Ace of Scarabs
Mechanoid Pilot
- Location
- Singapore
[X] OSRCT selection, training and deployment
GDI Platoon Commander: A "GDI Edition" side-quest (non-canon)
- Thread starter NickAragua
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Action
- Location
- New England
dj_forgotten_history_wave_two_orderly_actions.mp3
Mission 12 - Interlude III (Late September-Early October, 2060)
- Location
- New England
September 24, 2060
You were wrong. Football uses an entirely different set of muscle groups. A sharp pain stabs through your side, your legs are cramped, and your lungs are on fire. It's not supposed to happen like this - you were playing left defense, not midfield! The opposing team has had possession of the ball for the majority of the game, which you estimate has lasted about five hours. You idly wonder if anyone is ever going to call half-time, it's supposed to happen after forty five minutes after all. Your attention is drawn to the ball - one of the attackers barrels towards you, likely intending to use his larger size to intimidate you and get you to flinch and get out of the way, enabling him to get past you. You're not having any of that - you reach out with your foot and sweep left to right, the ball leaving the attacker's control and moving towards the middle of the field. Too slowly. Overcoming your burning muscles, you sprint after it, looking for someone on your team - the other guy is hot on your tail, looking to get the ball back. You finally observe a red mesh shirt a little further down the field that doesn't have a yellow mesh shirt between you and him, and kick the ball. It doesn't quite go in the exact direction you wanted it to, but your teammate compensates, sprinting for it and sending the ball further down the field.
"Good play." the guy behind you lets out, breathlessly, before jogging back towards the midfield.
"Thanks." you say in an equally airless tone, taking a few seconds to jog back to your position.
This routine repeats several times. Sometimes, you get the ball away and to a teammate, sometimes you knock it out of bounds. Sometimes, your positional opponent doesn't try to get past you and passes out to the middle instead. A couple of times, he tries to take a shot and you body-block the ball, which hurts like hell - the guy's got a serious kick. One time, you mistime your kick and he runs past you, passing to the middle of the field where his teammate heads it in for a goal. Throughout, the two of you keep up a constant back and forth of compliments and polite "better luck next time" taunts.
Before the game ends, you get barreled aside and knocked on your ass, reaching out with your foot to try to dislodge the ball a little at least - your counterpart winds up tripping and rolling several meters. As you try to figure out which way is up, the referee whistles the game over. You shake your head to clear it, and pull your forearms and elbows back towards your shoulders, intending to lever yourself up to a sitting position.
"Good game." you hear from above you, and look up to see an extended hand. "Didn't catch your name?"
"Violet." you say, taking the hand, pulling yourself up, noticing things about your opponent other than the red mesh shirt and the color of his cleats (black). He's taller than you (no surprise there), has long black hair down his shoulders (currently soaked with sweat), green eyes and a five o'clock shadow. Well-toned arms and legs. Slightly loose t-shirt, also super sweaty. Still definitely out of your league as far as you're concerned. "And you?" you add, although it takes you a second too long in your opinion. Is he going to think you're being rude?
"Enrique." he replies. "You gave me a run for my credits, that's for sure." he adds with a smirk.
You return it. "It's definitely a technical game. Otherwise you'd have had me on my back every time." you answer, pulling a loose strand of hair behind your ear that has somehow managed to escape your hair restraint and taking the opportunity to wipe an unwelcome bead of sweat off your forehead. "Do you know that guy you have playing mid offense? He's really good at hitting the ball with his head."
Enrique chuckles. "Yeah, Keith, he's got a thick skull all right." He looks at you, wiping some loose hair off his forehead. "Hey, listen, I gotta get going, my work shift starts in half an hour. It was a pleasure playing against you, Violet." he extends his hand.
You shake it as firmly as you can, forcing yourself to let go after couple of seconds. "Oh, where do you work?" you ask, finding that you don't want this conversation to end.
Enrique grins. "Why, were you planning on stalking me?"
You stare at him blankly. You're pretty sure it's a joke.
He bursts out laughing - after a few seconds, you join in. "Just messing with you." he adds in a little bit, pointing with his thumb in the general direction of the coast. "I work down at the docks - lots of heavy equipment needs operation and maintenance down there. You?"
"Oh, I uh... " you stutter. "I'll be redeploying in a week or so." you finish with some effort, looking down at the ground. This sort of revelation doesn't usually go well with civilians in your experience. At least not the kind of civilians you... want it to go well with.
He nods. "You guys are kicking ass. Good luck out there." he turns, heading towards his duffel bag.
You smirk as he departs. "People make... " their own luck. you finish your sentence internally. Not the time or place for it, Violet. Maybe follow your own advice? "Hey, Enrique." you call out to him. "Are you doing anything after your shift?"
---
"Well." your companion says, smiling, as you sit up, a sheet wrapped around yourself, arms around your tucked-in knees, feeling pretty self-conscious despite what you just did. Business was taken care of, but it would have been even better if you didn't have to fight off the urge to wince and flinch away every time a stray, calloused hand ran over one of your scars or burn-marks. "Not every day that a Valkyrie comes down to take me to Valhalla."
"Flatterer." you say with a slight smile, reaching out with an arm to punch him in the shoulder before retreating under the sheet. "Still, thanks for putting up with... " you pause. "... I mean, not bringing up my..." you shake your head, unable to finish the sentence, your eyes puffing up.
"Honestly, not even close to the top ten things on my mind." Enrique responds, sitting up halfway on his elbows.
You scoff. "Liar. But I appreciate the diplomatic fiction." you state, looking at him with another small smile. It makes you feel a little better, though. Still, you insist on keeping the lights off the rest of the night and make the poor guy leave his own bedroom when you eventually get dressed.
---
September 29, 2060
"A good choice." Leila Amir tells you as the two of you sit on the edge of a wooden pier, kicking your legs while munching on ration bars. This whole setup strikes you as decidedly immature and undignified, but you feel you owe Leila and let her have her choice of breakfast hangout before you ship out for San Diego. Plus, it's nice - you've got the calming audio of Puget Sound waves, the "fresh" sea smell (if you define "fresh" as a mixture of spoiled dead fish and cargo ship emissions), and the last of the warm fall sunlight shining on the back of your head.
"It's been my dream ever since I joined up. You're not mad about it?" you ask, taking a bite of your fungus bar and looking at Leila.
She smirks, responding in her almost undetectable accent - but you've talked to her enough that you can tell some very subtle cues. "No. I always have more than one ladle in the pot - I would be a pretty poor InOps agent otherwise."
"Speaking of poor InOps agents." you begin, the question having bugged you for some time. "Why couldn't your guy just tell me straight that there were ten Avatars grinding their way down to one of my subordinates' positions?"
Leila chuckles. "Information source obfuscation."
You raise an eyebrow. "You don't want me to know where the information came from?"
Leila rolls her eyes and begins explaining as if she would to a five year old child. "Well, let's say he did tell you. What would you do?"
You sigh. "Send every aircraft I've got at them, take care of the air defense, call in every air strike I can until they're destroyed or retreated. Maybe bring some artillery and shell them from long range." you explain, rattling off a list of options you considered. "In fact, that's more or less what happened."
Leila nods. "Except..."
You look at her. "Except I had to spend two days with Orca recon flights confirming the Avatars' location. So by the time I'd found them, it was too late to call in the ion cannon strikes. I'm just glad they decided to disappear after my Orcas took out their air defense units."
Leila nods again. "Now, imagine if you didn't locate them with air recon first. You're a Brotherhood commander, and you've got ten Avatars that you're pretty sure the enemy doesn't know about, and suddenly a flock of Orcas... " she giggles. "... well, maybe flock is the wrong word."
You chuckle and roll your eyes, making a circular motion with your right hand, waving the fungus bar around.
"... anyway, a large group of Orcas, armed for ground attack comes directly at your force. This means they already know about your force's current location." she shrugs. "Maybe it was a random satellite scan or a sniper team out in the middle of nowhere for some reason. Maybe some shiner saw them and called it in." she looks at you pointedly. "But personally, I would start asking questions. Maybe re-check my info-sec grid. Understand?"
You nod, figuring it out. "You wanted me to establish the information independently, so as to draw attention away from how you established it initially."
Leila nods and smiles. "Now you're catching on."
You frown. "That doesn't explain the vague hint. Your guy could have just told me to pretend like I didn't know about it, but still tell me the coordinates so I didn't have to have my Orcas flying every square meter of eastern Russian wilderness."
Leila shakes her head. "That methodology has an unacceptably low success rate. We find that battlefield commanders tend to use such information directly and ruin our information gathering efforts."
You continue frowning. "Even if it costs the lives of my people?" you shift-eye look at the horizon. "... hypothetically speaking, nobody actually died. As a result of that interaction, anyway. On our side." you stop babbling eventually with an effort.
Leila spears you with a dead serious look. "You don't like it. Well that's too bad." she pauses. "Ten Avatars is not that many Avatars. Not even a company. Whenever we lose a hard-won information source like that, we not only lose the ability to keep track of the ten Avatars, but their hundred other buddies across the operating theater."
You purse your lips, continuing to frown.
"Lt. Richter's airbase had what, a few hundred people? Imagine trading that airbase for info that can stop an attack on the chip foundry in Anadyr."
You scoff. "Which way?"
Leila smirks. "The way that does not result in the GDI losing a strategic asset."
You sigh. "Yeah, I see your point. It still pisses me off, though." you finish.
Leila nods, putting a hand on your shoulder, a sympathetic expression crossing her face. "The higher your rank, the more decisions like that you will have to make. Better get used to it."
You sigh again, shoving the rest of the fungus bar in your mouth and crumpling up the wrapper.
---
October 10, 2060
"Ugh, that colonel was right." you say to yourself, cringing in disgust - you'd made the mistake of looking up Weiler-Kratz syndrome. The images will likely haunt your dreams. At least until the next time you have to look at an Afanc-class Gana in person. "I didn't want to know."
Thankfully, you don't have it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have let you up into orbit. Apparently, research on mitigation is on-going. But when the GDI ruling class decides to flee the Earth and abandon the rest of humanity to its fate (a conclusion you've come to based on the amount of resources being expended on space station and lunar base construction), it'll be one more criterion used to kick people off the evacuation boats.
But that's neither here nor there. For the last ten days, you've gone through extensive screening; then got introduced to your "company" (currently six squads of zone armor and an equivalent number of Guardian APCs). The screening was... intensive. First, you got spun around in a "Circular Accelerator Pod" to check your tolerance for the high-G burns required to orbit and de-orbit. They might as well have called it a centrifuge - you're pretty sure about half your brain leaked out of your ears while the other half dribbled down to your feet. It took you several minutes to get yourself off the floor after the pod stopped. The tech assured you that in an actual launch and drop, your acceleration vector is going to be different and less dizziness causing, which, in your opinion is a small comfort at best.
The next step was enough blood draws to feed a small coven (is that what they call a group of them?) of vampires for several weeks. When you expressed your theory to the nurse, she rolled her eyes and stabbed you with another needle. You guess that she's heard that one before. You decided to push your luck, asking if she needed a bone marrow sample too, at which point she looked at you meaningfully, licked her lips and said "later, honey", before stabbing you again.
You then spent the next week drilling with your squads and APCs on rapidly disembarking and securing a landing zone, as well as conducting many, many simulated drops in various unit configurations. The long deceleration burn means that you want to either drop some distance away from hostile forces, or expect casualties on the way down from anti-aircraft fire. Another argument for dropping further away from hostiles is that there's some scatter involved - simulations and live data show up to a dozen kilometers.
You run the people under your command at about the maximum legally allowed training load, but there's surprisingly little bitching. Maybe because you're a Captain now, and enlisted personnel don't get to complain to the Captain as often. But still, you'd hope that if there was significant griping that affects unit morale, you'd hear about it from your Lieutenants. Over the course of the week, the veteran OSRCT personnel assigned to monitor you gradually adjust their evaluations from "unacceptable" and "everyone dies immediately upon drop" to "barely acceptable" and "under fifty percent casualties". Just as you are starting to match people's names up with their faces and the landing zone deployment times come down to what you consider an acceptable level, you get a transmission on your G-Pad from Colonel Pierson. "My office. Now."
---
The Colonel already has a map up on his holographic projector, and your G-Pad pings with multiple notifications which you'll no doubt review later.
"Right, Captain. I hope you've drilled your troops enough." he tells you. "Because you're about to get dropped into the shit."
You swallow. "Uh, sir, we're still at maybe half strength. And have only had a week of training, twenty one simulated and no actual drops as a team..." you trail off.
He nods. "Spare me the details, Captain, it doesn't matter. The decision has already been made. This is a time-sensitive operation and the other station won't be overhead for another forty-eight hours."
You sigh, looking at the map. A good number of Tiberium fields in the south, with a gold GDI base icon in one sector. A large-ish "neutral" town to the north-northwest of the GDI icon. Several Nod icons with question marks. The area broken up by multiple Tiberium chasms. Coastal area to the south. You bring the map on the G-Pad, zooming out for a larger context. Yellow zone thirteen - south. Your eyes widen as your heartbeat accelerates.
"What are we doing there... sir?" you ask.
The Colonel looks at you for a second. "Data extraction followed by targeted personnel elimination."
You raises an eyebrow. "So, we're dropping from orbit to assassinate someone? Who?"
The Colonel shrugs. "That's about right. Some minor Nod warlord, details are in your file. It's a multi-step plan, so pay attention." he points at the map. "So you see this town here? The Brotherhood is going to attack it." he begins, motioning with scare quotes around the word "attack". "Your team is going to drop down to rescue it." more scare quotes.
Your eyebrow stays raised. "In order to give credibility that this is a real attack and a real rescue, you'll be dropping in with a delay after the attack starts. Once you get there, the Brotherhood will retreat, leaving a little something behind. Locate and retrieve it." the Colonel pauses. "Further instructions will be forthcoming once that phase is complete, so leave half your team on the station."
"Uh, sir, so that didn't really answer my question. What's going on?" you ask.
The Colonel looks at you again. "Apparently, we're going to be participating in a Brotherhood power struggle, helping some individuals with a ... favorable agenda... displace their current commander." he smirks. "We're going to kill the guy in charge, then the replacement will defeat us in battle. So you need to make the fight look real, but throw it at the end."
You shake your head. "Isn't this more of a job for InOps?" you ask.
The Colonel chuckles. "It is their job. But with the timing, only OSRCT can get it done." his expression turns serious. "Get your people assembled, Captain. You launch in eight hours. Details are with your EVA as usual. Dismissed."
You salute, leaving the office. Goddammit, Leila, you think to yourself. Was this your other plan? What are you up to?
---
The flight up to the station is... intense. You've never actually been past the atmosphere, so you pull rank and grab a window seat. Even though your brain is mashed up against the back of your head and the vibration nearly shakes your teeth out of your jaw, you make it through without passing out from the acceleration. You gawk as the blue sky darkens and gives way to a boundless starfield, constrained on the bottom by the brilliant blue of the Earth below. Except for the dark green patches. Red zones.
And then you hit micro-gravity. The station itself, you're told, has grav plates, but the Leopard is conserving energy so they're turned off here. Acceleration and deceleration keeps you pinned to the back of your seat, but you do get a few minutes while the Leopard spins around to begin its deceleration burn to watch your ration bar wrapper float in the air and spin around.
"You ever been up and down before, Captain?" the Lieutenant sitting next to you asks. Silver bar, so he's your exec. You really should try to remember his name, you've been drilling his ass non-stop for a week. Later, focus Violet.
You shake your head. "No, first time for both. You?" you answer.
He nods. "Twenty one drops, ma'am." You raise an eyebrow. "Simulated, same as you."
You chuckle. "Almost had me, Lieutenant."
---
Operational Area Map:
[] Write-in Operation Name
"Listen up, everyone." you begin. "We're going to be responding to a distress call from a neutral town that has come under attack by a significant Brotherhood force." you point at the map projected on the wall in the very, very cramped station briefing room. You didn't even get a tour when you arrived - everyone had to rush off. You handed over equipment unloading duties to your executive officer while you went to make sure the drop pods were prepared and then straight to here. "Our job is to drop down, and assist," you put a somewhat mocking emphasis on the word, "local forces in repelling the Brotherhood attack."
A hand shoots up. "How long ago was the distress signal sent, ma'am?"
You smirk ever so slightly. "For the purposes of this discussion, three hours... ago." smooth, Violet. "Right. The following teams will board the first drop pod."
Pick up to three. May pick each individual option up to the max specified:
[] Veteran Zone Raider squad. Rocket launchers, Grenades, Command suit, Jump jets. 3 max.
- can navigate obstacles, more effective in urban terrain, slower on open terrain, regen/25 but requires barracks for full repairs
[] Veteran Zone Trooper squad. Railguns, Command suit, Jump jets. 3 max.
- can navigate obstacles, more effective in urban terrain, slower on open terrain, regen/25 but requires barracks for full repairs
[] Veteran Engineer squad. Small arms. Repair/capture capability. 1 max.
- can repair vehicles, capture buildings. Not great at combat. Super slow.
[] APC. Choice of minigun, rocket, grenade launcher, point defense. 2 max.
- cannot navigate "obstacles". Faster on open terrain. Requires engineer, rig or factory for repairs.
"Opposition, ma'am? And who are the good guys?" another hand shoots up.
"Latest recon indicates Brotherhood light and medium armor; likely a mix of projectile and energy weapons." you begin. "There's a pair of Predators and a Pitbull here in sector B6." you point at the map. "But their latest estimate is that they won't be able to handle this by themselves - which is where we come in. We'll be dropping here... "
Pick landing zone:
[probably want to pick something within one or maximum two spaces of the projected attack site]
[scatter is up to two orthogonal moves - would have been a single move if the OSRCT liaison option was picked way back when]
[] Write-in
"Once we have secured the area, I will assume command of local GDI forces; we are to stand by for further orders. Any questions?" you look around the room. Blond, male, first lieutenant. Bald, male, second lieutenant. Red-head, female, sergeant. Two of them. Dyed-neon-green, female, sergeant.
"Yeah, Captain, how come they're dropping us into this with only a week training?" one of the red-heads asks. You grind your teeth, you'll need to figure out some way of telling them apart. Maybe remember their names? Nah.
You smirk. "Questions that I'm actually able to answer, preferably, Sergeant." that gets a couple of laughs. "My guess is that they needed to shoot a lot of firepower and people who can sort of handle it halfway across the globe."
"If that's all, get your squads prepped. You have forty five minutes until our launch window. Dismissed."
After everyone walks out, you breathe out, closing your eyes and clenching your fists. Time to see if everyone's faith in you is justified. Again.
You were wrong. Football uses an entirely different set of muscle groups. A sharp pain stabs through your side, your legs are cramped, and your lungs are on fire. It's not supposed to happen like this - you were playing left defense, not midfield! The opposing team has had possession of the ball for the majority of the game, which you estimate has lasted about five hours. You idly wonder if anyone is ever going to call half-time, it's supposed to happen after forty five minutes after all. Your attention is drawn to the ball - one of the attackers barrels towards you, likely intending to use his larger size to intimidate you and get you to flinch and get out of the way, enabling him to get past you. You're not having any of that - you reach out with your foot and sweep left to right, the ball leaving the attacker's control and moving towards the middle of the field. Too slowly. Overcoming your burning muscles, you sprint after it, looking for someone on your team - the other guy is hot on your tail, looking to get the ball back. You finally observe a red mesh shirt a little further down the field that doesn't have a yellow mesh shirt between you and him, and kick the ball. It doesn't quite go in the exact direction you wanted it to, but your teammate compensates, sprinting for it and sending the ball further down the field.
"Good play." the guy behind you lets out, breathlessly, before jogging back towards the midfield.
"Thanks." you say in an equally airless tone, taking a few seconds to jog back to your position.
This routine repeats several times. Sometimes, you get the ball away and to a teammate, sometimes you knock it out of bounds. Sometimes, your positional opponent doesn't try to get past you and passes out to the middle instead. A couple of times, he tries to take a shot and you body-block the ball, which hurts like hell - the guy's got a serious kick. One time, you mistime your kick and he runs past you, passing to the middle of the field where his teammate heads it in for a goal. Throughout, the two of you keep up a constant back and forth of compliments and polite "better luck next time" taunts.
Before the game ends, you get barreled aside and knocked on your ass, reaching out with your foot to try to dislodge the ball a little at least - your counterpart winds up tripping and rolling several meters. As you try to figure out which way is up, the referee whistles the game over. You shake your head to clear it, and pull your forearms and elbows back towards your shoulders, intending to lever yourself up to a sitting position.
"Good game." you hear from above you, and look up to see an extended hand. "Didn't catch your name?"
"Violet." you say, taking the hand, pulling yourself up, noticing things about your opponent other than the red mesh shirt and the color of his cleats (black). He's taller than you (no surprise there), has long black hair down his shoulders (currently soaked with sweat), green eyes and a five o'clock shadow. Well-toned arms and legs. Slightly loose t-shirt, also super sweaty. Still definitely out of your league as far as you're concerned. "And you?" you add, although it takes you a second too long in your opinion. Is he going to think you're being rude?
"Enrique." he replies. "You gave me a run for my credits, that's for sure." he adds with a smirk.
You return it. "It's definitely a technical game. Otherwise you'd have had me on my back every time." you answer, pulling a loose strand of hair behind your ear that has somehow managed to escape your hair restraint and taking the opportunity to wipe an unwelcome bead of sweat off your forehead. "Do you know that guy you have playing mid offense? He's really good at hitting the ball with his head."
Enrique chuckles. "Yeah, Keith, he's got a thick skull all right." He looks at you, wiping some loose hair off his forehead. "Hey, listen, I gotta get going, my work shift starts in half an hour. It was a pleasure playing against you, Violet." he extends his hand.
You shake it as firmly as you can, forcing yourself to let go after couple of seconds. "Oh, where do you work?" you ask, finding that you don't want this conversation to end.
Enrique grins. "Why, were you planning on stalking me?"
You stare at him blankly. You're pretty sure it's a joke.
He bursts out laughing - after a few seconds, you join in. "Just messing with you." he adds in a little bit, pointing with his thumb in the general direction of the coast. "I work down at the docks - lots of heavy equipment needs operation and maintenance down there. You?"
"Oh, I uh... " you stutter. "I'll be redeploying in a week or so." you finish with some effort, looking down at the ground. This sort of revelation doesn't usually go well with civilians in your experience. At least not the kind of civilians you... want it to go well with.
He nods. "You guys are kicking ass. Good luck out there." he turns, heading towards his duffel bag.
You smirk as he departs. "People make... " their own luck. you finish your sentence internally. Not the time or place for it, Violet. Maybe follow your own advice? "Hey, Enrique." you call out to him. "Are you doing anything after your shift?"
---
"Well." your companion says, smiling, as you sit up, a sheet wrapped around yourself, arms around your tucked-in knees, feeling pretty self-conscious despite what you just did. Business was taken care of, but it would have been even better if you didn't have to fight off the urge to wince and flinch away every time a stray, calloused hand ran over one of your scars or burn-marks. "Not every day that a Valkyrie comes down to take me to Valhalla."
"Flatterer." you say with a slight smile, reaching out with an arm to punch him in the shoulder before retreating under the sheet. "Still, thanks for putting up with... " you pause. "... I mean, not bringing up my..." you shake your head, unable to finish the sentence, your eyes puffing up.
"Honestly, not even close to the top ten things on my mind." Enrique responds, sitting up halfway on his elbows.
You scoff. "Liar. But I appreciate the diplomatic fiction." you state, looking at him with another small smile. It makes you feel a little better, though. Still, you insist on keeping the lights off the rest of the night and make the poor guy leave his own bedroom when you eventually get dressed.
---
September 29, 2060
"A good choice." Leila Amir tells you as the two of you sit on the edge of a wooden pier, kicking your legs while munching on ration bars. This whole setup strikes you as decidedly immature and undignified, but you feel you owe Leila and let her have her choice of breakfast hangout before you ship out for San Diego. Plus, it's nice - you've got the calming audio of Puget Sound waves, the "fresh" sea smell (if you define "fresh" as a mixture of spoiled dead fish and cargo ship emissions), and the last of the warm fall sunlight shining on the back of your head.
"It's been my dream ever since I joined up. You're not mad about it?" you ask, taking a bite of your fungus bar and looking at Leila.
She smirks, responding in her almost undetectable accent - but you've talked to her enough that you can tell some very subtle cues. "No. I always have more than one ladle in the pot - I would be a pretty poor InOps agent otherwise."
"Speaking of poor InOps agents." you begin, the question having bugged you for some time. "Why couldn't your guy just tell me straight that there were ten Avatars grinding their way down to one of my subordinates' positions?"
Leila chuckles. "Information source obfuscation."
You raise an eyebrow. "You don't want me to know where the information came from?"
Leila rolls her eyes and begins explaining as if she would to a five year old child. "Well, let's say he did tell you. What would you do?"
You sigh. "Send every aircraft I've got at them, take care of the air defense, call in every air strike I can until they're destroyed or retreated. Maybe bring some artillery and shell them from long range." you explain, rattling off a list of options you considered. "In fact, that's more or less what happened."
Leila nods. "Except..."
You look at her. "Except I had to spend two days with Orca recon flights confirming the Avatars' location. So by the time I'd found them, it was too late to call in the ion cannon strikes. I'm just glad they decided to disappear after my Orcas took out their air defense units."
Leila nods again. "Now, imagine if you didn't locate them with air recon first. You're a Brotherhood commander, and you've got ten Avatars that you're pretty sure the enemy doesn't know about, and suddenly a flock of Orcas... " she giggles. "... well, maybe flock is the wrong word."
You chuckle and roll your eyes, making a circular motion with your right hand, waving the fungus bar around.
"... anyway, a large group of Orcas, armed for ground attack comes directly at your force. This means they already know about your force's current location." she shrugs. "Maybe it was a random satellite scan or a sniper team out in the middle of nowhere for some reason. Maybe some shiner saw them and called it in." she looks at you pointedly. "But personally, I would start asking questions. Maybe re-check my info-sec grid. Understand?"
You nod, figuring it out. "You wanted me to establish the information independently, so as to draw attention away from how you established it initially."
Leila nods and smiles. "Now you're catching on."
You frown. "That doesn't explain the vague hint. Your guy could have just told me to pretend like I didn't know about it, but still tell me the coordinates so I didn't have to have my Orcas flying every square meter of eastern Russian wilderness."
Leila shakes her head. "That methodology has an unacceptably low success rate. We find that battlefield commanders tend to use such information directly and ruin our information gathering efforts."
You continue frowning. "Even if it costs the lives of my people?" you shift-eye look at the horizon. "... hypothetically speaking, nobody actually died. As a result of that interaction, anyway. On our side." you stop babbling eventually with an effort.
Leila spears you with a dead serious look. "You don't like it. Well that's too bad." she pauses. "Ten Avatars is not that many Avatars. Not even a company. Whenever we lose a hard-won information source like that, we not only lose the ability to keep track of the ten Avatars, but their hundred other buddies across the operating theater."
You purse your lips, continuing to frown.
"Lt. Richter's airbase had what, a few hundred people? Imagine trading that airbase for info that can stop an attack on the chip foundry in Anadyr."
You scoff. "Which way?"
Leila smirks. "The way that does not result in the GDI losing a strategic asset."
You sigh. "Yeah, I see your point. It still pisses me off, though." you finish.
Leila nods, putting a hand on your shoulder, a sympathetic expression crossing her face. "The higher your rank, the more decisions like that you will have to make. Better get used to it."
You sigh again, shoving the rest of the fungus bar in your mouth and crumpling up the wrapper.
---
October 10, 2060
"Ugh, that colonel was right." you say to yourself, cringing in disgust - you'd made the mistake of looking up Weiler-Kratz syndrome. The images will likely haunt your dreams. At least until the next time you have to look at an Afanc-class Gana in person. "I didn't want to know."
Thankfully, you don't have it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have let you up into orbit. Apparently, research on mitigation is on-going. But when the GDI ruling class decides to flee the Earth and abandon the rest of humanity to its fate (a conclusion you've come to based on the amount of resources being expended on space station and lunar base construction), it'll be one more criterion used to kick people off the evacuation boats.
But that's neither here nor there. For the last ten days, you've gone through extensive screening; then got introduced to your "company" (currently six squads of zone armor and an equivalent number of Guardian APCs). The screening was... intensive. First, you got spun around in a "Circular Accelerator Pod" to check your tolerance for the high-G burns required to orbit and de-orbit. They might as well have called it a centrifuge - you're pretty sure about half your brain leaked out of your ears while the other half dribbled down to your feet. It took you several minutes to get yourself off the floor after the pod stopped. The tech assured you that in an actual launch and drop, your acceleration vector is going to be different and less dizziness causing, which, in your opinion is a small comfort at best.
The next step was enough blood draws to feed a small coven (is that what they call a group of them?) of vampires for several weeks. When you expressed your theory to the nurse, she rolled her eyes and stabbed you with another needle. You guess that she's heard that one before. You decided to push your luck, asking if she needed a bone marrow sample too, at which point she looked at you meaningfully, licked her lips and said "later, honey", before stabbing you again.
You then spent the next week drilling with your squads and APCs on rapidly disembarking and securing a landing zone, as well as conducting many, many simulated drops in various unit configurations. The long deceleration burn means that you want to either drop some distance away from hostile forces, or expect casualties on the way down from anti-aircraft fire. Another argument for dropping further away from hostiles is that there's some scatter involved - simulations and live data show up to a dozen kilometers.
You run the people under your command at about the maximum legally allowed training load, but there's surprisingly little bitching. Maybe because you're a Captain now, and enlisted personnel don't get to complain to the Captain as often. But still, you'd hope that if there was significant griping that affects unit morale, you'd hear about it from your Lieutenants. Over the course of the week, the veteran OSRCT personnel assigned to monitor you gradually adjust their evaluations from "unacceptable" and "everyone dies immediately upon drop" to "barely acceptable" and "under fifty percent casualties". Just as you are starting to match people's names up with their faces and the landing zone deployment times come down to what you consider an acceptable level, you get a transmission on your G-Pad from Colonel Pierson. "My office. Now."
---
The Colonel already has a map up on his holographic projector, and your G-Pad pings with multiple notifications which you'll no doubt review later.
"Right, Captain. I hope you've drilled your troops enough." he tells you. "Because you're about to get dropped into the shit."
You swallow. "Uh, sir, we're still at maybe half strength. And have only had a week of training, twenty one simulated and no actual drops as a team..." you trail off.
He nods. "Spare me the details, Captain, it doesn't matter. The decision has already been made. This is a time-sensitive operation and the other station won't be overhead for another forty-eight hours."
You sigh, looking at the map. A good number of Tiberium fields in the south, with a gold GDI base icon in one sector. A large-ish "neutral" town to the north-northwest of the GDI icon. Several Nod icons with question marks. The area broken up by multiple Tiberium chasms. Coastal area to the south. You bring the map on the G-Pad, zooming out for a larger context. Yellow zone thirteen - south. Your eyes widen as your heartbeat accelerates.
"What are we doing there... sir?" you ask.
The Colonel looks at you for a second. "Data extraction followed by targeted personnel elimination."
You raises an eyebrow. "So, we're dropping from orbit to assassinate someone? Who?"
The Colonel shrugs. "That's about right. Some minor Nod warlord, details are in your file. It's a multi-step plan, so pay attention." he points at the map. "So you see this town here? The Brotherhood is going to attack it." he begins, motioning with scare quotes around the word "attack". "Your team is going to drop down to rescue it." more scare quotes.
Your eyebrow stays raised. "In order to give credibility that this is a real attack and a real rescue, you'll be dropping in with a delay after the attack starts. Once you get there, the Brotherhood will retreat, leaving a little something behind. Locate and retrieve it." the Colonel pauses. "Further instructions will be forthcoming once that phase is complete, so leave half your team on the station."
"Uh, sir, so that didn't really answer my question. What's going on?" you ask.
The Colonel looks at you again. "Apparently, we're going to be participating in a Brotherhood power struggle, helping some individuals with a ... favorable agenda... displace their current commander." he smirks. "We're going to kill the guy in charge, then the replacement will defeat us in battle. So you need to make the fight look real, but throw it at the end."
You shake your head. "Isn't this more of a job for InOps?" you ask.
The Colonel chuckles. "It is their job. But with the timing, only OSRCT can get it done." his expression turns serious. "Get your people assembled, Captain. You launch in eight hours. Details are with your EVA as usual. Dismissed."
You salute, leaving the office. Goddammit, Leila, you think to yourself. Was this your other plan? What are you up to?
---
The flight up to the station is... intense. You've never actually been past the atmosphere, so you pull rank and grab a window seat. Even though your brain is mashed up against the back of your head and the vibration nearly shakes your teeth out of your jaw, you make it through without passing out from the acceleration. You gawk as the blue sky darkens and gives way to a boundless starfield, constrained on the bottom by the brilliant blue of the Earth below. Except for the dark green patches. Red zones.
And then you hit micro-gravity. The station itself, you're told, has grav plates, but the Leopard is conserving energy so they're turned off here. Acceleration and deceleration keeps you pinned to the back of your seat, but you do get a few minutes while the Leopard spins around to begin its deceleration burn to watch your ration bar wrapper float in the air and spin around.
"You ever been up and down before, Captain?" the Lieutenant sitting next to you asks. Silver bar, so he's your exec. You really should try to remember his name, you've been drilling his ass non-stop for a week. Later, focus Violet.
You shake your head. "No, first time for both. You?" you answer.
He nods. "Twenty one drops, ma'am." You raise an eyebrow. "Simulated, same as you."
You chuckle. "Almost had me, Lieutenant."
---
Operational Area Map:
| A1: Rocky | B1: 13x Tiberium | |C1: 5x Tiberium | | | | D1: | E1: ____________ | F1: ____________ |
| A2: | B2: ____________ | |C2: |Likely Nod Base | | | D2: Likely Nod Base | |E2: | Likely Nod Base | |____________ | F2: ____________ |
| A3: ____________ | B3: ____________ | C3: | D3: ____________ | E3: ____________ | F3: |
| A4: 6x Structure | B4: 5x Structure "Projected" Nod Attack | |C4: | | | | D4: Likely Nod Base ____________ | E4: Likely Nod Base ____________ | |F4: | | | |
| A5: 16x Tiberium | B5: | C5: | D5: 9x Tiberium | E5: 9x Tiberium | F5: |
| A6: | B6: 10x Tiberium Pitbull, 2x Predator MCV Refinery 2x Harvester | C6: Refinery Mammoth | D6: Command Post Factory Tech Center Plant U Space Command | E6: Silo Barracks Plant U | F6: |
[] Write-in Operation Name
"Listen up, everyone." you begin. "We're going to be responding to a distress call from a neutral town that has come under attack by a significant Brotherhood force." you point at the map projected on the wall in the very, very cramped station briefing room. You didn't even get a tour when you arrived - everyone had to rush off. You handed over equipment unloading duties to your executive officer while you went to make sure the drop pods were prepared and then straight to here. "Our job is to drop down, and assist," you put a somewhat mocking emphasis on the word, "local forces in repelling the Brotherhood attack."
A hand shoots up. "How long ago was the distress signal sent, ma'am?"
You smirk ever so slightly. "For the purposes of this discussion, three hours... ago." smooth, Violet. "Right. The following teams will board the first drop pod."
Pick up to three. May pick each individual option up to the max specified:
[] Veteran Zone Raider squad. Rocket launchers, Grenades, Command suit, Jump jets. 3 max.
- can navigate obstacles, more effective in urban terrain, slower on open terrain, regen/25 but requires barracks for full repairs
[] Veteran Zone Trooper squad. Railguns, Command suit, Jump jets. 3 max.
- can navigate obstacles, more effective in urban terrain, slower on open terrain, regen/25 but requires barracks for full repairs
[] Veteran Engineer squad. Small arms. Repair/capture capability. 1 max.
- can repair vehicles, capture buildings. Not great at combat. Super slow.
[] APC. Choice of minigun, rocket, grenade launcher, point defense. 2 max.
- cannot navigate "obstacles". Faster on open terrain. Requires engineer, rig or factory for repairs.
"Opposition, ma'am? And who are the good guys?" another hand shoots up.
"Latest recon indicates Brotherhood light and medium armor; likely a mix of projectile and energy weapons." you begin. "There's a pair of Predators and a Pitbull here in sector B6." you point at the map. "But their latest estimate is that they won't be able to handle this by themselves - which is where we come in. We'll be dropping here... "
Pick landing zone:
[probably want to pick something within one or maximum two spaces of the projected attack site]
[scatter is up to two orthogonal moves - would have been a single move if the OSRCT liaison option was picked way back when]
[] Write-in
"Once we have secured the area, I will assume command of local GDI forces; we are to stand by for further orders. Any questions?" you look around the room. Blond, male, first lieutenant. Bald, male, second lieutenant. Red-head, female, sergeant. Two of them. Dyed-neon-green, female, sergeant.
"Yeah, Captain, how come they're dropping us into this with only a week training?" one of the red-heads asks. You grind your teeth, you'll need to figure out some way of telling them apart. Maybe remember their names? Nah.
You smirk. "Questions that I'm actually able to answer, preferably, Sergeant." that gets a couple of laughs. "My guess is that they needed to shoot a lot of firepower and people who can sort of handle it halfway across the globe."
"If that's all, get your squads prepped. You have forty five minutes until our launch window. Dismissed."
After everyone walks out, you breathe out, closing your eyes and clenching your fists. Time to see if everyone's faith in you is justified. Again.
Last edited:
I'm thinking maybe B5 for the drop, since it's near the attack and some friendlies but not in a tiberium field. C5 might also work, but that has the risk of dropping right into a Nod base if we're off target. As for first down... the veteran Troopers and Raiders obviously; not sure if just them or if we should add one of the others (also, @NickAragua -- I think you've got their weapon loadouts reversed).
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
- Location
- New England
Updated, thanks. Also clarified that some of the squad options may be picked more than once.
Hmm... I'd say two Troopers and a Raider maybe, given the updated info. All indications are that we're going to be fighting in urban terrain, and ZA is particularly effective there (not to mention it's a good combo of firepower, mobility, and actually being infantry and thus able to do all sorts of things that vehicles can't). Also, it's more fitting with the whole aesthetic, which is always good.
Actually, you know what, I'm gonna make a plan to that effect:
[X] Plan Zone Armor, Go!
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper 2
-[X] Veteran Zone Raider
-[X] Landing zone B5
Violet presumable attaches to one of the Trooper squads.
EDIT: Forgot to include landing in B5
Actually, you know what, I'm gonna make a plan to that effect:
[X] Plan Zone Armor, Go!
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper 2
-[X] Veteran Zone Raider
-[X] Landing zone B5
Violet presumable attaches to one of the Trooper squads.
EDIT: Forgot to include landing in B5
Ace of Scarabs
Mechanoid Pilot
- Location
- Singapore
[X] Plan Zone Armor, Go!
- Pronouns
- He
[X] Operation Star Strike
- Location
- New England
Took me a few minutes to figure out that you were proposing an operation name, lol
- Location
- New England
Unrelated, anybody want to roll a 1d8 "arrival timing" roll?
- Location
- New England
dj_forgotten_history_wave_two_despair_rises.mp3
Mission 13 - Operation Star Strike - Turn 1 (October 10, 2060)
- Location
- New England
Raw Plan/Resolution:
October 10, 2060
Drop Pod
Truth be told, you're nervous as all hell. You're in your command suit, strapped to one of the sides of a container (made of some advanced allloy). At least I'm on the inside, you remind yourself. The container itself has several retro-rockets attached to it. What's going to happen is that the station is going to release the clamps. Then, your drop pod is going to reduce its velocity vector that's perpendicular to the force of gravity while helping gravity out a little bit with some thrust from the top. In other words, drop like a rock. Eventually, you'll hit the atmosphere, where the friction of the air will provide a little deceleration. Not enough to prevent the drop pod from turning into a kinetic projectile and creating a rather large crater, but that's where the retro rockets will come in. Hopefully.
You know these things have been tested and deployed hundreds of times; outside of some initial unmanned tests, there have been no casualties. With the exception of drop pods lost to Brotherhood anti-aircraft fire and interceptors. The rockets work, they're not going to rip off from their housing and send you into a tumble that'll turn you into separated liquid goop before smashing into the ground. There are no air leaks in the pod, and even if there are, you're in a fully sealed zone armor command suit.
And once you're on the ground, it's basically going to be a standard ground engagement. You've participated in many of those. Nothing to worry about, aside from the usual risk of getting blasted by lasers and plasma cannons and Kane knows what else.
All of this, you tell yourself in an effort to stop hyperventilating. No, Violet, it's not a coffin, they're not planning on shooting you into a Tiberium field for maximum recycling efficiency, you remind yourself.
Thankfully, your exec is on the ball and starts a comms check.
"Alpha Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Beta Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Gamma Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Comms check complete. Gotta tell you, ma'am, I'm nervous as all hell. You?" your exec tells you, tapping you on the shoulder with his command suit's armored fist to get your attention.
You chuckle. "Let's just say I'm glad these things have catheters."
"Attention drop pod three-A, this is Drop Command. You are cleared for drop in twenty seconds."
You look around the pod at the three zone armor squads secured to the walls. You feel like you should say something motivational. Although you're not really great at it, to be honest. And it's too late anyway, the drop controller guy has already started the final countdown.
"Airlock depressurized. Outer hatch open. Releasing clamps and initiating drop in five. Four. Ready. Steady. Drop."
There's a bump. For a moment, you're free-floating in zero gravity. Then, the acceleration begins. You clench your jaw and squeeze your fists, and idly hope that nobody's barfing in their helmets. They shouldn't - you've done twenty one simulated drops, and several people had to wash out (how the hell did they pass the centrifuge test?)
"Deceleration... completed." your EVA's voice informs you. "Initating... rotation." A brief puff can be heard, but you don't feel anything. "Rotation... completed. Brace for deceleration. Entering stratosphere in five... four... three... two... one..."
The pod begins to rumble, and your feet are pressed down again.
"Distance to projected landing zone... forty kilometers." The pod begins rumbling as you enter the atmosphere.
"Distance to projected landing zone... thirty kilometers." The rumbling and noise get louder the lower you get.
"Distance to projected landing zone... twenty kilometers." You consider wearing a mouth guard next time you drop - between the grinding and the jaw clenching, it's a wonder your teeth haven't fallen out yet.
"Distance to projected landing zone... ten kilometers. Retros at maximum burn." At this point, you're low enough for Brotherhood air defense systems to target you. But it seems that there are no hidden SAM sites wherever you're landing, so that's something. All status indicators on your heads-up display look green. But you just don't trust them. Not yet.
"Touchdown in five. Four. Three. Two. One."
CLANG. Your eyes go wide as the command suit jams upwards between your legs - you forgot to brace yourself properly. Padding or not, that's going to leave a bruise. You smirk, hoping that the male members of your squads didn't "jam" any sensitive bits - having three quarters of your team out of action, rolling around on the ground in powered armor while trying to hold their nuts probably wouldn't look good on the efficiency report. It also won't help you secure the landing zone. Speaking of which:
"Target zone deviation... three kilometers." your EVA finishes her play-by-play. "Restraints disengaged. Opening doors. Establishing battlefield control." You remind yourself to set her to silent for most of this stuff next time.
"All squads, move out. Secure the landing zone." you order, popping yourself out of your harness, grabbing your LMG from its rack beside you and stomping out with the rest of your squads.
---
"Hey, good of you flyboys to join us." comes the transmission from the armor unit that's just joined you. "Thought we were gonna have to start the party without you. Looks like the Brotherhood's already lighting it up."
You sigh. "Right. All units form up and move into the town. Engage Brotherhood vehicles upon contact."
The town is your usual YZ-13 mixture of mud-brick huts and corrugated metal sheets. The main distinguishing feature is the smoke rising from up ahead, accompanied by a mixture of red, green and blue flashes. Your zone armor squads make it into the outer group of buildings when the Brotherhood armor units decide to stop setting random buildings on fire and engage you instead. You sprint towards a building with one wall already missing and flames licking up from the roof - not the best place to hide, but good enough for temporary cover. Laser beams cut through the air around you but fail to make contact as you slam into the wall, chipping a few chunks off it, but breaking line of sight with whoever was shooting at you.
"Alpha Squad, engaging buggy." your squad leader reports - you hear several "zings" and see the railgun trails appear in the direction of your attacker, and the laser fire shifts in their direction instead, allowing you to peek out from around the corner. It is, indeed a buggy - you waste no time, levering your LMG at it and sending armor piercing rounds in its direction. Sparks light up as your bullets make contact and the buggy swerves down a side street, the last of your bullets gouging chunks out of another building behind it.
"Enemy units attempting breakout!" one of the Predators reports. "Moving to intercept."
You look at the map - your formation has a weak spot in the form of a Predator tank by itself on a street leading out of the town. You curse yourself for letting it happen, but then remember - your objective here is to repel the attack, not annihilate the attacking force. So, it's an opportunity to let them retreat and make it believable. Yeah, that's the ticket, you meant to do that and it wasn't just a sloppy mistake.
"Omicron Two, that's a negative. Do not attempt to block that street, you don't have any backup." you transmit, ducking behind the corner again as the buggy that was shooting at you earlier comes back around, blasting away at your trooper squad. Thankfully, they're in good cover and the only thing that suffers from the lasers is somebody's house.
"Bullshit, Alpha, we're not letting these fuckers get away!" comes the response. As you let rip with your LMG, you briefly note the Predator's status indicator flashing red - railgun slugs fly out from your zone troopers, connecting with the buggy - it swerves and you lose count of how many bullets you pump into it. Soon enough, the vehicle catches fire then slams into a building, the wall and part of the roof collapsing on top of the vehicle.
"Uh... never mind. They've got plasma cannons. Primary weapon disabled, disengaging." the Predator reports.
You roll your eyes. If only people would listen to you.
Your sensors show the majority of the enemy armor having disengaged, with two flame tanks trailing slightly. But you don't have anything to catch up to them. One of the Scorpions, however is still trapped in the town - your squad blocks one of the routes, the other Predator and raider squad block the flank, while the second trooper squad has fired up their jump jets and surrounded the tank.
You consider broadcasting a surrender demand - you've got the bastard surrounded after all. But instead, you have to duck behind your wall - the plasma bolt flies through the space where you just were, evaporating a huge chunk of a corrugated metal wall belonging to the next building over. You hear multiple railgun discharges, followed by an explosion - debris flies past you, along with a rocket down the street.
"Alpha Squad, target destroyed." the sergeant in charge of your trooper squad reports.
You look at the map. The rest of the Nod vehicles have exited the town. You could try to catch up to them, but that would mean engaging flame tanks, buggies and plasma-equipped Scorpions out in the open.
"Acknowledged." you call out. "Alpha, Beta, Gamma squads. Shadow the retreating vehicles and make sure they leave, but do not engage unless they come back or head towards our base. Omicron One, search designated coordinates for object matching the following sensor signature. Pick it up, then return to base."
Thankfully, after that object lesson on the consequences of disobeying your orders, the other Predator's driver decides to fall in line.
Combat Results: Victory
1x Buggy destroyed (Violet kill credit)
1x Scorpion destroyed
Buggy, Flame Tank heavily damaged
Flame Tank lightly damaged
Predator, Pitbull critically damaged (repair costs 119)
---
Battlefield control... established.
EVA Report Follows:
Accumulate sufficient credits and logistical support for second orbital drop (secondary command directive)
-credits: 500/4500
-logistics: 3/3
OR
Otherwise maintain capability to rapidly deploy units to sector C1 (secondary command directive)
Anticipated elimination target arrival in sector C1: 7 days
Note: this is a double turn
Power (available/total): 95/450
Logistics (available/total): 13/16
Building Slots B6: 2/6 (-2 Tiberium)
Building Slots C6: 2/8
Building Slots D6: 0/8
Building Slots E6: 5/8
Tiberium Credits: 400 (+3000 overspend, -119 pending repairs)
Tiberium Storage Capacity (available/total): 4500/5000
Tiberium Income: 3000/turn for 5 turns
Construction Capacity: 1 building/turn, 1 defense/turn
Infantry Requisition Capacity: 1/turn
Vehicle Requisition Capacity: 1/turn
Buildings:
B6: ConYard, Refinery
C6: Refinery
D6: Factory, CommPost, Tech Center, Plant U, Space Command Uplink
E6: Silo, Barracks, Plant U
Miscellaneous Options:
Construction Options:
Defense Construction Options (pick up to 2x, designate B5, E6 or F6 for location):
Infantry Requisition Options (pick up to 2x, arrive at E6):
Vehicle Requisition Options (pick up to 2x, arrive at E6):
Operational Area Map:
Current Force Status:
The data storage device is plugged into a network-isolated device for display. As in, it literally does not have wireless networking capability. And will be completely melted down once you're done with it (the raw data will be retained indefinitely on a network-isolated storage device). It's a little inconvenient and seems kind of paranoid, but you get it - the last thing you want to do is plug a data stick left behind by a Brotherhood dead drop in the ruins of a church into a device with access credentials for even some part of the GDI information network.
The most inconvenient part is if you need to install additional software on the one-use G-Pad. Then you have to get the command post network security guy to give you another storage device, which you plug into the one-use G-Pad. You have to do that at least twice - it appears that the Brotherhood's travel itineraries use some kind of weird proprietary format that can only be read by a specific type of program, and the network security guy doesn't guess right the first time. You idly wonder whether having to deal with this is more or less pleasant than dropping from orbit. You can't make up your mind, but you hope you don't have to do the former too many times. As for the orbital drops, well, you're going to be doing them whether you want to or not until your term of service is up or you buy a large enough piece of the farm to disqualify you.
The data is a travel itinerary for a Brotherhood warlord. He's coming for a facility inspection on October 17 via Carryall, landing at an air tower in sector C1. That doesn't give you much time to get your shit together and ready to kill him. In a case of "when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail", your most straightforward approach is to drop an orbital team nearby when he lands. Just the orbital team is probably not going to be enough, though - you'll likely need to stage a diversion to attract Nod units that could otherwise respond to your "rear area assault" and overwhelm the drop team. And the orbital drop is expensive. Holy crap. You could build a mech bay and requisition a Havoc for that amount of credits - although the Havoc doesn't have nearly as much firepower.
Another option is to start cranking out aircraft, or just set up an air traffic control tower so you can call in some Ox transports from the carrier you know is loitering off the coast to the south. Or that airbase to the north of Lome.
The base your predecessor (who's still here technically) set up is... not the most secure facility you've ever seen. It sprawls out across four sectors. To be fair, he had to spend his credits rapidly building a Tech Center and the Space Command Uplink to be able to drop you down, so he didn't have too much in the way of spare credits. But now you've got three sectors to defend, no fixed defenses, no walls, no nothing. And you'll need your mobile units for offensive operations. But you also need the credits for orbital or air drops.
Your current mobile strength: 14.00
Estimated current Nod mobile strength: 10.45
[X] Plan Zone Armor, Go!
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper 2
-[X] Veteran Zone Raider
-[X] Landing zone B5
Scatter (1d6-2)/2, round down: 1, on target
O10:
T+0
3x medium, 3x light vehicle contacts B5 -> B4
Distress signal sent
T+1
2x Predator, 1x Pitbull B6 -> B5
2x Trooper, 1x Raider deploy to B5
T+2
2x Predator, 1x Pitbull, 2x Trooper, 1x Raider B5 -> B4
Engaging 3x Scorpion, 3x Buggy, 2x Flame Tank
Violet attached to Zone Trooper #1
All Zone Armor units have +10 Urban, +10 Local Commander, +5 Veteran
* indicates random target selection due to init crit fail
130: (100%) Flame Tank #1 (T-Flamer +45) vs 129: (100%) Zone Raider (LMG -15 & Rocket +10 & Grenade -5); Flame tank takes 3 damage, both stunned
132: (100%) Buggy #2 & #1 (Laser +5) vs 115: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (LMG & Railgun +20); Buggy takes 41 damage;
*30: (100%) Flame Tank #2 vs 29: (100%) Zone Trooper #2
181: (115%) Scorpion #2 (Plasma +25) & *Buggy #3 (Laser +5) vs 108: (125%) Predator #1 (Railgun +20); Predator takes 47 damage; 78 remaining;
169: (115%) Scorpion #3 (Plasma +25) vs 97: (125%) Predator #2 (Railgun +20); Predator takes 14 damage, 111 remaining;
109: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25) vs 95: (100%) Pitbull (Mortar -10 & Missile +10); Pitbull takes 77 damage, 23 left, stunned, withdrawing
*30: (100%) Flame Tank #2 (T-Flamer +45) vs 29: (100%) Zone Trooper #2 (LMG & Railgun +20); Flame Tank #2 takes 47 damage
T+3
Nod forces "withdrawing"
143: (111%) Predator #2 (Railgun +20) vs 109: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25); Predator takes 83 damage, 28 left, stunned, withdrawing
93: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (LMG & Railgun +20) vs 93: (100%) Buggy #3 (Laser +5); Buggy takes 115 damage, destroyed
Buggy #1, Scorpion #2 disengage
Buggy #2, Scorpion #3 disengage
Flame Tank #1, #2, Pitbull stun clears
T+4
170: (78%) Predator #1 (Railgun +20) & Many supporting units vs 84: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25); Scorpion #1 takes 77 damage, 38 remaining, stunned, withdrawing
Flame Tank #1, #2 disengage
Pitbull disengages
T+5
182: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (Railgun +20) & Many supporting units vs 84: (38%) (stunned)Scorpion #1; Scorpion takes 121 damage, destroyed
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper
-[X] Veteran Zone Trooper 2
-[X] Veteran Zone Raider
-[X] Landing zone B5
Scatter (1d6-2)/2, round down: 1, on target
O10:
T+0
3x medium, 3x light vehicle contacts B5 -> B4
Distress signal sent
T+1
2x Predator, 1x Pitbull B6 -> B5
2x Trooper, 1x Raider deploy to B5
T+2
2x Predator, 1x Pitbull, 2x Trooper, 1x Raider B5 -> B4
Engaging 3x Scorpion, 3x Buggy, 2x Flame Tank
Violet attached to Zone Trooper #1
All Zone Armor units have +10 Urban, +10 Local Commander, +5 Veteran
* indicates random target selection due to init crit fail
130: (100%) Flame Tank #1 (T-Flamer +45) vs 129: (100%) Zone Raider (LMG -15 & Rocket +10 & Grenade -5); Flame tank takes 3 damage, both stunned
132: (100%) Buggy #2 & #1 (Laser +5) vs 115: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (LMG & Railgun +20); Buggy takes 41 damage;
*30: (100%) Flame Tank #2 vs 29: (100%) Zone Trooper #2
181: (115%) Scorpion #2 (Plasma +25) & *Buggy #3 (Laser +5) vs 108: (125%) Predator #1 (Railgun +20); Predator takes 47 damage; 78 remaining;
169: (115%) Scorpion #3 (Plasma +25) vs 97: (125%) Predator #2 (Railgun +20); Predator takes 14 damage, 111 remaining;
109: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25) vs 95: (100%) Pitbull (Mortar -10 & Missile +10); Pitbull takes 77 damage, 23 left, stunned, withdrawing
*30: (100%) Flame Tank #2 (T-Flamer +45) vs 29: (100%) Zone Trooper #2 (LMG & Railgun +20); Flame Tank #2 takes 47 damage
T+3
Nod forces "withdrawing"
143: (111%) Predator #2 (Railgun +20) vs 109: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25); Predator takes 83 damage, 28 left, stunned, withdrawing
93: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (LMG & Railgun +20) vs 93: (100%) Buggy #3 (Laser +5); Buggy takes 115 damage, destroyed
Buggy #1, Scorpion #2 disengage
Buggy #2, Scorpion #3 disengage
Flame Tank #1, #2, Pitbull stun clears
T+4
170: (78%) Predator #1 (Railgun +20) & Many supporting units vs 84: (115%) Scorpion #1 (Plasma +25); Scorpion #1 takes 77 damage, 38 remaining, stunned, withdrawing
Flame Tank #1, #2 disengage
Pitbull disengages
T+5
182: (100%) Zone Trooper #1 (Railgun +20) & Many supporting units vs 84: (38%) (stunned)Scorpion #1; Scorpion takes 121 damage, destroyed
October 10, 2060
Drop Pod
Truth be told, you're nervous as all hell. You're in your command suit, strapped to one of the sides of a container (made of some advanced allloy). At least I'm on the inside, you remind yourself. The container itself has several retro-rockets attached to it. What's going to happen is that the station is going to release the clamps. Then, your drop pod is going to reduce its velocity vector that's perpendicular to the force of gravity while helping gravity out a little bit with some thrust from the top. In other words, drop like a rock. Eventually, you'll hit the atmosphere, where the friction of the air will provide a little deceleration. Not enough to prevent the drop pod from turning into a kinetic projectile and creating a rather large crater, but that's where the retro rockets will come in. Hopefully.
You know these things have been tested and deployed hundreds of times; outside of some initial unmanned tests, there have been no casualties. With the exception of drop pods lost to Brotherhood anti-aircraft fire and interceptors. The rockets work, they're not going to rip off from their housing and send you into a tumble that'll turn you into separated liquid goop before smashing into the ground. There are no air leaks in the pod, and even if there are, you're in a fully sealed zone armor command suit.
And once you're on the ground, it's basically going to be a standard ground engagement. You've participated in many of those. Nothing to worry about, aside from the usual risk of getting blasted by lasers and plasma cannons and Kane knows what else.
All of this, you tell yourself in an effort to stop hyperventilating. No, Violet, it's not a coffin, they're not planning on shooting you into a Tiberium field for maximum recycling efficiency, you remind yourself.
Thankfully, your exec is on the ball and starts a comms check.
"Alpha Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Beta Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Gamma Squad comms check. Weapons check. Sensors check. Life support check."
"Comms check complete. Gotta tell you, ma'am, I'm nervous as all hell. You?" your exec tells you, tapping you on the shoulder with his command suit's armored fist to get your attention.
You chuckle. "Let's just say I'm glad these things have catheters."
"Attention drop pod three-A, this is Drop Command. You are cleared for drop in twenty seconds."
You look around the pod at the three zone armor squads secured to the walls. You feel like you should say something motivational. Although you're not really great at it, to be honest. And it's too late anyway, the drop controller guy has already started the final countdown.
"Airlock depressurized. Outer hatch open. Releasing clamps and initiating drop in five. Four. Ready. Steady. Drop."
There's a bump. For a moment, you're free-floating in zero gravity. Then, the acceleration begins. You clench your jaw and squeeze your fists, and idly hope that nobody's barfing in their helmets. They shouldn't - you've done twenty one simulated drops, and several people had to wash out (how the hell did they pass the centrifuge test?)
"Deceleration... completed." your EVA's voice informs you. "Initating... rotation." A brief puff can be heard, but you don't feel anything. "Rotation... completed. Brace for deceleration. Entering stratosphere in five... four... three... two... one..."
The pod begins to rumble, and your feet are pressed down again.
"Distance to projected landing zone... forty kilometers." The pod begins rumbling as you enter the atmosphere.
"Distance to projected landing zone... thirty kilometers." The rumbling and noise get louder the lower you get.
"Distance to projected landing zone... twenty kilometers." You consider wearing a mouth guard next time you drop - between the grinding and the jaw clenching, it's a wonder your teeth haven't fallen out yet.
"Distance to projected landing zone... ten kilometers. Retros at maximum burn." At this point, you're low enough for Brotherhood air defense systems to target you. But it seems that there are no hidden SAM sites wherever you're landing, so that's something. All status indicators on your heads-up display look green. But you just don't trust them. Not yet.
"Touchdown in five. Four. Three. Two. One."
CLANG. Your eyes go wide as the command suit jams upwards between your legs - you forgot to brace yourself properly. Padding or not, that's going to leave a bruise. You smirk, hoping that the male members of your squads didn't "jam" any sensitive bits - having three quarters of your team out of action, rolling around on the ground in powered armor while trying to hold their nuts probably wouldn't look good on the efficiency report. It also won't help you secure the landing zone. Speaking of which:
"Target zone deviation... three kilometers." your EVA finishes her play-by-play. "Restraints disengaged. Opening doors. Establishing battlefield control." You remind yourself to set her to silent for most of this stuff next time.
"All squads, move out. Secure the landing zone." you order, popping yourself out of your harness, grabbing your LMG from its rack beside you and stomping out with the rest of your squads.
---
"Hey, good of you flyboys to join us." comes the transmission from the armor unit that's just joined you. "Thought we were gonna have to start the party without you. Looks like the Brotherhood's already lighting it up."
You sigh. "Right. All units form up and move into the town. Engage Brotherhood vehicles upon contact."
The town is your usual YZ-13 mixture of mud-brick huts and corrugated metal sheets. The main distinguishing feature is the smoke rising from up ahead, accompanied by a mixture of red, green and blue flashes. Your zone armor squads make it into the outer group of buildings when the Brotherhood armor units decide to stop setting random buildings on fire and engage you instead. You sprint towards a building with one wall already missing and flames licking up from the roof - not the best place to hide, but good enough for temporary cover. Laser beams cut through the air around you but fail to make contact as you slam into the wall, chipping a few chunks off it, but breaking line of sight with whoever was shooting at you.
"Alpha Squad, engaging buggy." your squad leader reports - you hear several "zings" and see the railgun trails appear in the direction of your attacker, and the laser fire shifts in their direction instead, allowing you to peek out from around the corner. It is, indeed a buggy - you waste no time, levering your LMG at it and sending armor piercing rounds in its direction. Sparks light up as your bullets make contact and the buggy swerves down a side street, the last of your bullets gouging chunks out of another building behind it.
"Enemy units attempting breakout!" one of the Predators reports. "Moving to intercept."
You look at the map - your formation has a weak spot in the form of a Predator tank by itself on a street leading out of the town. You curse yourself for letting it happen, but then remember - your objective here is to repel the attack, not annihilate the attacking force. So, it's an opportunity to let them retreat and make it believable. Yeah, that's the ticket, you meant to do that and it wasn't just a sloppy mistake.
"Omicron Two, that's a negative. Do not attempt to block that street, you don't have any backup." you transmit, ducking behind the corner again as the buggy that was shooting at you earlier comes back around, blasting away at your trooper squad. Thankfully, they're in good cover and the only thing that suffers from the lasers is somebody's house.
"Bullshit, Alpha, we're not letting these fuckers get away!" comes the response. As you let rip with your LMG, you briefly note the Predator's status indicator flashing red - railgun slugs fly out from your zone troopers, connecting with the buggy - it swerves and you lose count of how many bullets you pump into it. Soon enough, the vehicle catches fire then slams into a building, the wall and part of the roof collapsing on top of the vehicle.
"Uh... never mind. They've got plasma cannons. Primary weapon disabled, disengaging." the Predator reports.
You roll your eyes. If only people would listen to you.
Your sensors show the majority of the enemy armor having disengaged, with two flame tanks trailing slightly. But you don't have anything to catch up to them. One of the Scorpions, however is still trapped in the town - your squad blocks one of the routes, the other Predator and raider squad block the flank, while the second trooper squad has fired up their jump jets and surrounded the tank.
You consider broadcasting a surrender demand - you've got the bastard surrounded after all. But instead, you have to duck behind your wall - the plasma bolt flies through the space where you just were, evaporating a huge chunk of a corrugated metal wall belonging to the next building over. You hear multiple railgun discharges, followed by an explosion - debris flies past you, along with a rocket down the street.
"Alpha Squad, target destroyed." the sergeant in charge of your trooper squad reports.
You look at the map. The rest of the Nod vehicles have exited the town. You could try to catch up to them, but that would mean engaging flame tanks, buggies and plasma-equipped Scorpions out in the open.
"Acknowledged." you call out. "Alpha, Beta, Gamma squads. Shadow the retreating vehicles and make sure they leave, but do not engage unless they come back or head towards our base. Omicron One, search designated coordinates for object matching the following sensor signature. Pick it up, then return to base."
Thankfully, after that object lesson on the consequences of disobeying your orders, the other Predator's driver decides to fall in line.
Combat Results: Victory
1x Buggy destroyed (Violet kill credit)
1x Scorpion destroyed
Buggy, Flame Tank heavily damaged
Flame Tank lightly damaged
Predator, Pitbull critically damaged (repair costs 119)
---
Battlefield control... established.
EVA Report Follows:
Accumulate sufficient credits and logistical support for second orbital drop (secondary command directive)
-credits: 500/4500
-logistics: 3/3
OR
Otherwise maintain capability to rapidly deploy units to sector C1 (secondary command directive)
Anticipated elimination target arrival in sector C1: 7 days
Note: this is a double turn
Power (available/total): 95/450
Logistics (available/total): 13/16
Building Slots B6: 2/6 (-2 Tiberium)
Building Slots C6: 2/8
Building Slots D6: 0/8
Building Slots E6: 5/8
Tiberium Credits: 400 (+3000 overspend, -119 pending repairs)
Tiberium Storage Capacity (available/total): 4500/5000
Tiberium Income: 3000/turn for 5 turns
Construction Capacity: 1 building/turn, 1 defense/turn
Infantry Requisition Capacity: 1/turn
Vehicle Requisition Capacity: 1/turn
Buildings:
B6: ConYard, Refinery
C6: Refinery
D6: Factory, CommPost, Tech Center, Plant U, Space Command Uplink
E6: Silo, Barracks, Plant U
Miscellaneous Options:
[] Satellite Scan (-300 credits, reveals contents of designated sector)
-May be taken up to 1x per turn
You currently have zero clue where anything is; tasking your command post's computational equipment with processing satellite scan data will correct that problem.
[] Dismantle Structure
-[] Refinery C6 (+700 credits, +75 power, -2000 Tiberium Storage)
The C6 refinery is pretty poorly placed. Although you need the Tiberium storage capacity to be able to bring your second drop team down (unless you want to try to punch through or go around whatever Nod base is in the way to your target), you feel like a loose refinery eats too much power and you could do better with a pair of silos instead.
[] Refit vehicles with ablative plating (-50 credits per)
-Vehicles will move to sector D6
You can install ablative plating on your vehicles. With the laser-equipped buggies all over the place, it may not be the worst idea, although it's not nearly as helpful against vehicle-grade flamethrowers and plasma cannons.
[] Orbital Drop (-4500 credits, drops 2x Raider, 1x Trooper from below list into designated sector with potential scatter)
Good lord, coordinating orbital drops is expensive. Mostly because you then have to shuttle everyone back up to orbit; the drop pod is not the most reusable thing in the world, either. But, for your money, you get three zone armor squads that can kick some serious ass, pretty much anywhere you want.
-May be taken up to 1x per turn
You currently have zero clue where anything is; tasking your command post's computational equipment with processing satellite scan data will correct that problem.
[] Dismantle Structure
-[] Refinery C6 (+700 credits, +75 power, -2000 Tiberium Storage)
The C6 refinery is pretty poorly placed. Although you need the Tiberium storage capacity to be able to bring your second drop team down (unless you want to try to punch through or go around whatever Nod base is in the way to your target), you feel like a loose refinery eats too much power and you could do better with a pair of silos instead.
[] Refit vehicles with ablative plating (-50 credits per)
-Vehicles will move to sector D6
You can install ablative plating on your vehicles. With the laser-equipped buggies all over the place, it may not be the worst idea, although it's not nearly as helpful against vehicle-grade flamethrowers and plasma cannons.
[] Orbital Drop (-4500 credits, drops 2x Raider, 1x Trooper from below list into designated sector with potential scatter)
Good lord, coordinating orbital drops is expensive. Mostly because you then have to shuttle everyone back up to orbit; the drop pod is not the most reusable thing in the world, either. But, for your money, you get three zone armor squads that can kick some serious ass, pretty much anywhere you want.
Construction Options:
[] Power Plant (-500 credits, +100 power, -1 building slot)
-[] Extra Turbine (-300 credits, +100 power)
If you want to put up more than one or two additional structures, this standard pre-fabricated nuclear power plant will address your power generation needs.
[] Armory (-1000 credits, -35 power, +4 logistics, -1 building slot)
-Allows Zone Armor requisition
-Allows Sniper Team requisition
-Allows infantry/engineer medkit upgrade
A bunker-like structure capable of storing and fabricating spare parts for the maintenance of high-end infantry equipment. If you want to call in zone armor teams in a more conventional way or have the equipment necessary to requisition sniper teams, you will need to construct this somewhere.
[] Airfield (-1000 credits, -45 power, -1 building slot, +4 logistics; +1 aircraft requisition capacity)
-Allows basic aircraft requisition
-Allows air strikes (Orcas, Firehawks, Apollos)
Four VTOL landing pads, an air traffic control tower and some minor fabrication capability for spare parts will let you have aircraft temporarily attached to your command. While you already have an airfield, you consider that it may be worthwhile to have a second one so you can set up the air component of your eventual assault on the main Nod base in the area faster.
-[] Extra Turbine (-300 credits, +100 power)
If you want to put up more than one or two additional structures, this standard pre-fabricated nuclear power plant will address your power generation needs.
[] Armory (-1000 credits, -35 power, +4 logistics, -1 building slot)
-Allows Zone Armor requisition
-Allows Sniper Team requisition
-Allows infantry/engineer medkit upgrade
A bunker-like structure capable of storing and fabricating spare parts for the maintenance of high-end infantry equipment. If you want to call in zone armor teams in a more conventional way or have the equipment necessary to requisition sniper teams, you will need to construct this somewhere.
[] Airfield (-1000 credits, -45 power, -1 building slot, +4 logistics; +1 aircraft requisition capacity)
-Allows basic aircraft requisition
-Allows air strikes (Orcas, Firehawks, Apollos)
Four VTOL landing pads, an air traffic control tower and some minor fabrication capability for spare parts will let you have aircraft temporarily attached to your command. While you already have an airfield, you consider that it may be worthwhile to have a second one so you can set up the air component of your eventual assault on the main Nod base in the area faster.
Defense Construction Options (pick up to 2x, designate B5, E6 or F6 for location):
[] Defensive Turret
-[] Sentry MG (-540 credits, -22 power, tall, +10 vs infantry, -5 vs armored)
-[] Railgun (-540 credits, -36 power, +20 vs tanks, may not engage aircraft)
-[] Anti-air (-540 credits, -22 power, +10 vs aircraft, -10 vs ground targets)
-[] Anti-air missile (-540 credits, -22 power, +20 vs aircraft, may not engage ground targets)
-[] Point Defence (-540 credits, -22 power, negates first single-projectile attack vs self or supported unit)
-[] Sonic Turret (-1800 credits, -68 power, +30 vs ground units, +10 extra vs any units utilizing Tiberium, may not engage aircraft)
A an automated defensive weapons emplacement designed to counter a specific type of threat. A tall machine gun turret can fire over walls to engage infantry and lightly armored turrets; a railgun can engage heavy armor; anti-air installations engage enemy aircraft flying overhead; point defense turrets provide protection against stray artillery shells and tank projectiles. A heavy-duty sonic cannon emplacement may be deployed to counter ground assaults and keep away encroaching Tiberium.
[] Jackhammer Artillery Battery (-1350 credits, -36 power, -1 building slot)
-4x Barrels may be activated by paying 25 credits/barrel beyond the first
-Precision Shells may be activated by paying 25 credits/barrel
Despite factories in GDI home territories pumping out artillery shells by the barrel, getting those shells out to the front in time has proven to be a challenge. You can fabricate shells at the War Factory, however, to shorten your supply chain, assuming you have the credits, to run the four 155mm barrels in this self-contained artillery park and fire control center simultaneously. You can even order them loaded with precision shells if you have appropriate spotters nearby to designate targets.
[] Silo (-100 credits, -1 building slot, +1000 Tiberium storage)
A (relatively) long-term storage facility for refined Tiberium, this is more or less a cylinder lined with T-Glass to greatly reduce maintenance and power requirements. If you need to keep some amount of Tiberium in reserve, this is a very cost-effective option.
-[] Sentry MG (-540 credits, -22 power, tall, +10 vs infantry, -5 vs armored)
-[] Railgun (-540 credits, -36 power, +20 vs tanks, may not engage aircraft)
-[] Anti-air (-540 credits, -22 power, +10 vs aircraft, -10 vs ground targets)
-[] Anti-air missile (-540 credits, -22 power, +20 vs aircraft, may not engage ground targets)
-[] Point Defence (-540 credits, -22 power, negates first single-projectile attack vs self or supported unit)
-[] Sonic Turret (-1800 credits, -68 power, +30 vs ground units, +10 extra vs any units utilizing Tiberium, may not engage aircraft)
A an automated defensive weapons emplacement designed to counter a specific type of threat. A tall machine gun turret can fire over walls to engage infantry and lightly armored turrets; a railgun can engage heavy armor; anti-air installations engage enemy aircraft flying overhead; point defense turrets provide protection against stray artillery shells and tank projectiles. A heavy-duty sonic cannon emplacement may be deployed to counter ground assaults and keep away encroaching Tiberium.
[] Jackhammer Artillery Battery (-1350 credits, -36 power, -1 building slot)
-4x Barrels may be activated by paying 25 credits/barrel beyond the first
-Precision Shells may be activated by paying 25 credits/barrel
Despite factories in GDI home territories pumping out artillery shells by the barrel, getting those shells out to the front in time has proven to be a challenge. You can fabricate shells at the War Factory, however, to shorten your supply chain, assuming you have the credits, to run the four 155mm barrels in this self-contained artillery park and fire control center simultaneously. You can even order them loaded with precision shells if you have appropriate spotters nearby to designate targets.
[] Silo (-100 credits, -1 building slot, +1000 Tiberium storage)
A (relatively) long-term storage facility for refined Tiberium, this is more or less a cylinder lined with T-Glass to greatly reduce maintenance and power requirements. If you need to keep some amount of Tiberium in reserve, this is a very cost-effective option.
Infantry Requisition Options (pick up to 2x, arrive at E6):
[] Infantry Squad (-450 credits, -1 logistics, 1 speed)
A basic infantry squad, armed primarily with GD-2 rifles, disc grenade and rocket launchers - the proportion of particular weapons can be adjusted as desired. Can be transported by APC or Ox when available. Excel in defensive operations, but may be used for assaults in a pinch. Extended deployment in Tiberium patches is not recommended.
-[] Standard Loadout: cannot engage aircraft, -5 vs armored
-[] Rockets: +10 vs fast units/aircraft, -5 vs infantry
-[] Grenade Launchers: +15 vs infantry, -5 vs fast, -5 vs armored, cannot engage aircraft
[] Engineer Squad (-450 credits, -1 logistics, 1 speed)
A specialized infantry squad, armed with sub machineguns and flash grenades. They can also carry specialized equipment used to compromise network security in Brotherhood buildings, allowing you to take control of them; they can also repair your vehicles in the field and operate bridge-laying equipment.
-[] Repair equipment: 2x vehicle repairs/turn
-[] Capture equipment: 1x repair/turn, may capture buildings
A basic infantry squad, armed primarily with GD-2 rifles, disc grenade and rocket launchers - the proportion of particular weapons can be adjusted as desired. Can be transported by APC or Ox when available. Excel in defensive operations, but may be used for assaults in a pinch. Extended deployment in Tiberium patches is not recommended.
-[] Standard Loadout: cannot engage aircraft, -5 vs armored
-[] Rockets: +10 vs fast units/aircraft, -5 vs infantry
-[] Grenade Launchers: +15 vs infantry, -5 vs fast, -5 vs armored, cannot engage aircraft
[] Engineer Squad (-450 credits, -1 logistics, 1 speed)
A specialized infantry squad, armed with sub machineguns and flash grenades. They can also carry specialized equipment used to compromise network security in Brotherhood buildings, allowing you to take control of them; they can also repair your vehicles in the field and operate bridge-laying equipment.
-[] Repair equipment: 2x vehicle repairs/turn
-[] Capture equipment: 1x repair/turn, may capture buildings
Vehicle Requisition Options (pick up to 2x, arrive at E6):
Any vehicle may be upgraded with:
[] Ablative Plating (-50 credits)
Negates first laser attack against target; 1/2 of first plasma attack against target; degrades after receiving any damage or negating an attack
[] Guardian APC (-600 credits, -1 logistics, 3 speed)
The ubiquitous transport unit utilized by mechanized infantry everywhere, including yourself. Depending on the loadout, this can engage any kind of target or provide defensive support for a task force while transporting infantry and zone armor squads rapidly to their destination.
Loadout options (1 weapon slot):
-[] Rotary cannon (default): +10 vs infantry, -5 vs armored units/aircraft
-[] Guided missiles: +10 vs fast units/aircraft, -5 vs infantry
-[] Grenade launcher: +15 vs infantry, -5 vs fast, -5 vs armored, cannot engage aircraft
-[] Point defense: Cannot attack, mounts Predator-style point defense systems
[] Guardian Spotting Vehicle: -900 credits, -1 logistics, 3 speed
-Light Rotary Cannon: +5 vs infantry, -15 vs armored units, cannot engage aircraft
-Sensor package: detects stealthed units in sector, sensor pings in adjacent sectors
-Enables use of precision artillery shells against detected targets
-Grants +10 to artillery attacks against detected targets
While snipers can call for artillery fire, they are not specialized in the management of artillery like this modified APC. Replaces much of the passenger compartment with computers and workstations for two specialists, while the commander loses the flexible weapons mount in favor of a broad set of radar, lidar and optical sensors crammed into the turret, barely leaving room for a light machine gun for self-defense.
[] Pitbull (-700 credits, -1 logistics, 4 speed)
-detects stealthed units
-Missile Launcher: +10 vs aircraft, -10 vs infantry
-Mortar: +10 vs infantry/structures, may not engage aircraft
This fast little recon vehicle has two purposes - one, to fire guided missiles at vehicles and aircraft and two, to detect Nod stealth units with its advanced sensor system. The mortar allows it to effectively engage Nod infantry or structures. The sensor system can now be tuned either for stealth unit detection or long-range scanning, although the process is somewhat time-intensive. Given that you don't have any fast recon capability at the moment, you strongly consider getting one or two.
[] Predator (-900 credits, -1 logistics, 2 speed)
-Railgun: +20 vs vehicles, cannot engage aircraft
-hit points at 125%
-Point Defence: negates first incoming rocket/shell attack per combat round
This heavily armored tank's railgun can punch through just about any armor the brotherhood can bring to bear and can target fast-moving vehicles effectively due to the projectile's incredible launch velocity, but it struggles against infantry and fixed defenses. Its point defense systems excel at shooting down low rate of fire Nod projectiles, but tend to be overwhelmed by concentrated fire from multiple angles and have no effect against lasers or rapid-fire weapons.
[] Pacifier MAV (-1200 credits, -1 logistics, 2 speed)
Hovercraft: ignores most terrain movement restrictions
- Targets units up to 1 hex away
- +25 vs infantry/structures; +10 from hill
This high-tech vehicle is a quad-barrel artillery piece on a hover chassis. Not the fancy anti-gravity kind, just an assembly of heavy lift and drive fans. Launching magical (not really) sonic shells on glide wings instead of standard chemically-propelled artillery, this artillery piece is capable of keeping up with Predator tanks. The hover chassis allows it to ignore all but the worst of ground terrain, while the sonic shells prevent accidental detonation of any blue or liquid Tiberium deposits. Like its older Overseer cousin, it still prefers to have real-time targeting data from a dedicated spotter unit.
[] Ablative Plating (-50 credits)
Negates first laser attack against target; 1/2 of first plasma attack against target; degrades after receiving any damage or negating an attack
[] Guardian APC (-600 credits, -1 logistics, 3 speed)
The ubiquitous transport unit utilized by mechanized infantry everywhere, including yourself. Depending on the loadout, this can engage any kind of target or provide defensive support for a task force while transporting infantry and zone armor squads rapidly to their destination.
Loadout options (1 weapon slot):
-[] Rotary cannon (default): +10 vs infantry, -5 vs armored units/aircraft
-[] Guided missiles: +10 vs fast units/aircraft, -5 vs infantry
-[] Grenade launcher: +15 vs infantry, -5 vs fast, -5 vs armored, cannot engage aircraft
-[] Point defense: Cannot attack, mounts Predator-style point defense systems
[] Guardian Spotting Vehicle: -900 credits, -1 logistics, 3 speed
-Light Rotary Cannon: +5 vs infantry, -15 vs armored units, cannot engage aircraft
-Sensor package: detects stealthed units in sector, sensor pings in adjacent sectors
-Enables use of precision artillery shells against detected targets
-Grants +10 to artillery attacks against detected targets
While snipers can call for artillery fire, they are not specialized in the management of artillery like this modified APC. Replaces much of the passenger compartment with computers and workstations for two specialists, while the commander loses the flexible weapons mount in favor of a broad set of radar, lidar and optical sensors crammed into the turret, barely leaving room for a light machine gun for self-defense.
[] Pitbull (-700 credits, -1 logistics, 4 speed)
-detects stealthed units
-Missile Launcher: +10 vs aircraft, -10 vs infantry
-Mortar: +10 vs infantry/structures, may not engage aircraft
This fast little recon vehicle has two purposes - one, to fire guided missiles at vehicles and aircraft and two, to detect Nod stealth units with its advanced sensor system. The mortar allows it to effectively engage Nod infantry or structures. The sensor system can now be tuned either for stealth unit detection or long-range scanning, although the process is somewhat time-intensive. Given that you don't have any fast recon capability at the moment, you strongly consider getting one or two.
[] Predator (-900 credits, -1 logistics, 2 speed)
-Railgun: +20 vs vehicles, cannot engage aircraft
-hit points at 125%
-Point Defence: negates first incoming rocket/shell attack per combat round
This heavily armored tank's railgun can punch through just about any armor the brotherhood can bring to bear and can target fast-moving vehicles effectively due to the projectile's incredible launch velocity, but it struggles against infantry and fixed defenses. Its point defense systems excel at shooting down low rate of fire Nod projectiles, but tend to be overwhelmed by concentrated fire from multiple angles and have no effect against lasers or rapid-fire weapons.
[] Pacifier MAV (-1200 credits, -1 logistics, 2 speed)
Hovercraft: ignores most terrain movement restrictions
- Targets units up to 1 hex away
- +25 vs infantry/structures; +10 from hill
This high-tech vehicle is a quad-barrel artillery piece on a hover chassis. Not the fancy anti-gravity kind, just an assembly of heavy lift and drive fans. Launching magical (not really) sonic shells on glide wings instead of standard chemically-propelled artillery, this artillery piece is capable of keeping up with Predator tanks. The hover chassis allows it to ignore all but the worst of ground terrain, while the sonic shells prevent accidental detonation of any blue or liquid Tiberium deposits. Like its older Overseer cousin, it still prefers to have real-time targeting data from a dedicated spotter unit.
Operational Area Map:
| A1: Rocky | B1: 13x Tiberium | |C1: 5x Tiberium |Target Arrival Site |Air Tower? | | D1: | E1: ____________ | F1: ____________ |
| A2: | B2: ____________ | |C2: |Likely Nod Base | | | D2: Likely Nod Base | |E2: |Likely Nod Base | |____________ | F2: ____________ |
| A3: ____________ | B3: ____________ | C3: | D3: ____________ | E3: ____________ | F3: |
| A4: 6x Structure | B4: 4x Structure Pitbull, 2x Predator 2x Trooper 1x Raider | |C4: | | | | D4: Likely Nod Base ____________ | E4: Likely Nod Base ____________ | |F4: | | | |
| A5: 15x Tiberium | B5: 2x Scorpion PD 2x Buggy LE 2x Flame Tank | C5: Militant R | D5: 9x Tiberium | E5: 9x Tiberium | F5: |
| A6: | B6: 10x Tiberium MCV Refinery 2x Harvester | C6: Refinery Mammoth | D6: Command Post Factory Tech Center Plant U Space Command Infantry Infantry/G 2x Overseer | E6: Silo Barracks Plant U | F6: |
Current Force Status:
B4:
Predator #1 - Railgun, Point Defense, Speed 2
Predator #2 - Railgun, Point Defense, Speed 2
Zone Trooper #1 - Railgun, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Zone Trooper #2 - Railgun, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Zone Raider - Rocket, Grenade, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Pitbull - Missile, Mortar, Detector, Speed 4
C6:
Mammoth - Twin Railgun, Twin Missile, Speed 1, Regen/100
D6:
Infantry #1 - Grenade, Speed 1
Infantry #2 - Standard, Speed 1
Overseer #1 - Artillery, Speed 1
Overseer #2 - Artillery, Speed 1
Predator #1 - Railgun, Point Defense, Speed 2
Predator #2 - Railgun, Point Defense, Speed 2
Zone Trooper #1 - Railgun, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Zone Trooper #2 - Railgun, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Zone Raider - Rocket, Grenade, LMG, Detector, Observer, Jump Pack, Regen/25, Speed 2
Pitbull - Missile, Mortar, Detector, Speed 4
C6:
Mammoth - Twin Railgun, Twin Missile, Speed 1, Regen/100
D6:
Infantry #1 - Grenade, Speed 1
Infantry #2 - Standard, Speed 1
Overseer #1 - Artillery, Speed 1
Overseer #2 - Artillery, Speed 1
The data storage device is plugged into a network-isolated device for display. As in, it literally does not have wireless networking capability. And will be completely melted down once you're done with it (the raw data will be retained indefinitely on a network-isolated storage device). It's a little inconvenient and seems kind of paranoid, but you get it - the last thing you want to do is plug a data stick left behind by a Brotherhood dead drop in the ruins of a church into a device with access credentials for even some part of the GDI information network.
The most inconvenient part is if you need to install additional software on the one-use G-Pad. Then you have to get the command post network security guy to give you another storage device, which you plug into the one-use G-Pad. You have to do that at least twice - it appears that the Brotherhood's travel itineraries use some kind of weird proprietary format that can only be read by a specific type of program, and the network security guy doesn't guess right the first time. You idly wonder whether having to deal with this is more or less pleasant than dropping from orbit. You can't make up your mind, but you hope you don't have to do the former too many times. As for the orbital drops, well, you're going to be doing them whether you want to or not until your term of service is up or you buy a large enough piece of the farm to disqualify you.
The data is a travel itinerary for a Brotherhood warlord. He's coming for a facility inspection on October 17 via Carryall, landing at an air tower in sector C1. That doesn't give you much time to get your shit together and ready to kill him. In a case of "when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail", your most straightforward approach is to drop an orbital team nearby when he lands. Just the orbital team is probably not going to be enough, though - you'll likely need to stage a diversion to attract Nod units that could otherwise respond to your "rear area assault" and overwhelm the drop team. And the orbital drop is expensive. Holy crap. You could build a mech bay and requisition a Havoc for that amount of credits - although the Havoc doesn't have nearly as much firepower.
Another option is to start cranking out aircraft, or just set up an air traffic control tower so you can call in some Ox transports from the carrier you know is loitering off the coast to the south. Or that airbase to the north of Lome.
The base your predecessor (who's still here technically) set up is... not the most secure facility you've ever seen. It sprawls out across four sectors. To be fair, he had to spend his credits rapidly building a Tech Center and the Space Command Uplink to be able to drop you down, so he didn't have too much in the way of spare credits. But now you've got three sectors to defend, no fixed defenses, no walls, no nothing. And you'll need your mobile units for offensive operations. But you also need the credits for orbital or air drops.
Your current mobile strength: 14.00
Estimated current Nod mobile strength: 10.45
- Pronouns
- He
Really not liking the thought of those B5 guys rolling south and shooting the shit out of the harvesting operation there. I'm too tired right now to make a plan, but we need to sell that refinery and roll the mammoth over to B6 and then do a pincer attack if the Nod forces are still there.
- Location
- alphen aan den rijn
no idea what too vote for but that was at least an action packed start.
lets go hell jumpers
lets go hell jumpers
Gimme a few minutes to eat and I'll come up with a plan draft.
Edit: Alright now, lets get planning
[x] Plan Establishing Direct Control
-[x] Silo x2 (-100 credits)
--[x] E6
-[x] Airfield (-1000 credits, -45 power, -1 building slot, +4 logistics; +1 aircraft requisition capacity)
--[x] E6
-[x] Armory (-1000 credits, -35 power, +4 logistics, -1 building slot)
--[x] E6
-[x] Dismantle Structure
--[x] Refinery C6 (+700 credits, +75 power, -2000 Tiberium Storage)
-[x] Ox (-1000 credits, -1 logistics, speed 3, unarmed)
-[x] Pitbull (-700 credits, -1 logistics, 4 speed)
--[x] Ablative Plating (-50 credits)
-[x] Direct Mammoth to move to B6 and then into B5 to pincer Nod units.
-[x] Direct all forces in B4 to attack Nod forces in B5
Reasoning:
Silos are under the Defensive structures category so I'm taking advantage of that to build them now along with the Airport and Armory to get all of our base infrastructure online.
Ordering an Ox now, probably more later to have the lift capacity to move our forces across the map at a useful pace. Got real tired of the lengthy travel periods last mission.
The Airport and Armory should give us a total of 24 logistics, which should be plenty in the short time we have to prep for the assassination.
The Pitbull is to build up a good harassment force to use to rapidly respond to problems and to makeup part of the distraction force we will need to lower the number of guards around the Target.
Thoughts?
Edit: Alright now, lets get planning
[x] Plan Establishing Direct Control
-[x] Silo x2 (-100 credits)
--[x] E6
-[x] Airfield (-1000 credits, -45 power, -1 building slot, +4 logistics; +1 aircraft requisition capacity)
--[x] E6
-[x] Armory (-1000 credits, -35 power, +4 logistics, -1 building slot)
--[x] E6
-[x] Dismantle Structure
--[x] Refinery C6 (+700 credits, +75 power, -2000 Tiberium Storage)
-[x] Ox (-1000 credits, -1 logistics, speed 3, unarmed)
-[x] Pitbull (-700 credits, -1 logistics, 4 speed)
--[x] Ablative Plating (-50 credits)
-[x] Direct Mammoth to move to B6 and then into B5 to pincer Nod units.
-[x] Direct all forces in B4 to attack Nod forces in B5
Reasoning:
Silos are under the Defensive structures category so I'm taking advantage of that to build them now along with the Airport and Armory to get all of our base infrastructure online.
Ordering an Ox now, probably more later to have the lift capacity to move our forces across the map at a useful pace. Got real tired of the lengthy travel periods last mission.
The Airport and Armory should give us a total of 24 logistics, which should be plenty in the short time we have to prep for the assassination.
The Pitbull is to build up a good harassment force to use to rapidly respond to problems and to makeup part of the distraction force we will need to lower the number of guards around the Target.
Thoughts?
Last edited:
- Pronouns
- He
[x] Plan Establishing Direct Control
Looks like a good plan.
Looks like a good plan.
They need to attack immediately.
Nod gets to move too and it moves faster than that Mammoth.
Ace of Scarabs
Mechanoid Pilot
- Location
- Singapore
[x] Plan Establishing Direct Control