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[milo christiansen]

In the books gauntlets are powerful weapons, far more powerful than a RL rifle. I think you are underestimating how powerful they are (I know I figured they would be kinda wimpy before I read the books..)

[Draignean]

Aetheric Gauntlet Improvements
Efficacy: 3

Making improvements to the weapon gauntlets is a frustrating process, largely due to the scale involved. Integrated the metal blades used to cool light cannons has been... less effective than hoped. In order to avoid an increase in weight, the blades must be light and thin- and they must also be small in order to avoid making the gauntlet needless awkward. The resulting fins over marginal improvements in sustained fire (~10%), but bend easily and require a bit more care to keep them from snagging on equipment.

Improving the leather of the gauntlet is, likewise, a balancing act.  Too much additional padding makes it difficult to aim and encumbers the hand to uselessness. In the end, a compromise is reached using inserts of dried and hardened leather. It still catches fire when heated, but it's less thermally conductive and thus burns the user slightly less quickly.


High Vigil
Efficacy: 4
Though the captain of the ship chosen to continuously operate alone at high-altitude is usually less than pleased with his assignment, the tactic sees fair success against mock raids. The major issues are primarily concerns over getting a warning off in time, and communicating that warning to friendly vessels. A cannon shot does a fair job of achieving this ambition, but directionality can be difficult to communicate. While the roar of an aether cannon is distinctive, the difference in speed between light and sound can mean that the aetheric shot has already run its course by the time allied captains look up.

One of our, slightly more reckless, captains also demonstrated rather effectively that such a tactic risks an altitude war with Kasgyre. While this may be inevitable, we must be prepared for them to dive from higher and higher in order to counter our elevated scouts, which could lead to future issues with this tactic.


It is now the Production, Deployment, and Tactics Phase

You will automatically produce 2 skiffs this turn.
You will automatically produce 2 marines this turn.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

The Calm: The calm is a region of the aerosphere with almost no wind beyond fleeting turbulence, and absolutely no aetheric currents. It's frigidly cold, and filled with fine red 'snow' that barely moves. Traversing it with a conventional vessel is impossible due to the lack of energy to fuel the lift and trim crystals.
The Everstorm: As the name suggests, the everstorm is a region of the aerosphere dominated by an enormous and eternal thunderstorm. It's a chaotic region of raging winds and surging aetheric energy that manifests in terrible bursts of prismatic flame. No conventional vessel could hope to survive the nightmarish storm conditions.

Wreth Territory

Haze-Maze
Marine Presence: K 0/8 |  W 0/8
Territory: 0/4 | 0/4
Resources: 1C, 3O, 1W, 2S
Conditions: Deadly Gas Pockets, significant vertical shafts and steep tunnels.

Miner's Folly
Marine Presence: K 0/18 |  W 1/18
--->Marines
---> Squad G (No Equip)
Territory: 0/4 | 1/4
Resources: 1C, 6O, 0W, 1S
Conditions: Toxic Stone, Massive Caverns, pitch-black

The Verdant Vista
Marine Presence: K 0/18 |  W 0/18
Territory: 0/4 | 4/4
Resources: 1C, 0O, 8W, 2S
Conditions: Mostly earth and soil, Unstable pocket caves


The Belt

Three Captains
Marine Presence: K 0/20 |  W 2/20
--->Marines
---> Squad D (Pincushion, Fireteam | Cutlass, All)
---> Squad E (Pincushion, Fireteam | Cutlass, All) [Squad at 75%]
Territory: 0/4 | 1/4
Resources: 1C, 6O, 2W, 6S
Conditions: Kinetoluminescent Ores, Heavily Infested

Wrackspire
Marine Presence: K 0/12 |  W 0/12
Territory: 0/4 | 0/4
Resources: 3C, 4O, 4W, 2S
Conditions: Unstable Aetheric Phenomena, Broken Spire

Burned Mountain
Marine Presence: K 0/24 |  W 0/24
Territory: 0/4 | 0/4
Resources: 1C, 10O, 1W, 0S
Conditions: Inexplicably Molten Core, Hundreds of narrow tunnels and small galleries.

The Unfinished
Marine Presence: K 0/45 |  W 2/45
--->Marines
---> Squad A (Pincushion, Fireteam | Cutlass, All)
---> Squad C (Pincushion, All)
Territory: 0/4 | 1/4
Territory: 0/4 | 0/4
Resources: 8C, 0O, 6W, 2S
Conditions: Unfinished infrastructure, Massive open rooms and halls.

Spoiler: Ships (click to show/hide)

Skiffs With No Name - Skyskiff Class (x3)
Loadout
2 Light Aether Cannons+ (Flanged Heatsinks, Itshana Refinement).
1 Very Small Basic Core Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 Very Small Basic Lift Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
4 Trim Crystals+ (Itshana Refinement)
2 reams of webbing
Location: Three Captains
Status: All papers are in order.

WOSV Jigsaw - Transport Barge
Loadout
1 Small Basic Core Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 Small Basic Lift Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
1/2 Trim Crystals+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 reams of webbing
Carrying: 0/- (6)
Location: Three Captains
Status: Damaged. Cannot Carry Cargo. 3 wood, 1 ore for repairs

WOSV Implacable - Transport Barge
Loadout
1 Small Basic Core Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 Small Basic Lift Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement) [Cracked!]
2 Trim Crystals+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 reams of webbing
Carrying: 0/6
Location: The Unfinished
Status: Damaged. 3 wood, 2 ore, 1 crystal.

Skiffs With No Name - Skyskiff Class (x4)
Loadout
2 Light Aether Cannons+ (Flanged Heatsinks, Itshana Refinement).
1 Very Small Basic Core Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 Very Small Basic Lift Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
4 Trim Crystals+ (Itshana Refinement)
2 reams of webbing
Location: The Unfinished
Status: All papers are in order.

WOSV Herbie - Transport Barge
Loadout
1 Very Small Itshana Select Core Crystal
1 Small Basic Lift Crystal+ (Itshana Refinement)
2 Trim Crystals+ (Itshana Refinement)
1 reams of webbing
Carrying: 2/6
---> Marine H (No Equip)
Location: Spire THE MIDDLE
Status:  All papers are in order.

Spoiler: Infantry (click to show/hide)

Marines x9

11/y Crystal, 12/55 Banked
8/y Ore, 8/40 banked
18/y Wood, 24/90 banked
7/y Silk, 23/35 banked

(Draignean, is loading/unloading for ships that start their turn at Wreth still subject to normal action then move or move then action rules? Or is it special due to the fact that Wreth probably has dedicated docking facilities to expedite the process? (Basically, were we allowed to load->move->unload first turn due to first turn specialness or is that something we can always do?))

After I finish Kasgyre's turn I'll issue another rules clarification.

Short version: Loading Marines that are not currently engaged in capturing a spire will be free, assuming it doesn't interrupt movement. Actions can be taken either before or after movement.

I mean, unless Draig will allow us to load 8 or so gauntlets onto a Skyskiff.

I assumed so, or on a "merchant vessels" handwave.

No, I won't. Good news, they'll only take up one unit of cargo space.

[milo christiansen]

Well, gauntlets didn't go as well as hoped, but not an absolute waste either. Next turn we will have to see how the efficiency improvment goes...

OK, do we hold the line in the unfinished, or do we cravenly turn tail and run?

At the three captains, we want to return and reload. Damn. We should have produced equipment for the marines LAST turn!

On the home front, we obviously want the WOSV "CheapNShoddy" (AKA WOSV Herbie) to return for more marines to take (next turn) to our other local demi-spire.

[Madman198237]

Hm. Keep our airships on the Unfinished, but pull the marines. I wish we didn't have to, but I can't see any way to keep them alive without burning materiel and men.

Order the marines to salvage every piece of equipment possible, and get out of there. Transport goes back to Wreth.

[Jilladilla]

Votebox
Changed vote to High Vigil, added link to it for Draignean's convenience. The new votebox format is good. Nice work with it.
Might be a bit weird for design phases, what with designs needing a much larger amount of dice than project advances.

......Ninja'ed by Draignean...

Milo? Which transport is the 'WMS Shoddy'? Either way, the WOSV Herbie already has an unarmed marine loaded to deploy to our other local demi-spire and can do so immediately. (Remember, it started with 2 and dropped one off last turn. Also don't insult Herbie, Herbie gives her best!)

[Tack]

WOSV Herbie is already holding a contingent of marines, and will be ready to move and drop immediately this turn.

I'm assuming we'll be bringing both transports home, what's everyone's thoughts on boots?

Also, Skiffs.

[milo christiansen]

I just had a thought, a terrible though. We need to move the ships for the three captains back this turn right? We also need to load this turn so we can move back and unload next turn. We should have produced infantry gear LAST turn!

The shoddy is the herbie, I edited it and you probably missed it... If we already have a marine loaded, (which we probably do, I didn't pay close attention), then of course there is no need to reload... I checked, Tack, you are wrong. We can go directly to the other spire and unload this turn.

[Tack]

Wrong about what?
You mean sending Unfinished marines to Captains?
I'm confused.

[milo christiansen]

Errr, did you edit that, or did I misread it?

[Tack]

Uh, that one wasn't edited. The one below has been though.

Also, with our Itshana+ crystals wouldn't we be able to fly higher than them currently?
Not sure if lift crystals care about altitude.

[milo christiansen]

Pretty sure I misread your post then... Oops. I thought you were saying we needed to go load more marines for the local spire...

Anyway, max altitude in the books is limited partly by crystal strength, but mostly be lack of oxygen. The aetheric madness is an issue, but air is a bigger short-term problem. Silk hoods and air tanks would be need to go higher.

[10ebbor10]

An altitude war is not too bad a problem. The enemy needs to start higher than us too ambush succesfully, meaning they'll have more trouble.

[Madman198237]

Especially as we'll retain an advantage of maneuverability over them at all altitudes. While they're barely moving for the strain of staying aloft, we can still move.

[Tack]

Yeah, in the books it's limited by the size or structure of the lift crystal, as evidenced by Journeyman saying the battleship-sized crystal can "go higher than ever before" or some such.
I'm wondering how it would go in the game. Draig's in charge of translation after all.

But yeah definitely not a bad outcome.
Strategy vote time?

The Unfinished 4 skiffs, 1 Damaged transport
Retreat: (2) NUKE9.13, Tack
No Retreat:
All available skiffs to Three Captains (1) Tack
All available skiffs returning home:
The Three Captains 3 skiffs, 1 Damaged Transport
Evacuate transport, leave troops: (1) Tack
Skiffs stay holding: (1) Tack
Spire Wreth 2 Skiffs, 2t Marines
All Available Skiffs to Three Captains (1) Tack

This Depends On What We Revise And We Can't Decide At All Yet: (1) Madman

[NUKE9.13]

Damn. We should have produced equipment for the marines LAST turn!

I just had a thought, a terrible though. We need to move the ships for the three captains back this turn right? We also need to load this turn so we can move back and unload next turn. We should have produced infantry gear LAST turn!

Where does it say that building infantry equipment takes a turn?
Also, unless the first turn was special, we can load-move-unload if we start from Wreth. Is my understanding.

EDIT:

Each team determines (and pays for) their loadout when they're loaded onto whatever ship has been chosen to carry them. The transport can then be moved to its final destination where (assuming it doesn't get blown to cinders on the way) it will disgorge its troop load.