>>42169423
FOR HOUSE AND DOMINION

For House and Dominion! Time to reconquer our old territory!

>>42169423
For House and Dominion! Loot for the loot God!

>>42169423
For House and Dominion! Salvaging Greek Gods and pissing off the Terrans HO!

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>>42169757
After 10000 hours I'm free, time to conquer Erid?

According to intel the drop went as planned for the Recon team to infiltrate Alaior and secure transport to the ship. The time necessary may become an issue, especially if or when your strike at the other base is discovered.

A report comes in that yard workers have finished the last major work needed to get the Neeran Heavy Carrier into space. It will still need some work once all of this is over but it will do now. Dock workers are referring to it as the Qlippoth.

Archivald is moving the Carrier up to support the fleets already near the border. It may not be able to support he same number of ships as Majestic but it does have superior firepower, mounting as many Neeran corvette turrets and torpedo batteries as could be spared.

>Meanwhile on Alaior...

An older armored personnel carrier speeds through city streets towards the secure landing pad and the LST parked within. Without warning a woman surges out from the pedestrian traffic into the vehicle's path and is instantly struck. The wheeled vehicle screeches to a stop, drivers and soldiers pile out to investigate but it's clear the civilian is dead. With all of the movement in and out it's impossible for the passengers to notice the change in weight as four invisible figures climb on top.

You are Ella Rufaro and one of your team mates have just proven themselves to be one of the most cold blooded people you've served with.

[ ] Compliment team mate
[ ] Berate team mate
[ ] Keep quiet

>>42170473
>[X] Keep quiet

>>42170473
>[X] Keep quiet
Can't say I like it even a bit but it's probably best to keep things professionial right now. It does seem a bit excessive, though. Do we know anything about the other soldiers on this mission? Is Fusaro with us?

>>42170473
[X] Berate team mate

>>42170473
>[ ] Keep quiet
Meh, may not be the nicest way to do things but it will have to do in a pinch. Not approving however.

>>42169423
FOR HOUSE AND DOMINION

>>42170473
>[X] Berate team mate
Ella disapproves

>>42170473
>Keep quiet
It's in service to the House, greater good and all that, the woman was Erid scum anyway

>>42170473
[x] Keep Quiet

No one ever likes Intel spooks, but you certainly don't tell the spook that to their face. Or break communications discipline on an infiltration op.

>>42170473
>[ ] Keep quiet
Keep it in mind for later when it won't interfere with the op.

You keep quiet for now. Better to hurry up and get this mission over with. That doesn't mean you approve of this. If it wasn't for the armor and camouflage it would be clear to everyone that your glare might burn a hole right through Ramírez.

Valeri wasn't thrilled to be working with people from intel either and the two of you are quite certain the two agents had given you false names. The monikers Marie Cross and Carlos Ramírez didn't seem to fit with these two.

The troops put in a call to the MP's and local police then most of them load back into the vehicle and drive off before either have a chance to arrive. It seems they're in a hurry to reach the bay and get off world, even without the latest scrutiny.
The nearby civilians are not happy about this and a few throw rocks at the vehicle before it can get up to speed. Fortunately all of them miss the four of you. It would have been embarrassing for your camo to be given away by a few stones.

Soon the APC is pulling into a garage and the passengers unloading, heading for a very new looking LST.

Ramírez sends out a move quickly signal via secure burst coms and soon you're aboard. The House Erid officers are loudly complaining about the late arrivals and that the ship needed to be airborne ten minutes ago.
"The Baron wanted everybody aboard by now. What, did you guys stop to buy souvenirs?! Go, move, move, move!"

Once the ramp has closed the officers inform everyone on board that they don't have time to strap in.
"Everyone is to have your power cell armor on before we reach the ship. I don't care if it's a bumpy flight."

[ ] Don't interfere until you've reached the ship
[ ] Kill the marines before they can suit up

>>42171158
>[X] Don't interfere until you've reached the ship
Somebody would definitely notice a bunch of dead marines. Unless Erid PCA has been significantly upgraded in the sensor department, staying hidden seem to be the best course of action.

>>42171158
>[ ] Don't interfere until you've reached the ship
The silent hunter gets the prey. And this time the prey is not Marines but the heavy.

>>42171158
>[ ] Don't interfere until you've reached the ship

>>42171158
>[ ] Don't interfere until you've reached the ship
There's gonna be hundreds of powercell armor troopers on the ship, why spoil our sneaky entry over a LST full? That said if we put a tracker on some soldiers armor component while they're suiting up it could be useful, they probably move as a squad.

There is a short discussion of the merits of killing the marines aboard before they can suit up and potentially become a threat to the team or a later boarding assault. A number of ways might have even prevented the flight crew from finding out until after you'd docked. For now though it's better that no one know of your presence.

One of the crew flips on a display showing the exterior of the ship and your progress towards that yard. By the time the LST gets into orbit and is nearing the target, the level of activity has begun to increase. Additional attack cruisers and fighters are patrolling the are, staying close to the yard and it's docked prize.

As the LST approaches the sublight drives on the Zeus begin to power up and what few docking arms still remaining retract. Even as the drives light up and the Zeus begins to push forward a cloud suddenly appears in its path. Mines.

A cloud of mines has appeared in front of the docking lane, expanding to block the ship's escape.
The Zeus is far enough out for the crew to raise part of its forward shield which lights up from warhead impacts.

Phase cannon fire flashes out from the Heavy and every other ship nearby, searching out the source of the minefield. Soon the beams begin to focus in on one area in particular and the fleeing cloaked battleship becomes visible. Cannon hits begin to knock out sublight engines even as it prepares to jump. The intensity of fire is too much and soon it becomes clear that the ship is crippled beyond any jump capability.

Fire tapers off and ships farther out close in on the wounded vessel to capture it. Then all at once the ship explodes, the blast reducing it little but a fireball and small debris. Too uniform to have been the result of secondary explosions, the crew must have triggered a self destruct. Hopefully after abandoning ship.

In front of the Zeus, it and every ship in the area are launching volley after volley of what look like missiles towards the mines. The number of them has overwhelmed the shield and soon many are drifting towards the hull, even as the crew attempt to reverse engines.

Hidden banks of missile racks open up on sections of the hull and begin to fire off their cargo. Chunks of armor are blasted off the bow from each mine impact, but for ever one that hits, five more are struck by interceptor missiles setting them off early.

A solid minute of fire and explosions turn the space surrounding the Barons prized ship into a small nebula. It takes time for all of the gas an debris to clear but when it does the damage to the bow section is easily visible. The armor is cracked, cratered and pockmarked but the hull underneath looks largely intact.

Additional ships sweep the area, checking for additional mines before the Zeus resumes its launch, getting clear of the yard. Soon your LST is on final approach and docks near the others on one of the untouched sections of the ship's hull.

Marines transfer aboard the Recon team following them deeper into the ship. Upon reaching their barracks a newly arrived officer informs them they'll each be assigned support drones for operations aboard ship.

"Let's go, we have a lot of ground to cover." Valeri points out.

[ ] Get moving, the ship is already underway
[ ] Wait and listen about drones

>>42172845
>[ ] Wait and listen about drones
5 minutes won't kill us, and it could really be useful to know about potential threats to our stealth systems.

>>42172845
>[ ] Wait and listen about drones
It means losing valuable time, but knowing about the capabilities of these drones could make the difference between success and failure. If they have anti-recon capability, it'll be much better to find out now than later.

Also, was that cloaked battleship one of ours/the one we just spent a lot of effort recapturing?

>>42172845
Well aren't we unlucky, I hope most of the crew got away before they destroyed the Battleship. Also we should use mines more often. Would be a nice "Fuck you" after raiding operations to ditch some of them in the enemies backyards.

>[ ] Wait and listen about drones
It takes all but 2 minutes to hear what intel they will share with us. I am hoping this ship is full of drone to help out with a central command computer that we can hack.

General question, is there a reason we stopped using the tactic of sneaking up on the outskirts of a system and firing thousands of standard torpedoes to swamp the defenders? I recall TSTG warning us that it might lead to the Neeran copying us and biting us in the ass, but it seems like this is the sort of situation it would have been perfect for.

>>42173044
It was actually in the survey for this operation but people voted for special forces instead.

>>42173079
I guess that's valid, I'm not sure I would have been able to pass up the (very very slim) possibility of capturing a Heavy Cruiser.

>>42172970
>Also, was that cloaked battleship one of ours/the one we just spent a lot of effort recapturing?
It was the one of the cloaked fast battleships assigned to Sonia for special operations. You had it fitted with minelayers, replacing the heavy torpedo launchers.
They were given orders to deploy their mines if it looked like the Zeus was about to launch in an attempt to keep the ship in its dock.

The prototype cloaked/stealth ship you recently recaptured was built on an attack cruiser hull and was not yet equipped with its own cloaking shield. Also the people from intel would have knocked Sonia out and thrown her in a closet for a day if it looked like you were going to send that ship out again right away.

>>42173044
In some of the larger battles with your fleet the last time you fought the Neeran it would have been too complicated to set up with everything else going on.

>>42173279
Thanks for answering the questions, TSTG

>>42173044
Well there are three general problems with MLRS tactics. For starters it's resource intense on torpedoes. Secondly it's not very useful on moving targets or targets that can be moved as they could just move out of the way of the volley or be moved. Thirdly it depends on stealth to succeed. If it it detected by sensors then it's very likely all that ammo is wasted.

But yeah, we're most likely going to use it again. Just have not had the chance to use it effectively.

>>42173334
I can't remember at the moment, don't torpedoes have limited steering ability?

Sorry lost my train of thought.

The officer describes the average support drones you've used a few times since Sonia bought a batch of them. Some equipped with phase rifles, other with mass drivers, etc and so on. Making sure to issue lethal vs non lethal attack orders. Everyone get's their own control keys to their drones only, though drones who have lost their squad member will continue to follow and support friendlies.

The teams will probably remain aboard ship but it's not out of the question that they may be conducting boarding operations.

More importantly they're informed about autonomous drones aboard ship. Most of them are scanner drones that will conduct random sweeps of sections, but some are stationed around key areas and will send out alerts if they drop off the network.

"Don't shoot the scanner drones if they're bothering you, they'll send for backup and the MP's."

[ ] Change of plans, find a way to disrupt the drone network
[ ] We should try to disrupt the computers first
[ ] The main gun may have been damaged by the mines, this is still the best time to disable it

>>42174042
>[ ] The main gun may have been damaged by the mines, this is still the best time to disable it
May get away with additional damage to the main gun right now. After that we can target computers and the Drone Network.

>>42174042
Do we have an idea what's the range on these drones?

>>42174142
Do you mean operational/flight, network, sensor or weapons range?

Rufaro does not know but there are what looked like charging jacks at regular intervals in the corridors. Odds are they would also be able to link into the ship's network that way if wireless was jammed.

>>42174264
Sensor range against our stealth systems.

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>>42174297
You have no way of knowing.

>>42174396
That is unpleasant. How far away are we from locations where we can sabotage the main cannon?

>>42174042

[x] Disrupt the drone network
[x] Other: Send a lone operative to run around shooting scanner drones at random across the ship.

>>42174042
[ ] Change of plans, find a way to disrupt the drone network

I dunno part of me wants Rufaro to run around like some kind of delinquent with a baseball bat knocking these drones about and reaking havoc.

pic related

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>>42174677
Of course I would forget the pic.

>>42174531
>[x] Other: Send a lone operative to run around shooting scanner drones at random across the ship.
That's a pretty ballsy move, but it might be that our only option is to break into two teams, one loud and the other stealthy. If the loud team can clear a path to the main gun and keep up a running battle with security elements for long enough, stealthy team could hopefully actually accomplish the primary goal.

To further develop the idea, we could send the two spooks (they seem pretty expendable) to try and disrupt computers/drones with a maximum of shooting and explosions and death, while the named characters that we care about try to reach the main gun to disable it.

Just saying, randomly shooting drones before we've tried anything else doesn't seem particularly smart to me.

>>42174432
You're 1 km above the main gun if that makes any difference.

2 for disrupting the drone network, 1 for going after the main gun. Any more votes?

>>42174791
Try to get to the gun first, if only to see how many of these drones are around. If we run into too many of them to avoid on the way to the gun, we should consider the other options.

>>42174821
Seconding this.

>>42174821
I'm the anon who advocated sending the spooks to their probable demise, but I agree with this

>>42174821
Third

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Intel didn't cover disabling a drone network that wasn't know about. Going around setting of alarms when nobody knows you're aboard at the moment is also probably a bad idea right now. Later on either of those options might come in handy but for now your priority is taking down that main gun.

The team sets out.

You are once again Sonia Reynard.

The newly arrived carrier has taken up station where it can help cover each of the command ships. Katherine Drake's wing has been boosted with the attack cruiser squadron you made sure to transfer to her. They're conducting exercises nearby, practicing operating in new mixed squadrons. They don't have a couple of weeks to get it right, things could be happening in hours.

Two hours from now the Gravity well generator send by House Ber'helum will arrive and if the enemy hasn't struck first you may need to take the fight to them. If the team can't do any lasting damage to that Heavy you'll all be in serious trouble.

Knight Captain Xisoth's Medium cruiser jumps in along with an upgraded Hammer class medium and the wings of corvettes and other ships he promised to bring along.

"Have you had contact with your strike teams in the past 30 minutes?" he asks once you're able to establish a connection.

"No, why?"
He proceeds to inform you of the minelayer's attack on the shipyard.

"The attack failed but the ship exploded before it could be boarded or positively identified. It was a type your House is known to sell. It's not much but the Baron will use it as an excuse to escalate things. His people also know another base in Erid space stopped reporting in but probably don't have details on it yet. It was enough to move the launch up."

You're sent sensor data on the ship, showing damage to the bow section from mine hits. It's not nearly what you would have hoped but by the looks of things that part of the ship will be vulnerable to SP torpedo strikes.

>>42176293
Can our analysts tell us how many SP hits we would want to comfortably disable this thing?

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The second cloaked battleship arrives a few minutes later confirming much of what Desh has told you. From sensor records at least part of the crew may have been able to use the emergency teleporters before it was destroyed.
Intel also informs you that to counter the mines the Zeus and its escort used many of their interceptor missiles.
"Their stockpiles may be depleted, and if those were the same interceptor systems they were planning to shoot down SP torpedoes with we'll need to strike before they're resupplied."

Xisoth sends you more info.
"Because of the damage Baron Ukalah is going to be more cautious for awhile. If that's the case he'll want reinforcements before going on the offensive. These systems are the most likely stopping points along the way to the Erid / J-D border. There will be forces loyal to Ukalah that can be rallied at each one, including salvage and repair ships.

If the Baron can repair his Heavy cruiser without returning to dock he'll take the opportunity to stay on the move."

Baron Doedra Dremine will be arriving soon with the gravity well generator, his command ship and some carrier elements.

What plan of action do you intend to suggest when he arrives?

You can expect Archivald to make modifications that will include his carrier elements, but if you can include them ahead of time that could be a bonus.

We should try and get Versa to let us field test the battlefield control program here.

>>42176726
Intercept the fuckers before they get near our lines. The sooner we can hit the heavy on its path the easier it will be to smash it using the gravity generator to pin it down in one place, our standard fleet elements to get stuck in, and then all those starfighters to ram 288 SP torps right up its asshole.

So basically hit them as early in its path as we can once the grav generator arrives.

>>42176726
>What plan of action do you intend to suggest when he arrives?
Hit the three important border systems, then simply avoid wherever the heavy cruiser goes until we can amass enough forces to cripple it.

>>42176726
Wait I see it we can go about this two different ways. Blitzs or wait 2 hours and then we blitz.

Strip Most every ship we have from House space, leaving like Squadrons here and there as needed, while the rest split up into larger battlegroups at the border. We then execute our standard attack pattern of finding a target we can take out without losing very many ships using overwhelming force to cause them initial loses. If we time it right we may be able to wipe out their border garrisons in one savage blow.

We then steamroll any enemy force between us and the first yard, by then the gravity generator should have caught up to us. Using it we trap any retreating enemy forces at the yard and wipe them out.

Meanwhile we can send out perhaps one wing and Mike to harass enemy forces, especially logistic bases which can resupply the Heavy.

>>42176726
What does the red shade on the map mean?

>>42176686
>Can our analysts tell us how many SP hits we would want to comfortably disable this thing?

Taking out only half its engines:
Normal SP's +150
Best quality SP's +50

Taking down torpedo launchers & Batteries:
Normal SP's +80
Best quality SP's +40

These are required on target impacts. They do not include warheads intercepted in flight or those that miss their mark.

>>42177110
The section of House Erid that Baron Ukalah and/or Aries controls.

>>42176726

Have Xisoth's people been burned yet?

And do we have the means to sneak our fleet into position to hit Ukalah on the first few jumps he makes?

If we could have some or all of Xisoth's group link up with Ukalah as a sort of 'ok, what the hell is going on' meeting, we could potentially launch an ambush/raid against Ukalah's forces.

In the confusion, the rest of Xisoth's group could jump in as well, ID ad friendlies to Ukalah's group, and then Xisoth's people turn on Ukalah's forces.

>>42176945

It's a solid plan but a little risky for leaving our borders lightly defended. Still far better than letting the enemy take the initiative. We should be pro-active instead reactive in this situation. You have my support.

>>42177154
>The section of House Erid that Baron Ukalah and/or Aries controls.

What's in the remaining area? Would it be possible to quickly secure supplies, ships, and repair facilities over there?

Do we know where the interceptor missiles are manufactured?

>>42177198
Yes, it is risky as hell and yes it does leave our borders in danger. However the situation does not leave us with much of a choice. If we leave sizable garrisons behind we risk taking heavier loses, something we can ill afford with the advantage being towards Erid right now. We need to treat this like a total war and throw all we have at them to even out the field and take the advantage from them.

>>42177154
Also any word about what support we can except from the Erid nobles soon to be JD nobles?

>>42176726

How fast is the Zeus at FTL compared to our ships?

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Sorry for the lack of reply.

House J-D assets in the Homeworlds and those that will arrive soon enough are on the left.
Baron Ukalah's forces are on the right.

Outlined in blue are those forces Desh Xisoth has convinced to actively join your side. Outlined in Yellow are those that will not support either side but could be swayed by events. The Captain has convinced others that do not have ships or military assets to aid you to attempt to block resupply of Ukalah's fleet.
In the parts of House Erid the Baron does not control they will be unable to get assistance. It's unfortunate that they won't have to pass through such an area to reach the border.

Three wings of Elite units equipped with Hades assault corvettes are stationed near the J-D border. They should be able to react to any large scale invasion of Erid space and could stage a fighting retreat. There is an attak cruiser squadron and one carrier group with them.

Scattered through the sections of House Erid space Ukalah controls are other units on Guard duty protecting installations.
2 more assault corvette wings, older model corvettes, Light cruisers, Battleships, attack cruisers, a carrier group and some frigates used mainly for cargo. Together they could be quite the force, especially if combined with repair ships picked up from friendly worlds along the way.

The earlier in its flight you can attack the Zeus the less reinforcements they'll have, but you'll also have less time to prepare the battlefield.

>>42178213
It's maximum FTL speeds are equivalent to most good ships not rigged for overall performance. It takes time to get up to speed and a longer jump to do it. In galaxy it is limited by having to drop out for sublight course corrections like any ship.

>>42178892
Do we know anything about the officer commanding the border guard units?

>Other
What kind of carrier did Ber'helum send, and is it really as ugly as it appears to be?

>>42178892
Please notice my post senpai! >>42177208

>>42178892
Is Aries capable of producing SP torpedoes, or has the Terran government a monopoly in that area alongside the Rovinar(?)?

>>42176757
>We should try and get Versa to let us field test the battlefield control program here.
Getting Terran supporters to help in a Dominion civil war? Will they be called the Condor Legion?
I'm sure you guys will want to call it the Shark Legion.

>>42176810
>Intercept the fuckers before they get near our lines.
>and then all those starfighters to ram 288 SP torps right up its asshole.
You could also give them some of your newer higher yield SP's.

>>42176945
>Strip Most every ship we have from House space, leaving like Squadrons here and there as needed

You will have difficulty convincing the planetary Governors and the Earl to pull all defenses away. House Eminia poses a significant threat to Loran with the government having been moved there. While it's unlikely they'll come across the border without warning, it's not known what relations they have with Aries and Baron Ukalah.

>>42177110
>>42177154
>>42177208
>>42179189
>What does the red shade on the map mean?
>The section of House Erid that Baron Ukalah and/or Aries controls.
>What's in the remaining area?
The remaining area of House Erid that the Baron doesn't control is the remaining area of House Erid that the Baron does not control.

I was hoping any other anon that had been here from previous threads would point this out.
See also:
>>42178892
>The Captain has convinced others that do not have ships or military assets to aid you to attempt to block resupply of Ukalah's fleet.
>In the parts of House Erid the Baron does not control they will be unable to get assistance. It's unfortunate that they won't have to pass through such an area to reach the border.

>>42178892
Do we have any information on the Boarder Guard disposition?

If they're operating with stationary or predictable command groups and mobile patrol groups, we should be able to ambush and destroy a good chunk of their forces in an initial attack. Possibly using the Grav Well generator ship to trap any large groups.

With Xisoth's people, it should be fairly easy to get locations or even use them to foster overconfidence in the Boarder Guard forces.

>>42179416
Okay, thank you. Give me a few minutes to draw something up.

>No supply to the east of the House
Could those supporters without military assets lure the baron's fleet to their territory with faked distress calls?

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>>42179525
>>42179416
Okay, here's my plan.

1. Take out the border guard. Bring everything we have along with the gravity well generator and crush them.

2a. Fast fleet elements begin to engage the system ahead of the heavy cruiser's current location. When it arrives in the same system, they move to the next.

2b. Less important ships secure repair and supply infrastructure in the uncontest parts of Erid space so we can supply our ships in case of emergencies or if the direct route to J-D space is blocked.

2c. The main fleet briefly engages the heavy cruiser, focusing on minimizing losses on their end and trying to tempt the enemy main fleet into pursuing them.

3. Fleet falls back to the previously secured unaligned Erid space. If the enemy follows we'll be able to engage them in an area without nearby support, if they don't we come up with a new plan.

>>42177160
>Have Xisoth's people been burned yet?
Their fellows haven't turned on them yet but that could just be a matter of time. Ukalah won't have the available resources and manpower to conduct a purge until after J-D has been dealt with one way or another.

>And do we have the means to sneak our fleet into position to hit Ukalah on the first few jumps he makes?
Difficult, not impossible, but you'd have to choose between speed or avoiding detection by the forces at the border.

It's unlikely Xisoth's group could get close to the Baron at this point. Certainly not with their full fleet, it would seem too suspicious. Perhaps arriving after the battle was joined might give them an opportunity.

>>42177208
>Do we know where the interceptor missiles are manufactured?
Unknown. They could be built at one of the many missile fabrication plants or a drone factory. No one factory would have the surplus to resupply an entire fleet so it may take stops in several systems.

>>42179069
>Do we know anything about the officer commanding the border guard units?
Not much other than that they're experienced and have survived campaigns against the Neeran, which before the last big invasion was really saying something among the House Erid fleets.

>What kind of carrier did Ber'helum send, and is it really as ugly as it appears to be?
A newer model of House Starfighter Carrier which is indicated by the B Carrier group. The Medium Cruiser next to it is the gravity well generator.

>>42179285
>Is Aries capable of producing SP torpedoes, or has the Terran government a monopoly in that area alongside the Rovinar(?)?
The Terrans and Rovinar maintain their SP Torpedo monopoly for the moment. If they suspected Aries to be working on such weapons the Terrans would give you a few thousand of their most powerful torpedoes in exchange for removing the company just for starters. Then they'd pay you for permission to send "observers" or perhaps "aid workers" to help with recovery efforts.

>>42179416
>You will have difficulty convincing the planetary Governors and the Earl to pull all defenses away.

Would they be willing to send a squad of AC each to help deal with the border guard?

>>42179495
>Do we have any information on the Boarder Guard disposition?
Each Wing is operating out of a fortified installation. One is a modular station, another is a newer Alliance FOB dug into a planetoid. The third is an older asteroid that had been mined out. It's not a true asteroid fort but it would be tough to crack.
These are the best trained and equipped units in their House and they know it. Breaking their morale would be difficult.

>>42179525
>Could those supporters without military assets lure the baron's fleet to their territory with faked distress calls?
What did you have in mind that would get their attention? That they've been invaded by J-D forces? Uprisings?
Suggestions?

>>42179832
>3. Fleet falls back to the previously secured unaligned Erid space. If the enemy follows we'll be able to engage them in an area without nearby support, if they don't we come up with a new plan.
Them bypassing the outer colonies and occupying Dreminth to trade back later is certainly a possibility Archivald has been considering.

>>42180107
>Would they be willing to send a squad of AC each to help deal with the border guard?
Each of their respective Assault corvette wings? It would be easier to convince them, though they know full well the other corvettes left behind are not as capable.

>>42179416
>Getting Terran supporters to help in a Dominion civil war?
Yeah I'm sure it wouldn't go badly. Plus the Terrans are going to have to make diplomatic inroads with some houses eventually, right?

>>42179832
Invading unaligned Erid space sounds like an amazingly bad idea. It is more likely to turn potentially neutral parties into hostile ones.

>>42180405
>best trained and equipped units in House Erid and they know it.

I was thinking more "Enjoy a taste of the Warlord of the Maelstrom" overwhelming 'enjoy death', rather than breaking their morale.

We should have enough firepower to deliver a killing alpha strike to the modular station. The asteroid and Alliance FOB could probably be slapped with similar attacks, but with more starfighter torp barrages.

We don't need to salvage these bastards, just destroy them before they've got a chance to participate in a war.

>>42180405
>Each of their respective Assault corvette wings?
Sorry, got my abbreviations mixed up. Meant the A2 squads.

>Suggestions?
They've begun to lose contact with supply depots and important manufacturing sites. Mines files have begun to pop up out of nowhere. Basically expand on what the Baron already knows and suspects. Maybe add strange sensor readings to the mix.

>Them bypassing the outer colonies and occupying Dreminth
Wouldn't that take a lot of time as we'll only need minimal ground forces to occupy most of Erid space?

Why is there a big purple dot next to one of the mixed wings?

>>42178892
Where's Daska's Neeran medium?

>>42180753
Smuggler's Run, where Daska is in charge of local defense.

>>42180676
>Invading unaligned Erid space sounds like an amazingly bad idea.
Well, the plan should still work without part 2b.

>We should have enough firepower to deliver a killing alpha strike to the modular station
They'd make excellent targets for cold launch strikes.

>>42180688
>the A2 squads.
They probably won't send all of them, but a 1-2 from each key world isn't out of the question.

>>42180688
>Why is there a big purple dot next to one of the mixed wings?
The blue [+] are squadrons. The circles are Wings.

The Purple dot is the mark of an all afterburner equipped unit or squadron, in this case the Dragoons. I have attempted to mark Mike's unit or ships with it since the start of the Neeran War. I may have been marking them back in operation Typhoon as well.

Survey work in progress.

>>42179832
This is a sexy, sexy plan anon. I like it. To address that other anon's concern about alienating potential allies, on the one hand they might not be happy if our battlefleet just jumps into their system out of nowhere, but on the other hand it would probably do a lot to convince them that J-D is the winning proposition in this little shitfling.

Didn't we vote to have that wing or so of Mk 5 corvettes we personally own brought in? I don't see them on the force image.

I've got a feeling we're going to need everything we can.

... and out of curiosity, where is Knight Asshole Fox?

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>>42182103
>Didn't we vote to have that wing or so of Mk 5 corvettes we personally own brought in? I don't see them on the force image.
They're on the way but it's been less then 40 hours and they started out with a +17 day flight to get here from South Reach.
30 assault corvette will arrives in a couple of weeks.

>... and out of curiosity, where is Knight Asshole Fox?
I'm amazed nobody has asked this sooner. Or if they have I didn't notice.
He's on foreign assignment in an attempt to keep him out of trouble while things regarding you were sorted out. Saputo has been assigned Fox's Medium Cruiser.

SURVEY! <<

surveymonkey com/r/ ZN3SZ8T


See you in the morning.

Damn I'm late. We lost power at 1200 because of a windstorm knocking trees onto the wires and it took them 8 hours to get it running again. Time to catch up.

Id like to second the other anons suggestion of sending faster units to harass the supply depots along the Zeus route of advance. Their objective isnt the destruction of the fleets their, but to destroy as many of the supply caches/depots there, whether it be through hit and run attacks, cold launch MRSI style attacks or whatever means the commander decides.

Our main line units are to break the border guards, we could MRSI the station since its a fixed target, drag some asteroid and put them on course of the other two fortified bases and turn them into kkv's. We want to break theese fortifications as fast as we can.

When a force finishes up on their garrison base they can either move up to assist the fast unit/prep a suitable engagement site for the Zeus, or assist another force in breaking their garrison.

Once the garrisons are down have all the fleet reform into battle array to prep a location to fight the Zeus along its path, they can send elements to help the fast units. Any hostile worlds we encounter, just destroy orbital infrastructure, if enemy assets are stuck planetside no problem, it dosnt bother us in space.

bump

>>42179847
>Not much other than that they're experienced and have survived campaigns against the Neeran, which before the last big invasion was really saying something among the House Erid fleets.

Can we call in some favor with the FA to get their files? If we know more about them, we might be able to offer these guys deals to either join us, or at least stay neutral until the whole situation has been resolved.

They're decent pilots and if they're not fanatical loyalists to the Baron, we should to work out something. Allow them to keep their current holdings and offer +20% of its value in either cash or land in Erid space from people who won't get such a nice deal.

It's the Dominion, everybody is supposed to have a price in this kind of situation.

>>42182382
>I'm amazed nobody has asked this sooner. Or if they have I didn't notice.
Well I mostly remember that other picture of JD forces showed that he was not at the homeworlds along with Meteor/Comet. Really as long as he aint anywhere near us then it's all good.

>Can we have Capt. Desh talk to the border guard into staying neutral? JD backing his side would look bad but if they know Baron Ukalah is backed by Aries it might get them to stand aside and wait for a victor.

>>42189559
>Can we call in some favor with the FA to get their files? If we know more about them, we might be able to offer these guys deals to either join us, or at least stay neutral until the whole situation has been resolved.

Not sure if these are the same person.
It is unlikely they'll change sides until or unless the Baron is killed. Even then their loyalty might remain with their House even if the rest of House Erid sees them as not belonging to it. That doesn't mean they will or won't fight fanatically but with emergency teleporters that's less of an issue.


Plan for the main fleet is to wait for the Gravity well then Attack border guards first. Once that has been taken care of the main fleet will attempt to Intercept the Baron's fleet. With luck you'll be able to find a location far enough ahead of their advance for the carriers to set up.


>Start harassing smaller garrisons with fast units before the main attack if possible.
You want Mike and perhaps the Mercenary squadron on this?

>>42191858
>Not sure if these are the same person.
>>42189559 is by me, the other one isn't.

>You want Mike and perhaps the Mercenary squadron on this?
Yeah, sounds good.

>Even then their loyalty might remain with their House even if the rest of House Erid
Would it be possible to convince them to protect the unproblematic half of Erid instead? Who knows what the other Houses bordering Erid might do once J-D has made its move, and that way they could actually protect the population instead of wasting all their ships on a delaying action.

>>42191858
>You want Mike and perhaps the Mercenary squadron on this?
Yes, with a focus on logistics stations. Give them plenty of SP torpedoes.

>It is unlikely they'll change sides until or unless the Baron is killed
Perhaps if we attack in sufficient numbers and inflict heavy loses on them we can force a surrender on them?

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>>42191946
>Would it be possible to convince them to protect the unproblematic half of Erid instead?
"Most of Ukalah's supporters follow him because the rest of House Erid has proven itself too weak. Our military and economy were both hurt because of the losses we took every time we've sent fleets to fight in the wars these past seven years. He's the only one in our House to win substantial victories of late, that has helped his popularity.
As far as his supporters believe the Baron is the true House Erid. The rest of us are hangers-on."

>>42192080
>Perhaps if we attack in sufficient numbers and inflict heavy loses on them we can force a surrender on them?
You might be able to in places where you bring in the gravity well generator otherwise they'll be able to retreat.

The Earl has authorised the transfer of additional corvettes from the reserves guarding key worlds. 5 Attack Corvette Wings have been added to the fleet. Alex intends to pull the border guards protecting the outer colonies as well. Their respective PDF's will hold or not.

Mike and the Mercs are both given the go ahead. They'll try to hit supply bases, transports and support infrastructure that could aid the advancing fleet.

>Attack border guards first
How would you suggest to attack the border guard outposts? Hit all 3 at the same time? Or focus your forces along with the gravity well generator in the hopes of forcing their surrender?

>>42192227
>How would you suggest to attack the border guard outposts?

Focus on the most heavily defended outpost with most of our fleet, mount brief long range attack on the two other ones and try to lead their defenders on a wild goose chase through neutral Erid territory while we deal with the most dangerous base?

>>42192227
Focus on the most heavily garrisoned area first. Take it down and hope they don't get the word out then go for the next one and try to catch them by surprise as well.

Leave some forces that are ready to intercept along the border should the word get out before we can hit all 3 of them. We want to force them to retreat and group up so we can hit them all with the gravity generator and decimate them.

>>42192227
Full force & Gravity Well Generator.

No surrender bullshit that will just result in our attack being revealed.
Hit them fast.
Hit them with overwhelming firepower.
Enemy survivors are not required.
Potentially have Xisoth's people continue 'report' signals for the bases we've hit.

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I just found the template for these and was bored as fuck on a Sunday.

> Lt Dayton is waiting inside sporting a dark red dress uniform with gold trim loaded down with decorations. A couple of gold combat bars adorn the right side of his coat along with a few silver and bronze ones below them. A metal black and silver shield is attached to the upper left arm of his uniform with a Lion on it.
>The House Crest is a Quartered shield with the 7 point Dominion star, a crowned Lion, a black eagle, and Diagonal bars alternating between white black and gold.

>>42192414
>No surrender
Why? Forcing a surrender by bringing most of our fleets and preventing escape with the gravity well generator is the entire idea behind that plan.

Capturing the best of the border fortifucations could be incredibly useful if things don't go as planned for our house.

>>42192768
If they're the best of the best, calling for their surrender gives their crews time to complete a scramble and react to our fleet. We may as well be dealing with Erid Fanatics.

I'd rather jump in and exploit our attack by firing immediately, hopefully catching at least a few ships in dock and inflicting maximum destruction before they can even contemplate begging for surrender.

>>42192736
Ha! Nice, I don't think I ever did get around to drawing up that flag.

>Potentially have Xisoth's people continue 'report' signals for the bases we've hit.
They'll try.

The Alliance FOB is the center most base and may be the hardest to break the defenses of since the shield generators are more heavily armored. SP Torpedoes will have a hard time reaching them and may require a bombardment.

Baron Dremine arrives with the ships you've desperately been waiting for.

The gravity well generator may be a mass production type but it looks just as eerie as the prototype you saw. Armored sensor masts hardened against gravitational stress dot the spherical mid section of the ship looking like spikes. The drive section has been upgraded to give it better mobility to get into position or retreat.
According to the ship's captain they've developed a method that will speed up the process of the singularity boiling of once the well is deactivated. There will still be a cool down before the ship can move or jump. They can speed up the process in an emergency allowing it to jump but that will cause damage and require a day or two worth of repairs.

Baron's Doedra and Archivald agree that the majority of your plan has merit but want to make one change.
"We need to test the loyalty of the Erid troops siding with us. I want Xisoth to take his fleet to try and force the surrender of the Modular station at the same time. One of the other Erid officers can help with transmitting false signals from the base you'll hit."

[ ] Agree
[ ] Insist on Xisoth providing false signals for your force
[ ] Trade targets. You hit modular base, Allies hit Alliance FOB.

>>42193468

This reeks of 'thin the herd because we are greedy'.

We should consult Xisoth on this. If he doesn't feel it is possible, we agree with him and tell Doedra and Archivald their plan isn't workable.

>>42193468
[ ] Agree
They if anyone have a bigger chance of getting Erid forces to side with them.

>>42193468
[X] Agree

>>42193468
[ ] Agree

>>42193468
We should probably send one of our trusted knights with a unit of decent ships along with Xisoth, just in case our Barons are planning something fishy.

And I agree with >>42193561, would his force be enough to deal with them?

>>42193561
>We should consult Xisoth on this. If he doesn't feel it is possible, we agree with him and tell Doedra and Archivald their plan isn't workable.
"It's possible, but it might be more useful to hit the modular base with the gravity well generator rather than the FOB."

>>42193715
>would his force be enough to deal with them?
"Yes though more is always appreciated."

Do you want to risk assigning the Gravity Well and a wing of your House corvettes to helping Xisoth?

>>42193806
>but it might be more useful to hit the modular base with the gravity well generator rather than the FOB
Why'?

>assigning
What about that assault cruiser squad (Lorraine Day? Katherine Drake?)?

>>42193806
This was me. Don't know how I lost my trip.

>>42193882
>Why'?
Because they can scatter in every direction rather than just away from one side of the asteroid.

>>42193882
>What about that assault cruiser squad (Lorraine Day? Katherine Drake?)?
Drake has a mixed attack wing, the 9th. You could ask that they be assigned.

>>42193954
>You could ask that they be assigned.
It seems like a good idea. Maybe send the Piko(? Smaller brick almost brick shaped medium) along with them. It would probably help convince the undecided Erid forces if we don't use Xisoth and his troops as cannon fodder. Which I'm kinda convinced they Barons are planning to do, so they have to share their loot with less people.

>>42193806
Yes we should assign the gravity well as well as the additional support.

>>42193806
>>42193954

I'm gonna have to say that the JD Barons can buzz off with this demand.

From what I understand, the Alliance FOB is both hardened and able to quickly launch ships via repulsor catapult thing. That means any ships launched are potentially in a very good position to quickly FTL out. More so if they actually took this into consideration when placing the FOB.

The Modular Base means a nearly perfect sphere of escape vectors.

IMO, both of these call for the use of the Gravity Well Generator. We have 1.

If there are doubts as to the loyalty of Xisoth's people, we can't exactly trust them with the Generator.

If there are not doubts, our Barons are hoping to thin the herd of nobles they'll have to honor holdings of.


We'd be much better off using Xisoth's people as the vanguard/front line against the FOB to prove they're on our side.

We can then do the same against the Modular Station, bringing the Gravity Well to bear against both targets in quick succession.

[ ] Agree. No changes.
[ ] Agree with Baron's plan but give the Erid forces more support.
[ ] Xisoth's people act as vanguard against the FOB, everyone on the same target.

Roll 3d100

Rolled 40, 99, 23 = 162 (3d100)

>>42194823
>[X] Agree with Baron's plan but give the Erid forces more support.

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>42194823
>[ ] Agree with Baron's plan but give the Erid forces more support.
If they're going to screw us over, they whole campaign is going to go down the drain. It's probably best to send a unit of ships that can disengage and have a realistic chance to survive if Xisoth betrays us. Maybe a unit that best acts autonomously on the battlefield?

> Roll 3d100
1

Rolled 54, 94, 69 = 217 (3d100)

>>42194823
>[ ] Agree with Baron's plan but give the Erid forces more support.
One more wing should help them cover all possible escape routes for enemy ships.

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>42194859
2

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>42194884
3

>99, 94, 96
Did we just win at life and everything?

>>42194949
Nope, those were all for 1 unit/group. (Whatever the 2nd one is)

looks like 54, 99, 69

"We're out of time. Doedra, Reynard, begin moving your forces. I'll take my Carrier groups deeper into House Erid space to find a good location while you're busy. Don't lose my Medium Cruiser."
"Yes sir!"

The Barons reluctantly agree to send additional forces with the Erid group but strike down the idea of sending Katherine Drake's Wing.
"They're too recognisable. We'll give them extra corvette wings. This way the base they attack will think it's an internal House Erid problem, potentially sow additional confusion."

Both fleets jump into House Erid space. This is it. Any of the previous attacks and special operations, even the raids Mike will be conducting, all of that could be explained away as rebels or privateers. In theory up until now it could even have been settled at the negotiating table by one of the Major Houses acting as intermediary. Crossing the border will put an end to that option.

As far as you're concerned though this war started days ago.

Nine Wings of attack ships along with two Battlecruiser and Fast Battleship squadrons jump in at the edge of the system and align for a micro jump. Your Medium cruisers hang back slightly, in a better position to support the different units.

Around the position of the asteroid base are two deployed squadrons of assault corvettes.

"Where are the rest?"
Sensors soon locate another two squadrons. They're at the edge of the system, one headed for the base another out bound.

"Must be conducting a patrol." Maybourne surmises.

Those on the way in are easy enough to deal with, you just need to wait until they're closer to the base.

>Do you want to divert some of your forces to chasing down the outbound ships?

>>42195780
>>Do you want to divert some of your forces to chasing down the outbound ships?

Yes, we can't really afford to have them escape.

>Crossing the border will put an end to that option.
I never asked for this.

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>>42193468
>Armored sensor masts hardened against gravitational stress dot the spherical mid section of the ship looking like spikes
???

>>42195780

>outbound ships

Yes.

Drake's group and two wings of corvettes to ensure overkill and the mobility to quickly turn around and rejoin?

>>42195780

Yes, this is war we most deny any assets to our enemies no matter how small.

>>42195780
Yes. Any enemy ship we take down now is one more ship we do not have to face later and one step closer to making this fight more even.

Have Drake deal with them and prepare our fastest FTL ships for pursuit should some escape.

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>>42195906
I was thinking more like these or Chaos spikes but those work too.
Except all over the sphere.

>>42196063
>Drake's group and two wings of corvettes to ensure overkill
When you go beyond a 6 to 1 advantage you start to face decreasing returns as friendly ships may start to get in the way.

>>42196229
>and prepare our fastest FTL ships for pursuit should some escape.
Fortunately that squadron of attack cruisers you added to her wing were mostly made up of EC-K's. A few might not have afterburners or ECM systems installed but enough have the basics.

>>42196263
>When you go beyond a 6 to 1 advantage you start to face decreasing returns as friendly ships may start to get in the way

In that case we should probably send a sensible number to stop these ships form becoming a problem. Bonus points if Drake can scare them into surrendering.

"Drake, hunter killer duty on the outbound group."
"Got it."

As Drake's Wing moves off the rest of the fleet prepares to jump into position encircling the base. You're forced to wait a few minutes until the inbound squadron is close enough, then you jump as a group.

The sudden and unexpected appearance of six hundred ships on their door step seems to leave quite the impression on the base defenders. To their credit the ship crews quickly recover and retreat within the base shield perimeter to form up.

The activation of the gravity well sends a tremor through your command ship. Even the people in the base must have felt that.

One of the local squadron leaders opens a channel. "This is House Erid space. Your presence here is a direct violation of our territory. Leave immediately."

You've managed to jam their long range coms and one of the House Erid officers that have joined you is sending out false transmissions.
"It won't last for long. The remaining base will figure out we're looping modified versions of earlier transmissions soon enough."

Baron Dremine delivers the terms to them very directly, surrender or face the destruction of their base and all within.
"You have thirty seconds to comply, or I will take it as a sign you are attempting to stall."

The base commander soon responds. "Wait! I need to confer with my officers."

"You have twenty seconds." Replies the Baron.

One squadron of corvettes transmit surrender codes. Energy output spikes appear on the sensor displays, each one centered on one of the Aries ships.
"Emergency teleport activation."

Two of the squadrons self destruct. You also detect some explosions within the base itself. The planetary shield around the base fails leaving it and the remaining ships here defenseless.

[ ] Bombard the base and move on
[ ] Launch landing assault
[ ] Landing assault, leave small force, fleet moves on

>>42197140
>[X] Landing assault, leave small force, fleet moves on

Leave enough ships to cover a hasty retreat, have the rest move on. And make sure to mention we'll treat people who surrender well. After all, the crews of these ships chose not to teleport out.

>>42197140

[x] Secure surrendered ships and their crews
[x] Bombard the base and move on

We should be able to render the base combat ineffective with the bombardment, while not completely destroying the deeper sections.

Warn the occupants that we're doing so.

>>42197140
[ ] Landing assault, leave small force, fleet moves on
Secure what enemy ships we can and prepare to use them for our own. Treat the Erid forces gently, no executions in the streets. These guys are going to be house assets in not all to long a time and we want to appear nice rather than as the guys who killed their friends.

>>42197140
>[x] Landing assault, leave small force, fleet moves on

>>42197140
It would probably be a good idea to leave a sensor ship behind. If J-D doesn't have a few of these, we should probably put them on our wish list for the next military budget.

The Battlecruisers move in, sending LST's to secure each of the surendered ships and to help cover shuttles entering the base.

Landing teams soon begin to report in. The base has been damaged but not all of the ships inside were destroyed. Planetary shields are offline and will be difficult to repair or replace because of a few collapsed sections.

Soon enough of the situation is under control that one of the Battlecruiser squadrons should be able to look after securing the remainder.

Drake reports back that she was able to take care of the corvette squadron but had needed to chase a few of them down. They spotted what looked to be Erid attack cruisers in the region long range sensors but they were long gone by the time the last corvettes were taken care of.

Xisoth reports that his fleet secured the surrender of the base, but that about half the assault corvettes stationed there were able to fight their way clear and jump even with the backup. By now they'll be informing the third base and recalling their ships.

Friendly Erid forces would like to send their damage ships to J-D shipyards for repair since there is a chance some of Ukalah's supporters could sabotage the yards in their own territory. Dremine agrees if only to keep things moving. The fleets will proceed to the Intercept point at best possible speed but there is a chance that other wing and a half could cause you problems.

Do you want to Send Drake (and possibly other fast wings) to chase down the remaining border guards?

>>42198121
>Dremine agrees if only to keep things moving.
Rotate the A2s from the outer colonies that were with Xisoth back as well. That way they damaged Erid ships have an escort in case any of those stealthy Aries cruisers try to intercept them, and the reserve guys don't get too much frontline action at once.

>Drake
Yeah, goes after border guards and targets of opportunity. If she thinks she needs additional ships to do that more efficiently, let her have them (as long as her requests are reasonable).

Also, do we have any overly motivated squad or wing leaders who need validation around this time?

>>42198121

Since the alarm has been raised, I think we need to either overwhelm the remaining boarder guard base or abandon the ones we've captured.

Harassment can only do so much, and a squadron of battlecruisers is far too vulnerable if a squadron or more of Assault Corvettes can get the jump on them.

Unless the boarder guards are abandoning the last base, we should attempt to jump them in force and with the gravity well generator before heading to the ambush point.
>>42198315
Agree with this guy on rotating A2s.

>>42198121
>Do you want to Send Drake
Send Drakes wing and whichever ships she feel she needs for this counter interception mission.

>>42198315
Also this anon has the idea of rotating out the damaged units for fresh ones back home, they aren't doing anything good there anyways besides looking dangerous towards anyone not liking us but that's beside the point.

>>42198315
>Also, do we have any overly motivated squad or wing leaders who need validation around this time?
I'm sure there are some who would like to but not at the moment given the current selection of older starships.
Did you want such individuals to go with Drake or take the captured ships? What did you have in mind?

>>42198696
Given the strength of numbers the other base was hit with they'll probably be retreating to link up with the Baron's main force so they can't be overwhelmed individually.

Damaged units will rotate out but it may take a couple of ours for the good ones to catch up.

>If she thinks she needs additional ships to do that more efficiently, let her have them (as long as her requests are reasonable).
>Send Drakes wing and whichever ships she feel she needs for this counter interception mission.
She would like half or all of 3rd wing to join her which is a good portion of your official command.

[ ] Give her 3rd Wing as well
[ ] Give her half of 3rd
[ ]Assign a corvette wing instead

Baron Dremine has ordered that the main fleet will be moving to it's intercept point. Baron Archivald is already most of the way there and any delay to hit the third base now could endanger the Carriers.

>>42199052
How long will it take to make sure we can deploy the captured Erid ships without having to worry about nasty surprises?

>Is captcha giving anybody else trouble? I have to reload 4chan 3 to 4 times per post for it to give me anything to solve.

>>42199164
>How long will it take to make sure we can deploy the captured Erid ships without having to worry about nasty surprises?
It's a different enough design that it would take the techs at least a day to make sure that propulsion and basic control systems are secured against remote tampering.

>>42199052
>[ ] Give her half of 3rd
I get the feeling she is going to need them if she is our vanguard.

>>42199228
>It's a different enough design that it would take the techs at least a day to make sure that propulsion and basic control systems are secured against remote tampering.

Okay, will they be ready by the time we link up with Archivald?

>>42199052
>[X]Assign a corvette wing instead
And give her additional SP torps.

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>>42199347
>Okay, will they be ready by the time we link up with Archivald?
You'll be linking up in 1-2 hours or less.

Your force catches up with Baron Archivald near one of the major trade lanes that cut through Erid space. It is one of the fastest routes and is almost certainly the line of advance Ukalah will need to use to collect reinforcements.

How would you suggest deployment of the fleet before their arrival?

If it's easier just indicate where you want the edge of the gravity well and the generator will be moved appropriately.

>>42199939
What's the range of the gravity well compared to the heavy's siege cannon? How long does the gravity well need to power down and jump out? How long does the heavy have to charge its drives after leaving hyperspace?

>>42200006
>What's the range of the gravity well compared to the heavy's siege cannon?
The gravity well has a range of 250,000km. The siege cannon on the Zeus should have an effective range of 150,000km but it could be more. Intel doesn't know where they acquired the gun and some Rovinar ones of this type have a longer range.

>How long does the gravity well need to power down and jump out?
Less than 5 minutes which is a considerable improvement.

>How long does the heavy have to charge its drives after leaving hyperspace?
It will take them at least a minute, maybe longer.

>>42199939
Do we have the last cloaked battleship with us? A bit key to my plan.

We set the battleship as a scout and hopefully a means to gain the course/formation of his fleet.

I'm thinking that we position the gravity well generator so that at say 75% maximum range, it just barely covers the center line of the trade lane.

Objective here is to extend the gravity well just enough to catch the target heavy cruiser, while letting at least a portion of the escort end up overshooting.

Once the target has been pulled out of FTL, the gravity well gets cranked up to full output, trapping it.

We position the majority of the fleet on the opposite end of the trade lane from the gravity well.

This (ideally) places the main ambushing force in a position where their alpha strike can't be intercepted by the target's escorts physically, forcing all interception of munitions to use lighter, faster vessels or purely interceptor missiles.

We hold what is left of Sonia's personal command and the Neeran Heavy off the field to start, positioned so they'll jump in along the target's direction of travel.

As it stands, this plan aims to delay the enemy's use of their siege cannon until their ship can be brought about approximately 45-90 degrees. They'll have the choice of going for the Gravity Well generator, exposing their rear to our main force, or turning to attack our main force and sending faster elements after the gravity well generator.

Now here is the fun part.

Sonia's group aims to jump in behind the target, possibly before the gravity well goes to 100%. We use the Neeran Heavy, our command ship, and our battlecruisers in a modified Gate is Down maneuver.

Heavy, Command Medium, and Devourer as a cylinder's core, with the 3 core ships full shields forward and linking their plasma cannons targetting together. Battlecruisers form the cylinder around the core, their shields normal and covering the flanks of the core vessels.

>cont.

>>42200384
Thank you. Is the heavy cruiser faster than our heavy carrier? What's the difference between A and A2 corvettes?

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>>42199939
Sonia takes two wings of Corvettes, her own fast Medium, and the 4 BC/Battleship squadrons.

Rest of the fleet form up and wait for the enemy. When they show up and engage eachother Sonia jumps in on a target of opportunity or on the flank and just wreaks everything with the Alpha strike from hell. After which the Grave generator kicks in and traps them all.

>>42200459

By grouping our main plasma cannon armaments together, my goal is to have all of the cannons fire at a single point. This should maximize the plasma cannon's inherent shield-penetrating properties, while our battlecruisers throw SP torps at the escorts to cripple them.

Now, if I'm understanding plasma cannons correctly, they cause massive structural damage by bleeding excessive heat into surviving structures? If we can focus our plasma fire at the core of the vessel (center of the X shape it has), plasma fire should quickly begin to weaken very important structures. We may even be able to cook off some fuel stores or penetrate into vital parts of the siege gun.

Our Mixed wings would focus on intercepting escorts or any vessels sent after the Gravity Well.

The Gravity Well will move directly against the target's line of travel, assuming the target vessel attempts to turn after it. It should probably be guarded by the Ber'hulem Carrier group.

We basically attempt a repeat of what the Warlords did to the expeditionary fleet using those Asteroids, but we're ambushing the group dragged out of FTL, not the group that continues on.

>>42200459
>Do we have the last cloaked battleship with us?
Yes.
You also get intel from the two squadrons conducting raiding.

>>42200488
>Is the heavy cruiser faster than our heavy carrier?
The Carrier masses far less so it could probably outrun the Zeus? It's not well known, nobody does heavy cruiser drag racing.

>What's the difference between A and A2 corvettes?
The A is the original attack corvette, like your people used back in the Warlords campaign. They have a bit more armor then the subsequent models.

The A2 is a slightly smaller standard corvette hull upgraded to carry the same weapons and equivalent shields. They're a bit harder to hit and cheaper for most Houses to get hold of as most are simply converted.

>>42200760
Thanks. I'll try to come up with something in gimp.

>>42200641

Just gotta say.

Why would we deploy in front of a ship we fear due to a forward-facing siege cannon?

>>42169423
Holy fucking shit is this a frikkin quest game FRANCHISE?!

Fuckinh wiki looks like the list of a jrpg series that's been ongoing since 97.

Jesus chrisy

>>42201304
H&DQ is one of, if not THE longest running quests on /tg/ right now.

One of the better ones, too. Being able to participate in a quest as long as this one is refreshing, to say the least.

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>>42201159
Bait mostly. They will see our fleet lined up and ready for them with our experimental ship behind. They rush in to get us with their forward facing weapons where upon the fleet splits up to either side of it and Sonia squad does her part. Heavy can keep on forward and take a beating on it's sides where it has a lack of weapons. It could turn to face either side but then it takes a fistful of fire to it's engines.

>>42201304
It's great isn't it?

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>>42200936
>>42200760
Okay here's my suggestion: we form 1 big battle group and three smaller ones. Mike acts independently as a fire brigade as usual.

The idea is to avoid forming a line of battle ahead of the heavy cruiser and its siege weapon and heavy torpedo armament. Every battle group has a screen of starfighters to watch out for torpedoes. Sonia should command one of the smaller units, the others go to whoever has a ship suited to the task and is a decent commander in that kind of situation.

Aries seems to love missile and drone spam, so I would recommend having a screen of interceptors close to every larger target if only to act as an early warning and interceptor system.

The lesser ones consist of:
1 mediums cruiser
1 regular A2 squad
1 outer colony A2 squad
1 Erid A2 squad
1 carrier group

The bigger one consists of:
Heavy Carrier.
Remaining Medium Cruisers.
Ber'helum carrier group.
Other stuff

The Light Cruisers act as a last resort bodyguard for the gravity well generator. The gravity well has orders to either maintain a distance of 200k km from the heavy cruiser, or enough range to reestablish that distance by the time the heavy can aim its cannon at it again.

>Might have lost some units during copy and paste.
>Can we drop mines in the area where the enemy ships are expected to revert?

>>42201498
I'm frankly totally intimidated.

How can a newbie get in?

I feel like a casual dropped right into a tcg super comolex environment or a new reader amidst a super continuity crossover

>>42201817
>How can a newbie get in?
just start at the beginning, it takes a little while to catch up but its pretty enjoyable

>>42201817
>How can a newbie get in?
The only true answer is to just start at the beginning, it shouldn't take you more than a day or something if you can dedicate the time. If you don't have the time, just read it one thread at a time, and you should catch up eventually. It's a weekly quest that lasts 2-3 days usually, so there's no rush to get through the backlog.

>>42201817
>How can a newbie get in?
Gold star: Read the threads on the archive
Silver star: Read through the wiki a bit.
Or you know, just start in this thread and go with it. Ofcourse you will probably be confused by a lot if you just jump into it but hey! You'll learn as you go.

Writing/drawing up a comparison of the different plans.

>>42200641
>and the 4 BC/Battleship squadrons.
You can only take 3 at most because one of those is part of Archivald's command squad.
"Stop taking my things Reynard."

>>42200459
>Sonia's group aims to jump in behind the target, possibly before the gravity well goes to 100%.
Your unit and the gav-well operators may lack the experience to coordinate this well. Just so you know.

>>42201817
I used to write up pastebins every so often to make it easier for people to catch up.

http://pastebin.com/yX3uw7bq
This is the last one listed on the archive. It'll get you most of the way up through the Wing Commander section.

>>42201159
Yeah, that gives me a headache as well. I'd also like to see layered missile defences and early warning probe spam.

>>42201990
I'm so looking forward to the updated medal list next time we're promoted.

>Alsooooooooooo
If we capture Erid space, does that mean Sonia gets a second chance to pick planets to be Baron of? Not that I expect us to pick something other than Rioja but.... Can we have multiple planets?

>Completely unrelated to the current situation
We should probably ask our parents if they'd be okay with having Ethan go through the typical lordling education. I'd guess he's around the age where he's expected to be sent off to some posh bording school if we're planning that kind of career for him. Maybe Mr London would be willing to provide some input.

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>>42201569
>Can we drop mines in the area where the enemy ships are expected to revert?
Yes you can.

>>42202332
>If we capture Erid space, does that mean Sonia gets a second chance to pick planets to be Baron of?
You haven't officially been given the chance by the House to select a world yet.
So yes.
Plan A)
Gravity Well flank attack. Drag only part of the enemy fleet out of FTL.
See: >>42200459
>>42200712

Plan B)
Block and Flank. Main line fleet protects gravity well and advances towards Zeus. Sonia strike force flanks.

Plan C)
Bear Trap. A modification of plan B, spreads out the line more allowing for a cross fire and both flanks closing on the Heavy. Sonia attacks from the rear or against an unprotected flank as the enemy allows.

Plan D)
Battle of Dagon. Off center attempt to drag fleet from FTL. One main force protects the gravity well generator, engaging any that migth threaten it. Three smaller fleets attempt to surround and perform flank attacks when given the opportunity.

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>>42202817
>Battle of Dagon
I really wish 4chan would support webm with sound...

Legend.of.Galactic.Heroes.Overture.to.a.New.War.[x264.1080p.Flac]

>>42202817
I am leaning towards either A or D, can't decide which one but both involve striking from several directions at once.

I am going to go with A because it seems like it would be safer for our ships while still ensuring that we can achieve our objective.

>>42202817
Voting for plan A

>>42202817
>Yes you can.
We should probably do it in that case.

>Plans
Are we supposed to vote now, or is this going to be a survey?

>>42203051
I actually didn't care for parts of the movie version. The one that stood out the most was what happened with Lapp. It was just different enough that it didn't seem to fit.

>>42203318
>Are we supposed to vote now, or is this going to be a survey?
I was hoping people would vote, or if they felt like it offered additional plans, that way we wouldn't be wasting time on a survey.

>>42202817
Going to go with A.

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>>42203381
Yeah but like most of LoGH it makes for excelent reaction images and webms.

>>42203381
>I was hoping people would vote
In that case, I'm going with D. People seem to favor A right now but I guess most of the tactical ideas for D can be used for that one as well. I'd prefer not to irrepairably damage the heavy, though.

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No additional votes?
Seems like we're going with plan A.

Roll 5d100 for raiders and intel gathering.

Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>42204091
>Roll 5d100 for raiders and intel gathering.
1

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>42204122
2

>Select all pictures with cabbage, anon!

Rolled 72, 60, 60, 74, 59 = 325 (5d100)

>>42204091

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>42204149
3

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>42204182
4

Rolled 31, 85, 37, 90, 17 = 260 (5d100)

>>42204091
we ded

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>42204204
5

We should also be very careful when it comes to protecting the grav well generator. If the baron knows of it, he'll probably focus on destroying it with the stealth cruisers. So if intel has an idea how to defend against these strikes, they're more than welcome to suggest something.

>80, 90, 60, 90, 59 or whatever this roll is

>>42204277
standard cloaked ship stuff, I'd guess.

Patrols and escorts that can hopefully detect and destroy anything attempting the attack.

Cloaking tech seems fairly broken for the Dominion to possess, really. Until the Rovinar start laughing at our primitive stuff.

>>42205320
>Until the Rovinar start laughing at our primitive stuff.
They already did. ;_;

>>37232058
Heading over to Kim's Command ship you order the fleet to move out. The Rovinar ships moving to flank your larger craft. Should the group come under file while cloaked they recommend that your Battlecruisers try to maneuver as little as possible. They can detect your ships at close range but the reverse is not necessarily true.
"We will avoid collisions with your ships, simply try to change course as little as possible."

"What did they ask?" Wonders the weapons officer.
"They said our cloak sucks." Reiterates coms.

Mike has been doing his usual level of work when it comes to raiding enemy logistics. The mercenaries are also doing quite well though it has cost them a ship or two.

"We think we were able to intercept most of the missile shipments." Mike informs you.
"I put most of my remaining SP's into a pair of repair ships that they were trying to reach the heavy. They weren't kidding that it had been beat up a bit by those mines."

You give him a rough outline of the plan so far.

"Right. I'll keep working in case ships that get past you try to pick up support and come back to help their Baron."

The cloaked Battleship is on recon duty, making sure that you have the correct positioning to drag the Baron's fleet out of FTL but not all of it if possible. You can't afford to give them any edge in this fight.

Katherine Drake's units arrive, looking somewhat worse for wear.

"Did you get them?" You ask.

"Half of a wing at least. They were too fast and must have had the latest gunnery prediction systems. I sent at least a squadron of my ship back for repairs. The rest will try to get fixed up by the Carrier."

Intel comes in on fleet movements and the last preparations are made. Mines are dropped on the most likely approach, their ship retreating quickly towards Alex's fleet protecting the gravity well. His own command squad has a heavy emphasis on long range fire as always so they're better suited to the position.

Starfighters are placed to help either the flanking force or within the gravity well. With some 1700 starfighters ready it should be enough to counter any drones they can launch.

The gravity well powers up. Even sitting outside it's effective range your gravity sensors still go crazy at the sudden shift.

Roll 3d20 for mine effectiveness.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>42206031
>Roll 3d20 for mine effectiveness.
1

Rolled 5, 3, 9 = 17 (3d20)

>>42206031

Rolled 2 (1d20)

>>42206099
2

Rolled 18, 14, 6 = 38 (3d20)

>>42206031

May as well get some rolls in since my plan is in action!

... after 4 captchas

Rolled 6 (1d20)

>>42206118
3

>>42206134
>... after 4 captchas
Captcha really seems to like cabbage today.

>>42192227
TSTG, which class is Ukalah's medium cruiser?

>>42206165
>Captcha really seems to like cabbage today.
You too? I've had it ask for cabbage like 5 times minimum.

>All guardsman party is up.
NO! NOT NOW! FFFFFF

>>42206191
>TSTG, which class is Ukalah's medium cruiser?
An Eminence Class Medium Cruiser.

Which seems to have just missed the gravity well.

The Zeus drops out of FTL more of less exactly where you needed it to. Escorts having been dragged back to real space along with it. Many of those have dropped out inside the mine field.

One thing you may not have counted on was just how much civilian traffic uses this corridor. Ten transports using IFF's of private companies are also dragged out of FTL. One has the misfortune of reverting within the minefield and it's engines and part of it's cargo bays are blasted open before anyone has the chance to deactivate that section.

House Erid warships launch countermeasures, trying to shoot down the mines before their shields fail. A few of their assault corvettes are caught by them but most quickly turn towards the more open areas, shrugging off a few minor hits to evade dozens more.

"How many are we looking at?"

"Three attack cruiser squadrons, a light cruiser and battleship squadron each and four wings of corvettes. Most of those are Hades class but some are A2's."

Arron contacts you. "Similar numbers to these plus a medium all missed us."

"Starfighters advance."
"All ships advance!" order both of the Barons on your side.

Your micro jump lands your unit closer to the corvette wings than perhaps you would have liked. Do you continue on towards the Heavy or target the corvettes before they can flank you?

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>>42207214
Pic related.

>>42207214
>target the corvettes
Nevertheless, begin firing regular torps at the heavy's engines with a few sp torps added to the mix. We should be able to fire 1 or 2 salvos before we engage the corvettes.

>>42206196
Cabbage, kayaks, and trucks.

>>42207214
Did my request to have the Heavy Carrier with us for maximum plasma focus get denied? That is quite annoying.

Focus our group's plasma fire on the Zeus. Try to have everything hit the same mark, with Devourer's more powerful cannon firing on a minor delay. It should have better shield penetration that way.


Shift the other battlecruiser/battleships with us to better defend and strike the enemy attack cruisers, along with the mixed wings.

Request the nearest two corvette wings shift to support us, or at least offer support fire to us vs escorts.

If it isn't plasma, fire it into the enemy's escorts. Including some mixed volleys of normal & SP torps.

>>42207506
Additional thought...

If the Heavy Carrier isn't with our force as requested... can it begin firing ball plasma at the Zeus? IIRC, ball plasma is painful for larger warships that can't maneuver to dodge it effectively. It could be a way to ensure the Zeus doesn't turn to face the fleet and use the siege cannon, as it will need the main engines to help maneuver away from the plasma balls.

>>42207420
1 for targeting corvettes

>>42207506
>Did my request to have the Heavy Carrier with us for maximum plasma focus get denied? That is quite annoying.
I apologize for any screw up on my part but it's there now.
At any rate the carrier will be much better protected along side the other Medium cruisers and it's your only real repair ship deployed with this fleet.

>>42207599
>can it begin firing ball plasma at the Zeus?
Probably? The crews don't have a great deal of experience with it. The ship's refit was rushed to completion.

>Focus our group's plasma fire on the Zeus.
And a vote to (mainly) focus on the Zeus, while splitting fire to hit attack cruisers.

Orders for Sonia's unit for the morning:

[ ] Focus on the Zeus
[ ] Focus on the smaller ships (Corvettes, attack cruisers?)
[ ] Split fire

Roll 7d20 and See you in the morning.

>>42208628
[X] Focus on the Zeus

Rolled 5, 18, 12, 16, 11, 14, 13 = 89 (7d20)

>>42208795
Put that in the Options field and not the Name field.


>>42208628
>[X] Split fire

Rolled 6, 6, 1, 14, 4, 9, 1 = 41 (7d20)

>>42208628
[X] Zeus

Rolled 13, 11, 6, 4, 3, 6, 14 = 57 (7d20)

>>42208628
>[X] Focus on the Zeus

Rolled 1, 6, 19, 5, 4, 11, 16 = 62 (7d20)

>>42208628
>[ ] Focus on the Zeus

Rolled 9, 16, 8, 14, 13, 4, 1 = 65 (7d20)

>>42208628
dice

It would be super-cool if Forberance showed up. I really want to see how well it handles.

We should assign one of our communications people to broadcast on civilian channels for all civilian vessels to turn to a (according to the map) 1-2 o'clock heading on our side of the gravity well, and the opposite end to vector toward a 4-5 o'clock heading.

Any ships that fail to do so make themselves potential targets or shields.

Our cloaked battleship should probably transmit that the trade lane is currently a battlefield and for all civilian traffic to turn back or hold position. Drop a beacon with this on repeat, and potentially FTL to a reversion point on the opposite end of the gravity well to drop another beacon.

This may also give us warning when the other escorts are heading back.

>>42209795
Better yet, we should do this over several areas so that we give false information to the enemy and hopefully split their forces.

Or, you know, not at all. Fuck civilians, this is the Dominion at War.

>>42208628
>[X] Split fire

Rolled 20, 18, 14, 1, 14, 12, 3 = 82 (7d20)

>>42208628
Focus the Zeus

>13, 18, 12, 16, 11, 14, 13
Seems like nobody screws up. Have we heard anything from the special forces we sent to the heavy?

bump

>Thowing computer out window.jpg
Had some technical problems but I'm back up. Need to run a couple of resumes around town then I'll resume ASAP.

Bump.

bunp

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And we're back. At least until I have to leave at 4 for an interview.

"Signal the closes four corvette wings, we're going to need them to help with the remaining enemy corvettes.
Reynard group, focus fire on the Heavy. Launch torpedoes and don't stop launching them unless it's to switch to SP's."

Every ship with heavier phase cannons or plasma open up at maximum range. You're a bit too far out for the Dominion built plasma cannons to hit anything but a wide area of the shield, reducing their damage potential.

Archivald's starfighters Launch their torpedoes in two volleys, the first coinciding with the activation of cold launched torps some had deployed earlier.

The remaining Erid battleships crank up ECM systems and attempt to jam the incoming warheads. Those equipped with more normal missile launchers fire off fusion warheads to try and blind the warheads. More than half of the incoming torpedoes are thrown off target but plenty of them are still making it through.

"I didn't think Aries had ECM systems this powerful."

Ahead of you the Heavy cruiser begins to maneuver, turning it's drive away from the direction of your attack. What SP's your group have launched slam into the heavy armor of the Zeus. Cannon fire is still being soaked off by it's shields but with your numbers it can't possibly hold up for long.

"Drone and starfighter launch confirmed."

New contacts begin to pop up on sensors showing drones moving into position to help protect the Zeus or engage your side's starfighters. Two entire starfighter groups pop up on your left flank. Apparently some of the civilian transports are actually converted carriers.

[ ] Turn your group towards the carriers and their escorts
[ ] Reassign one of your wings to deal with them
[ ] Stay on target, use aft or flank weapons to counter them

>>42217965
>[ ] Reassign one of your wings to deal with them
Send out a general broadcast to all civilian ships in the area to get the fuck out or they will be considered Erid forces and dealt with accordingly. Keep laying the pain on the Heavy, we cripple or destroy it and this war is over.

>Captcha, pie, cabbage, trucks and kayaks. What is this new obsession?

>>42217965
>[X] Reassign one of your wings to deal with them
Whoever has the ships best suited for this goes after them. Preferably while having minimal torpedo armament.

Also, keep an eye on that main cannon. If its aiming for one of our medium cruisers or a heavy, it might be prudent to have them microjump out of the battle, and jump in again.

>Unrelated
>>42207848
>The crews don't have a great deal of experience with it.

We need throw some money in the direction of that plasma cannon cu... enthusiast society on the Devourer so it can expand to other ships.

>>42218042
>I got to pick wheelchairs....

>>42217965

[x] Reassign one of your wings to deal with them

Get some SP torps on those carriers to prevent them from resupplying fighters.

And if our command ship has any plasma corvette turrets on the rear half of the ship, we should attempt to ball plasma into any enemy drone formations with them, where applicable.

Crippling the zeus is our main objective, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_-ieSzwOK4

3rd Wing should have the heavier point defense and they're fitted with mass drivers to shoot down torpedoes. They also haven't lost as many ships as Drake's Wing.

Your also order two of the Neeran corvette turrets on the flank to begin launching plasma balls. "I don't care if the crews are inexperienced with it, it's a resource and we need it."

Next you have Com begin broadcasting that any transport not wanting to get killed should change course away from the battle.

3rd Wing turns towards the Transports and the corvettes beginning to form up around them after getting clear of the minefield. Many of the SP Torpedoes 3rd launches in the first volley are intercepted by the modified missiles many of the ships seem to be carrying. These are converted transports, maybe even Q-ships, but they're not the sort of vessels meant to take heavy fire.

Three converted transports are quickly destroyed but many of them managed to launch their fighters and drones. Flashes of point defense fire fill that area of the battlefield while you continue to close with your target.

Attack cruiser and assault corvettes are beginning to increasingly get in your way. Your ships are taking damage and even the mass drivers are having trouble shooting down all of the torpedoes thrown your way.
Part of the problem is that each of the enemy torpedoes are fitted with decoys that detach after launch. This is a serious problem when it comes to shooting down incoming SP's.

"Helm, try to take the SP hits on our heaviest sections of armor. Don't let our guns get hit!"
"Aye sir!"

The rest of the fleet is facing similar problems from the torpedo fire thrown out by the Zeus. It's launchers and batteries are throwing out an impressing amount of torpedo fire. Mostly conventional with some SP's thrown in occasionally. Torpedo fire from your side is starting to get through, they must be almost out of interceptor missiles by now.

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Your ships can't get a clean shot at the engines so you designate the batteries as secondary targets.
"Plasma cannon volley on my mark. Target the starboard battery."
Once all plasma equipped ships show that their cannons have recharged you call out; "Three, two one, Mark!"

The focused attack proves to be enough to punch through the faltering shield, knocking out one of the batteries.
"Again, next battery." You count down once more and take out their aft battery, greatly lessening the level of fire your ships are taking.

The rest of the medium cruisers and the carrier slow their advance and begin to maneuver as the Zeus charges it's siege cannon... and keep's charging.
"Why aren't they firing?"
“Sir, their main gun is overloading.”

“Someone is getting a raise and possibly a promotion.” You tell Maybourne.

Fusion plasma from the main gun erupts outward, forming a rapidly expanding ball in front of the ship. Plasma also blasts out of vents in the aft sections near the gun’s installation port.

"New contacts, House Erid IFF's."

You zoom in finding a number of unit ID's Xisoth had listed as being undecided. Then you see the rest of the Baron's fleet that had flown past the gravity well trap. Hundreds of smaller contacts, starfighters and drones, begin to appear around them.

"Right. We need to finish this fight quickly before they can link up. "

"Third wing requesting assistance!"
Cristina Pozzi is performing a fighting retreat while being mobbed by corvettes and starfighters.

A starfighter group from your House flashes past you in their way to assist, followed by the corvette Wings you had diverted earlier. That's all the time you can spare on them unfortunately, you have bigger problems to worry about.

Focused fire from the attack corvette wings and the other Medium cruisers begin to punch holes in the shields of the Zeus. This is aided by an overly generous helping of SP Torpedoes, though your forces may be nearly depleted of them soon.

Archivald was worried things might go badly and brought 1000 warheads but if you had to guess most of those have been spent.

You're thrown forward by a torpedo hit that must have been targeting the ship's bridge. PPCDG's open fire, badly damaging the assault corvette that was maneuvering to put a second SP torp into the damaged section of hull.

[ ] Use Ber'helum SP's to finish the Zeus now and end the fight
[ ] Have them hold SP's to counter new arrivals

>>42219644
>[ ] Use Ber'helum SP's to finish the Zeus now and end the fight
Finish the main objective and take away their leader then GTFO. We are in no shape to fight a fresh force anyways and get out on top.

Besides if we take away the Baron we may have a shoot at ending this diplomatically.

>>42219644
Finish the mission, focus the Zeus.

Any word on our special forces finding a way out or are they still on board?

>>42219644
[x] Ber'hulem's SPs to finish the Zeus now and end the fight

We can then stage a withdrawal, taking advantage of the remaining mine fields and the gravity well.

>>42219644
>[ ] Use Ber'helum SP's to finish the Zeus now and end the fight

We just need to disable it. Destroying the Zeus at this point is a waste of resources. We will very likely have defeated the rest of the enemy fleet before that ship can ever fight on any kind of offensive again.

We should probably begin to shift the gravity well generator group to the north.

Damaged corvettes are to land on our heavy carrier, losing more forces at this point is just a waste of materiel and lives.

Any teleporter activity on the heavy?

We should definitely pay Duke Ber'helum a visit and offer to work with him on the cooling laser after this.

>>42219886
As much as I like the duke I'd prefer to stay out of Dominion politics for a while after this. So I'm going to suggest the outlandish option of working on it with the Norune government.

back in a bit!

>>42219644
>[X Use Ber'helum SP's to finish the Zeus now and end the fight
Cripple the ship's engines, and then get out of here.

>>42219644
>[ ] Use Ber'helum SP's to finish the Zeus now and end the fight

Ideally, cripple the heavy cruiser. We fight for House and Salvage, after all.

I think we should set up a Think Tank.

Focus it specifically on warfare & politics, have them analyse current trends and invent new ideas we can use.

>>42220087
And by a bit I mean forever and a half later. Typing.

>>42219288
>You zoom in finding a number of unit ID's Xisoth had listed as being undecided.

How did we manage to screw that up?

>>42223452
Probably by not bothering to contact them ourselves

>>42223880
I can't imagine our House didn't send any diplomats.

>>42223452
To be fair, their House is quite literally being attacked within it's own space.

They've got to show up, if only to see the Zeus destroyed/crippled and scare us off.

>>42222965
>>42223933
If we manage to disable the Zeus, wouldn't this be the perfect situation to make an offer to the remaining Eris forces that's too good to refuse? If we're lucky we can defuse the situation without further losses.

>>42223996
It could also be seen as a sign of weakness, say if we were out of SP torps and too damaged to take on their enlarged force.

>>42223452
>How did we manage to screw that up?
You didn't cripple, capture or destroy the Zeus before it could leave dock.


Even with all of the damage the Zeus is taking from your ships it's still throwing out a tremendous amount of fire. Your ships, especially the older corvettes, are taking losses and the larger ones are racking up damage at an alarming rate.

You send a signal directly to the Ber'helum carrier group. The Zeus and it's escort must have exhausted their remaining anti-torpedo defenses by now. They need to put this thing down.

"Understood Commander, we're inbound. If you can distract any of those drones or other escorts nearby it might help us."

Your group moves in to make a pass at the Zeus to help clear away some of it's support. Combined fire from your command ship, Devourer and Excalibur's manage to punch through the port shield on one of the Athena class that had just breached your starboard hull. Focused fire and newer Kavarian torpedoes destroy half the ship and clear the way for you to strafe the Zeus aft sections.

A surviving aft torpedo battery fires off a stream of a dozen torps towards you, decoys splitting away and making point defense a difficult prospect.

"Helm pull us back. We need to be far enough away for the point defense to have time."
"Aye sir!"

A pair of enemy assault corvettes are still staying close. Their pilots have seen enough of your ship's guns in action to evade the PPCDG's that could seriously hurt them. Their shields also seemed to have been tuned slightly so help them shrug off more damage from the Neeran phased plasma cannons than you've seen previously.

Only your ships that have been upgraded with high maneuver drives stand much of a chance against the Erid ace pilots. The older vessels are fine fighting the attack corvettes but most of those are now crippled or destroyed leaving only the best.

One of the Hades finally takes a hit from three sets of twin linked phase cannons, taking out it's engines and setting it adrift.
"Old ships but not defenseless." Comments Cristina Pozzi.

The command ship fires off a few more plasma balls to help clear the area as your group begins to pull back in the direction of the gravity well generator. Point defense helps to put down fire towards the bulk of the enemy drone force.

Fast moving starfighters head for the gap and launch torpedoes. This volley makes it through nearly intact, the warheads striking the drive sections and the hardened armor surrounding them. It's certainly done plenty of damage but you can't tell if it's enough to finish off the ship.

The retreating Ber'helum fights have trouble on the way back out. What seems like a small number of drones go after the newer fighters and bombers but once they're within range they launch groups of larger missiles. Or they seem to.
It isn't until these "missiles" begin to fire beams of plasma at the starfighters that you get an idea of what they really are.

"Someone get me an analysis on those mini-drones." you order.

One of the sensor officers not busy watching for more serious threats sends you an image.
"They're modified support drones fitted with a short range starfighter drive and a republic anti-tank gun. They may only be good for a few minutes flight time."

"Well they're specifically targeting the newest fighters." Probably so they can't sortie against the reinforcements you figure.

[ ] Let the Ber'helum starfighters land on your ships
[ ] Try to support them with point defense fire
[ ] Other

>>42224657
>[X] Let the Ber'helum starfighters land on your ships
If the drones are only good for a few minutes, this should be doable.

>>42224595
>You didn't cripple, capture or destroy the Zeus before it could leave dock.
Blast, here's hoping they'll reconsider once we've taken the ship out.

>>42224595
>You didn't cripple, capture or destroy the Zeus before it could leave dock.
I really wanted to lightning gauntlet the enemy Baron but I guess that's just not cool enough for other posters.

>>42224657
Where are they even getting all this stuff

>>42224657
>[ ] Let the Ber'helum starfighters land on your ships
Man are we taking a beating here.

>>42224657
[x] Let the fighters land on our ships

Between the damage to the Zeus itself and all these munitions they're throwing out, even Aries is going to notice this financial loss.

>>42224872
>I really wanted to lightning gauntlet the enemy Baron but I guess that's just not cool enough for other posters.
I really expected it too.


"Where are they even getting all this stuff?!"

"Most likely prototypes." Maybourne speculates. "There are a whole bunch of products on their infonet site that are still greyed out and listed as "Coming soon!" Like-"
"Not the time." you stress. "Signal the Berh'helum starfighters to land on our ships. Bays or the hull doesn't matter, just protect them from those drones."

"Transmitting safe approach lanes. Requesting minimal evasive maneuvers from the helm."
"Helm copies."

"Point defense watch your fire."

The nearby starfighters hurry to get below the cover of the shields and form up to help shoot down any drones following too closely.

"How are we doing?"
"A few enemy drones are beneath the shield."

After the shields are back up it takes most of a minute to destroy the remaining mini drones that have taken cover there.
"Make sure we get all of them." You tell sensors. "We don't need surprises later, like tracking devices."

"Sir, the gravity well is powering down."

Archivald opens a channel to the fleet.
"All ships prepare to withdraw. Help damaged ones back to safe areas or carriers that can jump them out."

You switch to the command com. "Is the Zeus out of action?"

"It's crippled and not going anywhere for a few days. They have enough backup power systems to keep the remaining weapons and backup shields operational so it's too dangerous to stay. We've taken too much damage engaging that ship and their elites."

Baron Dreminth breaks in.
"The Erid forces have massed a large enough fleet to threaten any one of our worlds in our current state. We need to pull back to the homeworlds and repair."

Archivald disagrees.
"We still haven't captured the production blocks. If we go home now they'll move them. Reynard, take your command ship and those belonging to Alex and Saputo to the coordinates Xisoth gave us. Retrieve those industrial modules then we'll reorganise properly.
What support forces do you want?"

[ ] "Actually maybe we should retreat now."
[ ] "We can take these new arrivals, just take the time to reform the fleet."
[ ] Go after the industrial modules. (Specify what forces you want. Keep it small.)

>>42226096
>[ ] Go after the industrial modules
Whatever he feels inclined to give us, I have no idea what kind of amount of enemies we can face there but we got to get those blocks anyways. So 3rd and 9th at lest.

>>42226096
We should definitely disengage. A significant number of Erid ships will have to stay back to guard the Zeus, so I doubt they'll be able to amass a fleet that can achieve more than mutual destruction against what we have right now.

>[X] Go after the industrial modules.
We'll need ships large enough to transport these industrial modules. So, Sonia's command squad, and Saputo's medium. Mike's squad because they have more experience with raids than anybody else. The Erid A corvettes because I hope we'll only run into older ships and they aren't helping much against the main fleet anyway. The light cruisers for the same reason.

>>42226096
[x] Lure a smaller part of the enemy force into another gravity well ambush using our Raider forces & cloaked battleship


We've isolated the Zeus, and it seems that the enemy has pulled a sizeable force together, meaning less forces guarding static locations.

We should force them to extend themselves by acknowledging that we are now at war, and Erid's civilian transports are now legitimate targets. Force them to devote ships to convoy escort.

>>42226201
>>42226368
2 for going aft the industrial modules.

>>42226512
1 for that.

How would you want that to work? The rest of the House fleet retreats then that smaller unit runs around?

>and Erid's civilian transports are now legitimate targets.
Erid or Baron Ukalah and Aries transports?
Because some of the people currently on your side may own shares in many of the civilian transport companies in Erid space.

>>42226096
>[ ] Go after the industrial modules.

>>42226742
Considering House Erid civilians have a decent chance to be House J-D civilians in the near future, I'd say way should limit our raids to Aries and Ukalah transports.

>modules raid group
Maybe bring one escort carrier filled with interceptors. Just in case we run into more drone spam.

>>42226742
If they own shares, they should most certainly contact those companies and suggest they ground all flights due to WAR.

And if they do so, they may just find that their competition has been considerably thinned when this is all over.

>>42226077
Could we jumpmout of range of the Zeus, reform our fleet and begin long range bombardment of the Zeus? It's engines are knocked out and its main gun is offline. If the enemy fleet engages us they won't be in range for the Zeus to support them.

However in the interest of moving things along, Go after the Industrial modules, whatever the Barons feel they can safely spare us while they reorganize the defensive line

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>Whatever he feels inclined to give us

>>42226368
>We'll need ships large enough to transport these industrial modules.
Btw, that would be the job of the three medium cruisers you were assigned.
>take your command ship and those belonging to Alex and Saputo

>Mike's squad
>The Erid A corvettes

>>42226807
>Maybe bring one escort carrier filled with interceptors.
One of the escort carriers held in reserve will be sent along.

>>42227477
>whatever the Barons feel they can safely spare us while they reorganize the defensive line

The 3 Medium cruisers, Command squad ships that are still operational, Saputo's mixed Wing and a mostly intact corvette wing from your allies.
Mike will catch up.

The fleet begins its withdrawal. The Erid forces are too close for a micro jump and too far away to catch you in time. The fleet is able to drag away most of the ships that were damaged or crippled in the fighting but inevitably there just isn't time to get them all.

Your fleet arrives at the edge of the system the modules are supposed to be located in 30 minutes later.

"The system defenders and PDF are on alert. Planetary shields are up as are those around every installation and the defense platforms."

"Ships or fighters?" you ask.

"Minimal. There is still civilian traffic. They're being scanned by system patrol craft before being allowed to the surface or out of the gravity well."

Most patrol craft are only light corvettes or missile boats. The light cruiser scale defense platforms are equipped with heavy phase cannons and could pose a threat.
If you take too long pulling this off more starfighters will launch from the surface. No way of knowing if the cargo storage platform has more than shields and phase cannons.

Your plan of attack?

>>42228015
What's the range on these star fort defense satellites? Can they threaten our medium cruisers? Would it be possible to fly in with our mediums, grab the entire storage platform, and leave the system with it?

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>>42228136
Dominion Star Fort
[Nicknames: Czech Hedgehog, Dro'all Caltrop]
[6x heavy phase cannon turrets, many smaller weapons]

Their main weapons can easily reach outside of the planet's gravity well. 4 platforms to either side of the storage facility can hit ships docking with it. That doesn't mean they'll be able to break through the shields of your heavier ships.

>Would it be possible to fly in with our mediums, grab the entire storage platform, and leave the system with it?
The platform is large enough for your mediums to dock inside if enough cargo were removed. The storage areas are largely made up of scaffolding, acting to hold cargo modules in place so they don't float away and are within the station shields.

>>42226201
Supporting this path of action.

I'll also support the creation of small raiding parties tasking with destroying Baron Ukalah and Aries transports. The more we can disrupt their logistics, and spread out their forces, the better. Maybe task the Mercs with this?

>>42228333

I'd have to say smash and grab, really.

Jump in, alpha strike down the storage facility's defensive star forts and work concentrated fire outward.

Demand the defense forces stand down, and we'll minimize both civilian and military casualties. It would be bad for everyone that loves this world if orbital facilities ended up falling onto the world, wouldn't it?

Any and all starfighters should be loaded for interception duty.

>>42224872
>>42226077
>lightning gauntlet the enemy Baron
We were all set to go and then the vote changed at the last minute while I was away. There is still time to dramatically lightning bolt him out the window of a skyscraper... r-right?

>>42228911
Possibly.

>>42228722
Looks like we're doing a smash and grab.

Straight in, shoot up the closest defense platforms, grab loot and get out. Did you want any of your ships to suppress the other close defense platforms or not?

>>42229120

I figured we would blast the first 4 stations around the target, then between our combined fire with the smaller craft, we'd be able to knock out the next immediate two stations just by weight of fire as we closed.

While Alex and Saputo's mediums begin loading up and shorter-ranged or damaged ships begin pulling out the Industrial Modules Sonia's ship will carry, I figured that between Devourer and our own Medium... well, they'd turn the last two stations in range into slag?

If our plasma cannons can't range that far, we should detach the corvette turrets and have them team with the command squadron ships. Plasma Balls as mini-siege cannons.

If the PDF sends fighters... well, we can ask if they'd like their climbing fighters to draw plasma ball fire instead. (it should be particularly effective against squadrons climbing out of a planet's atmosphere.

If possible, we should send a flight of say corvettes outside the gravity well so we have minimal sensor blind spot due to the planet. It should allow us to detect any starfighters that attempt launch, and to have weapons prepared to greet them.

>>42229427
Unless there are any objections to this plan?

Roll 5d20

Rolled 14, 13, 11, 1, 10 = 49 (5d20)

>>42229626

Rolled 5, 18, 4, 11, 4 = 42 (5d20)

>>42229626
Can't really object to my own plan!

"Let's not turn this Theft into a Massacre, Mr Governor!"

Rolled 15, 2, 2, 3, 9 = 31 (5d20)

>>42229626

>>42229626
>>42229644
>>42229720
>>42229737
15, 18, 11, 11, 10

Your core group jumps in as close to the station as possible and heads straight for it. With the planetary shields up none of you have to worry about missed shots accidentally leveling population centers.

The small defense platforms hold up for a respectable length of time given the amount of fire hitting them but soon enough their shield systems begin to fail. Phase cannon fire chips away at the outer armor while the plasma hits punch through to the generators eventually destroying them.

You're somewhat worried that the cargo platform will take longer but it's large enough that all of your ships can hit it at the same time. Once the shields fail the Medium cruisers charge in, along with some of the attack cruisers and corvettes. Everyone else begins to suppress the other platforms with ranged fire.

Once the command ship is in place to send broadsides in either direction you send a message to the planetary governor. Therein you inform them that you're here to take back assets Baron Ukalah took from you. Any starfighters that clear the planetary shield or move against you will be destroyed.

"Are they buying it?"
"Maybe."

A minute later they confirm that no, the Governor still seems to be annoyed enough to send fighters up.
"They're deploying from a surface fighter base equipped with launch repulsors."

"Launch plasma balls."

Your crews are still not entirely used to them and by the time they get ones on the right trajectory several squadrons are into orbit and moving to get clear.

"Threat assessment?"

Maybourne takes a look.
"Minimal. Just interceptors with a torpedo each and not enough of them to harm us."

Alex's ship is the first to finish loading. He's carrying the most equipment and has the slowest ship.
"Sonia, we're going to jump as soon as we're clear of the well."

"Fine we'll catch up."

With enough defense platforms out of the way you begin loading equipment as well. The ships you have in higher orbit as spotters keep you informed up starfighters and attack bombers forming up on the far side of the planet. At one point it looks like they're beginning an advance to come in from a polar orbit but then they break off before clearing the horizon.

"Incoming torpedoes."

Checking the sensor readouts it seems the fighters launched their torps on a heading to bombard the station before they changed course. There are too many for them to have been launched by the PDF's fighters so half of them must be decoys.

"Is their entire blasted military equipped with torpedo decoys now?" you wonder.

"They must be cheap to make. We haven't exactly needed them before we started using point defense to shoot them down."

Saputo extends shields to protect the station while your ship is loaded. A few of his ships equipped with mass drivers try to shoot down some of the warheads but there are too many decoys to get them all.

"You'll have to hurry, my shields won't last long extended like this. Fox had them reinforced but it only works for a particular shield geometry."

Before the shield fails the Battlecruisers move to protect both of your ships, but it doesn't do much for the station. Torpedoes rip through the weaker structure of the station, shearing off support structures and sending cargo spiraling off. Fuel stores in one area go off, causing little damage to you but sending the surrounding cargo hurtling through the surrounding sections to impact with your drive section.

"Damage report?"
"Two of the aft turrets are offline but they'll be easy to repair. Minimal damage to the sublight engines and a few of the drive plates are out of alignment."

They've done an adequate job of destroying their own station. Once the cargo you came for is locked down you and Saputo move to get the hell out before reinforcements arrive.

"All ships, best speed for the border."

Saputo contacts you shortly after the first jump.
"Reynard, we'll need to take one of the back routes that cuts behind the R3217 nebula. If we go closer to the main routes will run too much of a risk of detection and interception. Especially if the Erid main fleet is still sticking to the trade lane to protect the crippled Zeus."

That's going to be longer but it certainly will be safer. The real question is where will you go from there? Dreminth might be the best idea to drop off the modules and get them integrated but will take time for you to get there and then redeploy.

It would be faster for you to head for the Erid modular station on the border that Xisoth and his force convinced to surrender. It would also mean your forces are in a better position to respond to any additional movements from Baron Ukalah and his allies. Transports could pick up the production modules and ferry them back to Dreminth. That will delay the time until they're operational, maybe by as much as a day.

[ ] Dreminth
[ ] Border station
[ ] Risk the Erid main trade lane to get to either faster

>>42230908
Dremith, no point taking this stuff if we just drop it off near the front lines to get destroyed in a raid.

If the situation changes we could always drop it in deep space with a small escort if needed and respond with best possible speed.

Also the trip back to dremith could be used for crew downtime, they've been in combat operations since the initial blitz on the border garrisons. We could also use this time to do minimal repairs on our ships and Zpickup replacements at Dremith.

Sonia could also use this time to review the effectiveness of the torpedo Decoys used against us, possibly brain storm some way to detect which ones are live warheads and find someway to procure our own.

>>42230908
>[X] Dreminth

I think >>42230974 has a good point about not leaving them near the front line.

We could split off just what we need to deliver the goods and the rest of the ships head off to the Erid station for repair, resupply and be ready to provide support as needed.

If we can get an update from one of the Barons that would be nice too.

>>42230908
[x] Dreminth

>>42230974
Agree with this guy.

We'll also likely be able to secure some faster repairs, and get word out to Ber'hulem of the Aries toys we've encountered.

>torpedo decoys

One solution might be to look at combat data we've collected. The decoys likely deploy at a certain distance to the target, due to limits on their operational life/range.

That range is likely a set default, and potentially hard-coded for an 'optimal' effect.

Well, we could try to time our defensive nuke detonations to detonate when those counter-measures are first deploying. A vollley of torps launched by a formation should be clustered enough that screening nukes could fry the decoys or simply pump enough energy into them that they're damaged or outright destroyed.

Another option could be to analyze the data and see if there are any recognizable patterns present, allowing us to potentially ID real torps by identifying repeated formations where the decoys maintain a pre-set pattern around the torpedo. Dumber things than only programming a handful of deployment patterns have plagued new weapons systems.

Nope falling asleep.

Sorry about all of the delays this week. I'll try to finish in the morning if the thread is still up.

>>42231410
Not a problem, thanks for running late

>>42230908
>[ ] Dreminth

The destroyed infrastructure is critical to J-D's economic well-being.

Also, Sonia, and whoever else was on this mission, just managed to capture some of the most important production infrastructure the House has.

I'd suggest everybody who participated in this operation gets a certain amount of shares in the newly set-up production companies for these modules. Dependent on rank, performance etc

>>42229120
>Possibly.

I'd prefer to hand him over to the Ruling House who can make a big show out of it, and then hand him over to the FA on permament loan/exile. The guy has at least some talent when it comes to leading starfleets, and the FA needs flag officers. All that doesn't mean we can't lightning bolt at least a bit.

bump

"We make for Dreminth. This infrastructure is needed and badly. We can loop back to the front after getting repairs done there."

Due to the lack of major lanes through the region it takes several hours to navigate through what seems like dozens of shorter jumps. The PDF is happy to see you back and transports and tugs move to assist with unloading cargo before you've even reached a parking orbit.

Repair teams get to work on all of the ships in your unit. There are plenty more already in dock and from reports it sounds like a large number of the damaged ships were moved to Loran to make room for your unit before it arrived.

You hope that the turnaround time won't be too long. The remaining Erid fleet is not a small thing, and though your forces now have superior numbers and tonnage, they could turn a battle in their favour if fought with the support of orbital defenses.

3rd, 9th and four of the corvette wings are out of action for repairs. Two of the wings are simply gone, their survivors folded into other units to get them operational.

You know that two of the Erid Assault corvette wings have been destroyed outright but from reports some of the others may have salvageable ships. They also still have the production capacity to keep building more. If given two weeks their crippled wings could be back at full strength.

While in orbit of Dreminth you spot plenty of military HLV traffic. It looks like the the Baron is moving enough troops into space to form an invasion force. A message from command informs you to meet at the border once repairs are completed. You're asked to help take LSTs and HLV's with you when you head to the front.
Alex and Saputo will pick up similar forces from Loran and Torun.

Did you want to visit the family while your ships are getting fixed?

>>42233439
I'd prefer to ensure the bastard dies and stays dead, so he can't fester in the FA and eventually betray more than just the Dominion by selling out to Aries.

>>42236278
>Did you want to visit the family while your ships are getting fixed?
No distractions for us, we got work to do.

>>42236278
>Did you want to visit the family while your ships are getting fixed?

Sonia probably has a big target on her back right now, so I'd prefer not to risk getting close to them. I'm definitely in favor of giving them a call but other than that we should stay at distance.

>Other
Have any additional mercenaries we could hire arrived in the region?
Has Eldal arrived? Our level 4 yard should be producing multiple assault corvettes per day, how long will it take it to get these to the Erid/J-D border?

>>42236278

>visit the family?

As much as I'd like to, I think we should avoid leaving the ship. If we have to scramble, a shuttle flight to the ship could be time that causes losses among our forces.

Put in a call?

Also, is it possible for the repair crews to put an extra armor plate over that spot where the Erid corvette attempted to pinpoint strike our bridge?

And filing a report to Ber'hulem on the Aries tech we've encountered in Erid employ, as well as a big thank you for that gravity well generator. Full battle report/recordings?

>>42236391
it takes TWO WEEKS to get anything from South Reach to JD Core Worlds.

We'll see those 30 or so ships we held as a reserve, but all those others likely don't have trained pilots, so they can't just ship out in 1's and 2's.

>>42236391
>Has Eldal arrived?
Soon. Another day or so.

>Our level 4 yard should be producing multiple assault corvettes per day, how long will it take it to get these to the Erid/J-D border?

The level 4 was put on the shipyard in South Reach I believe, because nobody wanted to risk such a valuable thing in the Run. Every group that is readied will still take approximately 17-21 days to arrive. It's still 15 days for the the corvettes you own to arrive.
Some ships sent from the Run by fast transport should arrive in another 1-2 days.

While in system you take time for a short call to Mom and Dad. Bekka's class have all technically graduated, it was just a question of another semester or two worth of courses for more specialised positions. Because of this they've all been called up. So far they don't know where Bekka is being assigned but it should be another month at the earliest before she's released to either a training squadron or other unit.

Other than that and your parents having a minor freak out while trying to not tip off your brother to what's happening, things are going fine. Dad has been busy working with logistics for things he cant talk about over the com.
For now they're enjoying the vacation time out at the lodge. If Mom stays out there for much longer than another week though she may begin to lose it.

>>42236829
>should be another month at the earliest before she's released to either a training squadron or other unit.
We should have somebody we trust keep an eye on her nonetheless.

>If Mom stays out there for much longer than another week though she may begin to lose it.
That bored?

You arrive near the border, technically inside House Erid space. A few transports are departing the captured modular station headed back towards your lines, probably loaded with POW's.

The LST's that were brought along are transferred to Wayward Treasures along with infantry lacking the ground vehicles to deploy as mechanized divisions. Frigates are also beginning to arrive.

Once Alex and Saputo have arrived you're called to a briefing on Archivald's command ship which for the moment if the LTSC. The Baron begins without preamble.

"With the Zeus crippled and unable to move for potentially a few weeks a number of worlds and systems in House Erid space have begun to openly support us. Unsurprisingly most of those belong to the Nobles who have switched to our side.
Some nobles have taken Baron Ukalah's side following our attacks, but the majority of the land owners and Planetary Governors outside his direct control are still neutral. They lack ships which means for the moment they can only decide who to side for based on who is winning or will protect them.
Right now we're close to a stalemate and that needs to be broken. Our plan is to strike at and occupy Ukalah's power base. If we can capture Alaior without taking too many losses that should sway the remaining neutrals and allow the rest of the House to be swiftly brought under our control.

If this isn't completed in less than a week we'll be in trouble. The Ruling House has already called for both sides to cease fire. They'll have no choice but to publicly condemn both sides and request that all Houses embargo Jerik-Dremine and Erid if this isn't finished quickly."

"Why aren't they supporting us?" Asks Alex. "Besides us taking a large fleet into Erid space, turning on a gravity well along their main trade lane and killing a couple hundred civilians by mistake."