"Endgame: OOC Planning Discussion"

[Tiglath]

Here we go.

To keep the Plot bits out of the OOC bits.

No plotting against the GM - I shall be in to check!!!

[Leitz]

Leitz transmitted on inter-team comm:

From a meta-game perspective, I'm not sure what game we're playing. The other side has seemingly complete knowledge of our every move before we make it and we aren't even sure who "they" are, much less what they are doing.

While we are slightly better off than the Guard, the difference is minimal. We'll be a bit more thoughtful before charging out, but we're still charging out when we don't know the direction we should be going.

The PCs are not currently set up as direct intelligence gatherers, though we have some cool toys. I would really suggest we focus on figuring out what's going on first. That means Jess and the Junge, and the Guard NCOs, Frank and Polly, Skip and the girls, Jakob and Liv, etc. There are likely other avenues of approach, but until we really have a handle on things we're just going to continue to be led around.

[Tiglath]

The situation is (deliberately) a difficult one - perhaps where you have to "cope" rather than "win". This will be hopefully as challenging as it is necessarily sometimes frustrating (but in a good way).

Against the Purge you were very much in the driving seat and (mostly) facing NPCs who were not only terrible people but completely unprofessional. Here you are more reactive and (sometimes) coming up against folk who are just as good as you guys! On occasion they have had better Intel - those really are the hard yards!

FWIW you have individually picked up on an awful lot of what is going on "behind the scenes". You have also (despite the efforts of various of your "allies" ) set back and altered the plans of various factions by your ongoing actions and professionalism.

Of course, as mercs you don't have to win or lose - just get paid and come out better than you went in!

Right that's my input - the floor's yours!

[The Bindoner]

Just to note:

Mrs Mopp has arrived and Jess is out on ops. If anyone cares to take that opportunity: Don't be a Rupert. It just puts up the price and devalues the intel.

Minimum, tell her Jess want's a word ( hopefully the troopers will remember that, but... )

[BackworldTraveller]

Is Mrs Mopp giving us info or spying on us or both?

[BackworldTraveller]

After this action we are going to need to look at the drone footage that has been taken all day. Somehow their guys have placed IEDs. The drone footage should show where those IEDs were put together. Even if it is TDX, that is still a lot of heavy gear to have moved invisibly.

If they are so used to working with no comeback, their operational security is probably laxer than they realise.

[The Bindoner]

Is Mrs Mopp giving us info or spying on us or both?

Both, probably. She set up Jess' contact with the Union, but she's dodgy AF - when Jess offered her a mint she expected it to be drugs

Regard her as unscrupulous and untrustworthy. Should be able to contact the workers, might or might not be a source for the offworlders.

[BackworldTraveller]

And it's totally coincidental that she's turned up in our barracks in the middle of a busy op?

[shaidar]

Frank will keep an eye on her, everyone else is located elsewhere

[BackworldTraveller]

So we have a closed community of about 8000 people - where everyone knows everyone's business, and all are paid through the same company and not one of the managers is aware of a major anti-management coup in the offing or (if they do know) willing to talk to corporate security. Nearly 1%-2% of people are actively aiding and abetting the anti-management group. That includes a number of the junge's buggy drivers. We have footage of the buggies that were involved. Can we get the guard to act as actual police investigators rather than bouncers with tanks?

[shaidar]

We can't even get the guards to act as proficient bouncers.

[BackworldTraveller]

Do they have any policemen to deal with crime rather than war?

[shaidar]

I believe the answer is no, but I'm sure Tig can cinfirm

I'm currently leaning towards allowing rescue attempt on the guard, but with the previso that they do not enter and engage the enemy street by street because we'll suffer the same fate as the guard, but to form a rally point for retreating guardsmen and provide supporting fire for their retreat.

If we do that I'd do a blanket transmission telling the enemy this is a rescue mission only, but we will defend with lethal force if attacked.

[Leitz]

I believe the answer is no, but I'm sure Tig can cinfirm

I'm currently leaning towards allowing rescue attempt on the guard, but with the previso that they do not enter and engage the enemy street by street because we'll suffer the same fate as the guard, but to form a rally point for retreating guardsmen and provide supporting fire for their retreat.

If we do that I'd do a blanket transmission telling the enemy this is a rescue mission only, but we will defend with lethal force if attacked.

Waiting for decisions to be made and others to get the message means boots are on the ground longer and thus more likely to get good people killed.

The Guard should be localized, meaning one or two rescue points. Of course, "should" is the operative word.

The solutions are to suppress and destroy the enemy while the evacuation is done, or to drop off combat teams to clear the AO before the evac arrives. Neither one is safe, but with decisive offensive action they keep things moving fast so we can get inside the enemy's OODA loop and finish the job.

[BackworldTraveller]

I think it depends what the drones see. I don't think these guys can muster that many people that they can pin the guard. This place only has 8000 people. The guard has 4 groups. It would take more than a whole platoon to pin all 4 groups - preferably a whole company. If they have an active unit that can stand toe-to-toe with the guard in tanks with no fire-restrictions then they are so big that even the guard couldn't have missed them. They might raid/ambush, but I doubt they can fight.

If we do go in, there is nothing quite so useful as a prisoner!

[shaidar]

I need a TLA list

Frank is unaware of what Frank/Jess are working towards.

He's waiting for the HQ response, but I'm not expecting much from them. This is unfolding quickly, I'm not trying to drag my feet.

Unless we get a few guards helping we've only got one squad to do this with.

If they do start to retreat that would make a rescue easier.

[The Bindoner]

Posting from ‘phone:

The enemy don”t need men to pin the Guard, they”re using IEDs to destroy vehicles and kill troops. Which is why we shouldn’t go in there.

[BackworldTraveller]

What/who is triggering the IEDs? It can't be automated - too many locals to accidentally set it off early. Someone must have eyes-on, even if remotely.

So the guard need to treat this as an EOD issue not a combat one...Oh don't tell me they have no EOD troops?

[Tiglath]

Lots of good points raised by BackworldTraveller. I'll answer by way of factual campaign notes.

Even if it is TDX, that is still a lot of heavy gear to have moved invisibly.

A good Logistics point made!

Using (high tech) TDX makes the charges for the bangs they're making (Pen 35/40?) small/ manageable and man portable ~ 2kg (ish).

After this action we are going to need to look at the drone footage that has been taken all day.

Your drones are basic but effective tactical tools with limited loiter time. They are civvy drone with a vis light/IR camera. Cheap, effective and expendable but not strategic Recon drones / taskable satellites with sophisticated imaging options. This is good - because someone shot quite a few!

We have footage of the buggies that were involved. Can we get the guard to act as actual police investigators rather than bouncers with tanks?

This is one of the many things the Guard don't do. In fairness they'd argue it is entirely outside their remit. They look "mighty" and impress on parades and could be useful for armoured warfare on Inchin's desert plains ... if they had combat experience.

Do they have any policemen to deal with crime rather than war?

No, but you have the Guard! Oh, wait...

Given this place is not even a complete "folly" it's perhaps fair to conclude that The Baron may be less good at actual realisation/practicalities...

[BackworldTraveller]

That explains at least part of the overspend...Sand imported from Collace per invoice: Cr1,000,000,000. Sand imported from Collace: 0. Sand dug locally to meet requirement: Cr100,000. And who knows?

I should have rolled a Rogue character!