The San Francisco Irregulars

[mech798]

A group I was thinking of submitting, since I found 'em on my old hard drive, but since PG can't accept robotech submissions, here we go.

Note that this is the idea of a "local" threat. the Irregulars aren't intersted in conquering the earth or forging the new Empire. They largely want to be left alone within their self-declared boundaries. However, not everyone agrees with those boundaries or intends to leave them alone, and therin lies the tale:

HISTORY:
Before:

San Francisco was obliterated, like most of the West Coast, in the rain of death. However, immediately after a large number of zentraedi warships crashed either on the coast, or not far away from in either direction. Had nothing else happened, it’s likely that the region wouldn’t be as unusual as it is today, but the massive bombardment and vaporization of cubic miles of water resulted in a massive, 9.0 earthquake ripping though the region, in some places changing the coastline by as much as a mile after the giant tsunami came roaring through.

In any other time or place, it would have been considered one of the greatest disasters of the modern era. In the aftermath of the destruction of most of humanity, it wasn’t even effectively recorded—the seismic stations and the scientists manning them had all been destroyed and there were few survivors to die in the earthquake or waves.

But most importantly, a number of zentraedi warships found themselves sinking into the heated mud, or buried by collapsing buildings and mountains, entombed, with or without their crews. Those zentraedi who escaped evidently died before being able to carry their tale to others, or those they spoke to simply assumed that the ships had been destroyed, as indeed, many had been. The UEG had no time for reports of lost human naval vessels and zentraedi ships and overflights saw only ruined terrain. The loss of most population in the area made recovering the ruins of Northern and Central California a low priority for the recovery efforts, especially as the ports were no longer needed, the populations they serviced being mostly dead.

Limited reseeding attempts and the gradual restoration of the local ecology were responsible for the return of some individuals to the region, but these were mostly small villages, largely of people seeking to avoid trouble. Occasional rumors of lost zentraedi equipment brought prospectors, but most of the ships they were searching were buried under dozens of meters of hardened debrie. A few were found, most notably a single crashed scout ship with a large amount of mecha that was found (and promptly impounded by the UEG) but there were many more accessible wrecks and the lack of much cover, either human or natural meant that few renegade zentreadi were in a position to try to seek their fortunes.

The Second Robotech War.

The Second Robotech War brought disaster to much of the earth, but also saw something of a population boom in the region—many families were evacuated from more industrialized regions, especially after the defeat of the Master’s and confirmation that the Invid were on the way. With little in the way of supplies, (until the very end the official word was that they would be relocated once the Invid had been defeated), many individuals died in the harsh winter, but others survived, building small villages and towns. The Invid largely left them alone, although the same could jnot be said for marauders and bandits.

The Discovery 2035:

A group of survivors, mostly orphan young people driven out of more hospitable regions, camped out on the edges of what had once been San Francisco bay. Over the course of the winter, seeking better shelter and hiding places from bandits and slavers (and as more groups show up and start competing for shelter), a number of groups explore the wrecked buildings and caves in the region.

One group, following a winding cave, found themselves at a sheer metal wall, with a small fracture in it. Worming through the facture, they found themselves within a wrecked zentraedi destroyer—one that still had a large amount of usable supplies. The group realized two things:
1. They had a treasure.
2. if anyone found out about it, they would probably all be cheerfully murdered, or worse yet, enlisted into the doomed fight against the invid.
Over the next several months, the Group, now naming itself the San Francisco Irregulars, contacted trusted individuals for help. They traded equipment they had “found” in old warehouses for goods and supplies, and avoided trading anything that looked too valuable, especially mecha.

Meanwhile, under the earth, an increasing number of patchers and other helpers started to pull apart the ship they’d found, salvaging protoculture generators and reactivating the life support systems. More importantly, they found that the region under San Francisco had been riddled with caves created when the tsunami waters receded. Explorers ventured into the dangerous subterranean realm and came back with other finds—not the least being the remains of the UEEF naval base that had been destroyed in the rain of death, including an entombed underground complex, staffed only by the skeletons of its crew. That provided more conventional equipment that could be traded—carefully, without attracting too much attention. It also provided books and manuals on how to refit the equipment.

During the War:

The Irregulars took little role in the war against the Invid. Most of them felt that the war was a fool’s gambit and that the Invid would leave them alone if they left the Invid alone. Some might call it cowardly, but the Irregulars pointed to the fact that the brave warriors mostly met a brave death. They were not it must be stressed collaborators and would accept and help Invid slaves and experiments, but were uninterested in risking the fragile safety they had found to battle the alien invaders.

When the first Mars division arrived in 2038, things changed to some degree. A number of Mars division craft fell in the region and while most of them were lifeless hulks, a number of survivors were located. Some died at the hands of the Invid, others were brought back to some of the surface villages. The fact that there was a resistance out there led to a schism in the group, between those who wished to fight and those who feared the consequences. Ultimately, it was solved by a simple expedient—those who wished to fight could, but they had to do so well away from San Francisco. In that way, the retaliation of the Invid would not fall upon the caves.
As this occurred, a growing number of war orphans and refugees once again started to populate the surface city. The Irregulars helped out, but the underground wasn’t large enough (or safe enough) to take the entire population. Some were moved to other villages, and some were helped to restore parts of the old city. The Irregulars found themselves having to start to worry about problems like “governance.”

2040-44: Wars of Organization

From 2040 to 2044 the problem wasn’t the Invid, at least not mostly, it was renegades and other groups moving through California. Without the overwhelming power of the Invid, more than a few groups were willing to use salvaged mecha and weapons to set up their petty kingdoms, often marked by a slavery worse than what the Invid offered. At this point, the Irregulars started to make their presence known, digging long tunnels to provide mecha access without also betraying their position. Bandit kings found themselves attacked by modified mecha, ranging from Southern Cross battloids to VF-1s. They never stayed around, retreating immediately after striking in order to avoid the danger of detecting by the invid. Ground troops were mostly armed with conventional weapons, with the rare protoculture powered system used only as a last resort. In any case, most bandits found that M2 machine guns firing SLAP rounds was more than enough to deal with their ragtag forces.

Villages that were liberated were largely left alone, although a share of any grown crops was taxed and sent to storehouses for later dispersal in bad times. Some protested at this, but in truth the amount taken was far less than what the bandits demanded (which was usually summed up by the simple phrase: everything you have).

More importantly, the Irregulars found some villages coming to them to settle disputes. The Boss soon had to start holding court, and coming up with a list of rules and decisions that would then be enforced. All quietly—after all, one never knew when the Invid might decide to move in.

Then the Invid left, after the UEEF decided to blow up the planet rather than let them have it.

2044: Decision point.

The news of the UEEF’s attack, the Invid’s retreat and the Neutron S missiles hit the Irregulars like a thunderbolt. Most Irregulars were horrified by the idea that any human could unleash death on his or her homeworld. Suddenly, the UEEF forces seemed nearly as alien as the Invid themselves, as warlike as the Zentreadi. But more importantly, most knew that the next step would be declaring a return to the old UEG and few were interested in bowing down to the government that had failed to defend them. AT a meeting two weeks after the Invid abandoned the Earth, the Boss declared that the Irregulars were claiming a region encompassing Central and Southern California, as well as parts of the surrounding state. They would protect the local villages and towns from bandits, not the UEG. How that will play out remains to be seen.

[Lt Gargoyle]

Very interesting. It seems like a good start for a campaign, with all three eras. Covered. If you had one you prefered to play in over the others.

[taalismn]

Nice little regional force that could give more idealistic PC groups some pain...protect the neighborhood or protect the planet/species as a whole? Some would say charity begins at home.

[Alpha 11]

Nice job on this.

[mech798]

Yeah, the idea for this in my mnind is that post-invid (and I really hate shadow chronicles, so note that most of my settings, even those done after try to either ignore it or just assume it never happened) there's a complete breakdown of authority. There ARE no world, national or even regional bodies left. The UEG would love to return to its old status, but the UEG was never a powerful government to begin with and at this point it's authority is non-existent.
Not only that, but as the story about the Neutron S missiles spread, it's unlikely to get any more authority, save what it can demand at the barrel of a gun-- people don't take kindly to "we knew sacrifices had to be made-- we choose you."

So earth really is tabula rasa at this point-- more importantly, it's not heavily populated so in a lot of places the question isn't who can play lord Humongous, but who can start rebuilding the structure needed to support a growing population.*

*which would be one interesting cultural question-- traditionally low population high land settings encourage large families, but the militarized society we've seen doesn't. Is the UEG going to gracefully agree that at least on earth families-- families with lots of kids-- are more important than keeping everyone under arms? (Remember, nearly every female of child-bearing age we see in the series is in the military, although conversely, Scott and Marlene were thinking of tying the knot fairly early).

[taalismn]

Also, in a space-traveling society, have your kids early, before repeated exposure to ionizing radiation gives you problems. Even with thick armored spacecraft and space stations and advanced armors, you're not under the protective umbrella of a planetary atmosphere or magnetosphere.

[mech798]

Equipment:

The Irregulars have two great advantages over most other groups in the area. The first is the simplest—they can place their repair and construction facilities under hundreds of feet of rock and dirt, beyond where all but the most exacting survey could find them. With entry and exit points sometimes miles away, no Invid patrol has ever come close to finding them.

Secondly, the Irregulars never fought the Invid, at least not head on. Their losses came from bandits and occasional run-ins with the alien invaders, but never a head long attack at a hive or other entrenched location. For this reason, much of their equipment was never lost.

Resources:

The Irregulars managed to find and link several zentraedi ships, to say nothing of the buried UEG bases. This provided them with a wide range of equipment and materials—even armor off a zentraedi ship could be easily repurposed into battloid armor plating. While most of the zentraedi equipment was designed for giants, it provided a treasure trove of equipment—everything from wiring to control circuitry and the UEG equipment was brought into use. Later scavenging operations brought other items in, and were anyone to know the full extent of what may be obtained, it’s likely the Irregulars would find themselves in a war.

Inside the ships there are large open areas—mecha bays and crew quarters that were perfect for storage rooms and repair bays. It is here that mecha and other materials are repaired or if they cannot be repaired, are stripped and the usable parts stored.

Most importantly, these areas are safe and the mechanics can afford to build large repair cradles and fixed welding and metal forming equipment—items far too large for any roadbound patcher to carry. It may be that the Irregulars have the largest store of mecha on the West Coast, and some of the best maintained items. They even have tried their hand at building various types of frankenmecha, some of which have proven to be very successful.

Protoculture vs. fusion vs. ICE.

But the Irregulars have long worked under the fear of the Invid—every resident of earth knows that active protoculture can bring the aliens like bees to honey and the Irregulars are no different. The older mecha of the Southern Cross and Macross era do not, by and large use protoculture, but their engines are considerably more complex and the fuel harder to come by than protoculture (or at least it was). Today, while the Invid are gone, they have taken the protoculture with them and while there may be years worth of supplies left, especially for communities that husband their use of the valuable power source, the writing is on the wall. Even if the SDF-3 is found, it is unlikely that the UEG will choose to share it’s bounty.

For this reason the Irregulars have worked hard to rebuild as many mecha as they can that either have been refitted to run on SMLH fusion or originally used those engines. SMLH is a more difficult fuel to make than protoculture and the engines have a higher maintenance burden and lower endurance, but the Irregulars, not being by and large imperialistic, find these defects minor. However, many of their mecha still run on traditional protoculture, for the simple reason that they have very limited technological resources—the most important of which is that the Irregulars have no mass production capabilities—things that must be built from scratch are built by teams of technicians, not on a production line and that puts a hard upper limit on their capabilities. The Boss is continually looking for construction equipment to build a true factory, but few of those sites survived the invasion.

The Zentraedi Mother Load:
The Irregulars have not yet finished looting even the ships they have located, but they know of several others, and have suspicions regarding some other areas. The problem confronting the Irregulars is simple—other than the original ships, finding and looting a buried ship would be a large job that would be fairly obvious. Before the Invid left, there was the danger that it would attract the aliens, and now, the Irregulars are spread too thin to effectively guard any such find, especially if major powers such as the UEG drop by to secure it. For now, there is some scouting work being done, but the buried ships will only be salvaged if they can be salvaged without great risk. In many cases, this would mean making a small hole or shaft down to the buried ship, surveying it, recovering very high value items (protoculture) and then sealing it back up.
The one exception would be a ship, of any size, that could be made flight worthy. The Irregulars would immediately attempt to refit such a ship, not the least because it would provide them with a powerful bargaining chip when negotiating with other powers.

Sidebar: Re-entry pods.

Possibly the most treasured items are several functional zentraedi re-entry pods. While the Irregulars used them only for the most important missions, due to the danger of the Invid seeing them and assuming they were zentraedi forces, the fact is that these craft provided the Irregulars with an unparalleled ability to quickly salvage large amounts of equipment, most notably a crashed Ikazuichi carrier from one of the last assaults. These irreplaceable assets are only used when the gains can justify their potential loss and the Irregulars continue to search to see if they can find others on some of the currently unexcavated warships.

Non-protoculture powered weapons and equipment:

The Irregulars do have an increasing capability to build older style equipment, including high efficiency internal combustion engines and turbines, as well as non-energy weapons. These units, ranging from boxy wheeled transports to helicopters are becoming more common due to their ease of use and flexibility. More than a few communities that have no use for a battloid have eagerly accepted a multi-fuel truck with power links for saws and other tools. As for non-protoculture based weapons, the Irregulars currently produce a wide range of conventional weapons, including the M3 HMG and MK25 automatic grenade launcher, as well as a number of other designs, including remakes of the venerable 1960s era recoilless rifle. The single unifying trait of these weapons is that they do not use protoculture or the complex electronic systems that are currently in such short supply.

Mecha:

The Irregulars have a wide range of mecha, including representatives from every era. However their ability to use that mecha is in some doubt, due to the fact that the Irregulars have seen little combat action. Their Field Clubs are mostly used to small scale combat with bandits and gangs, most of them involving smaller mecha such as Cyclones, Myrmidons and the rare Silverback. Rare engagements have seen the use of Alpha’s, hovertanks and even VF-1 fighters, but the fact is that the Irregulars’ ability to stand up against the battle hardened warriors of the UEG is strongly in doubt.

Zentraedi Mecha:

The Irregulars have refit a number of zentraedi units, including Glaug, Gnerl, and Female Power Armor for micronian pilots. The refit has been difficult, but so long as no other changes are made in the frame of the unit, they do not count as frankenmecha. Male Powered Armor and Battlepods would require the installation of an entire new mechanical “body” to be used by micronians, and thus have not been so modified. For how, those units serve as parts banks for other products.

Robotech Masters and Invid Mecha:

The Irregulars have no mecha from either race—the Robotech Masters sent few bioroids into the area and the Invid mecha are too alien to easily modify.

Original and Frankenmecha:

The Patchers of the Irregulars have made some Frankenmechs, but the lack of open conflict has made it easier to iron out the problems and so the Irregulars have managed to produce some mecha units that are unique but do not currently have the disadvantages field expedient frankenmechs do. These are rare units, and are built individually, which usually means they are only built is there’s a need that cannot be filled by another mech. One frankenmech that is very common is the Typhoon hover cyclone which is highly prized for it’s ability to negotiate the many small and large lakes and rivers in the region. Another common "frankenmech" are the VA3's that have been assembled from parts found in the UEG base.

[Alpha 11]

Cool info!

[mech798]

Character: "Khyron".

He leads the 6th street club and strike team from a modified glaug, and claims to be none other tahn the son of Khyron. He's deadly, smart, and completely convinced of his identity, right down to wearing a micronized zentraedi uniform.

He's also nuts. Khyron never had a kid, and James Michelson is a mixed blood human/zentraedi who saw his parents die during the master's invasion and whose only sister starved to death in the savage years after the Invid. Obviously James couldn't do anything to save her so his mind created a new identity.

In normal times, he'd be taken off to counselling and treatment, not handed a deadly mecha and told to lead a team tasked with dealing with bandits and criminal gangs in what was once northern California. But the fact is, after three extinction level events, there's not a lot of room for choice and if you refused to accept tweaked, but functional individuals, there likely wouldn't be enough people to staff a corner fruitstand much less an army. So the Boss backs him and his XO, Sonya Flores works with him and pulls him aside when the fits come on him, especially the nights when he wakes up screaming because he now remembers. It doesn't last-- the true memories vanish into the merciful oblivion and the invented personality rises again to protect him. Flores fears the day when something happens that shatters his delusions beyond recovery. Will he rise up or fall beyond any hope?

The "Botoru" Company is made up mostly of non-protoculture powered vehicles, including boxy APC's, a few transport and gunship VTOLS and a small number of Hover Tanks. The primary protoculture powered vehicles they use are Cyclones and Typhons (there's been no way to convert such small units to use SMLH and still remain functional). gthey do have a protoculture power plant that is located at the company Laegar, which powers the refinery that produces fuel for the mecha and vehicles.

Currently the Botoru has two duties: The first is to suppress bandit activity AND ensure that none of the surviving villages go imperialistic. The Second is to track down rumors of lost bases that may contain salvage or protoculture. Currently "Khyron" thinks that the latter mission is a waste of time and spends most of his time working to train the various village militias.
Their opinion is that the commander may be crazy-- but he knows is stuff and is utterly unstinting in his willingness to go to any lengths to ensure that those placed under his charge are protected.

It would probably enrage him, but he's not very much like the long-dead Zentraedi Warlord at all.

[Alpha 11]

Character: "Khyron".

He leads the 6th street club and strike team from a modified glaug, and claims to be none other tahn the son of Khyron. He's deadly, smart, and completely convinced of his identity, right down to wearing a micronized zentraedi uniform.

He's also nuts. Khyron never had a kid, and James Michelson is a mixed blood human/zentraedi who saw his parents die during the master's invasion and whose only sister starved to death in the savage years after the Invid. Obviously James couldn't do anything to save her so his mind created a new identity.

In normal times, he'd be taken off to counselling and treatment, not handed a deadly mecha and told to lead a team tasked with dealing with bandits and criminal gangs in what was once northern California. But the fact is, after three extinction level events, there's not a lot of room for choice and if you refused to accept tweaked, but functional individuals, there likely wouldn't be enough people to staff a corner fruitstand much less an army. So the Boss backs him and his XO, Sonya Flores works with him and pulls him aside when the fits come on him, especially the nights when he wakes up screaming because he now remembers. It doesn't last-- the true memories vanish into the merciful oblivion and the invented personality rises again to protect him. Flores fears the day when something happens that shatters his delusions beyond recovery. Will he rise up or fall beyond any hope?

The "Botoru" Company is made up mostly of non-protoculture powered vehicles, including boxy APC's, a few transport and gunship VTOLS and a small number of Hover Tanks. The primary protoculture powered vehicles they use are Cyclones and Typhons (there's been no way to convert such small units to use SMLH and still remain functional). gthey do have a protoculture power plant that is located at the company Laegar, which powers the refinery that produces fuel for the mecha and vehicles.

Currently the Botoru has two duties: The first is to suppress bandit activity AND ensure that none of the surviving villages go imperialistic. The Second is to track down rumors of lost bases that may contain salvage or protoculture. Currently "Khyron" thinks that the latter mission is a waste of time and spends most of his time working to train the various village militias.
Their opinion is that the commander may be crazy-- but he knows is stuff and is utterly unstinting in his willingness to go to any lengths to ensure that those placed under his charge are protected.

It would probably enrage him, but he's not very much like the long-dead Zentraedi Warlord at all.

Another great addition!

[SRoss]

Two figures on a hill watching Khyron go to town on Krugatch.

"You know, he's a complete nut ball?"

"Yeah, but he's OUR nut ball..."

[taalismn]

Character: "Khyron".ll.

Actually I'm kinda surprised pretenders/claimants to the Backstabbership haven't popped up more often in fandom(Basra did have a clone of Khyron's lineage show up in one of his early fics, but that's about all I can recall).

[Alpha 11]

Character: "Khyron".ll.

Actually I'm kinda surprised pretenders/claimants to the Backstabbership haven't popped up more often in fandom(Basra did have a clone of Khyron's lineage show up in one of his early fics, but that's about all I can recall).

Are you sure you're not confusing that with Edwards. He had like 3 or 4 clones of himself running around. Don't remember there being any of Khyron, and I've read the story several times.

[glitterboy2098]

So earth really is tabula rasa at this point-- more importantly, it's not heavily populated so in a lot of places the question isn't who can play lord Humongous, but who can start rebuilding the structure needed to support a growing population.*

ah, so more like Aunty Entity and Master-Blaster building Barter Town.. only with mecha.

or "the Postman" and the New United States.. all you need is an idea or vision for people rally behind and put what they have left together to start rebuilding instead of just surviving. a sort of sociological stone soup..

[Alpha 11]

So earth really is tabula rasa at this point-- more importantly, it's not heavily populated so in a lot of places the question isn't who can play lord Humongous, but who can start rebuilding the structure needed to support a growing population.*

ah, so more like Aunty Entity and Master-Blaster building Barter Town.. only with mecha.

or "the Postman" and the New United States.. all you need is an idea or vision for people rally behind and put what they have left together to start rebuilding instead of just surviving. a sort of sociological stone soup..

Ya, I would say that is close to what we have on Robotech earth after the Invid left.

[taalismn]

Character: "Khyron".ll.

Actually I'm kinda surprised pretenders/claimants to the Backstabbership haven't popped up more often in fandom(Basra did have a clone of Khyron's lineage show up in one of his early fics, but that's about all I can recall).

Are you sure you're not confusing that with Edwards. He had like 3 or 4 clones of himself running around. Don't remember there being any of Khyron, and I've read the story several times.

I believe they run into one in the post-Rain Middle East. He turns out to be a decent guy, amenable to reason.

[Alpha 11]

Character: "Khyron".ll.

Actually I'm kinda surprised pretenders/claimants to the Backstabbership haven't popped up more often in fandom(Basra did have a clone of Khyron's lineage show up in one of his early fics, but that's about all I can recall).

Are you sure you're not confusing that with Edwards. He had like 3 or 4 clones of himself running around. Don't remember there being any of Khyron, and I've read the story several times.

I believe they run into one in the post-Rain Middle East. He turns out to be a decent guy, amenable to reason.

Will have to reread that part. I remember a female Zentradie, but no prominite male ones.

[mech798]

Right now I'm swnowed under by a bazillion paying gigs, but to answer-- no most of "Khyron's" people know he isn't. Sometimes they play up as if they thin he is, especially if the peopel there facing are likely to decide they don't want to mess with someone they think is a homicidal maniac. But in a world without PTSD specialists, the fact is he'd have to be FAR more dysfunctional before anyone really got upset. Three extinction levle events mean that it's likely that nobody has an intact family any more, and everyone knows lots of people who died pretty terribly.

You could actually do some pretty interesting things about that if you wanted to spend time trying to figure out how society would actually react. Unfortunately, the way robotech is presented, things *aren't* that realistic-- RE, the militaries seeming love affair with tossing a huge number of males and females who are of child bearing age into the front line. Of coures that might simply be the result of a more nihilistic attitude-- why have kids if you're just setting them up for death?>

[taalismn]

Well, admittedly mecha and power armor make getting old for a soldier not so much a big thing(as Jolly from OSBSG puts it: 'Viper pilots fly sitting down'), but war is still a young person's fight, coached by old folks, and mecha piloting still requires a good deal of physical exertion. It's also who they have.
But yeah, life and death and sweat and heavy hormones should lead to a lot more problems and a lot more discharges for 'in a family way' reasons. Maybe they are, but we just don't see it. But given the slaughetr, what parent with access to heavy firepower isn't going to defend, family, hearth, and planet if so called upon?

[glitterboy2098]

a few thoughts..
by 2020 or so grass at least should have spread to cover most of the damaged land. in areas where trees survivied (and there would be some) secondary growth forest would likely have spread quite widely.. in 2020 it might not have been very tall trees of yet and still be mostly brush, but by 2030 you'd see fairly good sized trees. i could also see some interesting non-native plants. Bamboo for example is grown in a lot of places on the coast of California, and it grows quickly and spreads rapidly.. so i could see massive bamboo forests by 2020 competing with the native trees. some of the trees that grow up might well be citrus fruit trees from old orchards, making for an interesting visual too. likewise i could see wild onions and garlic becoming common, since both are farmed there IRL, and do well wild.
the animal populations would spring back much slower, since many of those plants do not have much in the way of native comsumers, putting constraints on survivial. also animals require a certain level of population density to make finding mates easier.. odds are you'd not have enough in any one group of survivors to make them spring back quick.

this would help define the enviroment of the region. not terribly important in terms of politics and such, but certainly useful for RP purposes.

and i use 2020 as my median point for the reconstruction.. 2010 being the point earth is devastated, 2030 being the point when the 2nd war occurs and the reconstruction period can be considered at an end. 2031ish the invid arrive and you have a new period. so 2020 is a fair midpoint for the early period after the 'rain of death', being halfway through the two decades of reconstruction of earth.

[Alpha 11]

Well, admittedly mecha and power armor make getting old for a soldier not so much a big thing(as Jolly from OSBSG puts it: 'Viper pilots fly sitting down'), but war is still a young person's fight, coached by old folks, and mecha piloting still requires a good deal of physical exertion. It's also who they have.
But yeah, life and death and sweat and heavy hormones should lead to a lot more problems and a lot more discharges for 'in a family way' reasons. Maybe they are, but we just don't see it. But given the slaughetr, what parent with access to heavy firepower isn't going to defend, family, hearth, and planet if so called upon?

I know I would.

[keir451]

Very nice set up! I just might "borrow" it to flesh out my West coast in my RT setting, I love the buried ships and caverns !!