Yay, it's House and Dominion Time.

File: 1392064512952.gif-(46 KB, 1768x1236, 3rd Wing #7.gif)

46 KB GIF

Last time you staged a raid on another Shallam military base that was in the middle of being converted to build and maintain Neeran Battleships. In the process you managed to use boarding teams to capture a Neeran transport that had been built as a construction ship. Knight Ecord and his team stormed the ship before the crew could trigger a self destruct and killed the captain who was apparently the only Neeran onboard. All other crew seem to be from other member species of their empire.
The crew have been put in the brigs of several ships but your personnel lack experience with operating enemy vessels. It is of little immediate use and the only way of moving it would require the Repair Barge, or the Marauder and your Gungnir Battlecruiser working together to move it.

Thats not the only ship requiring help to move. A Shallan Dusk class attack cruiser was found crippled and in need or repair as is a Rovinar light cruiser. As the Shallan ship has little to no crew Daska wants to put a prize crew aboard and add it to her wing in the short term once repairs are completed. The Rovinar vessel still has most of its crew and will just need more time getting repairs from the Barge.
A Kavarian K-Type attack cruiser was also recovered but you lack the parts to repair it. It will need to be towed back to a friendly port.

Two of Daska's squadrons took damage in the last battle with a few ships crippled. She has pulled both units from combat until they can be fixed up by your repair ship. Given the increasing lineup this might take a couple days.

Do you wish to continue your raids as things are presently, wait until more ships have been repaired, or send the damaged ships back to a friendly shipyard?

I have an evil plan to make use of the subverted sensor array we subverted earlier. We might need some reinforcements from our allies though. First we pull out our damaged allies with escort of ourself and a subwing. Then we get additional supplies and potential reinforcements from local forces. Next we hit one or two of the terreforming worlds protected by heavy cruisers (number depends on reinforcements). Our subverted sensor array will "catch" our forces just before we go in, while also reporting a very large fleet heading for the occupied colony before going dark. Hopefully they'll start diverting forces to chase and defend against the nonexistent fleet.

>>30148194
FOR HOUSE AND DOMINION

>>30148572
>>30148595
This. In the meantime Daska can scout and attack minor targets

File: 1392064818905.gif-(2.88 MB, 452x259, Video Card.gif)

2.88 MB GIF

Be advised there may be ongoing delays due to equipment failures besides the usual bouts of writers block. Pic related.


>>30081169
>>30081245
Unrelated to that, I based our side quest off of this encounter.
The idea was to ultimately destroy the Anchorage class mobile shipyard your company found.

>>30148572

Can we get the local sector map and a rough estimate of how we would actually move to return any of these ships to friendly lines?

Did we liberate the faction ships from that military base or find them during system scans?

>>30148642
HA! Since we beat it did we at least get more monies?

>>30148642
Good luck with your card. Have you tried baking it yet?

>>30148656
>Did we liberate the faction ships from that military base or find them during system scans?
System scans when checking the systems surrounding the main colony.

>>30148595
>>30148636
Send the remainder of Daska's good units to scout while 3rd Wing and the others help the damaged ships back to base?
Did you want your reserves to stay out here in case 5th Wing needs backup?

>>30148656
>and a rough estimate of how we would actually move to return any of these ships to friendly lines?
Your repair ship and reserves are generally sitting just outside the sector for most of these operations. Its more a question of how many ships you're prepared to help move those that are damaged.


>>30148684
Your salvage boarding team leveled up to veteran status and you didn't lose the Anchorage.

>>30148715
>Have you tried baking it yet?

I'm a little relucatant to after reading this.
>No-one should attempt this in a household oven, for various reasons:
>1. Both lead and tin are volatile when heated. Specifically, this means that lead oxide and other dangerous chemicals are emitted when lead is heated.
>See: http://www.sentryair.com/solder%20fume.htm
>2. The fluxes used in production of modern electronics are designed to remove oxides very, very efficiently. They are NOT designed to be biocompatible. Small amounts of residue may still be on the board.
>3. Boards may contain parts which will melt at the reflow temperature. These components are generally through-hole and added as a separate step.
>So, basically, once you have completed this operation and (possibly) fixed your video card, BUY A NEW OVEN.

>>30148932
>Send the remainder of Daska's good units to scout while 3rd Wing and the others help the damaged ships back to base?
>Did you want your reserves to stay out here in case 5th Wing needs backup?
Sure. How much would be required to help move? Could we leave Alex's subwing to help out and still pull everyone out?

File: 1392066131104.gif-(48 KB, 1340x1398, MAP_Sector_2e.gif)

48 KB GIF

>>30148932
Image fixed.

Main Colony
There are a pair of Super Heavy cruisers in orbit, HLV's are making regular flights to the surface. There are no heavy cruisers present. Stations are under construction in orbit of the colony both for logistics and to support a possible garrison. Tankers are making flights in from other systems as there doesn't seem to be a suitable gas giant for refueling operations.
There are more than 1000 corvettes on maneuvers in system and upwards of 50 carriers.

Mining operation
A large mining vehicle like the one you saw on your first deployment is chewing through asteroids in a nearby system. 3 local mining barges are operating as well under heavy guard. Neeran Transports are supporting their large miner while Y-type transports are assisting the Faction built barges.
6 battleships are guarding the heavy mining ship while 1 each is guarding the Barges. There are equal numbers of Carriers present. The Barges sometimes operate far enough away from the main operation that it might be able to raid them.

Planetary Base (1)
Uninhabitable planet, next to no atmosphere, the Shallan military have constructed a base on the surface with launch repulsors similar to the ports on Tourta. It would let starships get off the ground very quickly. Most of the base is constructed underground and has at least as much room inside as a Heavy Carrier does. It is heavily shielded and there are signs the Shallans were attempting to extend shield coverage to encompass the entire planet.
The Neeran have only established shields over a 100km area. A crashed enemy battleship is imbedded in the surface 12 km away from the base as are the remains of several Shallan warships, shuttles and fighters. New structures are being built on the surface surrounding the bay doors leading underground.

File: 1392066242142.jpg-(157 KB, 1024x768, 1355198437693.jpg)

157 KB JPG

>>30149048
>Military Station (2) DESTROYED

Military Station (3)
The Shallan records indicate there used to be an asteroid battlestation that guarded a fleet staging base here. Both have been destroyed. A Heavy cruiser is parked among the debris protecting a construction operation attempting to salvage the remains into a useable fortress or support facility. You cant tell which.
There are a pair of battleships and carriers nearby.

Logistics Planetoid
A moon base is acting as the recieving center for gas mines that launch containers into orbit with repulsors. It's heavily shielded and there is evidence that the Neeran have rebuilt 30-40% of the main installation.
Recieving pads are located outside the main shield in case anything goes wrong with a container.
According to records there are a number of bore holes that penetrate deep into the planetoid and are where most of the station structure is located. Your scans reveal more than were listed in the Shallan database, each of them covered by what must be launch bay doors. One is large enough for a Battleship or Carrier, three others could fit corvettes.

>>30149091
Logistics Asteroid base (Within range of sensor array)
This station was lightly fortified by the Shallan military. It is an oblong asteroid 11km in length with a single entrance cut into one end. There is or was some manufacturing present. There should be 4 battleships and 4 carriers present.

Mining operation (Within range of sensor array)
A large asteroid that's being mined from the inside out, possibly with plans to later use it as a base. On site refineries were producing metals suitable for starship armor. This site likewise has 4 battleships and 4 carriers.

Terraforming operations
Both of the colonies undergoing terraforming are being guarded by a Heavy cruiser in addition to a Tanker. Super Heavy cruisers visited both locations, likely dropping off occupation troops, supplies or planetary defense equipment. It's a safe bet they'll be using these locations as bases.


>>30148994
>How much would be required to help move? Could we leave Alex's subwing to help out and still pull everyone out?
Yes.

Forces remaining in combat area:
3rd Wing leaves 3 squadrons
5th Wing Leaves 4 squadrons
+Reserve corvettes
Is this okay with everyone?

I think that we need to get that Neeran construction ship back to Alliance lines ASAP, before the Neeran have time to find our reserves and destroy the ship. Especially if it has intact Neeran tech that could be used to boost Faction tech.

Are there any other such ships that have been captured, or would ours be the first (that we know of)?

>>30149267
>Are there any other such ships that have been captured, or would ours be the first (that we know of)?
South Reach Mercenaries captured one but it was not as intact. That's what happens when you ram it with a battlecruiser.

>>30149346
heh

>>30149197

Fine with me.

Actually, did Neeran managed to wipe out construction ship's databases? By now Alliance probably have enough samples of manufacturing equipment.


BTW, speaking of music:

Twin-linked weapon is, essentially, method of merging two phase beams into single beam, right?
How far up and down can it be scaled?
Can you do it with pulse weapons?
Can it be combined with other phase weapon enhancements, e.g. phase arrays?
How feasible to use it with non-phased weapons?

>>30148572
>Knight Ecord and his team stormed the ship before the crew could trigger a self destruct and killed the captain who was apparently the only Neeran onboard.

How did our new Men-at-Arms with their medium power armour do?`

File: 1392069780142.gif-(6 KB, 962x592, Area map.gif)

6 KB GIF

Rolled 24

>>30149763
>did Neeran managed to wipe out construction ship's databases?
Rolling.

>Twin-linked weapon is, essentially, method of merging two phase beams into single beam, right?
Pretty much.
>How far up and down can it be scaled?
>Can it be combined with other phase weapon enhancements, e.g. phase arrays?
Quad linked weapons are the most anyone has been able to develop. It becomes increasingly difficult and restricts the fire arc the more you throw in. Attack corvettes have a +180 range of fire as long as the target is above or below them, less if its on their flanks.
Quad linked is basically an array setup. It's been tested with larger arrays but its generally not worth it.

>Can you do it with pulse weapons?
Not really, the best you can do is attempt to pulse the beam.
>How feasible to use it with non-phased weapons?
It isn't feasible. With anything else you're just focusing multiple weapons on the same target.

>>30149845
>How did our new Men-at-Arms with their medium power armour do?`
The one did well enough, having joined the team that assaulted engineering. The second remained aboard the Devourer to repel potential any counter boarding action.


Your section of the fleet jumps back to the Shallan shipyard where you were resupplied previously. Daska has been told to keep her people alive first and foremost, though you're sure that won't stop her from conducting raids of some kind.

When entering the sector your people begin to report jamming. An enemy raider group must be in the area. Arriving at the edges of the shipyard system Arron reports that a cloaking field is active.

"Where?"
"It's surrounding most of the inner system including the shipyard."
A friendly IFF pops up on the screen and soon hails you. It's the Shallan Battlecruiser you helped back here last time.
"This is Captain Dekeb to Alliance forces. The local shipyard is under attack by a Super Heavy and it's group. We require immediate assistance."

>Your orders?

>>30150169
>beams into single beam, right?
>Pretty much.

Well, first of all we'll need their sensor data. Also tell him why we aren't in the best position to help.

I'd say we throw our SP torpedo supplies at the enemy, and then move to a shipyard further back.

File: 1392070263404.gif-(7 KB, 1766x656, Local Shipyard(Allied).gif)

7 KB GIF

The captain transmits data on local and enemy fleet strength. (That they can see.)
There are a trio of Shallan Medium cruisers present which currently have their hands full dealing with enemy Battleships.

Faction corvette and frigate units make up most of the local numbers with the remaining Shallan ships comprised largely of Battlecruisers.
Defense guns on the station are helping to keep enemy corvettes from swarming closer friendly units.

>>30150338
Have they been able to contact other allied forces?

>>30150450
Captain Dekeb's Battlecruiser just micro jumped out of the range of the cloaking field in an attempt to raise friendlies. His ship is now contacting others. Jamming between here and the main Alliance fleet will delay the message reaching them until other ships can jump to their location.

>>30150338
That other oval is a Neeran Heavy right? How safe would it be to do an SP torp run on that thing?

>>30150527
It depends how far out you fires the torpedoes from. Neeran fleets have shown a tendency to intercept SP and Vecron weapons with smaller craft like corvettes if it will save a larger ship for more serious damage.
Keep in mind that there's no way of knowing when you'll be able to get hold of more SPs.

Verilis reminds you that the starfighters still have more SP weapons than the rest of the attack squadrons do.

>>30150338

Well then. After the forces needed to move our crippled/captured ships, how many forces do we actually have in combat condition?

I'm thinking our best bet is to deploy against the bottom-most Neeran battle line, make a quick hit and run, then bring our force down hard on the corvettes skirmishing the station.

We disrupt the enemy's main line and then clean up the station's flanks to remove pressure on it's defenders. From there, we sally out and screw with their main line.

Let other Alliance forces make the suicide run on the Super Heavy

>>30150169
>Rolled 24
Most of the production data was wiped, though not all. The engineers speculate that some sections of the database were rigged to a dead man's switch and were wiped with the ship's captain was killed.

>>30150617
>After the forces needed to move our crippled/captured ships, how many forces do we actually have in combat condition?
You ask Kavos this and he gets to work on figuring out if it's possible to reorganise the ships more effectively.
Besides the Devourer and your Excalibur you have about 2 attack squadrons plus 3 escort carriers all in peak condition.

>>30150705
I'd say we should focus on protecting the station itself until reinforcements arrive. If we take some pressure off the installation, some of its defenders should be able to reinforce the main battle line.

If we use the station as cover, our carriers should be able to deploy their fighters from relative safety.

>>30150705
point out to the BC captain that we have 2 damaged attack squadrons who can take over message duty. He should probably come back with us.

>>30150617
I like this plan and maybe we should have the starfighters equip SP torps and have them make a run at those two bottom groups of battleships.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K55SCCZ

Lets see how many of you want to do things which way.

Rolled 20, 17, 15, 14 = 66

Attack enemy forces closest to shipyard= 2
Hit and fade against enemy main line, clear groups harassing station= 3

>Send our damaged ships and the captured ship on to another shipyard, pass on distress call.
Any objections to this part?

Did you guys want to deploy the starfighters for the hit and fade portion like >>30150850
or just do so with starships?

Roll 4d20 for squadrons, starfighters and battlecruisers.

Rolled 17, 1, 3, 18 = 39

>>30151580

Rolled 10

>>30151580
>Any objections to this part?
Not at all.

>Did you guys want to deploy the starfighters for the hit and fade portion like >>30150850
or just do so with starships?
Just the starships, please.

>Roll 4d20 for squadrons, starfighters and battlecruisers.
1

Rolled 18

>>30151616
2

Rolled 15, 13, 2, 3 = 33

>>30151580

Rolled 9

>>30151624
3

Rolled 11

>>30151647
4

Rolled 19, 20, 8, 13 = 60

>>30151580

You tell the Escort Carriers to hold their starfighters in reserve. You'll likely be needing them against the larger warships later.

Jumping in system your two squadrons plus your Battlecruisers arrive as close as possible to one of the flanks where the main battle is raging. Barely off course at all, your ships open fire catching several enemy corvettes off guard.
A Battleship turns in your direction, firing off each of it's four plasma weapons in rapid succession. You break left while your Excalibur breaks right, spliting the fire from the other ship. Your other vessel opens up with all 4 light pulse cannon turrets, phase cannon and torpedo launchers. Using the emergency thrusters to put the Devourer into a sideway drift, you fire off the main gun which impacts the forward shield of the vessel, failing to penetrate.

As you unload pulse cannon fire into it with seemingly little effect you soon learn why. Two plasma cannon shots from the nearby Shallan Battlecruisers impact it's unshielded aft sections destroying the engines. Your follow up shot punches through the now failing shields as the Battleship loses power. As it explodes you check your screens. You jumped in at the weakest point of the allied line it seems, the other units all seem to be ace material.

"Thanks for the assist." Messages an alliance officer commanding a red painted Kavarian attack cruiser.
"We're headed for the shipyard. Will you be alright?" You ask.
"We're good. Give em hell."

Your units gets clear then micro jumps back out so that you can land near the station more quickly. When you arrive the nearby Medium cruiser along with the squadron of Mercs guarding this side of the station sally forth to catch the enemy corvettes in a pincer. On your own your two squadrons would have been at a serious disadvantage and if the corvettes were to all turn on you still could be.
As the heavy guns on the Shallan Medium begin to weigh in however panic starts to set in and the corvettes break.

One of the enemy squadron commanders keeps their head and a dozen corvettes launch a volley of plasma balls to cover their retreat. The Mercenaries lose a pair of Frigates from the covering fire forcing the others to take cover behind the Medium for a moment. By the time the worst of the fire has cleared you've punched through to the friendly forces.

[ ] Pursue retreating corvettes
[ ] Head for the other enemy corvette group
[ ] Other

>>30152483
>[x] Head for the other enemy corvette group

>>30152483
>[ ] Head for the other enemy corvette group

File: 1392078406343.gif-(7 KB, 1766x627, Local Shipyard(Allied) Attack.gif)

7 KB GIF

Rolled 6, 11, 3 = 20

>>30152522
>>30152556
Roll 3d20

Rolled 8, 6, 14 = 28

>>30152766

Rolled 10, 14, 4 = 28

>>30152766
Ok

Rolled 19, 13, 19 = 51

>>30152766

>>30152766

shit, those corvettes are gonna pincer the unit we just helped...

Rolled 11, 7, 6 = 24

>>30152766

Even as your ships turn towards the other side of the station you see that the enemy corvettes there are beginning to press the attack regardless of damage done by the station defenses. By the time you arrive the other ships defending the shipyard are rushing to help their beleagured comrads. One of the Battlecruisers is crippled and another destroyed, the smaller ships taking losses but hanging in.

1st squadron gets within range first, drawing the fire of several groups of enemy ships then diving behind the station shields for cover. 2nd squadron is doing well enough. Your pair of battlecruisers take a moment to catch up but are able to take the heat off one of the crippled allied warships before any of the corvettes finish it off.

Following your other pilots example you try to stay close to the station so that the corvettes cant overwhelm your shields. In a very short period of time you've exhausted half of the ammo for your main gun, though it's worth it as each one will down a corvette in a single hit.

Facing mounting losses and with your ships given added protection most of the time by the station shields the Neeran ships abrupty break off and begin a fighting retreat.

"That was good timing. We need to lower the station shields for a minute to perform a restart." Says one of the Shallan officers.

You tow the crippled battlecruiser in to the nearest serviceable dock where engineers hurriedly begin work to get the engines and FTL to a useable state. The berths in the more protected areas of the station are filled with transports which the docks workers are loading down with equipment and spare parts.

"This is Dekeb, I've gotten a mesage back from the nearest Alliance Fleet. They're pinned. It's going to take an hour just for them to fight their way clear of the gravity well they've been driven into. We're being ordered to evacuate and fall back to the main colony."

[ ] Lets remove that Heavy first
[ ] Hold the fort, cover evacuations
[ ] Other

>>30153543
>[ ] Hold the fort, cover evacuations
Tell the admiral about the subverted sensor array. We might be able to break their stride by faking a threat to their rear.

>>30153543
[x] Hold the fort, cover evacuations

You contact the admiral on a secure channel, telling him about the sensor array and the possiblity of faking out the enemy fleet.

"I'm sure that would work against the forces in that sector but I don't know if the ones here will be distracted by it. The battlegroup harassing the Alliance fleet is supposed to have a command ship lurking nearby. It could arrive near our main colony for this sector within the day. We're going to need every ship we can get when that happens."

If you have a convincing argument in mind by all means:
>What say?

>>30153827
They really hate the Isolationists right? How would they respond if they saw sensor data of a large Isolationist fleet? If we can convince them that a large Isolationist fleet is about to mount a counter attack they'll concentrate everything they can spare and quite a bit they can't to stop it. But we've got to sell it first.

>>30153543
[x] Other: Status of Evacuation
[x] Other: level of scorched earth to be conducted

>>30153827

Wouldn't continuing our raids lead to them diverting ships from the incoming battle fleet?

If so, back to raiding!

>>30154012
They won't just want to stop it, they'll want to trap and massacre it.

>>30154054
Which means more diverted ships. This whole war is about their desire to wipe out the Isolationists. If they think they have the opportunity to come to grips with them for the first time in the war they'll likely take it with both hands. As for the news reports that the Isolationists aren't sending any ships to the front, of course its what those scum would say while sneakily trying to ambush us in our rear areas. Those cowards are probably afraid of a real fight! Its why they're hiding behind their puppets, the factions.
Yay for manipulating emotion and prejudice

>>30154169

I doubt this war is purely to wipe out the Isolationists. By now, they want to break all of the Factions and make us into colonies, at least.

Over the next few hours crews disassemble important pieces of equipment from the station and either load them onto transports or partially repaired ships currently unsuited for combat. One of the 3 Medium cruisers are pulled back and loaded with station modules.

>>30154012
>>30154054
>>30154169
"Commander you've given me an idea, but there isn't enough time to act on it to save this base. We're rigging it to self destruct so grab anything you think your people can salvage. We'll send over a spare fuel cell from the Mediums for your cannon."
>Special Operation: "Blood bowl" unlocked!
Shallan Admiral Rasarm will now begin preparations for a special decoy operation. You'll be contacted when it's ready to kick off.

Unfortunately it means there is little immediate support available for your plan. The Admiral promises to try and spare a Medium cruiser for your raid once the evacuation is complete.

>>30154041
>[x] Other: Status of Evacuation
They'll be able to get all of the personnel out but equipment is going to be left behind.
>[x] Other: level of scorched earth to be conducted
All of it.
The locals are pissed after hearing reports from you and others about the Neeran converting their stations. Previous plans earlier in the war to retake their stations and infrastructure are rapidly being abandoned.

Is there anything in particular you want to loot from the station? Drive cores and plates are already gone as are any SP weapons.

>>30154465

Plasma cannon reloads, Refill torpedo stocks, spare starship weapons, Shallan small-arms (Fusion guns!?)

>>30154502
sounds good to me.

Rolled 8, 11, 17, 14, 10 = 60

Those in your unit grab several Plasma cannon fuel cells the locals don't have room for aboard their transports. It seems they're all empty but that can be remedied later. The repair ship will have more spares once you're done. Torpedo stockpiles are filled and any spare cargo bays are loaded as well.
A few of the others grab other pieces of gear they think might be useful. Drake has some worker arms from a shipyard section that will be left behind locked to the hull of her Cruiser.

"All ships departing. Escorts cover the transports until they can jump. Make best speed for the colony. We can organise sector evac from there."

"Incoming enemy ships." states Arron.

Neeran Corvettes are moving in quickly with starfighters and assault shuttles close behind them.
"It looks like the enemy shuttles and some HLV's are going to make a run for the station. The Heavy and Super are both keeping back."


Do you want to launch starfighters to assist the rear guard?
[ ] Yes (Roll 4d20)
[ ] No (Roll 3d20)

Rolled 9, 10, 15, 6 = 40

>>30155073
yes

Rolled 3, 11, 4, 13 = 31

>>30155073
Yes

Rolled 13, 3, 11, 1 = 28

>>30155073

launch the fighters!

>>30155073

[x] Other: Launch only multi-torp fighters, fire their torps before the enemy is near range, and get back to their carriers before the enemy is in range.

The enemy -must- fly into the range of the torps if they wish to intercept, and if they're forced to change course to avoid the torps that means less time for them to engage.

They either eat the torp fire or eat a delay in their intercept.

I'd rather let the Shallans deploy fighters and preserve our fighter forces for future combat, and our force is usually high on Point Defense, so our ships themselves should be enough of a pain for shuttles and fighters.

File: 1392087723745.jpg-(22 KB, 479x350, Station hit.jpg)

22 KB JPG

"Carriers, prep attack bombers with mixed loadout then launch fighters."
The fighters soon launch, joining the few squadrons the Shallan fleet still have. As the corvettes and fighters close in the bombers open fire, launching their torpedo stores and anti-starfighter missiles. Missile trails fill space between the fleets and your fighters soon retreat to their carriers.

With the amount of energy weapons fire that soon joins it you're glad the fighters were able to add what they could. The next few minutes are a blur.

2nd squadron takes some damage to their ships, though they're able to get out while covering the transports. 1st squadron and your battlecruisers do well enough, able to rotate shields just quickly enough to stay ahead of the damage levels. Several starfighters took damage while they were landing but it looks like all of the pilots made it.

Two of the Shallan Battlecruisers are crippled while nearby ships only able to rescue one of them. Several mercenary ships are also shot down while many more take damage. One of the medium cruisers takes damage to it's outer armor but largely shrugs it off while waiting for the last transports to jump.

From what you can tell the station self destructed as planned. Or part of it had by the time you jumped.

A few jumps later land the fleet near the main colony where transports are pouring in from other areas. Evacuation ships are launching from the surface and jumping as soon as they're clear of the gravity well. The only piece of good news is an Ascendancy class Heavy Cruiser and 4 Shukhant Medium Cruisers holding station in high orbit. The larger ship looks to be taking aboard HLV's from the surface.

"What House are they from?" you ask.
"House Bonrah from their markings." Answers Arron.

Did you want to try and get support from the Dominion fleet for your mission? If so
>What say?

Rolled 7, 11, 2, 5 = 25

>>30155893
Tell them the plan (Hit two locations with minimally escorted Heavy cruisers and fake some sensor data to really distract and piss off the Neeran). We're looking for some reinforcements so we can hit both sites simultaneously. Point out our combat record on this op if they're worried about ship losses. I think its running something like 150 to one in our favor currently, with the tonnage ratio probably at least 300 to 1.

>>30155893
I want to write something but it's 3am and I'm having trouble wording something that sounds decent so I'll second >>30156065

>>30156065
This is basically what I had in mind so I third it.

You contact the command ship and are soon speaking to the fleet's commander, a vaguely familiar Dro'all noble.
Baron Frezj'an, Kavos identifies him. The one who tried to buy the Warlord Super Heavy that your unit crippled.
"It's Marquess Frezj'an now."
It seems House Bonrah managed to win the bid to hold onto most of the former House Lat'tham space. After congratulating the noble on their upwards mobility through Dominion society you get on to explaining your plan.

"If you're worried about losses I think my unit's record demonstates that we have a good return rate on investments."

"You say you're getting assistance from the Shallans?"
"We may be getting assistance. More would be better."

The Marquess thinks it over.
"I'll send one of my Medium cruisers to assist you on the condition that you return a favour at a later time."

>Your response?

>>30156586
>He pulls out the favor card

Oh...oh he is good. No matter what though I say we should accept.

>>30156586
>Dominion Noble
>wants a Favor
>House is questionable at best

What could possibly go wrong?

>>30156586
I could have sworn that house Lat'tham was being kept intact for some reason...
Sure.

>>30156831
samefag here.

the assistance of 1 Medium cruiser is nowhere near the worth of an unspecified favor

>>30157316
Unless the favour has a limit like we had with our Rovinar favour.

You agree to the Marquess' offer. A Shukhant and 6 light cruisers acting as escort switch their IFF's to Alliance frequencies to indicate they're joining your unit.

Some time later the Shallan defenders -quite reluctantly- send one of their Medium cruisers and a Battlecruiser to link up with you.
Captain Dekeb is in overall command of their unit as the Medium cruiser crew are less experienced.

The rest of your unit eventually returns from their visit to another shipyard. The three light and attack cruisers your people had rescued are nowhere to be seen.

Kemp Turner contacts you.
"The Shallan navy took their attack cruiser back. They talked to the handful of remaining crew and the Alliance observers and decided we didn't have a claim. Daska is going to be pissed."

"What about the other ones? The Kavarian and Rovinar ships?"
"Still under repair. We got back as quickly as possible."

>>30157316
>>30157362
Er, it wouldn't necessarily be of set monetary value like the Rovinar tend towards.

>>30156855
The House itself is, but their occupation of the NAV DRH 2 Relay was originally done at the request of the Ruling House. Stewardship is often granted of territories on the frontier of the Dominion which are more prone to attack but also provide the opportunity for a House to expand. In return for this such Houses will usually (though not always) be given protection from their enemies within the Dominion.
The Terrans absolutely wrecked two Houses that were given stewardship of border territories in the in the decades after first contact who decided to expand and take some human worlds.

In the same way House Lat'tham was given stewardship of the relay to try and hold back the Warlords that kept rampaging through the area every 4 years. It was believed that a mid size House would have the firepower to hold the area where minor Houses before had not. The survivors of House Lat'tham, now released by the Warlords, have been allowed to keep some of the systems in the relay.

>>30157477
understood. Time to head out.

>>30157316
>>30157362
Besides it's not like you're keeping the ships. Are you?

>>30157572
No, true true.

>>30157572
No, we're not.

He's still going to ask something way overpriced for what he provided, though.

>>30157596
then we point that out.

File: 1392094325721.gif-(48 KB, 1340x1398, MAP_Sector_2ffffff.gif)

48 KB GIF

While you've been gone Daska has been busy. She conducted a raid on the logistics asteroid base by making an attack run with her starships to draw most of the defenders out of position, then used attack bombers to fire SP torpedoes through the opening in the asteroid. The fighters reported secondary explosions before retreating but have no way of telling how much damage was done.

The logistics planetoid/moon was struck by a starfighter raid. A single escort Carrier jumped in on the opposite side of the moon, unloaded fighters then got out. The fighters then used terrain following to reduce detection until reaching the other side of the moon where they decelerated to get underneath the base shield.
Interceptors destroyed surface defenses using nukes which was followed by the attack bombers breaching the base itself. Most of the base infrastructure was destroyed along with mining equipment that was expanding the below ground portion of the base. A large portion of the corvettes and a few Faction built tankers stationed within were able to escape.
One of the tankers was later tracked down and destroyed by the rest of the unit.

Sayerna and Tes'us have been going over your plans for the decoy sensor signals and think they'll be able to pull it off.
"One of our ships will have to jump into the system the sensor array is in and transmit some update code for the virus for it to work, but the array won't be as effective after that even if the enemy doe not discover the sabotage."

"Will they be able to fix it?"
"Possibly." admits Sayerna "There was always a danger of that happening."
"Luckly we can cause the virus to destroy the systems of the array once it's done what we need it to." Adds Tes'us. "I noticed it earlier but wasnt 100% certain it would work."

[ ] Destoy the array after use
[ ] Leave it, we might be able to reprogram it again
[ ] Other

>>30158277
>[ ] Destoy the array after use
I can't see them trusting it after they fuck up this badly.

>>30158365
sure

>>30158277
[X] Destoy the array after use

>>30158277
>[x] Destoy the array after use
Or...
[x] Salvage the array.

It's a Neeran array, right? It might have some Neeran goodies in it.

File: 1392095883707.gif-(50 KB, 1340x1398, MAP_Sector_2 Corridor.gif)

50 KB GIF

>>30158704
>It's a Neeran array, right? It might have some Neeran goodies in it.
No, it's a Shallan one. You destroyed the Neeran active array as it wasn't possible to salvage it without being detected.

"Destroy it once it's finished." You order. "I don't want to have to attack the site again to destroy it if they're able to purge the virus from the system later."

Due to the placement of the sensor array in relation to the colony there is a limited corridor within which to stage the deception. There is also a 1 sector gap where the array will lose contact will the ship. This should provide for the disappearance portion of the plan.

What route will the ghost ship be following to approach the Colony?

>>30158855
Coming down the upper lane.

>>30158855
On another note did you want to have the ghost contact be a Neeran Isolationist ship or an Alliance/Faction Fleet?

>>30158855
Let's go with an alliance fleet because I don't think they will fall for the isolationist ship

>>30158855
I would say upper lane.

Would it be possible to have a Alliance Fleet with a single Isolationist ship with it for maximum luring power?

>>30159260
>>30159450
2 for the upper most.
It isn't restricted to just those routes in btw, anything in between is an option too.


>Would it be possible to have a Alliance Fleet with a single Isolationist ship with it for maximum luring power?
It's going to need a big FTL signature so it's likely to be one or the other. Small Isolationist ships wouldn't stand out from a fleet of other Faction ships.
If the fleet represented is too big they're going to wonder why the main colony isn't being attacked right away.

I'm going to stop for the night and resume tomorrow. I wont be running on Wednesday or after as I'm going to be busy the rest of the week.

>>30150169
>Quad linked weapons are the most anyone has been able to develop.
I was asking about potential scale of individual beam projectors, actually.

>Not really
Linked phase weapons are niche system, got it.


IIRC, you described phase cannon as combination of carrier beam with some sort of particle weapon.

Can you apply same carrier beam technology to a plasma cannon?

>>30159841
>Can you apply same carrier beam technology to a plasma cannon?
There is evidence that some Neeran plasma weapons are firing a phased plasma beam but these are rarely encountered and have not been recovered intact. In theory this would further boost the damage output and shield penetration capability. As Neeran weapons already deal more damage than regular unupgraded shields can handle the Factions are hoping these do not reach general deployment among the Enemy fleet any time soon.

So what are we going to do while the diversion is on? We should try to hit a tough location we couldn't otherwise. Probably one with the most mobile defenders who would get drawn away.

>>30159584
If the route passes closer to the station, could we include an Isolationist superheavy or two?

>>30159984
TSTG, how are fighters usually launched and retrieved in this setting?

Would it be possible to have a fighter fly into a stasis field, freeze the craft in place, and then store it until the field can be deactivated when there's enough time for the fighter to perform a proper landing?

I'm just asking because retrieving fighters seems to be rather time intensive.

>>30164958
That sounds like it would need a lot of power to do, but that does give me an idea.

Modern carriers can put crash netting on the deck so that planes with engine problems can still land and not roll off the ship. If we could create some sort of deployable "net trap" that we could mount onto the hull of larger ships we could use them in emergencies to trap and tow starfighters through jumps if they can't make it to a carrier.

File: 1392133459155.gif-(5 KB, 786x316, Starfighter Recovery.gif)

5 KB GIF

>>30164958
>TSTG, how are fighters usually launched and retrieved in this setting?
Fighters are usually free launched through an open bay door, like tie fighters from a Star Destroyer, or via launch accelerators. Only certain types of carriers use launch accelerators as they take up a lot of space inside the hull. Terran Light Carriers and LTSC's are the only ones remaining that still use them.

Recovery usually involves approaching an open bay door from aft and letting a tractor beam grab the fighter and bring it aboard in a controlled manner.
There are also recovery/landing decks where fighters will be able to make a high(er) speed landing and will be decelerated by repulsors, much like a fighting catching an arresting wire on a present day aircraft carrier.
Recovery decks can also require a great deal of room. Your escort carriers converted from blockade runners have launch and recovery decks on their flanks meaning fighters cant make high speed landings while the ship is moving.
The converted U-Haul cruisers however only have forward and aft facing launch and recovery bays because of the placement of their engines.

>Would it be possible to have a fighter fly into a stasis field, freeze the craft in place, and then store it until the field can be deactivated when there's enough time for the fighter to perform a proper landing?
Such a system is not feasible with the current level of stasis technology.

In the long run I'm not really sure how well it would work to be honest, you'd need a lot of room on the ship to store the stasis fields once they've trapped a fighter. Or would they just be mounted on the outer hull and remain in place while the carrier jumped? Because I haven't really determined what effect exposure to FTL travel has to stasis fields outside the hull.

File: 1392136088247.gif-(49 KB, 1340x1398, MAP_Sector_2Ghost.gif)

49 KB GIF

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DTBNR8D

The upper approach for the fleet seems to be the most popular but I've only seen 3 real votes on the topic and 1 has proposed passing closer to the sensor array..

>>30163494
>So what are we going to do while the diversion is on?
Attacking the Heavy cruisers in orbit of the pair of worlds undergoing terraforming were the original plan.
>We should try to hit a tough location we couldn't otherwise. Probably one with the most mobile defenders who would get drawn away.
If the pair of super heavy cruisers were to both leave the main colony (unlikely) you could raid the stations they're building in orbit.
Other options have been added to the survey.

I voted for the Terraforming ops, the (farther) mining OP and the military base.

Depending on how the enemy reacts we may be able to swing by the latter two and disrupt them, picking off any barges or messing up the salvage op.

>Is the Neeran Heavy Cruiser not a popular ship with the Neeran Military? I remember that they were few in number.
You haven't personally seen as many of them. They've been used on a number of occasions to shield larger ships from Veckron weapon hits. Intel has also reported them being used in hunter killer operations.
Overall they seem to be considered more disposable than the larger vessels, though that remains a constant with all Neeran Empire operations, the smaller the vessel the easier it must be for them to replace.

>>30166554
Current vote is for the Upper approach lane. Currently tied for what the ghost fleet should be composed of.
Targets of the raids seem to be both heavy cruisers and the military station.

>>30166726
I appear to be late to the game.. Let's do it! Sonia smash! Or you know.... Torpedo stuff into oblivion.

File: 1392141246564.gif-(7 KB, 988x868, Terraform-Heavy.gif)

7 KB GIF

You tell your people to program the sensor array to have a mixed fleet of Alliance ships escorting an isolationist Neeran ship. They'll be coming in along the upper most approach which should draw some ships away from the other areas. One of the reserve corvettes will jump in and broadcast the update for the sensor array and then it's just a matter of waiting.

Both wings report in ready to go as do your Allies for this mission.

"They should now be picking up the sensor signature of the ghost fleet." States Tes'us.

The fleet jumps for the first target on the list. The Neeran occupation force has established planetary shields and additional atmospheric processors on the would be colony world. With the added capacity one of the Shallan officers estimates the planet should be habitable within 2-3 years rather than the same number of decades.

A station is under construction in orbit, likely to support a local fleet garrison. In addition to the Heavy Cruiser and Tanker there are 6 battleships and 4 Carriers.

Your plan of attack?

>>30167187
MRSI from the south east aimed at the Heavy but aiming it such that if it move they would shoot past it and hit the station instead so forcing it to either stay and take a beating or lose the station.

If it stays to take the hit we micro jump in on it's damaged side and pound it with the appropiate amount of damage while staying out of the way of it's still functional weapons. All the while we deploy our Fighters who will deply torpedos at range aimed at the Carriers and BS's coming to bring the pain to us along with perhaps 2-4 squads and one of the Mediums. The damage from a whole wing should hopefully be enough to ruin the Heavy befor they can regroup and mount a counter attack to save it.

However it acts we will do damage in this area even if it staying to take the hit would be preferable as the station isent going to grow legs and walk away.

>>30167482
sounds good to me

How much punishment can the tanker take from our heavy before it's shields pop and we can do some damage? If possible I'd like to have our heavy smack the tanker for as much as it can while we wipe the escort fleet. That ought to be enough to keep the Neeran heavy from chasing us to the next colony we raid. I do NOT want to play cover for our escaping heavy after our last tangle with them lost The Unnamed Guard.

>>30167482
Sounds decent.

Maybe we use the gravity well to swing around the place too, for a quick escape.

Rolled 20, 6, 3, 16 = 45

Multi-torpedo launch from maximum range then micro jump back out.
Micro jump back in on damaged side if heavy is hit.
(If not engage with 1 Wing + 1 Medium?)
Fighters, 1 Med + 2-4 Sq /vs/ Enemy Carriers & BS

>>30167548
>How much punishment can the tanker take from our heavy before it's shields pop and we can do some damage?
You have 2 medium cruisers, though as Shallan ones tend to be a bit up gunned you have maybe a little bit more firepower than most heavy cruisers.
Shields on tankers tend to be quite tough despite being non combat ships. It would take a couple of volleys from the Shallan Medium to drop them.
>That ought to be enough to keep the Neeran heavy from chasing us to the next colony we raid.
Distract or cripple the Heavy while the fleet wipes out everything else.

To either of you: What are you plans for SP torpedo usage?
Will your battlecruisers be going in as well and if so with what part of the fleet?
Unless we get more votes it looks like we're going with the 1st plan.
Roll 8d20

Rolled 4, 17, 5, 7, 15, 14, 1, 11 = 74

>>30167862
Spend SP's on the heavy.

Rolled 10

>>30167862
>Roll 8d20

Well, it's not like the thread needs to survive for another day.

1

Rolled 13

>>30167999
2

Rolled 11

>>30168020
3

Rolled 13, 12, 8, 12, 16, 11, 6, 13 = 91

>>30167862
SP are fired as needed but are not to be wasted if can be avoided. Heavy is primary for SP fire.

We will be going as usual but I suppose the Barge needs it's escort. Can't lose it now can we?

Rolled 2

>>30168040
4

>>30168065
>We will be going as usual but I suppose the Barge needs it's escort. Can't lose it now can we?
The Devourer will be going in, the other BC's will stay back with the reserves then. Unless otherwise stated your Command ship will stick with the Medium cruisers and other slower vessels.

Rolled 2

>>30168068
5

Rolled 8

>>30168209
6

Rolled 18

>>30168236
7

Rolled 4

>>30168255
8

Spend enough SP's to cripple shields if possible so we can reserve the rest for other hard targets.

Both your wings jump in and begin to launch conventional torpedoes from long range then micro back out and form up for the real attack.

Arron shakes his head. "They definitely detected us. It looks like the whole system is on alert, all of their corvettes were already deployed."

"Are they trying to intercept the torpedoes like that one base did?"

"Only a few of them. Most are massing behind the Heavy cruiser which is launching plasma balls to try and blind the Torps. Carriers are all going full ECM."

Shit. As you watch the torpedo contacts close in the enemy heavy and the Tanker change course to avoid the worst of them. Battleships are attempting to accelerate the orbit of the station just enough that the warheads will miss. With the bursts of plasma and the ECM it looks like a good number might even hit the planet.
"They're set to detonate early if they start to enter the atmosphere right?"
"Yes."

"Lets get in there before any more go off course. Target SP torpedoes on the Heavy cruiser to kill their shields. Once our ECCM is up try and retask the remaining Torps before they're no good."

The fleet micro jumps to the edge of the gravity well. Both Medium cruisers open fire on the heavy cruiser, the Shukhant eventually turning their guns towards the carriers and battleships.

Sorry, I have to step out for a bit. Hopefully it wont be longer than an hour.
Battle music of your choice goes here!

>>30168680
Well fuck, so much for that plan.

>>30168792
It was a long shot anyway, TSTG said that such massed volleys are easy to detect and intercept; Last time we used torpedo MRSI we either had a cover or distraction.

>>30169475
Yeah, but I diden't expect them to ram their own station in order to move it out of the path of the MRSI. Ah well, it's new information for this new tactic of ours. Don't use MRSI on targets that can move. Or perhaps against targets whom are to large to move quickly enough out of the way? Like a Super Heavy perhaps? Or OR! We begin useing it as a distraction. We fire one off and they start chugging out plasma balls in it's general direction all the while we jump them from a location that their weapons are not aiming at, kinda like a spacepincer except one side will blow up in your face and the other will throw shit at you.

Whatever the case, I fear for the wing.

>>30169639
Make sure that torpedo barrage isn't their only focus by timing your engagement with it's arrival.

Or, like you proposed, use it as battlefield control tool by launching several of them at different distances, so that they had to split their forces.

>kforcu persons
I think captcha likes these ideas.

File: 1392153181317.gif-(8 KB, 988x868, Terraform-Heavy2.gif)

8 KB GIF

The Shallan medium opens up with everything, and following just off it's wing you do as well. 3rd Wing launches one of their SP Torpedo volleys amid energy weapons fire and 80 warheads flash through the shields of the larger warship. Explosions from their impacts hammer the armor of the Neeran warship blasting craters and destroying weapon emplacements.

It cuts enough of the fire that your people are able to retarget the remaining torpeodes. Two hundred or so warheads being added to the fire raining down on it's starboard shield is enough for the outer defenses to buckle and fail. You fire five plasma cannnon shots in a tight grouping, penetrating the bow armor and causing subsequent explosions to hurl more of the interior out into space.

While phase weaponry and conventional torpedoes all contue to do average amounts of damage it's soon apparent that the Republic built weapons cause the most destruction. With one whole side of the heavy cruiser now on fire it's becoming clear that the ship is all but finished. A few secondary explosions tear through the drives ripping open half the ship. The still good half begins to launch escape pods, shuttles and even a few HLV's.

Daska's team with the help of the Medium and the starfighters are making quick work of the remainder of the enemy battleships and carriers. They havent been able to reach the Tanker which is attempting to escape, headed out of the gravity well by way of the north pole.
The starfighters have torpedoed a good number of the corvettes, some using SP weapons to finish the job. One of the carriers has reached the edge of the gravity well and will jump before anyone can catch it.

Did you want to send ships to intercept the Tanker or the HLV's, or concentrate on the station?

>>30170270
Finish the Heavy and the station then GTFO.

>>30170270
remember those two battlecruisers we left in reserve? Have them jump in on the tanker's escape route and shoot it to pieces.

>>30170335
If they can make the jumps rapid enough to not get shot to pieces, then I'm all for this.

You order the pair of Battlecruisers to jump in and intercept the transport.
"The Marauder is armed and has upgraded shields as well."
"Send it too as long as it's fast enough to not get shot to pieces. Everyone else let's finish off the Heavy, slag the station then get the hell out of here."

Theree starships jump in to block the path of the Tanker, firing phase cannons. A pair of SP torpedoes from each of them destroy the shield generators and allow them to begin doing damage to the vessel itself.

Alex designates targeting point on the crippled heavy cruiser. Focused phase cannon fire cores through the damaged sections and into the still whole areas of the ship. When something inside flashes you order everyone to move on to hit the station. Alex and Mike both report that their people have taken damage and pull out of the battle.

As the the Dominion Medium begins to fire on the station and systematically destroy sections of it you notice that the enemy heavy has finally been torn apart by internal detonations. Most of it. The remains of the bow section are drifting in the general direction of the station. Sayerna notices this and checks the sensor readings on a spare console.
"The remains of the heavy cruiser are now in a decaying orbit. There is a section 2.4km long by more than a kilometer wide that will impact the surface in 6 hours time."

[ ] Let the enemy deal with it, they're bound to send a response fleet
[ ] Stay longer to make sure it's destroyed or diverted.
[ ] Other

>>30170720
>[ ] Let the enemy deal with it, they're bound to send a response fleet

>>30170720
[X] The enemy can deal with it

We need to get out of here befor we are jumped by a Super Heavy. Risking our ships for this is not worth it when we concider the work we still have to do. And no doubt the enemy response is already on it's way and if they are not we should still act like it.

>>30170720
Anybody on that planet we might care about? Shallans, maybe?

>>30170720

[x] Let the enemy deal with it

We're a raiding force behind enemy lines. If we linger, we die. Speed is life.

>>30170969
Unknown. They were supposed to have evacuated.

You pull the fleet out of the gravity well once the station has been destroyed. Your damaged ships jump out, some with assistance and soon the others join them.
The Battlecruisers also soon jump back to the rally point.

5th and 6th squadrons from your Wing are damaged and the first pair of squadrons from Daska's Wing have also taken some knocks, though they're not as bad off.
"We're going to be out of action for a few hours." States Alex. "We could fight but don't expect us to keep pace or match the usual damage output. If you wanted a couple of my ships could stay back and act as long range fire support."

The next target on the list has a similar number of ships guarding a heavy cruiser in orbit. The tanker there is in the middle of offloading additional equipment for another station under construction. No sign of fuel tanks being carried in the cargo section.

Your Attack Wings have 150 SP torpedoes remaining not counting your personal stockpiles. The Escort Carriers have 96 SP's remaining.
Do you plan to wait for more of your ships to be repaired or attack now?

>>30171446
>The next target on the list
Maybe we should change target priorities, now that our combat strength has been temporarily decreased?

>>30171446

Is it possible to reorganize damaged squadrons and make a few undamaged squadrons with them?

I'd say we should start off this second fight with a few SP torps mixed into normal torps.

How secure would ships like our Marauder and the Battlecruisers take to secure any equipment that we might encourage to enjoy a 'space walk'?

>>30171446
Use the ships to launch one MRSI, and fighters to launch another on different vector, then micro-jump when they arrive.

Force them to split their fire and shielding.

Reorganize squadrons and perhaps mix in few SPs into barrages, as >>30171671 proposed.

>>30171642
>Maybe we should change target priorities, now that our combat strength has been temporarily decreased?
The next after the second heavy cruiser is:
>Military Station (3)
>Asteroid battlestation & fleet staging base, both have been destroyed. A Heavy cruiser is parked among the debris protecting a construction operation attempting to salvage the remains.
>There are a pair of battleships and carriers nearby.

This site has considerably less warships supporting the heavy.

>>30171671
>Is it possible to reorganize damaged squadrons and make a few undamaged squadrons with them?
You could maybe get Daska's squadrons back to full strength. Mike's unit is not exactly huge numbers wise.

>I'd say we should start off this second fight with a few SP torps mixed into normal torps.
How many? The amound can make a big different to both your stockpiles and the damage done to a heavy cruiser.

>>30171748
>Use the ships to launch one MRSI, and fighters to launch another on different vector, then micro-jump when they arrive.
Did you want to have ships equipped with ECCM arrive farther out but sooner to counter a repeat of lat time?

>>30171945
Lets go with military station 3 then.

>>30171945
>how many SP torps

I'm still unsure as to how many it would take, but would ~30 or so be overkill for attempting to cripple the shields/weapons on the Heavy? Or would more/less be preferable?

I'd say ~ 30 SPs from Wings & 26 from the fighter wings.

I'd rather not fire SP torps in the MRSI without ECCM ships in position to ensure they don't miss.

File: 1392159145809.gif-(2.59 MB, 540x300, worried laughter.gif)

2.59 MB GIF

>>30172173
>I'm still unsure as to how many it would take, but would ~30 or so be overkill for attempting to cripple the shields/weapons on the Heavy? Or would more/less be preferable?
You don't really know, that's the thing. You haven't engaged enough heavy cruisers to be sure and nobody has been able to capture one yet to get the plans for them.

>I'd rather not fire SP torps in the MRSI without ECCM ships in position to ensure they don't miss.
Noted.

>>30172123
Everybody else okay with this?

>>30172405

I'm unsure how many SP torps it really takes to cripple anything larger than a frigate, really. [Factions or Neeran]

I'd imagine that 50-odd SP torps would be painful for a Factions Medium, assuming no intercepts, but not exactly crippling unless a lucky hit hits something important?

>>30172405
>Everybody else okay with this?
Not really, but it's much better than attacking the other heavy.

>>30172405
>Everybody else okay with this?
Might as well go for it.

Rolled 1, 18, 17, 6 = 42

>How [long?] would ships like our Marauder and the Battlecruisers take to secure any equipment that we might encourage to enjoy a 'space walk'?
It depends how big they are really and if the recovered equipment is in danger of breaking into pieces. If it's not too big or complicated they could grab the gear and be out potentially before a response force arrived.

Starfighters and starships launching multi-torpedo strike from multiple directions. Supporting ships with ECCM to be placed within range for SP torp usage.
Main force will then (presumably) jump in to finish off the Heavy and it's escorts?

Any changes to this plan?

If no roll 7d20

Rolled 11, 7, 19, 17, 4, 16, 5 = 79

>>30172865
double 20's cmon

Rolled 10

>>30172865
>7d20
1

>Main force will then (presumably) jump in to finish off the Heavy and it's escorts?
We should probably designate some ships to cover our ECCM vessels, just in case things don't go as planned.

Rolled 5, 11, 20, 17, 6, 18, 16 = 93

>>30172865

Rolled 19, 15, 1, 5, 19, 4, 15 = 78

>>30172865

Rolled 2

>>30172923
2

Rolled 18

>>30173016
3

Rolled 8

>>30173124
4

Rolled 5

>>30173161
5

Rolled 13

>>30173182
6

Rolled 2

>>30173206
7

11, 11, 20, 16, 6, 18, 16

The Torpedoes are away. The ECM ship from Alex and Mike's units jump in at range and provide ECCM cover.

When the rest of the unit micro jumps in closer you catch the Heavy cruiser just as the SP torps strike the hull. The shields partially fail allowing conventional torps though but come back online in sections, only to fail completely once the starships open fire with energy weapons. Most of the hits were taken on the bow, allowing the weapons on the flanks to continue firing. Those of you with Plasma cannons do what you can to maximise damage to concentrations of weapon emplacements, quickly reducing the ship's damage output.

The local defenders jump Daska's 5th and 6th squadrons from cover provided by debris, losing two corvettes and takaing damage to others before the rest of her unit can turn and provide covering fire. Some of the starfighters catch the rest of the enemy ships from the opposite direction and soon they're put out of action.

The remaining guns on the heavy cruiser deal some damage to the rest of 3rd Wing launching plasma balls at close range. A few turrets arc them around the curve of the hull from positions your people cant return fire. You've never seen that before.

The medium cruisers still take most of the remaining fire, shrugging off the worst of it and soon crippling the enemy Heavy. The Mediums get to work hammering the remains of the engine block with their heavy phase cannons so that you can save torpedo and plasma cannon ammo.

"Begin recovery operations. Get the Marauder in here ASAP."
The hulls of the two corvettes you lost can be salvaged, though only a fraction of the crews remain aboard. The rest either teleported out or were killed. As it will take some time to rebuild the corvettes they'll likely be strapped to the hull of the repair ship and dropped off the next time you visit a regular shipyard.

If the rest of Daska's Wing hadn't rushed to their aid you likely would have had many more ships crippled by the sneak attack. 5th Wing will have to draw from the reserves once again to get back up to full strength.

Before reatreating your people quickly search the wreckage of the battlestation and fleet base for anything you could possibly use.

Roll 2d100

Rolled 10, 56 = 66

>>30173705

Neeran loot!

Rolled 15, 75 = 90

>>30173705
neeron

Rolled 14, 32 = 46

>>30173705

Rolled 18, 15 = 33

>>30173673

File: 1392163722409.gif-(49 KB, 1340x1398, MAP_Sector_2h.gif)

49 KB GIF

You find a medium Plasma cannon that Neeran salvage teams were in the process of unearthing from the remains of the station. It must have been mounted on the station in a turret. You should be able to sell or trade it to the Shallan Government, the Alliance or even your own House.

Other than that there are a few FTL components that are swept up and good quality materials that can be used by the repair ship but that's about it.

You get out before a response fleet can arrive.

Taking stock of your forced you're in worse shape than when you went in. It's going to take some time to repair the damage your ships have taken. After reorganising the less damaged ships you're down to approximately half strength, though your starfighters are all but untouched.

The Medium cruisers will not be available for much longer. You can extend it to a day but the sooner they can return to their fleets the better.

>Your orders?

>>30174090
Let stretch it out to a day and let our fleets have a breather and get some minor repairs done. What major targets remain ?

>>30174090
Let's hit the mining operation.

Take a page out of Daska's book, have the fleet jump in as a diversion, then the escort carriers jump in wherever there's asteroid cover, launch starfighters then bug out. Pincer attack any remaining enemies and then cover the carriers as they pick up the fighters.

>>30174090
Fit that Plasma cannon to our ship! TWIN LINKED PLASMA CANNONS!

Jokes aside, time for a breather. Make repairs and get the fleet back in shape. Call together our officers for a debrief on the situation and what they think of our current situation and tactics and what could be improved.

>>30174456
After a day of repairs this has my support even if I feel uneasy with leaving the Fighters so exposed. Now I'm going to bed, don't get the fleet wiped out.

>>30174456
>>30174547
Sounds good to me.

>>30174412
>What major targets remain ?
Of the ones you've conducted recon on:

>>30149048
>Main Colony
>Mining operation
>Planetary Base (1)
>>30149197
>Mining operation (Within range of sensor array)
>The second terraforming operation (Heavy cruiser Present)
There are tankers that make appearances in the sectors near the main colony.

There there are an additional 2 terraforming sites, 2 rare element mines and a mining operation which you haven't even conducted recon of.
The reason I haven't just gone ahead and said Daska performed recon of it all is because you already have a hard enough time choosing targets. More atm would just be information overload.

>>30174547
>Call together our officers for a debrief on the situation and what they think of our current situation and tactics and what could be improved.
Verilis reads off her views of the latest tactics. "The multi torpedo strike while useful uses up a lot of ordinance and has limitations. Against more heavily defended targets that stand a chance of shrugging off the hits it causes us to commit ships to battle in time for them to arrive. They also need ECM support and on occasion SP torpedoes to disable shield generators. If wee keep using this tactic excessively the enemy is going to find a way to use it against us."
You'll have to consider that.

Alex wonders if it would be possible to use long ranged engagement to draw apart enemy fleet units so sections of them can be dealt with more effectively.
Daska is of the opinion that, despite the situation some of her units just found themselves in, the wings would be able to cause more havoc if split up into much smaller forces. Though this might result in less damage done overall.

Spend a day on repairs then go after the mining operation seems to be the popular option?
Did you want to attack the mine that's within an asteroid or the one closer to the main colony with the barges? Some people wanted to try and capture the mining barges.

Capturing the faction-built mining barges should be possible. We wouldn't have to deal with any incomprehensible Neeran computer systems.

The only question is how we escape with them.

>>30175225
>The only question is how we escape with them.
Presumably you'd either put a prize crew aboard them and jump them out under their own power, or you'd make use of larger ships to tow them out. You do happen to have a pair of Medium cruisers helping you. Though it's unlikely the captain of the Shukhant would let such an operation pass without wanting to claim one.

>>30175679

>Captain asks to claim one
>"What IFF were you flying again?"

Might be a simple, if dickish, way to get that favor over with...

>>30175842
>"What IFF were you flying again?"
Alliance. It's a good thing you've got those observers aboard!
>"I'm sure the Shallan government would appreciate the return of strategic assets."

Looking at the defenders in that system it's clear that we won't be able to cheese it with the barges in tow unless we hit the big miner and it's defenders. But we can't leave the barges alone either because they would just run away.

So instead of doing a torpedo barrage from afar it would be better to just get in their face and knock down all of the escorts with 1-2 SPs each. That would let us focus on the big target and land troops on the barges asap.

If things look like they are going south, or capture will take too long just destroy em. It's more important to deny them to the enemy, and mining ships don't grow on trees.

I have to go for a while, hopefully I'll be back before the thread ends.

I've recently been falling down an endless rabbit hole of weapon science and history, mostly to do with WW2 era firearms and vehicle weapons. Hell I even bought a book about it. In any case I know a lot more about firearms and ballistics than I did a week ago, and it's pointed out a problem with our rifle design. Namely the splinter shells are too long and thin to engage the rifling effectively, and mechanical impact fuses are a lot bigger than I thought they were.

Anyhow all of that's an easy fix and I'll work it into the design sometime next week.

>>30176204
>mechanical impact fuses
Why wouldn't they use electrical ignition? They're starting to prototype weapons today that can do so.
Then again with the power drain... Yeah.

Are you guys attacking a mining outpost and if so which one?
What is your plan of attack?

>Mining operation
A large mining vehicle like the one you saw on your first deployment is chewing through asteroids in a nearby system. 3 local mining barges are operating as well under heavy guard. Neeran Transports are supporting their large miner while Y-type transports are assisting the Faction built barges.
6 battleships are guarding the heavy mining ship while 1 each is guarding the Barges. There are equal numbers of Carriers present. The Barges sometimes operate far enough away from the main operation that it might be possible to raid them.

>Mining operation (Within range of sensor array)
>A large asteroid that's being mined from the inside out, possibly with plans to later use it as a base. On site refineries were producing metals suitable for starship armor. This site has 4 battleships and 4 carriers.

>>30176358
If mining operation I'll put forward the plan I suggested here >>30174456

>>30176391
Oops, I missed out a section of that plan completely.

Whilst the defenders are distracted attacking our wing, the escort carriers jump in out of system (either before hand or as we arrive, so it's timed that we're all there at the same time) and take cover in heavy asteroid debris and launch fighters. The fighters then go and split into three groups to hit the barges.

>>30176462
Oh, and again, I forgot something.

Have the array that's under our control filter the movements of the escort carriers too.

>>30176358

We should hit the large mining operation once we've gotten some repairs complete, if the Mediums will stick around for a bit for those to advance.

If the Mediums don't want to stick around, we'll probably have to hit the second site.

>>30176801
The Mediums have agreed to stay for 24 hours following the last attack but that's it. If you attempt to hold out longer for more repairs they'll leave on their own. You'll also have pissed off their respective commanders for wasting a day where they were needed elsewhere.

1 day is enough time to get 9/12 squadrons fully operational.

>>30176946
In that case I would rather just fit a hour or so for to repair some and then jump to the larger Mining operation and maybe we could then squeeze the other Mining operation before they go.

Best to hit the big one first before we loose out on their support and I would rather not make them angry by spending a whole day with repairs.

Got to do as much damage as possible while we have them and it just means we have to use different tactics to try and keep our men alive.

File: 1392174576775.jpg-(Spoiler Image, 11 KB, 460x276)

11 KB JPG

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/W9DTZNR

Survey is up since I'm not seeing a lot of agreement on much of
anything.

While the survey for next week is up perhaps this is a good time to talk about long term plans for this quest such as it is.



Following your raiding missions behind enemy lines it is my plan for Sonia & Co to begin going through increasingly lengthy timeskips. These would be interrupted by notable missions and operations. I've already begun this process through the Home Front series.

My intention is to allow the play through of Sonia's continued advancement both at home and abroad. Being able to see the long term results of your actions in the game thus far and how they change things for better or worse. And ultimately to finish this thing within my lifetime.

I want to make something abundantly clear: eventually Sonia is going to die.
I don't know how yet, it may be in a special operation within a few months or a year in game, or it might be decades after establishing your financial Empire. Or after a possible collapse of said empire though your own mismanagement, we'll see.

Start thinking about things you'd like to see in the long term and plans you might have for it.

On further reflection spoiling this might be for the best.

>>30178199
That's honestly kinda depressing really

>>30178199
Oh Christ, I had a heart attack when I first read that. Thought you were dropping the quest.

In any case, I've known eventually her death would happen. I think I'd definitely like to see more corporate action, especially branching into R&D. When she does kick the bucket, will that be the end of H&D? Or will we play as a descendant?

There is one way round the death though. We work out how to upload Sonia into an AI

>>30178199
>>30178532
I had the same reaction, but I can understand that we won't live forever. If we ever find out if our wizard somehow made it that would be nice. Really as a combo of R&D and if our wizard is somehow alive I want to learn how the Neeran can be so long lived. If that means a combo of learning to implant compatible super organs with a combination of spiritual rights then I am all for it. Also, Corporate things are also nice.

I'm guessing you are going for the "This is how the war is going and here are some important missions that you can take part in" type of thing?

As for A.I. Sonia or something like Full Cybernetic Enhancement Sonia I am okay with that as well.

>>30178783
>wizard
Definitely something I'd like to see the conclusion of.

>>30178199
Such things can not be avoided. I only hope we see out sister through some shit.

>>30178532
>There is one way round the death though. We work out how to upload Sonia into an AI
>>30178783
>As for A.I. Sonia or something like Full Cybernetic Enhancement Sonia I am okay with that as well.


That would prolong things certainly, as would that special little hypo injector Sonia has. Everything fades eventually.


>I'm guessing you are going for the "This is how the war is going and here are some important missions that you can take part in" type of thing?
Essentially, though don't doubt that your actions don't have some effect. They certainly do. While I may have wrote a base timeline of major events more than a decade ago things have already been shifted dramatically. In some ways better, in other worse. Think of it like Zeon Quest affecting the events of the One Year War.

Speaking of which: FUCK YOU HAWAII!!! And your cruise missile spam too!

File: 1392176978921.jpg-(66 KB, 728x1067, gunnm_lo_05_099.jpg)

66 KB JPG

>>30178532
>We work out how to upload Sonia into an AI

After that I had to start looking up Battle Angel Alita which I've never gotten around to reading but always wanted to.
Oh man this comic is a goldmine.

>>30178974

Forever searching for that Neeran Command ship in a cloaking field via sensor buoys.

... that gives me an idea. Do we have access to Laser-based communications on say a sensor probe? If the probes are difficult to detect and the source of the cloaking field can't see/detect the laser radiation to cloak it... shouldn't that allow us to see into those damned things with say a cloaked ship?

>>30178532
>>30178783
Speaking of A.I. it would be interesting to see the continued relationship with a certain one grow. Of course our crime fighting efforts will be expanded and maybe a "Payphone" mission every once in awhile.

If we surrvive the war I would also like to see us get more into the Alliance politics if possible not only our houses. Mostly because I want to be able to visit the different factions own home planets/areas they occupy. Everything from the Terrans to the Hune, the Krath. Hell, maybe even the Norune one day because despite our salvage nature we have been able to achieve some interesting things. We helped the Free Planet's League become a house and if we can do more stuff like that but on a factions wide scale? I think the Wizard would be proud.

>>30179156
>... that gives me an idea. Do we have access to Laser-based communications on say a sensor probe? If the probes are difficult to detect and the source of the cloaking field can't see/detect the laser radiation to cloak it... shouldn't that allow us to see into those damned things with say a cloaked ship?
It's a good idea but you'd need a fuck powerful laser to get through Neeran cloaking fields.

Think the Orbital Night Cloak used by Warlord Zsinj in the Star Wars EU.
...god fucking dammit. It's a knockoff of the orbital nightcloak and I didn't even realise it.
Bad news for you is that it's based off this setting's shielding/cloaking technology meaning there's no probes to shoot down to disrupt the fields, you have to kill the emitter ships which are usually carriers.

Anyways, if you could get probes firing powerful enough bursts, of one thing or another then yes they could be used to set up a string of relay systems. The easiest would be to use starfighter grade micro phase cannons. These have some drawbacks such as having to worry about your probes shooting each other with a weapon designed to blow up things the size of probes. They'll need shields or some of those new fancy stasis field defenses you guys want to put on everything but that are still in development.

Could work.

>>30179536
err... wait.

I thought cloaking shields worked like an active-camo system for the radiation spectrums (and magnetic/gravity?), mimicking the output to hide the ship?

If you need a powerful laser to get through the fields, does that make the Neeran fields more of a jamming shield that just scrambles sensors, or do all cloaking shields work like this?

I wonder how plausible a 'net' of probes would be to detect cloaked ships entering a system, if you could conceal them so that the cloaked ship would disrupt a laser passing between them. Possibly more of a choke-point deal...

>>30179536
Which reminds me for the whole R&D thing you know we have been saving that 100 so we could get a great guy to lead it all or what I like to call the H&D version of Mckay. I don't think that is going to change any time soon.

>>30179867
>Mckay of the H&D universe

You know...there is that race that is said to be super smart...

>>30178199
it will be the saddest of days when I no longer have a weekly house and dominion thread to look forward to

long term? an expedition to the surface of the dyson sphere hell world with all the pieces of the key to unlock it would be unbelievably fun. as would watching the first Reynard Corp super heavy cruiser roll out of the shipyard and us calling it The Dominionator

>>30179703
>I thought cloaking shields worked like an active-camo system for the radiation spectrums (and magnetic/gravity?), mimicking the output to hide the ship?
Normal cloaking shields used by starships do, especially those used by the Factions.

The much longer ranged cloaking fields employed by the Neeran Empire block those spectrums entirely. Nothing gets through, its why there was worry they were going to block all light from some stars reaching colonies that were holding on through some sieges early in the Invasion. Which they did in a couple of cases, the Shallan military had to light up orbital Fusion torches which were not good for their fuel stockpiles.

>does that make the Neeran fields more of a jamming shield that just scrambles sensors,
Yes. As they can stretch theirs across multiple AU it gives them a huge advantage in controlling what the enemy (you) can see of the battlefield.
Powerful enough ECM/ECCM can cut through it to a limited extent but only to a few tens of thousands of Km.

>or do all cloaking shields work like this?
Faction cloaking shields are generally able to hide even when exposed to electronic warfare better, though it may make them slightly easier to detect. Those inside the cloaking shield can still determine what's going on outside by reading the input that the system has to counter.
Phase cannon fire will generally overload Faction cloaking shields requiring them to reset. The Rovinar seemed to be close to solving that problem with their prototype. Mind you it still caused their cloak to bleed excess radiation in every direction.


>>30179971
Which your refugee ship is scheduled to visit their homeworld and surrounding systems soon if it hasn't already.
I sure hope nothing unfortunate happens to it.

>>30180108
>I sure hope nothing unfortunate happens to it.

Oh..oh that is evil. I now am hoping nothing happens to it as well.

File: 1392181738373.jpg-(188 KB, 1200x600, big_buddha_by_voyager212-(...).jpg)

188 KB JPG

Rolled 15, 6, 5, 14 = 40

>>30180652
You guys saw how close it was to the front lines. But we'll wait and see what happens.


Roll 6d20 for combat for next week's game.

Rolled 14, 12, 9, 11, 2, 7 = 55

>>30181118

Rolled 13, 9, 7, 11, 17, 19 = 76

>>30181118
Cutting it early this week because of the graphics card, TSTG?

I can't thank you enough for running this week in week out, for the past 2/3 years. It's been amazing.

Rolled 15, 9, 15, 9, 2, 5 = 55

>>30181118

>>30181208
That plus work tomorrow and a ski trip to prepare for.

>>30181236
>ski trip
Have fun!

Don't hit your head and fall into a coma.

Rolled 2, 4, 19, 6, 13, 19 = 63

>>30181118
True, but on the bright side if it makes it through it will look like we are REALLY dedicated to helping the refugees out...or at least more than we already are.

I have to say thought this has been a very interesting ride and we have only seen a fraction of the universe.

>>30181165
>>30181208
>>30181227
15, 12, 15, 11, 17, 19

Not too bad not too good.

While the timeskips do make me a little sad, I did sorta see them coming. The quest has certainly come a long way since the time when we had more fingers than subordinates to look after. I just hope we get the chance to test out our crazy inventions and tie up all of those loose ends and side plots.

>>30178532
>When she does kick the bucket, will that be the end of H&D? Or will we play as a descendant?
This was something I was wondering as well. Would Sonia's end mean the complete end of H&D on /tg/, simply the end of Sonia's arc/ historical period, or just her life and viewpoint?