RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Writer's Block Vanguard#18 Talk Thread

Was going to post more, but people are turning up at my apartment for food. Later.

Great stuff guys!

Euro, I love the angle where these best friends really know nothing about each other.

Jac, the Bri/Griss releationship just gets better and better.

Gooz, thanks. To me, the best of Vanguard are the early days, when the friendship among Mick, Larry, Danny and Sam resembeled the days of JLI with Blue Beetler, Booster Gold and Mister Miracle doing barbecues.

Now that there is Vanguard Europe to explore the "metahuman business" angle, for Vanguard "original" I think the "family/friedship" angle is what can differentiate them.

If I adverse the idea of them living in an headqurter, even if it is just an apartment complex like in the first days of La Perdita, is because I don't think extremely rich people like Grissom and Phil, and even wealty people like Mason or Euro would credibly accept to live crammed in an apartment building.

But I guess some of them could live together, maybe Priest and Bruteforce could be effectively paired, whenever I-man return and BF would be taken out of the hospital. As for Pouka, does he really need an home?

By the way, this situation, with (some) of them needing to find a job and a place to live, is the original idea behind the move to La Perdita. I distinctly remember Gooz, once, talking about Naecken going to cook french fries in a restaurant...

And the Grissom/Bree romance is gonna be epic, I am sure...

So we still like the idea of a very basic HQ? I still really like the whole Spanish fortress Euro mentioned a while back.

I think it'd be as unobtrusive as possible, visually speaking. After everything that's happened to the previous HQ buildings (bastards... ) I would think putting all the team's eggs in one basket with a big (even comparably big) monolithic building, even a well-defended one, would be a risky venture. The beauty of this idea is that you can still have great defensive systems, training facilities, and separate living space for everyone, and you can improve on the old HQ concepts by splitting everything up, spreading it out, and hiding crucial tactical and defensive assets whenever possible.

To the casual observer, the island should look like nothing more than a private island (political/economic loophole, btw!) with the typical accoutrements of a handful of wealthy individuals. Under the surface, you can arm 'em to the teeth, give 'em jumpin' party spots, do whatever you want. It'd be an interesting construction job - especially given the secrecy necessary - but when it's all done, this island could be made into a great big Wayne Manor for the whole team, so to speak. Given time and everyone's OK, I'd like to flesh the idea out a bit more in future posts in this issue (and maybe a few drawings and schematics eventually).

I think it would be pretty cool to have the HQ in a mountain or underground and the above island be a resort, or a hotel or the like. Some place that can be used for cover and make the team some cash (just like Walker has office buildings over his HQ bringing in the cash).

I thought I'd take the liberty of drawing up the general shape of the island and laying out its features. I went on what I know of other islands in the Caribbean, most of which are the product of volcanic and other submarine seismic activity. Hope you like it. This is just my idea.

Here's my first proposal for what to put on this island. It's just some stuff I'd like to see, and almost all the buildings will pass for private resort-type stuff. I think I even have a defensive missile platform hidden in a 19th-century shipwreck. Let me know what you think. I might post the blank island on here for you guys to fill in too.


I thought it'd be cool to have the team assemble and run their missions from an old observatory at the highest point on the island. There would have to be a lot of road-building, but considering how quickly the last HQ went up, it shouldn't be a problem. It'd take some string-pulling to find the right contractors, though.

Um... I wouldn't invest TOO much time in this yet, Phil...

Bah! I have nothing else to do with my life!

I like the island fortress, just, I don't think NOW is the time to built it.

There is no more company, and not yet the new "thing" that Vanguard will become.

I don't want to dictate anything, just, take this calmly. The heroes that formed Vanguard intl. are stuck in the nation of La Perdita, as of now. Let's explore the place, make plan... but not yet start to build anything, as they have no money to do so. I KNOW that Griss and Phil are rich, but a rich man wouldn't invest so much money in something is not yet sure what should be.

I say: adapt to La Perdita. Find new friends. Meddle with governement, natives, immigrants, hidden threaths.

When the time for the war with the evil MBL will come, and the world will be different, then we'll decide if Vanguard needs an high tech headquarters.

By the way, for this kinds of thing we have created the Strikeforce thread...

The La Perditan group I think needs something more esotheric...

Right. This is so for Brianna. As soon as I figure out how she gets some money.

The way I see it, the team needs to move away from making their home - as a unit - on the island. It'd be fine if individual members lived wherever they wanted to. But the thing is, sooner or later some sort of operations are gonna have to take place. The guys are still interested in taking jobs and helping people, right? If that's the case, then why have the base of operations - which seems to be a target for just about everyone lately - in the midst of a heavily populated area, endangering civilians and difficult to defend without risking collateral damage? The way I see it, moving the team's operational assets (or what's left of them) to the little island will not only make them easier to defend, but will keep any fight away from La Perdita and its innocents. If there is an incident on La Perdita, the island and its facilities can be reached in ten minutes by boat or just two by helicopter.

The zoning of the island for individuals is an optional thing. I'm aware not everyone will live together, but if there are some who want to live near the team's equipment, weapons, and other tools, there's plenty of room for everyone. I assumed that the island would probably have several older buildings on it, such as the observatory in the center, the manor at the eastern point, the lighthouse at the northern point, and the dock to the west. These can all be used to some extent, and on the surface won't change from what they've always been. The important assets can be hidden within and beneath these structures.

The development plan I gave you was a pretty ambitious one; it would obviously take some time to put all that together. But I wanted to spark your imaginations and give you an idea of what we could put there in the future. I may lay out a simpler plan this afternoon sometime. There's plenty there people can use - Ceej can have a lighthouse, Griss can build a house on the west beach, the east manor can go to whoever wants to live there, and so on. Why not use all that stuff to our advantage?

P.S.: I know some stuff will prolly be built on the island; Phil will want to move there, and Griss and Bri might want to also. Phil will be building a house for himself there, most likely, and he and Grissom - the two pilots - may build an airstrip there to avoid the hassle of flying out of an international airport (with high-tech military hardware they're probably not supposed to have). You don't have to put everything on the little island. Just think of it as a potential launching pad for missions.

I'm not really in the mood for another 'Complex'. Really, I'd be fine with something akin to the JLA Watchtower (minus a lot of the bells and whistles, naturally) - a place where the team meets when there's a problem in order to plan; a place to keep trophies from past 'missions'; a place to regroup and rework strategies. A lot of what you've laid out, Philsy, seems a bit superfluous in regards to the 'simplification' of Vanguard and its mission as the shift seems to be going. I agree with Euro that a lot of what you're looking to do would be better suited for Strikeforce. I think a simple HQ on the island would be better suited for what we're trying to do - separating 'business' from pleasure, so to speak. 'Keep the adventuring separate from the team's private lives' is the vibe I'm picking up... and it's one that I'm not really adverse to, truth be told. Could make for some interesting stories in the future.

But, that's just my opinion...

And to remark my main point: as of now, there is no business, and the guys and gals can't leave the island.

This is obviously a transitorial situation, and at some point will be reversed, but for having most of the advetures they had up to now, that were not payed missions, there is not need of a true headqurter. And, just as the monitor room was in Grissom's bedroom, I think they could meet and plan in, let's say, Phil's villa living room (or Bree so cool lightower).

But, at the same time, I find it very cool that some of the members of the team, like Phil and Bree (and Sam) are actively looking to regain the splendor of the lost days, while the older Euro and Mason are less entusiast...

I thionk there are very interesting premises for this story.

I'm alive!

That's right, I'm alive and ready to start posting again. Well, almost ready. I have tons of catching up to do with what's been going on, once I have I plan to start posting all over the freakin' place. My first post will probablt be in the Drake solo since I doubt anything's happened there while I've been gone. Nice to be back. You'll probably hear from me next on Thursday since I'll have all kinds of free time that day. See you soon.

Welcome back!



















Who are you, again?

Huzzah! It's NotWedge again! Huzzah!

He's Phouka, stupid!

Then who gets the island? Can Phil move onto it? He's looking for a place too, you know. And maybe Griss and Bri can come there too? I mean this is an awesome opportunity. I'd hate to let prime real estate go to waste.

Can Phil move there?

Yes, sure, but first, let's explore the place. As I said, I find it cool that some of the Vanguardians, as Sam, actually believe that there is the need of a Headquarter like the one they had before, oir even more advanced.
If (I say IF) in the end a Headuqrter will not be built there, why not if Phil aquire it from Dawson to built his own villa/fortress?

Can Grissom and Bree move there too?

Sure, if they want. But from a credibility stand point, I think very rich people like Phil and Griss are not used to have roommates.
While people like Mick, Danny, Larry was natural that found normal living in an apartment, I found always strange that Sam, Phil or Griss adapted to it. Super rich people usually like to live in their own palaces...

Phil's not a solitary creature, Euro. He wouldn't mind having people around him. And he doesn't really do a lot with his money as far as his living space is concerned. He'd have a nice house, but he'd spend more on vehicles, weapons, and computers.

And Leslie, of course. Because like his real-world counterpart, Phil is thoroughly whipped.

And Steve, I would have figured Griss would jump at the chance to build a villa to his liking. Phil would round up the contractors and materials - just to have Griss and Bri stay nearby. I think Phil would build buildings for everyone if he thought they'd come live there.

He could certainly afford it.

Sammitch, by the way, I find very cool the island plan you did (I used to do the same sort of thing for the old MBL), just too big/complex/advanced for a group of adventurer like Vanguard is now (i.e., something more similar to the Doom Patrol/Challenger of the Uknown of the origins, than any modern superhero team).

I repeat the invite to you (as to all the others) to join and write in the Strikeforce thread. I remeber that you said you are not interested into a basic superhero group, but in reality the Strikeforce could be something different, it depends on how one writes it. And your kind of ideas (and writing style) would be simply perfect for that team.

Hi, NotWedge, welcome back.

Still alive. Five days without power, and not much catching-up to do.

Dan, that is one kick-ass robo-squirrel...

Surrre, JQ, surrrre...

Robo Squirrel!