..Armor and Value..
"ACPA?! Are you sure this is ACPA?"
Jack was quite surprised after hearing what Oliver said because everyone knew what ACPA was.
ACPA, short for 'Assisted Combat Personnel Armor', is essentially combat auxiliary armor. To give a more precise description, it's like armor that has the firepower and protection of an armored vehicle, or even a tank, but can be worn by people. In current Mewtwo game terminology, it can also be called 'power armor.'
"I'm pretty sure, Jack. The Sixth Street Gang has three sets of small-scale riot control ACPAs secretly hidden. I didn't expect, after the truce agreement between Huangban and Military Technology, that ACPAs wouldn't be allowed in Night City. But here I am, finding relevant info in a scavenger's lair. It's strange."
"Isn't ACPA supposed to be restricted?" Karl chimed in, recalling a scene he'd witnessed. "I remember seeing NCPD officers sometimes with a mech beside their vehicles during roadblocks. Isn't that ACPA?"
"At best, it's just an exoskeleton equipped with an ACPA weapon platform," Oliver explained. "Real ACPA far outclasses what you've seen—in terms of firepower, armor thickness, and personnel safety. What we see is just an exoskeleton with the shape of an ACPA. It's more like a walking tank that can plow through anything."
"That raises another question," Karl said, curling a lock of hair. "If power armor is so powerful, why are companies investing in prosthetics instead? Is there a reason prosthetics are considered better than power armor on the battlefield?"
"Karl, you really are a bit clueless," Jack said, helping Oliver answer. "Prosthetics relate to the corporate dogs at the top. With prosthetics, they can still look human by replacing hearts and lungs. But if they get into power armor and let machines replace their entire body, they'd look like tin cans, relying on nutrient solutions to survive. It's not exactly a look they'd go for."
It reminded Karl of stories about dreadnought veterans being mocked.
"And there's more," Oliver continued. "Controlling ACPA mechs with just a human body is tough because the G-force during movement is immense. The human body might not be able to handle it. ACPAs rely heavily on prosthetic enhancements. Only a person with a strong prosthetic foundation could handle it."
"I see… but what does G-force mean?" Karl asked.
"Didn't you read the Mewtwo aviation guide I recommended? Simply put, it's the acceleration of gravity you experience at high speeds."
"Well, I haven't finished it yet, so I didn't really get that part," Karl admitted, though he started to grasp the connection between prosthetics and ACPA.
The two technologies weren't mutually exclusive; they complemented each other, like a spear with a wooden shaft and iron tip. Combined, they became even stronger.
After clearing up that doubt, another one popped into Karl's head.
"But speaking of which, Military Tech and Wasteland don't allow ACPAs in Night City. Aren't they afraid a company or a gang like the Sixth Street Gang could hide an ACPA and launch an attack on important people?"
Oliver explained: "That's because, although ACPAs are powerful, they're not invincible against prosthetics. Do you know how much a good ACPA costs? Take the small ACPAs from the Sixth Street Gang—they're on the cheaper side, only about 1.4 million eurobucks. But do you know how much it costs to take down an ACPA on the battlefield?"
"Money?" Karl asked.
"Exactly. For corporations, human life is cheap—money is what matters. I once heard a veteran from the Sixth Street Gang say that on the battlefield, even for a 1.4 million eurobucks light ACPA, you could send in a few veterans equipped with Sian Westan and technical weapons. Those veterans are essentially disposable. Do you know how much they cost?"
Sian Westan: A prosthetic system that temporarily enhances human muscles and reflexes to their maximum potential, slowing down external time perception for the user.
To take down high-value ACPA, all prosthetic-equipped veterans need to do is risk their lives.
Karl nodded, understanding: "So it's about cost efficiency, not fairness."
"Exactly. The corporations only care about money," Oliver replied.
Karl realized there was no point in asking what it would feel like for a Sian Westan-equipped veteran to wear ACPA armor. According to Oliver, anyone using an ACPA must already have significant prosthetic upgrades, and adding the Sian Westan would be too dangerous. Mid-battle, they'd likely suffer from cyberpsychosis, killing both allies and enemies without discrimination.
Every street gangster knew the consequences of overusing prosthetics.
Their discussion about ACPA armor was cut short as Karl noticed the client's message—only one minute until the vehicle arrived downstairs. It was time to move the target. He copied an image of the ACPA armor from the scavenger's computer, then shot the machine to pieces.
"We'll discuss this more over drinks later. Let's finish this job first," Karl said.
It was strange that ACPA armor info had appeared in the scavenger's hideout, but Karl and the others didn't have enough data to dig deeper. Even if they wanted to, there wasn't much to uncover.
"Sure, we'll chat more later. But before that…" Jack glanced at the pile of prosthetics. "I'll have to call NCPD. Thankfully, there aren't many bodies here, but seeing all these stripped prosthetics? I'll be having nightmares tonight."
Jack's tone was light, joking. He was tough—someone who'd been helped by Valentino, not easily fazed by a few bodies.
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Call NCPD? They'll just confiscate the prosthetics and sell them to shady doctors."
Despite his words, Oliver still made the call. Compared to scavenger scum, NCPD at least had some limits.
Though not many.
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