*credit goes to Bioware and the people that made these wonderful videos/pictures. I own nothing.
Commander Shepard
Height:??
Weight: ???
Age: 30s
Type of Hero Bonus :Squad, Morale, Destruction
Classification: The Prime Mover
Commander Shephard is the hero of the Mass Effect series, the man who, though pure skill, expert diplomacy, and not a small bit of luck, managed to unite the many factions into one cohesive alliance. In the meantime he accomplished a collection of badass combat feats including beating other Spectres, killing multiple Reapers, dying and coming back to life, defeating his clone, surviving a suicide mission at the heart of the galaxy (with his entire squad intact), aiding a crimelord in retaking an empire, took down another galactic criminal information broker and replaced him with his friend, gutted no less then three mercenary organizations, peacefully resolving a 300 year old war, aiding in the cure of the Genophage and ultimately saving the galaxy itself.
He did all this with just a small squad so you can just imagine what he will do here with much of army at his back. Such is Shephard's fame and legend that any soldiers who he fights alongside are going to feel much more confident about their chances. And they won't be wrong in such sentiments.
As a Spectre(humanity's first) Shepard is one of these badass secret agents with the authority to ignore all but a most direct ruling of the Council. This gives him unparalled freedom in resolving conflicts and issues. Before being a spectre he was a N7 marine and went through that training as well. His repution is so good and his leadership so skillful that any of the other Heroes can work with Shephard without any penalty in following his orders(yes, even Aria!). Any mission in which he takes part in will have a exponentially higher chance of succeeding, even if said mission is considered a suicide mission.
Ranged: Whatever he wants
Defense: Whatever he wants, though generally standard would apply.
Special : Quite variable, but can include a multiple of tech and biotic skills that are the best in its class.
Additional Factors:
--Badass of the week profile
Crew of the Normandy
The Crew of the Normandy and their commander himself are looked at as legends by the rest of the Citadel forces, a top-team of specialists from all sorts of diverse backgrounds working together to accomplish the impossible. In addition to their skills they also possess comradery , influence and contacts that make them influential on a galactic level.
For most of these I am going to be skipping the actual weapons and defense categories with one exception, as it is quite redundent. Due to their high positions these guys can pretty much acquire whatever they feel like acquiring.
Kaiden Adjenko:
Height:5'10
Weight: 170
Age: 35
Type of Hero Bonus: Spec Ops
Classification: Spectre
Once a human part of a experimental Biotic program Kaiden has evolved to become a exemplary biotic. He is now the second Spectre in history, behind only the commander, one of those elite warriors charged with upholding the peace at any cost. Kaiden is known for his calm, self-collected nature, the result of his upbringing, and seems more Paragon then Renegade.
Kaiden is one of two of the humans who have joined the Spectre organization, demonstrating his extreme amount of battlefield skill and ability. On the battlefield he demonstrates his aptitude for biotic ability.
--Personality: (From the perspective of one who decided to save Ashley, and is forced to do this profile by group request) Kaiden seems to be someone who would try to do the right thing before all else. His default personality tends to be less xenophobic then most of the other Human crew members, even advocating for the saving of the Citadel Council at the cost of a Human fleet. He is honest and good-natured, though a bit stiff.
Loadout
Special:
--Reave:
--Overload:
--Cyro Blast: See Elites
--Barrier: See Eclipse
Additional Factors:
Urdnot Wrex
Height: 7'6
Weight: 2 and a half tons
Age: A millennium
Type of Hero Bonus: Leadership, Mass Destruction
Classification: King of the Krogan
Wrex is arguably the most famous companion of the game, and with good reason. This wise-cracking mercenary has almost a 1000 years of experience on the battlefield which has now translated into political and leadership experience. Urdnot Wrex is now one of the two leaders of the unified Krogan, free from the Genophage, and unlike most of his hot-headed kin he is not spoiling for a fight with the rest of the galaxy.
This guy is leader of the Krogan, and can command them in battle . By all accounts he rules the majority of the Krogan race, and while other clamor for war against their current allies he manages to keep the Krogan blood rage in check, providing a stable leadership for this race.
Wrex recognizes that to fall into the folly of focusing on old grudges would just result in the return of the genophage and maybe even his race's extinction.
To that end he is willing to negotiate with even the contentious council, however he takes care not to negotiate from a position of weakness or bullying strength. He is also a old friend of Shepard and crew member of the Normandy, and though his desire for a better Krogan future comes first he will support Shepard in any way he can, even personally involving himself in fight if need be.
His mate, Bakara, is the leader of the female Krogan and has been instrumental in further rallying Krogan support behind this alliance . The fact that Wrex would even allow this in a traditionally male dominated society speaks volumes about his willingness to break harmful tradition. That isn't to say he isn't like other Krogan however as Wrex is both brutal, ruthless, stubborn, prideful and warmongering.
Loadout:
Special:
--Carnage: See Krogan
--Stimulant Pack: Turian Cabal
--Lift Grenades: See Asari
--Barrier: see Eclipse
Additional Factors:
Liara T'Soni:
Height: 5'8
Weight: 135 lbs
Age: 106
Type of Hero Bonus: Clandestine Operations, Biotic Specialist
Classification: Shadow Broker
Liara T'soni was once an innocent doctor studying artifacts of the Protheans however events have warped her into a hard, cynical women. She is a powerful biotic specialist and one of the best shown in the series so far, with only Aria T'Loak possibly being her better. Her greatest weapon by far is her intellect and cunning, and using those traits she became the Shadow Broker, a being who controls the flow of information throughout the entire galaxy.
Liara is the Shadow Broker and thus has access to most of the information seen just about elsewhere, even those the individual factions may want to keep secret. Through her agents she can unofficially arrange or help the forces of the galaxy.She is also going to be one of the first to try and find out info of the other factions and will thus function as a spymaster.
As the Shadow Broker Liara is going to have access to almost all information her faction discovers and be able to use it almost instantaneously. As one of the main companions of Commander Shepard anything she sees, he sees, which aids him dramatically in their missions together.Liara is one of Shepard's greatest friends, and practically warred with the then-Shadow Broker to get his body back so it could be revived. Any enemy between them is ruthlessly taken down by carefully inserted stealth times, misinformation or even brute force biotics.
Liara was once bright and cheery is now ruthless and cynical. She is cold and calculating and is probably one of the more brutal characters in this, however she is not evil and will try her utmost to do the right thing.
Powers:
Liara is a master Biotic despite her age, equal to older biotic commandos, and can actually do much more then this.
--Singularity:
--Stasis:
--Warp : See Elites, previous page.
Additional Factors:
--Glyph: Glyph is Liara's personal information drone and assistant. Effectively functions as a secretary and helps record all the information.
--Assets: The Shadow Broker has the following unique teams at her disposal.
---Shadow Broker Wet Squad: As the new Shadow Broker, Liara T'Soni has the loyalty of her predecessor's assassination squad, a small but lethal team of soldiers called on for the rare occasion when information isn't enough to silence a target. Their methods vary with each mission: from subtle poisonings to bombing entire buildings, the wet squad is dedicated to whatever range of destruction the new Broker requires. Dr. T'Soni has put them to work against the Reapers and Cerberus.
---Shadow Broker Support Team: The Shadow Broker's strength lies in her connections. Dr. Liara T'Soni has a team of operatives able to procure almost any supplies at any time, by using an extensive network of bribes, blackmail, and favors.
Garrus Vakarian:
Height: 6'8
Weight: 215
Age: 31?
Type of Hero Bonus: Squad Bonus, Advisor
Classification: Archangel
Garrus Vakarian is the Turian companion of Commander Shephard throughout the games, and is rather famous for his tenure as Archangel. During his time as Archangel he decided to try and purge all of Omega of crime with a squad of about 12 or so people against many thousands. By all accounts he nearly succeeded, taking on the unified front of three gangs with just 12 men, only being stopped because of a betrayal within his ranks.
Garrus has, through the death of much of he Turian chain of command and through his own knowledge of the Reapers, become one of the highest figures in the Turian military. Thus he will assist the Turian Primarch in planning. As one of the highest ranking Turians left he gives the overall Crew of the Normandy army influence over the Turians.
Garrus joins Shepard now as an expert sharpshooter in addition to a tactical leader. In one instance he killed three people in a headshot with one bullet.Garrus cuts corners with council law and red tape as much as possible, and won't hesitate to try something innovative if he senses it benefits the situation. Garrus tends towards the "Chaotic Good" alignment. He wants to make a huge difference in the world but is frustrated by all the red tape and thus works his way around it, tending towards vigilantism.
Special:
--Concussive Shot:
--Overload:
--Proximity Mines: See Elites
Additional Factors:
Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy
Height: 5'10
Weight: 135
Age: 20ish?
Type of Hero Bonus: Tech, Fleet Admiral
Classification: Tech specialist
Tali'Zorath Vas Normandy has been with Shephard, like Garrus, since the first game. Originally a Quarian sent on her pilgrimage she proved instrumental in helping Shephard take care of the Geth and Sovereign. Through the years her status among her people has grown immensly, and she is now an admiral of the fleet, using her tech skills both on and off the battlefield. Tali'Zorath is one of the 5 fleet admirals of the fleet. She tends to a more moderate approach rather then extremists like Hans and Korris, and looks out for the lives of her people.
Indeed she has been called the "Formost expert of the Geth" which, considering that the Quarians have put 300 years into studying them, is pretty impressive. Resourceful and a excellent hacker, in one instance she once, while being hacked on the Citadel, hacked into the basic maintenance of the station and used it to dispatch her attackers, at one point incinerating them in the trash compartment. When paired with Shepard she gives the overall team an excellent hacker and provides the teams with custom modified drones.
Tali is a compassionate and passionate individual that is both more likely to shown concern for innocents and more likely to hit hard back on hated foes. She is also a bit mischievous and energetic.
Special:
--Energy Drain:
--Sabotage: See Elites
--Combat and Defense Drone: see Support
Additional Factors:
Jacob Taylor:
Height: 6'2
Weight: 220
Age: 30ish
Type of Hero Bonus: Squad
Classification: Ex-Cerebus Squad leader
Jacob Taylor is a seemingly ordinary Cerebus squad officer chosen by the Illusive Man for his stabilizing personality. Jacob is shown to be a decent squad leader (one of the 4 best of Shephard's squad) and tactical consultant. Basically all he does now is do that and occasionally lead assaults on bases. Another feather in his cap is that he works well with just about everyone here. However unfortunately information on him is rather slim to be provided then with the others, as he was designed to be comparably bland.
Special:
--Barrier:
--Pull
--Lift Grenade: see Elites.
Additional Factors:
Miranda Lawson:
Height:5'9
Weight: 140
Age: 36
Type of Hero Bonus: Spec Ops, Tactical Support, Squad
Classification: Ex-Cerberus specialist
Miranda Lawson is a high-ranking former Cerberus operative and a human biotic. Lawson headed Project Lazarus, the Cerberus operation that brought Commander Shepard back from the brink of death after the first Normandy was destroyed. She is a extremely capable project commander and intelligence adviser, being called somewhat a tactical genius. Cold and calculating, Miranda pursues her tasks with unnatural dedication. She will not hesitate to kill if it accomplishes her goals (though she probably won't want to kill someone completely innocent if she can help it).
Lawson is herself an example of the achievements possible through genetic engineering. She was created in 2150 through manipulation of her father's DNA. Her entire physical and mental composition was deliberately engineered, including a longer life span and a superior immune system. Miranda is proud of herself and her abilities, and with the amount of successful spec ops missions she lead its hard to fault her. She is a expert at covert ops and infiltration. In one example she infiltrated one of the most heavily armed Cerberus base solo and proceeded to sabotage it successfully from the inside.
Special:
-Overload
-Incinerate
-Warp
-Reave: See Elites
Additional Factors:
Grunt
Height:???
Weight: Tons
Age: 2-3 years ( lab Cloned)
Type of Hero Bonus: Destruction
Classification: Weapon of Moderate Destruction
Grunt is a genetically engineered krogan super soldier. Bred and educated in a tank, he was intended to exemplify the best traits of the krogan, and help reinvigorate his species. In the meantime, he fights alongside Commander Shepard to satisfy his natural desire for violence.
Grunt leads leads Akkatosh Squad, made of the biggest and baddest Krogan in all the tribes. He fought and beat every other Krogan claimant even though he was originally seen as a outcaste. Grunt is good, really good at killing things. In fact he is recognized as one of the best of the Krogan. Which is good as Grunt is all about a good love for battle, and he will hurl himself in with reckless abandon.
Loadout
Special:
--Concussive Shot: See Infantry
--Fortification: See Krogan
Additional Factors:
Kasumi
Height:??
Weight: ???
Age: ??/
Type of Hero Bonus: Thievery, Infiltration, Sabotage
Classification: Master Theif
Kasumi Goto is wanted in over a dozen systems for sabotage, hacking, theft, and a laundry list of other crimes. The Alliance is willing to overlook Goto's indiscretions in exchange for her help with the Crucible. In addition to her expertise with electronic security systems, Goto can acquire important technology thought lost or stuck deep in enemy territory. No one dares ask how she acquires these items.Mischievous, enigmatic, dedicated and most importantly a kleptomaniac, all of her personality traits help her occupation.
Special:
--Tactical Cloak: Which is on nearly all the time and seems to have unlimited duration
--Overload:
-- Decoy : See Elites
Additional Factors:
Samara
Height: 5'7
Weight: 130
Age: 1000~
Type of Hero Bonus: Heavy Assault
Classification: Justicar elite
Samara is a nearly thousand-year-old asari justicar, a member of an ancient monastic order following a strict honor code. During her long life she has done everything from destroy countless merc groups to fighting off a Spectre. Though she is skilled with weapons, Samara usually relies on her powerful biotic abilities.Samara, with her nearly millennium worth of collective knowledge and training, has proven to be a exceptional biotic. Almost certainly one of the best here.
As a Justicar her opinion is taken almost at face value by the Asari. This is shown in her recruitment mission when just a hint of misdeed by her can put someone else in jail. This is presumably because of Asari trust of the Justicar code that ensures they cannot lie. As a squadmate of Shepard this helps him immensely. However Samara has a dedication of the Code (see Justicar's) that precedes all else. Her dedication sometimes puts her in conflict with personal goals of others.
Special:
--Reave
--Warp
--Pull
--Throw: See Elites for these
Additional Factors:
Jack
Height:5'6
Weight: 105
Age: 35
Type of Hero Bonus: Mass Destruction
Classification: Subject Zero
Jack's early life was tragic; she was the subject of cruel Cerberus experiments to turn her into a superweapon, and in that they succeeded. Originally a very angry young adult she became a teacher at the esteemed Grisson University, where she now strives to keep her biotic students alive.
Jack is relentless in combat, and in fact she pretty much leveled a heavily guarded prison by herself when let free. She is another contender for best biotic here. In battle she seems to lead a biotic support squad in actions that include raiding Cerberus bases. Most of these are her own students, so she has a closeness with them
Special:
--Shockwave:
--Pull:
--Warp: Yep Elites
Additional Factors:
Zaeed Messani:
Height: 5'10?
Weight:???
Age : 80s at least
Type of Hero Bonus: Destruction
Classification: Ex- Mercenary Leader
Zaeed Massani is notorious as the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter and mercenary soldier. Once a founder of the Blue Suns he was betrayed by his co-founder and ever since has sworn revenge. Though he doesn't offer much in tech or biotic skills he is a phenomenal fighter. He brings years of experience and finely honed survival skills to the fight against the Reapers and others.
Zaeed, as a result of his trade, is a extremely violent individual that will do what it takes to get the job done. Given that he is extremely good at this his enemies have a right to fear him. He will most likely take part in clandestine or dirty operations.
Loadout:
Ranged: "Jessie" Zaeed's favorite gun, this is a old M7 model that he carries around with him, hoping to use it one more time.
Special:
--Carnage:
--Concussive Shot: See Krogan, Infantry
Additional Factors
Javik:
Height: ???
Weight:????
Age: 50,000 + (chronologically)
Type of Hero Bonus: Experience, Destruction
Classification: Prothean Ancient
Javik is the last survivor of the Prothean War against the Reapers 50,000 years ago. Surviving only because he was trapped in a stasis pod this Prothean awoke 50 millennium later as the result of Commander Shephard's actions. There are none more dedicated then he and to illustrate so he has become an Avatar of Vengenace, which is a Prothean term for one who dedicates him or herself entirely to a cause.
This man is the last living Prothean and is thus seen as a legend by most Citadel Forces, for the Protheans influenced many of the "younger " races in their time, and revered as a god by the Hanar/Drell. Thus any force that contains him will experience a larger morale bonus then usual.
As a result of his upbringing and the the fact his race is extinct Javik takes very hardline and brutal stances. He'll frequently be advocating for the harshest policies that can be done onto the enemy. A reason for this was that he was quite literally born into war, and he may have more combat experience then anyone here. He alone understands how grimdark war can become, and will be able to understand the "grimdark" motivations of others whereas many of the modern day "younger races" can not.
Ranged:
Prothean Rifle:
After the Reapers obliterated the Prothean Empire's warships, the Prothean resistance was forced to develop weapons that did not rely on intact supply lines. The Prothean Particle Rifle is a stripped-down, powerful assault rifle modified to fire without thermal clips or specialized ammunition. Alliance scientists agree that it appears to share some principles with the Collectors' particle beam weapon, although this gun requires a temporary cool-down period if it overheats. An amalgam of two different eras of technology, the particle rifle is still a deadly, efficient weapon.
It has been reverse engineered to a limited extent and some ordinary soldiers can be seen carrying them.
Special:
--Slam
--Dark Channel
--Lift Grenade: See Elites
Additional Factors:
EDI
Height: ???
Weight: ????
Age: 4 yearsish
Hero Bonus: Hacking, disruption of enemy tech, tactical aid
Classification: Unshackled A.I.
The Enhanced Defense Intelligence, or EDI, serves as an information source and cyberwarfare defense system on the rebuilt Normandy SR-2. The ship's crew can access EDI at any terminal or through radio contact.
During an attack from a Collector vessel, pilot Jeff "Joker" Moreau gave EDI full access to the Normandy's systems, allowing the ship to escape. Although EDI retains the control that Moreau gave her, she is usually content to advise the organic crew members who fly and maintain the ship. During the events of Mass Effect 3 she gained control of a combat platform allowing her to simultaneously run the ship and fight in pitched combat.
For special abilities see Cyberwarfare component of Normandy ship. Edi is a expert hacker, probably the best in the series, and can also resist said hacking attempts. According to her her cyberwarfare suites are computationally impossible to predict. She can also analyze weaknesses in the enemy forces or tactics then send the information nearly instantaneously to the rest of the force causing them to adjust their tactics.
Special:
-Incinerate:
-Overload:
-Decoy: See Elites
Defensive Matrix: Reinforce armor and shields with protective foucault currents. Purging the currents will restore shields.
Additional Factors:
James Vega
Height:???
Weight:???
Age: 30ish
Type of Hero Bonus: Squad, Destruction
Classification: N7 Marine
Lieutenant James Vega is a human Systems Alliance Marine and a member of Commander Shepard's squad in 2186. Vega is a experienced soldier, having fought against both the collectors and the reapers before meeting Shephard, though he lost a lot of good people in the process. Now he gives the Citadel Forces yet another tough soldier to lead squads.
Special:
--Fortification:
--Carnage: See Infantry
Additional Factors:
Aria T'Loak:
Height:????
Weight:???
Age: 1000+
Type of Hero Bonus: Crimelord, Biotics
Classification: Pirate Queen
Aira' T'Loak is the criminal overlord of her little empire in the Terminus Systems. Ruling from the asteroid-city of Omega she is perhaps the one element of unity in a section where disorder and chaos are the law of the day. Though normally she does not bother to involve herself in battle in her own words she must occasionally deign to to show her subjects "who is boss". She is one of Shephard's many clandestine allies in this conflict, and is my personal contender for best overall biotic.
Aria is the chief mover of the Terminus Systems, and is the only women to control the mercenary forces I mentioned earlier. As long as she is alive they count as resistant to bribery or change. If she dies however then that ends.
Special:
--Lash:
--Reave: see Elites
--Flare: This powerful attack causes a massive fiery explosion on a given location, wiping out everything nearby. It is the most powerful biotic attack seen yet.
Additional Information::
Important Characters:
Joker : Pilot of the Normandy :
Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau is a respected pilot with the Alliance Navy. Born and raised on Arcturus Station, he is widely considered to be the best helmsman in the Systems Alliance. Moreau enlisted with the navy directly out of school and quickly gained the respect of his superiors. He served as pilot of both the Normandy SR-1 and its successor, the SR-2-and was at their respective helms during the Battle of the Citadel and the assault on the Collectors.
Moreau suffers from Vrolik syndrome, a rare, debilitating disorder also known as brittle bone disease.
Steve Cortez
Lieutenant Steve Cortez is an Alliance pilot aboard the Normandy SR-2 in 2186, where he pilots the UT-47A Kodiak that transports Commander Shepard and squad to mission locations. He is the best shuttle pilot in the Alliance .
===Light Cavalry===
M-44 Hammerhead
Type of Armor: Light
Weapon Type: Micro-fabricated missiles
Speed: 120 KPH (or about 75 mph)--This is base speed. Can be boosted to be a bit higher
Calvary Purpose: Raider
Classification: Fast Assault Craft
Basic Description:
The M44- Hammer is a fast assault hovercraft that is meant to be deployed from a Frigate onto the battlefield- without the Frigate ever having to stop. Using three solid-fuel rocket thrusters instead of wheels, the Hammerhead hovers over the battlefield at up to 120 kilometers per hour, allowing it to maintain formation with swift armored units, skim across calm water, and even leap terrain obstacles. Backup microboosters guarantee locomotion, so even destruction of two main thrusters leaves the vehicle capable of full mobility.
LOADOUT:
Armament: Micro-fabricated missiles:
The M-44 Hammerhead uses microfabricated missiles that appear like the the missiles featured in heavy weapons, only mass produced. The vehicle possesses an onboard guidance system ensuring accuracy during even aggressive maneuvering.
Defense: The vehicle has light armor, but no kinetic barriers to allow for its great speed. Instead it has sophisticated repair system which can restore the Hammerhead in moments- if the hammerhead has left the field of fire. Basic vehicle armor is going to be bullet proof to light weapons.
Special:
It incorporates an onboard VI system that monitors the environment for dangers and alerts the crew. An integrated mineral collection system allows the Hammerhead to retrieve any resources it finds during a mission. Its electronic countermeasures extend to laser detection, chaff, active thermal masking, and ground-penetrating weapons-sniffing radar (see Mako below) . Furthermore all vehicles have ultraviolet and infared sensors to detect friend or foe.
Additional Factors:
--Role: Fast Assault Craft
--All- Terrain: Both this and the Mako is built to navigate all-terrain, with this doing a better job.
--Note: Despite being invented by Cerberus the M-44 is shown in its greatest numbers in a Mass Effect trailer for the Alliance.
A-61 Mantis Gunship
Type of Aircraft: Helicopter
Fighter or Bomber? : Both
Weapon Type: Machine Guns and Rockets
Armor Type: Vehicle armor/kinetic Barriers
Classification: Rapid response Gunship
Basic Description:
The Gunship is driven by vectored-thrust engines. First rolled off the assembly lines in 2170, the Mantis remains in service in dozens of armies across the galaxy. Its modular construction means that the versatile Mantis can be reconfigured as a low-altitude gunship, a fighter, a high-altitude bomber, or even a single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane that can engage enemy craft around a planet or a space station. The only role the Mantis cannot perform is that of a true deep-space fighter, as it has no FTL drive.
The Mantis houses an element zero core which lightens the engines with a mass effect field, allowing it to take off vertically and hover in place using minimum fuel. This also gives it far greater range and speed than the helicopters and jump-jet aircraft that once filled its niche.
Loadout:
Armament:
Essentially has the same thing that the YMIR possesses, though in greater quantities and more powerful.
Defense: A strong kinetic Barrier and tough vehicle armor.
Special:
Additional Factors:
-- It also houses a thermal decay system and an electronic countermeasures suite which help it to nullify surface-to-air attacks.
--Role: Usually shown to be infantry support, though as noted it can be modified for a number of different roles.
M35- Mako:
Weapon Type: Mass Accelerator Cannon
Armor Type: Medium Grade vehicle armor/kinetic barriers
Speed: 30-40 mph?
Classification: Infantry Support Tank
The "Mako" infantry fighting vehicle was designed for the System Alliance's frigates. Though the interior is cramped, an M35 is small enough to be carried in the cargo bay and easily deployed on virtually any world.
LOADOUT:
Armament
With its turreted mass accelerator Cannon and coaxially-mounted machine gun, the Mako can provide a fire team with weapon support as well as mobility. A Mass Accelerator Cannon fires an ammo packet of 100s of explosive rounds which first shred into a target then quickly detonate. A Single shot from one of these cannons can take down a unshielded frigate.
Defense:
The vehicle's armor is tough enough to withstand high drops, extreme heat and cold and rough terrain. Its Kinetic Barriers are tough enough to witstand multiple vehicle hits before failing, and it does have a limited self-repair system. The Mako's hull is covered with laser detection arrays, which forewarn the crew of enemy laser-guided ordnance. Ground-penetrating radar allows detection of anti-vehicle mines and other subsurface anomalies. These will be brought to the attention of the crew by the vehicle's micro-frame computer system.
Special:
Variants: Several combat support vehicles using the Mako's basic chassis are manufactured for Alliance surface garrisons. These include a recon drone controller, a mobile air defense platform, and the M38 military ambulance nicknamed "Moby" because it is painted white during peacekeeping operations.
Additional Factors:
--Air Dropped: Like the Hammerhead, this vehicle is designed to be dropped from a speeding Frigate without the frigate having to stop.
--Transport: Can hold at least 12 men and supplies
--All-Terrain: See Mako, but not as good.
--Ultraviolet and Infared sensors
M29 Grizzly
Weapon Type: see above
Armor Type: Heavy vehicle armor
Speed: Slow
Classification: Tank
Basic Description:
Grizzlies are several meters longer than the Mako; however, when stripped of its antenna and turret, they are roughly the same height. With these optional features, the Grizzlies are taller than a Mako. Six people, including the driver, can fit inside the vehicle. The Grizzlies are compartmentalized into a driver/antenna/engine compartment and a passenger/turret compartment. There is a crew hatch in the driver/engine compartment. The power cells, which power the Grizzlies, are located in the front of this compartment. These cells power the systems aboard the vehicle and provide propulsion power to the wheels located on either side of the passenger/turret compartment.
LOADOUT:
Armament :Mass Accelerator Cannon: See Above
Defense: Heavy armor +Kinetic Barriers. Much more heavily armored then either Mako or Hammerhead.
Special: M:80Thanix Missiles:
The M-80M is a variant of the Mako designed to support a missile battery rather then a standard turret. While there also exists APC and IFV versions with increased passenger support and turrets respectively, the Thanix Missile is what really shines.
(Around 11:20)
Some M29s are equipped with the Thanix Missile, which is far more powerful then the average Missile. Just two of these could take out a Reaper destroyer if it hit it in the right spot.
Additional Factors:
--Cannot be deployed from Frigate, must be static deployment.
Ultraviolet and Infared sensors
YMIR
Weapon Type: Mass Accelerator Machine Guns/Rockets
Armor Type: Kinetic Barriers/heavy mech armor
Speed: Very Slow
Classification: Heavy Assault Mech
Basic Description:
The Battle YMIR Mech, or Heavy Mech, is a massive killing machine designed for anti-infantry purposes. Clad in bone-white armor with red lights, they are utilized by Eclipse and Blue Suns mercenaries as infantry support. They are also used as security in some colonies and are frequently seen alongside LOKI Mechs. Heavily armored and shielded, YMIR Mechs possess twin automatic mass accelerator cannons concealed in the right arm and a rocket launcher in the left.
LOADOUT:
Armament
YMIR Mechs possess twin mass accelerator cannons in the right arm and a rocket launcher in the left arm. There is a noticeable audio delay before the left-arm rocket launcher opens fire. YMIR Mechs usually engage at point-blank range and will attempt to advance on enemies. The mech moves very slowly and loudly and cannot climb steps. It can fire its twin Cannons while moving, however it must pause to fire rockets.
Defense: Heavy Mech armor and Kinetic Barriers
Special:
Sometimes when destroyed the Heavy Mech will sputter for a little bit before exploding outward in a massive explosion that resembles a mini nuke.
Additional Factors:
--Deployment: This mech can be deployed via a fast-moving dropship without having to land.
Video of prowess can be found here
--Ultraviolet and Infared sensors
Geth Colossus
Weapon Type: Siege Pulse, Machine Gun
Armor Type: Shields and Heavy armor
Speed: Slow
Classification: Heavy Geth Tank
Basic Description:
The Geth Armature is a mobile anti-vehicle and anti-personnel unit employed in high-risk areas, often dropped directly from a Geth Dropship. The unit consists of a quadruped "tank" or "walker" and is usually accompanied by Geth Rocket Troopers. Armed with superior firepower and a Siege Pulse assault cannon, this geth is easily a match for the armored vehicles of other races. Its main armament is deadly but slow to recharge, but the Geth Collosus compensates by knocking down infantry with a smaller secondary machine gun.
LOADOUT:
Armament : Siege Pulse: Essentially a Pulse Gun on a massive scale, would presumably evaporate most foes.
--Machine Gun: See above vehicle profiles.
Defense: Standard heavy armor, geth body and shields. It also has a self-repair protocol that transfers all weapon power to shields while it rapidly repairs both said shields and armor. Cannot fire in this state.
Special: As noted above this combat platform has a fast acting self-repair protocol.
Additional Factors:
--Like Virtually every other platform this can be deployed by a fast moving Geth Dropship.
--Ultraviolet and Infared sensors
===Air Combat===
Fighters
Type of Aircraft: Airplane
Fighter or Bomber? : Fighters
Weapon Type: Torpedoes, Mass Accelerator Machine Guns
Armor Type: Standard
Classification: Fighter
Basic Description:
A catch-all term, Fighters are single-pilot combat small craft. They are lightweight enough that they can be economically fitted with powerful element zero cores, making them capable of greater acceleration and sharper maneuvers than starships.Fighters come from all origins here, whether its a Geth fighter or a Alliance all have the same purpose.
Loadout:
Armament: Generally what has already been seen. Mass Accellerator machine guns can be included on these, as well as ship-sized (thus more powerful) pulse weaponry if the fighter in question is Geth. Many fighters are also going to come with the
--Disrupter Torpedoes:
Disruptor torpedoes are powered projectiles with warheads that create random and unstable mass effect fields when triggered. These fields warp space-time in a localized area. The rapid asymmetrical mass changes cause the target to rip itself apart.
In flight, torpedoes use a mass-increasing field, making them too massive for enemy kinetic barriers to repel. Because extra mass retards acceleration, torpedoes are easy prey for defensive GARDIAN anti-missile weapons and must therefore be launched at extremely close range to be effective. They are often fired en-masse in frigates, though just one is devastating, as that is required to overwhelm said GARDIAN defenses.
To prevent damage to the parent craft, torpedoes must be "cold-launched" meaning they are released before their thrusters ignite. Aligning with its target trajectory, a fighter releases a torpedo and immediately thrusts away, while the torpedo continues to coast towards its target. After the fighter is clear, (no more than a second after launch) the torpedo activates and its mass field and thrusters away from the fighter and towards its target.
Defense: Vehicle Armor + Kinetic Barriers:
Special:
Additional Factors:
--Most common Aerial craft
--Special Divisions:
---Void Devils Fighter Wing:
The Void Devils are a recent military creation consisting of vorcha fighter pilots trained by human and turian mentors. Though uniformly young by other species' standards, the Devils have laser-like focus on the task of taking out enemy ships. Courageous in the extreme, they are also notably disciplined for vorcha. During the invasion of their homeworld, the Devils fought hard but ultimately obeyed the order to retreat while the wing was still intact, leaving them alive but burning for revenge.
--Colonial Fighters:
When humanity began to expand its borders, experienced pilots were needed to establish colonies in the uncharted reaches of space. Some Alliance personnel heeded the call, and these luckless men and women have since been driven out of their colonies by the invading Reapers. After speaking with Lieutenant Steve Cortez, a few of these highly skilled fighter pilots agreed to fly against the enemies who destroyed their homes.
-- Advanced Fighters:
A squadron of advanced fighter ships was liberated from Cerberus forces in Noveria. Fast, agile, and remarkably fuel efficient, these one-person spacecrafts pack surprisingly heavy firepower for their size. After the Alliance installed their own VI programs and swept for hidden bugs or transmission signals, they repainted the fighters and pressed them into service.
Frigates:
Type of Aircraft: Frigate
Fighter or Bomber? : Both
Weapon Type: Various
Armor Type: Barriers, Armor
Classification: Fast-flying rapid response ship
Basic Description:
Frigates are light escort and scouting vessels. They often have extensive GARDIAN systems to provide anti-fighter screening for capital ships, and carry a squad of marines for security and groundside duty. Unlike larger vessels, frigates are able to land on planets(though they have to turn off their kinetic barriers to do so) and are used regularly enough to be included here. They can be used both in fighter and bomber purposes.
Loadout:
Armament:
--Mass Accelerator Cannon:
Essentially these are giant versions of the smaller gun model already described on the previous page. Rather than being mounted on the exterior, starship guns are housed inside hulls and visible only as gun portholes from outside.A ship's main gun is a large spinal-mount weapon usually running 90% of the hull's length (though I believe this less for frigates) . While possessing destructive power equal to that of tactical nuclear weapons, main guns are difficult to aim. Because ships must be able to point their bows almost directly at their targets, main guns are best used for long-range "bombardment" fire. Dreadnaughts have the ability to fire single slugs that can obliterate medium sized cities instantly....while the Frigate is much smaller and thus less devastating then this, it is STILL going to inflict a large amount of damage once it hits.
The Following two weapons, though vastly more powerful, can be considered "uncommon".
--Javelin Missiles: The Javelin is an experimental close-assault weapon fitted on a handful of newer Alliance warships. It consists of a "rack" of two or more disposable disruptor torpedo tubes bolted or magnetically "slung" on to a ship’s exterior armored hull. The torpedoes are fired on converging trajectories, and detonate in a precisely timed sequence that allows the dark energy emitted by their warheads to resonate and thereby magnify the resulting space-time warp effects.
Like fighter launched torpedoes, Javelins are "cold-launched" for safety reasons, though they use a different approach. Resembling old-fashioned submarine torpedo tubes, Javelin torpedoes come packed in individual sealed tubes filled with compressed, inert gas. Opening the front of the tube causes escaping gases to push the torpedo into the vacuum, releasing a puff of crystals around the mouth of the tube. After completely clearing the tube, the torpedo ignites its thrusters.
--Thanix Cannon:
After the Battle of the Citadel, human and turian volunteers spent three months clearing the station's orbit of debris. During the cleanup, the turians secretly salvaged Sovereign's powerful main gun along with much of the weapon's element zero core. Eleven months later, the turians introduced the Thanix, a scaled-down version of the weapon.
The Thanix's core is a liquid alloy of iron, uranium, and tungsten suspended in an electromagnetic field powered by element zero. The molten metal, accelerated to a significant fraction of the speed of light, solidifies into a projectile as it is fired, hitting targets with enough force to pierce any known shield or armor. The gun can fire reliably every five seconds.The weapon's relatively small size allows it to be mounted on most fighters or frigates. It is now widely used by the Alliance military and is the primary weapon on the refurbished Normandy SR-2.
The weapon it was reverse engineered from could inflict anywhere from 132 to 454 kilotons of TNT (3 times a Halo MAC cannon at least and 4-5 times more then a Dreadnough of ME) . Though the Thanix cannon is clearly much weaker you are still looking at an insanely strong weapon.
--Bombs: It is known that Mass Effect frigates still carry conventional explosives and bombing frigates can presumably carry them in a large quantity. When is probably the most powerful bomb known is the "Warp Bomb" which is like a disrupter or Javelin yet much bigger.
Defense:
The First three are nearly universal.
--Kinetic Barriers: See elsewhere, but much more powerful then standard Kinetic Barrier
-- Ablative Armor: A warship's kinetic barriers reduce the damage from solid objects, but can do nothing to block GARDIAN lasers, particle beams, and other forms of Directed Energy Weapon (DEW). The inner layer of warship protection consists of ablative armor plate designed to "boil away" when heated. The vaporized armor material scatters a DEW beam, rendering it ineffectual.
--Gardian: A ships' General ARea Defense Integration Anti-spacecraft Network (GARDIAN) consists of anti-missile/anti-fighter laser turrets on the exterior hull. Because these are under computer control, the gunnery control officer needs to do little beyond turn the system on and designate targets as hostile.
Since lasers move at light speed, they cannot be dodged by anything moving at non-relativistic speeds. Unless the beam is aimed poorly, it will always hit its target. In the early stages of a battle, the GARDIAN fire is 100% accurate. It is not 100% lethal, but it doesn't have to be. Damaged fighters must break off for repairs.
Lasers are limited by diffraction. The beams "spread out", decreasing the energy density (watts per m2) the weapon can place on a target. Any high-powered laser is a short-ranged weapon.
GARDIAN networks have another limitation: heat. Weapons-grade lasers require "cool-down" time, during which heat is transferred to sinks or radiators. As lasers fire, heat builds within them, reducing damage, range, and accuracy.
GARDIAN lasers typically operate in infrared frequencies. Shorter frequencies would offer superior stopping power and range, but degradation of focal arrays and mirrors would make them expensive to maintain, and most prefer mechanical reliability over leading-edge performance where lives are concerned. Salarians, however, use near-ultraviolet frequency lasers with six times the range, believing that having additional time to shoot down incoming missiles is more important. As shown in the novel Mass Effect Retribution, these lasers can and have been used offensively before.
Uncommon Armor:
aka that which was recently considered experimental
--Cyclonic Barrier Technology (CBT) attempts to solve the higher-end limitations of traditional kinetic barriers. Traditional barriers cannot block high-level kinetic energy attacks such as disruptor torpedoes because torpedo mass effect fields add mass. The CBT violently slaps aside rather than halting incoming linear force. By rotationally firing their mass effect field projectors, ships create rapidly oscillating kinetic barriers instead of static ones. Shooting through the CBT is like trying to shoot at a target inside a spinning ball.
Significant drawbacks to current CBT configuration prevent its use on anything other than frigates and fighters. Its many high-frequency sensors and emitters require frequent maintenance and replacement. A partially damaged CBT can endanger its operator, who is surrounded by rotating mass effect fields skewing in unpredictable directions. Fortunately, if an emitter is damaged, the CBT corrects to become a traditional shield array, a safety feature that makes it most effective during opening volleys.
--Silarus Armor: Asari-made Silaris armor can resist even the tremendous heat and kinetic energy of starship weapons. The armor is nearly unsurpassed in strength because its central material, carbon nanotube sheets woven with diamond Chemical Vapor Deposition, are crushed by mass effect fields into super-dense layers able to withstand extreme temperatures. That process also compensates for diamond's brittleness.
Diamond armor itself has two limiting disadvantages. First, while nanotubes and CVD-diamond construction have become cheaper in recent years, it remains prohibitively expensive to coat starships or aircraft larger than fighters in Silaris material. Second, the armor must be attached to the ship's superstructure, so shock waves from massive firepower can still destroy the metals beneath the armor itself.
Special:
Normandy SR-2:
Cerberus built the Normandy SR-2 as a second generation version of the Alliance frigate SSV Normandy after the Collectors destroyed the original. The SR-2's many alterations produced a craft nearly double the original size, requiring an even larger Tantalus drive core to compensate. Its state-of-the-art Kodiak shuttle can make landings the original Normandy could not attempt.The Enhanced Defense Intelligence, an Al known colloquially as EDI, coordinates many of the ship's combat functions, assisting and even supplanting human piloting.
The Alliance has recently appropriated and refurbished the SR-2. In addition to tightbeam communicators, the Quantum Entanglement Communicator (QEC) provides instantaneous contact with Alliance Command.
--The Normandy has every weapon and armor upgrade listed so far.
--Cyber Warfare: In close quarters combat (which for a Frigate is several kilometers) EDI can attempt to break through enemy firewalls. If she does so she can wreak all sorts of havoc like turn off gravity, turn of air, disable weapons and defenses, or put their engine on meltdown. On the defense she manages firewalls, decoys and jammers. Due to her being a part Reaper and taking a Reaper algorythm, who have long since mastered synthetic hacking devices, she can hack with the same skill they could hack.
Additional Factors:
--Sensors: See Reconnaisance. Frigates are equipped with a huge variety of sensors that make it extremely difficult to hide from them.
--Frigates are light escort and scouting vessels. They often have extensive GARDIAN systems to provide anti-fighter screening for capital ships, and carry a squad of marines for security and groundside duty. Unlike larger vessels, frigates are able to land on planets.
--Frigates move extremely fast through the air, and as they move their thrusters burn at hundreds of thousands of degrees incinerating whatever is tailing them.
--Omega Raiding Fleet:
Though comprised of a disparate range of ships, the Omega RUM Fleet has proven itself to the Alliance in every way that counts. Their first engagement occurred during orientation when the Alliance ships they were meeting were overwhelmed by a Reaper attack. RUM was told to avoid the rendezvous point, but they instead followed Fusion, their flagship, straight into combat to save the doomed ships.
The Alliance ships were saved, and RUM, recklessly led by a cheerfully ruthless Captain Jarral, has since been detailed to the most troubled Reaper fronts and, each time, has helped turn the tide. RUM landing parties also have a sterling if somewhat bloodthirsty reputation.
===Misc Air===
UT-47 shuttle
Type of Aircraft: Shuttle
Purpose of Aircraft: Transport, sometimes covering fire
Classification: Rapid Insertion transport
Basic Description:
Originally created to covertly insert Alliance marines into hostile environments, the UT-47 shuttle has since been sold to allies, recovered by enemies, and had its specifications stolen by spies. In one form or another, this durable transport is now used in all corners of the galaxy.
A-model Kodiaks feature a front-mounted mass-accelerator cannon that can be used in an antivehicular role. Since the shuttle lacks proper gun ports, soldiers often open the side hatch to fire on enemies. This is discouraged in Alliance manuals, since it exposes the interior to return fire.
Flying the 47A during atmospheric combat requires considerable skill. The pilot must reduce the vehicle's mass for speed and handling, while maintaining enough mass to resist recoil, incoming fire, and inclement weather. More than one pilot had overstressed the Kodiak's field generator and ended up on the battlefield instead of above it.
Loadout:
Armament: See Armor for Mass Accelerator Cannons
Defense: Standard vehicle armor/kinetic Barriers
Special/ Detailed Purpose:
--Transport: The Kodiak can carry around 12 people into battle and quickly drop them off.
--Resupply: The Kodiak also carries enough room to drop off supplies on the front if needed.
Additional Factors:
-Speed: Though Kodiak speed is currently unknown, it is likely to be around the standard hover cars of their day, meaning that this ship should be able to reach 650 kilometers per hour at maximum based on Citadel Skycars. It is likely that the Kodiak achieves less then this as that model was a skycar, however it should be pointed out that the speed is not unreasonable for Mass Effect.
Geth Dropship
Type of Aircraft: Insectoid Dropship
Purpose of Aircraft: Rapid Transport
Classification: Literal "Dropship"
Basic Description:
A Geth Dropship is a large, insect-like frigate capable of carrying large numbers of geth. Geth Dropships are designed to drop geth units from overhead, often dropping Geth troops and Geth Colossi mid-flight. They also occasionally provide air support for the ground-based platforms in the form of a powerful projectile attack.
Loadout:
Armament: (if any) :Geth Pulse cannon: See Colossus
Defense: Kinetic barriers/shields
Special/ Detailed Purpose:
Such is the nature of the Geth that they can be dropped onto the ground while the aircraft is in mid-flight without many seeming injuries.
Additional Factors:
===Support===
Leviathan Enthrallment Team:
Armor Type: N/A
Type of Support: Infiltration and Panic
Classification: Mind Control Tech Squad
What Bonus do they give?: Limited Mind Control
A mixed-species team of special-operations soldiers have volunteered to covertly deliver Leviathan artifacts behind enemy lines. It is a most desperate tactic however it has proven to be an effective one, as the span of control for the Leviathans cannot be denied . The Leviathans possess the natural ability to influence the behaviors of lesser-minded organisms to the point of complete physical and mental control, an effect that is similar to indoctrination. It has been speculated that this occurs through some sort of quantum entanglement device rather then actual telepathy. The Artifact is used to establish the initial connection, which it then uses to influence and control those near the artifact
Armament : The Team that utilizes the sphere in likely composed of infiltrators and thus has those weapons (see Elites)
Defense: Again Standard. Shields/Armor/Medigel
Special/Detailed Purpose:
The Leviathan Orbs have two functions
Mind Control: From what I can gather from reading the cut-scenes and logs when the Mind control spheres are first deployed they instantly seize control of a portion of the surrounding forces. They can't do this to everyone at first, and its probable that having a strong mind can help fend off, however it is also clear that the longer these artifacts remain in place the more control they can exert over nearby beings. Proximity and duration effects quantity and quality of control, with the latter two drastically increasing as the former two do. Even Commander Shephard and a Reaper were overwhelmed, though its possible that the fact that the Reaper was disabled by a Pulse first helped.
Pulse: The orbs can emit a devastating EMP pulse that seems to seize control over electronics rather than fry them, either disabling or re-purposing them. This can be done on everything from Alliance spaceships to Reapers.
Additional Factors:
--Limiting Factors: The Leviathans are distrusted by the mainstream Citadel forces and for good reason; not only did the Leviathans create the Reapers but they plan on trying to dominate the galaxy if they were to win too. In addition to that the beings that it mind controls typically act suspicious, being slow, acting odd and having a glazed look. The fact that it can't automatically turn everyone into a puppet is another negative. Finally the mind control artifacts (orbs) themselves can be destroyed with enough explosives or firepower, ending the effects.
--That said the Enthrallment devices are still a powerful weapons, and if left alone for long enough it can result in the creation of a Leviathan controlled army. In the Short term expect all sorts of Chaos and sabotage behind enemy lines.
--Subtle: The Leviathan artifacts do not leave traditional energy emissions and are thus difficult to detect when in "receiving" mode, in which Leviathans passively listen through the device to spy on other sentient. When it actively takes control of people however it can be detectable.
Combat Engineers
Armor Type: Standard
Type of Support: Engineer
Classification: Combat Engineer
What Bonus do they give?: Hacking, Turrets, repairing
Engineers are tech specialists, the most effective class at disabling the defense of the toughest enemies or incapacitating them to render them harmless. In combination with their weapons training, Engineers have the unique ability to spawn combat drones that can harass enemies or force them out of entrenched cover positions. They are highly adept at setting up portable turrets, using tech powers, and even hacking synthetic enemies.
The most common Engineers will be Salarians, Geth, Quarians and Humans.
Loadout:
Armament : Generally light pistols and sub-machine guns. Also in general have omni-blades and stuff for close up.
Defense: standard
Special/Detailed Purpose:
Engineers have the following powers (they won't have ALL of them though at once)
Overload
--Incinerate
--Cyro Blast:
--Energy Drain:
--Decoy:
--Arc Grenade: See Elites
--Tactical Scan: see Quarian Marksman
--Hunter Mode: See Geth
Combat Drones: Engineers love to employ their combat drones, and though said drones can operate independently they are often controlled remotely by the engineers. Said drones can be equipped with either high voltage stunners or even rockets.
Sentry Turrets: Another known trait, the sentry turret is deployed to give the other soldiers on the battlefield instant fire support. These turrets can be upgraded with different ammo types, or even given flamethrowers/rockets. Generally though it shoots a constant stream of mass accelerators/pulses.
Additional Factors:
-Role: Support -Covering Fire
--Hackers: Combat engineers are generally going to excel at hacking and manipulating both their own tech and possibly the enemies.
Biotic Specialists:
Armor Type: Standard
Type of Support: Combat Oriented
Classification: Special Powers squad
What Bonus do they give?: Combat, tactical aid
The term "biotic specialists" refers to members gifted with the ability to manipulate Element Zero and thus Mass Effect Fields to do some fantastic abilities, and illustrated in part 1. In general there is going to be a bit of overlap here, as every Asari is automatically a biotic specialist and many other elites incorporate biotics. However there are also many that don't fit in said categories and thus are put here.
Loadout:
Armament Whatever they want though generally light weapons as summoning up biotics takes energy. Also they can use their own biotic energy in close quarters.
Defense: Standard
Special/Detailed Purpose:
Tactical Aid: A good biotic can do everything from crush a squad in a singularity field to pull away cover or pin a enemy beneath a forklift. As always some specific moves include (remember: when in doubt check elites for description)
Mass Effect splits biotics into three classes.
Adept:
Specializing in crowd control, Adepts are an essential asset on the field, allowing for a wide range of combat options which otherwise would not be available. Through the use of biotics, an Adept can lock down a field.
--Singularity:
--Warp:
--Shockwave:
--Stasis:
--Cluster Grenades: Grenades filled with the brim of Biotic energy.
--Reave:
Sentinel:
Master of nothing but proficient in everything, Sentinels often end up the one everyone relies on to draw enemy fire. They have a variety of tools in their arsenal, covering both biotics and tech. Sentinels are also resilient--most have a form of upgraded armor to provide extra damage protection
--Throw : See Elites
-Warp: See Rachni
--Tech Armor: see Eclipse
--Overload: Elites
--Light Grenade: See Elites
--Incinerate:
--Blade Armor (Batarians only, and see Batarians {infantry} for this) :
--Submission Net: Out from the Omni-tool shoots out a net that wraps around a enemy and electrifies them. Mostly Batarians here
--Flamer: Flamethrower from Omni-tool
--Cluster Grenades:
Vanguard:
Feared frontline opponents, Vanguards favor a biotic charge that immediately brings them in contact with opposing forces with a devastating effect. Vanguard, meaning 'First-in' or 'First Attack' are vicious Brawlers and stop at nothing to tear enemies apart with their favoured Shotgun or Biotic abilities, Vanguards are a force to be reckoned with.
--Biotic Charge: The Signature move of the Vanguards, see N7
--Cluster Grenade:
--Lift Grenade:
--Stasis:
--Pull:
--Shockwave: See Elites
--Nova: Transfer the energy of your biotic barrier to charge and spark this deadly blast. Barrier strength determines intensity i.e. the stronger the barrier the greater the blowback and power.
Additional Factors:
--Role: Combat Support
-- Using Biotic powers ties into physical stamina. The more exhausted one is the less they will be able to control their biotics.
Races and Biotics:
--Human: Though heavily distrsuted by the general public the Alliance military, on the other hand, welcomes biotics with open arms and provides them with massive enlistment incentives. They are now frequently found in the front lines of many ground-based combat units. Because of the massive physical effort required to biologically generate dark energy, biotic soldiers are assigned a large daily calorie ration (4,500 calories per day, compared with the standard soldier's allotment of 3,000) and provided with energy drinks to help them maintain their blood sugar and electrolyte levels. The electrical fields in their bodies mean they are also prone to small static discharges when they touch metal. Humans use implants to both boost the power of their biotics and give them more control.
--Asari: All asari are naturally biotic to some degree, and though not all choose to develop their abilities, those who do pursue training usually display formidable ability. They do not require implants to use biotics effectively, nor do they need to undergo special training to acquire conscious neural control; their reproductive physiology grants them this ability from birth. Biotic ability is mandatory for asari who want to go into military service and thus every Asari soldier will have a degree of biotic abilities.
--Batarians, Drell, Krogan and Vorcha: all of these races possess only rare biotics, and use the ones they have as shock troopers or assassins.
Salarians - Salarian biotics are unusual and highly prized. The salarian military does not risk them in the front lines but instead uses them in intelligence services.
Turians - Turian biotics are also uncommon, and generally not much more powerful than a human L3. They are viewed with suspicion by the general turian infantry and tend to be relegated to special units called Cabals, which are employed for key missions.
Drones
Armor Type: Minimal
Type of Support: All kinds of Aid
Classification: Cheap Support Robots
What Bonus do they give?: Combat, defense, hacking ect ect
Drones are small robots used to support and supplement organic soldiers on the battlefield. They have no artificial intelligence of any kind, but follow fixed, minimally adaptive programs. Most varieties employ mass effect levitation to improve mobility.
All modern armies rely on veritable fleets of drones for routine soldiering (static garrisons, patrols, etc.). The use of drones in non-critical duties keeps manpower need down and reduces casualties in low intensity conflicts. Less advanced races and cultures with less sensitivity to casualties have correspondingly fewer drones in their inventory. Combat drones tend to be deployed in wings as 'cannon fodder', creating distractions for marines to operate safely. Soldiers refer to friendly drones as 'flocks' and enemy drones as 'swarms'. Drones are a key element of the Alliance's military initiative, but they are also used by the geth.
Loadout:
Subtypes:
All Drtones by definition can fly around and some even are intelligent enough to flank the enemy.
--Assault Drones: Standard drones that are used to defend areas on Alliance bases. Assault Drones are armed with a machine gun but have only shielding for defense. They are also employed by merc bands for their purposes as well. The Geth versinos are armed with pulse rifles.
--Rocket Drone: Drones that are armed with a rocket launcher rather than a machine gun and possess light kinetic barriers. They are deployed on Freedom's Progress and, like Assault Drones, are utilized by merc bands.
--Recon Drones: Reconnaissance drones are small, stealthy craft that screen combat units in the field and warn commanders when enemies are spotted.
Electronic Warfare drones :supplement battlefield technicians, serving as mobile jammers and Electronic Intelligence gathering platforms.
--Geth Bomber Drones: Geth Bomber Drones are more heavily armored then most drones and possess tougher shielding. They go around the battlefield shocking foes and dropping grenades on them .
--Defense Drones: these drones follow the oeprator around and attempt to electrocute enemies that get close.
--Combat Drones, equipped with either electricity or rockets, go around trying to kill/incapitate foes.
--Maintenance/Repair Drones: These drones are deployed to heal ships or vehicles that have been damaged.
Additional Factors:
-- Role: Combat Support, spying, messenger drones ect
--Cheap and easily manufactured, these will be present on the battlefield in extreme numbers.
Turrets
Type of Defense: Anti-all
This category shall be further subdivided by various racial turrets that shall be brought and how they will be used.
Alliance Heavy Turret:
As the Alliance only maintains token garrisons, so its unlikely that these shall be spammed however they could be used for area denial, as they are autonomous like most turrets. Alliance Turrets are deadly defenses armed with rocket launchers. While firing at a slow pace, they can do enormous damage to infantry or vehicles if their missiles impact their targets. They are also very well armored and possess tough kinetic shields.
Geth Turret: See Geth Prime
Geth Cannon:
It is a massive cannon that is capable of destroying the M-44 Hammerhead in just one hit. Though it does require some charpup time it is nevertheless a very powerful weapon. The cannon is powerful and should be avoided at all costs.
Mass Accelerator Cannons:
These massive Turrets are Huge Mass Accelerator cannons. Weilding an ungodly amount of information they can reduce a Cerberus assault force into a bucket of paste in moments.
--Gardian Turrets:
GARDIAN laser turrets are also known to be used as ground defenses; their range, accuracy, and power make them effective against the weak, lightly armed, frigate-sized vessels usually employed by pirates and slavers. The Alliance deployed several of these turrets to the colony of Horizon when it was suspected that slavers in the area had been abducting human colonists.
Anti-Aircraft Turrets:
Essentially these are Massive* Mass Accelerator turrets pointed to the sky which will open fire once enemy ships are in range. *Generally are bigger then pictured
Loki Mechs
Type of Defense: Cheap Mech Defense
The Hahne-Kedar-manufactured LOKI Mech is a bipedal humanoid security robot designed for security detail and guard duty in locations where manpower is an issue, or where the use of organics for "around the clock" shifts is unfeasible. Initially used exclusively by the Alliance for colony guard duty, the LOKI Mech came into new use following the Battle of the Citadel in 2183. Numerous civilian and military sector units saw staggering losses from Sovereign's attack and incidents involving the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius. Eclipse Mercenaries make extensive use of them, typically as expendable assault units. They are also used by Blue Suns mercs, who typically deploy them for added security detail when needed, as well as Cerberus. Generally are armed with pistols or light machine guns. Are very cheap and easy to manufacture, so they will be seen in extreme numbers given reinforcements. Probably worse then a B-1 Droid though.
--Manned Turrets:
Manned Mass Accelerator Turrets are sometimes used by the Reaper forces to hold fixed positions. These fire enormous quantities of Mass Accelerator rounds that can tear ordinary Husks into pieces in seconds.
Misc:
Some Kinetic Barrier defenses can cover entire bases, and are beyond the capability of light to medium grade vehicle weapons to destroy.
Geth Jamming Tower: The Geth Employ this device to disrupt enemy communications and targeting systems. With enough time they can build many of these.
===Leadership===
This Alliance of factions have no one leader to lead them all, relying instead heavily on decentralized warfare. Squads are trained to be self-sufficient and only require the minimum of input from central command. This is a trend already beginning today, where tactical decisions are continually expected more on the squad level, brought forward a 100 years . For that reason, there really isn't a lot of info on Central Command other then that they are responsible for overall organizing and occasionally laying out a grand plan.
That is why I listed the military doctrine at the beginning that for them post part shall define each races actions and commands. However I will also briefly list some notable commanders that will come into play.
David Anderson:
Admiral David Edward Anderson is a career military officer in the Systems Alliance Navy. Born in London in 2137, he later moved to Arcturus Station and became the first graduate of the Alliance's now-renowned N7 marine program. Anderson is one of the Alliance's most decorated Special Forces operatives and served with honor during the First Contact War. He was the original captain of the SSV Normandy before relinquishing command to his XO, Commander Shepard.
After the Alliance victory in the Battle of the Citadel, Anderson briefly served as the Citadel's first human councilor. He soon became embroiled in a Cerberus plot to abduct his friend Kahlee Sanders, however, and learned that he was unable to live a life without action. He stepped down as councilor and returned to the military to prepare for the Reaper invasion. The Alliance Parliament named Donnell Udina as his successor.
Now he is leading the resistance on Earth, and as such is going to be skilled in Hit and Run, Guerilla tactics. The humans on Earth are thoroughly outmatched by the Reapers, and thus cannot afford a direct fight particularly against those that A. not only occupy their land with superior firepower but B. have turned some of their own people against them. In the words of Major Coats the resistance would have failed completely without Anderson.
Admiral Steven Hackett is a decorated officer in the Systems Alliance, currently assigned to Arcturus Station on the far side of the Sol Relay. In the battle for the Citadel, Admiral Hackett commanded the Fifth Fleet. Following that victory, he was promoted to head of the Alliance military.
Hackett enlisted in 2152, volunteering for high-risk missions to colonize space beyond the Sol Relay. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on Arcturus Station in 2156, and soon proved his ability in the First Contact War. His rare ascent from enlisted man to admiral remains an Alliance legend. Hackett is in charge of the overall Alliance military effort, and is a skilled strategist, weighting in on Shepard's actions throughout the war and even setting up a surprise attack that completely took Cerberus
Adrien Victus has served in the turian military for most of his life, and is known for being an exceptionally strong leader and very popular with his men. Despite his service record and admiration among those he leads, the rest of the turian military takes issue with the ethics of his tactics, which are noted for being both clever and unorthodox. During the war on Taetrus in 2185, Victus held his forces back to allow a salarian spy ring and turian separatists to wear each other down before attacking. In the Reaper War he was reluctantly elevated to the position of Primarch after his predecessor's death, now finding himself in a position he never really wanted.
Balak:
As the highest-ranking officer left in the Hegemony, Balak is now the last batarian military leader. His leadership, drive, and barely contained fury have galvanized his troops. While Balak bears a deep hatred for the Alliance, he would do anything to save his people, and has grudgingly joined forces with humanity to stop the Reapers. Balak is going to favor hardline terrorism when he fights, which are the tactics the Batarians specialized in for the last 30 years.
Major Kirhae:
Major Kirrahe made his mark leading the salarian Special Tasks Group that helped Commander Shepard stop Saren at Virmire. Lauded by his superiors for his decisive leadership under fire, Kirrahe was promoted and decorated with the prestigious Star of Sur'Kesh. The major continues to join missions with his men, believing that nothing substitutes for experience, and that the best tactical strategies are planned on the battlefield.As the description states the Major favors a very hands on approach to his combat. As the probable leader of the STG his plans will often be last minute yet brilliant.
Geth Consensus:
The Geh are going to have one of the best leaderships of all in that they can simultaneously read all available points of known data, debate it between programs and come back with a result in a few seconds.
The Quarian Admiralty Board represents the four different aspects of the Quarian fleet, with one additional member to weigh in in the event of compromise. Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay is in charge of the Patrol Fleet made up of frigates and fighters and favors quick strikes. She is mostly a compromiser though. Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib-Qwib is the admiral of the Civilian Fleet and as such favors peace much more then his fellows. However he still recognizes that there are some foes that one can't compromise with and supported wholeheartedly the war with the Reapers. Admiral Daro'Xen is head of quarian Special Projects--research vessels that create and improve the technology that keeps the quarian flotilla operational. Studying the geth all her life, Xen is an expert on synthetic intelligence and is known for her intense study in the field as well as the knew technology she herself occasionally puts out. Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema is the leader of the Quarian Heavy Fleet including Heavy Frigates. The admiral firmly believes in the importance of ship maintenance and regular training exercises, and actively encourages those on pilgrimage to seek out new technology that will upgrade his fleet's capabilities. As a result, cutting-edge technology is often found in the best of the Heavy Fleet's vessels. the fifth, the already mentioned Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, is a bit of a compromiser.
Commander Shepard:
Shepard's job isn't primarily to do with army control, rather its to do with squad leadership, which he does extremely aptly. However occasionally he is called upon to make key decisions over an entire force. Though this Shepard has yet to make a bad call he hasn't been given very many chances and those that he had he could resolve through speechcraft. In the field of command perhaps the biggest contribution the Commander will have is influence, as he has a number of leaders or racial VIPS among his friends or trusted confidants.
The Citadel Council:
The Citadel Council is the governing body of the Citadel. Convening in the impressive Citadel Tower, the Council is the ultimate authority in Citadel space, passing judgement for violations of Council law, settling disputes between governments, and maintaining law and order, often through the use of its own covert intelligence service, the Spectres.
The Council is an executive committee composed of one representative each from the member species. Though they have no official power over the independent governments of other species, the Council's decisions carry great weight throughout the galaxy. No single Council race is strong enough to defy the others, and all have a vested interest in compromise and cooperation. Its three members at current are :
--Asari: Tevos is a diplomat and compromiser, but does not hesitate to put the welfare of asari space over that of her race's allies.
--Salarian: Valern: Like his fellow salarians, he likes his wars won before they are started, and has no experience dealing with unexpected variables like Reaper invasions. He doesn't like to bother with specifics of unsavory operations claiming that they always disappoint, but apparently is not above personally getting others to further his political goals.
--Sparatus: Always the first to play the skeptic whenever an idea is raised, Sparatus, when forced to accept the truth of claims he previously dismissed, is just as dismissive of any recriminations against him, instead shifting the focus back to more pressing issues at hand. A consummate politician, he claims the Council uses their authority in the best way they know how to look after their own people in times of adversity, and opts to express personal gratitude on behalf of himself and of Palaven when the situation arises.
The Human spot is vacant, due to a coup that the last member participated in. It was stopped by Commander Shepard himself.
===Army X-Factors===
-Morale: 61/00: Most of the force are fairly motivated, influenced by determination to fufill the job and the heroics of many in this profile. However the fact that so many homeworlds are on fire and so many have been lost already in a war they are losing is a negative influence, and demoralizies them somewhat. Nevertheless they are a determined force.
--Logistics: 75/100: Thanks to their technology mass effect factions don't lack in ammunition and can even manufacture new materials on the field via omnitools. They will still need to keep up supplies of both normal and dextro rations however.
--Discipline: General: 71/100: Highly Varied . Though the Korgan lower this score thanks to blood rage they are nevertheless a disciplined and well trained force, while the Geth score near pefectly. All in all they and the Turians give the Alliance a respectable amount. The other forces also rely on standard, modern day levels of discipline.
--Espionage: 72/100: The Citadel employs a fair amount of recon drones and infiltrators, as well as utilizing a number of spies and assassins. The Shadow Broker and Salarians in particular boost this score up.
--Overall Army Intimidation: 49/100: Though Korgan, Batarians and Geth are either scary or known to use terroism, the vast majority of this Alliance is not going to be super intimidating to their foes. This makes them more welcome then most.
Quality vs. Quantity: Moderate Quality:
Though the Geth and the Rachni use a lot of swarming forces, in general all of these forces prefer great weapons and high tech/biotics over overwhelming force. The amount of training most forces get also factors in here.
Offensive vs. Defensive: Mostly Offense : Though possessing a great deal of defense Citadel forces mostly prefer offensive strikes over huddling behind turrets. Even the Turrets they have are mostly built so they can be packed up and employed on the battlefield.
Reinforcements: Very Low (Quarian) - Very High (Geth)
The Population for these various races ranged from a mere 17 million mostly non-combatents for the Quarians to double-digit billions for the main Citadel Races (Asari, Human, Salarian, Turian) to an extreme untold amount of programs for the Geth. The Geth can actually form new Geth from scavenged metals on the field, thus justifying their extremely high rate of reinforcement. Still even they would pale in comparison to true swarm factions like the Flood and Tyranids.
Past Opponents:
The Reapers (and indoctrinated forces):
The Reapers comprise the main enemy of the Citadel Forces. They are the once thought to be mythical race of sentient starships bent on the destruction or "harvest" of all advanced life. Unfortunately for the Citadel despite attempts to deny the magnitude of the threat it has become clear that they are indeed real, and are by far the hardest opponent the Citadel forces have. In fact they are tough enough that it is extremely difficult for the Citadel forces to beat them conventionally.
Their ships are night impregnable to all but the best of their anti-armor weaponry- which is problematic as the Reaper Destroyer is the basic Reaper armor-tank. In spacebattles it takes 4 dreadnoughts constantly shooting 38kt blasts to overwhelm one Reaper, which assumes that the Reaper doesn't have friends nearby. Most insidiously they can indoctrinate, or slowly corrupt and turn, various Citadel forces of every race, using these claimed servants to actively sabotage the Citadel war effort.
First among the indoctrinated servant-races are the Heretic Geth, a faction of the mainstream Geth that actively seeks "Old Machine " control. As I have already discussed the Geth in length in this profile, I shall move on to the next. Collectors are corrupted Protheans turned into husk-like forms to serve the Reapers forever. They wield powerful ships, swarms of insects that can disable a foe with a single bite, and advanced handheld weaponry and combat forms that can utterly disintegrate an enemy. Once thought to be defeated by Commander Shepard, more have arrived to join the fight. However in a coup the Leviathans have managed to free a portion from Reaper control, who now seek bloody vengeance against their former masters.
Perhaps most insidiously the Reapers have indoctrinated Cerberus. Led by the enigmatic Illusive Man this organization espoused human supremacist ideals and actively sought to sabotage the other races for humanity's gain. When they were indoctrinated they became far more sinister, using mass forced conversion of their fellow humans, outright genocide on the aliens, cruel inhumane experiments and their actions even led to the fall of the Citadel. In battle they wielded disciplined shock troops aided by Reaper technology and cunning.
For this tournament the Citadel Forces will have experience fighting forces that use indoctrination or indoctrination-like techniques i.e. mind control or even chaos corruption. They will have experience against forces that use overwhelming firepower or hordes of minor races to their bidding. Furthermore they will have experience against forces utterly malevolent and seeking mass destruction of all (though unknowingly to Citadel forces, the Reapers are not as malevolent as most).
Other Forces: Though the Reapers are the main force that the the Citadel have to face, they also fight each other often enough. Conflict between mercenary bands and individual governments is pretty common. The Turians-Humans very briefly fought a war 30 years ago while the Systems Alliance have waged an ongoing "Cold War" with the Batarians for a generation.
===Additional Factors===
-Fabricators: Fabricators are a immensely helpful manufacturing tool that allows any factory to manufacture any technology so long as A. its specifications are known and are indeed replicable and B. Anti-Fabrication devices aren't installed.
-Geth Climate Changing Device: Overtime the Geth can build a climate changing device to better manipulate the environment around them to best fit the Alliance.
-VIs: A virtual intelligence is an advanced form of user interface software. VIs use a variety of methods to simulate natural conversation, including an audio interface and an avatar personality to interact with. Although a VI can provide a convincing emulation of sentience, they are not self-aware, nor can they learn or take independent action.A VI dedicated to military can collate millions of variables each second and analyze said date in a massive listing of scenarios, helping to provide constant updates on optimized tactics and strategies to each officer in a given army.
--Culture Wars: The Citadel is one of the freest, most tolerant societies to be found in this tournament. Its a society where different races, for most part, are treated fairly and valued for their individual contributions rather ruled over through iron will. Such a freee culture might appear to some of the more open-minded individuals or oppressed races looking for a better life.
--Mass Effect Technology: Every race uses element zero based technology. They have little problems using each others tech or weapons however this may present a roadblock in looking at other, different technology based on other systems.
--Combat Simulators: The Citadel forces posses sophisticated combat simulation that allows them to accurately input information and train their soldiers in a virtual simulator that takes into account everything from enemy biology to tactics. In this way their soldiers can prepare for combat even off the battlefield.
--Cohesiveness; Thanks to the actions of Commander Shepard the mass Effect universe is more unified then ever before, unfiied by the threat of the Reapers. In addition Inter-species relations are common, the individual nations are bound by economic and military ties and many possess similar goals. However some disunity is to be expected, and each, though capable of working together, are at the same time reliant on different combat doctrines, though some races do sometimes incorporate other races into their individual combat doctrines . In addition a few grudges, like Geth & Quarians and Human & Batarians, have not fully healed.
Yet despite all that the Citadel races have been noted as being closer then ever thanks to the Reaper invasion, with all races joining together to aid in their mutual salvation, working together in the military and various projects. This applies even to some of the previously most wary of races, like the Batarians and Geth. They are more united then they ever were before, and in the words of corporate exec John Ashland "If we win this thing the galaxy is going to be a much better place" .
-Civilization Response Chart (Factors into Gains)
Based on what I have seen on how they interact with other races and each other, I believe Citadel responses can be put into these five categories.
1. Genocide: This is reserved only for the absolute worst offenders, those who cannot be reasoned or bargianed with under any circumstance and who must be destroyed to prevent other species from being destroyed. Any form of quarentine has automatically failed by this point, however even then the Council wil be extremely reluctant to commit such an action, using it only as the absolute last resort (and even then it will likely be a hotly debated issue for decades to come) . Examples : Early Indoctrinated Rachni, Reapers (at least they WANT to kill every Reaper)
2. Genophage/Isolation: The Citadel Council will seek to isolate entirely a faction, destroying their infrastructure, military and technological capability . If a species has a biological trait that makes them anti-social or proves a pain to deal with they might attempt to use science to change the genetic engineering of a species, such as when the fast breeeding Krogan were infected with the Genophage, a modification that left 99 percent of their race infertile (such was the rate of Krogan reporudction though that they were still able to linger on). Expect effects ranging Genophage/limited contect with the rest of the galaxy to full enforced isolation, meaning no one on the Citadel side deals with them. If the enforcement is loose enough expect some mercenary gain (like the Krogan) but that is it. Examples Yahg (strictest), Krogan, Somewhat Geth/Quarians
3. Acquaintance Race: This is a race that the Citadel deals with but with no strong ties whatsoever. Expect for gains some mercenaries and maybe technological trading but that is it. Any Soldiers that march alongside the Covenant here march under their own commanders, with loose trust among the other members . This will be the very loosest category. (Example Current Geth, Quarians, Batarians, Vorcha, Aria ect) .
4. Associate Members : If the Council deems that a given race meets three requirements : A. That they are social (meaning not overtly hostile by nature or government to other races) B. That they have something to add to the galactic community/diversity (make the galaxy a better place ie tech, economy, manpower ) C. Approval by the Council races, who generally look at those reasons and try to aim for unanimous consensus as much as possible. Active Tech Trading, soldiers serve as part of a coalition, they take part in the Galactic Community ect. Example : Elcor, Hanar,
4b. Vassal Race:
Alternately they can be a vassal of a Associate member or Council Member and still get the same perks, even become valued and respected members of Galactic Community. The Only difference is that most negotiations of a given area are made from a the vassal-holding race rather then the vassal. I.E. if there was something to do about a military operation in Volus Space their Turian overlords would need to be involved, however if the negotiation is about galactic economy (which the Volus specialize in) they negotiatie freeely. Biggest example is the Volus here, though also the Drell (who are integrated into Hanar Society) . Huge amount of gains from races that fit in these two categories.
5. Council Races: See Above, but in order to get in here a race has to prove that it adds a substantial amount to the galactic community, that it is ready for ALL (economy, military, financial ect) the responsibilities of being a dominate race of the Council and lets not forget that it is powerful. The Volus have petioned the Council for a seat on it for a thousand years only to get rejected probably because they only specialize in Finances, not anything else. When the Alliance was accepted it was due to the fact that they were already a major military, trading partner to all other races. The Greatest amount of gains comes from these races in terms of manpower and tech. Examples Turian, Human
===Victory Gains===
Technological Gain : High
First See additional factors on the Fabricator. Mass Effect factions have a huge number of skilled scientists and the ability to manufacture stuff without requiring a huge load of raw materials thanks to micro-fabricators. However their technology is all based on Mass Effect fields, and they may experience a hurtle trying to adapt weapons from other systems.
-Biological Gain: Very Low: They are skilled at genetic engineering yet opt not to use it much by treaty.
--Enthralled Servants: Leviathans gain big time by gradually mind controlling more and more enemies and bringing them under their sway. Historically they could enthrall entire races! They are limited in gain by three factors 1. What losses they might incur in battle 2. The limited number of Leviathans left alive and 3. The Citadel Forces won't trust the Leviathans to get a whole massive force.
--New Races: see Additinoal Factors. The Citadel's government is uniquely suited to bring in races wholesale thanks to the rather liberal governance of the Asari, who try to incorporate non-anti-social races whenever they can.
