*** Planetside 2 Faction Selection Poll ***

[RJO]

Knights,

The time has finally arrived. With release on the horizon it is time to pick our Planetside 2 faction so I can start drumming up recruitment and running practice events, etc

Some rules for the poll:
PLEASE VOTE IN THIS POLL ONLY IF YOU INTEND TO PLAY
This vote will run until Saturday October 27th @ Noon EST
A majority of 50% + 1 vote is required for a faction to pass. If no faction has won the vote by Saturday a second poll will be created and will run for a fairly short duration - please be sure to check back.
Votes can be changed once placed. You will have to make a request in the thread using the following format: "I would like to change my vote X to Y". I am doing this so we can put on our big kid pants and come together to a consensus.

The factions


New Conglomerate

Story
The New Conglomerate (NC) split from the Terran Republic due to its totalitarian oppression. Over a century before the wormhole collapse, there was a small group of freedom-fighters that called themselves “Liberty’s Call”. They staged a demonstration protesting the Republic’s apparent systematic elimination of human rights. A large group of people gathered to hear their views; however, the Terran Republic’s Riot Police put an end to the demonstration, killing every protestor and even several innocent onlookers. Now, with the wormhole collapse, the New Conglomerate is determined to write a new history. A history free of the overbearing and draconian Republic. In the process of their separation, they gained control of several rebirthing facilities. Now, they work on recruiting an overwhelming army to crush their oppressive enemy, the Terran Republic.

Play style
The Blue and Gold are built around hitting first, hitting hardest and taking a beating. Although their weapons might not have the most finesse (often having strong kick, long reload times, and slower firing rates) they do pack a hell of a punch.

On the vehicles side, the New Conglomerate has two unique empire vehicles, the Reaver attack fighter and the Vanguard medium battle tank. Whether in the air or on land, the N.C. vehicles pack on more armaments and armor as well as abilities that allow them to stay in battle longer than the other empires equivalents. While the N.C. vehicles excel in durability and sheer firepower, their trade off is in mobility and speed.

The Reaver may be slower to fire and move, it makes up for it in punch. The Reaver boasts excellent durability, the ability to pack on more armaments and armor, and when the Reaver's weapons hit their mark the enemy certainly knows it.

The Vanguard follows the same philosophy as the N.C. Reaver. The Vanguard is the slowest of the main battle tanks and slowest to fire, however it is also the best armored of all the main battle tanks and it's weapon capabilities are devastating.



Terran Republic

Story
The Terran Republic (TR) is an empire with a rich history extending 1,112 years, and the originator of the other two empires. The TR was officially established with the ratification of the Declaration of Constancy by nations weary of nearly two hundred years of war. They brought order out of chaos and introduced the world to an era of peace. Since the armistice and the formation of the new government, and as the singular political force on Earth, they set up an open and transparent Government. This helped keep the peace for nearly two hundred years. Much of their history is embedded in the Great War and not just its resolution but the centuries following.

Terrans eventually made space travel possible. From this, wormholes were discovered, studied, and found to be a means of transportation from one area of space to another. It is through one of these wormholes that the Terran Republic found their way to Auraxis, an earth-like planet that could sustain life.

After the collapse of the wormhole, stranding the entire expeditionary force, the Terran’s control began to deteriorate among the various philosophical groups. With the sabotage and explosion of the Discovery-7, which killed everyone on board including the Terran’s leader Thomas Connery, tension hit critical mass. In response, the TR implemented even stricter laws and regulations. From there it was only a matter of time before an all-out rebellion amongst the fractioning groups was bound to happen.

The Terran Republic is built around order and the rule of law, with the central tenant that no individual is above the rules. Loyalty and fealty are core to the Terran Republic ethos and from that grows a spirit of total camaraderie and brotherhood amongst its proud and mighty warriors. More so than any other empire, the TR are a professional military. They are the most synergistic of the teams and benefit the most from numbers and coordination. A well drilled squad of Terran Republic troops is one of the most fearsome and deadly forces you’ll ever meet on the battlefields of Auraxis.

Play Style
Their weapons and vehicles are top of the line and new but conventional. They eschew experimental ordinances and energy weapons and prefer to stick with what has worked for hundreds of years – accurate, high velocity bullets, and lots of them. Terran Republic weapons have the fastest firing rates, largest ammo capacities, and are generally designed to allow for maximum sustainable damage. While their weapons have the highest rate of fire of the three Empires, they do not have as much damage on impact.

On the vehicles side, the Terran Republic has two unique empire vehicles, the Mosquito fighter jet and the Prowler battle tank.

The Mosquito is an extremely agile attack aircraft, which can be outfitted with a variety of weapon systems to suit the needs of the republic. It also has the fastest top speed of any air vehicle allowing it to quickly disengage from a sticky situation and regroup.

The Prowler is a medium tank that is the fastest empire specific tank on the field. It is armed to the teeth with additional weapon systems not found in other empire medium tanks making it one of the deadliest vehicles in the game.


Vanu Sovereignty

Story
The Vanu Sovereignty (VS) gained their name from a long past alien race. The strange artifacts were discovered on the planet of Auraxis shortly after the first expeditionary forces from the Terran Republic arrived. From the research of these artifacts came the discovery of “rebirthing” technology, and the offer of immortality. Terran Republic scientists were forced to keep research on this new technology secret. However, the Vanu managed to persuade some “free-thinking” scientists to join their cause. As news of the wormhole collapse began to spread throughout the Republic, the leadership began to grow anxious. Fearing that their lives may be in danger from the paranoid and oppressive Republic, the Vanu broke away, managing to gain control of several rebirthing facilities. The founders of the VS were, and to some extent still are, scientists. They are simply of the belief that humans are still evolving and are capable of being so much more than just soldiers or miners.

The Vanu Sovereignty seeks to destroy the Republic in retaliation for years of devastating oppression and lies. Because the New Conglomerate declared war on them, the VS have reacted in kind, equally hating them as they do the Terran Republic. The Vanu believe the only way to save the world that Vanu once ruled, and in order for humanity to reach its full potential, they needed to take up arms and destroy both the other Empires.

They have been called “Religious nut jobs”, “Techno-evangelist”, and a “Trans-humanist Cult.” The Vanu Sovereignty would find those terms to be dismissive and born of ignorance. They are what we would call true believers. Through the use of the mysterious Vanu technology, exotic energy weapons were invented. Also, the VS discovered the ability to improve the human body through modification. This alteration of the human species generated great suspicion and hatred by the Terran Republic and the New Conglomerate.

Philosophically religious, the Vanu are often mistaken for zealots. However, you won’t find a Vanu shouting “Praise Vanu!” after every kill. Calm and often considered to be passionless, they have removed the chaos of war from their subsistence and adopted a superior, paternal and condescending view of the rest of their “lost brothers and sisters”. Viewing themselves as the true seekers of freedom through enlightenment they will do whatever it takes to bring the light of Vanu back to the world.

The VS firmly believes that technology and knowledge hold the answers to all of mankind’s problems. It has been said that “The Ancients” (the ones that actually created the tech that the VS use) have shown them the way. They believe that they have been “blessed” with the gift of technology and power to “smite those that stand against the pursuit of knowledge and power”. The VS also believes that everyone should have the freedom to believe in the ancients just as they do.

Play Style
The Vanu Sovereignty took advantage of the alien tech, embraced evolution and change and has “received” the offering of knowledge and power from the ancients.

The VS weapons rely on quickly energizing a splash of plasma-like ammunition that destroys the very bonding attributes of the elements that make up the armor and the flesh of enemy combatants. Although it does not have the impact of the NC weapon systems, nor is it able to equal the rate of fire of the TR weaponry, it is incredibly deadly over a wider area due to the viscosity of the energy. All V.S. weapons benefit from the lack of a concussive round. The drawback to having this high accuracy is the degradation of potency over distance. While conventional weapons have bullet drop, V.S. weapons suffer from a reduction in power over the distance traveled.

On the vehicles side, the Vanu Sovereignty has two unique empire vehicles, the Magrider battle tank and the Scythe fighter. The use of the ancients’ technology has given them the ability to create some powerful weapons for use on the battlefield with their vehicles. The Heavy Rail Beam and Pulsed Particle Accelerator are a testament to the wonders of the Ancient tech.

The Scythe, the Vanu Sovereignty manned flight vehicle, rules the sky with maneuverability and agility. It uses the magnetic field of the planet Auraxis to move in ways other conventional aircraft cannot. The Ancients' technology will be pitted against the human’s inventions on the battlefield and it is yet to be seen which side will emerge victorious.

The Magrider medium battle tank demonstrates perfectly the Vanu Sovereignty's phrase “Technology equals Might”. The Magrider can levitate over all terrain types with ease and be equipped with a wide variety of powerful energy weapons. Even the basic Magrider weaponry starts with the HRB which can focus a blast of pure energy that penetrates even the heaviest of armor.

VOTE CHANGE RECORD
Neens changed vote from TR to NC
ehrie changed vote from TR to NC
Ryath changed vote from TR to NC

[Neens]

"I would like to change my vote tr to nc".

[RJO]

Done

[ehrie]

"I would like to change my vote tr to nc".

This.

[Ryath]

I would like to change my vote from TR to NC. #TeamBlueCake

[RJO]

Done and done.

[RJO]

I would encourage anyone who has voted VS or is thinking of voting VS to consider either the NC or TR at this point. Remember the format of the vote. To win a faction needs 50% of the votes + 1.

So at the moment to win (with 18 votes in) 10 votes are required.

In the case that there is no winner by noon tomorrow, I will recreate the poll with two factions. So be sure to come back tomorrow to check and vote again if required.

[Shiz]

I haven;t played with AK in so long I am really looking froward to this.

[RJO]

Alright folks, the poll is now closed and AKS will be a New Conglomerate outfit in Planetside 2!

The final vote is:
NC 13 52.00%
Terran Republic 8 32.00%
Vanu Sovereignty 4 16.00%