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[Naturegirl1999]

( 8 ) Plan Even Split : Kashyyk , Happerry, Madman, Andrea, Frostgiant, MoP, Powder Miner

Figuring out which organisms survive best in which biomes will assist us

[Draignean]

It is now Design Phase 2


Starter Contest: The Map (Art)

As your ingested memories become organic and begin to fade, you struggle hardest to hold on to the map of the region, committing it to mind time and time again. What does it look like?

For this contest you need to draw a map that shows the 9 regions and the 2 sequestration caverns. Have fun, it’s the memories of a giant bug-monster.

The winner will gain a credit to make a design at full advantage. You have until the 3rd battle report to submit a map. Only submissions in the core thread are valid.

[NUKE9.13]

So, I reckon a revision to the Driller improving its stomach would help a lot in the Forest. We can use experience from the Grub slime to help with that endeavor. In addition to letting us make progress in the Forest, it would also be a stepping stone towards a Lithovorer, as it would likely need a strong digestive system.
We are already making (slow) progress in the Crevasses, so I think we can afford to do a design that will really only be useful in the Seabed (for now); namely, a flier. Here's a quick proposal of the sort of thing I'm thinking of:

Scouter: T1 Organism (Evolves from Grub)
The Scouter is smaller than the Grub, and quite different in form. The most notable change is a pair of bat-like wings, made of chitinous spurs with fleshy membranes between them. These wings, quite large in comparison to the rest of the body, allow the Scouter to fly at a reasonable pace, both by flapping and gliding.
The second most notable change are the two large black eyes on either side of its... face? Sure, let's call it a face. Consisting of hundreds of light-sensing nodules in a dome formation, these eyes give the Scouter primitive but reasonably effective vision. Combined with an effective memory, this allows the Scouter to scope out the terrain and/or enemy forces from an aerial vantage, relaying the information to other organisms so they can more easily avoid dangers and quickly locate suitable nesting locations.
The Scouter's digestive system is less omnivorous than the Grub's (it can still eat a wide variety of substances, but is unable to extract sufficient nutrition from more marginal sources), being streamlined to save weight, though it is better at storing calories. If there are no good sources of food nearby, the Scouter can extend a hollow spike from its mouth to suck nutrients directly from Grubs.
A minor quirk of the Scouter is an ability to sense magnetic north, aiding it in navigation.

E: Added magnetic-north-sense.
E2: Doubled the number of eyes. One eye is an interesting quirk, but a wider field of vision is worth being boring. Also clarified some other things.

[Naturegirl1999]

Sniffing Driller
This is an evolution of the Driller. It gains antennae near its mouth to allow for the sniffing out and subsequent pushing away of fungus spores and mycelium.

[NUKE9.13]

That's definitely more of a revision that a design. And even as a revision, I prefer a stomach upgrade. I mean, I think the forest is saturated with fungus, so I don't think avoiding it is even an option.

[frostgiant]

Ferro beetle
A ferroelectric soldier is a combat form, Evolved from the grub. Possessing a heavy carapace and 6 legs for mobility along with a large pair of mandibles for Cutting up hostiles and carrying Resources, This combat form is meant to act as the front line of expansion, Diving into danger in order to create an opening for its less well-protected Siblings.

In order to protect the openings in its heavy carapace, the Ferro Beetle secretes an electroconductive slime, Derived from the slime of the grubs. When under threat, The Ferro Beetle discharges its Electric organs, Creating an Electrical pulse strong enough to kill small lifeforms and cause spams in larger muscle groupings.  As a byroduct, This should help defend the heavily armoured soldier from the spores stymying the grubs and the diggers.


Sporeback crawler (T2)
Evolved from the Digger, The spore back is designed to take advantage of the Virulent spores.  After the consumption of dirt, The Crawler segregates the dirt in a series of different stomachs numbering in the double digits. These stomachs are lined in Toxic slime, protecting them from the spores attempts to eat through the lining even while the spores expand due to the nutrient slurry in the stomachs.
For nutrition, The Sporeback flood a stomach with powerful acids, reducing the contents to nothing more then a liquid to be digested by the gastrointestinal system. The remaining stomachs are Cleared in series, Insuring that while no stomach reaches bursting, most stomachs are full of spores.

During combat, The spore back Crawler will heavily compact these stomach contents, before regurgitating and launching these spore balls at the enemy. Upon impact, the spore ball burst, Infecting an area with virulent and deadly spores, Which in turn will infect thier hivemates if not contained.

Design for the future once we have Territory in sporeland.

[Kashyyk]

I realise I keep riffing off this idea, but I want us to move our body plan on from limbless grubs already.

Evolving from the Grub, it is still approximately 1 meter long, but instead of undulating it runs on six limbs, the rear and central pair ending in a claw/hoof, whilst the front two end in tough bone in a vague blade shape, that can be swiped and slashed hard by powerful shoulders muscles. It has four camera eyes, above a maw lined with short, sharp teeth.

The most notable feature though, is the large fin along its back, full of blood vessels. The fin can be extended outwards like a sail, to maximise heat radiation, or it can collapsed under the front-most spine, that is covered in carqpace to protect the fin when not in use. The carapace also covers the rest of the back and head.

Less obviously, this morph is cold blooded. Whilst it may be lethargic in some of the cooler regions, the inclusion of an oversized adrenal gland will allow for a rapid burst of energy, such as when leaping ten plus meters (thanks to its strong back legs) into combat or to cross difficult terrain.

[frostgiant]

Ironback Monitor beetle
 The Ironback survives as a mobile fortress. Possessing 8 limbs With all but the frontmost limbs possessing paw-like structures to ensure stability, a Combination Toothed mouth and mandible combination,  along with its most obvious feature, that being a heavy and dense carapace that protects it from environmental factors, enemies and almost any threat.

 The ironback is a survivor. mosty Hidden by its wide and thick grey Carapace, The iron back posses features unlike an insect, This includes very strong scaly skin, Which, While not as durable as the carapace is much more flexible enabling the insect-like Skin to fill in the joints in the carapace, Protecting it from Oppertunitic parasites, Dust and various other threats that could puncture the required mobility giving joints.

In order to protect from External factors, The Ironback Holds a system of Vaccoul stomachs inside of its fortress of a body, allowing it to last out a siege, or more importantly a long trek, Providing Food and water for environments that are lacking in it. When eating, The ironbark Contains the food in a Very durable stomach, Which in combination with a powerful acid, allows it to eat normally dangerous or poisonous food.

During combat, The Ironback monitor will make use of its heavy weight to slam into its targets, Pulping it with its body, all the while it uses its Mandibles to grab and hold a target, even as its maw Chews that creature apart. Even worse for the poor creatures attempting to assault this living fortress, The front two limbs of the Ironback lack the paw-like structures, instead of mounting two Mandible like structures it uses to stab and rend its prey.

The Weakness of the Ironback comes with its incredibly strong protection, That being a decreased Mobility and limited sensory organs, Limited to a sense of touch and echolocation, A sense that quickly becomes cloudy during the loud affair of combat.

[NUKE9.13]

I'd be okay with doing either Kashyyk's Lesser Crested Alphaling or the Scouter. Both would help in the Seabed, I think. I'm going to vote for the Scouter, but could easily change my mind if the wind blows the other way.

Scouter: (1) NUKE9.13

[Kashyyk]

I do want flyers, so I would not be upset if the Scouter wins. I'm just biased.

Scouter: (1) NUKE9.13
Lesser Crested Alphaling: (1) Kashyyk

[Naturegirl1999]

Scouter: (2) NUKE9.13, NG1999
Lesser Crested Alphaling: (1) Kashyyk

Right now, fliers seem less likely to get burned by the fires than leaders, and if they fly high enough, maybe the spores can’t reach

[Man of Paper]

Hugger: T1 Organism (Evolves from Grub)

A creature that evolves from the grub with a thinner, longer body supported by eight long, spindly legs. Huggers wrap heir insectoid legs around objects (nonhostile fungus, passive rocks, barrels full of radioactive materials) and roll away with them. Huggers bring food supplies to grubs, drillers, and other forms of life that might be too busy to grab a meal for themselves. Huggers are capable of digesting almost any material, and can keep themselves fed with a bit of whatever they're transporting.

----

want legs and silly transport capability?

[Naturegirl1999]

Scouter: (2) NUKE9.13, NG1999
Lesser Crested Alphaling: (1) Kashyyk
Hugger: (0)

[NUKE9.13]

Setting aside my thoughts on its potential efficacy in general, how does the Hugger help us right now? I can't see it getting us further in any of the three regions we're currently working in.

[Man of Paper]

I dunno, I just had the urge to do it.