Hi guys, I got into an amazing university and the cohort is only 20! It’s all very new and updated, all the 3 lectures are still practicing Paramedics and APs! I’m so happy, so excited!
I know they say you don’t need to know anything before you start but I’d like to (so please no hate on this, I’m very eager!). I work in A&E so I am aware of obs and stuff like that, but is there anything you would say just read up on?!
Also, what do you recommend I buy? E.g. stethoscope, shears(?), specific books etc…
EDIT: Also, what do you recommend taking on placements?
TIA😊

Build Help/Ready:

Have you read the sidebar and rules? (Please do)
Yes.
What is your intended use for this build? The more details the better.
My goal with the build for my new PC is to play the games I have on steam without hearing a very loud noise that the fan makes, on these recent times the sound started to annoy me when playing on my laptop. I want to be able to play games like Skyrim with mods (no graphic ones), DBXV2, .Hack//G.U. Last Recode, Digimon Masters Online, Mad Max, the metro games, Naruto games, Sunset Overdrive, and if possible The Witcher 3 and in the future Digimon World Next Order, Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal. I want to be able to play these and other games without hearing a turbine-like noise that the fan makes, I want one more quitter, and without feeling the heat that comes from the computer (laptop in my case right now).
If gaming, what kind of performance are you looking for?
Stable 30fps on the games I play; Low or medium settings, maybe higher if some requirements are met; I don’t care about RTX.
What is your budget (ballpark is okay)?
Around $180 per month.
In what country are you purchasing your parts?
México.
Post a draft of your potential build here (specific parts please). Consider formatting your parts list. Don't ask to be spoonfed a build (read the rules!).
PCPartPicker Part List

Type	Item	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 5500 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor	$95.00 @ Amazon México
CPU Cooler	Amazon México says that processor comes with one.	$0.00
Motherboard	MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard	$102.25 @ Amazon México
Memory	ADATA Memoria RAM DIMM XPG SPECTRIX D60G RGB 16GB DDR4 3200Mhz, Gris TUSTENO, Pequeño	$44.00 @ Amazon México
Storage	Kingston A400 960 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive	$55.40 @ Amazon México
Video Card	Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 6500 XT 4 GB Video Card	€176.06 @ Amazon México
Case	Cylon White RGB ATX	$65.45 @ Amazon México
Power Supply	EVGA 550 N1, 550W, 2 Year, Power Supply 100-N1-0550-L1	$62.88 @ Amazon México
	Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
	Total	$ 601.04
	Generated by PCPartPicker 2024-05-14 04:55 CEST

Provide any additional details you wish below.
Sorry for bad English and redaction in advance.
With this build I can manage to fulfil or almost do the goal I want of the fan not making too much noise?
The RAM and case on the list I put links for them from Amazon México because I could not find them on pcpartpicker, also the case I put on the list is just a filler for the format, I don’t want the RBG/lights on the case, I would prefer to use no case or get a simplecheaper one, I hope someone could recommend one like that. The RAM I have from amazon is only one module of 16gb just in case.
Most of the pieces are on little discounts right now on Amazon México, but starting tomorrow there is a week of sales so maybe the prices that I listed (that I converted from pesos to dollars) may be cheaper, but I could only buy few pieces per month because I have to use part of the money I get for different things.
The monitor I plan to get is a cheap one with HDMI, 30ghz/60ghz and the same size as the one my laptop has, but for a time I would just use the tv as a monitor while I save some money to buy it.
If possible, I would like to know if the MB has Bluetooth, because some of the things I use needs it, so I want to know this detail.
My plan is to keep the build for many years, because I don’t think I could afford something much more expensive.
I would love, if possible, to receive advice on which piece to buy first to start making this build. Also would like to know if I could somehow save some money on any of the pieces.
Thanks in advance for your opinions and have a good night.
EDIT: Fix.

Hi Guys, I have always had the dream of buying a High End Gaming PC since my childhood. I never had a PC since my 10th standard, and even back then it was a wooden PC. I have worked my ass off, for the last 6 years and patiently saved up 4.2 Lakhs to finally make it happen.
However, as I have never bought a Gaming PC before, I have no clue where to start. Having been lurked this subreddit from time to time for a while, I decided it's best to ask the community for help. Therefore, I will request all the IT experts, fellow gamers and anyone with adequate knowledge here on this subreddit, to help me out as much as possible.
I plan to use this PC mostly for Gaming, AI and Development and I want to buy the parts such that the whole setup lasts at least 7 - 10 years barring accidents or unfortunate events.
What will you be doing with this PC?
Gaming, Single / Multiplayer AAA Games at best resolution, learning AI, building Virtual Machines, Coding and Streaming.
What is your maximum budget?
4.2 Lakhs. Willing to go 4.5 Lakhs if the accessories are worth it. If I can do this in 3 - 3.5 Lakhs, its even better (Not counting the price for Gaming Chair and Table). Suggest me future upgrades too.
What, exactly, do you need included in the budget?
Full Gaming PC Setup (Includes UPS, Power Supply, Cooling Mechanisms, Motherboard, Keyboard, Mouse and all other hardware as well as software components to have the full setup ready), Speakers, Gaming Chair and Table.
Which state/city will you be purchasing the parts in?
I am currently posted at Bhubaneswar, Odisha and will be staying here for at least 2 years. Buying Online seems like the only choice here, but I don't want to get faulty parts or get scammed in any way. Please suggest me some trusted sites to purchase all the parts.
Will you be overclocking?
No, I don't understand it fully, but I don't want to overclock the PC as it might reduce the PC life.
Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build?
Minimum tech specs requirement: 2 TB SSD, 16 GB VRAM, 64 GB RAM, i7 Processor, Cooling accessories (not fully aware of these but liquid cooling as I heard that's the best? Not sure, please recommend!), 4 USB-A ports, 1 USB-C Port, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Support, HDMI, Audio Jack, Speakers and SD Card Reader. Please let me know what other slots might be useful to have, as I am sure I might have forgotten something.
Do you have any specific case preferences?
Not in Particular, I don't really like fancy showcases so I don't care if there is RGB or made out of Glass. I just want everything to be durable and the temperatures to be under sustainable levels at all times. If Coolers are necessary, then so be it, I will prefer them over Software and other upgrades.
Like I have mentioned this earlier, I want this build to last me a long time, hence my reason for dishing out so much into it.
I will be using it for up to 12 - 16 Hours everyday, so please, suggest me proper accessories to consider.
Also, if the build crosses the budget, I would still appreciate any inputs for future upgrades to this build, as I can purchase them later down the line.
Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget?
Yes. I want Windows 11, Office 365, WinZip and PDF readers at the very least as will also be used for work. Other software are welcome, I will eventually upgrade them, when i have more cash flow.
I want to thank all of you in advance. I will be checking up the post from time to time and shoot questions when confused.
I will also keep you updated on my purchase and will post a Setup Showcase, once everything is in place.
Cheers. Hope you all have a great day ahead.

I have gotten into manga the last two months and want more recommendations! I am currently looking to buy a full set of dorohedoro, as I’m trying to find that I thought I’d ask for some recommendations for what to read next? I have read Berserk, Vagabond, I am a hero, A lot of Dorohedoro. Stuff I have read small bits of would be fire punch, fool night, fist of the North Star, holy land and Akira. Please feel free to drop as many recommendations as you want!!! Much love<3

Hello and welcome to the Alter-Daily Help Thread! The purpose of the ADHT is to ask simple questions, troubleshoot routines, get quick recommendations, prevent the sub from being too cluttered, and to guide new users.

ADHT Rules: If questions or comments break the rules or are inappropriate, the report button is the fastest way for the mod team to see it and address the problems.

Build Me A Routine, /AsianBeauty! Please refrain from just stating a skin concern then expecting people to build a routine from scratch. It is important to do due diligence in understanding your skin type and needs. Learn more here in The New User Guide. You can also search the subreddit here.
Non-AB questions or comments. Having non-AB products in your routine is totally fine! Getting specific advice/recommendations is not allowed, though welcomed in our Daily Anything Goes thread. See our rules on non-AB here
Rude comments and snark. Fairly self explanatory but for more detail, check out our Posting Guidelines
When directing someone to the sidebar provide specific links. i.e. for someone asking about Allergies or Beginner Guides, link them to the specific subsections within AB University, rather than saying it’s in the sidebar.
Finally, a reminder that no one is obligated to answer your questions. If you have repeatedly asked the same question without a response, it may be best to review and see if it can be reworded or if the information is already in the thread or readily available in the sidebar materials.
Remember that all skincare is individual and Your Mileage May Vary with recommendations. We are enthusiasts, not doctors, and we cannot provide you with medical advice. Speak to a medical professional if your skin concerns are affecting your well-being.

When Posting

Where applicable, consider sharing with us the following so we can help you better (click Source below this post if you would like to copy the formatting)

• Skin Type
• Country/Climate I am in
• Top Skin Concern
• Current Routine/Products I am Using

AM * [product] * [product] * [product]
PM * [product] * [product] * [product]
I specifically [want help with/am looking for a product to/am curious about trying].

Other Helpful Links

• "Where to Buy" Spreadsheet is a community-aggregated resource of sites and stores our members buy from from around the world.
• Routine Order, Routine Order FAQ, Routine Order including Actives/Acids
• Expiration Date of Japanese Skincare/Beauty Products by u/marcelavy
• Sunscreen FAQ

2023-Specific

• 2023 Reformulated/Discontinued Japanese Sunscreens by u/marcelavy
• 2023 Korean Sunscreen Releases & Reformulations by u/royalsincognito
• 2023 Webshops' Delivery Times

This is long but please bear with me, Im desperate for help.
Okay so it’s been two weeks now, ive been wearing a clear plastic retainer at night (a little inconsistently at first because i got hesitant) that i got fitting from an orthodontist. I’ve noticed the past two days my gums have receded at least 2mm from my two front and the two next to them on one side. My teeth have also noticeably moved but I assume that’s because they weren’t straight in the first place.
I had braces when I was younger but i probably haven’t worn my retainer in 8 years with very little noticeable movement… until a few weeks ago. Two years ago I got my wisdom teeth removed and in the healing process I started mewing (dumb) and my four very back molars have started angling themselves out and up. I also have TMJD that has gone untreated my whole life. I also started smoking marijuana daily within the last few years, I’ve subsided mostly after this issue arose, definitely making sure to brush aftebefore retainer.
When I noticed some over lap and one side of my teeth was bending in toward the other, I became hyperfixated and distressed, making my clenching worse.
I booked with the same ortho I had as a kid and when they took a look they said my smile looked great and that they were actually impressed with how much my teeth haven’t moved without me wearing a retainer for so long.
At that point I was more concerned with the pressure and discomfort I was feeling as I started an anxious tick of pulling at my teeth. I explained to her my TMJD issues and she referred me to an oral surgeon as well as recommend I see my orthodontist for a night guard. She preceded to recommend I get scanned for a new retainer to wear in the meantime to make sure my teeth don’t move more than they have. She didn’t exactly explain when or how consistently to wear them though.
I picked them up a week later and since then my teeth have moved and shifted; yes, they are more parallel now side to side, but they’ve only matched the non-TMJD side with the TMJD side, all shifting forward, but the two front ones are bending inward. Now both sides of my jaw and face I am experiencing TMJD pain and strain rather than just the one sides. My bite is deeper and my teeth lock.
This was the least of my worries though as I knew I’d need oral surgery to treat myTMJD eventually when i can afford treatment. It wasn’t until I noticed my GUMS RECEDING of course of all things to make it worse. Specifically in the two top front and two teeth next to them on one side. I feel pinching in between my teeth in the front and there is redness associated.
I don’t know if it’s because my teeth are moving that much or if the retainer is too tight or even if it’s simply the angle of my mouth because of the TMJD bone deformation.
Do I keep wearing the retainer? If so, should I keep wearing them just at night? If it’s causing these negative side effects and discomfort can I just stop wearing it or is that risking it worsening? I don’t want to buy a whole new retainer when I haven’t had it a month. Also if anyone has any recommendations on relieving TMJD pain it would be so very welcomed.
Thank you so much, this issue and discomfort has greatly affected my day to day. I graduate uni this weekend but I almost didn’t because of the anxiety associated. I haven’t been able to sleep, barely eating, hyperfixing and getting stuck in multiple hour long spirals no matter what logic or reassurance I try to throw at myself, crying so hard I’ve dehydrated myself and have been suffering crippling migraines, and panic attacks that scare my loved ones - and myself.
This something that is affecting all aspects of my life and everyone in it. I also want to note that I have seeked out and started receiving therapy from a mental and emotional health professional to help. I just want some relief, I’m trying everything I can manage. Please and thank you for any and all help, I hope this connects with others.

This is long but please bear with me, Im desperate for help.
Okay so it’s been two weeks now, ive been wearing a clear plastic retainer at night (a little inconsistently at first because i got hesitant) that i got fitting from an orthodontist. I’ve noticed the past two days my gums have receded at least 2mm from my two front and the two next to them on one side. My teeth have also noticeably moved but I assume that’s because they weren’t straight in the first place.
I had braces when I was younger but i probably haven’t worn my retainer in 8 years with very little noticeable movement… until a few weeks ago. Two years ago I got my wisdom teeth removed and in the healing process I started mewing (dumb) and my four very back molars have started angling themselves out and up. I also have TMJD that has gone untreated my whole life. I also started smoking marijuana daily within the last few years, I’ve subsided mostly after this issue arose, definitely making sure to brush aftebefore retainer.
When I noticed some over lap and one side of my teeth was bending in toward the other, I became hyperfixated and distressed, making my clenching worse.
I booked with the same ortho I had as a kid and when they took a look they said my smile looked great and that they were actually impressed with how much my teeth haven’t moved without me wearing a retainer for so long.
At that point I was more concerned with the pressure and discomfort I was feeling as I started an anxious tick of pulling at my teeth. I explained to her my TMJD issues and she referred me to an oral surgeon as well as recommend I see my orthodontist for a night guard. She preceded to recommend I get scanned for a new retainer to wear in the meantime to make sure my teeth don’t move more than they have. She didn’t exactly explain when or how consistently to wear them though.
I picked them up a week later and since then my teeth have moved and shifted; yes, they are more parallel now side to side, but they’ve only matched the non-TMJD side with the TMJD side, all shifting forward, but the two front ones are bending inward. Now both sides of my jaw and face I am experiencing TMJD pain and strain rather than just the one sides. My bite is deeper and my teeth lock.
This was the least of my worries though as I knew I’d need oral surgery to treat myTMJD eventually when i can afford treatment. It wasn’t until I noticed my GUMS RECEDING of course of all things to make it worse. Specifically in the two top front and two teeth next to them on one side. I feel pinching in between my teeth in the front and there is redness associated.
I don’t know if it’s because my teeth are moving that much or if the retainer is too tight or even if it’s simply the angle of my mouth because of the TMJD bone deformation.
Do I keep wearing the retainer? If so, should I keep wearing them just at night? If it’s causing these negative side effects and discomfort can I just stop wearing it or is that risking it worsening? I don’t want to buy a whole new retainer when I haven’t had it a month. Also if anyone has any recommendations on relieving TMJD pain it would be so very welcomed.
Thank you so much, this issue and discomfort has greatly affected my day to day. I graduate uni this weekend but I almost didn’t because of the anxiety associated. I haven’t been able to sleep, barely eating, hyperfixing and getting stuck in multiple hour long spirals no matter what logic or reassurance I try to throw at myself, crying so hard I’ve dehydrated myself and have been suffering crippling migraines, and panic attacks that scare my loved ones - and myself.
This something that is affecting all aspects of my life and everyone in it. I also want to note that I have seeked out and started receiving therapy from a mental and emotional health professional to help. I just want some relief, I’m trying everything I can manage. Please and thank you for any and all help, I hope this connects with others.

Hi all
I've been an oculus consumer since the release of the 1st dev kit (DK1) back in 2013. Then a few years later I bought the Oculus rift and a few years after that bought a Quest and then made the upgrade to the Quest 2 when that launched.
Im feeling like a fool right now cause I have spent not only thousands of dollars on hardware but also software during my time.
Last week someone hacked my Facebook account while I was asleep. They managed to somehow get pass my 2FA, email and text security measures. In the hour or so they were in my account, Facebook noticed something was going on as whoever was in my account was doing it from overseas, I'm based in Australia.
Facebook has ended up deleting my account which in turn deleted my meta account thus washing away all the purchases I've ever made.
I have tried contacting meta to get my account back but they say I breached community guidelines (was not me it was the hacker) and cannot reinstate my account.
I'm so disappointed that it's come to this. The fact that everything had to be linked to one account and then suddenly destroyed while asleep. Thousands of dollars burned away.
While I walk away from this experience incredibly pissed off and sad, I will say that the oculus hardware was always amazing. Every headset I've used over the 10+ years from oculus have been life altering when consuming entertainment.
From now on I will no longer be buying anything from meta. I will continue to recommend it to friends and family with the harsh recommendation to make a separate meta account to avoid my outcome.
Another victim of not owning your digital library.

Hi all, my boyfriend is in phlebotomy training rn and is very anxious about practicing blood draws. I've volunteered myself as a pincushion for science, but we are very short on spending money right now. From what I've gathered his instructor gets expired kits from nearby hospitals... Is this something that I as a civilian could do? Just call local clinics and see if they have spares?
If not, any recommendations on inexpensive sources to buy from?
Thanks in advance!

I'm going to Iceland in 6 weeks. I will be trekking and camping and I know there will be high winds and a lot of rain.
I have several tents and my favorite is my cheapest - a Nature HIke 1P tent that has served me well. But... it's not great in high winds. And obviously not very light.
I am ready to invest in a better tent, and I've definitely been looking at the xmid tents. But... Hilleberg and Samaya have some tents I like too. I know this is an ultralight sub, but I'm kind of okay with carrying an extra pound if it means my tent doesn't collapse and stays dry in a puddle of water.
It's a lot of money to spend, and I'll spend it, but I want to know what I'm buying. Online information is limited. There don't seem to be many recent reddit posts either, so I thought I'd make a new post. Any thoughts? I appreciate all input!
Edit: it's going to be at least a week before I purchase anything, so please keep the recommendations coming. Thanks to all of the comments thus far, it's been helpful.

This is my first time buying crocs. I used to wear adidas adilette comfort slide. Can you recommend me which crocs should i choose for best comfort. I’m walking a lot like 10 thousands steps at least each day. I watch many youtube videos but most of those crocs reviewers on youtube don’t have enough details towards their review content like sneaker reviewers. Some of those youtube who review sneaker on youtube, don’t even review crocs.
Please give me some of your recommendations, cause i’m very confusing right now after watching all of those video reviewing crocs.
Thank you in advance.

Hi all! This is a rather comprehensive guide for newcomers to PC gaming to help understand the relevant technologies when it comes to docks, peripherals, external storage and monitors. This should help navigate the sometimes conflicting and confusing advice online and enable you to make buying decisions based on your personal needs.

Cables, Power Delivery and 30W Turbo

(More info regarding cables under Data Transfer - Cables)
Cables and Power Delivery
All USB C to C cables built to spec are capable of providing 20V@3A for a maximum of 60W. For any higher power output, there are different protocols and the Ally uses the Power Delivery (PD) protocol which is common for laptops - If you already have a laptop with USB C charging, check to see if its charger supports PD charging since you could use its charger with the Ally and vice versa.
The PD protocol requires a handshake where the power source, whether it be a charger or power bank, communicates its different capabilities (eg. 15V @ 3A = 45W, 20V @ 3.25A = 65W, 20V @ 5A = 100W, etc.) and the device communicates what it can safely receive over the USB cable. This communication requires an E marker chip built into the USB C cable which allows the power source to deliver up to 48V @ 5A = 240W, although it is more common to find the older 20V @5 A = 100W cables. The E marker is also what allows you to plug in a high output PD charger to charge much lower powered devices without frying any components since the charger will keep to a safe/low power output until the E marker communicates the capabilities on both ends.
The Ally uses the 20V @ 3.25A (65W) PD power profile and any USB C to C cable with an E marker should work for the Ally as long as your charger or power bank can deliver the aforementioned 20V @ 3.25A.
Note: Sometimes cables just aren't built to spec and cheaper cables might not work as intended or fail quickly. The E marker chip malfunctioning is a primary reason why your charger and cable combination might suddenly stop working as intended and not deliver the 65W to the Ally even if it did earlier - in most situations, it might just drop to 20V @ 3A (60W).
30W Turbo requirements
As far as the ROG Ally is concerned,

• If a 20V @ 3.25A PD profile (or higher) is powering the device, the device will allow up to 30W to the GPU.
• If the Ally can't draw at least 20V @ 3.25A, it'll max out at 25W to the GPU.
• USB A to C cables simply cannot provide the higher output PD wattages. Some USB A to C cables (OnePlus/Oppo ones for instance) use proprietary pin layouts to achieve higher power output up to 100W but these are proprietary implementations and won't work with the Ally.
• PD charging requires a USB C to C cable (or PD chargers with attached cables like the original charger)

How to enable 30W Turbo
If you're connecting the power source directly to the Ally, i.e. not using a hub:

• The original charger works flawlessly as well as any similar ones from reputable laptop brands (HP, Lenovo, etc.) that use PD and have the 20V @ 3.25A profile as well.
• If you're using a power bank or charger with a removable cable, make sure it supports the same PD profile as mentioned above and use a USB C to C cable with an E marker. Any cable with an E marker should reliably provide at least 100W since the minimum spec is 20V @ 5A.

If you're connecting the Ally through a dock/hub:
This is where things get interesting. Without getting very technical, USB specifications are set by the USB Implementers Forum (USB IF). For docks and hubs, the specification states that USB devices should be able to draw power at the port with max power draw specified. For USB 3 devices, this max power draw is 5V @ 900 mA (4.5W at the port) and for USB 2 devices, this max draw is 5V @ 500 mA (2.5W). This is why most docks and hubs have their own power requirement, around 15W usually but may vary, so that power is reserved for the USB ports. Depending on the device connected, this power draw can vary - a portable spinning hard disk drive will draw more power than a dongle for a wireless mouse for instance. Insufficient power to the ports can manifest in many ways such as USB devices disconnecting and reconnecting, HDMI intermittently disconnecting, etc.
I haven't been able to test this so please take this section with a grain of salt - docks that support 30W Turbo with the original charger don't seem to meet the official USB IF specs since the dock must be exposing the Ally to the 20V @ 3.25A PD profile without reserving any power to the USB ports. I haven't been able to confirm this myself as all the docks and hubs I use reserve around 15W for the ports and require at least 80W+ PD to allow the 30W Turbo mode. Based on my digging online, it seems like some people have no issues using these docks while others have reliability issues such as the ones I described earlier.
To summarise, enabling 30W Turbo mode reliably on the Ally when connected to a dock or hub requires (should require?) the following:

• A charger or power bank capable of 80W or higher PD profiles since the hub should ideally be reserving power for itself to prevent issues on the ports (usually around 15W but can vary).
• Like earlier, if you're using a removable cable with a charger or power bank, make sure to use a USB C to C cable with an E marker chip.
• Potential option if you have a 100W power bank that supports PD passthrough - in this scenario you can plug in your original ROG Ally charger to the power bank (65W input to the power bank) and then connect your dock to the power bank (up to 100W to the dock). I can confirm it works with this power bank: https://www.amazon.ca/imuto-26800mAh-Portable-Charger-Charging/dp/B0BC7NJHCW

If you don't care about playing on 30W Turbo mode,
As mentioned earlier, all USB C to C cables should be capable of at least 60W. Using a charger with any lower PD profiles such as a 45W charger will not cause any damage or harm, you might just lose battery even with a charger connected but that's about it. I often use my 25W phone charger or even Nintendo Switch charger - reliable chargers will not damage your device.

Data Transfer

General info
Mbps, MB/s, Gbps and GB/s - there's a difference.
You'll often see the terms Mbps or MB/s (alternatively Gbps or GB/s) used to refer to USB speed, storage speed, internet speeds, etc. but it's important to note the difference.
Mbps = Megabits per second, MB/s = Megabytes per second
Gbps = Gigabits per second, GB/s = Gigabytes per second
Data transfer is usually measured in Megabits per second, Mbps (or Gigabits per second, Gbps). Your internet speed is a great example of this. Files and any storage in general is measured as Megabytes or Gigabytes. To work out file transfers in Megabytes or Gigabytes per second use the following:
8 bits make up 1 byte and 1 Gigabit = 1000 Megabits. To keep things confusing, 1 Gigabyte = 1024 Megabytes.
If your internet service provider is providing a 1 Gigabit connection it works out to 1000/8= 125 Megabytes per second, i.e. a file that is 250 Megabytes will take 2 seconds to download. (Note: real speeds will always be lower due to network overhead, congestion, distance to servers and a bunch of other factors.)
A breakdown for the things most relevant to the ROG Ally:

• USB 2 ports, cables and devices max out at 480 Mbps, ie 480/8 = 60 Megabytes per second. These shouldn't be used for file transfer since they're slow but work great for peripherals such as keyboards, mice, webcams, wireless dongles, etc. These devices tend to use very little bandwidth and won't saturate a USB 2 port.
• USB 3.0 ports, cables and devices max out at 5 Gbps (5000 Mbps), ie. 5000/8 = 625 Megabytes per second. Ports on most docks max out at these speeds.
• USB 3.1 (also known as 3.1 Gen 2 because USB naming convention is a hot mess...) ports, cables and devices max out at 10 Gbps (10000 Mbps), ie. 10000/8 =1250 Megabytes per second.

The Ally's USB C port is USB 3.1 Gen 2 with DP Alt mode so the max transfer speed you can get from the Ally is 10 Gbps. Ideally you should look for docks and cables that are capable of 10 Gbps.

• USB 3.1 Gen 2x2: 20 Gbps, ie. 2500 Megabytes per second. Although the Ally can't achieve these speeds, you might find enclosures or portable SSD's operating at these speed at comparable prices to 10 Gbps ones when on sale. Just worth keeping an eye out for.
• USB 4/Thunderbolt: up to 40 Gbps, ie. 5000 Megabytes per second. if you have a device capable of USB 4/Thunderbolt I would recommend looking into a Thunderbolt dock/hub but otherwise they are overkill for the Ally since the dock will operate at lower speeds and some USB 4/TB features in the dock won't work at all. These hubs and cables require in depth certification making them very reliable but also very expensive.

Other notable mentions:

• A functioning SD card slot in the Ally (UHS-II): maxes out at 312 Megabytes per second
• LAN (1 gigabit): 125 Megabytes per second
• LAN (2.5 gigabit): 312.5 Megabytes per second
• WiFi 5: Typically 866Mbps, ie. 108.25 Megabytes per second
• WiFi 6 (80 Mhz channels): Typically 1201 Mbps, ie. 150.125 Megabytes per second
• WiFi 6 (160 Mhz channels): Typically 2402 Mbps, ie. 300.25 Megabytes per second

WiFi 5 and 6 speeds are theoretically MUCH higher but this is what most people can expect from their routers to their device - including crappy ISP provided routers.
For LAN and WiFI, these are the speeds you can expect on your local network and NOT the speed your ISP provides to the internet. Your local network is what you are using when you stream in home from a PC or console to the Ally using something like Steam Link or Sunshine. Or if you access storage on your network (NAS, Plex server, Jellyfin, etc.)
Real speeds will always be lower across the board when you account for any overhead such as the Windows File system, background tasks, network overhead etc.
Data Transfer - Cables
Make sure you're using a cable that can match the speed of the device, ie. if you're connecting a USB 3.0 device, make sure the cable also supports USB 3.0 at least. Similarly, you need to use a 10Gbps USB cable to achieve 10Gbps data transfer speeds. Using higher spec cables should always work reliably with lower spec devices too, such as using a 10Gbps cable with a USB 2 device will just operate at USB 2 speeds.
NOTE: A cable containing an E marker chip does not necessarily mean it can do video or even USB 3.0 file speeds. The E marker chip is unrelated to data transfer capabilities. In general, most 100W E marker cables only work at USB 2 speeds if used for file transfer, unless they explicitly state other capabilities.
I've personally had great reliability with 240W E marker cables though and it's been much easier to find reliable cables that provide 10Gbps data transfer, 4K 60Hz video output and any level of PD required all through one cable. I suspect the reliability mainly comes from the more stringent certification process required for 240W PD. These cables can be chonky though.
Can games run from an SD card, external hard drive, external SSD or USB flash drive?
Short answer, yes.
Longer answer, yes, but keep the following in mind:

• For most games, you will see a difference in terms of load times taking longer when running from external storage - the game performance should be identical though. Games which explicitly state they need internal SSDs can also work from removable storage but your mileage may vary. Forza Motorsport for instance throws a warning message upon launch but you can safely ignore it without issue.
• Some launchers work better with removable storage for games. Steam, Epic Games and Ubisoft have all worked great for me but games from XBox have had issues with updates breaking game files. Most launchers will allow you to select removable media for storage though.
• The Ally might not recognize games that are installed on removable storage if the storage isn't plugged in when you turn the Ally on. Basically, if you're not seeing a game you have installed, shut down the Ally, connect the storage device to the Ally directly or through a dock and then turn the Ally back on. The games should reappear and be playable.

My advice would be to install any game you intend to play only while the Ally is connected to a dock on external storage devices, otherwise install them internally. For instance, I only play Ace Combat when I'm connected to my TV so it made sense to install it on external storage that is always connected to my dock and TV.
External storage - What should I use?

• Cheap option - If you have an old laptop, PC or console that you no longer use, consider reusing the internal HDD or SSD from those devices in an enclosure. The form factor and connectors vary so make sure to buy the correct one. Spinning hard drives will be slower and depending on age, might not be the most reliable so keep that in mind.
• Using an M.2 SSD in a 10Gbps enclosure. I personally prefer this method since you can find M.2 SSDs frequently going on sale and it allows you to reuse the drive internally in a future PC build. If you don't want to go this route though, you can look into external SSDs from the likes of reliable brands like SanDisk, Samsung, Western Digital, etc. which offer comparable speeds to M.2 SSDs in an enclosure.
• USB/USB C flash drives (thumb drives) - I personally only recommend using flash drives to move data rather than for storing data but no harm if you want to install games on them.
• SD/Micro SD Cards - I wouldn't recommend buying one given the Ally's SD slot issues BUT if you already bought one or have any cards laying around, consider using an external card reader to plug into your dock/hub or to the Ally directly. Read/write speeds vary based on the card and reader but keep in mind that the Steam Deck runs games off its SD card slot (UHS I) which only has a max speed of 104 Megabytes per second.

What's the best keyboard, mouse, controller for the Ally?
This will entirely depend on you - There are three main ways to connect and each has its pros and cons. The way you personally see these pros and cons will help you pick.
Wired devices:
Pros - lowest latency in most cases, no need to recharge devices.
Cons - need a dock to connect more than one device and you'll need to manage cables.
Bluetooth:
Pros - cable free, no need for a dock to connect to your devices.
Cons - some latency, need recharging/batteries, connectivity issues are common.
Wireless dongles:
Pros - cable free, lower latency than Bluetooth and some devices have latency comparable to wired performance.
Cons - still need a dock if you require more than one dongle, dongles often use 2.4Ghz protocols and might have crazy interference with poorly shielded devices around them.
Some devices will offer more than one way to connect - I've found them ideal for the Ally.
My peripherals (not recommendations per se, rather my use case since all were bought for an existing work from home/gaming PC setup)
Keyboards:

• Keychron K4 (V2): 3 devices over Bluetooth or wired. The Bluetooth has always been slow to connect with any device so I use it wired with my gaming PC. Otherwise, excellent mechanical keyboard.
• MX Keys Mini: 3 devices total over Bluetooth or Logi Bolt dongle. Very little input latency with the dongle but I stick to Bluetooth personally for the convenience. Much smaller than the Keychron K4 too and quicker to connect on BT so my go to for the Ally.

Mice:

• Logi M720 Triathlon - 3 devices total over Bluetooth or Logi Unifying receiver - Works perfectly regardless of using Bluetooth or the dongle. My go to for the Ally on Bluetooth for the convenience.
• Surface Arc Mouse - 1 device, Bluetooth. Overpriced and uncomfortable to use for long periods of time but it folds flat so I use it if I'm travelling with my Ally.
• Logi G502 SE - 1 device, Wired. Often regarded as one of the best wired gaming mice. I've used it with my gaming PC for about 4 - 5 years and have no complaints.

Controller:

• XBox Controller - Wired, Bluetooth or XBox USB adapter - pretty standard. The AUX port on the controller works if you're using the XBox USB adapter which is great.
• 8BitDo SN30 Pro - Wired, bluetooth. I believe the newer version has hall effect sticks. Triggers aren't analogue though - they are buttons.
• GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro - Wired, Bluetooth or Dongle. Hall effect sticks and triggers, lots of customizability, haptic triggers (only on Bluetooth mode though), gyro support - my go to for the Ally.

Displays

HDMI vs DisplayPort
Like any data cable, HDMI and DisplayPort carry data but in the form of audio/video data. DisplayPort can carry more of this information based on the most common version available, ie. DisplayPort 1.4 which supports up to 32.4Gbps. The most common version for HDMI is 2.0 which supports up to 18Gbps.
DisplayPort is preferred for gaming PCs generally since they are better at communicating capabilities such as FreeSync capabilities, HDR capabilities, etc. which is why most monitors use DisplayPort, especially modern ones.

• For TVs - Use HDMI
• For Monitors - Use DisplayPort if your monitor and dock both support it

DP Alt mode and USB C monitors
The Ally along with numerous phones and laptops support video out over USB C using what is known as DisplayPort Alt Mode (DP Alt Mode). This only works over USB C to USB C.
Some newer monitors support this and can be driven by just one USB C to USB C cable. They might also provide USB PD power.
Portable monitors also use DP Alt Mode to work over USB C. For HDMI, they use a standard HDMI to mini HDM and you need to plug in power when using HDMI. I haven't come across a dock that supports DP-Alt mode on its USB C ports making it impossible to drive a portable monitor over USB C with a dock (HDMI obviously will still work.)
Thunderbolt hubs may have USB C ports which allow DP Alt mode but in my experience they downgrade these ports to only USB 3 (without DP ALT mode) when connected to something that isn't Thunderbolt.
I only have experience with the Arzopa A1C (1920x1080, 60hz, 15.6 inch display) but here is my takeaway:

• Decent picture quality - think iPad level screen, better than what I was expecting frankly and same resolution as the Ally so I don't even change my settings.
• It was not mentioned anywhere in the manual/online but this does 50W PD passthrough. I plug in my charger to the monitor and use a USB C cable from the Ally and everything else I use is wireless. Pretty portable.
• Has an aux port if you want to plug in headphones/speakers to it directly.

Common misconceptions for anyone used to console gaming or new to PC gaming
(Note: The section below is only relevant to native resolution output without any frame gen or upscaling such as RSR, FSR, AFMF, etc.)
I've seen numerous posts asking "will this __inch monitor work?". Your physical screen size does not matter. The pixel count does. A 24inch 4K 60hz monitor will be just as hard for the Ally to run as a 60inch 4k 60hz TV.
For the Ally at its native 1920x1080 resolution at 120 frames per second, the GPU has to render 2,073,600 pixels, 120 times per second.
When you connect your Ally to a 4K 60Hz TV and try to output at your TVs native resolution of 3840x2160, the Ally has to process 8,294,400 pixels, 60 times per second.
Essentially, you will never get the same performance hooked up to a 4K TV at native resolution compared to running a game at the Ally's native 1080p resolution.
The same goes if you're looking at 3440x1440, 2560x1440 or any resolution when considering a monitor. In terms of "will it work with the Ally?" The answer is always "yes it will work" since the Ally is a PC, but adjust your game settings or your resolution accordingly.
Simply put, the higher the resolution (and frame rate), the more pixels the GPU needs to render, the bigger the performance hit.
I can put together a detailed AMD Adrenaline and general game settings guide if there's interest.

Things to keep in mind while buying a dock or hub:

• Form factor - If you want to use it with other devices consider getting a different form factor than the standard dock shape (the classic Steam Deck and ROG Ally dock where it sits with a non removable right angled USB C connector).
• Will my case work with it? Personal example - I put a JSAUX case on my Ally and it doesn't fit in my dock anymore. The case has a stand though so still fully functional but just doesn't look as "clean".
• Should ideally reserve power for the USB ports to avoid random issues.
• Be capable of 65W passthrough after reserving power to the dock.
• USB ports speed - ideally you should aim for a dock or hub featuring 10Gbps ports to use the max bandwidth of the Ally's port. Most docks and hubs max out at 5 Gbps however which is also adequate.
• Monitor support - consider if you would prefer one with DisplayPort or HDMI - few will have both. If you're mostly connecting to TVs, HDMI will be fine. If you have a monitor with FreeSync, ideally look for a dock with DisplayPort.
• Multi monitor - If you want to connect to multiple displays, you need one with multiple outputs since you will not be able to daisy chain docks. Keep an eye out to avoid DisplayLink however. It is NOT the same as DisplayPort - it drives video over USB 3 (USB 2 even) but involves compression and some other proprietary work happening on the dock - absolute non issue for productivity/office work but just not for gaming with its own overhead.
• Consider one that has a removable cable to host - being able to use your own cable length can be great but just make sure it meets specifications (E marker, video and USB 3.0 at least for it to be usable with a dock and the Ally)
• LAN port speed - most cap out at 1 gigabit but you might come across some with 2.5 gigabit ports.
• Consider if having an SD card slot or M.2 enclosure built into the dock/hub is something that you need.

My thoughts on the docks/hubs I own
All of them work pretty identically and offer 4K HDR, 30W Turbo, etc. when connected to a 100W PD charger. The ports are all USB 3.0 so max speed of 5Gbps. I’ve mentioned anything of note

• Aceele - https://www.amazon.ca/Docking-Compatible-Ethernet-1000Mbps-Charging/dp/B0CF57SZY5 - Has an On/Off button on the front for HDMI which can be handy. Works with the Nintendo Switch too surprisingly.
  
• Dockteck - https://www.dockteck.com/collections/usb-c-hub/products/usb-c-hub-ethernet-hdmi-6-in-1-usb-c-to-4k-60hz - Some strain on the USB port due to the form factor.
  
• Lionwei - https://lionweitech.com/products/usb-c-docking-station-dual-4k-hdmi-8-in-1 - Separate USB 2.0 port, dual HDMI and a removable cable. The cable out of the box stopped working after a month but the hub itself works great.
  

Other handy accessories

• Jsaux 90 degree USB C to C adapter - they come in a 2 pack and can be used at the same time to form a 180 degree adapter - https://jsaux.com/products/90-degree-right-angle-usb-c-male-to-usb-c-female-adapter
• Pluggable USB C extension cable with multimeter - reliably extend any USB C cable and check power draw - https://plugable.com/en-ca/products/usbc-meter3-1mf

Thanks for reading and hope it helps!

For context, I post cool teams that I made using some underplayed path or tactic, and on the last one, Unorthodox Gameplay 3 : Monarchnesis, a fellow user u/Alexandergus (COME, SAY HI TO EVERYONE) asked me to build a team with not only Anamnesis, but Berserker Helion as well... And as the title says : ASK AND THOU SHALL RECEIVE
Sidenote: If there's too much text for your liking, dear reader, feel free to skip to the summary part down bellow ;)
So, with that out of the way, let's get to strats!

Occultist

I took inspiration on a setup that ShuffleFM (Darkest Dungeon youtuber,twitch streamer and really good reference) showcased on one of his teams. The concept is that you have a Virtuoso Jester using Encore on Occultist, which proceeds to Chaotic Offering on his bonus turn, generating an Unlimited Power Token(UP). After that, when the regular Occ turn rolls in, he gets the second UP because of the turn start effect, which he originally used to nuke someone with Warlock's Burning Stars turn 1; on my case is to perform Aspirant Anamnesis and open the first turn with a really strong cleave, I also run Burning Stars as an option for larger enemies like size 2s or bosses.

Jester

As for the Jester, since I'm basing my entire schtick on Encore, I'm also running Solo and Finale. That's because you can actually use the dazed in your favor and the cooldowns sync. EG: Encore turn 1 > gets dazed and pushed to last turn 2 action order > Solo > Forward 3> gets Speed token and Jester, specially Virtuoso is really fast > goes first on turn 3 > uses Finale > Back 3 and dazed >If encounter's still going, Encore and Repeat. I topped him with Inspiring Tune for Stress heal (literally the best in the game) and Razor's Wit for poke.

Helion

Now let's talk about Helion. She likes the cleave since it helps her kill rank 4 in 1 turn with Iron Swan, specially ordained and modified enemies like elite and sturdy, not only that but as she's Berserk and is at Rank 1, I run Bleed Out as a strong option after I dealed with the backline; Bleed Out doesn't even have a cooldown, it "just" grants you winded tokens, which means you can spam it to stack monstrous bleeds. I just did act 3 and had 18 bleeds on the last phase for 5 turns (I crited). Another synergy is that after you cast Burning Stars at a chonky target, it gets combo; Bleed Out on Berserker on a combo tarket has 63% BLEED PIERCING. It's basically guaranteed (unless you're using this on Warlord, this bastard has 100 base... He's a VERY good reason to not go overboard on bleeds; not only that but if your whole team wants to bleed someone, you'll end up fighting for the same trinkets). For the rest of her kit, I had Toe to Toe for Taunt, Rooted and movement, Adrenaline Rush for heals and Bloodlust for really long fights and as an alternative to remove Winded tokens that isn't dependent on Adrenaline Rush's health threshold AND grants 30% more damage against bleeding targets. With Jester Encore, you can mix a ton of good sequences, specially in later stages of the fight, granting Helion bonus actions, for example stacking Bleed Out faster, or clearing winded with Bloodlust/ Adrenaline Rush/Toe to Toe+ and then hitting again with Bleed Out.

Plague Doctor

And to stitch the team together, I chose Plague Doctor as the Rank 4 hero, but not any Plague Doctor; Physician. I managed to weld together Physician, Anamnesis and Bleed Out and it's ...GOOD? The thing with Physician is that, except for Magnesium Rain that has a cooldown of 3 turns, she doesn't have a damaging skill to use. Instead, her supportive capabilities are enhanced, and they're great with this team because she provides much needed utility with crowd control, corpse clearing, heals and offensive tokens.
Usefulness Utility listed bellow!

• Turn 1 she can use Emboldening Vapors on Occ to boost Anamnesis and Burning Stars, not only that but on this path this skill grants 2 Strenght Tokens instead of 1, with a cooldown of 1 turn or 0 when upgraded.
  
  • She can blind and daze the two backrow enemies wit Blinding Gas+ to delay their actions long enough so Helion and Occ can make quick work of Rank 4 before the target does something WHILE Rank 3 is Blinded!
  • Magnesium Rain is good for chip damage, dodge clearing and corpse removal(therefore, Bleed Out setup)
  • Heals are as great as ever!
  • Even Ounce of Prevention gets an honorable mention for better handling heavy DOT enemy comps and diseases, like creature dens and the Sprawl; and at this path even grants Stress Damage RES
  But one of the reasons I really liked Phys here is because the team can make full use of her Disorienting Blast, which not only has +20% Stun Piercing on upgrade with combo, but grants Vulnerable as well. A problem I had is that some key heavy hitting skills from the rest of the cast are heavelly reliant on position, like Leper's Chop hitting Ranks 1 and 2, PBS hitting 1, Pistol Shot not hitting 1; so it was kinda like a gamble most of the time. But Finale and Burning Stars hit ALL ranks REALLY HARD ; which means that it doesn't really matter where the enemy ends up, it's going to get CLAPPED. Helion also makes good use of it in later stages of the fight, where your Magnesium Rain is on cooldown and the enemy is standing at rank 2, where rank 1 is a corpse and rank 3 and 4 are cleared. You can try to fish it and grant vulnerable at the same time; it's good!
  

Maps

For regions, try to prioritize the Shroud, for the bleed trinkets for Helion and Ocultist and other trinkets for the Jester, like Seamen's Boots and Compass.
Defensive trinkets on Helion aren't bad either, since she's gonna eat 80% of the hits thrown at her, so Tangle isn't a bad choice. Burning Stars ignores Block and Blinding Gas can help by "dodging" some heavy hitting moves.
Sprawl can be okay because of burn trinkets that can up the usefulness of Mag. Rain and speedy trinkets for Jester
Foetor is the lowest priority map to go, literally no one wants blight buffing trinkets and you even risk getting your heroes sick; I'd go if the map mission grants a good reward but that's about it.

Lair Boss matchups

• You can wreck Levi, specially with a bit of scaling since Bleed Out+ gives good damage with 6 points of bleed; the hand has 24 hp and the bleed by itself deals 18. Burning Stars is a Nuke as well as Finale. BTW he has a trophy that DOUBLES BLEED CAUSED. Just saying
  
• Dababy can be dealt with by Helion using Toe to Toe to lock her on Rank 1, which halts the hungering shenanigans from others behind her; try to get Holy Water to get rid of hunger tokens on Helly so you can Toe to Toe again. Other than that just play as normal with the Encore > Chaotic Offering > Emboldening Vapors > Burning Stars setup, use D. Blast as well to try and get Dababy out of Rank 1.
  
• Librarian is okay, try to have a few throwable items on Jester to spend his dodge tokens and try to Encore > Solo > Finale him. Helion can eat the Blinds thanks to Toe to Toe.
  
• The General is the one I worry the most, he has a huge healthpool and only takes 1 action per turn, which makes DOT tick slowly and gives him plenty of time to stall and disrupt you with his stress inducing attacks, Waking Dead and, if you don't deal with the root, Nightmare. I'd avoid fighting him if my team didn't scale enough and I'd bring Cause of Death+ to speed things up.
  

Pets

They are pretty flexible on this team. I like the Rabbit here since everyone has trouble tanking hits, so the bonus HP goes a long way if you get it rolling(HMMM FLAPJACKS). Some good optins are: - The Tick to get the blood for guaranteed crit tokens and huge damage and bleeds - The Owl helps the debuffs from PD to stick and can provide good flow of Combat Items - The Pliskin can be good since the team is squishy and can use more sustain between fights - The Slime if you like running over debris and don't want to deal with negative tokens - This last one is highly experimental and I still have to test it, but it got to my attention that Larval Carrion Eater can be good as a Crit token Generator, specially since Anamnesis cleaves the whole party. On turn 2 you'd have only 1 UP at your turn which means you can either heal or Sac Stab something. If you have Stab+, you can use it on a corpse, kill it, generate another UP, heal 30%, gain a Block Token and a Crit token for next round, and on that round you'll have 3 UPs at your disposal to spend. This translates to 2 Anamnesis / Burning Stars casted on sequence, since you would spend 2 on this turn, and you would generate another one at the beginning of your next turn. Try this at your own courage and peril (and tell me the results later!)

Summary of the team:

Rank 4: Physician Plague Doctor
Emboldening Vapors Disorienting Blast Battlefield Medicine Blinding Gas* Magnesium Rain*
You can swap these with: Indiscriminate Science+ (heals without limited uses, good for Act 5), Ounce of Prevention for DOTS and disease prevention, Cause of Death+ if you want to nuke some large target that has a ton of bleed stacked into it, after Jester's Finale, you can use since he moves you into rank 3
Rank 3: Virtuoso Jester
Encore Solo Finale Inspiring Tune Razor's Wit
Rank 2: Aspirant Ocultist
Chaotic Offering Anamnesis Burning Stars Sacrificial Stab* Wyrd Reconstruction*
You can swap one of these with Binding Shadows if you're worried about shuffles, on Aspirant it moves you Forward 1 and can generate you a stack of UP
Rank 1 : Berserker* Helion
Iron Swan Toe to Toe Bleed Out Adrenaline Rush Bloodlust*
You can swap Bloodlust with: Raucous Revelry for a heal not dependant on limited uses, stress heal, and on upgrade, DBR Wicked Hack for better damage at rank 2 Breakthrough for Shuffles
As for the * on Berserker, is just that maybe it's a good idea changing the path depending on which act boss you're going against; the ones that came to mind are act 2 and 3. Vs act 2, Bleed Out gets absolutely no value so there's no reason to run Berserker, I'd recomend changing to Ravager for easier management of the lungs. You can also change to Carcass to better deal with high damage since apart from this path she doesn't generate blocks; I had her take every inn item I could buy to give her a better chance at survivability against the Focused Fault, but even then I got a few Deathblow checks; would recommend either running Cause of Death on PD with Berserker, or changing to Carcass to tank with Yawp. I'd also recommend not running Bloodlust if you're running Cause of Death on PD, since it clears all DOT for instant damage, making your turn go to waste, in this case just use Toe to Toe+ to get rid of Winded.
phew... this took a WHILE. Feel free to ask any questions about the team and tell me if you'd want some help with a specific path you'd like to play. ASK AND THOU SHALL RECEIVE
Heheh, have a good one! PS: I'm going straight to bed, but I'll try to answer you guys tomorrow. Good night!

Looking for a cheap gaming laptop to buy to play valorant with my gf, shes been into the game forever now and recently has wanted me to join with her. I tried playing it on my current laptop but it isnt good enough to run the game well enough to actually play it, if anyone has any good, cheaper recommendations for laptops to buy please lmk, thank you

I want to buy USDT worth ₹15,000 in India, but every P2P exchange is offering 1 USDT for ₹92-₹95, and every platform like onramp.money, Ramp, etc., is offering it for ₹90-₹92. I want to buy USDT at a price of ₹85-₹89. Please recommend any options in India.

My Pentair Prowler (PP) wont move around my pool. The blue light turns on and the PP moves for 10 seconds and then stops. Ive tried a new cord. No dice. Any ideas? This thing has been terrible. I am debating biting the bullet and buying a new pool cleaner.

1. If anyone has ideas on how to fix please let me know.
   
2. If you have another cleaner you would recommend then please let me know.
   

Blachowicz here.
Kept yah’ waiting, huh? Heh, sorry about that one, but I can explain. As we all know… we lost a few good men the last few months.
That’s the brutal part of a hybrid war like ours: We’re fighting a foe unconventional, with half our arsenal tied down because those who grant us authorization are either in disbelief of the true facts, or scared… or already assimilated. That being said our momentum recently was a change not seen in years, and because of that… despite the losses we have garnered, we were close through a breakthrough. One last night Krol pulls myself and other two must trusted squad leads into the back of our COP. There is one of our equipment cages, surrounded by m-bitter radios, tripods, and several hundred thousand dollars of equipment he brought us around a simple worn table. Before us he laid a map of eastern poland… red markings indicating cells that seemed to dot the countryside like a pestilence, or used to… as deep gashes of advance from raids had trisected their lines, even if ones did pop up in the interior.
It was a back and forth; an outside virus infecting Polska at it’s heart, and we were the antibodies sent to drive them out. To which… Major Krol points to one of the largest symbol on the map: a dark red diamond, the NATO symbol for an enemy unit, deep inside of an untouched wooded area, adjacent to a mountain ridge. Several jagged lines indicated entrenchment, with red horizontal lines indicating possible enemy control… or our contested control, for over 20kms surrounding it. Letting us all look, the Major lit himself a cigarette.
“Sir, you sure it’s wise to smoke in here with the dive tanks just behind us” 1st Squad’s lead quipped. “Fuck off” Krol dryly said.
“Alright… this is it… this is the one we’ve been searching for for years, this is the nucleus my predecessor commander died trying to find” he says, pointing to it. Not far from Zamosc, it was almost touching the border with Belarus, the contested area indicating the Strigoi did operate over it… indicating one of the largest spill through points. “-It’s an old soviet bunker, made during their 1960s initiative it was designed to hold the munitions and manpower of several units in the event of a NATO first strike” Krol explained. “It’s gotta be massive then…” I said gazing at the map; “Didn’t the army demolish all of the old soviet hulks near Belarus to prevent any infiltrations?” 3rd Squad’s lead asked. “National Police took the effort over… and by extension, the Strigoi. It was halfway demo’ed before they burrowed into it and have been using it as a bridgehead ever since. This is it…” Krol said. He looked around at all of us, a sense of certainty I had never seen before as he blew smoke from his nostrils; “We’ve been fucking around in the dark for so long, it’s hard to believe we’ve made any progress, but this is it. With this gone, this will set them back over a decade and the momentum will finally shift into our favor… into Poland’s… -Europe’s”.
I swear there was almost a flash of joy, of pride in his eyes and a phantom of a smirk before reality set back in “That being said… we can’t leave this to chance, especially not something as important as this. We’re going to have to go there ourselves… clear through every inch of that place, and tear it all down, piece by piece. I will be straight with you all… when we go, there will be some of us that aren’t coming back. -but we are going… a whole generation is counting on us, and unborn billions rely on us to succeed”. We all nodded, a silent agreement washing over us as we took this upon ourselves. Echo-1 spoke up: “So… They’re authorizing a raid? How big?”. “We’re rolling in as a hard target, armor, explosives, and air support” Krol answered, taking a drag off his cigarette. “Aviation? How the hell did we get that approved, we’ve gotten attempts shot down four times due to those leeches” I said in disbelief. “There’s too much evidence here pointing to the human trafficking tied to their actions… We’ve finally got too much weight pinning them down, to keep the hammer from slamming into their necks” Krol chuckled. He looked around “Any questions?”. “When?” Echo-3 asked. “Three hours. We’re hitting them in the dead of night, only time we could get the birds authorized. Get your boys ready. We’re rolling out” Krol said, dying the cigarette bud out on the table. I can’t begin to tell you the euphoria we felt leaving that cage, as our men started arriving, they did so a lot quicker, and with their heads a lot higher than they had in weeks. As Second Squad’s lead we were going to be one of the main arms of attack into the bunker, thus I made sure we had a breacher loaded with enough thermite, charges, and tools to cut through anything. Our shield bearer we ready to go, as was our assaulters, grenadiers, and machine gunner. I double checked each and everyone of their weapons; ensuring the feeder paws of our squad’s belt fed were intact, making sure every breach charge we had was properly set and packed. There was going to be no mistakes, no slip ups. The margin of error needed to be the smallest it had ever been for us tonight if we were going to make the gore spilt worth it.
Finally… there on the outside of the building, the bright LED lights kept the darkness of the ensuing night at bay as the roar of our MRAPs could be heard. It was said once that war is 99% peace, and 1% chaos, they were right. The slow periods where the blood slowed and the doubt creeped in was the worst… yet we all kept it at bay. We needed to, there was going to be no backing down tonight. All three squads were up, all of us ready to go… we circled up… short stares and shaky nods telling us one things: We were in this together, till the end… the finish line so many before us had been searching for, we were being granted tonight.
A single set of footsteps could be heard as we turned, Major Krol stepping into the center. He took the last drag of a cigarette, throwing it down to the ground and stamping it out onto the damp concrete. He looked around… his chin strap blowing in the weak air as he met everyone of our gazes… then mine… then looked around. “I want you to remember every detail of tonight, as you have every other night… when you are situationally aware, scanning for the enemy, liberating the subjugated, I want you to remember the sting of anxiety, the shake of adrenaline, the chill of the bunker, the heat of your weapon as it cuts them down… because tonight we are going to write every fine detail of our victory, their defeat, in history…” Krol’s words echoed deep into our souls. He paused for a moment, staring around he looked down… a small pause before he said “When you are ruthless in combat, remember to be patient, and reserved in victory. This conflict is for our existence… a lot of innocents have bled due to the mistakes of those who failed to listen, a lot of our brothers are now laid under because we had to bridge the gap of uncertainty with their lives. We remember them now… but in an hour? We forget them… when we raise our barrels, when we cut into those foes, and we liberate Polska!! This does not end tonight, but history puts everything in it’s place, and patience is the companion of the victor… All of our hard work will be cemented, no matter the obstacles we face in that darkness… no matter the demons, the blood, no matter what incomprehensible horrors, we will make them comprehend that to invade our land, to bleed our people, the justice will be paid in full… Load up. It’s time*”*.
The purpose in our steps was heavy as we climbed the back ramps of the MRAPS; Four of the heavily armored vehicles, one for each squad with an additional for attached personnel including our JTAC, the term means Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. With air support requisitioned to us for this operations, there needs to be a definite liaison on the ground who can directly communicate to the birds, and coordinate their fire and progress. I’d worked with many of them in the past, resourceful guys, quick thinking though I guess that comes with the position they hold of needing to quickly figure out what bombs to drop, on which target, at what precise points, whilst taking contact. He loaded in the lead vehicle with Major Krol… and soon, our convoy kicked off.
The drive was several hours as myself and my squad sat in the back of that forty ton goliath, the rumbling of the engine keeping us awake as the crap heater fought to keep the cold from the outside frost from setting in. I looked around to each of them, some were catching some sleep because even with the circumstances… better to get all the energy you can, than to stay awake for nothing. Others were checking their weapons… My gunner locked eyes with me, the same one from the village extraction… many of these men I had trained with for a while now, fought with for months.
We may have met on unconventional circumstances but those in JW Grom thrive on austere chance and create opportunity from scratch. I was pulled from my thought by the sound of a transmission, my peltors were set up for dual comms so I could both receive information from the Major and other leads, whilst communicating with my team.
Krol himself sent out: [“Approximately 10 minutes from enemy AO…”]. As the rest of the squads acknowledged, I quickly sent out [“Echo-2 Copies”], before kicking the boots of any of them sleeping: “Look alive, we’re here”. Through the exterior net armor of the MRAPS, and the bars protecting the small reinforced windows, we could barely see jack shit. I reached up, turning off the overhead light as we all looked through our nods to scan the outside. A dark wall of dense trees was shown before us, making it difficult to see… in addition to night vision capabilities we had also requisitioned ourselves some thermals… when mounted onto rifles they were bulky, made it a pain to aim down quickly, but considering the supernatural capabilities of spotting our foes we needed every advantage necessary.
I flipped out one of my tubes… scanning the outside with my scope. I looked over to one of my assaulters who had been assigned to man the turret of the MRAP, seated near the view screen as he controlled the 50. Cal. Each of the vehicle turrets had been assigned a direction to cover… we took the 9 o’clock, the left flank. “See anything?” I asked. He shook his head; “Negative… wait… I’ve got two cold signatures, front left heading to our rear”.
I quickly scanned the far tree line, at approximately 60 meters off our left were two cold signatures… followed by a third heading to our front… then another. They were surrounding us, moving at speeds so fast I could barely keep my reticle on them. Is this what the National Police saw? What they faced at that lodge without the benefit of a foot of heavy armor protecting them on all sides. Then… suddenly. Something slammed into the side of our MRAP so hard, it caused it to shake. From over the leader comms, Echo-3 quickly shouted [“Contact right!! 4 hostiles!!”].
One of the Strigoi… so bold, had charged and slammed into the side of our MRAP. I quickly looked to see the figure, a dark blue mass of cold energy through my thermal, back away without so much as a stagger… as they tried to flee into the woods, the white hot justice of Echo-3’s gun fired at them, cutting them down. “Blachowicz I’ve got a few breaking for our vic” my man on the turret called out, I spun around, spotting out the window.
Just then, Major Krol announced [“weapons free, watch and shoot for targets of opportunity…”]. I turned to him… “take those fuckers out-”. Without hesitation my vic’s turret began to quickly target them, and through the darkness I saw a stream of outgoing fire bisect one of them, the ISR of the black blood freaking out the optic so badly it didn’t know what temperature to register it as… but it did register it. As another was cut down, one broke through the tree line and latched onto the side of our MRAP. The thing tore at one of the outer net armor panels, usually made to stop RPGs. It grabbed at the bars near the windows, tearing one off… I lowered my rifle as we locked eyes through the reinforced window.
The thing… the Strigoi looked at me, skin cracked as putrefied muscle fibers seemed to leak through dead flesh. It’s teeth were corroded and worn down to sharp fragments, alongside newly mutated fangs that messily protrude from the jaws. Even through the thick walls of the MRAP I could hear it’s roar, as it then tried to punch it’s way through… it cracked the outer coating of the vehicle… but it wasn’t getting anywhere near. My machine gunner, seated next to me, seemed to chuckle at the sight, quippily saying “Yeah… fuck you too”. It’s then our vehicle lurched upwards, as we began to climb the small incline of the bunker. I knew the layout, mapped it in our head, the main entrance was built into the rocky side of an old cliff meaning we could easily set up a defensive perimeter around it, a horseshoe. Krol’s vehicle was first, taking to the right as Echo-3’s MRAP followed. My vehicle, third, left the incline and took a left and… that’s where things got complicated.
We’re still trying to work out what happened but… from what Joakim says his drone captured. Right when the MRAP turned, several of the monsters quickly slammed into the side of the vehicle, as another more bulkier one, pushed at it’s undercarriage. The result.. Was the 40 ton armored vehicle tipped over. It wasn’t uncommon, hell in some cases a well placed IED, a good shot with a recoilless rifle, have been known to tip over Oshkoshs and Maxpros all the time. But this beast? Needless to say we barely had a second to comprehend it as it leaned to the left; “Grab on to something-” is all I had time to shout. A mess of gear and men spilled onto one side of the vehicle as it slammed into the old gravel and dirt.
Several of my assaulters, my grenadier planted right ontop of myself and the others as we came to a stop. Someone’s knee slammed directly into the side of my skull, causing me to dazily bob in and out of consciousness as my face was smushed against the glass of one of the windows.
Through my peltors, the other squads were erratic;
[“Echo-2’s vehicle is down!!”].
[“Echo-3 to Echo-2… Echo-3 to Echo-2…”].
Krol’s voice came through the comms;
[“Echo-Lead to Echo-2… Fuc-... Echo-1 secure Echo 2’s flank, Echo-3”].
[“Echo-3 to other units, they’re spilling through, I’ve got several enemy combatants converging on Echo-2’s vehicle”].
I pushed the legs of my grenadier off my head as I fought to my hands and knees, unfucking my nods as I looked around… “Fuck it… we’re going lights on, shield your eyes” I muttered as I reached for the overhead lights and flipped them on. The bright LEDs bathed the inside of the vehicle as we all gained our bearings, a mess of multicam, gear, and weapons as we quickly pushed each other off. My gunner caught as he fought to realign his promask, from what I gathered one of the assaulters had landed directly into his gun, pushing it directly into his jugular, as pulled back at the rubber and coughed, freeing up his esophagus. We didn’t have time to think however… the sound of bending metal caught our attention… as the back ramp door of the MRAP was ripped clean off. I could barely believe it but as the white light of the MRAP’s interior poured to the outside, a hulking mass leaned in, the dead flesh on it’s face nearly fallen off as the hideous Strigoi leaned inside.
Without hesitation I aimed took aim, yelling “Keep to the deck!!” to any of those inbetween myself and the invader as I opened fire. A burst of full auto fire tore through it’s collar and neck, my men quickly clung to either sides of the fallen MRAP as a few more fired out. As the thing backed up, a blast of .50 cal fire quickly tore it to shreds, along with several others as I realized they were fuckin swarming over the outside of our vehicle. Echo-3’s vehicle continued to carefully fire on the Strigoi on the outside, the sounds of .50 cal ricocheting off the outside of our armor was enough to make the pucker factor set in.
[“Echo-3 to Echo-2”].
[“This is Echo-2, we’re green on ammo, equipment, men”].
[“Roger, we’re shifting fire, exit the vehicle”].
“Hurry up let’s go!!” I barked to my men, leading the way as I staggered out. I turned on my peq, taking aim at silhouettes in the brush as I began to fire. The sounds of machine guns lighting up the brush, as a sea of growls, howls, and incomprehensible roars fired back at us was the ambient noise of the night. My men quickly exited, my gunner being the last as he and I pulled back to the rest of the defensive perimeter. I set in my men to take up the frontal security, as 3rd squad took the right flank, 1st squad to the left. Major Krol and the JTAC were bickering with each other; “How far out are the birds”. “They’re entering airspace now…” Joakim said, already scanning his smart book.
I asked “What’ve we got?”. He then flipped through… to the NATO combined arms segment, quippily saying; “Apaches…”. This caused me to pause as Echo-3 turned their head whilst directing their squad’s fire “The hell… where did we get apaches from?”. “The Americans… they volunteered” Krol said dismissively as he took aim at the darkness, firing off a controlled trio. “Volunteered? They’re aware of what’s going on?” I asked.
Krol seemed to stop, glancing back at me before returning his focus “There’s a lot more going on than you realize, Blachowicz… Prep the breach, you and 1st are going on”.
I quickly pulled my breacher off the line, securing some thermite as the reinforced bunker door wasn’t going to go as easily as a conventional door breach would. 1st Squad pulled back, stacking up and preparing themselves to be the first in. All the while… Joakim gave his firing solution; “Alpha Hotel Two Five Nine, This is Bravo-4…… Type 2….”.
I snapped to my right, watching as a Strigoi managed to dark across the clear gravel field, only to be cut down by my gunner, the peq’s laser marking the burst as it tore through the beasts’ hips, as it hit the ground and still continued to claw, another GROM operator took aim and fired into it’s skull. Joakim popped up to his feet…. “Marking laser, high power…”. He then pulled out a target marking laser… if you’ve watched night operations, you’ve probably seen them.
The green laser than as it says on the label, marks targets. The pattern of which can vary… if it’s a point target, it’ll usually lasso an area, or remain on target until the target is removed with extreme prejudice. If its close air support, then it’ll be a line of the general area… and Joakim damn near marked the entire perimeter around us. He quickly pocketed the tool, turning back to Krol; “Don’t go past 20 meters unless you want to be liquidated”.
With that… 2nd and 1st stacked up at the door as 3rd squad took up the perimeter security. As Major Krol went over to Echo-1… I saw them. A single blinking IR strobe from the beasts as they moved on the far off horizon, converging from several angles… and fired. The sound of the Apache’s main gun, the M230, truly sounds like the hammer of god… the 30mm cannon shot through the dark sky, lighting it up as we saw three incoming streams tear up the woods. Only then as the sound broke did we start to hear their rotors as they broke and began to circle, firing again… then… Joakim dipped his head and looked to Krol; [“Foxtrot Mike, hang onto your teeth…”]. One of the Apaches fired off a AGM-114… a Hellfire. I barely saw it out of the corner of my eye as the Apache from our right flank fired off at a target approximately 200 meters off. A fireball lit up the forest as the horrendous roar echoed throughout… then went silent.
Echo-3 scanned the horizon carefully;
[“Echo-3 to Echo-Lead, enemy contact is starting to die down”].
[“Maintain perimeter, Close Air is to maintain fire mission until we are boots up, Break…”].
[“Echo-Lead to Echo-1, condition white has been met. Proceeds”]. I saw Echo-1 and his men quickly stack up close to the wall and gesture to me; Breaching. I quickly pulled my stack back against the wall as his and mine breacher quickly hit their actuators. Now under normal circumstances, it doesn’t take much for thermite to melt the locks off of a metal surface, in fact it’s a more precise took as alternative means get real medieval like saws, pry bars… we weren’t in the mood for precision, we need to breach their little lair, and drag them out. The sound of several pounds of hellfire burning through the metal could be heard around the corner as a sea of white and red sparks flew out… after several seconds, two of our men tossed a fragmentation grenade and a nine-bang through the opening… a series of concussive blasts and a large explosion rang out.
Echo-1 and his men maneuvered. 1st Squad quickly converged as we followed them in.
Stepping through the black wall of smoke, the dark abyss of the interior was illuminated in a white light as entered barrels raised. Shots rang out as several of the beasts near the entrance were cut down, though not immediately, rounds disconnected the shoulder of one of them, leading to their arm hanging limply by a single tendon as they roared… another series of rounds putting them down. What greeted us was a messy concrete hell of rust and debris, fecal matter, trash, and all kinds of obstacles laid in our way, our boots sticking to the floor. I thank every god we had promasks that night. I called my shield bearer up, 2nd squad leapfrogging ahead to take the next corridor as 1st squad checked their weapons.
One of my men mule kicked the metal door ahead, twice, finally the latch gave away as we tossed in a grenade. A horrifying roar was cut off as an M67 shook the walls of the ancient soviet mausoleum, frag and spall kicked off the walls as I moved in right behind my shield man. The cramped russian design meant there was barely enough space for three people, and that’s three normal people, not in 50kgs of kit, moving slowly and maneuvering against creatures of the dark. Still… we moved forward, my shield bearer and I pushing the pace as two stacked of either squad formed on either wall.
As we passed doorways they flowed in… “Door Left!!”, “Door Right!!”. “Move!!”.
Two men entered each side, no gunshots, we moved up, a roar came.
“Door left!!-”. A series of gunshots came out as we continued to push forward.
“Two down!!”. “Confirm them” Krol commanded, as a series of gunshots run out in response. From one of the doorways, a Strigoi emerged… a female… clumps of hair had been ripped from her decaying skull, as her blooded eyes locked on myself and my shieldman. The skin on her hands had been tore down to the point where barely her bones and tendons remain… looking like huge talons as she roared and lunged at us. He fired off his pistol, though the rounds did little to stop her as she pushed against our stack.
“Fuck!!” he muttered, somehow her strength caused him to stagnate, holding up the advance… fuck that. I shoved the muzzle of my MK18 into her ribcage, flipping the weapon to auto as I fired of round after round. The 5.56 salvo disconnecting her spinal column, causing her to fall as I continued to fire, along with a man to our right and left as the stacks reformed as we pushed to the end of the hall. I fell back, dropping the magazine and loading a fresh one, like clockwork a GROM Operator from 1st squad took my place. Krol was beside me as we approached the end of the hall.
[“-Prep an entry”] I radioed to my breacher, a comrade handed him one of the charges from his back panel as he took to the door, quickly securing it. We all moved as far back as we could, look away, exhale. The blast knocked metal and wood in all directions, scrapping against our uniforms and kit as we made our way in and what laid before us was… it used to be the center atrium of one of these bunkers. Soviet’s loved their grandiose designs, the complex was supposed to be a circular room around a central planning table… instead. It had been turned into some sort of church. Runes and old eastern Romuva pagan symbols written in black ink and blood across the walls, old rotten filing cabinets, long receipt terminals. In the center… several of the Strigoi were kneeling before the table where someone had been tied down, flayed, and… shared amongst the group. They rose to their feet, we aimed our barrels…
The ladder amongst turned to us… his skin wasn’t cracked, or flayed, it was smooth… it still looked dead as the body on the table but it seemed more… accustomed to it. I don’t know… evolved? Under the surface however I could see it’s darkened veins pumping whatever cursed blood ran through them as it locked two blood red eyes onto each of us. It’s nose had long since been turn off, exposing boney nostrils to the open air as it seemed to smirk. All across it’s body were the same symbols on the walls, in every cell… markings of death, of rebirth, of assimilation… From behind this seemingly Alpha emerges another figure I had never seemed before… dressed in a white cloak with a deer head.
"So they've followed the trail... they're too late" the Deer headed individual spoke, definitely not from here, a dialect similar to an Americans but... aristocratic? Each word was drawn out, assurance as if they had everything mapped down to our actions. They didn’t sound like they were from Poland or the east.
“Doesn’t matter…” the Alpha growled… and then, it lunged at us. Quickly breaking from their ground it slammed into my shield man knocking both him and myself at the ground as it displayed an intense feat of strength. Around us I could see several of the Strigoi leap at our comrades… though to no fruitful endeavor as I could see one GROM operator cut two down, as another got into a hand to hand confrontation… my breacher, crafty as they were, reached back and slammed one of the prybars of his kit into the skull of the beast.
The Alpha however was not content as it threw away the 90lb shield, sending it flying across the room as it grabbed my comrade by the skull. I quickly kicked up at it, firing my MK18 into it’s body as the rounds pierced it’s gray and rune covered flesh. The thing simply seemed to chuckle… that was until Major Krol blasted away at the side of it’s head, the alpha turned… and it’s smirk turned to a scowl when face to face with the major. A knowing pause almost like they had done this dance before…
The creature lunged, locking up with Major Krol as it swung and slammed railing. Krol didn’t back down however as he pushed against the creature, hiptossing it to the ground even as it tore at his armor and gear. But the beast pulled, both of them rolled and the Major was on his back as the thing reached for his neck. I fought to a kneel, firing into the creature messily with my MK18, trying not to hit my commander… then…
Click. A sound sends a chill up the spine of every warfighter during a firefight.
My gun ran dry. I dropped the magazine, looking to load another, but the thing came up and with one of it’s claws, sliced deep into my cheek, through the pro mask. I could feel my own blood go flying through the air as I landed hard on my back plate, spitting out red iron as I quickly tried to adjust my mask. Through my fogged up, blood covered lense… I saw my shield man raise his pistol, firing into the skull of the thing staggering it with a roar. Krol came from behind, drawing his knife he sunk it deep into the neck of it…. I reached for my rifle, forcing a new magazine in and damn near punching the bold release. ““Sir, down!!” I shouted, Krol rolled away, back to his own rifle as I fired. So did my comrade as he continued to fire his pistol… so did the Major as he fired his rifle. All of us chewing through that apex predator of darkness, that beast… the leader that had been preying on our people for so long. Layer by layer, muscle group by bone… eventually… the alpha landed on whatever was left of his back.
The silence of the fight died down as all of us checked our surroundings, GROM Operators putting controlled pairs in the heads and nerve stems of any Strigoi laying around… I flicked my weapon onto safe, letting it hang as I pulled off my mask. I dared not touch the wound on my face… the pain nearly crippling me if it wasn’t sheer will pushing me through, and adrenaline doing all it could to subdue it. The sound of the apaches continuing to lay hate drew us from our moment of contemplation as the Major went back to work; [“Confiscate any info, burn the rest…”]. He turned back to me as I shoved my damaged M50 mask back into it’s bag, chuckling as he looked at the sight; “You need a medevac, Blachowicz?” he quipped.
I shook my head, barely able to speak as I muttered; “Negative sir…”. The two of us scanned the room as my shield bearer went to collect his defense implement turned 90lb projectile, we scanned the center of the room, checking and confirming bodies, until we got to the last one alive. His white gown was soaked in red crimson and black ooze, as his dear head was mangled from bullet fire and impact from falling on it. I swear… the way his blood poured out of it though made me wonder if it was a mask. I gave it no second thoughts as he looked to Krol; “You… you can’t stop this, they’ve already-”.
The Major was in no mood for communication as his rifle snapped up and fired off three rounds to the body, four the head. The violent yet quick salvo ending the cultists life, I looked down at it, then to him as he remarked; “Have your squad drag him out to the front, burn the rest”. I stood alongside him, looking down as the sight of it’s deer head was both captivating and horrifying… the curiosity in me wanting to look closer at it fighting the primal instinct I had to burn the thing to ash. “-Haven’t seen one of those before…” I muttered, thinking the Major had an answer.
He didn’t. Krol saying “Neither have I…” shortly before he walked away, was what truly shook my soul about that entire night. Victory stood firm in our hearts that night as we stood outside of the bunker. The night sky burning with fire and white phosphorus as we watched the ruin burn from the inside from the other side of the lot. In the distance, the Apaches continued to scan and circle the forests, no longer firing…. Which meant they had driven any or turned to glass any enemy combatants within a four miles, probably both, more than likely the latter. Echo-1 patted me on the shoulder as we stood there, soaking it all in, though Krol looked none to pleased. “In the time it took us to take this one down, they’ll be trying to set up three more cells… that being established…” he said, looking to either of us, then to Echo-3. “-Hell of a thing we did tonight, been waiting for this one for a decade, cleanly, maybe more… but no time to rest on our laurels… we’ll have another task for us as soon as we’re boots down back home” he said, to which his eyes followed mine, the body of whatever cultist that was zipped up in a black body bag beside the wheel of one of the MRAPs. The fire from the bunker casting an orange hue over it’s shiny jet black outside, something didn’t sit right with me… “That wasn’t a Strigoi…” I said to Krol.
“That’s very clear…” the Major said, shoving his mask under his arm and lighting a cigarette. “So… someone’s helping them?” I asked. The meer notion of it shook me to my core, sickened me. This parasite was already badly infecting Europa, Polska… if it was spread like this throughout the world. Krol settled my nerves: “We’ll be ready… It’s not just us anymore”. As he said that, I realized what he meant… my eyes looking to the Apaches as they started to form up, leaving the areas as their thunderous propellers melted into the night’s calm, unnerving ambience.
It’s been a couple of weeks since then, Echo Detachment has been busy. We’ve gained good ground against the enemy and honestly I think in a few years, we might see a much larger change. For now… we must keep going, that being said the Strigoi aren’t the only ones we’ve been combating. Recently we’ve made contact with of some sort of extermination coalition, they’ve known about the Strigoi, and others plaguing the world, the level of corruption and corrosion on society goes deep. Regardless a lot of the units we’ve been working with are apart of NATO, such as this “4th Special Forces Group” of the American Military. I don’t know where the road from here leads, but we’ve gotten momentum on our side, finally. Just remember… these things are out there, in every town, every city, every nation… preying and waiting for you to be alone, vulnerable, so they can take you and replace you.
Watch your back, and stay safe.
For now, Blachowicz signing out. Until next time

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