Just posting this here as a place to deposit potential ideas for a story i'm brainstorming, as well as get some feedback from others on occasion. Any ideas suggested by others in this thread may or may not be used in some way, shape, form, or altered version depending on how the story ends up developing. =========================== The protag is the subject of a military program to create what could, arguably, be considered a high tech magical girl. One of the effects of what was done to her is that, in her 'magical girl' form, she does have extreme super strength. So, yes she can heft, carry and maneuver the very heavy oversized tower shield (made completely of the most resistant metals available) like it weighed nothing. It's also why she can use the two-handed weapon like weighs nothing more than a dagger. I'm still figuring out what else she is empowered with when transformed, both positives benefits and negative side effects. =========================== First up on the discussion: Weapons. By virtue of what she became and her abilities, my protagonist uses a strange and fairly unrealistic combination of weapons for when she fights. I've already decided that one of them is modeled on a tower shield but the design is heavily modified for her use with her skills and abilities and can be used as a weapon itself and not just for blocking. The other weapon i have yet to decide on other than that it is modeled on a two-handed weapon. A poll is up so i can see what interests people among the choices. Examples of weapons: Spoiler: Maul Spoiler: Warhammer Spoiler: Greatsword/Two-handed sword Spoiler: Battleaxe Spoiler: Bearded Axe Spoiler: Mace Spoiler: Partisan Spear Spoiler: Lance Spoiler: Glaive
edited poll to allow vote changes. Also, added some general example pics of the different base weapons. There will also be a firearm component to that but i cant work it out til i have a weapon decided first.
*looks at Atago avi* I see you're a man of culture... I'd say the partisan spear, but just out of bias since I like spears... A tower shield-ish thing wouldn't go well with any polearm. Go for small arms, like the bearded axe or a shortsword...
What kind of story is Sabruness's story? In Ai-chan's case, one of Ai-chan's isekai fantasy stories, Ring Blade Metallurgia, the Metallurgist faction uses a type of gunspear that shoots like a Goa'uld's staff weapon. It also has a pointy end that can be used for melee. The way to use it is to get into range, fire a salvo and then zerg rush the enemy while reloading the gun. The gun can be used as killing weapon in melee where you aim the pointy part at the enemy before firing an AP shell at very short range. They could've just used a rifle, but the society of metallurgists is kind of steep in warrior culture. It's not that they consider rifles as cowardly, they consider melee as the pinnacle of warrior spirit. Even their mechas don't use ranged weapons despite having the technology to strap a single use cannon on the body. Instead, their mechas punch other mechas and chimeras (that's something like a created godzilla) until the enemies are too beaten up to continue fighting.
How does she use the shield? Do they have super strength and can just easily lift the shield as a power type? Or are they a utility/agi type that sets down their shield as a fortress and dissembles the shield as they lock down an area? Cause normally when you have something heavy as a shield, your biggest weakness is to be locked down at medium range. (They move around you at mid range and attack you as they go around you). Thus, probably the weapon best for complimenting a towershield would be a flail.
It's complicated. I'll add what i've currently come up with to the OP so people can get a better idea.
Model tank made out of and filled up with ultra dense alloy. One to keep the turret from pivoting, and two to add extra heft. 'Cause hitting people with tanks is what an OP subject of a military program would do.