Technology

Technology is eclectic in Magical Girl Noir Quest. Sometimes, Magical Girls use tech largely identical to the real world--other times, they wield science far beyond anything mundane humans could ever produce. Certain Officios are practically defined by their advanced technology; the 4th and the 13th, for example, are (in)famous for their mastery of mechanical engineering and bio-engineering, respectively.

Below is a list of some of the more advanced pieces of hardware used in Magical Girl Noir Quest, sorted by the Officio that invented or otherwise manufactures it.

Information

Various

Silent Rooms

Work In Progress

Augmentations

"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" --Apolakreon motto

Used by: Various

Augmentations, also known as "bionics" or "augmetics", are advanced prosthetics and other artificial body parts implanted into a flesh-and-blood body. Most commonly, these are replacements for damaged limbs or other body parts (such as eyes), though people simply desiring to "upgrade" their bodies are not always turned away, either.

At least two different Officios are known to manufacture and use augmentations.

Officio II: 2nd Officio bionics tend to prioritize strength, speed, and durability over fancy extraneous functions. They are often more obviously artificial than bionics made by the 4th, and therefore harder to disguise--in exchange, they are arguably superior for use in combat.

Officio IV: 4th Officio bionics, especially its synthetic limbs, tend to be more subtle and highly engineered compared to 2nd Officio bionics, trading sheer toughness and power for elegance and extra features. Augmentations made by the 4th tend to come with additional capabilities on top of increased strength, speed, and armor, such as hidden weapons, on-board computers, and sensory equipment. The 4th can even craft realistic synthetic skin that can disguise exposed augmetics, but doing so costs a very great deal of money.

Fourth Officio

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Ironforms

"Flesh is weak."

Used by: Officio IV

More than perhaps any other piece of technology, the 4th is most well known for their synthetic bodies, i.e. Ironforms. An Ironform is completely artificial--the only part of the Magical Girl's original body that remains is her Soul Gem. The process is excruciating and not all Soul Gems are compatible with Ironforms, but those who succeed are granted bodies that are stronger, faster, and more durable than even the superhuman physique of a Magical Girl.

Those with Ironforms no longer need to eat or drink and never become physically fatigued, though users may require periods of mental rest. Other bodily needs (such as the need for companionship) typically remain untouched. Pressure sensors allow Ironforum users to handle objects without breaking them, while damage-detection diagnostics alert users of damage to their bodies.

However, this power comes at a price. Soul Gems do not as easily interface with synthetic bodies as they do with a Magical Girl's organic one, and the process of implanting a Soul Gem into an Ironform is a traumatic one, so to acclimate the Soul Gem a magical girl typically replaces more and more of her flesh body with augmentations. Even so, not all patients survive the process, and for others the process simply doesn't work.

Ironforms also put a strain on the Soul Gem, causing it to collect grief somewhat faster than normal. This is most of the reason why Fourth Officio girls are discouraged from using magic. Ironform users can still stave off Witching Out, however, through careful management of their Soul Gem and minimizing magic usage.

Ironforms are generally divided into 3 classes:

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LIGHT:

Light Ironforms tend to generally be human sized and human shaped. 4th Officio girls use these Light Ironforms during their off-hours, the equivalent of wearing casual wear. 4th Officio girls are allowed, indeed encouraged, to customize their Light Ironforms in any way they like, from paintjobs to additional hardware to even weaponry. Light Ironforms are marginally stronger, faster, and tougher than flesh-and-blood Magical Girl bodies.

Emmeles members use specialized Ironforms when on duty--these are designed to look and function much more like actual human bodies than most other Light Ironforms, in order to seem less inhuman to outsiders. Additional functions include the ability to eat and drink, eyelids for blinking, and in some cases synthetic skin and hair.

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HEAVY:

Heavy Ironforms are larger and bulkier than Lights, standing approximately 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall and being much stronger and tougher. Heavy Ironforms are for combat or heavy-duty construction.

Out of practical concerns, Heavy Ironforms are more standardized than Lights--in order to streamline maintenance and repair of Heavy Ironforms, only the highest-ranking Officio personnel are permitted to modify their Heavies.

Heavies are also highly modular. Switching from combat to construction, or from one combat role to another, usually just involves swapping out a few parts from the Ironform's arms and torso for different ones.

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DREADNOUGHT:

Dreadnought Ironforms are even bigger than Heavies, standing some 14 feet (4.2 meters) tall. They are used for only the heaviest construction, or when a truly withering amount of firepower is needed on the battlefield. Like Heavies, Dreadnoughts are standardized and modular.

As Dreadnoughts are more specialized than Heavies, they are a relatively rare sight.

Tactical Dreadnought Armor

Used by: Officio IV, Officio IX

As a part of an initiative to improve the lot of the Skitarii, Petra and Fiona created the Tactical Dreadnought Armor system, a.k.a. the "Terminator" armor. It blurs the line between powered armor and a small, pilotable mech, standing 8 to 9 feet tall, boasting a powerful internal power source, massively increased strength, and slabs upon slabs of dense plasteel armor. Other functions include a multi-spectrum sensor suite and a sealed environment Most notable, however, is its ability to be wielded by anyone small enough to wear it--the "Terminator" was designed from the outset to be used by non-Ironform 4th Officio girls. Once worn, even an unaugmented Magical Girl will become capable of taking on a Heavy Ironform head-to-head.

There are at least two different classes of Terminator armor: the Indomitus, which was designed with firepower in mind, and the Cataphract, which was designed for optimized defenses.

The missing Indomitus prototype, dubbed "Tiny Pete", was originally from the 4th Officio.

The Olympia

"Home is where the explosions are!"

Used by: Officio IV

Headquarters, barracks, research facility, factory, siege engine: the Olympia serves as home and stronghold for the bulk of the Fourth Officio. Although the Officio does man a handful of outposts throughout the world (mostly as testing sites for new equipment), the majority of the Officio's 400 Magical Girls reside on the Olympia.

The Olympia itself is a vaguely humanoid-shaped robot, measuring approximately 2000 feet tall, with large, cylindrical towers rising from its shoulders and head. Its two arms each end in a large cannon, with collapsible runways installed on top of each to permit air traffic. Other features include housing for Officio personnel, manufacturing facilities, processing and refining facilities, point-defense guns, and hangars/garages for all Officio vehicles.

Warmaster Petra, and the Fourth's Incubator, Quartus, designed the Olympia.

Powered Combat Armors

Used by: Officio IV (Mk. VI "Maximus"), Officio II (Mk. I "Templar"), Officio XVI (Mk. I "Cadre")

Although the bulk of the 4th uses Ironforms for combat, the Officio nonetheless creates body armor for non-Ironform humans. Part of this is because Officio novitiates lacking Ironforms still need protection in combat; another part of this is because the Officio regularly exports advanced armor to outside customers.

The current production line of combat armors manufactured by the 4th are all powered exoskeletons-—that is, each suit uses an internal energy source to perform certain functions, such as augmenting speed and strength, providing multi-spectrum sensor data, and more. All 4th Officio production combat armors utilize a mixture of nanofiber weave and plasteel plates for flexibility and lightweight yet sturdy protection.

Designation: Mk. VI Powered Combat Armor, “Maximus”

Auxiliary Functions: Strength and speed enhancement, thermal imaging, night vision, advanced heads-up-display and targeting software, radio communications system

Armor Class: IIIc

Description: The Mk. VI Powered Combat Armor is the standard combat armor for the 4th Officio. This suit contains the standard suite of auxiliary functions, and overall is the standard by which all other powered combat armors are judged by. The “Maximus”, in comparison to the “Templar” and “Cadre” armors, boasts fewer or less powerful auxiliary functions but sports heavier protection(Armor Class IIIc, versus the IIIb and IIIa of the “Templar” and “Cadre” suits, respectively)--entirely appropriate for an Officio that values brute force as highly as the 4th. The Mk. VI Powered Combat Armor can sustain several direct hits from full metal jacket rifle rounds at close range before the plasteel plates are compromised.

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Designation: Mk. I Grief Seed Infusion Powered Combat Armor, “Templar”

Auxiliary Functions: Massive strength and speed enhancement

Armor Class: IIIb

Description: Compared to the “Maximus”, the Mk. I “Templar” offers less protection and, at first glance, less tactical flexibility owing to its limited auxiliary functions. However, the Grief Seed Infusion System, which draws magical energy from a supercharged Witch's Grief Seed, provides the wearer with unparalleled speed and strength. However, given the unstable nature of Grief Seeds and the general lack of understanding of magical energy, “Templar” suits can be at times unreliable

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Designation: Mk. I Covert Operations Powered Combat Armor, “Cadre”

Auxiliary Functions: Strength and speed enhancement, thermal imaging, night vision, advanced heads-up-display and targeting software, radio communications system, refractor field stealth system

Amror class: IIIa

Description: Whereas the “Maximus” and the “Templar” powered armors were designed for brutal and direct open combat, the Mk. I “Cadre” was designed for a balance between stealth and protection, as requested by Officio XVI. As such, though the “Cadre” by no means fails to provide plenty of protection for its wearer, it is noticeably less of a juggernaut than the Mk. IV “Maximus”. Instead, it trades physical protection for stealth capabilities, using a series of miniature light-refracting systems on the surface of the armor to render the wearer all but invisible to the naked eye (though other electromagnetic sensors, such as infrared devices, may still detect cloaked users). This, combined with the armor's overall more flexible and noise-reducing construction, renders the “Cadre” armor an excellent piece of equipment for the operators of the Sixteenth.

High-Explosive Gyrojet Weapons

"Ha ha, that's not a gun. THIS is a gun!"

Used by: Officio IV

The HE Gyrojet Weapons were developed by the Warmaster in conjunction with the Lyssatra. The Lyssatra made two observations:

First: Exploding shrapnel weapons cause tremendous damage to soft tissue, but are easily stopped by armor.

Second: Armor-piercing rounds are effective against armor, but against soft tissue have a tendency to overpenetrate and not disrupt as much tissue as softer rounds.

The solution to this conundrum developed by the Lyssatra was the High-Explosive Gyrojet Weapon. Each round of ammunition—-a “bolt”--consists of an armor-piercing cupronickel tip attached to a metal casing filled with high explosives. Upon encountering an object of sufficient mass, a pressure sensor ignites the explosives after a split-second delay; the result is a round that reliably penetrates up to and including Class III armor, while detonating inside the target for extreme stopping power. The entire round itself is propelled by a small amount of liquid rocket fuel, which is activated after an initial propellant charge moves the “bolt” out of the weapon's barrel, providing a flatter trajectory.

However, since each round is resource-intensive to manufacture, most HE Gyrojet weapons are relegated to higher-ranked members of the Officio. Furthermore, since each round is relatively weighty and the recoil is immense, only Heavy Ironforms or specially modified Light Ironforms can properly wield a HE Gyrojet weapon.

Designation: Mk. I .855 caliber HE Gyrojet Pistol, “Bolt Pistol”

Ammunition Capacity: 8 rounds (Type I “Straight” magazine), 12 rounds (Type II “Sickle” magazine)

Firing modes: Semi-Automatic

Effective range: ~100m

Description: The Mk. I HE Gyrojet Pistol appears as a very sizable and blocky handgun. As with most handguns, they are not designed to be used as a primary weapon, but more as a sidearm or personal defense weapon. That said, the destructive properties of HE Gyrojet weapons allows the Mk. I to defeat up to Class III armor, and penetrate up to Class IIIc armor with several direct hits. The weapon is also just light enough to be used by unmodified Light Ironforms and users wearing powered armors.

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Designation: Mk. II .995 caliber HE Gyrojet Cannon, “Bolter”

Ammunition Capacity: 20 rounds (Type I “Straight” magazine), 25 rounds (Type II “Sickle” magazine), 500 rounds (belt-fed ammunition hopper)

Firing modes: Semi-Automatic, 3-round Burst, Full Auto

Effective range: ~680m

Description: Larger and more powerful than the Mk. I Pistol, the Mk. II “Bolter” is roughly analogous to an assault rifle in design and function. For certain customized Heavy Ironforms, it can also replace its usual straight or sickle magazine for an ammunition belt, allowing the weapon to be used for extended firefights. The weapon's immense firepower allows it to reliably defeat even Class IIIc powered armors, and destroy lightly even lightly armored vehicles with several direct hits. However, the “Bolter” is too cumbersome to be used by anything other than an Heavy Ironform or on a tripod.

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Designation: Mk. III 1.2 inch HE Gyrojet Cannon, “Heavy Bolter”

Ammunition Capacity: 2000 (belt-fed ammunition hopper)

Firing modes: Full Auto

Effective range: ~1000m

Description: The largest of the HE Gyrojet weapons, the Mk. III “Heavy Bolter” is akin to a heavy machine-gun, appropriate for suppression and delivering blistering firepower in a portable package. It is cumbersome enough such that a Heavy Ironform typically must mount it on a shoulder hardpoint. The “Heavy Bolter”'s 1.2 inch caliber high-explosive shells allow it to engage armored vehicles and devastate larger targets such as Witches.

Materials

Used by: Officio IV

Ever since discovering the Golden Hammer, the 4th Officio has synthesized a variety of new compounds and materials. Of note are two materials in particular.

Designation: Ultra-High-Density Plasteel-Amalgam, “Adamantium”

Description: During the Warmaster's research of her mysterious golden hammer, “Forgebreaker”, she discovered that the outer shell of the weapon itself was almost impervious to anything she could apply to it. She attempted to reverse-engineer the material after suspecting that part of its extreme resilience came from the material's high density, and set about synthesizing a new material. After an extremely involved synthesizing process involving extreme applications of heat and pressure, she arrived at the Ultra-High-Density Plasteel-Amalgam (UHDPA), also known as “Adamantium”, a material that almost equals the mysterious golden substance it was derived from.

Usage: Very few materials on earth surpass “Adamantium” in terms of strength, hardness, insulation, and overall resistance to wear and tear. Whether used for armor, weaponry, or construction, UHDPA is almost unbreakable and impregnable by conventional means.

Issues: The primary issue with UHDPA is its sheer cost. Even 1 kilogram of the material takes an extraordinary amount of time and resources to create, and then further time and energy to shape into something useful. As a result, all “Adamantium” in existence is relegated to select parts of the Warmaster's Ironform or given in small portions as gifts to Magical Girls honored by the Warmaster to use as they please.

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Designation: UHDPA-Laced Plasteel-Ceramic, “Ceramite”

Description: UHDPA-Laced Ceramic was an attempt by the Officio to try and make UHDPA less cost-intensive. The idea was to layer plasteel with hard pressure-treated ceramics, interlaced with thin strands of UHDPA. The result was UHDPA-Laced Plasteel-Ceramic, also known as “Ceramite”. It retains much of the desirable properties of UHDPA, while being much cheaper to make (albeit still extremely expensive).

Usage: As with UHDPA, “Ceramite” serves well as armor or as structural components in weaponry and construction. It is noticeably weaker, and sustained extreme heat or kinetic energy will defeat “Ceramite”, but in exchange more of the object can viably incorporate “Ceramite”.

Issues: Nonetheless, “Ceramite” is still extremely costly to make, at least in part due to the cost of UHDPA itself. As a result, “Ceramite” tends to be relegated to the highest-ranking members of the Officio.

Matter-Disruptor Weapons

Used by: Officio IV

Matter-disruption weapons represent some of the most cutting-edge technology available to the 4th. They arose as a by-product of research conducted to understand the Warmaster's mysterious golden hammer, “Forgebreaker”. Each matter-disruption works by emitting either a field or a pulse of electromagnetism that heavily disrupts the molecular bonds within a piece of matter (with the exception of Forgebreaker-—see relevant entry); the result is that these weapons practically ignore all but the very densest and heaviest armor.

Matter-disruptors can broadly be divided into two categories: those that emit a matter-disruptor pulse (MD pulse), and those that emit a steady matter-disruptor field (MD field).

Furthermore, matter-disruption weapons are rated on two different attributes: Disruption Factor (DF) and Focus Factor (FF), each on a scale of 1 to 5 (1= lower, 5 = higer). The former typically refers to how large of a disruptor-pulse or how large the volume of a disruptor-field is, while the latter refers to how powerful the weapon's MD Pulse or MD Field is. A weapon with high DF will displace more matter on contact with a weapon with lower DF, while a weapon with high FF will penetrate denser matter more quickly than a weapon with lower FF. In short, DF refers to how “damaging” the weapon is, while FF refers to how well it penetrates armor.

Key for DF scales:

1 = Very low amounts of matter displaced on contact. This weapon will have difficulty quickly neutralizing a human of average size and mass unless vitals (such as the carotid arteries, kidneys, or brain) are damaged.

2 = Low amounts of matter disrupted on contact. This weapon is expected to be able to quickly neutralize humans and deal moderate damage to larger targets.

3 = Moderate amounts of matter disrupted on contact. This weapon is expected to be able to quickly neutralize larger objects such as motorized vehicles, and deal moderate damage to larger targets such as Witches.

4 = High amounts of matter disrupted on contact. This weapon is expected to be able to deal grievous wounds to targets such as Witches.

5 = Very high amounts of matter disrupted on contact. This weapon is expected to be able to quickly neutralize large targets such as Witches.

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Key for FF scales:

1 = Very low focus. This weapon will reliably penetrate body armor up to Armor Rating II (i.e. ballistic vests) in a single application.

2 = Low focus. This weapon will reliably penetrate body armor up to Armor Rating III (i.e. “Templar” and “Cadre” Powered Combat Armors) and most lightly armored vehicles in a single application.

3 = Moderate focus. This weapon will reliably penetrate body armor up to Armor Rating IV (i.e. 10mm plasteel-laminate) and medium-armored vehicles in a single application.

4 = High focus. This weapon will reliably penetrate body armor up to Armor Rating V (i.e. 14mm plasteel-laminate) and heavily-armored vehicles in a single application.

5 = Very high focus. This weapon will reliably penetrate most known forms of matter in a single application.

Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. 0, “Forgebreaker”

Description: The mysterious golden weapon owned by the Warmaster of the 4th, and the object that kickstarted research and development into matter-disruption weapons. The weapon takes the form of a large two-handed sledgehammer that, on first glance, appears to be made largely of gold, but closer inspection with finer instruments reveals as being crafted out of an entirely unknown material. Every attempt to remove a sample of the golden material for closer analysis has resulted in failure as the weapon has proven immune to any and all forms of damage—laser cutters, diamond-bit drills, and even plasma-jets do not so much as scratch it.

Usage: Even inactivated, the Mk. 0 is a formidable weapon. Despite its impervious construction, it is remarkably light and well-balanced for a weapon its size and destructive power, and combined with the Warmaster's Heavy Ironform there are few objects that can withstand a blow from the inactivated Mk. 0. When activated, upon contacting an object of sufficient mass (20kg or higher) the Mk. 0 releases a large pulse of an unknown energy. This energy disrupts not the molecular bonds, but the gluons within the nuclei of matter within the pulse—as a result, only volume of armor matters, for hardness and density are irrelevant in the face of an energy blast that dismantles the very atoms of its victims.

DF Rating: 5+

FF Rating: 5+

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. I, “Thunder Hammer”

Description: The logical step after studying the Mk. 0 “Forgebreaker” was to attempt to replicate it; the Mk. I is the result. Like the Mk.0, the Mk. I takes the form of a large two-handed sledgehammer, though the matter-disruption pulse generators attached to the hammer head renders the weapon relatively unwieldy, though still deadly in the hands of the Iron Havocs.

Usage: Like the Mk. 0 it was based on, the Mk. I releases an energy pulse upon contact with an object of sufficient mass. Unlike the Mk. 0, the energy pulse disrupts matter on a molecular level, rather than on a quantum level, and in addition the sudden release of energy rapidly expands nearby air. The result is a distinct sound similar to a thunderclap, and has a tendency to concuss and disorient humans near the point of contact—hence the Mk. I's informal name, the “Thunder Hammer”.

Issues: As powerful a weapon the Mk. I is, it suffers primarily from 2 problems. The first is that the weapon's matter-disruption pulse is energy intensive; using a battery, the weapon has enough energy for only twenty matter-disruption pulses before requiring recharge. The Mk. I variants used by the Iron Havocs avoid this problem by drawing energy directly from their Ironforms, but this has its own set of problems, namely that the power cable connecting the weapon to the Ironform is vulnerable to damage. The second issue is that the weapon is unwieldy, requiring either an Ironform or two hands to wield properly, and even then it is a relatively slow weapon. Adepts of close-quarters-combat can tell you how this can be something of a disadvantage in battle.

DF Rating: 5

FF Rating: 5

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. II, “Power Maul”

Description: In trying to solve the issues with the Mk. I, the Warmaster first tried to miniaturize the size of the weapon itself in order to make it less unwieldy. The Mk. II, taking the shape of a club or a mace, is the result. This was also the first weapon to utilize a matter-disruption field, and also the only weapon to use both a disruption pulse and a field at the same time. The matter-disruption generators have been significantly reduced in size, allowing the weapon to be relatively light and easy to handle. However, due to weapon's center of gravity being biased towards the head, the weapon is, by necessity, has a shorter reach than most.

Usage: The Mk. II's MD field is a product of accident—when the Warmaster was attempting to lower the power output of the weapon's initial MD pulse, by chance she set it such that the emitters generated low-output, high-frequency pulses instead. When the frequency was high enough, the pulses effectively became a steady field. As a result, the Mk. II uses a low FF MD field that allows it to tear apart most ballistic vests used in modern militaries with ease, while still retaining an MD pulse that concusses lighter targets.

Issues: While a potent weapon, the Mk. II's low FF means it is unsuitable for engaging heavily-armored targets—anything more protected than, say, a car will simply deflect the weapon, as the MD field generator simply cannot displace enough mass quickly enough. As mentioned before, the weapon also possesses a shorter reach.

DF: 4

FF: 1

Variants: To compensate for the lack of reach, some Magical Girls of the 4th have attempted create a longer shaft for the weapon, in effect creating a staff. This has a tendency to throw off the weapon's center of gravity unless a counter-weight at the other end of the weapon is installed.

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. III, “Power Axe”

Description: Intrigued by the potential of MD fields, the Warmaster set about trying to create a weapon that could still be used in one hand but had as high FF as possible, while still not requiring the unviable amounts of power required by the Mk. I. The result of this period of experimentation was the Mk. III, taking the form of a broad-bladed axe. The Mk. III is roughly the same size as the Mk. II, but uses a more advanced (but also heavier) set of MD field emitters.

Usage: The Mk. III possesses almost unparalleled cutting power in a small package—its FF rating is equal to that of the Mk. I, but light enough to wield in one hand and much more economical with its energy. The broad blade of its axe-head also displaces a decent amount of matter per application.

Issues: With its high FF rating comes the price of weight. Although not quite as clumsy as the Mk. I, it the Mk. III is not as easily wielded as the Power Maul or Power Sword. It is also possessed of a rather short reach, which, combined with its relative unwieldiness, can make its usage somewhat hazardous in combat.

DF Rating: 3

FF Rating: 4

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. IV, “Power Sword”

Description: Once the practical limits of the MD field were explored, the Warmaster set about experimenting with other parameters of matter-disruption weapons. Her first idea was to create a weapon that struck a balance between speed, power, and cutting ability, a weapon suitable for bringing down primarily human targets. The Mk. IV was the result, typically taking the form of a sword or similarly-shaped bladed weapon. Usage: The Mk. IV is, above all else, a swift and easy to handle weapon. It is designed to neutralize human targets quickly and efficiently, and as such its MD field emitters were miniaturized to save weight. The Mk. IV cuts through flesh and almost all forms of combat armor known to man with extreme ease, while retaining good reach and speed.

Issues: As they say, “the jack of all trades but the ace of none”. The greatest advantage of the Mk. IV is its speed; in everything else, other weapons win out. It lacks the high FF of the Mk. III and the sheer killing power of the Mk. II and I.

DF: 2

FF: 2

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. V, “Power Fist”

Description: Next, the Warmaster wanted to reinvent the wheel, so to speak-—create a disruptor weapon that had the power of the Mk. I, but without the huge drain on energy and still one-handed. She also, supposedly, received several requests from the rest of the 4th to create a weapon that did not require quite so much “elbow-room” to swing, one that could displace a great deal of matter with a simple thrust. The fruits of the Warmaster's efforts were the Mk. V, taking the form of a large fist-like enclosure around the user's hand. With a single punch, a Magical Girl can now tear out the heart of an armored vehicle or deal a grievous wound to a Witch.

Usage: The Mk. V is a relatively simple weapon: activate the MD field, then punch something. Knowledge of CQC is certainly a plus, but the nature of the weapon itself allows even a novice to deal great damage. The Mk. V is appropriate for engaging larger targets, or ensuring that a human target is irrevocably dead.

Issues: However, the size of the MD emitters means the weight of the Mk. V is immense. Since the weapon is kept closer to the user's center of gravity, it is not quite as clumsy as the Mk. I, but only just. Furthermore, the fact that the weapon encapsulates the user's hand renders that hand unable to quickly switch to a different task—the user must disengage the Mk. V fully before being able to use her hand.

DF: 5

FF: 4

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. VI, “Storm Shield”

Description: According to the 4th's Triarchs, the Warmaster once came up with an idea: what if MD fields were used defensively instead? The idea was to generate a field with a wide surface area and as high a FF possible to create a shield that, in theory, disintegrated incoming munitions and weapons upon contact. The Mk. VI takes the form of a large shield, enough to encompass the wielder's body from the neck to the knees, and between its plasteel-ceramite layers and high FF MD field, the “Storm Shield” does an admirable job in protecting its wielder from all kinds of harm.

Usage: The Mk. VI is a large, heavy shield, and should be used as such—in both defense and offense. A quick jab with the shield can come as a very nasty surprise when the high FF MD field comes into contact with an offending object. The Mk. VI is rated as proof against munitions up to 30mm, while being highly resistant against anything heavier. It can even survive a direct hit from tank-rounds.

Issues: Because the high FF MD field must cover such a large surface area, the emitters of the “Storm Shield” are immense and require a staggering amount of power. As a result, only Heavy Ironforms are capable of wielding them, and even then the Ironform requires extra servomotors on its arm and an improved reactor to sustain the power strain. The Mk. VI is also extremely heavy, and though a surprise jab may be an effective offensive maneuver, it is otherwise too clumsy to be directly used as a weapon.

DF: 5

FF: 5

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. VII, “Power Claw”

Description: After several field-tests, the Mk. Is employed by the Iron Havocs proved to be devastatingly effective, but not without flaws. In particular, testers complained that the “Thunder Hammer”, while effective, was sometimes too unwieldy for rapid responses. Testers also complained that the Mk. I was also a bit of an overkill against targets softer than a Witch or a main battle tank. After some time in R&D, the Warmaster modified the Mk. III “Power Sword” and Mk. V “Power Fist” to create something that was an amalgam of both: the Mk. VII. The weapon resembles a smaller Mk. V with up to four smaller blades attached to its “knuckles”, resulting in a claw-shaped device that earned it its nickname.

Usage: Against lighter targets, the Mk. VII is a devastating weapon. The arrangement of the matter-disruptor blades means the weapon effectively covers a very wide area with each application while still saving on weight and energy. The weapon can be used in a thrusting or swiping matter, and when two are wielded at the same time the user becomes extremely lethal.

Issues: The greatest issue of the Mk. VII is its expense—the miniaturization efforts gone into its emitters have given the weapon a very high price tag. It is also less effective than the Mk. I and Mk. V against larger, hardened targets, as the Mk. VII is optimized towards lightly armored vehicles and humans. Furthermore, much like the Mk. V the “Power Claw” encapsulates the entire hand, and therefore renders that hand unable to quickly switch to another task.

DF: 4

FF: 2

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. VIII, “Power Lance”

Description: After completing work on the Mk. VII, the Warmaster decided to revisit the concept of MD pulses. The idea was to create a lighter, more powerful replacement weapon for the “Lancer” Mk. II.a Heavy Ironform's pneumatic piledriver, a weapon that could deliver a single, devastating killing blow before an enemy could retaliate. As such, the Mk. VIII “Power Lance” has the longest reach of any matter-disruption weapon, resembling a long spear. Usage: The Mk. VIII is designed to be used on the charge. Pressure sensors near the tip of the weapon activate the MD pulse generators at the moment of impact, which, combined with the momentum of a Heavy Ironform moving at charging speed, delivers a devastating blow capable of tearing apart an armored vehicle.

Issues: Despite the weapon's potential killing power, however, it is optimized for being used on the charge. Like the Mk. II “Power Maul”, the weapon retains a low FF MD field to retain effectiveness even without using a MD pulse, and like the Mk. II this low FF MD field makes this weapon less effective against more heavily-armored targets outside of a charge. As a result, the Mk. VIII is something of a niche weapon.

DF: 2 (5 on the charge)

FF: 1 (3 on the charge)

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Designation: Matter-Disruption Weapon Mk. IX, “Power Dagger”

Description: The circumstances behind the Mk. IX is unknown; given the 4th's (and its Warmaster's) preference for open, direct combat, that the Warmaster would produce a weapon of subterfuge seems rather unusual—indeed, though matter-disruption weapons are ubiquitous in the 4th, Mk. IXs are very rarely seen, if at all. Rumors have it that the Spymaster of the 20th requested or even blackmailed the Warmaster into designing the Mk. IX for the 20th. The “Power Dagger” takes the form of a small knife or dagger, suitable for cutting locks and human flesh alike.

Usage: The Mk. IX is very light, very small, and easy to conceal. This makes it an ideal tool for infiltration missions, as it can cut through locks, wire-fences, and human tissue with ease. The “Power Dagger” can also be balanced for throwing.

Issues: The disadvantages of the Mk. IX are obvious—it lacks reach and killing power. Its small size also means its DF and FF are lacking compared to other matter-disruption weapons.

DF: 1

FF: 1