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

[Highwind]

OMG, I just realized... you have a shiny new Elite Arty unit & the Iron Bitch is in the plan.

Any particular ideas you want to throw out for consideration as a possible perk? BadKatt had proposed cross training Wojtek's Winners (Mortar) to gain "Comrade Bear is Spotter" so you could offset the indirect fire penalty after a suitable retraining period. (In this case I'm sure Woj could properly inspire the Arty to duplicate the feat.)

Or you could go in other directions -

Artillery makes ugly AA once you understand that getting flack to burst at the right elevation is a matter of setting the fuse for an airburst factoring flight time. Bitch munitions cover an enormous area (Horseshoes & hand grenades have nothing here...)

And that is just a tip to this iceberg. I'm sure my players could come up with something juicy if given the chance, Soooo this is your chance!

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We have a big gun. The biggest gun. And it can fire big things. Big things with a lot of room in them.

Room for submunitions, which coupled with precision timed fuzes means we could blanket a large area in death. Given a precise enough range table and flight time estimations (which can be calculated easily enough and with frightening precision using modern computers) we can have the shells burst open at precisely the right altitude to distribute the submunitions over as wide an area as we want.

...I think I'm planning a warcrime here.

Anyway, the point is we can cram in a lot of things in there, including airburst AA munitions, a metric shitton of flechettes, and even a giant battery to make the mother of all Taser rounds. Hell, we could probably make a giant starshell for the next time the Mist covers the battlefield.

 

[Smithsguild]

Another 'free' upgrade; Perk: computer ballistic modelling is now also utilized by all T-95 AK-Artillery as Savannah is quick to implement every improvement from the found/captured equipment.

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Given a precise enough range table and flight time estimations (which can be calculated easily enough and with frightening precision using modern computers) we can have the shells burst open at precisely the right altitude to distribute the submunitions over as wide an area as we want.

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/facepalm

 

[Highwind]

Edit: Also please add the 250 R upgrade for caravan guard Deuce and half to Stryker under opportunities. (more as a QM footnote so I can do the deduction to resources all in one mass number crunch.)

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It might be my tiredness making things harder for me but I can't quite understand what you mean.

Do you mean I should put the action to build the Strykers in the Opportunity section, or to put a free action in the opportunity section along the lines of "upgrade the caravan guard to use Strykers (250R)" where we pay an additional 250R to pay for the Caravan's upgrades?

 

[Smithsguild]

put a free action in the opportunity section along the lines of "upgrade the caravan guard to use Strykers (250R)" where we pay an additional 250R to pay for the Caravan's upgrades?

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It's the same process used when you equipped your elite AKP's in Combat jackets, or gave them Gustav recoiless to replace the RPG's.

My policy is I have allowed (action free) upgrades at R cost alone.

 

[Highwind]

It's the same process used when you equipped your elite AKP's in Combat jackets, or gave them Gustav recoiless to replace the RPG's.

My policy is I have allowed (action free) upgrades at R cost alone.

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Got it.


Savannah
Normal Actions:
[ ] - Turn the railway reactivation proposal into an actual actionable plan, to be enacted ASAP. (Railways Augment)
[ ] - Build a Dockworks augment (400R)
[ ] - Complete the blueprints for the Foundry
[ ] - Build more Conventional Units?
[ ] - Increase Savannah's stats?
[ ] - Build 3 Strykers with Conestoga troop trailer (750R)

Free Actions:
[ ] - Jaeger Tech Research: Increase Whitecap Triton's stats? (Which ones?)
[ ] - Hephaestus Repair and Upgrade: Increase Whitecap Triton's stats (Ranged? Dexterity? Toughness)
[ ] - High Energy Lab: Complete the Plasma Jet Intake research
[ ] - Kaiju Sciences Lab: Research Kaiju Blue and how it reacts with various things. Like Rare Earth elements.

Situational Free Actions:
[X] Man Elba Island plant (No resource until next downtime as crews need trained to safely handle the product.)
[X] - Environmental Cleanup -100 R If not done, you will Not receive the Regular Action (Environment) slot
[X] - Restore the 2 captured Hawkeyes (Humvee mounted) Artillery
[X] - Replenish your exhausted Mk.60 - Captor Naval minefield (7 to regain 'functional' coverage / 14 to fully restock @100/r each)
-[X] (700R)
[X] - Perform the Electrical grid upgrade/repairs 950 R (Masserone -10% new total 855 R )
[X] - Dispatch the SuperTanker to the Oil Rig to retrieve the oil and return it to Savannah for processing.
(This action should detail any precautions, escorts assigned, etc.)

Macon
Normal Actions:
[X] - Increase Scanner stat by 2 (1500R)

Free Actions:
[ ] - Robins AFB: Build Aircraft (which aircraft?) Or upgrade aircraft (Cobras into Supercobras? Something else?)

Decisions:
[X] Bank the crude oil surplus for future processing to gain the increased resource value (1, 200 crude R = 1,800 R processed)

Opportunities:
[X] Use the free city augment to build an Iron Bitch.
[X] Upgrade Caravan Guard to use Strykers (250R)

Treasury: 8445R
Total Cost so far: 4.555R

 

[Smithsguild]

[ ] - Build 3 Strykers with Conestoga troop trailer (750R)

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If these vehicles are meant to host AKP's (Combat Engineers, Resupply platoons, or any of your existing troops currently putzing about in Deuce and a halfs) no need to spend your action it would be considered as an UPGRADE therefore requires no action economy expense only the R.

[ ] - Robins AFB: Build Aircraft (which aircraft?)

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Manufacturing City Stat of Zero = no Building atm. The infrastructure just doesn't exist.

 

[KnightDisciple]

Ugh. Between general brain-drain, and on-call eating almost an hour and interrupting my "catch up flow", tonight won't be productive.

 

[Highwind]

A few names for Elite Units I've come up with.

Marty's Marauders: I don't have a good identity for these guys other than the name.

Thaxton's Rangers: They style themselves after the Texas Rangers, and are led by a retired Ranger named William Thaxton. Inspired by The Ballad of Bill Thaxton.

The Highwaymen: Another one that's mostly a name. Perhaps they have an uncanny skill at setting up ambushes?

Henry's Hammers: I should probably save this one for when we get Elite Combat Engineers. Named after the folk hero John Henry and the song The Legend of John Henry's Hammer.

Wild Hunters: I was thinking of having them be experts in survivalism and tracking, and maybe having an attached K-9 unit. Named after the Wild Hunt.

 

[Smithsguild]

Thaxton's Rangers - Sounds like HALO trained AKP's to me, (former airborne ranger leader) and who could not like Marty Robbins songs?

Henry's Hammer (singular) would fit the new MLRS as it possesses enough raw firepower ('Divine Thunderbolt') to hammers holes through mountains.

Wild Hunters I could see an AKP type troop with a trained k-9 corp attachment, 9/10 wielding recoiless and a dog handler (w/t scoped/silenced P-90) with his 'pack' of specialized hounds. 'Blue' a bluetick hound dog (blue ribbon tracker), 'Bear' a caucasian ovcharka (guard/attack), & 'Molly' a german shepherd (FEMA search and rescue).

No real clue atm on the others...

 

[Smithsguild]

You know I will allow Savannah to spend action(s) to upgrade Macon city Stats (That is after all how you took control of it.) And money could be transferred into their local economy freely when neither city is under threat. Once your Protectorate is linked via rail your overall economy can be pooled as a single pile of Resources (Twice daily rail visits at each town on route allows a remarkable amount of interconnectivity).

 

[Smithsguild]

(OOC) Random thought inspired by The Wild Hunters (I'd make them Wild Huntsmen it just has a better ring to my ears) and the K-9's attached to them versus your currently held Militia K-9's.

A personal common sense thing, that seems obvious to me but apparently is not readily apparent at large.

Militia troop types are just concerned citizens in service to you with whatever gear they scrounged. Most militia will be more effective with some standardized military training, homogenous equipment, and placement in the command structure with a clearly defined mission statement. Militia become rifleman, Militia k9's become a K-9 Corp, Militia motorcycles would become Mechanized Scouts or Mechanized Cavalry, etc...

This too would be just another upgrade, meaning no action cost just a R cost (based on what improvements in gear, training , etc.)

Roughriders, Ghostriders, EMS Roadhogs, and any other militia inspired 'Elites' can be upgraded to more structured regulars if they like. (and gain a 'slight' bump relevant to their perks).

 

[Highwind]

You know I will allow Savannah to spend action(s) to upgrade Macon city Stats (That is after all how you took control of it.) And money could be transferred into their local economy freely when neither city is under threat. Once your Protectorate is linked via rail your overall economy can be pooled as a single pile of Resources (Twice daily rail visits at each town on route allows a remarkable amount of interconnectivity).

Click to shrink...

That would really help in developing Macon at this point. I'll update the plan proposal later today and include buying a couple levels of Manufacturing for Macon using one of Savannah's regular actions.

 

[Smithsguild]

A few items of interest buried in the income spoilered post, I'm taking them out of hiding and shining a light on them as I think people may not have seen them and -I- think they were kind of neat additions.

An unexpected prize is found offered on the exchange by a private collector, Atlanta and Savannah trade agents snatch up the purchase immediately!
Complete technical schematics for Crimson Typhoons buzzsaw/plasma caster left arm/hand! The information is copied and sent home to both cities.

Stolen with permission and modified from:
RED STORM RISING: Crimson Typhoon vs the World [Pac Rim]

Heavy Fist x1 (Left Arm) 900 R
(includes IB-22 & DragonClaw stat blocks as they are internal to hvy fist)
Built-In Melee Weapon
Attack Dice: 1d10-2
Block Dice: 1d10 + 1
Parry Dice: 1d5
Grapple Dice: 1d10-3
Damage Type: Blunt
Damage Bonus: Strength + 1
Armor Penetration: 0
Special (free action)
Dragon Claw Buzz-saw: Switches fist to Dragon Claw Buzz-Saw.
IB-22 Plasmacaster: Switch fist to IB-22 PlasmaCaster

IB-22 Plasmacaster x1 Built-In Ranged Weapon (Left Arm)
Attack Dice: 1d10
Damage Type: Burst(Plasma)
Damage Bonus: +3
Armor Penetration: 3
Range:1/2/6 (scatter weapon)
Special
Plasmacaster is unusable when Heavy fist is in Saw mode. Plasmacaster holds eight rounds

Dragon Claw Buzz-Saw (Left Arm)
Built-In Melee Weapons
Attack Dice: 1d10 + 2
Block Dice: 1d10
Parry Dice: 1d5
Grapple Dice: 0
Damage Type: Edge/Fire
Damage Bonus: HtH
Armor Penetration: 2 AAP
Special:
Slice 'n Dice: Spend two advantage points in a grapple, make two called shots with no penalty with the Dragon claw Buzz Saw

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Incidences of reported violence/drug related crimes has decreased significantly, however a number of people involved in said crimes have been reported as missing persons.
(It seems Masserone and associates are apparently cleaning up their backyard. Quietly, discretely, and with a vigor that is unsettling if viewed too closely.)

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[monomoniker]

posting more rolls cause no one else is.
georgia then ak patrol torpedo.

Edit: disregard these rolls i misunderstood smithsguild's post

monomoniker threw 2 10-faced dice. Reason: maybe 12th time is the charm? Total: 12

 

[Smithsguild]

posting more rolls cause no one else is.
georgia then ak patrol torpedo.

Edit: disregard these rolls i misunderstood smithsguild's post

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It's a learning curve, your doing fine.

I will gladly trade perfection for enthusiasm every time

 

[BadKatt85]

Just poking my head in, not sure I'm ready to come back as a regular player, but I missed you all and think I may lurk a bit.

 

[Highwind]

Just poking my head in, not sure I'm ready to come back as a regular player, but I missed you all and think I may lurk a bit.

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You have no idea how much I miss you and your plan-making skills.

But seriously, it's good to have you back even if just as a lurker.

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Savannah
Normal Actions:
[ ] - Turn the railway reactivation proposal into an actual actionable plan, to be enacted ASAP. (Railways Augment)
[ ] - Build a Dockworks augment (400R)
[ ] - Complete the blueprints for the Foundry
[ ] - Make a public announcement to all in our area of influence, requesting that anyone with useful information or artifacts relating to the Charleston cultists, Magic, the Mist creatures or anything else they believe important, to come forward and inform us. Anything that is verified to be true or useful will be rewarded. (The Casting Call)
[ ] - Research magical sigils, how we can activate them and what they do when active.
[ ] - Increase Macon's Manufacturing by 2 (1500R)

Free Actions:
[ ] - Jaeger Tech Research: Increase Whitecap Triton's stats? (Which ones?)
[ ] - Hephaestus Repair and Upgrade: Increase Whitecap Triton's stats (Ranged? Dexterity? Toughness?)
[ ] - High Energy Lab: Complete the Plasma Jet Intake research
[ ] - Kaiju Sciences Lab: Research Kaiju Blue and how it reacts with various things. Like Rare Earth elements.

Situational Free Actions:
[X] Man Elba Island plant (No resource until next downtime as crews need trained to safely handle the product.)
[X] - Environmental Cleanup -100 R If not done, you will Not receive the Regular Action (Environment) slot
[X] - Restore the 2 captured Hawkeyes (Humvee mounted) Artillery
[X] - Replenish your exhausted Mk.60 - Captor Naval minefield (7 to regain 'functional' coverage / 14 to fully restock @100/r each)
-[X] (700R)
[X] - Perform the Electrical grid upgrade/repairs 950 R (Masserone -10% new total 855 R )
[X] - Dispatch the SuperTanker to the Oil Rig to retrieve the oil and return it to Savannah for processing.
(This action should detail any precautions, escorts assigned, etc.)

Macon
Normal Actions:
[X] - Increase Scanner stat by 2 (1500R)

Free Actions:
[ ] - Robins AFB: I have no idea.

Decisions:
[X] Bank the crude oil surplus for future processing to gain the increased resource value (1, 200 crude R = 1,800 R processed)

Opportunities:
[X] Use the free city augment to build an Iron Bitch.
[X] Upgrade Caravan Guard to use Strykers (250R)

Treasury: 8445R
Total Cost so far:
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The new Action is meant to bring together all those secondary or spin-off characters that have useful intel or artifacts, like the guy who got a bag full of magical coins, and Michael Casey from Iceman's Trek. The wording also opens it up enough that we could get new goodies with a sufficiently good roll, like new information on important stuff or artifacts like grimoires (that are older and more complete like the copy of the Chäat we have in our inventory, as opposed to the more recent editions I've used as props in my omakes).

Also, I'd really like more feedback on this plan.

 

[Fyrstorm]

Also, I'd really like more feedback on this plan.

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Though I am admittedly out of the loop, things look pretty solid so far!

As for the jaeger stat upgrades specifically... well, it really depends on what Triton's lacking. Has it been on the more fragile side? Then bump Tou. Are we expecting him to see more melee combat or night fighting? Then bump Dex. Do we just want a really good ability to shoot things and/or called shot? Then bump Ran. I don't really know what Whitecap's been like in the fights (again, out of the loop), but that's the sort of process I'd use to figure it out.

 

[Highwind]

Though I am admittedly out of the loop, things look pretty solid so far!

As for the jaeger stat upgrades specifically... well, it really depends on what Triton's lacking. Has it been on the more fragile side? Then bump Tou. Are we expecting him to see more melee combat or night fighting? Then bump Dex. Do we just want a really good ability to shoot things and/or called shot? Then bump Ran. I don't really know what Whitecap's been like in the fights (again, out of the loop), but that's the sort of process I'd use to figure it out.

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Triton didn't even get hurt in his fight, and he just fired a couple shots from his sniper rifle before charging the enemy with his bayonet. Triton's Agility is insane in the water, courtesy of his Perks and Mods, but his Toughness is an anemic 1 point, so I guess that's what we should improve.

 

[Fyrstorm]

Then I'll throw my vote for a Toughness boost-- maybe even for both upgrades, just to make sure.

 

[KnightDisciple]

Triton didn't even get hurt in his fight, and he just fired a couple shots from his sniper rifle before charging the enemy with his bayonet. Triton's Agility is insane in the water, courtesy of his Perks and Mods, but his Toughness is an anemic 1 point, so I guess that's what we should improve.

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...Yes. Toughness improve. All the toughness improve.

 

[Nixeu]

@Smithsguild, I can't recall, are PT boats organized in squads, or as individual boats? If individual boats, then it might be good to establish a theme for the ship names, and base their Elite perks off of that theme in some way. I know normal PT boats just got numbers, but I feel like Elites might be worth giving unique names to.

[x] Keep current method; I prefer the hands on opportunities

 

[Smithsguild]

@Smithsguild, I can't recall, are PT boats organized in squads, or as individual boats? If individual boats, then it might be good to establish a theme for the ship names, and base their Elite perks off of that theme in some way. I know normal PT boats just got numbers, but I feel like Elites might be worth giving unique names to.

Click to shrink...

They are individual boats. Up until now they have been referred to by their hull numbers received during construction PT-01, PT-02, etc.
I -always- try to tie unit name/personality to their perk thematically, but I am completely open to player input.

You may not get things 'exactly' as requested because of me tieing balance to 'Elite' perk, but I fudge for cinematic coolness. Your PT's are a prime example, most conventionals are limited to a single shot per turn, Patrol Torpedoes may launch their entire torpedo arsenal in a single salvo then GTFO. Very cinematic IMHO.

 

[Smithsguild]

Holed up in the Garage, the wait in the Mist passes sleeplessly without incident other than momentary furtive scratching at one door. There is no way to tell what had been attempting entry. First sign of Mist dissipation, the crew begins to load up.

True to her word Maggie with only the briefest of stops offload some MRE's for distribution among the needy of the Charleston Wastes.

Maggie & crew point their convoy south and west. They virtually fly along their route, dodging abandoned vehicles at a breakneck pace. Michael sits white knuckled one hand braced upon the dashboard the other clutching the 'oh shit' handle mounted at the door silent but grimacing at each sudden course correction.

It seems like no time at all when the vehicles slow to a more leisurely pace. Maggie looks over at Michael "Savannah checkpoint ahead, we don't want to come barreling in like a suicide bomber."

Sure enough, less than a kilometer later some grim faced men wearing PODC uniforms have Gustavs bristling over sand bagged positions. Once they recognize the people of Liberty the faces brighten, weapons are lowered and greetings and banter fly both ways like bullets in a fire fight. They are waved through and are quickly on their way.

"One down, two more to go Sport". The scene is mirrored at checkpoint two.

But at the approach to checkpoint three Maggie draws the vehicle to a slow creeping crawl. The scene before you is a vista of destruction Exit 21's overpass has been collapsed, shattered hulks of Tanks, Humvee's, and two unidentifiable tracked vehicles lie scattered and twisted as if a child had tossed his toys in a tantrum. Craters from heavy weapons fire score a kilometer wide circle of roadway and the terrain to either side as if some invisible hand had drawn a circle around these wrecks, denying them escaping, pinning them in place like a butterfly on a mounting board.

It takes more than a few minutes to negotiate around the scene and regain the highway beyond the tumble of the former overpass. Once past it Maggie regains her suicidal pace, you can almost hear Michaels teeth grinding.

Michael is slowly lulling from nervous exhaustion and true physical depletion as his body has been ravaged by the trek. It is through heavy lidded eyes he first glimpses Savannah, a Savannah whose lights glow in stark contrast to the area immediately outside the defensive perimeter.

"Michael, something's up... Everything for two to three kilometers outside the city were lit my last visit maybe three days ago." Maggie breathes it out in almost a conspiratorial whisper.

Gate Guards are much tighter with admission inside the defensive perimeter, random vehicles inspected, k-9's walking amongst the milling throngs awaiting permission to enter. It looks like it will be a long painful wait, that is until Michael pulls out a set of lacquered PODC dog tags, a style only possessed by Councillors and Jaeger Pilots. The small tags are not only visually distinctive but carry a RFID chip programmed with all the owners biometric data (fingerprints, optical scans, gate recognition, dna, etc. for easy comparison) to prove identity and act as a security version of an all access pass.

"Maggie, thank you and the rest for getting me home. I'm sure my debrief will be a long gruelling affair, no need to wait. Get yourself to your Jacob, and I swear I'll come to Liberty to visit." Michael assumed a military posture and saluted her the honorific effect ruined as she grabbed him in a bear hug.
Maggie replied "You better Lad, or I'll collect your ballsack for a coin purse." She winked impishly and swept away into the crowd chuckling.

Michaels identity confirmed, a soldier radios LOCCENT - "One of Bracers Pilots Michael Casey has returned, we're bringing him in LOCCENT"

 

[Nixeu]

They are individual boats. Up until now they have been referred to by their hull numbers received during construction PT-01, PT-02, etc.
I -always- try to tie unit name/personality to their perk thematically, but I am completely open to player input.

You may not get things 'exactly' as requested because of me tieing balance to 'Elite' perk, but I fudge for cinematic coolness. Your PT's are a prime example, most conventionals are limited to a single shot per turn, Patrol Torpedoes may launch their entire torpedo arsenal in a single salvo then GTFO. Very cinematic IMHO.

Click to shrink...

Right, cool. I'm honestly not sure what naming scheme I want to use for PT boats. Historical military figures and mythological creatures both seem reasonably broad and varied for some of our most common vessels, and interesting enough that we could easily derive Elite abilities from them. But which to use? Decisions, decisions...