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Modern Fantasy

Alvis Alendran

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Jan 14, 2009
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Okay, so this is the result of a few nights of bouncing around ideas. It's the start of a longer reaching project as well, as I do intend to expand on this.

For starters, the world that this is a part of: Modern, but with fantasy races present. Elves, Orcs, Centaurs, etc, these creatures are around. But magic? Not so much. So these races are going to need to be doing something with technology. And how each race approaches it should be a little different. The main rule involved in this project was that all technology that is brought up, must be grounded in currently available tech. Every bullet fired is based off of a currently existing type of round.

The pieces that I'm going to be submitting for viewing are written from a human perspective, and an adversarial one at that. Teh first four races I tackled are Orcs, Elves, Centaurs, and Drow. More races, adn even subraces of elf and the like are very likely to make an appearance.

Now, if people have suggestions on how to trim the races somewhat, refine things, have suggestions on where they feel I went wrong, By all means, let me know! It's why I'm putting this out here after all. So. To start things off, I give you...

Orcs​

The Orcs represent one of the more plentiful foes that our forces typically face in the field. In addition to their standing army that has clashed with us frequently, many of their people hire themselves out as mercenaries. Being well suited to this line of work, they rarely lack for employment.

The average orc that is seen in the field is a large specimen. Typically at least seventy-eight inches high, and seventy across. They typically weigh in excess of three hundred pounds. Not prone to fat, these beasts make for a formidable foe.

As a people, they favour short to mid ranged engagements. Their ability to produce refined technology is extremely limited. Much of their weaponry is based on revolving cylinder principles, making them rather crude, but very reliable when cared for. Fortunately for our people, they rarely display much care for their weapons, making them somewhat prone to fouling. Regardless, the amount of firepower that it brought to bear is impressive. A typical rifle is chambered for the prodigiously powerful 14.5×114mm round. A cylinder typically holds twelve rounds, though each soldier will usually have 2-3 reloads in speed loaders to allow for efficient maintenance of fire, along with loose rounds for reloading under less pressure. The rifles are built to sustain semi-automatic fire. While the amount of fire produced it much lower than other races main line weapons, each shot has unrivaled killing power. No race has yet developed personal armour that can sustain a hit from these weapons.

As they advance, Orc units will typically apply suppressing fire in the form of massed grenade barrages. Each rifle usually sports an under-barrel launcher, and at least one member will carry a dedicated launcher. Orcs have made use of older equipment, using the decommissioned design of the Mk 18 Mod 0 40mm grenade launcher, providing them with a method of covering an area with high saturation suppression fire. Once they have closed range, many orcs may carry a backup weapon, in the form of a short barrel shotgun, typically cylinder fed, and firing 8 gauge shells, providing punishing close range firepower.

Without outside aid, the most common form of support fire from orcs comes in the way of a rifle made for 'sniper' work. Lacking advanced optics, they typically lack the accurate range, but compensate by loading the truly incredible .950 shells. Each of these shells are capable of dealing horrific wounds to living things, as well as being capable of damaging enemy armoured vehicles.

Defensively, Orcish infantry is well protected. Heavy layers of Kevlar wrap them, along with small, replaceable steel scales that give their armour the name of Ballistic Scale. The large muscled physique allows them to layer the armour thick enough to resist nearly all small arms fire, making them extremely difficult for conventional infantry to deal with. Thusly protected, Orcs make excellent shock troops, and are ideal for capturing and holding strong points. At close quarters they are nigh unstoppable.

In engagements with their regular military, rather than mercenary forces, Orcs make heavy use of high caliber, mid-ranged artillery. Rarely able to fire shell beyond one or two kilometres, each shell packs large size and power, Blanketing areas in waves of fire and shrapnel, allowing waves of infantry to advance.

Orcs make extensive use of armoured vehicles, each made cheaply but possessing great firepower for their size. Massive in size, weighing in at nearly seventy metric tonnes, their mainline battle tank sports a huge cannon, normally seen deployed on naval vessel, delivering 130mm shells with devastating effect. Lacking the more advanced armour technology of other races, the Orcs simply layer on more and more layers of steel plating. Showing surprising ingenuity for their race, spaces between the armour plates have been packed with carbide metals to help deflect penetrator rounds. Mass produced, and usually present in large numbers, Orcs approach their armour the same way they approach their infantry. Hordes.

In terms of tactical doctrine, when dealing with Orcish forces, the best way of confronting them is with combined arms tactics. Armour, artillery and support weaponry will typically be needed to deal with them. Infantry alone, without the use of heavier weaponry will be hard pressed to cope with the advance of such enemies. The best course of action is to withdraw until better support can be procured. Orcish Amour is typically outclassed in terms of defences and mobility, but still brutally effective in firepower. Again, Artillery support is useful, as well as supporting infantry armed with AT weaponry.
 
Gun porn! Love it~

But where do the fantasy races come from? No magic, but elves, orcs, etc.? Is this... Some Earth AU, or a Shadowrun style emergence of races?

You've clearly thought plenty of the armament of the races, how about a bit more culture?
 
The lack of magic is something I've also been wondering. Especially if you're gonna involve Elves/Drow, who heavily use this. I suppose Drow can get around via Psionics which aren't technically magic like arcane or divine. But Sylvan elves? Amuse me with that answer please.

Otherwise, this looks really well thought out. I like it.
 
Yes, this would be quite simply an AU Earth style environment. As for culture and non-weapons based technology...yeah, I can work on that. Fair request. The current one isn't big on culture since it's supposed to be a tactical guide, written for advice on dealing with non-human opposition in combat situations

Problem with magic: the use of magic largely removes the need for technology. Why develop a phone when you can cast Sending? Why develop a missile when you can enchant an arrow to explode? You wouldn't have to develop new and better alloys for steel when you can simply add a layer of enchantment.

Magic destabilzes the tech base of the world, so...rather than trying to justify tech and magic at the same time, I just cut it out. I'm not trying to recreate a Shadowrun-esque environment, which really to me in a lot of ways only really works because of the way the emergence happened, late enough in the game that tech was an irrevocable portion of the world.

Removing hte magic from elves and the like doesn't change them that severely. Espeially once you have technology involved in them. A lot of the pieces of their culture that are so tied up in magic can be replaced with science without a lot of changes. Elven High Mages, some of the greatest spellcasters in the world? Powerhouse scientists that have been studying the field for centuries with inhuman memory retention.

Sorcerers can be represented by a scientist who's more inclined to intuitive leaps than the careful study and experimentation.
 
If you're going to tie up tech with their cultural identity, then I'd recommend giving the races widely different fields of expertise, as opposed to aesthetic differences. There are enough fascinating ways to kill that they can all have their own favorites.
 
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