Test, Chorus Alpha-V

[IC Copied from Main Game IC]

Sapien's equerries had spent several days setup up the holo-network in a moderately sized hold. They'd also prepared the test-weapons; typical (and some exotic) astertes weapons prepared to feel, recoil and be halted by the holo-projections, without any of the incipient mess of real weapons.

It was no sensorium, but it would be sufficient for an initial test. The Chorus Excisio could never be perfectly reproduced-these others lacked the training and implants to do so-but with signums and some of his own abilities, they might come close.

He'd sent invitations to the kill-team to join him here for an equipment test. Most had responded in affirmative, Lucius in particular. He was clearly the most experienced in command; and considering the many recent additions to the team, he must have also recognised the need for team bonding-to "prime the pump" of brotherhood as it where.

Once all the others of kill-team draco entered-including a couple of new faces-sapiens stood before them.

Hello brothers. I have spent much of my decades in the deathwatch optimizing team tactics. I have prepared here today a test, both for us as a group and for some novel tactics I am seeking to optimize.


Sapiens directed the assembly to a nearby table.

Here you will find modified signums, as well as simulacra weapons, capable of interacting with the holoprojections I've prepared for our test. These are not toys-though the bolters fire no bolts, they will still recoil with every shot, loose weight with ever shell ejected. Fixed-grav points in each melee weapon provide resistance on contact. This is, of course, of lesser risk than real combat. Nonetheless, the projections can cause permanent blindness should your head cross them, so treat their bodies as real. And idealy avoid damaging the projectors; they arent likely to ever be in your line of actions, but nonetheless  they are rare and tedious to repair. Any questions?

Lucius listened carefully, impressed with the lengths with which Sapiens had gone here. He inspected the Signum and placed it on his barehead, as he was not wearing a helmet. He tended to go into battle without it, but the Mortis Thule often made that improbable if not impossible. He figured he would get it in now at least.

Lucius was in full battle armor, his suit having been seen to and attended by the tech marines of the armory. It was resplendent, and now it featured a new sigil on his shoulder pauldron - one that bonded Novamarine and Carcharadon into eternal brotherhood. The Iron Skull honors on his chest signified his leadership capabilities, and now was the best time to get to know the newcomers before the simulation began.

"Are we to be unleashed blind into the maelstrom or is there a number of objectives to accomplish, Sapiens?"

Lucius nodded, checked his weapon and made ready to get to work.

Hydrako had his chainaxe and storm bolter ready and nodded once. Begin, Choirmaster

Good. We shall begin.

Sapiens sent out a few screeds in techa-lingua, and the space around you all transformed. You where in the center of an immense forest, the whole group standing around a battle-standard fluttering in the wind, held by a severely injured-and likely dying-astartes. The trees around you are immense-like 4-5 meters in diameter, going at least 60 m in the air. The orange light of a setting filtered through the distant leaves above you, occasionally blinding you by its low angle.

The forest:

Sapiens standard the battle-network. He had yet to try it outside his chapter, but with the alterations he made to the signums, and with communion with the armors, he may yet have a chance to reproduce the chorus.

In everyone's HUD and additional layer started showing up-at first appearing like a faint static in your vision. But it was more than that; it seemed to trigger thoughts, ideas, awareness? While you didnt see behind you, there was an awareness of what was in the line of sight of each other astartes, without overwelming you like explicit knowledge would. This was like being aware of where your arm, or your leg was-natural, intuitive, without barriers.

The holo-man spoke up in a gravelly, static-y voice.

++We must keep our guard up until the transport arrives. Such huge creatures shouldnt be so stealthy, but they are approaching so.++

Lucius had his weapon up and was taking in how real the hologram felt. It was something else. He paid no attention yet to the dying Astartes, knowing that it was a set piece unimportant to the mission at hand. Instincts kicked in.

"I want over lapping fields of fire in every sector. Call your targets. Does anyone have eyes on?"

Awareness Test = 8 DoS:

You occasionally hear faint sounds in the distance, never more than a moment long, of plants brushing on metal. Nothing on a singular vector, but every faint brush you hear comes from the north.

Unable to contain his need to kill the enemies of the Emperor, Lucius shits his power armor britches. The warmth comforts him.