[color=#e2e2e2][center][h1]Europa Conflict[/h1][/center]

[i]Twenty years of war, trillions of dollars spent, tens of millions of lives lost, and it all comes down to this. The only thing between us and imminent failure is a bunch of rookies. Most are barely trained. The few there’s hope for are just that: few. One cannot wage a war without manpower … and we’re quickly running out. God help us.[/i]

[center][h3]The Story:[/h3][/center]

Humanity has colonized the solar system with the advent of so-called “short-warp” reaction engines. As populations of worlds farther and farther from Earth grow, the colonies in the outer reaches of the solar system of Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond band together to secede from the control of the United Nations of Earth. Scholars debated why: power, influence, or just economics. The UNE didn’t care why. Earth relied on many of the valuable materials the various colonies exported and as places for people to go to relieve Earth’s overpopulation. They couldn’t afford a secession, not now.

The new-founded Far Colony Alliance had been preparing for this in secret. The gears of war had been in motion for decades before, and turned ever faster for twenty years as the UNE hammered against the FCA’s fortified installations. Both sides were forced to accept massive losses, but the UNE was caught unprepared and suffered far worse. A war drawn out so long pushed their forces to the brink. Now the UNE’s fleets have limped home to rearm, repair and resupply for one last offensive. With almost entirely fresh recruits for soldiers, rangers, and pilots, they set out for a final campaign to hammer through the FCA’s defense network within Jupiter’s moons. Failure here would cripple the United Nations’ offensive capabilities and force their capitulation.

As the fleet departs, a daring mission has been planned. With the forces of Earth seemingly retreating, a group of assault carriers will press forth ahead of schedule for a blitzkrieg attack on the stronghold at Calisto’s north pole. Success would be a forceful blow to the FCA’s defensive network. Failure cannot be an option. This ‘children’s crusade’ is the last hope there is. Mech squads, strikecraft wings, and marine platoons are all up for drop in a massive combined arms operation. In just two weeks, perhaps the most pivotal battle of the war commences. The advance carrier group is already under way. Turning back is no longer an option. Here is where our story begins.

[center][h3]The Mechs:[/h3][/center]

The MR-7 Predator mech stands a mere four and a half meters in normal stance. It has no arms or hands to speak of and while it is operated through direct motion control, its skeleton is distant from that of its human operator. The MR-7 was developed as an alternative unit to tracked armor for supporting airborne infantry divisions, more rugged and adaptable for terrain and the rigors of airdrop. It proved itself quite effective in rapid deployment combat scenarios on Earth.

Originally a very mobile machine that could break into a running gait of over forty miles per hour and equipped with the ranger’s favorite: “jet-dash” mobility system. Seemingly skating sideways out from behind cover to deliver a vicious alpha strike from twin magnetic-ballistic cannons, the Predator earned its moniker as a vicious ambusher.

Its durability in airdrop led to its adaptation for low-gravity combat against the FCA at the start of the war. Its jet-dash system was replaced with maneuvering thrusters to offer control when in freefall. The powerful mag-cannons were traded for low-recoil plasma cannons, and its cabin systems were given a complete overhaul for the harsh vacuum of space.

The low gravity environments greatly limit its once-legendary speed and agility for fear of launching oneself into a slow suborbital hop (a death sentence of enemy artillery is watching) but its weapons are still lethal and an experienced ranger will make the mech a brutally efficient machine of destruction. The Predator is a stable of the UNE’s offensive capabilities both on Earth and beyond.

[center][h3]The Players:[/h3][/center]

Players take the role of rookie rangers aboard the UNE assault carrier [i]UES Halcyon[/i]. All the player characters will be assigned to the same squad already. A standard squad is 6 rangers total, with one designated as a squad leader. GM/co-GM(s) will have the role(s) of squad leader as this position has great effect on how the story progresses. [b]I have one co-GM role currently open that I will consider people for. See below for more information.[/b]

[center][h3]The Structure:[/h3][/center]

[u][b]PLOT:[/b][/u] I will try to split the plot about 50/50 between combat and downtime. Players will always have some warning that combat is coming but characters may be surprised and given only minutes to prepare (part of the fun!). I’ll be assigning missions about the time when the out-of-combat plots start winding down and its time for a change of pace.

[u][b]COMBAT:[/b][/u] This is war. War is Hell. There are no heroes in Hell. Both cannons fired at once is pretty much a guaranteed kill on a mech. Because of that, rangers can get completely obliterated in an instant from just one wrong move. [i][b]I reserve the right to forcibly murder characters if they try to be Rambo/Master Chief/Doomguy.[/b][/i] Chances are I won’t be murdering any characters against a player’s will (or rather, I’m hoping I won’t have to). I won’t force anyone to kill their characters (unless the above exception applies) but that doesn’t mean every character we start with will survive indefinitely. Death will happen and not even I will always know who or when.

[u][b]GMs:[/b][/u] Co-GMs will be in charge of each squad (I myself am in charge of the first squad and overall mission assignments). The GMs will listen to suggestions & feedback (and if another isn’t, tell me; if I’m not, send me a virtual smack on the face). That doesn’t mean we’ll always use a player’s idea but nobody should feel like they don’t have input. We’re here to provide a service to you and so it’s on us to make sure you’re satisfied with that service.

If you have zero interest in ever being someone who commands a squad in this, you can skip this paragraph. Otherwise, keep reading. Squad leaders are also co-GMs by necessity since the role will significantly affect the story for all five players in your squad. I do not hand out the role of co-GM easily; you will need to do a bit of convincing to show me that you’ll put forth the effort, do right by the players, and have a compelling vision for where you want this to go. Proof of previous GM experience is greatly recommended, but not a hard requirement.

[b]Zero’th Posts:[/b] The zero’th in OOC is going to be used as a master list of players/characters and their squad assignments, and a platform for anything important everyone should catch.
Zero’th in Characters will be a sheet template for convenience.
Zero’th in IC will be basic plot recap once we get far enough in to want such a thing, to be kept updated by all GMs.[/color]