[RP] Operation: Deep Strike (OOC)

[Fusebox]

Something recently occurred to me in regards to the small arms the ship's packing. Would it be inconceivable that the armory would be storing a number of survival rifles for use as hunting weapons and for scaring off predators should a crew be stranded on an alien planet? I'm thinking compact, medium caliber, semiautomatic carbines with small internal magazines to save on size. Built to be light, easily stored and reliable, with little regard given to ergonomics, fancy tech integration or use as an actual combat weapon.

[Beliskner]

Well I think DeSoto have standard armory where personal and assault weapons are hold when not used. As mentioned humans use projectile weaponry, firearms, guns , shotguns etc. The shape can be exotic but I'm sure most of weapons are very reliable and sturdy. Even if disgusted, I'm sure Loroi don't question potential of such weapons. Some one said that they use laser weapons which in my opinion are inferior to projectile weaponry.

[Fusebox]

Well a list of armaments was posted earlier, I think page two. It listed two types of firearms, officer side arms, and then jumped all the way up to heavy automatic anti armour weapons. Also when asked later on about what other firearms would be aboard, it was implied that what was listed was all there was, as assault rifles and such are considered overkill in the tight confines of a ship, and anything else would have to be the personal affects of the crew.

Neither of the weapons described above are ideal choice of weapon to bring into the wilderness to survive with. For that a weapon that's light, easily stored in a survival kit, and reliable enough to be used for extended periods without proper tools at hand would be more what the doctor ordered.

And while it may be unlikely that a ship may encounter a scenario where the crew would be forced to use these rifles, if there willing to shovel out enough for what's in the armory already, I can't imagine they wouldn't be willing to throw in another three or four grand for some hunting carbines.

[icekatze]

hi hi

I'm basing space combat off of what is in Outsider/Insider. There are numerous bits of information as well as discussions about Loroi vs Umiak fleet tactics. I know Arioch's old Outsider combat simulator is outdated, but it does give a general idea of how things happen. Newton's laws of motion and all that. Still, I purposefully avoided making the entire game about this type of thing for exactly these reasons.

The officer sidearm is unfortunately the standard small arms weapon allowed onboard. However, it fires the equivalent of a 44. magnum, so it isn't anything to scoff at. The judgement of the top brass, for better or worse, is that if the crew ends up stranded on an alien planet, rescue will either come quickly or not at all. In such an emergency situation, there is no guarantee that the crew will have access to the armory's contents. It is also deemed unlikely, given the complex nature of chemistry, that any wildlife on an alien world would be suitable for human consumption.

Of course there are a number of policies that have changed, since allying with the Loroi. The Loroi's stance on being captured was particularly stringent... Or perhaps I should say, their policy on not allowing capture. You may note that there are thermonuclear weapons in the armory, but no hunting rifles, this is not a mistake.

Anyway, the theme of this RP has always been brains first, brawn second. Humans are still behind the rest of known space in the technology department, so there's a good chance they're going to need to make up for it with asymmetrical tactics.

[icekatze]

hi hi

Does anyone have any ideas on what sort of targeting is going to be done with the ship's laser? I can describe what happens if you like, or we can work something out where you continue the narrative if you'd like.

[Karst45]

hi hi

Does anyone have any ideas on what sort of targeting is going to be done with the ship's laser? I can describe what happens if you like, or we can work something out where you continue the narrative if you'd like.

Well i was hoping to have more detail on how the 2 missil are coming toward us and see if i could actually shoot one and make it so that the other actually is destroyed in the blast.

[icekatze]

hi hi

Okie dokie. I'll have some time tomorrow I think to whip up another post about what is happening immediately prior.

[sunphoenix]

hi hi

Does anyone have any ideas on what sort of targeting is going to be done with the ship's laser? I can describe what happens if you like, or we can work something out where you continue the narrative if you'd like.

Well i was hoping to have more detail on how the 2 missil are coming toward us and see if i could actually shoot one and make it so that the other actually is destroyed in the blast.

That was sort of my way of thinking also... Kam's flying a stable straight spiraling course so the missile do not have to jink and twist. Makes them an easy target for our gunner as well as potentially putting them close enough should they not be able to adjust to Kam's sudden twist and full power drive away from them, at the end, for the missiles avoid hitting each other... their close enough that if one detonates... likely the other will 'bake-off' in the blast.

[TheUnforsaken]

@sunphoenix: As DeSoto's XO, Commander Ptak has been the ship's Captain since Captain MacRae died...that's usually how the chain of command works.

That's how I've been RPing her anyway.

[sunphoenix]

Oh... opps... lol! My bad... I got the characters mixed up...

I'll adjust my post!

[TheUnforsaken]

lol, not a problem

@icekatze, I need to know what's working aboard the DeSoto, particularly the comms and other major systems...probably easier than asking what's broken

[icekatze]

hi hi

Real life is conspiring against me... I'm not sure if I'll be able to get back to you in detail until this weekend. I'm hoping friday night, but it might not be till sunday.

[icekatze]

hi hi

As per standard chain of command, Donna Ptak (the XO) would assume command. Whether or not the Loroi agree with that is another matter, as they have some extra-ordinary powers of their own (like the ability to commandeer a vessel if they choose) but nobody has been able to make solid contact with the Pure Wind yet.

Here's a visual representation of the beam strike and most heavily damaged areas.


Damage to one of the DeSoto's engines is likely the biggest problem. You can push yourselves with 3 engines, but you cant go in a straight line without expending large amounts of maneuvering propellant in the process. Engineering would recommend shutting down the #3 engine as well and running on the remaining 2 while not in combat.

Collateral damage from the engine hit is pretty severe too. The main fusion power plant is damaged, but repairs shouldn't be too hard to do.

One of the big things, which I'm going to be pulling into the dialogue is the fact that the DeSoto's FTL drive is completely toast, kaput, dead, out of order. In order to leave the system, someone is going to have to find a replacement. (The status of the FTL drive on the Pure Wind is unknown, but thats the only other FTL drive in the system that you know about at the moment)

A lot of the sensors on the DeSoto have been damaged and will require maintanence, but none of it is serious. Its mostly just a matter of replacing lens covers and re-calibrating them.

Comm systems are damaged, but there are auxiliary systems. They just don't have the same kind of finesse. You'll be able to pick up transmissions directed at you, but your ability to eaves drop on other communications is going to be severely reduced.

You've lost about 1/4th of your living quarters, or at least, there's a big gaping hole in the walls of 1/4th of them. People are going to start feeling a little cramped I bet, and even more so if you end up picking up Loroi survivors.

There's been some extensive damage to electrical systems due to a power surge when the laser turret blew, so it'll take damage control a little while to restore power to every console and widget on the ship whose fuses are blown out.

You used up about half of your atmosphere reserve, but environmental recycling is still working fine.

Both laser turrets are off-line. On the turret that got hit by the beam weapon, its tracking mechanism and power capacitor were essentially vaporized. It still has a focusing lens and half of its reflecting chamber. The other laser has a partially damaged lens and a damaged coolant system (with some collateral damage from the latter blowing up)

[icekatze]

hi hi

I'm going to see if there's a way if I can iron out some of the inconsistencies in what's been said recently in-character.

As it currently stands by my records:

The Pure wind is currently moving away from you at about 7500 km/s. (you're moving at about 3500 km/s, they're moving about 4000 km/s the other direction) Reduced to 3.25 Gs, it'll take 65 hours to cancel out that velocity difference, by then you will have moved 5.865 AUs apart. I don't have the exact math, but I estimate it'll be just under a week before you can intercept them (unless they can get their remaining engine back up and running) If you don't rescue them and they don't get their engine back up and running, they'll coast off into deep space, lost forever.

The enemy gunboat is currently chasing you down at about 28Gs. They will intercept you in a few hours.

So... I'll have to think of something.

[TheUnforsaken]

Umm...whoops?

Not to worry icekatze, most of what we've done can still stand, we just have to change cutting the time to reach the Pure Wind to extending the time before the gunboat reaches us. The conference is still needed and I was going to suggest trying to talk to the gunboat anyway...which is pretty much a necessity now.

How much fuel will the DeSoto use up if we survive to get out to the Pure Wind and Back?

[sunphoenix]

LOL... we can just as easy adjust our posts... lol. Its just time increments. Plus I thought that the Gunboat had broken off chasing us...

[icekatze]

hi hi

Chief Tactical Officer Gupton got carted off to medical before she could make any determination about the gunboat's plans. It was sort of left up in the air, but it seems as though the bridge is short staffed at the moment.

I know it must seem like a ridiculous amount of ∂v compared to real life, but with ships that regularly cruise at .01c , I'm going to say that you've got about .0525c worth of ∂v left in your tanks since you managed to save a lot of it with quick thinking when the fuel tanks got hit. So basically you can stop, accelerate back up to cruising, stop, and go back and fourth once more before you start having to really worry about running out of gas. (If you plan on towing the Pure Wind, thats another story though)

Also, you should be able to recover some of the remote probes you launched, since only a couple of them were destroyed taking out torpedos.

[TheUnforsaken]

So we won't have to get out and push? Thats a relief

And the battle was kinda hard on the ship's bridge officers...

[TheUnforsaken]

@sunphoenix, icekatze's post suggests the gunboat seems to be happy just to ghost DeSoto for the moment. Though that can obviously change. Given the disparity of capabilities now evident I don't think even clever maneuvers or functional lasers is going to remedy the situation.

[sunphoenix]

@ Unforsaken: Perhaps... but they would not have stopped burning fuel if it was not an issue. Thier maneuvering shows their drives are crippled in some fashion... Kam is willing to make the attempt at the very least to avoid them. If all they intend to do is ghost us... well they can 'ghost' us while we render aid to our allies. At least that is Kam's idea.

Plus, the only reason Kam can figure to match velocities is 1) An easy target solution, or 2) A boarding action... which Kam has no mind to make easy for them.

Once the Captain's on-bridge she can counter his directives if she sees fit... but Kam is military and thinks military... he's not going to roll over and play dead for any enemy - out-gunned or not. Better to die in battle than be captured for ...worse fates.