Quest Deep Periphery Quest (Battletech Sandbox Empire Builder)

[Tryglaw]

Well the hope was that, in a high-speed engagement, they would not be a forlorn hope...

I would have kept all available forces at hand to maximise forces brought to bear in decisive battle. Splitting like that asks for defeat in detail.

 

[Crafter of War]

[x] Optional Write-In - Talk openly about nuking the Dropships and Jump Ships, since they don't know about your nuke status...

No offense, but I think the Dracs will just respond with war crimes.

 

[Tryglaw]

No offense, but I think the Dracs will just respond with war crimes.

Dracs don't really need excuse for war crimes... Especially where they need not fear retaliation, like against any of the Inner Sphere heavyweights.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Well the hope was that, in a high-speed engagement, they would not be a forlorn hope...

Mind you it's not like we can't have them break out and vector in behind the enemy if we want to.

 

[PeaceMaker 03]

Better to save nukes for a surprise.
Even if it is dropped from high altitude onto Landing zone.

 

[Chaeronea]

[x]	Focus on defending the factories - With them in play we can recover from any harm the enemy inflicts on us

 

[Lightwhispers]

Mind you it's not like we can't have them break out and vector in behind the enemy if we want to.

And given that each Leopard is ~30 combat power, even if only half could fire on our squadron, that's still around 600 combat power against 396 for the 5 Defiants. Add the Overlords and between 15-90% of their fighters, depending on the roll, and that's probably not survivable. Now, if they do a pass at the very edge of the formation, that could work... but I'm thinking that it's probably not worth it.

 

[IceWing_mk1]

Can we bait them into a trap of some kind? Deploy mines and get them to run into them maybe?

Throw fractional C buckshot at them?

 

[Knowledgeispower]

And given that each Leopard is ~30 combat power, even if only half could fire on our squadron, that's still around 600 combat power against 396 for the 5 Defiants. Add the Overlords and between 15-90% of their fighters, depending on the roll, and that's probably not survivable. Now, if they do a pass at the very edge of the formation, that could work... but I'm thinking that it's probably not worth it.

Can they still turn around? Or is it late

 

[Lightwhispers]

Can we bait them into a trap of some kind? Deploy mines and get them to run into them maybe?

Throw fractional C buckshot at them?

I doubt it, at least not in a way that can be effective. I mean, the Defiants could spray their LBX-10s in their path, but dispersion would likely mean it would be minimally effective, if at all. If they got close enough for it to do anything, even if it was allowed, that would be close enough to get swarmed by a couple hundred Sabres.

Can they still turn around? Or is it late

Defiants are 7/11 - yeah, they can turn around. Or they could fishhook around after them, and come in behind for a pincer. The benefit of that is it would keep their eyes off of the Jumpship group, but they arguable could be more effective serving as the core of a strike group pushing for the Overlords. The pincer would probably force them to thin out the front screen, which might make up for it.

But yes, I'm thinking we need to call off the initial intercept.

 

[Lightwhispers]

Thinking on it, here are my current plans.

[X] Balanced - Spread forces across all continents and rely on surface transportation assets to adjust deployments as Drac intentions become clear

Because if we do manage to hit the Overlords, they will probably be scattering forces for orbital drop, as soon as they can.

[X] Approve.

[X] Change orders: fishhook around Drac force, trailing them in but refusing engagement until the Griffin's Roost ASF wings join the fight.
Alternatively,
[] Change orders: return to orbit to serve as the core of the strike group.

 

[Tel Janin Aman]

[X] Balanced - Spread forces across all continents and rely on surface transportation assets to adjust deployments as Drac intentions become clear

[X] Approve.

[X] Change orders: fishhook around Drac force, trailing them in but refusing engagement until the Griffin's Roost ASF wings join the fight.

 

[Joyousmadman]

[X] Focus on defending the factories - With them in play we can recover from any harm the enemy inflicts on us

[X] Approve.

[X] Change orders: fishhook around Drac force, trailing them in but refusing engagement until the Griffin's Roost ASF wings join the fight.

 

[UltimatePaladin]

[X] Balanced - Spread forces across all continents and rely on surface transportation assets to adjust deployments as Drac intentions become clear

[X] Approve.

[X] Change orders: fishhook around Drac force, trailing them in but refusing engagement until the Griffin's Roost ASF wings join the fight.

 

[Lightwhispers]

So, per shitposting on the Discord: The Assault Squadron is now designated Task Force Johnston. The transport dropships still at Griffin's Roost are the core of Task Force White Plains. And the Explorer Squadron doing an end-run for the Jumpships is designated Task Force Matthew Perry.

Because the Dracs aren't sufficiently insulted yet.

Edit: forgot which ship was which.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

So, per shitposting on the Discord: The Assault Squadron is now designated Task Force Johnston. The transport dropships still at Griffin's Roost are the core of Task Force Samuel B Roberts. And the Explorer Squadron doing an end-run for the Jumpships is designated Task Force Matthew Perry.

Because the Dracs aren't sufficiently insulted yet.

And I guess the ASF force shall be called TF58 since we want a repeat of the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.

 

[IceWing_mk1]

So, if the jump ships don't have a LF battery, they're stuck...

Do we know as a society that jump ships are Target Non Grata? Because, if we do manage to seize control of them or just destroy them, the invasion force has no way home, and I'm sorry, you cannot control a planet with 2k people, or even 10k

 

[Knowledgeispower]

So, if the jump ships don't have a LF battery, they're stuck...

Do we know as a society that jump ships are Target Non Grata? Because, if we do manage to seize control of them or just destroy them, the invasion force has no way home, and I'm sorry, you cannot control a planet with 2k people, or even 10k

Given the size of our population and the fact that unlike most planets in the Battletech universe our populace cares about who rules them the Dracs realistically at least a couple hundred thousand troops.

 

[Lightwhispers]

So, if the jump ships don't have a LF battery, they're stuck...

Do we know as a society that jump ships are Target Non Grata? Because, if we do manage to seize control of them or just destroy them, the invasion force has no way home, and I'm sorry, you cannot control a planet with 2k people, or even 10k

We know about the Inner Sphere's taboo on destroying jumpships, but IIRC, even by their rules, capturing them is fine. What will the Dracs do? Declare war on us again?

Edit: we don't have that cultural taboo ourselves, because... no real contact since the Amaris coup started.

 

[Thors_Alumni]

[X] Balanced - Spread forces across all continents and rely on surface transportation assets to adjust deployments as Drac intentions become clear

[X] Approve.

[X] Change orders: fishhook around Drac force, trailing them in but refusing engagement until the Griffin's Roost ASF wings join the fight.