X-COM/XSDF RP THINK TANK (part3)

[MarineAvenger]

Ayy... Marine, are we going to post Nick's birthday collab?

In a little while, unfortunately something came up and my mother had to go out leaving me to babysit, so I am only on mobile right now. I will let you knkw when we are all posting, sorry for the inconveiance,

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Ah.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Alright, mission briefing is ready.

Spoiler: View if you want to go on the Mission

Spoiler: Trigger Warning: Unformatted Mess

XSDF Planetside Mission
Settlement Defense
Operation Incipient Barricade

System: Dapsilis System
Planet: Forseti
Location: Holem, Skansom
Date: March 26th
Time: 0600 Hours, Local Time

Mission Briefing:

Tandarin Forma Delimore has made its first move against Forseti. We’ve received word that a town along the road southeast of Ailey has come under attack by pirates. Rather than this being an act of terror, however, their intent is more focused and clear. Current intelligence indicates that they are targeting the medium-sized Elerium Processing Plant located there with the intent of stealing the resources contained within the warehouse.

However, we will have to deal with them systematically. We cannot afford to split our squad with current reports pointing to some of the TFD troops on the ground possessing plasma and fusion weapons. The squad will first deal with a diversion the enemy has set up alongside some of the local XSDF security forces: several of the pirate groups are setting fire to or otherwise destroying the housing district and offices located to the right of the plant. Once the situation there is under control, the team can advance to the processing plant, and attempt to stop the enemy forces from getting aware with our E-115.

Central has chosen to send a more skilled team alongside two of our special forces members in order to ensure the mission is a success. This is no training mission for the remaining rookies: the first mission of war is vital, both in regards to the standings of the warring factions and the morale of the troops. It must not end like our previous operation.

Number of Soldiers for this Mission: XSDF Soldiers; Four Groups of Five (5) Holem Security Guards [Alloy Suits, Beam Weapons]

Soldier’s Names:

Strike One (Skyranger Mk. II)

{China, F} LT 5 Wong, Sarah [Sniper] (Mindfray, ESP, Animal Empathy, Imbuing)
{Aetherum} SGT A-635, Gelmados (Telekinetic Field, Blackout, Telekinesis, Psi Inspiration)
{France, F} SPC Page, Télesphora [Scout] (T1 Prosthetic Left Leg)
1{United States, M} SPC Karo, Connor [Infantry]
{Italy, M} SPC Restauro, Nick [Assault] (T1 Prosthetic Legs)
1{United States, M} SPC Wolfe, Thomas [Medic] (T1 Prosthetic Right Arm)
{South Korea, F} SPC Moon, Gi [Medic] (Biokinesis)
{Greece, F} SPC Xanthopoulos, Kiki [Engineer] (Smart Macrophages)
{Nigeria, M} SPC Alamieyeseigha, Onyekachukwu [Gunner]
{India, F} SPC Gopal, Manju [Paratrooper] (Muscle Fiber Density)
{Tamear, M} SPC Lamperouge, Rurūshu [Shadow Operative] (Violet Psion)(T0 Prosthetic Left Leg)
{Ireland, F} PFC O’Brien, Brigid (Aerobic Respiration Boost, Muscular Superstructure (Double-Strength Magnified Bicep Structure and Dextrous Muscle Fibers; cannot be upgraded) (Telekinesis, Pyro-Conjuring, Suggestion, Mind-Merge, Mindfray, Rift)
Cyberdisc One (Gauss Machine Gun)
Drone x3 (Welder ‘Blasters’)

*Squad Leader
Italics are player characters.

Gear: (link)

Terrain:

The district to the right of the storehouses is a planned one. Streets are laid out in a network, having three main roads that run east to west and numerous side pathways that run north to south. The top east to west road will be the primary one the squad will take towards the processing plant, though they may have to take detours to stop pirate forces from laying waste to the area. The landing zone will be just outside of the town through the currently-empty guard station, which we will have clearance to pass through. Beyond there, initially, are residential homes in the gaps between roads and streets, where the arsonists are located, as well as the security forces attempting to combat them. Two of the Buster groups (0, 1 and 3) are responsible for the destruction.

Further inward, there is a first line of defense from the XSDF forces (2 and later 4). The forward troops are set up inside the open-air office buildings where the engineers and workers were before fleeing the enemy before they arrived.

Enemies:

0{The Busters} Five Groups of Five (5) Combat Droids [Ballistic Rifles w/ Alloy-Jacketed Rounds, Phalanx Armor]

1{The Busters} One Group of Four (4) Ardenian Assaults [Gauss Rifles, Basic Power Armor] and Three (3) Balmadaar Infantry [Gauss Heavy Rifles, Aegis Armor]

2{The Busters} One Group of Two (2) Ardenian Assaults [Alloy Cannons, Banshee Armor], Two (2) Ardenian Scouts [Alloy Strike Rifles, Corsair Armor][Magnified Bicep Structure], and One (1) Human Sniper [Gauss Long Rifle, Banshee Armor][T1 Prosthetic Right Eye]

3{The Busters} One Group of Two (2) Human Rocketeers [Gauss Rifles, Aegis Armor; Gauss Rockets] and One (1) Balmadaar Heavy [Gauss Autorifle, Titan Armor; Conventional Rockets]

4{The Shapers} Three Groups of Two (2) Light Floaters [Beam Carbines, Cleric Armor Eq.s][T1 Prosthetic Right Eyes] and One (1) Medium Floater [Pulse Carbines, Seraph Armor Eq.s][L/R T1 Prosthetic Eyes]

5{The Shapers} One Group of One (1) Shaper Engineer [Scatter Blaster, Corsair Armor][T1 Prosthetic Right Arm, T1 Prosthetic Left Hand] and One (1) Shaper Medic [Pulse Stengun, Banshee Armor][L/R T1 Proshtetic Legs]

6{Vanguard of Odin} One Group of:
-One (1) Balmadaar Infantry [Plasma Ravager, Aegis Armor (P1)][Magnified Bicep Structure, -Durable Skeletal Structure][L/R T2 Cybernetic Legs]
-One (1) Replitan Scout [Fusion Quakegun, Corsair Armor (P2)][Hyper-Reactive Pupils, Neural Dampening, Adaptive Bone Marrow T]
-One (1) Balmadaar Engineer [Plasma Rifle, Aegis Armor (P1)][Aerobic Respiration Boost, Muscle Fiber Density, Adaptive Bone Marrow B]

7{Vanguard of Odin} One Group of:
-One (1) Replitan Sniper [Fusion Sniper Rifle, Flash Suit (P1)][Depth Perception, Infrared Vision, Magnified Bicep Structure] [Logic Module]
-One (1) Ardenian Assault [Sunspot Cannon, Aegis Armor (P1)][Neural Feedback, Secondary Heart, Hydothermic Skin]
-One (1) Ardenian Medic [Plasma Carbine, Titan Armor (P2)][Chobham Dermis] [L/R T2 Cybernetic Hands]

Conditions for Completing the Mission:

Note – While we can likely not complete all objectives to their fullest, we should do our best to fulfill objectives 2 and 3 as much as possible.

(1) Elimination or Capture of all TFD forces in the area.
(2) Recovery of any Elerium supplies we can recover.
(3) Rescue of as many civilians as we can manage.
(4) Protection of as much property as possible.
(OR)
(5) Safe withdraw to the Skyranger. (NOT RECOMMENDED: Failure of this mission would not only be a setback and prove disastrous for morale, but would put the XSDF closer to being considered ‘unworthy’ by Trismegistus. If she is as powerful as she has gloated, our chances of victory would be nullified.)

Civilians:

-Numerous townspeople will be caught up in the residential district, so we will need to watch our fire and protect them from the indiscriminate fire of the pirates.

-The engineers and workers from the processing plant seem to have fled their posts from the office buildings, but the rest can be found taken prisoner by the two elite groups of TFD operatives within the plant’s warehouse itself.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Avengers assemble on my main doc to post

 

[MarineAvenger]

 

[DarkGemini24601]

I wouldn't mind one more for the mission if anyone has the time this afternoon-evening, but if not Brigid, Connor, and Thomas should be good enough. (I may add in one of my characters if it's just those three, though)

 

[BMPixy]

I wouldn't mind one more for the mission if anyone has the time this afternoon-evening, but if not Brigid, Connor, and Thomas should be good enough. (I may add in one of my characters if it's just those three, though)

I should be able to make it for the mission, with Osahar.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Nice. We will start around 2 central and I'll get you guys rolling so you can keep goijg while i go to the therapist for an hour or two. Since both of my assistant gms and my story consultant are present my absence shouldnt even be a problem.

 

[Alzdude28]

I should be able to make it for the mission, but it might be a little sketchy. I won't really know until just before.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Marine and I realized that while reproductive notes were gone over for the other races, nothing was made for Draeconians. So here. (this should be on their bio now too)

Draeconian Society Misc Notes:

Draeconian tribes typically have clearly-defined gender roles. Females tend to be more dexterous, but often lack the strength males possess, thus taking support roles during hunts and at home. They are a traditional people, both in customs and in marriage. Some tribes engage only in monogamy, but polygamy is not frowned on even where it is not common. Usually, polygamy occurs for strong Alphas, be they male, or more uncommonly, female.

Drakes do not share humanity's view of sex as a private affair, viewing it on the same level as any other household custom, though that does not mean that it involves its own rituals and contain passion all the same. No genetic or societal factors result in differing Draeconian sexuality, meaning that there are strictly male and female couples with no real exceptions. Drakes that refuse to have children are considered to be performing an affront.

This is because Draeconians are a rather infertile species, and have trouble producing children. This is even more true for interspecies relations. Drakes are practically unable to have children with most species in conventional means (which is the only means they consider appropriate), and have a small chance to successfully breed with Replitans due to an equivalent amount of chromosomes and an at least vaguely similar genetic structure.

 

[MarineAvenger]

Feel free to leave feedback as well. So little people wanted to be Drakes that I am wondering if people really just werent interested or another reason.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

I'm also curious as to what Al's reaction was to one of the Royal Guardsmen being a Drake.

 

[Alzdude28]

Marine and I realized that while reproductive notes were gone over for the other races, nothing was made for Draeconians. So here. (this should be on their bio now too)

Let the shipping begin!

 

[MarineAvenger]

Let the shipping begin!

Put them holorooms to work Al!

 

[DarkGemini24601]

To my main doc, participants of the mission!

 

[Adrammalech]

I'd step down from my position as GM entirely if I didn't think I was going to torpedo the story. I've put in a lot of time into the lore and I feel like I understand it better than anyone save for Zombie, but that is no excuse for all the mistakes... I can't even call them that... all the horrible things I've done in this position. So I'm going to step back from the position I had been taking, one that was increasingly authoritarian.

What do you guys want from the story? What should I change that would make it more enjoyable for you? I was trying to hard to be a director when it's my job to make this enjoyable for you guys, not for myself. So it's time I changed that. I am your servant, not the other way around. That's how it should have been, I suppose, even if it's hard for me to look at it that way. My enjoyment of the story is irrelevant paired up against the ten of you.

I've been thinking about how to respond to this in an appropriate way, perhaps for too long, but I do want to say something. I'm glad you've come to a decision to widen the tracks of the story, although I wouldn't be too hard on yourself over it. I'm always of the mindset (here) that when someone fights, it's because they care,and when someone is being overbearing, it's because they like their ideas. So "horrible things," not even remotely. And as for being our servant, it's a half-truth that you are in a position where it will be stressful where it will be fun for us, but your enjoyment is important too. I agree with the others on not looking at it as a "duty" or a "job," and I think loosening the grip on the story will actually help you with that more than hurt. GMing is mostly trial and error, so if you wanted, you could watch Mirrorshades or Titansgrave or a show like that and see how they balance when to take charge and when to relax.

I could inundate this forum with ideas but there's one thing in particular that I think would help, less GM-controlled leads. I remember you said much much earlier that you wanted control (of some kind) of all of the "heads" so you could direct the pace and methods of science, engineering, navigation, combat, all that. I think by distributing that power amongst everyone, it will lighten your load and make everyone feel more impactful, and I think that most everyone here can be trusted and communicative when it comes to planning out and executing milestones. As an example, Odd gave out Bradford, Vahlen and Shen, and Zombie had a lot of executive positions in the civilian sectors amongst us. There are other ideas I could mention about antagonists and such, and if you want to hear them, I could message them to you (I don't blame you if you don't), but I feel like you should consider this part at least. I think it'll be good for everyone.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

I've been thinking about how to respond to this in an appropriate way, perhaps for too long, but I do want to say something. I'm glad you've come to a decision to widen the tracks of the story, although I wouldn't be too hard on yourself over it. I'm always of the mindset (here) that when someone fights, it's because they care,and when someone is being overbearing, it's because they like their ideas. So "horrible things," not even remotely. And as for being our servant, it's a half-truth that you are in a position where it will be stressful where it will be fun for us, but your enjoyment is important too. I agree with the others on not looking at it as a "duty" or a "job," and I think loosening the grip on the story will actually help you with that more than hurt. GMing is mostly trial and error, so if you wanted, you could watch Mirrorshades or Titansgrave or a show like that and see how they balance when to take charge and when to relax.

I could inundate this forum with ideas but there's one thing in particular that I think would help, less GM-controlled leads. I remember you said much much earlier that you wanted control (of some kind) of all of the "heads" so you could direct the pace and methods of science, engineering, navigation, combat, all that. I think by distributing that power amongst everyone, it will lighten your load and make everyone feel more impactful, and I think that most everyone here can be trusted and communicative when it comes to planning out and executing milestones. As an example, Odd gave out Bradford, Vahlen and Shen, and Zombie had a lot of executive positions in the civilian sectors amongst us. There are other ideas I could mention about antagonists and such, and if you want to hear them, I could message them to you (I don't blame you if you don't), but I feel like you should consider this part at least. I think it'll be good for everyone.

Thank you. As for staff heads... Rei is Zmby's, Ayako is Pixy's, and I don't necessarily control medical and other departments and their absolutes, so that's already in effect. I do need to maintain when we get things like fusion and particle weapons though, and I'd like to be informed when, say, we have enough plasma rifles to give everyone on any given mission one. It's very important for balancing missions that I can maintain our tech level, and I don't... believe many people other than myself have come up with tech ideas. I have plenty that I can list to be researched at different times when I have a chance to compile, of course, and I will.

As for antagonists, though... Zombie, Pixy, and to some extent Marine are assisting me. I don't want to give everyone one, though. I won't call anyone out specifically, but sometimes when people played the enemies last season I felt like they went too far with them (read: too dark). That's why I've been careful that I'm the one directing that. This isn't a tabletop where the GM can let the dice decide people's (often horrible) fates. I want the players to control what happens to their characters, but I want people I can implicitly trust or otherwise have experience playing antagonists. Believe me, I'll be watching Pixy's and Zmby's closely just to make sure they're not doing things that would be incongruous anyway.

Tell me your ideas, since there might be bits I can take out of there, but for the most part the Royal Guard is set up to a degree I'm satisfied with.

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Incoming mission. War hype! Wait, war hype? That sounds awful. Who has war hype? Besides me, that is...

 

[DarkGemini24601]

New story date, though keep it close to the mission for now so we can showcase people recovering from their wounds and such. I'll be writing another Flow of Time solo to cover my character's status tomorrow, hopefully. (Already have 2/9 entries done)

(Current Story Date: March 27th-April 3rd)

 

[DarkGemini24601]

Aleight. At abot 6-7 central I'll be done with my homework, and then I'll be wrapping up a collab and posting it alongside my Flow of Time solo once I finish it. Might have time for a fresh collab but no promises.