[X] Plan Reserved
-[X] Maybe we shouldn't go looking for trouble.
--[X] That said, re-visiting the friendly Northern Neighbours would be good form. HSWS might be too overstretched to establish trade routes or project power, so just keeping in contact will suffice for the moment.
-[X] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall.
I'd add contacts in the Militia and task the MIC with seeking out locations of atomic stockpiles in private hands. We want to know where they are for... reasons.
I mean, it's not even "reasons". If they don't want us to drop the sky on any nuclear weapon in flight and its launch site as a probable attack on Home as a whole by outside actors, any private actor will need to admit they have nuclear weapons and under what circumstances they'd use them at least. One of our core competencies is, after all, preventing anyone from nuking Home at random. To do that, we have to be able to judge what is and is not a rogue launch.
Reservists sent to Cassalon:
- up to 5x ICs (unless some are with "further reserves")
- Flotilla Support Ship (? - or it's with "further reserves"?)
- Diplomatic ship
- Troop carrieer (? - or it's with further reserves)
Home Fleet left in Home:
- 1x Monitor
- 5x frigates
Further reserves - Scout Flotilla + Couriers:
- Two Interstellar Surveyors
- 4x Deep Space Surveyors (two of them in Flotilla, 2 not)
- 9x couriers
Under construction:
- 3x CFAs
- One IC in refit (to block III)
- Two more Frigates
So, plan.
I am not sure scuttling Heimdal is an option, as we would abandon also all the fighters there. There are also a lot of personnel to evacuate, between two stations there (mining and anchorage).
I'd totally send some diplomancers to North, but currently our dedicated diploship is in Cassalon, trying to spin the jump flashes into some further integration. SO that's probably have to wait.
I think tasking MIC for corp-sniffing is a should-do option at this point. We already had two surprise events in S'Taxu and recently in Xyri, let's try to anticipate at least this one. I would otherwise want their report on Shambala (I really want it since long ago lol). But we can probably only give one MIC task at a time.
[X] Plan Keep Eyes Peeled
-[X] Maybe we shouldn't go looking for new signatores for now. Garda-Willis seems to be a wrong target for this at all - they would cont any our initiative as beneath them. We should learn more about the Northerners before deciding if approaching them is good, which means we should start planning new missions North.
-[X] Write-in - make inquiries with our Aslan mercs, especially with their officers (if they have any female officers, ask them too) - could Aslan in general be interested in such agreement? Pay them for consultations and for confidentiality.
-[X] Write-in: task MIC with infiltrating the corps. Make them contact friendlies in the other "ship crew bureucracies" and in Militia for information and opportunities to enter corps proper. Make mapping the existing private stockpiles of atomic weapons a priority.
-[X] Write-in: apart of that, put more funds into the MDC development. Show interest in any other kinetic weapon developments.
-[X] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall. If Equus can be ruled out early, switch to Shambala and Nova Refugio.
--[X] Check if evacuating and scuttling Heimdall is an option (as a last resort).
Not sure we need to be totally paranoid about evacuating - if the flashes have continued, I don't think it's necessarily a scouting expedition aimed at us - seems more like a transit? Might be someone with a J1 (or J2) drive with a deep fuel capacity and our system happens to be the one they can get to before they have to transit to realspace and then jump again. Does seem like Equus and Shambala are likely origin/destination points, though.
Regarding expansion of the Articles:
-[X] The Friendly Northern Neighbours with whom we have only had brief contact. Even if they demur or outright refuse, it is a good opportunity to expand our diplomatic relations. Regarding Flash Screens:
-[X] Write-in: Expand the tripwire force as best possible to encompass Equus, Heimdall, Shambala, and Nova Refugio, and coordinate sweeps of our three allied systems with Cassalon and Xyri to ensure these scout fleets have not attempted to breach our collective home borders. ROUTINE MESSAGE-OFFICIAL MILITARY NET, PERSONAL TRAFFIC-ENCRYPTED
Source: Home Net-Relay, HSWS Central Command Base.
To: Bloch, R, Military Intelligence Corps Permanent Liaison, Multispectrum Warfare Office-OPEN TRAFFIC.
From: Novohal, L. , Maj., Multispectrum Warfare Office.
Col. Bloch Ravenna:
Just finished speaking with Gen. Madrigal. She suggested, in casual terms, that Procurement would be interested in a direct study of the history of weapons on Home, as a sort of celebration of the passage of the new Articles. Would you be interested in assisting the MWO and our FLF liaisons in a series of interviews of our best and brightest private defense and corporate contractors? Let me know if you're free to help out!
"On the unrelated note", do I correctly understand that:
- There is no "damage multiples" thing from 2ed ("update 2022 high guard") in quest (for barbettes/bays)?
- the mass driver cannons, when put in "casemate bays" only have the normal casemate negative DM for small targets? No "special mass driver cannon modifier in casemate DM", as there is no mention of it in weapon post?
- small capital turret can hold only 50-ton weapons, so prototype light mdc, having mass of 100, won't fit into a small capturret, only into large?
"On the unrelated note", do I correctly understand that:
- There is no "damage multiples" thing from 2ed in quest (for barbettes/bays)?
- the mass driver cannons, when put in "casemate bays" only have the normal casemate negative DM for small targets? No "special mass driver cannon modifier in casemate DM", as there is no mention of it in weapon post?
- small capital turret can hold only 50-ton weapons, so prototype light mdc, having mass of 100, won't fit into a small capturret, only into large?
No, damage multiples exist.
Yes, I think so. I feel like they'd otherwise be unfailry disadvantaged compared to railguns which I think doin't have that mod?
Yes, currently you'd need a medium cap turret.
@Josiah I'd ask if you could add something about pushing extra funding into getting the LMD out of prototype so we can get its weight down and into small capital turrets.
The Monitor is large enough to fit small capitals so I wanna get it upgraded with proper turrets asap so it's not just sitting with deactivated weapons.
@Josiah I'd ask if you could add something about pushing extra funding into getting the LMD out of prototype so we can get its weight down and into small capital turrets.
The Monitor is large enough to fit small capitals so I wanna get it upgraded with proper turrets asap so it's not just sitting with deactivated weapons.
Though frankly we do not strictly necessary need them in cap turrets. Sure, cap turrets take away the "fire at small craft negative modifier", but we can fit more missiles on Monitor for that. Against relatively big turrets the casemate MDCs would be ok.
also small cap turrets "eat" 3 hardpoints each, and that is not insubstantial - so we would not fitt all the guns in turrets anyways (but having 1-2 turrets is neat, to one-shot IC-sized ships).
We can upgrade Caturix without turrets, and build next Monitor with them.
Though frankly we do not strictly necessary need them in cap turrets. Sure, cap turrets take away the "fire at small craft negative modifier", but we can fit more missiles on Monitor for that. Against relatively big turrets the casemate MDCs would be ok.
also small cap turrets "eat" 3 hardpoints each, and that is not insubstantial - so we would not fitt all the guns in turrets anyways (but having 1-2 turrets is neat, to one-shot IC-sized ships).
We can upgrade Caturix without turrets, and build next Monitor with them.
My thing is that the monitor is big and really I can't imagine it to be the most maneuverable thing in space. This didn't matter as much since particle beams can lens but LMD's are fixed. I'd rather have as many turreted as possible so we don't have to swing the giant thing around to target everything.
My thing is that the monitor is big and really I can't imagine it to be the most maneuverable thing in space. This didn't matter as much since particle beams can lens but LMD's are fixed. I'd rather have as many turreted as possible so we don't have to swing the giant thing around to target everything.
I don't think that would be an issue. Traveller system apparently does not have facings and things like that, and moreover, our monitor is not that big by Traveller standarts. No longer small, but not very big either.
I don't think that would be an issue. Traveller system apparently does not have facings and things like that, and moreover, our monitor is not that big by Traveller standarts. No longer small, but not very big either.
- the mass driver cannons, when put in "casemate bays" only have the normal casemate negative DM for small targets? No "special mass driver cannon modifier in casemate DM", as there is no mention of it in weapon post?
My v bad, there is a 'kinetics' negative modifier which i forgot we'd decided. RAW it's just for mass driver cannons, but i'm extending it to railguns and mass drivers, to encourage the use of cool big turrets.
Napkin mathing the monitor, once we have turrets, we can keep it's PD/laser suite as is and then slap on the ten turrets, and have the space to slap in another two large missile bays (and replace the existing 4xsmall with 2xlarge) for a 96 missile barrage and add another two triple turrets or PD stations.
or get really nuts and add another two large missile bays for 144 missiles per volley
Adhoc vote count started by 4WheelSword on Sep 14, 2024 at 6:24 AM, finished with 36 posts and 10 votes.
[X] Plan Keep Eyes Peeled
-[X] Maybe we shouldn't go looking for new signatores for now. Garda-Willis seems to be a wrong target for this at all - they would cont any our initiative as beneath them. We should learn more about the Northerners before deciding if approaching them is good, which means we should start planning new missions North.
-[X] Write-in - make inquiries with our Aslan mercs, especially with their officers (if they have any female officers, ask them too) - could Aslan in general be interested in such agreement? Pay them for consultations and for confidentiality.
-[X] Write-in: task MIC with infiltrating the corps. Make them contact friendlies in the other "ship crew bureucracies" and in Militia for information and opportunities to enter corps proper. Make mapping the existing private stockpiles of atomic weapons a priority.
-[X] Write-in: apart of that, put more funds into the MDC development. Show interest in any other kinetic weapon developments.
-[X] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall. If Equus can be ruled out early, switch to Shambala and Nova Refugio.
--[X] Check if evacuating and scuttling Heimdall is an option (as a last resort).
[x] Write-in: OPLAN caution
- [x] Prepare Heimdall for scuttling and evacuation. We should be able to execute an orderly retreat if the unknown force is hostile and more powerful than us.
- [x] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall.
[X] Plan Reserved
-[X] Maybe we shouldn't go looking for trouble.
--[X] That said, re-visiting the friendly Northern Neighbours would be good form. HSWS might be too overstretched to establish trade routes or project power, so just keeping in contact will suffice for the moment.
- [x] Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall.
[X] OPLAN: Juvenal
-[X] The Friendly Northern Neighbours with whom we have only had brief contact. Even if they demur or outright refuse, it is a good opportunity to expand our diplomatic relations. -[X] Write-in: Expand the tripwire force as best possible to encompass Equus, Heimdall, Shambala, and Nova Refugio, and coordinate sweeps of our three allied systems with Cassalon and Xyri to ensure these scout fleets have not attempted to breach our collective home borders.
We could consider attempting to spread these values beyond our own local stars: We should learn more about the Northerners before deciding if approaching them is good, which means we should start planning new missions North. Make inquiries with our Aslan mercs, especially with their officers. With the limited forces available, what should the HSWS do? Extend the net to Equus and Shambala, see if the scouting extends beyond Heimdall. If Equus can be ruled out early, switch to Shambala and Nova Refugio. Additional: Task MIC with infiltrating the corps. Make mapping the existing private stockpiles of atomic weapons a priority.
The Articles of War
Meetings with the Aslan mercenary companies begin and end in short order - they have already assessed the documents for their own purposes after all. They firmly believe that the Autonomous Aslan Democratic Technocracy would be quick to adopt the Articles with some small amendments in order to better align their own concepts of honour-warfare with those of their neighbours. The reason the mercenaries were resistant is because of a more general anxiety about the sort of fights they get themselves into. They are not a nation-state (yet) and in most cases they are not able to demand honour-warfare in the same way that a multi-colony state is.
Plans to return North and attempt to make closer contacts with those systems would require specific diplomatic missions with an escorted HSLS Bá Kim. However, those escorts are currently intensely busy in the South watching out for inbound aggressors and thus the only options are to either send it alone of not sent it at all.
We should:
[ ] Dispatch the diplomatic ship without escorts.
[ ] Pull escorts out of Home or Cassalon stations to dispatch along with the diplomatic ship.
[ ] Do not send a diplomatic mission until the current potential crisis is solved.
Lights in the Dark - 13y09m00w
Messages arrive in Home with news and orders flood back along the courier chain as fast as they possibly can - which, to be clear, is not very. Two months and change after the initial deployment, cruisers are split off from the main force and jump out to Equus and Shambala to conduct a month-long patrol in those systems to check for similar jump flashes to those identified in Heimdall.
The Equus mission returns two weeks later, quickly enough that it can't have spent more than a day in the distant sector. The news it brings is delivered back up the courier chain to Home, finally arriving with the headquarters of the HSWS and the Citizen's Council on 13y10m02w. Equus is no longer empty space with some xenophobic communists squatting on the closest thing to an inhabitable world. Equus is now home to a collection of what can only be combat ships, an 8,000 ton 'mothership' and several 2,000 ton 'parasite craft' - at least that's what the sensor returns say.
The commander of the operations in Heimdall - one Flight Commodore Anaru Bergfalk - considers two possibilities as the main outcomes of this sort of action. Whoever it is (presumably the Hermosans) is preparing for an incursion into Home space and their scouting missions are watching for particular build ups in our locality. Option two is that they have recognised our build up as offensive in nature and are moving to strengthen their own positions for an incursion. Nonetheless, Bergfalk makes a formal request for the deployment of the HSWS Caturix to Heimdall. Even without her guns she is a formidable presence.
The Mengakars, still a strong presence in the fleet after more than a decade, argue for a defensive posture including a build up in Heimdall beyond what is already present. This would include the rapid push out of not just the Monitor, but block III Interstellar Cruisers, new frigates and, vitally, the Modern Defence Station which is due to finish construction in six weeks.
The Ciwanan party functionally no longer exists in the Fleet, and has been replaced almost entirely by the Jonk Narren or 'Young Fools'. Initially an insult, the name has been adopted by a group of junior officers who believe in the future of bold action and strong images. They argue that the Heimdall force should conduct a decapitation strike in Sinone, isolating the Hermosan forces in Equus and forcing them to risk an engagement while under supplied.
The Citizens Council has its own ideas, and suggests instead that HSLS Bá Kim should be dispatched for a mission directly to Hermosa. After all, we have been nothing but successful in foreign diplomacy so far, haven't we?
What orders should be issued?
[ ] Deploy the main strength of the fleet to Heimdall and prepare for incursions.
[ ] Prepare and Conduct an offensive operation against Sinone with a view to isolating the force in Equus.
[ ] Deploy a diplomatic mission to Hermosa, passing through the empty sector 'South' of Heimdall.
[ ] Other - write in.
There is no requirement to create a plan, but plans are still welcome. Voting opens at
Hmmm... Interesting. Equus puts them within striking distance of Cassalon. As such, if we choose to defend, we would need to defend both Heimdall and Cassalon. For this reason, it's should be either the Sinone Sickle or just dispatching the diplomatic teams.
Of course, this is assuming that the Equus fleet didn't spring to action as soon as our scout was seen.
We've banned our main guns on the majority of our ships. Basically only frigates run on 100% for now - unless we still can use the Pbeams? As I understood, ban has been already put into effect.
What we should do is
[ ] Write-in: hire both our Aslan merc groups and send them to reinforce Heimdall. Send Ba Kim to Aslan to start the discussions around the Agreement, and to hire more merc ships and send them to Home (first there, at staging ground plus to protect in case of Super Maneuver from the Assumed Enemy. Later we can send them to reinforce whaever we would want to reinforce).
I think we should also do the basic "reinforce Hemidall" option, but we should absolutely add Aslan mercs to this, too.
