Test out the "melter", "Redshell" and "Blackshot" rounds and learn their intended use.
((As for the last two, I've got no idea and google isn't of much help either. Hopefully, that's indended to be that way, so there's going to be some explanation.))
It looks like the improved gauss rifle design is almost finished. Time for a break, and let's hope more ideas come in the meantime. Hmmm, when was the last time I ate? Several hours ago, it seems.
Save the current tinker projects, then exit the simulation and go eat something (doesn't matter what, as long as it is edible, not alive and/or not belonging to human race). Stop by the armory to ask how much the special ammo for gauss rifles and the available weapon mounts cost in tokens.
Then go and search the net for the up-to-date info on known alien species.
((Also, that blow to the chest - was it effectively disabling, if not ouright lethal (the same way as puncture of the suit of that size and located in that area would be), or could a person still fight after suffering an injury like that?))
You test out the ammo. Melter shells seem to be hollowpoints with something very caustic in it. It burns a rather nasty path through metal after impact. The Red shells are indeed red and explosive with enough force to send a mk III cartwheeling with his limbs flying off. The blackshots are something like buckshot, but packed with oblong and mildly sharp black pellets which weigh far more then they should. They tend to fill targets with lots of pencil thin holes.
You exit the VR machine and grab a plate of "meat 2". It is...edible. Next you stop by the armory and check the prices for the different types of ammo. Melter and Blackshot are 2 token per magazine and redshells are sold individually at 2 per token. The price of mounts varies between 1 token for a simple bipod to allow for steady aiming to what they call a "Walkabout", a quadruped heavy mount able to freely walk around while you fire, which costs 10 tokens. The auto bolting tripod you used costs 6.
Next you head to the computer and try to look up information on alien species. There are many sites about such things.
>XenoWIKI
>Bob's Alien database
>Mr. Magistar Talks about the aliensDuck into cover behind a pillar and wait for the mk 3 to expose itself, then fire a bolo at it and move quickly to a new position. If that synth-body comes near me, let it have a taste of my bolos then engage with the tesla sabre and back off quickly.
((For the sake of me not going mad, I've named the different troops.
MkII Laser rifle (Bob)
MkII Laser rifle (Jeff)
MkII Laser rifle, gauss rifle, synth arm. (Susan)
Full synth body, Razor (Ian)
MK III, Gauss. (tom) ))
>Ah, I see you're finally going to try your weapon in firefight. Lets make this more interesting shall we?
>ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROLYou duck behind a pillar as the game begins and your enemies do the same, scattering between several positions. You wait, keeping an eye out for who will come first. Then you see something odd. Something metallic is tossed in a gentle arc between one pillar and another. This happens several times. Hmm.
The attack comes all at once, Bob, jeff, and susan lean around their cover and open fire while Ian and Tom zip around the edges of the room, flanking you from either side. [susan:4+1] Susan's Gauss rifle shot strikes the stone column you're hiding behind, destroying it as Bob and Jeff open fire with their laser rifles. You spin out of cover and fire on the blur that is the MK III suit.
[Zako con wep:3]
[Bob con wep:2]
[Jeff con wep:2]
Your shot flies low but manages to wrap around and sever tom's right foot. It doesn't slow him down an instant as he flies on his "wing" rocket pods, closing the distance to you in an instant, along with Ian. Bob and Jeff's shots simply miss.
[Zako dex:6]
[Ian dex:6]
[Tom dex:5]
[Tom Uncon wep:3]
You swing your tesla sabre at ian, missing as the synthetic man leaps backwards, slamming into the wall. You stumble for an instant, off balance as Tom screams up behind you and draws his razor, slashing across the back of your right knee and tearing some of the armor open.
[bob:6]
[Jeff:2]
[susan:2+1]
[zako:5]
Bob, jeff and susan all let loose with another volley of shots. Jeff misses and susan's round clips ineffectively against your torso but jeff's laser fire strikes you dead in the right knee, slipping between the armor plates and burning away at the servos inside. Damage reports flash up on your screen as you take aim and fire, your bolo wrapping around Jeff's neck and severing his head without slowing.
o_O
You guys are having a fucking blast with these tests, lmao.
HEY. If I survive, do you think we can have a paintball/airsoft-sort of combat with weakened versions of our weapons? I think it'd be !!FUN!! to roll 1s and 6s and see the chaos that ensues.
There's a LOT of potential for airsoft-sort of training exercises, even with today's technology. I know a group of 100-150 people from my city who go to a huge open field, forest, and abandoned buildings by Route 28 in NJ, USA every weekend for airsoft games. Military body armor, and airsoft guns FTW! The owner of the store near me plays with an M-4 assault rifle that fires around 150 rounds per minute, as well as a Barret .50 sniper rifle that shoots larger, much more painful rounds, hehehe. Me, I have 2 M1911's that hold 15-18 rounds. (depending on if you want to risk overloading the clip and potentially jamming the chamber, which is why I no longer load up 18 6mm rounds. Rather, I put one in the chamber and load 15-16 instead, which runs smoothly with no jams.) I'm hoping to buy a P90 submachine gun in a month or two, which will be fucking FUN.
There's this one guy who plays there, ex-military with a lot of cash to burn, has a custom-made MINIGUN. 4,000 rounds... >_> If he ever nailed someone without armor, they'd go to the hospital or possibly die. Those pellet rounds can even pierce flesh if you're seriously unlucky. Usually though, they just hurt like fuck and bruise like a bitch.
Anyway, back on topic.
DEATH GAMES! (without the death.)
Just use the VR machines and play Duel against each other. Thats what it's there, to let you fight in life and death battles against each other without actually dying.