GDI Platoon Commander: A "GDI Edition" side-quest (non-canon)
- Thread starter NickAragua
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Action
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
[x] Plan Back in the Saddle
sounds fine to me
sounds fine to me
Yeah, our constraints will be getting the base built up enough to request them. I doubt we have an armoury there.
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
[x] Plan Back in the Saddle
- Location
- New England
Unable to establish network connection... independent command protocols initiated.
Haha, nice callback to the 1st game.
Mission 4 Turn 2: January 6, 2059
- Location
- New England
Raw plan/resolution:
January 6, 2059
"Sergeant Rei." You say. "Take second and third squad south; secure that village. See what the navy and marines are up to, if anything. If you can, start or continue the evacuation. I'll take first and fourth squad east to the base, see if I can get that sorted out. Until we get comms re-established and the airspace cleared out, be conservative with your forces."
"Yes ma'am." The sergeant replies. You're pretty sure he's sighing or rolling his eyes internally.
The two pairs of APCs split up, yours heading east through the broken terrain while the sergeant and his squads head south. As you drive east, you note that Tiberium really did a number on the terrain to the south - the crystal may have been cleared out, but it dug deep into the earth. Jagged rocks stick out next to pits that go who the hell knows how deep.
You encounter no hostiles, but, when you enter the Tiberium field to the east, you are relieved as a friendly IFF signal pings you - a GDI harvester, shoveling crystals into its grinder. The crew directs you to the east, where, a few short hours later, you enter Beta base.
The facility is in pretty bad shape. The construction yard is a wreck, as is the command post. You can roughly trace the path that the follow-up Nod attack took - a pair of wrecked buggies just outside the base, debris from two sentry towers, an overrun sandbag fighting position, and a hulled out Scorpion tank, with tire marks on the concrete from multiple buggies suddenly turning around at this point. The northern side of the base paints a similar picture, with a pair of Pitbull wrecks complementing multiple destroyed buggies.
The sergeant in charge of the remaining units is quite happy to see you and can't transfer control of the base fast enough. He fills in the details of how the Nod attack went - pretty much confirming what you already knew. The good news is that he's got two Predator tanks, two infantry squads and an APC left, with the Nod force having been driven off heavily damaged. The attack force that came in was about a 1:1:1 mixture of buggies, Scorpion tanks and Reckoner-transported infantry, and because the War Factory and a barracks remained intact, the local force was able to repair and resupply the surviving vehicles.
All attempts at air support were interdicted by surface-to-air installations and a Firehawk was shot down, but the aero jock managed to bring the fighter around and "land" in the water some distance to the south.
As reported, most of the on-base housing has been rendered unusable, although some quick action sealed off one of the barracks from the ol' "Tiberium gas in the vents" prank, so your troops do have some place to sleep, although they have to do so in rotations.
The sergeant also informs you that a harvester was out harvesting the northern field when the Nod attack came and they lost contact with it, the last reported position being in sector D1.
Battlefield Control... Established
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Initiating Independent Control Protocols...
Updating Callsigns...
Current Objectives:
Re-establish communications
Determine evacuation status
Locate and destroy Nod forces in the region
Locate and destroy SAM sites to enable GDI air traffic (secondary)
Locate and recover missing harvester (secondary)
Re-establish construction capability (self-entered)
Re-establish unit requisition capability (self-entered)
Base Status:
Power (available/total): 85/200
Housing (available/total): 9/4 (requisition disabled)
Building Slots E4: 2/8
Building Slots D4: 2/8 (Debris)
Credits: 2000
Construction Functions Disabled
Requisition Functions Disabled
Tiberium Storage Capacity: 3000/3000
Tiberium Income:
D4: +800 every two turns (28 turns remaining)
Buildings:
D4: Barracks, Refinery, Sandbags
E4: Factory, 2x Power Plant, 2x Silo, Sandbags
Miscellaneous Options:
[] Dismantle Tiberium Silo - +50 credits, +10 power, +1 building slot, up to 2
[] Dismantle Power Plant - +250 credits, -100 power, +1 building slot, up to 2 but probably shouldn't do 2
One of the things that occurs to you to speed up the process of getting the factory to put out the MCV (which costs 3000 credits) is to dismantle the silos and a power plant. This will leave your power (barely) in the green and nearly kill your Tiberium storage capacity, but will let you get the construction yard set up in 48 hours rather than a mind-numbingly long 96. Of course, then you still have to wait for additional credits to roll in, and will eventually have to replace your power generation/Tiberium storage capacity, but saving 48 hours is not the worst prospect in the world. Unfortunately, your calculations show that your harvester, even with your optimized harvesting patterns, won't bring in enough credits to rebuild the command post for another 96 hours after that. But still, having even the basic communications suite of the construction yard will let you have some visibility on what's going on.
Requisition Options:
[] Mobile Construction Vehicle - 5000 credits, 1 Speed, non-combat vehicle, self-housing
The Mobile Construction Vehicle is what drives GDI's rapid mobility. Packaging all the tools somebody would need to put up the pre-fabricated structures common across GDI military facilities into a single ponderous vehicle, the MCV can be packed and unpacked at will, enabling setup and teardown of structures to support on-going military and Tiberium harvesting operations; this greatly shortens the logistics chain of forward-deployed forces. It also contains some "basic" comms gear, so you can try fuzzy voice comms or text messages with your detached force. If you take apart a nearly half of your base, you can initiate construction on the MCV, and have it deployed within 48 hours.
Current Area Map:
Current Force Status:
You sigh, trying and failing to stretch within the enclosed confines of the APC. You've got a lot of work to do - the first priority being to re-build a construction yard. At the current rate of harvesting, that will take four days, and then another day before the harvester comes back with another load of Tiberium for any meaningful construction projects, so you're looking at almost a week before you can get anything back up and running again. Or, you could rip apart half your base and get the MCV out sooner, but it'll still take another four days to get the command post up and running, so it's mostly a tradeoff between very limited comms and a start on debris clearing two days sooner versus reduced base capability over the long term until you catch up. The command post will take exactly the same time to get re-built either way.
The missing harvester, according to the local NCO, was loaded up with blue Tiberium, which would make it quite the prize to find. Unfortunately, it went missing across the river, so you will have to send out a search party for it. You spend some time thinking about what you'll send, and in what direction. APCs can move faster, but you've only got the three. Sending the Predator tanks along will get you greater firepower, but you'll be moving a 33% slower, which increases your chances of being intercepted by any Nod forces in the area. You also have to contend with the consideration that you need to defend the base; it's got some solid sandbags set up, so your infantry will be able to repel any raiding parties, especially with support.
You also consider whether to go with the search party yourself. If the search party runs into trouble, you're not sure you'll even be able to talk to them, let alone in real-time, so they'll be on their own. On the other hand, if the base comes under attack and you're not there, the same problem applies. On the plus side, looking at the map, you figure you have about a 50/50 odds of running into any potential Nod attackers on the way to the search area.
You scoff - it's actually unlikely that recovering the lost harvester will speed up re-establishing comms as it'll likely take 4-5 days just to get back to base with the damn thing, but the Tiberium credits and having an extra "free" harvester would help immensely afterwards. You will need to search the tiberium fields and probably the surrounding areas as well.
Harvester search party:
[] Don't send it out, just wait for the existing harvesting
[] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
[] Write-in
Harvester search party route:
[] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
[] West across the bridge, north across the bridge
Do you come with the search party?
[] Yes
[] No
[x] Plan Back in the Saddle
-[x] Split the force
--[x] Write-in what you send south
---[x] 2 APCs with 2 Infantry Squads
--[x] Write-in what you send east
---[x] APCs with 1 Infantry and 1 Engineering Squad
--[x] Write-in which direction you yourself go
---[x] East
T+0
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 2x Infantry (standard/rocket) A4 -> A5
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (A4 -> B4)
T+1
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 2x Infantry (standard/rocket) encounter 1x "Navy" APC; infantry digs in
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (B4 -> C4); Harvester encountered, full/returning.
T+2
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (C4 -> D4); GDI Base encountered
-[x] Split the force
--[x] Write-in what you send south
---[x] 2 APCs with 2 Infantry Squads
--[x] Write-in what you send east
---[x] APCs with 1 Infantry and 1 Engineering Squad
--[x] Write-in which direction you yourself go
---[x] East
T+0
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 2x Infantry (standard/rocket) A4 -> A5
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (A4 -> B4)
T+1
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 2x Infantry (standard/rocket) encounter 1x "Navy" APC; infantry digs in
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (B4 -> C4); Harvester encountered, full/returning.
T+2
2x APC (minigun/rocket), 1x infantry (standard), 1x eng squad (C4 -> D4); GDI Base encountered
January 6, 2059
"Sergeant Rei." You say. "Take second and third squad south; secure that village. See what the navy and marines are up to, if anything. If you can, start or continue the evacuation. I'll take first and fourth squad east to the base, see if I can get that sorted out. Until we get comms re-established and the airspace cleared out, be conservative with your forces."
"Yes ma'am." The sergeant replies. You're pretty sure he's sighing or rolling his eyes internally.
The two pairs of APCs split up, yours heading east through the broken terrain while the sergeant and his squads head south. As you drive east, you note that Tiberium really did a number on the terrain to the south - the crystal may have been cleared out, but it dug deep into the earth. Jagged rocks stick out next to pits that go who the hell knows how deep.
You encounter no hostiles, but, when you enter the Tiberium field to the east, you are relieved as a friendly IFF signal pings you - a GDI harvester, shoveling crystals into its grinder. The crew directs you to the east, where, a few short hours later, you enter Beta base.
The facility is in pretty bad shape. The construction yard is a wreck, as is the command post. You can roughly trace the path that the follow-up Nod attack took - a pair of wrecked buggies just outside the base, debris from two sentry towers, an overrun sandbag fighting position, and a hulled out Scorpion tank, with tire marks on the concrete from multiple buggies suddenly turning around at this point. The northern side of the base paints a similar picture, with a pair of Pitbull wrecks complementing multiple destroyed buggies.
The sergeant in charge of the remaining units is quite happy to see you and can't transfer control of the base fast enough. He fills in the details of how the Nod attack went - pretty much confirming what you already knew. The good news is that he's got two Predator tanks, two infantry squads and an APC left, with the Nod force having been driven off heavily damaged. The attack force that came in was about a 1:1:1 mixture of buggies, Scorpion tanks and Reckoner-transported infantry, and because the War Factory and a barracks remained intact, the local force was able to repair and resupply the surviving vehicles.
All attempts at air support were interdicted by surface-to-air installations and a Firehawk was shot down, but the aero jock managed to bring the fighter around and "land" in the water some distance to the south.
As reported, most of the on-base housing has been rendered unusable, although some quick action sealed off one of the barracks from the ol' "Tiberium gas in the vents" prank, so your troops do have some place to sleep, although they have to do so in rotations.
The sergeant also informs you that a harvester was out harvesting the northern field when the Nod attack came and they lost contact with it, the last reported position being in sector D1.
Battlefield Control... Established
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Updating Command Directives... unable to establish network connection
Initiating Independent Control Protocols...
Updating Callsigns...
Current Objectives:
Re-establish communications
Determine evacuation status
Locate and destroy Nod forces in the region
Locate and destroy SAM sites to enable GDI air traffic (secondary)
Locate and recover missing harvester (secondary)
Re-establish construction capability (self-entered)
Re-establish unit requisition capability (self-entered)
Base Status:
Power (available/total): 85/200
Housing (available/total): 9/4 (requisition disabled)
Building Slots E4: 2/8
Building Slots D4: 2/8 (Debris)
Credits: 2000
Construction Functions Disabled
Requisition Functions Disabled
Tiberium Storage Capacity: 3000/3000
Tiberium Income:
D4: +800 every two turns (28 turns remaining)
Buildings:
D4: Barracks, Refinery, Sandbags
E4: Factory, 2x Power Plant, 2x Silo, Sandbags
Miscellaneous Options:
[] Dismantle Tiberium Silo - +50 credits, +10 power, +1 building slot, up to 2
[] Dismantle Power Plant - +250 credits, -100 power, +1 building slot, up to 2 but probably shouldn't do 2
One of the things that occurs to you to speed up the process of getting the factory to put out the MCV (which costs 3000 credits) is to dismantle the silos and a power plant. This will leave your power (barely) in the green and nearly kill your Tiberium storage capacity, but will let you get the construction yard set up in 48 hours rather than a mind-numbingly long 96. Of course, then you still have to wait for additional credits to roll in, and will eventually have to replace your power generation/Tiberium storage capacity, but saving 48 hours is not the worst prospect in the world. Unfortunately, your calculations show that your harvester, even with your optimized harvesting patterns, won't bring in enough credits to rebuild the command post for another 96 hours after that. But still, having even the basic communications suite of the construction yard will let you have some visibility on what's going on.
Requisition Options:
[] Mobile Construction Vehicle - 5000 credits, 1 Speed, non-combat vehicle, self-housing
The Mobile Construction Vehicle is what drives GDI's rapid mobility. Packaging all the tools somebody would need to put up the pre-fabricated structures common across GDI military facilities into a single ponderous vehicle, the MCV can be packed and unpacked at will, enabling setup and teardown of structures to support on-going military and Tiberium harvesting operations; this greatly shortens the logistics chain of forward-deployed forces. It also contains some "basic" comms gear, so you can try fuzzy voice comms or text messages with your detached force. If you take apart a nearly half of your base, you can initiate construction on the MCV, and have it deployed within 48 hours.
Current Area Map:
| A1: Flat Nod Base ----------- | B1: Flat Potential missing harvester ---------- | C1: Flat Tiberium 9x Potential missing harvester | D1: Flat Tiberium 11x Potential missing harvester | |E1: Flat |Tiberium 13x -Potential missing harvester -Bridge to D1 | | |
| A2: Rocky ---------- | B2: Rocky --------- | C2: Flat Potential missing harvester Bridge to C3 -----||----- | D2: Rocky Potential missing harvester ---------- | |E2: Flat |Potential missing harvester | | | |
| A3: Rocky | B3: Flat | C3: Flat | D3: Rocky ---------- | |E3: Flat | | | | | |
| A4: Rocky No hostiles | B4: Rocky No hostiles | C4: Rocky Tiberium 14x Harvester | |D4: Flat |Refinery, Barracks |Construction Yard Debris | Command PostDebris -Sandbags -Bridge to C5 |2x Infantry regular/gl |2x APC, 1x Inf elite, 1x eng |Commander Location | E4: Flat 2x Power Plant, 2x Silo Factory, Sandbags 2x Predator, 1x APC MG |
| A5: "Urban" Village Being Evacuated Assumed 2x APC, 2x Inf Tiberium 3x -----||----- | B5: Inaccessible | C5: Inaccessible | D5: Inaccessible | E5: Water |
| A6: Flat | B6: Flat ---------- | C6: Flat ---------- | D6: | E6: Water |
| A7: Flat | B7: Flat ---------- | C7: Flat ---------- | |D7: Flat | | | | E7: Water |
| A8: Flat | B8: Flat | C8: Flat | D8: Naval Base Location | E8: Water |
Current Force Status:
Strike Force:
APC #1: Rocket, Elite - D4
APC #4: Minigun, Elite - D4
Infantry #1: Standard, Elite - Dug in, D4
Engineer Squad: Veteran, Tuneup - Dug in, D4
Garrison:
APC #5: Minigun - E4
Predator Tank #1: E4
Predator Tank #2: E4
Infantry #5: Dug in, D4
Infantry #6: Dug in, D4
APC #1: Rocket, Elite - D4
APC #4: Minigun, Elite - D4
Infantry #1: Standard, Elite - Dug in, D4
Engineer Squad: Veteran, Tuneup - Dug in, D4
Garrison:
APC #5: Minigun - E4
Predator Tank #1: E4
Predator Tank #2: E4
Infantry #5: Dug in, D4
Infantry #6: Dug in, D4
You sigh, trying and failing to stretch within the enclosed confines of the APC. You've got a lot of work to do - the first priority being to re-build a construction yard. At the current rate of harvesting, that will take four days, and then another day before the harvester comes back with another load of Tiberium for any meaningful construction projects, so you're looking at almost a week before you can get anything back up and running again. Or, you could rip apart half your base and get the MCV out sooner, but it'll still take another four days to get the command post up and running, so it's mostly a tradeoff between very limited comms and a start on debris clearing two days sooner versus reduced base capability over the long term until you catch up. The command post will take exactly the same time to get re-built either way.
The missing harvester, according to the local NCO, was loaded up with blue Tiberium, which would make it quite the prize to find. Unfortunately, it went missing across the river, so you will have to send out a search party for it. You spend some time thinking about what you'll send, and in what direction. APCs can move faster, but you've only got the three. Sending the Predator tanks along will get you greater firepower, but you'll be moving a 33% slower, which increases your chances of being intercepted by any Nod forces in the area. You also have to contend with the consideration that you need to defend the base; it's got some solid sandbags set up, so your infantry will be able to repel any raiding parties, especially with support.
You also consider whether to go with the search party yourself. If the search party runs into trouble, you're not sure you'll even be able to talk to them, let alone in real-time, so they'll be on their own. On the other hand, if the base comes under attack and you're not there, the same problem applies. On the plus side, looking at the map, you figure you have about a 50/50 odds of running into any potential Nod attackers on the way to the search area.
You scoff - it's actually unlikely that recovering the lost harvester will speed up re-establishing comms as it'll likely take 4-5 days just to get back to base with the damn thing, but the Tiberium credits and having an extra "free" harvester would help immensely afterwards. You will need to search the tiberium fields and probably the surrounding areas as well.
Harvester search party:
[] Don't send it out, just wait for the existing harvesting
[] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
[] Write-in
Harvester search party route:
[] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
[] West across the bridge, north across the bridge
Do you come with the search party?
[] Yes
[] No
Last edited:
Well, this is a screwed up situation.
Lets get cracking:
[X] Plan The great search
-[x] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
-[x] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
-[x] No
Going North first to keep distance from that Nod base and patrols. Speed is the key, so the Predators stay at base to keep the defenses somewhat viable.
I am decobstructing anything since its not really significant enough to make a difference.
Lets get cracking:
[X] Plan The great search
-[x] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
-[x] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
-[x] No
Going North first to keep distance from that Nod base and patrols. Speed is the key, so the Predators stay at base to keep the defenses somewhat viable.
I am decobstructing anything since its not really significant enough to make a difference.
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
Let's not go with them this time
Ace of Scarabs
Mechanoid Pilot
- Location
- Singapore
[X] Plan The great search
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
[X] Plan The great search
- Location
- New England
Let's have a couple of rolls:
1d6: "Nod Direction"
1d6: "Return Direction"
1d6: "Nod Direction II"
1d6: "Nod Direction"
1d6: "Return Direction"
1d6: "Nod Direction II"
Is this our return or their second direction roll?
- Location
- New England
I'll treat them in the order they were rolled
KnightDisciple
Love God. Do Right. Fear No Man.
- Location
- Midwest, USA
Rolling 3rd.
Mission 4 Turn 3-6: January 7-10, 2059
- Location
- New England
Raw plan/resolution:
January 7, 2059
You outline the search pattern to your three-APC team. "Head north along the river until you hit the Tiberium field, then break west across the bridge. Use your discretion as to your exact sweep pattern, as well as rules of engagement." You note. "We won't have reliable comms for at least a hundred forty four hours, so we won't be able to get any backup out to you if you run into trouble."
You feed the team the harvester's IFF tag, projected routes through the field, projected Nod opposition, and send them on their way, then commence chewing your fingernails and alternating between pacing back and forth and sitting in a workshop in the (thankfully quiet) War Factory. This is even more nerve-racking than doing this while having comms - instead of regular status updates, you just get static, and you have to spend a lot of time forcing your brain to stop coming up with fantastical nightmare scenarios involving Avatars, mobile Obelisks of Light and other things you've never actually seen in person.
The only thing that breaks up the monotony and relieves your stress a little bit is the return of the Harvester from the Tiberium field in C4. You get the factory guys to start working on the MCV - one more load in 48 hours time, and you'll be able to finish off that MCV and get it deployed in another 24.
January 8, 2059
T+2
A battle-damaged APC from the group you detached to the village returns to the base, carrying two shot-up infantry troopers. While the troopers are ushered into the barracks medical bay, you debrief the APC crew.
"Report, Corporal."
The corporal shakes his head, letting out a breath. "We got the shit shot out of us, ma'am. Nod buggies and bikes came pouring out of the south passage, chasing a Pitbull from the marines. We took a good chunk out of the Nod vehicles, blew a buggy up outright, but the other APC and third squad bought the farm." His head drops to look at the floor. "We barely got out. Navy APC showed up near the end, but all they did was catch a rocket and run off like their Pitbull buddy. Fucking cowards."
"Sergeant Rei?" You ask.
"I dunno ma'am. His APC took a bunch of rockets and his squad's position got overrun. It didn't look good."
You put a hand on the corporal's shoulder. "Sorry, Corporal. Get your APC to the factory for repairs, then catch some rack time. We'll need you again before long."
"One more thing, Lieutenant." the APC driver reports. "We passed a harvester on the way in, and it was fighting a rocket bike off. I think they're fine, that bike took a few machine gun bursts and the driver looked a little wobbly, but you probably better send someone to check on them."
You nod. "Thanks, Corporal. I'll do that."
A Predator tank is quickly dispatched to C4, althouth you won't hear any confirmation one way or another until tomorrow.
January 9, 2059
Your sleep and waking hours are full of nightmares as your brain pictures what the Nod forces that captured the village are doing to the inhabitants. Your practical evaluation is that they've either gotten massacred or abducted, neither of which is a particularly pleasant thought. Sleep only comes after you knock yourself out with a sedative, but it's not particularly restful.
Your nerves aren't improved any by the lack of reports from your harvester search team, although you intellectually know that you can't expect any reports from them until they either return or you get your comms infrastructure back up and running.
Thankfully, the Predator and harvester both return safely, the harvester's crew cracking several jokes about Nod bikers and inappropriate insertion of Tiberium crystals into bodily orifices. You barely manage to resist coming out to slowly watch the Tiberium being offloaded into the refinery, but near the end of the day the MCV crawls out of the War Factory, ready to deploy to a location of your choosing. You've got two options, basically - you immediately discount the idea of deploying it in E4, as that will fill up all the remaining space there and you'll then have to build a Surveyor to expand.
Your first option is to deploy it in D4 with the refinery and barracks. This will allow you to clear out the debris from the wrecked buildings and build up in the empty space there, although it'll be somewhat limited by your existing facilities. It's already got sandbag coverage as well.
Your second option is to deploy in in E3, which lets you expand closer to the northern Tiberium fields and gives you a lot of extra building room. The downside being the lack of sandbag coverage and your base being large enough that serious response to attacks will be slightly delayed.
[] Deploy MCV in D4
[] Deploy MCV in E3
The infantry squad is reconstituted as best as possible, while the damaged APC is repaired, so you've got a consolidated response force. Given that, you resolve to send a Predator tank as escort for the harvester when it goes out until such time as you re-establish comms. You suspect that next time, Nod won't be sending just the one bike.
January 10, 2058
After another sedative-induced sleep cycle, you'll admit to nobody exactly how impatient you were for the damn MCV to deploy - the five-second regimen on which you put the "retry network connection" button on your G-Pad's "network settings" tab would have worn out any physical buttons before the even MCV finished driving over. While struggling with the desire to sprint over and berate the MCV crew for not moving fast enough, you're also unable to force yourself to choke down the "breakfast meal option #4". Eventually, the MCV finally finishes deploying and you force yourself to "calmly" walk into the designated space in the construction yard. You're frankly thankful for the full body armor and helmet you're required to wear - you're pretty sure that you don't have *that* good a poker face, or posture.
The construction yard's comms capability is very minimal, especially given the Nod ECM, but you should be able to at least get IFF pings or voice comms from your search party. With trepidation you hit the "network connection" button, and are rewarded almost instantly with the end fragment of a transmission (after the requisite "Network Connection... Established. Warning; Low Bandwidth" warning from EVA):
"... have recovered the harvester ... " followed by static, then "... enemy pursuit units numbering ... " more static "... are closing in. Do we blow the bridge?"
Doesn't sound like you have too much time to think about this one. You don't know the status of the search party, or what the pursuit force looks like, or even where they are exactly but it's enough for whoever's in charge to want to blow a bridge. If it's the one from D1 to E1, you only really have the one APC that can reach it in time to make a difference in a fight, but if it's the one from C2 to C3 then you have pretty good odds of getting both Predators and a spare APC/infantry squad over there in time to kick some ass.
[] "Do it!"
[] "Negative, hold position. Reinforcements are en route!"
-[] What do you send, where?
Current Battlefield State:
[X] Plan The great search
-[x] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
-[x] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
-[x] No
J6
T+0
2x APC, 1x Inf, 1x Eng D4 -> E4
Harvester returns C4 -> D4 (+800, 2800 total)
T+1
3x APC, 2x Inf, 1x Eng E4 -> E3
T+2
3x APC, 2x Inf, 1x Eng E3 -> E2 (projected)
J7
T+0
Harvester D4 -> C4 (harvesting, 13x load left) (projected)
T+3
1x Elite APC, 1x Elite Infantry enters C4 -> D4;
Report of Nod Bike being driven off by Harvester in C4
J8
T+0
Harvester C4 -> D4 (+800, 3600 total)
APC D4 -> E4 (repaired, -71 credits)
Infantry #3 (replenished, -81 credits)
MCV constructed (-3000, 448 total)
J9
T+0
Harvester D4 -> C4 (harvesting, 12x load left) (projected)
Predator #3 D4 -> C4
Contact re-established with harvester search party
-[x] Send out 3x APCs, 2x Infantry, 1x Engineer; leave the tanks and an infantry squad behind
-[x] North through the flatlands then west across the bridge.
-[x] No
J6
T+0
2x APC, 1x Inf, 1x Eng D4 -> E4
Harvester returns C4 -> D4 (+800, 2800 total)
T+1
3x APC, 2x Inf, 1x Eng E4 -> E3
T+2
3x APC, 2x Inf, 1x Eng E3 -> E2 (projected)
J7
T+0
Harvester D4 -> C4 (harvesting, 13x load left) (projected)
T+3
1x Elite APC, 1x Elite Infantry enters C4 -> D4;
Report of Nod Bike being driven off by Harvester in C4
J8
T+0
Harvester C4 -> D4 (+800, 3600 total)
APC D4 -> E4 (repaired, -71 credits)
Infantry #3 (replenished, -81 credits)
MCV constructed (-3000, 448 total)
J9
T+0
Harvester D4 -> C4 (harvesting, 12x load left) (projected)
Predator #3 D4 -> C4
Contact re-established with harvester search party
January 7, 2059
You outline the search pattern to your three-APC team. "Head north along the river until you hit the Tiberium field, then break west across the bridge. Use your discretion as to your exact sweep pattern, as well as rules of engagement." You note. "We won't have reliable comms for at least a hundred forty four hours, so we won't be able to get any backup out to you if you run into trouble."
You feed the team the harvester's IFF tag, projected routes through the field, projected Nod opposition, and send them on their way, then commence chewing your fingernails and alternating between pacing back and forth and sitting in a workshop in the (thankfully quiet) War Factory. This is even more nerve-racking than doing this while having comms - instead of regular status updates, you just get static, and you have to spend a lot of time forcing your brain to stop coming up with fantastical nightmare scenarios involving Avatars, mobile Obelisks of Light and other things you've never actually seen in person.
The only thing that breaks up the monotony and relieves your stress a little bit is the return of the Harvester from the Tiberium field in C4. You get the factory guys to start working on the MCV - one more load in 48 hours time, and you'll be able to finish off that MCV and get it deployed in another 24.
January 8, 2059
T+2
A battle-damaged APC from the group you detached to the village returns to the base, carrying two shot-up infantry troopers. While the troopers are ushered into the barracks medical bay, you debrief the APC crew.
"Report, Corporal."
The corporal shakes his head, letting out a breath. "We got the shit shot out of us, ma'am. Nod buggies and bikes came pouring out of the south passage, chasing a Pitbull from the marines. We took a good chunk out of the Nod vehicles, blew a buggy up outright, but the other APC and third squad bought the farm." His head drops to look at the floor. "We barely got out. Navy APC showed up near the end, but all they did was catch a rocket and run off like their Pitbull buddy. Fucking cowards."
"Sergeant Rei?" You ask.
"I dunno ma'am. His APC took a bunch of rockets and his squad's position got overrun. It didn't look good."
You put a hand on the corporal's shoulder. "Sorry, Corporal. Get your APC to the factory for repairs, then catch some rack time. We'll need you again before long."
"One more thing, Lieutenant." the APC driver reports. "We passed a harvester on the way in, and it was fighting a rocket bike off. I think they're fine, that bike took a few machine gun bursts and the driver looked a little wobbly, but you probably better send someone to check on them."
You nod. "Thanks, Corporal. I'll do that."
A Predator tank is quickly dispatched to C4, althouth you won't hear any confirmation one way or another until tomorrow.
January 9, 2059
Your sleep and waking hours are full of nightmares as your brain pictures what the Nod forces that captured the village are doing to the inhabitants. Your practical evaluation is that they've either gotten massacred or abducted, neither of which is a particularly pleasant thought. Sleep only comes after you knock yourself out with a sedative, but it's not particularly restful.
Your nerves aren't improved any by the lack of reports from your harvester search team, although you intellectually know that you can't expect any reports from them until they either return or you get your comms infrastructure back up and running.
Thankfully, the Predator and harvester both return safely, the harvester's crew cracking several jokes about Nod bikers and inappropriate insertion of Tiberium crystals into bodily orifices. You barely manage to resist coming out to slowly watch the Tiberium being offloaded into the refinery, but near the end of the day the MCV crawls out of the War Factory, ready to deploy to a location of your choosing. You've got two options, basically - you immediately discount the idea of deploying it in E4, as that will fill up all the remaining space there and you'll then have to build a Surveyor to expand.
Your first option is to deploy it in D4 with the refinery and barracks. This will allow you to clear out the debris from the wrecked buildings and build up in the empty space there, although it'll be somewhat limited by your existing facilities. It's already got sandbag coverage as well.
Your second option is to deploy in in E3, which lets you expand closer to the northern Tiberium fields and gives you a lot of extra building room. The downside being the lack of sandbag coverage and your base being large enough that serious response to attacks will be slightly delayed.
[] Deploy MCV in D4
[] Deploy MCV in E3
The infantry squad is reconstituted as best as possible, while the damaged APC is repaired, so you've got a consolidated response force. Given that, you resolve to send a Predator tank as escort for the harvester when it goes out until such time as you re-establish comms. You suspect that next time, Nod won't be sending just the one bike.
January 10, 2058
After another sedative-induced sleep cycle, you'll admit to nobody exactly how impatient you were for the damn MCV to deploy - the five-second regimen on which you put the "retry network connection" button on your G-Pad's "network settings" tab would have worn out any physical buttons before the even MCV finished driving over. While struggling with the desire to sprint over and berate the MCV crew for not moving fast enough, you're also unable to force yourself to choke down the "breakfast meal option #4". Eventually, the MCV finally finishes deploying and you force yourself to "calmly" walk into the designated space in the construction yard. You're frankly thankful for the full body armor and helmet you're required to wear - you're pretty sure that you don't have *that* good a poker face, or posture.
The construction yard's comms capability is very minimal, especially given the Nod ECM, but you should be able to at least get IFF pings or voice comms from your search party. With trepidation you hit the "network connection" button, and are rewarded almost instantly with the end fragment of a transmission (after the requisite "Network Connection... Established. Warning; Low Bandwidth" warning from EVA):
"... have recovered the harvester ... " followed by static, then "... enemy pursuit units numbering ... " more static "... are closing in. Do we blow the bridge?"
Doesn't sound like you have too much time to think about this one. You don't know the status of the search party, or what the pursuit force looks like, or even where they are exactly but it's enough for whoever's in charge to want to blow a bridge. If it's the one from D1 to E1, you only really have the one APC that can reach it in time to make a difference in a fight, but if it's the one from C2 to C3 then you have pretty good odds of getting both Predators and a spare APC/infantry squad over there in time to kick some ass.
[] "Do it!"
[] "Negative, hold position. Reinforcements are en route!"
-[] What do you send, where?
Current Battlefield State:
| A1: Flat ----------- | B1: Flat ---------- | C1: Flat Tiberium 7x | D1: Flat Tiberium 11x Nod Pursuit Force? | |E1: Flat |Tiberium 13x - -Bridge to D1 |Harvester Search Party? | |
| A2: Rocky ---------- | B2: Rocky ---------- | C2: Flat Nod Pursuit Force? Bridge to C3 -----||----- | D2: Rocky ---------- | |E2: Flat | | | | |
| A3: Rocky | B3: Flat | C3: Flat Harvester Search Party? | D3: Rocky ---------- | |E3: Flat |Conyard(?) | | | | |
| A4: Rocky | B4: Rocky | C4: Rocky Tiberium 12x Harvester (probably) Predator (probably) | |D4: Flat |Refinery, Barracks -Sandbags, Conyard(?) -Bridge to C5 |1x Predator |2x Infantry | |Commander Location | E4: Flat 2x Power Plant, 2x Silo Factory, Sandbags 1x APC |
| A5: "Urban" Village Being Evacuated Tiberium 3x Last Known Nod Position (96 hours) 1x Buggy MG (dmg) 2x Bike (dmg) 2x Infantry RL/Std Reckoner (dmg) -----||----- | B5: Inaccessible | C5: Inaccessible | D5: Inaccessible | E5: Water |
| A6: Flat | B6: Flat ---------- | C6: Flat ---------- | D6: | E6: Water |
| A7: Flat | B7: Flat ---------- | C7: Flat ---------- | |D7: Flat | | | | E7: Water |
| A8: Flat | B8: Flat | C8: Flat | D8: Naval Base Location | E8: Water |
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Can we cover both locations, or only one?
- Location
- New England
You can send the lone APC to the E1-D1 bridge while sending the tanks to the C2-C3 bridge.
- Location
- Most likely California
I would say blow it. The most important thing right now is making sure they get back in one piece. We have enough problems on our plate as is, without running to attack an force of unknown magnitude in a location we're not even sure of.
[X] Plan Recovery
[x] - Deploy MCV in D4
[x] - "Do it!"
Deploying the MCV in D4 will allow for easier base defense and (if I'm reading the rules correctly) let us bring a Command Post up quicker. We can build an Outpost to gather the Tiberium in E1 when we need it.
I was going to attempt to protect the bridge in the event it was the E1-D1 bridge, but @Model DC.14F raises a fair point. I may have been sending a single APC against a force it was woefully unequipped to handle.
[x] - Deploy MCV in D4
[x] - "Do it!"
Deploying the MCV in D4 will allow for easier base defense and (if I'm reading the rules correctly) let us bring a Command Post up quicker. We can build an Outpost to gather the Tiberium in E1 when we need it.
I was going to attempt to protect the bridge in the event it was the E1-D1 bridge, but @Model DC.14F raises a fair point. I may have been sending a single APC against a force it was woefully unequipped to handle.
Ace of Scarabs
Mechanoid Pilot
- Location
- Singapore
[X] Plan Recovery
[x] - Deploy MCV in D4
[x] - "Do it!"
[x] - Deploy MCV in D4
[x] - "Do it!"