Archive through April 19, 2005
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Star Fleet Battles: SFB Proposals Board:
New Rules:
Orbital Defense Platforms:
Archive through April 19, 2005
SPP,
A question it seems logical to ask.
In the data on Klingon "harassment" of other Federation worlds what other missions have they attempted besides G1G "raids".
General question, in the event of an attack by starships/ground forces of an OPFOR there would almost certainly be "some" survivors...perhaps scattered individuals crawling out of the heap of ruble that had miraculous experiences.
Should we have "rally points" established for the crews of these (presumably) destroyed bases to report to so they could participate in the gerrila campaign? this would be especially true for those bases that hadn't had militia squads formed (as discussed earlier) but who could still contribute to the battle.
Some of this function would be satisfied by the GCL's and the casual fighter bases previously set up by Col Knights orders...but for those few survivors limited to the mobility of walking and not able to use the transporters or the transporter relays of the Def Sats, a safe haven might be needed?
Paul Stovell:
One of many questions asked that are going to take me time to generate answers as opposed to trying to just run a line of nonsense. I am trying to generate answers that are consistent, but have also of late become involved with GURPS Klingons and the current crush to get Captain's Log #27 done (let's not forget trying to piddle through the Echelon question as well). I am not trying to avoid answering, but some of the questions are deeper background and require more thought.
Jeff Wile:
Sound Military observation to have rally points in case things "go wrong".
SPP:
I rediscovered this while skimming though some of the older discussions.
Is this exercise wrapped up or just on prolonged hiatus? If it has already resulted in an article, I apologize for taking up your time. I haven't been able to keep up with the products released over the past few months (I found a new job after a long period of unemployment and it's been keeping me busy).
Prolonged to perm hiatus.
It's on my mind from time to time but other projects more pressing keep coming up. I was a great thing though and had a positive some influence on other stuff.
To All:
Does anyone have any SSD's of the Orbital Defense Platforms. I would like to see and/or have copies if they are available.
Thanks, John.
ODB were the proposal of this thread but ultimately proven no viable as there is already units in place that would work and such a units would only be a target for quick destruction. Go to the beginning of this thread to see the arguements play out.
It later turned into something entirely different. Then died...
T'is a pity, too.
There were a number of issues and subjects raised that illustrated Star Fleet Battles in ways that Captains Logs and rules modules don't do very well now.
It also put SPP in the role of critiquing the posts and ideas of people in a specific context, and allowed for a free exchange of ideas.
Similar to the old Academy/Tactics Board discussions in the Nexus Magazines and early Captains Logs.
(Back in the days when new ideas and concepts could be discussed without fear of a flame war or routine insults to discredit the person posting.)
It did have some bennifit by influencing a few thing that came after. But time became a problem. My RL issues exploded in my face at the time then other very cool projects started to happen. My CL28 story was one and there are others.
On SPP's side of things, well, we still don't hear from him much these days. He's probably losing weight faster from skipping meals due to time constraints that from his swimming.
The upshot is that this died because other things, better things, lived.
To All:
If time permits for everyone out there, take a look at my GORN BB variants that Mike Raper posted for me in the SCARY SHIPS thread. If you need any help with pesky coalition ships, just give me a call and my ships will come and help.
Thanks, John.
John: It is generally considered bad form to spam the BBS like this and SVC really hate people wasting his bandwidth that way.
As I noted, you guys asked some very good questions and trying to come up with story answers that were going to be consistent was just going to take up too much time (I would have to invent the entire background for the entire sector to create the reasons why all the answers you were going to get were ultimately inconclusive, i.e., could be interpreted to mean you will be invaded tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or not at all).
For now, I am just going to leave the scene where you were all reviewing the data on the computer with the end comment:
"Despite hours of mulling the data, the officers of the battalion found the information available inconclusive, just as Star Fleet Headquarters did. The Klingons were too well versed in making feints and ruses to leave an obvious arrow pointing at something."
With that, we move the story forward a week or so.
The majority of the officers are attending a ball at the governor's "estate". (This means that some of you can beg off being in attendance and be elsewhere).
Colonel Knight receives a message from the Battalion Staff Duty Officer (who obviously is not at the party, being the Staff Duty Officer) Lt. Garth Getgen [just his luck to be the SDO when there is a party (GRIN)] . . .
FLASH-FLASH-FLASH-FLASH
DRONE STRIKE INBOUND.
REPEAT,
DRONE STRIKE INBOUND.
MESSAGE ENDS.
Now, I am not going to land the strike in the next five minutes. I am actually going to wait a week. During this time, those of you who are interested can "roleplay" your actions and reactions. There will, of course, be punishments for failures and oversights, but those will mostly be Loren Knight's fault [Oh the Joys of Command (GRIN)]. Also, the reality is that a real battalion would have a plan for such an eventuallity, and I give you this week to both ask questions about what is going on, and come up with your plan and deploy your resources.
This IS a Drone Bombardment Strike, and it is a RAID, not an "invasion". It does NOT indicate any particular Klingon interest in invading Caldonia, it is simply one of many raids being conducted by the Klingons with the purpose of (where PDUs are unable to handle the problem) forcing Starfleet to disperse its resources to defend minor colonies, and thereby forestall the Federation from launching offensives into Imperial Space. While there is obviously going to be a committment of type-III drone frames to this, remember that this is just one raid in a six-month "Federation and Empire" turn of such raids into a given sector, so do not read a lot into that committment. It is a reasonable expense to be made in an effort to tie up Starfleet. Even if Police Cutters are all that is diverted to covering such planets, that means that convoys will become more vulnerable to raids by Orions.
Marc Baluda, If you are still in, you would be at the party too as the commander of the Home Defense Forces.
Unless countermanded by a superior officer, I think sounding "red Alert" and ordering all officers and personell to duty stations is called for.
Without being able to contact Col Knight (due to the congestion and festivities at the party, no doubt) I'd have to assume that the chain of command still flows down from Loren.
Steve, (since I have not served in the military, and don't know what the correct protocol is)
(and assuming I received the notification as other officers no doubt did) I immediately order a combat alert, and instruct the duty officer (the aforementioned "hard Luck" Lt. Garth Getgen) to sound general quarters (again assuming that is the correct terminology for a PDU) and verbally instruct all military personnel to report to their duty stations.
2nd priority is to ensure the safety of the civiliam leadership (the planetary Government, civilian leadership and then the civilians present at the ball.
third priority, is to ensure that local security steps are taken since. We dont need a sabatoge team free to torch the one fighter squadron we have left, or hitting the special sensors ground base or (almost as bad) torching one of the ground based phaser bases we have.
Jeff Wile:
And in character? Without . . . say causing panic among the civilian partygoers?
It would be perfectly reasonable for the battalion 3 (ops officer) and duece (intel officer), not to mention the CSM to have also gotten the alert. Also reasonable for you to take actions based on the Battalion's Plan for such an event, although the battalion plan probably never envisioned the event occurring while the majority of its officers were at a party at the Governor's estate.
I'll get to this tonight. My files are burried and I never did get that SSD set from Petrick (although I'm pretty sure I can do without it).
Upon being informed I will confirm Red Alert as this should have been already ordered by the duty officer on watch. Pilots will be heading to their fighters and fighters will begin being loaded. The Fighter Cap will take possition between the raid drones and the planet within 10Kkm.
I will have to review our drone stores but I think I have quite a few ADD's and Type-VI's on hand.
Sensor stations will come to full.
I'll be back tonight.
SPP: Perhaps we could create a new topic for this?
Loren Knight:
For what it is worth, the drones have not passed the 100 hex marker, and are not going to. You actually get to set up your intercept or whatever else you want to do. Ask whatever questions you or your officers, or Colonel Baluda want about what is going on, and etc.
I have no intention of just having drones arrive ten hexes from the planet and going "bang, hee, hee, hee."
You are actually going to have to choose the IMPULSE the drones cross the hundred hex barrier, because if you do not, "I" will, and trust me I know a few evil things about starting a battle in mid-turn as opposed to right on a turn break.
Letting you choose (in consultation with your officers) is something of a courtesy, as obviously you would want to do whatever you are going to do when it best suits you.
But I will stress to all of you again. Ask the right questions, make the right assumptions, or pay the price.
Without a guest list, I would be hard pressd to argue with your point 
, but can we guess that many of the guests will be composed of both the active duty personnel from the PDU, Col Baluda's unit, and I'd guess that some of the civilian leadership will have had military experience. (dating from the Klingon occupation.)
Those that survived a few years onder the kind administration of the Klingon empire will not panic unnecessarily, IMO.
Security is the first priority, until or unless Col Knight decides to participate.
For all I know, Klingon secret agents (or even the fabled prime team that could have landed on the planet a week earlier) could have kidnapped or killed the Good Col, the Governor and selected other leaders.
I think shutting down the party is a good first step, and getting our people to their posts is a second priority...
Pilots to the fighters is an important consideration, and perhaps using the transporter repeater option on the def sats to get the pilots to the fighters should come in ahead of getting the 3rd assistant cook to the casual fighter base on planet hex side alpha.
There are transporters available, lets start using them immediately.
As and aid to those who dont have time to wade thru several hundred posts in the archives, I will repost some "key" information. Hope some will find it helpful.
SPP posted in February 2003.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The data Jeff posted was somewhat out of date, as Loren got the F-4s replaced by F-16s at some point in the discussion. Last Battalion data point that I had follows (replacing what Jeff Posted):
429th PLANETARY DEFENSE BATTALION
Lt. Colonel Loren Knight, Commanding.
Sergeant Major Gary Plana, Battalion CSM.
Staff:
Major Richard Wells (Tellarite), Battalion XO.
Major Jeff Wile, Battalion Operations Officer (S3).
Captain Justin Howell, Battalion Intelligence Officer (S2).
Captain Jim Cummins, Battalion Adjutant (S1).
Captain Scott Tenhoff, Battalion Quartermaster (S4).
Lieutenant Andrew Palmer, Battalion Signals Officer.
DEFENSE SATELLITES:
(Battalion Control)
Drone-armed Defense Satellite: BPV 20, Commander's Option Points available: 0
Drone-armed Defense Satellite: BPV 20, Commander's Option Points available: 0
Drone-armed Defense Satellite: BPV 20, Commander's Option Points available: 0
FIRING BATTERY:
Captain Paul Stovell (Vulcan), Commanding.
Ground Based Defense Phaser-4: BPV 14, Commander's Option Points available: 2.8
Lieutenant Douglas Lampert.
Ground Based Defense Phaser-4: BPV 14, Commander's Option Points available: 2.8
Lieutenant Geoff Conn.
Ground Based Defense Phaser-4: BPV 14, Commander's Option Points available: 2.8
Lieutenant Stewart Frazier.
INFANTRY COMPANIES:
Maneuver Company:
Captain Alex Chobot, Commanding.
First Platoon: Lieutenant Jim Davies.
Second Platoon: Lieutenant Ed Grondin.
Third Platoon: Lieutenant Mike Raper.
GCV Platoon: Lieutenant Les LeBlanc.
GAS Platoon: Lieutenant John Trauger.
Ground Military Garrison: BPV 20, Commander's Option Points available: 4.
General Defense Company:
Captain Michael C. Grafton, Commanding.
Deployed with the various Small Ground Bases.
SPACE WARNING AND ELECTRONIC SUPPORT COMPANY:
Captain David Kass, Commanding.
Small Ground Warning Station: BPV 22 Commander's Option Points available: 4.4
Lieutenant Garth Getgen.
Small Ground Warning Station: BPV 22 Commander's Option Points available: 4.4
Lieutenant John Kasper.
PLANETARY DEFENSE FIGHTER SQUADRON:
Major Andrew Harding, Commanding.
Executive Officer and Second Section Leader: Captain Robert Cole.
Small Ground Fighter Base: BPV 12, Commander's Option Points available: 2.4
Lieutenant Christopher Fant.
Small Ground Fighter Base: BPV 12, Commander's Option Points available: 2.4
Lieutenant Daniel G. Knipfer.
Fighters: 11xF-16M (115.5), 1xF-16EM (13.5): BPV 129, Commander's Option Points available (these only for use to purchase fighter supplies): 25.8.
DRONE SPEED UPGRADES: 22 type-IF for F-16Ms +22, 24xtype-VIF for F-16EM +12, 18 type-IF for Defense Satellites +18, total BPV 52. Commander's Option Points available: 0.
Warp Booster Packs for GAS shuttles +3, for Admin Shuttles +5, total 8. Commander's Option Points available: 0.
BPV OF BATTALION:
Total of Bases, DefSats, and Fighters, less drone speed upgrades, Commander?s Options, and warp packs: 329.
Total of non-Fighter Commander's Option Points: 26.
Total of Fighter Commander's Option Points: 25.8.
Total of Drone Speed Upgrades: 52.
Total of Booster Packs: 8.
Total BPV of Battalion: 440.8.
Drone Control Channels on Bases:
GMG: 3.
GWS: 3+3.
GBDP: 3+3+3.
FGB-S: 6+6.
Total: 30.
Phasers (not including fighters, DefSats, and shuttles):
3xPhaser-4
1xPhaser-2
18xPhaser-3
Phasers on DefSats, Fighters, and Shuttles:
6xPhaser-2
12xPhaser-G
14xPhaser-3
Power systems:
53 APRs.
Lieutenant Colonel Marc Baluda. Commander of planetary Home Defense battalion. (BELOW FORCE IS THE ELEMENTS PURCHASED UNDER THE COMMANDER'S OPTION ITEMS AVAILABLE TO THE ABOVE FORCE)
Major Raymond Ford, Executive Officer.
Composition of Home Defense Battalion:
Infantry Company: 9 Boarding Parties and one HWS squad.
Mechanized Company: 6 boarding parties, two tanks, and 9 GCVs.
Transport Company: 11 trucks.
END REPOST BY PETRICK, RETURN TO JEFF WILE:
I havent checked all of this over in detail, but I suspect we are short 1 pilot, section leader and XO of the fighter squadron, (Robert Cole).
Jeff Wile:
I was hoping someone would think of the Transporter Repeaters. Afterall, the Battalion is spread all over the planet, but most of the officers are at the party, and it would be difficult for them to get to their stations without the use of transporters.
While no mention has been made (little time for it since this incident has started), I suspect there are a couple of marine boarding parties (details) at the party for security.
Sadly, I fear you would find that most of the civilians are, indeed, civilians. As in France, Greece, Norway, and other occupied areas, while some did resist, the majority just tried to get on with their lives under the Klingon Occupation. You are not going to find many people with "military experience" among the party-goers. You WILL find "people of influence", and you can imagine what that means.
Loren Knight posted: Feb 23, 2003.
Battalion Conference Room aboard the Federation Tug NCC-3808 Galilei.
Major Wells, please call the meeting to order… Thank you.
The Galilei will be orbiting Cassandra VI in 36 hours. Currently the 251st Construction Battalion is making preparations to bring all six Ground Defense Systems on line and have requested my final plans for placement of our bases. I will send my plans as soon as I hear any last minute comments and concerns from my staff.
The six GDSs I have code named Annapolis (A), Biloxi (B), Chico (C), Dallas (D), Encino (E), and Fargo (F). We have three drone armed DefSats code named Bellos (B), Dante (D), and Franco (F).
My plans for deployment are:
GDS Annapolis (A): GMG (Headquarters), GBDP (Battery-1), GWS, and FGB-S-1 (Banshee flight).
GDS Chico (C): GBDP (Battery-2).
GDS Dallas (D): GWS, FGB-S-2 (Ghost flight).
GDS Encino (E): GBDP (Battery-2).
Once we have established the base I will request various extra supplies from Star Fleet to fortify our position.
Cassandra VI is a dry but pleasant planet. Nearly three quarters desert it has a mild climate given its distance from Cassandra Prime. There are over three and one half million colonists on Cassandra. We are there to defend their lives and Star Fleet interests. Any attempt to gain a base on Cassandra IV by the enemy must be denied. Though we are not on the front line there is some strategic importance to this system and we may well end up being on the front as a result however remote.
Please record your comments and concerns by 2300 hours tomorrow. I will then send the 251st my deployment list.
Thank you…dismissed.
Editorial note: The planet is in hex 2215. Direction A is facing 2214. Each GDS and DefSat code name begins with the letter that corrospondes to the facing of the planet they are on. I will state my commanders options tomarrow. I have been tied up with chores and family and didn't get a chance to go over them. See you all soon!
Loren Knight Posted: Feb 24, 2003.
General note to staff: With in 48 hours after we enter orbit all ships are expected to leave the Cassadra system. We are...on our own.
Additional notes regarding Cassandra IV. The original colonization consisted of 200,000 colonists of a Religious Order. Soon after in the various mountain ranges several rare minerals were discovered. Since then the population grew but the mineral source proved to be scarce but marginally profitable. Given the mild dry climate some have sought refuge here to live a simple life. The Red mountains of Encino sector give home to several Artist colonies whos product is revered through out the Federation. Ultimatly 3.5 million Colonists does not make for a major planet but these are, in fact, well loved people.
Additionally, the Federation has stratigic intersests as well. Cassandra III has considerable resources but that population has only had minor contact with the Federation. Cassandra IV has potential for enemy stratigic value. Allowing the Klingons to set up a base here would be contrary to Federation efforts (as with any planet in the Federation but of particular note to Cassadra IV.) Klingons could launch raids on many major supply lines from the Cassadra system and disrupt the effort to push the back line. However, it is realatively unlikely they will attempt such a feat as they would be nearly surounded during the initial stages of the effort. A major assault would prompt a major response. A small contingent is our biggest consern. And pirates too. We have Fighters. Pirates like fighters. We will deny them our fighters or course. Additionally, some who come to buy the art have been known to be conected with the local cartels. Be aware that any appraoching ships could be of questionable scrupples.
So, our orders are to protect the Colonists and more over, hold our ground. The status of any ship stationed at Cassadra III is that they will remain there to guard that planet. The force is minimal in any case. The front line is not here. We are the line in the sand for the Cassadra system.
Regarding Robert Cole's comment - in a USAF fighter squadron (which may have zero organizational resemblance to an SFB fighter squadron) the Executive Officer is a lieutenant, a non-flyer, who is basically chief of the admin shop.
(Section? SECTION??? What kind of a commie are you?)
The person performing the role an XO performs in an Army battalion (actually combining the roles of XO and S-3) is the Operations Officer, sometimes, though certainly not always, known as the Ogre.
Note: I have been out of USAF for about 10 years now, so cannot speak for current organizations and titles.
Alan Trevor:
That was not comments by Robert Cole, that was Jeff Wile noting that Robert has dropped off the board.
For what it is worth, I (me) was the one who decided, in order to have an active role for Robert at the time, to make the XO/second section distinction.
This is because the squadron is divided between two ground bases on opposite sides of the planet, and rather than having Major Harding using the transporter constantly to keep in touch with both sections, the XO was given flight status and leadership status of the second flight section.
And I decided to use "section" because I felt six fighters was too many for a "flight" and did not want to refer to it as "half-squadron B".
My call. You may disagree [and maybe the Air Force will have me tracked down and squashed like a bug (GRIN)], but it seemed to make sense to me given the deployments.
SPP;
Fair enough. There is no reason the squadron need correspond to USAF organization/terminology.
FWIW, USAF would probably refer to the portion of the squadron operating away from the home drome as a "Detachment".
And once again, I can't say whether that is current usage. For all I know "Section" may be correct now.
I found the intelligence queries and SPP response...check #12!
posted by JSW:
Response from SPP:
edit:
Major Wile: In some cases you are asking for more background data than can be provided for the purpose of the exercise. It is not that you are asking bad questions, they are good concerns, in most cases, and in most cases things you would be discussing with Colonel Knight Captain Howell.
For our purposes, the planet has obviously at one point been "in Klingon controlled space" for some period of time (it is Y182, the Klingons have been forced back to their original line of pre-war bases at that time, Federation efforts are geared towards breaking that line and advancing into Klingon space at this time). What effect that had on this planet, and how many years it was in Klingon space I do not know, not that significant to the back story for this situation. Something, however, makes this planet worth the establishment of a Defense Battalion, or you would not be here. That fact implies that there was a Klingon garrison of some type on (or around) this planet.
Intel on the enemy in the last six months would be a long list of ships that came into the sector, then moved on to other sectors. The biggest thing is that there have been raids on various planets and logistic assets in the sector. These have ranged in size from a few frigates, to (in an apparent major effort) a task group of cruisers and smaller ships. There has been some Orion activity, mostly the usual single ships, but a few cases of raids built around at least one larger ship (CR, BR, or CM) with as many as four smaller ships. There have been some sighting of Andromedans I the sector, but reports of actual combat with them are few.
As to your specific questions:
1. Has Naval intellingence determined enemy force structure? RESPONSE: Enemy forces in flux with mobile forces constantly shifting to support their border stations in an effort to maintain their frontier. Raiding forces of a few frigates, to (in an apparent major effort) a task group of cruisers and smaller ships have been active in an effort to keep the logistics situation from stabilizing in the "devastated zone".
2. Is the name and bio details of senior officers been established? RESPONSE: See attached file.
3. Any patterns in the operation temple of enemy forces been noted RESPONSE: Klingons have been conducting desperate defensive operations to maintain their border stations and have been conducting raids where ever they perceive a weakness and can spare the ships to do so.
(This last could be key, does the Klingon commander have a history of atrocities against civilians? RESPONSE: Klingons will usually only commit atrocities where it supports their policies. Civilian populations are bombarded where a planet cannot be occupied only in so far as they are closely located near economic and military targets, i.e., no general massacres except as examples of "do not resist" in response to guerrilla operations on occupied worlds.
Do unarmed civilians fare well under Klingon occupation? RESPONSE: The Klingons view civilians as a labor force, and while living conditions are not "good", working them or starving them to death is counter-productive. Food is provided as it is available, although hardly "cordon bleu", it is sufficient to maintain the population, although it too might be withheld, i.e., cut back, to help break a recalcitrant population. Casual cruelty is the norm, but killing civilians on occupied planets is frowned on by the empire as a waste of resources.
Does the Klingon command take prisoners? If prisoners are not taken, should Federation personnel be advised? RESPONSE: The Klingons take prisoners whenever they can both to gather intelligence information and to exchange for Klingon nationals captured by Federation forces. Conditions on Klingon prison planets are barbaric to say the least, as captured starfleet personnel are technically trained experts and given access to technology might be able to convert it into weapons.
4. What commando ships are known to be in the sector, and how long has it been since they have participated in an operation? RESPONSE: Various command type ships have entered and departed the sector at various times. There is not one known to be continuously operating in the sector. Most, but not all, raids on planetary, lunar, or asteroidal positions have involved troops delivered by normal warships as opposed to commando ships.
5. Is the current location of 429 PDB such that we are with in the operating area of one or more Klingon Bases (i.e., could the potential OPFOR be reinforced by the BATS Fighter and PF wings?) RESPONSE: Had the battalion been in range of such a base or bases, more defenses would have been provieded when the battalion was deployed. Would make no sense to deploy a battalion that would be promptly wiped out by a couple of PF flotillas operating from Klingon bases.
How many PF tenders are known to operate in the area? should we be prepared to multiple PF squadrons? RESPONSE: It is always possible that a PFT will be deployed on a raid, or that a raiding force will bring several casual PFs along. The likelihood that several PFTs will present themselves and their flotillas to attack the planet is low.
6. What is the past history of Klingon use of auxiliaries? RESPONSE: Not viable units for use in a raid.
Could or would the Klingons use small or large carriers? RESPONSE: Use of a carrier group on a raid is always a possibility, the use of carrier groups for sudden strikes is always a factor.
Could we be the target of a swarm attack by large numbers of obsolete fighters supported by frigates and PFs? RESPONSE: Unlikely. A swarm attack has only been seen one time, when the Klingons attacked the Tholians in Y178 (the attack on the Zhukov has not occurred yet). It is doubtful that the Klingons would repeat such an attack, and certainly not against a target such as this planet.
7. Are there any Lyran ships known to be operating in the area? (could make a difference in the use of type VI drones that other members of staff were discussing). RESPONSE: It is always possible that Lyran ships could be deployed into the sector, but unlikely due to logistic problems with deploying any significant numbers of Lyran ships.
8. Is there danger of Prime teams (dagger team?) involvement? RESPONSE: Always.
9. Not sure how to evaluate the risk to planet population...intellectual property rights of existing art would make logical target for Orion Pirates. What is the danger that OP's may
want to take "slaves" in the form of trained artisans for sale in less demanding area's than the Federation. RESPONSE: Always possible.
10. Any monster sightings? RESPONSE: Beyond the occasional Andromedan, none.
11. What is the "weather" forecast? Any danger of an ION storm? Tactically, is there a possibility that an OPFOR could use an ION storm to cover its approach? RESPONSE: An Ion Storm front could always be used to shield an approach. And obviously there are ion storms every once in a while.
12. Are there any drone bombardment ships active in area? RESPONSE: As noted, Klingon ships are always circulating. A drone bombardment mission against the planet is possible as a low cost operation.
13. Any missing ships reported? Unexplained losses? Any reports from PDB detachments in sector? RESPONSE: With Orion operations, not to mention Klingon raiders, there are always unexplained losses all through the sector. But not more than would be expected. In the last six months within the sector, not more than three merchant ships have been lost for unknown reasons. Two convoys have been attacked with some losses (one by Klingon raiders, one by Orions). Three planets have been raided by Orions, one by Klingons.
14. Any named pirates with exceptional notoriety operating in sector? Any pre-dispositions? (could be problem if he fancies himself as "art collector" see # 9 above. RESPONSE: There is a cartel operating in the area. The needs of the Cartel seem to vary with the seasons. They might raid the planet for art, they might raid the planet because the Klingons paid them too.
Inquiry #15. Any personnel attached to 429 PDB with experience in Prime teams? (Would be nice to "pick their brains".) Thinking of running a intruder drill, and it is more effective to have people "on the Ground" instead of relying only on computer simulations . . . (Funny how a security grunt takes a whole new interest in life and duty after a drill where instead of just reading "you have been taken hostage by an unknown assailant" he is grabbed from behind and a tooled steel sharp edged implement is held to his throat and a whispered "one move and you will die!" echoes through his brain.) RESPONSE: Nope, sorry. And I do not think Colonel Knight wants a Prime Team, or that the Federation would assign one to a planet.