It is A.D. 2072, and the Earth Union is under attack from all manner of monsters, aliens and murderers wielding dangerous technologies. The Defense Forces are on the backfoot, and the few incredible defenders already present need all the help they can get.
You are Major John Devin and you are charged with developing, training, and deploying the Earth Union's own Super Robots.
A quest about building the Earth Union's very own Super Robots running on nonsensical science to punch bad guys in the face. See the previous thread here!
This post deals with lore about the world as we progress through the quest. This is by no means complete, and more will be added as we go.
In the year A.D. 2040, what would later be called the Unification War ended. With its' end came the founding of the Earth Union.
A supranational government, the Earth Union is a governmental body that holds sovereignty and jurisdiction over its' collective member-states. From the humblest nation to the mightiest superpower, all answer to the Earth Union. In turn, they are allowed autonomy relatively close to pre-Unification, so long as their laws do not contradict that of the Earth Union's.
The Earth Union maintains its power through participation of the member-states. All are allocated proportional representation in a parliamentary system. Representatives are elected domestically by their own populations and representatives, who in turn are entrusted with voting for the Prime Minister of the Earth Union for a four-year appointment.
The Earth Union is separated into Districts, and in turn subdivided by pre-Unification national borders. North America, South America, Europe, the Steppes, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The Earth Union's agencies maintain jurisdiction within these Districts, such as military, law enforcement, and trade.
The Earth Union is not without its own divisions. Many of the member-states, while willing participants, still chafe at a perceived loss of power and prestige in the new world order. Internal politicking and jockeying for position of first among equals is not uncommon. Appointments to positions of power are often a mixture of merit and political bargaining, leading to a general sense of governmental sluggishness.
Nowhere is this more felt than in the armed forces of the Earth Union, the Earth Union Defense Force. While the EUDF has integrated the military talents of the world admirably enough, the friction of political jockeying in the civilian sector often rears its' head in the military as well, leading to the military being an unholy amalgamation of a meritocracy and political dealings. While very few of the military appointments are downright nepotistic, this has led to accusations of failing to maximize the potential talent of humanity's military.
The Earth Union is a young and relatively untested organization, and its rule has not been unchallenged. Though it maintains order from the capital of Unity Station, much of the older generation clamors for the pre-Unification days. Perceiving their new place in the world as a loss of sovereignty at the tip of the nuclear sword, a Separatist Movement across many member-states has been growing for many years.
For all its' flaws, however, the Earth Union and its' Defense Force has without a doubt guaranteed a period of peace. Separatist sympathies notwithstanding, the first thirty years of Unification has seen a period of unprecedented economic growth, scientific advancement, and a flowering of arts. If nothing else, as the EUDF comes to grips with the myriad of threats that have abruptly risen to destroy the Union, many point to the promise of peace and prosperity as something worth fighting for.
The most recent mark of success for the Earth Union has been the establishment of the Defense Forces Research Institute (DFRI). Originally dismissed as a last ditch effort on a minimalist budget, its appointed leadership has shown itself to be surprisingly resilient and resourceful, pulling in talent and differing viewpoints from all across the Earth Union to join in the effort to create the Defense Force's very own Super Robots. While successful, and a feather in the cap of the Earth Union's vision, there are hints of resentment of the DFRI due to entrenched opinions and interests. Despite its growing status, even the DFRI is not completely immune to the EUDF's internal power struggles - just mostly for now.
It is the year A.D. 2072, and the fortunes of the Earth Union are on a wavering needle point.
Called by both its supporters and detractors as the "Grand Experiment," the Earth Union Defense Force (EUDF) is the steady consolidation of all the armed forces on the planet. It is divided into three broad categories: the Ground Defense Force, the Air Defense Force, and the Naval Defense Force (with the integration of member states' respective Marines incorporated into the Navy under the Marine Expeditionary Force).
Each member state of the Earth Union is required by the Pusan Accords to contribute a proportionate amount of their armed forces to a wider EUDF command structure. These personnel who are seconded in this way to the EUDF retain their original uniforms, with the EUDF digital badge sewn into their right shoulder, but are then incorporated into the EUDF formations. It is not uncommon to see a staggering amount of variety in uniform dress; a handful of American Soldiers could be dwarfed by Russian Ground Force uniforms, with the occasional sight of the People's Liberation Army uniform. This has been a source of critique from the older, more and traditional established national militaries.
In recent years, the EUDF has been experimenting with creating dedicated EUDF formations, not simply those contributed from the member states' armed forces. Though very small in number, training camps and officer academies beholden only to the Earth Union have begun operations in the larger member states, with their own traditions and uniforms. Whether anything comes of this is yet to be seen.
The EUDF otherwise operates similarly enough to the armed forces of pre-Unification. There is talk of a fourth branch, the Earth Union Space Defense Force, but this development has been temporarily delayed by the abrupt arrival of the Kausen. Similar talks of creating some sort of unit organized around the small handful of Super Robots directly under the EUDF's umbrella have been hinted at, but at the moment they remain exclusively under the DFRI's purview.
The Yukimura Institute located at the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan, is rightly famous for its greatest and most important contribution to mankind - the mighty Mercury V. The world's very first Super Robot, it was developed and produced over the course of years after Dr. Yukimura Rin's request for exploring his Aeon Particle Theorem was denied by the Earth Union's Board of Sciences. Its original purpose was never to actually develop weaponry at all, let alone a Super Robot. The Aeon Particles, as per Dr. Yukimura's original thesis, were originally envisioned as a means for a cleaner energy source. Yet Dr. Yukimura felt his hands were forced by the actions of his once colleague and classmate, Dr. George Sheol.
When the kaiju became active in the mid to late 2060s, Dr. Yukimura began to solicit as many additional resources within the private sector and the nation-state level as he could. Starting with the development of the experimental Tritonium metallurgy, research into the Aeon Particles accelerated, until he and a small team were able to produce the world's very first Aeon Particle Generator, which is still housed within the Institute to this day. It is still unknown why exactly Dr. Yukimura chose a giant humanoid frame larger than some smaller office buildings, but upon the first confirmed destruction of a kaiju, the results spoke clearly.
Ever since Mercury V's first appearance, the Yukimura Institute has been constantly under siege by agents of Dr. Sheol. Though they have weathered these attacks fairly well, the Institute now resembles a heavily armed fortress in some respects rather than a private academic institute.
Mander Security Solutions - more commonly abbreviated as MSS - is a private security firm based out of London. Its founder, Charles Mander, is a former Naval Defense Force officer (he has rather particular ways of recounting his service, which we will not get into detail of here) who was medically discharged after serving in combat against Separatist forces. On the face of it, MSS simply provides physical security services and security consultation to its customer base (primarily in the European District).
The truth of the matter is far more complex. In the late A.D. 2060s, both during his final years of active service and during his medical convalescence, Mander was already seeing experimental war machines and equipment used by the forces that later coalesced into the Westphalians, and was already anticipating an escalation of force. As a result, unknowingly running parallel to Dr. Yukimura Rin's efforts in Japan, Mander would invest a significant time of money and effort into securing talent, scientists - including a particular Dr. Marcus Dinym - and engineers for a massive project.
True to his fears, the Westphalians began to field larger and more menacing warmachines for the purpose of demoralizing and terrorizing the local populace and political leaders into submission - and to break faith with the Earth Union. After years of failed prototypes and false starts, Mander was able to unveil the Valiant - the second Super Robot active in the world. In a highly conspicuous display, the Valiant, piloted by prodigy and heiress Erika Arthur Drake, destroyed a fleet of Westphalian walker machines and prevented their attack on Westminster Palace.
Much like with Mercury V, there is much speculation that something about Valiant's presence has hyperfixated the Red King's attention on it. However, while Valiant remains the face and main effort of MSS, Charles Mander's operations are also slightly more mercenary - Valiant's creation, operation, and maintenance is quite expensive. Thankfully, the Earth Union Defense Forces is one of Mander's primary customers - and for the duration of the emergencies, business is booming.
Hailing from the mechanical planet of Mekaen, not all of the Kausen (singular: Kaus) are hostile. It is only thanks to the efforts and quick thinking of 1LT Callaghan that it was discovered (and is currently highly restricted information) that there is a strong point of internal division. It is also thanks to 1LT Callaghan's efforts that the Union is, if not quite allied, actively cooperative with the friendlier portion.
Dubbed the Legio Galbinus, so-named according to their own cultural norms and in honor of their leader, the Legion is led by Galbinus-R, whose position in Mekaen is analogous to a Captain in a law enforcement/military capacity. Leading a group of thirteen Kaus including himself, both factions of Kausen were brought here through as of yet unknown means. The so-called "Free Brothers" were already known criminals on their homeworld, and while he and his mechs find themselves on a mostly hostile alien world, Galbinus' mission has not changed:
Bring the Free Brother Tyrannous to justice.
Thankfully, despite the initially unfortunate First Contact misrepresented by the Free Brothers' actions, a chance encounter at Fort Brenner between the Defense Force Research Institute's Beowulf and the Legion scout Cavalier built upon a delicate friendship established by Cadet Jessica Satsuma. After intervening and saving both Cavalier and Cadet Satsuma, the DFRI brought Cavalier back to their base and restored Cavalier as best as they could. Reciprocating the show of trust, Galbinus-R and Major Johnathan Devin struck a partnership - including technological exchanges and the construction of an Enclave - that remains strong to this day.
The partnership between the Legio and the DFRI has manifested mostly in technological trade and cooperation. However, this has also resulted in joint military operations. Over the past few years, Galbinus and the DFRI have coordinated skirmishes against Free Brother assets, and the Legio have lent assistance in operations against the Westphalians. Most notably, several operations have targeted specific Free Brother officers, though the specifics of those operations remain classified to those outside of the leadership chains of command for each organization.
Though the presence of the Legion remains highly classified, it is not uncommon to see Legionnaires stopping by to talk shop and assist in projects.
Last edited:
Dramatis Personea - Mecha, Pilots, and Personalities Roster
The Beowulf holds a special rank of honor in the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI), as it was the very first model that proved the Super Robot development project to be viable. The brainchild of 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry, it began life as the CRX-01 prototype that at first struggled to even walk, let alone prove the concept of Variable Configuration. However, the initial proofs of concept were enough to convince the leadership to continue development. It was further aided by being the first to receive the various initial breakthrough developments. K-Class Materials, along with the critical Man-Machine Interface (MMI), proved to be the critical factor that enabled its successful refinement. It was the first model to realize the potential of Sample Zero, and its protective qualities as the K-Scale Mesh served as the final critical armor layering should its external armor fail. The MMI, in turn, proved to be the final link that enabled fine-tuned and delicate control over the armor as the pilot was convinced he was 'wearing' the Beowulf as a suit of armor rather than piloting a mecha. Insights from this development in turn enabled the simplification of the control schema for its successor production models.
As a consequence of being the very first model, the Beowulf can come across as simple at times, especially when compared to the successive models that have been developed. However, serving as the progenitor unit of the now widely adopted Jackal-class mecha, the Beowulf represents a solid baseline of Super Robot fundamentals. Able to configure into an armored patrol car, the Beowulf represents an excellent balance of speed and protection, excelling in neither but lacking in weaknesses. In the hands of a skilled pilot, such as 1LT Callaghan, the Beowulf has proven to be a vicious close quarters combatant, able to wield handheld cannons - later upgraded to Kausen-grade Blasters while maintaining agility.
The Beowulf is also always backed up by some manner of support vehicle, which in turn it is able to combine with to form a larger combatant model. The Shepherd support truck can combine with the Beowulf to form the Timberwolf, while the V-33 TMU can integrate with the Beowulf to form the Foxhound. These combined forms in turn enable new combat options for the Beowulf, utilizing the Spark Caliber technology to integrate with the Arc Blade or the Arc Cannon, drawing on the shortlived but potent energy cell to deliver a devastating strike. Should those be unavailable, the Timberwolf has also proven to utilize inefficiencies in its engine exhuasts - and the relatively immunity to incidental damage via the K-Class Materials - to wreathe its hands in Blazing Fists.
Until recently, this was the extent of the Beowulf's capabilities - but the Beowulf Fenrir has proven to be a new milestone.
Art by Filippo Angelotti
Art by Daniel Khanna
Art by Daniel Khanna
The Perseus is the second successful Super Robot deployed by the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI). Utilizing the experience gleaned from the prototype and later production line of the Jackal, Lieutenant Wilde and Sergeant First Class Henry in cooperation with Dr. Sam Carlson retrofitted the Buckler-class Infantry Fighting Vehicle into the Phalanx line of mecha.
The Perseus itself is the logical progression to the Super Robot scale of class. Utilizing some of the latest in the DFRI's technologies, the Perseus was revolutionary at its inception, even though it has been somewhat eclipsed by recent developments. K-Class subdermal mesh reverse-engineered from kaiju tissue samples has been overlaid even more thickly beneath the metallic frame, allowing it to absorb damage that would even give the Timberwolf combined form pause. The Perseus is also able to deploy a shield on its left arm to absorb incoming projectile fire, though this has not been extensively tested in melee conditions. On top of heavy high explosive cannons mounted to its forearms, its primary method of attack is as simple as can be - blunt force trauma via its heavily reinforced fists. The experimental Arc Blade, made possible by Lieutenant Wilde and SFC Henry, it is a powerful weapon that projects high intensity electric energy which can be momentarily supercharged if the Spark Caliber battery unit is authorized for deployment - however, this is a planned feature that is not ready as of the time of this report.
The Perseus is a significant departure from the DFRI's current design philosophy, however, in that it utilizes a radically new technology: the Psychic Theater. A mindlink that connects both of its pilots via the Man-Machine Interface that is now standard in the DFRI's equipment, it theoretically allows both pilots to respond to any situation, along with heightening the power and response time of the Perseus itself. However, even by Dr. Carlson's own admission, this is not a fully understood phenomena - and if the pilots cannot agree on a course of action, the link is momentarily stalled, a delay that could be dangerous in combat.
The Perseus, however, has some drawbacks: compared to the Beowulf, the two pilots operating the Perseus are not quite as experienced, in addition to fielding new technology. Additionally, the Perseus, while incredibly durable, is also not particularly fast or agile. Despite the liberal use of the Anti-Gravity treatments, it is a miracle at times that it can move as it can. And due to the hurried nature of the deployment, longer ranged options are somewhat lacking.
Their pilots are also somewhat inexperienced, but only in regards to operating the Perseus. Lieutenant Oscar Tellison is no stranger to operating the CR-line of mecha, having been a Jackal pilot alongside Richard Callaghan in the DFRI's early days. Having had only one live combat encounter with Perseus (and without its current technologies), Tellison is a capable leader, able to coordinate friendly units into rapid battle plans on the fly and does his best to ensure that each component punches at their weight class, if not heavier. Lieutenant Xiu Ying Zhang, however, is entirely new to operating mecha, but as a former infantry officer she is often able to spot quirks of the local geography that most others might miss, and use them to their fullest. Both pilots are defensively minded, which suits the Perseus in theory.
With the developments resulting from Faedium, practical constraints preventing larger combinable configurations have been removed. Perseus was the second Super Robot Core to receive the still experimental prototypes. Despite some teething problems, the inherent problems of unifying different power sources into a single synchronized effort have mostly been smoothed over.
Perseus Megas, then, came as a serendipitous convergence of breakthroughs from the Engineering department. On the heels of the Faedium Block Engine's refinement and the development of the stopgap measure of the Sledder configuration model, Jiro Yukimura and EAI-01 Lana also brought their own developments in the form of the reverse engineered Mega Blaster and the refined Pile Bunker firing mechanism.
Perseus Megas's development, coming after Beowulf Fenrir, has led to further development of the 'armor pack' school of thought in the Engineering Team, which in turn has led to the initial development of the 'Buster' Armor that is currently in use by SAI-01 Banner.
Art by Daniel Khanna
The Thunderbolt is the third core Super Robot developed by the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI), albeit one with a rather complicated history. During an unexpected raid led by the infamous Westphalian operative 'Warlord' against the DFRI Headquarters in A.D. 2071, the customized Pilum-class gunship he piloted was destroyed - but its wreckage remained to be salvaged. 1LT Wilde and Sergeant First Class Henry recovered the wreckage - with a few complications - and set about rebuilding it from the ground up. Its purpose soon took on an additional aspect with the arrival of the Regency of Varulne. After an agreement struck with Major Devin, its C-Crystal sought out a 'Champion' ('Examplar' was another rough translation) to help it regain its homeworld, and in exchange, the Regency would provide technological assistance. The rebuilt chassis of the Pilum soon became the testbed for the C-Crystal's new Champion, Cadet Jessica Satsuma.
On its own, the Thunderbolt is a swift, agile and hard hitting machine, albeit a fragile one in comparison to its more established sibling units. Remnants of the Warlord's Pilum manifest themselves in the various missile and gunports along its body, with room for future improvement. Additionally, drawing power from the C-Crystal embedded onto the pilot and the unit itself, the Thunderbolt can momentarily overcharge its engines to encase its fists in a localized windstorm that delivers a fierce and focused blow. Its capabilities are still somewhat limited in width (if not depth) due to how recent a development it is.
Interestingly, the 'Prime' C-Crystal embedded onto Cadet Satsuma appears to have some sort of subspace pocket that houses or rapidly delivers the Thunderbolt to the pilot herself on command. This is a phenomenon that Dr. Maximiliane Brand struggles to explain, but the C-Crystal is only recently beginning to see wider adoption, so time will tell.
Art by Filippo Angelotti
Mercury V is credited as the world's very first Super Robot. Engineered as a direct response against Dr. George Sheol's kaiju forces, it was the very first successful answer to the extraordinary threats that have begun plaguing the Earth Union beginning in the late A.D. 2060s. Constructed out of the expensive and lab-produced Tritonium alloys, it is built around Dr. Rin Yukimura's Aeon Particle Theorem, drawing energy from a parallel dimension to fuel Mercury V and generate its abilities. Piloted by Hiroki Matsumoto, Dr. Yukimura's protege, it has drawn much of the kaiju's attention - analysts predict that its successful defiance has irked Dr. Sheol enough to draw his exclusive attention, sparing regions that might have come under attack otherwise.
Pilots
Name: Oscar Tellison
Age: 24 (as of A.D. 2072)
Rank: 1st Lieutenant (1LT)
Designation: Infantry, Reconnaissance, Test Pilot
Country of Origin: United States of America
Operations History:
Defense of the Defense Forces Research Institute HQ - 22 January A.D. 2071
Augment to Relief Efforts of New York City - 28 November A.D. 2071
Siege of the Yukimura Institute: 22 November A.D. 2072
Defense of the Legio-Galbinus Enclave: 20 June A.D. 2073
Originally trained as an infantry officer, 2LT Tellison was transferred early to the Defense Forces Research Institute (DFRI) initially as part of a security detail. Thanks to Dr. Sam Carlson's early Man-Machine Interface(MMI) tests, 2LT Tellison was identified as a potential candidate after fellow officer 1LT Richard Callaghan, and was quickly redesignated with his unit (Third Reconnaissance) as pilots for the Jackals, albeit with manual controls.
Further training identified additional qualities that elevated then 2LT Tellison's potential as a pilot. While also adapting easily to the MMI, he also displayed the ability to quickly establish rapport with personalities and units he had never worked with prior. With the development of SCR-02 Perseus, he was chosen as the initial test pilot in time to participate in the attack on New York City. In cooperation with adjacent units, 2LT Tellison was able to maintain an open corridor with the Perseus until First Response Corps elements could arrive, upon which he withdrew for refit and repairs.
Following promotion to 1LT (a more administrative promotion that was accelerated for his accomplishments), Tellison would then be partnered with Shàowèi (2LT) Xiu Ying Zhang in April 2072, another candidate scouted by the DFRI for potential compatibility with the MMI systems. 1LT Tellison and 2LT Zhang would then be the test pilots for the Psychic Theater technology developed by Dr. Carlson.
Name: Zhang Xiu Ying
Age: 32 (as of A.D. 2072)
Rank: Shàowèi (OF-1)/2nd Lieutenant (2LT)
Designation: Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Test Pilot
Country of Origin: Republic of China
Operations History:
Siege of the Yukimura Institute: 22 November A.D. 2072
Defense of the Legio-Galbinus Enclave: 20 June A.D. 2073
2LT Zhang is a recent addition to the Defense Forces Research Institute (DFRI), having only arrived as of April A.D. 2072. Originally an enlisted Soldier in her country of origin, she progressed to the rank equivalent of Staff Sergeant in the Infantry before her superiors identified her as officer material, and was one of the candidates sent to the Earth Ground Defense Forces officers academy in the East Asia District.
Upon graduation, her specialty was transitioned to Mechanized Infantry before she was then further reassigned to participate in the DFRI's training program on the newly developed Variable Configuration. Showing an aptitude for the Phalanx, she was swiftly headhunted by MAJ Johnathan Devin to be partnered with 1LT Oscar Tellison as the joint test pilots for the SCR-02 Perseus, a newly constructed Super Robot model.
Reportedly, 2LT Zhang's superiors took the reassignment in good grace, as her selection had quickly become a source of pride and prestige in her former unit.
Name: Jessica Satsuma
Age: 22 (as of A.D. 2072)
Rank: Cadet (contracted for commission in First Response Corps)
Designation: Test Pilot, Champion of Varulne
Country of Origin: United States of America
Operations History:
Grand Coulee (Free Brothers incursion): 1 November A.D. 2070
Australia (Westphalian/Kaiju exchange): 21 December A.D. 2072
Jessica Satsuma's contributions to the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI), and arguably to the Earth Union as a whole, has almost nothing to do with her technical or piloting capabilities. A brash young woman from the West Coast of the North American District who signed the oath of contract to pay for her undergraduate studies, she had not done much to distinguish herself from her peers. Perfectly average, somewhat hotheaded (which she has been reprimanded for several times), and unsure of what direction to take her life in beyond her obligated four years upon commissioning.
A chance encounter between herself and the Legionnaire Cavalier drastically changed the direction her life would take her. Striking an unlikely rapport with the Kausen who seemed hostile to human life at first, they quickly became fast friends due to mutual curiosity. This friendship soon extended to the entirety of the Legio Galbinus, with its namesake leader Galbinus-R officially welcoming her as the only (at the time) friendly human face since their strange arrival on the planet. After intervention from the DFRI saved both Cavalier and Jessica's life from the Free Brother Bandit, an official partnership was struck between Galbinus and Major Johnathan Devin. More than anything, Jessica Satsuma's primary contribution was salvaging First Contact with Mekaen, and ensuring the Earth Union had steadfast and reliable partners against the Free Brothers.
But the discovery of the Regency of Varulne - and Jessica's qualities as its candidate to bear the C-Crystal Prime - influenced her life even further, equipping her with not just the Crystal, but also the refurbished Thunderbolt. Jessica Satsuma has limited experience so far, but she has already proven herself worthy of joining the ranks of the DFRI's Super Robots.
Leadership
"I am not nearly caffeinated enough to deal with this. What did you all do this time?"
Hailing from the United States in the North American District, Johnathan Devin has had a rather typical career progression. After commissioning through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) parallel to his college studies, he was commissioned as an officer of logistics. After a few initial postings, he was seconded to the Earth Union Defense Forces as part of the United States' obligation to the Earth Union. His past postings might not have distinguished him overly much - he was an unremarkable, but solidly competent, officer who was good at what he did but did not go chasing after glamorous assignments.
It was his discovery and hasty preservation of the very first kaiju sample that drew attention to him, and showed one Brigadier General Peters that the at the time CPT Devin was willing to think outside of the box. He has since lived up to that perception, as under his stewardship the Defense Force now has not just one, but theoretically four Super Robots undergoing constant development and has spread new weapons developments to the wider EUDF, along with numerous other classified projects.
He also accounts for one of the largest consumers of coffee among the officer corps.
"I am uncertain whether to commend you for quick thinking or chastise you for reckless thinking. I will find a way to split the difference."
Formerly serving in the Japanese Self Defense Forces, CPT Sasaki's previous assignment was that of operations officer, then aide, to General George Armistead of the Third Air Defense Force (with overlap between North America and East Asia). Originally brought on as a means to placate her politically connected superior, CPT Sasaki has since proven herself loyal and committed to the Super Robot project, often serving as the voice of reason and discipline.
(Not that she has proven to be purely above it all)
Effects: Sasaki gains +1d6 to Defense Force Monitoring and Liaison duties due to her professionalism and long conditioning to the madness.
"To any leadership teams watching this, please remember we're professionals."
"Don't try this at home!-uh oh-"
In an organization bursting with eccentric and esoteric personalities, Wilde and Henry have long since stood out. The Duo were headhunted by MAJ Devin after learning of their experimentation in Variable Configuration, and decided to take a risk in recruiting them into the DFRI at its infancy. That trust was well rewarded - what started as a means of maximizing resources by cannibalizing older military vehicles has since become one of the cornerstones of the modern EUDF Super Robots.
Wilde tends to live up to his surname, being excitable about just about every little development and eager to 'throw stuff at the wall and see what does something interesting.' Henry remains constantly stoic in direct opposition to Wilde, but is solid and dependable. Though they seem unaware of it, these professionals have had one of the largest impacts on the EUDF.
Effects: +1d6 to Experimentation, Wreckage Analysis and Refit and Repair.
They remain highly classified, but one of the astonishing achievements of the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI) is the creation of sentient artificial intelligence programs. Referred to as Super Artificial Intelligence (SAI), they were expanded upon by Dr. Boris Ignatov from the remnants of an unlisted pre-Unification server hub. Far from being removed as malicious software, the unlikely discovery of possible sentience was cultivated and nurtured by Dr. Ignatov, and within the span of a few months, the very first AI personalities grew into fully functioning sentience.
Currently there are nine SAI personalities, split between personalities limited to the mainframes and connectivity, and those who are bound to a specific body as part of a Super Robot frame.
"I know you've got this. But I have your back just in case, alright?"
Katarina is the first personality discovered and nurtured by Dr. Ignatov. Appearing as a bubbly and cheerful young woman, Katarina is regarded as the 'big sister' to all of the following personalities by virtue of seniority (having been present long enough to be considered one of the Founding Members) and has gleefully adopted the responsibilities therein. Incredibly cheerful and happy to help where she can, she is one of the few AI personalities who has enough breadth of knowledge to assist anywhere on base she is required.
Effects: Katarina can support just about anywhere without restrictions and at almost full capacity. However, she does not receive bonuses for the more specialized sciences or engineering challenges.
"Hey boss. Melinda here. I, uh, don't have much to add here just yet. But just you watch, it'll happen!"
Currently the youngest AI 'sister' to have developed, Melinda has yet to fully stand out. Appearing almost like an office intern, Melinda is quite energetic, and eager to prove herself - and sharing Katarina's breadth of knowledge, she can - and does - appear almost anywhere that requires an extra helping hand.
Effects: Melinda can support just about anywhere without restrictions and at almost full capacity. However, she does not receive bonuses for the more specialized sciences or engineering challenges.
"All hands, this is the bridge. Stay with me, and we will get through this!"
One of the 'elder' Sisters, Diana originated from the anomalous code discovered with Katarina's discovery and is of the same generation as Ivanna and Lana. Appearing as a disciplined young female cadet, Diana's primary functions are to facilitate the coordination and execution of Super Robot deployments as well as monitoring the Defense Force Network. Diana has also proven herself a deft hand at battlefield command and control.
One responsibility Diana has been saddled with, which she does not enjoy, is liaison duty - which often means chaperoning mad scientists.
Effects: Diana gains +1d6 to Defense Force Monitoring. She also has +1d6 to select groups of friendly factions (Yukimura Institute).
"No one's getting past me! Let's go!"
One of the 'younger' Sisters, Adrianna was scanned from the brainwaves of CPT Haruko Sasaki - a fact that sent the DFRI into a collective panic. The actual personality that emerged...has not done much to dissuade them from this reaction (and one leaving CPT Sasaki somewhat bemused). Appearing as an incredibly excitable and energetic young female cadet, Adrianna's original function was to ensure facility security and counter espionage. While she has excelled at this (to becoming a new problem at her extremes), Adrianna has also proven to be quite proficient at gunnery operations.
Despite a rocky introduction, she has also become fast friends with Erika Drake.
Effects: Adrianna gains +1d6 to Defense Force Monitoring. She also passively can detect intrusion efforts, a legacy of her original function. She has +1d6 to select groups of friendly factions (MSS).
"I swear! Are all of the Super Robot pilots trying to tick me off!? We just fixed this!"
Lana is of the same generation as Ivanna and Diana. Appearing as a no-nonsense young woman in engineering fatigues and an overcoat, Lana has proven herself time and again as not only capable of repair and maintenance functions, but also unique and new creations in her own right. To her chagrin, however, she also finds herself constantly helping to fix up the various scrapes, dents, and other forms of bodily harm that keep managing to surprise and annoy her.
She has a somewhat vitriolic friendship with Jiro Yukimura, with both exchanging insults and jabs as readily as they speak words. But it is difficult to find a more inseparable pair on the facility than these two.
Effects: Lana gains +1d6 to most Engineering projects (with particular mention to Refit, Repair, Design and Experimentation).
"Doctors...please, tone it down..."
Ivanna is of the same generation of Super AIs as Diana and Lana. She also was created with the rather unenviable task of keeping the heads of the research on task - something she has had somewhat limited success in. But much like Lana, she has proven herself capable of unique insights, and has developed a reputation of always being on hand to 'check the math, just in case.' If she is said to have one personality quirk, it is that she finds tolerating blatant breaches of the laws of physics (which happens somewhat regularly) somewhat difficult to tolerate.
Effects: Ivanna gains +1d6 to most Science projects. Brand new fields will prove to be somewhat difficult, but she will adapt over time.
ESP Theory
Normally such an idea would be so outlandish as to be dismissed outright - but one could argue the same about most things espoused by Dr. Sam Carlson. His own studies, which were then expanded upon with direct patronage from the DFRI, showed that a small selection of humanity were developing benign mutations in their brains. On their own, this is nothing to worry about or notice. But when combined with supercomputer interfaces, the ability of the human brain to send signals and turn them into instructions for complex machinery has become key to the operating mechanics of the Super Robots.
Outside of control mechanisms, however, ESP Theory development has stalled somewhat. Beyond finding additional methods to control the Super Robots via its pilots' psychic potentials, efforts to amplify those mutations have not proven as fruitful as hoped. But Dr. Carlson remains bullish about his chances. There are many competing requirements, and not enough time to finish them - ESP will get its chance to shine ever brighter again, by his estimations.
Kaiju Biotechnology
Even as Mercury V was defeating the kaiju, no samples of them were ever recovered for study - the bodies would always decompose. However, then-CPT Johnathan Devin was able to secure a sample by quick thinking and pure luck. It has since formed a core component of the DFRI's efforts.
Derived from the venerable Sample Zero, K-Class as a whole was one of the very first discoveries that soon became a core building block of the Super Robot program. Dr. Sam Carlson and the Biotechnology Department made the discovery early on that Kaiju biodegrade in a form of self-destruction on a rapid scale (ed.- Hah!) after being defeated. However, due to being in deep freeze for so long, the acid simply could not make enough headway and the scale was left alone. What followed was then breakthrough after breakthrough of figuring out what K-Class could and couldn't do.
K-Class
K-Class, or Kaiju Class Components, are organic matter derived from kaiju flesh that is then incorporated into the various pieces of equipment and components building up the Super Robots. Almost a miracle substance in its own right, there are different categories and capabilities depending on which original culture sample was derived from. The DFRI is still exploring this field at a rapid pace, but outside of Dr. George Sheol himself, the DFRI's Biotechnology Department is the foremost authority on kaiju organisms.
Sample Zero - Scale
Sample Zero is a broken piece of Kaiju scale discovered by CPT Johnathan Devin in the aftermath of a Kaiju attack on the Korean peninsula. It has served as the bedrock for many of the technologies that enable the Super Robot program at all. Its derived culture samples can be incorporated into protective equipment or tough bludgeoning weapons in a pinch, but it was found early on due to a quirk of its genetic engineering that fashioning it into a sharpened or offensive weapon is difficult if not impossible.
Sample One - Horn
Also known as the Dragon's Horn, this sample was acquired after the Beowulf's successful engagement against a kaiju attack against San Diego Naval Base. The kaiju sample was the entire horn mounted on the kaiju which was used to focus acidic beam attacks. Having been isolated and frozen in a similar manner to Sample Zero, development from this sample is still in its early stages.
Sample Two - Brain Matter
Bits of brain matter that were able to be salvaged from the Olympic-class kaiju during the siege of the Yukimura Institute. It is not being integrated into the DFRI's toolkit and is being held in cold storage for analysis and study. Dr. Carlson makes very sure that it is kept dormant to prevent any incidents.
Sample Three - Preserved Leg
The Olympic-class kaiju's leg was captured almost intact. Initial studies are pending, but it promises to dramatically push research forward.
Sample Four - Lungs
Samples taken from the Crocalisks and the Olympic-class kaiju during the siege of the Yukimura Institute, the lungs generated the ability for the kaiju to breathe fire and lightning respectively.
Sample Five - Hollow Scales
Samples taken from the Crocalisk-class during the siege of the Yukimura Institute. Though the hollow scales seemed to act as a gestation method for flash breeding Pterawing-class, its hollow nature holds promise for potentially weapons or equipment pods.
Sample Six - Wings
Samples of the wings captured from the Pterawing-class during the Siege of the Yukimura Institute. By itself it will not enable flight. However, it might help with enabling lift combined with propulsion systems.
Variable Configuration
What had started as an odd curiosity developed by 1LT Adam Wilde and SFC James Henry has become another cornerstone of the Super Robot program. In short: the mechanical maniacs have found a way to modify vehicles and turn them into shape shifting robots. This is achieved by ripping out the internal workings of vehicles, cutting the frame down, and rebuilding everything from the ground up.
This was a technology that required a significant amount of trial and error - but MAJ Johnathan Devin recognized the potential, and greenlit their experimentation. When combined with K-Class materials, the Duo's efforts have created the likes of the Jackal, the Centurion, the Phalanx, and the Seeker. But more importantly, they have created the frames on which the Super Robots are built.
Combinable Configuration
This is the logical extension and development of Variable Configuration. Early efforts to simply scale up met with failure. The Engineers' solution was an 'expansion pack' method. Using the earlier models as the 'Core Unit,' they would simply merge (or 'Combine') it with a larger support unit. The support vehicles would reconfigure into a larger frame that the Core Unit could slot into, effectively creating a large suit of armor - and a more powerful Super Robot.
The most famous example of this is the Beowulf. Its ability to combine with a Shepherd or a V-33 TMU to respectively form the Timberwolf and the Foxhound has seen it through some of its most harrowing battles, and work continues to ultimately combine the three into a more powerful form. However, another notable example of this is the Legio Galbinus combined warrior Axiom. Despite concerns about the individual personalities losing a sense of self, Axiom as a warrior form has proven wildly successful and is a key player in Galbinus-R's efforts. Efforts to extend the same treatment to the DFRI's other Super Robots remains an ongoing priority.
- Timberwolf
- Foxhound
- Fenrir
- Axiom (allied)
Super AI
The crown achievement of Dr. Boris Ignatov and his team, the Super AI program was developed by a chance discovery beneath the DFRI Headquarters. What began as strings of Old World coding mutated and developed into sentient life - giving birth to the first Super AI personality, Katarina. Her siblings of various specializations soon followed, and even some of them are now Super AI pilot personalities directly linked to their bodies as opposed to the wider mainframe of the DFRI.
The exact origin of the server banks that held Katarina's original form remains unclear. The technology clearly is ancient by modern standards, but who developed it, and why they went to such pains to keep it hidden from official layouts, is a mystery. The Super AI personalities remain a guarded secret from the world at large - but they are fully welcomed by the DFRI as peers and family.
'Golems'
A joint project between the Build Team (or at least one particular member) and Dr. Boris Ignatov, the Golems are derived from the Kausen 'Drones' as a response to a need for additional forces. After witnessing the sentience of the turned Drone Zulu, Dr. Ignatov and Greg Nakamura were inspired to reverse engineer captured Drone salvage and to install more 'basic' SAI personalities into mass production Seekers.
As this is a very recent development, the impacts of this new technology have yet to materialize.
Xeno Technology
A catchall phrase for alien-based technology, the only unifying concept to this field is that the various technologies are either Kausen or Varulne-derived. Everything from the Energy Shards relied upon by both warring Kausen factions, to their energy blasters, to even more experimental technologies such as the Dispersion Field - all are not of Earth.
Kausen Technology
The Kausen of Mekaen's debut of their highly advanced technologies, unfortunately, was courtesy of the Free Brothers' hostile First Contact - at the barrel of a blaster. Over time, and with more positive relations established with Galbinus-R and his Legion, the DFRI has started to accumulate additional samples of Kausen technology for study. Most of it is related to weaponry and protection as a sad necessity, but additional samples such as the refined Energy Shards prized by both sides promise revolutionary changes in the energy industry...after the conflict is over.
- Kausen Energy Blasters
- Energy Shards
- Zirvitium Alloy
- Anti-Gravity Solutions
- Dispersion Fields
- Dispersion Spray
Varulne Technology
The Regency of Varulne's technologies are still not fully understood, even less so than Mekaen's. Despite this, they have intriguing possibilities and have already introduced tangible results.
- Experimental Space Travel
- Empathic Boosters
- C-Crystal Technology
Faedium Crystalline Structures
The most recent acquisition of the DFRI, Faedium is the current name for a newly discovered crystalline formation. Light, durable, yet also having the potential to store vast quantities of energy such as light and electricity inside of its structure, it already promises to revolutionize currently existent fields in the DFRI's toolkit. Despite its current status as the most underdeveloped technology base of the DFRI, it has already begun to fill a niche that the other technologies had not quite realized they were missing. Though the density and structure of Faedium needs to be precisely measured - as Faedium does not deal well with unaccounted-for power spikes so far - its ability to process and redistribute power is unheard of by modern engineering standards.
The most recent development comes from contribution to the prototype Fenrir-class Combinable Configuration. The primary obstacle to making it a reality was the various incompatible energy sources, and a lack of a governing unit to synchronize them all without catastrophic results. Out of inspiration, 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry have developed the 'Block' engine. More and more developments promise to derive from Faedium, leaving Dr. McCullough with a sense of vindication.
- Faedium 'Block' Engine (Experimental)
- Faedium 'Block' Battery Units (in development)
- Kausen Energy Blaster Focus Lens Substitutes (in development)
Equipment
K-Scale Mesh
K-Scale is more or less what it sounds like - protective layers of armor derived from Sample Zero. Incredibly straightforward now, at the time of discovery the Engineering team was still trying to find the best ways to incorporate them into the Super Robots. A chance discovery by 1LT Adam Wilde and SFC James Henry, however, found the answer - creating a biological version of chainmail.
K-Scale has shown to prefer to latch onto structures, much like some crops or kudzu, and then rapidly harden around said structure. Taking that into account, the Engineers then layered the K-Scale samples around vital internals of a production Jackal, and applied a minute electrical charge to stiffen into something resembling ceramics. Combined with Anti-Gravity Solutions, this has become a relatively lightweight measure of protection that has since become standard for the Super Robots as a whole. Entire skeletal limb superstructure can be possibly layered repeatedly with this method, but this is early in development.
K-Circuits
Somewhat less dramatic than K-Scale Mesh, but no less important, K-Circuits are the result of lacing the internal circuitry and wiring of mechanical units with microscopic samples of K-Class. Due to the raw adaptive potential of K-Class as a whole, the K-Class has taken on hyper-conductive properties and increased the responsiveness and power of the mechanical internals as a whole. This is the simplified version, as the author does not possess the mechanical or scientific know-how to properly portray this explanation into words that do not encompass a doctoral dissertation.
K-Fang
Having only been recently added to the arsenal, K-Fang are K-Class culture samples derived from Sample One. Much like how K-Scale did not adapt readily to offensive capabilities, the opposite is true for K-Fang. The potential for developing melee and ranged weaponry with K-Fang is intriguing - but only one example so far.
K-Fang Halberd
There is only one right now, but it's exactly what it sounds like - a polearm axe blade sized for a Super Robot. The single one on inventory right now is basic, but functional - but experimentation could be done to make it stand out more.
K-Suit (Pilot)
The K-Suit developed accidentally, but Dr. Sam Carlson and Ivanna did not let a good accident go to waste. In experimenting with K-Class materials, some researchers and volunteer test subjects were doused in liquid K-Class that had yet to form, and their bodies were utterly caked in the matter. While it took some time and power tools to pry the individuals loose, it was discovered that the material acted more or less as a protective layer of K-Scale, but once parts of it were removed, it actually provided a rather flexible range of motion.
The K-Suit is a more directly applied version of that accidental discovery. Almost appearing chitinous in appearance, it has proven to be bullet and blade resistant, but providing almost no limitation in range of motion. The added benefit is that with small applications of K-Circuits interwoven into the suit, the helmets can serve as a Man-Machine Interface in their own right, with the suit simply 'plugging in' to the Super Robot. This continues to be refined, as the new cockpit scheme of incorporating the Steeds as a pseudo cockpit replacement means that the K-Suit needs to be slimmed down to fit inside, or the Steeds themselves need to be expanded slightly.
Man-Machine Interface (MMI)
One problem discovered early on in the CRX experimental stage was that of tactile control. 1LT Richard Callaghan proved to be a prodigy in this regard, but even the harsh selection criteria placed by CPT Haruko Sasaki could not count on all pilots being this way. As such, a combined effort by Dr. Sam Carlson, Dr. Boris Ignatov and the Engineering Team of (at the time) 1LT Adam Wilde and SFC James Henry sought to find a more intuitive way to provide greater control to the Super Robot units.
The answer was the Man-Machine Interface (MMI). Utilizing Dr. Carlson's extensive research on ESP Theory, it utilizes the subtle 'radio' signals emitted subconsciously by a select number of people to transmit intent. This abstracted intent is then captured and incorporated by a condensed supercomputer embedded into a helmet device developed by Dr. Ignatov and his team. That supercomputer then translates the intent into signals compatible with human motion, and the physical feedback is then returned via the MMI to the human pilot's brain and the process repeats. Discoveries by 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry revealed that the human brain cannot think like a machine, or operate machinery too different from the human form - so their solution in incorporating the MMI's link to the Super Robot was to trick the pilot into thinking they were 'wearing' the Super Robot as a mobile suit of armor, and ensure that the Super Robot's range of physical motion was roughly analogous to the human form.
In short: the human brain uses the MMI to give a rough but firm idea of what the pilot wants to do, and the MMI in turn will run all the calculations on behalf of the brain to translate it into physical motion for the Super Robot.
Ironically, this quest for deeper control then fed directly back into the 'standard' CR lines of mecha distributed for wider use among the EUDF. Having seen what the human brain was abstracting despite still having their hands on the controls, this allowed 1LT Wilde and SFC Henry to simplify the controls for non-MMI users, and the control scheme more or less has become standardized among all CR-line mecha, with exceptions being made for more specialized units.
This technology comes standard with all human piloted Super Robots.
Psychic Theater Link
Another accidental discovery by the ESP Department, the Psychic Theater Link is a radical new development on the Man-Machine Interface (MMI). The simple application of 'more is better' has been applied to the pilots operating the Super Robot - what if they were linked together? In theory, this should result in greater processing power and reaction speed for the pilots, enabling more complex operations to take place as both pilots are free to swap and assume different roles at the speed of thought.
The Psychic Theater has only been put into practice very recently with the Perseus. And while it has worked as intended, some side effects have been observed leading to unintended developments. Further study and examination is required.
Zirvitium Armor
Zirvitium alloy is used primarily in armor plating among the Kausen of Mekaen, and has been brought to Earth by both the Legio Galbinus and the Free Brothers. It is an incredibly hardy and tough metallic alloy, utilizing a baffling mixture of rare earth elements and common metals. In addition to handily resisting kinetic force, it also has proven to be able to scatter Kausen energy weapons to reduce its incoming damage. The Kausen apply it as humans might don combat armor, and the same has been applied to the Super Robot program as a whole.
Originally, its drastic cost fresh out of the prototyping stage by Dr. Maximiliane Brand meant that only the Combined Super Robots were even considered for Zirvitium Armor plating. However, time and experience with fabrication - along with judicious use of Anti-Gravity Solutions - means that it is slowly becoming more and more feasible for Core Super Robot units to begin donning Zirvitium.
Kausen Energy Blaster Launchers
Cliche as it sounds, one of the very first pieces of kit recovered and reverse engineered from the Kausen were their weapons systems - Bandit's specifically. In short, Kausen projectiles are high output energy waves that are narrowly condensed and then focused into a single crystal, which then forces the energy into a narrow coherent beam of destructive heat and light. Thus far, the DFRI have managed to replicate the effect in large scale, via the Heavy Weapons packages for the Super Robots and the gun turrets of the Pegasus-class dropships.
Handheld Energy Blasters [Prototype]
It's not pretty, it's expensive, and it's clunky, but it's also a proof of concept right now. The new blasters developed by Dr. Mary McCullough and Zulu fit somewhere more along the lines of a pistol or a carbine than that of the dedicated and individual blaster packages fitted for the heavy weapons packages or the Super Robot weaponry. In theory you could do a limited production run, but you'll need to experiment more to achieve that end.
The Charged Cannon is an experimental electrical cannon. In short, it fires bursts of high voltage electricity in short packet bursts of electricity, aimed to disrupt and stun rather than outright destruction. The Duo tend to regard this weapon as an incremental stepping stone to the development of the Arc series of weapons and has not seen further development since then.
The Pile Bunker is one of the stranger weapons developed by Engineering, and it remains untested under combat conditions. But in theory, it may prove to be one of the most potent weapons in the DFRI's arsenal. In short, an incredibly sharp metal spike mounted on the forearm of a Super Robot slams into the enemy after contact with the fist, propelled at high speed and power via chemical propellant charge. As a side benefit rather than by design, the build up of static charge abruptly conducts through the spike and into the internals of the enemy, with the potential to short circuit enemy machinery and inflict electrical burns to kaiju.
The very first unit has been installed for use with Perseus Megas. Its initial introduction proved to be far more effective than initially projected, as a well timed and placed strike was able to destroy the hand of the Free Brothers' giant Drone, leaving it stunned and wide open for a follow on strike.
Jiro Yamada left this name in as a placeholder, then officially adopted it when he could not think of an alternative. The Mega Blaster was scavenged from the 'Brute' mega walker fielded by the Westphalians. It is effectively a trio of Kausen blasters rigged together into a, well, mega blaster that sidelines safety protocols in favor of a bigger blast.
Though it backfired on the Brute, Jiro Yamada has shorn it down to something more manageable. Taking inspiration from his uncle Rin's Blizzard Blast installed on Mercury V, he decided to make this a chest mounted unit. In conjunction with the new Faedium 'Block' engine, he had confidence that the enormous energy output could be satisfied, albeit with the warning that this should be used sparingly. Operating on the idea of 'less is more,' Jiro installed Zirvitium-lined barrel rails that unfold in order to act as both containment and as a guidance system, directing the powerful energies towards its intended target.
The very first unit has been installed for use with Perseus Megas. Its initial battlefield usage has proven its raw destructive power, and the Engineering team will revisit the concept for refinement.
The Arc Blade and the Arc Cannon are weapons derived from K-Scale. Sidestepping the normal (and odd) restriction of the K-Scale with offensive weaponry, the Duo simply augmented individual pieces of the weapons and fabricated the weapon itself with high-end steel and titanium. Later models of the weapon could also include choice elements of Zirvitium alloy. Both weapons make use of high-voltage electricity for bursts of high intensity damage at close or long ranges.
The Arc Blade and Arc Cannon make use of a high intensity battery known as the Spark Caliber. Used sparingly, it supercharges the weapon to a ludicrous degree, burning out the Spark Caliber within a minute of activation after being slotted into the weapon in question. This is used to conduct a finishing strike, and as such is only used when said strike is guaranteed or in times of desperation.
Dispersion Combat Shield
Courtesy of the Free Brother known as Bandit, the Dispersion Field was first discovered in A.D. 2070 in the DFRI's first direct engagement with the Free Brothers. The Dispersion Field proved itself to be extremely temperamental - it absolutely performed its function in blocking kinetic energy, but its activation varied wildly. The Legio Galbinus sold the technology to the DFRI on request, though they themselves did not actively pursue development of it.
Dr. Maximiliane Brand and Zulu of the Xenotechnology Department have just begun to fully stabilize the Dispersion Field - however, neither of them have come close to creating an all-encompassing full-body version. Their compromise was to create a shaped field of limited protection instead. The most common application of this now is as a wrist-mounted unit that can be projected in a manner similar to law enforcement riot shields. The Dispersion Combat Shield can block projectiles both kinetic and energy to a point, and even slow down melee attacks, but in its current form it is more of a delaying tactic. Additionally, its power drain is such that only Combined Super Robots can generate enough power to use it without its power output going into the net-negatives.
Anti-Gravity Solution
This technology has its origins in Mekaen, the home planet of the Kausen. Originally exchanged with the DFRI by the Legio Galbinus, this was experimental technology even to the far more advanced civilization of its origin. Since its purchase, however, the minds behind the Xenotechnology Department have found practical means in which to make this applicable, if still experimental and expensive.
The Anti-Gravity Solution is exactly as it sounds - an experimental solvent that reduces the physical gravity of an applied object. What this means in practice is that heavier components can now see their mass effectively reduced, allowing more complex and specialized equipment to be installed onto a Super Robot frame. This has proven crucial to the Super Robot program, allowing Super Robots such as Beowulf and Perseus to fit heavier layers of equipment such as the protective K-Scale Mesh. The trade-off is that the Anti-Gravity Solution does require routine reapplication - without it, the various equipment applied with it become 'sluggish' as the Solution degrades over time. As such it is always factored into maintenance.
C-Crystals, according to the Regency, are many things. A symbol. A badge of office. A source of power. Even an authentication key for the 'pure and just of heart,' which is language straight out of children's cartoons and comic books. It is vaguely integrated into the Thunderbolt prototype, but it has also not been tested or even fully evaluated yet. Dr. Boris Igantov and Dr. Maximiliane Brand have finally cracked the fabrication and authentication system behind it - however, wider dissemination has been slow, both from a sense of caution and production capabilities serving as a practical bottleneck.
To date: Jessica Satsuma, Richard Callaghan, and Ichiro Banner now bear the C-Crystals in some shape and form.
Funnels are essentially remote-control, flight capable directed weapons systems. Housed in a small dart-like platform, the Funnels house three key components: a small engine for thrust, wings derived from the Pterawing kaiju, and a directional laser blaster derived from Kausen weapons technology.
This technology has had something of a troubled development, particularly for a flight capable weapons system meant for terrestrial combat. Beginning with Dr. Boris Ignatov, its development was later completed by Jiro Yukimura. It has yet to be tested.
QM Note: the turn post will probably come tomorrow or so. But I couldn't get this out of my head, so have a new run of side stories from a certain Intelligence agent.
File 1: Impact of the DFRI on the Defense Forces
-s this thing on? It is! Perfect, perfect, let's get started.
Anna Smith. Last quadrant fragment of IDENT code - ICA-WA-47.
With authentication finished, let me get this out of the way for anyone reviewing this in future - I began serving as liaison to Major Johnathan Devin and the Defense Force Research Institute (DFRI to stop future tongue twisters) on 6 February, A.D. 2071following biometric confirmation of Codename: Warlord's death. (Not that any of us expects that to stick, someone else is going to think they've got the chops to be the next one, but we haven't seen anyone like that yet.) But following dissatisfaction with Executive Board members of the Third Air Defense Force's security of DFRI assets, and on request from Brigadier General Peters, Intelligence Services assets keep a much closer eye on things here now.
I'll have more to say about a certain General Armistead later, as his situation isn't quite as clearcut as it seems on the surface.
These files are meant to be a running analysis and stream of consciousness from yours truly on request from Director Ashwood. The topic in question today is the impact the DFRI is having on the wider Defense Forces as a whole. The short answer is: a pretty big one, but that doesn't exactly help analyses in the future, so let me start from the top.
Discounting all of the core Super Robot models the DFRI keeps and fields for itself, there's a significant overlap in what it develops as Super Robot frames and what can be considered 'mass production' models. A lot of this can be laid at the feet of two particular individuals that work in the Engineering Department: First Lieutenant Adam Wilde, and Sergeant First Class James Henry. Originally they served in the maintenance wing of the Fifteenth Ground Defense Force Motorized Division in the North American District (their part of the Division was based in Alameda specifically). Major Devin head hunted them when he was gathering talent back in A.D. 2070, and their first prototype was the CRX-01A which they demonstrated in March of A.D. 2070. Despite this...thing literally falling apart from standing upright, the Engineers were given enough time and resources to refine it.
It really shows when you consider every Super Robot in the DFRI can do Variable Configuration.
Ever since then, though it's never been made an official practice, each iteration of a Super Robot always starts from a 'production' model. A souped up one, sure, one that can be scaled up with all the fancy in-house bells and whistles, but a production model. And since those production models don't have any of the confidential technologies and can be equipped with conventional weaponry and equipment, Brigadier General Peters has been using this along with the fact we have Super Robots under the EUDF flag now as a good justification for the program's existence. Ever since
Major Devin made the Jackal available to the First Response Corps, the overall response from the Defense Forces as a whole, with some exceptions, has been basically 'more, please.' We're now three years into the DFRI's lifespan, and already a lot of the big names in the industry have been taking on contracts to develop them in larger numbers for the EUDF.
Coincidentally, a lot of these industries are ones that fell on hard times awhile ago due to the rising costs of having to phase out but keep up service support of older models while workshopping new ones. I looked into Devin - he's not the type to schmooze with corpos or industry insiders, and he actively hates having to deal with anything outside of his immediate target range, so he's not an insider risk on that front. But he loves being practical, and practical in this case means making use of older and more available equipment in case the Engineers mess up or explode something. Which they do, a lot. This, along with the now increasing demand, caused some of the Districts' stock markets to make very funny shapes on the graph charts, but the short of it is that Devin now has friends he never knew about or wanted anything to do with. Fun!
He'll be so horrified if he finds out. Kind of tempted to tell him, but I'm absolutely going to be there when he finds out.
So let's go over a few of the models in question. This first file's only concerning the first two - I'll cover more in detail later.
CR-01 'Jackal'
Frame: Coyote-class Patrol Truck
Roles: Urban operations; reconnaissance; light mechanized infantry
Significant Producers: Lone Star Industries; Waltz-Dallman GhB; Daehan Motors
Widest Adopters: First Response Corps, but just about everyone wants some
After Wilde and Henry really got into the brass tacks of making a prototype that didn't just fall apart, what we got was the very first production model just about anyone can use. It's about as simple as can be - it looks, sounds, and is laid out like the old Coyote trucks the EUDF has used for years, so there's not that much retraining that needs to happen. I'm also told by mechanics that it's surprisingly easy to keep maintained once you get your head around the fact that the inner parts also now bend and twist in ways they're not used to.
The first adopters were the First Response Corps, and they've taken it and run with it ever since. After some significant lobbying in Unity Station, Lone Star got the first contract, and I like to imagine that there was a line waiting outside of the production facilities down at Houston. They use it primarily as law enforcement, but also as medical rescue and firefighter augmentees. Pretty sure I've seen a few crop up at Grand Coulee's manifests as natural disaster relief units too recently.
Director, I promise you that you're going to see more variations of this come up. Lone Star has already started making variants specifically for the FRC, and they're already starting to experiment with Variable Configuration for firefighting trucks and ambulances. They already made a law enforcement specific version (the sirens and lights are on the shoulders now! Adorable!). But I'd also expect the less savory criminal types to try and get their hands on some too - and given how much demand for it there is, you can bet the Westphalians will grab their own. Only a matter of time.
The rest of the EUDF are getting their own, mostly out of curiosity - even the Air Defense Forces (including a certain one, though they're slower about it, interestingly). Understandably, the Ground Defense Forces have been experimenting with it a lot, and they're not quite sure what to make of it, so they're concentrating around units conducting experimental wargames and tests. So far, scouting is the natural choice, but there's a few battalion staffs and company commanders arguing that they can be concentrated for city fighting. Even so, a lot of them are being used for facility security - it's really, really hard to break into a facility when you've got giant robots. Not sure it's the best use though - all that's asking for is for criminals or Westphalians to come in with the equivalent of an elephant gun.
CR-02 'Phalanx'
Frame: Buckler-class Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)
Roles: Urban operations; mechanized infantry support; medium anti-armor
Significant Producers: Ares Inc.; Tokyo Heavy Industries; Bolivar-Mecánica
Widest Adopters: Ground Defense Forces, Marine Expeditionary Forces
This one is slightly less widely adopted, but we're getting closer to tanks at this point, so understandable. The Phalanx was the original test frame for what the DFRI now calls K-Circuits, but it was also partially borne out of Devin's own personal annoyance with the original Buckler it was based off of. The way he explains it, a lot of the original premise of the Buckler was the ability to swap out turret systems onto hardpoints that were supposed to be easier to wire in and slot in munitions systems, but it turned into a Lovecraftian nightmare for the mechanics. This is another classic example of the DFRI taking older tech, improving it, and making it work based on widely available chassis.
The Phalanx does more or less what the original Buckler was supposed to do. The Engineers fixed up the hardpoints, but as a a side effect due to the need for Configuration, they doubled down hard on the original modular part of the frame. Its configuration is a little...wonky, at least the first time you see it. The whole front of the vehicle twists around and tilts down ninety degrees in a way that feels kinda queasy, but you do get a very heavily armored mecha that can mount a scaled up riot shield.
Yeah, Ares was very happy to take back up this contract when they were offered. They still send him fruit baskets every so often, though thankfully they now opt to send coffee beans instead of whiskey. I've never seen Devin drink at all, and I'll be concerned if he ever starts. Won't be because of me, though. Probably.
Naturally, the GDF had first dibs on this one when the contracts were announced. Unlike the Jackal, the Phalanx fits a lot more neatly into traditional doctrine apparently - the big debate now is in specifics. The fact that you can have a literal phalanx lock shields is not exactly in line with how the GDF or the MEF use their IFVs (what is with these acronyms?), but they've been experimenting with dropping off their infantry, configuring, and then concentrating into groups of two or three to provide walking cover over open ground. Of course, that all goes out the window once Westphalians or Kausen (or God forbid the kaiju) come into the picture, but you're definitely starting to see more of them around.
Sasaki caught Colonel Kim at something of an awkward time, and was not afforded quite enough time for the in depth discussion she'd hoped for. But one thing that's becoming clear - while the Jackals are proving to be a wonderful 'one size fits all' solution for many of his problems, he's running into situations where he's forced to stretch that definition. The meeting ended before he could outline what he might need, but Sasaki has made her own conclusions from observing.
Galbinus, on the other hand, she catches right in the middle of final preparations. He's pleased to see Callaghan and Beowulf reporting in, though the Argonauts cause an amusing stir in the Legion. His plan for Bandit's 'breakout' involves making the Free Brothers expend the resources to achieve their goal - and Perseus's diversionary attacks are only going to help sell the illusion. (Further breakdown will be explained in the post)
Diana doesn't quite have the same rapport with MSS that Adrianna does, and she has to tiptoe around the whole 'being an AI' part of the equation (unlike Adrianna, who would just bulldoze her way through the prospect cheerfully). Still, she comes to an understanding with Charles Mander - he's calling in the favor for a pretty hefty upgrade, one that would threaten to break him financially, for Valiant - and he's sending over Dr. Marcus Dinym to talk shop with your engineers. He'll arrive next month.
New Liaison Action unlocked.
Adrianna
- Reaction Force Monitoring (Kaiju): 5, 6, 3
- Reaction Force Monitoring (Other Threats): 6, 6, 6
(QM Note: ...Adri, what the hell?)
On the one hand, Adrianna has cottoned on to the infiltrators, having seen them up close and having a good understanding of how they operate. There are reports of skirmishes in the East Asian Districts and Southeast Asia against Ground Defense Force and Marine Expeditionary Forces facilities. Particularly in Japan (no real surprise), the Philippines, and Vietnam. They did a pretty good job disguising themselves as Westphalians - but Adrianna knows the difference.
What confuses the hell out of you - what do you mean space observation found something anomalous?
- The Duo' - 1LT Adam Wilde & SFC James Henry - 2/2 Projects Assigned
– Ichirou-Support Unit - Mega-Blaster Sledder Loadout
-- Seeker Core Unit Development
- 'Build Team' - Anthony, Greg and Kelly - 2/2 Projects Assigned
- Drone Support/Seeker Wing Construction - One Turn Remaining
- Perseus Support Unit - Sledder K-Scale Compatible Pile Driver
-- (Baseline Technologies: K-Fang, K-Lung, Zirvitium, Faedium, Empathic Booster)
- Jiro Yukimura - 1/2 Projects Assigned
- Funnel Research
-- Adapting Recent Kaiju-Based Innovations
- Saddle Research
- EAI-01 'Lana' - 1/2 Projects Assigned
- Sledder Weapons and Utility - One Turn Remaining; Has +1d6 bonus for this roll from previous success
-- Faedium Power Source Integration
- Dr. Boris Ignatov - 2/2 Projects Assigned
-- AI Guidance Systems/Psi Power Linkage?
I'm noticing in this recent vote that not all actions were assigned to the advisors. That's perfectly fine, but just so you all are aware for future votes:
If your advisors have free time, they'll pursue their own projects. And may grow to varying degrees of obsession over them, depending on the character.
This can be positive for you, as they may try options that weren't available before just based on what they want to go for (i.e., things I also find interesting) and unveil new options for you. Others may just be hilarious world and character building, and others will possibly include some dramatical events happening (though nothing outright negative or could lead to a failure state).
Adam Wilde and James Henry
- Ichiro Support Unit (Mega Blaster Sledder): 6, 5, 4
- Seeker Core Super Robot Development: 2, 3, 5
The Duo are hard at work in a field most familiar to them - and the Sledder is proving to be a surprisingly modular piece of kit to work with. Jiro has done most of the legwork on the Mega Blaster, and Wilde and Henry are more comfortable with Kausen technology than most, having been there since the very beginning to work on it. The only issue they're debating is the ergonomics - or what Wilde is calling the 'cool versus practical argument,' with his insistence that 'cool' should win all the time.
(One Turn Remaining)
Meanwhile, at your direction, they've also taken one of the Seeker frames that the Build Team haven't used yet and are tearing it apart to give it all of the usual works - K-Scale Mesh, Anti-Gravity and all. This is going to take longer, however, because they now have far more tools to work with than before - and they're going to require your feedback based on what you want it to do.
(Two Turns Remaining)
Build Team
Perseus Support Unit (Pilebunker Sledder, 'Salad Bowl Mix' edition): 4, 6, 4
Like with the Duo's take on the Sledder, the Build Team's version is going to take a little while longer due to also experimenting with what works the best. That's a lot of technologies they're throwing together, and past experience has shown that not everything always plays nice with each other, so they're starting this month with the technologies that they know work - specifically, Zirvitium lining, K-Fang materials, and even the relatively new Faedium. K-Lung and the Empathic Booster are trickier, and they want to have a solid baseline first.
It's finished! And just in time before Ichiro galivants off with Jessica to whatever the heck is at the Oil Platform. (Yes, you're capitalizing it, it feels appropriate) Ichiro is running on legacy power generation, but thankfully Faedium synchs with him in the combined form rather nicely - just be sure to detach before it takes too much damage.
Ichiro has stopped grumbling openly too - progress!
Sledder Support Template - Augmented Power Pack now available! Can be further developed.
SCR-01E Banner assigned initial prototype - name of combined form pending.
Lana studies Jessica's C-Crystal 'teleport' effect a little bit. But aside from 'it's magic,' she hasn't made a terrible amount of headway.
Yukimura Jiro
Funnel Research (adapting new technologies): 2, 2, 6
Jiro is so very thankful to be working on something weapons related that he might have rushed things a bit. Thankfully, this is also something of a slightly longer term project, as Ignatov's original idea behind the 'Funnel' remote control attack drone is rather unique. His own development on the directed shaped blaster charges are already a dead ringer, but incorporating the Pteradon leather mesh is showing some promise.
He goes straight back into grumbling about not being an aviation or mechanical engineer, but something about the Saddle's form speaks to him. It's now not uncommon for him to be going towards the Duo asking general questions, as well as seeing just what this twin-rotored monstrosity could possibly do and what additional combinable digits he could squeeze into there. He shares the previous opinion that this is not going to be a mecha on its own - but as part of a larger Combinable Configuration? This thing has promise.
It turns out that the data processed by the MMI is somewhat at odds with the way your Super AI - or even your more mundane runtime coding - parses information. Lana and Ivanna report getting their equivalent of a headache just looking at the data, and Ichiro and the Argonauts are no better off. But using the MMI itself as a guidance system with pilot input is showing some promise.
I find that creating a plan and continuously checking if I missed an advisor and then copy paste it again and again to be annoying so I tried to create plan templates so that other people can easily create turn plans with less effort. I will strive to update it if we get new advisors and also create a template plan for fitted for each turn with the pre-filled options.
Here's an example to what a pre filled plan would look like:
[X] Plan - Year 4 February Template Plan
-[X] Deployment
--[X] None
-[X]Captain Haruko Sasaki
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] DFAI-01 'Diana'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] DFAI-02 'Adrianna'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] 'The Duo'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] 'Build Team'
--[X] Drone Support/Seeker Wing Construction
--[X] TBD
-[X] 'Jiro Yukimura'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] EAI-01 'Lana'
--[X] Sledder Weapons and Utility - One Turn Remaining; Has +1d6 bonus for this roll from previous success
--[X] TBD
-[X] Dr. Boris Ignatov
--[X] Drone Support/Seeker Wing Construction
--[X] TBD
-[X] Dr. Sam Carlson
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] Dr. Maximiliane Brand
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] SCAI-01 'Ivana'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] Zulu
--[X] Energy Blaster Standardization / Crystal Matrices
--[X] TBD
-[X] Dr. Mary McCullough
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] AI-01 'Katarina'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
-[X] AI-02 'Melinda'
--[X] TBD
--[X] TBD
Any suggestions on how to improve it so people would find it easier to use? For instance, I thought that creating a category for Engineering, Science etcetera would make it easier to see which advisor belongs to which category. Or in the prefilled plan instead of writing the filled in options just erase them?
-Dr. Sam Carlson - 0/2 Projects Assigned
- ESP Theory - Transmutation Research
-- Integration into Weapons Systems
- ESP Theory
-- Psychic Theater Integration with Crocalisk Scale/Pterawing
- Dr. Maximiliane Brand - 0/2 Projects Assigned
- Refinement - Empathic Booster
-- Remote Applicability?
- Faedium Crystalline Structures
-- C-Crystal Refinement. Can Faedium Block Engines create subordinate Crystals connected to the larger power source as well?
-SCAI-01 'Ivana' - 0/2 Projects Assigned
- Experimentation - Crocalisk-class Scale Sample
-- Adapt it to fit the needs of the Funnel project, as a weapon delivery system
- Experimentation - Pterawing-class Wing Sample
-- Adapted to fit the needs of the Funnel Project, as a weapon delivery system
-Zulu - 1/2 Projects Assigned
- Energy Blaster Standardization / Crystal Matrices
- Dispersion 'Zone'
-- Applied to a Shield?
-Dr. Mary McCullough - 1/2 Projects Assigned
- Energy Blaster Standardization / Crystal Matrices
- Faedium Crystalline Structures - C-Crystal Refinement. Can Faedium Block Engines create subordinate Crystals connected to the larger
-AI-01 'Katarina' - 0/2 Projects Assigned
- Special Project: Orion Project
-- Can we use this with our own stuff instead?
- Experimentation - K-Lung
-- Empathic Booster Compatibility
-AI-02 'Melinda' - 0/2 Projects Assigned
- Experimentation - K-Fang
-- Integration with Crocalisk Scale for disposable hardened munitions?
- Experimentation - K-Scale
-- Shield Effects? Compatibility with Dispersion Field, perhaps?
Dr. Sam Carlson
- ESP Transmutation + Weapons Systems = ? : 5, 5, 4
- Psychic Theater Integration with augment systems (Scale, Wing): 1, 1, 1
Sam's had a bit of a mixed month. On the one hand, his department's understanding of the ESP Transmutation Effect (he's workshopping a snappier name - it's all about the branding, apparently) has developed far enough that he's confident he can develop things further than just pure chance and 'dramatic effect.'
On the other hand, incorporating relatively inert augment systems like the Scales or the Wings is not really going anywhere. Apparently some systems are, for lack of a better term, relatively 'deaf,' and require more direct attention from a single MMI system.
Dr. Maximiliane Brand
- Refinement of Empathic Booster (Remote Applications?): 3, 3, 5
- Faedium C-Crystals?: See Mary's Section
Max has concluded that the Empathic Booster's range, at least as you know it right now, is very short. "A Megas's arm's length" is the best she could describe it. But given the idea that it had a maximum range never came up until now, she's relatively glad you all are aware of it.
According to Ivanna, Jiro was onto something when it came to using the Pterawing samples as impromptu guidance systems. Both efforts are now effectively feeding into each other, and Jiro's efforts next month will have something more substantial to work with for his prototype.
The Scales are proving to be a bit more fiddly, but there is real potential as both the delivery mechanism and the barest of room to add a few augment sensors. Jiro will be experimenting with it as well next month.
When you asked Zulu to see if there was a more viable method of incorporating the Dispersion effect onto a shield, you didn't expect him to come up with this.
He didn't just come up with the shield, he thinks he's found a way to improve on the initial 'daisy chain' method. More intensive in labor and power draw, but one that might not even need the shield (though it's a nice addition).
Dr. Mary McCullough
- Energy Blaster Standardization (locked with Zulu): 6, 5, 2
- Faedium C-Crystals? (locked with Max - due to overlocking specialties I'll grant a +d6): 5, 1, 5, 5
Mary has had a productive month.
The standardized Blaster Cells are now complete - and the Golems have already begun helping to stress test them. Coincidentally, Hotwire and Cavalier have been hanging around a lot more...
Meanwhile, the Regent has shown to be very intrigued by the Faedium structures, and has also weighed in on seeing if skipping the fabrication portion could imbue more power into a C-Crystal. Mary and Max are hard at work coming to grips with the significance behind it, but they promise results soon. (One Month Remaining)
Katarina has had a bit of a frustrating month. Looking at the historical plans for 'Project Orion,' she concluded that nothing you have would make this work. The Fulgur team, on the other hand, might have the raw explosive power to make it work...
Simulated tests of the Empathic Booster with the K-Lung are a bit more promising. So far, it can prolong the supply of whatever fuel or ammunition is present, but it still cannot create something out of nothing. (Research Option unlocked next turn)
Melinda's first real projects begin rather smoothly. Taking some notes from Jiro's and Ivanna's efforts, she leans more into using Jiro's earlier forays into blaster technology via short-life power cells designed to be discarded after a single use - and the Scales seem to hold it relatively well, assuming you don't try to strap an engine onto them. (One Turn Remaining)
She's also rather surprised no one has tried just making a shield out of K-Scale. She's been going through a few models based on different chassis (a Shield is going to look differently for Beowulf as opposed to, say, Ichiro) but the idea is incredibly straightforward.
