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[White Paper] Countering the Evolving Mishhuvurthyar Threat: Strategies and Innovations for the SAOY's Defence

Sunny D

🌟 Site Supporter
RP Date
45.6
RP Location
SARA
1. Executive Summary

As our operational territory grows, our supply lines become increasingly vulnerable. It's imperative for SAOY and YSE to equip personnel, especially in vulnerable positions, against imminent threats like the Advanced Type Mishhuvuthyars. Shaped charges present a viable countermeasure and warrant further exploration.

2. Introduction

The renewed threat from the Mishhuvurthyar necessitates an examination of our response model to ensure the safety of our rear echelon units and increase the effectiveness of our front line forces. At the moment there is no man portable equipment in inventory suitable to be deployed to unarmoured rear echelons for self-defence against certain units known to be frequently utilised by the Mishhuvurthyar, making them particularly vulnerable to counteraction by the enemy. Additionally, those tactics employed by front line armored units rely heavily on volume of fire, with one-on-one victories been predicated on positional advantages, preparation, or advanced tactics. In addition, so called “Next Generation” Mishhuvuthyar bioforms have been sighted with capabilities beyond the Advanced Types being noted. As our enemy evolves, so must we.

2.1 Research Grunts Committee

This report was created by the Research Grunts Committee (RGC or Committee). We are a group of junior research officers and contractors within SARA. The motivations of this group are patriotic, desiring nothing less than victory for the Yamatai Star Empire (YSE) and the protection of the soldiers who server her.

2.2 Scope

The scope of this analysis is primarily focused on the Advanced Type Mishhuvurthyar (ATM) and the Crab Type Mishhuvurthyar (CTM).

Commonly deployed along side these are NH-29 units produced by captured Yamatai Production facilities and Thralls infected with Mishhuvurthyar Parasites. Both of these types of units are not heavily resistant to small arms and therefore standard equipment available to rear echelon units are effective.

It has been noted that NH-29 units and Thralls have been deployed with “Ripper” Power Armor with increasing frequency during encounters, which does raise their threat profile to be worthy of discussion in this context. It is the committees belief that countermeasures developed against ATM and CTM adversaries may also be useful in dealing with “Rippers” and will not be specifically broken down.

Parasites themselves are also of concern, especially to the rear echelon, however their threat profile is significantly different, requiring completely different strategies to mitigate and will not be the focus of this document.

There have also been recent sightings of so called “Next Generation” or “Enhanced” Mishhuvurthyar. Similar to ATMs in appearance but augmented by technology. More intelligence needs to be gathered before the committee can make a recommendation.

3. Strategic Analysis
3.1 Star Army
The Star Army of Yamatai’s (SAOY) primary doctrine could be summed up as “the best defence is a good offense”. It is characterised by a large tooth to tail ratio and makes up for its lack of a rear guard with layered automated defences. The goal of this strategic approach is to keep the enemy off balance while maintaining momentum and initiative.

While the committee endorses this approach, it does have its short comings.

  • Often such an approach finds expeditionary forces over extended and risks being cut off from the logistics network and encirclement.
  • Fixed emplacements have the issue to being open to observation, which increases the likelihood of exploits being found by the enemy.
  • In this particular conflict, much of the enemy force strength and the environment in which we are fighting is unknown. This means that Admirals are having to do intelligence gathering, mission planning and execution on tight timeline without the co-ordination of other friendly fleets. In some cases, all stages of executing an operation are performed by a single ship.
The committee recommends continuing with the current strategy, however, to begin extensive wargaming failure scenarios. We cannot assume the enemy will simply wait for us to destroy them.

3.1.1 SAOY Force Core

Its ground force structure is formed at its core by Nekovalkyrja Type 33 models. A single Type 33 is by any metric a triumph of bioengineering, however her true potential is only reached when interfacing with technology. The SAOY has prioritised form over function in their creation, to the point at which function might have been sacrificed even with equipment.

It takes multiple Type 33s equipped with Mindy/Daisy power armour to fell a single ATM. While attrition rates are still favourable using these tactics, it cannot always be assumed that the SAOY will always have numerical superiority against ATMs.

The SAOY also values the quality of life given to its citizens, which include Type 33s. Though a solution to a high attrition rate might be relying on Soul Transfer technology, repeated use post evisceration by an ATM is likely to cause a mental health epidemic within the serving community. A solution to this might be to use older backups. However simple over reliance on ST technology may incur logistical issues down the line (which will be explained later in this document).

The committee feels that the SAOY should continuously improve the capabilities of not just its ground forces, but its other forces even during peace time. During war time, if a particular capability gap is identified research should be conducted to close that gap.

3.2 New Mishhuvurthyar Military (NMX)

So far the NMX response to the renewed conflict has been reactionary and somewhat disorganised by all accounts. The majority of defensive action has been against patrols assaulting new claims, with little attempt to ingress into existing Yamatai Star Empire (YSE) Territory. As previously stated, it should not be relied upon that this will always be the case.

In a lot of ways the NMX is the SAOY’s dark shadow. Both use bioengineered combatants, the difference being the SAOY’s commitment to form whereas the NMX has prioritised function.

3.2.1 NMX Force Core

The Core of the NMX ground forces seems to, by unit count, be a mix of NH-29 units and Thralls. Both units tend to underperform against Type 33 units, though the NMX isn’t shy about producing them, potentially leading to the loss of a Type 33 unit via, ironically, volume of fire.

ATMs can subdivided into two types, Juveniles and Commanders. Juveniles tend to be overconfident, and brash, and are often deployed in packs. The assumption is that the Mishhuvurthyar believe these packs are crucibles in which the weak are purged and the strong prove themselves. Objectively it’s a way of building up combat experience with a higher than otherwise attrition rate. Commanders are those who have graduated from the packs and on top of their biological advantages are highly experienced and skilled but are normally found on their own.

CTMs are rarely encountered. This is notable as ATMs have been observed transforming into CTMs on the consumption of enough biomass and in many ways CTMs are an “upgrade” over ATMs. Whilst not as agile, CTMs have redundant systems that requires downed examples be “double tapped” to prevent the birth of an ATM from its corpse. The committee has come up with 2 possibilities for their lower numbers despite the fact it’s a transformation ATMs are capable of:

  • The benefits a CTM has over an ATM are not worth the loss in agility in most circumstances.
  • CTMs require additional biomass to maintain their form, to the point where it is not normally worth the transformation.
Additionally, they do have parasite infected individuals who have willingly taken implantation. It is interesting that this option is available, yet they believe in their own supremacy. Indeed, we have seen parasite infected individuals who were not Thralls but were treated as commanders. Current hypothesis for this behaviour is that it’s a tactic to encourage defection.

3.3 Energy and Production

That Thralls and NH-29s over represent the core contingent of NMX forces is noteworthy considering even a juvenile ATM is a significantly greater threat. On the surface there is no reason for this. It is documented that ATMs do not like carrying their own young, seeing carrying children as a sign of weakness. Their growth rate would then be hampered by their expansion rate and their ability to collect new hosts, except with the facilities they have commandeered from the YSE they can effectively print as many hosts as they desire and grow as quickly as they wish.

It is interesting then, that rather than use NH-29’s solely for procreation they use them as foot soldiers, and that thralls aren’t simply converted into biomass for consumption. Common hypothesis is that this behaviour stems from cultural aspects. ATMs have supremacist mind set, both when it comes to their race and when it comes to their person. They can form hierarchies; however, these tend to be much simpler compared to the ones employed by the SAOY and YSE. In this case the NH-29’s has a dual role, being foot soldiers and placating ATMs lower in the hierarchy by giving them forces to command.

While this is a logical explanation, the committee would like readers to consider alternate angles.

Much of the design and behaviour of the contemporary Mishuvuthyar can be explained around biomass, or energy. The consumption of a Thrall, to break down its constituents then the reforming of them within an ATM into an egg, or several of them, then having that egg grow into an adult is a negative sum process. The total energy needed for that conversion and the subsequent effectiveness of the unit per energy unit consumed might be lower than leaving the Thrall alive to fight, or to fight and die and hope the body is recoverable for consumption later. Likewise, the production of NH-29s as foot soldiers doesn’t make sense (ignoring the cultural explanation) unless per energy unit the production of an NH-29 unit is more effective than an ATM.

True or not, it has an interesting parallel to the SAOY. At this moment, the Type 33 production facilities and cloning vats are producing under capacity. This means that there is some head room to handle ST restores. However, if this conflict escalates these resources will be tied up and the SAOY’s ability to expand its force will be limited. To put it in simple terms, it takes the same raw resources, same energy, to create a new Type 33 as it does to restore a fallen Type 33 from an ST back up. So from a purely energy perspective, it would be better to preserve the Type 33 unit and have a new one to expand the force, rather than loose the Type 33 and have to recreate them from an ST backup.

It matters not if a ST back up is utilised, one SAOY soldier killed in action is one less SAOY soldier serving the YSE.

4. Mishuvuthyar Bioform Threat Profile

Mishuvuthyar are a perversion of Yamatai’s bioengineering technological practices, what happens when all notions of form are thrown out the window. However, it would be a mistake to allow philosophy to colour a pragmatic analysis. This report has identified several key aspects of ATM and CTM design that give them an edge.

  • A strong carapace protects their vital organs, making a one hit kill with small arms difficult. CTMs have this in addition to having a lattice like structure, further enhancing their protection.
  • A high healing factor and resistance to shock. Despite the fact that a substantial portion of their body is unprotected, these organs are not vital for the short-term survival of the ATM. A single shot to these areas is recoverable, and while fatal damage can be inflicted via volume of fire, unless significant haemorrhaging takes place the ATM might still be active for minutes during which time it can continue to inflict friendly casualties.
  • ATMs are significantly more massive than Nekovalkyrja, making their simple movement a threat.
  • Both ATMs and CTMs have tentacles which have enough strength to dismember Type 33s in state-of-the-art Mindy/Daisy Power Armor.
  • ATMs use psionics as a form of locomotion which gives them high agility, on par with Type 33s utilising their inbuilt Inertia Controlling Ability. CTMs skitter on the floor, hence the designation “Crab Type”, making them slower and easier for Type 33s to evade.
5. Avenues of Countering
We can look at the ATM and CTM bioforms as we would any other platform and determine avenues to exploit. In the case of a starship, they might be physical or electronic. In the case of the Mishuvuthyar we looked at the following avenues.

  • Physical – Defeating of their existing defences to affect a kill.
  • Biological – Exploitation of their biological processes to affect a kill.
  • Psionic – Exploitation of their psionic processes to affect a kill.
Note that Biological and Psionic exploitation are not held as “honourable” methods to affect a kill and are discussed purely out of relevance.

5.1 The requirement these avenues are following is as follows:

  • A device that allows an unarmoured SAOY soldier to affect a kill on an Advanced Type Mishhuvuthyar.
  • The Device can be used for purpose without causing significant damage to the user.
  • The Device must be able to be deployed with minimal training.
5.2 Physical methods of affecting a kill
While true significant volume of fire from almost any weapon in the SAOY arsenal can affect a kill, the reality is that in the tight confines of a ships corridors there is rarely opportunity to set up this volume of fire. Ideally, we’d want to strike at the vital organs protected by the carapace, however there is no weapon currently in inventory that can be used safely by unarmoured personnel.

In the case of energy weapons, the energy created by any discharge powerful enough to penetrate a carapace causes “splash back” to the user and is harmful to unshielded users. In the case of projectile weapons, the recoil impulse generated when firing a projectile capable of piercing the carapace is strong enough to break bone.

The solution then, comes from moving the recoil away from the user. The best way of doing this would be to utilise a shaped charge. When high explosive is placed around a cone of metal and detonated, the resulting explosion concentrates the metal into a linear superheated penetrator. The penetrator would have the effect of cutting through the carapace while the heat would be absolutely devastating to the soft tissue inside. Even if the ATM/CTM survived, the wound would be cauterised, which would inhibit their healing capabilities.

There are some design considerations for shaped charges. If they are not given enough space for the penetrator to form, they are less effective. Likewise firing off too far away can also cause issues. Also despite the shaped effect causing the majority of energy from discharging in one direction, its still using high explosive, which can generate a back blast of heat and concussive energy. Its not an ideal solution to the problem, but many of the issues can be mitigated.

5.2.1 Method of deployment 1: Mine

A shaped charge with a proximity trigger. The device would be larger than other solutions offered here as the penetrator would likely be further from the target when fired. If distributed to rear echelon troops, they could be deployed to affect a retreat. However, a significant risk using this aboard a starship is overpenetration causing a breach. A similar method is currently used with Type 31 explosives, a shaped charge casing and then detonation via mind link, however this method requires expertise in demolition.

5.2.2 Method of deployment 2: Grenade

In inventory is the 25x100mm grenade designed for the Standard Light Armor Grenade Launcher attachment for the KE-M4-W2902 Light Armor Service Rifle. Proposal is to make a variant in which payload a shaped charge. In the void would be a proximity sensor that would detonate the round at the correct range for maximum effect. A stand-alone launcher would need to be designed, and the launch charge might need to be a lower pressure.

An automatic, box magazine or chain fed variant with a higher pressure launching charge could be developed for use by Mindy/Daisy platforms.

5.2.3 Method of deployment 3: Drone

A small disposable hovering drone is designed to carry a shaped charge. Onboard the drone are algorithms for target recognition along with avionics. Once released the drone searches for a target. Once found it plots a trajectory and moves to its terminal destination, which is the ideal position for maximum effect of the shaped charge. Once there it detonates the charge, wounding, hopefully fatally, the target. Nodal Support Bits could be modified in such a manner.

5.3 Biological methods of effecting a kill.

A substantial part of the ATM is exposed soft tissue which can be exploited. A simple modification to a round to carry a substance toxic to the ATM could be developed. Once the round is lodged inside the ATM it would travel around its body via the blood stream and cause havoc.

Identified issues, ignoring ethical ones, are time it takes for the toxin to affect a kill. The weapon might also have limited functionality against CTMs.

5.4 Psionic

Any methods brainstormed by the committee under the psionic category do not meet the requirements stated before, but we feel it’s useful to consider. The psionic capabilities of the SAOY have been stagnant for some time and it might be worth looking into developing them. For one reason, the ATM utilises its psionic potential to levitate, indicating their psionic understanding is more mature than the SAOY. Psionic options would also, likely require extended training, making them ill-suited to defending the average back echelon support personnel. However as new threats emerge it might be an area worth developing.

6. Conclusion

As the front expands more and more of the SAOY’s logistics lines become exposed, an attack on them is inevitable. The SAOY and YSE has a duty to develop avenues for personnel in these positions to defend themselves against threats likely to be in these attacks. The committee believes that these threats include Advanced Type Mishhuvuthyars. Of the options this committee has considered shaped charges to penetrate the carapace and destroy the vitals it protects seem to be the most viable. There are numerous ways this option can be implemented.
 
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