#afterburners full blast

[transwerewolfgirlfriend]

I live down the road of the air Force academy and I just saw an F-18 take off at dusk, and do a bunch of fancy flying with afterburners. Jets are a special interest and I almost passed out at work. I have GOT to get into the cockpit of one of those

[usafphantom2]

Razz, in his F-22, blasting off from KOSH at full afterburner with a massive heat wave following him.

@Benight_photo via X

[soulmuppet]

Looking for a new Actual Play podcast or stream? (or sponsorship for your own!)

For Afterburn we are sponsoring some Actual Play of Orbital Blues.

My First Dungeon will be running a full season of Orbital Blues, with beautiful fully sound designed episodes that would make a radio-show jealous!

StellaLunaTV will running a one-shot adventure across the sand-blasted wasteland found in "We Built This City On .repeat()" a new adventure for Afterburn!

GirlsRunTheseWorlds will be exploring They Laurel The Graves Of The Dead in a one-shot adventure. This is another new adventure that will be included in Afterburn.

We've also got a couple more streams in the works so watch this space!!

and if YOU want to get involved you can! If you run an Actual Play of any of our games message us at marketing@soulmuppet.co.uk with the title: DREAMING OF STREAMING to learn more about our affiliate program and the ways we support streamers.

[theterribletenno]

Max the Monster Truck Warframe

I knew damn well that Max was going to be an easy favorite.  There is a noticeable overlap between Tumblr users who play Warframe and Tumblr users who had their sexual awakening watching Transformers.  He’s a partial recycle of Tigre the Luchador warframe, since (at least to me) monster truck derby is basically truck wrestling.  Right?  Does that sound crazy?  Monster truck and demolition derby are truck wrestling, right?  Also out of curiosity I had to do some research to make sure monster trucks were a concept that would translate well.  It seems like such an American thing, right?  Without any surprise, monster trucks and monster truck sport originates in the midwest United States and has spread to Canada but only appears in most other parts of the world in traveling shows.  Surprisingly it doesn’t have a permanent presence in Mexico.  Anyways, enjoy your truck wrestler.  MAX!  MAX!  MAX!  MAX!  MAX!

Health: 600 (800 at rank 30) Shields: 175 (225 at rank 30) Armor: 350 Energy: 175 (225 at rank 30) Sprint Speed: 0.9 (gains 0.06 sprint speed at every 5th rank reaching 1.26 at rank 30)

Passive: Being an all-terrain beast with superior traction, Max wall dashes 50% faster than ordinary warframes and gains +10% sprint speed for 6 seconds after wall dashing.

Ability 1: Dynamite Suplex, 25 energy.  With a choreographed lunge Max grapples the enemy nearest his crosshairs up to 12 meters away and slams them backwards with a brutal suplex, and then recovers with a back-flip.  After grappling the target it is slammed backwards, dealing 300+X (where X is equal to the grabbed enemy’s level times 5) blast damage to the grappled victim and half as much to all enemies caught in a 5 meter radius as a melee strike with a 2x critical damage multiplier, 5% critical chance, and 5% status chance. Dynamite Suplex can be recast within a 1 second window to perform a repeating combo chain with 200% damage, critical chance, and status chance, 150% blast radius, and 50% cost reduction for the second hit and 400% damage, critical chance, and status chance, 200% blast radius, and 75% cost reduction for the third and all subsequent hits in the chain.  Damage is affected by Ability Strength, the Melee Combo Counter and most mods and arcanes.

Ability 2: Nitro Piledriver, 50 energy. Max grabs the enemy nearest his crosshairs up to 12 meters away and swings them around, dealing 500 blast damage with 50% status chance to the grabbed enemy and half as much to every enemy within a 7.5 meter radius and then pounds the grabbed victim into the ground with a jumping slam dealing an additional 500 blast damage with 100% status chance to the grabbed enemy and half as much to all enemies in a 15 meter radius.  Status chance for Nitro Piledriver scales with ability strength.  For every enemy hit by Nitro Piledriver‘s final blast Max restores 25 points of shields.  If Max’s shields are full this effect will grant overshields.

Ability 3: Satanic Afterburner, 75 energy.  Injecting his core with volatile compounds makes Max’s explosive abilities combust even more violently!  Even allies may reap the benefits of this surge in power!  For the next 10 seconds Max’s abilities gain bonus heat damage equal to half of the blast damage dealt.  This bonus heat damage is dealt as a separate damage instance with its own crit and status where applicable.  Additionally while Satanic Afterburner is active kills with weapons have 15% increased chance to drop energy orbs and kills with abilities have 30% increased chance to drop health orbs for both Max and all allies within 45 meters.  Bonus orb drop chance scales with ability strength.

Ability 4: Apocalyptic Overdrive, 100 energy.  With a mighty leap Max falls like a meteorite onto the battlefield, leaving a crater where he lands. Tap to immediately leap to the location targeted by Max’s aiming reticle or hold to show impact location and highlight the area of the impact crater.  Upon landing Max deals 1,000 blast damage in a 20 meter radius and leaves behind a marked area of cracked terrain with the same radius. Apocalyptic Overdrive can be reactivated within a 1 second window of landing to perform a repeating combo with the second cast costing 50% and the third & all subsequent casts costing 25% of the original energy cost.  After the 1 second combo window expires he will punch the cracked ground beneath him a total of six times, causing all impact craters created in the chain to burst dealing 250 blast damage with every punch.  If Max moves or is moved from his impact point before the combo window expires he will not execute the final punch combo.  Each instance of damage caused by Apocalyptic Overdrive has a 25% status chance which scales with ability strength.

Subsumed ability: Dynamite Suplex

Siganture weapon: Gravedigger.  A primitive assault saw, the thick and jagged blade of the Gravedigger makes it just as good at excavating earth and stone as it is at turning Grineer soldiers and Corpus proxies into chunky salsa!  Slightly slower attack speed but generous per-hit damage.  Deals roughly even values of impact, puncture, and slash damage with high critical chance and above average critical multiplier at the cost of low status chance.  As Max’s signature weapon the Gravedigger gains +15% attack speed in his hands which increases to +25% when Satanic Afterburner is active.

Signature companion: Balkrishna. Max’s original sentinel companion the Balkrishna is a little robot with a big personality!  Boxy construction makes Balkrishna recognizable at a glance and with unusually thick armor for a sentinel he makes a steadfast helper in any battle situation.  The Balkrishna’s unique precepts are Bulldozer and Pit Stop.  Bulldozer is a special attack in which the sentinel charges forwards, ragdolling and dealing 250 impact damage to all enemies in a 2 meter wide, 20 meter long line once every ten seconds.  Pit Stop will instantly restore 5% of Balkrishna or the player’s max health, prioritizing whichever one is currently lower with a 30 second cooldown, and grant 10% bonus armor for the next 10 seconds.  Balkrishna includes the unique companion glaive weapon Derby which can only be wielded by Balkrishna similar to Helios’s Deconstructor.  Derby has less damage but higher attack speed, crit, and status when compared to Helios’s Deconstructor.  Unlike Deconstructor Derby deals even values of impact, puncture, and slash with every hit.  As Max’s signature companion Balkrishna’s unique precepts have their cooldowns reduced by 10% while the two are used in tandem.

Closing notes: Max’s signature weapon Gravedigger is named after the most popular monster truck, and the Balkrishna sentinel is named after Balkrishna Industries Limited, also known as BKT, the manufacturer of all tires used in Monster Jam.  I had Max finished for like two whole days and then changed my mind and reworked his first two abilities because they were too similar.

[rainofdauwuand0w0]

[Original twitter post date: 11/1/21] Engie's bountiful Gifts!

Scout:

Springy Shooter

+200% clip size and ammo capacity, +35% range and accuracy Full auto -25% bullets per shot, -60% damage, -35% reload speed

Pocket Mini

+500% ammo capacity, +60% accuracy, +15% range You only have what is in your reserve to shoot(216 after the 500% increase) -10% damage, -30% fire rate, Can only refill ammo at dispensers and ammo cabinets

Bonk-Back

+80% knockback, +20% damage, If the person gets knocked into a wall from the knockback, they will get dealt 25 damage -20% swing speed

Soldier:

Detached Manual Launcher

+45% reload speed, +15% blast radius, +300% ammo capacity Fires all 4 rockets at once in a square pattern -40% damage

Calculated Booster

Takes 660 damage to fully charge Map wide buff to all allies that lasts 15 seconds, which is +65% fire rate and reload speed and +35% swing speed

Rockin' Sockin American

+100% holster and deploy speed, +10% damage, Semi-auto punch; punch as fast as you can click Can ONLY crit every 15th hit

Pyro:

Tesla Tickler

+35% direct damage, Electricity can ricochet between enemies No afterburn Alt-fire: creates a airblast sized medic mvm shield for the entire length of the blast -35% airblast fire rate, +50% airblast cost

Portable Oiler

Shoots globby oil shots, Deal 60 direct damage and can coat enemies in gas passer effects, but when it touches the ground, it becomes a puddle that lasts 30 seconds that makes enemies slip -70% fire rate +30% faster arc

Slippery Hammer

+100% knockback, On hit:enemies slip and slide for 5 seconds -50% damage, -60% swing speed

Demoman:

Blocky Bombardment

+55% range, +60% projectile speed, +30% direct damage The grenades do not roll at all -30% fire rate, -30% reload speed

Mega Booms

+100% damage, Your stickies can not be moved by airblast or similar effects You can only have two stickies out at a time, -2% reload speed

Nutri-beer

Taunt:upon taunting, you regain 50 hp -25% damage -20% swing speed, Mini-crits when it would crit

heavy:

The Easy Deploy

+100% max primary ammo, +50% fire rate, +75% faster deploy -20% damage, +20% bullet spread

Insta-Refresher

Upon "consumption": animation of the heavy pressing the big button then taking a deep breath will play out for 11 seconds Once finished you will be fully healed and ammo will be replenished -100% recharge rate, -20% deploy and holster speed

Energy Converters

You have 80% crit and mini-crit resistance while these are held When hit by a crit or min crit, gain +60% movement speed for 2.2 seconds -30% swing speed -10% damage

Engineer:

The Last Defense

+100% faster fire rate then a mini gun Has 300 ammo -30% damage that of a stock smg Can't build sentries Alt-fire:fires 4 very small rockets that deal -40% damage to that of a sentry's rockets and also -40% blast radius

Dispens-olver

When connected to an ally: it heals -50% slower then a medic but also slowly refills the ammo of the ally Metal as ammo, -1 per every 2 seconds the beam is used Cannot build dispensers

Tele-bolter

Engineer can go through teleporters with this on wearer free of charge -25% damage -25% swing speed Tele-stats: +150% faster teleport speed +25% teleporter recharge rate -75% teleporter hp

Medic:

Implantual Improvement

On wearer: +25% movement speed +25% swing speed +75% overall weapon switch speed +60 hp

Omega Medblast

This is a semi-auto chargeable heal cannon that can fire as fast as the standard pistol, but each charge heals more hp Lvl 1: 5 hp per hit Lvl 2: 10 hp per hit Lvl 3:20 hp per hit Similar functionality to short ciruit ball, heals instead of carrying

Flatliner

+50% damage Upon killing an enemy: nearby enemies will be marked for death for 5 seconds -50% swing speed

sniper:

Vessel Bloomer

+32% max primary ammo On headshot: cause bleed that is +50% stronger then normal bleed and can only be removed by health sources -75% damage -25% fire rate

Formulated Brew

+50% projectile speed +20% throwable range Upon hitting ally: heal them for 55 hp Upon hitting enemy: they can't heal for ten seconds -75% recharge rate

Boosted Slitter

Alt-fire: launch yourself upwards and forwards(based on your direction of the camera), takes 200 damage to recharge -25% damage -30% swing speed

Sewnly Defended

On wearer: -25% damage from bullets -50% explosive damage taken +15 hp -10% movement speed

Intruder Identifier

Upon backstab: deal 0 damage but apply the effects as listed; -jarate -mad milk -marked for death -and gas passer For up to 30 seconds -60% damage -60% swing speed

Sentry Diluder

+35% sapper hp All health stolen turns into ammo for the micro sentry(3 dmg per shot) -35% sapper damage

tele-menace

Cloaking instead teleports you to your ally teleporter exit (or respawn if it doesn't exist yet), using the entire energy of the wrist watch -90% recharge rate

[trainingspaces]

4 Workouts to Add to Your Morning Gym in Redwood City CA Routine

Are you looking to kickstart your day with a burst of energy and focus? Incorporating morning workouts into your routine could be the game-changer you've been searching for. Not only do they rev up your metabolism and set a positive tone for the day ahead, but they also enhance your overall well-being.

If you're ready to elevate your morning Gym in Redwood City CA routine, here are four workouts you should consider adding:

Cardio Blast

Cardiovascular exercise is an excellent way to wake up your body and mind. Start your morning gym session with a cardio blast to get your heart pumping and blood flowing. Whether it's running on the treadmill, cycling, or jumping rope, aim for at least 20-30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity cardio. Not only does this improve your cardiovascular health, but it also boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, leaving you feeling invigorated and ready to tackle the day.

Strength Training

Strength training is crucial for building muscle mass, increasing metabolism, and improving overall strength and endurance. Incorporating compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses into your morning routine engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, maximizing efficiency. Aim for a full-body workout that targets different muscle groups each day to ensure balanced development and prevent overtraining.

Yoga or Pilates

Adding a yoga or Pilate’s session to your morning gym routine can work wonders for both your body and mind. These low-impact exercises focus on improving flexibility, balance, and core strength while promoting relaxation and stress relief. Practicing yoga poses or Pilates movements in the morning helps awaken your body gently, promoting better posture and alignment throughout the day.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

For those seeking a quick yet effective workout, HIIT is the way to go. HIIT involves alternating between short bursts of intense exercise and brief periods of rest or low-intensity recovery. This type of training not only torches calories and boosts metabolism during the workout but also continues to burn calories post-exercise due to the afterburn effect.

Conclusion

Incorporating these four workouts into your morning gym routine can transform your day from the moment you wake up. Whether you prefer cardio to get your heart pumping, strength training to build muscle, yoga or Pilates to enhance flexibility and mindfulness, or HIIT for a quick and efficient workout, there's something for everyone.

[chuzefitness]

The Ultimate Guide to the Best Fitness Classes for Weight Loss

Introduction

Embarking on a weight loss journey can be both exciting and challenging. While a balanced diet is crucial, incorporating the right fitness routine can accelerate your progress and make the entire process more enjoyable. Fitness classes offer an excellent opportunity to burn calories, build muscle, and stay motivated. In this guide, we'll explore some of the Best Fitness Classes For Weight Loss, helping you make an informed choice on which ones to incorporate into your fitness regimen.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has gained immense popularity for its efficiency in torching calories and improving cardiovascular fitness. HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise. This alternating pattern not only burns calories during the workout but also triggers the afterburn effect, where the body continues to burn calories post-exercise. HIIT workouts can be adapted to various forms, such as circuit training, bodyweight exercises, or even combined with equipment like kettlebells or dumbbells.

CrossFit

CrossFit is a high-intensity fitness program that incorporates functional movements from various disciplines, including weightlifting, cardio, and gymnastics. The constantly varied workouts challenge your body and keep your metabolism revved up. CrossFit classes are typically done in a group setting, fostering a strong sense of community and accountability. The intensity and diversity of CrossFit workouts make them excellent for weight loss and overall fitness improvement.

Spin/Cycling Classes

Indoor cycling classes provide an energetic and intense cardio workout that engages your lower body muscles and boosts your endurance. The high-energy music and motivational instructors make spinning classes both fun and effective. Cycling workouts can be adjusted to various fitness levels, making them suitable for beginners and advanced exercisers alike.

Dance Fitness Classes

Dance-based fitness classes, like Zumba or dance aerobics, offer a unique way to shed pounds while having a blast. These classes combine energetic dance routines with aerobic exercises, ensuring you get a full-body workout. The rhythmic movements not only burn calories but also enhance coordination and flexibility.

Bootcamp Workouts

Bootcamp-style classes combine elements of strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and functional movements. These classes often take place outdoors and include a mix of bodyweight exercises, running, and interval training. The dynamic nature of bootcamp workouts keeps your body guessing and prevents plateaus, making them effective for weight loss and overall fitness improvement.

Barre Classes

Barre workouts blend elements of ballet, Pilates, and yoga to create a low-impact yet challenging exercise regimen. These classes focus on small, precise movements that target specific muscle groups. Barre classes help improve muscle tone, posture, and flexibility, making them a great complement to cardio-focused workouts for weight loss.

Boxing or Kickboxing Classes

Boxing and kickboxing classes provide an intense cardiovascular workout while engaging multiple muscle groups. These classes often include a mix of punches, kicks, and bodyweight exercises, helping you burn calories and build strength simultaneously. Additionally, the stress-relieving aspect of boxing can contribute to overall mental well-being.

Conclusion

Choosing the Affordable Fitness Classes your weight loss journey by keeping you motivated, helping you burn calories, and improving your overall fitness level. The best class for you depends on your preferences, fitness goals, and physical condition. It's always recommended to consult with a fitness professional or medical expert before starting any new exercise routine, especially if you have underlying health concerns. By incorporating these diverse and engaging fitness classes into your routine, you can make your weight loss journey not only effective but also enjoyable.

[general-kalani]

"Charging up a laser like that Yamat- blast it! Get the Gaiderol to fire the torpedo now, then to turn and run as fast as possible. We'll at least gain valuable information on whether it can eat whatever energy this brings out. If it can, it might be able to absorb so much and grow so large as to defend the fleet. Everything else, go to either side and avoid the beam as much as possible, afterburners on full. Surely it can't hit fast tiny ships. Blessed be the fact I didn't put a carrier in that fleet."

"Yes, I recognise how dangerous it is to use the creature, Hyss, with our own fleet still nearby... However, it hasn't attacked us when I let it loose in here, I even shot it remember with my gun. Surely it will absorb whatever energy this ship fires and keep the fleet safe. I want to use this fleet for other matters after all, one ship destroyed means resources to be wasted putting another in its place."

"If this works, it will be them having to run from this magnificent creature."

"So it's true that knowledge of the Silencer superweapon hasn't escaped our home galaxy. They don't seem to realize what they're facing, though if I were in their position I might do the same.

"You may fire when ready. Let them witness what one mere destroyer in my fleet is capable of."

[ragingbookdragon]

The Four Corpsmen And Their Cheerleader

Lanternsis x Lanternfamily One-Shot

Word Count: 1.3K Warnings: Explicit Language

Author's Note: I am obsessed with the Blue Lanterns you guys. Like they're legit my favorites. And since blue and green rings work best with one another...here's a story of that happening! Enjoy! -Thorne

**********************************************************************

The guys were at their wits end against the troop of Yellow Lanterns; which wasn’t a common occurrence—being at their wits end that is, Yellow Lantern attacks were actually fairly common. Kyle winced as another barrage of yellow energy blasts hit the construct he’d formed; the eyes of the other two Lanterns turned to him.

“You good, Kyle?” Guy asked, pressing his own hand to the construct to pour power into it.

He nodded, though the strain was evident on his face. “Yeah, I’m good.” He shut his eyes and forced another surge of power into the construct, keeping it up and around them. “Have a plan yet, John?”

Their leader shot a quick glance from the side. “Hal’s keeping them busy at the moment, but his fly-boy distractions are only going to last for so long.” He looked at them. “We need to—”

“Coming in hot!” They all looked towards their rings at the voice and then Hal darted over the side, grunting when a yellow flash shot him in the side. He sunk down the construct wall. “Okay,” he breathed out in shock. “New plan because distraction’s gone out the window as of now.” He glanced at Guy. “Kick their asses?”

Guy snorted, cracking his fists. “Thought you’d never ask, Jordan.” His green eyes fell on John. “Any big speeches before we go in?”

John merely grinned but before he could speak, a scream pierced from behind the construct wall, and everyone shot each other confused glances because no one had moved or formed a new construct besides the wall guarding them. Kyle warned them as he dropped the barrier and they all saw a blue figure darting between the yellow suited Lanterns.

A nova of aqua shot out from the mysterious person as they flew towards them and they rose, the blue cape billowing around them as they cheekily grinned, “I thought we agreed that the four corpsmen needed a cheerleader?”

Hal matched their smirk. “(Y/N)! What are you doing here!”

She merely raised her hand and cool aura surrounded them as their rings recharged, powers surging to the highest levels without overpowering them. “Well, it seems I’m bailing my big brother and his best friends out of trouble.” (Y/N) turned and raised her hands, surrounding her own body with an aura. “Leave now or face the four corpsmen and a Blue Lantern!”

The fear-wielders practically hissed at her, and she tipped her chin up. “Corpsmen! To me!”

“We’ve so gotta talk about you thinking you’re bigger than us,” Kyle griped, even as he flew to her right just as she’d ordered; she snorted as Hal took her left, Guy and John on either side of the other two men.

“Please, I don’t think, Kyle.” She winked at him. “I hope.” Reaching down, she took Kyle and Hal’s hands. “Mind if I borrow some power?”

They merely smiled in return, and she shut her eyes, drawing deep from the well of hope inside her. She let the power flow evenly between the men holding her hands who in turn took Guy and John’s hands, letting the power even between the five of them.

“In fearful day, in raging night, with strong hearts full, our souls ignite…” The Green Lanterns beside her joined in on the oath, all speaking in unison, mighty and powerful. “When all seems lost in the War of Light, look to the stars—” (Y/N) opened her eyes and they glowed a beautiful blue. “For hope burns bright!”

The cosmos seemed to still as the power exploded from their bodies, and they watched as strong green and blue arcs echoed outwards. The Yellow Lanterns across the expanse of space screamed as the waves hit them and soon, they were turning around and fleeing.

Satisfied that their enemy had been defeated, she let go of their hands and rose a few feet up and away from them, a mile-long grin on her face. “Now that that’s over with…how about we go back to Coast City and hit a bar?”

Each of them smiled and nodded at the idea, when suddenly Kyle pointed. “(Y/N) look out!”

She barely had time to spin around when the space around her warped and a Yellow Lantern came into sight. A gasp escaped her as they thrust out the construct blade in their hand into her gut and she bent forward. The men around her shouted and instantly the enemy was being yanked off her, probably being pummeled into a pulp, but all she was concerned about was the fizzling blade that disappeared from her gut.

Someone put their hand against her stomach, and she collapsed into their arms, realizing it was Kyle. “Hey, I’ve got you,” he worried, pressing tight to her abdomen. “You’re going to be okay, (Y/N).”

“Don’t get blood on your suit,” she joked, and he frowned at her, concentrating hard to heal the wound.

“Don’t make me laugh right now. This is serious.” He gazed into her eyes, whispering, “I can’t lose you.”

(Y/N) took his hand and forced him to look into her eyes. “Kyle Rayner, you needn’t be afraid when I’m here. Even if I’m wounded.” She smiled and leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his. “Fear is merely the belief of imminent demise.” She shut her eyes and exhaled, the pulsing blue aura coming again as they held each other. “Hope, however, is the belief of imminent success. And I will always believe that.”

The aura was blinding and even the other men had to shield their eyes as it grew brighter and brighter, lasting for what seemed like forever, then it faded and (Y/N) stood before them, healed, as if she’d never experienced the wound—though her suit was new.

A deep blue, off the shoulder, long-sleeved dress/leotard that parted down the middle of her chest and back, turning sheer as it flowed down at her hips. Her gloves had morphed too, now a silver ring around her middle as the white sleeve stretched up her arm; her boots differed too, no longer closed around her feet. Instead, a silver ring was around her second toe, sapphires on the silver chain that wrapped around her ankle and calves. Her head was adorned with a silver and sapphire diadem, and around her neck was a silver band, and in the center was the symbol for the Blue Lanterns, growing bright as the day she received her ring.

(Y/N) opened her eyes and smiled, holding out her hand to Kyle. “Beloved.”

He matched her smile and pulled her into a hug, lifting her in the air—well, the space around them—and breathed, “(Y/N), you look like a goddess.”

“I’m your goddess,” she murmured, placing her hands on his shoulders.

They seemed to be lost in their own little world of love and devotion, and Guy blinked, looking over at John. “It’s so sweet, I almost don’t want to warn them that Hal here is about to blow his afterburner.” John cracked a toothy grin as Hal exploded in anger.

“CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE FUCK I’M LOOKING AT! BECAUSE IF IT’S ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND MY PRECIOUS BABY SISTER I’M LEGITIMATELY GOING TO COMMIT MURDER! QUIT FUCKING LAUGHING GUY! IT’S NOT FUCKING FUNNY, YOU DICK! WAIT! DID YOU FUCKING KNOW ABOUT THIS!”

John rested his hand on Hal’s shoulder. “Hal…everyone knows about Kyle and (Y/N).”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah, why do you think the two of them always ‘patrol’ together?” Guy asked.

“WELL, I DON’T KNOW! MAYBE BECAUSE OUR RINGS WORK BEST IN THE PRESENCE OF A BLUE RING, GUY! AND MAYBE I JUST ASSUMED THEY WERE SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER!”

Guy snorted. “Yeah, ‘encouraging’. More like fuck—”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP! KYLE YOU’RE DEAD!”

[tf2workbench]

Best of Alternative Fortress

Alternative Fortress, the TF2 mod that I co-develop, has a lot of weird and wacky changes. It’s part of having to make do with TF2′s innate attributes rather than making our own. Here, I’ll show you some of the more interesting changes!

If you’re interested, make sure you show up for the next playtest on the 30th of April, or contact me about the mod!

Huo-Long Heater (+/-) Shoots flares instead of bullets (+) Crits on burning targets and when it would normally mini-crit (+) Ring of fire while spinning (-) -4 ammo per second while spinning (-) Crits have damage falloff

Tide Turner (+) Full charge turn control (+) Attacks while charging do not cancel charge (+) +35 second charge duration (-) -95 max health on wearer (-) -99% primary ammo on wearer (-) Wearer cannot carry the intelligence or the PASS Time Jack

Detonator (+) Alt-fire: Detonate flare (+) +35% deploy/holster speed (+) +50% push force from self-damage (+) No fall damage on wearer (-) -50% damage (-) -50% afterburn damage

Degreaser (+) Airblasting allies grants a speed boost to both players (+) +50% airblast push force (+) +50% airblast fire rate (+/-) Airblasting projectiles drops a small ammo pack (-) Cannot extinguish teammates (-) +300% ammo consumption rate (-) +50% airblast cost

Fists (+) +100% jump height while active (+) Deal falling damage to players you land on (-) -6 max health per second while active

Force-a-Nature (+/-) Hold Fire to load two shots. Release to unleash them both!

Jag (+) +50% max metal on wearer (+) +100% dispenser range (+) Bidirectional teleporters (-) -35% sentry fire rate (-) -20% building health

Pretty Boy’s Pocket Pistol (+) Fires a rocket, which can be used to rocket jump! (-) Drastically reduced ammo reserve, clip size, and firing speed

Direct Hit (+) Deals critical hits while user is rocket jumping (+) Mini-crits targets airborne from explosions (+) +80% projectile speed (+) +65% fire rate (-) Crits have falloff (-) -70% blast radius (-) -25% clip size (-) +25% self-damage from rocket jumps

Family Business (+) +400% clip size (+) +200% reload speed (+) +65% firing speed (-) Spread increases with consecutive shots (-) -35% damage (-) -100% primary ammo on wearer

Fists of Steel (+) While active: 90% ranged damage resistance, 25% melee damage resistance, and airblast immunity (-) While active: Max health drains over time, no health from healers, -99% movement speed, and cannot capture points (-) 20% slower holster speed

Revolver (*) Fires syringes instead of bullets (+) Mark target for death on hit (-) -50% clip size (-) -60% damage

Shahanshah (+) Damages sappers (-) -25% fire rate

Amputator (+) Up to +20 health regeneration while active (+) Medicating Melody taunt (-) -80% move speed while active (-) 100% slower holster

Crusader’s Crossbow (+) Can heal buildings as well as players!

[kiwi-kitties]

The Wraith and the legion for character headcanons :)

Headcanons for The Wraith:

- While most people would assume that Philip is quiet and polite due to his "stealth killer" status, he absolutely does have a breaking point and it's much shorter than one would think. He has gotten repeatedly frustrated over flashlights and now that flashbangs/blast mines exist? Yikes!

- Some survivors can overhear him curse while under cloak if a trial has very clearly fallen out of his ability to save it.

- Philip actually hates the sound of bells. It reminds him of what he's become in The Entity's realm. Unfortunately he is forced to deal with the constant ringing in order to keep himself from being punished if a trial goes poorly.

- He has picked up many things from other killers when silently wandering through their realms on his time off. This includes but is not limited to: learning about the gruesome pasts of certain realms (namely Lery's Memorial Institute and Crotus Prenn Asylum), picking up on lullabies that Anna hums, and the (in his opinion) horrible mess of music that The Legion plays in Mount Ormond in their free time.

- He has let other killers and survivors mess with his wailing bell before. Mainly those who are interested in the possible musical properties it could have if put in a musical situation. However, he will go after people who decide to sabotage it instead of using it for its agreed purpose of music only.

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

Headcanons for The Legion:

- While survivors may think the Legion is a gang of annoying little pests that no one wants to go against, many killers are either neutral or on surprisingly good terms with them! The few who are leaning towards hate on the group of killers are namely people like Pyramid Head, Nemesis, Michael, Talbot or other killers with an ingrained sense of aggression that cannot be snuffed even if they tried.

- The aggressive killers I mentioned above unfortunately tend to be the prime target for "testing limits" as Frank has stated to the rest of the group. They will toe the lines of these killers only just to see how far they can get away with it. News flash: They do not get away with it often, if at all.

- Each Legion member has a special way of dealing with the afterburn of Feral Frenzy. Frank listens to his music on full blast on an old headset that he found laying around in Mount Ormond. Julie shovels some snow together around their realm and lays back in it to cool her off and help with getting rid of the major headaches she gets after trials. Susie takes a nap near the fire in the center of the resort. This is sometimes accompanied by a cold drink of water she made by setting a cup outside and having snow pile up in it while she naps. Joey does de-stress stretches before going on a walk through other realms for a bit. No mask on or anything. It helps bring a sense of humanity back to him briefly if he doesn't have the mask on.

- They WILL gang up on other killers if they start getting treated like less than a person by the offending killer, stabbing relentlessly together until they can get out of the situation unscathed. (This has happened to Ji-Woon, Anna, and Herman. Ji-Woon and Anna keep their distance for the most part now, but Herman has found a particular interest in their feral actions.)

[soulmuppet]

Get ready to blast off into the frontier with My First Dungeon!

As part of Afterburn we are teaming up with some amazing Actual Play streamers and podcasters to show off some of the new adventures, spaceship designs and give an insight into how Orbital Blues can play out at your game night. My First Dungeon is an award-winning TTRPG podcast that beautifully curates actual plays with full audio design, original music and fantastic voice acting. With a mission to teach GMs new TTRPGs and help them make each session better than the last.

Season Schedule:

10th October - Interview with co-creators Zach Cox and Sam Sleney and Session Zero 19th October - Episode 1 26th October - Episode 2 2nd November - Episode 3 9th November - Episode 4 16th November - Episode 5 23rd November - Full Cast Talkback

If you want an insight on how this fantastic podcasts sounds check out their Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast series.

Don't forget to follow along with Afterburn to give us the strongest day one launch!

[jimclassicstoycollection]

Transformers War For Cybertron Earthrise

Voyager class

Starscream

by Hasbro

2020

I swear I already covered a whole Seeker set just a couple of months ago, and here I am again, reviewing another Starscream!

For the Earthrise sequel to Siege, everyone’s favorite egotistical, backstabbing jet bot is back in a very familiar jet mode.

Gone is the Cybertronian tetra jet, and here is his earth disguise!

I’m going to be comparing this figure to the 2005 Classics Starscream figure, because aside from Earthrise version being a voyager class, Hasbro pretty much kept that same energy as the Classics deluxe Starscream, and improved on it.

Vehicle Mode:

Starscream is a jet now! Again...(what else is he going to be, really?)

This is sleek and cohesive jet!

This is a really nice jet mode, it’s so clean, and even the under kibble (it is there) but it’s not bad at all!

The jet has plenty of clean paneling details, and the red and white painted lines on the wings and the fins are really bringing me back when I was a kid when I first got the original G1 toys.

I do wish the jet had 5mm ports for the afterburners similar to the tetra jets did. It’s fun using the blast effects for flying poses, and I feel not including it was a misstep.

Starscream’s jet mode has nine 5mm ports, and you can just outfit this thing with guns galore!

 Jet mode does have a 3mm port for display stands for flight poses, and it’s pretty decent.

Underneath the jet you’ll see the robot mode crotch piece and it opens up (I’m sure there’s a joke there, somewhere) and that’s where you’ll find the 3mm port. It’s pretty clever, and it holds well.

Comparing Classics Screamer to Earthrise version I’m sure you can see the similarity (and the differences) but I’m sure you can notice the size difference.

My one and only issue with the jet mode is that there aren’t any landing gears of any kind.

Lately through the 21st century of jet Transformers you don’t even see a ,ot of functional landing gears all too often, they’re usually sculpted-looking wheels at the back of the plane, and flip down front gear, but no moving wheels. For Earthrise Starscream you don’t even get that; this jet cannot land. Not that I’d really be displaying the jet on a landing pad very often, but the option would have been nice...

On ER Starscream you do see underneath the nosecone what looks like a landing gears, but it’s totally nonfunctional; it’s actually part of the transformation to the robot mode.

ZERO OUT OF TEN!!!!

Transformation:

Transformation to the robot mode is NOT entirely the same to that of the Classics Starscream. There are  plenty of differences however if you are already familiar with the Classics version, you already have an idea how to transform this guy. 

If you’re not a familiar with that toy, it’s not difficult at all.

Robot Mode:

I like this guy better than the Siege version. 

The Cybertronian tetra jet was cool idea, and it was executed...adequately with a pretty killer robot mode, however I’m feeling very played by Hasbro these days.

This figure is the one I would had preferred in 2019 had Siege not been a thing.

Hell I would had preferred this instead of the leader class from Combiner Wars, or that janky Power of the Primes version; Hasbro is well aware we’re a bunch of plastic addicts, and they’ve got us Hook, Line, and Sinker! (Generations Selects, Hasbro?) That’s a joke I’m not sure too many of you will get...

Focusing on this Starscream....I think he’s really good. What do I say; this IS Starscream in all of his G1 glory! No IDW references such as his Combiner Wars version, no Armada call backs; this is pure 21st century G1 Air Commander!

Unlike the Classics version the wings don’t really get in the way of the arms, he’s got decent (though not great) knees, love the ankle tilt, the hips are hindered a bit due the crotch guard, and that’s unfortunate, but you can still pose this guy well enough. However due to the transformation, he’s one of the few Earthrise (or Siege for that matter) who doesn’t have a waist swivel.

It’s disappointing, and it obviously does affect posing the figure, but Starscream is otherwise such a solid figure I don’t mind it much.

And he’s got such a clean back kibble (Jobby must be thrilled right now) with only the nosecone ponytail thing, that most Seekers can’t really seem to avoid much, but that doesn’t even hinder the head rotation, which is on a separate ball joint! I love it.

Speaking of Starscream’s head, this version doesn’t have any light piping, whereas his Siege predecessor did (Thew must be foaming at the mouth about now...) however if you have the flash on while taking pictures withyour phone the red paint on his eyes do pop really well.

Even his face is a pseudo-smug, yet subtle smirk on his face. He’s not full on bragging like Siege Thundercracker is, but he seems quite please with himself.

This toy’s got personality, man! He’s got the posing, he’s got the presence, he’s a got a decent range of motion, 

Naturally you can load this guy up with weapons thanks to his numerous 5mm ports!

Comparing Earthrise Starscream, to his 2005 Classics predacessor, you can definitely see the size difference, and maybe you can see the quality difference too, I don’t know.

Final Thoughts:

Earthrise Starscream is a much needed update to the 2005 deluxe Classics design. It’s identical to it in many ways and improved on in others.

This is definitely my new prefered Starscream, he scales in better than the deluxe Seeker jets, he poses well, he feels solid, and I couldn’t be happier with this figure.

Naturally I’ll be getting the Target exclusive Thundercracker and Skywarp two-pack. But at the time I wrote this it had just been announced...by the time I post this...I may have them already too...(which I do)

I guess I’m doing this all over again...I still have to get my hands on the Coneheads two pack, and I’m sure Thrust will be announced eventually.

[rainofdauwuand0w0]

[Original post date on twitter: 11/13/21] the second switch

Scout:

The Gatekeeper

+10% damage +50% bullets per shot On hit:Pull enemies towards you, like an inverted force-a-nature Shoots in 3 directions -3 ammo from the clip per shot -50% fire rate -10% reload speed

Digi-Batter Box 3000

On use: Pull out a personal scout sized mvm shield that lasts 35 seconds Can't use other weapons while blocking -35% recharge rate then cleaver

Batter's weight downs

On wearer: +50% knockback resistance Fall damage you would have taken is dealt to enemies you land on -50% damage taken by the scout -15% movement speed

soldier:

Your Ameri-tection

+75% blast radius Projectile has a 3 person protecting shield infront of it -75% damage -75% clip size -50% ammo capacity -30% projectile speed

Stately Backer

On wearer: +40 hp You cannot be backstabbed +70% damage resistance from behind No charge meter or other effects -30% movement speed

Flippy's Shovel

While deployed: -30% movement speed but 100% knockback resistance and +30% resistance to a every form of damage -30% damage -30% swing speed -30% deploy and holster speed

Pyro:

Expendable Maid's Tool

+75% direct damage +70% airblast knockback Primary fire and alt-fire shoot out in a mvm shield-like formation +70% airblast cost -75% airblast fire rate -30% afterburn damage

A Fan's Pack

On wearer: +25% jump height +25% air movement control

--

You have an airblast aura around you that is like huo-long heat maker but pyro with airblast and smaller, and going off -10% slower

Refueler's Commitment

On wearer: +150% max primary ammo +15% weapon switch speed Loud sloshing from gasoline in this new arm of yours

--

On hit:apply gas passer effect -25% damage -50% swing speed

Demoman:

Splashy's Boots

On wearer: +50 hp +50% blast radius on secondary

Ladapso's Launcher

+100% reload speed You can launch your allies and they do not take fall damage from it, your stickies also heal allies for 75 hp on explosion at closest while 5 hp at furthest +80% blast radius for allies -75% damage to enemies -75% fire rate

Tavish's Ailment

Alt-fire:throw your bottle at an ally and heal them for 100 hp, takes 20% longer then sandman to recharge though -100% damage

Heavy:

Medic's Bouncy Ball Launcher

+200% Max primary ammo You shoot bouncy projectiles that are small ball shaped health packs and heal as such to allies Fires in 3 round bursts You deal no damage to enemies

Vich-Launcher

Fire sandviches to your allies faster then an airstirke! 1 shot per clip -65% reload speed

Mafia's Boosters

+65% damage Each kill (max 5) increases your swing speed by 10% but you start at -20% swing speed base

Engineer:

Provised Supplier

Alt-fire:marks a teamate(not for death)up to 3 max teammates can be marked

---

Upon firing:whoever you marked,will get teleported to where ypur projectile lands Costs metal to fire 1 teammate=100 metal 2 teammates=150 metal 3 teammates=200 metal

Mega Metal Manager

On wearer: +400 metal increase As your metal gets more full, you get slower, up to -80% movement speed

Builder's Presence On wearer: +25% movement speed When allies or buildings are nearby, repair and upgrade them/ give them ammo No wrench boosting

Medic:

Medic's Heal Engine

On wearer: +25 up +35% movement speed +30% air movement control

The Anti-Medigun

Shoots a beam the size of a sniper dot and uber charges with damage dealt 5 damage per second Doesn't latch on to enemies but does pierce them

--

Ubercharge: after 300 damage is dealt gain a 300% bigger beam of energy that deals 20 damage per second Lasts 10.5s

Vital Stealer

+75% swing speed +40% life leech -60% damage -20% deploy and holster speed

--

On wearer: -20 hp

Sniper:

The Croc'd Shot

+60% deploy and holster speed +25% damage +25% max primary ammo On kill:get a screenshot closeup of the enemy face as the bullet hit and killed them -55% charge speed -50% fire rate

Kanger-Boom

+60% bullets per shot +25% damage +35% reload speed On hit:knockback enemies like a 50% weaker force-a-nature Mini-crits when it would crit -25% clip size -50% fire rate

Sloth's Feet

On wearer: Allows you to scale up walls at your movement speed like a Minecraft spider -35% movement speed

Spy:

Shotty-volver

+50% damage +30% bullets per shot On hit: a 25% weaker knockback compared to force-a-nature Fires 2 shots at once +30% bullet spread

Charmed Rune

On wearer: -15% movement speed

--

On backstab: for 22 seconds, the person you stabbed will start firing at their allies, doing -25% damage then usual to them Can't backstab again till effect is over -90% deploy and holster speed -10% backstab raise animation speed

Sticky Blackout

+10% sapper damage Upon destroying a building: it explodes and deals damage to that of a -50% weaker sticky, knocking enemies away as well -60% sapper health

Escar-vroom

+10% cloak duration +10% cloak recharge -30% uncloak noise Upon cloaking: +65% movement speed Upon uncloaking: -30% movement speed for 3 seconds

[corey-067]

Whump Prompt 26 - Shot.

I fear that I'll fail to bring across the depth of what's in my mind, yet again. But here we go! This only took me about 3+ weeks to write.

TWs: Blood, injury detail, PTSD flashbacks, sci-fi violence (Halo-typical) The worst of it is under the cut. I'd like to thank CIA391 from Halopedia for the info and chat we had about the Blamite and how it works, plus the Superfund peeps for keeping me motivated to write when it's been grinding to a halt.

"Arcus Actual, Arcus Two: we've got the spaceport on lockdown. Got a fair few Covie vehicles here, some gear they were trying to get out before we took 'em down."

"Arcus Actual. Nice work, Spartans. We'll be in touch shortly."

The Spartan ducked to the side, his armor blaring warnings at him as a beam rifle strike intended for Commander Lasky struck Corey's chest, his shields taking the brunt of the impact - though he staggered from the force of the shot. Captain Del Rio had sent Lasky and a small contingent of Marines to scout out a former Covenant supply depot - one which supposedly contained a number of Forerunner relics. "Keep your damned head down!" The Spartan-II snapped, suddenly realizing who he was talking to. "Sir." He muttered. 'Spartan time' was in full effect, and he searched for the familiar red glow of the Jackal's helmet, his eyes recovering quickly from the afterburn from the beam.

"Two o'clock high! Suppressing fire!" Corey bellowed into the comms, forcing Lasky into what passed for cover as though he weighed nothing. They could observe proper etiquette when his charge - his friend - wasn't in danger. Shots rang out, followed by the whoosh of an M41 rocket launcher. The satisfaction of the detonation was only surpassed by the squawk of the Jackal in question, and a grim smirk crossed his hidden features. Gesturing for the marines to circle the complex, Corey tossed a pair of grenades into what his motion tracker told him was the last holdout of enemies in play. They detonated, and bodies went flying.

The trouble with motion trackers was simple. They were perfect for detecting incoming threats, and he'd even worked with several of the toys that ONI had developed to identify the electronic frequencies which the Elites' active camouflage gave off. If a second sniper was set back outside of the forty-meter range of his motion tracker, but also immobile, they were incredibly difficult to spot, even for someone with a Spartan's enhanced vision. His hand was still on Lasky's shoulder, keeping the Commander down behind the nanolaminate wall when the shots rang out.

Corey's reflexes were perhaps the fastest of any Spartan-II outside of Kelly, and only Kelly had been able to defeat him consistently in terms of raw speed - with his HERMES-class Mjolnir armor he was practically untouchable. The sound of shattering glass pierced the whine of his shield monitor, as the first of three blamite shards from a needle rifle struck the top of the wall. He was moving, faster than Lasky had seen a human - Spartan or not - move. It wasn't enough. It saved his life, without question - he still had vivid memories of what one of those needles could do to an unshielded Spartan, as Kat had died before he'd even managed to catch her. Corey only managed to move enough to turn a lethal blow into a gut shot, the third needle glancing off of the top of his domed visor.

He dropped behind cover, and Lasky stared at him, calling for a medic on comms, but receiving only static in reply. There was a level of panic radiating from the commander that Corey had never seen, in all the years he'd known the man. "Lasky!" Half a tonne of Spartan slammed into the nanolaminate surface, and Corey could see that Infinity's commander was somewhere else entirely.

He was shocked that the blamite crystal hadn't detonated, the pink-purple shard was pulsing, threatening to do just that, and it'd lodged itself directly beneath his armor plate. It needed to removing carefully, and he didn't have an angle to do so. Lasky was miles, or perhaps years away, and Corey knew that he had to reach him.

"Lasky!" He barked again, with all the authority he could muster. In his mind, it was the voice of Chief Mendez, the authoritative bark he heard whenever he needed to push himself just that little bit harder. The part of a soldier's brain which resonates with that tone, drilled in from morning to night for years woke up, and he blinked rapidly, memories of the bodies of his classmates drifting into the background of his vision, threatening to resurface at any time.

Everything was a blur. Smoke and shadow, darkness lit by streaks of green and pink, the muzzle flashes of ODST's fighting a valiant, losing fight. Mehaffey had been protecting him, as well. "Get to the dorm! Go!" Her gestures were frantic, but she remained in control. "Go! Go! GO!" And then that sound, needler fire struck her chest, her shoulders and took her off of her feet. His mind was on a loop, deafened by the cacophony of this brand new war that had burst into their young lives in a blaze of plasma fire. A hand grabbed him, hard, dragging him into the light...

"Tom, I need you here. Now." Corey was holding the wound closed around the shard, he needed it gone, but it was all Tom could do to look his reflection in the face. He slipped back into it.

It was a nightmare; it had to be. Aliens? Here? Hastati was cut in half, only saved by the timely intervention of Master Chief 117. He never found out his name, if he even had one, just the number stenciled onto his armor. He trusted the Chief with his life, though he couldn't place why, and that trust was well placed, as he took fire, saving them again. Sully was hit but walking. General Black's lifeless eyes haunted him as he dragged his body from his Warthog, and fear kept his head down as he tried desperately to get the vehicle started. And then they were clear. It was incredibly surreal, escaping into the forest, weapons blaring around him as those creatures with shields fell, Chyler putting her years of rifle training to efficient use. They were retreating as the Spartan, and the cadre of cadets sped towards the Pelican. Someone yelled, he wasn't quite sure who, and the vehicle was blasted by the wash of a plasma grenade. The cadet slammed on the brakes, fearing that he'd send them off into the trees if he didn't stop until his vision cleared, the thump of a jackal hitting the windshield reminding him that he needed to get the engine running as fast as possible, but it wasn't working.

The report of a Battle Rifle firing jogged Tom out of his reverie, the Spartan beside him finding it in himself to take out the sniper, despite his injury. The first burst missed entirely, but the next was on point. Three rounds, spread further than usual because he was shaking with the effort to hold himself up pierced the Jackal's skull, killing it instantly. Corey could feel the blood beneath his armor's undersuit, and he dropped. It was far from the most blood he'd lost, but he knew he needed it sealing, and soon.

Gunfire wasn't enough to break Lasky from his waking nightmare entirely, and Corey was running out of options, aside from simply slapping his face.

"Tom? Tom?!" Each moment that he didn't react, Chyler's voice became more panicked. Once he realized what was going on, he screamed for the Chief, but he had no biofoam. They had to get her to the Pelican before she bled out, which would've been a challenge on a good day, and today was definitely not one of those. They ran as best as they could, panting breaths and Chyler's whimpers punctuated only by the staccato sound of 117's assault rifle and the roars of the creature that dwarfed even their savior. Terror propelled them forward, but that adrenaline only carried them so far. They were all exhausted and had been running on fumes since the invasion had started. They were cadets, not ODSTs; they weren't prepared for this. How could they be?

More Covenant troops were exiting the facility, and Corey would've typically used this time to rush the doors, blast his way through the Covie line and get inside, a tactic the Spartans had used to great effect on numerous occasions. His body geared itself up for the sprint, even before the logical aspect of his brain reminded him that he had to protect Tom until the Marines returned, and the pain told him that he was still injured. His shields refused to recharge, likely because of the Subanese shard sticking through his abdomen. Corey released his hold on the crystal, a strange combination of pulsing heat and cold, he pulled the fiberoptic camera from a pouch attached to his armor. The camera displayed on his HUD, and if he'd had more time, he'd have connected the Smart Link from his BR-55 as well, but as it was, he just had to make guesses. At the whine of a plasma grenade on the other side of their barrier, the Spartan covered the Commander's form with his armored body, the detonation shaking Tom out of his reverie, as tears streamed down his cheek, dripping onto his fist that appeared to be miming holding another person's hand.

Corey fired blind, adjusting the angle of his rifle based on the trace of each three round burst. He killed two of the new arrivals, though he managed to drive the rest back into cover, waiting for them to pop their heads up.

"You've seen this before, haven't you, sir?" The Spartan asked, noting Lasky's reaction as his eyes flickered down to the injury.

The Commander nodded; his eyes glassy with tears. Corey recalled John telling him what had happened during their evacuation of Corbulo - the way that his friend had died. Corey winced, though not from the pain. Along with Linda, he'd flown the Pelican out of there, but he'd not met any of the cadets when they reached their destination, not meeting Lasky until years later, during his pilot days.

"I understand that this is painful for you, sir, but I need you to focus." Corey rumbled. "The Marines will be back soon, but we need to take the first steps n- keep your damned head down, sir!" The Spartan's voice was warm and steady, holding a comforting certainty that hadn't been getting through to Infinity's XO until he got snappy. He wasn't feeling as confident as he sounded, but he knew that he needed to project that for Lasky's sake.

Lasky came closer, and as he took a closer look at Corey's wound, the remaining color drained from his face. He looked as though he was about to either vomit or vanish into his head once again, until the Spartan gripped his arm, hard. The pain was enough to keep him focused on the present. "Look, Tom, this won't kill me, but I need your help." He shook the Commander's arm, for emphasis. "Focus on my voice, Tom. Everything will be okay, and I just need you to focus on doing as I say. I'll walk you through it." He paused a moment, switching off his vocoder as he gasped with pain. "Freya, can you make sure that my shields don't recharge? Last thing I need is to be ripped apart because that energy overloads the crystal."

There was a momentary pause, and the alarm cut. "I've disconnected it from your armor's power supply, Corey. Just remember not to stick your head into the line of fire until after we've booted it back up. I'm not a fan of you injuring yourself." Despite the rich amusement in the AI's tone, he knew that she was entirely serious.

"Yes dear." He deadpanned, and for a moment her avatar glowed green on his HUD, arms crossed and shaking her head.

"What do you need me to do?" Lasky's shaky voice cut in. There he was - the soldier that John had described from Corbulo. Brave despite what he was feeling, or perhaps because of it. Corey passed him a biofoam canister, a small model which he kept on his belt for extended field missions, something that came in useful in this case as his suit's injectors were either empty, or the local one was damaged, and he hadn't realized. Ideally, the shard would've been removed with actual medical equipment, but it wasn't the first time he'd had to improvise in the field.

Finding a neatly folded square of slightly grease-splattered cloth in one of his belt pouches, he passed it over as well. Tom was shaking, perhaps too much to do what was necessary, and Corey's eyes darted rapidly from side to side as he searched the officer's face, searching for something for him to hold onto. He couldn't comfort him the way he did other Spartans, it simply wasn't enough for the vast majority of people. "Pop open the biofoam canister, ready to use. One layer of cloth around your fingers, to avoid any potential charge transference," Corey told him, forced steadiness in his tone. It might have been seconds, minutes or even hours since he took the hit, but he could feel that he needed this dealt with now. "Take hold of the end in one hand, slide it towards you, gently, as straight as you can. Biofoam goes in straight after."

"Okay." The Commander breathed, his fingers shaking.

"Tom, look at me. The Master Chief believed in you, all those years ago. If he were here today, he would still. I know that because I do. Right here and now. You can do this." Lasky's eyes hardened, his jaw setting at the mention of John, the confidence that he'd shown in Tom all those years ago still stirred something in him now. He wouldn't let him down.

His gauntlet-clad fist squeezed his battle rifle with enough force that the casing creaked, cracking under his powerful grip, heat, and cold, as well as jolts of electrical charge, coursing through the area of the wound as the subanese crystal shivered its way free. Tom inserted the biofoam end, and the sensation changed, a combination of a crawling itch, pain, and relief blending themselves together as the life-saving substance did its work.

"Save some, Tom." He gestured towards the crystal. "Coat that in it, and let's get it into the canister. It's rare that we see them like this outside of lab conditions, maybe it'll give us new answers." He was in too much pain to smile with any feeling, so out of reflex, two fingers came up in front of his mouth, swiping across quickly, as the Commander frowned, then realization set in.

[asuccessfulbusinessman]

This is my Gundam Build Divers OC-

Alright, I’ve already jokingly made an OC- Leo Greatfang, who pilots a straight build Leo and knows the 48 Killer Moves- Finishing Move 01, Finishing Move 02... etc. They’re all wrestling moves, if you still haven’t caught the referen-

Anyway, Gundam Build Divers episode 23 had a really bad fight scene between two mooks and Riku, where Riku loses his full armor to a surprise attack, gets called selfish, curb stomps the mooks, and then cries- implicitly promising he won’t destroy GBN, and explicitly promising to save Sarah. And I thought... how could we make that better, without changing anything else about the show? I mean, it is an isolated mook fightscene, so this is one area we can change without affecting anything else. Also, my muse is telling me to write, and I want to write about mobile suits.

Well, the easy answer is, make the fight more animated- with less “stills,” less beams. But that would add to the cost of production, so let's presume they’re saving their budget, and assume any fight scene we do make can’t be that well animated. A better answer would be, have the Tequila Gundam we saw in, like, episode 4 show up and have the pilot go “can’t let you do that kid...” This allows Riku to curbstomp an enemy he had troubles fighting at the start of the show, showing his growth, and allows the Tequila Gundam pilot to show that he too cares about GBN- which makes sense considering how much he worked to rank up.

But, that’s still fairly shallow. The ideal fightscene would have an opponent who really truly cares about GBN, but who isn’t too hamfisted about it. So let me introduce my Gundam Build Divers OC-

Daryl Lorenz. Well, not the real Daryl Lorenz, but rather, someone with his face. We only ever see him from the chest up, and he doesn’t wear the Zeon uniform. Thanks to the Colasour easter egg, this doesn’t interfere with the narrative at all, especially for kids who probably have not watched Gundam Thunderbolt. Anyone who has watched Thunderbolt can connect Rommel’s line about “some people can only walk in GBN” if they think about it hard enough, but as this is already simply a reference, it becomes a “Eureka!” moment for discovering it, and not hamfisted characterization/moralization.

Anyway, let’s handle the fight scene. Daryl doesn’t speak all that much, no “you’re being selfish” to undermine his point. And we only see his face when he gives a battle cry near the end of the fight. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Daryl pilots a Zudah painted Orange and Yellow. You could call it the “living dead” Zudah, as the Zudah is likely an MS that would be used by the living dead squadron, but if I had to give it a name it would be the Pheonix Zudah. All the standard armaments of the Zudah, plus it appears to have two Vulcans coming from the chest. More on that later.

If there’s anything Star Wars Episode 7 taught me anything, it’s that mooks who defy being cannon fodder are cool. And so, Daryl gets Riku’s attention by shouting “You!” at him, before landing on the ground with a thud and throwing his ranged weapons aside. He pulls out a HEAT Hawk, and assumes a stance. One-on-one baby. Not only is this cool to me, a melee freak, it implicitly gives Riku a choice- to try and run past a mobile suit with no ranged options, or to fight him. Logically, if he wants to “win,” he would try to avoid getting bogged down. However, that would go against the whole reason to have a force battle- to let the Gunpla decide things. And so, Riku fights. And by that I mean, lands and draws a beam saber before we cut to a different scene.

Now, as an aside, I said this scene wouldn’t change anything else about the show, but if the creators planned all this out ahead of time- you’d see the brightly painted Pheonix Zudah in the background as part of the big Coalition Battle against the Break Decal users that happened earlier in the series. This would cement Daryl’s passion in the “You!” he shouts, as he had seen the wings of light firsthand. It also adds a layer of perceived betrayal. That is, if you sifted through the series with a fine-toothed comb.

Back to Riku’s scene- a still where Riku and Daryl are having a beam saber-HEAT hawk clash, and Riku is able to keep Daryl at bay. So, after Daryl jumps back, we see the Zudah freeze (gotta save that animation budget) in a “DBZ powerup stance,” and then the afterburners kick in- the Zudah engine roaring.

Now, Riku doesn’t know much about the more obscure mobile suits, that’s Yuuki’s domain; but he is smart/intuitive enough to recognize when someone is about to go all out. We hear his thoughts (because he’ll likely vocalize it), as contemplates whether to use TRANS-AM to counter, but decides against it, as using it too soon would make winning the force battle impossible. However, while he’s contemplating, we see the Zudah swing his arm back, flipping out the blade on top of the shield, and charging straight at Riku. Ideally, we’d see a still of the Zudah flying straight ahead, with the legs “obscured” by the body- more on that later, the shield blade lodging itself into the 00 Sky’s full armor, and then a cut to Riku’s cockpit.

Now, we know there is one technique the Zudah can use in GBN that would be too prohibitively expensive to use in Gunpla Duel. That is, the nature of the Zudah to self-destruct due to the engine. This choice of mobile suit, then, furthers Daryl’s characterization two-fold. He is grateful to GBN, because it’s the only place where the Zudah can realize its true potential, so he is willing to use his mobile suit to the fullest and sacrifice it to protect GBN. This is in stark contrast to Riku, who would refuse to use TRANS-AM if it “hurt” the mobile suit- and still wears a scar in memoriam of the 00-Diver.

Speaking of Riku, he’s a smart lad. Intuitively, he knows that trading 1-for-1 in this situation effectively makes it his loss. He‘s realized, or at the very least, can assume Daryl’s plan is to self-destruct and jettisons the full armor, allowing him to escape the blast zone as it goes off. Riku starts to apologize, but then we see Vulcan fire dispersing the smoke cloud. 

Meet the Raptor, the lower half of the Pheonix Zudah. It’s basically a cockpit with legs. And, of course, those two chest Vulcans we mentioned earlier. That’s right, we using Bawoo technology with this custom! Except, the Bawoo had the legs be the automated part, and gave the legs a hilariously stupid name. Anyway, the cockpit does a minor transformation, folding out forward to look less like a brick on legs and more like a wingless bird. If you want a reference to visualize this, look up MechAssault’s Corvus (not, ironically enough, MechAssault’s Raptor). Anyway, the cockpit now is glass, or at least see-through, and we (and Riku) see Daryl’s face as the smoke clears. 

Another scene switch. When we come back, we see 00-Sky shrugging off Vulcan fire like it’s nothing. You see, a big problem I have with the Coalition Volunteers is that they often aren’t characterized (recall that Rommel’s men are cut down without so much as a voiceline earlier in the episode) and when they are, they come off as cocky, so sure they’re going to win. As much as it pains me to say, Riku is a top pilot of GBN, and many of these Volunteers should be desperate in fighting to stop him. And so, we see Daryl’s desperate fighting spirit, using a walker whose only armaments are a desperation weapon that, in many Gundam series, can barely even scratch a Gundam. This is also where we hear, and see (because we’re zooming into a cockpit view to save animation budget), Daryl giving a battle cry. Because he doesn’t just have the Vulcans.

He has his legs. That’s right, after some fancy footwork used to avoid fire while charging, Daryl goes for a running kick- hell make it a running kick combo. If you haven’t guessed, I really like “walker”-esque mechs, and love it when mobile suits actually run instead of just flying 24/7. 

“But Businessman,” you may be asking, “how can your characterization be so grossly hamfisted? Isn’t this taking the whole ‘only walk in GBN’ thing a bit too far?”

You are like little baby, listen to this.

How, do you think, is Riku going to win this battle? Is it with a beam saber? With a rifle? Or with the sky leg guards, and a “shoot” kick that sends the Raptor flying? Obviously, the last one says something, but I am not entirely clear about what it says. I think this one might be something left up to individual interpretation. Anyway, now we can have Riku crying, now that he’s earned those tears after seeing someone go all out to stop him, even if he does not over analyze the fight as much as I have.

Now, while I may have called the original fight scene bad, it wasn’t really that bad- too many people seem to love to hate Build Divers- I just wanted to see if I could make it better.

Or, at the very least, premiere my own completely original character Baryl and his cool as heck ace custom that I wish I could make-