#Battlegroup 11 - Pathfinders: Comms

1 messages · Page 3 of 1

woeful nimbus
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@minor ibex there’s an LM looking for a recon/hunter killer group to join, now that we’re definitely with NPC ships can we consider him? Could be a good QRF for our units in a pinch?

sharp stag
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An LM may be useful, that’s got a bit of long range AT punch right?

twin talon
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not really range 1 D4

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some other stuff but that requires rec, the benefit of a LM is they can run through/over enemy units and do evasive

sharp stag
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Fair, had to check stats again, I’m thinking it depends on how they want to operate said mech.

twin talon
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not trying to rain on a parade or anything but LM's in a mobile lance with evasive is awesome from my (rookie perspective) but it's not what we can provide I wouldn't say no to more firepower but they're prolli a better fit somewhere else

gray lagoon
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Personnally feel like 2 Light mechs on evasive working together is a good bet.

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Let me find the example...

sharp stag
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Looking forward to seeing the example, and then can we find another mech to join the one already considering joining us

gray lagoon
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#midround-events message Proof in question.

gray lagoon
hybrid sable
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Unit activation is officially closed, now, so the chance of getting another is... slim

gray lagoon
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Word is they manage to distract a number of enemy forces. Letting our units get closer to the walls.

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Sky81 died, but the AMOUNT OF FIRE THEY TOOK. LIKE LOOK AT THE DICES.

image.png
stable pine
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Evasive is strong

twin talon
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I agree at +3/-2 your tanking 75% of d4's with a 50% hit rate ! but on their own or even with another your looking at being knocked out or having to retreat pretty early with a lance of 4 your looking at being able to go and fight much longer

gray lagoon
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That is 5 units distracted, 6 if you count the AA

image.png
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So, imagine 2 light mechs on evasive together.

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They should stand a pretty good shot at sticking it out alive.

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God it throws me back to look at the C3 midrounds.

gray lagoon
sharp stag
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Fair, if he was able to get in then great, good to read up on how they have worked in past this morning.

Even if for this campaign there is just the one, we keep him alive and think long term that they get req for this campaign and we all are in a better footing for the future campaigns

hybrid sable
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Operation: Protec Da Squish

twin talon
# gray lagoon I find 2 light mechs together sufficient, but more ain't bad.

Across 6 rolls to get a kill (2 rolls of 4) it's 29% with a lance of 2 it's 14% with a lance of 4 it's impossible, your at 1 roll with a 25% hit rate, a lance of 4 requires your lance to be shot 8 times to risk being taken out and your looking at a 6% chance. I agree with lightfall and you all I'm saying is light mech wants a lance to be scary

gray lagoon
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a lance ?

twin talon
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a group of mechs sorry battletech language

gray lagoon
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Ah, okay

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Ay, talking of light mechs, hey MrBlue 👋

twin talon
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that's presuming a d4 a d6 changes things

gray lagoon
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Advocating for the supremacy of light mechs here 💪

copper lynx
tired stirrup
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Morning Pathfinders! New LM player here looking for a BG, I like the idea of supporting a surgical strike/recon unit, but I see you dont have any LM's. If you decide you have a use for LM's let me know, please and thanks in advance.

gray lagoon
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Wait I'm trying to understand for a minute (not for you mrblue, for pathfinders)

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So, you guys are a recon BG, correct ?

twin talon
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Recon/Objective focused BG as far as I understand

hybrid sable
gray lagoon
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Good, so, ideally, you guys would want units with the evasive order, as they may not inflict damage, but they will be more protected and be able to go further in for recon, yes ?

sharp stag
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Agreed, I think we want you Mr Blue.
Running evasively and feeding info back to higher would be awesome

gray lagoon
hybrid sable
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We don't know why Southpaw didn't include LMs on the list of desired units originally. Most of us currently here (+me) like the idea of LMs in the group, but it just wasn't on the unit list and that never got changed

twin talon
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sure but a lone mech risks being taken out, I'd fight for whoever was in the BG but I don't want to recommend this group without other LM's as the best possible option it's not "don't join" it's "try to find other LM's but if you can't I'd love to have you"

gray lagoon
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I honnestly never questionned or gave a big thought to "pathfinders no LMs" because I, just, didn't think about it too much

stable pine
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Remember, you can join wherever you want and nobody can really stop you

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lol

gray lagoon
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But now that I see a light mech and remember the "no light mech" I went "wait... wait what why" 🤣

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Anyways, questions for southpaw.

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As for if MrBlue should join as a light mech, up to you lads I guess ? x)

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I'm just an Iron Hammer fellow. =w=

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
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I need a popcorn emote or something lol

gray lagoon
gray lagoon
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Won't lie if you want a show join the Iron Hammer comms (not the battlegroup, we're full and aren't what you wish for), we do have a pretty good amount of fun memes and gambling lol

hybrid sable
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Can confirm: they are fun

sharp stag
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In absence of South specifically clarifying. Mr Blue it appears from what I’m reading that BGs can express a preference, hence what we’re confused about. But I don’t think we’re barring you.

I’m inferring that the idea was that any LMs looking to join may be more strategically needed on a larger group of other LMs? Or that we didn’t expect the interest?

One thing I’m curious about is about the logistical upkeep that would be needed to support an LM operationally. Mr Blue? Would you know?

gray lagoon
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There's twice as many people in our comms then there are people actually signed up.
We really are a bunch of odd fellows 🤣

gray lagoon
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(seems important)

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
tired stirrup
stable pine
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Welcome to Meta, lol

hybrid sable
stable pine
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We talk... very fast

sharp stag
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Sweet, then you’ve got my vote for being happy to have you, mostly evident benefits that I don’t think will put us in a pinch for anything. Likely the same or better speed than our IFVs/truck/VTOLs

gray lagoon
sharp stag
twin talon
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I hope I haven't come across as not wanting to have you on board ! If you joined up you'd be doing good work I suspect and we certainly could use you, you'd just be taking on more risk than if you had other LM's with you because of how evasive works

hybrid sable
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I assume we'd have you scouting with our Light Vehicle and possibly, occasionally, raiding groups of light units with our VTOLS, but you might be asked to take point on the scouting since you do have the evasive action and 1 armor

tired stirrup
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I feel like yes, a LM(or a few more if theres room) would fit the intent of the BG mission statement/mesh well with existing BG composition, but yes, being the lone unit does put me in situations where I would be an easy sole target. No I havent felt like you are expressing an opinion that I am not needed/wanted/would be a bad fit for the BG

gray lagoon
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He gets it !

copper lynx
tired stirrup
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Well, if the Pathfinders will take a LM you've got one, someone has to be the first, and hey, even if I die I still get paid.

hybrid sable
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This is true. Please be sure to list any designated dependents and beneficiaries on your waiver form, and welcome to Pathfinders!

twin talon
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We've got 2 Light Vehicles as well who you can move with ! plus 2 (probably overworked) engineers so your in good hands honestly light mechs and infantry are probably some of the toughest units in the game if played right. The only thing to remember is probably to stay in evasive and as you do recon by face tank

gray lagoon
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...note the light mech might get focused since it has armor if ennemies have AT

golden vector
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Kobold in hard hat looks up after placing minefield

gray lagoon
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if you bunch light vehicle & light mech together i mean

hybrid sable
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2LVs?

twin talon
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oh sorry only 1

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I coulda swore we had 2 my bad

hybrid sable
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You can leave the Unit Type and everything empty for now, MrBlue. We'll ask Southpaw about things when he gets back

tired stirrup
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perfect

tired stirrup
sharp stag
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I’m thinking it was, but now you mention it I’m curious if hound can confirm

hybrid sable
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Yes, this was MrBlue showing up in meta-comm.

pseudo cape
woeful nimbus
# tired stirrup Was this me?

Sorry for the delay plane shenanigans, but yeah this was you I’d like you on board, even as a VTOL I want to give our infantry lads as much help as we can

minor ibex
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Yup. I even started making a baseline spreadsheet in preparation for when this current game ends. =w= Still WIP, but I'm saving it to finish later wen I'm not so busy.^^;

image.png
tired stirrup
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So, correct me if I'm wrong, but Pathfinders is moving at ground S2 towards the crossroads, mopping up opportune objectives on the way, once we're dirtside at the spaceport in Elim City week 2?

minor ibex
low wagon
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Welcome aboard, MrBlue -w-

tired stirrup
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Thank you thank you! Glad to be working together!

granite wasp
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our skirmish potential is growing!

hybrid sable
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Southpaw! Hi, Southpaw.

Yes, MrBlue: the plan is currently to move towards Crossroads with or ahead of the main assault force, then split off from there towards Nerys Village (or other objectives as they appear)

minor ibex
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Hey~! Sorry, I'm in the middle of DnD. So my responses would be sporadic.^^;

gray lagoon
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Also made an RP post in iron hammer comms (here #1383066706724913293 message), pinged you with it whenever you're free to check it out and read ! =w=

sterile basalt
gray lagoon
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And also if you don't make the Mutalett support program public, I will, because it's a great fun idea & roleplay tool ! 👀

tired stirrup
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If you stick me on our right flank kinda ish where Moths callsign is on the provided diagram for Combat Formation Form 5, I can move using an Evasive order at the same speed our IFV's are moving normally. Which would have our Logi Trucks on the inside of a harder target.

minor ibex
gray lagoon
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YAAAAAAAY :D

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oh wait hold on I mean

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YAAAAAAAAAY >w<

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Sorry, need to adapt to Pathfinders speak, I'm used to normal one <.<

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(also i beg go and read my rp southpaw when you got time because it includes your shiny mutalett program =w=)

sterile basalt
gray lagoon
minor ibex
gray lagoon
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Good to know. :D

sterile basalt
gray lagoon
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confirm

pseudo cape
minor ibex
gray lagoon
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I swear, you're gonna switch thoses notifications off, and enjoy that dnd session, or there will be ABSOLUTELY NO CONSEQUENCES ! >:(

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Wait fuck what's an angry emote in pathfinder speak ?

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Uhhh

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:3 ?

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:3 then.

pseudo cape
gray lagoon
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I've already counted it as such.

hybrid sable
gray lagoon
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SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE !

pseudo cape
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... cute.

golden vector
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Hehehe

minor ibex
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Updated formation. =w=

Pathfinders_Form_6.png
golden vector
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We. Are. Speed.

pseudo cape
hybrid sable
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Well, I am the fast, so it counts.

pseudo cape
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... BG3, BG9, BG14 are all logistics-majority BGs and are all the fastest-

hybrid sable
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But I am the fast, so it counts.

pseudo cape
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... in theory, BG14 could be Speed 7 if they ditched the VTOLs. Less flexible, though.

hybrid sable
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Ah, but you see: I am the fast. So it counts.

pseudo cape
golden vector
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Lmao

minor ibex
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Sorry everyone. Nevermind that last poll I just deleted. Turns out a couple of the other BGs already called dibs on the offered transports by the space otters. So NPC transporting us to the surface as usual. My bad...^^;

ashen crystal
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Of course they call dibs. Anyone can call dibs it’s just who can enforce it

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Which just means GM’s discretion

pseudo cape
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I mean... Do you really want to fight a mechanized INF brigade and an INF division?

ashen crystal
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It’ll be easier once they get black lung from being in those holds

stable pine
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To be clear, Rabbit has 3 infantry total. I wouldn’t call us mechanized inf? Lol

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We have more mechs than we have ground infantry (including medics and engis) combined

copper lynx
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Hmmm ._?

hybrid sable
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Honestly I'd rather leave the civvie haulers to more combat-oriented battlegroups anyway. Orbital landings are conspicuous af and don't come with good lines of retreat: if we dropped anywhere but Elim we'd be drawing every bot in the strat zone without a good way back to friendly territory. Better to prowl around dirtside

sage frigate
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Assuming, of course, that we get caught slinking behind enemy lines.

sterile basalt
stuck galleon
sterile basalt
sage frigate
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As long as an enemy orbital isn't on the same high orbit, it should be fine.

minor ibex
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Heh, I managed to make a rogue that can roll 30s on stealth checks. My group loves to joke whenever he nat 20s, "not even the gods know where he is." XD

copper lynx
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RP Post

Shizuki: geez... how many paperwork are there? I trained for combat not this... should I grabbed someone to do this for me...? nah I been going too hard on them yesterday, maybe this my punishment... sigh

pseudo cape
minor ibex
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Yeah, I think one of my other players has a high perception character as well. =w=;

copper lynx
sterile basalt
minor ibex
sterile basalt
sage frigate
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Alternatively, Vicious Mockery.

sterile basalt
copper lynx
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"who's in the right mind gonna drop in broad daylight anyways?"

sterile basalt
torpid herald
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Alpha-2 side shuffles holding up tree limbs

minor ibex
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Amongst other things. >w< My character is level 7 Rogue Scout, and Level 5 Artificer Armorer. And also 3/4ths Tabaxi with Dark Vision, Cat's Claws, and Feline Agility. That doesn't even account for his Longbow proficiency, Boots of Elven Kind, Hat of Disguise, and Infiltrator Arcane Armor.

The dude can shoot at you from across the map with advantage, then disappear (with advantage!) for the rest of the turn, then reappear again just to shoot you a second time before repeating the cycle all over again. XD

sterile basalt
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I wish there was a rogue build that just went all in to two weapon fighting and AC. Dual wielding shortswords is cool, and dodging with them is just the best thematically.

torpid herald
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God i need to get into a DnD group...

minor ibex
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It's good fun when you find the right group.^^

torpid herald
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True, if only mine would stay together

arctic socket
sterile basalt
arctic socket
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It's the callsign that makes most sense for me :p

arctic socket
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Alongside a few other things that they got from wild magic

sterile basalt
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Of course you’re a sorcerer too! I bet you always use bend luck

arctic socket
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Such as:
+2 to int, wisdom and strength
Another +2 wisdom
Advantage to sleight of hand

arctic socket
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I'm kinda a spirit that's way more powerful than it realises (Who was also literally created an IC day or two before the campaign started)

sterile basalt
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Truly a gambling addict.

arctic socket
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Wild magic happens whenever I roll a 1, 3, 7 or 20

sterile basalt
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HOLY!

arctic socket
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Or every 7 times my character uses magic

sterile basalt
arctic socket
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Yeah, and then pair that with earlier on the campaign, someone planted a magic bean they got from a nat 20 perception roll when they were looking at some random field, and what we got was a tree with fruit that would cause more wild magic, and it ended up being tied to my character so they can just create them whenever they want

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Oh yeah, did I mention that our party has a deck of many more things and like, 8 more magic beans?

restive compass
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Has the campaign started yet? I was afk all of today but it seems there's been quite a buzz. My brain's too tired to read through 100+ messages lol

sterile basalt
restive compass
arctic socket
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Possibly the funniest thing to happen with the beans was when the person that planted them had a skeletal version of themselves rise from the ground and they had to fight that skeleton, and from killing the skeletal version of himself, he got 50ft of rope

sterile basalt
restive compass
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Meta Campaign > Sleep

sterile basalt
arctic socket
restive compass
arctic socket
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So they got 50ft of rope from killing themselves

restive compass
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Turns out the humans body not only drops xp, but rope

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and lots of it

sage frigate
copper lynx
sterile basalt
sage frigate
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The fun of naming your units.

IMG_20250621_103815.jpg
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"There's an unknown on the radar... It's One of Ours!"

torpid herald
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Just reminding me of Mercenaries

hybrid sable
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Trawling the deep archives via Discord scroll glitch and finding these gems

copper lynx
twin talon
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My understanding of the rules leads me to think that with the way LOS works we won't have stealth at all without lots of teamwork, what's more we're up against Orbital Drop troops which means at any point in time we can face what seem to be power armoured infantry. I think a lot of the stuff you ended up choosing will work though for a few reasons.

  1. IFV are great escorts and can provide mobile fire power that with dug in infantry can help hold chokes and stop enemies advancing.
  2. IFV's are going to be essential to protect our logi's because if they get LOS on them they can drop troops from orbit anywhere which means to protect them we need something to take a punch and put themselves in-between the drop troops and the logi or civi's.
  3. IFV's may be as slow as a tank but they're faster than infantry and rushing can move at speed 4, this means that LM's are great paired with IFV's because they can put themselves between anything trying to attack the rushing IFV's in evasive to protect them when they need to get out of dodge.
  4. Stealth is a tag, you have it or you don't, the only unit with stealth in our BG is razor who is spec forces, if we're splitting it's them and literally everyone else I don't know if that's a good idea. However while we don't have stealth we have a ton of speed and durability, every single one of our INF units has transport meaning we can leap frog and set up overlapping fields of fire on anyone that want's to fight us. We can also just leave, when it comes to Objective focused play we're really well set up to do it, by pinning enemy forces with IFV's and flanking with our VTOL's we can fight if needed but more importantly we can get to Civilians quickly defend them, get them to orbit 4 VTOLs at a time and then bail. We also have our own engies and medics so we can have sustainability as well as a ton of small supplies so we can also do logi work in a pinch.
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  1. With 4 Vtol's and the rest of the task force we can hold and fight from 5 different points creating some really nasty cross fires and 4 of those points we can hold knowing we can just up and leave, holding a hex to get LOS on the surrounding tiles with a dug in infantry unit * 4 means we can cover potentially 68 hexes I think with the Vtols alone, that's good recon.
  2. We have some kobolds (I think sorry if I got that wrong) that got their grubby mits on Ion mines and we have a TON of supplies, we get into their back ranks we should be setting them up literally everywhere we go.
  3. We got a good group by the looks of it who want to play sneaky objective focused stuff we should probably avoid fighting but getting objectives accomplished will involve some fighting and we have a lot of really fun tools, with razor we can certainly do really interesting scouting missions.
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I hope I don't come across as an asshole or whatever just I think we can do sneaky stuff just not STEALTH other than razor who we should be helping

hybrid sable
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Well, we're really hoping that Victorium can secure space above us, which should minimize ODT. Wasn't really adding this to continue the debate (it's literally pointless since signups have closed): just to show what the original reasoning was.

gray lagoon
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Huh.

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Uh...

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I wished I saw that earlier but I guess I didn't read everything, dates from 10 days ago.

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...still gonna answer now kek.

twin talon
gray lagoon
# hybrid sable

"why not light mech"

  1. Weeeelll, actually, not really...
    You see, the light vehicles that you agree to take on have a much, much better gun. Range 2 (1 more then the light mech) and rapid fire for hordes, and to avoid aggroing ennemies, wouldn't you want a gun with smaller range, say, the range 1 a light mech has ? And as long as the LM are aware of the recon nature of the operation & the risks, I don't see a problem with it.

  2. ...neither does light vehicle. Neither have the stealth tag in the rules. Yeaaaahhh... And I'd even argue since the light vehicle has a bigger range for firing, they'd be more likely to aggro the ennemy then the light mech with 1 range, meaning engagments being avoided more easily with a light mech due to their lower range.

...sorry for being late on the message ? 😅

tired stirrup
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Reads new posts Oh. Uh.

gray lagoon
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I think Southpaw didn't really understand stealth and the difference between a light mech and a light vehicle back then (it may and hopefully have changed since then), but I still think of the light mech as the ultimate recon tool in my eyes.

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Armor, speed, evasive. Less range and damage sure, but for recon work, pretty damn good.

twin talon
gray lagoon
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I feel kinda guilty now for that :s

hybrid sable
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I think we could get some really good info from Account by sending him forward in a VTOl to just outside visual range of enemies and having him do his sneakyboi things. Certainly we wouldn't have to worry about them catching up

gray lagoon
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So, @tired stirrup, how do you feel having sparked a big light mech debate in Pathfinders now ? 🤣

hybrid sable
gray lagoon
twin talon
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nah its gonna happen in a game like this it is what it is c'est la vie and yeah sending Account ahead and then giving them cover by drawing a lot of attention by punching the bots and running away will def be pretty fun hahaha

gray lagoon
hybrid sable
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I mean I'm hoping they don't punch anyone, sicne they don't have the FS to wipe anything but logi trucks, but they are good for scouting

woeful nimbus
twin talon
hybrid sable
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OOOOOooooohhhhhh yeah that would be fun
VTOL morphs into a medium mech with melee equipment Blackout-style

tired stirrup
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idk if we're having a good time or if I should be concerned

twin talon
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a lil bit of both probs, pref a whole bunch but at a minimum both haha

hybrid sable
woeful nimbus
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Honestly blue we’re very happy to have you on board, don’t worry about that stuff changes round here all the time, while the original doctrine may say no LM’s we’re glad to have you now

sage frigate
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Since we got nothing better to do by discussing BG structure, how should the BG be structured next campaign into a proper Stealth recon force?

twin talon
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Yea, again the original discussion was just, "theres no other mechs your gonna take extra risk" not "LM's shouldn't join"

twin talon
stable pine
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An important thing to keep in mind is that BGs are not the same campaign to campaign

sage frigate
hybrid sable
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It's me, except I'm SpecOps, and it's all of you, except you're SpecOps

sage frigate
hybrid sable
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And hopefully we get some way for VTOLs to see where they're going, like an equipment upgrade or a half-speed Scout action

twin talon
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honestly stealth vtol is a brutal trade you lose your armour and your nose gun for being able to be seen from 2 tiles rather than 3

hybrid sable
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And if you can drop infantry from 3 away instead of 4 away without being seen it's actually incredibly powerful

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What hurts slightly more is actually the loss of FS capacity

twin talon
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I mean there's a good argument for having power armor in a stealth BG because they're really good at really quickly setting up a picket line and forming a road block for spec ops to retreat through plus you can fit 2 of them in a standard vtol or IFV.

hybrid sable
#

has a stroke

twin talon
twin talon
# hybrid sable *has a stroke*

This may kill you but a HVTOL with a IFV and 2 PA sounds crazy useful for a stealth recon group to me but maybe that's an extra spicy take haha

woeful nimbus
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I mean this does hold merit, every stealth force needs to have that QRF for when things go awry, and having some normal VTOL packing PA infantry can have that holding power

twin talon
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but a vtol, rappelling and 2 pa for instant deploy of of a scouting force would be dope af !

hybrid sable
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I don't think that's a stealth recon group. I think that's a "f u this is my land now" group

twin talon
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Listen if you can see them your doing recon and if your enemies are squinting through a black eye it's easier to be stealthy

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plus "Recon by Fire" is a literal real life tactic

hybrid sable
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"they can't see you if they're 💀"

gray lagoon
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But I do agree in the statement that "the majority of BGs are not the same campaign to campaign"

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Some ideas may persist through (accepting everyone, VTOL-powered BG, armored-focused bg etc) but not the finer objectives 👀

stable pine
hybrid sable
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Is it ambitious of me to hope for a logi truck upgraded with an AA turret? Which appears to be one of the few AA options without a non-reloadable ammo count?

gray lagoon
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Looking at C3 compared to C4, I think only 1-2 battlegroups made it again ? I don't have the exact count i'm typing instead of eating rn and i'm starving

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But yeah. We'll see.

tired stirrup
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I mean, you also just got a huge injection of new players that only had 1 req and will get 4-5 depending on how this goes yeah?

twin talon
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The AA turret is really cool, the AA tank is also pretty cool

hybrid sable
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Although deploying upgraded units is very risky if you're not confident you'll survive: it would take 2-5 normal missions to make that back if you lose it once

twin talon
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I think the cost of things is pretty silly atm, everything is so crazy expensive like jump packs being as expensive as a full refit comes off a little annoying

tired stirrup
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I think if the BG got enough HVTOL to move the IFV's the BG could move quite a bit faster

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3 req to turn my LM into a bad melee mech

hybrid sable
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Well, we can't nest the infantry in the transported IFVs, so we'd also need a crazy amount of normal VTOLs

gray lagoon
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Would advise against heavily HVTOL BG

tired stirrup
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6 req to turn it into a funny jj/logi mech

gray lagoon
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As after a HVTOL has done it's job, it's either:

  1. Pickup your boys back again, either when they're wounded, or need to go
  2. Get yourself some large supply, somewhere, somehow
  3. Idk play poker or something.
twin talon
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Yeah though I think air mobile infantry is way more important, the IFV's aren't there to move fast they're there to keep inf alive and move them around

gray lagoon
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Really, VTOL can be used as effective transport in large numbers due to how they can have multiple missions.

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HVTOLs ? Well, if you look at our numbers of HVTOLs in the campaign which is of 6, you can guess why no one wants to play them along with what I said 😅

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(+ add in the C3 fiasco and I'm honnestly pretty sure we'll only see the HVTOLs number stay stagnant, or even decrease next campaign 😅)

tired stirrup
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Well, because a BG has to exist on the same map, if we dont have a way to move the IFV faster than S2 we'll never be a rapid anything

gray lagoon
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Ngl Speed 2 is plenty of speed

hybrid sable
#

I think they (HVTOLs) should get a couple of extra options to drop fixed defenses. Why should ALVs be the only ones to get deployable turrets?

gray lagoon
#

When you know that a big majority of the playerbase plays infantry, and thus not everyone can get their infantry motorized/mechanized/moved by SOMETHING, having speed 2 seems like a pretty good thing already, speed 3+ is overkill for strategic map so far, in my eyes

twin talon
hybrid sable
#

Storm would disagree with you. But then again, they are Storm

twin talon
#

storm has mbts haha with HVTOL but they bring the thunder with em

gray lagoon
#

fuck me with my thinking hvtol belong to the logi bg.

twin talon
#

let the HVTOL be free I say ! Air Mobile Vehicle Core ! but also I'm keen to see Storm Blessed in action

twin talon
tired stirrup
#

If we had the HVTOL to move a few linch pin armor units and SpecOPs VTOLs to carry Stealth SpecOPs we'd be a lot closer to a forward recon unit, as is we're a pretty nasty mechanized infantry BG

twin talon
#

I think the only thing I'd add is that Mech INF is forward recon so long as it is Forward and doing recon which sounds obvious but you don't have to be elite super special forces to do recon

hybrid sable
#

It's why I pushed for us to make for Nerys: once we get our infantry dug in it's pretty bloody hard to dig us back out

tired stirrup
woeful nimbus
#

Even getting cut off, although bad we have 4 VTOL capable of doing logi runs through the air corridor to Elim

tired stirrup
#

I was under the impression BG elements cant leave the map like that

twin talon
#

if we get into their back lines and set up 10 or 20 ion mines we'll be doing a lot of work plus it's really hard to cut us off seeing as how mobile we are and we have access to orbit through VTOLS so to cut us off they have to own space AND the air

hybrid sable
#

Nerys won't be a major stronghold. There's not enough there: if they were going to fortify, they'd take the cities (cough cough Crossroads cough cough) and the mines first

woeful nimbus
#

Ah fuck yep you are right it’s me that keeps forgetting it

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
hybrid sable
#

But logistics is just as important. They're going to need transport infrastructure, and they're going to want easy access to the front without single weakpoints to cut them off

twin talon
#

We also don't have to kill everything stopping supplies for even 2 turns can mess up the bot's plans getting into fights and leaving halfway through to get them out of position or in state of disarray is useful and good work.

hybrid sable
#

The better bet is (whatever that eastern city is)

tired stirrup
hybrid sable
gray lagoon
# twin talon What was the C3 fiasco I keep hearing about it haha I didn't keep up with new br...

sighs
stretches arms

Basically, the reason dresden has this message pinned #meta-comm message right here, is because in C3, we had a massive logistic problem.

Originally, there were about 50/50 OPs deploying north and deploying south (50/50 players too). Deploying south needed no logi as it was assured by NPC hovercrafts, but deploying north... Meant having HAT, VTOL and/or HVTOL to drop stuff in.

So, with that said, there was an immense need for VTOL & HVTOLs for plans to actually be viable. And so, people started to pressure others to play VTOL/HVTOL/HATs in order to fullfill their plan.

Thing is, once plans were fullfilled, well, VTOLs and HATs could still easily find a job. VTOLs can haul supply, bring infantry closer, HATs can easily haul tons of supply which were needed in both the south and the north.

...HVTOLs tho ? Well, back in C3, they couldn't haul supply for SHIT. They could with one engineer combo-ing for like a singular supply, but it was not worth it as it took a whole turn, and thus, never done.
A plan was devised to make them haul supply from the above orbitals, but alas, the orbitals onboard could not strap supply on the HVTOLs as they did not have their OSHA certifications. (aka, shack said no.)

"So HVTOLs can at least take the wounded armor back for repairs ?"
Well, funny you mention that, the map was PLAGUED with AA and Fighters. Fighters were taken care of, AA, wasn't. Due to this, HVTOLs were at high risk if they wanted to go and catch some mechanized to bring them back, with most not wanting to risk it for the biscuits.

"So... HVTOLs can at least fight right ?"
SO, FUNNY STORY, IN C3, HVTOLS DID NOT HAVE WEAPONS ! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA ! HAHAHAHAHA... hahahaha... Haaaaa...

So, yeah, in C3, HVTOLs were FUCKED beyond belief, and got a pretty good buff for C5.
But sadly, the damage was already done, and we went from 25 HVTOLs to 6 now.

#

VOILA.

#

C3 HVTOL FIASCO LORD OF THE RINGS LENGTH EXTRAVAGANZA.

twin talon
#

plus if we can get into and hold good positions until we can hand off to more conventional forces like Ultra we can help spread the bots thin. Trying to take the crossroads with just Elim for example will be a lot harder than having L-H and nerys forcing them to defend three different points.

tired stirrup
#

it's possible/probable that all we'll find is civillians and raiding bots in Nerys, but I wouldn't be suprised if there's more because the isolation makes it defensible and it's close to the hub, by no means do I think Nerys is a bad target for us

gray lagoon
#

I hope that this is the last time I have to explain this, I've made it pretty complete I feel like.

hybrid sable
twin talon
#

haha I could have just searched it up sorry if you get asked about it all the time but yeah that's absolutely brutal

gray lagoon
hybrid sable
#

Oh, I'm expecting a minor abduction hub with some decent guards, just not a fortified position with significant armor assets

twin talon
#

Also personally if we could do Nerys and then maybe Haydar to rescue as many civilians as possible that'd be awesome but that'd be really risky I think given our current intelligence.

tired stirrup
#

what's the ETA currently to Nerys?

coarse axle
hybrid sable
gray lagoon
hybrid sable
tired stirrup
#

I think getting the whole BG out of Elim in a week is being generous

#

2 order rounds in a week right?

#

if we dash out of the gate we can only cover 8 hexes in a week

hybrid sable
#

2 order rounds a week, yes. But keep in mind that strat points go by really fast once they're cleared, so if the advance group does super well we could be out of Elim the round after we land

coarse axle
hybrid sable
#

Tac Maps only apply if there are hostile forces there

gray lagoon
coarse axle
#

Titan

gray lagoon
#

C2 ?

#

ah no titan was c3

#

i'm not good with planet names.

#

I took it from ATC doc for the numbers of HVTOLs, I thought originally you meant "nono now there's 25 HVTOLs" xD

#

edited to match.

twin talon
hybrid sable
#

Plus it would just leave Nerys completely uncontested, which seems... sub-optimal

tired stirrup
twin talon
hybrid sable
#

With both Storm and Hammer plus Atlas support, I think Elim will be cleared by the time our slow-af NPC transports can get planetside, but I could be wrong.

twin talon
#

I suspect Blue's correct their will be fighting in Elim and we will be pushing through it to get to nerys I wouldn't be surprised if we spend 3 or 4 turns just getting out of the city

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
twin talon
#

Ahhhhh

tired stirrup
#

and we cant carry our IFV's

#

or me

hybrid sable
#

So we'll be scouting for the main assault force on its way out of Elim, and then split off to head for Nerys after we reach Crossroads

tired stirrup
#

ah, to be a JJ Medium Mech with a HVTOL

tired stirrup
hybrid sable
#

Quite possibly

twin talon
#

okay that's interesting, What are BG storm blessed plans then ? because they're completely airbone it would make more sense for them to do Nerys wouldn't it ?

hybrid sable
#

They're expecting to take losses, since they're going to be literally the first in. And almost any losses in their air assets means they can't take those air routes any more

#

But their general post-Elim plan is to be a quick-response force, which we'll probably need much more than securing Nerys

tired stirrup
#

An Airlift BG would be so dope

hybrid sable
#

Ultimately, punching out Crossroads and Hill Mine to threaten (eastern city) is much more valuable to us than liberating a single out-of-the-way village, which is why we're doing it while leaving the punching to the big guns

tired stirrup
#

paradrop an Infantry/LV BG round one, round two airdrop supplies, round three air lift the Pathfinders from Elim to Nerys

ashen crystal
#

I think next campaign I’ll go for an infantry unit or have an orbital crew

#

Just to diversify

hybrid sable
#

That's kinda the idea behind BG14and TF2, but unfortunately we don't have the unit structures or units to make it feasible on a large enough scale

twin talon
#

Can't they just hand off Vtol-less units to other BG's to maintain Air mobility ? I didn't see anything in the rules about that. Yeah I agree that nerys being out of the way makes it much less valuable than I thought. That also makes Haydar much more valuable. I didn't think we were doing nerys because it's out of the way but I get the idea and agree with it.

ashen crystal
#

I kinda miss the ability to have the ATC air group again

#

Guess it kinda messed with Shack a bit

woeful nimbus
#

I'd have loved ATC

hybrid sable
ashen crystal
#

I was in ATC last campaign and primarily supported Rabbit

#

No, not rabbit, Bloackout

woeful nimbus
#

No offence to you all because you’re all great but I would have 100% been in ATC had it still existed

tired stirrup
#

yeah, Trench says if you guys want to get rid of your problem LM Pilot now is the time to do so

hybrid sable
twin talon
#

I thought that rule was just splitting an existing BG/TF but fair enough that makes the air route kinda dumb then

hybrid sable
#

Also, rude

twin talon
#

I mean can you team up with another bg that is air mobile and hitch a ride then they leave you there ?

ashen crystal
#

Yea, air units can’t just be on their own anymore in the current rule set, need to have support

#

So no pure air unit BGs

hybrid sable
ashen crystal
#

Back to work I go, have fun!

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
#

I wonder what constitutes "support"

hybrid sable
#

You can apparently get by with a single engi if you're really determined

#

But orbitals are more common

#

Well, not more common, but often a more practical choice if you have the req

woeful nimbus
#

That may be the play, make a very large TF which is orbitals and VTOL/HVTOL/HAT only etc etc

hybrid sable
#

That's mostly atlas, tlthough they do have a few actual weapons to make them less vulnerable

tired stirrup
#

right after we get a Heavy Drop Pod TF that can pick up our PA infantry and redeploy them

hybrid sable
#

A single ALV-refit Logi Truck with crewable light machine guns, carrying 4 squads of PAI

woeful nimbus
tired stirrup
#

I bet you'd make Redwalls year if you told them they could drop in for 3 weeks of a city defense and then redeploy on the other side of the planet the week after to do it again

#

meanwhile I'm trying to game whether a LM, Fists, Melee weapon, internal JJ's and a supply pack is a better play than a MM with a jump pack, HMG, and Melee weapon.

twin talon
#

LM is pretty goated, you lose a lot going from LM to MM evasive is crazy strong

#

at least thats how it seems

#

but if you want to melee MM is probably where it's at

tired stirrup
#

Depends on how far of a charge distance I can make

#

which I cant really figure out

twin talon
#

It's move speed because the 1.5 distance is only for pa/inf from what I can read ?

hybrid sable
#

Which, y'know, LM things

tired stirrup
#

it says charge is based on Range

#

not speed

#

so is my charge, 0 based on my melee range, 1 based on my suit range, or 4 based on my speed?

hybrid sable
#

No, it says infantry-type units can make a melee charge from a range of 1.5, specifically to give them longer move range

twin talon
#

Range is move speed because you have to move into base to base contact the quote from the V5 rule book is "the goal is to move into base contact with the enemy" Your Range is whatever your speed is, for infantry it's whatever their speed is *1.5 which is 1.5 because their move speed is 1

tired stirrup
#

equipment page says fists and melee gives you melee charge, go to core rules melee charge and charge is 1.5 range for infantry/PA, which implies 1 range for mechs with melee, but there is a seperate Range stat from the Speed stat, and the charge rule doesnt state it's made at 1.5 Speed

twin talon
#

So melee range would 4 for LM and 3 for MM, keep in mind evasive requires you move at least half your distance and is it's own order so on the charge your taking an attack at 1 armour and no defence

tired stirrup
#

I assume the intent is yes, you can make a charge into melee with your speed

#

but thats not what the rules tell me

golden vector
tired stirrup
twin talon
#

melee charge is a special order type the equipment that grants it to you states "Gain Order Type- Melee Charge:". So you have to abide by those rules in the rule book. You could make an arguement that "There is no limit to the number of actions a unit can take as long as they have the speed available" (From Playing the game: Player intention phase pg 5) Does let you combine different orders I.e You start by declaring Evasive and move 2 spaces then declare a melee charge and move into base to base contact taking an attack from the charged unit with +3 defence but that would be something you clarify first I think. It would also mean that you lose that defence next turn because to be evasive you have to move at least half your speed.

#

Also note that you can fire you guns into melee by the sounds of it so you'd not only have double the armour as a MM but also be doing much more damage

tired stirrup
# twin talon melee charge is a special order type the equipment that grants it to you states ...

Committing to a charge has a few effects. Firstly it requires your unit to commit to a charge, forgoing any range attacks for this round. The goal is to move into base contact with the enemy, this charge can be done at 1.5 Range for infantry / power armor from the target. Giving infantry slightly longer movement for the attack. Second it forces that enemy to fight the charging unit specifically if caught by the charge, if the unit is ranged and has not already attacked they get to fire first with damage applied before the melee chargers attack.
The surviving charging units can now attack back without dealing with any defense bonus of the target unit. Armor still applies if applicable. Once charged both units are considered to be in a Melee Brawl and no other unit can fire ranged weapons into the brawl due to the risk of harming friendly forces.

#

cant shoot and charge

#

I can force 1v1's on flanks and cant get shot except by snipers

twin talon
# tired stirrup thats fine, as long as I dont charge into an infantry firing line

Achtually Pushes up glasses melee is kinda built to do that because the whole point of melee is that other people can't fire into it. You can shoot, as it is your attack. Others can't attack into the Brawl unless they have melee weapons, it's kinda dorky this applies to mechs but it is what it is.

"The surviving charging units can now attack back without dealing with any defense bonus of the target unit. Armor still applies if applicable. Once charged both units are considered to be in a Melee Brawl and no other unit can fire ranged weapons into the brawl due to the risk of harming friendly forces."

"Each unit only gets 1 attack roll per round. The dice rolled are representative of the weapon system or (Force Strength) FS of a unit. For example, if a unit has 3 weapon systems in range like a heavy mech, then they will be rolling 3 dice. Units can only fire at units that are in range and in line of sight for direct fire weapons"

The implication here is that if you have ranged weapons you can only use them last and if they have ranged weapons they can continue using them if they are in the brawl.

#

but still the point remains LM with a melee is def a crazy and interesting choice I suspect risky but fun times ahead

tired stirrup
#

once I dish out 3 req for hands and a sword

twin talon
#

it's crazy thats 3 req, you can get a light frieghter for that money

tired stirrup
#

I could be spec ops or PA too

twin talon
#

no that's 4 req

#

I mean you'll have 5 but still

tired stirrup
#

is it? thought it was 1 for infantry and 3 for spec ops training

#

and its 1 for a LM 2 for fists and 1 for a weapon

stable pine
twin talon
#

yea but you have an LM haha

twin talon
tired stirrup
#

4 for the butt in the chair +1 for coming back

stable pine
twin talon
#

ahhhh interesting

stable pine
#

Plus, this is all also assuming we succeed

#

Which is also not guarenteed

twin talon
#

fair

tired stirrup
twin talon
#

I have faith we'll kick ass

#

Man spec ops vtol having to pay all that for losing fs and it's gun for it to still have to shill out 1 more req to get rappeling gear is annoying, 4 req to lose the ability to carry an infantry squad is rough

hybrid sable
#

And they can't even see where they're going

twin talon
#

no armour as well

tired stirrup
golden vector
#

ARMCO stealth in a nutshell. XD

torpid herald
#

Why am I already having dreams that I got pinged to post orders?...

copper lynx
torpid herald
#

True.

#

Unit Callsign:
Unit Type:
Carrying:
Equipment:

Order Type:

Movement/Action Tracker

Starting Coords:
Ending Coords:
Facing:

RP:

Crab dance

#

Anyway, here's a (mostly) clean order template

copper lynx
#

I see crab dance sentence I send crab dance GIF

#

Holy other bg chat are a lot

#

The numbers is big

torpid herald
#

Like there's a lot of people talking in them?

torpid herald
hybrid sable
#

DF has 11,000 messages compared to our 2,500. But they are close to three times our size

#

And I think they had a more explosive start, too

copper lynx
#

They like kaboom!

torpid herald
#

Oh yeah, one of the reasons I joined up here was the smaller PC -w-

golden vector
#

Yeah. We may not be big but we still weight to our numbers. :3

sterile basalt
copper lynx
#

Keeping track better as well

minor ibex
#

Why did I wake up this evening to discover that not only did an old debate pop up, but some less than flattering opinions about me in the process?

Please tell me I don't have to get involved with this. Because I got more important things to do than police the channel and attempt to explain or defend myself again... =~=;

golden vector
#

I just got back to this channel so the news is surprising to me to.

minor ibex
#

By the looks of it, the conversation has already been buried and moved on. But still...

stable pine
#

I'm unsure what you're talking about Southpaw, and keep in mind, people are free to debate and discuss however they like, barring of course insults (and all that)

minor ibex
#

Debates I don't mind, it's suggesting I don't know things that bothers me. Or thinking I said one thing when I said another.

By this point, it's all been buried since last night. And I think it's actually not as big of an issue as I originally thought reading through some of it again.

Aside from one or two comments, it's just another general debate on rules and how the BG could or should be structured, before disappearing to other topics later anyway.

Don't know if I should say we're good here. But there are at least no fires or alarms.

copper lynx
#

We just like that that anime about multiple groups that has different ideology sometimes also bickering to each other, but in the end has good team work no one expected

hybrid sable
#

Honestly there was mostly just general confusion, since it came up the first time before almost any of us (except, what, 4 people?) had joined and hadn't been metioned since. I saw an answer, I posted it. Sorry if the fallout upset you, Southpaw.

minor ibex
#

I appreciate it Cumulus. =w=

I saw the comment you made that you didn't mean to start up the debate, you just wanted to showcase where we were to where we are now.

I don't blame you, so I'm not going to start pointing fingers.

copper lynx
#

I feel like a third wheeler

hybrid sable
#

Still sorry, and you can't stop me. But perhaps it's just a good example of how we need to chill a bit in debates

gray lagoon
#

it's suggesting I don't know things that bothers me.

HAY ! I said "back then (it may and hopefully have changed since then)" ! Don't fire in the crowd ! D:

#

I understood thy message I was answering to was old, really old, but I still wanted to answer it 👀

#

Also this chain of event lead to this #1383066264485888120 message, the C3 HVTOL fiasco explanation lord of the rings length extravaganza edition™

hybrid sable
#

An apology might still be nice. We can hurt people even with the best of intentions: it doesn't make us bad or wrong, but it does still hurt.

minor ibex
sterile basalt
#

Fair, enough.
-# also I see you typoed Frienchboi and that’s really funny because friend.

minor ibex
#

I like that. =w= I still do consider Frenchboi a friend. =w=

sage frigate
#

I just realised. We don't have a patch yet, do we?

hybrid sable
#

We're a little bit patchy, but I haven't seen a patch

sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

o, I li uwu

tired stirrup
#

I thought I had missed a whole conversation before I realised it was the "we arent sure why they were left off the org chart" explanation. I apologize for and appreciate you adding the LM stuff to the org Chart literally just for me.

minor ibex
tired stirrup
hybrid sable
#

And now you're valuableed cannonfodder- I mean a valued member of the battlegroup

sage frigate
#

Oh hey, #midround-events updated.

hybrid sable
#

Oh yeah, it's sketch

minor ibex
hybrid sable
#

You can tell it's Westwing speaking

#

Because I'm still alive

minor ibex
minor ibex
sage frigate
#

Right, time to summarise the info.

hybrid sable
#

Wasn't sure he'd waste the rubber allotment, sir! Salute

minor ibex
#

Commander Southpaw's level of tolerance meter:

General annoyed look -> Warning glare -> Threatening weapon pointing -> Warning shot -> Rubber bullet shot -> Live assault ammo rounds -> Live sniper ammo rounds -> FULL BLOWN GAUSS RIFLE ROUND!!!!

If you haven't learned your lesson by then... You're dead.^^;

hybrid sable
#

Yes. Basic situation: TF Fluffle and BGs Stormblessed dropped out of altspace right next to a group of 3 civvie ships under attack by a Battlecruiser (with 5 hardpoints) and 5 fighters. One of Fluffle's HMGs clipped one of their fighters, but didn't down it. There are a couple of small and one seemingly medium-sized unknowns directly east, out of visual range. TF Fluffle and Stormblessed are within 1 turn of the StratPoint border, so could theoretically exit within the next round, but would have to leave the civvies and Atlas to fend off the now-alerted bots alone next round. TF Victorum would arrive the round after that and blow the BC to hell and back. No contact from further inside the system, so we're not sure the status of Elim or Stormblessed's recon team.

tired stirrup
#

I kinda liked The Commadner, as in, "Don't go ask the Commadner for an annual budget increase right now."

hybrid sable
#

What, not even pistol rounds? Straight to assault rifles?

tired stirrup
#

Have we seen the SpecOps report? I've seen info floating around about an orbital over Elim

hybrid sable
#

We got an initial report a [indeterminate amount of narrative time] back, but no word since then

minor ibex
# hybrid sable What, not even pistol rounds? Straight to assault rifles?

Yeah, I probably should have included the taser pod. But Southpaw doesn't usually run that loadout unless he's in space or entering an area that requires minimal weapons.

Mutimals don't really have pistols. But they do have taser pods that act as alternatives to pistols. But the rifles tends to have enough ammo for long durations without needing to reload since they're belt fed.

minor ibex
hybrid sable
#

That initial report noted a civvie convoy headed to a station in the outer system and a frigate-sized vessel dropping troops over Elim

sterile basalt
sage frigate
sage frigate
# hybrid sable Yes. Basic situation: TF Fluffle and BGs Stormblessed dropped out of altspace ri...

Way ahead of you. ```Operation Day 1
24 June 2025 07h28 GMT +8
TF3 and BG3 have arrived in the Lumara System and have confirmed that the gate is still accessible from the Lumara side. Three unknowns of fighter size and one large unknown of Frigate sized and above spotted, assumed maneuvering to attack civilian ships. One Battlecruiser and five fighters are confirmed to be engaging civilian ships. One Destroyer sized civilian ship destroyed. Three freighter size civilian ships remain.

hybrid sable
#

"minimal weapons" you mean a harness-mounted quad rocket launcher

sage frigate
minor ibex
tired stirrup
sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

Well, precise maybe. Machine guns do hit what they're aimed at. Very accurate

tired stirrup
#

I'm champing at the bit for new intel, when will we have an idea about our timeline?

minor ibex
sterile basalt
hybrid sable
copper lynx
#

Hmmmm

#

I wondering

#

Hold up can you'll give me an suggestions about what I thinking?

torpid herald
#

Sounds like a silent yes

#

Or at least, Im around to talk about it

copper lynx
#

If I take the heavy weaponary, Sierra, and hotel at the same time, does it work?

#

🤔

#

You know what nvm lol it's gonna look dumb looking at one guy with everything

hybrid sable
#

I... believe they each take multiple fs to operate(?), so you might run out of ppl to do the shooty if you take hits

copper lynx
#

🤣

hybrid sable
#

But Shack did confirm, in my vision, that an Inf squad can take two heavy weapons

torpid herald
#

True, we have one already with AA and AT packed, so its definitely doable

hybrid sable
#

So I think you can, just be caweful

copper lynx
#

I think I gonna go full support with this build

#

When I got the pay of course

#

Always stay behind but packed to the brim

#

Laying suppression fire from behind friendly unit

torpid herald
#

Im guessing there's a lock on sharing weapons/equipment, right?

copper lynx
#

You can't share equipment sadly

#

Ykw I gonna do that build for lore reason

hybrid sable
#

Keep in mind that it takes two hits to take out any aircraft and almost all ground vehicles, so a single pod won't do much without the cooperation of other units

copper lynx
#

That why it's support build, it job is to stay behind other unit

#

I actually planned to do dual sierra or hotel but this sound dumb and I like it more

hybrid sable
#

That's the best possible reason. I just warn people because we have the same problem with VTOLs

copper lynx
#

I like being bit silly

torpid herald
#

Now I'm debating whether to stealth coat the bots or upgrade their hydraulics to Power Armor class

restive compass
#

With the campaign starting, have we resolved how we're going to make landfall?

hybrid sable
#

Y'know, I will still have room for PAI when I upgrade to SpecOps, sooooooo...

torpid herald
#

NPC ships taking us down, I believe

copper lynx
#

Wait we taking the NPC?

hybrid sable
#

No one else has room

copper lynx
#

Oh...

minor ibex
copper lynx
#

So southpaw what you think of my dumb idea?

minor ibex
#

Sorry, I'm in the middle of class, so I can't be here too much.^^; I was just glancing in to check in. =w=;

torpid herald
#

Enzo (Hardshell technician): gives a big thumbs up while sitting with what might be a cup of coffee, whiskey, oil, or hydraulic fluid

minor ibex
golden vector
#

All the dakka

sage frigate
#

Ok, we may have a problem in when we'll make landfall.

#

First wave forces are questioning whether they should delay landfall to assist the civilians.

copper lynx
#

We scout, we stay stealthy as long as possible

torpid herald
sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

Nice and quiet... Like a mouse!

sterile basalt
#

foxes are sneaky too!

tired stirrup
#

I mean, SEALs do carry a SAW, but, dont those remote explosives look really nice?

copper lynx
#

Yes they are you can just plant the c4 and leave until someone tried to pass it

tired stirrup
#

blow up AA stuff too

hybrid sable
#

We need stealth engineers

torpid herald
#

Hardshells: Rolls by the doorway in a dog pile with the sounds of clanging metal and electronic chirps

Enzo: Like shadows in the night... takes a sip and immediately spittakes Coolant...

tired stirrup
#

who cares if we cant see?

#

if we're in the melee

hybrid sable
#

Ah yes, our ARMCO vehicle stealth 🤣
LMs but they can't see where they're going any more than VTOLs can

sterile basalt
golden vector
#

Bring back Sappers

sterile basalt
#

also stealth LVs would be great.

hybrid sable
#

"Hey, who dropped this claymore by my foot? Who even had a claymore?"

sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

"Hey! Tom! Tom, is that you? This isn't funny, Tom! Just because you pulled orbital support duty...!"

minor ibex
sterile basalt
#

foxies are so adorable

golden vector
#

Stealth Lizards

#

Snakey snake

hybrid sable
#

the dangerest noodles

golden vector
#

Danger noodles with landmines

sterile basalt
#

Danger noodle bots that shit landmines.

copper lynx
gray lagoon
copper lynx
#

This is my official self-made scouting drone! (Just for lore purposes)

RP Post:

Shizuki can be seen tickering with something while being helped by few engineering team in bay.

After few hours of tickering

Shizuki: ah... finally done... my small companion. With this I can find my lost item better and quicker. Thank you'll for helping me.

Shizuki bowed her head as gratitude for helping her with the making to the engineering team but they just like to do something different from time to time so this is their kind of way of refreshing

minor ibex
#

Oddly enough, a recent RP with Phanta gave me the opportunity to give the Mutimal species their own dones.

They're essentially the robot rolling balls you buy to entertain your pet.^^

image.png Interactive-Cat-Toy-Automatic-Cat-Teasing-Toy-Ball-for-Cats-to-Enjoy-Themselves-Relieve-Boredom-Artifact-with-Rope_5c148805-4f54-42e2-869a-1ea50aa83a98.c9e20450883be7cb052e6e0517adb73d.webp
gray lagoon
#

hahaha nice

sterile basalt
#

oh yeah! That one's so cool. Also the poor Mutimal footsoldiers who lose their named mice.

minor ibex
#

Yeah, the mice are a dime a dozen. Though they do have methods to keep themselves alive despite being so fragile.^^; I make them kinda similar to the mouse droids from Star Wars, maybe mixed with the astromechs as well for personality.

golden vector
#

Ze Mice!

sage frigate
#

Just found out, digging a sandbag line cost one Small Supply, supposedly, while upgrading that to a trench cost no further supplies.

#

So we'll need to budget a little if we're gonna set up some fortifications for our main elements.

#

Also, Storm is no longer moving towards the civilian convoy, which means that there's a chance that no one will be landing anywhere else but the spaceport.

hybrid sable
#

Was under the impression that Spearhead and Rabbit were going to be diverting to the station for the transports still.

Also important to note that we have enough logi trucks to be fully resupplied in a single turn using coordinated air drops from 212, if we're willing to make Southpaw and our medic/engis walk for a turn. We can just call one in on as we leave Elim and we'll be fine

sage frigate
hybrid sable
#

Might want to tell Rabbit that, then: it's been pretty consistent since the 17th, and no signs they changed it this morning

#

Similarly with Spearhead

copper lynx
#

Huh

#

More paperwork then for me

sage frigate
#

So seems like they'll still be moving there. We'll see next week.

sage frigate
#

Elim map.
Time to do what we're supposed to do guys! Start breaking down the intel and coming up with scenarios.

hybrid sable
#

There's... not much intel, though. Except for the orbital space immediately surrounding the gate, it's still just the original info from Storm's SpecOps scouts. Last we heard there were at least 4 units of (effectively) bot PAI assaulting the spaceport from various locations around the south, opposed by Storm's special forces and a couple squads of local law enforcement (judging from this picture: #midround-events message), but it's a tiny image and the accompanying text suggests there were probably at least a couple more bot squads not shown because the defenders "seemed" to be outnumbered. We have no idea what's happening on the north side of the spaceport. We have no idea what was happening elsewhere in the city. We know there are bots at Hill Mine, Ziyal, and somewhere east of Elim where they have missiles, but nothing else. Even that intel is a couple of days old by now, and the city map's stated to be outdated and unreliable. There's not any point making plans until Storm gets another transmission from their scout or gets eyes on.

tired stirrup
#

We have distance measurements though, we now know if we keep moving and don't get bogged down, we can be out of the city in 2-3 turns

hybrid sable
#

More like 3-4, since we have to load our infantry up the first turn after we've gotten off the transports and then stick to the street grids

tired stirrup
#

I'd guess we need to exit the AO via hex 3914 or 3919 based on roadways?

twin talon
#

I think it all still depends on how this works cause if we drop on 3218 we might be able to use the streets to get out in 2 turns once loaded up but that depends on stuff we don't know like is the cross section on 3219 a valid "street" and can we us it to go through the plains at 3220/3221 to get off the map. If so I reckon we could be out by 3 turns but maybe there's lots of enemies there or maybe we all start in 3217 at the big green x. but yeah we'll get a bunch of info when current the maps drop I think.

hybrid sable
#

I'd assume so, assuming we want to stick to the Elim->Nerys plan (which I believe we are?). Although Shack has told us that the map is several years old, so they may have redeveloped some areas

twin talon
#

Do we know if we have to stick to certain map edges ?

hybrid sable
#

On the Gate tac map there's a specific defined exit point to get to Nav-Point-1, so assume?

tired stirrup
#

Hmm, blocked streets between the larger structures due to debris might be a possibility as well

twin talon
#

They have gold borders on that map maybe to indicate between these area's you go to the next map ? I doubt the solar fields a valid exit cause no roads so maybe its head to map edge 3819 down and 3814 up ?

tired stirrup
#

looks to me like you can leave the tac map between the gold bars to go to Field Nav 1 and Nav L-W1 respectively, we'll see, personally I hope we land in 3416

zenith notch
hybrid sable
#

Nope, not if we're using the transports. Land, then organize

zenith notch
#

Also, is it known what are those gratings (?) in the far east?

#

Are they actual gratings over some massive subterranean hangar/installation (implying existence of a subterranean level)? PV panels (death trap)? Open storage with crates/pallets dumped in it (also death trap)? Or is it a roof (roofs?) of something? Is it possible for a transport to land on it without collapsing whatever it is?

tired stirrup
#

look like farm fields to me, but could be gratings

hybrid sable
#

It's spotty information, is what it is

ashen crystal
#

I feel like a good upgrade for stealth VTOLs would be scanning gear at the cost of being able to carry supply

#

That way we could get more data with them

zenith notch
sterile basalt
#

Fits with the idea of stealth VTOLs for recon.

zenith notch
#

See everything in an insane radius (6 grids in the air and 4 on the ground, or something like that) in return for forgoing carrying capacity and becoming an utter and absolute missile magnet.

hybrid sable
#

I'd really rather not: they already give up their nose gun, armor, and 2FS of transport capacity for 1.5 hex range (or less) of safety from AA. Scouting should just be a half-speed Primary action. A sensor suite to expand the range at which units are located, sure, but not the ability to look out the side of the cockpit.

twin talon
#

It's 2 I think because it specifically states always rounds up for vehicle stealth 😭

hybrid sable
#

Guess I should recheck that

#

Still, though: it's not a large bonus when you can't see and can't shoot

twin talon
#

Maybe if spec ops vtols could only be spotted at the end of their turn so you can fly over enemies so long as you land somewhere out of LOS would be cool.

low wagon
#

Annnnd I'm caught up, phew -w-;

#

Went offline for the past few days cause I had a flight, but I'm settled back in now

gray lagoon
#

Ay welcome back !

#

Wait sorry I mean

#

Ay welcome back ! >w<

low wagon
#

Thankies -w-

gray lagoon
#

The Pathfinders way prevails once again

#

(help)

sterile basalt
#

-# no =w=

arctic socket
low wagon
#

-# No -w-

copper lynx
#

Random RP Post:

Shizuki: ouch my neck hurt... touch neck feeling a small cut It's seems like I accidentally fall asleep and someone tried to assassinate me...

ashen iris
#

peeketh

torpid herald
#

RP:

*Enzo rubbed the back of his neck and pulled the goggles from his greasy mop of hair to scratch beneath. The Hardshells were running their fifth loop of sims and he was already dreading the bearing replacements and hydraulic retuning of their more... aerobatic motions. They seemed to be having... fun?

At least that was his best explanation for Gamma-4 bouncing off of Alpha-2's back like a pneumatic trampoline to reach a second story firing position, rather than just using the stairs. Meanwhile Beta-3 seemed to be cartwheeling on its limb tips and counter rotating to flank and suppress down a side alley, while keeping a stable firing angle.

Then it struck him.* "Tactical experimentation" The tech almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it, but also carefully wiped a smudge of oil from under his eye with a rag. "You guys are just full of little... concerning... surprises"

hybrid sable
#

Question: would they enjoy borrowing Cumulus' (note: extremely stormy, to imitate the forests of their native planet) climbing tree?

torpid herald
#

... probably, yes

#

As long as they don't mind a bit of oil and hydraulic fluid when they inevitably miss a landing

hybrid sable
#

Nah, complex hydrocarbons just add to the ambience

sage frigate
#

Right, game faces people.

#

Also, Fluffles just revealed to everyone and their mothers who we are and potentially also revealed how many TFs we have.

golden vector
#

Facepalm

minor ibex
# sage frigate Also, Fluffles just revealed to everyone and their mothers who we are and potent...

To be fair, there's no mechanics yet for secure channels vs broadcasted channels. And in the heat of battle, subtlety is not easy when everybody's screaming at each other.^^; Plus I can see how they wouldn't want to leave the civilians high and dry, even if the rest of the forces are coming in right behind them.^^;

Still though, I do agree that mum was not the word here, and like Ace Combat, somebody's probably listening in somewhere.^^;

hybrid sable
#

Would've been nice not to include a task force number, at least: seems a bit excessive. But oh well.

minor ibex
#

Well, they weren't picked to be the front runners for their subtlety. That's our job. =w=

sage frigate
#

Yee, my main gripes was that they revealed their TF number and name.

stable pine
#

In my opinion, considering the scale and likely vast intelligence of the bot forces, it was almost inevitiable they were gonna figure out our strength anyway. Plus, it changes almost nothing as our 3 TFs are about to be fully deployed anyway. Plus, the number can always go up, lol ¯_(ツ)_/¯

sage frigate
#

They also revealed that they don't have any intel, which makes us a lot more vulnerable to ambushes.

minor ibex
#

Guess we'll have to go into overtime to make up for it. rolls up sleeves

sage frigate
stable pine
#

We're just as vulnerable as we were before, and if the bots did hear it, they're just going to capitalize more, it is what it is

#

No use fretting over something we can't control

#

They'd figure it out from our standard battle communications anyway, not like this is the only transmission being sent

sage frigate
#

Yep, can't change the past. We can only work with what we have.

golden vector
minor ibex
sage frigate
#

Yep.

#

Anyways, we'll need to post orders by tomorrow, right?

stable pine
#

Orders are due Sundays and Wednesdays

#

So still 3 more days, worry not. We don't even really know what's happened this current round yet

minor ibex
#

How's it going to work for us when we're all in NPC transports?

hybrid sable
#

Assuming hold orders

stable pine
#

General consensus I've seen from other TAC-COMs is just everyone puts in an order that they're in transit to still confirm they're active, and not MIA

hybrid sable
#

Unless they have a VTOL bay and I wanna get stuck in (I do not)

minor ibex
#

NPC transports don't have VTOL bays, so you can't get stuck in. Sorry.^^; Unless you want to fly yourself, but I wouldn't recomend it as fighters outclass VTOLs.

sage frigate
#

Guess we'll just RP Post in the orders then.

stable pine
#

Plenty of RP to do! Rabbit did some practice RP orders with a few folks this past round

golden vector
#

So RP orders in transit till arrival then?

minor ibex
#

I suppose so. But only 1 order per player. Let's keep to the standard. =w=

golden vector
hybrid sable
#

"Alas, my dreams of dying alone in the vacuum of space, dashed by a mere 173 millimeters of hull plating!" Neferi wails dramatically while languishing against a pole of the climbing tree in their enviro-chamber

#

Not that there's likely to be anything out there that I can actually shoot at and do damage to...

torpid herald
#

Roentgen-6 offers a consoling tap on the shoulder and sympathetic whirr as it passes by, climbing the pole like a mechanical spider with half the legs

sterile basalt
#

Could we provide the bots with totally intel™ ?

sage frigate
sterile basalt
#

-# Aw man…

torpid herald
#

Lore explanation: Bots only use their own dataset?

sage frigate
#

¯_(ツ)_/¯

#

I don't think he wants to explore the reason.

sterile basalt
#

Fair enough, not every game mechanic needs a lore reason.

torpid herald
#

Probably not, but i like building little headcannon to fill in the gaps

hybrid sable
#

Well, word on the backchannels is that it will take at least 5 more rounds until all us regular BGs can land at Elim, so some time mid-July.

torpid herald
#

Just like my last time at the field... 2 days in an APO

copper lynx
#

Just call my discord when it's about time to us to get ready, I have amnesia

torpid herald
#

Ill just PM you with this

low wagon
copper lynx
#

Why I'm getting notifications from the missions order?

low wagon
#

Practice orders through RP .3.

copper lynx
#

Ah practice order

low wagon
#

@hybrid sable Btw, Shizuki is the one working on the drone, Shizuko’s a different person from Blossom XD

copper lynx
#

Like the simulation in most strategy games?

low wagon
copper lynx
low wagon
minor ibex
#

@hybrid sable Can you remove your order post and resubmit it so that it's inside the opening bar for me please? Whenever you get the chance. =w=

low wagon
#

And make sure it’s Shizuki, not Shizuko :D

#

Oh no, my autocorrect’s confused too now-

copper lynx
#

"We do a little bit of trolling" auto correct said calmly

hybrid sable
#

Oops! Shizuk....u it is then

sterile basalt
sage frigate
#

Nothing doing what it does best. Looking like they're doing nothing.

hybrid sable
#

o h n o

sage frigate
hybrid sable
#

NOW we have intel! Let's go, folks!

ashen crystal
#

Do we want to support clearing out the city first or get out there to set up scouting?

hybrid sable
#

TBH our IFVs are very nearly the perfect unit for fighting those bot squads: ignores their 1 armor, so a 25% chance to wipe a full squad, only a 50% chance to take damage unless they deploy anti-vehicle. Running through the bots risks getting overwhelmed and losing a logi truck (bad). Assuming there are still significant enemy forces when we get there (in 5 turns), I'd be inclined to have our IFVs and LM push out a perimeter (LV supporting from the back line) to let our engis set up a redoubt for our infantry, then pull back for any repairs

#

That assumes that Hammer's MBTs haven't cleaned house, though: they've got a 50% chance of simply obliterating 3 squads every turn for 2-3 turns

hybrid sable
#

Bigger Better map. Discus

#

Sweep southwest to scout that blob of contacts behind the ridgeline? Southeast along the roads to check those buildings and move towards point L-H? Split inf to the buildings east and vehicles on the roads southeast to meet one block over? I'd personally rather not get any closer to that bigger contact on the northeast building, but we could probably spot it from the buildings on the opposite side of the street. Keeping in mind that some of those contacts in the buildings could be friendlies or civvies

tired stirrup
#

My thoughts on what we can do if we're trying to get out of dodge and go to the Hub while maybe scouting. As far as routes go it's narrow and walled in in a few places, but nothing I see that is such a short LoS hook that we could get flanked by something sizeable. What are your thoughts on these red skull looking blobs that are all over? Armor emplacements?

image.png
granite wasp
#

im guessing storm blessed hits the Ground before us. So the situation is going to adapt again rapidly. I dont think shack gave an update on when we touch down. Unless i missed it.

hybrid sable
#

Honestly no idea. We'll need clarification from High. That big contact on the building makes me very nervous, though.

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
#

the big one we'd see turn 3? It's in a walled in compound with unknowns in it, worth checking on our way out of town if you ask me, easy to plug the hole and blow past it if we can too

granite wasp
tired stirrup
#

I mean, plus we have no idea what they have outside of the spaceport radius. We do need to start forming a plan so we can make small adjustments as we learn more about the situation rather than just not do anything with the intel we have. A Failure to plan is a plan for failure.

hybrid sable
tired stirrup
#

Those five unknown contacts you want to check out seems to me like a much bigger likelyhood to end up being either an enemy AA or Arty installation. Or some other form of offensive emplacement, being behind that ridgeline like that. The staggered overlapping field of vision in line with the Spaceport as well as the known enemy contact positions/battleline being formed the way it is. The walled in unknown looks to me like a location a mayor or similar VIP would live in and doesnt seem to have as many contacts coming from its relative direction.

hybrid sable
#

Infantry-sized, rather than vehicle-sized, and they'd need range 3+ weapons if they actually wanted to hit anything at the spaceport. I do agree they're threatening, though, which is why it's important to get eyes on from something asap, and even better if it's something like an arty position that we can disrupt

#

Having nothing coming from the direction of the big one could mean anything: it could be the direction of an approaching enemy force as easily as a friendly position, since their only "backline" in Elim that we know of is high orbit

granite wasp
#

the big POI could also be where they are gathering civilians There warship ia supposed to me some sort of manufacturing ship. But it had life signs on it. So maybe that big point is where they are taking hostages. To then be shuttle to the ship.

torpid herald
#

Caught up. Seems like we will know all lot more once the first units hit, but at the moment that big POI is looking rather tasty for some Recon-in-force action. I imagine it will be more difficult than just popping VTOLs over the wall and dropping INF but if we can check for AA outside the area it might be a good 'fast-rope' target

tired stirrup
#

You're afraid of a fight, but you want to go looking for a fight, meanwhile I thought we're trying to scout/set up fortifications for BG's that come after us

#

also with how many buildings there are in Elim there's no need for us to spend time and supplies digging trenches

hybrid sable
#

You hyperfocused on one of my four proposals: of course I'm going to respond about that one proposal. Discuss any of the other three and I'll be happy to talk about those, as well.

I'm trying to get us to valuable scouting targets: a block of five unknown contacts behind a ridgeline on a flank, which would almost immediately threaten our rear and would require several turns of delay for one of the large assault forces as they divert units to the far corner of the map, is about as valuable as a scouting target can be. Clusters of smaller unknown contacts holed up in buildings are also about as valuable as scouting targets can be. A single larger target along one of the two main lines of advance is not: the bigger battlegroups, or even a smaller armor group like Hammer, can and will sweep it up without diverting a single tile from their intended line of advance.

There's no chance that's an artillery position. It's a good position for it, don't get me wrong, but arty's big and those are infantry-size tokens. Infantry missiles are a definite possibility, but if so then we'll know all about it when a quarter of Storm falls out of the sky and won't need to consider it by the time we drop in. Everything else we know of is range 2 or less, and frankly we have the mobility to just run away from any infantry squad ever made. When did I ever suggest we should throw an assault into their teeth?

sterile basalt
#

Given how fucked the situation is down there, I think we’ll need to consider how we’re going to deal with hostiles. Especially how we disengage if necessary, because that’s going to happen and we’d best have a plan for it.

#

Also we should consider that there could be survivors holed up in some of the more defensible positions.

torpid herald
#

Those little PoI's in the southwest might even BE friendlies on the defensive. I like these points and would like to change my recommendation to seeing what that's all about. As for engsge/disengage, I feel like that's more of an 'in the moment' decision based on terrain and enemy force strength reveal. Vehicles can drive away, infantry can dig in and engage, or either make a flanking maneuver, etc.

tired stirrup
# hybrid sable You hyperfocused on one of my *four* proposals: of course I'm going to respond a...

As soon as I saw the updated tac-map I started looking at the map and stopped reading anything that wasn't from mission updates. I didn't hyperfocus on anything you said, if anything it was just an unhappy coincidence I planned to go past/through 3715 and you'd posted while I was playing in Paint. I wasn't replying to you until after you said the large contact in 3715 makes you nervous, for no reason other than it's big and unknown.
This is when I began to discuss why I believe my proposed movement out of the area still has merits and my theories on enemy movement/deployment, despite risk to one unit type in the BG. I believe being anywhere with LoS issues supporting ground forces is risky if you are a flying unit and the locals have AA.
If you think there is a viable route that follows the 2 speed of the IFV's and gets us out of the city in a reasonable timeframe, I would love to see it/hear it. I posted my own thoughts on what I think we should do based on what we're seeing right now in a turn by turn plan of movement relatively free of contacts.
How, other than by frontal assault through the current battleline, will we get from the center of the map into 2919? Ignoring of course that it's in the opposite direction from where we want to go. I see no reason why we shouldn't load infantry into transports turn one. Going southeast vs northeast has us heading into fighting with a higher concentration of unknown contacts on both sides of the planned route which will bog us down if they're enemies.

sterile basalt
#

I would say that leaving Elim probably shouldn’t be too big of a priority for us yet, there’s so many unknowns here for us to investigate, so much intel that needs to be collected and the rest if ARMCO’s going to be here for a while.
If we leave immediately, there’s a significant risk that we could get cut off and be too far from backup, and whatever intel we do get may not even be that useful yet.

tired stirrup
tired stirrup
torpid herald
#

Given we aren't going to be the first wave down, it might also depend on how the lead elements do in the initial round of securing the starport.

sterile basalt
torpid herald
sterile basalt
#

3715 is also a possible hold out, it’s a highly defensible, walled off compound with elevation and buildings inside. There’s also not too many bots from that direction, potentially due to their forces being bogged down there.
On the other hand, it’s on a main road into the city, meaning that it would’ve been a priority target for the bots to take out.

sterile basalt
torpid herald
#

I'll look around other BG comms to try and get a feel for what other groups intentions are

sterile basalt
#

That complex in 3616/17 likely has pockets of resistance. Each building has its own walls with chokepoints and cover. I bet the southern one has some holdouts.

torpid herald
#

The more I'm looking, the more I feel like we are one of the few thinking this far ahead

sterile basalt
#

Also Iron Hammer’s very good and detailed plan™ is to protect the spaceport and go from there.

sterile basalt
torpid herald
#

So far I haven't seen anyone i terested in the southwest. Frankly, it'll come down to the TacComs coordinating the larger scale movements. Don't want to overstep on assumptions

sterile basalt
#

Yeah. You think we should make a Pathfinders intel data packet?
It’d just be some possible POIs

gray lagoon
gray lagoon
#

I mean, look what that got us. First round of intel and everyone went scrambling for their plans 🤣

#

Nothing ever goes according to plan, so with Iron Hammer I'm really really lax with plans and telling people to not plan 47 steps ahead if we can't even get the first step down.

sterile basalt
gray lagoon
#

Literally in C3 we were 30 players and I thought "we might not get the village idk we'll see from there" and we fucking smashed the place lol

torpid herald
#

I think what we need is data packets from other groups on their initial plans. All subject to change, of course, but we could coordinate better if we had a feel for desired directions

gray lagoon
#

But, just my feeling on it I guess. lol

torpid herald
#

THE recon BG Salute

sterile basalt
#

I also just realised that 3813 also looks promising. It’s out of the way, got some walls to block LOS and I don’t see why any bots would hang around there.

torpid herald
sterile basalt
#

Sounds good, maybe also checking 3321 on the way out?

#

Although, the NE is probably going to be a doozy.

ashen crystal
#

Bots seem to think there is something in the point of interesting building in hex 3520. Might be worth going there?

torpid herald
#

Making a wide loop around the outskirts staring North might be better if we want a full perimeter sweep. I'm just a unit in the machine though, so we will see what the consensus and command is

sterile basalt
sterile basalt
torpid herald
#

True, but if we dont work together we fail apart

ashen crystal
#

The main requirement with a battle group is that we can’t be in too strategic zones at once.

#

We could have sections spit off and investigate smaller sites

#

Problem with that is the unknowns

torpid herald
#

Can VTOLs do drops mid movement?

sterile basalt
ashen crystal
#

We can land for .5 speed, and another .5 speed for takeoff I believe. It’s the ones that must maintain forward momentum that can only do one or the other per turn

torpid herald
#

Okay, so no moving in a hex, dropping troops, then back out

sterile basalt
ashen crystal
#

Oh lovely

sterile basalt
ashen crystal
#

So that’s 1.5 total movement to get things on the ground and back airborn

sterile basalt
# ashen crystal Oh lovely

Yeah… rule change during the mini campaigns and Shack confirmed its still in place in the Q&A spreadsheet.

ashen crystal
#

I didn’t get to participate in any of the mini campaigns despite my best efforts, so I wasn’t aware of that change

sterile basalt
#

At least there’s no lottery for the main ones!

ashen crystal
#

Indeed

torpid herald
#

This is my first game so its just feeling out the rules on my end

ashen crystal
#

VTOL’s 5 movement -1.5 for landing, dropping g off troops, and lifting off again leaves 3.5 for moving in and out of an area

#

Hex

#

So we can move in 1.75 hexes, drop off troops, and withdraw 1.75 hexes

#

If we want to still support, our max range is one so we’d need to stay relatively nearby

torpid herald
#

Oh, Wasp, Enzo has a message for you

#

Enzo to Wasp VTOL: "When you need to drop'em... just tilt back, they'll take care of the rest"

hybrid sable
# tired stirrup As soon as I saw the updated tac-map I started looking at the map and stopped re...

Alright, fair enough, sorry, but you did still only respond to that one proposal, so that's the one I talked about. My issue with big contacts is that vehicles are vastly more likely to carry both armor and heavy ordnance (with more ammo) of all kinds, whether that's AA or main battle tank things, and we only have one tool to hit armored targets in confined spaces (sorry, Southpaw, I just want more missiles than you can carry). I'm admittedly a bit biased against potential AA sources because we have to hang around in their range for 2-3 turns getting shot at while the IFVs navigate the road network, but it's not an air-only threat. We have a lot of tools to take out infantry, even PAI, the speed to run away, and the numbers to force them to spread any fire enough to prevent any of our units getting destroyed even if they have full LRM pods.

I think there are civilian contacts scattered around all over the city that should be our priority targets, particularly in the buildings down south (like 3520 and 3321, possibly that convoy, possibly the cluster of buildings to the east as Derg says), and our objective as a battlegroup is also to go after all the smaller objectives while the assault forces are tied up fighting the enemy. Thus my suggestions to head in those two directions. Either the enemy squads there are going to be severely depleted by the combination of Storm, Atlas, and Hammer by the time we get there or they'll have brought in so many reinforcements from the east that we'll be forced into a defensive stance anyway because breakout will be untenable.

#

Do we have thoughts on that line of buildings running west from 3117? The bots aren't targeting them, it seems, but I'm not sure if that's just because they're focusing on the spaceport

ashen crystal
torpid herald
#

My thoughts are similar to thst engsgement/POI to the SouthSoutheast, that the spread of the spaceport perimeter will find that out before it becomes a priority for us

torpid herald
hybrid sable
#

We could use definitely use partially loaded VTOLs as a rapid relief force while our IFVs roll out. With four of us we could easily take two or three inf squads to wipe an isolated bot squad like at 3520 and scout the buildings, pick up hiding civs to evac to the port, return to pick up the inf, and still catch up to the convoy as it's about to leave.

#

Wouldn't be too high risk as long as we're in approximately the same map quadrant, since we can just load up again and rejoin if something scary shows up

torpid herald
#

I was thinking about spreading the VTOL Inf around to get eyes on, but I didn't want to risk the AA fire for our fastest mode of transport

hybrid sable
#

I appreciate it. I think it's a good idea anyway, but we should really operate them as a coherent wing whenever possible, not spread them out. One target at a time, but much smaller risk of actually losing one.

ashen crystal
#

Really don’t understand why I can’t just look out the window and spot stuff

torpid herald
#

I know pupose/role isn't combat, but I was thinking we could use them more as encirclement of smaller elements. IFV's and LV elements run into trouble, VTOL dash behind to drop flanking shots.

hybrid sable
#

For clarity, I am also down to dive the backline so you can shoot some bots in the pooter, Lightfall. Just say the word and sign the insurance waiver.

torpid herald
#

Hey, say that part quietly!

hybrid sable
#

oh, sorry!

-# For clarity, I am also down to dive the backline so you can shoot some bots in the pooter, Lightfall. Just say the word and sign the insurance waiver.

torpid herald
#

-# I just meant the waiver part so you can both claim insurance, gah Enzo facepalms

minor ibex
#

Making a comprehensive schedule list and asking someone to pin it so that we have a reference.

Round 1
Orders from Players Due Sunday <t:1749592800:t>
Tac-Com Maps Due Monday <t:1749592800:t>
Tactical Maps Released on Tuesday <t:1749592800:t>

Round 2
Orders from Players Due Wednesday <t:1749592800:t>
Tac-Com Maps Due Thursday <t:1749592800:t>
Tactical Maps Released on Friday <t:1749592800:t>

Repeat weekly.

So two rounds each week with about a day's length of time for each major action. With the exception of Saturday being a rest day.

I'll try my best to keep to this schedule.

torpid herald
#

You are doing an amazing job thus far, Commandant!

#

Assuming you're catching up, thoughts going forward?

hybrid sable
#

Saturday probably good as a larger planning day for those inclined. Thank you for your work, Commander Southpaw/Lieutenant Westwing!

minor ibex
#

Already working on mapping out our entry from the Lussan Gate.

torpid herald
golden vector
#

Commander Fluffball does great as always. =w=
Southpaw, while grumpy, does his best as always. =w=

minor ibex
#

Hey @charred flower , could you please pin this for me in this channel? Want to keep track of our schedule.

#1383066264485888120 message

Also, is it possible to pin messages in the Orders channels?

torpid herald
#

Enzo taps away at his pad "Where did I save that instructional template... No... No... Not in 'Important Documents'... Feth!"

charred flower
hybrid sable
#

Also Southpaw: I can ask Shack in the morning if you'd like. Or Nothing would almost certainly be happy to, as well. Just let us know so we don't spam him

sterile basalt
twin talon
#

Making a compilation of our current understanding of the ground, While we're too far away from it to be talking about plans in terms of certainty we're the recon guys. If you think I'm missing something or should change something feel free to @ me.

#

2919 South West of Starport, mid way to map edge
Possible Offensive emplacement Going off of our own ART has range 4 which means
Cardinals ranges out to N: 2915, S:2922(Map Edge), E:3319, W:2719(Map Edge)
If you draw a right angle triangle where the angle of it is from 3221 to 2716 that whole map edge is in range potentially
At the starport the only parts of it that aren't potentially in range is 3418-3417 and 3316
May be civilians in a defensive posture.

Methodology
Profile of what a friendly is looks to me to be an unknown in a building, bots seem to be moving or assaulting they generally aren't sitting a building. If there's an
unknown in a building and not somewhere important it's a possible friendly. Bonus points for unkowns on the street close to it. Likely = <60% chance and Possible =>60%

List of Likely Friendlies
3520 South East of Starport, Close
Building with Enemy INF seeming to assault it, building may have dug in INF friendlies

#

Possible Friendlies
3016 West of Starport, Close
A string of INF units in structures Potentially dug in indicates Possible Friendly with 2 unit's on the
street being possible bots attacking,
3515 North East Of starport, Close (Red skull)
Potential holdouts dug into buildings, what the red skull indicates is unknown but not likely to be
anything good, might indicate bots attacking structure
3315 Directly North of Starport (Red Skull)
Might indicate bots having finished killing or capturing civs due to strange posture and skull Icon.
3616 East of starport (Red Skull)
Possible friendlies being attacked due to unknowns being located in buildings with unknowns outside. Skull Icon again
potentially bots escorting Captured Prisoners ?
3715 North East of starport Close to map edge
Large enclosed and easily defended potentially a friendly holdout or holding pen for friendlies/civvies
if it's neither maybe a base of Operations
3813 North East of Starport, Close to map edge
If this is friendly it could be waiting in ambush to use the elevation next to it to cover 3715's entrance. Seems unlikely however as if they were doing that they'd be
there, current conclusion is that 3813 supports holding pen theory for 3715. May be noncombat Friendlies which supports them no being on the high ground.
3816 - 3818 East of starport map edge
Maybe civilians fleeing/being chased or Bot reinforcement ?
3820 South East of Starport map edge.
Potential Bot Convoy/ Potentially Civilian/ Potentially attack on dug in Friendly or some combination of the above.

#

Skulls unaccounted for
3219 South of Starport, close
3220 South of Starport, close

The movement of various units over the turns will give us more info If the skulls move towards 3715
it supports the theory it's a holding pen, if friendlies make a break for 3715 might support both.

Large Faint question Mark in the North west of the map, maybe Orbital ? There is a Orbital in High Orbit

--- From a TC but not 100% Sure verified
Black = wall/impassable
Blue = building, can take cover
Green = high ground
Orange = Cover provides +1 defence to infantry

sterile basalt
sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

Note the building in 3321: I'm willing to guess those are friendlies hiding.
Not ready to assume all ?'s are combat units: some could definitely be hiding civvies, which would make sense for thebuildings on 3016/2017

sterile basalt
#

Also there’s something of bot interest in 3214/15, there’s 3 bots trying to break in.

hybrid sable
#

Big, faint question mark in the northwest: is that just generally vague sensor data? Do we know?

sterile basalt
#

No clue. My gut says that’s an orbital though.

twin talon
# sterile basalt I doubt 3016 is a friendly position as there’s no indication the bots are being ...

My current perspective is that if it's unknowns in a building with unknowns on the street it matches the profile of a possible bot attacking civilians/friendlies, the bots on the street in 3016 and 2917 might be assaulting those buildings like we can see in 3520 but because we haven't got intel on them they're just ?. I also agree with your thinking on 3214/3315 which is why I suspect red skulls may be bots having captured civvies.

sterile basalt
#

Potentially, that would make sense for red skulls.

#

If that were the case though, I’d expect more around that giant faded question mark. Unless all the civvies there are already fucked.

twin talon
#

Potentially they have all been rounded up by either friendlies or the bots at 3715

minor ibex
#

You guys are going to have plenty of time to figure out a gameplan, as I'm in discussion on how transport spawning works. And it's likely none of our battlegroup is going to be able to move independently for a couple of turns. (or a couple of weeks tangentially)

torpid herald
hybrid sable
#

Ah, but if we plan everything out now, we get the full pleasure of completely redoing the entire plan again later!

twin talon
#

hahaha When we get punched in face I intend to forget something !

torpid herald
#

plans involving 9mm
Subtle, calm, measured
Plan falls apart
WELP glad I kept the 20mm shells

hybrid sable
#

I don't think 3813 actually supports the holding pen theory for 3715 at all: there's a wall there cordoning it off from any view of the roadway and any view of the entrance/exit. 3715 could definitely be some sort of major bot asset, but I think 3813 is independent of it.

twin talon
#

yeah I agree, I think it's a potential tho unlikely. If they were friendly you would think they'd dig in on the high ground.

sage frigate
#

@inner harbor Lol, not exactly a bad order, given how Nothing is the kind to not show intent. :p

twin talon
#

3813 Might even be friendly keeping an eye on 3715

hybrid sable
#

and buildings are good protection

sage frigate
#

Anyways, I'd say we should use the next turn to confirm what target is what on the ground. My current suspicions are this:

Given TF3's fuck up in revealing we're here, the bots are gonna deny us from getting the spaceport and stopping our counter invasion right there and then. So we can assume for now, but by checking the movements between this round and the next, any unknowns moving towards the spaceport is near guaranteed to be a hostile. So knowing that, we'll roughly know what's a good spot to breakout of the spaceport from.

stable pine
#

My brother, let's please not blame anything on anyone else. That's not cool. I don't know why you're putting such a heavy weight on an RP transmission that we don't even know had an effect.

sage frigate
#

Alright fine, we wouldn't know what the butterfly effects are, but I'm still going to assume within the confines of the game that the entire operation is essentially compromised.

twin talon
#

I'd also point out that they wanted to draw attention away from attacking civvies and announce themselves an attacking force which not only protects said civvies but may also as you pointed out give us valuable intel. We showed up ready to scrap and risk the civvies and cops didn't I don't think the Fluffles RP was a fuck up.

stable pine
#

This has happened before, we spiral out of control because someone theorized something with zero relevant RP or comments from the GM. Let's go with what intel we have been given, and not assume anything else. And especially, do not blame it on anyone, that is just not cool.

hybrid sable
#

Safe to assume all units in the heavily red-shaded areas are hostile. Everything else we'll need to see, but I will point out that any combat-capable friendlies might also be moving towards the spaceport to prevent the bots from occupying it. It would be more useful to look for evidence of conflict: any defenders holing up in buildings are more likely to be friendly. And yes, let's keep it civil: we're all allies here, and it's only a game.

ElimPID.jpg
twin talon
#

I think I'd add calling what fluffles did is a fuckup more in the way of RP in of itself too, I think everyone's just getting into it. Plus the bot's where going to find out at some point it's potentially better for us if they find out sooner because that means less dead civvies which is the goal. Totally agree with fluffles and their RP

sage frigate
torpid herald
#

Assuming all hostile. IFF ID: null

twin talon
#

2919 is assumed to be arty not ODT's

torpid herald
#

Well, let's go find out

#

If Wasp is willing, Hardshell will gladly go scout it out on our own

hybrid sable
twin talon
#

Honestly Gabaga not a bad idea to post that on meta as well, it's a great map.

hybrid sable
#

At any rate, I want it scouted

torpid herald
#

Xana combat music starts

sterile basalt
#

2919 could be friendly too. I could see that as a defensive position with inf on the hill, trying to hold them back and protect fleeing civvies.

sage frigate
stable pine
#

And that info is: we have zero inclination that the RP even remotely affected the bots or their intel on us.

hybrid sable
#

Let's just be polite to each other in our roleplay. Or rude with consent, but get consent first

twin talon
hybrid sable
sterile basalt
twin talon
#

With arty they cover almost the entirety of the starport especially 3218 where reinforcements would disembark. RN if they were arty they have range to bombard all friendlies at the starport

hybrid sable
#

I doubt arty bc smol and no reports of arty fire or arty drop capacity, but PAI with LRM pods would do pretty well, also

sage frigate
torpid herald
#

It's a TTRPG

sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

It's all roleplay, though I understand if you want Nothing to do with it

hybrid sable
sage frigate
hybrid sable
#

or switching to 3715?

sage frigate
sage frigate
twin talon
#

You don't have to RP to have RP energy is more what I mean

sterile basalt
sterile basalt
torpid herald
#

Never yap about our precious Yappers

hybrid sable
sage frigate
#

I do wonder about that. I suspect the only thing the bots have in Elim is only mobile AA. If they wanted, strat missiles would be enough to level the spaceport.

hybrid sable
#

I've been assuming they wanted the spaceport so their frigate could land, take in all the abductees

#

Which would be harder if they leveled it with missiles

sterile basalt
hybrid sable
#

-# love when it jumps to "several people are typing"

torpid herald
#

Im role-playing a technician and his sextuplet of semi-autonomous bot killing machines. Which are also cute in their off time.

twin talon
# sterile basalt I would think that the bots would put their arty in the east though, since the b...

Maybe but the position in the west is safe from any friendlies that might jump out of a building to get at soft targets, has clear LOS with no blockers and covers several potential targets in safe spot. The bots seem to have a lot of mobility and orbital assets, getting to good spots and setting up with lots different fields of fire seems to be their MO as they clearly have deployed all over the city.

sage frigate
#

True, and so far, we haven't seen strat missiles this turn yet.

torpid herald
#

The scout force took all those missiles already

hybrid sable
twin talon
sterile basalt
sage frigate
hybrid sable
#

Strong points and prisons are surprisingly similar that way 🫤

sterile basalt
#

Either way, I think that might be our main scouting target. If we can manage it.

sage frigate
#

Alternatively, what if it's a comns station?

#

Antenna on the ground.

#

Also, wait, 3820 seems to be a vehicular convoy.

twin talon
#

It could be a bot base or one they're setting up, something of an expansion of the prison idea

sterile basalt
sage frigate
#

Yep.

hybrid sable
#

I continue to argue against 3715 as our target because it's directly in the path of the assault groups: they'll sweep it up as they go along anyway. I think we could do more good going through the buildings and making contact with any surviving friendlies, making sure they make it to safety

twin talon
#

#1383066264485888120 message This is my post where I compiled a whole bunch of our views on it. 3820 and 3715 are there as well if you want to check it out

sterile basalt
twin talon
#

I do think there should be 2 new plans based on our info, if we stay and help secure the city we are better off using our mobility to secure civilians throughout the map than assault 3715. If we're leaving we'll be cutting and running like hell.

hybrid sable
#

True, though that's not on the way to Crossroads. Dwarf Fortress and Ultra will definitely run into it on their way to Hill Mine, but all the others want to head down one of the main roads east towards Crossroads

sterile basalt
#

We might want to head south to 3820, check out that convoy. There’s not much resistance there, so most BGs will probably focus on the north and east.

hybrid sable
#

Thus my proposal to scout 2919 if it doesn't reveal itself with a barrage of missile fire, as it's out of the way and directly threatens everyone's rear

torpid herald
#

We might be shifting more to a rear-guard action, making sure that whatever else lies in the city is properly accounted for by the other BGs

sage frigate
#

Honestly, short term objective, we need to get spacing from the spaceport first. Avoid being addressed as "to whom it may concern."

hybrid sable
#

Whatever needs doing, I say

twin talon
#

Yeah I agree though if there's no arty or LRM fire the risk from 2919 is pretty severly mitigated. I'd also like to point out that anyone leaving the map will not be going to the big question mark. They'll be going to the East side of the map as thats where the two land routes leaving Elim are located going by how the Lussan gate map was made.

sage frigate
#

Hmm... Could Skull Icon be strat missile hits?

twin talon
#

maybe but only one is located in a building which you would think is the target for strat missiles.

hybrid sable
#

Ooh. Ooh, I don't like that. Take it back.

torpid herald
#

If there's a skull in a building, at.least we know it isn't a functional vehicle

sage frigate
#

Although there's also the potential that the bots may be intentionally using CBRE, but that's unlikely.

sterile basalt
#

Honestly, I think we’ll be better off waiting for more intel about what those skulls are. Speculation won’t do us any good.

torpid herald
twin talon
#

perhaps, the bots where oriented towards the one in a building so either they don't care about friendly fire or it's something else which as you may have pointed out may be Bio or Chem based weaponry as well.

sage frigate
torpid herald
#

I dont think there's a mechanic for WMDs

sterile basalt
twin talon
#

Speculation right now is just surface level its not going to change anything and the help it'll get us is in revealing information on turn 2. We'll probably only see returns on this information a week or so from now if that.

torpid herald
#

It's always good to plan. Even if the plan changes with the Intel, having a baseline of intent is key to victory

sterile basalt
#

Also its so addicting.

hybrid sable
#

As a very strange friend of mine once said, however: it's not an addiction until you admit you have a problem

torpid herald
#

Do not speak to me of the ancient magics, witch. I was there when they were written

#

Like this plan. And that plan. And the 37 other plans

#

(This was a spoof on addiction and anxiety, not to be read into)

low wagon
#

Awa, did round 2 orders close early? It's not Sunday yet right?

torpid herald
#

Technically round two was today, as we follow the campaign's schedule rather than our own

minor ibex
low wagon
#

Oops, my bad, sorry I didn't get my order in on time @_@

torpid herald
#

Need me to DM you The GIF?

low wagon
torpid herald
#

Lol, fair enough, these timeliness are pretty tight

minor ibex
torpid herald
#

As long as your certain. I know I'd like to wake up to Tychus

#

As a GIF

hybrid sable
#

I was also a little confused: isn't today just the completed midrounds from Shack, and then we go over them for and put our orders in by Sunday?

minor ibex
#

I managed to pin a regular weekly schedule, so I'm trying to follow that.
#1383066264485888120 message

torpid herald
#

It's more sn exercise and prelude than actual orders. I feel like its a good way for us to refine our order posts and get some inter-unit interaction

#

Also, if anyone wants to interact with Enzo or the Hardshells before I post my orders, just @ me in the post

#

I have a good blurb ready for landfall

low wagon
#

Just had a cool idea - when we touchdown, we do that "All callsigns, check in" meme from Ace Combat :D

hybrid sable
#

<<This is Cumulus, on station>>

minor ibex
torpid herald
#

<<Starcraft2 Collosus sounds>>

sage frigate
golden vector
ember oracle
#

Pathfinder and Dwarf Fort full BURNING it

minor ibex
minor ibex
minor ibex
golden vector
#

Ye~ =w=

torpid herald
#

Wait, on Muunilist or the Jedi retrieval?

minor ibex
#

Muunilist.

torpid herald
#

That's that then

minor ibex
#

I've actually looked over the scenes with the Arc Troopers in them just a while ago, and want to see if I can portray Southpaw similarly to Commander Fordo (the red clone). Professional... although maybe not as quiet.^^;

torpid herald
#

Forgot wasn't quiet. He was efficient

minor ibex
#

He was.^^

torpid herald
#

And had a plan to kill everyone he met