First: Double posting is frowned upon.
Second: Begging/Asking/Demanding for bonuses from a QM is heavily frowned upon.
Third: Saying something is not the same as writing out an omake. If you want a bonus, you should put your suggestions into an omake, like a PR Officer putting together a plan on how to attract tourists/goodwill from other nations on the behest of their superior.
(Okay... they just deleted all but one of their comments...)
If you are so worried about the US troops and narrative, the deescalating plan does already have parts specifically about not letting the US sailors wander freely and trying to prevent US media dominance.
We don't have to throw all our effort into a constant media push to make sure our story is the only one being told, we just have to get out infront of the US media with how we aren't being monsters and have the photos and proof to back it up. Once that happens the US ability to spin it is going to be limited as everyone's first impressions are going to be favorable to us with more than just words on our side, rather than letting the US get the first word and having fight against a biased narrative.
Ok, no more analysis from me. Just going to write (probably, probably not) bidg ass long omake, about one thing that is not actually correlated to the current situation or situation in general, but would help me push my line further. And my line is secret Service and old man. Hope everyone would like it more, than useful (probably) stuff I did.
Ok, no more analysis from me. Just going to write (probably, probably not) bidg ass long omake, about one thing that is not actually correlated to the current situation or situation in general, but would help me push my line further. And my line is secret Service and old man. Hope everyone would like it more, than useful (probably) stuff I did.
Can you please not snipe at other members for not getting your way? I mean, we propose plans and we bring info on an effort to convince each other of how we should move forward in this quest, not so that we can gain brownie points with the qm, and get stuff without really engaging with anyone else.
Heck, other people have made informative posts. The current map we are using in this quest is a contribution by a member, and they were rewarded for that.
All you've done is propose another plan, which is just a normal action.
Moreover, there have been people that have responded to you. You just haven't really engaged them. I know I brought up points about not wanting to escalate, and you never responded to that. Should we perhaps get angry at everyone that doesn't respond to us?
I mean, it's not even like your points weren't helpful. There have been people coming out and saying we should escalate more, and you led that charge. But this kind of petty response because the qm didn't give you rewards is really toxic.
Quite honestly, I don't write omakes because the qm will reward me. I write them because they are funny and because I can engage with the community through them. It feels really manipulative when you complain about rewards as if the only important metric is how much say the qm is willing to give you in future plans.
I'm not engage in this any further, but I hope your future interactions in this thread are enjoyable. I really hope you can look past the instances where your plans aren't chosen, or where the quest seems to move in a different direction you like.
It was a short break from studies for a group of a young children. Relaxing from studies in the small local school, the only one for a small village, boys and girls as usual run to the near playground as they usually did. But children are children, they are more or less the same everywhere, let's talk about playground a little bit more. It was a fun place where children could play hide and seek, or run through a different obstacles, or see who could hold balance while moving on a set of slippery wooden poles. Children loved it, because it was a fun way of relaxation after sitting all day in a class or helping their parents with chores at home. Parents loved it because after that playground children were more tired and went to bed more easily, or simply did not have enough chaotic energy children are known for to bother them every second with annoying antics or mischief. Besides children and some times parents or elder siblings of children, there was another person that became semi permanent feature of that playground - one old man with mildly long but cared for white beard, his other interesting features were lack of the left hand and wooden left leg. He watched over children when their relatives were too busy. He suggested new games you children when they were becoming too bored with old ones and was always ready to give some elderly wisdom to the growing kids. He was even the one, who actually started building this playground, asked one of his nephews, was it, to plan it and start the construction, local men and women finished it of course after asking him what he was doing. Not a proper way to left old veteran to move all those weights by himself! And nephew was too busy to finish it he had to return to the city, he promised to touch it up when he will return, but you know those city's folks.
Local families decided that it was right and proper to take care of the Grandfather Mingsu, that's his name, but he always declined telling that he was well of himself with the help of his daughter. Dutiful child, but she had to move away with her husband to the port where the husband is working. Shame really, she was such a nice neighbor, never caused any problems and her help in organization of school was a boon, though villagers were against it initially, but at least she moved grandfather Mingsu here, and he is such a boon to community.
And as becoming usual, elder Mingsu is sitting on a fallen tree near the playground, watching over children, but not alone today, who is that.. Ah right! Grandfather Mingsu talked recently, that one of his grandkids is going to visit, such a big family this elder have, well better to go back to the field, no time to waste after all...
Smiling with kind elderly smile, Mingsu asked the young man standing behind him.
- Do you see, my Suri Aio?
Suri leveled his unblinking gaze on a couple of children hiding on tree branches, and kid playing for one team noticed where his gaze landed. Noticing that they are spotted, children ran towards the "castle" while "soldiers" from another team tried to hit them with small soft balls while being "shot" from the team of failed "infiltrators". Suri thought for a second then answered fast:
- Yes.
Elder Mingsu only noded to that rude answer, as expecting it.
- Hm. Yes. Hah. You do like to be tight lipped, that is good, but that can be bad as is with all things.. But I talked to you about that already, and I don't have that much time to repeat myself, so onto the next question. Do you know, why have I shown you this, Suri Aio?
-I think I do.
Aio quickly noticed exasperated gaze of his superior and moved further without additional prompting.
- You want me to be aware of this place, to be able to use it.
Kind old man laughed shortly to that statement.
- Ha! If only the world and people demanded so little of us! Ha. No, my dear Suri Aio, I want more from you then that. I want you to return here in the future, and help this place out. I think, some local martial arts school, or a little radio club in school will be a great way to continue this old man work. After that? Up to you. But I think you waited for it long enough, tell me my dear grandchild, how good you are at fishing?
Still caught up with the first revelation, stoic man was unsure what response was expected, that phrase did not fit previous code phrases, so he decided to took it as a direct question.
- Great swimmer, not a good Fish hunter.
- Is that so? Then I will advise you to be careful when you will go fishing next week. I heard that waves at the sea can be so fierce, that they would drift the fisherman's to the shores of other countries, even Japan for example! And Japan is a dangerous place to be, what with those Americans building new Radio station there, with local being against it over some cultural nonsense. Such a dangerous thing could happen! My aunt Di Shangha even told me once... Buh, you probably don't care, with all your childish vigor and fascination of new toy and food for the pet cat. No respect to the elderly, I say.
Suri Aio carefully ingraved everything said in his memory. Did a quick affirmative sign with his right leg and right hand that looked as if he straightened his belt. New fire light up in his eyes.
- I will be careful grandfather.
Elder Mingsu studied Suri and slowly noded.
- See that you do. Now, before you go back your work, I have a little task for you.
Hearing this thing told so clearly Suri Aio... Did something weird. If before his whole body was as a rock, stoic and unlovable, now he resembled more a dangerous predator ready to strike, but his posture almost didn't changed. Mingsu quietly chuckled at that reaction.
- The roof of Menyo Pi's house locking a little damages, you can see it right there.
He moved his only hand showing direction.
- It would really help, if you would fix it.
Suri Aio looked at the mentioned roof. It was looking damaged, probably after a recent harsh rain. He looked at his superior with almost hurt gaze, after witch he bowed deeply and moved away from laughing old man. To go, fix the roof.
After Suri Aio moved far enough, Mingsu signed sadly and murmured under his beard.
- Yes, this place and no higher for you. Too loyal, too strict and straight. No higher.
Kind Grandfather Mingsu stared at nothing in particular for some timetime, then returned back to watching over children and reading letters from his relatives. He will have to visit some of them soon, and implant some elderly wisdom into those deserving. After all it would be a shame it they won't be able to use his legacy properly. He signed deeply.
- The proper workers never rest, for future wait for no one.
###
My notes.
This was a first look at elder Mingsu. Kind old man, who is a hard on communist, head of some very secret but small group of people that are working mostly outside of borders of our proud nation, patriot to the core and a very experienced.. person.
I will continue on with explaining him and that group of people, their friends, their relationships and their unrelenting fight for the good of country and all communism. Hope I did well enough.
Scheduled vote count started by HeroCooky on Mar 12, 2022 at 4:05 PM, finished with 537 posts and 43 votes.
79
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] Talk to the embassies of the US and China while getting ahead of the media so that our story is the one that hits the news first. Both to make sure that there will be no problems with the Chinese government, and to get ahead of the capitalist propaganda sure to try to paint Guangcho in the worst light possible.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name!
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name!
-[X] See if some of those planes and various other equipment can't just...you know...fall off a ship?
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hopstial and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu imigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name!
-[X] offer sailors immediate transport to nearest US aligned country (Japan or South Korea). Record any public declaration be soldiers on why they can't do that (because of course they won't just leave their ship)
-[X] Don't let US diplomats redirect the news to something stupid, like that we have captured and are holding hostage US sailors. Make public all accommodations made to sailors, perhaps at UN (If we don't have representative there, ask for help from china at spreading message)
-[X] If allies ask about our handling of event, emphasize the danger of escalation. This incident has a danger of escalating like the cuban missile crisis. Its best if this kept a minor regional affair, rather than becoming an open dispute between 2 nuclear nations. We are keeping are demands reasonable, and we are not attempting anything stupid that will exacerbate the situation, like stealing any american technology, or taking US prisoners
-[X] Record other accommodations offered to americans. Make sure to record moments when any americans take advantage of the aid we have provided. Try to provide 24 hr recordings, or equivalents, to prove at least some sailors are using our aid, and that they still are free and manning their ships.
-[X] Ask allies to leak recordings in western nations if possible. Make it clear to common citizens that we have not mistreated soldiers, and that we are trying to deescalate. Try to make it look like Western nations value their money more than the sailors lives
[X] Plan: Fines and Photos
-[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital, field kitchen and tent shelters going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but don't let let them wander off.
-[X] Talk to the embassies of the US and China while getting ahead of the media so that our story is the one that hits the news first. Both to make sure that there will be no problems with the Chinese government, and to get ahead of the capitalist propaganda sure to try to paint Guangcho in the worst light possible.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigration and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get our UN diplomat to publicize that the sailors are not being held prisoner, nor are medical care, food or shelter being withheld from them, and that talks are ongoing with the United States.
-[X] See what information and pictures we can surreptitiously get of the Iwo Jima and it's planes. Taking anything physical off the ship itself is unlikely to be feasible with the amount of observation it's going to be under, but a few photos from a reporter on the ground with a camera shouldn't be too out of the ordinary given what happened. Maybe we can get some shots of the deck from a camera carried by someone in one of our fertilizer planes doing their runs as long as they aren't flying too close. The US would probably be more suspicious if we weren't showing some level of interest in the carrier that landed in our lap anyway.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hopstial and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name!
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name! -[X] don't try to remove anything off the boat. Make a conscious effort not to steal anything, and crack down on any looters. If un investigators are sent, their should be no evidence that we have stolen a single piece of military hardware
-[X] offer sailors immediate transport to nearest US aligned country (Japan or South Korea). Record any public declaration be soldiers on why they can't do that (because of course they won't just leave their ship)
-[X] Don't let US diplomats redirect the news to something stupid, like that we have captured and are holding hostage US sailors. Make public all accommodations made to sailors, perhaps at UN (If we don't have representative there, ask for help from china at spreading message)
-[X] If allies ask about our handling of event, emphasize the danger of escalation. This incident has a danger of escalating like the cuban missile crisis. Its best if this kept a minor regional affair, rather than becoming an open dispute between 2 nuclear nations. We are keeping are demands reasonable, and we are not attempting anything stupid that will exacerbate the situation, like stealing any american technology, or taking US prisoners
-[X] Record other accommodations offered to americans. Make sure to record moments when any americans take advantage of the aid we have provided. Try to provide 24 hr recordings, or equivalents, to prove at least some sailors are using our aid, and that they still are free and manning their ships.
-[X] Ask allies to leak recordings in western nations if possible. Make it clear to common citizens that we have not mistreated soldiers, and that we are trying to deescalate. Try to make it look like Western nations value their money more than the sailors lives
-[X] Talk to the embassies of the US and China while getting ahead of the media so that our story is the one that hits the news first. Both to make sure that there will be no problems with the Chinese government, and to get ahead of the capitalist propaganda sure to try to paint Guangcho in the worst light possible.
[X] send a message asking for the Americans to please come pick up their boat.
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] Talk to the embassies of the US and China while getting ahead of the media so that our story is the one that hits the news first. Both to make sure that there will be no problems with the Chinese government, and to get ahead of the capitalist propaganda sure to try to paint Guangcho in the worst light possible.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
-[X] Get the Americans addicted to our The Good Stuff™ Homemade Seaween Snacks with its top secret oil-herb-seasoning mix till they're begging for our exports shipments. We shall become a household name!
[X] Steal the boat
- [X] The American Navy has littered on our pristine shores, and we of course do not want to trouble them, therefor we shall seize the ship for disposal, where it shall be recycled into our new fleet
[X] [Iwo Jima] Send a message to the nearest American Embassy and ask them to retrieve their vehicle or else it will be towed and the US Navy will be fined for illegal parking and blocking public traffic.
[X] use submarines to extract nuclear bombs and any technicians involved with nuclear materials, Make sure secrecy of extraction is maintained and no one knows about this
[X] have sailors practice counterintelligence. Make sure they don't reveal any information and don't suffer stolkholm syndrome (THIS ISN"T A REAL THING BY THE WAY)
[X] send US and UN Diplomat directly to Guangchou to negotiate release of ship and sailors; Have them investigate sailors and ensure their well being; Make sure that every sailor is accounted for. We will leave no one behind
-[X] The nation's littering laws are currently not suitable for the situation at hand. Pass a new law to allow for a suitable littering fine.
-[X] get a field hospital and field kitchen going to help the American sailors, issue orders to our people they they are NOT prisoners but dont let let them wander off.
-[X] Talk to the embassies of the US and China while getting ahead of the media so that our story is the one that hits the news first. Both to make sure that there will be no problems with the Chinese government, and to get ahead of the capitalist propaganda sure to try to paint Guangcho in the worst light possible.
-[X] set up an impromptu immigrations and customs post in case any sailors do want to leave and go into town or something.
-[X] Extend a line of credit to the sailors for the duration of their stay. Bill their government the difference afterwards.
..... @HeroCooky sorry the negaverse omakes kind of broke the vote counter here. @Cyberphilosipher and I didn't mean for it to count our omake pseudo-vote options.
At least the vote counter properly counted the real votes too.
edit for the omake that sneaked in right before vote counting:
hmm.. too early to say anything, but it looks like you are shaping elder mingsu to take some ... 'unsanctioned' actions... It will be interesting to see where that goes, eventually.
You know what.... I'm just going to answer the question, instead of commenting on the nature of these requests.
You posted this omake barely 25 min before Herocooky posted the vote count. He just missed your omake. Give it a few hours, and he'll probably see it.
hmm.. too early to say anything, but it looks like you are shaping elder mingsu to take some ... 'unsanctioned' actions... It will be interesting to see where that goes, eventually.
Nuh, he is actually the type of "I followed my orders and made up some of my own in the process." In theory, I am visioning him as an additional help of secret police service during the rule of Father of our leader, that always tried to appear older and less capable than he really was. He also foght in the First WW and made some friends along the way. Mingsu walked en extra mile in his duties, without telling anyone. For example - why yes, I killed that traitor and Dissapeared his family especially his little kid. And then five or seven years later young loyal man blew up an open rebellion in some city for one reason or another, and so on.
I would like for our glorious leader to be unaware of his existence.
Nuh, he is actually the type of "I followed my orders and made up some of my own in the process." In theory, I am visioning him as an additional help of secret police service during the rule of Father of our leader, that always tried to appear older and less capable than he really was. He also foght in the First WW and made some friends along the way. Mingsu walked en extra mile in his duties, without telling anyone. For example - why yes, I killed that traitor and Dissapeared his family especially his little kid. And then five or seven years later young loyal man blew up an open rebellion in some city for one reason or another, and so on.
I would like for our glorious leader to be unaware of his existence.
Ahh, the loyal soldier/butler/best friend character who takes on the responsibility for all the dark deeds himself. And then doesn't tell anyone about the sacrifices he makes.
I can see a lot you can do with a character like that... especially in the framing of teaching his granddaughter to follow his footsteps
Ji-Woo tapped furiously onto the keypunch device, albeit not as intensely as before. She had ruined several units that way, the strength within her taps gradually wearing down the devices until they were beyond salvage. Such was the passion she held for her hobbies, one that had easily rivaled, and by her accounts, surpassed, that of her lover, sworn rival, assigned pilot and the most frustrating man to ever come into her life, Captain Ru Hiro.
She could already picture the argument they would have tonight, specifically on the previous computer input devices she'd destroyed before. The quartermaster herself had chewed her out, boisterously and publicly so, and no doubt Hiro would have heard of it by now. She'd already prepared her counter-arguments for when he'd start to tease her about the irony of an Iron Tiger mechanical engineer being careless and destructive around mechanical devices.
Nonsense, of course. There were exceptions to be made for a great many things. Questnights was that to many, now especially, as Mr. Bermann and several other colleagues of his had made a recent innovation. They had linked multiple data storage devices and stored them onto a tower rack via cables and hardware cages and stored those into the room with the most efficient air conditioning, then linked those racks with the rest of the Weisoft terminals which, in turn, were occasionally linked with the Iron Tiger terminals mounted on the mechas.
The result was nothing short of inspired. While the output was not too eye-catching, performance-wise, the overall improvement to data storage, exchange and traffic had been obvious on every level, evident upon accessing any terminal in the networked system. This, of course, meant Ji-Woo didn't have to hold back as much as she originally did. Still, this was Questnights Unlimited, she could go on as long and as passionately as could be humanly possible.
And until the Unlimited part of the name was finally realized in the text lengths per message, she'd have to temper her temper and curtail her cussing. After all, the alternative was the quartermaster getting her banned from recreational computer use.
And heavens help the compound if that ever happened…
Note: Inspiration just came out of the blue. Iron Tiger techs jury rigged a pseudo-primitive server for the not-internet we have in the Iron Tiger compound. It ain't much, but it's honest work.
P.S. Servers and networks? That's just socialism for computers.
What is Taiwan doing, and how much are they begging the american ambassadors not to escalate the situation? For that matter, how does Taiwan feel being so close to us? Are there any differences in the country from OTL?
Taiwan is pretty much one bad news away from full-on mobilizing their entire military, with their coastal batteries currently on high-alert.
As to how they feel, well, not good.
The differences are mainly in the general level of militarism, with shoreline batteries trained and sighted onto their Guangchou counterparts littering the straight. The rest still has the usual level of authorianism, despotism, and tyranny, with a low-level movement by the natives trying to protect their rights and cultural ties to Guangchou, especially in regards to self-determination and equal gender rights. The latter has some allies among the people-in-exile, though not in the leaders.
linked those racks with the rest of the Weisoft terminals which, in turn, were occasionally linked with the Iron Tiger terminals mountain on the mechas.
Ok, so this post is going to have two parts: first an extended meme filled shitpost about mechs to hook you with funni pictures, and then we're going to have a more serious discussion about world building.
See, I was at work, sliding the 358th bolted connection which would go on to be summarily ignored by purchasing and assembly because all our fasteners are a standard bulk order parts that assembly just pulls from bins based on ViBeS, and I was idly thinking about the Iron Tiger and the submarine we're brainstorming, and a bolt of realization struck me-
You see, what's the essence of mechs?
To answer that question we need to go back to the beginning.
"What, to the 1956 anime Tesujin-Go 28?"
Earlier!
"The 1948 manga Atomic Power Android??"
Earlier!!
"The 1931 street theatre play Ogon Bat!"
EARLIER!!!
"The only thing earlier was the steampunk elephant from The Steam House, that Jules Verne wrote in 1880!!"
EARLIEEEERRRRR!
"When? What the hell do you mean EARLIER? What the hell kind of beginning are you talking about??"
That's right, we're going back to the Bronocice Pot, arguably the first depiction of a wheeled vehicle in the archaeological record. See, before this if you wanted to move stuff around, you had to carry it. In your arms. While walking. Then came the wheel, and basically obsoleted legs as the premiere way of moving heavy stuff over land overnight. It took a while to invent however, because there wasn't really any analogue in nature that people could copy. The Mesopotamians had figured out wheels as far back as 550 BCE, but they just used them to make pottery.
Nerds.
So yeah, when we're talking locomotion, mecha are the most supreme form of the RETVRN meme.
It's the power and mass of an industrial war machine married to the primal appeal of a Big Stompty Thing that towers over the battlefield that activates the remnants of our ancient lizard-brain reflexes that knew to take cover when a T-Rex was on the prowl.
Now, if mechs are the regression from wheeled locomotion to the legged, then what's the aquatic equivalent? Well, the propeller is the equivalent of the wheel, and the thing that came before was... the oar (paddle wheels are just shitty oars, and they're lame, so we're going to ignore them). And in turn the oar was just a schmot monke copying what it already saw in nature: fins.
So a aquatic Iron Tiger isn't going to be a submarine! It's going to be-
Ok, now Real Talk with @HeroCooky, as the Iron Tiger fuel thing revealed, there's a lot of potential for disruption when you introduce an out of context object like a mech into what is otherwise a... fairly realistic historical AU. Because:
That is if the Laufpanzer would be useless. It is anything but, cheaper than any tank by nearly half and capable of wielding an equivalent in firepower. Their armor is shockingly advanced, capable of resisting modern tank fire with moderate difficulty despite its amateurish application across the machine. The hydraulics and internal machinery are so incredibly rugged you were shocked to see one half-rusted Laufpanzer function with nearly no loss in mobility despite half of its internals nothing more than rust. To say nothing of the electronics within that can hold up to modern equivalents with ease but beat those by miles in durability.
The fact that a mech is cheaper than a tank is... particularly noteworthy. Because if a military mech is cheaper than a tank, it sort of implies that a civilian mech would be cheaper than like, a truck? Maybe? Does it mean that we can make legged vehicles that are cheaper than wheeled ones? Are we going to see bull shaped agricultural mechs? Horse shaped cargo carriers? Is Guangchou just going to go: lol, roads?
Which, is a pretty fun take? Like, this quest seems to have organically ended up in the same spot as the Progenitor setting for Wild Talents, in that it's a unique blend of silliness and realism, where there's obviously wacky elements, but their consequences are explored seriously. And 'Cold War, but Gay!NorthKorea has mechs' is such a delightfully wild pitch. At the same time, I want to be sure this is something the GM is actually interested in writing about, or if it would be preferable to contain the weirdness to just 'military land vehicles' and leave it at that?
I'd like that please, and that would make sense, because old Mingsu is mostly working outside of country. Inside is where he is keeping resources and search for talents to cultivate. And considering the fact that in omake he ordered to destroy American sensor and radio tower, in a way that may be blamed on Japanese people, it would make sense if that would distract USA from current Fish situation and would give our glorious leader some help with current problem.
I mean, I have on my phone more calculating power than Soviet Union had when they send first Sputnik in the world into space, First man into space, and more calculating power then NASA during the moon landing. So calculating power is actually pretty Rad.
The fact that a mech is cheaper than a tank is... particularly noteworthy. Because if a military mech is cheaper than a tank, it sort of implies that a civilian mech would be cheaper than like, a truck? Maybe? Does it mean that we can make legged vehicles that are cheaper than wheeled ones? Are we going to see bull shaped agricultural mechs? Horse shaped cargo carriers? Is Guangchou just going to go: lol, roads?
Now, tbf, tanks are steadily getting fancier so there's really no way trucks will ever get cheaper than mechs. Unless you make a transforming mech-truck! Truck-mech? Hmmm…
Anyways, tanks. Each iteration's always getting bigger and more complex upgrades than last generation's. Plus I'm pretty sure that the 'cheaper than a tank' thing was written with a rough-ish 1:1 size comparison in mind with a similar weapon and equipment loadout. No doubt a bigger mech with fancier gear would be way more expensive than your standard Russian T-series export. Not to mention the amount of resource and manpower Guangchou's pumped into the project just to get us to the "produce cheaper-than-tank mechs" stage.
