Hey, I have just enough to buy the siberian kit, and I am almost ranked up to warrant officer 2. Do you guys know if the upcoming sale on turrets during the iron days sale will affect the overall price of the kit? I am rather frugal, and I am looking to save as many crystals as I can.

Thanks for clarifying. Mine barely makes it, at 523 words. (though I still don't understand exactly what you mean when you say "unofficial limit" of 500 words)

I can't figure out how to upload an image

TNT, please clarify one of the rules. Is the word limit 500 or 525 words? The way that it is phrased in the rules section makes it somewhat unclear... Thanks, Lethal_Injection

Hello everyone, here is my entry. I hope you enjoy it! Excluding the title and this short foreword, my story is 523 words long. The Origin of Firebird An ancient army marched its way towards its ultimate goal: to find the end of the earth, and with it the promise of an unimaginable paradise and an eternal life. Many kingdoms had sent their armies in pursuit of this grand prize, but they all knew only one could claim it. Shrubs and grass had long since given way to barren rock and sun-scorched earth. There was not a sign of life of any kind. A jagged mountain range composed entirely of volcanoes, some spewing molten rock and ash, was visible on the horizon. Suddenly, the commander halted his mighty army; an excited murmur swept through the ragged troops. On the horizon, the distant silhouette of another army was faintly visible, a stark contrast against the barren land through which they marched. Silently, the commander signaled his lieutenants to move their columns into an attack formation. The armies approached each other and clashed. A thunderous noise erupted around the battlefield as war chariots raced across the desert, swords clanged, and spears were thrown. Occasionally, a lucky archer found a chink in his target’s armor, and he would fall without making a sound. Row after row of men marched to their deaths. The battle raged on, seemingly without end. Suddenly, a gigantic fissure opened in the ground below the soldier's feet. Some were swallowed by the gap immediately. A creature never before seen emerged from the gap. It was covered in scales, and it flew on its giant, leathery wings. It was a dragon, but nothing like the ones that the soldiers had heard about as children from their mothers. The dragon did not open its mouth, but as it gazed down upon the now trembling soldiers, it’s voice was heard clearly across the once-active battlefield. “HOW DARE YOU FIGHT IN THE SACRED REALM!” The creature proceeded to open its maw and produced a giant column of flame, directed right at the soldiers. Many were vaporized instantly. Others fell, screaming, as the flame had set their armor alight. Those who were not in the immediate vicinity of the flame scrambled. They ran, retracing the long march to the hell that they fought in. When they returned to their respective kingdoms, they told stories of the giant creature, burning everything in sight. The awed scribes and clergymen of the kingdoms took note of this, and the creature was worshipped as a deity from then on. Centuries have passed. The very concept of war has not changed, and it never will. Likewise, the legend of the dragon and the battle on that fateful day never died. It stayed with the people, embedded in nursery rhymes, and inscribed in the Ancient Books. As technology progressed it became every engineer’s dream to create a weapon that could mimic the legendary dragon. Finally, the efforts of the engineers began to bear fruit. Generations have passed, and now tanks ruled the battlefield. Technology was finally ready to be melded with mythology. Their creation was a turret that could scorch everything in its vicinity while setting its targets alight. It was a fearsome, awe-inspiring sight on the battlefield. Its name: Firebird.

What if in between the time that we find a person that matches a requirement and the time that you (Greyat) look at the link that we included, the player improves/gets a kill/etc. so that they no longer match the requirement.

You kidding? It's english that's the one to blow up in! Anyway, nice work. I laughed a ton.

DestroyerPdox, Thank you for your opinion. I'll admit myself that, as my first ever contest I though that this was going to be a loser. But, hey, with crystals at stake, why not give it a try? I also saw many other entries that, if I were judging, would probably easily beat my own. I value criticism, and I strive to incorporate past criticism into future works. Congratulations to all the other winners!

Here is my entry! Now where do you think you're going with that?

Here is my entry for this competition

joe123_Superman, I am very sorry, I did not check all the other entries before I came up with the Design a Hull idea. This was not plagiarism, it appears that we both independently came up with the idea. I have since changed my entry for the competition. I hope this resolves the problem. PM me if you would like to discuss this more. Sincerely, Lethal_Injection

I have removed this entry due to a misunderstanding.