Ecologists

The Ecologists or scientists is the only government-sanctioned scientific group in the Zone, behind overseen by the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science. Their aim is to "understand the Zone through unbiased and as-close-to-source-as-possible scientific lens". They are also referred to as eggheads, due to their iconic protective suits having a round silhouette and is also the only pacifist faction in the Zone, with personnel actively avoiding even the smallest conflict that appear on their radars.

> Hey, wandering around all day digging up radioactive trash ain't gonna last you long, stalker. Here, take this advice: Get your glowing ass to the scientists' bunker in the Yantar area and grab yourself a couple... er... assignments. Trust me, you'll be a billionaire in no time.
>
> -A wise ass talking to a digger in the Garbage, 2012

## Ecologists

Fun fact: This is actually the pre-release patch for them! It's unknown why GSC decided to scrap it, but personally, a lot of people (including me) finds this patch interesting and more fitting than what the official games have.

## Overview

Consisting of scientists and professors of all levels from the universites and laboratories across the nation, the Ecologists specialize in researching the Zone's phenomena and "exploiting" it to create technology based on their research projects' results for the greater good of humanity as a whole. The Ecologists isn't just comprised of nationals, however. It's known that foreign nations such as Germany, UK and France have their scientific personnel deployed in the Zone as part of cooperation between Ukraine and the West in understanding the Zone more efficiently. One example of this is the presence of Dr. Juila LaCroix, a genetic specialist and Dr. Katyusha Belyakova, a chemical expert.

Ecologists are known to offer grand prices for artifacts, be it the most mundane and redundant one or the rarest of all. The same principle applies to the payment they put out for the jobs, more preferably called as *assignments*, they provide to stalkers alike. This makes them very attractive towards the eye of many factions, namely the Loners and mercenaries.

This faction is collective controlled and played by: Greyhound, First Mate Topol, Mito, Second Mate Smiley and formerly, This is panda.

## Background

The Ecologists was recently established back in 2011, with the deployment of the very first scientifc mobile bunker in Yantar marking their arrival to the Zone. Since then, they have been on a journey to research, analyze and give out explanations to certain Zone phenomenons, such as psy emissions and the birth of artifacts. Sometime later on May 2012, another bunker was deployed in the Jupiter region, bringing the count up to two bunkers in total. It's currently unknown if any other labs have also been dropped elsewhere in the Zone.

## Infrastructure

### Overview

Like most factions, the Ecologists do have a leader, referred to as **Chief Researcher**. The CR is responsible for overseeing all projects being conducted by authorized personnel and report the results to the MoE&S as well as publishing them to the international scientific press.

### Subgroups:

* **ISRIT - I**skra **S**cientific **R**esearch and **I**nvestigation **T**eam: Teams comprised of specialist, either from the Military, Ecologists or local stalkers. They are treated as member of the Ecologists and is issued with protective gear. The term "ISRIT" originated back in 2012, when the very first team was established in Jupiter, comprising of Topol and his group. Today, the term remains in use to refer to all commissioned teams, hence earning them all the nickname "**Iskras"**. Each *Iskra* is assigned with a unique name to distinguish themselves from other teams, such as ISRIT "**Signal"** and ISRIT "**Starling"**. Their assignment is, but not limited, to:
	1. Carry out field research.
	2. Collect samples.
	3. Sometimes, if needed, provide escort for Ecologists' VIPs.
	4. Sometimes, if needed, provide security for the bunkers.

Picture of the very first Iskra team to be established. 04/03/12.Patch
* **SENIT - Se**curity U**nit**s: Also, sometimes sarcastically referred to as "**SEND IT!"**, these units are made solely for the purpose of providing security for VIPs and cargos. Sometimes, a SENIT may accompany an ISRIT in an expedition that is deemed too dangerous. Affectionately, ISRIT "Owl" refer them as **the Protectors**. SENIT is strictly composed of selected Military personnel and mercenary groups.

### Notable characters:

* **Chief Researcher:** Professor Sakharov
* Technicians:
	1. Yantar: Peregrine - Military personnel
	2. Jupiter: Tokarev - Ecologist personnel
* Quartermaster/"That one drunkard": Chef - he's in Yantar.
* Others:
	1. Dr. LaCroix
	2. Dr. Belyakova
	3. Prof. Conscriptovich
	4. Prof. Nikola Milosevic, nicknamed "Yugoslav"
	5. Hatchet: head of security in Yantar
	6. Prof. Ësaul Somonviev (deceased)
	7. Prof. Olivia Leonova (deceased)
	8. Prof. Osiris

### Bunker's locations:

* Yantar lake, next to the entrance leading to the swamps in Agroprom
* Jupiter, about northwest of Yanov (if you're looking from the direction where Pilot is standing in **CoP**)

### Areas of interest:

Theoretically, the Ecologists has the entire Zone down to their notebooks. Every single area is of great interest, save for the CNPP of course. Because of this, teams frequently find themselves fighting against bandits, renegades, hostile merc groups or even stalkers.

## Diplomatic Relations and Manpower

*See;* Zone Politics and Factions' Infrastructure

## Equipment

### Overview

Since Ecologists aren't known to engage in firefights, and rather prefer to flee from the hostile area as quickly as they can, they don't carry much firepower other than perhaps a pistol for self-defense. However, there had and have been cases of these eggheads getting equipped with some actual rifles. It's more than obvious that they can't pull up many accurate shots, but hey... least the Ministry is somewhat caring about them... I guess...

### Equipment - eggheads:

#### Protective gear:

* A variety of gas masks, ranging from simple respirators to the highest military grade model such as the Avon C-50.
* Suits:
	1. SSP series: Also known as "**the redsuit**", this piece of scientific protective gear dates all the way back in 2011. Originally created for the purpose of exploration around the Zone, it's currently being slowly phased out for a more suitable replacement due to the fact that this piece of crap has literally no armor against bullets and rupture.
		1. SSP-99M: A "modernized" and expensive version of the redsuit. It's made with high quality materials and treated with a special lotion stated to be made from an artifact called the **Sea Urchin** [see *Find the artifact called Sea Urchin*]- owning to its' resemblance to a real-life sea urchin (underwater spiky boi). It possesses some actual protection against ballistics (NIJ Level IIIA), rupture and impact. Elemental protection remains the same, if not better. Due to the cost of producing a unit, this suit is only issued to senior field scientific personnel.
		2. The SSP-99 also features a range of different variants such as the *Ruby, Golden* or perhaps the most well-known of all, *Sapphire*. Whether these suits are official variants fielded by the Ecologists or just simple creations of some maniac that was later adopted by Sakharov himself since these suits proved to be useful for commercial purposes remain a topic of discussion today.

#### Means of self-defense:

* Option 1: "No... No! Get away from me! Get away from me! **Ah AH! Ahhh! GAH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"
		1. 9x18mm
			1. PM: Standard self-defense mean.
			2. Fort-12: Second standard self-defense mean.
		2. 9x19mm
			1. Glock family: "Austria produce quality arms as well as scientific personnel."
			2. Walther P99: "German engineering is truly one of the finest in the world."
		3. 45 ACP
			1. HK USP45: USP but chambered in 45 ACP. Truly, a versatile design.
	2. SMGs:
		1. HK MP5A3: The most common gun used by Ecologists' field researchers.
		2. PP-2000: Supplied by the Russian MoD for Russian scientists. Despite the recent events, Ukraine and Russia maintain a relatively healthy relationship in terms of scientific cooperation.

### Equipment - ISRIT and SENIT

Both of these are similarly armed: high quality armor and weapons. Since it would be redundant at some point, I decide to group the two of them into one category.

#### Protective gear:

##### Helmets and gas masks:

* Helmets:
	1. ACH-7EX
	2. Sphere series
	3. Altyn helmet
	4. Exohelm
* Gas masks:
	1. Retrofitted PBF: Acquired from the free stalkers.
		1. "No one prohibit us from using out-of-shelf products."
	2. PMK-2: Regularly supplied from the army.
	3. M40: Supplied by the Western scientific community.
	4. Avon M50: Supplied by the same group as above.
	5. GP-10

##### Body armor:

* Light;
	1. ISRIT body suit: Whoever say a pencil is mighter than a sword, *obviously never faced the utility-ness of the Sunrise*. This suit is essentially the Ecologists' Sunrise, with some extra steps. It's colored blue and features the Ecologists' patch on the hood instead of the legendary Radiation patch. The elemental protection has been vastly improved, so is ballistic protection (now it can actually stop bullets, *only* 9x18mm...). This suit is mainly issued to SENITs assigned to light-class expeditions.
* Medium:
	1. A combination of Military and Mercenary gears.
* Heavy:
	1. Same as above
	2. The exoskeleton: ISRITs and SENITs both uses the legacy version of the exoskeleton so as not to create misunderstanding. They just simply replace the Radiation patch with the Ecologists' patch.

#### Weapons

##### Primary firearms:

* SMGs:
	1. HK MP5A5: "German engineering."
		1. Extensively modded and modified. It's stated to be a ISRIT's operator' favorite. Usually modded w/a foregrip, laser module and reflex sight.
	2. OTs-02 "Kiparis": Soviet SMG from the late 1970s, intended from law enforcement agencies and security firms.
	3. HK UMP45: Usually comes w/a broomhandle and an EOTech holographic sight.
	4. SR-2M "Veresk" (in limited numbers - taken from Military's stocks): 9x21mm PDW/SMG from the Russian Federation. Essentially a modern PP-2000.
	5. Fort-224
	6. Steyr AUG Para 9mm (in limited numbers - sponsored by Austrian MoD): "AUG but 9mm. This platform is quite versatile."
* Shotguns:
	1. Izhmash Saiga-12K "Nerd": Essentially a Saiga-12K modifed with more reliability and a slight increase of firing rate. Has the Ecologists' distinctive two eagle wings logo at the end of the dust cover.
	2. Mossberg M590A1: America's most well-known and reliable pump-action design yet!
	3. Franchi SPAS-12 (in limited numbers): "It's a heavy bastard, but it does its' job well enough."
	4. KS-23M (in limited numbers - taken from Military's stocks): "Handheld artillery."
		1. AK-105: AK-74M carbine, essentially.
		2. AK-104: AK-103 carbine.
		3. Colt M4A1: Usually modded with a ton of gimmicks.
		4. Swiss Arms SG 552: Swiss design once again proven to be a well-built one.
		5. HK G36K
	2. Assault rifles:
		1. AK-101: Eastern M4.
		2. Colt M16A4: Latest (and last) variant of the M16 family, introduced back in 1997.
		3. Swiss Arms SG 550: "Swiss engineering is the second best in the world."
		4. Steyr AUG A3: Austrian assault rifle.
		5. HK G36: "Germans decided that the G11 was not worth their time anymore."
		6. HK 416A5: "Germans decided that the G36 isn't worth their time anymore."
	3. Battle rifles:
		1. FNH SCAR-H: Modernized FAL, but fires slower, resulting in a more controllable recoil.
	4. DMRs and Sniper rifles:
		1. HK G28: "We don't know how we got our hands in this, but frankly, who really bothers to answer that question?"
	5. Machine guns:
		1. RPK-74: "Once again, Kalashnikov has proven that his design can adapt to basically anything."
		2. RPK-74M (in limited numbers): "This is just a better version of our [RPK-74] squad automatic weapon. It's great!"
		3. FN USA M249: The legendary SAW of the bald eagle army. Servin' you since *Just Cause*!

##### Secondaries:

* Various pistols of choice. Usually, they are of Western origins such as SIG Sauer, GLOCK, or Beretta, though designs like the Makarov have been seen utilized as well.

## References

1. EN STALKER Wiki: *Ecologists*
2. EN STALKER Wiki: *Yantar lake*
3. EN STALKER Wiki: *Yanov/Jupite*r
4. EN STALKER Wiki: *Iskra Team*