Local Conditions

Local conditions can often affect the outcome of a successful mission. Under the cover of night special forces can move around without detection, while fog will interfere with laser designators and visual sensors.

Snow: Characters operating in snowy conditions must take special care not to cause snowdrifts to slide, as well as taking extra precautions to cover their tracks. However snow conditions can also be used to a characters advantage. By making shallows into the snow the character can hide their heat signature, cover their vehicles and lay in wait.

Daylight: Characters or teams operating in daylight are usually assigned to low priority missions such as guard duty and patrols. However on occasion missions with the highest priority must be executed during daylight hours. Regardless, the characters are vulnerable to regular optic enhancement; their only chance for stealth is camouflage and concealed movements. Daylight raids are the most hazardous missions assigned to pilots and troopers. At the same time recon missions during the daylight hours will allow the character to spy on enemies and targets with even the simplest optical gear, often allowing them to pass into areas with strict regulation. Watching an enemy through binoculars is much easier to do then with night vision equipment.

Dawn/Dusk: Most special operations procedures occur during the twilight hours of dust and dawn. When enough light exists for ease movement but the shadows are deep enough to conceal their vehicle and equipment. Dust/Dawn operations are usually assigned night vision equipment for use should their operations take longer then expected. Dawn operation will be assigned camo-netting to conceal their equipment should their mission run into daytime light. Dust/Dawn missions also provides a few unique obstacles

Night: Often the preferred time to operate since most traditional optic sensors are at a disadvantage, as well most people are home asleep making detection less likely. Characters operating at night will often be equipped with night vision systems and low light amplifiers, however characters must take special care not to be blinded by flashes of light such as streetlights and explosions. As well equipment operating in the dead= of night will usually require sound filters to soften the noise they make, placing ‘white noise’ generators, shock absorbers, rubberized souls on the Exo’s feet and alike will all ensure a stealthier mission. Most Exo pilots will run on battery power at night when operating in settled areas and cities, only switching to direct power when the battery supply is exhausted or they are detected and stealth is no longer a critical mission objective.

Rain/Thunder Storm: Operating in rainstorms posses a unique set of problems for sensors and covert operations. When Exo’s operate in the rain they will leave footprints in the soil, making tracking very easy for enemy troops. As well electrical storms will cause electromagnetic sensors to misread targets for ambient electricity. Furthermore optical sensors will become obscured by very heavy rain. On the plus side the same problems that would plague a pilots Exo will also affect enemy sensors and systems. Even seismic sensors can be fooled by thunder thus allowing the Exo to move with greater easy.

Fog: Fog is one of the most dangerous environments to operate in, even more problematic then rain. In the fog laser-targeting systems will be almost completely useless, as water droplets in the air will diffuse the targeting beam. As well as causing reduced optical sensors range, efficiency and accuracy. Thermal sensors will have trouble distinguishing targets because of confused sensor echoes caused by the temperature of the fog. However like rain, this will affect both allies and enemies. Therefore enemy targets and instillations will have the same sensor problems as you.