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>>34431294
With you are Major Warhead Wisent, another member of the 15th Artillery Command, and two officers of the 4th Overland--Captain Emerald (melee) and Lieutenant Anode (ranged defense). The four of you have been tasked with holding this position until it can be fortified.

"Incoming," Spider warns you over hunter frequency. "More enemy assets on their way. Looks to be a mechaniloid force, mostly air."

At the backs of four reanimated maverick officers, no less. You quickly relay this to Wisent (still without comms), who nods.

"Anode, hang back with me," he orders. "We'll be shooting down targets of opportunity. I'm on offense, you focus on any heavy ordnance. This is about endurance, not raw damage, and I have that handled anyway." Anode nods. "Emerald, ground-side intercept. Flares, likewise for aerial. Protect each other out there. This is a stall."

"What about those mavs?"

"Same deal. Communicate with each other, and someone stay by me to relay info. If you have questions or ideas, make them fast."

>?

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Welcome back, everyone, and sorry for the massive delay. I think you might find the following information helpful:

Lieutenant Flares Firefly, A-rank, 15th Artillery Command Close Support/Signals Control Officer

WEAPONRY:
Flare Canister: Firefly’s signature weapon, multiple flare mini-fabricators are mounted in her legs and back, beneath her wings. She can deploy from these at will, serving as a dual-purpose projectile and target designator, lighting up marked positions for artillery to open fire on.
Knuckle Buster: Though not truly busters, two ringfoils mounted over Firefly’s hands can channel energy and provide a powered boost to her melee strikes. Flares is predominantly a brawler, able to bring down hardened targets with a flurry of battering strikes.
High-Velocity Launcher: Flares has synergized her two onboard weapons systems, allowing her to use her ringfoils to empower and project her flares at high velocity. When launched this way, they carry an additional energy charge from the foil, serving as both a flashbang and phosphor grenade effect.
Fireworks Finale: A high-risk, high-reward maneuver, Flares overcharges her systems, boosting into an enemy and carrying them skyward, ejecting all the flares in her canisters on the trip up. When she reaches a suitable altitude (or slams her target into the ceiling), she reverses momentum, pile-driving her opponent back down through a gauntlet of burning flares and back into the ground.

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>>34431359
GENERAL:
Phase Shielding: Flares is equipped with a robust armor battery, giving her a generous shielding system backed by good quality armor.
Improved Sensors: Flares’s helmet contains multiple signal boosters and a SIGINT suite allowing her to coordinate with artillery positions while far afield. This provides her with exceptional situational awareness and facilitates long-range communication.
Flight System: Using several booster arrays located in her back, legs, and wings, Flares is capable of low-to-mid altitude flight for extended periods.
Emergency Acceleration System: Though initially built without one, Firefly has opted to purchase a baseline EAS for quick intercepts when forced to ground. Unfortunately due to leg space being occupied by her flare canisters and flight boosters, there is no more room for further improvement to the system at this time.
Sure Foot: While upgrading her boots, Flares has opted to include additional stabilizers and self-deploying, power-driven cleats for balance on treacherous terrain. This helps maintain footing in melee and provides traction on slick surfaces.
Variable Weapon Emulator System: Flares Firefly is equipped with a standard-issue VWES-2.

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>>34431375
VWES ENTITIES:
Knuckle Spike: 32 shots. A small ceratanium projectile, configured from weapons data taken from Alloy Echidna. As most of Flares’s weapon systems are energy-based, this fills a crucial niche in her loadout.
Integrated Projector: Some extensive development of the existing data has allowed compatibility with Flares’s ringfoil systems. When Knuckle Spike is in use, the rings can be retasked as coilguns and vastly improve the range and velocity of the spikes.
Net Sparkler: 16 shots. Claimed from Dredge Scallop, former undersea excavator turned maverick. This weapon fires a handful of electrified spheres that connect to one another, forming a defensive matrix. As the orbs travel, they disperse and widen, improving the area covered but weakening the overall defense. Flares can opt to fire multiple shots at a time, connecting new orbs to old (and thus improving the net) at the expense of ammunition.

Agh damnit, I want to participate but I'm on the verge of passing out.

Good luck with the thread though.

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>>34431456
Thanks, and I hear you. I've had seven or so hours of sleep in the last 72. Coffee is the one true waifu of MHQ.

>>34431317
Been a while now
>No questions, stick to the plan

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i have to go to work but here have this india i did

>>34431317
I have no idea what's going on.

>Any collateral to watch out for?

>>34431317
>Any details on the mavs?

>>34431384
Can Net Sparkler be used to trap targets within a dome? How many shots would that use?

Can Knuckly Spike be used during Fireworks Finale's ascent?

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>>34431867
Net Sparkler can't contain or confine, no, it's direct damage and the net nodes will depower too quickly for subduing.

Knuckle Spike can't be used during Fireworks Finale once it's executed, as it draws all nonessential power from other systems and involves a powered grab, requiring both hands and ringfoils.

>>34431317
Ask about the capability of the reanimated maverick forces; One of our allies seems to have a history with them, and getting shot out of the sky by a surprising ranged attack is not a good way to start this mission off.

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>>34431609
>>34431813
>>34431853
Emerald shakes his head. "Got it."

Anode, however, frowns. "Orders are still as they stood, right? Collateral is no concern?"

Wisent gestures at the room around--more like several rooms, with all of the floors and ceilings and most of the walls blown out. It's turned what looks like four prefab warehouse structures into an amphitheater. Plenty of ground, plenty of air. "There's nothing worth capturing here, and even if there was, there's nothing worth risking our lives or this operation for. Besides," he adds wryly, "it's all maverick property anyway."

"What about the mavs you saw, boss?" You ask. "Recognize any?"

"Two," he says. "One was Slide."

"I remember him," Em interjects. "Former 17th. Melee specialist, of a sort. I'll handle him."

You nod. "And the other?"

"One from the boards a few weeks ago, a Winter Wolfspider."

"No shit?" Anode asks. "That's another one of mine."

"I recall him having multiple plasma cannons. I recall this from five minutes ago, when he was trying to flank me," Wisent replies goodnaturedly. "As ranged defense, you're best suited for him. Again."

Anode nods grimly. "Okay, I've got him, then. Hope he doesn't have a fucking detonator this time..."

You give a sympathetic wince as Wisent continues. "The others I don't recognize--one was a massively armed and armored turtle that..." he trails off, as Em and Anode share a glance. "Another one?"

"Tumult Terapin," Em explains. "We both went on that op. He knew we were coming and picked a loadout specifically to counter us. Wrist lasers, plasma guns, concussive grenades, hammer missiles."

"That lines up with what I saw, yes."

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>>34432332
"Your problem," they say in unison. Wisent chuckles at that.

"And the fourth wa--"

Your question is cut off by a missile impacting nearby, sending shrapnel pinging off the walls (and your boss), sending everyone diving. You catch your footing and then springboard into the air, boosters coming alight.

"My comms are out!" Wisent reminds you as you take off. "Can't relay my shots directly!"

"Not a problem," you call back, "Sensors are working fine!"

"Emerald, Anode, I suggest you stay off the walls..." Wisent's voice, calm as ever under pressure, dopplers away as you climb away, the air around you already thick with enemy mechaniloids.

You level off as another salvo of shots comes in--a great number of helits, filling the air with a storm of missiles. Dumbfire, at least, no tracking to concern yourself with yet.

>Fly high. Bigger target for the enemy, but more time to avoid Wisent's shots if one gets close.
>Fly low. This is about endurance and as the only flyer, you need to be ready to provide close support.
>Other?

>Fly low. This is about endurance and as the only flyer, you need to be ready to provide close support.

Gotta stick together when there's four mavericks lurking. If it's just missiles, our boy Anode might be able to pick some off.

>>34432348
>Fly low. This is about endurance and as the only flyer, you need to be ready to provide close support.
While using the Flashbang shots periodically to mess with them

>>34432348
>Fly low. This is about endurance and as the only flyer, you need to be ready to provide close support.

>>34432348
>Fly low.
The ability to drop to the ground harmlessly and quickly if we are taking fire outweighs our range and field of view advantages from flight. I'd also recommend trying to spot for our squadmates, and outflank enemies and force them out of cover so Anode and Emerald can take them out without playing cat and mouse.

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>>34432379
>>34432389
>>34432405
>>34432591
You roll over and coast around a salvo of missiles, casting a flare back at it. The shot impacts on a fresh missile as it fires, catching the helit in its radius and quickly burning it down. They're not well-armored, but something tells you that they didn't just send in a bunch of copters unsupported.

Sure enough, it's not long before the air is thick with enemy air--starting with a swarm of batton bones. You twist and bank, avoiding a swarm dive-bombing you, only to be cut down by... surprisingly accurate fire from the ground.

"--aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaats," you think you hear Anode yelling distantly.

It's tempting to climb further up, where it's less crowded, but with the team down there you decide against it. Instead you weave a careful path through the room, drawing the attention of the helits as you drop a string of flares to mark firezones. The 'loids start to crowd along after you as you make yourself a priority target, easily outstripping their missiles. You juke left, right, around, avoiding crossfire and bats and turning into a slow lap around the room. The team takes full advantage, Anode chasing them chasing you with his fire. In the meantime, you start spotting.

Speak of the devil. "Emerald, heads up," you comm. "Seeing some ground forces moving in, west edge."

"I see 'em," he says. "Bunch of slow walkers. Major, looks like they have some range setting up to flank us, should I break away and take 'em?"

You don't hear Wisent's response from up here, but you see the little green guy move away from the group, so you suppose he got his answer.

Unfortunately, that's most of the spotting you have a chance to do as a third wave announces itself by smashing into your side. A metal wing going in the dead opposite direction at speed clips you. Your shields spark as you veer off-course and through a missile, but your battery holds.

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>>34433000
"Flares! You okay?" Anode asks.

"I'm fine," you reply, stabilizing, "but things are getting a bit crowded up here." Understatement of the week--you must be sharing the airspace with two dozen enemy 'loids. Maybe more. You narrowly avoid a second and third metal wing as they rake by and come back around for another pass.

"Let me help you out. Watch for fire back thataway."

A moment later, half your sensors go dead as a wall of--white--blossoms in front of you. A perfectly spherical dead zone on your active sensors, as your environmental pings return a black void in the middle of the room. He must have used some of the chaff he got from that weasel bastard.

Direct observation confirms a bubble of glittering silver death hanging in the air like a strobe--and all the unarmored, mass-produced mechaniloids are tearing themselves to shreds flying through it. The amount of incoming fire is cut in half in a second, as the first two metal wings careen into it and spiral out of control into the ground, the third only narrowly veering away in time.

"Don't fly into that," Anode offers helpfully.

"I got it, sugar, thanks," you reply with a grin.

>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.
>Keep the dead zone at your back for protection, return to observation.
>Other?

>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.

>>34433025
>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.
I'm sure we can spare the time to kill some of them

>>34433025
>Other?
Locate the Mavs. We can do that while kiting 'loids.

>>34433025
Fuck yeah MHquest!

Ring around the rosie.

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>>34433025
>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.

MHQ!? I finally get to participate in a thread! You have no idea how hype I am right now!

>>34433025
>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.
Don't see why not, try to keep an eye out for more inbound while we are at it though.

>>34433025
Oh how I missed they. But yeah, ring around the rosie. We can observe when the airspace is clear. As is, with this interferance, we'll probably just miss the four Mavs.

Also, part of me wants to switch back to Anode when we face off against a certain 'Artist'

>>34433716
Welcome! Enjoy it while it lasts because you never know how long the wait will be for the next thread.
At least Hunter Command is more consistent than Miura.

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>>34433772
You are not alone with wanting that.

>>34433790
I will wait as long as it takes!

>>34433790
Consistently glacial, yes.

>>34433810
Honestly, I am just thankful Saetos won't pop up for round two. We have the only source of his DNA, so he can't be ressed by the mavericks. I'd rather not fight a always serious saetos with more upgrades and no personality to exploit.

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>>34433790
Yeah, I'm genuinely sorry. I need to be better about it, but I try to communicate (when there's news to share, anyway) via the twitter.

And since it's been so long, let me once again say that if I ever decide to drop MHQ, I promise I'll have the courtesy to let you all know.

>>34433910
What matters is you're back.

>Ring around the rosie. Try to lure more fire and 'loids into the killzone.

This, but use Net Sparkler to make a thing for stuff to run into before getting to us on the side that the chaff cloud isn't.

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>>34433061
>>34433088
>>34433586
>>34433716
>>34433754
>>34433772
You decide to focus on the current threat, rather than risk careening into another metal wing flight. You bank around the room, dropping a generous sum of flares as you go, turning Anode's chaff globe into a little solar system, ringed with burning light. You have to slow now, the air alternating almost exclusively between hostiles and projectiles. The few able to maintain a pursuit on you attempt to vector in around the chaff and veer out of control before tumbling to the ground, blinded and disabled. Less than half of those successfully navigate the tight maneuver, only for half of those to burn down on your lingering canisters, a single paltry one surviving only to die as you meet its face with your fist.


Mechaniloids are burned down left and right, and you finally come to a halt and hover, letting Anode provide cover fire as you send flares rocketing for distant targets.

"Something's off," you note. "Nothing here is remotely heavy. What does the ground look like on your side?"

"Head gunners, the sturdy-ass custom ones," Emerald replies. "Actually have to think about what I'm doing here."

"Anything e--"

"Contact!" You're not sure who shouted it, but you're low enough to hear a volley of busterfire that forces you back into motion, weaving around a massive barrage of plasma from the ground.

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>>34434630
"It's our mavs!" Em calls. "Wisent, you catch that?"

You dive low as you come around towards your attacker--must be Wolfspider. You ready your ringfoils, aiming to punch right through him, only to be buffeted aside by a sudden explosion of turbulence around you. You only just manage to reorient before you slam right into the floor, flipping around and skidding to a stop, grounded.

There's your mystery fourth maverick. You recognize him--Wind Thrust, former 7th. You worked with him once. This is going to be nasty--he's built purely for air superiority. Higher top speed, higher maneuverability, and a threefold set of systems for channeling the air itself to foil enemy fliers. You tense, waiting for him to sight on you, preparing to boost aside and fly to meet him.

...Or not. He doesn't even stop and wait, instead rocketing out of the room through the massive hole in the ceiling.

"Hey, they're--disengaging?" Anode asks. "The hell?"

"Breaking off in different directions," Em replies. Sure enough, they all make it out--even the comparatively slow turtle, Anode's buster fire fizzling harmlessly across the back of his armored shell. The last of the mechaniloids fly out with them, like a swirling cloud of steel. "Orders?"

"Stand by," Wisent replies, his footfalls crunching as he strides through the twisted wreckage of dozens of downed 'loids. Now that you're back down here, you're a bit relieved to hear his voice again after the massive furball overhead. "Flares, can you get me through to 0 Unit?"

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>>34434648
Your antennae twitches as you test the air--the chaff is still up there, but you're able to clear the air and get a call through. "This is Flares Firefly, Zero unit, please respond."

"Web Spider," comes the Shinobi unit coordinator. "Status?"

"Sir. Mavericks screened with light mechaniloid air force trying to get past us. Four?" Wisent nods. "Copy, four of them. They all went in different directions, we can't get them all unless we split up. What's your call?"

Spider hesitates for just the briefest moment before responding. It occurs to you that he's weighing the tactical information versus the potential of breaking up your fireteam and getting one or more of you killed. "All right, acknowledged. Each of you break off and go after one target."

You nod. "Copy that, will relay--Major Wisent's comms have been disabled."

"Send the Major back to our position," Spider replies. "He can make sure they're not pressing our flank, and I'll have a portable waiting as soon as he gets here. As for you, Lieutenant--we're receiving reports of a massive air scramble on the surface. I'm guessing that's where you're heading."

"Roger that," you reply. "Beginning pursuit. Target is Wind Thrush, ex-Seventh."

You relay the information back to Wisent, as Em and Anode have a hushed conversation aside. Anything to say or ask before you break off and pursue Thrush?
>?

>>34434665
Wouldn't Anode be a better fit for Thrush with his anti-air chaff?

>>34434665
hmmm.. hard to say really. If it's possible to bring some flak with us I say we do so. As is Thrush will have an advantage if we can't maneuver or close in.

The BEST spread I could think of for the four mavericks is firefly on wolf, anode on thrush, Em on the fourth, and Wisent on Terrapin. Still, we have to do what we can I guess.

>>34434797
I guess those systems for 'channeling the air' could blow the chaff away? Otherwise that's what I'd have figured too.

>>34434797
What's become apparent from this perspective switch is that Anode is an absolute beast and can deal with almost anything.

>>34434665
If Wisent's heading back to Spider's position we'll be in a rough spot. Leaves the chance for someone to get stuck dealing with two Mavericks at the same time. I guess just make sure everyone knows everything we can know about the targets so they've got as few surprises as possible in store.

>>34434882
It's.. kinda true actually. Firefly is the same rank, but Anode being well rounded and sturdy as all hell make her seem frail in comparison. The fact he has a VWES of 4 instead of 2 adds to that as well.

And this is without whatever the Saetos data will give us.

>>34434797
On second thought: Flares is more built for melee than range, and I seem to recall both Wolfspider and Tumult being pretty fucking leathal up close.

>>34434665
>Wish me luck.

>>34434665
> Tell the guys about your impending retirement and marriage

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>>34435152

>>34434665
Ask Spider if any of the four mavs are known to have additional upgrades in their resurrected forms. We can't risk getting hit with another surprise like Chaff Weasel had in store.

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Okay, I'm slowing down and as I mentioned on twitter, I've had some serious sleep issues (fate itself does not want MHQ to run, apparently), so I need to nap/crash/get some form or fashion of rest. This thread isn't over by a longshot. If the thread 404s (it shouldn't, hopefully I won't be too long), I'll make another when I'm up.

Sorry about the delays, both long-term and short. Thanks for reading.

>>34436168
I'll try to keep it from falling off for the next few hours

>>34436168
Have a good sleep!

And calling it now, after much paranoid musing; Dodo's the leak.

>>34436344
Don't be rediculous.

Emerald is the spy, but he's going native as he realizes he loves Anode

>>34436509
The homolust between Em and Anode is strong, but I really want all that tension between India and Anode to develop into something

Dear god, the timing is perfect for this. Needed this back.

>>34436574
Why not both?

>>34437020
'node can't handle it.

>>34436574
I.. kinda want to see Anode and Emerald join up just for the reactions from everyone. Including India. You can only make so many lewd sword jokes before things kick off properly.

>>34437245
Me too, anon. I'd even be okay with India in the mix if it would assuage the Indy-waifuers. Hell, they've drunken-puppypiled enough that I dont think anyone would be surprised.

... But we really do need to check up on those dumbass Vienna looters when we get back. I suspect Dodo stayed there to steal intel and kill the crap out of them. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

While we're on the subject of couples. Did Anode meet with Cathode's BF yet?
If not we need to figure out how we're going to mess with him.

>>34437327
Find out where he goes and get our Berets to start leaving dead bats there. I'm sure Susan will be fine with this.

>>34436344
>>34437305
Seriously, aside from Dodo, who could it be?
He just seems like the most viable option.

>>34437445
If it IS him, he was alone with us while we were defenceless and running that X sim... apart from Tanker. Tanker's presence was probably the only thing stopping us from having an 'accident'. Ouch.

>>34436574
It's guy love between two guys. Nothing gay about it.

>>34437389
I like your style. We need to include our Berets on more pranks.

>>34437974
Flak for best sidekick/apprentice/minion?

>>34438059
Susan is pretty cool. I'd like to get the story behind the name.

>>34438891
I'd like to get him up to officer level. Flak, however, would be a lot more easily convinced to help with pranks, until Susan found out and murdered Anode in his sleep.

Definitely need to find out about his name, though.

>>34439033
Susan is the kinda guy who'd murder Anode in his sleep, isn't he?
At least if it would protect his little crush.

I like our minions.

>>34440390
Fuck that's some creepy shit

>>34440434
And the hunters blend in surprisingly well, unless you take a good look, you're liable to miss them

>>34440390
The Hunter is... the train.

>>34440657
Probably, but I'm referring more to the pair of kamen rider dudes nestled in amongst the girls

>>34440523
I just love the thought of Hunters in completely ordinary situations, like taking the tube.

>>34440721
And I didn't notice him until you pointed it out.

>>34440721
I know. I'm just being a dick.

Aside from that, we need more conspiracy theories/future planning in here until HC gets back.

>>34440721
>girls
Are you sure?

>>34440769
It's obviously being masterminded by Rhodes, and everything HC has told us regarding his future was a smokescreen

>>34440769
The traitor will keep on createing compromising situations for Anode and everyone will eventually think he's mad, mav or both.

>>34440893
All the Lifesavers are Maverick. So are Frog and Max. It's the only explanation.

Although now I think about it, Max must overhear a lot of classified information in the bar...

Imagine if Wellington is the traitor.
That would actually hurt a bit, he's been there since thread one.

>>34440721
The nitpicker in me drives me to tell you that its one Kamen Rider (Agito) and one Sentai (TimeFire or TimeRed).

I will also never understand kigurumi as it freaks the shit out of me....

The traitor is Glacier Gibbon. MYSTERY SOLVED, everyone go home.

Everyone is the traitor. Except for Sigma, who was just a double agent.

>>34441224
I'll laugh so hard if it turns out that half of 4th is Mav. Especially if both Em and Indy are.

What's our game-plan if Em or Cathode turns Mav (sane rather than psycho-viral), anyway?

>>34441285
Try our best to take them in alive, get so fucking drunk we won't be ready for a new deployment in a month if we can't.

>>34441285
Use the Power of Love to turn Emerald back to our side. Have Lieutenant Fullmettool seduce Cathode.

>>34441419
>Implying our brotherly love won't be enough

>>34441419
>Have Lieutenant Fullmettool seduce Cathode.
That'll be fun to explain to the 'rents...

>>34441465
It probably would be enough, but Fullmettool deserves his happy ending too.

>You are Maverick Hunter Anode, and your brother-in-law is a plush Mettool.
>In other news, Hammer Frog has finally snapped and ripped your head off.

>>34441493
Don't they all?

>>34441629
Not Seven. He only deserves more lube.

>>34441709
We probably should make amends with him

>>34441731
I'll second that. We never (grudgingly) thanked him for the Saetos mess. We should put him straight on Frog's recommending him, too.

>>34441765
We haven't really seen him since the Saetos mission, have we?

>>34441815
We literally saw him RIGHT before this one. Now we have to solve the eternal mystery of his buster, or something.

>>34441765
I thought we had thanked him. As for Frog, well...when we get back. On that note, I honestly forget why we were chosen over him, anyone remember?

>>34441849
It's been so long I can hardly remember.

>>34441869
I don't think we thanked him? And we were picked because we're built solid and sturdy, and X complimented us to Zero. As for Seven, apprently he didn't hit hard enough.

>>34434665
>Considering over half the Mavericks the team has faced are old friends of the two of them, ask them about any Maverick flyers they've faced recently. Before potentially running into them while chasing Thrust.

>>34442377
>old friends
That Winter Wolfspider sure was a bro!

>>34442377
>>34442433
Saetos was quite the laugh

>>34442581
I actually liked him. I wonder if Anode was the only one there who got the Beatles joke.

>>34442620
Probably. Most other reploids are uncultured swine.

>>34442870
Somewhere out there, there's a pig-based reploid named Uncultured Swine. He's an opera critic.

>>34443951
Fucking skulldozers

It's been 6 hours. If I go to sleep now, HC is going to come back, isn't he? Damn it.

>>34444339
Falling asleep is the surest means of summoning HC.

Do it. Throw yourself on the grenade for the sake of everyone else.

>>34444435
The first time I ever made it to an active MHQ thread... fine! I'll do it, for all you anons! Kick ass for me, guys!

Unleash the ultimate sacrifizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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>>34444435
Well, I'll be damned.

Hi, guys, I'm back. I leave for six... hours... and you're discussing love triangles and traitors.

I missed you all, too. Now the bad news: Remember when I said the fates want to keep MHQ from running? Giant thunderstorm brewing. Gonna keep going as long as I'm able and hope power never goes out.

>>34444529
You were the hero this thread needed. Your sacrifice shall not have been in vain, anon.

>>34444949
Fuckin' lied, still here.

My cunning is unparalleled.

>>34444912
So where were we?

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>>34444995
BACK TO SLEEP I GO, THEN

Stand by, writing. Cain Labs is gonna be torn between delighted and murderous over the thread-banter while I was gone...

>>34445050
It wasn't waifu-ing or anything! We just love all the characterisation! As least we kept it civil?

Oh, and I checked previous threads, we haven't thanked Seven yet.

Night, guys. Seriously going to bed now.

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>>34434966
>>34435382
>>34442377
You turn back to the group as the two Overland officers resolve whatever they were discussing. Kind of cute, those two. "You two seem familiar with most of these. Any air I should worry about?"

Anode sighs. "No, fortunately. There was one really nasty customer, but--well, suffice to say he won't be an issue. No way to rebuild him." You're not exactly reassured as he mutters 'I hope' to himself as an afterthought.

You opt to tactfully ignore that. "I didn't get a good look at them, were they modified like the first one?"

"Yeah," Em says. "Slide and Terapin, at least. Never saw the other two, gonna guess same deal."

Anode and Wisent nod. So that's that, then. "Wish me luck, sweethearts." With that, you lower your mask again and take off.

"Luck," Anode comms as you go. "We're going to try to stay in loose contact. If you get a chance to provide support for someone else, go for it."

"Sure thing," you reply, weaving up and around through a winding passage. From what you saw, two were heading up and two were heading down. You're surface-bound.

"Flares," Spider hails you again, "We're making another landing. Our transports can't move in with the enemy squadron in the air."

"I'll handle them too," you respond. "Do I have any other friendlies in my sky?"

"Negative." Of course. "But we can verify that no other flying mavericks have made it out of the base. Entry teams are keeping them from breaking through, keeping them bottled. It should be just you and Thrush."

>Try to hunt down Thrush. If you can tangle him up, more anti-air can come in.
>Clear the air--thinning out the 'loids means more hunters on the ground sooner.
>Other?

>>34445606
>Try to hunt down Thrush. If you can tangle him up, more anti-air can come in.

>>34445606
>Try to hunt down Thrush. If you can tangle him up, more anti-air can come in.

If you manage to see anything in the air while hunting Thrush down though... you could take them out. Two for the price of one and all that.

>>34445606
>Try to hunt down Thrush. If you can tangle him up, more anti-air can come in.

>>34445606
>Try to hunt down Thrush. If you can tangle him up, more anti-air can come in.

Though if there are any easy targets between you and him, don't neglect to punch them in the face.

>>34445606
>Clear the air
More hunters is better.

>clear the air

>clear air

Thrush is bad news, the more guys we get and the cleaner the air is, the more support we can get to take him.

>>34445606
>Clear the air

Unless we know enough about baseline Thrush's capabilities to figure we've got a decent shot, going against someone specialized against us is a bad idea.

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Okay, it's been a minute. Can I get a tiebreaker up in here?

>>34447217
The maverick is important, but our mission is a lot bigger than that. Clean the air first. If thrush has an objective, us dealing with the air will draw him to us.

>>34447217
Clean the air.

Don't worry, all; I've got his phone number now. I can pester him into running. Muahahahaha

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Sorry Im late folks.

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>>34447821
It's true, he does. Though the next thing we're going to need are more art assets, though with luck we'll have them squared away much, much faster this time.

Stand by, writing but will be a bit long because I'm multitasking/being lazy.

>>34447821
because that clearly helped with getting this thread started

>>34447875
I did say "now." In the sense of "it happened quite recently."

I still say threads are more important than art. But it's been hell trying to convince Command (read: haven't made it happen yet)

>>34447997
Honestly I think we should just be happy he's not say AC-Guy where things just seem to spontaneously combust in his presence...

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>>34447858
Why is it I imagine Anode's drunk dialing bit when I read that?

>>34448201
real reason he went mav. Uncultured Swine gave his art gallery a 1 out of 5

What was the name of that other rep the thread came up with? I can't remember...

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>>34447295
>>34447464
>>34446227
>>34446139
>>34445987
>>34445788
You opt to start work on that air force first. The mission objective is clear, and it's like Commander Zero said--anyone and everyone on this mission is expendable.

Not that you're in all that much of a hurry to get yourself killed. You tilt your flight arc up as you clear the rooms and roll around a slow-turning, damaged fan blade, soaring up through a massive ventilation shaft. You charge your ringfoils and, fists leading, punch up through the grating on the other side and emerge back into the canyon.

The massive anti-air batteries are thudding away, sending fire out over the horizon--no worry for you, well below their azimuth--and the air is buzzing with yet more light mechaniloids. This time you see some directed fire in the mix, which is going to be much more of a pain--most of them are still lightweight copter-types; a few have boosters, but the thrusters are weak and cheap, giving you a speed and mobility advantage.

Good thing, too, because you're going to need it, flying solo against the enemy air. This time, though, you're not in a crowded room, you're in an open-air engagement. The only thing you're missing is friendly shells raining down around you on your marks.

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>>34448464
You join the engagement from low and claw for height, using the energy from your boost. Your momentum takes you up to midrange, popping flares on your rise to hit flight leads and send their formations into disarray.

Spider pings you again. "Flares, I can't task any recon to the canyon, but they're working with Fifth to provide area scans for enemy signals. Cross-linking the data to your sensors."

Your tactical display fills with an angry red hornet's nest of enemy markers and readouts--that'll do wonders for your situational awareness. You punch through a pack of battons before the 'loids finally catch wise and turn to meet their new aggressor, all guns focusing on you.

You notice a few new enemy readouts, including a few modified variants of older, weaker models. Four Scrambler Seize, a flying grapplebot that electrifies and plunges its targets to the ground, a pack of Tombot Cs--dragonfly bombers with an increased payload per run and a local carrier to resupply from. Jamminger HAIL and RAYs, buster and beam variants on the notoriously obnoxious harrier, and Sine Faller Aggress, buster-packing airzone sweepers.

And somewhere out there, Thrush is waiting.
>Go for general aggression. Get them to focus on you so you can get the airspace filled with friendlies sooner.
>Occupy them, but on the defense. Take out the Jammingers and Sine Fallers to ensure you don't get boxed in by enemy fire.
>Focus on logistics. Take out the Tombot C carrier and the Scramblers first.
>Other?

>>34448412
I vaguely remember jokes about Largescale Mustang aka "El Kadong" a Horse based, former hentai star who beat a Maverick to death with Saints Row style Penetrator.

>>34448412
Roughhouse Leatherneck?
... Largescale Mustang?

>>34448514
>Occupy them, but on the defense. Take out the Jammingers and Sine Fallers to ensure you don't get boxed in by enemy fire.

After that head in and sever logistics as best we can. As much as I'd like to put them on the back foot right away, we need to have a disengage plan just in case it goes tits up.

>>34448514
>Focus on logistics. Take out the Tombot C carrier and the Scramblers first.

>34448514
>Occupy them, but on the defense. Take out the Jammingers and Sine Fallers to ensure you don't get boxed in by enemy fire.

>>34448514
Logistics.

>>34448514
>Focus on logistics. Take out the Tombot C carrier and the Scramblers first.

>>34448514
>Focus on logistics. Take out the Tombot C carrier and the Scramblers first.

>>34448519
So we have:
Largescale Mustang
Uncultured Swine

Only six more for a full set.

>>34448514
>Go for general aggression. Get them to focus on you so you can get the airspace filled with friendlies sooner.

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>>34448750
Well there's an easy way to do that. Take a roll on the METAL GEAR CODENAME GENERATOR!

>>34448750
What is this, susan's mav list?

Also, logistics. Less enemies on the ground, more anti air firing at the sky

>>34448514
>>Occupy them, but on the defense. Take out the Jammingers and Sine Fallers to ensure you don't get boxed in by enemy fire.

Here's a PSA for the thread: X3 is coming out on the Wii U VC tomorrow. It's the only X game that wasn't on the original VC. It's somewhat relevant to the quest I recall.

>>34449490
I've been coddled by the later games. I just can't handle playing without a saber. Or dashing.

>>34449556
Pretty sure both are in 3. And hey, no shitty PSX music, this is a port of the SNES original.

>>34449622
Saber was a complicated mess in X3 from what I recall. Something about certain charges giving different levels of buster shot followed by insta-kill saber.

>>34448898
rolling

>>34449700
ahahaha what

>>34449700
RAIDER SEAL

Rolled 27, 39 = 66 (2d100)

>>34448898
>Not the version with Loli Princess

>>34449681
I never actually unlocked the Z saber. I am very bad at these games.

>>34449743
>Tornado Jaguar

pretty good

>>34449622
Thank fuck for that.
>>34449761
Unlocking Z-saber just involves killing Vile using one of his weaknesses when he ambushes X (Ray Splasher or Spinning Blade), then switching to Zero before the Mosquitus boss fight door and beating it as him.

>>34449761
I remember when I first played the games. I was absolute shit. Couldn't even win without exploiting weaknesses. Then I went back several years later and realized how much blood you get pumping when you finish a stage in a minute and a half. MMZ was cool like that.

Still can't get GA rank in X5 for the life of me, though.

>>34448898
For some reason Laughing Flamingo stood out to me.

>>34449846
>One leg standing
>Other leg over mouth in "Ohohoho" position
>Flying Mode
>Laughing like a Madman
>Legs are now Meat Grinders

>>34449810
Yeah, what they did to the music in the PSX version really was just about criminal. I hated that they compounded it in the Gamecube collection by using that version. Anime cutscenes are not a fair trade.

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>>34448898

Rolling.

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Rolled 88, 74 = 162 (2d100)

>>34449905
>>34448898

Damn dice are buggin' out on me.

>>34449976
Ah yes, Fencer Beaver, the S rank Canadian Maverick. He teams up with S rank Rocket Moose.

>>34449976
I don't know which is funnier Destruction Sloth or Fencer Beaver.

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>>34448660
>>34448702
>>34448717
>>34448692
>>34448903
You opt to remain defensive, knowing that reinforcements of any meaningful variety aren't guaranteed. As such, you need to prioritize the enemies that can attack you from unorthodox directions.

And besides, you really, really hate Sine Fallers.

You set your eyes on the first of the Jammingers, coming in from above, and rocket straight for them, railgunning flares at them as you move. You burn the first pair down before they can open fire before rolling around the second wave's salvo, boosting forward and putting your fists through them before they get off a second shot. You have to wheel around sharply, barely avoiding a vertical column of energy from the ones set up beneath you, turning it into a powered dive. Rather than sight on to the Jammingers directly, you simply careen past them, leaving a Net Sparkler in your wake. It falls almost daintily over them like a blanket, frying them, their shorted bodies tumbling out of the sky after you.

Ground meets you as you once again flip around and impact hard, kicking up plumes of dust and scrap. You look up and see that the tombot squadrons are making single-file trips into the base, likely delivering their bombs to hunter positions and returning to restock. The carrier itself, having seen you, has risen higher to get away, using the anti-air guns for cover.

>Back up, get rid of the Sine Fallers next.
>Let's protect the boys inside. Carrier's gotta go.
>Those Scramblers are coming down into range, and you're picking up trace contacts at the edge of sensor range. Must be ground intercept, take them out.
>Other?

>>34450117
Scramblers.

>>34450117
>Those Scramblers are coming down into range, and you're picking up trace contacts at the edge of sensor range. Must be ground intercept, take them out.
I'd rather not get Anti-Aired while Thrush locks us in place.

>>34450117
Scramblers first, but if we can use some of our VWES weaponry, I say we try to drop some carriers onto them.

>>34450117
>Those Scramblers are coming down into range, and you're picking up trace contacts at the edge of sensor range. Must be ground intercept, take them out.

If you can get some shots in on that carrier, couldn't hurt either but nailing those Scramblers and other reinforcements would be good.

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>>34450117
>>Those Scramblers are coming down into range, and you're picking up trace contacts at the edge of sensor range. Must be ground intercept, take them out.

Rolled 41, 20, 84, 100 = 245 (4d100)

Rolled 27, 39 = 66 (2d100)

We are so screwed.

>Other?

Take out the Tombot C carrier first, then focus on the Jammingers and Sine Falters. We're a brawler, if the Scrambler Seizes want to close, that's just fine with us.

If we encounter Wind Thrush, try to stay on the defensive for now, keep him from taking us down before we get a chance to see what upgrades he might have gotten since going Maverick before we try to close; the others upgraded themselves specifically to take out the rest of the people here, and it's quite possible he did too.

(Rolling for each group we want to take out, and an additional one in case we run into Wind Thrush.)

>>34450389
dude, why are you rolling? I mean, that 100 is nice, but that roll was for the list of metal gear solid names

>>34448514
>Focus on logistics. Take out the Tombot C carrier and the Scramblers first.

I was about to go to sleep you son of a bitch, but now I need to read about this firefly punching this carriers bombs at the scramblers.

>Back up, get rid of the Sine Fallers next.

No point in going after the other stuff when we can get the crap shot out of us from above, or in leaving Wind Thrush with backup when he shows up.

>>34450616
>punching this carriers bombs
....can we do that? Raid the carrier for bombs to drop on enemies?

>>34450422

Yeaaaah. Sorry, last quest thread I followed used d100 rolls for combat, and I got a touch confused.

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>>34450735

Oh yeah, I might've caught a little of that today... Also goddamn these waiting periods make me nervous.

>>34451270 (You who is not me)

Same. Always makes me think that we're about to get our face murdered off... (And now to see how terribly I messed up spoilering this.)

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>>34450159
>>34450178
>>34450224
>>34450272
>>34450279
You've got four Scramblers and an indeterminate number of ground attackers inbound.

You start with the easy part, taking out those scramblers before they close to melee. Switching over to your Knuckle Spikes, you sight along your ringfoils and open up with a pair, rocketing them through the centers of the rings at high speed. The first two find their marks easily, the ceratanium punching through their light bodies and rending them apart, and you manage to bring down the third with another, but the last manages to bob and weave, costing you two misses before you finally bring it down. Still, worth the cost--you've got enough time to get your bearings and see what's coming for you.

Sure enough, it's a small complement of maverick anti-air, Notor Bangers and Head Gunners, with a small close-to-ground set of hovering Crushers. Not a bad mixup--force you to take to the air where they can shoot you, or stay on the ground and get punished.

You grin and crack your knuckles. Unfortunately for them, danger close is where you thrive.

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Whoops, to remove that note about ammo counter.
>>34451489
The first Banger hops out in advance of the pack and meets your fist, smashing it down where another blow can speedily dispatch it. You throw the remains aside and cast a flare up at the first crusher, neutering it as its spike-dropper is destroyed, chain-exploding up into the chassis. You duck and weave, a pair of missiles sailing over either shoulder before you rocket into the offending Gunner and hammer it with a flurry of blows. A crusher's spike mace drops pitifully too late behind you, failing to damage anything but the earth below, as the battered Head Gunner tries to fire its mortars into your face. You duck and rabbit-punch it in the "gut," the frame buckling and collapsing until the shields flicker and spark out. No longer able to harm you, you grab the sparking wreck and hip-throw it behind you into the crusher. During the volley one stray shot from a Banger manages to hit you. Shields hold steady, and you quickly dispatch it with a pair of flare canisters. With half the ground force gutted you hop backwards and take to the air, strafing the remainder of the force now that they simply lack the numbers to corner you with fire. First go the last two crushers, leaving you free to impact amongst the remaining Bangers and sole Head Gunner, and quickly reap a bloody tally in crossfire and brutal melee. All in all, damage trivial, and the ground is clear again.

"Flares? Flares, come in," comms Spider, a trace amount of urgency in his normally-bored voice. "We've got new contacts coming from everywhere. We think they're launching--"

You don't need to hear the rest, because you feel it. The ground shudders as hidden gates crack the earth and stretch it apart. Something's coming, and you don't think it's for you. You're running out of time.

>Sine Fallers and miscellaneous air. It's time to open up the sky.
>That carrier has done enough damage.

Ammo counts:
>Net Sparkler: 15/16
>Knuckle Spike: 26/32

>>34451548
>Sine Fallers and miscellaneous air. It's time to open up the sky.

>>34451548
>>That carrier has done enough damage.

Take this bastard down.

>That carrier has done enough damage.

They're launching something big, we don't need bombs softening up the targets any more than they already have.

>>34451548
Carrier!

>>34451548
>>That carrier has done enough damage.
Crash the carrier into the gate, or whatever it is that's coming out of the gate if you don't think you can stop the gate from opening by crashing a ton of bombs into it.

>>34451780
Actually, if they are launching airborn or big ground units, we'd WANT to get the air open fast. More air units means people who can shoot down the carriers along with more supplies.

Carriers were fine in the beginning. We softened the numbers. NOW we need to get our men into the air to deal with the giant thing that might enter the air space.

>>34451548
>>Sine Fallers and miscellaneous air. It's time to open up the sky.

>>34451548
Crash that Carrier

>>34451849 (Other You)

Hm. Fair point. I was under the impression we were on our own here. So yeah, opening up the air works. (Also, my interpretation was more of a 'OH SHIT MISSILES' thing but that could easily be - and probably is - wrong. And opening up air, now I know we have other air units, would give us more stuff to shoot them down with even if it's right.)

Anyway, as such, to confirm it for sure: Changing vote to 'open up the sky'.

>>34451548
>Sine Fallers and miscellaneous air. It's time to open up the sky.

>>34451914
If you wanna do spoilers write [spoiler ]around the text you want to spoiler [/spoiler ]
Just remember to leave out the spaces. Pro tip: if you have 4chanX all you need to do is mark the text and click ctrl S

>>34452096 (Not Me)

Very hand; thanks. I was attempting to use the convenient-looking spoiler checkbox. :P

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>>34452149
That's for spoilering images.

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>>34452149

That's used for hiding images, particularly if they're not really safe-for-work[/captain obvious]

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>>34452228
>>34452234

>ImageSpoilerMind

>>34452297
/tg/ is a helpful bunch
...sometimes

>>34452228
>>34452234

Thanks again, good to know. (And it is now apparently a thing that I am You. I am not sure if this should be amusing or terrifying.)

>>34451548
>That carrier has done enough damage.
If somethings coming for the others, last thing we need is more troubles for them.

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>>34452335
If it says (you) behind a comment link it means it's linking to a comment you made.

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>>34452445

If you want to use a username, you hit the "Name" field in the top of the post box (To the left of Subject & Email) and type in whatever you feel like. (Keep in mind that ANYONE can adopt your possible username if they wanted though...)

>>34452517
Why do robots have hair.

>>34452540
ROBOTIC HAIR!

>>34452517

Nah, I know, I just was thinking it was something I'd gotten tagged as and people were running with, so I was going to use it.

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>>34452540

I honestly don't know... Well, OK, I guess you could say that they're supposed to be vaguely humanoid and wearing Gundam/Saint Seiya/DBZ-like armor, but that's kind of stretching it I guess.

>>34452574

I now want to see the MMX equivalent to Millia Rage from Guilty gear.

>>34452540
At one point I had a humanoid robot character whose hair could hook up to computers and other robots for direct data transmission. Maybe it's something like that?

...Not that that wouldn't be ridiculously dangerous with the Maverick virus, but still. (And apparently the captcha thinks it would also be hippie.)

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>>34452626
Oh god, you're killing me with these shops.

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>>34452695
That one wasn't even me. Brofive to him though.

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>>34452695
>>34452828

Thanks. Something about these threads makes me dig deep into my folders to find all of this weird stuff... I'm going to sign off though; midnight on the PST side of things is tough for me.

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>>34453234
Well, night man. Keep up the good work, and prove that there is still humor in man.

>>34452626
Could be a sensor suite, the Kroot don't have noses and 'smell' through the quills on their heads.

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>>34453273

>>34452540
It's a cooling system.

Zero has long hair because his energy core was so experimental Wily wasn't sure if he'd overheat or not.

>Take those damn Sinefallers out!
Those things are annoying and with them gone there should be nothing to stop us(except our target) from taking out the carrier.

Took a break to get some leftovers in me. Also, it's kinda 3 AM, supernap or no. Stand by, post's most of the way done.

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>>34452356
>>34451892
>>34451830
>>34451780
>>34451712
Whatever's coming, it doesn't need local bombing support. You rocket back into the air, noticing the nearest anti-air guns swiveling to face you, waiting for you to climb into their range. By now, you're center-stage, the starlet of a bloody lightshow, and you have the audience's full attention.

Some people get roses. You get plasma cannons.

The guns begin to thud as you pour it on, boosting higher and higher, already sensing an opportunity as you close for the intercept. The carrier begins to glitter in the distance, its own point defense weaponry coming live and sending tracers your way. They rake across, trying to scythe you from the air, and you have to execute a narrow roll, a shockwave running through the air as the stray fire hits a plasma shot and the projectile blooms early, filling the air at your heels with turbulence and heat. Your helmet autocorrects the blinding flash down and helps you keep your vision as you bob and weave around the incoming fire, like a prize fighter.

Closing rapidly, you see a steady in-and-out of tombots, departing laden with bombs and arriving to pick up more. The ground defense cannons stop pounding as you level off--damn, you were hoping to turn their fire on the carrier itself.

Oh, well. Time for plan B.

You catch a dragonfly by the tail, hitting it with a flare just as it retreats into the carrier's internals to load up. Too late to wave off, it slips inside. There's a short delay, and one last tombot leaves the carrier. Then the cascade of muffled explosions begins as the internal warhead fabricators go up in a chain of explosions and death. It lists to one side and finally noses over, belching smoke and flame as its flight systems fail and it falls to the earth, shedding wings and nacelles as it breaks apart from within.

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>>34454112
"Flares? Flares, we have an enemy scramble, repeat, a full enemy scramble--" You turn back towards the ground to see a dozen or more of those massive gates yawning open. From each, a massive, heavily armored flyer emerges, each almost the size of an old Bee Blader. "--need you to take them out, right now!"

"Take them out?" you balk. "There's dozens of them! I'll do my best, but even one is going to take time, and Thrush is still--"

Wind Thrush decides he'd rather speak for himself as he streaks by, interposing himself between you and the vehicles underway. Clad in purple and gold, his chassis sporting unusually heavy plating for a bird-type frame, with the addition of several non-standard tubes running to and from his back. His wings are solid plate backed by a ventral powerpack, intakes and cylindrical railjets flanking. Heavy vents are mounted on the outsides of his limbs and his chest, probably his back, too.

"Command, negative," you announce into comms, your maverick opposite staring up at you in silence. "Target is here and running interference. If I go for both I'm getting neither, and he's better in the air. No way I can bring anything else down without him eating me alive."

After a long pause, Spider finally replies. "Copy. Engage Thrush and take him out as fast as you can."

You have altitude, presently, but that advantage won't last long.
>Go.

>>34454122
Fire flares as we make our way into close range.

>>34454122
We've got height advantage on him? Start turning that into energy, boom and zoom tactics. We don't know if we can out turn him, but we at least have a potential energy advantage for now. I suspect he's better at ascent and descent than us which will necessitate drawing him into a turnfight, but for now use what we've got.

>>34454122
>High-Velocity Launcher
for the Flashbang effect and Net Sparkler in the direction he tries to flee to.

Fire off a net sparkler behind him, and one off to each side; at the same time, launch off those spikes from your other hand, on railgun setting, aiming for the tubes on his back - those are probably the feeders for his air-blast systems.

That is, unless you think you can take out his powerpack with concentrated fire from them. If you can, then we might not even need to do anything else.

(Apparently, this maneuver is now known as 'the cutvi'.)

>>34454233
I agree, Flares seems to have strong melee and if we can get within the enemy's minimum firing range, it allows us to punch him down. CQC style.

>>34454968
>>34454233
Thirding this plan.

>>34455015

Issue with that plan is it assumes we /can/ close with him. He has things to avoid that and knock away our flares.

>>34455031
We have our net to keep him from going anywhere.

>>34455039

No, I mean the /wind blasts/. The things that can knock us away.

>>34455039
Oh. Other thing is that plan doesn't mention the net - though I agree if we use it, we should definitely try to block him in with it.

>>34455047
That pretty much counters all our tricks, dosn't it?

>>34455098
I'm /hoping/ that the net is going to be diffuse enough to not be too horribly screwed by it, and the ceratanium spikes will have sufficient velocity to at least keep him from reacting to them all. Otherwise, yes, pretty much.

>>34455098
>>34455107
Diffusing=increased surface area -> more affected by wind blasts.

More connected Nets, more stability, but their effective range is reduced against wind blasts.

Flares disperse into chaff/light/explosions, and are almost entirely useless against windblasts

Ceratanium spikes, assuming they are aerodynamic, should be minimally affected by the wind blasts. We also only have so many shots.

The ideal strategy is to use Nets to zone, spikes to harass, hopefully appropriate bombs for long range damage, but we're relying on melee to really take him out.

Unless we get reinforcements, of course.

gah! missed the whole thing. of course you run on a night I work.

I forgive you.
This time.

>>34455285
I'm not done yet! And yeah, when it comes to runtimes, we do seem to have the best luck, don't we?

>>34455302
nope. I have to go to bed now, and work again tomorrow. thank god for archives, eh?

Happy questing

>>34455283
Not what I meant by diffuse - my impression is these are individual pieces connected by arcs of electricity, rather than physical links. So my hope was that the nodes are diffuse enough that each wind blast can only hit one or two at a time, thus minimizing how much damage is done to the net.

>>34455325
That depends on whether the maximum bond length for the nodes is comparable to the size of the wind blast. Also, if he aims for the center, the net structure might fall apart anyway.

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>>34454233
>>34454249
>>34454300
>>34454968
>>34455015
Tactically, it's the easiest decision you've ever made in your life: He's a dedicated flyer and you're an intercept-focused close support spotter. Close to melee.

Actually doing so, however, is going to be the real trick. You open up with a flare at high velocity, aiming to force him to move and dazzle him with a flashbulb between the eyes. The sizzling canister slows to a halt in midair as those chest vents on Thrush snap open and he emits a burst of compressed, focused air. The atmosphere visibly ripples and the air grows tumultuous an instant before the flare is slashed to ribbons between you. The vents close and Thrush is off like a shot to one side. You follow up with a Net Sparkler, which unfortunately is too slow to catch him within the dome. The railjets on his legs prime and spring to life, and the lowest nodes of your net fizzle out and collapse in his wake. He streaks out of your reach as the big guns open up again, one shot blooming early as it hits his contrail, a blue-white plasma globe erupting dangerously close to you.

You take off after him, considering your options. If it can destabilize and detonate a magnetic bubble, it can probably ruin any attempts to lob flares after him. Net sparkler is iffy, but it might force him to handle a threat from all directions and buy you time to close. Alloy Knuckles might--might--be aerodynamic enough to get through his gusts if fired square on--difficult to say the least, with a moving air battle.

Ahead, you see him coming around a distant gun, having built a massive head of steam and barreling back at you on an aggressive vector.
>Move to meet him. If he wants to get closer, that's all the better for you.
>Defend and maintain your altitude. Currently it's one of your few advantages in this fight.

>Net Sparkler: 14/16

>>34455365
Are all the bomb-carrying 'loids dead?

>>34455336

Good points. Hrm. I'm thinking that we /really/ need to take those tubes on his back out at this point...

>>34455365
I want to say >Move to meet him, but I don't like this change in attitude

>Defend and maintain your altitude. Currently it's one of your few advantages in this fight.
Look for opportunities to take out his air-blasters with our Spikes

>>34455412
Seconding this.

Those chest vents might make a melee approach more dangerous than initially anticipated. Even within whatever busters he might have, we can't get behind his chest...without extensive surgery if you know what i mean.
Still with his mobility our chances of hitting him at ranged combat are low, along with his wind vents still being able to attack us.
If he's flying at us he's probably got some trick, so we should use something he's not expecting as well.

>>34455440
When it's time to go melee, I suggest using Net Sparkler AROUND him. I'm worried that the fire rate is too slow though.

>>34455380
The only tombots left have already used their payloads, and are only milling about ineffectually near ground level. Also in the area are the remains of the light air force Wisent's fireteam engaged--battons, a few straggler metal wings, and helits.

>>34455667
What about >>34455478?
How effectively can we zone him if he's headed straight for us? This is to prevent him from feinting to the sides with his superior air speed/turning while we deck him in the face.

>>34455678
Highly unlikely--you'd need to time it perfectly and interpose to slow him down. If you manage to get an opportunity, it'd make an excellent distraction.

>>34455718
Ah well.

>Defend and maintain your altitude. Currently it's one of your few advantages in this fight.

Maybe Flare should consider a variable projectile speed system. REALLY difficult to deal with in highspeed dogfights where leading is important.

Maybe we could overwhelm his air thruster system thing?

There are two things here we could use to our advantage in his weapons systems.

1.) the Air blasts may be linked up to his thrusters, or whatever he is using to fly (basing this purely off of the fact that they seem to be similar systems in some way). Using/overusing one may weaken the other.
2.) Using the air blasts seems to have a lot of pushback (he is essentially jetting air in a direction after all). Using it in the direction he is moving should slow him down. If we get into a dogfight, him having to deal with our flares should slow him down enough to maintain our advantage.

Not sure what to do aside from annoy him. But these guys seem to be void of personality now so that probably won't work.

>>34449894
>Thanks for realizing my dreams before I did Anon.
HC can we make this happen pls

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I thought you died HC
don't toy with my emotions like that

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Well, that was a fun hours-long sidetrack. Trying to write now.
>>34456030
Oh, I suppose. Cain Labs was so amused by Uncultured Swine he instantly declared him canon.
>>34456117
Sorry! Assuming no sudden death, I'll be sure to keep you informed via twitter if ever you need me.

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>>34456320
Excellent. As the guy who made this comment >>34442870 that makes me very happy.

>>34455801

number 2 sounds interesting, we should take a few shots at him with our flares as he's approaching, if he dodges instead of using his air burst we can probably assume it costs him speed to use.

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>>34455743
>>34455426
>>34455412
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhdNjzX4waA

You decide to hold on to your altitude, evaluating his approach and deciding to maintain your height. He comes in to meet you fast--fast enough that you decide the best defense is to move and climb right on past him. It works, to an extent--you safely avoid his strafe, but the blast of force from his passing roils the air and you drop a few hundred feet. He makes a wide sweep before coming back around--likely gauging you and keeping defensive--which gives you time to claw back up to your starting elevation and gain a little bit more to boot. He won't make that mistake twice, you wager. As he swings back around, you put in a call to 0 unit.

"Command," you call, "you there, Spider?"

"Busy," he replies, sounding it. "What?"

"Can any of our air get in close to help with Thrush?"

"Negative," he says. "He's downed two transports so far and damaged a third. They're not willing to risk anything more with those plasma cannons and those escaping ships in the airspace."

Damn. "Copy." And, right on cue, here he comes again. He took advantage of the long loop to gain altitude on you, coming in on a shallow dive.

>Defense again. See what he changes up while you're still fresh.
>Take to the offense. Try to get him on this pass.

>>34456708
>Offense
Charge towards him, launching a Net at the last moment. Moving in a loop, go in for melee. Stay still and fire Knuckle Spikes if he backs off.

>>34456708
Yeah, I guess we'll just have to try to deal with him ourselves. >>34456743 sounds like it could work.
Sure would be nice with some chaff back-up from Anode now, but knowing him he's probably busy being blasted to pieces while taking out Tumult and Wolfspider.

Offense motherfucka!

>>34456743
I like this one. Maybe drop some flares behind us as we charge at him, in hopes they'll slow him down once he gets through the Net.

If we want to beat him, we need to get into melee; if we want to get into melee, we need to cut his speed.

>>34456708
>Take to the offense.

>>34456708
> Offense
We're good at being offensive.

>>34456708
>>Take to the offense. Try to get him on this pass.

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Oh hey, someone archived the thread. Thanks, I was only just checking on that now.
>>34457343
>>34457182
>>34457054
>>34456774
>>34456743
>>34457736
No sense waiting for him to surprise you--you accelerate in to meet him, leaving a trail of flares in your passing. If nothing else he'll have to dive or climb out of their wake--if he dives, you get altitude, and if he climbs, he loses speed. The two of you rocket in to meet one another for a meteoric crash, cocking back your fist as you charge your ringfoil. In advance of your impact, though, you abruptly change tack, firing a sparkler ahead.

Thrush's reaction is practically instantaneous--he snaps to a halt so fast you're amazed the structural stress doesn't harm him, flipping up and over the top of your net just as it begins to spread. In an instant he's come down behind you, vents opening to blast you with focused waves of air. You twist away, your speed carrying you to safety as the air pulses. This time you're ready for the turbulence, reversing your own flight and coming back around at him as he takes off like a shot again. He snaps around much closer in, this time, re-angling for another exchange. Galeforce wind whips around you as he thrashes you about with unfocused blasts, before trying to pin you down and shred you with another shaped blast.

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>>34457836
Your instincts as a fighter carry you through, ducking and corkscrewing beneath the wind shear, your fist coming up with the strength of your boosters behind it. Your uppercut misses, but just barely--he has to jerk backwards like a yanked puppet,, sending you tumbling the opposite way in the wake of his exhaust. This time you follow up with a string of canisters after him pursue before he's slowed enough to divert his course--with his back to the string of flares you laid down, he has to come to a stop or his momentum will carry him right into them. For a scant instant, you have an opening, and you exploit it with a snap-fired knuckle spike. He returns the favor with another wind shear, but your ceratanium projectile catches him dead on, making it through the torrent and catching him in the shoulder.

Unfortunately, you can't evade--you trade hit for hit, the focused gust biting into you. Your shields flicker in protest, the battery struggling to refill. You're definitely feeling the strain, now, your systems taxed. You need another tactic. Thrush takes advantage to rocket upwards, rising among the flying ships and the few remaining mechaniloids.

>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.
>His wind strikes need close range. Keep up the pressure with a barrage of sparklers, and he'll slip up.
>Other?

>Net Sparkler: 13/16
>Knuckle Spike: 25/32

>>34457855
>>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

>>34457855
>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

He's good at what he does; we can't rely on him slipping up before we do. Besides, the faster we take him out, the sooner we can make room for the transports to come in.

>>34457855
>>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

>>34457855
>>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

>>34457855
>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

How's Flares' heat resistance?

>>34457976
Non-trivial. Her boosters put out a good deal of heat, as do her flares. Dedicated fire weaponry would still find purchase, however.

>>34457976
I'd say pretty good, considering she can do this:
Fireworks Finale: A high-risk, high-reward maneuver, Flares overcharges her systems, boosting into an enemy and carrying them skyward, ejecting all the flares in her canisters on the trip up. When she reaches a suitable altitude (or slams her target into the ceiling), she reverses momentum, pile-driving her opponent back down through a gauntlet of burning flares and back into the ground.

>>34457982
Any chance of messing with his exhausts, then?

>>34458004
Potentially, if you could get through his armoring and shielding to do so.

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>>34457880

Situational Awareness is the watchword of any combat pilot. When the sky gets too crowded to keep track of, its only a matter of time before you're shot down, or collide with someone (friendly or enemy.) No matter how hot your shit is, you simply can't do anything about a threat you never saw coming, and there's only so much a pilot can keep track of and account for. Combat pilots keep track of their situational awareness; they budget it like fuel or ammo, and disengage once it drops low enough to be of concern.

He's got some fancy toys, but does he appreciate the above points? Lets find out.

>Superior mobility doesn't help if you don't know where to react. Use the crowded sky to surprise him.

>>34458258
I was thinking more of blocking them and making him overheat or not be able to go full speed. Oh well.

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>>34458267

EXACTLY why I chose that option.

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>>34457880
>>34457899
>>34457908
>>34457929
>>34457935
>>34458267
The air is thick with enemies, your lingering flares, enemy harriers, and a scattering of fire. From the ground, still more of those insectoid vehicles--transports? Carriers? You fire at one experimentally as it goes by, watching its reaction--it doesn't even turn to fire, instead barreling on past. No flicker, no flash--no shields.

With a weary grin, you dive for the floor. You can practically feel Thrush bearing down on you, and why not? He's faster, building more energy, turns tighter when he has a mind to. Diving here should be the last thing on your mind.

You wait, and wait, and wait, shoulders itching as you anticipate a shredding blast of wind, until finally, only a scant thousand feet off the ground, you kill your thrusters, twist in midair, and fire a Net Sparkler.

His reaction speed is insane, but not insane enough to avoid careening directly into it. The electric web snaps loudly as it catches him full on. You follow up while he's caught with a pair of time-delayed canisters, and pull your trick.

Thrush endured the hit well enough, the compressors along his back kicking into overdrive. There's an enormous buffeting storm as the net explodes out in all directions. The lines between each node strain and falter, finally winking out as the spheres are scattered in all directions. He sweeps the skies and the ground for you, vents flashing open.

Unfortunately, he doesn't see you until you silently release the side of the flying carrier you hitched a ride on the back of. He looks back up just in time for you to slam him straight down to the ground with a massive two-handed overhead swing.

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>>34459015
The canyon floor cracks as he impacts with the force of a falling star. He pulls himself up on one knee a scant instant before you slam down atop him, piledriving him back into the dirt. He struggles to rise, gouts of earth kicking up as he blasts plumes of air and dust everywhere. He hops up to take off only to feel your fist in his jaw, driving him to the side. As he reels you come in, bringing up your knee and slamming it into his gut. He skids backwards, armor holding even as his shields falter. You don't let up, rabbit-punching him as he tries to catch himself on his back foot. You snag his arm as he takes off and whirl him right back around, letting go as he propels himself straight into the far wall. Your ringfoils blaze trails through the air as you follow up, boosting into him full-force, sending shockwaves through the canyon wall. Armor crumpling, he still raises his battered frame and fires another point-blank wind shear. Your shields fail completely at the point-blank impact, one optic failing and an antenna going dead as he nearly slashes your helmet from your head. Ignoring the pain and distraction, you machine gun a half-dozen alloy spikes into his chest, one jamming in the left-side vent even as you crush the right-side compressor in your fist. Your damaged helmet lens cracks audibly as you headbutt him back down and haul him back up, still struggling despite the grievous harm. He still wants to get back into the air?

Fine.

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>>34459031
You make sure to take a firm hold, twisting him around to keep the still-functioning shear aimed away, and launch into the air, sending your canister systems into overdrive, taking him back up for one last ride, and a fireworks show they won't forget. Up, up, up you go, through the light cloud cover as the mindless maverick tries to resist, one detached cable flapping wildly in the wind. You have a moment free of gravity as you twist around, letting your momentum slow to zero an instant before your boosters kick back in at 130% thrusters.

One last impact, driving him down, burning away his armor in the gauntlet of flares, the ground swirling around dizzyingly as you spiral back to earth. One final impact, and you drive the maverick into--through--the crater you just made. The slight angle you hit on sends you digging a long furrow down, the broken mess of Thrush leading, until finally the thin layer of soil and rock over the hidden maverick facility is scraped away completely, metal meeting metal as the grand finale comes to a close.

You pull yourself back up, fists raised--for nothing. Thrush is well and truly gone, pulped and beaten nearly to unrecognizable nothingness under your furious assault. You look up as the last of the enemy flyers puts its back to you, as the fatigue and injury begin to catch back up.

"Spider?" You call, legs suddenly feeling very wobbly, as you take an ungraceful bow into the crater, "Flares. Show's over."

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>>34459081

>>34459081
I guess she has a Flare for the dramatic.

Not sorry.

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And, as you probably gathered, that's the thread! I hope you all enjoyed your little run as a punchbuggy.

Any questions, comments, concerns? Next thread, you'll be playing as Emerald, if I remember my vote count right.

>>34459234
Great thread thanks for running.

>>34459234
Fuck yeah, Em.

Any ideas on when the next thread will be up?

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>>34459281
And thank you for reading! Especially after this long-ass wait.

>>34459301
Hopefully not three months, that's for damned sure.

I don't know. I prefer not to run any more often than two weeks, but my schedule is a fickle thing, and I've got ELK's word that we're going to sit down and try some marathon art sessions to get results faster. Not to throw him under the bus--he's under four times the strain I am and lost six hours of work on Flares's portrait to a crash. I'm incredibly grateful and I think he did a stellar job on her artwork.

>>34459332
Does Cain Labs still want to murder us?

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>>34459397
As a rule.

>>34459332
Thanks for running. Nice to be back on track.

>>34459332
Thanks for the hard work. I hope to see you in two weeks so we can see our favorite little leprechaun beat the ever loving crap out of a maverick.

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>>34459332
Thanks for running. 's good to have you back.

>>34459482
Does he want to murder us for waifuing India or husbandoing Emerald?

It's your fault. You created interesting characters.

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>>34459332

Great to see you back Hunter Command! I hope to catch up and be prepared for your next session.

>>34462403
Cain Labs doesn't care, he just wants to cause suffering.

>>34462403
>or husbandoing Emerald
As someone that interacts with HC outside of these threads it took me way too long to start following this, this amuses me to no end.