>>1747437
For House and Dominion!

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A race to the capital resulted in your reinforcements arriving just slightly ahead of the enemy. Even then, only the timely arrival of a gravity well generator delayed the Che'len and Kharbos fleets from immediately jumping into orbit.

Fighting in orbit has been fierce and your side has begun to employ Veckron torpedoes in an effort to counter the enemy's use of antimatter weaponry.

A priority message from House Helios stating that the surface defenders must hold the Helios embassy until the arrival of their fleet convinced you to send troops ground side. Rather than remain in orbit you went with them, handing over control of the fleet to Alex and his subordinates.

Deploying with your Dante class gunship, your forces reached the surface without incident. With the Jerik-Dremine embassy lacking the ability to support your army you instead disembarked at the Helios facilities before other allies could arrive to take the best parking spots.

The sky dims as weapons fire strikes the planetary shields.

Around the capital defense weapons are being raised into position. Missile launchers and more point defense guns than you could hope to count. Starship grade particle beam cannons are pointed skyward as well. They’ll use repulsors to punch a hole through the atmosphere shortly before firing.
A bit of a grey area as far as the Factions Treaty is concerned but you doubt people will be complaining in this instance.

You and your wingman set down on the edge of landing pads towards the top of the Helios upper spires and wait, watching the shields dim repeatedly with successive impacts.

"We haven't been stuck on the receiving end of these planetary assaults before." comments Rufaro over your private channel. "It's a bit like waiting for someone to break down your door."

To the Ruling House's credit the shields seem to be taking a tremendous beating. If there were any planets you'd expect to survive multiple Scorcher attacks this is it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZf6A1hxvGM [Niobe's Run]


Vanderwal breaks in on your channel.
"We're detecting smaller air bursts above the city, not just explosions. It looks like some of the incoming warheads are either disintegrating or dispersing aerosol."

It doesn't take people on the ground long to figure out how to respond. Every EM pulse rigged phase weapon that can see sky opens fire. Your gunner activates the top two point defense weapons on your Dante as well. Waves of energy fire upward washing over the descending nanites.

"Planetary shield is penetrated!" reports the pilot of the other Dante.

Some of the fire is getting through to strike the shields closer to the city as a hole opens in the high altitude defenses. Aries drones pour through the gap followed by assault transports and Kharbos Frigates configured for planetary assault.
The big planetary defense guns around the city open fire and explosions begin to blossom just below the opening.

Descending ships and starfighters are coming in at well past terminal velocity, using repulsors or shields to keep the atmosphere from burning them to a crisp. Despite them spreading out the big guns continue to focus on ships coming through the hole, in an effort to score as many hits as possible.

The occasional shot of siege weapon fire hits the transports from above as well. The fleet must be doing what they can to help contest the landing.

"Situation in orbit?"

"Not doing too well, but there is some good news. The two larger stations that are under attack have been boarded but they're still holding despite damage. What's left of the Krath fleet are using their Veckron warheads as heavy SP Torpedoes. An allied fleet has managed to board and mostly capture a Kharbos Heavy."

"How is Forbearance?"
"Taking some hits and she's been holed in a few places. Still alive though."

>>1747576
As enemy transports close in on the city the Che'len embassy pulses it's shield. Eleven years ago that trick would have knocked out all of the shields protecting the capital. For now it just weakens the defenses above them and leaves their arcology defenseless against your allies for a few minutes.
Unsurprisingly the closest transports focus their fire on the weakest section of the shield. Taking heavy ground fire, two assault transports disgorge their fighters, vehicles and escape pods before slamming down into the weak section. Both ships crumple from the impact before exploding, causing a localized area of the defenses to flicker and fail. The wreckage falls through the failing shield, striking the sloped walls of the Che'len arcology and rolling downwards into the surrounding allied troops.

Several ships follow through the new opening, several of the big defense guns now swiveling to target them. You shift your Gunship slightly and open fire with particle beams, enemy ships staggering under the weight of fire being thrown against them.
Three Frigates and a transport make barely controlled landings, belching fire from hundreds of holes as guns big and small breach their hulls. Three other transports set down in better shape behind the Che'len arcology, their shields lasting just long enough to reach the ground.

Vanderwal speaks up again.
"Reports of fighting in the Kharbos embassy. It looks like they have it mostly under control but I can't say if it will stay that way."

>>1747578
You com your wingman. "Let's get closer to fighting around the Che'len embassy, help contain them."

Lifting off from your perch you swing the gunship out towards the center of the city enough to clear the line of fire from the Helios defenders. Passing over the causeways connecting the major arcologies you wait until you're a bit closer then open fire with particle beams. Your shots disappear in a sea of energy weapons fire, making it hard to tell if you're hitting anything.

Allied troops and tanks are pulling back from where the enemy transports crashed, Che'len forces attempting to fill the gap. Enough friendly and enemy units are intermingled that you cant risk direct fire on those areas unless you close to knife fighting range.

Landed transports are attempting to establish protective shields while the Che'len embassy try to get their generators back up. Areas where the structure was hit are burning, sending up plumes of smoke and ash. combined with jamming it's hard to tell where more descending ships are except for when shields light up from impacts.

A Kharbos modular frigate emerges from the clouds swinging down towards the causeway connecting to the Imperial Palace. Every side seems to be studded with point defense weapons spraying fire in all directions. Your gunship is momentarily knocked aside by a mass driver shot that nearly overwhelms your shields.

Your wingman spots a hole in the Frigate's dorsal shield and both of your pour fire into it, knocking out one of its generators. Not long after its main shield fails one of the Palace's anti ship guns strike it, nearly cutting it in two.

Both of you loop back to a safe distance to let your shields recharge as the frigate crashes and burns.

Vanderwal keeps feeding you battle updates. "Additional landings detected outside the city to the north west. Mostly agricultural districts and level terrain."

And firefox has locked up on me twice. May need to restart.

>>1747580
Any of the landing spots look like it's being converted into nanites?

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>>1747720
Hard to tell at this time.

You aren't the only ones using Dante gunships out here. A few others with allied IFF's are joining the action. One from the palace that's being escorted by a few experimental craft, with more coming in from other directions.
To top it all off, two appear near the base of the Che'len arcology. It's hard to get a good reading on their transponders from here but they are not friendly.

Flitting among the fighting are other vehicles, including walkers. Some are the familiar 16 meter tall humanoid models you fought on Rioja. Others are far more skeletal looking.
A T-shaped chasis with thin legs, particle beams for arms and a pair of 20mm repulsor mass driver turrets in the shoulders. They're too small to carry a pilot and don't seem to have much armor. They only seem to be able to take a few hits, but are fast and mobile enough that they're killing several tanks each before they're taken down.

"Drone walkers with jump jets, just what we need." you mutter.

"Sir, they're moving into the lower levels of the surrounding causeways and structures."

It looks like armored vehicles are trying to advance from the landing sites and get below ground. The new walkers are covering them. That or they're just trying to break line of sight until they're close enough to jump out and hit nearby tanks and vehicles.

With the amount of wreckage building up on the surface advances there are becoming fairly obvious. Heavy tanks are needed to punch through the debris or vehicles are forced to get more altitude using repulsors.

Did you want to take your gunships into the lower levels, help provide cover for those still holding the upper levels? Or did you have something else in mind?

>>1747750
Can we contact the locals? They should know where our gunship will be the most useful.

>>1747750
Any enemy vehicles with reactors we can pop and take out clumps?

>>1747750
I'd like to be able to stay as mobile as possible so going down into marginally more cramped spaces would kind of defeat the purpose of all the movement that a Dante has. Picking off those that are still disembarking should allow us to relocate easily while still doing plenty of damage.

>>1747437
FRY THE CLANKERS
AI WAR NOW

>>1747769
There are differing opinions on where you're most needed. RH commanders are having trouble coordinating so many forces and are giving orders of the "find a hole and plug it" variety.
Overall, the feeling is that the focus should be on slowing any advance in the direction of the Helios Embassy or the Palace. Nasidum can fend for themselves for now.

>>1747776
Not really.
Any vehicle that has particle beam cannons or repulsors will be carrying a micro fusion reactor. They are unlikely to go super critical unless their crew has rigged them to do so.
Starships and shuttles falling out of the sky will do more damage at this point and are far more likely to happen.

>>1747783
That's an option, though AA fire is heavier closer to the transports. You could also try to hit vehicles between cover.

>>1747776
Not sure if I'll have the same ID as my phone post here.

Our weapons officer should contact the allied Dantes and see if we can form up a proper squadron, even if it is temporary.

With that enemy pair, wingmen will be important, and coordination will only enhance our ability to savage the enemy. If we can aid damaged Dantes back to friendly repair or strong points or simply recover downed crews, all the better. (Having a spare crew might allow Sonia to react to something a Dante wouldn't be useful for, since we have our other armors staged, as well)


As for what we do? Suppress or pin down as many enemy forces as possible before they can get under ground, and buy time for friendly forces to fall back, establish defensive lines, and/or demolish underground pathways.

Do our HAGs have the LOS needed to rail gun the enemy advances to the South or Center? Even 1 or 2 of them should be able to dominate what seem to be choke points, and they could benefit greatly from allied shield walkers.

>>1747857
>Not Really
Fair enough.

>RH commanders are having trouble coordinating
We know how to help with that.

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>>1747857
Thanks. I'd suggest this:
Stay above ground to take advantage of the gunships' maneuverability and our well trained pilots.

Swing by the approach to the Helios arcology to harass advancing froces, help out at the approach to the RH arcology and then
>Nasidum can fend for themselves for now.
Check in on Nasidum. If we expect them to stay on our side or at least not join the enemy, we need to help them. At least a bit.

FOR HOUSE AND DOMINION

>>1747750
Let's get our Dante in below and slam it inside the Arcology, see if we can draw back some of the enemy forces.

>contact the allied Dantes and see if we can form up a proper squadron, even if it is temporary.
The offer is being considered.

1)>>1747783
>>1747881
Similar enough plans.
>Suppress or pin down as many enemy forces as possible before they can get under ground
Interdiction.

2)>>1747883
Harass advancing forces on the various fronts. Help Nasidum if it looks like they'll contribute.

3) >>1747903
Lower levels attack, but press toward enemy command.

>>1747958
>>contact the allied Dantes and see if we can form up a proper squadron, even if it is temporary.
>The offer is being considered.

I actually want to press this now with the allied pilots/houses. If we can form up, even temporarily to destroy the two enemy Dante's, then we're in a MUCH better position to operate unrestricted.

>>1747972
We'll put this as option 4, if you guys really want to go for that now.

>>1747958
Option 2.

We deployed with a wingman already right? We had 2 Dante's afaik

>>1748105
I was already working on a survey so might as well post it. Link on the twitter and wiki.

surveymonkey com /r/ CC832ZK

>>1747958
[x] Option 2

Didn't realise we were voting.

Looks like we're going with option 2 and harass advancing forces on the various fronts.

Roll 6d20

Rolled 2, 6, 4, 7, 10, 1 = 30 (6d20)

>>1748250

For House and Dominion! Harass those traitors!

Rolled 18, 3, 20, 15, 9, 14 = 79 (6d20)

Rolled 5, 3, 18, 18, 14, 5 = 63 (6d20)

>>1748250
>Roll 6d20
Keep moving Sonia, don't let them blob their forces to counter you.

>18, 6, 20, 18, 14, 14
Ouch, that second roll.

If there was ever a time for Sonia to activate a good luck charm or Neeran artifact.

You swing out wide, providing some direct fire support while suppressing formations of enemy vehicles. Never focusing on one area for long you keep moving, trying to cause as much disruption as possible.

Familiarity with friendly fire trajectory programs are a big help here, as it's necessary to avoid barrages from HAG's hanging well back from the fighting. The enemy has their share of similar craft.
Aries gunships appear with an enemy reinforcement wave and manage to hit your wingman with a few shots. Any other craft would have been torn to shreds, but your gunships are both fully upgraded. Even after blowing through the shields and stasis backups it merely destroys one of the big guns and tears a chunk out of one of the legs.

"I've lost the left weapon pod and taken engine damage sir, I'll have to pull back for repairs."

This is putting a kink in your plans. Rolling with it you head east in the direction of the Palace, taking the opportunity to strafe enemies trying to reach the previously downed frigate. Your gunner fires into the burned hulk as you pass causing one wall of the wreck to collapse into a cloud of dust and the IFF to light up with contacts.

"Nanites!" screams your gunner.

Kicking the engines forward to swing the Gunship around, you fire everything you have into the expanding cloud. Nearby troops and vehicles do the same and a wall of EM pulse fire causes the cloud to slowly collapse. You don't let up until the cycle rate of your weapons drops off due to overheat.

There are no signs of movement or activity aside from friendly troops beginning a more thorough sweep of the interior.

"I think it's sanitized sir."

[ ] Escort wingman back to base
[ ] Split up, Sonia heads to Nasidum Embassy
[ ] Both head to Nasidum Embassy despite damage

>>1748496
Split up.

>>1748496
>[x] Both head to Nasidum Embassy despite damage

>>1748496
[x] Split up, Sonia heads to Nasidum Embassy

Tell them not to take any unnecessary risks and get repaired and back to us ASAP.

[x] Split up, Sonia heads to Nasidum Embassy

>>1748496
> [ ] Split up, Sonia heads to Nasidum Embassy

Why am I skeptical that whatever is in the Helios Embassy might be behind he attack.

>>1748608
>Helios Embassy might be behind he attack.
explain

Splitting up you head for the Nasidum Embassy while your wingman heads back for repairs. You do what you can to put fire into enemy forces while on the way.

Sporadic weapons fire from some sections of the embassy are targeting advancing elements but is far from what others are throwing out.

Flying up from below you're able to get beneath the arcology shield and stay there. Taking a closer look it seems there are a few Ruling House and Ber'helum shuttles parked at external pads on the upper levels.

You set down on an empty area of pad despite attempts by ground crews to wave you off. Hitting the external loudspeakers you start broadcasting.

"I don't know what your superiors are arguing about but there are nanites eating the fucking city. Either surrender so we can garrison this place or get stuck in already. The rest of us will try to buy you time.
Distance to target?"
"Four kilometers and closing."
"You've got about one minute."

That might be a slight exaggeration. Several divisions of Ber'helum troops are retreating towards the Nasidum arcology and their rear guard is doing an admirable job of slowing the enemy advance.

You turn and resume firing into enemy positions for half a minute before your gunner draws your attention to an approaching deck officer in an open top repulsor vehicle. Switching to directed coms you eventually locate his channel.

"There are Bonrah jump walkers fighting on their side. They're not supposed to be here. The ambassador is trying to figure out if we should side with them or not."

The more important power group in the building immediately springs to mind. "What about your garrison?"

"The officers are worried about Aries warcrimes charges."

A few words could make all the difference here, but could also get you in serious political trouble later. Then again, you are wearing your recon armor. A few quiet battlefield promotions for more receptive officers might be in order.
>What say?

>>1749015
... how are Garrison officers on the Dominion capital's embassy worried about being accused of Aries war crimes?

Wouldn't this be the absolute last place they would want to be assigned to or hide in?

>>1749080
Maybe they assaulted some civilians while stationed here.

>>1749015
"A civil war is, for the Dominion, not a rare occurrence. Colluding with a hostile machine race, however, most definitely is. I think it would be seen [i]incredibly[/i] favourably in certain circles if House Nasidium, despite its actions during the war, were to assist in defending the capital of the Dominion from being overwhelmed by grey goo."

"Unless, of course, you want your mind uploaded and turned into a digital puppet."

>>1749080
Shifting political landscape at home and prisoner exchanges between the major powers.
Though at this point nearly any high ranking person in the Nasidum alliance should be worried about such charges.

>Wouldn't this be the absolute last place they would want to be assigned to or hide in?
Potentially, yes.
Though in some cases the closer you are to danger the further you are from harm. The Dominion rarely kills the messenger.

>>1749015
>>1749186

Fuck it, lets just arrange for some battlefield promotions.

>>1749015
seconding
>>1749145

Firing off another burst while cursing under your breath about bullshit politics and Aries.

"Give this message to your officers.
A civil war is, for the Dominion, not a rare occurrence. Colluding with a hostile machine race, however, most definitely is. I think it would be seen incredibly favourably in certain circles if House Nasidium, despite its actions during the war, were to assist in defending the capital of the Dominion from being overwhelmed by grey goo."

The deck officer exchanges glances with the vehicle driver so you continue.

"Unless, of course, you want your mind uploaded and turned into a digital puppet. I've seen these things do that to people, while their bodies were stripped away by an unshielded fusion reactor."

"We'll... add that for consideration sir."
The vehicle speeds inside, the driver clearly trying to get as much distance as possible from the incoming attackers. Additional armored doors close sealing off most of the access points to the landing pad.

That could have gone better, but running around in recon armor lopping off heads might have taken the better part of an hour.

Half asleep so I'll be stopping here. A lot of stuff going on tomorrow so I probably won't be able to resume until evening. Hopefully before 9PM EST but I don't know for sure.

>>1749015
>There are Bonrah jump walkers fighting on their side. They're not supposed to be here. The ambassador is trying to figure out if we should side with them or not
Have the local Bonrah forces joined the invaders?

>>1749646
If Sonia gets a +10 to intimidate when the Plasma pistol is worn, what does the Dante give her?

>>1750633
More likely their walkers got hacked.

>>1750753
Makes me wonder if there's a command center for hacked units we can smash with our gunship.

>>1747437
Final days? Oh man is the end of the story in sight or are we going to focus on the neeran history next? I really need to catch up, good to see you still running games tstg!

>>1750956
The final days of the civil war.

>>1750956
We're nearly at the end of the Dominion's civil war arc. Just need to fight off legions of nanites and then the Dominion emerges as a leaner, fitter beast.

>>1751621
Reminder that drol are only healthy if they're t h i c c

>>1751672
Stop with this Krath psy-op meme.

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You hold position continuing to provide fire support and waiting to see what happens here at the Embassy. If this takes long enough your wingman will eventually finish with repairs and catch up.

After a few minutes Nasidum infantry begin to exit the building at various points and set up light weapon emplacements. After a few checks they begin to open fire on the nearest enemy forces. There aren't many Nasidum troops in place yet but it's a start.

Some of the heavier fixed emplacements and concealed point defense guns also join in.

"How many of their guns do you think are firing?"
"Less than 10% of their suspected weapon sites are firing sir. Maybe the others will catch on?"

You hope it's soon because a fresh wave of drones and light starfighters emerge from the column of smoke above the Che'len arcology. Half of them are immediately cut to pieces by allied fighters and ground fire, but that still leaves several hundred in the air.

The targeting computer tags the light fighters as the KU-12 Death Pod. With a name like that you hope it means they're cannon fodder.

Drones launch cluster bombs against the less heavily defended areas of the city, some of them bursting into clouds of nanites. Point defense batteries shift to targeting the missiles in the hopes of destroying them before they can scatter their payload.

Nasidum defenders aren't taking any chances. A number of missiles streak from concealed launchers, plasma warheads detonating only a few hundred meters outside the shields. Even through the shield you clearly see glowing spheres of the explosions.

"Right... the warcrimes."

Not like many people would be brought to trial over it in this environment.

>>1752470
It's not warcrimes if the target isn't sentient, right?

>>1752615
Usually it isn't a war crime so long as you're on the side that wins.

>>1752615
It's the fact that they might be sentient that justifies the war crimes though.

>>1752676
The war crime is probably the use of those weapons on a habitable planet, not using them on the enemy.

Well, my writers block isn't as bad as the previous thread. I should have more time to post through the day tomorrow so hoping for more progress then.

>>1752887
Good luck TSTG! Sleep well!

Is there anything we can do to help?

>>1752902
I suppose a good question is, do you want to hang out around the Nasidum embassy until your wingman returns, or head back to the Helios Embassy now?

>>1753009
on one hand I dont like the fact that if we leave we'd be leaving retreating Ber'Helum troops to the mercy of Nasidum covering fire, but I also dont trust Xygen to not just throw open their arcology doors to the attacks to make it easier to get to the Helio's embassy. Also Kharbos embassy is literally right next door to the Helio embassy and im certain they've probably got some sort of super nanite swarm their waiting to unleash trapped in there.

Go back to the Helios embassy I suppose.
Maybe send a low priority com to the officer we talked to that if anyone is giving him shit after this war, to come and contact us.

>>1753009
I'd say wait until our wingman returns, the head back to the Helios embassy together unless things look really bad around here.

Stop by the RH if possible to see if they'd be willing to make an official declaration to stop the Nasidum officers from worrying too much.

>>1753009
Head back to Helios Arcology now, though as >>1753653 suggested. Have RH or anyone of the big hiuses to contact Nassidium that if they are worried about Areis war charges. Then the best way to prove they have not been coluding with Areis is to get stuck in there. As what we said earlier, civil war is common in the Dominion, they're already going to suffer some sort of punishment. Once this mess is over, the best thing they could do now is help protect the Dominion against traitor forces who are working with an invading foregin force of another race. Their sidlinging and bickering isnt doing them any favors right now. No one is expecting them to work as our brothers in arms right now, but I would imagine this would be an allies of convience situation. Where they're helping the Dominion for either a lighter sentencing or whatever.

>>1753009
Helios time.
It's the number one objective, we have to keep it safe for the incoming fleet.

>>1753918
I'm sure they have an actual good reason but it would be pretty sneaky of them to just tell them to hold the helios embassy only to have it not be related in any way to the secret weapon.
>Be known as a research heavy king maker
>Someone attacks the dominion capital
>Tell everyone to protect your embassy
>Everyone just assumes you have some kind of superweapon or access codes to one in there

>>1753964
Helios is actually run by the then emergent AI that annihilated a couple of houses a few centuries back. It's has been trying to make up for that since then. Which would explain helios' reluctance to actually run the dominion, their calculating nature, and their focus on the greater good of the dominion.

>>1753964
To be honest, I think it fits Helios perfectly.

They are always mentioned as being the 'power behind the throne' type of House, not willing to directly seize the power and make themselves a target.
If House Kharbos/Nanite shows the capacity to take over the Dominion capital world, I can see Helios being reluctant to back any side and switch to their regular tactic of back the most powerful.

You send off a quick message telling your wingman that you're planning to head back to the Helios embassy and will link up with them there. Before that though you keep firing until more of the Nasidum garrison joins the fight.

Some of the T-shaped walkers jump from cover and try to attack the rear of the Ber'helum formations, or at least pin them in place. Others use the distraction to make a run at the Nasidum positions. Their speed allows them to quickly reach the base of the structure and begin ascending its slope below the shields.

Quickly shifting your fire you down six of them in short order. Garrison forces knock out eight and damage most of the remainder, but those that survive duck into cover provided by balconies and smaller towers. That doesn't help them in at least two cases. Shortly after entering cover beam weapon fire from inside sends the walkers stumbling back out or exploding from hits.
It looks like the rest won't be able to penetrate the embassy from that side, at least not right away.

It's a good thing these drone vehicles are built out of such poor materials. Unfortunately you suspect that also makes them pretty cheap to manufacture.

Down towards the lower levels you spot a column of enemy heavy tanks climbing up the vehicle ramps from beneath the causeway. They're trying to cut off the Ber'helum retreat.

The friendly toops will just need a few more minutes to reach Nasidum positions and fortify themselves.

[ ] Keep putting fire into the tanks from up here
[ ] Get down there and block them
[ ] Make sure the drone walkers are destroyed

>>1754192
>[x] Get down there and block them
Armored Core, Dominion edition.

>>1754192
>[ ] Get down there and block them
Seems like we're the only ones who can do that while the other defenders should be able to deal with the drone walkers.

>>1754258
>>1754196
Roll 1d20 for DFA

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>1754261
Zone D

Rolled 17 (1d20)

>>1754261
>Bringing tanks to fight walkers in one of the few environments where walkers actually make sense
You should have stayed small and neutral Che'len.

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>1754261
I really love our Dante and I wonder if this engagement will lead to separate groups manufacturing various different models?

It seems like we're going to reach a 'heavy mechanised' era for troops.

>>1754290
I can't really see that happening in the dominion. The Dante is shaping up to be THE status symbol for dominion houses and nobles involved in ground combat - who would want to be seen in a knock-off? I'd expect other factions to buy licenses and develop their own models from them, though.

>>1754336
Sure, understandable for nobility, but I mean as a force multiplier for regular troops. There's an interesting gap to exploit between power-armor and vehicle which might prove lucrative.

>>1754363
I would expect that niche to be filled by the oversized power armor we've encountered several times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CVFSescu1I [MSG Unicorn - Bring on a War]

"Watch for nanites, I'm going down there to block them."

Skimming down the tower at full speed, you leap at the last moment to get some altitude above your target.

"Death from above!"

You land on the first Aries heavy tank as it reaches the top of the ramp, crushing the main turret and slamming it into the ground. Particle beam shots deal with the next four tanks behind it before you leap away to avoid return fire.

Two dozen light tanks speed up the ramps to either side of the crippled heavies, spraying you with micro phase cannon fire and missiles. With the Dante's point defense replaced with EM Pulse weapons the shields are forced to tank the missile hits. You gunner instead focuses on hitting one tank at a time, the pulse weapons overloading the minimal armor and shielding their repulsors have.
Dancing backwards you try to avoid the worst of their fire, spraying micro phase cannon shots back at them. The heavier weapons you save for popping the downed tanks when their repulsors are overloaded or suppressing the other vehicles still trying to come up the ramp.

"There are too many of them sir."

"I know, I know!"

Performing a thruster assisted pirouette you kick several off them with one of your leg sending the small tanks flying.

A few nearby Ber'helum tanks manage to help suppress the remaining lights. Meanwhile two enemy heavies drive up and over the barriers at the sides of the ramp. You blast both of them with particle beams, though it takes additional shots to get through their armor from this angle.

Just as you've dealt with them several more drone walkers leap over the walls to engage the Ber'helum forces while a Bonrah walker with a tough looking armored shield lands just in front of you. It activates a holographic blade attached to its right arm which quickly begins to superheat the surrounding air.

While the walker is half the size of your Dante you're wary of its melee weapon.

Your orders?

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>>1754450
"WILL YOU STAND WITH ME AGAINST THE NANITE MENACE?!"

>>1754450
Target the right arm with every particle beam we have, aim for the joint to see if we can get the sword to fail. Also fire the repulsors at max thrust to put some distance between us and it.

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>>1754450

Normally I would say get stuck in. But we didn't bring out melee weapons because we figured we would be mostly assisting with long ranged fire. Now would be a good time for someone to reveal they have been developing resupply capsules like you see in the later Halo games. Only for mechs and Dante's and the like. However, in the absence of such a thing existing... best to for the moment pick this little bugger off. Force him to continue to use his shield to come to us. Or target his mechs extremities while forcing him to hold his shield in front of his torso.

>>1754515
>Now would be a good time for someone to reveal they have been developing resupply capsules like you see in the later Halo games.
Too much fire in the airspace above you for them to be deployed effectively.
There's also the problem of needing a field repair station at minimum to swap out the spare arms.

Looks like we're going to try and keep him at range while pummeling him with the particle beams.
Sound good?

>>1754547
It's not a recruitable character?

>>1754561
Do you want to try to recruit the enemy combatant that menaces with holographic swords?

>>1754572
>enemy combatant that menaces with holographic swords
Sorry, I somehow got the idea that Bonrah is kinda neutral in this fight, like Nasidum.

>>1754582
See:
>>1749015
>"There are Bonrah jump walkers fighting on their side. They're not supposed to be here."

>>1754590
Yeah, I must have skipped half of that sentence because I thought the walkers were guarding the arcology alongside Nasidum forces.

>>1754547

Yeah keep him at range sounds good.

And I've run out of time and need to leave for work. See you after 9PM EST.

We should start a holo-weapon research station.

Headache making things difficult. Clearing up now.

You take one good look at the big melee weapon and decide you're not having any of this. You kick the gunship backwards as the other walker takes a swing with its holoblade. A steady barrage of phase an particle beam fire forces him to dodge and block with the shield, the more powerful guns blasting craters in its surface and driving him back.

Without the other walker to block their fire the next group of enemy tanks that arrive have a clear line of fire. Particle beams and short range missiles pummel your shield forcing you to split your fire.
The walker uses the distraction to keep moving, finding cover where possible or dodging sharply while your attention is split. Popping the heavier tanks gives your enemy time to carve their way through three Ber'helum vehicles that had been moving to support you.

Enemy tanks equipped with dozer blades force damaged vehicles out of the way and make a path up the ramp for following medium tanks. While you manage to hit the engineering vehicle it's a bit too late and soon more enemy vehicles are spreading outwards.

Shields momentarily fall under the hail of fire from ten, then twenty tanks. Tempted to fire missiles you find them blocked by the backup stasis shields.

You could jump backwards over the vehicle barriers and down into cover of lower levels. That would give the shields time to recharge. Or you could charge the ramp and barrage the area with missiles when your stasis shields fail. You know the armor can take quite a few hits.

[ ] Jump into cover
[ ] Charge

>>1755565
>[x] Jump into cover
I don't want to risk being un-shielded and hit by the holosword.

>>1755565
>[ ] Jump into cover
While an impressively sturdy thing stress testing armor plating is best done when you're not wearing said plate.

>>1755565
[x] Jump into cover

We're being daring enough as is no need to give the nanites an in into our Dante when they reach us this early in the fight hold out for our wingman to arrive, maybe try to link up to local targetting and fire rockets from cover letting the local sensors guide the rockets to targets close by? If that is at all possible.

Jumping backwards over the vehicle barriers, you let the gunship drop until you're out of the line of fire.

"Get us targeting data from the other tanks and start firing our missiles."

"Yes sir!"

The stasis shields cut out and missiles launch in an arc over towards the tanks. They're met with point defense laser fire that thins their numbers, allowing only 5 through to reach their targets. At least you're still contributing.

The moment shields go back up you're over the barriers again and tearing through tanks once more. Skirting around the holoblade armed walker you drive towards the ramp and unload your remaining missiles.

Your assault manages to cut the flow of reinforcements long enough for the Ber'helum divisions to drive a spearhead through the enemy units up here. The remaining enemy walkers fall back into cover to wait for a better moment. They have more allies on the way after all.

What enemy tanks remain up here eventually decide that they'd be better off elsewhere and use their repulsors to drive off the sides down to the lower levels once more.

The ramp isn't completely cut off and the firepower at your disposal isn't enough to just collapse the structure. Taking a quick look over the side reveals a formation of 4 legged heavy walkers incoming towards it, some of them equipped with shield generators.
The main enemy advance along the causeway seems to be supported by similar forces. The faster vehicles conducting attacks before falling back to cover.

"Where are your heavy walkers?" you question the nearest friendly tank crews.

"Mostly destroyed near the Che'len embassy. More are on the way but they've only just passed the Bonrah embassy."

Now that they're reaching the Nasidum arcology they'll have a place to dig in and better use the established shields to their advantage. This seems like the best time to get back to the Helios embassy and rearm.

>Objections?

>>1755637
None. Make it so.

>>1755637

Do it.

Heading back to base you call ahead to make sure the bay is prepped to reload your gunship.

Coming in to dock Vanderwal gives you an update.

"The House Bonrah Embassy has disavowed any connection with those attacking the planet. They've declared any Bonrah forces fighting alongside Kharbos and Che'len forces to be deserters and renegades.
They're also offering to assist the PDF in resisting the attack but they don't have a large garrison."

Some good news.

"House Xygen has officially declared war on Che'len. High security facilities in their home territories are being attacked by Kythera ships similar to those in orbit. The Helios spooks here are convinced Xygen must have done something to piss them off but so far they're not saying what."

"How are things going in the Kharbos embassy?" you ask.

"Mostly contained by the sounds of it. There were a few die hards acting as sleeper agents trying to bring down their shields. Most of the enbassy garrison is still loyal to the deposed government."

"How long until our reinforcements get here?"

"All I'm hearing from people is soon. It can't be soon enough as far as I'm concerned. Enemy troops are now advancing on the city from their LZ to the north west. It'll be slow going for them but it's going to draw off PDF forces we need in the city center."

You tell Vanderwal to fold on for a moment as the bay techs need to ask a few questions.

>1) Switch to melee equipped arm modules? Y/N?

>2) You can take additional missiles if you want as Helios has a selection of plasma warheads available.
2A) High yield plasma warheads. These technically violate the factions treaty.
2B) Standard yield plasma warheads.
2C) Plasma flak missiles. Scatters multiple small plasma warheads

>>1755737

1) Switch to melee equipped arm modules? Y/N?
>Y

2) You can take additional missiles if you want as Helios has a selection of plasma warheads available.
>2C) Plasma flak missiles. Scatters multiple small plasma warheads
I'm sure we can find multiple uses for these things. Flak I would normally assume is AA, but what about using it to destroy enemy troops and light vehicles? Or just glassing a large cloud of nanites?

>>1755737
>1) Switch to melee equipped arm modules? Y/N?
N

>2) You can take additional missiles if you want as Helios has a selection of plasma warheads available.
2C) Plasma flak missiles. Scatters multiple small plasma warheads
though I do wonder if the high yields could take down a LST

>>1755737
>1) Switch to melee equipped arm modules? Y/N?
N

>2) You can take additional missiles if you want as Helios has a selection of plasma warheads available.
2C) Plasma flak missiles. Scatters multiple small plasma warheads

>>1755737
1) Y

2) B

I'm more hesitant to take high yields due to catching ourselves in the blast than war crimes.

Standard ones should suit our purposes fine, as we have anti nanite pd

>>1755764
My reasoning for flak was that with the enemy maintaining such good coordination flak could more easily overwhelm enemy PD

And I'll see you guys in the morning.

>>1755737
>1Y

>2C) Plasma flak missiles. Scatters multiple small plasma warheads

>>1755768
Well, if we're using Melee than that takes care of heavily armored targets.

Flak lets us suppress enemies better while we close the gap, or quickly take out lighter armed and armored harassers or engineering corps preventing outcomes like >>1755565

>>1755828
Oh man, it's getting good now. Thanks for running, friend.

I wonder if Xygen was working on an effective AI shackling program? That would completely annihilate the Kythera.

>>1756312
> Implying the Terrans haven't already done this, and aren't behind the AI attack.

>>1756448
Too brazen for the Terrans. Their MO is having everything explode for no reason.

>>1756456
But the Dominion is currently exploding for no reason.

>>1756462
I hadn't thought of it like that.

>>1756462
There are plenty of reasons the Dominion is exploding! Including but not limited to:

House Kharbos 'Make Kharbos Great Again' shenanigans,
Desperate gambits for power,
Krath Infiltration
Terran Black Ops
Crazy AI xenos nanite infiltration,
A bloody Civil War,
Aries & GE,
Probably some Iratar too,
A weak Ruling House

>>1756622
If I remember correctly, some of the Houses on the other side of the conflict had hired Neeran POWs as mercenaries. Who knows if somebody important in one of these Houses got their brain rewritten by one of the Neerans.

File: Twitchs_survival_notes.jpg (2.06 MB, 3000x2200)

2.06 MB JPG

>>1756628
Or the Terrans. They paint themselves purple and hide you know. Come out of nowhere, big hulking brutes screaming and shooting wildly. Gotta be careful where you kill them too, otherwise they pop up again a couple months later. Anyone you know could be a Terrans with a hat for a disguise. If they look like a non-human, that just means they're a CLEVER Terran. You'll know because they'll still have a cockney accent.

Always aim for the biggest, they're the ones in charge. When in doubt about possible Terrans being present (you should always be in doubt about this, because that's how they get you) please consult the provide flow chart.

Imagine the propaganda potential from this tho

File: The Imperial City-Advance.gif (50 KB, 1414x1406)

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With some misgivings you have the arms on your Dante switched out for those with the extra melee weapons. The extra wight doesn't seem to make much difference. If anything you're just worried you'll be more inclined to get into close combat in situations where it would be best to stay at range.

By the time you get up allied forces have completed their withdrawal to the Nasidum and Xygen embassies, but both are being hard pressed on the surface and the levels below. Elements are moving to encircle the Xygen position or bypass it entirely.
Others are making for the palace.

A number of Kharbos frigates have formed up around the Che'len embassy and are overlapping shields to hold off fire from the palace guns. It looks like several others have been destroyed as more wrecks litter the main causeways.

Did you have a location you wanted to hit, or would you like to try and form up a Dante unit now to go after priority targets?

>>1756667
Hold back enemy forces near the Xygen embassy. I don't want them to get close to the Helios embassy

>>1756667
If we have air superiority why don't we try to collapse the routes to the embassies?

Not like enemy forces are getting reinforcements. The longer we hold out the worse off they are.

>>1756667
What are those maroonish wedges? The frigates?

Could the engineers rig up a plasma missile satchel/sticky bomb for a Dante to drop onto/thru the frigate shields to screw their plan up?

>>1756667
Form Dante voltron and begin anti-Dante operations.

>>1756704
>If we have air superiority why don't we try to collapse the routes to the embassies?
They're structurally quite sturdy being built to last. You'll need high yield plasma warheads or starship grade weaponry.
The anti-ship guns of the palace could probably help with that.

>>1756705
>What are those maroonish wedges? The frigates?
Yes. I should probably change them to a lighter red.

>Could the engineers rig up a plasma missile satchel/sticky bomb for a Dante to drop onto/thru the frigate shields to screw their plan up?
Yes.

[ ] Assist Xygen Embassy
[ ] Form up Dante unit with bombs to attack Frigates
[ ] Form up Dante unit to go after enemy walkers
[ ] Try to get palace to destroy the causeways

>>1756754
>[ ] Assist Xygen Embassy

>>1756754
>[x] Try to get palace to destroy the causeways

>>1756754
[ ] Assist Xygen Embassy

>>1756754
>>1756667
All these things.

We should try to destroy the Nasidium causeway. Both to relieve the pressure on them politically as well as military, also to prevent them from easily flipping.

Funnel them into defending against the palace when we take out the Shuttles, then head back towards Xygen to help defend them.

The Palace has the strongest defenses so it's the best place to force them to bunch up so we can concentrate fire on them.

Remember, they were outright trying to bypass Xygen if possible. Don't let them open another front.

>>1756754
>>1756730

Wait didn't realize this was a Pick One Thing

We should at least be able to convince the RH to destroy the causeway's if we are taking out the Frigates since their guns will be redundant then.

2 for Xygen embassy, 2 for destroy the causeways.
Tie breaker needed.

>>1756775
voting xygen embassy.

>>1756777
Why? Doesn't really take advantage of our mobility.

I don't think any of the options are "bad" though.

>>1756777
Nvm the Helios embassy right.

[ ] Stay at altitude / upper levels of the arcology (Roll 2d20)
[ ] Go in low to support front line forces (Roll 4d20)

Rolled 13, 13, 3, 3 = 32 (4d20)

>>1756809
>[ ] Go in low to support front line forces (Roll 4d20)
Well, people did decide to put the CC package on the Dante.

Rolled 19, 15, 14, 9 = 57 (4d20)

>>1756809
[X] Go in low to support front line forces (Roll 4d20)

Well, we did get the saturation plasma toys. Time to engage in whole sale slaughter?

Rolled 19, 6, 10, 16 = 51 (4d20)

>>1756809
>[x] Go in low to support front line forces (Roll 4d20)

19, 15, 14, 16.

Nice.

Heading for the Xygen embassy there's a flash to your right. The bright light of an explosion from the side of the Kharbos arcology signals that things are clearly going wrong there. A several kiloton blast sends out shockwaves in all directions but is fortunately blocked by the shields of nearby heavy walkers, protecting the ground troops below.

Despite the damage the structure's shields still seem to be holding.

The run in towards the Xygen positions gets a bit rough. More drones are filling the skies, contesting the airspace despite the heavy ground fire and PDF air power. Enemy AA from their landing zones and surrounding city are increasing. HAG's on either side are flattening smaller structures and cratering the landscape.

You attract ground fire as well but it only proves capable of shaking up your descent slightly. Performing a fast strafing run you each drop a flak missile. Enemy point defense fire only helps in this instance, breaking the outer casing and scattering explosives over a wide. Your wingman's shot detonates closer to the ground and doesn't hit quite as wide an area but it does its job.

Coming around for another pass you spot enemy walkers moving up from below. They're trying to scale the arcology along a less heavily defended path. Particle beam fire forces them to rethink their plan and jump clear, only to be hit by your next flak missile catching several in the air.

A manned jump walker leaps at you extending a pair of melee weapons and you quickly swat them aside with the bladed part of your gun arm. One of the smaller walker's weapons shatter and the force of the hit sends it hurtling into the side of the causeway. It's taken damage but the pilot manages to right the vehicle and fire thrusters as it plummets towards the lower levels.

Your com channel is accidentally spammed by a few people on the ground as you pull in below the arcology shield and put fire into the nearest tank forces. It's getting harder to secure communications with the people you want to talk to.

>Sonia has 2 flak missiles remaining.
Did you want to try and disrupt the leading tank forces, or target their shielded heavy walkers? Or deal with enemies in the lower levels?

Heading out for work!

>>1756895
Murder their tanks. I don't like the idea of going underground where our flying ability will be more restricted.

>>1756895
Try to create a chokepoint or a blockage using our remaining missiles and then focus on the heavy walkers? We need to slow the advance while keeping the enemys mobile units engaged.

>>1756895
> Disrupt the tanks

Less mobile than the walkers, the collateral damage from our flak missiles will impede them more.

Too bad we don't have napalm to burn them out. Heat has to dissipate.

Actually do we have fuel we could dump on them?

>>1756895
Kill all tanks.

>>1756895
I think we should make a run at the enemy's heavy walkers.

Remove their mobile shield generators and we can turn the topside assault into a killing field.

If we can stall the topside, we should be able to delay their ability to project an AAA envelope.

Any speculation on what Helios considers special weapons?

Maybe they've been stockpiling Anti-AI weapons for years and finally unsealed the vaults?

>>1757490
They probably have some sort of crazy virus/worm or AI that they'll deploy and data wipe everything in the region.

>>1758036
> It's the Rust Worm designed to work on nanites.

If I were the ruling house I'd probably start to question why Helios has such a secret weapon inside my house.

Also new procedure where only Ruling House personnel can garrison arcologies.

>>1758106
I wound unironically enjoy this. We have never ever used our bioweapon.

Okay, after having to go back in to work to fix something I'm back.

>>1756940
>Actually do we have fuel we could dump on them?
Deuterium and He3 for your engines and fusion reactors. Not especially dangerous if you were to perform a fuel dump as it would boil away before it could do any real damage.
Even igniting the deuterium it would burn so quickly that it wouldn't be much threat.

>>1758245
Scaled up Shallan Fusion Gun/HLV Thruster cannon for the Dante when?

>>1758254
A couple weeks for Baron Dante's teams to get a prototype working and then send the specs to you for fabrication.
Drawbacks: high fuel usage, short range, chance to be caught in blowback from your own weapon if set to wide area of effect.

One designed specifically to take advantage of operating in atmosphere would take longer.

>>1758268
I mean.

We're using melee weapons for crying out loud.

High speed flamethrower passes though, there's always a spot for that. Napalm that sticks around and burns.

It sticks to the tank and heats it up. Honestly pretty shitty for vehicles, worse for the crew who often cooked to death in their tanks.

TL;DR we need to get some of that good shit. On the other hand, people might think we're horrific monsters.

"Let's chew up their tanks. Concentrate fire along the left flank, try to box them in or at least create a choke point."

Charging forwards, you fire cannons to clear a path through the leading enemy elements then launch both of your remaining flak missiles. Explosions rip through tanks and armored vehicles sowing chaos.
Flying low amid the confused ground forces continuing to sow death and destruction. The unmistakable profile of your vehicle is one any survivors won't soon forget.

Whatever tanks can, pull back towards their walkers for cover. Any others that can get a lock on you through the smoke, debris and jamming send fire your way in an effort to drive you off. Your shields cant take that kind of punishment for long and soon you speed back to friendly lines.

It takes a few minutes but a number of heavy walkers advance to fill the gap left by retreating forces. A few have been refit, replacing their legs with four enormous armored wheels they use to churn across the landscape, crushing wrecked vehicles beneath them.

"Great now they're throwing shielded monster trucks at us."

Your gunner highlights the wheel sections.
"Sir, those wheels are from Neeran super heavy tanks. Or at least based on them."

Well great. There might have been a briefing about those you glossed over not really paying attention to before. Either way it should still have the same old weaknesses as the big walkers, just with a higher ground speed.

If you can get beneath its shield it's armor should be much weaker than yours, though all those particle beam turrets will be a problem. Maybe the wheels have increased their blind spots?

Or there's the vehicle you built specifically to deal with these sorts of problems.

[ ] Get in beneath their shields
[ ] Call in the HAGs

>>1758515
Call the hag. It's time for a front row.demonstration of what a few hundred million in military research and spending got us.

>>1758515
[ ] Call in the HAGs

We have them for a reason, time to use them and make these people learn to rue the day they decided to be our enemies.

>>1758515
[X] Call in the HAGs

As a side note, can HAGs mount external missile racks to both railgun and plasma warhead things?

>>1758574
Possible, though they generally don't as it increases the likelihood of external launchers accidentally hitting the guns.
They can also be fitted with a few internal missile launchers in the bow for dealing with starfighters.

>>1758515
>[ ] Call in the HAGs

Right tool for the job and all that.

>>1758515
>[x] Call in the HAGs

>>1758515
>[X] Call in the HAGs
Call em, time to bring the pain

"Yeah, I'm not dealing with shielded monster trucks armed like five heavy tanks put together."

Placing a call you order whatever HAG's the J-D forces have available to get over here.

Diverting from their other fire missions and long range support five of them form up and some in around the south side of the Xygen positions. Most are of the cheaper more common variety but a pair of them are the original twin gun turret versions, able to throw out twice as many shots per volley.

A hail of metal projectiles hammer the shields of the lead vehicles. Some of the shots ricochet and strike the ground or fly off to land elsewhere in the city. Most simply vaporize on impact with the shields. It only takes an instant to land kill shots when the shields inevitably fail under the barrage.

"Kharbos Frigates are moving to counter the HAG's sir."

Then they'd better do what damage they can before pulling back. You order the HAG crews to switch the repulsor guns to full power shots.
"We're already at max atmospheric rated sir."

The engineers had to install safety systems on the HAG main weapons as they were initially too powerful to safely use in atmosphere. A missed shot might release more energy on impact than a good sized nuke.

>"Turn off the safeties."
>Y/N?

>>1759532

Are we talking kiloton variety or megaton variety nuke? Of course either one is bad enough as is. Also is there radiation that goes out?

I'm also loathe to start nuking things so close to us. So I am leaning towards saying no, keep the safties on. We're using Space WMD's, no need to use WMD's on ground targets.

>>1759532

Warn friendly forces, release safeties, ensure that missed shots will impact friendlies, not enemies.

Could full power shots threaten those Kharbos frigates instead? Missed shots would just end up in orbit...

>>1759532
>"Turn off the safeties."
I assume these are the "don't break interstellar law" safeties more than they are "this will melt the guns and you might be in the blast zone" kind
No on breaking laws Yes on collateral damage and damage to HAG weapons

>>1759532
[x] SAFETY OVERRIDES

MAX POWER

>>1759532
Wait, why would a missed shot release more energy on impact than a good sized nuke?

Wouldn't every shot release basically the same energy, or have hours of work scrambled my brain?

I'm still for disabling the safeties due to 'everything could have hostile xenos nanites from hell' extreme circumstances. Xygen wouldn't necessarily have anti-AI war weaponry prepared, if those 'Rollers' were going to deliver a payload of nanites into the arcology?

>>1759532
In a battle where nanite weapons are being used, plasma nukes on standby and probably all sorts of chemical agents just waiting to be deployed, and thats just on the surface, I dont really see how zero fallout nuclear sized blasts from kinetic impactors could possibly get us charged for warcrimes, considering everything else going on.

>"Authorized to bypass safeties."

>>1759581
It's more that stray nukes are really hard to explain. When you're firing something that can flatten a good portion of a town you better be sure you're not going to miss.

>>1759556
>I assume these are the "don't break interstellar law" safeties
Yes.

>>1759546
>Are we talking kiloton variety or megaton variety nuke?
The numbers I'm getting are... wow, a lot. Actually quite a bit more than I thought they would be. Like mass effect ship fire.

Theoretically as long as they strike the shield most of the energy of the shot should be transmitted to the shields themselves and not the surrounding atmosphere.

Maybe it would be better if the HAG's were firing at the Frigates instead? Or better yet let's just scratch the last 4 sentences of the previous post.

>>1759532
I'd prefer to stick to the treaties as long as we can afford to.

>>1759596
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=721UGr-h1mg Mass Effect 2 - Newton Drill Sergeant

Shit thats some powerful stuff.

>>1759594
I certainly agree with that.

But I'd also argue that any 'missed' shot that hits enemy forces was intentionally fired at secondary or tertiary targets, rather than primary ones! (enemy staging, reinforcement routes & the Che'len embassy make great bullet stops, imo)

>>1759596
I have to wonder why many of the factions didn't start using Mass Drivers/Repulsor weapons when they seem to be so powerful. Sonia seems to have had a hand in starting a kinetic weapon revolution.

>>1759647

I dont remember why, but it was covered in a very early thread on why. But if I remember correctly it had something to do with shields or something. I may be remembering this wrong.

>>1759647
didn't the larger starship grade and higher shields get hardened to kinetic impacts after the Terrans used the 'low tech' weapons vs the Kavarians or something?

The reason we went with them on the HAGs was that they could still be effective against the smaller shield generators within an atmosphere, where you couldn't effectively use starship grade weaponry needed to quickly down shields due to Factions Treaty.

I think repulsor tech has also seen a major improvement lately, vs the old Terran rail guns that caused the kinetic resistance increase?

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>>1759601
And when you're firing a 1000 to 2000kg projectile you don't need it to go nearly so fast.

>>1759647
>>1759656
Terrans used to abuse the hell out of kinetic weaponry way back. The Dominion finally got pissed off and diverted most of their R&D assets for a few decades to developing better kinetic resistant shields.

>>1759665
Yeah I just meant on ground combat in general. At the start of the quest it was all Phase rifles. I think even tanks were mainly particle beams. Just seems surprising.

>>1759680
Probably because it's a logistics nightmare once you have to resupply hundreds of millions with ammo.

>>1759680
Because starship shields were made resistant to kinetic weaponry this spurred development of alternate weaponry aka pulse and phase cannons and that technological focus meant that having ballistic weaponry for atmosphere would have required an entirely different branch of research facilities.
In other words it was cheaper to make a good phase rifle than develop dedicated technology for grunts.

>>1759680
We've always had access to traditional rifles during personal combat, and even used suppressed ones during some of our earlier recon armor gigs, iirc.

Then we ran into the early (stolen prototype knockoffs?) SRL mass driver rifles, and things went down hill from there.

And as for tanks, I'd imagine that particle beams are a logically superior choice due to their lack of ammo concerns on combat scales. If your 'ammo' is supplied simply by running your tank's engine and doesn't have a massive disadvantage, why complicate things by needing ammunition? Especially for planetary assault logistics, only needing to worry about getting fuel to your tanks is major.

The HAG is probably hated by logistics officers everywhere.

>>1759713
considering it's "just" the bullet since the acceleration is done via repulsors it's not that bad. Actually how many shots can a phase rifle shoot anyways?

>>1759532
"Kharbos Frigates are moving to counter the HAG's sir."

Then they'd better do what damage they can before pulling back. You order the HAG crews to push the limits of the safeties on their repulsor guns.

The bombardment continues to tear into the ground forces. They mange to knock out six more walkers before fire from the oncoming frigates becomes too intense. Dropping down the ground level they duck beneath the cover of the Xygen shield, continuing to fire until they run out of ammunition.
After that they slowly make their back in the direction of the Helios positions to reload.

With the Frigates drawn out of their previous formation the big guns from the Palace mange to disable one of them, driving the others into cover. With both ships hiding behind the causeway the PDF decide to take out the top levels with their big guns while they're at it, limiting the enemy's ability to advance.

"Enemy unit in the lower levels have advanced to the mid point between the Xygen and Helios embassies."

The Helios and J-D forces are diverting many of the remaining heavy walkers and LST's to block streets and passageways. Anything with shields to provide added protection.

The forces defending the Kharbos embassy think they've managed to clear out the last of the enemy units and sleeper cells there. Ber'helum and Ruling House troops have garrisoned key systems there just in case.

On the north west side of the city enemy fighters, jet bike units and other fast attack craft are beginning to inundate the defenders. There are even reports of what may be people using modified power armor with Kythera open type reactors. That of they have very large jump jets.

>>1759767
>There are even reports of what may be people using modified power armor with Kythera open type reactors.
I swear to god there we will genocide those god damned Clankers once we get our hands on them.

>>1759767
>power armor with Kythera open type reactors

Yep. Time to see if HAGs can kill even the roaches in that region.

>enemy's lower level advances

Can we rig up some plasma missile IEDs and use Dantes to drop them into access points from above, then let the lower levels channel the blasts along the constricted routes the enemy is using? Turn the access points into murder holes

>>1759767
>Kythera open type reactors
Let's go OPEN SEASON on these AI fucks.

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>>1759800
The causeways between the main arcologies are a bit like the upper plate of Hengsha in Deus Ex: HR, only not nearly so high up.

The best way to attack the lower levels would be from the side of the outer edge as the upper plate is much too thick to blast down through quickly, and the side facing the Palace is more closed off.

>>1759824
Can we flood the tunnels like the infiltrators did on the Ber'helum homeworld?

>>1759824
There are no ramps between the levels along the causeways, but they have open/weaker sides?

That should still allow for the plan to work, as the thick deck plates will force the explosion to spread between them, rather than thru them.

All that really matters is that we have a way to get the IED inside the structure, and the structure forces the blast to seek an escape with the enemy forces between the origin and exit points.

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>>1759846
No, the Ber'helum capital had the added benefit of being surrounded by waterfalls.

>>1759850
Sort of like this.

>All that really matters is that we have a way to get the IED inside the structure, and the structure forces the blast to seek an escape with the enemy forces between the origin and exit points.
So just firing missiles in from the sides would be the most expedient.

>>1759908
>No
Ah, that's unfortunate.

>civilian habs
Have the civilians been evacuated from the area we're fighting in?

>>1759919
>Have the civilians been evacuated from the area we're fighting in?
Most have been evacuated to bombardment shelters.

>>1759908
>just firing missiles in from the side

Sure, I just figured the larger missiles-turned IED would allow a smaller number of access holes to be blasted, limiting structural damage and increasing 'soft' target damage.

But the end goal is to kill, maim or cripple the enemy with efficiency, so whatever plan works fastest.

Phone calls, texts, emails. Wouldn't know this is my day off!

Reports are starting to come in of more nanites being detected throughout the city. Enemy forces that have been unable to advance but still have good cover are getting desperate enough to have nanites eating their way through structures.

They know your have reinforcements arriving soon.

Load up plasma missiles and light up the lower levels?
Or did you have another plan in mind?

>>1760037
>[x] Load up plasma missiles and light up the lower levels

How is the Helios embassy looking?

>>1760037

Load up plasma missiles and light up the lower levels?

To quote the Terran Firebat from SC, "Lets burn".

>>1760037
[x] Load up plasma missiles and light up the lower levels

Death to the enemy.

>>1760037
>Or did you have another plan in mind?
If they rely so much on nanites at this point, would it be possible to modify larger phase weapons into huge emp bombs?

>>1760064
Might risk knocking out local defensive emplacements and trackers, but we should look into this in case shtf

>>1760064
Yes. Engineers are working on modifying starship weaponry on ships on the ground but this takes longer than flipping a bit and changing a setting with a rifle.

A few ships in orbit have suitable pulse weapons already set but they're few in number.

>>1760094
Would it be possible to modify the fusion reactors found in ground vehicles to emit a strong burst of phase radiation?

>>1760103
You'd have to build a dedicated system to spin the fusing reaction matter. I guess you could slap a thruster on a ship reactor and just fire it up and see what happens though you'd have to take out all the shielding.

>>1760125
>You'd have to build a dedicated system to spin the fusing reaction matter.
Did I miss a thread where phase weapons got explained in depth?

>>1760053
>How is the Helios embassy looking?
Untouched so far but that is likely to soon change. The interior and exterior are now both heavily fortified. Troops on the lower levels are now bracing to be hit first.

They've set up shielding around vehicle bays that should be able to clean anything passing through them of nanites. It hasn't been tested yet. Any fighters that have been struck by active nanites are vectored away from the area.

>>1760103
No, they're not minovsky reactors unfortunately. Or fortunately? You'd need a phased particle emitter. Or a Neeran phased plasma generator, but they're less well understood.

>>1760094
Would it be possible to accelerate the process if instead of turning them into emp cannons we only do enough modification work to turn them into emp bombs?

I simply don't think it's a good idea to burn down the lower levels because it might not get help too well against nanites. And these should be our primary target.

>>1760132
I mean.

Could we drag out some MRIs and such from Hospitals and use them to choke point strategic areas?

>>1760171
>nanites are extremely easy to short via magnetic/phase EMP
>alien nanites are unique in their resistance
>phase weapon still having problems defeating them

I mean, I would have suggested it in any other situation.

Returning to rearm you request high yield plasma warheads for use in the lower levels. Several starfighters arm up with similar weaponry, ready to take advantage of an enemy retreat, or any distractions you might cause.

A warning is also sent out to forward positions for friendlies to brace for large detonations. Sure the enemy could try to take cover against them as well, but then they won't be advancing.

Roll 6d20

Rolled 8, 16, 13, 11, 11, 14 = 73 (6d20)

>>1760253
Rolling for plasma based annihilation.

Rolled 11, 2, 7, 1, 13, 19 = 53 (6d20)

>>1760253
rolling during retreat from work

Rolled 20, 19, 7, 9, 3, 13 = 71 (6d20)

>>1760253

20, 19, 13, 11, 13, 19

All praise be to the Plasma.

Have to head out. will be back in 2 hours. post is nearly ready.

>when the nanites get the QM

The starfighters follow you out and get set for the attack run.

"Everyone down there is aware of just how big these explosions are going to be right?"

"Are you sir?"

You don't reply. Internally you're not really sure, just that it'll be big.

Drones attempt to harass your formation before they're taken out by AA fire.

Dropping down to below the level of the causeway you set the gunship into a slideslip and fire your missiles. Each one is sent into an area of enemy activity where the buildings are tightly packed to help contain the blast.

The starfighters dump their stores as well then tear off, trying to get as much distance as possible.

Dominion construction is usually meant to withstand nuclear blasts just in case of "accidents." So when a few of the structures actually shatter from the explosions you're a little surprised. Or you would be if there was time.

Pulling up hard, the shockwave from the blasts are enough to light up your shields and toss the gunship skyward. Buffeting from the atmosphere keeps you off balance as the fireball from the expanding plasma rolls outwards from below the causeway.

Once clear of obstruction the rest of roiling inferno rises skyward. Shockwaves continue to carry outwards across the outer city. Com channels light up with traffic wondering what the hell is going on.

The light is still dimming when you manage to shakily touch down.

"Wha- were those plasma stasis warheads or fucking fusion bombs?"

"At least one of them was a tactical fusion warhead." your gunner informs you.

Vanderwal cuts in on your channel. "This is coming to you a little late but figured you might as well hear it. Fadila thinks one of your political enemies within House Helios is stationed here in the capital. By the looks of things they may have ordered your weapons upgraded to help speed you along to a glorious end in battle."

[ ] "Who?!"
[ ] "Tell them better luck next time."
[ ] "Thank them for the assist."

>>1761036
>[ ] "Thank them for the assist."

Ask if they got more lying around, we could use the extra firepower.

>>1761036

[x] "Tell them better luck next time."

And include a suggestion to be passed back to Count J-D and Duke BH to have this guy tried for siding with nanites. Because he clearly is working with the AI for trying to take out the highest ranking J-D official in system.

>>1761036
> [ ] "Thank them for the assist."

> tell them one day we will do our best to return the favor

>>1761036
>[x] "Who?!"

>>1761036
>[ ] "Who?!"
"Such a lust for revenge!
Agreeing with the other guy to pass this incident up along the chain of command.

>>1761036
In all seriousness, can we send a message to the JD embassy to get them detained for now?

>>1761036
[x] Secure evidence if possible
[x] Secure targeting data for this Rival's potential heroic death defending the capital
[x] Report via secure channels to B'H command that there appears to have been a logistics error in Helios' armory and resupply assistance, have all J-D Dante crew members document the Helios resupply manifests and following explosions to the blackbox/hard memory/flight log

In this situation, our Dantes likely have the only real record of what those warheads were presented to us as, and I imagine someone in Helios had to spoof a weapon ID to the Dante's launcher? Documentation is boring, but it sounds like we'll have a few moments while we RTB for damage assessments.

"Who?!" you demand.
"You were involved in an incident regarding the Terran Antares Heavy Cruiser. The Dominion wanted the program scuttled. Apparently you did the exact opposite of what you s-"
"Yes! Yes, I know what I did there. I thought that was all in the past now."

"It seems not everyone agreed. Fadila and I will look into matters on our end, you worry about not getting killed out there."

You lift off to survey the damage. Rising hot air and smoke from burning metal structures makes visuals impossible until you drop down into the currents of cooler air rushing into the burning city sections.

"Possible targets." warns a friendly as starfighters circle back in.

Allied ground units that had been protected by behind shields are reporting heavy losses inflicted on the enemy. Heavy but not complete. Glowing shapes, some of them humanoid, others taking more abstract forms, are visible striding through the more heavily damaged areas.

Target lock warning alarms go off, tagging ships to the west. The two Kharbos Frigates are back in the air, staying close to the building tops while trying to get behind the Xygen arcology for cover. Both of them send out point defense fire, trying to drive you and the starfighters away from the lower levels.

"They're charging phase cannons!"

They wouldn't fire in atmosphere now would they?

The energy buildup on the surface of a phase cannon turret says otherwise.

[ ] Into the (burning) lower levels
[ ] Into the city below. Try to get beneath the Frigates to attack them
[ ] Bravely run away to the Helios embassy and more powerful shields

>>1761257

[ ] Into the city below. Try to get beneath the Frigates to attack them

It would be something if we could pull of a Frigate kill in a Dante. Sort of like Armored Core 4A, you have your lone suit against a mobile fortress which is able to fuck your shit at range but is near defenseless close up.

>>1761257
>[ ] Bravely conduct a fighting withdrawal, with haste, towards the Helios embassy to better coordinate shield overlap.

Be as much of a nuisance as possible to draw them closer to the Palace guns or out of their shield bubble formation

>>1761257
>[x] Into the city below. Try to get beneath the Frigates to attack them
Stab the frigate engines with the melee weapons then try to throw the frigate onto the enemies in the crater?

I have work really early so I'll be stopping here for now.

>>1761257
>[ ] Bravely conduct a fighting withdrawal, with haste, towards the Helios embassy to better coordinate shield overlap.

Advance to the rear!

>>1761257
[ ] Into the city below. Try to get beneath the Frigates to attack them

Time to do a for answer run on them.

>>1761257
You know this could all be solved with some SP ammo for either a repulsor rifle or a plasma gun firing SP plasma. In fact I want to make a Reynard Special for our Dante because ballistic weapons have the benefit of different types of ammo.

>>1762097
We already have SP ammo for our plasma pistol it's just ridiculously expensive for larger platforms.

Sharks are currently popular over at /g/'s /csg/. In case anybody wants to stock up on sharkmania merchandise:

Limited edition Shark watch
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Shark hat (yes)
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Mini shark plushie
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Shark socks
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>>1761257
>[ ] Into the city below. Try to get beneath the Frigates to attack them

>>1761257
> [ ] Bravely run away to the Helios embassy and more powerful shields

>>1763044
>Shark socks
Pretty sure Sonia owns a pair already.

>>1764274
I'm 100% sure she has that shark hat for formal occasions.

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post cute ships

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>>1766402

Hoping to resume after 7PM tonight.

I'm back, but so are the lightning storms. We'll see if I lose power again.

>>1767464
In before those lightning storms are actually test firings of first prototype lightning guns.

>>1767486
Nah, it's nanites in the clouds.

>>1767507
It's the Helios weather device.

Actually, are weather control devices a thing yet? Terraforming and weaponised versions would be awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqJkdsqeDxw

Phase cannons.

Atmosphere.

This is a bad place to be.

"Dive!"

Pulling back on the controls, you point the Gunship's leg engines skywards and plummet towards the surface. Diving between buildings you keep pulling up, completing the loop just above ground level.

The bright orange beam of a phase cannon shot flashes overhead, barely a thousand meters above the cityscape if that. Air along the path of the beam explodes sending out shockwaves in every direction.

Caught beneath it, the blast feels like an invisible hand slamming your gunship into the surface. The underside of your vehicle strikes the roadbed, weapon and engine pods tearing gouges into the surface.

You grind to a halt until the pressure and heat of the blast drops a bit. Kicking the repulsors back in you take off and make your way towards the Frigates, staying deep in cover. Your wingman seems to have survived without much damage but you don't see any friendly fighters anywhere nearby.

Closer to the ships you do start to see more dead infantry on the surface that must have been caught out of cover and didn't survive the blast. Tanks and other enclosed vehicles seem to have weathered it better. Some structures not built to code, or just set up as temporary shelters, have been leveled by the shock waves.

"Damage to shields around the city?"

"Minimal. They were firing into the airspace near the Helios embassy, not the embassy itself."

Getting below the Frigates you begin to look for an opening in their shield or another way in. As the ships maneuver closer to their target, aft facing bays open as they prepare to deploy vehicles. No telling what may launch from the bay but it's procedure to open a small hole in the shield to ensure a safe drop.

[ ] Take the first opportunity to present itself, damn the risks
[ ] Wait to see what they're dropping, you'll have another chance

>>1767840
[X] Take the first opportunity to present itself, damn the risks

Even if we just stall their deployment, a shot at inflicting a crippling hit on those craft is too good to pass up. Especially if we end up detonating something trying to deploy.

>>1767840
[x] Take the first opportunity to present itself, damn the risks

I am reminded of those pilots who flew their fighters into the bays of Neeran Supers and started blowing the shit out of their ships from the inside. I am getting a feeling that this is what we are going to do, only with a gunship v Frigate. But if Windsor could do it, so should we. Though that dude cares little for his wingmens safety and had to take several attempts in the simulators to get that maneuver down.

>>1767840
>[x] Wait to see what they're dropping, you'll have another chance
Going to vote on waiting since the last Kharbos frigate we shot at was filled with nanites, and we don't have our particle beams for ranged DPS.

>Phase Cannon in atmosphere
I can't believe they actually did it though, the madmen. I guess they figure the traitor crimes are already enough.

>>1767840
>[ ] Take the first opportunity to present itself, damn the risks

>>1767887
>and we don't have our particle beams for ranged DPS.
Yes you do.

>I guess they figure the traitor crimes are already enough.
Escalation. Your side used fusion bombs. Oops.

>>1767840
>[X] Take the first opportunity to present itself, damn the risks
We still have some plasma missiles, right? Go in fast and shoot those into the bay before the majority of whatever's in there can get out.

>>1767895
That's me.

>>1767895
>Yes you do.
Ah, I thought the melee kit swapped out the main guns.

>>1767895
Just one more thing to add on to the list of crimes our own own rival has commited. Attempting to kill the highest ranking J-D official in system, and causing the untold deaths of countless J-D personel due to them clearing the use of a fucking WMD.

>>1767895
>Escalation.
It's interesting to see how destructive a full and total war with no restrictions would be in the setting.

I'm loving it.

And I'll need 2d20

Rolled 16, 11 = 27 (2d20)

>>1768063
ROLLING BONES

Rolled 9, 7 = 16 (2d20)

>>1768063

Time to play chicken with a frigate.

Rolled 12, 15 = 27 (2d20)

>>1768063

You risk a broadcast to your wingman and tell them to go for the Frigate's launch bays at the first available opportunity.

"Set the repulsors so that we won't bounce off an opening."

Watching the readout on the shields you put all power to engines and repulsors the moment the readings start to waver. A hole opens in the shield as you come rocketing out of the cityscape.

Point defense guns swivel and fire, shots pinging off the gunship shields as you close the distance. Missile start to warnings go off the instant before you pass through the shield opening. They stop the moment you slam into a group of walkers moving to jump out of the bay. Two Drone walkers fly apart from the impact.

The roof of your gunship hits the bay ceiling and you bounce off, melee weapons tearing gouges into the floor. It seems the bay isn't tall enough for a Dante to stand up in.
Shields are down and stasis shields can't activate in the close confines.

A number of Drone walkers detach from maintenance frames, covering a pair of manned walkers as their pilots ready their vehicles. One looks a bit like a miniature Dante except its weapon arms include powerful looking claws.

"Not dealing with that."

You put two shots through the cockpit while it's still open, then retract your legs to flight mode. Charging forward on repulsors you cross your weapon arms blades out and smash through the drones. Those you miss are crushed by the Gunship's hull shortly after.

The second pilot manages to get their cockpit closed and flips out their own walker's close combat weapons before you can hit them. Size matters, and your weapon nearly cleaves right through those of the smaller vehicle. Not quite though.
With the free arm he blasts a hole in your weapon, then uses it as a handhold to pull back and start bashing the connection point of your weapon arm.

Putting power to engines you drive the smaller walker through the bay walls until it is embedded in material and machinery. You reverse engines to get some distance, then shout to your gunner."

"Missiles!"

A half dozen shard missiles streak out and explode, setting off a few secondary explosions.

Turning to shoot at more drones descending down a vehicle lift you task your gunner with finding some vital components.

"We're too far from the bridge to score a hit from here. Munitions stores and fusion reactor should be here."
Targets light up your HUD. You don't even pause, shooting the armored bulkheads until your guns core through to what should be the starboard reactors.

Between explosions happening outside, secondary explosions through the ship and the crew taking potshots at you with shoulder fired rockets, you aren't immediately sure when you hit the reactors. What tips you off is when gravity shifts and starboard suddenly becomes down.

>Initiate GTFO maneuver? Y/N?
Or did you have anything else in mind?

>>1768527
Redirect the burning hulk into the Fusion Bomb crater with all the strange nanite things! Max repulsor power for course adjustment and let gravity do the rest!

>>1768540
Interesting idea. Not sure if you have enough engine power for that though.

>>1768527

>Initiate GTFO maneuver? Y/N?
Y

>>1768547
What if we deactivated the warheads on the Fusion Bombs and used them as disposable boosters? Combined with assistance from our wingman?

>>1768527
Definitely time to initiate the GTFO.

>>1768527
Can we check the hull of the frig when we get out? If their guns and stuff on the outside are off in some place and with no fighter/mech support we could attempt >>1768540, but if we can't, we just >Initiate GTFO maneuver

Initiating GTFO maneuver.

I need a completely unrelated 2d100

Rolled 95, 85 = 180 (2d100)

>>1768666

Cool Viscounts don't look at explosions