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OZP-11

OZP-11's launchpad

OZP-11 was a Union of Independent Republics cosmodrome that was built in occupied Vasgar during the Pendulum Wars. The cosmodrome that was located and adjacent to a Vasgari port was a closely-guarded secret due to it's role in the UIR cosmonaut and Hammer of Dawn programs. After the UIR agreed to the terms of the UIR-COG Armistice to end the Pendulum Wars, OZP-11 was ordered to terminate the operations, but Major Garron Paduk led a mutiny of Gorasni soldiers against the UIR garrison in an unsuccessful effort to launch the Hammer of Dawn and resume the war. Decades later, the ruins of OZP-11 are overrun by the Swarm.

History[]

The Pendulum Wars[]

Gears 5 Rocket Hangar

The OZP-11 Rocket Hangar

Following the UIR's military occupation of Vasgar in 17 B.E., the UIR built the OZP-11 cosmodrome within Vasgar in secret as they are confident that the Coalition of Ordered Governments would never suspect that the UIR's Hammer of Dawn program would be developed so close to the COG's borders. The Hammer of Dawn program was overseen by Director Anna Meurig, one of the scientists who had overseen the work at Aspho Point before the Battle of Aspho Fields. Another key factor in choosing Vasgar was the technological expertise of the Vasgari people who previously invented the transistor and the microchip. Eventually, the UIR also decided to undertake an Expedition to the Moons of Sera from OZP-11 in order to win the space race against the COG, but this mission never left the planning stages.[1]

Gears 5 Launch Tower

The UIR Turntable Launch Tower at OZP-11

After the Battle of Bonbourg, the COG gained a decisive advantage over the UIR by launching it's Hammer of Dawn satellites first. The UIR decided to quietly shut all of their operations down at OZP-11 that are pending the signing of the UIR-COG Armistice since launching their own Hammer of Dawn would only escalate and prolong the Pendulum Wars. However, the Republic of Gorasnaya refused to let the UIR surrender. Commander Miran Trescu covertly ordered Major Garron Paduk to mutiny and seize OZP-11 to launch the Hammer of Dawn. Over three days, Paduk's 200 Gorasni troops made a surprising headway against the 3,000-strong UIR garrison at the cosmodrome that was led by Major Girek C. Toly, but they are denied victory when the UIR base's commander bricked OZP-11's systems with a computer virus. Meanwhile, the UIR's leadership informed the COG about the existence of OZP-11 and the threat from Paduk's rebels. In order to ensure that it could not be used, the COG fired a Lightmass Missile at it from Azura. The missile struck the Cosmonaut Training Facility's parking lot while Paduk besieged it in an effort to claim the Hammer of Dawn targeting beacons that were inside, killing most of the rebels. Paduk was badly burned by the blast and unable to continue leading what remained of his men, bringing an end to the mutiny and allowing the ratification of the armistice. OZP-11 was subsequently abandoned and remained untouched for decades during and after the Locust War.[1]

Swarm Invasion[]

During the Swarm Invasion, OZP-11 became infested by the Swarm, particularly after Queen Reyna Diaz was awakened and began better organizing the Swarm forces.[1]

Mission to OZP-11[]

In 42 A.E., Damon Baird learned of the UIR's secret Hammer of Dawn program and the events at OZP-11 from data recovered at the Abandoned Research Facility on Azura where the Lightmass Missile that had stopped the mutiny had been launched from. Following the Mission to Mount Kadar Laboratory, Baird revealed to Delmont Walker that he had a plan to use the UIR's old secret space program to get the Hammer of Dawn back online and that he had an old UIR contact who could help them do it.[1]

A few weeks later, Baird transported Del and Kait Diaz to Vasgar where they met with Garron Paduk, now the leader of the Nomads. Paduk eventually revealed that he had been the one to lead the Mutiny at OZP-11. No longer as antagonistic towards the COG, Paduk agreed to guide Delta-One throughout their mission, although he remained pessimistic about their chances of success and he believed that launching the Hammer of Dawn satellites would only buy them some time against the Swarm.[1]

Joined by JD Fenix and Fahz Chutani, Delta made their way to the UIR Rocket Hangar where JACK was able to disable the base commander's virus and bring the hanger's systems back online. Discovering the UIR Rocket to be missing, Delta fought their way through the hanger, finding remains of the soldiers that had fought each other during the Pendulum Wars, before finally finding the main Assembly Chamber and the rocket's nose cone. Despite the efforts of the Swarm to stop them, Delta were able to attach the satellites to the nose cone and send it to the main hanger.[1]

Having finally located the missing rocket in the base's data, Paduk and Baird then directed Delta to the Train Turntable where the rocket was present on the Rocket Transport Train. After fighting off the defending Swarm forces, including multiple Scions and a Warden, Delta launched the train and raced back to the Bridge Control House just in time to drop the Train Bridge by destroying one of the clamps. The train successfully made it to the rocket hanger and Paduk revealed that the UIR's satellites worked off of a series of targeting beacons. As a result, Delta was sent to the Cosmonaut Training Facility to recover the beacons.[1]

At the facility, Delta was shocked to find the Lightmass Missile crater and to learn the extent of Paduk's forces attempt to launch the Hammer of Dawn satellites years before and the COGs role in stopping them. JACK was once again able to disable the base commander's virus and lifted the lockdown on the training facility. Delta fought through the facility which had a crashed Condor from a Windflare with mostly uncorrupted DeeBees, although there were also some Rejects present. Finally, in the facility's Centrifuge, Delta located the beacons along with the remains of Captain Rourke-Karel Tagger. After defeating the Swarm forces in the chamber, Delta recovered one of the beacons while Paduk sent a convoy to get the rest. Delta cleared the facility of the remaining Swarm forces in order to make it easier for Paduk's Nomads and were ordered to return to the Abandoned Airport with their beacon so that Baird could study it.[1]

After defending the airport against a Swarm attack and rescuing the Nomad Convoy, Delta returned to the rocket hanger where they attached the nose cone to the rocket despite Swarm interference. The train was then used to transport Delta and the rocket to the UIR Turntable Launch Tower where JACK raised the rocket into position, but accidentally activated the launch sequence too early. Attempting to escape in time before the launch, Delta was attacked by the Kraken and Swarm Flocks, but they managed to escape as the ignition of the rocket's engines burned the massive Swarm creature. Delta was then extracted by Paduk in KR Nine-Seven and escaped as the rocket launched, successfully sending the UIR's Hammer of Dawn satellites into outer space.[1]

When Delta returned to New Ephyra, Baird was able to determine that the mission was a success and that the Hammer of Dawn was back online.[1]

Locations[]

Gears 5 Vasgar region map

OZP-11 map

Behind the scenes[]

  • The cosmodrome resembled that of a real life Soviet/Russian spaceport that was known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
  • The term, OZP was likely a reference to OKB (Experimental design bureau). During the Cold War, the Soviet Union developed a number of OKBs to serve as technology development institutions particularly in the aerospace sector.

References[]

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