[X] There's no reason to risk the whole Strike fleet. Peel off 6 Escort/Frigate squadrons to recon. All must have HPGs and be as fast as we can get. Volunteers only.
Quest Deep Periphery Quest (Battletech Sandbox Empire Builder)
- Thread starter LordSunhawk
- Start date
Knowledgeispower
Ah I love the smell of missile spam in the morning
Man it's a pitty we don't have unmanned recon jumpships
KyranKandosa
Well-known member
[X] Approve having Strike Fleet recointer the distant Black Steel formations
Turn 130 - Gotta Love It
Turn 130 - Gotta Love It
Combat Report - Arvum
Strike Fleet jumps out towards one of the expanding ‘clouds’ of Black Steel craft far beyond the KF limit of the Arvum system. You receive daily briefings concerning their reports, which seem to illustrate the adage that a stern chase is a long chase, and that at least these particular Black Steel ships do not seem particularly interested in engaging your forces.
The most interesting bit of data they’ve managed to acquire are blurry extreme range images of the ships in question, which appear to be approximately the size of a destroyer, but with an enormous array of antennae on the dorsal surface that, in volume at least, appears to be almost as large as the ship itself.
There are some clues as to the purpose, however. HPG communication with Strike Fleet and the Arvum system is being afflicted with the same sort of interference that the Ikea system had inadvertently caused, only in a far more intense format. As the cloud of vessels spreads out, HPG links are constantly degrading, leading to the inevitable conclusion that the entire purpose of these electronic warfare ships is communications denial.
Considering that your greatest victories against the Black Steel have resulted from clever use of the HPG to coordinate pincer attacks this is a depressingly sensible response. If they succeed in cutting off HPG communications to a system, then the only forces able to defend the system are those already present or summoned via courier. The upside is that it seems to take an enormous effort, although your analysts strongly suspect that you are seeing a beta test of the system which is not nearly mature and that the Black Steel are taking it slow in order to gather plenty of data.
You rather preferred it when the Black Steel were simply ‘scream and leap’ sorts of enthusiasts. A competent enemy is far more dangerous.
----
There still has been no actual engagements with the Black Steel, the ‘heavy’ forces have reduced their acceleration and are now months away from the KF limit rather than weeks. Admiral Fisher rather glumly concludes that they are simply there as part of the test and likely won’t actually engage until they are ready, not the other way around. Your other admirals concur with that assessment, the total force of those ‘heavy’ groupings is far below past Black Steel formations, and combined with the obvious field test of the new jamming system it is likely that they are just trying to ascertain how you respond.
The navy has formed various junior and senior working groups to try and come up with a viable response.
The senior group, chaired by Admiral de Palo, recommends that you simply do nothing but observe, with Strike Fleet continuing their attempts to gather intel and potentially disrupt the EW web if they manage to catch any of the responsible ships. There is absolutely no point giving the enemy any useful intelligence and you lose nothing by simply observing.
The junior group is far more audacious. Led by Admiral Fisher’s protege, Commodore Savić, the Juniors propose a rather bold plan. Instruct units in the system to appear to panic as the comms disruption grows, with artfully planned ‘disorganized’ maneuvers making it seem that none of the subordinate commanders is capable of acting without central authority and instructions. Their plan is to ham it up, acting with great histrionics, and thus hopefully completely mislead the Black Steel as to just how effective their system actually is. Ideally this would lead to the Black Steel slipping back into a level of complacency, making it far easier for you to defeat them in the next serious engagement.
| [] | Action |
| [] | Go with the Senior Working Group’s plan |
| [] | Go with the Junior Working Group’s plan |
-----
Parliament is in session and with this being an election year there seems to be plenty of typical parliamentary behavior taking place as Delegates do their best to position themselves for the fall elections. Thus they want to be seen as Doing Important Things and Accomplishing Campaign Promises for their various parties. Thankfully the parties who support the crown are very much in the ascendant, but sadly that means less than it sounds since they sometimes tend to be a tad bit overzealous.
That being said, however, there are a number of bills that have made it to your desk. Most are boringly routine, but a few stand out from the rest.
The first has you checking to make sure that Periphery Studies hadn’t slipped something into the queue, then has you boggling a bit at the entire situation, then has you checking with your staff only to find out that yes this is happening.
It has long been a staple of bad spy movies to have cars that are able to change their license plates and colors at the drop of a hat in order to throw off pursuit at dramatically appropriate moments. In the real world, changing a license plate is trivial, spoofing a transponder takes some work but is doable if you are skilled and dedicated, but changing the entire color of a vehicle requires several days in a paint shop and a massive paper trail, since vehicular paint shops are covered by quite a few relevant and reasonable regulations for environmental and safety purposes.
Enter some complete madmen who came up with something remarkable. A spray-on plastic film that only lightly adheres to vehicle paint. The sort of chemicals used in ordinary car washes completely dissolves the plastic, requiring those who use this stuff to have to hand wash their vehicles, but it allows for some amazing effects. Your staff flags a video showing a vehicle that literally changes color depending on the angle of the light due to using interference pearls suspended in a clear topcoat.
Unfortunately some criminal groups have caught on to this stuff. What they do is take their desired vehicle, makes us of the spray-on film to change the color to something distinctive, then when under pursuit from the authorities they pull into a covered garage, an accomplice sprays the vehicle with detergent and water which dissolves the film, spoof the transponder and change the plates, and drive off anonymously.
Special Branch is making use of this stuff in some of their ops as well, to your amusement, but you can see how it could be an issue.
Strangely for Parliament their response is muted and sensible, rather than knee jerk banning the material they are proposing to form a commission bringing together law enforcement and industry to determine a viable solution that satisfies all stakeholders. The commission would report back recommendations and further legislation would be drawn up incorporating those recommendations for your review and approval.
| [] | Action | Arguments | Effects |
| [] | Authorize the Commission | This seems quite straightforward and the sort of thinking that should be encouraged in Parliament. Instead of thinking that they have all the answers, instead ask those who might actually know what they are talking about and then formulate a proper, well thought out response. The issue itself is relatively minor at the moment, as few criminal gangs have the sort of forward thinking mentality needed to make effective use of this substance. Parliament hasn’t mentioned it, but one threat would be foreign intelligence assets making use of this to facilitate their operations. |
|
| [] | They’re up to something… VETO | This is parliament, whenever they seem to be doing something sensible there is some other, hidden, purpose. For one thing, this technology is threatening the entire vehicular paint industry. If people can just spray on custom colors, especially with the sort of spectacular effects possible, then people will no longer bother purchasing the more expensive colors from manufacturers and rather simply make use of this film. This could potentially cost the industry enormous amounts of potential profit. |
|
The second piece of significant legislation is the Fair Trade Act of 3060.
The legislation addresses issues surrounding the various trade balances in the local area of space. Most relevant is that it pegs your tariff rate on foreign trade to that of the trade partner in question, replacing the current system of universal tariff rates. As such it would, at the moment, actually lower your own total tariff income while greatly encouraging trade. It’s somewhat of a trade off, economically speaking.
| [] | Action | Argument | Effects |
| [] | Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060 | The legislation is fundamentally ‘fair’, if a foreign trade partner reduces their trade barriers to your goods and traders, you’ll reciprocate, and vice versa. While in the short term your tariff income will go down, in the long term it should result in a stronger and healthier economy. |
|
| [] | Veto the Fair Trade Act of 3060 | There are good and valid reasons for the current tariff structure, primarily to protect your industries from foreign competition. Lowering tariffs for any reason would simply make it easier for foreign companies to compete with domestic ones. |
|
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Some Politician: Clearly, we need to protect the auto paint industry by the most stringent protectionist measures. We should ban private possession of paint!
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Some Politician: Clearly, we need to protect the auto paint industry by the most stringent protectionist measures. We should ban private possession of paint!
Yacovo
Occasionally spouting nonsense
Go full cyberpunk! Cars are only allowed by the government or corporations! Clearly private citizens cannot be trusted with speedy metal death machines!
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
KyranKandosa
Well-known member
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Jarow
Well-known member
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
Worth a shot, seems effective if successful, and shouldn't do too much harm on failure.
[X] Authorize the Commission
Seems entirely beneficial to me
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Don't remember exactly how trade routes work, or how many we have, but it seems reasonable in the medium term for making more money
Worth a shot, seems effective if successful, and shouldn't do too much harm on failure.
[X] Authorize the Commission
Seems entirely beneficial to me
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Don't remember exactly how trade routes work, or how many we have, but it seems reasonable in the medium term for making more money
hellspawn023
Active member
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Winter_Wind45
Well-known member
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
Skitzyfrenic
Well-known member
[X] Go with the Junior Working Group's plan
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
[X] Authorize the Commission
[X] Sign the Fair Trade Act of 3060
This was written when I was still around turn 30 or so, figured it would've been a bit of a shame not to post it.
------
The Little Bird That Could, or Tex Talks The Griffin Empire
------
It was a standard affair that met the world of Griffin's Roost at first. One of the Great Houses, pursuing their ambitions would declare that a simple world in the Deep Periphery stood in the way of their destiny, and would be squashed under their indomitable might.
It happened all the time since even before the fall of Star League, it would keep happening for many centuries after still.
...with some notable exceptions.
Griffin's Roost was absolutely devastated by the first time the Dragon paid some attention to the little bird's world. Just a few dropships, fighters and mechs were enough to almost bring the entire small deep periphery world to its knees.
Key word - 'almost'.
The sacrifices committed to repeal this small raid by the Draconis Combine were immense, to be sure, but they were survivable. And, the new ruling queen of this small little world, started working overtime to rebuild their world.
For years, decades, she and the entire populace of Griffin's Roost worked tirelessly to prepare their world for another such attack from the Combine. It required new technologies, new industries and new sacrifices, but the entire world seemed united in working together to accomplish this great work, and ensure their world would finally be safe from aggression, once and for all.
They failed.
Oh don't get me wrong, when the Draconis Combine came knocking back years later, the Griffin was ready to meet the Dragon in the field of battle, and gave as good as he got. Unlike every projection the DCMS had calculated, the Griffons managed to do something unthinkable.
Contest their space forces as almost equals.
Certainly, the space battle, while impressive by any and all relevant metrics, didn't result in any significant casualties on either side. Many fighters were damaged on both sides, yes, and the Combine dropships now sported some cosmetic damage... but let me rephrase that.
The might of the Great House of Kurita has absolutely failed to score a significant space victory over a single, isolated periphery world. And the DCMS forces? They were at the far end of their logistical chain, while the Griffons had factories making replacement parts literally a few mountains over.
One could forgive the Snakes the idea they've had that they needed to cripple the industrial production of this world to reclaim some haggard semblance of honor... if not simply being a Snake wasn't an unforgivable crime all by itself.
So, the Combine dropships landed at the closest Griffin settlement that looked like it had some industrial importance, unloading their cargo of mechs, all with but single instruction - to destroy as much industrial capacity of the settlement, and terrorize the populace into compliance. Before the Griffin ASF got repaired and rearmed, and were ready to strike back at their landing zones.
This would mark the second in the long string of mistakes and embarrassments the DCMS would commit in its substantial history of humiliation when the Dragon thought to challenge the Griffon.
The DCMS commander on the ground didn't think much about launching Inferno missiles into the city. His biggest mistake was taking down the city gates.
What the Combine didn't know was that the world of Griffin's Roost has been locked in a deathly combat against its native wildlife for decades. And I'm not talking about a bigger breed of mosquitoes, a nasty leech or tick you need a doctor to remove or an overgrown spider that feasts on small birds, like they've had in the ancient paradise world of 'Space Australia'.
I'm talking about enormous feral packs of dire penguins infesting the southern continent that can literally eat their way through wet navy vessels. A pack of ravenously hungry crazed beasts that can, and will, ignore all fire coming from a lance of small mechs and strip them down to their endoskeleton with their sharp beaks.
I'm talking about multi-ton giant predatory cats with the intelligence of your average small child (or the finest clanner strategist), prowling the jungles of the world in search of prey.
I'm talking about the bastard child of a hippopotamus and a rabid fucking dinosaur, easily out-massing an assault mech, and tough enough to withstand an alpha strike from such. Which also lives in massive, violent migratory herds.
Like the one that was now stampeding towards the poor, sorry fools of the Draconis Combine who oh so foolishly just had blew up the gate to the city that was keeping the crazy fauna outside so far.
------
The Little Bird That Could, or Tex Talks The Griffin Empire
------
It was a standard affair that met the world of Griffin's Roost at first. One of the Great Houses, pursuing their ambitions would declare that a simple world in the Deep Periphery stood in the way of their destiny, and would be squashed under their indomitable might.
It happened all the time since even before the fall of Star League, it would keep happening for many centuries after still.
...with some notable exceptions.
Griffin's Roost was absolutely devastated by the first time the Dragon paid some attention to the little bird's world. Just a few dropships, fighters and mechs were enough to almost bring the entire small deep periphery world to its knees.
Key word - 'almost'.
The sacrifices committed to repeal this small raid by the Draconis Combine were immense, to be sure, but they were survivable. And, the new ruling queen of this small little world, started working overtime to rebuild their world.
For years, decades, she and the entire populace of Griffin's Roost worked tirelessly to prepare their world for another such attack from the Combine. It required new technologies, new industries and new sacrifices, but the entire world seemed united in working together to accomplish this great work, and ensure their world would finally be safe from aggression, once and for all.
They failed.
Oh don't get me wrong, when the Draconis Combine came knocking back years later, the Griffin was ready to meet the Dragon in the field of battle, and gave as good as he got. Unlike every projection the DCMS had calculated, the Griffons managed to do something unthinkable.
Contest their space forces as almost equals.
Certainly, the space battle, while impressive by any and all relevant metrics, didn't result in any significant casualties on either side. Many fighters were damaged on both sides, yes, and the Combine dropships now sported some cosmetic damage... but let me rephrase that.
The might of the Great House of Kurita has absolutely failed to score a significant space victory over a single, isolated periphery world. And the DCMS forces? They were at the far end of their logistical chain, while the Griffons had factories making replacement parts literally a few mountains over.
One could forgive the Snakes the idea they've had that they needed to cripple the industrial production of this world to reclaim some haggard semblance of honor... if not simply being a Snake wasn't an unforgivable crime all by itself.
So, the Combine dropships landed at the closest Griffin settlement that looked like it had some industrial importance, unloading their cargo of mechs, all with but single instruction - to destroy as much industrial capacity of the settlement, and terrorize the populace into compliance. Before the Griffin ASF got repaired and rearmed, and were ready to strike back at their landing zones.
This would mark the second in the long string of mistakes and embarrassments the DCMS would commit in its substantial history of humiliation when the Dragon thought to challenge the Griffon.
The DCMS commander on the ground didn't think much about launching Inferno missiles into the city. His biggest mistake was taking down the city gates.
What the Combine didn't know was that the world of Griffin's Roost has been locked in a deathly combat against its native wildlife for decades. And I'm not talking about a bigger breed of mosquitoes, a nasty leech or tick you need a doctor to remove or an overgrown spider that feasts on small birds, like they've had in the ancient paradise world of 'Space Australia'.
I'm talking about enormous feral packs of dire penguins infesting the southern continent that can literally eat their way through wet navy vessels. A pack of ravenously hungry crazed beasts that can, and will, ignore all fire coming from a lance of small mechs and strip them down to their endoskeleton with their sharp beaks.
I'm talking about multi-ton giant predatory cats with the intelligence of your average small child (or the finest clanner strategist), prowling the jungles of the world in search of prey.
I'm talking about the bastard child of a hippopotamus and a rabid fucking dinosaur, easily out-massing an assault mech, and tough enough to withstand an alpha strike from such. Which also lives in massive, violent migratory herds.
Like the one that was now stampeding towards the poor, sorry fools of the Draconis Combine who oh so foolishly just had blew up the gate to the city that was keeping the crazy fauna outside so far.
Last edited: