AGC38 - Back to Reality [OPEN TILL MARCH 9TH]

[Knugcab]

If I mirror the luggage fixture it will still count as two, right?

[Riley]

in the op I’ve stated two of the fixtures, so im gonna say no, just copy it and then use the flip to otherside button.

[Knugcab]

1998 ARVA KOSULYA

By now an almost classic Archanan crew-cab, light duty truck, we have modified it to take on some harsh conditions. To start with, of course higher ground clearance and some aggressive thread pattern on the tyres, to make sure you don’t get stuck. Being the optional 4 wheel drive version already from the start, a low range gearbox as well as manual lockers were there to start with. The 5 cylinder turbo diesel (that is totally not an Archanan copy of a VAG 2.5 TDI, cough…) has been slightly tuned to still give good reliability and driveability, while having a little more grunt when needed.

Now having some light armour means that it can take a way tougher beating than the original truck did (roof hatch added as an emergency exit, should the worst happen). Offroad lights can take you out of the darkness, a winch is a great assistance if you still should get stuck. Snorkel and a high exhaust stack means that wading is not out of the question. Solar panels means that your battery will have some assistance with charging.

[the-chowi]

I mean if it’s just a visual thing does it really matter? Or should I resend with that correction?

[Riley]

Might as well resend it, ill accept resubmissions before the deadline anyway. I should’ve made it clearer in the op

[akiyomer_samochud]

I think I know what to do. Pacific Drive time.

[MrdjaNikolen]

Backstory

Three months ago, Kontir Texas dealership

It is relatively enjoyable day in Kontir Texas dealership and James Beer was going through work routine.
Phone rang at his table, and he answered

James: Hello, Mr. Beer from Kontir Texas, how can i help you?
Other side: We have an idea of getting a fleet of offroad-capable cars. Some additions that would improve their capability out of beaten path would be very welcome. And since someone informed me that you happen to be interested in that kinda stuff, we thought to get in touch.
James: Well, you are on right place. How big said fleet needs to be?
Other side: We are thinking ten would be a nice number. But, more could be sorted out if really needed.
James: Any other requirements?
Other side: Well, it needs to be 5-door, able to fit 5 people nicely, be modern vehicle with 4WD, manual locker and offroad tires. However, we do not require it to be particularly massive: we have lot of experience with 1992 Cunningham we bought there and we know that is way too big.
James: Loyal customer, eh? How did it serve you? Do you still own it after 22 full years?
Other side: chuckles We bought it for purpose of participating in Shitbox Rally 2022.
James: Oh
Wait
I presume you are my boss in a sense?
Other side: You presume somewhat correctly. Not exactly a direct boss, but i do manage couple of companies in our corporation.
James: Not my fault VerBanka was never interested in off-roaders.
Andrea Chicota: Yeah, she wasnt into cars at all. I could name some off-roaders that technically could be seen as my competition, but they are either too old or not oriented enough towards going off the road. Or atleast, thats what i think.
Also, Rosanda wasnt much of car enthusiast either.
James: Ah, true. So…i will see what we can do and will get in touch. Will need some more time.

Unspecified time later, in unspecified place

James is now looking at stuff related to task at hand. Certain advertisement attracted his attention

**Successful game dev company looking for offroad vehicle models for their next game
Producers of “Nitro Nights” have been busy in last six months. After enjoying great success on aforementioned game, they are working on survival time-travel driving game. Its called “Back To Reality” and is set in near future. Our sources are not fully sure, but it seems that they are looking for good offroad vehicles…

James: Tempted to contact them…
Hello?
Oh its you, Andrea…
Andrea: So, what is the progress on our offroaders like?
James: I think someone sent me some information about it…lemme send you that.

He, in fact, sent the wrong thing

Andrea: While the premise of this “Back To Reality” is intriguing, it wasnt what i was looking for
James: tries to maintain composure Wrong…file…
I was thinking that we could try to enter the competition for that.
Andrea: Hmmm, i guess you could try. Not convinced that your more direct bosses would appreciate your enthusiasm.
James: They require very similar things as you lot do. So, we might just work around these features that should be implemented for them.
Andrea: sigh I guess that would work.
Yup, it would work.
James: Many thanks on opportunity.

**Present day, Kontir Texas dealership

For all the enthusiasm James Beer had in regards to this project, his colleagues and some doubts he had in himself resulted in work of very sporadic nature. Not to mention guy who welded containment for Power Object happened to have very questionable qualifications regarding welding.
Result ended up being…this.

2025 Kontir Lamar

Roof has:

• Yakima SkyBox 18 skibox: internal length up to 215 cm, has capacity of 510 liters
• Power Object
• Two E-MaxTrac 4S traction boards, flanking Power Object on each side

Trunk area has:

• two spare tires
• required supplies
• two toolboxes
• one spare transmission

Car itself has some features helping it go off beaten path:

• winch in the front
• two recovery hooks in both front and rear
• tow hook, in case towing a trailer would benefit the character
• nudge bar
• snorkeling
• raised exhaust so it can dive deeper without waterlocking itself
• wheels and tires comparable to that one competitor that uses horse-derived legacy name to great extent and adds mythical being to its name to denote especially capable version

[Atomic]

1958 Skyhawk Santa Monica Expedition “Chop-N-Swap”

Basic Lore

In 1956, a new time trial was introduced to test manufacturer’s cars and engines to their wit, usually piloted by up-and-coming drivers. This was called The Expedition, and ran from Windsor, Ontario at the Skyhawk factory all the way to Steinbach, Manitoba. This day-long race was very intense, and was mostly ran on narrow backroads. Two drivers were required, the one not driving usually was either the navigator or would rest before their turn at the wheel. 1971 was the final year of The Expedition, as larger cars, less participation and increasing difficulty led to the cancellation of the trial.

Model Lore

In 1957, Skyhawk won the Expedition, placing first and second. Both cars were powered by the 394ci V8, dubbed the Victory-Block (or V for short) and were successes in both The Expedition and NASCAR. To celebrate, a special Expedition package could be ordered on top of the Sportsman trim level for all Vegas/ Santa Monica models for 1958. On top of the special engine, a new performance-geared 3-speed automatic was the standard transmission which sent the power to wider tires that helped send over 330hp to the rear axle. 1959 brought in a much larger engine for sporting competition, so the 394 package was short lived. Only 500 of these 394 Sportsmans were ever made, and the Santa Monica made less than 100 of that total number.

Car Lore (Reasons for Engineering Decisions)

This specific Santa Monica was bought on April 17th, 1958 by Percival Hayes, the new lead designer at Skyhawk’s luxury brand, Empire. It was driven often, and was put in a barn in 1974 before a month-long vacation. Due to Percy’s old age and creeping dementia, the car was simply left in that barn when the 71-year old returned. He died on December 8th, 1991. Due to Percy having no nearby or living family, the car was left untouched until 2015, when his great-grandson William found the car in surprisingly decent shape. Despite the rust behind the doors and the engine absolutely refusing to be brought back to life, Will got it towed to his garage in Des Moines, Iowa. It was fixed up with intent to do a mock-up run of the 1958 Expedition trial, but the rust and dead engine were still there until 2018 when Will found a 1994 Empire Excalibur’s engine and transmission in a junkyard, still in the prematurely retired sedan. The new engine and transmission were far more reliable than the old 394 and 3-speed auto, and made similar power. The 5.8 from the Excalibur was shoved into the old Santa Monica, and the wheel wells were extended almost right up to the door and rear bumper, allowing a second axle to be installed in the rear with the intent to make it an offroading beast. It did fairly well in the unofficially rebooted Expedition, placing second overall in 2022. The four speed auto was replaced with a five speed from a 2003 Exaclibur with the same engine in 2023, along with the death of Will Hayes on October 14th. Now, its the near future, and a rogue explorer found this sitting in an abandoned garage, looking almost untouched other than the obvious modifications. This new “owner” took it, added a snorkel, the Power Object and two supply containers, ready to jump into the past and future in a car he lovingly calls “Chop-N-Swap.”

Gallery

[variationofvariables]

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail Mary…
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. Hail Mary… Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

by @variationofvariables & @Xepy

FOR MOBILE VIEWERS: DISPLAY IN LANDSCAPE MODE

Grant me the power to bring forth the world revolution.

History is much like an endless waltz.
The three beats of war, peace, and revolution continue on forever.

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BACKGROUND

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ARMORED RESOURCE COMBATANTS

Armoured Resource Combatants (known as ARCs, or Combatants, for short), are a type of armored fighting vehicle first fielded by the European Union during the Global Resource Hyperwar in 2028. They were designed as a counter to the mass forces of the allied Russian Federation and United States which overwhelmed the EU during the early stages of the war. As they were more versatile than a main battle tank, as agile as a light tank, and capable of traversing far rougher terrain than any other type of armored fighting vehicle, they quickly found a place in the ever-evolving battlefields of the late 2020s.

The first ARCs fielded by the EU were not much more than an armoured personnel carrier with a humanoid upper torso, but later developed into complex bipedal fighting machines capable of using a variety of weapon loadouts that could be adapted to fit the rapidly changing battlefields that emerged in the midst of a new type of urban warfare. A typical European ARC stands around 12-14 metres in height, but certain specialized units can be as large as 22 metres, and as small as 10.

The first American and Russian ARCs would be developed in 2029, a full year after the European Union’s ARCs. Unlike the EU, the Unites States was quick to grasp the advantages of these new fighting units, and would eventually have them be built not just for utility, but as pure killing machines for supporting other armored fighting vehicle types and taking control of the battlefield. ARCs would also be developed by China and Taiwan and used on the Korean peninsula in the Asia-Pacific theatre of the war.

The Americans built their ARCs as large, bipedal vehicles from the beginning, which while they took longer to develop than the European Union’s ARCs, were able to more easily attain unique combat styles. Russian ARCs were similar to American designs, being largely based off their allies’ test mules, but featured various compound armours and more rugged limbs to account for the harsher Eastern European battlefields.

Since the end of the Global Resource Hyperwar, ARCs have been a mainstay of the forces of the European Union and the United Nations, supporting main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other types of armour in combined arms warfare for their versatility and ability to traverse terrain otherwise unable to be crossed by normal tracked or wheeled vehicles.

Aside from serving military uses, earlier ARC designs which have since been retired have made their way into civilian hands at the end of the war. While often used in civil construction projects for their great load-carrying capacity, or for search and rescue operations in troubled terrain, they have also been subject to use in highly illegal so-called “clan battles”, where fights between civilian owned ARCs are staged for prize money.

THE ARCANGEL SERIES

Towards the end of the war, the United States put out a request for proposals to develop a more powerful type of Armoured Resource Combatant. The Crux Foundation proposed the ARCANGEL series of ARCs, which began testing and development in late 2030. The ARCANGELs were unique in design, prioritizing maneuverability and the ability to carry a very heavy and diverse weapons load compared to other ARC designs.

Each ARCANGEL was named after a biblical angel, with the first unit, XGC-00A, being given the name “Michael”, after the angel that defeated Satan in the form of a dragon. The name ARCANGEL is an abbreviation of All-Range Combat And Neutralization General Equipment Link, the operating system used by the machines.

The A.R.C.A.N.G.E.L. OS was developed to allow pilots to more easily be in control of the ARC. They were neural-net systems that learned from pilot input and adapted the machine to suit the pilot’s needs in combat. The OS allowed for the sensitivity to be adjusted on the fly and prevent wobble from causing a catastrophic failure of the ARC’s joints, a common problem for early bipedal ARC designs until suitable OSes could be developed.

The ARCANGELs were designed after the harsh lessons learned in the battlefields of the British Isles and the Korean peninsula, where the Americans found it difficult to push against the European Allied defense, particularly when fights were brought into close-combat in large former urban centers where tall buildings surrounded ARCs and the early, clunky designs made for difficult traversal of the terrain.

To achieve this intense maneuverability, electric motors were used all around, in conjunction with a 16-cylinder diesel generator with an output of 1.5 MWh, which was used as a range extender or a backup power supply when the main 2.5MWh battery was depleted or damaged. Of the 1500 kWh made by the generator, roughly 1000kWh was allocated to recharge the batteries under operation, while the rest of the energy was used as backup power for restarting the system when needed.

The joints of the ARCANGELs were all reinforced and included various points of redundancy to handle the extra G loading and harsh moves that the machine could perform in combat. The frame and armour of the ARCANGELs were made out of a specialized pressure forged steel mined from Lunar Regolith that was far stronger and more lightweight than any other steel used in previous ARC designs.

The ARCANGELs’ legs consisted of an almost true bipedal design, with two wheels acting as feet for the machine. The machines were capable of bipedal locomotion through rough terrain by locking the driveshafts, significantly increasing their combat readiness, albeit on flatter ground the ARCANGELs would move more like a typical wheeled ARC would. 7 main rocket engines developed by Crux throughout the frame allowed the machines to perform controlled hops and ease landings to greatly increase mobility on the battlefield, and 4 leg-mounted vernier engines provided basic airborne maneuvering.

The tyres used by the ARCANGELs were typical of American ARCs, being an all-terrain air-filled tyre that allowed for use on smooth ground and rough gravel. This was in contrast to many European and Asian designs, which swapped between specialist off-road metal wheels, or a road-going tyre.

Their lightweight design made them excel not only for long-range bombardment and fire support, but in close-quarters melee combat too, where various types of HEAT (High-Energy Active Temperature) Blades, a type of ARC-specific weapon that utilized a heated metal blade element to slice or damage enemy vehicles (such as AR-MESSERs) proved highly effective in testing scenarios that involved close combat within tight environments.

In simulated mock battles against captured European ARCs, the ARCANGELs showed superior reaction ability and increased flexibility in close-quarters, while simultaneously carrying a heavier weapons load and additional range-extending fuel.

Also unique to the ARCANGEL series was a unique head fitted with twin 30mm GAU-13/A rotary cannons that act as a close-in weapons system for anti-infantry and anti-missile purposes. A set of double compound eye sensors that in conjunction with the on-board OS allowed for greater combat maneuverability, spatial awareness and improved targeting accuracy for medium range engagements. This is in contrast to the typical ARC design which utilized a single “mono-eye” targeting sensor, and gave the ARCANGELs a distinct look.

Within the head was an AN/VPG-91 active electronically scanned array fire-control radar that featured advanced surface-to-surface and surface-to-air modes, high resolution mapping, multiple ground moving target indication and track, combat identification, electronic warfare (EW), and ultra high bandwidth communications. The AN/VPG-91’s electronic warfare capabilities could be used to operate as an EW aperture utilizing the AESA’s multifunction array. Fully adept at electronic protection, electronic attack and electronic support measures, it allowed the ARCANGEL series the potential for unparalleled capability to suppress and destroy the most advanced enemy air and ground defenses.

For additional armaments, the ARCANGELs were given a total of 12 hardpoint mounts, two of which, located on the skirt armour, were usually equipped with a large HEAT blade, or a quickmount for a 120mm M016 Large Standard Combatant Rifle. Two integrated AR-MESSER HEAT blades were also built into the arms as a last-ditch weapon, or as a utility blade. The hands were also reinforced for shield mounts, and ARCANGELs were typically equipped with the M096 Large Combat Shield in testing.

The most common layout during development had the four shoulder hardpoints carrying two M370 Multiple Launch Shoulder Mount missile pods, but they could also be used to mount additional ammunition for the M016 LSCR. The rear hardpoints were designed to carry either a Mission Range Extender backpack, or a Supplemental Extended Propulsion Unit depending on the mission. Experimental back-mounted flight units were tested on the XGC-06(F) Metatron, but further testing was hampered by the European Union’s bombing campaign over the Southwest United States and subsequent invasion of the country in early 2031.

Despite their highly advanced and revolutionary design, only 12 ARCANGELs were ever made, as the war was brought to a sudden end in May 2031. Only four ever saw deployment in actual combat, but only one ever engaged in anti-ARC warfare, which were the ARCANGELs’ primary design goal.

RAPHAEL

The XGC-03A ARCANGEL Raphael is the fourth prototype ARCANGEL built, and the only one to ever see actual combat against enemy ARCs. It was built at United American Aerospace Corporation’s Orion Combatant Plant in Michigan in October of 2030 alongside the XGC-04 through XGC-08 prototypes. It represented the most advanced development of the ARCANGEL series at that point, and despite being virtually untested, showed impressive capability when it was deployed towards the end of the war during the Battle of Detroit in early 2031 to bolster American and Russian forces against a combined arms force of the now-invading European Union.

Being the fourth ARCANGEL, many improvements were made over the XGC-00A through XGC-02A series. The machine stood at 15.7 metres tall, 30 cm shorter than previous designs, as a result of compacting the solid-state-battery even further. Magnetic coating over the joints helped to reduce friction losses from the electric motors, and the legs were reinforced and given additional cooling as overheating proved to be an issue for the first three ARCANGEL prototypes. These significantly improved the Raphael’s ability to perform in close-quarters melee combat against enemy ARCs.

To complement the A.R.C.A.N.G.E.L. OS, an AI copilot was developed for the Raphael named FURTANA, standing for Forward User Rapid Tactical Analysis Network Assistant. Despite being connected to the OS, FURTANA was installed on its own separate computer within the cockpit that had a 9 GHz processor, 2 TB of RAM, and 256 TB of data storage. FURTANA’s visual representation would appear through a compact hologram system that retracted when not in use.

FURTANA’s responsibilities were like that of an additional crew member on board, managing the weapons systems, radar, and other various components that the main pilot would otherwise be unable to deal with in the midst of combat. FURTANA is said to “have a mind of its own”, and a sassy, bratty personality, often choosing to act on its own whim.

Initially, FURTANA’s visual representation could be changed to suit the pilot, but it has since managed to override these settings and has remained as an anthropomorphic pink-furred fox. Attempts to separate FURTANA from the Raphael have proved impossible, as the AI has managed to integrate itself into the machine and prevent it from starting up without FURTANA being installed. Likewise, FURTANA would not awaken outside of the Raphael.

Unlike the other ARCANGELs, the Raphael was not sent to the Nevada Test and Training Range for evaluation, instead it was used as a test mule in Michigan where Crux engineers continued to refine the design as testing data from the other 11 ARCANGELs came in from Nevada. Its presence in Michigan led to it being the only ARCANGEL being deployed in combat against enemy ARCs, as the invasion of the United States had begun after the European Union had liberated Canada.

During the Battle of Detroit, as American forces were being evacuated from the city, the Raphael single-handedly held back the invading European force of 15 Dassault Entente ARCs. The Raphael utilized a newly developed anti-ARC close-quarters weapon designated the M1111, nicknamed the “Sword of Dios”, which was a 6-metre long HEAT blade made of a new nano-matrix Phobos Alloy which was capable of holding heat close to 3000° C without melting itself. It proved highly effective against the European Entente’s, and gave many Americans time to retreat towards Dayton, Ohio.

Following the retreat to Dayton, the Raphael would undergo repairs and refurbishment. The Battle of Detroit would be the last time that an ARCANGEL would be deployed in combat by the US Armed Forces, as while the Raphael was being repaired, the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. was stormed by a group of resistance fighters called the Children of Liberty, who had acquired the final built ARCANGEL prototype, the XGC-11A Abaddon. The Abaddon was on paper, a far more advanced design than the Raphael, with an integrated long-range flight unit, stealth capability, and a newly developed Pysche-Link System that allowed for direct translation of a pilot’s thoughts into movement. While the Abaddon was used to direct the surprise attack on the Capitol, it did not see any combat against enemy ARC’s there.

The then-dictator of the United States, ████ ████, along with numerous high-ranking officials, cronies, and other fascist sympathizers were captured by the Children and executed on Capitol Grounds where their bodies would be kicked and spat on by civilians, before being hung upside down in the middle of the Spirit of Justice Park while being stoned and mutilated to deter further fighting. With such a shock being sent through the American chain of command, the remaining US Armed Forces and Russian Army members surrendered to the European Union in May of 2031, bringing an end to the Global Resource Hyperwar.

Since the end of the war, the Raphael and other associated ARCANGEL prototypes were kept in storage in the Netherlands after the surrender of the United States to the European Union. The hangar where the ARCANGELs were being held collapsed less than a year after being kept in storage, severely damaging many of the remaining prototypes beyond repair, such as the XGC-11A, and exposing most of them to the elements. Two ARCANGEL prototypes were found missing, however, but reports of an ARC with a compound sensor head participating in “clan battles” have surfaced after the war.

With the development of time travel and subsequent experimentation leading to fracturing of the timeline, the Raphael prototype and its associated equipment were found to be in the best condition out of the remaining ARCANGEL prototypes, and was acquired by the Continuum Keepers. During its restoration the Keepers initially found difficulty in starting the machine up, but after reconnecting FURTANA, which had been disconnected from the ARC while in storage and kept in a separate research facility of the Crux Foundation, the Raphael had managed to fire right up without trouble despite many years of neglect.

The M1111 Sword of Dios HEAT Blade weapon used during the Battle of Detroit was recovered from the collapsed hangar, and was found to be wedged within the chest of another ARCANGEL, the XGC-09V Azrael. Researchers and historians have various theories as to why the Sword of Dios was placed within the Azrael, but no solid conclusion had ever been decided upon to this day.

After a short restoration process where parts from remaining ARCANGELs and other American ARCs were scavenged and repurposed, the Raphael was given a new color scheme and various external additions to reflect its name and purpose. A new designation was also given to the machine; XGC-03(P), with P designating the addition of the Power Object to be used as a potential Timeline Restoring Vehicle.

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DATA

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SPECIFICATIONS

XGC-03(P) ARCANGEL Raphael

Type	Prototype Armoured Resource Combatant	Mass (dry)	33 t
Place of Origin	United States	Height	15.7 metres
Designer	Crux Foundation	Wheelbase	4.0 metres
Designed	2029-2030	Crew	1
Manufacturer	Orion Combatant Plant	Armor	Lunar Steel Alloy
Produced	2030	Engine	Garlandale KT20 16-cylinder turbodiesel electric generator (1500 kWh output)
No. built	1	Powertrain	6 electric motors, 3 per foot (800 kW Total wheel output)
		Battery type	2x Ultra-compact solid state silver sulfide (2500 kWh capacity)
		Flight units	7x Crux RS-111 Rocket engine (350 kN each) 4x UAAC RS-113 Vernier engine (35 kN each)
		Propellant	Dinitrogen Tetroxide/Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine
		Installed armament	2x 30mm head-mounted GAU-13/A rotary cannon, 600 rounds each 2x upper arm integrated AR-MESSER HEAT blade
		Hardpoints	4x shoulder-mount 2x arm-mount 2x hip-mount 2x skirt-mount 2x back-mount
		Maximum ground speed	120 km/h
		Maximum vehicle hop	1500 m

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IMAGING

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GALLERY

If it cannot break out of its shell, the chick will die without being born.

We are the chick, the world is our egg.

If we don’t crack the world’s shell, we will die without being born.

Smash the world’s shell, for the revolution of the world!

The Absolute Destiny Apocalypse.

When one asks how many have died in any given war, the simplest answer is; “too many.”

[Kanye_West]

Holy

[Riley]

This will close in a few hours, I don’t mind about exact timings but if you send me something two days later then I won’t be judging it.

So far I have received entries from:

@happyfireballman
@Knugcab
@variationofvariables , @Xepy
@MrdjaNikolen
@the-chowi
@Maverick74
@Atomic

If I have missed you please let me know.