Where did 9 beam guns and gunners come from?

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 949):

"Gloria has the Gashidda brought in over the downed ship"

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 950):

Your original post had you at 50,000 ft, or 16,667 yds. Happy to reduce to 16,000 ft (2.99 miles, -20 range) next round (it will have negligible effect of the result), but please stick to yds to avoid confusion. Gloria is rolling per beam weapon, though per turret would be more accurate. However, due tot the RoF as we are now in ground combat mode (as opposed to space combat mode) this is also plausible if different targets are targeted.

There is a pause in combat as the bugs seem to be positioning themselves and staying hidden very well in the long grass and sparsely spread trees. They do not seem to show on the hyperspectral sensors as much as some of the local fauna.

The smoke from the downed transport seems to be drifting towards you, approximately, as well as in the general direction of the colony.

Per rolls?

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 235 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

Gloria notes the smoke and has it spectrally analyzed.


[Private to GM:  19:12, Today: Gloria Flake rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,1,5.  perception by 3.]

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 952):

The smoke is standard smoke produced by a grass fire. It seems to be lit and spread deliberately to target the colony with a fire...and the downed craft may feel it as well, depending on wind.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 235 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

Can beam weapons shot out a fire break? Otherwise maybe ow up the rest of their larger ships. Actually, dodo we have any clue as to whether this remaining ships, large or small, are powered? Is can take off?

I would assume that laser beams will cause fires, and starting them in the grass around the downed ship may well give the bugs something else to think about.  We notify the camp/fort of the threat headed their way. Have the environmentalists assess the value of some back fires.


Can the recovery ball lift the downed craft?

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 955):

It can, slowly. A ball with 2 G of thrust will have that reduced by the extra weight. But the issue will be attaching it. It is designed for space work, which requires no significant attachment points. While there are hard points, and lifting points on the downed craft, connecting the two will involve someone being exposed to sniper fire. Making sure there are no bugs in a 2 mile radius (the appropriate full damage range of the biggest hand-held lasers you know of) is a very tall order.

All enemy craft have been well shot up and most remain in multiple pieces, although the colonists are still reporting multiple flying craft hiding in foliage that have them pinned down. That does make back-burning hard to control, but beam weapons can be used to start it.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 235 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

Makes sense... I check on what laser resistant personal armor we may have handy... and the possibility of putting up a multispectral fog around the craft. Of course just plain smoke may do as well.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 957):

Yes indeed, the plain smoke, which is getting thicker, will do a lot to block all laser fire, including theirs. It may cause you to reconsider what weapons you are using as well.

Brutus, what weapons do you have?

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 235 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 22:40, Tue 13 Sept 2022.

OK, If we use smoke, we need a good sized gap around the downed ship, incase the bugs charge.
We need to adjust to projectile type waepons and move quickly when we do move.

Brutus is capable of using pretty much any weapon but generally used laser pistols and rifle. Does the downed ship have a weapons locker? Is so, Brutus unlocks it and extracts slug throwers..

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 960):

The downed craft is hardly a ship and is used for planetary biological surveys, so it would likely have a shotgun for applying tranquilizers to uncooperative specimens, as well as some non-lethal weapons. Security forces carry their own weapons.

The pilot has a heavy laser pistol and the mechanics is busy trying to work around the damage from inside the craft. He has identified three main hits which he believes he can rectify in a couple of hours.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 235 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

Assuming that information is relayed up to the mother ship, we ask what he might need to accomplish the task more easily.

"Slug throwers, rifle and two pistols for me. And killer ammunition. How about you?" Brutus replies before asking the non-mechanic with him.

I was speaking of mechanical or electronic parts, but we can include some slug throwers too.

Brutus indicates to the mechanic that he has the comm channel and should respond directly.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 963):

The pilot is only trained with beam weapons, and is not sure about any other weapons. Perhaps a hand flamer?

The mechanic does name a few parts that would be particularly useful, especially if he could get outside of the hull to install them.

A few ranged rounds hit the outside of the hull, as if to indicate the problem, but fail to penetrate the armour. Your small craft respond, but with limited effect, maybe only killing one or two that can be found.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 233 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

Can the APC establish a vehicle to vehicle lock between hatches, rather like an air lock, or use the airlock to transfer stuff.
i cannot see any sort of armored vehicle available to sweep these bugs away and fire burns both ways unless I can create a strong outflow of air over the downed ship.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 967):

Establishing some armoured defences to work with using the small craft is not feasible. They are just not set up for that.

However the main ship is big enough, and is shaped with two hull sections like a giant "U" shape. If you have seen the deck plans for Gashidda you will see what I mean. You could land the main ship around the stricken craft and conduct repairs that way, or use the recovery to load it onboard...

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 233 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

A definite thought I'd missed...  hand lasers shouldn't have much effect on the ships armor.
We will rig to do that.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:23, Sun 11 Sept 2022.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 969):

Ok. You start to bring the ship down as the smoke starts to drift towards the stricken craft. As you open the cargo bay, the smoke thickens more. What preparations are being made, and who is doing what.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 233 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

I believe the Repair Ball is the only thing able to lift it and put it on a pad or frame to be pulled into the ship*. We could then recover the reapir ball as well, we will have at least twelve heaviy armored and armed guards to protect the mechanics hooking up the downed ship. With a little luck, the hook up and lift should only take a few minutes, based on experience with lifts by Chinook in Vietnam.

*I am not sure that the main ship has a recovery beam or crane that extends out that could lift the downed ship, if we can, that would be preferable to getting the repair ball involved.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 971):

The repair ball will be needed for the most dangerous part of the mission (sorry, no beam cranes, though the recovery winches can pull it in once the ball has it aloft)), though as you have noted, it should only take a few minutes. But a lot can happen in that time. The thickening hot smoke brings visibility (and laser weapon effectivness) down to 100 yds as your gaurds and recovery ball deploy, Those on the turrets can see  movement at that range. Rounds fired keep them at bay, for now.

Most of those deploying have energy weapons, since they were unsure of when ammunition could be purchased, though most of the ships hand grenades have been distributed (only about 60 HE). 4 individuals had magnum pistols though, having brought their own supply of ammunition.

[Private to GM: Remaining Aliens: 230 + 8 Fighters + 80 injured around mothership.]

20 Oct 2186, Hela (2235), Supplies: 3,080 person days (use 10 per day or 40 per day if not using VatFac, 6.4 dTons), $87,520,300

I thought we had a reasonable supply of storm rifles and ammunition?
very standard equipemnt for hunting large beasts and under conditions that don't favor lasers.

Gloria grabs hers and provides it to a guard, but makes it clear she wants it back.
She grabs her Gyroc & ammo , assuming she won't be in the fight , but she does have her nanoweave body armor on from the ship encounter, a vibro knife and her heavy laser pistol.