Transformers: Alone and Unafraid

[LadyTevar]

I think this is a new record for a game without CT in it... FUBAR in 5pages.

[Lys]

It's probably my fault. I'd be ashamed if it hadn't turned out so awesome. ^-^

[rhoenix]

Nothing personal rhoenix, but your character went and pushed my character's buttons. She can forgive Cavalier for his anger and Deathstrike for his interruption, but Farshot is beyond annoying to her. On the plus side, because Blastcap is a professional Farshot doesn't have to worry about her neglecting her duties because of personal feelings.

Then, in out of character knowledge - irritating Blastcap (and Cavalier) into reacting was precisely Farshot's intent, for a number of reasons. He felt that getting both of their attentions focused on him instead of each other was acceptable until a higher-up came to lay down orders.

Learning what buttons each of them have to be pushed was an added bonus, since he can then better predict their future actions.

And finally, though Farshot is not a soldier by trade, he is one by programming - despite the views on various things he's developed over the years.

Not only am I willing to manhandle the people that should be leaving and aren't, I am willing to fill out the paperwork for reprimanding them.

That, Charon, is true courage.

[SirNitram]

Charon, have you learned nothing?

ALWAYS CARRY THE FORM ZZ93Omega. The 'Authorization To Kill If They Look At You Funny.'.

[General Havoc]

Charon, have you learned nothing?

ALWAYS CARRY THE FORM ZZ93Omega. The 'Authorization To Kill If They Look At You Funny.'.

Damnit, I hate that one. The carbon paper never gets the full markings and they have to be filled out in triplicate. It's so annoying to kill people these days...

[Lys]

I'm afraid that I will be fairly busy and without reliable computer access until Thursday or Friday. I love this breezy pace we've got going, but sometimes life interrupts and priorities have to be established. I will try to find the time to write a post or two over the coming days, but there are no guarantees, and most likely things will have to be on hold from my end for the next few days. My sincere apologies.

[Charon]

Charon, have you learned nothing?

ALWAYS CARRY THE FORM ZZ93Omega. The 'Authorization To Kill If They Look At You Funny.'.

I always mix it up with the ZZ9EOmega form, which is the 'Requisition to Request Bringing a Pet to Work'.

Got really awkward when I filled one out without looking and I had to explain that "Starscream" wasn't the name of my pet but someone I wanted to kill.

[Steve]

Guess it's a good think Crankcase is busy at the lab.

Which some of you will soon be visiting, from the looks of thing.

[General Havoc]

I always mix it up with the ZZ9EOmega form, which is the 'Requisition to Request Bringing a Pet to Work'.

Got really awkward when I filled one out without looking and I had to explain that "Starscream" wasn't the name of my pet but someone I wanted to kill.

Ironically, Starscream is the name of my pet...

[rhoenix]

Ironically, Starscream is the name of my pet...

There are so many jokes to make here, it's difficult to know where to start.

[LadyTevar]

Two 'Cons, a Autobot, and a fembot walk into a bar......


Actually, Shimmer is far sneakier than that. I'm hoping that like many places, there's a bar/lounge where off-duty Security folks go to relax. Surrounded by Security, watched carefully to make sure he doesn't overdo his drinks, Shunt should be safely contained until Breakout needs him again. Also, Farshot, Cutter, and Shunt can talk flying, while Shimmer takes it all in.

[Vidar]

Name: Dreadnought
Affilation: Decepticon
Alternate Form: (Modified) Baneblade tank
Classification: Heavy Weapons and Tactical Soldier/Law Enforcer
Quote: "No matter my badge, I am the law."



Appearance: His body is primarily a dark yet sharp orange, with a golden trim. His secondary is a blackened red.

History: Before Cybertron's civil war was even conceived, Dreadnought's name was feared by any who broke the law. His tactics were considered brutal by his peers, but were balanced with the assignments he dealt with in his duty. His training and function reserved him for the most harsh situations, which built a extensive reputation for him. In his local community he was portrayed as a figurehead that was closer to a villian then a hero. His name was used to scare young bots, and everyone cowered at the sight of him. But when help was needed, his name was the first that people spoke and Dreadnought was always willing to expand the knowledge of the law to others.

When the decepticons first emerged and the lines were drawn, he did his best to stay neutral. "The law knows no faction", he would say. The few fellow officers he could be considered close to quickly joined the autobots. So he would watch as any young bot who didn't know better and joined the decepticons out of promises for a better life would be taken in and abused. Now his current knowledge of the cons couldn't fill a energon cube. Depending on what story you heard, they were dangerous criminals who seeked chaos or they were the weak and poor who finally had enough of the injustice and seeked to better their situation in life. So as he witnessed his fellow officers abusing the defenseless because of a new emblem while calling them renegades, he realized it was time to understand the situation better. And since none of his peers had taken the purple, he believed he could understand these decepticons better in thier ranks while bringing the law to them as one of thier own. Perhaps he could even find a way to bring peace to his community as a officer as well as a Decepticon.

The reaction to his choosing surprised many, and few at the same time. "He was always dangerous" he would hear on the streets. His 'friends' and neighbors all turned on him after he made his choice. Never giving him a chance to bring new understanding of the situation. His belongings and property were burnt to ash or vanished. Feeling a new sense of anger at this betrayal, he went up the chain of command to transfer himself elsewhere. He found himself placed under a few stations below Megatron's command in a position to keep watch on a neighboring autobot base and keep surveillance. Working in a group of several other cons, he became very uncomfortable with their behavior. When he finally had enough, he 'arrested' one of them. Megatron ordered the con's release with a threat to Dreadnought. He was soon stationed elsewhere. If it wasn't for the other cons he had met briefly who were only fighting to better their own lives, he would have walked away entirely. Instead he decided the best he could do in the situation was attempt to chance the Cons from within the ranks.

Not long after, Megatron and the autobot leader Optimus Prime left Cybertron and vanished. With the chain of command in shambles, Dreadnought made his move to instill order and law into the faction. He was met with deadly resistance. Challenged to single combat, or facing ambushes of rivals, he left a bloody path behind him as he strived to right the crimes of the Decepticons. When he was betrayed from within the small sub-faction he had developed, he decided it was time to move on. The planet was a mess of war and corpses. He 'commandeered' a ship and left. Seeking the others who had left for the stars, and delivering the law upon them. He has been responsible for the destruction of several renegade decepticon factions that have made their start on the backs of others, there were very few survivors. The years have changed his personal law book. Crimes not as severe in the current situations of the galaxy, or perhaps more severe. With no system of court, he takes it upon himself to deliver judgements. He still wears the purple to remind the decepticons what they could, no..what they SHOULD be.

Personality: His experiences have left him mostly cold. He at one point was quoted as saying there should be a law against emotion, which would eliminate a good percentage of crime altogether. What no one could understand is that it was a dark joke. He indeed has a wit under his harsh demeanor. He does not trust easily anymore, and yet has a strong sense of camaraderie.

Weapons:

Main Cannon: Tank form's main cannon. Fires multiple bursts of explosive energy, smaller then the Front Cannon but rapidly. In Robot mode, this becomes seperate from Dreadnought as it forms into a automated stationary sentry turret. It is still a part of him, so he can 'see' through its scope and fire it. Considering the base of it is stationary, he must take precautions to hide it's position or leave it in a easily defensible position. If he transforms, this turret seemingly vanishes and appears on him again.

Front Cannon: Cannon mounted in the front of the tank mode. Retracts into compartment behind its position. Fires singular large bursts of explosive energy. This compartment is mounted on Dreadnought's right arm, as the cannon slides out to become arm mounted.

Front Dual Guns: A turret by the front cannon in tank mode. Can fire small bursts of short ranged energy or acts as the generator for dual energy lances for penetrating walls and terrain to move through. Back of left arm in robot mode, lances act as arm blades for close combat.

Left/Right Turrets: Turrets stationed on the sides of his tank mode. Can fire rapidly small bursts of energy for taking down groups of small infantry. Positioned on his shoulders in Robot mode.

Left/Right Dual Guns: Set under the turrets on both sides of the tank mode. Fires concentrated bursts of continous energy with a short range. In Robot mode, these are found in his shoulders and act in tandem with his "flight" ability.

Abilities:

Limited Flight: In Robot mode he has various parts around his body that act as jets for access to flight. In reality it is a impressive form of hovering but not much more. He can by no means accomplish any kind of aerial manuevers. He is on level to a tank on the ground with his mobility.

Voice of the Law: Can increase the volume of his voice to great levels. Originally to negotiate during hostage situations in large buildings at a safe distance.

[Steve]

So you picked a Decepticon Judge Dredd?

Oh, and to make it public, Vidar is my younger brother.

[LadyTevar]

That's who it reminded me of!

Do we need a Judge Dread in this situation? We've already got trouble just from past histories

[Steve]

*grumbles about yet more bot-repairs taking away project time*

I'm going to be very interested in Dread's interactions with Cavalier.

[Vidar]

Do we need a Judge Dread in this situation? We've already got trouble just from past histories

The Judge Dredd bit was thrown in as a replacement to what I had devised before which essentially would have been a mix of both Grindstone and Cavalier. I wanted to step away from that as in my experience that can cause problems.

And while it sounds like Judge Dredd, I imagine him different in actual play. When I put some life into him, he'll develop into his own category. Thats how it usually goes in the games I've been in.

[frigidmagi]

Actually... He could work I think... The Autobots in the group would present no problem to him, many of them being created during the war. And the Decepticons in the group are mostly honorable-warriors of doom types. Course there's always Blastcap (just kidding you Lys)

Let me chew on your character there Vi, I want to make sure you're not overpowering.

[Vidar]

Thats fine. I was mostly trying to think of reasonable ways to include the various weapons on the tank form. If needed I can always try another alt form with different stuff.

[Charon]

I'm gonna go with "Too Many Guns". Seriously, you've got 7 guns on that sucker, all of which seem to translate to your robot mode as well.

That's more guns than many of our combat guys have if you put two or three of them together, and many of us don't have as many guns when in robot form.

[Vidar]

I'm gonna go with "Too Many Guns". Seriously, you've got 7 guns on that sucker, all of which seem to translate to your robot mode as well.

Well five do currently. I don't mind making the side turrets become simple jet thrusters as well. Then the robot mode would have the sentry cannon, arm cannon, and arm blades only. Which only leaves two real weapons when hes fighting since he pretty much has to leave the sentry gun behind when he transforms.

Tank mode though would still be gun-heavy. But I mean..its pretty much a slow moving fortress of death. If I have the Front dual guns simply supply the energy lance for penetrating walls and terrain it would take the tank down to 6 real guns. The side dual cannons are already short range so 4 for range. One is fixed to the front. The side turrets can only protect the sides well enough without something obstructing the view..

Not trying to downplay the firepower he has, but all the same he won't be wiping out a battlefield of enemies from a distance. He'd have to be completely surrounded with enemies closing in to really make use of all the weapons.

Like I said though, if its a problem I can find a new vehicle form thats less troublesome.

[Charon]

Actually, in regards to the turrets, do you even need them? Take those out and you don't need to worry about converting them to additional thrusters and it drops the weapon count down to 5, turn the Front Dual Guns into a dedicated wall smasher (Why you need one when you are an enormous energon powered death machine with two enormous cannons in the front is beyond me, but still) and that would drop you down to 4. Which I am totally fine with.

[General Havoc]

Yeah, I'm sorry, there's too much firepower on this thing as it stands. Not that a tank shouldn't be beefy, but all those guns, coupled with the ability to use the majority of them in robot mode, is too much.

Moreover, I think the limited flight thing should also be excised. A big beefy tank should not be relying on maneuver warfare in any event.

[rhoenix]

Here's my main problem - I get and like your design overall, but you are going to be the third Transformer here with a tank alt-mode.

Now, granted - multiple tanks on our side can be tremendously dirty fun - but be aware that other people have chosen to fulfill other roles, to make us a more well-rounded group.

Steve, as you know, is playing a medical/engineer bot.
Charon is playing... well, defensive or emplaced artillery, whichever you prefer.
Nitram is playing the air superiority flier.
Tevar is playing the swift and sneaky spy, though I foresee that she'll likely pick up a good sniper rifle at some point.
Lys is playing the combat engineer.
DarkSilver is playing the more main-line assault type.
Havoc is playing a front-line assault type (huge surprise, with a name like Cavalier).
Whats-her-face is playing a close-quarters combat role (not that she's actually posted yet).
And I'm playing long-range aerial bombardment.

So - as I said, while another tank isn't necessarily a bad thing, try to see instead if there are any holes in our current roster's role list that you can fulfill, and make a character for.

[Vidar]

So - as I said, while another tank isn't necessarily a bad thing, try to see instead if there are any holes in our current roster's role list that you can fulfill, and make a character for.

That was what I was aimming at. I got the advice though that "You can never have enough guns" so I went with the big massive tank. Honestly I've no problem cutting down on the firepower, I just happen to like the Baneblade tank, and wanted to see if I could use it. I can see that people have a problem with it, so I'll change to another form. I like the character where he is, and appearantly others do as well so I'll try and match the new vehicle mode to the character.

Though in defense of the limited flight, its hardly being relied on. Its just a nice bonus to not be restricted to the ground. Even if it takes 5 minutes to fly up to the 6th floor of a building, it can be useful.

I'm holding off on actually changing everything now until the GM posts his own review so I know what limits are acceptable.

[Charon]

You're a tank man, you don't fly up to the sixth floor. You make the sixth floor come down to you.