Story Q&A

[Ded10c]

With Padisha Burns being the 'leader' of the Scions (I believe he was also the lead commander of the Black Dogs as well), and if they were indeed in the Core system.. its likely most of their technology did, indeed, come from the databanks. It'd make sense though, but what has me curious is how it was founded, or who created it. Does it have something to do with the Cthonians? I also vaguely remember the Hadean are basically the predecessors of the the ancient race. Which brings to another thing.. If the Furies was what originally destroyed the race, how did a few escape them and remain in hiding for so long?

I'm not sure I understand the question there, but it looks like either:

- How were the Scions founded from the Black Dogs, and what influence did the Cthonians have on them?
- Where did the Nexus Superweapon locked in Tartarus IV come from, if the Furies all went rogue?
- What happened to the races already in the Core system and where do the Cthonians come in?

I have a question:

Though I'm sure this was not taken into account given the need to make the game playable, how is that a single squadron of presumably all guys managed to create an entire new race capable of such large scale combat as seen in BZ2 in the space of 2 generations?

Never given a concrete answer, but there are a couple of possibilities (some more likely than others).
- The Black Dog Squadron isn't all guys (highly likely)
- The Black Dog Squadron may be larger than you realise
- ISDF pilots may have defected during the combat before 1979 just like Shabayev and Cooke did
- The Scion life cycle (or at least reproductive cycle) might be faster than you realise
- There might have been a *lot* of little baby Scions in the last 30 years (enough for there to be a third generation already)
- There might have been some cloning (all those Maulers do sound alike...)

Okay, I'm gonna have to answer that one with "I don't know." Someone should keep a running tally of how often I do that, I think this is number six

[Nielk1]

I have a question:

Though I'm sure this was not taken into account given the need to make the game playable, how is that a single squadron of presumably all guys managed to create an entire new race capable of such large scale combat as seen in BZ2 in the space of 2 generations?

If they were an experiment would not both males and females be used? What if they tried to make super soldiers and it only worked on women and they only tried men?

[Ded10c]

Do not that my knowledge of the Black Dogs' history isn't great, since I haven't yet played Red Odyssey or Rise of the Black Dogs (their two most significant appearances). Currently rectifying the first of those issues.

[Iron_Maiden]

I have a question:

Though I'm sure this was not taken into account given the need to make the game playable, how is that a single squadron of presumably all guys managed to create an entire new race capable of such large scale combat as seen in BZ2 in the space of 2 generations?

If they were an experiment would not both males and females be used? What if they tried to make super soldiers and it only worked on women and they only tried men?

What I'm getting at is that we can assume given the secrecy of the Bio-Metal Wars that the amount of troops fighting would have been fairly small. Thus, how could such a small squad which was already greatly weakened by combat and given the time period presumably all male have reproduced so quickly.

I postulate "alien" visitations to Earth and "abductions" of some fine young ladies for the glory of the Padisha!

[Ded10c]

I have a question:

Though I'm sure this was not taken into account given the need to make the game playable, how is that a single squadron of presumably all guys managed to create an entire new race capable of such large scale combat as seen in BZ2 in the space of 2 generations?

If they were an experiment would not both males and females be used? What if they tried to make super soldiers and it only worked on women and they only tried men?

What I'm getting at is that we can assume given the secrecy of the Bio-Metal Wars that the amount of troops fighting would have been fairly small. Thus, how could such a small squad which was already greatly weakened by combat and given the time period presumably all male have reproduced so quickly.

I postulate "alien" visitations to Earth and "abductions" of some fine young ladies for the glory of the Padisha!

The NSDF had three destroyer-carriers and at least eight tank batallions (the CCA have 11 minimum). During the course of the game Bates controls at least seven seperate recyclers (we only known the name of one for Doyestevski). I'd assume both forces are larger than you imagine; a battalion is usually somewhere between 300 and 1200 soldiers, so six battalions gives you between 1800 and 7200 (tank pilots alone).

[Iron_Maiden]

Given how we've been let on that bio-metal supplies were quite rare at the time and that it takes Iw ould assume a ery brave and skilled soldier to pilot one of those tanks I am still skeptical of the forces being that big.

[Ded10c]

Well, it's all there in the literature.

[Iron_Maiden]

Which source would you recommend?

[Ded10c]

All the numbers I produced above are from the game itself, but the storyline article was written using BZ1, the strategy guide and the BZ2 manual as sources.

EDIT: Since it's relevant, the Black Dogs have a "24th Tank Battalion". I'd assume the number 24 refers to the 24th battalion in the entire NSDF rather than just in the Black Dogs, 'cause 10,000 soldiers in one squadron would just be silly.

[Iron_Maiden]

A cool little video I found that might help in consolidating some information:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYt865PsFWE

[DarkCobra262]

Never knew Battlezone's story was so detailed.. and expanded... and.. stuff