A/N: Okay, writer's block is killing me right now, so Dulce et Decorum Est Part II will be out on Saturday. I apologize, although I maintain that writing from the perspective of a girl is rather difficult for a teenage male (or any male for that matter). Until then, I leave you with this.

-Rafen

Black Dragon

An Informational Intermission-2

"I know not with what weapons a second Great War will be fought with, but I know that the third shall be fought with sticks and stones." –Sven Schteiner, 459 AD

Weapons and Vehicles of Vytal

Aside from the unique weapons used by Hunters and Huntresses, the militaries and paramilitaries of Vytal are armed with a multitude of tools of destruction.

Melee combat is as prevalent as ranged warfare, reliable armoured vehicles being countered by advances in infantry armour and anti-tank weaponry.

The majority of technologies on Vytal are based on nature's wrath, other known as Dust. Dust is a large part of most things, being used from anywhere like fuel for vehicles to weapons-grade explosives. As such, nations that have reliable access to Dust like Valhalla and Kay'Dya are amongst the most advanced in the world.

Weapons of Xi'An

RVB93: The standard service rifle of the Xi'Anese Liberation Army, the RVB was introduced in 593 AD. It features a bullpup design, with the magazine and action being placed behind the trigger. This results in a longer barrel, along with higher muzzle velocity and a flatter trajectory.

M6R: The M6R is a large-calibre pistol, used by officers of the XLA. It is considered one of the finest pistols in the East, firing large rounds at high velocities and good accuracy. However, it suffers from a small magazine and poor accuracy at longer ranges.

Guan'Dao: The Guan'Dao is a bladed polearm, designed primarily for slashing and less so for stabbing. It is mostly used by members of the XLA Cavalry, employed when running down scattered and retreating infantry.

Jian: While most swords in the West are built for stabbing and strong two-handed blows, the Xi'Anese Jian is an atypical shortsword designed for one-handed wielding. It has a rounded tip rather than a point, although recent developments in nanotechnology has resulted in a near-monomolecular edge that is capable of cutting all but the strongest substances.

Weapons of Kay'Dya

M36-LR: Kay'Dyan citizens are generally non-aura-capable, instead relying on advanced technology. The M36 is no different, utilizing a short burst of energy rather than conventional projectiles. This results in a small explosion on the surface of the target, due to the flash-evaporation of any moisture present. The thermal power of the M36 is extremely high on some settings, capable of punching through up to three centimetres of titanium plating. The only drawback of the M36 is its low rate of fire, owing to the potential of overheating. Referred colloquially as a 'lasgun'.

Vulture Attack Gunship: Much like the Dustplanes used by civilians the Vulture is a single-engine VTOL-capable gunship, heavily armed with a multitude of missiles and cannon. Its payload can be exchanged for every mission, although passengers cannot be carried due to the engine taking up the majority of the fuselage. The scream of a Vulture is feared by many as a sign of impending doom, although it is lightly armed for anti-air defence and as such is a dedicated ground-attack vehicle.

Type-81 Phantom: The Phantom is a highly advanced troop transport, capable of carrying two fully-equipped fireteams without much trouble. It is armed with a chin-mounted chaingun and a pair of grenade launchers in each side door, although these weapons can be switched out quickly as needs dictate. It utilizes an advanced Dust-powered VTOL drive, propelling the vehicle via the forced ejection of particles.

Weapons of Valhalla

Valkyrie Airborne Carrier: The Valkyrie shares the same design as the Kay'Dyan Vulture, leading many to believe that the premise was stolen. It utilizes the same twin-tail boom design to save weight, along with the same basic chassis. However, the Valkyrie has two smaller engines mounted atop and to either side of the fuselage, instead using the space to carry a squad of heavily-armed infantry. It is heavily armed for a transport, however, sporting two missile hardpoints and a variety of wing and chin-mounted weaponry.

Vendetta Assault Gunship: The Vendetta is an upgunned version of the Valkyrie, having the exact same troop capacity as its sister craft but armed with multiple wing-mounted particle cannons. This vehicle is perfect for air superiority and making strafing runs on heavily armoured land-based targets, being the more offense-oriented version of the Valk. However, the cannons that it is armed with are extremely expensive and difficult to make, so the majority of the Valhallan fleet are usually Valkyries.

Mjolnir-Pattern Gauss Rifle: Based on the premise of firing a projectile through the use of multiple electromagnets, the MGR is a weapon designed for destroying heavy infantry and light vehicles. It fires a tungsten dart at significantly high speeds, capable of punching through multiple sheets of titanium plating. However, it is vulnerable to overheating due to the friction caused by the projectile.

Weapons of Atlas

Centurion Mark V AFV: The Centurion is a heavily armoured land vehicle propelled via a pair of primitive tracks and wheels. However, it is an absolute beast in combat, capable of withstanding multiple blasts from particle cannons and railguns. Earlier vehicles resembling the Centurion have been unsuccessful, although other nations have begun researching counterparts to the Mark V.

Supermarine Harasser: Unlike conventional Dustplanes that are capable of VTOL flight and hovering the Harasser is built purely for speed. It has the advantage in that the majority of its weight can be used for fuel and armament rather than a large and clunky rotating fan. Used properly as close air support and in intercepting enemy formations without warning, the Harasser is a deadly aircraft that can destroy entire convoys of VTOL craft.

Louis-Bren Gatling Gun: Based on the premise that more bullets=better, the Bren gun is a support weapon that is issued to every squad in the Atlean Army. It can be used to great effect in suppressing enemy infantry, although the relatively small size of its bullets makes it utterly useless against heavily-armoured enemies such as Vernean Knights.

Weapons of Vale

V7-R: The V7 is the standard-issue rifle across much of the Valian League, having robust structure, high accuracy, good muzzle velocity, and a fairly high rate of fire. While hopelessly outclassed by the Xi'Anese RVB93, the V7 is much easier to produce and maintain. As such, it is still in service to this day despite its introduction fifty years ago.

Hellhammer Assault Gun: Mounting a frankly ridiculous amount of weaponry on a large chassis, the Hellhammer is considered by many to be the ultimate assault vehicle. While its fixed main gun hinders in urban warfare, the sheer multitude of secondary weapons affixed to its hull generally puts paid to these fears. It is armed with a large-bore main cannon with limited traverse, capable of bringing down the average apartment building and utterly annihilating armies. In a pair of side turrets and sponsons, it mounts a pair of railguns meant for destroying vehicles at long range. Under those are placed a small selection of chainguns, essentially turning attacking infantry into fine red mist. Parked in a position and supported with minimal infantry, that area is now Defended.

AK-130 Android: The people of Vale are generally unversed in the ways of war, historically bribing away would-be conquerors and then hiring mercenary armies to stab said conquerors in the back when they are busy elsewhere. As such, it should come as little surprise that the first combat automaton was created in Vale. Equipped with a pair of arm-mounted light machine guns and wrist blades, the AK-130 is the latest in a long and convoluted line of death-dealing machines. While the android is generally considered to be a terrible combatant, the Fruitcup Corporation wholeheartedly mass-produces it, leading many to accuse them as 'merchants of death'. Nonetheless, these androids are used en masse by almost every private security firm and nation in the world, and Vale employs them as essentially the largest speedbump in existence.

Weapons of Nagarroth

Shadowsword: The preferred weapon of operatives in the employ of the Office of Nagarrothi Intelligence, the Shadowsword is both reviled and revered by many, most often in the same sentence. It is rumoured to be able to kill the Titans of ancient myths, and quite possibly the Gods themselves. It consists of a pure black blade imbued with black Dust, which lowers the blade's visibility. There is no crossbar between the blade and its handle, instead replacing it with a near-invisible trigger guard. Said blade is capable of transforming into a full-blown sniper rifle, albeit with somewhat poor penetration power. ONI field agents are trained to aim for weak points in a target's armour, to minimize the impact of the weapon's only drawback. If there is an assassination anywhere on Vytal, chances are that a Shadowsword was used to strike the killing blow.

This concludes my brief analysis of the weapons used by many of our world's great powers. A more in-depth report on the smaller kingdoms shall be forthcoming, and I shall be in touch with you should any more information be required. Good luck, Blake.

For the Fang, for Menagerie, and for the Faunus!

-Eve Taurus, White Fang Operative

November 19th, 597 AD

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