Pen Name
TaintedMushroom
TrippyNightmare
Deadlyrose9641
BurnDaWitch
FrostedCaramel
Timuir
TokyoPewPew
Silly
FourtyTwo
The Lion of Gibraltar - Signifer
25 - 473 R.C.║Zern Empire║Venusian║Male
Physical Appearance
Standing tall- often to the point of towering over his compatriots, Victor stands in at 6'4" with a lean, but wiry build. Victor's hair and beard are well maintained and kept short, and his skin is a smooth hazel, with a complexion that could be described as nearly flawless- if it weren't for the jagged scar down the left side of his face. His eyes are a warm amber, and his demeanor seems to exude an aura of calm confidence.
Personality Traits:
- Level-Headed
- Affable
- Pragmatic
- Observant
- Courageous
Biography:
Victor Galahad was born the first son of Thomas and Amanda Galahad on Gibraltar, one of the largest habitats on Venus, rivaling the size of Annona Colony. His father was a retired engineer in the Zern Military- injuries had left him unable to continue service, while his mother worked as a nurse at a local hospital. Due to his upbringing and his father's status as former Zern Military, Victor was never particularly well received during his childhood and was notorious for getting into dozens of fights throughout his school years. Despite his rough and tumble school years and rather humble family origins, Victor nevertheless managed to attain excellent grades, and after a short recruitment process with the Zern Military, earned himself a slot at the esteemed Deimos Military Academy- one of the most, if not the most decorated military academy in the Solar System.
The Deimos Military Institute was an extremely competitive area, success in this academy meant you were destined for greatness in military service as a leader in your respective fields. Failure, or even mediocrity meant you would find yourself in vitally important, but utterly boring staff and support positions. Despite some growing pains- Martian born students tended not to think very highly of him- Victor proved that he had what it took and more time and time again. He became a thinker and a strategist, able to come up with solutions that many of his classmates could not. Pitted against computer simulations programmed to understand even the most complicated battle tactics, Victor was trained in reading terrain, gathering information and even in espionage. Scoring high on aptitude tests, Victor was given his choice between pursuing service as a Naval officer aboard a combat vessels, or undergoing Mobile Suit training. He chose the latter.
Put through rigorous physical and mental training, Victor showed he was able of tactical thinking, leading his class-unit to the top during competitive field training exercises. Pitted against instructors and other teams of students, Victor and his unit competed in simulated wargames, training them in both ground and space combat tactics. Graduating near the top of his class, Victor was inducted into the 122nd Direwolves Mobile Suit Squadron at the age of 21.
His first tour of duty was on the HMS Hectate, a Stratos transport re-purposed for ferrying supplies between fleets on the front lines of the pirate conflict. Despite being a minimally armed warship with a notoriously short life expectancy- prime pickings for pirate forces, Victor managed to survive 17 successful relief missions in his first few months of duty. Shortly after his first year of duty, Victor was assigned the command of a wing of Mobile suits attached to a Rosencrantz light cruiser tasked with hunting down pirates or providing support to larger naval vessels. He rose steadily through the ranks over the course of the next few years.
While a successful and respected unit leader and pilot in his own right, Victor didn't earn any particular notoriety until 494, during the Siege of Gibraltar. This was a battle which took place between the remnants of the 16th Battlegroup, consisting of a Tearsheet carrier, a pair of Guildenstern cruisers and a pair of Rosencrantz light cruisers, attempting to break through a massive blockade and siege following the rapid and surprising entrance of a rather sizable pirate fleet. Cut off from reinforcements and facing the destruction of both the battlegroup, as well as the loss of Gibraltar, Victor and the rest of his squadron found themselves facing off against a large number of Turncoats, as well as militarized civilian ships. Following the death of his squadron leader, Victor managed to rally the remains of his squadron, regrouping with another depleted MS squadron and led them on a covert counteroffensive. With ammunition for their conventional weapons all but exhausted, the MS teams opted to carry and hurl the damaged remains of mobile suits into the enemy formations from close range. The Tearsheet's engineers had tampered and rigged the mobile suit reactors to go critical, and the resulting explosions were similar to smaller scale nuclear explosions of old.
During the assault, Victor's squadron launched a total of twenty two damaged mobile suits at the pirate fleet from close proximity, who didn't realize what was happening until their mobile suits started detonating around them. The success of the Victor's tactics resulted in the destruction of the the pirate flagship as well as several other key capital ships. Without the leadership to coordinate the large pirate fleet's actions, the ensuing disarray allowed the remaining Imperial ships to hold out long enough for a relief fleet to rescue them. While the fleet had been decimated and reduced to all but a single carrier and frigate, Victor earned himself the title 'The Lion of Gibraltar' that day.
Earning a medal for heroism, Victor was promoted to the rank of Signifer was given command of the specialized 5th Carrier Group, which he would lead on raids against pirate remnants until the end of the conflict. With his highly successful 'Fighting Fifths'- a carrier group made up primarily of Venusian soldiers, Victor is a well known face in the Zern Navy, and has been recently redeployed Venus in light of the rising tensions.
Skills and Abilities
- Military Training: Graduating near the top of his class at the Deimos Military Academy, Victor is well versed in ground and space tactics, and holds competency with a variety of small arms and military equipment.
- The Lion of Gibraltar: More than just a title of status and a household name, Victor is well known as one of the best pilots the Zern military has to offer. Even capable of keeping up with some that would call themselves 'Refined Human', Victor has excellent spacial awareness backed by years of combat experience and raw combat instincts.
- Homegrown Venusian: like most other Venusians, when compared to his Martian compatriots, Victor tends to be hardier and sturdier. Compared to other Martians, Victor is able to handle G-Forces better, giving him an edge in combat.
Personal Items and Equipment
- Photograph: Folded and somewhat crumpled and kept on Victor's person at all time is a somewhat faded and damaged photograph of a blonde Venusian woman.
- Officer's Sidearm: Strapped to a holster on his hip is a standard commander's sidearm. A conventional, compact pistol with a few ornamental markings on it denote it as belonging to someone of rank.
- Imperial Adjutant: Resembling a wristwatch, Victor keeps on hand a simulated intelligence named Alice. Not a true AI, Alice is nonetheless capable of interfacing with all standard Zern ships, communication systems, and key structures, allowing her to serve as a verbal interface for Victor to manage his daily schedule and communications. (Its a futuristic Alexa/Google Home.)
Strengths and Weaknesses
Amicable and affable, Victor is confident and friendly while off the field. In combat, Victor lives up to his title of 'Lion'. Resourceful, tenacious, and an excellent pilot, Victor places no emphasis on raw strength or finesse, instead using whatever is on hand to shape his strategies and tactics. Off and on the field, Victor is for the most part cool headed and reasonable.
More than anything, Victor struggles with the resentment his own people hold towards him. He's a venusian and he loves his home. As a result, he is conflicted between the ideas of carrying out the orders of those of his commanding officers, and protecting the people and place he came from.
Chosen Mobile Weapon
ZIMS-02Rc Tommy Commander Type Custom - "Knight Errant"
2nd Generation Custom Mobile Suit
Limited Production|| Victor Galahad
Unit Appearance
Victor's personal Commander Type Tommy takes inspirations from the Knights of old, with the pith shaped head unit being replaced by one shaped like a medieval visored barbute helmet, with a single feather like plume coming out of the back for the communication suite. The armor of the Knight Errant is also slightly thicker than the standard commander type.
Technical Details
Accommodation: Pilot only, standard three-screen cockpit in torso.
Dimensions: 18 meters
Powerplant: Medium-output Wilberforce Reactor
Equipment and Design Features:
•Minor Improvements
The Knight Errant has all the features of the baseline Tommy, but has been modified for better performance in regards to speed and mobility. Though not suitable for widespread application to the regular Tommy units, these modifications are beneficial to a Tommy with a more specialized role like the Commander Type.
•Vanguard Detachable Armor
Designed to provide the Knight Errant with improved defensive capabilities in close quarter situations and prolonged conflict, the torso, arms and legs of the unit have been equipped with additional litan armor plates at the cost of some mobility. These plates can be individually detached and ejected when too damaged to continue providing protection or when needing to reduce weight.
•Communication Plume
Mounted on the head of the Knight Errant is a feather shaped module, reminiscent of a feather or a plume on a knight's helmet. This ‘plume’ is part of the additional sensor and communication systems installed into the Knight Errant’s head. These boosted sensors and communications allow those piloting it to have a better grasp of the battlefield as well as greater ease in contacting their troops, even under heavy interference from Wilberforce particles.
•Booster System
An additional thruster is mounted to the Knight Errant's backpack and a system has been installed. Considered to be an ‘Emergency Booster’ the system greatly increases the output of the thrusters, essentially doubling the Knight Errant’s speed over the base model. However taxing the thrusters quickly builds up heat, limiting the usage of the system.
This system is intended to allow high-value commanders and such to escape from harm's way should their subordinates fail to protect them or simply fail in their battle outright. However more combat savvy members of the Zern military realizes the system’s potential and made adjustments to their own for more practical purposes.
Despite its intention the Booster System can be used regularly in bursts to enhance maneuvers and give sudden, almost disorienting boosts in speed during fights.
Weapons and Combat Capabilities
Handheld Armaments
•Holdovers
The Knight Errant can use any of the weapons and equipment the ZIMS-02 Tommy can.
•Gatling Shield
Combining both offense and defense into a single weapons system, the Gatling Shield features a 75mm 8 barreled rotary cannon- similar to the CIWS mounted on most Zern ships- mounted to a large composite litan shield. With selectable fire rates of 2000 and 4000 rounds per minute, and a hefty 2000 round magazine the Knight Errant can lay down a withering hail of fire for extended periods of time. The magazine and gun itself can also be ejected from the Gatling shield when its ammunition is depleted, or whenever its weight proves to be a hindrance to the pilot's speed and maneuverability. The shield also serves as a scabbard for the Nanocarbon blade.
•H-VIPER
The “High Velocity Imperial Precision Engineered Revolver” was one of the first, compact MAG weapons ever put into mass production. It takes the form of a mobile suit sized revolver with a flip-out cylinder holding 8-rounds of solid ammunition. This antiquated design is used as traditional systems of gas based, semi-automatic firing and reloading don’t work with MAG weapons.
Though small and considered a sidearm or backup weapon on paper, the H-VIPER is strong enough to outclass most traditional powder weapons in sheer firepower. Its range is somewhat limited and its ammunition minimal, but its accuracy and penetration are superb.
Unlike the Whiskey Rifle, the H-VIPER doesn’t suffer from delayed firing due to charge up time. This is thanks to a length of capacitors installed along the bottom length of the revolver’s barrel.
By drawing power from the mobile suit’s onboard reactor, the H-VIPER can not only charge its rails for a shot but store additional power for the second shot. As long as the weapon isn’t fired in rapid succession it will always have a shot ready with no wait time. This feature however comes at the cost of the revolver’s ability to charge shots however and demands the mobile suit have a moderate-strength reactor at the least in order to use it effectively.
Soon after its production many other revolver-type weapons appeared, most illegally or custom made.
Fixed Armaments
•Flashbang Launchers
Mounted in the head of the Knight Errant, in place of the machine guns of the baseline Tommy, are a pair of low-caliber automatic grenade launchers. Only instead of firing explosives they fire flashbangs, designed to temporarily blind the visual sensors of mobile suits (save for its own). These can be used for escape or combat purposes in battle.
•Liten Hook-Cable
In place of the litan truncheon kept inside the Knight Errant's forearm compartment that most Tommy variants carry is instead a litan grappling hook mounted on a thin cable. Granting both utility, and limited combat effectiveness, the truncheon's electrical discharge system was added to the head of the hook, allowing the the Knight Errant to emit debilitating shocks on impact. These shocks can short out systems on enemy mobile suits and can potentially injure enemy pilots.
•Nanocarbon Saber
A slightly curved saber with a handguard produced by the Sharp Workshops. Though the blade is thin it is very sturdy and has an incredibly sharp edge able to stab and cut through Liten armor with ease. Initially given to the Command Type Tommy for ornamental purposes, the saber soon gained a reputation for its effectiveness and was kept on for practical purposes.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The ZIMS-02Rc Knight Errant has greater performance, communications, and speed then the baseline Tommy model, but is less maneuverable than other Commander Types while fully armored. Careful use of the booster system ensures that it can’t be easily caught or gunned down, and its choice of weapons make it well suited and dangerous in close quarters combat. However the Commander Type's speed is tied directly to its onboard booster system which in turn becomes its biggest weakness. Overuse of the system can cause it to overheat and risks causing the engines to explode all together.
Technical History
The ZIMS-02 Tommy was designed to replace the aging Redcoat and filled the role it did very well. However not everyone was satisfied. Though a good general purpose combat mobile suit, the Tommy was lacking in other areas and failed to deliver on the needs of those operating in more specialized roles. Sharpshooters, scouts, and especially officers and in-field commanders found the Tommy wanting.However since the Tommy was designed to be simple and easy to repair, it also meant that there was plenty of room for additions and modifications. Instead of producing an entirely new mobile suit different parts and equipment could be made for the ZIMS-02 Tommy to adapt it to a new role.
There were limitations to this however, but one of the variations produced was the ZIMS-02R “Tommy Commander Type”
Concern was raised that officers in the field weren’t as well protected as they could be...mostly by the officers themselves. Though better than a Redcoat which some older officers and troops refused to move on from, plenty felt their Tommy’s warranted being somewhat better than the standard soldier’s given their greater tactical importance on the field of battle.
So the baseline Tommy was tweaked and given enhanced communications, an emergency booster system, and overall performance improvements. The changes were a big hit with officers, though many lower ranking soldiers criticized the employment of the Commander Type as an “expensive way to run away”. However the more capable officers and commanders within the Zern Empire proved the Commander Type to be more than just for show.
The increase in performance, though not significant, proved to make a difference in close quarters combat and the emergency booster turned out to have more practical purposes than just retreating. It wasn’t long before the Commander Type became highly sought after by those in the Zern Military looking for a higher performance mobile suit.
Perhaps as a gag referencing his name, or because of his actions at Gibraltar, when Victor was awarded his Commander type, the head of the engineering team had joked about changing the head unit into a medieval helmet. Victor agreed to the idea, and the Knight Errant eventually came to be.
HMS Nyx
Assault Carrier
Assault Carrier
Sharp Workshop||499 R.C.||Zern Empire - 5th Battlegroup
Vessel Appearance
Like its sister ships the Scroop and Tearsheet, the Caliban features a similar design philosophy including a sharp, angular hull, with a knifelike bow that remains straight and narrow until the midship, before widening out at the stern. Hangar doors on the port and starboard sides are connected to a single large central hangar.
Technical Details
Crew Size Large
Dimensions:
- Height: 55
- Length: 270
- Width: 90
Weight Class: Medium
Equipment and Design Features:
•Medium Hangar
Located near the rear to midships of the ship is a sizable hangar. While not as large as its sister carrier, the Caliban is a dedicated mobile suit carrier, able to maintain a complement of 6-12 Mobile Suits,
•Catapults x2
There are two exits from the Caliban's hanger located on the right and left sides of the ship. With the hangar doors open a long, narrow catapult can unfold. All a mobile suit needs to do is position themselves on a catapult and an electrical charge will built, eventually launching the mobile suit forward at high speeds.
•Nanocarbon Beta Plating
The Caliban's hull is made of a very minimally armored Liten hull. However the addition of nanocarbon plating on the exterior of the ship significantly boosts its defense while keeping its weight relatively low.
Weapons and Combat Capabilities
Fixed Armaments
•Twin Barrel 200mm MAG Cannons x2
The Caliban-class employs dual barrel MAG cannons on its deck loaded with solid 200mm shells. Though relatively low in caliber these guns are highly accurate, with long range and very high penetration, allowing the Caliban to pose a threat even heavily armored vessels. When firing in concert, the Caliban makes use of staggered fire to mitigate the cannon's overall low rate of fire due to charging.
•MAG Assisted Missile Launchers x4
Mounted on the port and starboard side hulls are a set of munitions batteries that launch missiles via magnetic charges. Though taking longer to fire then traditional missile systems these ensure the missiles clear the launchers at high speeds, before their own propulsion systems even ignite, preventing misfires and accidental detonations.
•75mm CIWS x12
Positioned across the Caliban, hidden within the hull until needed, are twelve 8-barreled rotary cannons. These close-in-weapon-systems or CIWSs are arranged to give 360 degree bubble of fire protection should enemies come from above, below, or elsewhere. Their high rate of fire allows them to dispatch incoming projectiles with greater ease and better keep enemy mobile suits at bay.
Technical History
The latest ship in the line of highly successful Sharp Workshop Warships is the Caliban-class Assault Carrier.
Developed to fulfill a contract laid out by the Zern Navy for a ship with similar armament and power to that of a combat dedicated vessel, but with the versatility and power projection capabilities of a carrier; capable of taking part in fleet actions, as well as capable of operating on its own. The Caliban-class is the first of its kind in the Zern Navy, and fills the roles of 'light carrier', and 'assault cruiser' in equal measures. The Caliban sports the firepower needed to give pause to enemy fleets, and possesses extra flexibility and power projection in the form of mobile weapons.
The Caliban was meant to work in conjunction with an escort of Scroop destroyers, but was designed to be capable of operating on its own, allowing fleets to allocate valuable resources- such as escort ships- to other high value targets.
Compared to its sibling ships, the Caliban suffered from relatively high production costs, and only 2 have been made, with 8 more currently under construction. The first of its kind, the HMS Nyx has been assigned to Signifer Victor Galahad and sent to Venus, to gather field data on its performance.
