We wouldn't have to jump further out than they did (might even be able to get closer), we only managed to detect them because of SARAH and our secret SLDF sensor network, i really doubt the Dracs have anything comparable.
Quest Deep Periphery Quest (Battletech Sandbox Empire Builder)
- Thread starter LordSunhawk
- Start date
Thors_Alumni
Well-known member
We really need to get around to fixing the parts of the System that have gone dark for reasons, That Texas class that apeared and chased the original Enterprise, would not have gotten that close if we had had sensors in place to detect its jump signature when it jumped in.
Agreed, do we know what we need to repair them properly yet? being able to fix them up and then eventually build more would be great, especially for Calliope.
Thors_Alumni
Well-known member
not yet, we still have way to many things we need to do first on top of all the rebuilding and reconstruction from the recent battle.
Simonbob
Well-known member
That's pretty much what I wanted.
Space raid, see what's going on, and blow up spacedocks to slow them down. We can fix them properly when we have troops, training and time.
Let's get more time.
The jump limit of a solar system is based on the gravitational influence of the star/planets being weak enough to permit formation of a stable K-F jump point. Since the star's gravity is many orders of magnitude greater than that of the planets orbiting it, this is in practical terms dictated solely by the star, with planets only influencing the formation of pirate points, which are locations where a planet's gravity "cancels out" the sun's gravity enough to create an area *inside* the normally excluded zone where a jump can be made.
The overall jump limit from stellar gravity is going to be a straightforward sphere; the traditional zenith and nadir points are simply the most convenient points on that sphere for sublight transit from/to the planets of the system, which is why they're the traditional places that people go to.
Agreed, and now that we have the captured Monoliths, we can do a large raid without having to wait for our WarShip to be refurbished.
Val the Moofia Boss
Well-known member
Wait, why are we infiltrating our allies? Gustavason has never lied to us, never tried to manipulate or us, let alone commit any hostile actions against us. He risked his life trying to get as many Polish slaves out of the Combine as possible. Gustavson kept his word and never broke the armistice. He has always acted in good faith with us, even when we gave him none. Sure, we should be passively collecting and analyzing info, but we shouldn't risk being caught spying on him. That's why the decision was made to not wire tap the NRI embassy, right? Trust is a long term investment.
Also, Gustavson represents a sizeable Drac population that IS NOT bloodcrazed like the Combine. If we enter into hostilities with Gustavson... well, occupation efforts are going to be REALLY BAD, because we'll be dealing with a sizeable population that we have antagonized. We really don't want to deal with years long insurgencies! And Gustavson is really our only chance of at least getting some of the not crazy (but coerced) Combine folks to jump ship. If we end up fighting and crushing Gustavson, then the less fanatical Combine guys don't have a reason to surrender or defect to us, as they will perceive us as being ruthless against their blood.
Is Dagny (the first mechwarrior pilot we ever acquired, who was from Canopus) still alive? Now that we're getting jump ships, we could ask her to introduce us to them and broker relations. I guess we can put this off if people are terrified of Comstar, but... eh. It's been like 50 years since the story began. If Dagny was at least 20 when we found her, then she must be in her 70s. It would be nice if she could see her homeland again before she passes away. Well, there's the life extension stuff, but still.
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Jarow
Well-known member
Regarding NRR: many people really don't want to trust them. I lean more your side, but try to follow general thoughts of people here or in the discord for choosing actions. In the infiltration question, I decided a "trust but verify" approach wouldn't be too unreasonable, especially to possibly counter any ISF/O5P infiltrators from the Combine.
Regarding Dagny: I loosely remember seeing something somewhere about her retiring? Been a while, so not certain. We're a bit far from Canopus (and a few too many Dracs in the way) to bother trying to make contact right now, but not impossible we'll end up doing so before she dies (assuming she's alive). At our current Life Extension level, people are "safe" until 120, at which point death via aging starts being possible, so we (probably, depending on her age at the beginning) have time.
Regarding Dagny: I loosely remember seeing something somewhere about her retiring? Been a while, so not certain. We're a bit far from Canopus (and a few too many Dracs in the way) to bother trying to make contact right now, but not impossible we'll end up doing so before she dies (assuming she's alive). At our current Life Extension level, people are "safe" until 120, at which point death via aging starts being possible, so we (probably, depending on her age at the beginning) have time.
Personally for me it's because while Gustavson might be the face of the NRR we really can't judge the entire polity on his behavior alone.
If it was just him we had to deal with i'd agree with you but considering that his core group is made up of spheroids from the Combine i'll be far happier knowing exactly whats going on there before we commit to giving the NRR full support/start thinking about proper alliances.
lordmcdeath
Well-known member
I also look at infiltrating the NRR as essentially an extended counter intel operation. We are looking for Drac agents and other such that might be targeting our embassy or citizens.
Turn 55 - That Mister MacArther's Looked All Over Town
Turn 55 - That Mister MacArthur’s Looked All Over Town
Unicorn returns from her latest supply trip to Calliope… but she doesn’t return alone. Two additional Tramp jumpships, still in the markings of the DCMS, are in company, each with a pair of Mammoth dropships on two of their three collars.
By the time you reach the command center after you are awakened their reports have arrived. HMS Warrior had been posted as a picket at Calliope’s zenith jump point, and had been able to catch three DCMS Tramps as they jumped in, two were carrying a mix of Mammoths and Achilles, the third had a Union-CV and a pair of Leopard-CVs.
The commander of HMS Warrior had fought his ship brilliantly, and while she was badly damaged in the fighting, she was able to destroy all of the enemy combat dropships.
You get to watch the recordings of the battle. HMS Warrior was near the Zenith when she detected incoming KF signatures, she boosted towards them, as there were no scheduled arrivals. The three signatures resolved themselves into a trio of Tramps, all in Drac markings.
The CO of HMS Warrior promptly demanded that the enemy power down and surrender, while launching the on board ASF squadron. The Union-CV then started to detach themselves, prompting him to immediately open fire, destroying that Jumpship along with the three attached dropships en-passant with long range capital fire. The two Achilles managed to launch in the meantime, and HMS Warrior and the two swift aerodynes got into a brutal brawl, which resulted in two destroyed Drac dropships and a badly damaged HMS Warrior.
The two remaining Tramps promptly surrendered and boarding parties were dispatched. Upon boarding the two jumpships they found signs of mutiny on board each. The captains and several ISF agents on the two captured jumpships had… committed suicide with small caliber pistol shots to the back of the head. The surviving crews are all natives of Nowa Warszawa and were requesting political asylum. The CO was bumping that over to you.
[/I][/I]
It is what is in the Mammoths that is of greater interest, the cargo holds are packed to the bulkheads with crate after crate of NRI-grade gauss rifles, all in their original packaging, and all evidently originating from a major arms manufacturer… on Tarentum. According to the crews, on the outbound journey the DCMS had shipped Mammoth loads of freshly manufactured Stinger battlemechs, and had been paid in these gauss rifles. According to documents recovered from the captain’s computers and the personal papers of the ISF agents, there was a brewing rebellion on Tarentum, supported by the Dracs.
HMS Warrior will require several months in the repair dock. Casualties were relatively light, considering the brutal nature of the battle, with only seven dead and a dozen seriously injured. You lost three ASFs in the fighting, the other 9 had to remain behind with the garrison due to the destruction of HMS Warrior’s ASF bays making it impossible for her to support them herself.
One consequence of this battle is that the Navy is proposing the construction and deployment of a fully modular space station to Calliope. Unlike the integrated Star Fort design, the proposed White Tower is fully modular and thus can be built much faster, albeit at a substantial price premium. In fact, the White Tower is almost 28 times more expensive than a Star Fort, but can be transported in sections by Jumpship to other systems.
Inspired by the White Tower, the same design team has designed an integrated non-modular station that they are calling the Silver Tower for construction within the Griffon system that is almost ten times cheaper, but far more deadly.
The White Tower supports a single Wing of fighters, while the Silver Tower supports three wings of fighters.
(QM Note - making a station Modular so it can be broken down and transported by Jumpship is ridiculously expensive, but is balanced in that you don’t have to develop the target systems industry before building the thing in situ)
The Navy is also proposing to completely replace the Defiant class Parasite Light Gunboats with the PGL-50 class, a highly efficient design that masses over twice as much as the Defiant while providing a far more lethal platform. Unlike the earlier design, the PGL-50 would be able to serve as the basis for a SAR and Customs platform for the Space Guard once suitably modified with surgical theaters and a naval tug adaptor.
The Colonial Office has put in an emergency request for the deployment of a White Tower to Calliope, on the basis that now that it is known that the Dracs are using the system, our interests there require us to be ready to defend it robustly.
The request is included along with their initial report. Calliope IV does possess a unified government on the old ‘federal republic’ model, which seems stable enough considering the relatively small and concentrated population. Their steam-derived technology is actually surprisingly sophisticated. For example, they have steam powered dirigibles, steam cars, surprisingly capable factories driven by steam, gears, cogs and belts, a solid understanding of pneumatics and hydraulics with extensive use of both.
They have a large list of exports that Calliope IV is in a solid position to provide, mostly luxury goods ranging from the products of their amazing breweries and distilleries, to luxury goods like ultra-precision clockwork timepieces and gadgets. They wish to import military equipment, mostly infantry gear, along with simple tanks and conventional aircraft that their industry can support. They also wish to import medicines and educational materials.
According to the reports, the locals view you very favorably indeed, and 2nd RRF is making an exceptional impression on the locals as well, setting up outreach events with local communities. Of particular mention is the organization of a steam bike racing league that the 2nd has set up to great enthusiasm. The news of HMS Warrior’s actions at the Zenith has been shared with the locals, the pilots of the 9 ASFs which are now operating out of ground bases while they wait for HMS Warrior to return have been getting all the free booze that they can drink.
There is a proposal for a single Monolith raid on the Drac held system ‘Atarashi’. The raiding force would consist of HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Barfleur, and HMS Centurion of the Royal Sovereign class, HMS Sentinel of the Sentinel class to gather intel, HMS Gary, HMS Derwent, and HMS Itchen of the Tyrannosaurus-class to act as a screen for the Monolith herself, and AKA-01 to carry any captured loot back from any orbital facilities.
Another proposal is for a three Monolith raid on New Sekigahara (Nowa Warszawa). The raiding force would consist of HMS Empress of Nowy Gdansk, HMS Ramillies, HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, HMS Magnificent and HMS Penelope of the Royal Sovereign class, HMS Langley, HMS Saratoga, and HMS Lexington of the Langley class, HMS HMS Porcupine, HMS Waveney, HMS Boyne, HMS Erne, HMS Ettrick, HMS Exe, HMS Cherwell, HMS Vistula, and HMS Dee of the Tyrannosaur class, HMS Conflict, HMS Wizard, and HMS Fervent of the Troodon class to act as Jumpship defense, and AKA-02, AKA-03, and AKA-04 to serve to carry any captured material back.
Unicorn returns from her latest supply trip to Calliope… but she doesn’t return alone. Two additional Tramp jumpships, still in the markings of the DCMS, are in company, each with a pair of Mammoth dropships on two of their three collars.
By the time you reach the command center after you are awakened their reports have arrived. HMS Warrior had been posted as a picket at Calliope’s zenith jump point, and had been able to catch three DCMS Tramps as they jumped in, two were carrying a mix of Mammoths and Achilles, the third had a Union-CV and a pair of Leopard-CVs.
The commander of HMS Warrior had fought his ship brilliantly, and while she was badly damaged in the fighting, she was able to destroy all of the enemy combat dropships.
You get to watch the recordings of the battle. HMS Warrior was near the Zenith when she detected incoming KF signatures, she boosted towards them, as there were no scheduled arrivals. The three signatures resolved themselves into a trio of Tramps, all in Drac markings.
The CO of HMS Warrior promptly demanded that the enemy power down and surrender, while launching the on board ASF squadron. The Union-CV then started to detach themselves, prompting him to immediately open fire, destroying that Jumpship along with the three attached dropships en-passant with long range capital fire. The two Achilles managed to launch in the meantime, and HMS Warrior and the two swift aerodynes got into a brutal brawl, which resulted in two destroyed Drac dropships and a badly damaged HMS Warrior.
The two remaining Tramps promptly surrendered and boarding parties were dispatched. Upon boarding the two jumpships they found signs of mutiny on board each. The captains and several ISF agents on the two captured jumpships had… committed suicide with small caliber pistol shots to the back of the head. The surviving crews are all natives of Nowa Warszawa and were requesting political asylum. The CO was bumping that over to you.
[/I][/I]
| [] | Grant asylum, these people are victims of the Dracs, not the Dracs themselves |
| [] | Hold them as POWs for now, in order to ensure against sleeper agents. We can’t be too careful |
It is what is in the Mammoths that is of greater interest, the cargo holds are packed to the bulkheads with crate after crate of NRI-grade gauss rifles, all in their original packaging, and all evidently originating from a major arms manufacturer… on Tarentum. According to the crews, on the outbound journey the DCMS had shipped Mammoth loads of freshly manufactured Stinger battlemechs, and had been paid in these gauss rifles. According to documents recovered from the captain’s computers and the personal papers of the ISF agents, there was a brewing rebellion on Tarentum, supported by the Dracs.
| [] | Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th. |
| [] | Chaos could be an opportunity, if the NRI is engulfed in a civil war we can take advantage of the situation. We may be friendly, but nations do not have friends, they have interests, and it may be in our interest to unsettle the NRI. |
HMS Warrior will require several months in the repair dock. Casualties were relatively light, considering the brutal nature of the battle, with only seven dead and a dozen seriously injured. You lost three ASFs in the fighting, the other 9 had to remain behind with the garrison due to the destruction of HMS Warrior’s ASF bays making it impossible for her to support them herself.
One consequence of this battle is that the Navy is proposing the construction and deployment of a fully modular space station to Calliope. Unlike the integrated Star Fort design, the proposed White Tower is fully modular and thus can be built much faster, albeit at a substantial price premium. In fact, the White Tower is almost 28 times more expensive than a Star Fort, but can be transported in sections by Jumpship to other systems.
Inspired by the White Tower, the same design team has designed an integrated non-modular station that they are calling the Silver Tower for construction within the Griffon system that is almost ten times cheaper, but far more deadly.
The White Tower supports a single Wing of fighters, while the Silver Tower supports three wings of fighters.
| Name | Cost | Materials | HP | A/D | Specials |
| White Tower System Defense Fortress | 6,528,515 | DHS | 1133 | 583 |
|
| Silver Tower System Defense Fortress | 687,874 | DHS | 1491 | 991 |
|
(QM Note - making a station Modular so it can be broken down and transported by Jumpship is ridiculously expensive, but is balanced in that you don’t have to develop the target systems industry before building the thing in situ)
The Navy is also proposing to completely replace the Defiant class Parasite Light Gunboats with the PGL-50 class, a highly efficient design that masses over twice as much as the Defiant while providing a far more lethal platform. Unlike the earlier design, the PGL-50 would be able to serve as the basis for a SAR and Customs platform for the Space Guard once suitably modified with surgical theaters and a naval tug adaptor.
| Name | Cost | Materials | HP | A/D | Specials |
| PGL-50 | 69,128.64 | FA, DHS | 462 | 312 |
|
The Colonial Office has put in an emergency request for the deployment of a White Tower to Calliope, on the basis that now that it is known that the Dracs are using the system, our interests there require us to be ready to defend it robustly.
| [] | Agree with emergency request |
|
| [] | Deny emergency request |
|
The request is included along with their initial report. Calliope IV does possess a unified government on the old ‘federal republic’ model, which seems stable enough considering the relatively small and concentrated population. Their steam-derived technology is actually surprisingly sophisticated. For example, they have steam powered dirigibles, steam cars, surprisingly capable factories driven by steam, gears, cogs and belts, a solid understanding of pneumatics and hydraulics with extensive use of both.
They have a large list of exports that Calliope IV is in a solid position to provide, mostly luxury goods ranging from the products of their amazing breweries and distilleries, to luxury goods like ultra-precision clockwork timepieces and gadgets. They wish to import military equipment, mostly infantry gear, along with simple tanks and conventional aircraft that their industry can support. They also wish to import medicines and educational materials.
According to the reports, the locals view you very favorably indeed, and 2nd RRF is making an exceptional impression on the locals as well, setting up outreach events with local communities. Of particular mention is the organization of a steam bike racing league that the 2nd has set up to great enthusiasm. The news of HMS Warrior’s actions at the Zenith has been shared with the locals, the pilots of the 9 ASFs which are now operating out of ground bases while they wait for HMS Warrior to return have been getting all the free booze that they can drink.
There is a proposal for a single Monolith raid on the Drac held system ‘Atarashi’. The raiding force would consist of HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Barfleur, and HMS Centurion of the Royal Sovereign class, HMS Sentinel of the Sentinel class to gather intel, HMS Gary, HMS Derwent, and HMS Itchen of the Tyrannosaurus-class to act as a screen for the Monolith herself, and AKA-01 to carry any captured loot back from any orbital facilities.
| [] | Approve Operation Twister |
| [] | Deny Operation Twister |
Another proposal is for a three Monolith raid on New Sekigahara (Nowa Warszawa). The raiding force would consist of HMS Empress of Nowy Gdansk, HMS Ramillies, HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, HMS Magnificent and HMS Penelope of the Royal Sovereign class, HMS Langley, HMS Saratoga, and HMS Lexington of the Langley class, HMS HMS Porcupine, HMS Waveney, HMS Boyne, HMS Erne, HMS Ettrick, HMS Exe, HMS Cherwell, HMS Vistula, and HMS Dee of the Tyrannosaur class, HMS Conflict, HMS Wizard, and HMS Fervent of the Troodon class to act as Jumpship defense, and AKA-02, AKA-03, and AKA-04 to serve to carry any captured material back.
| [] | Approve Operation Full Throttle |
| [] | Deny Operation Full Throttle |
Thors_Alumni
Well-known member
[X] Plan Onwards to Victory!
-[X Hold them as POWs for now, in order to ensure against sleeper agents. We can’t be too careful
-[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
-[X] White Tower System Defense Fortress
-[X] PGL-50
-[X] Agree with emergency request
-[X] Approve Operation Twister
-[X] Approve Operation Full Throttle
-[X Hold them as POWs for now, in order to ensure against sleeper agents. We can’t be too careful
-[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
-[X] White Tower System Defense Fortress
-[X] PGL-50
-[X] Agree with emergency request
-[X] Approve Operation Twister
-[X] Approve Operation Full Throttle
I think operation twister is a good start, full throttle should wait until we can produce jump ships to replace any losses. Also let's warn our allies and not be like perfidious albion.
Thors_Alumni
Well-known member
Word of GM on discord is we can do both at the same time. and we did just capture a couple of Tramps, not to mention that we still have 2 more Monolith's in system. Damaged and possibly haunted but we still have them.
kashim3
Texan, Mandalorian, Alabamian.
[X] Plan Onwards to Victory!
[X] Grant asylum, these people are victims of the Dracs, not the Dracs themselves
[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
[X] Agree with emergency request
---
[X] Approve Operation Twister
[X] Approve Operation Full Throttle
[X] Grant asylum, these people are victims of the Dracs, not the Dracs themselves
[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
[X] Agree with emergency request
---
[X] Approve Operation Twister
[X] Approve Operation Full Throttle
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Val the Moofia Boss
Well-known member
[X] Grant asylum, these people are victims of the Dracs, not the Dracs themselves
There absolutely would be Poles collaborators on the homeworld, but if there were any on the ship, they are now they are separated by a vast gulf of distance and time from the Dracs. There is no way any collaborators in our posession could realistically help the Dracs. What, they're going to try sabotoging a mech factory, and then get caught and that factory immediately fixed or replaced, making the output loss negligible? Are they going to spend years waiting for the next Drac raid and try to send a message to the incoming ships? Non-military personnel will never be allowed to go to the Polish homeworld until it is liberated, so it's not like they can scout here and then go back and be debriefed. Collaborators physically cannot help the Dracs out at all. Furthermore, the Poles have zero motivation to help the Dracs now; they've been captured and the Dracs will probably write them off as defectors and kill their families or something. There is literally no way the Poles can improve the situation for themselves or their families by helping out the Dracs. Let's not needlessly fret over this.
Interesting, so the DCMS has enough industry to be building up a military force to wage war on multiple fronts AND export left over mechs to other systems. That implies a huge mech factory infrastructure we want to capture.
[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
[X] Deny Operation Twister
[X] Deny Operation Full Throttle
I don't think we should give away the game until we're ready to fully invade and rapidly take the Drac held planets. The Dracs certainly know that we are stronger than previously thought, but as of right now they don't think we can come over there and hurt them, meaning they will leave themselves vulnerable. Let's keep it that way until we're ready for the real deal. If we prematurely raid, they will panic and start reprioritizing us. If they think they defeat or loss of held worlds is inevitable, then they might start doing a holocaust and killing off any Polish civilians they find out of spite, as well as performing scorched earth and destroying their own infrastructure.
There absolutely would be Poles collaborators on the homeworld, but if there were any on the ship, they are now they are separated by a vast gulf of distance and time from the Dracs. There is no way any collaborators in our posession could realistically help the Dracs. What, they're going to try sabotoging a mech factory, and then get caught and that factory immediately fixed or replaced, making the output loss negligible? Are they going to spend years waiting for the next Drac raid and try to send a message to the incoming ships? Non-military personnel will never be allowed to go to the Polish homeworld until it is liberated, so it's not like they can scout here and then go back and be debriefed. Collaborators physically cannot help the Dracs out at all. Furthermore, the Poles have zero motivation to help the Dracs now; they've been captured and the Dracs will probably write them off as defectors and kill their families or something. There is literally no way the Poles can improve the situation for themselves or their families by helping out the Dracs. Let's not needlessly fret over this.
Interesting, so the DCMS has enough industry to be building up a military force to wage war on multiple fronts AND export left over mechs to other systems. That implies a huge mech factory infrastructure we want to capture.
[X] Summon the NRI ambassador and turn over this intelligence. They are our friends, and friends warn friends of pending betrayals. Something Lord Palmerston said in the 19th century shouldn’t be binding in the 30th.
[X] Deny Operation Twister
[X] Deny Operation Full Throttle
I don't think we should give away the game until we're ready to fully invade and rapidly take the Drac held planets. The Dracs certainly know that we are stronger than previously thought, but as of right now they don't think we can come over there and hurt them, meaning they will leave themselves vulnerable. Let's keep it that way until we're ready for the real deal. If we prematurely raid, they will panic and start reprioritizing us. If they think they defeat or loss of held worlds is inevitable, then they might start doing a holocaust and killing off any Polish civilians they find out of spite, as well as performing scorched earth and destroying their own infrastructure.
darkcloudt2
Well-known member
[X] Plan Onwards to Victory!
Finally time to kick the dragon in his territory and then kick him in the balls.
Finally time to kick the dragon in his territory and then kick him in the balls.