Hmm, interesting. The good major suggesting to give a battlefield promotion to a private that is always on report and his sergeant has him on latrine duty perpetually. Glad I didn't say Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, that implies command experience.

By Craig Tenhoff (Cktenhoff) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:02 pm: Edit

From Jeff Wile:

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Quote:

I guess I just dont see what benefit we gain by keeping the lower WS when we know that we are being targeted?!?

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By Craig Tenhoff (Cktenhoff) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:03 pm: Edit

From SPP:

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Quote:

That having been said, and while I would NEVER allow such a thing in a scenario (except perhaps a scenario specifically involving something like this) because it would be a rules violation that would promptly be abused by certain Kzintis (okay, Klingons too . . . yea, and those Orions . . . well, I am sure some Feds would get involved also), for purposes of "dramatic action", there is going to be a chance that something will be hit. That some one WILL be killed (or wounded, perhaps badly).

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By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:08 pm: Edit

Craig Tenhoff:

Oh, they can go to WS-III and be there through the whole thing. The point is that Colonel Knight clearly understands that the drones are not going to arrive in the next ten seconds, and is going to try to extricate his officers, bring the battalion to alert status, recall any troops out on pass, and get the Civilians moving to shelters, preferably without starting a panic.

The point is that this is not a "SURPRISE", i.e., the drones have not arrived over the planet about to strike. They are inbound, but not even on the planet's sensors yet. The raid has been detected by Starfleet, and the planet has been warned to prepare. That is all.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:56 pm: Edit

SPP said: "Oh, they can go to WS-III and be there through the whole thing. The point is that Colonel Knight clearly understands that the drones are not going to arrive in the next ten seconds, and is going to try to extricate his officers, bring the battalion to alert status, recall any troops out on pass, and get the Civilians moving to shelters, preferably without starting a panic."

Exactly. Please, everyone, allow me the time to start the first scene. In the mean time feel free to post recomendations that perhaps were given during discussions of various action plans. Drone bombardment is certainly one of the possible attacks we all have discussed during the last week.

Additional patrols, IIRC, we ordered at the Sensor stations and around the fighters. Some ready racks were ordered to be maintained at casual shuttle boxes in an alternate landing field. Since we may have spies I have ordered those returned but kept at ready for transport back to the field. (So these drones are on the base but note with the normal stores. The alternate field is to have a supplies available for two fighters in case the fighter bases are disabled and there is still fighters available to be reloaded.)

The DefSats have been reloaded.

I may have orders for the Fighter Cap to launch and go full speed (at this moment the fighters are at full ready status but not in space) to intercept the drones, report back number and speed. If the threat is only drones then they will destroy as many as they can. If the drones are speed 32 they are to attempt to stay ahead of the main pack until 32Kkm where they may begin to fire at will. Adjustments to those orders may be given at a later time.

I need to review my drone loads. Standard loads are my first thought but there may be something better. It would be good to preserve our stores and be efficient in our use of them. Let me check some rules too.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 12:59 pm: Edit

David Keyser:

the Perm Latrine Officer billet was one that (I assume) you appointed yourself to.

Please note, that most everyone else has had their duty station assigned by Steven Petrick.

While it is entirely possible that he would agree with your self assessment that the PLO assignment is both within your ability and one that is urgently needed to satisfy the safety, health and well being of the 429th PDU and the nearby civilian population... it is also possible, that if you asked (nicely!) for an assignment, SPP might feel inclined to post you to a role and rank that is equal to your intelligence, wit and charm.

But that would be up to SPP, all I can do is make the recommendation.

What is done with it is up to SPP and you,

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:09 pm: Edit

Memo
To: Col. Knight. CO. 429th PDU.
From: Major Wile,Btn S3, 429th PDU.
Re: Defense preparations.


Sir, suggest you contact Col. Baluda and request the return of the 3 Admin shuttles that were provided to the local manuver forces for the recent "snipe hunt" (ie the search for kilingon insertion forces that we were unable to locate).

We need a count of how many Admin shuttles are available and what is the best use of them in the coming drone raid.

It may be impracticable to use them as shatter packs as had been proposed before. if nothing else x number of additional phaser 3's on point defense would be helpful...particularly if you decide to reload the fighters with more drones during the course of the attack.

Thank you.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:23 pm: Edit

Steve Petrick:

Obviously, I am not a party to your plans and time table... but I would guess that you know to the impulse what you plan to do and what steps you will follow to get to where you want to be.

In the mean time, since I am at the party with pager, communicator and wine glass in hand... I am ordering every officer I come across to report to his duty station.

With communicator in hand, I give the following procedures to the available transporters (with access to the Def Sat repeating functions) that so long as there is no queue (waiting line) for transports, continue processing as fast as possible with point to point transports where ever possible.

Second, if a queue forms, priority shall be pilots enroute to squadron first, senior officers and command NCO's second and all officers and enlisted personnel in rank order unless countermanded by Major Harding, Col Knight or myself.

The only possible exception that I anticipate would be medical evacuation (none yet, thankfully) or if a junior officer or enlisted man is deemed a critical need at a station for some designated urgent task )say the deck crew cheif palm locked the fighter under his charge...and he needs to be physically present to "unlock" the fighter for service with a retina scan or a palm imprint.

My concern is that you have "slowed time" to give Col knight time to get his files together... but that we as support staff fail to list the steps and actions that need to be documented so that this scenario can playout properly.

Thank you.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:25 pm: Edit

I haven't seen Marc Baluda post on the board in quite some time, you probably need someone to step into his "shoes".

By Paul Stovell (Pauls) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:35 pm: Edit

SPP,

Thanks for responses.

My analysis.

Assumptions.
1. The drones only attack one hexside so that only one GBDP can engage.

2. The drone way is stacked so that it all arrives in one turn. With speed 32 drones they can still be spread out over 32 hexes. Given we have no Tbombs the spread of the drones is moot.

3. From 2. our fighters should get two turns of close range fire with phasers assuming they evade any drones targeted on them (if any)

A question are we are willing to use drones which may not be easily replaced to stop the drone wave?

Drones will give us 18 from defsats, 24 from fighters plus any on megapacks if we have time.
Also any shatter/scatter packs we use the number they can take out is difficult to predict.

Phasers tricky to call
Assumption 4A. The wave enters range 100 (say range 97 to 128) on turn N
turn N+1 puts closest at 65
turn N+2 at 33
turn N+3 at 1

Assumption 4B. The drones spread over only 16 hexes then 81 at N+1
39 at N+2 and
17 at N+3 would be more relistic.

P4 might damage two drones perhaps and kill one
P2 from defsats say 4 damaged (range 15 fire)
and 6 kills
P3 from defsats one damage and 3 kills.

each fighter 4 kills (extra megafighter phasers ignored to give some account of fighters damaged/destroyed.

This leaves any armed shuttles and p3 from small bases unaccounted for and gives say 57 drones accountable to phasers alone say 60 with shuttles and small bases.

Drones in anti-drone roll 42 excluding shatterpacks.

Special Sensors may manage to distract some although if the drones targeting isn't switched on yet it mightn't work. I would suggest identifing drones might be a better bet as spotting a multiwarhead or starfish drone early is a good thing.

So if all our assests are deployed I say 60 drones or less use only phasers with a few drones against any identified specials

Upto 100 drones this will be a bit tight.

Upto 150 drones then shatterpacks and a spread of over 32 hexes might give us a chance major population centres might need evacuation.

Over 150 drones unless very well spread the targeted hexside is likely to take the 200 points required for devestation.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:38 pm: Edit

Scott Tenhoff:

I'd hazard a guess that there are a number of people that may not be in position to "join in the fun" of this project.

We need a role call.

Badly.

and ASAP wouldnt hurt, either!

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:54 pm: Edit

General Statement:

Steve Petrick stated that Col Knight may pick the impulse number that the drones first hit range 101 hexes. (IIRC he also made a threat that if Col Knight failed to pick one...SPP would pick it for him with the implication that some devilish complication would result due to the turn break or some such.)

We need recommendations to give to Col Knight as to what Impuse/turn number he wants the action to start at, and please support your recommendations with reasons why that course of action would benefit the 429th defense effort.

I will start the process with the "default" recommendation.

Drone(s) arrive at range to planet hex of 102 on impulste 32 turn 0. since drones are speed 32 (fast) that means the first drone(s) will arrive at hex range 101 on impulse #1 of turn 1, and play can begin normally from that point.

comments?

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 01:57 pm: Edit

Paul Stovell:

There is a necessary assumption that there are far more drones than are normally accounted for on the planet. The problem of course is that only so many can be 'ready' at any one time. So whatever of the ready drones are used in any one action will be replaced from stockpiles shortly thereafter. The time element to do so normally does not matter unless subsequent attacks are defined as coming in before this can be done.

In short, the battalion can expend its current total on hand supply of ready drones (including all those stored at the Fighter Ground Bases), and all will be replaced from "off the books" (i.e., not represented otherwise in a scenario) stockpiles.

As to planning, no PDU plans things like this in a Vacuum, although you guys are left to consider things on your own. Reality is that there would be pretty standard SOP used by all Defense Battalions in this sort of situation. Even those on the Romulan and Gorn Frontiers (you never know when those Pesky Romulans will have hired some Orions to do a Drone Bombardment Raid after all . . .).

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:03 pm: Edit

Memo
To :Major Harding, CO F-16 fighter Squadron (ghostlight?!?)
from:Major Wile, btn S3, 429th PDU.
Re: clarification of Col Knights Orders.

Andrew, Col Knight may order the CAP to launch and investigate the drone raid. What pilots do you have detailed to the duty? are you planing to conduct the recon personally? (robert Cole is out of the situation, for now... will you leave a designated officer in command in your absence?)
If you decide against flying the recon mission, what officer do you recommand for the task?

Thank you for your help in this and many other matters.

Jeff Wile
Major, 429th PDU.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:08 pm: Edit

Dup Post Deleted

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:15 pm: Edit

Steve Petrick:

In the initial alert that Star Fleet sent to the 429th, (the one that the redoubtable Lt Garth Getgen forwarded a synopsis to Col Knight, at the party) was there any detailed listings or sensor data included?

was the bombardment launched by 1 ship (say a T4 with a DB pod) or was it a full squadron of D6D's? Even Tack intel would provide some data based on range to the sensor that detected the raid.

If nothing else, some estimate of the launch point would be of interest... especially if the Klingons intentionally launched from within detection range of another PDU. (ie they WANTED to be seen launching the raid at the 429th...) and may signify either a diversion (as suggested in the original notice) or as part of a larger operation aimed at the 429th... and we may have more than just the drones incoming.

If it was a patroling star fleet vessel (such as a scout or DW or other starship) there would be additional information to assess (where is the Btn Intelligence officer, by the way... he should be participating in this stage.)

Thank you.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:23 pm: Edit

Jeff Wile:

Uhm . . . Major Harding cannot decide "against flying the recon mission" if Colonel Knight orders it. That would be called "mutiny".

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:26 pm: Edit

Jeff Wile:

The report will note that there are at least five Klingon ships, cruiser sized, involved in this operation. Of course, no more than three can be bombardment ships. None of the ships are moving towards the planet, but obviously one of them has a sensor focused on the planet (and another is lending that one six points of ECCM). Obviously this is not done to "guide the drones", but to gather intel on the effects of the strike.

By David Keyser (Riov_Tafv) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Well as I often go for long stretches without being able to check the BBS, I best not ask for a more official posting with the unit. I am only able to post at the moment as this is my quiet week between semesters. That and I am pretty much only good for comic relief anyway.

By Paul Stovell (Pauls) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 02:48 pm: Edit

Analysis.

No likely need not to use drones.

Enemy capability.

A D6D I think by far the most likely candidate carries upto 54 IIIXX in its racks and reloads plus if memory serves (could someone with a book to habd confirm) a further 150 spaces or 75 IIXX in storage any or all or which can be used.

Three D6D could be sending 360+ IIIXX in a maximum effort. This would take quite a long time to shoot and involve complex way points for the early drones or an extended speed 31 run towards the planet by the D6D's upto 40 turns. Not that that is much time in an day let alone an F&E turn.

Question for Starfleet or for detailed analysis of sensor report if raw data provided.

Any indication of how many launching units and or how long they spent launching drones.

I guess we will find out soon enough!

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 03:17 pm: Edit

Paul Stovell:

At this juncture, all Starfleet knows for certain is that at least two of the units had special sensors, and drones were launched.

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 03:19 pm: Edit

SPP, Is kibitzing by observers allowed? Or should I just keep my mouth shut and watch the fun...

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 03:40 pm: Edit

Mike, go ahead and comment. I see not reason to not.

Drones waves will can come in at any size. The D6D is capable of launching 6 drones per turn, with three D6D's that means 18 drones in each wave IF they aren't moving when they launch (which is highly unlikely).

Minimum spacing of waves is two hexes to minimize loses to t-bombs. That means with in a 32 hex range we are looking at a possible 288 drones that must be delt with in a single turn.

Let's hope that is not the case. I expect to see a spread out wave first with increasingly tighter waves.

I'll need intel from the cap for sure.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 03:58 pm: Edit

Mike Curtis:

As I have said before, the idea is to try to make the topic a "bar topic". While I assigned people who were in the topic as something of a joke, that started to move forward. So if you want to generate a personna, and not disrupt the goings on, go ahead. You might wind up being "promoted" and taking a role originally given to someone else who may not be here any more.

You can certainly offer advice.

Loren Knight has some published fiction, and while I think (honestly) that he should not "guit his day job to become a writer", there is always a chance he (or some other writer) might get a story idea out of the topic that might be publishable.

But, let me be honest, Loren Knight is only the Battalion Commander because when I first decided to joke with the idea of listing the people participating in the topic as officers of a PDU, his was the first name that I came to.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 04:35 pm: Edit

Steve Petrick:

A clarification please.

Major Harding has the responsibility to assign what personnel he wants to participate in those missions that are assigned.

When I used the phrase "If you decide against flying the recon mission, what officer do you recommand for the task?" I meant it to mean if he personally was going to be in the lead fighter, or if he was going to delegate that duty to some other pilot.

Unless you meant that Col Knight will be responsible for micromanaging each and every personnel assignment in every unit and department of the 429th PDU?

The reason I was asking was that a lot could depend on the judgement of the 2 pilots that perform the Recon... either in the manner in which they conduct the mission or in the level of descretion that they employ... flying solo against a D6D might be a glorious (though short) effort to participate in the scenario... but identifying the enemy forces and successfully getting that information back to the 429th would be of more immediate help.