NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Underwater base - 03
I was currently lying down on top of my rigging, a submarine surfboard, as I finished designing the standard reactor module in both standalone and modular configurations.
[Generating structure…]
A box, measuring 10x10x10 meters, materialized in my mind's eye. It had three cables designed to connect to radiator coils, which would transfer heat to the surrounding water. One additional cable served as the power outlet. It was compact, complex, and easy to hide in the vast expanse of the ocean. By directing the heat deeper into oceanic chasms, it would mimic the effects of new underwater volcanoes, solving both sonar and satellite detection issues.
[Wargirl's Reactor]
[Cost: $800 x 10 (wargirls)
Power: +200 x10 (wargirls)
Hitpoints: 750 +1000 (wargirls)
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Power Production
Armor Class: Super Light Structure
Weapons: -
Range: -
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to shut down Wargirl's connected power grid for 1:30 minutes this shutdown decrease with each stacking reactor at max stack of 5 the shutdown last 30 seconds. At maximum stacking (5 reactors). Can be stacked on top of each other in a 1x1 grid.]
The faction buff was both a blessing and a curse. Sure, the design was ten times more expensive, but somehow, it also increased all hitpoints by 1000 and multiplied the power generation by ten.
"Wait… does the power drain scale up tenfold too?" I muttered, frowning. "That's… not great. But this is the smallest power generator available, as it's still just a 1x1 grid and stackable so hopefully it help with power generation."
Shifting my focus, I considered resource gathering. The logic of this world dictated that ores respawned naturally over time—specifically, one month underground. That explained why ore deposits seemed to create an endless supply. Inspired, I designed something akin to a Tech Oil Derrick, a structure that could generate resources infinitely once captured. However, it came with a new challenge: I needed to prospect ore deposits scattered across the ocean floor and fortify those locations.
[Wargirl's Ore derrick]
Cost: $2000 x 10 (wargirls)
Power: -40 x 10 (wargirls)
Hitpoints: 1000 + 1000 (wargirl)
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Resource Generation
Armor Class: Big Heavy Structure
Weapons: 1x Graviton PD turret
Range: 4
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to steal 5000$]
"Well, this better be worth it," I said, spinning the 3D model of the derrick. It featured a PD graviton turret on top, as well as a drive-through mechanism for units to collect resources and deliver them back to the base. It was essentially the start of a logistic chain for infinite resource generation.
"Wait… did I just recreate Red Alert 3's resource-gathering method, but with more complexity?" I sighed, rolling onto my back.
My eyes drifted to the massive underwater shipyard under construction. At 800 meters long, 500 meters wide, and 400 meters tall, it was a behemoth. The sheer scale was daunting now that I thought about it.
"Back to the barracks," I muttered, opening the designer app. "I need a way to create T-Dolls. They'll serve as both crew and combat units."
Searching through available tech, I stumbled upon a "fairy-to-crew-size converter" designed for Kansen units. It allowed registered beings to shrink to fairy size, enabling them to interact with the interior of riggings as if they were full-sized ships.
"Perfect. This tech will make everything easier."
I began designing the production module, prioritizing underwater combat capabilities. Since our territory was the ocean, most enemies would consist of armored units like submarines and submarine hunters. The only biological threats I remembered were dolphins and giant octopuses.
"For now, harpoon launchers should suffice as anti-armor weapons, and spearguns with customized spearheads can handle sea life."
The harpoon launcher design merged elements of railguns and crossbows, utilizing twin accelerator rails to propel the harpoon. Each shot generated significant heat, requiring 3-4 seconds of cooldown. The harpoon itself featured a depleted uranium tip for armor penetration, with a timed fuse for an explosive payload. Stabilizing fins and rocket propulsion extended its range to 750 meters.
"Technically, it's closer to a self-launched missile than a harpoon, but the design works hydrodynamically." I shrugged. "Shipgirls can handle torpedoes for heavy firepower anyway."
With the weapon sorted, I shifted to creating a corresponding T-Doll. These units would specialize in marine combat and amphibious operations, often garrisoning in submarines and underwater bases.
I sketched their appearance: tall girls with dark navy-blue short hair, dressed in wetsuits equipped with underwater boosters on their legs and flippers for maneuverability. Their back-mounted rigs held six harpoons, with a passive carry rig for their primary launcher. The design was utilitarian but sleek.
[T-Doll: Underwater Marine Harpoon Unit (UMHU) - Wargirls]
Cost: $120 x 10 (Wargirls)
Speed: 7
Hitpoints: 250 + 1000 (Wargirls)
Armor Class: Medium (Wargirls' traits enforce medium or higher armor)
Prerequisite: Wargirls Barracks
Purpose: Anti-Armor, Anti-Naval
Weapons: UMH-01 (Underwater Marine Harpoon Launcher - 01)
Range: 7.5
Additional Information: Can garrison civilian structures. Immune to mind control. Amphibious. Can detect enemy spies.
"Not bad," I mused, admiring the 3D render of the UMHU.
Next, I tackled the barracks, designing it as a standard production facility. Two nanoswarm deployers would handle construction, each capable of producing one T-Doll every five seconds. The production speed depended on unit complexity; for UMHUs, it was 2 every 10 seconds.
"Why doesn't the design app have build time though?" I wondered aloud as I finalized the model.
[Wargirl's T-Doll Barracks]
Cost: $500 x 10 (Wargirls)
Power: -10 x 10 (Wargirls)
Hitpoints: 900 + 1000 (Wargirls)
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Infantry Training
Armor Class: Light Structure
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to acquire veteran infantry training.
The resulting design was simple: a box-like structure with a door, two repair capsules, and two deployers on the sides.
"I'm no artist," I muttered. "That's why I build bases underground, even in Minecraft or other games. No one sees the outside, and I don't have to decorate."
I chuckled at the thought of one of the Hestia-class units offering to redesign everything. That would take ages, though, considering I hadn't even activated my Hestia yet.
"Anyway, what's next after the barracks again? Hmm... Oh, right—there's a special building for each subfaction, then the basic trio: tank, ship, and aircraft buildings. Wait, didn't Hestia's prerequisites mention something about a wisdom cube?" I murmured, bringing up Hestia's MCV profile.
[Hestia Class Submarine MCV - Kansen - Wargirl]
Cost: $30,000
Speed: 3
Hitpoints: 4000
Armor Class: Heavy
Prerequisite: Wargirl's Wisdom Cube factory + Wargirl's Underwater Shipyard
HQ Purpose: Base Construction
Weapons: 2 Graviton PD turrets
Range: 4 & 4
Additional Information: Building and Repair structures. Cannot be hijacked. Immune to abduction, omni-crush, mind control, and confusion rays. Driver cannot be killed. Automatically repairs itself.]
"Ah, so our special building is a Wisdom Cube Factory. Nice! Although... I'll need to design one myself, huh?" I mused aloud, switching back to the designer app while rolling around on my rigging. By this point, it had essentially become my makeshift bed since the base construction wasn't complete yet.
I stole a quick glance at the construction progress bar—it was sitting at 80% for that massive underwater shipyard. Satisfied, I refocused on drafting the Wisdom Cube Factory.
"I mean, it's basically an energy cube, right? So why am I still using nuclear power when I could use these cubes instead?" I bonked my head lightly, embarrassed by the oversight when I first making my own body. "I'll come back and redesign everything later. For now, let's just get this set up. Hmm... energy cubes, information cubes, conceptual cubes—all of these need massive amounts of energy and data to generate. Looks like I'll need a supercomputer for this one."
Quite a few hours later....
"It's probably nighttime by now. Not that I'd know, considering how deep I am." I paused, rubbing my temples. "Wait, don't I have an onboard clock?" I glanced at the corner of my interface.
"It's 11 PM," I muttered tiredly. The Wisdom Cube Factory design was proving to be far more complex than expected. Generating more than one cube per week seemed borderline impossible at this stage. Frustrated, I sighed.
"I'll deal with scaling issues later. For now, let's set up the nanoswarm to build a few reactors in the chasm and connect power lines to the base. Also, I'll queue up a T-Doll barracks for scouting and prospecting ores. That should finally let me establish proper resource generation. I mean, the excavation gave me some resources, but it's nowhere near enough for sustained operations."
Pausing, I frowned. "Wait... I forgot something important."
I opened a new template and began designing a residential building. Simple rooms with a bed, a small kitchenette, a chair, and a table. The rooms connected to a modest living area, and a food court with holographic glass for a communal vibe. Once satisfied, I hit "generate."
[Wargirl's Resident building]
Cost: $100 x 10 (Wargirls)
Power: -10 x 10 (Wargirls)
Hitpoints: 1500 + 1000 (wargirls)
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Wargirls resident building
Armor Class: Light Structure
A dorm-style building with a minimalist rectangular exterior design.
I directed the nanoswarm to construct one near the T-Doll barracks but a bit farther from the underwater entrance.
Grabbing the rigging handlebars, I rode over to the underwater shipyard's construction site. As I surfaced, I groaned.
"Dark. Figures. Looks like I'll need lighting. Oh, and those buildings are kilometers apart—definitely going to need a train system if I want an actual functioning base."
The nanoswarm quickly hooked up power cables from the reactors in the chasm, illuminating the underground complex one light at a time. I retracted my rigging and began walking toward the nearly-completed residential building.
"I'm pretty sure the nanoswarm stops working when I sleep. Looks like I'll need something autonomous. Engineers, maybe?"
Pulling up the designer app for what felt like the hundredth time today, I started drafting again.
"smaller nanoswarm deployer on their backs should let them control 100,000 nanoswarms. No weapons yet—I really need a research lab to work on infantry-sized graviton lasers."
I created the template: a short-haired girl taller than the UMHU T-Dolls. She carried a scaled-down nanoswarm deployer, sized from 4x2x2 to a manageable 2x1x1. Even so, it looked oversized on her already large frame. Tough girl.
[T-Doll engineer - Wargirls]
[ Cost: $300 x 10 (Wargirls)
Speed: 4
Hitpoints: 90 + 1000 (Wargirls)
Armor Class: Basic
Prerequisite: Allied Barracks
Purpose: Repair & Capture & Building
Equipment: Mini Nanoswarm deployer
Range: 2
Additional Information: Building and Repair structures, Vehicles and T-doll. Can repair destroyed bridges by entering the Bridge Repair Hut. Can find and disarm Ivan, Arsonist and Repulsor bombs (Bomb Sight: 7). One Engineer can capture any Tech Building, Tech Vehicle or Empty Vehicle. Immune to Mind control.]
A white-haired girl in military uniform appeared in the interface, a massive pack strapped to her back.
"White hair? Why does that feel oddly appropriate for an engineer? Oh well, it works."
I queued up 4 engineers after the T-Doll barracks and added 3 UMHU units for scouting nearby seafloor ore deposits. The engineers could also help design and upgrade production lines, although I'd still need to approve everything myself.
"Hopefully, they'll have personalities and won't just act like generic soldiers," I murmured, stepping into the residential building's first-floor hallway. The nanoswarm had just finished its five-story construction, enough to house about fifty residents—plenty for now.
As I entered my room, the sight of a fluffy bed greeted me. I flopped onto it with a contented sigh. "I'll deal with the Wisdom Cube Factory tomorrow..."
I rolled onto my side, my thoughts trailing off. Suddenly, I sat up and glanced at the mirror.
"I forgot to change out of my swimsuit," I grumbled, noticing the damp sheets. Thankfully, I'd walked far enough to dry off somewhat.
"Wait... don't the nanoswarms generate the T-Dolls' clothes? Maybe they can handle this too."
Concentrating, I felt the nanoswarm shift and weave, forming soft pajamas around me. Twirling in front of the mirror, I admired the results.
"Wait... I'm a girl. Well, half-girl, half-AI?" I mused, tilting my head.
I studied my reflection, a mischievous grin creeping onto my face. "You know what? I already have a female body... might as well have some fun with it."
Shyly, I whispered to myself, "Post-nut clarity works on both genders, right?"
My cheeks flushed as I let my thoughts wander.
{NEW unit, this chapter}
[Wargirl's Reactor]
Cost: $8000
Power: +2000
Hitpoints: 1750
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Power Production
Armor Class: Super Light Structure
Weapons: -
Range: -
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to shut down Wargirl's connected power grid for 1:30 minutes this shutdown decrease with each stacking reactor at max stack of 5 the shutdown last 30 seconds. At maximum stacking (5 reactors). Can be stacked on top of each other in a 1x1 grid.
[Wargirl's Ore derrick]
Cost: $20000
Power: -400
Hitpoints: 2000
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Resource Generation
Armor Class: Big Heavy Structure
Weapons: 1x Graviton PD turret
Range: 4
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to steal 5000$
[T-Doll: Underwater Marine Harpoon Unit (UMHU) - Wargirls]
Cost: $1200 (Wargirls)
Speed: 7
Hitpoints: 1250 (Wargirls)
Armor Class: Medium
Prerequisite: Wargirls Barracks
Purpose: Anti-Armor, Anti-Naval
Weapons: UMH-01 (Underwater Marine Harpoon Launcher - 01)
Range: 7.5
Additional Information: Can garrison civilian structures. Immune to mind control. Amphibious. Can detect enemy spies.
[T-Doll engineer - Wargirls]
Cost: $3000
Speed: 4
Hitpoints: 1090 (Wargirls)
Armor Class: Basic
Prerequisite: Allied Barracks
Purpose: Repair & Capture & Building
Equipment: Mini Nanoswarm deployer
Range: 2
Additional Information: Building and Repair structures, Vehicles and T-doll. Can repair destroyed bridges by entering the Bridge Repair Hut. Can find and disarm Ivan, Arsonist and Repulsor bombs (Bomb Sight: 7). One Engineer can capture any Tech Building, Tech Vehicle or Empty Vehicle. Immune to Mind control.
[Wargirl's T-Doll Barracks]
Cost: $5000
Power: -100
Hitpoints: 1900
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Infantry Training
Armor Class: Light Structure
Additional Information: Can be infiltrated to acquire veteran infantry training.
[Wargirl's Resident building]
Cost: $1000 (Wargirls)
Power: -100 (Wargirls)
Hitpoints: 2500 (wargirls)
Prerequisite: MCV
Purpose: Wargirl's resident building
Armor Class: Light Structure