Mission 1 - Starting as we mean to go on...So, mission 1 for the greenhorns of Bay12 squadron. We start with a doozy - lets go blow up some hospitals! Me and Inteuniso take Vampire stealth bombers. Warhammer gets an armed to the teeth Falcon gunship. We lack funds for any further support, so I hope this misson goes well enough for us to earn more assets.
We drop into the sector to be greeted with a rather nice sight - an asteroid field useful for hiding in. We assume a tight colnum formation and slowly make our way to the other side of it... before breaking into an open formation ready to smash those hosital ships. Where are they?
CONTACT!Thats no hospital ship - thats a heavily armed enemy Panther gunship, probably thier squadron leader. Attack at will!
This could be too easy... 2 heavy missiles launched from point blank range...
One impacts on the starboard shields of the enemy ship, dropping them totally. We collide in a glancing blow, dropping my speed to zero. A second enemy gunship appears on my screens - hopefully he hasnt noticed me yet, and even if he has I dont think he would be stupid enough to shoot at me with his squadmate in the firing line. Inteuniso and Warhammer are turning and accelerating to join the fight.
That prediction proves to be correct. I get enough time to move out of the firing line. Warhammer is still turning to join us. Inteuniso has loosed off one missile, badly missing a fast moving enemy bomber which streaks into view. He looks certain to take at least one missile full in the face, but has an opportunity to fire off one of his own at the alredy damaged gunship... he could be in trouble here.
My fears turn out to be badly founded. Yes, Inteuniso takes a missile and has his front shield dropped to 50%, but he manages to land a heavy missile on the gunship, dropping its front shields fully. Having made our initial pass, we scrub speed to turn and re-engage. Warhammer is turning to make his first pass, which could be interesting.
Whilst he takes a light missile head on (dropping his front shileds to 50%), Warhammer lands a third direct hit on the alredy damaged gunship, hurting its sensors and thrusters. He still has three loaded tubes so should finish it off, if he can avoid the attentions of the second gunship and an enemy drone.
3 loaded tubes, and 3 misses. Warhammer does well to survive being hit again, but his ship is wrecked. 2 missile tubes gone, and no ability to turn left. More worrying though is that the 3 missed shots seem to be heading somewhere nasty...
Fortunatley those missiles miss our squadmate. But its not all good news. That drone managed to fire off a heavy missile, killing Warhammer. We will miss the large number of missiles his ship was carriying, and its ability to fire them in large numbers. I have managed to turn back to face some targets, and have a shot on the undamaged gunship.
One of the 2 missiles I fire hit the gunship, dropping its starboard shields. I am also moving fast enough to hopefully avoid any return fire. The bad news is though that Warhammers killier fancies his chances at getting another kill to thier name...however, I am more than fast enough to get behind the gunship before its missiles reach me, but it stays on my tail as I turn looking for a target. A promising one emerges...
Two missiles were dispatched at the already shot up gunship. I am safe from the drone as it is reloading...
Textbook. One of my 2 heavy missiles vapourizes the enemy ship. This does place me in mild peril however, as the drone is still chasing me, and the enemy heavy bomber re-emerges from wherever it was hiding... what might help is the welcome sight of Inteuniso coming to my aid, all guns blazing. I elect to take the risky course of action of turning to keep the chases following me, into the line of fire of my squadmate.
This doesnt work however. The drone's pilot continues his good day, and gets a missile heading straight for the unshielded port side of my craft. I am dead if I dont eject. I might ie even if I eject. Prefering "might" to "will", I hit the eject button and somehow escape the resulting explosion in my pod, which jumps into hyperspace back to base. Outnumbered, Inteuniso decides to leave and live to fight another day, and jumps out of the sector.
Mission Summary:A failure. We didnt even get to see the hospital ships. I bag one high value kill but waste a useful ship. Inteuniso makes it home, but Warhammer is reduced to dust and radiation in the void. I suspect the pilot of the enemy drone responsible for so many of our troubles today will find themselves promoted very soon.
Pilot Roster, Ship Preference and Combat RecordsOn Duty- Lt. Monkeyhead - Fighter/Bomber (1 mission, 1 kill, 1 ship lost)
- 2nd Lt Inteuniso - Fighter/Bomber (1 mission)
At Base:- Sgt Bulldog - Scout
- Pvt Hanzoku - High Speed Attack Craft
- Pvt Jopax - Firepower
- Pvt Warhammer Jr - Heavy Weapons
- Pvt Cyrus - High Speed
- Pvt Dsarker - Dakka
- Pvt Delta Foxtrot - Scout/Drone
- Pvt Hexedmagica - Shields
- Awaiting Further Recruits
The Glorious Dead- Sgt Warhammer - Killed by an enemy Drone during Mission 1: Attack Hospitals (1 mission)
Mission 2 tomorrow people.
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Topic: Lets Play Critical Mass Again: Mission 7 complete (More pilots always wanted)... (Read 5539 times)