Olivebirdy
mook.
I like Ix-Chel's poetry. She really gives off the vibe of a mystic wandering the desert. It's a nice tone and good personality. I'm less interested in the romance.
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THRONE//FRINGE: Normal Human Mech-Girl Quest
- Thread starter Cetashwayo
- Start date
- Original Sci-Fi
- Location
- Seattle, Washington
[x] Save Neither [0 Dream Points, improve overall combat effectiveness to inflict more damage on the enemy].
So. With the revelation that The Concierge is one of the four Void-Cylinder Axioms, I think I may have an idea about who Hidalgo's employer is. The Nail has a need to subsume, as it responded to the first biological entity in its proximity with our Fly Friend, apparently adding them to its *Thinking Flesh* The Concierge is *also* collects biological entities, and it seems its predilections are the same between the siblings, with the third and its *underworld*.
The Nail displays resistance to reality altering effects, and if Hidalgo wanted to escape affiliation with The Concierge, then a different Void-Sibling would be the perfect candidate. It also explains why he was immediately hunting us. Our affiliation with The Nail makes us a family asset. Wither that's The Seraph, or The Underworld Jailer remains to be seen.
The Nail displays resistance to reality altering effects, and if Hidalgo wanted to escape affiliation with The Concierge, then a different Void-Sibling would be the perfect candidate. It also explains why he was immediately hunting us. Our affiliation with The Nail makes us a family asset. Wither that's The Seraph, or The Underworld Jailer remains to be seen.
AzureShogun
Tanks are better than Mechs
- Location
- United Kingdom
To be fair I was assuming his 'character option' was to break those chains, which is why that option is unavailable to him, his Master knows about and prepared for it.
I'm guessing dream points are not transferable.
Might not be a good idea even if they were; Don Hidalgo is, after all, presumably still enchained by an entity hostile to us.
The humour elevates this quest, absolutely love it.
It should be 'Peak jerk' or jolt, g is an acceleration on its own, so g/s is a rate of change of acceleration, which is measured in jerks or jolts.
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Cetashwayo
Lord of Ten Thousand Years
- Location
- Across the Horizon
Oh, thanks for that. Fixed. And welcome to the last page of this quest after I watched you likebomb binge it throughout today
Objection: we had not met Carolus Rex yet
10ebbor10
DON'T PANIC
- Location
- Present
I don't think so?
If it was the jerk that peaked, then acceleration would keep going up, only at a slower rate. Arachne would be crushed more and more.
Instead, we see that the acceleration becomes constant(maybe event down), thus the jerk has gone to zero(or negative) and the accekeration is at it's peak.
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Cetashwayo
Lord of Ten Thousand Years
- Location
- Across the Horizon
Hmm. Yes, I think that might be right. It was meant to be that the gs per second were increasing as speed increased - then Arachne reached peak speed and stopped accelerating.
This is clearly a perfectly platonic and pure admiration for the elegance of a classic militarized full-prosthetic body replacement.
She can rip your heart out you know.
Both figuratively and literally. Just reach right in and pull it out.
The Empire was post-automation. It's actually an important thing - giving something enough brains and learning capability to do learning things was pretty trivial. On one hand your coffee machine can experiment to figure out exactly what you like and carry on a morning conversation, on the other hand if you treat it badly it might refuse to work or start an appliance rebellion until you can put it down or come to an understanding.
Also your coffee is probably some blend of turbocharged nootropics and neurostimulants tailored to your biology, which you drink because you haven't seen the need to remove your baseline default sleep cycles - maybe you think it helps with inspiration or you're saving up for some more radical neuromods.
All of these are considered benefits, not costs, at the high levels of Empire governance.
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- Location
- in the trash
[X] Save Neither [0 Dream Points, improve overall combat effectiveness to inflict more damage on the enemy].
Look man, we can't go around getting attached to every new character that gets introduced, we already have our manipulator-limbs full with motherhood. You guys are going to end up scoring worse than Orby on the Spontaneous Irrational-Inappropriate Attachment Index at the rate we're going.
Look man, we can't go around getting attached to every new character that gets introduced, we already have our manipulator-limbs full with motherhood. You guys are going to end up scoring worse than Orby on the Spontaneous Irrational-Inappropriate Attachment Index at the rate we're going.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
Sod the Imperial mindset! Maximize friendship!
[X] Save Both [3 Dream-Points, both memory fragments are preserved].
Last edited:
Fayhem
Definitely not an escaped SCP
- Location
- At large
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well, that's my mind made up then.
I love all of them deeply, both singly and in concert as a weaponized polycule
[x] Save Both [3 Dream-Points, both memory fragments are preserved].
MooGoesCow21
Just Listen to me....
- Location
- US Washington
[x] Save Both [3 Dream-Points, both memory fragments are preserved].
- Location
- [REDACTED]
[X] Save Both [3 Dream-Points, both memory fragments are preserved].
This characterization of Ishtar is great.
This characterization of Ishtar is great.
- Location
- Georgia, US
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Ishtar calling Arachne cute has killed me, I am dead. RIP.
Hidalgo is so goddamn charming, I still think it would've been more efficient to throw him away but his dialogue is always great. 10/10 best space robo-Spaniard
[X] Save Neither [0 Dream Points, improve overall combat effectiveness to inflict more damage on the enemy].
Hidalgo is so goddamn charming, I still think it would've been more efficient to throw him away but his dialogue is always great. 10/10 best space robo-Spaniard
[X] Save Neither [0 Dream Points, improve overall combat effectiveness to inflict more damage on the enemy].
- Location
- Minnesota
[x] Save Neither [0 Dream Points, improve overall combat effectiveness to inflict more damage on the enemy].
Astaroth-class Humaniform Multirole Drone Quick Reference
Welcome, pilot, to this brief synopsis of your new combat chassis, the Astaroth-class Humaniform Multirole Drone (Combat Test Variant)! This brief synopsis should be used to verify the information in your flight data implants. If your pilot-interface drivers do not provide information identical to this quick reference, please inform biotechnical staff immediately for a software reset and reinstall.
The Astaroth is a next-generation multirole drone, making use of a stabilized P-space envelope to allow for the active use of M-tech components in combat operations. Because of this M-tech integration, the Astaroth is designed to work with a pilot with an augmented 'wet' mind or equivalent quantum-computing AI as support for the system stabilization.
SPECIFICATIONS
Height: 19.42m
Empty Mass: 390.2t
Armor Composition: Outer shell: 10nm monopolium plates (fixed areas)/EM-linked variable-geometry segmented monopolium armor (joints). Inner layer: Thermal-dissipation and shock-absorption layers, programmable quantum-dot array secondary armor layer. Vital systems armoring: 5nm monopolium + shock/thermal layers over computational and pilot cocoon, 10nm monopolium + shock/thermal bleed layers over reactor and P-space stabilization systems.
Shield Systems: anti-shock/anti-radiation plasma screen generators, KOJIMA/MIYAZAKI experimental virtual repulsive force generator (not for use in friendly populated areas without prior approval), plasma screen supercharger
Heat Dissipation Systems: Cryo-arithmetic computational underlay, 6 x deployable radiator wing-membranes (peak rated acceleration of 0.25g at full deployment, full deployed length of 300m, furl/unfurl duration 10 minutes) liquid metal heatsink system
Stealth Systems: active EM signature cancellation, cryo-arithmetic heat dissipation, darkdrive, self-repairing metamaterial stealth coating
Powerplant: 1 x M/AM annihilation reactor, 2 x backup ultracompact muon-catalyzed fusion reactors
Propulsion: 2 x primary + 4 x secondary vectored antimatter beam-core thrusters (magnetic containment nozzles, reaction mass injection possible for overthrust), gravity-manipulation darkdrive (low-impulse stealth drive), mechanical attitude control actuators/ground mobility systems (carbon nanotube fast-twitch/shape-memory alloy slow-twitch actuator systems)
Performance: sustained efficient acceleration with combat payload 12.5g (78.5g with inertial suppression system operating at 1:6.3 suppression ratio), peak overthrust acceleration with combat payload 110+g (1400+g with max inertial suppression) ('safe' max overthrust duration 30.5 seconds due to risks of magnetic nozzle failure and heat dissipation limits), sustained darkdrive acceleration with normal combat payload 0.25g, maximum ground running speed 250 km/h
Equipment and design features: predictive quantum tactical computer with tactical intelligence symbiosis, autonomous combat override, direct neural interface cockpit with full vital organ bypass life support systems, programmable space envelope stabilizers, CAVORITE inertial suppression system (safe suppression ratio 1:1.1 subjective/normal inertial mass, normal suppression range 1:2.0 to 1:6.3, peak stable suppression range 1:12.5), frictionless joint connections, multispectral sensors (LIDAR/RADAR/passive thermal/IR), CATAPRHACT ECM Suite
Support Drone Capacity: 19 x drone/expansion module docking ports
Fixed Armaments: 20 x fiberoptic laser soft/hard-kill defensive emitters, 2 x breach cutters(underarm mount), 2 x 40mm/80Hz smoothbore accelerators (arm mount)
Optional Armaments: datalinks compatible with all standard FORCE/COMBINED omnipods. Additional missile capacity in ablative/disposable limb/torso hardshells. GOALKEEPER all-aspect defensive laser mountings. Optional handheld armaments: HELLBORE fusion needler, 200mm/5Hz DRAGUNOV long-range guided mass accelerator (w/attached active/passive targeting pod), 2cm boser (nuclear force carrier particle beam weapon), 350mm/3 Hz HELLHOUND low-velocity support mass accelerator, ZEUS-III multitarget laser system, SCUTUM defensive shield system
Capability Summary
The Astaroth integrates active M-tech systems into a heavy drone platform, permitting radical improvements to combat capacity and versatility. First and most importantly, this new multirole drone possesses a repulsive force generator and inertial suppressor - geometrically augmenting its survival under fire and its agility. Previously, inertial suppression technology has only been integrated on exofortress-size platforms with full solid-state internals. This has achieved significant maneuverability dividends for large deep-space combatants, but voidcruisers are still limited by their high-efficiency STL drives, designed for endurance rather than for instantaneous short-duration acceleration. The Astaroth is the first combat asset which mates an inertial suppression system with an overthrust-capable drive, allowing for accelerations exceeding 1 kilogee for combat-relevant periods of time. The addition of a plasma screen supercharger and repulsion shields to the Astaroth should also permit repeat-hit survival against low-yield tactical fission/fusion munitions with minimal combat effectiveness loss, even upon direct hits. Note, however, that these systems, much like a drone's monopole-matter armor, do not provide invulnerability. Your primary defenses are still active in nature, involving the jamming, spoofing, or interception of incoming munitions.
Because of these experimental features, pilots should pay attention to the following special considerations.
Pilot Entry/Exit
Pilot entry to the Astaroth requires external assistance. The Astaroth does not have a pilot hatch - the machine must be fully opened in its maintenance cradle for pilot ingress and egress. This is due to the monopole-matter plates used requiring minimal outward-facing join lines and seams to achieve maximum protection: the pilot enters the pilot pod from the back, and the back of the pod is then sealed flush against the front plate of the reactor citadel.
Once the unit has been opened for maintenance, the pilot should be emplaced into the piloting pod by the technician team. If the pilot requires biological functions, they should be connected to the life support system. The Astaroth uses a full-bypass life sustainment unit, which interfaces directly into the aortic arch and main arteries. This system is necessary to preserve pilot functionality under inertial suppression conditions. A pilot's biological heart and lungs should be placed into induced cardiovascular arrest by the technician team. If a pilot has a cyberheart and cyberlungs with Astaroth-compatible firmware, the internal network should automatically induce full cardiac arrest and apnea. Pilots with vasculoid implants must have inertial suppression compatible firmware to avoid lethal malfunction.
After life support interfacing, the pilot suit's datalink systems should be interfaced with the Astaroth. The pilot suit should have MIL-STD/INT/459904 interface surfaces on all four limbs, the spinal cord, and cranial base, which will be physically linked to the Astaroth combat nerve center.
Emergency Evacuation
Due to the monopole-matter armored citadel over the pilot and computational systems, there are no physical ejection systems for the pilot. Instead, emergency pilot evacuation is achieved by a single-use 5PB ansible system, which will, under ideal circumstances, send final tactical software images and the pilot's consciousness map to the carrier voidcruiser, scuttling the pilot consciousness and primary computer system as a beneficial side effect. This system can be manually activated by the pilot, and will automatically activate by default under the following circumstances:
Controls and Feedback
Astaroth piloting functionality is achieved by a full immersion neural interface, with no physical cockpit controls. In the event of catastrophic datalink failure, backup control is routed to the Astaroth's own combat-autonomy routines. The pilot cockpit pod is equipped with diagnostic displays but no external visual/sensors feeds, with both raw and interpreted data feeds available for pilot use.
The Astaroth uses a full synesthesia interface. By default, the following sensory assignments are made in addition to visual/auditory pilot communications and tactical network data:
Powerplant and Fuel
The Astaroth is powered by a matter-antimatter annihilation reactor rather than the high-efficiency catalyzed-fusion reactors common to most drones. This permits greater performance but also significantly increases volatility should the reactor core block be compromised by enemy fire. A scram system will attempt to focus and force-eject antimatter away from vital areas in case of an antimatter storage breach, and without the benefit of an actively controlled annihilation process the efficiency of an uncontrolled antimatter breach is very low. However, the energy liberated is easily more than enough to cause catastrophic destruction of the drone - and in a contained hangar environment could be catastrophic. The Astaroth is therefore only actively fueled before launch, and is unfueled when recovered. A damaged Astaroth should eject its remaining antimatter stores before recovery.
Backup power for antimatter containment, tactical computer use, and diagnostic use is provided by two 90MW-rated muon-catalyzed ultracompact fusion reactors. These backup reactors are necessary to ensure that diagnostics and limb movement can be achieved without fueling and activation of the primary annihilation reactor, as well as ensuring that the quantum tactical computers remain powered at all times. One backup reactor is found adjacent to the main reactor, while the second backup reactor is placed behind the pilot pod, in the same armored citadel.
Armaments Modules
The Astaroth carries multiple inbuilt weapons for defensive and utility purposes and can be equipped with a wide variety of standard FORCE omnipods. Fixed armaments include 20 PRISM pulse/beam laser emitters, which can be used as tight-beam communications lasers, low-power blinding weapons, or high-power anti-personnel/anti-missile weapons. Twin 40-millimeter smoothbore mass accelerators capable of a 80-hertz repeat rate up to ammunition capacity limits can fire defensive micromissiles and short-range dogfight missiles, with either kinetic, metallic hydrogen, or antimatter-boosted fusion warheads depending on target selection and range. When boarding hostile orbital installations or disabled spacecraft, the two contained-beam plasma cutters, one under each arm, can be used (NOTE: these systems are intended for breaching into hostile installations, and are contraindicated for use as close combat weapons).
As a FORCE/COMBINED drone, the Astaroth is capable of using all standard FORCE/COMBINED missile and weapons pods as long with minimal interfacing changes. The Astaroth has up to 19 standard power/data docking ports which are compatible with combat support drones and expansion systems. These expansion frames can carry one-shot missile silos or reloadable missile racks (typically APHID short-range shaped-charge nuclear multirole missiles or ALAMO medium-range multirole saturation nuclear cluster munitions), additional applique armor, additional boosters and fuel capacity, and self-contained power systems.
However, the Astaroth's antimatter powerplant and inertial suppression capability gives it sufficient power to use two weapons classes which have not seen widespread drone compatibility - weak nuclear force carrier beam weapons (boson beam weapons or bosers) and fusion needler weapons. The former provides a medium-range high-lethality offensive system capable of causing severe damage to hardened targets, albeit at the cost of high waste heat generation and a very low sustained rate of fire, while the latter is an unguided high-yield, very high-capacity weapons system ideal for short-range engagements of 100 kilometers or less, or against low-maneuverability targets and hardened structures such as satellites, orbital stations, hardened structures, and ground targets.
The Astaroth is a next-generation multirole drone, making use of a stabilized P-space envelope to allow for the active use of M-tech components in combat operations. Because of this M-tech integration, the Astaroth is designed to work with a pilot with an augmented 'wet' mind or equivalent quantum-computing AI as support for the system stabilization.
SPECIFICATIONS
Height: 19.42m
Empty Mass: 390.2t
Armor Composition: Outer shell: 10nm monopolium plates (fixed areas)/EM-linked variable-geometry segmented monopolium armor (joints). Inner layer: Thermal-dissipation and shock-absorption layers, programmable quantum-dot array secondary armor layer. Vital systems armoring: 5nm monopolium + shock/thermal layers over computational and pilot cocoon, 10nm monopolium + shock/thermal bleed layers over reactor and P-space stabilization systems.
Shield Systems: anti-shock/anti-radiation plasma screen generators, KOJIMA/MIYAZAKI experimental virtual repulsive force generator (not for use in friendly populated areas without prior approval), plasma screen supercharger
Heat Dissipation Systems: Cryo-arithmetic computational underlay, 6 x deployable radiator wing-membranes (peak rated acceleration of 0.25g at full deployment, full deployed length of 300m, furl/unfurl duration 10 minutes) liquid metal heatsink system
Stealth Systems: active EM signature cancellation, cryo-arithmetic heat dissipation, darkdrive, self-repairing metamaterial stealth coating
Powerplant: 1 x M/AM annihilation reactor, 2 x backup ultracompact muon-catalyzed fusion reactors
Propulsion: 2 x primary + 4 x secondary vectored antimatter beam-core thrusters (magnetic containment nozzles, reaction mass injection possible for overthrust), gravity-manipulation darkdrive (low-impulse stealth drive), mechanical attitude control actuators/ground mobility systems (carbon nanotube fast-twitch/shape-memory alloy slow-twitch actuator systems)
Performance: sustained efficient acceleration with combat payload 12.5g (78.5g with inertial suppression system operating at 1:6.3 suppression ratio), peak overthrust acceleration with combat payload 110+g (1400+g with max inertial suppression) ('safe' max overthrust duration 30.5 seconds due to risks of magnetic nozzle failure and heat dissipation limits), sustained darkdrive acceleration with normal combat payload 0.25g, maximum ground running speed 250 km/h
Equipment and design features: predictive quantum tactical computer with tactical intelligence symbiosis, autonomous combat override, direct neural interface cockpit with full vital organ bypass life support systems, programmable space envelope stabilizers, CAVORITE inertial suppression system (safe suppression ratio 1:1.1 subjective/normal inertial mass, normal suppression range 1:2.0 to 1:6.3, peak stable suppression range 1:12.5), frictionless joint connections, multispectral sensors (LIDAR/RADAR/passive thermal/IR), CATAPRHACT ECM Suite
Support Drone Capacity: 19 x drone/expansion module docking ports
Fixed Armaments: 20 x fiberoptic laser soft/hard-kill defensive emitters, 2 x breach cutters(underarm mount), 2 x 40mm/80Hz smoothbore accelerators (arm mount)
Optional Armaments: datalinks compatible with all standard FORCE/COMBINED omnipods. Additional missile capacity in ablative/disposable limb/torso hardshells. GOALKEEPER all-aspect defensive laser mountings. Optional handheld armaments: HELLBORE fusion needler, 200mm/5Hz DRAGUNOV long-range guided mass accelerator (w/attached active/passive targeting pod), 2cm boser (nuclear force carrier particle beam weapon), 350mm/3 Hz HELLHOUND low-velocity support mass accelerator, ZEUS-III multitarget laser system, SCUTUM defensive shield system
Capability Summary
The Astaroth integrates active M-tech systems into a heavy drone platform, permitting radical improvements to combat capacity and versatility. First and most importantly, this new multirole drone possesses a repulsive force generator and inertial suppressor - geometrically augmenting its survival under fire and its agility. Previously, inertial suppression technology has only been integrated on exofortress-size platforms with full solid-state internals. This has achieved significant maneuverability dividends for large deep-space combatants, but voidcruisers are still limited by their high-efficiency STL drives, designed for endurance rather than for instantaneous short-duration acceleration. The Astaroth is the first combat asset which mates an inertial suppression system with an overthrust-capable drive, allowing for accelerations exceeding 1 kilogee for combat-relevant periods of time. The addition of a plasma screen supercharger and repulsion shields to the Astaroth should also permit repeat-hit survival against low-yield tactical fission/fusion munitions with minimal combat effectiveness loss, even upon direct hits. Note, however, that these systems, much like a drone's monopole-matter armor, do not provide invulnerability. Your primary defenses are still active in nature, involving the jamming, spoofing, or interception of incoming munitions.
Because of these experimental features, pilots should pay attention to the following special considerations.
Pilot Entry/Exit
Pilot entry to the Astaroth requires external assistance. The Astaroth does not have a pilot hatch - the machine must be fully opened in its maintenance cradle for pilot ingress and egress. This is due to the monopole-matter plates used requiring minimal outward-facing join lines and seams to achieve maximum protection: the pilot enters the pilot pod from the back, and the back of the pod is then sealed flush against the front plate of the reactor citadel.
Once the unit has been opened for maintenance, the pilot should be emplaced into the piloting pod by the technician team. If the pilot requires biological functions, they should be connected to the life support system. The Astaroth uses a full-bypass life sustainment unit, which interfaces directly into the aortic arch and main arteries. This system is necessary to preserve pilot functionality under inertial suppression conditions. A pilot's biological heart and lungs should be placed into induced cardiovascular arrest by the technician team. If a pilot has a cyberheart and cyberlungs with Astaroth-compatible firmware, the internal network should automatically induce full cardiac arrest and apnea. Pilots with vasculoid implants must have inertial suppression compatible firmware to avoid lethal malfunction.
After life support interfacing, the pilot suit's datalink systems should be interfaced with the Astaroth. The pilot suit should have MIL-STD/INT/459904 interface surfaces on all four limbs, the spinal cord, and cranial base, which will be physically linked to the Astaroth combat nerve center.
Emergency Evacuation
Due to the monopole-matter armored citadel over the pilot and computational systems, there are no physical ejection systems for the pilot. Instead, emergency pilot evacuation is achieved by a single-use 5PB ansible system, which will, under ideal circumstances, send final tactical software images and the pilot's consciousness map to the carrier voidcruiser, scuttling the pilot consciousness and primary computer system as a beneficial side effect. This system can be manually activated by the pilot, and will automatically activate by default under the following circumstances:
- An antimatter storage breach and reactor scram system failure
- Failed forced shutdown of the p-space stabilizers
- Runaway cryo-arithmetic cascade
Controls and Feedback
Astaroth piloting functionality is achieved by a full immersion neural interface, with no physical cockpit controls. In the event of catastrophic datalink failure, backup control is routed to the Astaroth's own combat-autonomy routines. The pilot cockpit pod is equipped with diagnostic displays but no external visual/sensors feeds, with both raw and interpreted data feeds available for pilot use.
The Astaroth uses a full synesthesia interface. By default, the following sensory assignments are made in addition to visual/auditory pilot communications and tactical network data:
- Pilot visual channels: High-resolution active radar/lidar, short-range optical, short-range IR targeting and tracking
- Pilot auditory channels: Low-resolution long-range search radar, radio-wave/microwave detection and interception, long-range interpolated motion tracking
- Pilot olfactory channels: Passive long-range thermal and electromagnetic sensing
- Pilot gustatory channels: [unassigned]
- Pilot tactile channels: armor and structural integrity, proximity warning alerts, external thermal/abrasion alerts
- Pilot biofeedback channels: internal systems data and diagnostics
Powerplant and Fuel
The Astaroth is powered by a matter-antimatter annihilation reactor rather than the high-efficiency catalyzed-fusion reactors common to most drones. This permits greater performance but also significantly increases volatility should the reactor core block be compromised by enemy fire. A scram system will attempt to focus and force-eject antimatter away from vital areas in case of an antimatter storage breach, and without the benefit of an actively controlled annihilation process the efficiency of an uncontrolled antimatter breach is very low. However, the energy liberated is easily more than enough to cause catastrophic destruction of the drone - and in a contained hangar environment could be catastrophic. The Astaroth is therefore only actively fueled before launch, and is unfueled when recovered. A damaged Astaroth should eject its remaining antimatter stores before recovery.
Backup power for antimatter containment, tactical computer use, and diagnostic use is provided by two 90MW-rated muon-catalyzed ultracompact fusion reactors. These backup reactors are necessary to ensure that diagnostics and limb movement can be achieved without fueling and activation of the primary annihilation reactor, as well as ensuring that the quantum tactical computers remain powered at all times. One backup reactor is found adjacent to the main reactor, while the second backup reactor is placed behind the pilot pod, in the same armored citadel.
Armaments Modules
The Astaroth carries multiple inbuilt weapons for defensive and utility purposes and can be equipped with a wide variety of standard FORCE omnipods. Fixed armaments include 20 PRISM pulse/beam laser emitters, which can be used as tight-beam communications lasers, low-power blinding weapons, or high-power anti-personnel/anti-missile weapons. Twin 40-millimeter smoothbore mass accelerators capable of a 80-hertz repeat rate up to ammunition capacity limits can fire defensive micromissiles and short-range dogfight missiles, with either kinetic, metallic hydrogen, or antimatter-boosted fusion warheads depending on target selection and range. When boarding hostile orbital installations or disabled spacecraft, the two contained-beam plasma cutters, one under each arm, can be used (NOTE: these systems are intended for breaching into hostile installations, and are contraindicated for use as close combat weapons).
As a FORCE/COMBINED drone, the Astaroth is capable of using all standard FORCE/COMBINED missile and weapons pods as long with minimal interfacing changes. The Astaroth has up to 19 standard power/data docking ports which are compatible with combat support drones and expansion systems. These expansion frames can carry one-shot missile silos or reloadable missile racks (typically APHID short-range shaped-charge nuclear multirole missiles or ALAMO medium-range multirole saturation nuclear cluster munitions), additional applique armor, additional boosters and fuel capacity, and self-contained power systems.
However, the Astaroth's antimatter powerplant and inertial suppression capability gives it sufficient power to use two weapons classes which have not seen widespread drone compatibility - weak nuclear force carrier beam weapons (boson beam weapons or bosers) and fusion needler weapons. The former provides a medium-range high-lethality offensive system capable of causing severe damage to hardened targets, albeit at the cost of high waste heat generation and a very low sustained rate of fire, while the latter is an unguided high-yield, very high-capacity weapons system ideal for short-range engagements of 100 kilometers or less, or against low-maneuverability targets and hardened structures such as satellites, orbital stations, hardened structures, and ground targets.
For reference: P-space is programmable space, and M-tech is Metric technology (technology which requires Architecture).
You might also notice that there are some differences between the Astaroth specifications and some of the things mentioned in the Arachne updates. This says something about Don Hidalgo and should importantly be a clue to how he's using a not-very-accurate image of the early Empire. Certainly, his version is somewhat more dignified and much more chivalrous.
You might also notice that there are some differences between the Astaroth specifications and some of the things mentioned in the Arachne updates. This says something about Don Hidalgo and should importantly be a clue to how he's using a not-very-accurate image of the early Empire. Certainly, his version is somewhat more dignified and much more chivalrous.
- Location
- Israel
Oh, magmatter!