>>14373047
Zeonquest, Fuck Yeah!

We should zip back to our designated engineering team, make sure that Jol and Option have everything in hand, then go to the central engineering team to see what went wrong.

>>14373047

After a short while you spot an enemy scout and give chase. He's a wily opponent, but you're David Goddamn Lister and you soon dispatch him at the end of a merry chase. However you have ended up moving a little bit out of your patrol route.

The running battle with the enemy GM had actually taken you quite far. Certainly further than you had planned to patrol.

"We'd best be getting back, they're going to be worrying what happened to us." Zolomon states to you.

Your answer is cut off by a massive explosion to your right. Followed by several more secondary explosions.

"What the hell was that!?" Zolomon asks.

"It looks like it came from the central minelaying team. But what could have happened?"

"An engineering mistake? If they had unskilled people working with them..." Zolomon posits.

"Or worse, enemy action... think about it, if those Gundam are in the area, either one of them could have easily done that." you reply.

"Yeah, but those guys are as flashy as hell, no way would they be able to resist not plowing through the enemy instead of sneaking past..." Zolomon points out.

YOUR ORDERS?

>Ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball.
>But enough about my genetalia.

>Misspells "genitalia" at part 99
>This quest must be pretty sucky

IT'S GO TIME.

>>14373077
Go to investigate, put a lid on what the problem as fast as we can.

>>14373077
Go and investigate.
Be on the lookout for members of the 8497th.

>>14373077
Yeah, go investigate. The rest of the team should be fine without us for awhile.

On the downside we're not letting them know that we're not headed back to them right away. Hopefully they dont try to go investigates themselves.

>>14373094

Be fair, I'm on drugs right now. I'm amazed I can even spell at all.

>>14373097

With Zol with you, you opt to move out towards the scene of the explosion. As you get closer, you can see further secondary explosions. It might be simply space mines exploding sympathetically, or it could be signs of a battle.
You try raising anyone from the mid-section of the debris field on your radio.
As you expected however, all you get is static, the Minovsky particle density is still too high. Keeping to the cover provided, you reach what you think was the intial blast site without encountering either friend or foe.
The scene in front of you is not a pretty one. It seems that the cargoship loaded with mines exploded, taking the compliment that had not yet been deployed with it.
The blast has formed a clearing in the debris field, as well as sending several high moving fragments through the rest of the field, which is sure to cause problems for the other friendly engineering teams. On the severed bridge of the cargo ship floats past you, still aflame, burning on some internal airtank. There is no sign of life currently.

YOUR ORDERS?

Find our team. Nachtmaren comes first, then find other survivors. But keep out eyes out for feddie forces.

>>14373183
Check the bridge for survivors, just to be sure. If there's air, someone might still be alive.

Then we need to check for anyone from the 8497th company, any surviving engineers, or signs of the enemy.

Jol, Option, and Elaine are still with the engineering team we were assisting at the southern end of the debris field; we need to be sure there's no enemy forces here at this breach.

>>14373183
Begin a search of the area for Feddies and any friendly survivors.


Zol's binder for him beam lance(s) has given me a few ideas.
MS R&D Tech trees unlocked!

1)Zolomon Ringo Custom Beam lance binder upgrades
-Retractable cable to pull back thrown Beam lances
-Lance upgraded with Gundam Hammer style thrusters for added acceleration
-Wire guidance for thrusters & Half control system
-psycommu (Expect to wait a few years on this)

2) AMBAC capable Binders
-external fueltank with thrusters on a moveable armature
-MS-17D Galbaldi Delta

I've chosen to go with the shield from the Gyan Kreiger at the basic shape for the fuel tank as the weapons can be ripped out of it and replaced with the fuel tanks. If needed it can removed from its AMBAC arm once the fuel is expended to be used as a conventional shield.

>>14373269

A cursory look at the bridge and it seems almost impossible that someone could survive such a blast. You can investigate closer if you wish, but if there are any enemies out there, you would lose the cover provided by the debris field.

There doesn't seem to be any signs of either friendly or enemy activivty from where you are. However occaisional small explosions, as well as the fact that the whole area is still glowing with the high temperatures of the explosion so spotting the flare of thrusters is more difficult than it would be normally.

DO YOU WANT TO GET CLOSER TO THE BRIDGE?

>>14373351
Yes.
Also, it will allow David to act as bait, while Zol keeps an eye out for any enemies.

>>14373351
NO. Skirt around the edge of the current hot zone but staying just inside of it.

>>14373364
>>14373388

Which is it?

>>14373449
I know it looks like a trap, but should we really abandon any Zeon soldiers when we can avoid it?
Especially if we can draw out an enemy for Zol to pincushion with beam lances?

>>14373388

seconding

Looks like:
No = 2
Yes = 1

Guess we'll be going with Arty's plan.

Yay! I'm in time! I'd prefer we'd check. I wish there was a way to laser comm it, but the communications on that piece are probably slagged.

Why don't we have Zol scan for stuff and we look around? We have the luck anyways, he has the throwypowerofawesome.

>>14373516
3 for yes, 2 for no, actually.

No:
>>14373492
>>14373388

Yes:
>>14373548
>>14373487
>>14373364

>>14373492

You skirt around the rim of the clearing. Moving from cover to cover. There really is next to nothing left from the ship, you have to wonder how this happened.

As you move from cover to cover you encounter a friendly Rick-Dom unit. It appears to be operating alone, and you ask the mobile suit to identify itself.
He doesn't respond inititally, and then makes the signal for a broken radio tranceiver.

You can't see any other friendly units nearby, so he must have gotten seperated from the rest of his unit. If he's got battle damage, it's possible he's a survivor from what happened here and he might have the answers your looking for.
He moves towards you his hand outsretched, attempted to communicate via contact-comms, where the data link ports on his hands bridge a communications link with yours. Prior to decent Laser-Comm miniaturisation, it was the only real way to communicate in a Minovsky Zone.

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14373492
here

If we're checking for survivors on that bridge, doesn't that force us to STOP at the bridge? Which is in a brand spanking new CLEARING? And where would we put any survivors we found?

At least when we tried to flush out snipers by drawing fire we were constantly moving about.

>>14373585
Nuts. I was too slow.

Clasp hand with him? I don't expect feddies to know zeonic ms sign language, thinking that'd be one of the things we'd like to keep secret. . .

Getting food!

>>14373604
. . . Sometimes, I really don't think things through.

>>14373585
Clasp hands and make the data connection.
Keep our guard up, though. I don't trust the 8497th.

>>14373585

Accept his hand, but have our arm-mounted beam gun active and ready to slag his cockpit if he tries anything funny.

Mysterious explosion and a friendly with a non-functional radio? Suspicious.

>>14373630
Seconded.

>Getting food!

That's a good idea actually...

>>14373630
>>14373607

Warily but perfunctory you exchange communication handshake protocols with him. At last he's able to identify himself as Corporal Io Porte of the 3rd Heavy MS Company stationed on the topmost part of the debris field.

"After the explosion, my company sent me down to investigate. But on the way I got clipped by one of the flying chunks of debris the explosion had thrown out and lost my long range comms. I was just going to do a quick once over of the area and then report back to our mothership."

"Did you see anything interested?"

"Nothing, I noticed a squad of Rick-Dom's leaving the area, moving forwards, but I wasn't able to contact them and ask them what happened. I thought about pursuing, but that would have taken me too far off mission."

It seems that now that he's seen the general situation, he want's to return to his ship to get his comms repaired. From what his computer is telling yours, you might be able to fix the problem from here, but it would mean dismounting your mobile suit.

YOUR ORDERS?

Getting food. BRB

>>14373772

send him on his way after getting the last known vectors of those rick doms

I vote we find them and do some questioning. With beam weaponry if needed.

>>14373772
Were those Rick-Dom's moving forward to the Federation line?

Anyway, we should let the corporal get back to his unit, and we should sweep for any surviving engineers.

This might actually work in our favor, though. With the central corridor of the field cleared of mines, the Federation will be sure to attempt to break through here. But if we are able to bring a second engineering team to mine it, we could ambush the Federation ships as they attempt to navigate the field.

>>14373772
>you might be able to fix the problem from here, but it would mean dismounting your mobile suit.

Remember the last time we did that?
Send him on his way, let's pursue those Rick Doms.

>>14373862

not to mention the sheer amount of brain cells it would kill to dismount in a combat situation.

>>14373817
>>14373804

God I love mongolian pork and Tea Duck. It's so wonderful.

I'm with these guys- there's something fishy going on in my mind- it might be that they're counterattacking instead of holding position after their assault though. Either way, is it worth getting even FARTHER from our original position a la hawaii to check it out? Perhaps double agent rick doms coming up?

>>14373862
What happened last time we dismounted to repair gubbins?

>>14373891
We got back to the base late and the Hildolfer pilot died. And I think a Zaku 1 as well.

>>14373891

It took 15 minutes to repair, and we arrived 10 or 15 minutes too late to save friendly forces, irc

>>14373308
Galbaldi with fueltank/thruster binders.

Feels like if Zeon had kept going for another year we'd seen some seriously accelerated development of 0083-0087/early Zeta tech at least.
If we can manage to keep Zeon from becoming the worthless Republic of Zeon puppet, maybe we still can.

Especially in this crazy alt-verse with even more accelerated development. Galbaldy, Hizacks, Hi-Mo Zaku II Kai, Marasai-likes, Rick Dom II upgrades, Rick Dias etc.

The feds would be getting GM IIs and GM Customs early, maybe even Nemos (or whatever they are called in this alt-verse).

And oh, yeah, dont dismount. Something is fishy and we should look around/towards the most likely route the enemy could be taking in and out of the field.

>>14374174

Oh god Arty. That looks... ugh.

...it'd still fit in with the axis stuff from Double-Zeta though.

>>14373804
>>14373817

You order the Rick Dom to make it's way back for repairs after you exchange data on this Rick-Dom unit he spotted.

The telemetry data reveals nothing unusual. Unfortunately the IFF reader of Io's Rick Dom was damaged as well and was unable to gain any further data that way. The unit markings on them are pretty basic, a company number of 8472 and little else. The units appear fresh, so it's possible they're the heavy company from Blue Battallion but you weren't aware of that company deploying any squads this far forwards.

You check your tactical map. Sure enough there is a third Heavy MS Company labelled 8472 there in the middle of the debris field. But you can't find any more data on the unit on the tactical map. From what you can tell it was added by the 119th Heavy MS Company about 45 minutes ago as a note on the tactical map.

It's a little suspicious, but this formation was put together from a mishmash of units from Solomon, so it wouldn't be strange for the tactical computer to be missing units here and there.
Hmmm.

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14374404
Tail the 8472nd and see where they were going.

>>14374404
I'm not buying it. Anyone else want to go check them out, or shall we hold position here, or retreat to our original location?

This definitely smells like there's impostors out there or infiltrators.

>>14374404
>8472

I see what you did there.

Anyways, this new unit is suspicious as hell. I think we should go investigate. Is there any way to contact the rest of our squad or Nell? It'd be nice to have some backup on this.

>>14374496

What's up with the number 8472? Also! Does Gihren have access to the Rick-Doms, and how long have they been in service for?

>>14374463

They're direction of travel put them heading towards the federation lines at a sedate pace. Obviosuly, the tactical map wont update whilst your in the debris field so you have no idea if they've been seen since then.

They have about a three minutes head start.

You tell Zolomon that you're going to investigate this possible lead.

"Do you think we should check in with the rest of the team first boss?" he asks.

YOUR ORDERS?

Let's avoid making this into another Hawaii by focusing too much on one of our suspicions, How would the feddies even have a Rick Dom for this occation?

Still, maybe it would be wise to fake letting him go and then have someone shadow him while the rest have a look around for hidden enemies. Can't believe that one suit could do much on its own, even scouting due to all the shit flying around.

>>14374517
Jol, Elaine, and Option are defending the third engineering crew. Also, Nell was 5 minutes behind, and Rance another 25 behind her. They can buy us enough time to investigate the 8472nd.

>>14374519
No, the suspicion is not on the Corporal in the Rick-Dom. It's on the 8472nd Company of Rick-Doms that were supposed to be defending the central engineering crew, and who are now making their way to Federation lines.

Wait, 4 Rick Doms that would be what, Gihren loyalists, defectors or actually Federation infiltrators slowly making their way back to their own lines... because?

To have a little meeting? Report that they just destroyed the middle minelayer?

Uh, guess we should try to shadow them, unless we got something better to do with our time.

It would be pretty funny if Gihren has already struck a deal with the Feddies and hung us out to dry in return for peace & keeping power at Side 3.

Hmm yes, that would be a pretty good twist and set-up for the next quest.

Could be that the 8472nd is a load of deserters/defectors who aren't looking forward to the oncoming battle. They slagged the minelayers, thought the other Rick was down due to his Comms being offline, and left to tell the feddies the front door is open and could they please accept some dudes into the federation?

Perhaps send Zol back with news, then we scout ahead?

>>14374582
Motherfucking no it wouldn't. Hahaha.

>>14374582
That's kind of what I was thinking myself. I asked up in >>14374508 whether or not Gihren might have access to these guys or if they've been around long enough it's feasible that the Feds might have grabbed some for themselves to use as infiltrators.

Then again, could the feds know that Gihren was the one who tried to nuke Odessa as well as using the Jupiter Ghost? Or would he blame the Legitimacy for that? Would they side with Gihren to take us down even after he'd tried to nuke us all?

Doesn't have to be the "good" part of the Federation that has struck a deal, we got guys like ol Yamatov and Bask Om around right now too. No end to currupt fucks or idealists who doesn't want to throw away a 100 ships (oh no my taxes ;_;) against all the shit Gihren got ready for them by now.

Still, the defector theory sounds more likely.

>>14374582

If that's the case, Revil would flip shit. He is already established to think Ghiren is an evil bastard, and has some respect for the legitimacy forces.

Jamitov, however...

Either way, whether these are Ghiren Loyalists who want to see the Legitimacy crushed, to a Federation infiltrator team using captured Rick-Doms, we need to follow the 8472nd.
Even if it turns out that they're loyal, they'd be out of place to stage any necessary ambushes against the Federation attempting to take advantage of this hole in the mine field, and we need to tell them to fall back.

>>14374732

So follow the Rick Dom unit?

>>14374773
I think that's the consensus.

>>14374810

You tell Zolomon that you reckon that Jolyne can handle it for now, and you both push on towards the federation lines. If they've kept a consistent pace, you should be able to catch up with the 8472 company fairly quickly. Before they get to the end of the debris field most likely.

As you move forwards through the debris field, you take stock of the general battlefield. Whilst you don't have an omnipresent tactical map to fall back on, using the trusty Mk1 Eyeball, it doesn't seem that the Federation are moving to attack to try and prevent you from digging in, even though last reports had them launching their Mobile Suits.
It reminds you of Odessa, right before Revil did his magic flying mobile suit battalion trick. You resolve to be on your guard.

You catch sight of movement up ahead. It's a trio of Rick Dom's up ahead, you can't catch their unit markings, but the only unit supposedly stationed here would be the 8472nd Company. They're moving slowly, as to minimise their thruster flare, and reduce their chance of being detected.
Unless you happen to be looking for them.

They don't appear to have seen you as of yet.

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14374949
Come up behind and above them. Stay out of sight, but keep our beam rifle trained on them.

If they try to "go for it" after leaving the debris field, gun them down.

Otherwise I'm a bit curious what they are up to. Excellent opportunity for some intelligence gathering.

>>14374949
I'm thinking one of us goes to talk to them while the other stays close, but hidden, so if things go south we have backup.

>>14375078
I am so against this it's not even funny. +1 vote for staying stealthy, shadowing them, and keeping our weapons trained on them. There's some shadow games going on here. Or deserters who thought they could mess with Zeon.

Have some lasers.

Yeah, "talking" with them will either get us
A) Stonewalled "Uh gee we are just...scouting...aggressively! You can return to your own part, we'll be right behind you, honest!"
B) Shot at
C) Stonewalled and shot at.
D) Mystery option (GUNDAMS)

>>14375101
>>14375121
Point taken, change mine to stealth/kill them if they go too far towards Feddie lines.

>>14375101
I agree let just try to follow them without them noticing us, since there is a good chance of sabotage on our side from spies and gihren loyalist

>>14375064
>>14375074
>>14375205

Keeping a safe distance you commence shadowing the suspicious mobile suits. They appear to heading straight towards enemy lines. You begin to wonder about what's going on. It seems most likely as not that this group destroyed the minelaying ship, the big question is why.

After two minutes they reach the furthest edges of the debris field. It seems they fully intend to continue moving towards the now massed glittering lights of the federation fleet. How will they manage to move without getting attacked by the enemy?

The question remains unanswered however, when a bright green flare launches from close behind you. The Rick Dom's react by turning in your direction. You both are still in cover but you can't help but curse your poor luck here.

Assuming of course that it was luck... could you have missed a rearguard MS?

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14375286
Hide, try to see who launched the flare. Put our back to an asteroid so we're protected from a shot to the back.

>>14375286
Craaaaap.
I was wondering if the team structure was three or four.
Do we have sensors/cameras to look behind us? USE THEM. Or one of us looks behind, whatever. If we're had, go loud. Try to take one alive, shoot any that run- that overrides taking one alive.

>>14375286
If the Doms don't see us, then continue to hide and stay out of their sight. If they do see us, attempt to hail them, but keep a finger on the trigger just in case.

>>14375380
I agree with the staying hidden part. Problem with the trying to talk to them is that the flare came from behind, so either that guy we talked to is a part of this squad, or we missed a Feddie picket.
Either way, the Doms ahead were about to leave the debris field on the Feddie side. That reeks of not friendlies.

>>14375315

... that is a really bitching Type-C Zaku+Nuclear Bazooka. Any idea who the artist is, and if he has any more?

Well, Zeon uses 9 man companies comprised of a trio of 3 MS squads. The Federation it is believed use a similar formation. Well at the squad level anyway. Trojan Horses have only got a 6 MS capacity though...
At the moment, Federation deployment doctrine seems to be 1 attacker squad + 1 supporter squad (usually GM's for the Attacker, and GM Cannons for the supporter) with everything and it's mother backed up by Balls.

>rear mounted sensor camera

You do. But the flare came from behind a piece of debris. He must have either been hiding himself really well, or he only just happened to find you. So he's either really sneaky, or really crappy.

>>14375307


You take cover to try and avoid detection, but you aren't optimistic about your chances of not being spotted if they come your way. Which they do appear to be doing.

>>14375445
We have the advantage in mobility. Since they've already spotted us, have Zol attempt to circle around.
We can pop out and hit one or two of the Rick-Doms with our beam rifle. Maybe attempt communication before pulling the trigger, unless they fire first.
Attempt to get at least one alive.

>>14375445
Not the slightest clue! I have a folder for ZEONQUEST full of images that look neat that I save from the threads and this is one of 'em. I'll go look for it on the interblags!

Also:
>>At the moment, Federation deployment doctrine seems to be 1 attacker squad + 1 supporter squad (usually GM's for the Attacker, and GM Cannons for the supporter) with everything and it's mother backed up by Balls.
>>Revil stole our tactic and can do it better
I try not to curse. I really do. But Godfuckingdammit does this rustle my jimmies!

>>You do. But the flare came from behind a piece of debris. He must have either been hiding himself really well, or he only just happened to find you. So he's either really sneaky, or really crappy.

Either way we're made. Here's my reasoning.
1) They aren't trying to raise comms with ourselves
2) Flare guy hasn't opened comms on us on spotting us and seeing we are BOTH zeon
3) The flare means something to them since they're coming back; we're made.

Split up and smoke'em, take'em alive if at all possible- more important is that none of them escape to the feds. If any of them break for the feds immediately they are priority targets and that also tells us they're enemy.

>>14375510

Can we fake a feddie signal to them? Do a little reverse psychology on them. If they don't open fire we know we got them made and can shoot them to hell.

If they do fire we can reveal ourselves and calm them down. Granted, we'd have to know they didnt just see through our bluff...

Tricky this.

>>14375497
We don't want to be the ones to shoot first. Granted, these guys are very clearly up to something, but they're still Zeon mobile suits with Zeon pilots (until proven otherwise), and we don't really know exactly what IS going on. They could be on a secret infiltration mission, or they could be triple-agents, or they could just be a team of pilots with more initiative than sense that have gone full-cowboy in a misguided attempt to win the war on their own.

Still, we should be prepared to totally waste these guys once they start failing to kills us.

>>14375497
>>14375510

>Split up and smoke'em, take'em alive if at all possible- more important is that none of them escape to the feds. If any of them break for the feds immediately they are priority targets and that also tells us they're enemy.

You nod to Zolomon, before ducking out from under the piece of debris that you're taking cover from. Attacking from and unusual angle you first disrupt their close formation by firing a pair of Panzerfausts at them. As they take the time to dart out of the way you turn around to see if the rearguard as has made a move.
To your left you see Zolomon launch his Gundam Hammer.

As predicted the Rearguard unit makes an attack on your to try and give his allies time to regroup. Whilst you don't spot him, you dodge his bazooka rocket and fire back in the general location it came from.
You turn a second time back to the situation ahead of you.

Zolomon has engaged all three Mobile Suits, he's whirling the heavy ball of his gundam hammer about himself, landing savage, but not lethal blows on the heavily armoured enemy mobile suits as he sends stinging blasts from his beam-gun shield.
One Rick-Dom loses a leg as you watch, whilst the other put yet more distance between them and Zolomon, but also seperating themselves further. You get a clear shot at one and rupture the giant MS with a single shot from your Beam Rifle.

The others flee to hide in the debris field. You check your six quickly. No sign of the rearguard. But once again you have to dodge another one of his rockets...

If he's got a standard 330mm Bazooka, that leaves him with 2 more shots before he needs to reload...

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14375510
>Revil stole our tactic and can do it better
He's read our book. I think most of us have established that, should Revil & David meet, the first thing that would be said is some sort of "I've read your book!"

>>14375445
IQDB is your friend. Alas, it is some guy on pixiv.

>>14375680
Find that rearguard MS and put hole a hole in it.
Once it's gone, help Zol with the other two.

rolled 55 = 55

>>14375680
If we have the smallest of range here in the M field, broadcast, "Surrender now, traitors! You face Nachtmaren! If you fight, you will die. If you run, you will die. You know the truth of these words. Surrender and face the consequences of your actions. Be men, damn it!"

Fuck it, Apologized. We never roll dice in this quest. But I'm rolling a 1D100 for intimidating the fuck out of these guys, and making them feel like pussies.

>>14375680
Keep dodging and keep incapacitating. They're firing on us instead of trying to surrender or hail us or just not engage. They're enemies.

My suggestion is that we keep doing damage and try to get the ones that fled into the asteroids not the ones out in the open with Zol, and after two more bazooka shots from the enemy, switch targets and try to take down the guy on overwatch. Let's fuck with what the feddies are doing!

That picture- it looks like it may be by this artist who does a TON of MS artwork, but not certain. I'll keep looking until I find it! http://ukitakumuki.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=0

>>14375743
It's already been found. See: >>14375706

>>14375808
>>Alas it's some guy on pixiv

Not very descriptive. I'm trying to get a link to said guy on pixiv so Apologized can be supplied with images.

Have a hygogg!

>>14375707
>>14375743

You opt to concentrate on the rearguard before he get's a lucky shot, whilst Zolomon continues to pursue the other enemies.

You quickly dash fowards to his suspected location, if he's smart he's been shooting and scooting this time. The winner will be the first one to spot their opponent... and make his shot count.

You dash around the debris at a high speed, the flaring from your thrusters make you easier to spot, but not easy to target. The big question is, will your opponent take the bait?

You're question is answered as you sidestep around another rocket. The shot mus have come from pretty close for it to only miss you by that much. You quickly surge in the direction that the shot originated from, exchanging your rifle for your Beam Saber as you do so.
The weapon swap nearly distracts you enough not to notice that your charging towards a large oxygen-bank. You savagely jerk your joystick to the side just in time as the Rearguards final bazooka shot detonates it.
Your suit is buffetted by the large explosion, but you push against it's force (earning much protestation from the on-board computer as you do so.) to close the gap between you.
The basic Act-Zaku wouldn't have had the armour for this sort of rough maneouver, but the improved plating on your Nacht-Zaku holds and you're able to charge through the corona of the explosion towards the enemy. He's suprised, and his shots from his 120mm MG go wide, you sever his gun arm, then his other in two swift strokes before finally hitting him with the heat-rod in your forarm. Your Geiger counter confirms that your strikes were successful in causing his reactor to quench. With his electronics shorted out, there's not way he's going to be able to reignite his Mobile Suit. The suit is effectively disabled.

In the midst of this combat, you've become seperated from Zolomon.

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14375851
Here then. Hope one of you can read runes and/or has an account already.
>http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=785940

>>14375887
Is there any way to seal his suit shut, so he can't escape? Maybe use the beam saber to melt the metal around the cockpit seals so that he can't open it?
If we can, do it.
Then we need to go and find Zol, and back him up.

>>14375887
Mark his location & meet back up with Zol.

>>14375919
Problem is that he can still manually open his cockpit and escape. We need some way to seal it, or destroy the manual locks.

>>14375911

Short of getting out of your Mobile Suit and welding it personally, there's not really much you can do from preventing him from leaving his cockpit and making a run for it. That said, it's a pretty long way to go to get to the federation lines in just a basic pilots suit.

>>14375933
Slam the piece of shit cockpit-first into a piece of debris so he stays still then.

>>14375956

Seconding this, but we should probably just wedge him in so the impact doesn't run the risk of killing him.

>>14375933
You sure the big metal door can be opened? The electronics are down. Does the Rick-Dom have an emergency release on the cockpit door? If not, let him stew and go head towards where the javelins are flying. REGROUP WITH THE ZOL-MAN


>>14375890

Whoa. Thank you!

Have some fresh images from deviant art then!
http://kakatekoyi.deviantart.com/art/ZAKU-86290546?q=gallery%3Akakatekoyi%2F17771764&qo=2
http://ukitakumuki.deviantart.com/art/Zaku-Dreamy-Shores-3013804?q=gallery%3Aukitakumuki%2F22948109&
amp;qo=176
http://beastysakura.deviantart.com/art/Gundam-Zaku-Zulu-196416868?q=gallery%3Abeastysakura%2F8239145
&qo=4
http://beastysakura.deviantart.com/art/Gundam-Zaku-Zulu-2-196417306?q=gallery%3Abeastysakura%2F82391
45&qo=3
http://guennol.deviantart.com/art/Zaku-113531278?q=gallery%3Aguennol%2F8051351&qo=33

>>14376035
It would be common sense to, in the case of total electronic failure, to have a manual way of opening the cockpit.

>>14375890
>>14375919
>>Gundam Alex gear

. . . I wonder how H- how Bernie is doing. . . I like him.

Also: If we ever attend a peace talk where Gihren talks, we must eat rock candy whilst he speaks.

>>14375887
We had a beam saber right?
If then put a deactivated beam saber in his cockpit, tell him if he tries to escape we turn him into burgers

Then fly towards the rest of our group dragging the mobile suit with us , hopefully zolomon got the other guy with no problem

>>14376035
The whole purpose of emergency ejection systems is for when there's critical damage or all the electronics are down.
That's the whole point of a manual release!

>>14375993
>>14375956

You jam the disabled Mobile Suit in such a way as to make escaping difficult, hopefully impossible. You then place a locator beacon there to remember the position. In all this minovsky interferance it won't be detectable until close range, but it should be good enough to at least be able to find the spot again.

You then head off, heading for the general direction that Zol headed off in.

Like you, it seems his combat must have progessed quite a distance. You're having a bit of trouble locating him. The Rick-Dom's probably realised that a running battle, where their high thrust would come into play, would be their only chance.

You're skirting along the thinning edges of the debris field. It makes for faster movement, although it does make you targetable by enemies in the federation fleet, but over this distance you should be able to survive any oppourtunistic long range attacks. That's how you noticed the glint of a closing federation mobile suit coming in from the enemy side. It's too far to identify, but it appear to be moving perpendicular to yourself, possibly heading towards the same destination as you are.

If you hadn't been this close to the edge even you never would have spotted it, a lone Mobile Suit maneouvering in front of the the blinking backdrop of two score warships and more mobile suits is easy enough to miss.

You can't be sure if he hasn't spotted you yet either, but he's made no moves against you...

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14376097
Zol is fighting two others.
And how do you propose to remotely activate a beam saber in an area full of Minovsky particles, and no Psycommu system?

>>14376112
I say we take the shot. We've got a long-range Command Beam Rifle and he hasn't seen us. We can do the same to this guy that we did to the 8472nd guy

Smells like GUNDAM.

Could it be our Bandit friend in his G-3? I forgot what happened to him

>>14376114
Ops my mistake
Thought zol was only fighting one of them... and that we would be dragging the enemy disabled MS with us or something

>>14376112
It might spot Zol and the others before it spots us. Shoot to maim.

>>14376112
. . . Possible gundam for jacking? Shoot to maim, or wait. . . Nope, the risk of it spotting zol before us if we let it close seems high in my head.

What do you other guys think? Take the shot, or let it get within ZAP range of heat rods?

>>14376128

The Beam Rifle is hardly long range. I've mentioned this. It's just a longer range than your beam carbine and the beam gun in your arm. A proper Beam Rifle like the Gundam or Gelgoogs is longer, and the sniper type rifles used by the Sniper Variant GM's are longer still.

Attacking from this distance would be skirting the edge of the guns lethal range. Also, it would be revealing yourself to the enemy, assuming of course that he hasn't already seen you.
That said, there's much to be said about getting the first hit.
Still go for it?

>>14376227
Will his current course bring him within lethal range before he spots Zol?

If so, wait a moment and then take the shot.

If not, then boost towards him and take the shot.

Nah, hold our fire, dont want the whole fleet lighting up on us even if we are good at dodging.

We'll deal with it close up later.

>>14376227
Oh, sorry. I thought it was better. . . Welp. If it looks like it's about to open fire on anyone, zap him. If not, run cold, let him get close, put out minimal heat and motion, and take this sucker. I'm thinking a clandestine rendez-vous is going on guys!

For future reference, is there a nonbazooka sized long range beam weapon?

>>14376227
Get in a little closer before opening fire. Don't wait too long, though.

>>14376235
>>Entire fleet light us up

Oh yeah. Uh, that. That's another good reason not to shoot this guy riiight this moment.

+1 vote from me for definitely not shooting at this guy just yet unless necessary because of the 15 ships with lots of guns aimed at us.

>>14376256
>>14376255
>>14376235

Okay, so you don't want to open fire, but what do you want to do regarding him instead then? Follow? Attempt to head off? Something sneaky?*

*I have no idea what this would be, but if there's one thing this quest has taught me, it's that a lot of my Zeonquesters are right sneaky gits.

>>14376330
Follow stealthily. Very, very stealthily. Follow underneath it and slightly behind it. Get as close as you think you can to make visual contact at first- once we see what we're dealing with we can decide upon our course of action.

This course of action may involve explosions.

>>14376330
Boost towards him from a rearward trajectory and just scraping the debris field, and let our inertia do the rest. Turn off any running lights we have.
Hopefully, we'll be able to sneak up close enough that with one strong thrust, he'll be in in heatrod range at best, and beam rifle range at worst.

>>14376330
We could shadow him from within the debris field's edge, waiting for the perfect opportunity to gut him with the carbine.

All while keeping an eye out for Zol & his opponents, of course.

>>14376376
You are a genius and I support this mechanical maneuver to run quietly and shadow him at the same time whilst being underneath and behind him.

>>14376361
>>14376376
>>14376387
>>14376431

So, the plan is to shadow him stealthily on minimum power.

You follow behind him, keeping your distance trying to make sure that you aren't spotted. As you continue to follow you eventually notice signs of combat up ahead. It seems like Zolomon is still battling.

Moving on minimal power as you are, the enemy unit has pulled ahead somewhat. As you both close on Zolomon's position it begins to slow and move above the debris fields vertical level. You suspect for a birds eye view of the combat, and it makes for a better firing position. Of course that works both ways, he'll have no cover either, although as mentioned a lone MS generally wouldn't worry too much until they reveal their position. Usually be shooting.

It seems certain that the enemy is going to begin it's attack run soon.

YOUR ORDERS?

>>14376558
How far away is it?
Is it within distance that if we did a full burn with our thrusters, we could be on top of it and hit it with heatrods before it even realized what happened? If yes, do this.
If not, take him out with the beam rifle. Preferably disable.

>>14376558
Engage. Get right up behind him really fast and beat the ever loving shit out of him. You will not be screwing with my only remaining buddy from the very beginning, Mr. Feddy.

Have at you!

>>14376614
I agree dash at him at full speed and try to destroy him before he notices it is too late

If he does notice us and can evade try to shoot at him with our carbine if it is in or range or the beam spray

>>14376558
No way we're letting him eliminate our wingman. Take the bastard.

>>14376716
Zap with the heat rod, not destroy preferably. We have a way to take in this feddie pilot alive.

>>Preserve paroll
No, I don't think parole is going to be an option. . .

>>14376607

It's far enough away that you can't get a clear identification. A full burst charge would put you range of your beam rifle and enable you to get an identification.

>>14376716

Seeing your chance to strike is as close to come as it will ever be you return power to your thrusters and charge out. Even with the extra power of the Nacht-Zaku, the gap closes only slowly.
Your Beam Rifle Drawn you take your shots. From this distance however, the beam's power greatly diminishes, and even though you're certain at least one of your strikes was on target, you fail to get a kill.

In response, Bullets begin to fall around you like rain, you press your shield in front of you in defence, but the heavy calibre of the shells hammer away at it. It won't hold for long, and the heavy impact is knocking you back with every strike, slowing your advance.

Well, unless they started mass manufacturing those gatlings, it's a fair bet you can tell who it is you're up against.

You are currently under heavy fire from Gundam 05, moving in to attack him has resulted in you leaving the relative safety of the debris zone. However you've taken the pressure off Zolomon by doing so, and with a bit of luck more friendlies will notice the enemies fire and move to engage as well.
Lord knows his fire is flashy enough.

The only problems are that your GM shield isn't going to last much longer, and where there's 05...

>>14376923
We need to get in close-combat range. That will negate the gatling and 04 won't be able to provide support fire.

Continue full burn towards the gundam, firing when possible.

>>14376949
Throw in some evasive moves while we're at it.

>>14376949
>>14376974
Wait, we got any flash-cracker grenades left? I say we use them to get in as close as we can, as quickly as we can.
Sure it'll paint us, but it won't do the enemy any good if they can't target us because we're beyond their FCS range, or if they fire they'll end up hitting their own gundam.

>>14376923

We've made a ruckus, Zol must have seen it and knows there's more incoming shenanigans.

Make an unholy racket. Everything you can, anything you can, explosions, crackers, flashbangs, tip off our side that there's something going down in the asteroid field. The feds can't open up on us without hitting their gundams and the gundams can't relay back what's going on. Try and get between the gundams and their fleet, and herd them deeper into the asteroids. It's full on go time Apologized.

Take the suits intact if possible, if not, take them down.

>>14376923
New background!

The quality of Zeonquest really has dropped a lot in the past few months.

>>14377170
Then maybe you should have posted to keep it from dropping so far.
Personally, I don't see a difference, and think you're just trolling.

Now either post a plan of action for our current situation, or shut up and get out.

>>14377170
1/10 made someone respond to it if you're not samefagging. Babby's first troll?

>>14377211
I responded on the off-chance that it's the same guy that posted that we have invincible plot armor the session before Hovis died.

Is apologised still around or is he waiting for us to decide what to do?

>>14377067
>>14376990

Given your precarious situation. You take stock, and decide that the best course of action is to fire all of the missile.
ALL OF THEM.

From behind your splintering shield you toss a brace of mixed grenades at the opponents general direaction. A cluster of explosions and bright flares momentarily obscure from his view. The fire lessens, but the sheer weight of spray from the weapon makes it impossible for him to miss entirely and even though your finally able to close the gap some more, several more shots slam against the shield. Causing the topmost third to shear clean away.

You fire your last Panzerfaust at your opponent are are gratified to see him evade, causing a momentary pause in his fire. You continue your charge, firing repeatedly with your beam rifle. By now you've managed to get close enough for your shots to be worth something and he's having to shoot on the move.

Whilst his accuracy suffers as a result, tracking his movements is becoming difficult due to the recoil, and his weapon was never one that really relied on accuracy in any case.

>>14377198
>>14377211
How long have you guys been here? Since the first session? If you haven't then shut up. I have. And man, go look at the archived threads from the first few sessions. Shit was way better. Posts were shorter. More frequent. It had more interaction in decision.

Look at the difference between those, and all of the frequent ones from the past few months. Apologized posts once or twice an hour. The posts are boring, too. They don't have the same excitement as at the beginning. And I think the reason for that, is because the character is too good. There really is no danger. Hovis died, yeah. But Apologized had decided that he was going to die before he did. It wasn't based on anything we chose.

Apologized is just going through the motions here. He's got an ending set and he's giving us the illusion of choice in how to get there. Which path do you take? The right or the left? Doesn't matter, because after a few hundred feet, they merge back into one road again.

It's just not fun anymore.

>>14377231
Before you can properly close with him and take him down, he retreats back towards the enemy lines on full burn. You send a couple more shots his way, but he manages to evade. You consider pursuit, but even you couldn't survive out in the open against those sort of odds.

You move back down into the debris field, to assist Zolomon. You keep an eye on the Gundam's retreating form, but you're satisfied that he's not coming back.

You find him in short order, retrieving his severed Gundam Hammer.

"What happened?"

"I swung it around to much, one of the pilots managed to get the timing right and cut it off with his Heat Saber. I had to rely on the Beam Lances. One of them managed to get away in the end. Although he was missing an arm. I've not taken much else in the way of damage though. You deal with that rearguard?"
He tells you.

"Yeah, I managed to disable the mobile suit and trap the pilot inside. If you're undamaged, let's go retrieve him, so we can get some answers. I don't know about you, but I want to know what the hell is going on here."

TO BE CONTINUED.

>>14377234
>>EatMySandwichNO.jpg

Stop having fun guys, it used to be more fun to this guy!

>>14377234
Then leave. Don't stay. Go.
If you don't like it, then don't bother the rest of us that still do.

>>14377249

>>We will never capture one of these two gundams

GOD
BLAST IT!

Alright. Deep breaths. Omake, Apologized? Of Bernie, or Uncle Incognito and Terrorist Daddy? Or of what this guy has to say?

. . . Or something else entirely and surprising. I'm good with anything, really.

>>14377231
See? That post is so god damned boring. Apologized, you've lost the ability to keep things interesting. You get so bogged down in the details, that you lost the story.

>>14377267

If the threads still up tommorow then maybe. But tonight I'm going to bed. I have to get my body used to normal working hours now after all.

>>14377255
>>14377253
Are you guys saying you havent noticed we've lost a lot of the regulars in the past few months? It might not be for the same reasons that guy mentioned but there's still a lot less players.
Just saying.

>>14377267
You know what would be surprising, if he started to run this quest like he used to. IE, better.

>>14377282
If it's for omake, then I don't think we'll have any problems keeping it up.

>>14377282
Aaaalright. Goodnight then, and congrats on getting a job!

>>14377288
Yeah, there are like, 2 or 3 people who play on ZQ nowadays. Actively post. I lurk now mostly. I stopped posting months ago when this started happening. I could offer suggestions or whatever, but it wouldn't make any REAL difference in the story. We'd fight whoever we were up against one way or another, win, go on to the next thing he had planned. It wasn't fun anymore. But shit man, I've been here since the start, and I still want to see how it ends. I just don't care enough anymore to contribute to nothing.

>>14377303
How much of that is due to the current war situation that Zeon is in?
With the Federation finally able to send its fleet back into space, and with its logistical situation stabilized, what else is Zeon going to do except be forced to react to the Federation's moves?

Also, how exactly is it that anything we suggest not able to change the outcome of the smaller tactical battles? Can you provide any concrete examples?

>>14377303
Pretty much this. Still rooting for you though Apologized.

Bump

Wow, I didn't think Zeonquest would run so long I'd start getting nostalgiafags.

---Omake---

Luna II -0915 hours-

Two federation officers were passing the time. With the main Federation fleet stationed at Luna II, the already somewhat cramped conditions had become even more "cosier". Several of the officers had discovered themselves forced to share their personal quarters with others, sometimes these new officers had to roll out sleeping bags and sleep on the floor. One could only imagine what conditions would have been for the non-coms. Of course this was just a temporary measure in preparation for the main attack and given that they were in the business of waging war on a detirmined and entrenched enemy, a little discomfort like this was nothing.

In anycase, this was how two officers came to end up in the same room with little to do, and as it turns out, little in common. As a result one had managed to secure the data-link and was using to pass the time looking up things of mild interest.

"Hey, look at this. You know who has the most kills for us so far?"

"I guess that Amuro Ray kid? The guy who took out 9 Rick-Dom's in 3 minutes?"

"Yeah, that was what I thought so too, but take a look at this. According to the central database it's actually some Warrant Officer called: Dennis Young?"

"Holy fuck, that guy? I know that guy! He's stationed here! Wow. No, I believe that, yeah, that's totally believable."

"Is it because he's been around since the start of the war, and since this is Luna II there's been plenty of opportunities to..."

"Partially, but it's also because, well, you know we didn't really know what a newtype was back then, we thought that it was just Zeon propaganda, it's not until we saw things like Amuro Ray, and had Revil talking about them that we started to understand what we were looking at."

>>14380752
"So, what, he's a newtype as well?"

"Either that or he's psychic. Which could mean the same thing, I mean you know how all of the Newtype study reports start with a variation of 'our best estimate' or 'the most commonly held theory'? That's because we actually have no fucking clue what newtypes are or how they do the thing they do."

"So? What's so special about Dennis?"

"Well, you know how old combat vets sometimes talk about having a 6th sense and detecting killing intent. Well Dennis can do that. Except, with him, it's like not only can he detect this killing intent shit, he can also detect where it's coming from, precisely, as well as the nature of the incoming attack. You follow boxing?"

"What? No. What's that got to do with it?"

"Well, in boxing, there's this type of boxer called a Counter Puncher, and what he does, is hit you whilst your in the middle of your own attack, and what that does is add the momentum of your step in into his punch, effectively hitting you with not just his punch, but yours as well. Well, that's sort of how Dennis works, when the enemy commits himself to the attack, Dennis retaliates first. The enemy either has to abort the attack and dodge, or he get's killed before he's able to pull the trigger."

"And this is consistent?"

"Yup, 100% success rate. 100 Mobile Suit."

"Just to check, he IS coming with us to Side 4 right?"

"Given that we've got Amuro and White Base making a sneaky reach-around towards Texas Colony, I certainly fucking hope so."

rolled 60 = 60

>"Given that we've got Amuro and White Base making a sneaky reach-around towards Texas Colony, I certainly fucking hope so."
in b4 Garma kills Amuro.

rolled 92 = 92

>>14380842
Wait what the fuck am I talking about. Texas BASE in in Garma's operating theater.
Texas COLONY is ...
...
Awfuck.

>>14380858
There's not much in Texas Colony anymore, though. It's mostly all shoal zone.
Though admittedly, it would allow the White Base to attack Grenada from an unexpected direction.

>>14380752
>nostalgiafags
Until I can see some concrete examples, I think it's just people with nostalgia-goggles on. I've gone back through the archives just to be sure, and yes, admittedly, things were more upbeat then compared to now.
But that's only natural; that was near the beginning and the middle of the One Year War.
We were on the offensive, making a difference at certain key battles and events. We could still mold the course of the OYW.
Now, we're near the end of the war. The Federation has all of the advantages now, and them forcing us to react to their actions is no surprise. Revil is pressing home his advantage of overwhelming numbers to create situations where if we don't counter his attack, then he will be able to break through and win the war. Of course it's going to feel like we're not making much of a difference.

I believe that most of the reason why people feel that they are not making a difference to the story, is because we don't have as much of an impact when we're engaged in mass fleet actions anymore (well, there was Midway, but we weren't fighting against gundams and GM's backed up by assault carriers).
I think it's more a matter of ego than problems with our actions affecting the course of the war.