After managing to convince Griff that she would be heading to the party herself, Ava went to the shower room, before changing into her military fatigue before heading back to her room so she could change into something more appropriate.
She...wasn't quite paying attention on account of still being shocked at her appointment to squad leader when the whole idea of the party was being thrown around, but she was quite certain that it was intended to be more of a 'fancy' dinner setting.
Given her family's status, a fancy dinner party such as a gala was not something unfamiliar to Ava. Of course, unlike back home, she did not have her menagerie of dresses and other apparel one would normally wear to such an event. She never really bothered to pack one, as it was a military deployment. They hardly would have time for such things, at least that was what she thought.
She supposed she should just look at what she had available in her room later.
For now...Ava activated her personal computer, checking on some of the replies she had received, taking the time to compose a reply of her own as she walked toward her room.
"Corporal Lane. There are those whom may misjudge me today, there will be those which will misjudge me in the future. But in the end. I am simply myself. To others, my actions may seem rash, suicidal or even reckless. But that is because you do not know me, they do not know me. There is an old saying: that the most dangerous being in the world, is one able to discern between truths and lies, in this case the simulation is a lie, it isn't real, even if some would want you to treat it as real. There were no true victory to be had in that simulation, for it were made as to prove something to us, besides that working together can achieve particular results. It is that victory, regardless of which shape it may try to take, always comes at a price. But there are are also things one cannot win.
There are of course those who would try to win all battles, such as the pilot of the Cockroach, using whatever is present as a tool to reach that goal. In chess, victory cannot be had unless you sacrifice the pawns in front of you. This is a belief that many share, commonly amidst humans, more so in the military where we now find ourselves. And has been the case since the beginning of time.
No doubt you have lost valuable allies yourself along the way? You are most definitely not alone if that is the case. I am not saying you would be at fault if that were true. But what I would like to ask is: What does victory look like for you? Is it when a battle in a long grueling war is over? Is it when all enemies are dead? Is it when you can go home and receive all the things you've ever desired?
In regards to the Raptor? It serves me well as my partner in the great quest before us. Til death do us apart so to speak. Only those whom are willing to put their lives on the line, have the right to deny that very thing to other creatures. Do you not agree?
Why did the Cruxi attack? What end result are they seeking? How would a victory look like? I would love for us to sit down and talk at some point corporal if you would find the time to truly get to know me. I think we would have plenty in common. We both died in the simulation for one. I found the experience quite curious. A bright light. Then darkness. However we both came out of it, a real battle wouldn't bring that of course.
Mema-Ka Ezqess Degadraz."
As you say, the simulation is indeed a lie, a 'fake', but it is a fake designed with some degree of realism meant to simulate a true battle scenario. My point was that it is the perfect environment to test various tactics to see if they would prove effective. Granted, I suppose you did test the tactic of 'sacrificing a piece called the Raptor' to use your analogy of chess. However, while war demands sacrifices, a soldier that survive a battle is a soldier who can fight another battle. The war is already a drain in terms of manpower; wasting human resources unnecessarily is unwise. Of course, as I said, my impression of you is that you made that decision exactly because it is a fake simulation, you would not actually die due to that sacrifice, and that in a real battle, I trust that you will think things through, so I am not too worried. I am merely advising you to treat the simulation as if it were a real battle; that is how they are meant to be used. Save from fighting in an actual battle, it is the best way to habituate you to having good discipline and tactical acumen in the actual battle.
Best Regards, Ava Lane
Corporal Lane,
Thank you for your advice and suggestions. I previously considered swapping Logic Diver’s Automatic Battle Rifle for a Gatling Gun, as I felt that my Primary Weapon System was not sufficient to provide fire support on the field. I also believe I could handle the increased recoil thanks to my training.
However, your suggestions to swap the Cloaking Field for better mobility is not something I have considered. At first, I thought I could provide intelligence from the shadows, but the recent battle proved those tactics can be subverted by the enemy. Perhaps a shift to a less solitary role and integrating more to the squad might be for the better. I will need to think on this.
Thank you for being fair with your criticisms. I hope, that, should your schedule permit, we could spend some time discussing new tactics based on data I have accumulated.
Signed,
Cadet Elora Liu’un.
Certainly. It would be beneficial for us to meet and discuss new tactics based on your analysis. I will make sure to make time in the next few days.
Best Regards, Ava Lane
'Corporal Lane,
Good to hear your thoughts on things, as I've already been considering replacing my MFCS on the Rex by this point as well. I am considering a few options, though an Automated Targeting System might be useful if I get a more rapid-fire supporting armament for improved repositioning capabilities eventually. Or such is my own thoughts on the topic of your particular suggestion for a replacement system at this venture. Though one other thing stood out to me in hindsight of the battle, in that vein of systems to improve battlefield performance, which I feel needs to be considered before we get out there for real combat...and that is reconissance and gathering intel. Could be just my lack of experience after just arriving here and not having been in a proper battle yet out there, however, but I'll try to briefly explain my point.
I don't mean to put down the Logic Driver and its pilot in saying this, but flipping through some public files of everyone's Framewerks and seeing how things went down it seems most of our recon is grounded or is of a lighter (even if well armored by the standards of their weight class) units. Only two of us have stealth measures, and one of those isn't primarily a recon unit it would seem (the Guinevere) while still being a support.
We lack things such as Air Recon Drones and such that would be able to gather more intel in more ways in case of battlefield disruptions that might endanger vanguards and scouting units that move farther ahead, but be able do so without putting our own too far ahead into danger perhaps. Then again, perhaps too many 'eyes' on things would maybe muddy the lines of communication and data gathering as well I'd think. But making sure we have the best info out there that we reasonably can, and having some redundancy in case of problems that might inevitably arise out there, could perhaps raise survivability? Those are my thoughts on the topic at least.
This is also why I am considering such drones as one of the options for the Rex to replace the MFCS with, but more so I wanted to get your thoughts on this topic with regards to the team as a whole as a more seasoned pilot who's been out there before.
As for what I did in the simulation, my intention of shooting at you was priamrily to buy the Logic Driver and her allies some time admittedly. Leverage my imminent threat to draw attention, thus enabling a rescue and applying sudden pressure from elsewhere to potential threats. My drones, meanwhile, were used for trying to help pressure the Argo simultenously. After the meeting, though, I have considered the idea of maybe having used a suicide drone in case of getting charged by a melee foe, using it to intercept an attacker with a wider explosion of its plasma core.
I hope I'm not being too wordy, but all the same I appreciate hearing your thoughts on things and your perspective to boot. I wanted to send this message back with my own thoughts in turn.
-Lucius
Ultimately, you know your frame best and how it would best suit your combat style. As I said, my suggestion was merely that, a suggestion, nothing more.
Your point regarding our scouts is fair. I did suggest some stealth additions to some of them. I will discuss your suggestion for more scouting capabilities when I next speak with the Professor or Lieutenant Ritsu. Speaking of scouts, as a sniper, you would be one of the units most benefited by scouts, who can relay locations of high-priority targets. Thus, it is best if, in the coming days, you try to coordinate more with them during practice. If there is someone in particular you feel you work best with, do inform me, as it would be good information to know when creating formations for our squad.
Best Regards, Ava Lane
Ava then sent her replies, just as she arrived at her room. She then proceeded to look through the clothing she brought, ultimately deciding to simply wear her military dress.
It was, after all, the outfit specifically designed for soldiers to wear in official functions that require more pomp and ostentatiousness than normal.
Satisfied with her choice, Ava changed out of her military fatigue into her military dress uniform.
"Good evening. Apologies for my late arrival, everyone," she greeted the group as she arrived to the venue.
Signora suppressed the urge to roll her eyes as the Chimeratix member started begging Noblesse not to check the pictures on her phone. Was that really what this man was concerned about at a time like this?
'...Hold on', she thought. Why was she even suppressing the urge to roll her eyes?
She knew why. 'Because it isn't proper for a lady of good upbringing to do such an uncouth thing'. And that doing something that can be seen as provocative might end up making people have the wrong impression of her. They already did, even with her carefully curating the sort of attitude and mannerism she presented to the world.
But, well...she decided to start speaking her mind more and care less about those sorts of things. Might as well start now.
"...You are working for a criminal syndicate making use of a supernatural phenomenon to smuggle goods, and you are concerned over some salacious pictures on your phone? How pathetic are you?"
Her tone was haughty and imperious, completely unlike the usual demure and polite tone Hikari Kasuga usually spoke with. It surprised Signora how easily it came out, to be honest. Liberating, almost. Perhaps it was because she was wearing a mask, both figuratively and literally. Not merely the one she was wearing physically, but that of anonymity. The man did not know who she was beneath the mask; thus, just as it was easier to brazenly speak without filter in the anonymity of the internet, a similar concept applied here.
"So what do we do now?" She asked Noblesse, "I don't think the police would accept the explanation that 'a criminal syndicate is smuggling illegal goods, including drugs' using another world. But realistically speaking, the best way to dismantle them is to hit them both here in the Metaverse and in the real world. We can handle dismantling their operation in the Metaverse, but for the real world...that would be difficult without involving the police."
Then, she briefly glanced at the man, before looking at the rest of the group again, "As for this man..." Signora stopped, hesitating. She REALLY did not like to use her authority. However...if it would help, then maybe...
"...How essential would it be to turn him into a 'mole' so to speak?"
After inadvertently using her authority on her friend, Signora felt it was wrong to merely use it. Especially as it concerns taking control of another person's free will and forcing them to think and behave in a certain way.
But if using her authority led to the dismantlement of a powerful criminal syndicate...that was also a form of redemption, right?
...This man was a walking HR complaint just waiting to happen, Ava could not help but think.
She wondered how Griff ended up this oblivious. From what she remembered from his files, he grew up in a fortress city. Perhaps the circumstances of his upbringing were what led to this? Or perhaps it was simply an inherent psychological trait of Griff.
Either way, though it might appear more comedic at a blush, and undoubtedly after a while, the squad would understand this peculiarity of Griff. It could potentially lead to hazardous misunderstandings should they interact with civilians or soldiers from other squads that do not understand Griff's eccentricities.
Of course...being a woman, it would be rather awkward if Ava were to be the one who discussed such things with Griff...
Well, she supposed it was for circumstances such as these that it was good for her to have a male counterpart also in the leadership position. She should probably brought it up with Astolfo and have him talk with Griff.
Then, as Griff said something about the dinner party while suggesting that he gave her a 'ride' to the venue, Ava sighed.
Of course. The party.
She had originally intended to skip it. But...rethinking it, she should probably show up as the squad leader. Especially now that Griff had specifically come to her room and asked her to come.
"That won't be necessary," Ava replied with a shake of her head. She then continued, "I will attend the party, I just need some time to freshen up. Please go on ahead and extend my apologies to the rest of our team for being late. I'm afraid that the simulation earlier tired me and I ended up oversleeping."
Her ending up oversleeping instead of never intending to come was a 'white lie', she supposed. But straightforwardly saying 'I wasn't intending to come' would not do either for the spirit camaraderie she hoped to foster among the squad.
"Oh? The message? Well, I wanted the specific messages to be private, so it would be less practical for me to come to each of you separately. But if there is something you wish to discuss further, I am not opposed to a face-to-face meeting. Of course, Shiva could use all of its arms, but with the Automated Targeting System, you could reduce the delay between—"
Ava started saying, answering Griff's concern regarding the message, before the blonde man suddenly changed the subject, his eyes landing on her chest.
"Touch!? You did not just—!" Ava said, before stopping as Griff's wording became more and more incomprehensible.
Fancy? Compare? Polished?
What was he talking about? Was she still half asleep and her brain not registering Griff correctly? Ava couldn't help but think.
Really, those words were not words typically used to describe...
Ava's eyes looked at her chest, finally having an epiphany of what Griff was talking about, as she saw her dog tag.
She sighed, "...I assume you meant, the dogtag?" Then, with an unimpressed look, she continued, "You ought to REALLY consider your phrasing. You are fortunate you said that to me, and not the more hotheaded female pilots on the squad; you might get reported for sexual harassment. Some, like Minerva, would probably punch you."
"No, I don't think she's joking. At least he said she meant it," Evan said to Richard in response to Selene's willingness to kill him. He turned to Selene, "You're wrong too, by the way. He said that the Sister can kill me. She will hate herself for doing it, but she will do it."
Then, almost resignedly, he shrugged, "Do you think possessed kids go to heaven?" before finally sighing and shaking his head, "... Never mind. Anyway, about your questions..."
"I don't know what he is. To me, he looks like a figure made of shadows, roughly like one of those angels you see in video games but with horns. He just appeared suddenly and started telling me stuff about what other people think. Only that, though, he never really replied back whenever I tried to talk to him, or add anything other than what other people are thinking, for example..." Evan turned to Selene once more, before continuing, "He said that you think he's some part of my psychic ability. But that's it. He didn't say anything else, like whether that's true or not or whether you're close. What is a psychic, anyway?"
Seizing the opportunity provided by Noblesse, Signora let go of her bow, letting it dissipate into black mists and instead opting to use her throwing knives holstered on her thighs. Although the throwing knives did not have the sheer force of a bow and arrow, without the need to nock an arrow and then draw the bowstring, they would make for a quicker reaction time, hopefully before the Chimeratix member was able to regain his bearings.
Seeing Baron was going for the Chimeratix member himself, Signora turned her attention to the hostile Persona. With precision, she threw her throwing knives at the Inugami, nailing it to a nearby wall.
Ava was awakened by the sounds of someone pulling on her door's handle. Putting her off her sleeping mask, she looked at her device to check the time.
It did not seem as if she had slept that long. It was not the next day yet, as in it was not even past midnight yet. She also noticed unread emails from some of her squad members, presumably a reply to her review of the simulation.
She should probably read them and reply as necessary...after she saw to her current visitor, who was now knocking on her door.
"Coming! Just a minute," Ava shouted while running her fingers through her hair to make them slightly tidy up so as to look more presentable.
Ava then opened the door before greeting her visitor, "Ah, Griffith? Good evening, can I help you with something?"
Ava sat on her bed as she watched a recording of the simulation practice on display on the holographic interface of her personal computer. The recording not only replay a visual of the simulation, but also additional data such as biological data such as brainwaves and heart rates to examine the psychological state of the pilot, as well as communications from both teams.
A long time ago, such devices tended to be rather bulky, with several physical apparatuses. However, even from the birth of such devices in the 19th Century, miniaturisation had been a constant march toward putting more and more computational power in more and more compact form. As a result, today, a device small enough to be worn as a thin bracelet has more computational power than mankind's first space-capable ship, with its various apparatuses such as a display screen and keyboards being wholly holographic interfaces.
The one Ava was currently using, developed by a subsidiary company of her family's Albion Armaments Group, was even outfitted with mind-machine sync functionalities, allowing her to operate the device merely with thoughts.
For instance, by opening a new interface for typing all the while as she reached out for a cup of tea on her nightstand and took a sip.
The Professor had already given his feedback, but now that she was officially the team leader, it was only her responsibility to make notes of her team's performance. Perhaps even giving her own feedback and suggestions for modifying the systems offered by the Professor.
Subject: INFO - Review of the simulation battle.
Good evening,
...Ava stopped typing. Typically, to bolster esprit de corps and general camaraderie, each unit would have its own way to refer to the pilots specific to the units. For instance, eagles or lions or something of the sort. Or...mangoes and apples in the case of the simulation training they did. As they had not exactly settled on an 'identity' for their unit just yet, she supposed at the moment she had to settle for 'Pilots of the XJ9 Framewerk Project'.
Subject: INFO - Review of the simulation battle.
Good evening, pilots of the XJ9 Framewerk Project.
As the appointed leader of this unit, I have compiled my review of your performances in today's simulation training, as well as suggestions on how to take advantage of the Professor's offer to switch systems, if any. This is only intended as an overview and to provide my perspective, merely a suggestion and not an order or reprimand. If anyone else also have feedbacks to give, feel free to send a similar email, it would be welcomed.
The Professor already said enough about how you should not have gone ahead with the rest of your team deep behind enemy lines as a support unit, so I won't say much more on that. Though I will add that how you manoeuvred Logic Diver to survive our assault afterwards until reinforcement arrived was phenomenal. So instead, I will give some suggestions on how you may better approach that scenario. As I understand it, the combat analyser installed on Logic Diver works best when used at close distance, so there is some merit in you advancing close toward the enemy. However, it would be best to do so accompanied by another Frame. One that is a close combat, heavily armoured unit that can cover for Logic Diver is best. In the case of the simulation, you should have coordinated with Aarish to have Horst or Shiva escort Logic Diver.
As for Logic Diver's systems, in general it already synergises well to gather and analyse information. Combat Analyser and Hyper Relay are integral and should not be removed. But I would consider exchanging Cloak Field for a mobility enhancer, such as Microburst Monopropellent Thrusters. As Combat Analyser make use of a quantum computer, it should not take long to process the data gathered; thus, Logic Diver does not need to be in close distance for a prolonged period of time, only to quickly get close to gather data and then fall back. In this regard, installing a Secondary System to augment Logic Diver's speed would assist in such 'Analyse and run' tactics, so to speak.
Otherwise, if you do want to keep the stealth functionalities, you should ask the Professor if it is possible to install the Cloaking Wings MK.2 like what is installed on Angel Zero. It is an advanced cutting-edge technology, so it is not 'standard equipment' as Professor Lorenzo expects, but considering your vital role to gather information, it might be worth consideration. The normal cloaking only hides a unit from systems, but not biological vision; as such, it would be useful mostly for ambushes but not to completely evade detection in close range for data gathering.
Generally speaking, you performed your role as a support well. If there is any criticism, it's that you chose to engage Atty instead of disengaging. Electric Dragonfly is meant as a support unit; it is not your primary responsibility to engage an enemy to the point of endangering yourself. You would be more valuable to the team continuing to provide support than taking down an enemy, especially as in this case, from your team's perspective, Atty should be a low-priority target.
For Framewerk modification, I would suggest swapping either Energy Wings or Shield Generator for other utilities, such as drones or cloaking wings. Electric Dragonfly is already heavily armoured as well as having the agility to dodge efficiently. Considering its role is not to be in heavy combat, two shielding capabilities seemed a bit redundant. Though it might not be available readily as they are advanced equipment, in the future, perhaps you should look into equipping Electric Dragonfly with similar systems on Logic Diver. As is, Dragonfly's jamming is entirely dependent on Logic Diver to not hinder our own team, which might prove problematic depending on the scenario.
There is not really much to say aside from what the Professor already touched upon. I would not say that your approach was cowardly like the Professor said, but I suppose it is true that you do with being more proactive. For instance, aside from deploying your drones more, you could have used the override system to give momentary openings to our targets, or even taken potshots with Arklight Thunder. Guinevere is equipped with a cloaking system and moves relatively fast, allowing you to reposition with ease in case you give out your location as a long-range support unit, so you need not be as cautious as you were.
I have no suggestion for a change in your system; I think Guinevere already works well as a support unit to do what it is designed to do. Maybe consider switching Arklight Thunder for another long-range sniping weapon if you think that would be more effective. Though if you are willing to lose the cloaking, I would recommend installing Automated Targeting System, which would allow you to use both your Primary Weapon Systems consecutively, allowing Guinevere to disable a target momentarily with the override system and then shooting the helpless target with Arklight Thunder. Or, if you are in range, you can use Override System twice on two different targets to have them attack each other.
As someone who faced you in the simulation, I have no complaint regarding your piloting skill on a technical level. However, your attempts at engaging me in a conversation before we fought were unwise. The same as your jest of appointing Mema-Ka your knight. I recognise that it is because this is a mere simulation that you would feel at ease enough to engage in light banter. However, unless it is habituated, there is always a chance of you engaging in banter on the battlefield. In my experience during my deployment, I have seen such cases happen to my fellow pilots, and the momentary distraction from such banter was enough for them to be dead at the hands of a Cruxi. In future training simulations, try to curtail unnecessary talk over the comms system to habituate yourself. Of course, out of battle, feel free to engage in such things; in fact, I would say that it is a valuable trait for morale. Just not while in battle.
In general, I think Horst is already optimal. Personally, I would switch Leaper for a more general mobility System; however, Leaper does have some offensive functionalities that might suit your piloting style, so there is no need to change it if you are comfortable with Leaper System.
Similar to my remarks on Arrish above, I also remember you waxing poetic when you were taking over Squid's lower half. Of course, I do appreciate how you were able to help Stella out when she was in distress after Serah died, so I won't berate you on that. However, do try to start cultivating the habit of keeping chatter to the essentials while in a battle. Other than that, your risk-taking tendencies are especially why you are picked as the Vice-Leader by the Professor, so I won't say for you to stop them. However, in my opinion, just like how I am somewhat too cautious, you also need to stop taking every gambit just because you can, especially when it leads to short-term gain over long-term gain. For instance, your assistance in neutralising Logic Diver early on is appreciated; however, the plan was for you to try neutralising Sleeping Thunder. By diverting from that original plan, we end up crippling Logic Diver but letting the bigger priority target be, which allows Sleeping Thunder to devastate the other flank with heavy artillery.
Ordinarily, I would suggest replacing Segmented Recombination with a movement enhancement system to increase your frame's mobility to help with repositioning. Or even to install an Automated Targeting System to increase the rate of your sniper fire; however, you've proven that you can use the Segmented Recombination to great effect creatively, so in my opinion, there's no need to change anything if you are already comfortable with your Frame.
From a technical standpoint as a pilot, you were superb. Even among the veteran ace pilots I have seen, I would compare your piloting skills quite favourably. That said, in my opinion, you can make better use of your skills if you take a few moments to think your actions through instead of rushing along recklessly. It was quite a feat that even after being damaged by Sleeping Thunder's artillery, you were able to fend off Team Apple's attacks as well as you did. However, instead of engaging, you could have used Argo's gatling gun as suppressive fire and retreat to Guinevere's Override System so you would have backup, as well as the possibility of Guinevere deploying repair drones.
For Argo itself, personally, I would trade some of the mobility system for other utility. Argo is already well-armoured; in my opinion, it does not need that level of agility, and you can be more effective by installing other utilities for offence. But by itself, Argo is already a marvel of engineering, moving even faster than super lightweight frames even while well-armoured.
You did well by keeping a level head and taking command after Aurora was taken down. The Professor already touched on your rash action of engaging Cockroach in a suicide attack, but I have the impression that it was more something you were comfortable doing flippantly because this is a simulation, and you will think things through in a real combat scenario. That is fine, though I advise you to take such simulations more seriously, as that is the time to try out tactics and manoeuvres to build up a 'databank' of what would work and what would not. So unless your first choice would be to go on a suicide attack every time, use the chance in the simulator to try out some other tactics instead.
Raptor works well as a speedy unit that will harass targets, creating opportunities for allies to go for the kill. I could see that when merged with Squid, it would provide the mobility while Squid provide the firepower and defensive capability.
When the battle began, you chased after Logic Diver in an attempt to disable it. Commendable, as I did mention that disabling Team Apple's support was vital. However, your primary role as discussed was to provide support for Mother Goose's advance, with your designated targets being Angel, Raptor, Shiva, and Horst. By breaking the formation and advancing ahead of the group, you ended up being isolated and became an easy target for Team Apple, with Squid being taken out early, which is unfortunate, as Squid has quite valuable tactical worth, being equipped with Stargazer and Repair Drones. For instance, if Squid was around when Sleeping Thunder launched its barrage of artillery, we might be able to mitigate some of the damage by diverting some of the projectiles with Stargazer, as well as having repair drones fix some of the damage on the surviving frames while Mother Goose deployed Bastion around the damaged units.
As for Frame modification, normally I would argue to switch spider legs for more support systems, as Squid appeared to be designed as an armoured ranged supporter for the front line, considering Repair Drones and Stargazer and its ranged weaponry, instead of a high-mobility melee attack unit that normally has Spider Legs. However, considering that Squid is designed to be fused with Raptor, I see the utility of having them as a singular unit with Raptor.
Ideally, I would suggest switching either the Dual Acid Cannons or Particle Cannon to make room for defensive systems such as Hornet Nest or Magnetic Shielding, therefore reinforcing Squid's role as a support unit and also providing more defensive options when merged with Raptor. But as that seems to be hard to do, perhaps consider switching one of them for Shining Finger, which can also be used defensively in a pinch.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the Professor's assessment that you engaged unnecessarily with the opponent as a scout unit. That said, I do think that you performed admirably enough in your offence considering how your frame is designed compared to your opponent. I did say to attempt guerrilla tactics, but the moment you lost communication with us, you should consider retreating to find out the range of the signal jamming and try to keep out of said range. As a scout unit, more than guerrilla tactics, your most valuable contribution to the team would be information first and foremost.
My recommendation is to swap your frame's plasma blade with a ranged weapon. Given Atty's agility and general role as scout, a ranged weapon would suit it better than melee, as Atty does not have the weight class to make full use of melee weapons, but is fast enough to maintain distance with the enemy for a hit-and-run tactic. In particular, either Marker Lights or Heavy Assault Gun would work well. Marker Light would synergise well with your role as a scout, allowing Atty to mark targets for snipers to eliminate. Meanwhile, Heavy Assault Gun is a versatile piece of equipment that is useful in various scenarios. For instance, with HEFRAG-TF shell, Atty can make use of its speed to drop them on a cluster of opponents, quickly get away and then detonate them. The smoke rounds can also provide cover for Atty to slip away from enemies with its Phase Shift Module.
I understand that your piloting style tends to be more on the aggressive side, and thus a melee weapon might suit you more. As mentioned, this is merely a suggestion. In the end, you know best how to pilot your Framewerk.
Personally, I think you performed admirably all things considered. At one point, I have the impression that you got carried away due to the realness of the simulation. But even then, instead of freezing up due to fear of death, you launched heavy artillery that devastated our frontlines. I suppose one might argue that your decision to go all in was rash, but considering Mother Goose was charging at Sleeping Thunder, I would say your decision to use everything Sleeping Thunder has before possibly being destroyed by Mother Goose was reasonable. If there is anything to criticise, I would say that as the leader, you would need to appoint a clear second-in-command, as the communications of Team Apple after you exited the simulation showed that their chain of command fell apart.
Sleeping Thunder functions well as is as a mobile heavy artillery; I see no reason to change anything.
You piloted Mother Goose well and did what was expected of you based on our initial plan. That is commendable. That said, I noticed that you panicked when Serah was taken out. I realise that as Lilim Series Hestia, model Steel Raven 456, it is part of your core logic system to be protective of those you see as your charge, and such a drive of protectiveness will serve you well in being a part of this team, given what Mother Goose is designed to do. However, it would not do for you to become catatonic when a comrade dies in a battle. That happened in a mere simulation; I can only imagine how much worse it would be if it actually happened in reality. I will not say something as callous as soldiers dying is merely the ruthless calculus of war; however, do keep in mind that if you are rendered ineffective after a comrade dies, you would not be able to protect those who are still alive, possibly leading to even more of your comrades dying.
As for your Mother Goose, I do not see a need to switch any of its systems at present.
You let emotion cloud your judgment and abandoned the frontline to evacuate Logic Diver, allowing Mother Goose to reach your team's greatest asset, Sleeping Thunder. At the time, Raptor and Horst were already moving back with Logic Diver; there was no need for you to go as well. If this were real, your rash actions would inadvertently be part of the reason why Aurora and Jake were killed, for something that you don't necessarily need to be there for. On a more utilitarian level, losing Sleeping Thunder was what cost your team the battle. I don't think wanting to save a comrade is wrong, but one should try to do so with a cool head; otherwise, you might make it worse for everyone.
Shiva possesses varieties of weaponry; as such, I would recommend replacing one of the Secondary Systems with an Automated Targeting System, which would allow you to use two weapons consecutively in various combinations. For example, marking a target with the marker light to ensure your heavy weapons hit a vital spot. Or using Multiform Rod and Carbonox Blade simultaneously, attacking at different angles, forcing your target to pick which weapons they would defend against.
As the Professor has alluded, you made mistakes in positioning. Given Angel Zero's remarkable stealth system, you should try to utilise it more to strategically reposition yourself. For instance, using the smoke round as a cover to activate the stealth system, ensuring your opponents have no idea where you will strike next. Of course, it was unfortunate that by the time Mother Goose charged, your cloaking system was down.
As Angel Zero is a versatile Frame that could change loadout, I see no reason to change any of the Systems. Though I will say that, given Angel Zero's medium armour, to take advantage of its stealth system and focus on long-range sniping for the loadout. You could, for instance, snipe an important target, then activate the cloaking system to reposition to a new location unknown to the enemy. The other option is to use heavy weaponry. For instance, getting close enough with Angel Zero's stealth system and using a shredder shotgun at point-blank on the cockpit.
As someone who took you out, allow me to say that, in my opinion, your main mistake during the simulation was to take a shot at Argent Wings at that distance. Generally, a sniper should avoid shooting while there is a hostile unit close enough to get in close before you can reposition. A sniper is a very valuable part of a unit. Due to the high penetrative power of your weapon, one good shot is possibly enough to take out high-priority targets or pick off lone, unsuspecting targets. Therefore, the longer a sniper survives, the more they can rack up kills, and thus the more they will contribute to the victory of the team. For example, had you survived longer instead of taking the chance to take me out, by the endgame, your victory would have been possible, as you could easily snipe the rest of us whose frames are already damaged with reduced mobility. Thus, always prioritise repositioning over carelessly taking shots unless absolutely necessary.
As for my advice on Rex Artus' system, I recommend switching Multiple Fire Control System with Automated Targeting System. This Secondary System would allow you to fire your weapon in rapid succession, be it at the same target or at two different targets, maximising the time you have before having to reposition by being able to fire your weapons more.
Having finally finished writing up her suggestions, Ava stretched, still feeling somewhat stiff from the damage feedback from the simulation, before sending the message, also forwarding them to Professor Lorenzo, Lieutenant Kaname, and Bugs.
She then reached out for her sleeping mask on the nighstand.
She had been having trouble sleeping since...well, since eight years ago, and it had been worsening with every deployment to the battlefield. Sleeping pills would impact her performance, so it was something she would never consider. After all, she wanted to be able to kill Cruxi effectively.
Thus, while not as effective as sleeping pills, Ava had been using an advanced sleeping mask for a few years now. Aside from providing pitch-black darkness to help her sleep, it also conducted white noises through the mastoid bone to help the wearer's brain relax. Finally, what was once the realm of pseudoscience, the mask was able to transmit signals that stimulate the pineal glands to produce melatonin so the wearer could sleep soundly, as well as signals that help prevent the brain from conjuring nightmares, something all too common among veteran pilots.
Ava put the sleeping mask on before lying down on her bed, finally ending the eventful day.
"I know what my parents SAID our lineage is," Lucas said. Although his tone was still monotone, as was expected from someone under a mental interference, his emphasis on the word 'said' made it clear that he thought of the whole thing as nonsense.
He continued, "They thought that a long time ago our ancestor was seduced by an incubus and gave birth to a cursed child who had the power of an incubus and used it to seduce many women, but that’s nonsense. I never believed them, even when I was still a practising Christian. That’s just some old legends. If you want someone who is obsessed with this nonsense, it’s them. Always saying stuff like how Evans should be baptised to prevent our incubus ancestor from claiming him. ”
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