The most crucial phase of the battle was about to commence.
Ves could feel it. Others could deduce it as well.
He accelerated his information gathering activities and rapidly absorbed a lot of data.
From the conditions of all of the mech units to the efficiency of replenishing spent supplies, Ves gained a much more thorough understanding of the conditions in the field.
He particularly understood how extensively the voribugs strained the logistics of the defenders.
For example, the Rubarthans had only recently begun to proliferate shield link technology.
Support link technology used to be exclusive to the RA and the RF, but after the Terrans and Rubarthans declared independence, the latter no longer abided by this rule.
The implementation of shield link technology across many different mech models should have extended the lifespan of Rubarthan mechs to a significant degree.
When employed against the native aliens, the survivability of all mechs and warships that made use of shield link technology should have tripled or quadrupled!
However, shield link technology proved much less useful against the mutated voribugs than expected.
Shield link technology did not magically create shields or reinforce faltering ones for free. It merely granted combat assets the ability to share shield power with each other.
Multiple shielded units were therefore able to pool together their resources and enjoy much better protection as a result!
This normally worked well against conventional enemies. So long as their firepower was not high enough to instantly demolish a target, a shield-linked unit always enjoyed constant protection.
However, the mutated voribugs were different because they generally did not employ such strategies.
There were simply too many voribugs. So long as a swarm managed to engulf an entire force of shield-linked units, they would all suffer so much combined damage at the same time that shield link technology practically lost meaning.
More importantly than that, the mutated voribugs developed enough of a familiarity with shield link technology to deliberately block the linkages.
Even if a single bug was not powerful and resilient enough to block a shield link for more than a second before getting vaporized, a huge number of bugs could definitely maintain a sustained blockade!
The enemy had grown wise enough to develop special voribug subspecies that possess an unusually high capacity for energy absorption.
Not only were they able to resist laser beams and plasma bolts with great effectiveness, they also happen to be extremely effective at blocking shield links!
In short, the voribugs were so effective at countering support link technology that it was not able to give the Rubarthan the decisive advantage they sought.
This further damaged human morale. Their vaunted high technology did not avail them against the weak and primitive cannon fodder bugs.
If not for the fact that the Goliath Hive was about to run out of voribugs at this rate, everyone’s confidence would have dipped even further.
"It is time." Jovy spoke up. "The Incubator has begun to accelerate. Its emissions are growing. The organic battle moon’s surface is shifting. We have not yet determined the reason for this activity, but our analysts are doing their best to decipher its secrets."
"Have the enemy’s Goliaths begun to move as well?"
"We are not quite sure, Ves. We are not able to observe them directly. They are still hiding in the middle of the densest swarms. However, all of the swarms are advancing forward in waves. If the Goliaths are matching pace, then they will likely enter into engagement range in the next 10 to 30 minutes."
"Understood. My services as a mech designer are no longer needed. I think it is time for my other self to come out. Let’s see if it is possible for us to demolish the enemy battle moon. Teleport me over to the Armitage."
"Got it. Oh, one more thing."
"What is it, Jovy?"
"If you and your Ascended Giants are unable to destroy the Voribug Organic Battle Moon before it has spawned a hypothetical Level 8 Goliath..."
Ves turned back to stare at Jovy.
"Despite our superdimensional arms and armament, you know as well as I do that there is a mismatch in equipment. I cannot make any promises. The VOBM is bizarre. Depending on how many Goliaths are thrown in our direction, we may not have the muscle and manpower necessary to take down the organic megaconstruct. If that turns out to be the case, what will you guys do? Don’t tell me you’re going to resort to weapons of mass destruction."
"That decision is not up to the Bluejay Fleet." Jovy grimly responded. "The Rubarthans started to weigh this decision shortly after the discovery of the VOBM. As far as I know, they have yet to make up their minds, but that is because the situation is not desperate enough to demand an immediate answer. If the enemy battle moon’s performance is too dominant, then the Rubarthan commander may decide that they do not have a choice in the matter. It is best not to drive them to this point."
Ves nodded in agreement. Although the current scope of warfare was already dangerous enough, he did not want each side to throw superweapons at each other as if there was no tomorrow.
Once all sides adapted to this destructive mode of warfare, the battlefield would become extremely hostile against ordinary troops!
As a mech designer, Ves did not want to see superweapons turn mechs into an afterthought.
It was in his best interest for every side to restrict their firepower and play by the rules. Only then would mechs and mech pilots continue to maintain their relevancy in the new frontier.
Therefore, Ves had no reason to disagree with Jovy. It appeared that his alter ego and his band of Ascended Giants needed to work extra hard to defeat the Goliath Hive.
"Wish us luck."
"We will."
A short time later, the Dark Apostle emerged fully equipped from the bowels of the Armitage.
Ves had already retreated to Blinky. The fluffy companion spirit granted him a means to stay awake and keep an eye on what his phase lord self was doing.
It also granted him a medium to participate in the upcoming fight, if only in an assisting capacity.
While Ves felt tempted to speak up or take charge, he did his best to suppress his control freak tendencies and allow the Dark Apostle to exercise his authority.
Ves and the Dark Apostle had already made an agreement where the latter could do as he wished so long as he did not betray red humanity.
In any case, the Dark Apostle walked forward while clad in his full superdimensional gear.
The Superdimensional Giant Regalia might not be as promising as his planned Polymetal mech, but it still offered an excellent degree of protection.
In fact, the Dark Apostle would never be able to deploy onto a dangerous battlefield if his protection was not as good.
As for armaments, the human phase lord already mounted a handful of exploding spears onto his back. In order to make them a little more interesting, Ves had slightly tweaked their designs. The minor experimentation should hopefully yield a lot of interesting data once thrown.
Aside from that, he also carried 2 main weapons. He already mounted the Rubarthan plasma halberd on his back while simultaneously holding the Withering Sting in one of his hands.
Although Ves believed that his partially failed experimental product may still be incredibly effective against the mutated voribugs, his phase lord self could still switch to the plasma halberd if his calculations ended up wrong.