"Endgame: OOC Planning Discussion"

[Leitz]

Jakob is pretty sound, tactically, so here's the plan for review. My assumption is that we can equate to Jakob better than just me.

Jess' vehicle and sensors can provide the locations, and that data can be tied with the drones Freya is running. That feeds back into the rescue vehicles HUD as well as Jakob's.

The plan is to run to the largest concentration first; and a couple of smaller groups might be considered large for this. The rescue operators pull people out while the shooters put up a front and kill anyone that looks threatening.

OOC: Jakob has a really low tolerance for threat levels. Waiting to be shot at is not going to cut it. If someone is in the AO then they are hostile, unless they are some of Jess Junge helping out the wounded.

If there's room then the shooters get pulled out and go to the next group. The ambulance pulls out and the other vehicle comes in to collect people. If everyone can get in the vehicles, great. If not then Jakob and the shooters will exfil back to the mansion on foot.

[shaidar]

As long as the focus is on rescuing troops and not trying the clear out the enemy then I guess I can live with that.

I have reworded Frank's broadcast slightly

[joertexas]

As long as the focus is on rescuing troops and not trying the clear out the enemy then I guess I can live with that.

I have reworded Frank's broadcast slightly

Prerna's team is occupied with base security, but she can reach out with that big gauss rifle at anything in her LOS.

[Leitz]

As long as the focus is on rescuing troops and not trying the clear out the enemy then I guess I can live with that.

I have reworded Frank's broadcast slightly

Agreed. Jakob's top priority is to bring everyone back safely. If he can do that without firing a shot, so much the better.

[BackworldTraveller]

There are 4 separate problems...which are you rescuing?

[The Bindoner]

You seem to be proposing to enter the killing zone, and I advise against it.

"Do not reinforce failure, you just increase casualties."

Also, not really our fight.

Set up a firm base for the Guard to retreat to/through. We'll let the Guard know they have a refuge/rally point, they will fall back on you soon enough.

If you feel you have to advance that firm base close to the action remain outside the BUA.

Again: Not really our fight, but if you start shooting locals it will be. We will be lumped in with the Guard as part of the problem. Only shoot people who shoot at you, after a warning.

That's the cool, rational OOC assessment. And rather a pompous one too, even if I do say so myself

Jess might well do something irrational IC if things look bleak. Don't hold my words against me if she does.

[joertexas]

Arguably, it is in our best interests to support the Guard. They give anyone trying to break into the Mansion more guns to oppose, and other people to shoot besides us.

If we aren't doing that, then it's time to evac the delegation until this mess is settled.

[The Bindoner]

Support, sure, but we can't win the fight they're losing, all we can do is save as many as possible.

[shaidar]

Leitz/The Bindoner, you guys obviously know your stuff, so I'll let you guys debate tactics

That said, my main focus has always been to minimise casualties on all sides and not to give the insurgents/locals reasons to target us. We seem to have managed that well so far, from what Tiglath has posted the fletchete attack on the OP was 'overflow' from them targetting the PD rather than a direct aim. I know this would be great in a perfect world, and this isn't a perfect world, but we should try at least. I also realise it's your characters on the line.

It's a shame the delegation refuses to be evacuated. Maybe after tonight they'll change their mind

[joertexas]

Support, sure, but we can't win the fight they're losing, all we can do is save as many as possible.

Yep.

[shaidar]

Support, sure, but we can't win the fight they're losing, all we can do is save as many as possible.

This is my main concern. We send our folks that deep in and they'll suffer the same fate. The enemy had time to prepare and they know their stuff, they got Outworld Coalition 'terrorists' supporting them. We've only got one squad.

But I will bow to others knowledge /experience.

[Tiglath]

It will be apparent to those of a tactical mind that the guard are under the cosh here not only due to appalling tactics but also a lack of air support.

You know they have their own integral air support (via their air mobile cavalry squadron) - or should have.

Counter Insurgency specialists will know that even the passive presence of visible air assets can put a kink in insurgent ops.

The Titanic didn't just ram an iceberg. There was a whole sequence of events that conspired to "fulfill the prophecy"...

[shaidar]

OK, so Jess is already out there with Candida, we could send out Caxton's team on Sister Sturn and Jacobs team has Styx. Obviously the ambulance in support. That's not a bad count.

[BackworldTraveller]

But don't we want the guard commanders to be put in a position where they can be shown to be incompetent? And inducing their own troops to mutiny may just do that!

[The Bindoner]

Are we willing to risk putting the G-Carrier over the Guard?

The snipers who took out the drones could easily disable the thing by shooting out the lifters.

Jess is certainly willing to do "eye in the sky" for the Guard, but only if they retreat. If theyuse her help to continue forward they will just hit the next line of concealed munitions - which I doubt Jess will see.

Question is, what exactly is the Guard's situation? From above-and-behind can Jess make out what vehicles are functional and what they're trying to achieve?

Part of her role is to destroy any armour that has to be abandoned, so marking vehicle positions is her job at present.

But don't we want the guard commanders to be put in a position where they can be shown to be incompetent? And inducing their own troops to mutiny may just do that!

The troops already have a low opinion of their commanders, it is only strict discipline that is holding them together. I don't know if that will hold through another debacle.

Got your grenade handy Mr Domici?

[BackworldTraveller]

Do the diplos have feather bedding? If so, three white feathers on the colonel's pillow might induce a reaction!

[Leitz]

Got your grenade handy Mr Domici?

Never leave home without them.

Okay, my thinking is that the rescue teams stay together for support and coordination. Jess or Freya can prioritize the sequence of the four rescues; Jakob and the shooters go in hot to hold the site and gather the Guard, the ambulance swoops in and picks everyone up on the bounce, and then the shooters get picked up. Rinse and repeat. When not swooping the ambulance and others stay high, Jakob and his craft stay low and move to the next target.

There are lots of ways to prioritize the order. Unless Tiglath suggest there is a significant event in the making, I recommend we not over-think this. We can go as deep as we like.

And no, we are only rescue. If they want to press forward then we wish them well and scoot. We can unload at the mansion and maybe pick up the bodies later. A hot rescue is possible, but it's a rescue, not operational support.

[BackworldTraveller]

So

We have Guard Suicide Squads have gone in....

At least one has run into IED(s)...

We have drones over two (maybe more)...



Given startown is about 2km long, and the units are out of mutual support they could be anywhere in the central section above...between 600m and 1500m from the mansion - over half of which is out of LOS from the mansion

[joertexas]

Given startown is about 2km long, and the units are out of mutual support they could be anywhere in the central section above...between 600m and 1500m from the mansion - over half of which is out of LOS from the mansion

Prerna's rifle can reach out to at least 2km, and her LOS is from the roof, so there's a little bit of coverage that way. The PGMPs can reach at least that far, too.

[BackworldTraveller]

More than 50m in, unless they are on the rooftops they are invisible. The back edges of the blocks are invisible. Some of the taller buildings will block LOS to behind them. They are tiny dots in a sea of buildings marked by (n) columns of dust from explosions.

Their visibility is terrible, and their infantry and tanks shooting at anything that moves because they were told to and now have probably frightened themselves into not being able to stop. By now it wouldn't surprise me if we told them we were coming in day-glo yellow they wouldn't shoot at us by mistake anyway. I hope the Mansion has reserves of ammo, because the troops soon won't.

They one good sergeant is in the mansion injured.

Worryingly, the Major seems to have heard of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" - and treats it as his inspiration!

Half a Klick, Half a Klick
Half a Klick onward
All in the city of death
"Forward the Guards Brigade!"
"Charge for the bombs" he said
Into the city of death rode the 60 50 40

"Forward the Guards Brigade"
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
some one had blundered:
Theirs not to make reply
Theirs not to reason why
Theirs but to do or die
Into the city of death
rode the 40 30