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The Practice War [Complete]

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To clarify this, this is a short term "How do you want to use the 223" vote, specifically relevant to the upcoming invasion.

You'll be able to modify their direction or widen its scope with other actions in later turns.
 
Me personally....I would go with Fighter Wing Support.

It seems to be a good mix of flexible movement along with offensive/defensive support.

Of course though, it runs the risk of 'doesn't have a major strength, but doesn't have a major weakness either'.
 
We could use the fighter wings to wittle down their fighters/escorts, and then support the capital ship attacks. With 223 support our fighter's should be an unpleasant surprise for the SL.
And it also adds some more meat shields between certain doom and our unique unison's than Hydra.
The fleet support guarantees losses of the 223, I think. More losses than the fighter role? Can't guess.
 
Given that it's a ranked vote:

1. Fighter Wing Support
2. Battle Hydra
3. Fleet Auxiliaries

However, as a write-in option, I'd like to consider a variation on Fighter Wing Support:

[ ] Fighter Squadron: Train the 223 to work in small groups, perhaps 40 flights of 5-6 Unisonbounds or 20 flights of 10-12. Focus on team coordination and formation combat, as well as on tactics for working with other groups for flanking, cover fire, et cetera. At that point, working with fighter ships is just a variation on multi-group coordination. This option will help avoid the weaknesses of Battle Hydra while providing a greater magnitude of point offense than Fleet Auxiliaries, and the focus on flexible teamwork will allow a flight of Unisonbounds to operate comfortably whether or not fighter support isn't available.

Tabron89 said:
Actually, it dates back to 1936.

It was written by the British Ambassador to China at the time.
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It was USED by him, but there's evidence to suggest it was already known at the time.

However, just because it's not a MODERN pop culture reference doesn't mean it's not a pop culture reference. If I can say "ancient Chinese curse" and you know exactly what I'm talking about, then it counts.
 
Coda said:
[ ] Fighter Squadron: Train the 223 to work in small groups, perhaps 40 flights of 5-6 Unisonbounds or 20 flights of 10-12. Focus on team coordination and formation combat, as well as on tactics for working with other groups for flanking, cover fire, et cetera. At that point, working with fighter ships is just a variation on multi-group coordination. This option will help avoid the weaknesses of Battle Hydra while providing a greater magnitude of point offense than Fleet Auxiliaries, and the focus on flexible teamwork will allow a flight of Unisonbounds to operate comfortably whether or not fighter support isn't available.
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This is a reasonable write-in, although I will warn you that if you send small groups of Unisonbound into Shiplord fire without support you will suffer casualties. You've got one, maybe two chances to get a hammerblow in with them before the Shiplords work out what they are and start targeting them heavily, and that'll work best when put together with a combined assault.
 
[1] Fighter Wing Support
[2] Battle Hydra
[3] Fleet Auxiliaries

Hey, is this the right format? I'm presuming that lower is better, and I'm not 100% on the format, but it looks about right to me?
 
[1] Battle Hydra
[2] Fighter Wing Support
[3] Fighter Squadron

Given that they get an immense boost from surprise on the initial strike, I strongly favor Battle Hydra to maximize damage dealt before they put their pants on.
 
The Unisonbound aren't presently replaceable, and they're a major force. We don't know what the Shiplords' reaction to defeat will be; it may be that we'll need to fight off another, stronger attack in three years' time. The Shiplords might also have unexpected countermeasures. In light of that, I don't think I can condone putting them at too much risk.

[1] Fighter Wing Support
[2] Fleet Auxiliaries
[3] Fighter Squadron
[4] Battle Hydra
 
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[1] Battle Hydra
[2] Fighter Wing Support
[3] Fighter Squadron
[4] Fleet Auxiliaries

If the 223 weren't as powerful as they were with our Practiced Miracle then I wouldn't be choosing this, but they're much stronger than we could have imagined going in. I admit too that this is the flashiest option, I want to swe them hit the Shiplords in all their Practiced glory. And yet the 223 themselves want the Battle Hydra, so why not give them what they want? Ultimately, they are the ones who know their limits and capabilities, and this is just as tactically sound as the rest of the options.
 
[1] Fighter Wing Support
[2] Fleet Auxiliaries
[3] Fighter Squadron
[4] Battle Hydra

Baughn makes good points. I see no reason to disagree with him.
 
Snowfire said:
This is a reasonable write-in, although I will warn you that if you send small groups of Unisonbound into Shiplord fire without support you will suffer casualties. You've got one, maybe two chances to get a hammerblow in with them before the Shiplords work out what they are and start targeting them heavily, and that'll work best when put together with a combined assault.
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Hmm. The warning is well-taken. Given that you're TELLING me this I would assume that military command ALSO knows this and would strategize around that fact. I still think it's viable, but the necessary strategy to employ it essentially means it's a more specific description of the same ideas behind Fighter Wing Support.

My vote, then:

[1] Fighter Squadron
[2] Fighter Wing Support
[3] Battle Hydra
[4] Fleet Auxiliaries
 
Snowfire said:
This is a reasonable write-in, although I will warn you that if you send small groups of Unisonbound into Shiplord fire without support you will suffer casualties. You've got one, maybe two chances to get a hammerblow in with them before the Shiplords work out what they are and start targeting them heavily, and that'll work best when put together with a combined assault.
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Hmm. Given this tactical assessment, and what we know about the 223's strengths (speed & pinpoint power at the expense of longevity) I'm more inclined to try something like:

[] Evaporating Hammer: The 223 is held back until battle is joined. They will then swoop in as a single unit, destroy one or two distracted capital ships, then disperse to link up with the capital ships as fleet auxiliaries. This should let them act in their most effective role, as a single cohesive fighting unit, until the enemy starts to consider targeting them in particular, then disperse them to the entire fleet to prevent a counterattack.

Sound fair?
 
Ooh. I think I like that even better than my idea. If that's accepted as a write-in, consider that my first vote.
 
Let's not get too creative, especially with what are effectively combinations of the options. We know that they hope to eventually get to the point of being able to serve all the roles while swapping on the fly as circumstances require, but only have time to train for one approach before the battle.
 
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I agree with you on that point, and I'm fairly certain that Evaporating Hammer will be much less effective as fleet auxiliaries than if they were expressly dedicated to training for that role, and probably not quite as potent of an offensive strike as Battle Hydra. However, it's a strategy that trades some combat effectiveness in those roles for survivability -- the Unison platforms are, at present, irreplaceable.
 
[1] Fighter Squadron
[2] Fighter Wing Support
[3] Battle Hydra
[4] Fleet Auxiliaries
 
I'm say I'd have to vote...

[1] Fleet Auxiliaries
[2] Fighter Wing Support
[3] Fighter Squadron
[4] Battle Hydra


That is in rank of what I want first yes? If not, reverse it. That is, I want the support role for the 223, they're too unique to risk losing. And miracles and powers are stronger in support of real things that already exist.

(swapped one that I had in the wrong place)
 
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