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Mammoth Apostate vs the World 1: "Lost in the Mist"

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Nixeu said:
My virtual keyboard is...weird. Because Apple are annoying (the short version of my issue, as the long one is a massive rant), and thus I'm running a third-party keyboard that not only does weird things like transposing words into other words, but also has its own autocorrect that I seem to have severely broken. The heuristics have apparently gone just a bit insane. It will "correct" words into misspellings, quite often, or just leave them that way.
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I really miss that short period in the history of smartphones when they had physical keyboards. Hell, if some company launched a smartphone with a full physical keyboard, I'd buy it in a heartbeat even if it were twice as thick as the usual Samsung or Apple phones. Touchscreens are neat, but they also have a lot of problems.
 
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Highwind said:
I really miss that short period in the history of smartohones when they had physical keyboards. Hell, if some company launched a smartphone with a full physical keyboard, I'd buy it in a heartbeat even if it were twice as thick as the usual Samsung or Apple phones. Touchscreens are neat, but they also have a lot of problems.
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Less the touchscreen, more than they moved the damn (non-alphabetic) characters around on the iPad, and didn't see fit to let you easily reverse it...during the update where they added the ability to swap keyboards easily, and even easily add new ones.

Of course, that update also added a new fancy keyboard option (that I turned off), which was the impetus behind moving the characters in the first place. Which may explain their oversight: someone in the company seems to have really wanted people to use their new fancy keyboard where you can "scroll" through all the possible options for that key, instead of hitting shift or going to the numeric keyboard. And they also apparently decided that, just as an example, the dollar sign should be where the "d" key is, alphabetical, instead of where the "j" key would be.

End result was that, by default, I could switch to keyboards for a number of other languages/countries, including Icelandic, Hebrew, and Cherokee, but not to the keyboard I had been using mere hours before I did the update. Thus, I ended up having to download a third-party keyboard, lest I murder the closest living thing out of sheer frustration from not being able to find the punctuation I wanted.
Smithsguild said:
1 sensor rolled, 3 to go... :mob: :V:V:V
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On it. Rolling for Mammoth.
Nixeu threw 1 10-faced dice. Reason: Mammoth Sense (+0?) Total: 6
6 6
 
I could see this as part of @Fyrstorm 's layered armor Councillor 'pet projects' an aquatic Jaeger exo-suit providing aquatic adaptation.

On a native swimmer like Whitecap Triton; it'd be scary as F#$%. But on Mammoth or Bracer it could provide some parity with base model Whitecap in Blue water missions. (Somehow Mammoth 'evolving' from elephant to Hippo in water makes me smile.)
 
(OOC) Savannah sensor rolls (11, 9, 6) I keep forgetting to add the Cockspur Island +1 for sea bound sensors until last second. /facepalm

Savannah is now picking up at sensors edge (30 km) 2 largish Cat-zeros ( pushing hard towards a Category 1 presence) they are moving at incredible speeds that rival even Whitecap Triton in the water, and their signatures are unique unlike anything other than the anthropomorphic signatures observed in Deep Ones. They make it to 28.6 km in the time observed. In their wake are another 300+ Deep ones, & a half dozen of each Gudis & Sheldon struggling to keep pace.

Whatever they are, their approach is having a profound effect on the Deep Ones morale.

Where once they were nervous and fractious, now they seem of a singular mind. Ranks form up, discipline is restored. The 2 km barrier of hesitancy shatters, and with no seeming ill effects, all Deep One units advance to 1.7 from the DP maintaining combat spacing.

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In Macon:

For the briefest of moments, a ethereal -presence- of some sort ??? registers on FLIR (forward looking infrared) visuals. It is gliding on a wind that stirs no tree, just meters above the treetops, a being not quite corporeal, and the scale is massive. On size alone it should rank Category 3, but the sensors register no solid presence. Its form is familiar if Sammael had been a mist wraith. It's bearing is heading directly towards Savannah and it is coming fast.

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(OOC) Plans by theater please, just because a unit was not mentioned in the sensor section does not mean they are not 'at risk'.
 
Augh! I'm wondering who the fishsticks had waiting on the sensor border that's now inbound?

Cthulhi? Deep One Elders? Maybe a Deep One Abomination? Problem with H.P.s nameless horrors are the well runs sooo friggin deep.

@Smithsguild , no mention was made re: the burrowers from Pembrook direction, did they just stop or was that an oversight? Additional updates on aerial threats as well please.

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Re: Macon

Creatures made from Mist (ala Highwind's Explanation) I could understand, creatures that use such a origin to Windwalk D&D style to bypass our sensors that is just RUDE.

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I'm going to await updated info from Smiths on burrowers and more paratroopers before I begin to burn brainpower on a counter.
 
BadKatt85 said:
no mention was made re: the burrowers from Pembrook direction, did they just stop or was that an oversight? Additional updates on aerial threats as well please.
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My apologies, you are correct it was an oversight... :facepalm:

Seismic sensors show nearly a dozen differing sources of disturbance (exact number is hard to pin down) they too are heading towards Savannah DP with no deviation.

There is a Heavy swarming and floating force presence (to numerous and scattered to easily detail) from Border guards on Lemon Island southward to Savannah/ Fort Pulaski, but no further inland than 10 miles from the coast; A curiosity however is the sudden appearance of new flying forces South of Savannah over Ossabow Island with no corresponding energy signature or flight approach vector. These new additions DO NOT match either Sturgis or Grey Widower signatures, flying more dispersed and at much faster speeds.
 
Lovely 'more' new menaces...

My heads spinning, please fell free to discuss, I'll be reading but It'll be tomorrow sometime before I organize my thoughts enough to even bare bones a plan.
 
What do we have for explosives and steel plating? I have an idea for a plan for dealing with the burrowers, but we'd need a way to create and deliver an earthquake bomb. All this entails is a heavy bomb, possessing a thick casing, delayed fuse, and sufficient velocity to pierce the ground before detonating. This kind of weapon deals most of its damage via subterranean shock-waves, and the creation of an underground pocket of air that collapses. I would recommend trying to go for a one-two punch here by combining the concept of an earthquake bomb with that of a fuel-air explosive device. In this case the idea is that the first blast creates a pocket of air and saturates it with fuel, which then ignites to create a second explosion.
 
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Smithsguild said:
Savannah is now picking up at sensors edge (30 km) 2 largish Cat-zeros ( pushing hard towards a Category 1 presence) they are moving at incredible speeds that rival even Whitecap Triton in the water, and their signatures are unique unlike anything other than the anthropomorphic signatures observed in Deep Ones. They make it to 28.6 km in the time observed. In their wake are another 300+ Deep ones, & a half dozen of each Gudis & Sheldon struggling to keep pace.

Whatever they are, their approach is having a profound effect on the Deep Ones morale.

Where once they were nervous and fractious, now they seem of a singular mind. Ranks form up, discipline is restored. The 2 km barrier of hesitancy shatters, and with no seeming ill effects, all Deep One units advance to 1.7 from the DP maintaining combat spacing.
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...did Dagon and Hydra decide to take to the field? That's the one thing I can think of that might increase Deep One morale and discipline like that. They're suppose to be "just" extremely old and large Deep Ones, so the similarities in signature also make sense. What doesn't make sense is the fact they're not even Cat 1. Either their size and the unreliability of our sensors when it comes to properly reading supernatural entities is throwing off our estimation of their Category, or these are "just" Dagon and Hydra lite: big and old Deep Ones, worthy of respect but not to the extreme Father Dagon and Mother Hydra.

Smithsguild said:
For the briefest of moments, a ethereal -presence- of some sort ??? registers on FLIR (forward looking infrared) visuals. It is gliding on a wind that stirs no tree, just meters above the treetops, a being not quite corporeal, and the scale is massive. On size alone it should rank Category 3, but the sensors register no solid presence. Its form is familiar if Sammael had been a mist wraith. It's bearing is heading directly towards Savannah and it is coming fast.
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...Nope, I can't recognise this one off the top of my head. Sammael might have mutated or decided to get some new skills when it was reborn, but otherwise I have no idea. I'll look into it.

Smithsguild said:
There is a Heavy swarming and floating force presence (to numerous and scattered to easily detail) from Border guards on Lemon Island southward to Savannah/ Fort Pulaski, but no further inland than 10 miles from the coast; A curiosity however is the sudden appearance of new flying forces South of Savannah over Ossabow Island with no corresponding energy signature or flight approach vector. These new additions DO NOT match either Sturgis or Grey Widower signatures, flying more dispersed and at much faster speeds.
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Do we have any eyes on them to get more detailed descriptions?
 
Highwind said:
...Nope, I can't recognise this one off the top of my head. Sammael might have mutated or decided to get some new skills when it was reborn, but otherwise I have no idea. I'll look into it.
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Or Badkatt nailed it, in the below guess. Sammael is apparently a powerful enough 'other' to partially form and Windwalk providing a minimal sensor cross section. With mystical biology and the possibility it/they can use magic it'll be extremely difficult to pigeon-hole it as expect 'blah' ability set.

BadKatt85 said:
Creatures made from Mist (ala Highwind's Explanation) I could understand, creatures that use such a origin to Windwalk D&D style to bypass our sensors that is just RUDE.
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Highwind said:
Do we have any eyes on them to get more detailed descriptions?
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Even with Helicopter Tsunami & illumination rounds visibility is still impaired, so not as yet no visuals on new flyers.
 
dgr11897 said:
What do we have for explosives and steel plating? I have an idea for a plan for dealing with the burrowers, but we'd need a way to create and deliver an earthquake bomb. All this entails is a heavy bomb, possessing a thick casing, delayed fuse, and sufficient velocity to pierce the ground before detonating. This kind of weapon deals most of its damage via subterranean shock-waves, and the creation of an underground pocket of air that collapses. I would recommend trying to go for a one-two punch here by combining the concept of an earthquake bomb with that of a fuel-air explosive device. In this case the idea is that the first blast creates a pocket of air and saturates it with fuel, which then ignites to create a second explosion.
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Highwind asked a similar question. The 'Divine Thunderbolt' is an extremely effective bunker buster and if you were to chase it with a thermobaric war head (such as Hellfire II -MAC) into the churned earth caused by the Thunderbolt you could probably duplicate the effect you seek.
 
Smithsguild said:
Highwind asked a similar question. The 'Divine Thunderbolt' is an extremely effective bunker buster and if you were to chase it with a thermobaric war head (such as Hellfire II -MAC) into the churned earth caused by the Thunderbolt you could probably duplicate the effect you seek.
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Cool, is the iron b*tch cannon in savannah? Or do we still need to construct it? I've been busy with other things so I don't really know.
Edit: Nevermind, I can see that it hasn't been built yet.
 
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dgr11897 said:
Cool, is the iron b*tch cannon in savannah? Or do we still need to construct it? I've been busy with other things so I don't really know.
Edit: Nevermind, I can see that it hasn't been built yet.
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Yeah the Iron Bitch would be a good alternative to firing a 'divine thunderbolt' and consistently reaching out to 12 km from Savannah is just butt ugly.
So far her construction hasn't been a priority.

Edit: I don't think everyone realizes the effect that a +8 damage bonus would have on a hit.
Sure the 7+ to hit is rough (at least before you start tacking on researchable things like forward observers and adjusting fire, and researching those things would assist with all your indirect fire troops such as standard artillery/mortars.) 12 km away gives you a lot of time to get a shot right.
 
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cokerpilot said:
About how fast are the new flyers estimated to be going at?
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0.8 km/turn & short bursts in excess of 1.2 km/turn; so roughly 2x as fast as a Sturgis. Or to put it in perspective when your ALSV dune buggies hit their nitrous oxide THAT is their cruise speed, they sprint 50% faster than that. (Could almost catch a Little Bird helicopter in a race).
 
Smithsguild said:
0.8 km/turn & short bursts in excess of 1.2 km/turn; so roughly 2x as fast as a Sturgis. Or to put it in perspective when your ALSV dune buggies hit their nitrous oxide THAT is their cruise speed, they sprint 50% faster than that. (Could almost catch a Little Bird helicopter in a race).
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Shit, those are pretty quick. Haven't seen anything Mist related like that.
 
Hrm... considering that we are starting to see more flying units but not ones that are super fast we might want to consider developing Incndary Beehive shells for our larger caliber guns.
 
[ ] Cute names aren't easy (Brainstorming Plan Discussion)

Border Guards - Now that enemy action is confirmed (Jamming/Bridge explosions) heightened awareness 360 degrees, Mist enemies do not follow roads like conventionals . Wojtek should shoot flares and move randomly reduce possibility of counter battery fire or becoming an easy target for a drone strike, Machine gun on constant overwatch. Avenger eyes to the skies, Mist 'should' hamper the Reapers to near inoperability, but be on overwatch for any targets of opportunity.

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Savannah - Patrol boats use torps until launchers run dry, then back to port for resupply. Hedgehog & Machine Guns (on overwatch) give us options if we find something lurking in range.

Artillery, Cobra's, and AKP's in range of aquatic invaders take their shots. Others on the rest of DP on overwatch to repel threats 360 with eyes to skies.

Whitecap reinforce eastern ocean front, Mammoth move towards Western DP. Engage targets of opportunity.

Jumphawks continue prop wash Tsunami, but shift towards conv rally point, prepared for quick connect to snatch and grab convs to wherever needed.

Conventionals are in overwatch, scanning for targets of opportunity.

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Macon - Same doctrine as last turn, being aware that the threat can come any direction including dropping from overhead.

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All outpost armed forces, guard shelters 360 situational awareness w/t eyes to skies.

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Basically a re-hash of last turn, with exception that Woj were at risk of counter battery fire (hence the new shoot & scoot). Mammoth deployed to west made sense with unknown burrowers coming from that direction. (It had 'nothing' to do with meta knowledge from comms blacked out Macon that Gas Bag Sammael was inbound ;))

Did I miss anything? Any new insights? Peep the plan, and help me shoulder the blame by signing off. A few people needed before I graduate it to Plan with my name attached.:V:V:V
 
BadKatt85 said:
Wojtek should shoot flares and move randomly reduce possibility of counter battery fire or becoming an easy target for a drone strike
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A quite reasonable precaution, & with their shooting being simply airburst illumination rounds they could fire those 'on the move' as accuracy is not really a factor. (Only goalpost is an unobstructed patch of sky, it'd be embarrassing for an elite to flashfry a trees canopy.)
 
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