Resurgence of Man

Codex Entry: Tech (2022)

Weapons tech

Particle Beams

X-4 all-purpose infantry weapon: The X-4 all-purpose infantry weapon is an assault rifle, carbine and marksman rifle put together in one package. The gun is supplied by an elerium cell which provides power. It fires accelerated antimatter accelerated to 99% the speed of light by the particle acceleration technology derived from the Excalibur prototype. It offers the excellent penetration and travel speed that laser weapons provide and the damage found in plasma weaponry. Range is not a concern due to the speed of the particles. The gun features a standard issue psi saturation module, enabling operatives to empower their weapons with their psi-powers. While in assault rifle mode, the X-4 has 50 shots per clip with 3 different firing mode. Auto fires a continuous beam that does low damage but burns through ammo slowly, optimized for anti-infantry. Semi-auto fires a concentrated beam that melts through any known armor to humanity, optimized for anti heavy armor. Burst fires a barrage of 3 beams, offering the perfect balance between ammo conservation and damage, it is optimized to take out light armor. It only has a semi-auto firing mode which allows for 34 shots to be fired before reloading. The marksman rifle mode features an extended barrel which houses extra magnetic concentrators. This further amplifies the speed of the beam, going to 99.5% the speed of light. It only has 28 shots per clip but allows for deeper penetration of defenses. The carbine mode is essentially a shortened assault rifle mode that trades power for maneuverability and staying power. Though it is only able to shoot out beams at 97% the speed of light, it has 80 shots per clip. The gun only has a burst and auto firing mode filling in the same role as the assault rifle.

X-5 Plasma Caster: The X-5 fills the role of a shotgun. While the destructive properties of antimatter and zero point weapons are great, it poses a risk to the user in extremely close range. Hence, XCOM still uses plasma shotguns. However, these have been improved with particle accelerator technology, making them just as deadly as any antimatter weapon. The gun consists of the same parts of the X-4 assault rifle save the magnetic buffer before the exit of the barrel to evenly distribute the plasma. The near lightspeed plasma launched at close distance will penetrate any armor and begin eating the target from the inside out. The X-5 has an alternate fire mode which spews plasma across a limited distance. The gun can fire off 26 shots before needing a reload.

X-4P pistol: The X-4P is optimized for anti-infantry, having only auto mode. It propels plasma at 42% the speed of light. With its endless clip, it has earned itself a place of honor in every XCOM operative's arsenal.

MK I P-L land-to-space particle lance: The PB1 is derived after the Excalibur prototype proved successful. It propels plasma or any other matter to 99.98% the speed of light. Depending on the properties of the matter used and the payload, the destructive yield can be as much as a few hundred megatons to a few yottatons.

MK I P-PD Particle Point Defense: Used on installations and Starships, these point defense turrets operate on the same principal as the original Excalibur prototype, containing a flak like firing mode and a concentrated beam firing mode. It is equally efficient in destroying ships as it is in intercepting enemy ordnance.

Zero Point Energy Weapons

S-4 all purpose infantry weapon: The S-4 is essentially the big brother to the X-4 but with an additional shotgun mode and utilizing zero point energy as ammunition rather than near-lightspeed matter. The only reason this gun isn't issued to standard infantry is due to the hazards of zero point energy. When using the weapon, the user is often subject to huge amounts of radiation. Thus, only the reawakened can wield them due to their resistance to radiation and other hazards alike. The zero point energy travels at light speed to the target. Upon contact, the target is disintegrated, every single atom of the target gone. The gun has no clips however, but instead uses an energy pool system. A normal semi-auto shot would take up 8% of the gun's energy while a burst would take up 5%. Auto mode drains the gun steadily, 1% per 3 seconds. The gun is outfitted with an Abaddon psi saturation module, enabling operatives to use their psi energy as ammo. In shotgun mode, the weapon spreads the energy evenly by altering the crystal matrix that refracts the beam to the intended direction.

S-4P pistol: Fills in the same role as the regular X-4P, however it also has an Abaddon psi saturation module. A thing to note is that it does not have infinite ammo like it's regular counterpart, but rather shares the energy pool system the S-4 uses. 1% drainage per 1 second.

MK I ZPE Lance: A spinal mounted shipborne weapon with differing power scales on different classes of warship. One mounted on a dreadnought can destroy an Earth-sized planet.

Defense Tech

Vahlenite-A alloy: Specially formulated form of Vahlenite( Alien Alloy) using nanotech that reduces stress to armor plating upon impact and dissolves that stress more efficiently. Overall 30% increase in survival rate.

Cold Plasma Shields: Made of compact, dense plasma, these shields can absorb a limited amount of damage of any kind before destabilizing. MK I-base model, MK II- Modern model, MK II-S- Stealth variant, lower shield strength but faster recharge, MK III-prototype, currently not in mass production

Carbon-Crystal Cloaking: This new isotope of carbon, when formed into diamond like shapes, can reflect any sort of signals and thwart off visual detection as well.

Vindicator Battlesuit: Equipped with the latest Vahlenite-A Alloy, MK II Cold Plasma Shields and an elerium generator, these suits allow the user to survive tremendous amounts of damage compared to its predecessors. The graphene nanotubes not only increases survivability by 18% but also enhances the user's physical stats by 140%.

Spectre Stealth Suit: With a basic layer of Vahlenite-A Alloy, MK II-S Cold Plasma Shields and an elerium generator. These suits main lethality lies in its Carbon-Crystal Cloaking, enabling it to conduct missions deep in enemy territory or gain intel.

SX-1 multi-purpose nano combat system. A skin tight suit of nanites granted to Awakened humans. The suit provides enhanced protection compared to the Vindicator Battlesuits as it has a thin layer of nanites emulating the characteristics of Vahlenite-A mixed with graphene nanotubes and carbon-crystal isotopes that responds, hardens, relaxes to the user's psionic commands, specially generated magnetic fields and external stimuli with an MK III prototype cold plasma shield that rapidly changes it's wavelength for better protection and faster recharge times and shield strength due to improved heat siphoning systems. A prototype zero point reactor together with a biological power siphon that draws excess energy from the user's body provides power for the suit. The suit has certain specialized modes such as strength, durability and speed. It is also capable of adapting itself due to it being made up completely out of nanites. The nanites can also be drawn and directed to build makeshift cover, weapons and other things.

Power tech

Elerium Generators: Creates large amounts of power by hammering elerium with certain particles.

Zero Point Generators: Draws near limitless energy from the vacuum of space.

Fusion Reactors: Creates clean and safe nuclear energy through fusion of atoms, normally used as a supplement.

Gene Modifications

Neural Feedback: Causes damage to psi attackers and temporarily overloads their nervous system, preventing them from casting psionic attacks and become sluggish.

Neural Damping: Grants a soldier immunity to most Mind branch psionic attacks.

Hyper Reactive Pupils: Allows soldiers to adjust their vision more quickly, able to see and react to faster objects.

Depth Perception: Allows soldier to better recognize height differences and compensate

Adrenal Neurosympathy: Overcharges a soldiers adrenaline level with an additional specialized organ. Pheromones are also released into the air to boost squad combat efficiency.

Secondary Heart: Allows soldier to survive otherwise fatal wounds.

Bioelectric Skin: Allows detection of hostiles in a short range, gains resistance to lightning attacks as well.

Mimetic Skin: Acts as a visual camouflage. Skin will change pigmentation to fit in to surroundings better.

Muscle Fiber Density ( applies to whole body): Grants the soldier the strength of a Muton Berserker.

Adaptive Bone Marrow: Infuses blood with meld and human nanobots, granting near superhuman regeneration.

Reinforced Muscle Sinews: Muscles are reinforced with graphene nanotubes, increasing their strength/speed and endurance by a factor of 0.5 and 3 respectively. Required for Physical Peak modification.

Mind and Machine: By infusing the brain with specially designed nanites, it reduces buildup of fatigue, lessens amount of sleep needed, grants soldier eidetic memory and increased intelligence with improved muscle coordination. Required for usage of Unrestricted Mentality.

Physical Peak: Removes the human body's natural limitations and allows for full muscle usage. Increases speed and strength by a factor of 2.3.

Unrestricted Mentality: Grants the soldier the ability of temporary supersense usage and awakened-like levels of intelligence. Also increases Psi factor by 10.

Synthetic Muscle Replacement: Replaces organic muscles with Carbon Nanotube Yarn, enahnces strength, speed and endurance by 100x.

Psi-tech

Amplifiers

Einstein class Internal Amp: An amp that is integrated within soldier's brain, increases psi factor by 7. Standard issue for regular XCOM troops.

Archimedes class Internal Amp: Amp that is tailored for those who are more aligned towards the Mind branch of psionic abilities. Increases psi factor by 7 while further increasing potency and cast drainage reduction by 2 for Mind abilities.

Arche class Internal Amp: Amp that is tailored for those who are more aligned towards the Matter & Energy branch of psionic abilities. Increases psi factor by 7 while further increasing potency and cast drainage reduction by 2 for Matter & Energy abilities.

Lucid class Internal Amp: Amp that is tailored for those who are more aligned towards the Reality branch of psionic abilities. Increases psi factor by 7 while further increasing potency and cast drainage reduction by 2 for Reality abilities.

Handheld Amp: About the size of an A4 sheet of paper, it increases psi factor by 10. Standard issue for regular XCOM psi specialists.

Psi Saturation Modules

Abaddon class Psi Saturation Module: Grants psychic ability to imbue shots with his/her psionic energy or even use psionic energy as ammunition for a variety of effects.

Standard Psi Saturation Module: Grants psychic ability to imbue shots with his/her psionic nergy for more devastating effects. Standard issue for all regular XCOM troops

FTL

Wormhole Device: Opens an Einstein-Rosen Bridge that connects two points of the universe together for reduced travel time. Requires shipboard Zero Point Generators due to large power requirements. Unsuitable for combat deployment due to portal openings being relatively fragile and prone to collapse under attack.

Psionic Teleportation: Uses Psions plugged into a ship's psi-amp to teleport the ship to another location in space. Normally done during combat and not for long term travel due to exhaustion.

In development

Warp Drives: Finding a way to mass produce exotic particles to bend space time.

Refine Genesis Project: With the biological data gleamed from Jonathan and the rest of the Awakened, it is possible to make the Genesis Project even cheaper and safer such that every human, should the project succeed, can become an Awakened human with little money and low risks.

A/N: And it's done! This short codex entry covers the tech XCOM has at during 2022. As you can see at the last section I wrote about the current tech XCOM is developing. I am tempted to use a sort of Sword of The Stars method on this, where I'll decide the chance of the technology being successfully researched by random coin tosses and poll votes. If a research fails, XCOM can always try to salvage it and restart said research project. Well, thank you for reading and please leave reviews!

Update 27/6/2016: I added a new gene mod that'll really even the (physical) odds between xcom operatives and supernaturals. Synthetic Muscle Replacement: Replaces organic muscles with Carbon Nanotube Yarn, enahnces strength, speed and endurance by 100x.