Tacit Ronin vs. The World II: KRAUN Jewels

[Fyrstorm]

2026, 11 Months post-Tod der Jaeger
Neo-Seattle, Washington state (reconstructed territory of the Neo Pan-Pacific Defense Corp)

Nearly a year ago, the world ended. Too bad Seattle never got the memo.

For the past seven months, the reconstructed Mark I jaeger, Tacit Ronin, has been fighting off the kaiju menace. But they haven't done it alone. The Mark VI Autonomous Jaeger, codename "Jagdhund", soon joined the forces of Neo-Seattle after the city council offered her a place of rest, and repaired the damage she'd suffered. Eventually, this jaeger was revealed to have been created by KRAUN, the Kaiju Repulsion and Annihilation force of the United Nations, created from the remnants of the old world government. Neo-Seattle and KRAUN have since become tentative allies.

But now, the kaiju threat only looms larger. Category Vs, Seijin, and even stranger and more dangerous creatures appear, exhibiting all manner of terrifying and unique abilities that threaten to overwhelm the brave people of Neo-Seattle. Together, Tacit Ronin and Jagdhund must face this menace-- and cancel the apocalypse, once and for all.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tacit Ronin vs. The World.


Yeah, Tacit Quest! As usual, I expect you to follow standard Quest etiquette. If you have any problems or questions, please bring them up with me in a civil manner.

Quest Index:
Thread 1: Tacit Ronin vs. The World
Thread 2: Tacit Ronin vs. The World II: KRAUN Jewels (You are here!)
Thread 3: Tacit Ronin: The Power of Three

 

[Fyrstorm]

Character Sheets:

Current Jaegers:
- Tacit Ronin, Mark III Jaeger. Theme: [link]
- N.Amr-VI-11b 'Jagdhund', Autonomous Mark VI (III) KRAUN Jaeger. Theme: [link]
- Phenom Sable, Mark II Jaeger. Theme: [link]

Neo-Seattle/NPPDC Base Camp:
City Stats and Defense Force
Item Stats
Diplomacy Dossier (by @huhYeahGoodPoint)

Other Useful Stuff:
Damage Reference Charts
Combat (Hardboiled)
(Grappling Stuff-- courtesy of HBvTW)
The Altitude System (an unofficial guide on flying and swimming in Vs. The World)
@RagnorakTres's Research List (somewhat out of date)
Another Research List (made by the GM, but open to everyone)
@huhYeahGoodPoint's Goal Document
@aledeth's Giant Robots And You (a short Vs. The World guide)
@KnightDisciple's The Spirit of The Jaeger (a look at the development and personification of the titular machines)
Tacit Ronin Vs. The World Rolz Room
@LostDeviljho's amazing Tacit Ronin vs. The World Grand Archive (an all story thread of the quest thus far)

 

[Fyrstorm]

Since I can't fit it into the narrative like I can the armour, here's your new Faraday Frame:

Faraday Frame
2000 Resources
The jaeger is completely immune to Electrical Stuns, and has an automatic +2 AV against Electric damage. A Major Wound to the body will disable this augment until repairs are carried out. This Augment has no effect when used underwater.

[---]

The jaegers are brought in, victorious. The only damage taken has been some scarring on Jagdhund's shoulder joint from the explosion-- and that's fairly minor.

Jagdhund will require 50 resources to repair.

However, some curious reading prompt an examination of the jaegers' superalloy. Unfortunately, it appears that there was a miscalculation in the formula, and further batches will be rather flawed. Even the current armour has been weakened to a degree, due to pressure differentials and immersion in fluids. The degradation won't permanently progress any further, but high-pressure environments will show negative effects for a short while.

Jaeger Armour updated: Superalloy Composite Plating!
Superalloy Composite Plating
250 Resources per Location
AV: 5/2
Coverage: Any but Conpod
Resilience: +1 Impact, +1 Edged, -1 Ice
Durability: 9
Special:
Pressure Intolerant: When submerged in liquid or another high-pressure environment, gain -1 Blunt for the duration of the time spent there.

Meanwhile, the aftermath of the fights are examined. While Telson's death was fairly clean, Vortex and its Spawn were repeatedly cut down with some very messy weapons. Due to having been immersed in water at the time, some of the Blue can't be cleared away, and the ecosystem will suffer for it.

Environmental score has begun to drop!

The kaiju themselves are plenty interesting. Vortex is clearly a Commander Type kaiju, based on what little neural data could be gleened from it, while Telson is fairly standard. After analysing their physiology, K-Science says it's for the best that Seattle didn't see them at their full combat strength. If they had, it could have been pretty nasty.

It is now downtime.

Kaiju Stats:

Spoiler: SE-26-042 "Vortex"

Vortex
Class: Category IV Kaiju
Vortex is tall, its body a pillar-like mass of cartilaginous flesh and rippling muscle. Whereas others have only had a beak for a face, this one has an entire helmet-- a skull-like piece of shiny black chitin that stands out against its pasty white flesh. Its legs are thick and powerful, while a tangle of tentacles sprout from each shoulder, and three tubes rise from its spine.

Stats:
HtH: 3
Ran: 2
Str: 4
Tou: 6
Agi: 2
Dex: 4

Structure:
Dura: 9
Stru: 19

Perks:
- Category IV: Has all the following rules:
-- Flat stun immunity
-- Universal, unbreakable AV of 1 on all locations
-- +5 to all the instant death thresholds
- Hive Centre: As a Standard action, Vortex may generate 1d10+Dex Spawn, and control all Spawn. Vortex cannot generate more Spawn once over its Durability, even if it reconstitutes later.
- Backup Systems: Treats all Vital/Brain/Eye damage rolls against it as -1.
- Emergency Reconstitution: Twice per battle, when Vortex is over its Durability, it may, as a Full Defense, regain 2d5+1 Strikes, heal 1 Minor Wound, and regrow up to 2 pieces of armour.

Weapons:
Tentacles (x6)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 3x 1d10
Parry Dice: 3d5-2
Block Dice: 3d5-1
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: +4
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Strength

Expanding Jaw
Built-In Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d5
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: +0
Damage Type: Edged/Fire/Acid
Damage Bonus: Strength x2
Special:
Swallow Whole: On a Minor/Major/Critical Wound, remove the limb struck.

Acid Spray
Built-In Ranged Weapon (Scatter)
Attack Dice: 1d10
Armour Penetration: Ignores Armour
Damage Type: Acid
Damage Bonus: Ranged
Range: 3/6/9
Radius: 2

Arc Bombs
Built-In Ranged Weapon (Rifle)
Attack Dice: 2x 1d10
Armour Penetration: 1
Damage Type: Impact, Electric
Damage Bonus: Ranged
Range: 5/10/15
Radius: 1
May not move and shoot (does not include Full Defense)
Deals double Electric to anything it hits

Armour:
Squishy Hide
Coverage: All but Eyes, Head, Neck
Armor Value: 3/-
Resilience: All, +1 Blunt, -1 Edged
Durability: 11

Bone Helmet
Coverage: Eyes, Head, Neck
Armor Value: 4/2
Resilience: All, +1 Edged
Durability: 8


Vortex Spawn:
Class: Category 0 Kaiju
Larger than a Type-100, these creatures are similar to the previously seen "Twister Spawn", being pale, grub-like creatures with several tentacles and a beaked face. However, these ones are longer and taller, and their beaks cover more of their head, in a manner similar to their parent.
- Move 6 Units a turn
- Tentacles: 1d10 Blunt, +0 Damage, Melee Range, hits on 5s
- Acid Spit: 1d10 Acid, -1 Damage, 5/-/10, hits on 5s. Acid never sticks.
- Latch On: Melee Range, only against Cat/Mark Is or higher. Roll a 1d10, to-hit number is the target's HtH or Dex, whichever is higher. If the attack succeeds, this unit attaches to the target, and inflicts one Ongoing Strike as long as it is attached. A Dexterity or Hand to Hand Check by the target kills a number of attached Spawn equal to the flat number rolled.

Spoiler: SE-26-043 "Telson"

Telson
Class: Category III Kaiju
A thin and sleek kaiju, Telson's skin is pitch black, and covered in a layer of glossy brown shell. The kaiju sports a short tail, digigrade legs, a tucked-in head, and four arms-- two of which end in truly massive lances on sliding joints, and two which end in defensive shields. Its head is round and flat, with a mess of mandibles and a spread of glowing turquoise eyes.

Stats:
HtH: 4
Ran: 0
Str: 3
Tou: 6
Agi: 4
Dex: 2

Structure:
Dura: 9
Stru: 14

Perks:
- Lancer: Rolls 4d5 for Charges, choosing the highest two. Attack bonus is always +3.
- Fast Mover: While running, all ranged attacks are at +1 difficulty to-hit.
- Backup Systems: Treats all Vital/Brain/Eye damage rolls against it as -1. On a 7+, ignore Stunning.
- Last Dregs: Once over its Durability, Telson may dredge up an emergency store of energy as a Free Action for, gaining +2 Dura, +3 Agi, and +2 HtH for 2 rounds. Afterwards, suffer a -1 penalty to Agi and HtH for the remainder of the fight. Last Dregs may only be used once.

Weapons:
Lances (x2)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 1d10
Parry Dice: 1d10-1
Block Dice: 1d10-1
Armour Penetration: 3
Grappling Bonus: -4
Damage Type: Impact
Damage Bonus: Strength+2
Special:
Unwieldy: May not be used for a counter-attack, in a grapple, or while Stunned.
Long-Range: May strike targets 2 Units away at a -1 penalty
Distance-Oriented: Only suffers -2 from moving and attacking, rather than -3

Feet (x2)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 1d10-1
Parry Dice: 1d5
Block Dice: 1d5
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: -2
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Strength+1

Armour:
Shock-Absorbing Shell
Coverage: All but Eyes, Ankles, Feet, Neck, and Arms
Armor Value: 3/1
Resilience: All, +1 Impact, -1 Edged
Durability: 8

Thin Skin
Coverage: Neck, Ankles, Feet
Armor Value: 1/-
Resilience: All, +1 Fire
Durability: 9

Shock-Absorbing Shields (x2)
Coverage: Any 3 Locations, Arms
Armor Value: 3/2
Resilience: All, +1 Impact, -1 Edged
Durability: 9
Slam Dice: 1d10+1
Parry Dice: 1d10+1
Damage Bonus: Strength
Grapple Bonus: -2

Category IV Kaiju killed: +5000 Resources
Category III Kaiju killed: +1000 Resources
Category 0 Kaiju killed: +3300 Resources
Salvage Facility Bonus: +2790 Resources
Quick Kill Bonus: +100 Resources
Manufacturing: +4500 Resources
Morale Bonus: +1125 Resources

Total Resources to Spend: 33265

Free Actions:
[ ] Clean up the Blue! (-1215 R)
[ ] Don't clean it up! (Worse environmental penalties)
[ ] Refit the Murasame class. (-1500 R)

Pick as many actions as you have Population (10), along with a Communications, Breach Research, 2 Jaeger Research actions, and 1 free J-Recycling action (optional).

And a roll for Noah, of course.

 

[Fyrstorm]

[X] R, R, R, & R (Research, Research, Research, and Repair)
-[X] Clean up the Blue! (-1215 R)
-[X] Research Mk IV Jaeger Supercell Reactor Core - Research a Supercell Jaeger reactor capable of powering Mk IV class Jaegers (Free J-Tech Research 1) (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Research Jaeger Sheathe - Research a Jaeger-scale 'sheathe' that would allow Jagdhund (or other Jaegers) to carry the Ascalon Blade (and maybe other, future Jaeger-scale swords too) into battle without actually needing to wield it all the time. (Free J-Tech Research 2)
-[X] Search for Intel and Resources that would allow for the construction of a Nuclear Explosive Device (Free Comm Action)
-[X] Research 'Breachgate' - Research gate system capable of holding open a breach between two points for an extended period of time in order to allow for their use long-distance travel as well as improving the ability to research an open breach. (Free Breach Research) (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Build 2*Scout Chopper Squadron, 1*Mortar Team (Free Construction Action)
-[X] Recycle 9 pieces of Steel Body Plating (Free Recycling Action)
-[X] Repair and Refit damaged Murasame-Class Anti-Kaiju Destroyer (-1500 R) (Free Action)
-[X] Research Cauterizing Ammo for Mortar Teams
-[X] Research downscaled Vulcan laser cannons that can be used by Anti-Kaiju Brigades.
-[X] Research Banshee-Class Attack Helicopter - A next-gen attack helicopter advancement that builds off the Hellhound design; Priority is replacing the dumbfire micro-missiles with downscaled, miniaturized Vulcan Laser cannons, secondary design goals should be increasing maneuverability, speed, and other pilot survival mechanisms.
-[X] Research "Fragmentation Slicer" w/+3 Consumable Bonus (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Research Neural Disrupter Upgrade - Research Neural Disrupter design to provide our forces a means of protection against the adverse side effects of using the Neural Disrupter.
-[X] Research 'Breach Buster' Explosive Device - Research an anti-Breach bomb based around the hive-mind and bio-lock systems that the Kaiju Breaches are theorized to have, intended to function as a 'trojan horse' that would trick the breach into thinking that a Kaiju is passing through instead of a nuclear bomb, taking into account our current inability to build a nuclear explosive device and leaving space in the design for it to be implemented once we have that ability (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Research ANGEL-Net Transmitter (Safe Research Mode as a precaution against accidentally damaging Jagdhund in the process of acquiring the design)
-[X] Research upgrade for Jaeger-Scale Vulcan cannons to increase range and firing rate.
-[X] Build 2*Military Production Facility (-1000 Resources)
-[X] Repair Jagdhund (-50 Resources)

(3765 Resources Spent, 29500 Resources Remain+Resources gained from Recycled Parts)

Click to shrink...

As if ceding to Ashley's vague threat/demand/tsundere request, Noah is slowly but surely recovering from his injuries. Ashley has resolved to continue trying to entice the man to get healthier, something Alec Webb has made no fair shortage of jokes about.

The week kicks off with J-tech addressing a steadily approaching issue; power. While the jaegers' current reactors provide enough output for their current states, if upgrades continue they're likely to reach the limit in a month or two. As such, their goal is to prepare a new power plant capable of fueling a Mark IV jaeger. By the end of the week, they approach the council with two proposals. Neither is 100% complete, and are very resource intensive, but they should accomplish the goal.

The first option is taken directly from the blueprints of one of the American Mark IVs, Basilisk Zephyr. Mark IV jaegers were notorious for being incredibly unique machines, sometimes even down to using different power plants instead of a standardised design, and Zephyr was no exception. In order to power its frame, the jaeger relied on a high-output stellarator-- a type of fusion reactor that uses differing magnetic fields to retain a net force of zero on the plasma particles suspended inside its magnetic coils. Unlike tokamek reactors, the stellarator proved far more stable, allowing the jaeger to push the limits of its output further, without a risk of overload. However, as with most Mark IV reactors, its magnetic fields were vulnerable to electromagnetic disruption, and the plasma flow could not be used as a weapon.

The second one is far more experimental than the stellarator, and falls in line with the recent Supercell designs. By increasing the size of the chamber and the initial reaction mass, as well as the compression rate of the plasma exhaust, J-tech believes they can force a Supercell to output sufficient levels of power. Additionally, any overload attacks would be roughly 50% denser in radiation content, and have a longer range. However, due to the compression equipment and additional stabilisers, the reactor would be very expensive, not to mention rather... unstable. If the stabilisers are damaged (such as by combat or an overload), it is extremely possible that the chamber's containment could undergo a catastrophic failure. This would not be good.

Choose one of the two options below to focus on. You may be able to research the other one later, but whichever one chosen will become available to you after the next encounter. You may research improvements as normal once they are available.
[ ] Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator (cannot be overloaded as a weapon, very stable, greater vulnerability to emps)
[ ] Supercell Enhanced Quantum Reaction Chamber yVI-1 (overload can be weaponised, greater risk of containment failure, more expensive)

Another task, this one significantly less likely to take out half the city in a nuclear fireball, is also being worked on. With the Ascalon Blade simply sitting in storage, and the possibility of other weapon-wielding jaegers a high probability, another J-tech facility sets to work on making a sheath for bladed weapons like these.

New Jaeger Armour available to purchase: Jaeger Sheath!
Jaeger Sheath
200 Resources per location
Coverage: Spine and/or Thighs
AV: 1/-
Resilience: All
Durability: 9
Special:
Each sheath may store one (1) single-handed carried melee weapon.

Another thing is the search for nukes. It goes... eh. Nukes are not easy to find. Which is exactly what happens-- they don't find nukes. Most people don't carry intensive blueprints on building and locating materials for nukes. Go figure, right?

The most that Breath-Tech gets done with their wormhole project is the ability to stabilize the Breaches produced a bit longer. Current maximum time they've sustained one outside of a Supercell is just under ten seconds. The repeated city-wide blackouts are a little annoying, however.

(No immediate progress, but the difficulty is being lowered. You'll still need more Research-- actions or levels-- to make this work.)

More units come out of the factories. Nothing fancy.

2 SH-60 squadrons built!
1 AKM22 squadron built!

The recycler gets its first runs, breaking down the old steel armour into free resources for reuse once more. It's not much, but it's a fair deal.

+563 Resources! 9 Pieces of Steel Armour recycled!

The navy is having a party, and the Murasame-class is invited. A hell of a lot of new crewmembers join up, and there's obviously booze (because it's a brand-spanking-new boat, that's why).

Murasame-class Anti-Kaiju Destroyer Refitted!

A mundane, but fairly simple project for the military is set up-- to give the mortar teams a way of avoiding covering nearly a square kilometer in kaiju blue each time they hit something. The solution? Fire.

New ammunition for AKM22s!
- Napalm Rounds: 1d10 Fire damage. -1 Damage. Range 10/20/-, Hits on 5+. Radius 2. Cauterizes Wounds.

Slightly less mundane is the new attempt to miniaturize the new laser vulcan guns for the Anti-Kaiju Brigades. The result is... semi-successful, though the heat produced forces the soldiers to wear flashy heat suits, and the packs are bulky enough to take up valuable room. On the plus side, they have nearly double the range of the micro-missiles, and hit just as hard! Of course, the weapons' appearance has many soldiers attempting to inject some humour into the situation with jokes about 'crossing the streams' or screaming 'Tetsuo!!!' at their fellows.

AKBs choose one weapon on deployment!
- 'Kaiju-Buster' Super Micro-Missiles: 1d10 Impact/Fire damage. -3 Damage. Range 5/-/-. Hits on 4+. Fire only when dismounted. Cauterises Wounds. Benefits from Arges.
- Micro Laser Vulcans: 1d10 Fire damage. -2 Damage. Range 10/-/-. Hits on 4+. Fire only when dismounted. Cauterises Wounds. Benefits from Arges.

With the new Micro Laser Vulcans finished, work begins on designing an airframe for them to be mounted on. The new 'Banshee' model promises to be smaller, faster, and generally better than the Hellhound, if a little lighter in weapons and a bit more expensive from all the new tech being stuffed into it. Still, it should be easy for long-time Hellhound pilots to adapt to, and the Hellhound is by no means completely outdone by the new model.

New Military Unit Available: A-KA-78-L 'Banshee' Assault Helicopter Squadron!
A-KA-78-L 'Banshee' Assault Helicopter Squadron
600 Resources
Designed as a successor to the Hellhound, the Banshee trades hitting power for attrition and agility, mounting a series of Laser Vulcans instead of the standard 'Kaiju-Busters'. Like their parent units, Banshees mount a pair of Hellfire+ Missiles, and dedicated gyroscopes and manoeuvering thrusters to make them harder to hit, though their smaller size helps the system be more effective. Banshees operate in teams of three.
- Move up to 15 units a turn.
- Enhanced Manoeuvering Thrusters: All Ranged attacks against Banshees are at +1 difficulty to-hit, +2 if the Banshee squadron has moved 10 or more units its previous turn.
- Micro Laser Vulcans: 1d10 Fire damage. -2 Damage. Range 10/-/-. Hits on 4+. Fire only when dismounted. Cauterises Wounds. Benefits from Arges.
Pick one on launch.
- Hellfire+ Missile: 1d10 Fire damage. +0 Damage. Range 20/-/-. Hits on 4+. One Shot Only. Cauterises Wounds. Benefits from Arges.
- Neptune-43 Torpedo: 1d10 Impact damage. -1 Damage. Range 15/25/--, Hits on 5+. One Shot Only. Cauterizes Wounds. May only be fired against targets in the water.

More people are brought in to work on the "fragmentation slicer" project, attempting to create a viable jaeger weapon that uses the principle. And... Well... It kinda works?

The new weapon is gargantuan, nearly 80 metres long when active-- a length and thickness necessary to hold the technology used to activate and maintain its potential for harm. Just for a jaeger to use the thing in a semi-efficient manner requires them to use the handle mounted on the weapon's side to keep the thing stable-- otherwise, simply swinging the thing places incredible amounts of stress on the jaeger's servos. Not to mention it guzzles power like no other weapon in the city's arsenal.

As for its effectiveness at actually killing things? Well, that's the good news. The so-called "Buster Slicer" operates by creating an extremely narrow artificial Breach along its single "cutting" edge, forcing the gate to operate as both entrance and exit. Due to compression rates, this field is capable of ignoring practically any conventional defensive measure, while the wormhole tears a seared-shut chunk out of whatever it hits.

It's big, it's crude, and it's incredibly destructive.

New Jaeger Weapon available to purchase: BRFS-01y Fragmentation Buster Slicer!
BRFS-01y Fragmentation Buster Slicer
2250 Resources
Built-in/Carried One/Two-Handed Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d5/1d10-1
Parry Dice: 1d5
Block Dice: 2d5
Armour Penetration: Ignores Armour
Grappling Bonus: -5/No Grappling
Durability: 8
Damage Type: Burst
Damage Bonus: 2/1d5+2
Special:
May be activated or sheathed as a Free Action.
Buster Weapon: This massive weapon requires both arms to make the most of it. If the wielder chooses to use it with only the limb that mounts it, use the first set of values. If both arms are used, use the second set of values.
The Buster Slicer takes up an Arm when sheathed, and both the Arm and Hand when active (both hands if held two-handed). It is always treated as built-in for the purpose of attacks, and as carried for the purpose of grappling.
The Buster Slicer may only be used by Mark III+ Jaegers with 3+ Strength.

The Neural Disruptor prototype is worked on some more, attempting to block out the human-harmful frequencies. Success is good, though there's still a little room for error-- however, it should be easier to shake off for non-kaiju.

Friendly units only have to roll 2+ or higher to ignore the effects of the Neural Disruptor. Toughness Test difficulty dropped to (5).

Work also also begins on Neo-Seattle's literal ace in the hole-- the so-called "Breach Buster". In theory, this would be a nuclear device, shielded and coated in something to fool the bio-metric locks into thinking it was a kaiju. Since, at the moment, the nuclear part is seemingly out of reach, the science teams try and tackle the bio-metrics. It's tough, especially since their knowledge of how the locks work is limited. While the presence of the kaiju helps, the best they can guess is somehow binding the weapon to a kaiju secondary brain and getting it through that way. Still iffy, but...

It should only take about another week or two to make some revelations on it.

(Similar to the portal, you're getting the difficulty lowered, albeit far more.)

Progress in replicating the ANGEL-Net system is bogged down. There's so much work on other fronts that the complex system is too much for the interns to deal with. It'll have to wait for another day.

Work on improving the jaeger-scale lasers is... iffy. The maximum range is extended a little, but with the aforementioned bogging, there's not much that can be done.

Laser Vulcans now have range: 5/10/15!

And then there's other stuff.

2 MPFs build!
Jagdhund repaired!

And that does it for the week.


A note on the Buster Slicer; considering you're basically making a brand new weapon type, it's pretty good. It's got Burst damage, and flat out ignores armour. For a prototype? It's pretty sweet.

And now, I will let you vote and ramble about your new shinies.

 

[Fyrstorm]

Here's that shiny new reactor I promised you guys, back before Waltz showed up. Have fun~

New Miscellaneous Available: Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator!
Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator (Mk 4)
52 500 Resources
- May power Mark 4 jaegers (20-25 points)
- Magnetised Stabilisers: -1 to Vitals Damage rolls.
- Rear Thrusters: One use per battle, +2 Agility on charge, increases charge bonus to +3
- Unshielded: Rolls twice for all adverse Electrical effects, taking the worse result.

[---]

Post-battle examination of the jaegers reveals that there really isn't much damage to them-- certainly nothing that'll take long to fix. The most complex stuff is cleaning up Jagdhund's sensors, and getting that freezing venom out of Tacit's stomach joints. In fact, the workers are sure they can probably fix both in the same timeframe.

Tacit Ronin will require 100 Resources to fix!
Jagdhund will require 100 Resources to fix!
Upgrade to Shatterdome! If two jaegers or more have not suffered Wounds, then Strike Repair may be rolled into a single action!

Kaiju analysis reveals some interesting things, even without one of the kaiju present at all and one blown to pieces.

Charybdis reveals little of itself, besides its very hard-- and surprisingly brittle-- armour plates. Zeno, meanwhile, shows hints of structures akin to the late Bastion, with massive bio-capacitors taking up internal space, and a linear weapons system. However, it's hard to glean much more, as the kaiju is mostly in burnt, exploded chunks.

Kraken is very interesting. Unlike most specimens, the creature seems built to live attached to something else; its digestive system is rudimentary at best, and its mouth is little more than a set of tubes for fluid and nutrient exchange with Grae. Additionally, its stinger contains a potent chemical compound that reacts to metal and silicon much like a flesh-dissolving venom would to organic material-- if it had penetrated Tacit's armour, there could have been trouble.

Much more interesting than that, however, is what K-science figures was responsible for those barriers. The reason why they say 'was' is mainly because the actual organs are charred and crippled. Still, they could provide valuable insight into replicating this phenomenon, alongside the samples from Crank. Examination of its operation in the field suggests that it works on some sort of energy transfer, hardening the environmental medium around a specific area while simultaneously venting the absorbed energy in the form of heat. There's clearly a limit, however, and clearly some major consequences should the influx of energy overwhelm the dissipation system-- seeing the kaiju catch fire when the barriers blew out is evidence enough of that.

With the threat finally finished off, Neo-Seattle is free to resume work again.

It is now downtime.

Kaiju stats:

Spoiler: SE-26-044 "Charybdis"

Charybdis
Class: Category III Kaiju
Like a massive, segmented worm, Charybdis slithers around. It's front is made mostly of mouth, with a retracting sheath that can cover both it and the small cluster of eyes surrounding the maw.

Stats:
HtH: 2
Ran: 0
Str: 4
Tou: 7
Agi: 2
Dex: 1

Structure:
Dura: 9
Stru: 13

Perks:
- Burrowing Expert: May dig beneath the surface as a standard action, and surface as a free action. While submerged, Charybdis is at +2 difficulty to-hit and gains an unbreakable AV 1 to all locations. It will automatically surface if it attacks, runs, suffers a Major+ Wound, or tries to Dodge an attack.
- Demolitions Expert: Ignores City Defenses for the purpose of destroying city infrastructure and conventional units.

Weapons:
Shredder Mouth
Built-In Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10-3
Armour Penetration: 4
Grappling Bonus: +0
Damage Type: Impact
Damage Bonus: Strength +2
Special:
Shredder: Does +3 damage for the purposes of Armour and Weapon Durability.

Tail Crash
Built-In Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10-1
Parry Dice: 1d5
Block Dice: 1d10-1
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: +2
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Strength +3
Special:
Cannot be used after moving

Armour:
Armoured Shell
Coverage: All
Armor Value: 4/2
Resilience: All, +1 Impact, -1 Edged
Durability: 5

Spoiler: SE-26-045 "Zeno"

Zeno
Class: Category II Kaiju
Zeno is a quadruped, with a long, lithe body and a blunt head. Two mobile spikes grow from its back, ending in angled boreholes.

Stats:
HtH: 1
Ran: 3
Str: 1
Tou: 2
Agi: 3
Dex: 2

Structure:
Dura: 4
Stru: 8

Perks:
- Run-and-Gun: Penalty for moving and firing is reduced to -2.
- Moving Target: +1 difficulty to-hit for enemy units if Zeno has made a run action in its previous turn.

Weapons:
Claws (x2)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 1d10
Parry Dice: 1d10-1
Block Dice: 1d5
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: +1
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Dexterity

Dorsal Gauss Launchers (x2)
Built-In Ranged Weapons (Rifle)
Attack Dice: 2x 1d10
Armour Penetration: 3
Damage Type: Impact
Damage Bonus: 3
Range: 14/28/35
Special:
Double-Whammy: if both shots hit the same location, they are treated as a single attack

Armour:
Weak Skin
Coverage: All but Eyes
Armor Value: 2/1
Resilience: All
Durability: 7

Spoiler: SE-26-047 "Kraken"

Kraken
Class: Category I Kaiju (parasite)
Kraken resembles not much more than an ovoid chunk of segmented chitin with a few limbs coming off it. The kaiju's head consists of a nutrient tube and a few eyes, and is mostly hidden under its armour. The only dangerous thing on it seems to be the pointed stinger on the tip of its tail.

Stats:
HtH: 1
Ran: 0
Str: 2
Tou: 5
Agi: 1
Dex: 2

Structure:
Dura: 4
Stru: 7

Perks:
- Parasite: comes attached to Grae's Spine. May not detach, attack, or move unless 1) Grae awakens it as a 2 point action in a grapple, 2) Grae is stunned, 3) Grae has suffered a Major + wound, or 4) Kraken has suffered damage.
- Clingy Bugger: If awakened in a grapple, Kraken automatically engages in it. Kraken and Grae share an Advantage Point pool as long as both are alive, and may draw from it as they see fit.
- Sneaky: Kraken is hard to notice on its own. If it detaches from Grae and does not run or attack, it is considered stealthed. While stealthed, it may not be attacked unless it loses stealth (i.e. runs or attacks) or is located (Dex or Scanners check, DC 12).

Weapons:
Stinger
Built-In Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10-1
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: +2
Damage Type: Impact
Damage Bonus: Strength
Special:
Venom: on a hit that deals a minor or higher wound, automatically inflict a -1 penalty to one Physical stat (HtH, Agi, Str) of the kaiju's choosing. This penalty may be removed by a Toughness test (DC 7).

Armour:
Area Barrier Shield
Power: 5 (4)
Dispersal: 4 (3)
Integrity: 13
Affects all clustered, friendly units by default. Defends against Ranged Attacks only. May be activated or deactivated as a free action, as long as it has not collapsed.
Power is the amount that incoming damage is reduced by. Dispersal is the amount of damage that bleeds off each round. Integrity is how much damage the shield can absorb before collapsing.
As long as the shield is active, Kraken takes a -1 penalty to physical stats. If the shield collapses, Kraken suffers a Minor Chest Wound.
As a free action on its turn, Kraken may expand the shield, covering everything within 5 units. When expanded, all attacks against those within the barrier resolve against the shield first, using the values in parentheses.

Shell
Coverage: All
Armor Value: 3/-
Resilience: All
Durability: 6

Category I Kaiju killed: +100 Resources
Category II Kaiju killed: +500 Resources
Category III Kaiju killed: +1000 Resources
Salvage Facility Bonus: +480 Resources
Manufacturing: +4500 Resources
Morale Bonus: +1125 Resources

Total Resources to Spend: 37768

Free Actions:
[ ] Clean up the Blue! (-403 R)
[ ] Don't clean it up! (environmental penalties)

Pick as many actions as you have Population (10), along with a Communications, Breach Research, 2 Jaeger Research actions, and 1 free J-Recycling action, and 5 free units from the MPFs.

And a roll for Noah.

 

[Fyrstorm]

[X] Plan XYZ
-[X] Clean up the Blue! (-403 R)
-[X] Send a team to Oblivion bay to search for usable Jaeger frames, parts, and other intel. (Free Comm Action)
-[X] Research Breach Gate Technology. (Safe research mode!) (Free Breach Research)
-[X] Research Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator refinement, including ironing out the weaknesses (shielding especially), making it compatible with lower-MK Jaegers in addition to MK IV Jaegers, and improved design efficiency to reduce its overall cost. (Free Jaeger Research 1)
-[X] Research Tacit Ronin Agility*20 (Free Jaeger Research 2)
-[X] Recycle 9*Steel Body Plating (Free Recycling Action)
-[X] Build 5*Banshee Helicopter Squadrons (Free Construction Action)
-[X] Research Magic. As in real, genuine, frakkin' reality-warping Magic.
-[X] Research Fragmentation Slicers to downscale their effective operational size and increase energy efficiency.
-[X] Research ANGEL-Net Transmitter (Safe Research Mode as a precaution against accidentally damaging Jagdhund in the process of acquiring the design)
-[X] Research the means to produce an explosive device with the destructive capacity of a nuclear weapon; if necessary, consider use of the Jaeger power cores as a starting point and the potential of creating a derivative design intended only to explode without ever actually having to power anything. (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Research 'Breach Buster' Anti-Breach device
-[X] Build 1*Jaeger Sheath (-400 R)
-[X] Build 4*60mm Laser Vulcans (-1000 R)
-[X] Research Energy Shield Technology w/Crank Token
-[X] Research ARGES datalink capability for Heimdall and similar weapon designs
-[X] Repair Tacit Ronin & Jagdhund (-200 R) and Install Upgrades as follows:
--[X] Install Jaeger Sheath on Jagdhund's thigh, use to equip Ascalon Blade
--[X] Install Laser Vulcans on Tacit Ronin's Chest and Torso

(1803 R Spent, 35965 R Remain+Resources from Recycling)

Click to shrink...

News comes from the medical facilities. Noah will eventually recover, but it's not going to be perfect. He'll technically be able to pilot, but doing so could put his health in serious danger. Medical strongly recommends against having him pilot during this time period-- but it's ultimately up to the council.

Noah can resume piloting duties in 6 weeks. However, he will be more likely to take harsher damage for an additional 4 weeks afterwards.

The J-Recycler plant keeps up its work, taking apart more of Tacit's original steel armour into a more usable form.

9 Steel Body Plating recycled!
+563 Resources!

A bunch of pilots finally get assignments, as fifteen brand-new helicopters are spat out of the factories. The "Banshees", as they're called, are practically as fresh as their pilots are-- something that the Hellhound old-timers don't hesitate to point out. Even so, the 77ers let command know that they'll keep the new pilots from doing anything particularly stupid. These new rides are pretty fancy tech.

5 A-KA-78-L "Banshee" Attack Helicopter Squadrons constructed!

On the jaeger front, attempts to correct the weaknesses of both mechs are underway. A large sheath capable of holding the devastating Ascalon Blade is fabricated, and bolted to Jagdhund's hip on a swiveling hinge, while the electronics and four emitters for the Laser Vulcans are built and installed in Tacit Ronin's torso. Additionally, the nearly-finished upgrades to Tacit's reflexes are finally completed, allowing it a maximum speed of 288 kilometres per hour without the use of any supplemental boosters! However, at this rate, the upgrades are going to exceed the jaeger's reactor's maximum sustainable output soon.

4 60mm Laser Vulcans constructed! Jaeger Sheath constructed!
Tacit to Agility 5! 19/20 points! 1 stat point before reactor limit is reached!
Both jaegers are fully operational! Equipment installed!

Work on the wormhole project continues, with the main concern still being duration. However, an additional concern has popped up-- the Breach itself is highly energetic and radioactive, so a wormhole would either have to shield the occupants, or the occupants would have to bring shielding with them. Other than that, stuff is coming along-- though it's not as easy as the council would like it.

Attempts to compress the new Helios reactor in complexity and cost have minimal efforts, only lowering the overall expenditure needed to construct one slightly.

Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator costs 52 000 Resources!

More work is put into the Fragmentation Slicer project, aiming at creating something a little less... nonsensically massive, and preferably more power-efficient. The result is pretty good.

The BRFS-03 Fragmentation Falchion (the second version was simulation-only) is significantly less giant than the Buster Slicer was-- though at 42 metres long, it's still a whole lot of weapon, and a little poorly balanced for it. The overall design is somewhat like that of a Lange Messer, with a single-"edged" straight blade and a slight curve at the metal tip, though it's far thicker in both width and girth than most, more akin to a cleaver.

In order to maintain some of its damaging potential, the pommel has been expanded to contain the extra tech, and attached to a jointed sub-arm that links it to the jaeger's arm. Like the 01y, the Falchion draws its power straight from the jaeger's reactor through a hardline connection in the arm, and can be folded up against the arm when not in use, thanks to the sub-arm. Power consumption still demands the output of a Mark III reactor or stronger, however.

Due to its smaller size, certain properties have been changed. The compression rate of the artificial Breach is lower than that of the Buster Slicer, limiting its overall output and damage-- while the smaller size allows it greater dexterity, and less impact on a jaeger's ability to grapple. Overall, it's a decently satisfactory weapon, even if it lacks.

New Jaeger Weapon available to purchase: BRFS-03 Fragmentation Falchion!
BRFS-03 Fragmentation Falchion
2300 Resources
Built-in/Carried One-Handed Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10
Parry Dice: 1d5+1
Block Dice: 2d5
Armour Penetration: Ignores Armour
Grappling Bonus: -4
Durability: 8
Damage Type: Burst
Damage Bonus: 1d5
Special:
May be activated or sheathed as a Free Action.
The Falchion takes up an Arm when sheathed, and the Hand when active. It is always treated as built-in for the purpose of attacks, and as carried for the purpose of grappling.
The Falchion may only be used by Mark III+ Jaegers.

Yeah, frag weapons are tough stuff.

Reverse-engineering the ANGEL-Net transmitter is easier than expected, even if it's slowed by the care taken to remove Jagdhund's and re-insert it without accidentally damaging anything. The recreated blueprints will result in a larger, more complex transmitter; a modification made in order to work around the lack of a second Supercell reactor to power it.

New Communications Augment Available: ANGEL-Net Transmitter!
ANGEL-Net Transmitter (Communications)
2000 Resources
One per city. Allows the equipped city to communicate instantaneously with any other functional Transmitter, via the Advanced Next-Generation Electron Link Network.

Designing a substitute for a nuke is a bit confusing for your engineers-- after all, they recently were invested in working on fissile weapons, only for the council to point them away from them. Still, they try their best. Nuclear weapons aren't exactly rocket science, but jaeger power cores might as well be. Stripping out the safeties on such an expensive chunk of material won't work-- as the weapon has to be able to detonate safely, not whenever it darn well feels like it. The easiest thing would be to replicate the Mark III's self-destruct program, and rig up a Vortex Turbine into a big, bulky nuke. It won't be cheap, but it's strong, and it can be done.

Nuclear Vortex Turbines may be modified into Nuclear Vortex Bombs (6x 1d10 Burst for 5 units, EMP for 15, 6 AP, Breach Collapse) as a dedicated action. This may be reversed by the same.

Currently, an NVB can only be carried by another jaeger (under the arm and such), and costs an entire Vortex Turbine. However, it is both stronger and nastier than any normal nuke, and contaminates far less. You can't intentionally make supercells into bombs yet.

Ultimately, though, it's up to the council to decide; go with the jury-rigged option, or try to build a proper fissile weapon.

Attempting to work on the concept of a 'breach buster' fails, due to a software crash. Recovering the data takes a lot longer than expected, and eats up far too much time to actually accomplish anything.

Thanks to the samples from Kraken and Crank, Kaiju Science and Jaeger Tech are able to reverse engineer a working replica of the barrier generators which should work on the jaegers. The new shield is a bit of a power hog, and-- much like as seen with Kraken-- can backfire dramatically if it's overloaded, but otherwise should provide a useful defense. Additionally, it's capable of expanding its area of effect, though this weakens its effectiveness by more than 20%.

New Jaeger Equipment Available: EXB-02 Variable Barrier Shield!
EXB-02 Variable Barrier Shield
2125 Resources
Power: 5 (4)
Dispersal: 4 (2)
Integrity: 13
Affects all clustered units by default. Defends against Ranged Attacks only. May be activated or deactivated as a free action, as long as it has not collapsed.
Power is the amount that incoming damage is reduced by. Dispersal is the amount of damage that bleeds off each round. Integrity is how much damage the shield can absorb before collapsing.
As long as the shield is active, take a -1 penalty to physical stats. If the shield collapses, suffer a Minor Chest Wound. A collapsed shield cannot be reactivated until it is repaired.
As a free action on its turn, the jaeger may expand the shield, covering everything within 3 units. When expanded, all attacks against those within the barrier resolve against the shield first, using the values in parentheses.

Developing a link to allow the Heimdal to cooperate with the Arges system is as simple as writing a software patch and installing some extra photosensors on the vehicle.

RX-11 Railguns may benefit from Arges!

The last major project is a revisit to an old topic of much debate; Magic.

Not stage magic, not the Breach technology originally offered up as magic-- actual, capital-m, fireballs and transmuting Magic.

After a brief argument across most of the major scientists, a team is put together, headed by the ever-eccentric Dr. Sturm. Team Magic (reluctantly) sets to work, which consists mainly of thinking just how to actually go about researching magic. Eventually, it's decided that their best bet of getting remotely close to succeeding is to examine whatever anomalous occurrences are abounding in the city, and ask for assistance from those who may... well, believe in it a little more than the team does.

To say it's an endeavor is an understatement. The team isn't heard from for the whole week, and only shows back up to store some of their data, and offer a report up to the council.

Results inconclusive; need more time and better lab.

Decided to focus on small stuff first. Fire something.

- Sturm

Click to shrink...

At last, the reports come back from the scouting party sent to Oblivion Bay. It's... a bit less than what command was hoping for.

The place was crawling with kaiju, ranging from Category 0 to Category IV. Because of this, they weren't able to stay as long as they'd wanted to, and so have less than they'd want. However, they did see some relatively intact-seeming jaegers that could be of use-- either rebuild, or taken apart and used as a frame.

List of potentially recoverable jaegers:
- Lucky Seven: A Mark I jaeger with a reputation for surviving very dangerous encounters, pulled from the roster in 2021 due to the threat of Category IV kaiju. Seven was mostly intact, though the kaiju have inflicted some damage, leaving the jaeger missing its legs below the knee, and much of its torso. Seven's integrated armament consisted of a rocket-driven anchor spike in its left arm. Combat style: reckless wrestler.
- Midsummer Night: The younger sibling to Coyote Tango, this Mark II was far less famous than its elder counterpart, and fell after killing three kaiju. Currently, Night's arms and shoulders are mostly gone, with more severe damage to the left side. Night's integrated armament consisted of two short-range M68 Railguns, and a pair of retractable daggers near its elbows. Combat style: stalwart bruiser.
- Gipsy Danger: One of the more famous Mark IIIs, mission-killed in 2020 by its mutual-kill, the Category III "Knifehead". Gipsy lacks an arm, half its connpod, and a good chunk of its chest and reactor area. Most of the kaiju seem to avoid it. Gipsy's integrated armament consisted of a pair of gauntlet-mounted I-19 Plasmacasters, and an "Elbow Rocket" melee enhancer in each forearm. Combat style: street brawler.

And that concludes the week.

Kaiju will be coming soon.

 

[Fyrstorm]

This is acceptable.

Click to shrink...

I'm okay with this.

[---]

The jaegers, as expected, are in tip-top shape. Hunchback didn't even touch 'em. To Ashley's mortification, her super-robot-esque screaming features prominently in the following tapes. Noah seems to like it, though.

Morale improves to Enthusiastic! +50% Manufacturing bonus!

Hunchback itself is, to the surprise of nobody, nothing special. A minor echolocative ability seems tied to its spinal spikes, but nothing else is really unique.

And that's... really it.

It is now downtime.

Kaiju stats:

Spoiler: SE-26-048 "Hunchback"

SE-26-048
Hunchback
Class: Category III Kaiju
Hunchback is curled and hunched, with a reptilian appearance. Its back features a row of brittle looking spines, leading to a bullet shaped head. The kaiju's skin is blue and leathery, sort of like a crocodile's, while the spines are bone white.

Stats:
HtH: 4
Ran: 0
Str: 1
Tou: 4
Agi: 3
Dex: 3

Structure:
Dura: 6
Stru: 12

Perks:
- Attack, Attack, Attack: Hunchback may always counter attack, even if it fails to parry. This counter suffers the normal penalties associated with counters.
- Blindsense: Hunchback is never considered blind against anything within 10 Units, unless its Spinal Spikes are destroyed.

Weapons:
Claws (x2)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 2x 1d10
Parry Dice: 1d10-1
Block Dice: 1d10-1
Armour Penetration: 0
Grappling Bonus: Strength
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Strength

Teeth
Built-in Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10
Armour Penetration: 3
Grappling Bonus: +0
Damage Type: Edged
Damage Bonus: 3

Armour:
Durable Hide
Coverage: All but Eyes
Armor Value: 2/1
Resilience: All, +1 Edged
Durability: 10

Spinal Spikes
Coverage: Neck, Spine
Armor Value: 2/1
Resilience: All, -1 Blunt
Durability: 5

Category III Kaiju killed: +1000 Resources
Salvage Facility Bonus: +300 Resources
Manufacturing: +4500 Resources
Morale Bonus: +2250 Resources

Total Resources to Spend: 44578

Pick as many actions as you have Population (10), along with a Communications, Breach Research, 2 Jaeger Research actions, and 1 free J-Recycling action, and 5 free units from the MPFs.

5 Weeks until Noah can be fielded again. You can't launch an Oblivion Bay retrieval squad yet-- that'll need more research if/when you choose to do so.

 

[Fyrstorm]

[X] Plan Giant Robot Wizards
-[X] Research Tacit Ronin-Scale Fragmentation Slicer Fangblade design (Free Jaeger Research 1)
-[X] Upgrade Jagdhund Agility*20 (Free Jaeger Research 2)
-[X] Research 'Breachgate', with emphasis on effective radiation shielding (Free Breach Research) (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Contact Medford, Inquire about the possibility of using them as a stopping point on a mission to reach the lower regions of California (including Oblivion Bay and the rumored California holdout city); Offer to give them conventional forces to help defend themselves; inform them about KRAUN and offer to share the ANGEL-net technology with them if KRAUN approves as much. (Free Comms Action)
-[X] Recycle 8*Solid Iron plating and 1*Steel plating (Free J-Recycling)
-[X] Build 2*Resupply Squads, 1*Condor Squadron, 2*Banshee Helicopter Squadron (Free Conventional Construction)
-[X] Research 'Wizards Academy' (Attempt to establish a dedicated 'science' branch - akin to our J-Tech research division - outfitted for the research of actual 'Magic' Magic)
-[X] Build ANGEL-Net Transmitter (-2000 Resources)
-[X] Research 'Breach Buster' Anti-Breach device
-[X] Research Armadillo-Class Mobile Shield Generator (Research a conventional-scale military support unit designed exclusively for the purpose of generating and projecting a defensive barrier shield)
-[X] Research Breach Storage (W/Ascalon Token) (SAFE RESEARCH MODE!)
-[X] Research J-Scale Flight Tech
-[X] Research Barrier Shield Overload Failsafes
-[X] Research further refinement to Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator for less expensive design.
-[X] Research further refinement to Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator with focus on ironing out the weaknesses (especially the shielding issue).
-[X] Upgrade Research to 10 (-9500 Resources)

(11500 R Spent, 33078 R Remain)

Click to shrink...

The week starts off with a whole lot of research.

First up is the continuation of work on the BRFS system, in an attempt to develop a version to replace Tacit's fangblades. Based off of the newer falchion design, the so-called "Fracture Blades" are a lot longer and more angular than the jaeger's original swords, each ending in a metal tip, with the emitters along the cutting edge. Due to needing a hard connection, the Fracture Blades can't run on the same rail deployment system of the old ones-- instead, they mount on hinges that attach behind the wrist, allowing them to swing forwards for combat.* The only real downside is how much power the weapons draw, making them incompatible with the jaeger's current reactor.

New Jaeger Weapon Available for Purchase: BRFS-04-F Fracture Blade!
BRFS-04-F Fracture Blade
2300 Resources
Built-in Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10 (pairs)
Parry Dice: 1d5+1
Block Dice: 1d5
Armour Penetration: Ignores Armour
Grappling Bonus: -3
Durability: 8
Damage Type: Burst
Damage Bonus: Strength
Special:
Fracture Blades may only be used by Mark IV+ Jaegers.
Cauterises Wounds

Obviously, I will have means in place to make sure you don't hilariously abuse this.

In a bid to boost Neo-Seattle's other Jaeger some more, J-tech sets to work on a series of maneuverability upgrades for Jagdhund. The jaeger's servos aren't in any major need of improvement, so instead a few sections of her internal frame are replaced with lighter ones, lessening the overall load on her joints. Additionally, her gyroscopes are given a thorough check, and have their older parts replaced with new, lighter components as well.

18 successes! Jagdhund to Agility 3! 17/20 reactor points in use! 0/20 to Agility 4!

Next is another continuation of research, as Breach Tech attempts to deal with the radiation problem of their current prototype. There's a few suggestions, but the best solution seems to be in modifying the nature of the stabilisers themselves.

The experiments are a success-- by increasing the output and introducing an electromagnetic "lightning rod", an artificial Breach would have its internal radiation suppressed to safe levels. All that's left is stabilising it, and actually giving it a proper "receiver" to link to.

Difficulty reduced greatly. More research needed.

Meanwhile, communications are ongoing with Medford, in an attempt to get them to allow Neo-Seattle to rest at their city during a future excursion to Oblivion Bay. Needless to say, it's a little tenser than people would prefer it to be.

The end result is inconclusive. It's gonna take a lot more than just one week to convince these people to cooperate on this.

The recycling facility continues to get rid of old, unneeded armour.

-1 Steel Body Plating, -8 Solid Iron Armour!
+662 Resources!

Lots of aircraft are being built.

2 Resupply Squadrons constructed!
1 Condor Squadron constructed!
2 Banshee Squadrons constructed!

And Doctor Sturm's request is looked into. Admittedly, it's not much, but Team Magic is allowed a more dedicated lab to work in.

Failure. Minor reduction to Magic research difficulty.

Civilians quickly notice the new additions to the refurbished Space Needle-- a set of large, gilded fins around its upper spire, and some bulky box shapes below the disc. It's not long before the new transmitter is finished, and Jagdhund quickly confirms that she's able to communicate with it.

ANGEL-Net Transmitter constructed!

The Breach Buster project goes swimmingly, and finally yields hard results! The new delivery vessel, designated the Anti-Breach Warhead Carrier 1, is capable of containing most standard warheads, and incorporates synthetic kaiju parts based off of Palisade's genome. An internal battery allows the false nerves to appear alive, and fool the gate into letting it through, while a hydrodynamic capsule provides some protection.

New Miscellaneous: ABWC-1 Wormhole Penetrator!
ABWC-1 Wormhole Penetrator
3000 Resources
May hold one warhead of up to 5 dice worth. When used against a Precursor Breach, roll 1d10-- on a 5+, the attack penetrates, and affects the Breach directly. Otherwise, the attack deflects. Either way, the Wormhole Penetrator is destroyed as soon as the attack is resolved.

A Wormhole Penetrator can only be carried by a Jaeger or Jumphawk.

Engineering sets to work on an interesting project-- a conventional unit designed to mount the new Barrier system to defend other conventionals.

The problem is-- the Barrier just takes far too much power for anything short of a nuclear reactor to sustain for long. Batteries could potentially be used, but they'd run themselves flat after a few minutes.

You have two routes to take:
[ ] Nuclear (constant shield, greater capacity, expensive, superheavy)
[ ] Battery (temporary shield, lower capacity, cheaper, not set as superheavy or conventional)
Choosing one route will reduce the difficulty in researching it.

Attempts at replicating the storage system shown by Ascalon could have gone much better. As it stands, they do return with a functional prototype-- a barely functional one. Further refinement will be needed, though the principle is sound. The system consists of an enclosed Breach 'bubble', synchronised with a unit and held shut and stable until the unit needs to withdraw something. It'd probably work better with the incorporation of the "Breachgate" tech currently in the works, as otherwise the contraption couldn't move (since the storage system draws far too much power-- a noted concern among more of the fancy new things these days)

Research needed for the following:
- Breach bubble stabiliser
- Mobile pocket entry point
- Greater power efficiency
- Distance link
After this is successful, the final system can be completed.

I'll be honest, the Breach Storage thing is a lot harder to mechanically implement and to research in-game than flying is.

Similarly, the results of replicating the Cat V's flight are a little mixed. While the atomic engine prevents the need for much in the way of fuel (as long as it's operating in a fluid medium), it's incredibly energy intensive. The only power source capable of fueling such a monstrosity would be something like Striker Eureka's Supercell-- which is in Australia. Not to mention it's really damn expensive.

Ignoring the power issues, the flight system should work pretty well. The actual equipment consists of three main parts, which mount on the back and thighs. The upper back unit consists of the main forwards thrusters, a smaller set of engine pods, and two mobile aerofoils for control; while each thigh pack mounts another maneuvering fin and a set of articulated engine clusters.

New Jaeger Augment: Allegorica Flight Unit!
Allegorica Flight Unit
20 000 Resources
The jaeger gains the "Aerial Ace" and "Atomic Engine" traits, allowing it to fly under its own power. However, the jaeger automatically crashes if it suffers a Major+ Wound to the associated locations.
The Allegorica Flight Unit requires 2 Augment slots to function.
- Aerial Ace: The jaeger can fly under its own power, and follows the rules for Flying characters when doing so.
-- Can take off as a move action or as a two point advantage move provided its durability limit has not been exceeded. When airborne, double Agility. Can not be charged while flying and melee attacks can not be made against this character. Ranged attacks are at +1 difficulty to hit the target if it moves while flying though a hit may knock the creature out of control. Each time a flying character takes a strike while flying, take a toughness test (6). If the test is passed, they keep control, if failed, they immediately crash 1d5 units away in a random direction and takes 1d10 blunt damage. If they would land on something, both characters take 2d10 blunt damage, knocked prone and immediately locked in a grapple.
-- Atomic Engine: The jaeger treats its durability as +6 higher for the purposes of taking off/flying. Once a battle, the jaeger may initiate a Charge immediately after a move action.
Equips to Spine, Pelvis, and Thighs.
May only be used by Mark V Jaegers.

Similarly, I will have stuff in place so you don't abuse this. Like, you know, endurance limits and pilot fatigue.

The Barrier system is the subject of another team as well-- this one focused on making it safer to use.

That's easier said than done. Engineering does manage to lessen the damage to surrounding components through some additional redundancies in the shield itself, but the backlash is something that's a bit tougher to deal with. The resulting variant is a little safer, and a little more expensive.

Variant: EXB-02S Variable Barrier Shield
2300 Resources
As above (for EXB-02), except for the following:
If the shield collapses, roll on the Vitals Damage Table.

J-tech refuses to abandon the stellarator as is, and continues trying to improve it. Examination of the design suggests that some of the bulky parts could be replaced by smaller ones of Jagdarium**-- the superalloy now used in much of the jaegers' armour and newer frame parts-- resulting in an overall gain in cost efficiency. Meanwhile, a series of external "fuses" are deemed a viable possibility, burning out to reduce a lot of the extra damage an electrical attack could cause.

Helios Heavy Fusion Stellarator costs 50 000 Resources! Gained: Burnout Fuses!
- Burnout Fuses: Ignores the effects of Unshielded for the first Electrical attack suffered.

Along with this massive focus on research comes more investment into the equipment itself, and the sciences profit greatly for it.

Research to 10!


And that's the week.***

*Think of them like the Astraea's Proto GN Sword, except with the typical "laser chainsaw" appearance on the edges.
**Finally came up with a special name for it. Yakk-tehr-iyum. Rolls off the tongue nicely.
***Kaiju come later. Fyr is tire. eeeeurrgh.

 

[Highwind]

Hello friends. Here's an Omake to distract us from the Scorpion-Dragon-Kaiju shooting at our Jaegers.

---

Ashley Langley eyed her foe with fury in her eyes. She was one second away from finally shanking that bastard, all it'd take was a dash to cover the meager distance between them, barreling through the obstacles and this would be over.

"Tacit... Craaaash!" She screamed with all her fury.

"No no no, that's still not right!" Her hated enemy said, waving his copy of the script around. "You need to shout louder, to put more emphasis in it, show you're going to crush your enemy!" Somehow, Ashley managed not to jump out and crush him. She couldn't believe the General had managed to talk her into this fiasco.

"We've been here for hours now, miss Langley, but we've barely got half the lines properly recorded," The director said, ignoring the death glare the ranger was sending his way. "And we might have to redo a few for consistency later." Ashley bit back a curse at the reminder that her torture would not end anytime soon. Recording those lines was just so goddamn embarrassing!

"I'm just not cut out for this, okay?" She said. "Look, maybe it'd be easier to get a voice actor or something? Someone trained for this?" She tried to reason, but the director shook his head and dismissed her suggestion with a wave of his hand.

"Miss Langley, you have to understand it's very difficult to consistently imitate someone else's voice without actually sounding like an imitation, even for a trained voice actor." He explained. "You're already here with us and we already have good recordings ready. Getting someone else would just force us to start from scratch and we'd end up with an inferior product."

Ashley sighed and massaged her temples. Yes, she understood that, but that didn't mean she liked it. "Why do I even have to do this, anyway?" She muttered. "It's just a goddamn toy..."

"Do you have any idea how popular the videos of the last battle were on the intranet?" General Cid Highwind said from the comfortable chair in the corner. "People loved hearing you calling your attack, Ash."

The Ranger just facepalmed at the reminder. "Please don't remind, sir." The General smiled in response. "Regardless of your embarrassment, people loved." He continued. "And when we announced a Perfect Grade Tacit Ronin miniature complete with a voice box of you calling our attacks? People went nuts."

"It's a fu-freaking toy, sir." Ashley said, frowning. "How many people are even buying that sort of thing anyway?" The General smirked at that question. "Well, if the pre-orders are to be believed, about a quarter of the population of the city wants one." Ashley stared at the General like he'd gone nuts. "I know for sure nearly everyone in the defense forces wants their own." He continued. "Every squad put in requisition orders for at least one Pee-Gee Tacit, and some requisitioned two." He looked at the slack-jawed expression on the Ranger's face, a big grin on gracing his own. "Hell, some of them asked when Jagdhund's would come out and if they could pre-order one already, just to make sure they'd be the first ones to get one."

Highwind's grin turned into a more subdued smile. "As it turns out, people really like having reminders of their guardians nearby, especially when the apocalypse is happening all around you." He said. "Things like this toy, those videos, they remind people they have guardians fighting for them, they're reassured when they see and hear you out there, fighting, winning..." He trailed off, and then chuckled. "Shouting your attacks like an old-school mecha pilot. It's a hell of a boost to morale."

Ashley, frowned at her superior, but she stayed silent. The General did have a point, she understood very well how a symbol could motivate and reassure a person. If it meant comforting someone or making a child smile even in the middle of the apocalypse, she would gladly record these stupid lines.

She still didn't want to admit defeat.

"Fine, fine." She said after a moment. "Let's just get this over with, the sooner the better." She went back to the microphone before stopping halfway and turning back to the General. "Actually, I've got one more question." When her superior nodded, she continued. "Why the heck are you even here, anyway? Don't you have other things to do besides sitting there, like signing paperwork or something?"

The General sighed. "I have a bunch of half-mad scientists clamoring for me and the rest of the council to shut down the Magic research division and give them their funding, while the other half is one broken coffee machine away from revolting." His expression darkened. "Then there's the paperwork." He snarled that word as if it were a vile curse. "So much god damned paperwork."

He looked straight into Ashley's eyes. "Frankly, I needed a break. Coming here and calling it supervision and a PR effort was the best excuse I had," He explained. "And being able to sign off on my own paperwork helped make this happen." Then he smiled. "And besides, I get to watch you scream silly attack names all day."

Ashley frowned, but nodded and went back to work. She had long since learned not to question the people from the council too much, mostly because they either had a weird sense of humor. Well, either that or they were legitimately insane. And considering what she heard they'd ordered the science division to research these past few weeks, she was inclined to believe it was the latter option that was most likely true.

 

[Fyrstorm]

Beck(ett) in Business
Part 1/???​

Raleigh Beckett had had a rough, and pretty weird year after the walls fell. He'd seen kaiju from the perspective of people, traveled from Nome to Anchorage after the Wall fell, and generally been through some rough patches. However, this took the cake for unexpected.

"--and this is the shatterdome," his redheaded guide explained, as they walked up to the massive complex. Miss Langley-- or Ashley, as everyone called her-- was certainly one of the more unorthodox Rangers he'd run into, though she seemed to know what she was doing. Raleigh was glad at least someone here did-- knowing that the place and organisation that'd just taken you up had people with good heads on their shoulders was pretty reassuring.

"Didn't think Seattle of all cities had a Shatterdome," he commented, following her.

"It didn't," Ashley replied. "More than half the city was rebuilt; we just threw in one of these things so we'd have a place to put the jaegers." Raleigh frowned.

"Sorry, miss-- Ashley," he interjected. "But what jaegers? I was under the impression that part of the reason everything's so hellish was because all the jaegers were put out commission-- or at least part of the reason." Ashley glanced back at him.

"You'll see," she answered, grinning.

They stepped through the door, and into the massive interior of the Shatterdome.

"Mister Beckett, I'd like you to meet the new, and very much improved, Tacit Ronin."


[---]

AU where you guys actually send people to Anchorage and end up dragging Raleigh back into this madness. I may decide to continue it-- even if you actually go and do so.

Hey, he doesn't have to jockey necessarily-- keep in mind that teachers for Rangers are in pretty high demand as well.