For House & Dominion: Civil War

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On the other front Operation Bulwark is not doing so well. Your allies are being driven back and fighting is drawing perilously close to the Jerik-Dremine homeworlds. Baron Archivald is leading most of the home fleet in nearby House Feron space in an attempt to stave off the fall of your neighbours territory. They are the last thing standing between the enemy and your key worlds.

Things are bad elsewhere on that front too. A major Ruling House shipyard responsible for production of their Cardinal class Heavy Cruisers, as well as super heavy refit facilities, is currently under siege. If the siege is not lifted the local Ruling House commanders will make use of the Veckron torpedoes they have stockpiled at the base.

This would be bad as it may incite the use of such weapons on a larger scale by both sides of the civil war. Forbearance and Righteous Intent are especially vulnerable to such weapons and it could have lasting repercussions for FTL travel where used.

Ber'helum and others have assembled a relief fleet from reserves, though many are inexperienced. You've decided to take your ship, the Great Devourer, and lead a small group of the relief force.

Fourteen other commanders are going with you, with the Ber'helum Admiral commanding two heavy cruisers that have been pulled out of refit early, an Ascendancy and a Chining. They're missing a few minor weapon emplacements but are otherwise fit for battle.

After your arrival in Ruling House space near the front you've been reinforced with additional ships. Captain Fuuar Nilium has brought along the J-D SW-Heron and 3 attack wings. That will give you some experienced personnel to work with.

Current strength:
1x Great Devourer (custom Battlecruiser)
2x Excalibur Battlecruiser
2x Attack Wing (144 attack corvette II)
1x Assault Corvette Half Wing (36x assault corvette)
1x Battleship Squadron (12 Dominion Fast Battleships)
1x Eminence II - Afterburner

SW-Heron [Captain Fuuar Nilium]
3x Attack Wings (~200 attack corvette II + 12 Dusk II's)


Shipyard defenders and RH line units are a mix of Ascendancy, Cardinal and the occasional Zeus class Heavy. Most of the ships being used on either side are attack corvettes with assault corvettes making up 10% or more of the mix.
The enemy has a higher proportion of assault corvettes.

From the intel reports it looks like the defenders and forces laying siege are deployed in a similar strength, Nasidum just keeping them pinned. There is an EX Mega operation in the region, occasionally showing up to help the mediums and heavies conducting the bombardment.

The Allied admirals want to weaken the enemy forces along the nearby front lines and surrounding systems before going for the yard itself.

Captain Nilium wants to punch through with smaller forces and either remove the raiders and skirmishing forces, or try to target larger enemy ships. Many of them appear to waiting in reserve to attack the shipyard when it weakens, or to respond to fighting on the front.

Two plans proposed last time.

>>1592445
>The allied admirals are right on this one.
>Weaken the surrounding enemy front lines and draw away reserves that they are attempting to gather for the assault. If we can draw away and destroy these reserves, all the better.

>>1592492
>searching & raiding to bait in the heavies and big ships. Then we slam them with intent to disable like we did with our previous raiding.
>That should force the enemy to be less mobile and defend them as they undergo repairs. Whilst they're distracted repairing the heavy vessels, we punch through and relieve some of the pressure on the siege.

[ ] Weaken the front lines
[ ] Hit their raiders, then Heavies
[ ] Other

>>1612347
If most of the enemies' heavy assets are busy besieging the shipyard, and their fleet is mainly corvettes, wouldn't it make sense to go after their carriers?

>SW-Heron
What's that? The wiki only lists the regular Heron.

>>1612275
FOR HOUSE AND DOMINION

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>>1612367
Storm Crow.
http://houseanddominion.wikia.com/wiki/EX-Republic_Medium_Command_Ships
And apparently I'd forgotten which shipyard made the thing. It should have been SC-Heron. Don't know why I misremembered it like that.

>>1612367
>wouldn't it make sense to go after their carriers?
Try to go straight for their carriers and avoid the raiders?

>>1612432
When you phrase it like that, it doesn't sound very smart.

>>1612347
>[x] Hit their raiders, then Heavies

>>1612471
>When you phrase it like that, it doesn't sound very smart.
You could make a run for them and try to disable them before the other raiders caught up with you. It would just be harder to get away after.

Any other votes or suggestions?

>>1612601
>Any other votes or suggestions?
I don't mind waiting for a bit. Say, did the medics manage to save the guy who got shot up by mercs? Back when we helped the Helios forces in the small galaxy.

[X] Hit their raiders, then Heavies

>>1612347
Poop I forgot this was going live today. Anonkun be distracting.
[ ] Hit their raiders, then Heavies
Sonia smash

>>1612648
>Say, did the medics manage to save the guy who got shot up by mercs? Back when we helped the Helios forces in the small galaxy.
I'm having trouble figuring out which guy you mean given that it was several /qst/ length threads spent doing that.


Given your experience with raider tactics, and the overall mobility of most of the available forces, you propose a variation of Captain Nilium's plan. If carried out properly targeting the raiders should be simple enough that even your green pilots could manage. It's once things spiral into a larger battle that you'll start to have more trouble and the enemy will gain the advantage.

A number of Barons have conducted assessments of their forces while en route and support your plan. The reserves provided by the larger Houses are too inexperienced for large scale battles. The only exception are the assault corvette crews who are mostly kids that have grown up flying them in simulators.

Admirals in command of the larger ships state their intention to hang back near the fighting on the front. They'll provide support to allied units in trouble or jump in to assist the counter-raider forces when called for.

Did you want to split up the rookies and pair them up with experienced J-D crews? This will help keep them alive longer but it will also mean your veterans won't be able to go all out.

[ ] Keep current units
[ ] Split them up

>>1612980
>I'm having trouble figuring out which guy you mean given that it was several /qst/ length threads spent doing that.
Sorry. We were supposed to capture him for Helios intel. Sonia tried to kidnap him but he got shot by trigger happy mercs in a restaurant instead. We decided to put him in stasis in the hope the medics back on our fleet would save him.

>>1612980
>[x] Split them up
We need to preserve our forces as much as possible.

[X] Split them up

Once the general plan has been decided upon you look to organising your own forces. Too many rookies to risk letting them operate on their own, you have them reassigned to stick with the veterans. There are a few complaints but mostly from the squadron level commanders. It seems they'd rather not be saddled with replacements without two or three days to work with them.

That sort of time is not a luxury you can afford right now.

"I think most of you veterans should know the drill. Hit them hard and fast, don't stick around for them to call in reinforcements. Our heavier ships will be standing by as close as possible to jump in if you run into trouble.
We'll have allies operating nearby on similar missions. While we will try to coordinate with them as much as possible, it's not out of the question that allied ships may jump in out of nowhere. Check your IFF's on new arrivals.
Keep the rookies alive long enough for them to pick up the basics. Let's do this."

Roll 9d20 First five are the important ones.

Rolled 17, 15, 6, 7, 9, 19, 7, 4, 6 = 90 (9d20)

>>1613156
For House and Dominion! Fight the Powa!

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Rolled 2, 1, 5, 5, 18, 8, 19, 1, 17 = 76 (9d20)

>>1613156
>Roll 9d20 First five are the important ones.
Shark school!

>>1613156
>>1613169
>>1613173

We need one more batter at the plate. Who wants to take a swing?

Rolled 15, 15, 14, 14, 14, 8, 10, 4, 12 = 106 (9d20)

>>1613156
>>1613266
Sure. I suck at football though.

Rolled 11, 4, 12, 19, 2, 13, 5, 9, 5 = 80 (9d20)

>>1613156

>>1613273
Solid across the board though.

>17, 15, 14, 14, 18, 19, 19, 4, 17
Pretty decent although whoever gets the eigth roll will probably need some help.

>>1612980
Found the thread:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1336381/
I think he was never mentioned again after we handed him off to the doctors.

>>1613273
And you said you suck at soccer ball, looks okay to me.

Each of the fleets jump out headed behind the lines. The fact that so many enemy raiding units are still needed are a good indication that these sectors are not under control yet.

Three of the allied fleets soon find themselves under attack as response forces are vectored in to deal with them. Other friendlies move to help and your command squad and Battleships jump in to briefly assist as well. Your battleship flank attack disrupts a formation of enemy ships long enough for a few allies to reorganise their unit and escape.

Veterans who know what they're doing make all the difference in the short but intense fights that have been shaping up. Knowing when to press and when to retreat is just as important as the skills of the individual pilots, if not more so.

Within hours your side has significantly reduced the strength of the enemy forces operating behind their lines, and are threatening their logistics in the process. With potentially vulnerable enemy convoys in the region it starts to become difficult to keep everyone on task with clearing raiders and locating their carriers.

While responding to an allied unit in need of assistance your fleet's Eminence II is struck by an SP Torpedo which blows out half of its afterburner system. Quick action on the part of Captain Nilium helps the damaged ship jump out to friendly lines. It will take the better part of a day to rip out the damaged drive system and patch it sufficiently to return to combat. It will take close to two weeks to conduct the full refit necessary to use afterburners again.

Talking to the other commanders and comparing data it looks like you've managed to locate a few enemy heavy carriers or larger support craft.
More problematic is that the enemy seems to be responding a little too quickly to allied fleet movements. They must have a high power sensor array deployed somewhere in the region and are diverting forces as necessary in response to your actions.

Maybourne gets your attention. "Sir, we're receiving a distress signal from the shipyards. They say the enemy are increasing their attacks on the defense platforms nearest to the station. They're requesting immediate reinforcement."

"If we send reinforcements the enemy will know about it almost immediately." Tes'us points out. "We could be walking into a trap."

You have a good shot at their carriers now with their rough location, though it's just as likely they'll see you coming as well.

>Your orders?

>>1613650
Is there a way to avoid detection or fool the array? Does the drive flare trick helios ised require extensive modifications?

>>1613650
I think it best we take out those carriers, but at the same time if this isn't a trap we need to send ships to reinforce the shipyards. If it were at all possible to spoof those sensors into thinking the majority of our fleet or nearby allied fleets were moving on the carriers they would be forced to fall back and reinforce them. Or commit to their trap and not support the carriers.

Is there anyway at all to work with other allied fleets in the region to help triangulate the position of those carriers? To make sure we have a better then rough idea of their location?

Or a means to have our allies work together with us to destroy whatever trap may be sprung? So that their trap fleet gets caught between two fleets working to crush it?

>>1613650
This is the point where I'd have our cloaked assets hunt the array.

Since we don't have one can we attempt to locate it and its proximity to the nearest heavy target? I figure we can try and pull off a double raid to take out both targets.

>>1613729
>Does the drive flare trick helios ised require extensive modifications?
>>1613742
>If it were at all possible to spoof those sensors into thinking the majority of our fleet or nearby allied fleets were moving on the carriers

There are some FTL decoy craft available, though few in number. Engineers could tweak the drive flares of regular ships to appear larger. You wouldn't be able to replicate the actual numbers of a large fleet, but it might trick them into thinking several units were traveling in close formation. At least for awhile.

>>1613764
The Ruling House does have a cloaked frigate in the region. Given the importance of the shipyard I'm sure they could be convinced to reassign it. The Ber'helum Admiral also has an old Rovinar Silent Hunter. It's in rough shape having recently been salvaged from a Faction Wars battle site.

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>>1613764
Suspected locations of enemy carrier groups indicated by red dots. They've narrowed it down to within a few hundred AU, so probably the nearest systems to them.

As for the sensor array it's most likely in one of the two yellow circled regions. Or even both, though that seems less likely given time to deploy an array that powerful.

Lightning storm getting close. May have to stop for a bit.

>>1613864
I would like to assault the Carrier just south of the shipyard.

This gives us the option to have forces search for the sensor and potentially swing around behind the enemy siege forces for a surprise maneuver if the situation becomes truly dire.

Fuck you wunderground for getting rid of storm tracks.

>>1613898
Your allies would prefer to hit all or most of the carriers simultaneously.

1) Sensor arrays
1a) Send Cloaked ships to hunt for the arrays
1b) Small attack units try to hunt for the arrays

2) Decoys
2a) Send decoy fleet towards carriers
2b) Send decoy fleet towards shipyard
2) None / don't waste time on it

There's a third question but that has been largely unintelligible every time I've tried to write it. Basically summed up, are you trying to kill the carriers, lift the siege or destroy the trap?

>>1614272

>1a) Send Cloaked ships to hunt for the arrays

2b) Send decoy fleet towards shipyard (with caviate that we call in extra allied ships to jump in to help hammer the trappers home once the trap is sprung so that for 3 below)

3) Destroy/ capture enemy carriers, to force them to either pull back or lift the siege.

>>1614272
>[x] 1a

>[x] 2b

>[x] Lift the siege

The cloaked ships are sent out to hunt for the sensor arrays, but it's expected that it will take some time to find what they're looking for.

Next you join the discussions on launching a relief fleet towards the shipyard. An Admiral from House Tujen says that no fleet should be sent until the sensor arrays have been located and destroyed. Ber'helum personnel have little desire to go either but have resigned themselves to a hard fight if needed to aid the Ruling House base.

You add your voice to the discussion.
"It's a trap, they want us to rush to the aid of the shipyard. Let's send a decoy force along the route it would make the most sense for us to follow. The decoys will trigger their trap leaving the rest of our fleet to act."

The question them becomes what to do after sending the decoys. Kill the carriers, lift the siege or destroy the trap? It seems there's no good answer.

Ber'helum makes the call to destroy the Carriers since that will weaken the front. With the carriers threatened there is also a chance Nasidum will pull their fleet away from the shipyard, lifting the siege.
It's not a perfect plan, but it is a plan.

The decoy force will still need regular ships to fill in the needed numbers.
The J-D fleet includes a squadron of Dusk II's which can be quickly fitted with afterburners. Did you want to volunteer them to help with the decoy force? Or would you rather assign the Ber'helum assault corvettes on loan to you?

>>1614725

Ask for volunteers from the commanders. If none speak up, use a little of both.

>>1614725
Gonna vote the BH Corvettes since we'll probably need the heavier firepower of the Dusk's to take on the carrier.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>1614738
1
>>1614772
2

You assign the Ber'helum assault corvettes to the duty of helping the decoy force. Their Commanding officer isn't remendously hopefully of their odds. All ships are reduced to 3 man skeleton crews. With the emergency teleporters they'll probably make it.

Did you want to assign them any SP Torpedoes to give them a better chance of surviving the trap?
Or save them for taking down carriers?

Roll 8d100

Rolled 72, 61, 66, 89, 91, 91, 35, 46 = 551 (8d100)

>>1614905

Give them some SP torps to improve their odds I say.

Time to hunt for the Red October.

Stopping here for tonight. Planning to resume tomorrow. Hopefully before noon if an appointment doesn't run too long.

Rolled 60, 54, 66, 11, 13, 75, 71, 4 = 354 (8d100)

>>1614905
[x] Assign SP Torpedoes

Bones.
>>1614973
Good luck!

Rolled 36, 4, 45, 73, 71, 32, 71, 87 = 419 (8d100)

>>1614905
Gibe those poor bastards some SP's

72, 61, 66, 89, 91, 91, 71, 87

breddy gud

>>1614905
>Did you want to assign them any SP Torpedoes to give them a better chance of surviving the trap?
They're the ones risking their lives, so we should provide whatever support we can. Would it be possible to send one or two carries filled with drones along? They could launch the drones to provide cover to the corvettes and jump out again. If any of the unmanned craft survive long enough to run out of ammo the local RH facilities should be able to rearm and use them.

>>1615715
>Would it be possible to send one or two carries filled with drones along?
They'll pack a few transports and escort carriers full of drones.

Question I forgot to ask, did you want the Eminence II back in action ASAP or sent for longer term repairs?

>>1615911
We need the fire power, if we can't get it fixed soon enough to fit AB's on it. Then stick it closer to the slower units and get it back on the field.

>>1615911
ASAP. Can't afford to let it rest when we need it now

>>1615911
It is still a solid firepower platform, and we have experience bringing in non-afterburner Mediums for raids.

ASAP.

>>1615911
ASAP

>>1615911
We can't really afford to wait 2 weeks to have the cruiser fixed. ASAP.

https://clyp.it/bdvybeba
Patton - A Change of Weather


Your fleet and another head for one of the suspected carrier locations. Once you find it both will vector in to help deal with it.

It isn't long after the decoy fleet launches that you get word communications with the shipyard have been cut off. While it's not good there is no reason to believe they've been forced to start using their veckron weapons yet. It just probably means the enemy doesn't want the relief fleet knowing where they're repositioning their ships to.

According to reports read after the fact, the Carrier your fleet has been targeting turns out to be the most difficult target to catch. A former Ruling House Ascendancy, the ship is making frequent micro jumps to avoid being pinned down. Fortunately for you most of their assault corvettes have been called away by the time you catch up with it.

Both fleets pick away at its escort, and hammer her shields over the course of several hours. Their crew are careful to protect the engines, instead suffering damage to the external docking and repair pads. Armored covers intended to protect docked ships act as an effective layer of standoff armor, making it more difficult to inflict serious damage.

You continue to unload fire into the Heavy until you've exhausted the plasma cannon reserves. The Battleships, Nilium's Storm Crow and the Dusk II's also run out of ammunition for their main guns. Despite your best efforts to turn the heavy carrier into a smoking wreck it's still able to jump. Your allies alert you to incoming enemy forces rushing to the aid of the carrier group and suggest retreating to friendly lines to rearm.

You still have plenty of firepower, but without plasma weapons it's severely reduced. With too many incoming ships to handle you run for friendly territory. It seems this one has gotten away.

Fleets going after the other carriers were more successful. Two were captured and two others left in such a state that your forces should be able to salvage them later before the enemy can risk it. Others were driven off, badly damaged or near crippled, retreating towards shipyards for more serious repairs.

Three of the assault corvettes you sent with the decoy force survived long enough to escape the enemy trap. 18 other ships managed to get out, though a number of those may need to be scrapped.
The enemy was not only laying in wait with a powerful force, but had a gravity well generator they activated after the fleet's arrival. It was one reported missing nearly a year ago and intel had been having difficulty locating since.

You doubt they would have been able to destroy the entire fleet if you'd gone straight for the shipyard, but you wouldn't have been helping them any time soon.

Now deprived of carrier support the enemy advance in the region will soon begin to stall.

It will take several hours to resupply your fleet, and most of a day for the repairs to be completed.

Did you want to head out again right away after reloading to take advantage of the weakened enemy state?
Hold off until repairs are completed?
Or wait until the cloaked ships have dealt with the sensor arrays?

>>1615990

I say continue repairs until the cloaked ship deals with the sensors. Then we go out and hurt them. Do as much damage control/ repair as possible while awaiting word from the cloaked ship. Then lead out and take the fight to the enemy and wreck some face.

>>1615996
>Hold off until repairs are completed?
This seems prudent. Are any of the local fleets able to take advantage of the enemy's losses yet?

>>1615996
We've inflicted damage that the enemy will need far longer to repair, right?

Get our ships repaired, and form ad-hock attack forces where undamaged/lightly damaged ships can be formed into wings. Have them jump in to support friendly units under fire to build momentum?

>>1615990
I'd say repair and rearm. We need breathing room to recover and so do the enemy. They however have a schedule to hold and we just need to stall them as best we can while the main push fucks over them back home.

>>1616001
>Are any of the local fleets able to take advantage of the enemy's losses yet?
There hasn't been an immediate change in front line fighting but that is likely to change soon.

You order your fleet in for full repairs. If necessary they can halt damage control efforts should anything change on the front. Over the next day Nasidum halts their offensive operations in the region, even pulling fleets back that had started preparation for planetary assaults.

Sensing momentary weakness the Ruling House forces in the region launch a counteroffensive. In response Nasidum begins a quick but orderly withdrawal from the hardest pressed areas.

It isn't long after that you get the call. One of the cloaked ships has found and crippled the sensor array with an SP torpedo attack. The Admirals want to launch the relief fleets to lift the siege on the shipyard now, before the enemy can get replacement sensors online.

Units are to split up and penetrate the line in different areas to reduce the risk of all of them being detected.

"Are they sure they got all of them?" Maybourne wonders.

"Not entirely, but the Ber'helum Silent Hunter took down a number of secondary arrays that should have been watching final approach to the yards."

Did you want to suggest any changes to the plan?
Delay for smaller recon and raider flights into the region to be sure?

>>1616035
Could we pull the "fake fleet" thing again to see how the enemy reacts, then have them stop and come back before they're engaged? Or were too many ships destroyed in the last attack to do that?

>>1616035
I can't help but think this is one giant trap. That Well is still not accounted for.

We should have screening forces head in before the main fleet to scout and destroy enemy resistance as we advance. Perhaps use a path that is not the clear choice.

>>1616041
You'll have to delay a couple hours and get one of the fleet commanders to volunteer as bait with their entire force.
Like say, the one who suggested it.

One way or another it certainly would indicate if they had another powerful sensor array online in the region. Either by attacking or avoiding it.

>>1616053
This would also delay your arrival at the yards but at the same time give you a good chance of spotting any traps.

>>1616035
>Delay for smaller recon and raider flights into the region to be sure?
This is a good idea. With the sensor array down, we might be able to figure out what trap they have waiting for us before it can hit us. Scouting with the cloaked ships would help with that.

>>1616035

Maybe our lighter assets should deploy as raiders to distract/pin enemy forces, and act as hunter-killers if they detect enemy active sensors? (They have to be using active sensors for the ranges involved? Or are passive arrays in play?)

Sort of like space chaff that also wrecks your shit?

>>1616035
See if we can hunt down the Grav Well Generator first.

There's still a Super Heavy in the region, folks. We might just yet have to ram it with a captured carrier.

>>1616035
>Did you want to suggest any changes to the plan?
Make the grav well generator a priority target.
We managed to win a lot of engagements in the past because the enemy ignored these ships when they still had the chance to destroy or at least damage them, and then got their fleet annihiltaed when they couldn't retreat properly.

>>1615996
I want that grav well generator. We have so many afterburner equipped forces!

You suggest sending out smaller fleet elements to scout ahead and act as a screen for any traps. At the same time some of the fleets could try to hunt down the gravity well generator.

The Ber'helum Admiral agrees that elements of your plan have merit, though many of the others consider the main threat to have been dealt with. They're in favour of making the run to the yard as quickly as possible, counting on dispersed fleet elements to ensure most of them reach their destination.

"It's not a bad idea Viscount. Now that we know about it the Ruling House has retasked their cloaked ship to search for the Gravity Well. For now we can't afford to dedicate too much of our fleet to searching for a single ship. If our scout forces happen to encounter it while we advance it will of course become a priority target."

Well that's that.

With the day spent on repairs the unit commanders have had time to do a bit of training with their rookie attack crews. One of the wings have seen a dramatic improvement while the others have seen a slight increase in their coordination.

Roll 8d20 for a cautious advance towards the shipyard.

Rolled 2, 8, 15, 18, 2, 8, 12, 14 = 79 (8d20)

>>1616122

Caution is our middle name! (No it isn't, our middle name is Salvage.)

Rolled 13, 9, 1, 10, 7, 13, 11, 19 = 83 (8d20)

>>1616122

Rolled 5, 11, 12, 10, 11, 13, 4, 15 = 81 (8d20)

>>1616122
Bones.

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Rolled 7, 18, 11, 12, 19, 15, 17, 13 = 112 (8d20)

>>1616122
>Roll 8d20 for a cautious advance towards the shipyard.
Salvage, Ho!

>though many of the others consider the main threat to have been dealt with

Rolled 5, 3, 12, 10, 19, 20, 11, 10 = 90 (8d20)

>>1616122

File: Its a trap.jpg (43KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

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>>1616142
A third of the fleet commanders probably would have walked into that gravity well trap.

>>1616183
Ahh it's been a long time since we've had some good LoGH shitposting in an H&D thread.

>>1616183
. . . . Well to be fair most of them haven't had to face us. But we know what we're like, namely a sneaky bitch that fights dirty and mean, so it's no surprise we're more cautious of the enemy being like that too.

We should probably come up with a dedicated Grav Well killing group. High speed single heavy SP torpedo single volley cloaked ships.

>>1616213

Or maybe cause the singularity reactor or whatever generates the gravity well to be breached and cause the ship to collapse upon itself as its sucked/ crushed by the weight of its own self generated gravity?

When does Sonia get best of four sets of rolls? Does she need a seemingly inactive trinket from the Dyson sphere?

>>1616215
I wonder if Helios would be willing to let anyone have that kind of detailed knowledge about it.

It could easily turn on us.

I wonder if we could develop a gravity well "wave" weapon though that generates differential gravity waves that would tear apart ships. Like how neutron stars shred things that come too close?

I mean image the shear force that would be applied if gravity was twice as strong on part of a ship vs. The rest of it. Or if suddenly shifted rapidly so the ships couldn't compensate fast enough.

>>1616270
>I wonder if we could develop a gravity well "wave" weapon though that generates differential gravity waves that would tear apart ships.
Already a weapon. They're used as part of the Storm cannons we bought.

>>1616269
Best of 3 is already too in our favour IMO. Best is a d100 using DC with modifiers, and three rolls. 0 passes = bad failure, 1 pass = failure, 2 pass = success, 3 passes = great success and crits counting as double pass or double failures.

But that's more complicated since you have to work out the DC and I feel like TSTG is probably spreadsheeted out.

>>1616280
But like a massive AOE one. Link to wiki for me?

>>1616288
Crazy Ideas page, 'Gravity Weapons' section

Heading behind the lines you have the attack units spread out to better scout while engaging enemy units.

There is an obvious difference in performance among units that have been able to improve their rookies teamwork. While they do need to call for help, they don't find themselves in need of it nearly as often as the others do.

The battleships and medium cruisers are kept busy, rushing to respond to calls for assistance, or simply to help overpower enemy units.

Maybourne has to admit that she needs to take back any negative remarks she'd made about Nilium. His Medium backed up with the 3 surviving assault corvettes are the fastest to respond to units in trouble, bailing out those from your fleet as well as other friendly forces.

By the time the fleets are closing in on the shipyards you haven't seen any sign of the gravity well generator. Nasidum fleets conducting the siege have taken the time to shift their forces away from the gas giants natural gravity well, focusing their forces on one front as they prepare to withdraw as a group. In the process they've all but destroyed one of the defense platforms, but it's clear to the defenders that the enemy are pulling back.

The arrival of 6 smaller fleets in system triggers the final Nasidum evacuation. Across this region of the front they're retreating in good order back to positions they've had time to reinforce.

The shipyard is relieved, though its defenders are obviously less so.
"I hope this isn't your idea of timely reinforcement!" Complains the Ruling House Count in command of the defending fleet.

"No, it's our idea of a sustainable reinforcement." fire's back the Ber'helum Admiral.

The command frequency momentarily turns into an inter-house rivalry shouting match. This isn't helped by comments over changing the shipyards ownership if it needs to be reinforced again.

Finally subordinates on either side acting as the responsible adults calm things down.

Within a day of the siege being lifted the once trapped forces begin to deploy to the shifting front to assist the other fleets. The reserves remain on site conducting training exercises until additional ships and personnel from the Ruling House can arrive a week later. They aren't as numerous but they should be able to hold now.

The big defense platform that was damaged is reinforced with a number of smaller Exodus models to assist until it can be rebuilt.

As for the enemy gravity well generator scouts and intel eventaully spot it again much deeper behind enemy lines, deploying to another area. Cloaked ships will try to keep track of it and wait for a good chance at damaging it. That might take awhile.

For now you and the other commanders need to start making plans to head back to the Ber'helum capital. Most of the forces brought with you will remain at the shipyard.

Nilium is conflicted over returning to the occupation forces where his unit is officially assigned, or trying to help with the fighting in the J-D homeworlds.

[ ] Go where is your unit is assigned.
[ ] Ask your boss.
[ ] Where do you think you're needed most?

>>1616343

How are our forces doing on Operation Bulwark? Hopefully they're managing well enough for now. As for Nilium, I would say go where he thinks he is needed most. But if we're so close to the home front, maybe his commander will be able to give him clearance to go assist the house defense fleet. So...

[x] Ask your boss.

>>1616343
> [ ] Ask your boss.

House first. We aren't going to lose those occupied houses without him, although they might not be as stable after the war.

But we HAVE to prioritize our home worlds.

>>1616343
>[X] Ask your boss.
What's the situation for the House anyway?

>>1616343
Task him with returning JD salvage to the homeworlds before returning to occupation forces?

Gives him an excuse to report in to JD command and possibly assist homeworlds, and command a chance to send him back

File: ea725a9671a6e8827bba6966bd2f8d6d.jpg (135KB, 1064x600px) Image search: [Google]

135KB, 1064x600px

>>1616365
>How are our forces doing on Operation Bulwark? Hopefully they're managing well enough for now.
About that level.
Kharbos continues to send more forces to help their allied Houses hold their territory, though they're beginning to face increasing political trouble at home. Infighting could prevent much in the way of additional forces from being sent.

>>1616374
Losses among the elite units remains light fortunately. They're inflicting disproportionate losses on the enemy and preventing them from capturing any major facilities. Minor bases and outposts in Feron and J-D space are being hit by increasing numbers of attacks and many may soon need to be abandoned.

An attempted assault on the Feron capital has recently been repulsed, with both attackers and defenders rumored to have taken heavy losses. House Feron has moved their seat of government to a base near the J-D border.

Most major trade lanes between the two Houses are being mined, though they won't be activated until needed.

Mike's heavily modified Dusk attack cruiser has been lost while drawing away an enemy elite unit. He baited them into a duel buying time for a small fleet of troop transports to escape. His ship was disabled and boarded after supposedly surrendering.
Despite this he was still able to lead his crew in a counter boarding action killing most of the crew of an enemy ship and escaping with a captured Dragoon.

He's been given a light reprimand for faking a surrender.

>>1616507
>He's been given a light reprimand for faking a surrender.
Shame about his ship, but I'm glad the old Troika has maintained a healthy contempt for war crime laws.

>>1616507
>though they're beginning to face increasing political trouble at home
Anything we can do to help? Do they think they're not getting a fair share of the conquests while holding the line?

>>1616532
>Anything we can do to help?
Not right now, though if you had any suggestions for you PR team throw them out there.

>Do they think they're not getting a fair share of the conquests while holding the line?
That's the most obvious cause.
Most of it is probably the result of rival political factions since the current leadership has only been in power for half a decade.

>>1616593
>Not right now, though if you had any suggestions for you PR team throw them out there.
Send our not-Krath to help them out.

>>1616593
>>1616612
Seconding.

Also a political donation is always a good investment.

>kharbos duct tape designs are modelled on their political unity

Ha!

You and the other fleet commanders are welcomed on your return to the Ber'helum capital with some fanfare. Thanked for helping to prevent a situation from getting out of control.

Once the congratulations have ended everyone gets back to work. The fleets continue to advance into Nasidum space and are drawing steadily closer to the mobile fortress shipyards. Resistance is increasing giving the more mobile forces on the flank time to catch up.

The J-D fleet has been performing well and there have been requests that they be shifted away from their position on the outer flank, facing off against Xygen forces. Instead they would be transferred to the central fleet groups and join the forces making a direct line for the shipyards.

Experienced but battered forces would assume responsibility for defense of the sectors they've been operating in.
House Medel has requested that some J-D units remain posted in or near their space as they don't entirely trust some of the proposed replacements.

1) Do you approve the transfer for the J-D fleet to the central group?
>Y/N?

2) Will some J-D units remain in Medel space, or would you rather they keep as strength at the front as possible?
2a) Keep some in Medel space
2b) Keep the fleet together

>>1616762
1 Yes

2
Can we do a 2-1 fleet rotation? Or something similar?

>>1616773
>Can we do a 2-1 fleet rotation? Or something similar?
Keep a third of your fleet in Medel space? Possible, though that might be excessive.

A few wings or training units might be enough so that there's someone nearby they trust.

>>1616593
>Not right now, though if you had any suggestions for you PR team throw them out there.
It shouldn't be too hard to convince people Kharbos current leadership is great, at least among small and medium Houses. They're currently fighting in a galaxy they have almost no territory in, went along with a plan that could potentially leave them at a severe disadvantage compared to the other major Houses for the good of the Dominion, and they're helping that House that was lost for centuries. It's pretty hard not to like them at the moment.

We could also try to turn all the older weird Kharbos ship designs into a toy line. There must be tons of crazy in their archives and people always like the strange prototypes.

>1) Do you approve the transfer for the J-D fleet to the central group?
Yes. It will give the battered units time to rebuild.

>2) Will some J-D units remain in Medel space, or would you rather they keep as strength at the front as possible?
>2a) Keep some in Medel space
We should base wings that undergo training or refits there if possible.

>>1616762

1) Do you approve the transfer for the J-D fleet to the central group?
>Yes

2) Will some J-D units remain in Medel space, or would you rather they keep as strength at the front as possible?
>2a) Keep some in Medel space

You approve the transfer of the J-D fleets to the central group. They need all the help they can get there.

The House commanders have continued to build their collection of salvage while you've been away. Avun has at last managed to capture one of the new enemy fast Mediums. It's undergoing repairs and reverse engineering study at the moment.
Alex with the Forbearance has managed to cripple or badly damage 4 heavy cruisers forcing them off the lines.
Drake was able to successfully clear out multiple bases being used to stage raids against convoys. She's been selling most of the salvage to other Houses that have taken losses. Looks like she invested in a few refit yards in Medel space to ensure she makes some money off of those transactions as well.

You just hope the three of them have built up an adequate reserve of extra ships for the heavy fighting.

Ber'helum and others are building up additional reserves to make up for those you helped lead to assist the RH shipyard. J-D personnel recently received through prisoner exchanges are available and can be transferred to you or Baron Jor'ron in the occupation zone. Most shipping routes to J-D space are becoming too hazardous to risk sending crews aboard transports so they can no longer be sent directly home.

Did you want to build up a J-D reserve fleet at the Ber'helum capital?

Also lots of thunder may have to stop here for a bit.

>>1616936
>Did you want to build up a J-D reserve fleet at the Ber'helum capital?
I'd like to have them help with training our allies in this galaxy.

>>1616936
It wouldn't hurt to have one ready and on hand. You never know when you might need to send in reinforcements to the front or to support Bullwark. So I vote for getting a reserve fleet ready, just in case.

>>1616936
I support doing so.

Testing.

Great all the mobile networks are down.

Oh fuck brownout. Back later.

>>1616936

Reserve fleet at the Ber'helum capital.

Training for allied rookies, hoooo!

>>1616936
Sonia's simulator school? Yaasas

Top Run is a go.

> Build up JD Fleet in BH Capital.

Are there any Black hole star systems nearby we can raid? If there's one thing I've learned playing Starsector it's that you can find the best weapons when you hit up those Black Hole research bases.

You're decided to follow through with the creation of a "Capital reserve and training force" posted in Ber'helum space as your personal fleet. You'll mostly be using it as a training unit to get recruits from Ber'helum and other Houses up to speed.

1) Select a Medium / Command ship
Your budget is enough to allow for the acquisition of a medium cruiser for your reserve force. (That damaged Eminence II was left behind to help guard the shipyards.) While this would normally be used as a command ship, you're free to keep using the Great Devourer in that role if you want.

You could also request the return of the Outer Heaven and provide Drake a replacement flagship.

>New
Alliance Medium Escort
Eclipse II
Eminence II
Shukhant Mk.7
Sledge

>Salvaged
Eminence (I)
Heron
Illustrious
Shukhant Mk.6
Misc. salvaged / experimental ship (AKA THE MYSTERY BOX) Even I don't know what's in this one!

2) More battleships from your personal guard remaining at Rioja can be sent if you wish. Do you want them to get over here?

3) I realise you're getting a little low on cash, but did you want to provide some funding to help the arriving J-D personnel better afford top of the line equipment?

>>1617482
If we forego the medium, can we use that money instead to help the house forces arriving here?

>>1617482
>Illustrious
How does that ship compare to the Eminence I/II?

>>1617482
1)
[x] Eclipse II
Since we spent so long trying to get the blueprints for it from the Shallan.
[x] Mystery Box
I can't not vote for this either.

2)
Keep them at Rioja for now. With Drake on the front line we don't want to provide an even greater target.

3)
[x] Yes

>>1617482
1. Eclipse II or Mystery Box
2. Nah
3. They can salvage what they need like we used to. Can't go around coddling the newbies too badly.

>>1617487
I guess?

>>1617496
Still in testing.
Its sublight performance without afterburners seems to be higher, and it has integrated plasma weapons. As long as the entire ship doesn't run out of fuel it can keep firing its main weapons.
Close range damage is estimated to be a bit higher thanks to twin linked phase cannons.
It's an all rounder that can't be further specialised like the Eminence II can.

>>1617528
>They can salvage what they need like we used to.
To do that they will need to leave their currently non-combat post at the Ber'helum capital.

>>1617482
> Shukant mk 7

> MYSTERY BOX.

>>1617547
Thanks.

>>1617482
I think we should go with a salvaged ship to keep the cost down. The Heron gets my vote.

>2) More battleships from your personal guard remaining at Rioja can be sent if you wish. Do you want them to get over here?
Have them help Baron Jor'ron instead.

3)
I guess we can help a bit.

Planning to run tomorrow since I don't seem to have any courses scheduled. See you then.

Current top picks for Medium cruiser.

MYSTERY BOX (Salvage)
Eclipse II
Shukhant Mk.7
Heron (Salvage)
None

>>1617700
>MYSTERY BOX (Salvage)
Will we roll for it?
Hoping for a Republic Raven so we can take it apart and figure out its weaknesses.

>>1617700
>>MYSTERY BOX (Salvage)
pls gib Neeran Cityship

>>1617700
>MYSTERY BOX (Salvage)
This isn't even a choice. When given the choice the mystery box will always win.

>>1617700
>Shukhant Mk.7

Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>1617724

>>1617700
> Mystery box.

File: tegaki.png (5KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

5KB, 400x400px

>>1617700
I'm still on team Heron! Although I guess the MYSTERY BOX is okay too. The Eclipse II seems like a waste, it's a great ship and production is pretty limited at the moment, so all of them will be needed with fleets that see action.

>>1616593
>if you had any suggestions
Give them the Deci. It's not like we're doing anything with the license anyway.

>>1617482
1)
Eclipse II
A bit disappointed with mystery box votes, but I guess it could be anything. Even an Eclipse II?

2)
No.

3)
Yes. This is the kind of stuff that I wanted a cash reserve for in the first place. It is technically an investment in our greatest asset: elite pilots!


>>1618269
I mean, I don't see why they would turn down a free license/design, but how does diverting production capacity to a kavarian design help Kharbos politically against their internal rivals?

>>1618275
>how does diverting production capacity to a kavarian design help
It helped J-D when they started building and using Kavarian designs :^)

>>1618283
Still ignoring the important bit
:v)

>>1618269
>>1618275
>>1618283
>>1618295

Oh damn, wait.

Would it be a political "fuck you" to offer a modified Kavarian design to Kharbos due to their association with the Kryptah/Kavarian Battlecruiser?
Was Kharbos the RH that conquered and then lost the Kavarians as subjects, as well?

>>1618295
To be honest, that's their job to figure out. What they get a free license. Everything else is up to them. If they decided to actually use it to build ships right now because the ship would have a role in their fleets or if they simply tell people they got a nice gift from a random House because they're current leadership is appreciated really doesn't matter. They don't have to build them if it isn't beneficial right now. However, gifting them a license definitely won't make things worse for them.

The Mystery Box aka any Kavarian ship

>>1617724
>Will we roll for it?
If you did only the first roll would be counted since higher doesn't mean better in this case, just different.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

Let's see what's in the mystery box.

File: 8vKNaOw.png (89KB, 220x268px) Image search: [Google]

89KB, 220x268px

>>1618434
>Rolled 6 (1d10)
In b4 it's a really slow carrier ship.

File: 1bgn4ulhn_panic.gif (387KB, 269x270px) Image search: [Google]

387KB, 269x270px

>>1618434
Panic?

>>1618438
I'm willing to bet it's an early second Faction war Lance class that got salvaged from a SRL pirate. That's pretty much as bad as a usable medium can get.

File: Quattro.gif (6KB, 469x409px) Image search: [Google]

6KB, 469x409px

It is a fully armed and operational Quattro!

This ship has been extensively rebuilt and as a result can switch out its Neeran weaponry for a number of different Faction models. The two armored corvette turrets can be replaced with Aries heavy torpedo batteries.
Likewise the main guns can be exchanged for Dominion (or Republic) medium plasma cannons, featuring expanded fuel reserves. Or if you're looking for something different, multiple spinal mount heavy phase cannons.

If you want you can try your luck once more, but it will lock out this ship and 1 other.

[ ] Take it
[ ] Try your luck

>>1618459
>Quattro Class Medium
Oh. My. God.

[ ] Take it
[ ] Take it
[ ] Take it
[ ] Take it
[ ] Take it
[ ] Take it

>>1618459
[x] Take it

Oh man, something is going to have a bad day when we drop this on it.

[X] Take it

>>1618459
>[ ] Take it
What would Winifred say about Sonia salvaging this?

>>1618459
>[x] Try your luck

>>1618467
She'd say you didn't salvage it, someone else did.

>>1618474
Semantics. Sonia gave her the ships she needed to do it. Or is this from something else?

>>1618459
>[X] Take it
Yes!
>This ship has been extensively rebuilt
We should find out who did that.

>>1618467
Implying she even gets a headache from am mere Medium Cruiser being salvaged. Now when ever we salvage a Heavy she get's that old familiar throb

>>1618459
Was there any particular roll you were hoping for? 1 = Vieona?

>>1618478
>We should find out who did that.
One of the middle Houses allied to Kharbos.

>>1618493
10 would have been a coin flip between an Odyssey or a holographics Daedalus.
2 would have been a cannon equipped EBON variant.

>>1618505
Oooooh. Those would have been nice as well.

>>1618459
How fast is that crusier? Does it have a hueg commander center like Outer Heaven?

>>1618517
>Neeran ship
>Is it hueg

>>1618459
I wonder if we could install cooling lasers on the neeran plasma cannons to really push that DPS.
I'd switch the corvette turrets for torpedo batteries to give it some additional capability against smaller ships.

>>1618522
It could be built by and for one of their client races. Just like the Corsair that's designed for Shallans.

Your Capital reserve and training force is slowly being assembled. You're providing a little bit of financial assistance to the J-D personnel posted here to help fund a few ship upgrades. Only a few of them have the funds to get back into attack cruisers at the moment.

The rated assault corvette crews are spending their time training Ber'helum personnel or recruits from other Houses while they wait for convoys from the Run to bring newly built ships. Most brought in are being sold to your allies but the House has approved funding to rebuid few of the squadrons.
With the Major Houses providing some resources to build up the reserve fleets you should have a respectable group stationed here in a few weeks.

>>1618517
>How fast is that crusier?
The Quattro unfortunately isn't as fast as the outer heaven, it's a bit too massive. It will still out run most escort ships like the Kilo, Monitor or AME. Roughly comparable to the new Shukhant.

It's big guns don't have the penetration of republic medium plasma cannons, though overall they do more damage. Most fast battleships wouldn't stand a chance against them.
>Does it have a hueg commander center like Outer Heaven?
There is a bridge aboard intended for use by Neeran crew, so yes. It could be given a remodel to resemble the command center aboard the Outer Heaven.

>>1618525
>I wonder if we could install cooling lasers on the neeran plasma cannons to really push that DPS.
Currently incompatible. Helios has been working mainly on developing the cooling system for faction designed and produced weapon systems.

>>1618530
>Helios has been working mainly on developing the cooling system for faction designed and produced weapon systems.
Have any of the other factions shown interest in them yet? Have they bought any prototype units? I want to keep them locked down to Dominion production only at the moment, at least until the other factions start sharing their SP/Plasma weapon secrets.

Just reading through the wiki, the Republic is mentioned as first contacting the Centri cluster in 3580, and the Shallan being new as well. Does that mean Humans, Dro'all, Rovinar, Kavarians, and Krath aren't native to this universe thanks to the exodus?

>>1618561
That would be correct.

Fighting in Nasidum space continues to intensify as more Bonrah forces weigh in. The addition of more carriers to the Allied fleets and the remaining Ceres asteroid forts keeps momentum up. At this rate the fleets might reach the shipyards in another 2-3 weeks. Xygen has begun to transfer heavy cruisers and other forces to reinforce the yards.

Roll 6d100 for J-D front line forces

Rolled 61, 86, 44, 96, 87, 27 = 401 (6d100)

>>1618563
ForbearanceLife.

Rolled 48, 43, 97, 1, 48, 26 = 263 (6d100)

>>1618530
>It could be given a remodel to resemble the command center aboard the Outer Heaven.
The one on OH worked well, so it's probably a decent idea.

Slightly related - is Tes'us eligible for another promotion at this point? Is her House doing okay?

>>1618563

Rolled 88, 33, 75, 23, 54, 20 = 293 (6d100)

>>1618563

rolling

88,86,97,96,87,27
I feel bad for the last guy.

>>1618567
>>1618569
>>1618571

>88, 86, 97, 96, 87, 27

Whoever that last roll was for, didn't get good salvage.

88, 86, 97, 96, 87, 27

Nice, hopefully the good rolls make up for that last one.

The good news is that the Carriers and Forbearance have all either been keeping out of trouble or completely wrecking anything that goes against them. Alex in particular has been trashing the opposition, able to use his ranged and mass fire tactics to their fullest against the increasing opposition.
Avun is also doing well, still managing to rake in salvage.

Drake's fleet has run into more serious trouble. Over extended they were cut off from support by a larger enemy presence trying to surround and destroy them. Alex was able to call in help from the nearest Ber'helum and Helios fleets and all of them rushed to assist Drake, bailing them out before it was too late.

As a result of the fighting the Rioja fleet has taken some serious damage. It will take several days to rotate in additional reserves Drake had set aside. The most badly damaged units will transfer to Medel space to be rebuilt with the remaining stockpiles of salvage she hadn't sold yet. Despite these losses the fleet is still keeping ahead financially.

Majestic remains untouched so while they've been reduced in number they're far from being taken out of action. Other allied fleets have already filled in the gap.
Exact casualty figures will be unavailable until more of the teleport capsules are recovered.

>>1618605
Win some, lose some.

>>1618605
Katherine 'Unable to catch a break' Drake

>>1618624
That is both unprofessional and (imo) uncalled for thought.

We already let one wing commander get branded as a jinx. Let's not brand a knight commander with majestic in heavy combat as one ourselves.

Especially someone from our original command that went thru that gauntlet operation with us

>>1618660
Calm down.

>>1618660
Katherine "Why does this keep happening to me?" Drake then?

>>1618671
Positive thoughts only for mini Winnie

File: dreadnought1.jpg (487KB, 1096x493px) Image search: [Google]

487KB, 1096x493px

Fighting closer to the shipyards is intense and units are being ground down so quickly in some places that Carriers are needing to operate in close support to help with battlefield salvage. The Talos Carriers are proving their worth in this case. Even when the enemy manages to get SP torpedo attacks through, their tough armor and construction can shrug off most hits.

Avun is keeping her ship near Alex's group, while Drake keeps Majestic closer to one of the Ceres asteroid forts.
All three have rolled out the up-armored assault corvettes and other ships they've been keeping in reserve.

With fighting anticipated to enter the system the enemy shipyard is in within days those of you who prepared emergency planning to destroy it are wondering if they can be repurposed. There are special forces, cloaked ships and other assistance standing by. If employed properly they could be used to weaken the shipyard defenses, or those around the Nasidum Capital.

There are also the J-D special forces with the fleets to consider.

1) Do you want to use the special shipyard attack team to weaken its defenses, target the capital, or continue to hold them in reserve for any other surprises?
1A) Weaken yard defenses
1B) Weaken capital defenses
1C) Hold in reserve

2) Use the House special forces to assist in the assault on the yards / mobile forts?
2A) Use them for assault
2B) Hold in reserve or for fleet defense

3) Anything else you wanted to get for your people at the last minute?

>>1618679
>1A) Weaken yard defenses
Yard is what we want. We take it and we can force a peace treaty down Nasidums throat.

However do we have any info about the capital HQ? I am assuming the Nasidum Duke and his command staff is directing the war from there. I mean elsewise we could send in a few recon teams to assassinate him and do what they tried to do back at the Ber'Helum command.

2A) Use them for assault

3. Krath Mercenaries for the infiltration. They owe us after all. Also do the Rovinar still owe us? Cause then I'd say call in that as well.

Besides those two I don't think there is much left we CAN do.

>>1618679
>1A) Weaken yard defenses
>2A) Use them for assault
>3)
Krath assistance in insertion? iirc they said they could spare a ship to drop the teams in.

>>1618679
>1A) Weaken yard defenses
This is what we're here for, after all.

>2B) Hold in reserve or for fleet defense
I'm sure the enemy might try something as well. Let's keep these guys around to watch the fleets.

>3) Anything else you wanted to get for your people at the last minute?
Can we get that Neeran who can predict siege cannon shots?

Also! I forgot to ask! Is it possible for the stolen Well to make it down from the Bulwark front and arrive in the system in time to join the battle? Cause if so then my paranoia is going to increase tenfold.

>>1618691
>do the Rovinar still owe us?
No. They've made a point of making sure that they won't owe you anything if at all possible. Any trades will be paid off in cash not favours. You'd have to put in a lot of effort to get them to owe you anything again.

>>1618692
>Krath assistance in insertion? iirc they said they could spare a ship to drop the teams in.
Your Krath assistance was set aside specifically to help with the destruction of the shipyards. In this case you'd be voting for them to weaken its defenses.

>>1618695
>Can we get that Neeran who can predict siege cannon shots?
No, but good thinking.

>>1618699
Possible, though it was headed for other locations on the Bulwark front at last sighting.

>>1618679
1A) Weaken yard defenses
2A) Use them for assault

>>1618679
>1A) Weaken yard defenses
>2B) Hold in reserve or for fleet defense

I feel like committing all of them after we recruited them to be a contingency plan would be putting all of our eggs in one basket. I mean, I mostly went for the plan in case the offensive went disastrously wrong, so taking some of them off the plan is fine, but we're too close to the goal to get impatient and throw caution to the wind like the commanders at the RH yard who wanted to walk into a trap.

>3) Anything else you wanted to get for your people at the last minute?
Get in contact with everyone we know who's going to be in the attack? Wishing good luck and stuff like that.

>>1618679
>3) Anything else you wanted to get for your people at the last minute?
Allow Drake to use the upgraded cannons on OH.

>>1618679
>1A

>2B (assuming these are SF besides the contingency ones)

>3:
Krath


>>1618769
seconding.

With the planning in place for operations specifically inside Nasidum space you and a majority of those who worked to develop the plan move to help weaken the defenses. Four of the largest contributors to it have Houses now on the front lines and are eager to see an end to the civil war. At the very least if the yard is captured and held it will probably bring about a cease fire for negotiations. Or that is the current hope.

Leadership from the major Houses are informed of the operation and details worked out to ensure everything kicks off at the right moment.

>Get in contact with everyone we know who's going to be in the attack? Wishing good luck and stuff like that.
This takes the better part of a day given that many are rotating in and out of combat operations. Despite the difficulties you see it through.

Avun seems confident, as does Alex despite some nagging worries about Forbearance becoming a target in a large capital ship fight.

>Allow Drake to use the upgraded cannons on OH.
She's happy to hear that.
"We're going to need the extra firepower. I had as many extra salvaged ships brought in as possible so we can switch crews out or get them back into the fight from the teleport receiver ships. Good luck on your end sir."

You promise to try not to trip over the dozens of support officers increasingly crowding the war room.

Roll 3d100 for Infiltration teams and Krath assistance

Rolled 21, 47, 70 = 138 (3d100)

>>1618837

Rolled 27, 77, 6 = 110 (3d100)

>>1618837
>All that salvage we won't get

Rolled 32, 83, 64 = 179 (3d100)

>>1618837

Is youtube loading slow for anyone else?

Having a hard time getting some good music together.

>>1618853
>>1618855
>>1618857
>32, 83, 70

Number on is in for a rough time. I hope others are able to help some.

>>1618865
>Is youtube loading slow for anyone else?
It's working well for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPA2UxiaMs8
Cowboy Bebop - 7minutes

Waiting is a thing you seem to spend too much time doing. Not just here, out in the field it always used to be a problem too. You expected you'd be too busy to worry about it as much, what with keeping an eye on all three of the J-D fleets and your reserve force.

The reserves have been shaped up into a small but effective fighting force. They're ready to move with an hour's notice should anything happen up at the front. You really hope they won't be needed.

Some of the best equipped and trained special forces teams in the Dominion are being sent out. Their insertion vehicles hitching a ride with some Krath ships. That Krath special assistance you'd asked for finally being used probably has their government relieved. Who knows what their response would have been if you'd asked for their assistance in committing a war crime. They might have carried through with it for all you know.

As the front line fleets prepare for the assault on the shipyard you watch for reports from intel on the status of the infiltration.

The first in shows that there have been explosions disabling long range sensors and communications for the facility. Other allied ships should be targeting main com hubs in the surrounding oversector.

Volume of conversation around the war room increases after reports come in of exploding fuel depots near the yard. That was not part of the plan, they should have just been targeting the defensive systems.

A few minutes later it looks like half of the big defense platforms around the station have gone offline. Recon ships estimate they'll be down for at least a day. That's a big enough window for the main fleets to begin their jump.

"Infiltration team two reports mission accomplished. They are beginning extraction. No communication from team one."

>>1619013
... fuuuck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDOiQDvjuuc
LOGH music of your choice here.


Three Ceres Mobile Asteroid Forts are jumped into the system, one of them on the verge of falling apart. With them are a dozen super heavy cruisers eighty heavy cruisers and carriers of different designs and a staggering number of smaller ships.
You can't even get an accurate count at how many thousand are taking part. The Jerik-Dremine contingent alone is more than three thousand ships.

The opening barrage targets the remaining defense platforms as the fleets orient on the stations in system. Multiple asteroid belts, the remains of a late protoplanetary disk, choke much of the system and have been providing material for the shipyards. They also act as cover for the defenders.

Two enemy mobile forts are already present having anticipated the attack, and are moving to defend the shipyard. Though outnumbered it looks like they've sent for reinforcements and more enemy ships begin to arrive by the time the fleet has crippled two of the remaining platforms.

"It seems like the attacks on the communications infrastructure didn't help very much." comments Vanderwal watching the battle in progress.

Nasidum reinforcements are being brought in from all directions to help cover for the lost defense platforms. Even from their capital defense fleet. Intel has spotted what they believe to be 2 more mobile forts on the way.

With your side committing so many of their super heavy cruisers they seem determined to make this the climactic battle of the civil war. Their allies look to be on the same page. House Xygen alone brings in two dozen Zeus class ships, and nearly a hundred allied Barons with their fleets. Elements from House Bonrah take up positions in the shadows of the destroyed or crippled platforms.

It isn't long before the only clear areas in the fighting are the gaps between the big ships on either side exchanging siege weapon fire. Even there, some of the more foolhardy assault corvette pilots are using fire trajectory analysis programs to dodge around the shots, using them for cover to approach the other sides fleet.

Avun has been keeping her fleet out towards the flank, protecting it against enemy reinforcements. Drake is moving to target repair and production facilities in the system supporting Aries assault corvettes. Some are being flown straight out of the shipyards and into battle.

>>1619226
>The Jerik-Dremine contingent alone is more than three thousand ships.
Hotdamn, the greatest expression of our house's rise in fortunes.

>>1619226
Now then, if we didn't have to save our forces for operation Bulwark, imagine just how many ships we could have out there. Although, better that we don't have all our forces at this battle. Should things go tits up. At least we still have a fleet to fall back on that is a part of Bulwark.

>>1619267
shit family thing afk.

>>1619226
Oh boy, here we go.

We need a surprise Helios moment where the Array shows up and blasts some poor ships again.

>>1618660
That overreaction lmao

>>1619307
That would be great, just out of no where, suddenly CANNON! And it starts blasting holes in those forts.

>>1619347
At this point I think I'd welcome any kind of surprise superweapon that isn't Veckron torps.

I'm having trouble getting going again.

If you have any in mind would you post some battle music please?

>>1619711
Battle music for a possible super weapon climactic brawl?
This comes to mind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpnza8u3jjA

>>1619711
A few things to listen too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbEZJVa75MM [Most Epic Battle Music Ever: Into A Dark Dawn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnlHNXCPuPQ [The Final Battle - Epic Orchestral Music]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfl5yuSXL_4 [Agent Tex - Instrumental - Revelation OST]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMe8nMDEXdo [01 warhammer 40000 dawn of war II retribution - relentless war]

>>1619711
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWtG3EkvSJg

With the numbers involved the battle spreads out across the entire system, though much of it remains focused on the existing stations and platforms. It's been awhile since you've seen a fight this big.

Checking closer to the J-D fleets you recognise the forces from a few Houses present. A number of battleships hanging around a newly upgraded Ber'helum super are from House Veritas. Even some of their Willow class sublight ships are present. It seems the two must have worked out a deal.

Some of the weapons fire from the big ships on your side is occasionally drawn away by incoming contacts. It looks like Nasidum has rigged up some of the local asteroids as kinetic kill vehicles. Only rarely do any of them make it through, occasionally impacting the larger forts.

The most damaged Ceres Fort eventually needs to be abandoned as much of its structure has fractured. Heavy tugs and Helios mediums are evacuated and the remaining hulk directed on a slow intercept course with the shipyard. Attempts are made to reinforce it with shield platforms those efforts are soon abandoned. It still serves to act as a suitably distracting target drawing some of the enemy's fire for the rest of the day.

The few times you're able to talk to Alex he reports that Forbearance is unable to maneuver very well due to the need to stay near the center of the fleet group and the other supers. Despite this he'd taken to swinging his formation out wider to help other allied units when possible.

Crazy attempts by engineering forces on either side prove to be an entertaining distraction. The defenders try to use some of their solar collectors and mirrors to focus on a few individual ships. You've seen pirates attempt this and know they don't have nearly enough for the trick to work. Especially against heavier warships.
Antimatter weapons are used to destroy the solar arrays before Nasidum attempt more tests.

Helios engineers attempt to rig a primitive siege array system using the ships evacuated from the asteroid fort. While they are able to fire an impressive streamer of plasma it doesn't have the range of a full sized Kavarian array. They do destroy a few smaller ships with it, but less than they might have firing normally. The mediums are soon after retasked to resume normal gun duty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GSbJkU9Lmw

Drakes fleet are forced back to rearm and repair several times trying to get to the assault corvette yards. Facing pilot losses she transfers her flag to her Vengeance Type Custom to help escort the Outer Heaven in an attack on the smaller yard. It seems she's been keeping it up to date with the latest tech over the years, trading notes with Verilis.

Gathering up help from several other Houses and as many of the faster cruisers she can get her hands on, she punches through enemy lines using mixed tactics. Not slowing down to dog fight with more maneuverable assault corvettes, they keep on pushing, using forward firepower to its fullest. Aided by several Eminence II's mounting afterburners, few enemy commanders are inclined to give chase and have their faces melted off by drive exhaust.
You are glad this is not an inhabited system she's pulling this stunt in.

The Storm cannons on the Outer Heaven prove to be devastatingly effective. Assault corvettes are good tough ships but it seems they're slightly vulnerable to resonance repulsor weaponry. Storm Cannons are so much worse.

Drake's Vengeance type is hanging back just far enough to give covering fire and stay out of the firing arc of the storm cannons.

Watching the remote feeds live you're more than a little concerned about the fate of your ship. Your helmsman does know how to get the most out of it but they're cutting it awfully close. Even using the ramming prow to smash through smaller debris rather than take heavier weapons hits.

"Don't wreck my ship Eko."

"I don't think they can hear you sir." Rufaro helpfully points out.

[ ] "I can change that."
[ ] Hold onto your butts

File: amazing.gif (4MB, 294x220px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 294x220px

>>1620104
>Crazy attempts by engineering forces on either side prove to be an entertaining distraction.

>Nasidium solar death ray
>Helios plasma streamer

This would make a great entertainment show if it weren't for the civil war. Two sides desperately trying to kill each other that they're attempting to scrap together anything possible.

>>1620116
>[x] Hold onto your butts

>>1620116
>[x] Hold onto your butts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKK4KmDlj8U [Jurassic Park - Hold Onto Your Butts]

>>1620116
>[X] Hold onto your butts

truly we have grown much older and wiser; we have learned not to yell at pilots steering incredibly expensive ships through some of the heaviest fighting in the Dominion in years.

>>1620116
>[x] Hold onto your butts

>>1620116
>[ ] Hold onto your butts

The perils of command

>>1620116
Is that the bittenfeld she transferred to? Good to know she's still keeping it in good shape

>>1620644
No, it's a Vengeance Type C. The Bittenfeld is at Rioja I believe.

I was hoping to keep posting through the day today but there's been a change of plans. I'll still try to make a few most from a different location but cant promise how many that will be.

>>1620676
It's cool bro. We busted nuts pretty well this thread so far so no pressure.

I wonder how many millions of lives have been lost to the civil war and I wonder how many hundreds of thousands will die in this one battle.

>>1620989
It's kind of a big loss in terms of people but it's a necessary event. The Dominion will be stronger after this.

>>1620995
Yeah, but still. I remember that one battle against the Neerans where we defended a colony while it evacuated. Neeran War 2nd Tour #10. A battle with some 30 wings, 6 squadrons of BC's, 8 Mediums and 5 Supers.

That battle alone ended up with hundreds of thousands of dead on our side. And here we got a battle that spans an entire system with the better part of the Dominions might brawling it out.

>>1621021
I'm still just hoping nobody starts firing v-torps. It's a bloodbath now but if things escalate the Dominion could lose 50 heavies and supers in a few hours, since I'm pretty sure both sides brought a pretty big chunk of their arsenal.

>>1621027
In a few hours? Try a few minutes. The moment V-Torps go out in one front they will go out everywhere. Both on the Nassidium Super Yards and on the Bulwark frontlines.

>>1621032
Better hope that Helios Anti-veckron Anti-matter torp testing worked out.

>>1621021
At least we can rebuild after this though.

>>1621027
If vtorps are to be used, this is the engagement for it.

>>1621032
Might as well go full war crimes then and . . . . What happens if you V-torp a gravity well anyways?

Or use a gravity generator too close to a planet?

>>1621270
I bet Ber'helum is going to turn off the safeties on one of the Gravity Well Generators and fling it at the Nasidium forces and we'll get to find out all the fun stuff that happens.

>>1621303
. . . . Off?

Also I wonder what happens if you use gravitational weapons in sub-space. Or pump gravity into sub-space.

>>1621310
Probably rips everything apart. I remember something similar when we talked to Linda once, something something terrifying idea.

>>1621343
Veckron Beams?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwhSQI97AlA [Dawn Of War III Trailer Soundtrack]

Despite being on a planet far from the fighting you find yourself hanging on for dear life, watching and waiting to see how Drake does.

The movement of her fleet is disrupting the battlefield on that flank, letting other allied fleets take advantage of the chaos. Contacts are blurring together and combined with jamming by both sides it is increasingly difficult to tell what's going on.

You get your staff working on it to see if they can get any more data. They don't have any better luck than you. The next real indication you get of where Drake's fleet is located is when the assault corvette yard begins to explode.

Several detonations read as antimatter reactions, which doesn't entirely clear up the picture of what's going on. It does indicate that whatever is happening the enemy won't be repairing it in a hurry.

The loss of the assault corvette production facility causes the enemy to begin pulling back from that part of the system. It isn't worth defending wreckage and debris with no immediate value to the larger battle at this stage. They do launch a counter assault in other places, recovering damaged ships that will be easier to repair.

On the other flank, Avun's forces are now a bit more bloodied and have begun to act as a reaction force. They're helping front line units in trouble or that have been cut off. Overall it's shifting the fighting closer and closer to the main yard.

Arguments in the war room are beginning to intensify. Helios wants the fleets big ships to halt their advance at their current range where they're better able to maneuver and take advantage of their larger numbers of siege weapons. Ber'helum wants to push for the yard to end the battle more quickly, especially given signs that an incomplete mobile fort is preparing to launch.

"If we catch them before they get clear of the yard they won't be able to bring their weaponry to bear. We can't give them that advantage."

"Our heavy fleet elements will be too close! Our supers are going to take damage, possibly even losses at that range."

Forbearance is going to be one of the ships put in danger either way. Which plan do you support?

>>1622296

Well we cant really see if Alex is okay with getting in close. So... I hope he and his crew have been practicing evasive maneuvers. Wait... if they get in close the enemy might use Vekrons in the hope of nailing all the Supers at once. Or at least several of them at once.

So for now I say distance might be best for the moment. To avoid giving them a better reason to use Vekrons.

>>1622111
I remember posting an idea for V-Beams once and getting told it would make the Navigators Guild very angry and also kill everyone within 100 meters of firing it.

>>1622296
[x] Helios

Are the Nasidium forces getting desperate yet? If we begin charging VT weapons, would it be possible to force a surrender?

>>1622328
>Are the Nasidium forces getting desperate yet?
Enough that they're preparing to launch an incomplete mobile fort with only half its (potential) weapons compliment, and still missing tons of armor.

>If we begin charging VT weapons, would it be possible to force a surrender?
It would increase the odds of a veckron weapons exchange to nearly 100%.
You can only charge those weapons so much before they have to be launched away from the ship, and once you've charged it it can't be undone.

Dominion knowledge of their use is still roughly about what the Terrans had back in the mid faction wars. Sometimes you won't know if you've charged it enough until you're well past the point of no return.
It's like winding a clock with no way of releasing the tension on the spring.

>I'm looking at you old clock my grandparents never said how much is safe to wind it.
"Yah, don't wind it too much!"
"How much is too much?"
"You'll figure it out."

>>1622296

Time-on-target siege cannon focus fire on the launching fort?

Do we have enough siege weapon advantage to start coordinating siege cannon alpha volleys at enemy Zeus/Heavies/Supers for crippling blows?

>>1622514
>>1622296

Eh, screw it. I'm with B'H on this one. Assaulting will leave our heavier ships vulnerable, but prolonging the battle is going to grind the smaller elements of our collective fleet down.

Heavy warship losses will suck, but capturing the super yard means the ability to repair and replace them.

Longer range means everyone can dodge, and more time for additional forces to join the battle from both sides.

[x] Ber'Helum - Assault

>>1622571
Remember how we handled the situation in the Run though. The enemy had a bigger, heavier mass fleet than us with the supers and the mobile fort.

We had to grind them down slowly over multiple engagements until we could begin the big assault.
Until we can take our their biggest heavy hitters I think we should wait and siege them, something we picked Alex for Forbearance command specifically.

If we get closer we're going to have less time to react if those forts decide to ram.

>>1622296
> Get in close

We'll have a yard to fix those supers in *if we win fast enough*.

Does Helios want a mobile Fort or not?

>>1622328
So you`re saying we need a ship with a 100 meter automated empty firing bay

>>1622296
>Which plan do you support?
Getting supers into a brawl doesn't seem like an great idea. If they they want to push in, I'd say they should do it with the heavy cruisers, most of them are actually built for mid or close range engagements. I'm tentatively going with Helios, although an alternative plan would be preferable.

Wouldn't that incomplete fort be a great target for our remaining special forces?

>>1623281
>If they they want to push in, I'd say they should do it with the heavy cruisers
That is an option. The Dominion is building a variety of heavy cruisers more easily than supers.

>Wouldn't that incomplete fort be a great target for our remaining special forces?
It could if one of your fleets got into boarding range, which would mean bring in the fleets in closer like Ber'helum suggested.

Would anyone want to support the plan of sacrificing the heavy cruisers to inflict damage while keeping the super alive?

>>1623558
I'll support sending in the heavies and keeping the supers back. It isn't the ideal tactical move, but we have to keep the long game in mind. Also slightly worried about potential desperation moves from the enemy if we put our most valuable ships into ramming/fireship range.

>>1623558
>>1623594

Would this sacrifice be to end the battle, or just cripple some stuff?

It doesn't make sense to sacrifice heavies for just crippling the new fort, especially considering the Zeus heavies the other side has.

To end the battle more quickly. That was the whole point behind moving the supers in closer, so its the same for sending the heavies in.

>>1623670
Not thrilled with it, but if it breaks a tie I'll support it.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>1623558
>>1623670

If we do put in our heavies, I guess we lose the right to complain at Drake for damaging the OH.

I'm not thrilled either way. But sending in the heavies might be a better choice than sending in the supers and likely making the enemy panic enough to start firing Vekrons.

1 Send them in/ support B'H plan but with heavies
2 Hold forces at a distance/ Helios plan.

You bring your suggestion to the attention of the bickering leadership.

"That would be an acceptable compromise." Ber'helum admits.

"I can't help but notice that your House does not have any Heavy Cruisers to contribute to such a plan." The Ruling House rep points out, looking in your direction.
"While it would keep your House's sole super out of danger while supporting the Ber'helum plan. You do realise that your allies in the Run Alliance will likely lose their only heavy warships as a result of it do you not?"

"And I'm sure we can find ways to suitably compensate the smaller Houses after the civil war." The Duke interjects.

>What say?

>>1623670
Still for Helios's plan. I don't give a fuck what happens to the super yards since our house wouldn't benefit from their survival.

>>1623716
"Your assessment is certainly correct. However, the main reason for my suggestion was the Dominion's current inability to replace lost super heavy cruisers. In addition to that, many heavy cruiser types are designed for closer combat ranges than our super heavy cruisers and sport better armour and greater structural stability. Despite the recent advances and upgrades super heavy cruisers are still mainly long range platforms for siege platforms."

>>1623716
This whole Civil War has been a god damn shit show. We're aware of the fact if we send in just the Heavies we are likely to lose them. So that means if anyone decides not to put in their one hundred percent and just hang back and let the others do the dying so that they have the strength to claim leadership afterwards. Is just a dick move. (Looking at you current RH) Holding the Supers back means we're not gonna set off a requirement for Vekrons because of massing all the Supers so close together. And most of our Heavies are currently helping at operation Bulwark, or has the current RH rep forgotten that? If he is thinking to pressure us with negative views from our Run Alliance he should know better.

We're well aware of the negative view/ responses we'll get from our allies in the Run Alliance if we sacrifice their heavies here. But they aren't the only ones doing so. So are the countless other minor houses with maybe one Heavy in this battle. If they were afraid we were going to waste their gains with no hope getting any repayment or reward, they would not have helped or joined us to begin with.

If any of our allies lose their heavies here, WE, SONIA, will help them recover/ repair/ rebuild their heavies. And THEY the major houses better think of a good means to compensate these houses for their losses, both in life and fire power.

"We are well aware of this, (insert persons name here from RH), if they weren't aware of the fact they would likely lose their heavies here they wouldn't have sent them."

>>1623757
This is good, supporting.

>>1623757
Yeah, this is a good way to respond. It's a shame to see the Ruling House mad at us, but I guess it was kind of inevitable, and as long as Helios and BH think highly of us the RH is of secondary concern.

I wouldn't say that a heavy has better armor or structural stability compared to a super. We just have a lot more production capability for heavies.

>>1623822
>I wouldn't say that a heavy has better armor or structural stability compared to a super.
A normal super has roughly the same volume as an Ascendancy, only that it's been stretched into a thin 20km long wafer. I really doubt any kind of scientific can make that as structually stable as the brick an Ascendancy is.

Give me a sec to find the image tstg posted that puts an Ascendancy next to a super.

We could send the Forbearance in with the heavies, if we cared what the ruling house thinks.

File: autism.gif (14KB, 1190x800px) Image search: [Google]

14KB, 1190x800px

>>1623874
The buttom part isn't from TSTG, the rest is.

>>1623907
It has always bothered me how thin Kavarian SHCs are.

>>1623907
>>1623952
Which is why most factions including the Dominion have built them up with super structures mounting heavier weaponry.

"Your assessment is certainly correct. However, the main reason for my suggestion was the Dominion's current inability to replace lost super heavy cruisers. In addition to that, many heavy cruiser types are designed for closer combat ranges than our super heavy cruisers and sport better armour and greater structural stability. Despite the recent advances and upgrades super heavy cruisers are still mainly long range platforms for siege operations."

The Ruling House rep sighs in exasperation. "Very well then. As long as we all know what we're getting into."

The Duke draws attention to the big holographic display of the battle.
"Our left flank is still advancing but they won't be able to keep that up forever. We'll strike shortly before they can begin to push back. It should sow enough confusion to let the right flank continue as well. Helios can continue to direct the long range fire in support of the heavy cruiser charge."

You return to J-D station of the war room where your advisors are waiting.
"He did have a point." Says Fadila. "Our allies may be... annoyed by this plan of attack."

"If they weren't aware of the fact they would likely lose their heavies here they wouldn't have sent them."

You prepare a message to be sent to London. RSS will offer to assist in salvage and recovery of Heavy Cruisers crippled here if at all possible. That's going to be expensive but you should have enough money before long. You'll have to hold off on sending the message until after the battle in case of interception.

Several of the heavy cruisers are loaded up with LST's to deploy once they get in closer. A few risk taking along HLV's and Frigates rigged for boarding actions. As many Shukhant class ships as can be spared are sent with them. Their tough armor should help out in the heavy fighting.

>Cont.

>>1623959
>As long as we all know what we're getting into.
Make sure the people on these ships know what's going to happen. Reduce crews to a minimum and make sure to get the Barons or Counts off these ships.
Despite suggesting it I'm not comfortable with this either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1goE6aHyw0 [DS9 - Loop De Loop]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45oFGT7i4xo [Guns N' Roses - Civil War]


The mass of drive flames from engines across the fleet makes it obvious to anyone when the charge begins. A wave of drone starfighters are sent out, launching all of their torpedoes and missiles to help clear the way.

There's no shortage of SP torpedo decoys being used, even by ships and fighters launching conventional torps. Probably to try and exhaust any interceptor missile stores.

Nasidum forts shift their siege weapon fire to the heavies, trying to deal with them before they can get in too close. A Cardinal is struck by so much fire it's nearly washed away. An Archaster and the House Binil Chining are next to go, slowly worn down by fire until they're both crippled and left burning.

"Into the valley of death." muses Vanderwal.

He isn't far off. Most of the medium cruisers are able to evade heavy weapons fire from the big ships, but when it does hit they're lucky if their shields can shrug off a single shot.

Your sides supporting Supers are inflicting plenty of damage on their own with the Heavies drawing much of the enemy's attention. It's hard to tell just how much.

"One of the enemy forts have lost a main gun mount. Some of our fire is getting through." reports an aid.


>And I have to stop here to get ready for work!
Will post more when I get back.

>>1624060
Oh you can't stop there! I just got here and things are about to reach it's climax!

>>1624060
If it makes sense, have the supers follow up at a distance. That way they'll be able to maintain their firing distance and provider S&R for damaged ships left behind during the charge.

Boy I sure hope making this difficult and controversial command decision and sending tens of thousands of people to their deaths doesn't have any negative impact on Sonia's mental state.

>>1624081
Sonia didn't get to roll, so she's not responsible.

>>1624081
>>1624092
I think we all know what Sonia will be doing soon...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kAJOSCyTB0

>>1624104
Yell at whoever had the idea to give all the captured Neeran shrouds away? One or two of these could have made that charge a lot more effective.

>>1624151
We don't have a Neeran to operate them, though.
iirc, even the Krath that boogeyman into Neeran can't operate them properly, and break them?

Side Quest Unlocked: Gain a Neeran follower

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I can barely imagine how smug Che'len will be after this shit show becomes public.

>>1624060
>A Cardinal is struck by so much fire it's nearly washed away. An Archaster and the House Binil Chining are next to go, slowly worn down by fire until they're both crippled and left burning.
Keep dodging!
Form a shield wall, they're not going to miss you anyway.

>>1624582
>shield wall

This worked pretty well for the Run invasion forces due to our limited firepower but they have multiple siege weapons so I think clustering all our heavies together for a shield wall would let them do big dick plays and that would not be a good thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNQRXCFXfkU [The Winter Soldier - Into The Fray]

Nasidum is starting to get a bit more desperate as the wave of heavy cruisers close in on them. Crews on the shipyard begin to blow off docking and construction arms that are taking too long to retract, or are otherwise delaying the launch.

A few more Heavies take enough damage that they're forced to break off. Some of the Mediums help to soak off damage with additional shields. Several of the oldest Shukhants look to be disintegrating, shedding armor and hull additions they've been fitted with over the years, reducing them to much smaller craft.

An Ascendancy fitted with additional shield generators and what is probably an extra shield platform punches through the debris cloud. Unlike most of the others it is still accelerating. An Archaster and a Cardinal stay close to it trying to further reinforce its shields while using it for cover.
The two nearest Zeus seem intent on emptying their magazines covering the trio.

You really hope they're not planning a suicide run.

Both forts closest to the yard seem to not want to risk it and shift all of their fire towards them. It looks to be a bit too late, as with the range scrolling down their largest weapons are having trouble tracking fast enough to hit them. Worst yet any shots that miss have a good chance of striking ships on their own side.

Far too late the Ascendancy crew reverses engines, still hurtling towards the yard at an unhealthy speed. Both escorts try to decelerate as well, with the Cardinal coming about entirely before engaging their drives.
A shield bubble extends itself out ahead of them shortly before collision with the station shield. Both shields light up from the kinetic impact and something on the bow of the Ascendancy explodes. There's a second impact a few milliseconds later and part of the station shields fail.

Maneuvering while still decelerating, the Ascendancy slams into the gap between the yard and the partially completed Mobile Fort. Station sections and starship hulls are crushed and torn open, the old Dominion Heavy screeching to a halt. Despite its size the impact forces the Fort into the opposite side of its slipway, crushing docking arms and driving station sections into its incomplete armor. Neither ship is going anywhere.
Sitting in the internal bay of the Ascendancy protected by the forward shutter, HLVs and LSTs are untouched by the carnage. They quickly unload and begin boarding operations to take both the yard and the fort they've just rammed.

The Archaster and Cardinal shift their course enough to barely miss the shipyard. Sailing past it, both ships find themselves facing the unshielded side of a nearby enemy Super. Their fire takes out two of the siege weapon mounts before the enemy can fully react. This draws more fire away from the other incoming heavy cruisers. The rest use time bought by the distraction to get in close.

This sort of situation is not what the Avalanche was built for. The enormous siege platforms soon begin to maneuver in an attempt to keep some distance from the wave of ships that soon envelope them. The Nasidum and Xygen formation loses cohesion as each of the big ships are seemingly isolated. Despite the chaos the enemy fleet is being throw into the compliment of medium plasma cannons on the forts are still capable of inflicting extensive damage on your side.

"Enemy left flank is withdrawing to regroup with center. Sections are believed to be in full retreat."

"Ber'helum command to heavy cruiser group, prepare to open holes in your formation at timed intervals for focused siege cannon barrage. First barrage in 30 seconds."

You watch the insect like swarms which don't seem to be reacting. The operation counter hits zero and the allied Supers and forts open fire. The Heavy Cruisers and most of the mediums from your side get out of the way in time. The occasional smaller ship does not. Fire hits the Avalanche at the center of the enemy fleet, much of it striking their shields, but at least 8 shots penetrating to strike the hull and disable weapons.

Avun and the other fleet commanders on the left flank are going full out, trying to take advantage of the enemy withdrawal.

You finally manage to get a solid signal from Drake's fleet.
"This is Knight Commander Drake to command. Our fleet and attached allied units are taking a lot of ship losses but we're going to keep pushing. It looks like they're starting to rout."

It looks like most of her crippled ships have been slowly making their way out of the fighting and back to the Majestic.

>Any message you want to get through to Drake?

>>1625727
>>Any message you want to get through to Drake?
Ask if she can spare some of the damaged ships that aren't easy to repair for search and rescue operations, every second counts. And thank her for sparing us the fate of having to tell Winifred she got herself killed.

>1 complete heavy cruiser loss
>3 crippled
>x heavily damaged
That wasn't as bad as it could have been.

>>1625727

Don't make any unnecessary sacrifices. I can't promote you if you're dead.

>>1625727

"Keep up the good work and stay alert, Drake."

Never bring up girlfriends/boyfriends, pineapple salad, notes home, or upcoming birthdays before/during combat operations.

Shit will get you killed.
Sonia has probably done it and lived, resulting in some random bastard across the galaxy getting a piano dropped on them

>>1625727
You're doing a good job, Drake.

Good job, everyone. Good job.
Especially the Ascendancy. What house did it belong to?

I think we should light the Afterburners on all the supers that have them and ram them in.

Have another post mostly done. Will put it up in the morning.

I'll try to resume around 7PM tomorrow.

>>1625795
>>1625727

Seconding.

>>1626051
Since ill be gone all weekend, just want to wish you a happy leafday tstg, and beware the day of the rake

Oh hey it's asteroid day! What a coincidence.

"Don't make any unnecessary sacrifices. Otherwise just keep up the good work and stay alert, Drake."

You get an acknowledgement that the message was received but it isn't worth sending a full response over in the middle of the battle.

Much of the fighting is collapsing back towards the general area of the main shipyard. Smaller scale skirmishing is still taking place through much of the system with either side using the ever present dust to their advantage.

It's becoming more difficult to open clear fire lanes through to the heaviest enemy ships. Damage is still being done, and one of the enemy forts have lost a third of their weapons. Given the time it will take to relocate House Ceres has elected to begin moving their two remaining asteroid forts in closer now. Most of the supers will continue to hang back a bit. Alex takes his fleet out increasingly wide to help provide covering fire to the Ceres forces.

As the asteroid forts draw closer to the fighting discussions at the upper levels now seem to be focusing on whether or not to power up gravity well generators.

A few minutes later sensor reports indicate that a gravity well generator has gone active, though it's closer to the shipyard than any of yours should be.
"Could that be the enemy gravity well we encountered before?" you wonder.

"It shouldn't be sir. Intel tracked it to a location near Feron space, and this one is showing an allied IFF."

Despite this it seems to be the consensus in the war room that it definitely is not yours. Or that seems to be what you're hearing shortly before it slams into one of the Ceres Forts at high speed.

The forward third of the asteroid disappears inward, with the surface of the entire planetoid deforming. It's isn't right to say that it exploded out of the other side of the rock. Instead the opposite side folded inwards towards the tiny singularity, which emerged shortly after. For a brief moment the asteroid was left looking much like a doughnut.

Then all of the rock that had been accelerated by the singularity but not drawn in slammed into itself at high speed. The kinetic energy released by the collision was enough to blow the remainder to pieces. To those watching without the aid of high speed footage it looked like the rock simply exploded, scattering debris along the same vector as the dissipating singularity.

>See you later I'm late for work!

>>1626363
Ouch, did any of the detachable ships manage to escape the destruction of the fort?

>>1626363
I never thought that a policy of "shoot the strange "friendly" IFF on a high speed collision course" would need to be spelled out.

>>1626370
Doesn't sound like it.

>>1626363
Well then. I do not even know to respond to this sudden lose of an incredible large amount of firepower. RIP Fortress.

Now I want to find out if they used their Well to do this, and how. Or if this is a new weapon based upon that. Because if it is then this would be an increadible way to ruin the day of Neeran Commandship

>>1626363
Did they just capture one of our own and ram it? Or is this an older gravity well generator that was thought lost? Either way that's sorta what I had thought would happen if one of them was destroyed while active. Now if we can just weaponize that in missile form, we can have something just as dangerous as a Vekron without the radiation.

Oh, uh, reaction right. Maybe make sure our forces around the grav generators are keeping them safe? And make sure the enemy doesnt have anymore of those things left in waiting hopefully.

>>1626363
ARM VECKRONS

>>1626376
Looks like they took used Well as a fire ship, spinning up the singularity at the last moment.

Rather expensive, but may be cost-effective against mobile fortresses and Neeran city-ships.

Actually, this remind me of my own idea - combine a singularity generator with super-heavy accelerator array.

Finding sweet spot (singularity big enough to not evaporate in mid-flight, small enough to get a decent velocity) would be hard, and it is likely that array itself will need massive structural reinforcement plus integral gravitic control equipment to prevent tidal forces from ripping it apart; But end result would be amazing, as we already witnessed.

>>1626430
>Rather expensive
True. I mean we got offered our first for 500 Million and everyone else for the full price of... Was it 1 Billion? Still, with those kinds of price they are totally worth it as munition if it means crippling a Neeran Command ship. However I AM curious about just how it got through the shield of the Fortress however and if it can be replicated against the Neeran shields.

Also, collective Ber'Helim groaning at this unorthodox use of Gravity Well ships.

This does raise an interesting question. Do Grav well generators actually generate a blackhole with the mass of a planet or do they "simply" somehow stop gravity from bleeding into extra dimensions increasing the perceived amount of gravity a given amount of mass exerts on normal spacetime? The first one breaks some really fundamental laws of physics that would lead to infinite power generation so I'm inclined to believe it's the second possibility.

>>1626453
The ones from the Dominion are supposed to actually generate a singularity. The Terrans are supposed to work on something like the second one you suggested.

>>1626363
Well, uh, at least it wasn't veckrons? Yeah this is real bad news. If they have many more, I wouldn't anticipate many asteroid forts surviving the war, and if the Dominion can't figure out a counter to 'ram it with a grav ship' the value of the forts is going to become much lower.

>>1626437
>>1626430
That is the upside I guess. The Dominion should have a near-monopoly on grav ships for the moment, and I bet the Alliance is going to be ecstatic to have a counter to Neeran cityships other than a million v-torps.

>>1626370
3 of the outer most ones have been thrown clear managing to survive the destruction of the asteroid. They're in rough shape.
Hulls from 2 more may be salvageable.

>>1626380
>Did they just capture one of our own and ram it? Or is this an older gravity well generator that was thought lost?
Unknown, intel is attempting to verify at this time.

>>1626376
>>1626437
>Also, collective Ber'Helim groaning at this unorthodox use of Gravity Well ships.
This tactic had been suggested by a few players.
In setting certain experts in the Dominion had looked at it as a possibility before the start of the civil war.
Having previously written stuff set in the Star Wars NJO era I am somewhat familiar with weaponized gravity wells.

>>1626430
>combine a singularity generator with super-heavy accelerator array.
This has a number of problems that I feel would be difficult -though not impossible- to overcome.
Void Quest had what I see to be the simplest solution: Singularity Torpedoes.

>>1627645
Void Quest also had FTL energy guns with dial-a-yield and dial-a-penetration.

FTL energy guns when?

>>1626363
These nerds always using our crazy plans before we can.

>>1626437
>However I AM curious about just how it got through the shield of the Fortress however
The shield was hit by a mass greater than that of Saturn.

>and if it can be replicated against the Neeran shields.
You can bet someone will test it.

>>1627719
Better start saving up favours with the Rovinar.

After the destruction of the Ceres Fortress the War Room is thrown into chaos. Ships on your side desperately move out of the way to avoid debris from the explosion, and the dwindling singularity.
Fortunately, the J-D contingent is far enough away that they're not forced to go evasive.

You order Alex to make sure that the allied gravity well generators are secure and that enemy teams can't hijack them. He's quick to acknowledge and has Forbearance loop back to a position that gives him a clear line of fire on the main battle and most of the Abyssal Class ships.

Nasidum forces near the center use the distraction to attempt a rally. It's partially successful, helping to build up defenses around the least damaged Avalanche. It doesn't do much to help the shipyard or the rest of their fleet but it's a start, and one they probably hope to expand upon.
They're increasingly able to provide support to their allies among the confused brawl like fight taking place around them.

Your side does it's best to damage or disable as many of the enemy's heavy warships as possible before the rest of their fleet can rally. Both flanks are still collapsing so there remains a good chance of the battle resolving in your favour.

Intel is uncertain if the gravity well generator used in the last attack was a captured ship or one the enemy built as an attempt to copy the technology. If it's the latter then who knows how many more they might have.

House Ceres announces they've begun to evacuate the remaining asteroid and it isn't long before the Helios mediums detach. Each of them pulls back but remains within the asteroid's shield envelope for protection. SRL Fast Battleships, escort carriers and transport craft soon begin to depart, many carrying escape pods on their hulls.

Ceres then uses their now largely evacuated fort to crash through the enemy fleet groups that had formed up, taking the brunt of the incoming fire. The Avalanche is able to evade with repulsors but two Zeus attempting to provide cover fail to do so.
Ceres ships following in the asteroid's wake punch through to the interior of the formation hitting support ships and that that were attempting to take cover for repairs. The enemy center once more begins to disintegrate.

Fire from your sides super heavies manage to cripple one of the more badly damaged forts, further weakening enemy morale. Duke Ber'helum orders the activation of all gravity well generators not wanting to waste time debating over it.

As soon as the wells power up one surrounded fleet group on the right flank quickly begins to broadcast surrender signals. Those on the left flank and many from the center have a more direct path of retreat and sections start to desert.

"House Xygen fleet is disengaging. Repeat House Xygen fleet elements are disengaging."

[ ] Pursue
[ ] Let them go

>>1628131
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyDKezDLGTM [Sergei Prokofiev - Battle On The Ice]

>>1628123
Well... it wasn't Jupiter scale?

>>1628131
Have some ships in reserve follow to make sure they don't double back and spring an ambush? Basically just escort them away at a safe distance.

>>1628131
Let 'em go. It will make the negotiations a much bigher headache for the major houses, and they really deserve that.

>>1628168
>Well... it wasn't Jupiter scale?
It might not have reached full power.

File: 158815.jpg (31KB, 326x326px) Image search: [Google]

31KB, 326x326px

>>1628183
Joy.
Can't wait until some crazy fuck makes building them cheaper and everyone's just throwing these around willy nilly anytime a Super shows up.

>>1628131
[x] Send them a message
See if we can cut a deal with them? If they change sides the consequences will be lessened for their house, and there might not be a need for us to crusade straight through their space.

>>1628131

[x] Pursue

At the very least, they need to be harassed off the field.

Ideally, they need to be harassed in their withdrawal to Xygen space, or at least far enough that they can't rally and rejoin the fight.

>>1628193
Now you know how the Terrans feel.

>>1628131
>[ ] Pursue
Don't toss half the fleet at them, but send enough to make their defeat sting a little more. I think this battle has decided the war in our favor, now we can start kicking them while they're down. The harder we hit them today, the better our position will be during negotiations.

Also still a little shook from the grav ram. Honestly it sort of seems like being a counter to any super is more useful than their actual intended role.

>>1628292
Haha just wait until five years from now, when we find out that grav ships do atrocious damage to subspace.

>>1628131
[x] Pursue

salvage.

>>1628131
Let them go.

>>1628368
Oh I would laff

>>1628131
>[X] Pursue

>>1628196
You do not have the authority to cut such a deal, and they are unlikely to suddenly turn on Nasidum and risk losing more ships. At least not without lengthy negotiations with your side first. Those will take days.

Xygen at this point seems inclined to a ceasefire.

Getting a ceasefire at this point would be better for them in the long term. They don't lose any more big fleets and have a reasonably good negotiating position. It also allows you to focus your efforts on Nasidum.

Pursuing them would weaken them and give your side a much better bargaining position in post war negotiations. It would also get millions more on your side killed.

You order Avun to Pursue the nearest fleeing Xygen fleet elements.

Roll 3d100

>>1628461

Are they ceasing combat operations and broadcasting cease fire offers?

Or making a fighting withdrawal?

>>1628490
That that are under fire are conducting a fighting withdrawal.
Those not in immediate danger have ceased fire and are recovering fighters. Most are changing course in preparation to jump out system.

Rolled 86, 7, 64 = 157 (3d100)

>>1628484
Let's hope she doesn't get some of that Drake luck.

Rolled 78, 30, 92 = 200 (3d100)

>>1628504

If they aren't broadcasting surrender/cease fire, fire at will.

Rolled 39, 24, 56 = 119 (3d100)

>>1628509
>>1628521
>>1628534
>86,30,92
Whoever is middle is going to have a bad day.

>>1628549
One can only hope they don't have to bad a day.

>>1628588
If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled

Avun's fleet continues to pursue the retreating Xygen forces with several allied fleets aiding her. Nearly a third of the forces on that flank are soon in pursuit while the rest continue to help with the fighting against Nasidum.

The Xygen heavy cruisers come about unleashing a barrage of siege cannon and torpedo fire to help cover the other retreating units. It slows the pursuit forces momentarily and disrupts their formations, but does little damage against the more valuable ships.

The heavier warships resume their retreat now that the units of smaller craft have been given time to reform into coherent groups. Still the heavies keep firing their torpedo batteries as though trying to shed excess mass to make their escape easier.
When the pursuing allied units catch up they find themselves clashing with better prepared opponents than what panicking Nasidum pilots were offering.

It becomes clear very quickly which J-D pilots and officers are the best of the best, and which ones are not. Elite Xygen units tear through the lesser skilled pilots with ease. The top rated veterans hold their own or in some cases out perform. The losses aren't something your people can take for long.

Avun makes the decision to strip most of the defense squadrons from her carrier and sends them to their aid. It's enough to save the flagging units buying them time to break off an retreat. It also keeps the enemy elites distracted while your allies engage other units, some not as well disciplined.

It's a messy costly affair but Xygen is taking losses they cant afford either. Allied squadrons break through and mange to attack several of the heavy cruisers with antimatter warheads. You spot a few detonations a bit too close to your side once the enemy begins to focus fire on the torpedo carriers.

Half of the Xygen heavy assets are disabled or forced to surrender by the time the bulk of their fleet begins to jump. It looks like most of their drone carriers escaped. Some of their elite units, partially depleted, also manage to get away.

You get a message from Avun.
"I hope it was worth it."

>>1628957
That was me.

Got Saturday and Sunday off, but don't know what my family has planned. So who knows what my posting schedule is.

>>1628957
Same Avun. Same.