My Merc Blog

[Aramanthus]

Nice update! It's always nice when you can get a contract that big. Until you find out the people your weapons are being sold too. So what are you lasers similiar too? Just out of curiousity. And how big are you planning on expanding the merc company too? Does this mean you will relocate the factory?

[rat_bastard]

Here's the thing- If you buy Naruni and use your weapons factories to equip Tolkeen and live in the Coalitions backyard, don't make any long term plans that don't involve getting the hell out of dodge.

Fortunately the Merc Company has been working on their second and third locations. One if the first things we worked on after we where financially successful was finding an ideal place in Northern California to build a city. Because we made extensive use of Techno wizardry to create wooden logs and planks and to turn them MDC, we had a near endless supply of MDC building materials (not to mention northern California is one of the largest providers of concrete in the united states). Our first city-state, Jackson is meant to be a military city, Our boot camp, primary laser and armor factories are all located either in the city or directly outside it.

The advantage of making your city primarily out of logs and Wood is people assume you are a low tech society, so they underestimate you, So Jackson is a deceptively formidable town. Its got lots of Tech and its got 100% MDC buildings, something only certain Coalition settlements can boast.

Soon the order was given to move everything of value to our new location, and recruiting began in earnest so when the Coalition did carpet bomb the original base, very little of import was destroyed. Still the CS had made its position on the Platinum Shield known, and because they are big Naruni Customers the CS convinced most of the weapons manufacturers in North America to drop the Merc group as customers.

So The Merc Group is shut out of purchasing from most weapons dealers, on the CS's **** list and has set up shop in a remote location, but all is not lost. The Merc group decided to sneak back to their old base to investigate the destruction only to find the place was being staked out by the Coalition, in particular a Stealth robot vehicle that nobody had ever seen before (CWM has not happened yet), that was shaped like a scorpion with an absurd amounts of guns on its tail. The Mage in the party was able to sneak up on the offending robot bug and wail on it with a battle fury blade, quickly disabling it and killing its pilots.

So there we where with a mostly intact Experimental CS robot and two corpses wearing the remains of Experimental CS body armor, so what do we do with it? First we get our spymaster to hack the computer system so it does not blow up, then we get a psi tech to part it out into easy to teleport pieces then we study it. Turns out Tolkeen will pay pretty good for top secret Coalition Vehicles, because our Allies in Tolkeen paid for the robot vehicle and the scraps of armor with a Copy of the Metropolis spell (We are one of their main arms dealers and the robot was worth 12 million easy).

So now we have a spell that can turn a SDC City MDC and make it pretty much indestructible, and we just happen to have this ley line nexus and a mandate to build a magic friendly city. I'm tired so I'll write more later...

[Aramanthus]

Nice update! Good move to northern california. Where is your third location?

[rat_bastard]

Two years of growth have seen the rapid expansion of the merc company, far away from the prying eyes of the Coalition States, this has given the Merc Company time to build strength before they announced to the free societies of North America that they are in fact still alive and well.

Building on their successes in California the Merc Company decided to cancel out the CS's advantage of stealth technology with Naruni Sensor systems and Delta Wing Space planes while simultaneously expanding to almost 600 full time combat mercs.

So the Platinum Shield decided it should get back into the soldiering game by striking at the Vampires to the far south. After a month of manufacturing Machine guns, SDC weapons, wooden bullets, Garlic and wolvesbane and water based chemical weapons and wooden stakes they sent two Naruni Spy Drones equipped with gravity sensors down south to find vampires.

If you are ever hunting vampires I highly recommend sonic or gravity wave sensors, they could be hiding in a dry well a quarter of a mile beneath the surface and these handy things would still catch them.

After finding a few hamlets that appeared to have some vampire overlords we promptly attacked at dawn, kidnapping the human slaves and then sneaking into their master's sleeping chambers and murdering them in the sleep. The Villages where then demolished and garlic and wolvesbane was planted on their ashes before we fled north.

Our strategy was this: Attack when the enemy is helpless, kidnap their slaves and turn them into indentured servants and steal anything with even slight value.

The people we kidnapped had been living in the most soul crushing poverty imaginable, their masters would not let them farm with tools more sophisticated than sharp rocks for nearly 10 generations. We Kidnapped them, assigned them farms, gave them tools, clothing, food, homes, household appliances and medical care and insisted their children get an education on our .10 credit. While what we are doing can technically be defined as a form of slavery (we are using them as farm labor) most people will agree that this belongs on the "good deeds" side of the ledger.

So far we have Kidnapped 200 Mexicans and forced them to accept better lives in California and there are plans in place to keep doing this for as long as possible.

[The Galactus Kid]

So far we have Kidnapped 200 Mexicans and forced them to accept better lives in California and there are plans in place to keep doing this for as long as possible.

I must have missed the part when your group time travelled to 21st century America. ZING

[rat_bastard]

So far we have Kidnapped 200 Mexicans and forced them to accept better lives in California and there are plans in place to keep doing this for as long as possible.

I must have missed the part when your group time travelled to 21st century America. ZING

Yes, the irony of forcing Mexicans to come to the United states is not lost on me.

Still, as a strategy to hurt vampires taking away their food supply is not a bad one, the merc group is having fun exploiting their ability to travel faster than the enemy and attack them during the day.

[Aramanthus]

Excellent additions! I like what your group has managed under your GMing! I'm looking forward to hearing more. Please keep it coming!

[rat_bastard]

The way I have things, the vampires appeared during the apocalypse and took over Mexico before the ash had settled. Despite the fact that Mexico was part of NEMA nearly the entire country folded to vampire control days after the apocalypse with all true resistance snuffed out within a generation. Now 300 years later the Vampiric control over the Mexican people is absolute.

In the Kingdom of Ixzots (where the merc company has been fighting), technology has been brought down to pre-bronze age by the Vampires, the people are not allowed to use tools more sophisticated than a sharp rock, any human that shows any psychic or magical ability are either turned into vampires or killed and a man who has reached the age of 40 is considered a aged elder.

Now the merc company is chiping away at that power. Most towns in the Kingdom of Ixzots don't have any true daytime defenses so when the Platinum Shield's troops grab the vampire's slaves, zip tie them and force them through a circle of travel to California there is little that can be done.

Really the merc company is having more difficulty assimilating Mexicans to life up north than in capturing them. Basically they are sedated and strapped to a hospital bed and treated for malnourishment and anemia. As soon as possible a staff mage uses the spell Purge Other to remove all traces of Vampire mind control and its explained to the subject that he is a "prisoner of war" and fitted with a tracking implant. Families are reunited as soon as possible and as soon as they get a clean bill of health they are issued a good sized farm complete with MDC wood farmhouse, clothing, tools and livestock. Children are picked up for school every weekday except during harvest time. Cactus people are also part of this equation, they are a friendly empathic people and they are as a race great farmers. Because they communicate telepathically and generally are some of the nicest people you would care to meet they have been asked to "Adopt" families of "prisoners" and teach them how to farm using tools and tractors (Basically bringing them inline with the 19th century).

Hitting Border towns is one thing, but the merc group wants to hit some of the bigger towns. Now as written the vampire Kingdom of Ixzotz is basically defenseless to the tactics the Shield has been using, so I need some ways to mix things up. Ixzotz simply does not have what it would take to find the Platinum Shield, or enough daytime troops to fight them on the terms the Shield is fighting them on. So that Kingdom will crumble soon, but the Mexico Empire does have the resources to spank the Shield like a bad child (In my world the Mexico empire has been running NEMA munitions factories for 300 years and has Glitter Boy and Samas reserves in numbers approaching Free Quebec's). Mulac is similar in its vulnerability to the Platinum Shield, In fact the more I think about this this offensive will end up being a godsend to the Mexico empire as they have the combined forces to fight the Platinum Shield (and even destroy them if they ever find where they are based) while its rival kingdoms of Mulac and Ixzotz are in between the marauding technological forces of the Shield and the Mexico Kingdom. Basically the Platinum Shield will find Mexico to be full of soft easy targets until they head to far south and find lines of Glitter Boys fighting side by side with Condor Samas and Humans who regard their vampire masters as partners in a hostile world.

[rat_bastard]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
EDIT: Delta pilots get Prowl +10% and Star dragon Pilots get ECM +10%
starts with two less OCC related skill.

[Aramanthus]

Sounds like the only thing the vampire kingdom can do is to pull back and fortfy somewhere else to make itself a position to better defend better. How about an update list of materials for the group. Nice new MOS! I like it!

[The Galactus Kid]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
Combat driving
starts with two less OCC related skill.

The Delta Wing fighter is a space plane, but since it is used primarily in the atmosphere and is only cpable of reaching orbit and not truly a space fighter, I would just use pilot jet fighter.

[rat_bastard]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
Combat driving
starts with two less OCC related skill.

The Delta Wing fighter is a space plane, but since it is used primarily in the atmosphere and is only cpable of reaching orbit and not truly a space fighter, I would just use pilot jet fighter.

its a contra gravity fighter that fights in both theaters, hence I list it as a space fighter.

[Greyaxe]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
Combat driving
starts with two less OCC related skill.

The Delta Wing fighter is a space plane, but since it is used primarily in the atmosphere and is only cpable of reaching orbit and not truly a space fighter, I would just use pilot jet fighter.

its a contra gravity fighter that fights in both theaters, hence I list it as a space fighter.

What do you do about that pesky cant get into space part....?

[rat_bastard]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
Combat driving
starts with two less OCC related skill.

The Delta Wing fighter is a space plane, but since it is used primarily in the atmosphere and is only cpable of reaching orbit and not truly a space fighter, I would just use pilot jet fighter.

its a contra gravity fighter that fights in both theaters, hence I list it as a space fighter.

What do you do about that pesky cant get into space part....?

what pesky can't get into space part?

[Greyaxe]

Oh and its worth mentioning that the merc company added a flight of Delta Wing Space fighters

Fighter Jock MOS (for merc soldier OCC)
Pilot Star fighter +20%
Fighter Combat Basic
Fighter Combat Advanced
Weapon Systems +10%
Sensory Equipment +10%
Astronomy and Navigation +10%
Heavy Energy Weapons
Combat driving
starts with two less OCC related skill.

The Delta Wing fighter is a space plane, but since it is used primarily in the atmosphere and is only cpable of reaching orbit and not truly a space fighter, I would just use pilot jet fighter.

its a contra gravity fighter that fights in both theaters, hence I list it as a space fighter.

What do you do about that pesky cant get into space part....?

what pesky can't get into space part?

The part where killer satilites blow you out of the sky and the debris field put in place by the lunar colony to prevent anythng from escaping, pesky part.

[rat_bastard]

The part where killer satilites blow you out of the sky and the debris field put in place by the lunar colony to prevent anythng from escaping, pesky part.

Not only do the delta wings employ stealth technology beyond the ken of the orbital community but they more too fast for the orbital community to mount a reasonable defense against a flight of space planes flying up and out of orbit. Also with the forcefield we had installed each one has more MDC than a glitter boy.

So if they tried to hit space they might take some hits, but its doubtful the orbital community could truly prevent space planes from hitting space.

Bear in mind under normal situations the orbital community can see a space lauch happen, they see the scaffolding that holds the rockets that launch the package into space is months before a launch and have months to place killer satellites in the path of any spacecraft trying to break quarantine. A space plane pilot goes from being a normal attack jet from hitting orbit at mach 5.5 (and going mach 10 once it leaves the atmosphere) with no warning to the orbital community to prepare. So even assuming the orbitals can spot the space plane, they would have allot of difficulty catching it.

[Greyaxe]

The part where killer satilites blow you out of the sky and the debris field put in place by the lunar colony to prevent anythng from escaping, pesky part.

Not only do the delta wings employ stealth technology beyond the ken of the orbital community but they more too fast for the orbital community to mount a reasonable defense against a flight of space planes flying up and out of orbit. Also with the forcefield we had installed each one has more MDC than a glitter boy.

So if they tried to hit space they might take some hits, but its doubtful the orbital community could truly prevent space planes from hitting space.

Bear in mind under normal situations the orbital community can see a space lauch happen, they see the scaffolding that holds the rockets that launch the package into space is months before a launch and have months to place killer satellites in the path of any spacecraft trying to break quarantine. A space plane pilot goes from being a normal attack jet from hitting orbit at mach 5.5 (and going mach 10 once it leaves the atmosphere) with no warning to the orbital community to prepare. So even assuming the orbitals can spot the space plane, they would have allot of difficulty catching it.

Thats a fair argument for catching the orbital community unaware. I would recomend using the rules presented in the Three Galaxies Book for the secoton on the Meteor Showers on pg 21, i suggest Type two. It details the damage taken when flying through debris. Good luck hope your shields hold.

[rat_bastard]

The main reason the orbitals have maintained Quarantine in my game is every nation that has attempted to reach orbit has used conventional launching methods so the orbitals where able to reinforce the debris field with killer satellites at key points. The Orbitals simply don't have the tech, resources or will to put killer satts everywhere around the earth and put them mostly above population centers.

Another important point is that in my game you cannot see Atlantis from orbit. The entire island is shielded by a dimensional effect that prevents people from seeing or directly effecting the island from orbit. this is the main reason the Orbitals has avoided going all "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" on the Island of Atlantis (think the technology to use mass drivers is unique?). The Island is simply immune to orbital bombardment because of magical effects put into motion by the population of Atlantis.

[Greyaxe]

The main reason the orbitals have maintained Quarantine in my game is every nation that has attempted to reach orbit has used conventional launching methods so the orbitals where able to reinforce the debris field with killer satellites at key points. The Orbitals simply don't have the tech, resources or will to put killer satts everywhere around the earth and put them mostly above population centers.

Another important point is that in my game you cannot see Atlantis from orbit. The entire island is shielded by a dimensional effect that prevents people from seeing or directly effecting the island from orbit. this is the main reason the Orbitals has avoided going all "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" on the Island of Atlantis (think the technology to use mass drivers is unique?). The Island is simply immune to orbital bombardment because of magical effects put into motion by the population of Atlantis.

Thats an interesting take on the orbitals and Atlantis. I like it.

[rat_bastard]

The main reason the orbitals have maintained Quarantine in my game is every nation that has attempted to reach orbit has used conventional launching methods so the orbitals where able to reinforce the debris field with killer satellites at key points. The Orbitals simply don't have the tech, resources or will to put killer satts everywhere around the earth and put them mostly above population centers.

Another important point is that in my game you cannot see Atlantis from orbit. The entire island is shielded by a dimensional effect that prevents people from seeing or directly effecting the island from orbit. this is the main reason the Orbitals has avoided going all "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" on the Island of Atlantis (think the technology to use mass drivers is unique?). The Island is simply immune to orbital bombardment because of magical effects put into motion by the population of Atlantis.

Thats an interesting take on the orbitals and Atlantis. I like it.

Sometimes yo have to go out of your way to make something make sense.

[Hannibal]

I understand you being pissed. You've got every right to be, especially since it seems like your GM vacillates between sucking and blowing. However, this only breaks the game if you let it (or your GM is completely uncreative and can't come up with any of these three options that I pulled out of my fundamental orifice). If you don't let it break the game, and your GM decides to stop impersonating Monica Lewinsky, it can improve, or at least drive, the game.

Actually, there was a lot more going on than you know from your myopic perspective, so before you belittle the GM that's been running a game for 5 years, take a deep breath think about the fact that there's probably more going on than you know, and there's no need to be a jerk. Shame on you, Mark.

As for the specifics in this case, there was a lot of backstory planned regarding the treachery... but ce la vie. As to the rest, I can say this as to why the GM (again, who'd been running the game for 5 years, before even Rat joined the group) wound up stepping down... the players split on the kind of game/direction they wanted it to go... and the group wanting more "stategic gaming" vs. those who liked more action won out... which is great, but not the kind of game the GM really wanted to run anymore. With everything else in his RL, he was ready step down, he passed to Rat his house-made rules/combat sheets etc (on which he has spent a crap-load of time over the years since Palladium refuses to fix the various broken/contradictory elements of its combat system), and he's now just a regular PC in the group (which again he's more than happy to be at this point).

[The Galactus Kid]

...on which he has spent a crap-load of time over the years since Palladium refuses to fix the various broken/contradictory elements of its combat system

I don't know which items you're referring to here. I find the combat system to work just fine.

[Tiree]

...on which he has spent a crap-load of time over the years since Palladium refuses to fix the various broken/contradictory elements of its combat system

I don't know which items you're referring to here. I find the combat system to work just fine.

Everybody house rules the system that they play in. Now some house rules are well thought out, and compliment the system well. Others are not, and thus cause more house ruling. I am not going to say what Hannibal is talking about is the case. But you never know.

I house rules my games for more fun and flavor. A bit more of a lets keep the game moving and story flowing without bogging too much in the rules. You have a skill that is close, or similar, good enough. I have seen others who dissect combat in such a way, you know exactly where you are as you shot your laser pistol on the run.

[Library Ogre]

I understand you being pissed. You've got every right to be, especially since it seems like your GM vacillates between sucking and blowing. However, this only breaks the game if you let it (or your GM is completely uncreative and can't come up with any of these three options that I pulled out of my fundamental orifice). If you don't let it break the game, and your GM decides to stop impersonating Monica Lewinsky, it can improve, or at least drive, the game.

Actually, there was a lot more going on than you know from your myopic perspective, so before you belittle the GM that's been running a game for 5 years, take a deep breath think about the fact that there's probably more going on than you know, and there's no need to be a jerk. Shame on you, Mark.

This is a GM who, IIRC, doesn't only cancel games, he simply fails to show up.

Things come up in life. There are times when you simply cannot make the game. However, you call. You make sure other people know that the game is off, not because it is the game, but because it's something they make plans around. Failure to do so is rude and disrespectful to the people who are taking part in the game.

[rat_bastard]

I understand you being pissed. You've got every right to be, especially since it seems like your GM vacillates between sucking and blowing. However, this only breaks the game if you let it (or your GM is completely uncreative and can't come up with any of these three options that I pulled out of my fundamental orifice). If you don't let it break the game, and your GM decides to stop impersonating Monica Lewinsky, it can improve, or at least drive, the game.

Actually, there was a lot more going on than you know from your myopic perspective, so before you belittle the GM that's been running a game for 5 years, take a deep breath think about the fact that there's probably more going on than you know, and there's no need to be a jerk. Shame on you, Mark.

This is a GM who, IIRC, doesn't only cancel games, he simply fails to show up.

Things come up in life. There are times when you simply cannot make the game. However, you call. You make sure other people know that the game is off, not because it is the game, but because it's something they make plans around. Failure to do so is rude and disrespectful to the people who are taking part in the game.

Trust me Mark, Hanibal knows the score.

[Library Ogre]

I understand you being pissed. You've got every right to be, especially since it seems like your GM vacillates between sucking and blowing. However, this only breaks the game if you let it (or your GM is completely uncreative and can't come up with any of these three options that I pulled out of my fundamental orifice). If you don't let it break the game, and your GM decides to stop impersonating Monica Lewinsky, it can improve, or at least drive, the game.

Actually, there was a lot more going on than you know from your myopic perspective, so before you belittle the GM that's been running a game for 5 years, take a deep breath think about the fact that there's probably more going on than you know, and there's no need to be a jerk. Shame on you, Mark.

This is a GM who, IIRC, doesn't only cancel games, he simply fails to show up.

Things come up in life. There are times when you simply cannot make the game. However, you call. You make sure other people know that the game is off, not because it is the game, but because it's something they make plans around. Failure to do so is rude and disrespectful to the people who are taking part in the game.

Trust me Mark, Hanibal knows the score.

I imagine he does. However, I stand by saying a GM who regularly blows off games without properly canceling is a bad GM.

[Hannibal]

Lol, he never just "didn't show up." Some cancellations were made well in advance, and there were some last second cancellations where it definitely would have been better if he had given more heads-up time, but never just no-shows. Cancellations were in emails or phone calls to people who were going to be there.

But this is absurd to even discuss with you for so many reasons...

PS- For galactus, don't get me wrong, I love the Palladium system and game, but I have difficulty with several of the combat features. We actually talked about this way long ago at the first open house, back then you nodded your head in agreement on some stuff. Maybe you were just being nice lol....

[Aramanthus]

I'm looking forward to the next game. Interesting discussion. I'll just stand on the sidelines and try not to not be noticed.

[The Galactus Kid]

PS- For galactus, don't get me wrong, I love the Palladium system and game, but I have difficulty with several of the combat features. We actually talked about this way long ago at the first open house, back then you nodded your head in agreement on some stuff. Maybe you were just being nice lol....

hahaha. No, I probably agreed with you on many of the points. i thought you were talking about a total overhaul of the system, which I don't think it needs, but house rules and stuff that makes the game flow well for your group are always good. The point is to have fun, and its totally different for everyone. You can remind me of the finer points this year unless ratbastard doesn't let me drink, in which case I'll just be crying in the lobby.

[rat_bastard]

I can't Run this week, so here is the adventure hook I e-mailed my players:

You pick up the two spy drones you sent to Mexico and one of them confirms that
there is a City to the south on a Ley Line that has roughly 10,000 inhabitants along with
7,500 or so vampires, 100 Brodkil and a Vampire Intelligence. This city, unlike the dirt
hamlets you've been hitting has a casino (With a large amount of precious metals and gems
in its vault) 50 suits of Sampson armor, 10 Suits of Samas and 8 suits of Glitter boy as
well as several thousand suits of MDC body armor and laser rifles.

but the really interesting thing about this City is about in the northeast Quadrant about
50 feet below the surface is a large industrial building the size of several city blocks
filled with machinery. The Spy drone's gravity sensors pick up the raised letters on the
outside of the MDC building that clearly read "_odg_ _oter Compa_y". Its clear
that the Vampire's don't realize what they have settled on.

It appears that for the last few weeks the humans of the town have been digging earthen
ramparts outside their town and building Checkpoints inside, like they are preparing for
trouble...

looks like some good fighting...

[The Galactus Kid]

I can't Run this week, so here is the adventure hook I e-mailed my players:

You pick up the two spy drones you sent to Mexico and one of them confirms that
there is a City to the south on a Ley Line that has roughly 10,000 inhabitants along with
7,500 or so vampires, 100 Brodkil and a Vampire Intelligence. This city, unlike the dirt
hamlets you've been hitting has a casino (With a large amount of precious metals and gems
in its vault) 50 suits of Sampson armor, 10 Suits of Samas and 8 suits of Glitter boy as
well as several thousand suits of MDC body armor and laser rifles.

but the really interesting thing about this City is about in the northeast Quadrant about
50 feet below the surface is a large industrial building the size of several city blocks
filled with machinery. The Spy drone's gravity sensors pick up the raised letters on the
outside of the MDC building that clearly read "_odg_ _oter Compa_y". Its clear
that the Vampire's don't realize what they have settled on.

It appears that for the last few weeks the humans of the town have been digging earthen
ramparts outside their town and building Checkpoints inside, like they are preparing for
trouble...

looks like some good fighting...

Awesome

[Aramanthus]

Sounds like the next game could be quite exciting. I'm looking forward to reading the next round of your game!

[thedrunk]

So I have a 3rd level Operator with a definite focus on robotics, and I'm playing a mercenaries game where I am the head tech in a merc company that heavily uses Power Armor.

We have 12 Red Hawks, 12 Sampsons and 8 Gladius* as our combat troops backed up my a Iron bolt missle vehicle, a electromagnetic howitzer, 3 Grey Falcons and 3 Dragonfly hover Gunships. This massive load of firepower is transported by 8 Hover-Mountaineers with extended cargo bays and 2 Skybunker Hover APCs.

Right now I'm thinking of ways to improve our Gladiuses, My Operator when in combat leads "Blue Squad" the Gladius squad.

The Merc Group's First Job was to kill a adult dragon who had been terrorizing four small towns in the Tennessee area, the problem was that they where offering barely the cost of our Merc Group's expenses for a week (100 grand!) as payment. So we decided to make sure we would find the dragon's lair and hopefully greater wealth (barring that the bone merchant in merc town would probably pay a couple hundred grand for a adult dragon corpse.). To find the dragon's Horde we purchased a MDC crossbow and 6 MDC tracking bolts for our groups gunfighter, then we left two Gladius suits at each town to watch the skies with their radar while the rest of the Merc group waited a the center point of the four towns. The dragon who was very predictable headed to the town I was watching over, so I radioed our people and used my armor's speakers to play a air raid siren, warning the villagers to seek dragon resistant shelter.

Our Merc group arrived at the town quickly and we started pelting the dragon with rail gun fire (20 rnd bursts, 3d6 MDC) instead of our full power while the Gunslinger (our commanding officer) expertly put tracking bolts in places on the dragon that would be difficult for the dragon to remove (between the wings, base of the tail, behind the head etc...). Eventually the dragon had had enough and teleported away. About 30 minutes later one of the Red Hawks found the tracking bolts in a cave.

During this first fight the dragon had closed in on one of the Sampsons and tore through it with its claws and teeth. The main body MDC had been shredded and if we had not made Bandito armor standard Uniform for power armor we would be short one pilot instead of just one suit. It brought up one of the fundamental flaws of power armor in rifts earth. Melee combat is highly undesirable with many of the supernatural denizens of rifts earth, while power armor is strong, supernatural creatures are stronger, and while power armor has many many MDC Supernatural creatures have an unfortunate habit of regenerating damage. So while Power armor is formidable it is at a distinct disadvantage to creatures that are physically stronger, have the ability to heal and in the case of the dragon have the ability to teleport miles away to lick their wounds.

So I need to find a way to make getting close to my units a bad idea for opponents. My first idea is to cannibalize the light emitters in a Wilk's Blinder grenade** and build them into suits of power armor so that the pilot can blind people who get to close to the front arc of my power armor suits. Suddenly blinding opponents seems to be a good way of giving my people time to back away from opponents who have the upper hand in melee. I think I can also make it so that a millisecond ahead of firing the light emitters the power armor broadcasts a encrypted warning to nearby suits so they can avoid being blinded by the laser flash.

Another idea is to install Chemical sprayers loaded with Olterak Mace Spray*** to deter Close combat happy Supernaturals. It has no effect on those with the foresight to wear full environmental armor but it is a very effective substance for disabling close combatants.

*The Gladius can be found in rifts mercenaries page 102, for all intents and Purposes we are considering it to be ground based power armor and using the stats of the Beach stormer (merc ops page 76) as a guide for MDC to other locations.
**Wilk's Blinder grenade can be found in New West page 209, and it is by far the most effective use of 200 credits I have ever found.
***Olterak Mace spray is found in Merc Ops page 108 and is almost as mean as the blinder grenade.

What you need isn’t better weapons or rounds its better coordination, and tactics.
If anyone in your group has military intelligence skills have them roll it for the best possible tactic for this encounter. After listening to him explain many different possibilities suggest one of the following since you are intelligent ask the GM if this would work
Since I don’t have stats on the beach stormer I cannot estimate damage for you in one melee attack.
Ok first step everyone in your group and squad waits and hold init till Just before the dragon attacks. This solves two problems first is the dragon is already involved in an attack so there for cannot counter yours, and second you have created a “salvo” which is two or more weapons firing at a single target.
This will result in a trauma roll even at a 3d6 roll of damage the multiplier for the damage would cause enough to at least stun the creature if not knock it out completely. My suggestion is a “trap and bait” tactic. Have a gladius be the lone rangers while rest of your active for4ce takes position around “Ground zero” make sure he has a NE force field. After the dragon init combat with the gladius your team shoots as one parses machine vs. individuals. NOW as a GM and player of Rift’s and have played running a merc group and GM a merc group I will stress ‘ROLE PLAY IT OUT” make sure someone in group has the camo skill. He can position the troops and camo them out of site from the dragon.
It should unfold like this……
Gladius spots the dragon roll init, ( either choose to roll as one or individually) if dragon wins you can still pull off a salvo if you win HOLD INIT till dragon att then at same time open all your guns at once directed at the dragon. (HINT take out the head) this is what I would do for I love military campaigns… another thing you could do is get a book on military tactics and read it lol ( IN GAME OF COURSE)

[The Galactus Kid]

So I have a 3rd level Operator with a definite focus on robotics, and I'm playing a mercenaries game where I am the head tech in a merc company that heavily uses Power Armor.

We have 12 Red Hawks, 12 Sampsons and 8 Gladius* as our combat troops backed up my a Iron bolt missle vehicle, a electromagnetic howitzer, 3 Grey Falcons and 3 Dragonfly hover Gunships. This massive load of firepower is transported by 8 Hover-Mountaineers with extended cargo bays and 2 Skybunker Hover APCs.

Right now I'm thinking of ways to improve our Gladiuses, My Operator when in combat leads "Blue Squad" the Gladius squad.

The Merc Group's First Job was to kill a adult dragon who had been terrorizing four small towns in the Tennessee area, the problem was that they where offering barely the cost of our Merc Group's expenses for a week (100 grand!) as payment. So we decided to make sure we would find the dragon's lair and hopefully greater wealth (barring that the bone merchant in merc town would probably pay a couple hundred grand for a adult dragon corpse.). To find the dragon's Horde we purchased a MDC crossbow and 6 MDC tracking bolts for our groups gunfighter, then we left two Gladius suits at each town to watch the skies with their radar while the rest of the Merc group waited a the center point of the four towns. The dragon who was very predictable headed to the town I was watching over, so I radioed our people and used my armor's speakers to play a air raid siren, warning the villagers to seek dragon resistant shelter.

Our Merc group arrived at the town quickly and we started pelting the dragon with rail gun fire (20 rnd bursts, 3d6 MDC) instead of our full power while the Gunslinger (our commanding officer) expertly put tracking bolts in places on the dragon that would be difficult for the dragon to remove (between the wings, base of the tail, behind the head etc...). Eventually the dragon had had enough and teleported away. About 30 minutes later one of the Red Hawks found the tracking bolts in a cave.

During this first fight the dragon had closed in on one of the Sampsons and tore through it with its claws and teeth. The main body MDC had been shredded and if we had not made Bandito armor standard Uniform for power armor we would be short one pilot instead of just one suit. It brought up one of the fundamental flaws of power armor in rifts earth. Melee combat is highly undesirable with many of the supernatural denizens of rifts earth, while power armor is strong, supernatural creatures are stronger, and while power armor has many many MDC Supernatural creatures have an unfortunate habit of regenerating damage. So while Power armor is formidable it is at a distinct disadvantage to creatures that are physically stronger, have the ability to heal and in the case of the dragon have the ability to teleport miles away to lick their wounds.

So I need to find a way to make getting close to my units a bad idea for opponents. My first idea is to cannibalize the light emitters in a Wilk's Blinder grenade** and build them into suits of power armor so that the pilot can blind people who get to close to the front arc of my power armor suits. Suddenly blinding opponents seems to be a good way of giving my people time to back away from opponents who have the upper hand in melee. I think I can also make it so that a millisecond ahead of firing the light emitters the power armor broadcasts a encrypted warning to nearby suits so they can avoid being blinded by the laser flash.

Another idea is to install Chemical sprayers loaded with Olterak Mace Spray*** to deter Close combat happy Supernaturals. It has no effect on those with the foresight to wear full environmental armor but it is a very effective substance for disabling close combatants.

*The Gladius can be found in rifts mercenaries page 102, for all intents and Purposes we are considering it to be ground based power armor and using the stats of the Beach stormer (merc ops page 76) as a guide for MDC to other locations.
**Wilk's Blinder grenade can be found in New West page 209, and it is by far the most effective use of 200 credits I have ever found.
***Olterak Mace spray is found in Merc Ops page 108 and is almost as mean as the blinder grenade.

What you need isn’t better weapons or rounds its better coordination, and tactics.
If anyone in your group has military intelligence skills have them roll it for the best possible tactic for this encounter. After listening to him explain many different possibilities suggest one of the following since you are intelligent ask the GM if this would work
Since I don’t have stats on the beach stormer I cannot estimate damage for you in one melee attack.
Ok first step everyone in your group and squad waits and hold init till Just before the dragon attacks. This solves two problems first is the dragon is already involved in an attack so there for cannot counter yours, and second you have created a “salvo” which is two or more weapons firing at a single target.
This will result in a trauma roll even at a 3d6 roll of damage the multiplier for the damage would cause enough to at least stun the creature if not knock it out completely. My suggestion is a “trap and bait” tactic. Have a gladius be the lone rangers while rest of your active for4ce takes position around “Ground zero” make sure he has a NE force field. After the dragon init combat with the gladius your team shoots as one parses machine vs. individuals. NOW as a GM and player of Rift’s and have played running a merc group and GM a merc group I will stress ‘ROLE PLAY IT OUT” make sure someone in group has the camo skill. He can position the troops and camo them out of site from the dragon.
It should unfold like this……
Gladius spots the dragon roll init, ( either choose to roll as one or individually) if dragon wins you can still pull off a salvo if you win HOLD INIT till dragon att then at same time open all your guns at once directed at the dragon. (HINT take out the head) this is what I would do for I love military campaigns… another thing you could do is get a book on military tactics and read it lol ( IN GAME OF COURSE)

No offense, but this was a while back. Rat bastard is now the GM and not a player, and his Merc company has developed quite a bit.

[thedrunk]

So I have a 3rd level Operator with a definite focus on robotics, and I'm playing a mercenaries game where I am the head tech in a merc company that heavily uses Power Armor.

We have 12 Red Hawks, 12 Sampsons and 8 Gladius* as our combat troops backed up my a Iron bolt missle vehicle, a electromagnetic howitzer, 3 Grey Falcons and 3 Dragonfly hover Gunships. This massive load of firepower is transported by 8 Hover-Mountaineers with extended cargo bays and 2 Skybunker Hover APCs.

Right now I'm thinking of ways to improve our Gladiuses, My Operator when in combat leads "Blue Squad" the Gladius squad.

The Merc Group's First Job was to kill a adult dragon who had been terrorizing four small towns in the Tennessee area, the problem was that they where offering barely the cost of our Merc Group's expenses for a week (100 grand!) as payment. So we decided to make sure we would find the dragon's lair and hopefully greater wealth (barring that the bone merchant in merc town would probably pay a couple hundred grand for a adult dragon corpse.). To find the dragon's Horde we purchased a MDC crossbow and 6 MDC tracking bolts for our groups gunfighter, then we left two Gladius suits at each town to watch the skies with their radar while the rest of the Merc group waited a the center point of the four towns. The dragon who was very predictable headed to the town I was watching over, so I radioed our people and used my armor's speakers to play a air raid siren, warning the villagers to seek dragon resistant shelter.

Our Merc group arrived at the town quickly and we started pelting the dragon with rail gun fire (20 rnd bursts, 3d6 MDC) instead of our full power while the Gunslinger (our commanding officer) expertly put tracking bolts in places on the dragon that would be difficult for the dragon to remove (between the wings, base of the tail, behind the head etc...). Eventually the dragon had had enough and teleported away. About 30 minutes later one of the Red Hawks found the tracking bolts in a cave.

During this first fight the dragon had closed in on one of the Sampsons and tore through it with its claws and teeth. The main body MDC had been shredded and if we had not made Bandito armor standard Uniform for power armor we would be short one pilot instead of just one suit. It brought up one of the fundamental flaws of power armor in rifts earth. Melee combat is highly undesirable with many of the supernatural denizens of rifts earth, while power armor is strong, supernatural creatures are stronger, and while power armor has many many MDC Supernatural creatures have an unfortunate habit of regenerating damage. So while Power armor is formidable it is at a distinct disadvantage to creatures that are physically stronger, have the ability to heal and in the case of the dragon have the ability to teleport miles away to lick their wounds.

So I need to find a way to make getting close to my units a bad idea for opponents. My first idea is to cannibalize the light emitters in a Wilk's Blinder grenade** and build them into suits of power armor so that the pilot can blind people who get to close to the front arc of my power armor suits. Suddenly blinding opponents seems to be a good way of giving my people time to back away from opponents who have the upper hand in melee. I think I can also make it so that a millisecond ahead of firing the light emitters the power armor broadcasts a encrypted warning to nearby suits so they can avoid being blinded by the laser flash.

Another idea is to install Chemical sprayers loaded with Olterak Mace Spray*** to deter Close combat happy Supernaturals. It has no effect on those with the foresight to wear full environmental armor but it is a very effective substance for disabling close combatants.

*The Gladius can be found in rifts mercenaries page 102, for all intents and Purposes we are considering it to be ground based power armor and using the stats of the Beach stormer (merc ops page 76) as a guide for MDC to other locations.
**Wilk's Blinder grenade can be found in New West page 209, and it is by far the most effective use of 200 credits I have ever found.
***Olterak Mace spray is found in Merc Ops page 108 and is almost as mean as the blinder grenade.

What you need isn’t better weapons or rounds its better coordination, and tactics.
If anyone in your group has military intelligence skills have them roll it for the best possible tactic for this encounter. After listening to him explain many different possibilities suggest one of the following since you are intelligent ask the GM if this would work
Since I don’t have stats on the beach stormer I cannot estimate damage for you in one melee attack.
Ok first step everyone in your group and squad waits and hold init till Just before the dragon attacks. This solves two problems first is the dragon is already involved in an attack so there for cannot counter yours, and second you have created a “salvo” which is two or more weapons firing at a single target.
This will result in a trauma roll even at a 3d6 roll of damage the multiplier for the damage would cause enough to at least stun the creature if not knock it out completely. My suggestion is a “trap and bait” tactic. Have a gladius be the lone rangers while rest of your active for4ce takes position around “Ground zero” make sure he has a NE force field. After the dragon init combat with the gladius your team shoots as one parses machine vs. individuals. NOW as a GM and player of Rift’s and have played running a merc group and GM a merc group I will stress ‘ROLE PLAY IT OUT” make sure someone in group has the camo skill. He can position the troops and camo them out of site from the dragon.
It should unfold like this……
Gladius spots the dragon roll init, ( either choose to roll as one or individually) if dragon wins you can still pull off a salvo if you win HOLD INIT till dragon att then at same time open all your guns at once directed at the dragon. (HINT take out the head) this is what I would do for I love military campaigns… another thing you could do is get a book on military tactics and read it lol ( IN GAME OF COURSE)

No offense, but this was a while back. Rat bastard is now the GM and not a player, and his Merc company has developed quite a bit.

dam I wanted to see hwo it played out...............
Thanks

[rat_bastard]

dam I wanted to see hwo it played out...............
Thanks

Well, we snuck up on the dragon in its lair, the mage and the gunslinger fought it for a little then the power armor came in and hammered it more with their NG-202s, so the dragon said F this and teleported outside the cave and we had our waiting missile launcher shoot the wounded dragon to death.

[Razzinold]

So anything new to update us on ? I like hearing about your merc company it sounds like a sweet campaign

[rat_bastard]

So anything new to update us on ? I like hearing about your merc company it sounds like a sweet campaign

I'll update before the OH, i game sunday.

[Aramanthus]

I'm looking forward to seeing the update!

[rat_bastard]

So I'm kinda thinking it would be fun to run a series of games based in New Alexandria a decade after the Sorcerer's Revenge (the date the metropolis spell gets cast) where the players are an SG-1 style team of explorers who use the resources at their disposal to travel the galaxy (and earth) to gather resources, knowledge and allies for the young nation.

It would take me a while to work out the nuts and bolts, but it is an idea that is stuck in my head pretty solidly.

[Aramanthus]

Well you are the GM you have the option to run your game the way you want. I'll be fine reading that. Just make sure to tell us when you do post your next session, so that way we know what to expect.

[The Galactus Kid]

So I'm kinda thinking it would be fun to run a series of games based in New Alexandria a decade after the Sorcerer's Revenge (the date the metropolis spell gets cast) where the players are an SG-1 style team of explorers who use the resources at their disposal to travel the galaxy (and earth) to gather resources, knowledge and allies for the young nation.

It would take me a while to work out the nuts and bolts, but it is an idea that is stuck in my head pretty solidly.

I would play.

[rat_bastard]

So, my players decided that full frontal assault on a city guarded by glitter boys and power armor was not a good idea. So they decided to be sneaky about it, they had Jack make a Virus for the Power Armor's operating system that would activate the armor's automatic ejection system and lock the suits when a coded radio signal is beamed to the suits. So by infecting the cities maintenance computers, they managed to infect the power armored defenders.

The Snellig Spine spy then placed explosive charges under the Brokil's "Police station" Using the tried and true method of three times the explosives as necessary.

So the merc company shot the enemy pilot out of their suits (Which killed the Samas Pilots), blew up the brodkil in their sleep and shelled the intelligence till it was banished. There are other forces in Mexico that are deadly but the Ixzots intelligence rue through fear and greed rather than with any real wit, and was easy prey for the merc company.

So when they got back there was some city business to handle

The Slurmphs wanted to run a bar and grill despite their inability to run a sanitary restaurant, which will become a running joke for years to come.

The Lords of Magic came over to reveal some important information, First off they revealed that Tolkien was destined to fall, and that the Platinum Shield was not to aid them militarily (though arms dealing was perfectly alright), and that the Platinum Shield should prepare for Tolkien's fall. Second they enchanted the outer walls of the city. and third they announced a 6 year plan to kill as many Xitixix as possible using --

[rat_bastard]

--Short ranged energy rifles designed for fighting xitixix in caves. Our thought is a specifically tuned mega damage microwave rifle can be developed to pop the organs of a xitixix but would be largely ineffective at anything else. Dweomer wants to teleport bombs into Xitixix caverns and then teleport troops into the hives to guard a Warlock long enough for the Lock to summon an elemental to kill as many bugs as possible. Then they plan on turning as many dead xitixix as possible into zombies and using them as a reserve force if The CS or the FoM attack them. They are also selling the weapons they pick up.

So back to exploring and making alliances, the Mercs found a massive armed camp of thousands of Vintex Warriors who are willing to trade their services as soldiers for weapons, armor and worthwhile military goals, as Vintex are allot like Gem'hadar, excellent at making war but largely inept at managing their lives beyond making war. The problem that the Vintex represent is that they largely make human foot soldiers obsolete, after all they like marching 40 miles in a day through mud and ice so they can get shot at, thats a good day for them! Whats more they do it with faster natural reflexes, augmented strength and minor mega damage bodies. So, Humans are going to feel a bit marginalized unless the group does something quick to deal with that.

The group then decided to fly to Japan on a lark and made formal contact with the Republic of Japan, who in a gesture of friendship gave them digital copies of pretty much every book written in human history up till about 2070 and all public domain media they had. None of it was military or bleeding edge science but the Japanese gave what was to them a incredibly small thing which is fairly world changing for North America. Embassies where exchanged and Japan was clued into the existence of Triax and the CS as well as other earth powers.

Next session will deal with the begining of the CS/tolkeen war and the Dweomer/xitixix war.

[The Galactus Kid]

The group then decided to fly to Japan on a lark and made formal contact with the Republic of Japan, who in a gesture of friendship gave them digital copies of pretty much every book written in human history up till about 2070 and all public domain media they had. None of it was military or bleeding edge science but the Japanese gave what was to them a incredibly small thing which is fairly world changing for North America. Embassies where exchanged and Japan was clued into the existence of Triax and the CS as well as other earth powers.

uh...this is HUGE. How long do you all end up playing? And how long does it take for these events to transpire? Is it more like "We go to Japan and talk to the Republic." or is it a little more in depth than that?

[rat_bastard]

The group then decided to fly to Japan on a lark and made formal contact with the Republic of Japan, who in a gesture of friendship gave them digital copies of pretty much every book written in human history up till about 2070 and all public domain media they had. None of it was military or bleeding edge science but the Japanese gave what was to them a incredibly small thing which is fairly world changing for North America. Embassies where exchanged and Japan was clued into the existence of Triax and the CS as well as other earth powers.

uh...this is HUGE. How long do you all end up playing? And how long does it take for these events to transpire? Is it more like "We go to Japan and talk to the Republic." or is it a little more in depth than that?

It was a 2 pm-1030 Pm game with very little tangents.

but I did gloss over this a bit more than I would have liked, they have yet to make any real contact with H-brand or Arma-tech but the Republic wanted to be friendly so they sent a party over.

[The Galactus Kid]

The group then decided to fly to Japan on a lark and made formal contact with the Republic of Japan, who in a gesture of friendship gave them digital copies of pretty much every book written in human history up till about 2070 and all public domain media they had. None of it was military or bleeding edge science but the Japanese gave what was to them a incredibly small thing which is fairly world changing for North America. Embassies where exchanged and Japan was clued into the existence of Triax and the CS as well as other earth powers.

uh...this is HUGE. How long do you all end up playing? And how long does it take for these events to transpire? Is it more like "We go to Japan and talk to the Republic." or is it a little more in depth than that?

It was a 2 pm-1030 Pm game with very little tangents.

but I did gloss over this a bit more than I would have liked, they have yet to make any real contact with H-brand or Arma-tech but the Republic wanted to be friendly so they sent a party over.

ok. I'm just asking because in our game that we've been playing for about 5 years now, there has only been about 7 months of in game time that has gone by. How do you handle time between missions? Do you say "3 months have passed..."?

[rat_bastard]

The group then decided to fly to Japan on a lark and made formal contact with the Republic of Japan, who in a gesture of friendship gave them digital copies of pretty much every book written in human history up till about 2070 and all public domain media they had. None of it was military or bleeding edge science but the Japanese gave what was to them a incredibly small thing which is fairly world changing for North America. Embassies where exchanged and Japan was clued into the existence of Triax and the CS as well as other earth powers.

uh...this is HUGE. How long do you all end up playing? And how long does it take for these events to transpire? Is it more like "We go to Japan and talk to the Republic." or is it a little more in depth than that?

It was a 2 pm-1030 Pm game with very little tangents.

but I did gloss over this a bit more than I would have liked, they have yet to make any real contact with H-brand or Arma-tech but the Republic wanted to be friendly so they sent a party over.

ok. I'm just asking because in our game that we've been playing for about 5 years now, there has only been about 7 months of in game time that has gone by. How do you handle time between missions? Do you say "3 months have passed..."?

my players have lists of thing they want done and when most of them bug me with something I'll do a time skip, this one was a year.

[rat_bastard]

The year before the Siege of Tolkien was very eventful for the City of New Alexandria and the Platinum Shield. C/M Manufacturing Opened Superstores in Merctown, Tolkien, Queenstown, Kingsdale, Ciudad Juarez, Arzno, and London and smaller stores in Lazlo, New Lazlo, Old Bones, Dweomer, and Splynn (yes they sold us a business license). Selling Laser weapons, body armor, foodstuffs, MDC clothing, Farming implements, hardware, MDC lumber, furniture, MDC textiles and hides, Medicine, Vehicles and Cybernetics at a 20% discount in super stores and a 10% discount at normal stores. We sold our own products and a few select Naruni items (at a 150% markup) in a desperate attempt to make enough money to absorb a armed camp of Vintex almost 100,000 strong. Because of the Vintex's Lack of a desire for creature comforts and the knowledge imparted to us by the Japanese we where able to find the materials and foodstuffs necessary to feed, house and equip that number of people. In addition there was a desperate need to acquire a Naruni manufactured air force of sufficient size to dissuade the Coalition from being able to easily crossing the Rocky Mountains and annihilating us. Suffice it to say despite the fact that we where technically making money hand over fist we did not get to keep much of the fruits of our labors - there was simply too much to do.

The Lords of Magic informed the Company that the radius of the City was supposed to be 7 miles not 3.5, so with the use of outdated Japanese construction robots a massive addition to the construction project was instituted, A second set of Power Plants where constructed and more workers where found.

When the Vintex Arrived we had spartan quarters for them, enough food to feed them and weapons and armor for them, after they where trained to use Computers and optic systems they where either sent to guard our stores, mines, cities or sent to Dweomer to fight in the Bug War. Through use of a Crystal ball Mages would figure out the best places inside of a hive to attack and then teleport hundreds of troops inside to cause as much trouble as possible before their force fields wore away and they had to retreat the hives the way they came. This form of blitzkrieg assault had allot to do with why the General Holmes's hivelands maneuver was able to work - he was walking through vastly underpopulated hives.

As for Japan, we traded lore and materials for Yen and used that to hire Japanese engineers, scientists and professors to help advance our understanding of rare or forgotten sciences while educating them in the ways of their new existence. The Platinum Shield is pushing for the Stone Master to graduate one of his apprentices so he can build a pyramid in Japan to facilitate trade.

As of 105 PA the Platinum Shield Controls one of the largest armies on the planet, and they can barely afford it, they are doing every thing they can to make Alexandria an appealing place to live because the military will only be able to survive through large amounts of revenue.

[Aramanthus]

Excellent addition. How many sessions were these? Pretty cool the way it's going!