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The Epsilon Army (or simply Epsilon) was a cult-like organization led by the psychic Yuri. Epsilon's origins lay with the PsiCorps, a division of psychic soldiers employed by Joseph Stalin during the Second Great War. Ostensibly, the PsiCorps used their psionic talents in service of Russia's imperialist ambitions, but secretly pursued their own agenda in the background. After the Lenininsk Cosmodrome incident, Yuri officially established the Epsilon Army, with PsiCorps as one of its divisions, in order to pursue their ultimate goal to unite the world under one mind.

The Epsilon Army consisted of two primary divisions: the founding PsiCorps division and the newer Epsilon Headquarters. Epsilon had also recruited the former African terrorist organization known as Scorpion Cell to its cause.

The Epsilon Army had an exotic and unique arsenal, which allowed them to stand toe-to-toe with powerful multinational militaries such as the Allied Nations or Soviet Union. Their arsenal reflects their unethical and sinister nature, employing insidious mind control, corrupting genetic weapons, and terrifying biochemical weapons.

The Epsilon Army is the renamed Yuri faction, one of the three original factions from Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge. In Mental Omega, the Yuri arsenal has been greatly expanded with new units and modifications to existing ones.

History[]

Second Great War[]

In the Second Great War, the psychic Yuri served as an advisor to Joseph Stalin and founded the PsiCorps to support Russia's expansion across Europe. In truth, Yuri used the Soviet Union as a tool to further his own research into the true nature of psychics. Before the PsiCorps could be deployed, however, the Allied Nations defeated the Soviet Union.

Post Second Great War[]

With the downfall of the Soviet Union, Yuri's plans were foiled and the psychic went into hiding. After the Americans placed Alexander Romanov as the puppet leader of Russia, Yuri and his PsiCorps re-emerged, this time serving as Premier Romanov's personal advisor, in order to manipulate the Soviets and further his own agenda.

Once more, Yuri persuaded the Soviet Union's premier with ambitions of world conquest. PsiCorps agents assisted in the rearming of Russia by carrying out black operations, but secretly worked against the Russians' interests when it suited them. For example, when the Russians sent a team to retrieve the corpse of the cyborg Volkov, PsiCorps sent their agents in attempt to sabotage the operation and prevent the revival of mind-control immune, cybernetic soldiers. This failed and the resurrection of cyborg technology would be a mistake that would later haunt the Epsilon.

Wary of the Allies' technological superiority, Yuri had advised the Soviets to wait until after the death of Albert Einstein to begin their invasion, as Einstein had contributed to the Allies' previous victory by providing potent chrono technology for their war effort.

Third Great War[]

On 7 March 1982, the Soviet Union again declared war on the Allied Nations. PsiCorps would carry out black operations, led by one infamous Proselyte, to sabotage the Allied war effort and support the Soviet advance. In the meantime, PsiCorps continued to pursue their own goals. They recruited the terrorist leader and genius inventor Rashidi to their cause, asking him to reverse-engineer mobile construction technology from a Russian Stalin's Fist (stolen by PsiCorps' agents) and build a new army for Yuri's cause.

This theft did not go unnoticed, as the Russians shut off many of their officers from the Soviet arsenal, including Yuri. Moreover, American resistance proved stronger than expected and destroyed Yuri's psychic beacon network, humiliating Yuri in front of the Soviet leadership and lowering his political influence. Therefore, PsiCorps agents were sent to steal failed Soviet prototypes and cast suspicion away from Yuri.

The PsiCorps would continue to steal technology for their own army, which led them to strike a deal with the Chinese. This deal allowed the PsiCorps to operate in occupied Japan, and thus, obtain valuable research from Kanegawa Industries. PsiCorps would immediately betray the Chinese by sabotaging the psychic beacon granted to China, which in turn, drew Russian suspicion on the PRC, but unfortunately, to Yuri as well.

The Russians were infuriated to discover a secret pact between the Chinese and Pacific Front, provoking a war between the Russians and Chinese over leadership of the Comintern. In one final attempt to restore his standing in the Kremlin, Yuri tasked his most trusted Proselyte to protect the last nuclear MIDAS warhead in the Russians' possession. This operation failed, forcing the PsiCorps to quietly defect from Russia and Yuri to remain in the shadows.

Although the war weakened Russia, PsiCorps feared the growing strength of the combined Chinese and Pacific Front forces. To keep the world divided and weakened, Scorpion Cell sent their assassin, Malver, to stage a false flag and splinter the alliance.

With the world in chaos, PsiCorps went into hiding to bide their time. Using stolen rockets from the Lenininsk Cosmodrome, the newly christened Epsilon Army fled to the Moon where they would prepare for the next war.

Interbellum[]

In the next two years, Epsilon greatly advanced their science and military. They established secret bases across the world from their outpost on the Moon, to Epsilon Headquarters in Antarctica, to underground research facilities in Afghanistan.

PsiCorps continued to influence the world in the background, preparing for Epsilon's re-emergence. For example, Epsilon Adepts assassinated a Chinese agent to maintain the illusion that the Russians still possessed a functioning MIDAS warhead and prevent a premature war between China and Russia.

Mental Omega War[]

In 1 September 1984, Epsilon launched a surprise attack on Soviet bases across the world. In a few brief moments, the entire Soviet leadership was decapitated and the Comintern was thrown into chaos.

Epsilon attempted to neutralize the Allies by deploying a psychic amplifier to seize their London Fortress. When this failed, Epsilon tasked Malver and their new superhuman commando, Rahn, to steal an old generation chronosphere and chronoshifted their Aerial Fortress Irkalla into London to level the city. However, the Epsilon did not foresee the creation of the Paradox Engine, a massive airship capable of freezing time, allowing Allied forces to decimate Epsilon forces without resistance and escape.

With the Paradox Engine wreaking havoc on Epsilon's Atlantic bases, Yuri was forced to deploy his trump card, the powerful psychic Libra. Unfortunately, Chinese forces detected Libra's transport shuttle and attempted to stop it but failed. To punish China's actions, Yuri deployed Libra to destroy the Kashmir research facility, assassinate the Chinese scientist Yunru, and deny China their technological advantage. However, the Epsilon were outplayed, as Yunru tampered with Libra's psychic suppressors, sending her into a killing frenzy and allowing the young scientist to escape.

Before going berserk, Libra was able to briefly read the mind of Yunru and Epsilon learned that Rashidi betrayed Yuri to align with Yunru. Moreover, the last MIDAS had actually been stolen by Scorpion Cell operatives and gifted to Yunru. In retaliation, the Epsilon invaded Bissau to crush the Scorpion Cell rebellion.

Epsilon returned their attention to the Paradox Engine, which was threatening their most important asset in Antarctica. To make matters worse, the Russians had successfully captured Epsilon's moonbase and could use its orbital capabilities to join the assault on Antarctica. Yuri chronoshifted to Moscow to distract the Russians, while entrusting the defense of the Mental Omega Device to Rahn, Libra, and the Proselyte.

During their invasion, the Allies captured and killed several "Sisters", female psychics linked to Libra in a "hive mind". The psychic backlash from the Sisters' deaths drove Libra into a psychotic rampage, driving her to slay the remaining Sisters. This unlocked Libra's true potential as the conduit for the Mental Omega Device, Yuri's ultimate weapon of global mind control.

Meanwhile, the Russians had broken through to Moscow and killed Yuri, but fortunately for the Epsilon, the Soviets remained oblivious to Yuri's ruse.

Epsilon forces led by the Proselyte, Rahn, and Libra relieved the garrison around the Mental Omega Device and broke the Allied siege. Libra used her psychic powers to disable the Paradox Engine, but inadvertently caused the airship to crash into the tower, damaging it. With the Paradox Engine rendered impotent, Epsilon's victory was assured. Libra took her place in the Mental Omega Device and channeled waves of psychic energy across the globe, uniting humanity into a hive mind subservient to the Epsilon cause.

The New World[]

In the aftermath of the Mental Omega War, the notion of free will largely vanished. The overwhelming majority of humanity fell to Epsilon's control. Although a few humans were naturally immune to mind control, attempts at organized resistance were futile. Epsilon used this time to regenerate their forces and advance their technology further. Unchallenged, the Epsilon were free to pursue Yuri's goal of understanding the fundamental nature of psychics.

Yuri's most trusted Proselyte, who was responsible for many of Epsilon's major victories, had ascended to the position of supreme leader of the new Epsilon empire.

Although Epsilon believed that they had achieved absolute victory, they were seemingly unaware of the survival of the Foehn Revolt, led by Yunru and Rashidi, who had faked his death at Bissau. The specter of chrono technology and cybernetics had finally come back to haunt the Epsilon, as the Revolt escaped the Mental Omega's influence through a time bubble, and secretly built an advanced, cybernetically augmented army to one day topple Epsilon's rule.

Technology level[]

Domination

The Epsilon's superweapon of mass destruction, the Domination.

The Epsilon Army often employed unusual technology, ranging from genetic mutation to advanced magnetic. Their weapons often displayed a blatant disregard for ethics, such as their use of biochemical weapons or mind control. Epsilon forces often preferred to outmaneuver, outnumber, or subvert their enemies.

Although the original PsiCorps was a small group, the Epsilon army had swelled to a massive, highly advanced, and capable force within only two years. Many of Epsilon's armaments owe thanks to the brilliance of the inventor Rashidi and Yuri.

  • Psychics: The signature technology of Epsilon, and particularly its PsiCorps division. Psychic abilities consisted of various supernatural powers derived from the human mind. They could be channeled by humans or emitted by machines such as the Psychic Tower.
    • Mind control: The ability to seize control of a victim's mind, causing them to follow one's orders. Applications of this technology included the Epsilon Adept, the Mastermind, the Psychic Beacon, and the Mental Omega Device.
    • Pyrokinesis: The ability to create and control fire with the mind. This was used by the Initiate, Marauder, Inferno Tower, and Antares Battery.
    • Telekinesis: Also known as psychokinesis, this refers to the ability to move objects with the mind. This was used by Libra, Malver, and Yuri. Telekinesis manifested in different forms. From creating molecule-thin blades, puppeteering victims, or projecting a kinetic barrier.
    • Telepathy: The ability to read the mind of a target and know their thoughts. This was used in the Vision support power, as well as various psychics such as Libra.
    • Prescience: The ability to predict the future. This ability was demonstrated by Yuri, though predictions were sometimes inaccurate and/or incomplete.
    • Psychic energy attacks: Raw psychic energy can be used as a directed energy weapon to decimate enemies. This application was seen in the Basilisk, Colossus, and Psychic Dominator.
    • Psychic blast: The ability to emit psychic waves that overwhelm the brains of enemies. This was employed by the Epsilon Adept and Epsilon Elite.
    • Draining: The ability to drain psychic energy from a victim and disperse that energy to heal allies. This was used by the Stalker's drain cannon.
  • Stealth technology: The Epsilon Chimera core turned infantry or vehicles invisible. It was a hybridization of Allied phase technology developed by Kanegawa Industries, as well as Epsilon's own psychic illusions. This technology was used in the Shadow Tank, Ghost Miner, Hazequad, and Malver. Epsilon Headquarters specialized in the use of this technology.
  • Magnetic technology: The manipulation of magnetic fields to repel or attract magnetic materials. This was used by Epsilon to immobilize enemy armor or as an offensive weapon to rip structures apart. This technology was applied by the Magnetron, Magnetic Beam, and Nautilus Magnetic Sub. PsiCorps specialized in this technology.
  • Anti-gravity technology: The manipulation of gravity fields. This was often used by PsiCorps forces. This technology was seen in the Marauder, Repulsor, and Gravitron.
  • Subterranean technology: The ability for vehicles to drill through the ground and travel beneath its surface. This technology seemed to have limitations, as certain types of ground were difficult to dig through, such as in the South Pole. This technology was seen in the Driller, Tyrant, and Wormqueen.
  • Chemical weapons: The signature weapon of Scorpion cell forces. Chemical weapons included a broad category of weapons based on chemical concoctions and mixtures.
    • Toxic weapons: Toxic weapons poisoned their targets, and upon death, its victims exploded violently, releasing toxic clouds that infected additional victims. This was used in the Bloatick, Dunerider, Stinger, and Virus, among others. The Scorpion Cell specialized in the use of toxic weapons.
    • Amnesia ray: An amnesia ray emitted a chemical concoction which caused its victims to "forget" how to use their weapons. Those afflicted would inadvertently spread the chemical to nearby allies. This was used by the Ruiner and War Rig.
  • Combat drugs: Refers to a broad category of combat stimulants and drugs, used to chemically augment the performance of Epsilon infantry and vehicles.
    • Regen Drugs / Wonder Drugs: A series of drugs which caused infantry to rapidly regenerate their wounds
    • Terminus: A sub-family of drugs consisting of "aerosol steroids, bio-augmentative chemicals, and hormones" used to augment the situational awareness, performance, and reflexes of its users. Terminus drugs came in different strains and was used in the Rage Inductor and Dybbuk-Seizer.
  • Genetic manipulation: Refers to a broad category of techniques, which artificially modified the genes of living creatures. The most notable technique was the Terranova virus, but other forms of modifications such as the Virus or Spook existed.
    • Terranova virus: The signature weapon of Epsilon Headquarters. The Terranova virus was the result of inhumane experiments conducted on prisoners on Alcatraz Island [1]. It had different strains, with every strain augmenting certain physical capabilities of its victim, but the effects on the victim's intelligence could vary from total degradation to superhuman improvements.
  • Cloning: Refers to Epsilon's ability to mass produce individuals that are genetically identical to a donor. Clones produced by Cloning Vats were as effective as the "original" as soldiers, but often had an inherent uncanniness or "soullessness" that unsettled Epsilons' own soldiers. Epsilon's cloning was highly productive and allowed them to overwhelm their enemies with sheer numbers.
  • Dissolver beams: As its name implies, dissolvers were capable of liquefying infantry and corrode armour. They were used by a variety of units such as the Invader, the Shadow Tank, and Aerial Fortress Irkalla.
  • Armor Rupturing Objects (AROs): AROs were anti-armour, reactive projectiles used to destroy enemy vehicles and aircraft. They could be launched from an Archer's high-tech bow or launched like conventional missiles, as seen in the Piranha and Salamander.
  • Advanced aeronautics and spaceflight: Epsilon aircraft were highly unorthodox, possessing UFO-like shapes and capabilities that subverted the typical expectations of aircraft design. Many of these aircraft could double as spacecraft and operate in environments such as the Moon. Epsilon aircraft included the unusual jets of the Dybbuk series, such as the Attacker and Seizer, as well as alien-looking vessels such as the Invader, Basilisk, and Salamander.
  • Robotics: Epsilon makes some use of rudimentary drones, most notably the Stinger and Hazequad.

Subfactions[]

PsiCorps[]

Main article: PsiCorps

As the first branch and main military wing of the Epsilon, the PsiCorps focuses on extensive mind control tactics through their Masterminds and Psychic Towers to throw their enemies into disarray, and all-terrain warfare with their Marauders, Magnetrons and their heroine Libra.

Scorpion Cell[]

Main article: Scorpion Cell

Being a terrorist group means the Scorpion Cell had to rely on improvised weapons and vehicles made from scrap such as Speeders and Tyrants, but they also employ extensive use of chemical weaponry to even up the odds in form of Plague Splatters and Oxidizers as well as stealing enemy vehicles with Hijackers.

Epsilon Headquarters[]

Main article: Epsilon Headquarters

Dedicated to safeguard the Epsilon's Antarctican stronghold, the Epsilon Headquarters focuses on stealth tactics by using Shadow Tanks to ambush enemies from unexpected places, as well as genetic mutation through their Stalker supersoldiers and hero Rahn, culminating with the massive Aerial Fortress Irkalla to ensure complete territorial control.

Trivia[]

  • Their name refers to the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet.
    • According to Speeder, this name was chosen because it contains "psi".
  • Their symbol is a congregation of three Hebrew alphabets, resh (ר), waw (ו), and yodh (י).
  • In version 3.0, the Epsilon possessed technologies such as chaos gas, infantry stun, plasma and railguns. These are now utilized by the Foehn Revolt since their debut in version 3.3, and the units/defenses that once used such technologies were given new armaments (such as the Railgun Tower, which is now replaced by the Inferno Tower), or a new purpose completely (such as the Dream Weaver, which is now called the Bloatick).

References[]

  1. Huehuecoyotl in-game briefing

External links[]

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