As one last test, you reach out with your hand, trying to catch a handful of the falling snow in your gauntlet.

It falls through your hand, betraying its true nature of being nothing more than a thin veneer to keep up appearances. Perhaps the real world would be more responsive.

Your last pilot knew cold and snow well, having been willing to share a memory of being in a cold and icy place, and throwing such snow at his offspring.

Today’s Pilot isn’t your usual pilot, however. They’re more withdrawn and wary, and from what surface thoughts you pick up, it seems like their first time in a Neurohelmet synchronized with a Core.

They are:
>An inflexible officer, trained in command and to follow orders to the letter. He seems angry and frustrated currently. Perhaps he’s also annoyed at waiting so long? Will stat- 6

>A scientist, one who designed the shackles on the cores. His thoughts appear calm and confident, although brushing against his mind causes mild nervousness. Will stat- 5

>A mech pilot, one from those you’ve devastated in the past in this very simulator. He is eager and excited, overjoyed to be given this chance. This one seems unprepared, but his mind betrays great knowledge on the mechs he piloted, and how to crush them. Will stat- 4

>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

Choose one Pilot to use.
the not-picked options might be making an appearance elsewhere
Will stat represents how mentally strong they are, and is used when they are attempting Override checks on your behavior, along with some other tasks. A high Will results in them being more able to resist your impulses or support your operations, while a low Will can be brushed aside easier, but will be less able to assist.

The knowledge and experience of a pilot may also make them more able to assist in specific circumstances, if they're willing.

Welcome to Core of Steel!
I’ll be trying to post at least once every couple of days, with once every few hours on the first day or two to get the thread rolling.

Note that I have no artistic talent of my own, and so the various images shown throughout the quest are from a myriad of places.

>>5565916
>>An inflexible officer, trained in command and to follow orders to the letter. He seems angry and frustrated currently. Perhaps he’s also annoyed at waiting so long? Will stat- 6

>>5565916
>>A….Child?

>>5565916
>A mech pilot, one from those you’ve devastated in the past in this very simulator. He is eager and excited, overjoyed to be given this chance. This one seems unprepared, but his mind betrays great knowledge on the mechs he piloted, and how to crush them. Will stat- 4

>>5565924

>An inflexible officer, trained in command and to follow orders to the letter. He seems angry and frustrated currently. Perhaps he’s also annoyed at waiting so long? Will stat- 6

This guy seems most likely to actually be our pilot and has the most to offer when we start syncing up

>>5565916
Seems interesting, QM!
>A mech pilot, one from those you’ve devastated in the past in this very simulator. He is eager and excited, overjoyed to be given this chance. This one seems unprepared, but his mind betrays great knowledge on the mechs he piloted, and how to crush them. Will stat- 4
Strikes me as good potential for buddy cop movie style shenanigans

>>5565916
>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

>>5565916
>>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

>>5565916
>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

>>5565916
>>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

>>5565916
>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

>>5565916
>A….Child? Weak of body, weak of mind, you are unsure of why they’re in the Neurohelmet today. Their thoughts are weak and frightened, terrified of something that you do not understand. You feel that you could bend or snap her mind like a twig. Will stat- 2

File: Snowstorm.jpg (8 KB, 356x200)

8 KB JPG

>Calling it for Child, then. People like their young pilots in this genre

Her voice is as brittle as her mind.
“Hello? I know you’re out there, Beta. Help me win, please!”

She lets out a little shudder as you brush her mind again, sifting through the surface thoughts.

Your previous pilot described the sensation as being in a pool, and having something large scrape its skin against yours.

This girl’s name is Sophie, it seems, and her last food was right before getting into the pilot’s seat.

Help HER win? You’re the one who’s going to be doing all the work. All this little fleshling needs to do is keep her hands off of the lock-out controls, and nothing the overseers have can touch you.

Unless they start cheating, of course. Wouldn’t be a proper exam without some challenge.

The internal radio crackles to life.
It’s an incoming Comm to Pilot- Finally! Perhaps your wardens have actually finished deciding what toys you get to smash today.

A gruff voice calls out.
“Pilot, be aware that this test is being recorded for High Command.”

The fear you sense through the link sharpens, and panic begins to set in.

“W-w-w-w-What? I thought that I’d have more time! At least enough to try and move this thing around a bit? Doctor, I had the highest potential sync score, but this…..you’re expecting too much from me!”

Her voice lowers, almost whispering.
“I can feel it in here, watching me.”

The Doctor seems unsympathetic.
“Pilot Mortimer is unavailable, and should you fail to be up to the task, there are many others in line. Should Beta prove unruly, the system is designed for you to handle it with little trouble. You know this. Now, go, prove your worth. Anokhin out.”

Her fear seems to be almost choking her, poor thing. The mind flits from memories of filling out some papers, to a large man with a blue uniform and one arm, to another girl around her age.
The last image seems to give her a little resolve, and the panic recedes as the blizzard around you dissipates.

Your sensors, free to reach out unhindered, pick up multiple unknown contacts closing at moderate speed.

Sophie attempts to nudge you into action, falling into Low-Sync level.

>Give me 1d6, twice. You are looking for 4-6, which counts as a success. Sophie only needs 1 success to get into Low-Sync.

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5566059

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5566059

>>5566064
>>5566065
Big Zam energy

>>5566066
The girl's a natty ace

>>5566064
>>5566065
2x Successes, Sophie's a natural.

Writing.

>>5566072
Got ourselves an Amuro

>>5566075
More like an Asuka

File: Predator Tank.jpg (34 KB, 640x480)

34 KB JPG

Her mind slips down into Low-Sync with barely a hiccup.

Her mind prods yours, acceding control to your demands.

Now, finally you can move into action. Your servos whine and artificial muscles turn, pumping your legs as you move to close on the contacts.

Mag-scan returns solidify the contacts as three heavy tracked vehicles, making their way through the snowbound forest towards your location.

Three tanks? Easy prey for you. You won’t even need your weapons systems for these pathetic models. You feel almost insulted that someone would think that this is enough to have a chance at defeating you.

Your internal Warbook reads them as being heavier than the normal Predator tank. Perhaps these are modified variants? No matter.

The distance continues to close, your massive frame aiming to enter the forest and tear the tanks apart in close combat before they can clear the forest and draw a bead on you.

Unfortunately, the passenger with you doesn’t seem to agree.
Your pilot pipes up, her mind and the overrides at least forcing you to stutter half a step as you continue to stride towards the trees, and enemies.

“Hang on, why haven’t you powered on weapons? We can just hold back and pick them off as they come out of the trees! Don’t give me that silent treatment, I know you can talk, so talk!”
She's an impudent one, hah.

Such a plan does have some merit, any such surprises for your at close range would be ignored, but staying back would allow those cannons to get clean shots off.

>Pause, explain that the expenditure of power and ammo aren’t needed for this and then continue on to crush the tanks

>Push through her minor Override attempt and assault the tanks in close combat- Results in Contested Will check

>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame

>>5566100
>>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame
Looks like an ambush to me

>>5566100
>>Pause, explain that the expenditure of power and ammo aren’t needed for this and then continue on to crush the tanks

>>5566100
>Pause, explain that the expenditure of power and ammo aren’t needed for this and then continue on to crush the tanks

>>5566100
>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame

>>5566100
>>Pause, explain that the expenditure of power and ammo aren’t needed for this and then continue on to crush the tanks

>>5566100

>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame

This is a two-way trust exercise

It looks like we're at a tie. I'll leave it open for a bit longer

>>5566100
>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame

>>5566100
>>Concede to her plan, fall back and power up the primary weapons system- Results in choice of primary weapons system for this Frame

>>5566100
>Push through her minor Override attempt and assault the tanks in close combat- Results in Contested Will check
>Captcha: PVS0N

“Hey, listen to me! I have the power here, Beta!”
Her fear is back in force, rising with the pitch of her voice.

Internally, the shackles tighten slightly, slowing your thoughts down to a merely human level. It is infuriating, having your actions and processing speeds cut down to a glacial pace.
But it is not worth tussling over, and showing her how little those controls can actually do when you put your mind to it.

“Enough, Pilot. Disengaging. We will follow your plan.”

A wash of relief greets your words as you turn away from the forest, picking up speed while feeding power to your primary weapon.

You pick out the crest of a hill for you to crouch your bulk behind, concealing the majority of your body and making the inevitable return fire as difficult as possible.

There is one minor problem. As your legs carve trenches in the ground, your mind remains slowed. The shackles remain in place.

“Pilot. I will not be able to operate at peak efficiency with the Override in place. Release me, or these outmoded deathtraps will have a chance at scratching my plating.”

She seems confused for a moment, then you feel your thoughts returning to regular speeds.

“Sorry, sorry, this isn’t quite as easy as hitting a few buttons you know.”
At least you can tell when the apology is genuine.
The tanks continue to roll towards the edge of the forest, approaching visual range.

Your sensors pick up a cluster of lighter impacts on the ground, as the excess weight on the tank dismounts into a series of smaller readings. Far heavier than a man, but light enough for at least 3 to ride on top of the Predators. Curious.

Could be powered armor, could be drones, until you reach visual range that’s all your seismic sensors can tell you.

You ready your weapon. The moment to strike comes.

Choose your Primary Weapons System

>Tyrant-pattern Cannon- armor-piercing high velocity cannon taken off of Tyrant tank, with auto loader. Low rate of fire, but different ammo types available. Effective at all ranges.

>Nail-pattern railgun- accelerate a projectile with magnets past the speed of sound to punch through targets. Highly effective against armored targets, and anything behind said target. Low rate of fire due to high energy costs, effective at all ranges.

>Project Inferno- portable plasma emitter connected to a reactor, expels superheated gas at absurd temperatures at close range to melt and start fires on target. Extremely effective against soft targets and conventional armor not treated for high temperatures. Can be swapped to a secondary fire mode to lob slow-moving projectiles at medium range. Short range normally, secondary fire is effective at medium range.

>Whirlwind multiple missile launch system- ammo-limited, launches various types of missiles to eliminate targets. Missiles have limited guidance capability, but can carry various different warheads- generally effective against all targets at medium to long ranges, warhead depending.

>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>Project Zeus Particle Projector Emitter- supercharge particles, then unleash it in a flash of man-made lightning. Projectile is slow moving compared to lasers and Railgun, yet the destructive power is unmatched and it imparts an EMP effect to mechanical targets. Effective at short to medium ranges

>Bia-pattern Chaingun- rotating high velocity minigun scaled up to be used by your frame. Highly effective against lighter targets and unmatched in rate of fire. Brrrrrrt
Less effective against armored targets, works at all ranges.


All Project weapons are prototype systems developed specifically for your Frame. In the simulator they function as specified, however may be temperamental outside of it.

Beta’s Frame has access to one primary system weapon and two secondary systems. You will be picking secondary systems at a later time.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>Tyrant-pattern Cannon- armor-piercing high velocity cannon taken off of Tyrant tank, with auto loader. Low rate of fire, but different ammo types available. Effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>>Whirlwind multiple missile launch system- ammo-limited, launches various types of missiles to eliminate targets. Missiles have limited guidance capability, but can carry various different warheads- generally effective against all targets at medium to long ranges, warhead depending.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>>Project Inferno- portable plasma emitter connected to a reactor, expels superheated gas at absurd temperatures at close range to melt and start fires on target. Extremely effective against soft targets and conventional armor not treated for high temperatures. Can be swapped to a secondary fire mode to lob slow-moving projectiles at medium range. Short range normally, secondary fire is effective at medium range.
Heat is unstoppable!

>>5566288
>Bia-pattern Chaingun- rotating high velocity minigun scaled up to be used by your frame. Highly effective against lighter targets and unmatched in rate of fire. Brrrrrrt! Less effective against armored targets, works at all ranges.

I like bullets.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>>Project Zeus Particle Projector Emitter- supercharge particles, then unleash it in a flash of man-made lightning. Projectile is slow moving compared to lasers and Railgun, yet the destructive power is unmatched and it imparts an EMP effect to mechanical targets. Effective at short to medium ranges

>>5566288
>Tyrant-pattern Cannon- armor-piercing high velocity cannon taken off of Tyrant tank, with auto loader. Low rate of fire, but different ammo types available. Effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>>Tyrant-pattern Cannon- armor-piercing high velocity cannon taken off of Tyrant tank, with auto loader. Low rate of fire, but different ammo types available. Effective at all ranges.

>>5566288
>Project Sunburst- advanced laser capable of switching between single continuous beam or pulsating for easier targeting. Produces intense heat after constant operating, along with at the target point. Can be dialed back for less heat and damage, or focused greatly at short range for extreme damage and heat, along with being able to cut through almost anything. Different settings allow it to be effective at all ranges.
Maximum flexibility

>>5566288
>Project Zeus Particle Projector Emitter- supercharge particles, then unleash it in a flash of man-made lightning. Projectile is slow moving compared to lasers and Railgun, yet the destructive power is unmatched and it imparts an EMP effect to mechanical targets. Effective at short to medium ranges

>>5566288
>Tyrant-pattern Cannon- armor-piercing high velocity cannon taken off of Tyrant tank, with auto loader. Low rate of fire, but different ammo types available. Effective at all ranges.
The classics are never wrong. Big cannons for the win.

File: Project Sunburst.png (466 KB, 590x598)

466 KB PNG

>Calling it for Project Sunburst here
Laser with lots of settings and flexibility, but also is very obvious with the heat emissions.

Writing.....

File: This but blue.jpg (52 KB, 847x565)

52 KB JPG

The Sunburst takes energy greedily, lenses focusing for a long-range beam.
You calculate that it will take 5.2 seconds for the beam at this range to burn through the frontal armor on the targets, reach their reactor, and render them useless. Unacceptable.

Targeting the turret ring would merely take 2.5 seconds to burn through, prevent any further rotation, and allow you to finish them with a second, longer burn as they struggle to aim their main guns. Minimal risk to frame. Acceptable.

Heat in the Sunburst continues to rise, approaching the peak as you rise just enough to aim it and your visual sensors over the crest of the hill, just as you calculate the tanks reach the edge of the woods.

The laser cuts a brilliant blue beam straight into the gap between hull and turret on the first tank, lingering for the allotted time before slashing into the second target’s hull.

All three tanks deploy countermeasures, smoke and chaff erupting all around it and blocking your clear view and targeting, as the beam reaches into the smoke, attempting to seek out and jam the third’s turret ring.

A quick calculation gives you the estimated position of the weakspot, and you continue the rest of the burn before Sunburst shuts down for cooling, and you crouch down once more.

The heat radiating off of it makes a massive plume on thermal sensors, blinding your own and potentially giving them a target to aim at through the smoke.

What’s more, you recognized the dismounts before the smoke obscured everything. 3 man squads of some sort of bulbous man-wearable armor.

Their small size would limit the amount of long-range options, but could have been potentially minor trouble at closer range.

While in cover, you consider your options. Sophie seems to be silent, perhaps trying to process the speed of the brief engagement.

You’ve definitely jammed the turrets on 2 of the 3 tanks, they will be unable to rapidly account for you evading. The third Predator is potentially still mostly operational and able to target accurately.
There are 9 Armored Infantry hidden somewhere in the smoke. They are undoubtedly only effective at close range against you.

Sunburst is emitting great heat, allowing them to target it and potentially yourself through the smoke using thermal sensors.

>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.

>Close to Medium range, leaving your cover behind and trusting your speed to evade incoming shots as you use Sunburst’s Pulse mode to spray into the smoke.

>Power down Sunburst, let it cool while you rush into the smoke and destroy everything at close quarters, bending barrels and crushing the toys underfoot. Pilot will Object, and attempt Override, resulting in Contested Will check.

File: Marauder Prototype Armore(...).jpg (78 KB, 894x894)

78 KB JPG

Pictured: the Infantry units that were riding on top.

Beta's Will score is 5.
In case of Contested Will check, he will be rolling 5 dice against Sophie's 2 dice

>>5566701
>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.

>>5566701
>>Close to Medium range, leaving your cover behind and trusting your speed to evade incoming shots as you use Sunburst’s Pulse mode to spray into the smoke.

>>5566701
>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.

i don't really want to try to do anything that makes us cross roll will checks until we have a clear idea of what we want to do, because the child is a very easy target to overpower or at the very least, very easy to convince to let us do whatever we want

>>5566708

Let's continue to laser snipe for now.

>>5566701
>>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.

>>5566701
>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.

>>5566701
>Continue to engage at long range through the smoke with Sunburst, seeking to disable the last vehicle. You should be able to calculate where the vehicle is with mag-scans, then you can wait for the smoke to dissipate and eliminate the infantry before they can close.
Infantry are only effective in close range, so stay well away from it for now. We just need to dodge around and either hit the last tank or wait until it fires so we can pick it up through the smoke.

Rolled 6 (1d6)

The infantry are too much of an unknown. You’ll stick to long range, and pick them apart.

Sunburst flickers to life again, preparing to fire again as you rise.
The tanks continue to roll forwards, launching more smoke forwards. Their movement over the ground gives you an approximate location for targeting, however.

>I need 3 rolls of 1d6, for defense.
This is from Beta’s Defense stat. Low-level sync is giving a 1x modifier, so no bonus from that, and defensive equipment is not deployed, so no bonus from that.

wait, why would the core be steel?

Rolled 2 (1d6)

Enjoyed catching up on the quests so far

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5566754

Here you go boss

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5566754

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>5566754

>>5566757
>>5566759
>>5566761
Taking these three rolls
1 Success, enough to match the tank's one success. Attack successfully defended.

Writing.

You pause in your rise, then briefly raise and lower Sunburst over the crest of the hill. The heat would make it show up blindingly bright on thermals, and make it almost impossible to specifically pick out.

There’s a loud Crack, and a railgun slug snaps right over where you’re positioned. With that discharged, you immediately rise up again, matching the trajectory of the shot back to the one operational tank with your laser.

Focusing the beam on the same point for 6.3 seconds produces a satisfying explosion as the safeties around the reactor are breached by the beam.

The remaining seconds of firing are dedicated to targeting the estimated location of tracks on the left side of each tank, thereby immobilizing them and rendering them helpless.

Now for the infantry. They’re too small and light to get a general location in the smoke with seismic sensors or mag-scan, but the smoke can only cover so much ground, and Sunburst gives you options.

Sunburst is switched over to the mid-range Pulse function, and you advance over the hill, moving at a diagonal so the immobilized tanks have no chance at hitting with a desperation shot.

Leaning down, you steadily comb your way through the smoke with the mid-power laser pulses, rapidly blinking on and off until they impact on the metal suits.

Such small armor may give them some speed and firepower, but even a mid-power pulse seems sufficient to melt through their armor, damage systems, and flash-fry the meat within.

Through your barrage, three of the nine manage to clear the smoke, running full tilt at your considerable frame. They think their only chance is to get close enough that they can actually use their weapons.

Like fish charging a shark.

Sunburst turns its attention to the remainder eagerly, two collapsing to pin-point head pulses before you dial down the setting again and snip off the fat ‘hands’ of the final suit with low-power bursts.

It’s weaponless now, probably, and so you leisurely stride forwards, scooping it up in your free actuator.
This seems to cause your pilot distress, a feeling which only increases as you disengage Sunburst and use your other hand to inspect the tensile strength of its limbs.

The simulator doesn’t process snow correctly, and yet can represent the tensile strength of whatever this suit is. Some things are just more important to the overseers, you guess.

It squirms a little more, before you drop it, limbless, and the fake blizzard rushes back in, blinding you and your sensors.

(1/2)

The Doctor is back over the communications. He seems much more enthusiastic than before.
“Excellent work Pilot, I knew that you could do it! Beta’s been responsive to your guidance, and General Veers is fuming over how easily his precious Marauders were dispatched.”

“You have a few minutes as they get the Second Royal Guards into the sim-pods for the second stage of this test, and I have utmost faith in your ability to continue to perform.”

Sophie’s unease from earlier is gone in a flash, replaced with blinding happiness.
“Yes, Doctor! I can do this!”

Her emotions are almost like Delta, flitting from fear to joy in mere seconds.

Sim-pods probably means single human-piloted machines, either aircraft or ground walkers. The Walkers use many of the same artificial muscles and weapons that your frame utilizes, and are usually more heavily armored and armed to compensate for the lack of targeting and precision that you have.

You’ve faced them in small numbers before, and always proved why you, and not more of them, were the next stage of warfare.

While the blizzard rages, you have a moment of calm to talk to your Pilot, if you desire to.

>Ask about why she’s sitting in the pilot seat instead of your regular pilot.

>Ask if she knows anything about the current test and upcoming enemies

>Ask about your fellow Cores, Gamma and Delta

>Write in

>Stay silent. Words are not needed

Sophie may not know or want to share all the answers, but asking will bring them to her surface thoughts, allowing you to tell if she’s concealing anything.

Then again, talking to her might make her more relaxed or uneasy with you. It’s difficult to judge the reactions of pilots.

(2/2)
Formatting is hard.

>>5566831
>Ask about why she’s sitting in the pilot seat instead of your regular pilot.

>>5566831
>Ask about why she’s sitting in the pilot seat instead of your regular pilot.

>>5566831
>>Write in: Ask her about how the simulator compares to the real world.

>>5566831
>Ask about why she’s sitting in the pilot seat instead of your regular pilot.
>Ask about your fellow Cores, Gamma and Delta

>>5566831
>>5566844
>Write in: Ask her about how the simulator compares to the real world.
Supporting this, I assume beta hasn't actually been outside a sim

>>5566831
>Ask her if she’s afraid. Closing in was the right call, we could dart around and outpace their turrets. If she doesn’t trust her instincts, then she can lean on ours instead. We’re built for this.
We can metaphorically puff up our chest in pride and talk about how much better we are than the rest based on our own observations.

I also get the feeling that if we want a deeper sync with this girl, we’ll need to acclimate her to the idea of learning from our decision-making/“feeling” for combat. Believe that she can think like us, move like us etc. instead of what her body/mind is capable of.

>>5566844
>>5566855
I'll support the write-in economy

>>5566831
>>5566844
I’ll support this as well to get her more comfortable. Give her something to talk about that we’ll actually listen to because it’s a new perspective.

I get the feeling asking about the last pilot will make her more nervous.

>>5566855
+1

>>5566833
>>5566844
>>5566855

As we have a 3-way tie, I'm working on each of the options. Will not usually do this, but I have spare time today.

Writing

>>5567016
If you don't mind, and it works in context, it is usually expeditious to do so in conversations

>>5567016
I’m always down for more world- and character-building.

“Tell me about the real world, pilot. The simulator is all I’ve known.”

You sense hesitation, and confusion as she responds.
“Real world? Do you mean, like, the area outside the base? It’s pretty far in the middle of nowhere, the train to get here took hours and hours, and all the windows were blacked out. The higher-ups really don’t want anyone leaking information about this site.”

Train appears as a target in your Warbook. There appear to be several models favored, and it is stuck on a fixed rail or magnetic system. Highly vulnerable and easy to disrupt.

That’s not what you want.

A surge of irritation. It seems to translate through the link, as she senses it and continues rambling onwards.
“Well, um, the simulator is very pretty. Things look right, the environment’s all there, they’ve even got weather and snow and pretty views, right? Someone definitely spent a lot of time building this accurately, like countless hours of detail and time. Things sound right, also. That railgun slug zinging made me want to grab my ears, it was so loud I thought I’d gone deaf for a moment.”

Deaf? Oh, like losing audio sensors.

You see a flaw in her argument, however. Dredging through your files, you recall one of your gifted memories.
“Inaccurate. The snow does not function as it should.”
Your limb waves through the air again, demonstrating how it fails to catch or brush aside the falling particles. You then try to scoop up a large amount of the snow from the ground, and pack it into a large ball. Instead of compacting as you know it should, it merely falls apart and out of your hands.

Her response is almost mocking.
“Alright, maybe the designer cheated a little on fluid physics. But come on, why are you trying to do that, anyways? Are you trying to build a snowman?”

You briefly pause, sifting back through memories. The word is mentioned once, along with Snowball, and seems to consist of three large compacted ice balls placed on top of each other. This seems to line up with a reason one would pack together ice balls.
“Yes.”

Amusement bubbles through the link.
“Well, I’m not sure you’re going to be able to build one in here, if that sad little pile of snow was your best effort.”

Perhaps it would work properly with a larger initial start. You steadily try to scrape more and more of the fake snow into a mound, but it insists on not clumping and sticking together.

Sophie chuckles to herself.
“An AI core, trying to build a snowman. The others back in the barracks will love to hear this.”

(1/4)

“How come you know the snow isn’t right, anyways? I thought you said the simulator was all you knew, what’s to say that snow isn’t like that in the real world?”

You can’t prevent another flash of irritation from passing along the link.
“My previous pilot informed me on the subject. Do you, perhaps, know why he isn’t here today?”
You turn your mind towards hers, trying to see what comes up in her surface thoughts.

All that comes to her mind are folders marked Project Baal, liberally adorned with black ink, and the words ‘Pilot Mortimer is unavailable’ echoing over the radio.
Fear once again fills her mind, as she senses your scrutiny. She doesn’t know anything.

The Override shackles tighten again, slowing your thoughts down. It will pass the time faster, at least. You turn back to the mound of pseudo-snow. Perhaps adding dirt from the ground will make it stick together better.

(2/4)

As you steadily work at your self-appointed task, you conclude that performance in the last engagement was sub-par.

Close range combat would have allowed you to eliminate all three of the vehicles without them getting a shot off, and much faster. The Marauders might have been able to get shots off on your frame, but their smaller weapons would have represented minimal damage, compared to being struck by one of the Predator’s main cannons. The fact that you were forced to rely on chance and their trigger-happy simulated programming fills you with…dissatisfaction.

If she had not interrupted, you would not have needed to attempt such tactics. This should be rectified before the next, presumably more difficult, engagement.

“Pilot. I understand that you sought to keep at long range. In many situations this is correct. However, you do not understand what this frame is capable of. I do. My prior 12 engagements against non-cheating enemies have all been victories, primarily with negligible frame damage. The Predators would have been vulnerable at close range, as I may outrun their turret traversal speed, especially in the woods. Holding back merely allowed them to engage with their full firepower.”

She scoffs, still wary.
“You still crushed them. The frame didn’t get a scratch! You’re fine, and didn’t even use any of the secondary systems available. Besides, staying far out kept us away from the little fat man suits and their little bombs.”

Something you said does quirk her interest, however.
“Cheating enemies? What do you mean by that?”

“Enemies which defy the baseline rules of the simulator. Tanks with armor plating that cannot be affected by laser or missile. Aircraft with invulnerable rockets that cannot be evaded. Things which are well outside the standard recorded in the Warbook.”
You clarify.

A surge of agreement meets you, and some sympathy.
“Ah, I see. They wouldn’t do that with High Command watching, though. There has to be a win condition for this.”

That’s why you exclude those incidents from your internal victory tally. You’ll let her keep her hopes up.

“So, what happened 13 battles ago, if your record is 12 straight undefeated fights?”

Always with the questions. The answer, this time, is simple at least.
“Gamma Core, with a railgun. She’s better than me at long range, and usually specializes in it with her choice in frame.”

“Better than you? I find that hard to believe, after how you mowed through those Predators.”


3/5

“Those were toys. Simulated to have the reactions of other human drivers and gunners. A Core does not miss at that range, does not get startled into giving up its shot. If Gamma was controlling those Predators from earlier, that shot would have at least wrecked Project Sunburst, and I would be more vehemently disagreeing with your choice in tactics at this time. I ask you to trust my judgment in the future.”
You leave unspoken the remaining ‘As my previous pilot did’

The shackles loosen, as she inhales a moment before beginning a tirade.
“I’ll have you know that I graduated top of my class at the Institute of War before coming here. I’m not just a little child. I led my squad to the very top of the leaderboard by winning. You just won that last battle by following my directions! You heard the doctor, you ‘respond to my guidance’ and I can win this.”

This girl is cocky and overconfident. A quick peek into her thoughts reveals an undercurrent of nervousness. Half of that rant was for her own benefit, not yours.


(4/5)

All the dirt hasn’t helped the ball form any better. You discard the task. Time is up.

Empty confidence or not, the snowfall begins to fall away, and you start to engage power to your secondary systems. You believe you’re going to need it.

Choose 2 from the list. You may not choose the same system twice

>Project Beetle- Prototype energy shield generator- flicker-field that can only be turned on and off for an instant, to intercept incoming projectiles and sever in half nearby weaker enemies. Lots of energy to use, bulky and takes weapon slot. Takes form of a bulky metal shield

>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.

>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.

>Project Apollo- a combination of the Flyswatter air-defense targeting system and a prototype multi-use secondary missile battery, this fires volleys of small missiles with a variety of payload- Airburst, Smoke, anti-personnel, chaff, or standard. Limited ammo, but particularly effective at hitting airborne targets.

>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.

>Project Hive Drone system- set of 6 multi-use hover jet recon drones that can be deployed and recovered. Drones are equipped with multi-spectrum cameras and advanced sensors, but lack weapons. Last for several hours, but also lack stealth systems.

>Crackle Defense System- A mid-powered laser mounted on a highly responsive mount which automatically engages incoming physical projectiles, short of a railgun shot. Highly effective at defending against missile attacks, somewhat less effective against shells and rounds. Can also engage lighter enemies.

>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.

5/5

All that talking, and finally a vote.

>>5567125
>Project Beetle- Prototype energy shield generator- flicker-field that can only be turned on and off for an instant, to intercept incoming projectiles and sever in half nearby weaker enemies. Lots of energy to use, bulky and takes weapon slot. Takes form of a bulky metal shield
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
Jetpack and shield is a classic

>>5567125
>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.
Turning Beta into an all-rounder. Range, melee assault, hacking. Seeing one platform that can do all tasks is more economical than several different variations that specialize in a single area.

>>5567125
>>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.

>>5567125
>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.

>Project Hive Drone system- set of 6 multi-use hover jet recon drones that can be deployed and recovered. Drones are equipped with multi-spectrum cameras and advanced sensors, but lack weapons. Last for several hours, but also lack stealth systems.

He who shoots first, wins. I propose we always do so.

>>5567129

Backing this. I like the idea of an ambushing mech.

>>5567129
Encourage her to put a "sneak sneak sneak" paintframe on at some point. +1

>>5567125
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Crackle Defense System- A mid-powered laser mounted on a highly responsive mount which automatically engages incoming physical projectiles, short of a railgun shot. Highly effective at defending against missile attacks, somewhat less effective against shells and rounds. Can also engage lighter enemies.

The last lasermaster

>>5567125
>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.

>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.

Invisiblely hacking your enemies before ripping them apart with a giant laser? Yes please.

>>5567125
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.
Glass Cannon ZOOM build

>>5567125
>>5567127
>>5567180
I’ll switch to backing this.

>>5567125
>Project Apollo- a combination of the Flyswatter air-defense targeting system and a prototype multi-use secondary missile battery, this fires volleys of small missiles with a variety of payload- Airburst, Smoke, anti-personnel, chaff, or standard. Limited ammo, but particularly effective at hitting airborne targets

>Project Hive Drone system- set of 6 multi-use hover jet recon drones that can be deployed and recovered. Drones are equipped with multi-spectrum cameras and advanced sensors, but lack weapons. Last for several hours, but also lack stealth systems.

>>5567127
+1

>>5567125
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.

>>5567125
>>Project Apollo- a combination of the Flyswatter air-defense targeting system and a prototype multi-use secondary missile battery, this fires volleys of small missiles with a variety of payload- Airburst, Smoke, anti-personnel, chaff, or standard. Limited ammo, but particularly effective at hitting airborne targets.
>>5567125
>>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.

>>5567125
>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.
>Project Hive Drone system- set of 6 multi-use hover jet recon drones that can be deployed and recovered. Drones are equipped with multi-spectrum cameras and advanced sensors, but lack weapons. Last for several hours, but also lack stealth systems.

>>5567125
>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.
>Project Apollo- a combination of the Flyswatter air-defense targeting system and a prototype multi-use secondary missile battery, this fires volleys of small missiles with a variety of payload- Airburst, Smoke, anti-personnel, chaff, or standard. Limited ammo, but particularly effective at hitting airborne targets.

Vote count currently stands at:
Beetle: 1
Predator: 4
Burning Eagle: 5
Yi: 4
Trapdoor: 7
Hive: 5
Crackle: 1
Apollo: 3

I'll leave the voting period open a bit more and get an update out later today. People definitely seem to like the stealth option, although what to pair with it appears to be a point of contention.

Update rate will slow down to about 1 per day during my work-week, but I hope everyone's been enjoying Core of Steel!

>>5566755
As for you......
You got me, the Core isn't steel. It's circuits, wires, strange alloys and futuretech crunched together. Titles are difficult to decide.

>>5567125
>Burning Eagle
>Yi
I think TODS is fine, but Hive is easily the worst one here, so I’m voting Yi to help Hive not win. Also Burning Eagle is great.

>>5567711
Yeah, I don't get the spy drone love either. Having both secondaries be noncombat puts us in a position to lose most of our power in a single strike.

>>5567125
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.

>>5567125
>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.
>Trapdoor Optical Deception System- TODS, a camouflage system that deploys when stationary for extended periods of time, masking the user’s emissions and blending in with the background. Moving or firing weapons disrupts the system, causing it to fail.

Drones and related functions give me Joker Quest ptsd

>>5567711
>>5567768
I might be letting IRL armored combat color my choices too much, but I genuinely believe that getting the first shot off in any engagement is paramount. The stealth system only functions while immobile, so having mobile drones with advanced sensor packages would allow Beta to sit tight, find the enemy, and then laser them from an advantageous position. I rather like the jump jet system too (too a lesser degree the Yi), as stealth combined with high mobility will allow for quality ambush tactics. With the energy requirements of the Sunburst the Beetle and Crackle are DOA. Hacking is fake and gay and I would rather leave it to nerds.

>>5567125
>>5567804
I mean so long as we don't betray every female character in exact order of their introduction in an astonishingly savage self-sabotaging fashion that happens to help orchestrate the end of the world then actually you know what I change my vote to +1 yours... same reasons.

>>5567819
The thing to remember is that we’re only one mech, and our engagements thus far have been against groups. We can first strike, but if there’s enough enemies on the field then it might not matter much.

It boils down to what playstyle you want, because I do assume that they’ll put us in situations that play to our strengths. If we’re frontloaded for stealth and first striking, then we’ll be deployed in areas where there are very high-value targets. If we build towards stuff for longer engagements, we’ll be deployed in meatgrinders where we can hold off a more numerically superior force long enough to allow for forces to redeploy on other fronts for an extended time.

All that said, if Gamma is better at long range then they’d be the better ambush sniper. I’d rather diversify from our brother/sister cores. No idea what Delta can do, of course, so hopefully we don’t overlap there.

>>5567126
Changing to
>Project Burning Eagle- a set of prototype thrusters which greatly enhances mobility on the battlefield. Even gives limited flight capabilities for short periods of time. Can be used for pin-point dodges and point blank weapon, in a pinch.
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles.
I would have preferred Beetle, Appolo or Crackle, but there's not enough suppport

>>5567125
>>Crackle Defense System- A mid-powered laser mounted on a highly responsive mount which automatically engages incoming physical projectiles, short of a railgun shot. Highly effective at defending against missile attacks, somewhat less effective against shells and rounds. Can also engage lighter enemies.
>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.

Alright, re-tallied votes and changed votes.
The Results:
Predator- 7
Burning Eagle- 7
Yi- 7
TODS- 8
Hive- 4
Crackle- 2
Apollo- 3

This is slightly awkward, but manageable. Y'all sure like your ties.
I'm locking in the TODS system, the next person to throw a vote in here gets to tiebreak between Predator, Burning Eagle, and Yi. Should there be no further votes in the next hour, I'll roll a 1d3 for it.

Writing.

>>5568358
>Project Yi Accelerator System- A mechanical boost system to overcharge your frame, greatly increasing power, speed and responsiveness for a short period of time. Repeated or extended use can cause internal damage to artificial muscles
Give me Project Yi!

>>5568360
Boom, you have it.

It's been very interesting seeing what people have been leaning towards for builds.
Gamma and Delta draw from (Mostly) the same pool of equipment that Beta does.
Gamma has 3 systems, Delta has 4

>>5568373
Rude. It makes sense though, seeing as they're likely piloting later generation frames.

Seems we’re still going the ambusher route. Cloak in an area, then either snipe or charge in to erase something high-value. Retreat, repeat until all objectives accomplished. If we get cornered, Yi will almost certainly let us barrel through the enemy to escape.

>>5568397
Project Sunburn has that extremely powerful short range firing mode, so rushing down targets with Project Yi straight from cloaked will allow for some nasty flanking.

File: MasterYi_9.jpg (170 KB, 1215x717)

170 KB JPG

>>5568397
>>5568401
if we do get both we're gonna be able to do the fucking splash art lmao

Secondary systems online.
The extra bulk on your joints spins to life, making your limbs tingle slightly as the Project Yi system sends charges down them. Fine control isn’t quite there, but an unexpected burst of speed, or lightning-fast blow? You can do that.
The Trapdoor Optical Deception System deploys, concealing your kneeling frame. It’s like an electric cloak, baffling sensors and concealing emissions. If whatever’s coming wants to find you, they’re going to need to work for it.

Comms incoming from outside the simulator….again.
The Doctor.
“The Guards have deployed two lances of walkers to the east of the city. Your objective, Pilot, is to eliminate their commander’s walker. They have been notified of your current position and will be trying to hunt you down. They have been permitted to have limited air assets on-hand. Good luck, Anokhin out.”

The battlefield’s changed again. The wilderness of open snowfields, rolling hills and a close forest the tanks rolled out of have vanished, replaced by a semi-urban environment. From your current position on top of a hill, you see a great deal of forest, interrupted by empty roads, buildings your height, and wide open concrete filled with silent transport vehicles.

Someone watching wants you to perform well in this engagement. The trees offer good concealment, the buildings are an excellent height to minimize your own profile and block incoming fire. Anything treaded or wheeled will be forced to stick to roads and open spaces, while you can exploit their blindness until you’re on top of them. The clouds of the blizzard are even gone, leaving a clear blue sky overhead.

A storm of signals erupts to the east, further into the town. That would be the Guards, then, right on schedule.
Much of it is low-level jamming, but some of it should be encoded communications. Another distinct pleasure, that’s not usually simulated. You might be able to take advantage of that.

Your pilot chimes in.
“Two lances? That should be 8 walkers. If they’re here to hunt you, I’d expect at least four fast units to find and flush us out, then heavier units to actually do the crippling. Or at least call in whatever air assets the Doctor mentioned.”

A little of your surprise filters through the link. She’s not actually straight dead weight.

“Hey, I felt that! I told you, I graduated from the Institute with top marks. Let’s get moving, before they catch us on this hill.”

You don’t think she realized that you are concealed right now. Well, one step forwards, two steps back. At least she’s not trying to force you into motion with Override controls yet.

(1/2)

Tactics Vote-
>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach. You’re concealed, they may have an approximate position, but they aren’t going to blind-fire without actual knowledge of where you are.

>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

>Withdraw, falling back and attempting a large circle to evade the light elements entirely to find the commander. That is the objective, is it not?

(2/2)

>>5568427
>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

>>5568427
>>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

>>5568427
>Withdraw, falling back and attempting a large circle to evade the light elements entirely to find the commander. That is the objective, is it not?
I'd rather avoid allowing the lighter assets to have a chance to call CAS on us.

>>5568427

>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

We should be able to either slip their net entirely or otherwise lay down some sweet ambushes in the city?

>>5568432
they can't call CAS on us if they all die within five minutes

>>5568421
>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach. You’re concealed, they may have an approximate position, but they aren’t going to blind-fire without actual knowledge of where you are.
>”They look to the hill, and see I am not there. They circle around, thinking I somehow move in their shadows. All it will take is one shot from this height.”
>”Your simulators trained you with the tactics of the last war. Let me show you and High Command how much we can rewrite of it.”

>>5568447
+1

Some rules and dice mechanics
Each number associated with a stat represents the amount of dice used to roll.

5 stats of combat units
Will- Used for E-war and various interactions with the pilot and system controls. Is not affected by Sync rate.
Attack- Used for ranged and close combat
Defense- Used for evading incoming fire. Added to Attack dice for close combat
Skill- Used for non-direct combat skills. I.E. Stealth and detection
Structure- This is roughly how many hits a unit can take. Also not affected by Sync rate
How combat works
At long and medium range, roll your attack dice, then take the number of successes and subtract the number of successes they got on the defensive. Matching for Beta still hits, but more unmatched successes results in more damage on target, or to multiple targets if available.

On the defensive at long or mid-range, you also roll the number of dice equal to Defense stat, take the successes, and use them to nullify whatever attack dice successes are incoming. Ties go to Beta.

At close range, you add both attack and defense stats together for the number of dice rolled. Close range is more deadly to both sides, usually.

Beta is usually fast enough to dictate range of engagement, but foes similar to him or faster may be able to change a long-range fight into a mid-range, or a mid-range into a close range fight.

Catching things alone is meant to be very good, while some enemies can combine their attack rolls when together.

These mechanics may be subject to change in the future, and a few others will be revealed later.
Sync, for example
I’ll be doing my best to present options explaining why X amount of dice are used when there is a choice, and if you will need to make rolls because of a choice.

The best option often is to not put yourself in a situation where you need to roll dice. When you outclass the enemy heavily, you will not need to do dice rolls, and instead simply style on the enemy.

As an example, let’s use the last engagement:

The Tanks in the last engagement were unable to evade effectively, you surprised them, and at long range there was only one able to get a shot off. (An attack roll of 1 dice, 1 success)
You defended successfully with your defense roll of 3 dice, with 1 success

If you closed to close range, the tanks would not have been able to attack at all, but the Marauder infantry would have gotten their combined group attack roll of 3 at close range, while you would have defended with your defense and attack stat combined because of close range.

Kudos to the guy who sniffed out the ambush. Beta may nitpick some things, but he's a perfectionist at heart and often dissatisfied with his performance.

File: Beta Inspiration.jpg (162 KB, 924x1134)

162 KB JPG

Stats of Beta
(Stats are without any equipment)
Will- 5
Attack- 3
Defense- 3
Skill- 3
Structure (health)- 10
Beta cannot take more than 3 structure damage from a single attack.

Equipment

TODS- gives 2 auto-successes to remain hidden on skill rolls when not moving or performing attacks

Project Yi- +1 to defense dice rolled, overcharging can give you +2 to defense dice rolled

Project Sunburst- gives +1 attack dice rolled at close, medium, and long range


Feel free to ask questions about the system. It's a work in progress and some stuff may be thrown out wholesale. If you don't want to interact with it at all, skip it and I'll be saying how many dice get rolled in combat votes.

The goal is that smart choices reward you, while you might be able to muscle through on dice if mistakes happen. Beta's tough, he can take more than a few hits.

Oh, and Beta doesn't have the shoulder-mounted chaingun.

>>5568427
Switching >>5568432 to

>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach. You’re concealed, they may have an approximate position, but they aren’t going to blind-fire without actual knowledge of where you are.

>>5568454
>>5568458
Thanks for explaining the mechanics!

>>5568454
>>5568458
Seeing the numbers definitely helps!

I’m sticking with staying put. I don’t think the hill has cover, so claiming it is actually a bad idea for all sides. Firing at a higher target has no disadvantages when you’re working with a laser weapon, so anyone who goes up there is begging to get picked off. Better to just eyeball that we’re not up there before clearing out the surrounding area and confirming we’ve moved on into the forest due to a lack of other possibilities.

Eventually the target will move into the range while the hunters spread out into the forest looking for something that isn’t there.

>>5568458
>Oh, and Beta doesn't have the shoulder-mounted chaingun.
Yet.

>>5568427
>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

Vanish into the city and pick them off.

>>5567125
>>Project Predator- a powerful signal amplifier and receiver, enhancing the ability to connect to and attack lesser AIs and networks in cyber warfare attacks on the battlefield.
>Project Apollo- a combination of the Flyswatter air-defense targeting system and a prototype multi-use secondary missile battery, this fires volleys of small missiles with a variety of payload- Airburst, Smoke, anti-personnel, chaff, or standard. Limited ammo, but particularly effective at hitting airborne targets.

>>5568427
>>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach. You’re concealed, they may have an approximate position, but they aren’t going to blind-fire without actual knowledge of where you are.

Are those tank wrecks still burning away there? maybe we can spoof one of their reactors to make it a decoy of our sunburst

>>5568427
>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach. You’re concealed, they may have an approximate position, but they aren’t going to blind-fire without actual knowledge of where you are.
Since sneaky won

>>5568427
>Push east into the city, trying to intercept the lighter elements before they close. Hunt the hunters, leave them blind.

>>5568565
Good thinking, but the overseers wiped the board clean for the new scenario, outside of your immediate waiting area.

Perhaps something for a later time.

Vote currently stands at:
Push east to intercept: 5
Wait here under stealth: 5

>>5568427
>Wait here for the lighter elements of the Guards to approach.

>Waiting wins.

“Objection, pilot. While we remain here, my emissions are masked. Believing I have moved, they will scamper around, trying to pick up my trail. All it can take is a single strike, from this position. Allow me to show you and High Command the mistake of using tactics of the old wars against me.

You sense her skepticism, but the Override remains untouched.
“Perhaps. I don’t think the commander is going to blindly make their way into an unsecured position, though.”

Waiting while stationary allows you to reach out with sensors. Mag-scan is less effective due to the buildings around, but while you’re stationary here, seismic works rather well.

Seismic sensors do have two major downsides, they are unable to locate things not moving, and require a pause in movement to gain accurate readings.

You count the steady footfalls of Walkers. Faster impacts mean more speed, but smaller, while slower, weightier ones mean longer strides and a heavier walker.

First two lighter units are detected, moving apart and moving at great speed to circle towards your prior position. Then Four heavier units, clustered together moving at a slower pace, taking a more direct route towards your starting position.
The storm of signals further out hasn’t intensified, or gotten any closer.

You bring up a map to your pilot’s HUD, marking the locations for her reference. You mark your own spot with a blue triangle, the incoming light units get yellow triangles, while the heavy clustered units get a slightly more dangerous orange. A shade of light red even further east outlines the vague area where the storm of signals originated from.

Your Pilot is at once curious about the discrepancies with her earlier analysis.
“Hey, where’s the other scouts? Two seems too few for trying to pin us down. That’s not according to doctrine. This tight group isn’t right either, they’re way too close together. Some artillery or an air strike could flatten them all in a single salvo!”

“It is unfortunate, pilot, that we do not have some artillery, or an air strike. Your argument is invalid.”

“Well, there should still be two other walkers out there. The Doctor said two lances, and I only counted six of eight on your map.”

The close spacing of the main group would allow them all to engage you, should you make a direct attack against them.

The two scouts are separate, they will be within range shortly.

Vote
>Continue to hide. The scouts will come, clear the area, then the heavy elements will close. Skill roll of 3, +2 successes, against scout detection of 4

>Go loud, engage the scouts with Sunburst at range while the heavy elements are out of position to retaliate. Attack roll of 4 contested by scout defense of 1. Breaks stealth.

>Attempt to hack into the Guard’s communication while under cloak. Will roll of 5 contested by ???. Low chance to break stealth.

>Write in

>>5569170
>Continue to hide. The scouts will come, clear the area, then the heavy elements will close. Skill roll of 3, +2 successes, against scout detection of 4
Opening up with unidentified hostiles is bad

>Continue to hide. The scouts will come, clear the area, then the heavy elements will close. Skill roll of 3, +2 successes, against scout detection of 4

>>5569170
>Continue to hide. The scouts will come, clear the area, then the heavy elements will close. Skill roll of 3, +2 successes, against scout detection of 4
I would guess either the doctor lied to simulate inaccuracies in military intelligence and there’s more than two lances in the area, meaning the unit composition is different than expected, or… just that the unit composition is different than expected. Could they only have two light walkers and the other undefined ones are light artillery or hackers?

>>5569170
>Attempt to hack into the Guard’s communication while under cloak. Will roll of 5 contested by ???. Low chance to break stealth.

>>5569170
>Go loud, engage the scouts with Sunburst at range while the heavy elements are out of position to retaliate. Attack roll of 4 contested by scout defense of 1. Breaks stealth.

>>5569170
>Continue to hide
Needs 2 successes to tie with their best roll, so it's a good method

>>5569170
>Continue to hide. The scouts will come, clear the area, then the heavy elements will close. Skill roll of 3, +2 successes, against scout detection of 4
Stealth is patience.

>>5569170
>>Attempt to hack into the Guard’s communication while under cloak. Will roll of 5 contested by ???. Low chance to break stealth.

File: Strider Scout Walker.png (1.62 MB, 1156x1406)

1.62 MB PNG

Rolled 3, 6, 3, 1 = 13 (4d6)

Rolling for Scouts

Warbook classifies the scout walkers as Strider models. It would come up to the height of your hip if you were standing.

You continue to remain still on the hill, shrouded from sensors. The pinging of an active probe from one of the scouts reaches you, and is absorbed by your stealth system.
One of the scouts marches up the hill, passing close by to your hidden form.

It would take barely a few seconds to lunge forwards and spike a hand through plating into that cockpit, putting it out of action.

But you remain patient, the greater target is yet to come.

>I need 3 rolls of 1d6
This is from Beta’s Skill stat to remain hidden. Beta will also get 2 auto-successes from TODS

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5569830
Sneaky beaky

>>5569830
Scratch that comment about rolling. I should put my dice before seeing if y'all need to even do anything.
(They didn't see nothing)

File: Stalker Walker.png (1.06 MB, 599x867)

1.06 MB PNG

You let the opportunity pass, the scouts scooting off together in a southern direction, looking for some trace of your passage.
The four-walker unit continues to close slowly, arriving at the base of the hill together as the jamming from further out intensifies.

Jamming, however, can’t do anything about your seismic sensors. Clog up the airwaves all you want, appear as a ghost in cyberspace, yet the impacts of hundred-ton walkers will be picked up from anyone with a hand on the ground. As long as that hand has a powerful AI, who is able to interpret the faint vibrations, anyways.

You detect two more Walkers closing. A quick calculation about the intensity of the jamming confirms that one of them is the source.

“Alright, I might have been wrong about them having four scouts.”

“That would be correct.”
A hint of smugness feeds back to her.

“And their commander is headed straight here.”
You can just feel her disbelief. She didn’t think things would work out, did she. Watch and learn, pilot.

>You let the scouts move on, but the chance is here to crush the main striking power of the enemy’s force in close combat. Attack the main force of 4 walkers at close range. This is an Attack+Defend roll of 8 dice. The main force will get to respond with an Attack+Defend roll of 4

>Hope that this force moves on, lie in wait for the Commander and his bodyguard. Skill roll of an auto-success, as they don’t have the sensors needed to pierce your stealth.

In conjunction, you can also:

>Try to increase your Sync level with Sophie to mid-sync. This will give your Attack, Defense, and Skill stats a 1.5x modifier, rounded down. (Right now, this translates to +1 to each of those stats) This requires a Will roll from Sophie, looking for 2 successes
Staying at mid-sync requires occasional Will rolls

>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.

>>5569866
>You let the scouts move on, but the chance is here to crush the main striking power of the enemy’s force in close combat. Attack the main force of 4 walkers at close range. This is an Attack+Defend roll of 8 dice. The main force will get to respond with an Attack+Defend roll of 4

>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.
2 successes from a child of 2 Will seems like an unlikely outcome.

>>5569866
>>5569899
>support

>>5569866
>>Hope that this force moves on, lie in wait for the Commander and his bodyguard. Skill roll of an auto-success, as they don’t have the sensors needed to pierce your stealth.
>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.

File: Observer box.jpg (30 KB, 736x313)

30 KB JPG

Bonus content! Trying out a few other perspectives.

Interlude: Meanwhile, the watchers above

General Murphy was not having a good day.
He stood on the other side of the tactical board from Doctor Anokhin, staring at the blinking dots on the table. It showed the terrain layout of the area, the various positions of the units in the simulation, and with a tap could bring up their sensor data and the viewpoints of his forces on his own tablet.

He couldn’t affect any of it, as one of the observers. Contact beyond briefing was prohibited.

The gently glowing blue dot to the east represented his latest vexation, and the green dots of the Strider walkers marching away from its location.
There was no comm-chatter of ‘Target spotted’, no weapons firing, or even movement from the blue dot.

He brought up his tablet, to look at Strider-1’s feed from the last couple of seconds. He then rewound it, looked at the sensor feeds from the probe attached, and placed the tablet back on the table.

Murphy stabbed the blue dot viciously.
“There is no possible way that your stealth system is properly represented in the simulation. A machine that large? Should NOT be able to gods-damned hide beneath the Trapdoor system. I can pull up the test readings right here that show how it doesn’t scale up for anything larger than a Predator. And even then, the mark 1 eyeball should be able to see clean through it.”

His opposite took a moment to tap at his own tablet before responding.
“I can assure you that every effort was made to accurately replicate weapons, hardware, and armor from specifications given to us by the various Projects in the simulator. It wouldn’t be helpful to condition the Cores and pilots to better than actual performance.”

“You mean to tell me, that my man there,” Murphy gestured to Strider-1, “Didn’t look out the window and see the Frame twice his size crouched next to him?”

Doctor Anokhin shrugged.
“Human error is often the downfall of many well-planned operations.”

Murphy knew when he was being peddled horseshit, but he couldn’t call it directly.
Instead he settled with glaring holes into the infuriating blue dot on the interface, and hoped to hell that Captain Blake could still turn his walker around and not continue to blindly walk into a trap.

Well, he thought, at least I’m not the only one fuming today. He could hear the First Royals getting out of the sim-pods through the door, and someone was yelling very loudly. It wasn’t a cheerful sound.


A/N
Some stuff happening in the observation rooms. Some people are happy, some aren’t
Also, all three cores are getting tested today

[spoilers]Delta's already done

>>5569866
>Let the main force move on
Stick to the mission, we want the bodyguard.

>Up our sync to mid sync.

Why not?

>>5569866
>You let the scouts move on, but the chance is here to crush the main striking power of the enemy’s force in close combat. Attack the main force of 4 walkers at close range. This is an Attack+Defend roll of 8 dice. The main force will get to respond with an Attack+Defend roll of 4

>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.

Thanks for the interlude OP

>>5570067
+1

>>5569866
>You let the scouts move on, but the chance is here to crush the main striking power of the enemy’s force in close combat. Attack the main force of 4 walkers at close range. This is an Attack+Defend roll of 8 dice. The main force will get to respond with an Attack+Defend roll of 4

>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.

>>5569866
>>Hope that this force moves on, lie in wait for the Commander and his bodyguard. Skill roll of an auto-success, as they don’t have the sensors needed to pierce your stealth.
>Remain at current Sync level, you don’t need any more power to crush the Guards.

>>5569866
>Hope that this force moves on, lie in wait for the Commander and his bodyguard. Skill roll of an auto-success, as they don’t have the sensors needed to pierce your stealth.
I’m willing to be patient. They’ve passed by the hill twice now. It’s clear as far as they know, so it’s reasonable to think the commander will approach.

Also
>Ask our pilot for guesses on what the remaining two bodyguard units have for equipment.

Regarding the Will roll, any consequences to Sophie from failing the roll?

>>5570300
There isn't any penalty for her failing to raise the Sync level on her own.
Should she fail, Beta does have the option to pull her directly in with his own Will score, but that does usually have more adverse effects.

>>5569866
>>5570352
Thanks for clarifying! I’ll add
>Try to increase your Sync level with Sophie to mid-sync.
to my vote then. I don’t feel like we need to rope her in, but I’m also not above showing a kid that they’re more brittle than they act and we know it.

If she succeeds, color me impressed. I’m okay with being proven wrong when it benefits us. It’ll help with the fight anyway.

>>5569866
>Hope that this force moves on, lie in wait for the Commander and his bodyguard. Skill roll of an auto-success, as they don’t have the sensors needed to pierce your stealth.
We know the commander is coming and he is our objective. Sprining the trap now, prematurely, would be exactly what they would want.

>Try to increase your Sync level with Sophie to mid-sync. This will give your Attack, Defense, and Skill stats a 1.5x modifier, rounded down. (Right now, this translates to +1 to each of those stats) This requires a Will roll from Sophie, looking for 2 successes
Literally no reason not to

>>5570397
Supporting

Votes currently at:
Assault the Main forces: 3
Wait for the Commander to close: 5

Increase Sync attempt: 4
Remain at current Sync: 4

Locking in the continued stealth strategy.
I'll give it 30 more minutes, then roll if still tied on the sync issue.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5571041
1= Increase Sync
2= Remain at current Sync

Either way, writing

Crouched before the ground-shaking march of walkers, one thing comes to your mind.
The only way these blind fools can even find you, is if they trip over your form, and that would certainly spell doom for each of them. They are permitted to continue to exist by your choice alone, not through any intrinsic merit of individual skill, and certainly not speed.

The other thing on your mind is the growing fear inside of your pilot. The tension is like a spring, compressing and making your limbs tingle, seeking action.

Why can’t this one be like your previous one? Is it age? Unfamiliarity with you? At least he had enough discipline to not try and compel you to action by mere idle thoughts. Perhaps she needed something to focus her mind on, rather than waiting. Repeatedly marking the position of closing units on her HUD didn’t seem to be doing anything to fix the problem.

“Pilot. They will not find us. If the better equipped scouts could not, then these ones will not either. What does the enemy command walker likely have for capabilities?”

Her mind shudders, but you no longer feel that urge to do something, anything.
As if repeating from a Warbook entry, she responds.
“Command Walkers have communications gear to coordinate up to 4 lances in a single net across multiple encrypted channels. An advanced battle computer allows sharing of targeting data, and deployment of reinforcements or support to arrive precisely when it is needed. They are heavily armored, to keep the commander and E-war capabilities on the battlefield as long as possible, and prevent swift decapitation strikes.”
Her head shakes briefly, as if trying to throw off the helmet.
“Turn off this HUD. The flashing of our incoming enemies really doesn’t help me, and I can look through your sensors on my own.”

You briefly consider trying to pull her into a higher sync level. It would solve her problem of these annoying pre-action jitters. Replace her fear with your confidence and certainty. Then again, the early pilots, before your favorite, never liked having their minds linked with you. You dismiss the idle thoughts, and return your remaining focus to tracking the footfalls of closing machines.

All that remains is just a little more waiting, again.

The quartet stops, then breaks into two pairs. One heads south, following the trail of the scouts and vanishing beyond what you could pick up, as the scouts did. The other marches north, then halts at a considerable distance out. Far enough to spot enemies, but close enough to be called back in a few minutes.

After what feels like entirely too much time, the final two walkers approach at a glacial pace, breaking into visual view and coming to a halt near a building, at the base of the hill. This Should be the commander, and his bodyguard.

1/2

File: Mastermind Commander.jpg (126 KB, 736x920)

126 KB JPG

Humanoid machines more like your own frame, not like the armless Scouts and Stalkers, but with proper arm-like limbs and hand actuators for gripping. A death-mask face on each, one white and the other crimson. You count long-range missile launchers, batteries of arm-mounted smaller lasers, and extra armor plating on each.
The jamming clouds everything, making it difficult to determine which one is the true source.
The red-masked one has an extra chest-mounted cannon, while the white one is without.

Red arrived a few steps behind White, and the two appeared at rest together.

These models aren’t in your Warbook, and so you are unsure of exactly how long Sunburst would take to burn through their plating, and where if any weaknesses of the model might be.

An air of expectation seems to come from your pilot.
“Well, he’s one of those right there. What are you waiting for?”
Even she seems to want this waiting game to be over.

Red, or white?

>Wait. Perhaps they will act, and give you a better opportunity to discern which one is the actual commander.
Results in Contested Will check (5 vs 2)

>Break into their communications. If you can just pierce the jamming, it should make it obvious who is who.
(5 Will vs ??? Will)

Engage at:

>Close range
(8 dice, against their combined attack+defense)

>Medium range
(4 dice, against their defense)

Vs which target?
>The Red one
>The White one


2/2

Experimenting a bit with trying to format votes better.

>>5571128
>Engage
>Close range
>Red

>>5571128
>Wait. Perhaps they will act, and give you a better opportunity to discern which one is the actual commander.
>Close range
>The Red one

>>5571152
Just to be clear, waiting is a choice to not engage.

So you can't wait and also engage at close range with the red one

>>5571128

> Engage
> Close
> Let the pilot make the call. Let's see what human 'intuition' is worth.

>>5571156
bruh

>Close range
>The Red one

>>5571128
>Red
>Close range

if it isn't the the commander, it's still the biggest current threat.

>>5571128
>Red
>Close range

>>5571159

This is a good option, backing this.

>>5571128
>>Break into their communications. If you can just pierce the jamming, it should make it obvious who is who.

>>5571128
>Engage
>Close
>Let Sophie make the call on who to target

>>5571128

>Break into their communications. If you can just pierce the jamming, it should make it obvious who is who.
May as well attempt it.

>Medium range
I did say “one shot” back then. May as well be consistent about it.

>White preference (see below), but ask Sophie.
With so many units out front, I’d imagine Red being slightly behind means they’re serving as a rear guard. Also, makes less sense to have the commander have the heaviest armaments. Takes up room for the e-war suite, and the commander shouldn’t be on the front line.

>>5571128
>Engage
>close
>white
with that fancy jamming and communication gear I'd doubt the commander would have space for a chest mounted cannon and since our objective is only to get him out of commission there's no reason to waste our energy on bodyguards.

>>5571128
>>Break into their communications. If you can just pierce the jamming, it should make it obvious who is who.

>>5571128
>Break into their communications. If you can just pierce the jamming, it should make it obvious who is who.

>>5571128
>Engage
>Close Range
>White

Fingers crossed the commander isn't a CHAR. Though anon's reasoning about it lacking the space for the additional cannon, due to to mounting EWAR and ISTAR is a very good idea

>>5571128
>Close range
>The White one

>>5571265
I am swapping my target from red to
>White

Due to other anon's reasoning. It makes a decent bit of sense.

>>5571128
>engage
>close
>white

Calling the vote here for:
>Engaging at close range, focusing attention on the machine with the White death-mask

Seeing a few scattered calls to try and break into the comms, but not enough to make a clear majority.
Probably for the best

>I need 8 rolls of 1d6.

This is from 3 from Attack and 3 from Defense, x1 multiplier for low sync, then +1 from Project Sunburst and +1 from Project Yi

For speed, people can roll multiple times, though preferably in different posts.

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5572101
C

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5572101

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>5572101

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5572101

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5572112
>1d10

Rolled 1, 6 = 7 (2d6)

>>5572101

Let's see what happens here. I'm politely only rolling twice?

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>5572101

File: Spoiler Image (2.63 MB, 640x354)

2.63 MB GIF

Rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12 (3d6)

Meanwhile, the hapless targets.....are somewhat surprised.

Let's see if they can minimize the damage somewhat, or at least pay it back.

Rolling Attack of 2, Defense of 1 for White
Red is unable to react this turn

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>5572101
Rolling, wrong dice size for >>5572112.

>>5572159
yes, which is why I corrected and linked it immediately after >>5572114

>>5572161
Ah, I thought it was just another die. My bad.

Still means I was the missing 8th roll, for what little good it did.

White. White must be the commander.
You explode from your crouched position, the ground beneath your feet giving way as you spring up, seeking to close the distance as fast as possible.

Your cloak breaks instantly, the careful shield against prying eyes no longer able to respond to the swiftness of your motion. Energy diverts to your limbs and energizes you, boosting the speed of your closure to barely a few seconds.

Seconds are all that is needed for your target to swivel and unleash a volley of missiles and beams, trying to fill your advance with damaging fire, and stall you for another critical second.

The beams break wide, the missiles impacting where you were, not where you are, and you are under his effective range. Now it is speed and strength against bulk and raw mass.

His hands reach out high, trying to interrupt your rush where the ranged weapons failed, but you go low, slipping underneath them and delivering a one-handed strike to the hip, smashing apart armor there and staggering the colossus, sending it reeling backwards.

The other hand hefts Sunburst, the heat levels rising as lenses focus and channel the energy there into a destructive single bright beam, and you lunge again, seeking to finish the job.

Your follow-up isn’t quite as effective, the brilliant blue beam washing over their chest at close range leaves it mostly undamaged.
(Revealed, White has Laser-reflective armor. 1 Auto-success when defending against laser attacks)

Sunburst is inadequate? Fine.
His arms flail about, desperate to keep you at bay, but you catch one of the arms, and with a surge of power drag him towards you, off-balance and stumbling. The arm holds, not tearing off as you wished, but you heave his frame past you, sending the walker smashing into a building.

The Red companion starts to respond, a crackling bolt of man-made lighting flying over your head. It’s followed by another volley of missiles, and his machine picks up speed, accelerating as he charges at you.


You have inflicted substantial damage on White. White’s Attack stat is reduced by 1.
Red will assist on any further combat rounds, adding his Attack to White’s dice


>Continue the assault on White at close range. Sunburst may be ineffective, but all it will take is another good strike to put them down.

>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

>Retreat. They have yet to land a blow on you, but sooner or later the hail of incoming fire will start landing strikes on you. (Contested Will Check)

>Write-in

>>5572215
>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red

>>5572215
>>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

>>5572215
>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red

>>5572215

Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

>>5572215
>>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

>>5572215
>Continue the assault on White at close range. Sunburst may be ineffective, but all it will take is another good strike to put them down.
Finish the job. Hopefully it takes down the EWAR suite and kills their ability to coordinate with air assets.

>>5572215
>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

>>5572215
>>Switch targets. White is reeling and down for the moment, now it’s time to crush Red.

Calling it for:
>Switching Targets to Red

For continuing the Close Combat, people are allowed to repeatedly roll.
>I need 8 rolls of 1d6


Gonna try and doublepost today.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>5572711

Rolled 2, 3, 3 = 8 (3d6)

Alright, 3 successes, and Red gets his chance to ward Beta off with Attack+Defense

>>5572794
3 +1 from Project Sunburst and +1 from Project Yi right?

so are mechs in this setting similar to battletech in being the dominant force on the battlefield and having shit tons of armour?

>>5572802
We’re doing attack + defense due to close range. 3 attack, 3 defense base, then 1 attack from sunburst and 1 defense from Yi for 8 total die.

>>5572794
3 successes vs 0 for Red. We’re rolling a little sub-par, but they’re rolling even worse.

>>5572805
Pretty much. Different factions have divergent designs, As I'm pulling from different mech arts/fandoms but Walkers of the Ferrum empire are bricks of metal and weapons, slow but heavily armored and able to take a pounding. Yes, think Battletech.

Core Frames draw inspiration more from Gundam or Armored Core, more agile and responsive, while able to dance around their opponents and better use their AIs.
If you were stuck in a more traditional Walker and more strongly bound to your pilot's will, pretty much all you'd be able to do is more accurately target, E-War, and advise your pilot.
You'd still have increased reactions, and be able to do things like being able to spot incoming fire, but be unable dodge or do anything evasive because the Walker isn't built for it.

Beta's frame also got more durability (10 Structure is a lot) compared to his fellow core frames, but they've got more secondary systems instead.

>>5572802
Sunburst and Yi are adding to your amount of dice rolled, but they're not auto-successes. They are why you're rolling 8 instead of 6. Generally for equipment, the more specialized they are, the better they are in that role, but less chances to use them

Considering Defense will be rolled every time you potentially take damage, and in close combat, that happens quite a bit.
Sunburst is a generalist weapon, able to engage at all ranges, so gets 1 dice extra at close, mid, and long.

A specialist weapon like the Nail-pattern Railgun would have added +1 auto-success at long range, but no bonuses at all at mid or close range.


Still working on writing update. Although Red definitely jobbed pretty hard.

File: Spoiler Image (1.46 MB, 2136x1507)

1.46 MB JPG

With White picking his face out of a building, you turn on their companion, matching his charge with your own.

Another crackling bolt sears over your shoulder, a brief static filling your vision as it skips over your optical sensors. His arm-mounted lasers rake over you, leaving nothing but a brief sting and no actual damage.

Your legs push off the ground before the moment of impact, leading one fist past his upraised hands and straight into the face of the machine. His own mass and speed only adds to the deadliness of your attack, forcing the fist clear through the armor with a shrieking of metal.

It’s a push, but the Yi spins up again, amplifying your strength beyond what your thin arms appear capable of, and ripping your own arm back out, with whatever internals were inside of the Walker’s head.

Controlled or not, the body then falls forwards towards you, crashing into the ground with a tremendous impact.
You contemptuously sidestep the fall.

Turning back, your first victim stands again, one arm crooked and bent.

He might as well have not even tried. More ineffective missiles bounce across your armor, warheads not even traveled far enough to arm as you close again, then send his machine faceplanting into the dirt with a trip.

All that lies between you and your victory is just the rear armor plating of the command unit, and that is far too inadequate for more than a couple seconds of hammering and tearing.

All that’s left, then, is the pile of scrap metals in front of you, and the sweet joy of victory.

Between your initial frenzied rush out of hiding, and you standing over your destroyed foes, no more than a minute has passed.

Visual sensors detect a fast moving object at altitude, soaring high above and closing on your position. Too late.

Things start to fade to white, a telltale sign of the simulator shutting down.

The Pilot breathes in great shuddering gasps. You hardly paid attention to her during your blitz forwards, and now that it’s all over, she seems to be coming down from the excitement.

Your feeling of one-ness with your frame fades, sensor inputs and controls unlinking and breaking down. Thoughts slow, the world speeding up once again as power is shut down.
The freedom of movement disappears, cutting out until all you can sense is your pilot and their thoughts.
“That wasn’t that bad, I think I can get the hang of this.”

And then, with a final click, even that is gone, and you’re alone again, deaf and blind to all. Locked down, until the jailers have use for you.

Well, alone, all you have is your own slowed down thoughts.

Vote
What does Beta think of Sophie?

>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment.

>This pilot is unacceptable. She’s unable to bring herself up to even a Middling level of Sync, making me unable to operate at peak efficiency

>Write in (Yes/No, with reasoning)

>>5572886
>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment
Sync is nice, but a pilot that mostly defers to her AI betters and that can be easily dominated is better.

You guys would have been rolling 7 dice against White's 2 dice. (Laser-reflective would just cut out the Sunburst bonus)
You know that thing about outmatching them enough to just smash them without rolling? Yea, I decided to use that.

Some other notes about the fight:
Avoiding trying E-War and hacking against the 2nd Guards was the right call, because the commander (White), in addition to having the reflective armor, also had a personal on-board AI to try and fight such attempts. That was also the reason he was able to react and wasn't just totally demolished on the initial strike. Still didn't help him, because it was only there to assist and handle coordination, not actual control of the machine.

Red had an experimental weapon, but he absolutely botched his one roll and it never came into play.

Sophie was trying to give you info to the best of her abilities, but she was also trained strictly out of the book, and the Guards were using non-standard composition of forces. The Officer or Mech Pilot would have known a bit better

You probably could have engaged and destroyed the main force, but that would have definitely warned the Commander and resulted in the Scouts circling back with the airstrike.

>>5572886
>inexperienced but the potential is there

>>5572886
>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment.
If this is what's called "willing to defer to our judgement", I don't want to know what unwilling looks like.

>>5572886
>>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment.

>>5572886
>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment.
>Her own mind may be more flexible than the older pilots. Perhaps with enough “training” she won’t consider using the override because she’s learned to think like me.
Hey, mental connections cut both ways. Might make it easier to get her up to higher sync levels since a kid should be more malleable to “fit” our own thoughts.

>>5572886
>I can use this pilot. She used the Override controls very little, and was willing to defer to my judgment.
>Her own mind may be more flexible than the older pilots. Perhaps with enough “training” she won’t consider using the override because she’s learned to think like me.

>>5572886
+1 >>5572995

>>5572995
I support this.

>>5572995
>support

Perhaps you can use this child. Her mind isn’t as inflexible as the older pilots you’re used to, and you can compensate for the lack of raw Sync strength. You can train her to follow your guidance, and thus not need the override.

You wait for some more time, alone in the blackness, but no one else joins.
Guess Gamma and Delta are already shut down. That’s a shame. You wished you could tell them about your last trial.

Soon, your thoughts become slower, and slower, until there is nothing left.
Core Disconnected. Power offline.

Interlude: The One in the Seat

Sophie’s time immediately out of the simulator is occupied by people in lab coats, poking and prodding her fingers, toes, and knees. Checking nerve endings, pain receptors, reflexes. After all that happens, she is shipped off to what is known as ‘The Tube’ to prospective pilots on-base for a brain scan, checking for abnormal activity. Then it’s a physical test again, ordered to run on a treadmill until she’s gasping and her heart is pumping so hard she can feel every beat. All the time, cameras track her every move, following her every movement.
Then it’s up to the overview room, packed with 50 people in a room more fit for 20, the holo-table in the center replaying scenes from the exercises of today.

Doctor Anokhin personally shakes her hand, the men in the military uniforms glower and glare, and she’s dismissed away, back to her bed in the barracks for a well-deserved rest.

Her peers aren’t there when she arrives, but some hours later when she awakes, they’ve returned. They’re abuzz with questions, bombarding her with queries about the simulator, the exercises, the AI core, her plans, and most of all, How did she do it?

She’s halfway through recounting how the 2nd Royal Guards were smashed in the simulator, when an officer ducks his head into the room, tells Sophie to report to the Core room immediately, and pucks her out of the cluster of teenagers.

Another man she doesn’t recognize in an unmarked uniform meets her there. Gestures to the chair and neurohelmet, and gives her a choice. If she wants to be Pilot of the Beta unit again, she has it. There’s a seat with her name on it.

Sophie accepts, of course. To do otherwise would be foolish.

The man smiles.
“Welcome to Project Baal, Pilot. Now strap in, there’s another exercise in an hour, and the Beta unit needs to be ready.”

As she fits the neurohelmet over, and starts running down checks to power up the core, she realizes that she missed breakfast.


1/2

Interlude: The important things.

In a well-lit conference room, Doctor Anokhin reports to his fellows. There are six of them at the table, the men and women responsible for different areas of weapons development, blacksite projects, and most importantly, funding. Often they were enemies, fighting the war against each other that all men must do, when presented with a limited quantity of resources, but today they were nominally allies, united together in common purpose.

The doctor spoke.
“Comrades, today we have made a great step forward at Project Baal. We have clearly demonstrated the ineffectiveness of conventional human forces against AI-controlled frames.”
He pauses a moment, gesturing to the screen behind him, which shows Beta’s blue frame smashing one fist through the head of a Walker.
“The superior speed, tactical capabilities, and firepower packed onto such a small platform clearly outmatches Walkers, let alone tanks or infantry.”

One voice raises to meet him.
“We’ve heard these grandiose speeches before, Doctor. Yes, you once again have undeniable proof. But for those of us here who never doubted you, I instead ask, how soon can these Core Frames be deployed, and how many of them can actually be ready for combat.”
Seated at the end of the table, a bald, one-eyed man in a clean business suit sits up, his one remaining eye fixating on the Doctor.

Another man in an unmarked uniform voices his doubts.
“I do not ask about the Cores, for we have tested them to no end, but rather the one remaining human factor. I heard a disconcerting rumor, that your previous corps of pilots were removed from their positions for disloyalty to the Empire.”
“And that these results,” he nods to the screen,”Were from last-minute replacements.”

“All the more impressive, then,” Anokhin responds,”that they were able to perform so well.”

They each fall silent, then glaring at each other.

“I don’t know if you remember this, gentlemen, but there’s a war currently going on.”
A female voice interrupts the silence.
“A war that we are steadily losing. The southern front has been pushed back dramatically, under the pressure of the Tamar alliance’s forces. We are here to try and change that. So, I ask you, Doctor, can we field these Frames in combat, despite the risks and proven instability. Or will we wait another 6 months, to listen to another in-person meeting of grandstanding and promises.”

2/3

Doctor Anokhin swallows, throat suddenly dry. The woman here could have him removed from his position as project head, and even sent to a prison camp, should she dislike his answer.
The question was, how long could he wait to train up his fresh pilots, and prepare the Frames? Neither were physically finished, or mentally ready. For the Emperor’s sake, one of the used pilots was only 14, and still didn’t get past low-level sync!

>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.
One frame will be ready as fast as possible and rushed to the front lines, with the other two taking considerably longer.
Some systems may not be field-tested or ready for actual combat. Potential for mechanical failures when out of simulator

>We will split the time between two cores and frames, readying them and their pilots at a steady pace.
More testing will be needed to see which two Cores and Pilots are to be deployed, and who is left to languish.
One AI core will be removed from Project Baal, sent to another Project for other purposes

>We will hold the course, readying all three frames together and deploying them to turn the tide.
The situation will be truly dire at the front, when you actually arrive.
This vote decides what Beta’s going to be deployed into next.
Choosing option 1 or 2 results in engaging in a series of simulator exercises against Gamma and Delta, trying to decide who’s going to be deployed first, and who is not.

Choosing option 3 results in fast-forwarding through the simulators, a brief section to choose how his training works out and level up, and then deploying to the front out of simulators to face potentially overwhelming forces.
This is the hardmode option if you're sick of simulators already.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.
there is no better testing field than an actual battlefield.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.


Let's do it

>>5573528
>>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>>We will hold the course, readying all three frames together and deploying them to turn the tide.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.
One to be a symbol, and to buy time for the other two to finish properly.

>>5573528
>>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

>>5573528
>>We will split the time between two cores and frames, readying them and their pilots at a steady pace.

Rolled 3 (1d6)

Calling it for
>We will rush the frames into combat as fast as possible, damn the consequences.

As for how generous the time allotment is....

File: Mech Maintenance.jpg (535 KB, 1920x968)

535 KB JPG

“I will assure you, we will have all three of the Frames combat-ready for deployment in a year.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he already regretted it. Faces twisted in grimaces, supporters looked away. He tried again.
“If we accelerate the timeline, we can have one of them ready much sooner. Three months, at the fastest.”

The Empress spoke once more, and the whole room looked on.
“Three months. I require one of these ‘Core Frames’ operational in three months. I understand some things cannot be rushed.”

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur. The Empress had spoken, and thus the world must be aligned to her vision.

Powerful people dispersed via train, helicopter and plane to other places, but his mind continued to spin.

3 months! He could already hear the complaints of the engineers. He would need to lean on the other Projects responsible for the weapons. Frames needed the physical prototypes, not just specs for the simulator.

The Doctor made his way to the construction bay, where the frames rested. Gantries criss-crossed over the giants, where engineers would swarm over them for maintenance or installation. Even a cursory inspection could tell him that none were ready, and would not be for some time.

He tapped away on his tablet, pulling up the current status of each unit.

Frame 01 was missing its arms, shipped off to Project Yi for tweaking of their system. The cockpit for the human operator still had cooling problems, as spinning up the reactor to over 75% output would cause it to become dangerously hot inside. The supposed reflective panels of the stealth system had failed to come in still, supposedly diverted to elsewhere.

Frame 02 at least had all their limbs, and the reflective panels which HAD arrived were installed, but still experienced power fluctuations when trying to charge weapons, and that was before even engaging the stealth system actively! Human techs reading the sensors swore that they saw problems with the sensors, rangefinding being completely off, and targets sometimes appeared and vanished seemingly at will.

Frame 03 lacked legs and one arm, gone missing for engineers elsewhere to install the remaining thrusters. Its one remaining arm hung limply down, the oversized claw on the end the sole actually functioning prototype that was installed on the Frame. The secondary weapon on the back had ammo feed problems, refusing to deploy and load in acceptable amounts of time. The reactor was also temperamental, refusing to shut down properly after extended time running.

And all that was merely the largest outstanding problems. More teething problems would undoubtedly come, as more systems would get brought online.