Half Life: Gorgeous Freeman HEV Upgrades/Revisions.

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

"It's time to rise & shine Admins, Wake up and... Smell the hashes once more... I... Implore you to update the File on, Mr. Freeman... Or else... Prepare for..."

"...Unforeseen Consequences."

So what GG-Man is trying to say here is that there are some things criminally overlooked in Gordon's status that I amongst G-Man who's actually visibly irked a few other members here have taken notice into and I need the aid in updating his stats. And so the G-Man doesn't send each and everyone of us to the Shadow Realm.

For starters Gordon should straight up be 9-A+ for the hell of it, like this shouldn't be hard to figure out. Going by "Can trade blows with those that can harm him" Logic in verses, Doesn't Gordon scale to his Dura and there are those that can harm him too? As stated, Nathan ******* Drake and El Homero scale to their own dura and can trade blows with those that can harm him including Batman has the same examples as well with those able to damage his suit. And via the help/credit to user [B]Tonygameman[/B], he also helps support the upgrades further: Gordon can also destroy Tanks with a few hits by using ONLY his crowbar (it's even has a mention on TV Tropes' awesome moment page, And it appears to be M1 Abrams, which has armory this strong, which at least be Small Building.) And he has also provided us with this old blog and a Reddit respect thread to help even further support this. But wait! THERE'S MORE apparently, as some of the 9-A+ feats has been done with Gordons older HEV model of HL1 and has grown stronger from his newer variant as of HL2. and thanks to our value of 9-A+ that could up Gordon at a good 8-C.

Gordon although he may not look like it is also depicted as being FAR FASTER then a measly Subsonic+ currently. Having seemingly outsped a C4 Explosive... While crouched, and if it adds to the consistency of it all the lad has literally dodged rounds from the said M1 Abrams Tanks and according Tonygameman it uses a Rheinmetall 120mm gun, which has a muzzle velocity of 1,750 meters per second (5,700 ft/s) he counted as Mach 5.2822216 (Hypersonic).

There may be more I have forgotten but I'll add these for now, the people below might help out on that.

 

[Dalesean027]

Ooooo following this and I love the title much respect for the whole thread

 

[EliminatorVenom]

I like this a lot!

As I said before, I'm fine with this and can help with more scans, I think. Gordon does these feats fairly consistently.

 

[Dalesean027]

That'd be cool if this can get though and I agree with the propositions and what's been shown so far

 

[Abstractions]

For starters Gordon should straight up be 9-A+ for the hell of it, like this shouldn't be hard to figure out.

Actually there's a problem with this considering there was a thread discussing its removal that just happened to be buried.

Gordon cannot tank the 9-A+ airstrike he's rated for, so anything suggesting scaling based on durability would only support a lesser rating than the current one.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Actually there's a problem with this considering there was a thread discussing its removal that just happened to be buried.

Gordon cannot tank the 9-A+ airstrike he's rated for, so anything suggesting scaling based on durability would only support a lesser rating than the current one.

Ok then? (There are other verses in dire need of updating but I started with HL). Surely there are other rating's best fit for this though.

I'll wait for other's to have their say in this however.

 

[Tonygameman]

I definitely agree with others here, hence additional haxes listed there:

• Healing is already included, but it needs a description (His suit is able to heal him by charging it)
• Damage Reduction (The HEV Suit weakens damage done to Gordon)
• Energy Manipulation (Numerous weapons use energy as their main attack, such as the Pulse Rifle, Gravity Gun, etc.)
• Deconstruction (Zen crystals power the Anti-Mass Spectrometer, which Gordon has a few weapons such as the Gravity Gun which use Zen crystals. A super-charged Gravity Gun can deconstruct others)
• Physics Manipulation (The Gravity Gun also works via the manipulation of physics)
• For resistances:
  • Additional info for Poison Manipulation (Can tank being bitten by the Poison Headcrab, and it will only drop Gordon's health to 1, which he can also regenerate from. Should be comparable to Alyx Vance, who is able to breathe in the spores of Jeff, which while toxic, only cause minor coughing)
  • Description for Radiation Manipulation (Can resist radiation and casually walk through it)
  • Energy Manipulation (Can resist energy to a degree from weapons; as demonstrated in a Reddit RT on it's own durability section)
  • Electricity/Technological Manipulation (Can resist electricity with the HEV suit. Comparable to Alyx, who can resist the attacks of Reviver Headcrabs, which cause electric shock and shut down electronics)
  • Corruption/Biological Manipulation (Can resist bites from zombies and Headcrabs that get on his head. The latter can cause several biological attacks such as the weakening of the body, bones, removal of organs, etc.)

 

[Tonygameman]

Dr. Coomer: "Ah, hello bumper!"

 

[Shmooply]

Based.
Following, will give input later.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Based.
Following, will give input later.

Please do lads, because apparently Gordon is also no longer a 9-A and Gman wouldn't like it but surely he does have and then some again.

 

[Diamond_Drone]

Probably should give input on this

While I agree on Gordon Freemans profile being updated and every Half-Life Profile I have some disagreements, agreements and some unique points I would like to mention

Doesn't Gordon scale to his Dura?

Gordon can fight Bullsquids. Which attack Headcrabs, other Bullsquids and Humans. So they should likely scale to their Durability/Attacks

Gordon can destroy Tanks in a few hits with his Crowbar

I counted the Hits. First Clip is about 50 hits while the second is 25. Assuming the best case scenario of the arithmetic mean of 9-A (0.1275 Tons of TNT) and the lower hit count for the divider (25) we get 0.0051 Tons of TNT (literally 0.0001 Tons of TNT away from Baseline). And that was the Best Case Scenario.

So that probably isn't worth mentioning.

Gordon dodged Rounds from the Abrams Tank

The Abrams Tank doesn't fire Projectiles. Its a Hitscan with spread, meaning it can miss you even if you're standing still. Here's footage of it shooting and hitting a moving Player.

So that probably isn't worth mentioning also.

HL2 Gordon has grown stronger and could be at 8-C (with the 9-A+ calc)

Kleiner only states it was "redesigned for comfort and utility" and being able to charge using Combine Energy Outlets. It probably is more powerful, but isn't stated.
As for 8-C using the 9-A+ calc? The Validity of scaling to that is already being disputed. As for being 8-C? There are only 4 Things I can think of that could give that rating

• Gordon tanking AR2 Alt-Fire, which can vaporize People and Hunter Synths (as mentioned and acknowledged by Rebels in the Story) Though this might being another 9-A feat
• Gordon tanking shots from the Suppression Device, which vaporizes People and collapse a Building
• The Train Wreck Gordon survives at the beginning of Episode 2
• Tanking Antlion Worker Acid, which can carve Rock.

Anyways, I agree with the implication of giving Gordon a HL2 Key

List of my own Suggestions for Gordon's Profile

• Give Gordon 2-3 Keys. One for Half-Life, one for Half-Life 2 and it's Episodes and possibly one for Gordon suitless (with the HEV Suit).
• Goes hand-in-hand with the above. the Standard Equipment should be Weapons that Gordon possess in BOTH games (Crowbar, Pistol, Revolver for example) with Weapons only appearing in one game (HL or HL2) should be Optional Equipment (Tau Cannon, Gluon Gun, Gravity Gun for example)
• Remove Social Influence. Being a Rebel Leader against an obviously oppressive Alien Hive mind where the choice is "Fight for Humanity or let Humanity become Extinct" is not a hard choice, also the Social Influence could've been done by freed Vortigaunts, surviving Black Mesa Personnel or surviving HECU.
• Remove Healing. I can only assume it was added because of Medkits and Health Stations? If so, it should be removed as those aren't something Gordon just carries around all the Time (Also they are usable by Barney, who doesn't have a Hazard Suit).
• Intelligence Section should probably be shortened.
• Add limited Damage Reduction. With Armor, the Player only takes 20% while half of the remaining 80% (40%) is absorbed by the armor. However certain forms of Damage are not absorbed (like Fall Damage) and in Half-Life 2, Armor no longer halves the remaining 80%, meaning it absorbs the 80% of the Damage.
• Homing Attack should mention Hivehands Hornets.

That's all for now.

 

[Shmooply]

I agree with what Drone suggested, but I'm a little iffy on the tank destruction stuff. I don't think we can really get anything impressive from the train crash scene as well, since there's plenty of ordinary people that survived that and plane crashes, unless I'm missing something here.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Bump

 

[Armorchompy]

Additional info for Poison Manipulation (Can tank being bitten by the Poison Headcrab, and it will only drop Gordon's health to 1, which he can also regenerate from. Should be comparable to Alyx Vance, who is able to breathe in the spores of Jeff, which while toxic, only cause minor coughing)

I mean, we don't see this poison one-shotting anyone, right? I don't see why we should assume dropping health to 1/coughing isn't the default effect

Energy Manipulation (Can resist energy to a degree from weapons; as demonstrated in a Reddit RT on it's own durability section)

That's just durability

Electricity/Technological Manipulation (Can resist electricity with the HEV suit. Comparable to Alyx, who can resist the attacks of Reviver Headcrabs, which cause electric shock and shut down electronics)

Same story as the poison for the first half, as for the latter surviving EMP isn't really a feat.

Corruption/Biological Manipulation (Can resist bites from zombies and Headcrabs that get on his head. The latter can cause several biological attacks such as the weakening of the body, bones, removal of organs, etc.)

Isn't that overtime?

Gordon can fight Bullsquids. Which attack Headcrabs, other Bullsquids and Humans. So they should likely scale to their Durability/Attacks

I mean, do Bullsquids actually have any reasoning to scale to the HEV's durability? Generally we don't scale fodder to PCs although with how immersive HL is I think there's an argument that isn't the case here

Gordon tanking AR2 Alt-Fire, which can vaporize People and Hunter Synths (as mentioned and acknowledged by Rebels in the Story) Though this might being another 9-A feat

Vaporizing people is 9-A as I recall it

• Gordon tanking shots from the Suppression Device, which vaporizes People and collapse a Building

That's a good one, although I'm not sure if it'd get out of 9-A

The Train Wreck Gordon survives at the beginning of Episode 2

Dunno if this is quantifiable

Tanking Antlion Worker Acid, which can carve Rock.

Acid isn't really durability, it's a resistance tho

Goes hand-in-hand with the above. the Standard Equipment should be Weapons that Gordon possess in BOTH games (Crowbar, Pistol, Revolver for example) with Weapons only appearing in one game (HL or HL2) should be Optional Equipment (Tau Cannon, Gluon Gun, Gravity Gun for example)

Think it'd be better to split the SE section

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Huge Bump! I'm busy with another thing and I was supposed to bump it.

 

[Diamond_Drone]

Guess I'll give more Input.

Firstly, Made a Calc which got evaluated. With the following being accepted:

• Headcrabs breaking a Wall giving 1.728 Megajoules (Wall)
• Mortar breaking 2 Barricades and a Gate (assumed as Wood) is 115.7 Megajoules (Small Building)
• Geneworm breaking a bit of Steel is 288.63 Megajoules (Small Building)
• Gargantua self-destructs with the Power of 276 Megajoules (Small Building)

Of course. There are other Calcs I made which are unevaluated (and can wait to be evaluated, not needed to be in an instant). These are...

• Houndeye Shockwave (Also the primary Source for the Heights used in my Calcs, might adjust the Shockwave Calc if needed) which gives Small Building to Houndeye and Wall+ for tanking
• Gargantua breaking a Gate and a couple of Rocks (Gives Building+ results, though it's probably a "Possibly" in scaling for Pre-Combine Era)
• Gordon outrunning a Satchel (Gives Hypersonic, though this is a "Possibly" or "Likely" for everyone except for Gordon)
• Sequel Feats (Im fine with the Antlion Calc here not being accepted. Forgot that Acid was a resistance)
• More Fragmentation Feats (evaluated)

Now to address what others said after my Post...

I mean, do Bullsquids actually have any reasoning to scale to the HEV's durability? Generally we don't scale fodder to PCs although with how immersive HL is I think there's an argument that isn't the case here

Scaling Fodder to Gordon was not really the intention with my Post (Given all the Fodder Profiles are already scaling to Gordon). Though thinking about it, it might be possible in HL. 2 Grunts could suprise attack and defeat Gordon and a Hunter Synth could casually trap Gordon with Concrete (though Gordon only had the Gravity Gun). Though I would rather have them scale to their own Feats, if possible.
As for Bullsquids. They can one-shot Headcrabs, break alot of Boxes and drag a Grunt (which it likely killed, somehow. It did gib him)

Vaporizing people is 9-A as I recall it

Yeah, I know. Though I was focusing on the Hunter Synth (Speaking of which, the Hunters attack might scale to this Vaporization. As their Attacks can vaporize themselves, even having an Achievement for it)

That's a good one, although I'm not sure if it'd get out of 9-A

After I made the Post, I did calc it to be 9-A to maybe 8-C. Even if its not accepted, Vaporization of people is still a thing to consider.

Think it'd be better to split the SE section

So Something like this?
Standard Equipment: List of Weapons used in Half-Life | List of Weapons used in Half-Life 2 (excluding Stunstick and Combine Tripmine)

Now I have more suggestions since last post which are:

• Listing Attack Speed of the Real World Weapons that Gordon has. Half-Life being Subsonic+ to Supersonic, slowest Weapon being MP5SD (285 m/s) and fastest being Colt Python (380-440 m/s). Half-Life 2 being also Subsonic+ to Supersonic, slowest being the RPG based on AT4 (290 m/s) and the fastest being the Submachine Gun based on a MP7 (735 m/s). Based on info from these Videos.
• Probably change the "Weapons & Technologies" at the bottom of Gordon's Profile to "Notable Equipment" or probably removed completely.
• Probably change Lifting Strength without Gravity Gun to "Above Average Human" or "Peak Human", given it's without explanation or calc (It could probably be scaled to Zombies, which can throw Barrels. Might be Class 1?)

Probably all I can say for now.

 

[Armorchompy]

if you really want go all out you can have descriptions of the guns in the profile itself but just linking to a wiki list is fine too

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

I mean everything looks justified, for base LS I also do only remember in the first HL he pushes some rather hefty looking boxes.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

I only expect Base Gordon to be at his very best performances: 9-A, likely 8-C ("+" If we're ever lucky).

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Bump.

"Rise and shine Gromit. Wake up lad, and smell the Wenslydale."

 

[Diamond_Drone]

This got evaluated, which gives more 9-A results.

• It basically makes explosives range from 0.014 Tons of TNT to 0.168 Tons of TNT, which means Gordon Explosives were the true 9-A+ (still likely doesn't scale physically, it does 100 damage and Alien Grunts, the physically strongest of the aliens that gordon can scale to, are one-shot by the cannon)
• Alien Grunt are 107 Megajoules or 0.025 Tons of TNT. while Vorts are physically 1.599 Megajoules, weaker than Headcrabs, though they may scale to Headcrabs anyway.

As for new Feats, I found something that could give Half-Life 2 Gordon High 8-C scaling (though I don't know if thats enough justification for it). Also Speed

I mostly been on a Sandbox of what the updated profile would look like, only evaluated Feats are included.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

This got evaluated, which gives more 9-A results.

• It basically makes explosives range from 0.014 Tons of TNT to 0.168 Tons of TNT, which means Gordon Explosives were the true 9-A+ (still likely doesn't scale physically, it does 100 damage and Alien Grunts, the physically strongest of the aliens that gordon can scale to, are one-shot by the cannon)
• Alien Grunt are 107 Megajoules or 0.025 Tons of TNT. while Vorts are physically 1.599 Megajoules, weaker than Headcrabs, though they may scale to Headcrabs anyway.

As for new Feats, I found something that could give Half-Life 2 Gordon High 8-C scaling (though I don't know if thats enough justification for it). Also Speed

I mostly been on a Sandbox of what the updated profile would look like, only evaluated Feats are included.

Swell.

 

[Joaco0902]

I mostly been on a Sandbox of what the updated profile would look like, only evaluated Feats are included.

Looks great! Haven't played all the games yet but it looks like Gordon has tons of feats that just so happen to fall around 9-A range.

 

[Ezra1414]

This got evaluated, which gives more 9-A results.

• It basically makes explosives range from 0.014 Tons of TNT to 0.168 Tons of TNT, which means Gordon Explosives were the true 9-A+ (still likely doesn't scale physically, it does 100 damage and Alien Grunts, the physically strongest of the aliens that gordon can scale to, are one-shot by the cannon)
• Alien Grunt are 107 Megajoules or 0.025 Tons of TNT. while Vorts are physically 1.599 Megajoules, weaker than Headcrabs, though they may scale to Headcrabs anyway.

As for new Feats, I found something that could give Half-Life 2 Gordon High 8-C scaling (though I don't know if thats enough justification for it). Also Speed

I mostly been on a Sandbox of what the updated profile would look like, only evaluated Feats are included.

Hey, I was the guy who made that other Gordon Freeman revision thread a while back (I also made that Reddit respect thread that's been linked a few times in the newer threads and calcs).

It's great to see that progress is being made, and this is a wonderful profile draft. I really appreciate all the work that's been put into it. The only thing I can think to include on top of what you already have is the upgraded HEV suit's ability to increase Gordon's vision (on weapons that don't have scopes, the suit itself zooms in his eyesight somehow) and supply him with oxygen while underwater. Not sure what kind of names would be given to those powers though. The "stealth mode" of the HEV suit might also be worth mentioning.

 

[Stefano4444]

I mostly been on a Sandbox of what the updated profile would look like, only evaluated Feats are included.

Shouldn't Gordon be 9-A even with the crowbar due of be able to kill monsters who can harm him other to be able to destroy a tank overtime?

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Shouldn't Gordon be 9-A even with the crowbar due of be able to kill monsters who can harm him other to be able to destroy a tank overtime?

Yeah, if anything at Gordon's absolute peak at Half Life 2 (so on forth) would have been 8-C; Hell I even heard he could be a High 8-C.

 

[Shmooply]

Hearing ≠ being true. I'm still skeptical on using the tank feat since it takes Gordon way too many swings with a tier 9 weapon to destroy a M1 Abrams.

 

[Diamond_Drone]

The only thing I can think to include is the HEV suit's ability to increase Gordon's vision (on weapons that don't have scopes, the suit itself zooms in his eyesight somehow)

Guess that could be Enhanced Senses, the Page does mention a type of Vision being "Telescopic vision: The ability to see great distances".

and supply him with oxygen while underwater.

That's Type 3 Underwater Breathing, "User can breathe underwater through external equipment, such as a scuba tank.". These are probably okay to add to the Draft/Sandbox.

Shouldn't Gordon be 9-A even with the crowbar due of be able to kill monsters who can harm him other to be able to destroy a tank overtime?

1. Gordon's crowbar in 9-B cause it takes multiple hits to kill a Headcrab, whose best feat in the first game is breaking a Concrete Wall evaluated as 1.7 Megajoules. HL-2 Gordon's crowbar is 9-A cause it can one-shot Headcrabs.

2. I talked about the Tank Feat, Gordon needs a REALLY best case scenario to even reach above baseline 9-A. The Most likely result is Wall given the number of hits (25) and it's most likely durability being somewhere around baseline 9-A.

Hell I even heard he could be a High 8-C.

Hearing ≠ being true.

Oh no, who could've said that. Anomalous is referring to this, which I made but aren't sure if it's enough justification.

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

Bumpo.... (Sigh) Okay what do we have working with here then chaps?

Guess that could be Enhanced Senses, the Page does mention a type of Vision being "Telescopic vision: The ability to see great distances".

Swell use there. Next thing you're telling is that the HEV has Instinctive "Spider Sense" Responses torwards danger then I'll be just as impressed.

1. Gordon's crowbar in 9-B cause it takes multiple hits to kill a Headcrab, whose best feat in the first game is breaking a Concrete Wall evaluated as 1.7 Megajoules. HL-2 Gordon's crowbar is 9-A cause it can one-shot Headcrabs.

2. I talked about the Tank Feat, Gordon needs a REALLY best case scenario to even reach above baseline 9-A. The Most likely result is Wall given the number of hits (25) and it's most likely durability being somewhere around baseline 9-A.

Damn I could sworn he was close in reaching the 9-A... At least at his best as of HL:2 this seems like it but I would kill for 8-C Gordon. Oh well they are decent nevertheless.

Oh no, who could've said that. Anomalous is referring to this, which I made but aren't sure if it's enough justification.

That was what I was expecting... Shoot... ._.

Still we could get something grand out of this right?

 

[Diamond_Drone]

bump

 

[Ezra1414]

Swell use there. Next thing you're telling is that the HEV has Instinctive "Spider Sense" Responses torwards danger then I'll be just as impressed.

The suit does actually have something kinda like that lol, at least on the PlayStation version of the game. It has a targeting reticle that automatically focuses on enemies on allies, turning green on allies and red on enemies. The instruction manual calls it an "automatic targeting system."

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

The suit does actually have something kinda like that lol, at least on the PlayStation version of the game. It has a targeting reticle that automatically focuses on enemies on allies, turning green on allies and red on enemies. The instruction manual calls it an "automatic targeting system."

Actually when you bring it up I have been playing the first Half Life on the kind of PS2! But lets say my controls with it are not always the best, I guess it does fall under that category? But its "Only on Playstation" So does it count? And I was jesting about Gordon actually having a full on precog overall which would be pretty cool if there were a case.

 

[Ezra1414]

Actually when you bring it up I have been playing the first Half Life on the kind of PS2! But lets say my controls with it are not always the best, I guess it does fall under that category? But its "Only on Playstation" So does it count? And I was jesting about Gordon actually having a full on precog overall which would be pretty cool if there were a case.

I guess I don't really know the exact rules on this site around alternate versions of games, but it was an officially released version of the game that had that as an explicit feature of the suit.

Of course, it was just to help with aiming on the Playstation controller, but if some other game had a DS or PSP version with an extra weapon or two, I imagine those weapons would be still be mentioned in a character's profile. So in my book at least, it should be fine to include.

 

[Diamond_Drone]

There is a targeting system in the PC version (some footage here, look at the reticle). However, its just an option in the mouse menu. There are lines for "Automatic target acquisition system", but they are unused.

This just seems to be a Game Mechanic with really vague canonicity. While you can make an excuse for Adrian for having it (Like having it in his PCV, which is basically a military HEV Suit), there is basically no excuse for B. Calhoun for him having it (He basically just has a Vest and a Helmet, which isn't a high tech suit).

Half-Life 2 doesn't really help either. Pretty sure it isn't an option AT ALL in the PC Version, once again being a Console Exclusive. As for what ability it would be? I don't know, didn't find an Ability that fits a "Suit that makes you shoot at the target accurately". Maybe 'Limited Probability Manipulation"?

 

[Shmooply]

I'm not sure what to make of the targetting system either. Considering that Valve likes to go "i dunno lol /shrug" when it comes to the canon of the series, it's really hard to guess the canonicity of the Playstation version. I could see it being listed as a possible ability that Gordon and maybe Shepherd have.

Maybe 'Limited Probability Manipulation"?

Nah. I actually tried to give another character from a boomer shooter probability manipulation for somewhat the same reason, until someone explained to me that it's wrong. I'm sure we do have an ability similar to auto-targetting on the wiki, I'll check.

 

[Armorchompy]

homing attack is closest

 

[Joaco0902]

The targeting system just sounds like aiming with extra steps

 

[Ezra1414]

I think we've kind of got off track. It's been established in other threads that the feats currently used on the Gordon Freeman page are flawed, and we have a bunch of perfectly good replacements that put him at around the same level. I think it's time to call in the mods/admins to get the page changed to remove the questionable feats (the airstrike he can't actually take and the Citadel explosion he didn't actually take) while we work on possible future upgrades like a tier jump.

Does that sound good? Is there anyone I should call into the thread?

 

[Anomalous_N_I_W_D_E]

I think we've kind of got off track. It's been established in other threads that the feats currently used on the Gordon Freeman page are flawed, and we have a bunch of perfectly good replacements that put him at around the same level. I think it's time to call in the mods/admins to get the page changed to remove the questionable feats (the airstrike he can't actually take and the Citadel explosion he didn't actually take) while we work on possible future upgrades like a tier jump.

Does that sound good? Is there anyone I should call into the thread?

I mean I seen diamond with calcs done already in the evaluation thread. But yeah this is a must unless others agree.

 

[Diamond_Drone]

Here is the current version of the Gordon Sandbox.

I think it's time to call in the mods/admins to get the page changed to remove the questionable feats (the airstrike he can't actually take and the Citadel explosion he didn't actually take) while we work on possible future upgrades like a tier jump. Does that sound good?

Yeah I'm fine with that. We can probably discuss Upgrades later (probably when the calcs get evaluated).