mass effect normandy travel

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Mass Effect 1: How to Go Back to the Normandy

With the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition for PC and consoles, new players and veterans can now experience the sci-fi trilogy with 4K visuals and improved framerates. The core of all three games does remain the same, though, which means that new players may get confused by some of the more obtuse mechanics in the game. Here’s how to go back to the Normandy in Mass Effect 1 .

The Normandy is the ship that Shepard commands in all three games, and it’s also where you get to talk to your squadmates one on one, and plan where to go next for your missions. However, whenever you do disembark on a planet, the game never really explains to you how you can get back to your ship.

Going Back to the Normandy in Mass Effect 1

You’ll usually be transported back to the Normandy automatically after completing a mission, but if you want to leave halfway, there’s a way to do so as well.

While on a planet surface, enter the Mako and press the Square button, or X if you’re on Xbox One. An onscreen prompt will pop up asking if you want to return to the Normandy, simply confirm your selection and you’ll be transported back to your ship, ready to depart to another planet.

If you’re in the Citadel, head to the C-Sec Academy under Wards locations by using the fast transit system, and take the central elevator up to the docking bay. You’ll find the Normandy docked there, and you can enter from the airlock.

That’s all you need to know about how to go back to the Normandy in Mass Effect 1 . Be sure to check our guide wiki for more tips and information on the game.

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• I'm in the Normandy; how do I travel? I open galaxy map and only Citadel shows. I talk to pilot and navigator and they just want to chat... delongjr6 - 14 years ago - report

Accepted Answer

• Hit (X) in the galaxy map to zoom out to the cluster, then again to zoom out to the galaxy. Then pan around with the Left Stick and select planets with (A) and use (X) to investigate or land. I think all those buttons are correct. The map navigation commands are given at the bottom of the screen. Mr_Collins ( Expert ) - 14 years ago - report 7   0

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Mass Effect Legendary Edition – How To Get Back To The Ship

Mass Effect Legendary Edition meshes a lot of different genres into one experience, with the core experience being a space adventure centered around your own Commander Shepard. As you are playing through the game, you will need to use your own ship known as the Normandy to travel around between planets. This may mean you are venturing out on a planet in the Mako or simply visiting the Citadel, but both can be a bit confusing on how to return to your ship in Mass Effect Legendary Edition.

How To Get Back To The Ship

Considering there are going to be two different scenarios where you would need to get back to your ship, we are going to cover both here. There are also moments in the game where you cannot return to the ship due to certain story moments that make you push forward wherever you are.

The Citadel plays a major role in the Mass Effect trilogy and that starts in the very first game. You will end up docking your ship to visit the Citadel, but this may also leave you confused on how to leave again. What you will need to do is find the actual docking bay for the ship so that you can leave. Start by heading to the Wards area of The Citadel and you should find a C-Sec elevator to the left that you can take up here. This elevator will take you right to the area with your ship and you can take off.

The other time you will need to get back to your ship is when you are out exploring planets in the Mako, which is your land rover vehicle that you use to check out planets. There is a way to do this either in the Mako itself or even if you are outside of it. If you are in the Mako, all you have to do is press X on Xbox or the corresponding button on other platforms to return to the ship. If you are outside of the Mako, you can bring up the map itself and there is a “Return to Normandy” option that you can select to head back as well.

On The Level: The Normandy from Mass Effect

In each chapter of On The Level , Andy Kelly celebrated a great map, level, or location from a classic PC game. Warning: spoilers ahead for the entire Mass Effect series.

The Normandy is the most advanced military starship in the galaxy, but it's also home. The hum of the engines, the beeps and chirps of the computers, and the murmur of the crew are the sounds of solace in the Mass Effect series. 

It's where you regroup after a mission, battered and bruised, and plan your next move. It's where you confide in your crew, reminisce with old friends, and consummate your romances. And even though millions of people have played Mass Effect, it's your ship.

Games like Star Trek: Bridge Commander and Artemis are better at simulating the experience of being in command of a starship, but Mass Effect captures the romantic feel of it; of exploring alien worlds, getting involved in space politics, and saving the galaxy. It also helps that the Normandy looks so cool. Not just the exterior, but the interior too, which has a hard '70s sci-fi edge to it. This is not J.J. Abrams' shiny Enterprise; it's cold and functional, fitted for its military purpose.

Until Cerberus get their hands on it, that is. What I love about Mass Effect is that even though you're always in command of some version of the Normandy, in each game it has a very different ambience. The original model, the SSV, was built by the turians and the Systems Alliance, which explains its utilitarian military design. But when Cerberus rebuild it in the second game, naming it the Normandy SR2, they make it a little more hospitable. They add a bar, luxury quarters for Shepard, a spacious office for Miranda, and brighten the lights with a warm, orange glow.

But in Mass Effect 3, where Cerberus become the enemy, the SR2 falls into the hands of the Alliance, who don't hesitate in getting it back up to military muster. The warm lighting is gone, replaced with colder tones, reminiscent of the SSV. Wires hang from loose panels on the walls and ceiling, showing that this was a hasty retrofit. The reapers are coming, after all: hardly time to worry about tidying up. 

Some comforts remain, namely the bar, which now has a card table, but this is a far cry from the cosy SR2. The Alliance obviously don't want soldiers getting too comfortable in times of war.

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BioWare have a long track record of manipulating players' emotions, and they use your love of the Normandy against you on a number of occasions. The second game opens with it being unceremoniously destroyed by the collectors. Later you visit the crash site, picking through the shattered remains to find your sadly departed crew's dog tags. Then, near the end, the collectors board the ship, snatching the crew as you sneak Joker to safety. It feels like a home invasion, and suddenly your safe haven doesn't feel so safe anymore. If you didn't drop everything and immediately go through the Omega Relay to rescue the crew, you must have a heart of stone.

Does the Normandy sit alongside the likes of the Millennium Falcon and the Enterprise in the pantheon of great fictional spaceships? Maybe not, but it means more to me than either of them, and this is coming from a pretty huge Star Wars and Star Trek fan. We all played the same game—bar a few branching paths and moral choices—and commanded the same ship with the same layout and crew, but Mass Effect feels like a curiously personal game to me. 

When I think about the series, I don't think about Shepard or the reapers or the grand space opera. I think about the soothing purr of the drive core, the spinning galaxy map, and the stars streaking past the windows.

Here's the Mass Effect edition of Andy's video series, Other Places . Andy wrote about some of his favourite scenic walks in gaming for The Guardian .

If it’s set in space, Andy will probably write about it. He loves sci-fi, adventure games, taking screenshots, Twin Peaks, weird sims, Alien: Isolation, and anything with a good story.

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Mass Effect Interactive Map

Mass Effect 2: 7 Best Normandy Upgrades To Get Right Away

Some of the Normandy upgrades available in Mass Effect 2 are more essential than others. Here's what to prioritize.

Among the most important elements to any space travel story is the ship. The Mass Effect trilogy definitely has that covered with the Normandy.  Commander Shepard's trusty vessel not only ferries the crew across the galaxy, but is also a crucial combatant in the cataclysmic war with the Reapers. Sadly, the opening minutes of Mass Effect 2 sees the Normandy destroyed by a race of Reaper servants known as the Collectors.

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Players can visit the crash site to lament past defeats, but they eventually must move forward. That's why the pro-human group Cerberus gives Shepard a brand-new Normandy to thwart the Collectors. To accomplish this goal, the game gives players several upgrades to beef up this fresh ship. A wise commander would do well to purchase these improvements, as the heroes will need them for their final battle.

7 Med-Bay Upgrade

By far the least essential of the Normandy improvements, the Med-Bay Upgrade nevertheless costs 50,000 Platinum units . For that hefty price, players might expect it to increase their Medi-Gel capacity at the very least. Unbelievably, that's not the case.

Instead, the only function it serves is to heal Shepard's face . After their resurrection and reconstruction, the galaxy's greatest hero has some facial scarring. If players continue to make Renegade choices, then these scars become more prominent and eventually emit a Tron -esque glow.

The Med-Bay Upgrade provides the option to heal those scars regardless of moral alignment. Considering many players probably pursue the Renegade path for a different experience, this tweak is virtually pointless. Rather than forestall the inevitable "Game Over" screen , it's a purely aesthetic fix .

6 Modular Probe Bay

There's no biting need to get this upgrade anytime soon. Though the price is standard for ship upgrades, standing at 15,000 Iridium units , the benefits aren't worth the effort. The Modular Probe Bay simply doubles the number of probes available for gathering minerals. This would be a big help if probe shortage were a problem, but that's not the case.

The Normandy already starts with 30 probes. Players will use an average of two or three of these per planet, so it takes a long while to run out. In addition, Fuel Depots are always readily available on the off chance that Shepard runs out of probes. Those thinking even more outside the box can always resort to mods . With these obvious workarounds, gamers shouldn't make this upgrade a high priority.

5 Extended Fuel Cells

This perk may demand a bit too much for its relatively meager reward. Priced at 3,000 Element Zero units, which is already one of the rarer materials in the game, the Extended Fuel Cells double the amount of time the Normandy can go without refueling . However, this somewhat falls apart after considering a couple things.

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First, players don't use fuel when going from planet to planet ; it only depletes when traveling between solar systems or clusters. Even then, the Normandy easily has enough to get to one of these systems and back. Afterwards, Shepard can simply return to the Fuel Depot by the Mass Relay and get more gas. Because of such easy fixes, upgrading the ship's fuel capacity can wait until after the more essential improvements.

4 Multicore Shielding

The first of the upgrades for the Suicide Mission, the Multicore Shielding directly addresses the problem that sunk the original Normandy . Namely, it protects the ship against the type of energy blasts that destroyed its predecessor.

Suffice it to say, the Collectors will use similar attacks during the final battle. On top of that, Joker will have to fly through a debris field near the Omega 4 relay. The stronger kinetic barriers will help repel this space junk and keep the ship flying toward the Collector base. With these two invaluable uses, the 15,000 Palladium units used to upgrade the Normandy 's shielding seems like a bargain.

3 Heavy Ship Armor

As in most spacefaring franchises , a good ship needs not only shields, but also a strong hull. The Heavy Ship Armor serves as another line of defense against the Collector bombardments. Standing at 15,000 Palladium units like its predecessor, the Heavy Ship Armor holds the Normandy together if the attackers break through the multicore barrier.

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Once again, crewmembers will note this advantage during the chaotic battle. As enemies swarm the ship, Miranda nervously hopes then new plating holds. Thankfully, it does. That's one more leg up in the Suicide Mission.

2 Thanix Cannon

The final upgrade for the Suicide Mission is an offensive one. It helps to have a killer arsenal when battling galactic threats , and the Thanix Cannon fires a piercing blast from underneath the Normandy . Spend a paltry 15,000 Platinum units , and players can easily break through the Collector vessel's armor.

Shepard and Joker appreciate this upgrade during the final attack run, exclaiming, "Time to show our new teeth!". With this weapon at their disposal, the heroes decimate their foes' ship while sustaining minimal damage to the Normandy . This further increases the chances of each crewmember making it back alive .

1 Advanced Mineral Scanner

Although it may not sound like much, the Advanced Mineral Scanner is the most valuable upgrade. The reason for that is simple yet subtly important: it paves the way for others.

This tool helps find rich mineral deposits more easily . While scanning, players can detect these resources without having to be as precise with the coordinates. In that way, it essentially functions like the improved Remote Hacking Device in the Batman : Arkham games. A smaller effort yields a greater result. Naturally, this cuts down on much of the mining time, helping players to easily recoup the 15,000-Iridium asking price.

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Screen Rant

How mass effect's normandy ship changes in each game.

Taking a look at the Normandy, Shepard's iconic ship from the Mass Effect series, and the many changes it goes through over the course of the trilogy.

The Mass Effect trilogy is a series that evolves with every game, bringing new gameplay, characters and locations with each addition to the franchise. Given all these constantly changing elements, players most likely won't be surprised to find that the Normandy, Shepard's spaceship, goes through some significant and unique upgrades across all three original  Mass Effect games too.

Players start out with the Normandy in Mass Effect , and though the ship goes through some model upgrades, crew changes, and repaints throughout the rest of the series, the heart of the Normandy remains the same. The Normandy is argued by some fans to be as iconic as Shepard is, given its importance and prominence throughout all three games.

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While some changes to  Mass Effect's  Normandy are significant, like the complete rebuild and remodel players are presented with in Mass Effect 2 , others are small and largely cosmetic. Each of these changes, however, contributes to the evolving look and identity of the Normandy in the Mass Effect  series, which can drastically impact the way players feel while onboard the ship.

How The Normandy Changes Throughout Mass Effect 1, 2, & 3

The original Mass Effect 's Normandy is fairly basic, with only three floors - a command deck, quarters, and engineering and storage. There isn't very many rooms for players to go into and furnishings are scarce - the ship feels less lived in than it would be in later series. At the start of Mass Effect 2 , the Normandy SR-1 is destroyed entirely, and Cerberus builds a successor in order for Shepard to continue their efforts against the Collectors.

The new Normandy has five decks, though only four are regularly accessible to players, and each deck features several individual rooms where crew members can be found throughout the game. This not only makes the ship feel more personal to Shepard and the crew, but it gives the players more reason to fully explore the Normandy as they learn where each character tends to be located. Mass Effect 2's  Normandy SR-2 also has far more interactable features, including research and tech labs and an armory.

In Mass Effect 3 , the general layout of the Normandy SR-2 remains intact, with some slight changes. Deck five is now repurposed into a shuttle bay, which features a procurement terminal through which players can purchase items from various retailers throughout the game. Weapon and armor modification have also been moved down to this bay. The second deck has also been repurposed into a combat information center, which makes it easier for players to manage and keep track of the war efforts as well as their progress and Galactic Readiness.

The Normandy changes over the course of the  Mass Effect series from a tiny spy vessel, to a functional living space, to a flying combat information center, evolving to adjust to the player's needs and the changing tone and focus of the games as the trilogy progresses. This is most likely why many fans consider the Normandy to be an integral part of the Mass Effect experience.

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Normandy Crash Site

This page of IGN's Mass Effect 2 wiki guide is all about the Normandy Crash Site DLC Mission, including how to access and unlock it, and where to find all the collectibles like the Dog Tags, Flashback Sites, Lost N7 Helmet and crates of Eezo.

How to Access the Normandy Crash Site

Mission rewards, travel to alchera, normandy hull, sleeper pods, sos escape pod, ut47 kodiak.

The original release of the Normandy Crash Site required the download of the Cerberus Network service for the game, and this Mission was released for free as well. Since Bioware's website has been deactivated, the code to obtain the Cerberus Network must be done via your EA account.

If you have the Legendary Edition, things are much simpler: the DLC comes with the game and is automatically installed alongside the rest of it.

• Experience : 200
• Mission Credits : 3,750
• Resources : 500 Element Zero
• Cabin Item : Lost N7 Helmet

The Normandy Crash Site is located in the Amada system of the Omega Nebula, and can be accessed as soon as you acquire the Normandy SR-2 at the beginning of the game. It'll cost about 200 Fuel to travel there from the Sahrabarik system.

If you're interested in mining, the only planet in the Amada system classed as Rich is Amada itself, which is Rich in Palladium.

Every Collectible in the Normandy Crash Site

This section of the page will guide you with how to find every collectible in the Normandy Crash Site, including every Dog Tag, every crate of Eezo, Pressly's Datapad, every Flashback Site and Shepard's Lost N7 Helmet. It's split up into eight sections based on a nearby landmark. With the exception of the Kodiak and SOS Escape Pod, all of them are Flashback Sites too!

The Normandy Crash Site contains 20 Dog Tags, 4 crates of Eezo, 6 Flashback Sites, 1 Datapad and 1 Lost N7 Helmet. You'll also be tasked with planting a Memorial at one of the six Flashback Sites.

Normandy Hull Flashback Site

The Normandy Hull Flashback Site can be found from the starting area where Shepard emerges from the Kodiak shuttle. Make a U-Turn to the left and go past the nose of the Kodiak shuttle to find it directly in front of you, a section of the hull with the word "NORMANDY" on it, partially obscured by snow and the raised escape pod section.

Dog Tag #1 - Patki, Abishek

The first Dog Tag is found at the Normandy Hull Flashback Site listed above. Check the right-hand side of the hull to find Dog Tag #1 glinting in the snow.

Eezo Crate #1

From Dog Tag #1, turn right, head to the small ledge and vault up it. Here, check in the little ice nook to your right to find Eezo Crate #1 in the corner.

Dog Tag #2 - Tanaka, Raymond

From Eezo Crate #1, look around for a yellow Fragile Crate near the outer wall of ice that forms the edge of the level area. Break the Fragile Crate with one of your guns or a melee attack, and you'll find Dog Tag #2 in the debris.

Dog Tag #3 - Felawa, Robert

From Dog Tag #2, face the direction of the Normandy Hull, then face left. Walk forward under the bent metal arches to a chunk of ice where the glint is. Collect the glint to get Dog Tag #3.

Mess Hall Flashback Site

To find the Mess Hall Flashback Site, return to the spot where you got Dog Tag #2 from the yellow Fragile Crate and face away from the Normandy Hull. Follow the wall on your left and you'll find a chunk of Normandy wreckage. Head inside to trigger the Mess Hall Flashback.

The human Squad Mate you see in this Flashback will be the one you had to leave behind on Virmire, unless you didn't play Mass Effect 1, in which case it'll be the Squad Mate who matches Shepard's gender regardless of if they're dead or alive.

Dog Tag #4 - Dubyanski, Alexei

Dog Tag #4 can be found in the back-left corner of the Mess Hal wreckage, and is even visible during the Mess Hall Flashback described above.

Dog Tag #5 - Lowe, Helen M.

From the Mess Hall where Dog Tag #4 is, stand in the entrance to the Mess Hall facing away from it. To your left will be some wreckage with cables twisting up into the air; Dog Tag #5 will be on the ground at the base of this wreckage.

Dog Tag #6 - Negulesco, Monica

From Dog Tag #5, head down the nearby ice ramp next to the Sleeper Pod wreckage, near a cliff edge. When you get to the bottom of the ramp, turn right on the spot to find Dog Tag #6 among the ice.

Sleeper Pods Flashback Site

From Dog Tag #6, head into the entrance of the wreckage nearby to trigger the Flashback for the Sleeper Pods.

Dog Tag #7 - Laflamme, Orden

Dog Tag #7 can be found in the Sleeper Pod wreckage described above. It'll be resting in the bottom of the second Sleeper Pod on the right.

Dog Tag #8 - Emerson, Hector

Dog Tag #8 is found (sort of) close to the Sleeper Pod wreckage. Exit the Sleeper Pod wreckage and follow the edge of the cliff forward to the very end. Here you'll be able to find Dog Tag #8.

Dog Tag #9 - Barrett, Germeen

From Dog Tag #8, return to the Sleeper Pod wreckage and now head to the left of it. Close to the outer wall you'll find Dog Tag #9, among some rocks and clumps of long grass.

Eezo Crate #2

Eezo Crate #2 is found close to Dog Tag #8. From its position, follow the border wall on your left away from the Sleeper Pod wreckage: you'll find Eezo Crate in a sheltered nook.

Dog Tag #10 - Grieco, Marcus

Dog Tag #10 is found in a yellow Fragile Crate on the left-hand side of the Sleeper Pod wreckage, although you will have to take a roundabout route close to the Mako in order to get to it.

M35 Mako Flashback Site

The M35 Mako is found in the middle of the level, close to the back end of the Sleeper Pod wreckage and close to the bottom of the steps leading up to the Galaxy Map wreckage. To trigger the flashback, approach the side with the exposed wheels.

Dog Tag #11 - Crosby, Silas

Dog Tag #11 is found at the base of the M35 Mako in the middle of the level. Check the nose on the Mako's right-hand side (with the concealed wheels) to find it.

Dog Tag #12 - Gladstone, Harvey J.

Dog Tag #12 is found on the steps leading up to the Galaxy Map wreckage. From the M35 Mako, look for the steps, under the giant engines high above. You'll find Dog Tag #12 on the left-hand side of the first step, nearby where you found Eezo Crate #2.

Galaxy Map Flashback Site

The Galaxy Map Flashback Site is located at the top of the steps leading up from where the M35 Mako was, and triggers simply by approaching it.

Dog Tag #13 - Chase, Addison

Dog Tag #13 is found right in front of the Galaxy Map described above, practically impossible to miss on the right as you crest up to the wreckage.

Pressly's Datapad

Pressly's Datapad is found in the Galaxy Map wreckage, on your left as you approach it at the top of the steps leading up to it. The three entries detail how Pressly's opinions on aliens changed over the course of Mass Effect 1.

Lost N7 Helmet

To find the Lost N7 Helmet, stand at the top of the steps leading up to the Galaxy Map wreckage and face away from it. Follow the wall on your left to go down a raised path: you can find the Lost N7 Helmet at the very end.

Dog Tag #14 - Bakari, Jamin

From the Lost N7 Helmet, drop off the left-hand edge and continue following the wall to find the SOS Escape Pod. While this isn't a Flashback Site, you can find Dog Tag #14 next to it at the bottom of a pile of snow.

Eezo Crate #3

To find Eezo Crate #3, continue following the left-hand wall you used to find the Lost N7 Helmet and Dog Tag #14, leading you past the SOS Escape Pod. You'll quickly come to the base of a cliff: follow it to the right and you'll bump into the Eezo Crate.

Dog Tag #15 - Tucks, Carlton

From Eezo Crate #3, head right a bit and then head left onto another elevated path. At the end of the path will be a yellow Fragile Crate: smash it to access Dog Tag #15.

Dog Tag #16 - Rahman, Mandira

From Dog Tag #15, turn around and head back down the elevated path, then go directly forwards so that you go to the left side of the giant ice chunk, stopping at the top of a tiny little drop. Look down the drop to find Dog Tag #16 on the ground.

Dog Tag #17 - Waaberi, Amina

From Dog Tag #16, head around the large ice chunk to the back of it, where you'll find a yellow Fragile Crate next to some wreckage. Smash the crate to get Dog Tag #17.

Eezo Crate #4

Eezo Crate #4 is found right next to Dog Tag #17, hidden at the bottom of the wreckage nearby.

Dog Tag #18 - Draven, Talitha

From Dog Tag #17 and Eezo Crate #4, return to the peremiter wall serving as the edge of the level and follow it right, heading towards the Kodiak shuttle you arrived in. You'll eventually come across the wreckage of the Normandy's bridge: head inside and you'll find Dog Tag #18 on the left-hand side, just before you enter the cockpit.

Cockpit Flashback Site

The Cockpit Flashback Site is at the very end of the Normandy's Bridge where you found Dog Tag #18. If you went past that Dog Tag you may have triggered it by accident!

Dog Tag #19 - Grenado, Caroline

From the Cockpit and Dog Tag #18, exit the Cockpit wreckage and head forwards towards the chunks of ice slightly to your left. You'll find Dog Tag #19 here.

Dog Tag #20 - Draven, Rosamund

The final Dog Tage of the level is close to the Kodiak shuttle you arrived in. From Dog Tag #19, head around the ice chunk to spot the Kodiak. Look at the bottom of the ice wall to the left of the Kodiak, near the near engines, to find Dog Tag #20.

Now that you've found everything, all you have to do is place the Memorial! You can place it at one of the six Flashback Sites: the Normandy Hull, the Mess Hall, the Sleeper Pods, the M35 Mako, the Galaxy Map or the Cockpit. Pick whichever one you like, then leave via the Kodiak shuttle to conclude the level.

Back on the Normandy

If you picked up the Lost N7 Helmet from the Normandy Crash Site, you can find it in the Captain's Cabin. It'll be on the desk located between the sofa nook and the bed.

Up Next: Zaeed: The Price of Revenge

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In this guide.

Codex/Ships and Vehicles

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• View history

The technologies of space travel and surface mobility.

• 1.1 FTL Drive
• 1.2 Military Ship Classifications
• 1.3 Normandy Armor Upgrade: Silaris Armor
• 1.4 Normandy Shield Upgrade: Cyclonic Barrier Technology (CBT)
• 1.5.1 Mass Effect
• 1.5.2 Mass Effect 2
• 1.6.1 Mass Effect 2
• 1.6.2 Mass Effect 3
• 1.7.1 Mass Effect 2
• 1.7.2 Mass Effect 3
• 1.8 Sovereign
• 1.9 Space Combat
• 1.10.1 Mass Effect 2
• 1.10.2 Mass Effect 3
• 1.11 Vehicles: M35 Mako
• 2.1 A-61 Mantis Gunship
• 2.2 FTL Drive
• 2.3 FTL Drive: Appearance
• 2.4 FTL Drive: Drive Charge
• 2.5 Helios Thruster Module
• 2.6 Military Ship Classifications
• 2.7 Normandy SR-1
• 2.8 Space Combat
• 2.9 Space Combat: Combat Endurance
• 2.10 Space Combat: General Tactics
• 2.11 Space Combat: Planetary Assaults
• 2.12 Space Combat: Pursuit Tactics
• 2.13 Space Combat: Trans-Relay Assaults
• 2.14 Starships: Crew Considerations
• 2.15 Starships: Cruisers
• 2.16.1 Mass Effect
• 2.16.2 Mass Effect 2
• 2.17 Starships: Carriers
• 2.18 Starships: Fighters
• 2.19.1 Mass Effect
• 2.19.2 Mass Effect 2
• 2.20 Starships: Heat Management
• 2.21 Starships: Quarian Liveships
• 2.22 Starships: Sensors
• 2.23 Starships: Thrusters
• 2.24 Vehicles: Combat Drones
• 2.25 Weapons: Ablative Armor
• 2.26.1 Mass Effect
• 2.26.2 Mass Effect 2
• 2.27 Weapons: GARDIAN
• 2.28.1 Mass Effect
• 2.28.2 Mass Effect 2
• 2.29 Weapons: Mass Accelerators

Primary Codex Entries [ ]

Ftl drive [ ].

Faster-than-light drives use element zero cores to reduce the mass of a ship, allowing higher rates of acceleration. This effectively raises the speed of light within the mass effect field, allowing high speed travel with negligible relativistic time dilation 1 effects.

Starships still require conventional thrusters (chemical rockets, commercial fusion torch, economy ion engine, or military antiproton drive) in addition to the FTL drive core. With only a core, a ship has no motive power.

The amount of element zero and power required for a drive increases exponentially to the mass being moved and the degree it is being lightened. Very massive ships or very high speeds are prohibitively expensive.

If the field collapses while the ship is moving at faster-than-light speeds, the effects are catastrophic. The ship is snapped back to sublight velocity, the enormous excess energy shed in the form of lethal Cherenkov radiation.

Military Ship Classifications [ ]

Larger warships are generally classified in one of four weights:

FRIGATES are small, fast ships used for scouting and screening larger vessels. Frigates often operate in wolf-pack flotillas.

• CRUISERS are middle-weight combatants, faster than dreadnoughts, and more heavily-armed then frigates. Cruisers are the standard patrol unit, and often lead frigate flotillas.

DREADNOUGHTS are kilometer-long capital ships mounting heavy, long-range firepower. They are only deployed for the most vital missions.

• CARRIERS are dreadnought-sized vessels that also carry a large amount of fighters.

Smaller vessels are exclusively used in a support role to the warships during combat:

FIGHTERS are one-man craft used to perform close-range attacks on enemy ships.

INTERCEPTORS are one-man craft optimized for destroying opposing fighters.

Normandy Armor Upgrade: Silaris Armor [ ]

Asari-made Silaris armor can resist even the tremendous heat and kinetic energy of starship weapons. The armor is nearly unsurpassed in strength because its central material, carbon nanotube sheets woven with diamond Chemical Vapor Deposition, are crushed by mass effect fields into super-dense layers able to withstand extreme temperatures. That process also compensates for diamond's brittleness.

Diamond armor itself has two limiting disadvantages. First, while nanotubes and CVD-diamond construction have become cheaper in recent years, it remains prohibitively expensive to coat starships or aircraft larger than fighters in Silaris material. Second, the armor must be attached to the ship's superstructure, so shock waves from massive firepower can still destroy the metals beneath the armor itself.

A popular misconception holds that the diamond composition of Silaris armor gives it a sparkle. In fact, atmospheric nitrogen impurities during the super-hot forging process give the armor a metallic gray or yellow sheen.

Normandy Shield Upgrade: Cyclonic Barrier Technology (CBT) [ ]

Cyclonic Barrier Technology (CBT) attempts to solve the higher-end limitations of traditional kinetic barriers. Traditional barriers cannot block high-level kinetic energy attacks such as disruptor torpedoes because torpedo mass effect fields add mass. The CBT violently slaps aside rather than halting incoming linear force. By rotationally firing their mass effect field projectors, ships create rapidly oscillating kinetic barriers instead of static ones. Shooting through the CBT is like trying to shoot at a target inside a spinning ball.

Significant drawbacks to current CBT configuration prevent its use on anything other than frigates and fighters. Its many high-frequency sensors and emitters require frequent maintenance and replacement. A partially damaged CBT can endanger its operator, who is surrounded by rotating mass effect fields skewing in unpredictable directions. Fortunately, if an emitter is damaged, the CBT corrects to become a traditional shield array, a safety feature that makes it most effective during opening volleys.

Normandy SR-1 [ ]

Mass effect [ ].

The Normandy is a prototype starship, developed by the human Systems Alliance with the assistance of the Citadel Council . It is optimized for scouting and reconnaissance missions in unstable regions, using state-of-the-art stealth technology.

For most ships, the heat generated through standard operations is easily detectable against the absolute-zero background of space. The Normandy, however, is able to temporarily sink this heat within the hull. Combined with refrigeration of the exterior hull, the ship can travel undetected for hours, or drift passively for days of covert observation. This is not without risk. The stored heat must eventually be radiated, or it will build to levels capable of cooking the crew alive.

Another component of the stealth system is the Normandy’s revolutionary Tantalus drive, a mass effect core twice the standard size. The Tantalus drive generates mass concentrations that the Normandy 'falls into', allowing it to move without the use of heat-emitting thrusters.

Mass Effect 2 [ ]

The Systems Alliance Space Vehicle Normandy is a prototype starship created as a joint human and turian venture. A frigate optimized for reconnaissance missions, the vessel uses state-of-the-art stealth technology.

Most ships generate tremendous heat that is easily detectable against the absolute-zero background of space. The Normandy, however, temporarily sinks this heat within its hull. Because of exterior hull refrigeration, the ship can travel undetected for hours, or drift passively for days of covert observation. That heat-sinking carries the risk of cooking the crew alive if the stored heat is not eventually radiated.

Also contributing to stealth is the Normandy's revolutionary Tantalus drive, a mass effect core double the standard size. The Tantalus generates mass concentrations that the Normandy "falls into," allowing it to move without the use of heat-emitting thrusters.

Normandy SR-2 [ ]

With elaborate secrecy, Cerberus labored for years to build a new, superior Normandy. The vehicle's many alterations produced a craft nearly double the original size, requiring an even larger Tantalus drive core to compensate.

The new Normandy features greater space in living quarters, research laboratory, observation deck, and cargo bay. Its shuttle can make landings the Normandy cannot attempt. In addition to tightbeam communicators, Normandy's Quantum Entanglement Communicator (QEC) provides instantaneous contact with the Illusive Man . The Enhanced Defense Intelligence AI coordinates many of the ship's combat functions, assisting and even supplanting human piloting.

Potential upgrades are numerous: the airframe could support additional armor and an axial mass accelerator, the thrusters could support recent advances in fuel technology beyond H2/O2 chemical rockets, and the hull can mount double the standard number of kinetic barrier projectors, leaving space for stronger shields, easily sustainable via the new eezo drive core.

Mass Effect 3 [ ]

Cerberus built the Normandy SR-2 as a second-generation version of the Alliance frigate SSV Normandy after the Collectors destroyed the original. The SR-2's many alterations produced a craft nearly double the original size, requiring an even larger Tantalus drive core to compensate. Its state-of-the-art Kodiak shuttle can make landings the original Normandy could not attempt. The Enhanced Defense Intelligence, an AI known colloquially as EDI, coordinates many of the ship's combat functions, assisting and even supplanting human piloting.

The Alliance has recently appropriated and refurbished the SR-2. In addition to tightbeam communicators, the Quantum Entanglement Communicator (QEC) provides instantaneous contact with Alliance Command.

Normandy Weapon Upgrade: Thanix Magnetic-Hydrodynamic Weapon [ ]

Following the Battle of the Citadel , human and turian volunteers conducted a massive three-month recovery effort to clear the station's orbit of debris. Secretly, the turian Office of Technological Reconnaissance "volunteers" were technology recovery specialists salvaging the main weapon of the geth flagship Sovereign, and large amounts of its valuable element zero core.

Contrary to popular belief, Sovereign's main gun was not a directed-energy weapon. Rather, its massive element zero core powered an electromagnetic field suspending a liquid iron-uranium-tungsten alloy that shaped into armor-piercing projectiles when fired. The jet of molten metal, accelerated to a fraction of the speed of light, destroys targets by impact force and irresistible heat.

Only 11 months after the battle, the turians produced the Thanix, their own miniaturized version of Sovereign's gun. The Thanix can fire reliably every five seconds, rivaling a cruiser's firepower but mountable on a fighter or frigate.

After the Battle of the Citadel, human and turian volunteers spent three months clearing the station's orbit of debris. During the cleanup, the turians secretly salvaged Sovereign's powerful main gun along with much of the weapon's element zero core. Eleven months later, the turians introduced the Thanix, a scaled-down version of the weapon.

The Thanix's core is a liquid alloy of iron, uranium, and tungsten suspended in an electromagnetic field powered by element zero. The molten metal, accelerated to a significant fraction of the speed of light, solidifies into a projectile as it is fired, hitting targets with enough force to pierce any known shield or armor. The gun can fire reliably every five seconds.

The weapon's relatively small size allows it to be mounted on most fighters or frigates. It is now widely used by the Alliance military and is the primary weapon on the refurbished Normandy SR-2.

Sovereign [ ]

Sovereign is the flagship of the rogue Spectre Saren . An enormous dreadnought larger than any other ship in any known fleet, Sovereign is crewed with both geth and krogan . At two kilometers long, its spinal-mounted main gun is likely capable of penetrating another dreadnought's kinetic barriers with a single shot.

How Saren acquired this incredible warship is unknown. The prevailing opinion is that Sovereign is a geth construct, while others believe it is a Prothean relic. Its design, however, hints at a more alien and mysterious origin.

The attack on Eden Prime demonstrated Sovereign's ability to generate mass effect fields powerful enough to land on a planetary surface. This implies it has a massive element zero core, and the ability to generate staggering amounts of power.

Space Combat [ ]

Ship mobility dominates space combat; the primary objective is to align the mass accelerator along the bow with the opposing vessel's broadside. Battles typically play out as artillery duels fought at ranges measured in thousands of kilometers, though assault through defended mass relays often occur at "knife fight" ranges as close as a few dozen kilometers.

Most ship-to-ship engagements are skirmishes between patrol vessels of cruiser weight and below, with dreadnoughts and carriers only deployed in full-scale fleet actions. Battles in open space are short and often inconclusive, as the weaker opponent generally disengages.

Once a ship enters FTL flight the combat is effectively over; there are no sensors capable of tracking them, or weapons capable of damaging them. The only way to guarantee an enemy will stand and fight is to attack a location they have a vested interest in, such as a settled world or a strategically-important mass relay.

UT-47 Kodiak "Drop-Shuttle" [ ]

The Systems Alliance UT-47 drop-shuttle landing craft holds 12 soldiers in a cramped, uncomfortable cargo bay and two more in the cockpit. Officially named the Kodiak, the drop-shuttle is better known to Alliance marines as the "combat cockroach" due to its appearance and durability.

The vehicle's robust environmental sealant technology exposes few vulnerable parts to the elements. First tested in the sulfuric acid clouds and extreme temperatures of Venus, the Kodiak can land in hard vacuum, high pressure, and temperatures from near-absolute zero to over 900 degrees Celsius.

A true contragravitic vehicle, the Kodiak's substantial element zero core allows flight by entirely countering the vehicle's mass. Its small thrusters are for directional control only, so if the mass effect field fails, the vehicle becomes a proverbial "three-million-credit coffin." The unarmed shuttle forgoes weaponry-space for active masking, electronic countermeasures, and a robust kinetic barrier system. It is ideal for dropping troops undetected.

Originally created to covertly insert Alliance marines into hostile environments, the UT-47 shuttle has since been sold to allies, recovered by enemies, and had its specifications stolen by spies. In one form or another, this durable transport is now used in all corners of the galaxy.

A-model Kodiaks feature a front-mounted mass-accelerator cannon that can be used in an antivehicular role. Since the shuttle lacks proper gun ports, soldiers often open the side hatch to fire on enemies. This is discouraged in Alliance manuals, since it exposes the interior to return fire.

Flying the 47A during atmospheric combat requires considerable skill. The pilot must reduce the vehicle's mass for speed and handling, while maintaining enough mass to resist recoil, incoming fire, and inclement weather. More than one pilot has overstressed the Kodiak's field generator and ended up on the battlefield instead of above it.

Vehicles: M35 Mako [ ]

The ' Mako ' infantry fighting vehicle was designed for the System Alliance’s frigates. Though the interior is cramped, an M35 is small enough to be carried in the cargo bay and easily deployed on virtually any world.

With its turreted 155mm mass accelerator and coaxially-mounted machine gun, the Mako can provide a fire team with weapon support as well as mobility. Since Alliance marines may be required to fight on any world, the Mako is environmentally-sealed and equipped with microthrusters for use on low-gravity planetoids.

The Mako is powered by a sealed hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, and includes a small element zero core. While not large enough to nullify the vehicle’s mass, the core can reduce it enough to be safely air-dropped. When used in conjunction with thrusters, it also allows the Mako to extricate itself from difficult terrain.

Secondary Codex Entries [ ]

A-61 mantis gunship [ ].

The workhorse of mercenary bands throughout the galaxy, the Mantis is a two-man, vectored-thrust aircraft that excels in close air support roles. Highly modular in construction, the Mantis can be reconfigured as a low-altitude gunship, a fighter, a high-altitude bomber, or even a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane that can engage enemy craft around a planet or space station. The only role that the Mantis cannot perform is that of a true deep-space fighter, as it has no FTL drive.

First rolled off the assembly lines in 2170, the Mantis remains in service in dozens of armies across the galaxy. It is most commonly used as air support in pitched ground battles, in a configuration that sports two pods for Inferno PKRs (Precision Kill Rockets) and a chin-mounted M350 mass accelerator cannon. Its kinetic barriers, thermal decoy system, and electronic countermeasures suite make the Mantis far less vulnerable to surface-to-air attacks than previous generations of aircraft. Like most modern planes, the Mantis uses an element zero core to ease the load of the engines with a mass effect field, allowing it to take off vertically or hover in place using minimum fuel. This also gives it far greater range and speed than the helicopters and jump-jet aircraft that once filled its niche -- a Mantis can take off from Baton Rouge, reach Moscow in a few hours, fly a ground attack mission, and return home before having to refuel.

Faster-than-light drives use element zero cores to reduce the mass of the ship, allowing higher rates of acceleration. This effectively raises the speed of light within the mass effect field, allowing high speed travel with negligible relativistic time dilation effects.

The amount of eezo and power required for a drive increases exponentially to the mass being moved and the degree it is being lightened. Very massive ships or very high speeds are prohibitively expensive.

If the field collapses while the ship is moving at faster-than-light speed, the effects are catastrophic. The ship is snapped back to sublight velocity, the enormous excess energy shed in the form of lethal Cerenkov radiation.

FTL Drive: Appearance [ ]

New space travelers ask, "What does it look like outside a ship moving faster-than-light speed?" Part of the answer can be seen in a simple pane of glass. Light travels slower through glass than it does through open air; light also moves slower in conventional space than it does in a high-speed mass effect field . This causes refraction - any light entering at an angle is bent and separated into a spectrum. Objects outside the ship will appear refracted. The greater the difference between the objective (exterior) and subjective (interior) speeds of light, the greater the refraction.

As the subjective speed of light is raised within the field, objects outside will appear to red-shift, eventually becoming visible only to radio telescope antennae. High-energy electromagnetic 1 sources normally hidden to the eye become visible in the high blue spectrum. As the speed of light continues to be raised, x-ray, gamma ray, and eventually cosmic ray sources become visible. Stars will be replaced by pulsars 1 , the accretion discs 1 of black holes 1 , quasars 1 , and gamma ray bursts 1 .

To an outside observer, a ship within a mass effect drive envelope appears blue-shifted. If within a field that allows travel at twice the speed of light, any radiation it emits has twice the energy as normal. If the ship is in a field of about 200 times light speed, it radiates visible light as x-rays and gamma rays, and the infrared heat from the hull is blue-shifted up into the visible spectrum or higher.

Ships moving at FTL are visible at great distances, though their signature will only propagate at the speed of light.

FTL Drive: Drive Charge [ ]

As positive or negative electric current is passed through an FTL drive core, it acquires a static electrical charge. Drives can be operated an average of 50 hours before they reach charge saturation. This changes proportionally to the magnitude of mass reduction; a heavier or faster ship reaches saturation more quickly.

If the charge is allowed to build, the core will discharge into the hull of a ship. All ungrounded crew members are fried to a crisp, all electronic system are burned out, and metal bulkheads may be melted and fused together.

The safest way to discharge a core is to land on a planet and establish a connection to the ground, like a lightning rod. Larger vessels like dreadnoughts cannot land and must discharge into a planetary magnetic field 1 .

As the hull discharges, sheets of lightning jump away into the field, creating beautiful auroral displays on the planet. The ship must retract its sensors and weapons while dumping charge to prevent damage, leaving it blind and helpless. Discharging at a moon with a weak magnetic field can take days. Discharging into the powerful field of a gas giant may require less than an hour. Deep space facilities such as the Citadel often have special discharge facilities for visiting ships.

Helios Thruster Module [ ]

Intended for next-generation fighter craft, the Heed Industries Helios Thruster Module propulsion system far outpaces the typical liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen reactions that power a frigate's maneuvering thrusters. By using metastable metallic hydrogen, the Helios boasts a fuel that burns at far greater efficiency than liquid H2/O2. Navigators can execute the numerous small course corrections inherent to any long-distance travel without fear of exhausting the ship's fuel supplies. This net gain extends to forward impulse as well: a ship powered by antiprotons can coast temporarily using the Helios to reach an inferior but highly sustainable speed. Such efficiency lowers antiproton consumption, a constant concern for any warship.

When a Helios-propelled ship must refuel, however, it typically relies on a large carrier or nearby planetary factory to synthesize the metallic hydrogen. This process uses extremely dense mass effect fields to create the metal under pressures of over a million Earth atmospheres, an activity most safely done while planetside. While that process may seem like a drawback compared to "skimmer ships" that can gather hydrogen and oxygen from anywhere in the universe, the combat superiority of the Helios' maneuvering capabilities is often a worthwhile trade-off. The same efficiency that allows for microburn course correction can power rapid bursts of motion. Once a pilot becomes used to the ship's new energetic responses, she can easily put the ship wherever and at whatever angle she desires.

CRUISERS are middle-weight combatants, faster than dreadnoughts, and more heavily armed than frigates. Cruisers are the standard patrol unit, and often lead frigate flotillas.

CARRIERS are dreadnought-sized vessels that also carry large numbers of fighters.

Smaller vessels are almost exclusively used in a support role to the warships during combat:

The SSV Normandy SR-1 was a prototype starship developed by the human Systems Alliance with assistance from the Citadel Council. The ship employed state-of-the-art stealth technology for reconnaissance in dangerous regions.

Most ships emit heat that is easy to detect against the absolute-zero background of space. The Normandy, however, could temporarily store its waste heat deep within the hull, allowing the ship to travel undetected for hours--or drift passively for days of covert observation. This was not without risk. Eventually, the stored heat had to be released, or it would build to levels that could cook the crew alive.

Another key component of the Normandy's stealth system was the revolutionary Tantalus drive, a mass effect core twice the size of a standard unit. The Tantalus drive generated mass concentrations that the Normandy "fell into," allowing it to move without the use of heat-emitting thrusters.

The Normandy SR-1 was destroyed in 2183 when it was ambushed by a Collector ship in the Omega Nebula.

Shells lofted by surface navies crash back to earth when their acceleration is overwhelmed by gravity and air resistance. In space, a projectile has unlimited range; it will keep moving until it hits something.

Practical gunnery range is determined by the velocity of the attacker's ordnance and the maneuverability of the target. Beyond a certain range, a small ship's ability to dodge trumps a larger attacker's projectile speed. The longest-ranged combat occurs between dreadnoughts, whose projectiles have the highest velocity but are the least maneuverable. The shortest-range combat is between frigates, which have the slowest projectile velocities and highest maneuverability.

Opposing dreadnoughts open with a main gun artillery duel at EXTREME ranges of tens of thousands of kilometers. The fleets close, maintaining evasive lateral motion while keeping their bow guns facing the enemy. Fighters are launched and attempt to close to disruptor torpedo range. Cautious admirals weaken the enemy with ranged fire and fighter strikes before committing to close action. Aggressive commanders advance so cruisers and frigates can engage.

At LONG range, the main guns of cruisers become useful. Friendly interceptors engage enemy fighters until the attackers enter the range of ship-based GARDIAN fire. Dreadnoughts fire from the rear, screened by smaller ships. Commanders must decide whether to commit to a general melee or retreat into FTL.

At MEDIUM range, ships can use broadside guns. Fleets intermingle, and it becomes difficult to retreat in order. Ships with damaged kinetic barriers are vulnerable to wolf pack frigate flotillas that speed through the battle space.

Only fighters and frigates enter CLOSE 'knife fight' ranges of 10 or fewer kilometers. Fighters loose their disruptor torpedoes, bringing down a ship's kinetic barriers and allowing it to be swarmed by frigates. GARDIAN lasers become viable weapons, swatting down fighters and boiling away warship armor.

Neither dreadnoughts nor cruisers can use their main guns at close range; laying the bow on a moving target becomes impossible. Superheated thruster exhaust becomes a hazard.

Space Combat: Combat Endurance [ ]

Heat limits the length and intensity of ship-to-ship combat. Starships generate enormous heat when they fire high-energy weapons, perform maneuvering burns, and run on-board combat electronics.

In combat, warships produce heat more quickly than they can disperse it. As heat builds within a vessel, the crewed spaces become increasingly uncomfortable. Before the heat reaches lethal levels, a ship must win or retreat by entering FTL . After an FTL run, the ships halts, shuts down non-essential systems, and activates the heat radiation gear.

Combat endurance varies by ship design and by the battle's location. Battles in the deep cold of interstellar space can go on for some time. Engagements close to a star are brief. Since habitable worlds are usually close to a star, battles over them are usually more frantic.

Space Combat: General Tactics [ ]

Shells lofted by surface navies crash back to earth when their acceleration is overwhelmed by gravity and air resistance. In space, a projectile has unlimited range, it will keep moving until it hits something.

Practical gunnery range is determined by the velocity of the attacker's ordinance [sic] and the maneuverability of the target. Beyond a certain range, a small ship's ability to dodge trumps a larger attacker's projectile speed. The largest-ranged combat occurs between dreadnoughts, whose projectiles have the highest velocity but are the least maneuverable. The shortest-range combat is between frigates, which have the slowest projectile velocities and highest maneuverability.

Opposing dreadnoughts open with main gun artillery duel at EXTREME ranges of tens of thousands of kilometers. The fleet close, maintaining evasive lateral motion while keeping their bow guns facing the enemy. Fighters are launched and attempt to close to disruptor torpedo range. Cautious admirals weaken the enemy with ranged fire and fighter strikes before committing to close action. Aggressive commanders advance so cruisers and frigates can engage.

At MEDIUM range, ships can use broadside guns. Fleets intermingle, and it becomes difficult to retreat in order. Ships with damaged kinetic barriers are vulnerable to wolfpack 1 frigate flotillas that speed through the battle space.

Only fighters and frigates enter CLOSE "knife fight" ranges of 10 or fewer kilometers. Fighters loose their disruptor torpedoes, bringing down a ship's kinetic barriers and allowing it to be swarmed by frigates. GARDIAN lasers become viable weapons, swatting down fighters and boiling away warship armor.

Space Combat: Planetary Assaults [ ]

Planetary assaults are complicated if the target is a habitable garden world; the attackers cannot approach the defenders straight on.

The Citadel Conventions prohibit the use of large kinetic impactors against habitable worlds. In a straight-on attack, any misses plough into the planet behind the defending fleet. If the defenders position themselves between the attackers and the planet, they can fire at will while the attacker risks hitting the planet.

Successful assaults on garden worlds hinge upon up-to-date intelligence. Attackers need to determine where the enemy's defenses are, so they may approach from an angle that allows them to fire with no collateral damage. Note this is not necessary for hostile worlds.

Once control of orbit has been lost, defensive garrisons disperse into the wilderness. An enemy with orbital superiority can bombard surface forces with impunity. The best option for defenders is to hide and collect reconnaissance in anticipation of relief forces.

Given the size of a planet, it is impractical to garrison entire conquered worlds. Fortunately, colonization efforts tend to focus on building up a dozen or fewer areas. Ground forces occupy the spaceports, industrial facilities, and major population centers. The wilderness is patrolled by unmanned aerial vehicles 1 and satellite reconnaissance. If a defender unit is spotted, airmobile rapid deployment units and satellite artillery are used to pin down and destroy them.

Space Combat: Pursuit Tactics [ ]

Dependent on light, sensors cannot detect objects moving at a faster-than-light speeds. No ship can be detected at interstellar ranges. Detection at interplanetary ranges suffers from light speed lag: observers see ships not where they appear to be but where they were when the light bearing their image left them, minutes, hours, or days before. To counteract light speed lag, battle fleets surround themselves with spheres of screen and scouting frigates.

Pursuers cannot detect ships and directly intercept them. Instead, pursuers track where objects were, where they were heading, and at what speed they were moving. Such data reliably predicts an object's future location and for pursuit along its light-lagged "wake". Ships trying to evade pursuit follow erratic zigzag courses, requiring pursuers to make stops to update their projections.

Space Combat: Trans-Relay Assaults [ ]

The crucial choice for any attack through mass relays is how to divide the fleet for transit. The accuracy of a relay's mass-projection depends on the mass being moved and how far it’s going. Any long distance and/or high mass jump will see "drift". That is, a ship may be hundreds or millions of kilometers from its intended drop point, in any direction from the relay.

Distance can't be chosen by admirals, but a relay is told how much mass to transit. For example, if told to move a million metric tons of mass, the relay will scan the approach corridor, find four 250,000-ton freighters, and transit them together, maintaining their relative positions.

A commander has the option of moving his fleet as one large, coherent formation that may be wildly off-position, or breaking it up into many smaller formations that will be individually closer to the intended attack point, but could be widely dispersed.

Conservative assault doctrine holds that fleets should be moved en masse, maintaining concentration of force and reducing the chances of collision. The only time it is reasonable to split up a formation is during blockade running.

Starships: Crew Considerations [ ]

Cabins give each individual ten cubic meters of space. On larger vessels private rooms are common. As ships get smaller, the number of crew packed into a single wardroom increases. Asari prefer shared spaces even on large vessels while krogan territorial instincts make it impossible for them to cohabitate even on the largest ships.

On smaller vessels, "hot bunking" is the norm. Crew members assigned to different watches share the same bunk. When one gets off-duty, he wakes up the person in the bunk. While that crewman is on duty, the first gets his rack time.

Spacecraft compartments can be isolated by air-tight doors in case of decompression. The cinematic version of explosive decompression is fiction; holed compartments either take enough damage that the occupants are killed instantly, or leak slowly enough that they are able to reach protective gear.

Compartments are equipped with Emergency Life Supports Apparatus: fireproof plastic bubbles with air bottles. Small when stowed, ELSA comfortably accommodate one individual inflated. Damage control procedure cuts off ventilation to burning compartments. Without oxygen to consume, fires die in seconds. The compartment is re-pressurized afterward for crew recovery.

Mass effect fields create an artificial gravity (a-grav) plane below the decks, preventing muscle atrophy and bone loss in zero-gee. Large vessels arrange their decks perpendicular to their thrust axis. The "highest" decks are at the bow, and the "lowest" at the engines. This allows a-grav to work with the inertial effects of thrust. Ships that can land arrange their decks laterally, so the crew can move about while the vessel is on the ground.

Warships normally turn off their a-grav systems during combat, reducing the heat generated by systems and increasing combat endurance. To provide a point of reference for navigating in zero-gee, floors are painted a different color from the walls and ceiling.

Starships: Cruisers [ ]

Cruiser-weight starships are the standard combat unit encountered away from large naval bases, the "poor bloody infantry" of most fleets. Nimble scouting frigates have neither the punch nor the stamina to stand up to serious combat, and the mighty dreadnoughts are a strategic resource, carefully hoarded and committed to the most critical battles.

Cruisers perform routine independent "show the flag" patrols in settled systems and lead flotillas of frigates in small engagements, such as pirate suppression campaigns. In major fleet engagements, cruiser squadrons support the dreadnought battle line by screening their flanks against enemies attempting to maneuver for a main gun "bow shot" from their vulnerable broadsides.

Alliance cruisers are named after cities of Earth .

Starships: Dreadnought [ ]

The dreadnought is the ultimate arbiter of space warfare; millions of tons of metal, ceramic, and polymer dedicated to the projection of firepower against an enemy vessel of like ability. No sane commander would face a dreadnought with anything less than another dreadnought.

A dreadnought's power lies in the length of its main gun. Dreadnoughts range from 800 meters to one kilometer long, with a main gun of commensurate length. An 800-meter mass accelerator is capable of accelerating one 20 kg. slug to a velocity of 4025 km/s every two seconds. Each slug has the kinetic energy of 38 kilotons 1 of TNT, three times the energy released by the fission weapon that destroyed Hiroshima.

When used to bombard planets, some of this kinetic energy is lost due to atmospheric re-entry friction. As a rule of thumb, each Earth -atmosphere of air pressure saps approximately 20% of a projectile's impact energy.

The turian fleet presently has 37 dreadnoughts; the asari , 21; and the salarians , 16. Humanity has six with an additional hull under construction at Arcturus Station . Alliance battleships are named for the mountains of Earth.

Everest-class: Everest, Fuji, Elbrus.

Kilimanjaro-class: Kilimanjaro , Tai Shan, Shasta, Aconcagua (under construction).

The ultimate arbiter of space warfare, the dreadnought employs millions of tons of metal, ceramic, and polymer in the projection of firepower against an enemy vessel of like ability. No sane commander would face a dreadnought without a dreadnought of his or her own.

A dreadnought's power lies in the length of its main gun. Dreadnoughts range from 800 meters to one kilometer long, with main guns of commensurate length. An 800-meter mass-accelerator is capable of accelerating one 20 kg slug to a velocity of 4025 km/s (1.3% of light speed) every two seconds. Each slug has the kinetic energy of 38 kilotons 1 of TNT, enough to destroy the infrastructure of a mid-sized city and kill half a million people.

Because of air friction, planets with atmospheres do not feel a slug's full devastation. Atmospheric drag reduces impact force by 20% per Earth atmosphere of air.

At present, the turian fleet possesses 39 dreadnoughts, the asari 20, and the salarians 16. Each of the human Alliance 's eight dreadnoughts is named for terrestrial mountains.

Everest Class: Everest, Fuji, Elbrus

Kilimanjaro Class: Kilimanjaro, Tai Shan, Shasta, Aconcagua, Orizaba

Starships: Carriers [ ]

All races provide their fleets with organic fighter support. Cruisers fit a handful in the space between the interior pressure hulls and exterior armor. Dreadnoughts have a hangar deck within the hull. Humans – who had only recently "graduated" from surface to space combat – were the first to build ships wielding fighters as the main armament.

In fleet combat, carriers stay clear of battle, launching fighters bearing disruptor torpedoes. Fighters are the primary striking power of the ship; if a carrier enters mass accelerator range of the enemy, things have gone very wrong.

It is possible to recover and rearm fighters during combat, though most carriers seal the flight deck and try to stay out of the way. The flight deck is essentially a corridor through the armor and into the heart of the vessel. A single well-placed torpedo is enough to gut a carrier.

Alliance carriers are named after great leaders, artists, and intellectuals from human history.

Starships: Fighters [ ]

Fighters are single-pilot combat small craft. They are lightweight enough that they can be economically fitted with powerful element zero cores, making them capable of greater acceleration and sharper maneuvers than starships .

Kinetic barrier shields changed starship battles from short, vicious bloodbaths to extended, indecisive slugging matches. Only the main gun of a dreadnought could punch a mass accelerator slug through the barriers of an opposing dreadnought. This changed with the development of the fighter-launched mass disruptor torpedo , a short-ranged weapon that can penetrate kinetic barriers to destroy their projector assemblies.

Starship GARDIAN defenses must be overwhelmed through swarm tactics. Fighter groups can take heavy casualties pressing their torpedo attacks home. Once fighter-launched torpedoes have crippled an enemy's barriers, the mass accelerators on frigates and cruisers can make short work of them.

Interceptors are a type of fighter optimized to attack other fighters, with no ability to damage starships. Interceptors are used to screen friendly units from incoming fighter attack.

Starships: Frigates [ ]

Frigates are light escort and scouting vessels. They often have extensive GARDIAN systems to provide anti-fighter screening for capital ships, and carry a squad of marines for security and groundside duty. Unlike larger vessels, frigates are able to land on planets .

Frigate drive systems allow them to achieve high FTL cruise speeds. They also have proportionally larger thrusters and lighter design mass, allowing them to maneuver more handily. In combat, speed and maneuverability make a frigate immune to the long-range fire of larger vessels; in the time it take projectiles to reach them, frigates are no longer where they were predicted to be.

In fleet combat, frigates are organized into " wolf pack " flotillas of four to six. Wolf packs speed through enemy formations, hunting enemy vessels whose kinetic barriers have been taken down by fighter-launched disruptor torpedoes . The wolfspack circle-strafes vulnerable targets, using their superior speed and maneuverability to evade return fire.

Alliance frigates are named for great battles in human history.

The most important role filled by frigates is reconnaissance. Sensors, unlike ships and communications employing the mass effect, are limited to the speed of light, therefore a stationary observer can detect a vessel a light year away only when its light year arrives a year later.

Because faster than-light attackers always arrive before defenders can detect them with luminal sensors, attackers can always surprise defenders. For defense, fleets surround themselves with spheres of scouting frigates scanning for enemy ships and transmitting warnings to the main body.

Frigates achieve high FTL cruise speeds because of their high-performance drives. They also have proportionally larger thrusters and lighter design mass, allowing them greater maneuverability. In combat, speed and maneuverability make frigates immune to long-range fire of larger vessels.

In fleet combat, frigates are organized into " wolf pack " flotillas of four to six. Wolf packs speed through enemy formations, hunting enemy vessels whose kinetic barriers have been taken down by fighter-launched disruptor torpedoes . The wolf pack circle-strafes vulnerable targets, using their superior speed and maneuverability to evade return fire.

Starships: Heat Management [ ]

Dispersal of heat generated by onboard systems is a critical issue for a ship. If it cannot deal with heat, the crew may be cooked within the hull.

Radiation is the only way to shed heat in a vacuum. Civilian vessels utilize large, fragile radiator panels that are impossible to armor. Warships use Diffuse Radiator Arrays (DRA), ceramic strips along the exterior of the armored hull. These make the ship appear striped to thermographic sensors. Since the arrangement of the strips depends on the internal configuration of the ship, the patterns for each vessel are unique and striking. On older ships, the DRA strips could become red- or white-hot. Dubbed "tiger stripes" or "war paint" by humans, the glowing DRA had a psychological impact on pirates and irregular forces.

Strip radiators are not as efficient as panels, but if damaged by enemy fire, the ship only loses a small portion of its total radiation capacity. In most cases, a vessel's DRA alone allows it to cruise with no difficulties. Operations deep within solar systems can cause problems.

A ship engaged in combat can produce titanic amounts of heat from maneuvering burns and weapons fire. When fighting in a high heat environment, warships employ high-efficiency "droplet" heat sinks.

In a droplet system, tanks of liquid sodium or lithium absorb heat within the ship. The liquid is vented from spray nozzles near the bow as a thin sheet of millions of micrometer-scale droplets. The droplets are caught at the stern and recycled into the system. A droplet system can sink 10-100 times as much heat as DRA strips.

Droplet sheets resemble a surface ship's wake through water. The wake peels out in sharp turns, spreading a fan of droplets as the ship changes vectors and leaves the coolant behind.

Starships: Quarian Liveships [ ]

There are few wide-open spaces in quarian spacecrafts; liveships are the exception. Each ship is a massive hydroponics facility, growing thousands of tons of genetically modified staple crops under artificial light and in highly enriched soil.

The surface of a liveship is studded with docking bays so as many shuttles as possible can distribute the foods throughout the flotilla on a daily basis. When received, the crops are sterilized with radiation, ground up into nutritious pastes, and pumped into quarian suits through feeding tubes. In return, waste products that could be used as fertilizer or compost are returned to the liveships through an efficient (if odorous) recycling program.

Liveships do not hold animals. The quarians consume a vegan diet, driven not by ethics but by practicality. Captive animals require living space, and consume large amounts of water and plant matter. The quarians cannot afford such an inefficient resource-to-calorie ratio, to say nothing of a live animal's disease or allergen potential. As a result, when the flotilla arrives in a star system where life is based on the same dextro-amino acids that the quarians consume, pastes based on animal proteins fetch highly inflated prices, and the vendors are typically mobbed by quarians wanting a new taste sensation. The sickness that often follows these binges is treated much the same way as hangovers are in human culture: painful, but part of the overall experience of excess.

Starships: Sensors [ ]

"Light lag" prevents sensing in real time at great distances. A ship firing its thrusters at the Charon Relay can be easily detected from Earth, 5.75 light-hours (six billion kilometers) away, but Earth will only see the event five hours and 45 minutes after it occurs. Due to the light-speed limit, defenders can't see enemies coming until they have already arrived. Because there is FTL travel and communications but no FTL sensors, frigates are crucial for scouting and picket duties.

Passive sensors are used for long-range detection, while active sensors obtain short-range, high quality targeting data.

Passive sensors include visual, thermographic, and radio detectors that watch and listen for objects in space. A powered ship emits a great deal of energy; the heat of the life support systems; the radiation given off by power plants and electrical equipment; the exhaust of the thrusters. Starships stand out plainly against the near-absolute zero background of space. Passive sensors can be used during FTL travel, but incoming data is significantly distorted by the effect of the mass effect envelope and Doppler shift.

Active sensors are radars and high resolution ladars (LAser Detection And Ranging) that emit a "ping" of energy and "listen" for return signals. Ladars have a narrower field of view than radar, but ladar resolution allows images of detected objects to be assembled. Active sensors are useless when a ship is moving at FTL speeds.

Starships: Thrusters [ ]

A mass effect drive core decreases the mass of a bubble of space-time around a ship. This gives the ship the potential to move quickly, but does not apply any motive power. Ships use their sublight thrusters for motive power in FTL . There are several varieties of thruster, varying in performance versus economy. All ships are equipped with arrays of hydrogen-oxygen reaction control thrusters for maneuvering.

Ion drives electrically accelerate charged particles as a reaction mass. They are extremely efficient, but produce negligible thrust. They are mainly used for automated cargo barges.

The primary commercial engine is a "fusion torch", which vents the plasma of a ship's power plant. Fusion torches offer powerful acceleration at the cost of difficult heat management. Torch fuel is fairly cheap: helium-3 skimmed from gas giants and deuterium extracted from seawater or cometary bodies. Propellant is hydrogen, likewise skimmed from gas giants.

In combat, military vessels require accelerations beyond the capability of fusion torches. Warship thrusters inject antiprotons into a reaction chamber filled with hydrogen. The matter-antimatter annihilation provides unmatched motive power. The drawback is fuel production; antiprotons must be manufactured one particle at a time. Most antimatter production is done at massive solar arrays orbiting energetic stars, making them high-value targets in wartime.

The exhaust of fusion and antiproton drives is measured in millions of degrees Celsius. Any vessel caught behind them will melt like wax in a blowtorch.

Any long-duration interstellar flight consists of two phases: acceleration and deceleration. Starships accelerate to the half-way point of their journey, then flip 180 degrees and apply thrust on the opposite vector, decelerating as they finish the trip. The engines are always operating, and peak speed is attained at the middle of the flight.

Vehicles: Combat Drones [ ]

Drones are small robots used to support and supplement organic soldiers on the battlefield. They have no artificial intelligence of any kind, but follow fixed, minimally adaptive programs. Most varieties employ mass effect levitation to improve mobility.

All modern armies rely on veritable fleets of drones for routine soldiering (static garrisons, patrols, etc.). The use of drones in non-critical duties keeps manpower need down and reduces casualties in low intensity conflicts. Less advanced races and cultures with less sensitivity to casualties have correspondingly fewer drones in their inventory. Drones are of little use in conventional open field battles, as they are poorly armed and armored.

In addition to combat drones, support drones are used to assist organic units in the field. Reconnaissance drones are small, stealthy craft that screen combat units in the field and warn commanders when enemies are spotted. Electronic Warfare drones supplement battlefield technicians, serving as mobile jammers and ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence) gathering platforms. Military and civilian police utilize "dazzler drones" equipped with powerful strobe lights to disorient and subdue intruders using nonlethal force.

Drone formations are officially referred to in wings (i.e., "Deploy the 4th Assault Drone Wing on the left flank!"). Common soldiers often refer to friendly formations as flocks and enemy formations as swarms.

Weapons: Ablative Armor [ ]

A warship's kinetic barriers reduce the damage from solid objects, but can do nothing to block GARDIAN lasers, particle beams, and other forms of Directed Energy Weapon (DEW). The inner layer of warship protection consists of ablative armor plate designed to "boil away" when heated. The vaporized armor material scatters a DEW beam, rendering it ineffectual.

A scaffold was built around the interior pressure hull, with sheets of ablative armor hung from the structure. Ships typically have multiple layers of armor separated by empty baffles, spaces often used for cargo storage. Cruisers, which lack the internal space to fit dedicated fighter hangars, store the shipboard fighter complement in the baffles. It is not unknown for enlisted crew to build illicit alcohol distilleries in some obscure corner of the baffles, safe from prying eyes.

Weapons: Disruptor Torpedoes [ ]

Disruptor torpedoes are powered projectiles with warheads that create random and unstable mass effect fields when triggered. These fields warp space-time in a localized area. The rapid asymmetrical mass changes cause the target to rip itself apart.

In flight, torpedoes use a mass-increasing field, making them too massive for enemy kinetic barriers to repulse. The extra mass gives the torpedoes a very sluggish acceleration, making them easy prey for defensive GARDIAN weapons. As a result, torpedoes have to be launched at very close range.

Torpedoes are the main anti-ship weapon used by fighters. They are launched from point-blank range in "ripple-fire" waves reminiscent of the ancient Calliope rocket artillery launchers (thus their popular nickname "Callies"). By saturating defensive GARDIAN systems with multiple targets, at least a few will get through.

Disruptor torpedoes are powered projectiles with warheads that create random and unstable mass effect fields when triggered. These fields warp space-time in localized areas. The rapid, asymmetrical mass changes cause the target to rip itself apart.

In flight, torpedoes use a mass-increasing field, making them too huge for enemy kinetic barriers to repel. Because extra mass retards acceleration, torpedoes are easy prey for defensive GARDIAN weapons and must therefore be launched at extremely close range to be effective.

To prevent damage to the parent craft, torpedoes must be "cold-launched," meaning they are released before their thrusters ignite. Aligning with its target's trajectory, a fighter releases a torpedo and immediately thrusts away, while the torpedo continues to coast towards its target. After the fighter is clear (no more than a second after launch) the torpedo activates its mass field and thrusters away from the fighter and towards it [sic] target.

Torpedoes are the main anti-ship weapon used by fighters. Launched at point-blank range in "ripple-fire" waves, they are reminiscent of the ancient Calliope rocket artillery launchers (thus their popular nickname, "Callies"). By saturating defensive GARDIAN systems with multiple targets, at least a few torpedoes will get through.

Weapons: GARDIAN [ ]

A ship's General ARea Defense Integration Anti-spacecraft Network (GARDIAN) consists of anti-missile/anti-fighter laser turrets on the exterior hull. Because these are under computer control, the gunnery control officer needs to do little beyond turn the system on and designate targets as hostile.

Since lasers move at light speed, they cannot be dodged by anything moving at non-relativistic speeds. Unless the beam is aimed poorly, it will always hit its target. In the early stages of a battle, the GARDIAN fire is 100% accurate. It is not 100% lethal, but it doesn't have to be. Damaged fighters must break off for repairs.

Lasers are limited by diffraction . The beams "spread out", decreasing the energy density (watts per m2) the weapon can place on a target. Any high-powered laser is a short-ranged weapon.

GARDIAN networks have another limitation: heat. Weapons-grade lasers require "cool-down" time, during which heat is transferred to sinks or radiators. As lasers fire, heat builds within them, reducing damage, range, and accuracy.

Fighters attack in swarms. The first few WILL be hit by GARDIAN, but as the battle continues, the effects of laser overheat allow the attacks to press ever closer to the ship. Constant use will burn out the laser.

GARDIAN lasers typically operate in infrared frequencies. Shorter frequencies would offer superior stopping power and range, but degradation of focal arrays and mirrors would make them expensive to maintain, and most prefer mechanical reliability over leading-edge performance where lives are concerned. Salarians , however, use near-ultraviolet frequency lasers with six times the range, believing that having additional time to shoot down incoming missiles is more important.

Lasers are not blocked by the kinetic barriers of capital ships. However, the range of lasers limits their use to rare "knife fight"-range ship-to-ship combat.

Weapons: Javelin [ ]

The Javelin is an experimental close-assault weapon fitted on a handful of newer Alliance warships. It consists of a "rack" of two or more disposable disruptor torpedo tubes bolted or magnetically "slung" on to a ship’s exterior armored hull. The torpedoes are fired on converging trajectories, and detonate in a precisely timed sequence that allows the dark energy emitted by their warheads to resonate. This magnifies the resulting space-time warp effects.

Javelin mounts are most often fitted on swift frigates, which expect to enter "knife fight" torpedo ranges as a matter of course. Javelins may also be fitted on heavier ships during short range engagements, such as trans-relay assaults. They are particularly useful in this role for dreadnoughts, which are unable to lay their main guns on targets at close range.

The Javelin is an experimental close-assault weapon fitted on a handful of newer Alliance warships. It consists of a "rack" of two or more disposable disruptor torpedo tubes bolted or magnetically "slung" onto the exterior of a ship's armored hull. Fired on converging trajectories, the torpedoes detonate in a precisely timed sequence that allows the warhead's dark energy to resonate and thereby magnify the resulting space-time warp effects.

Like fighter-launched torpedoes, Javelins are "cold-launched" for safety reasons, though they use a different approach. Resembling old-fashioned submarine torpedo tubes, Javelin torpedoes come packed in individual sealed tubes filled with compressed, inert gas. Opening the front of the tube causes escaping gases to push the torpedo into the vacuum, releasing a puff of crystals around the mouth of the tube. After completely clearing the tube, the torpedo ignites its thrusters.

Javelin mounts are most often fitted on swift frigates, which enter "knife-fight" torpedo ranges as a matter of course. Javelins may also be fitted on heavier ships for short-range engagements such as trans-relay assaults. They are particularly useful in this role for dreadnoughts, which cannot lay their main guns on close-range targets.

As missile weapons, Javelins are subject to highly accurate defensive GARDIAN fire. They must be launched in large numbers and at short range to have any chance of hitting their target at all.

Weapons: Mass Accelerators [ ]

Mass accelerators propel solid metal slugs via electromagnetic attraction and repulsion. A slug lightened by a mass effect field can be accelerated to extremely high speeds, permitting previously unattainable projectile velocities.

The primary determinant of a mass accelerator's destructive power is length. The longer the barrel, the longer the slug can be accelerated, the higher the slug's final velocity, and therefore the greater its kinetic impact. Slugs are designed to squash or shatter on impact, increasing the energy they transfer to its target. Without collapsibility, slugs would punch through their targets while inflicting only minimal damage.

Rather than being mounted on the exterior, starship guns are housed inside hulls and visible only as gun portholes from outside.

A ship's main gun is a large spinal-mount weapon running 90% of the hull's length. While possessing destructive power equal to that of tactical nuclear weapons, main guns are difficult to aim. Because ships must be able to point their bows almost directly at their targets, main guns are best used for long-range "bombardment" fire.

Approximately 40% of the hull's width, broadside guns inflict less damage and can be mounted with greater numbers and more flexibility. The modern human Kilimanjaro-class dreadnoughts mount three decks with 26 broadside accelerators apiece for a total salvo weight of 78 slugs per side, firing once every two seconds.

However, mass accelerators produce recoil equal to their impact energy. While the mass effect fields suspending the rounds mitigate the recoil, recoil shock can still rattle crews and damage systems.

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