Putting his weapon away brutus says, "We are here to help you." He hold his open hands out away from his body. The comm channel is open for the computers and tachs to work on the local language.

He points slowly and carefully at himself and says, "Brutus."

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 48):

The humanoids are clearly scared, but come closer. They look like Neanderthals form ancient earth, and act similar as well. The have primitive spears leveled, and from the range of 300 yds, you doubt they could hit you. Maybe.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Brutus relays this information upwards and asks, "Orders, skipper? Continued bug hunt? Or..?"

Well, we are in the make contact stage, so complete that while Bug Protecting for the moment

"So is that time to dial up someone with better people skills than me, skipper?"

Send the APC back up, I'll send the skilled folk and some trinkets and a steel knife or two.

"Aye, aye, Skipper," replies Brutus who then makes the appropriate happen. Hus immediate team remain on bug watch.

It's a fairly quick turn around, the two tanks add to the defence.

Brutus lets the experts do their thing but keeps watch to ensure their safety.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 54):

Brutus remains with a security team of 5 others as the APC returns. A shot fired at them from about 800 yds indicates the presence of the bugs he is dealing with, and as Brutus men respond by preparing to fight, the locals start running in fear.

The two tanks arrive and quickly deal with the troublesome bugs...

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Brutus runs with the natives and calls it in.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 58):

They stop when the tanks start unloading, and the rounds stop coming. The language, and indeed the he people, are quite primitive.

Then their curiosity starts to kick in, and the move back towards where the rest of your team took a stand.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"The locals are coming back. Looks like we have engagement," Brutus broadcasts. He goes back to guarding as the experts restart their contact process.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:25, Fri 21 July 2023.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 60):

The modular small craft comes down as the natives begin back to where the shots from the tanks landed. Seeing the dead bugs, they poke them with their spears, driving them through when the can. The lifeless bugs do not respond, as the natives begin to look closely at the dead bodies.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

Brutus keep watch but steps back to let the experts do thier thing.

In reply to Brutus Cartwright (msg # 62):

The linguists soon establish rudimentary communication with the native, but the concepts that can be communicated are very basic.

The tanks find another group of bugs about 500 yds away, and send them scattering too, killing another 5.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

The ship and it's small craft keep scanning for more bugs.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 64):

There are others, but it is hard to pick them from orbit. However, the survey craft is directing the tanks much more effectively as they move up the line. The bugs have gone to ground now, and it takes much more looking to locate them.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

"Can't readily find any more, skipper. Orders?" asks Brutus.

======
OOC: Did we deal with this bunch's mothership already
This message was last updated by the GM at 11:02, Sat 05 Aug 2023.

Learn what you can from the locals…

The locals are not easy to understand at this point. I will take some time to learn from them, but they do seem to be trying to find the rest of their tribe.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:43, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

See if the sensor ship can help with that.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 69):

The Sensor ship can help a little, but the more helpful it is, the more likely it is to get shot at. After the attacks so far, the bugs have worked out that the tanks are not susceptible to the dinosaur lasers they are using. Some shots have been fired at the sensor ship, but it has not be damaged yet.

In broad game mechanics terms, you decide the risk (ie you decide the target number between 6 and 15). Then roll 3d twice, once for their attack and once for your sensors.

If their attack rolls under, take D6 damage to the sensor ship, and on a critical hit a system goes down. (On a d6, 1= propulsion, falls and crashes, 2=Power supply, lands on emergency power, 3=Control, continues on course and needs to be collected, 4/5=Sensors, 6=extra D6 damage). Either way, if they attack, you get to kill D6 bugs who launched the attack with the tanks.

If Your Sensor rolls succeed, you detect 3D6 bugs and can kill them with the tanks, in addition to any killed who attacked you.

If Brutus jumps into a tank, we can actually role play it some more...

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300

The Dinosaur rifles likely have a range of a few thousand meters at best.
I am not even sure how they can sense the Sensor ship wich should be quite a bit higher than a few thousand meters AND is a very small moving target up in the smoke as well.

In reply to Gloria Flake (msg # 71):

Yeah, if the sensor ship is staying that far away in all the same smoke, then detecting bugs hidden in undergrowth is not going to happen either. I assumed that you were getting to within 5000 ft. Your craft are significantly bigger than a person, and have much less cover than them as well. Sensors can overcome that to a degree, but once they start taking active measures to hide themselves, such as caves, cover and camouflage the advantages of your sensors are largely negated. As mentioned, the smoke also works two ways...you have the technological advantage over the bugs, but they are still very competent and cunning.

24 July 2188, System 1539, Supplies: 5600 person days, Vatfacs can cover all, $87,496,300