Grrl Power V: Probably Not an Octopus

[Rogar Demonblud]

Given her interaction with the law enforcement guy back on the station, that is her default move. Massive firepower followed by other people having to clean up her mess. Plus, we haven't exactly seen her show restraint anywhere else.

[Dragonus45]

Yeah but for some reason people think she has no self control or something and will bring out the fat boy mini nuke launcher at the first opportunity.

Well some people don't seem to grasp the difference between using overwhelming force to remove problems with maximum safety and being a mad trigger happy murderhobo.

[lord_khaine]

Yeah but for some reason people think she has no self control or something and will bring out the fat boy mini nuke launcher at the first opportunity.

She likely has plenty of selfcontrol. You dont get to be a succesful Space Adventure without.
But she also has zero compulsions against killing those who even seems likely to get in her way.

The main reason she isnt a mad triggerhappy murderhobo.
Is that she has her own spaceship to live on (disqualifying her from the hobo bit)

And so the likely -only- reason she has not pulled the old Gauss Flayer out, is that as someone else mentioned, she is on Max's turf.
Likely Dabbler has given her a update on the rules to play by here.

[Dragonus45]

And so the likely -only- reason she has not pulled the old Gauss Flayer out, is that as someone else mentioned, she is on Max's turf.
Likely Dabbler has given her a update on the rules to play by here.

Yea she starts setting off the high explosives in Max's house and suddenly she might be better off letting Max get kidnapped after all.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Even so, some more oomph on the telescoping facepunch attachment wouldn't have hurt.

...
I mean, it would - but only the right person, which is fine.

[lord_khaine]

So.. Achilles to the resque.
This is indeed an excellent way to use him. And for that matter.
Its just about the perfect target for him. Someone lighter than himself without super strenght.

[Traab]

Yeah he is an interesting dude with his powers. I honestly wonder if he ever has a moment when encountering something new where he considers if THIS thing can hurt him? I mean, he just saw maxima get frozen in place, so its clear sci fi tech can nail HER, so maybe it could nail him? Nope, looks like the answer is still no. Hey, from a physics standpoint I was wondering something. I remember max pointing out that smashing people with cars in a super brawl is stupid because if you are strong enough to lift cars, chances are your fist will hit harder than a car frame will. What about achilles? He is unbreakable, so if max picked him up and went full strength dump on her stats while using him as a baseball bat, would that be more effective than a regular punch because his physical durability is "YES" while hers is just really high?

[Keltest]

Yeah he is an interesting dude with his powers. I honestly wonder if he ever has a moment when encountering something new where he considers if THIS thing can hurt him? I mean, he just saw maxima get frozen in place, so its clear sci fi tech can nail HER, so maybe it could nail him? Nope, looks like the answer is still no. Hey, from a physics standpoint I was wondering something. I remember max pointing out that smashing people with cars in a super brawl is stupid because if you are strong enough to lift cars, chances are your fist will hit harder than a car frame will. What about achilles? He is unbreakable, so if max picked him up and went full strength dump on her stats while using him as a baseball bat, would that be more effective than a regular punch because his physical durability is "YES" while hers is just really high?

Possibly mildly. Humans arent really shaped to be used as a mace, her mostly-indestructible fist will probably connect just as hard without any of the joints that humans have that would probably bend at that level of force. Newton's Laws dont really favor weapons that flex when you hit things with them. He wouldnt get hurt, but his body wouldnt stay still for it either. His muscles just cant make him stay stiff against Max's force.

The real reason to use a car or a mace or whatever is the same reason we use a baseball bat instead of just punching the ball: It allows us to manipulate the F=MA equation more to our advantage.

[Traab]

Possibly mildly. Humans arent really shaped to be used as a mace, her mostly-indestructible fist will probably connect just as hard without any of the joints that humans have that would probably bend at that level of force. Newton's Laws dont really favor weapons that flex when you hit things with them. He wouldnt get hurt, but his body wouldnt stay still for it either. His muscles just cant make him stay stiff against Max's force.

The real reason to use a car or a mace or whatever is the same reason we use a baseball bat instead of just punching the ball: It allows us to manipulate the F=MA equation more to our advantage.

Yeah but a car is more fragile than a person swinging it around so that brings in the same issue. It bending when swung and losing said force. The point of us using a mace is the mace is harder than we are.

[HandofShadows]

I was waiting for Achilles to take one that opponent. It's perfect for him. Now how are the rest of the team going to handle things? And how much fun will it be for us to watch?

[Ibrinar]

There are weapons with flexible parts like flails or nunchucks. You would be pretty much limited to swings in Achilles combat if you want to make use of the full range but I think it should do more damage than a punch if done properly. With the extra distance his head should be moving significantly faster than the hand she is grabbing him with and kinetic energy grows with the square of speed so that should be good for damaging something extra sturdy. And if the enemy has something that can hurt her she can use him to block..

[Radar]

Possibly mildly. Humans arent really shaped to be used as a mace, her mostly-indestructible fist will probably connect just as hard without any of the joints that humans have that would probably bend at that level of force. Newton's Laws dont really favor weapons that flex when you hit things with them. He wouldnt get hurt, but his body wouldnt stay still for it either. His muscles just cant make him stay stiff against Max's force.

The real reason to use a car or a mace or whatever is the same reason we use a baseball bat instead of just punching the ball: It allows us to manipulate the F=MA equation more to our advantage.

Actually flexing weapon can be used to your advantage even if it is difficult to use. We have whips, flails, nunchucks and so on. Those kind of weapons allow you to store more energy in the hit as the endpoint can move faster then your hand would otherwise be capable of. Not sure, if Achilles could be used like that, but there is only one way to find out.

All in all, it is interesting to see him again so detached from the situation emotionally, which make a lot of sense for him and if he can casually stop swords with his eye, there is nothing that could rustle his jimmies in a fight.

[Dragonus45]

Actually flexing weapon can be used to your advantage even if it is difficult to use. We have whips, flails, nunchucks and so on. Those kind of weapons allow you to store more energy in the hit as the endpoint can move faster then your hand would otherwise be capable of. Not sure, if Achilles could be used like that, but there is only one way to find out.

All in all, it is interesting to see him again so detached from the situation emotionally, which make a lot of sense for him and if he can casually stop swords with his eye, there is nothing that could rustle his jimmies in a fight.

Those types of weapons, baring dumbchucks, are effective sure but Achilles just isn't quite physically suited for that since his body is too stiff and his head to small relative to the rest of him.

[lord_khaine]

Also, the Achilles-flail theory dont take into account the absurdly extreme amount of force involved when Max hit something.
Since Achilles can bend, some energy should be lost at the most extreme degree of impact.
Unlike when Max hit something. Since she can achor herself in the air there should be a better transfer.
Though im not a professort in physics. So my understanding of forces can be faulty.

Still, the Achilles Shield is a more viable idea.
Though i guess mostly from blocking space ship shots.
There it should also work perfectly.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Given Max's speed, she'd be better off dodging.

[Keltest]

Given Max's speed, she'd be better off dodging.

Indeed. And the other problems with shields is that you arent making the force go away. Shields and armor work by dissipating the blow over a large enough surface area that no damage is done, but that force is still impacting you. Hit it with enough force, and even dissipated its going to hurt. If Max needs to hide behind Achilles for some reason, mostly whats going to happen is she's going to be hit by Achilled propelled by whatever force she's hiding from. Rather like hiding behind a truck that gets rammed into a wall.

[lord_khaine]

Given Max's speed, she'd be better off dodging.

Not a given if they tag her with a laser. Or has sufficiently advanced targeting software.

Indeed. And the other problems with shields is that you arent making the force go away. Shields and armor work by dissipating the blow over a large enough surface area that no damage is done, but that force is still impacting you. Hit it with enough force, and even dissipated its going to hurt. If Max needs to hide behind Achilles for some reason, mostly whats going to happen is she's going to be hit by Achilled propelled by whatever force she's hiding from. Rather like hiding behind a truck that gets rammed into a wall.

Well that. And there is no such thing as a perfect exchange of forces. So getting hit by Achilles is -absolutely- a lot better than getting hit by whatever punched Achilles.
Some of the energy is going to be lost. And the impact will be spread out across Achilles. So no, rather like hiding behind a shield thats slammed by a mallet. Still a lot better than taking hit yourself.

And thats in the by far worst scenario for shield Achilles.
He grows exponentially more useful there if someone is using a rail gun or a lightsaber.

[HandofShadows]

We get and explanation of how the stasis field works.

Spoiler

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And that once Max noticed something wrong she sped up and is able to move slowly as the field slows down time, not stops it. Her colors show be blue? shifted though. By moving Max is causing a massive power drain on the battery for the field. Hope it lasts long enough so some of the other cast members can get some panel time.

[Traab]

Anyone else getting this scene? And yeah, I figured this was going to happen at some point. The only way the field would have worked is if it took effect in such a way that max was both totally blindsided, and it took her completely out meaning she has no capability to react. If a person in that field is even able to TRY to struggle, it means she is going to get out through overwhelming force or speed or whatever. They got the first part, looks like the field doesnt manage the second.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Max better be careful when she comes out of that field, or else she'll be moving at like Mach 20 and the sonic boom with shatter every window in Midtown.

[Traab]

Max better be careful when she comes out of that field, or else she'll be moving at like Mach 20 and the sonic boom with shatter every window in Midtown.

Its possible that the device will fade rather than just break so she will feel the loss of stasis and be able to modify her speed because yeah, even if its for a tiny fraction of a second, a human sized object moving at that speed is going to cause problems. At first I was thinking she is in full battle mode now so her reaction is equally as fast as she likely is, but literally any movement would act like an explosion around her.

[Dragonus45]

That itself might be the trick, take advantage of her unwillingness to hit those kinds of speeds coming out of a bubble in a crowded area as a way to neutralize her in the future.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Problem is even her 'normal' speeds are fast enough to shut down most opponents. Maxima is seriously OP for the setting.

[Traab]

Which is why most battles seem to revolve around her not being able to fight for some reason for awhile to give everyone else a chance to shine. The council meeting, she had to dig her way back after the exploding dummy she carried off collapsed the tunnel. During the super brawl she hung back on overwatch 90% of the time, and now this. Basically, there is always an excuse for her to not take part right away and end the battle right off the bat.

[Dragonus45]

Her normal speeds aren't getting her out of that bubble though.

Also as time goes on and Sydney becomes more independent we will likely see more situations Max isn't even present for as smarter enemies will likely be pushing to split up the group.

[Traab]

Yeah, these mercs are stupid. "Hey, lets attack the planet that just casually obliterated a fel battleship and specifically target the super who ONE SHOT IT. Im sure our standard loadout will be fine here." Also, the final joke wasnt needed, we were already thinking it. "Hur hur, succubus summons lube. gee, I wonder what she normally uses it for?" Ok, now it seems like aside from perhaps cora and achilles, all thats left is to see what happens with maxima. This group is pretty well done. Also, where is our creepy guide? A part of me is thinking he is providing a distraction so the boss can escape and not point the finger at him. "Well sorry ladies, but after I drove him through two buildings and a parking lot he was able to distract me long enough to escape." Last time we saw him was in the background of the magic sword lady getting road rash on her boobs right before achilles proceeded to choke her out. Also, upon closer inspection we see the rest of arcswat in the background doing their thing. I was wondering how the sydney standoff was resolved. Looks like heatwave took over while she took the stasis pod.

[Ibrinar]

What I find stupid is attacking her with her team around. Could they really not have found a better time and organized it so that there is less time between beam and pod? Doing it like this makes them seem like amateurs.

[HandofShadows]

What I find stupid is attacking her with her team around. Could they really not have found a better time and organized it so that there is less time between beam and pod? Doing it like this makes them seem like amateurs.

They look at Earth as being a primitive backwater and very arrogantly look down on the people & planet. We have seen that TONS of time in our own history. (Not getting into specifics because I don't want to get in trouble.) So in no way is this unrealistic. Also they massively underestimated Max's capabilities. They saw Max as a powerful cannon, but nothing more than that. Max has a lot more powers than than and is stressing the stasis field in ways that has probably never been seen before. Classic arrogance and ignorance. That makes it fun to watch. You can see Heatwave and Amorphous in background "surprising" other members of the enemy team.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Ah, the Grease spell. So underappreciated.

[Traab]

What I find stupid is attacking her with her team around. Could they really not have found a better time and organized it so that there is less time between beam and pod? Doing it like this makes them seem like amateurs.

Too be fair, less than half the team is actually here. Here are the heroes with their guards relatively down and not in full force. I do agree the way the follow up was handled is super stupid. Why is the stasis pod so far away? Or was it? We see sydney keeping it held in place so for all we know he would have been there within 5-10 seconds otherwise.