Bet record: 17-31, Staked: 53.75u, Profit/Loss: +4.96u, ROI: 9.24%, Parlay Suggestions: 21-6
If you’re not bothered about my ramblings on last week’s opinions, scroll down for UFC San Antonio Breakdowns
(For context, my UFC 286 Preview for that event can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/MMAbetting/comments/11qh6nn/ufc_286_betting_preview_ufc_las_vegas_review/)
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UFC 286
Bets: 4-3, +5.74u, Parlay Suggestions: 3-1
✅ 3u Gunnar Nelson & Marvin Vettori both to Win (-115)
✅ 2u Jack Shore & Impa Kasangany to Win (-180)
✅ 1u Jack Shore to Win in Round 2 or 3 (+241)
❌ 1.5u Omar Morales to Win (-110)
✅ 1u Leon Edwards to Win (+250)
❌ 1u Juliana Miller & Omran Chaaban to Win (-125)
❌ 0.25u Marvin Vettori, Gunnar Nelson, Jack Shore & Juliana Miller all to Win (+205)
As I said in my initial comments about UFC 286, I think it really under delivered from a fan perspective because of the lack of high level UK prospects. Without a Molly McCann, Darren Till, Paddy Pimblett or a Tom Aspinall, the fans just weren’t as excited or vocal throughout the card.
With that said, I’m always having fun if I’m making money! This was my third winning event in a row, a streak of over 10u profit in March. It was obviously a card of strong favourites but I’m mostly happy with the spots I chose to pull the trigger on. The Nelson/Vettori parlay was nice as both men delivered exactly what I expected them to, and Jack Shore also came through to cash a bigger priced prop bet. It’s really satisfying when your reads on fights turn out to be spot on, and your bets cash with relative ease as a result. Here's some live thoughts on the card + my breakdowns:
- So proud of Leon Edwards man, that was one hell of a performance. The way he levelled up that takedown defence and made his shots count in the clinch. It was one of those complicated fights to score in that he was moving backwards and fighting defensively for the most part, but he certainly landed more shots and had the better moments. Really happy to have gotten 2/1 and 3/1 (boosted) on the dog there.
- Jesus Christ Rafael Fiziev is quick. The combinations he was throwing in the first minute of round three were some of the most terrifying spurts of offence I’ve seen in some time. And then just a minute or so later Justin Gaethje starts winging massive uppercuts and cannot miss with them. That was such a good fight, real back and forth stuff. I feel like Gaethje was lowkey a really good underdog spot all week but it’s hard to give those opinions credence sometimes when the masses are all hyping up Fiziev. At least I identified Fiziev was not a good bet.
- Massive shoutout to Gunnar Nelson for performing exactly like a -400 should, as I expected him to! He got in, landed a takedown, and found the sub soon after. I still wish he would have done that against Takashi Sato, bur he rounded out the parlay with Vettori and made it a winning night for me! Along with Hadley, he was the best parlay option on the card (as I suggested).
- Casey O’Neill didn’t shoot for a takedown. Not the fight anyone was expecting. It’s disappointing when that happens but there’s not really a whole lot you can do. Jennifer Maia is a really underrated striker so god knows why Casey chose that path. When you consider the way Jake Hadley approached his fight and compare it with O’Neill…that’s the difference between good fight IQ and bad. I actually said in my analysis “I trust O’Neill’s dedication to her gameplan here” which is hilarious. Don’t think I can be blamed for not seeing it coming though haha.
- All week I was a little bit confused by all the love for Roman Dolidze, as I got on Marvin Vettori pretty early and didn’t really see a whole lot of reasoning that I understood. To be perfectly honest, Dolidze had more success than I expected him to, and any fighter other than Vettori would probably have wilted and got stopped. With that said, that’s exactly why I bet Marvin, so I don’t necessarily think it was a bad read at all. A solid parlay leg.
- Jack Shore vs Makwan Amirkhani played out exactly as I expected it to. Amirkhani’s a good grappler, so I wasn’t surprised nor worried when he clearly won round 1. In fact, I was more confident in winning my bets as soon as the horn sounded, and it showed. I don’t really understand how a professional fighter can have such a glaring cardio issue and not address it or adjust his style. I hope they keep Makwan around, those Round 2/3 props will always be good. Happy to finally win one of those bigger priced prop bets. I’ve historically been pretty good with props but somehow been on a dry patch since I started posting here.
- Chris Duncan v Morales was a frustrating one. Morales will look back on that one and be pissed off at himself, because he should absolutely be winning that. Chris Duncan really isn’t very good and I am already looking forward to fading him in the future. Hope they try and build him up because there’ll be a good fade waiting to happen. Annoying fight to lose but fair play to Duncan for identifying the path to victory. Glad I went with a smaller stake for a volatile fight.
- A shame what happened to Dusko Todorovic. Christian Leroy Duncan is a really exciting striker so I was looking forward to seeing more of him, but you never want to see that happen. I hope we don’t have to wait until the next England card for C L Duncan’s next fight, but I also hope they give him a bit of a lay-up for to allow for a proper “debut”.
- Nicely done from Jake Hadley, making use of his striking advantage and not getting sucked into a grappling affair. Always annoys me when someone has a distinct advantage but doesn’t use it because it’s not their plan A. He was the best parlay piece of the card. Good for Hadley and I’m excited to see what else he has to offer. Wish I’d gone with him instead of backing Juliana Miller.
- I was keeping half an eye on Herbert/Klein and Wood/Carolina whilst at work. Doesn’t look like I missed a whole lot and haven't bothered to rewatch.
- Juliana Miller with an awful performance. Veronica Macedo looked much improved but it didn’t take a whole lot to defeat an opponent with no plan B. I didn’t anticipate Macedo being the stronger fighter of the two, which changed a whole lot. Poor decision from me to back an inexperienced fighter at -400 like that. Grim. Inexperience really showed.
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UFC San Antonio
I'm really excited for the main event of this one, very glad they put this fight together. Unfortunately the headliner is a massive cut above the rest of the card in terms of popularity and calibre, but we’ve had worse cards this year, I don’t mind it. Usually I’d rejoice over the fact we aren’t in the Apex…but we are in Texas, where judging has been historically AWFUL. There isn’t a whole lot we can really do with that information though, except consider how much of a fighter’s win probability is based around them finding a finish. Fighters who are likely to win without the judges getting involved will be the less volatile spots this week.
From a betting perspective, it’s a very weak card. The bookies have done a really good job of pricing the punters out of any value, as my conclusions to most fights see me lining it pretty close to the books, where there ends up being no real numerical edge on either side! Nonetheless, I’ve broken down most of the bouts on the card below:
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Cory Sandhagen v Marlon Vera
Marlon Vera has always been one of my favourite fighters. Backing him to win inside the distance when he was a prelim fighter was a spot I always looked out for back in the day, so it’s great to see him climb so high in the rankings. I always support and ride with the fighters that make me money over the years, and Vera has been one of the best of them.
Unfortunately, Vera’s always relied on his power and finishing ability to really carry him through fights, as there are a lot of instances where he’s down on the overall scorecards, before finding a finish. His wins over Dominic Cruz and Frankie Edgar are the two best examples recently, but his issue of being a slow starter also made this applicable in wins over Davey Grant, Nohelin Hernandez and Guido Cannetti. Also similarly, he was being thoroughly outboxed by Rob Font in their main event encounter last year, but the Ecuadorian was stealing rounds with knockdowns in a very similar way.
Considering I expect this fight against Cory Sandhagen to be a closely contested one, Vera’s inability to win minutes and start strong could end up becoming a problem here. The pivotal question in this fight is whether or not Vera can hurt or finish Sandhagen, as I certainly lean towards favouring Cory if this fight goes the distance and Vera hasn’t scored multiple knockdowns.
Vera is one of the most dangerous guys P4P on the roster, with KO and Submission potential across all five rounds – but Sandhagen has been pretty damn durable in his MMA career. Aljamain Sterling was the only man of 19 able to finish Cory, and it came in under 90 seconds. Sandhagen’s performance there was such a disappointment that I’m convinced there was something else going on that hindered him that night. Petr Yan also dropped Sandhagen with a spinning back fist combo, but that seemed very much like Cory getting caught unaware – and he looked like he recover instantly.
Given the calibre that Sandhagen has fought against in the last four years – I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt in assuming he can stay safe here. If that is the case I expect him to win rounds with superior output and a faster pace – especially considering he’s got a high likelihood of being one round up after five minutes.
I’m not super confident in that take though as it’s hardly on the level of Garbrandt vs Jones or something! So it’s a fight I’m definitely lining as quite close. Sandhagen deserves to be deemed the favourite for the above reasons, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if Vera’s dangerousness was enough to tip the balance in his favour, or if he was able to win a round by just point striking anyway.
I saw a stat this week that said there have been 10 rounds in 2023 where a knockdown is landed but the round still ended and was scored. Of those scorecards, the fighter landing the knockdown won 8 of 10 times. Whilst it’s highly implied that a knockdown means you’re more likely to win the round based off how the following minutes take place, that does still imply the judges are leaning towards awarding damage over minute winning (I personally hate the way MMA judging has gone these days but it is what it is). Just something to consider when you think about Chito’s path to victory.
At the end of the day, it’s an intriguing fight, and not one I think anyone should be rushing to the betting window for due to the small margins in the various skill discrepancies.
How I line this fight: Cory Sandhagen -150 (60%), Marlon Vera +150 (40%)
Bet or Pass: Pass
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Holly Holm v Yana Santos
Holly Holm is one of those fighters who makes your memory play tricks on you. I instinctively feel like I have a good read on her style and overall calibre, but then when I watch tape she’s always a much more underwhelming version of that fighter I have in my head. She just doesn’t really put her stamp on rounds – spending too much time in the clinch and does not have high enough volume. 3.24 significant strikes landed per 15 minutes is a shockingly low number, especially considering it’s Women’s MMA and Holm has a lot of in cage time. To make matters worse, Holm averages 0.72 takedowns per 15 minutes and is now 41 years old.
Whilst there’s a lot of data to crunch on Holm, there’s actually a surprisingly smaller sample size on Yana Santos. Considering Kunitskaya (previous surname) has been a known name in Women’s MMA for some time, it’s pretty crazy to think she only has 7 UFC appearances to her name – most of which are against a lesser calibre than Holly Holm. She’s also coming off a two year lay-off having had a child with Thiago Santos, which adds further uncertainty to an already tepid read.
As I’m sure you may have noticed by now, this breakdown is much more stat-based than I typically offer (though Women’s MMA is a lot more accessible for stats), because I honestly cannot bring myself to re-watch Holly Holm’s career and I’m instead relying on what the numbers are telling me. Perhaps that’s a bit lazy, but this is the 8th week of UFC cards in a row and I am feeling very burnt out! I just don’t think either woman has a particularly commanding style, and there’s a hell of a lot of intangibles floating around this fight (old age, post-child birth, lay-offs, levels of competition, Texas judging etc), so it’s a very easy pass.
How I line this fight: I won’t line a fight I haven’t taped, but I do not recommend Holm at this price.
Bet or Pass: Pass
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Nate Landwehr v Austin Lingo
It’s a shame Alex Caceres had to pull out of the originally scheduled bout against Nate Landwehr, but good to see they managed to find Austin Lingo a fight so soon after the Ricardo Ramos one fell through a couple of weeks ago (still annoyed I didn’t get to cash some easy money there). From a fan perspective, this bout is probably the most entertaining of the three available!
Both dudes are hardnosed strikers that like to fight gritty and wear out their opponents. Neither are particularly gifted from a technique perspective, but you’d be hard pressed to find fighters that can out work these two. Pitting them against one another is going to lead to an exhausting fight.
Landwehr is the much more experienced of the two and has clearly had more career success implementing the brawling style, but I think this is just one of those matchups that’s going to be fought quite closely, given how it should play out. Landwehr relies on sheer busyness and drowning his opponents to win rounds but, if he can’t necessarily do that to Lingo, do you really have a whole lot of confidence that he’s going to be the clear round winner? The guy gets hit by 5.56 significant strikes per minute. Considering we are in Texas and there is added volatility to the judging, any fighter that can land 5.56 S.Strikes is live to win a round or two!
Landwehr’s key to winning this fight is going to be in his wrestling, as that’s where he will clearly assert himself. But can he even get it there though? Lingo’s debut performance against Youseff Zalal was a big red flag in terms of his takedown defence, but he looks to have improved it in his following two bouts. However, those came against a lower level of competition so could well be flattering Lingo’s overall ability. His takedown defence stats are quite skewed, and he’s coming off an 18 month layoff which muddies the water even more.
I think the edge in experience and overall competence at the hard-nosed styles means that Landwehr deserves to be favoured here, but I think the pricetag is a bit ridiculous. He should get the win, but I would be very surprised if he does it with the dominance of a -275. The lay off for Lingo means that he can have anywhere from a very low floor to a reasonably high ceiling. Both men are durable and will have moments in this fight, so this is one of the fights where I’m expecting some wild shit from Texas judges. If you’re convinced about betting Landwehr at -300 here, you’re crazy. Lingo the value side, but mostly based off intangibles and hypotheticals, which doesn’t fill me with enough confidence to pull the trigger.
How I line this fight: Nate Landwehr -200 (67%), Austin Lingo +200 (34%)
Bet or Pass: Pass
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Andrea Lee v Maycee Barber
This one should be pretty fun! It’s speed and agility vs power and force.
Andrea Lee is a complicated fighter to get a full read on, as her performances have really varied throughout her career. She’s well rounded enough to outstrike most equally levelled opponents on the feet, and her grappling isn’t too bad either. Takedown defence needs a bit of work though.
The biggest issue with Lee is those back-to-back losses to Lauren Murphy and Roxanne Modafferi. It’s just inexcusable to lose both of those of those fights when you’re the calibre that Andrea Lee is. I know you can argue she got robbed against Murphy (it’s probably the key example of Texas judging being so bad), but she let the fight become quite close. And yes, Barber lost to Modafferi, but that was all determined by an injury and anyone who tells you otherwise is a hater or hasn’t watched it.
I’ve always thought Barber was overrated in terms of skills, but her physicality and strength are a bit of a gamechanger in the Women’s divisions. She’s well-rounded, but statistically has lesser output than Andrea Lee…which is always concerning. I expect this one to be quite competitive, where Andrea Lee could easily stay safe on the outside and jab her way to a win, as long as she gets on her bike and utilises good footwork. Maycee will plod forward and look to land the power shot, but that’s not a particularly high percentage outcome to rely on in Women’s MMA. If she can get her hands on her and utilise the clinch, I think it’s all one way traffic from there though. Maycee is reliable to do that, at least.
I can understand Barber being the favourite based off the finishing upside, imposing striking with good metrics and ability to land takedowns…but I’m just still not wholly convinced by her ability as a mixed martial artist outside of the way she implements brute force. It might be enough here, but I just don’t like her at this short of a price. Lee has a clear path to victory that, whilst I’m not convinced she can execute it, should be taken seriously.
How I line this fight: Andrea Lee +163 (38%), Maycee Barber -163 (62%)
Bet or Pass: Pass
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Alex Perez v Manel Kape
It’s just impossible to know what we’re getting from Alex Perez at this stage, isn’t it? I like Manel Kape and rate him relatively highly, but I have always maintained that Perez on his best day could well be a champion at Flyweight. I bet him in most of his fights in the buildup to the title bout against Figgy – and I bet him there as well. Unfortunately Figgy was still in his explosive prime so it didn’t work out, but I expected Perez to become somewhat of a title eliminator gatekeeper from then on. Since that loss two and a half years ago his career has taken a peculiar turn – eight fight cancellations and a 91 second loss to Alexandre Pantoja.
There are just so many question marks surrounding Alex Perez at the moment, and that makes it impossible to know what to expect in this fight. If he was at his best, I’d consider him a slight favourite here, but who knows. Kape’s weakness is clearly defensive wrestling, and he can sometimes be low volume enough on the feet that he makes fights closer than they need to be. Perez has a good enough style to make that work and win here…providing we get him at his best.
I didn’t dive into much tape for this one as I knew I wasn’t going to bet it at all. If you think Kape beats Perez based off the footage available then you’re getting a decent price!
How I line this fight: Didn’t tape, won’t line it.
Bet or Pass: Pass
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Chidi Njokuani v Albert Duraev
It’s crazy how much Albert Duraev’s stock has fallen, all in one loss to Joaquin Buckley. Before that bout he looked sensational on the Contender Series, and followed it up with a dominant win over Roman Kopylov as a -450 favourite. He absolutely does his best work in the grappling and showed that he doesn’t have much of a plan B if he can’t land takedowns or settle his opponent on their back. I’m also not too convinced by his cardio, and any opponent that will make him work hard to secure top position can weaponise his questionable endurance in the later rounds.
Buckley’s such a physical and stocky guy though, I think he’s naturally going to be a tough opponent to take down when you’ve got a bit more of a wirey frame like Duraev does. Chidi Njokuani isn’t so muscular and stocky, so I think it’s fair to assume that Duraev’s going to be more of a threat with the takedowns than he was against Buckley.
The problem is, Chidi showed some really impressive get ups after the initial takedown and doesn’t usually settle on the bottom whilst he’s fresh. Dusko Todorovic isn’t the best grappler in the world by any stretch, but Chidi was doing all the right things to prevent hit back from lying flat on the mat, and if he has similar success against Duraev he’s cruising.
The finish to the Robocop fight was a bit of a concern, but that fight heated up to a ridiculously fast pace in round 1 that I think Chidi cardio dumped, got rocked, and kind of quit on the bottom against Rodrigues. The same could happen again, but it would rely on Duraev pushing the pace aggressively with his striking, which isn’t something he often does.
Overall, I think Njokuani definitely deserves to be a favourite here as he is much more dangerous on the feet and has shown us already that he can successfully answer the questions that Duraev will ask. The Russian also does not have much of a plan B and doesn’t always do a whole lot with his top control except set up submissions. Considering Njokuani is a BJJ Black Belt, and the judges probably won’t appreciate those kind of optics from Duraev, I’m not massively convinced by his chances here.
I’m interested to see what kind of price they’re giving for Njokuani ITD in this fight, as I’m quite convinced by his finishing ability since he moved up to Middleweight, and Duraev is very hittable if he gets stuck on the feet. If I can get + money on it I think I’d have a small wager.
How I line this fight: Chidi Njokuani -175 (64%), Albert Duraev +175 (36%)
Bet or Pass: 1.5u Chidi Njokuani & CJ Vergara Both to Win (+122)
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Steven Peterson v Lucas Alexander
I complain pretty much every week about the UFC’s current fighter calibre having massively declined recently, and nothing proves my point like Steven Peterson finally becoming a betting favourite for the first time in 8 UFC bouts. The guy has been the perfect litmus test to determine whether any fighter is UFC level, and those he has beaten were notoriously bad at the time and didn’t last long at the top level (Chase Hooper excluded because he had some “name value”).
He’s got some similarities to Austin Lingo in that he is some generic white guy with bad tattoos, that doesn’t have any real skill but is gritty and dedicated to the fight. If you can’t put him away, you’re going to have keep your shit together or he might surprise you by sheer output and ruggedness. No fighter that is credited mostly for their ability to take a punch and walk forward deserves to be a -175 favourite, but they also don’t always deserve to be massive underdogs either (see breakdown of Landwehr vs Lingo). The thing that baffles me the most though is that Peterson isn’t much of a finisher (6 of his last 7 went the distance), meaning the books are putting a fair bit of stock into his ability to win a decision.
So…Lucas Alexander. His UFC debut was a quick loss via RNC, but it came off a slip from a kick and the rest was kind of a formality at that point once Brito got the back as a result. Personally I don’t really put much/any stock into that loss as I don’t think it showed us anything about him apart from his defensive grappling isn’t elite? Ask yourself this…if this was Lucas Alexander’s UFC debut, would the line still be the same? It depends on what the regional tape looks like, but I’m quite sure it wouldn’t!
Therefore, we have to go back to the regional scene to actually get a glimpse of Alexander…and there is a lot more to be intrigued by than you might think. He’s a better technical striker than Peterson! He’s got great fluidity and movement, throws a varied arsenal of kicks and combos (lots of leg kicks, which will halt that forward pressure), and switches stances quite often. I’m not too sure how he’ll deal with being crowded by Peterson and his intense style, but I fully expect him to get the better of the majority of the striking exchanges whilst they’re at distance.
To win this fight cleanly, the grappling is the answer for Peterson…but Alexander’s defensive wrestling and get ups aren’t bad at all from what I’ve seen! I’ve seen evidence of him using the cage to get back to his feet and reversing position in the clinch, as well as maintaining position in top control. Apparently he’s a black belt as well, but I try not to immediately assume that makes you a good grappler (he does have 3 submission losses tbf). I did see a few submission attempts and successful reversals from bottom against Jeremias Fernandez, and was impressed with how he handled being on the bottom. The two regional scene submission losses both came in 2018, and honestly he looks like he’s improved his wrestling/grappling a lot since then so I’m not massively concerned by them.
Peterson has averaged just 1.61 TDs landed per 15 minutes, which isn’t a massively high number and doesn’t really fill you with a whole lot of confidence that he’s going to stick to a grappling based gameplan in this fight, especially when we know how much he enjoys brawling. If he does come with that kind of gameplan then I guess I expect him to be favoured (still hard to say how good/bad Alexander’s grappling is), but if he opts to strike I think he’s at a disadvantage.
For me, this fight is clearly a pick’em, or at least leans slightly towards Peterson as the favourite. I do expect Alexander to perform better than his +150 price tag suggests, as I think he’s got the potential to keep out of danger with the grappling and actually outscore Peterson on the feet. This fight probably goes the distance and, given the hesitance I have about Texas judges, I’d much rather be on the + money side there as well. Alexander is still being regarded as a “UFC debut” fighter in my eyes so I won’t be staking much here…but if you’re betting Peterson at -180 I think you’re crazy.
How I line this fight: Steven Peterson -120 (54%), Lucas Alexander +120 (46%)
Bet or Pass: 1u Lucas Alexander to Win (+150 or better…waiting to see if the juice continues)
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Trevin Giles v Preston Parsons
Preston Parsons looked really good in his win over Evan Elder last year, with the latter going on to impress everyone with his latest performance against Nazim Sadykhov a few weeks ago. Parsons has a really suffocating wrestling/grappling style, forcing his opponents to work and threatening with a variety of submissions. He can be a little “submission over position” but he’s got an arsenal of really good sweeps from bottom. His striking also looked decent in the loss to Daniel Rodriguez, throwing shots at angles and landing pretty cleanly on D-Rod a few times.
He faces Trevin Giles, who has had a pretty eventful UFC career so far. Giles suffered back to back R3 losses to Zak Cummings and Gerald Meerschaert in fights he was clearly winning, where lapses in concentration saw him snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. He then went on to be the benefactor of one of the worst decisions in MMA history when he beat James Krause by decision. Giles hasn’t really gone on to do a whole lot in his UFC career since, but a well-aged win over Roman Dolidze stands out as the highlight.
Giles has decent striking himself, but he is such a low volume fighter that I think he’s going to struggle to win rounds against Preston ‘Pressure’ Parsons if he doesn’t do damage. The younger fighter will be happy to push the pace in this one, varying up his striking with a few takedown entries and just overwhelming Giles, who likes to fight patiently and methodically on the feet. Giles looks clean when he’s involved in a staring match on the feet, but when the tempo turns up and things get a bit wild he kind of loses all composure and technique (see losses to Morales and Du Plessis recently). Giles is also a decent enough grappler, but he’s prone to reversals on the mat (which Parsons will definitely try to execute), and can accept bottom position if his initial guard sub or two get shut down.
I’m struggling to really see why this one is being lined as a pick’em here, as Giles doesn’t hold a whole lot of advantages that I think he’ll be able to implement. He’s clearly a good striker, but the low volume should prevent him from really being able to show that off properly, and he won’t be the fighter looking to put his stamp on rounds when he’s fighting at a tempo way higher than he wants. He’s more experienced, but we’ve also seen lots of examples of poor fight IQ consistently creeping into Giles’ game and he hasn’t addressed the flaws of his style.
I’d line Parsons as a small to moderate favourite in this fight, and I’ll be betting him for a couple of units as a result.
How I line this fight: Trevin Giles +150 (40%), Preston Parsons -150 (60%)
Bet or Pass: 3u Preston Parsons to Win (+100)
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CJ Vergara v Daniel Da Silva
To me, this seems like one of those fights where the UFC are acknowledging Vergara has paid his dues, and are giving him a bit of a softball as a result.
No one really knew what to make of Vergara when he got to the UFC – a KO win on the Contender Series in 41 seconds is usually a red flag more than anything! They lined him up with Ode Osbourne for his debut, where he was a +170 underdog. He put a really impressive display in that fight, with many thinking he actually won against a guy that is quite well respected at Flyweight.
Next, he was a +270 underdog to Kleydson Rodrigues, who was making his debut as a highly, highly touted prospect. Everyone and their mothers was on Rodrigues in that fight, yet Vergara fought a really smart and dedicated gameplan and won a close split decision. I had a big bet on Kleydson in his fight a few weeks ago, and rewatching the Vergara fight had me respecting him all over again. Given what we saw Kleydson do to Shannon Ross (not that the latter is a world beater) did nothing but improve Vergara’s stock.
Then, for his third UFC bout, he gets Tatsuro Taira! Probably one of the top 5 hottest unranked prospects in the sport right now. That was the first time we saw Vergara actually look like the +220 underdog that the books had him as, but given the hype around Taira that’s actually a respectable number to be graded at! There really isn’t a long list of fighters who are willing to fight Taira at the moment, so the matchmakers have probably scheduled this fight as a thank you for Vergara being a company man.
They’ve given him Daniel da Silva (Lacerda) as a reward. DdS is a pretty wild fighter, with 15 bouts all ending inside the distance (and none even reaching round 3). That kind of kill-or-be-killed style is certainly fun to watch, but it doesn’t really work out as well as you’d think when you hit the big shows. Don’t get me wrong, he looks pretty decent in round 1, but Vergara is a durable guy that has shown good IQ in the cage so far. He should find a way to stay safe in that opening round, probably by landing a takedown and coasting in top control like Jeff Molina did (also, shoutout Jeff Molina for handling the social media chaos with grace last week!), or by pushing that ferocious striking pace and keeping da Silva on the backfoot.
Even so, da Silva is a liability to himself in Round 1 as well, as we saw in losses to Francisco Figueiredo and Victor Altamirano. Getting kneebar’d by Figgy’s subpar brother is a pretty bad look, and he had absolutely no answer for Altamirano’s ground striking as soon as he was on his back. His commitment to the guard sub is insane, and it’s probably going to be responsible for yet another loss here against Vergara.
I think we’re getting a decent price on Vergara here. The blueprint has been written on Da Silva and, whilst Vergara will have to be careful for the opening few minutes, I think CJ’s got him covered here. I jumped in on the -275 as a parlay piece, as I think there’s an argument Vergara should probably be a bigger favourite here?
Also, as a side note from watching Molina vs Da Silva – Damn James Krause was a good coach. What a waste!
How I line this fight: CJ Vergara -300 (75%), Daniel Da Silva +300 (25%)
Bet or Pass: 1.5u CJ Vergara & Chidi Njokuani Both to Win (+122)
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Vinicius Salvador v Victor Altamirano
I loved Vinicius Salvador’s DWCS performance against Shannon Ross and I’m really excited to see him make his debut, but I’m not massively sure about how good he is as an overall fighter. His style instantly makes him a fan favourite, but using nothing but head movement to defend, and having that cocky style that throws ridiculous highlight reel kicks isn’t really a positive trait when you’re looking to put your hard earned money on a fighter. It looks cool and can sometimes impress the judges…but it’s a risky game and can easily see you getting caught clean or making mistakes. There’s a reason Michel Pereira doesn’t fight like a lunatic anymore.
Salvador hits hard and absolutely has knockout power, having finished 13 of his 14 wins by KO (the other was a submission). He’s also lost inside the distance in three of his 4 losses, and Shannon Ross did have him hurt for a second or two in the DWCS fight. He’s a chaotic fighter, and I’m really annoyed we got robbed of the chance to see him fight Daniel Da Silva a few months ago. It would have been fireworks.
This might sound stupid as a genuine piece of logic and reasoning, but I have always fully believed the notion that Mexican fighters have the best chins and next level toughness. It’s kind of a dumb narrative for me to hang my hat on, but I am always hesitant to side with a knockout-based fighter if it’s a Mexican opponent they’re trying to put to sleep. We saw Altamirano eat a few clean and heavy shots from Daniel Da Silva in his last bout, which makes me think I might have to side with my illogical narrative once again.
With that said, I still think Salvador deserves to be favoured by a small margin here. Victor Altamirano just isn’t very good. His win over DdS was kind of a high variance random knee, and he was clearly losing that fight up to that point. He was competitive in the win against Carlos Hernandez, but I feel like that fight didn’t do much to show off the skills of either guy and it really solidified that they are equally matched as entry level UFC fighters. It was like an intense sparring session, where neither guy had any real sting on their shots and only looked to point score, with a bit of cage pushing thrown in for good measure.
The power discrepancy between Altamirano and Salvador is too big to ignore here. Salvador is going to come out hot and look to take Victor’s head off, and I just don’t think Altamirano is going to be able to earn back the respect of Salvador here. The striking should be one-way traffic whilst they’re fresh, simply because Salvador’s going be doing damage with almost every shot that he lands. As the fight wears on though, I expect Altamirano have a lot more success in the later minutes, as he settles into the fight and has grown confident he can withstand the power (as well as some of the sting coming off Salvador’s shots).
Altamirano doesn’t look like wrestling/grappling is his preferred skillset, but I think he would do well to lean on it a bit here. I haven’t been able to really find any tape on Salvador’s defensive wrestling/grappling, but I have to assume that a fighter with as little technical discipline as him is probably not the greatest grappler in the world.
I see Vinicius Salvador as something similar to the Brazilian equivalent of Trevor Peak. It's easy to get ahead of yourself and try to fade a guy with brute force and no technique, but it’s important to realise that the judges don’t score technique and as long as Salvador is landing something, he’ll earning favour with the judges and threatening to score a finish too.
I don’t think Altamirano is the guy to capitalise on those defensive lapses of Salvador, so I think the Brazilian is the rightful favourite. However, there’s not enough value on the line to justify a bet here, and Salvador could easily be the maker of his own downfall with his reckless style, and that’s not the kind of guy I like to back.
Very excited to see this one play out. I will probably throw Salvador into a couple of my untracked degenerate parlays, but officially it’s a no-bet for me.
How I line this fight: Vinicius Salvador -120 (54%), Victor Altamirano +120 (46%)
Bet or Pass: Pass
​
Tamires Vidal v Hailey Cowan
The UFC are being very generous to Hailey Cowan, aren’t they!? After trying and failing to set her up with one of the worst fighters on the roster, Ailin Perez, they’re trying again to offer her a bit of a soft entry into the UFC.
The problem is that Cowan is just simply not very good, so I think she’s going to struggle against anyone that’s borderline UFC calibre. Tamires Vidal sits on the fringe, and she seems to be the much more dangerous of the two and actually has some process to her striking, so I think Cowan deserves to be the underdog once again.
The betting line here has been on a real journey already. Books opened Cowan as a +200 underdog, and it looks to have been jumped on by some opportunistic value bettors – and rightly so! I just hope the steam has come in because they think the line was wide, not because they have any real faith in Cowan!
I’m intrigued to see how far the overcorrection goes, as this one really should land around a pick’em. The books won’t mind tipping the balance towards Cowan if it means they’ve got equal money on each side, as this isn’t going to be a high stakes fight so they’ll prioritise keeping the book green.
I have to remind myself of the calibre I’m dealing with here though…both women are low level and high variance is at play! If all the money on Cowan continues to come and Vidal’s price gets bigger, then a true value bettor should pounce on any decent size + money…but you really do have to accept that you’re getting into bed with variance here.
How I line this fight: Tamires Vidal -110 (52%), Hailey Cowan +110 (48%)
Bet or Pass: Pass
​
Bets (Placed bets in bold, others are pending as line may improve)
3u Preston Parsons to Win (+100)
1.5u CJ Vergara & Chidi Njokuani Both to Win (+122)
0.25u Njokuani, Parsons & Vergara All to Win (+330)
1u Lucas Alexander to Win (+150 or better)
Parlay Do’s: Njokuani, Parsons, Vergara
Parlay Don’ts: Sandhagen, Holm, Landwehr, Barber, Peterson, Cowan
​
UFC 287 (Breakdown next week but don’t expect line to hold)
2u Michael Chiesa to Win (-150)
Best of luck with your bets!

FYI, this is a story COLLECTION. Lots of standalones technically. So, you can basically start to read at any chapter, no pre-read of the other chapters needed technically (other than maybe getting better descriptions of characters than: Adam Vir=human, Krill=antlike alien, Sunny=tall alien, Conn=telepathic alien). The numbers are (mostly) only for organization of posts and continuity.
OC Written by Charlie Stastarrfallknightrise,
Typed up and then posted here by me.
Proofreading and language check for some chapters by u/Finbar9800
Future Lore and fact check done by me.
Another new alien race! WOOOOO
Also to all arachnophobes: I am sorry…I guess just imagine eight legged dogs the size of horses if that helps…
Previous First [Next](link)
"So, you're telling me we found another sapient omnivore species?"
The commander grunted, ripping his boot from a watery patch of mud and nearly crashing into the swampy water between two twisted tree roots.
Sunny reached out with one of her four armored arms and caught him by the back of his pack, pulling him upright.
He nodded a thanks to her and adjusted his gear.
Behind her Ramirez ducked under a low hanging branch, slogging through a pool of knee-high water, adjusting the containment pod, holding Krill more comfortably over both shoulders.
Krill, comfortable and warm inside his containment pod, watched the marines, scientists, and a linguist struggle through the mud under a covering of impossibly tall, twisted trees, their canopy blocking out all light that might have dared cut downwards towards the watery floor below.
"Not entirely sapient, I suppose."
Krill answered,
"Unfortunately the way in which they communicate is going to drastically reduce their ability to create complex structures and perform mathematical equations."
Together they maneuvered themselves over a root, which at some point in the distant past, had decided to grow upwards instead of down. At about four feet high, it had changed its mind and arched back down into the water. Perhaps it had been smaller then, but at four feet wide, the root was an absolute monstrosity now.
The trees themselves were massive, challenging, and sometimes outgrowing the legendary redwood forests of the western Americas, but unlike the redwoods, these trees didn't stand tall and proud. Instead, they chose a twisted path much like the branching veins which made up a human vascular system. They twisted and undulated, interlocking past each other with branches that were well over two feet wide in many cases, and stretching to over four feet wide in others.
No one direction was good enough, and the trees twisted, ducked swirled and reached, grasping for any sort of light to be found.
On top of the darkness cast by the trees and the soggy nature of the forest floor, it was also horribly hot and humid, giving the impression of a microwaved wet blanket thrown over the world. Where heat from the upper canopy met the cooler air of deep forest pools, it created a perpetually thick mist which writhed and undulated through the trees, leaving only the shadowy impressions of twisted trunks and clawing branches past distances greater than 50 feet (15m).
"They communicate primarily through pheromones and heat modulation. From what I understand, the language in itself isn't precise, and really only works in generalities and feelings than it does in absolutes."
Commander Vir kicked a rotting log out of the way, ducking as a massive green bug buzzed over his head and into the fog.
Turns out the hotter and more humid a planet gets, the bigger the bugs get,
"But we were still able to communicate with them?”
Krill nodded from inside his case,
"Yes, generally speaking. For a species that cannot communicate in absolutes, I hear they are quite reasonable. They seem willing to accept our friendship, and have..... invited, I guess, us to participate in some sort of primitive ritual."
Vir perked up, flashing a bright smile.
“Reasonable? Peaceful? Rituals? And definitely CANNOT communicate in ABSOLUTES!? Am I the only one who thinks that sounds familiar?”
Sunny sighed,
“No Adam I am reasonably sure that they are not Jedis…”
“C’mon, that would be so cool! Like lightsabers, the force and stuff… maybe they look like tiny Yodas? I mean it fits, with the swamp, the speech impairment and all…”
He nearly fell over another root.
“Adam, focus. We have a mission here.”
The commander nodded, scrambling over another tree branch,
"Alright, so... where are these things anyway? How do they look?"
His boots hit solid ground, covered in some sort of wet spongy fungus and he glanced down at his GPS.
“Considering they talk by smell, my bet is on Elephants with giant human noses. What do you think Mav?”
Ramirez turned around to look at Maverick, who had stopped walking.
“…”
“Mav?”
“Giant… fucking spiders…”
“…”
Commander Vir was still looking at his GPS and no one else answered, so without looking up he broke the silence and said:
“Wow you are always so negative; it better not be, I want my space Yodas…”
“…”
“…”
More silence.
This time it was broken by Ramirez.
“Giant fucking spiders… with… Wolfheads!?”
The commander was still diddling around with the GPS in his hands.
“Oh not you too Ramirez, also that’s oddly specific, you always had a pretty cruel imagination. Ah there we go I think it’s that way.”
He said, looking up from his GPS to keep moving.
“…”
“…”
After some steps he realized no one was following him, so he stopped and turned around.
Behind him the other marines were dead silent, heads lifted towards the sky in shock.
"FUCK ME."
One of the marines whispered, scrambling back behind a tree root.
Commander Vir turned and nearly fell into the water again, eyes locked onto the creatures descending from high above.
They were huge, about the size of large horses, and horrifically spider like in their construction, or perhaps an ant. They had large-scale abdomens connected to a thinner thorax. All together they had ten appendages, three pairs of spider-like legs on the abdomen which, instead of ending in a pod or foot, ended in a sharp pointed spike. On the abdomen, they had two arm-like appendages, with too many joints and strange wavy tentacles instead of fingers.
The head was just as disconcerting.
It seemed too large for the body, grossly out of proportion and strangely out of place, like some cosmic sentience had used a random animal generator to assign parts to its body.
The head was wolflike, if you were to strip the skin and fur away, leaving only the muscle underneath. You could see the line of teeth running up either side of the muzzle, while the large red-pink ears rotated continuously.
Commander Vir had backed himself into the bowl of a tree eyes wide. Sunny slogged herself up from the water, placing herself between the strange spidery creatures and the human.
They didn't descend like a spider might, on threads of silk, but they used their back six feet, and the spikes on the end to dig into the bark of the trees with a disconcerting thud thud thud thud.
Finally the largest of the creatures reached the ground, surprisingly silent for its massive bulk.
Glancing around Sunnys tensed body, he noticed something he hadn't before, and that was a strange small mass gripping onto the spidery creature's underbelly. Upon closer inspection he counted ten legs and a surprisingly spidery head buried against its underside... a completely separate creature holding on to its companion.
Behind the largest creature, he noted ANOTHER type of creature. It boasted the same sort of structure as the large creature, but its abdomen was devoid of scales, and covered in strange black bulbs suctioned onto its body by way of a strange, sticky black-green webbing. Its head was also constructed differently more like a lizard than a wolf, with large bulbous eyes that could rotate behind its own head to look in all directions.
Commander Vir fiddled nervously with the advanced translation headset he wore, strapped to his helmet, supposedly it was supposed to be able to understand what these things were saying.
"Sky... friends."
The translation was somewhat garbled, but he understood it was the large wolf-head who spoke.
He walked forward, pushing Sunny gently to the side despite her clear reluctance,
"Yes, we are friends, and we are here to offer peace to you, and the assistance of the Galactic Assembly."
He wasn't entirely sure how that was going to translate over in smell, but the creature seemed happy lifting its head and gnashing its large canine teeth.
"Agreement... for a favor."
Commander Vir grew unsure then, letting off a reluctant,
"What favor?”
The spidery shape moved closer sniffing at him with its large wolffish nose. Sunny stiffened at his side, and he put a hand on her arm to calm her.
"Ritual... you watch and help."
"None of us will get hurt... will we?"
The creature stopped and pondered the question for a long moment,
"No danger... live... healthy... happy."
Commander Vir nodded slowly,
"Alright, what do we have to do?"
The creature hefted its large bulk, and turned in the opposite direction,
"Follow."
It commanded, scuttling off into the trees.
[…]
"This is very interesting."
Krill was saying to one of the accompanying scientists, who nodded vigorously in agreement.
"What's so interesting?”
Commander Vir whispered, from where he stood at the edge of yet another, but larger fungus covered clearing, watching as the creatures scuttled back and forth.
The scientist learned in in excitement,
"It seems that these creatures have a ternary gender system."
Before the commander could ask, the scientist continued,
"For ease of speech, the large ones are the females, and those things on their bellies are probably the males. The medium ones are the third gender, the 'they' if you will. It looks like the male impregnates the female who then attaches the eggs to the third party. Dr. Krill tells me that the third party have a very high heat signature, probably to incubate the young. Those attachments probably provide nutrients into the egg and may even transfer DNA over as well."
"Wow... freaky."
The commander muttered in fascination.
"Kind of gross if you ask me."
Sunny muttered.
"I'm with her. Its kinky, but too kinky for me…"
Ramirez muttered, receiving a few nods from the other marines.
"Oh please."
Krill whispered,
"I know what human reproduction is like, and it's arguable way worse."
The scientist waved them all off,
"The big one there, the one that's been talking to us. I think she's the queen, and judging from those egg sacks, this is probably mating season, if they have one."
"Creepy, but cool, I guess."
The captain muttered. They watched for a little longer as the queen scuttled around the clearing and then returned to look at them, lowering her meaty wolffish head to the commander's eye level.
"Ritual... find... eggkeeper."
She scuttled away.
"Oh... this is some sort of… Mating ritual maybe? To choose that third party you were talking about?”
"This isn't exactly the kind of "Mating ritual" I wanted to see."
Ramirez muttered. The other marines turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. Sunny stuck her tongue out in disgust.
Off in the clearing, some of the smaller females had moved themselves onto the high branches scuttling through the trees to examine the "they" who waited patiently. It appeared that side was very important in the ritual, as they all fought for the largest counterpart. Once found, the wolffish head would lower, and open up to reveal a tube under the tongue. From there she would... disgorge the egg onto the abdomen of the 'they' and the mucus would solidify to hold them on.
"It has to do with size."
Krill hissed,
"But it seems that it has more to do with heat. The big ones only get chosen more because they also happen to be warmer than the smaller ones. I'd say they incubate at an average of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, so 32 degrees Celsius."
They watched this for a while, the scientists taking notes and the marines making inappropriate jokes.
Eventually most of the creatures had finished, leaving only the queen left over.
Everything went still when she began to move, and she scuttled around the clearing, looking over all the available 'theys' she could find, but she just didn't seem satisfied.
Commander Vir tugged at the collar of his jacket, a line of sweat dripping down his face.
She continued her circuit once and then twice; at some point she turned her head, large eyes locking on the humans.
She sniffed at them.
The human laughter died as she advanced.
"What is she doing?"
The commander muttered under his breath.
The scientist that stood next to him, hidden partially behind Sunny, answered
"I... I'm not sure."
She scuttled even closer, and the humans backed away.
"Hey doc... didn't you say something about... them being attracted to heat? And like the “they’s” being around 90 F/32 Celsius?”
Ramirez wondered, hiding himself behind a root.
"Yeah... I did, why?”
"Not to freak anyone out or anything but... isn't average human heat about 98.6 Fahrenheit… so 37 degrees Celsius?"
”FUCK!”
”OH NONONONONO!”
”HIIIIDE!”
”RUUUN!”
What followed was a rather violent game of nose goes, but instead of involving touching one’s nose to see who was the last person standing, it involved a mad rush to reduce body heat.
The smartest marines took the initiative and dove into the water beside the clearing, completely submerging themselves under the surface.
Others chose to cover whatever exposed skin they might have had in mud, as if to mask the heat.
Still others chose to cut and run.
Unfortunately, with his position at the head of the group, commander Vir wasn't fast enough.
She came at him in a scuttling rush, and in a frantic leap to get away, his boot caught on a root and he hit the ground hard.
Sunny tried to leap in front of him, but was bowled over by the mad rushing form.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Commander Vir repeated, scuttling backwards across the ground, as the large spidery shape loomed over him.
He stopped dead in his tracks, backed against a tree root.
She leaned closer.
He raised his hands above his head blocking his face,
"Please don't lay your eggs in me. Please don't lay your eggs in me."
She reached out one of her forward hands, surprisingly delicate, as she cut through the first layers of his jacket, and shirt.
They fell away in slices revealing the pale human skin underneath red and sticky with the tropical heat.
His chest and abdomen heaved with his breath as he tried to scramble away, but she caught him with the prong of one of her back legs pinning him in place.
"Fuck... Help... HELP."
Sunny wasn't fast enough, having been tipped head over heels into the water, with the rest of the marines in similar positions, Krill contained inside his tube unable to help but also unable to look away.
She lowered her head, and the man screamed. It was cold, gelatinous and slimy at first, but even as it touched open air, he could feel it fusing against his skin solidifying. He thrashed and wriggled, but she was far too strong holding him in place.
Finally though, she backed away, leaving him panting on the ground shaking and trembling leg throbbing where he had been pinned.
She leaned her head down to examine him,
"Warm."
They locked eyes,
"Friends... now... Keep them... warm."
She retreated, and he struggled to his knees, turning to look down at his body which was now partially obscured by a sticky pod of six black eggs, pulled tight against his skin. His hands were shaking, as he reached down to touch them, cold and smooth.
He tried tugging on one, but nearly fainted at the pain it caused against his skin.
The creatures were withdrawing back into the trees, leaving him kneeling on the fungus, hands trembling as looked downwards.
Sunny was the first to recover, scrambling out of the water and over to him, placing a hand on his back as she examined the strange eggs attached to his skin,
"Mother of-"
The marines cut her off as they came wriggling from the trees,
"Commander, commander are you ok..."
One of the marines cut around front, frozen in his tracks, eyes wide once he saw,
"WHAT THE HELL!"
Sunny reached out as if to tug on one of them,
"NO!"
He snapped, jerking away from her.
The others gathered around to look with exclamations of shock and disgust.
The commander looked up at Sunny pleadingly.
She decided to take charge, helping him to his feet and then pulling him into her arms,
"We have to get him back to the ship, let's move, NOW!"
"What do you think, Dr."
Dr. Katie examined the scan with a frown,
"It's very, very strange, that's for sure."
Commander Vir lifted his head to look down at them,
"Well what the HELL does that mean?”
Krill shoved his head back onto the table,
"Stay still."
Dr. Katie hummed softly as she continued to examine the scans,
"It looks like these little filaments have breached the skin ... and.... well at least one of them has made it to your liver, this one here has made it to your lungs."
"What about white blood count?"
Krill wondered,
"The body must have noticed something by now?"
Dr Katie shook her head,
"Nothing, the body seems to have accepted it. I took some samples and... well I think I might know why."
She rolled herself to the side in her chair and over to one of the adjoining computers,
"See this, this is HIS DNA ...and this is the DNA of the strands."
Krill pearled over her shoulder,
"What the... they look almost identical."
"Yes... I don't think the body knows anything is wrong."
She turned her chair back around to look at the commander,
"Congratulations commander, you are perhaps, in the weirdest way possible, the only man in the history of existence who might just experience the miracle of life. You are going to be a dad!"
The look on his face made it clear he wasn't interested in being congratulated,
"What the actual fuck does that mean?"
He snapped, Dr. Katie rolled closer,
"Well, to explain in terms you may understand. You are doing more than keeping them warm. Those filaments that you saw are acting like umbilical cords. The one at your liver is using it as a filter, and to take in nutrients as it seems to have branching filaments to the stomach and intestines. The one going to your lungs is taking in carbon... not sure what that's going to do to your breathing if anything. But at this point I don't think that even Dr. Krill, as good as he is, can remove them. We would have to remove too much of your internal structure to it to be viable, plus they don't seem to be hurting you."
"Not hurting me! NOT HURTING ME! You said it yourself they are SUCKING OUT MY VITAL JUICES."
Dr. Katie shrugged,
"Welcome to pregnancy... sort of.”**
”Look we will monitor you, make sure they aren't sucking away to many nutrients. Look on the bright side, you can probably eat more, and judging from an analysis of the egg sacks, the average gestational period is only around two months."
"TWO MONTHS!?"
Sunny, who had been standing next to the man at the head of the exam table, couldn't suppress a short chirp of laughter.
He glowered at her,
"What's so funny!?"
She chirped again placing a hand on his arm,
"You're gonna be a mom."
If looks could kill, shed be reduced to a singularity,
"Get your hand off me or ill break it in half!"
She continued chirping but removed her hand just in case.
This was going to be a very awkward call to the UNSC and the GA.
For that matter, it was going to be a very awkward call home.
Previous First [Next](link)
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author
Thanks for reading! As you saw in the title, this is a cross posted story written by starrfallknightrise and I'll just upload some of it here for you guys, if you are interested and want to read ahead, the original story-collection can be found on tumblr or wattpad to read for free. (link above this text under "OC:..." ) It is the Empyrean Iris story collection by starfallknightrise. Also, if you want to know more about the story collection i made an intro post about it, so feel free to check that out to see what other great characters to look forward to! (Link also above this text). I have no affiliations to the author; just thought I’d share some of the great stories you might enjoy a lot!
Obviously, I have Charlie’s permission to post this and for the people already knowing the stories, or starting to read them: If you follow the link and check out the story you will see some differences. I made some small (non-artistic) changes, mainly correcting writing mistakes, pronoun correction and some small additional info here and there of things which were not thought of/forgotten or even were added/changed in later stories (like the “USS->UNSC” prefix of Stabby, Chalar=/->Sunny etc). As well as some "biggemajor" changes in descriptions and info’s for the same stringency/continuity reason. That can be explained by the story collection being, well a story collection at the start with many standalone-stories just starring the same people, but later on it gets more to a stringent storyline with backstories and throwbacks. (For example Adam Vir has some HEAVY scars over his body, following his bones, which were not really talked about up till half the collection, where it says it covers his whole body and you find out via backflash that he had them the whole time and how he got them, they just weren't mentioned before. However, I would think a doctor would at least see these scars before that, especially since he gets analyzed, treated and goes shirtless/in T-shirts in some stories). So TLDR: Writing and some descriptions are slightly changed, with full OK from the author, since he himself did not bother to correct these things before.

There’s a future I imagine with this game. 11.7, 12.0, and 12.3 battle rating tanks. Before we get into br placement and make suggestions let’s go over all the vehicles that could be added for each of the 4 primary nations. Also this is a little off topic but I think Japan should get a North and South Korea line added to their tank tree and make a combined line for both koreas in the air tree. I would like to see the K2 Black panther on this list but no other nation could have it, maybe Germany because they have some polish vehicles in their tree if I’m not mistaken.
Anyways let’s go over america.
USA
MBT: -M1A2 SEP V2, V3 -ABRAMS X
IFV: -OMFV (BAE systems) -Stryker Dragoon
SPAA: -SHORAD
Unfortunately I don’t see the SHORAD getting placed too high in BR, purely due to the fact that it has “short range” in its name. However it’s extreme killing capability, modern radar, and mobility would put it in the 11.7 region in my opinion.
Sep v2 can likely stay at 11.3 with the potential to go to 11.7, while sep v3 is likely to be a 11.7 with the potential to be a 12.0
The Abrams X, I certainly think out of all the tanks that’ll be mentioned on this list, this one is by far the best. A crew of three inside the hull, manless turret, auto loader, and smart munitions. A snipers dream.
The OMFV is the replacement for the M3 Bradley and will likely be the most capable IFV in war thunder. I’m not sure if they’ll implement this feature to war thunder but there’s this parabolic gun computer. You can lock your gun onto a target, back behind a hill, and fire the gun at the enemy without seeing them. Of course you’ll need to spot them first and lock the zone in which you want to target. The computer will recalculate the distance based on how much you backed up and will provide the perfect trajectory for your rounds to hit. That will be further improved by the smart guided munitions.
The Stryker Dragoon is a M1128 with a 30mm auto cannon instead of the large auto loading tank gun. For urban maps this thing will be a lot of fun and will still have the parabolic computer and smart munitions for helicopter’s or air-bursting above tanks, I would imagine this thing and the OMFV to have apfds rounds as well.
If you haven’t done so already I would look up pictures of all the vehicles I talked about. Let’s move on to Germany.
Germany
MBT: -Leopard 2A7 -KF51
IFV: -KF31 -KF41 -Boxer RT60
SPAA: -Skyranger
The leopard 2A7 is definitely a want from a lot of players and from my point of view could sit in the 11.7 range.
The KF51 Panther is certainly the definition of overkill. Armed with a 130mm gun it’s rumored to fire a round that can penetrate up to and perhaps over 1,000mm. It’ll be interesting to see how much pen it really gets in game. If they ever add it. Definitely 12.0 if not 12.3
The KF31 and 41 are both similar although the KF41 is the more interesting vehicle and will likely be the top tier IFV for Germany in the future.
The skyranger will be similar to the SHORAD in in terms of range and killing capabilities. However these vehicles are very mobile and will likely be dual purpose. Ground and air.
Russia
MBT: -T-90M -T-14
IFV: -T-15 -BMPT Terminator -Kurganets -Boomerang
SPAA: -TOR -Or just uptier the Panstir and call it a day.
Russia is pretty loaded and I could talk about each of those vehicles very extensively however to save some time I would just look up each of those vehicles to get an idea. Most of you are likely familiar with the MBT’s but not so much the IFV’s which are far more interesting.
United Kingdom
MBT: -Challenger 3
IFV: -General Dynamics Ajax -Boxer CVR
SPAA: I couldn’t really find anything other than stormer if anyone has any suggestions then comment away.
Challenger 3 is certainly going to be a bit underwhelming yet still very capable. I can confidently say that if vehicles like this get added challenger 3 will be the first one I get. It’ll have blowout panels and an enclosed compartment for the ammo. So no more two stage ammo. As well as improved mobility, targeting systems, and a new smooth bore gun. The smooth bore will be replacing the rifled barrel because the British army is moving away from HESH rounds and no longer needs the rifled barrel. Smart munitions will take the place of HESH.
The Ajax IFV developed by General dynamics was made at specific request from the British to make a replacement for the warrior IFV. This vehicle is simply a 21st century version of the warrior. It’s made for the modern battlefield.
The Boxer CVR is a vehicle developed for Australia and very comparable to the Stryker dragoon.
As of right now that’s about all I can come up when it comes to rank 8 vehicles. This list was also rushed and I didn’t put a lot of time into it. Your own research is required I just gave my general knowledge for each vehicle.

Hey all,
Just started this game and it's certainly a fantastic world to be in.
Usually with open world games I tend to get overpowered quite early. I avoid main quest lines and enjoy doing side missions + treasure hunting to see as much of the open worlds as I can.
However, this tends to make the rest of the time a little boring as you tend to have all the best armour, weapons etc.
I'd like to avoid this happening with Black Flag. My aim to get
get to Sequence 6 Memory 1 (just to get the Diving Bell) then
start exploring the pirate life.
Any tips on what to do early to enjoy all the side content without becoming some sort of pirate demi god. Thinking of a plan to maybe do some hunting first to build some holster upgrades etc. Then upgrade the base maybe?
Any tips/help is greatly appreciated 👍🏴‍☠️

I tested positive for COVID back in July 2021. I experienced the loss of smell/taste which came back after ~6 months. Brain fog also affected me post-COVID but that is much harder to measure. One symptom that was easy to measure was my ability to metabolize caffeine.
Pre-COVID I was not a heavy caffeine user: I would drink one cup of black in the morning and maybe have some tea in the afternoon. Post-COVID (coming up on 2 years), these same levels of caffeine have been giving me anxiety and jitters.
I still get the wonderful response on that first drink of coffee in the morning: one immediately feels a bit more awake and more prepared to take on the day even though you haven't metabolized anything. ~10-15 minutes into drinking the anxiety feeling from the pit of my stomach starts and the jitters begin. This happens whether it's an energy drink, dark roast, or light roast. The only thing that is somewhat drinkable is black tea, but that also doesn't get the job done like a cup of coffee.
This definitely started from the first cup I had post-infection and continues to this day. Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice? Any tips or even shared experiences are much appreciated.

Hello everyone! Today is the 21st of March, 2023 and I'm here to provide you with your horoscope for this day.
Aries 🔥: Today is a great day for you to take a step back and reflect on your life. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the changes that have been happening lately, so it's important to take some time to yourself and think about what you want out of life. The color of the day is red, the number is 7, and a love tip for you is to be open and honest with your partner.
Taurus 🐂: Today is a great day for you to focus on your relationships. You may be feeling a bit disconnected from those around you, so it's important to take some time to reconnect with them. The color of the day is pink, the number is 4, and a love tip for you is to show your appreciation for your partner.
Gemini 💫: Today is a great day for you to focus on your career. You may be feeling a bit stuck in your current job, so it's important to take some time to think about what you want out of your career. The color of the day is yellow, the number is 9, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are communicating your needs to your partner.
Cancer 🦀: Today is a great day for you to focus on your creative side. You may be feeling a bit uninspired lately, so it's important to take some time to explore new ideas and activities. The color of the day is blue, the number is 3, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are taking time to appreciate the little things in your relationship.
Leo 🦁: Today is a great day for you to focus on your finances. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the bills that have been piling up lately, so it's important to take some time to get organized and create a budget. The color of the day is orange, the number is 5, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are being honest about your financial situation with your partner.
Virgo ♍️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your health. You may be feeling a bit run down lately, so it's important to take some time to rest and recharge. The color of the day is green, the number is 8, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are taking care of yourself before taking care of others.
Libra ♎️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your spiritual side. You may be feeling a bit disconnected from your inner self lately, so it's important to take some time to meditate and reflect on what matters most to you. The color of the day is purple, the number is 2, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are taking time to nurture your relationship with your partner.
Scorpio ♏️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your goals. You may be feeling a bit lost lately, so it's important to take some time to think about what you want out of life and create an action plan. The color of the day is black, the number is 6, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are setting realistic goals with your partner.
Sagittarius ♐️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your social life. You may be feeling a bit isolated lately, so it's important to take some time to reach out and connect with those around you. The color of the day is white, the number is 1, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are spending quality time with your partner.
Capricorn ♑️: Today is a great day for you to focus on yourself. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that have been piling up lately, so it's important to take some time to relax and do something just for yourself. The color of the day is grey, the number is 10, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are taking time for yourself as well as your partner.
Aquarius ♒️: Today is a great day for you to focus on learning something new. You may be feeling a bit stagnant lately, so it's important to take some time to explore new ideas and activities. The color of the day is brown, the number is 11, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are taking time to learn something new together with your partner.
Pisces ♓️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your emotions. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the feelings that have been coming up lately, so it's important to take some time to process them and express them in healthy ways. The color of the day is indigo, the number is 12, and a love tip for you is to make sure that you are being honest about how you're feeling with your partner.

Hey everyone! It's the 21st of March, 2023 and I'm here to give you all your horoscopes for the day.
Aries 🔥: Today is a great day for you to take a step back and reflect on your life. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that's going on, so take some time to relax and recharge. Your lucky color today is yellow, your lucky number is 8, and your love tip is to take some time to appreciate the little things in life.
Taurus 🐂: Today is a great day for you to focus on your goals and ambitions. You may be feeling a bit stuck in a rut, but don't worry - you have the power to make changes and move forward. Your lucky color today is green, your lucky number is 5, and your love tip is to take some time to nurture yourself and your relationships.
Gemini 💫: Today is a great day for you to take some risks and try something new. You may be feeling a bit hesitant about taking a leap of faith, but don't worry - you have the courage to make it happen. Your lucky color today is blue, your lucky number is 4, and your love tip is to take some time to express yourself and your feelings.
Cancer 🦀: Today is a great day for you to focus on your relationships. You may be feeling a bit disconnected from those around you, so take some time to reconnect and strengthen those bonds. Your lucky color today is pink, your lucky number is 9, and your love tip is to take some time to listen to what others have to say.
Leo 🦁: Today is a great day for you to focus on your creative side. You may be feeling a bit blocked creatively, so take some time to explore new ideas and express yourself. Your lucky color today is orange, your lucky number is 7, and your love tip is to take some time to appreciate the beauty in life.
Virgo ♍️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your health and wellbeing. You may be feeling a bit run down, so take some time to rest and recharge. Your lucky color today is purple, your lucky number is 6, and your love tip is to take some time to practice self-care.
Libra ♎️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your finances. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with money matters, so take some time to get organized and plan ahead. Your lucky color today is white, your lucky number is 3, and your love tip is to take some time to appreciate the abundance in life.
Scorpio ♏️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your spiritual side. You may be feeling a bit lost spiritually, so take some time to explore different paths and find what works best for you. Your lucky color today is black, your lucky number is 2, and your love tip is to take some time to connect with yourself and the universe.
Sagittarius ♐️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your career. You may be feeling a bit stuck in a rut, so take some time to explore new opportunities and make changes. Your lucky color today is red, your lucky number is 1, and your love tip is to take some time to appreciate the progress you've made in life.
Capricorn ♑️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your relationships with others. You may be feeling a bit disconnected from those around you, so take some time to reach out and connect with them. Your lucky color today is grey, your lucky number is 10, and your love tip is to take some time to show appreciation for those around you.
Aquarius ♒️: Today is a great day for you to focus on yourself. You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that's going on in life, so take some time to relax and recharge. Your lucky color today is turquoise, your lucky number is 11, and your love tip is to take some time to practice self-love and self-care.
Pisces ♓️: Today is a great day for you to focus on your dreams and aspirations. You may be feeling a bit stuck in a rut, so take some time to explore new possibilities and make changes. Your lucky color today is indigo, your lucky number is 12, and your love tip is to take some time to appreciate the journey that lies ahead of you.

Back First Next
As promised Chapter 2. See you Friday. Also thank you all for the positive reinforcement and being generally encouraging, that is a fresh change of breathe I did not expect.
​
Memory Transcription: Captain Neil Campbell, United Nations ‘Black Watch’ Company #4
Date [standardized human time]: December 3, 2136
Air raid sirens went out and announcements blared with a recorded message from Mayor Zim, “Everyone, please remain calm. The UN forces are here and escorting us to shelter. I repeat, remain calm. Captain Neil has requested all those who can fight, please see him.”
The military shuttle that was supposed to contain the 180 black watch members was lifting off, packed to beyond the safety limits with those who had drawn the short straws, most giving up their place on the ship for their children instead. Very few adults were on board, just enough to cover keeping the children calm and policed.
When none of his men had volunteered, Neil had forcefully selected one. Corporal MacTavish, called Soap as a callsign. “MacTavish, you’ve got one mission, keep them calm, get them to the fleet, and then get them out of the system. They may be the last Tilfish alive. Also tell them where we are and we have the town's civilians with us.” He passed MacTavish a dozen data discs and flash drives. “I am holding you personally responsible for them. You are to ensure this gets up there too. It’s the entire Tilfish public library and all the government documents we could download. At least some of their culture will survive as well. Make sure those children know who they are.”
MacTavish saluted Neil as he turned to get onto the ship last, passing Neil his longarm and every bit of ammunition, grenades, and supplies he had down to his side arm and two magazines he kept for it. “You’ll need these sir.” Neil nodded and passed them to the nearest trooper escorting him.
Moments later, Neil was riding in a recon rover, packed with 4 of his black watch, Zim, and several Tilfish who were either elderly or children. The vehicle’s loud speakers continued to repeat automatically as Neil’s soldier lined the road, directing people forward. They urged them to move quickly but calmly while the vehicle sped for the caldera. “Save your energy, you will need it. Your lives are more valuable than your possessions. Move quickly and stay quiet, every second counts now.”
His troopers offered snacks they had packed, some took them. Trail mix bars, chocolate bars, coffee, water, whatever they happen to have on their person. The point was to prove that the Tilfish were not cattle and that the soldiers had no intention to harm them. Every little bit helped keep them calm and prevent a stampede.
When they arrived at their outpost, Neil stepped into his command tent which was being rapidly torn down now. Only four Tilfish came to Neil to Neil’s call, less than he’d hoped. Four of Four Thousand, they are the bravest four I will ever know. He smiled at that thought.
They were cowering to stand before him as he sized each one up. His glare was hardened from years in the Watch. Ages of fighting simulations and actually being present on The Cradle, earth, and a couple of human brush wars before that.
“I need you four to act as guides for my soldiers, they will protect you with their lives. You will be armed and expected to assist in the defense as well.” He explained firmly after nearly a minute of uncomfortable glares.
“We…we… what are we holding against? Our own people?” one of the Tilfish asked hesitantly and looking terrified at the predator.
“No, I’m not going to sugar coat it. The Arxur are coming, likely will be here within the hour. That transport was the last leaving the spaceport without being intercepted. Our only option is to shelter in place.” He spoke with a kind of hopeless certainty.
The Tilfish all cowered before him as Mayor Zim started to quake standing besides Neil, but Neil was unflinching. “I am asking you to help us make sure as many Tilfish get into the depths of the mountains as we can. I will not lie, our survival is not expected but those tunnels are deep enough that they might just survive until rescue can be sent.”
He looked at the herd walking towards the mountains at a brisk pace, the legs of the insectoids going quickly. “Now listen, I’m going to be sending out aggravation squads to delay incoming Arxur. You two going to be send with them. Our engineers are booby trapping as well as reinforcing the cave depths. Every little bit to assist in making sure the Arxur do not get into the tunnel and that those tunnels survive an orbital bombardment hit.”
One of the Tilfish shook his head, and has an expression of distress with his thorax and legs shifting, "No, nothing survives anti-matter bombs, it's hopeless."
Neil shook his head, "We have several bunker shelters survive near misses and a few survive direct hits on earth and they were barely a few hundred meters below the surface. Those tunnels lead nearly four kilometers down. I sent three engineers with every bit of quick-crete we have and the longer we buy time, the better odds the rest of your down get."
He leaned down onto the electronic display and pointed at the map, eager to change their focus and give them something to not fear. “I presume because you only live a few dozen kilometers from here you know the terrain and know it well?”
The Tilfish were hesitate to move or speak, shaking as if children about to piss themselves because the boogieman was coming out of the closet.
Neil nodded to himself, They’re raw recruits, rookies at best and terrified draftee’s would be in better shape than them. Time to make this clear to them and force them to fight those instincts. He exhaled a breath and deflated himself, letting his intensity wear off for a moment. “What are you names?”
“Jerlio.” The first smaller Tilfish spoke, he was barely taller than Neil’s waist and stood eye level with his belly button.
The second one, larger than the first coming up to Neil’s lower ribs, “H…h….h…Herci.” His speaking is uneasy and shows terror.
The third looked like twins with their spots and faces, if there was a difference Neil couldn’t make it out. “This is Hazeinia and I’m Tia.” They the one on the left spoke. Neil had started to recognize the two sexes of the Tilfish, he wasn’t sure if they had genders but that didn't matter now.
Their movements had them shuffling as if looking for an escape from their situation. Neil knew that for their people just to be standing here before him, meeting his gaze was a lot. He had to take measures into his own hands right now.
“Stand to!” He barked, his voice wasn’t shouting but it was harsh; undeniable, and made all five Tilfish in the room freeze in place. “Listen and listen well, dig this into your minds right now. The four of you have shown uncharacteristic courage just to step up for your people. Now I need you to show courage in spite of your fear. You fight not for your own lives anymore, you fight for those who cannot, those who we are desperately trying to save.”
He took a step forward, and gazed down upon both them, then knelt down to one knee, meeting them at eye level. The Tilfish started to shy away when he reached out a hand and grasped gently but firmly upon two of their feelers. The insectoid fur tickled him while the texture of the carapace was foreign and creepy to him. He steeled himself and brought the most calm he could forward.and his gaze relaxed slightly. “Let me explain something to you, all of you.”
“Humans are not fearless,” His eyes had tears in it, he knew his men would be dying soon and there was little he could do about it. “Every moment we are facing combat; we are terrified. We are scared that we will not take another breath, we fear deeply.” he looked at each of them. “Even if your stomach is tied in knots, you smell the blood and gunpowder, you want to run to save yourself.” He turned to the two he was holding the feelers of. “You can feel the clamminess on my hands, I know your antennae can detect the heightening of my heart rate, and you can see the corners of my eyes as I force the tears back and gain focus.” He took a moment to push through and made a show of gulping in a way to swallow down his fear.
“The difference is that I am asking for you to gather your courage.” His hand got tighter around their feelers not so it hurt but to show a change in demeanor. “It is easy to be brave when you are surrounded by friends, when you outnumber your foes, when you are bigger than them. No, I ask you five to do this, not because it is easy but because it is hard. I need any man, woman, and bug on that line. Nearly four thousand of you have run into those tunnels with forty of my men to keep them calm and moving deeper and deeper.”
He guided the four outside of the command tent into the forested caldera and motioned around to the positions on the reverse slope of the mountain sides, “40 more are under manning Air to Ground missiles, the new interceptor systems, manual fire close in 40mm chainguns, and the three Orbital firing cannons we have. Yet despite the difficulty they have made 40 seem like 400 with how many guns we have working and running.”
“The remaining ninety-nine of my troopers are rigging mines, camouflage firing positions with overlapping fire, explosives, and every other conceivable defense we have. They will be finished soon but we need to delay the enemy just to get our defenses exactly right.”
He turned to them, “Two of you will serve as guides for my soldiers. I’m going to send out a ten size squad. They are going to recon for the Arxur, setup ambushes and make them pay. Once they are spent, they will send you back to report.”
He turned to Jerlio and placed a hand on what he believed to be his shoulder, “I need soldiers and of the Ten Thousand Tilfish we had, the five bravest I’ve ever known are here. We fight back to back, to the end. Not for ourselves but for those Four Thousand in the caves, understood?” He turned to Herci as he spoke.
Each of the Tilfish nodded in turn except for Zim, “What of me? What am I do to?”
“Zim you have the greatest job of all. I need a radio director not only to coordinate our men and relay messages but to broadcast to the fleet for as long as possible. You’ve got 2 hours to study and learn our code book, if you make mistakes it’s okay, repeat it in plain language if needed.” He motioned to the entrance to the cave his people had run into. “The radio is there, work it until it stops functioning, if the Arxur are upon you, there is a pistol on the table and an explosive under it. Detonate the explosive as your last action.”
Zim recoiled, “I… I did not volunteer for a last stand, I don’t understand?”
Neil looked at him hardened and took a step towards Zim, “You voted for our annihilation, and yet here we are, allies. Now you are going to prove those people, your people, who put their faith in you, were right to do so. I’m going to station a trooper there with you if I have to with orders to shoot you if you flee; am I understood!”
It wasn’t a question, Neil had gone from gentle to absolute terrifying fury in merely a few moments. With a slow nod, Zim in agreement. Neil shook his head, “Say it, say Yes Sir to me, Private Zim.”
Zim suddenly straightened as Neil leaned in to look into his eyes, so close that they could feel each other’s breath. Zim was terrified, under the glare of a predator it took several seconds to find his courage. “Yes…. sir…”
Neil snarled, barring his teeth, he would put the fear of the divine into this Tilfish politician, “I can’t hear you, say it, like you mean it.”
Zim nodded and hesitated then realized the ritual he had seen from the humans earlier when Neil was disappointed in one of them. He turned his mandibles to be the best approximation of a salute. “Yes sir!”
“You’re in the Watch now, the Black Watch. Our motto is Nemo me impune lacessit. It means, No One Provokes Me with Impunity. Now get moving, there is an equipment sergeant nearby and once I’ve selected my troopers you will go with them. Zim get to that radio and start studying that code book until you are certain you can reference it. Every one of our lives and the lives of those ten thousand depend upon it.”
He looked from one of them to the other, giving each Tilfish a confident grin, ensuring he did not show his teeth but only curling up his lips. “Dismissed!”
The Tilfish scrambled towards their ordered positions where troopers went to meet them. Neil picked up his radio and tuned it to, he had one final duty to perform before the battle was to begin. “All Black Watch members, stop for a moment and listen. I’ll give you a moment to finish your tasks.” Neil took a moment as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, he didn’t actually smoke but carried them to share with those that did. At this point however, what was one more bad habit. He lit it and took a puff similar to how he did on a joint in college. He exhaled and pushed the radio button again. “What I am about to ask you all to do should be considered unconscionable just two days ago. We are disobeying our orders, we were supposed to be on that transport. I understand this may upset some of you but we have a duty." Neil took a breath as he wasn't completely sure if all of his troopers would obey him and go with this idea or not. He spoke his next words slowly and with gravity. "Four Thousand civilians; they are in those tunnels along with 40 of your brothers and sisters. We are their only hope.”
He paused to take another draw of the cigarette, he could understand now why some soldiers had this habit, really calmed his nerves for the next part. “If any man or woman doesn’t feel this is right, there is room for you in those tunnels, speak up and you will be relieved and sent. No questions asked; no shame given, I understand not wanting to die for a species that a week ago was trying to annihilate our existence.”
He waited and when no one spoke up, he pushed the radio again. “Anyone? Sergeants, report in.”
“Platoon A, no one is moving sir.”
“Platoon B, we’re here and we’re staying, all of us apparently.”
“Platoon C, guns are manned and ready, this is where they die and we stand.”
Platoon D didn’t report in, they must be too deep underground now for radio transmissions. That was good enough for him, at least they would survive if the first bomb got through. The follow ups they would need to keep going down. He hoped their air would hold out.
“Alright, the enemy is coming. The fleet cannot hold and is working to withdraw. We will have no artillery, air, armor, or naval support. We are on our own. What I am asking you to do is going to get you all killed. Make peace with any deity you believe in. Get any addiction you need satisfied, eat something, drink some water, and finish your preparations. Schmidt is coming with James, they are going to lead Platoon B squad 3 and Platoon A squad 4 on a little recon in force mission. They have their orders, and you have your’s.” He took another draw of his cigarette. “I will see you on the other side. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit.”
The radio resounded for the next several moments with all of his 139 remaining soldiers sounding off the Black Watch motto.
The Captain stepped out of his tent, he picked up a rifle, the one MacTavoish handed him. He checked the magazine, breech, and sights then chambered a round and turned off his safety. Slowly he walked towards his own position.
A shuttle was coming down, damaged badly but this wasn't a civilian shuttle or an escape shutttle. It was an armored assault shuttle. "What Now?"

Hey all,
Just started this game and it's certainly a fantastic world to be in.
Usually with open world games I tend to get overpowered quite early. I avoid main quest lines and enjoy doing side missions + treasure hunting to see as much of the open worlds as I can.
However, this tends to make the rest of the time a little boring as you tend to have all the best armour, weapons etc.
I'd like to avoid this happening with Black Flag. My aim to get get to Sequence 6 Memory 1 (just to get the Diving Bell) then start exploring the pirate life.
Any tips on what to do early to enjoy all the side content without becoming some sort of pirate demi god. Thinking of a plan to maybe do some hunting first to build some holster upgrades etc. Then upgrade the base maybe?
Any tips/help is greatly appreciated 👍 🏴‍☠️

Make an Offer
I will accept Cashapp, Venmo and PP F&F (NO NOTES AT ALL)
NO CHATS, ONLY PMs
https://imgur.com/a/731Qt0n
G$ mk13 9.5" DDC in pictures is sold already.
​
- Bulletsafe VP3 IIIA Bulletproof Vest (brand new, never used)

• Manufacture date is 04/15/22 (not even a year old)
• Retail price on the website even on sale with free shipping is about $320
• (no sale to CT or NY)

PRICE - $250 OBO
​
- 10.5" STRIPPED UPPER

• Ripcord keyhole marked clear anodized upper receiver
• 5.56 1/6 twist Faxon 10.5” pencil barrel (under 200 rounds)
• Geiselle 9.3” mk16 Luna Black
• Superlative Arms clamping adjustable gas block and gas tube

PRICE - $450 OBO
​
- 10.5" BLACK UPPER

• Centurion upper receiver
• 10.5" Criterion Core .223 Wylde 1/8 (ONLY 70 ROUNDS THRU IT)
• Geissele MK14 9.5"
• BCM gas block and gas tube
• A2 bircage Flash Hider

Has been painted with black Rustolem and multiple clear coats: the metal is in great condition with no burrs, I just like the whole upper being the same shade and looking slick.
PRICE- $500 OBO
​
- FCD RHF 11.5" FDE handguard
Used but in great condition
PRICE - $150 OBO
​
I try to make fair deals but will negotiate in some circumstances. Just ask, worst I can say is NO THANK YOU. Thanks for looking.
Dibs rules apply. After we PM and exchange info, I expect you to pay within 20 minutes. Otherwise it goes to the next dibs caller.

Losing on the third round a good 75% of the games. Absolutely moronic teammates. Run straight to the waters edge every time! Great strategy! Die 10000000 times and spam help! Help! Haven’t received a single silver scale in a month now. Bronze out the ass. I think this finally killed the last shred of interest I had in Splatoon 3. The worst part is some of the shit teammates are wearing navy/pink/white/black slopsuits so somehow they got a shitload of silver scales even though they are absolute trash. 🙃 fuck this fucking game sideways. I’m done.

Howdy, you can call me 142. I'm 22, male, and I have 6+ years of roleplaying experience. I will only accept 18+ partners, preferably 20+.
I don't have a specific setting or roleplay in mind. Rather, I'm looking for someone to brainstorm with and create scenarios. I'm fine with nearly any setting, from sci-fi to fantasy to more niche stuff like southern gothic or dieselpunk, and even unique settings we build togethehave built. I enjoy ditching any semblance of sense from time to time and having an interaction between characters from completely different universes, as I have more interest in personality and how characters behave. I'm also more than willing to take the lead, but I want to see your stories and worlds too.
-So, what plot type am I looking for? Basically anything, honestly. Action, combat, slice of life, short interactions or longer stories with larger plots. I am open to romance plots but it is not a requisite. It's okay if RPs go stale, it happens, we can just start another! But if we lose steam too soon too often, I might have to find someone else.
-I do not roleplay fandoms. And if you somehow convince me to, it's gotta be Star Wars, and it's gotta be OCXOC. I'm far more interested in meeting characters I'm not familiar with and roleplaying characters I've created.
-As far as characters go, you can roleplay whoever you want so long as they're an OC. But I'll be clear, I roleplay furries/nonhuman characters 90% of the time. I'm more than happy to create new characters to fit new settings or plots but I'm not gonna play a human or anything that's human but with only a couple traits changed (elves, orcs, dwarves, etc). I just don't see the appeal of having to use something familiar when I can roleplay a pitch-black shadow beast addicted to Cheezits, or a green, six-legged cat thing with too many knives and a superiority complex.
-For length, I can max the Discord character limit when I need to, but don't tend to write responses much larger than that unless I'm really invested. I usually cruise at 2-3 paragraphs in a close third perspective and can manage at least one reply a day, and I would like a partner who can do the same. My time zone is EST but I've been busy lately so it may take a while to respond sometimes.
-I also love chatting OOC between plots and as long as we don't lose too much pace during them. It's very important to have open and clear communication while creating a setting and figuring out where we want to take a story as we go. I have a habit of sometimes sharing random art that I've found or drawn as well, but feel free to ask me not to.
Here's an example of my writing for you to check out:
"Godsdammit..."
The Khejitsune muttered to herself. She could not see it, but she could feel the cold beer as it dribbled from her chin and soaked into her ruff. The glass hit the table with emphasis as she reached for a crumpled handful of napkins to dab at her doused fur. The woman really did loath these simple round glasses, missing the pitcher-like ones at home with a spout for easy drinking. A lack of lips and jagged, exposed teeth meant she could neither sip like a human nor use a straw, so the fluffy alien was relegated to clumsily pouring the beer directly into her mouth. At the very least, the needless difficulty helped her to pace herself.
A gaze tossed around the room met with a few others, and a small twinge of worry attempted to root itself, only to be stamped out by her thoughts. She had not been recognized, no one would know her here. They were staring because there was a large-ish, fuzzy woman with luminous pupils sitting alone in a bar full of (mostly) humans. Animal-like folk were rather common, but Soulbearers were another story. Out here eyes simply did not have a glow behind them. Maxine relaxed a bit, remembering this. As much as she loved her job and her fanbase, sometimes she would take just about any other kind of attention over being approached for an autograph or impromptu interview. Even if that attention took the form of looks and stares from people too shy or nervous to simply walk up and ask what she even was.
Whew, this is my first post here and I get that it's longer than most others. If you've read this far and you're still interested, sweet! DM me your favorite song as of late and a little about yourself as a roleplayer and we'll see from there.

I recently came back to the game with the release of Chapter IV and have experienced numerous frustrations and wanted to share some of my experiences to hopefully help others. The game is lacking in explanation or tool-tips and much of online information is outdated, adding to the confusion. If you know these already then great, but I had forgotten a lot, things have patched, and there's new content so I rolled a new character to play the story line again.
The biggest PSA I can give is that there is are distinct differences in game modes between "Story Mode" and "Champion of Stormfall"
I could not figure out how to earn "Hunter Trophy" currency that is required for the new dragon looking vendor. Everyone tells you that you have to use the War Table at end-game and specifically choose the 'Expedition' type mission. I did that... every time... in preparation for the final battle and not once did I get any trophies. I thought my game was bugged. Turns out, that after I killed the end boss, and switched my game mode to "Champions of Stormfall", the very first Expedition mission granted around 200 trophies. You have to beat the story mode and change game mode to earn hunter trophies. So, the new vendor seems completely useless and extremely confusing and frustrating during the story. You have to beat the game, to unlock the game. Which leads me into next point:
At the end of the story mode you gain access to a city upgrade system where you run missions from the war table for production hammers. The "Stormfall Palace" upgrades say they'll unlock more buildings but it never did. What I saw in my city upgrade screen was different from screenshots online. Again, I though my game was bugged. Yep, you guessed it. You have to beat the story mode and change game mode to unlock the full city upgrade screen. I now see the city upgrade that let's me duplicate skills. The city upgrade system at the end of the story mode is a crippled mimic of Champion of Stormfall" mode. Leading to another point...
I tried to duplicate my skills throughout the story and the vendor just said required "Champion of Stormfall" unlocked. The game didn't hint at WTF that was but only through my previous playthroughs did I know this was the "endgame" city upgrades and missions. But... that was what I was doing in preparation for the final boss. I *thought* I was already in champion of stormfall mode. Again I thought my game was bugged. You cannot duplicate skill until you beat story mode and change to "Champion of Stormfall" mode and build the correct city upgrade. A significant portion of the skill vendor was useless for story play.
Did you pick up a bunch of blue map items or a Black Moire Incense item? Did you wonder what they were used for or how to use them? Well, so did I. You just use them at the War Table right? At least that's what everyone says...but how? There's no button, you can't access inventory, the help icon doesn't mention maps... WTF. You guessed it. You have to beat the story mode and switch to Champion of Stormfall mode to use the dungeon maps and incense on the unlocked war table. You pick up items during the story that you can't even use and the game doesn't mention this.
There are a number of other little things but I spent so much time googling, watching videos, reading forums but not seeing the options that people were talking about. My confusion stemmed from the similarities between the end of the story and the Champion of Stormfall mode. It looked similar, yet gave no indication things were locked behind full completion of story.
My final gripe is minor but was just salt in the wound. I beat the story mode then logged out. The next day when I launched, I just clicked play thinking it would put me in Champion of Stormfall mode (only from previous experiences) and yet I was back in the story again... I had to exit back out to main menu and manually switch the game mode. It would have been nice, and expected, that it would detect the story was complete and auto-switch for me.
It's a fun game that I have many hours in but documentation and information is lacking. The user experience is confusing and needs work especially when context of game mode matters so much. Long time players likely didn't have these frustrations as they may have already unlocked CoS mode prior to Chapter IV but coming back somewhat blind was eye opening.
It's like the World of Warcraft episode from Southpark, that now that I beat the game, I can finally start playing the game.

Hey guys I need some advice on how to mix plugg beats. For example in trap/rap music the drums (and 808) are LOUD but when I try the same approach in plugg instrumentals it doesn't quite feel like I'm nailing the genre. Do you have any general tips for making plugg FEEL like plugg?
Also how do artists like Lil Shine or Summrs get that fucked up distorted mastering sound?
We could use this thread to give more general tips on plugg beat making too so idk bring your questions here. Thanks!

Free Shipping. Make an offer.
F&F with no comments is preferred. Dibs rules apply. Dibs is a full price commitment.
G&S accepted with no comments when you add G&S fee.
Please no chat, I do not get them.

Link to Items I want. Sell me your UDE Magpul CTR.

[WTS] BNIB LMT Full Auto Enhanced Bolt Carrier Group L7Q3

• $512 - Lewis Machine and Tool eBCG BNIB. Zero Rounds. I need to put the money else where for now, but not bad enough to lose $50.

[WTS] Sig P320 Carry: $430 take it all

• $290 - used, but not by me; P320 Pro-Cut Carry Slide oem internals (optic cut for Romeo 1 Pro, no RMR holes. RMR holes can be drilled for $50) There had been some light coating wear next to the takedown lever, which has been Birchwood Super Blacked.
• $110 - 3.9” factory barrel with recoil spring assembly ~300 rounds
• $50 - used, P320 X-Carry full stippling grip mod fits excellent in hand. Uses 17 round mags.

[WTS] Sig P320 SubCompact Take it all $430 less than 500 rounds:

• $190 - Slide oem internals with Night Sights
• $120 - Barrel with Recoil Spring Assembly
• $55 - Grip Mod with Rail
• $70 - 2x 12 round magazines with pinky extension (and stock base plates I found them)
• $75 - StealthGear USA Ventcore Appendix Carry

After commenting, send me a PM

I do have feedback on other subreddits if you feel the need for more, just ask.

I only wear black, all year round. Most pics of boat shoes are with jeans exposing the ankle with contrasting colours.
Can they look ok if they're both black?

First/wiki/Patreon
Pirates in Unity
The crew was much less willing than Alwen had anticipated. For a ship full of horny sailors, they were way to squeamish about providing Alwen with the samples she needed. Alwen eventually had to go to the Captain to get the whole crew in line. But even with a direct order from the Captain Alwen still had plenty of complaints to deal with.
“This is humiliating.” Alice grumbled as she passed Alwen an opaque jar.
“How do you think I feel.” Alwen shot back. “If the results of my research ever get published I will forever be marked as the doctor who learned about this because she was having cramps.”
“I don’t even see why any of this is important.” She mumbled.
“You don’t see how potential Terran/Torweni genetic compatibility is important?”
“I don’t see why we have to be your test subjects?”
“Have a care Alice” a voice said from behind Alice. Captain Astarte had just entered the med bay. There was a suspicious flush to her cheeks as she passed Alwen a labeled container. “There’s a whole ship of us to provide the Terran samples, and only five of them for the Torweni samples.”
Alice watched Astarte suspiciously. “It still feels like a violation of privacy.”
Aster raised an eyebrow “You’re a Marine, you’re in the wrong career for privacy.”
“Yeah” Alwen agreed “this isn’t even the grossest sample I’ve asked from you.”
“Don’t remind me.” She muttered, her ears falling flat as she shuffled out of the med bay.
Alwen turned to Astarte and added her sample to the batch. “Thanks again Captain.”
“Don’t mention it, after all this isn’t just about Terran/Torweni compatibility. This could finally unravel the secrets of the Uplifted, might even give us conclusive proof of Union tampering.”
Alwen nodded; they were keeping that potential discovery from the crew just in case it didn’t pan out. Most Mammaloids went about their everyday life like any other person, but there was always a thought in the back of their mind. Why are we here, why are we like this? No point in getting their hopes up.
Aster put a hand on Alwen’s shoulder “Well, do your best. We’ve got time until we pull into Unity and I would love to see some progress before things get messy.”
“Of course, so long as the crew behaves I’ll have plenty of time to research.” Alwen answered, though she knew it was a pipe dream the moment she said it. Because in that moment a crewmen with a twisted ankle hobbled in.
~~~*~~~
The Arbiter stepped through the door into Judge’s private office before slowly closing the door and dropping the privacy field. Rachel looked around the office, but nothing had changed since she last met with Judge. His office never changed, even when he was promoted to Chief he still kept the same spartan furnishings from his original office. There were no signs of his new power and influence changing his personality.
That’s what Rachel liked about Judge, he was born into the very epitome of power and wealth, and he turned away from it all to be a lowly station officer. Even as he climbed the ranks and earned more influence, it couldn’t compare to what he gave up.
“You wanted to see me?” Rachel asked as she stood at attention.
Judge glanced up and gave her his full attention. “I wanted a report.”
“Yes sir,” Rachel said as she reached into her heavy black cloak and produced a manila file folder. The Union had been in the digital era for so long that the idea of paper folders seemed exotic and bizarre, but most police work was done on paper due to the inherent security in physical print versus a vulnerable digital database. Some of it was eventually scanned into the database, but only files that were deemed unimportant.
He took the folder and began to scan through its contents. His naturally stern expression deepened as he read. “Nothing but dead ends.” He muttered.
Rachel felt a flush of shame, “Yes, I exhausted every lead I had, but nothing came up. Your bro… I mean our suspect is very thorough.”
“Indeed. I have been looking into him for thirty years, and I’ve begun to suspect that someone very powerful is covering his tracks.”
A thought occurred to Rachel “It might be councilman Ozzath.”
He looked up “Explain your reasoning?”
Rachel had been keeping her mother’s visit from Judge, and had been doing her best to keep it from interfering with her job. But she couldn’t ignore the coincidence. “As you know Ozzath appeared at one of my arrests, well after our talk my mother appeared in my apartment for the first time in years. Said she wanted me to come back to the family. My family and Ozzath have been in business for as long as I can remember, and I doubt she really wants to welcome me back.”
He folded his hands and brought them up to his chin. “An interesting theory, but we can’t just investigate a councilmen without good cause. But this does explain your slower than average progress, your mothers been interfering.”
Rachel gritted her teeth at the thought. “Yes, Alexandra has been dragging me out to her vain parties with little notice. Its been cutting into my investigation time.”
He looked thoughtful. “Problematic, we’ll need to figure out her part in this. Is she just a pawn, or does she have a larger role in all this?”
Rachel felt a bitter shame at not wondering the same herself. Why hadn’t she thought of that? It was because Alexandra was in her head, clouding her thoughts.
He put his hands back down “It will have to wait, I called you here for another reason.”
“What?”
“I have received word from Chief Kera’keck of Femeri, it seems the pirate angle is back.”
“Pirate angle?”
He nodded gravely “According the Kera’keck this Astarte women and her companies have several strong connections to local pirate organizations. She was in the middle of the pirate attack on Femeri, and escaped on legal technicalities.” He turned over the folder on the potential pirate and Rachel began to scan through the contents.
She read for a minute before closing it “I see a lot of maybes and potentialities, but nothing concrete.”
“Of course not, if he had something concrete that women would be in jail. But look at the report on her ship.”
Rachel flipped a few pages until she got to several pictures of a strange gray hulled ship, “Is this for real?” she asked incredulously.
“Afraid so.”
“This looks like an old maritime battleship, not a space ship.”
“Indeed, specifically it seems to be modeled after one of the Iowa’s, some of the last battleships ever built. Look at the name.”
She looked to the top “Astaroth? Really? Isn’t that some sort of catholic demon?”
“It is, and after a quick internet search I found a curious connection. The demon Astaroth was based off the Phoenician goddess Astarte, which seems to imply that Astarte isn’t our pirates original name. I’m currently trying to dig up records to see if I can’t find her original name, but I doubt I’ll find anything. Her birth certificate was filed less than a decade ago, and lists her city of birth as New Mombasa.”
“Why so late? I doubt she’s only ten years old.”
“No, but things are different on deathworlds. Not everyone has access to hospitals, and the births aren’t always recorded. Those people later officially file their existence with local magistrates, but there is little the magistrate can do to confirm the details. Our pirate likely never had an official birth record, which makes looking into her past close to impossible.”
Rachel thought for a minute. “What about the last part, Maidens-Daughter doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. It might be a connection to her past.”
“I thought the same, I did a quick search but couldn’t find many people named Maidens-Daughter, at least not officially. Earth society is an enigma at the best of times, and its going to be tough to try and link that name to anything solid.”
“This still begs the question, what does a pirate want with terraforming tech? And why would they steal it from themselves?”
“My new working theory is insurance fraud. Order something expensive, steal it, then try to claim insurance on it. But then our assassin killed off the office, likely saving the company millions in damages.” He explained.
“This still links my assassin to Amaterasu, and it could explain why I can’t find anything on the missing equipment. I doubt our pirates will let this go.”
Judge nodded “I thought the same thing. I’m currently monitoring port offices for the next time the Astaroth pulls into a station-” he stopped short as his computer beeped. He turned back to and opened up a new screen. “Speak of the Devil” he muttered.
“Is that them? Where are they?” Rachel asked.
Judge nodded “Its them, they just pulled into Unity.”
“They’re here!” she asked in shock and incredulity. Known pirates pulling into the heart of the Union, how brazen were these people?
“It would appear so, they just checked in with the orbital controllers and have booked berth 239 in industrial section 7. Their stay is listed as indeterminate. No cargo to off load.” The winkles on his brow furrowed. “They’re due to pull in soon, maybe an hour.”
Rachel scowled “That’s more than enough time for me to get there.”
“And do what?” he asked, there was a sharp bite to his question.
“Not sure, I won’t know until I get there. But we can’t let a warship full of pirates enter Unity without challenge. I might get lucky and get them to make a mistake.”
He frowned “Or you’ll tip them off.” He began to tap one of his fingers “But your right, we can’t let them in unchallenged.” He thought for moment “Fine, you are to go there as a representative of the ADCU to inform our guests of the rules here, and look into their visit.”
Rachel nodded and turned away to leave promptly. She put her hood back up and began to march back to the ADCU to recruit a few extra officers. Pirates or not, they couldn’t allow a ship like that to enter port without challenge.