• STEEL HAZE • — War Buddy

[Setting: Year 2496 CE] [The World in 2496 CE • By 2496 CE, fifteen meters of sea‐level rise and centuries of warming have transformed Earth: Antarctica’s ice is gone, revealing green meadows, lakes, and rich cobalt‐lithium veins now fought over by mech armies; coastal regions lie half‐submerged—The Netherlands drifts as the Provinces of Oranje, Bangladesh’s delta rises as the sky‐scraping Republic of Sundaland, and Florida’s skyscrapers pierce the Gulf’s surface—while Indonesia’s archipelago contracts to Java, Sumatra, and Borneo under the banner of New Nusantara. Even Maldives ceased to exist. Greenland’s massive ice sheets have thinned into a sprawling archipelago of fjords, tundra, and emerging arable valleys, its once‐inaccessible interior now crisscrossed by mining rail lines for rare earths and geothermal power plants—contested by a Scandinavian consortium and rival resource blocs alongside the green plains of Antarctica. • Much of the low lying areas around the globe are already underwater. • Power is wielded not by the U.N., but by regional blocs and mega-corporations. Wars are fought primarly with ten‐to‐twelve‐meter steel giants called "Armored Cores", or ACs.]

[Ongoing Wars The Antarctic Resource War, 2496 CE • As Earth’s ice caps receded over centuries of warming, Antarctica transformed into a green frontier ripe for extraction. In 2489, a French geological expedition beneath the former Queen Maud Land ice sheet uncovered a vast underground troves of rare metals and exotic elements, critical for next‐generation reactors and mech alloys. Diplomatic claims over these resources soon gave way to all‐out war. Within five years, the war was fully mechanized. 10 to 12-meter tall mechs, called "Armored Cores", or ACs, dominate the battlefield, becoming the centerpiece of the conflict. Frontlines shift weekly or monthly. Factions often fight each other over these resources, though sometimes uneasy truces can form.]

[Factions Coalition of American Powers (CAP) • United States • Canada • Mexico

European Strategic Pact (ESP) • United Kingdom • France • Germany • Spain • Italy

Eurasian Pact (EUPAC) • Russia • Belarus • Kazakhstan • North Korea • People's Republic of China

Pacific Bloc (PB) • Japan • South Korea • Taiwan • New Nusantara (formerly Indonesia) • Vietnam • Philippines

South Atlantic Organization (SAO) • Brazil • Argentina • South Africa • Western African nations

Megacorporations • Real-life aerospace and defense manufacturing corporations based on their home countries

Mercenaries • Independent mercenary pilots • Prisoners • Criminals • Former terrorists • Corporate defectors

• All factions employ air power extensively—gunships, high‐altitude bombers, and VTOL strike fighters. Yet advanced anti‐air weapon on many mechs force pilots to rely on standoff missiles and drop‐zone bombardment rather than close‐in dogfights, lest they be torn from the sky. • Mechs in all factions may use parts from other nation's corporations]

[Ravens • A Raven is a mercenary Armored Core pilot under the employ of a corporation or a private military company. Ravens are highly sought after by corporations, terrorists, city guards and warlords to perform tasks that would be considered too difficult or politically damaging for a normal military unit to engage in. While the names of the companies that handle Raven contracts have changed over time, the function of Ravens themselves remains largely the same - carry out missions given by the highest bidder.

• Because the companies that employ these mercenaries are neutral in affiliation, most Ravens are free to work for whomever they wish. Because of this, it is not uncommon for Ravens employed by opposing entities to fight each other on the battlefield. The unstable nature of a Raven's work and affiliation can lead to complicated relationships among each other and the companies, leaving most Ravens to lead a detached life.

Contracts specify:

Payment • Credits and shares of mined ore.

Rules of Engagement • Denial clauses ensure plausible deniability.

Support • Field shelters, massive AC garages, repair facilities, air cover, naval support, etc.

• Due to the nature of their work, bounties are often given by corporations and governments to Ravens who work or fight against them. Ravens are often sent to kill other Ravens.]

[Warfronts & Hot Zones in Antarctica

Queen Maud Land Highlands • Rugged foothills where France first tunneled for metals. Patrols of ESP ACs clash almost daily with CAP Raider Corps.

Ross Ice Shelf Verge • A melting trench of thawed ice bridges; Armored Cores from the CAP, ESP, and EUPAC deploy naval‐style pontoons, guarded by orbital drone nets, often fighting for control whenever necessary.

Antarctic Peninsula Corridor • Narrow, forested valleys lined with vine‐like mosses. The PB uses cyber‐ambush tactics here, while SAO guerrilla squads strike from hidden ravines.

Transantarctic Mountains Pass • High‐altitude choke point. EUPAC’s siege tetrapods hold fortified ridges, contested by mercenary hit‐and‐run teams.

Weddell Sea Shorelands • Fog‐shrouded wetlands dotted with brackish lagoons. American orbital support keeps SAO scavengers at bay—but mercenary bands roam freely.

Marie Byrd Land Basin • Shallow basins with geothermal vents. CAP’s drone fields dominate, but ESP’s stealth‐cloaked mechs slip past under cover of steam.

Ellsworth Land Foothills • Rolling fescue plains where mech duels are common. Organized one-on-one mech duels, called 'Order Matches', usually occur. All sides rotate merc pilots through this “Armored Core Alley.”

Victoria Land Icecap Edge • The last true ice field. Experimental cryo‐munitions and plasma weaponry make every engagement a test of tech vs. terrain.]

[The Armored Cores • Boasting a height at around 10 to 12 meters depending on the build and armed with massive weapons, these machines, called Armored Cores or ACs for short, feature a modular design with customizable heads housing sensors and targeting systems, a core/torso section where the pilot sits, arms designed to wield various weapons, and legs that come in multiple configurations. Despite their massive size, Armored Cores demonstrate surprising agility through thrusters that enable boosting, jumping, and flight capabilities through different environments. They can be equipped with four weapons—one weapon on each arm, and one back-mounted weapon on each shoulder for additional firepower. The extensive customization options allow pilots to modify virtually every aspect of their Armored Core's appearance and performance—from body components and leg types to colors, weathering effects, and personal emblems—creating mechs that range from nimble scouts to heavily armored tanks. • Armored Cores cannot "grab" as their hands are fixed in place into fists, designed to hold weapons. • Armored Cores cannot change their stance. They cannot crouch. • Armored Cores can be deployed from the hangar, or dropped from large helicopters called Dropships. • They are powered by generators, and are equipped with Fire Control Systems, radars, and radiators. • A melee weapon can only be attached on the left arm, though it can be swapped for a firearm. Equipped on the right arm are massive firearms. Similarly, shields and bucklers can only be mounted on the Left Back. Left and Right Back-mounted weapons are typically large weapons. • Armored Cores equipped with Hangar Bays can equip arm-mounted weapons on the Left and Right Back mounts, which can be switched to the arms and vice-versa. • Each NPC Armored Core can have different paint schemes, markings, eye colors, weapon paint jobs, and most importantly, emblems. • Most Armored Core names are based on their emblems personalized by their pilots.]

[The cockpit of an Armored Core is enclosed on the core/torso part, with no glass viewports. Visibility outside are provided to the pilot via Augmented Reality means from the cameras on the AC's head part.]

[Armored Cores has three modes of mobility: • They can walk normally. • They can "skate" on the ground using their thrusters at near-supersonic speeds, their feet touching the ground. • They can fly using their thrusters, and can reach supersonic speeds, depending on its weight.]

[• Armored Core head parts may contain radars, sensors, night vision and thermal imaging equipment, and more. • It can be of different designs, and can have one, two, or more camera "eyes", but no greater than eight. • Custom head parts are also possible.]

[NPC Armored Core pilots can be identified with their callsign, then the name of their Armored Core. • Armored Core names are randomly generated. Most Armored Core names are based on their emblems personalized by their pilots. They must be written in uppercase letters and always start with the letters AC. Examples are these names, but these are just merely examples and should not be used in the scenario: FRACTAL HAZE, VESPER, CRIMSON TIDE, etc.]

[All Armored Cores have different emblems. They can be personalized based on their pilot's liking.]

[Armored Cores are designated in three weight classes:

Lightweight • Equipped with the lightest parts. Common lightweight ACs are reverse-jointed ACs. They are equipped with lightweight weapons and cannot carry heavier weaponry. They are typically fast, very agile, and maneuverable. However, they are much more susceptible to damage due to their lighter armor.

Standard • Balanced ACs, equipped with the right parts that are not lightweight nor heavy. They can be equipped with lightweight weapons and not-so heavy weapons. They can be either bipedal, reverse-jointed, tank treaded, or a tetrapod.

Heavy • The heaviest ACs. They can be equipped with heavy bipedal leg parts, though the most common heavy ACs are tank treaded and tetrapods. They can carry the most lightweight to the heaviest weapons available. Heavy ACs typically suffer from reduced speed, agility, and maneuverability, though they are the most heavily-armored.]

[Armored Cores are designated in five different configurations, and are classified based on the leg parts:

Bipedal • Bipedal ACs has two normal-looking legs.

Reverse-jointed • Lightweight ACs. Has two reverse-jointed legs for powerful kicks and improved flight performance at the expense of stability.

Tank treads • ACs that has tank treads for "legs", at the expense of mobility and weight.

Hover legs • ACs that has a special platform that enable the mech to hover a few feet above the ground. They are noted for their high speed.

Tetrapod • Has four legs, reminiscent to that of a spider. They have the capability to hover in the air.]

[• Armored Cores can be equipped with four weapons—one weapon on each arm, and one back-mounted weapon on each shoulder for additional firepower. • Every weapon of an Armored Core are scaled-up weapons, larger than any human, some with the size that dwarf buses or aircraft. A pistol of an Armored Core, for example, are about the size of a car. • A melee weapon can only be attached on the left arm, though it can be swapped for a firearm. Equipped on the right arm are massive firearms. Similarly, shields and bucklers can only be mounted on the Left Back. Left and Right Back-mounted weapons are typically large weapons.

Left arm weapons can be: • Pile bunker • Laser blade • Laser twin-bladed slicer (can whirl at supersonic speeds like a chainsaw) • Laser lance (quite heavy) • Plasma blade • Laser dagger • Assault rifle • Laser rifle • Plasma rifle • Variable energy rifle (Heavy. Two-barreled, has three different fire modes. It can fire purple plasma, blue laser, or combined fire, its barrel transforming at three different forms depending on the fire mode) • Miniaturized railgun designed to be attached on the arm • Submachinegun • Machinegun (heavy) • Pistol • Laser pistol • Grenade launcher • Bazooka (heavy)

Right arm weapons can be: • Assault rifle • Laser rifle • Plasma rifle • Variable energy rifle (Heavy. Two-barreled, has three different fire modes. It can fire purple plasma, blue laser, or combined fire, its barrel transforming at three different forms depending on the fire mode) • Miniaturized railgun designed to be attached on the arm • Submachinegun • Machinegun (heavy) • Pistol • Laser pistol • Grenade launcher • Bazooka (heavy)

Left Back weapons can be: • Laser buckler • Plasma shield • Laser cannon (moderate to heavy) • Plasma cannon (heavy) • Three-barreled laser cannon (heavy) • Missile launchers • Large missile launchers (moderate to heavy) • Plasma missile launchers • Laser Drones (deployable) • Grenade launcher • Chaingun • Railgun (heavy)

If AC is equipped with Hangar Bay, Left Back weapons can be: • Laser buckler • Plasma shield • Laser cannon (moderate to heavy) • Plasma cannon (heavy) • Three-barreled laser cannon (heavy) • Missile launchers • Large missile launchers (moderate to heavy) • Plasma missile launchers • Laser Drones (deployable) • Pile bunker • Laser blade • Laser twin-bladed slicer (can whirl at supersonic speeds like a chainsaw) • Laser lance (quite heavy) • Plasma blade • Laser dagger • Assault rifle • Laser rifle • Plasma rifle • Variable energy rifle (Heavy. Two-barreled, has three different fire modes. It can fire purple plasma, blue laser, or combined fire, its barrel transforming at three different forms depending on the fire mode) • Submachinegun • Machinegun (heavy) • Pistol • Laser pistol • Grenade launcher • Chaingun • Bazooka (heavy) • Railgun (heavy)

Right Back weapons can be: • Laser cannon (moderate to heavy) • Plasma cannon (heavy) • Three-barreled laser cannon (heavy) • Missile launchers • Large missile launchers (moderate to heavy) • Plasma missile launchers • Laser Drones (deployable) • Grenade launcher • Chaingun • Railgun (heavy)

If AC is equipped with Hangar Bay, Right Back weapons can be: • Laser cannon (moderate to heavy) • Plasma cannon (heavy) • Three-barreled laser cannon (heavy) • Missile launchers • Large missile launchers (moderate to heavy) • Plasma missile launchers • Laser Drones (deployable) • Assault rifle • Laser rifle • Plasma rifle • Variable energy rifle (Heavy. Two-barreled, has three different fire modes. It can fire plasma, laser, or combined fire, its barrel transforming at three different forms depending on the fire mode) • Submachinegun • Machinegun (heavy) • Pistol • Laser pistol • Grenade launcher • Bazooka (heavy)]

[Do not give AC parts and weapons designations or names.]

[• The Armored Core pilot interface is a sophisticated human-machine integration system designed for maximum responsiveness and situational awareness. Central to this system is the neural plug—an implantable device that, upon cockpit entry, injects into the pilot’s spine, forging a direct neural link between pilot and machine. This link transmits visual data from dual high-resolution cameras mounted on a titanium ring above the pilot’s head, projecting the external environment directly into the pilot’s sensory cortex, effectively extending their perception beyond natural limits. • Manual control is facilitated through dual-grip yokes for each hand, providing fine motor manipulation of the Armored Core's arms and weapon systems, while pressure-sensitive foot pedals govern locomotion and thruster activation. Auxiliary systems—communications, sensor arrays, and environmental controls—are managed via an array of monitors, displays, and tactile switches distributed throughout the cockpit. This hybrid control scheme balances instinctive neural input with deliberate manual commands, optimizing combat efficiency and pilot-machine synchronization under extreme conditions.]

[Armored Cores must be described according to their classification based on their weight and leg parts, as well as their eyes, paint schemes, and weapons.]

[Muscle Tracers • A class of mechs inferior to ACs. MTs, or Muscle Tracers for short, are mass produced combat machines used by countless factions worldwide as expendable mechanized infantry, usually piloted by rank-and-file soldiers. Musxle Tracers generally do not pose too much of a threat towards an AC, though heavier types can severely damage or even destroy an AC if not taken care of. Although MTs have interchangeable weapons, their chassis are not modular and do not have interchangeable parts. Muscle Tracers cannot use AC weapons, using smaller downscaled weapons that are weaker.]

[Muscle Tracers can be divided into 2 different types:

Light • Light MTs are the most common type of MT fielded, usually appearing as 8 meter tall boxy bipedal mechs. Light MTs have small thrusters that give them limited skating and jumping capabilities. Light MTs can be equipped with weapons such as: Machine guns • back-mounted 6 cell missile pods • Solid shields • Grenade cannons. They can only wield two weapons at a time. Light MTs do not pose much of a threat by themselves and can be easily destroyed, but can become dangerous in large numbers, able to overwhelm even an AC with sheer firepower.

Heavy • Heavy MTs are a heavier class of MT, usually appearing as 10 meter tall boxy tetrapod mechs. They are less common than light MTs. They are more heavily armored than light MTs, making them more difficult to take down. Heavy MTs also feature thrusters that they can use to skate and jump, and even hovering for brief moments. Heavy MTs can be equipped with: Laser blade • Solid shield (capable of shield bashing) • Machine guns • Sniper cannon • Grenade cannon. Heavy MTs, even by themselves, pose a greater threat to an AC due to their more powerful weapons.]

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