Genre: Space-Age Science Fiction.
--Story--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
In the 25th century AD, mankind experienced a sudden explosion of technology, intuition, and development. In 2403, the first artificial gravity system was tested, and rolled out for mass-production a mere two years later. Following in its footsteps were inventions like the solar plasma engine, the super-light drive, and numerous beam-manipulation devices used in both civilian and military roles. Long-standing staples of science fiction such as warp speed, beam guns, and space colonies, were now being brought into various aspects of life, and humanity began that fabled expansion through the cosmos. In just a little more than 7 years, humanity had populated a number of planets beyond the Sol system, and had formed the Republic of Trans-Galactic Systems (RTGS).
Unfortunately, with every new power comes those who would seek its use for nefarious ends. Mere months after its founding, certain bodies serving in the Republic started becoming corrupted by the ideas of what technology could now do...and what territories they could occupy with that power. Unable to change the system to their liking from within, several systems broke off from the RTGS, and formed what they called the "Reform Federation." Each system therein tended to their own borders mostly on their own terms, but was willing to aid another in the event of war...and when the totalitarian Callman Regime staged a coup d'etat on the Federation, and subsequently attacked RTGS shipyards, the Callman Wars were ignited.
For a time, the "Federal Regime" had the RTGS on the defensive; swift, brutal attacks on factories and trade centers began crippling the Republic's resources, and they soon found themselves with too few ships to defend every system at once. Only with the aid of Edge and Spade Enterprises, the elite Platinum Stiletto strike force, and the superior technology of both, did they manage to beat back the Feds, and ultimately lay waste to their fortress-world of Agnustar, forcing the Regime into unconditional surrender. Yet even after the war's end, small insurgencies sprouted up from time to time, most often led by a remnant of the Federal Regime.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In the 25th century AD, mankind experienced a sudden explosion of technology, intuition, and development. In 2403, the first artificial gravity system was tested, and rolled out for mass-production a mere two years later. Following in its footsteps were inventions like the solar plasma engine, the super-light drive, and numerous beam-manipulation devices used in both civilian and military roles. Long-standing staples of science fiction such as warp speed, beam guns, and space colonies, were now being brought into various aspects of life, and humanity began that fabled expansion through the cosmos. In just a little more than 7 years, humanity had populated a number of planets beyond the Sol system, and had formed the Republic of Trans-Galactic Systems (RTGS).
Unfortunately, with every new power comes those who would seek its use for nefarious ends. Mere months after its founding, certain bodies serving in the Republic started becoming corrupted by the ideas of what technology could now do...and what territories they could occupy with that power. Unable to change the system to their liking from within, several systems broke off from the RTGS, and formed what they called the "Reform Federation." Each system therein tended to their own borders mostly on their own terms, but was willing to aid another in the event of war...and when the totalitarian Callman Regime staged a coup d'etat on the Federation, and subsequently attacked RTGS shipyards, the Callman Wars were ignited.
For a time, the "Federal Regime" had the RTGS on the defensive; swift, brutal attacks on factories and trade centers began crippling the Republic's resources, and they soon found themselves with too few ships to defend every system at once. Only with the aid of Edge and Spade Enterprises, the elite Platinum Stiletto strike force, and the superior technology of both, did they manage to beat back the Feds, and ultimately lay waste to their fortress-world of Agnustar, forcing the Regime into unconditional surrender. Yet even after the war's end, small insurgencies sprouted up from time to time, most often led by a remnant of the Federal Regime.
RTGS Calendar: Orion 13th, 2683.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The orbital space colony OC-807 Perseus has fallen under the control of an insurgent uprising, calling itself the "Five Golden Rings." Word is that they also have a number of senators' daughters held hostage, mainly to discourage an offensive on their base of operations. As officers of the Platinum Stilettos, you are the cream of the crop, the best of the best. Your critical objectives are simple:
-1: Eliminate the insurgent forces occupying Perseus, while avoiding as much damage to the colony itself as possible.
-2: Secure the hostages, and defend their lives with your own.
-3: When the hostages are secure and the threat neutralized, launch an EVAC-request beacon. The rendevous ship will deploy three blue flares to signal.
Good luck.
--Character Sheet--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
-Name:
-Race: (pretty flexible on this. Just keep in mind that this is mostly cosmetic, and that any race-specific features on god-mod levels may be "disabled" via in-play events by yours truly...but only if need be. You can have wings or gills, for example, but try to keep things like laser-breath out of the equation
)
-Age:
-Appearance: (you can throw in a visual reference image if you like)
-Class: (this will determine your starting equipment, along with some natural stat bonuses)
-Nano-Tech Skill: (choose one from the spoiler-tagged list below; you will most likely get another as you progress through the RP)
<Stats> (35 points to distribute, except for HP and EN. Those are set at 200 HP and 100 EN, not counting class-related bonuses.)
-HP: Damage pegs it down, you die if it hits zero, nuff said. (you can always make another character for "back-up," if needed).
-EN: Essentially MP. Certain abilities will deplete this stat. You can replenish EN by resting, or by using a Recharge Pack.
-Might: Affects damage dealt with melee strikes, effectiveness at moving certain objects, and other brute force tasks.
-Vision: Affects damage dealt with projectiles, searching ability, etc.
-Stamina: Serves as "Defense" in battle, along with resistance to toxins.
-Appeal: Affects persuasion and negotiation. However, it also determines how likely the sex-hungry enemies are to try raping you (especially if you're female, but males can be unwillingly taken by female enemies, as well).
-Intelligence: Affects how quickly skills are learned/improved (ex: weapon training), as well as how effective scientific skills are.
-Mobility: Affects speed, evasion, and accuracy.
-Luck: Affects "critical success" chance, along with chances of finding a special item drop. May also provide other effects.
<Bio> (this is where your character's background story goes)
-Name:
-Race: (pretty flexible on this. Just keep in mind that this is mostly cosmetic, and that any race-specific features on god-mod levels may be "disabled" via in-play events by yours truly...but only if need be. You can have wings or gills, for example, but try to keep things like laser-breath out of the equation
)-Age:
-Appearance: (you can throw in a visual reference image if you like)
-Class: (this will determine your starting equipment, along with some natural stat bonuses)
-Nano-Tech Skill: (choose one from the spoiler-tagged list below; you will most likely get another as you progress through the RP)
<Stats> (35 points to distribute, except for HP and EN. Those are set at 200 HP and 100 EN, not counting class-related bonuses.)
-HP: Damage pegs it down, you die if it hits zero, nuff said. (you can always make another character for "back-up," if needed).
-EN: Essentially MP. Certain abilities will deplete this stat. You can replenish EN by resting, or by using a Recharge Pack.
-Might: Affects damage dealt with melee strikes, effectiveness at moving certain objects, and other brute force tasks.
-Vision: Affects damage dealt with projectiles, searching ability, etc.
-Stamina: Serves as "Defense" in battle, along with resistance to toxins.
-Appeal: Affects persuasion and negotiation. However, it also determines how likely the sex-hungry enemies are to try raping you (especially if you're female, but males can be unwillingly taken by female enemies, as well).
-Intelligence: Affects how quickly skills are learned/improved (ex: weapon training), as well as how effective scientific skills are.
-Mobility: Affects speed, evasion, and accuracy.
-Luck: Affects "critical success" chance, along with chances of finding a special item drop. May also provide other effects.
<Bio> (this is where your character's background story goes)
--Classes--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
~Specialist~
The jack-of-all-trades class, focused on adaptability. The down-side: your stats only get better by leveling up.
-Stat bonuses: none.
-Starting Equipment: Medium armor-suit, 1 photon burst rifle, 1 heat dagger, and 2 flash grenades.
~Heavy~
Focused on dishing out as much damage as possible, for as long as possible, and making a LOT of mayhem in the process.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Might, +1 Stamina, +30 Max HP.
-Starting Equipment: Heavy armor-suit, 1 gatling blaster, 1 chainsaw zweihander, and 4 photon grenades.
~Stealth Trooper~
The class which believes "discretion is the better part of valor." Focused on staying out of sight, and picking off unwary enemies, though their effectiveness in more "direct" combat is rather limited.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Vision, +1 Mobility, +1 Luck.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 2 photon pistols OR 1 neutron sniper rifle, and 5 incendiary throwing blades.
~Mechanic~
A class that is more often focused on keeping things running on his side, than breaking them down on the enemy's side. They are quite good hackers, however, so the electronic defense a foe might put so much effort into, can become their undoing if hijacked by a Mechanic.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Intelligence, +1 Vision, +15 Max EN.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 1 photon burst pistol, 1 hacking device, and 3 EMP grenades.
~Medic~
Every good force needs someone to keep them hale and hearty, and the Platinum Stilettos are no exception. Aside from the benefits to their allies, Medics are quite skilled with toxins, as their hypo-dermic needle guns indicate. They also seem to be more attractive than some of their co-workers, though one can't help but wonder how that came about with no specific policy for it...
-Stat bonuses: +2 Mobility, +1 Intelligence, +1 Appeal.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 1 needle gun with poison and medicine liquids available, 1 surgical saw, and 4 medkits.
~Specialist~
The jack-of-all-trades class, focused on adaptability. The down-side: your stats only get better by leveling up.
-Stat bonuses: none.
-Starting Equipment: Medium armor-suit, 1 photon burst rifle, 1 heat dagger, and 2 flash grenades.
~Heavy~
Focused on dishing out as much damage as possible, for as long as possible, and making a LOT of mayhem in the process.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Might, +1 Stamina, +30 Max HP.
-Starting Equipment: Heavy armor-suit, 1 gatling blaster, 1 chainsaw zweihander, and 4 photon grenades.
~Stealth Trooper~
The class which believes "discretion is the better part of valor." Focused on staying out of sight, and picking off unwary enemies, though their effectiveness in more "direct" combat is rather limited.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Vision, +1 Mobility, +1 Luck.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 2 photon pistols OR 1 neutron sniper rifle, and 5 incendiary throwing blades.
~Mechanic~
A class that is more often focused on keeping things running on his side, than breaking them down on the enemy's side. They are quite good hackers, however, so the electronic defense a foe might put so much effort into, can become their undoing if hijacked by a Mechanic.
-Stat bonuses: +2 Intelligence, +1 Vision, +15 Max EN.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 1 photon burst pistol, 1 hacking device, and 3 EMP grenades.
~Medic~
Every good force needs someone to keep them hale and hearty, and the Platinum Stilettos are no exception. Aside from the benefits to their allies, Medics are quite skilled with toxins, as their hypo-dermic needle guns indicate. They also seem to be more attractive than some of their co-workers, though one can't help but wonder how that came about with no specific policy for it...
-Stat bonuses: +2 Mobility, +1 Intelligence, +1 Appeal.
-Starting Equipment: Light armor-suit, 1 needle gun with poison and medicine liquids available, 1 surgical saw, and 4 medkits.
--Nano-Tech Skills--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Each player has access to a nanobot-injection system. When utilized, this system painlessly injects nanobots into the bloodstream, using EN to fuel one of the below abilities. One asterisk (*) marks a skill that needs a condition to be true before being used. Two asterisks (**) mark a "toggle" skill, which remains active from when you switch it on, until it's switched off.
~1. Heavy Hit: When used, a D10 is rolled for melee damage instead of a D6.
Cost: 25 EN.
~2. *Razor's Edge: When used, a D12 roll replaces the D6 for dodging.
Condition: HP below 50%.
Cost: 32 EN.
~3. *Ambush: When used, a D10 is rolled for both accuracy and damage, in place of the D6.
Condition: Target must be unaware of your presence.
Cost: 30 EN.
~4. *Guillotine Gambit: When used, a pre-emptive D8 roll occurs. If the result is above 4, you inflict double damage. If it is below 4, you miss entirely, and get a -2 on defense for the ensuing counter-attack. If it is exactly 4, then combat proceeds as normal.
Condition: Must be used on the first attack.
Cost: 40 EN.
~5. Juggernaut: When used, a D10 is rolled for defense instead of a D6. If the result is above 7, you land a melee-based counter-attack.
Cost: 27 EN.
~6. **All for One: When fighting with 1 or more allies, gain a +1 Stamina buff for each ally.
Cost: 5 EN for each action taken while the skill is active.
~7. One for All: When used, nearby allies gain a +3 Might buff.
Cost: 10 EN per ally receiving the buff.
Each player has access to a nanobot-injection system. When utilized, this system painlessly injects nanobots into the bloodstream, using EN to fuel one of the below abilities. One asterisk (*) marks a skill that needs a condition to be true before being used. Two asterisks (**) mark a "toggle" skill, which remains active from when you switch it on, until it's switched off.
~1. Heavy Hit: When used, a D10 is rolled for melee damage instead of a D6.
Cost: 25 EN.
~2. *Razor's Edge: When used, a D12 roll replaces the D6 for dodging.
Condition: HP below 50%.
Cost: 32 EN.
~3. *Ambush: When used, a D10 is rolled for both accuracy and damage, in place of the D6.
Condition: Target must be unaware of your presence.
Cost: 30 EN.
~4. *Guillotine Gambit: When used, a pre-emptive D8 roll occurs. If the result is above 4, you inflict double damage. If it is below 4, you miss entirely, and get a -2 on defense for the ensuing counter-attack. If it is exactly 4, then combat proceeds as normal.
Condition: Must be used on the first attack.
Cost: 40 EN.
~5. Juggernaut: When used, a D10 is rolled for defense instead of a D6. If the result is above 7, you land a melee-based counter-attack.
Cost: 27 EN.
~6. **All for One: When fighting with 1 or more allies, gain a +1 Stamina buff for each ally.
Cost: 5 EN for each action taken while the skill is active.
~7. One for All: When used, nearby allies gain a +3 Might buff.
Cost: 10 EN per ally receiving the buff.
--Weapons--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
-Energy Guns-
[Photon Pistol]
Standard RTGS sidearm. Fires 400kJ (kilojoule) bolts of photon-based energy.
Attack power: 3.
Range: Medium.
Heating: 5% Heat per shot.
[Photon Burst Rifle]
Energy adaptation of ballistic burst-fire assault rifles. Fires 500kJ photon bolts in 3-shot bursts.
Attack power: 4 on single-shot. 6 on burst or full-auto fire.
Range: Medium.
Heating: 15% Heat per 3-shot burst, 20% per turn fired on full-auto.
[Gatling Blaster]
Rapid-fire energy weapon. Fires 450kJ photon bolts on full-auto.
Attack power: 8.
Range: Short.
Heating: 20% Heat per turn of sustained fire.
[Plasma Shotgun]
A powerful spread-shot weapon. Fires an airborne mass of plasma, which quickly expands as it speeds forward. It loses power over range, but can be charged up to increase power and range, at the cost of a smaller spread. Charge levels increase by 1 per turn.
Attack power: 6 uncharged, 7 semi-charged, 8 fully charged.
Range: Very Short uncharged, Short semi-charged, Medium fully charged.
Heating: Uncharged shots = 10% Heat, semi-charged = 30% Heat, fully charged = 65% Heat.
[Neutron Sniper Rifle]
A powerful long-range rifle, easily capable of piercing a 3"-thick steel wall, the man right behind it, and the next 15 men behind him. A godsend for the distinguished marksman.
Attack power: 10.
Range: Long.
Heating: 40% Heat per shot.
-Ballistics-
[Magnum]
While most government-owned organizations prefer the Photon Pistol, the ballistic .47 Magnum still holds its own in the field. Each bullet is made of a special alloy that ignites when hit with enough force, creating a small explosion on impact.
Attack power: 4.
Range: Medium-Long.
Ammo Capacity: 20 rounds per clip.
[Needle Gun]
A weapon specially-made for medics, which fires hypodermic, twin-dose needles at a single-shot rate. Needles can be switched between toxic chemicals for offense, and medicinal chemicals to heal allies over distance. The needles themselves don't pack much punch, as the latter setting would cause more harm than good to allies if they did.
Attack power: 3.
Range: Medium.
Ammo capacity: 12 needles per clip.
[Grenade Launcher]
Technically a ballistic weapon, but it can also fire energy-based grenades, as well as the fragmentation type it normally has in the clips. Don't concern yourself with its nickname of "noob-tube;" all's fair in love and war.
Attack power: 8.
-Range: Medium.
-Ammo capacity: 6 frag grenades per clip. Can also be loaded with other grenade types.
[Assault Rifle]
While the RTGS military has left behind this aged weapon in favor for its energy-based cousins, the ballistic Assault Rifle still holds its own in the right situation, and with the right person pulling the trigger.
-Attack power: 6.
-Range: Medium-Long, though more accurate at Medium range (-2 to Accuracy result when used at Medium-Long range).
-Ammo capacity: 60 rounds per clip.
[Shotgun]
While not as flexible in use as its plasma-based variant, the ballistic, pump-action Shotgun is still quite powerful at close range. Those who don't already fear bottlenecks will learn their terror quite fast, if the man guarding it has one of these on him.
-Attack power: 9.
-Range: Short.
-Ammo capacity: 12 shells per clip.
[Minigun]
While many RTGS soldiers favor the Gatling Blaster, the Minigun provides a similar degree of power, without being quite as hefty or awkward to wield.
Attack power: 7.
Range: Medium.
Ammo capacity: 800 rounds in one large magazine; can only carry 1 reserve magazine at a time.
[Explosive Throwing Knives]
As powerful as energy weapons have been over the years, their effectiveness against heavily-armored opposition is...debatable. As such, the incendiary dagger is often a go-to weapon against the enemy heavies. Each knife carries a proximity-detection system, which detonates it roughly .75 seconds after impact, making giblets of whatever poor fellow it stuck in.
Attack power: 4.
Range: Medium.
Can carry up to 8 knives at a time; 10 if you're a Stealth Trooper.
-Melee-
[Heat Dagger]
A combat dagger that uses thermo-electric coils in the blade to heat it, allowing the wielder to cut through light armor-grade materials like butter.
Attack power: 5.
[Chainsaw Zweihander]
A two-handed broadsword with chainsaw teeth along the edge. Microscopic heating coils in each tooth allow it to cut through hard materials with more ease.
Attack power: 6.
[Surgical Saw]
While primarily used in surgery and amputation, the Surgical Saw is also quite effective as a melee weapon. While not heated like the Zweihander, its teeth move along the blade at a faster rate, allowing it to be quite effective at tearing through bio-matter.
Attack power: 5.
-Grenades-
[Photon Grenade]
Replacing the fragmenting, pin-fuse explosives of the past, the Photon Grenade has a motion sensor that, when armed, starts the detonation timer upon first contact with a solid object. Once triggered, the timer lasts for roughly 1.5 seconds, then detonates the grenade, releasing a 900-kJ burst of photon energy.
Attack power: 8.
Blast Radius: 4.
[Flash Grenade]
A long-standing asset to the field, Flash Grenades are the perfect door-opener for when the enemy has you pinned. This model comes equipped with a friend-or-foe system that signals friendly units' HUD systems to auto-adjust for the flash. It's less effective on mechanical enemies, however, as they tend to use infrared imaging that voids the device's flash.
Stuns nearby biological enemies for 2 turns. Void if target does not use optical vision.
Blast Radius: 6.
[EMP Grenade]
EMP Grenades are a life-saver against mechanical targets. Each one emits an electro-magnetic pulse that disables all electronic systems within its blast radius. Just don't throw one too close; the blast can scramble your armor's onboard computer, as well.
Stuns nearby mechanical enemies for 3 turns. Any power-armored targets in the blast radius will be inflicted with "glitch" status, disabling their armor's stat benefits, and de-buffing Mobility by 1 due to extra weight.
Blast Radius: 7.
-Energy Guns-
[Photon Pistol]
Standard RTGS sidearm. Fires 400kJ (kilojoule) bolts of photon-based energy.
Attack power: 3.
Range: Medium.
Heating: 5% Heat per shot.
[Photon Burst Rifle]
Energy adaptation of ballistic burst-fire assault rifles. Fires 500kJ photon bolts in 3-shot bursts.
Attack power: 4 on single-shot. 6 on burst or full-auto fire.
Range: Medium.
Heating: 15% Heat per 3-shot burst, 20% per turn fired on full-auto.
[Gatling Blaster]
Rapid-fire energy weapon. Fires 450kJ photon bolts on full-auto.
Attack power: 8.
Range: Short.
Heating: 20% Heat per turn of sustained fire.
[Plasma Shotgun]
A powerful spread-shot weapon. Fires an airborne mass of plasma, which quickly expands as it speeds forward. It loses power over range, but can be charged up to increase power and range, at the cost of a smaller spread. Charge levels increase by 1 per turn.
Attack power: 6 uncharged, 7 semi-charged, 8 fully charged.
Range: Very Short uncharged, Short semi-charged, Medium fully charged.
Heating: Uncharged shots = 10% Heat, semi-charged = 30% Heat, fully charged = 65% Heat.
[Neutron Sniper Rifle]
A powerful long-range rifle, easily capable of piercing a 3"-thick steel wall, the man right behind it, and the next 15 men behind him. A godsend for the distinguished marksman.
Attack power: 10.
Range: Long.
Heating: 40% Heat per shot.
-Ballistics-
[Magnum]
While most government-owned organizations prefer the Photon Pistol, the ballistic .47 Magnum still holds its own in the field. Each bullet is made of a special alloy that ignites when hit with enough force, creating a small explosion on impact.
Attack power: 4.
Range: Medium-Long.
Ammo Capacity: 20 rounds per clip.
[Needle Gun]
A weapon specially-made for medics, which fires hypodermic, twin-dose needles at a single-shot rate. Needles can be switched between toxic chemicals for offense, and medicinal chemicals to heal allies over distance. The needles themselves don't pack much punch, as the latter setting would cause more harm than good to allies if they did.
Attack power: 3.
Range: Medium.
Ammo capacity: 12 needles per clip.
[Grenade Launcher]
Technically a ballistic weapon, but it can also fire energy-based grenades, as well as the fragmentation type it normally has in the clips. Don't concern yourself with its nickname of "noob-tube;" all's fair in love and war.
Attack power: 8.
-Range: Medium.
-Ammo capacity: 6 frag grenades per clip. Can also be loaded with other grenade types.
[Assault Rifle]
While the RTGS military has left behind this aged weapon in favor for its energy-based cousins, the ballistic Assault Rifle still holds its own in the right situation, and with the right person pulling the trigger.
-Attack power: 6.
-Range: Medium-Long, though more accurate at Medium range (-2 to Accuracy result when used at Medium-Long range).
-Ammo capacity: 60 rounds per clip.
[Shotgun]
While not as flexible in use as its plasma-based variant, the ballistic, pump-action Shotgun is still quite powerful at close range. Those who don't already fear bottlenecks will learn their terror quite fast, if the man guarding it has one of these on him.
-Attack power: 9.
-Range: Short.
-Ammo capacity: 12 shells per clip.
[Minigun]
While many RTGS soldiers favor the Gatling Blaster, the Minigun provides a similar degree of power, without being quite as hefty or awkward to wield.
Attack power: 7.
Range: Medium.
Ammo capacity: 800 rounds in one large magazine; can only carry 1 reserve magazine at a time.
[Explosive Throwing Knives]
As powerful as energy weapons have been over the years, their effectiveness against heavily-armored opposition is...debatable. As such, the incendiary dagger is often a go-to weapon against the enemy heavies. Each knife carries a proximity-detection system, which detonates it roughly .75 seconds after impact, making giblets of whatever poor fellow it stuck in.
Attack power: 4.
Range: Medium.
Can carry up to 8 knives at a time; 10 if you're a Stealth Trooper.
-Melee-
[Heat Dagger]
A combat dagger that uses thermo-electric coils in the blade to heat it, allowing the wielder to cut through light armor-grade materials like butter.
Attack power: 5.
[Chainsaw Zweihander]
A two-handed broadsword with chainsaw teeth along the edge. Microscopic heating coils in each tooth allow it to cut through hard materials with more ease.
Attack power: 6.
[Surgical Saw]
While primarily used in surgery and amputation, the Surgical Saw is also quite effective as a melee weapon. While not heated like the Zweihander, its teeth move along the blade at a faster rate, allowing it to be quite effective at tearing through bio-matter.
Attack power: 5.
-Grenades-
[Photon Grenade]
Replacing the fragmenting, pin-fuse explosives of the past, the Photon Grenade has a motion sensor that, when armed, starts the detonation timer upon first contact with a solid object. Once triggered, the timer lasts for roughly 1.5 seconds, then detonates the grenade, releasing a 900-kJ burst of photon energy.
Attack power: 8.
Blast Radius: 4.
[Flash Grenade]
A long-standing asset to the field, Flash Grenades are the perfect door-opener for when the enemy has you pinned. This model comes equipped with a friend-or-foe system that signals friendly units' HUD systems to auto-adjust for the flash. It's less effective on mechanical enemies, however, as they tend to use infrared imaging that voids the device's flash.
Stuns nearby biological enemies for 2 turns. Void if target does not use optical vision.
Blast Radius: 6.
[EMP Grenade]
EMP Grenades are a life-saver against mechanical targets. Each one emits an electro-magnetic pulse that disables all electronic systems within its blast radius. Just don't throw one too close; the blast can scramble your armor's onboard computer, as well.
Stuns nearby mechanical enemies for 3 turns. Any power-armored targets in the blast radius will be inflicted with "glitch" status, disabling their armor's stat benefits, and de-buffing Mobility by 1 due to extra weight.
Blast Radius: 7.
--Geodians--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Geodians are a bio-metallic race, with polymorphic and psychic abilities that prove quite formidable in the field. Undiscovered until the Perseus incident, they bear anatomical similarities to the Polygems, though they are far less aggressive to anyone except said Polygems. When they find someone whom they deem "worthy," the Geodians establish a mental link with them, and take on the form of a weapon that reflects their partner's personality. In doing so, they grant their "wielder" special abilities, and gain a form of protection on their end of the symbiotic connection.
When bonded with a Geodian, you gain a special form of attack, along with up to 3 special attacks. These special attacks vary between players, and can be almost anything. You may get abilities that can spear enemies from below, fire a homing projectile, or even maybe (though it's a big maybe on this one) gain access to a mini-nuke of pure heat energy.
Every standard attack you perform with a Geodian drains some EN. Melee attacks drain 5 EN per strike, whereas projectile attacks drain 1 EN per shot (though you can fire up to 10 shots in one turn). Special attacks drain 10 EN by default, but you can spend additional EN on an attack for more power, and (depending on the attack) perform a variant of it that can be used for a base value of 15 EN.
If your EN hits zero while you have a Geodian equipped, they become fatigued, and must rest until the end of the next battle. Depending on what battle awaits you next, this could be a very bad thing, so mind your EN levels when using Geodian abilities.
The Geodians are a bio-metallic race, with polymorphic and psychic abilities that prove quite formidable in the field. Undiscovered until the Perseus incident, they bear anatomical similarities to the Polygems, though they are far less aggressive to anyone except said Polygems. When they find someone whom they deem "worthy," the Geodians establish a mental link with them, and take on the form of a weapon that reflects their partner's personality. In doing so, they grant their "wielder" special abilities, and gain a form of protection on their end of the symbiotic connection.
When bonded with a Geodian, you gain a special form of attack, along with up to 3 special attacks. These special attacks vary between players, and can be almost anything. You may get abilities that can spear enemies from below, fire a homing projectile, or even maybe (though it's a big maybe on this one) gain access to a mini-nuke of pure heat energy.
Every standard attack you perform with a Geodian drains some EN. Melee attacks drain 5 EN per strike, whereas projectile attacks drain 1 EN per shot (though you can fire up to 10 shots in one turn). Special attacks drain 10 EN by default, but you can spend additional EN on an attack for more power, and (depending on the attack) perform a variant of it that can be used for a base value of 15 EN.
If your EN hits zero while you have a Geodian equipped, they become fatigued, and must rest until the end of the next battle. Depending on what battle awaits you next, this could be a very bad thing, so mind your EN levels when using Geodian abilities.
--Mission Updates--
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
--Alex Spade, brother of Capt. Greggory Spade, previously assumed dead, is very much alive. He seems to be after Greg and his team for some reason, and has destroyed the Sleipnir command ship with a deadly war-mech code-named the "Caladbolg." Visual data can be found below:
--The Five Golden Rings insurgents that previously occupied Perseus are apparently wiped out, due to the appearance of a species known only as the "Polygems." They exhibit parasitic tendencies, particularly in the host's mental and locomotion abilities, and mark their hosts with crystal growths on its body. Weapons that use photon-based energy (such as photon pistols or burst rifles) are ineffective against the crystals themselves, though the host's body can still be damaged by them. If the crystals must be damaged, recommend use of heat-based weapons (such as a Heat Dagger or a Plasma Shotgun).
--According to new discoveries, the Polygems are not entirely one big hive-mind. There are certain individuals among them that exhibit fully-sentient behavior, though it is assumed that it's a "special privilege" given only to the high-class units. This theory is based on the behavior of Garnecles, one of the Polygems' "Prime Judicator" units, who exhibits a supposed personality of aggressive nature. His appearance also suggests that the Polygems are gradually "evolving" into a more organized force, though their belief that they own all things in the universe still appears as strong as ever.
--Alex Spade, brother of Capt. Greggory Spade, previously assumed dead, is very much alive. He seems to be after Greg and his team for some reason, and has destroyed the Sleipnir command ship with a deadly war-mech code-named the "Caladbolg." Visual data can be found below:
- Caladbolg mech.png (67.6 KiB) Viewed 1624 times
--The Five Golden Rings insurgents that previously occupied Perseus are apparently wiped out, due to the appearance of a species known only as the "Polygems." They exhibit parasitic tendencies, particularly in the host's mental and locomotion abilities, and mark their hosts with crystal growths on its body. Weapons that use photon-based energy (such as photon pistols or burst rifles) are ineffective against the crystals themselves, though the host's body can still be damaged by them. If the crystals must be damaged, recommend use of heat-based weapons (such as a Heat Dagger or a Plasma Shotgun).
--According to new discoveries, the Polygems are not entirely one big hive-mind. There are certain individuals among them that exhibit fully-sentient behavior, though it is assumed that it's a "special privilege" given only to the high-class units. This theory is based on the behavior of Garnecles, one of the Polygems' "Prime Judicator" units, who exhibits a supposed personality of aggressive nature. His appearance also suggests that the Polygems are gradually "evolving" into a more organized force, though their belief that they own all things in the universe still appears as strong as ever.
===ISPC INTEL===
---The Alpha Mind---
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
At the center of the Polygems' hive-mind network is the Alpha Mind, the first of their kind. This central intelligence is both the "brain" and "heart" of their war effort, as it has the final judgment on strategic operations, and without it, all other 'Gems would cease to function in any way, shape, or form. No one has ever seen this intelligence visually, but judging from current intel, it is presumably a highly-evolved Polygem, being the first one to ever exist.
At the center of the Polygems' hive-mind network is the Alpha Mind, the first of their kind. This central intelligence is both the "brain" and "heart" of their war effort, as it has the final judgment on strategic operations, and without it, all other 'Gems would cease to function in any way, shape, or form. No one has ever seen this intelligence visually, but judging from current intel, it is presumably a highly-evolved Polygem, being the first one to ever exist.
---The Prime Judicators---
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Second-in-command to the Alpha Mind are the Prime Judicators, a rare Polygem form that occurs when a person's consciousness fuses with the 'Gem corrupting them, resulting in a body that is entirely crystalline (with one exception), but a fully-sentient mind...though any thoughts of betrayal can quickly be deciphered by the Alpha Mind, who can literally end their existence with a mere thought. There are five in total, and each one commands roughly 1/5th of the total Polygem force. Their ranks include:
--Garnecles, Prime Judicator of Wrath. (KIA)
Garnecles was the "tank" of the PJs in life; powerful and durable, but relatively slow. Mighty as he was, however, a joint effort from Greg's team, Jon, and the resistance group, all proved to be too much, even for him. However, he was also something of a hot-head, which meant that he likely didn't plan too far ahead. Either way, he's out of the picture now.
--Jadenix, Prime Judicator of Despair.
The elder of the "Envious Green" twins. She has no qualms with battle, but is more strategic in her attack plans than Garnecles was. While she prefers that underlings do the dirty work for her, she is no less formidable in combat than the other PJs. Her weapon is a crystalline battle scythe, which she can also use as a cannon.
--Emeralza, Prime Judicator of Chaos.
The younger of the "Envious Green" twins. Unlike her sister, Emeralza prefers to turn her enemies on each other, using seduction and trickery as her primary weapons. If forced into a combat role, however, she proves quite skilled with her double-tipped spear, and can also provide "biological support" to other Polygems nearby.
--Amethujin, Prime Judicator of Fright.
The most elusive of the PJs, Amethujin's existence is only known by a lucky video transmission from a bystander, as those who encounter him tend to die mere seconds later. This infers that his abilities are focused on stealth, and quickly killing his enemies before they can launch a proper counter-offensive...though that's just a theory. Aside from the signature kunai-shaped blade as his handheld weapon, Amethujin's skills are largely unknown. If you see him, keeping a low profile is recommended.
--Obsidios, Prime Judicator of Destruction.
Out of all the PJs, Obsidios is the only one that retains any element of his original form. Namely, his human face, which seems reminiscent of an old war-criminal. Among the Judicators' seemingly-equal ranks, he is the one that would be closest to their "leader," one-upped only by the Alpha Mind itself. His only weapon in battle is a large "variable cannon," which can be converted to mimic a number of weapons. Among these weapons, his favorite configurations are the "missile," "laser," and "blade" settings. Despite the variable cannon's size, he is also quite agile, and seems to have the most well-rounded skills of all his colleagues.
Second-in-command to the Alpha Mind are the Prime Judicators, a rare Polygem form that occurs when a person's consciousness fuses with the 'Gem corrupting them, resulting in a body that is entirely crystalline (with one exception), but a fully-sentient mind...though any thoughts of betrayal can quickly be deciphered by the Alpha Mind, who can literally end their existence with a mere thought. There are five in total, and each one commands roughly 1/5th of the total Polygem force. Their ranks include:
--Garnecles, Prime Judicator of Wrath. (KIA)
Garnecles was the "tank" of the PJs in life; powerful and durable, but relatively slow. Mighty as he was, however, a joint effort from Greg's team, Jon, and the resistance group, all proved to be too much, even for him. However, he was also something of a hot-head, which meant that he likely didn't plan too far ahead. Either way, he's out of the picture now.
--Jadenix, Prime Judicator of Despair.
The elder of the "Envious Green" twins. She has no qualms with battle, but is more strategic in her attack plans than Garnecles was. While she prefers that underlings do the dirty work for her, she is no less formidable in combat than the other PJs. Her weapon is a crystalline battle scythe, which she can also use as a cannon.
--Emeralza, Prime Judicator of Chaos.
The younger of the "Envious Green" twins. Unlike her sister, Emeralza prefers to turn her enemies on each other, using seduction and trickery as her primary weapons. If forced into a combat role, however, she proves quite skilled with her double-tipped spear, and can also provide "biological support" to other Polygems nearby.
--Amethujin, Prime Judicator of Fright.
The most elusive of the PJs, Amethujin's existence is only known by a lucky video transmission from a bystander, as those who encounter him tend to die mere seconds later. This infers that his abilities are focused on stealth, and quickly killing his enemies before they can launch a proper counter-offensive...though that's just a theory. Aside from the signature kunai-shaped blade as his handheld weapon, Amethujin's skills are largely unknown. If you see him, keeping a low profile is recommended.
--Obsidios, Prime Judicator of Destruction.
Out of all the PJs, Obsidios is the only one that retains any element of his original form. Namely, his human face, which seems reminiscent of an old war-criminal. Among the Judicators' seemingly-equal ranks, he is the one that would be closest to their "leader," one-upped only by the Alpha Mind itself. His only weapon in battle is a large "variable cannon," which can be converted to mimic a number of weapons. Among these weapons, his favorite configurations are the "missile," "laser," and "blade" settings. Despite the variable cannon's size, he is also quite agile, and seems to have the most well-rounded skills of all his colleagues.
---The Hive---
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Hive is, as its name implies, the main stronghold of the Polygems. Formed from a mass-corruption of an old RTGS military base, it is here that the Alpha-Mind resides, well-guarded by millions of his "loyal soldiers," as well as defensive walls that rival the Platinum Stilettos' fortress station of Valhalla (and that's saying a lot). To make an outside assault even more futile, the cannons of the corrupted base are powerful enough to punch a hole through a Sleipnir-class warship with just one shot.
Since attempting to destroy it from the outside is, simply put, suicidal, the combined force of Stiletto, ISPC, and resistance units are preparing for an inward assault, using the ISPC flagship Karyuujin to divert enemy attention (as it's at least 7x as durable as the Sleipnir), while the ground troops blast their way into the Hive, and take it out from the inside.
Having taken several days simply to study their enemy, ISPC Colonel Jonathan Edge (formerly a Platinum Stiletto Captain) has a strategy that he believes will provide them with the best odds for success. Regardless of the odds, however, failure cannot be afforded for this mission, as the Perseus colony is one designed to migrate between planets...and there aren't that many planets standing between it, and the RTGS capital on Mars. Naturally, the 'Gems have had plenty of time to devise their own big push, and unless the assault succeeds, there will be little to stand between the Polygems, and the total domination of every man, woman, and child on Mars, as well as Earth.
The Hive is, as its name implies, the main stronghold of the Polygems. Formed from a mass-corruption of an old RTGS military base, it is here that the Alpha-Mind resides, well-guarded by millions of his "loyal soldiers," as well as defensive walls that rival the Platinum Stilettos' fortress station of Valhalla (and that's saying a lot). To make an outside assault even more futile, the cannons of the corrupted base are powerful enough to punch a hole through a Sleipnir-class warship with just one shot.
Since attempting to destroy it from the outside is, simply put, suicidal, the combined force of Stiletto, ISPC, and resistance units are preparing for an inward assault, using the ISPC flagship Karyuujin to divert enemy attention (as it's at least 7x as durable as the Sleipnir), while the ground troops blast their way into the Hive, and take it out from the inside.
Having taken several days simply to study their enemy, ISPC Colonel Jonathan Edge (formerly a Platinum Stiletto Captain) has a strategy that he believes will provide them with the best odds for success. Regardless of the odds, however, failure cannot be afforded for this mission, as the Perseus colony is one designed to migrate between planets...and there aren't that many planets standing between it, and the RTGS capital on Mars. Naturally, the 'Gems have had plenty of time to devise their own big push, and unless the assault succeeds, there will be little to stand between the Polygems, and the total domination of every man, woman, and child on Mars, as well as Earth.
