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[Madman198237]

Missile Pods Mk3: (3) NUKE9.13, 10ebbor10, Madman198237

[10ebbor10]

On a side note, I just realized something.

Production Line 1: Interplanetary Transport Craft (3/3)
Production Line 2: Printed Pistol Mk 1 (Unlimited)
Production Line 3: X112 Space Suit (Unlimited)
Production Line 4: Kevlar Armor & Uniform (0/1)
Production Line 5: Radio (2/2)
Production Line 6: Winged Fighter (x-2/2+)
Production Line 7: Machine Gun (5/5)
Production Line 8: Armor (1/?)
Production Line 9: Carrier(1/?)
Production Line 10:

These are the enemies known designs. They're going to run out of production slots in the near future.

[Madman198237]

This assumes they didn't just remove their Kevlar in favor of their other armor. Or did a battle report somewhere say that they have both in the field?
Other combinations of changes are possible as well, of course.

[NUKE9.13]

This assumes they didn't just remove their Kevlar in favor of their other armor. Or did a battle report somewhere say that they have both in the field?
Other combinations of changes are possible as well, of course.

The armour is their armoured space-suit. Which they only seem to have one of.
I don't think they have machine-guns, so much as semi-automatic rifles.


Alright, so for next turn- assuming nothing exceptional happens in the combat report- how about something a little like this:

Bullfrog APC: The Bullfrog is a relatively simple vehicle. It has two main modes of propulsion: tracks for land, and tracks+propellers for water. Its rounded shape provides a strong hull, and it is covered in light armour capable of withstanding small-arms fire. A double-bolter turret on top provides some firepower, though its main role is to transport infantry; it can carry six soldiers and their equipment at reasonable speeds across the battlefield. The engine is electric, powered by large batteries, which are recharged by deployable solar panels (since a combustion engine wouldn't work without an atmosphere, and we don't have miniature power sources yet). As such, at max speed it has a relatively short range of a few kilometers; but with solar panels deployed it can travel at 'cruising speed' indefinitely.

And then, assuming that that requires more than 1 CU to transport, we revise the Iliad into:

Odyssey-Class Transport: Based on the same hull as the Iliad, with all weapon systems stripped out in favour of large cargo bays. It is designed to transport at least 3 CU.
 

[Madman198237]

Cool. Let's go for it.

[Nirur Torir]

I don't like the "Missile Pods" name, I don't know how well they'll work with the IMW's missile tubes.

[Madman198237]

The missile "tube" is in a pod of some sort, I believe. As in, cluster of 4 or some such. It works, OK?!?!!?

[Draignean]

I don't like the "Missile Pods" name, I don't know how well they'll work with the IMW's missile tubes.

At this point it's a little pedantic. We could name it the Margrave MRMLS and it would have the same effect, the important stuff is all in the description.

Kinda wish, with those rolls, we'd tried something crazy instead. Ah well, it's a regret made possible only by hindsight.

[NUKE9.13]

So, what's our strategy going to be? 
Their troops are all armed with rifles. They have 2 on C2, 1 on B2, and 2 on A2.
We have 2 on C2 (of which only one has bolters), 2 on B2, and 1 on A2.
We're losing on A2; do we try to keep fighting there, or surrender the planet, perhaps retreating to A1? If we try to keep fighting, we should send another unit there to help them, perhaps from B2.
We lost some ground on C2, but by the sound of things we won't lose more unless things change.
We gained ground on B2, but basically only because we outnumber them.

In short, we are losing, since their rifles are better than our bolters, at least when it comes to infantry-infantry fights.
...looking at it that way, I sort of regret building a space station this turn. We needed a surface combat vehicle.

[Shadowclaw777]

Our bolters aren't inferior to their long range semiautomatic rifles, it's just each battle we had one disadvantage that they compensated for. On C2, the ocean world, we had 2 units but only one unit was equipped with the Pistols Mk 1.1 which are truly terrible weapons, and since we had equitable amounts of contention, they brought 2 units with their rifles at C2. In A2, we were just surrounded, they had 2 armies with rifles and we had 1 army with bolters, basically our troops were outnumbered. I think they have 4 sets of rifles for their units, with the units not having rifles was at B2. The bolters are equal weapons to the rifles, we just mismatched our troops positions.

Strategy, we should have two soldiers with bolters at A2, 2 armies with bolters at C2, and the mk 1.1 due at B2 protected by one Iliad. The other Iliad goes to C2, I think?

[10ebbor10]

Our bolters should be slightly better, I think.

[Madman198237]

They are. But their rifles are better at long range, which is costing us a lot.

[Nirur Torir]

Any ideas with the orbital fight?

I think I figured it out: Those tactics would probably have worked against the MWS wall of single-shot missile tubes with poor sensors and missiles.


My plan:

Spoiler: Plan: Fight for A2 (click to show/hide)

Name our new Iliad the Aeneid.

ITC MSS Mist moves B2 Unit 3 to A2. They should still have their spacesuits with them. If not, take some from Moerth before leaving.
ITC MSS Fog moves C2 Unit 5 to C1, to finally start capturing the planet.
ITC MSS Haze carries extra missiles and moves with the Iliad and MWS, for bombardment purposes. We need every edge we can get if we're to take that. If needed, bring Unit 3's spacesuits.

MSS Iliad and the IMW escort the MSS Mist. After clearing hostiles from A2's orbit, they help the troops with very low orbit bombardment as best they can.
MSS Aeneidto C2.

I don't want to abandon A2 just yet, and we might be able to win it with another bolter unit and a gentle application of missiles.

I don't want to send the MWS off alone, and A2 needs more help than C2. With no atmosphere and exposed plains, it's a perfect target for bombardment. I assume we can escort transports, because it makes sense, but it probably keeps us from intercepting any they send.

The pistol unit isn't doing much good on the front-lines, and if we're working on transports next turn than we should get started on claiming some metal.


I somehow missed reading the part of the missile pod description where the missiles are calculating their courses autonomously. I'd worried it would just be an Iliad upgrade if we didn't roll well, which isn't really a bad thing, after thinking about it a bit more.

[Madman198237]

OK. Unit 3 has no spacesuits right now. I agree with moving a unit off of C2. The pistols are useless there. At least, they are right now. Are we going to have issues transporting a unit, its bolters, and its spacesuits? Nevermind, we shouldn't. Given that all of those are less than a single CU, as I read it, and the total is still less than 1 CU. Anyway.

I'd revise your plan to look a bit more like this:

Name our new Iliad the Aeneid.

ITC MSS Mist moves B2 Unit 3 to A2. Mist will bring space suits from Moerth before picking up Unit 3, and, obviously, brings their bolters along.
ITC MSS Fog moves C2 Unit 5 to C1, to finally start capturing the planet.
ITC MSS Haze carries extra missiles and moves with the Iliad and IMW. They will interdict hostile traffic, and then proceed to mountaintop-height orbits to bombard the enemies. We need every edge we can get if we're to take that.

MSS Iliad and the IMW escort the MSS Mist. Once to A2, they help the troops with bombardment as best they can.
MSS Aeneid to C2.

This change, first off, fixes the name of the Aeneid, and also maximizes the number of missiles brought by the Haze by having the Mist bring them instead.

[Chiefwaffles]

Missile Pods Mk 3
3

The new Missile Pods Mk 3 doesn't really live up to its name. Namely because the missile pods have not been updated this revision. The missiles have been revised.

The new missile makes heavy use of printed electronics. Our old missiles had a very basic sensor package and "computer" in charge of guidance, and we were able to upgrade them by integrating the electronics in the structure of the missile itself instead of expanding it for an expensive dedicated computer.
The improved guidance system is the most visible here: Each missile can evaluate potential targets using its computer and electronics suite. Communication between missiles and the firing vessel was considered a possibility, but was scrapped for concerns of both time and security. The propulsion and maneuvering systems remain nearly identical, as most time was spent revising the electronics.

The practical result is questionable, really. The new missiles can evaluate multiple targets and choose the most viable targets based on availability, speed, known statistics, and more, but it can't necessarily get there. So practically, we still have the same required firing angles as before and same accuracy, but when we do improve our missiles further they should be able to take better advantage of the upgrades then. For now, we can at least take solace in the fact that maybe we'll see some improvement in combat as missiles can intelligently choose targets they're most likely going to hit.

Central Command seems to be a tad bit annoyed with your naming scheme. "But you aren't even designing a missile pod here!" says one particularly annoyed general when shown the revision. "Can't you guys come up with names?" mumbles another. Some time later, a liaison comes to ask you to "actually name the missile please."

Missile Pods Mk 3: 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.


It is now the Strategy Phase of 2210.