Uhmmmm . . . Richard.

I do not know how to tell you this, and I do NOT want you to make any changes because of this, but . . . well . . . you see . . .

The Gunboat has zero (0, nada, zilch) problems with you going to erratic maneuvers. It is actually HAPPY you have done so as it slows you down just a tad more.

You see, the Gunboat wants to take its shot at range eight or less, but probably wants to stay out of range three until he has whittled the fighters down some.

Now, a G1K Gunboat has 15 points of power (12 warp, two impulse, one APR). It takes it one point to have its shields up, four points to overload the disruptor, one point to recharge a phaser, and seven points to move speed 31, for a total of thirteen points. The Gunboat has two built-in points of ECCM (K1.71), and two swing points of EW which it can apply to ECCM (K1.72), and can apply the last two points of power to ECCM, for a total of six ECCM.

A fighter, even a mega fighter, has two points of built-in ECM. If they are not carrying EW pods, they have no more ECM available. The EWF can lend EW, but not if it is doing erratic maneuvers (C10.523).

The upshot is that the erratic maneuvers of the fighters (four ECM) combined with their built-in ECM gives them six ECM, which the PF would counter.

You might believe that the erratic maneuvers caused the shot to go wide, but the truth is (apparently) that the Gunboat simply missed.

Note that if you were not using erratic manuevers, you would still have had six ECM. The two points built-in and the two EW pods on the EWF could have been set for ECM and lent four points, giving each fighter six points without erratic maneuvers.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 11:32 am: Edit

As to the next part of the story, I sent Jeff Wile an E-Mail, we will have to see if he picks it up and runs with it.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 12:00 pm: Edit

And for what it is worth, I tend to agree with Lt Stovell, the Gunboat would not risk a range three shot. These are fighters, they CAN do a mid turn speed change to three quarters of their max speed from the half speed they are using to stay with the cripple, and could drop EM, could HET if they had to, and get a shot at range three. They move AFTER the Gunboat (while it is faster, on any impulse where both move, the fighters move after the Gunboat by Order of Precedence). So all they need to do is look at the Impulse Chart, and pick a speed where they will move on two consecutive impulses. [Or if the are going to move at speed 13, pick a speed where they will move on the next impulse. Some examples, if the Gunboat came into range three on Impulse #25, the fighters would move after the Gunboat and would turn and move to range two. If the Gunboat came into range three on Impulse #24, the Fighters would not move on that impulse, but would announce a mid-turn speed change. They would still be at speed 13 on Impulse #25, turning to approach the Gunboat which is trying get away (having fired on Impulse #24) and dropping erratic manevuers. The fighters would then be moving speed 19 which moves on Impulses #26 and #27, maintaining the range of three and BANG.)

This is not to mention that you might find yourself with a possible type-I drone coming up your tail pipe (the Gunboat does not KNOW that the fighters are out of type-I drones), which would force him to run a long way away from the fighters (which is why he probably is not going to be launching type-VIs at the fighters as the fighters are fully capable of shooting them down and the gunboat may need them for anti-drone work (back to the fact that the Gunboat does not know the fighters are out of type-Is).

So I just do not think the gunboat would risk range three.

I am not sure that I would risk a range four shot until the fighters were a little more weakened.

By Paul Stovell (Pauls) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 12:28 pm: Edit

OOC,

Richard if the G1 is coming into r8-15 then it would be worthwhile using SPP detailed manouevres to exchange fire. Four or five gatlings at range 8 might knock half a shield down. If the G1 has a run of poor disruptor shots then it might be possible to drive it off before the flight gets too many cripples.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 12:44 pm: Edit

If you have an EWF with you then never EM (except in some very rare cases). The EWF gives you all the EW you need without penalty to your own fire. EM makes it safer for the G1 to get closer. At R4 the Ph-3's cannot hit at all.

By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 12:56 pm: Edit

and no chaff under erratics.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 01:43 pm: Edit

Paul Stovell:

Range four to eight, with six phaser-Gs would average about eight points of damage, but that would require the EWF to be with the other fighters, and thus a target, rather than hiding behind them (has to be within three hexes). Also, there is the crippled fighter whose phase-G is now just a phaser-3. That alone knocks the average down to around six-seven points. If the EWF is back behind the other fighters by three hexes, that knocks it down to about five-six points. Cripple another fighter or otherwise take another fighter out of the equation . . . well, things get worse.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:17 pm: Edit

Christopher E. Fant:

Uh . . . sorry, but wrong (C10.516).

Loren Knight:

Even with an EWF, you should use erratic maneuvers as a matter of course. The problem is that an EWF can only protect across a front of seven hexes centered on itself. In general, it is a good idea to use EM to conceal the EWF until it has to reveal itself. EM is, of course, something you only use at relatively close ranges (less than 20) and sometimes closer than that. At 20 hexes range you can depend on the small target modifier and use the EWF, but shorter ranges call for greater care and thought.

Also, it is sometimes best for a drone-armed race to leave the EWF out of the attack. This is because a dead fighter cannot control its own drones, nor can most other fighters pick up control of that fighter's drones. But the EWF can take control of any drones launched by any fighter in its squadron. And this allows a drone-armed squadron to close, launch drones, go to erratic maneuvers (because the EWF is too far away in this instance) to close further, dropping EM to hit the target with direct fire weapons (particularly nasty with phaser-G fighters) and launch more drones.

And the above explains why I have frequently been glad that Hydran Stingers do not have drones . . .

By Richard Sherman (Rich) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:28 pm: Edit

SPP and gang:

Ok, let me clear up some misconceptions about what I posted. If you read it carefully, it's there, but I will highlight it.

1. I know going to EM is something the G1 would prefer. It is a deliberate tactical error that Banshee Leader made. His hope was he could drop EM and get a close range shot at the G1. Didn't happen. Please note that he has now ordered the dropping of EM, and will be doing something else soon...
2. The EWF is not crippled.
3. The EWF NEVER went to EM. It is flying 3 hexes to the right of the main fighter formation, who are all in one hex.
4. The fighters ARE NOT at half-speed.
5. The fighters ARE NOT protecting the cripple. They are abandoning him, in the hopes of keeping the G1 engaged with them.

More story to come soon, guys...

By Craig Tenhoff (Cktenhoff) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:38 pm: Edit

Richard,

per SPP comments at the start, I thought the EWF was the cripple! I thought that was the reason you were shielding him.

Of course, I could be wrong.

By Richard Sherman (Rich) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:39 pm: Edit

SPP:

Please send me an e-mail as to whether you believe the G1 would turn off from an attack run if the fighters launch drones (a total of five, at most three of which might be type-I's, from the G1's perspective), or would attempt to "fly through" them again using counter-drones, phasers, and his last ADD to land a disruptor shot.

By Richard Sherman (Rich) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 02:40 pm: Edit

Craig,

The EWF is not the cripple. Banshee 3 (the alter-me) is. A second fighter is damaged with 5 points against it.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 04:40 pm: Edit

Well, as I said, I am not going to force Richard to change anything, I simply noted that the G1 would not have been shifted by the EW, i.e., that it was easy to account for it, and it would have been expected that he would since he knew there was an EWF, ergo the anticipation is that the fighters would (one way or another) have their full six ECM. Richard determined that the G1 would not make that call.

It was determined by Chris Fant that he would have held the EWF back from attacking the drones, so it would not have been the target of a crippling attack, but would have fired on drones that passed through the other five fighters. I allowed the change.

Richard:

No. He would not. As I noted, the risk of that would be why he is holding his type-VIs on any such attack run. Further note that he can identify which is from the EWF, and would know that only four are a real possible danger. Two of those would be targeted by type-VIs, one would be targeted by the ADD (I would think), and then the phasers would be used at range one. IF that failed, he would dump the battery to HET on the next impulse and start running out any drones for six-eight impulses (depends on the number of impulses between launching the counter drones and impact, he would have to side slip to let the counter drones get ahead of him) so that he could launch another set of counter drones as needed, before turning back in again. If it worked, he would go for the range eight shot on another fighter (not the one that is already damaged).

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 05:21 pm: Edit

scene: The Command Center (CC) located at the GMG, defense system, Annapolis, Hex side A, planet Cassandra IV.

The yeoman jumped in response to the alert tone in her ear Communications linkage.

"Col Knight! Sir! GWS A reports communcations incomming,tactical updates... going to channel 'B'..." her voice faded some what as she routed the updates on to the systems.

The tactical display started scrolling information on the bottom of the screen in the instant text message feature.

"Data Coming in...

GWS-A reports that they can now verify Banshee flight is falling back to Cassandra IV with a gunboat harrassing them from the flank....

(Tac Intell indicates that the Gun boat may be a G-1K).

Also reports indicate that there are definitely drones coming in from the other five directions( labled 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E' and 'F'.)

Indeterminate sensor/scanner reports . . .

something (not yet identified). . . the image is fuzzy, somewhere between the apparent location of the drones and the planet. Distances vary.

cannot report that the drones are all in the same hex, or exactly how far the other contact is from the drones, but that the other contacts in each direction are closer in than the drones, although still more than 100 hexes out.

Major Wile stepped up to Col Knight and quietly asked "orders? Sir?"

and waited for Col. Knights response.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 11:35 am: Edit

Colonel Knight? Deployment? Orders to the fighters on the incoming?

Jeff Wile: Do you not think that the information should be provided to the defense forces, or do you feel it is a secret only to be shared with Colonel Knight?

To all: Reaction to the report?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 12:00 pm: Edit

Report incomplete: Unidentified object, which direction??? Do I read correctly that this object is closer than the drones and headed this way?

Keep scanning.

I've already given orders to Ghost flight. Banshee flight should keep coming in full speed.
All ground bases should already be ready for action. Most marine contingents should be in shelter on bases (under shields). Security max.

GCV's and Tanks should be manned and possitioned on base.

GAS should be finishing up all civilian assistance activities and preparing for orbit.

Three admin shuttle should be loaded as shatter packs. I want another admin from the GMG flown to the FGB-S Dallas so that Annapolis and Dallas can both have two Shatter Packs. Shatter packs need to be set to blossom with five KK of the planet so that pilots can be beamed aboard to return the inert shuttles back to base.

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 12:06 pm: Edit

Captain Grafton took in the new reports and grimly added another bandolier of batteries (capacitors, charges, whatever) for his Phaser rifle to his load. He made sure his hostile and radioactive environment suit, mask and personal sheild were both ready to go and to hand in his foxhole.

Turning to Sgt Rock, the husky Company Sgt, Mike shared the news and wordlessly the two split up into seperate locations so one lucky hit might not take them both at the same instant. As the word was passed, each squad leader did the same gear inspection of every trooper. Here at "Grid 3 Zulu Annapolis" with the leg reserves and HWS each, there wasn't much more for them to do.


"This is gonna hurt," he thought.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 12:55 pm: Edit

I've decided that initially I do want the GAS in the atmosphere. They will mop up the occasional damaged drone that gets by (or is let by).

Ghost flight will allow a few damaged drones to get by but not enough to over whelm the GAS and ground phasers.

Still waiting on a better report of the "fuzzy" units. The report was unclear if there was one or more. One with each vector incoming? Clearify.

Ghost winds A and B will be ordered to cut back to R45 if it appears there is multiple G1 incoming. Then await the R150 and R100 scanner reports.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 01:02 pm: Edit

Loren Knight:

The report is:

Drones at various ranges can be confirmed as approaching from five directions. In each case, there is "something" between the drones and the planet, moving at nearly the same speed as the drones, also approaching the planet. The sixth direction includes Banshee flight, conducting its fighting retreat while being harrassed by a G1K gunboat.

Assuming Banshee was sent in direction A (towards the initial contact point of the bombardment group), Sensors can tell you that there are 28 drones in direction D, and 29 drones in directions B, C, E, and F. They cannot tell you if all the drones in each direction are in one stack, or precisely where they are. They cannot identify the nearer object approaching from each of the above five directions at this time, or tell you precisely where it is, only that it is closer to the planet than the drones are.

Essentially you are getting Level S5 information from the ground bases, and you can pretty much assume that the reason they cannot tell you more about the larger objects is because they cannot get a favorable electronic reading on them, i.e., they have a higher ECM level than the GWS bases can generate ECCM.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 01:28 pm: Edit

"Ghost flight, cut back to 45KK. Believe multiple G1's inbound with each drone wave."

"Ops, send all data to Spector squadron."

By John Trauger (Vorlonagent) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 01:47 pm: Edit

After the alert was sounded, my Tellarite mainenece chief came to talk at me. Tellarites never seem to talk TO anyone. Makes you wonder how they get little Tellarites.

Maybe I'll leave that thought alone...

"Lieutenant do you have any idea what this alert is about?"

"I don't know anything you don't, Knort. I think it's genuine. This isn't on my schedule and the brass wouldn't call a surprise drill unless the party at the Governors was REALLY boring.

"That means this is a followup to that pass those Klink PFs made though here last week.

"And that means I'm wondering why you are standing around here talking to me, not doing the fastest preflight on my birds you have ever done."

He didn't move.

"I want you to hand out phasers."

"That again? Look, there is NO Dagger team on this planet."

He was in my face. It was allowed in the regs for Tellarites. I guess the alternative was to simply ship every Tellarite that joined Starfleet straight to the brig for their term of service.

"How do you know? Have you scoured the planet for them?!?"

"We have these neat gadgets called "sensors", Gnort. They can pick up life-processes at thousands of klicks and still discrimminate between humans and Klingons. I'm sure they're in one of your journals, check them out when you have some free time."

I got in his face more. You'd need a micrometer to measure the distance from my nose to his. Fair's fair.

"Which.

"Isn't.

"Now.

"You will not talk any more about Dagger teams unless one is shooting at you. You will discourage anyone else from talking about Dagger teams unless one is shooting at you. That's an order! Now get my birds ready for takeoff!"

Tellarites, you let them stew in it for a little while then make a peace offering. His people were already prepping. I watched him get them moving faster, and then checked my box for orders while walking a quick errand.

Oh ••••. A full-scale drone bombardment. I knew where my birds were going even before I read the orders. Orbit.

I found Gnort under Shuttle #3. I just looked for the black cloud. I stood there and let him work.

"I unsealed the phaser cabinet. You know the regs don't allow me to pass 'em out without definite trouble. Any Klingons come here, they'll get plenty of trouble."

Gnort only grunted. After a moment he slid back out from under the shuttle.

"All shuttles ready for use, sir.", he glowered.

"Thank you."

I clapped my hands three times.

"Attention everyone! This is no drill. There is a full-scale drone bombardment inbound. Starfleet tipped us off so we have some time to prepare. Shuttles use defensive deployment pattern #1. Equatorial orbit, equally-spaced around the planet. Good luck, kill drones, and come home!"


. . . . . . . . .


Waiting's the tough part.

It's bad enough knowing that the war could be lurking around any corner and suddenly leap out at you. You eventually get used to it and it fades into the background.

It's worse knowing trouble's coming and there's nothing you can do about it but wait for it to show up.

It had been five minutes since my shuttles took off. Three minutes since I got confirmations that they were in their positions, space-phasers hot.

Duties are a comfort. They give the mind something to distract from the waiting. I had my maintenance crews cleaning their instruments, the maintence bays--anything. Gnort took a cue from our conversation and had dug out a pair of binocs. He was vigilantly scanning the horizon for his Dagger team. No doubt thinking that there was no higher-value target on the whole planet than our "dirt road" runway and thermal concrete huts. I decided to pester him.

"You have up-to-date specs on our 16's right?"

"Yes, yes", he said absently.

Just in case they put in here for reapirs?

"Yes, yes."

"Fabricators programmed?"

"Yes, yes."

"Your nose is on fire."

"Yes, yes--what?" He turned to me.

"Nothing...carry on."

Corporal Jackson had a radio cranked up, listening to the comms. Along with the incredible prestige that went with being a dirtside shuttle unit came the advantage of being able to eavesdrop on the fighter-jocks. We could at least keep track of what was happening. Listening to dispassionate jock-chatter wasn't too much better than not knowing a •••• thing, but it was still better.

When I turned away from Gnort, everybody had stopped what they were doing. Then I heard why.

"I'm hit!"

"Keep it together, Joyride! Status!"

The war had just come to Banshee squadron.

Then my box vibrated. I pulled it out.

GWS-A reports that they can now verify Banshee flight is falling back to Cassandra IV with a gunboat harrassing them from the flank....

(Tac Intell indicates that the Gun boat may be a G-1K).

Also reports indicate that there are definitely drones coming in from the other five directions( labled 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E' and 'F'.)

Indeterminate sensor/scanner reports . . .

something (not yet identified). . . the image is fuzzy, somewhere between the apparent location of the drones and the planet. Distances vary.

cannot report that the drones are all in the same hex, or exactly how far the other contact is from the drones, but that the other contacts in each direction are closer in than the drones, although still more than 100 hexes out.


The war was about to come to us.

By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 02:17 pm: Edit

Ghost flight A and B are now HETing and heading back to rage 45 of the planet, top speed. I believe the we are spines C and E.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 03:34 pm: Edit

CFant: Correct.

I'd like to take note that I'm seeing a lot of nice creative writing going on. One of the future projects for ADB is to produce novels. SVC has expressed a desire that one of these (at least) be a collaboration work. It is becoming clear to me that such a thing is a good possibility!

By David Slatter (Davidas) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 03:43 pm: Edit

Banshee may have done more good than it thought. By fighting the G1K, it slowed it down. That means the A direction G1K will arrive later than all the other G1s and Drones.
The issue being that things could be very dicy if those other 5? G1s choose to press their attack - they will draw off a lot of phaser firepower and significantly threaten the bases with their own firepower and drones. Two of the phas-4 bases are all alone on their planetary hexsides, and the destruction of any phas-4 base by G1s would not be a good thing at all as it will create a P-4 blind spot on the planet.
It may be pheonix's main job to lob drones at the G1s so things get a little more broken up.

By Christopher E. Fant (Cfant) on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 04:44 pm: Edit

Well, Ghost flight is split up, so they can...I would say at best they can keep a gunboat busy for 2 turns, and maybe...just maybe get a few drone kills in.