Daedalus 45 M1 - Term: 1, Round: 5

House Thoth, Squad Leader, Squad Zero

M1 Rank: 1/1275, Tier 3 M-Rank: Null

Term: 1, Round: 5

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Author's note: we will follow Daedo and Myrmidon viewing the match between Horus Squad two and Shu Squad Zero.

As Moreau's squad lined up against Lazard's Daedo used two of the better Augmented Reality (AR) viewing apps to a.s.sess the battle. Myrmidon was more adept taking in all the raw feeds.

In the future, it would be possible for Myrmidon to act as a producer and feed certain streams to Daedo. But right now they each did their own thing and chatted about it what they gleaned. The chat itself took place at the speed of Daedo's thoughts in one direction and much slower in reception. Daedo could not process information anywhere near the same speed as Myrmidon. Apparently, he was much faster than other cadets, hence his bandwidth rating.

Daedo would send Myrmidon, words, images and general feelings. The feelings enhance his message, it was akin to body language for the mind. For example, Daedo would send Myrmidon an image of an a.s.sault rifle wielded by a heavy exo with the feeling, rather than words, that communicated, 'bad, terrible, dumb.'

The reason he considered this a feeling was he did not imagine the words, just his reaction. Which was both faster and more accurate than putting that feeling into words. During their time together Myrmidon became more adept at interpreting these feelings month after month. He rarely needed things explained these days. One of those rare circ.u.mstances was when Daedo explained how he felt when he blushed after Barran-M said she was a big fan of his.

Author's note: unfortunately I will have to use words in the form of a conversation to depict the very different type of communication that Daedo and Myrmidon share.

[[Daedo: Shu seemed to be emulating some of our tactics. They have off the shelf launchers and only have two heavy exos.]]

[[Myrmidon: their exos are almost standard. Could they not improve them more?]]

[[Daedo: no we are fairly unique on how much work we have done in a short time.]]

[[Myrmidon: ah meatheads. Bless them and their laziness.]]

[[Daedo: I don't know if its laziness. We do know no one has an AI like you.]]

[[Myrmidon: don't use your new behavioural skills on me! Although, it is true.]]

[[Daedo sent Myrmidon a feeling of mirth: Sometimes people use skills to manipulate others and sometimes they are just communicating what they think!]]

[[Myrmidon: ok. Topic change. Who do you think will win by a.n.a.lysing their tactical loadouts and exos.]]

[[Daedo: hmm, well we do know Shu quite well. And they have high skill levels. A few cadets in the top twenty and Lazard always in top six or seven. Their tactics are sound. But. I think the use of the standard heavy exo is a better tactic if you don't upgrade the lighter versions. Ultimately, Horus two can't be too far behind in skill. They are all in the top one hundred cadets bar one. So it will come down to equipment. If Horus' equipment is superior and their tactics even or superior then I think they will win. And you?]]

[[Myrmidon: statistically going by ranking Shu will win. If they are superior in tech studies, then their equipment will be better. I have a breakdown of gauntlet scores across four rounds and Shu are ahead there as well by seventeen point nine two percent. I just reviewed all available data on arena practice, and Shu are much better drilled. Mainly due to the influence of our squad.]]

[[Daedo: this is great. I like it when we disagree. I am more interested in the outcome now.]]

[[Myrmidon: the battle is starting. Good luck Daedo, you will need it. (mimicking Barran smack talk)]]

[[Daedo sent Myrmidon a feeling of mirth: I know where you stole that saying from.]]

[[Myrmidon copied another much older saying: there is nothing new under the sun]].

[[Daedo: well we will just have to leave this solar system one day to see something new.]]

[[Myrmidon: really?! We can do that?]]

[[Daedo: the spiral is being built for a reason. We will get some s.p.a.ce on it. Our own workshop and we will take it from there.]]

[[Myrmidon: you haven't told our squaddies this!]]

Myrmidon thought himself part of the squad and had refrained from calling squaddies meatheads unless they did some special to deserve it. As far as Myrmidon was concerned, there were two types of people. One group was like family. The other group was not. A very ones and zeros approach.

[[Myrmidon: Shu is moving out in a predictable fas.h.i.+on.]]

[[Daedo: predictable for you. They have split into three groups, close combat, medium and long.]]

[[Myrmidon: Not even worth mentioning.]]

[[Daedo: Horus are in two groups. Interesting, each has different ranged loadouts. Both with four cadets. One of the perks of not being a zero Squad.]]

[[Myrmidon: Pity, their eighth cadet, is ranked one-six-four.]]

[[Daedo: if they're well led and can shoot straight. It's not that much of a detriment]].

[[Myrmidon: statistically Horus ranks add up to the lowest number when combined for the entire 255 cadets]]

[[Daedo: the House was stacked. Especially the first two squads.]]

[[Myrmidon: how come we aren't in it.]]

[[Daedo: the let the techies go to Thoth they only syphoned the others.]]

[[Myrmidon: it's still an anomaly. Vannier. Picard.]]

[[Daedo: they may not be Mace and talented in other areas, but remember the Railgun is ninety percent their work.]]

[[Myrmidon: Shu long range are engaging. Providing cover fire for the close combat specialist.]]

[[Daedo: Lazard is in the Vanguard.]]

[[Myrmidon: she is not like you. Can she be there and lead?]]

[[Daedo: it's a different sort of leaders.h.i.+p. We give tactical directions. She inspires.]]

[[Myrmidon: I hope that is enough. I do not wish to lose this contest.]]

[[Daedo: early days for second thoughts.]]

[[Myrmidon: why are you so confident. What is it that I am missing?]]

[[Daedo: You made a.s.sumptions based on the rankings and academic performance. I looked at their gear and made my a.s.sessment on their current loadout. I think Shu made an error, even if they are slightly smarter and faster overall as a squad than Horus.]]

[[Myrmidon: it still frustrates me that I can make four trillion calculations faster than you can make forty, and yet you see things that I miss.]]

[[Daedo: could it simply be that some of my calculations are not evident? Or do you need criteria written for making an a.s.sessment to ensure you don't miss important factors?]]

[[Myrmidon: it is the first time we played this game. I will improve.]]

[[Daedo: yes because now you know one more important criteria. Battle strategy a.s.sessment based on all available data. It's still not a done deal. My a.s.sessment is the skills are close to Horus being inferior, but the difference in equipment quality and loadout choice will more than make up for it.]]

[[Myrmidon: long-range Shu has eighty percent accuracy currently. First one hundred rounds fired and eighty hits exactly.]]

[[Daedo: damage a.s.sessment? I can't see anyone in trouble.]]

[[Myrmidon: Killboard input data has three heavies under fifty percent. Hmm. I see the armour ratings in the killboard third layer of stats. This data was not available before commencement.]]

[[Daedo: there are probably reasons for that. Doesn't help when you have a few matches in a row though. Shu Vanguard will be in trouble if they keep closing on the Horus group with Moreau. They could get caught in a pincer.]]

[[Myrmidon: Vanguard of only two. Do you think they will sacrifice and lay a trap?]]

[[Daedo: would be a good strategy if it worked perfectly. Rear shots on half the Horus squad. But, they have enough to finish off the Shu vanguard quickly, before the ambush can take place. There will be eight Horus focusing on them.]]

[[Myrmidon: If Shu can effectively mitigate thirty percent of damage with agile movement…]]

[[Daedo: but their exos are almost standard and heavy. I nearly died in a light through lack of mobility. But I am not Lazard.]]

[[Myrmidon: it begins. We will see if my, Shu can be victorious.]]

[[Daedo: Your Shu? I like how the trap, was laid, and Horus is answering. I accept your trap. Let's do it. It reminds me of a game.]]

[[Myrmidon: which one?]]

[[Daedo: a card game. Poker. When a player has a good hand, and the other player recognises it and still thinks theirs is better. Both players then keep upping the ante….unless of course, one was bluffing.]]

[[Myrmidon: we should practice this game.]]

[[Daedo: eh. We can watch adults play. It's illegal for us to gamble and it removes all the strategy when the game is played without creds.]]

[[Myrmidon: when did you study this game?]]

[[Daedo: before you were born. Statistics was in P5, and I used casino games for material.]]

[[Myrmidon: the moment of impact is pa.s.sing. Lazard's companion lasted four seconds only. d.a.m.n! Lazard is down, eleven seconds and she was focused fired. The trap had only just begun.]]

[[Daedo: now they turn and run down the medium ranges.]]

[[Myrmidon: could it be a troika trap?]]

[[Daedo: we will see. Hey, where did you get that word?]]

[[Myrmidon: its Russian for a group of three. It suits better than just three.]]

[[Daedo: It could be a troika trap. We will know if the Shu medium range retreat.]]

[[Myrmidon: they are taking minor damage from the long-range Horus. As are Horus from the long-range Shu. But without Railguns, their long range have taken only one down in the first four minutes.]]

[[Daedo: one?]]

[[Myrmidon: is a few seconds.]]

[[Daedo: I see. That cadet was blocking for Moreau too, she was being targeted by Shu.]]

[[Myrmidon: always your tactic. Take down command first.]]

[[Daedo: simple but effective.]]

[[Myrmidon: what's the counter?]]

[[Daedo: several. We have used a few of them. Make command inaccessible and make them wast time looking. Make command the ultimate bait which if they take it puts them at a disadvantage. One we haven't used is decoy command.]]

[[Myrmidon: Shu are not retreating. They are trying to use mobility.]]

[[Daedo: Their leader is gone, and they are just doing what comes naturally. Move and Shoot. Shu are all about mobility. If they had the equipment to back it up, they would be a force to be reckoned with. And it seems that some equipment leaked down from Horus zero to Horus two despite our theories about Moreau being unpopular with Fortescue.]]

[[Myrmidon: why do not Shu purchase parts if they cannot build them?]]

[[Daedo: I do not know their circ.u.mstances or strategy we would have to ask them. It seems obvious to us that equipment must be improved, maybe they had not come to this conclusion yet.]]

[[Myrmidon: loss is a good teacher.]]

[[Daedo: agreed. We imagine losing and it's enough. But we will be tested tomorrow, if not today. Tomorrow we face the M3 squads, and I do not expect any advantage in equipment or skills.]]

[[Myrmidon: so just strategy?]]

[[Daedo: which is our forte, yes?]]

[[Myrmidon: yours maybe. My forte is calculation and information processing.]]

[[Daedo: its over.]]

[[Myrmidon: you win. And easily. Only two kills by Shu!]]

[[Daedo: that can happen even when its close. You just showed me the overall damage of Horus squad two. They soaked enough to almost kill three more amongst the six left standing.]]

[[Myrmidon: focus fire was lacking.]]

[[Daedo: if their leader is in the Vanguard they should at least a.s.sign a shot caller from the long or medium range cadets.]]

"How about that," Gaumont announced, "I would never have picked that outcome. Only two down and Horus squad two will probably make the semis now."

M1 Tier 1: Group 1 Leader Board

Two points for a win plus 0.8 minus 0.1 for each squad member lost. Zero points for a loss.

Thoth Squad zero - 2 played - 5.4

Horus Squad two – 2 played – 5.2

Shu Squad zero – 2 played – 2.5

Osiris Squad one – 2 played - 0

Amun-Ra Squad one – 2 played 0

Shu's only chance now was if Horus beat Thoth. But it will be difficult for them to cheer for Horus. And they would also need to defeat Thoth or hope for other results to go their way. A tall order.

The next match went as follows

Amun-Ra squad one (6) def Osiris squad one

It was now time for Horus squad two to face Thoth squad zero. Their equipment checks were completed before the Horus Shu battle had finished, there was enough time between matches and pre-match start to pad out even the shortest of battles to fifteen minutes. With all the telemetry data coming out of the exos Myrmidon was aware of every malfunction. A manual check on the launchers and grapplers was required.

Squad zero was still using two pieces of equipment for the launcher and the grappler. However, it was Daedo's ultimate aim that these were combined into one. This would allow each of the liberos to carry two grapplers effectively. He would only commit to this if they lost nothing in reliability and effectiveness from the current model. Ideally, it would be improved on those fronts significantly as well.

Moreau and her squad stood in the coral. They looked relaxed after their victory over Shu. They didn't need to win this match, just all the others and they were through to the semi-finals.

After the pre-match introductions were done, again, it was getting monotonous, she walked past Daedo. She went out of her way before heading down to the Northern end of the arena.

"Don't make us look too bad," she said softly and changed direction to catch up with her squad. Daedo looked on slightly surprised. No words came before she was gone.

"What did she say?" asked Axelzero seeing the exchange.

"She asked for your contact?" Barran inserted himself looking a little upset.

Axelzero tilted her head thinking and then shook it.

"She just said, don't make us look too bad," Daedo commented.

"We don't need to hover over everything and everyone who comes into contact with Daedo," Vannier lectured. She was a little disappointed at the helicopter mentality surrounding Daedo by most of the squad members. It went beyond protective.

Axelzero looked apologetic. Barran shrugged.

"We need to focus on the match," Daedo said sternly, and he meant it. It was easy for him to be serious about a compet.i.tive match. He had spent over two years fighting pseudo professionally in CyberMech.

He switched to comms.

[[Daedo: Formation alpha. With a change of primary tactics. Barran and Gaumont. The Vanguard will charge in and take down as many as possible before you go down. I want you to rage. Deal damage without concern for your own protection. If they stick to two groups like their last match, you both go for the non-leader group.]]

[[Barran: that's simple. Sounds like fun.]]

[[Daedo: we will dps as much as we can from cover. You will have ample damage a.s.sistance. The two of you should be able to take down a group of four before you fold. Maybe more. If you do take down the four. Move directly to the leader's group. Don't hesitate.]]

Mace thought this would be interesting and wondered why Daedo chose this tactic. It was unlike him to throw away lives. He usually made the enemy pay for each decimal point of damage they did. Or fooled them somehow. Perhaps he was aiming to throw additional unpredictability into the mix due to the harder matches against M3 tomorrow.

That was it. This strategy had nothing to do with this battle. Mace thought. As usual, Daedo was thinking ahead.