Page 22 of 143

Posted: 2008-02-06 05:16pm
by TimothyC
I, Like Chewie am curious if you had that no hand, or how you produced that so quickly (not that I should be). I ment to mention it earlier.

Posted: 2008-02-06 05:17pm
by MKSheppard
BTW, this is what DPICM bomblets of the type fired in artillery shells look like:

Image

The case is pre-notched so that when the high explosive filler detonates to form the shaped charge, the case fragments into delicious delicious man killing fragments.

In the top, you'll see little streamers rolled up; these deploy in mid-air to act as a "airbrake" to ensure that the bomblet is always facing downwards as it falls (for maximum effect)

The image on the right is how they're stored in an artillery shell or rocket.

Posted: 2008-02-06 06:10pm
by Typhonis 1
I expect the baldrigk infantry coming on the cavalry will wet themselves. Also wonder if maybe the other side lied to them.

Posted: 2008-02-06 06:27pm
by Chris OFarrell
Scottish Ninja wrote: Also, the Marines' Hymn states that:

If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

This suggests that either at least some Marines are in Heaven, or that the Marines are going to be the first ones to smash their way in.
Change the second last line to:

"They will find the streets are occupied"

Operation 'Storm Heaven' has to take place at some time of course, grab God and put him on trial for crimes against humanity in the Hauge :D

Posted: 2008-02-06 07:09pm
by Scottish Ninja
That's what I'm hoping for. :twisted:

Speaking of which, if that happens they'll have to revise the fourth line in the first verse - "In the air, on land and sea" - to include fighting in higher planes. I wonder how we'll fit that in.

Posted: 2008-02-06 07:45pm
by Setzer
tveditor wrote:A couple random questions......

1. Would not having 20% of America drop dead (something like 60 million) cause major, major problems....if nothing more than what to do with the bodies.
Stuart has said that the demographic effects of the Message will be addressed in the story. I assume some government sponsored jobs will involve clearing away bodies and such.

Posted: 2008-02-06 08:04pm
by Junghalli
GrandMasterTerwynn wrote:Both of these examples don't show us anything we haven't seen the baldricks do already. We know they can breathe fire and some varieties are large and very strong. And you'll note that in both instances you've got one survivor who tells Job these fantastic things. We know the demons have the ability to make unshielded humans see what they want them to see. The human tendency to embellish and exaggerate would take care of the rest.
I'm actually hoping the demons have some high-level abilities we haven't seen yet though. They need to have some sort of chance of actually being able to defeat the humans or the story has no tension.

Posted: 2008-02-06 08:21pm
by Stuart
Junghalli wrote:I'm actually hoping the demons have some high-level abilities we haven't seen yet though. They need to have some sort of chance of actually being able to defeat the humans or the story has no tension.
Don't get too exultant. Remember we've just seen two Legions cut to pieces. Abigor has 60 and we haven't seen the infantry in action yet.

Posted: 2008-02-06 08:22pm
by Brain_Caster
Junghalli wrote:
GrandMasterTerwynn wrote:Both of these examples don't show us anything we haven't seen the baldricks do already. We know they can breathe fire and some varieties are large and very strong. And you'll note that in both instances you've got one survivor who tells Job these fantastic things. We know the demons have the ability to make unshielded humans see what they want them to see. The human tendency to embellish and exaggerate would take care of the rest.
I'm actually hoping the demons have some high-level abilities we haven't seen yet though. They need to have some sort of chance of actually being able to defeat the humans or the story has no tension.
Screw tension.

I've seen way too many stories being ruined by giving the bad side power-up after power-up in a feeble attempt to create "tension". It usually doesn't create any tension at all, it just totally devalues whatever successes the good guys may have achieved, thereby giving the story what I like to call that "neverending drag" feeling that makes me stop reading. Also known as the "Dragon Ball Z effect".

Posted: 2008-02-06 09:01pm
by Junghalli
Brain_Caster wrote:Screw tension.
I've seen way too many stories being ruined by giving the bad side power-up after power-up in a feeble attempt to create "tension". It usually doesn't create any tension at all, it just totally devalues whatever successes the good guys may have achieved, thereby giving the story what I like to call that "neverending drag" feeling that makes me stop reading. Also known as the "Dragon Ball Z effect".
I know to what you're referring and I wouldn't want to see it handled that way either, with the bad guys pulling new powers out of their asses every couple of chapters so they can stay competitive. I'm just pointing out it wouldn't hurt for the demons to have something more dangerous than sword-swingers in their arsenal.

Posted: 2008-02-06 09:04pm
by Singular Quartet
Stuart wrote:
Junghalli wrote:I'm actually hoping the demons have some high-level abilities we haven't seen yet though. They need to have some sort of chance of actually being able to defeat the humans or the story has no tension.
Don't get too exultant. Remember we've just seen two Legions cut to pieces. Abigor has 60 and we haven't seen the infantry in action yet.
Along with another ~7,500 sitting around back in Hell.

Posted: 2008-02-06 09:07pm
by Academia Nut
Well, basically, if they actually knew what they were doing, then they would already have been able to win. Their capacity for invisibility before would have allowed them to basically assassinate world leaders more or less at will, throwing everyone into panic and chaos as the chain of command breaks down. They could have then isolated individual military assets and destroyed them in detail, particularly any strategic weapons in launch silos.

Basically, their strategy should have been one of high mobility, using their apparent teleport abilities to launch surprise attacks before retreating back to the safety of Hell. This is of course presuming that the energy balance is favourable for such things, but basically if they had played smart and hard from the beginning they would have been able to do a lot more damage.

Essentially, they've already wasted the majority of their superpowers, and right now their only advantage is raw numbers. If they start playing smarter then things will be different, but by their cultural mindset they've already blown the majority of their advantages.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:02pm
by phongn
Singular Quartet wrote:Along with another ~7,500 sitting around back in Hell.
I think he settled on 6666 legions, of which ~60 or so are in the field right now.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:32pm
by MKSheppard
Stuart wrote:Don't get too exultant. Remember we've just seen two Legions cut to pieces. Abigor has 60 and we haven't seen the infantry in action yet.
Not to mention that Abighor's forces could very well be just phase I; force an opening and beach head for the easiest portal to open....there could be other legions set up for harder to open portals, like I dunno....one in the Bermuda triangle; or one in the American MIdwest on an ancient indian burial ground...

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:33pm
by Illuminatus Primus
Given the sheer numbers, I think the U.S. et al is going to have to swap out conventional tactics and armament for nuclear devices and massive retaliation. I relish this along with Shep.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:36pm
by MKSheppard
Illuminatus Primus wrote:Given the sheer numbers, I think the U.S. et al is going to have to swap out conventional tactics and armament for nuclear devices and massive retaliation. I relish this along with Shep.
Why? Remember, we still have a lot more cards to play, like ARC LIGHTING them, or sending in C-17s and kicking MOABs out the back, or BLUs.

I think nuking them, as satisfying as it is; is going to be the last card we play.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:38pm
by Illuminatus Primus
They have billions of demons, and if they find some way to slave-draft some dead humans, they'll have billions more of rapid-healing troops. I mean, are we considering that Hell might surrender once there are major losses or an invasion?

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:43pm
by CaptainChewbacca
Illuminatus Primus wrote:They have billions of demons, and if they find some way to slave-draft some dead humans, they'll have billions more of rapid-healing troops. I mean, are we considering that Hell might surrender once there are major losses or an invasion?
How are they 'rapid healing'? Demons don't come back after you kill them, and they expect dead humans to only die once.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:47pm
by Illuminatus Primus
CaptainChewbacca wrote:
Illuminatus Primus wrote:They have billions of demons, and if they find some way to slave-draft some dead humans, they'll have billions more of rapid-healing troops. I mean, are we considering that Hell might surrender once there are major losses or an invasion?
How are they 'rapid healing'? Demons don't come back after you kill them, and they expect dead humans to only die once.
Know many women who "rapidly heal" from massive vaginal trauma after being raped with oversized, barbed penises? Not I.

Posted: 2008-02-06 10:50pm
by CaptainChewbacca
Illuminatus Primus wrote:
CaptainChewbacca wrote:
Illuminatus Primus wrote:They have billions of demons, and if they find some way to slave-draft some dead humans, they'll have billions more of rapid-healing troops. I mean, are we considering that Hell might surrender once there are major losses or an invasion?
How are they 'rapid healing'? Demons don't come back after you kill them, and they expect dead humans to only die once.
Know many women who "rapidly heal" from massive vaginal trauma after being raped with oversized, barbed penises? Not I.
Healing trauma and healing second death seem to be two different things in the infernal realms. It may also be they are not able to heal on earth as they do in hell. If they could, the Heralds would still be alive.

Posted: 2008-02-06 11:08pm
by Illuminatus Primus
CaptainChewbacca wrote:Healing trauma and healing second death seem to be two different things in the infernal realms. It may also be they are not able to heal on earth as they do in hell. If they could, the Heralds would still be alive.
What are you talking about? I pointed out they heal from trauma that might kill a normal human from shock if left to bleed out without care. That does not mean I am saying they are invulnerable to any form of attack or come back from the dead infinitely. I am just saying they are probably harder to kill than baseline humans. I wonder if their body chemistry - and those of the baldricks' - is different from humans such that their radiation tolerance is much higher. What if baldricks happen to molt or something, and therefore are much more resistant to ionizing radiation? Hurts nukes' effectiveness.

Posted: 2008-02-06 11:13pm
by Singular Quartet
phongn wrote:
Singular Quartet wrote:Along with another ~7,500 sitting around back in Hell.
I think he settled on 6666 legions, of which ~60 or so are in the field right now.
I thought he went with 6666 standard legions, with Satan's personel 999 legions as a seperate force?

Posted: 2008-02-06 11:22pm
by Sidewinder
Badass. By the way, will human infantry get any kills, or are they all staying in the NBC-protected interiors of the APCs and IFVs? I want to know what effect small arms fire will have on Abrigor's legionnaires.

Posted: 2008-02-06 11:34pm
by Stuart Mackey
Nice. I note the effectiveness of the razor wire..which means edged weapons are effective as well. This gives a nice baseline for the robustness of the demons skin and anatomy.

Posted: 2008-02-06 11:41pm
by phongn
Singular Quartet wrote:I thought he went with 6666 standard legions, with Satan's personel 999 legions as a seperate force?
"So, the Armies of Hell have a core elite force of 999 legions with the balance of the 6666 being a sort of local militia type of force. That works really well."

That indicates that the 999 are part of the 6666.