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[Chiefwaffles]

Combat Report: Fall 1965

Merethan Activity

The AURORA is introduced. At first, an unassuming thin tube-ish-like spacecraft. Its advantage comes in its modular nature (more on that later) and the Fleetmind, a scaled up Ravenmind that is able to make judgement calls and work towards a greater plan. Albeit it can't really learn. The Fleetmind is also capable of independent orbital and space navigation without the need for ORACLE-A at any point in the process.
It is extremely modular and can be customized with a variety of modules. At the moment, it has two configurations: the Barge variant, which transports material, materiel, and personnel. And the Carrier variant, which can have a single smaller ship docked to it as well as a host of 12 combat drones launched/retrieved via launch tubes. The combat drones are the new "AC/DC" drones. Tiny, dumb, medium speed. Each one is equipped with a single TALON and a tiny Magmagel tank. A set of 12 drones is considered Cheap, but they are completely useless without a carrier.
The AURORA and both current variants is considered Cheap.

Mereth's revision resulted in the 'Shard' TALON. Luckily for Aratam, this is not being deployed yet due to its complex nature. The Shard TALON stores charge via 7 airgapped Magmatite crystals that wirelessly share a charge through creative interpretations of quantum mechanics. This results in various improvements over the regular TALON -- needs no heavy cooling, is lighter and won't explosively malfunction. Due to the process required to grow and link the crystals, it is Complex and thus Very Expensive. Its negligible efficacy at this expense has lead to it not being deployed.

Spoiler: Designs (click to show/hide)

Transport Capacity: 2/3 (2/2 Oil, 0/0 Ore Imported)
Space Transport Capacity: 2/5 (2/2 Magmatite Imported) (+1 STC from Aratam's ANGEL Project)
Resources: 4 Ore, 3 Oil, 3 Magmatite

Moon Region Rating: 2/2 (Regions Occupied / Max # of Occupied Regions)
Moon Resources: 2 Magmatite (Succesfully imported Moon Resources are included in "Resources" as well)

Weapons

• ME-CLAW-63: Magmagel laser gun. Can be dual-wielded by Bear soldiers. Uses Magmagel canisters inserted into barrel to fire. Has a beam mode and pulse mode -- beam capable of cutting unarmored people in half. Can easily melt through current Aratamite infantry armor, though not instantly. Damage is precise; it can do a lot of damage in very small areas -- best used against vital organs. Beam mode, when concentrated on the exact same spot of a Tank/heavy armor for a few seconds, can melt through the armor and damage directly behind it. Has optional port to pump in/out Magmagel for continuous use. Terrific accuracy at any range, though damage scales with distance (making it Long-ranged). Comes with 3x scope for sniping.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 1 Oil, 2 Magmatite
• ME-GWS-63 'TALON': Variant of the ME-CLAW-63 with expanded Magmagel tanks and capacitor arrays, working by controlled overload. Takes 5 seconds to charge a laser pulse turning everything in its path to plasma, then a large chunk of its target to plasma. 30s cooldown period between shots. Extensive STABIL-ICE cooling that, if damaged, means the weapon will catastrophically explode. Can shoot 10 times before recharge (which can be done in-field by external connection or by using its host's power supply) Very heavy, needs to be mounted on a vehicle.
  [Expensive] 3 Ore, 1 Oil, 4 Magmatite
  
  • Shard TALON: TALON variant that uses Magmatite crystals instead of Magmagel, exploiting quantum bonds between the crystals for "wireless" charge sharing. 6 charge crystals, 1 firing crystal. Firing crystal + chamber is separated from rest by heat shield. Better heat management means it's significantly harder to damage cooling to the point of a malfunction, and its malfunctions only render the weapon permanently disabled rather than destroying everything around it. Each crystal must be painstakingly grown from scratch in order to foster the correct quantum bonds, making it Complex.
    [Very Expensive] 3 Ore, 4 Magmatite, Complex
• UF-MRL-40 'SARUKH': The Sarukh is a multiple rocket launcher, which fires rockets one meter long to deliver 6kg warheads at a maximum range of 12000 meters. The rockets have impressive destructive power, compared to shells they do not need thick metal casings, so most of the weight of the rocket is either warhead or propellant. The rockets are launched electrically off of rails, and the rails are in a 4x2 array. The rockets can be fired all at once, but it takes about four minutes to reload the whole launcher, so the sustained rate of fire is not better than regular artillery. However, a rocket array is extremely light compared to a cannon, and can move very quickly, firing all at once and retreating before fire is returned from the enemy. Accuracy is poor compared to shells; to reliably hit a single target with a volley they should be used within 8km. Currently available as a truck trailer.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore, 3 Oil
• ICE Thrower: 20m-ranged pressurized ICE thrower that can rapidly cool an area in front of the operator to (eventually) lethal levels or outright kill/severely harm those directly hit by ICE. The ICE doesn't naturally react until roughly 10m out from the barrel, though it can hit other things in its way and react with whatever it hits. Prolonged use is discouraged, due to close proximity with ICE and ICE-affected areas being very dangerous even with the extensive insulation operators wear.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 3 Oil
• ME-MO-62 "Nameless Death": A large mortar that uses rocket-propelled ammunition to give it a more than respectable range, with the ability for ICE or HE warheads. Its advantage lies in its versatility and ease-of-use: it can be mounted on Bear Armor's rear mount, deployed on the ground, and an automatic version exists for mounting on the Grizzly. Though the infantry version is somewhat hard to use without Bear Armor. Bear Troopers can fire their rear-mounted mortar at any time, without deployment, using a button on the suit's arm, though they have to aim through their posture, and the mortar has to be manually reloaded by another person. Grizzly mech versions are fired via the CAT interface, but are harder to aim and the CAT interface can't do anything other than "fire".
  [Cheap] 2 Ore
• ME-AEM-63 'Shrike': A 100kg missile with a 15kg ICE/HE warhead. Its associated "Birdbrain" computing pod allows for real-time target detection/analyzing, giving pilots a simple holographic reticule overlay in the cockpit and allowing effective tracking of any kind of target. Its warhead can be adjusted in real time by the computer for optimum damage against the selected target (air-bursting,  shaped charge, etc.) and it has high-res sensors with a relatively-thin viewing angle to find targets. On-board missile computer is simple and enacts out orders given by Birdbrain pre-launch, but can wirelessly receive new orders/communicate intel. Not specifically long-range.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 2 Oil
• ME-LDT-64 'RAILSTATION': Autonomous WARnet-Ravenmind CLAW turret. Fueled for 12h non-combat, 30min combat. Towed and deployed via WARTHOG (automatic w/ human supervision) or Excavator (manual). STABIL-ICE cooling keeps manageable temps in expectable conditions. If manually calibrated by trained human to a point on our maps, can act as navigational waypoint in its WARnet. Unarmored and fairly large pyramid shape. Sensors convey data across WARnet and allow for independent targeting of hostile ground assets and very rarely ballistic projectiles. 2m tall, 1m diameter, very roughly pyramid shaped.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 3 Oil, 1 Magmatite

Armor

• ME-PA-59 'Bear Armour': Powered infantry armor w/ full body COMBAT plating coverage, albeit with fairly frequent gaps in the joints. Lasts 8 hr, charge monitored by dial in the helmet. Stands ~2m tall, with bulletproof glass visor for limited visibility. Pilots boast slightly increased speed and slightly decreased agility over regular unarmored individuals while in the Armour and hold twice the strength of average soldiers. Contains advanced shock/recoil-dampening capabilities in gauntlets. Fit with Magmagel.
  [Cheap] 4 Ore, 2 Oil, 1 Magmatite
  
  • ME-PA-65 SPACEMARINE: Overhauled PA-59; external+internal ceramics protect COMBAT plating from heat and user from melted COMBAT plating. Sealed suit w/ air filter, can last 20m in space without external tanks. Controlled via improved CAT, eliminating small movement of arms due to breathing/etc. and giving more control. As agile as a regular soldier, can run at a consistent 20 MPH / 9 m/s, can carry about 3-4x as much mass. STABIL-ICE cooling keeps user cool in warm temperatures, and floods breached areas to prevent cascading damage from melting COMBAT plating. Coolant can run out with heavy use. User sees via feed from miniaturized cameras on sides of head projected onto internal faceplate with IV capability; internal WALK-TALK allows for handsfree communication and, if near a Ravenmind, highlighting of targets detected by that Ravenmind.
    [Expensive] 5 Ore, 1 Oil, 2 Magmatite
• "Drop Bear" Armor: Bear Armor with 2 large fuel tanks attached to back with nozzles placed around the suit. Launches a Bear Trooper high into the air 50 m forward before landing unharmed. Single-use, and prohibits use of heavy weaponry.
  [Expensive] 4 Ore, 3+1 Oil, 1 Magmatite
• ME-MAS-62 'Grizzly Armor' v2: ~4m-tall mechanized combat suit, based on Bear Armor. Heavy COMBAT plating covering chest - where the CAT-using pilot is, ooking at a fiberscope connected to the head. Mangalloy plating covers external of COMBAT armor. Can tank huge hits, and is relatively agile for something as dangerous as it is. Can equip any vehicle-suited or heavy weapon held by Mereth, an upscaled Bear Shield, or a 6-rocket Sarukh pod in either(/both) of its two arm modules. Fit with Magmagel, and a charging port that allows charging in five minutes w/ dials in cockpit. "Ursine Vision" system has 4 cameras relayed to the pilot (who can choose to ignore them in favor of the fiberscope) as well as a dedicated Handler at the nearest ORACLE-A node, who points out important things, gives tactical advice, and relays intelligence to ORACLE-A. Cameras are obvious targets and delicate, but not essential to operation.
  [Expensive] 6 Ore, 3 Oil, 1 Magmatite
• ME-AGV-64 WARTHOG: 6m-long angular autonomous ground vehicle powered by a Ravenmind. A squadron communicates in very short range "WARnet" to/from a Commander designated WARTHOG receiving general orders from the nearest Node (destruction of Commander leads to 1-3min of interrupted general commands while network rearranges itself). Covered in infantry-grade COMBAT plating, with AWD heavy duty wheels placed relatively far up into chassis for protection. GOFAST engine gives Fast speed, and a WARTHOG has a Very Long (entire theatre) range w/o weapon firing and Short range if deployed for combat. Twin-CLAW turret controlled by Ravenmind is placed on top. Can't track absolute location and must follow a human(-operated vehicle) or stay close to calibrated RAILSTATIONs for general travel. A squadron can coordinate to a limited degree, focusing fire on specific enemies and spots and the like though proper in-squad tactics aren't used. Basic STABIL-ICE cooling allows for continued operation while firing turret. Has foot/hand holds for 4 Bear troopers on outside.
  [Expensive] 3 Ore, 4 Oil, 2 Magmatite
  
  • WARTHOG-H: Variant with heavier cooling systems, external Magmagel+STABIL-ICE tanks, and less armor to mount a TALON turret instead. Does not sacrifice speed.
    [Expensive] 3 Ore, 4 Oil, 3 Magmatite

Spacecraft

• ME-STS-64 'Starknight': Larger completely unarmored variant of the Skyranger designed for space travel. Turbopumped-GOFAST rocket combustion engine powers multiple thruster nozzles all over the craft -- all with good vectoring -- allowing for great maneuverability, speed, and fuel efficiency. Complete VTOL, and can hover at high fuel cost. ICE-cooling and ablative plating allows relatively-low-maintenance atmospheric re-entry. Power provided by engines during burns and auxiliary GOFAST generators otherwise. Panoramic display screen replaces window in cockpit, showing large amounts of data derived by Birdbrain-based "Swallow" guidance system. Cramped pressurized crew compartment allows maximum crew of 6 for up to 2 weeks on its life support. Has 6 integrated CAT stations. Large unpressurized cargo hold has 2 HAUNTERs, 4 SERFs, and 2 GOFAST generators. Has covered ports on outside of hull and on inside of cargo bay to connect Datalink conduits to for ORACLE data uploading/downloading and SERF control. Rest of cargo hold has enough space for ~half a dissembled Excavator. Requires comprehensive flight plan from ORACLE-A via Datalink for orbital navigation. Equipped with radio.
  +1 STC, +1 Moon Region Rating
  [Very Expensive 5 Ore, 5 Oil
• ME-ORMA-64 'Firestorm': Based on the Blizzard, extremely sleek obsidian black & bronze chassis with damascus steel-like details. Blizzard-style wings are placed further to the back, but are much stubbier and feel like an extension of the chassis. Covered in COMBAT plating, with the cockpit canopy having a COMBAT plating shutter. Powered by the "Ravenmind" Combat Assistive Computer which can give likely enemy flight patterns, analyze and target all enemies, assist in flight and maneuvers, communicate with other Ravenminds and ORACLE-A over radio, and give every possible piece of pertinent information to the pilot via the 4-color canopy HUD (where most information is conveyed rather than through physical instruments). Ravenmind controls CLAWs by default, and can control TALON and/or flight systems if allowed. Combat is still very possible when shutters are closed thanks to Ravenmind-provided data. A slightly downscaled nose TALON with minor gimballing can fire to a small cone of fire at the front (air-cooled for poor rate of fire, ICE-cooled for better RoF at cost of re-entry/Mach 3 speed capability before refueling), and two CLAW "bubbles" on the sides with interior mirror gimballing can fire practically anywhere short of 90 degrees in any direction. 4 hours of oxygen and 8 MREs are provided, allowing for extra-atmosphere operations. Full docking with crew, fuel, power, Datalink, and life support 2-way transfer can be made by docking the top of the craft with other spacecraft. Transports like the Starknight can refuel the Firestorm in orbit and transport it to places like the moon, allowing for full orbital fighter operations. Powered by a single multimodal GOFAST-M rocket engine with a primary thruster and powerful RCS thrusters all along the craft. STABIL-ICE cooling and ablative plating for re-entry and Mach 3 speeds, though a max of 5 minutes at Mach 3 is allowed before maintenance will be required to do it again. Mach 2 cruising speeds, Medium range.
  [Very Expensive] 6 Ore, 4 Oil, 4 Magmatite
• AURORA: Thin tube-like moderately sized vessel that works via attaching relatively large modules to itself. Slow speed, Lunar range. By itself, effectively useless. Not built for humans, and is piloted by Fleetmind -- scaled up version of Ravenmind with independent orbital navigation abilities and effectively a mild ability to make judgement calls and work towards a hard-set goal. Has three slots for modules to fit onto (which make it more of a box shape with all 3 modules), but can also dock smaller ships to module slots instead. Can unlock and separate modules at any point. Equipped with Solaris (+1 Magmatite cost) to power itself and modules when thrusters are not active.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore, 1 Oil, 1 Magmatite
  
  • AURORA-B(arge): Two cargo modules (unpressurized cargo and a handful of SERFs to manipulate it internally) and a Habitat module (8x humans for 1 week w/o extra supplies). Good for transporting personnel, supplies, and material. Unloads by unlocking+separating from its modules and leaving them at the destination site.
    +2 STC
    [Cheap] 3 Ore, 2 Oil, 1 Magmatite
  • AURORA-C(arrier): Two Drone Bay modules (6x AC/DC Drones launched/retrieved via launch tubes; automatically resupplied but must be manually repaired) and an empty module slot to carry smaller spacecraft -- e.g. Firestorm/Starknight -- into space. Price includes the price of 12x AC/DC drones.
    [Cheap] 4 Ore, 4 Oil, 3 Magmatite
• AC/DC: Simple cheap and relatively small (relative to, say, Firestorm) autonomous combat drone. Uses Ravenmind-S, which is much smaller than Ravenmind at cost of any kind of orbital navigation and some other cutbacks and minimization. Medium Speed, Tiny Range with its single small GOFAST-M thruster and accompanying tank. Equipped with a TALON and small Magmagel tank as a small amount of ammo. Useless without a carrier entity. This price reflects the price of 12 drones. Does not use resources efficiently.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore, 2 Oil, 2 Magmatite

Air Vehicles

• ME-LRMA-60 "Blizzard": A two-engine jet "Long-Range Multi-Role-Aircraft" based off of the Lightning Streak that uses a 4 "X"-shaped wing configuration via the "Tereshkova Effect" for slightly increased aerodynamics, improved redundancy, and greatly improved coolness. Its two aT-J60gi ICE "freezing stovepipe" ramjet engines allows it to be a fair bit faster than the Lightning Streak. Has one large GOFAST tank and a small STABIL-ICE tank allowing for Long range. Equipped with a single 15° rudimentary CLAW turret integrated with Birdbrain (and a small amount of Magmagel "ammo"), and 8 Shrike missiles.
  [Expensive] 5 Ore, 4 Oil, 1 Magmatite
• ME-EAP-63 "Skyranger": A two-multimodal-propulsion-unit suborbital transport craft. With four wings. It can propel itself out of the atmosphere and "fall" towards its destination at extremely fast speeds, making it a practical fireball (the heat of which is mostly countered through ICE circulation cooling). It can hold a full Bear squad or the equivalent weight in cargo/personnel, and using its suborbital travel method it can arrive anywhere on the continent in ~30 minutes. Its landing is extremely obvious and it requires heavy maintenance, and unless handling very light loads it has to take the long way back home, not using suborbital travel. Uses Magmagel-powered fans mostly in the atmosphere, and Magmatite-GOFAST Rockets/Ramjets at higher speeds and to get sufficient suborbital velocity. Has a CLAW hardpoint that cannot be used if suborbital travel is expected.
  [Very Expensive] 6 Ore, 2 Oil, 3 Magmatite

Navy

• ME-DDG-61 "Chillwind": A Guided Missile Destroyer equipped with a 2x-Bumblebee turret, eight Velociraptors divided amongst both sides of the hulls, all slaved to a 150km aircraft/30km ships radar system. Uses a Mostly Vertical Launch system to house 40 Penguin missile launch tubes - 20 each side - angled 30 degrees down vertically. Crew and equipment requirements mean that only four missiles can be launched and guided at a time. Has a very thin metal hull covered by Pykrete and crisscrossing pipes of STABIL-ICE to keep the Pykrete layer cool and supposedly repair any damage, though it proves ineffective at damage repair and the STABIL-ICE often runs out quickly enough such that a Chillwind's first engagement is usually without any Pykrete armor still intact.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 3 Oil

Underground Vehicles

• UT-60 Excavator: A tracked medium-sized tunnel boring machine using GOFAST. Can go down to Moderate and Shallow depths, moves at Very Slow speeds while underground and at Moderate speeds aboveground. Possesses limited (but notable) agility underground. Contains space for 6 soldiers and small amounts of equipment of the equivalent amount of cargo in the back, in addition to the 2 crew in its cockpit. Light armor. Equipped with Earth Ear for basic subterranean navigation.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 3 Oil; Provides 1 Ore.
  
  • ME-CM-56 'Instant Roads': A fast-acting sprayable concrete mixture very useful for reinforcing tunnels when sprayed by trailers hooked to a Burrower. Allows use of Burrower tunnels for logistics.
    Provides 1 TC.
• UT-60-L Excavator-L: Variant w/ 8-hour life support and pressurized 2-person cabin. Airtight door can be docked with a temporary inflatable connector.

Other

• GATE/HAUNTER: A large ring-shaped device with surrounding outer transparent chamber of Magmagel that, with assistance of N-Sensitive Volunteer, can create a tear in the fabric of reality (induces insanity if looked at) leading to the "N-Dimension". It must spend time "Locking" coordinates, where Volunteer forces section of the N-Dimension to be stable and known enough to lock it to a position in our dimension where we can enter it. Emerging point in N-Dimension can be up to a mile away from GATE, with instant travel time. Complete ORACLE-A coverage of or very recent Volunteer visit to target area required. 15 min for lock to adjacent position, 2 hours for a mile away. SERF-based Datalink-controlled drone equipped with a sword and thrusters piloted by the Volunteer, the "HAUNTER", travels into N-Dimension where Aratamite astral activity can be located and an attempt can be made to stop/disrupt them. Tear remains open for 15m-1hr depending on Volunteer skill on maintaining N-Scape stability, though Volunteer can break lock prematurely if needed. GATEs are constructed in 2 days on site with premade parts shipped to site beforehand. HAUNTERs can not be recovered after deployment, making design Complex.
  [Very Expensive] 3 Ore, 2 Oil, 4 Magmatite, [Complex]
• GOFAST-Fuel: A special type of more energy-dense and stable fuel. Greatly increases fuel efficiency of anything it's in, doesn't require an oxidizer, and can rarely leak out of compromised containers.
  Adds 1 Oil to cost.
• WALK-TALK: Small hand-held two-way transistor radio.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore
• Electrogel: Thick blue gel that creates and transmits electrical current corresponding to applied pressure applied. The tiny Electrogel motor uses embedded Electrogel to works with power corresponding to Electrogel pressure. A patch of Electrogel can last roughly 8 hours when powering corresponding motor at max power. Can be recharged, taking 3x as long as it took to deplete.
  
  • Magmagel: Uses Magmatite for much better charging and capacity. Probably orange/red.
• UF-SM-57 'Earth Ear' Mk. IV: Sends precise vibrations through earth, computer analyzes what it receives to identify ground+entities in 20km radius. Holographic red/blue cube interface shows and distinguishes between earth, buildings, vehicles, and infantry (allied and enemy). Magnetic disks store data to be fed to ORACLE.
  
  • GASOLINE: Fits onto Earth Ear systems allowing for relative easy surveying of underground oil deposits. Regulations forbid surveying underneath Mereth -- oil found this way has to be imported with TC.
    Provides 1 Oil (Import)
• ICE: A chemical that very quickly reacts with the air to massively reduce heat in the surrounding area, often to the point where nearby things are frozen (ones in the epicenter frozen brittle), vehicles disabled or destroyed, and people killed.
  
  • STABIL-ICE: Variant that only reacts when above a target temperature as set during synthesization.
• C.O.M.B.A.T. Plating: Composite armor plating; thin manganese layer and ceramic layer sandwiching Tungsten-Bronze/Molybdenum-Bronze layer that converts kinetic and electric energy into heat. Outer layers easily melt when tanking particularly impactful hits such as coilgun shots and Lvl3 Tesla blasts, but prevents major injuries. Extra cost nullified by SERF.
• Cerebral Action Translator System wherein a series of jacks are implanted into the upper spine and lower brain -- roughly the neck and lower half of the back head, allowing for mental control of computers. Uses basic "neurogel" to create primitive connection between mind and machine; not 100% precise/natural but still very proficient.
• ME-RID-61 'SERF': Unmanned skeleton derived from Bear Armor, with near-human dexterity and camera-like head. Remote controlled via Datalink connection to CAT; seeing via a television monitor and hearing via speakers. Can "fold" itself into smaller form factor for transport; 30 min to fold and 3 min to unfold.
  Reduces cost of COMBAT plating from 1 Ore to 0.

Operation Plans

• WEREMINE: Establish a live-in base with a semi-permanent team controlling and manning mining operations in the area with Lunar Excavators. Has 3 docks for Excavators for resupply and crew/cargo transfer. Minor ORACLE-A-based "PROSPECT" takes Earth Ear + Core Sample + etc. data to provide predictions on the impossible-but-existing mineral deposits on moon. Makes full use of HOPE, namely upscaled FIG/BREATH for partial self-sustainability and Solaris for power. Has a few RAILSTATIONs at base perimeter connected to power grid. Reliant on shipments from Earth for operation. 2 Starknight landing pads.
  Potentially Provides 2 Ore OR 2 Magmatite
  Lunar Operation, [Construction Cost: 1 Magmatite], Takes up 1 Region

Infrastructure

• Division of Unusual Chemistry: A fully funded department & lab under the Design Division specializing in more unusual chemistry.
• M.A.G.M.A.: A giant very deep borehole used for industry, mining, and housing.
  Provides +1 Ore
• ORACLE-A: Microprocessor-based STABIL-ICE-cooled supercomputer that processes data and predicts enemy strategy. Use of large ORACLE-A "Nodes" across the territory help coordinate logistics, serve as forward bases, and increase the computer's capabilities. Input via keyboard, output via vector screen graphics and audio. Struggling to process so much input.
• H.O.P.E.: A laundry list of things very useful for doing things in orbit, the moon, and potentially beyond.
  
  • Solaris System: Magmatite-enhanced solar panels with attached good energy storage and 20% solar cell efficiency.
    Costs 1 Magmatite to add to a design.
  • Nanoseal Concrete: Variant of Instant Roads; material once applied slowly moves to create airproof seals. Requires multiple applications between waiting for it to clump together into sealed bits. Repairs nano breaches (micrometeroids or smaller), but bigger breaches require re-application. Must be sprayed on a medium/framework, e.g. bricks made from regolith. May cause cancer.
  • B.R.E.A.T.H. Regulates atmosphere in a closed environment, ensuring optimum atmosphere mix. Recycles CO2 w/ good but imperfect efficiency, can electrolyze water for more oxygen. Recycles waste to recover most water, and nutrients useful for plants.
  • F.I.G. Hydroponics module growing plants with nutrients+water from BREATH. Supplements, not replaces, rations.
  • Zephyr Modular airlock with own atmosphere tanks, solar panels, electronics, and sensors. Can be shipped in parts or as a whole (fits nicely as main cargo of a Starknight). Contains two lockers for Polaris suits.
  • A.L.W.V. Ambiguous Lunar Wheeled Vehicle; smallish flat bed battery-powered vehicle with good suspension and 8 wheels. Can fit an inflatable pressurized "cabin" to fit driver and 6 passengers, a cargo hold, a towing system, storage+laying for cables and conduits of all types, tanks for liquid/gaseous substances, etc..
    [Cheap] 3 Ore, 1 Magmatite
  Provides +1 Region Rating

• Embassy "Vast Underground Forenian Embassy": An extensive and mildly luxurious underground Forenian embassy dug underneath around the center of Mereth using improvements in excavation technology designed 100% solely for civilian use and definitely nothing else.

[Chiefwaffles]

Aratamite Activity

With both their design and revision, Aratam has created ORATION, an orbital communications network consisting of a central relay station connected to ANGEL and a number of small single-person communications satellites. Guardians train to operate these extraordinarily cramped satellites in geosynchronous space, passing on Aratamite transmissions and intercepting the occasional Merethan one. Bandwidth is extremely limited by the human factor in each satellite, but it can be useful. On the ground, you require a heavy set of backpack gear in order to send transmissions to the ORATION network. But those transmissions can then be received effectively anywhere.

A very limited portion of this already limited bandwidth is allocated for civilian use; another attempt by Aratam to protect their assets via making them useful to the global community. In the early chaos of deployment (i.e. this report) this won't matter much, but it could potentially cause international consequences for Mereth if they intercept any Orator satellites.
 

Spoiler: Designs (click to show/hide)

Transport Capacity: 2/3 (2/2 Oil Imported)
Space Transport Capacity: 0/0 (Nothing Imported) (Aratamite STC is the sum of its designs' STCs, multiplied by two thanks to the ANGEL Project.)
Resources: 3 Ore, 4 Oil, 2 Rare Chemicals

Moon Region Rating: 0 (Regions Occupied / Max # of Occupied Regions)
Moon Resources: Nothing (Succesfully imported Moon Resources are included in "Resources" as well)

Weapons

• Heavy Plasma Rifle "Albatross": A heavy recombinated weapon based on the plasma-creating principles of the GM-BP Reactor. Uses a Tesla-derived containment beam to fire a continuous beam of SynthOil-created-plasma at the target, where the beam maintains a building-up convection cell of heat and plasma until it collapses and/or the beam stops, when it detonates inwards towards any gashes or cavities on the target. SynthOil cells are inserted like magazines and with range configured by the operator, last for 1s Long range, 15s Medium range, 60s Short range (where it's more like a blast wave than a beam). Overheats after 4 seconds of continuous usage, needing 8 seconds to cooldown -- 2s or less shots recommended. Massive amounts of heat are dumped into an arc-shaped radiator on the front-bottom edge that can be used as an effective melee weapon when heated.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 4 Oil
• HMKR-59 'Osprey': Hybrid Magnetic Kinetic Rifle; a variant of the Pursuit rifle that houses coilgun components to increase the velocity of bullets after conventional firing. Has a slot in the back for a single SynthOil battery, which has enough charge for 10 powered shots (soldiers carry 2 batteries total). Powered shots are accurate to Medium range (unpowered shots to Short range) and have increased lethality and armor piercing capabilities.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore, 1 Oil
• Tesla Rifle: A "rifle" that fires bolts of ARC lightning at Medium range. Using an inner "Lightning Rod" chamber, it gradually charges from a backpack SynthOil battery - it has four levels of charge, with Level 3 being the optimum Medium range + good lethality and Level 4 being overkill with a chance of explosive backfiring. It takes about 40s to charge to Level 3 (charging can be paused but the charge decays slightly over time), and the battery has enough juice for 5 Lvl3 shots. Extremely lethal against anything conductive, and has a modest area-of-effect as the electricity arcs to other conductors in close proximity. Can be hooked up to external SynthOil batteries as well. Soldiers pre-charge to Level 3 when aware of hostile situations, but are still vulnerable to ambushes.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 2 Oil
• "Chelsea" SMILE: Single-use rocket launcher with Red Skies incendiary (useful v. COMBAT armor) or Tesla (useful with area of effect and v. electronics) payloads. Effective to long-range (still useful but unreliable beyond), and has a flip-out glass targeting visor with a crosshair predicting impact site based on wind and fall.
  [Cheap] 1 Ore, 3 Oil
• "Storm" GMRL-ECP-61S: A 250lb active radar homing missile with a 6km range and 5m effective blast radius. Fired from 4-rail trucks (with radar) and aircraft mounts. It has a poor resolution, greatly decreasing the reliability of locking onto non-huge aerial targets and making locking onto surface targets next-to-impossible, though large ships prove easy targets. Equipped with an HE or ARC warhead, with the ARC warhead using a chain SynthOil reaction to generate arcing electricity frying electronics and melting metal as it jumps from conductor to conductor.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 4 Oil
  
  • ION-Storm: Variant with a second stage, improved tracking, reduced payload, and it's only able to be launched from a truck. Designed to intercept Merethan air(space?)craft re-entering the atmosphere.
    Expensive] 3 Ore, 5 Oil
• "Red Skies" Multiple Missile Launcher: A 300 lb version of the Storm missile using Inertial guidance and adapted entirely for surface-to-surface use. Has a SynthOil-based incendiary payload that's capable of effectively burning through armor, but is less immediately destructive. Has a range of 15 km. Its guidance allows it to easily and effectively target any ground point, but it can't change course mid-flight and can't actively track any targets; its effectiveness in accuracy mostly is based on what intelligence the operator has when firing. Intended for use as surface-to-surface artillery.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 4 Oil
• Beacon Bomb: Variant of a STOP-IT Beacon (for bombardment targeting) designed to be deployed from aircraft like a bomb. After hitting ground, emits signal for 30 seconds that causes about 3 STOP bombardments in the general area. More inaccurate than regular beacon, due to added bomb imprecision. Heavy, fits onto hardpoints. Sol Invictus can equip 2 at slight top speed penalty. Takes ore for insulation and for advanced miniaturized manufacturing. Takes oil for massive amounts of energy. Complex due to requirements of extracting energy quickly.
  NATIONAL EXPENSE 4 Ore, 6 Oil, [Complex]

Land Vehicles

• M3T1A1 Raider: Diesel-Electric tracked APC. It has light RHA armor , plus slats. It holds ten passengers and three crew. It has an interchangeable turret. Default armament is a Can shredder, plus 6 external Thumper barrels for smoke grenades and an RPG, reloaded from the outside. It's also chemical warfare protected, and amphibious, with a trim vane and two electric powered propellers. Exits are on large rear hatch and one small top hatch, only latter can be used while afloat.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore 2 Oil
• Privateer 1 1/2 Ton Truck: An antique Cannalan truck somehow STILL being used for cargo transport, sheesh.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore, 2 Oil, Provides 1 TC
• "Glaive"-Electromagnetic Coil Cannon Battletank ECCB-72: A large silent tank armed with a 120mm coilgun and a Reactor-charged coaxial-mounted Tesla Rifle (capable of firing a steady stream of L1/L2 shots). Has a respectable speed for its size, and the Coilgun turret is powered but manually aimed. Powered by a GMBP Reactor, allowing for unlimited movement and power for Coilgun shots, making the only main logistical concerns for the tank being Coilgun ammunition and crew supplies.
  [Expensive] 5 Ore, 4 Oil
• "Ettin" Electric-Motor Flak Tank EMFT-61-B: A "tank" where the turret is an unarmored cage on top of the squat chassis where the gunner sits; two self-loading automatic cannons fire automatically in consecutive fashion flak shells to shoot down aircraft and infantry. The turret can be angled downwards effectively to shoot at infantry; limited ammo supply means the gunner has to be somewhat conservative with his firing patterns and can't just fill the sky with flak. Electric computer & radar guidance overlays a digital crosshair on a small sheet of "glass" in front of the gunner that is overlaid on top of the physical crosshair to maximize accuracy, allowing for decent accuracy as long as the aircraft isn't too fast or evasive. The commander and driver reside in the cramped interior and exit/enter largely via a door to the side, with the front of the tank being heavily angled downward for firing angle reasons. The turret is armored, but has poor visibility. Can travel for 10 hours on a full SynthOil battery, and the gun doesn't require power to operate.
  [Expensive] 5 Ore, 4 Oil

Spacecraft

• Slug-Throwing Orbital Platform (STOP): A small "spacecraft" with an extremely cramped 2-crew compartment, 24 hour life support, and a Reactor with enough fuel to keep it running for a week. Tiny plasma thrusters dot the platform for great turning and very slow movement. Small radio allows contact with ANGEL Complex, small radar allows detection of nearby enemies and display of their blips + predicted trajectory and where to shoot to hit them on the HUD. Gunner controls turning and targets enemies via just the canopy/HUD, their sight, and radar blips. Controller manages moving and maintaining systems. Large gauss cannon lining underside (30 seconds to load in a new shell, 20 seconds to charge to max once a shell is loaded) can fire up to 10 shells at enemies, with extreme damage at 100% charge and exponentially less but still very good damage at 50% charge. Each 100%-charged shot takes about 9% of SynthOil fuel, leaving a STOP that fired 10 100%-charged shots with only a few hours of operation. Crew compartment and life support can be explosively detached, where crew enter stasis to slow breathing (surviving for about a month on a full tank of oxygen), a beacon starts pinging for retrieval, and solar panels just barely power life support + beacon. Can be easily brought to geostationary orbit on board ANGEL shuttle.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 2 Oil
  
  • STOP-IT Orbital Bombardment Beacon: Large beacon that must be carried by >=2 baseline troopers and has about 1min chargeup time. Once charged, sends a signal to orbit so any STOP relatively above can fire at the ground near the beacon. Somewhat innacurate and the beacon must be protected for its chargeup time and STOP firing/charging time, but STOP orbital bombardment is extremely devastating. Allied troops must evacuate area to avoid friendly fire, generally.
• ORATION: Orbital communications network consisting of individual 1-man 'Orator' satellites. Relayed through a central "Guardian" ANGEL station platform, this network can vaguely triangulate Merethan spaceborne transmissions and relay critical orders/intelligence across the military. Transmissions from Guardian platform can be reliably received by any ground asset, but a bandwidth severely bottlenecked by the Guardian ANGEL platform means only very high-ranking officers can send transmissions to be relayed. Guardians are trained to resist strong spaceborne Astral influence on board the Guardian platform.

Air Vehicles

• A-8.8 'Sol Invictus' LEO ECM Fighter: Relatively-for-Aratam-aircraft small fighter with light recombinated armor and forward-swept wings. Has single integrated Rapidfire Plasma Cannon capable of firing blobs of plasma at a rapid speed that splash over large portions of armor, though with a somewhat poor range; has 2 regular hardpoints. Contains a single internal Reactor optimized for plasma generation to feed plasma to RF Cannon and to two independently-360-3D-thrust-vectoring plasma thrusters. Very fast and agile, but a bit slower than top speed + agility of Merethan spacecraft. Top acceleration reduced when firing RF Cannon. Reactor lasts for very long times even with high speeds + cannon usage, giving extreme maximum distances and mission lengths. Can go into space with limited life support, but only sub-orbital trajectories possible due to lack of proper navigation. "Mercury" ECM decreases detection range against Merethan sensors or can prevent a single target from transmitting non-vital data. Cockpit is transparent recombinated material, and has target overlay for sensor data coming from the Mercury.
  [Expensive] 4 Ore, 4 Oil
• 'Lantern' A-7 Armored Jet: A large jet built with metal-recombinated materials, giving it good structural integrity and relatively good durability. Massive amounts of recombinated armor are present all across the aircraft. Direct hits by Shrike missiles can be survived with only moderate damage, and air-bursts/lasers are much less effective. An integrated Gel-Matrix Bio-Paste Reactor is used to power electrical systems and SynthOil tanks are used to fuel both the reactor and the combustion Ramjets. The heavy weight of the armor give the Lantern a great speed but not quite matching Mereth's Blizzard jet craft. Different systems provide the Torch with great relative agility, but only SEEM Operatives are capable of properly operating the complex controls in the airplane (though their enhanced abilities are a huge boon with speed and agility). 2 always-powered Ospreys are mounted on the front, with no other weapon capacity.
  [Expensive] 5 Ore, 4 Oil (Expense can only be as low as current SEEM expense)
• 'Meteor' Air Frigate: A gigantic flying vessel, more akin to a boat than any traditional aircraft. Foregoing aerodynamics, it's propelled by 6 (4 on bottom, 2 on back) thrust-vectoring plasma GM-BP Thrusters (based on expelling plasma generated by the GM-BP process seen in Reactors for large thrust) that also produce its power. It can move quickly and isn't too sluggish, being able to easily outpace any kind of ground force yet being much slower than Merethan aircraft. Four Tesla cannon turrets -- 3 on top, 1 on bottom -- with greater range and rate of fire to their counter parts powered by the Meteor's capacitors provide an excellent anti-air screen, being able to fire once per few seconds and being able to intercept missiles and bombs when operated by SEEMs. A coilcannon array on the bottom largely mechanized allows for slow yet respectfully-paced terrific bombarding of ground targets, with mediocre targeting. A full radar suite and command center/bridge inside the hull give excellent battlefield intelligence and this information is distributed via radio to nearby forces, and to turrets on the frigate. Very heavily armored and able to resist constant Shrike bombardment for a relatively long time, yet limited internal space forces any non-essential for short-term operation facilities outside on the hull where they're more akin to fancy camps, providing a convenient target to greatly decrease combat effectiveness of everything but minimal radar operation and Coilcannon operation. Constant firing of more than one Tesla turret fairly quickly drains capacitors, quintupling tesla charge times. Thrust vectoring allows the Meteor to stay in the air with multiple missing thrusters. An internal bridge serves as an excellent mobile field command center.
  [National Effort] [8 Ore], [7 Oil]

Navy

• Corsair Destroyer: A moderate sized ship with light steel hull armor. It has a light cannon armament of two hydraulic-equipped Nightwind cannons and four Can Shredders. However, its main armament is its Shark Torpedo launchers (2x each side) and Seahorse mines.
  [Expensive] 4 Ore, 3 Oil
• Santos-Class Naval Aircraft Support Vessel: The Santos is a large aircraft carrier. It is about the size of the Khorne but not armored. It's powered by four oil-burning steam turbines. The hangar deck stores two dozen fighters, moved to the flight deck by a hydraulic lift. On deck is an Eagle Eye Radar system, con tower, a few Firecracker AA guns and a miscellaneous autocannons wherever there's spare room. It also has a decent sized flight deck, with an arrester cable for landing aircraft, and two overlapping runways with room for ready aircraft on deck. [5 Ore, 4 Oil]
  [Expensive] 5 Ore, 4 Oil
• SLS-61 Magpie: A basic landing ship with a bow able to open up with a ramp to allow vehicles and troops onto the shore, and has extremely basic treads to de-beach itself. Has Thin armor and a few mounts for infantry rifles on the top to provide basic covering fire. Powered by Gen 1 SynthOil engines, which requires it to use the majority of its cargo space to hold enough SynthOil to make it across the sea without running out of fuel. Normally has a modest capacity for soldiers (and capable of holding a few moderate-sized vehicles), but the fuel requirement limits it to only a small amount of soldiers and/or perhaps one tank at best.
  [Cheap] 3 Ore, 3 Oil
• Atlas-class Cargo Ship: A Santos-class with the weaponry and aircraft equipment and just about everything else stripped off. Utilizes SynthOil batteries for general powering of ship, though oil-burning steam turbines from the Santos still power most of it. Uses a system derived from Cryostats to cryogenically freeze perishable cargo as well as people for maximum storage efficiency.
  Provides 2 TC

Chemicals & Drugs

• Spice: An extremely potent manufactured drug resulting in extreme schizophrenia, delusions of power, frequent seizures, and eventually death. Extremely addictive. Those who undergo the week-long "Goldeneye" treatment in a CryoStat tank become accustomed (and permanently addicted) to low dosages of Spice, enabling very high awareness of surroundings and mildly increased reaction and thinking speeds when under the influence of the drug.
  [Expensive] 5 Rare Chemicals.
  
  • SEEM: Systemic Elimination of the Entropic Mind. An extremely intensive and long procedure where top-ranked veterans are subjected to week-long bouts of sensory deprivation in CryoStat tanks, and have their mind essentially transformed into a new form via the combined use of modified Metal Recombinators and Spice. Experienced SEEM Guides facilitate this Journey across the barrier into the Astral Realm. For now, this allows survivors of the treatment to exhibit extreme (much higher than Goldeneyes) awareness of surroundings, visible or not. This awareness manifests itself in many ways, from avoiding traps/bombardments to knowing where to shoot at to knowing when one's being shot at, and more.
    [Expensive] 5 Rare Chemicals,
• Combat Drug 'Fury': A Spice-based drug that massively decreases reaction time, and lasts for ~2 hours. Also incites rage, decreasing soldier effectiveness at range and chances of occasional friendly fire. Mild hallucinations are common, preventing users from being effective at recon/espionage/etc. roles. Makes veins much more apparent and red. Addictive, and takes effect >5 minutes after injection.
  [Expensive] 3 Rare Chemicals
• Metal Recombinators: A special mixture that separates pure metal from ore, obsoleting a large part of Aratam's refining industry. A variant can also be used to fuse metal with (likely) any other matter.
  Provides 1 Ore.

Astral

• BioForged Guardians: Recruited as children or younger teenagers, these candidates are subjected to long and incremental SEEM/light organic recombination treatments in addition to intensive training. Gradual welcoming of their mind to the Astral along with minor recombination enhancement of the brain allows for greater Astral abilities and full awareness of the Astral, along with conscious control of many brain functions. Superior memory and much stronger/tougher/quick-healing than even Military Baseline. They are consciously aware of events about to happen in the near-immediate future, and have "insane" reaction times in addition to greater smarts. Generally better than SEEMs in every way. Can shunt their awareness to the Astral realm, where they can perform mental combat with others and sense the consciousness of other humans a notable distance away.
  [Very Expensive] 1 Ore, 6 Rare Chemicals, Complex
• Blackwell Technique: Through channeling Astral Energy into a specific area, an Astral-trained operative can create a reflection of the Astral Realm coded for the astral connection of one specific person (targeted via line of sight or accurate recreation). This person will suffer severe symptoms ranging from death to severe brain damage to memory loss to seizures to full-blown hallucinations to extreme paranoia and more. But permanent affects are rare for those without long exposure times. Non-targeted and non-Astral-trained individuals will suffer milder, all-short-term symptoms only when looking at the Reflection. Looking at a recreation (i.e. television screen) of the Reflection will only affect people who've already seen that exact Reflection, recreating their prior symptoms.
  All Astral-trained operatives can invoke this. But it requires intense concentration and 10 seconds to create the reflection, and continued intense concentration to maintain the reflection.
• Wadjet Branding: Tactile symbols of the Eye of Horus printed on the exterior of the hands in uniforms for our Astral-enhanced individuals. For some currently unknown reason, focusing on this symbol notably improves Astral effectiveness and safety for the focusing individual. Useful for newbies to practice Astral techniques by feeling the symbol in different ways through extravagant hand motions, apparently.

Other

• R.A./M.P. Suit: A metal/ceramic/rubber recombinated suit of armor with heating/cooling capabilities and a quick-inject system where any single one of 6 vials stored in a back compartment can be instantly injected w/ instant effects by a series of buttons on the wrist. Contains a default adrenaline mix, but vials can be filled with FURY, SEEM, or other drugs. A particle filter and visor (w/ internal red lighting) covered by a recombinated hood sit on the head, and a jacket covers the rest of the suit for appearance/morale sake. Light, yet surprisingly durable: survival rates of soldiers are increased greatly across the board, with soldiers oftentimes being able to shrug off light-caliber shots from Merethan rifles. Looks like this, but with a slightly-red-glowing visor instead.
  [Cheap] 2 Ore
  
  • R.A./M.P. Space Suit: Variant of the RA/MP suit that is very bulky and cumbersome, but lets the occupant survive for an hour in a vacuum before suffocating/suffering drug withdrawal.
• CryoStat Tank: A large three-meter tall "coffin" with a small glass vertical slit inside showing a tank. A single "set" of machinery required for operation, taking up ~36 square meters of space total, can manage roughly a dozen CryoStat tanks at a time. Basic automation assists technicians, allowing for a single technician to manage many CryoStat tanks. Subjects are put into "stasis" via a numbing solution they're submersed in, and medical drugs in the solution naturally infuse into the bloodstream through the skin. Once taken out. Use is tracked through a computer-assisted bureaucracy dubbed the "CryoState". A day stabilizes minor life-threatening wounds, and a week stabilizes near all wounds. A month starts completely healing scars and generally brings up health status to pristine, and a year can restore lost limbs. Also used for life-extending "rejuvenation" processes by important people.
  [Cheap] 2 Rare Chemicals
• SynthOil: SMRO-58 "SynthOil" is an advanced form of oil - it's made using a combination of oil and other chemicals, making a much more stable and energy-dense solution. Has a peculiar property - with the right tools, it can directly produce electricity.
  Provides 1 Oil
• Gel-Matrix Bio-Paste Reactor: A 1m-radius spherical "nuclear-ish" reactor that uses gamma radiation to break down SynthOil into electrical energy. Rather efficient and good at making energy, especially compared with anything else in the world comparable in size/expense, but hard to miniaturize and has a notable radiation poisoning issue with anyone spending a notable amount of time in proximity.
• Stormcaller Circle: A shift-based group of the top SEEMs in Aratam, "bonded" with tendrils of Tesla energy embedded throughout the atmosphere surrounding the continent. They can use their tremendous amounts of Astral energy at store to manipulate these tendrils and thus weather. Every season, the Bureau may vote on a single theatre and single weather phenomenon to invoke there. Our troops will be prepared (with the equipment that they already have, that is) ahead of time, but we can't micromanage the phenomenon to further aid our troops.

Infrastructure

• The Refinery: An extremely secretive facility hidden under the canopy in a remote part of the rainforest, identifiable only by its smoke. Contains large liquid storage tanks and refineries for the production of chemicals, well-equipped laboratories, cells for test subjects, a steady supply of test subjects from Aratam's prisoners, and more. Useful as a base for chemical research.
  Provides 1 Rare Chemical
• The Militarized Baseline: Our soldiers are enhanced above regular humans (in notable, but not major ways) in many categories; namely strength, reflexes, and intelligence. All soldiers now have implanted ports for quick drug infusion, and a logistical structure is in place to facilitate the drug infusion and treatments of the entire Aratamite military.
• The Black Chamber: A giant facility built beneath the Refinery full of specially-modified CryoStat tanks, training areas, niche laboratories, and subjects attempting to reach the world beyond ours: the Astral Realm.

• Embassy "The Brewery": An embassy for Cannalan diplomats that doubles as a highly advanced brewery of Aratam's signature drink, Arachaca. The Cannalans can see the brewing process below through their glass flooring and taps straight form the brewery are available for Arachaca straight from the source. Uses basic electronic systems for very limited automation in conjunction with its general advanced brewing systems.

Wonder

• ANGEL Project: A space elevator, comprised of the Complex, Shuttle, and Station. The Complex is a huge facility anchored to the sea floor north of Aratam's coast, and holds a large number of docks and warehouses. Training facilities. Orbital command center. Logistics centers. Worker residences. Security posts. "Mini" embassies for other nations to coordinate their usage of it. And more. Three massive struts going up 100km to the end of the atmosphere hold up electromagnetic-propelling rings to acccelerate a large shuttle hooked to four recombinated Graphene tethers to maximum safe speeds. It cruises from left-over speed to the Station.
  The Shuttle has two decks -- a top deck with space for 30 comfortable people, and an unpressurized much taller bottom deck for cargo. Movement between decks is impossible without an external structure to maximize cargo space. The shuttle's top deck reaches the station, with the buttom deck having access to space.
  The Station is one moderately-sized pressurized room in Geostationary orbit with primitive life support reliant on constant resupply, fitting a 24/7 rotated 4 crew and 6 other people (3 guaranteed to Aratam for research/tourism/development, 3 given to other nations).
  International use of the ANGEL Project is authorized, though limited to non-military use and analyzed for security risks.
  
  Doubles STC, Gives +1 STC to Mereth.
  Can be used to easily send people, prefabs, supplies, materials, station parts, ships, ship parts, etc. etc. into Geostationary orbit. Can be used to improve R&D of space assets. Can assist construction of anything in space.
  Both sides can use it for civilian/non-military use and R&D, but Aratam will know of Merethan activity if they do use the ANGEL Project in an action (after that action is processed). Only Aratam can use this for military purposes/R&D.

[Chiefwaffles]

(Feature creep does not mix well with a 2 year hiatus, and without significant intervention it's likely there wouldn't be a winner for a while. Therefore, welcome to the beginning of the end.)

Combat Report: Fall 1965

The Moon
Lunarnauts are quickly alerted as communication and shipping with the rest of Mereth back on Earth stops completely. Nothing arrives. Silence. Spacecraft sent to investigate don't return.
Unsure of the situation, the Lunarnauts make the decision to hunker down for the time being. While it won't be a pleasant experience, existing infrastructure allows them to self-sustain for a long time.


Orbit
A Guardian sits alone in the cramped interior of an Orator satellite, confused.
The rest of the Orator operators share this confusion. They are effectively stranded, receiving no contact from ANGEL or the ground. Nothing Aratamite, nothing Merethan. They communicate between themselves, attempting to figure out what's going on. STOP crews are no better off as they also communicate with the rest of the Aratamite space assets. No interception to worry about, but no communication from planetside leaves everyone here blind.
The crews and operators just hope they get contact back before their life support gives out.

Beyond a single Merethan spacecraft coming from the moon to investigate, Mereth has no presence here.


Surface Battlefields
It takes a while for people to notice.
To notice that their radios are just static with the occasional arbitrary number. To notice the burst of plasma went through them as if they didn't exist. To notice that they were walking in a figure eight when they thought they were walking forward. To notice that aircraft just... don't work for some reason.

Fighting quickly breaks down. For both the confusion and the fact that even if they wanted to fight, the situation as it stands does not facilitate fighting. Shoot the enemy only to learn you were the enemy and shot yourself is not effective use of a soldier's time.


MAGMA, Mereth
It's only when a GATE/HAUNTER operator notices and sounds the alarm that anyone else notices what's going on. Things get chaotic as residents panic and attempts by the Merethan government to reassure or stamp out this panic get nowhere. Hoarding and rioting is the norm as all logistics suffer a complete breakdown.

Scientists and engineers quickly realize that this has something to do with N-Space. Because of course it does.


Aratam City, Aratam
Aratam fares only marginally better. After people realize, the Bureau of Enhanced Operations is quick to declare martial law and keep order. Things are stable for a short while before the Unnamed Cult takes advantage of everything going on and starts an open war against the Bureau in the streets. People hide in their residences as the Bureau and Cult carve out tenuous sections of territory in the city.

Scientists and engineers here of course conclude that this has something to do with the Astral. They really hope it doesn't involve a certain numbers-related issue.


International
The two struggling governments of Mereth and Aratam eventually make contact again despite the circumstances making communications extremely difficult. Together it is concluded that in some way or another, [the Astral Realm/N-Space] is colliding with reality. There is a lot of finger-pointing and blaming.

Somehow, an agreement is formed: in a week, delegates will arrive at a neutral point, accompanied by their nation's own design division. A ceasefire will be agreed upon (with each side looking to use it to gain an upper hand on the other, no doubt) while the engineers -- that is, you people -- meet to work together in order to come to a solution regarding the current [Astral/N-Space] event affecting the entire landmass.
Surely nothing bad will happen during this meeting.

In the week preceding this summit, each nation's design division will have the chance to develop one more design and revision as a team. Ostensibly, to assist with the current unfortunate circumstances.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Direction doesn't quite exist in the typical fashion at the moment and a map is... not currently useful.