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[Man of Paper]

Core Thread

Bio Phase, Turn 1

In order to curb the market on BioOrganic Weapons research and development, as well as the necessary response to outbreaks, we must first actually develop our BOWs. Currently the only samples on-hand are the ones purchased from the Black Market.

Adenovirus Type-N: Originally based off of the virus responsible for the Common Cold, Ad.N is coded to specifically target cells within the spinal column and brain, although an infected subject will eventually have affected cells throughout the body. Ad.N replicates within affected cells, causes cell death, and spreads itself to new cells to repeat the process. Ad.N infection results in reduced mental faculties, including intense bouts of rage and paranoia, severe mental degradation, and reduced mobility. Ad.N typically spreads through mucus and saliva. The immune system is capable, though not too often, of fighting off Ad.N infection before permanent damage is done. Ad.N targets vertebrates, but most readily finds it's hosts in humans. Stockpile: 3 (0/3 Deployed)

We also managed to get our hands on a hefty stockpile of firearms and ammunition.

Samurai Edge: A 9mm semiautomatic handgun with a 15-round magazine. Reliable. Stockpile: Infinite // Deployment Limit: Company 

We can rename the Adenovirus Type-N should we choose to, but we also have some more important things to consider. We have 2 Bio Actions to consider this turn, and can use them to develop new viruses, modify our current virus, or use both to develop a unique Boss pathogen.

We are also trying to maintain a positive public image, and what better way to do that than rebranding! We have until the end of the Deployment Phase this turn to create a logo to plaster on everything we own. This can be rendered through art or a textual description. When deciding on a new logo, make sure to decide which Continent we launch our public service campaign in. This will result in an increase in Relations with that continent!

Spoiler: Pathogenic Research (click to show/hide)

Adenovirus Type-N: Based off of the Common Cold. Ad.N targets the spinal column and brain, although an infected subject will eventually have affected cells throughout the body. Ad.N replicates within affected cells, causes cell death, and spreads itself to new cells to repeat the process. Infection results in reduced mental faculties, including intense bouts of rage and paranoia, severe mental degradation, and reduced mobility. Ad.N spreads through mucus and saliva. The immune system can rarely fight off Ad.N infection before permanent damage is done. Ad.N targets vertebrates, but most readily finds it's hosts in humans. Stockpile: 3 (0/3 Deployed)

Spoiler: Mercenary Equipment (click to show/hide)

BRIGANDINE: A highly protective and advanced CRBN suit with good mobility made of plastic, rubber, and aramid fibers. Very durable. Has an amazing air filtration system and backup air supply. The helmet has a powerful lamp and video camera as well as full communications suite and HUD for displaying teammate statuses. A forearm computer allows for control of the suit's subsystems. Stockpile: 5 (0/5 Deployed) // Deployment Limit: Platoon

Samurai Edge: A 9mm semiautomatic handgun with a 15-round magazine. Reliable. Stockpile: Infinite (0/- Deployed) // Deployment Limit: Company

Spoiler: Relations (click to show/hide)

Africa: 0
Antarctica: 0
Asia: 0
Australia: 0
Europe: 0
North America: 0
South America: 0

[NUKE9.13]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy
Ad.H is inspired by, and in some ways similar to, Ad.N. However, the virus is a bit more indiscriminate in which cells it targets, and incorporates a rudimentary form of gene-augmenting mechanism. While unlikely to be especially potent, it represents a crucial step towards more advanced viral BOWs.
Ad.H includes crudely modified sections of DNA from the Desmodontinae family- commonly known as 'Vampire Bats'. When introduced to any member of the Chiroptera (Bat) order, the virus will rapidly spread throughout the host body, introducing its genetic payload into the host's cells. Early trials indicated that in many cases, this simply results in rapid fatality, as the crude mechanism irrevocably damaged the hosts' native DNA, leading to organ failure. However, trial-and-error refinement has lead to a mechanism that one researcher referred to as "Eh, good enough"; while still responsible for a large number of fatalities, a significant portion of hosts are semi-successfully augmented. Said augmentation leads to rapid reconfiguration of the body, causing the bat to adopt vampire-bat-like features (notably razor sharp incisors and a hematophagic digestive system), and (depending on the bat's original size) grow larger and more muscular. In most cases, this also leads to the bats becoming hyper-aggressive.
Following infection, the cell degradation caused by the virus- not to mention the unnatural stresses caused by the crude augmentations- leads to a rapid decline in health, with the host having a drastically decreased life expectancy. However, in this time, the bat is able to spread the infection to many other bats- bats being highly social animals that typically live in crowded conditions helping to accelerate the spread. An instinctive thirst for blood and heightened aggression, meanwhile, will lead to the bat attacking wildlife, livestock, and even humans. Like Ad.N, Ad.H is most readily spread through saliva- and thus being bitten by an infected bat is highly likely to transmit the virus.

In the majority of cases where a non-bat animal is infected with Ad.H, the victim will merely get sick, sometimes lethally. In these cases, the virus's genetic payload fails to integrate with the host's non-bat DNA, causing cell failure- in some cases so rapidly that the virus is unable to replicate itself quicker than it kills cells. However, in a minority of cases, the virus will accidentally slot its payload into the host's DNA in such a way that the host is not immediately killed. This results in the host animal- whatever it may be- adopting vampire-bat-like features; flattened faces, enlarged teeth, sometimes patches of short dark fur and other such traits. These creatures, technically referred to as "Desmodontinae-Convergent Biological Anomalies", but colloquially termed "Vampires" by several researchers, are possessed by an insatiable thirst for blood, overriding any other concerns. Even more so than the bat variant, they will attack anything around them indiscriminately, in a futile attempt to stem their cravings.

[Rockeater]

Sounds like a reasonable first step, get us to a good cycle and all, we can do something a bit more parasitic in nature and make a cycle of sort, where bats infect livestock and the like, which are then either eventually drank by mosquitos or their shit eaten by flies, which we can try make more attracted to bats, which eat them and the cycle reniew.

So, if the change if feasible it would be a good idea to have infected bugs more attracted to bats or easier to catch.

[Hawk132]

First time proposing anything in an Arms Race, so it's probably basic AF, but here goes. The fact that I've never really written any medical-themed fluff before doesn't help.

Adenovirus Type-N/Beta
Ad.N/β is a refinement of our original viral agent—leaving the mental effects generally unchanged, it's an adjustment created to make certain that the resulting BOW is an actual danger to anything other than hapless civilians.
The modified Beta strain mainly aims to get rid of the Alpha strain's impaired mobility and increasing its infectivity, with additional adjustments to the virus causing the host's metabolism to spike, processing any excess nutrition, unnecessary adipose tissue and other biomass into reinforcing their musculature and skeletal structure... simultaneously ensuring a ravenous hunger.

[The Ensorceler]

Virus Name: Feral Pestivirus
Primary Host: Sus Scrofa Domesticus, Domestic Pig
Presentation: Feral Pestivirus presents as acute pestivirus infection (weakness, fever, bowel issues) for approximately a week before deviating sharply. Proteins artificially encoded into the virus at this point reach saturation levels within the pig, removing a number of epigenetic locks on it's ancient genes. Musculature increases, fur becomes thick and bristled, tusks begin to erupt from the jaw. The metamorphosis is difficult, and requires significant feeding to complete, most commonly found among the bodies of its fellow pigs. The resulting creature is a giant among boars, hungry for fruit, crop, blood and bone alike.
Transmission: Feral Pestivirus is spread through contact with any bodily fluid of the infected animal, both before and after its transformation.

[Roboson]

Virus Name: Adenovirus Type-B
Primary Host: Mammals
Defining traits: Ad.B is an indiscriminate virus which attacks mammals, mainly affecting the lungs, blood, brain, and spine. Based heavily on the Ad.N virus, this disease transmits through mucus and saliva. By infecting the lungs first, this disease quickly spreads through the circulatory system to infect the the spine and brain. The infection causes coughing, sneezing, and other flulike symptoms as the virus begins spreading through the lungs to the rest of the body. This is the first period in which it is infectious, as it releases droplets of infected saliva and mucus into the air. As the virus progresses, the infection causes the infected individual to feel a deep paranoia centered around isolation in addition to the other symptoms. This is tied to the reward center of the brain, one of the targets typical of this family of viruses, progressively reducing dopamine and serotonin levels in the host. As the individual becomes more and more starved of these chemicals, the individual seeks out other members of it's species, preferably large groups. Doing so releases dopamine, and makes the individual feel at ease. This can become a panicked desperation if they are unable to do so, and can lead to chaotic and violent actions. Once the disease reaches the climax of it's progression, it swiftly devolves into an acute episode, with traits similar to Ad.H causing reduced mental faculties, including intense rage and paranoia, and severe mental degradation. These traits manifest rapidly, and are triggered by the rush of dopamine released as a result of the aforementioned behaviors typical of this disease.

[The Ensorceler]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy ():
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (1): Ensorceler
Feral Pestivirus (1): Ensorceler
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[dgr11897]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy ():
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (2): Ensorceler, DGR
Feral Pestivirus (2): Ensorceler, DGR
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[Hawk132]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy ():
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (3): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk
Feral Pestivirus (3): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[Roboson]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy ():
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (4): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo
Feral Pestivirus (4): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[NUKE9.13]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy (1): NUKE9.13
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (4): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo
Feral Pestivirus (5): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo, NUKE9.13
Adenovirus Type-B ():

I'm not locked in, but I think I'd rather diversify our options as much as possible. Go wide before we go tall, sort of thing.

[Rockeater]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy (2): NUKE9.13, Rockeater
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (4): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo
Feral Pestivirus (6): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo, NUKE9.13, Rockeater
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[Roboson]

Going to swap my votes here. The bats just seem more useful long term to me.

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy (3): NUKE9.13, Rockeater, Robo
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (3): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk,
Feral Pestivirus (6): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo, NUKE9.13, Rockeater
Adenovirus Type-B ():

[dgr11897]

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy (4): NUKE9.13, Rockeater, Robo, DGR
Adenovirus Type-N/Beta (2): Ensorceler, Hawk,
Feral Pestivirus (6): Ensorceler, DGR, Hawk, Robo, NUKE9.13, Rockeater
Adenovirus Type-B ():

Looking at it again, while Hawk's suggestion is good, having a wide variety right now could be quite useful.

[Man of Paper]

Bio Phase, Turn 1 Results

Proposal: Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy
Difficulty: Hard
Result: (3+2)-1=4, Poor

Ad.H is not too different from Ad.N in how it behaves, but the specialized forced genetic mutation was a slight speed bump in development. We managed to create a sort of "gene-bombing" virus that forces changes in infected bats to make them more resemble their Vampire Bat kin while increasing their size. Most infected bats die off during the mutative process, but those that survive will show symptoms not unlike rabies, and will aggressively seek out warm blood to ingest.

Cross-species infection can occur with humans if a bite occurs, but usually ends in the victim becoming intensely ill for a number of days after the biting incident. On occasion though the infection takes hold and the Ad.H will gene-bomb a human host. The change is painful, and results in a human with flattened facial features, extended fangs, and an insatiable hunger for blood. Vampires are photosensitive and will hide during daylight hours in whatever dark nook they can find, but are highly active at night. Vampires will stalk and hunt prey for hours before striking, and will flee if they cannot immediately overpower a victim.

Adenovirus Type-Hematophagy has a Stockpile of 2.

----

Proposal: Feral Pestivirus
Difficulty: Very Hard
Result: (6+3)-2=7, Average

The Feral Pestivirus is a completely new homemade viral pathogen based on Swine Fever. Symptoms within infected pigs first emerge in the form of fever, seizures, and violent bowel movements. After a few days of illness the virus reaches a tipping point and triggers an "unlocking" of ancient genes while promoting a rapid mutation of the host pig. Sick pigs will seem to recover immediately as they begin to ravenously feed to fuel their extending tusks, growing bristles of fur, and swelling musculature. This process can take place in just a few hours after recovery and results in a large, feral, powerful Bullswine.

The Bullswine, no longer necessarily sick, are at this point driven into an endless feeding frenzy to sate their bottomless hunger. The Bullswine will aggressively devour anything organic it can fit into it's mouth, and will aggressively demolish anything it cannot aggressively devour until it can. Feral Pestivirus is fairly slow to spread, as it usually results in a single surviving Bullswine out of any one enclosed population of pigs. That said, a single Bullswine is like an angry tank the size of a Mini Cooper.

The Feral Pestivirus has a Stockpile of 3.

----------------

It is now the September Infection Phase! You can select one of each different BOW you have at your disposal and deploy them to any Continent you wish! Remember that you can get as specific as you want with the location the pathogen is deployed at, whether it's the type of environment you want or a certain city. To facilitate not making the votebox give everyone a stroke, please write up and vote for singular plans instead of voting for each possible deployment on an individual basis. Also remember to keep the new Company logo in mind! We'll need one by the end of the turn, as well as the Continent we'll be focusing our public outreach initiatives at.

Spoiler: Pathogenic Research (click to show/hide)

Adenovirus Type-N: Based off of the Common Cold. Ad.N targets the spinal column and brain, although an infected subject will eventually have affected cells throughout the body. Ad.N replicates within affected cells, causes cell death, and spreads itself to new cells to repeat the process. Infection results in reduced mental faculties, including intense bouts of rage and paranoia, severe mental degradation, and reduced mobility. Ad.N spreads through mucus and saliva. The immune system can rarely fight off Ad.N infection before permanent damage is done. Ad.N targets vertebrates, but most readily finds it's hosts in humans. Stockpile: 3 (0/3 Deployed)

Adenovirus Type-H: A bat-targeted virus based off of Ad.N with the purpose of carrying Vampire Bat genes and mutations into other bats. Infected bats grow in size, gain exaggerated fangs, thirst for blood, and furiously hunt for their food. Humans bitten by Ad.H-positive bats are at risk of turning into "Vampires". Vampires gain bat-like facial features, fangs, and the hunger for blood. They act as nocturnal ambush predators and seek shelter during the day. Stockpile: 2 (0/2 Deployed)

Feral Pestivirus: A swine-targeting disease that removes epigenetic locks after a period of intense illness. The pathogen promotes an intense growth process alongside the genetic alterations to create "Bullswine". Bullswine are massive and very tough, with two large intimidating tusks. They are also insatiable able will destroy and eat anything they see in a ravenous frenzy until something stops them. Stockpile: 3 (0/3 Deployed)

Spoiler: Mercenary Equipment (click to show/hide)

BRIGANDINE: A highly protective and advanced CRBN suit with good mobility made of plastic, rubber, and aramid fibers. Very durable. Has an amazing air filtration system and backup air supply. The helmet has a powerful lamp and video camera as well as full communications suite and HUD for displaying teammate statuses. A forearm computer allows for control of the suit's subsystems. Stockpile: 5 (0/5 Deployed) // Deployment Limit: Platoon

Samurai Edge: A 9mm semiautomatic handgun with a 15-round magazine. Reliable. Stockpile: Infinite (0/- Deployed) // Deployment Limit: Company

Spoiler: Relations (click to show/hide)

Africa: 0
Antarctica: 0
Asia: 0
Australia: 0
Europe: 0
North America: 0
South America: 0