#Aquila Optics

[ismaeljorda]

Harrier (2021) by Ismael Jordá Via Flickr: Fiesta Nacional - www.ismaeljorda.com - Nikon D850 + 600VR @ 1/1000 f4 Iso72 --------------------------- 🔴Primer plano de la cabina del Harrier de la Armada Española durante la Fiesta Nacional 2021. La característica visera naranja de Aquila Optics hace de contrapunto con la escarapela y no deja que nuestros ojos escapen del encuadre. 🔵Close-up of the cockpit of the Harrier of the Spanish Navy during the 2021 National Holiday. Aquila Optics' characteristic orange visor acts as a counterpoint to the cockade and does not let our eyes escape the frame.

#Harrier #Armada #AV-8B #9ª Escuadrilla #Spanish Navy #Fighter #Pilot #ismaeljorda #Nikon #D850 #600VR #Aquila Optics #flickr

[andromeda1023]

Image Credits: ESA and the SPIRE & PACS consortia, Ph. André (CEA Saclay) for the Gould’s Belt Key Programme Consortia

W40 (also known as Sh2-64 and RCW 174) is a stellar nursery or some 25 light-years across, between 1,000 and 2,000 light years-away from Earth in the conquila (the Eagle) close to the border with Serpenss Cauda (Serpent’s Tail).

This dark cloud is one of the nearest massive star-forming (HII) regions, known and is part of Gould’s Belt, a giant ring of stars – tilted to the Milky Way by 20 degrees that circles the night sky because the Solar System just happens to lie near the center of the call.

The stellar nursery is so shrouded in dust that no infrared satellite before Herschel has been to able to see into it. Thanks to Herschel’s superior sensitivity at the longest wavelengths of infrared, I’m showing you the first picture of the interior of W40.

Altogether, about 600 newly forming stars are crowded into colorful these filaments of dust. It is estimated that about 150 of these are protostars, celestial objects in the final stages of formation. Each one just needs to ignite nuclear fusion in its core to become a true star. The other 450 objects are insufficiently developed to considered protostars, but theses too will will become stars.

The blue area is home to a young OB association with at least three young massive OB stars that are illuminating the ionized hydrogen gas, causing it to shine. (OBB associations usually contain 10–100 massive stars of spectral class O and B and, in addition, hundreds, or of low- and intermediate-mass stars).

The bright nebula is expanding into the medium, compressing the ambient gas on its way. This has created a second generation of young very protostars which are only seen at the far-infrared wavelengths accessible to Herschel.

At least 50 percent of the stars in our Milky Way galaxy formed in massive clusters of thousands of stars similar to W40. Evidence suggests that the Solar System developed in such a cluster almost 5 billion years ago.

W40 is difficult to view with optical telescopes because it lies less than 3 degrees from the main plane of the Milky Way, behind obscuring clouds of interstellar dust and gas.

This image was tasks on October 24, 2009 using two of Herschel’s instruments: the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE).

[xaikonis]

Aquila Stealth Command Jet

The ACS-2 Aquila Stealth Command Jet is capable of extended flight missions lasting months, able to hover in place to act as a forward operating base, and capable of advanced optical and EM camoflague allowing it to vanish from most forms of detection. It was introduced in the 2010s as an alternative to the much larger, more expensive and less flexible ACS-1 Citadels. It is also capable of launching four drones to project its force and detection capabilities.

The Aquila is used by Coalition chapters that are too small to justify the ACS-1 Citadel, though is proving to be a desirable aircraft all around to the point that they are backordered and many organizations are finding themselves on years-long waiting lists.

Influenced by the Zephyr One from Agents of SHIELD.

#digital art #vehicles #illustration #conceptart #worldbuilding #mechanicaldesign #stealth plane #sci-fi #science fantasy #aircraft #drones #agents of shield

[ruronokenshi]

@ofvaporex Now there is a sight for sore optics. His expression softens just a touch and his smile a tip towards more genuine than manufactured. His finials shift slightly as he dips his helm a little,” Hello Ratchet.” He cocks his helm as he pins the medic with his gaze again. Spark filling a bit with warmth as he looks over the other mech,” What brings you this way?” Settling Aquila onto his back after he finishes checking the edge he spreads his servos,” Please, you’re welcome to sit with me. Would you like a drink?” Looking away around his sparse quarters,” I might have some of the Light Fuel I picked up at the last stop...”

#drifting petals to lips - ic #wisdom of experience - ofvaporex

[dwellordream]

“Let us assume, picking up our discussion of information last time, that our army is formed up into its battle array (pre-planned the night before, recall) and is advancing and our general has just now noticed something that demands a change in the plan. It could be a dangerous enemy attack (perhaps on the flank) or an opportunity to split the enemy line.

Whatever it is, our general needs to make some alteration to the battle plan. It is almost certainly a fairly minor alteration, as with a battle line anywhere from a kilometer to several kilometers long, it would, for instance, take far too long to shuffle the right-to-left order of the line just due to the marching time involved. Nevertheless, the general needs to issue an unplanned, on-the-spot command; how does he do it?

The first option, of course, is shouting. The problem here is obvious: how is the commander’s command to be heard? Interestingly, there has been a fair bit of research by ancient historians looking at the question of how many people can possibly hear a short address unaided by modern loudspeakers and the like; figures vary but generally a few thousand if they are reasonably compact and quiet. That might work for a general’s pre-battle speech, delivered before the army advances, but it will not do for an army that is already in motion, much less once the chaos of battle has begun. Thousands of men marching (let alone fighting!) are noisy!

The modern solution to this problem is radio, but of course that’s hardly available to our pre-modern commander. Instead, to judge by films, the mind quickly jumps to signal flags. I am reminded of Braveheart (1995)’s rendition of the Battle of Falkirk, where Edward I uses signal flags to order his archers forward. HBO’s Rome also does this in its version of the Battle of Philippi, with flags being jostled and then pointed forward to signal the advance.

Unfortunately, signal flags – as distinct from unit flags (which we’ll come back to in a moment) – have a few key problems, the most notable of which is that no one will be looking at them: after all the army is advancing, the soldiers are looking forward but signal flags (again, as opposed to unit flags) are going to be behind them, not placed out in the middle of No Man’s Land between the armies.

As a result, signal flags are useful for sending information long distances (in a chain of stations or operators), for instance from one commander at distance to another, but not in battle; operational, rather than tactical tools. In practice, the use of signal flags like this is confined to the modern era; the first successful ‘optical telegraphs’ (as iterations on things like smoke signals and fire relays) date to the late 18th century.

Unit flags – a banner or other big, obvious symbol (like a statue of an eagle on a stick) – are more useful. These can be positioned at the front of a unit, typically at its center. If it advances, then the soldiers in the unit also know to advance, following the standard they can see (because it is elevated, large and visible) even if they cannot hear the orders.

There are two complications here though: first, the unit banner or flag is a relatively late innovation in antiquity, really only coming into its own with the Romans. The Achaemenids may have used some kinds of ensigns or standards, but the Greeks do not seem to have done. Instead our first really good documentation of something like a battle flag comes from the Romans: each legion had a signa (eventually standardized to the legionary eagle, the aquila), which was a shiny metal statue mounted on a poll so it could be easily seen.

Units of the legion broken off to do other things might instead follow a less impressive cloth banner, a vexillum, by which such detachments became known as vexillationes. But the broader problem is that of course your general may not be particularly close to your flags (or other standards) which are generally at the front-center of each component unit of your army. The flags may allow a subordinate officer to ‘drive’ the unit over the battlefield – and that’s good – but it doesn’t let the general tell that officer what to do.

A better option is music, but once again development seems to come fairly late in antiquity. Greek hoplites seem to have advanced to the music of the aulos, a double-reeded flute-like instrument; given the limitations of the instrument it is generally assumed it was used to keep time (so everyone marched in step) not transmit orders. Once again, a more complex system of musical signalling seems to come with the Romans, at least as detailed by Vegetius.

Vegetius (2.22) notes three different kinds of horn instruments used by a legion: the tubicen was used to sound charge and retreat, the cornicen regulated the movement of the signa (so ‘advance’ or ‘halt’), while the buccina was used mostly for camp signals: sounding watches or assemblies. It’s a system that is akin to later bugle calls, but note that the orders it can give are limited to a relative handful of prearranged signals: advance, halt, charge, retreat, assemble, change shift and so on.

…Of course if those instruments are sounding on a per-unit basis (and they are) that means you still have the problem of getting the order from the general to the instruments for the unit in question. And fundamentally here, the technology is – as I tell my students – man-on-horse. The particular fellow on the horse may be a dedicated messenger (if your military organization has those) or a subordinate officer or it may be the general himself.

But it is important to note now the limitations of this sort of system and we can use what we know of the Roman command and control system (as noted, one of the more developed of such systems prior to gunpowder) to get a sense of them. Let’s say the general realizes there is a problem on his flank and he needs a unit (probably here we’re talking a cohort or a maniple, not a legion) to change what it is doing.

First off, the order needs to get within shouting range of the unit’s commander (in this case a senior centurion). The general can either go themselves or send a messenger; both options have their downsides. If the general goes himself he is essentially removing himself from observing or commanding the rest of the battle, but a common problem with sending a junior subordinate is that the unit commander may not respect or feel the need to obey that subordinate (written orders can help with this, but now we’re bringing in questions of literacy). Of course both a messenger or a general in transit may also well be killed, which will prevent the order from being received!

In either case, the message is going to move at galloping speed, which is around 40km/h, meaning that it may take several minutes for the general or messenger to navigate to the spot. That doesn’t sound so bad, but battles with contact weapons do not typically go for hours and hours; Pydna (168) was, as noted last week, decided in about an hour total!

Of course a battle might be longer (or shorter!) than this, though much of that extra time is likely pre-battle skirmishing – the actual direct press of infantry formations in shock rarely lasts long because of the terror of it (and to a lesser extent its lethality; we’ll return to the balance of terror and lethality next time). Imagine if you were playing a Total War game and your input delay was, say, five minutes long in a battle that might only last an hour or two.

But of course galloping time isn’t the end of it. The message now has to be conveyed to the unit. In the Roman system, that means the messenger needs to find the appropriate centurion, explain the order to him and then ideally that fellow will then signal the instruments and signa to act accordingly – but even then, those instruments and signa only have a handful of prearranged signals available.

Anything more complicated will need to be shouted down the line the old fashioned way (as we know, for instance, the Spartans did for lack of almost any of the rest of this apparatus of command, Xen. Lac. 13.9). Needless to say that means that giving any complex order to a unit already engaged or about to be engaged is going to mean starting by signalling retreat and then attempting to regroup the unit; regrouping an already retreating unit is one of the most difficult tasks on a battlefield and is rarely performed successfully in an unplanned fashion (even in an planned fashion it goes wrong as often as it goes right).

(This is, by the by, why reserves are so important. An unengaged unit hanging behind the lines can be given new orders far, far easier than a unit that is already engaged or about to be. And indeed, those familiar with the Roman system of fighting with its three lines of heavy infantry will note that it is a system heavy on reserves.

Indeed, the manipular legion essentially assumes it will be necessary to retreat and regroup the first line of heavy infantry (the hastati) behind the second (the principes) and plans and drills for that. Note how the Roman command culture, the Roman fighting method and the actual apparatus of messengers, signa, instruments and junior officers all align here – that’s common because these sort of institutions tend to co-evolve)

By contrast we may compare a Greek hoplite army in the Classical Period. It has no battle flags or ensigns and the general is expected to fight on foot. In the past I’ve described the resulting phalanx as an ‘unguided missile‘ and this is a big reason why. That’s not to say hoplite generals never exerted command on the battlefield – better generals might keep a reserve to be rushed to important points (as Pagondas does at the Battle of Delium in 424 BC). But for the most part, once a hoplite general formed up the army and hit ‘go,’ they had very little control over the army.”

- Bret Devereaux, “Commanding Pre-Modern Armies, Part II: Commands.”

#bret devereaux #roman #greek #ancient #history #warfare

[netmassimo]

An article published in "The Astrophysical Journal" reports a study based on the most detailed images obtained so far of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the very young star V1295 Aquilae. A team of researchers used CHARA's array, the world's largest optical and infrared interferometer, to obtain images of the inner area of the protoplanetary disk in detail never seen before. Despite this, the results lead to more questions than answers because they confirmed the presence of structures in the disk and emissions reported by previous studies but their characteristics still don't have complete explanations.

#astronomy #stars #protoplanetary disk #V1295 Aquilae

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

A White Dwarf Living On The Edge Astronomers Have Identified A White Dwarf So Massive That It Might Collapse Maunakea and Haleakala, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers have discovered the smallest and most massive white dwarf ever seen. The smoldering cinder, which formed when two less massive white dwarfs merged, is heavy, “packing a mass greater than that of our Sun into a body about the size of our Moon,” says Ilaria Caiazzo, the Sherman Fairchild Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Theoretical Astrophysics at Caltech and lead author of the new study appearing in the July 1 issue of the journal Nature. “It may seem counterintuitive, but smaller white dwarfs happen to be more massive. This is due to the fact that white dwarfs lack the nuclear burning that keep up normal stars against their own self gravity, and their size is instead regulate­­­d by quantum mechanics.” The discovery was made by the Zwicky Transient Facility, or ZTF, which operates at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory; two Hawaiʻi telescopes – W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island and University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy’s Pan-STARRS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) on Haleakala, Maui – helped characterize the dead star, along with the 200-inch Hale Telescope at Palomar, the European Gaia space observatory, and NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. White dwarfs are the collapsed remnants of stars that were once about eight times the mass of our Sun or lighter. Our Sun, for example, after it first puffs up into a red giant in about 5 billion years, will ultimately slough off its outer layers and shrink down into a compact white dwarf. About 97 percent of all stars become white dwarfs. While our Sun is alone in space without a stellar partner, many stars orbit around each other in pairs. The stars grow old together, and if they are both less than eight solar-masses, they will both evolve into white dwarfs. The new discovery provides an example of what can happen after this phase. The pair of white dwarfs, which spiral around each other, lose energy in the form of gravitational waves and ultimately merge. If the dead stars are massive enough, they explode in what is called a type Ia supernova. But if they are below a certain mass threshold, they combine together into a new white dwarf that is heavier than either progenitor star. This process of merging boosts the magnetic field of that star and speeds up its rotation compared to that of the progenitors. Astronomers say that the newfound tiny white dwarf, named ZTF J1901+1458, took the latter route of evolution; its progenitors merged and produced a white dwarf 1.35 times the mass of our Sun. The white dwarf has an extreme magnetic field almost 1 billion times stronger than our Sun’s and whips around on its axis at a frenzied pace of one revolution every seven minutes (the zippiest white dwarf known, called EPIC 228939929, rotates every 5.3 minutes). “We caught this very interesting object that wasn’t quite massive enough to explode,” says Caiazzo. “We are truly probing how massive a white dwarf can be.” What’s more, Caiazzo and her collaborators think that the merged white dwarf may be massive enough to evolve into a neutron-rich dead star, or neutron star, which typically forms when a star much more massive than our Sun explodes in a supernova. “This is highly speculative, but it’s possible that the white dwarf is massive enough to further collapse into a neutron star,” says Caiazzo. “It is so massive and dense that, in its core, electrons are being captured by protons in nuclei to form neutrons. Because the pressure from electrons pushes against the force of gravity, keeping the star intact, the core collapses when a large enough number of electrons are removed.” If this neutron star formation hypothesis is correct, it may mean that a significant portion of other neutron stars take shape in this way. The newfound object’s close proximity (about 130 light-years away) and its young age (about 100 million years old or less) indicate that similar objects may occur more commonly in our galaxy. Magnetic and Fast The white dwarf was first spotted by Caiazzo’s colleague Kevin Burdge, a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, after searching through all-sky images captured by ZTF. This particular white dwarf, when analyzed in combination with data from Gaia, stood out for being very massive and having a rapid rotation. “No one has systematically been able to explore short-timescale astronomical phenomena on this kind of scale until now. The results of these efforts are stunning,” says Burdge, who, in 2019, led the team that discovered a pair of white dwarfs zipping around each other every seven minutes. The team then analyzed the spectrum of the star using Keck Observatory’s Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS), and that is when Caiazzo was struck by the signatures of a very powerful magnetic field and realized that she and her team had found something “very special,” as she says. The strength of the magnetic field together with the seven-minute rotational speed of the object indicated that it was the result of two smaller white dwarfs coalescing into one. Data from Swift, which observes ultraviolet light, helped nail down the size and mass of the white dwarf. With a diameter of 2,670 miles, ZTF J1901+1458 secures the title for the smallest known white dwarf, edging out previous record holders, RE J0317-853 and WD 1832+089, which each have diameters of about 3,100 miles. In the future, Caiazzo hopes to use ZTF to find more white dwarfs like this one, and, in general, to study the population as a whole. “There are so many questions to address, such as what is the rate of white dwarf mergers in the galaxy, and is it enough to explain the number of type Ia supernovae? How is a magnetic field generated in these powerful events, and why is there such diversity in magnetic field strengths among white dwarfs? Finding a large population of white dwarfs born from mergers will help us answer all these questions and more.” The study, titled “A highly magnetised and rapidly rotating white dwarf as small as the Moon,” was funded by the Rose Hills Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, NASA, the Heising–Simons Foundation, the A. F. Morrison Fellowship of the Lick Observatory, the NSF, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. ABOUT LRIS The Low Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (LRIS) is a very versatile and ultra-sensitive visible-wavelength imager and spectrograph built at the California Institute of Technology by a team led by Prof. Bev Oke and Prof. Judy Cohen and commissioned in 1993. Since then it has seen two major upgrades to further enhance its capabilities: the addition of a second, blue arm optimized for shorter wavelengths of light and the installation of detectors that are much more sensitive at the longest (red) wavelengths. Each arm is optimized for the wavelengths it covers. This large range of wavelength coverage, combined with the instrument’s high sensitivity, allows the study of everything from comets (which have interesting features in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum), to the blue light from star formation, to the red light of very distant objects. LRIS also records the spectra of up to 50 objects simultaneously, especially useful for studies of clusters of galaxies in the most distant reaches, and earliest times, of the universe. LRIS was used in observing distant supernovae by astronomers who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011 for research determining that the universe was speeding up in its expansion. ABOUT W. M. KECK OBSERVATORY The W. M. Keck Observatory telescopes are among the most scientifically productive on Earth. The two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Maunakea on the Island of Hawaiʻi feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectrometers, and world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics systems. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at Keck Observatory, which is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. The authors wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the Native Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain. IMAGE....The white dwarf ZTF J1901+1458 is about 2,670 miles across, while the moon is 2,174 miles across. The white dwarf is depicted above the Moon in this artistic representation; in reality, the white dwarf lies 130 light-years away in the constellation of Aquila. Credit: Giuseppe Parisi

#space #science #Astronomy #physics #news

[askmalal]

“Venerable Brother,” The Regent bows his head reverently, “I cannot tell you what an honor it is to speak with you. Thank you for your time.”

The Ancient does not speak. Guilliman understands.

“I have come,” The Regent continues, “to speak with you regarding certain matters in relation to your service in the days before the Grey Knights.”

The Ancient considers. “I will try... to tell you... what I can... My Lord.” Guilliman nods, “I know this subject is difficult. If there was another way...”

The Ancient’s hidden eyes regard the Primarch. “I...know.”

“Venerable Brother, I’ll be direct. I am attempting to learn what I can of the dissolution of your Legion. The Emperor has given assent, such as it is. It is a complex matter.”

There is silence. Perhaps for only a few moments. To Roboute Guilliman, it seems an age. He is a kind man, however, and a patient one. At last, the Ancient speaks. “My oath...was to the Emperor... To be lifted.. only by direct command... of the Emperor. I am afraid... I cannot answer most... of your questions.”

Guilliman nods, “I know, and I understand. I would never question your honor, nor seek to waste your time. I had hoped...” he considers, “I had hoped perhaps you might be able to tell me something about your time with The Eleventh.”

The Ancient does not answer.

“Specifically, in this case, if any insight might be gleaned regarding....” The Regent visibly saddens at this, “the fate of my lost siblings.”

The Ancient does not hesitate this time. “Service with your brother... was the greatest... honor... of my life. I.. am truly sorry for... your loss.”

Guilliman favors the dreadnought with a sad smile. “I am sure he would have said the same of you. And... I echo your sentiment. It seems we both have reason to mourn him.”

The Ancient does not respond.

“Can you tell me anything of his disappearance? Of that of the other? The records say you were there.”

“I...was.”

Guilliman nods, “I am sorry.”

The Ancient speaks, “My oath... precludes... further elucidation...on the subject.”

Guilliman’s eyes are sad. “I understand, brother. Thank you. It is simply that... “ he shakes his head, unable to find the words. “I had hoped, after all this time. We might find closure. The Imperium needs men like my brother’s sons. And I... I need to know that...” he sighs, “Thank you for your time, brother.” He stands, and offers the sign of that Aquila.

The Ancient’s optics flicker. “I made... another oath.”

Guilliman raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“A blood pact. That I have not... forgotten.”

Guilliman watches. Wordless.

“I swore.... that he would not be forgotten. That they... would not be forgotten. So few of us... remain. I...” Is that a tremor in the Ancient’s voice? “If you require answers... I cannot give them.”

Guilliman is crestfallen. To be given hope, and then to have it dashed away....

“But there are places... that might... hold the answers you seek.”

Guilliman’s eyes are like fire. “Please, Revered and Venerable Brother. Anything.”

“Some... might be found... on Aix. Prism. “

Guilliman nods, “And the others?”

“The others... “ the dreadnought says, “may yet haunt... The Warp.”

#askmalal #horus heresy #chaos gods #warhammer30k #warhammer40k #malal #malice #ask me questions #roboute guilliman #the eleventh legion #eleventh primarch #second legion #second primarch

[tarantula-hawk-wasp]

Had a dream last night where I was walking in the woods and I came across a chain link fence and it had an optical illusion where a bunch of random objects lined up at one angle to look like a really hot butch soccer player and I was admiring this art piece when on the other side of the fence Marcus Flavius Aquila from The Eagle walks up and we make pleasant small talk conversation about his farm and Esca through the fence and then he’s like oh no turn around and there’s two bears and like he has his sword out but he’s on the other side of the tall fence and like I then remember I’m a medieval knight but I don’t have armor or anything I’m just in a red tunic and leggings and boots but I have a sword and a shield so I’m fighting off bears but both the bears also have swords. I do win in the end

#holly dream tag #marcus flavius aquila

[somebluebotsandbadjokes]

“I didn’t think you’d be the one doing the honors.”

Megatron froze. That was his blade buried in Turquoise’s chassis, her energon staining his servos, the pained howls of her brother echoing from somewhere across the battlefield. 

“No-”

Panic raced through his systems like fire, protocols he didn’t even know he had flaring to life and smashing at his spark. He’d done this to his own daughter. 

“Turquoise, no, I can make Knockout fix this. You’ll be okay.”

“I’ve never been okay. I’m not gonna be okay, Meg-.”

All at once he was aware that he’d pulled her close, the dying pulses of her spark trying to match his, for once in her too short, too violent life. 

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, Aquila.”

Those blunt claws of her’s trailed down his back plating, and he could feel her shaking. 

“Promise me you’ll take care of my brother. I don’t want him to get hurt, please-”

Just like that, she was gone. He saw Teal collapse to his knees in the corner of his optics and snarled at his own mechs to keep away from him.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that it had to end like this.”

((THIS IS AN AU CALM DOWN SHE”S NOT DEAD I PROMISE JCBAJFHALBF))

#mun writings #((i wish to heccing perish)) #((also SHES FINE OKAY))

[patternedwings]

12

[ MEME ]

12.) Your OC overheard while drunk

“Did I mess up?” The words are slurred out in a low mumble, barely audible over the dull roar of the bar’s patrons. Astroburner and Hangblaze look at Redstrike, then at each other, then back to him and answer:

“Yes.”“No.”

They exchange another look, both enraged with the other’s response, and Redstrike lets a deep, shaky sigh. “I didn’t mean to.” He whines and his wings droop pitifully low on his back. “I didn’t mean to mess everything up. I just.. I just wanted to fix everything.”

“And look how well that turned out.”

“Shut it, Astro. Red, sir, you did your best.”

“And totally failed at it.”

Redstrike lets out a loud, miserable wail and Hangblaze cringes at the sound.

“Maybe we should go back to the barracks?” Handgblaze sets a handful of credits on the bar and moves off of his stool to pick up Redstrike.

“Uh, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Astro…” The aquilae whines and pouts at his more sober companion, who rolls his optics before getting down to join him.

“Fine. But you owe me a box of wafers for this.” Astroburner grumbles as he takes one of Redstrike’s arms and slings it across his shoulders.

“Whatever, you tub of lard.” Hangblaze scoffs, doing the same with Redstrike’s other arms. “C’mon sir.”

Redstrike wails. Something about being sorry and wanting to make it right, or doing it right? It’s hard to say.

#askbox meme #codex meme #unknownsoldiers #ask

[lord-kallig]

Steel Bloods - Reborn

Overview

The Praesidium Steel Bloods is the primary military organisation of the Unbound Empire and is evolved from their time within the Imperium.

Now no longer bound by the decrees of the Departmento Munitorum, the warriors of Praesidium have evolved to a far more reliable and effective force on a regimental or battalion level. The biggest of these exploited freedoms was the merging of the military arms within formations to allow for a single Praesidium regiment to have greater versatility in battle over their Imperial counterparts.

Their limited pull of potential recruits however does mean that the Praesidiums would be unable to utilise tactics which depend upon mass mobilisation of bodies with high casualties which would otherwise available to the Astra Militarum or Lost and the Damned groups.

As with the rest of the Unbound Empire, the Steel Blood’s resemble their loyalist kin more than the heretical followers of the Dark Gods. The reliability and strength in a coherent force is valued much higher than individual strength or ability to manipulate others.

Doctrinal Specialisations

During their time serving the Imperium of Man, the Steel Bloods of Praesidium always held a relative universality in their tactical options but have always held a tactical specialisation towards defencive actions.

Instead of being a purely defensive array of regiments however, the Praesidii made extensive use of breakthrough tactics to allow mechanised strike teams to disrupt/cripple supply or command groups. Towards the suspected end of a conflict, a more complete breakthrough is produced which is intended to surround the bulk of the opposition, reversing the siege.

After their disconnection from the Astra Militarum and the wider Imperium, the drive for commanders to facilitate the utilisation of these tactics had to be reeled in to prevent being caged in against a larger force when unable to be supported. The use of mechanised forces to break into opposition lines has been adopted when in more offensively focused scenarios.

Uniform and Equipment

The common warrior of Praesidium is remarkably similar in basic equipment to the Imperial standard see in forces such as the Cadian Shock Troopers. A light tunic is worn with a set of thermally neutral trousers and combat boots. Over this a smock covers over the tunic followed by flak armour covering the infantryman’s shoulders, torso and lower shins/ankles.

Finally, a rucksack is worn over their back, and is used to carry most of their standard kit which isn’t carried on their person directly. These will often be left by mechanised forces in their transports but it is considered good practice to ensure they are still on one’s person to prevent the destruction of the supplies with a transport.

Beyond the lack of any aquillan markings on the equipment, the Praesidii more visually distinct element is that of their brimmed helmets. Instead of obscuring the auditory perception of the infantrymen the helm provides minorly better protection from falling debris and is significantly easier to produce and store.

Face guards are a common aftermarket modification applied by people of all ranks. Beyond extending the helm’s protection to the front of the wearer’s head, the change does little to assist against most forms of small arms at the very end of effective ranges. The advantage of giving the wearer a better sense of security and protection does prevent it from being restricted and a number of modification kits have been produced and endorsed for these changes.

Standard Armaments

The standard armament is a Lasrifle derived from the M36 Kantrael with the A82 Bayonet. The variations in pattern are insignificant being minor modifications to the materials used or the specific calibrations in optics. The only one visible to an outsider is the removal of Imperial Aquilas, as with body armour and other equipment.

A laspistol is provided as a mark of position for Section Sergeants and are provided options of other armaments. The most common pairings is to utilise their reliable rifle or to utilise a chainsword. Some do prefer to use non conventional weapons such as handcrafted weapons or solid round weapons.

For grenades they are equipped as standard two frag and one krak, with two white smoke grenades given to a section and a single red signal smoke provided to the sergeant. Photon grenades can also be issued but are only done so when the need arises.

Standard Infantry Variations

Haddiran Yeomen

The Haddiran Yeoman are specialist forces for skirmishing and reconnaissance operations, reliably being the first to meet the enemy before rapid disengaging. They are equipped with lighter armour and a hunting rifle derived lasrifle based on local model utilised. To further support their skirmishing role, they are equipped with a light vox pack which makes target reporting and coordination easier in the field.

Their less than typical mode of engagement was something borne from their primary origins in the hunting parties of Opera Agri, especially when acting against Orcs, but other population bases can be used as sources for these infantrymen.

Heavy Weapon Teams

The only changes to equipment is the replacement of one person’s primary armament to a heavy or specialist weapon, with a replacement for a laspistol or carbine. Improved vox and the addition of weapon maintenance equipment is available but issued on a platoon level at the behest of the platoon Lieutenant.

Mechanised Elements

From their tactical favour with the utilisation of mechanised breakouts, it is unsurprising that the armoured arms are ones justly loved by the Steel Bloods at all levels.

For the Tanks in the service of Praesidium, the Leman Russ is still a reliable relic of the Imperial Age and continues to be considered a powerful centerpoint for any mobilised force. Their use has been geared more towards a mobile bunker, with the side sponsons, than the more omni-purpose utilised by Imperials. 

While still young from recent armoured developments, the Dormarth Light Hunters are showing signs of being more favourable when working with mechanised infantry. Not yet a threat to the venerable design they still show the the Leman Russ’ days may be numbered with the Praesidii. 

Chimeras are yet to be supplanted by a new development and continues to serve as the main transport for mechanised infantry and as the main hull for mechanised artillery. As with the APC, the artillery holds no difference between the Imperium and Praesidium.

Organisation

As stated above, the Praesidii have taken an alternative method with their organisational structures. From the surface, the seemingly biggest change is the introduction of battalion level formations as an official organisation level. By limiting the point of single arm formations to battalions, Steel Blood Regiments have evolved to be more combined arms creations. 

This seemingly simple adjustment has made the organisation has allowed for singular regiments to cover their own failings, such as having an Armour based regiment utilise their mechanised infantry to destroy weapon emplacements likely to cripple the main armoured core.

#Praesidium #praesidium steel bloods #Praesidii Regiments #Warhammer #Warhammer 40k #warhammer 40000 #The Unbound Empire #Kallig #homebrew #Astra Militarum #Imperial Guard #renegade guard #Lord Kallig #Fertafas #Terminus Princeps

[animushr85]

>> @talon-dell-aquila

The blond woman stared at the man for a moment, trying her best so that she could see beneath the veil of white that covered his face. 

The minute she was able to compile something together for a decent profile, her optics widened as she stood up straight as she greeted, “We didn’t expect someone like you here. Is there something you need of us?”

#talondellaquila #[unit::ari] #[starter::new agent] #[status::mobile]

[cheshirecat-rabbit]

Facebook is creating an internet satellite

The company has confirmed it intends to launch its satellite in early 2019.

Some background: Last month, Facebook announced the end of its pursuit of developing Aquila, an autonomous drone that provides internet access.

The news: According to emails obtained by Wired from the Federal Communications Commission and a confirmation from the company, Facebook has shifted its focus towards space. It’s developing the Athena satellite for launch next year. The satellite is intended to “efficiently provide broadband access to unserved and underserved areas throughout the world.”

Why it matters: This puts Facebook in with a group of tech companies developing internet satellites that includes SpaceX and OneWeb, a business backed by Softbank.  These companies are banking on a space, rather than fiber optic cables, being the key to providing connections to hard to reach areas. Private companies like SpaceX (and its new Block 5 rockets) are providing increased access to satellite launches, making space-based internet a more feasible option.

#facebook #aquila #drone #shift #space #satellite #internet #access #remote #areas #provide #broadband #athena

[surangrat]

NIO Day Was A Blockbuster. Here’s What the Chinese Auto Maker Revealed.

In addition to the car, NIO also unveiled a higher-capacity battery, new swapping stations with more daily capacity. NIO is building out a battery-swapping network. NIO, throughout its history, has endeavored to solve EV problem such as range anxiety and charge time by swapping out the entire battery back. Swapping a battery for a NIO drive is a little like filling up a traditional car at a gas station. NIO has completed about 1.5 million battery swaps over its history.

NIO also reviewed its self-driving technology. NIO’s autonomous driving solutions include ultrahigh resolution optical cameras and radar as well as lidar, short for laser based radar, sensors. Those are technologies used by other auto makers.

NIO autonomous driving sensor and software suite is called Aquila. NIO’s computing platform crunching all that sensor data is called Adam. The platform is powered by Nvidia (NVDA) microprocessors. About 6% of Nvidia sales are generated in the auto space, according to its fiscal year 2020 numbers, which ended in January 2020.

[lovejenniferthings]

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