COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UPWELL CONSORTIUM CLONING OPTIMIZATION AND VARYAZI ‘SIEGE EKHO’ MODERNIZATION PROGRAM
Musculature
Upwell optimization focus on moderate musculature and balanced physique, prioritizing agility and energy efficiency over significant enhancement. SIEGE EKHO modernization forgoes biological musculature in favor of cybernetic augmentation modeled off Wiyrokomi RubySet TorsoRigs and other commercial off-the-shelf alternatives. While barrier of entry to produce and repair TorsoRigs domestically has declined significantly in recent years, purchasing the requisite supplies and installing them in warclone blanks prior to deployment remains prohibitively expense to carry out en masse. Additionally, field reports indicate that installation of TorsoRigs makes Varyazi troops top-heavy in the field and if used improperly can result in significant strain if the subject attempts to lift an object that their TorsoRig can lift but their lower extremities cannot support. Knee injuries, microfractures, and femoral hernias are, regretfully, not uncommon. Further testing may be required to determine if the situational advantage provided by the TorsoRig is enough to justify the investment and risk associated injuries. Such risks may be mitigated by expanding augmentations to the lower-back, gluts, and calves to offset uneven weight distribution while under load. (see section on Skeletal Structure)
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
Upwell redesign prioritizes adaptability in varied environmental conditions. SIEGE EKHO modernization has opted to leave the respiratory system unchanged, focusing instead on increased reliability of dropsuit life-support systems and issuing a customized regiment of combat boosters prior to deployment depending on expected battlefield conditions.
Skeletal Structure
Exact nature of Upwell modifications to enhance durability remain unclear. Varyazi Clade has experimented in adapting a titanium skeletal structure found in some first generation warclones prior to mass adoption. While titanium enhancements allow greater load-bearing capacity, researchers note the primary disadvantage of delayed healing-factor reliant on painful nanite-repair gels and the overall complexity of forming biomass around a pre-set skeleton rig. Production defects considered unacceptably high, further testing required.
Immune Systems
Immune system optimizations like those seen in Upwell designs were deemed unnecessary to Varyazi combat doctrine. Warclones are instead kept isolated from potential contaminants with the aid of aforementioned life-support enhancements lifted from Triglavian bioadaptive suit technology. If a Varyazi operative is infected by a pathogen, their immune system is instead throttled to ensure that they remain asymptomatic long enough to complete their mission. After which, they are expected to self-terminate and reclone into a healthy blank. Immunosuppressants are administered for longer deployments, and to assist in the cultivation of mutaplasmids. Research into the effect of pathogen MPHB-125 and its variants on SIEGE EKHO is still ongoing.
Neural Efficiency
SIEGE EKHO rejects the “full-body” model adopted by Upwell in favor of proven design principles by keeping the fifth-lobe implant as the primary method of neural optimization. As such, brain structure remains unchanged from previous generations of warclone technology. C3 stimulants remain standard issue to Varyazi combat teams as a proven method of increasing mental acuity. Effectiveness of “Tactical Troika” tacnet subproject on neural reactivity remains inconclusive, further testing is required as the project continues to mature.
Stress Tolerance
C3 boosters provide enough stress resilience by blocking out external tasks without reducing situational awareness. The individual warclone retains final control of when C3 is administered and in what dosage, effectively allowing them to “dial in” their desired effect. Reports of misuse are prevalent but are considered a preferable alternative to removing individual agency and damaging morale.
Radiation and Toxin Exposure
SIEGE EKHO forgoes a generalized approach to environmental resistances by taking an “all or nothing” design. Radiation resistance is only robust enough to allow the operator short-term resilience to continue the mission. Mutaplasmid colonies allow for ad hoc adaptation to adverse environments to increase short-term survivability but will cause long-term mutation and fatal metastasization over long deployments. Cancers or further complications from radioactive exposure and mutaplasmid adaptation are seen as an inevitability. Command has deemed this a non-issue provided the operator can reclone before debilitating symptoms occur. Scientists predict future generations of well-trained mutaplasmid might extend the mean time-between-failure of clone integrity.
Metabolic System
Upwell’s approach to metabolic flexibility is significantly more sophisticated than Varyazi systems. Current SIEGE EKHO operators are dependent on a regular supply of Bosena Accords Round Table Assembly standard issue gelatinized meal pouches (aka ‘ROUND-meals’) which can be administered through a feeding tube installed within the helmet. As Bosena Accords field rations are designed to be easily consumed and digested with minimal gastrointestinal waste, warclones should not be fed complex meals unless using a specially designated leisure clone. Field rations are further fortified with mutaplasmid probiotics before issuing. Operators report no discernible difference in taste between fortified meal kits and unmodified ones, but have expressed a desire for a more varied selection of options. The Chili-Mac and Beef Burger-onni options, notably, are said to be entirely indistinguishable.
Standardized Physical Size
SIEGE EKHO clones are built according to Bosena Accords standardization procedures in place since YC118. Notably, Bosena Accords male and female clones are comparable in size and weight while Upwell standardization policies have elected build in greater sexual dimorphism by making female clones smaller than their male counterparts. The reason for this difference is unclear.
Uniform Blood Type
SIEGE EKHO clones and Upwell clones both possess uniform bloodtypes. Although rarely necessary, blood taken from SIEGE EKHO units should not be given to non-modernized clones due to the presence of mutaplasmids. However, SIEGE EKHO units are backwards-compatible with Bosena Accords standard issue bloodtypes.
Engineered Sterility
Upwell Constortium and Varyazi SIEGE EKHO clones are mutually sterile. However, psychological operations staff recommend weaponizing Upwells public adherence to enforcing clone sterility as a potential area of growth for propaganda to attract further sympathizers while downplaying the sterility of SIEGE EKHO units. Varyazi Clade publicly affirms reproductive rights for leisure / vanity clones while off-duty, but encourages contraceptive diligence.
Psychological Support System
Further study is required to ascertain the exact nature of Upwell’s emotional dampening systems. Upwell technology may be spun off from PKN Subcranial Nanocontroller project. Any insight or intelligence recovered in the field on the nature of Upwell’s psychological control system should be reported immediately. By contrast, SIEGE EKHO’s “Never Fight Alone” Tactical Troika system provides an integral support network shown to drastically improve morale and combat efficiency in the field. Unfortunately, fitting the neural bandwidth required to operate this system to one fifth-lobe implant remains a significant challenge with multiple halt-and-catch-fire incidents. Future integration may require an expansion of the fifth-lobe implant to three dedicated subsystems.
Lifecycle Management
Upwells disturbing choice to include planned end-of-service lifespans and remote retirement of warclones as a method of “incentive for contract extension” has given Varyazi leadership pause and forced us to reaffirm the necessity of our struggle for warclone liberation from the imperial powers of New Eden. SIEGE EKHO has no such draconian “lifecycle management” systems, but design philosophy on clone longevity means that SIEGE EKHO units have a similarly short lifespan before they begin to degrade.
