It entirely depends on what manuevers are being used. The latest round only used six, but the one prior to involved a lot of climbing and used up 12.
If you use afterburners now the range of options you have for the rest of the engagement will be much more limited.
Erin's Kestrel is far less thirsty than you Firefly and still has a decent amount of fuel left even though she has been doing a lot of climbing and looping in her dogfight.
Erin's Kestrel is far less thirsty than you Firefly and still has a decent amount of fuel left even though she has been doing a lot of climbing and looping in her dogfight.
I mean even if we can`t pull any major maneuvers just being another threat should be helpful, right ? Better to be on hand with 10 than elsewhere with 1000 and all that.
I mean even if we can`t pull any major maneuvers just being another threat should be helpful, right ? Better to be on hand with 10 than elsewhere with 1000 and all that.
[X] Use afterburners to reach Yang in time.
-Introduction- 1.9
You pushed the throttle smoothly through the reheat gate and set to maximum thrust. Behind you fuel was injected straight into the burning hot downpipes of the jet exhausts, and ignited. A twinned lance of flame leapt from the back of your fighter, and you were shoved harshly backwards by the kick of sudden acceleration.
"Hold on Yang, we're coming." You called out on the radio. Rook 2 sent no reply, likely using all his concentration to stay alive.
To your rear left Rook 4 lit her own afterburners and raced after you. Even so you were pulling ahead, Her Kestrel just didn't have the thrust to keep up. You paid a price for such speed of course, a glance at your fuel gauge showed the needly steadily dropping towards empty.
It doesn't matter, Yang was depending on you.
As the twisting shapes of Yang's fighter and the Tessari Firefly grew from flitting black dots to recognizable arrowheads. You armed one of your two remaining missiles, the cryogenic system began cooling the seeker head, bringing it down to the optimal temperature to detect the hot exhausts of an enemy plane in the wide expanse of sky.
As you entered extreme missile range, the lock indicator on your HUD began to searching across the display, circling the maneuvering enemy fighter. You had just reached effective long range when the lock tone finally sounded, and you fired.
"Fox Two!" You reported.
The missile streaked forward, and with a sense of satisfaction you watched as the Firefly began to pull out of it's pursuit.
Only to feel a stab of horror as a spear of smoke detached from it's wing and hurtled towards Rook 2.
Roll 2 d100
A/N:
I have decided that Wild Blue's way of handling skill checks for air combat as binary pass/fail is not satisfactory. From now on there will be a possibility of a partial success if you roll ten or less over the target number. Also if you roll less than thirty under the target number you will get a critical success.
Partial success will count as the action being accomplished, but will pass a malus onto the roll for the next action in the sequence. For example getting a partial success on a roll for manuevering for advantage will give a -10 to getting a firing solution on the target.
Getting a critical succes will confer a +10 bonus to the next roll.
You missile tracked well, acquiring a solid lock and racing forward to follow the trail of heat left behind the fleeing enemy plane.
Meanwhile the Tessari's own weapon covered the shorter distance to Yang. Rook 2 had pushed his plane into a steep climb in an attempt to evade, but the missile kept on him like an eager hound with the scent of blood in it's nose. If he kept going it would catch him.
"Break left and dive Yang! Break left!" You called desperately out on the radio.
He heard you and immediately threw himself into a hard left turn, flipped over and dived back towards the earth.
The missile caught up with him head on, just after the apex of his climb. Hungry for the white hot plume of exhaust gas it shot past his right wing and detonated behind him.
The Kestrel tumbled with smoke pouring from its tail.
"Rook 2?" It was Miranda, Harold's RIO who also served as the unit's combat controller in the air. "Rook 2, please respond."
The next second seemed to never end. You barely noticed the Tessari twisting out of the way of your own shot in a neat evasion.
Rook 2 pulled up and levelled out.
"I'm okay" This was accompanied by a hacking cough. "I think my control surfaces are shredded she's handling like a pig. I'm sorry but I don't think I can stay in the fight."
"You did your best Yang, RTB and get out of here. We'll finish up." Miranda replied, the relief obvious in her voice.
"Roger that. Rook 2 RTB." With that Yang turned his fighter west and wobbled towards the horizon.
A dull boom echoed to your right and you turned your head to see an expanding fireball where Rook 1s last opponent had met its end to a double tap of missiles.
You cut your afterburners and let your jet slow back down to cruise speed.
"Rook 1, splash one bandit" Called out Miranda.
"Alright pilots, just one left. But he's running for the oil rig. Cascade hired us to protect their installations. We let that bandit hit them and kiss. goodbye to your paycheck." Harold's voice came on the radio. He sounded weary, but determined.
"Rook 3, Rook 4 go low and chase him. We'll bounce from up top. Now…"
"Three contacts entering the combat zone at high speed! Bearing 27, no IFF." Miranda called out. "Presumed hostile."
A burst of static cut across the radio from the guard channel.
"Attention Yastari Mercenary planes, this is Captain Ratana, of Khal team, 33rd Fighter Squadron, Tessari Army Air Corps. You are infringing upon sovereign Tessari airspace, and have fired on our aircraft. Retreat, or be destroyed." Your own radar now showed three blips coming in from the west.
The new fighters were pointed arrowhead shapes just like your Firefly, but they were sleeker, faster, more dangerous looking. J-31 Firecrests, a later development of your own fighter, and unhelpful part of your brain supplied.
"Okay new plan." Rook 1 said. "You two handle that last Firefly, We'll hold off this 'Khal team'."
With that he wheeled his Spectre around in the sky and faced the big jet head on to the approaching enemy reinforcements.
"You first Tessari." He retorted back on the open channel, and without waiting for a response, list his afterburners, climbing at maximum thrust towards them.
You turned your gaze back to the rapidly shrinking Firefly, now making a bee line to the even more distant speck of one of the Cascade Mineral offshore oil rigs.
"What the fuck? This was supposed to be routine patrol, and now we are in some kind of war?. Someone has screwed us." Erin voiced angrily over your two way channel. You could hear a hint of fear creeping into her voice.
[][ERIN] Reassure her.
[][ERIN] Sympathise with her.
[][ERIN] Reprimand her.
[][ERIN] Say Nothing
You needed to stop that fighter.
What do you do?
You have 26 fuel remaining, you need 16 to return to base.
[][ACT] Close range and engage cautiously. 10 fuel
[][ACT] Close range and engage heavily. 12 fuel
[][ACT] Fire at medium range. 4 fuel
[][ACT] Break off and RTB. 0 fuel
[X][ACT] Fire at medium range. 4 fuel
This is our best bet for the action portion - We have a wingman who can get stuck in if needed and I'd like to keep a little fuel in reserve in case something strange happens.
[X][ERIN] Sympathise with her.
Don't have any strong feelings here
[X][ACT] Fire at medium range. 4 fuel
Seems reasonable to me. Let`s let Erin earn her pay yeah ?
[X][ERIN] Reprimand her.
We`re in combat. She should keep the channel clear of non-vital chatter.
[X][ACT] Fire at medium range. 4 fuel
[X][ERIN] Reassure her.
The last of the original bandits is flying low and burning away, over open water, meaning they have less room to maneuver and no terrain cover while presenting a clear target for the heat seeker. Even if they somehow magically dodge the missile, they'll have to maneuver, giving us time to close the distance. Reassure because I want my high octane battle action with a side of fluff, damn it!
[X][ACT] Fire at medium range. 4 fuel
[X][ERIN] Reassure her.
-Introduction- 1.11
"We can do this Rook 4. Focus on the target." You said, trying your best to be reassuring. "We'll get through one step at a time."
"You're right." She replied, sounding slightly calmer. "What's the plan?"
You checked your gauges, your fuel level had just dropped below fifteen percent.
"I'm nearly bingo. Any more close in work and i'll have to RTB. You hit the reheat and get close. I'll hang back and fire off the first good shot I get. At the very least it will force them to maneuver so you can catch up, and put them down." You hoped that came off as somewhat confident/
She seemed to consider your plan for a moment.
"Well it's better than nothing. Let's do it." With that she lit her burners and surged ahead.
Meanwhile you climbed slightly, getting a more oblique view of the target, hopefully giving your single remaining missile as large a cross section to aim at as possible.
A few seconds ticked by, and as Rook 4 reached halfway to the enemy plane, and just as it was itself entering range of the oil rig you triggered the arming sequence and watched the targeting reticle home in on your prey.
They immediately started to jinking left to right, but otherwise staying on target A delaying tactic, it wouldn't stop you getting a lock, but would make it take longer. This one was a cool customer then. They wanted that rig dead, and were willing to risk a missile up the tailpipe to achieve it
The reticle snapped onto target. The Tone sounded.
You pressed the firing stud.
Your last missile threw itself clear of your wing and surged forwards.You passed through the exhaust trail, momentarily clouding your vision, and when you emerged it was already drawing level with Erin's plane.
The hostile Firefly must have realised that the danger had suddenly increased, and broke hard left into a climb. Possibly preparing to go into an immelman to try and evade the weapon now shooting in their direction.
From this rangte the missile itself was invisible, instead you watched the silvery trail snake through the air, sliding left and right, matching the enemy aircraft's course. And then with almost impossible ease, it reached up and connected with the fleeing fighter, blossoming into a fiery flower of exploding fuel and metal.
Erin whooped with joy as she blew past the fireball and swooped low over the oil rig. "Scratch one bandit Rook 3."
You allowed yourself a smile beneath the oxygen mask. And then remembered that the fight was not over. You began turning your fighter around, back towards Rook 1 and the Khal team.
The sight that greeted you was sobering. One of the tiger striped Khal aircraft had dropped back with smoke coming from its cranked delta wing. The other two however were hounding Rook 1 relentlessly. They had both managed to get above the heavy fighter, and no matter what Rook 1 did, they timed their maneuvers to prevent him escaping either one of them. It was clear your flight leader was in trouble.
You keyed your mic. "Bandit is down, Rook 3 and 4 regrouping on you lead."
"Negative." It was Harold rook. "They are t-" A explosion rocked the distant shape of his Spectre, and it staggered drunkenly into a shallow dive trailing a plume of fire and debris.
Erin gasped in shock. "Rook 1, this is 4 please respond. Rook 1 please respond!"
A few seconds of agonising silence were all that filled the airwaves, whilst a pit of horror opened up with your gut.
Finally a weak voice crackled into life on the unit-wide band. "Oh god.. They got Harry." It was Miranda. "The controls are unresponsive. I'm going to have to eject." She sounded distant and almost mechanical. "Get out out of here you two."
"Hold on Miranda we're coming!" Erin interjected. On your display you could see her aircraft start to accelerate rapidly. She had hit her afterburners, and was going to try and intercept.
"That's an order Rook 4." The hint of steel in that command would have given most hardened veterans pause for thought.
"But-" Erin tried to argue, you thought you heard her choke back a sob.
"RUN! NOW!" Miranda screamed into the channel.
A puff of smoke erupted from the cockpit, and you saw a single ejection seat fling itself clear of the doomed aircraft. It sailed up in a ballistic arc, reaching an apex and beginning to plummet back down again before a white parachute unfurled and abruptly slowed it's descent.
Rook 1's Spectre carried on, until it struck the ground, leaving a blacked scar and funeral pyre burning across the white sands of the shoreline.
Rook 1 was down.
Erin's Kestrel slowed as she drew level with you.
Up high the aircraft of Khal team had formed up menacingly, but were not yet headed in your direction.
"She ejected." Erin said unnecessarily. "We've got to make sure gets down okay, and mark the location for Search and Rescue!" It sounded like she was trying to be resolute, but you heard the waver of uncertainty in her voice.
What do you do?
[] Get out of there.
[] Locate Miranda's landing site.
[] Fight Khal.
[X] Attempt to locate Miranda's landing site but prioritize our own safety and getting back to base; spend at most 6 fuel and bug out the moment Khal team moves to engage.
Oof, there goes our ace....
[X] Attempt to locate Miranda's landing site but prioritize our own safety and getting back to base; spend at most 6 fuel and bug out the moment Khal team moves to engage.
[X] Attempt to locate Miranda's landing site but prioritize our own safety and getting back to base; spend at most 6 fuel and bug out the moment Khal team moves to engage.
[X] Attempt to locate Miranda's landing site but prioritize our own safety and getting back to base; spend at most 6 fuel and bug out the moment Khal team moves to engage.