#north defence squad

[my-name-is-markus-with-a-k]

"I shouldn't have told you..."

[hchollym]

It's very possible that Rickon will be Bran's heir (in the books), since he can't have children (I have serious doubts that they are suddenly going to start voting on rulers like a democracy - it's more likely that they're going to have a Great Council/Parliament to reduce the power of the king).

If Rickon is Bran's heir (with no possibility of being removed from that position because Bran will never suddenly have kids to replace him), then he wouldn't be King in the North. Therefore, Sansa is next in line. ☺️👑

How can Sansa become queen in the end if Rickon is still alive? He is ahead of her in succession

Well, I certainly hope for Rickon's health that GRRM has a loophole worked out, because the textual hints point to a wintery crown on Sansa's head.

We know Bran survives, who is also ahead of Sansa in the current line of succession, so unless Bran alone credibly abdicates his claim in spite of his young age, there may be a mechanism at play that simply disregards the two brothers or changes the line of succession entirely.

All I know is GRRM placed too many hints for both queenship and returning to and rebuilding Winterfell into her arc for that to be going nowhere. So that's a thing that's happening. The circumstances are going to shift in a way that will allow that to happen.

[oshlet]

Three CRM light mechs (two snow-dopes, one snow-dope heavy) on patrol in the flats of Sond's north pole, acting as a show of force in response to increasing ice-pirate activity in the region. The North Pole watchpoint maintains a garrison of 15 light mechs at all times, alongside a host of transport and utility vehicles and experimental units undergoing testing in the isolated region.

The Snow Dope is a fairly standard light mech, featuring a head mounted point defence laser, back mounted choke-grenade launcher and normally equipped with an autocannon rifle and shoulder-mounted single-shot laser array. The Dope heavy is almost identical save for additional support servos on the legs, a waist mount for a heavy weapon and its ammunition, a second shoulder mount and a bulked up cooling system.

Most models of heavy dope have no additional armour compared to the standard and are thus marked as priority targets by enemy combatants. Their extra weight and size also makes them less manoeuvrable, making them unpopular to pilot. That said, the additional firepower is always respected and the rest of the squad will usually make efforts to defend their heavy.

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: November 13, 2024

Reworked Group #3: Peregrine Falcons Squad

Overview

Shortly after the establishment of the Regular Army, the Joint Military Police Headquarters assisted the Regular Army in dismantling a transnational drug trafficking organisation led by a corrupt North American politician. Recognizing the benefits of a strategic partnership, the Chief of the Regular Army and the Joint Military Police Headquarters formed an agreement to establish an elite task force. This specialised unit would handle high-risk situations requiring indirect or covert intervention, beyond the scope of conventional military operations. The newly founded elite task force branch would be called the Peregrine Falcons Squad and became the Regular Army's first special forces unit.

As part of their affiliation with the Joint Military Police Headquarters, they serve as highly trained soldiers supporting global law enforcement. They assist police officers from various countries with transnational criminal issues and global security threats. They also aid in preventing global terrorist threats and combating warfare waged by highly dangerous groups.

Insignia

It features a two-engrailed shield outlined in gold, divided into three columns: saffron-yellow on the right side, emerald green in the centre, and crimson on the left side. The initials "P.F." are rendered in dark silver, separated by a gold bullet, and surmounted by a downward-facing sword with a ruddy blue hilt, positioned behind the shield. A circular wreath of laurel leaves encircles the shield, evoking the image of the sun rising over the horizon. Two stylized peregrine falcons with ruddy blue eyes stand guard on either side of the shield, adopting a heraldic pose.

P.F. Squad Base

The Joint Military Police Headquarters is situated adjacent to the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. base, nestled deep within a dense forest in Northern Russia. It’s a high-security, hexagonal-shaped facility equipped with an advanced camouflage system that can adapt and change its exterior appearance to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, mimicking rocky, snowy, and greenery hues. he compound is reinforced with multiple surveillance posts, each manned by expertly trained snipers. Additionally, it features security cameras integrated with non-lethal deterrents and advanced perimeter defence systems, equipped with intrusion detection and rapid response capabilities. Within the compound lies the following facilities:

A Defence Department that serves as a centralised hub for strategic planning, operational command, and tactical control.

A well-maintained barracks for military personnel, providing a safe and functional living environment.

A Combat Academy, led by Sophia Greenville, featuring advanced combat training centre, a simulated warfare environment, a tactical operations centre, a physical conditioning gym, and a medical and recovery wing.

A secure storage facility for firearms, ammunition, and tactical gear with strict access control and inventory management.

A maintenance and storage facility for military vehicles, ensuring readiness and operational capability.

A secure conference facility for senior leaders to conduct high-level briefings, financial planning, and strategic sessions.

A restricted briefing area for P.F. Squad commanders and elite operatives to plan missions, share intelligence, and coordinate tactical operations.

A self-sustaining military city, fully equipped and trained to respond to emerging threats with rapid deployment capability.

Marco’s Base

It's worth noting that the P.F. Squad operates multiple bases worldwide, all of which are named after birds of prey, such as Condor Operations Base, Hierofalcon Operations Base, or Goshawk Operations Base.

Owned by the P.F. Squad, the Sparrowhawk Operations Base, hidden in a forested mountain in an unoccupied area of Britain, serves as the residence for Marco, Eri and her team of rebel Ptolemaic troops, Tarma, Fio, Trevor, Nadia, Ralf, Clark, Tequila, Gimlet, and Red Eye. It’s camouflaged to blend seamlessly into its surroundings, serving as the nerve centre for their operations. They have a nearby landing pad, camouflaged by a thicket of trees, allowing aircraft to land undetected. The base features multiple facilities:

A large, circular room equipped with eighteen business chairs, a holographic display table, a large cork board for investigative purposes, and multiple maps for various missions, serving as a central hub for tactical planning and military briefings.

A private workspace for Marco and the others, which is equipped with a mini fridge, work computers, twenty file cabinets, sixteen rosewood desks, secure communication devices, a business phone to call friends, family, and other military personnel, and a vast library of military strategies and historical texts.

A heavily fortified room storing an arsenal of firearms, ammunition, and tactical explosives.

A well-stocked storage room containing uniforms and tactical gear.

A laundry room equipped with two washing machines and two dryers where they can wash and dry their dirty clothing.

A spacious dormitory features numerous comfortable beds and a secure safe for storing the soldiers' phones and wallets, each labelled with its owner's name. In a cozy nook perfectly suited for Perifa, Sparky, and Mr. Kibleton, their feline-friendly setup awaits, complete with a cat tower, three plush beds, a variety of toys, three food bowls, and a filtered water dish.

Three clean and well-maintained bathrooms with showers, toilets, and sinks.

A secure, climate-controlled garage houses their primary vehicle, the SV-001, maintenance equipment, a couple of motorcycles, and a small oakwood table for Tarma’s boombox and assortment of alternative and metal rock tapes.

A kitchen equipped with a dishwasher, a sink, a marble top counter, a cabinet full of plates and cups, and a built-in breakfast bar and eight stools for quick meals and planning sessions. The kitchen features a refrigerator with a freezer, a secure, locked pantry, a discreetly hidden coffee maker, and modern, high-efficiency appliances with advanced features like automated meal prep and cooking A large, sturdy table made of smooth oak wood serves as a central hub for meal planning, tactical discussions, and mission briefings. Additionally, the kitchen includes hidden compartments and drawers for storing snacks and energy bars.

A cozy recreational space with a plush couch, coffee table, wall-mounted wide-screen television, cabinet full of board games, dartboard, and nostalgic decor featuring posters of 80s action movies and 90s anime. For entertainment and stress relief, the room is also equipped with four classic arcade machines (CarnEvil, Shinobi, Contra: Hard Corps, and Dance Dance Revolution).

Extra Information

Members of the P.F. Squad are commonly known by the monikers "Peregriners" or "Falconists", distinguishing themselves from other Regular Army soldiers and special forces units.

Despite being an elite task force, Peregriners, regardless of gender, receive only half the salary of an average police officer. Furthermore, underperforming Peregriners face additional financial strain, as they often experience delayed salary payments, waiting anywhere from two to four weeks to receive their compensation.

The P.F. Squad is frequently joined by the Intelligence Agency's special forces unit, S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., in situations that the Regular Army requires them to handle.

They possess a remote archipelago in the South Pacific, which serves as the final training ground for P.F. Squad cadets. This culminating training session challenges cadets to survive in a hostile environment with scarce resources and limited weaponry, fostering reliance on teamwork, independence, and adaptability. In accordance with a mutual agreement, the P.F. Squad has granted the Regular Army permission to utilise the remote archipelago as a training ground for cadets interested in joining the special forces as Regular soldiers. Those training for the special forces are required to wear vests in their chosen colour with the P.F. Squad logo embroidered on the back.

The handguns carried by Peregriners are the Murder .50AE, which is modelled after the Colt M1911A1 pistol. It’s a semi-automatic pistol that fires .50 calibre Action Express rounds. The magazine capacity is seven rounds with an additional round able to be stored in the chamber.

[trentslfcc]

Scoreboard of the heart🤍 -

Bukayo Saka

Summary: You're at your boyfriends match, watching him play and he scores a brilliant goal. When you get home, you make sure to congratulate him.

Warnings: Smut (18+)

-

Sitting at the Arsenal emirates stadium brought you a sense of proudness, watching your boyfriend play. Bukayo was a regular starter as he was a quality player, being an amazing attribute to his team. He was brilliant for his club and country, gaining the respect he deserved from fans and other players. The crowd roared as the players came out of the tunnel to stand in their team lines before shaking hands with the opposition. Today, arsenal were facing manchester united, a team you didn't like at all due to the rivalry. At the end of the day, you would always back your man. Your team had been doing well as of late, balancing on top of the table with manchester city only one point behind. If they won this game, they would be four points clear. Liverpool weren't far behind either being two points away. So with that being said, the pressure was on as the season was coming to a close very soon. Arsenal were the favourites to win it but being favourites didn't mean anything as if they lost today, as focus would shift on to the two teams just below you. Coming from north london, you had been an Arsenal fan all your life. Your father would have kicked you out if you weren't, as he told you himself. Imagine his relief when he found out the player you were dating was Bukayo Saka. You had met him unexpectedly about four years and you two hit it off immediately. It was love at first sight. Now you guys had a house together, planning a wedding and talking about your future. He loved how supportive you were and how reassuring you were when he lost a match. You both couldn't be more grateful to God that He had led you to one another and blessed your lives forever. Bukayo had spoken to you about how important this match was to him, hoping and praying that his team would win which you knew they could.

The players were now stood in their position, waiting for the referee's whistle to blow so that the match could finally begin and once it had, tensions were up in the air. Arsenal started off strong, managing to get past united's back line as not even 5 minutes in, there was already a shot on target but unfortunately, it was caught by the keeper, not hitting the back of the net. This caused the fans to groan but optimism was still present as the game had just begun and they knew the quality of their players. By the 15' minute, chances were being created by the red devils but to no avail as Saliba and Gabriel made sure to stop any oncoming attackers. It was visible that Rashford was trying his best, however your team was stronger. Saka was a crucial part of the squad which was evident by his runs and his ability to see through the defence of the opposition, cutting through them regularly. He was just perfect, wasn't he? When it had been 30 minutes, the united players started losing their pace a little bit, trying not concede a goal in the first half so it could further their chances of atleast getting a draw, but to their dismay, Saka charged through their defence for was seemed like the eighth time, rapidly passed the ball to Havertz who was closer to the net than he was, resulting in a beautiful goal. Instantly, joy and celebrations could be heard across the stands. Saka had delivered a brilliant assist. The score remained 1-0 to Arsenal up to halftime.

During halftime, you scrolled through instagram comments and fan pages dedicated to your club to read about what people thought of your boyfriend's performance so far. You were proud of his assist, knowing he could do more. He had such a positive impact on the team and the people around him. It was something that emphasised how in love you were with him. The fans loved him so much aswell and you knew that they would defend him everytime someone said anything negative about him. You knew how much this match meant to the players, fans, the manager and staff, they just needed to stay one step ahead of man united and they would be clear.

The stands got louder as the players were making their way out the tunnel again for the second half of the match. A win was never promised, but it could be predicted. The reason for this being that Arsenal were just as strong as they had been in the first half, if not stronger, only a few minutes into the second 45 minutes. Ten hag's words must have not been very influential as manchester united were lacking once again. To be fair to them, your team was one of the best right now and it was difficult for any team to beat them. Chances and chances were being created with Rice making sure to run in forward as usual. Saka was desperate for a goal and it was very noticeable. He was hungry for the win. In the 53' minute, he flew past the red devil's defence, a normal occurrence this evening, so that he could be in front of Rice who currently had the ball at his feet. He didn't even think before passing the ball to Saka who hit the back of the net, hitting it past the keeper and causing the crowd to go crazy. You knew he could do it.

"That's my man." You jumped up out of your seat as soon as the ball went in, satisfied with his performance today. Not only had he assisted, but he had also scored an amazing goal. He could only be proud of himself. He celebrated by doing a knee slide out of adrenaline, getting up after and hugging his teammates who had gathered around him. You blushed when he blew you a kiss from all the way on the pitch. What a man he was.

The match continued smoothly as he kept focus throughout. There was no way united were going to get their get back now, as it was nearly impossible for them to do so. When it had reached the 85' minute, the opposing players looked as if they had given up and so did Ten Hag. As the final whistle blew, the stands sung and cheered for their team. Full time result: 2-0 to Arsenal.

After the match had ended, you waited for Bukayo to get his phone back so that he could text you when to meet him at your usual place. You were going to hug him tightly and pepper him with kisses. He deserved it. You also posted on instagram to taunt the man united fans because why not? Your boyfriend messaged you soon after telling you to come at meet him near the changing rooms as he was ready to leave now and go home. So were you.

"I'm so proud of you." You ran up to him, beaming at what he had done this evening. You couldn't help but jump into his arms which made him smile from ear to ear. He loved you so much, it was insane. He planted a peck on your lips, showing you that he appreciated your support, as always and carried you in his arms towards the car. "I love you so much."

"I love you baby." He returned with a gaze of love. There was no way you weren't going to congratulate him properly when you got home, but you couldn't let him know that. He was a simple man. He won, he only wanted to be with you. He lost, he only wanted to be with you. He always needed you. You were his rock.

When you got in the car, you were impatiently waiting to get home. Why was he such a slow driver? It was unbelievable sometimes. Bukayo saw your slight annoyance as he turned to you quickly, causing him to chuckle at you.

"Why do you look annoyed?" He asked you innocently. You were getting closer and closer to your home, thankfully.

"I'm not." You masked your irritation. As he was a careful observer and protective boyfriend, could you really blame him for not being the fastest? At least he was keeping you safe.

After an hour, you had finally arrived home. You were excited for what was about to happen next, something he was still unaware about but you knew he would have no problem with. As soon as you opened the door, you dragged him inside and locked it behind you. Your lips pressed against his immediately, resulting in a make out session on the couch. He was the most beautiful man on earth. Just kissing him made your pussy wet. It was uncontrollable. As your kiss got more and more passionate, you could feel him growing underneath you until he was at his maximum. You began grinding yourself on him, rocking your hips back and forth and in circles. He couldn't help but groan, feeling the consequences of your actions and absolutely loving how you felt on him. The things you did to him was unexplainable. There was absolutely no one else that could rev him up the way you did. Your lips were still connected as he started taking off your clothes gently. Your moans highlighted how good your clit felt rubbing against his hard cock. Once you ripped his shirt off, he moved down and began kissing your neck, making the noises that released from your mouth louder unintentionally. Bukayo was the type of man that had to always make sure you felt good and comfortable before he would have sex with you, which was shown when he pulled away and asked you if 'everything was okay'. He was the sweetest ever. There was no one like him. You nodded, pulling him back in for a deep kiss while continuing to grind on him.

"You feel so good baby." He spoke, using his hands to help you even though you didn't need help. Before you could pull him into another kiss, he gently lifted you up and so that he could take off your panties and skirt and then his sweatpants and boxers. As soon as you were both naked, you softly sat down on his dick while he held on to your waist. You gasped feeling your pussy stretch out because of his big cock. You didn't even need foreplay, you just needed it inside you, which he very much knew. "You feel so good." He groaned at how warm you felt. It was amazing with him as always. Bouncing up and down on his cock, your tits moved in unison with your body, making you even sexier to him. Your moans were amazing as he could tell they were genuine and he could tell how much you enjoyed his cock.

"You like this baby?" He asked you in a low voice, making sure everything was okay even though he knew that you were in ecstasy. This was something that made you feel even more loved as most men weren't like this. You had one of the good ones. A rare one. Only to yourself.

"Y-yess." You managed to let out as his cock hit your g-spot. It always hit the right places. It was so easy for Bukayo to make you cum.

Riding him was one of your favourite sex positions and his also, you hadn't even noticed the time when you were getting closer and closer to reaching your high. You could feel that sensation in your stomach about to release all over his cock as he felt your pussy clench around him.

"Cum for me gorgeous." He commanded you before you both came at the same time. That was incredible. The dick was good as usual. You remained on him, whilst he pulled you back into a kiss, wanting to feel your lips on his again.

This was the man you wanted to grow old with and the man you would do anything for. He loved you more than words could express and you loved him enormously. He was your soulmate.

-

I'm a liverpool fan as you guys know 🤍🫶🏽 YNWA so it pained me to write this😭 jk, but I like Saka so it's fineee

And as you guys know, all my main characters are black woman and Saka has a gf so why not use Tolami as the main character? Sorry if i made any spelling mistakes x

Hope you guys enjoyed🤍🤍

[carlassi-77]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND with the TOO MUCH hate thrown to Sansa Stark

As a fan of Sansa Stark, as sansa stan, I can't understand why she receives so much unnecessary hate from people, even for the smallest reasons! It's frustrating to see negative comments about her, even in discussions that have nothing to do with her. Comments like "Sansa is power-hungry" or "Sansa only cares about herself, Sansa this, Sansa that", etc don't reflect her true character, invalid reeasons. I mean, if you hate Sansa, fine, but at least find valid reasons to hate her LOL. A lot of hate that I found thrown at Sansa is baseless or invalid, like.. you claim to hate a character but the reason why do you hate the character is MEH 🫤. And even I found some statements regarding Sansa are misleading❗️.

Like.. you are wasting your time on a character that you hate by saying invalid/unreasonable things. We, the Sansa stans are like: 😂😂😊😒

In both the book series and the Game of Thrones TV show, Sansa Stark is the opposite of what these comments say. She is a kind and empathetic person who genuinely cares for her people. Her character has shown significant growth and development throughout her journey. She has become smart not the old naive Sansa anymore, she learned❗️.

It's normal for teenagers who just hit puberty, whose emotions are unstable, including Sansa, to have moments of immaturity, and it's unfair to judge her for that. Don't act as if you all didn’t act like a brat when you all were teenagers who hit puberty.

The negative reactions toward her seem to stem from a misogynistic mindset that can't accept a traditional feminine woman being powerful and resilient, it's you all who are just misogynists or anti to a feminine woman. Just because she is a traditional feminine woman and doesn't need to pick up a sword to be powerful and she survived and she has done so much for her people, so you all hate her for that… really??? And if you say that Sansa did nothing you better touch some grass cuz it's so wrong

She cannot use weapons, she only knows basic fight and she is not a combatant like Arya or Brienne, but she is powerful. Power does not always rely on the physique, Sansa's true power is on her brain, and she played the game. She's a deadly politician, diplomat, tactician, and manipulator (manipulator in a good way). She is strong LIKE A LADY, LADY-LIKE STRENGTH LIKE HER MOTHER.

Sansa learned from Cersei, Petyr Baelish, Tyrion, Margaery, etc. She absorbed the good but she threw the bad one. Sansa Stark they could never make me hate you ❤️❤️. I love her ❤️🥺.

I find it frustrating when people continue to speak negatively about Sansa after all this time. Some people seem to have issues with Sansa for invalid reasons, which is ridiculous. You can hate a character, but if you hate the character for invalid reasons of course people would questioning you. Moreover hating without valid proofs and misleading understanding.

And by the way in the TV show, it's important to remember that Sansa is winning, she's the Queen in the North, and the last words on the show were her people proclaiming her as their queen. All of the surviving main characters respect Sansa's competence, kindness, intelligence, and strength. In addition, Arya expressed love and admiration for her sister, and Jon killed Dany for Sansa. So, feel free to talk negatively about her, but Sansa and her supporters have definitely come out on top.

A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) Novel Series Revision

Dear mr. George Raymond Richard Martin, I think you really need to do revision to your ASOIAF (A Song of Ice and Fire) novel series. Like.. several parts in your series need to be revised/A.K.A re-writing. PLEASE, a lot of ASOIAF enthusiasts feel the same feeling just like me‼️❗️😭���🥺

I'm highly, highly, and highly SUGGESTING‼️❗️. But of course I know, as the AUTHOR, I know the decision is up to YOU SIR. I will not forcing, I'm just highly SUGGESTING as an enthusiast of ASOIAF.

Thank you!! With all respect❗️😊

[nothinggathers]

For the ask game 12, 16, 24

(I completely forgot who all I asked so sorry if this is my second ask)

It wasn't your second , but oh, boy, you asked for it...

12. Unpopular character you actually like and why more people should like them

You know, I don't actually know for this one. Mostly because I don't really know who the unpopular characters are. North is an easy answer, because she's hated, but she's hated because of the way she was written, and she was written by a stupid white dude that likes to sexually abuse female characters in his work and then have them cleansed through relationships with the male hero. But this isn't supposed to be about why DC should have been smacked over the head with a hardback copy of his three hundred thousand word script. And North has quite the ardent defence squad, and honestly, the fact they can pick a salvageable, likeable character out of the mess this script made her is awesome, and good for them.

When it comes to characters that I think the game wanted us to like that a lot of the fandom, justifiably, doesn't, I think I'd choose Carl. I kind of like Carl. I don't think the game wanted you to examine his relationship with Leo too closely, and they clearly wanted you to view Carl as Markus' father figure, including having Markus breakdown and call him Dad. And of course, it's a DC game, so all of that is handled with the nuance and subtlety of a railgun. But the thing I like about Carl is that he's trying. He knows he fucked up with Leo, and I think he took Markus as a chance to try and do better, and yeah, Markus was absolutely trapped in that gilded cage and required to take orders he may not have agreed with right up until he deviated, but Carl is one of the few humans that is not a total piece of shit to his android. I think more of us would probably be like Carl if realistically humanoid androids became commonplace. We'd get attached, and we'd treat them like members of the family, and we'd make mistakes and do shit that's insensitive in hindsight, and I think most of the humans in the game should have been more like Carl rather than the humans we see. Where the next closest thing we see to a human being decent to an android is Hank, and I adore Hank but hoo boy. I mean Hank gets there quickly (a week! a week! he goes from "If I had my way I'd toss the lot of you in a dumpster and set a match to it" to "So if I don't potentially aid and abet something I'm starting to think might be a genocide then you personally are going to be killed? Aight, lemme just end my career and punch this FBI dude in the face" IN A WEEK) but he sure doesn't start out as pleasantly supportive as Carl does.

So yeah, Carl. I think Carl is how most of us would be. His ownership doesn't come from a place of malice, but one of ignorance, and he's willing to learn.

Of course his proselytizing can get in the bin, but, again, DC, railgun, hardback copy of his own script until he stops twitching.

16. I have already answered here and that one's also a doozy.

24. Topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

Oh god.... Uhh...

Yeah, it's Hankcon. The anti-hankcon shippers have some fucking takes. If you see it as a father/son relationship then crack on, you do you, but that's not how I see it, but I'm a groomer, or a paedo, or I support incest, or whatever the fuck else take I'm gonna hear next.

Connor is an android modeled after a 30 year old (at the time) man. He is smarter than Hank, and he has programming based in manipulation and ingratiating himself with humans.

Hank is an actual human being, a police lieutenant, and his age is given as 53.

These characters are not physically related. None of these characters are children. None of them are emotionally equivalent to children, and the next person to tell me that Connor is functionally only a few months old is gonna be told to go for the Reed900 shippers because the RK900 is barely days old.

The main reason I don't go in for father/son with these two, aside from the fact that I think they have a very different chemistry together than that, is that I don't like what that implies for Hank's story arc as a character. I like Hank. I want him, in the happy ending of the game, to walk away from it learning that he has a reason to live, and that androids are people, and moving on to live his life and deal with his grief over the loss of his son in a healthy way. He still has something to contribute to the world, and there are still things in the world worth making the effort of contributing for.

I do not want him to latch on to Connor as a replacement goldfish for his dead child. The fact that Connor can come back from death only makes that worse. It means Hank isn't growing and moving on, he's just using Connor as a crutch.

And I don't like that. It feels icky.

But tell that to people and ho lee shitballs do you get some bullshit fired back at you.

[multidimensionalsock]

I am in the northern England Defence squad, the north is nice, I like it more than the south. IF I HEAR ONE MORE SOUTHERNER

[calamitaswrath]

Days twenty-nine to thirty-three (I think? I kinda lost count because I'm not doing these for every day anymore) in Tears of the Kingdom

While still searching for/exploring caves on and around Death Mountain, I decided to take a break from that, and do some Shrines instead. Since I figured that while I was in a shrine, the caves markers would either disappear or still have their one in-game day counter advance, I didn't really want to use that time up, so I had previously just marked the shrines, but not finished them

Doing that, I got once against Distracted™, and decided to do the remaining two mazes instead of going back to Death Mountain - so that meant the maze in Gerudo, and the one in Tabanta

On my way to do the latter one in the sky, I found another treasure map, which pointed me to an underground arena I hadn't done yet. Since it was rather close to a lightroot, I rectified that, and got myself the Ravio mask

After that, it was back to doing shrines, this time doing one north of the Lost Woods that I had already spotted, but not yet done

With all that done, I finally went back to Death Mountain to explore some more caves. . . but then I wanted to split apart a weapon I had without losing its constituent parts, so I had to go to Tarrey Town. Since I still had my cave markers active, this meant I could also search for caves there.

Since one of the weapons that I got from this splitting process was one that was needed in order to have NPCs craft you the champion weapons, I decided to get those instead before I went any further with exploring. I got the Goron, Rito and Zora weapon alright. . . but had no idea where to find the necessary Gerudo NPC, which resulted in me doing a whole bunch of sidequests around that area. Most of them, I even think.

Then I went back to Death Mountain, for realsies this time. And despite some distractions (i.e., a star piece), I did explore the caves there, and finally completed the Dinraal set

At some point during this, I took note of how I still hadn't found any smotherwing butterflies, which I needed to upgrade my Flamebreaker set. After an annoyingly long and fruitless search, I just found a stable where Terry sells them (and finished up a sidequest along the way).

After that, I did a whole bunch of armour upgrades (abusing the fact that I have yet to update my game and therefore still have the easy item duplications glitches). . . until the fact that I had yet to get two materials from Naydra came back to bite me. So, I went after Naydra, and got those. Since one of those materials were just the stones from its back, that was easy enough. Back to upgrading outfit sets

Then I figured that I might as well go all out in upgrading stuff, and went to Malanya. A whole bunch of back and forth to cook stuff later, I had fully upgraded two horses.

Went for a bit of a ride on my newly upgraded horse, and ended up helping out the monster defence squad once more in Akkala

Activated cave markers, and went to Dueling Peaks. I'm pretty sure one of the quests that hint at the location of armour sets is pointing me here, so I prepared myself a flying machine and am ready to take look around the mountains til I find the two caves that are supposed to be there.

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Left: Franca, Right: Mirjalol Kasimov. SOurce: Mohammedan SC Mohammedan SC got off to a promising start in their inaugural ISL season. Despite a valiant effort, they narrowly lost their opening match 1-0 to North East United FC, conceding in injury time. However, they bounced back in the next game to secure their first ISL point in a hard-fought draw against FC Goa, although they again conceded late, dashing their hopes of a win. In their third game, they finally announced their arrival with a historic first ISL victory at the Chennaiyin FC’s home ground, positioning themselves as a potential surprise package ahead of their highly anticipated first-ever ISL derby against Mohun Bagan. But then the decline started. Mohammedan have now lost three consecutive games and are languishing in second-last position on the table. Over the last three games, the Black Panthers have conceded nine goals, appearing increasingly off-track. In their latest outing against Hyderabad FC, a team struggling this season, Mohammedan was punished with three quick goals within the first 15 minutes. So, what’s going wrong for the Black and White Brigade? Let’s examine some key issues that have hindered Mohammedan’s progress after their bright start. Lack of a Clinical Number 9 Mohammedan has managed only three goals in six games, two of which came from penalties. Lalremsanga Fanai scored their only open-play goal against Chennaiyin FC. This stat reflects the lack of effectiveness upfront. Their Central African Republic forward, Cesar LobiManzoki, has been underwhelming, and Brazilian forward Franca, who prefers to play as a winger, has been forced into a striker role due to Manzoki’s struggles. If Mohammedan’s forwards don’t improve their urgency in front of goal, climbing the table will be challenging. Inexperience Among Domestic Players For Mohammedan’s Indian players, including Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak and FanaiLalremsanga, this is their first ISL season. Although head coach Andrey Chernyshov initially expressed confidence in his domestic squad, the season has exposed certain limitations in their game. Their only hope now is to adapt quickly to the demands of the league and elevate their performances. Inconsistent Defence Mohammedan’s backline looked relatively solid in the first three games, conceding only two goals, but has since been fully exposed, with nine goals conceded in the last three outings. In their previous game, French defender Florent Ogier replaced the injured Joseph Adjae but struggled to meet expectations. Indian centre-back Gaurav Bora has been inconsistent, showing promise in some games while making costly errors in others. Stabilising the defence will be crucial for Mohammedan moving forward. Conceding late The Black Panthers have let in three goals in the closing stages of matches, costing them points. Had they not conceded late against North East and Goa, they could have secured four points from their opening two games. Fitness issues and lapses in concentration have led to these defensive mistakes toward the end of games. Coach Chernyshov has acknowledged that a delayed preseason might have affected the team’s stamina. Hopefully, this will improve as the league progresses. Lack of Bench Impact Mohammedan’s bench strength has been underwhelming so far, with no player able to make an immediate impact. In their last game, Chernyshov substituted Lalremsanga and Florent with Manzoki and Makhan Chote after going down 3-0 in the first half, but neither could change the game’s momentum. This highlights the need for a stronger bench to add depth and dynamism. The Road Ahead for the Black Panthers Mohammedan SC faces two critical upcoming fixtures: a clash with local rivals East Bengal FC on November 9, followed by a home game against Bengaluru FC after the international break. While most of Mohammedan’s foreign players, except for Florent and Manzoki, have been decent; however, Florent and Manzoki need to understand the weight of the Mohammedan jersey and improve their contributions.

The upcoming transfer window will also be crucial as Mohammedan SC looks to strengthen their domestic lineup with valuable signings. The post Mohammedan SC’s Rollercoaster ISL Debut: What’s Going Wrong?   appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Left: Franca, Right: Mirjalol Kasimov. SOurce: Mohammedan SC Mohammedan SC got off to a promising start in their inaugural ISL season. Despite a valiant effort, they narrowly lost their opening match 1-0 to North East United FC, conceding in injury time. However, they bounced back in the next game to secure their first ISL point in a hard-fought draw against FC Goa, although they again conceded late, dashing their hopes of a win. In their third game, they finally announced their arrival with a historic first ISL victory at the Chennaiyin FC’s home ground, positioning themselves as a potential surprise package ahead of their highly anticipated first-ever ISL derby against Mohun Bagan. But then the decline started. Mohammedan have now lost three consecutive games and are languishing in second-last position on the table. Over the last three games, the Black Panthers have conceded nine goals, appearing increasingly off-track. In their latest outing against Hyderabad FC, a team struggling this season, Mohammedan was punished with three quick goals within the first 15 minutes. So, what’s going wrong for the Black and White Brigade? Let’s examine some key issues that have hindered Mohammedan’s progress after their bright start. Lack of a Clinical Number 9 Mohammedan has managed only three goals in six games, two of which came from penalties. Lalremsanga Fanai scored their only open-play goal against Chennaiyin FC. This stat reflects the lack of effectiveness upfront. Their Central African Republic forward, Cesar LobiManzoki, has been underwhelming, and Brazilian forward Franca, who prefers to play as a winger, has been forced into a striker role due to Manzoki’s struggles. If Mohammedan’s forwards don’t improve their urgency in front of goal, climbing the table will be challenging. Inexperience Among Domestic Players For Mohammedan’s Indian players, including Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak and FanaiLalremsanga, this is their first ISL season. Although head coach Andrey Chernyshov initially expressed confidence in his domestic squad, the season has exposed certain limitations in their game. Their only hope now is to adapt quickly to the demands of the league and elevate their performances. Inconsistent Defence Mohammedan’s backline looked relatively solid in the first three games, conceding only two goals, but has since been fully exposed, with nine goals conceded in the last three outings. In their previous game, French defender Florent Ogier replaced the injured Joseph Adjae but struggled to meet expectations. Indian centre-back Gaurav Bora has been inconsistent, showing promise in some games while making costly errors in others. Stabilising the defence will be crucial for Mohammedan moving forward. Conceding late The Black Panthers have let in three goals in the closing stages of matches, costing them points. Had they not conceded late against North East and Goa, they could have secured four points from their opening two games. Fitness issues and lapses in concentration have led to these defensive mistakes toward the end of games. Coach Chernyshov has acknowledged that a delayed preseason might have affected the team’s stamina. Hopefully, this will improve as the league progresses. Lack of Bench Impact Mohammedan’s bench strength has been underwhelming so far, with no player able to make an immediate impact. In their last game, Chernyshov substituted Lalremsanga and Florent with Manzoki and Makhan Chote after going down 3-0 in the first half, but neither could change the game’s momentum. This highlights the need for a stronger bench to add depth and dynamism. The Road Ahead for the Black Panthers Mohammedan SC faces two critical upcoming fixtures: a clash with local rivals East Bengal FC on November 9, followed by a home game against Bengaluru FC after the international break. While most of Mohammedan’s foreign players, except for Florent and Manzoki, have been decent; however, Florent and Manzoki need to understand the weight of the Mohammedan jersey and improve their contributions.

The upcoming transfer window will also be crucial as Mohammedan SC looks to strengthen their domestic lineup with valuable signings. The post Mohammedan SC’s Rollercoaster ISL Debut: What’s Going Wrong?   appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[jrpneblog]

Honeymoon over for some of this squad

Although Paul Heckingbottom said he is still learning about about the North End squad you just think that for some of the players on show at the New Den on Saturday the honeymoon with the new manager is over. Everone will have their own opinions regarding players but it is clear that some are just not up to playing the way the new Management team want them to play. Where was the high press and the fast closing down we had seen in other games? To be fair we did get the ball in the opposition box but the finishing was appalling and Hecky must be scratching his head and thinking that he is back at square one with some of his charges. This was not good enough from North End and I do not blame the manager in any way shape or form. These are professional footballers and some of them wouldn`t get a game on the Park on a Sunday morning the way they performed at Millwall.

The manager made two changes from the side that drew with Blackburn Rovers last weekend with Duane Holmes and Will Keane coming in for Sam Greenwood, who is suspended, and Mads Frokjaer, once again relegated to the bench. Half chances at both ends in the early stages before Millwall fired a warning shot when De Norre hit the bar with a rasper from 20 yards. North End took no notice and were soon a goal down when Honeyman slotted home unmarked from three yards out after North End were caught wanting down the right. It was right side again for the second goal as a ball was played behind North End and Esse went round Woodman to score from an acute angle to put the home side two up. It had been a shocker of a first half as North End trudge off looking a beaten side already.

Thordarson and Brady were introduced at the start of the second half to replace Hughes and the very ineffective Riis. It was all soon to no avail as the home side went three up within a few minutes of the restart as Langstaff fired past Woodman to ensure all three points for the home side with less than fifty minutes gone. North End rallied a little particularly through Thordarson but never really looked in any danger of making the Lions have to worry about a comeback. Kesler-Hayden and latterly Frokjaer and Osmajic were introduced and the big striker had a couple of decent efforts which finally made the home defence sit up and take note. Storey pulled a goal back for North End with three minutes to go but it was much too little, much too late leaving North End with just two points on the road from the last twenty seven available. It is a shocking record and one which must be put right soon or this season is going to be a relegation battle, of that there is no doubt.

I genuinely felt sorry for both the management team and the 786 North End fans who had made the journey to SE16 because this sort of performance in the Championship is just not acceptable. The player are 100% to blame on this occasion and they must clear their heads and sort themselves out for a big game at home on Wednesday evening against Watford. Defeat in that will leave heads really down ahead of the trip to Turf Moor next Saturday lunchtime in another encounter that looks pretty tough on paper to me. All PH can do for now is to try and lift heads and get the best from his squad who let him down really badly is South Bermondsey on Saturday afternoon.

.

MILLWALL 3-1 PRESTON

.

WOODMAN 5

POTTS 5 STOREY 7 LINDSAY 7 HUGHES 6

WHITEMAN 5 McCANN 7

BOWLER 5 KEANE 6 HOLMES 6

RIIS 5

.

SUBS

KESLER-HAYDEN 6

OSMAJIC 7

FROKJAER 6

THORDARSON 7

BRADY 7

.

MOTM: Stefan Thordarson

Attendance 13,674

Preston Fans 786 (5.75%)

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: November 13, 2024

Reworked Group #2: Regular Army

Overview

As international matters related to criminality and political issues continued to deteriorate, the Earth Federation, a unified global governing body comprising representatives from every country's government, was approached by a civilian officer who led the Joint Military Operations Headquarters. The officer suggested establishing a peacekeeping military branch, leading to the creation of the Regular Army. Following this, the civilian officer was promoted to dual leadership roles: President of World Security for the Earth Federation and Chief of the Regular Army. The forces were then divided into seven garrisons: the North American Garrison, the South American Garrison, the European Garrison, the Eurasian Garrison, the Asian Garrison, the Middle Eastern Garrison, the African Garrison, and the Oceania Garrison.

The Intelligence Agency was integrated into the Regular Army amidst concerns that it was becoming too autonomous with its own combat unit, sparking fears among ordinary citizens. Agents from the Intelligence Agency undertook high-risk missions, including deliberately allowing themselves to be captured to supply allies with ammunition and heavy weapons. Others conducted espionage and assassination operations.

The Regular Army established the Marine Corps to serve as a specialised force for naval and amphibious warfare as well as water-borne operations. Its primary mission is to deter aggression and maintain freedom of the seas. The Peregrine Falcons Squad, part of the Joint Military Police Headquarters, and the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., affiliated with the Intelligence Agency, served as special forces units within the Regular Army. Later, the Ikari Warriors, a mercenary organisation, and Division 6, a group that defected from the Japanese Infantry of the Rebel Army, joined forces with the Regular Army after reaching an agreement.

The Regular Army was established to maintain peace and order among nations and provide orphaned and abandoned teenagers with a chance for a better future. Often shunned by society and left to fend for themselves, these young individuals were adopted by them. They offered the teenagers a supportive environment, basic necessities like food and clothing, proper education, and a stable income through jobs catered to their talents. This not only helped them become self-sufficient but also served as a means of recruiting new soldiers. The Regular Army was revered as a symbol of hope and unity, embodying a strong sense of justice and duty. Composed of idealistic and courageous individuals who genuinely wanted to serve and protect the international world, they inspired hope for a safer future for all.

Over time, the leadership of the Regular Army became increasingly power-hungry and corrupt as the chief grew dissatisfied with the military organisation's finances and resource development. In a surprising turn of events, a man known as President Marx approached the Regular Army with an offer they couldn't refuse: his company would become their primary defence contractor, supplying them with weaponry, tanks, and other essential equipment. Furthermore, President Marx would influence the chief and his colleagues to exploit their authority for personal gain and political manipulation, exacerbating the corruption within the Regular Army's leadership. The superiors are the only ones aware of the information that President Marx's supplies are tainted with questionable business dealings, ethical quandaries, and possible human rights issues, such as exploitative labour practices and financial irregularities.

The Regular Army's leadership began to engage in illicit activities, but their corruption remained concealed from public scrutiny through a combination of propaganda, media manipulation, and strategic cover-ups. While their public image remained heroic, they simultaneously conducted clandestine operations behind closed doors. These covert activities included expanding their influence, controlling resources, and silencing whistleblowers within the organisation, further solidifying their grip on power. The corrupt leadership of the Regular Army took measures to preserve the idealism of low-ranking soldiers and new recruits regarding world peace, deliberately keeping them uninformed about the corruption. Meanwhile, many high-ranking officers were either complicit in the corruption or actively contributed to its perpetuation.

The corrupt leadership of the Regular Army colluded with Ghyslaine to establish the Amadeus Syndicate, which served as a front for covert experimentation with hazardous technologies, the exploitation of living beings, including Martians and humans, and the manipulation of psionic energy. These experiments had far-reaching consequences, including the development of hyper-advanced nuclear weaponry and the transformation of Hyakutaro into the first recorded esper of contemporary history. Additionally, they created an unnamed prototype of the Metal Slug tank, powered by nuclear energy, but it was quickly abandoned due to its potentially catastrophic risks.

Rumours have circulated that the Amadeus Syndicate and Regular Army discovered a Martian crash site in a remote desert, utilising the technological debris and remains of the deceased alien entities for scientific research and experiments.

Although the Regular Army never intended to use their hyper-advanced nuclear weaponry themselves, they had been secretly lending it to various organisations, including the Ptolemaic Army and Amadeus Syndicate. These groups planned to exploit the weapons at opportune moments, seeking to maximise their impact and avoid squandering the arsenal's devastating potential. The Regular Army provided them with such a dangerous arsenal because they believed that a balance between good and evil was necessary.

As the 21st century dawned, they disregarded numerous terrorist attacks, viewing them as insignificant global threats. However, their inaction would ultimately tarnish their reputation, prompting them to employ strategic measures to mitigate the damage. These measures included assassinating journalists who threatened to expose them and manipulating public opinion to their advantage. Unbeknownst to them, their failure to act against the Central Park bombing in 2023 would inadvertently pave the way for the emergence of the Rebel Army.

Insignia

It features an emerald-hued heater shield with a green gold motto ribbon, bearing the Latin inscription "Nos globum defendemus" ("We will defend the globe" in English). The shield depicts a gilded blade with outstretched wings, surrounded by a flame-coloured halo with radiating light rays behind its hilt.

Uniforms

Cadet Uniform

They wear a blue-grey short-sleeved jacket with a brass six-button front, four pockets, and two hidden strapped compartments. They don a black utility belt that secures essential gear, and an African violet armband displays the Regular Army insignia. They also wear blue-grey army cargo pants with additional pockets, tucked into caput mortuum paratrooper boots. They carry a massive light grey load-bearing backpack containing camping gear and various military supplies.

Commanding Officer Uniform

They wear a double-breasted linden green jacket with gilded epaulets, eight metallic silver clasps, and breast pockets with the Regular Army insignia emblazoned above the right pocket. They pair this with a light blue dress shirt, a Tyrian purple cravat, and a built-in rifle green utility belt that has a cummerbund-like appearance. Their ultramarine trousers feature a vertical silvery stripe pattern and are either tucked or untucked into polished black leather boots with a low heel. They complete their uniform with a wedge cap made of linden green seal fur, adorned with a gold band edged with emerald piping and a central line of a flame hue.

Peacekeeper Uniform

Low-ranking peacekeeping troops wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a unique camouflage pattern of cerulean, lavender grey, and Cambridge blue, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. Their uniform consists of a blue-green Lightweight Helmet (LWH), a reseda chartreuse armband displaying the Regular Army insignia, and a lavender moisture-wicking dress shirt with an open collar. They wear light grey gloves and a taupe utility belt with a holster for their handgun, a sheath for their combat knife, eight blue-green pouches for ammo, and a coyote brown waist pack for rolling bombs. In addition to their SPCS, they wear a matching camouflage jacket and army cargo pants, featuring the same distinctive cerulean, lavender grey, and Cambridge blue pattern. Their cargo pants are equipped with built-in knee pads and adorned with three silver stripes on the left leg, which are tucked into sturdy navy blue combat boots.

They carry around a taupe load-bearing backpack containing various supplies, including handheld rockets, portable ammo boxes, communication devices, portable water purification systems, first aid kits, rations, maps and navigation tools, and cultural and language guides. Their arsenal includes a large bazooka capable of firing explosives with low levels of nuclear radiation, a special material shield that absorbs shocks, an anti-personnel sniper rifle, and a minigun that shoots rounds filled with corrosive acid. Some troops are responsible for carrying and operating mid-range artillery mortars that fire homing missiles. A few are responsible for operating portable AA Machine Gun Turrets, which requires a team of three or four men to carry.

High-ranking peacekeeping troops wear uniforms similar to those of Rebel Army bodyguards, but with several distinct differences. Their exosuits are crafted from a unique blend of dark, metallic carbon fibre and adaptive, hexagonal titanium plates that have a greyish-green sheen. The headpiece features a nanotech-enhanced air filter with self-healing membranes and four durable, translucent tubes connecting to dual, high-capacity oxygen canisters on the suit's back, ensuring extended operational duration. It’s equipped with a voice modulator featuring AI-driven noise cancellation, surrounded by retractable, silver-tipped stubs for secure communications connections.

The high-impact bluish-purple resistant eye slits offer advanced capabilities, including low-light enhancement via quantum dot technology, thermal imaging, AI-powered threat detection, and real-time language translation via neural network integration. A rhomboid electric lamp, housed in a protective, aerodynamic casing, is centred on the forehead and automatically activates in low-light environments. The headpiece proudly displays the Regular Army insignia on its rear, accompanied by the national flag of the country the wearer serves emblazoned underneath.

When activated, the suit's propulsion system amplifies the wearer's movements, granting incredible jumping and running capabilities. The AI-powered computer system provides real-time strategic analysis with predictive threat modelling, seamless control of integrated weapon systems, and dynamic mission parameter updates via neural network sync. The built-in load-bearing backpack features modular compartments for various supplies, including smoke canisters, stun grenades, flashbangs, a hydration pack with self-purifying water and electrolyte-rich nanofluids, an advanced first-aid kit, energy bars with nano-encapsulated nutrients, and fire starters with plasma ignition.

Underneath their exoskeletons, they wear sapphire-hued bodysuits made of heat-resistant, bulletproof latex, along with a vest featuring four pockets and a camouflage pattern identical to that of the SPCS worn by low-ranking peacekeeping troops.

Urban Uniform

They wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a unique camouflage pattern of asphalt black, dirty grey, cordovan, and raw umber, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. Their uniform consists of a steel grey Modular Integrated Communications Helmet (MICH), a mahogany armband displaying the Regular Army insignia, and a black moisture-wicking T-shirt. They wear khaki beige tactical gloves with grip palms and a dark brown drop leg holster for their taser. They don a black utility belt with a holster for their handgun, a sheath for their combat knife, eight mocha pouches for ammo, and a sandy beige waist pack for smoke bombs.

They wear rugged, low-profile black combat boots with a grippy sole, slate grey knee and elbow pads, and army cargo pants with two bronze stripes on the left leg. Their jacket and cargo pants match their SPCS, featuring the same distinctive asphalt black, dirty grey, cordovan, and raw umber camouflage pattern. They carry around a khaki beige load-bearing backpack that contains various supplies such as grenades, portable ammo boxes, flashbangs, a hydration pack with a built-in water filter, and a compact first-aid kit.

Special Forces

Troops who work for the Peregrine Falcons Squad wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a rose quartz, silver-grey, and gunmetal camouflage pattern, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. Their uniform consists of a rosy brown ballistic helmet, brass-plated goggles, a Mountbatten pink armband displaying the Regular Army insignia, and a sleeveless bone white shirt. They wear brown leather gloves, a blue-grey vest with the P.F. Squad logo on the back, four pockets, and two hidden strapped compartments, and an earthy green utility belt with a sheath for their combat knife and a holster for their handgun. They also wear army cargo pants with five crimson stripes on the right leg, which are tucked into earthy green paratrooper boots. Their cargo pants match their SPCS, featuring the same distinctive rose quartz, silver-grey, and gunmetal camouflage pattern.

Troops who work for the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a brownish-orange, earth yellow, and khaki camouflage pattern, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. Their uniform consists of a citron ballistic helmet with a bright orange futuristic visor, a platinum grey armband displaying the Regular Army insignia, and a cinereous T-shirt. They wear chestnut brown wristbands and a taupe grey Eisenhower jacket with the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. logo on the back and two hidden strapped compartments.

They don a chestnut brown utility belt with a sheath for their hatchet, a holster for their handgun, a holder for their tonfa, and a goldenrod waist pack for a medical kit. They also wear burnt orange paratrooper boots and army cargo pants with four saffron-yellow stripes on the right leg. Their cargo pants match their SPCS, featuring the same distinctive rose quartz, silver-grey, and gunmetal camouflage pattern.

They both carry around dark brown load-bearing duffle bags that contain various supplies such as grenades, fire bombs, cyber warfare kits with advanced hacking tools, secure communication devices, first-aid kits, waterproof match cases, portable ammo boxes, and canteens full of water.

Pilot Uniforms

Troops operating as tank pilots wear a sleeveless champagne-hued shirt, a greyish-brown vest with four pockets, and fingerless black gloves. They also wear a greyish-brown helmet with bronze-plated goggles featuring red-orange lenses, paired with harvest gold army cargo pants tucked into blackish-blue paratrooper boots. Additionally, they wear a black belt with a silver buckle, a holster for their handgun, six citron pouches for ammunition, and a cognac waist pack containing a medical kit and several smoke bombs. Their arsenal includes a sledgehammer, a foldable multitool, a portable Gatling gun, and a rocket launcher.

Troops who operate as aircraft pilots wear a standardised military flight suit with a camouflage pattern of army green, brown, and dark grey. They don burnt orange leather jackets with grey wolf fur trim and the Regular Army insignia on the left breast pocket. They wear luxor gold helmets with dark-tinted visors and earth-toned oxygen masks as well as desert sand woollen scarves around their necks. They also wear insulated, grip-enhancing blood red gloves, ankle-high, steel-toed steel grey boots with rugged soles, and secure harnesses in durable silver for attachment to aircraft seats or parachutes.

Scientist Uniform

Scientists working in this field are required to wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) for both laboratory experiments and field duties. To distinguish themselves from regular scientists, they wear a metallic orange armband featuring the Regular Army insignia. Their protective gear includes jade green hazmat suits with built-in luxor gold gas masks equipped with purple-tinted lenses. It also includes lab coats with two hidden compartments for storing military-issued firearms and blades, authorised for self-defence purposes.

Tactical Gear

Winter and Desert Gear

Snowy gear consists of a frosty white parka, light grey Gore-Tex pants, icy blue waterproof mittens, brass-plated goggles, and insulated black boots lined with polar bear fur. Additionally, it features warmth-enhancing layers like a cream-hued synthetic sweater, bluish-purple thermal socks, brownish-black balaclava, woollen light grey scarf, and fallow brown earmuffs. Furthermore, the package encompasses shelter and sleeping essentials, comprising a four-season tent with snow stakes and guy lines, an insulated sleeping pad, and a bivy sack.

Desert gear consists of a sand-coloured poncho with Regular Army insignia, a Desert Combat Uniform (DCU) featuring a sandy beige, light brown, pale grey, and earthy red camouflage pattern, desert combat boots, sand-resistant khaki socks, and a terracotta-coloured ballistic face mask. Additionally, it features essential survival items like water purification tablets, broad-spectrum sunscreen with high SPF, and DEET-based insect repellent.

Marine Corps Scuba Gear

The gear consists of a coppery brass diving helmet infused with a rebreather system for extended underwater breathing, paired with navy blue flippers featuring rugged, rubberised spikes for enhanced propulsion and stability. The gear includes a flexible purplish-black wetsuit with the Regular Army insignia emblazoned on the back and two red-orange stripes running along each side. Additionally, it features dual oxygen tanks that provide a maximum depth rating of 2,200 feet (670.56 metres). Their arsenal consists of arc-dropping mines, a trident, and a rifle-like firearm equipped with a scope and a bayonet-esque harpoon attachment.

Jetpack Gear

The gear consists of a flight suit featuring a silver-grey, dark blue, and purplish-white camouflage pattern, accompanied by a high-visibility ivory-hued parachute bearing the Regular Army insignia. The suit is equipped with sleek, ergonomic oxygen masks with dual oxygen canisters that offer extended duration and automatic refill. Additionally, it features dark grey helmets with an integrated communication system and orange-tinted visors for enhanced visual clarity and glare protection. Their arsenal includes an advanced jetpack powered by a self-replenishing fuel source for extended flight duration, explosive canisters, and a rocket launcher capable of firing homing missiles.

Biker Gear

The gear consists of grip-enhancing ruddy blue gloves, navy blue biker helmets with red-tinted visors and the Regular Army insignia on the back, and a brass-hued leather jacket. They ride a variety of military-commissioned motorcycles, and their arsenal consists of a grenade gun, a missile pod, a machete, and a shotgun.

Disguise Kit

This gear is used by soldiers and covert agents to safely provide supplies and intelligence on the frontlines, while disguising themselves as completely different people.

Special Gear

The Regular Army possesses two advanced special gear developed by the Amadeus Syndicate: E-Armour and Devil’s Organic Latex Lattice (DOLL). The E-Armour is known for being somewhat heavy when worn, and the DOLL bodysuit is remarkably skin-tight. Despite being uncomfortable for most people, which limits their widespread use, there are a select few who have found them wearable.

E-Armour is a ceramic-plated bulletproof vest that’s designed to absorb and dissipate the intense kinetic energy of tank blasts. The vest's advanced, nano-tech infused Kevlar-inspired material provides flexibility and protection. Tactical pouches integrated into the vest's lower hem securely store ammunition for firearms. Strategically positioned, reinforced trauma plates—sculpted to mimic toned, muscular contours—fortify the chest and midsection, ensuring critical vital organs remain safeguarded. The Regular Army insignia is emblazoned on the centre of the vest in a non-reflective, matte finish. Complementing the E-Armour vest are articulated lapis lazuli knee, elbow, and shoulder pads. Each features four strategically angled, tungsten-carbide spikes, which are designed to deflect shrapnel and incoming projectiles.

DOLL is a high-tech, stun-resistant, latex garment that bears a striking resemblance to the Doll bodysuit from Metal Slug Attack. It's combined with the vest of the E-Armour and reinforced with cutting-edge synthetic muscle tissues, allegedly derived from the Super Devil, which impart inhuman physical strength and durability to its wearer.

On the back, a pseudo-parasite is fused to the synthetic muscle tissues and latex, resembling a humanoid-reptilian hybrid. This hybrid has a skull melded to its chest, skin flaps on its head resembling those of a frilled-neck lizard, sharp clawed fingers, and sturdy legs similar to those of an iguana. The parasite houses a dead heart that generates life-saving electrical pulses and an intestinal tendril that connects to the skull's mouth, resembling a breathing apparatus. When wearing the suit, the wearer's eyes have a red sheen, and their skin takes on either a green or purple tint. These effects gradually disappear once the suit is removed.

They're able to lift up to 120,000 kg with relative ease once their muscles expand and become semi-rigid. Their bodies are immune to bullets, punches, and normal blades, but their exposed heads are vulnerable. However, emotional stress and receiving too many powerful impacts without time to recover can tear the bodysuit and weaken the synthetic muscle tissues, rendering it useless.

To activate these tissues, the suit interfaces directly with the wearer's nervous system, making it accessible to only a select few. Compatibility is extremely rare, with only about one in a thousand candidates suitable for use. However, utilising the system comes with a significant trade-off: users experience intense hunger, requiring far more sustenance than a normal human. When the wearer falls unconscious or is near death, the suit automatically initiates emergency resuscitation protocols. Utilising electrical signals from the nervous system and its own internally generated pulses, the suit administers electric resuscitation to revive the wearer.

Vehicles

Combat

SV-000 (discontinued)

SV-001 Metal Slug

SV-001 Type-R

LV Slug Armor

SVW-001 Slug Gunner

SVX-15D Slugnoid

Animal

SV-Camel

Elephant Slug

Ostrich Slug

Donkey Slug

Support

SVX-22UG Drill Slug

Protogunner (discontinued)

Slug Digger

Walking Machine

RA-TTT

TIAF600 Slug Mobile

Aerial

SVF-07V Slug Flyer

SVH-03 Slug Copter

Astro Slug

Marine

SVX-17M Slug Mariner

Borobune Slug

Middle-Son 1999

Large Scale

Augensterm

Slug Gigant

Repurposed Vehicles

Black Hound

Iron Nokana

Type-2 Di-Cokka

LV Armor

Landseek

M-15A Bradley

Hi-Do

Regular Army Base

The Joint Military Operations Headquarters, a heavily fortified military compound located in the Great Victoria Desert, serves as the primary base for the Regular Army. This heavily fortified facility is designed to withstand the harsh desert environment and potential threats, while providing a secure and self-sufficient hub for military operations. The compound's architecture is carefully crafted to blend seamlessly into its desert surroundings, minimising visibility from the outside. The facility features multiple blast-resistant windows designed to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures, ensuring enhanced security. Additionally, it’s equipped with six secure parabolic communications antennas for reliable connectivity with other military units and command centres.

The base has strict access protocols in place, featuring checkpoints and biometric scanning, to ensure that only authorised personnel can enter. Additionally, the base is equipped with water purification and recycling facilities to minimise dependence on external resources. Furthermore, it has a robust power generation infrastructure, including backup generators and renewable energy sources.

The compound features multiple facilities, including:

A robust, high-wall barrier that surrounds the compound, reinforced with watchtowers and guard posts to prevent unauthorised entry and protect against enemy attacks.

A Combat School that serves as a recruitment and training program for cadets aspiring to join the Regular Army.

A training ground for low-ranking soldiers to practice combat skills, tactics, and drills, honing their abilities in a controlled environment.

Advanced simulation rooms for immersive training exercises, allowing troops to prepare for various scenarios and environments.

Simple, functional living quarters for soldiers, providing basic amenities and housing.

A central dining facility offering standard military rations and meals.

A well-equipped medical facility for treating injuries and illnesses.

A secure storage facility for tactical gear, weapons, and vehicles with restricted access and inventory management.

A large garage serving as a maintenance facility for Slugs and other vehicles, including those repurposed from external sources.

A well-maintained storage area for food, fuel, ammunition, and other essential supplies.

Numerous offices accommodating military personnel, commanders, and support staff.

A strategic planning and operations management centre where military superiors oversee key activities, make tactical decisions, and coordinate missions.

A secure briefing room for classified discussions and situation assessments among high-ranking military officials and special forces operatives.

A dedicated facility for secure communication, including satellite uplinks and encrypted transmission systems.

A secretive, heavily restricted underground laboratory for conducting classified experiments on soldiers, developing cutting-edge technologies, and housing a mutant and supernatural entity containment facility.

Extra Information

Most high-ranking officers and special forces superiors embezzle funds intended for equipment and supplies, using them for personal enrichment.

New recruits and underperforming soldiers are often coerced into purchasing overpriced gear from corrupt quartermasters.

The Regular Army often favours its special forces units over the Regular soldiers who make up the bulk of its personnel. This preference can lead to tension between Regular soldiers and special operatives because they feel their contributions are overlooked and undervalued, believing that the special forces branches receive disproportionate attention and recognition from the Regular Army.

Special operatives receive more vacation days than Regular soldiers due to the high intensity of their work, the need to maintain operational security and avoid raising suspicions of mistreatment, and the value that’s placed on their specialised skills and knowledge. As a morale booster, the Regular Army often provides both special operatives and Regular soldiers with complimentary plane tickets to popular vacation destinations.

Highly skilled natural-born espers and special operatives, who have played crucial roles in pivotal world events and possess specialised expertise and intimate knowledge of enemy organisations like the Ptolemaic Army, often find retirement elusive. To the higher-ups, they are invaluable assets, making it difficult to let them go, even when retirement is overdue.

Members of the special forces branches within the Regular Army are subjected to extremely rigorous and coercive training regimes, which promote unconditional obedience and a willingness to engage enemy-affiliated individuals, regardless of innocence or hostile intent. Many special operatives and Regular soldiers accept this as a necessary aspect of their duty, unaware of the underlying psychological manipulation. However, a select few, including Walter, Fio, and Clark, secretly question the moral implications of such actions.

Special operatives serving the Regular Army are tasked with neutralising potential security threats, including journalists and other individuals who attempt to probe into their missions or the peacekeeping force's activities. This is done to maintain operational secrecy and prevent sensitive information from being disclosed.

Soldiers of the Regular Army are responsible for maintaining peace and are tasked with conducting infiltration missions. They serve a supportive role because the Earth Federation prefers to deploy specialised teams to infiltrate enemy fortifications, minimising civilian casualties and avoiding prolonged, all-out battles.

Soldiers of the Regular Army possess superior strategic and combat skills, boasting enhanced accuracy and greater agility compared to their Rebel Army counterparts.

Tank pilots are known for seizing the tanks of enemies after their own vehicle has been destroyed or rendered inoperable.

Many soldiers have undergone experimentation with psionic energy, granting them enhanced intellectual and physical capabilities. However, due to faulty bioengineering and a lack of understanding regarding the activation of Super Devil forms, they’re unable to metamorphose and have not received an esper title.

All soldiers and special operatives are required to undergo genetic modification, masquerading as a routine medical test to ensure they’re healthy and combat-ready. This modification not only enhances their endurance and physical strength but also grants them immunity to diseases. Remarkably, the genetic alterations enable them to withstand the extreme conditions of space, including intense pressure and temperature fluctuations, and even breathe in the vacuum of space without protective gear. The known side effects of these genetic alterations are limited to the following: increased susceptibility to weight gain, enhanced spatial awareness, and hormonal fluctuations that lead to heightened aggression and appetite. These effects vary in severity and impact, but are generally considered manageable.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Weeks of Strike Leave Flin Flon, Real Mining Town, Strangely Quiet," Winnipeg Tribune. July 2, 1934. Page 1 & 2. ---- Rancor Underneath Breaks Out in Melee Between Miners on Saturday ---- By FRANK BOWNESS ==== Strangely silent the northern Manitoba mining camp of Flin Flon has been for three weeks, since 1,300 miners, smelter workers and other employes of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company quit work after presenting peremptory demands for restoration of wage cuts and readjustment of working conditions.

No smoke arose from the tall brick stacks; no roar of machinery came from the $27,000,000 plant; the atmosphere was cleansed of sulphuric fumes, and buildings in the town did not quiver to the impact of heavy dynamite explosions in the underground workings.

Beneath the calm surface, however, bitter rancor seethed. The disagreement between the company and its workers was almost lost in the conflict of ideas among the idle men; one group leaning toward a course of near-revolution, the other inclined to accept the assurance of R. H. Channing, Jr., president of the company, that the causes of dispute would be given consideration if the men would return to work.

Will Not Re-Employ "Reds" Mr. Channing made it plain that a group of strike leaders - "red agitators," he calls them - will not be re-employed under any circumstances. This group, realizing that their personal cause is lost, stood out for direct action, and were responsible for the clash, Saturday noon, when an attempt was made to take a secret ballot of all the workers to clarify their position on the question of returning to work.

The vote, arranged by a committee of citizens, was to have been held in the Community hall, use of which has a bone of contention between the two factions for more than a week. At the outbreak of the strike, J. D. Carr, president of the club, and the executive committee, ruled that the building could not be used for any closed meetings.

Later, they barred non-residents from addressing the strikers at the evening meetings. The hall was used by the strikers as a kitchen and dining-hall, where meals were served to men on picket duty.

Rail Bed Provides Missiles The balloting was called off Saturday afternoon after militant strikers had resisted a squad of 45 special constables assigned to the duty of keeping the way clear for those men who wanted to register their votes. Several heads were broken in the melee.

The Community club hall occupies a perfect strategic position for defence. It stands on a rocky eminence a short distance north and west of the end of Main st. To reach the building it is necessary to cross two lines of roughly bal- lasted railway tracks, leading to the new C.N.R. station yards. These tracks are elevated two feet or more and rest on heavy rock ballasting, which furnishes missiles of all sizes.

At the company's staff-house, 200 yards away, a squad of 18 R.C.M.P constables, under Inspector James Browne, has been quartered since June 11. Only a few of them were at the scene when the tr broke, Saturday, but the full force with two constables of the Flon detachment, quickly reached the melee.

May Return Tuesday A reinforcing party of 20 con stables, under Sergt. J. J. Molloy left Winnipeg by special train a' 3.15 p.m., Saturday, and reached Flin Flon at 9.50 a.m., Sunday.

Citizens generally believe now that a sufficient number of men will be back at work Tuesday warrant reopening of several departments of the plant. With arrival of additional police, who are willing to take up tools will do so with more confidence.

Until the outbreak of Saturday the R.C.M.P. squad remained inde background. Incoming trains re Inspected by two constables, sought for undesirables at Cushing, six miles south, then rode ahead on a gasoline speeder as the train pulled up the grade into Flin Flon. A perfunctory patrol of the picket line was maintained, bus constables and pickets were on amicable terms.

[ejesgistnews]

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines online Today, What are the top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines for Today?  Staying updated on the latest developments in Nigeria is essential, especially in today's fast-paced world. Here are the top 10 Nigerian newspaper headlines for August 26, 2024, that capture the most significant news across the country. From breaking stories to in-depth analyses, these headlines reflect the top news in Nigeria this morning. Whether you're interested in politics, business, or social issues, these latest Nigerian newspaper headlines will keep you informed. Dive into the top stories in Nigeria today and stay ahead with the latest updates. The latest Nigerian headlines for August: Here are ten top headlines from Nigerian newspapers for today, Monday, August 26, 2024: 1. Gombe Gov To Pay N70,000 Minimum Wage: Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has announced his intention to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 for workers in the state. The Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Jatau, confirmed this commitment during a meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Gombe chapter. The state government has been paying a ₦10,000 monthly palliative since September 2023 to cushion the effects of subsidy removal. 2. APC Criticizes PDP Over Alleged Harassment, Seeks Apology To Minister: The All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Wing Mobilisation Vanguard has called on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) elders in the North West to focus on their internal issues rather than involving the Minister of Defence, Hon. Bello Matawalle. The APC described the PDP’s allegations of harassment by the Minister as baseless and politically motivated. 3. Ex-Sokoto Gov, Tambuwal Loses Brother: Former Governor of Sokoto State, Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, mourns the passing of his brother, Alhaji Ahmad Ibrahim Tambuwal, who died in Abuja after a brief illness. The funeral prayers were conducted at the Palace of the District Head of Tambuwal Local Government, and he was buried according to Islamic rites. 4. 2024 NBA Conference: Stop Looting Our Nat’l Treasury, Okonjo-Iweala Tells Political Office Holders: WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has urged political office holders to cease looting the nation’s treasury. Speaking at the 2024 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference, she emphasized that Nigeria has not progressed as it should due to corruption and mismanagement. 5. Rights Abuse: Tinubu Creating Another SARS – Atiku: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration for rising human rights abuses, comparing the situation to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Atiku highlighted cases of enforced disappearances and the misuse of the Cyber Crime Prevention Act to intimidate journalists and citizens. 6. Disclose Details Of Chinese Loans, Liabilities, Repayments, Others, SERAP Tells Govs, Wike: The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to disclose details of any Chinese loans, liabilities, and other external borrowing obtained, and guaranteed by the Federal Government as well as the terms and conditions for any such borrowing including the provisions on collateral.   7. Two Police Officers Feared Killed, Three Injured As Shi’ites Launch Attack In Abuja: At least two police officers were killed and three others injured following an attack by members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly known as Shi’ites, on some personnel of the Nigeria Police Force at Wuse Junction by traffic light on Sunday. 8. 130 Yoruba Groups Meet In Lagos To Discuss State Of Nation: No less than 130 pan-Yoruba groups will gather in Lagos on Wednesday to discuss the state of the nation amid the economic crisis, insecurity, hardship, and calls for cessation from different groups in the country. 9. Igbo Elders Demand Release Of Kanu,

Other Political Prisoners: The United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) has called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and all political prisoners who are being detained in different parts of the country.   10. 36 States, FCT Get N3bn Each From Nigerian Govt To Combat Flooding, Boost Agriculture: The 36 states in the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will receive N3bn from the Federal Government in an effort to mitigate the impact of the recent flood disaster. That is all for today on Nigerian Newspaper Headlines. Click here more Naija News.      

[sa7abnews]

Nicolás Maduro's election fraud pulls wool over Venezuela's eyes

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/06/nicolas-maduros-election-fraud-pulls-wool-over-venezuelas-eyes/

Nicolás Maduro's election fraud pulls wool over Venezuela's eyes

Massive protests have erupted across Venezuela.

Repression has left more than two thousand people arrested, many of them forcibly disappeared, hundreds injured and 22 killed in a week.

In hundreds of cities, in the poorest barrios, self-convened crowds have taken to the streets in response to the official announcement of Nicolás Maduro’s alleged electoral victory.

The government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) hastily proclaimed Maduro without complying with the legal requirements to do so, and the military high command reaffirmed its loyalty.

The deployment of paramilitary death squads, national guards, Bolivarian police and armoured cars is the last line of defence of a government that no longer has any semblance of legality or popular support.

On election night, July 28, the authorities suspended the transmission of data from the voting centres to the CNE headquarters and roughly an hour later presented a result giving Maduro, who has ruled since 2013, a lead of almost seven percent over Edmundo González, supported by the traditional right-wing opposition.

The government excused this illegal procedure claiming to have suffered a hacking attack launched from North Macedonia. Days later this version changed and blame for the alleged attack was directed at Elon Musk. No evidence of any of this has been presented.

For the first time in a presidential election since the establishment of the electronic voting system in 2004, the result was not published in detail, disaggregating the information by the voting centre and polling station, as required by Venezuelan law.

The CNE only offered general and approximate figures. Still a week after the election, the results had not been made public.

Maduro opted to go to the Supreme Court of Justice, also under his control, to seek a judicial validation of the results. The center-left governments of Colombia and Brazil have joined the call for the publication of the full electoral result.

Nicolás Maduro’s fraud foretold

The campaign of González has published about 80% of the tally sheets on a web page and claims to have obtained 67% of the votes in this partial recount, against 30% for Maduro. The CNE published a second bulletin broadening Maduro’s lead, still without publishing detailed results.

In October 2023, the Venezuelan government had signed agreements with the US government and the traditional opposition which some analysts mistakenly took for guarantees of a competitive election.

The agreements allowed prisoner exchanges and the lifting of some of the US sanctions against Venezuela. For the Biden administration, it was about increasing the international oil supply without modifying the sanctions against Russia or Iran.

The genocidal Zionist attack against the Palestinian people in Gaza also increased fear of a rise in oil prices. For Maduro, the agreements offered additional income not only from oil but also from blood gold mining in the south of the country. An increase in the production of imperialist companies such as Chevron was encouraged.

Despite the nationalist rhetoric of the regime, the oil industry continues to be penetrated by US, European and Chinese capitals. In the context of the post-electoral crisis, Maduro has threatened to hand over the concessions that benefit US companies to companies from BRICS countries.

What was never on the Venezuelan government’s agenda was the possibility of a peaceful handover of power, via elections. For the military in power, only an inability to repress could induce it to negotiate the conditions for its departure from power.

This was clear from the beginning. The government prevented the candidacy of María Corina Machado, who had won the primaries of that sector with more than 90% of the votes, as well as her designated successor, Corina Yoris.

On the other hand, the government allowed the presentation of numerous opposition candidacies that are not representative or in some cases are perceived as government puppets.

Finally, nine candidacies would compete with Maduro. Among them, Edmundo Gonzalez, a former Venezuelan Ambassador in Argentina during the first Chávez years, is now subordinate to Machado.

While the right could compete, the left was arbitrarily prevented from participating with an independent candidacy. Also during the campaign, there were numerous instances of intimidation and repression.

Chavismo: From hope to counterrevolution

Chavismo began its years in power amongst great expectations but did not undertake structural or anticapitalist changes, so its rather limited welfare policies depended on a sustained increase in oil prices.

When that cycle ran out the government responded by implementing an austerity program, in which inflation devoured wages and social investment was drastically cut.

After 14 years in power, with this model showing signs of exhaustion, Chávez died of a long illness in 2013 and designated Maduro as his heir.

In 2015, Chavismo received a crushing defeat in the parliamentary elections, obtaining barely one-third of the seats in the National Assembly, which would allow the opposition to even modify the constitution.

The government decided to de facto annul the parliament and not to hold competitive elections again. The dictatorial turn was consolidated with the repression of popular protests in 2017, with more than 160 people killed. From 2013 to 2024 more than seven million Venezuelans emigrated, almost one-fourth of the population.

The contrast could not be greater between the expectations of social justice and democratisation a quarter of a century ago and the current disaster.

Long before the destructive US financial and oil sanctions of 2017 and 2019, wages had been destroyed. The minimum wage is currently less than four dollars a month.

Union activity has been criminalised, indigenous peoples have been repressed, and leftist activists have been murdered.

Abortion is banned and gay people suffer arbitrary raids and arrests. The government that applies these reactionary policies labels itself as “socialist” but in fact represents a brutal and conservative capitalism run by the military and the powerful nouveau riche popularly known as the Bolibourgeoisie.

It’s not surprising Maduro stated on several occasions before the elections that he represented a “civic-military-police” power and that if he lost there would be “a bloodbath”. The threat has been fulfilled.

The political cycle of Chavismo was reflected in its international policy. After the failed coup d’état against Chávez backed by Bush in 2002, the Venezuelan government turned to an anti-imperialist discourse and relative political independence, its highest point was the justified breaking of diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009.

The limitations of this anti-imperialism were highlighted only two years later, in the face of the Arab Spring. Chávez turned his back on the rebellious peoples, even giving unconditional support to Assad’s massacres. In the Caribbean region, Chavismo went from subsidising its neighbouring countries with oil loans to threatening to annex Guyana’s Essequibo region.

The Venezuelan people, whose working-class youth is fighting the military dictatorship, are caught between the frying pan and the fire. Between a capitalist regime with a socialist mask, aligned with Russian and Chinese imperialism, and a pro-US opposition leadership that, in the case of Machado, openly supports Israel.

US imperialism supports that sector of the opposition while Russian imperialism supports Maduro, even with mercenaries on the ground since at least 2018. The left-wing opposition opposes the fraud and repression, standing in solidarity with the popular protest without endorsing the opposition right-wing parties and leaders

Amid the horror, there is still a reason for a shadow of hope: the will of hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets despite the repression to try to take their destiny into their own hands.

Simón Rodríguez Porras is a Venezuelan Socialist and writer. He is the author of “Why did Chavismo fail?” and editor at Venezuelanvoices.org.

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.