Zhanna Pavlichenko

From Anno Astra:

Zhanna Pavlichenko

A captain in one of the Hegemony’s many Spetsialnoye nazhacheniye units, in command of a sniper platoon, Zhanna upholds the long-standing snayperskya tradition of her people. She is armed with a weapon designed specifically for long-range precision shooting: a sniper coilgun. It can fire a wide variety of ammunition, and can control the muzzle velocity of the projectiles launched. The sight has a built-in AI that takes into account observable phenomena, such as the behaviour of heat mirages, to determine local meteorological conditions such as wind strength and direction. Coupled with a laser rangefinder and the type of ammunition being used, the AI can automatically compensate for these variables in real-time. The weapon also features a built-in gyrostabilizer and can be broken down into several components for transport & storage. The armour is her personal preference (officers, especially those of elite units, are usually given more leeway in their choice of equipment), offering rigid protection to the arms & legs, and softer, more flexible & comfortable protection to the torso. Her appearance suggests that this was posed at a shooting range; there is a lack of dirt or local camouflage on her gear, the fleece-lined collar is nonstandard, and headgear with more substantial protection would have been issued for a combat mission.

Unlike the conscripts who comprised the overwhelming majority of enlisted troops in the Hegemony, officers and members of ‘elite’ units, being volunteers & long-term professionals, rarely had to undergo the various conditioning methods to compel loyalty & obedience. This was a significant point, as indoctrination methods used by the Hegemony had a tendency to inhibit individual thought and initiative, not a desirable trait for junior officers in unconventional combat situations.

*I really need to work on human flesh again, especially the hands...