Sergey Gorshkov is a 1st Gen Spaceship. It's basicly our Hiryuu Kai so the Captain & Crew will have off-screen adventures 1st, encounter the Disc 1 Final Boss and be damaged before we upgrade it with 3rd Gen technology to make it up-to-par with it's sister ships we will build in the future.
Sergey Gorshkov is a 1st Gen Spaceship. It's basicly our Hiryuu Kai so the Captain & Crew will have off-screen adventures 1st, encounter the Disc 1 Final Boss and be damaged before we upgrade it with 3rd Gen technology to make it up-to-par with it's sister ships we will build in the future.
"If we gave the Sledders basic SAI personalities, would they form a voting demographic?"
Such was some of the random musings coming from Adam Wilde's mouth as he and James Henry undergo work on yet another Sledder configuration. For something that hasn't been really properly blooded in combat just yet, it's amazingly versatile - and the Duo seem pretty confident that if it proves to be too fragile when actual combat emerges, there'll be at least enough combat data to make a theoretical 'Mark II' version of it. As it is, Wilde's musings draw from the fact that you're employing these things in force for your future plans.
In this particular case - they're tailor-building this particular configuration of the Sledder for Ichiro. Unlike with Perseus, which Jiro had adapted into a chest blaster unit in a sort of homage to his Uncle's designs in Mercury V, Wilde and Henry have taken another route. Jiro already has a blaster from his Centurion alt-form. So they figured, why ignore what was already present?
On the face of it - at least when the Duo simplify things for a non-engineering perspective for you - it's pretty straightforward. Ichiro's Centurion cannon will 'slot' into the Sledder that configures into a cannon model. Their two power sources will then synch together via Faedium, and will then amplify into the Mega Blaster that Perseus is capable of.
The only issue right now? Ergonomics. Ultimately, it's how it will be handled by Ichiro that they're unsure of - there's arguments for simply giving him an enormous up-gunned blaster arm, or shifting the arm cannon to slot with the Sledder as a shoulder mount. To you, this seems more of a stylistic thing - something that Wilde doesn't really dispel - but apparently there's other issues such as wiring and hard points that go over your head.
They promise they'll have it sorted out by next month.
One Turn Remaining
Seeker Super Robot Frame
Meanwhile, they're also hard at work building a new Super Robot Core Frame out of a Seeker. One of the frames that was left over from the Build Team's efforts was left for them, and they've been giving it a complete overhaul. A standard Seeker frame, despite being a wonder of engineering and quite hardy in a fight, is just not up to par with Beowulf, Perseus, or Thunderbolt. Maybe Ichiro, but he too will soon eclipse the standard Seeker given some time and upgrades.
No - they're giving what Henry dubs 'the works.'
Right now, the entire hull and plating network has been removed, leaving only the skeletal frame of the Seeker standing upright and held in place by maintenance harnesses. K-Scale Mesh is already being woven around the frame, but it hasn't been tightened just yet - the presence of so many moving parts compared to its predecessors means the Duo has to be careful about where the K-Scale is placed. Select parts are also being dipped into the Anti-Gravity solutions, and armor plating normally layered over critical components are being selectively replaced with Zirvitium plating (though here too, even with Anti-Gravity, they have to be careful lest they place too much weight on something meant to be fast and flying).
Henry does raise up a future problem that should be addressed:
"Where do you want this going?" he asks bluntly. "Is it going to combine? Do you want additional augments like what the ground units are having with the Sledders? If so, we're going to need components that can combine without giving up too much speed. You could stick with what we have now, but we have enough Super Robots who fill the ground pounder roles."
Two Turns Remaining
Build Team
Pilebunker Sledder Combo Meal - Perseus
The Build Team also understand that they're placing a lot of faith in a design that hasn't been fully blooded just yet. But again, it's too useful and flexible to not use, and the Perseus needs additional punch sooner than later. Perfect, after all, is the bane of 'good enough.' And given how technology has jumped in leaps and bounds enough to change your combat outlooks almost month by month, you're likely to never see this theoretical perfect state.
Rather than make a whole new purpose-built Sledder, however, they're working exclusively on the design templates of the Sledders that form the arms of Perseus Megas. The Pilebunker already works, so there's less work for them to do - they're just trying to make improvements after all. To whit, they're starting with the technologies they know work reliably:
- Lining the internal infrastructure with Zirvitium - particularly the pieces most subject to strain - isn't too difficult. Somewhat resource intensive given what Zirvitium is, but no one argues that this isn't a worthwhile investment.
- K-Fang Spikes - the K-Class material has no issues with forming particularly vicious spikes. The simulations that Lana helpfully ran when asked theorizes that it will be enough to puncture through the hides of at least the kaiju you have already encountered, but she makes no promises for future versions (you don't imagine for a second that Sheol isn't also making improvements).
- Faedium is slightly trickier - you are effectively trying to mount generators on a Super Robot's arms after all, and more Zirvitium and K-Scale Mesh is dedicated to ensure a lucky shot can't just rupture into the Block engines so easily. But it does promise to add an extra 'oomph' factor (a very technical term according to Kelly) and help to drive the Pilebunker spike with just that extra bit of force.
The other technologies - K-Lung and the Empathic Booster link - are far trickier. You don't argue that they want to dedicate more careful attention to those technologies, and that what they've included so far is relatively low hanging fruit.
One Turn Remaining
EAI-01 'Lana'
"The Buster Pack is finished!"
And then it's - relatively speaking - promptly grabbed by Ichiro on his way out to the upcoming deployment.
The 'Buster Pack' - at least that's the name that Lana is going off right now - works more or less the way she theorized last month. This particular version of the Sledder splits into different parts, either from mecha or vehicle mode, and forms as an augmented power and armor pack around the Centurion frame. Taking cues from Perseus Megas, the larger pieces slide over the forearms and up to the 'ankles' of the Centurion, forming larger and more powerful limbs.
But most importantly, the Faedium Block accompanies the chest plate as the largest piece of the Sledder. A bulky harness of sorts, a chest plate and a 'backpack' unit slots on both sides of the Centurion's torso, synching the Faedium Block with the whole of the unit. And as a final touch, a helmet unit encases the head, covering the 'mouth' with a faceplate similar to what Architect or some other Kaus have, and a visor unit over the optical sensors. This particular 'factory fresh' version of the helmet is relatively plain and unadorned, going for raw protection and utility than style - a single 'V' crest with sensor units embedded inside is the only concession to style.
Ichiro has no clue what he's going to call it just yet, but he's just very pleased that he'll finally be able to maybe, just maybe, punch someone else around instead of being a ragdoll for a change.
'Buster Pack' Sledder Configuration completed!
SAI-01 Banner can now combine with Buster Pack. Combined Name pending.
Yukimura Jiro
Funnels
The Funnels are far more up Jiro's alley than the rocketry projects, and they have the added benefit of being somewhat unusual and intriguing enough for him to really stretch his mind at. As such, he gets to work enthusiastically, even as he rails and curses against gravity, 'that darned stabilizing and tyrannical force!'
Ironically, his earlier work with the rocketry gives him his first attempted solutions. Using the payloads of the 'miniaturized' rockets from earlier as thruster units, he laces the funnels with the Pteradon leather. By itself, this doesn't do much - but then he takes inspiration from both hawks flying overhead and paragliders in the distance that he saw while relaxing at one point, noticing how they adjusted their wingspans to somewhat nudge their flight paths.
His solution was to create some dummy units, with enough weight to simulate the internal mechanics that would be required, that could 'spread' wingspan units. Combined with the thruster units, he's able to create somewhat clunky, but manageable, remote control units that can fly about the battlefield.
Jiro's not even worried about the directional laser charges - "They'll absolutely work," he assures you. No, he's sure he's onto something with the wingspans, and he wants to get it right.
One Turn Remaining.
Saddle
Jiro is less sure about the Saddle - "More aerodynamics!?" - but soon that goes away as he starts to really look at the design.
The Saddle draws a lot of inspiration from the heavy cargo lifting rotary wing craft of the late twentieth century, particularly the Chinook or the Osprey (more of the latter, admittedly). Two enormous rotary blade engines mounted on the sides, which then can tilt at different angles depending on the pilot's intents. With enough room to fit two Jackals inside comfortably - and a very, very tight fit for a Centurion to the point that your own past experience winces at the thought of trying - it also has grasping claws beneath it to carry intermodal containers, and as a last resort cargo harnesses. Finally, it can mount some small amount of autocannon capability just beneath the nose, but to your knowledge, it was not exactly a popular practice.
To Jiro, however, all that empty cargo space - and particularly the engines - have potential for a combined unit. He doesn't know what that would look like just yet, but the idea just refuses to let go of his imagination. It's not unusual for him to be constantly visiting the Duo and asking them for their opinions and advice.
The Saddle won't make a mecha. Not even a support unit like the Sledder. But as part of a much larger unit? Oh yes.
Two Turns Remaining.
Boris Ignatov
AI Guidance System/Psi Power Linkage
Boris has learned very quickly one thing: AI and psychic signals do not match very well.
All of the Sisters complain about their equivalents of headaches just looking at the raw data provided by the MMIs. Ichiro and the Argonaut siblings are not much better - they're able to comprehend roughly what the data is saying, but it's incredibly disorienting to them, almost like having their whole vision be filled with 3D holographic puzzles swimming all over the place.
Tellison and Zhang have tried to step in to help mitigate this to see if they could serve as the intermediary links. This seems to be working somewhat better - Boris thinks that the human brain combined with the MMI can 'filter' the data to provide some rudimentary guidance to both SAI and simpler guidance systems, but he's willing to accept that this might be a bit too cumbersome in practice.
He has another month to try at least.
One Turn Remaining.
Boris/Greg
Drone Support
Before even activating the newest additions to the base, you make one thing very clear: these 'Golems' are going to be treated just like anyone else here. You're not Tyrannous and his reputed inclination to crush skulls, and you're sure as hell not Sheol who treats all of his assets as disposable. Even if they don't quite match up to full sapience now, you're perfectly willing to accept that they might grow into it.
The Golems' coding upload is a much, much more simplified version of the SAI personality upload. Rather than drawing from one particular personality, the Golems draw from a wider database, combining bits and pieces from volunteers who uploaded various scans of themselves. As such, they will have, admittedly, very basic and simple personalities to start, but Boris and Greg foresee that given time each personality will become very unique and individualized.
Just to start, however, you all decide to start with just a handful of the wider Seeker Wing. The Seeker frames themselves are much like the standard model, but with basic head units that can be customized and refitted later, and currently with no weapons systems (just in case something catastrophic happens, the last thing any of you want are negligent discharges inside of a delicate area).
It's almost anticlimactic as the very first Golems come online. The units blink, then all simultaneously tilt their heads down towards you, Boris, and Greg - before they all then turn their heads at different angles, taking in their new surroundings.
"Good morning," Boris greets them kindly. "Are you all functional?"
"I am." The responses all come simultaneously, before they all snap their heads towards each other.
"He was asking me," one of them starts.
"No, I'm sure he was talking to me-?"
"-but I'm fairly certain the doctor was-"
Greg's face broke out into a grin. "IT WORKS!" His outburst snaps the Golems out of their argument as he and Boris both break out into full bellied laughter. "THEY COMPREHEND!" All three of them just blankly stare at Greg and Boris as they continue to laugh in triumph-
- "LAUGH WITH ME!" -
- before they all look at each other, shrug, and begin to, very reluctantly, laugh in stilted bursts.
You just share a shrug with the closest Golem to you, resigned to just let your advisors have this moment.
The only issue right now? Ergonomics. Ultimately, it's how it will be handled by Ichiro that they're unsure of - there's arguments for simply giving him an enormous up-gunned blaster arm, or shifting the arm cannon to slot with the Sledder as a shoulder mount. To you, this seems more of a stylistic thing - something that Wilde doesn't really dispel - but apparently there's other issues such as wiring and hard points that go over your head.
"Where do you want this going?" he asks bluntly. "Is it going to combine? Do you want additional augments like what the ground units are having with the Sledders? If so, we're going to need components that can combine without giving up too much speed. You could stick with what we have now, but we have enough Super Robots who fill the ground pounder roles."
Anyway, not surprised our various AI don't grok human thought patterns; after all, most of the time humans don't grok human thought patterns.
I like the idea of putting Ichiro's cannon on his shoulder, personally. I'm assuming he'll still be able to fire it normally in addition to its upcoming Mega Blaster mode?
Sadly, a little short on ideas for what we can combine a Seeker with without weighing it down too much or otherwise getting in the way.
I don't recall there being a Megatron that didn't have an arm mounted cannon. The look is kind of a trademark for even the Galvatron variants.
Okay, technically you could claim Beast Wars Megatron, but he had a T-Rex head arm that could also be a gun, so hey. (Beast Machines Megs doesn't count!)
All three Megatrons from the Unicron Trilogy (Armada, Energon, and Cybertron) didn't have arm mounted cannons. And the Galvatron designs too I guess but they were recolors so they don't really count.
And in an amusing change of pace it seems the identical looking robot jets will belong to the good guys this time. Can't wait to see how they develop, or what new drones we might make.
So remind me, is Ichiro basically in line for getting two form upgrades this cycle, in the form of two separate Sledders? A standard power booster pack from Lana and the Mega Blaster support pack from the Duo?
Would he potentially be able to use both at once, like the Beowulf's units? (Might need a while to retool...)
In regards to Ichiro's form naming, are we thinking "X Banner" or "Banner - X form"? e.g. the Buster Pack makes him "Buster Banner" and the Blaster makes him "Blaster Banner"?
Or do we want to keep following the Hulk naming theme, rename the Mega Blaster to something like the Savager and call the combined form "Savage Banner"?
I'm just spitballing right now.
And in regards to the new Seeker core unit, are we thinking that we double down on its versatility, since this is the first core unit that is a triple-changer? Or are we going to focus on the jet mode and make it one of our dedicated aerial super robots like the Thunderbolt?
And in regards to the new Seeker core unit, are we thinking that we double down on its versatility, since this is the first core unit that is a triple-changer? Or are we going to focus on the jet mode and make it one of our dedicated aerial super robots like the Thunderbolt?
Personally, I'd focus on its versatility, since, as you said, the Thunderbolt's already our dedicated flying brawler. Furthermore, Henry has explicitly recommended that we take it down a different path from our other stuff, so finding a way to make it an agile combiner would be good.
Let's see, something light enough to not get in the Seeker's way, while still being strong enough to give a noticeable improvement... Sadly, Steeds are probably too small to fit the bill...
Eh, screw it, combine it with another Seeker; doubling the thrusters should more-or-less compensate for being twice as big, right? I mean, if Gravion and GGG can make it work, why can't we?
Combining Seeker and Saddle seems like it'd result in some funky hijinks meanwhile. If we gave those lances and spears it'd probably be the equivalent of a high speed heavy cavalry charge but aerial.
It'd probably lose out on some agility but in turn it might allow for ridiculous ramming attacks through stuff that'd down a Seeker like the Pterawings.
