Page 227: BAMF

[CNW]

Turns out with Hardtroops, decapitated != dead.

[Snoofman]

Turns out with Hardtroops, decapitated != dead.

……. or not.

[Overkill Engine]

Or it is dead, but unfortunately it has a deathgrip reflex that will still be incredibly dangerous.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadaveric_spasm

Edit: Just realized that would make a WICKED AWESOME death metal band name.

[CNW]

Doesn't look like a spasm to me. I don't recall how extensive Hardtroop cyborg mods are, but I daresay either the brain is relocated into a less-exposed spot, or there's a backup level of control (probably to also act as a killswitch if necessary - can't have a hardened bug run amok after all). The claw appears to be entirely artificial.

[ReneKay]

Doesn't look like a spasm to me. I don't recall how extensive Hardtroop cyborg mods are, but I daresay either the brain is relocated into a less-exposed spot, or there's a backup level of control (probably to also act as a killswitch if necessary - can't have a hardened bug run amok after all). The claw appears to be entirely artificial.

IIRC the hardtroops are full Ghost in the Shell cyborgs, with their brain houses in an otherwise entirely artificial body. So likely all Alex has accomplished is blinding and angering the hardtroop. Still, leaves a gaping hole he or Beryl could shoot through, deeper into its body cavity.

[Urist]

I think this falls into the category of "Gee, I sure hope that that over-penetrating max-power shot didn't hit anything important here in the middle of a thermonuclear-torpedo magazine."

Not that Alex is in any shape to be thinking about that at the moment, mind you.

[sunphoenix]

You over thinking it folks. When you turn on the electric wench on your jeep hitch... if you don't stand there and make sure it only reels in as much as you want and not more before you shut it off... bad stuff happens. The same is likely true here... the hard-trooper sent a command to his arm actuator to close... and now that its brain-dead... that motor clearly Still has power going to it and no command to stop from the dead controller who just had his brains blasted out by an over-charged 'Hot-Shotted' {GURPS Term} Blaster pistol!

[Urist]

When you turn on the electric wench on your jeep hitch... if you don't stand there and make sure it only reels in as much as you want and not more before you shut it off... bad stuff happens.

I have to say, that sounds like a most terrible injury indeed to receive from an 'electric wench'!

[GeoModder]

I think this falls into the category of "Gee, I sure hope that that over-penetrating max-power shot didn't hit anything important here in the middle of a thermonuclear-torpedo magazine."

Not that Alex is in any shape to be thinking about that at the moment, mind you.

Yeah, definitely a change to "set to blast" on the gun's settings.

[Arioch]

Electric wenches are incredibly dangerous.

[Krulle]

19 September 2025: New page: 227.
It's still technically Monday.

YAY! New page!
And on update time as well (Monday)!

And yes, I for one presume the devices simply continue with their last command, and second, the bug has it's brain not right next to it's sensory devices. It is a bug after all. And an alien one on top.
Anthropomorphism makes it hard for Human soldiers to hit correctly, especially if you've not been trained and also simply don't know where to hit.

[QuakeIV]

I mean yeah the brain could be in the chest or something but I don't think its that hard to believe the claw just continued closing as it was last commanded to do

[SVlad]

It's funny how beam from third frame continues into hand on second frame.

[sunphoenix]

When you turn on the electric wench on your jeep hitch... if you don't stand there and make sure it only reels in as much as you want and not more before you shut it off... bad stuff happens.

I have to say, that sounds like a most terrible injury indeed to receive from an 'electric wench'!

Damn you autocorrect! Last Time I post from my Phone! 'snort'

[Arioch]

It's funny how beam from third frame continues into hand on second frame.

I think the technical term for that is "unintended visual tangent."

[DevilDalek]

Electric wenches are incredibly dangerous.

But Oh so fun

[projekcja]

The gun's power setting is displayed digitally: with the letter G for 4 on the previous page being replaced by the letter M for 8 on this page [as shown on the insider's numeral section], and also analogically with 5 lines of different lengths, with the longest 5th line in white on this panel, and the 3rd setting shown as a hollow bar on the previous page. There is only one line between setting '4' and '8', does that mean the device can only have even settings? 0,2,4,6,8?

[Arioch]

The gun's power setting is displayed digitally: with the letter G for 4 on the previous page being replaced by the letter M for 8 on this page [as shown on the insider's numeral section], and also analogically with 5 lines of different lengths, with the longest 5th line in white on this panel, and the 3rd setting shown as a hollow bar on the previous page. There is only one line between setting '4' and '8', does that mean the device can only have even settings? 0,2,4,6,8?

The first setting would be 1 (P), but otherwise I believe you have it correct.

[Urist]

The first setting would be 1 (P), but otherwise I believe you have it correct.

If the first/lowest setting is '1', does the weapon actually have a safety? Or do loroi firearms standards usually assign that to a separate switch?

Anyways, I suspect that Alex may be quite fortunate here that the Umiak pumped atmosphere back into the room. Come to think of it, why *did* they do that? I'd have thought that hardtroops are at least vacuum-resistant, and it sounds like all/most their squishy crew got Fireblade'd KIA'd already.

[Arioch]

The first setting would be 1 (P), but otherwise I believe you have it correct.

If the first/lowest setting is '1', does the weapon actually have a safety? Or do loroi firearms standards usually assign that to a separate switch?

Loroi energy weapons don't usually have mechanical safeties, but rather "soft" electronic safety mechanisms. A TL10 blaster is a sophisticated mechanism, and it's smart enough to know whether the weapon is being held by a person and whether it's a finger pulling the trigger, and the digital sight knows what kind of target in front of the muzzle, so the user can set under what circumstances it should fire. You can probably set some kind of override such as holding the trigger for a certain amount of time or triple-pumping it, but that would be up to the user or local regulations.

A simpler mechanical weapon that can fire without power (like a chemical slugthrower) probably shouldn't rely on smart safeties, so those would probably still have mechanical safeties.

Anyways, I suspect that Alex may be quite fortunate here that the Umiak pumped atmosphere back into the room. Come to think of it, why *did* they do that? I'd have thought that hardtroops are at least vacuum-resistant, and it sounds like all/most their squishy crew got Fireblade'd KIA'd already.

The repressurization wasn't done by the hardtroops or for their benefit; rather, it was a sign that some of the Umiak crew (with the help of the hardtroops) had regained control of the engineering spaces. I think it would be kind of a knee-jerk reaction to undo what enemy boarders have done and try to save and reclaim for action any of your crewmates who might have survived depressuration (who reached breathing equipment or holed up in a closet or unventilated chamber or managed to close off the vents -- remembering that a lot of the crew are engineers). However, given that their next decision may be to try to blow up the ship, maybe with foresight they could have just left it as is.

In that sense it's lucky for Alex the chamber repressurized, but maybe not to lucky as a sign that Spiral and Reed have failed in their mission to secure the engineering spaces.