History TabletopGame / AT43

''AT-43'' is (well was) a TabletopGame by ''Rackham'' and can by summed up as a LighterAndSofter version of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''.

Then the precursors showed up, with [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys giant chain-smoking apes]] with big guns.

* U.N.A.: the main faction of the game. Based on the home planet of Ava, the U.N.A. is a parody of [[UsefulNotes/{{Objectivism}} Objectivist]] America, where liberty, capitalism and prosperity are hailed as the best things in life. Their EliteArmy is [[JackOfAllTrades the Jacks of All Trades]] of the game, with units useful for anything but lacking in number and toughness.
* Red Blok: An alliance of former U.N.A. colonies who've adopt a collectivist doctrine where the individual works for the greater good. They are the main adversaries of the U.N.A.. Although their troops are not as good as others, they make up for it through numbers, resilience and firepower.
* Therian: The original humans. After reaching a singularity point in their technological prowess, the Therian became immortal, now living inside a cyberspace known as the [=E.M.I. grid=], and want to stop the universe's decay, having planted the Avans to facilitate that but then having been repelled by them. The Therians have the most powerful and numerous units and weapons, but lack any form of effective strategy.
* Karmans: A race of [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys giant apes]] created by the Therians. They serve the Therian but in contrast to their master, their race has adopted a stricly benevolent (as well as eco-friendly) philosophy and struggle with their role as underlings to the Therian. They can be fielded only in small numbers and vehicles are fragile, but most of their weapons have very high rate of fire and are very powerful.
* Cogs: A formerly huge empire of aliens who fought the Therian. Brought to the brink of extinction and with only four lineages remaining out of dozens more exterminated, the Cogs ambition to take their revenge on the Therian. They are a whole race of clones and their armies are somewhat of a GlassCannon.
* [=O.N.I.=]: A rising Avan Megacorp who's become the greatest Private Military Contractor in the galaxy, among other businesses. They are known for employing hordes of cheap and durable zombies as foot soldiers.

Currently its company ''Rackham'' has been liquidated, but Cyanide Studio has recently acquired the game along with ''TabletopGame/{{Confrontation}}'' another game from Rackham with the potential to make a new game from it just as they did with Confrontation.

!!AT-43 provides examples of:

* AbusivePrecursors: [[spoiler: The Therians are the ones who created the Karmans, and Humans in Ava. They have no problem with taking out any of them to achieve their goals.]]

* AlienInvasion: The Therian tried to invade Ava from the South Pole and activating their machines to create a vast army of golems, but the alliance between the [=U.N.A.=] and Red Blok have repelled it.
* TheAlternet: The [=EMI Grid=] is the Therian cyberspace in which their consciousness can communicate with each other or create simulations for war and enjoyment.

* AntiVillain: The Karman are basically henchmen for the Therians, waging war against other species. However, they only do so because they owe their existence to the Therians and they do think that what they are committing is wrong.
* TheAtoner: Most Karmans believe that they have a debt to the Therians for the creation of their species. The Nova faction believes this debt to have been payed after committing genocide on the Krygs.
* AwesomeButImpractical: All Therian weapons are in fact this, they're still winning anyway.
* BadAssBoast: "Even if the entire universe united against us,[[note]]the Therians[[/note]] we will still come on top"
* BadassBookworm: Anastasiya Tymofiyeva, an electronic warfare genius and she knows everything about Red Blok’s walker. Yet she’s wanted all her life to fight at the front piloting a walker, and she’s managed to accomplish just that thanks to her making it so she’s the one testing her jamming technology on the battlefield.
* {{BFG}}: Karman, being gorillas, are pretty much the only one able to wield these, using giant mortar guns for instance. However, they pretty much only use them as ShoulderCannon because they’re not that strong.
* BizarreAlienReproduction: Cogs don’t have sex per se but have active or passive mode. The passive one is just an incubator for the active one who injects his entire genetic code to create a clone, but the former also tweaks the code to guarantee some diversity.
* BladeBelowTheShoulder: The Therian Reaper blades are huge blades mounted like claws and are nearly ubiquitous among the golems.
* BloodKnight: Therian Warroir Guild.
* BlueIsHeroic: [=U.N.A.=]’s favorite color is blue, befitting their role as de facto protagonists of the game.
* BodyCountCompetition: The ''only'' thing Cog Counter-Snipers talk about.
* BodyHorror: Oni Zombies. New Born Cogs are often stated to have missing body parts (as they're going to be replaced by cybernetics anyway) ranging from their legs or a respiratory system to ''everything but their brain''.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Urush is what amounts to transhuman Will Wright, making simulators that are often over the top because it's more entertaining, he's also one of the best tactical planners in the universe.

* ChickenWalker: Cog walkers have this structural singularity compared to the other factions. This because they are pretty much modelled after Cog legs.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: ''THE THERIANS''. Honestly, the only reason why they fail at ''all'' is that they've ''forgotten'' how to properly apply military strategy (despite having a history of warfare behind them), and are more comfortable with letting the Karmans do their dirty work.
* ColorCodedArmies: The [=U.N.A.=] troops are blue, the Red Blok is red, the Therians are always black, the Karmans are light blue and green, the Cogs are orange and [=O.N.I.=] troops are yellow and brown.

* CommieLand: Red Blok is a collectivist alliance of planets living the communist dream, where everyone works for the nation and proudly sports a red star.
* CompanionCube: Cog Gunmen are brainwashed into thinking their BFG is their only friend
* ConflictingLoyalty: The Karman are fully committed to their benevolent philosophy, but also feel they owe a debt of live to the genocidal Therians. So, they decided to act as the Therians' soldiers, waging war to ensure their survival and train to one day openly fight the Therians. Their society is split on whether the debt is fully paid or not.
* CorruptCorporateExecutive: The executive of [=O.N.I.=] have no qualm against bribing politicians to ease deals or murdering any obstacle in their path.
* CrackFic: In-universe; Therians have one called "I love you, 01100010011000010110001001111001!" about a unit of Storm Arachns (12 mini Spider bots that [[TakingYouWithMe blow up]]) falling in love with a Wraith Golgoth (SpiderTank). They enjoyed a long lasting relationship of 28 seconds.

* TheDogBitesBack: The workers from the Avan colonies, underpaid and overworked in dangerous working conditions, rebelled to eventually form Red Blok.
* DysonSphere: The Therian use plenty of these to trap the stars’ energy and stop them from moving away from each other.
* EliteArmy: Compared to Red Blok, the [=U.N.A.=] have a small population and a more elitist approach to life. It’s natural that they’ve decided to train an army of elite soldier with the best training and equipment available. This doctrine has its limits because it means the [=U.N.A.=] can’t be everywhere at once and have a hard time in attrition warfare.
* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: The UNA lives in this trope, there is a reason why their motto is "Better is Better".
* EnemyMine: Both U.N.A and Red Blok joined forces temporarily to fend of the Therian invasion on Ava.
* EnemyMine: The [=U.N.A.=] and Red Blok had temporarily set aside their goals in order to repel the Therians from Ava. It is noted that the cooperation was poor because of mistrust, and their alliance boiled down to “let Red Blok soak up damage while [=U.N.A.=] recovers from the initial assault and prepares for the counterattack, then attack at the same time”.
* EnergyWeapon: The [=U.N.A.=] troopers and vehicles make ample use of laser weapons, to the point it could be considered their signature technology.
* EvilWearsBlack: The Therian have exclusively black shells for bodies, which extends to their soldiers and vehicles. The one “exception” is Omega Tiamat who is RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver.
* FantasticRankSystem: [=O.N.I.=] takes after feudal Japan with their ranking system, the foot-soldiers being named “Samurai” then “Bushi”, going up to the “Daimyo” and “Shogun” who serve as officers, and executives.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Urush was the head planner (kinda) of the invasion of Ava. When it failed, his punishment amounted to... all his Facebook friends taking him off their friends list. (Okay, it sounds silly to us, but in Therian society that makes him an UnPerson.)
* FlawedPrototype: From the Therian’s point of view, the Karman are this since they should have created an industrial-level civilization polluting their home planet. Instead the Karman developed eco-friendly technologies. Ava was a more successful experiment, but then the Therian forgot that HumansAreWarriors.
* FunWithAcronyms: Yes. [=U.N.A.=] for “United Nations of Ava” is very close to [=U.S.A.=]. Likewise, Okamura Non-aligned Industries ominously form up the acronym [=O.N.I.=], Onis being Japanese demons.
* GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke: A few factions have dabbled in this. Red Blok’s has made the designer babies Odin and Manon, but the Cog G-nocrats are the real master of this technology as they create vast armies of clones and have super-soldiers.
* GeniusDitz: Since they think of war as a game, Therians often make some ''[[VillainBall very]] [[WhatAnIdiot stupid]]'' decisions. They have a literally infinite amount of tactical knowledge and resources to draw on, have the most advanced technology and aren't exactly lacking in the numbers department either, but they're too rash to properly apply these.
* GratuitousRussian: Nearly everything from Red Blok is named in Hadesian, which is mock-russian.

* TheGreys: The Cogs are clearly modelled after these, except for being three meters tall, but the grey skin and big eyes give away their inspiration.
* GunsAkimbo: Cogs and Karmans seem to like this.
* HellholePrison: Vohris is a prison planet managed by [=O.N.I.=]. The “hellhole” aspect funnily directly comes from the inmates, as [=O.N.I.=] encourages everyone to be a violent warlord oppressing the population, granting resources to the most ruthless and effective warlords. It serves as a training and recruiting ground for [=V-SWAT=].
* HigherTechSpecies: The Therians mainly as they are capable of technological feats like species-wide BrainUploading or casually creating Dyson Sphere. The Cogs are master of genetic engineering.
* HitSoHardTheCalendarFeltIt: The two main factions have changed their calendar and put the “Trauma” as an anchorpoint for counting years. [=AT-43=] means that we are currently 43 years after the Trauma.
* HostileTerraforming: The Therian terraform planets to better use them as material for Dyson spheres. Sometimes said planet host sentient civilization but the Therian don’t care.

* InsaneTrollLogic:
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Babel was formed by UNA hackers messing around the EMI Grid (the Therian Internet).
* InvisibilityCloak: Karman have a very efficient cloaking technology, enabling them to infiltrate whole fleets are the heart of the enemy.
* JetPack: The Karman put them on their main infantry units whenever possible to enhance their armies’ speed. The [=U.N.A.=] Wing Troopers also use jet packs to strike from above
* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Averted, laser weapons are always portrayed as far better, but kinetic weapons still have their place.

* LightningGun: Several examples of it exist, but the Karman jammers is the most impressive as it makes lightning rain from above, frying tanks on the spot.
* LittleHeroBigWar: The Ava front is in fact just a normal route mission for the Therians who's only real importance is that they lost.
* LivingForeverIsAwesome: The Therians think it's so awesome that once they found out that the Universe was to die in a mere 25 billion years, they launched a massive invasion of the universe in order to stop it.
* MachineWorship: The Therian Web Striders worship their own technology and seek their gods inside the code of the [=E.M.I. grid=].
* MagneticWeapon: The Red Blok use gauss weapons, propelling metal projectile at high speed with magnetic force. The advantage of this technology is that anything small and metallic can become ammunition, somewhat compensating for dodgy logistics.
* MegaCorp: O.N.I.
* MilitaryMaverick: Captain Pavel Vrachov frequently disobeys direct orders and disregards discipline, for instance abandoning a precious Kossak to save a comrade. The higher-ups dream of dragging him before a martial court, but Vrachov is so popular that the army would go on strike.
* MyHeroZero: Babylon/Nina Zero
* Nanomachines: Therian weapons like the nucleus guns use smart nano-ammunition.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: An odd positive result -- during the invasion of ''Damocles'', UNA politics caused the Therians to be so confused it delayed their already delayed counter-attack.
* OrganicTechnology: The Cogs are known to use drones as supercomputers. However, they do not shun armor and weapons.
* OurWormholesAreDifferent: The Karman use “Point Horizon”, a wormhole left by the Therian as a portal for FasterThanLightTravel and their scientists even hope to travel in time with it.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: O.N.I. Zombies have two types, one is your normal mindless zombie, the other, the [[SuperSoldier super zombies]], is fully sentient with all the memories and personalities they had; they're also still on the payroll.
* PlanetSpaceship: Zaïus, Flux's spaceship is a moon-shaped spaceship having a diameter of 20,000 kilometers and is said to be able to lay waste to whole star systems.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: [=MercForce=] is one of the most lucrative branches of [=O.N.I.=] being a mercenary force in a war-torn universe. They are highly sought by everyone (even the Therian) thanks to their efficiency and lack of disciplinary problems.
* PropagandaHero: Captain Pavel Vrachov was made one because of his bravery and efforts to implement medical aid in the army. His reputation eventually becomes too much for [=ARC=] to handle.

* PunchClockVillain: The Karman mainly fight to guarantee their survival. Likewise, those in [=MercForce=] mainly fight because they’re paid to.
* ReallyGetsAround: The serum O give their host an exceptional fertility and desire to sleep with anyone. Okamura Kazuo has had nine wives, many more mistresses and sixty-four children as a result.
* RecycledInSpace: An acute AT-43 player may have noticed that the U.N.A. and Red Blok factions are basically the Western Bloc and the USSR transformed into space empires and having their cold war.
* RedIsHeroic: At least for Red Blok, who paint nearly everything red in spite of common sense.
* ScaryDogmaticAliens: The Therians are Internet junkies and gamers; sounds {{Narm}}y until you realize that they are killing ''trillions'' and blowing up countless planets all over the universe ''because it's their hobby'' and only lose battles because winning too quickly is boring.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Averted with UNA's Captain H. Newton. As the daughter of Ava's president, she is very much aware of this trope and made sure that her mother's position never gave her any special treatment. Played a bit more straight with Shogun Natalya Bokov, one of Oni's directors and leader of V-Swat who was chosen because she (like everyone on the board) is a descendant of Oni's founder Okamura Kazuo. It helps she's also a ruthless GeneralRipper.
* SecretPolice: [=RevPol=] is the secret police for [=ARC=], monitoring the discipline and revolutionary enthusiasm of the population.
* SendInTheClones: Only four Cogs are non-clones.
* SergeantRock: Sergeant Albert Borz, a [=U.N.A.=] Steel Trooper then Fire Toad pilot, veteran of several wars who commands both the respect and the fear of his unit.
* ShoulderCannon: Karman soldiers with the "K" denomination all sport these. The K-fighters have jammers, the K-warriors have mortar guns and the K-shooters have ZZ-gun
* ShoutOut:Lots of them concerning the Karmans. Let's begin with their battlestation being called ''[[Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes Zaius]]''. Baron B. Samedi is a clear reference to the James Bond movie "Live and Let Die" featuring a voodoo shaman able to "ressurect" the dead.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: there are no models of female regular troops, and the only unit that has more than one female model is a unit of medics.
** However, about half the special characters are female.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Cog society is based on the survival of the fittest. While this drive to better themselves makes them one of the most redoubtable factions in lore, it divides their species.
* SovietSuperscience: Compared to the more straightforward [=U.N.A.=], Red Blok puts emphasis on particular pieces of technology like their gauss weapons, the wonder metal kolossium, and their more esoteric experiments on psychic powers.
* SpaceWhaleAesop: Don't overmine or alien robots will show up and ''blow up your planet!''. Especially if they planted their artifacts all over the place to accelerate your progress.
* SpiderTank: The Therians main AFV's.
* SpikesOfVillainy: The Therian sport big long blades everywhere, especially on their shoulders to give a menacing look. Did we mention they want to commit genocide on the whole universe, so they can preserve it for their eternal enjoyment?
* TankGoodness: [=O.N.I.=] is the only faction to use tanks on wheels, their advertising relying on the low cost, speed and ability to maneuver in terrains most walking tanks cannot.
* Teleportation: Alpha Atis-Astarte is the sole user of teleportation technology, and mainly uses it to close up on the enemy to slice them into pieces sooner.
* [[ThatsNoMoon That's No Planet]]: The Therian factory-ship ''Damocles'' is a Dyson sphere built around a white dwarf; it's about twice the size of the Earth and about 80% of its energy output is used to constantly alter its Therian passengers' environment to their whims. The remaining 20% is used to pump out ''millions'' of war machines in preparation of their conquest of Ava. And this is just one of ''billions'' of such stations (at the very least, the whole Milky Way was converted).
** Did we mention that the Therians think ''Damocles'' is a small crappy ship compared to their ''real'' homes?
** The Karmans built themselves their own planet-sized ship, the ''Zaius'', and recently the Cog faction T-Regulator has begun construction of one as well. It seems that in this setting, you're not ''on the map'' unless you have a planet-sized warship.
* TheVirus: The serum O is made from an extraterrestrial virus which wants to infect the whole universe through [=O.N.I.=].
* TimeAbyss: The Therians are all this. Eons ago, they have become functionally immortal by acquiring artificial bodies. One of them for instance, is Omega Tiamat who has celebrated her one thousand seven hundred sixty seventh birthday during Operation Damocles. However, a Therian living more than a few millennia is very rare.
* TranshumanAliens: The Therians.
* UpliftedAnimal: The Karman. Originally gorillas, the Therian modified their genome to make them sentient, as well as stronger.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: O.N.I. is on the surface a prosperous and honest, if not ruthless MegaCorp who wants to make a profit and expand its business, like any business in the universe. Little does everyone know that the executives are all controlled by TheVirus, who wants to infect the whole universe with itself.
* WalkingTank: UNA and Red Block have these as their main AFV's.
* WarForFunAndProfit: Several sub-factions like Flux for the Karman, the Warriors for the Therians, have come to simply enjoy war for its own sake and plan on not finishing their wars too rapidly because it’s fun. [=MercForce=] is also for war, mainly for profit though;

* WeHaveReserves: Therians already have a number of galaxies under their control and can easily replace any losses.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Most of the factions can be seen this way; the UNA are fighting for their survival, the Cogs are fighting for their independence, and the Therians are conquering worlds to preserve the galaxy.
* WhiteMaskOfDoom: The Therian sport these on every construct.
* ZergRush: The Therians, during their war with the Cogs, threw millions upon millions of ships at the front line without any real plan other than hoping their numbers and tech would win the day (as it always had before). This time, it didn't.

* FrickinLaserBeams: The [=U.N.A.=] troopers and vehicles make ample use of laser weapons, to the point it could be considered their signature technology.

Currently its company ''Rackham'' has been liquidated, but Cyanide Studio has recently acquired the game along with ''Confrontation'' another game from Rackham with the potential to make a new game from it just as they did with Confrontation.

AT-43 is (well was) a TabletopGame by ''Rackham'' and can by summed up as a LighterAndSofter version of TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}.

The story is centred around the human homeworld Ava, which, thanks to precursor artefacts, created a small (compared to other races; a mere 200+ planets) empire in a thousand years after finding them. However, Ava's first colony Hades, aggravated by Ava's total free marketing ideas (i.e. no workers' rights), revolted and turned [[strike: communist]] collectivist, taking fully half of Ava's colonies with them and renaming themselves the Red Blok. This forced Ava to cancel the debts of, and grant full membership into the U.N.A., to the remaining colonies in other to stop them from joining the revolt. Civil war soon followed.

* U.N.A.: the main "heroes" of the game. Basically [[UsefulNotes/{{Objectivism}} Objectivist]] Americans, [[JackOfAllTrades the Jacks of All Trades]].
* Red Blok: The polar opposite of the U.N.A., i.e. Space Commies. Weak and inaccurate weapons but make up for it by [[WeHaveReserves sheer numbers]] and MoreDakka (in addition, their walkers are tougher than the U.N.A.'s).
* Therian: The BigBad of the game, all culture is based on [=MMORPGs=] and Internet forums, they have the most powerful and numerous units and weapons, but lack any form of effective strategy.
* Karmans: A race of [[EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys giant apes]] created by the Therians. Very small numbers and fragile vehicles but most weapons have very high rate of fire and are very powerful.
* Cogs: Aliens that look like the Greys, whole race of clones and old enemies of the Therians, somewhat of the GlassCannon of the armies.
* Oni: the local MegaCorp, hires their legions of zombies and mercenaries armed with U.N.A. and Therian weapons to anyone. Only faction so far with tanks.

* PrivateMilitryContractor: [=MercForce=] is one of the most lucrative branches of [=O.N.I.=] being a mercenary force in a war-torn universe. They are highly sought by everyone (even the Therian) thanks to their efficiency and lack of disciplinary problems.

* BFG: Karman, being gorillas, are pretty much the only one able to wield these, using giant mortar guns for instance. However, they pretty much only use them as ShoulderCannon because they’re not that strong.

* PoweredArmor:
* PrecociousChild: Odin 0-1 and Manon 0-2 have genius level intellect at 13, having published a philosophy essay at 7, becoming physicians at 10, and becoming accomplished engineers to pilot their own walker.
* PrivateMilitryContractors: [=MercForce=] is one of the most lucrative branches of [=O.N.I.=] being a mercenary force in a war-torn universe. They are highly sought by everyone (even the Therian) thanks to their efficiency and lack of disciplinary problems.

* SecretPolice: RevPol is the secret police for [=ARC=], monitoring the discipline and revolutionary enthusiasm of the population.

* ShoutOut: Samurai B Samedi,
* ShoutOut:Lots of them concerning the Karmans. Let's begin with their battlestation being called ''[[Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes Zaius]]''.

* TheAlternet: The [=EMI Grid=] is the Therian cyberspace in which their consciousness can communicate with each other or create simulations for war and enjoyment.
* TheAtoner: Most Karmans believe that they have a debt to the Therians for the creation of their species. The Nova faction believes this debt to have been payed after committing genocide on the Krygs.
* TheDogBitesBack: The workers from the Avan colonies, underpaid and overworked in dangerous working conditions, rebelled to eventually form Red Blok.
* TheGreys: The Cogs are clearly modelled after these, except for being three meters tall, but the grey skin and big eyes give away their inspiration.
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: there are no models of female regular troops, and the only unit that has more than one female model is a unit of medics.
** However, about half the special characters are female.
* TheSocialDarwinist: Cog society is based on the survival of the fittest. While this drive to better themselves makes them one of the most redoubtable factions in lore, it divides their species.

* WarForFunAndProfits: Several sub-factions like Flux for the Karman, the Warriors for the Therians, have come to simply enjoy war for its own sake and plan on not finishing their wars too rapidly because it’s fun. [=MercForce=] is also for war, mainly for profit though;
* WarOfEarthlyAggression: If you swap Earth with Ava. The conflict still boils down to the home planet of the species going at war against its disgruntled colonies.

* TheAtoner: Most Karmans believe that they have a debt to the Therians for the creation of their species. The Nova faction believes this debt to have been payed after committing genocide on the Krygs.

* CrackFic: In-universe; Therians have one called "I love you, 01100010011000010110001001111001!" about a unit of Storm Arachns (12 mini Spider bots that [[TakingYouWithMe blow up]]) falling in love with a Wraith Golgoth (SpiderTank). They enjoyed a long lasting relationship of 28 seconds.

* CrapsaccharineWorld: Great place to live, everyone doesn't hate each up for the most part, no one is really evil, but there's the fact that Therians outnumber and outgun everyone by a factor of a billion to one and are only delaying their victory because war is too much ''fun''.

* MachineWorship: The Therian Web Spider faction and the Cog A-volution Line.

* SendInTheClones: Only four Cogs are non-clones.

* TheSmurfettePrinciple: there are no models of female regular troops, and the only unit that has more than one female model is a unit of medics.
** However, about half the special characters are female.

* [[ThatsNoMoon That's No Planet]]: The Therian factory-ship ''Damocles'' is a Dyson sphere built around a white dwarf; it's about twice the size of the Earth and about 80% of its energy output is used to constantly alter its Therian passengers' environment to their whims. The remaining 20% is used to pump out ''millions'' of war machines in preparation of their conquest of Ava. And this is just one of ''billions'' of such stations (at the very least, the whole Milky Way was converted).
** Did we mention that the Therians think ''Damocles'' is a small crappy ship compared to their ''real'' homes?

* RecycledInSpace: An acute AT-43 player may have noticed that the U.N.A. and Red Blok factions are basically the Western Bloc and the USSR transformed into space empires.

AT-43 provides examples of:

* ShoutOut:Lots of them concerning the Karmans. Let's begin with their battlestation being called ''[[PlanetOfTheApes Zaius]]''.

** Did we mention that the Therians think Damocles is a small crappy ship compared to their ''real'' homes?

43 years after The Trauma the U.N.A found the Therian world that launched the invasion (for a Therian it's more like a transport ship), Damocles.

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: An odd positive result -- during the invasion of Damocles, UNA politics caused the Therians to be so confused it delayed their already delayed counter-attack.

*** Did we mention that the Therians think Damocles is a small crappy ship compared to their ''real'' homes?

* BadAssBoast: "Even if they entire universe united against us,[[note]]the Therians[[/note]] we will still come on top"

* BodyHorror: Oni Zombies. New Born Cogs are often stated to have missing body parts as they're going to be replaced by cybernetics anyway ranging from their legs, to respiratory system to ''everything but their brain''.

* FateWorseThanDeath: Urush was the head planner (kinda) of the invasion of Ava. When it failed, his punishment was what amounted... to all his Facebook friends removing him off their friends list.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Given their general intentions, you ''could'' make the argument that the Therians are not ''that'' evil, and it's not like the other factions are saintly either. It's stated that they even let live those species that don't actively oppose their project.

* LittleHeroBigWar: The Ava front is in fact just a normal route mission for the Therians who's only real importents is that they lost.
* LivingForeverIsAwesome: The Therians think it's so awesome that once they found out that the Universe was to die in 25 billion years, they launched a massive invasion of the universe in order to stop it.

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: O.N.I. Zombies have two types, one is your normal mindless zombie, the other, the [[SuperSoldier super zombies]], is fully sentient with all the memories and personalities they had; they're also are still on pay roll.

* [[ThatsNoMoon That's No Planet]]: The Therian factory-ship Damocles is a Dyson sphere built around a white dwarf; it's about twice the size of the Earth and about 80% of its energy output is used to constantly alter its Therian passengers' environment to their whims. The remaining 20% are used to pump out ''millions'' of war machines in preparation of their conquest of Ava. And this is just one of ''billions'' of such stations (at the very least, the whole Milky Way was converted).
*** Did we mention that the Therains think Damocles is a small crappy ship compare to their ''real'' homes.
** The Karmans built themselves their own planet-sized ship, the Zaius, and recently the Cog faction T-Regulator has begun construction of one as well. It seems that in this setting, you're not ''on the map'' unless you have a planet-sized warship.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Most of the factions can be seen this way, the UNA are fighting for their survival, the Cogs are fighting for their independence, and the Therians are conquering worlds to preserve the galaxy.
* ZergRush: The Therians during their war with the Cogs sent millions upon millions of ships at the front line without any real plan other than hoping their numbers and tech will win the day. It didn't.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Given their general intentions, you ''could'' make the argument that the Therians are not ''that'' evil, and it's not like the other factions are saintly but have well meaning goals, either. It's stated that they even let live those species that don't actively oppose their project.

* GreyAndGrayMorality: Given their general intentions, you ''could'' make the argument that the Therians are not ''that'' evil, and it's not like the other factions are saintly, either. It's stated that they even let live those species that don't actively oppose their project.

* BadAssBoast: "Even if they entire universe united against us,[[hottip:*:the Therians]] we will still come on top"

Currently its company ''Rackham'' has been liquidated, but Cyanide Studio has recently acquired the game along with it ''Confrontation'' another game from Rackham with the potential to make a new game from it just as they did with Confrontation.

Currently its company ''Rackham'' has been liquidated.

* InstantAIJustAddWater: Babel was formed by UNA hackers messing around the EMI Grid (the Therian Internet).
* LaughablyEvil: Dear lord, ''Therians''. Frankly, it's hard to believe that ''[[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} these]] [[GeniusDitz guys]]'' are the scourge of the universe on occasion.

* MegaCorp: O.N.I.
* MyHeroZero: Babylon/Nina Zero
* LivingForeverIsAwesome: The Therians think it's so awesome that once they found out that the Universe was to die in 25 billion years, they launched a massive invasion of the universe in order to stop it.

* CloudCuckooLander: ''THE THERIANS''. Honestly, the only reason why they fail at ''all'' is that they've ''forgotten'' how to properly apply military strategy (despite having a history of warfare behind them), and are more comfortable with letting the Karmans do their dirty work.

* LaughablyEvil: Dear lord, ''Therians''. Frankly, it's hard to believe that ''[[CloudCuckoolander these]] [[GeniusDitz guys]]'' are the scourge of the universe on occasion.
* LesYay: Zero and Babel view each other as soulmates.

* [[ThatsNoMoon That's No Planet]]: The Therian factory-ship Damocles is a Dyson sphere built around a white dwarf; it's about twice the size of the Earth and about 80% of its energy output is used to constantly alter its Therian passengers' environment to their whims. The remaining 20% are used to pump out ''millions'' of war machines in preparation of their conquest of Ava. And this is just one of ''millions'' of such stations.

* SendInTheClones: All but four Cogs are non-clones.

AT-43 is (well was) a TabletopGame by ''Rackham'' and can by summed up as a LighterAndSofter version of {{Warhammer40000}}.

* U.N.A.: the main "heroes" of the game. Basically [[{{UsefulNotes/Objectivism}} Objectivist]] Americans, [[JackOfAllTrades the Jacks of All Trades]].

* EnemyMine: Both U.N.A and Red Blok joined forces temporarily to fend of the Therian invasion on Ava.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Urush was the head planner (kinda) of the invasion of Ava. When it failed, his punishment was what amounted... to all his Facebook friends removing him off their friends list.

* LivingForeverIsAwesome: The Therians think it's so awesome that once they found out that the Universe was to die in 25 billion years, they launched a massive invasion of the universe in order to stop it.

* WeHaveReserves: Therians already have a number of galaxies under their control and can easily replace any losses.