roll: 96, Crit.

"I hate how fast this was able to get built." Emily said as she gave you a tour through the newest facility that was constructed with blistering speed, something that pleased Dr. Vahlen and made Emily somewhat grumpy.

The main feature was the various rooms that contained equipment that would allow for the splicing of Biomorph DNA into their biology and giving them the augmentations that Vahlen had discovered. There was also some large tanks that could hold the patients and let them acclimate to the changes while providing the bodies with necessary materials by submerging them in specialized liquid developed by Vahlen in a flash of brilliance.

Reward: Biomorphic Augmentation Actions Unlocked, Potential Research Projects.

Diplomacy: "The Metahuman issue in the US isn't looking good, and if what I read in the reports are true then we may have something to worry about in Europe too." (2 Actions)

[X] Propaganda Machine: "Propaganda is such a… heavy word, Laura. I think morale boosting and advertisement might work better, but the idea is the same. We let people know that we are here, we're here to help, and they can help us help them with a few… donations. I might even help out the good Commander with his recruitment ideas." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Public favor gained, chance of getting funding from public donations each Turn, +10 to Recruitment Drive if taken at the same time.)

Roll: 94

"The World Needs You!"
"Le monde a besoin de vous!"
"Die Welt braucht dich!"
"世界はあなたを必要としています!"

You watched the advertisement campaign, done up in multiple languages for each of the nations that support your organization. It was a simple yet powerful show of various personnel across the departments, mostly the military division and the Slayers, but with parts of the research, industrial, and even the diplomatic departments. You note the lack of any of the covert ops department, which you think Twilight would appreciate.

You also chose to stay out of it, you just couldn't work in front of a camera.

Josephine walked up to you and joined you in watching. "'The Anti-Biomorph and Breach Containment Task Force' is a mouthful you know." Josephine said. "And the acronym of A.B.B.C.T.F. just isn't all that catchy."

You rolled your eyes even as you agreed somewhat. "Fine, I'll go think of something. Or I could just ask for suggestions from the staff."

"Whatever it is, make sure that it isn't something that would get us sued for copyrighy infringement." Josephine called as you walked out of her office.

[] Write-In Organization's new name

Reward: Public favor gained, chance of getting funding from public donations each Turn, +10 Added to Recruitment Drive.

[X] Performer Persuasion: "We have a few agents of Twilight guarding the meta-human dancer, the irony of having some of our assassins acting to protect a potential target is not lost on me. However, we could use this to earn some favor among the Meta-Humans, we just need some time to talk to them." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50. Reward: ???)

Roll: 92

Continued in Interlude: The Diamond Dancer

Intrigue: "With the leads we have on the metahuman havens in Europe, it appears that they are beginning to form factions. And we still know little about the initial incident in South America…" (2 Actions)

[X] Eye of The Beholder: "I can get some agents sent out to infiltrate and gather Intel on what's going on with the rest of the world, though if we want more in-depth reports, we'll need to focus our attention. Still, this will help us stay up to date beyond looking at the news." (Cost: 150. Time: 2 Turns. DC: 60. Reward: World News/Rumor Mill expanded; basic Spy Network established around the world. Actions Unlocked.)

Roll: 3, Fail!

Twilight growled as he sat at his desk, a large number of reports being fed into a shredder.

"No luck?" You asked him, the spymaster of your organization sighing as he leaned back into his chair.

"Worse than that, multiple agents reported that they might have been compromised and under surveillance. One of them was even almost captured, but he manages to destroy any incriminating evidence before his safehouse exploded, with him in it." You can see that this is a hard pill for Twilight to swallow. No one likes to lose people, especially if it was avoidable.

"Seeing how dangerous it is, I ordered everyone to go to ground and hide for and to find their own way back to HQ. In the meantime, I won't be able to use them until they returned back here on their own." He said, a scowl marking his face.

"Reward": 1 Intrigue Action locked for 1 Turn

[X] Incident Investigation, North America: "While we have a few leads that we can follow, further investigation into what happened during that protest should be considered, Director." (Cost: 150. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 60. Reward: Intel on Anti-Meta Forces and Meta-Humans of note.)

Roll: 100, Nat Crit!

"And the situation in North America? We get any more info on that?" You asked Twilight, who simply nodded.

"Actually, that investigation had gone completely smoothly. We managed to get a number of leads and could get a great deal of information regarding the riot and those involved." Twilight said, pulling up a different report and handing it over to you,

"'Pure Blue World'? Great, we already have a friends of humanity style group." You said as you looked over the report. It seems that this group was an Anti-Metahuman organization made of radical members who believed that Metahumans were some kind of Biomorphic Infiltrator or turn coats who sold out to the 'alien menace' in exchange for unnatural powers. "Oh, there are even some religious nuts who think the Biomorphs are demons and Metahumans are damned souls who made a deal with the devil."

"More than that, we've found potential connections to Breacher Cults who are trying to use them to destabilize civilization by inciting conflict between the humans and Metahumans." Twilight said. "Unfortunately, there are also some politicians with plans to use the conflicts to run up support for their own interests."

"We also get information that the performer has connections to Eden Sanctum and from what has been gathered, it appears to be a group of Metahumans trying to form communities of themselves separate and protected, away from major human population centers in order to escape the potential and now active discrimination and violence against Metahumanity. The performer, a Crystallokinetic, was looking into acquiring a way out of the country in the event the situation in the states deteriorated further for him and other Metahumans he knew. The contact he was talking with is only known as "Permafrost", a code name obviously."

"So we now know who to talk to to get in touch with Eden Sanctum? I'm sure Josephine would be happy to get started with contacting the Meta-human communities."

Reward: Information on Pure Blue World and Eden Sanctum, Unlock Contact 'Permafrost' Diplomatic Action

Personal: Hey, you have some time to yourself! Now how are you going to spend it… (1 Personal Action.)

[X] Get to know someone: You're going to be working with them, you might as well learn more about your subordinates and co-workers. (Cost: 0. Time: 1 Turn. DC: 50)
-[X] (Department Head) Dr. Moira Vahlen.

Roll: 91

"All I'm saying is that we can learn even more from a live specimen than a dead one." Vahlen said, a cup filled with something you thought might be an experimental blend in one hand while you drank some traditional coffee from your own mug. "And scans aren't as thorough as I like them to be, especially in the chaos of the battlefield."

"Emily is already kind of concerned about the Bio-Aug facility." You said. "Best to keep plans like making pens for Biomorphs on the back burner until it starts showing its worth in a clear way. But I do understand your woes, I've had to endure quite a few problems before my darlings would be built."

"I do have to applaud your ability to design something like the Slayers, they are technological marvels on a scale I doubt many would believe possible in our current age, myself included among them." Vahlen said. "Truthfully, your ability to push the limits of what we know of science is one of the reasons I was so willing to sign on to this organization, beyond the chance to further some of my own fields of study."

"Well, I'm glad to know I impressed you." You said with a smile. "Your own work certainly caught my eye, I can only imagine what you could pull off as our facilities grow and advance."

Vahlen seemed to get thoughtful for a moment. "Yes, the possibilities of what we could achieve, even if they start out as ways to combat these Biomorphs, could hold the keys to advancing humanity to a new age of discovery. Not only that, but if we could successfully negotiate with the emerging metahuman population and learn more…" she trailed off.

"Dr. Vahlen?" You called out to her, feeling concerned. Vahlen shook her head and took a sip of her own drink.

"Oh, forgive me. I was just lost in thought." She said, giving you a reassuring smile. "Thinking of the future, as they say."

Reward: You think you and Dr. Vahlen are on friendly terms. Dr. Vahlen's Traits Revealed.

Modern Frankenstein: When gaining Bio/Cyberware Augmentations, Gain a Chance of Automatically Gaining a Second Augmentation. Augmentation Actions Get 1 Re-Roll.

ShieldCrown · Aug 13, 2023

Interlude: Diamond Dancer

Josephine walked into the hospital room where the person she had to come to speak with is resting. It's a different room from where he had been initially put in, due to an incident earlier in the month.

In the hospital bed is a young man, Josephine would even say he's a teenager given his youthful appearance. He has some notable features in his cyan eyes and purple hair that is somewhat long, almost shoulder length she would say. "Yo! So, you guys are finally sending someone to have a chat with old Tony 'Diamond' Sparrow?"

Josephine nodded. "Indeed, Mr. Sparrow. You may call me Josephine. I am here on behalf of the Anti-Biomorph and Breach Containment Organization, Heimdall."

"Sounds like a mouthful." Tony said, a cocky and carefree smirk on his face. "Think I'll just go with the Heimdall part, easier to say in a convo, you know?" He then cringed a little. "But seriously, you mind not going all formal with me, really kills the vibe. Mr. Sparrow is my pa, and he ain't exactly someone that I got a good groove with, ya dig?"

"Very well, Tony, I will try to be but more… freestyle, I suppose you might say." Josephine said, to which Tony gave her a grin and a thumbs up.

"Hey, you pick up the beat pretty fast! Keep this up and I might just think you got some real boom!" Tony said, before wincing. "Ah…too soon to use anything like that, don't think I'll ever see an action film the same way again."

Josephine suppressed her own winch, having actually read the incident report regarding an assassination attempt on the performer she was talking to just a few days into the month. The assassin had been a male posing as a nurse and had some toxins he had smuggled in that Twilight theorized he planned on injecting into Tony's IV bag. Of course, with Heimdall agents keeping an eye on things, the assassin was caught before he could accomplish his mission.

Josephine had been informed that the assassin had both of his arms and legs broken by a female agent who, after spotting the toxins on the disguised assassin, had initially tried to apprehend him non-violently. But had to escalate when the assassin pulled out a box cutter that had been easily concealed in his scrubs. The assassin was overwhelmed rather… brutally. Though Josephine had to admit this Miss Briar is very effective.

Unfortunately, we hadn't been able to interrogate the assassin on account of the man's head exploding due to an implanted High-Explosive micro-bomb that Twilight said was located close to where the spine met the skull. The man was effectively decapitated, in front of Tony's eyes at that. Josephine imagined that it must have been traumatizing for him, though she observed that he was rather calm regarding it now, if uncomfortable about it.

"Yes, I do apologize for that gruesome sight you were exposed to. We weren't quite expecting something on that level. At most we simply thought someone would kidnap you and have you vanish. Sending an assassin with a kill switch is… not what we expect would happen." Josephine said. Tony paused and looked thoughtful for a moment before sighing.

"Yeah. That ain't exactly what I call a regular routine, messed up is what it is." He said, shaking his head. "But then again, not a lot of folks here in the land of the free seem to like Metahumans like me… Oh, that almost rhymed, gotta workshop that for later." He looked around. "Ah man, no way to take notes, gonna lose that thought and never get it back."

"I'm sure you'll remember it later." Josephine said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Now then, I'm hoping I could talk to you regarding a few things that Heimdall wishes to know."

"Well, you folks have done right by me so far." Tony said, shrugging his shoulders. "Least I could do for you is give you an exclusive interview with the United States' best Metahuman dancer!" He gave a grin. "Though I really shine with the rest of my crew! Speaking of, are they alright? I've gotten a few letters and stuff after your spooky friends made sure they weren't laced with lethal lyrics, if you get what I'm saying."

Josephine resisted the urge to roll her eyes, maintaining a professional and friendly appearance. Tony was likely using his performer's persona to cope with the situation. "I think I understand quite well. As for you associates, they are doing fine, considering the situation here in the states. Though, regarding that is actually why I wished to speak with you on behalf of Heimdall."

"Oh?" Tony looked at Josephine with a raised eyebrow, his cyan eyes gleaming for a second like gemstones in the light of the sterile looking hospital room, something in the atmosphere seeming to shift even as he kept up a carefree and charismatic expression on his face. "And what do you mean by that?"

Josephine, undeterred by the subtle change in the air, simply continued on. "Heimdall wishes to reach out to the Metahuman community at large, but currently lacks a means of getting our foot in the metaphorical door. We'd like to ask you and your associates to assist us in making the process easier by giving us a way to formally get into contact with the wider community." Josephine gave Tony a disarming smile. "The Director of my organization is rather displeased with the plight of the Metahuman population here in the states, and wishes to do some good for them, but in order to that, we need a way to communicate and open up a dialogue between us. After all, a band can't play a good song if no one knows the right notes to play." She explained, using the musical metaphors that Tony has seemed to be fond of in his persona.

Tony looked at Josephine for a few moments before something seemed to relax and a tension in the air was gone. "Hahaha, ain't that right? Nothing worse than a duet of mismatched songs! Alright, I can see what I can do to help you cool cats out once I've gotten out of this place." Tony gestures to the hospital. "I mean, the service is great and all, but I'm not meant to sit still for so long! I got to get back out there and give everybody a dazzling performance with my buds! Bet we could win a tournament with our routine!"

"You certainly have the charm, but rest and recovery are important for any good showman." Josephine said, giving Tony a serious look. The metahuman gave a nervous chuckle at that. "Hmm, while we are at it, do you might if I ask why you're known as the 'Diamond Dancer?'"

Tony grinned at the question. "It's because I can do this!" He cupped his hands together and a bright light appeared in between them. Josephine watched as a clear diamond formed in Tony's hands. She also subtly gestures for the agents and her own bodyguards to stand down.

"Well…that is certainly something special." Josephine said as she looked at the diamond that had just been created in front of her, both of her eyebrows raised up in surprise. She had known that Metahumans were in possession of unique abilities, but seeing for herself caused her to feel a sense of amazement that she hadn't quite felt since she was a child. It was…an interesting feeling to experience after so long. "Ah, also in regard to your security detail, if you like we can arrange for transport for yourself to our facilities. A room could easily be provided and should you require more medical assistance, we have an on-site hospital that is fully staffed."

Tony tossed up the diamond into the air, where it hovered and started to float about in intricate patterns, almost as if it was dancing when he couldn't. "I appreciate the offer, but I got something worked out with my friends in Eden Sanctum. There's this chick from England who is really… metal, and she's coming on over to make sure no one can smash my record, if you get what I mean." Tony said, giving an apologetic smile. "But tell you what, I might take you up on that offer if everything works out and we can all hang out as buddies. And hey, I could even arrange things if you really want to get to know Eden Sanctum and make sure they're on the up and up, which they are."

"I will certainly make sure that they are given the benefit of doubt and thank you for the offer." Josephine said as she checked the time. "It has certainly been a pleasure speaking with you, Tony, and I hope that we can continue our conversations again in the future. Who knows, maybe you'll even get to try out the simulator and try to make a mech dance."

Josephine almost laughed at the wide eyed and jaw dropped expression on Tony's face. Almost.

Reward: Positive Rep with North American Metahumans, Diplomatic Contact with Eden Sanctum Act Unlocked, Large Reduction on Metahuman Outreach DC. Tony 'Diamond' Sparrow thinks Heimdall is cool.

ShieldCrown · Sep 8, 2023

Turn 4 Rumor Mill/World News

North America: Klaxons blared as alerts appeared throughout the Command Center. A severe Breach has opened up in New York City, New York, USA. Already, significant damages and civilian casualties are being reported as a horde of Biomorphs rush out from the Breach, along with sightings of a new strain of Biomorphic Titan. (To Be Continued In Operation Mini-Turns)

South America: South American governments have begun to stabilize and drive out the forces of the attempted Coups, several Cultists have been arrested and await trial, though several resisted arrest and were killed.

Additional Intel: There are still multiple Cells of Cultists operating within the South American continent, but their grasp has been weakened significantly. A possible operation in the future could allow us to root out the Cells.

Europe: The daughter and heiress of a wealthy Russian CEO has recently gone missing from their home in Moscow, with rumors flying about as to the reason behind her disappearance, with some suggesting she was a Metahuman who was snatched up by a Black Ops group for experimentation.

Additional Intel: While we lack any solid leads on where the heiress has disappeared to, we can confirm that there appeared to be no signs of struggle based on what we managed to pull from both official and unofficial investigation reports. It seems the Russians are just as baffled.

Asia: The Chinese government has announced that they will soon be unveiling a new mobile weapons system that will allow them to better face the Biomorph menace and ensure future Chinese Independence from foreign powers.

Additional Intel: "Director, I have a hunch that what the Chinese is developing might be real to our own efforts. I suggest doing an investigation into it, but the choice is yours." -Twlight.

Africa: The research institute that discovered the wonder metal known as "Auroraium" has begun mass production of the material and proudly declares that it could be commercially distributed to anyone who wishes to purchase the metal.

Additional Intel: We've found reports from poorly protected computers that Auroraium production seems to be reliant on some sort of recently constructed facility that draws significant power from the local grid, along with shipments of cheap and common metals like Iron, Lead, Zinc, and Aluminum going into the facility with Auroraium coming out.

ShieldCrown · Sep 20, 2023

"What do we have?" You asked your council of department heads as your forces moved out to be deployed to New York. Twilight was quick to bring up the reports from what could be gathered from social media and news broadcasts, because the people would go record whatever they can to get some measure of fame apparently.

"We have confirmed the presence of previously encountered conventional scaled Biomorphs, Manglers, Rollers, and Ultras have been sighted and recorded." Twilight said while videos played from streams and news stations showing the creatures attacking civilians and local responders both police and military, police cars being crushed by Ultras and SWAT teams getting run over by Rollers. National Guard vehicles fired at the larger Biomorphs before being swarmed by the Manglers as they tore into the doors and hatched, then reaching in with their tendrils and mauling the crews.

"Damn it." Adams growled out as he looked on. You felt sick at the sight, but before you could say anything, you noticed something on one of the screens.

"What is that?" You asked as you pointed at a particular broadcast. You regretted it immediately as your eyes took in a familiar arachnid form of a Biomorph Titan that you hadn't seen since the battle that cost you not only a prototype Slayer, but also took someone you consider a friend and left Rebecca without a mother.

"The reemergence of the provisionally designated Tsuchigumo-Class Biomorphic Titan, last seen during an attack on the containment zone while under construction, proves that they are more than just the Brute-Class Titans out there." Twilight said, though to you it felt somewhat muffled.

You prayed you wouldn't lose another pilot. You prayed that you wouldn't have to bury Sarah's daughter in an empty casket next to her. But now, Rebecca has two extremely capable teammates to watch her back and help her which puts your mind at ease so you can focus on how to kill this eight-legged bastard.

"Addams, if you would?" You asked Addams to begin the briefing as he pulled up a hologram of Manhattan.

"About two hours ago, the Biomorphs opened a portal in Central Park. Now, the area around Central Park is under Biomorph Control. The local police and Army National Guard manage to hold the area around Time Square and Harlem, but they can't push into the city with the Titan guarding the portal."

"And that's where we come in?" You asked which Addams nodded in confirmation.

"We'll land at LaGuardia Airport and then make our way west through Randall's Island Park and then head to Central Harlem to reinforce that position. Then we'll make a push towards Central Park using these two main streets and then destroy that portal before it brings more Biomorphs."

"With how cramped Manhattan is, only our mechanized infantry can navigate the city and deal with Biomorphs coming from every direction, even when Manglers climb the city's buildings like what they did in Vietnam. For the tanks, I recommend they be put in the back as they can use their cannons to hit any Biomorphs that come from the front. Once we reach Central Park, the Tanks would have the room to provide fire support as well as keep an eye out for flanking attacks. Meanwhile, our Air assets would provide Overwatch to spot any Biomorphs hiding on the rooftops or around corners."

"What about our Slayers?" Josephene asked.

"The Robert F Kennedy Bridge isn't rated for the Slayers weight, so they'll have to be dropped off in Central Harlem so that they don't have to swim to Manhattan." Note to self, make Slayers flight capable.

"What about the Titan? What is it capable of?" Vahlen asked.

"According to battle records, its eight legs are strong enough to pierce through Slayer armor and the spikes all arounds its carapace isn't just for show as it is shown to be just as sharp as the Titan's legs. Since it is in the shape of a spider, it is safe to assume that it can also make webs."

"So how should we kill it?" You asked with a tone that would not look out of place on someone contemplating murder. Because you were.

"We have two options, melee or ranged. Ranged combat boils down to simply shooting it until it dies. The problem here is that the Titan is fairly nimble and can climb buildings. Any misses would result in some expensive collateral damage.

Melee combat is ill-advised, but it might be our best solution to kill it with minimal collateral damage. The issue is that not only are the Slayers vulnerable to getting stabbed, but they also have to keep an eye on eight of them. I recommend we cut off its legs one by one to both remove a weapon the Slayers have to keep track of and reduce its mobility until we have the window to do a kill shot."

You nodded at the recommendation. "Alright, we know what we are dealing with and a general plan on how to beat them. All that's left is the minutia."

Operation Fallen Star

Planning Phase

Plan Format Required

Slayer Loadout and Deployment

All Mark 1 Slayers have Integrated Knives and Integrated Pistols installed in their arms. They may also take either: 1 Shotgun, 1 Machine Gun, or 1 to 2 Swords as their primary weapon.

[] Alicia Parks/Slayer-01
-[] Single Sword
-[] Dual Swords
-[] Machine Gun
-[] Shotgun
[] Rebecca Rogers/Slayer-02
-[] Single Sword
-[] Dual Swords
-[] Machine Gun
-[] Shotgun
[] Ryan Anderson/Slayer-03
-[] Single Sword
-[] Dual Swords
-[] Machine Gun
-[] Shotgun

Conventional Force Deployment
Split your Conventional Forces into Task Forces

2 Mechanized Infantry Units are reserved for Base Defense.

Available Units:
23 Mechanized Infantry
2 Combat Helicopters
2 Transport Helicopters
2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)
1 Combat Tank
3 Experimental Tanks

[] Task Force 1
-[] Units
[] Task Force 2
-[] Units
[] Task Force 3
-[] Units

The Area of Operation (AO) will be Manhattan, New York City, New York State. NYPD, US Military Forces, and Civilians are in the AO. Biomorph Forces are HIGH and Titans are confirmed.

Form a Strategy for dealing with this Incursion.

Example
[ ] Utilize Tanks to defend routes to evacuation sites for civilians, use Transport Helicopters to pick up civilian survivors out of combat zones while Mechanized Infantry, Infantry Fighting Vehicle, and Combat Helicopters are utilized for rapid deployment and engagement against Biomorphs to cover the evacuation of civilians and assist National Guard and Military Forces. The Slayers meanwhile are deployed to all fight the Titan Biomorph(s) and destroy any Biomorphic structures that could be maintaining the Breach.

[ ] Write.

Slayer Command: XCOM with Monsters and Mecha

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