This series of adventures was fun to write. I hope that I've expanded
the combat environment of the game. To clear the air, there was no anger
involved in writing this series, even though one or two of you may think
so. The author of ASP, Craig Sheeley, may not agree with the outcome of
the adventures. But understand that we (NOVA) had to carry the battles
to a logical and final conclusion - the end of ASP in North America. This
is in no way the final end of ASP. To any creative writer it will be a
challenge to finish, but I will not write it.
Most of the titles of the adventures came from Rock
and Roll songs. Long after you played the adventures and listen to the
various songs on the radio, you'll remember the battles that went with
those titles. This goes along with NOVA's Combat Rock. The series could
be nicknamed, "Destructive Music" or "ASP vs. Mother Nature".
At first, people thought I was crazy to stage battles
in bad weather, but then they realize that this is something that has never
been done before. Not every duel occurs on sunny days. A handful of fights
occur where you may not see your enemy until you're on top of him. Lasers
and laser guidance are major weapons of this series, but they're affected
in a major way by weather conditions. All ASP vehicles have been designed
around set armament, save one. Advantages and disadvantages in vehicle
designs are put into the organizational personalities.
GNATS and DEATH were fun to introduce into the Car
Wars universe, even though GNATS did give me problems for awhile, due to
outside influences. Yet their overall effectiveness is great, and should
not be underestimated. The mysterious DEATH, on the other hand, leaves
more questions than answers. DEATH is a major reason why the series got
started in the first place. Are they just high tech vigilantes? How do
they get their technology? There's a lot of adventures waiting to be written.
Hopefully you'll see more adventures from NOVA in the future. Until next
time.
Operation: No Shoulders Chronology
by Norman McMullen
Aug. 3, 2041: An ASP group was destroyed by a force of local duellists while attempting to recover nuclear weapons in New Mexico. (No Nukes is Good Nukes)
Oct. 1, 2041: The Weasel and his mercs tackle ASP in a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, there were no ASP survivors. The Weasel reports that both GNATS and DEATH were involved in the battle. (Riders on the Storm)
Oct. 31, 2041: 23 ASP commandos were captured at Doc's Truck Stop when they tried to kill the Mongoose. The Mongoose was in Denver on business at the time, but said he knew of the attempt. His only comment was, "Stupid snakes". He announced the start of Operation: No Shoulders in 2042. (The Great ASP Hunt)
Nov. 7, 2041: TRAACS destroyed an ASP strike force during a blizzard near Denver. They report DEATH and GNATS were also involved. (Storm Front)
Feb. 22, 2042: ASP tried to steal a federal gold shipment in Grand Island, Nebraska . They lost several helicopters and troops in the attempt. The National Guard and the government thanked D.G.A.G. for their help in defending the shipment. (Heartbeat City)
April 25, 2042: ASP attacked the Topeka Airfield twice; both attacks were disrupted by tornadoes. GNATS shot down the first flight of ASP planes. During the second attack, ASP was intercepted by GNATS, the National Guard and the Road Kill Cafe. Three GNATS aircraft surrendered to the Road Kill Cafe. (Blow Away)
June 6, 2042: An ASP strike force was destroyed over the Gulf of Mexico by the Coast Guard, GNATS and GODS. The first force battled the Coast Guard in the hurricane, while the second was encountered in the eye of the storm. (Stormy Weather)
June 13,2042: Rumors of an ASP/GNATS alliance were reported by the FBI.
June 20, 2042: An ASP/GNATS strike force was stopped by four Illinois dueling groups (ILL, STOMP, GONADS and GEARS). The ASP's target was Peoria. The AADA investigated reports of MADD being linked to ASP. Lt. Col. Jeff Stevens has denied all reports. (Why can't we be friends)
July 8, 2042: ASP/GNATS attacked San Diego, with hopes of taking it over. But SPADE , the Police and the MONDOS held them off. A 4.0 Earthquake struck the city during the battle. The City Hall and a few other buildings were destroyed in battle for the city. (I feel the Earth move)
July 20, 2042: ASP and GNATS tried to recover an SDI satellite in New Jersey, but were stopped by JADE, the National Guard and random spacejunk. (Great Balls of Fire)
Aug. 3, 2042: GNATS stole ASP's Darkwing bomber and flew it over Hartford, but they didn't bomb the city. ASP tried to recover the bomber over the city. In an air battle with GNATS, GHOST and the National Guard, ASP lost most of their planes. The ASP/GNATS alliance falls through. (Paint It Black)
Aug. 5,2042: ARF announced that it had declared war on ASP. They went as far as to call them "Rent-a-Thugs".
Aug. 8, 2042: Mt. St. Helens erupted during a terrorist battle in the area. The National Guard reported that ASP, ARF and GNATS were involved in the incident. Their connection to the eruption is unknown at this time. (There Is a Mountain)
Aug. 13, 2042: ASP tried to attack Austin, but were defeated by BLAAST, GNATS and ARF during a wildfire north of the city. Their target was believed to have been the AADA Headquarters. (Burnin' For You)
Aug. 16, 2042: Just north of San Fransico an ASP attack group was defeated by DEATH, GNATS and some local duelists. The battle took place in blinding morning fog on the Pacific Coast Highway. Most of the terrorist vehicles were destroyed. (Blinded by the Light)
Aug. 18, 2042: ASP was stopped in Arizona by a local defense group. Several ASPs suffered from heat-related injuries. (Wild Frontier)
Aug. 20,2042: There was a large underwater battle off Port Britannia involving the Austrailan Defense Forces and ASP. ASP was soundly defeated. It looks like they were after a sunken government cargo ship. (Hot Water)
Aug. 21, 2042: The Deathknight's Ogre M3A5 took on the Black Asp's Fang II in Northern Kansas. The Ogre disabled the Fang without hardly a scratch. The ASP mercenaries slagged the Fang II with a thermite charge. However, the Deathknight took the slag to build a sculpture for NOVA headquarters.
Aug. 22, 2042: The Black Asp was captured outside Springfield, Missouri by the Mongoose. The main ASP base was destroyed by the combined forces of local duelists, the National Guard, ARF, GNATS and D.G.A.G. In related news, Lt. Col. Jeff Stevens was arrested for conspiracy, fraud and several other charges. He has been linked to ASP as serving as a general of Training Command. (Rock the Casbah)
Aug. 23, 2042: The Mongoose was revealed to be Rodric Sinclair, the Black Asp's former aid. He announced that Operation: No Shoulders has ended, its mission a complete success. The Black Asp was taken to Fort Bradley, Virginia, to be detained for trial. The FBI reports that all ASP assets have been frozen around the world and all clones and clone banks belonging to ASP have been destroyed. The FBI assured the public that all clones of the Black Asp lhave been found and destroyed.
Aug. 25,2042: The Greater North American Terrorist Society (GNATS) officially changed it's name to the National Anti-Terrorism Society (NATS) and switched to fighting terrorism, not causing it. As a show good of faith, they gave the US government four nuclear weapons. No one is sure how they got them, but the government was relieved that they were never used.
Sept. 2, 2042: The trial of the Black Asp began in Virginia. It's expected to last several weeks. Tthe Black Asp was revealed to be one Melvin Wiggins, a former ARF general that split off to form ASP because of differences in ideologies.
Sept. 3,2042: Tthe FBI released reports detailing the exchanging of the real Lt. Col. Jeff Stevens in 2037 for the ASP General Benjamin V. Cane. All the real Col. Stevens clones were destroyed by ASP at that time. Reports show that the MADD headquarters was used as a training center. There has been no word yet on the fate of the MADD autodueling chapter from the AADA.
Sept. 30, 2042: The Black Asp (Melvin Wiggins) was found guilty of conspiracy, blackmail, destruction of private and public property, and numerous other charges. He was sentenced to 20 100-year prison sentences, to be served consecutively.
Oct. 1,2042: Melvin Wiggins, otherwise known as the Black Asp, was detained in the Fort Bradley Federal Detention complex in Virginia to serve out his sentence.
Oct. 6,2042: ASP General Benjamin Cane was found guilty of fraud, conspiracy,
and several other charges. He was sentenced to 70 years in prison, to be
served at the Federal Detention complex in Fort Bradley, Virginia.