6: Offensive/Defensive Abilities – Ground

For easier comprehension, we have attempted to classify Starfleet weaponry into the classes commonly recognized by the Citadel Races.

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Pistols:

The Federation seems to favour the usage of something called a type-2 hand phaser.

This weapon is a massively scaled down version of the same [believed] phaser technology used on the Vanguard itself.

The weapon is believed to have the ability to either stun or kill an individual whilst totally ignoring the kinetic barriers of the target.

We believe that the weapons may be encoded to either the DNA of the user or some-kind of computer within the body of the user as a security measure. This is based off an off-hand comment made in C-Sec Headquarters by one of the security personnel guarding their medical staff.

This defensive adaption is recent as when the type-3 phaser rife was demonstrated to STG operatives on Virmire, a Systems Alliance solider was handed a rifle and fired it without any adverse effect.

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Rifles:

Classed as a type-3 phaser rifle.

This is believed to be nothing more than a scaled up version of the type-2 with a larger power-source.

Capable of firing in either short pulses or a steady beam, on higher settings this weapon has been seen to destroy heavier Geth in mere seconds.

Two points should be noted here;

1: The fact that there is no observed sighting of a type-1 phaser, which I postulate is extremely small and easily concealable.

2: This rifle is able to damage frigate sized starships, as witnessed by STG operatives on Virmire when Ratcliffe and Fourier fired on, and damaged, a Geth dropship.

Please read the short extracts from Spectre Shepard's report:

"While assaulting and holding the second gatehouse, Commander MacLeod engaged two Geth Armatures while wielding two rifles. Both Geth were destroyed inside 30 seconds."

Though no first-hand evidence is available to corroborate this statement, it was confirmed by STG operatives on Virmire that Shepard's team believed this statement to be genuine.

This suggests that the rifle is incredibly powerful and that it has no recoil to allow Captain MacLeod to simultaneously fire two such rifles without any apparent loss in accuracy.

"While moving to assist the STG team, we came under attack from a Geth dropship. Commander MacLeod was able to damage the ship before it was finished off by their shuttle."

That a rifle is capable of such damage has grave implications for any conceivable heavy weapons that Starfleet may possess.

Also note that a frigate-sized ship was destroyed by the smallest shuttlecraft carried by the Vanguard. Scaling that up means the Vanguard could – conceivably – destroy the Citadel itself before a fleet large enough to stop it could arrive. [Section 2]

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Grenades:

Only one type has been observed; it is called a photon grenade.

Believed to use a minuscule amount of antimatter to generate an explosion with the same force of a shoulder mounted rocket.

And that was the low estimate of the destructive power of the grenade.

My own research suggested that an explosion equivalent to 100kilotons is possible with only 3 grams of antimatter. This is assuming complete conversion of energy from matter.

Generally, I would recommend not being anywhere near such a grenade once it is primed.

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Heavy Weaponry:

Unknown.

If Starfleet has them, but has not used them for ground action on Virmire, we can only speculate as to the massive destructive force of these weapons.

If any Starfleet crewmember is ever seen carrying a weapon that looks like it is a heavy weapon and points it in your general direction, we recommend a short prayer.

The prayer would not help, but it seems some members of my research team have a sense of humour.

NOTE:

All phasers have an unknown range, but successful shots ranging at over a kilometre have been observed.

This means that Starfleet can engage any attack ground force well outside the standard ranges used by Citadel forces in combat.

If they are to be engaged, stealth is highly recommended to close the distance. As are high explosives for the reasons below.

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Armour:

Name: Unknown

Based on observations from Doctor Morroth, Starfleet did not possess any true personnel armour until given schematics of both a Salarian basic infantry model, and the corresponding model used by the Systems Alliance.

That they could understand, develop and deploy into combat a derivative of the models provided inside a few days speaks to the incredible research and production capabilities of the Vanguard in general, and the Federation as a whole.

Their ability to replicate – as they term it – almost anything they can create gives them an ability to theoretically arm an entire army regiment in only a few hours.

Thankfully, their regulations limit the ability to replicate weapons to Command staff and security personnel only, except in the direst of emergencies.

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Four variants have been seen:

Belt:

While not actually an armour, the belt unit was used by Captain MacLeod and other ground personnel in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of the Citadel.

This is nothing more than a belt unit that provides a shield that is believed to be comparable to the strongest barriers found on any Citadel approved armour.

Such a powerful shield unit would conceivably allows the crew of the Vanguard to move freely around any urban location without the need for armour. This would allow them to observe a location without standing out, and still have defensive capabilities to not be placing any operatives at risk.

Some of my fellow STG directors are almost salivating at the potential uses for such a unit.

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Light:

This variant has only been seen being worn by Captain MacLeod.

It was reported by Spectre Shepard that this armour took a direct shot from a Geth Colossus without killing the occupant.

We are doubtful of such a claim, but using it as a base, we postulate that the light variant has increased shielding at the expense of armour coverage.

My team may be doubtful, but after reading the reports of Spectres Shepard and T'Thon, and reviewing the STG reports regarding Captain MacLeod on Virmire, I am not.

I suspect that the armour is suitable for fast moving or highly flexible soldiers, such as our own STG operatives or Asari commando units.

It was claimed that Captain MacLeod moved with extremely fluid motions that I do not believe would be possible in a heavier armour variant.

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Medium:

Seen as the standard variant.

During mop-up operations aboard the Citadel, Starfleet troopers in this armour showed little to no concern with taking cover.

Several were struck by shots from various Geth units that would have either killed or critically wounded any Citadel solider. These shots only drained the shielding by no more than 20% for the most powerful of shot from the largest rifles or cannons.

Critically, they use actual shielding, not kinetic barriers like our own soldiers. One solider was engulfed in fire but simply walked through it without fear.

A C-Sec officer accompanying him was badly burnt by the same fire. Interestingly, the officer was saved by being quickly beamed away by a shuttle from the Vanguard.

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Heavy:

Only seen during the clean-up operations aboard the Citadel.

Two units were sighted.

Each had two phaser rifles attached to each arm, bringing 4 rifles to bear on any Geth that was foolish to come into range.

Those rifles fire green beams instead of red, suggesting the rifles are not standard Starfleet issue.

Why such a lethal version is needed is unknown.

Again, if this armour is seen pray.

The deadly effectiveness of this armour is beyond doubt. The closest that we have in stock would be a heavy mechanoid, yet this is a single user armoured suit that moves at the speed of the user.

The only way this suit would be more dangerous is if it could fly, which thankfully it seems unable to do. Yet.

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Capabilities of the Armour:

Unknown.

We speculate that the shielding is several orders more effective than any known kinetic barrier currently in use by any government or organization.

This is the base estimate.

I suspect that it is actually comparable to that of a light infantry vehicle, such as the M-35 Mako of the Systems Alliance or the Turian Nerrak APC, with the benefit of being true shielding and not just a kinetic barrier.

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Sub-dermal Transponders:

All STG operatives on Virmire were injected with these before the battle.

They allowed wounded operatives to beamed to the Normandy, via the shuttle transporters.

Unfortunately, by the time the operatives were examined by STG medics, the transponders had broken down in the bloodstream.

How these devices work is again unknown however, we believe that they again use subspace technology.

It should be noted that something blocked the signals in Saren's base on Virmire, suggesting that subspace is just as susceptible to interference as standard technology. Unfortunately, how this is achieved is another unknown factor at this time.

This is a simple, yet highly efficient way to boost their ability to track and transport soldiers when there is interference.

What was causing the interference is believed to be subspace related, but without further research, we cannot know for certain.

Again, and I am repeating myself, we need to research subspace theory instantly to stand any chance of closing the technology gap between ourselves and the Vanguard.

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