War Core Wednesday! War Core 4, Chapter 1.

Chapter 1.

“Over five million civilians around the world are dead, and that’s supposed to feel like a victory,” Hugh said as the intel liaison, Marcum, gave his final report on the cost of their victory. The losses were worse than initially thought, but Marcum said he was certain the total wouldn’t go any higher. It had been a week since Hugh had helped fight off the Ssath invasion of Earth, and despite the threat of the Ssath being removed for a time, they had all been busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle. Well, everyone had been busy except for Hugh, who wasn’t facing any current threat to the area of space he was responsible for and was spending most of his time training in sims with Maddison and some of the other cores that wanted to try out some new tactics after the battle.

“Add to that the eighteen cores we lost, and it paints a pretty bleak picture,” Marcum said, finishing his report. The cost had been crushingly high to defeat the Ssath, but the alternative would have been even worse.

“How many new cores have been selected so far?” Maddison asked.

“Only four, but the GCA is never consistent with their process and timeline for selecting new cores. I expect we’ll see more as time progresses, but there is always the possibility that we’ve lost some of those war core slots for good,” Nix replied.

“About the only good news I can see is that if our losses were this bad, the Ssath war core roster must have been gutted. They were powerful but had fewer cores in number than most, and with so many species out for revenge, I don’t think we’ll be bothered by them for a long time, even after the non-hostility block is removed,” Nix said.

“How about the Yaelar? Hugh asked.

“They aren’t willing to sign anything other than a non-hostility pact for a year. Our efforts to get them into a mutual defense agreement making much progress,” Marcum said in frustration.

Marcum’s superiors had used the Yaelar to blunt the Ssath invasion and that little decision almost threw humanity into war with them. The leaders responsible had been canned and only Hugh’s intervention to keep the Yaelar core Dalven alive in the combat trials had stopped them from declaring war against the humans. He had his hands full with giant dino mechs, he didn’t want to add the fearsome werewolf-like infantry mechs of the Yaelar into the mix.

Infantry mechs all loosely resembled the species that fielded them, and Hugh couldn’t help but think the simple humanoid shapes of his infantry mechs were not exactly fear-inspiring. He had fought the Ximkas with their stinger tails that fired powerful streams of plasma, the Krixnas who looked like something from a Lovecraftian nightmare, and the dinosaur-like Ssath, which were deadly predators. So far, he hadn’t faced anything as benign-looking as a human mech. At least humanity had one advantage, they were very good at killing things, and each infantry mech was piloted by an actual human soldier. They more than held their own against all the horrors the galaxy had thrown at them so far.

“Hugh, since your sector is quiet for now, we’re going to have you and Maddison work with the four new cores that were just created. You know what they’re going through, and hopefully, you can help guide them into their new position once they have time to digest everything. At least now, there’s no secret coverup and they know what they’re getting into,” Nix said.

When Hugh had been selected, the war with the other species and the existence of the GCA was kept quiet and that made for an extremely traumatic experience. Not that these new cores weren’t going to go through enough trauma regardless. The selection was entirely in the GCA’s hands, and they didn’t always pick the candidates best suited for the job to be their victims. Hugh’s predecessor had been a young man, a gamer, who had gone mad during the process. If he could help keep some of the cores sane and alive, it was worth his time.

“Glad to help. Maddison and I can come up with a training schedule. Have any of them been dropped right into combat?” Hugh asked. He hadn’t been given any time to acclimate when he was selected to be a war core. The Krixnas had attacked immediately, trying to use his inexperience against him for an easy win, but Hugh and his team had come out on top. Now, the Krixnas were staunch allies of humanity and inhabited Mars after their homeworld fell to the Ssath.

“They’re all clear of immediate threats. Humanity just beat the meanest and toughest kid on the block, so I think most of the other species are thinking twice before starting something,” Nix said with some pride. They had all done the impossible, so a bit of cockiness could be excused as far as Hugh was concerned.

“Not only that, our performance against the Ssath had caused many of our neighbors to seek our treaties and agreements rather than just trying to take what we have by force,” Marcum added. Earth and humanity were relative newcomers to the GCA’s control, and the species that inhabited the universe were brutal and merciless in the ongoing fight for territory and survival. Most saw humanity as a weak contender, one they could pillage for territory, but now, they had to deal with humans on more equal terms, which meant that for the first time, peace was possible with at least some of their neighbors.

“Hold on, I think the final reward calculation is in,” Hugh said as a system prompt began to appear.

“Take a minute to review and then pass the info over so we can take a look,” Nix said. Finally, he was given rewards with some time to think about them. He’d had to make some snap decisions on what to pick in the past, and they may not have always been the best decisions, but Hugh had made them work. With input from the whole team, he was more confident in how he built his core.

Congratulations! The following rewards have been assigned to your core based on your performance in the last campaign.

1. Your core has been automatically upgraded to level 4. Please select a level-up perk.

2. Your core has been automatically upgraded to level 5. Please select a level-up perk.

3. You have been granted a one-time bonus of 250 reward points.

4. You have been granted a new upgrade path, the Avatar. You have a free point to spend on this upgrade path.

5. Drop beacon of the Vanquished has been upgraded. This ability may now be used twice in a battle. Please note that some battle types and campaigns may place further restrictions on this ability.

6. You have been granted a pass to Harmony Station. Once on the station, you will receive a reward pack for completing your last campaign.

Current reward point total: 750/2500.

Two free levels were huge, and something that would normally take Hugh many campaigns and battles to achieve. Sadly, with each level he gained, the number of reward points needed to level up again increased. Another trip to Harmony Station was like a vacation for Hugh. The place wasn’t that exciting, but for at least a little while, he would have his human body back. Hugh pushed the information over for the team to review while he jumped into the details of his upgrade options. It was the standard selection, and he noted that the avatar upgrades were a separate option from his core upgrades.

Upgrade Options:

1. Units.

2. Structures.

3. Core.

4. Opponent Disruption.

5. Avatar.

Normally, Hugh liked to go in order, but with the new avatar option being offered, and having a free upgrade in that tree, it was the first one he dug into.

Avatar Upgrades. When inside a battle, your core can now construct an avatar mech at your command post. The avatar is a single-use ability that will reset each battle. An avatar is a highly upgraded mech that can be directly controlled by your core. When in your avatar, you retain the ability to operate your command post as normal, and many of the avatar’s combat features can be automated for ease of use. Your avatar will automatically upgrade to a higher tier when your barracks are upgraded. Based on your previous selections, your avatar type is an advanced infantry mech. Should your avatar be destroyed in battle, you will face a 1 to 5-minute delay before you return to your command post.

Avatars can only be activated when the appropriate construction building is completed. For example, A core with a heavy mech avatar cannot build its avatar until the heavy mech factory has been. Based on your mech type, the avatar selected for you will be given enhancements to equalize power levels among the various types. The following gives a rough example of the upgrades granted, but each species and avatar will be unique and will not necessarily follow the same pattern or have the same mech options. Not all mech types are eligible to become avatars. All avatar types are specialized units that cannot be repaired by standard construction drones.

1. Infantry Mech Avatar. This avatar will start five tiers higher than the standard infantry mech. When your barracks is at its max level, the avatar will evolve into a much more powerful form.

2. Light Mech Avatar. This avatar starts three tiers higher than a standard mech of its type. When the light mech factory is at its max level, the avatar will evolve into a more powerful form.

3. Medium Mech Avatar. This avatar starts two tiers higher than a standard mech of its type. When the medium mech factory is at its max level, the avatar will evolve into a more powerful form.

4. Air Mech Avatar. This avatar starts two tiers higher than a standard mech of its type. When the airfield is at its max level, the avatar will evolve into a more powerful form.

5. Heavy Mech Avatar. This avatar starts one tier higher than a standard mech of its type. When the heavy mech factory is at its max level, the avatar will evolve into a slightly more powerful form.

Avatar Upgrade Options. You have 1 free point to spend in this upgrade tree.

1. Melee Upgrade. Starting the melee upgrade path enhances the armor of your mech and unlocks more powerful melee weapons. A wide variety of upgrades are available on this path, but it is mutually exclusive with the ranged upgrade path.

2. Ranged Upgrade. Starting the ranged upgrade path improves the mech’s overall firepower and range. A wide variety of upgrades are available for this path, but it is mutually exclusive with the melee upgrade path.

3. Command Upgrade. Starting the command upgrade path will allow you to enhance nearby mechs and use drones to support your avatar.

Hugh only had three choices for his upgrades, and he knew right away that melee wasn’t the one he would choose. There was a penalty when your avatar was destroyed and getting up close and personal with most species that he had run into seemed like a quick path to destruction. Human infantry mechs just weren’t that good at melee, and though Hugh was sure an avatar would perform better, it was unlikely to make enough of a difference in a fight with a species that focused on melee combat.

That left two options for Hugh’s upgrades and while he knew the ranged upgrade path was going to get some points invested into it eventually, he figured the command path was the better fit. A solo engine of destruction was fun enough to operate, but if Hugh could enhance his fellow soldiers, that seemed like a better force multiplier. He would get everyone else’s input, but the command path was going to be the likely choice.

“I’m thinking of the command path for my avatar upgrade, any disagreements on that choice?” Hugh asked. Wanting to get this one upgrade out of the way before they discussed the others.

“I really want to see what the ranged upgrade will do, but I agree with command being the better option for you,” Maddison offered.

“I’ll play devil’s advocate, why not bolster your melee capacity? The armor upgrades might help you stay in the fight longer,” Captain Tran asked.

“Additional armor is good, and I would be willing to bet there were solid defensive upgrades somewhere along that path, but for me to get the full benefit, I’d have to get into claw and tooth range of stuff like the Ssath and Yaelar mechs, not something I’d look forward to,” Hugh replied.

“Good, I figured melee was the wrong option for you, but I just wanted to keep you honest and make sure you’re thinking things through,” Tran added.

“Go for the command upgrade, but what other ones should Hugh choose with his other free points? I think we have consensus that he should continue to specialize in two main areas, infantry, and economics, but should we look at avatar as well?” Nix asked.

“Give me a second, let’s see what the details are after I go with the command path,” Hugh said, confirming his upgrade choice.

Avatar Command Path has been selected. When you are operating your avatar, any nearby allied mechs will have their detection sensors and targeting ability enhanced. The effectiveness of the enhancement is tied to your current mech tier. You have also unlocked a single minor repair drone. When your avatar is damaged in combat, the drone will begin automated repairs. It performs repairs slowly and if the damage is extensive enough, some resources may be consumed in the process. Should the drone be destroyed, it cannot be rebuilt.

That wasn’t too bad for a starting tier. He would enhance the mechs around him with some extra accuracy, and while he hadn’t faced much in the way of stealthy enemies, he knew they were out there, and having a better chance to detect them was a welcome bonus. The repair drone was nice, given that standard construction drones couldn’t repair his avatar, but from the description, repairs were going to be a slow process and not something that could help get him back into the fight quickly if he took serious damage. New upgrade options were unlocked now that he had selected his first path.

Avatar Upgrade Options.

1. Ranged Upgrade. Starting the ranged upgrade path improves the mech’s overall firepower and range.

2. Drone enhancement. Improve the efficiency of your repair drone, unlocking additional units and the potential for combat variants with further upgrades.

3. Integrated fire control. Use your link with nearby mechs to coordinate their fire, identifying weak points on your opponent’s mechs and providing suggestions for possible cover and concealment.

“Seeing the avatar upgrades, does anyone think we should shift from infantry mechs or economy to change our focus? As interesting as it would be to further explore the avatar, my opinion is that we should stay the course with our previous choices,” Hugh said.

“I agree, but we need to be careful we don’t fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy if something new appears. As far as your two free points, why don’t we do one each for econ and infantry,” Nix suggested. Hugh pulled up both upgrade paths to review his options.

Resource Upgrade Options:

1. Reprocessing Efficiency Rank 4. Gather additional salvage from old wreckage sites that will spawn near your command post. This upgrade will also further improve your ability to reprocess your fallen mechs at any location on the battlefield.

2. Improved Initial Allocation: This upgrade grants 50 additional resources at the start of a battle. The upgrade can be modified based on the battle parameters. Further upgrades along this path are available.

3. Construction Drone Prospector: This upgrade adds the prospector module to your construction drones. They will function as normal but have a small chance to discover untapped resources deep underground. Once discovered, your drones can be tasked with building a resource extractor to exploit the discovery. Resources will still need to be transported from the extractor to your command post.

The GCA was being a bit stingy with its descriptions this time. Reprocessing from tier two to tier three had been a good bump, and Hugh expected tier four would be even better. There was some discussion about exploring the other two options, but until reprocessing efficiency was capped out, or the upgrades became minimal, they agreed it was the way to go.

Reprocessing Efficiency Rank 4 has been unlocked. The following improvements have been made.

1. Salvage fields of old wreckage will now be placed very close to your command post and the density of each field has been improved.

2. The delay to remotely reprocess your fallen mechs has been reduced to 10 minutes.

3. Emergency Recall. You may now choose to instantly reprocess all fallen allied mechs on the battlefield but will only recover 10% of the resources normally gained salvaging the fallen. Emergency recall can only be activated once during a battle.

As Hugh suspected, it was a nice bump in power and the Emergency Recall could be a lifesaver if he was out of resources and needed them fast. For their infantry upgrades, the options hadn’t changed from the last time he had looked at them, only now he had a rank two option for Automatic Upgrades.

Infantry Mech Upgrades, Assault Mech Variant.

1. Automatic Upgrades, Rank 2. This upgrade will cause your barracks to automatically have an armory upgrade attached to it when constructed. At this rank, all tier 1 and 2 armory upgrades will be unlocked and installed in our infantry mechs. Your barracks/armory must be at the proper tier to unlock these upgrades. These upgrades do not consume resources but do take time to research.

2. Production Efficiency. This upgrade will cause your barracks to occasionally produce an extra unit. The extra unit completes immediately and does not require any additional resources, though it will count against the core’s unit cap.

3. Adaptation. This ability allows your infantry mechs to slowly evolve as the battle progresses based on environmental and combat conditions. Examples of adaptations include camouflage, longer or shorter-ranged weapons, or anti-air capability. At the first rank, the changes are minor, but the higher ranks will unlock more powerful options.

“I’m thinking of hitting Automatic Upgrades rank two, for the infantry mechs. Any objections?” Hugh asked.

“Well, I think Production Efficiency might be the better way to go. We have no idea how often it will proc, but the extra free units could be amazing in a long battle, where the automatic upgrades are pretty much an early-game advantage,” Maddison argued. The others were split, but thinking further, Hugh decided to go with Maddison’s suggestion. It wasn’t a bad ability, and he was curious to see where that particular path would lead.

Production Efficiency perk has been selected.

“Now that your upgrades are done, why don’t you take a break and use your trip to Harmony Station? It will be a little while before the new cores are ready for you to work with them, and I don’t foresee any immediate threats you need to deal with,” Nix suggested. It was a suggestion that Hugh heartily agreed with. A good meal and a chance to unlock another random reward were just what he needed. He had his team contact their counterparts and found out that several cores were already on the station, so he should have some company this time.

Please stand by…your core is being transferred to Harmony Station.