Green Drone Armada

The **Green Drone Armada**, or GDA, is the main antagonist faction of 'Space Engineers: Colony Lost'. Led by a crazed leader known only as The Controller, they have no regard for sentient life, and will do whatever is required in their pursuit of knowledge. Above all else, the GDA sought and worshipped The Artifact, an old relic of unknown origin.

## History

### Origins

Most of the GDA's fleet is composed of GDA Destroyers, a modified version of the early Exile-class Destroyers that were stolen from the shipyards of the Royal Coalition of Spatial Protection. Other RCSP designs were used and modified, like the Falcon- and Mako-class fighters. They are also known to have a GDA Dreadnought, as well as a GDA Super-Dreadnought, as their main flagships.

It is unclear exactly who or what created the Green Drone leaders, or gave them their purpose and why. Their first appearance in the galaxy was on P3-X2, an desolate desert planet, so they may have originated there.

#### The Colony War

The Colony Survivors engaged in smaller skirmishes with GDA forces throughout 'Space Engineers: Colony Wars'. Ex-RWI Captain Jack Roberts and his Colonist Survivors first encountered the Controller on P3-X2 during their war with the DRF (Drone Reactionary Force). They breached an underground facility where they found The Controller, who drove them out with his drones. Later, GDA destroyers interrupted a standoff between two RWI Defender-class Frigates and two INIC ships, which were all destroyed, leaving only two survivors. Other RWI (Red Wood Industries) ships were also attacked, including the flagship of Admiral Markus, a black-ops starship called the RWI *Pegasus*, which crash-landed on Agaris and wasn't seen again until after the war.

Ultimately, the GDA attacked the Colonists’ base, Watchtower Station, drove them out and took it over. They also sent five destroyers to finish off the Colonist and DRF fleets, which had just fought their final battle against each other. In an effort to stop them, the Colonists and DRF teamed up, but all the DRF ships and all but one CSS ship were destroyed. The damaged CSS flagship, the *Vengeance*, jumped into hyperspace and crash-landed on Monus III, where the destructive capabilities of the GDA were truly shown. All over the galaxy, GDA ships and armies swiftly appeared and conquered planets with little opposition except from a few factions, like Red Wood Industries and Crazy North Logistics.

### The Green Drone War

#### Struggle for the Artifact

On Monus III, after the main battle had mostly died down, The Commander, leader of the GDA's military forces, found the Artifact after much searching. Before the Colonist Survivors and RWI could join together and take it from them, they secretly transferred it to Ravcor. Soon after, with the help of RWI reinforcements, Captain Jack and his crew successfully stole The Artifact, prompting a deadly chase. The GDA destroyed one of RWI’s key Daedalus-class Battleships, the RWI *Valiant*, above Demus, but the Artifact successfully escaped to RWI space.

#### Battle of Icarus

In retaliation, the GDA soon assaulted the capital world of Icarus, striking their orbital shipyards along with multiple city centers. Unbeknownst to RWI forces, the GDA used those attacks to cover their real intentions, which were to strike at the RWI Black Vault and take back The Artifact. The Commander used his Dreadnought to deal heavy damage to the opposing fleet and escaped to the GDA headquarters on P3-X2.

#### Battle of P3-X2

A few days later, RWI and CNL (later joined by remnant forces of RCSP) launched an invasion of P3-X2 in an attempt to steal the Artifact back. However, though the HQ and multiple key facilities were destroyed and the planet was abandoned, the Controller escaped with the Artifact aboard his colossal Super-Dreadnought. The Controller met up with a few remaining ships near a black hole, and shortly afterwards, he began charging the Artifact to unlock its true powers.

#### Battle of the Black Hole

In a last-ditch effort, a coalition of ships from Red Wood Industries, Crazy North Logistics, and the Royal Coalition of Spatial Protection launched a massive attack on the GDA fleet. Jack Roberts and his crew were able to board the Super-Dreadnought, killing The Commander and The Controller. After setting off explosives, the GDA Super-Dreadnought was destroyed, its remnants sucked into the black hole; the Artifact along with it. After this battle, the GDA were leaderless and their key to victory was lost, so the faction fell apart.

### Post-War

By a month after the battle, the last handful of GDA forces in RCSP territory were destroyed. Unbeknownst to the Dawnstar Salvage Corporation, who had set up a salvage operation on Monus III, a small remnant force of GDA ships, which included at least one Destroyer and several fighters and sentry drones, remained in hiding on the planet and secretly used it as a dumping ground for destroyed ships. An RWI task force led by Admiral Jack Roberts arrived to investigate the planet after the DSC was attacked by unknown forces, and they instead discovered the hidden GDA forces, leading to a conflict between them.