Stitches

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Thanks for the clear-up, I think I was expecting the basic closed introduction post with a clear cut idea on what to do. It's better that this is more open ended imo. I'll work on a post now.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Pilot Profile

Without EVA suit

Appearance: Lanky, short and oddly proportioned, with large bony hands and knobbly knees. Abigail isn’t what you’d call a pretty blonde, blue-eyed girl. She looks a bit ratty. She looks younger than she is, trapped in some weird pubescent mid-development phase that her parents probably promised she’d grow out of. She’s got a gap between her two front teeth that you can fit a card into. She has scars all over, notably a burn scar on her left forearm, a ragged cut on the side of her neck, all sorts of abrasion marks all over and a sealed bullet hole near her right kidney.
Name: Harlow, Abigail
Age: 21
Callsign: Pipsqueak
Kills: 2

Psychological Analysis: Rambunctious. Abigail has this habit of using humour to cope, chatting incessantly - in both languages - cracking jokes and trying to keep morale up. As one of the youngest in the 101st she can come off as naïve from time to time but carries a weight and presence of character that seeps through her goofy exterior and hints at why she's in the team in the first place. She's naive and not always the brightest but makes up for it by second guessing herself, correcting and learning from mistakes.

Most prominent is her tenacity. Abigail isn't as patriotic as she is stubborn to keep going, even if it endangers her. Hard working, loyal and willing to do jobs most deem disgusting, she's a valuable asset in that sense. That said, she's wet behind the ears. She's seen a lot for her age but hasn't been put in morally straining situations and there's still speculation as to whether she'll be able to stomach the most ruthless parts of the job. She oozes potential, though, with an almost innate ability to predict and react to situations without thinking and has worked well under the physical and metaphorical pressure she's been put into so far.

Abigail doesn't have a lot going for her back home so she's bonding pretty quickly with the rest of the team and holds a lot of admiration towards the UEE. Her connection to Jakunta and Aleks in particular is no doubt being manipulated to maintain her steadfast loyalty and push her to her limits. She's still got a lot of the galaxy to see and an eagerness to see it all before the inevitable crash and burn that awaits all MAS pilots worth their salt.

Personal Record:
Abigail was a born and bred Savonian in the northernmost ice flats of Jaatikar; a denizen out of a few thousand living in one of the remote but highly profitable Savonite mines that follow a seam through a glacier. The output is low compared to some of the high production mines in the mainland but the purity, due to being interspersed in the ice, is incredibly high. The community is tight knit but deeply impoverished with a high mortality rate. To survive in the ice flats, you needed steady footing and quick reaction times. The shale burrowers that lurked underneath the surface would often be a nuisance to the settlement and the sea was a black expanse of megafauna so incomprehensibly large and dangerous that you were better off taking an aircraft to the mainland - and these didn't arrive often, and when they did, they were full of supply payloads for the settlers.

As a result Abigail grew up with regular shortages and a devil-may-care approach to making friends, knowing full well they could one day fall off the scaffolding or freeze outdoors or get eaten by a monumental burrowing worm. But northerners were known for their camaraderie and high spirits - a survival instinct developed against the overwhelming dreariness of their home. They helped each other and learnt very quickly. They had an honour code to uphold. They were hard working, proud people. They had their own customs and rituals, perhaps not to the extent of a Krellian but minor superstitions that helped them cope with the nigh-intolerable conditions.

By all accounts, it's uncharacteristic of the northerners to take to the Coalition's takeover so naturally. But the records do not lie - the Coalition took over the ice flats first and worked their way into the mainland, cutting off the most inhospitable regions first to prevent the locals from using these areas as pockets of resistance. In truth, Abigail is always quick to remind people that the Coalition were shooting down their supply deliveries and forcing the locals to capitulate in exchange for food and medicine. Because of how infrequently they were monitored by the mainland government, Abigail’s mining colony was the first to fall and one of the more prominent losses.

Life under the Coalition was confusing. On the one hand, they were treated to more luxuries but worked harder than ever before. Drugs and crime began to spike. A red light district began to form. People turned to alcohol and narcotics to cope with the chill because the usual parties and celebrations were cut due to longer working hours. The ice flats were broken under the Coalition and changed in a matter of months. There were still sceptics lurking amongst the ice-encrusted railings, people who noticed the change early on and banded together to try and prevent what was happening - then, to disrupt production in any way they can - then, to simply survive in the new rule.

Abigail lost her father to a work accident when she was little and her mother had a severe limp due to a childhood injury which prevented her from working the mines. In order to provide for her mother, Abigail gave up on schooling early to work in one of the refinement factories in the ice flats. She became accustomed to working with older people, mainly blue collar adults and tried her best to fit in whilst monopolising on her youthful innocence. She was The Kid. And if it made these grizzled bastards feel a little better about themselves when they snuck her a pepparkakor or a cigarette, or when they’d infantilize her and go to irrational lengths to keep her safe from the other grizzled bastards, then where’s the harm in playing along?

Abigail’s position in the Ice Flats became even more tenuous and difficult to maintain when the Coalition moved in. She’d been promoted from ‘plucky young labourer’ to ‘symbol of Jaatikar’s community spirit’, as it took a village to raise Abigail and all eyes of the village were on her. She kept going to the factory because she needed the money and even less people were able to provide handouts. She looked the other way when meetings were carried out in the boiler room, and feigned obliviousness when it came to unmarked packages near the factory’s generator. When the sabotages occurred and the fights broke out, Abigail made her decision - and in the simmering aftermath of one of many failed attempts by the locals to retake the colony from the Coalition, she started to join the insurgents. She delivered correspondence and hid ammunition in crates of Savonite. She was hardly privy to the plans of the movement in general but took odd jobs from those that were In The Know and didn’t ask questions. The less Abigail knew, the better it was for everyone. By this point she was still very young (though not young enough to be turned away as a labourer by the Coalition) and didn’t fully grasp the scope of what was being attempted, nor the consequences of being involved. Her mother was kept in the dark about her participation in the movement.

When the UEE finally launched a co-ordinated assault to recapture Savonia from the Coalition, the 101st were sent north as they were best equipped for a guerilla attack in very unfavourable conditions. They initially took the port town of Luminsky and worked their way towards Jaatikar with the help of the fishermen there. But the Coalition were forewarned of their approach and came prepared, mingling soldiers of their own in civilian clothing and muddling the lines between insurgent, bystander and coalition soldier. It was a confusing, bloody affair that ultimately worked itself out as the northerners who sided with the Coalition were just as unwelcome as the Coalition itself. Jaatikar’s population had been almost halved by the assault and there were a lot of families with dead relatives, strangers with dead friends and parents with dead children.

One of the noteworthy reports from the assault on Jaatikar was the attack on the refinement factory. In order to stall production and exportation of Savonite to the Coalition, the UEE took the blow of demolishing the factory’s machinery to lure out Coalition soldiers and MAS reinforcements under the assumption that when Savonia was rid of the Coalition, the locals would have enough time and resources to rebuild. As always, it was Aleksanderin and Jakunta who helped organise the rebels and lead them in for the assault. Tangentially, Abigail was one of the insurgents who placed the charges under the generator and distillery. The explosion caused the soldiers to retaliate faster than the 101st had anticipated and fired upon the evacuating workers. During this time Jakunta was shot in the back of the leg and shattered his kneecap. Abigail, who had kept out of the gunfire and closer to the wings of the factory, rushed out to help Jakunta to safety. They retreated to Jakunta’ MAS. The sustained blood loss and urgency of the wound left Jakunta in an unsavoury position; without covering fire the Coalition would continue to gun down the civilians but there was a very real chance of irreparable damage or severe blood loss if he tried to pilot his MAS to aid the retreat. Whilst tending to his injury, Jakunta instructed the girl on how to activate the MAS’ defences and aim above the battle to fire upon the factory. The chaos of the artillery fire, rubble and noise gave the locals plenty of time to retreat and the 101st regrouped to rout the Coalition forces.

Marked by the local UEE division as an act of Exceptional Service, Abigail’s actions that day were used as something of a propaganda stunt to inspire the locals down in the Mainlands. When Savonia fell under UEE control she was rewarded with fully subsidised academic training to become a MAS pilot of her own. She accepted after encouragement from her mother and her peers, only to find out that her remaining parent died of complications from injuries sustained in the assault. Abigail’s education was shaken by this event and it held her back from graduation. In the wake of her mother’s funeral she reached out to Jakunta and Aleksanderin via electronic mail, using the address that Jakunta provided after the assault. They became penpals and Abigail found sources of comfort with a way to process her grief.

Abigail was inducted into the 101st upon recommendation from the two Savonians. Whilst her merit spoke for itself, the added bonus of her strong bonds with two of the crew and the lack of relatives back home were strong incentives that could be used to make a very loyal soldier. Her training was altered as a result of this decision as they used her experiences to produce a more fitting MAS and role in the division; a mixture of reconnaissance and evasive tactics designed to harass, flummox and disorient the 101st’s targets enough for the professionals to come in and finish the job. She responded well to the test runs of the Kolibri and even enjoyed certain parts of the ordeal, such as the High-G training and simulations. Since joining the division she has two confirmed kills, though both are marked down as finishing blows after heavy fire from her comrades.

Equipment: Standard military affair aside, Abigail has two particular pieces of equipment she keeps on her person at all times: a EVA suit and an encrypted data pad. The suit is a custom build that accompanies her MAS; it plugs in to charge in the cockpit (but has standardised UEE sockets for ease of access) and wraps around Abigail's jumpsuit when she sits down and powers the helmet. This provides assistance to tolerate the centrifugal forces she experiences, has its own O2 mask and Comms unit built in and is designed to withstand the vacuum of space for up to three hours with limited movement via weak thrusters in the back. The data pad is more of a tablet than anything else but it functions like a modern smartphone device and is primarily used to access Full Echo data and for her own personal leisure. She carries a wireless portable speaker to blast the tunes she's downloaded on it as well.

Personally assigned into Abigail's kit list are a set of combat stimulants , typically derivatives of amphetamines, that are administered through a device similar to an epi-pen. They help her intracerebral blood pressure remain stable and keep her alert enough to handle long endurance combat scenarios but make her aggressive with powerful mood swings, teeth grinding and bouts of paranoia. They are to be administered on the pilot's discretion and only when she feels it's necessary to do so. Since her induction into the 101st, she's only used combat stimulants twice in the dozens of missions she's been on - both times she recorded the date and time of dosage as well as alerting her crew of its use.

MAS Profile

Appearance: Designed to look identical to a UEE Sparrow MAS, the only notable exception that identifies this machine in appearance is the MAS designation and serial number are printed.
Designation: Kolibri C-90
Role: Scout
Chassis: Light
Description: Officially recognised as an altered version of the popular Sparrow MAS fitted with state of the art surveillance systems for scouting unfamiliar territory, the Kolibri's true purpose is a gutted, repurposed MAS made to counter, harass and frighten most Light and medium MAS away from the bulk of the 101st forces and into their line of fire. The use of high end targeting systems, radar and sophisticated boosters comes at the cost of its armour, relying upon the skill of the pilot to keep it out of trouble. It still functions as a data gathering unit out of combat to provide the 101st with detailed information ranging from the composition of a planet's atmosphere, a topographic map and infrared imaging software - to name a few.
Systems: Countermeasure System: - Countermeasure systems are often used by lighter MAS's to avoid missiles instead of using body mounted machine guns to intercept them. Using chaff and flares, countermeasure systems have limited number of uses before needing to rearm. Countermeasures do not take up a utility system slot. The countermeasure system on the Kolibri can be manually activated in a pinch to provide distractions and disorient enemies.

Smart-Target AI (Utility): - By improving or replacing the standard MAS computer with a Smart Targeting AI, MAS's can now rapidly acquire multiple targets simultaneously, making 'blind firing' more accurate and providing an edge in close ranged combat.

Full Echo Surveillance Suite (Utility): - State of the art technology has created a sophisticated system of radars and scanners installed deep behind the chassis of the Kolibri. Slow and cumbersome to activate in combat, this utility system can be interfaced with to update the 101st's data on a location and its inhabitants. The energy it uses disables the thrusters entirely, leaving the Kolibri grounded during its surveillance. The longer Full Echo is left on and the more ground covered during the scans, the more comprehensive the results. Sustained use of the system can result in overheating of the MAS.

Faedvir Omnidirectional B67 Thrusters (Utility): - FO-B67 thrusters emphasize manoeuvrability over sheer speed. Interfacing with the Smart-Target AI system and manual controls from the pilot, these thrusters require a light touch and quick reaction times. Whilst only marginally faster than a standard light MAS in vertical or horizontal flight, the FO-B67 allows the Kolibri to perform aerial manoeuvres around its targets and avoid incoming projectiles.

M90C 30mm Autocannon Carbine (Primary): - A cut down version of the standard M90 autocannon. the M90C fires 30mm armor piercing incendiary shells from a 100 round box magazine. The M90C has semi-automatic, 5-round burst, and fully automatic firing modes, and has a fire rate of 900 RPM. Up to 4 additional box magazines are stored within compartments in the Kolibri's thighs, but it has been fitted with 2 extra hollow point magazines under the wings to compensate for the removed claymore missiles and underslug micro-missiles.

M15 Heat Knife (Secondary): - A smaller, lightweight version of the M16 without as much oomph as its descendent, the M15 is a smaller blade with dual-edged heating elements. Best used in sharp stabbing motions against other MAS in weak spots for messy damage, but otherwise incapable of piercing a chassis without multiple blows. Far more effective against lighter targets.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

I'm a little confused as to who we're playing. The premise says this:

"We the players will play the role of the 7th MAS (Mobile Armor Suit) Squadron, a unit from the United Earth Empire's 101st Mobile Armor Legion, as they return to friendly space from a long and grueling campaign and prepare to go home."

But the post seems to imply we're the new pilots. Furthermore, it sounds like these new pilots haven't seen eachother, let alone fought together. Could you clarify this so we can get a post going?

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Alright here's Pipsqueak, gonna get back to helping the other two finish up their sheets

Pilot Profile

Without EVA suit

Appearance: Lanky, short and oddly proportioned, with large bony hands and knobbly knees. Abigail isn’t what you’d call a pretty blonde, blue-eyed girl. She looks a bit ratty. She looks younger than she is, trapped in some weird pubescent mid-development phase that her parents probably promised she’d grow out of. She’s got a gap between her two front teeth that you can fit a card into. She has scars all over, notably a burn scar on her left forearm, a ragged cut on the side of her neck, all sorts of abrasion marks all over and a sealed bullet hole near her right kidney.
Name: Harlow, Abigail
Age: 21
Callsign: Pipsqueak
Kills: 2

Psychological Analysis: Rambunctious. Abigail has this habit of using humour to cope, chatting incessantly - in both languages - cracking jokes and trying to keep morale up. As one of the youngest in the 101st she can come off as naïve from time to time but carries a weight and presence of character that seeps through her goofy exterior and hints at why she's in the team in the first place. She's naive and not always the brightest but makes up for it by second guessing herself, correcting and learning from mistakes.

Most prominent is her tenacity. Abigail isn't as patriotic as she is stubborn to keep going, even if it endangers her. Hard working, loyal and willing to do jobs most deem disgusting, she's a valuable asset in that sense. That said, she's wet behind the ears. She's seen a lot for her age but hasn't been put in morally straining situations and there's still speculation as to whether she'll be able to stomach the most ruthless parts of the job. She oozes potential, though, with an almost innate ability to predict and react to situations without thinking and has worked well under the physical and metaphorical pressure she's been put into so far.

Abigail doesn't have a lot going for her back home so she's bonding pretty quickly with the rest of the team and holds a lot of admiration towards the UEE. Her connection to Jakunta and Aleks in particular is no doubt being manipulated to maintain her steadfast loyalty and push her to her limits. She's still got a lot of the galaxy to see and an eagerness to see it all before the inevitable crash and burn that awaits all MAS pilots worth their salt.

Personal Record:
Abigail was a born and bred Savonian in the northernmost ice flats of Jaatikar; a denizen out of a few thousand living in one of the remote but highly profitable Savonite mines that follow a seam through a glacier. The output is low compared to some of the high production mines in the mainland but the purity, due to being interspersed in the ice, is incredibly high. The community is tight knit but deeply impoverished with a high mortality rate. To survive in the ice flats, you needed steady footing and quick reaction times. The shale burrowers that lurked underneath the surface would often be a nuisance to the settlement and the sea was a black expanse of megafauna so incomprehensibly large and dangerous that you were better off taking an aircraft to the mainland - and these didn't arrive often, and when they did, they were full of supply payloads for the settlers.

As a result Abigail grew up with regular shortages and a devil-may-care approach to making friends, knowing full well they could one day fall off the scaffolding or freeze outdoors or get eaten by a monumental burrowing worm. But northerners were known for their camaraderie and high spirits - a survival instinct developed against the overwhelming dreariness of their home. They helped each other and learnt very quickly. They had an honour code to uphold. They were hard working, proud people. They had their own customs and rituals, perhaps not to the extent of a Krellian but minor superstitions that helped them cope with the nigh-intolerable conditions.

By all accounts, it's uncharacteristic of the northerners to take to the Coalition's takeover so naturally. But the records do not lie - the Coalition took over the ice flats first and worked their way into the mainland, cutting off the most inhospitable regions first to prevent the locals from using these areas as pockets of resistance. In truth, Abigail is always quick to remind people that the Coalition were shooting down their supply deliveries and forcing the locals to capitulate in exchange for food and medicine. Because of how infrequently they were monitored by the mainland government, Abigail’s mining colony was the first to fall and one of the more prominent losses.

Life under the Coalition was confusing. On the one hand, they were treated to more luxuries but worked harder than ever before. Drugs and crime began to spike. A red light district began to form. People turned to alcohol and narcotics to cope with the chill because the usual parties and celebrations were cut due to longer working hours. The ice flats were broken under the Coalition and changed in a matter of months. There were still sceptics lurking amongst the ice-encrusted railings, people who noticed the change early on and banded together to try and prevent what was happening - then, to disrupt production in any way they can - then, to simply survive in the new rule.

Abigail lost her father to a work accident when she was little and her mother had a severe limp due to a childhood injury which prevented her from working the mines. In order to provide for her mother, Abigail gave up on schooling early to work in one of the refinement factories in the ice flats. She became accustomed to working with older people, mainly blue collar adults and tried her best to fit in whilst monopolising on her youthful innocence. She was The Kid. And if it made these grizzled bastards feel a little better about themselves when they snuck her a pepparkakor or a cigarette, or when they’d infantilize her and go to irrational lengths to keep her safe from the other grizzled bastards, then where’s the harm in playing along?

Abigail’s position in the Ice Flats became even more tenuous and difficult to maintain when the Coalition moved in. She’d been promoted from ‘plucky young labourer’ to ‘symbol of Jaatikar’s community spirit’, as it took a village to raise Abigail and all eyes of the village were on her. She kept going to the factory because she needed the money and even less people were able to provide handouts. She looked the other way when meetings were carried out in the boiler room, and feigned obliviousness when it came to unmarked packages near the factory’s generator. When the sabotages occurred and the fights broke out, Abigail made her decision - and in the simmering aftermath of one of many failed attempts by the locals to retake the colony from the Coalition, she started to join the insurgents. She delivered correspondence and hid ammunition in crates of Savonite. She was hardly privy to the plans of the movement in general but took odd jobs from those that were In The Know and didn’t ask questions. The less Abigail knew, the better it was for everyone. By this point she was still very young (though not young enough to be turned away as a labourer by the Coalition) and didn’t fully grasp the scope of what was being attempted, nor the consequences of being involved. Her mother was kept in the dark about her participation in the movement.

When the UEE finally launched a co-ordinated assault to recapture Savonia from the Coalition, the 101st were sent north as they were best equipped for a guerilla attack in very unfavourable conditions. They initially took the port town of Luminsky and worked their way towards Jaatikar with the help of the fishermen there. But the Coalition were forewarned of their approach and came prepared, mingling soldiers of their own in civilian clothing and muddling the lines between insurgent, bystander and coalition soldier. It was a confusing, bloody affair that ultimately worked itself out as the northerners who sided with the Coalition were just as unwelcome as the Coalition itself. Jaatikar’s population had been almost halved by the assault and there were a lot of families with dead relatives, strangers with dead friends and parents with dead children.

One of the noteworthy reports from the assault on Jaatikar was the attack on the refinement factory. In order to stall production and exportation of Savonite to the Coalition, the UEE took the blow of demolishing the factory’s machinery to lure out Coalition soldiers and MAS reinforcements under the assumption that when Savonia was rid of the Coalition, the locals would have enough time and resources to rebuild. As always, it was Aleksanderin and Jakunta who helped organise the rebels and lead them in for the assault. Tangentially, Abigail was one of the insurgents who placed the charges under the generator and distillery. The explosion caused the soldiers to retaliate faster than the 101st had anticipated and fired upon the evacuating workers. During this time Jakunta was shot in the back of the leg and shattered his kneecap. Abigail, who had kept out of the gunfire and closer to the wings of the factory, rushed out to help Jakunta to safety. They retreated to Jakunta’ MAS. The sustained blood loss and urgency of the wound left Jakunta in an unsavoury position; without covering fire the Coalition would continue to gun down the civilians but there was a very real chance of irreparable damage or severe blood loss if he tried to pilot his MAS to aid the retreat. Whilst tending to his injury, Jakunta instructed the girl on how to activate the MAS’ defences and aim above the battle to fire upon the factory. The chaos of the artillery fire, rubble and noise gave the locals plenty of time to retreat and the 101st regrouped to rout the Coalition forces.

Marked by the local UEE division as an act of Exceptional Service, Abigail’s actions that day were used as something of a propaganda stunt to inspire the locals down in the Mainlands. When Savonia fell under UEE control she was rewarded with fully subsidised academic training to become a MAS pilot of her own. She accepted after encouragement from her mother and her peers, only to find out that her remaining parent died of complications from injuries sustained in the assault. Abigail’s education was shaken by this event and it held her back from graduation. In the wake of her mother’s funeral she reached out to Jakunta and Aleksanderin via electronic mail, using the address that Jakunta provided after the assault. They became penpals and Abigail found sources of comfort with a way to process her grief.

Abigail was inducted into the 101st upon recommendation from the two Savonians. Whilst her merit spoke for itself, the added bonus of her strong bonds with two of the crew and the lack of relatives back home were strong incentives that could be used to make a very loyal soldier. Her training was altered as a result of this decision as they used her experiences to produce a more fitting MAS and role in the division; a mixture of reconnaissance and evasive tactics designed to harass, flummox and disorient the 101st’s targets enough for the professionals to come in and finish the job. She responded well to the test runs of the Kolibri and even enjoyed certain parts of the ordeal, such as the High-G training and simulations. Since joining the division she has two confirmed kills, though both are marked down as finishing blows after heavy fire from her comrades.

Equipment: Standard military affair aside, Abigail has two particular pieces of equipment she keeps on her person at all times: a EVA suit and an encrypted data pad. The suit is a custom build that accompanies her MAS; it plugs in to charge in the cockpit (but has standardised UEE sockets for ease of access) and wraps around Abigail's jumpsuit when she sits down and powers the helmet. This provides assistance to tolerate the centrifugal forces she experiences, has its own O2 mask and Comms unit built in and is designed to withstand the vacuum of space for up to three hours with limited movement via weak thrusters in the back. The data pad is more of a tablet than anything else but it functions like a modern smartphone device and is primarily used to access Full Echo data and for her own personal leisure. She carries a wireless portable speaker to blast the tunes she's downloaded on it as well.

Personally assigned into Abigail's kit list are a set of combat stimulants , typically derivatives of amphetamines, that are administered through a device similar to an epi-pen. They help her intracerebral blood pressure remain stable and keep her alert enough to handle long endurance combat scenarios but make her aggressive with powerful mood swings, teeth grinding and bouts of paranoia. They are to be administered on the pilot's discretion and only when she feels it's necessary to do so. Since her induction into the 101st, she's only used combat stimulants twice in the dozens of missions she's been on - both times she recorded the date and time of dosage as well as alerting her crew of its use.

MAS Profile

Appearance: Designed to look identical to a UEE Sparrow MAS, the only notable exception that identifies this machine in appearance is the MAS designation and serial number are printed.
Designation: Kolibri C-90
Role: Scout
Chassis: Light
Description: Officially recognised as an altered version of the popular Sparrow MAS fitted with state of the art surveillance systems for scouting unfamiliar territory, the Kolibri's true purpose is a gutted, repurposed MAS made to counter, harass and frighten most Light and medium MAS away from the bulk of the 101st forces and into their line of fire. The use of high end targeting systems, radar and sophisticated boosters comes at the cost of its armour, relying upon the skill of the pilot to keep it out of trouble. It still functions as a data gathering unit out of combat to provide the 101st with detailed information ranging from the composition of a planet's atmosphere, a topographic map and infrared imaging software - to name a few.
Systems: Countermeasure System: - Countermeasure systems are often used by lighter MAS's to avoid missiles instead of using body mounted machine guns to intercept them. Using chaff and flares, countermeasure systems have limited number of uses before needing to rearm. Countermeasures do not take up a utility system slot. The countermeasure system on the Kolibri can be manually activated in a pinch to provide distractions and disorient enemies.

Smart-Target AI (Utility): - By improving or replacing the standard MAS computer with a Smart Targeting AI, MAS's can now rapidly acquire multiple targets simultaneously, making 'blind firing' more accurate and providing an edge in close ranged combat.

Full Echo Surveillance Suite (Utility): - State of the art technology has created a sophisticated system of radars and scanners installed deep behind the chassis of the Kolibri. Slow and cumbersome to activate in combat, this utility system can be interfaced with to update the 101st's data on a location and its inhabitants. The energy it uses disables the thrusters entirely, leaving the Kolibri grounded during its surveillance. The longer Full Echo is left on and the more ground covered during the scans, the more comprehensive the results. Sustained use of the system can result in overheating of the MAS.

Faedvir Omnidirectional B67 Thrusters (Utility): - FO-B67 thrusters emphasize manoeuvrability over sheer speed. Interfacing with the Smart-Target AI system and manual controls from the pilot, these thrusters require a light touch and quick reaction times. Whilst only marginally faster than a standard light MAS in vertical or horizontal flight, the FO-B67 allows the Kolibri to perform aerial manoeuvres around its targets and avoid incoming projectiles.

M90C 30mm Autocannon Carbine (Primary): - A cut down version of the standard M90 autocannon. the M90C fires 30mm armor piercing incendiary shells from a 100 round box magazine. The M90C has semi-automatic, 5-round burst, and fully automatic firing modes, and has a fire rate of 900 RPM. Up to 4 additional box magazines are stored within compartments in the Kolibri's thighs, but it has been fitted with 2 extra hollow point magazines under the wings to compensate for the removed claymore missiles and underslug micro-missiles.

M15 Heat Knife (Secondary): - A smaller, lightweight version of the M16 without as much oomph as its descendent, the M15 is a smaller blade with dual-edged heating elements. Best used in sharp stabbing motions against other MAS in weak spots for messy damage, but otherwise incapable of piercing a chassis without multiple blows. Far more effective against lighter targets.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

So I went to check sheets to figure out my equipment list and found out I inadvertently copied Ingram's mas to the fucking letter. I never checked his MAS profile before. It's probably going to be several more weeks as I completely work out a new MAS from scratch unless you're willing to remake his @vietmyke.

Paradigm Shift: Agents of Fate

"She should not have looked at the wallet." Audrey didn't have to turn to look at Ellen because she'd already been staring at her ever since she described the shooting. "It is not your job to grieve for the man you murdered. If you continue down this path, you will not be able to remember them all and you will lose sight of your own priorities in the process. Just like medicine," her gaze flickered to Cassar briefly, "you made the call and prioritised the lives of dozens over his. He murdered several people for drugs he did not need or even knew what they were for."

Audrey leant in slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. "Every mission we send people into, every shot, every life taken, has a compelling reason behind it. We are not on a... genocidal crusade. More pragmatically, the body count we leave behind runs countercurrent to what we try to achieve. It is our mission to find a place where mages can live peacefully - or make one for ourselves, if the situation calls for it. We have no motive for slaughter save for our own survival. It is a situation we were forced into by the rest of society."

"That being said," Audrey continued, "every shot we do not take carries incalculable risk. The one man that slipped past our bootleggers drew a gun on Angeline and Abigail. Maybe, in another history, he would have ran away. Revoked his addictions, put away his guns and became a good person. Maybe he would have alerted the FOE, or Australia's equivalent, upon seeing Abigail's magic. And maybe Brooks would not have been fast enough and that one man would have taken two more perfectly innocent people."

"I personally do not entertain such risks when I can help it. Many people have many different opinions about that approach." She was looking back at Dr Cassar now, her gaze steady and warm. "Objectively, if Brooks had not stepped in, we would have most likely lost Angeline and her healing abilities and we would have paid for that misstep."

In the space where Dr Cassar should have spoken came Abigail's voice, blurting out from her rickety plastic chair near the back again. "I was right there," she interjected, "and I sure as fuck wasn't gonna let some coked up Aussie kill Angie."

Audrey glanced at Abigail and took in her appearance with the precise sort of scrutiny Ellen was afraid of. "You did not, though. You were not fast enough."

"Where'd all your 'would have's go now, huh?" Abigail sneered. "Not fast enough yet. I aimed for the head. I knew what I was try'na do."

Audrey raised her hand slightly. "I never questioned your intent, I just pointed out your inexperience." She looked away from Abigail and back to the room in general. "We can fix that. But you need to be decisive, and above all, certain. We can no longer afford the materials and manpower to train someone who is not sure if this is the life they want to lead. In a way, it is comforting to know that all of you have had a taste of what being a combattant entails - purely because you can make an informed decision."

And that was it. Audrey's clipped, steady monologue stopped as fast as it started; she leant back again and folded her arms and resumed the same posture as if she'd never spoken at all.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Whoo, busy weekend! @Bazmund, @Stitches any updates on characters? We'll probably be looking to get started soonish if possible!

@vietmyke

MAS fully written, Personality fully written, history is bullet pointed out. We've been (literally) worldbuilding. I might be able to get mine finished today but it'll take longer for bazmund and Dino due to a mix of IRL factors and they were doing most of the worldbuilding and haven't got as much down on paper.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

<Snipped quote by Stitches>

I think if he was given a chance to study the equipment in question, or if he was given some schematics/blueprints/operating manual, he could definitely pull it off! He's no scientist, but he's an engineer with enough knowledge of the fundamentals to do complex maintenance and repair jobs.

@Hawthorne

Don't worry; I presumed the technology was installed into the MAS by the Powers That Be in the UEE once they were certain they had a technician on hand to maintain it. I imagine he was given comprehensive training before it was even finished with its final testing phase and given opportunities to try and fix known issues himself. The 101st seems like the sort of division where prototype/new tech that's implemented in the MAS would be done in a very slow, meticulous manner based on the gobsmackingly massive amounts of money it probably costed to develop.

@Stitches understood, I was taking them into account when counting players! And if you stripped a primary and secondary, you'd probably be able to fit one more utility system

@vietmyke

Nice, that's exactly how I had it set up beforehand. Alright, I've got pretty much all of the sheet sorted but I need to flesh it out, format it and make it read gud. Once that's done I'll post it.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

My very quiet friend is making a sheet as well, but you won't get any messages from him until it's finished. @Hawthorne I'm thinking about making some delicate machinery for my MAS that needs a specialist to maintain it, do you think your guy would be trained up and qualified to do so?

@vietmyke iirc I've cut out a primary and secondary from my light MAS, how many utility systems can I replace them with?

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Sheet's going well on my end, I'm just having difficulty figuring out the MAS stuff. Technical jargon goes in one ear and out the other. Got the personality done, history bulleted out and waiting for one of my smarter friends to explain the specs.