Combat testing - 10

The final Avalon laser cannon has been completed. As I examine it up close, I can't help but marvel at its sheer size. Using my submarine rigging, I glide around the massive turret, letting my sonar map out its detailed form in three-dimensional glory. My optics remain switched off, as I rely on sonar scans to capture the surrounding landscape, including this colossal turret.

Having four giant laser turrets stationed at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean seems like an excellent deterrent. After all, no sane commander would willingly invest in engineering and deploying war machines capable of operating at such crushing depths. Most battles are fought on land, at sea level, or in the skies—not in the deep ocean. Besides, the world is already preoccupied with the conflict between the Soviets and Allies.

Still, I find myself wondering: Where exactly am I in this timeline? Without access to the internet or communication satellites, I can't pinpoint my location—or the current year. Using those systems would risk exposing myself to prying eyes. But what if I launched my own satellite? With one in orbit, I could finally obtain a global map and news updates. However, that would mean competing with the Allies' existing satellite network. Something to think about for later.

For now, I'm riding my submarine rigging, heading toward the farthest edge of the construction site to pick up Terra, Tessa, Alya, Amy, Tama, and Pama. They've just finished assembling the last missile turret and are waiting to head back to base. The trip only takes a couple of minutes since we're just outside the base perimeter, finalizing the defensive installations.

"Thanks for the pickup, Aqua-chan," Amy says cheerfully as she vanishes into my rigging. She's the last one aboard. With everyone gathered, I pilot the rigging toward the submarine gate leading back to our base.

As we travel, I reflect on one curious detail: the Piranha minisub. Its existence confirms that Yuri is already active. That puts us somewhere after 1972—but hopefully not as far as 1982. I want time to build up my forces and maybe even earn goodwill by intervening in key events, like the Soviet invasion of New York. Then again, I could try assault the Soviets faction instead and maybe Epsilon too. But all of that hinges on more accurate information, which I'll gather once I locate one of Epsilon's bases.

Surfacing inside the base, I dismiss my submarine rigging as the girls materialize beside me. Stifling a yawn, I glance toward the nearby dock. There it is—the Hestia-class submarine MCV, fully constructed. All it's missing is a wisdom cube to awaken it. That will likely happen tomorrow.

Turning my attention to the designer app, I interface with the laser tech project timer. It's finished. Perfect. The next task is the "Water to Resources" system. Scaling it with nanobot quantities will allow combat-model T-Dolls to slowly generate their own ammunition when in contact with water.

I assign the now-idle research box #1 to assist with wisdom cube generation research. As I'm engrossed in planning, Amy's voice pulls me back.

"Aqua-chan, here." She offers her hand to me. I might be short, but I'm not helpless enough to get lost or wander into danger inside my own base even. Still, I pout slightly as I take her hand, letting her guide me while I focus on designing.

With the laser research done, it's time to create some handheld weaponry. For close-range combat in urban environments, a compact weapon like a Graviton Laser Uzi seems ideal. High fire rate, minimal armor penetration, and a spread pattern perfect for close-quarters combat.

I start sketching the design: a short barrel, focused lens, and a small energy generator powered by an intriguing rectangular battery. It's not a mini nuclear cell, but rather a rechargeable battery that can convert various forms of external energy into usable power. Its design reminds me of lasgun batteries from Warhammer 40k. Shaping it into an Uzi-style magazine, I estimate it should provide around 200 shots. The Uzi's fire rate is roughly 600 rounds per minute.

"Yeah, that's more than enough for close-range combat," I mutter as we reach the residential building. The door opens just as I gives Amy hand a slight tug to grab Amy's attention.

"So… would you want a firing range?" I ask absentmindedly, my mind already drifting toward melee weapon designs to complement the Uzi. A knife seems practical. The Uzi handles infantry and lightly armored units, but it won't be effective against flyers—not that it's designed for that, same go to the knife.

Amy's eyes light up with excitement. Can T-Doll eyes actually sparkle? I decide not to dwell on it. "Yes, absolutely!" she exclaims, hugging me enthusiastically. Before I can react, she lifts me off the ground and spins me around.

"Wait! You're going to hurt yourself!" I yelp. But instead of straining or collasping, she's using nanoswarms from her outfit to counterbalance my weight.

"Hehe~ I've been practicing," Amy says proudly as she sets me down gently. So, all combat models can lift Kansen, provided they know how to use their nanoswarms properly. Good to know.

I smile as I save the Uzi design and shift my focus to creating a firing range. Combat units need a way to maintain sharp skills, relieve stress, and even engage in friendly competition. A simulator site should cover all those bases.

I envision a large, armored facility with interior shielding, moving targets, and combat simulation scenarios like shooting ranges, capture-the-flag, and deathmatches (non-lethal, of course). With nanoswarm deployers, I can reconfigure scenarios on the fly. Adding nuclear reactors ensures the facility can operate independently of minor bases.

As I finalized the blueprint, Amy leaned over my shoulder, her bright eyes scanning the design. "Wow, it's huge… but kind of empty?" she remarked, pointing at the flat layout with curiosity. The nanoswarm deployer boxes, strategically hidden underground, were clearly visible on the plan.

[Generating..]

[Wargirl's Simulator site]

Cost: $1000 x10 (Warship)

Power: 0

Hitpoints: 5000 + 1000 (Warship)

Prerequisite: Wargirl's resident building

Purpose: Wargirl's Veterancy training

Armor Class: Big Structure

Additional Information: Increase Wargirl's Veterancy rank by 1.

"It's a simulator," I explain. "The flat surface allows for dynamic scenario creation. I can program it for anything—target practice, drills, competitions, you name it."

Amy tilted her head thoughtfully but didn't press further. Satisfied with the design, I willed the nanoswarms to begin construction. The simulator site would sit just beyond the residential building, right past the park.

Glancing around, I noticed that Terra, Tessa, Pama, Tama, and Alya had already left. Probably to rest. I couldn't blame them; Amy and I had stopped walking a while ago when she grabbed me and spun me around in excitement.

"Let's grab Helena at the park and test the simulator," I suggested, the spark of fatigue I'd felt earlier vanishing as I imagined the thrill of live laser tests. "I need you to test a few guns so I can tweak them based on real-time feedback."

Amy beamed, grabbing my hand before I could lose myself in another design spree. "Yes, Aqua-chan!" she chirped, tugging me eagerly toward the park at the front of the residential area.

As we walked, my thoughts drifted to melee weapons. The knife seemed like the most practical choice. Wait... wasn't there something called a data knife from Titanfall 2? It could hack most tech. If I replicated that concept with a nanoswarm interface, it could allow Support and Combat models to hack electronics directly. Plus, it doubled as a knife—practical for close combat and tech infiltration alike.

The more I considered it, the more perfect it seemed. But hacking required expertise.

"Didn't the Knowledge Package research just finish?" I mused aloud. Checking my system confirmed it. Perfect. I could embed that knowledge directly into the data knife, giving T-Dolls, Kansen, Tankgirls, or Planegirls the necessary skills to use it for both combat and basic hardware hacking.

I didn't know much about hacking hardware myself—my expertise was more theoretical when it came to network systems. But with nanoswarm hacking, this could work.

[Research topic ''Nanoswarm hacking" selected]

[Listing all existing tech, complete..]

[Creating simulator, progressing..]

[Calculating estimate time to finish: 1 hour]

With research box #8 now active, the data knife was practically a done deal. Next, I needed a marksman weapon for overwatch—specifically, a sniper rifle.

I envisioned a long-barreled weapon to concentrate graviton lasers. The prism core would consist of overlapping lenses set at precise angles, paired with an upgraded energy pack for extended usage. Once configured, the sniper rifle would deliver six graviton laser shots capable of piercing heavy armor—or even buildings.

Of course, it wouldn't be without limitations. It wouldn't be able to penetrate the far side of a mountain, but it could punch through a few walls with ease. The laser's trajectory would be flawless, with no bullet drop, though its brightness would make stealth impossible.

Wait... wasn't there a concept for invisible-spectrum lasers? Something the human eye couldn't detect?

Frustratingly, my knowledge from my previous life didn't cover that level of precision. I'd have to conduct researches. For now, I saved the sniper rifle's design and turned my focus to the final primary weapon for the first loadout.

As Amy and I arrived at the gazebo in the park, Helena lay sprawled across a bench. It had only been about 30 minutes since I'd left, but she looked entirely at ease. Amy shook her gently.

"Helena-chan, time to wake up! Master needs your help," she said cheerfully.

Helena's eyes snapped open, and she leapt to her feet. "I'm up!" she exclaimed, quickly scanning her surroundings before spotting me. Her expression shifted into a teasing grin.

"Master~ What do you need me for?" she cooed, her voice dripping with playfulness.

"Just some combat testing," I replied, smiling as I tightened my grip on Amy's hand. Helena noticed and pouted slightly, but I pressed on. "You and Amy are going to have a fun fight."

Helena's pout turned into a competitive smirk. "Oh, I'll make it fun, Master."

Turning my attention back to the design, I tackled the standard rifle for the loadout. It needed the versatility of an assault rifle: a balanced barrel, focus lenses, and a battery pack similar in size to the sniper's but optimized for rapid fire. At a rate of 450 rounds per minute and a 300-shot magazine, it would handle most combat scenarios effectively.

For those who wanted infinite ammo, nanoswarms could be channeled into the battery pack, enabling continuous fire. With the three primary weapons and a melee weapon done, I shifted to designing fortifications, traps, and at least one throwable item.

Grenades proved trickier than I expected. I couldn't remember the exact formula for a flashbang. Instead, I adapted the graviton missile into a grenade form. By removing the propulsion and guidance systems, I could miniaturize it into a compact cylinder.

The result? A corrosive grenade capable of short-term area denial, melting armor, and dealing significant damage within its radius. It lacked fragmentation, as the warhead's reaction did most of the work. Perfect for clearing out armored columns or entrenched positions.

With the grenade done, I moved on to fortifications: trenches, gun platforms, barriers, reinforced barriers, tripwire traps, and hidden cameras. Each could be constructed by Combat models in between 5~10 seconds using their nanoswarms.

Lastly, I added utility designs: underwater boosters with flippers, grappling hooks, short-burst jump thrusters (inspired by Titanfall 2), and a placeholder motorbike. Satisfied, I hit Generate.

[Generating...]

[T-Doll: Combat Model: Loadout 'unnamed' Basic package]

Cost: $670 x10 (wargirls)

Primary: Graviton laser Uzi, Graviton Sniper rifle, Graviton Assault rifle

Melee: Data knife

Throwable: Corrosive grenade

Blueprints: Trenches, barrier, gun platform, reinforcement barrier, tripwire trap, hidden camera

Utility: Underwater set, Grappling hook, Jumppack, motorbike (placeholder)

"Wow… that's more expensive than some of other faction units, well before getting multiplier" I muttered, wincing slightly at the cost. Shaking my head, I smiled at Amy and Helena, who were now standing side by side, waiting for the simulator to finish.

"Sorry for the wait," I said as I granted them access to the new loadout. "This is the basic package. I haven't named it yet, as I want to see how it performs and tweak any shortcomings."

"It's not a problem, Aqua-chan," Amy reassured me, smiling warmly as she summon her sniper rifle to inspect.

"Yeah, don't worry, Master~" Helena added. Then, in a softer voice, she muttered, "I got lots of pictures..." Helena also summon Uzi to look at as she cycle through her weapon while waiting.

I pretended not to hear her.

"Okay," I clapped my hands to get their attention. "You've got part of the city to play with. The match will end when one of you is disabled or surrenders. The winner gets to help me design the motorbike."

As I activated the simulator, the nanoswarms began constructing an urban region. Roads materialized, buildings rose from the ground, and cars appeared parked in deserted lots. The area was roughly 400 meters square, with a height limit of 200 meters. I gonna need to dig extra space, actually why not let start digging now so I can expand after their finish the match.

"All buildings can be destroyed or entered," I explained. "You'll have five minutes to choose your starting spots as well as pre match preparation before the fight begins. And please, try not to fall victim to a corrosive grenade. Repairs will be a pain."

Amy and Helena exchanged competitive smiles.

"May the best Combat Model win," Amy said confidently.

"Likewise," Helena replied, her tone teasing. "But I'll win Master's favor~"

Watching them enter the simulator, I felt a rush of excitement. With all the gadgets and weapons I design in play, this was going to be a good fight.

Now I kinda want popcorn.. but can't really have those when vertical farm not finished... sigh