As promised!

Actually, I just checked, and Gloria was not in the same group as Samantha, so you could play her here.

[Private to Gloria Flake: You could add 15 cp to represent the last few months, which have not been inactive...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:10, Sat 22 July 2017.

Not really necessary at this point is it?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 2):

Not really. Just remains an option.

Ah, I see it now. It's an issue relating to how you've applied the racial template as we discussed some time ago.

What's the DR of the Labs armour?
Are they wearing helmets?

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 5):

They have torso armour DR 50, and visored space helmets, though the visors are removed for planet side operations. Skull DR20.

So that last shot is going to result in a rather nasty headache then - if they survive it!
[Private to GM: 40 points less 20 DR, then doubled again for P++ damage type = 40hp and a -5 to their knockdown roll!
Yeah, I can't really see them shaking this one off...]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 7):

Surviving, perhaps, but not fighting on! No damage multiplier for the face...but no DR from helmet either...

Not for the face, no, but P++ weapons are double damage anyway once they get past DR.
REALLY need something besides the basic kinetic bullets for the storm rifle - explosive or armour piercing would be nice for that additional butt kicking effect.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 9):

Yeah. They would probably be available, if you can find them at or under TL 10 in UT...

Given most warheads are TL9, I don't see that as being an insurmountable problem.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 11):

Exactly, though it does effect how small some warheads can go, but I don't think that is an issue for the storm rifle.

[Private to Meir Galinski: By the way, Second City back on again. Tortuga has officially left the building...should I assume you guys are searching for your stuff?]

So does that mean I could paly Samantha?

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 13):

Samantha was definitely on the other side if the galaxy! Sorry...

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 13):

You could play Gloria! ... I'll share ;-)

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 15):

I am sure!

Russians did it.
http://www.popularmechanics.co...renade-ukraine-ammo/

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 17):

Who was saying plasma rounds would never set off modern munitions? Plasma is hotter than Thermite, and has an additional EMP surge!

Detonators can be set of. The main charge, not so much.
Why do you think there's a series of explosions amongst the fire? It's because it takes time for the fire to burn through to the more unstable material.
Also, ammo dumps contain a LOT of low explosive (eg gun powder) which is susceptible to heat and flame.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 19):

Lol, yep. But mortars firing do have detonaters handy to start it all off! Still, spectacular! They were used in Shadowrun before they were used by militaries!

Note it's not plasma that started the whole thing off either. It was a fire caused by thermite, and in it's grenade form has a very small area of effect (doesn't actually explode, just burns with a few stray splatters travelling maybe a metre great for sabotage and destruction of things like artillery or engine blocks). The building, wooden crates and other flammables caught first with flames eventually reaching the more unstable materials.
IF it had been caught in the initial stages it would have been easily prevented, but I can't really see too many fire fighters rushing into a building full of explosives, no matter how low the initial risk was.

It's hard playing a character with no formal military training... :/

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 21):

lol, Fire caused by grenade...fire caused by plasma, it is splitting hairs, given plasma burns hotter, meaning less time is needed for the stuff to heat up! I am sure they had fire supression systems there, and they were clearly not able to stop it in time!

It does prove the point that heat alone is enough to set off modern munitions! The process and the rest is just details!

Waiting for your IC post here and in Second city, by the way! Conversation in Cthonic is interesting...I will leave you guys to discuss until you are finished, or maybe even have a plan!

I have no formal military training, so easy for me. But I have always, since uni, had friends who did, including an industrial chemist who blew up his garden shed at home with home-made explosives before he left high school! Oddly enough, even had access to Military software for working with explosives...not sure if I was meant to see that!
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:58, Fri 28 July 2017.

Of course plasma requires a MASSIVE electrical source and thermite is just two metals mixed together and ignited.

Anyway, I posted the link mainly because it's an interesting little video with lots of REALLY BIG explosions. Bit like the current battlefield. :p
[Private to GM: And I'm fairly sure you can understand what's being said too.]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 24):

Oh, yeah. Definitely an impressive watch! Count on the Russians for not messing around!

IC I think somebody else needs to speak up very quickly or this is going to end very, very badly...

In reply to Fate (msg # 18):

But thermite takes several seconds-a minute of more to burn through and do it's thing ... Plasma is near instantaneous. thus heat transfer is very limited.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 27):

True, but heat transfer is a function of both time and temperature difference. Plasma is significantly hotter...

You think I could find a list of explosives showing their sensitivity to heat? Not a chance!
Plenty of them for shock/impact/pressure and static, but not heat....
It's almost like "the gubm'nt don't want us ta know 'ow to make bombs 'r sumtin'...."
This is nice though http://nobombs.net/brucel/explosivefacts.html

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 29):

Amatol goes back to the turn of the 20th century ... a lot of the information is not quite correct from what I was told... still, if I was posting tat online, I guess everything would be extremely sensitive too.

I'm thinking the following aren't going to be of much use on the ship for a simple message run and could be handy on the ground in support / training type roles

Tonkin and Thornhammer are already on the ground of course, along with Tanya and Meir.

Medical: Chang Kyamoto with his wife Kaiya Kyamoto and Peter Armstrong as assistants. It's a war zone, when aren't medical types needed? Perhaps leave Peter aboard if there's nobody else to carry out first aid for the odd paper cut.

Ordinance and traffic control for fighter (Jimmy Carter). Do the rebels have anyone able to coordinate small fighter type craft?

Security 'Joan' Hirikuri, Ronovan Ga Det Hug, Ronny Redcoat. No reason I can see for them to stay on the ship - ship weapons are handled by a dedicated team.

Pilots Illium Jones, Tom Hanks, and Jerry Maquire. Can do a lot of good training pilots or even running missions if needed.

Fair enough... even if away, my security officer is handy ...  I want 4 gunners for sure...  and Gun Da Bin.  I need one pilot for the Ships boat, which will be going with us... the rest are released to Meir's control .

If Tanya is now an NPC, put her back aboard. If a PC, she can stay and excel.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 32):

OK, Tanya has been npced since her player went AWOL. Don't forget you have 6 turrets now...Also what about engineering?

OK, so I'll want 6 gunners...  Duke is going with us...  the Chekov girls insist... they want to have a little get together, not sure what all the leather is for though....

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 34):

Leather offers good protection against hot surfaces in the engine room of course!

Makes sense ... except they wanted the meeting in his room ... probably hot surfaces in there too....

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 36):

Oh, most likely! Ovens, etc...

Yeah ...   so when are we off to Lab-Town to tell them they won...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 38):

When you tell me everything is sorted and you are ready to go...although you have not won yet!

In reply to Fate (msg # 39):

OK, since things are going our way, lets have Illiam pick up Meir and company... bring them here (DASTAVKA). We'll keep tanya and Meir can assume command of our assets on this moon. we'll head out.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 40):

OK, Instruct Illiam IC accordingly and we can expect things to go as planned...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 34):

Yes, you've got six gunners.
That list only removed those who weren't actually necessary if the ship got into trouble (except perhaps medical, but I can't see anywhere in 6,000+ posts where they were really needed anyway).
With the amount of crew still on the ship, I'm sure there's somebody with some small ability to fly the boat.

Me that vould be. Gunner is hobby. Pilot true calling.

No medics? In a warzone?
Seems like a critical oversight to me. What are they going to do on the ship anyway? Two weeks in jumpspace with a day or so in safety at the other end means the worst injury they're likely to see is a papercut.
Meanwhile, back here on the planet, the atmosphere is toxic to humans, there's bullets, missiles, explosions, plasma beams and harsh language being thrown about with abandon!

And what's Illium going to do? There's no fighter, just the ships boat (which Andropov can pilot with very good skill), and again, two weeks in jumpspace with no opportunity to get even the boat out.

Could probably do with somebody to set up and run a shelter for those who can't breath sulphur too. Don't really want to spend weeks trapped in an environment suit or one man pressure tent (which is all the recce team has). Jennifer Armstrong would be good, but her first responsibility is the ship. Somebody else with those skills would be better, especially if they've got other useful ground skills.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 44):

Captains call, and his first responsibility is his ship and crew. There are two much larger warships staying to whose compliment your men are to be temporarily added, don't forget.

But such discussion should largely be IC unless there is a good reason to make it OOC, and I have not really seen a good one yet...

Because plasma.
https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2003-03-15
http://schlockmercenary.wikispaces.com/Plasgun


This message was last edited by the player at 01:57, Sat 05 Aug 2017.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 46):

Actually, he almost looks Labrysian as well...

Just a heads up, I am told where we will soon be heading will have no internet connection for the next three weeks. I will post as often as I can, but there may be interruptions both here and in Cthonic (and in Second City, for those there).

Understand... no issues...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 48):

Of course, I am not gone yet, so you are most welcome to continue posting for now!!!

In reply to Fate (msg # 49):

I get the impression most of you are not particularly keep on playing through the ground combat. Would it be preferable if we skip over it (I can go over the combat with Meir in PMs) and get back to space again?

As you probably guessed, the main war is drawing to a close here, so it would be back to space exploration after the negotiations were wrapped up.

I can't see much point in being closely involved myself. Meir is a scout and explorer, not a soldier. Sure, he can fight if needed, but that's not his focus.

This sort of combat isn't very exciting ... the quick stuff is better.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 52):

Quick stuff?

In reply to Fate (msg # 53):
For Example...
You see a Lab step out with a flamer... he doesn't notice you at first ... So you draw your needler (fast draw roll) and needle him six or eight times (accuracy roll)... he spins bringing his weapon up, but the poison takes effect first (poison effects roll ... probably resisted) and he falls face first into the dirt twitching as if he'd been electrocuted.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 54):

Oh, I see. Occasional stuff, not actual warfare! Like what you would get with wild animals or exploring, but not formal or military combat!

Needlers would be a bad choice for heavily armoured Labs, though...

All right, by general consensus (noting that Kat is voting with her feet to a degree), we will leave control of this combat to specialized officers and skip over it.

I don't mind the odd battle, skirmishes, ambushes and the like. If it allows us to play with the big toys for a bit, but it's all over in less than a minute or two, it's good.
Set piece battles, or sieges like is effectively happening with the tunnels, not so much.

Pretty much how I feel...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 57):

OK, I will try to keep that in mind. There would be only a few occasions where that might come into play here, though it could. But Kat has not even made up a character to join in, so I guess from that she is not into it either, and would prefer to use just her main character, who would not fit in here at all, or her other character, who is a long way away at the moment.

Honestly not seeing a lot we can do here. This seems to be more a military operation than scouting of diplomatic. Sure we have the skills to be useful, but to be stuck there wastes the other 75% of our talents and abilities.

Drop the mountain on the government Labs, station a few rebel Lab troops to keep watch, and plant a few hundred tonnes of sensors and explosives around the area to deter escape attempts. Basically turn the tunnel systems into a prison and let them rot. They may eventually manage to break out, but not without taking some significant casualties from the traps, etc placed throughout the rubble and surrounds.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 59):

That is basically what I did in the last IC post!

Yeah, I read that after this thread.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 61):

Sorry, should have posted here. Where are you guys wanting to head for exploration?

The main game map looks like it needs an update.

That will depend on where you plan on exploring...

Aquitaine is still showing as unexplored...

That's fine... I've been quite distracted by real life of late ...

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 65):

Well, I guess you know better about that. It takes time to update official maps...

Captain's decision isn't it, perhaps with advice from the senior officers?

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 68):

Pretty much. You are not being told by Andrew, unless you want him to.

OK, we are currently in 1239E if I recall ... I expect we may need to go thru Aegir to supply and check for useful updates, then 1439E was Aquitaine?  Do we know what 1540E is/was/will be?  1740E is within range from there.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 70):

Yes, that is right. 1540 has basic navigation data from the Labrysians, but it was only briefly explored by the Bourke, a Crockett class vessel sent from Chryosite to render 'non-combat' assistance. It is a binary star system, one of which has an inhabitable planet, a small cold place that is mainly covered in snow and ice, to the extent that most of the water is locked up on the poles and oceans cover only about half the planet. Its atmosphere is however, breatheable though thin, and there are patches of green on the planet, indicating that humans could live there without special technology.

Edit: To get to 1740, an uncharted system, you will need to chart it remotely from 1540. See 'Charting a system', link to a message in this game
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:00, Tue 05 Sept 2017.

Makes sense, we will let Kalishnakov know of our plans and depart for Aegir as soon as everyone is aboard and we are ready to go ... Kat dear, please get us to where ever tanya says we need to go to jump ...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 72):

Probably IC post for that would be good, or do you want me to post one to that effect?

In reply to Fate (msg # 73):

Technology has advanced, and that is why we are a bit reliant on the rulebooks. As such, a tiny super-fighter has to be balanced in perspective with the vessels already there. The basic Terran fighter of the day is

Fighter, 22 M Solars, 10 dTons
Standard Terran fighter.
(6G/Move:2200, dDR:16, dHP:20, dTons of Cargo Space: 0), Weapons:2x Pulse,

Compare that to

AK Ultralight Fighter, 16 M Solars, 6 dTons
(8.2G/Move:2200, dDR:5, dHP:17, dTons of Cargo Space: 0), Weapons:1x Pulse

Note the size difference and the increased speed, at the price of one weapon. Compare that to the battery fighter,

AK Short Range Fighter, 13 M Solars, 6 dTons, Range 8 million miles in space
(8.1G/Move:3112, dDR:24, dHP:22, dTons of Cargo Space: 0), Weapons:1x Beams

Also the Missile Fighters,

Imperial Fighter, 20 M Solars, 10 dTons
(6G/Move:2650, dDR:33, dHP:25, dTons of Cargo Space: 0), Weapons:2x Missiles,

compared to the AK missile fighters

AK Missile Fighter, 13 M Solars, 6 dTons
(6G/Move:1704, dDR:10, dHP:16, dTons of Cargo Space: 0), Weapons:3x Missiles

The reason I point these out is to show that compared to the normal vessels, these have already been optimized to a considerable degree. So to compare modifications to further enhance them, I have to compare them to what is the norm in the game universe. Making missiles fire-and-forget would be one way of doing away with the large communication gear needed to control them, hence one option, but if it worked perfectly, then why would it not be the standard for all missiles? Hence, as automated missiles get smarter, so to do the systems to fool them, so we end up back where we started from. A low tech target however, would suffer considerable penalties to avoiding them, depending on theTL difference. I hope that this reasoning makes sense.

Yup, makes sense... just having issues with reality vice "ultra Modern" ;-)

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 75):

Ah, yeah. Ultra-modern...for 30 years ago!

Is sowing space mines/inactive missiles an option in a defensive situation? Mines would obviously need some sort of propulsion I'd think given space is HUGE and a few dozen stationary (if concealed) mines aren't going to be even a minor threat.

Upon dropping into a system, a bunch of missiles get kicked out of the cargo bay, presumably in some sort of pattern around something worth defending (gas giant or refuelling point perhaps). Throw some half decent sensors on them and you've got yourself a VDA. :p
http://schlockmercenary.wikia....Very_Dangerous_Array

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 77):

Lol, true. All you need to make that viable is a bucket load of spare missiles, refitted with rechargeable batteries (1/4 range) if they are to be reusable and reprogrammed. As you say, space is huge, so thousands would be needed and one small fighter could just render them all useless if it can run as fast as them, which AK ones can...

Alternatively, put them into orbit at say 50 km from a station. Shouldn't need much more than a dozen for pretty good (if short lived) coverage.

Could place a few rocks "randomly" in the same area with targeting systems and beam weapons for anti missile defence too. Perhaps run by a solar collector and a big capacitor for a single shot at fairly minimal expense. Aim using an internal gyroscope rather than thrusters.
Maybe the power source could be chemical? A signal from the station (or elsewhere) fires it up, a couple of chemicals mix and boom, instant power (while the reaction lasts). Would be near impossible to detect since there'd be only minimal power needed for the receiver and actuating mechanism.

Or take it a step further and load explosives into the asteroids - boom, instant sandcaster. If you want a more predictable field make your own asteroid from sand, gravel, frozen water or whatever, all cemented together with explosive.

All defensive weapons really, and not suited for spacecraft (except perhaps the really big capital ships), but all quite low tech and very achievable, especially if you don't mind cleaning up the mess afterwards.

Oh the possibilities a little imagination can open up.

PS. The GM is expressly forbidden to use any of these ideas against us. ;)

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 79):

Oh, don't worry. The Vilani have though of all of them, and actually the Vegans employed similar defenses against the Vilani quite successfully. The Vilani actually overcame them with massive nuclear swarms of missiles, launched from maximum range, and while only less than 1% got through, it was not long before there was nothing left to defend. The Vegans surrendered with their defenses intact, but their home world in tatters.

At that time the massive Vilani production capability was quite terrifying. You actually have a Vegan member of your crew who was part of the underground Vegan movement, but memory of those events restrain the Vegans from open rebellion. He would have told you all this, and probably more.

In reply to Fate (msg # 78):

Actually that may depend... as in running from one missile, it might be running toward another. It would also be unexpected, requiring quick reactions and warnings... something a fighter, with a single busy crewman will have more trouble with. I'd think aScout ship with several crewman and better sensors would be safer; It also mounts better defensive weapons.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 81):

True, though a fighter, being very small, would likely activate the missiles much later, giving him time to get past them before they activated. Meaning that though he may be running towards some, he would not likely be running towards active ones. Unless they were all linked, but that would require transmitters as well as sensors on each missile...something else for anti-missile defences to lock onto!

Lots of ways to do that... Link the parts... and I am seeing the missile array in a 3D ball, not a plane ... put the sensor in the middle looking out and it triggers a missile when it sees the target AND computes that it is in a location to be intercepted. Interceptions do not often come from the rear, but might. Sensors could be passive multi-spectrum detectors to avoid easy tracking and make spoofing harder.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 83):

Ah, you are talking about a controlled array, with a central controller. Slightly more complex setup, but probably more effective. In effect, a small ship at the centre controlling them. Of course, targeting that small ship with missiles would effectively disable the array, and the ship could be more easily detected.

Note with the AK G Carrier, it has a small starship engine, much bigger than the normal G Carrier grav drives though and needing a much bigger Fusion source (Normal Imperial G Carriers use 3 F batteries, KD ones use 22), and hence requires the skill Piloting (Aerospace) rather the the Piloting (Contragrav) usually required for G Carriers. That and the Sickbay is why there is less Cargo room.

OK, Yamamoto is an AK ship?

Do we have any info on her?
No one mentioned she was supplying Aquitaine?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 85):

Yamamoto is the Hero class freighter, typical of her kind but armed. She is run by Kalishnikov Enterprises, and it was mentioned at Aegir. See message 29 of the IC thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:13, Sat 16 Sept 2017.

I'm guessing there's a -3 in there.... :/
Probably greater for Meir since he is related to almost all the colonists. :(

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 87):

-2 for everyone except Meir, and -4 for Meir, as he was based here so he would have known both mother and child. But you were all half expecting something like this might happen.

Meir's likely to be out of it for a while....
PTSD is never fun.

So who's our pilot again?
https://youtu.be/bvim4rsNHkQ

Yup!, that's her...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 91):

Lol, automated rocket are not safe!

Well you two have been going at it like rabbits for many months now....
I'm left wondering who's actually been flying the ship all this time!

;-)  ... our priorities and desired outcomes are different than those of the folks on Aquitaine ... and , of course, we have ways to accomplish those goals.

Nothing is 100% effective....

https://youtu.be/C627nNDi_-U?t=53m12s

Ho, ho ho...

So true!

Not really seeing the problem given there's currently only 32 crew and berths for nearly 100, not counting space on the APC and ships boat.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 99):

I am thinking that Ronovan, the Labrysian agent with you to aid in working with the Labrysian alliance, is no longer needed. I think we can have him recalled, as his player has dissapeared as well.

That will free up even more space and remove the need for part of the ship (even if it's just a single cabin) to be running a separate exotic atmosphere.
And Meir will be a LOT happier too!

That's fine... and where do we put the nursery?
Between Duke and  the Chekov sisters and Meir with his two friends, that may be come a serious need.
Perhaps the Deck hand can become a Nursery hand ;-)

Not sure who played Ronovan, but I dislike those who just slip off and leave you hanging.

A little early to be planing daycare, etc I'd think. A minor reorganisation of internal walls might do for the moment to create a couple of family suits.
Meir's still going to need his own private sleeping area unless everyone's happy with him having to constantly use drugs to get any sleep, and although the two women are interested in him, I'm not sure how they feel about each other and sharing space for more than a night or two.

"And just want are we going to do with little ones? This is a combat ship right?"

Find a planet with a breathable atmosphere and kick 'em all out the hatch with a few basic supplies.
Survival of the fittest and all that... :p

Well that may be true for you, Meir,  but The Chekov girls are further along ...  We can give you a cabin... perhaps a single and put the ladies up elsewhere. Do be aware that Duke may put a move on them if you don't make it clear that you have a relationship going.

As for having children aboard, love, No choice except putting them out on Aquitaine... and we need the Chekov's skills I fear. when we get back to Aegir we may be able to make other arrangements.  Remember, we too could have this issue crop up.

Of course there is also always the low berth option....

Do we have an updated floor plan of the Dastavka?

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 108):

I might be a while before I update the Dastavka. I guess Meir and the girls would feel like they are back on the generation ship..

Not that bad a thing really. They did spend the better part of a century on it, so you could say it's almost the only home they've really known.[Private to GM: Of course the fact that they were only actually awake for 6-12 months of it doesn't matter that much does it? ;)]

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 110):

OK, how do you want to handle this? Who is negotiating with colony leaders, and who is present? What is your line of discussion?

In reply to Fate (msg # 111):

Waiting for Meir to respond before moving on...

Understood

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 113):

Time to post for him, I think. Hope he is OK, but have not heard anything, and it has been a week...

Best wishes, all.  Happy holidays.

Shows Meir last logged in on 10 Nov, unless that was you on his behalf...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 116):

Yeah, he iss around, but has not posted here. I thought to give an option to cover this later with Ava's last suggestion, given this might not be his most comfortable subject right now...

I just read up on the killjoy disadvantage.  You are, of course, correct.

I had read it before, but that was some time ago.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:13, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

Well, I wouldn't want to do anything that a PC is not comfortable with.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 119):

Ok, seems like we are ready to head out. Can I have a plan of systems, and a procedure for each system, to work with?

If you are talking where we are going in what order... we did it Months ago... have to dig around to find it...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 121):

You mean this?



To which I responded



Was not sure if plans had changed. If not, lets run with that. Captain might want to give these orders IC, since this was all posted OOC, along with any changes.

OK, let's continue with our plan to go to 1540 and investigate it closely, then we'll have to remotely chart 1740 before going there. Any questions or suggestions? If not, let's get ready to go.

Sure, we have a navigator and pilot who are feeling really good?  :)

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 124):

They will surely recover!

I will get onto it tonight then...

Am I onboard?

In reply to 'Captain' Ronovan Ga Det Hug (msg # 126):

But are you with us and drinking?

In reply to 'Captain' Ronovan Ga Det Hug (msg # 126):

Thought you had dissapeared, it was so long since I saw you! You can be...

In reply to Fate (msg # 128):

Your Captain voted for Beam weapon fighters, which have an armour divisor of 5 and do 7d (average 24.5) damage. That means an average shot will damage a hull with up to 122dDr.

Of course if you forego the size modifier bonus of your target and go for a precision shot, you can halve their effective DDR.Details for a standard Crockett class are listed under Terrain Warships in the Gear available thread...but this one is clearly not standard!
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:54, Sun 17 Dec 2017.

Can my fighter land?  I assume I’m still buzzing about in orbit.

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 130):

I thought you last mentioned that you were taking up a defensive formation with them, but regardless, yes you can land.

In reply to Fate (msg # 131):

There has been a number of discussions in the past about more intelligent missiles. I have therefore upgraded the details in the warheads available to include intelligent weapons, and the associated costs.

link to a message in this game

Given that Vilani are likely to employ missiles in swarms of thousands, they would unlikely see any use there, though scouts may employ them with sensor warheads.

I assume you are all familiar with how cost factors work? If not, add the cost factors (CF) for all the modifications, then add one for the original item, and multiply that sum by the original cost for a final cost. For example, and Infrared Homing missile (Aimed using the Artillery (Guided Missile) skill, has a CF of three. The original missile costs $30,000, so an Infrared missile costs (3+1) x$30,000 = $120,000. That is probably why the Vilani do not use them...

Intelligent Missiles, it should be noted, have a much lower chance of hitting despite costing $40,000, unless some form of homing is installed. I think this makes better sense...even the Terram military would have a hard time justifying them!
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:30, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

In reply to Fate (msg # 132):

Interesting as most guided missiles today use either an installed seeker of one or more sorts (visual, Heat, Electro-magnetic emitter etc.) or are directed by the firing ship to a module aimed backwards toward the firing ship for control (to prevent the other side jamming or confusing it easily). Note that guidance may be in many frequencies from radio to light.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 133):

No different now.

The modules aimed backwards would be the standard missile control in this universe...hence if you knock out a ships comms they loose control. The inbuilt sensors/seekers are available, but much more expensive, as is the case with missiles today. For the price, missiles without sensors are very cheap, and tools to fool sensors (and hence sensor costs as they become ever more complex to overcome those tools) make the missiles very expensive.

On the other hand, simple very directional laser/radio controls or similar tech between the missile and mother ship are comparatively very cheap. So, would the financial analysts prefer to launch four missiles, controlled by relatively cheap labour utilizing the motherships very expensive sensors, or one missile with below average abilities that can be fired and then forgotten, assuming the launcher targeted it right at launch?

By forgoing the sensors, the missiles become cheap. We all know that cheaper ammunition that can be made just as effective by a users skill in most situations will very quickly become the norm over more expensive alternatives.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:27, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

Missile Guidance/sensors are normally on different circuits and have back up power supply just so a power outage doesn't make the ship helpless. It may limit what it can do, but it can still shoot at attackers.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 135):

True, but since missile guidance is done through comms arrays, taking out the comma stops any missile guidance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

Comma rays? That's a new Technology! looks sorta like ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,   ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  ?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 137):

lol, yes, invented by autocorrect! Manually corrected now...

In reply to Fate (msg # 138):

Merry Christmas everyone! Now about my present...

Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!

Do the grenade launchers allow us to lob a grenade in on he back of the hill/rise?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 141):

Yes. Use the Artillery(grenade launcher) skill, an Average IQ based skill with zero acc bonus since there are no sights for that.

How about GUNS  - Grenade Launcher... which is the skill for using one IIRC.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 143):

Actually, it is not. Guns is a skill for direct fire. It is a very different skill to lob a projectile rather than to fire directly. Indirect fire in GURPs is handled using the Artillery skill, which I would allow as a Guns roll -4 for not being able to see the target, plus a -2 familiarity because you are not using the weapon in a way that is usual. I would allow a technique to buy off the second penalty though. In this case he actually attacks a location on the ground...

Or just put a point into using it for indirect fire, ie Artillery (Grenade Launcher).

So GURPS is screwed up then ... I carried a Grenade Launcher in Nam for a while and it is designed to allow you to engage targets in defilade such as a trench, ditch or behind something, That was it's purpose! ... doesn't work well with walls obviously, but for most other forms of defilade it did quite well ... which is why we still use them.  And yes we did use them for direct fire too... because you gotta use whut you brung!

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 145):

Yeah, in reality you were probably training with them with the skill Artillery, rather than Guns. It probably should be stated in GURPS that the primary use for GL is as Artillery, but they don't seem to mention that.

But you do handle them in direct fire slightly differently that in indirect fire, right? Well, aim them differently, at least...

No, not really, you just aim for the spot you want the round to go ... so if in a low spot, you aim just past the last rise ... now if you go into the upper register (45º to 90º elevation) you are on your own. It can be done, but there is lots of by guess and by golly in that.

GL are Infantry weapons, Not artillery which has to get infantry training on how to use them.
Mortars are also not artillery (in the US anyway) and are trained and manned by the Infantry ... 11B is Light Infantry, 11C is Mortars, 11D is scouts.

Anyway, Artillery training would be wholly useless with a grenade launcher, which is a direct fire weapon capable of engaging depressions and trenches, Much like a thrown grenade.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 147):

Ah, you might be confusing GURPs artillery, which is anything using indirect fire (is an elevation of more than about 20 degrees, though I don't think it specifies that anywhere) and US Army artillery, which are howitzers and the like. GURPs looks at the methodology, not the organization.

In reply to Fate (msg # 148):

As I said... GURPS doesn't know what it's talking about ...  For instance look at WW1 Machine Gun doctrine where a Machine Gun platoon fired at distant targets .. they use elevation and sometimes were directed by those who could see  or see better, but hardly Artillery. Anto-aircraft fire is regularly over 20º elevation, but is also almost always direct fire.

Anyway... GURPS Faults are numerous ... as we have discussed. Just resent some uneducated numbskull making an idiotic rule I am forced to abide by.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 149):

Lol, yes. Actually, I think the general idea is the the weapon is pointed more than 20 degrees from the target. so AA does not count.

But I get your point. It is a game, not a science!

Well it has a rising leaf sight like on a rifle...only about 6 inches tall because of it's low velocity.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 151):

lol, curious, what angle would the barrel be above the target at the maximum range the sights could be used at?

Not sure, but it’s in the 40-45º. They work from zero to somewhere around 40+ degrees.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:18, Tue 02 Jan 2018.

Am I recharged and ready to fly yet?

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 154):

You have made it back to the Dastavka, but you are far from recharged. Alexia needs to get that other reactor up and running first. But you can assist Kat with ground operations...

Sterren is always happy to assist her with those...

Let me know when I’m recharged and able to assist in a non-biological way.

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 157):

I think that will be reasonably soon. The auxiliary power would not be enough to charge the fighter, but the new power supply from the downed ships boat should do the job, if slowly. Kat is calling the shots here...

Am I suppose to post in the public again?

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 159):

Didn't I create a shared private thread for those at Dastavka?

Yes but not much was going on there, so I was just making sure.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 161):

Waiting to hear back from Sterran...

Did you send me a message?  I didn’t see anything.

You were flying somewhere ... the game is waiting on you at the moment.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 164):

Yeah, waiting for details as per message 469 IC.

link to a message in this game

Still waiting on the results of my sensors roll.  (Just so everyone knows I’m not goldbricking.)

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 166):

Sorry, thought I pmed you, but could not find it.

[Private to Sterren Fleche: What was the target, and were you using active sensors?]

I noticed an error on my character sheet.  Sterren’s basic speed is listed as 5.5, but it should be 6.5.

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 168):

Fixed. Your Dodge in this case is half of your piloting, rounded down. You would get to add one for Combat Reflexes if you had it, but not relevant in this case.

I forgot that I have luck.  Would you allow me to roll that second bungled dodge again?

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 170):

You can use your luck there...that would be a good time! Lol

Right about now, Sterren is wishing he had a tauntaun to crawl into.

In reply to Sterren Fleche (msg # 172):

We can assume you have any personal survival items you own, like radios in your suit, to contact the ships boat.

In reply to Fate (msg # 173):

I can handle this two ways: I can experiment with the mass combat system, or we can play out a battlefield individually where you hold technological superiority, but lack numbers. The former is clearly quicker, and reduces combat to a few rolls modified by player actions, but the last is more, well, methodical. Preferences?

Personally I would rather move the story along rather then fight battles... but I do want to keep our capabilities in mind.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 175):

Ok, your units for Mass combat can be summarized as follows:

APC (Tracked)
APC (Antigrav)
Fighter
Grav Bike Recon Squad (You have a few grav bikes from memory)
Mortar Crew (Tanya has a mortar on her bike)
Dastavka (Basically a stationary heavily fortified command post)

Current recon suggests that there is one unit on the ground from the first assault, and no more than three units inbound, possibly less. Weapons are unknown, but probably include anti-armour missiles, as before, and possibly mortars. Each unit could have up to 24 individuals, however.

Your previous comments suggested the ships boat was not to be used, so I will not include that. The small number of trained troops you have would really only make up an advanced recon unit, with the rest being guards assumed in a Command post.

Mass combat goes something like this:

Step 1: Risk

Commanders from both sides choose a Risk factor.
+3-> Taking great risks, but with great risks come great rewards!
0 -> Playing it safe, the usual risk.
-3-> Hiding in a hole hoping the other guys go away!

Leading from the front is usually a +1, for example.

Step 2: Significant actions

In this step, individual PCs decide what risks they personally will take. Those who wish to may attempts a Signifcant action. This is basically a Heroism roll. Roll 3d against a target value of 5, modified by the following factors:
+1 if you have a relevant skill at 15+
+1 if you have a special piece of gear that is significant (ie Dukes suit)
+1 if you are personally in command of a small unit, like the APC, recon
-1 if you remain with Command (Hard to be heroic from the rear!)

Each character that does something significant adds +1 to the commanders Strategy roll later. Only a critical failure negatively impacts this roll later.

Step 3: Choose a strategy
This is done by the commander (Cyril) every 15 minutes (mass combat round) of battle.

The first choice you have is whether to go out to meet them, or to wait for them to come to you. The latter gives them the initiative, but allows your stationary assets to come into play (ie Dastavkas guns).

I will post the general Mass Combat strategies in the rules thread, but lets get everyone up to this point first before moving on.

In reply to Fate (msg # 176):

I don't see why Sterran can't be involved in planning.  Indeed, he can be upand active again within a fortnight, thanks to certain Vilani medicines. Kat is also around.

In reply to Fate (msg # 177):

Probably discussion for the ooc thread. I am looking for more players, but perhaps not that actively, so I can improve on that. Meir, who IRL was in the infantry for a few years, is currently still going through RL issues. There is only Kat and Sterran, both of whom are around, and I think you have gamed with Kat more than I, so you perhaps know why she is quieter better than I.

All I got was that she was busy... I have not pried

I am here. So what should I be doing?

Huggin' an a Kissin' on Cyril...

Oh I am sure luv!

We need to discuss how we deal with our situation... seem there may be around 30 pirates, with perhaps nine away making sure the farm slaves do what they want.  With our newfound allies, we may be able to out number them by a very small margin. To do so, leaves the DASTAVKA at minimal strength.

So I thought I was to be in a fighter but was not sure where. so you want me with you luv?

The fighter does need to be charged up... so yeah, come on down and talk with us.

OK AK Grav Vehicle sounds very useful.   I'll be away today, back this evening.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 186):

I have agreed to welcome back Dukes original player to play his original character.  The mass combat system we used specified he suffered enough damage to reduce his HP to negative numbers. Given this had to happen through his heavily armoured suit, either he has severely injured 2 limbs or suffered a nasty torso hit. Given the nature if armour pricing rounds, I went with the latter. My question is, if he enters combat now, is it reasonable to reduce his HP and temporarily give him the very unfit disadvantage?

Yes, although Cyril would not wish to endanger him, as we need his skills. Better he stay with DASTAVKA and protect her.

hey folks. :) hope you don't mind that i'm coming in to steal duke back.

Is there a possibility of having a summary what's currently going on? I'll read the posts, but there may be some things i miss
This message was last edited by the player at 08:19, Mon 05 Mar 2018.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 189):

Short summary (others can feel free to add missing details):

You have been assigned the task of mapping as much of the region as possible, exploring the 'uninhabited' planets, checking for Alien races and mapping rich resources. You set out from Aquitaine after coming from Aegir, where Kalishnikov has established a colony and then had to join an Alien war in order to keep it. Aquitaine in inhabited by a Jewish colony from a generation ship that has arrived relatively recently.

Jumping into unknown space, you found a couple of empty worlds, some lifeless, before arriving in this system. Finding an interesting planet, you were ambushed by a pirate raider which managed to destroy the main reactor on Dastavka before being shot down by the fighters and ships boat.

You went to investigate the crash of the pirate vessel but it soon became apparent that you were not alone on this planet. You were injured getting what was left from the pirate vessel, but it was not enough t repair the Dastavkas main reactor because you had to use EMP grenades to get past the mines they left, and these EMP grenades destroyed critical electronics you needed. Apart from some primitive natives, it soon became clear that the pirates had a base here. The first ships boat was shot down by Sterran, but then another force in G-Carriers was sent, much larger but slower than the first. They joined up with survivors of the first attack, and you lead the force in the ships boat to push them back. Despite coming against the toughest defenders, you managed to kill the commanding pirate before taking a shaped charge grenade to the chest, which kind of took you out of the fight.

When you came to in sickbay, the fight had been won. Better yet, with the death of the pirate commander and the rougher pirates, the younger conscripts from the slaves they used to bolster their numbers quickly turned against their former masters with the promise that you would take them and their parents (being held by the remaining pirates) back to a civilized planet.

The only problem, is how to deal with the remaining 30 pirates spread in 4 locations. 3 Locations have about 3 pirates each, while the fourth has the rest, as well as an old Hero that has had it's jump drive removed and a much more functional Lightning class vessel, which is the pirates main income, and their only escape route! The planet is a very cold one, with snowstorms likely to be coming in soon signaling the start of winter.

Thanks!

The convo between Cyril and the ex-pirate. Where is this taking palce? Is Duke about?

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 191):

It is happening on Dastavka. Duke can be present if you want to be, though the Doctor would recommend bed rest at this stage. But you know how space farers follow doctors orders...

Taking a shape charged grenade and surviving it is pretty badass tbh.

Duke is immortal... (or he was probably wearing his suit)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 193):

He was DEFINITELY wearing his suit!

Edit, checking the details, he also must have managed a glancing blow...even with his suit that should have been pretty deadly...
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:33, Mon 05 Mar 2018.

Is it obvious where Cyril would be?

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 195):

Yep. Assume a quick check on the comm link would tell you.

What tech level are we in these things?

We have Jump 2; You also have Alexi and Julia Chekov, both lovely, both pregnant and both demand that YOU BE THEIR Husband... they show little interest in sharing you, are pissed because you knocked the other one up too and both get mad if they catch you screwing around with another woman, which has become a strain on your Libido.

Wait a second...

Julia is also pregnant?
(it says in her bio that there's some miracle that she isn't - at least hasn't caught a kid yet)

I guess that might have changed.


hmmm... and Duke is the dad to both of the kids?

He really has been getting himself into trouble hasn't he? I Didn't know Julia was in the picture too - though I'll admit the idea had crossed my mind as part of character development.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 199):

Quite possibly. I will have to check if you were the father though!

To make it fun, he should be!

Quite the crew we have here...

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 201):

tbh, I had forgotten she was pregnant...but yes, both are pretty possessive! Just because they are sisters does not mean they share!

I feel raymond has a much better life than me.

Are there any temporary jury-rig style updates that Duke could do to the standard G Carriers to make them a similar speed to the KD carrier?

Something like MEchanic(ContraGrav)?

Just a quick fix like 'bypassing some failsafe relay' or something.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 204):

Not really. The KD carriers have mini starship drives that are significantly more expensive, and bigger reactors as a result. The Imperial G Carriers (for that is what they are) are, ahem, produced to a budget and already running close to their limits, beyond sometimes given they were not designed to run for days continually.

Fair to say that they have a small reactor in one of the carriers with a spare set of batteries for unlimited range.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:35, Mon 12 Mar 2018.

In reply to Fate (msg # 205):

Only One of them?  What exactly did we capture please.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 206):

There were three modified Imperial G-Carriers, with the stats as you posted and an additional Gatling laser turret. Two were set up with bunks for 12 persons, and the third with bunks for 4 and a small reactor out of a fighter, along with a small crane to handle the F cells, and a couple of banks for charging them. There are 3 are batteries in the bank. All have had minimal life support added for arctic planet operations. They carried a total of 34 persons, plus the additional 16 they met up with from the previous expedition to make a total of 50. There are only 31 left, so 19 of the most experienced pirates are strewn across the battlefield.

As you have pointed out, G Carriers are slow, and they have traveled well over 300 miles that they have as range. This is about the only way they could do so, as I think I alluded to earlier.

Sorry, the last message should read the AK G Carriers have mini starship drives, not the KD ones. The KD ones have slightly bigger drives and an extra battery. But you don't have any KD ones, just 3 Imperial ones and an AK.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:15, Mon 12 Mar 2018.

OK, so these will take a minimum of 10 hours to get to the Pirate base, assuming a complete set of extra batteries. The AK can do it in around 3 hours and the Shuttle in a round 4 hours or so?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 208):

At 4,000 miles, it will take the Imperial G Carriers 67 hours flying as the crow fly's, double with stealth. It will take the Ships boat 2 hours, the AK APC 1 hour and the AK G Carrier 4 hours, all flying directly. Stealth doubles those times.

So the G Carriers would require 5 days to arrive? we'll leave them back.  Ships boat w/ APC and AK G Carrier will have to do...

Very unwise to let duke fly anything :)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 211):

Duke is NOT flying it, he is a passenger. He may be in command, but he is not got hands on controls.

Alright

Duke could be a kamikaze?

In an Imperial G Carrier .... OK, in the valuable stuff ... no deal.

We all know you gals couldn't live without good ol' Duke.

In that sense, you could be replaced by a battery operated toy.  Better rely on your other abilities.

GM, is there anything Duke can do to jam communications?

I'm not sure he'd be able to build anything specifically in the time they have (or don't have), but there may be some temporary jury-rigging he could do to interfere with comms too?

(lots of questions!)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 218):

He could easily rig a radio to broadcast white noise on all channels. Would only take him an hour. Cables need cutting...

In reply to Fate (msg # 219):

Guys, I am sure that Cyril would like as much input in the planning stages of the attack as you can give, as he has asked for it. Hence, despite your injuries through truly heroic acts, input into the planning of the attack is where you can contribute a lot if you want to.

Duke your ideas are good except they re outside your skillset! You haven't yet rolled to create a new explosive yet! Unless you were talking about the nukes from the Labrysians, but I think they were all used.

That would require following the rules for New Inventions on P473, which I interpret as follows for this example:
The skill to create them would be Chemical Engineering (Explosives is the skill to use them).
The complexity would be 5 (Average), given that the quantity of research into this would find most of the Simple and Average explosives, and they would be readily available.

So, to come up with a concept, I would need a Chemical Engineering -10 +3 (since you are trying to modify something that already exists)

Assuming you succeed on this roll, the prototype roll would have an additional -8 due to the limited resources and no Chemical laboratory...

In reply to Fate (msg # 220):

I have it on my character sheet (the explosives), and Demo/explosives are on my sheet.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 221):

Explosives skills are for using explosives, not creating them. As mentioned, Chemical Engineering is the skill for discovering new explosives.

The explosive items you have are Gauss ammo

In reply to Fate (msg # 222):

Oh, i was going off this:

I'd forgotten about it, but was pleasantly surprised - and i think i remember talking about having it originally.

All the explosives talk was about that, if it needs changing, then I Can do that.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 223):

Oh, Ok. I must have missed that line for, like, half the game! lol. That would be the regular HE though, that you would find in a warhead. It is not like they would spend 25k on the missile and then get a cheap warhead! Probably a little less than most space missiles use, though plenty for a regular one.

No, the talk about it is fine.

Just using that explosive, a missile exploding at 1 yard from the target in a vacuum would need approximately 1700 lbs of explosive to do the damage they do. Given missiles only weigh 300 lbs, fair to say they have special shaped charge warheads that allow a significant reduction in explosives required! Unfortunately, the explosives you have is what they use.

Ah shite!


[Private to GM: I guess the extra 5 character points  could be for:

Applied Maths
Applied Chemistry (I guess this would be a sufficient synergistic skill) for chemical engineering?
Physics
Engineering( something boomy) (does Engineer(Combat) not cover this?)
and maybe there's another appropriate skilli need.


]

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 226):

Yeah, you can be sure they use the most advanced Explosives they have!

[Secret to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund: Just going through Basic.

Engineer(Combat) is for Building or removing fortifications or mine feilds. Ie it is the siege engineer.

Physics would cover the effects of explosives, but not their design or production. Physics(Nuclear) would cover the design of Nuclear weapons, though disarming them used Explosives (NOD) skill. Disarming any other explosive uses Explosive(OED) skill, and making of primers would use Explosives(Fireworks).

Actually, Engineer requires Mathematics(Applied), so you really should have that! But not for this...

Chemistry is the skill that covers analysis and synthesis of chemicals and explosives, though I am yet to find anything about development of them, which is usually done IRL by a Chemical Engineer, but this specialty does not exist in GURPs...so it would seem that everything comes back to Chemistry. Research would have to help, though the mechanic for that is not clear.

Explosives (Demolitions) is the skill used in actually using them.

Note that equipment modifiers apply, but Dastavka does have a basic Biology and Chemistry Lab.
]

there are far too many engineering/technical skills :)

FWIW, at one Yartd range, the HEAT warhead would still do a lot of damage as it creates a jet of hot gases explosively, they move at 23,000 FPS or better today ... likely better in the future. THe gases/ remnants of the cup greatly change with what the cup is made of, copper used to be popular, Aluminum penetrated less, but was pyrophoric, Glass has been used too and I think they are using depleted uranium now. (Also likely pyrophoric).

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 229):

I am sure, but bear in mind space missile's are designed to operate in a vacuum, so heat transfer by conduction is negligible, as are missile aerodynamics. Hence, based on GURPs handling of explosives, in atmosphere they are slower, but do much more damage...
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:50, Fri 16 Mar 2018.

Not in question, In space, the directed force is still powerful in one narrow enough direction. A Yard of vacuum is meaningless. And the remainder of the missile is probably sent back by the explosion, becoming a minor threat itself. Convection was never a part of the plan... Pyrophoric metals may not be burning until they get to the oxygen, but that's fine... all they have to do is burst through into an atmospheric space in the ship and they burn. Needless to say a (say) 20 pound warhead fires a pound/500g of metal at some extreme velocity into the hull/armor/whatever. It will penetrate quite a bit of armor ... then we can get into ways to defeat it etc. and it gets ever more complicated. With out guessing all that, we can assume no one would use missiles if they didn't work pretty well. I am not aware of any ship that is impervious to them.

Boys, boys Are we going to blow something up or not?

I will be nice, I will be nice, no sexist remarks ... about what can be ... no, no I will not ....
< Internal struggle >

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 233):

We finalized the plan yet? Once we are all clear on it, we can move to execution, where I get to start throwing spanners!

I had thought it was some tme back... you may not need to bother with any spanners, looks like it's falling apart by the post.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 235):

Yeah, I remember the 'finalized' plan, but it has already changed a number of times, such as not going for the Lightning, and we are not even out of the meeting room, so I thought it might get finalized again! No? Still the same one?

Let me try again...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 237):

That might be a good idea.

Have been out for the past day or so with work, am back now and will post as soon as i wake.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 239):

Yes, you all have comms, except the ex-pirate troops. But they are with folk that do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:09, Fri 23 Mar 2018.

Right, finally back from the weekend snowboarding, i'll catch up tonight :)

Do we have any sort of translation software? Looking for a better way to communicate.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 242):

You do if you know the language. However, it takes time for the software to 'learn' a completely new language.

OK, makes sense ... don't expect it's too complex, but likely rather different.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 244):

Yes, very different. They lack vocal chords and have proboscii...so it is more like whistles ad squeaks.

In reply to Fate (msg # 245):

Perhaps a diplomacy (or other influence of your choice) in order. Basic modifiers would be -2 for Cultural differences, -4 for linguistic differences (they communicate in English, but it is still quite poor, and not their native language), -2 circumstance modifier, because we have to conduct it through writing and they really don't trust humans at this point. The last probably should be more, but that is a -8 penalty as it stands...Intimidation would suffer further penalties due to their numbers.

Well that gives me a great chance ... all I need is a crit ... surely we get something for treating them evenly, and showing some concern for their people...  I understand their complete distrust of Pirates, but the other slaves were little better treated and seem to have tried to look out for the natives.


Oh Lord ... and I got a crit alright ...  19:19, Today: Cyril Zotmund rolled 17 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,6,5.  Diplomacy.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 247):

ROFL!

Hmmm, they are being merciful not all spearing this horrible species!

Assume the will not be satisfied while they don't have all the weapons they see with that roll. Thankfully, most of your crew are at the farms. But Duke, Peter, Illiam, yourself, Tonkin and Mao are on the ground.

On the Ground as in present? or are we now at war with them?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 249):

No, they want the guns they see. The crew above are the only ones at the main base, the rest are still coming in from the farms. They would want those weapons too, but they don't know about them...yet.

OK, so note to Beastman


My weapon is Mine, I buy, I carry ... not give away ... Pirate Guns I give to you. Extra Guns, I give, but not all guns.


Kat let everyone know we have an issue,they want every gun they see.... we'll need overhead cover and the Tracked APC.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 251):

I will have to go of what is IC as far as what the natives will see and say. Just mechanics here...

Honestly, I go away for an evening and then have a million replies to respond to!

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 253):

Conversation can be like that!

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 253):

I know the feeling...

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 255):

Heads up: I am going to be a little scarce until after easter.

Have a great easter everyone.

Intermittent or just gone?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 257):

Probably intermittent, but maybe just gone!

I will be around except for Easter.

Aye, same

Ill be back tomorrow :)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 260):

Back now!

Ah bloody hell, what have you been doing to my ship while i've been away for easter?

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 262):

Not me...you have been fixing it! At least, if you don't roll critical fails, anyway!

lol, in a dairy, stuff splashes! Kind of like grass pulp...after some time! Not normally sweet, but it is this time!

Explains why they use all those suction hoses and covered containers here ...  Bleah!

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 265):

They use them here tpoo, but you still need to wash them down before attaching suction hosts or they get more than milk, and that spoils the whole vat!

Yes, I did know that...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 267):

We all finished with our learning over the time of fixing the ship? Cyril can post an order to depart when ready...(but where too?).

What about Duke?

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 269):

Yes, Duke gets the same amount as well. In Dukes case, purchases he makes beyond his wealth level will probably be claimed as part of the ship's workshop/laboratory when he leaves. In Dukes case, this is $250,000, not including the Laboratory worth up to $300,000 and powered armour worth up to $150,000, both of which are signature gear. Looking at your sheet, you could easily make a down payment on things like the Android or a number of vehicles, as your sheet seems well down on the value.

With the ship nearing completion, Cyril makes sure supplies and ammunition are loaded in the desired amounts. The remote mining vehicle, two laser armed fighters that can carry and launch a missile, but not guide it, the ships boat (also refurbished) and two of the recon missiles.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 271):

Right. No modular APC this time?

Do we have room with all the changes?

I see a Modular G carrier and te AKAPC... which is it you are referring to? the APC seems the more desirable.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Sat 05 May 2018.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 273):

Modular G-Carrier? Where do you see that? There is an AK G Carrier, and an AK APC, the latter of which is the modular version.

Sorry, it was this:
AK Modular Speeder, 4 M Solars, 6 dTons
This is more of an enclosed Air raft to be used in the 6 dTon flattened sphere bays as an auxiliary cargo boat with life support for the two crew. It has a range of 2 million miles.
(2G/Move 1270, dDr:12, dHP:16, dTons of Cargo space: 3.9)

I did not see a modular APC

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 275):

Modular APC and AK APC are the same thing...they are an option to fit into the generic 6 dTon craft bays Kalishnikov is advocating for merchant vessels, and military ones.

In reply to Fate (msg # 276):

Did you want the more heavily armoured short range fighters, or the fusion powered ones?

In reply to Fate (msg # 277):

These I would think-
AK Short Range Fighter,

We haven't done a great deal of long distance fighting.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 278):

If money is not an issue, there are the following options for Duke to buy as gifts...

For Alexei: Autokitchen                       $20 k, 400 lbs, every womans dream!
Responsive Bed                                $700, +1 Erotic art skill!
Housebot                                      $4000, 20 lbs, needs brain and software for Housekeeping skill (E) (see below) as an expert skill.

Basic Small Robot Brain Computer    $30 k, 3 lbs, Complexity 4, max IQ:8, DX:10 along with
Scout Robot               $5 k, 4 lbs, 2B/8 hrs (Small computer brain needed)

The ultimate remote controlled toy...that may actually be useful! Or there is

Techbot                   $10 k, 50 lbs, D/24 hrs (Small computer brain needed)

Every Kids best toolbox!

Other than that, there are the basic computers for educating kids,

Minicomputer        $10 k, 10 lbs, Complexity 5, 2C/20 hrs (50 W)
Small               $2 k, 1 lbs, Complexity 4, 2B/20 hrs
Tiny                $400, 0.1 lbs, Complexity 3, 2A/20 hrs

in a

Palmtop          $100, 0.5 lbs, 2A/20 hrs
HUD              $50, modifies sensor goggles and uses their power (Need to be bought separately)
Laptop           $1000, 5 lbs, 2B/20 hrs

Night Vision Goggles are $1000, and suitable for HUD, 0.3 lbs, 2B/100 hrs
Full VR Suits are $5,000 and weigh 5 lbs, and require a complexity 5 VR Manager, and a VR Database to use properly. Database for a city would be $5,000 and come on a 1 lb drive. A small nation $25,000 and weigh 10 lbs, a continent $200,000 and weigh 100 lbs, whilst an entire VR planet would cost $1.5 million and weigh 1000 lbs. Games to utilize these are complexity 3 software for a city, complexity 4 software for a small nation, complexity 5 software for a continent and complexity 6 software for a planet.

Basic Software (Accounting, Datalink, Entertainment, Word Processor) Each Complexity 2, Free
Technical Reference (+2 to a technical skill)  Complexity 3, $50
Routine Vehicle Operation*, skill 13 Complexity 3, $1 k
Basic Personality Simulator (For Robots) Complexity 5, $1 k
Personality Simulator (For Robots) Complexity 6, $5 k
Interpreter Translation Program, Native level, Complexity 5, $1 k
Expert Skill* (Single Easy Academic skill, skill level 12) Complexity 3, $50
Expert Skill* (Single Average Academic skill, skill level 12) Complexity 4, $200
Expert Skill* (Single Hard Academic skill, skill level 12) Complexity 5, $1 k
Expert Skill* (Single Very Hard Academic skill, skill level 12) Complexity 6, $5 k

Well we'll have to invest in the responsive bed ... king sized of course.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 280):

A King sized is worth $1,000! Naturally...

Of Course... ;-)

Ah it'sback! ::)

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 280):

That better be for us!

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 284):

Of course it is... Surprise!

I might be surprised if it doesn't take up the whole cabin.

Wall to Wall fun system?

I'm back!!! sorry for the delay. BEen away to scotland and all over the bloody place.

Scotland is nice.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 289):

It is, I have heard. I had a Grandma from Scotland, and I would like to visit there myself one day.

Well, i've been meaning to move out into the wilderness for a while. I was considering Canadia, or even some rural parts of USA - but most likely would end up somewhere in Europe.

Until i went to scotland... now Ayrshire or the Highlands is on my list of places.

Amazing places, really.

Make sure to check it out in the winter too... some places lose a lot of attraction in the winter.

I went snowboarding there earlier in the year. :) on Ben NEvis

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 293):

If you like wilderness there is always Down Under. But I also enjoyed the Tian Shan, in the old Soviet Republics. Very interesting hiking there, but a bit cold in winter, -60 in some of the passes with snowfall measured in metres...

I was in Scotland when I was a young teen. It was nice along with England.

aye, all great places. :)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 296):

So anyone want to do anything out of the ordinary then, which would be anything other than doing surveying?

If the planet looks interesting or different and we can go down to it if it has breathable air.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 298):

It has floating and aerial vegetation, which is very unusual, but the high pressure, resulting in high atmospheric density, requires a suit and pressure reducer to breath properly.

last post may havebeen 2 days out of date :D

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 300):

Lol, just a little. That was why I waited before moving you on! But not enough, apparently!

The Dastavka already has a couple of reusable missiles equipped with sensors for scanning planets. The main time now in scanning a system is scanning and mapping the orbits of various planetoids and stars in multiple star system. To do this accurately requires giving them time to move, so their paths can be predicted, and unfortunately this mainly takes time, and accurate sensors. In most cases, mapping the planet is done at the same time, and takes less time. You also need to map the next system with sufficient accuracy to jump to it in many cases.

If the Captain permits it, a trip to the planet can be arranged, but there is a lot of supplies still in all the small craft except the fighter at this time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:55, Fri 22 June 2018.

Ahy my bad, i'll juts have it 'retrospective' in nature.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 302):

Cyril, if you permit a brief trip (and I am waiting to hear that you do before I post anything with regards to the results) I can put a summary of what you find in post #129 by editing it. Otherwise, we can keep moving...

Sure, we’ll empty the AK APC and they can use it...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 304):

Aquitaine is 1439, 1540 was a new planet. The Talz were on 1739, as you bypassed 1740.

Ah wow, Julia is direct isn't she.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 306):

Would you have her any other way? You have been going between them for years...Peter, Alexei's little one (and yours, of course) is now 3. And Alexei is considered a little prettier...perhaps a better figure,and warmer personality? But not when you are playing with Julia...

I mean the ay to really get to 'achievement unlocked' is kind of obvious right?

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 308):

Exactly which achievement are you referring to? :)

In reply to Fate (msg # 305):

OK, Not sure why, perhaps something in past scans (Dead system)

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 310):

Just to be clear, scans that detected radio signals were the preliminary scans to prepare for a Jump...you are currently in 1736, and the source of the signals was in 1836. You are yet to jump.

OK, Missed that some how...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 312):

I doubt anyone else has much chance. Guns Cryptography roll was only a little better...

Anyone else doing anything in Hyperspace, or any precautions when the hyperspace alarm sounds?

Sterran has not logged in for nearly a month, and much longer since he posted, so I think we have lost him. Meir is still dealing with personal issues, so despite not logging in since last year, I have actually been in contact with him. Not sure when he will be back, but Character 'on ice' until then.

Well, we'll be at "Battle stations" for sure ...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 314):

You clearly have the initiative here...how far away do you want them to be when they see you? Approximately...

Within the constraints of the system, as far as reasonably possible. If they start shooting, we'll depart and let Andrew send a proper greeting party.
If they will talk, we'll keep our distance and negotiate ... I'm thinking one of their jump computers screwed up and put them here, they may well need help on several levels.

I'd take suggestions about having Duke stuff btw :)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 317):

Time will tell, Cyril:)

Not sure I properly understood you Duke. For the sake of clarity, you are asking about suggestions of things to spend your cash on?

For clarities ske, I am assuming we jumped in with 2 Jumps worth of fuel... we immediately refuel on arrival at the next  star systems, and when we have enough, we'll jump again, while continuing to refine the remaining fuel for another jump if needed.

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 319):

Yes, I would assume you keep tank topped up.

In reply to Fate (msg # 320):

Ok, back again. I should be able to post at least weekly now!
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:20, Mon 20 Aug 2018.

Now if I could only remember what we were doing...

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 322):

You are at 1636, refuelled, and I think there was talk of scouting 1637...

Good time for a time jump....

Given the Hiatus, lets go back to Aegir and report, replenish and go back out. We have some useful data and it will let us all come back up to speed.

OOC - I am not sure how everyone else feels, but I think having the ships captain be a PC  creates many issues that are not desirable. I get a huge amount of posting time and decision making while others are left just reading the events. It may be weird, but I think the ship captain needs to be an PC or we need to be such a small ship that everyone has to participate.

What does everyone else think?

In reply to Cyril Zotmund (msg # 326):

Ther is a balance between having Captain as an NPC, and then the GM is basically directing the ship, and having the captain a PC, and having IC discussions with the other players direct the game. I am not sure which is best, or which you prefer.

Alright,back in the game :)

In reply to Fate (msg # 327):

I am fine with what ever is easier.

I just feel like I am monopolizing the game many times

Well, actually you do get a lot of that. I dont think it's a bad thing to have the captain as a PC. But i guess there's some implicit understanding that they drive a lot of the story too and that adventures might be 'leader-centric' to some degree.

I have always really found that issues like that are exacerbated when dealing with sci-fi aboard ships. Or at least it feels less easy to get everyone involved to the same degree as something fantasy.


I'm fine with it to be fair. From my point of view also - I like the gadgeteers/engineers/support types but often find it very hard to actually roleplay them - so part of this is also my fault :)

The game is fine and great, as long as you're happy with captaining then i'm good to continue also. If you want to step back, then I don't mind doing it, or just being okay with NPC :)

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 331):

Realistically, the other option is to send you in either in a larger warship, with an NPC captain, or accompanying a small warship, whose captain will have charge. The latter option will be similar, but with a little less autonomy than you have now, while the former option will have the NPC largely running the show. As Duke pointed out, a starship does not run well as a democracy.

LoL, Having 26years of military serve, some 4 years of which was in command, you preach to the choir ... I am just sensitive to the other players having very little say.  We could always become a Pirate ship where everything has to be by agreement.

As a smaller ship, it might be like a special op team where people are not as formal as in larger units.

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 334):

Like I tried with the Crocket? That could be done...but it would not have the resources for exploration, so we would have to go back to spying on the Vilani...

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 334):

We are formal? With me carrying on with the chief pilot?  Duke having seduced much of he engine room and lord knows who else?

Well, i mean they are 'long' trips, right?

Duke, the Captain Kirk of the Voyages of the Dastavka

Really?  Did Kirk also impregnate all the females of his crews?

And all female aliens.

Listen, I am just a vessel for their self expression....

In reply to Katherine 'Kat' Steele (msg # 340):

I had never noticed that he was so busy .... not that I wasted much time watching Star Trek.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 341):

I thought it was you expressing stuff ... thus making them pregnant.

I think Duke is trying to repopulate the galaxy.

Well, it's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Cant expand as a society without surplus population. Anyway, it was all Alexei's fault.

In reply to Raymond 'Duke' Vurhund (msg # 345):

I beg your pardon, but you were certainly never stopping to check such details! You were warned...