Approved Tech Vashtori Absorption Matrix

[Valut Amanya]

A Vashtori Leecher in action.​

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To give the Vashtori its first piece of technology.
• Image Source: https://wccftech.com/review/endless-space-2-review/
• Canon Link: N/A
• Primary Source: N/A

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Vashtori Ascendancy
• Affiliation: Closed Market (Vashtori Ascendancy Only)
• Model: Vashtori Absorption Matrix
• Modularity: No.
• Production: Semi-unique
• Material: Complex electronics, durasteel, Haysian smelt

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Absorption Matrix (Other), Siege weapon
• Size: Extreme
• Weight: Extreme
• Ammunition Type: Power cells
• Ammunition Capacity: Effectively infinite
• Reload Speed: None
• Effective Range: Average
• Rate of Fire: Extreme
• Stopping Power: Very Low
• Recoil: None

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Absorption Matrix: The Vashtori Absorption Matrix is, simply put, a tool for taking life. The Force-imbued device can steal the life essence in a similar manner to Force Drain or Consume Essence and is used to aid the Vashtori in their quest to gain more power and prove the superiority of the Shard.

Strengths

• Mass Absorb: The Absorption Matrix is a powerful device. On the full-sized Leecher vessels, it can take mere days for a single ship to leave an entire city devoid of life -- if only the Vashtori took no slaves.
• Give Life: Storing the Vashtori’s power source, the Absorption Matrixes always have some sort of port where a Vashtori can begin to take the stolen life essence, increasing the Shard’s power in the Force markedly, especially if the absorbed essence contains the essence of Force sensitives. Once the life essence is taken, it is immediately transferred to large Force-imbued durasteel containment units. The essence can be transferred to other storage units. Should damage be done to such storage units, the life essence may simply slip away and be lost to the Force.
• Constant: Due to the device's design, it can run for many days at a time before needing maintenance.

Weaknesses

• Complex: At least six Vashtori technicians are required to operate one of these devices, as well as a sufficiently trained complement of slaves. The Absorption Matrix requires constant supervision to make sure nothing malfunctions. In addition, the Absorption Matrix requires special housing and integrates only with Vashtori technology -- specifically the additionally complex electronics aboard the Vashtori Leecher vessels.
• Fragile: The extreme complexity of these devices also causes the inner mechanisms to be fragile -- any damage to the Matrix can, at best, cause the device to fail, or at worst destroy the entire system.
• Slow: The process of stealing life essence is much more slow than simply destroying them -- while a turbolaser could kill a being in an instant, the Absorption Matrix takes more time, as it is usually used on large groups of beings to slowly steal their life essence over several days. Due to the size and weight of the device, the Leecher ships equipped with it are very slow.
• False Weapon: While it can kill organic sentients, the Absorption Matrix is unable to damage ships or physical constructs such as droids. Being attacked by automated weapons or droids is effective against a ship with the weapon.
• Short Range: While it is equipped on large vessels, the Absorption Matrix has a relatively low range. Five kilometers from the target is optimal range, and the maximum area of effect is one kilometer in diameter.
• Power Needy: The weapon eats up power like a Rathtar eats people. The Leechers ships on which the device is mounted have minimal other systems running, move at a snail's pace, and are completely unshielded while they are firing the Absorption Matrix.
• Massive: The Absorption Matrix is very large, and due to the power requirements the smallest ship it can be fitted on is a 400m frigate (which is completely unarmed otherwise). The additional technologies and powerful reactor required to power the device mean that ships equipped with it have less space for support craft, and often need the protection of larger vessels.
• Unwieldy: The weapon can only be mounted in one direction, making it effectively impossible to use in any manner other than its intended role.
• Charge Time: The primary piece of the Absorption Matrix involves a massive turbine at the centre -- this turbine needs about an hour to begin spinning at the proper speed such that the device can operate.
• Weak Point: The turbine presents an obvious weakness -- direct damage to the device can cause it to collapse. Even minor damage can set off subsystems that force the turbine to power down, and major damage may cause the turbine to simply fall out of the ship, leaving the Absorption Matrix useless.
• Blockable: Thick layers of any material can block the Absorption Matrix. Hiding in bunkers, starships, or in deep catacombs can allow people to escape the device.

DESCRIPTION
The Vashtori were founded on the principle that the Shard were superior beings -- their most powerful creation, the Absorption Matrix, was proof of that. A combination of technology and the power of the Force, the Absorption Matrix is a device meant to bring entire civilizations to their knees. Taking power from others was what the Balmora delighted himself in -- and he wished to share such experiences with his people.


The device has numerous components. Firstly, the massive turbine at the center of the Absorption Matrix is the most important piece, it spins rapidly to pull the life essence from the area below. Secondly, the main storage compartments, made of durasteel and imbued with the Force, take the life essence and store it for later use. Thirdly, the primary absorption area is attached in a special room just past the storage compartments -- it contains ports in which a Vashtori Shard can attach themselves and absorb amounts of life essence.

The complex engineering of this device requires constant maintenance. Each Leecher ship has several technicians on board that operate the device, as well as numerous slave helpers. Few races have the innate understanding of technology that Shards do, and thus this device is only capable of being built by the Shard. Production of such weapons is long, arduous, and requires powerful Force users as well as Shard technicians and vast amounts of Haysian smelt -- meaning the creation of these devices is difficult and thus they are incredibly rare, even among the Vashtori forces. Because of their high value they are almost always guarded by powerful escort fleets and used as tools of intimidation. Death by Absorption Matrix is much worse than surrender or slavery.

The Shard built this with a specific purpose in mind; to bring more power to the Vashtori and specifically the Balmora. While their leader's power is undeniable he cannot be in many places across the galaxy -- so his forces scour vulnerable planets, taking slaves and life energy to further his plans and empower his soldiers.

Each device is a masterpiece, designed by the most brilliant Shard mechanics and enchanted by the Hands of Balmora. The weapon pulls the life out of its victims in a sort of yellow dust -- essence, the Shards call it. And with this piece created, the Balmora looks to the stars…

 

[Darth Bellum]

So, what you're telling me is that this weapon has absolutely no counter against since it can go through any conventional defenses. On top of being a massive area of effect Force weapon with limited production? While I applaud the creative aspect of it, there is a lot of concern from me that this is just Force Drain on a massive scale, especially given that there are so few counters or actual weaknesses outside of a fleeting confrontation. Yes it is fragile, but assuming you don't try to cart this into a Major faction's area of influence, you'd essentially be left free to go around to neutral planets sucking every city dry without much contest, and I imagine that you'd have a suitable escort fleet for any ships mounted with this, because the first thought that comes to mind is have the means of disabling any defensive weapons a targeted city might have as well as escort to handle any sort of opposition attempting to intercept it.

Edit: I'm also curious as to why they need the essence of organics when Shards don't need anything to sustain themselves.

[member="Valut Amanya"]

 

[Vora Kaar]

[member="Kor Vexen"], Thank you for providing Critique. I will go ahead and take it form here.

[member="Valut Amanya"],

This is created using the Force. Force Imbuement/Force related Tech, or Alchemy of any form is considered a Restricted Material, and is thus limited to Semi-unique.

Secondly, There have been other weapons in Canon that have been made to do damage to an entire city. One such is Darth Momin's Superweapon.

This is all intents and purposes, A superweapon, and is thus, a Banned Item.

I will provide you with one chance to dramatically reduce what this weapon can do, and provide further weaknesses that are more substantial.

 

[Valut Amanya]

Thank you for the feedback!

[member="Kor Vexen"] the obvious counter would be to simply use droids, as well as evacuate the affected area. Due to the tiny range of the weapon, attacking a ship would be incredibly ineffective, especially in space. But I do understand the concern and have removed the Tuning ability.

I do realize that I wasn't clear enough in explaining the size and weight of the weapon in its weaknesses and have adjusted accordingly.

The Vashtori use this device to absorb the life essence -- specifically Force energy -- to empower themselves and further their abilities. It has nothing to do with sustenance.

[member="Auberon"] my apologies. I was initially thinking of a tech work-around for the device, but then settled on Force imbued tech as it made more sense considering the Vashtori's doctrines and ideals and forgot to change the production. I am relatively new to Chaos and haven't memorized all of the Factory rules, but that's on me.

The edits I have made are:

Changed to Semi-unique
Removed Tuning
Increased time (from hours to days)
Clarified "Power Needy" weakness
Clarified "False Weapon" weakness
Clarified "Slow" weakness
Added requirements for managing under "Complex"
Added "Unwieldy" weakness
Added "Charge Time" weakness
Added "Weak Point" weakness
Added "Blockable" weakness

Thank you for looking this over.

 

[Vora Kaar]

[member="Valut Amanya"],

Thank you very much for the edits you have done thus far. I would like to ask you for some further edits.

• provide more detail in the description. How was the concept made? Who made it? Why does your faction want to make this? How does it fit their doctrine? All of these are examples that will help fill in your description. As listed in the Factory rules, For something to be fairly powerful, a substantial about of information on the weapon itself needs to be provided.
• For the strength listed as "Give Life," What were to happen to such containers if they were to be broken? How does one store such Life forces? And would there be any additional weaknesses to this application?
• Can you further add to the weakness of "Complex" where recreating this with any other kind of technology would be very difficult? Or expand upon it a little more and how it could be Complex, rather than just needing to be constantly manned?
• The Weakness listed as "Slow" seemed to be unfinished and missing some parts according to a left over sentence structure.
• I would also like to ask of reducing the maximum distance to be smaller. Your choice as to how much.

Massive: The Absorption Matrix is very large, and due to the power requirements the smallest ship it can be fitted on is a 400m frigate (which is completely unarmed otherwise).

Does this mean that the ship it is on, has no other weapons to account for? As well, does this weapon due to its size, cause a reduction to the Hangar bay size of a ship it is on? As well, would this require that the ship have other vessels to protect it?

Weak Point: The turbine presents an obvious weakness -- direct damage to the device can cause it to collapse.

What would be some examples of a collapse? Just that the Turbine no longer works to power the weapon?

 

[Valut Amanya]

[member="Auberon"] again, thank you for the help and feedback.

Edits made:

Clarified storage of life essence and possibilities of loss of life essence
Clarified the complexity of the technology
Clarified the missing bit on "Slow"
Clarified "Massive"
Clarified "Weak Point"
Changed range/Area of Effect
Added more description

 

[Vora Kaar]

[member="Valut Amanya"],

Thank you for being very accommodating with me, and working to get this to a more manageable level. However there is only one thing left.

Effective Range: Long Range

Can you please change this to reflect the previous edits made for shortening the distance?

 

[Valut Amanya]

[member="Auberon"] edited. I found the range scaling a little confusing and wasn't sure how to properly scale it to a weapon of this size. Changed to Average (as "Personal" range does not exactly apply).

 

[Vora Kaar]

[member="Valut Amanya"],

That is perfectly fine. For future reference, long range for a ship based weaponry, would be something that could reach across the battlefield or through distances that weapons like this, wouldn't be able to reach.

Now, to make a closing statement. This weapon is powerful. Being able to take a mass amount of lives on a scale that could rival the Lord of Hunger himself, Darth Nihlis, upon a ship followed by a fleets worth of other ships for the sole purpose of protecting it. This weapon is not something I recommend whipping left and right just because you have it. Be careful with it. Should this ever be reported by the community, and a RPJ has found that this was the root cause, this submission will be pulled. From there, the verdict on this weapon will be up in the air. (You mentioned you were new to this, and so this is your only warning on this topic.)

Abuse the weapon and you will find that it will be gone in an instant.

Keep this in mind while using it, or even bringing it to a thread.

Approved.

 

[Vora Kaar]

Approved.