SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread II

[PeZook]

You do know that fusion-powered fighters will not explode like nuclear reactors melting down when destroyed, don't you?

I think it's more the "Can loiter forever" thing than "Will wipe the city out", though there will be a lot of death and mayhem if you breach a fusion reactor over a city, since they do, in fact, spew radiation. And they're extremely hot, much hotter than nuclear cores.

[Steve]

Nice reply post, Force Lord, though being 2 days away from rescue makes things desperate. You might want to consider identifying yourself to the Anglians now, y'know.

For what it's worth, I didn't know 'Zook would crash our party when he should be writing about Gill and Parkhurst and setting up our final story post on the Monolith.

[Force Lord]

Though being 2 days away from rescue makes thinks desperate. You might want to consider identifying yourself to the Anglians now, y'know.

Aw, c'mon! Gimme a chance!

[RogueIce]

Aha! A complication!

Speaking of complications, the Bannerman blockade fleet sees your ships, and will likely be wondering what you're up to.

They might even come out and say hello.

[Force Lord]

Aha! A complication!

Speaking of complications, the Bannerman blockade fleet sees your ships, and will likely be wondering what you're up to.

They might even come out and say hello.

By the time you get to see my ships by line of sight, they'll withdraw back to the main fleet in order to recieve better protection.

Tardis is getting desperate now.

[Steve]

This was not a very well-planned op. You should have had the extraction done and over with before the Anglian fleet arrived, without the big showy fleet hanging around the area to garner attention.

[Force Lord]

This was not a very well-planned op. You should have had the extraction done and over with before the Anglian fleet arrived, without the big showy fleet hanging around the area to garner attention.

The whole op was done hastily, since the Centrality citizens were found by the time the Coalition fleet entered the B-A Gap. Add the paranoia of the Centralist leadership and you get this clusterfuck.

[RogueIce]

Aha! A complication!

Speaking of complications, the Bannerman blockade fleet sees your ships, and will likely be wondering what you're up to.

They might even come out and say hello.

By the time you get to see my ships by line of sight, they'll withdraw back to the main fleet in order to recieve better protection.

Tardis is getting desperate now.

How many ships do you have? I'm considering writing the Blockade Fleet sending a group to investigate the contact, but I need at least a general idea to know what kind of force they might plausibly send (or rather, what gets sent that is reasonably close).

EDIT: I'm presuming they'd head your way, and begin hailing as to intentions and identity. Upon receiving these hails and knowing they're spotted, would it be reasonable to assume they hyper out of the Bannerman area (heading back to wherever the main fleet is) without responding to hails?

[Shroom Man 777]

You do know that fusion-powered fighters will not explode like nuclear reactors melting down when destroyed, don't you?

Point is, as Zook said, they will loiter long - so they don't die when the Coalition blows up their airfields. Also, by loitering over the city, the Coalition might hesitate in shooting them down since if they miss, that orbital weapon's going to hit a population center.

[PeZook]

This was not a very well-planned op. You should have had the extraction done and over with before the Anglian fleet arrived, without the big showy fleet hanging around the area to garner attention.

The Soviet Union (or the Bragulan Star Empire ) would've just landed a company of marines, seized their people and then dared the Coalition to try and keep them, even if any requested asylum.

Also, Shep...those missiles were launched only at the Centrality destroyer, because the goddamn spitroasting Astarians thought it was gonna comb the ground and find their mobile launchers...

[Force Lord]

Speaking of complications, the Bannerman blockade fleet sees your ships, and will likely be wondering what you're up to.

They might even come out and say hello.

By the time you get to see my ships by line of sight, they'll withdraw back to the main fleet in order to recieve better protection.

Tardis is getting desperate now.

How many ships do you have? I'm considering writing the Blockade Fleet sending a group to investigate the contact, but I need at least a general idea to know what kind of force they might plausibly send (or rather, what gets sent that is reasonably close).

EDIT: I'm presuming they'd head your way, and begin hailing as to intentions and identity. Upon receiving these hails and knowing they're spotted, would it be reasonable to assume they hyper out of the Bannerman area (heading back to wherever the main fleet is) without responding to hails?

This is my fleet:

CNS Govard, Centralist 5th Fleet
The Outback, Deep Space

Admiral Dornik Tardis stood in front of the reinforced glass that separated him from the vacuum of space, as he viewed the fleet under his command. He had one dreadnought and ultracarrier each, two each of battleships and supercarriers, four each of battlecruisers and battlecarriers, eight each of cruisers and fleet carriers, sixteen each of destroyers and light carriers, and thirty-two each of frigates and escort carriers, as well as several hundred shuttles and dozens of hyper-light shuttles for transport and logistical support. There were even a few yachts around, though these were used as fast couriers. The medium, light, and ultra-light ships were to enter the Outback to "rescue" the rescue team if it was pursued or captured in case it was detected, however unlikely that was. It would avoid combat if possible unless engaged. The heavier units were to remain put at the entrance of the Bannerman-Acker Gap, as they could not enter the Outback unscathed.

Of these, all the cruisers, destroyers, frigates, fleet carriers, light carriers and escort carriers (as well as their logistical support) are near the B-A Gap. Their orders are to withdraw to the main fleet once the Coalition fleet gets near. As for not responding to the hails, Tardis wants to talk on a position of strength.

[Force Lord]

This was not a very well-planned op. You should have had the extraction done and over with before the Anglian fleet arrived, without the big showy fleet hanging around the area to garner attention.

The Soviet Union (or the Bragulan Star Empire ) would've just landed a company of marines, seized their people and then dared the Coalition to try and keep them, even if any requested asylum.

Also, Shep...those missiles were launched only at the Centrality destroyer, because the goddamn spitroasting Astarians thought it was gonna comb the ground and find their mobile launchers...

Shep is my savior.

[MKSheppard]

Also, Shep...those missiles were launched only at the Centrality destroyer, because the goddamn spitroasting Astarians thought it was gonna comb the ground and find their mobile launchers...

So they basically fired only at a single smallish ship; not at people who are orbiting over a sector and lazily firing 0.25 to 20 kt nuclear shells from orbit at random targets?

[RogueIce]

Of these, all the cruisers, destroyers, frigates, fleet carriers, light carriers and escort carriers (as well as their logistical support) are near the B-A Gap. Their orders are to withdraw to the main fleet once the Coalition fleet gets near. As for not responding to the hails, Tardis wants to talk on a position of strength.

OK, so with the amended information you have:

8 Fleet Carriers
16 Light Carriers
32 Escort Carriers
8 Cruisers
16 Destroyers
32 Frigates

That we have detected.

I think you outgun the entire blockade fleet.

So, we'll be moving plenty of ships your way. And the main group is out in V19, right?

Well, I have enough to get writing. Needless to say, the blockade fleet won't go all the way out of the Outback to follow you. So there probably will be no communications between the Centrality forces and the fleet at Bannerman in that case.

[PeZook]

So they basically fired only at a single smallish ship; not at people who are orbiting over a sector and lazily firing 0.25 to 20 kt nuclear shells from orbit at random targets?

They can't hurt the orbiting ships, anyway, so they figured they'd try to kill as many troops as possible as they land. Trying to shoot down star cruisers with what they have would be kind of like the Germans at Normandy trying to sink Allied battleships with their MG34s

[Steve]

Also, since you were detected coming in, the Anglian Grand Fleet is en route to Sector X-18 as of 23 January (and I think we're at 24) to protect the Blockade force if necessary (or to prevent some kind of sneak attack via the Outback on Lochley's Retreat or New Anglia itself - that lane does go into the heart of our territory after all). As a result it is in position to support the Blockade Fleet if called in. Give or take several hours for arrival.

It consists of the following:

Grand Fleet:
2 King George XIV-class Command Flagship - $650 = 1300
3 Lord Nelson-class Flag Dreadnought - $550 Value = 1650
3 Orion-class Flag Dreadnought - $500 = 1500
12 Agincourt-class Dreadnought - $350 = 4200
6 Centurion-class Dreadnought - $300 = 1800
3 Glorious-class Fleet Carriers - $130 = 390
10 Exeter-class Gun Cruiser - $150 = 1500
10 New Chatham-class Light Cruisers - $90 = 900
14 Buckingham-class Light Cruisers - $80 = 1120
40 Daring-class Destroyer - $50 = 2000
34 Shark-class Destroyer - $45 = 1530
16 Blanche-class Corvette - $25 = 400

Total: $18,290

Oh, and Shep? The Pendletonians engaged with SAMs. Not SOMs. They can't hit our orbiting ships with those missiles, just atmospheric craft.

[PeZook]

Man...Mr. Gayeta

[Shroom Man 777]

Man, this is am amusing turn of events!

[Steve]

Actually, now that I think about it.... that entire thing is out. Seriously, it was an OOC mistake, you thought 'Zook had them firing surface-to-space and they were surface-to-air atmosphere missiles, no way you made that mistake, plus they were already being engaged by Anglian light capital ship batteries. The Shepistani ships never fired those nukes.

[MKSheppard]

I had Mr. Shroometa; then Shroom told me GAYETA. Und I edited it.

[Force Lord]

Steve:

Grand Fleet, eh?

That's BIG!

[MKSheppard]

you thought 'Zook had them firing surface-to-space and they were surface-to-air atmosphere missiles, no way you made that mistake.

Uh. Wait a minute steve.

Why would people have heavy mobile air defense missiles that can only reach up to 120-150,000 feet when F-16 sized planes in our scifiverse can easily reach orbit? A minimal ceiling of 1.3 million feet (low earth orbit) is more reasonable for the air defense role.

[PeZook]

Steve:

Grand Fleet, eh?

That's BIG!

Hey, dude, it's even in the name

[Shroom Man 777]

Actually, now that I think about it.... that entire thing is out. Seriously, it was an OOC mistake, you thought 'Zook had them firing surface-to-space and they were surface-to-air atmosphere missiles, no way you made that mistake, plus they were already being engaged by Anglian light capital ship batteries. The Shepistani ships never fired those nukes.

They could still hit the Raptors and aerospace craft that would be extracting Bragga. As well as other Coalition invasion forces landing planetside.

Also, Shep has a point. If one-man starfighters can go from surface to orbit, then future-tech missiles could easily do the same...

[PeZook]

Why would people have heavy mobile air defense missiles that can only reach up to 120-150,000 feet when F-16 sized planes in our scifiverse can easily reach orbit? A minimal ceiling of 1.3 million feet (low earth orbit) is more reasonable for the air defense role.

Because they're a third-world planet operating on a shoestring budget and they wanted to have as many of them as possible?