[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/RM9HTJ6.jpg[/img]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyeek3dhUEg[/youtube]

[h1]ODST: First Contact
[color=lime]This RP is currently Closed to further interest.[/color][/h1]

It is the year 2525, and humanity has spread itself across the Milky Way Galaxy thanks to the development of faster-than-light "slipspace" travel. United under the flag of the United Nations Space Command, or UNSC, colonial expansion continued and by 2490, UNSC colonial space encompassed over 800 worlds, large and small, in the Orion Arm. The resource rich Outer Colonies contributed to the prosperity of the Inner Colonies as they relied heavily on raw materials supplied by the Outer Colonies. This buildup of resources led to the Inner Colonies becoming established as major military and economic strongholds. Tensions have been steadily escalating between the older and more stable "Inner Colonies" and the remote "Outer Colonies", leading to rampant civil war and uprisings.

One such Outer Colony, Nimbus, is currently in the middle of civil protests, demanding independence from the UEG. While Nimbus houses a small Garrison of UNSC soldiers, its primary force is the considerably larger Nimbian Militia, who have joined in the civil protests and refuse to recognize the UNSC or UEG. The UNSC has sent a small force tasked with pacifying the unruly colony and has sent an ambassadorial detail to begin talks with the Colony and resolve the conflict in a peaceful manner, and has yet to commit a significant number of military forces.

Alongside the Ambassadorial Detail, a small task force of elite ODST teams have been deployed to Nimbus to discreetly aid in peacekeeping efforts, to safeguard the Ambassadorial detail, and to target key Nimbian Militia targets should the need arise. Their numbers and support are limited, and their presence is covert, as to avoid alarming the already unstable colony. The ODSTs are supported by a UNSC stealth Prowler, The Red Glare- attached to the UNSC battlegroup in the system. 

Meanwhile, lightyears away, a mysterious group rapidly approaches the colony, with hostile intentions, their names and purpose hidden behind walls of top-secret bureaucracy by the highest branches of the Government.  

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Hello and welcome to my RP: ODST: First Contact. I don't normally do fandom RPs, but I've always had a distinct fascination with the Halo Universe, and me and my roommate just finished Co-op binging every single split-screen abled Halo Game in the past 3 days. This particular RP takes place in a fictional colony, Nimbus, in the Outer Colonies of the UNSC- in the same general situation as Harvest- just with some extra political dissent thrown in there. In this plot-line, Harvest has very recently fallen, but has been kept hushed up by the upper echelons of the government as to prevent mass panic and hysteria. Our group of players, will take on the role of elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, because I've always enjoyed the idea of being a bit more joe than the average joe, but not to the superhuman standards of those freak-of-nature-child-soldiers; the Spartans. Originally sent to the planet for peacekeeping purposes, will find ourselves forced to rapidly adapt to a new and terrifying enemy: The Covenant.

While the Covenant are nothing new or surprising to us seasoned 21st century videogame jocks and nerds, I expect being confronted by non-human life and weird glowy-burny stuff that has never before been witnessed to be quite a shocking and possibly scarring event, and I wish to capture these moments through the eyes of our characters.

All of this being said, I am by no means a Halo expert, and in many cases may be encompassed in terms of background knowledge by many of you. I welcome any manner of background information or lore to help simulate the realism of this RP.
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[h2]Rules and Guidelines[/h2]
First things first, this will be an RP of advanced standards, and will be expecting detail to be made and attention to be paid. I'm going to trust that everyone knows the basic premises of not being a dick, cooperating with each other, and not doing to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself.

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[h2]Background, Equipment, Etc[/h2][/center]
[hider=ODST Background]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Mu1bGTL.jpg[/img]

The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are one of many Special Operations Forces in the UNSC Defense Force. The ODSTs are under the exclusive operational authority of the Naval Special Warfare Command/Naval Special Weapons. Their methods of operation allow them to conduct missions against targets that more conventional forces cannot approach undetected. ODSTs are recruited from all three services (UNSC Marine Corps, Army, and Navy) and from the Special Operations Groups of every nation of the Unified Earth Government and are a strictly all volunteer fighting force. Potential ODSTs are selected because of their performance in their chosen MOS; every ODST candidate is a veteran from another Special Operations outfit and therefore has already gone through at least two layers of screening and months of intense training — not counting the years of training received before volunteering for the ODSTs. There are no age or gender restrictions — as long as the candidate meets the physical and mental requirements they are guaranteed the opportunity to try out for the ODSTs. Once in the ODSTs, a candidate's training continues - its entrance requirements serve as a third layer of screening upon two more, where applicants would have theoretically failed to pass. Candidates would, therefore, already have extensive experience in conducting the types of high-risk missions that the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers typically perform.

ODST units are not embedded within conventional UNSC forces; they do however participate in joint operations, and tend to be force multipliers - increasing the effectiveness and morale of those they fight alongside. ODST combat teams usually consist of six to eight ODST Troopers - with each combat team specializing in a particular mission set, but they are expected to be flexible enough to adapt to any given situation. These combat teams however can vary from company to company.
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The ODSTs perform highly specialized, small scale, high-risk operations including:
[list]
[*][b]Deep Ground Surveillance or Long Range Reconnaissance:[/b] Patrols in small groups, in uniform, usually far behind the enemy lines. While DGS units may direct air or artillery strikes against enemy positions, they strive to be unobserved, and have only self-defense, not DA, capability. Groups engaging in surveillance deep behind enemy lines, are commonly known as "Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols" or LRRP's.
[*][b]Direct Action:[/b] Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets. Direct action differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of physical and political risk, operational techniques, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives.
[*][b]Unconventional Warfare:[/b] Military and paramilitary operations, normally of long duration, predominantly conducted by indigenous or surrogate forces who are organized, trained, equipped, supported, and directed in varying degrees by an external source. It includes guerrilla warfare and other direct offensive, low visibility, covert, or clandestine operations, as well as the indirect activities of subversion, sabotage, intelligence gathering, escape and evasion.
[*][b]Counter-Terrorism Operations:[/b] The response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.
[*][b]Counter-Contraband Operations:[/b] Missions undertaking the recapturing of smuggled/stolen goods.
[*][b]Personnel and Special Equipment Recovery/Capture:[/b] The recovery/medical treatment of friendly personnel in combat environments, as well as the capability of capturing high valued individuals and any equipment.
[/list] 
[sub]Courtesy of Halo.wikia.com[/sub]
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[hider=ODST Gear]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/D85zEFj.jpg[/img]
Standard ODST gear provided to its operators for the mission on Nimbus. Specialty equipment shall be provided to fit mission specific tasks.

Descriptions of most gear and weapons will be synthesized and cut-down from Halo.wikia.com. Direct links will also be provided.
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[hider=ODST Armor]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/wck2VJd.jpg[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/ODST_battle_armor]ODST battle armor[/url], is a suit of combat armor worn exclusively by the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, the armor is vacuum-rated, capable of Extra-Vehicular Activity for fifteen minutes. The armor provides numerous advantages in the field, including ballistic protection, temperature control, as well as thermal insulation against extreme temperatures experienced during atmospheric entry. The ODST BDU remains unmatched in its ability to protect its wearer over other BDUs during the toughest operations. The BDU excels at providing more protection against small arms fire than other infantry body armor, and also excels at allowing a trooper to conduct Military Operations in Urban Terrain without the slightest chance of being detected in dark locations.

The BDU's stealth capability is partly thanks to its black and gray camouflage patterns on the legs, boots, gloves, chest, helmet and undersuit - these urban camouflage patterns are optional; without the camouflage panels, the BDU is black. On the left shoulder pad of every ODST is a UNSC Medical Reference patch. While the standard ODST BDU is fully capable for any role, there are specialized variants of the BDU - these suits are specifically issued to a specialist of a certain field to provide them certain advantages during an operation.

The helmet provides an ODST the ability to perform EVA and also provides a Heads-up display, giving the wearer basic information including a targeting reticle, weapon information, ammo capacity, and basic health readout. The Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance or VISR, is also issued with the ODST helmet. The VISR enables a user to link into UEG, CAA, and UNSC infrastructure systems at the local, national, and global levels. This allows the user to store and review mission content, receive secure real-time mission data and provides street level navigational data. The VISR also provides low-light vision enhancement, which provides outlines on most hard surfaces, as well as hostile identified units in red, friendlies in green, and unidentified targets in yellow. 
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[hider=M7 SMG][img]http://i.imgur.com/St2zQCe.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/M7/Caseless_Submachine_Gun]M7 Caseless SMG[/url] is a compact, fully automatic weapon that fires 5x23mm rounds from a 60 round magazine. It is a lightweight and effective close quarters weapon, making it a favorite of many ODSTs. The standard SMG for the Nimbus mission includes a sound suppressor/flashlight attachment, as well as a reflex sight and IR laser for targeting. For the trained soldier, the SMG can be quite accurate in short, controlled bursts, but can be difficult to control in longer bursts due to its lightweight frame.
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[hider=M6C Magnum][img]http://i.imgur.com/3mNtD0h.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/M6C_Personal_Defense_Weapon_System]M6C Magnum[/url] is a short-medium range UNSC handgun sees extensive use by members of the UNSC Marine Corps as well as many planetary militias, making it quite ubiquitous. The M6C is a semi-automatic, recoil-operated, magazine-fed handgun. It has a DAO, or double-action only, trigger and fires the M228 12.7mmx40mm SAP-HP round (Semi-Armor Piercing, High Penetration) from a 12 round magazine. Many ODSTs attach a muzzle brake-sound suppressor-laser module to the front of the M6C barrel for stealth and recon missions. 
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[hider=MA37 Assault Rifle][img]http://i.imgur.com/NMB22Zw.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/MA37_Individual_Combat_Weapon_System]MA37[/url] was first introduced in 2437 and has remained the primary service rifle of all branches of the UNSC ever since. It is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, fully-automatic bullpup rifle that fires from 32-round magazines of 7.62x51mm ammunition. It possesses a built-in ammunition indicator and magnetic compass for orientation, similar to that of all other MA5 series rifles, and switches to an optic when held in front of the face. The Assault rifle is an effective mid-range weapon, and is most efficient when fired in short bursts or semi-automatic.
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[hider=M392 Designated Marksman Rifle][img]http://i.imgur.com/ffgNIZa.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/M392_Designated_Marksman_Rifle]M392[/url] is a designated marksman rifle designed to deliver long ranged and accurate firepower, and fulfills most marksman roles in an urban atmosphere. The weapon has a fire mode selector switch above its grip and a mounted optic with 4x magnification. The M392 has an ambidextrous magazine release button located directly above its magazine well just behind the trigger, as well as ambidex-friendly safety & firing mode controls. It fires 7.62x51mm rounds from a 20 round magazine and is interchangeable with ammunition from both the MA5 series of Assault rifles and the majority of the UNSC's light machine guns. ODSTs also have the option to change out the DMR barrel with one fitting the Battle Rifle's 9.5mmx40 round with 15 round magazines.[/hider]
[hider=BR55 Battle Rifle][img]http://i.imgur.com/mWcGk3C.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/BR55_Service_Rifle]BR55 Battle Rifle[/url] is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, mid-to-long range weapon capable of semi-automatic and burst-firing modes. Just exiting its prototype stage, the BR55 sees limited deployment amongst specialty units as a more versatile replacement for the M392 Designated Marksman Rifle. The Battle Rifle fires the M634 9.5x40mm X-HP-SAP round from a 36-round magazine. Additionally, the weapon features a Telescopic Sight capable of 2x magnification. It has reasonable accuracy, rivaling the M392 DMR, while also being almost as capable as the Assault Rifle in medium ranged combat.[/hider]
[hider=M45 Tactical Shotgun][img]http://i.imgur.com/IncNM2N.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/M45_Tactical_Shotgun]M45 Tactical Shotgun[/url] is a special-purpose weapon used in any situation where the range of engagement is close and limited and when over-penetration is not desirable, but maximum stopping power is required. The M45 is a pump-action, 6-shell magazine-fed (dual tubular, non-detachable type) weapon that uses 8 gauge magnum (3.75”) ammunition. It features an adjustable stock, and taclight. The choke can be modified on the fly to narrow the spread, making the M45 capable of downing a man up to 30 yards away, and knocking a man off his feet at any range under 10 yards.
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[hider=SRS99 AM][img]http://i.imgur.com/IY7E8qP.png[/img]
The [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Sniper_Rifle_System_99_Anti-Mat%C3%A9riel]Sniper Rifle System 99 Anti-Materiel[/url], or SRS99 AM for short, is a high powered, semi-automatic, gas-operated rifle that fires 14.5×114mm ammunition from a four-round detachable box magazine. With its high powered rounds, it can punch through most cover without skipping a step, devastate lightly armored vehicles, and can tear a man's arm off with a near miss. While rarely used in urban areas due to the extremely high over-penetration rates of its massive sabot-discarding rounds, and its rounds occasionally leave vapor trails, revealing the location of the sniper, it remains extremely popular amongst ODST snipers for its guaranteed kill rate. The rifle comes equipped with a variable zoom scope, capable of zooming from 2x to 12x magnification. The SRS99 AM is long, heavy, and unweildy, and must have the bipod deployed or the shooter properly braced in order to fire. The SRS99 AM is often carried by a two man, spotter-sniper team.
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[hider=Combat Knife]Ideal for close quarters when the 'continuum of force' has been reduced to hand to hand combat. For optimum performance, the leading edge, 'pointy end', should be applied to the enemy and thrust into vital regions. This should be repeated as necessary.[/hider]
[hider=Miscellaneous Equipment]Most ODST Rucksacks come with a first aid kit that includes a small canister of biofoam, and medigel among other standard components. ODSTs also carry an assortment of grenades, flashbangs, and smoke grenades, with specialists carrying explosives and detonators. [/hider]
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