Faith
Distance: 4, Hyper[5]
Faith: 1, Hyper[3]
Immanuel: 6, Hyper[5]
Interceptors, Main Swarm: 6
Ice Weeds: 4
The battlefield becomes a tempest, a thunderstorm with mist for clouds and gunfire for thunder. Flashes of light mark running skirmishes as thrusters, wind, and engine unify as a wailing howl.
Light blooms through the mist, Faith's spell dispersing far and wide, a tracer field slaved to the girl's instincts and her suit's systems, Interceptors appearing one by one on the tactical map. They're moving slower now, laser drive efficiency plummeting in the depths of the thick mist, System availability plummets, the allied forces cutting and blasting the crystal flowers wherever they can, the lasers withering in the mist now dwindle in number. Stealth would more than compensate for speed. Would. Problem is in the region around Faith there is no stealth, just all-seeing light and a cornucopia of spatial fuckery.
Eagle 2 ♡Nemesis♡ <<Zoooooone of Tar!
>>A zone of compressed space catches two squadrons. Not a single Interceptor leaves the killzone.
Sachen <<Leistungsverstärker!
>>A blade cleaves through a relay flower. Its master had intended to only clip a single unit, but really this was too easy, he spins reorienting himself and blazes off tearing through several more. They would be back up eventually, but for now they were offline and whatever relied on them was shit out of luck.
And yet...
Allied Unit <<Get back! Stay away you-
*static*>>Allied Unit <<Shit! He's got me! He's got-
*static*>>Allied Unit <<How did they...
*static*>>And yet...
Allied Unit <<I'm hit!
>>Allied Unit <<A monster...
*static*>>Allied Unit <<Let go you-
*static*>>And yet a great hush falls over the network as voice after voice is replaced by static and silence. One by one friendly markers vanish from your map.
AWACS Fluffles <<They must be using the interceptors as spotters! In that case...
>>AWACS Fluffles <<All units! Fire into your surroundings, use your maps to steer clear of each other's firing zones. They're using the interceptors to target you so keep them away! I don't think they can see you unless you're close.
>>The vanishment slows and for a moment it seems to work. Until it doesn't. Until everything returns to being terrible.
Neuromancer <<I'm seeing a sudden change in Firebird 4's movements.
>>Wintermute <<Monitoring... Firebird 4 approaching Falcon Squadron...
>>Wintermute <<Confirmed, Falcon Squadron has been shot down.
>>Neuromancer <<The network's compromised.
>>AWACS Fluffles <<All units, take yourself off the map.
>>AWACS Fluffles <<Come in Firebird 4!
>>AWACS Fluffles <<Status Firebird 4!
>>AWACS Fluffles <<Firebird 4, if you do not respond we will mark you as an enemy!
>>Firebird 4 Thunderhead <<*static*>>AWACS Fluffles <<Attention all units! Firebird 4 is an enemy, please befriend them on sight!
>>A gunshot rings out near Eagle Squadron. A frozen figure falls into the sea below, a HIERODULE chasis.
Eagle 3 Legion <<That's our decoy down. We've got a sniper on us.
>>AWACS Fluffles <<Warheads inbound!
>>Another sixteen blast zones appear on your map. You're all caught up in one of them. The mist is starting to clear however. Interceptor activity is fairly low at the moment, guess they don't have the numbers to spare right now, your side doesn't really either. Between now and the mist clearing you've probably got a chance to regroup and ready up.
Faith
Status: Fine
World Line: 4 6 4 2 4 1 1 4 5 5
Alterations: 1.5
Resolve: 0
Distance
Status: Fine
World Line: 6 1 3 4 6 2 3 4 6 1
Alterations: 3.5
Resolve: 1
Immanuel
Status: Fine, 2 railguns, Promachos Install
World Line: 1 1 2 3 3 1 1 5 6 6
Alterations: 3.5
Resolve: 3
Cynthia
Status: Fine
Details:Drone holding formation near Distance, other drone far up above
Allied Forces
Status: Badly depleted
Details: Dogfighting the Crystalline Interceptors
Ice Weeds
Status: Somewhat depleted, roots have bee decoupled, no permanent losses
Details: Beaming energy to the Crystalline Interceptors
Crystalline Interceptors
Status: Badly depleted, many permanent losses
Details: Activity levels falling
Cynthia
A pureblood demon, classification: succubus. A ranged skirmisher who uses fear and charm magic for battlefield control striking a balance between harassing fire and decisive hits. Her vessels consist of two UAV fire support units.
Allied Forces
A small force of random students and adventurers whose standard loadouts have been augmented with jetpacks and airburst napalm launchers. Meatshields and fire support basically. Their combat effectiveness increases as they learn from previous skirmishes.
I had Immanuel break a few more crystalline flowers since he was perfectly capable of doing so in the span of this turn.