Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

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icekatze
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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by icekatze »

hi hi

Sooo... Is it still too late to divert to one of the uninhabited planets and try to hide in a rock crevice or something?

I have a feeling the Umiak in the deep jump divisions went to their doom singing clicky songs about the inevitability of death and the novelty of meeting their end in a missjump.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by Victor_D »

Seems like my concerns about deep-jumping into a white dwarf system were justified.

The Umiak very likely committed their reserves, which they have been accumulating for years, because they are very confident that their new strategy – whatever it is – will succeed. Otherwise they'd hardly be throwing away potentially hundreds of ships like this. I doubt their hyperspace navigation tech is substantially better than the Loroi's.

Highland has expended most of its fuel reserves, so I doubt it can even decelerate under the star's escape velocity at this point. Seems like Beryl will have a little more time to study Alex on their slow interstellar journey. She might be surprised that humans age a lot faster than the Loroi though... :)

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Talon's bet

Post by SVlad »

So, this time Talon use phraseme, or she literally bet?
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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by dragoongfa »

Pretty sure that it would be a literal bet if someone was foolish enough to take it :P

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Page 130: RSS feed

Post by SVlad »

New Page: 130. Let's see whether the RSS feed explodes when I post a future date on it. I apologize to future generations whose timelines may have been flummoxed by this act of hubris.
Notice that in RSS feed. :lol: My TheOldReader rss is fine, but it store time of reading the item, not the time set in the item.
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icekatze
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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by icekatze »

hi hi

So, I was thinking about it at work (while doing otherwise mind numbing tasks) and I think I have a hypothesis for the Umiak's current tactics.

Even with a deep jump, they might not be able to catch a courier that is at station and ready to jump within an hour. But if they start making a bunch of diversionary attacks with strange new capabilities, then some of those couriers might leave their posts in order to forward that critical intel further down the pipeline. Then, when their main force arrives, there is a much better chance that any courier ships in the system are not on station and ready to go. By deep jumping, even if they don't catch a courier leaving the first system, they might be able to cut it off as it tries to traverse the next system over. (Traversing the next system over, because the normal on-station courier is already dispatched to relay news about the diversion.)

I think something like this might explain why the deep jump divisions are splitting up and going toward the interior jump points. They might be preparing for a second deep jump to catch any runners. Maybe.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by entity2636 »

An extra 6 divisions, two for each jump point? Even if Ashrain outruns them to the Enedd jump zone, what is she going to do about it? Stare them down angrily? Wouldn't want to be in her place now more than ever...

And seriously, WTF, Clearbrook? To hell with our orders, let's just get the hell out of here, every woman/man for himself?

If that's the case, I'd really love to see a Umiak division pop into Leido from Gora and give their warmest (around 10000 K) greetings to Clearbrook's captain...

*Edit* I just noticed Stillstorm telling Ashrain that, quote, it is imperative that you reach Enedd before the Umiak close off the jump link. Do I understand it correctly, that Ashrain's orders have now changed from keeping the jump corridor clear, to jumping her squadron to Enedd? I can sort of understand this - Stillstorm orders Ashrain to fall back while she still can, but it would also mean curtains for SG20 and the rest of SG51...

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by wedgekree »

I.. Think the situation is that the Umiak have overwhelming force present in most vectors, so engaging them beyond trying to slow them is pointless - the Loroi raider fleets don't have the numbers to inflict significant damage or force concentration to slow them. So hopefully by withdrawing they can avoid their scattered raider forces from being cut off and overwhelmed piecemeal and achieve sufficient force concentration to counterattack.

They're not only massively outnumbered, but I think most of the Loroi task forces shown so far are interceptors - they exist to peform hit and run attacks on Umiak fleets before they penetrate to Loroi space to attrite them. So they'd likely be even further outgunned in a large back and forth engagement. And even wtih replenishment a lot ofthem probably have still had losses and battle damage that hasn't been patched up (this is all presumption mind, not based upon any sort of reading into things)

And whatever local system or sector defense forces are probably out of position thanks to the scattered couriers arriving at various points calling for backup so I'd guess on top of things the local defense fleets are spread thin, so for the Loroi they can try and punch through the blockade to try and rally with local system fleets or try and harrass or slow the Umiak, which given the sheer number of forces they have and (theoretically) the fact they're moving large numbers of forces to cut off jump points means this is not going to significantly impact the enemy, which seemst o be focused on trapping ships rather than rushing in.
Last edited by wedgekree on Sun May 06, 2018 12:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by orion1836 »

icekatze wrote:hi hi

Sooo... Is it still too late to divert to one of the uninhabited planets and try to hide in a rock crevice or something?
I had an inkling... way back on page 105... that the Highland 7 might end up crash-landing somewhere and that Alex would be spending far more time with his fellow passengers than he had planned. I thought of a few scenarios, but highly doubted it would actually happen.

Crazy to see that it might.

What are the odds they'll end up rejoining with Black Razor?

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by man_of_foul_tofu »

Being a keyboard warrior of poor standing, I am befuddled by all the tactics taking place - I want to see it in a 3D map of the system, and I am SURE that if I were to, I would be no wiser. I miss that javascript widget showing the local area of the galaxy, (browser incompatibilities so far) but this map helps some.

So, I am writing here to say I am super excited that there is a regular series of updates for one of the most interesting universes out there in webcomic land, revealing very interesting manifestations of technology innovation between two opposing forces of allied aliens with their technology. One can only speculate that the Umiak have a new strategy of deep jumping (*and I love the explanation of how this works with the 2d diagram, I completely understand the risks now) so as to cut off potential escapees from recently entered systems.

That is how they arrived in the system without prior notice - successful deep jumping from a departure point and successfully cutting off fast pickets carrying messages.

If this is a new tactic, either with massive potential lossess of forces or minor losses of forces with new deep jump technology, then the Lori will be needing also new technology or tactics. I presume, given the plot armour built up around him, that Alex, the Human, will be part of this.

I can speculate, and it is fun to do so, but I want the story that has been planned by Jim Francis to be revealed. I do find it somehow less satisfying when someone successfully guesses (then gloats) about a plot twist that has been well crafted yet was seemingly guessed at by a crowd of fans.

But guessing at broad directions, I can do that - Broad Direction 1 - Kikitik-27-tikhak-tikkukit is actually more truthful than lies, and will return to continue it's discussions. There is new technology which allows movement without prediction/awareness - the fall of previous empires (mentioned here suggests Sola Empire technology which is able to be re-discovered. Is Humanity part of the story? Likely.

Diving deep into the extra's is very satisfying right now.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by Highlord »

My prediction, and I will laugh my ass off if it comes true, is that the Loroi Navy is screwed. They'll have to fall back to a smaller front and end up cut off from their allies, effectively entering into a seige situation around their core systems.

Cut off, the main characters end up having to trust Alex's navigation and head to human space to escape, possibly with a handful of escaping ships. Cue humanity's purpose in the war throughout the comic: being a (for now) hidden bolthole where the Loroi survivors to jumpstart humanity's tech base, enabling them to gear up fast and hard.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by man_of_foul_tofu »

Highlord wrote:My prediction, and I will laugh my ass off if it comes true, is that the Loroi Navy is screwed. They'll have to fall back to a smaller front and end up cut off from their allies, effectively entering into a seige situation around their core systems.

Cut off, the main characters end up having to trust Alex's navigation and head to human space to escape, possibly with a handful of escaping ships. Cue humanity's purpose in the war throughout the comic: being a (for now) hidden bolthole where the Loroi survivors to jumpstart humanity's tech base, enabling them to gear up fast and hard.
Not like battlestar galactica at all is it ... but a cool meta-prediction afterall ...

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by Absalom »

orion1836 wrote:
icekatze wrote:hi hi

Sooo... Is it still too late to divert to one of the uninhabited planets and try to hide in a rock crevice or something?
I had an inkling... way back on page 105... that the Highland 7 might end up crash-landing somewhere and that Alex would be spending far more time with his fellow passengers than he had planned. I thought of a few scenarios, but highly doubted it would actually happen.

Crazy to see that it might.

What are the odds they'll end up rejoining with Black Razor?
Higher than landing, I'd guess. Impending white dwarfs tend to be violent while on the stripper pole.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by dragoongfa »

Something just hit me from Alex's thought bubble about Hyperspace Jumps.

'Inherent unknowability of Hyperspace topography'. What if someone who knew the local Hyperspace topography did that jump? Wouldn't that mean that the jump would be far less risky?

And we do know about someone who has the technology necessary to do that, the Historians at tech level 12.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by entity2636 »

orion1836 wrote:
icekatze wrote:hi hi

Sooo... Is it still too late to divert to one of the uninhabited planets and try to hide in a rock crevice or something?
I had an inkling... way back on page 105... that the Highland 7 might end up crash-landing somewhere and that Alex would be spending far more time with his fellow passengers than he had planned. I thought of a few scenarios, but highly doubted it would actually happen.

Crazy to see that it might.

What are the odds they'll end up rejoining with Black Razor?
I'd say the odds are exactly zero, unless a plot twist comes up.

After the course/speed adjustments on Page 126 Highland-7 has what the aircraft people would call a Fuel Emergency. They did an additional full power burn to meet up with Clearbrook sooner (Clearbrook is faster than the "Captain's yacht" shuttle, thus it would be safer for Alex's group to transfer sooner) and were going to abandon the shuttle adrift. Black Razor is at the opposite side of the system, ~6 hours of flight time on an opposing vector from Highland's current position and headed for Enedd trying to outrun 3 Umiak divisions.

If Clearbrook jumps away, Alex's group will be left stranded for good. They could continue into the asteroid belt beyond the Gora jump zone and try to hide somewhere, but it would only be a matter of time for the Umiak in system to find them.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by icekatze »

hi hi

We saw the Highland Seven start a burn that would use up its fuel reserves, but we didn't see it finish the burn yet. We know that they're low on fuel, but not necessarily completely dry yet.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by Arent »

dragoongfa wrote:Something just hit me from Alex's thought bubble about Hyperspace Jumps.

'Inherent unknowability of Hyperspace topography'. What if someone who knew the local Hyperspace topography did that jump? Wouldn't that mean that the jump would be far less risky?

And we do know about someone who has the technology necessary to do that, the Historians at tech level 12.
The historians were attacked by the Umiak & shared tech with the Loroi. So, I don't see how they would benefit supporting their enemies. Unless they want to keep them fighting each other, but in that case you would support the underdog.

I would still go with a "long range jump" bypassing several stars. It would solve both the farseer problem & bypass the scouts.

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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by GeoModder »

I wonder if Prophet's Reason is about to come to the resque now...
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Re: Page 130: Gotta Go Fast

Post by orion1836 »

Highlord wrote:My prediction, and I will laugh my ass off if it comes true, is that the Loroi Navy is screwed. They'll have to fall back to a smaller front and end up cut off from their allies, effectively entering into a seige situation around their core systems.

Cut off, the main characters end up having to trust Alex's navigation and head to human space to escape, possibly with a handful of escaping ships. Cue humanity's purpose in the war throughout the comic: being a (for now) hidden bolthole where the Loroi survivors to jumpstart humanity's tech base, enabling them to gear up fast and hard.
That would be a cool track for the story to take, but, unless there was some *serious* drive on a societal level to support the (now defeated) Loroi against the ascendant Umiak, I don't know that the majority of humanity would throw their weight behind the refugees. After all, if the Umiak are going to enslave you either way once they find you, wouldn't it be better to *not* be hiding/helping their mortal enemies?

On the other hand, the tendency of humans to favor other species that look like them could win out, especially if, say, it was discovered that humanity was the template the Soia-Liron used to engineer the Loroi. The relationship between the Nibiren and the Barsam in the Insider seemed to pave the way for that possibility down the road. Helping out our cousin species in a losing war of attrition against an abhorrent bug-like race that supposedly started it would certainly appeal to a large percentage of our population.

Even so, it would be a hard sell. "You know those two races we were sent out to find in an effort to determine which would be better for humanity to ally with? Well, one is currently sweeping through the territory of the other with seeming ease. But, don't worry about that... the losing side is hot. Guys, trust me, we really need to take in these refugees and hope that they can bootstrap our tech before the Umiak find out that we're harboring the last vestiges of their enemies."

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