Well yes, it was one of the First SRW Original Units, the Gespenst is the only really Unique design of the bunch and the Huckebien is Literally just another Gundam. I mean Banpresto had many of the Greats on tap to come up with concept designs, it's not surprising that the originals are more than a bit derivative.
Super Robot Quest
- Thread starter Basarin
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
- Location
- USA
@FallenTemplar86, welcome aboard! 
As for why the DFRI isn't going for that project, well, it's not the development path they chose.
Meta-wise, the players decided to pursue a very GGG/Yuusha-esque path with Super AI and kaiju augmentations. At least, that's how it shook out. Different development paths chosen earlier in the game might have seen something entirely different. Something that some of the players have already speculated on, and I will be dedicating a post exploring the 'what might have been' scenarios.
Oh yes, believe you me. I adore exploring alternate universe/timelines in works, so why not for my own quest?
As I stated also, End Turn post should be up sometime this weekend. Maybe today, even, but I won't promise that. But given that we were supposed to be released early an hour ago and our office is just sitting here like a bunch of dunces while we live and breath the maxim 'hurry up and wait,' I've got nothing better to do unless I want to bash my head against a Civilization run again...
As for why the DFRI isn't going for that project, well, it's not the development path they chose.
Meta-wise, the players decided to pursue a very GGG/Yuusha-esque path with Super AI and kaiju augmentations. At least, that's how it shook out. Different development paths chosen earlier in the game might have seen something entirely different. Something that some of the players have already speculated on, and I will be dedicating a post exploring the 'what might have been' scenarios.
Oh yes, believe you me. I adore exploring alternate universe/timelines in works, so why not for my own quest?
As I stated also, End Turn post should be up sometime this weekend. Maybe today, even, but I won't promise that. But given that we were supposed to be released early an hour ago and our office is just sitting here like a bunch of dunces while we live and breath the maxim 'hurry up and wait,' I've got nothing better to do unless I want to bash my head against a Civilization run again...
SoixanteZio
Dead man walking
- Location
- anywhere
I'm very interested in seeing what those other guy's robot looks like. I bet it's super western mech design.
Seems more like a deliberate riff on super robot tropes considering. That and it directly and heavily references Mazinger moves.
But then SRW originals tended to be build around the tropes first.
Not in Person
Once Known as The Nobody
- Location
- A place
Crazy speculation: Some of the starting options were Lazers focus for Engineering, a Kausen artifact for Devlin's loot item (I'm thinking barriers), and Teleportation experiments for Sam Carson. Plus Regent boons from Max, equals...
Thors_Alumni
Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl
- Location
- Liberl Zemuria.
Quick reminder people that we still have that visit to the Other program coming up so we need to prepare for that as well. Anne will be coming with us for sure since she is an intelligence agent. As for the people to take with us, we should probably plan on taking 1LT Richard Callaghan, 1LT Wilde, and SFC Henry along since they are the ones that will be of the most help to the other program. As for the scientists. No! Just No!
Not in Person
Once Known as The Nobody
- Location
- A place
Why Callaghan, and not Jirou? Would any Kaus (or, more likely, Ichiro) tag along, masquerading as an innocent vehicle?
Callaghan's our Super Pilot so he'd be able to best evaluate their pilots. We probably wouldn't bring Jirou since he's so new and likely still needs to familiarize himself with all the various technologies at our disposal.
Thors_Alumni
Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl
- Location
- Liberl Zemuria.
The Kausen wont be coming along on the scouting trip to the other Super Robot Project. They are still a secret that is only known to a select few outside of the DFRI. And that will probably continue for a while longer due to tyrannous and the rest of the Free Brothers looking for Galbinus R and his group. Right now Tyrannous doesn't know that Galbinus and the rest of his group are working with the DFRI much less that they are now firm allies against his group.
Pretty much what FallenTemplar86 said. I would also like to point out that Jiro is still too new to us since he only just joined up with us very recently and is currently busy getting the Seeker 2.0 completed.
Turn Five, Year Three Results
- Location
- USA
So, finished. And because of just how many critical rolls you all managed to land, this update's going to be interlude heavy, so fully processing this turn is going to take awhile. The only thing that wasn't a critical was the Dragon's Horn...but I want to write a Sam interlude, so there you go.
Also, for the folks who were discussing Gridman.
I can't get that theme out of my head.
Thank you.
Also, for the folks who were discussing Gridman.
I can't get that theme out of my head.
Thank you.
Plan: March to Second Generation
- Over There (3 RP)
- Excavation Again (2 RP)
- Pilot Training - Heavy Investment (4 RP)
-- Diana's Assistance, Streamlined Resource Flow
- Engineering: Jiro's Assistance on Building a Seeker Second Verse
- Variable Configuration - Heavy Investment
-- Perseus Combination Forms.
- Science: Ivanna's and Katarina on C-Crystal Development (Reroll fail, +1 die)
- Combine Configuration Shield (4 RP)
-- Kausen Researcher Assistance
- Over There (3 RP)
- Excavation Again (2 RP)
- Pilot Training - Heavy Investment (4 RP)
-- Diana's Assistance, Streamlined Resource Flow
- Engineering: Jiro's Assistance on Building a Seeker Second Verse
- Variable Configuration - Heavy Investment
-- Perseus Combination Forms.
- Science: Ivanna's and Katarina on C-Crystal Development (Reroll fail, +1 die)
- Combine Configuration Shield (4 RP)
-- Kausen Researcher Assistance
Special Actions
This was undoubtedly a wordplay that Anna came up with to troll you (and you suspect your second-in-command of having approved of it, anime-lover that she is). But so far, Satsuma and the Regent have commandeered a significant chunk of the Proving Grounds to get herself and the Valkyrie acclimated to the power of the C-Crystal (at least the version provided directly by the Regent).
The Regent's reaction to this is actually fairly amusing (to you, anyway). "Normally I am forced to deploy this in times of dire emergency," it says to you one day. It actually sounds fairly puzzled. "Having time and space to prepare a Champion is...novel."
Suck it, naysayers and genre purists.
Duration: 2 Turns
The Regent's reaction to this is actually fairly amusing (to you, anyway). "Normally I am forced to deploy this in times of dire emergency," it says to you one day. It actually sounds fairly puzzled. "Having time and space to prepare a Champion is...novel."
Suck it, naysayers and genre purists.
Duration: 2 Turns
Comtesse de Valor
It seems that Satsuma is taking quite well to training with the higher grade C-Crystal that the Regent has issued her. But the more you see of this, the more you're wondering if real life just simply decided it loved tokusatsu and anime so much it decided to imitate them wholesale.
The 'High Grade' C-Crystal (so dubbed by Satsuma herself, to which the Regent had no comment) does not outright create new powers for the user. But what it does apparently do is amplify them to 'echoes' of an exaggerated degree. Max - in her brief bouts of relative calm and sanity - pointed out that on top of the whole 'pure of heart and purpose' clause that somehow prevents scumbags from ever using the damned things - it also only chooses people who have raw potential. Given that you run a highly experimental and eccentric unit, and that historically those types have always been the sort who never quite fit in with the conventional military but have some sort of talent that makes them shine, that's not going to be a problem - your organization outright bristles with talent.
The 'echoes,' however, can only amplify existing talent, motion and destructive force. Satsuma has a passing knowledge of martial arts and self defense, but is quite the athletic and agile runner. On her own, that would not amount to terribly much in a battlefield full of ordnance and who knows what other sort of nonsense the Westphalians are cooking up. But with the C-Crystal, she practically explodes with motion. Her physical strikes also hit with even greater kinetic force - it's not everyday you get to see a miniature crater forming in the Proving Grounds by a practice dummy.
Max - after conferring with the Regent - informs you that the 'production' C-Crystals are probably not going to be that ludicrous. Rather than crater a berm, the production versions just might fracture it instead.
...you live in a terrifying time.
One Turn Remaining
Gained some insight into C-Crystal Project!
Gained some insight into C-Crystal Project!
The Oracle of Gasparton - Ignatov, his team, and Patch are making steady progress with the Oracle Matrix. She has already gained sapience and has taken to calling herself 'Delphi' after one of the most well-known of the Classical World.
You just hope she isn't as cryptic and maddeningly vague as her namesake was.
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6); Patch on standby, provides <unknown>
Upon completion, Galbinus will offer you a selection of boons to call upon
You just hope she isn't as cryptic and maddeningly vague as her namesake was.
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6); Patch on standby, provides <unknown>
Upon completion, Galbinus will offer you a selection of boons to call upon
The Oracle of
Will be continued in Interlude, "The Delphic Oracle."
We're the Mechanical Men - It's almost done.
The new lines of code are scheduled to come to full maturity by the end of the month. You have no idea who they might be, how they might manifest, or anything of the like.
You just know that by virtue of having been borne in the depths of the Lair - and by extension the DFRI - they are going to be as crazy as anyone else. It's not a question of if.It's a question of how.
Cost: 2 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turn
Will establish two-to-four new AI personalities, dedicated support to the Perseus
The new lines of code are scheduled to come to full maturity by the end of the month. You have no idea who they might be, how they might manifest, or anything of the like.
You just know that by virtue of having been borne in the depths of the Lair - and by extension the DFRI - they are going to be as crazy as anyone else. It's not a question of if.It's a question of how.
Cost: 2 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turn
Will establish two-to-four new AI personalities, dedicated support to the Perseus
We're the Mechanical Men
Project has concluded this turn. Voting for AI personalities will be presented in Reaction Force/Events post.
A Sheepish Request - The Admiralty of the EUNDF are...perplexed when they catch word of what you're doing. All they wanted was for the ship to be repaired, maybe refurbished with some of the latest advancements from the DFRI. K-Scale, K-Circuits, maybe even the Energy Blasters. You know. Something sensible.
Bah, you said back (not literally, but in spirit).
What you tell them is that the Sergey Gorshkov is going to become the pioneering test platform for even more revolutionary technologies that are coming down the pipeline, and that the Pacific Fleet would have the honor of fielding it for the very first time.
What you don't tell them is that this is one very, very expensive and elaborate way to prove a point.
You didn't have to go to these lengths to repair the supercarrier. You're doing it because you can, and they can't.
Yes, you are petty. What of it? A man's got to have a hobby when he's surrounded by this much crazy.
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 5 Turns (Remember that bit about long-term? It's still a thing.)
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Bah, you said back (not literally, but in spirit).
What you tell them is that the Sergey Gorshkov is going to become the pioneering test platform for even more revolutionary technologies that are coming down the pipeline, and that the Pacific Fleet would have the honor of fielding it for the very first time.
What you don't tell them is that this is one very, very expensive and elaborate way to prove a point.
You didn't have to go to these lengths to repair the supercarrier. You're doing it because you can, and they can't.
Yes, you are petty. What of it? A man's got to have a hobby when he's surrounded by this much crazy.
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 5 Turns (Remember that bit about long-term? It's still a thing.)
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
A Sheepish Request
You...you realize it's not just a terrifying time you live in.
This whole month has been a madhouse of productivity. And even though you're recognized by the wider Defense Force as the subject matter expert of everything generically lumped under 'Super Robot,' you're finding you're having a really difficult time keeping up at times.
For one thing, the issue of the Sergey Gorshkov.
The basic repairs have already been completed. Far, far, far ahead of schedule. They even included quality of life improvements all across the board. Improvements to the catapult launcher responsiveness, a more streamlined fire suppression system, the works.
There were also...other changes they were starting on. You realize you didn't really appreciate the whole 'make the Sergey Gorshkov a flagship prototype for space-faring' until you let the combined might of Sam and Max's teams get their hands on the hull and the Regent's plans. You run interference for them and provide the top cover they need from the prying eyes of the Naval Defense Force representatives. Not so easy, particularly with the captain of the vessel. You can understand she wants her vessel back if it's already repaired, but her confusion of the 'improvements' you're making is...
...well. It was fairly priceless.
4 Turns Remaining. 1 RP Locked till next turn.
You have confused everyone involved.
Sam and Max have hit the road running with the project.
You have confused everyone involved.
Sam and Max have hit the road running with the project.
Over There - Colonel Bernard reached out not long ago. Though his technicians are already here working with Lana to establish the new model, he's interested in sending not only pilots to the Pilot Exchange Program, but he's also willing to detach some of his Marines to serve along your formations. Officially, their job would be to assist as training cadre for the Exchange Program. Unofficially, he's not going to say no to you deploying them in active combat 'if you think it necessary.'
Over There
You've made the arrangements with Colonel Bernard over the sat-link. He's more than happy to send some of his Marines over; quite a few of them were apparently getting restless from an inability to do anything about the kaiju threat.
The upgraded formation is also apparently drawing attention from the Marines' side of leadership in the Naval Defense Force. Bernard's own superiors greenlit the idea, and are willing to treat this as a test bed for slowly upgrading the Marine Expeditionary Forces starting with the American Districts.
...so more politicking. Yay.
1 Turn Remaining. 1 RP Locked till next turn.
More details to follow in Reaction Force/Events Post.
More details to follow in Reaction Force/Events Post.
Excavation Again - Anna has approached you about mounting an expedition. One that has you a little leery.
Apparently the message left behind by General Armistead on the infamous exploding tablet-bomb was not hyperbole. The only reason word of this is even reaching you this late is because of just how insignificant it seemed on the face of it when everyone was dealing with so many actual problems.
The final resting place of the KMS Bismarck - months ago in fact - was reported as having suspicious personnel coming and going near it. Now that it has Anna's full attention, Intelligence Service queries as to what was going on to the civilian authorities (through their own disguised networks, of course) was met with silence.
She smells a rat, and she wants armed backup in case things go sour (which she suspects will happen). She thinks this would be a good first run for Ichiro, but the authority of who to send - if anyone - rests with you.
Apparently the message left behind by General Armistead on the infamous exploding tablet-bomb was not hyperbole. The only reason word of this is even reaching you this late is because of just how insignificant it seemed on the face of it when everyone was dealing with so many actual problems.
The final resting place of the KMS Bismarck - months ago in fact - was reported as having suspicious personnel coming and going near it. Now that it has Anna's full attention, Intelligence Service queries as to what was going on to the civilian authorities (through their own disguised networks, of course) was met with silence.
She smells a rat, and she wants armed backup in case things go sour (which she suspects will happen). She thinks this would be a good first run for Ichiro, but the authority of who to send - if anyone - rests with you.
Excavation Again
One Turn Remaining. 1 RP Locked till next turn.
Further details to follow in Reaction Force/Events post.
Further details to follow in Reaction Force/Events post.
Defense Force Actions
Pilot Training - Heavy Investment
Cost: 4 RP (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3-5 Turns
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Pilot Training - Medium Investment (2LT Zhang)
Cost:1 RP Locked Streamlined Production (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6 (Diana's Creativity))
Cost: 4 RP (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3-5 Turns
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Pilot Training - Medium Investment (2LT Zhang)
Cost:
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6 (Diana's Creativity))
Pilot Training
1244, 13 May A.D. 2072
The Proving Grounds
"...that bad, huh?" Ichiro grunted.
The Perseus violently shook its head, as if it were shaking off a really bad headache, before an armored hand rubbed at it. "Oh, yeah," Zhang's voice rang out. "Now I'm not wondering why you guys keep ibuprofen stocked in the cockpit here. Geez."
"Ah, it'll shake out," Tellison's voice chimed in. "But yeah. It's a weird feeling, isn't it? Almost like the headspace in here is too crowded but has way too much space for what's in here."
"Heard Axiom still runs into that issue sometimes," Ichiro offered. He was a regular presence over at the Enclave, if just because there was just mutual curiosity about each other. Apparently he was supposed to be the first Union 'Kaus,' but it was a distinction only the Kausen with the Legion were making a big deal over. Ichiro was just glad that lately he hadn't run into-
"I thought I'd find some of you here," a familiar voice said. Ichiro's core sank as he heard Galbinus reconfigure behind him. How a giant tank could sneak around like that, he'd never know. "Banner. Lieutenant Tellison, and...Lieutenant Zhang, was it? How fares acclimatizing to the Institute?"
"Ah, hey there, Sir," Zhang's voice said. She sounded cheerful enough, but Ichiro was more than a little glum at what was about to progress. "Just trying to get used to moving the Perseus with Tell over here, but sharing minds in one machine's a bit weird."
"So I am led to believe," Galbinus said in a sympathetic tone. "But you have plenty of strong individuals to assist you, I'm sure."
Speaking of which...Ichiro spotted a familiar Jackal frame waving cheerfully at him from behind Galbinus.
SAI-01 [12:45:22:88]: Richard, you bastard. >_<# You brought him here.
1LT Callaghan [12:45:23:15]: Have fun, Ichiro.
"Now then," Galbinus said, turning directly to Ichiro. "Where did we last leave off?"
Crap.
Heavy Investment has 3 Turns Remaining
Medium Investment has 1 Turn Remaining
Ichiro continues to get his faceplate smashed in by Galbinus. It supposedly builds character.
Medium Investment has 1 Turn Remaining
Ichiro continues to get his faceplate smashed in by Galbinus. It supposedly builds character.
Engineering Actions
Building a Seeker - Second Verse - Jiro is now working in the Engineering Department. It didn't take him very long to immediately see the Seeker project, and his eyes are already alight with ideas for how to put the finishing touches on them.
Lana is loudly insisting that 'the clown butt out of my project.'
Just for that, you think you might have him 'help.'
Cost: 1 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6; Jiro's Engineering Expert applied)
Lana is loudly insisting that 'the clown butt out of my project.'
Just for that, you think you might have him 'help.'
Cost: 1 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 4-6; Jiro's Engineering Expert applied)
Building a Seeker
Completed.
To be continued in Interlude.
Experimental - Psychic Echoes - Wilde and Henry have Sam's notes in hand, and they're also noticing that the Psychic Echoes phenomenon is not just a fluke. This only applies to machinery that is operated with the MMI helmets, but it feels like things are becoming hardcoded physically into the materials depending on what actions the MMI expects out of them. Almost like wearing in a brand new pair of shoes.
This bears further investigation.
Experimental Projects - Heavy Investment
Cost: 2 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3 Turns
Chance for breakthrough at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6)
This bears further investigation.
Experimental Projects - Heavy Investment
Cost: 2 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3 Turns
Chance for breakthrough at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6)
1433, 18 May A.D. 2072
Engineering Bay
Audio Log, Psychic Echoes Experimentation
Henry: "So Sam's notes were mostly on point. The Psychic Echoes experiment his department discovered definitely exists as they observed. The more the MMI initiates certain actions - consistent actions - it becomes more ingrained into the materials as a whole."
Wilde: "Almost like wearing in a new pair of shoes. So, the more you walk around with a factory fresh unit, the more the psychic energy from the MMI leaves 'grooves' in the circuitry and the material. It knows ahead of time that 'oh, hey, the user wants me to walk. Let's go along the beaten trail that the energy's gone through before.'"
Henry: "Mind you, this is still just our conjecture. We're using a fresh Jackal as a control test, and then we're going to pull one of the Jackals from Third Reconnaissance next month. We're still figuring out what we can do with this discovery, but we've already come to a few conclusions."
Wilde: "For example! We're going to see if this is something that has to come with time, or if we can 'supercharge' the motions of a chassis into a fresh one and sort of wear it in almost instantly. It's...eh, not going to be cheap - spoiler, nothing here is - but we could really, really boost reaction time and give the MMI just enough breathing room to crank out even more thoughts per action."
Henry: "...okay, LT. I have to ask: shoes? Really?"
Wilde: "Why not? It's a good analogy! Almost like the one about you living among the rat men in the center of the Earth and learning their engineering skills before enlisting in the Defense Force!"
Henry: "You must be mistaken. I taught them engineering, thank you very mu-"
<The rest of the audio log has been excluded due to nonsensical and off-topic rambling.>
Promising line of inquiry with the Psychic Echoes. Wilde and Henry - when they're not arguing over nonsense - are going to examine if it's possible to supercharge a frame for greater efficiency.
No rat men were actually involved. As far as we know.
2 Turns Remaining
No rat men were actually involved. As far as we know.
2 Turns Remaining
Variable Configuration - Heavy Investment (Perseus)
Cost: 4 RP (1-2 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3-5 Turns
Chance for breakthrough at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Cost: 4 RP (1-2 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 3-5 Turns
Chance for breakthrough at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Wilde, Henry and Lana, with Jiro primarily observing for his first month (and because of the insanity that emerged from the Seeker project) have begun looking into possible frames for the new AI partners that would serve alongside Tellison and Zhang. Examining combination possibilities for the Perseus has been conducted before, but for the most part they were...inconclusive.
To some extent, they still are. The Perseus - and the Phalanx frames based on the old Bucklers - are still something of an odd duck when it came to Configuration. Really, without the mad geniuses of Wilde, Henry and Sam, it would never have existed to begin with. But here you are. And the frames you have to complement it all vary, and ideas are mixed.
The most likely candidates so far seem to be the Jackals, who represent a good middle ground. Units capable of fighting on their own with a reasonable chance of victory, with a good balance of agility and fighting power. The only problem is that the Jackals also rely on group tactics or combining with a bigger frame - not a problem in your case, but another Jackal on its own is...just another Jackal. And if the Jackals are isolated and separated from the Perseus' battle group, unless they can make a run for it they'd be in some serious trouble.
Next comes the Steed. This was flatout rejected by all involved. While quite capable of urban combat, the most it could contribute to a combining Perseus was to...form the head unit as it were. After that old running joke had been thoroughly beaten into the ground (and a rare moment of unity between Lana and Jiro when they promptly (albeit metaphorically) beat Wilde and Henry over the head for making said joke), it was decided the Steed was not going to work.
The newly built Seeker. frames..well. That by itself was showing promise, and having an aerial component of the combined Perseus battlegroup was a highly tempting prospect. The only issue was that making it a limb by itself was going to be problematic. Jiro suggested adding additional configuration points, to allow it to expand and detach itself as augmented parts for the Perseus, but he didn't have any particular ideas for that at the time.
The Centurion frame...well. You're asking an APC and a tank to effectively combine. Possible, yes. But a little unwieldy, and slow, on a frame that already is proving to be something of a monster already. The firepower would be considerable, but...mobility would be a myth as far as this thing would go.
And so on and so on. You let the group get to work on it. They know what they're doing.
You think.
3 Turns Remaining
Science Actions
The Dragon's Horn - Where Sample Zero had much more success with armor plating and industrial materials, the Horn seems much more focused on killing. No real surprise there, but Sam wants to know if that means you could compel it to be more compatible with weaponry.
Cost: 1 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turn
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Cost: 1 RP Locked
Duration: 1 Turn
Chance for breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
The Dragon's Horn
Sam is finished. The Dragon's Horn has been fully analyzed, and the original sample is now being kept on ice as they work on incubating new growth of bone for fabrication purposes.
He'll have a report for you later.
Finished!
More to follow in Interlude.
More to follow in Interlude.
Gifts of the Regent - C-Crystal Development - Lots of energy and an internal and complex AI system that manages it. Max is fairly certain that this means it's got its own methods of developing new C-Crystals, but requires outside input.
In short, time to drag Ignatov into this project to see if you can bridge the gap between alien operating systems and our own.
Cost: 2 RP Locked (2 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough at Disadvantage (1d6+1d6 (Katarina's Support), Threshold of 4-6; +1 Reroll Ready (Ivanna's Calm))
In short, time to drag Ignatov into this project to see if you can bridge the gap between alien operating systems and our own.
Cost: 2 RP Locked (2 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough at Disadvantage (1d6+1d6 (Katarina's Support), Threshold of 4-6; +1 Reroll Ready (Ivanna's Calm))
Gift of the Regent - C-Crystals
It turns out it's not just the onboard computer suite from the Master C-Crystal that does it.
On a whim, and from observations with Satsuma, Katarina decided that these things were 'too individualized' to be produced and stockpiled like you would any other piece of military hardware. She has this lingering suspicion that the C-Crystal given to Satsuma, for example, would react very differently if it were given to someone else. Like, say, Callaghan.
Or heaven forbid, Sam.
With this suspicion in mind - along with all the anime the Novgorod team uploaded into the mainframe - she convinced Ivanna and Dr. Ignatov that creating C-Crystals might not be a matter of automating it through a computer system, but by doing so manually. Which meant, at Ivanna's suggestion, hooking up an MMI headset in order to 'vet' the candidate before actually subjecting themselves to scanning from the Master C-Crystal.
Logistician: To your eyes, this is horribly inefficient. If you had it your way, you'd create a 'batch' of empty C-Crystals that would then scan each individual upon receipt. Having each and every candidate to literally come up to the master template in order to be verified just screamed 'bottleneck' to you.
But no. That's just how it works. And the Regent seems confused. "Why would you want to mass produce these?" was his question. "Why not?" is yours.
Pet peeves aside, Ignatov and the girls are making sure doing this isn't going to turn anyone into a vegetable by overload. Once they know that the MMI works, then they'll create their first 'proper' one. It's the best progress they've this whole project, so you let them get to it.
...bottleneck. Urgh.
One Turn Remaining
Gifts of the Regent - Early Space Flight - Exactly as it sounds. It boils down to basic design principles for space-worthy vessels - engine designs, stress tolerances, even some pointers on how to ensure survival in the eventuality of void combat. Max really can't comment much more on it until she's given the time and resources to really dig into it, but from everything she's seeing, she should be able to make something out of this.
You are flabbergasted by the amount of resources Max is asking for, but she just gives you a flat stare whenever you bring it up. "Super Robots are expensive as it is, now you're asking us to tack on a Space Program. From scratch."
Well, when she puts it that way...
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
You are flabbergasted by the amount of resources Max is asking for, but she just gives you a flat stare whenever you bring it up. "Super Robots are expensive as it is, now you're asking us to tack on a Space Program. From scratch."
Well, when she puts it that way...
Cost: 1 RP Locked (1 RP Locked Next Turn)
Duration: 2 Turns
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Gift of the Regent - Space Flight
So it turns out there was a template for a space capable carrier analogue in the plans the Regent provided. It considered them so outdated, however, that they were lumped in a pile of unorganized files it was fairly certain you weren't going to be looking at until much later for historical posterity and the like. The only problem is that what Varulne considers a carrier, and what you consider a carrier, are not exactly on speaking terms. More like they are neighbors yelling at each other across the second floor windows while refusing to actually walk next door to have a conversation at regular volume.
That strange tangent aside, Max has mostly gotten the propulsion systems down. Mostly. All she had to do was to figure out that none of it involved chemical burn or exhaust and that just by reviewing the unorganized notes she might be the first to fully realize a new system of 'rocket' propulsion and
You're just incredibly glad you're doing this in conjunction with repairing the Sergey Gorshkov. Otherwise, Max is fairly certain this would make far less sense than it already does.
You tactfully also do not mention how this is all coming about because of the one artifact that she was initially mocked for before coming to the DFRI.
One Turn Remaining
Combine Configuration Shield
Cost: 4 RP (One Time Investment)
Duration: 1 Turn
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6; Zulu is adding +1 to the lowest value this roll)
Cost: 4 RP (One Time Investment)
Duration: 1 Turn
Chance for Breakthrough (2d6, Threshold of 5-6; Zulu is adding +1 to the lowest value this roll)
Combine Configuration Shield
So it turns out, Zulu was quite knowledgeable of the Dispersion Field. This is highly unusual in and of itself, but as a Drone that used to work for Bandit of all Kausen, it's also incredibly unusual that he was usually browbeaten into fixing his various pieces of equipment as the only Drone who displayed independent thinking.
What you saw at the Proving Grounds made you realize exactly what you stumbled across.
To be concluded in Interlude.
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Thors_Alumni
Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl
- Location
- Liberl Zemuria.
*Tapping fingers together evily* Excellent everything is going according to plan. Soon we will SAVE THE WORLD!
- Location
- Texas
Fixed that for you
."Hey!!! Who's been in my private files(read diary)!!!!"
- Location
- Canadia
Great turn.
Also yeah thinking back if we had chosen different options throughout the quest we could have ended up with a basic humanoid mech design that couldn't tranform or combine at all. I think that in the long run though our approach will likely pay off once we start developing mecha-spacecrafts that can combine into an even bigger mecha-spacecraft.
One thing I'm really looking forward to in regards to our space research is FTL capabilities which are a likely precursor to teleportation. We've had a few different chances to pick up teleportation tech throughout the quest and I feel like it could turn out to be a real game changer.
Also yeah thinking back if we had chosen different options throughout the quest we could have ended up with a basic humanoid mech design that couldn't tranform or combine at all. I think that in the long run though our approach will likely pay off once we start developing mecha-spacecrafts that can combine into an even bigger mecha-spacecraft.
One thing I'm really looking forward to in regards to our space research is FTL capabilities which are a likely precursor to teleportation. We've had a few different chances to pick up teleportation tech throughout the quest and I feel like it could turn out to be a real game changer.
Nice update, really can't wait to see those Interludes. Also really interested in seeing what becomes of our first Spaceship.
Happerry
Bat out of Hell
- Location
- Kanto
- Location
- Nowhere
Finally, the update! Hopefully the interludes take less time to write. Lots of stuff around!
Doesn't she like the label or something?
So, standard anime strength then.
"Ever heard of Spaceship Yamato?"
"No. Why?"
"Ah, nothing special. Totally. Nothing to worry about."
You're lucky you two don't have severe mental issues that could trigger a possibly literal meltdown from the mech's part, or worse, make it go haywire and start attacking everything in sight. I suppose the Institute is also smart enough to avoid doing these tests with the mechs armed and loaded with live ammo, right?
Something Creed something.
This not-Optimus is a bit of a sadist it seems. I wonder if the future AI mechs will get a similar treatment.
We advanced to the point that the Jackal is considered a trash mook instead of a surprising prototype.
Who cares about mobility when you can have ALL THE GUNS!!??
I'm still waiting for the scene where these two are scanned by the Crystal and somehow deemed worthy, if only for the screams of horror that would follow.
Anime doesn't care about silly stuff like logistics!
I'm not sure what do you mean with this line here. Also: Would a "high-quality" Drone receive special treatment in the Free Brothers' organization, or would it be scrapped immediately after considering it potentially dangerous due being so self-aware?
Doesn't she like the label or something?
So, standard anime strength then.
"Ever heard of Spaceship Yamato?"
"No. Why?"
"Ah, nothing special. Totally. Nothing to worry about."
You're lucky you two don't have severe mental issues that could trigger a possibly literal meltdown from the mech's part, or worse, make it go haywire and start attacking everything in sight. I suppose the Institute is also smart enough to avoid doing these tests with the mechs armed and loaded with live ammo, right?
Something Creed something.
This not-Optimus is a bit of a sadist it seems. I wonder if the future AI mechs will get a similar treatment.
We advanced to the point that the Jackal is considered a trash mook instead of a surprising prototype.
Who cares about mobility when you can have ALL THE GUNS!!??
I'm still waiting for the scene where these two are scanned by the Crystal and somehow deemed worthy, if only for the screams of horror that would follow.
Anime doesn't care about silly stuff like logistics!
I'm not sure what do you mean with this line here. Also: Would a "high-quality" Drone receive special treatment in the Free Brothers' organization, or would it be scrapped immediately after considering it potentially dangerous due being so self-aware?
Not in Person
Once Known as The Nobody
- Location
- A place
Those who are more interested in a Mobile Suit instead of a Configurable Pillbox?
Thors_Alumni
Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl
- Location
- Liberl Zemuria.
And configuring fighter jets. don't forget them. They are important too. That does make me wonder though. what would an F-22 look like if it could configure like the Veritech does? No I am not an F-22 fanboy. How dare you cast aspersions on my character. Its not like the F-35 is a waste of parts and is basically junk no matter what the Military types say about it. While the F-22 is the new Cadillac of the skies. No not at all.
- Location
- Nowhere
We already have equivalents of these mobile coffins with the Jackal. Now we're doing a new Super Robot from slow but sturdy vehicles as the foundations.
I would note that basically all our successes at present were significantly contributed to by mobility, our pilots have mostly showed dodge talents, and we have short duration, high cost defenses.
There is a time for a juggernaut build, but we're not there yet. At least, not until we have either much better defense technology that can withstand sustained attacks from a more mobile opponent(which is how we took down the Kaijiu, it was more durable, but we could literally drive circles around it), or we have enough big guns to build a dedicated artillery unit where the poor mobility doesn't matter so much because they'd be coming to you rather than the reverse.
GilliamYaeger
M'crazy.
Maybe we could sidestep the mobility issue by developing an Open Get-like rapid decombination system? If the mech is slow as fuck when combined, the obvious solution is to move around when uncombined.
- Location
- USA
@HeavyBane
That will get expanded on later in the interludes (which is going to take a bit in arrival). But Zulu is one of the brighter Drones, yes. He just escaped notice since all the Drones in the Free Brothers tend to look alike and Bandit wasn't really paying too close attention to who was fixing his Dispersion Field Generator.
Remember kids: be nice to the hired help. They might create amazing xenotechnology for you! (probably not)
That will get expanded on later in the interludes (which is going to take a bit in arrival). But Zulu is one of the brighter Drones, yes. He just escaped notice since all the Drones in the Free Brothers tend to look alike and Bandit wasn't really paying too close attention to who was fixing his Dispersion Field Generator.
Remember kids: be nice to the hired help. They might create amazing xenotechnology for you! (probably not)
Thors_Alumni
Proud member of Thors Class VII from Liberl
- Location
- Liberl Zemuria.
Zulu will which is definitely a bonus for us and a loss for the free Brothers.
- Location
- England, unfortunately.
- Pronouns
- She/They
Holy shit how did I miss this quest.
Right, that's it, this shit is Watched. This is Amazing.
Right, that's it, this shit is Watched. This is Amazing.