Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Madman198237]

Frontal armor must be AT LEAST tough enough to shrug off repeated Bolter impacts. We don't want them finally deciding that the time is ripe to copy us.

[Nirur Torir]

Changed:

Being a light tank, the target for most of its armor is to be capable of shrugging off rifle fire at close range. The frontal and top armor are heavier, hopefully capable of shrugging off repeated bolter hits or a glancing blow from observed Amaok missiles.

I don't want their fighters to have a sure kill, but I don't know how well we can do that on a light tank.

[Madman198237]

Their fighters are evidently terrible in atmo, so I'm not too worried. However, a Bolter is a reasonable facsimile of any sort of RPG-esque antitank system. By the way, if they ever build tanks, we're skipping the crappy RPGs and going straight for a Javelin-type system.

Speaking of which, anyone want to try an AIM-92 Stinger missile version of the Bolter? Long-range, larger missile, capable of bringing down aircraft?

[Nirur Torir]

I think I'd like to see that as part of the heavy bolter turret on on heavier tanks, preferably after making aim-assisted PD turrets for the Iliad.

[10ebbor10]

On a side note, I'm pretty sure that 3 CU is a lot of space.

Pretty certain we can shove a bunch of heavy tanks in there.

[NUKE9.13]

I think that yeah, 3 CU of tank would actually be two dozen tanks or whatever. But we wouldn't be able to transport eight tanks in 1 CU, sort of think. CU represents both how much space it takes up in the hold, and how much room it requires on a shuttle.

Amaok's missiles are much like ours, I imagine. As in, designed to kill massive spaceships. Nothing could withstand one of those and still be considered a 'light tank'. But I don't think we need to? It seems like their fighters only carry one missile each, and they only have a few. So in the 'worst case', where they deploy all their fighters against our tanks, and every single one hits, we might lose half our armoured unit, whilst they have spent all of their space offence. An acceptable loss, I think.
Being resistant to bolter fire is fine, though. Though there's no need to armour the top if we aren't worried about missiles.

[Nirur Torir]

It seems like their fighters only carry one missile each

I think it was two each, but yeah.

Alright, glancing blows are unlikely with their high-precision missiles, so heavy armor on top won't help much and has been stripped from my proposal.

[Madman198237]

What happened? It's gone dead for three days.

[NUKE9.13]

I think we're waiting on the GM, who may have given up. Running an arms race is a challenge, after all.

[Draignean]

My guess is that Amaok is having trouble getting their shit together, since the Chief is still active. We should taunt them in the Core thread.

[Madman198237]

Pointless taunting it is!

EDIT:
Pointless and LAME taunting, anyways. Somebody with more creative faculties get up and spur them into a suicidal rush with all their transports flying right into our Iliads and dying.

[Chiefwaffles]

I've just been putting off the combat phase for a bit. It's just been a combination of several factors, including frustration with the tactical system and mostly importantly, laziness.
I wouldn't worry too much, though. Worst case scenario is a much slower update schedule for combat phases.

[Chiefwaffles]

Just to clarify:
In space, short range is knife fight distances, medium range is visual distances, long range is the point where two ships can't reliably see each other unless they know exactly where to look and have a pretty good zoom function on their cameras.
Combat Phase of 2212

The expected combat in the orbit of A2 was a resounding success. Amaok was already hurting from their losses last year, and the usage of two Iliad-Classes solidified our victory.

We attacked before they even knew our forces were within range. Their ITCs lacked any kind of radar, allowing our Iliad-Classes to make full use of theirs. The first missile volley was a surprise to Amaok and destroyed their first ITC. The second destroyed their other ITC before any fighters were even deployed. A single shuttle was deployed and managed to escape destruction (partly due to some conflicts on the ethics of destroying an unarmed shuttle), but a single shuttle only serves to give Amaok's central command what little information the ITC's crew saw.
The orbit of A2 is under Moerth's control. Moerth can resupply their forces at A2.


In the battle for the icey world of A1, almost next door to Moerth, our forces fare well.

Amaok seems to have only sent a token force to such an opportunity for them. Questionable behavior, but all the better for our forces. Unit 5, equipped with only X112 Suits and the Mk 1.1 Pistol, is relegated to more defensive roles. With only pistols, they mostly just guard the mountainous passes to their bases. Meanwhile, strike teams from Unit 2, equipped with Bolters and Radios as well as the standard equipment, easily combat against Amaokian soldiers.
Amaok's military here is just equipped with their armoured spacesuits and standard printed pistols. The spacesuits may be better than X112s, but against bolters they don't do too well.

Our soldiers, in interest of avoiding casualties, mostly stick to bombarding the enemies from high ground. While Jormungandr Bolters may not be particularly effective at hitting individual targets, but in formation against large targets (like enemy camps) they do amazingly well. Of course, this is only possible due to both the terrain of A1 and the fact that Amaok's forces here have no actual long-ranged weapons. Occasionally a soldier has to be brought back to camp for pistol wounds, but other than that they fare fine. The radio helps with coordination, but due to Amaok's pitiful attempts here it doesn't play much of a role in the battles. The same goes for the Crane-Class MSS Ibis in orbit with the objective of transporting our troops. While its large shuttles are a nice amenity, we ultimately don't need them as when your enemy is this weak, they tend to not move particularly fast.
Every now and again Amaok's soldiers rally and attempt to make an assault up the mountain passes. Unit 5 manages to hold them off just until reinforcements from Unit 2 come to change the tide of the battle. Here their armored suits actually make somewhat of a difference, but ultimately when the Bolters come into play, it isn't enough.

As if this wasn't enough, their soldiers are freezing and starving to death in the camps. With no supplies being brought in from offworld, Amaok is forced to make do with the extremely sparse "food" and stealing from our own camps, but it often isn't enough. Their suits and camps degrade quickly and with little protection from the elements, we can observe that death from these causes is common-place.

Our Commander here is happy with the progress. Amaok really shot themselves in the foot here. Another year and we'll have wiped out any trace that Amaok was ever here. If we could just prevent evacuation of Amaokian forces, then their Unit will be forced to surrender or be eliminated. Though even if we do that, we'll still need some more time to fully secure the planet before any civilian presence can be established here.
Moerth gains ground on A1. [A: 0/3, M: 1/3]


Barren A2, however, is a different story. With the departure of Unit 2 from A2, we no longer enjoy easy victory.

A2 was unvisited by Amaokian transport craft this year, disappointing our fleet captains. Their Unit is equipped with the same things as last year - battle rifles. Whereas our own forces equip the usual in addition to a fancy new interplanetary radio. Central Command is happy with the easy back-and-forth between it and our soldiers.

Suicide charges are no longer as effective thanks to the slashing of our manpower. We're forced to slowly advance where we can find cover (and there's not many places we can find cover). The rocks and formations of A2 become littered with bullet holes and bolt marks. We may be better at medium and short range, but the sheer openness of the landscape makes for very frequent long-range skirmishes. Where our forces are whittled down as they slowly make their way across the battlefield. The Bolters can help suppress Amaokian troops, but they're often aware of this trick and aren't as phased by mini-missiles whizzing by their heads. Eventually soldiers make it into the effective range of Bolters, but by then our soldiers are worn down and our forces cut down to a smaller portion of what they were at the beginning of the assault.

It's not entirely one-sided. When we ambush them, it nearly always ends in victory for us. But ultimately, these long-range slogs become the mainstay of the battles as Amaokian sentries spot our troops and scramble the battle rifle-wielding soldiers to pick us off at long range. The radio helps, but not by much. The Commander here feels the radio would be better suited for places where our troops are more often scattered, like terran planets.
We lose ground this year at A2, but not by a huge margin. Some new development or reinforcements and we can easily come back to winning here.

Both Iliad-Classes attempt bombardment, but it simply isn't useful. Without aerodynamic adaptions, higher explosive payloads, better ground-targeting, and/or higher rates of fire, our missiles just won't be effective against ground targets.

Our Commander would like for some way to better advance through long-range or to just avoid confrontation altogether until we can hit ranges where our bolters are most effective. And no more suicide runs please. They really don't like suicide runs. Neither does the censor. Do you have any idea how casually our soldiers refer to "suicide runs"? It's just not right.
However, if you don't develop something, evacuation is heavily recommended.
Amaok gains ground on A2. [A: 3/3, M: 0/3]. If they hold it for another year they may advance to A1 and gather resources from A2.


B2 sees more losses.
Our forces attempt to continue the guerilla and stealth tactics of last year, but it ultimately isn't enough.

We were already on the back foot from last year, and with nothing changes, that continues and we lose ground. Our advantage at close range combined with the environments facilitating close range significantly help us, their ABR-1s are still very effective. Skirmishes based on our stealth are frequent, but not enough.
The real assaults on camps and fortifications result in us losing ground. We can't whittle down their forces fast enough to make a difference.

Our Commander would like better stealth considerations, something for close range, or just anything really. There's a variety of things we could do to help our situation at B2.
Amaok gains ground on B2. [A: 2/3, M: 1/3]


At the oceanic C2, we're beginning to make progress with the arrival of the MSS Haze.

With the arrival of the ITC MSS Haze, our troops can see victory in the distance. Last year, we were stuck at a stand-off where Amaokian holding of larger islands prevented us from making advancements. When we're on the islands, our forces can dominate. Any size of island works here. Yet Amaok could pick off our troops on the rafts as they began assaults on the larger islands then engage the survivors on medium range, winning most confrontations.
But then Amaok couldn't advance either, being unable to perform in the short-ranges required at the smaller islands comprising the rest of the oceanic planet.

Yet with the ITC, we can finally begin proper assaults. Shuttles are frequently shot down, but enough troops make it that ground is slowly being gained. Not enough to hold the entire planet, but enough that if this pattern continues into next year, we'll gain control of the planet. Just keep doing the same thing and hope Amaok does too.

The Commander, in some kind of obvious statement, sends us the exact same report they sent last year regarding design requests. A vehicle designed for the waters here would be really really nice.
No side gains ground on C2. [A: 1/3, M: 2/3]


Research Credit
An esteemed scientist thought lost in the beginning days of the colonization has contacted Central Command from an unknown location in the system. Apparently, they're willing to work for the most innovative side. The scientist has stated his intention of going to a colony to see their biggest technological achievement, and the side with the most impressive accomplishment will gain his support. He doesn't care as much about practical usage and the like as much as the sheer scientific achievement of whatever is shown to him. Central Command believes his intellect is worth a Research Credit (Roll twice for each roll in a design or revision, and choose the better number each time).

Spoiler: Moerth Designs (click to show/hide)

Yggdrasil SS-01A: A large space station equipped to handle a semi-permanent crew of 10 for 1-year durations and a temporary worker crew of 100 for 1-month durations. It has four arms - two ports for shuttles and loading/unloading supplies and two dry docks for vessels built similar to the Iliad-Class Destroyer. The station cannot produce or refine any kinds of materials and gets all construction materials pre-made from the surface, limiting what can be built, but provides excellent conditions and amenities to use those supplies to build vessels. A semi-modular design allows for new parts or modifications to be constructed in orbit. Requires a production line, but grants 1 Spaceship-only Production line.
Expense: 1x
Resources: None

Interplanetary Transport Craft: A primitive “shuttle” capable of carrying a unit and basic equipment to another planet. It’s quite large, and built completely in space. Docked to it are SSTO rocket shuttles designed with just enough fuel to carry things to/from planetside and return. However, the lack of large empty spaces in the shuttle and craft as well as limited fuel in the rocket shuttles means it can’t carry “heavy” things. The ITC relies on efficient chemical engines for thrust and powers essential systems via solar panels. While it can still carry units, the ITC cannot carry any item with a minimum weight above 1 CU.
Cargo: 4 CU (Individual item max of 1 CU)
Expense: 3x
Resources: Metal, Exotics

Crane Transport: A large ship capable of holding 6 CU with no individual CU limits. Because of its unpressurized cargo bay, it can't carry Units or anything else that may need an atmosphere to be transported. Small docked shuttles are used to transport cargo between the ship and the surface, but the restrictions of the shuttles mean that the Crane Transport cannot load or unload anything above 3 CU. It can still carry things above 3 CU, it just can't load or unload them. The crew manually unloads and loads cargo using EVA suits in the cargo bay, making loading and unloading a very lengthy process during which the ship is vulnerable. Powered by solar panels, and uses chemical thrusters; the ship is slow and performs poorly in this area in combat, but can move between planets without an issue.
Cargo: 6 CU (Individual item max of 3 CU)
Expense: 4x
Resources: Metal, Exotics

Interplanetary Makeshift Warship: A converted ITC with an armament of 16 missile tubes located at the front of the vessel, near the command and crew module. Lacks a dedicated radio and operates via couriers and standing orders, and can't receive essential combat data and telemetry. Missiles are loaded in manually (by hand) by the crew, and the ship only has space for roughly 32 missiles - enough for two volleys. The missiles have only minor course correction capabilities and mostly rely on the aim of the pilot, and have minor destructive capabilities but still enough to completely destroy an unarmored ship and heavily damage lightly armored ships. A notable percentage of fired missiles remain unarmed after firing and are duds. Has light armor reinforcing the ship's structure, making it resistant to most small arms fire and capable to not fall apart because of one damaging event. Targets enemies through a combination of basic radar, optics, and gets general areas to look in from routine courier intelligence reports from Moerth.
Expense: 1x
Resources: Metal, Exotics

Iliad-Class Destroyer: A vessel a bit larger than the ITC equipped with 4 missile pods (1 missile each) and 48 missiles. The missile pods have a firing angle of 30 degrees in front of the ship. Reinforced hull along with redundant printed electronics radically increase the ship's survivability, guaranteeing the ability to "tank" at least one low-yield missile in a spot, with another partially crippling (or destroying it) if in the same spot, and if a 3rd missile impacts the same site, the ship will be destroyed. Inefficient and buggy chemical thrusters make the Iliad-Class slower than the already-slow ITC. A long-range radio allows for sending and receiving of basic messages to and from Moerth as well as relaying messages to and from ground forces on the orbited planet. A radar suite has only the practical range of human eyesight, but is always-on, reliable, and constantly scanning the entire proximity around the ship.
Expense: 1x
Resources: Metal, Exotics

Missile Pods Mk 3: A smart radar-guided missile utilizing printed electronics to intelligently evaluate, grade, and decide between potential targets based on many factors and targeting of other missiles. Possesses little manuevering and is inaccurate; must be pointed at a target for a chance of hitting. Long-range.
A missile with integrated printed electronics allowing it to intelligently evaluate and grade potential targets based on limited sensor data - namely radar. The missile can intelligently choose targets based on how likely a successful hit is, how dangerous the target is, how vulnerable, and other factors. However, the missile retains the same mediocre maneuvering and propulsion systems as its predecessor and thus is still notably inaccurate and has very limited maneuvering, meaning it still must be pointed at the target in order to have a chance of hitting. Practically, its new features can improve performance in combat as it better chooses targets that it has better odds at being effective against. Doesn't require a production line.

Printed Pistol Mk 1.1:  A basic pistol that’s created via advanced 3d-printing techniques, making it very cheap. Unfortunately, its benefits stop there. It’s uncomfortable to use, inaccurate, works at short ranges, and fires very weak rounds. Fortunately, these rounds are still enough to puncture the basic suits and unarmored clothing used by soldiers on the field. Very light. The Mark 1.1 offers marginally better ergonomics and noticeably improved reliability. It still suffers from every other drawback of the Printed Pistol, and is still somewhat unreliable.
Weight: 1 CU = 10x
Expense: Unlimited

Advanced Jormungandr Bolter: A relatively large infantry rifle designed for full deployment, using miniature missiles as its rounds. Surprisingly easy to use, and can easily pierce through current armor and is likely future-proof in terms of armor piercing to some degree. Very effective anti-infantry weapon and even has very minor area of effect. The Advanced model incorporates basic circuitry in the bolts, including a timer to allow deactivation of a bolt's payload at close range and limited manipulation of course at long range. Rather inaccurate at long ranges, and the bolts are no longer explosive at close range.
Weight: 1 CU = 4x
Expense: 4x
Resources: Metal

X112 Space Suit: A bulky space suit originally designed for the vacuum of space. It’s relatively flexible compared to spacesuits used by earlier space agencies such as NASA, but greatly restricts agility. Its complete lack of armor doesn’t help either. Luckily it’s cheap to produce.
Weight: 1 CU = 3x
Expense: Unlimited

Kevlar Armor & Uniform: Very basic thin-layered and light-weight partial Kevlar armor. Not even a helmet is included. This armor was originally used for security personnel sent with the colonies. It cannot be used in conjunction with regular armor. The facilities for producing Kevlar are still very limited in the colonies, making this armor a luxury.
Weight: 1 CU = 5x
Expense: 1x
Resources: Metal

Radio: Communications are done via basic radio systems. However, the size required means units would have to lug expensive radio systems to planets with them in order to communicate with Central Command back at their homeworld.
Weight: 2 CU = 1x
Expense: 2x
Resources: Metal

Akhsoyrtam Printers: Upgraded industrial 3d printers on Moerth allow for more detailed and fine manipulation of 3d-printed items. Originally planned to be able to build the components for more 3d printers, but preciseness of manufacturing was deemed too imprecise to accomplish this task.

Infernium-6: A stable and usable form of Red Oxygen that's currently a part of our fuel blends. With Infernium-6 present, we're capable of far greater fuel efficiency thanks to its properties. Infernium-6 can let us get more range out of the same amounts of fuel or decrease the amount of fuel we put on our ships without effectively sacrificing anything.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Planets
A1 - 1 Metal 
A: 0/3, M: 1/3
A2 - 1 Exotic 
A: 3/3, M: 0/3
A3 - 1 Metal 
A: 3/3, M: 0/3
B1 - Nothing 
Unclaimed
B2 - Nothing 
A: 2/3, M: 1/3
C1 - 1 Metal 
A: 1/3, M: 0/3
C2 - 1 Exotic 
A: 1/3, M: 2/3
C3 - 1 Metal 
A: 3/3, M: 0/3

Spoiler: Production Lines (click to show/hide)

Production Line 1: Interplanetary Transport Craft (3/3)
Production Line 2: Printed Pistol Mk 1.1 (Unlimited)
Production Line 3: X112 Space Suit (Unlimited)
Production Line 4: Kevlar Armor & Uniform (0/1)
Production Line 5: Radio (0/2)
Production Line 6: Interplanetary Makeshift Warship (1/1)
Production Line 7: Jormungandr Bolter (0/4)
Production Line 8: Iliad-Class Destroyer (1/1)
Production Line 9: Yggdrasil SS-01A
Production Line 10: Crane Transport
[SV] Production Line 11:

Spoiler: Units (click to show/hide)

Items covered in [brackets] aren't fully deployed, and the Unit must be sent the design again successfully to fully deploy the item. Partially deployed items still cost an expense level, and attempting to fully deploy it does not cost any expense levels.

Unit 1:
Equipped: Kevlar Armor, Advanced Jormungandr Bolter, Printed Pistol Mk 1.1
Location: B2

Unit 2:
Equipped X112 Spacesuit, Advanced Jormungandr Bolter, Printed Pistol Mk 1.1, Radio
Location: A1

Unit 3:
Equipped: X112 Spacesuit, Advanced Jormungandr Bolter, Printed Pistol Mk 1.1, Radio
Location: A2

Unit 4:
Equipped: X112 Spacesuit, Advanced Jormungandr Bolter, Printed Pistol Mk 1.1
Location: C2

Unit 5:
Equipped: X112 Spacesuit, Printed Pistol Mk 1.1
Location: A1

Spoiler: Ships (click to show/hide)

Transports
Interplanetary Transport Craft #1 "MSS Mist": Unassigned
Interplanetary Transport Craft #2 "MSS Fog": Unassigned
Interplanetary Transport Craft #3 "MSS Haze": Unassigned
Crane-Class "MSS Crane": Unassigned
Crane-Class "MSS Stork": Unassigned
Crane-Class "MSS Heron": Unassigned
Crane-Class "MSS Ibis": Unassigned

Combat Vessels
Interplanetary Makeshift Warship #1: Unassigned
Iliad-Class "MSS Iliad": Unassigned
Iliad-Class "MSS Aeneid": Unassigned

It is now the design phase of 2212.

[Nirur Torir]

Did we just shoot down a unit? I think we might have.
I'm very surprised that they didn't design a warship, and am worried about what they're doing.

I guess we have Infernium-6 as our best achievement.

Proposed plan: Design the light tank, revise better Iliad sensors, move A1 pistol troops to A2, but armed with tanks. Keep the Iliads in orbit of A2.

Crocodile Light Tank:
The Crocodile is an all-terrain light tank. For propulsion, it has two pairs of treads protected by rounded armored overhangs. It has a set of easily attached floats and propellers to allow amphibious use. We'll try to fuel it with Infernium-6. It is armed with an armored dual-Jormungandr bolter turret, capable of 360 degree rotation and aiming at the sky. As usual, it should have redundant integrated electronics. Being a (hopefully high-mobility) light tank, the target for most of its armor is to be capable of shrugging off rifle fire at close range. The frontal armor is heavier, capable of surviving repeated hits from bolters.

Reminiscent of its namesake, the armor looks like overlapping plates, with two rows of ridges and bumps on top.

It must fit in 3 CU.

Crocodile Light Tank (1): Nirur

Edit: As a reminder, this will fill up our last free production slot.

[Madman198237]

Ummmm....I'm just going to point out that fuel suited to the depths of space is usually not great for ground vehicles. They need less power, and much less explodey-ness in the fuel.

That said, I suppose it will be working on airless planets as well. Also, if there's going to be overlapping plates, then I'd instead make them easily replaceable. If we're going to increase the difficulty by overlapping plates, then they ought to get us something.
Also, it'd give us the whole "You disable them just fine. However, they get repaired in like 15 minutes and come back out to kill you all. Not very good."

Other than that, for a revision I'd use the Bolter's missile avionics and structure to give our Iliads a second missile option. Or, heck, we just redesign Iliad missiles to be used in-atmo and fired from racks on the ground. Artillery AND a tank would guarantee advances on all fronts. Or we upscale Bolter missiles for the rocket arty piece...

2 Crocodile Light Tank: Nirur, Madman198237