Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Set in the Star Frontiers setting 100 years after the original Warriors of White Light Module pursuing all new adventures in the classic setting. Most original TSR printed game materials are constitute history in this game.

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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:49 pm

OOC:

@will- its a standard com satellite in orbit (one shot disables it) and as far as you know there is a 2nd HS 2 craft on the ground with men and robots both engaging Streel security and searching cargo containers waiting shipment.

@ Inigo the effects of taking out the white noise broadcaster and the com section are:
1. any command and control I would have ruled the pirates had is probably out the window till its repaired.
2. no one needs com lasers to communicate any more the videocom is operable again
3. you can counter jam the bad guys if you want with the Pelican's white noise broad caster.

As for a squad on the Hind we didn't formally discuss it but it was a prudent measure I'll assume you have Ventura, Slayerian, Ajax, Niss- all NPCs plus your flight engineer Dudd (NPC) and Savrax are all available. Ventura and Slayerian have trained as a weapons team together. Ventura likes to lug the Hvy laser and Slayerian backs him up with field crusher missiles to take out albedo screens for him, Ajax had medic and scout training, Niss is a medic with standard fighting skills she brought along one of the robots that's programmed to retrieve down marines under fire and bring them back for medical aid she also has her combat harness with the full up medical programs to monitor and do some limited treating of marines via com link (range is standard chronocom range 3000k since the com relay towers on the surface have been shot out by the pirates so she has to deploy to do her medic mission) to activate your med inject implant. If you drop off Dudd you lose the engineering subskills he brings to the battle namely Damage control. and if you deploy Savrax you'll have to operate the pod lasers via computer control meaning your fire wont be quite as effective as Savraz's.

You have the option to enter the planet's hex and strafe the parked shuttle, you'll only get to fire the pod laser once/turn instead of twice like in space but strafing ground targets grants a targeting bonus, orbiting and shooting from orbit is a bad option as you can only shoot when directly over the site and that would be 1/orbit at speed 1 that's 1/6 turns. Strafing limits firing opportunities a little as you have to maneuver in relation to the ground but grants a shooting bonus. Lets say a combat drop can be done in 2 turns: 1 turn to approach the ground close enough for the squad to jump with the standard KH rocket packs from the ships armory and give them time to get clear while in a stall climb with the rocket then 1 turn to apply full thrust and overcome the planet's gravity and resume normal operations from that point (no real firing opertunities during a combat drop).
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Shadow Shack » Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:08 am

Whoops, Imissed the partabout it being a Streel craft. Nix that whole prior post :lol:

"Laser battery primed and fully charged. Targetting the Knightblade."

Grelude focuses on the computer sighting window, and bellows out loud "C'mon, you big ugly bastard. Slip into those crosshairs. Get in there!!!" Grelude will gently squeeze the firing studs as the Knightblade drifts into his sights.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Shadow Shack » Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:12 am

P.S. (just checked my email...) --- Grelude snaps to attention when he picks up what sounded like some garbled communication over the patched in comm link. It ends just as quickly as it commences, but he toggles the intercom:

"Grelude to helm, I picked up some pirate cant on the patch-thru." Grelude will loop the recording back for Tanar so he knows what to listen for, just in case there's a chance to pick up any more.

"Translation for that fragment is: 'Greck's orders are to drop behind them before opening fire; just stick to the plan' or maybe it was 'program'...can't make out the last word as it cuts off there. "
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:49 pm

OOC: Most movement was fairly obvious with the exception of the Hind since it had 5 hexes left plus 2 MR – if it continued to match course it would be positioned badly with little ability to support the Pelican with its forward firing pod laser.
With that in mind I tinkered with and tried a few different movements to see if it could be lined up on an enemy ship but couldn’t get you a firing solution. Barring that the most logical course of action would be to swing wide and scissor back. (Please do specify what you want the Hind to do next turn: speed, course and firing priorities)
NOTE: Pelican’s updated hull points are 14.

IC. Speed, momentum, and lack of ability for the Pelican to maneuver made the next five minutes (half a turn) feel like being in a skidding ground car on ice. The Nightingale remained with the Pelican as she careened headlong toward the Knightblade and possible the moment of decision for the battle.

As chronometers counted down to optimal firing solution for the offensive weapons Captian Zyrova acknowledged Greludes’s translation of the Pirate Cant and says, “Acknowledged, Mr Tanar re-designate the Barstowe a possible hostile but primary targeting priority is the main threat, Knightblade.”

Tactical displays show very real possibilities that assault rockets and torpedoes might not get a shot on the Knightblade but then she turned across the marine ship’s courses and made an incredible tactical mistake of ensuring two of the marine ships a knife fighting range maximum broadside shot on the pirate vessel.

Barstowe’s course dropped it behind the marine vessels while Boggey A slotted in dead astern of Pelican. The tactical display of the Hind gave few options but a snap decision from Alyssa sent her wide to set up for a shot as she scissored back across Pelican’s course.

A smile played across many a marine’s face as tactical displays showed the Knighblade fighting to get her heavy weapons to bear but instead set herself up for 0 range raking by all weapons on the Nightingale and the Pelican. Four sets of fingers and pods lovingly caressed firing studs and the two ships fired as one.

Barstowe, Knightblade and Boggie A targeted and fired on the Pelican with all three hitting with a beam weapon causing a total 12 hull points and knocking out the masking screen.

Without interceptor missiles the Knightblade becomes a sitting target as all marine weapons that can fire, hit. The two laser batteries do a total of 18 hull points. The assault rocket causes double hull damage and gets a piece of the combat control systems (-10 all attacks). The torpedo hits squarely amid ships and the nuclear explosion vaporizes what’s left of the pirate’s hull.

A cheer goes up on the Royal Marine vessels but a chill cut’s it short as Tanar announces, “Seeker Activation!”

The Missile’s drive activated in orbit over the planet and drove toward Boggie A traveling 20,000 km.
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NOTE: by my count this turn just starting is a repair turn.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Will » Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:07 am

OOC: Like the last turn, I want to swing round and take out Bogey A.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Shadow Shack » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:47 am

"I guess there's not much to salvage of the Knightblade," Grelude bellows over the 'comm.

"Let's keep that bogie between us and the closing seeker...if we shoot it down we'll become the biggest and slowest target."
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:04 pm

jedion357 wrote:
Barstowe, Knightblade and Boggie A targeted and fired on the Pelican with all three hitting with a beam weapon causing a total 12 hull points and knocking out the masking screen.


Guess you know which ship Grek is in now.

IC: With the jamming going down Streel Security has been trying to raise the Pelican to inform you that the pirates had stormed and taken the Barstowe. They are also questioning whether it will be possible for you to recapture it in stead of blowing it out of space.

Shadow Shack wrote:"I guess there's not much to salvage of the Knightblade," Grelude bellows over the 'comm.

OOC: yeah I rolled for damage from the torpedo last and that did her in with damage to spare.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby umungus » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:34 pm

Manton is still around taking orders. Wondering if the next hit they take will crack the ship.

He loads another torpedo.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Shadow Shack » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:11 pm

jedion357 wrote:With the jamming going down Streel Security has been trying to raise the Pelican to inform you that the pirates had stormed and taken the Barstowe. They are also questioning whether it will be possible for you to recapture it in stead of blowing it out of space.


Having subspace commsrouted his way for 'cant spotting, Grelude responds back tot eh helm on this comment (knowing the other end won't hear it unless the helm relays it). "That'll depend on how eager they are on blowing US out of space..."

If the Barstowe gets close enough, Grelude will attempt a selective target on the Streelie's drives. Otherwise he will await orders designating a target.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:04 am

With the appearance of the seeker missle and the destruction of the Knightblade the Barstowe and the armed shuttle pour on the speed in a bid to escape. The Golden Hind, despite not changing speed almost ends up in front of the pirate shuttle but as it is neither shuttle gets a clean shot at the other. Alyssa winces as she realizes that with its higher speed and unused maneuverability her target will likely deny the Hind a shot over the next five minutes as well.

The Barstowe, having started with a lower speed, seeks to evade both the marine craft and the seeker missile but the Nightingale locks on to her tail. The Pelican having fewer options then the rest of the craft uses up all of her maneuverability to stay as close to the Barstowe for what may be her last shot in the combat.

The Barstowe hits the Nightingale for 7 hp while the Pelican misses. Grelude wanting to targeting the Barstowe’s engines realizes that between range diffusion and the difficulty of selective targeting the shot would likely be a clean miss. He opts for a standard shot and misses.
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Over the next five minutes the Pirate shuttle manages to open the range with the Golden Hind to 60,000 km and neither has a shot.
The Nightingale manages to maneuver to within 10,000 km of the Barstowe but is unable to target it with assault rockets. They lash each other with laser batteries and Grelude gets his selected target of the engines.
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The Barstowe falls behind and eats the pirate's own seeker missile to her total demise
The Pirate shuttle and the Golden Hind with identical acceleration and maneuverability settle into a stern chase at 90,000 km with the marine craft dead astern of the pirate gaining a dead on shot bonus but it still takes time at extreme range before the 'Hind manages to wing the fleeing pirate the ship breaks up.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Will » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:09 am

Which ship breaks up?
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:38 am

Barstowe ate the seeker and was destroyed and the Hind settled into a stern chase of Boggie A but it took 3 turns to hit her at 9 hexes. with only 3 hp she was doomed. epilogue post coming
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:03 am

EPILOGUE

With the demise of the pirate squadron in space, Streel security manages to mop up the remaining pirates on the ground. Between the prisoners taken on the ground and the SAR operations in space for survivors of the pirate craft a total of 37 prisoners are sent to Clarion for questioning.
The Royal Marines at the listening post are found alive though one was wounded in a cave in when the pirates hit the base from orbit to take out its transmitters.

The Cloverdale was towed back to Clarion and fully searched and it was discovered that one of her two water tanks that had not burst from expanding ice one was simply half full of water and the other was 90% full of harvested drugs that the ship's horticulturalist, Hazel Ellery, was skimming off the top of the drug crop. Ellery who had been hospitalized on Clarion after the Nightingale had med flighted her there once she became toxic from over use of her own product managed to check herself out and disappear.

Interrogations of the pirates revealed that they had been the conduit for smuggled weapons for the latest crop of terrorist. Intel from the interrogations lead the Royal Marines to a shipping container of weapons and explosives on Planaron station still waiting to be delivered to the terrorist splinter group. Also recovered data from the captured pirate shuttle on the ground turned up a drive signature reading of the ship the terrorist used to meet with the pirates and it matched the scans obtained of the ship that entered White Light system in the vicinity of the Pelican while her crew were searching the Cloverdale. All marine craft are now alerted to watch for this ship.

The grounded pirate shuttle was captured by Streel security but under threat of orbital bombardment by marine craft so the in return for the Cloverdale not being impounded in connection with the drugs found on board the captured pirate shuttle becomes a prize ship with the monetary award going to the crews of the Nightingale and the Pelican.

The Pelican's crew spends a week tied up in repairs and debriefings before the ship resumes her preempted mission of replacing sensor platforms in the outer system.

OOC:

Breakdown for the team concerning EXP is Chance to investigate on Wandren: 1 EXP; Searching the Cloverdale: 2 EXP (more were possible if the drugs had been found); stopping the pirate squadron without losing a ship 3 EXP.
NPC's playing roles will pick up 1 EXP per those encounters that I judge they were an important support so that they dont fall too far behind the PCs and Ajax obtained NPC status from the Cloverdale onward.
Total:
Tanar, Ike, Grelude, Alyssa, accrue a total of 6 EXP each
Mantin and Savrax accrue a total of 3 EXP each
Ajax, Niss, & Dudd accrue a total of 2 EXP

I'm trying to wrap this up but I'll need more time to work out the numbers on paydays and the prize award but you can expect the prize money to be in the neighborhood of 700 credits each (based off the numbers I worked up for similar ship captured in another game- in that game there were fewer individuals splitting the money but I dont see a point in redoing all that number crunching) So expect a 700 credit prize reward, some commendations for a successful space battle, and about 3 months pay (frontier standard months not Clarion months) to reflect the total time your characters will spend doing the boring patrol duties and such. I'll get the exact numbers post tonight or tomorrow as time permits

you can write a post spending exp, money, talk to NPC contacts or even try to pursue a side interest of your character- do it in this thread. Some of those things will require imput form me but talking to an npc from your background that is not an NPC contact wont, you can just write that.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:48 pm

OOC: I had 15 minutes before work so I just posted EXP to character sheets for everyone but Savrax as I just realized I hadn't proofed his sheet yet. but that is on the short list of things to do immediately.

Barring the need to decompress after work I should have the fiddly details of pay and such worked out tonight but if not then tomorrow.

Gave everyone a notoriety point for the space battle battle which is only really a guide for me to measure NPC reactions should that come into play. Suffice it to say that wiping out a pirate squadron without losing a ship should gain some fame for those involve but like they say fame and a credit will get you a 1 credit cup of coffee.

The attitude of the Royal Marine high command is that all sins are forgiven despite the letters of complaint filed by Streel security and missing the drug stash on the Cloverdale, taking out pirates is a major item in your job description and since Crown property and Royal Marine personnel were injured in the pirate attack on the base on Wandren; you're all getting letters of commendation (or some such if someone recommends a different name for this that I like) put into your file. Streel is not happy about loosing the Barstowe but is happy to have the Cloverdale back so there attitude toward you is a wash and they're happy to dodge the bullet on the drugs issue and blame rogue members of the Cloverdale's crew (a lot of blame is being spread in that area but those people are dead so they can't complain too much).

I believe the Captain of the Pelican and the Lt. commanding the Nightingale are both buying a round when your back at Clarion Station.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Will » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:27 pm

Lyssa sighs in relief when she hears the lock tone and the pod lasers tear into the second pirate craft, obliterating it instantly.

Needless to say, she isn't sad to see the Barstowe eat a seeker, but she is appalled at the amount of damage Pelican took...one more shot would've finished her for good.

At that, she finds herself gaining a new respect for her commanding officer.

"Pelican from Golden Hind," Lyssa says over comms,"do you require assistance in repairs? "
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:46 pm

Will wrote:Lyssa sighs in relief when she hears the lock tone and the pod lasers tear into the second pirate craft, obliterating it instantly.

Needless to say, she isn't sad to see the Barstowe eat a seeker, but she is appalled at the amount of damage Pelican took...one more shot would've finished her for good.

At that, she finds herself gaining a new respect for her commanding officer.

"Pelican from Golden Hind," Lyssa says over comms,"do you require assistance in repairs? "


"Pelican to," the captain chuckles at the name, "Golden Hind, negative; the first officer has repairs well under way. Institute SAR operations and look for survivors who managed to get off destroyed craft in life pods. Lets pick up all survivors for interrogation and other pleasantries."
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Inigo » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:15 am

Knowing that the Barstowe is under pirate control, or maybe it was just because it was a Streele vessal…Savraex finds himself smiling with approval when it disappears from his targeting scope. However, that warm feeling is replaced with frustration and clenched teeth as they cat and mouse with the remaining bogie.

After the final pirate vessel is destroyed, he leans back from his consol to take a deep breath and a moment to feel pleased to be a marine serving crown and crew. With that, he turns to Alyssa. “Well done. Though for a moment I believed you intended to give up on ships weapons and just ram that last one.” Changing gears he ponders, “ I wonder how much of that pirate trash out there is still alive, waiting to be recovered? Perhaps I should go aft and assist.”
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby jedion357 » Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:18 pm

OOC: It occurred to me that people might like to spend exp and get paid at the new level for the block of time involved so I'll delay doing the money thing, So far, that I"ve seen only Will has bumped his spacer skill to lvl 2.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Will » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:19 pm

Inigo wrote:Knowing that the Barstowe is under pirate control, or maybe it was just because it was a Streele vessal…Savraex finds himself smiling with approval when it disappears from his targeting scope. However, that warm feeling is replaced with frustration and clenched teeth as they cat and mouse with the remaining bogie.

After the final pirate vessel is destroyed, he leans back from his consol to take a deep breath and a moment to feel pleased to be a marine serving crown and crew. With that, he turns to Alyssa. “Well done. Though for a moment I believed you intended to give up on ships weapons and just ram that last one.” Changing gears he ponders, “ I wonder how much of that pirate trash out there is still alive, waiting to be recovered? Perhaps I should go aft and assist.”


"Copy that, Pelican," Lyssa replies.

To Savraex and the others, she says,"everyone but Dudd and myself, lay aft and effect recovery operations. Let's try and take these vogs alive...tho, not necessarily unharmed."

"Good shooting, by the way, Mister Savraex. And, thank you."
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Re: Chapter 1: Wanderings In the Dark

Postby Will » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:21 pm

jedion357 wrote:"Pelican to," the captain chuckles at the name, "Golden Hind


OOC: And, here I thought you was a history buff.
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