Scene: Near Cassandra VI

Commander Krault gazed at the disk of the planet. It had been getting nearer for some time, gradually becoming a perceptible disk.
Continuing to gaze at the planet he said, "Status?"

K?lenn, who had served with Krault as a member the crew the longest ticked down the list, "Distance to the planet is 128,000 kilometers. Fire control is on standby; weapons are fully charged and ready. Crew is at action stations. Warp drive is on standby. Navigation has plotted the course, and helm is prepared to execute. There are currently no ships in orbit around the planet, nor any ships detected in system since that free trader departed. The current fighter patrol is on its outbound leg, and by this time the previous patrol has been stood down and unloaded. Communications reports nothing unusual in the uncoded transmissions from the planet, and no unusual spikes in the coded transmissions, so they are probably still not aware of our presence. Once the warp engines go online, power will be diverted for maximum jamming and shield reinforcement per your instructions. Battery power will be topped up with reserve power at your discretion. The "cargo" is ready for delivery."

Ensign Koveck turned in his seat, "Commander, would it not be better if we kept the fire control inactive? Or at least initiated erratic maneuvers to throw off the enemy?s targeting?

K?lenn spoke before his commander could rebuke the ensign, "We know the defenders have deployed defense satellites, Ensign. We do not know what kind. If they are simple phaser variants then erratic maneuvers would serve us well, but if they are drone-armed erratic maneuvers may not be enough, and the anti-drone system would be hindered. Without knowing for certain, it is better to use the power for reinforcement." Left unstated was the fear that the satellites would be armed with photons, in that case they could only trust that their jamming systems would do their job.

A few seconds ticked past as Krault savored the moment. He had done several of these missions, and so far he had survived, but he knew his luck would one day run out . . . would today be the day he was welcomed into the Black Fleet? He had resented his assignment to this command, seeing it as an insult, but had come to realize that he was indeed where he could best serve the Empire.

Turning to K?lenn he nodded and said, "Tell Fallick to light the drive, and execute."

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

Scene: In orbit around Cassandra VI

Defsat B moved slowly in its sedate orbit above the surface of Cassandra VI. At the request of the planetary government, it was conducting a scan of current weather conditions in the southern equatorial region. It performed the task with efficiency, providing the requested information. Its computer brain was not bored with the task, and would perform it or variations of it, again and again in the coming years as it had done in the last months.

A sudden flare of energy in the distance in an area of the Cassandran sky dubbed 67G/89023 distracted some of the Defsat?s computing power, but not enough for the meteorologists on Cassandra VI to notice. The DefSat compared the energy reading to a database of phenomena in computer files located at Cassandra VI?s Ground Defense Coordination Headquarters. It found a 99.999934% match to a known configuration.

The signals to the meteorologists cut off as DefSat B signaled its mates and the manned control station what it had detected, and began rotating its weapons into position as its dedicated the computing power of its mind to searching for a firing solution.

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

Scene: Warning Station B, Cassandra VI

Sgt M?tu?tusa was bored. He had left his home on Andor to join the Federation Military to take part in the General War, and had found himself assigned to planetary defense. He had served several years, with all his requests for transfer to an active unit participating in the offensives that had driven the Klingons and Romulans from much of Federation space being turned down. When the 429th had been activated with orders to move towards the Klingon frontier, he had jumped at the chance to be assigned to the newly forming unit. But while there had been some excitement on the way to the garrison, an attack by Orions, he had not seen anything of it. Now, here he was doing the same job he had done when he had first joined. Planetary defense in a region seemingly devoid of any real threat. The Klingons were on the defensive and so far not even Orion raiders seemed to impinge on the Warning Station?s sensor.

Unfortunately, Captain Kass was not willing to relax the standards the demanded of is company. His frequent unannounced visits to the stations had led Sgt M?tu?tusa to be scolded for slacking off on more than one occasion. Lieutenant Kasper kept threatening to have the M?tu?tusa transferred to the Battalion?s maneuver company, and M?tu?tusa knew that they would have except that he was the best repair technician in the battalion?s Space Warning Company.

M?tu?tusa turned another page in the adventure novel he was reading on its data pad, strictly forbidden when on duty of course, but a quick push of a key would replace it with a technical manual should Lieutenant Kasper or the platoon sergeant show up to check on the station?s duty performance, when the computer monitoring the sensor bleeped. Sighing, M?tu?tusa keyed his data pod (it would not do to have some officer pick it up while it was in novel mode) and reached for his Terran Coffee, a taste he had acquired after long association with humans in the defense forces, before turning to deal with yet another in-offensive anomaly detection. Just once, he wished, why could it not be ?the real thing??

M?tu?tusa keyed the computer to download the information to his station. Around him, the other men of the duty shift continued performing their various tasks, many as bored as he was, although all aware that it might just be possible that the bleep was an unannounced drill, and that M?tu?tusa?s delay in handling it would doubtless annoy both Captain Kass and Lieutenant Kasper, not less there platoon sergeant.

After staring at the data for a few moments, M?tu?tusa suddenly went tense. No one noticed at first, but when his hand slammed the alarm switch with unnecessary force, some began to suspect that perhaps something really was up.

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

Scene: Lieutenant Colonel Knight?s Quarters, 0238 hrs, local time, Cassandra VI.

Lieutenant Colonel Knight bolted upright in his bed from a sound sleep. He had only gone to sleep an hour before after finally escaping from the Planetary Governor?s formal reception in honor of his (the Governor?s) daughter?s 17th birthday. The Alarm was not from his bedroom clock, but the one tuned to the battalion?s alarm system.

Slamming his fist on the communicator beside his bed, Colonel Knight demanded, "What?s the situation.

"Sir," came the voice of the officer of the watch, "A Klingon cruiser has been detected approaching the planet . . ."

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 04:07 pm: Edit

Reporting to duty staition, ready to receive orders.(responding to Btn Alert.)

Major Wile.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 04:41 pm: Edit

Lt. Col. Knight began dressing imediatly as he began giving orders. "Go to full alert, all hands. Prepare to scramble fighters and get the Warning stations on active scan. I want details as I'm walking through the door."

The night before saw the Colonel drinking a bit more than usual but less than most. He stepped quickly into the rest room to relieve himself and splash a bit of water on his face. Comming for another try at me you Klink bastards? Alright, lets do it!
Col. Knight grabbed his tunic and bolted out the door. The rush of air cooled his moist face and brought him the rest of the way to full alertness if the adrenaline hadn't already. All around him personel were hurrying to their posts and he had to dodge several on his way to the Command Center. He gave a final tug to straighten his tunic and came to a stop just before the doors of the CC opened. Stepping lively into the room he said "Details?"

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

SPP: I'm a bit unprepared to begin this at the moment but basically ready to begin preparing. I need to review the layout and such.

Also, I like to remind you that there was a change to the system name in the post just above yours (actually posted by you from an E-mail by me). SO, this would be The Battle of Noumea (AKA Caledonia IV). in the Caledonia system. Cassandra is still a code name for the System. Cassandra is a daughter of a Starfleet Admiral that was murdered (in his eyes) by the Klingons when they first took the system at the beginning of the GW.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 06:21 pm: Edit

The intruder closed at warp 2.46, prompting DefSats B and C to launched drones. At 30,000 kilometers the two DefSats fired their phasers.

The intruder shrugged off the phaser shots, as it anti-drone system dealt with the drones, and drove in.

By Douglas E. Lampert (Dlampert) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 06:42 pm: Edit

Did you intend to start at only 13 hexes out?

That seems awfully close, should that be 1,280,000 km?

By David Kass (Dkass) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 07:45 pm: Edit

My participation right now is going to have to be very limited. I will try to feed suggestions and what little color I can...

Sorry

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 08:51 pm: Edit

SPP: Aren't the Def Sats under my control?

Also, was I to infer that the Klingons entered >15 undetected at sub-light and that the burst of energy was the ship(s) jumping to warp 2.46 from speed 1 in the time it took to pee and run 10 meters to the Command Center?

I would seem to me that we skipped turn one where the max speed would have been 10.

I though we had discussed that we would start at R30. I assumed I would be in the Command Center by then. Apperantly I'm at WS1?

By Stewart W Frazier (Frazikar) on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 10:37 pm: Edit

Unless there's a moon to assist in blocking standard scans, even silent running wouldn't let the Klingons sneek that close unless SPP's pulling a 'surprise'!

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 10:45 am: Edit

Colonel Knight:

At this point I need just one piece of information before continuing.

Are you actually ordering the fighters to take off with their drone rails empty? That is the current status. Please advise.

Major Harding:

Are you going to support or oppose Colonel Knight's order for your fighters to launch without drones on their drone rails?

Situation is holding pending response from either Colonel Knight or Major Harding on the above.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 12:34 pm: Edit

Prepare to scramble fighters meant start loading and get the pilots to their ships. I have not yet given the order to launch. I just passed through the CC doors and requested Details. The first details I expect to hear is composition and range of the Klingon force. The GWS should be activly scanning and sending out OEW on the largest target.

I'm not quite ready, I don't have this layed out so I'm playing blind. I can get on it but I need a little time. I can try to review and lay out the map today but it might take until the weekend. Please let me do this so I can make intellegent responses. If I'm to end up a SFU character, I like him not to be a dope!

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 03:09 pm: Edit

Scene: Near Noumea/Caldonia VI

Krault watched the ADD system engage the approaching drones. The first drone was taken out by the ADD?s first shot, but he second required three. He was buffeted briefly, as was the rest of the crew, by the weapons fire of the two DefSats, but the heavy jamming against their limited EW suites allowed no significant harm through the reinforcement.

K?lenn spoke, "Approaching cargo release point."

Krault replied, "The mission is a go."

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

Scene: Near Orbit, Noumea/Caldonia VI

The Intruder swung into a low orbit, and began shuddering violently as it encountered the upper traces of the planet?s atmosphere. As the intruder rounded the curve of the planet, DefSat A, its computer mind alerted to the approach by DefSats B and C, anticipated the arrival, launching a drone and firing its phasers directly into the intruder?s face at near pointblank range.

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

Scene: Near Orbit, Noumea/Caldonia VI, Engineering

Fallick saw the #1 shield straining to contain the energy of the point blank phaser blast, but breathed a sigh as his registers showed the shield still holding. He triggered his communicator, "Commander, the #1 shield will not take any more."

"Noted," Krault replied, "but reserve power is still at my discretion."

As he cut the channel to Fallick the Slirdarian gunner Targul said "I have lock on the drone, but it is not solid, there is jamming coming from the planet?s surface."

"Fire phasers on full power, we have to be sure of a kill."

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

Scene: Near Orbit, Noumea/Caldonia VI

Two phaser beams lashed out from the intruder and tickled the drone launched by DefSat A. For a moment it seemed they had had no effect, then the drone began tumbling uncontrollably before slamming into Noumea?s atmosphere and tearing asunder.

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

Scene: Command Center, 429th Planetary Defense Battalion, Noumea/Caldonia VI

The watch officer looked up as the Battalion Commander entered the Command Center. Young, but aged beyond his years in the last few moments, he now faced an task he felt harder than if the intruder had indeed been a real threat.

"Sir," he began, "The . . . the intruder is not a Klingon cruiser."

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

Scene: Near orbit of Noumea/Caldonia VI

DefSat?s C and B again acquired the intruder as it sped away. Still reacting to their automatic systems for use when the Battalion was not on full alert (when they would be under direct command guidance with merely humanoid intelligence choosing when and at what they should fire) again sprayed the departing gunboat with phaser fire, and launched drones.

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

Scene: Near Noumea/Caldonia VI

The G1G completed its close transit of the planet, and accelerated to near its maximum velocity while initiating the erratic maneuvers so beloved of Ensign Koveck. The flanking shield was badly scored by the DefSat?s phaser fire, there not being much power remaining for reinforcement this time, but the cargo access hatch swung smoothly closed.

"On course for deep space, heading for maximum acceleration," K?lenn, the boat?s helmsman said.

"Acknowledged" responded Commander Krault. Switching channels on his helmet communicator by speaking the name of the crewman he wanted to address he said "Fallick, once the phasers are recharged, divert all power to shields, ECM, and Helm" unstated was the thought "for use in evading enemy fire." Targul, I do not think the ADD s we have left are going to take care of those drones, if we cannot outrun them, you will have to take care of them."

Krault looked at the readout of his forward and right flank shields, grateful that they would not be a subject of the enemy?s attention again any time soon, and even more grateful that the DefSats had not been photon types, and had gotten lucky.

"Fallick, you have control of the reserve power" Krault said, beginning to settle into the idea that he would not be joining the Black Fleet this day.
============================

Scene: Command Center, 429th Planetary Defense Battalion, Noumea/Caldonia VI

As the Duty Officer continued to try to stammer out an explanation to Colonel Knight and Major Wile, who had arrived seconds after the Colonel, the Senior Duty NCO interrupted.

Colonel Knight, we are getting reports from all over the planet of Klingon troops being inserted.

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

Scene: Home of Lieutenant Colonel Baluda, Noumea/Caldonia VI

Baluda awoke, as did many citizens of the planet, to the sound of continuous rolling thunder from a virtually cloudless sky. It began in the west, and passed over to the east.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 03:13 pm: Edit

For those who have not figured it out yet.

See Page #78 of Captain's Log #25.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 03:26 pm: Edit

Oh, yeah. I DID deliberately throw a ringer by allowing fighters on Combat Space Patrol, the status of the Battalion was WS-0, but not "surprised".

I also tried to leave clues. One clue was the acceleration of the intruder. Normal ships cannot jump from zero to speed 15, but PFs (and X-ships) can. The range was stated to be consistent with the article in hopes someone would remember reading it. While the rank of the Klingon leader was stated as "commander", I was careful not to state a real rank, i.e., being in charge of a PF he was not really a "Captain", but a "skipper", and I avoided referring to the ranks of anyone else except the very junior "ensign".

The battalion's various stations were not "fully manned", but simply on watch (WS-0) with skeleton crews. And the crews were bored (happens, what can I say, in even the best and most elite units, as well as the shoddiest). Some training was going on (that is actually what the "fighter patrols" the Klingon observed were, training flights) with some variation due to sunrise and sunset.

I would not actually try to run this without Loren having a chance to have his stuff laid out, but thought this little vignette might at least give some impetus and fire to the topic.

By Marc Baluda (Marc) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 03:58 pm: Edit

Scene: Home of Lieutenant Colonel Baluda, Noumea/Caldonia VI

Baluda awoke, as did many citizens of the planet, to the sound of continuous rolling thunder from a virtually cloudless sky. It began in the west, and passed over to the east.

"Dammit! I'm boing to put my foot through the spine of those fighter jocks."

Less than pleased at being woken up by sonic booms the morning after the Governor's bash, Baluda bolted upright in bed to reach for the communicator in the hopes of venting his rage before his wits kicked in. For some reason, it always seemed that simple solutions to problems faded as one becomes more awake.

Unfortunately the night's events over took Baluda and his head swelled with pain - the "special gift" that his troops had selected as a present for the Governor had been far to smooth for the alcohol content. With the headache came memories of a lampshade on his head and several of his senior officers screaming "DISCOMASTER! DISCOMASTER!" at him until the Governor's personal assistant ejected him and his senior officers from the party, albeit in the form of suggested "late night party spots."

That's when Baluda thought the "foot time" for the offending pilot could wait until later, and he promptly put his head back down on the pillow with a groan.

Whoever that was overhead would be spared for the time being - the only thing left to immediately deal with was trying to figure out if the klaxon going off was just a part of his hangover.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 05:49 pm: Edit

"Not a cruiser...then what the hell is it?! And where is the patrol? Have them engage at medium range. Launch drones and occupy them but don't get killed. Just buy some time to launch the rest of the squadron." Col. Knight turned to Communications and started in on him. "Have Fighter Ops start loading some cluster bombs and get the ground attack pods on Ghost Flight. Banshee Flight will be rigged for Space Combat! Also, have Raper report in as soon as he is in his tank. I want him killing Klingons before his but hits the seat!"


+++++++++++++++

SPP, I might have the Flights reversed as I don't remember off hand which one has the EWF. I still haven't been able to get my stuff together but had a moment to check in. I'm going to read the CL article tonight.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 06:11 pm: Edit

Speaking for Captain Justin Howell:

"Sir, it was a fast patrol ship, a G1G ground assault boat. The Klingons have been using them to insert agents onto planets. Well . . . not always. We (fleet intelligence) are pretty sure that sometimes they just drop decoys. Even if this was a real run, there was probably only a single real commando team.

"They could be anywhere on the planet, if they are here at all.

"Right now," Howell pointed at the planetary monitor board, "we are getting indications of at least 1,500 possible landing sites. That will probably increase by a factor of ten in the next hour based on reports from other planets where this has occurred.

"And the decoys self-destruct very shortly after landing, so even if we get a team to a given site in the next minute, they may find nothing at all.

Battalion Command Sergeant Major Plana now spoke up, after reviewing the data on the near space board.

"There's no way the fighters are going to catch them. They're going too fast. By the time the fighters even breach atmosphere, the Klingons'll be gone. They timed their run when the training flight was on its outbound leg, it just cannot get back in time to have a hope of an intercept.

"That boat just picked off one of the drones the DefSats launched as it started to go, and is about to reach the limit of the DefSat's control range . . . there they go."

Colonel Knight looked up in time to see the flare of the boats transition to high warp die from the screen.

"Colonel Knight?" Knight turned to see Lieutenant Palmer. "Sir, the Planetary Governor is on the communications system. He wants to know what the heck is going on, his daughter and wife are both very distraught about thunder."

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 06:19 pm: Edit

/b{Scene:Command Center, 429th Defense Btn.
Noumea/Caledonia VI.}

working at a standby terminal, Major wile, starts the data analysis on the enemy operations.

Col Knight is going to want assessments of the threat level, not to mention insertion points by the boarding parties.

a separate file was started to review how the enemy was able to approach so closely, and to prepare recommendations for correcting any deficiencies found.

Wonder if its worth sending a fighter patrol on the reciprical course plot?

After all tasks completed, Major Wile pulled both the schematics of the G1G, and an inquiry of all G1G's encountered for the last 5 years, with sensor records to compare to the "intruder".

Define the problem, then the response!

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 02:34 am: Edit

SPP: Having read the CL25 article, I understand what you're doing. Pretty cool.

I'm wiped out and haven't been able to clear my head to write a response from the point of the Gov's call. I have something in mind but I'm too weary to put it together.

See ya, tomorrow!

By Paul Stovell (Pauls) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 04:36 am: Edit

/b{Scene:Command Center, 429th Defense Btn.
Noumea/Caledonia VI.}

Sometime after the G1G pass

"Colonel,

With no warning there wasn't time to get the defense phasers warmed up. As you know we can't keep them in a permanent state of readiness. All I can suggest is that we step-up our training schedule. I'll have to get back to you with exact figures but we maybe able to have a battery warm say two hours a day. If we keep the schedules random it will at least make a repeat attempt a bit more risky. Its a shame, one solid hit from one of those big boys and the PF would be a smoking hulk"

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 11:49 am: Edit

And Paul Stovell hits on one of the reasons such raids are workable.

And one of the flaws in the designs of some PDUs.

No batteries.

The battalion has the following phasers in its ground bases: 3xPhaser-4, 1xPhaser-2, and 18xPhaser-3.

It is in total some 53 APRs.

But it has no batteries. Not one. Not a single battery on any of the battalion's ground bases.

What this means is that if a scenario begins with an opponent having one "free move", e.g., the defenders are not allowed any energy allocation except what they can accomplish through reserve power, the battalion cannot even begin warming the phaser capacitors until the start of Turn #2, and cannot get off a phaser shot until the start of Turn #3 in such a circumstance.

Photon Ground Bases are no better in such circumstance as they take two turns to arm.

The Advantage of Phaser-4 ground bases is that if two of them are linked in a power grid to a Small Ground Power Station, they can be warmed up on Turn #1 and start shooting on Turn #2 rather than Turn #3.

And of course the Klingons would have a harder time pulling this off against the Kzintis (and vice versa) if the heavy weapons ground bases were Disruptors (which can open up on Turn #2, with full overloads at close range), or could find themselves in trouble from a lot of drones suddenly breaking atmosphere from drone ground bases.

And while fusions beams are disparaged, the can also open up on Turn #2 while the G1G is close in. Hellbores have the same problems as photons (and thus the same delays as a Phaser).

It is even easier to pull this off against a planet with a Plasma-S battalion because the Plasma-S takes three turns to load, and cannot be fast loaded (no batteries) without Ground Power Stations in a power Grid, and even then only one per such Ground Power Station (only two batteries).

But, against a Plasma-F Battalion . . . all bets are off because the plasmas are ready to launch or bolt right away.

A Plasma-D ground base is no a threat on Turn #2, but only if it bolts, as it cannot arm the Plasma-Ds on Turn #1, and you are running away and showing a clean pair of heels on Turn #2, i.e., in seeking mode they will not catch you before they run out of juice. Of course, such a ground base linked to a Small Power Station is a different matter during your approach, as the batteries of the power station can be used to arm up to eight plasma-Ds.

So, three things from all of this.

The first is that you can see the mission is risky. If the PF is spotted before it can begin its "dash", and is not aware that it has been spotted, it will come to a bad end very quickly. (Survival pod anyone?)

If the planet has a slightly better Defense Battalion (Small Ground Power Stations), the PF is unlikely to survive. (You are probably going to take at least one pointblank phaser-4 shot in such case against a phaser-4 battalion, a two-turn-F on Turn #2 versus a plasma-S battalion, hellbores from a hellbore battalion, and at least a smattering of phaser-fire from any other type of battalion in addition to fusion or disruptor fire.)

If the planet is alerted, the PF is just dead.

Your principle opponent is going to any DefSats and what they are armed with if your PF is not spotted, because they are always armed and ready (R1.15A). And you are (in reality) never certain what they are armed with until you encounter them. And it is the Plasma DefSats that will keep you from pulling this mission (one or more plasma-Fs in your face is pretty much "mission scrub" time). Photon, disruptor, hellbore, or phaser DefSats might be spoofed by electronic warfare causing their weapons to miss, or at least mitigating the damage, and at least they cannot overload. Drones can at least be shot down (you do not have enough phasers to mitigate plasmas).

By Xander Fulton (Dderidex) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 01:27 pm: Edit

I would argue, then, that *which* plasma the planetary defense battalion is armed with is irrelevant. If it's planet-based plasma, the DEFSATS will be plasma, too - and the mission is over before it starts.

Does make you wonder why anyone would deploy drone-based DEFSATS in the late war period, though. If they cannot get enough drones out to saturate a single PF's defenses, what hope do they have against a ship? The only way drone-based DEFSATS make sense is if the planetary defense battalion has drone-based ground stations (to include a couple Type-H bases).

This, of course, is just as bad as plasma. Turn 1 bad news for the PF, and the mission is aborted before it starts.

By Marc Baluda (Marc) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 01:47 pm: Edit

Scene: Home of Lieutenant Colonel Baluda, Noumea/Caldonia VI

Time: Landing + 0:02

Lt. Colonel Baluda looked out the bay window of his cabin. It was small, but it was wired into the planetary Net - one of the perks of leading and surviving the Resistance against the Klingons was having the deference of the engineering corps the Feds had delivered, and getting direct-linked into the Defense grid through 40 miles of mountains was a large part of that. He took two steps to his console, dismissing the alarm and activating the communications link:

"Who's on?"

"Lieutenant Pumpernickle, sir."

"Are the Feds pissing over some Orion again?"

"Not this time - Klingons, sir. We don't have the full story but the Net is filled with reports that a small vessel penetrated planetary defenses and inserted ground forces. Okay, more's coming up...........another second........I can't get anything other than potential landing sites, and there are far too many for me to make heads or tails of yet. Information is continuing to come in."

"Get a transporter up and bring me over."

"Checking now.....we'll set up a relay through the DefSats and have you at HQ in less than two minutes."

"Straight up - get the boys motivated, equipped and mounted. Warm up the available shuttles. I want the Hounds ready to be released in 15 minutes in whatever battle gear they can get their hands on. Anything that can't get assembled gets left behind. Find the Klingons for me, Lieutenant."

"It'll get done, Colonel."

Baluda grabbed the phaser rifle from the closet, pulled on a mountain parka and grabbed his boots. There wasn't time for much else, and he didn't have much in any event. He gave a quick look around the room in the hope that he'd be back before some large mammal decided to "explore" the place.

He could smell the air beginning to ionize, and his hair stood on end as the room began to light up - a transporter wasn't the most romantic way to get off the mountain, but it was fast.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 02:07 pm: Edit

SPP: Gutsy move on your part. Under (S4.1), the WS-0 will only happen 1/6 of the time; never if a planet that was recently the site of a battle is considered a war zone.

Though I would be more concerned if the dropped PFs happened to have plasma armament. If you can get a PF into position to land before the ground bases can fire, 2 Gorn PFs can take out 3 ground bases a turn.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 02:09 pm: Edit

Xander Fulton:

Sorry, wrong answer.

A plasma battalion is as likely to have phaser-2 DefSats as plasma DefSats, probably more likely to have the phaser DefSats.

Why?

Because the phaser DefSats can degrade INCOMING plasma torpedoes launched for general destruction bombardment.

Do not fixate on "single purpose".

Sure, plasma-F DefSat, no PF will get close. But is a marauding PF the principle problem?

And Phaser-2 DefSats can fire "continuously" while Plasma-D DefSats run out of ammo pretty quickly (and become little better than half a phaser-2 DefSat at that point) while a plasma-F on a DefSat has to reload.

Drone DefSats (as was noted in earlier parts of this topic) operate in two modes (actually, all DefSats do to some extent). For purposes of the just completed exercise, there was "surprise." [Not the complete surprise of (D18.0), perhaps "startlement" would be a better term?]. Given the surprise, the DefSats operated in "autonomous mode"(for want of a better term) (R1.15D), i.e., the garrison was not up and alert, they did not know "heute ist der tage". Had Colonel Knight's battalion been on alert, then the DefSats would have been in "Command Mode" [(R1.15D) again], which means that Colonel Knight could have ordered the DefSats to "flush" all of their drones (M4.412).

If the two DefSats that were in arc when the action began had each launched two drones apiece, the G1G would have been forced to abort.

As it was, the DefSats conserved their ammunition, and did draw out the "attacker's" phasers.

By Richard Wells (Rwwells) on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 02:31 pm: Edit

SPP: Would the DefSats be in Command Mode on Turn #2, presumably the turn the PFs are mired in the atmosphere trying to land? Might prove enough of an overkill situation to remove the menace; 5 drones and the phasers should take out a single PF.