Falling Skies: Tigres Team (Sci-Fi, Mecha, Space Odyssey/Opera)

[jasonwolf]

@vietmyke Just gonna break this down into numbers for ease.

1. That's just a failure on my part. I meant for them to have always been engineers not pilots, so I'll make sure that is more clear.

2. I was hoping Izic might be a sort of sympathized deserter. He seems the type to actually rebel and hate the UEE. The Coalition are his kind of people working class down to earth. Alice meanwhile is high military ranking and it is bizarre to be leaving the UEE. Honestly though I can work this story however we need.

3. Izic tried to be a whistleblower first. He went to his commander and told him that the scientists didn't want to continue developing these sorts of weapons. The commander saw it as treason/rebellion, so he got military back up (the security staff was also split by the weapons.) With the fact that his own military came in and wiped out any resistance/possible rebellion. As for telling normal people he didn't think he'd be able to get anything done that way. He didn't have any power or push in that world, especially not against the UEE military.

4. I suppose that is true. I definitely don't want him to be some sort of hot shot ace, but if he needs more skill I can balance that in. I want his strength to be that while he isn't some prodigy his personal experience with MAS lets him do things other pilots can't.

I'm thinking now that I could kind of rework that into him being very quick to understand and analyze MAS, so that he can fight better. He picks up how the pilot is working. He notices specific strengths and weaknesses of individual MAS. He isn't the best pilot, but he can take advantage of other MAS better than others. If he's on the front line he can engage enemy MAS find their weak points develop a diagnostic and give that to the better pilots.

It's very much why his MAS is ALL defense. he's not supposed to be the direct threat.

5. The thought was that he'd use it with the robotic arm, but I can ton that all back. Figured I'd go bigger for the sci-fi nature of the setting. So long as it keeps the blunderbuss feature I'm happy.

6. I wasn't certain if I wanted to go with that or not. Medium had enough weight for all the defense items available, so I went with that. If I can put on more defense with a heavy I'd happily jump up to it. The point of Atlas is to be massive front line MAS. It is a pain to deal with even while it won't deal that much damage. I had the image of Atlases running into missiles and heavy fire to cover allied units. First and foremost it is there to take abuse so everyone else can work better. Something I think fit the engineer idea.

[vietmyke]

@jasonwolf I'm no where near organized enough to deliver things in numbers so I'm just gonna make comments as the pop out to me.

I'm thinking now that I could kind of rework that into him being very quick to understand and analyze MAS, so that he can fight better. He picks up how the pilot is working. He notices specific strengths and weaknesses of individual MAS. He isn't the best pilot, but he can take advantage of other MAS better than others. If he's on the front line he can engage enemy MAS find their weak points develop a diagnostic and give that to the better pilots.

@jasonwolf

This, I like this. This is extremely solid. As far as his MAS goes, all defense is nice, but if he has no teeth, no one's going to bother engaging him- Why would I bother shooting at the metal brick that can't shoot back at me? I can't hurt it, but it sure as hell can't hurt me, move on. It can be a nuisance, sure, what with it running in front of oncoming fire, but its just a nuisance. Enemies can be numerous enough to just weave past or completely ignore him. With some extra weight and power abilities, you could take a page from the UEE sparrow and use a Shield and weapon combo- like the Sparrow's shield mounted missiles. You could give him a second shield, and he can mount them on his forearms like a oversized blunt, blade and use them to smash enemies within melee range.

Honestly, a support/engineer character like Izic would go great with a machine based around electronic warfare and disruption rather than tanking, keeping in the background to relay information to his comrades, and taking opportunities to strike as they come. Its also pretty hard to tank with MAS warfare, all things considered. Even as heavily armored as the Atlas currently is, a few well placed plasma shots would punch through his shields, melt his armor, and slag his cockpit- Granted, its better than being destroyed by one or two plasma shots.

As far as his background goes, I understand that's what you're going for, but as it is, we're looking at 40% former UEE pilots in a Coalition black ops team. We could sort of spin it as he's the only real former UEE pilot, as Alice has spent a stint in the FEZ as a rogue, but you can sort of understand where I'm coming from yes?

@EnterTheHero - If your character is the 'Rookie' of the team, he's likely not seen enough time to field test prototypes- and the Fafnir's have been in mass production for several months now so most of the original field testing groups have already completed their analysis and the Fafnir's are seeing limited production for specialty units (IE the Tigres Team). This is ironically a conversation I'm currently having via pm with another player, but being a prototype pilot is not nearly as exciting as it sounds. As a prototype pilot you get to sit in the cockpit in a lab and do whatever the techs tell you to do- IE, walk, run, jump, move your arms, etc. After which, the machine would then be taken to a field test combat unit to test its potential. Its not nearly as exciting as it all sounds. If you want to be the rookie, I'd like you to stick with the standard HMT Fafnir, though you can make the slight edits here and there, like the weapon loadouts- (you can make up a few 'standard' weapons, if you'd like, though EKP weapons are probably not standard), and then we can work the rookie up to a new machine later on in the game.

[Ciphra]

This is ironically a conversation I'm currently having via pm with another player,

@vietmyke

Hey again guys :p

And on that note I'm glad we found a way to make it work at least XD

[EnterTheHero]

@vietmyke That's what I assumed. All right, then- slightly-edited HMT it is.

[jasonwolf]

@vietmyke Just while prototypes are being talked about i was thinking if we last long enough Izic might have a secret project in the works (not necessarily secret, but you get the point).

I mean he is an engineer the idea that he has a prototype MAS hes worked on with the coalition makes sense right?

I didnt want to start with that kind of thing though.

As for the atlas i guess ill bulk him up and turn him into forward comand in a sense. Walking command post from which Izic can provide support and guidance or aid. I would like one special thing for it though. Drones. Little drones so Izic can see the front line as he wishes.

It lets him have that observe learn destroy skill, but remaim in the back as the support and ill figure out offense soon.

[FrostedCaramel]

Drones. Little drones so Izic can see the front line as he wishes.

@jasonwolf

Could always just have him be able to tap into friendly MAS and see from their point of view as well.

[Slamurai]

@Aristo No real criticisms for Alice, seeing as she's been used in another RP before, She'd of course have to deal with suspicion from other members of the team because of her background but that's to be expected. Just need to make the minor background/lore tweaks we discussed earlier and she should be good to go. Same goes with her Gladiator.

@vietmyke

You got it!

[Slamurai]

@vietmyke
Added a few lines here and there to reflect the circumstances we mentioned previously.

Alice Lau

Name: Lau, Alice
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Nationality: UEE
Callsign/Codename: Swallowtail
Kills: 48

Psychological Analysis: Alice has grown something of an independent streak since falling out with the UEE. She is loathe to appear inferior to other MA pilots, especially those of civilian origin. As a result, she is fickle and haughty, yet her experiences in the UEE have honed her skill in the cockpit and the need for team cohesion is not lost on her. She is more likely to operate semi-independently during operations, though her actions do take the mission parameters into consideration at the given time. Alice is confident in her abilities, and if she feels she is in a position to take advantage of them, she will not hesitate to do so.
The nature of the actions committed by herself and her squad left Alice with a resentment for the UEE military, but has also desensitized her to many wartime sights that would churn stomachs. Morally, there are still lines Alice is reluctant to cross, but for the most part, she has grown to anticipate and even expect the worst of human nature. Morally ambiguous missions that might cause second thoughts for some are met by her with little objection – as far as she is concerned, nothing has been worse than the atrocities she's already committed.

Employment Record: Prior to joining the ranks of C-MAD, Alice served with the UEE's newly-created 106th SOMAC - Special Operations Mobile Armor Corps. She'd been recruited from among the ranks of highly-decorated fighter pilots; her rapid-fire decision-making capabilities and knack for improvisation under pressure landed her a seat in a mobile armor. Her detachment operated along a theoretical border between several fringe UEE and Coalition worlds comparable to the Free-Enterprise Zone. For much of her service history, Alice's unit conducted patrols in the region, scouting for signs of buildup to a Coalition offensive and screening incoming and outgoing traffic in UEE-controlled space.

At a particularly critical junction in the war, Alice's unit was among several dispatched to put down pro-Coalition insurrections on a cluster of neutral colonies close to the border. When they arrived, they did indeed find Coalition-sponsored activity, and fighting between the special forces and guerrilla separatists erupted around the colonies. Despite the colonies' administrations having little to do with the Coalition's network in the region, UEE High Command distinguished little between the colonists and the separatists. When it was clear that the pro-Coalition fighters would not be halted by conventional means, it devised a brutal operation to root out and destroy any possibility of lingering separatist movements.

Alice's unit was unknowingly armed with a deadly chemical agent under the guise of a powerful anesthetic for the purpose of knocking out civilians and making it easier to transport them to safety. In reality, UEE High Command planned to use the gas to wipe out the colony populations – thereby eradicating all traces of separatist activity. The horror that Alice and her unit faced when they witnessed the effects of the chemical agent Alice dispersed by their own hand, no less – shook them to their cores. At the conclusion of the operation, Alice and her unit were awarded with decorations for “defending the integrity of UEE space,” and forced to keep a strict silence regarding the details of their mission.

Alice's unit struggled with a wavering sense of loyalty to the UEE and the realization of being used to perpetrate a war crime lingered on its shoulders. Some continued serving, either forgetting or trying to forget; others tried to justify the operation to themselves, while others left the service or defected. Alice had decided to abandon the UEE altogether, along with a handful of others who had become resentful of their former loyalties. Knowing full well they'd be branded as deserters and possibly hunted down, the former soldiers settled in the Free-Enterprise Zone. Rather than eke out the rest of her life in regret, Alice didn’t abandon the cockpit. Instead, she came forth to Coalition authorities with sensitive UEE information, along with a request to defect.

This information could help C-MAD capture a member of the Imperial Family - no small feat, and not something the Coalition could ignore. Begrudgingly, C-MAD would have to trust the ex-UEE pilot if it was to act on this knowledge.

Equipment:
Standard UEE-issue sidearm w/ optional suppressor and LAM/Light module
-Non-standard HWF personal defense carbine with standard electronic sight and rail-mounted flashlight and foregrip. Optional suppressor, grenade launcher and shotgun attachments issued as needed.
-Non-standard tactical tomahawk
-Pilot suit, plus ballistic armor/equipment harness, and pilots' helmet with HUD.
-Mil-spec data pad

PTX-101 Gladiator SOC

Designation: PTX-101 Gladiator SOC
Role: Special Operations & Assault
Chassis: Medium
Engine: Five-core engine
Description: When Alice deserted the UEE military, she absconded with her Gladiator mobile armor. The Gladiators used by the 106th are a SOC variant of the original design, intended for deployment in situations requiring rapid, direct action and special reconnaissance in hostile environments. The variant retains most of the armaments and systems of the mass-produced model, but is capable of operating for over thirty hours at a time. The Gladiator SOC features a unique sensor suite, granting it enhanced detection and identifying capability. The head mounts an enhanced targeting computer, linking with the weapons and fire control suite of the machine to grant the pilot greater accuracy. A stealth suite allows it to maneuver undetected by most sensors. Because of its additional systems, the SOC cannot shed its external power supply.

Rather than pilot a Coalition mobile armor and force herself to adjust to the differences, Alice decided to stick with a captured Gladiator, to the dismay of C-MAD, no doubt. It is painted in Coalition colors and bears friendly insignia, and its responder has been adjusted to show up as friendly on Coalition machines. Any friendly fire, Alice knows, is probably more than accidental.

New technology allows the Next-Gen Medium MAS units to utilize 5-core engines instead of 4, and allows it to support 5 more weight.
Systems:

• XBR 28mm Multi-role Autocannon. (3 WT 2 PWR). - A machine gun used by UEE forces using the newer 28mm Autocannon round, the XBR is considerably lighter and more accurate than the standard M90, and has a higher rate of fire at 800 rounds per minute, and features a 50 round 'stick' magazine, along with 2 spare magazines on each leg. Advanced recoil mechanisms allow this weapon to be accurately fired with one hand.
  or
• XMR 40mm Autocannon. (5 WT 3 PWR). The XMR is essentially an enlarged XBR, using a similar internal design. Issued as a designated marksman weapon, it is chambered for a more powerful 40mm round. Its lower rate of fire and ammunition capacity than its XBR counterpart is offset by greater range, accuracy and penetrating power. It is commonly fitted with a 20-round box magazine, although a 50 round drum is optional for sustained fire and support roles. Its rate of fire on automatic is 330 rounds per minute. Its maximum effective range is 12,500 meters, nearly 7.8 miles, and it has a muzzle velocity of 1,021 meters per second.
  

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• S25 AutoMagnum. (1 WT 1 PWR). A backup sidearm in use by the UEE, the S25 fires a 25mm armor piercing autocannon round from a 25 round magazine. The S25 is semiautomatic and is typically used as an emergency weapon.
• Head Mounted .50 Caliber Machine Gun. (1 WT 1 PWR). A pair .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the Gladiator's head, this light weapon provides the Gladiator with anti personnel and small missile defense. It has a linked 400 round magazine.
• Energy Saber. (1 WT 5 PWR) The Gladiator utilizes a high powered energy saber stored in its shoulder. The blade length can be adjusted, but due to the saber using its own power capacitors, the operational limit of the blade is 3 hours.
• Composite-Alloy Shield. (3WT). A medium sized alloy shield with multiple layers of anti-beam coating sandwiched between multiple layers of powerful alloy, this new shield design allows a the Gladiator to withstand multiple hits from plasma weapons.
• Class 3 Shield Generator. (5 WT 7 PWR). With a higher level shield generator than the standard Sentry, the Gladiator improves its overall staying power with a powerful shield unit.
• Boosters (3 WT 5 PWR). Using advanced booster units situated on its back and feet, as well as behind its shoulders, the Gladiator has considerably more maneuverability than most Mass produced medium MAS's, and can reach and sustain high speeds as well as flight. This enhanced mobility allows the Gladiator to rival the Ferir Mk III in regards to maneuverability.
• Countermeasure System: - Countermeasure systems are often used by lighter MAS's to avoid missiles instead of using body mounted machine guns to intercept them. Using chaff and flares, countermeasure systems are negligible in terms of weight and power, but only has 3 chaff uses, and 6 sets of flares before needing to rearm.
• External Power Cores (5 WT +10 PWR). Coming in the form of a pair of large battery packs attached to the sides of the Gladiator, these Power Cores are designed to be quickly removed, and are often either utilized to extend the Gladiator's operating time to an astounding 32 hours, or to allow it to equip more powerful Class B plasma weapons. The SOC variant requires the additional cores to power its radar and stealth suites.
• Enhanced Radar Suite (Internal): Effectively doubles the MAS's radar range, Enhanced Radar Suites, as most extra systems, come in two variants, internal and external suites. An internal suite is built into the the MAS during creation, and therefore has no weight, but draws 5 PWR from the MAS energy system.
• Upgraded Targeting Suite (External): - Increasing the effective range and accuracy of the MAS's weapon system, Upgraded Targeting Suites has a Smart AI that quickly determines range as well as any other environmental factors faster than MAs's the onboard computer, and projects the predicted weapon path on the user's HUD. Installed after the creation of the MAS, the external suite has 1 WT, and draws 3 PWR, but can be very easily damaged by small arms fire.
• Stealth Drive: Stealth Drives allow a MAS to remain hidden from most scanning and targeting modules, and removes most of the MAS's emissions at the cost of a small amount of maximum thrust. It does not however protect the MAS from visual recognition. Stealth Drives draw 5 PWR.

[Slamurai]

Are we still on?

[FrostedCaramel]

Are we still on?

@Aristo

I'm planning on just sitting around until we get word, not like I have much else to do.

[vietmyke]

I would like to, but it appears that we're still missing numbers

[EnterTheHero]

Still working on things- trying to get RL stuff done before doing much RP stuff.

[LeeRoy]

@vietmyke
Hey I'm just testing the room. Is this RP still on, and if so, are there any open slots?

[FrostedCaramel]

@vietmyke
Hey I'm just testing the room. Is this RP still on, and if so, are there any open slots?

@LeeRoy

The only reason it hasn't started yet is because it's waiting on a few more players. Just hang around and keep an eye out for @Vietmyke to respond haha

[vietmyke]

@LeeRoy indeed, we are still searching for characters.