Major wile turns to the Yeoman communictions operator:

"Yeoman, get me the Governors head of security, I want the senior man on duty at the mansion... Col Knight stated that they will be in the bunker, I want a face to face audio and visual connection, put it thru to my station..."

returning to his mounting duties, Major Wile wondered just how do you tell if a priority 1 alert coming from Starfleet systems originated by a panicky civilian administrator... or from a elite Klingon infiltration squad...probably be best if we double check the security stations... if the Klingons have compromised the 429th's secure communications system?!?!

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 02:20 pm: Edit

"Major Wile, very well. Proceed and patch me a line so I can listen in but you do the talking for the moment. I'm working on pressing allocation matters and systems coordination. I've said my piece to the Governor, that should have been enough."

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 03:50 pm: Edit

Loren Knight:

This is role playing in part, and that sadly means that things are going to happen more like "the real world" as opposed to the perfect world of next generation start trek where every crewman marched willingly to his death never looking left or right (one of the things that annoyed me about the new Trek series).

So you might imagine the governor to be a man well qualified for his post who will heroically stay at his desk to the bitter end (actually, you imagine he has already gone to a "safe area", I imagine him to be a political animal who put on a brave front, and perhaps would have continued to do so, but is now looking at his wife and daughters and the pressure of the risk of their lives has gotten to him . . .

That being said, however, making it a "sector wide priority alert" is Jeff Wile's little twist, not mine.

In any case, rather than just having me tell you things, I am trying to help foster the chain of command concept by having information come in to appropriate individuals "off screen", i.e., by E-Mail, allowing them to REPORT to you (or to their other person in their chain of command as needed) and letting people have a chance to "play their roles".

This does not mean that I will tell them what they are going to do or what your orders are, you as the Battalion Commander have to issue orders (until something happens to you or to your communications).

But the other people participating have the right to play their parts and not act as simply automatons. They need things to react to and tasks to accomplish.

An example. Everyone would love for all the civilians in the U.S. to move quickly and efficiently to their disaster assembly areas when a disaster occurs. But every one knows that when the disaster occurs, there will be a minority who will not follow instructions, will stomp on the faces of children in an effort to save themselves, and etc.

So, while you would like all the civilians to quietly file into the shelters, the reality is that some are going to see your bases as safer than the civilian shelters, hence you have a crowd control problem rather than being able to just ignore the civilians during the emergency.

Which, by the way, gives you a heads up about something to expect when the Klingon Marines DO COME.

But if everything simply runs smoothly, no one would have anything to do. So give people the opportunity to play their characters dealing with the situations you did not anticipate or plan for. It might make for a better story.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 03:55 pm: Edit

Deleted, double post.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 03:57 pm: Edit

Loren Knight:

As an additional note, there is a significant difference between precise attacks on fixed planetary defenses following by a landing, and a "General Bombardment". Noumea faced the former in your previous history, this is the latter.

By David Keyser (Riov_Tafv) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 04:11 pm: Edit

"Hey Sarge, You might want to find out who was assigned this phaser."

Hands a dripping phaser over to my sergent.

"Also, can you inform the parents that they need to keep an eye on their kids. If they keep clogging the toilets like this, we'll be flooded out of this bunker. Assuming some kid doesn't shot somebody first."

Pushes the mop bucket over to the ladies and closes it off to begin cleaning it.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 04:15 pm: Edit

As to the question about the local police.

There are several things to consider. In any given population the number of people who are actually in the security service is very small as a percentage of the population. Further, a surprising number of them tend to also be members of the reserves (or in this case the local defense forces). Then you get the conflicts some have because they have the "larger duty" to society, and the duty to their own families. The upshot can be that while the PDU would have little trouble calling up its people (maybe a few boys and girls actually trying to save their girlfriends/boyfriends and perhaps their parents/brothers and sisters, but it will not be the same scale as the impact on the indigenous planetary security forces).

So there may not be as many "cops and firemen" as you would expect helping with the evacuation, which added to the rumors . . .


Further, going back to the start as a "battle of Noumea" topic, when Colonel Baluda made his appearance as the former leader of the resistance to the Klingon occupation, it was indicated that perhaps cooperation between the Indidgenous mixed defense battalion and your new Star Fleet Defense Battalion was not going to be all wine and roses.

Baluda (and probably a good part of his troops who were actual members of the resistance, vice those who signed up after the Klingons had left) probably percieve the Battalion's personnel as "Dilentantes" since you were not here during the occupation crawling through the outback knowing that one mis-step could be your last.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 05:09 pm: Edit

"Major?" said the Yeoman,I'm having trouble getting thru to the Security team at the Governor's mansion.

"twice,now, someone answered saying "'how the heck would I know, figure it out for yourself." then they cut the connection...I could hear children and voices in th backgroud....I, I think they let civilians into the bunkers sir."

Major Wile activated the Civil Defense Net and logged into the CD command net.

Chaos reigned, bomb shelter wardens reporting numbers of civilians admitted, CD patrols reporting looting in certain markets near the space port facility (basically some warehouses near the field where the freight shuttles touch down), unit commanders trying to locate key personnel... one Bomb shelter in Encino not opened because the access codes couldnt be found and the warden lost the key... a police officer used his phaser rifle (since he was also a member of the CAssandra IV National Guard) to gain access...and they have to wait for the opening to cool so that the civilains could enter.

quickly accessing the list of individuals logged into the governors mansion... yes, capacity 150 (including security detachment of 50) .... current occupancy 335 and counting... doors open, no guard on duty...bunker open to atmosphere...

turning to Col Knight, Major wile said:

"Its a class 1 foul up at the Governor's bunker...Sir. looks like some of the politicos sneaked friends and family into the bunker... and when they tried to stop the flow, there were problems."

"It could turn into a riot, sir."

"The thing is, the Governor could be at a legitimate risk. Should we dispatch a scurity detail to the Governor's mansion to restore order? Sir?"

By Frank DeMaris (Kemaris) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Jeff: Will check back in and report after work.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 07:57 pm: Edit

SPP: I agree on all counts there. At first when I read Jeff posts I thought he was just going off on his own and I couldn't imagine why he was countering what I said about the populous and rumors. Then I realized that you probably e-mailed him. So I asked and he varified it which is fine now that I understand.

In a face to face I would see you talking to Jeff and then Jeff would present his situation. But over the type medium I could tell where it was coming from.

So, when someone is posting new information as a result of a communication with SPP perhaps the post should be headed with: OFFICIAL INTEL. That way everyone knows this it a result of actual game play and I won't need to question the new info. You could then make sure all such posts are what they should be since you will read them anyway.

I figured the Governor would have a command bunker at each of his mansions. I would think this would be standard practice on all minor and major colonies (1 million + pop.).

As to what Noumea has been through before your statement is correct. My comment was more about general planetary attack rather than drone bombardment. Either form can devestate planetary sectors and so basic protocal would be similar; get to the shelters.

=================================

"Major Wile. Alright, get a squad put together to investigate headed by a full LT. Have them remain on a constant comm link and report in their findings. Meanwhile keep trying to locat the Governor. He asked for a shuttle, he must be where he wanted it sent."

A transporter should be available on T2 for this from the GMG. The other three can then be used for civilians at non-combat rates. The GMG crowd wont need to use the DefSat repeaters as they will be site to site in the same sector.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 08:44 pm: Edit

Captain Grafton?

Could you please assign a squad and a responsible junior officer to check out the sitution at the Governor's mansion?

The squad is to remain on a constant comm link and report findings.

These are orders per Col Knight.

Thank you, Major Wile out.

By Frank DeMaris (Kemaris) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 08:56 pm: Edit

Jeff, SPP: If I'm reading the Tactical Intelligence rules correctly, in a clear EW situation (no shift either way) the GWS should be able to pick up level A intelligence (Size Class, specific hex location) out to 75 hexes. Strategic level S5 extends to twice the level A range, and at that level we can determine movement cost and location to within 5 hexes. If it is "now" EA of turn 1, the drones are (OOC knowledge) 125 hexes from the planet and we should only have level S5 intelligence on them and the gunboats before EW is considered. So, just to verify, if we can precisely locate the gunboats then we must have a +1 EW shift (or better), which we won't if the gunboats are still running with max generated ECM. Frankly, I'm kind of surprised if they dropped EM at this distance from the planet, because even in the worst case (through a 3-shift) they can still get level A at a range of 15 hexes, which is as far away as they can use DF weapons.

Anyway, just wanted to clarify the EW situation and make sure we're all on the same page.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 08:56 pm: Edit

"Yeoman. Keep trying to contact the Governor's security team. there are several location, perhaps one of the others is still on the network."

turning to the workstation, major wile activated a channel to the computer...

"computer, please locate tge governor's ground transportation, he has several ground cars, some air rafts(anti-gravity air car)and a limo...determine locations and security status of vehicles, if nothing else, get a transponder read on each of the vehicles."

turning to Col Knight, "sir, the governor did not use a live transmission for the last message, it was pre recorded... given our inability to contact the governor we may have to conclude that he is out of communication ...possibly hostagae to riotors or even that Klingon dagger team that nobody can seem to find."

"We may have to advise Major Ford that he is the highest ranked Cassandra IV official still in communication with the 429th, PDU."

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 09:06 pm: Edit

"Col Knight- I request a relief for Senior Gunner DeMarris, currently at GWS-A (IIRC).

His normal duty station is here in CC OPS.

Senior Gunner is my chief trouble shooter...if any trouble shows up that needs to be shot, I'd like him here to shoot it. Thank you."

Major wile out.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 09:23 pm: Edit

Frank DeMaris:

At this juncture you have to determine if you want me to stop the situation and explain it publiclly, of if you want to E-Mail me and ask. There is a question of how much some of you want to figure out on their own of what the Klingons are doing, and how much you want me to explain in advance of what has happened and why.

If you want me to answer you privately on such a question, send me an E-Mail. If you want me to explain it here, I will if no one objects.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 09:36 pm: Edit

"yeoman. Notify all units, we are 132+ impulses from possible drone strike on Cassandra IV. ready medical teams, damage control parties, and any detachements outside of their assigned ground base. good luck, S-3 OPs."

(drones at 100 hexes, speed 32 and 1 turn delay entering atmosphere, IIUC, that works out to be 132 impulses.)

By Frank DeMaris (Kemaris) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 10:05 pm: Edit

"Command Center, GWS-A reporting. The bandits must have just dropped out of erratic maneuvers and reduced their jamming, because we are now getting a clear sensor image. Bandits are uniformly leading their respective drone waves by 130,000km and moving at warp 3.14. Bandits are positively identified as gunboats. Positive count on inbound drones is 28 in each group within sensor range. No telling yet if there are more inbound. Uploading targetting and positional data to all firing positions."

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 11:43 pm: Edit

"Ha, there... I was right." I said as I tapped my finger hard on the console.

"Ghost flight, report. GWS, please report possitions of Ghost A/B and Banshee flights."

I turned to Major Wile who was already looking at me "Major, the next five minutes are going to be critical and we cannot divert our attention to the Governors situation. We have to save the planet first. Besides, if he is not already in a safe place then we cannot get him and his familly there in time I don't think. If he is somehow kidnapped or what have you then there is little more that will happen in just five minutes. If we divert our attentions from our primary task then nothing matter anyway. It's time to kill drones. By they way, we did send out our own distress signal when I ordered it from the Governors mansion, right?"

I turned back to my situation monitor a surveyed the action. The data that came in was as always too much. I scanned quickly for the realavant info on the Gunboats and the drones. Twenty eight drones from five vectors was not too much to handle but the gunboats were capable of adding to their numbers to a point where it might be too much. The Klingons would likely observe where we were weakest and add their quarry there. I was regretting sending all of Banshee flight out. Gunboats were new but I should have at least speculated such a danger. No time for regrets.

"Ghost flight A/B. On station at 45Kk circle a wide 180 and target the nearest gunboat with drones. Hold launch for my order."

By David Slatter (Davidas) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 07:07 am: Edit

Just a note.

There are a lot of verbose bits of dialog going on here. You should all bear in mind that the whole thing is now 5 minutes as Loren says. A couple of sentences is 10-20 seconds. Loren just spent at least a third of turn 1 giving some essentially irrelevant instructions over the governer's mansion. By the time the Ghost flight instruction comes out, SPP in a mean mode may deem it to be as late as impulse 22, assuming loren takes 7-8 seconds to assimilate the sensor data. Loren is going to have to allow his sorbordinates to make some decisions - e.g. he may say "fire at your discretion unless I give specific directions".

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 08:14 am: Edit

"yes Sir", in response to Col Knights words.

Turning to his command station, keyed in an inquiry, to verify that the initial message was sent to star fleet command, just as Col Knight had ordered from the Governors mansion.

Then, preparing an updated contact report for SFC, Major wile said to Col Knight, "Sir, Updated contact report ready for SFC, including actions by Banshee Flight group and the GWS reports. Do you wish to review it, Or authorize transmission?"

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 12:16 pm: Edit

Captain Grafton looked around, sighed and gestured to Sergeant Rock 50 meters away in another foxhole. "Take our HWS squad to the last reported location of the govenor and fix the situation. Secure the bunker or whatever, stun anyone that is being an @$$40&& or not part of the program and then get back here ASAP. Keep your comm on continuous broadcast."

Keying his communicator to the Base Command Channel, Mike looked down the narrow defile that led to the GMG entrance. "Flipper-6 to Flipper control, beam Flipper-6 Bravo and Flipper Weapons to XXXX(whereever). Priority-1. 6 out."

With a whine, Sergeant Rock and the HWS transported out of sight. MIke looked at the sole remaining squad in view (the NG leg HWS), and pinged the net. All showed OK, truth or was the net infiltrated? "Flipper-6 to Flipper armory. Gunner S'ven, start arming your people as militia."

Mike typed rapidly on his pad.

To: Command
CC: J-3, NG operations, Capt Chabot
From: GMG-6

1) No junior officers available, Flipper-6 Bravo sent with reserve HWS to (whereever).
2) All of Flipper and attached units are now deployed, except for one (repeat 1) HWS and Flipper-6 in reserve.
3) Advise when command element will be deploying to remote command center. GMG wil have to reserve 2 transporters to move PDU command element from GMG.
4) GMG transporters do NOT have surplus capacity at this time outside of that needed to deploy reserves.

Grafton, commanding

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 12:28 pm: Edit

Indeed, this sort of timing is actually covered in GPD. I figure a sentence or two per impulse. The long bit about the Governor was to put us about a third into the turn. That's about when the fighters should be reaching their R points and I should get another set of reports. It was also to try and "handle" the Gov situation for the duration of the battle in one shot.

I suspect SPP will give us a bit of lattatude in our discussions unless we start playing this by quarter turns (or eighth turns). For turn one at least 1/4 turns would seem fine. So, chunks of fifteen seconds.

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 01:14 pm: Edit

Command and Operations summary (as seen on Captain Grafton’s Pad and available on the command net) of the GMG, General Defense Company and attached NG Leg infantry company:


GMG and General Defense Company (Identified on the net as Flipper units)
NG leg company deployment (Identified on the net as Orca units):

Combat Unit strength: 1 BP, 1 HWS Organic PLUS, 1 NG HWS and 9 NG BPs Attached. Total 10 BP plus 2 HWS.

Command Element: Sergeant Rock (Flipper-6 bravo) and Captain Grafton (Flipper-6 or Flipper-6 actual). 1 Medic and 1 Communication Specialist are part of the HQ squad, but they aren’t “combatants” having many other things to do while the shooting is going on. The entire HQ squad is often widely separated. The medic will stay with casualties, and the Comm. Guy s always shuffling around command and data links.

A) Inside the GMG are 1 (regular) BP and various crew units doing crew stuff. In addition, there are a passel of Commanders, Yeomen, Cooks, Latrine Orderlies, Warrants, OP Shop people, varied Batt Staff, flunkies and others all wandering about and barking orders...

GMG armory personnel are equipping as militia (as soon as allowed) as soon as their other duties abate (i.e. they get all the special goodies handed out). Since we are all Marines, everyone gets their personal weapon and stuff issued to them as a matter of SOP. Transporter personnel are a tad confused as they keep getting all kinds of orders, requests and demands from all kinds of people… If it isn’t from Flipper-6 or Command (i.e. the Colonel or Major Wile passing on the Colonels orders) they transfer all such calls to Major Wiles J-3 and Lt Palmers Signals Staff. Trans Arty is ready to go. Pilots are standing by.

The P4 Battery, Fighter Base and SWS have each deployed 1 BP outside to occupy the 3 CS there. (Well, I requested EVERY base to do so, WAY back when, and never received a “heck no” in response from anyone)

I am commanding the NG HWS personally as area reserve.

B) 2 (NG) BPs defending farmland. 1 CS is unoccupied (no troops left to man it).

C) The P4 Battery there has 1 BP deployed with 2 (NG) BPs occupying the CS

D) The SWS and Fighter Base have each deployed 1 BP to occupy the CS outside. I have sent 1 (NG) BP to occupy the third CS.

E) The P4 Battery there has 1 BP deployed with 2 (NG) BPs occupying the CS

F) 2 (NG) BPs defending farmland. 1 CS is unoccupied (no troops left to man it).

Governors Mansion has Sergeant Rock and the (regular) HWS currently investigating the situation.

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 01:30 pm: Edit

GMG transporter status

Last turn, all 4 transporters used to move 4 Bps to guard the farms at B and F.

This turn:
1 transporter taking Sgt Rock and a HWS to the Guvenor's bunker.

1 transporter in reserve to deploy flipper 6 and the NG HWS as needed.

2 Transporters powered and available to move the command staff to the remote command center whenever they want.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Frank De Maris:

Once more, if you wanted your question answered, ask it and either ask for it to be public, or drop me an E-Mail and in either case I will explain it. The problem is trying to avoid simply saying "The Klingons are doing X, exactly X, and thus since you know exactly what the other side is doing, you know what to do to foil their plan without any wasted motion on you part trying to guess."

Beyond that, you out to consider "IN CHARACTER" expressing your concerns to Colonel Knight or Major Wile, or Major Wells, specifically "Frankly, I'm kind of surprised if they dropped EM at this distance from the planet, because even in the worst case (through a 3-shift) they can still get level A at a range of 15 hexes, which is as far away as they can use DF weapons."