Public service announcement - it looks like that one image of Patlabor I linked to way back when got flagged by my antivirus as a suspicious link where it hadn't before. Took me by surprise when that alert came up just now. Be careful when clicking on that wallpaper - for my part I'll be a bit more careful about finding images in future.
Engineering post is in progress right now, but I'm also working on an omake at the moment (the omake will probably arrive sooner).
Public service announcement - it looks like that one image of Patlabor I linked to way back when got flagged by my antivirus as a suspicious link where it hadn't before. Took me by surprise when that alert came up just now. Be careful when clicking on that wallpaper - for my part I'll be a bit more careful about finding images in future.
Engineering post is in progress right now, but I'm also working on an omake at the moment (the omake will probably arrive sooner).
It'd probably be better to just take it down completely and delete the link just in case. Malware is insidious and I am forever trying to keep it out of my computers.
It'd probably be better to just take it down completely and delete the link just in case. Malware is insidious and I am forever trying to keep it out of my computers.
I went in and removed the link from the original post. If anyone quoted my post that link will still be there - if you can, recommend you remove it there as well.
- <<Engineering>>
-- The Duo
--- Seeker Super Robot Frame – 2 Turns Remaining
--- Mega Blaster Sledder – 1 Turn Remaining
-- 'Build Team'
--- Perseus Sledder Modular Upgrade – 1 Turn Remaining
--- Enemy Wrekage Analysis: 'Polyphemus' Wreckage
-- Jiro
--- Funnel Mk. IIs – 1 Turn Remaining (receive 1d6)
--- Saddle Super Robot Combiner – 2 Turns Remaining
-- EAI-01 'Lana'
--- Enemy Wrekage Analysis: Predasaur Remains
--- Experimentation: Beuwolf Fenrir Weapon "Tyrants Bane"
---- Using K-Fang Halberd as Base combine Kausen Energy Blaster, Arc Blade, K-Lung, Zirvitium, Empathic Booster, ESP Transmutation & Faedium to create a Powerful Melee Weapon suited for Beowulf Fenrir from and Strength.
-- Dr. Boris Ignatov
--- AI / Psi Guidance System – 1 Turn Remaining
--- MSS – Paging Dr. Dinym
The Duo
- Ichiro Support Unit (Mega Blaster Sledder): 6, 5, 6
- Seeker Core Super Robot Development: 4, 5, 5
Wilde and Henry experienced a breakthrough with the augmentation to the Buster Pack. The ergonomics are slightly awkward, as the original Sledder configured for the Buster Pack already takes up a lot of the logical spots this new portion would logically slot into. But they have found a way to compensate for it by adding more utility beyond just, in Wilde's words, a "biiiiiigg gun." Banner's Buster Mode is now fully capable of the upgunned firepower roughly on par with Perseus Megas.
COMPLETE
QM Note: Are you all satisfied with the name, or do you have a recommendation for Ichiro's combined form?
The Seeker Super Robot frame is also nearing completion. The internals have mostly been sealed, and at this point it's fine-tuning the K-Scale Mesh on the critical joints (very important for something with this many moving parts) and being a bit more particular on applying the Zirvitium armor plating. Henry does note that the Sledder is probably not a great combiner candidate for the Seeker, and if you want to make it a future combiner, you will need to explore more options.
He also has another question: who is going to pilot it? You'll need to make a decision on that next month before the project is complete.
One Turn Remaining. Decision pending in next Engineering vote.
Build Team
- Perseus Support Unit (Pilebunker Combo Edition): 4, 6, 2
- Enemy Wreckage Analysis (Polyphemus): 4, 3, 5
Perseus Megas's upgrades are complete, though there were some complications. The K-Lung and the Empathic Booster proved to be far trickier to install and make compatible with the rest of the components than the team was expecting. Thankfully, they were able to find a solution to the K-Lung's limited capacity through an rotary integrated canister 'cartridge,' an admittedly low-tech solution, but one that can allow some flexibility in what kind of elemental punch Perseus Megas wants to apply. The Empathic Booster, however, is...all over the place. It integrates with the pilots well enough - but readings are showing a third presence interacting with it.
COMPLETE - New Engineering Option Unlocked
The Polyphemus, on the other hand, is almost insultingly simple. It's...a giant Drone. It's incredibly basic, obviously missing a head and cranial unit, and it has a bunch of holes and structural damage in place. Aside from chunks of Zirvitium armor plating, there's nothing obviously new about it.
On the other hand, as Greg tells you, "It's still a giant robot body. We can probably patch it up." And even if you don't make use of it, this could serve as a frame for another Super Robot program on short notice for BG Peters.
COMPLETE - New Defense Force / Engineering Option Unlocked
The Predasaur, according to Lana, is incredibly well crafted. Even with the giant molten holes and the broken teeth left behind by Callaghan and the Beowulf, it's actually still quite structurally sound. 'Nothing we can't fix,' is her basic assessment. The only complication really is the 'heart' reactor - it's incredibly compact, and produces quite a bit of power, but it's also fragile enough thanks to the previous combat that she's not confident that she could take it apart and have it survive the analysis.
You could build something out of it now, or you could take a chance at disassembling the heart reactor.
COMPLETE - New Engineering Options Unlocked
For her second project...
'You want me to do what? With what?'
You last left Lana piecing everything together like a Tetromino sculpture, but aside from her initial skepticism, she isn't dismissing the idea outright. The K-Halberd works well enough, but it's fitting everything into it that's proving to be the issue. 'I might not be able to get everything in here, just as a fair warning.' She seems to be leaning on installing more of the connection ports to draw directly from the Beowulf itself rather than in the 'Tyrant's Bane' but it's going to take her some time.
Jiro has managed to produce some working prototypes - and he even managed to install his directional blaster units as a proof of concept. For what they are, they're a little slower than he'd like, and an opponent with high reflexes will probably catch onto it sooner than later. But the miniature rocket thrusters and the Pteradon directional wings means that you now have a weapon that can attack from several different angles at once.
He did have a funny idea as well - 'You could load these onto missile pods and cycle them through for refueling...'
COMPLETE - New Engineering Option Unlocked
With the Saddle...he's discovered that when you include Faedium into the mix, you can save a lot on internal space that would have taken really chunky aviation fuel engines. The fuselage and the engine blocks make for natural upsized arms, and the cockpit and the cargo space makes for natural armor slotting. He's had a bit of a brainstorm, and will have some ideas for you next month.
He also very begrudgingly thanks Lana for her notes.
One Turn Remaining.
Boris Ignatov
- AI / Psi Guidance System Feasibility Test: 5, 5, 3
- Paging Dr. Dinym (Resolved in Interlude)
Ignatov's hypothesis was correct. AI - and, by extension, Kaus - cannot interact directly with ESP energy at all. This leads to an interesting interaction where the human brain can conduct predictive targeting and navigation, but relies on the AI hardware to execute. The human pilot needs to serve as a 'translator' - otherwise, the AIs tend to have problems.
Plans upon plans, eyes upon Eyes. hearts beat alike. Minds go funny places and Devlin rides herd on the insanity of the DFRI. It's such good work that we now have potentially 3 new Super Robots if we decide to make them singular instead of using several chassis as parts of a singular one via combination.
but more seriously. The heart reactor might be worth a Full court press from multiple angles. As for the chemical, it's going to have to wait, again. that's the problem isn't it. too much to focus on elsewhere to focus on it unless we are willing to do it and waste valuable time needed elsewhere. So much to do.
The Empathic Booster, however, is...all over the place. It integrates with the pilots well enough - but readings are showing a third presence interacting with it.
To clarify, Plans upon Plans means everyone in every faction. DFRI, Westphalians, Sheol, Brothers and enclave. Everyone is plotting something and reacting to the others. so yes.
The Saddle, Funnels, and Predasaur Reactor are coming together as well as we hoped. I'm with TT on this one, a power reactor we can scale up with Faedium to be competitive with the higher output jank bullshit is a godsend for us to hit our next iterative generation
All we need is the figure out the Seeker Cores pilot. And that means it might be time for a recruitment drive and complete the Saddle to house it. Thatll make it a perfect carrier to house our Funnels in
Oh yeah, we are going Brave super robot team very much, with second generation full of surprises ready to slam into some poor bastards' plans when they thing they succeeded at neutralizing first generation super robots.
And, of course, we mix and match new tools to existing machines, to make for a second way plans won't survive contact.
I wonder how we mix and match new capabilities into new Super Robots.
Waiting for the friction reducing chemical just means more fires to put out later since allied mass production mechs are steadily losing on having actions initative and the gap will only grow more every turn.
It doesn't help either that the Westphalians are streamlining our own tech into their own tech tree and we still don't know much about what they're capable of.
It's one of the few things that can upgrade everything all at once for the military without us having to make individual unit model upgrades which would take a lot longer. And one of the few things we can actually give out to the ordinary joes with no worries.
Yeah, we need to go All In on the Reactor. Power has been our Limiting Factor on our Supers, we got tons of Meta-Materials, great armor, and tons of Shiny Weapons.
Faedium has been a big help, but it's not the solution by itself.
Edit: Giant Drone body... Either a Heavy Hitter Brave or handed off to another Project. Tempted to just go with the Brave as another Project means having to read another Project into a LOT of classified Information and Tech.
Ignatov's hypothesis was correct. AI - and, by extension, Kaus - cannot interact directly with ESP energy at all. This leads to an interesting interaction where the human brain can conduct predictive targeting and navigation, but relies on the AI hardware to execute. The human pilot needs to serve as a 'translator' - otherwise, the AIs tend to have problems.
Hm, great info all around, next turn work on on a few of the projects a bit more to get them combat ready and maybe some work on an upgrade for the jackal, I've got my eyes on making a jackal 2 and jackal two full armour
As for the chemical, it's going to have to wait, again. that's the problem isn't it. too much to focus on elsewhere to focus on it unless we are willing to do it and waste valuable time needed elsewhere. So much to do.
I've been hinting at it earlier, but with the expansion of the Super Robot program with official backing (you're no longer an oddity, you're now an odd part of Doctrine being written), you will have plenty to outsource to see what other programs do with the technologies you don't prioritize or don't have time for.
Anaheim Electronics. Amoral, corrupt military-industrial complex megacorporation that will sell weapons to anyone. And also has a penchant for supporting both sides of a war and selling to both sides (or lengthening a conflict by supplying one side or the other).
Oh, and they are just as likely to sell to the 'good' faction as much as selling to factions that have the blood of millions on their hands (such as Neo-Zeon with the various colony drops on under their belt). All for keeping conflict going so that they can keep selling weapons.
