1971 Situation ReportThis is WNN, coming live to our audiences around the globe. Breaking news coming from our branch in France: this morning the French government has disclosed to us reports by their military intelligence who, in coordination with civilian stargazing organizations, have confirmed the rumors aired several months ago that the USAA have allegedly, now certainly, developed a new anti-satellite weapon deployed by high-flying jets, and are putting it to use. Now to our reporters in the field with more information regarding this startling development. This has been Wilford Pashen, World News.
This is World News Network, coming live to our audiences around the globe. Breaking news. Following an unfavorable development, the Confederacy threatened at the United Nations meeting held today that they "-have a weapon that will rule the heavens." This cryptic message was given by their floor representative, mister Jin Sun, a former general in the Confederate army. According to a source, this weapon is in the form of a satellite platform, armed with missiles. Its unclear just what their targets might be. German Chancellor Wulf Adenaur commented after the meeting at the UN: "The growing enthusiasm with which the communists are killing one another is distressing." More on this later as the story continues to break. I'm Tamal Lall, World News.The USAA revises the Type 600 ARM, increasing its range. They also use the upgraded IR technology developed for their ASAT missile to increase the versatility of their MRAAMs.
The Confederacy uses their revision to create a special variant of the Belle handgun, the Belle Mk.ii.
Weapons and Equipment:
- Type 500 MRAAM: A mid-range air-to-air missile. Uses IR to lock onto its target. High speed, low maneuverability. [1 Chemical, 1 Ore, Inexpensive]
- Type 400 Autocannon: A six-barreled rotary autocannon used on jet fighters. Reliable and cheap. [2 Ores, Expensive]
- Type 12 Automatic Machine Pistol: A machine pistol with a 30 round box magazine, commonly worn by veteran fighter pilots but spurned by the younger generation. Famous for its room-clearing ability, its bulk and inaccuracy are overshadowed by its impressive rate of fire. [1 Ore, Inexpensive]
- Type 600 ARM: The weapon is bulky because of the radar-detecting system included in the body of the missile, which also reduces its range very badly. Pilots are very apprehensive about using it because of how low they'll need to fly in order to deploy it. The Type 20 Interceptor has to be modified with a central mount in order to carry this missile, because it weighs just as much as two MRAAMS. The missile is far too slow to be used in air-to-air engagements, and only anti-ground warheads are developed for it. [1 Chemical, 1 Ore, Inexpensive]
- Type 700 ASAT: Air to space missile with a kinetic kill warhead: this three-stage missile is only capable of being launched from a stratospheric fighter, which includes the Type 20. It's inserted into orbit, assisted by the jet's speed, where it then attempts to intersect with the target. Uses infrared technology developed in-house. [2 Chemicals, 1 Ore, Inexpensive]
Technology:
- Metric system. Meters, kilograms, liters.
- Firearms
- Alloys
- Jet engine
- Rocket engine
- Chemical monopropellant
- Automated Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC)
- Analogue computers
- Radar
- IR Sensors
Cosmonauts and Pilots:
- Quantity Amerikan Products: Amerikans are known for their highly competent workforce and perfectly legal mass-production techniques and policies, thanks to the deposing of inefficient capitalism. A lack of worker unions means that occasionally the Amerikans earn a special revision credit that they can use, but only to reduce the expense of a design. The credit is still subject to the normal rolls. You do not have to use all credits if you do not wish to.
- Type 111 Flight Sleeve: A skintight suit that places mechanical pressure on key points of the wearer's body to prevent blood pooling, and also assist in breathing. This allows cosmonauts and aircraft pilots to fly at high altitudes, and withstand g-forces that would normally cause a man to pass out. Grabs one rather uncomfortably in the crotch. Comes with accessories for use in space. [2 Chemicals, Inexpensive]
Vehicles:
- Type 20 High Altitude Interceptor: A sturdy jet that can fly comfortably in the stratosphere. Very fast, but has been known to disintegrate when flying near top speed—even in the low drag situations it normally finds itself in—and pilots are discouraged from opening up the throttle. Can only carry a light payload of two Falcon MRAAMs and a 30mm autocannon with 5 seconds of gun time. Has short-range onboard radar. [2 Ores, 2 Chemicals, Inexpensive]
- Type 3000 3-Stage Rocket: A powerful, solid fuel booster [big] rocket used to push payload up into LEO. There have been scattered incidences of accidental explosions on the launchpad during the handling of propellant, not always resulting in the complete destruction of the rocket. Experts say that the sensitivity of the propellant used is leading to these accidents. [3 Ores, 3 Chemicals, Expensive]
- Type B Military Satellite: A prototype satellite mounted with high-power photographing technology for capturing detailed images of enemy territory. Equipped with a special reentry vehicle armed with a parachute for getting film safely to the ground. Anticipated problems with retrieving the canisters continue to delay the project's deployment to outer space. [1 Ore, 1 Chemical, Inexpensive]
- Type Z, Model A Manned Capsule: A large capsule that can hold up to 6 cosmonauts, but limits are stretched on long journeys when filled with the maximum number of occupants. The capsule has a modular interior for easy modification. This version is cheap, with only basic life support and propulsion systems, and powered by batteries. [1 Ore, 1 Chemical, Inexpensive]
Resources:
1 Research facility. You may initiate 1 new project each year.
2 Ore
4 Chemicals
Weapons:
- Crowmurder SAM: A long-range surface to air missile. Average speed, carries a lot of fuel. Uses semi-active radar homing to track its target by communicating with the radar station on the ground illuminating its target. [1 Ore, 2 Chemicals, Inexpensive]
- Needle "10 Second Mile" SRAAM: A short-range air to air missile that uses semi-active radar homing. Requires the firer to keep illuminating the target until the missile connects. Is extremely deadly when conditions are met due to the sheer speed and maneuverability of the missile. [1 Ore, 1 Chemical, Inexpensive]
- Belle Semiautomatic (Mk.1): A 9mm handgun worn as a sidearm by Confederate military personnel on Earth. It's angular shape is considered stylish by many users. Used primarily by jet pilots. [1 Ore, Inexpensive]
- Belle Semiautomatic Mk.ii: Belle with a lengthened, perforated barrel, which gives the weapon very low recoil. Has a built-in wire frame stock which folds over the top of the gun, increasing bulk, but also steadiness. Has to be worn from a strap over the shoulder or across the chest. Can still be fired while the stock is folded. Popular with astronauts. [1 Ore, Inexpensive]
Technology:
- Metric system. Meters, kilograms, liters.
- Firearms
- Alloys
- Chemical monopropellant
- Rocket engine
- Jet engine
- Automated Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC)
- Digital computers
- Radar
- SARH missiles
- Solar Panels
Astronauts and Pilots:
- Post-Graduates: Confed astronauts and pilots have more rigorous standards of education for entry into their program and as such have a small chance to improvise clever solutions to bugs with their equipment. The bigger the bug, the worse their chance of fixing it. Because of the low number of volunteers who are talented enough to pass candidacy, the Confed can sometimes suffer from shortages of manpower if they take many casualties in a single year.
- Ackerson Full-Pressure Suit: A dull green, soft-skinned suit that keeps the wearer at the proper ambient pressure in order to facilitate breathing at high altitudes. Has an anti-G undergarment for combating loss of consciousness during demanding maneuvers. [2 Chemicals, Expensive]
Vehicles:
- Valiance 2-Stage Rocket: A smallish liquid fuel booster rocket, for launching small payloads into LEO. [2 Ores, 3 Chemicals, Expensive]
- Z-1 Rocket Fighter: Extreme altitude fighter, built for intercepting rockets as they take off. Has an unfortunately small payload of a single Needle SRAAM. [2 Ores, 2 Chemicals, Expensive]
- Atakon Independent Flight Module: A basic capsule capable of reentry that can hold up to 4 astronauts; contains essential life support and propulsion systems. Powered by batteries. The Confederacy often employ single man teams for non-military missions to save on manpower, relying on advanced training and equipment to keep astronauts safe. [2 Ores, Inexpensive]
- Sunrise Disposable Missile Sat: A repurposed comsat that has a pair of disposable missile tubes that carry Crowmurder missiles modified for use in space. Powerful ground radars detect targets in space, feed the information into computers, and send it to the missile via radio. The missile is fired, then detonated on command before it reaches its target. Uses a fragmentation warhead normally utilized in air-to-air engagements to kill the enemy. [2 Ores, 2 Chemicals, Expensive]
Resources:
1 Research facility. You may initiate 1 new project each year.
3 Ores
1 Chemical
In the East Upper Atmosphere, the USAA put their new T-600 ARM to use knocking out enemy ground radars. Due to the increased range, T-20 fighters actually have time to launch their missiles before being shot down. T-20 fighters employing the missiles still have a high casualty rate because of the effectiveness of Crowmurder SAMs, but now that the missions have survivors, pilots are beginning to formulate special evasive measures that cater to the Crowmurder SAM's characteristics. As yet there hasn't been any kind of measurable development in this area but USAA pilots are, as always, optimistic. Confed SAM operators learn to turn off their radar when T-20s with ARMs are reported in the area, which achieves the same effect as their destruction by throwing down enemy air defense. Dogfights become more frequent as Confed air defense begins to earn some blind spots. Z-1s continue to ambush T-20s from above, causing many casualties with their SRAAMs, but during early head-to-head engagements, the USAA reaps a slaughter with their MRAAMs, which can be fired from much further away than the enemy's SRAAMs. Confed pilots are baffled to report that the USAA's missiles can now somehow be fired at target aircraft from any direction, and experts are even more surprised to find that the T-20s can seemingly "fire and forget" their missiles, not being required to paint the target by aiming the nose of the plane at the hostile plane until the missile connects. This gives T-20s an extra edge, and Z-1 pilots have a hard time keeping their wingmen covered against T-20s, who obtain a vicious reputation for appearing behind one immediately after one's wingman had been shot down. The USAA managed to keep the new MRAAM development a secret and early head-to-head battles employing them result in losses of entire Z-1 flights. Later on, Z-1 pilots often flee from confrontations with T-20s unless they have the element of surprise. T-20s occasionally get the chance to conduct flyovers, but surveying while consciously evading ground fire, or flying at high altitude to avoid it entirely with only plain eyes to see the terrain with, pilots can't do much other than locate large facilities. T-20s time their attacks on rockets carefully, but MRAAMs don't have the maneuverability to track rockets moving rapidly upward. USAA gains a little ground; Confed will have a hard time defending if their early warning radars continue to be destroyed. (USAA is gaining ground steadily 1/5; Confederacy has control over most of the area 4/5)
In the West Upper Atmosphere, the changes to the MRAAM brought about this year mean the Z-1s have lost their edge. There are casualties on both sides, but no longer is the advantage severe. USAA regains control of their airspace using pure air power. (USAA controls the entire area 5/5; Confederacy is being shut out 0/5)
In the East LEO, the USAA's ASAT weaponry sees great use. The staged missiles are launched from T-20s flying at a steady rate, and they use IR sensors to lock onto contrast (i.e. the relatively hot skin of a space vessel against the "cold" background of space); the warhead is solid metal, killing the target with kinetic force. Despite it being the most nimble missile in the USAA's arsenal, limitations in maneuverability and the nature of the weapon's warhead mean that the missiles are ineffective against capsules that have advance warning of a launch—they can perform multiple evasive maneuvers in the time it takes a remote satellite to respond to a single command—which is somewhat common as radars built for detecting ICBMs relay bogeys on their scopes to orbital control teams. Skilled Confed astronauts often manage to get out of the way in time. In one case, a team of astronauts (Colonels Ichigo and Po) unable to move the capsule itself and manage to defeat a missile's guidance by overheating one of their craft's batteries and throwing it out the airlock. Without enough propellant or power to return home they subsequently froze to death and, having been in constant communication with ground control up to their very last moments, were each posthumously awarded the Affirmation of Highest Valor by the President. The missiles have better luck against remote satellites, which have predictable flight paths, and often only enough propellant for a single, very slow burn. Sats are now being destroyed whether astronauts are watching over them or not. Confed rarely lose capsules to ASAT missiles, but they're no longer useful in keeping satellites safe. The Confed's Sunrise missile satellites don't help keep other satellites safe, and they're vulnerable to ASAT strikes, but where they survive, their frag warheads are deadly against USAA capsules. Ultimately, the USAA's advantage is telling, and they take complete control of the area. (USAA has full control 3/3; Confederacy are being shut out 0/3)
In the West LEO, missiles fired from Sunrise sats (which are not in prodigious numbers due to their being harassed by ASAT fire) are extremely effective at destroying USAA sats. TV coverage is spotty across the nation, resulting in grumpy citizenry who are angry that they're unable to practice their favorite pastime. Cosmonauts have a special kind of fear struck into them by the Sunrise missile, who—though its launch and travel can be detected; the warning time is less than if the missile were coming from Earth—have no hope of evading the clouds of shrapnel they release. Sunrise missiles guarantee kills on satellites and capsules alike. The Confederacy gains a little ground using this new weapon. If Sunrise sats were in greater number, the Confederacy would have had a more decisive advantage. (USAA controls some of the area 1/3; Confederacy controls most of the area 2/3)
No rockets stronk enough to get to da Moon. *tumbleweed* (USAA has no presence here 0/4; Confederacy has no presence here 0/4)
The popular 1 Hour international TV show wants to get an insider look at the famed international design bureaus. No filming allowed, so instead describe a day in the life of a member of a design team. The side with the most entertaining account wins a UN Credit, which can be used to limit your enemy's designs for a year.CONTROL OVERVIEW ([USAA CP]-[Confed CP])East Upper Atmosphere (1-4): 1 Chemical, 1 Ore
West Upper Atmosphere (5-0): 1 Chemical, 1 Ore
East LEO (3-0): 3 Chemicals (1 resource/CP)
West LEO (1-2): 3 Ore (1 resource/CP)
Moon (0-0): 2 Ore (1 resource/2 CPs)
Author
Topic: Stellar Arms Race OOC (Read 13442 times)