Journal Entry: Scopic 8.74

That's what I get for opening my big mouth. Apparently Captain Brooks was less than impressed when he overheard my comments comparing his leadership abilities to those of an ape. And now here I am, leading a recon on this ice chunk known as Meren-11B. I get the feeling that in this case, "recon" is code for "your ass is busted" and Brooks is back at HQ feeling pretty proud of himself.

Dr. Harris has been keeping a close eye on all the equipment readings…the last thing we need is any kind of breakdown out here. I've heard that without heatgear, a human would freeze to death in about 30 seconds.

So now we're making our way through this frozen hell, gathering data on a supposedly indigenous animal species, although how anything could survive in this hostile environment is beyond me. We know very little about the creature we're looking for, other than it being large and rather unpleasant. Lucky me.

Owned by Nurugosha Industries and built on the planet Durius II, "Phemodrin Core Superplatform #47" was the largest teritium mining and processing facility in the galaxy. A recently colonized planet, Durius II had an unstable subterranean structure, and it was suggested by more than one report to delay building until further studies could be made. Despite warnings from both the Intergalactic Mining Union and OSHAN, the platform was constructed due to unusually high concentrations of teritium. Under peak operating conditions, the mining platform was able to extract, process and refine over 400 tons of teritium ore a day. Because of this, it was by far the most lucrative of the phemodrin platforms, which were already intended to dominate the galactic refinery business.

But on Nalan 63rd, 387, at 1825 (stellar time), a slice-blasting rupture triggered a series of enormous underground explosions that fractured the already delicate subterranean foundation. The entire platform collapsed into an ever-widening chasm, taking a large part of the surrounding mining colony with it. Thousands were killed from the collapse itself, with hundreds of others succumbing to the hostile atmosphere without any functioning life support. This ranked the catastrophe as one of the worst peacetime planetary mining disasters in history and, by far, the most famous.

This photo, taken only two Earth months before the tragedy shows the refinery at full operational capacity. Today, the incident which has come to be known as simply "Platform 47" serves as a somber reminder of the often disastrous results of putting greed before the safety of the workers involved.

I took these photos at Area 62 in Montana, during prototype testing of the U.S. Army MW-77 Assassin.

The MW-77 is an advanced MBAV (Main Battle Ambulatory Vehicle) and is also a heavily armored, all terrain, amphibious, infantry support unit. The purpose of this vehicle is to provide mobile firepower and antiaircraft support for armored formations of sufficient capability to successfully close with and destroy any opposing armored fighting vehicle or aircraft in the world, while providing protection for its crew in any conceivable combat environment. The 165mm main gun on the MW-77, combined with the powerful HBV-16 40mm, 6 barrel gattling gun and 40mm antiaircraft gun system (separate turret) renders the Assassin suitable for attacking or defending against large concentrations of heavy armor forces and aircraft.

The MW-77 also features a commander’s independent thermal viewer, an independent commander’s weapon station, position navigation equipment, a digital data bus and radio interface unit as well as fourth generation forward looking infrared (FLIR) sights to improve the tank's fightability and lethality during limited visibility.

Airbrush illustration, gouache and acrylics on illustration board. Used for the cover of Vernor Vinge's "Threats and Other Promises".

"June 16th, 2358: Went out tonight and got another photo of the Beacon. I had to walk halfway around the lake to get a shot with the moon Vendakal in the background, but I like the way it looked. I know it's irrational, but this beacon thing creeps me out. The rest of the crew insist that there have been no changes detected, but I could swear that it's gotten brighter, more intense, since our arrival.

I overheard Dr. Hansel talking about how something had been "unlocked" but nobody will tell us any more. Captain Jenkins of course gives us the same jatcrap about military jurisdiction. That makes me so angry. I mean, we're supposed to be working on this together, right?"

The previous transcript is the final entry in the journal of Jessica Simmons, Biology Officer on the I.T.C. Valiant. Two weeks later, a rescue shuttle landed on Umilith near the base camp of the Valiant. Although the ship was intact with full operability, none of the crew were ever located.

The MW-81 Bulldog is an Ambulatory Surveillance Vehicle (ASV) designed for all-terrain, all-weather and night capabilities. Its role is to provide a mobile quick deployment and deep insertion capable, multi-sensor, battlespace awareness asset for small unit tactical reconnaissance teams, fire support coordinators, and special reconnaissance forces.

It features advanced mobility (all terrain, highly agile, hybrid electric drive, exceeds JATRAN capabilities), survivability (suppression of all signatures, camouflage/concealment treatment), sensor suite (on-board, extended range, multi-spectral imaging and sensing, target acquisition, target designation), and command and control (long range, secure, positioning/navigating, cooperative engagement tactics) capabilities.The Bulldog was designed for long range Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Targeting Acquisition (RSTA) missions in cooperation with Small Unit Operations. In addition, it provides strategic mobility to reach and engage the threat, tactical mobility for effective use of fire power, fire power to defeat soft and armored targets, and battlefield survivability to carry out combat missions.

When operating using only stored electric power, the MW-81 is capable of silent movement and silent watch.

Airbrush illustration, gouache and acrylics on illustration board.

The MW-77 in its stock configuration will ford water obstacles to a depth of 8 meters without preparation, and with the addition of the DW20 Deep-Water Fording Kit, it will handle depths up to 20 meters. The Navy is currently experimenting with prototypes that will be completely submersible for several hours at a time.

When fording, the Assassin retains its full nuclear, biological and chemical protection.

Airbrush illustration, gouache and acrylics on illustration board.

3D concept for Syd Mead's Animoid Express vehicle. From the Westwood Studios game "Blade Runner".

Acrylics on illustration board. Used for the cover on Alien Encounters #11.

Frame from a video showing GDI Mobile Sensor Vehicles being deployed.
From Westwood's Command & Conquer game series.

Airbrush illustration, ink and acrylics on illustration board.

Normally invisible to the naked eye, this time-lapse infrared photo reveals the high-power Mobile Free-Electron Tactical Laser Array (MFETLA) in action, used for target designation and range-finding. The Laser Imaging System is used to create a real-time 3D generated terrain that displays an area of 10km surrounding the vehicle, with an accuracy of 5mm. This terrain data set is used to plot a path, allowing high speed mobility over rough terrain. In addition, any movement detected by the array is automatically tracked and identified.

The Tactical Variance System allows differing wavelengths of lased light to be selected during operation, allowing a wide range of capabilities, including the disruption of missile-mounted guidance systems and the detection of man made aerosol clouds which may present the threat of biological warfare. The array can also be tuned to pass through turbulent atmosphere.

The laser array incorporates an onboard state-of-the-art thermoelectric cold plate assembly to provide cooling.

Concept rendering of the Terrordrones from Red Alert 2.

This was done as a book cover for Dragon Moon Press, for the book "Operation:Immortal Servitude" by Tony Ruggiero.

"During the peacekeeping operations in the Kosovo region of the Balkans, a group of vampires are discovered by the American forces. The report of the discovery attracts the interest of the commander of the elite and highly secretive organization, the United States Special Operations Command, who sends in his own personnel to investigate. When the General learns that the creatures actually exist, his team, led by Navy Commander John Reese, devises a method of capture and brings the vampires back to the United States. Once the creature's abilities have been proven and can be controlled, the General sets his own personal and secret plan of revenge in motion against the large drug cartels of South America by sending in his special ops team to kill, codename: Team of Darkness."

This was a 3D set created for the moment when Cabal steals the Tacitus and unleashes his cyborgs on the human scientists. Live actors were later compped into the scene.

Because of its high ground clearance and climbing abilities, the MW-77 is able to advance across grades and terrain inaccessible to the common tank. It is equipped with a turbo-charged 2400hp JTU MV 992 diesel engine providing a power to weight ratio of 75.5hp/t. The transmission has a planetary gear train and a hydrodynamic torque converter. It is also equipped with hydro-pneumatic suspension and internal torsion bar springs. The suspension system also provides vehicle attitude control or "kneeling" capability, which increases the main gun depression angle to a maximum of minus 30 degrees.

It is also the first vehicle to incorporate RAMTAC speed-hydraulics, used in conjunction with gyrostabilizers.

Concept rendering for the Westwood Studios game "Blade Runner".