• Active Period: June 17, 2629 – April 8, 2631
• Deployment: The Great War between exohuman settlers from the spaceship Last Frontier and the Alliance of Native Tribes on VOI 700 D.
• Disbanded: Following the exohumans' unconditional surrender and the signing of a Peace Treaty with the Native Tribes (April 8, 2631).

The Volunteer Army of Man (VAM) emerged from escalating tensions between Exohumans and Native Tribes on VOI 700 D. After the crashlanding of the Last Frontier, exohumans followed the Human Settlement Plan to rebuild their society, which prioritized agricultural expansion, mining, and infrastructure development. These efforts aimed to establish self-sufficiency but often clashed with Native Tribes over resources and territory.

The exohuman activities disrupted sacred lands, strained limited planetary resources, and created cultural conflicts. Failed diplomacy and sporadic skirmishes further heightened animosity. By 2628, the Free State of Settlers' formal declaration of expansion pushed relations to a breaking point, leading to the outbreak of the Great War and the formation of the VAM in 2629.

The VMA was divided into two main units:

• Composition: 250 members of the spacecraft's final active protection unit.
• Equipment: Armed with 250 Laser Guns, the most advanced weapons available to the exohuman settlers and Guarding Troopers Combat Knives.
• Proper military attire, including hard hats and standardized protective gear.
• Role: Elite force responsible for defending key installations and providing strategic support to the less-equipped People's Army.

Composition: At its peak, 24,000 improvised soldiers.

Equipment:

The People's Army armed itself using a combination of makeshift tools, repurposed gear, and salvaged materials:

• Ranged Weapons: Compact slingshots and air rifles crafted by the Forge of Atrana, alongside scavenged Native weapons such as bows and throwing stars.
• Improvised Firearms: Quickly constructed under GAIA’s guidance, offering limited but essential firepower.
• Recycled Materials: Iron balls and weapon components salvaged from dismantled spaceship parts of the Last Frontier.

Clothing:

With no formal uniforms, the People's Army adapted existing resources to their needs:

• Modified Spacesuits: One-piece suits from the Last Frontier, adjusted for ground combat.
• Improvised Armor: Helmets and vests created from spaceship components, offering basic protection.

The People's Army embodied the ingenuity of humanity during the Great War, making the most of limited resources to mount a determined defense. Tools like the Ironstrike Slingshot and Windstrike Rifle became essential for their operations, reflecting their adaptability and resolve.

Command and Strategy

• Supreme Command: The VMA was governed by the elected Council, which held ultimate authority over all troops.
• Tactical Operations: Military tactics were planned and executed by the AI GAIA, which also controlled the laser cannons protecting exohuman settlements like New Kourou, Hope, and Morningstar.

• Laser Gun
• Origin: Last Frontier
• Type: Ranged (military-grade)
• Damage: 2d10 energy
• Range: Normal 120 meters, Maximum 400 meters
• Properties: Battery allows 40 shots before recharging
• Attack Roll: Dexterity + Proficiency
• Cost (Black market): 25,000 Kourou (estimate)
• Weight: 2.5 kg
• Availability: Exceptionally Rare

• 1. Windstrike Rifle
• Origin: Manufactory “Forge of Atrana” near Morningstar (2627–2629)
• Type: Ranged
• Damage: 1d8 piercing
• Range: Normal 80 meters, Maximum 100 meters
• Properties: Requires reloading after each shot
• Attack Roll: Dexterity + Proficiency
• Cost (Black market after the War): 800 Kourou
• Weight: 2.5 kg
• Availability: Very rare on the Black Market

• Special Feature: Designed for silent operation, the Windstrike Rifle uses pressurized air instead of gunpowder, making it ideal for stealth combat in guerrilla warfare scenarios. It excels in precision shooting and is highly effective against targets like Odos and enemy combatants.

• 2. Ironstrike Slingshot
• Origin: Manufactory “Forge of Atrana” near Morningstar (2627–2629)
• Type: Ranged
• Damage: 1d6 bludgeoning
• Range: Normal 40 meters, Maximum 60 meters
• Properties: Lightweight, rapid-fire capability
• Attack Roll: Dexterity + Proficiency
• Cost (Black market after the war): 200 Kourou
• Weight: 0.5 kg
• Availability: Common on the Black Market

• Special Feature: The Ironstrike Slingshot is compact and durable, firing iron balls salvaged from dismantled spaceship components. Its unique design incorporates a recoil-dampening handle, allowing for quick successive shots. Soldiers valued its simplicity and reliability in close-quarters skirmishes.

• Spacesuits: Adapted from the original suits worn aboard the Last Frontier.
• Helmets and Vests: Fabricated from salvaged spaceship metal to provide minimal protection against projectiles and melee attacks.

The VMA remains a contentious symbol in Exohuman history:

• Heroism and Sacrifice: Celebrated by the Party of Individualists and the Outlaw-Movement as a testament to exohuman resilience and unity during one of the darkest periods in their history.
• Desperation and Hubris: Criticized by the Party of Communards as a tragic embodiment of humanity's unpreparedness and the consequences of their actions on VOI 700 D.

• Over-Reliance on AI: The VMA depended heavily on GAIA for tactical planning and deployment, reducing human adaptability in dynamic combat situations and leaving troops vulnerable if the AI's directives were disrupted or ineffective.
• Inferior Weaponry: Aside from the Guarding Troopers' laser guns, most soldiers in the People's Army were equipped with makeshift or scavenged weapons, limiting their effectiveness against the numerically superior Native forces.
• Insufficient Training: The rapid mobilization of the People's Army meant that most recruits had little to no military training, hindering their ability to execute complex strategies or maintain discipline under fire.
• Fragmented Command Structure: While the elected Council held supreme authority, operational decisions were centralized in GAIA, creating a disconnect between leadership and on-the-ground realities.
• Resource Constraints: The exohumans' limited resources following the crash landing forced the VMA to improvise weapons and gear, leaving them at a significant disadvantage in prolonged engagements.
• Numerical Inferiority: The Native Tribes' Alliance vastly outnumbered the VMA, allowing them to sustain high losses and continue fighting, while the VMA struggled to replace casualties.
• Unfamiliar Terrain: The Native forces had superior knowledge of the planet's geography, enabling them to use guerilla tactics and exploit environmental advantages against the VMA.
• Low Morale and Internal Divisions: The war's strain on resources and the exohumans' lack of cohesive identity led to waning morale, internal conflicts, and an eventual inability to sustain the fight.

• Resource Scavenging: Missions can revolve around securing scarce materials for the VMA, such as metals for makeshift weapons or salvaging Native weaponry from abandoned battlefields.
• Defensive Battles: Design missions where players must protect key settlements like New Kourou or Morningstar from Native attacks, leveraging improvised fortifications and guerrilla tactics.
• Sabotage and Espionage: Players could be tasked with sabotaging Native supply lines or infiltrating their camps to gather intelligence, emphasizing stealth and creative problem-solving.
• GAIA’s Role: Introduce GAIA as an active participant in the missions, providing strategic but sometimes morally ambiguous directives. Players may have to decide whether to follow its instructions or challenge its authority.
• Morale and Unity: Missions could explore internal divisions within the VAM, with players mediating disputes between the elite Guarding Troopers and the under-equipped People’s Army.

• Dealing with the Fallout: Players may engage in post-war cleanup missions, such as dismantling old battlegrounds or rescuing civilians caught in the chaos of the surrender.
• Tensions Between Factions: Highlight the lingering animosities between Communards, Individualists, and the Native Tribes. Missions could focus on diplomatic efforts to prevent skirmishes or maintain peace under the terms of the treaty.
• Unraveling the Legacy of GAIA: Players could uncover hidden records or malfunctioning systems left by GAIA, exploring its controversial role during the war and addressing its potential dangers in the Gamma Age.
• Rebellion and Outlaw Activity: Missions might involve dealing with rogue exohuman factions who refuse to accept the treaty or have turned to banditry, creating opportunities for morally complex combat or negotiation.
• Reconciling with Natives: Players may work alongside Native Tribes to restore war-damaged ecosystems or confront mutual threats, fostering uneasy but necessary alliances.

• Beta Age
• Free State of Settlers
• Human Settlement Plan
• Great War
• Guarding Troopers
• Alliance of Native Tribes
• Peace Treaty
• Gamma Age
• Human Weapons in the Gamma Age
• Communards
• Individualists