Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
We only have 20000IC this turn.
-
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Ace Combat XCOM: Enemy Skies
- Thread starter hYGP
- Start date
- Location
- Meycauayan, Bulacan, Philippines
We have leftover from the previous turn. Also the resources page says "25,200"
Maybe the 20000 is what we received this turn?
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
There is no such thing as "leftover IC". And:
- Location
- Meycauayan, Bulacan, Philippines
Goddamn.
[X] Plan Maximum Available Planes in the Air
-[X] Charlie Burns Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Request a status update on his prototype
--[X] Ask him what weapons are his prototype armed with, and if it is EML, PLSL, TLS and ADMM compatible. If no, request that the prototype be compatible with all of the mentioned.
--[X] Ask him if his prototype had been designed while considering the reports that the aliens don't seem to use radar. If not, ask him to focus on maneuverability and pilot survival via faster and tougher ejection seats and abandon any focus on stealth
--[X] Ask him if he has consulted his colleagues in the General Research Division and the General Engineering Group in the process of making his prototype. If not, ask him to do so if it would help speed up the creation of his prototype
--[X] Ask him if the General Research Division needs more equipment and scientists
-[X] Dr. Shen Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Ask for a status update on the Lighthouse
--[X] Ask him about making EML and PLSL compatible with all available fighter planes
--[X] Ask him to give you options for improving the effectiveness of all fighter plane autocannons
--[X] Ask him if Charlie Burns has consulted him or the General Engineering Group regarding Burns' prototype anti-alien fighter
--[X] Have him attach an EML to Rigel 1's SU-33
-[X] Commander Pulford Status Report (30 Focus)
--[X] How are the other X-COM branches coming along in terms of assets? We saw a lot of F-15s out there, and that's not going to cut it, especially if the Belkans pile in. Do they need help, and can we help?
--[X] Are there signs of other world governments wobbling?
--[X] Can X-COM ask the banks for loans for additional IC when it comes to buying?
--[X] What is the status of Albastru-Electrice and Eastern Confederation Arms Manufacturing Cooperative? Are they still working at full production? Is Albastru-Electrice ready to sell X-COM more Nosferatus?
-[X]Daniel Snow Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Get cost estimates on TLS and PLSL weapon systems.
--[X] Order List (18760 IC)
---[X] One Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin for Jaeger (4200 IC)
---[X] Four EML (8000 IC)
---[X] Three SU-33 (6000 IC)
---[X] Eight MiG-21bis Fishbed (560 IC)
-[X]Bradford Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Have Bradford give Pixy an SU-33 with EML, an SU-33 with EML to Tailor, an SU-33 with EML to Lanza, MiG-21bis Fishbed to everyone else
--[X] Have Jaeger's old F-15 given to Skald
--[X] Have him get Azdaha 1 and 2 and Zvezda 1 and 2 and Waltz 2 one on one lessons from the SSR and SS tier aces to bring them up to A tier.
[X] Searching For Waltz One (Variable Focus, minimum 25)
-[X] Coordinate Parade (100 Focus)
Ok. There. All our pilots have planes!
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- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
1) Given that no current plane can carry more than one of the advanced special weapons, there are probably good reasons for that. They're likely to have mutually exclusive design requirements. Making the plane capable of carrying all four weapon systems will probably increase time and significantly increase cost to get any of the plane.
2) Besides, TLS and EML are largely redundant weapon systems, since they're both "snipe a target from long range with a big slow-firing forward gun" weapons. In terms of strategy they're pretty much interchangeable.
3) I suspect he's not going to be able to do much about ejection seat technology in the short term. They're pretty simple systems, and at this point the main limit on them is that if they accelerate much faster they'll break the pilot's spine on the way out the aircraft (I should introduce you to Molniya One some day
). Also, I don't want to micromanage him too badly. He's not stupid, he knows pilot survivability is a priority. I'm only telling him to make the plane EML-capable because that's a basic design requirement the engineers need to have as opposed to figuring it out for themselves, and telling him to not worry about radar is something that's WILDLY at odds with the traditions of today's aircraft engineering- wild enough that he might not have wanted to try it without at least asking us, since Long Caster would likely be pissed if he'd wanted a stealth aircraft and not gotten one.4) Again, Burns isn't stupid. He's perfectly capable of consulting other departments without being told, so that part of the order is redundant.
1) We don't need to make EML and PLSL compatible with all planes, only with the specific planes we're focusing on. There's no good reason to have a dozen different varieties of plane. About the only planes we actually have many of, and aren't likely to replace with Su-33-EMLs in the immediate future, are the X-02A and maybe the F-22 and F-35. Everything else can already mount an advanced special weapon, or is an F-15 and there's no reason for us to keep it, or is inferior to some other aircraft we can already buy. Also, it would be an acceptable compromise to give those planes other special weapons if need be. Having ANY heavy special weapon is more important than having all the same ones.
2) I don't want to micromanage. Burns isn't dumb; if he thinks he'll need Shen's advice, he'll give it.
3) He can't attach EMLs that you aren't paying for, and he'll automatically attach EMLs that you do pay for. He can't manufacture his own (well, not for free).
4) We probably should ask about autocannon effectiveness.
1) The loan thing is a good idea and I'm going to ask about it too. I don't want to take out large loans, but if we've got 1000 IC left over and are maddened by not being able to afford that one extra EML or something, borrowing 1000 IC to pay back next turn starts to make more sense.
2) We already have an answer to this question. Nosferatus are very hard for those factories to build, they will not be able to sell us more for quite some time.
1) Sending pilots up in MiG-21s, or frankly in F-4s no matter how 'agile' they are, is likely to get them killed. If we just wait another turn, we can afford Su-33-EMLs, or Su-57s for later upgrading with PLSLs, for those pilots. If we send them up in F-15s or F-4s they are going to die. Moreover, we'll be wasting IC on planes that cannot be equipped with special weapons strong enough to really hurt the alien craft. We need to standardize on types that will be effective in battle, not pile ourselves down with trash. Notice how many casualties the other X-COM units took with all the fourth generation fighters in their forces.
2) I don't know what an X-2 is but why do you want it? Does it have good special weapons?
We've been explicitly told that this goes on in the background without our intervention to the best available extent.
1) With the X-2, we get a plane that isn't compatible with PLSL or any other advanced special weapon. Not worth it.
2) The Agile Phantoms are still fourth-generation fighters at best. They might be a marginally better choice than the F-15 right now, but they're still in the same general class of inadequate, easily destroyed planes that we're actively trying to replace. If you're going to do that, buy Su-33s instead, at least they can be upgraded with EMLs later.
3) The MiG-21 is not a suitable plane here. I'm not sure it actually has more guns, and even if it does, quite frankly it does you no good to have more autocannon if you can't physically get the gun on the target because your plane is too old or un-maneuverable.
1) Not messing with the squadrons is good.
2) We've been told that the elite aces already do train the junior pilots, but I suppose I could be wrong about that?
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Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
- Location
- Meycauayan, Bulacan, Philippines
Cheaper than an F-22. And it really, really focuses on maneuverability if the description is to be believed.
I propose we replace the F-22's and F-35's with X-2 Shinshins if we want hyper maneuverable planes. If I remember right Trigger would have shot down that first alien ace with his F-22 faster if only the plane is just a little bit more maneuverable.
Supermaneuverable plane plus EML or PLSL for the win!
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
And it still doesn't hold the candle to Su-57, which is more maneuverable and has better weapons. What we need are planes that can mount EMLs and lasers until we finish our anti-alien plane.
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
[X] Plan: Rearm and Refuel
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Okay, so I finally have some time to sit down today, and took that time to slam a couple more bugs and finalize the shape of the anti-alien aircraft you had Burns make, given the key constraints of:
An unopened video message from Charlie pops up on Long Caster's tablet.
Charlie is bouncing up and down, nearly jumping for joy. The camera's pointed to the runway, where F-14s start their ignition sequence.
"Hey boss. I got you your plane. We haven't finished working out the kinks, but I got - " Charlie yells over the roars of engines that do not belong to F-14s. "Fencer and Lanza right?!" One of the launch techs gives him a thumbs up, "Fencer and Lanza in my best work yet, the F-14X!"
"Lame!" someone calls out over the roar of jet engines.
"I don't wanna hear it from you, Miss XAF-1!" Charlie yells back, turning towards the plane. "Anyway, we took an F-14D and tricked it out with thrust vectoring, canards, modernized avionics and six empennage surfaces! I call it the 'snowflake tail'!"
"We took everything good about the F-14 and made it approximately a billion percent better!" Charlie shouts, as the F-14X trundles down the runway. Long Caster, looking closer, can only see six hardpoints total. "This baby can't fit any more six missiles at a time, but it handles everything else like a champ!"
Charlie takes a moment. "Well, excluding one other thing, but that fucker destroys everything anyway," he muses, as the F-14X takes off with more than half the runway to go.
The two F-14Xs arc up, and then over the runway, barely a hundred meters over. The two dance across the sky, and Long Caster can barely contain his smile either.
"So, boss, what do you think?"
F-14X XCOM Hellcat II
Cost: 2400 IC
Carrier Capable: Yes
Special Weapons:
QAAM
SAAM
SASM
XMA4
XLAA
A large carrier aircraft. Based on the F-14D's airframe, Charlie Burns has upgraded nearly everything except the frame itself, and even on the frame he added canards and more tail control surfaces. The end result, Charlie says, is a plane that's second or third best in a lot of categories; maneuverability second to the likes of the Wyvern or Nosferatu, avionics second to the likes of the F-35C, and speed second to the Mig-31. Compared to any one of those, however, Charlie thinks the F-14X stacks up.
- Cheap
- Extreme manueverability
- Immediate results.
An unopened video message from Charlie pops up on Long Caster's tablet.
Charlie is bouncing up and down, nearly jumping for joy. The camera's pointed to the runway, where F-14s start their ignition sequence.
"Hey boss. I got you your plane. We haven't finished working out the kinks, but I got - " Charlie yells over the roars of engines that do not belong to F-14s. "Fencer and Lanza right?!" One of the launch techs gives him a thumbs up, "Fencer and Lanza in my best work yet, the F-14X!"
"Lame!" someone calls out over the roar of jet engines.
"I don't wanna hear it from you, Miss XAF-1!" Charlie yells back, turning towards the plane. "Anyway, we took an F-14D and tricked it out with thrust vectoring, canards, modernized avionics and six empennage surfaces! I call it the 'snowflake tail'!"
"We took everything good about the F-14 and made it approximately a billion percent better!" Charlie shouts, as the F-14X trundles down the runway. Long Caster, looking closer, can only see six hardpoints total. "This baby can't fit any more six missiles at a time, but it handles everything else like a champ!"
Charlie takes a moment. "Well, excluding one other thing, but that fucker destroys everything anyway," he muses, as the F-14X takes off with more than half the runway to go.
The two F-14Xs arc up, and then over the runway, barely a hundred meters over. The two dance across the sky, and Long Caster can barely contain his smile either.
"So, boss, what do you think?"
F-14X XCOM Hellcat II
Cost: 2400 IC
Carrier Capable: Yes
Special Weapons:
QAAM
SAAM
SASM
XMA4
XLAA
A large carrier aircraft. Based on the F-14D's airframe, Charlie Burns has upgraded nearly everything except the frame itself, and even on the frame he added canards and more tail control surfaces. The end result, Charlie says, is a plane that's second or third best in a lot of categories; maneuverability second to the likes of the Wyvern or Nosferatu, avionics second to the likes of the F-35C, and speed second to the Mig-31. Compared to any one of those, however, Charlie thinks the F-14X stacks up.
- Location
- Seattle, Washington
That looks pretty good. A shame it can't mount EML or the lasers, but QAAMs are pretty good.
So wait, can we get the F-14X as part of the vote we are currently doing?
So wait, can we get the F-14X as part of the vote we are currently doing?
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Yes. Test flights are in progress, but Charlie thinks he can finalize the design and ship out the design to Macmillan Heavy Industries and Axe and Hammer Industries before the end of the week. Something is going the fuck down in Grunder Industries, though, so he's holding off on sending them that.
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
And on the front page we can see that Cyclops squadron is back in full force and ready.
Does this also mean that we can choose a new science project for the Research Division, or will this still take the next week?
Hey, Fencer!
This is very, very nice. Especially that maneuverability, Jesus! We're getting some of those. If only it could mount EML or lasers.
Does this also mean that we can choose a new science project for the Research Division, or will this still take the next week?
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- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
You can choose a new science project for the Research Division. Burns has handed control of the Research Division back over to Vahlen, now that he doesn't need the swarm of scientists and engineers he borrowed Avril for to make the whole thing possible.
- Location
- Austria
Ohh yess.
I think we should get those to...well, all without superplanes.
It can dance quite damn well, and 2400C is a bargain and a half for being second/third best in everything.
It will not be as good as alien thingies one on one in hands of non Ace, but we wanted cheap and fast and broadly decent, and that is definitely it.
I think we should get those to...well, all without superplanes.
It can dance quite damn well, and 2400C is a bargain and a half for being second/third best in everything.
It will not be as good as alien thingies one on one in hands of non Ace, but we wanted cheap and fast and broadly decent, and that is definitely it.
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
Ok, updated my plan with new info, mostly just changed the plane and weapon orders and what science division will do now that the anti-alien plane is ready.
[X] Plan: Rearm and Refuel
-[X] Charlie Burns Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Is there a possibility to modify the F-14X to use EML, TSL or PLSL?
--[X] Is the Research Division in need of anything specific, materials, equipment, etc.?
--[X] Has Dr. Vahlen learned anything from the aliens themselves from the pilots' corpses? Anything that would explain the "telepathy" FUG seemed to be utilizing?
--[X] Start new [Research] Alien Alloys [30/120]
-[X] Dr. Shen Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] How is Mead's work on the Lighthouse coming along?
--[X] Considering the, relative, effectiveness of the cannons of our fighters on the aliens, how viable would it be to upgrade them to more powerful versions?
-[X] Daniel Snow Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Get cost estimates on TLS and PLSL weapon systems.
--[X] Order List (20 000 IC)
---[X] 7xF-14Xs for Jaeger, Pixy, Cyclops Squadron and Baker (17800)
---[X] EML for Rigel 1's Su-33 (2000 IC)
--[X] Make sure Research Division gets equipment she needs.
-[X] Bradford Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Delegate to Bradford the task of organizing our squads which have no one above SS-tier into proper 4-man squadrons.
--[X] Have Baker's old Su-37 given to Rigel 2
--[X] Have Jaeger's old F-15 given to Waltz 1 after he has been recovered. If not recovered, it is to be given to Waltz 2.
-[X] Commander Pulford Status Report (30 Focus)
--[X] How are the other X-COM branches coming along in terms of assets? We saw a lot of F-15s out there, and that's not going to cut it, especially if the Belkans pile in. Do they need help, and can we help?
--[X] Are there signs of other world governments wobbling?
--[X] What the hell is going on at Grunder?
-[X] Searching For Waltz One (50 Focus)
-[X] Coordinate Parade (100 Focus)
-[X] Give ACE name for Salamander 4: Chaperone
Even if the F-14X cannot mount EMLs or lasers, at least it can mount XLAAs.
[X] Plan: Rearm and Refuel
-[X] Charlie Burns Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Is there a possibility to modify the F-14X to use EML, TSL or PLSL?
--[X] Is the Research Division in need of anything specific, materials, equipment, etc.?
--[X] Has Dr. Vahlen learned anything from the aliens themselves from the pilots' corpses? Anything that would explain the "telepathy" FUG seemed to be utilizing?
--[X] Start new [Research] Alien Alloys [30/120]
-[X] Dr. Shen Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] How is Mead's work on the Lighthouse coming along?
--[X] Considering the, relative, effectiveness of the cannons of our fighters on the aliens, how viable would it be to upgrade them to more powerful versions?
-[X] Daniel Snow Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Get cost estimates on TLS and PLSL weapon systems.
--[X] Order List (20 000 IC)
---[X] 7xF-14Xs for Jaeger, Pixy, Cyclops Squadron and Baker (17800)
---[X] EML for Rigel 1's Su-33 (2000 IC)
--[X] Make sure Research Division gets equipment she needs.
-[X] Bradford Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Delegate to Bradford the task of organizing our squads which have no one above SS-tier into proper 4-man squadrons.
--[X] Have Baker's old Su-37 given to Rigel 2
--[X] Have Jaeger's old F-15 given to Waltz 1 after he has been recovered. If not recovered, it is to be given to Waltz 2.
-[X] Commander Pulford Status Report (30 Focus)
--[X] How are the other X-COM branches coming along in terms of assets? We saw a lot of F-15s out there, and that's not going to cut it, especially if the Belkans pile in. Do they need help, and can we help?
--[X] Are there signs of other world governments wobbling?
--[X] What the hell is going on at Grunder?
-[X] Searching For Waltz One (50 Focus)
-[X] Coordinate Parade (100 Focus)
-[X] Give ACE name for Salamander 4: Chaperone
Even if the F-14X cannot mount EMLs or lasers, at least it can mount XLAAs.
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- Location
- Austria
Wait wait wait
Missed it at first
But don't we need some focus on it, to ensure we get our loot?
Icipall
Don't worry, we can fanfix that!
- Location
- Cold snow fields of Finland
Noticed something that we missed from the previous update:
So, any ideas?
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Oh, yeah, some other things because I haunt too many places and I talk a little too much:
- First, you guys genuinely did pretty well in the Battle of Granada Plains. The losses were mostly out of your control or being unlucky, and you did correctly identify FGU as massive tarpits that would've sucked away your aces had you set all of them on the FGU.
- Razgriz Squadron was positively inspired for the long range chase, due to their X-02A Wyverns and XLAAs making them the best interceptors in your force bar none, and Blaze being Blaze meant that Razgriz could've and did kill them all, even without help from Harpy Squadron.
- Mobius Squadron was a little bit overkill for taking down shield ships, but it did save your bacon when you guys missed that there were two other shield ships that could probably do the same thing as the ramming shield ship.
- Strider Squadron's assignment on FGU duty was a little unfortunate, because that tied down four of your best pilots, but quite reasonable.
- Salamander Flight's assignment was a good choice, considering you needed someone doing that work. Could've been Strider Squadron, but you can't get 'em all.
- Rigel 4 just got unlucky,
like his twin brother before him - Getting Pixy to follow
CipherElcero was definitely the correct choice.
- Most of the forces in the Battle of Granada Plains don't blame you for taking few losses in comparison; most of them are more thankful that you showed up, because they don't want to imagine what would've happened if you went "we're XCOM USEA and staying in USEA."
- That said, Osean hardliners are probably going to make noises about how XCOM USEA has taken so many of Osea's best pilots; hell, only two of your aces are actually Usean, and the rest are from Osea.
- The primary spin on the Battle of Granada Plains seems to be that "Losses were heavy, and many good pilots gave their lives in defense of their country and planet. In the end, we were triumphant because of these aces, and that's why we need you to sign up for pilot training programs."
- Pilot training programs have begun worldwide. They're incredibly fast, getting completely fresh pilots into jet fighters in a timeframe of a month or two. That said, it has been two weeks, and if you try to scramble those F-tier pilots, there is actually a significant chance they don't make it off the runway.
- The highest that peacetime training can get you is the bottom of A-tier, as Waltz 1's rank up text attests to.
- COFFIN/ZOE tech would increase training XP gain rate, but it would not help non-ZOE-drone pilots break past A-tier piloting.
- There's another rank beyond SSR-tier piloting. Achieving that seems like it might be somewhere in the same part of the game as COFFIN/ZOE tech, and that will change everything.
- Other Aces:
- Monk 2 "Bodhi" has been revealed to be an S-tier Ace through the Battle of Granada Plains.
- Gryphus 1 "Southern Cross" has advanced to the SS-tier.
- Dormarch 1 "Elcero" has advanced into the SSR-tier.
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
mans spent twenty five years doing his best silber one impression with a plot of land, yeah he's gotten a bit rusty.
The choice to spend Focus is always your decision. The Focus involved for that will likely come through talking with Pulford/IUN to figure this all out. That said, it is worth noting that XCOM USEA's Research Division does have the most experience in Xenoresearch, so...
- Location
- Somewhere over the rainbow
Not that crazy. After all, Long Caster has seen Stonehenge in action, and it was restored under combat conditions, so...