The youthful face of one of the recruits reveals a smile beneath tightly-cropped black hair. He then speaks up, in a tone shaped by regular elocution lessons.
"Then we had best pass - sir!"
His nametag reads: "Noach Andre Visser".
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As Noach reclines in the above-average comfort of the REALleather pilot chair, the upper canopy closes down and the surround-screens light up to reflect a battlescape.
A touch of the responsive control panel brings up the familiar and comforting female voice.
"Reactor: Online. Sensors: Online. Weapons: Online."
Across from him materializes the form of a dull brown Locust. Perhaps second only to the ubiquitous Wasp, it's among the most popular and numerous mechs in known space. While it doesn't have the jump capability, it does tout first-rate speed and more protection than it's right for any mech so light to have.
Like most light mechs it lacks any long-range punch, so you should be able to handle it...if you can hit it.
A fresh-faced young man with sandy hair comes hustling through the door. He scats a bass line and moves his body to his own rhythm as he stows his bag in one the temporary lockers. He strips off his cadet uniform quickly without stopping his beat-boxing or dancing until he's wearing his boots, boxers, and a vintage Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers t-shirt under a cooling vest.
Once ready for the simulator he spins in place theatrically and claps. "Got my war face on, let's go! I gotta work out my frustration from Professor Warren's 'Advanced Jump Jet Troubleshooting' practical. How do I ace the written and barely pass the practicals every freakin' time?" he asks no one in particular.
He moves to the ready position and stands at attention. "Cadet Simon Pritch reporting for duty!"
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Gaius motions to a slowly opening simmpod. "Oh right this way yer lordship!
And by the way, Warren can catch you off guard if you don't bisto-math the hypotenuse."
As Simon climbs in he hears the familiar start up and the battlescape puts him in a sturdy SDR-5V Spider.
Across from him materializes a a basic Wasp. The match is set to see who can claim to be King of the Scouts!
+++Mic check, 1, 2, 3, mic hot, you copy control?+++ Simon's hands grasp the controls and he finds the familiar firing studs for his lasers. Throttle is a little looser than Gramp's Spider. But oh? I wish my pedals gave me this kind of feedback, he thinks testing the resistance of the interface. +++All set, control. Let's play hide and seek, over.+++
In a level tone, Noach's voice responds over the comms:
+++Solar Spear engaging Locust.+++
Noach opens with a volley of LRMs, aiming to test the Locust.
A quartet of missiles streaks from one of Solar Spear's launchers!
Markov moved through the area, knowing he'd get called out before reaching the next opening pod... it was the way of the world. His dark hair moved a little with every foot step. He was clean cut and below average size compared to his peers his build could be argued to be more suitable for a aero jock than a mechwarrior.
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= 18 = raise.
= 27 total.
nothing
(We are swapping the 'Weapon' results with the 'Pilot' results. Hence 9-10 is Weapon, and 11 is Pilot, rather than the other way 'round. Hence, people actually have a chance of living through their first combat.)
= 32.
Four white contrails ZOOM out of the 'Spear's LRM launcher, streaking toward the foe. Three of them get confused and go off into the sunset to find attractive missiles and raise cute little missiles of their very own.
But one missiles decides it doesn't want all that and SLAMS into the medium laser port, breaking through steel and wires and other important bits the other pilot really needs just now.
The smoking crater interferes with the mech's handling, and the kinetic energy TOPPLES the Locust over, where the hard, uncaring ground crushes into the compromised body. It does not rise again.
At least Private Turncoat didn't stick, Nedora thinks as she hustles to the next pod. It's not long before things are coming online and she's showing green across the board.
"I wonder what the commander stuck me in today," she wonders aloud while her mic is dead. A ferocious grin comes across her face as she sees everything turning from the orange of standby to green.
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"Try not to get -this- one blown up, Cadet Neddy."
The instructor's dulcet tones are accompanied by an unusual mech.
You have the feeling that you're in for something special. The technical readout for this mech isn't Light. It's Medium.
The ASN-21 Assassin battlemech is like the story of the camel, with everyone trying to make something that did everything, but then does nothing. (That story is also applied to the Vindicator, but unlike this mech, that mech is effective.)
The Assassin is a fast-moving weapons platform for virtually every weapon wielded by battlemechs today. Except the good ones. Reliance on the single normal, unmodified medium laser is usually expected.
Across from you, true to form, is another medium mech, the CLNT-2-3T Clint. A lean, trim dealer of death, it cooly carries an impressive auto-cannon in it's firm right hand.
Your normal J-pop music has been replaced. On infinite loop.
Nedora sighs and starts planning on how she's going to make it through this one.
Markov gets into the pod and closes the hatch.
Two volleys of missiles come streaking out of the LRM 4 mount as she sends the 'mech lurching forward. Unfortunately for her, the missiles all go flying wildly off course.
Welp, this might suck.
Markov unleashes the long range missiles in an arc towards the locust combining fire on the same target as Noach, hoping their team could get an early numerical advantage against the opposition.
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= weapons
= nothing
Four missiles WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH off from the Iron Wraith and, the Locust already having fallen to the Solar Spear's devastating attack, head straight for the other scout on the field.
Three of the missiles get bored and decide it's a totally great idea to surf for a living. Totally. But one of the missiles studies hard, works harder, and eventually makes something of itself by plowing into the medium laser, turning it into slag, and leaving a gaping hole where some really important stuff used to be.
The cunning AI decides that this imaginary pilot will be standing just right now, but the WASP is totering on the edge of death.
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The Spider takes aim at the ailing WASP and lets a laser sizzle.
But he plugged the range in as miles instead of kilometres and the shot is off.
The WASP returns fire at him who hath wronged him.
The virtual pilot is too busy putting out a virtual fire to concentrate on the targeting solution, and both missiles miss.
Markov twists at the last moment to angle his armour against the attack.
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+++Control, I've got some sort of crazy sim lag going on in here!+++ Pritch growls into his throat mic before kicking the plastic console. The screens fuzz for a second before refreshing. The Wasp has jumped in space and missiles streak away from it. Oh, come on! It's like I've got gremlins following me everywhere!
He jams his feet down and yanks the stick around to make a somewhat evasive approach and lines up a shot with his medium laser.
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The Clint takes some umbrage at having its targeting obscured and takes a few light steps forward, aiming its barrel past the haze that enshrouds it and at the Assassin whom hath wronged it.
Alas for it the missiles did their work and kicked up so much dust it's sensors can't get a lock on themselves least of all another mech, and the heavy auto-canon round flies into the uncaring virtual horizon.
Another quartet of missiles races from the Solar Spear's launchers, this time towards the mech opposite Simon!
Another flurry of missiles surged forth from Iron Wraith leaving a trail of smoke as they arked towards the stinger... and left several craters around it.
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Another quartet of missiles races from the Solar Spear's launchers, this time towards the mech opposite Simon!
First Missle Damage]22
Second Missle Damage]22
nope
leg, pace is halved
Half the missiles miss, or half the missiles hit, depending on how you like your glasses of water.
One does what it's parents always said it should do and dutifully hits in the center torso, smashing important bits but otherwise failing to crack any ceilings.
The other missile is a rebel living by its own rules, and it drops down a bit, hitting just to the left of the cojones. The opposing pilot makes a high-pitched shriek (probably) before trying to stay upright.
Surprisingly the WASP fails to rush into the ground and remains standing, but he'll never have any kids.
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Nedora makes a glorious mess while Rann also makes a mess, but not as glorious, while Simon continues to have computer troubles.
The WASP says no, sir, he does not prefer to be hit by missiles, and he hobbles a bit forward before firing his own missiles at Andre's Valk.
The missiles pass by other missiles their same age and decide to knock of being responsible to go chase some beer tents. The WASP pilot pouts (probably).
The Hussar has tasted blood and likes it. He stalks forward and continues to press the FIRE button.
And misses.
Lastly the medium mech is quite put out with all this dust on his windshield, and fires at the annoying AssAssIn.
that's gonna hit
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Nedora shakes around in the cockpit before being blinded by a blinding white flash. After she clears the spots from her eyes, she sees the dreaded red text in the screen.
"Simulation Failed"
"Aw man."
Markov adjusted his aim and unleashed another volley, this time one of the missiles hitting and an explosion blossoming from the impact site.
Realising that he has focused too much on firing and not enough on coordinating, Noach notes:
+++Solar Spear engaging Huzzar. Missiles away.+++
Noach turns his mech to face said Huzzar, and another four missles launch!
Unfortunately, he fires a fraction soon, as his Valkyrie is still turning, and no missle of his lands home.
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Markov adjusted his aim and unleashed another volley, this time one of the missiles hitting and an explosion blossoming from the impact site.
+ 23 = 30
The WASP goes up in a brilliant shower of fire and flame, ending the scouty scouty threat.
The Valkyrie can't seem to get it's missiles to row in the same direction and they all go off to start their own glee club, the Four Aces, specializing in war-time jazz.
The Hussar is less excited about being shot at and decides to return the favor.
._.
The Large Laser of the Hussar hits Noach's mech dead-center.
= 33
The Clint targets Simon, as the dust cloud swirls around.
The shot misses the mech, but hits the dust cloud, both of them dying spectacularly.
Party is up!
The Iron Wraiths servos whir as Markov commands, a targetting reticule centering over the Hussar seeking to take some heat off Noach and "Solar Spear".
Notch is horrified to realise that he cannot evade the Huzzar's next attack - and overcompensates again.
Solar Spear falls over, clearly damaged.
+++"Solar Spear is still going, but I am down a missile rack and my controls are acting up!"+++
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***Noach, Simon is having some major technical issues with his pod. I think it's because he's smoking -again- but I can't be sure until I get technical in here to sort it out.
In lieu of your total failure as a mechwarrior, if I don't 4 deaths for 4 cadets, the paperwork just won't be right.
I'm slotting you into Simon's spider for right now.
I'd tell you not to screw this one up but in my day we'd call piloting a Spider 'fighting in hard mode'.
Look on the bright side. You can't disappoint me.***
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Noach's veiwscreen again takes on the familiar aspect of the battleview. All is just how he left it. One hulking hussar stalks triumphantly forward to the right, one large, looming Clint advances with a cool, deadly grace to the left, and a Valkyrie smokes away its ghost behind you.
As an advanced cadet you know that the Spider doesn't pack much, just two separate medium lasers. But it's the fastest mech currently walking in the 'verse, and it has jumpjets.
Whether you can make all that work to your favor is anyone's guess.
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Then Markov's missiles hit.
Or, rather, one of the 4. One of them sells his cow for normal beans and is eaten by his starving mom. One of them sells the cow for magic beans, but falls halfway up the beanstalk. One of them sells the cow for magic beans and makes it all the way up the beanstalk, but then is eaten by the giant.
But one of them steals away the bag of gold and lives happily ever after.
Until it rams into the hussar's fuselage.
yeah no
By some hand of Divinity, the lone missiles careens straight into the piloting compartment, knocking out the enemy mechwarrior, and the Hussar stands but a moment before falling unceremoniously into the dust.
There's only one mech remaining, but it's a relic of a by-gone era, were men stalked wind-stripped streets and stood alone before armed bandits. The ravening mob raved before the men of law crying out that they had a right to destroy public property and loot stores in recognition of all The Unfairness.
And those men stood their ground, whispering, "no".
Dismissing the Spider as not a threat the Clint aims its heavy autocanon at the far-off WASP, squeezing off a cool shot.
Alas, though the shot strikes true, it hits the WASP where the armor is thickest, and the heavy slug stops dead before dropping ignominiously to the ground.
Iron Wraith's servo's whirred as Markov selected a new target. Checking the gauge he could see he had blown through over half his ammo as the most recent salvo was discarged towards the clint.
Noach decides to get moving, hoping to use his newly-acquired speed to his advantage.
Also, while firing lasers at the Huzzar!
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CLINT
Speed 2Jumps 4ATS 3Armor 4M laser 2M laser 2Quad-linked med canon 6+2 to hit
4d10+4 dmg
+20 shots
Pace: 26
Toughness: 33(14)
25
38-23 = 15
Rann's battery of missiles flies straight and true. One missiles hits solidly, doing its best. But the Clint is a medium mech, more durable and virile than the rest of the smoking hulks that litter the field.
The missiles fails to pierce the heavy armor, but does rattle the mech and forces the pilot to try to keep it under control.
Which it does with aplomb.
._.
nope
and nope
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Battered and bruised but not beaten, the Clint raises his giant autocanon with a fist that is steady and cool and fires at the Spider, which is now the greatest threat, for it wounded him sorely.
The shot doesn't pierce the armor, but does hit with enough force to threaten the Spider's gyro-computer.
Noach is able to keep the spider moving smoothly despite the autocannon shells rattling the Spider's armour. He continues moving the Spider and lasering the Clint.
[b]"+++Spider attempting flanking manoeuvre.
Seeing he had done little more than damage the clint's paint job Markov continued to fire at it until he gave it something to really worry about.