#░▒▓ sortie out! (( role play ))

[theresattrpgforthat]

This may have already been asked about: but courtly intrigue games!?

THEME: Court Intrigue

Hello friend, I’ve got a nice selection for you, with surprisingly a lot of games housed in the Forged in the Dark framework! I’d also recommend checking out the bottom of this post for other games I’ve talked about in the past!

Court of Whispers, by Alexiconman.

The Court of Whispers… the nobility here are neither great nor good. They all have dark secrets they wish to keep hidden, while hoping that their rivals are exposed and lose face in court.

Court of Whispers is a TTRPG/social deduction game for four or more players playing competitively, but requiring negotiation and brief alliances to succeed. No dice, GM or stats are used. The Court itself can be wherever you want it to be - historical, fantastical, whatever. Perhaps it's a mythological pantheon or faerie court or convocation of demon dukes?

Decide on your name and title, then invent a dark secret in three parts.Your rivals will, amongst them, know these details, but you will know parts of their secrets. Who will be the last to have their secrets revealed??

A game all about piecing together information, this will probably appeal to you if you like social deduction games. Bargain away pieces of information that you hold in order to gain crucial secrets that belong to someone else. Lie, blackmail and negotiate until you think you have someone’s complete secret, and eliminate your opponent when you announce it to the group. The game ends when only one person remains, their reputation not completely tarnished.

Rebel Crown, by Narrative Dynamics.

Rebel Crown is a tabletop roleplaying game of courtly intrigue, obsessive ambition, and perilous conflict. One player takes on the role of the Claimant, former heir to the throne who was betrayed by their family and robbed of their rightful titles. Others play their most stalwart allies: wise chancellor, devoted knight, idealistic noble, vengeful soldier, or opportunistic outlaw. Conflicting duties and ambitions will push them into points of tension, but their commitment to the Claimant’s ascent ties them together.

A GM plays the other inhabitants of the cursed and fractured Empire: nobles, commoners, outlaws, and undead wraiths. The GM presents opportunities, foreshadows consequences, and introduces adversity. They present the challenges that make the player characters’ fight for the throne uncertain and exciting. As a group, you play to find out whether the Claimant can take their throne and what sacrifices must be made along the way.

Rebel Crown has a pretty detailed gameplay loop, re-contextualizing the Downtime and Score parts of Blades into a Recon and Sortie phase, respectively. The group’s goal is laser-focused: you’re trying to put your Claimant on the throne. However, there’s different objectives that you can complete in your goal to restore their rightful title, including finding a way to gain status by building trust, weakening factions that oppose you, and either seizing or destroying holdings that are vital lands within the kingdom.

You can build your own kingdom and Claimant if you wish, but the designers have also created two campaigns with some details already decided, to help speed up your session 0, called Serpent & Oak. You can also check out a quick rules reference and the playbook handouts for free!

Courtiers, by Levi Kornelson.

In this game, players will take on the roles of (competing) courtiers, each of whom is lobbying the royal court in an attempt to promote their local agenda.  The game uses the front and back of a single sheet of paper, and requires four players, a stack of index cards, pens, and six-side dice to play.

This is a combination roleplaying-game and boardgame, relying on the randomness of the dice and the placement of index cards in a row to determine what proposals the court passes and what proposals are denied. Each player will pick up a pre-written character and flesh out their specific goals using proposals, and then take turns trying to push for their proposals to pass. The game has a very specific end point - that being that the approval pile has three proposals.

I think Courtiers is good for folks who want a single-session experience of court politics, or perhaps a way to determine how a kingdom changes before diving into what that means for their characters in a much larger setting.

Most Trusted Advisors, by the HORIZON MACHINE.

Execute your cunning plan before your liege executes you.

Hark, ye players of games! Indulge in the merry vice of dice-playing with this comic production, easy to pick up and play with but a quick skim of the rules. The digital manuscript has been crafted by our finest computer artisans to be perfect for light-hearted, madcap one-shots and short campaigns.

There is nary a heroic act to be documented within these pages. In Most Trusted Advisors, you'll one-up your friends' plans with Twists and buy their credulity with Ducats as you compete for your feudal lord's approval. Poison and murder your enemies as the loathsome Blackguard, start duels and wars as the boisterous Marshal, or pick one of four other dastardly playbooks with which to accomplish your wicked schemes. 

You can set this game in the provided setting, or create your own. The playbooks are reminiscent of Forged-in-the-Dark games, with action ratings, friends and rivals, and special abilities, but much of what you can do follows the same style of play as Belonging-Outside-Belonging games. This is through the Ducat system, which allows you to gain Ducats through certain (nefarious) actions, and spend Ducats in order get new information, present something new to the fiction, or change the story in a specific way.

If you are looking for a courtly intrigue game with the potential for high camp, this is likely the game for you.

Court of Blades, by A Couple of Drakes.

Court of Blades takes place in the vibrant, fantasy renaissance city-state of Ilrien, in a world populated by scheming nobles, court magicians, and dashing duelists.

As a noble retainer, you will engage in the polite civil warfare of the great families. You will host lavish balls, and manipulate the courts, uncover the plots of your rivals, protect the city from arcane dangers, manage your own intrigues and personal scandals, leverage your reputations, connections, and so much more.

Inspired by infamous warring families like history's Medicis and Pazzis, Shakespeare's Montagues and Capulets, or Game of Thrones' Starks and Lannisters, in Court of Blades you will take on the role of a talented retainer to a newly risen House of the Esultare in the great city of Ilrien. The Esultare, composed of the six Houses Major, are considered to be the most powerful families in the Principalities. Amongst them they have their own pecking order, and every citizen of Ilrien is aware of every house’s position within that order.

We play to find out if our noble retainers can play the Great Game and win it all, or if they'll fall prey to the machinations of their rivals or their own human failings.

In this game you’re not the most important members of a great house, but rather just beneath them. This makes you vital to their success, however, because you have the ability to walk where the noble dare not tread. If you can succeed, you may find yourselves elevated to a true place of power.

This is a great game for whispered secrets behind elaborate fans, masked balls where conversations are held throughout a dance, and eavesdropping happens behind false walls or under lush balconies. There’s also magic involved, and a hidden world that you can exploit in your desire to rise to the top. If you like dramatic storytelling and a romantic setting, this might be the game for you.

Also Check Out...

Political and Social Drama Rec Post

[usafphantom2]

Spitfire AB910’s last wartime operational sortie – 15th July 1944

Header image: Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 (Photo: Jim Dooley)

Eighty years ago this month, on 15th July 1944, BBMF Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 flew its last operational sortie of the Second World War, with 402 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This was a two-hour shipping protection patrol of four Spitfires, covering convoys to France, with Pilot Officer Ken Heggie RCAF at the controls of AB910.

402 Squadron was now re-equipping with Spitfire Mk IXs, although not for long as they were soon to receive new Griffon-engine Mk XIV Spitfires. The Spitfire Mk Vs had almost seen their day in the front line and AB910’s operational flying came to an end after 58 operational sorties with 402 Squadron and 143 in total. During almost three years of front-line duties AB910 had played a significant part in the war, including being involved in the fierce aerial battles of the Dieppe Raid on 19th August 1942, and the D-Day operations in June 1944. It was now to serve in a training role with No 53 Operational Training Unit at Hibaldstow for the rest of the war, allowing new Spitfire pilots to find their feet with the type before joining an operational unit, and also achieving infamy by flying with a WAAF on the tail!

Spitfire AB910 is currently undergoing a ‘Major’ servicing with The Spitfire Company at Biggin Hill, which is progressing well, and she is expected to be returned to the BBMF at the end of September. On her return she will be painted in the markings she wore with 402 Squadron RCAF during the D-Day invasion period. Watch out for a feature on AB910’s time with 402 Squadron in the forthcoming Club Autumn Journal.

On its return from its ‘Major’ servicing, Spitfire AB910 will, once again, be in the markings it wore whilst serving with 402 Sqn RCAF during the period of D-Day and for its final wartime operational sorties. (Artwork: Chris Sandham-Bailey inkworm.com)

@classicwarbirds via X

[theworldsoftolkein]

The Horn of King Helm Sounded by Breath Art The forces of Saruman, common Orcs and Uruk-hai, along with some orc-human hybrids (called "half-orcs and goblin-men" — which may have referred to or included the Uruk-hai themselves) and human Dunlendings, arrived at the valley of Helm's Deep in the middle of the night during a storm. Meanwhile, Legolas the Elf and Gimli the Dwarf agreed to compete, to see which one could kill the most orcs. The attackers quickly scaled over the first defence, Helm's Dike, forcing the defenders there to fall back to the fortress. When the Orcs were close, the defenders drove them back with arrows and stones, but they managed to get close to the wall after multiple charges. They attempted to break down the gate with a battering ram, but a sortie led by Aragorn and Éomer scattered the forces. The Orcs and Dunlendings then raised hundreds of ladders to scale the wall. Aragorn and Éomer repeatedly motivated the tired defenders to repel the Orcs coming up the ladders. However, some Orcs had crept in through a culvert which let a stream out of Helm's Deep, and while the defenders were busy with the assault on the wall, they were suddenly attacked from behind. This was repulsed and the culvert was blocked up under Gimli's supervision. However, the enemies re-entered the culvert and blasted a wide hole in the wall using an ambiguous explosive device invented by Saruman, a "blasting-fire". The defenders then retreated to the Glittering Caves, Éomer and Gimli among them. Soon Saruman's forces broke through the gate and gained entrance to the fortress. At this moment, however, the horn of King Helm was sounded, and a cavalry charge led by Théoden and Aragorn rode forth, followed by all the Rohirrim left inside. They cut their way through the Orcs and drove them back from the fortress walls. Both armies then noticed that strange forest had suddenly sprung up (actually the arrival of many Huorns) which blocked the escape route for the Orcs. Then Gandalf arrived on Shadowfax, with Erkenbrand and a thousand infantry — the remaining strength of the Rohirrim that had been routed at the Fords of Isen. They charged into the fray. The Dunlendings were so terrified of Gandalf that most of them dropped their weapons. The surviving Orcs fled into the "forest" of Huorns, where they were completely annihilated. After the battle, those Dunlendings who surrendered were given amnesty by Erkenbrand and allowed to return home (much to their surprise, since Saruman had told them that the men of Rohan would burn all survivors alive). The Rohirrim required that all hostilities cease, and that the Dunlendings retreat behind the River Isen again and never recross while bearing arms. Before they were freed, though, the Dunlending captives were put to work in repairing the fortress. Among the Rohirrim dead was Háma, captain of Théoden's personal guard and doorward of his hall (he plays a significant role in the previous chapter, "The King of the Golden Hall"). Háma had fallen defending the gate and the Orcs had hewed his body after he died, an atrocity that Théoden did not forget during the upcoming parley with Saruman. Gimli was wounded, but had killed 42 to Legolas' 41. The "forest" of Huorns had disappeared the next morning, and the Orcs had been buried in an earthen-works hill known as "Death's Down".#rohan#riders of rohan

[nevermindtheweights]

Before Colorado, the monster of battle and later the fattened feedist Secretary of a so-called "dumping ground" of a base, there was another. Early on the creation of shipgirls, some were used for recreational events alongside military gatherings. The production, after all, needed support from all sides befire it could be just accepted as it would be. Some had always been military, sent into skirmish or sorties as to show practical developments. Others had been granted other paths to show the versatile nature of these autonomous battle creations.

One of these was to be a dancer for military galas and events. To rouse the spirits of troops, higher up and of course, increase interest from investors (private and governmental). That was the role of Colorado and her American branch of shipgirl creations. Petite, agile, beautiful and one of the legendary Big Seven, she had it all as a star-spangled shipgirl.

-------

198X

Touring was tiring.

The ache of repeated shows, nightly affairs where the shipgirls preformed routine after routine. Their stamina might be increased beyond normal human means but their forms were ageless, not immortal. Fatigue, wear and tear, it all played a role on their bodies. The shows were, as Colorado now viewed them, to show that off. That skilled and trained girls were effective super soldiers. That perhaps explained the T-dolls among their numbers. A rare joint venture of army and navy. Well, they said army but Colorado was partly sure it was just PMCs under US contract.

They were good dancers though and kept up with the routines. They were popular among the viewers too. Then again, they all were. Twas not uncommon to sign a picture or poster of a fan. Colorado was no stranger to the various pin-ups she had done. Thanks to her nature, even after a decade, she kept that youthful beauty and agelessness. Her body might feel older but she looked the same as ever. And her fans loved that. Loved her looks, her movements. Her attire, her supposed personality. Sex appeal, somehow, sold them better as war machines.

Machines... She wasn't really sure what she was. That question came up a lot lately in her mind. She had appeased the errant thoughts with that she was.... Colorado. A shipgirl, whatever that was, she didn't care. She would just dance. For when that happened, she could lose herself to that group. On stage, where music and uniformity guided, she could bounce, hop and step as Colorado. No thoughts, no distractions. Just.... Colorado. Not whatever she was to the eyes of her fans, patrons, troops, investor and whatever else oogled her that day....

She exhaled as she exited her dressing quarters. Having wiped off the sweat that lingered and spruced herself with perfume, ahe felt refreshed to prowl the bar. Off duty, she was. On break, resting. The bar was quite empty now the show having ended a while back. Some girls had headed out right away, exploring and having fun. Colirado liked to wait and rest until later. She slinked herself to the bar, sitting on a stool.

"Bartender. Rum on the rocks please...~" The American purred out, ready to truly shove thoughts and work aside.

Again.

As ever.

[mariacallous]

Through a rare, hydra-headed blend of government sanctions and the historic stampede of 1,100 multinational firms out of the country, the economic blockade of Russia has proved highly effective. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war campaign struggles onward, however. This is due, in part, to his ability to cannibalize the 70 percent of the Russian economy that he controls. It is also because the advanced Russian weaponry and Iranian drones he uses are dependent on a stream of U.S. advanced electronic components trickling across the border. The good news is that the U.S. government and U.S. chipmakers can curtail the flow of these gadgets that enable Russia’s instruments of slaughter and destruction.

The Ukrainian steppes have become an arena for a distinctly modern form of warfare, dominated by drones and fortified by Western technology. The reinvigorated Ukrainian military leans heavily on an arsenal that includes Western tanks and drones—which we see in sorties against Russian targets integrating advanced electronics, sensors, and communication systems. Russia finds itself in a tough spot modernizing its military hardware. Striving to achieve technological parity on the battlefield, Russia’s T-90 tanks require substantial amounts of complex electronics, and even then are a far cry from Abrams or Leopard tanks. Russia is also turning to Shahed-136 drones, as unmanned aerial vehicles play an increasingly important role on the battlefield. It is not revelatory to say that all this runs on chips. The tech race reveals a stark divergence, though: Russia’s semiconductor industry is a laggard, choked by Western sanctions and years of disinvestment. Operating at a 65-nanometer chip technology—approximately 15 years behind the curve—the nation struggles to keep pace with the United States and China.

The Kremlin’s aspirations to go it alone technologically aren’t just optimistic; they’re borderline delusional, not least because Russia has been cut off from the global financial system. Even Chinese financiers are rolling up their welcome mats, while industry titans such as Taiwanese TSMC and Dutch ASML have slammed their gates. Nonetheless, Russia has found enablers both in the East and West. Even as companies like American Nvidia have severed their ties with the sanctioned Sberbank—the leading Russian lender—and Russian tech conglomerate Yandex’s AI ambitions have been mothballed, something curious is happening. An increasing number of Western-made components are finding their way into Russian military equipment.

After a drop in 2022, Russian imports of critical components, from simple transistors—the building blocks of electronics—to microchips and more specialized microprocessors, have reverted to levels commensurate with what we saw before the war. Moreover, a staggering 98 percent of these components are routed through third countries, compared to 54 percent the year prior, often manifesting in military equipment ranging from Kalibr missiles to T-72 tanks.

Companies like Intel suspended direct shipments to Russia early into the war in a wave of business departures, but they did little to prevent their products from being reexported to Russia through third countries. Texas Instruments shipped 36 shipments directly to Russia, with six additional shipments by one of its authorized distributors, in late February and early March of last year. But Reuters found out about almost 1,300 more shipments made by intermediaries. It is notionally legal—though morally abhorrent—for the intermediaries to reexport components outside of sanctions purview.

According to estimates from the Yermak-McFaul Working Group, Intel alone saw its exports of critical components to Russia rise to $700 million in 2022, up from $500 million the previous year. Not all of these components fall under the purview of sanctions; according to the Royal United Services Institute, the Russian military uses more than 450 different types of foreign-made components, and only 80 of them are subject to U.S. sanction controls. One legal loophole allows Russia to acquire these goods under the veneer of dual-use—referring to items with both civilian and military applications—whereby foreign-made components are deployed in the supposedly “peaceful” project of space exploration at Roscosmos. This is only one of the many methods Russians are using to import advanced electronics.

On the ground, the scheme depends on Iran’s involvement. It is more than just a drone supplier to Russia; it’s a technology partner. Iran is actively assisting Russia in setting up manufacturing lines for drones at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. Despite efforts to mask the Iranian origins of these drones with Russian labels by the Tatarstan producer, a Washington Post investigation into leaked documents from Alabuga reveals the reality that Tehran has essentially franchised its drone technology to Moscow. This franchising includes specialist documentation, project know-how, and even sending Central Asian workers to Iran for training. Notably, these drones feature at least 13 components from Analog Devices. Even though said components are not exclusively used in military drones and are not listed as sensitive technologies, they would fall under a near-blanket ban on electronics exports recently imposed by the United States.

China, too, emerges as a linchpin in this convoluted network, accounting for more than 87 percent of Russia’s semiconductor imports in Q4 2022, a staggering leap from 33 percent in the same period in 2021. Yet over half of these components are not even Chinese-made, but rather rerouted through Hong Kong and mainland China-based intermediaries—shell companies such as Agu Information Technology, established only in 2022, shipped over $18 million worth of chips to Russia. Other shell companies, some involving Russian nationals in their establishment, sell to equally obscure importers; some are based in areas near Moscow, while others had no prior business activity before the war. It’s notable that exports of U.S. chips from Hong Kong and China to Russia increased tenfold comparing a pre-invasion period in 2021 to post-invasion period in 2022, reaching about $570 million that year, according to a Nikkei Asia report.

Hong Kong’s status as a transshipment port has contributed to volumes of dual-use items getting into Russian hands. It is notoriously hard to detect from high-level trade data because it requires visibility throughout multiple stages of the supply chain. Given China’s open defiance of Western sanctions, it is hard for export control officials to conduct pre-shipment screenings of said items.

Another route that microchips are taking is through modernized port facilities in Georgia. Cargos with shipping labels for Central Asia are transported to Russia by various trucking companies. Similar ghost trade routes have been discovered for the Baltic States. Other countries of the region that are members of the Eurasian Economic Union are also convenient intermediaries, as they do not have a customs border with Russia. Kazakhstan is also a key player in the scheme; in 2022, it exported $3.7 million worth of highly advanced chips, up from $12,000 the prior year. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) follows along in chip shipments. Reports show that exports of electronic parts from the UAE to Russia increased sevenfold within a year to almost $283 million in 2022, while microchip exports rose fifteenfold to $24.3 million from $1.6 million in 2021.

Turkey’s role in Russia’s labyrinthine semiconductor supply chain adds a Byzantine twist to an already complex narrative. From June to December 2022, a dozen shipments of drone technology threaded their way through the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UAE to Russian soil, according to Russian customs data analyzed by the Free Russia Foundation. This was not garden-variety gadgetry but included high-end GPS systems with antijamming capabilities, shipped by a Canadian firm through CTL Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi—a company conveniently founded by a Russian national, Pavel Pertsov, in 2022. Moreover, Turkish firm Azu International has piped at least $20 million worth of components, including coveted U.S.-origin microchips, into Russia. Although Ankara has tightened its customs controls under EU pressure, this has not severed Turkey’s role as a vital intermediary. Instead, it merely inflates Moscow’s cost for accessing these restricted components.

Even though we cannot be sure that what we see in export statistics on a macro level are U.S.-made chips, it would be foolish to assume that Armenia’s sudden 515 percent surge in the import of chips from the U.S. compared to 2021, and a no-less-spectacular 212 percent increase from the EU, are signs of the creation of a Silicon Valley in Yerevan. According to a U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security report seen by the New York Times, 97 percent of those components were later exported to Russia.

Three patterns can be discerned across the entire parallel import supply chain—a term that the Kremlin’s official communication team uses to describe what are in effect decriminalized smuggling schemes used to bypass Western sanctions. First, using intermediaries that haven’t been put under sanctions; second, restructuring existing companies to conceal entities; and third, purchasing components and moving final assembly to Russia instead of buying finished sanctioned goods. On top of that, Russia disguises customs data, sets up illegal networks and one-day shell companies, and orchestrates fake transit operations.

In spite of this labyrinthine system, there still exists a real shortage of high-end chips in Russia that need to be replaced with their lower-quality equivalents, according to experts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. For instance, an S-300 missile, originally designed for a surface-to-air role, fares much worse when repurposed for a surface-to-surface role since it often explodes hundreds of yards from an initial target. To build enough precision-guided missiles, Russia would need many more chips than it is able to supply for its military.

So why do we see so many leakages in the system, which, on other fronts, such as the oil price cap, is so incredibly effective? Several fissures are to blame. For starters, the list of dual-use goods is inadequately aligned with international harmonized system customs codes, creating ambiguity ripe for exploitation.

Much can still be done to strengthen the tracking of chips across supply chains, thereby enhancing the efficacy of sanctions. We propose a five-point solution that would address the glaring deficiencies of the sanction regime.

Transparency and public accountability have an unambiguous power to induce change, as has been demonstrated by the corporate exodus from Russia. The U.S. State Department must increase transparency regarding the intelligence that it possesses regarding U.S. chips ending up in Russia. Backroom pressure does not provide enough incentive for the companies to move in and stop those glaring sanction evasion cases. There is an ongoing discussion surrounding the use of blockchain in supply chain traceability, with a recent report from the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development offering a blueprint for its implementation. So far, the EU has come the closest in requiring transparency along the supply chain with its corporate sustainability due diligence directive, even though it is far from storing trade data on blockchain ledgers. As we navigate the contours of a burgeoning technology-centered cold war, an outright embargo on chip exports to countries seen as facilitators in Russia’s supply chain is neither desirable nor prudent. But regular reporting mandates, rewards programs for whistleblowers, and publicly acknowledging violators will trigger a self-policing mechanism within the industry.

Advanced tracking mechanisms should be an integral part of new procedures. Efforts should be redoubled in employing technologies like radio frequency identification, barcodes, and data matrices for tracking chips across their entire lifecycles. These technologies, enhanced by immutable blockchain ledgers, would offer a powerful way to prevent chips from slipping through the cracks. Furthermore, GPS technologies could be utilized to monitor shipments in real time, especially those rerouted through third countries. Manufacturers could be required to implement these measures as part of their licensing agreements.

Secondary sanctions must be imposed on repeat violator countries. Countries serving as layovers on the semiconductor route to Russia are vulnerable to pressure and should be coaxed into playing ball. A formalized process must be put in place to identify and notify countries acting as intermediaries—and failure to comply should result in escalated sanctions that could go as far as restricting access to the Western financial system.

Criminalization of sanction evasion is still put on the back burner in a curious display of legislative lethargy in some parts of the EU. Soon, if the EU manages to get through its trilogue process, there will be an EU law that introduces criminal offenses and penalties for violation of EU sanctions. But then again, there remains a question of judiciary independence and whether Brussels will put enough pressure on leaders cozying up to Putin, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Harmonization and simplification are also much needed. Currently, different types of chips are banned for export across the entire Western coalition, which creates possible loopholes. There exists one internationally recognized standard that classifies all the exportable goods and is used by customs officials around the globe. Banning entire categories of electronic components would align export control regimes across countries, thus increasing the efficacy of sanctions—and most importantly, removing exceptions that are used as loopholes by nefarious actors. Simplifying and harmonizing laws would not only make them easier to follow but also easier to enforce.

As the saying goes, “Chips are the new oil.” The West holds the advantage in this crucial sector. It’s time to tighten the screws and turn off the spigot for Putin.

[md-guel]

What do you think will snap Lauda out of his Joker phase?

i still think petra has a role to play in this. there has to be a reason why she's still alive but how she will reach lauda in her current state—or when that will happen, assuming that a 3rd cour is on the pipeline—is what I'm still unclear about. but maybe felsi being in the benerit group can help? i didn't see her in the sortie headed for quiet zero

but also, guel and lauda are yet to have their much-delayed talk which is where the last episode ended. and maybe guel will manage to get through to him because if there's one thing that's obvious, it's that lauda absolutely loves his brother. so much so that he's willing to paint him as the mindless victim and put all blame on others just so he remains as sinless as possible. in another life, his name would have been shaddiq neill

and this is obviously a skewed perspective from a guel sideblog but the english translation of next episode's title is "unrelenting tenderness". the most obvious character it's pointing out is suletta because "tenderness" is not a word we can use on guel but with two siblings poised to fight each other in the next episode, i do wonder if there's something about that in guel, too. the anime is obviously going for something thematic here by ending guel's and suletta's scenes in a face-off with their siblings. and also, guel apologized to lauda back in episode 17 that even if he was the older brother, he never did anything for him. then there's the line he told shaddiq in episode 20 where if they just kept taking, they would never gain anything which was what he did before his wakeup call—he just kept taking everything. from my skewed perspective, I always thought both lines related to each other, so maybe we'll see something about that, too! maybe guel finally gets to walk some more of the talk in the next episode

of course this is all just rambling from a guel sideblog, please don't take my word for it XD

[labellefrance]

French words are often hard to pronounce because of its nasally vowels. However, my whole life I have been told I have a nasally sounding voice and so these vowels do not feel weird coming out. The reason I find French a hard language to speak is because of its liaison. French speakers can very easily blend the words together when they speak. This is because in French the word that comes before another can affect how the words are pronounced. I found a French news site and was able to use Google translate in order to change it to English where I can better read it. The paragraph from the site was “Aux manettes depuis vingt ans, réélu le 28 mai 2023 pour un troisième mandat de cinq ans alors que la Constitution en autorise deux seulement, ce dirigeant hors norme séduit autant qu’il divise. Considéré comme un « prophète » par ses adeptes, il est décrit comme un « bourreau » par ses détracteurs, prompts à lui reprocher sa posture de sultan ainsi que la modification radicale de l’ADN du pays. Insubmersible, le père de l’islam politique turc, 69 ans, s’est sorti de tous les mauvais pas, les protestations de masse, les scandales de corruption, une tentative de renversement en 2016, la monnaie locale quine cesse de se déprécier, les manquements de son gouvernement, notamment au moment du tremblement de terre.”. When I translated it to English it says “In charge for twenty years, re-elected on May 28, 2023 for a third five-year term while the Constitution only allows two, this extraordinary leader seduces as much as he divides. Considered a “prophet” by his followers, he is described as an “executioner” by his detractors, quick to criticize him for his posture as sultan as well as the radical modification of the country’s DNA. Unsinkable, the father of Turkish political Islam, 69 years old, has survived all the bad times, mass protests, corruption scandals, an attempted overthrow in 2016, the local currency which continues to depreciate , the failings of his government, particularly at the time of the earthquake.” After doing this I did not notice many differences or issues in the translation. However, I think this is because with new technologies they are better at translating it to accurate English instead of just directly translating it. The phrase "Language influences our view of reality,” has many meanings and reasons for it. We learned in a linguistics class that language can play a big role in people's overall world. Some languages may not have a word that means “to share”, and so when we may be constantly teaching or learning to share, others may not even know it exists. Some languages also have more words for emotions so we may not even be able to translate how they feel in our language. Language is not just a means of communication but a major part in how we see and know the world.

[kneedeepincynade]

China will defend itself against all aggression and for those who don't want it, cope less bourgeoisie pigs!

The post is machine translated

Translation is at the bottom

The collective is on telegram

⚠️ WEI DONGXU: "LA PORTAEREI SHANDONG È PRONTA AL COMBATTIMENTO" ⚠️

🚩 Il Compagno Wei Dongxu - Analista Militare dell'Esercito Popolare di Liberazione - ha dichiarato a Global Times che la Portaerei Shandong è ufficialmente pronta per il combattimento, e che le esercitazioni militari nel Pacifico Occidentale possono svolgere un potente ruolo di deterrenza non solo nei confronti dei separatisti pro-US del regime-fantoccio di Taiwan, ma anche per tutte le forze esterne - come gli USA - che intendono intromettersi nella Questione di Taiwan 🐲

🛥 L'Esercitazione della Portaerei Shandong, con il suo Gruppo d'Attacco, ha avuto inizio il 07/04, a 390km a Sud dell'Isola di Miyako 🇯🇵

🌟 Dal 08/04 al 10/04, il Gruppo d'Attacco della Portaerei Shandong ha partecipato all'Esercitazione "联合利剑", dove sono stati risolti compiti riguardanti un Blocco Navale dell'Isola dal Lato Est ❌

🔍 Per chi volesse approfondire:

🔺Master-Post del Collettivo Shaoshan sull'Esercitazione "联合利剑" 🌟

✈️ Durante i 18 Giorni dell'Esercitazione, i velivoli sulla Portaerei hanno effettuato 620 sortite (❗️), che - come fa notare China Army - è quasi due volte superiore al numero di sortite (330) effettuate dai velivoli sulla Portaerei Liaoning durante l'Esercitazione del 17/12 - 31/12 del 2022 📊

🇬🇺 È necessario tornare a parlare dell'Isola di Guam: dal 15/04 al 17/04, la Portaerei Shandong - con il suo Gruppo d'Attacco - si trovava a 600km a Ovest dell'Isola, dove è situata una Base Militare USA 🇺🇸

✈️ Dal 21/04 al 22/04, Bombardieri a Lungo Raggio H-6K hanno simulato attacchi alla Base USA di Guam, come avvertimento, qualora gli imperialisti USA dovessero intromettersi nella Questione di Taiwan 🇨🇳

🌟 Il 25 aprile, il Gruppo d'Attacco della Portaerei Shandong ha oltrepassato il Canale di Bashi, per poi tornare nel Mar Cinese Meridionale 🌊

🤔 Il Canale di Bashi rappresenta un passaggio importante nella Regione, ed è oggetto di una disputa tra il regime-fantoccio di Taiwan e le Filippine ⚔️

🌸 Iscriviti 👉 @collettivoshaoshan

⚠️ WEI DONGXU: "SHANDONG AIRCRAFT CARRIER IS READY FOR COMBAT" ⚠️

🚩 Comrade Wei Dongxu - Military Analyst of the People's Liberation Army - told Global Times that the aircraft carrier Shandong is officially combat-ready, and that military exercises in the Western Pacific can play a powerful deterrent role not only against of the pro-US separatists of the Taiwan puppet regime, but also for all external forces - like the US - that intend to meddle in the Taiwan question 🐲

🛥 The Shandong Aircraft Carrier Exercise, with its Strike Group, began on 07/04, 390km South of Miyako Island 🇯🇵

🌟 From 08/04 to 10/04, the Shandong Aircraft Carrier Strike Group participated in the "联合利剑" exercise, where tasks related to an East Side Naval Blockade of the Island were solved ❌

🔍 For those who want to learn more:

🔺Master-Post of the Shaoshan Collective on the "联合利剑" Exercise 🌟

✈️ During the 18 Days of the Exercise, the aircraft on the Carrier flew 620 sorties (❗️), which - as China Army points out - is almost two times higher than the number of sorties (330) flown by the aircraft on the Liaoning Carrier during the Exercise of 12/17 - 12/31 of 2022 📊

🇬🇺 It is necessary to go back to talking about the Island of Guam: from 15/04 to 17/04, the Shandong Aircraft Carrier - with its Attack Group - was located 600km west of the Island, where a Military Base is located USA 🇺🇸

✈️ From 21/04 to 22/04, H-6K Long Range Bombers simulated attacks on the US Base in Guam, as a warning, should US imperialists meddle in the Taiwan issue 🇨🇳

🌟 On April 25, the Shandong Carrier Strike Group passed the Bashi Channel, then returned to the South China Sea 🌊

🤔 The Bashi Canal represents an important passage in the Region, and is the subject of a dispute between the Taiwan puppet regime and the Philippines ⚔️

🌸 Subscribe 👉 @collettivoshaoshan

[mainsselection]

Front mission 2089 border of madness english

#Front mission 2089 border of madness english series#

#Front mission 2089 border of madness english download#

#Front mission 2089 border of madness english series#

Lets hope Left Alive revives the series and Square starts making. Lastly, players can choose to play two unique scenarios - one for the Oceania Cooperative Union, and one for the United States of the New Continent. I just wish that Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness was brought over too, but oh well. Mission rankings also make a return based on the scoring system of Front Mission 3, players can earn new parts and wanzers by doing well during missions. Like in Front Mission, players can fight other players to win monetary rewards. A returning feature in the game is the Arena.

#Front mission 2089 border of madness english download#

Due to its mobile phone format, the story of Front Mission 2089 is told through episodic content with new episodes being released for download on a bi-weekly basis. Missions in Front Mission 2089 are traditional tactical RPG fare, ranging from destroying all enemy targets to protecting a particular allied target. You can also play this game on your mobile. The number dispIayed to th right represents yur efficiency with tht particular weapon typ, the higher th number, the deadIier you will b when using wapons of that catgory. The game progresses in a linear manner: watch cut-scene events, complete missions, set up wanzers during intermissions, and sortie for the next mission. Download Front Mission 2089 - Border of Madness (Japan) ROM to your computer and play it with a compatible emulator. Fortunately, you hav the English transIation underneath each prt so it shouId be easy nough to navigate. Continued abuse of our services will cause your IP address to be blocked indefinitely.Front Mission 2089 borrows many of the gameplay mechanics present in Front Mission First. Please fill out the CAPTCHA below and then click the button to indicate that you agree to these terms. If youd like to nominate Front Mission 2089 - Border of Madness (J)(Independent) for Retro Game of the Day, please submit a screenshot and description for. It's binary data, so you need to analyze the format with a hex editor, determine the encoding (usually Shift-JIS or Unicode), decode the text, translate it, then re-encode it and recalculate any pointers as necessary. /rebates/&252ffront-mission-2089-border-of-madness-english-patch. If you wish to be unblocked, you must agree that you will take immediate steps to rectify this issue. Front Mission 2089 Border Of Madness Most games don't just have their script lying around in text files. If you do not understand what is causing this behavior, please contact us here. If you promise to stop (by clicking the Agree button below), we'll unblock your connection for now, but we will immediately re-block it if we detect additional bad behavior. Overusing our search engine with a very large number of searches in a very short amount of time.Front Mission 2089 is part of Front Mission Mobile, a project dedicated to Front Mission video games for the mobile phones. The game was released on March 7, 2005, October 27, 2005, and June 18, 2008. Using a badly configured (or badly written) browser add-on for blocking content Front Mission 2089 is a tactical role-playing game developed by Square Enix Co., Ltd., MSF, and Winds, and was published and released in Japan by Square Enix Co., Ltd.Running a "scraper" or "downloader" program that either does not identify itself or uses fake headers to elude detection.Using a script or add-on that scans GameFAQs for box and screen images (such as an emulator front-end), while overloading our search engine.There is no official GameFAQs app, and we do not support nor have any contact with the makers of these unofficial apps. Continued use of these apps may cause your IP to be blocked indefinitely. This triggers our anti-spambot measures, which are designed to stop automated systems from flooding the site with traffic. Some unofficial phone apps appear to be using GameFAQs as a back-end, but they do not behave like a real web browser does.send in peacekeeping forces on their respective sides of the island to quell the violence. A series of skirmishes across Huffman Island in 2086 causes chaos on the island. Using GameFAQs regularly with these browsers can cause temporary and even permanent IP blocks due to these additional requests. Set in 2089, the story of Front Mission 2089 takes place on Huffman Island one year before the 2nd Huffman Conflict. She is involved in a cutscene after defeating the Vampires, Demon and Dragoon, for the final time on the Huffman Highway. In the game, Hyunh appears only once in the 2089-I scenario. If you are using Maxthon or Brave as a browser, or have installed the Ghostery add-on, you should know that these programs send extra traffic to our servers for every page on the site that you browse. Her appearance in Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness expands on her relationship with former colleague and fellow mercenary, Hepaist.The most common causes of this issue are: Your IP address has been temporarily blocked due to a large number of HTTP requests.

[fidelitasadmiralandcvl]

Starter for @eiriini

     " Um... Kamui? I don't want to be rude, but could you swing your sword elsewhere? I think you're scaring the kids-- I mean, the destroyers on base. "

[retfarcyroeht]

Trashframes vs Metaframes

For most players and most star chart activities; any frame is pretty decent; there's not many players that can contest that.

Most tier lists focus on endless missions, Steel Path missions and specialized boss missions.

And this is where we have a disconnect; a divide.

For most players; the casuals, the newbies and the test drivers... the star chart, story quests, Nightwave is the basic core content. Anything beyond that is endgame content; Eidelons, Orb Mothers, Liches, Sisters, Sorties, endless missions...

To hardcore players and longtime vets; this is not the case. They've dug out every way to power creep the power creep and trivialize new content as it comes out and in short order. For them, there is no endgame and if there were; they would min-max it til there wasn't.

This divide is evident when comparing frames in one type of content vs the other.

If a particular frame can get through a majority of the content without heavy investment or the Helminth system, it's not trash.

If it cannot, even with heavy investment or the Helminth; check the player's level of skill before deeming the frame ready for the rubbish bin.

Once you start getting into content that REQUIRES solid preparation, min-maxing, helminth builds, stat sticks, organized teams, combo setups, elevated player skills and the like; then you have reached endgame (or at least advanced play) and the realm of which frames get what degree of meta status.

This determination can fluctuate drastically when comparing solo vs team play (and roles within) and further still when discussing weapon, gear and companion loadouts.

The final piece in the trashframe puzzle are the content creators. The min-maxers (and those who would be) and the long term veterans make way more videos and think pieces than newbies and casuals that would upload what they feel is some cool shtuff that they're doing; shifting the perception of those on the outside looking in (or the bottom looking up).

[skyfire85]

-An AV-8B from VMA-163 takes-off from USS Makin Island (LHD-8). | Photo: National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Flightline: 70 - McDonnell Douglas/BAe AV-8B Harrier II

The AV-8A was operated by the USMC beginning in 1971, but the Marines quickly found that the Harrier was less powerful than hoped, only capable (with a standar takeoff, no less) of carrying a smaller payload than an A-4 over a shorter range. In 1973, a joint US/UK team began work on a project to develop a new Harrier, powered by a redesigned Pegasus 15 engine. This aircraft, dubbed the AV-16, would have double the AV-8A’s range and payload, and would replace the Harrier GR.1/3 in RAF service and the AV-8A and A-4 Skyhawk in USMC roles. The UK pulled out of the project in 1975, owing to rising costs and decreased defense spending, and the US, unwilling to foot the costs alone, canceled the program. McDonnell Douglas and Hawker Siddeley continued work on upgrading the Harrier, and in 1976 began modifying two AV-8As with new wings, revised intakes and nozzles, and other aerodynamic changes. These mules were designated YAV-8B.

-One of two AV-8As being modified into YAV-8Bs. | Photo: U.S. Navy Naval Aviation News

The results showed greater than expected drag, but positive test results in other areas, including payload, range, and V/STOL performance, led to the award of a development contract in 1979. In 1981 BAe (formed by the nationalization and merger of British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and Scottish Aviation) rejoined the program in 1981, enticed by the more affordable path McDonnell Douglas was forging. The MoU stipulated a 60/40 split between the US and UK companies, with airframe production taking place at McDonnell Douglas’ facilities in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, and BAe’s Kingston and Dunsfold facilities, and engine production split 75/25 between Rolls-Royce (which had previously absorbed Bristol Siddeley) and P&W.

-Illustration: McDonnell Douglas

The AV-8B Harrier II was extensively redesigned from the AV-8A, with the forward fuselage extended and the cockpit raised by ten inches, providing better pilot visibility. To compensate for these changes, the rear fuselage was lengthened by a foot and a half, and a taller tail, based on that used on the Sea Harrier, was fitted. The biggest change was the new supercritical wing, which was larger than the one used on previous models (the outriggers on the AV-8B are in the same place as on the AV-8A/GR.1/3, giving a sense of scale), and had a higher aspect ratio and decreased sweep. The new wing also had leading edge extensions, all of which grants the Harrier II a 6,700lb increase in payload with a 1,000' takeoff roll. The AV-8B was the first combat aircraft to feature carbon fiber composites in its construction, with the wing and forward fuselage being almost exclusively carbon/epoxy construction, leading to the Harrier II being almost five hundred pounds lighter than if it had been constructed from metals alone.

-An AV-8B from VMA-331 in 1991 during Operation DESERT STORM. The squadron eventually dropped 256 tons of ordinance during the war and became the first attack squadron to operate from an amphibious assault ship. | Photo: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation

The AV-8B completed operational evaluation (OPEVAL) in 1985, and entered service with the USMC starting with USMC squadron VMA-331 (“Bumblebees”). In 1990 Marine Harrier IIs were deployed to the Persian Gulf on the amphibious assault ships USS Nassau and Tarawa as part of Operation DESERT SHIELD, flying training and support sorties. Despite plans to hold the AV-8B in reserve during the initial phases of DESERT STORM, Harriers were pressed into service on 17 January in response to a call for close air support from an USMC OV-10 Bronco against Iraqi artillery positions. The next day, AV-8s began strike missions against Iraqi targets in southern Kuwait. During Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, 86 AV-8Bs amassed 3,380 flights and about 4,100 flight hours, with a mission availability rate of over 90 percent. Five AV-8Bs were lost to enemy surface-to-air missiles, and two USMC pilots were killed. After the end of the war, Norman Schwarzkopf included the AV-8 along with the F-117 and AH-64 in his list of weapons that played crucial roles in the campaign. Marine Harriers remained in the Gulf region during Operation SOUTHERN WATCH from 1992 to 2003, operating from ‘phibs in the Gulf and from forward operating bases such as Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. Marine Corps Harrier IIs were later flown during Operation ALLIED FORCE over Yugoslavia, ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan, and the 2003 Iraq war.

-An AV-8B Harrier aircraft hovers above the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) as the pilot makes a vertical landing. The Bataan was dubbed “Harrier Carrier” during Operation Iraqi Freedom. | Photo: Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Jonathan Carmichael - USN

Two major variants of the AV-8B were produced: the Night Attack Harrier and the Harrier II Plus. First fielded in 1991, the Night Attack Harrier featured a FLIR camera on the nose cone, a wide-angle HUD, provisions for NVGs and a digital moving map. The Night Attack Harriers are powered by a Pegasus 11-61 (aka the F402-RR-408), which produce 23,000lbf of thrust. The Harrier II+ is also powered by the -408, and is fitted with a APG-65 multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar, taken from early model F/A-18s during their own upgrades to APG-73 radar. This allowed Harrier II+ to carry AIM-120 AMRAAM, as well as AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, though the angle-rate bombing system was removed. Upgraded AV-8Bs are also capable of carrying a LITENING targeting pod, allowing the employment of PGMs.

-An AV-8B Night Attack Harrier, showing the FLIR camera mount on the nose. | Photo: Dick Wels

-An AV-8B Harrier II+ hovering. | Photo: D. Miller

The Italian Navy ordered two TAV-8B trainers, followed by a further order of 16 AV-8B+ to operated from the carriers Andrea Doria and Giuseppe Garibaldi. Italian Harriers were part of the nation’s commitment to the NATO campaign over Kosovo, dropping conventional and LGBs. An additional 7 aircraft were ordered in the early 200s to serve on the new carrier Cavour, with existing aircraft also upgraded to carry AIM-120s and JDAM guided bombs. Italy has ordered a force of 15 F-35B Lightning IIs to replace its Harriers.

-An Italian AV-8B+ launching from the carrier Cavour’s ski jump. | Photo: Aldo Bidini

Already an operator of AV-8A Matadors, the Spanish Navy was the first international operator of the AV-8B Harrier II, ordering 12 of its own variants, known as the VA-2 Matador II. The Matadors operated from Príncipe de Asturias beginning in 1989. In 1993, an additional eight VA-2+ (the equivalent of the AV-8B+) were ordered, along with a TAV-8B trainer. In 2000, Boeing (which had absorbed McDonnell Douglas) signed a contract to upgrade a number of early model VA-2s (the number varies from 2-11) to Harrier Plus standards, allowing them to carry AIM-120 missiles. Due to budget constraints, only five of the original Matador IIs were upgraded. The Matadors were part of Spain’s commitment to Operation DENY FLIGHT, enforcing the UN’s no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the Asturias was decommissioned in 2013, the Matador IIs operate from the amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I. Spain was interested in replacing the VA-2s with F-35Bs, but has instead settled on extending the Matador’s service life, citing the cost of replacements.

-A Matador II+ over RIAT in 2019. | Photo: Airwolfhound 

The first RAF Harrier II, known as the GR.5, entered service in 1987, replacing earlier GR.1 and GR.3 variants. The GR.5 differed from the AV-8B in that it had stainless steel leading edges to meet RAF bird-strike requirements, as well as in avionics and weapons. The RAF’s GR.5s were considered too immature a system to be deployed for the 1991 Gulf War, though several were dispatched to patrol the no-fly zones in 1993. Beginning in 1990 BAe began testing an upgraded Harrier II GR.7, which was broadly similar to the Night Attack AV-8B. After a successful test program 34 GR.7 were delivered through 1991, with the existing GR.5s upgraded beginning the same year. The GR.7s, hastily modified with GPS navigation, were deployed with NATO forced to the former Yugoslavia, and carried out recon and strike missions, often dropping LGBs on targets designated by SEPECAT Jaguars. Later, GR.7s were part of the UK’s commitment to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Beginning in the middle 2000s, BAe began development of the GR.9 upgrade, which would improve communications, ground proximity warning and navigation systems, followed by the integration of the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile. The GR.9 upgrade also included replacement of fatigued airframe components. GR.9s were deployed to Afghanistan in 2007, allowing aged GR.7s to be withdrawn. The stresses of war and advancing age of the fleet caused the wholesale retirement of the RAF’s Harrier IIs in 2011, with their tasks being assigned to Tornado GR.4s until delivery of the F-35B Lightning. 

-A Royal Air Force Harrier GR.9 conducts a combat patrol over Afghanistan, equipped with a laser-designator pod and armed with Paveway guided bombs. | Photo: USAF

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: USAF retires the last E-8C JSTARS aircraft

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 11/16/2021 - 21:37in Military

It's official: the E-8C JSTARS aircraft has finished flying to the U.S. Air Force. The last Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft left Moody Air Base, Georgia, on November 15.

The private ceremony at Robins Air Base was composed of former and current members of the JSTARS mission.

More than 800 alumni of the 116ª Air Control Wing, 461ª Air Control Wing and the former 93ª Air Control Wing joined local elected authorities and civic leaders to celebrate the 21 years of excellence that the JSTARS Team operated the E-8C aircraft.

"JSTARS has been an important part of this community and the lives of everyone present for more than two decades; everyone here has a history and JSTARS has been a big part of our history for a long time," said Colonel Christopher Dunlap, commander of 116ª ACW. "We miss you that we say goodbye to the JSTARS mission. However, because of the professionalism and commitment of our aviators, we have received new cutting-edge missions that will keep our organization at the forefront in the coming decades."

The aircraft model entered service by the USAF for the first time in 1991, and entered service while still under development, to assist in Operation Desert Storm. The JSTARS Team has been deployed every day for the last 21 years, performing more than 14,259 operational sorties, totaling 141,169 flight hours in support of all combatant commands around the world.

JSTARS played a key role during the Global War on Terror and carried out missions over Eastern Europe in the period before and immediately after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“The role that E-8C JSTARS played for the joint community, our service and the local community has left a lasting mark on what success is like,” said Colonel Adam Shelton, commander of 461ª ACW. "Over a period of 21 years, the JSTARS team was on the air on combat flights equivalent to 16 years. The dedication of the former and current members of this joint team of the local community and industry laid the foundations as the transformation of Robins Air Base continues to advance."

The last operational outing of the E-8 took place at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on September 21. The last of the 17 aircraft will depart from Robins Air Base for Kelly Field, Texas, where it will serve as a training aircraft for future aviators.

Other JSTARS planes went to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Base, Arizona, but one remained in Georgia to become a static exhibition at the Aviation Museum.

The aviators of the 116ª ACW and 461ª ACW have already started and will continue to work to establish four new missions at Robins Air Base.

In place of his JSTARS unit, Robins is receiving a battle management control squad, an E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communication Node (BACN) squad, a Spectrum Warfare group and support units focused on the service's Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). The first E-11 arrived at the base in April.

Tags: Military AviationE-8C JSTARSUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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Cavok Brazil - Digital Tchê Web Creation

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[contentment-of-cats]

WIP marks - or I am at 20 pages and haven’t started the smut yet.

During a refit, the Chimaera crew is furloughed and has three whole weeks of leave. Thrawn, Faro, and Vanto are lured along with Hammerly and Pyrondi to a beautiful resort world. The Mercury Retrograde shenanigans pile up from there - similar to the ‘-and there was only ONE bed!’ trope. I’m also 21 pages in and no smut yet.

In this bit, Pyrondi creates a monster.

~

"Okay. Nightlife." Faro fixed each officer with a command walk gaze. "I do not need to bring up Captain Marinith's example."

A collective shudder and 'no, ma'am.'

Thrawn simply would not let his mind go there. His crusty, gruff Flag Captain poledancing… no. Stop. Get back in the box.

"I don't think that there's much in the way of nightlife here." Pyrondi scrolled again. "There's a bar and banquet halls, but no dance halls, much less a nudie bar."

"Were you at the bar when…" Vanto started and trailed off. 

"No, si- Um. No, Vanto," Pyrondi replied, never moving her gaze from her datapad. "For me that's like going to the restaurant where they'll wave delicious food you paid for in your face but you're not allowed to eat it."

The table froze and in her typical no-filter-at-all way, Pyrondi added, "Yissa was there, though."

The expression on Hammerly's face reminded him of one that Ar'alani wore frequently, composed of equal parts of deep and abiding love and homicidal impulses.

Thrawn cleared his throat. "So, lacking the usual evening diversions and the ability to make unwise decisions under the influence of one's volume in alcohol, I open the floor to suggestions."

Hammerly gently nudged her mate with an elbow and Pyrondi went pink. "They wouldn't be interested in that."

"Are you kidding me? Yana, they'd love it," Hammerly coaxed. 

For someone so certain of herself on her console, Pyrondi had a massive streak of insecurity.

"Pyrondi. Cough it up," Faro pulled out her command deck voice for that.

"Um. All right. I like to play this role playing strategy game, and it's called Quests and Quarries. You create characters and play in setups called dungeons-"

Vanto lit up. "Did you bring dice?"

And Pyrondi lit up in return. "I brought my set, just in case, and all the materials are on my personal datapad."

"It's a strategy game?" Thrawn asked, interested. His crew surprised him often. "Battles?"

"Not just battles, sir. You can run anything from a small party sortie to a whole multi-pronged campaign." Vanto was almost as excited as Pyrondi. "I haven't played since secondary, but a tabletop gaming night would… I'd really like that."

"Show me this." 

It was obvious that his three officers had an attachment to the game, and even if Faro's face was stuck on 'oh no' he found it heartwarming that they would share his love of tactics and strategy. It was from a different direction, but it was still art as all games were.

Hm. He just hoped that his crew refrained from the art of counting cards at the tables of Canto Bight and the Wheel.

~

Faro: Fun and Games

Despite herself, Karyn was intrigued with Pyrondi's favorite game, even if it felt as if she was auditing a course on hyperdrive theory. There were dice, and maps, and character sheets, rules and so much information. The ‘dungeon’ could handle a party of four and everything in a ‘loot-n-scoot’ to entire campaigns against the DM's mass-campaign AI. Pryondi provided extensive lore on everything from monsters and magic to some starships and armaments that made Karyn drool. They ended up moving to the massive sofa, all with their personal datapads.

"Don't let her fool you," Hammerly chuckled. "Yana runs the best Q&Q sessions on the Chimaera. You have a campaign in your pocket, don't you?"

"I love smaller campaigns. I miss the days when I used to play, though." Pyrondi laced her fingers and stretched palms-up for the ceiling. "It's as if it went to 'fresher and when I came back I was DM for life."

"I could helm a few games, but I'm not DM material." Vanto offered.

"We need a rota, Pyrondi's on leave and does not need a job." Karyn put her foot down. Pyrondi hadn't learned to flex her underdeveloped 'fuck off' muscle. Senior lieutenants were two steps up from ensigns and didn't even know where it was. "So same rota as the activities until we can deputize another game runner, we'll find other games to play, watch holos or something."

Thrawn was welded to his datapad, scrolling, skimming, and making notes - and occasionally looking over Pyrondi's shoulder, reaching out, and scrolling hers. Speaking of people with no filter at all. If Thrawn monitored Pyrondi's hyperfocusing, someone needed to mind his - and a glance at Vanto revealed the same thoughts plain on his face. One hyperfocusing individual at a time was a wrangle, two of them were a tangle.

[yunatheintrovert]

(If you’re still taking fic titles 🥺👉👈) “Reminiscent”

Belikov was a rather private person. Unlike Charkov with his pictures of his wife Anna and other sentimental photos and decorations in his private office, Belikov didn’t display such things in his office. Anything personal and sentimental he kept in a locked drawer in his desk. And only a rare few times did he ever open that drawer. 

During a rather quiet, uneventful day in the Lubyanka building, Belikov opened that drawer and was immediately hit with the nostalgia of seeing the old photo of him and Bell standing in front of an Mi-24 gunship which still bore bullet holes in the cockpit glass from an eventful night sortie in Mongolia. Bell was facing him slightly in the photo with her dark aviators and dark green coat contrasting with the white expanse of the barren Mongolian tundra surrounding the airfield. She was smiling at him while he smoked a cigarette beside her as if they were sharing an inside joke. 

Belikov recalled Bell making a baseball reference as she jokingly said that the maintenance crew may do a “strikeout” for her after she made them perform extensive maintenance on her Mi-24 gunship three times already. She always did have a habit of somehow being a MANPAD magnet during sorties. More often than not, she got her crew out of the way with outmaneuvering the surface to air missiles and deploying flares. Still, she wasn’t exactly the maintenance crew’s favorite pilot among the platoon. 

As he recalled this, Belikov idly smoked a cigarette watching the smoke curl in the air of his office under the dimly flickering lights of the surveillance footage playing out on the television sets in front of him. Sometimes, he missed those days when everything was black and white, not shades of grey as it was to him now. During those old days with the platoon, there was just orders and their ordinary combat work. If the higher-ups sent them to die on yet another apparent suicide mission with those unreliable experimental gunships, so be it.

Belikov was never the most political or patriotic sort. He fought for his country all those years and even believed in it once. But that brash belief in his youth soon gave way to simply fighting for the sake of his comrades beside him in the platoon. Charkov, Gusev, Pavel, and all the others that could get the chance to see their families again were what Belikov fought for. In addition, the adrenaline-filled rush of the missions and simple thrill of maneuvering the helicopter through the skies was easy to get lost in. 

But one by one his comrades and friends either died or left as Charkov did. His old friend had retired from the combat missions after his enlistment was up with a rather regretful yet determined look in his eyes as he talked about how his fiancée Anna couldn’t live with him going on the missions any more. 

It was around that time that it had occurred to Belikov that perhaps he should retire from combat missions soon as well when his enlistment was up. He had already gotten desensitized to the casualties and danger of the combat missions. Still, there wasn’t much of a point for him to continue on, not when most of his original platoon was already either dead or left. 

But then he met her. 

That klutz of a rookie who shared his penchant for the Americans’ sport baseball. 

New faces in his platoon wasn’t anything unusual. Although, a female pilot certainly stood out. Apparently, the rookie soon dubbed “Bell” for her instant appearance at the ringing of the dinner bell at the mess hall was part of an experimental pilot program to introduce female pilots into combat roles, something not done since the 1940s. He didn’t mind such a program at all. His mother had been a Night Witch bomber in the Great Patriotic War, terrorizing the German troops from the skies. 

Still, Belikov initially felt the same desensitized indifference towards her as he did to all the others. They’d all either leave or get killed like the rest. 

However, somehow Bell finding him by chance while he was in the supply closet listening to a baseball broadcast led to her excitedly asking him about the Cubs’ roster and Lindy McDaniel. And that gave way to her joining him in listening in on baseball broadcasts in between combat sorties. 

And somewhere along the way, Belikov began to care for that klutz of a rookie. Baseball comrades were a dime in the dozen as the Americans put it, after all. 

It started with little things. Walking down the stairs in front of Bell to stop her from breaking her neck after she tripped down the stairs, giving her small bits of advice on deploying flares at night and taking off at high-altitudes that weren’t yet written in the military aviation procedural books. 

Still, Belikov planned on not re-enlisting when his deployment was up.

As the new faces in the platoon dropped like flies on missions with each getting shot down one by one, Bell became one of the few familiar faces that remained. He had told himself that she’d be fine with or without him there. She was a talented pilot that remained alive for this long, after all. 

Yet when faced with the date of his expiration term of service, Belikov found himself signing the re-enlistment papers in the office of his commanding officer. 

A few more years doing this ordinary combat work wouldn’t hurt. 

(Besides, Belikov would rather keep that klutz alive on her feet). 

In the end, Belikov contemplated as he smoked his cigarette in his office, he had stayed for her. 

Finally snuffing out the embers of his cigarette in the ashtray on his desk, he put the old photo back in the locked drawer where it belonged.

Belikov chose this path.

And there was no backing out of it. 

This is my first time writing stuff from Belikov’s POV. Hopefully, he wasn’t too OOC in this. I kinda find the idea of Belikov having been a desensitized or jaded pilot during the platoon days and Bell being this talented klutz of a rookie to be a rather interesting idea. Also, this ended up being a weird mix between a summary and a fanfic (a quasi-fanfic basically lol). I hope that’s okay. Thanks for the ask! This was a lot of fun to think about and write. 

[alteredsilicone]

I'm kind of a casual WF player because I don't play anything harder than Sortie level missions soo-

Looking from the outside what DE does is what reminds me of GW2

Basically GW2 was a different type of MMO in that it tried to step away from the tank-healer-dps triad, so regardless of your class you could fill out any role. That ended with the Berserker meta - high attack/high critical build and you dodge to avoid damage, kill it before it kills you

Everyone was a glass cannon and ooga-booged through content and if you tried any other builds you'd get attacked for having low dps

I think WF has the same problem in that it is a power fantasy so the crux is ooga-booging through content...

Like, how many useless mods there are that nobody uses because the easiest way is to just take blood rush, berserker whatever and just ooga-booging through it? Why would I need ten different guns if I just pick the strongest one and smoke the room?

Or even better - pick Saryn, press 1, press 4, no weapons needed at all.

If DE wants to diversify playstyles, they need to do what GW2 did - introduce Raids which can't be forced through with pure strength and needs mastery of different frames. Basically relegate different warframes to tank/dps/healer roles

tho then again that probably goes against the style of WF

I have never played any other looter-shooter types so I dunno how other devs solve this problem