Collace: Expansion, Promotion, Logistics

[BackworldTraveller]

I'm not comfortable feeding sensor data to Kirton, but I'd be interested in the differences between an 'on-call' contract and an 'at their disposal' contract.

"At their disposal" = And you can sit in barracks and rot.

"On Call" = And you can sit in the barracks and rot when we want you to.

Both effectively rule out employment by others while they are pay SEMC...and if they want to do that can under either version.

I'd avoid both.

Also, look carefully at what constitutes SEMC. Can the officers/men create a second company for employment to get out of the first ties or are they unable to resign while the contract is in operation?

The other thing to watch is that either may force the SEMC into "And you're contracted to assault the fortress held by the XXth Army Corps and hold it for a year!" because you are contracted to be at our disposal or at our call.

[The Bindoner]

We're just offering to contract the missile battery on the Bartizan, "as good citizens of Collace".

Not the SEMC. Just the use of our AD as part of the planetary defence. For a good price.

Hopefully there won't be much call for its use, and if there were, odds are we'd be firing at the target anyway. Still, it'd be nice to have our munitions paid for.

Also, good politics.

[Tiglath]

I'm not comfortable feeding sensor data to Kirton, but I'd be interested in the differences between an 'on-call' contract and an 'at their disposal' contract.

The effective difference is 'at their disposal' is a contract to provide constant/always available cover. You are effectively providing a "mercenary battery" to Collace Planetary Defence Forces which operates under their command. However they pay you for that service exactly as they would for any merc unit hired from SEMC. Obviously contributing to the planetary "common good" gains you political goodwill.

"On call" would mean you completely retain command and control over the battery but agree to support Collace Planetary Defence Forces in times of emergency as an "allied combatant". The terms might be along the lines of an agreement of support in the event of a common enemy/emergency/outbreak of war. This will get you the political goodwill but not get you paid (see above).

The third option would be to remain aloof under self declared strict neutrality and sworn to act only ever in self defence. However, this is going to no doubt require permits, lawyers, civic authorisation, constant visits from the men from the Ministry and all manner of bungs and bribes just to carry out day to day operations. This option would surely rate as "doable but costly and tiresome".

[shaidar]

I think the 'on-call' option sounds like the right one

We could do with the money, but I'm not sure I like it being under somebody elses command.

[The Bindoner]

Agreed. At least we get the political benefit.

As we don't need to spend the 3MCr on Low Berths we could buy:

Esssor Recon drone: 875K

Ship Repair: 500K

leaving 1.625MCr

Which I'm sure we can spend. It's 4 more troopers and two basic bots, for example. Or two stealth drones and three troopers.

[shaidar]

We could just bite the bullet and go for the EMS Active Array (Far Orbit), for an extra 640k.

Have we sorted out all the crew for the ships?

[The Bindoner]

Yes.

No.

[The Bindoner]

Upgraded sensors, the Essor, the Repair Yard and a second Stealth Drone leaves 735KCr.

[joertexas]

Here's the latest org chart with the ship assignments:

Merc Company Org Chart v5.5.pptx

(52.91 KiB) Downloaded 24 times

[The Bindoner]

Very nice, thanks.

We have two vanilla IFVs, so Prerna's team could use one instead of the G-Carrier. That vehicle could join b-Echelon as a logistics/transport asset. Or, the LAD detachment could convert it to the engineering/recovery role and their air/raft moves to the motor pool.

[BackworldTraveller]

Very nice, thanks.

We have two vanilla IFVs, so Prerna's team could use one instead of the G-Carrier. That vehicle could join b-Echelon as a logistics/transport asset. Or, the LAD detachment could convert it to the engineering/recovery role and their air/raft moves to the motor pool.

The Drone team could definitely do with a second vehicle...resilience would be good (we could lose the entire capability in one lucky shot). Though we may need to train another driver.

[shaidar]

All the above sounds good to me.

[joertexas]

All the above sounds good to me.

As I'm not certain what changes need made, can one of you modify the Powerpoint and repost it here?

[joertexas]

All the above sounds good to me.

As I'm not certain what changes need made, can one of you modify the Powerpoint and repost it here?

Reprising this request...

[shaidar]

I think it's time we bring to soiree to a halt and have the ambassador return to the safety of this ship.

As for our visitors, before everyone goes rushing off and letting them know we know, I'm thinking that perhaps we don't want the Bartizan to appear to be on alert. But we lure them in an finish them off.

[The Bindoner]

Both good ideas.

Of course, as yet, we have no idea when any attack might occur, let alone why.

[Tiglath]

All the above sounds good to me.

As I'm not certain what changes need made, can one of you modify the Powerpoint and repost it here?

Reprising this request...

Looking ahead the above will likely be easier with knowledge of the next mission.

Might be worth a temporary delay until the fog of war / demands of future logistics and mission are known...

[BackworldTraveller]

Looking at the Bartizan set up we have a bodies problem. Not enough bodies to cover/secure the Bartizan - particularly when we are physically elsewhere.

• The access below the roadway via various conduits and ducts was blocked. We need sensors to ensure that they remain that way.
• By the time we have provided a Gate guard and Hanger guard and Roof guard and Gun-Deck guard, we are out of bodies.
• Both Ops Room and EW room are nearby on the same floor. All eggs in one basket? How can we split that and have their personnel cover each other?
• The tower is almost un-occupied. If someone has a way in it is a good staging area if not patrolled frequently.
• The air defence element on the roof is useless against Drones.
• ...As are our available small-craft
• We can't use many of our weapons to defend the Archology side without "Overs" hitting the wall

[BackworldTraveller]

Can I suggest that Capt Domici (with Liv) take up the role of Castellan for the Bartizan?

• He's then about if needed again
• We then have a competent character as the guy in charge of the Bartizan

Also
We have of the SEMC itself (if I'm tracking this right, and excluding hangers-on):

• Voss, Oscar and Jolly in the Ops Room
• Florence, Doughal, Dylan in the EW Room
• Freya and Freddie in the Armoury, then laying sensors.
• Kit's team at the gate
• Jess Team on the flight deck
• Prerna's Team watching the roof and archology face
• Gaughin's team on the gun deck
• The Colonel with Dubbs, Caxton, Tango-one and Victor sweeping the Bartizan

Anyone I've missed?

[Tiglath]

As per the above I believe Jakob retiring to become "castellan" is a given.

Dubs will also be in the HQ
I have Kit in the hangar about to check the flight deck also with Prerna transiting the flight deck to join her team atop the Spire.
Gaughan is in the Gatehouse (a fortified blockhouse forming the foot/base of the tower/Bartizan's "Spire") Caxton is in here too due to some Ranger skullduggery.
Jess' Team are mostly on duty behind the bar / now watching The Tartar and the "good" serving staff.
Frank and his immediate staff are in the hangar

Stop Press: Frank now leads the sweep of the Tower/Spire so therefore transits with Kit and Prerna