#ambulas

Operation

On Thursday (04 May 2017), the event began with the release of Update 20.4 and was set to run for a week. Upon logging in, the Tenno would receive an inbox message from Ergo Glast containing a marketing video by Frohd Bek.

Inbox message: OPERATION: AMBULAS REBORN

Tenno,

I have intercepted this disturbing communication from Corpus Board Chairman Frohd Bek. Watch carefully. We cannot allow his project to reach fruition.

—Ergo Glast

Frohd Bek (video): "Actualise… synergy… SYNERGISE. Growth… profit… GROFIT?! Fellow profiteers, this is a once-in-a-lifetime strategic investment opportunity. A game-changer in robotic combat solutions. We're taking big data from our Animo Project and doing a full-stack integration into our most lethal combat proxies. This is: AMBULAS, REBORN! But we need you. Your investment will push us past the pre-revenue stage and move Ambulas into full production. We are so close to our goal! Thought leaders, are you ready to pivot downturns into rising Grofit?! Act quickly before— [bell sounds] wait… I'm being told— Yes, this is it! The Ambulas Reborn project has reached its funding goal!"

Ergo Glast: "The Sequence has raised funds necessary to back this project. Of course, we do not seek to complete it, but to destroy it. Because of our small backing, we're entitled to information regarding the Ambulas production details. Will you help us stop Frohd's project, Tenno?"

The news post for the event had additional information:

Frohd Bek is back and he's brought a powerful new threat!

Perrin Sequence leader Ergo Glast has intercepted disturbing communication. The profit-hungry Corpus are attempting to grow their military to dangerous and uncontrollable levels. Corpus Board Chairman Frohd Bek is inviting investors to witness the newest and deadliest Ambulas prototype live on the battlefield. The Ambulas is equipped with a state-of-the-art processor called Animo that learns and grows from every encounter.

Work with Ergo Glast and fellow Tenno to halt Frohd's project and disrupt Ambulas deployment before they see widespread use. New dropships containing the Ambulas prototype have been sighted on Corpus planets. Take them down and make the investors think twice!

Phase One: Animo Beacons

On all Corpus-controlled planets, new Condor dropships would appear on open-air tiles. These dropships were indestructible and equipped with turrets (which were themselves destructible), and would deliver several Corpus units to the area, along with a new Ambulas proxy.

(when a dropship warps in, variant) Frohd Bek: "Here comes the dropship with a special delivery! Ah, I haven't felt this good since they rebuilt my larynx."

(when a dropship warps in, variant) Frohd Bek: "Our dropship response times are second to none, ensuring prompt delivery in mission-critical roles."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Crewmen, today my reborn Ambulas takes her first steps in the field. You must be thinking, 'If I work hard and sacrifice as much as Frohd Bek has done, may I someday share in this inestimable profit?' The answer is yes."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Corpus investors, ready for a surprise demonstration? I give you my reborn Ambulas. Allow me to show you what she can do to these Tenno, uh, 'volunteers'."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Men like Frohd Bek are the reason the Perrin Sequence exists. Show him you won't allow suffering to be profitable."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Ambulas is only the beginning. If Animo reaches a critical mass of understanding… well, this was the mistake the Orokin made. Things did not turn out so well for them."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Animo learns from every Ambulas encounter. Under its command, no two proxies will repeat the same mistake. We can't allow this machine mind to mature."

(when a dropship deploys an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "The wealth generated by this new Ambulas will flow entirely to the Corpus Board. Meanwhile, the rest of the System is going to pay for it, some with their lives. Tenno, shut this program down now."

The Tenno had to destroy the Ambulas proxy.

(when Ambulas uses its Fusion Thrower, variant) Frohd Bek: "Powerful. Precise. Pitiless. There has never been a fusion thrower like this."

(when Ambulas uses its Fusion Thrower, variant) Frohd Bek: "One of our engineers commented that Ambulas' fusion thrower is precise enough to shave the back hairs off a Phobian desert flea. Delightful."

(when Ambulas uses its ground slams, variant) Frohd Bek: "Ground-burst technology ensures effortless target suppression."

(when Ambulas uses its ground slams, variant) Frohd Bek: "X-axis gravity-driven assaults yield a 200% improvement in kinetic force."

(when Ambulas uses its ground slams, variant) Frohd Bek: "Ground bursts register 0.3% survivability for unarmoured personnel."

(when Ambulas uses its Electro-Mortars, variant) Frohd Bek: "Wonderful."

(when Ambulas uses its Electro-Mortars, variant) Frohd Bek: "That never gets boring."

(when Ambulas uses its Electro-Mortars, variant) Frohd Bek: "It's a thing of beauty, isn't it?"

(when an Ambulas kills a Tenno, variant) Frohd Bek: "Is there anything this proxy can't do?"

(when an Ambulas kills a Tenno, variant) Frohd Bek: "This is the future: Power. Precision. Prestige. The pinnacle of the war-smith's art."

(when an Ambulas kills a Tenno, variant) Frohd Bek: "Beautiful, is she not? And available. Merely open your accounts, dear investors, and introduce yourselves."

After the Ambulas' health had been depleted, it would be rendered disabled instead of totally destroyed. The Tenno had to hack a panel on the back of the disabled unit, similar to a Bursa, whereupon it would reactivate and fight for the Tenno for a short time.

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Don't just stand there; fix my Ambulas!"

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "My Ambulas! What have they done to her? Fix this!"

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "The Ambulas is down. Hack into its systems."

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "This is your chance; hack into that disabled Ambulas."

(upon hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "That's all for today. (whispers) Cut the feed."

(upon hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Oh! Uh… have I mentioned our round-the-clock support program?"

(upon hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Wait… wait, what are they doing? [pause] And— and that concludes our demonstration."

(upon hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Obviously, new technology always has its kinks. Wise investors, you understand this!"

Eventually, the Ambulas proxy would die, dropping a number of a new currency called Animo beacons. The number of beacons from a single Ambulas could be from 2 to 6, depending on its level.

(upon collecting Animo nav beacons, variant) Ergo Glast: "An Animo nav beacon! With enough of those, we'll be able to find where Bek is hiding Animo."

(upon collecting Animo nav beacons, variant) Ergo Glast: "That hack blocked the upload of critical tactical data to Animo, while simultaneously giving us a clue to its location. Well done."

In the Relays, Ergo Glast could be found in the Perrin Sequence Boardroom. Upon interacting with him, the Tenno could select the prompt, "I have Animo nav beacons", which would open up a store interface where Animo nav beacons could be exchanged for items. The wares Ergo Glast offered included Operation badges and sigils, an Ambulas noggle, and a variety of mods that were either new or not available by other means.

(upon displaying wares) Ergo Glast: "Taken down a few Ambulas in the wild, I see? Very impressive. Those beacons have much value for us. They hold clues to some of Bek's most secretive intellectual property. Information too valuable to be hoarded by one man. Allow me to copy them, and I will reward your generosity with a selection of fine items."

(exiting wares after purchase, variant) Ergo Glast: "The information you have given me today will help the whole System tomorrow."

(exiting wares after purchase, variant) Ergo Glast: "A mutually beneficial exchange – how all business should be done."

(exiting wares without purchase) Ergo Glast: "Good fortune, Tenno."

Phase Two: Showdown

The final fight of the operation was hidden until the Tenno's clan collected enough Animo beacons, with the number scaling based on the size of the clan, from 200 (no clan) to 31.800 (Moon clan). This number was the total amount of Animo beacons acquired, regardless of whether they had been spent or not. Once the clan had acquired the requisite number, all clan members received an inbox message from Ergo Glast.

Inbox message: Time to Take Our Fight to Bek

Tenno,

We have located Bek's Animo processor. Now we attack.

Ergo Glast (video message): "It seems my faith in you was well founded. You've reached the critical mass of Animo nav beacons needed to reveal the processor's location. Analysing… hmm, I should've known. He's not hiding it at all. It's in his capital ship. The ship is stationed directly over the Ambulas factory. Unbelievable. The most advanced super-weapon of our time, and he couldn't resist showing it off like a new toy. When you're ready, we attack."

—Ergo Glast

The mission was revealed to be on Hades, Pluto, and cost the Tenno 40 Animo nav beacons to enter. It took place on the Corpus Outpost tileset, with normal Corpus enemies.

Ergo Glast: "Frohd Bek, you're nothing if not predictable. I bet your advisors begged you to hide Animo somewhere defensible and undetectable? But you had to show it off, didn't you. As an investor, I must say, I don't approve."

Frohd Bek: "Glast? You're the shadow investor? You ingrate! You could have had everything. And now you seek to ruin your mentor's hard work?"

Ergo Glast: "Your hard work? I didn't design Animo to be a weapon. And I would have never disabled its governor."

Frohd Bek: "You always were clever, but you never did have vision."

Ergo Glast: "On the contrary, I envision this whole venture will come crashing down around you."

Frohd Bek: "Each Tenno attack on my Ambulas has been logged, analysed and refactored from our Animo Project. You've brought these Tenno to their deaths. A terrible miscalculation. You've learned nothing from me."

Ergo Glast: "Oh, I learned one thing, Bek: never underestimate the competition."

The Ambulas location is a large open space ringed by rocky mountains, with a cliff overlooking a lake. Corpus structures are built into the terrain around the arena, and Corpus units will emerge from them regularly to engage the Tenno. The central space features a series of metal platforms built into the ground. A massive Obelisk capital ship looms in the sky. As the Tenno enter the area, an Ambulas proxy will emerge from an underground compartment on one of the platforms, and a 2-minute timer will start counting down. The Tenno must disable the Ambulas, as before, and hack it.

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Quick, hack that disabled Ambulas and upload this protocol."

(upon disabling an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Opportunity! Hack into that Ambulas and deploy this protocol."

(after hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Get a team down there to pick that Ambulas up. Don't let her go to waste."

(after hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Someone retrieve that Ambulas model before autodestruction kicks in. She can be refurbished."

(after hacking an Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Thanks to your investment, I can keep throwing Ambulas at the Tenno all day."

(after hacking an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "They're going to try and fix the hacked Ambulas. Don't let them. It's crucial that Bek takes it back onto his ship as-is."

(after hacking an Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Whatever you do, don't let them fix that Ambulas."

After the Ambulas has been hacked, it will not turn friendly, but remain inoperative. The Tenno must defend it, as Corpus units will attack, including special Remech Ospreys. If the Remech Ospreys get too close to the hacked Ambulas proxy, they will begin repairing it (visible as a cyan beam of energy). If they sufficiently repair the Ambulas, it will reactivate and begin fighting the Tenno again. The Tenno must destroy the Remech Ospreys to keep the Ambulas disabled. After the countdown finishes, a Condor Storm dropship will arrive from the Obelisk ship and retrieve the Ambulas by tractor beam, whether it was successfully hacked and inactivated or not.

(after the dropship retrieves a hacked Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "You fools should have finished the job while you had the chance. That Ambulas will live to fight another day."

(after the dropship retrieves a hacked Ambulas, variant) Frohd Bek: "Glast, how are these Tenno going to finish me when they can't even end what they have begun?"

(if the dropship retrieves an untampered Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "No, no! You need to hack the Ambulas before Bek recovers them. This is crucial to my plan's success."

(if the dropship retrieves an untampered Ambulas, variant) Ergo Glast: "Don't let Bek recover un-hacked Ambulas. This is the only way we can defeat him."

After the Condor Storm dropship delivers the Ambulas to Frohd's ship, another Ambulas proxy will spawn, and the 2-minute countdown to another Condor dropship will begin. The Tenno must overcome and hack this Ambulas unit as well. In all, the Tenno had to deliver four hacked Ambulas units to Frohd's ship, while ensuring that fewer than three untampered Ambulas units were recovered. Periodically, the Obelisk would deliver devastating artillery blasts and laser beams to the area.

(when firing artillery, variant) Frohd Bek: "Fire the artillery!"

(when firing artillery, variant) Frohd Bek: "Fire artillery. Scatter those stainless-steel rats!"

(after retrieving the second wave of Ambulas proxies) Frohd Bek: "Everything I own I built. Worked my way to the top of the Board from nothing. You? You create nothing! You earned nothing! You deserve nothing!"

(after retrieving the third wave of Ambulas proxies) Ergo Glast: "You made your fortune on the backs of others, Frohd. Your hard work is their hard work. You let the burdens rain down, while the credits trickle up."

(after retrieving the fourth wave of Ambulas proxies) Ergo Glast: "You could have rebuilt the system, Frohd; instead you've made death machines. What have they done for you?"

(if the dropship retrieves a third untampered Ambulas) Frohd Bek: "We could do this dance all day long, Tenno, but you'll never defeat my Ambulas army. Now you're just wasting my time. Give my regards to Glast." [mission fails]

(upon delivering the fifth hacked Ambulas) Ergo Glast: "All we need is one more Ambulas to be returned to the dropship."

(upon delivering the sixth hacked Ambulas) Ergo Glast: "You're done, Frohd. This ends now."

Frohd Bek: "Throw everything at them. They will not take this away from me. They will not win. They've not earned it."

The Obelisk capital ship in the sky will fire its engines and begin turning away from the battlefield, heading away.

Ergo Glast: "I know this for certain, Frohd: you've earned this. I'm sorry, Animo. Execute the protocol!"

Explosions will break out all across the Obelisk and the hull will begin to glow red.

Frohd Bek: "What was that? My ship? Ahh… eject the bridge module. Eject it now!!!"

The capital ship will explode and disintegrate, leaving Frohd's fate ambiguous.

Ergo Glast: "Animo… once my pride and joy, has been destroyed. I abandoned the project when I fled the Corpus. I should have known it was too powerful to leave in their hands. The Ambulas proxies still exist, and they are no doubt formidable, but the threat of their super-intelligence is now gone. Thank you, Tenno."

After returning to their ship, the Tenno received another inbox message from Ergo Glast, containing a Supra Vandal.

Inbox message: Animo Has Been Destroyed

Tenno,

Frohd Bek bastardised my work. The Animo system was explicitly designed to resolve conflict, not initiate it. In weaponising the system, he forced my hand. The Animo processor had to be destroyed.

You put yourself at great risk to stop that threat. The Perrin Sequence thanks you and hopes you find this weapon to be just compensation.

Until our next venture, Ergo Glast

Rewards

Apart from the Supra Vandal, all rewards from the event were purchased from Ergo Glast using Animo nav beacons, including the Operation badge and sigil. These rewards could be purchased as many times as the Tenno could afford. The more Ambulas proxies were defeated in the field, the more rewards a Tenno could purchase.

The warlord of a participating clan received an inbox message from Ergo Glast containing a trophy to place in the dojo, with the quality of the trophy dependant on the clanmembers' achievements in the operation.

Inbox message: Recognition for [clan]

[clan],

Owing to your overwhelming effort in taking down Frohd Bek's Ambulas and its Animo processor, the Perrin Sequence and I would like to present [clan] with this trophy.

We could not have won without your tireless fight.

Thank you, Ergo Glast

Aftermath

After the event, Condor dropships would still appear on open-air Corpus zones, but would not drop Ambulas proxies except on Pluto. The boss fight against Frohd Bek's capital ship still remained at Hades, Pluto, although the cost was later lowered to 20 Animo beacons, 10 of which are refunded on successful completion. Variants of Condor dropships would later appear on the Orb Vallis and Gas City.