Earthworker

From OPU Wiki

Properties

• Common Metals Cost: 400
• Rare Metals Cost: 0
• Build Time: Short
• Armor: None
• Hit Points: Medium
• Track Type: Tracked
• Speed: Slow

Commands (not always available): Move, Stop, Build Tube, Build Concrete Wall, Build Special Wall, Demolish, Transfer, Self-Destruct.

Description

Originally the Earthworker was designed primarily to burrow underground Tubes to connect structures, and to produce Concrete Walls. The latter are simple fortifications produced by scooping surface material into a form, where it is partially melted by a pulsed-fusion reactor mat lining the form. Later, responding to individual threats, Eden and Plymouth modified the Earthworker design. Eden added the capability to construct special "Microbe Walls." Microbe Walls have rows of overlapping drill holes that are filled with a mixture of fused regolith and short-life radioactive isotopes. This combination provides both a physical barrier against the ground water that carries the bacteria, and a limited antibiotic effect against the threat.

Plymouth Colonists modified their Earthworkers to respond to the immediate threat of volcanism and rapid lava flows. Lava Walls are similar to conventional Concrete Walls; however, the surface material is more tightly packed, and the walls extend several meters underground to provide a footing that resists undermining by lava. Cooling chimneys and passive heat pipes molded into the structure help to dissipate heat. Lava Walls also have a smooth fused glass surface and a sprayed-on ablative coating to resist lava encroachment, which makes quick work of the less dense and slightly porous Concrete Walls.

Operational Notes: Earthworkers are used to build Tubes to connect structures to the Command Center. They also build defensive Concrete Walls. Each colony also has a special wall they can build after doing the appropriate research: Eden builds Microbe Walls, which slow the progress of the Blight; Plymouth builds Lava Walls, which temporarily delay lava flows from overrunning their bases. Earthworkers can also demolish any Tube or Wall, though removing a Tube will cause damage to the Earthworker.

Tales from New Terra

"This is not going to work," said Wu Chen. He was looking out the forward window of the Evacuation Transport as it rumbled down the hills toward the upper Wells Lowlands and the wide lava flows that were closing in from either side. Though the dim light of pre-dawn revealed little of the terrain, he could see the lights of the other vehicles in the group bobbing ahead of him, and the twin, spreading lakes of lava glowing a dull orange in the darkness. Emma Burke leaned on the back of his chair and peered at the approaching doom. "It's going to be a close thing, Wu. The good news is, since we're the last transport in the convoy, if anything goes wrong, we won't have long to feel guilty about it."

Wu wanted to say something, but couldn't come up with the right words. He knew she blamed herself for their situation. She'd predicted the eruption of Mt. Glenn to the north, but not so soon, and had failed to anticipate the simultaneous eruption of Mt. Komarov to the southeast. That the geological databases from Earth had provided no data for erupting volcanoes so close to one another seemed to offer her no comfort. "Pay no attention to the assistant behind the curtain," he finally said. "I'm just a pessimist at heart. We'll make it boss; we always do."

But she said nothing, and he couldn't think of anything else to comfort her. He'd read of the mythical Atlas, who was said to bear the weight of the Earth on his mighty shoulders. It seemed, at times, as though Emma Burke carried the weight of New Terra on hers. As Wu watched, the dark gap between the lava flows narrowed, and as it did, the horizon grew brighter. Finally New Terra's sun peeked over the edge of the world, and the valley below began to brighten, the glow of the lava fading, the rocks and distant hills throwing long shadows, but something else became visible as well, a pair of long, parallel lines crossing the valley right between the flows, and at the end of each, a vehicle, their lights bright white against the early morning red. "Earthworkers!" He said. "They sent back Earthworkers from the new colony site to build Lava Walls!" He shook his fists in triumph. "We're gonna make it after all!"

Emma moved forward and slumped into the next seat, that great weight gone from her shoulders, if only for a moment. She looked over and smiled wearily. "You know, pup, you're right. You are a pessimist."