Model Five​

Enemy Classification: Heavy Defender / Medium-Threat / Biological Warfare

Elimination Reward: 20 Points

Model Description: Model Fives represent a significant shift in antithesis warfare strategy, introducing a unit designed for heavy defence and area denial. These quadrupeds are covered in fine, barbed quills capable of being 'tossed' at adversaries with lethal precision. Larger and more durable than most low-tier models, their tank-like constitution suggests they are designed to counter threats from other alien species rather than humans. Model Fives are relatively rare, indicating a specialised role within the antithesis hive hierarchy.

Artist Depiction of a model Five​

Threat Analysis Report: Model Five

Threat Rating: Medium

Overview

The appearance of Model Fives on the battlefield marks an escalation in antithesis tactical diversity. Designed as a walking fortress, their primary mode of attack involves projecting quills that embed and cause severe injury to targets.

Threat Capabilities

Quill Projection: Model Fives can launch their barbed quills with enough force to penetrate light armour, acting as a medium-range offensive weapon.

Durability: Their robust physique makes them difficult to incapacitate, requiring concentrated firepower or specialised weaponry to effectively neutralise.

Strategic Role: Given their rarity and specialised nature, Model Fives are likely deployed in scenarios where high defence and area control are prioritised.

Survivability and Adaptability: While not as agile as other models, their defensive capabilities allow them to withstand significant punishment in a variety of environmental conditions.

Strategic Threat Assessment

Containment Difficulty: Low-Medium. Their unique offensive capabilities and resilience complicate engagement and containment efforts.

Military and Civilian Risk: Medium. Model Fives pose a direct threat to military personnel and heavily fortified structures. Civilian casualties are less likely due to their limited numbers and deployment in targeted scenarios.

Potential for Expansion: Low. Given their specialised nature and apparent design to counter non-human threats, Model Fives are unlikely to be deployed in large numbers for territorial expansion.

Mitigation Strategies

Focused Firepower: Utilise heavy weaponry and concentrated attacks to overcome their natural durability.

Area Denial Countermeasures: Employ mines, traps, and other area denial tools to limit their mobility and effectiveness.

Research and Development: Study recovered quills and tissue samples to develop armour and protective gear capable of resisting or mitigating the effects of quill projection.

Public Awareness and Training: Inform military and emergency response teams about the characteristics and capabilities of Model Fives to improve readiness and response effectiveness. Inform after-action personnel about the potential for lost quills near and around battlezones.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Conclusion

Model Fives are a formidable addition to the antithesis arsenal, requiring careful consideration in engagement and containment strategies. Their introduction suggests an evolving alien threat, possibly in response to challenges from other extraterrestrial entities.

Addendum M5-1: Transcript of Dissection Report by Dr. Evelyn "Dagger" Hargrove

Date: [Redacted]

Subject: Model Five Dissection Analysis

Start of Transcript.

Dr. Evelyn Hargrove: "Recording now. Today, we're delving into a creature that's both a marvel and a nightmare: a Model Five. Unlike anything we've encountered so far, this specimen is akin to a living fortress, bristling with quills that are as beautiful as they are deadly."

[Sound of equipment being prepared]

Dr. Evelyn Hargrove: "The quills are the first feature that grabs your attention. Each one is finely barbed, designed to inflict maximum damage. They're not merely defensive; these can be projected at targets with lethal precision. Their skin is thick, almost like natural armour, providing them with considerable protection. Interestingly, they don't have any scales or hardened patches of skin... I think that their skin is surprisingly flexible. Maybe to allow more quills to attach themselves to the body?"

[Pause for examination]

Dr. Evelyn Hargrove: "Musculature is dense, supporting their heavy frame. It's clear they're built for endurance and defence rather than speed.... The internal anatomy is... very strange. I'm seeing the usual organ-equivalents, but there are these tumerous sacs all across the inside of the body.... Oh."

[Several minutes pass]

Dr. Evelyn Hargrove: "Turns out the sacs have little capillary veins reaching out of them and into the inner layer of the model's skin. It's coating the quills in a liquid when they're removed. Like stabbing a needle into a wet sponge. Only the needle is covered in thin, flexible barbs.

[Sounds of items being deposited]

Dr. Evelyn Hargrove: "Concluding, the Model Five is... strange. I read that preliminary report submitted by Mister Prickleback. I didn't want it to cloud my judgement, but I think I agree. This model could be a unit designed with a clear purpose in mind, and that purpose might not be to kill humans. There are other, more effective ways of doing that. A lot of hints point towards this being a model designed for a different environment and a different foe. I wonder what happened to them?"

[Recording ends]

End of Transcript.

Addendum M5-2: Due to their distinctive appearance and tactical role, Model Fives have garnered various unofficial names among troops and civilians, including:

- Quill Tanks

- Barbs

- Porcupines

- Thorn Throwers

- Ghosts

Addendum M5-3: Ongoing research into the quills of Model Fives has indicated potential uses in materials science and medical applications. However, the primary focus remains on developing effective countermeasures for military purposes.

Addendum M5-4:

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The deployment of Model Fives in conflict zones has necessitated a review of our current defensive structures and personal protective equipment. The ability of their quills to penetrate clothing demands immediate attention and innovation in our defensive capabilities.

We're losing soldiers to these quills when they could be stopped by the most basic of kevlar plates.

Addendum M5-5: ALL ONGOING RESEARCH INTO MEDICAL USES FOR MODEL FIVE QUILLS IS TO BE CANCELLED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.