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Description
Sex: N/A

Species: Manmade combat robot

Location of Origin: Ukraine, Soviet Russia

Date constructed: April 25th, 1979

Date deployed: February 13th, 1980

Height: 15.24 meters (50ft)

Weight: 200 metric tons

Threat level: None. Human-controlled

Aggression level: Variable. Human-controlled.

Armaments:

-Arm mounted rotary cannons fire 23×152mmB explosive ammunition. Internal drum magazines hold 2000 rounds of ammunition. Repurposed from the Soviet ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.

-300mm thick ceramic-steel composite armor. Designed to withstand all but the most catastrophic damage. Partially resistant to corrosives and shielded against radiation. Significantly affects overall land speed. Able to withstand 82 direct hits from 100mm anti-tank cartridges before showing signs of damage.

-Underslung M-13 rocket launchers. Holds a total of 6 rockets per-arm. Repurposed from the Katyusha rocket launcher.

-Repulsor Field which can be activated by redirecting all internal power to specialized nodes scattered throughout Tsar-1's outer shell. These then generate an extremely powerful electrical forcefield on the surface of the robot's armor, delivering a crippling electrical shock to any would-be attackers. This defensive ability is designed to stun and injure an enemy long enough for Tsar-1 to create distance and re-engage the enemy. The Repulsor Field can generate up to 40,000 volts of electricity.

-203mm Barrage Cannons on back. Repurposed from the Soviet B-4 Heavy Artillery Gun. Internal magazine holds 15 shells per-cannon.

-Suite of sensory equipment including sonar and radar. Includes experimental thermal and night-vision optics.

- Grutnik Type-3 "Thinking Computer" allows Tsar-1 to operate mostly autonomously. This rudimentary AI allows Tsar-1 to perform basic maneuvers such as walking, shooting, navigation and negotiating obstacles. More advanced combat maneuvers require input from operations stationed at a console.

- Sonic disruptor from "mouth" grill. Releases a deafening blast of sound that is designed to stun and disorient enemies measured at 200 decibels.

History:

Built in response to the Phosphora Attack of 1976, the Soviet Union developed Tsar-1 as a superweapon to destroy the any further mutant aberrations that threatened the Russian mainland, which the Kremlin believed was an inevitability. Using the recently built Chernobyl power plant as a front for the construction effort, the Soviets went to work in constructing their weapon. They brought in the greatest minds from across the Union including Mikhail Kalashnikov, Andrei Sakharov and Alexander Prokhorov.

After years of planning and construction, the massive robot was finally completed in April of 1979. Since then, the robot was subjected to a host of rigorous field tests to determine the robot's combat effectiveness. Many of these tests included shooting the robot with live ammunition to gauge it's durability against conventional weapons. Aside from being built to fight the mutant threat, Tsar-1 was fully capable of being used as an invasion weapon to attack the United States if need be, and these tests showed that it was more than capable of withstanding tremendous amounts of punishment from anything ranging from small arms fire to vehicle mounted heavy weapons. These tests were also meant to determine the effectiveness of the robot's revolutionary "Grutnik Type-3 Thinking Computer", a rudimentary AI that allowed the robot a large degree of autonomy when in combat. A team of operators stationed at a console would monitor the robot's status and assist it in performing more complex combat maneuvers. With all the robot's capabilities tested, it was only a matter of time before it would need to be deployed for real. Meanwhile, mutant activity in the Phosphora Exclusion Zone began to skyrocket near the crater that was once the Phosphora Nebranium Plant. The nuclear contamination coupled with the heavy Nebranium radiation was a vile cocktail that made the conditions right for abominations to rear their heads. The Soviet Army had been largely successful in eradicating dangerous mutants in the Exclusion Zone, however each new creature that crops up was larger and deadlier than the last. This seemed indicative that it was only a matter of time before an enormous monster like The Bear or The Megapede emerges or perhaps, there are several already out there lurking. Evidence of one such creature began cropping up in November; several desiccated carcasses of mutated creatures with ruptured abdomens were found throughout the Exclusion Zone. Examination of the recovered corpses indicated that something had clawed it's way out of the animals after sucking them dry from the inside.

Almost as soon as the carcasses were discovered, sightings began cropping up of enormous insect-like creatures by reconnaissance teams both inside and on the outskirts of the EZ. Though no specific detail could be made out, all reports consistently described a large, insect-like creature with long legs and a large stinger on the end of the abdomen. These traits seemed to suggest some kind of fly or wasp, which were usually in hibernation this time of year due to the freezing cold of winter. Most sightings were concentrated around the area that was formerly Volodarsk, a city abandoned due to the radioactive fallout from the Phosphora atomic bombing. It was speculated that the creatures had some sort of nesting ground in the city ruins, and that they could potentially spread to other areas if not dealt with immediately. General Alexiy Stepanov, overseer of the Tsar-1 project, gave the go ahead to activate Tsar-1: The robot was to be immediately deployed to Volodarsk and exterminate the nest of creatures as well as kill any of the mutants found there. And so, preparations were underway to launch the robot: the construct's Nebranium-fuel reactor would be activated by diverting nearly 2.8 gigawatts of power to jump-start. The mech's arsenal of weapons were loaded to capacity, and a final systems diagnostic was run to ensure that everything was running in top-shape. At last, the large platform the robot stood on began to rise via a hydraulic elevator, passing several floors of it's hidden hangar before massive sliding doors opened horizontally to allow the light of day to flood the gloomy hangar interior, followed by a flutter of snowflakes.

The elevator reached the surface and came to a halt with a metallic rumble. The robot's red visor flickered to life as it's dormant systems were brought online thanks to the reactor jump-start. Four specially designed dual-rotor transport helicopters arrived to transport the mighty robot to it's destination; these vehicles were also powered by the same experimental Nebranium-based reactors as Tsar-1, and were engineered to be able to carry the robot's massive bulk long distances. Several tow cables were lowered from the underside of the transports and magnetically attached to hard points located on the robot's chest and shoulders. With the robot securely tethered to the transports, the helicopters began their ascent into the air; the metal cables strained, but held firm as the 200 ton robot slowly lifted into the air. The helicopters hovered in place for a moment before slowly beginning to move forward, the robot slightly swaying from the movement as they headed off towards their destination, and soon both the robot and the transports would disappear into the distance. They would have a 3 hour trip ahead of them, after which the robot would be dropped off just outside the city while the choppers returned to a nearby base for refueling. Chatter on the radios came in that another one of the insect creatures was spotted within the city limits, and advised any personnel and aircraft to be on the lookout. The transports had no armaments to defend themselves, and the entire operation would be in hot water if one of the mutants decided to attack them before they reached the drop off zone, or after they dropped off their cargo thus leaving the robot stranded.

Fortunately, there had been no issues by the time they were in visual range of the city, and the operation was now fully underway. Slowly descending towards the ground, the helicopters carefully began to lower the robot towards the ground until a powerful vibration and metallic rumble indicated that the robot's feet had touched the ground. Disengaging the magnetic locks, the transport cables were reeled back up and the robot was now free to carry out it's mission. Letting out a loud, fog-horn like blast of air from it's mouth grill, the massive machine took it's first steps towards enemy territory. The ground quaked with each step the massive machine took, followed by the whining of it's hydraulic pistons as it moved. Back at the robot's home base in the Chernobyl reactor, General Stepanov observed the situation on a large viewscreen that showed the world from the robot's perspective. Flaking this viewscreen where dozens of smaller screens that displayed readouts of the robot's various systems. Each one was part of a massive, room-spanning console covered in blinking buttons and strobing readouts. 6 operators were seated at various locations across the console, flipping switches, turning dials, and observing packets of data that scrolled down and across the numerous screens. The robot's Grutnik Type-3 AI was doing most of the work, compelling it's steel body to move into the city proper while the operators merely made sure everything was running smoothly.

Through Tsar-1's point of view, the city had been largely reclaimed by nature. Mutated plant life crept up the sides of the crumbling buildings and snaking through open windows. Vehicles lay abandoned in the street, some with doors still open and luggage laying around them as though frozen in time at the exact moment the evacuation order was given. A thin layer of snow blanketed the city, further adding to the bleak desolation this dead city projected. The robot continued down an empty road, when it's sensors picked up movement coming from a warehouse district to the east. The operators were given the go-ahead to alter the robot's mission parameters to investigate the anomaly, relaying the new orders to the robot which promptly complied. Turning towards the warehouse district, the robot stomped it's way to it's new objective all while crushing abandoned vehicles underfoot or simply knocking them aside. The movement momentarily ceased, likely due to the robot's approach which likely alerted whatever was there that danger may be close. The robot bulldozed through the rusted chain-link fence surrounding the warehouse closest to the detected movement before coming to a complete stop. The robot's head rotated left and right as it scanned the area for any signs of life, using it's experimental thermal vision to locate any living creatures. The robot's head snapped to attention on one particular building, which had partially collapsed and revealed it's interior that contained dozens of wodden shipping crates.

As the robot turned and moved towards the dilapidated building, several hideously mutated deer dashed out from the building and ran off into the city in random directions. Each one was nearly the size of a truck and possessed characteristics all too common with Nebranium-spawned mutants. The robot's AI armed it's rotary cannons and prepared to fire at the fleeing mutants, but the operators overrode the action. Suddenly there was a loud droning that came from directly above the immediate area. Before the source could be determined, an enormous insect-like creature swooped down and snatched one of the fleeing deer in it's grasping legs. A long stinger on it's back thrust itself into the sides of the mutated deer, the insect's abdomen flexing and contracting as it deposited something within it's still struggling prey. The insect released it's wounded prey and allowed it to escape before turning it's attention to Tsar-1, perching itself atop one of the warehouses. Back at base, General Stepanov deduced that the creature must be the same one that was sighted within the Exclusion Zone. Now that it could be observed in greater detail, the insect had many characteristics resembling those of a parasitic wasp, namely it's elongated abdomen and stinger. The insect also sported an dull orange coloration and iridescent compound eyes, with drooping mouthparts hanging from it's head. It's twitching antennae almost resembled antlers, with their branching segments. The robot's AI armed it's rotary cannons as the insect observed it, unable to make out what exactly it was looking at, as it was moving but gave off no signs of life.

Raising an arm and pointing the multi-barreled weapon at the insect, the weapon needed but a mere moment to spin up before unleashing a storm of 23x152mm explosive ammunition with a thundering roar. Before it could even process that it was in imminent danger, the insect and the part of the warehouse it stood on were both reduced to hundreds of fragments as the explosive ammunition tore them both apart in the blink of an eye; even the ground around it was pocked with holes half a foot deep. Tsar-1's rotary cannons slowly spun to a stop as white smoke exited the barrels. Mission accomplished. Suddenly, additional droning came from behind the robot and was rapidly getting louder. The robot's radar detected the incoming bogeys and the massive mech turned around to face it's attackers while spinning up both of it's rotary cannons. The robot was greeted by two more of the mutated wasps, both as big as the last but with different coloration. Both insects grabbed the robot by the shoulders as they flew by and pulled Tsar-1 to the ground. As it fell, both of it's rotary cannons fired a short burst that missed both targets but succeeded in shredding through nearby buildings. The robot hit the ground with a metallic thud that shook the snow off of several nearby objects. One of the wasps, a yellow-and-black colored monstrosity, landed on the robot's chest and made numerous attempts to bury it's stinger into the robot. However the mighty war machine's steel skin proved far too difficult to penetrate, and the effort resulted in superficial damage to it's green paint. Undeterred, the insect began to claw at the robot's head and neck in an attempt to find a weakness anywhere on this strange being.

Back at base, the operators working at the Tsar-1 control console immediately responded to the threat and manually assisted the robot in getting back up and batting away the troublesome insect with a powerful swipe of one of it's rotary cannon arms. The powerful blow from the robot sent the insect flying, spiraling in mid-air as it attempted to regain control of it's flight. The insect succeeded right before it could collide into a dilapidated apartment building, instead merely grazing the edge of the roof. The third creature, a metallic blue colored variant landed on the robot's back and buried it's face into the robot's neck to snap at the pistons in the robot's neck with it's mandibles while also attempting to stab the mech in the spine with it's stinger. The yellow wasp circled back around and attempted to latch itself onto the robot's chest, but the machine countered by placing it's arm across it's chest and swinging when the insect got close enough. The mutant quickly evaded the swing and proceeded to grab onto the robot's chest upside down. Using it's stinger, the wasp repeatedly stabbed at the mech's visor which caused the live feed back at base to flicker with each strike. The operators at the console activated Tsar-1's main defensive ability: the Repulsor Field. A flipping of switches and cranking of levers caused the robot's AI to divert all power to specialized nodes located throughout the robot's body. The robot's red visor dimmed, but in it's place a devastating electric shockwave washed over the robot from top to bottom before becoming a literal electrical forcefield that covered the robot's surface. The insects almost immediately burst into flames from the powerful voltage, killing them both instantly. Tsar-1 stood triumphantly as the charred corpses of the dead wasps slid off of it's body and filled the air with the smell of burning flesh.

General Stepanov observed a monitor that displayed Tsar-1's structural integrity, taking a drag from his cigar before grinning at the results. The robot had sustained virtually no damage during the battle, and didn't even need to use it's alternative weapons. The mission was hailed as a success and Stepanov gleefully filed a report back to the Kremlin. While it's transports were en-route to pick up the machine, Tsar-1 was set to patrol the city ruins in order to snuff out any other mutants that may be lurking in the area before being recovered and taken back to Chernobyl. However the robot's tour of service and only just begun. A mere five days later, several tremors would be recorded from the Dzershinsk Exclusion Zone and were steadily moving out of the area. This information was quickly relayed to Chernobyl where General Stepanov called for Tsar-1 to be brought to alert status yellow in anticipation of another mutant attack. Meanwhile the tremors continued to travel east on a direct course to Moscow. Several attempts would be made to draw whatever was causing the tremors to surface, but all had been unsuccessful thus far. The cause of the tremors would soon reveal itself in full later that night. In the city of Vladamir, the ground would shake violently before a massive sinkhole would appear in the center of the city. Car alarms blared as vehicles and pedestrians fell into the gaping abyss that had opened up beneath them. Then, as if a demon rising from the bowels of hell, a gigantic creature resembling a mole emerged from the sinkhole and sook in a breath of the frigid winter air.

The creature's tentacle-like nostrils twitched and writhed as it picked up a wealth of sensory information. The air was rife with the pheromones of hundreds of panicked prey that ran in every direction; this was to be a great feast. Hoisting the rest of it's body out of the ground, the mutant got to work in swallowing up whole crowds of fleeing humans. Even those in vehicles were not safe, as the creature cared not for the metal coffins they attempted to drive away in and ate them all the same. Word quickly reached Chernobyl of the mutant mole's assault on Vladimir and Tsar-1 was brought to alert status red, indicating that the robot is to be deployed immediately. The Soviet Army was also deployed to slow the creature down and buy time for Tsar-1 to arrive, which would be a nearly two hour trip. The Soviet army meanwhile was faring poorly against the gargantuan mole, which was able to shrug off almost anything they could throw at it thanks to it's tough, scaly hide. The creature went on the offensive and destroyed several vehicles with a mere swipe of it's mighty talons, rending steel like paper. The creature then burrowed underground within seconds and dug a sinkhole beneath the largest concentration of enemies. Those who realized what was happening wisely fled for more stable ground, but everyone else was swallowed by the earth. Soldiers who tumbled into the sinkhole fell inside of the hungry mole's waiting jaws at the bottom.

At last, the sound of helicopter propellers whirring could be heard in the distance along with the silhouette of none other than Tsar-1 suspended in the air by it's transport cables. The robot's red visor stood in stark contrast to the rest of it's body shrouded in the distance. To play to the robot's strengths, Tsar-1 was dropped off 800 meters way from the mole so it could engage at long range without being forced into a melee confrontation, which the mole would surely excel in. The robot's feet landed with a resounding thump that cracked the road beneath it as it slowly stood up to it's full height, hydraulic pistons whining. The robot's AI relayed visual information back to it's home base, where the operators worked out a course of action to defeat this foe. In a change of pace from it's usual modus operandi, General Stepanov ordered Tsar-1 to use it's 203mm barrage cannons mounted on it's back. The robot promptly adopted a more stable stance with it's arms angled out to the side to allow it's massive arm cannons to act as counterweights. The two long cannons on the robot's back extended upward as a shell was loaded in each one. An ear shattering explosion followed by a geyser of smoke was expelled from the cannons as two high explosive shells streaked towards the mole, which recoiled from the loud noise of the cannonfire. The both shells scored a direct hit on the mole, exploding on it's head and back. The sensory overload from the impact drove the mole berserk, and the mutant promptly charged the robot.

Tsar-1 began to walk backwards to maintain distance from the charging animal before stopping again and firing another salvo of cannon fire. Now associating the sound with pain, the mole dove into the asphalt like a dolphin diving into water, disappearing underground and causing the projectiles to miss their target. However Tsar-1's radar was able to detect it's movement closing in, and the mech's Grutnik Type-3 AI decided to activate it's Repulsor Field in anticipation of imminent attack. The mole erupted from the ground with it's talons outstretched to slash at the robot, but upon making contact with the metallic titan's armored hull, the creature was paralyzed with crippling pain from the electrical current washing over the robot. Steam began to rise from the mole's flesh as it shrieked from the voltage coursing through it's body. Deactivating the Repulsor Field, Tsar-1 utilized one of it's massive cannon arms to bludgeon the mole across the face and stagger the creature. Upon successfully landing the blow, the robot began to backpedal to put distance between itself and it's enemy. Angered, the mole recovered from the trauma inflicted by the robot's blow and lunged at the mech, tackling it to the ground. Both titans hit the ground with a thud that made the city quake under their weight. With the robot pinned beneath it, the mole began to hack and slash away at the robot's hull. Each consecutive blow leaving visible scratches on the robot's chest. The mole proved to be incredibly strong, so much so that the operators back at base were receiving reports of damage accumulating on the outer shell.

Though the robot's structural integrity was holding, it wouldn't be long before the mole would breach the outer hull and gain access to more vital systems. Noting that the mole seemed to be weak to loud noises, the operators manually entered commands to activate the strobe lights mounted near the robot's neck. The sudden flash of light blinded the mole and forced it to stop it's attack in order to shield it's eyes. Sitting up, Tsar-1 one then unleashed a deafening bellow from it's mouth grill that rapidly increased until it reached over 200 decibels of ear-shattering might. The mole shrieked, blinded and now deaf from it's ear drums rupturing due to the sonic attack. Pressing it's advantage, Tsar-1 stood up and fired both of it's rotary cannons at the mole, peppering the subterranean creature with explosive ammunition. Overwhelmed with pain, the mole retreated underground in seconds, leaving only a large burrow in it's wake. Tsar-1 carefully approached the burrow with both of it's rotary cannons armed and ready to fire at any moment. Nearly two minutes went by without any activity from the mole, and it was beginning to seem like the creature had simply retreated. However soon the ground began to shake violently, and the ground beneath Tsar-1 gave way, causing the mech to plummet into a large sinkhole. The mole erupted from the side of the sinkhole and buried it's talons into the robot's neck and shoulder. The robot's visor flickered as the mole raked it's talons across the robot's head, scratching the visor and and metal around it. The mole then bit down on the robot's neck, it's teeth being sharp enough to create dimples in the thick steel pistons on the robot's neck.

The robot attempted to swing one of it's arms to get the mole off of it, but the creature used it's free paw to pin the robot's arm to the side of the sinkhole. Things were looking dire for Tsar-1, as the robot was not meant to fight in intense close quarters combat. The robot's Grutnik Type-3 AI performed a "last resort" decision and once again used it's Sonic Disruptor. The deafening roar had the predictable effect of causing the mole immense pain and ceasing it's assault. Using it's immense mechanical strength, Tsar-1 pushed the mutant off of it and rose to it's feet. Raising both arms, the mech rotated it's forearms at an angle so it's underslung rocket launchers were brought to bear. The mole recovered from the sonic attack and lunged again, but this time it was met with 3 direct hits from Tsar-1's M13 rockets. The explosive projectiles left hideous wounds on the mole, but with it's adrenaline so high, it pushed through the pain and charged at the robot. The mech activated it's strobe lights to stun the mole before unloading it's entire payload of rockets and 1500 out of the 2000 rounds of ammunition from it's rotary cannons. Due to injuries sustained throughout the battle and especially from the Repulsor Field, the mole's defenses had fallen and left it vulnerable to this mighty assault. Explosive ammunition ripped through raw flesh, and rockets blew off chunks of flesh until the mutated creature fell to the ground in a bloody heap. With it's ammunition almost completely expended and having sustained some damage, Tsar-1 initiated a system shutdown and awaited transport.

In the aftermath of the battle, Tsar-1 was formally revealed to the public and hailed as a hero of the Soviet Union, nicknamed "Comrade Tsar". The robot would be featured in dozens of propaganda posters and films to boost public morale. Some of the events that transpired in the Phosphora attack of 1976 were also declassified and revealed through state-sanctioned media. However the atomic bombing used to kill the creatures and destroy Dzershinsk as well as the Hemorrhagic Rabies carried by The Vampire were omitted. Instead, the story was altered so that the battle between The Megapede, The Vampire, and The Bear caused severe damage to Phosphora's reactor thus triggering a massive explosion that wiped out Dzershinsk as well. Tsar-1 would go on to be fully repaired and ready for the next mutant threat to arise, and it was fully anticipated that there would be many, many more of these abominations in the future...

Description
Sex: N/A

Species: Manmade combat robot

Location of Origin: Ukraine, Soviet Russia

Date constructed: April 25th, 1979

Date deployed: February 13th, 1980

Height: 15.24 meters (50ft)

Weight: 200 metric tons

Threat level: None. Human-controlled

Aggression level: Variable. Human-controlled.

Armaments:

-Arm mounted rotary cannons fire 23×152mmB explosive ammunition. Internal drum magazines hold 2000 rounds of ammunition. Repurposed from the Soviet ZSU-23-4 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.

-300mm thick ceramic-steel composite armor. Designed to withstand all but the most catastrophic damage. Partially resistant to corrosives and shielded against radiation. Significantly affects overall land speed. Able to withstand 82 direct hits from 100mm anti-tank cartridges before showing signs of damage.

-Underslung M-13 rocket launchers. Holds a total of 6 rockets per-arm. Repurposed from the Katyusha rocket launcher.

-Repulsor Field which can be activated by redirecting all internal power to specialized nodes scattered throughout Tsar-1's outer shell. These then generate an extremely powerful electrical forcefield on the surface of the robot's armor, delivering a crippling electrical shock to any would-be attackers. This defensive ability is designed to stun and injure an enemy long enough for Tsar-1 to create distance and re-engage the enemy. The Repulsor Field can generate up to 40,000 volts of electricity.

-203mm Barrage Cannons on back. Repurposed from the Soviet B-4 Heavy Artillery Gun. Internal magazine holds 15 shells per-cannon.

-Suite of sensory equipment including sonar and radar. Includes experimental thermal and night-vision optics.

- Grutnik Type-3 "Thinking Computer" allows Tsar-1 to operate mostly autonomously. This rudimentary AI allows Tsar-1 to perform basic maneuvers such as walking, shooting, navigation and negotiating obstacles. More advanced combat maneuvers require input from operations stationed at a console.

- Sonic disruptor from "mouth" grill. Releases a deafening blast of sound that is designed to stun and disorient enemies measured at 200 decibels.

History:

Built in response to the Phosphora Attack of 1976, the Soviet Union developed Tsar-1 as a superweapon to destroy the any further mutant aberrations that threatened the Russian mainland, which the Kremlin believed was an inevitability. Using the recently built Chernobyl power plant as a front for the construction effort, the Soviets went to work in constructing their weapon. They brought in the greatest minds from across the Union including Mikhail Kalashnikov, Andrei Sakharov and Alexander Prokhorov.

After years of planning and construction, the massive robot was finally completed in April of 1979. Since then, the robot was subjected to a host of rigorous field tests to determine the robot's combat effectiveness. Many of these tests included shooting the robot with live ammunition to gauge it's durability against conventional weapons. Aside from being built to fight the mutant threat, Tsar-1 was fully capable of being used as an invasion weapon to attack the United States if need be, and these tests showed that it was more than capable of withstanding tremendous amounts of punishment from anything ranging from small arms fire to vehicle mounted heavy weapons. These tests were also meant to determine the effectiveness of the robot's revolutionary "Grutnik Type-3 Thinking Computer", a rudimentary AI that allowed the robot a large degree of autonomy when in combat. A team of operators stationed at a console would monitor the robot's status and assist it in performing more complex combat maneuvers. With all the robot's capabilities tested, it was only a matter of time before it would need to be deployed for real. Meanwhile, mutant activity in the Phosphora Exclusion Zone began to skyrocket near the crater that was once the Phosphora Nebranium Plant. The nuclear contamination coupled with the heavy Nebranium radiation was a vile cocktail that made the conditions right for abominations to rear their heads. The Soviet Army had been largely successful in eradicating dangerous mutants in the Exclusion Zone, however each new creature that crops up was larger and deadlier than the last. This seemed indicative that it was only a matter of time before an enormous monster like The Bear or The Megapede emerges or perhaps, there are several already out there lurking. Evidence of one such creature began cropping up in November; several desiccated carcasses of mutated creatures with ruptured abdomens were found throughout the Exclusion Zone. Examination of the recovered corpses indicated that something had clawed it's way out of the animals after sucking them dry from the inside.

Almost as soon as the carcasses were discovered, sightings began cropping up of enormous insect-like creatures by reconnaissance teams both inside and on the outskirts of the EZ. Though no specific detail could be made out, all reports consistently described a large, insect-like creature with long legs and a large stinger on the end of the abdomen. These traits seemed to suggest some kind of fly or wasp, which were usually in hibernation this time of year due to the freezing cold of winter. Most sightings were concentrated around the area that was formerly Volodarsk, a city abandoned due to the radioactive fallout from the Phosphora atomic bombing. It was speculated that the creatures had some sort of nesting ground in the city ruins, and that they could potentially spread to other areas if not dealt with immediately. General Alexiy Stepanov, overseer of the Tsar-1 project, gave the go ahead to activate Tsar-1: The robot was to be immediately deployed to Volodarsk and exterminate the nest of creatures as well as kill any of the mutants found there. And so, preparations were underway to launch the robot: the construct's Nebranium-fuel reactor would be activated by diverting nearly 2.8 gigawatts of power to jump-start. The mech's arsenal of weapons were loaded to capacity, and a final systems diagnostic was run to ensure that everything was running in top-shape. At last, the large platform the robot stood on began to rise via a hydraulic elevator, passing several floors of it's hidden hangar before massive sliding doors opened horizontally to allow the light of day to flood the gloomy hangar interior, followed by a flutter of snowflakes.

The elevator reached the surface and came to a halt with a metallic rumble. The robot's red visor flickered to life as it's dormant systems were brought online thanks to the reactor jump-start. Four specially designed dual-rotor transport helicopters arrived to transport the mighty robot to it's destination; these vehicles were also powered by the same experimental Nebranium-based reactors as Tsar-1, and were engineered to be able to carry the robot's massive bulk long distances. Several tow cables were lowered from the underside of the transports and magnetically attached to hard points located on the robot's chest and shoulders. With the robot securely tethered to the transports, the helicopters began their ascent into the air; the metal cables strained, but held firm as the 200 ton robot slowly lifted into the air. The helicopters hovered in place for a moment before slowly beginning to move forward, the robot slightly swaying from the movement as they headed off towards their destination, and soon both the robot and the transports would disappear into the distance. They would have a 3 hour trip ahead of them, after which the robot would be dropped off just outside the city while the choppers returned to a nearby base for refueling. Chatter on the radios came in that another one of the insect creatures was spotted within the city limits, and advised any personnel and aircraft to be on the lookout. The transports had no armaments to defend themselves, and the entire operation would be in hot water if one of the mutants decided to attack them before they reached the drop off zone, or after they dropped off their cargo thus leaving the robot stranded.

Fortunately, there had been no issues by the time they were in visual range of the city, and the operation was now fully underway. Slowly descending towards the ground, the helicopters carefully began to lower the robot towards the ground until a powerful vibration and metallic rumble indicated that the robot's feet had touched the ground. Disengaging the magnetic locks, the transport cables were reeled back up and the robot was now free to carry out it's mission. Letting out a loud, fog-horn like blast of air from it's mouth grill, the massive machine took it's first steps towards enemy territory. The ground quaked with each step the massive machine took, followed by the whining of it's hydraulic pistons as it moved. Back at the robot's home base in the Chernobyl reactor, General Stepanov observed the situation on a large viewscreen that showed the world from the robot's perspective. Flaking this viewscreen where dozens of smaller screens that displayed readouts of the robot's various systems. Each one was part of a massive, room-spanning console covered in blinking buttons and strobing readouts. 6 operators were seated at various locations across the console, flipping switches, turning dials, and observing packets of data that scrolled down and across the numerous screens. The robot's Grutnik Type-3 AI was doing most of the work, compelling it's steel body to move into the city proper while the operators merely made sure everything was running smoothly.

Through Tsar-1's point of view, the city had been largely reclaimed by nature. Mutated plant life crept up the sides of the crumbling buildings and snaking through open windows. Vehicles lay abandoned in the street, some with doors still open and luggage laying around them as though frozen in time at the exact moment the evacuation order was given. A thin layer of snow blanketed the city, further adding to the bleak desolation this dead city projected. The robot continued down an empty road, when it's sensors picked up movement coming from a warehouse district to the east. The operators were given the go-ahead to alter the robot's mission parameters to investigate the anomaly, relaying the new orders to the robot which promptly complied. Turning towards the warehouse district, the robot stomped it's way to it's new objective all while crushing abandoned vehicles underfoot or simply knocking them aside. The movement momentarily ceased, likely due to the robot's approach which likely alerted whatever was there that danger may be close. The robot bulldozed through the rusted chain-link fence surrounding the warehouse closest to the detected movement before coming to a complete stop. The robot's head rotated left and right as it scanned the area for any signs of life, using it's experimental thermal vision to locate any living creatures. The robot's head snapped to attention on one particular building, which had partially collapsed and revealed it's interior that contained dozens of wodden shipping crates.

As the robot turned and moved towards the dilapidated building, several hideously mutated deer dashed out from the building and ran off into the city in random directions. Each one was nearly the size of a truck and possessed characteristics all too common with Nebranium-spawned mutants. The robot's AI armed it's rotary cannons and prepared to fire at the fleeing mutants, but the operators overrode the action. Suddenly there was a loud droning that came from directly above the immediate area. Before the source could be determined, an enormous insect-like creature swooped down and snatched one of the fleeing deer in it's grasping legs. A long stinger on it's back thrust itself into the sides of the mutated deer, the insect's abdomen flexing and contracting as it deposited something within it's still struggling prey. The insect released it's wounded prey and allowed it to escape before turning it's attention to Tsar-1, perching itself atop one of the warehouses. Back at base, General Stepanov deduced that the creature must be the same one that was sighted within the Exclusion Zone. Now that it could be observed in greater detail, the insect had many characteristics resembling those of a parasitic wasp, namely it's elongated abdomen and stinger. The insect also sported an dull orange coloration and iridescent compound eyes, with drooping mouthparts hanging from it's head. It's twitching antennae almost resembled antlers, with their branching segments. The robot's AI armed it's rotary cannons as the insect observed it, unable to make out what exactly it was looking at, as it was moving but gave off no signs of life.

Raising an arm and pointing the multi-barreled weapon at the insect, the weapon needed but a mere moment to spin up before unleashing a storm of 23x152mm explosive ammunition with a thundering roar. Before it could even process that it was in imminent danger, the insect and the part of the warehouse it stood on were both reduced to hundreds of fragments as the explosive ammunition tore them both apart in the blink of an eye; even the ground around it was pocked with holes half a foot deep. Tsar-1's rotary cannons slowly spun to a stop as white smoke exited the barrels. Mission accomplished. Suddenly, additional droning came from behind the robot and was rapidly getting louder. The robot's radar detected the incoming bogeys and the massive mech turned around to face it's attackers while spinning up both of it's rotary cannons. The robot was greeted by two more of the mutated wasps, both as big as the last but with different coloration. Both insects grabbed the robot by the shoulders as they flew by and pulled Tsar-1 to the ground. As it fell, both of it's rotary cannons fired a short burst that missed both targets but succeeded in shredding through nearby buildings. The robot hit the ground with a metallic thud that shook the snow off of several nearby objects. One of the wasps, a yellow-and-black colored monstrosity, landed on the robot's chest and made numerous attempts to bury it's stinger into the robot. However the mighty war machine's steel skin proved far too difficult to penetrate, and the effort resulted in superficial damage to it's green paint. Undeterred, the insect began to claw at the robot's head and neck in an attempt to find a weakness anywhere on this strange being.

Back at base, the operators working at the Tsar-1 control console immediately responded to the threat and manually assisted the robot in getting back up and batting away the troublesome insect with a powerful swipe of one of it's rotary cannon arms. The powerful blow from the robot sent the insect flying, spiraling in mid-air as it attempted to regain control of it's flight. The insect succeeded right before it could collide into a dilapidated apartment building, instead merely grazing the edge of the roof. The third creature, a metallic blue colored variant landed on the robot's back and buried it's face into the robot's neck to snap at the pistons in the robot's neck with it's mandibles while also attempting to stab the mech in the spine with it's stinger. The yellow wasp circled back around and attempted to latch itself onto the robot's chest, but the machine countered by placing it's arm across it's chest and swinging when the insect got close enough. The mutant quickly evaded the swing and proceeded to grab onto the robot's chest upside down. Using it's stinger, the wasp repeatedly stabbed at the mech's visor which caused the live feed back at base to flicker with each strike. The operators at the console activated Tsar-1's main defensive ability: the Repulsor Field. A flipping of switches and cranking of levers caused the robot's AI to divert all power to specialized nodes located throughout the robot's body. The robot's red visor dimmed, but in it's place a devastating electric shockwave washed over the robot from top to bottom before becoming a literal electrical forcefield that covered the robot's surface. The insects almost immediately burst into flames from the powerful voltage, killing them both instantly. Tsar-1 stood triumphantly as the charred corpses of the dead wasps slid off of it's body and filled the air with the smell of burning flesh.

General Stepanov observed a monitor that displayed Tsar-1's structural integrity, taking a drag from his cigar before grinning at the results. The robot had sustained virtually no damage during the battle, and didn't even need to use it's alternative weapons. The mission was hailed as a success and Stepanov gleefully filed a report back to the Kremlin. While it's transports were en-route to pick up the machine, Tsar-1 was set to patrol the city ruins in order to snuff out any other mutants that may be lurking in the area before being recovered and taken back to Chernobyl. However the robot's tour of service and only just begun. A mere five days later, several tremors would be recorded from the Dzershinsk Exclusion Zone and were steadily moving out of the area. This information was quickly relayed to Chernobyl where General Stepanov called for Tsar-1 to be brought to alert status yellow in anticipation of another mutant attack. Meanwhile the tremors continued to travel east on a direct course to Moscow. Several attempts would be made to draw whatever was causing the tremors to surface, but all had been unsuccessful thus far. The cause of the tremors would soon reveal itself in full later that night. In the city of Vladamir, the ground would shake violently before a massive sinkhole would appear in the center of the city. Car alarms blared as vehicles and pedestrians fell into the gaping abyss that had opened up beneath them. Then, as if a demon rising from the bowels of hell, a gigantic creature resembling a mole emerged from the sinkhole and sook in a breath of the frigid winter air.

The creature's tentacle-like nostrils twitched and writhed as it picked up a wealth of sensory information. The air was rife with the pheromones of hundreds of panicked prey that ran in every direction; this was to be a great feast. Hoisting the rest of it's body out of the ground, the mutant got to work in swallowing up whole crowds of fleeing humans. Even those in vehicles were not safe, as the creature cared not for the metal coffins they attempted to drive away in and ate them all the same. Word quickly reached Chernobyl of the mutant mole's assault on Vladimir and Tsar-1 was brought to alert status red, indicating that the robot is to be deployed immediately. The Soviet Army was also deployed to slow the creature down and buy time for Tsar-1 to arrive, which would be a nearly two hour trip. The Soviet army meanwhile was faring poorly against the gargantuan mole, which was able to shrug off almost anything they could throw at it thanks to it's tough, scaly hide. The creature went on the offensive and destroyed several vehicles with a mere swipe of it's mighty talons, rending steel like paper. The creature then burrowed underground within seconds and dug a sinkhole beneath the largest concentration of enemies. Those who realized what was happening wisely fled for more stable ground, but everyone else was swallowed by the earth. Soldiers who tumbled into the sinkhole fell inside of the hungry mole's waiting jaws at the bottom.

At last, the sound of helicopter propellers whirring could be heard in the distance along with the silhouette of none other than Tsar-1 suspended in the air by it's transport cables. The robot's red visor stood in stark contrast to the rest of it's body shrouded in the distance. To play to the robot's strengths, Tsar-1 was dropped off 800 meters way from the mole so it could engage at long range without being forced into a melee confrontation, which the mole would surely excel in. The robot's feet landed with a resounding thump that cracked the road beneath it as it slowly stood up to it's full height, hydraulic pistons whining. The robot's AI relayed visual information back to it's home base, where the operators worked out a course of action to defeat this foe. In a change of pace from it's usual modus operandi, General Stepanov ordered Tsar-1 to use it's 203mm barrage cannons mounted on it's back. The robot promptly adopted a more stable stance with it's arms angled out to the side to allow it's massive arm cannons to act as counterweights. The two long cannons on the robot's back extended upward as a shell was loaded in each one. An ear shattering explosion followed by a geyser of smoke was expelled from the cannons as two high explosive shells streaked towards the mole, which recoiled from the loud noise of the cannonfire. The both shells scored a direct hit on the mole, exploding on it's head and back. The sensory overload from the impact drove the mole berserk, and the mutant promptly charged the robot.

Tsar-1 began to walk backwards to maintain distance from the charging animal before stopping again and firing another salvo of cannon fire. Now associating the sound with pain, the mole dove into the asphalt like a dolphin diving into water, disappearing underground and causing the projectiles to miss their target. However Tsar-1's radar was able to detect it's movement closing in, and the mech's Grutnik Type-3 AI decided to activate it's Repulsor Field in anticipation of imminent attack. The mole erupted from the ground with it's talons outstretched to slash at the robot, but upon making contact with the metallic titan's armored hull, the creature was paralyzed with crippling pain from the electrical current washing over the robot. Steam began to rise from the mole's flesh as it shrieked from the voltage coursing through it's body. Deactivating the Repulsor Field, Tsar-1 utilized one of it's massive cannon arms to bludgeon the mole across the face and stagger the creature. Upon successfully landing the blow, the robot began to backpedal to put distance between itself and it's enemy. Angered, the mole recovered from the trauma inflicted by the robot's blow and lunged at the mech, tackling it to the ground. Both titans hit the ground with a thud that made the city quake under their weight. With the robot pinned beneath it, the mole began to hack and slash away at the robot's hull. Each consecutive blow leaving visible scratches on the robot's chest. The mole proved to be incredibly strong, so much so that the operators back at base were receiving reports of damage accumulating on the outer shell.

Though the robot's structural integrity was holding, it wouldn't be long before the mole would breach the outer hull and gain access to more vital systems. Noting that the mole seemed to be weak to loud noises, the operators manually entered commands to activate the strobe lights mounted near the robot's neck. The sudden flash of light blinded the mole and forced it to stop it's attack in order to shield it's eyes. Sitting up, Tsar-1 one then unleashed a deafening bellow from it's mouth grill that rapidly increased until it reached over 200 decibels of ear-shattering might. The mole shrieked, blinded and now deaf from it's ear drums rupturing due to the sonic attack. Pressing it's advantage, Tsar-1 stood up and fired both of it's rotary cannons at the mole, peppering the subterranean creature with explosive ammunition. Overwhelmed with pain, the mole retreated underground in seconds, leaving only a large burrow in it's wake. Tsar-1 carefully approached the burrow with both of it's rotary cannons armed and ready to fire at any moment. Nearly two minutes went by without any activity from the mole, and it was beginning to seem like the creature had simply retreated. However soon the ground began to shake violently, and the ground beneath Tsar-1 gave way, causing the mech to plummet into a large sinkhole. The mole erupted from the side of the sinkhole and buried it's talons into the robot's neck and shoulder. The robot's visor flickered as the mole raked it's talons across the robot's head, scratching the visor and and metal around it. The mole then bit down on the robot's neck, it's teeth being sharp enough to create dimples in the thick steel pistons on the robot's neck.

The robot attempted to swing one of it's arms to get the mole off of it, but the creature used it's free paw to pin the robot's arm to the side of the sinkhole. Things were looking dire for Tsar-1, as the robot was not meant to fight in intense close quarters combat. The robot's Grutnik Type-3 AI performed a "last resort" decision and once again used it's Sonic Disruptor. The deafening roar had the predictable effect of causing the mole immense pain and ceasing it's assault. Using it's immense mechanical strength, Tsar-1 pushed the mutant off of it and rose to it's feet. Raising both arms, the mech rotated it's forearms at an angle so it's underslung rocket launchers were brought to bear. The mole recovered from the sonic attack and lunged again, but this time it was met with 3 direct hits from Tsar-1's M13 rockets. The explosive projectiles left hideous wounds on the mole, but with it's adrenaline so high, it pushed through the pain and charged at the robot. The mech activated it's strobe lights to stun the mole before unloading it's entire payload of rockets and 1500 out of the 2000 rounds of ammunition from it's rotary cannons. Due to injuries sustained throughout the battle and especially from the Repulsor Field, the mole's defenses had fallen and left it vulnerable to this mighty assault. Explosive ammunition ripped through raw flesh, and rockets blew off chunks of flesh until the mutated creature fell to the ground in a bloody heap. With it's ammunition almost completely expended and having sustained some damage, Tsar-1 initiated a system shutdown and awaited transport.

In the aftermath of the battle, Tsar-1 was formally revealed to the public and hailed as a hero of the Soviet Union, nicknamed "Comrade Tsar". The robot would be featured in dozens of propaganda posters and films to boost public morale. Some of the events that transpired in the Phosphora attack of 1976 were also declassified and revealed through state-sanctioned media. However the atomic bombing used to kill the creatures and destroy Dzershinsk as well as the Hemorrhagic Rabies carried by The Vampire were omitted. Instead, the story was altered so that the battle between The Megapede, The Vampire, and The Bear caused severe damage to Phosphora's reactor thus triggering a massive explosion that wiped out Dzershinsk as well. Tsar-1 would go on to be fully repaired and ready for the next mutant threat to arise, and it was fully anticipated that there would be many, many more of these abominations in the future...