Barracuda Strike Force

Overview

Thus Spoke the Reichsman
Contact	Barracuda
Zone	Grandville
Minimum Size	4 players
Coordinates	(needs data, {{{y}}}, {{{z}}})
Level Range	45-50
Merits	20
Badge	Arbiter
Enemy Groups	Longbow 5th Column Freedom Phalanx

Template:MeritAward

Introductions

Too Low Level

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Not Enough People

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Missions

Agree to form a strike force

Thus Spoke The Reichsman
Part One: Things Thought Forgotten

Briefing

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Mission Acceptance

OK, Mueller's got a flyer waitin' that will bring you and your crew to Paragon City. It's a simple job, get in, get the info, get out.

Once you finish whatever his deal is, make sure you come back and let me in on a piece of the action. You'll do that, if you know what's good for you. Otherwise... Well, there ain't gonna an otherwise, is there?

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Mission Objective(s)

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• Rob City Hall
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Location

Grandville

Enemies

Longbow

Notable NPCs

• Holo Man (Elite Boss)
• Ms. Liberty (Archvillain)

Holo Man dialogue

Before combat: "Keep an eye open; I hear some villains are going to try to rob this place."
Combat start: "I don't know what you're after, Character, but you won't get away with it. Watch as I take you down... in 3D!"
At 75% Life: "Ouch! That's no way to treat a star!"
At 50% Life: "I'm pretty sure this wasn't in the script..."
At 25% Life: "I'm calling for reinforcements! You won't escape!"
Defeated: "Noooo... I've been cancelled!"
After defeating a player: needs data

Ms. Liberty dialogue

Before combat: "Where can those pesky robbers be?"
Combat start: "Robbing the time capsule? How low is that, Character?"
At 75% Life: needs data
At 50% Life: needs data
At 25% Life: needs data
Defeated: "No! I can't let you dishonor the memory of the Omega Team like this!"
After defeating a player: needs data

	Security Codes
	This file contains some security codes. You're not sure why Hero 1 would hide this info in the time capsule or why Mueller would want it, but recovering them pays well and that's all that really matters.

Debriefing

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Thus Spoke The Reichsman
Part Two: Wrong Place, Reichs Time

Briefing

OK, we got a chance to make even more dough with that squint Mueller. He's got another job that I can throw your way for the usual consideration.

Now that you got him that location and those security codes, he wants to go use them. That means he's gotta go to a secret base under Boomtown, which means he needs some help. Serious help. And you guys are about as serious as they come. So, what do you say? You up for heading into a dangerous situation with ol' Mueller?

Mission Acceptance

Yeah, that's the ticket. you know the drill; we got a flyer waiting to take you guys off to goody-goody land. We should be able to land you close enough to the objective that you'll be able to get in before anyone in Boomtown can notice. Once you're in the base, the fun begins.

Here's a reminder for you. Mueller's gonna go with you, since only he knows what he's after in that base. Try to make sure he comes back in one piece; he's our payday at the end.

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Mission Objective(s)

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• Rob Freedom Phalanx Base
  • Lead Mueller to the secured storage
  • Defeat the base's leader

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Location

Grandville

Enemies

5th Column

Notable NPCs

• Roderick Mueller (Ally)
• Numina (Hero)
• Schadenfreude (Elite Boss)

Roderick Mueller dialogue

On spawn:

"Ah good, Character. Your team is all here. Clear a path to the containment area quickly, if you would.

Schadenfreude dialogue

Before combat: needs data
Combat start: needs data
At 75% Life: needs data
At 50% Life: needs data
At 25% Life: needs data
Defeated: "No, no, we cannot falter now. Nowt when we're this close."
After defeating a player:"Thus is the fate of all who would resist the might of the 5th Column."

Dimensional Experiments

These computer files detail the various experiments performed by the 5th Column scientists on the subject of alternate dimensions and paranormal energy. Your first read of the documents reveal that they are working on some kind of device to help Reichsman, but the details are buried under a lot of scientific mumbo-jumbo. It's going to take a detailed study to get to the bottom of exactly what they're attempting.

Debriefing

What? Mueller's information led you to free Reichsman and then he got blown up for his trouble? And you guys didn't get paid? That gets me steamed, Character. I hate not getting paid for your hard work!

I'm sure you ain't happy about this situation either. What say we get a little revenge against this jumped-up fascist bozo who took out my contact and left us with nothin' in our pockets. Le me look over this info, see if I can get an angle on him. Come back when you're ready and we'll find a way to get ours... even if we have to take it out of his hide!

Go Talk To Lord Recluse

Return of the Reichsman
Part Three: Sweet Revenge

Briefing

I can't believe we got cheated out of our payment by that Reichsman clown, Character. We gotta do something about this, especially since it sounds like those 5th Column cumps are gunning for us. I've been reading over that information you found, and it sounds like Reichsman is planning something big back in Boomtown. We can get our revenge by messing with Reichsman's invaion.

So Lord Recluse is going to be all hot and bothered about some clown invading Paragon City. That's like someone stealing his thunder. Maybe you should go talk to him and get some troops to keep the 5th Column rank and file busy while you deal with Reichsman. If you work it right, you can even get him to pay you for your 'help'.

Mission Acceptance

Hey, watch yourself. The info in those files you found says this Reichsman is one bad boy. He's going something to increase his power. Don't be shy about living to fight another day, if you know what I mean.

Talk with Lord Recluse

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Location

- Grandville

Mission Objective(s)

• Talk with Lord Recluse

Lord Recluse

Briefing

This situation you describe is most troubling, Character. I cannot have the 5th Column infesting Boomtown, not when I have plans of my own for the area. I thank you for bringing this problem to my attention before it became a major thorn in my side. But what to do, what to do. I am not yet ready to move against Paragon City but I fear that those heroes will misread my intentions if I send any of my lieutenants to deal with the 5th Column.

Tell Recluse you'll lead the attack

You are offering to take the lead on dealing with this Reichsman, Character? How... noble of you. Oh, I am certain you have reasons of your own for this kind offer, but far be it from me to look a gift horse in the mouth. If you take a flier to Boomtown and help deal with this little 5th Column problem, I will make sure that your efforts are backed by some of my troops. See what you can do to stop this Reichsman and the 5th Column, and I'll make it worth your while.

Tell Recluse you're heading to the flyer

You are an interesting man, Character. I shall have to keep an eye on you in the future. I trust that if you can't crush this petty invasion head on, you will be clever enough to find some other way to go about it. In fact, I almost hope Reichsman proves to be a challenge as I am curious as to what other plan you might formulate to defeat him. I wish you success in this endeavor, Character.

Foil the 5th Column in Boomtown

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Mission Objective(s)

The 5th Column sure moved fast. If you start knocking some heads, you can probably get that Reichsman to come out from wherever he's hiding.

• Defeat the invading troops
  • Find Mission Exit

Location

-Grandville

Enemies

5th Column

Notable NPCs

• Der Unterfuhrer (Elite Boss)
• Oberst Shaumstein (Elite Boss)
• Invincible Reichsman (Archvillain)

Der Unterfuhrer dialogue

Before combat: "I want to destroy this city."
Combat start: "Finally, something challenging to fight."
At 75% Life: "Oberst Shaumstein has placed me in charge of this section of the invasion, and I won't let you stop me from executing the plan!"
At 50% Life: "You are skilled. That is good. Now I will bury you."
At 25% Life: needs data
Defeated: "Even if I fail, the Oberst will see to your defeat."
After defeating a player: needs data

	Invincible Reichsman
	When you faced Reichsman in Boomtown he seemed to be unbeatable. You're going to need to figure out why he's so tough and find a way to counter it if you're going to have a chance of taking him down. And, somehow, you know you're going to have to be the one who deals with this guy.

Debriefing

While you were dancing with that super-Reichsman, I had some people look at that information you got from the 5th Column base. Man, no wonder you couldn't take down the Reichsman! He's doing something to super-power himself.

I think I know where you can find out what's makin' Reichsman so tough, and maybe how to stop it or use it to give you an edge. Let me know when you're ready to go and figure out how to end this problem...

Go to Axis Earth and find the source of Reichsman's power

Return of the Reichsman
Part Four: Finding the Source Briefing

So, Character, the tech guys looked over those files you found back in that 5th Column base and came up with some bizarre theory on why Reichsman is so damned tough. They think he's working with those freaks from his home dimension to do something to supercharge him. The techies suggest you go to Axis Earth and find information on just exactly what these guys are up to.

Mission Acceptance

If them Axis worlders are like their 5th Column counterparts, they've probably the information on a computer in a base. You should beat up on some of their soldiers to find the base and then... well, you know what to do.

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Mission Objective(s)

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• Find the source of Reichsman's power
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Location

Grandville

Enemies

5th Column

Notable NPCs

• Oberst Staetler (Elite Boss)

Oberst Staetler dialogue

Before combat: "We have almost finished crushing the resistance. The fools have no chance."
Combat start: "Vas? Where did these costumed clowns come from? Kill them!"
At 75% Life: "We finished your kind off in the war, long ago. Whoever you are, you cannot stand against our might."
At 50% Life: "You are much tougher than the normal Resistance fools. That just means you will suffer more!"
At 25% Life: "This is madness! You cannot hope to bring us down simply by attacking this base!"
Defeated: "The base must remain secure; I cannot fail in my duty!"
After defeating a player: needs data

Empowering Reichsman

According to this information, Reichsman is empowering himself by stealing the energy from his counterparts, those other Marcus Coles from the different dimensions. The confluence of this energy makes him effectively unstoppable. From reading through the files, you know that Reichsman's got some kind of big machine back on Earth Prime that's holding tose alternate Reichsmans and siphoning the energy to him. The machine like it is very well defending. And you know you can't stand up against Recihsman in his current empowered state. But you think you can his machine on you and your crew, to give you the edge you need to take him down. If you get a very few powerful beings into the machine, you can use it to give you some defenses and counters to Reichsman's new powers. Maybe you can convince Lord Recluse to lend you his lieutenants for this. You might just get away with it... if you don't tell him why you need them.

Debriefing

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Talk to Barracuda

Barracuda

Briefing

Whadda find out Character? You find a line on takin' Reichsman down?

Say that Reichsman is using a machine to boost himself.

Yeah? So you're gonna destroy this machine and show that Reichsman who's the boss?

Tell Barracuda that the machine is protected from any attack.

Protected from any attack by the very dimensional energies that are empowering Reichsman? Man, that sucks.

So whatcha gonna do about it, Character? You gotta find a way to take down Reichsman, so we can get our payback.

Hey, it's too bad you can't just use the machine yourself, to you know, just power you and your buddies up to a level when you can beat that Reichsman clown down.

Explain that's exactly what you intend to do.

What? You're going to talk Lord R into having Ghost Widow, Black Scorpion, Scirocco, and my boss go along with you and then stuff them all into Reichsman's machine to empower you?!? You are crazy... or just smart. If you get results, all this is good, right?

Sure, they're the most powerful dudes you can grab this side of Paragon City and they'll give you access to more power than anyone should probably have. Yeah, you know that Lord R will likely ignore exactly how you beat Reichsman as long as you beat him.

It sounds like you got a solid plan, Character. I'm just glad I'm not the one caught between the Patrons of Arachnos and the Reichsman. Go kick some butt!

Debriefing

You might be too crafty for your own good, Character, but I hope it all works out. Operators whith your kind of moxie ain't that common, and it would be a shame to see you get put down by Reichsman.

Go Talk To Lord Recluse

Thus Spoke The Reichsman
Finale: Finishing It Off

Briefing

OK, Character, it sounds like you got all of your ducks in a row. Go and talk to Lord Recluse and talk him into giving you the help you need.

Mission Acceptance

I know you're gonna take down that Reichsman and get some payback for the way he jacked us over. Go do it, Character!

Unnecessary Solicitation

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Talk to Recluse

Lord Recluse

Briefing

So, Character, you come to me asking for help with this Reichsman problem. Our interests align in this case; I would be very pleased to see this Reichsman taken down. What have you learned about him? Why will this time you face him be different from the last?

Explain that Reichsman is empowering himself with dimensional energy.

Interesting. So Reichsman has a machine -- a machine that's suspended between dimensions and is thus unattackable -- that's amplifying his abilities and making him more powerful than a god. This situation is intolerable. I trust you have some plan on how to deal with it?

Explain there is a way, but that you need the services of his four strongest lieutenants.

Very well. Infiltrating Reichsman's base shall require a mult-pronged attack. I will brief Ghost Widow, Black Scorpion, Scirocco, and Captain Mako on your plan, and then dispatch to different locations to weaken Reichsman's forces. They are more than capable of making their own entrance into the 5th Column base, but it is your responsibility to find them and direct them as to their part of your plan.

I trust that with their help you'll be able to deal with this Reichsman situation once and for all.

I look forward to hearing it all comes out.

Defeat Reichsman

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Location

Grandville

Enemies

5th Column

Notable NPCs

• Herr Krogh (Boss)
• Black Scorpion (Ally/Archvillain)
• Ghost Widow (Ally/Archvillain)
• Scirocco (Ally/Archvillain)
• Captain Mako (Ally/Archvillain)
• Reichsman (Archvillain)

Herr Krogh dialogue

text= Before combat: Kill these intruders! They must not be allowed to interfere!
Combat start: You will fail {Character}! The way to Reichsman leads through me, and I will stop you!
At 75% Life: Even as I defeat you, Reichsman bathes in the power of his machine. When he emerges, he will truly be unstoppable!
At 50% Life: needs data
At 25% Life: No! This must not happen. I must not fail!
Defeated: "Reichsman, I have failed you..."
After defeating a player:needs data

Black Scorpion dialogue

Once free: Just get me to where you need me, {Character}, and I'll take care of problem. You can't so this without my muscle; it's the only thing that's going to let you hurt that 5th Column clown.

But you can do all of the heavy lifting until then; I'm just here to fight Reichsman.
Combat start: What? What's going on?
After defeating a player: needs data

Scirocco dialogue

Once free: Bring me to Reichsman so we can get this done. These lesser opponents are your responsibility, not mine.
Combat start: Lord Reclude alerted me to this possibility. Your base betrayal will fail, {Character}. Your efforts are now doomed as you have earned my enmity.
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Captain Mako dialogue

Once free: What's the big deal? Get me to Reichsman and I'll take care of this, no problem. But I ain't lifting a finger to help you before then.
Hey, I done some lookin' around. Seems this Reichsman has this place wired with some failsafe devices, in case his troops get out of hand and turn on him. Keep an eye out for the activation terminals; they might help keep his boys off our back during the big fight.
I'm sure he's hot some kind of defensive fields around 'em, but there isn't a security system around that I can't sneak by.
Combat start: You clown! Recluse saud you'd do this. You got a big problem now; I'm gonna bite a chunk out of you!
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Ghost Widow dialogue

Once free: Lord Recluse warned us of this very thing occuring, {Character}. Yet I cannot find it in me to fault you, as I know you do this to get what you need to defeat Reichsman.
You require my presence to help defeat Reichsman, Character. However, I cannot bring myself to help you fight your way to our destination when I know what the outcome shall be once we arrive.
Combat start: My defeat in this instance will advance the cause of Arachnos, I knowk, but I cannot stand by and let you defeat me. Such is not in my nature.
After defeating a player:needs data

Reichsman dialogue

Before combat: needs data
Combat start: needs data
At 75% Life: needs data
At 50% Life: needs data
At 25% Life: needs data
Defeated: needs data
After defeating a player:needs data

Talk to Lord Recluse

Lord Recluse

Briefing

Your treachery against my lieutenants has not gone unnoticed, {Character}. While they may hold a grudge against you for your actions, you fulfilled your promise and removed Reichsman from the playing board. Your revenge against him for his betrayal of you aligned nicely with my desire to see him neutralized as a problem. I thank you for your efforts in this matter.

You aren't mad about our attacking your lieutenants?

Mad? Hardly. You used the tools at hand to accomplish your task. I knew the only way you could possibly defeat Reichsman was to increase your own power, and I suspect that's precisely why you needed the services of Ghost Widow, Black Scorpion, Scirocco, and Captain Mako. You chose a dangerous path when you seemingly betrayed them, but you ruthlessness paid off and you were successful.

What about the empowerment machine?

Do not retain any ideas of revisiting the empowerment machine and using it again. With Reichsman defeated, its defenses were trivial to overcome. I have had it dismantled and the parts... destroyed. And thus, I removed temptation from the world. A device of that magnitude is too attractive to some minds; some would find it too tempting to try to use it and increase their power to a point where they might rival me... and that cannot be allowed.

So that's it then?

Not quite. There is the matter of your involvement in this whole affair. You were betrayed while executing a contract, and you took steps to see that your betrayer paid the price for such behavior. You used all necessary means to accomplish that goal, no matter the cost

I am most pleased with your drive and your audacity, Character. You remind me of someone I knew, long ago. And I firmly believe that audacious actions -- when successful -- should be rewarded.

You may now claim to be one of my Arbiters, as a sign of my approval of your actions. But know, I will be looking to you for any future audacious tasks that may arise.

Badge

The Arbiter Badge is awarded upon completion of this mission.

Arbiter Taking down Reichsman and making fools out of Lord Recluse's lieutenants might just be the most profitable and satisfying job you've ever pulled.

Debriefing

That was good work Character. You let that clown know it was a bad idea to mess with us. It was a pleasure workin' with you.

Souvenir

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