"The Merciful Doom (also known as the Dead Hand) is a weapon class fail-deadly military protocol of the Commonwealth. In case the leadership is ever removed from power, killed or incapacitated, the sytem will automatically fire a Nanite-based weapon system installed in automated turrets. These turrets hold the Merciful Doom weapons, which either directly release the nanites into the surroundings, or shoot a capsule filled with nanites at the target (which will be randomly picked from the area). This capsule can be of solid matter, or partially or entirely be made up by some kind of force field to withstand larger acceleration and possible countermeasures. Upon impact, the nanomachines begin transforming everything in their range into grey goo, a process which has been described as ecophagy."@en . . "The Merciful Doom (also known as the Dead Hand) is a weapon class fail-deadly military protocol of the Commonwealth. In case the leadership is ever removed from power, killed or incapacitated, the sytem will automatically fire a Nanite-based weapon system installed in automated turrets. These turrets hold the Merciful Doom weapons, which either directly release the nanites into the surroundings, or shoot a capsule filled with nanites at the target (which will be randomly picked from the area). This capsule can be of solid matter, or partially or entirely be made up by some kind of force field to withstand larger acceleration and possible countermeasures. Upon impact, the nanomachines begin transforming everything in their range into grey goo, a process which has been described as ecophagy. While smaller Merciful Doom weapons might leave a small group of soldiers as puddles of goo, larger amounts of nanites can easily decompose an entire city, and at a stretch, even devour the entire planet. In terms of the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Nanotechological and Temporal Weapons Treaty, Merciful Doom weapons are counters as both nanoweapons and biological weapons. Merciful Doom weapons appear anywhere in size, ranging from personal, Bazooka-sized Man-Portable MDs, or MANPOMEDs, over launchers the size of tank guns, to superweapons mounted on orbital weapons platforms or spaceships. \n* Random Kingdom III hints that Demons have inspired the construction of this system."@en . "Merciful Doom"@en . .