Traitors! A Commentary on the US Women’s National Soccer Team

I don’t think I’m overstating things; I have been personally betrayed.  Alex Morgan, my ultimate sports crush, has utterly disappointed me.  I feel like a fool having rooted for this national team that hates half the country just for political reasons.  But here’s my main problem with the US Women’s National Soccer team: I didn’t mean to do any sports writing this summer.  I was going to take the time off to work on a fiction story.  I started off writing about the MLB London Series, but felt like I had to cover the soccer, because I was watching their games.  Since I already had RPG stuff scheduled for the whole month, I had to stick my commentaries in on the weekends.  Moreover, I really didn’t mean to keep writing about them, but I couldn’t stop.  This team’s sad act has really gotten under mine and a lot of other people’s skins. Whether they’re more famous or infamous depends on your personal disposition instead of on-field events.  

I mostly skipped the postgame championship coverage because of the inane commentary by the hosts, but I heard about it later.  I saw the video of the American flag being dropped and heard that Megan Rapinoe actually trampled on a flag, though I never actually saw that happen.  Player Kelly O’Hara “rescued” the flag after it fell.  To be honest, while the drop may have been a literal Freudian slip of the team’s true feelings, it seemed like a minor accident and not an incident that deserved all of the attention.  I appreciate Kelly’s presence of mind in the situation, whether out of patriotism or trying to avoid a controversy.  The conservative media pounced on the drop and praised Kelly.  The mainstream sports media also highlighted her, in an effort to promote the team, but even then, they also showed Kelly kissing her girlfriend for the cameras.  The Agenda . . . always, at all times . . . The Agenda.

Afterward, the team was treated to a parade New York City.  It was pride parade combined with a democrat party rally with Rapinoe teasing throwing her hat into the 2020 election.  It was swell.  I couldn’t watch any significant portion of the parade.  I heard one clip of Rapinoe.  She said the words, “Our country,” at one point in a tone that suggested she was actually playing for another country, one that only people like her live in.  And I can't believe Carli Lloyd gave a shoutout to the Philadelphia Eagles during their NYC rally.  This team really was all about pointlessly pissing people off.  

The US Women’s National Soccer team neatly reduced itself to two salient issues before, during, and after the tournament: they’re money grubbing and political.  So much for being winners, role models, and ambassadors for the sport.  Playing for the championship was almost a foregone conclusion.  Since they felt assured of victory, the team’s “hero’s” journey would be less than epic, in their minds, unless they wedded themselves to higher causes: money and power.  Being so like minded, since they’d gotten rid of or silenced any dissenting opinions, they were as fallen angels, so as one sinned, they all fell together in allegiance to one another.    

The team claimed to be fighting for “all women” for more pay.  This is a painfully embarrassing transparent attempt to cover their greed with a larger cause (which is itself suspect).  Male sports stars and the sycophantic sports media continually complain about how much more they “deserve” to be paid.  The general public finds these assertions utterly tone deaf.  How much less will they care about Women playing a sport they don’t care about (and that includes soccer fans in general)?

Moreover, they want the money to essentially come out of the US Men’s Soccer team’s budget.  They’re not saying that directly, but they’re not saying where else the money to pay them more is going to come from.  I’ve heard it said by the sports media that the US Soccer Federation governing body and the international FIFA body have been put in a position where they’ll have to equalize the gender pay gap, because of the US Women’s win. 

Yeah, right.  Obviously, you commentators don’t know the stuffed shirt elitist bureaucrats who run these agencies.  The US Soccer Federation will likely give the Women a raise since they won, but they’re not going to pay them the same as the Men’s team.  Instead of giving Women’s soccer in this country a bunch of good publicity from their win, they’ve lost half the country as potential fans from their off field antics.  Instead of promoting national pride after winning, the team spent their time demanding a raise and taking shots at President Trump.  The Women's sport is now perceived as being only for greedy female democrats who shun the company of men, not exactly a mass audience.  US Soccer Federation is congratulating the Women with gritted teeth. 

As for FIFA offering the same prize money for the Men and Women’s World Cups, well, they’re basically a French organization.  The French didn’t invent snobbery; they just perfected it.  Unless you’re massing German troops on the French border, expect them to ignore your pleas.  The Women will be lucky to not take a pay cut for embarrassing the sport and knocking their officials’ noses out of joint.  They’re only going to pay the ladies more if they make their organization more money.  Some “socially conscious” corporate entities might step up, but the general public may not be applauding them for it because of how the Women acted, so don’t count on it.  

Rapinoe and the Women’s team were upset that FIFA scheduled their World Cup final, the Copa America final, and the CONCACAF final all on the same day.  They wanted the global stage to themselves.  None of these events overlapped, so FIFA’s intent was clearly to create a day of soccer for western hemisphere fans.  They may have even been trying to do the Women a favor, hoping fans might tune in for the early Women’s game while they were waiting for the Men’s matches.  Unfortunately, there was no such crossover.  The Men’s and Women’s coverage didn’t mention each other at all.  They may as well have been playing different sports.  Even worse, and I say this from personal observation, viewing the Men and Women’s games back-to-back, it was real obvious who the better players were. 

What do the players on other Women’s national teams think of the US Women attitude?  I’m sure they’d like higher pay, but probably not at the expense of their Men’s national teams, whom many of them likely take a lot of national pride in.  The only reason why the US Women can take their position is that the US Men’s team is only barely internationally competitive.  US sportswriters and commentators are all on board with paying the championship-level Women as much, if not more than, the Men.  I’m sure other countries would appreciate the US soccer governing body permanently kneecapping their Men’s team forever.  Not one of them will do the same.

The Women’s team’s intent to promote and legitimize their sport has almost completely backfired because of the inane way they went about it.  Hey, they lost me as a fan and I was watching their matches whenever I could.  It seems unlikely I’m going to mark out time to watch a bunch of money grubbing in-your-face non-het females play a sport I don’t like.  Yeah, my main reason for watching, Alex Morgan, is straight (and married), but she has really soiled herself in my eyes by her association and endorsement of all of her radical teammates’ agenda. 

Alex Morgan, the team’s only relevance for the last four years since their last World Cup win, has obliterated her reputation as a soccer star, a sex symbol for guys, and an idol for little girls into sports.  Morgan is now completely irrelevant in Megan Rapinoe’s political activist shadow, and her only value is that she does what Rapinoe tells her to.  I don’t think this is Alex’s last World Cup, but she’ll just be that honorary captain with limited playing time in the next one, like Carli Lloyd.  It probably doesn’t matter to me, because I won’t be watching.

How could they be so dumb to alienate the patriotic half of the country that might have been willing to give their sport a chance?  How could Alex have done this and been so supine in going along with it?  She is one of the most highly-marketed female athletes in the world.  I’m sure she has a team of publicists working night and day on her carefully crafted image as a beautiful nice woman, who plays soccer well and is a role model to little girls.  Did none of them say anything?  How could they have been so good at their jobs to this point and then let the whole thing get dynamited?  Did Alex herself not realize this was going to limit her own popularity?  The team is going to get some endorsements out of this, but not as many as they could have.  The ones they do get will likely be unsatisfied with the results from the association with the general public. 

If Alex had any objections to what was going on, she was a co-captain like Rapinoe.  Between her and the third team captain Carli Lloyd (well, there’s part of problem, too many captains), who I suspect (and have no concrete reason to do so) wasn’t all in with the social justice agenda, they could have told Rapinoe, “Hey, shut up.  If you don’t like it, leave.  We can win without you.”  (And they did in that game with England.)  If that seems like an unlikely scenario, consider the case of Jaelene Hinkel.  She’s an American player and reportedly the best defender in the world.  Jaelene was left off the team for not wanting to wear a pride jersey in a pre-cup match.  It’s pretty obvious who’s driving the bus for the team.       

On the Todd Starnes radio talk show, he played a clip of a hockey coach, who told his players that they’re going to stand for the Anthem, and if they had a problem with that, go ahead and leave now.  Todd got the coach on for an interview.  The coach said Rapinoe had blown a chance to bring people together and be loved.  He wondered what had happened to her in her life that made her want to have people who might have cherished her, instead hate her. 

I don’t know anything about Rapinoe’s personal history and don’t care.  She’s an adult and has made some calculated and coached choices on how to behave with a national spotlight on her.  And here she is, just another divisive political figure, nothing more.  She washed away her own accomplishments.  She also could have been a credit to her community.  Now, she’s just a stereotypical angry non-het woman with a poor hair color choice who hates Trump for no good reason.  

Can this be undone?  Can the Women’s team win back all of America?  Sure, they can start by taking Trump up on his invitation to the White House.  Whatever Rapinoe’s problem is with him, she can politely bring it up to him while there.  If she raises a worthwhile enough issue, it’s not unthinkable she’d be invited back to discuss it further.  But, no.  Much like Steph Curry and Steve Kerr in the NBA and whoever in the NFL, there’s no principled, reasoned ideological stand here.  It’s just brainless politics.  If the team actually goes ahead and only meets with the democrats (and maybe Never-Trumper republicans) in congress, they’ll prove it.  Until there is an appeal to all of America by the US Women’s Soccer, don’t expect me to be watching or caring. 

Robomeck RPG: Robomeck Mecka-Space War III-Hive Other Craft and Hive Humanoids

Robomeck RPG Index

Disc Carrier (Troop transport)

The Hive had little subtly in mass warfare.  For space combat and planetary invasion and defense, they deployed their disc-shaped carriers full of drones and proceed to overwhelm their foes in waves.  It would seem an elementary strategy to simply shoot down the carriers before they disgorged troops.  Unfortunately, the carriers were sent in massed waves as well.  Moreover, being large and armored enough to withstand a first strike, they were designed to last just long enough to get their troops on to the battlefield. 

These craft had no defensive systems, however, blowing holes in the hull (any shot of 20 damage) would expose the Drones inside, who were fully capable of returning fire.  Unless a fighter group was carrying Proto-Warhead missiles, they’d be warned to attack the engines or the pilot dome.  Booster Attack Drones may be escorting the carriers.  Discs were capable of recovering Drones after a battle, though most expected that trips into space were likely to be one-way.

(The King and the Queen had the ability to fold space to send the transports over interplanetary distances.  The King had a fold-capable battleship in his fleet.)

Mecka HP: 1000, Called Shots: Engines 200, Pilot Dome 75, destroying either will crash the craft

Mecka Armor Class: Base 12

Pilot Check: +4 (+2 ½ level, +2 (+2 Dex, +1 Wis)/2)

Sensors: L Proto-Sensor

Speed: M

Crew: 4 Hive Regulators, 1 small section of a Mound Proto-Brain

Capacity: 200 Drone types or 100 Warrior types

Regulator (or Urban Regulator)

(Hive scientists, Mound guards and street-level attack units)

Except for the King and Queen and some special Hive scientists, the typical Hive creature was helpless outside of their mecka.  Coming from a light gravity world, their mecka were essential for them to move around.  Figure AC 10, HD d6, Hp 6, Speed S for “naked” Hive Drones.  Hive royalty were much stronger however, but will not be detailed here.  (They should be more narrative Characters than tactical opponents, in other words, it should be a “talking” encounter.)

Hive Mounds still needed workers and guards.  Hive scientists would also be working inside.  Because of the weakness of the Hive creatures on earth, they required a human-sized exo-suit in order to function.  They also functioned as fairly capable battlesuits.  In situations where small-scale combat action was required (probably to round up slaves), these suits were out-fitted with a rifle and a shield. 

(The King employed a more heavy-duty combat version for his troops with 10 MHP and flight capability as his personal guard.)

Mecka HP: 5, Eye Called Shot 1

Mecka Armor Class: 14 (Base 10 +2 Dex Bonus + 2 ½ level)/ 15 (+1 shield)

Speed: S

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +5 (+4 level, +1 Str)

Ranged to hit: +6 (+4 level, +2 Dex)

HTH Fist M1

Forearm Plasma Blaster M1d2, S

Plasma Rifle (Urban only) M1d4, M

Mound Proto-Brain

Hive Mounds were run by large gelatinous brains at their core.  They handled Mound functions and were a central processing hub for input from their Drones.  They handled combat deployment and were the main sensor for Hive in the area.  In short, take out the Proto-Brain and its Hive Drones will be unable to coordinate their activities for at least an hour before the Queen asserts direct control.

MHP: 6, regenerates 1 MHP per half-hour if not completely destroyed

Armor Class: 10

Sensors: VL Proto-Sensor, also take in sensor data from Hive troops on patrol (Hive troops are constantly and aggressively patrolling the area around the Mound)

8 x HTH Tendrils: +6 to hit, Can grapple and immobilize victims with its tendrils if two hit the same target, DC 18 Str to break or DC 12 Escape Artist check, can be shot at, AC 16 and will be destroyed on any hit. 

Hive Humanoid (Human-like Hive agents or troops)

Earth was not Teroptera.  The Queen understood this as soon her and brood arrived to conquer the planet.  The Hive Drones were severely weakened outside of their combat mecka with the heavier gravity of earth.  Much of the Hive had to be kept in suspended animation inside Hive mounds when not on duty.  Earth was also nowhere near their homeworld in climate and ecology, certainly not after two devastating wars using Proto-Fueled weapons.

Terraforming could not be done on a large scale without disrupting the environment that their precious Proto-Flower had already taken root in.  Moreover, with the Hive unable to properly tend to the flowers while wearing their necessary combat armor, human slaves had to be used en mass to cultivate the fields.  Changing the environment would likely kill off their workers.

The Queen decided that it was the Hive themselves who must adapt to their new world.  They had the capacity to evolve in a quickened fashion.  The Queen had already taken a humanoid form for her liaison with Qor.  Still, she experimented with various forms of the earth creatures in her Creation Caverns.  Eventually, the Queen found that the human form was the superior form for ruling the earth (duh). 

She evolved only the best drones to start as an elite warrior caste.  The Hive Humanoids were a generally superior to humans though they were completely passable for them, if not even more idealized in comparison.  Only their clear, un-colored blood marked them as alien physically. 

Socially and emotionally though, Hive Humanoids were perhaps even more psychologically fragile creatures than the Zee and the Zirolian Clones.  While they had an intense loyalty to the Queen and to defending the Hive, a flood of human hormones combined with a body that could not tolerate ingesting Proto-Flowers (irony) to sedate them, produced a wide-range of disturbed individuals.  Some were psychotic; others were weakened emotional wrecks.  Even more ironically, they were so alienated from their own Hive brood (even each other) that socializing with actual humans was their only means of normalization.  The Queen would not realize this until the end before leaving the planet to seek “enlightenment” elsewhere.     

Level: 5

Stats: +3 Dex, Cha, +2 Str, Con, +1 Int, Wis

HP: 34 (d8)

Armor Class: 16 (Base 10 +3 ½ level +3 Dex)

Body Armor MHP 1, this is a skin-tight armor shell which will absorb up to 10 hp of regular gunfire damage/rd, anything over that go to the wearer’s hp. 

Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2

Special: May have 1d2+3 FP available for every encounter, if an important NPC. 

Special (optional rule): Outside of combat, Hive Humanoids are vulnerable to being stunned by emotional and passionate displays.  It is a DC 12 Will Sv or they are stunned for 1 rd.  Those succeeding are unaffected.  Those failing will then be extremely confused for 1 turn and are perhaps susceptible to further manipulation (Social Interaction rolls).    

HTH Trained 1d2 + Str Bonus, possible KO on 18 and up attack roll

Plasma Pistol M1d2, S, 10 Shots

How I Spent My Summer Vacation July 2019 Part 6

7-12-19

Erm . . . I had no intention of writing about any more baseball for the summer.  But then, MLB.TV had a free weekend and made all their game available on Friday night.  Rapture!  I caught parts of seven different games (including a Triple-A Chihuahuas game).  I seriously contemplated going back to my workplace over the weekend to continue watching.  Actually, that would have been a bad idea.  The weekend games ran long and finished badly.  (Especially that Rockies game where they blown out and finished well after midnight because of a rain delay.)  The games I watched or listened to on Friday were interesting at least.

The Cubs had the only day game, which finished early.  All of the rest of today’s slate was in the evening.  Of the East coast games, I picked the Rays versus the O’s.  The Rays slugged out 7 runs in the first right off the bat in front of a “friends and family” crowd there in Baltimore on a Friday night.  The Players Union wants teams that are “tanking” to be punished by the MLB.  I think the fans are going to be the ones who punish the tankers.  No further sanctions are necessary.  The Rays obviously won this one.  Later in the evening, Ted Leitner, recapping the day’s games, referred to this final as a “16-4 pitcher’s duel.”  

  

After an hour, the Rangers and the Astros came on.  It was radio only with the “local” blackout.  This matchup was also on last night.  It was an ESPN game that was, weirdly, the only MLB game scheduled for the day after the All-Star Break.  (In place of ESPN’s Wednesday night game?)  The Rangers won that one 5-0.  I barely got to watch any of it.  On the radio tonight, Eric Nadel was still vacation, but Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler were doing a good job.  Unfortunately, I barely got to enjoy this game either.  The Rangers won again 9-8. 

Joey Gallo homered and the team came back from an 8-4 deficit.  They won it on a walkoff single in the ninth by Danny Santana driving in Elvis Andrus.  I had the game on pause and went back and heard the winning hit after I’d seen the score.  Unfortunately, then there was that Saturday extra innings loss.  In the Sunday game, the bottom of the second inning started an hour into the broadcast.  Coming out of commercial, Matt Hicks asked, “When’s Eric coming back?” 

Also over the radio, the Chihuahuas took on the Isotopes.  Yesterday, the pups gave up 8 runs in the second, going down 9-0.  They almost came back.  They scored 8 and left the bases loaded late, but lost 9-8.  Today, the Chihuahuas gave up 7 runs in second.  Doubting another comeback, I gave up on the game, which the Isotopes ended up winning 13-1.  What happened to the Chihuahuas’ pitching?  During the game, Tim Hagerty even mentioned that the Padres had traded good reliever, Phil Maton, for more “International money slot space” or something like that?  What the hell?

Meanwhile, there was an actual pitcher’s duel at Coors Field of all places.  Thankfully, MLB.TV isn’t blocking the video on Rockies games for me anymore.  Jon Gray and Sonny Gray, of the Rockies and Reds respectively, were throwing well.  The Reds had a slim 2-1 lead until the eighth.  David Dahl and Daniel Murphy solo homered to put the Rockies up in front of a huge crowd in Denver.  Wade Davis had a no drama save in the ninth to win it, 3-2 Rockies.  Cool.

Following that game, I noticed the Giants and Brewers were tied 6-6 in the tenth in Milwaukee.  I wanted to listen to Bob Uecker on the radio call, but couldn’t resist watching the video.  Front Row Amy was looking good in a pretty blouse.  I came in at just the right time.  Buster Posey came up with the bases loaded for the Giants and unloaded them with a shot into the centerfield scoreboard.  10-7 Giants.  Right after the game, I switched coverage hear Uecker, but only got to hear him read off the list of sponsors. 

Among the late games, the Padres were playing the Braves in San Diego.  It was radio only for the “local” blackout again.  (There’s no local affiliate for Padres games here.)  However, this meant I got to hear Uncle Ted Leitner on the radio call, whom I enjoy greatly.  I found out the reason for the Chihuahuas’ troubles; the Padres had lost a bunch of pitchers to injury and were doing a bunch of call-ups.  They also needed that International money space to call up Gerardo Reyes from Double-A to pitch.  He made his first MLB appearance tonight in relief.  His first pitch clocked 100 mph and the San Diego crowd literally gasped.  Unfortunately, Padres lost 5-3.

During the game, the Padres’ broadcast mentioned that a combined no-hitter was in progress in Anaheim between the Angels and the M’s.  I’m not much of a fan of either team, but I thought I’d do what I usually do when a no-hitter is in progress: tune in and watch it get immediately broken up.  This was first home game for the Angels after their pitcher, Tyler Skaggs, had died.  His mom threw out the first pitch.  The team was all wearing #45 Skaggs jerseys.

The Angels were comfortably ahead in the eighth, so the only drama in the game was the potential no-hitter.  Taylor Cole started as the opener for two innings.  Felix Pena had pitched the rest.  I was still listening to the Padres while watching the Angels’ video.  Because of the TV delay, the Padres broadcasters blew the ending right before it happened. 

Pena finished out the no-hitter.  13-0 Angels.  Their pitchers had only given up a single walk for the game.  The TV announcers gave the perfect call and said nothing for several minutes as the cameras showed the players and the crowd.  The Angels then laid out all of their #45 jerseys on the mound, along with a painting of Skaggs waving and going off into the cornfield of the Field of Dreams.  Wow, what an emotional way to end tonight’s baseball coverage.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation July 2019 Part 5

7-10-19

Here it was.  The event of the year at Southwest University Park.  The Triple-A All-Star Game.  The staff there had been building up to this all season.  Since they’ve already hosted the Triple-A Championship game, this is likely to be their last national-level event for a while, quite a while. 

Our old friend Tim Hagerty had been giddy to call this game on the radio, since it would be for a national audience.  He was joined with an announcer from the International League (Tim was representing the Pacific Coast League), whose name I kept missing.  I’m curious how the visiting broadcaster is chosen for these games. 

The game was also broadcast on TV nationally on the MLB Network.  Admittedly, they brought kind of a “B” crew to do it.  Chico “photo-bombed” their announcers as they were on field doing their intro.  However, they did bring Quick Pitch host, Kelly Nash, to do player interviews for the game.  Ooh, she looked gooood tonight, and her voice is just sooooo silky smooth perfect to listen to.  They went to her in the dugouts pretty frequently for interviews, which I appreciated.  As much as I wanted to hear Tim, I did find myself watching as much of the game as possible.     

I hate to say it, but the usually immaculate playing field looked terrible.  The green grass was splotchy with yellow patches and heavy wear.  I’m going to suspect that a season of baseball plus soccer has finally taken a toll on the sod and there was nothing they could do about it.  It happens to the best of them.  I remember an ASG at Chase Field in Phoenix on grass that looked like it was from a public golf course.

The game started at over 100 degrees at the start of the game, and it was still 90 degrees at the end.  The out-of-town announcers were continually commenting on the heat, while still saying it was “beautiful weather.”  It’s an odd phenomenon out here that it can be both, or perhaps they were just trying to be nice.  There was a continual motion of people fanning themselves in the large crowd, so it wasn’t like the locals didn’t notice it was hot too. 

Three Chihuahuas were on the PCL roster, two were starting.  At least three players from the Yankees’ affiliate were on the other side.  A couple of Durham Bulls were there.  Tim assured listeners that Durham no longer played in the dilapidated stadium from the movie.  The pup representation paid immediate dividends in the first, as Ty France at third made a great stop on a grounder and threw out the runner with a dig by Home Run Derby champ, Yasmany Tomas.  Tim sounded so happy to be there.  He was in peak form, upbeat and very knowledgeable. 

Back to the TV coverage (I was going back-and-forth to the break room, since I was at work), the home plate shot looked like crowd was seated directly over the umpire’s shoulder.  The announcers commented on how close the fans were to the field almost everywhere in the park.  In the second, the PCL got the scoring started as David Freitas from the San Antonio Chicken Strips (I’m just kidding, they’re still the Missions) drove in Tomas with a double.  Tomas chugged it around the diamond all the way from first.  Freitas had a great game, but I think he’ll have a great MLB career more because his name rolls off the tongue so easily.  The PCL ended up scoring four in the inning.  I was very busy at work and could not keep up with the scoring.

Thankfully, I was watching in the third when France took his second at bat and crushed one clean out of the ballpark to left center.  There was no MLB level Stat-tracking at the park.  The MLB Network guys estimated it went 467’.  Tim said 477’.  It was a big blast.  The PCL put up another run in the fourth to make it 6-0.  This game was the first time I got to see the new Las Vegas Aviators’ home uniform.  It was really good-looking with the lettering and trim in orange fading to yellow, throwback Astros-ish style. 

The IL scored one in the fifth.  In the bottom, Luis Urias, the other Chihuahuas starter, hit a two-run homer into the second deck of the Santa Fe Pavilion.  (They sold the seats inside there too.  Good move.)  8-1 PCL.  The TV guys were talking about Triple-A using the MLB balls, which are more “aerodynamic.”  There was no talk about “launch angles.”  They also put up a graphic showing the locations of the PCL and the IL on a national map.  The PCL actually spreads over the country.  The IL is all northeast.  One of the announcers liked the PCL team names better.  I . . . umm . . . kind of have to agree (with reservations).    

In the sixth, there were wholesale changes on the field that had Tim hopping to keep up.  He said eight of the nine positions changed.  The IL added one run to make it 8-2.  As Tim and the IL announcer took turns calling the play-by-play, the IL guy agreed that the balls were getting blasted this year, even in the more pitcher-friendly IL parks.  Interjecting, Tim couldn’t resist bragging about catching a Tomas flyball at the Derby on Monday.   

In the seventh, Chihuahua, Austin Allen, came in and drove in a run to make it 9-2.  The IL added another run in the eighth, 9-3 PCL.  In the ninth, Jay Jackson, who’d been on with Tim and Steve Kaplowitz in calling the Home Run Derby came in to pitch.  He was relieved by Fernando Abad to empty the bullpen.  I missed him throwing a 42 mph Eephus pitch, which the radar gun registered as 142 mph.

The highlight of the ninth was, without a doubt, the appearance of an extremely attractive young woman walking down the stairs to sit in the first row.  She had long dark hair and was wearing Daisy Dukes and a tank top that she was just barely stuffed into.  Magnificent.  I could sense that the cameraman and the director were desperately restraining themselves to not zoom in for a close-up.  Credit to the announcers for continuing to only talk about the game.  (By the way, I’m not overstating this girl’s looks.  She was a show-stopper.)

In any case, Abad closed it out and the PCL won 9-3.  I think all of the players on both sides were used or very close to it.  Even with that, the game only took two hours and 59 minutes.  9,700 was the tremendous attendance.  Ty France won the PCL MVP award.  (The IL also had an MVP.)  Was Ty the right choice?  Several of the other hitters had a better game.  Ty did have a great defensive play and a tape-measure homer.  That’s good enough.  Even better, he got to talk to Kelly on field for winning the award.  Ooh.  Highlight.

This was a great event.  I’m kicking myself that I never thought to go.  It would have been a tough schedule for me though given my work hours and that I don’t live in El Paso.  I’m sure El Paso’s stadium is now the envy of all other Triple-A facilities (but probably not the ambient temperature).  An IL player interviewed during the game was impressed with the city.  The IL announcer went out of his way to compliment Tim’s game call and professionalism.  He sounded in awe of him.  Overall, I don’t know how many more accolades this Chihuahuas organization can rack up.  They’ve set the standard for Triple-A.        

For me, this maybe finally ends my summer baseball coverage.  I didn’t actually mean to do any sports coverage over the summer.  I may cover the trade deadline deals at the end of the month if something interesting happens.  However, it seems like the Dodgers/Yankees “Battle of the Pocketbooks” World Series is inevitable. 

Robomeck RPG: Robomeck Mecka-Space War III-Hive Mecka

Robomeck RPG Index

Hive Drone (Disposable scout, decoy, suicide attack)

Hive troops, which is functionally nearly their entire society, are strictly regimented by their abilities inside their caste.  The lowest level troops are the Drones.  They are only good for reconnaissance and swarming attacks.  These Drones have no ranged attack, only HTH.  However, if they get lucky and grapple, they are dangerous.  (Refs, do not make every Drone attack a suicide attack swarm.  They only use this tactic against massed enemies or if protecting something very valuable.) 

Mecka HP: 10, Eye Called Shot 2

Mecka Armor Class: 13 (Base 10 +2 Dex Bonus + 1 ½ level)

Speed: F

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +2 (+1 level, +1 Str)

Pilot Check: +2 (+1 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

HTH Slash M1d4+1 (M2d4+2 if grappling)

Attack Drone (Fast attack swarm unit)

The upgraded version still relies on swarming tactics, but has a light ranged attack.  Normally, they won’t engage in HTH unless their numbers sufficiently dwindled.

Mecka HP: 10, Eye Called Shot 2

Mecka Armor Class: 13 (Base 10 +2 Dex Bonus + 1 ½ level)

Speed: F

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +2 (+1 level, +1 Str)

Ranged to hit: +3 (+1 level, +2 Dex)

Pilot Check: +2 (+1 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

HTH Slash M1d4+1 (M2d4+2 if grappling)  

Dual Plasma Cannons M2d4, S

Booster Attack Drone (Escort fighter)

To provide some protection for their transports from enemy fighters, this Drone type has a booster attached for high-speed support and to increase its range.  The booster was used to follow transports into orbit or to quickly reach a battle as reinforcements.  Essentially, it only travels fast in a straight line and had slow down to engage in battle.  It is not able to reenter the atmosphere.  Assume damage goes to the booster first, unless there’s a Called Shot on the Drone.  If 5 or more damage is taken, it will have to jettison its booster.  It will not engage in HTH with the booster attached. 

Mecka HP: 15, Eye Called Shot 2

Mecka Armor Class: 13 (Base 10 +2 Dex Bonus + 1 ½ level)

Speed: F (VF to breech orbit, but cannot attack at that speed)

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Ranged to hit: +3 (+1 level, +2 Dex)

Pilot Check: +2 (+1 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

Dual Plasma Cannons M2d4, S

Drone Warrior (Capture and guard unit)

More advanced Drones were the Warrior caste (though in actuality all of the Hive were warriors).  This was a primarily a ground support unit.  They were mostly used to gather and guard slaves for Proto-Flower farms.  They were also used in large battles.  If there are any large holes or open hangers on a capital ship, they will attempt to rush in and attack sensitive areas (engines, armory, bridge, parked mecka).

Mecka HP: 15, Eye Called Shot 2

Mecka Armor Class: 14 (Base 11 +2 Dex Bonus + 1 ½ level)

Speed: M

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +4 (+2 level, +2 Str)

Pilot Check: +3 (+1 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

HTH Claw M1d6+2, (M2d6+4 if grappling)

Can grab and hold human-sized targets with a successful attack roll and a DC 12 Str Check (DC 13 if in Typhoon armor).  Unless the opponent is in Typhoon armor, they will not be able to get free, unless they have the Escape Artist skill and make a DC 12 check. 

Assault Warrior (Main assault unit)

These elite warriors were the backbone of the Hive.  They were very capable of air and ground attacks, especially when deployed in numbers.  These troops may be sent in initially for shock value, or alternately left in reserve until the Drones have softened up the enemy first.

Mecka HP: 15, Eye Called Shot 2

Mecka Armor Class: 14 (Base 11 +2 Dex Bonus + 2 ½ level)

Speed: M

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +5 (+3 level, +2 Str)

Ranged to hit: +5 (+3 level, +2 Dex)

Pilot Check: +3 (+2 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

HTH Claw M1d6+2, (M2d6+4 if grappling)

Note: Can grab and hold human-sized targets with a successful attack roll and a DC 12 Str Check (DC 13 if in Typhoon armor).  Unless the opponent is in Typhoon armor, they will not be able to get free, unless they have the Escape Artist skill and make a DC 12 check. 

Dual Heavy Plasma Cannons M2d8, S

Ultra Drone (Upgraded heavy assault unit)

While Hive troops worked well enough in numbers, later in the war, the Queen created an upgraded Drone that could equal the enemies’ best.  (Pesky little rebel groups, who were having more success than entire armadas, were unnerving her.)  Thankfully for the EEF, these elite units were not created in numbers.  Unlike lesser Drones, these were not suicide units and even included high-powered long-range cannons.  Its main flaws were its ponderous speed and lack of long-distance sensors, along with a main weapon that is overpowered by a Proto-Cell that can’t handle the output.   

Mecka HP: 25, Eye Called Shot 4

Mecka Armor Class: 16 (Base 12 +2 Dex Bonus + 2 ½ level)

Speed: S

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +6 (+4 level, +2 Str)

Ranged to hit: +6 (+4 level, +2 Dex)

Pilot Check: +4 (+2 ½ level, +1 (+2 Dex, 0 Wis)/2)

HTH Fist M1d2+2, (M2d2+4 if grappling)

The Ultra Drone really wasn’t designed for melee.  It can grab and hold human-sized targets with a successful attack roll and a DC 12 Str Check (DC 13 if in Typhoon armor).  Unless the opponent is in Typhoon armor, they will not be able to get free, unless they have the Escape Artist skill and make a DC 12 check. 

Dual Inferno Cannons M2d10, L, can only be fired every other rd

Dual Plasma Cannons M2d4, S

Hive Guardian (Mound Commander, piloted by a Hive Humanoid)

When the Queen decided that human form would be the next step in Hive evolution, she created a mecka worthy of their advanced skills.  It was even equipped with missiles.  Unlike the Ultra Drone, this mecka focused on speed and pilot ability to outclass their opponents.  As formidable as it could be, it had the typical Hive vulnerabilities of short range sensors and weapons.  Taking out the eye will blind the mecka’s Proto-sensor, but not kill it.  However, the cockpit, while shielded, is a rather conspicuous target for Called Shots.

Mecka HP: 20, Eye Called Shot 2, Called Shot Cockpit 5

Mecka Armor Class: 17 (Base 11 +3 Dex Bonus + 3 ½ level)

Speed: F

Sensors: S Proto-Sensor

Melee to hit: +7 (+5 level, +2 Str)

Ranged to hit: +8 (+5 level, +3 Dex)

Pilot Check: +5 (+3 ½ level, +2 (+3 Dex, +1 Wis)/2)

Special: May have 1d2+3 FP available for every encounter, if an important NPC.  They are also Aces and may take two actions in a rd, once per encounter, including a double move.

HTH Fist M1d2+2, (M2d2+4 if grappling)

Note: The Guardian really wasn’t designed for melee.  It can grab and hold human-sized targets with a successful attack roll and a DC 12 Str Check (DC 13 if in Typhoon armor).  Unless the opponent is in Typhoon armor, they will not be able to get free, unless they have the Escape Artist skill and make a DC 18 check. 

Plasma Cannon (built into right arm) M1d10, S

24 Short Missiles M1d8 (+1/missile volley), S range

Robomeck RPG: Robomeck Mecka-Space War III-The Hive

Robomeck RPG Index

The Hive Forces

“If you don’t like your enemies, you shouldn’t have made them.”  Before meeting Qor, the Hive was an entirely pacifist species, dedicated to nurturing their precious Proto-Flower.  Qor discovered the near unlimited energy potential of Proto-fuel derived from the seeds of the flower when stored in a Proto-furnace.  The seeds would eventually be drained and have to be replaced, but would last quite a while and produce enormous amounts of energy.  Use of the Proto-fuel would allow the Overlords to perfect cloning and create mighty warfleets, which would lead to their empire.

But there was always that need for the Proto-Flowers on Teroptera and the Hive nurturing them.  Qor had tried to seed conquered worlds, but only came away with a far inferior substitute.  The flowers would only fully bloom on the Hive homeworld.  While the Hive was happy to share (there was plenty, their world was covered in flowers), the Overlords never liked the arrangement.  It was a weak spot that the Hive or other civilizations might be able to exploit or take advantage of. 

The Overlords asked Qor to find a solution.  His was the Proto-Loom.  It was a Proto-fuel device that actually cloned the seeds.  That sounds a lot simpler than it was to actually create.  The Proto-Flower seeds were imbued with such energy, that the cloning process had the capacity to produce a planetary-level explosion if done improperly.  While the Hive Queen had shown the charming Qor how Proto-fuel worked, this invention was his own and solidified him as a genius.       

With the tremendous power of the Proto-Loom, the Overlords no longer needed Teroperan seeds.  To test the power of his creation, they ordered Qor to destroy the planet so that no one else would be able utilize the power of the Proto-seeds.  Qor’s ship, powered by the Proto-Loom, was fashioned with an energy cannon capable of devastating a planet.  (Humans recovering the ship later would only be able to use it at a fraction of its true power.) 

In a fit of conscience, Qor couldn’t kill his peaceful benefactors (or his erstwhile lover, the Queen).  He instead decided to defoliate the planet of Proto-flowers.  This would fulfill the Overlords’ dictum.  He thought he was doing the Hive creatures a favor as well; their hopeless addiction to the flower had stagnated their society to a listless primitive level.  Breaking this bond would unleash their potential.  That it did.

It was Qor’s last mistake and he’d live just long enough to see his error.  Without their narcotic flower to pacify them, the Hive became as violent as a junky deprived of a fix.  Almost instantly, their entire society of billions mobilized for war.  Qor had only seen the Hive as a civilization of pacifist, drug addicts.  He had not known of their history that led them to this point. 

The Hive had unlocked the secrets of Proto-fuel in their distant past and competing mounds had violently warred with one another.  The Hive who “won” the war, who were the progenitors of the current King and Queen, inherited a devastated world.  From that point, fearing the Hive would not survive as a species, all war was banned.  Aggression was blotted out by an enforced regimen of Proto-Flower consumption by most of the population.  Soon enough, it was all one, big happy Hive.

The King and Queen and various scientific officials, who were exempted from the mandatory addiction, gently directed the populace towards regenerating their world and rebuilding their civilization.  Generations later, with their world a paradise (by Hive standards), the royalty would also be as unmotivated as the rest.  But, those old machines of war were never actually destroyed and the knowledge of their creation was never lost.  All was preserved, just in case.

The Hive saved what seeds and flowers they could before they were all destroyed, but there’d be no where to plant them on Teropera with the soil contaminated.  Their next thought was revenge.  With the King and Queen united in thought their will was enacted by their whole populace.  Qor, orbiting above Teroptera with a Zee fleet, saw a horrific wave of Hive carriers suddenly coming up from the planet.  The old war machines still worked. 

The Zee would heroically attempt to shield Qor’s ship while it attempted to escape, but the Hive overtook them all.  With Hive forces already on board, Qor, fearing sending the Hive directly back to Zirol or any Overlord world, sent the ship into deep space.  Him, the crew, and the invaders would all be killed over the course of the lengthy fold.  Unfortunately, the Hive would search out nearby systems and still find the Overlords’ empire from their use of Proto-fuel and seeded worlds. 

The inferior Proto-Flowers they found would not sate their addiction.  Eventually, they’d take the whole empire, Zirol at the last, without finding the loom or any worthwhile replacement world.  While the King would end up fighting the EEF and fruitlessly searching for the fleeing Overlords, the Queen deployed Proto-sensing probes throughout the galaxy trying to find Qor’s ship.  The end of Space War II would finally give her a positive signal and a call to mobilize her and her brood to take a new world.             

Except where noted, all Hive Mecka have the following features:

Proto-Fuel Sensor S range (Mound Proto-Brains and the Royalty have much longer range and perception capabilities)

Sensor Eye A Called Shot on the eye, with enough damage, is a kill shot.  (Hive Guardians will only lose their sensing capability.)

Grapple Attack for Drone and Warrior types.  This is a suicide HTH attack and they will always go last in a combat rd.  If the Hive mecka makes a successful attack roll and then meets the grapple number, they will be attached to the opponent mecka.  Generally, the grapple number will be 14 (DC 12 + 2 mecka Str), though a few mecka do have +3 Str where noted.  The next rd causes automatic HTH damage.  The next rd, they will destroy the victim’s power core and themselves.  While grappling, Hive mecka is immobile and helpless while grappling and can be attacked to be removed. 

(Note: The Hive King utilized Automated Troops to secure his planetary conquests.  Like the EEF Battlemecks, I’m not going to be bothering to detail them either.  They’re not very interesting.  I may have some inherent bias against Liberators-era mecka.  I could be persuaded otherwise, but for now just use the Assault Warrior Drone as a non-flight capable archetype and then play them as dumbly as possible.)