Gahh.... somebody and I have been messing with tactical maps, sorting out details, and the like... and some things are nebulous. That, and the story needed bumping.
Some ships seem to have gone missing. Find them yourselves (after reconsidering the horrendous imbalance of the scenario). Or I could use about 50M somewhere.
And I officially hire Rob/Swordfish for 1M credits.
This post has been edited by The Apple Cřre : 29 December 2005 - 01:08 AM
"Horrendous imbalance"?
What seems to be the problem ("some things are nebulous")?
-Bob
The thing is half of Mack's fleet will pretty much blow away my East fleets. Uh oh.
As for "some things are nebulous", I mean that some ships are missing somewhere.
The IPM uses it's 1M credit payment to purchase a new Lightning.
On the way to Pollux.
Once again, as with Regulus, defeat would be impossible to avoid if the fleet continued it's path.
The Confederates were getting difficult to fight.
Their grouping the fleets together was making things especially hard, so Katana's fleet would also cluster.
And it was time to turn on the next target, the Rebels.
The fleet would destroy and plunder the indie militia commanded by Robert Marlin, which was under hire by the Rebels.
Then, afterwards, the fleet would split up again, but where Katana did not know at this time.
Ships Going to Deneb
-----------------------------
All ships in Katana's fleet.
This post has been edited by Katana !!! : 01 January 2006 - 01:01 PM
Ace Rimmer, in his quarters after the refit, looked over a list of changes made to his ships. His Cruisers now had torpedos, a major addition to their combat ability. Destroyers now had four turrets, enough to make them extreemly lethal against Confed frigates and fighters. And finally, his Mantas now had 5 swivel cannons, as oppsed to their previous three.
Intel reported that the Confeds had a new fleet deployment, which lumped their fleets into two large ones, one at Pollux (12 cruisers, 36 frigates, 75 gunboats, 60 patrol ships), and the other at Regulus (15 cruisers, 36 frigates, 75 gunboats, 60 patrol ships). With help from the Rebel's newly hired Merc, Robert Marlin, his fleets should easily blow away the Pollux fleet.
He reached over to the comm panel built into his desk and opened a channel to all his ships. "All ships, this is the Admiral speaking. We are about to make another assualt on a Confederate world. I know our last attack was cut short, but we should be able to make this one a success, with help from a merc fleet we just hired. All ships are to set a course for Pollux."
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OOC: Two things. First, my fleets are as follows: 17 cruisers, 49 destroyers and 57 mantas in Adhara. 15 cruisers, 40 destroyers and 40 mantas are in Tiber.
Next, I ask that people under attack please respond with a battle post within two or three days.
This post has been edited by Ace Rimmer : 31 December 2005 - 12:01 AM
Deneb.
---------
It is a pathetic and hopeless day for the IPM.
The large group of lightnings splits into several groups to take on the scouts and clippers.
Katana and half the other kestrels team up on the Trumbull.
Corvettes sit at medium range and fire their missiles at all enemy ships, mostly concentrating on the rapiers.
The rest of the kestrels close in on the other ships.
The suppressing fire coming from the Corvettes makes it difficult for the enemy to move without getting hit. Almost anywhere they turn, missiles are flying everywhere.
Casualties:
------------
Katana
------------
Lightnings 2
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Robin Marlin
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Scouts 2
Clippers 1
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This post has been edited by Katana !!! : 01 January 2006 - 04:38 PM
Katana !!!, on Jan 1 2006, 01:49 PM, said:
Deneb.
---------
It is a pathetic and hopeless day for the IPM.
The large group of lightnings splits into several groups to take on the scouts, rapiers, and clippers.
Katana and the kestrels take on the Trumbull.
Corvettes sit at medium range and fire their missiles at all enemy ships.
The fight is easy. The enemies numbers are smaller, and the ships are weaker.
That's basically a one-post battle right there-"the fight is easy", with no casualties, isn't a fight, it's just you bragging about your fleet. You have a strategy in mind, clearly, but no casualties for either side-well, I'll take that back. Seeing as your post attempts to wipe out the entire enemy fleet before Swordfish gets to even respond, there are definitely plenty of casualties. No.
Quote
---------------------------------------
Fleet staying at and around Deneb
---------------------------------------
(The rest of Katana's ships)
I hate to say it, but that really isn't descriptive at all-what are "the rest of Katana's ships"? The general point of posting a fleet update is so you can see someone's entire fleet at a glance. They shouldn't have to dance around the topic looking for your previous numbers.
-Bob
(New post coming soon, hopefully.)
In Darven, the pirates were busy doing two things: fortifying their defenses around blackthorn, and preparing to raid the neighboring systems. Every pirate, scurvy or not, sincerely hoped that the rebels wouldn't wise-up and attack before the station's defenses were prepared.
Fleet Update
Darven Defnse Fleet (Darven):
-----------------------------------
50 Rapiers
25 Couriers
6 Scoutships
5 Clippers
18 Bulk Freighters
5 Argosies
15 Corvettes
5 Kestrels
Raiding Party (Darven):
---------------------------
100 Couriers
3 Scoutships
45 Clippers
2 Bulk Frieghters
35 Argosies
5 Corvettes
Recon Groups:
-----------------
9 Scoutships (NGC-6484)
9 Scoutships (Farazon)
9 Scoutships (Altair)
11 Scoutships (Curzon)
Visitor-where did you get all of these ships? It seems to me that they simply popped out of thin air.
-Bob
The commander of the IPM watched as the pirate fleet ruthlessly battled his own fleet. The Trumbull's proton blasters and it's watchdog Lightnings were able to keep the enemy fighters from getting to close to cause major damage. He cursed the renegades without restraint; the company had barely left spacedock when these opportunistic thugs appear without even intention to plunder, only to needlessly kill. Though he had utmost confidence in his captains, he knew they could not survive long under this rain of plasma and explosives Three of his transports, BR-223, LFT-118 and 120, were destroyed and those who managed to bail out in vac suits were were slaughtered amidst the crossfire.
As the pirates began to back off, the CiC saw only two options: attempt to push back against the pirates and face worse losses, or turn the fleet and head for a sooner-than scheduled rendezvous with Admiral Rimmer's southern Rebel fleet. Of course the Enemy Lighnings would quickly pursue them on the way to the jump point, but far fewer losses would be sustained than in a full frontal confrontation. Since he never felt honor in death nor cawardice in retreat, he briskly strode over to his communications officer's consoleas his decision was made.
"Open a subspace channel to the Rebel Fleet in Adhara"
"Right away, sir."
"Commander South Rebel fleet, this is Rob Marlin of the IPM. We've come under a rather untimely attack by pirates in Deneb. We've already lost three ships and i doubt we'd fare much better if this continues longer. Could you arrange for your fleet to rendezvous with us in Alcyon?"
As he awaited the reply, the intercoms of the ships filled the console speakers with fire, fear, orders and executions. The subspace channel light blinked to life as the Rebels signaled back with a message.
"Mr. Marlin, I think we can arrange for that meeting. We're making preparations to send you backup right now. See you and your ships there. Out."
The commander reached past the communications officer to switch to fleetwide intercom, but instead drew back and told the officer to issue the retreat order. "All ships disengage and fall into Jump formation B. Have the Bee and Yellowjacket dock, smaller ships cluster bhind us, Corvettes to the rear. Just have them follow our lead."
He then moved back to his own seat. "Helm, best speed to jump range. Spool up the hyperdrive, and prepare to jump on my mark."
As the ship turned he watched the ships that were still skirmishing about face and rocket towards the Trumbull. Beyond them, the engines of the enemy fighters that had fallen back sparked to life and began pursuit. The commander switched the viewer from rear to tactical view for a moment, then to forward view.
"Hyper drive ready, cap'n. Jump range in ten seconds," the helmsman reported.
The comm officer chimed in. "All ships confirm in formation."
As the seconds ticked by, the feeling of the enemy fighters bearing down crawled up the commander's spine. He didn't look back.
"In all wings in jump range, sir."
"Go."
Luna Defensive Outpost 0H8A - 0420 Hours Earth Standard Time
"Officer, get me a reading on that shuttle" barked Sgt. Harrows, from his command post. He already knew what it was, and who it carried, though procedure must be followed. Miles away, one section of the massive sensor arrays slowly turned to get a bearing on the shuttlecraft.
"It's the H.M.S. Varix IV, sir" reported the officer. The one carrying the new commander for the Sol system, thought Harrows. The one carrying that outlander Dash Rantic, fresh from fighting the Rebels hand-to-hand using their own tactics on their own soil. Why someone like this would be chosen to lead the defense for the most critical area in all of Confederated space, but as the cliche goes, Harrows wasn't paid to think.
"Clear the shuttle for docking with Stardock Aplha, landing pattern Delta."
The shuttle shifted course slightly, and continued its journey through the void towards its destination.
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Stardock Alpha - Main Military Docking Bay
The shuttlecraft, now guided by Dockport Control tractor beams, gracefully moved towards a throng of soldiers and most of the higher officers based on Stardock Alpha. As the shuttle finally settled down, the soldiers and officers moved towards their ceremony rank-and-file positions. Commander Crommel, head of Stardock Alpha, steps forward as the shuttle's main ramp hisses, and starts it's slow acent downward.
At first, a blast of old-Earth rock music screams from open hatch, then abrubtly stops as the hatch opens fully. Dash Rantic steps out, powerblade on one hip and blaster on the other. His long hair violated every aspect of Confederation neatness code, and his uniform looked like it hadn't been properly treated for years. Crommel steps up.
"Sir! Welcome to Stardock Aplha. The station is yours."
Dash looks around, and nods. "At ease everyone." he finally says.
"Glad to finally meet you, sir." says Crommel. "I'm sure you'll find Stardock Alpha very accommodating. If you'll follow me this way, we can get you on a full tour of this station and get you prepared to make an address to the fleet."
"Lead the way, Commander."
This post has been edited by dashriprock : 03 January 2006 - 06:08 PM
This indie fleet had actually fleed. Cowards.
For now, the fleet would plunder easier targets.
Orders are to attack and plunder any ships that enter the system or the surrounding systems, as long as the ships are weaker than any single member of the fleet; do not attack if a ship or the sum of multiple ships present any serious danger of harming the fleet. Retreat if outnumbered or if the odds of winning are not good.
Anytime a trace of good intent and the possibility for lucrative sums of money meet, war is imminent. This time, there was no good motive. Katana didn't care.
This post has been edited by Katana !!! : 24 January 2006 - 08:10 PM
All right, this whole thing is keeping the story from moving-with the fleet battles. Thus, I'm going to decide for everyone how they went, so things can proceed.
The Confed fleets all escaped and made it to Tau Ceti, but with 1/5 general losses to all capital ships (so if a fleet had 10 Cruisers, it would lose 2), and 3/5ths of their fighters destroyed.
The Rebel fleets won, and took the systems, with 2/5ths of their fighters and destroyers annihilated.
The Southern Directorate's fleets are now all at Tau Ceti.
Dash, you have the con.
-Bob
Main Bridge - C.N.S. Deveonic - Circling Stardock Alpha
"The fleet is fueled, armed, and ready to launch," crackled Commander Crommel's voice over the intercom. "Have a safe flight."
Dash chuckles. The Southern Division fleet, recently fought back all the way to Tau Ceti, managed to regroup quickly enough and was already underway to strike a swift counterattack at the Rebel fleet now orbiting Pollux. The scum would undoubtedly be celebrating their victory, totally unprepared for the strike about to come.
But that still left Tau Ceti in question, which is why the entire fleet stationed in Sol was suddenly moving south. Many doubted Rantic's abilities when he first arrived, and this fleet action would ease no minds, Dash knew. But some things must be done. And hopefully this campaign would be over before any scum or pirate strikeforce managed to penetrate the core worlds.
"Status, Mr. Farwin?" Dash called to the pilot pit.
"Fleet is ready to engage to hyperspace on your mark, Sir." came the expected reply.
Dash grinned. Soon the fight would come. He turned, sat down in the chair, and turned the music on the headrest up a bit louder. "Showtime, Me. Farwin. All ships, go!"
Back came the familiar engine rumble, the G-forces barely compensated for, thrusted to the back of the seat, almost there, almost there, almost--
Hyperspace.
Southern Division Confed fleet -> Attacking Pollux
Central Devision -> Tau Ceti
The Apple Cřre scanned over the fleet movement reports from Ace Rimmer and his own ships.
"Hmm. Interesting. Very interesting. That could very well be a road, straight to the Sol system. Tempting. Okay. A fleet of 17 cruisers, 24 destroyers, and 239 Mantas is to move from the Sirgil system to the Eridani system via Pelagon and Zebetrious. From there we will see what the Confed fleets do. The Spica task force of five destroyers and twenty Mantas is to go to Sirgil via Kathoon, Levo, Capella, Zebetrious, and Pelagon. The Risa squadron of eleven Mantas is to proceed to the Zaphod system and merge with the fleet there. And I have to get on the tightbeam."
The Independent Public Militia Fleet moves to Pollux to assist Admiral Rimmer's fleet as previously contracted.
Because the story has been moving more slowly than Doom 3 on 8 megs of RAM, The Apple Cřre pays the Independant Public Militia another million credits.
