Avastan Planning & OOC

[Tiglath]

Quite right on the gunship - I had out pedanted myself!

I thought you had gone for the Points Defence vehicle but wasn't certain.

FWIW the sub type / variant is called "Swatter" but you my wish to give it a proper name!

RPA-12 and VRF gauss - which like all "flak" guns makes a horrifying anti personnel weapon (Pen 21 - clean through high tech combat armour!)

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but the "splash" (the plasma version of shrapnel/bust) of the plasma gun is Pen 28 so will also kill anything on legs that it "near misses" (anything it actually hits is mostly airborne carbon).

[Tiglath]

With "The Big Wedding" now planned for after this op (and Leitz busy) I propose to run a summary/lite version of the events of the "turnaround" on Collace and then move into the arrival on Avastan.

NB More than happy to retcon stuff add detail on request re: the above.

The first strategic decision you need to make is how you plan to arrive on Avastan.

It's reputation is a (pirate) Freeport on a law level zero world so references as to the place's character might be Mos Eisley or New Providence circa 1715 - but colder. However, the Starport itself is most definitely run by Avastan Portways Inc who have stamped their particular brand of New Moscow "business enterprise" on the place. All are welcome to trade and no one asks too many questions. The port is therefore awash with shady characters and businessfolk all of whom thrive - unless their money runs out...

Unit Options
Drop the ramp on the (McClellan) trader and jump out guns blazing (what could go wrong?)
Stay in the trader and either:
A) hide in system
B) remain in orbit
C) land at the down port
while conducting dirtside recon to locate and target the pirates / their supports with a view to inflicting a "mission kill" on their operation.

[joertexas]

We should probably concoct a cover story for our presence. Training a new cadre and some R&R comes to mind. It would be true enough, and it would be a fine cover to conduct recon as we move about while conducting training.

[gurusql]

One of the questions that I had, is are we arriving in two phases or together? (Part of this was in the timing question that I could have missed a resolution of.)

Is the recon team arriving and scouting directly from Inchin (while the main team goes to Collace to resupply) or is everyone arriving at Avastan together. There are different cover stories that can be used for these two options. The advantage of sending the recon team directly is just more time to recon and less troops to hide, but of course there is less back-up, needing to go direct and perhaps less friendly to this the format of this board.

[The Bindoner]

One of the questions that I had, is are we arriving in two phases or together? (Part of this was in the timing question that I could have missed a resolution of.)

Is the recon team arriving and scouting directly from Inchin (while the main team goes to Collace to resupply) or is everyone arriving at Avastan together. There are different cover stories that can be used for these two options. The advantage of sending the recon team directly is just more time to recon and less troops to hide, but of course there is less back-up, needing to go direct and perhaps less friendly to this the format of this board.

Unseen Servant is ideal for handling a "split party" situation. You should see Backworld Traveller's game for a good example of that. Talk about herding cats...

I think the two-phase option has merit. The small initial arrival and apparently separate second group should be less concerning for the (naturally suspicious) locals.

Unit Options
Drop the ramp on the (McClellan) trader and jump out guns blazing (what could go wrong?)
Stay in the trader and either:
A) hide in system
B) remain in orbit
C) land at the down port
while conducting dirtside recon to locate and target the pirates / their supports with a view to inflicting a "mission kill" on their operation.

I like the sound of A, if we can hide. C if we can't. If the locals turn nasty a Trader in orbit is vulnerable to many things and could result in either a total loss or an opposed landing. At least if we're on the ground we can't be shot down

[joertexas]

One of the questions that I had, is are we arriving in two phases or together? (Part of this was in the timing question that I could have missed a resolution of.)

Is the recon team arriving and scouting directly from Inchin (while the main team goes to Collace to resupply) or is everyone arriving at Avastan together. There are different cover stories that can be used for these two options. The advantage of sending the recon team directly is just more time to recon and less troops to hide, but of course there is less back-up, needing to go direct and perhaps less friendly to this the format of this board.

Unseen Servant is ideal for handling a "split party" situation. You should see Backworld Traveller's game for a good example of that. Talk about herding cats...

I think the two-phase option has merit. The small initial arrival and apparently separate second group should be less concerning for the (naturally suspicious) locals.

Unit Options
Drop the ramp on the (McClellan) trader and jump out guns blazing (what could go wrong?)
Stay in the trader and either:
A) hide in system
B) remain in orbit
C) land at the down port
while conducting dirtside recon to locate and target the pirates / their supports with a view to inflicting a "mission kill" on their operation.

I like the sound of A, if we can hide. C if we can't. If the locals turn nasty a Trader in orbit is vulnerable to many things and could result in either a total loss or an opposed landing. At least if we're on the ground we can't be shot down

I'd rather that we stay together.

[BackworldTraveller]

One of the questions that I had, is are we arriving in two phases or together? (Part of this was in the timing question that I could have missed a resolution of.)

Is the recon team arriving and scouting directly from Inchin (while the main team goes to Collace to resupply) or is everyone arriving at Avastan together. There are different cover stories that can be used for these two options. The advantage of sending the recon team directly is just more time to recon and less troops to hide, but of course there is less back-up, needing to go direct and perhaps less friendly to this the format of this board.

Unseen Servant is ideal for handling a "split party" situation. You should see Backworld Traveller's game for a good example of that. Talk about herding cats...

I think the two-phase option has merit. The small initial arrival and apparently separate second group should be less concerning for the (naturally suspicious) locals.

Unit Options
Drop the ramp on the (McClellan) trader and jump out guns blazing (what could go wrong?)
Stay in the trader and either:
A) hide in system
B) remain in orbit
C) land at the down port
while conducting dirtside recon to locate and target the pirates / their supports with a view to inflicting a "mission kill" on their operation.

I like the sound of A, if we can hide. C if we can't. If the locals turn nasty a Trader in orbit is vulnerable to many things and could result in either a total loss or an opposed landing. At least if we're on the ground we can't be shot down

True - don't get the party split! Nightmare.

[Tiglath]

As per the two last above the compromise (or falls between two stools) solution is to keep the main force aboard the trader / trojan horse and send the recon team out first.

This could happen from deep out system, close orbit or from the down port - depends on how quick you'd like your QRF to be!

Your trader is likely to be a 400T Type R Subsidised Merchant belonging to a McClellan ahem "subsidiary" or just "off the books". Its cargo bay is big enough for you to fly your launch out of it. However, it is not a warship and absolutely not an assault lander! Some of your troops may have to travel "cold" in low berth. No medical problem as the trader has an autodoc and a ship's medic to virtually guarantee revival but a strategic/logistic one for yourselves as you need to plan when to go - and then go!


As to a split party I'd prefer not to have players with nothing to do.

Provided you are all in the same place at the same time I can mitigate that...

[BackworldTraveller]

If we are going for Intel Gathering...

There's...
...Talking to Civies
...Training Civies to be Paramilitary
..."Recruiting" (even if we never offer a role)
...Suppliers on planet of Food, Accommodation, etc.
...Watching places/people of interest
...Operational Intel (if we get to Active Operations)
...MacLellan's contacts
...Local Politicos
...Local Children
..Listening to Local Broadcasts
...Evesdropping on Electronic chatter (Do we have a ground to orbit laser for secure comms - that ship of MacLellans probably has better sensors than we have)
.....Clear
.....Encrypted
.....Network Analysis

Counter Intel
...Trainees
...Recruits
...Civies providing food/accomodation
...Fraternisation
...Elint Leaks
...Bait
......e.g. Room full of boxes/crates that are only there to catch whoever sneaks in to look what is in them
......e.g. False documents when we have an idea of what false documents to plant

n.b. It might be worth keeping the Gauss Rifles out of sight until really needed as their presence are easily detected by Elint when fired

[joertexas]

As per the two last above the compromise (or falls between two stools) solution is to keep the main force aboard the trader / trojan horse and send the recon team out first.

This could happen from deep out system, close orbit or from the down port - depends on how quick you'd like your QRF to be!

Your trader is likely to be a 400T Type R Subsidised Merchant belonging to a McClellan ahem "subsidiary" or just "off the books". Its cargo bay is big enough for you to fly your launch out of it. However, it is not a warship and absolutely not an assault lander! Some of your troops may have to travel "cold" in low berth. No medical problem as the trader has an autodoc and a ship's medic to virtually guarantee revival but a strategic/logistic one for yourselves as you need to plan when to go - and then go!


As to a split party I'd prefer not to have players with nothing to do.

Provided you are all in the same place at the same time I can mitigate that...

If we all land together and get busy with our training regimen, that will be much more convincing than us arriving in penny packets. OTOH, an advance team to secure quarters and a training area is plausible, too. It does leave the team in the wind, but that's the boss's decision.

[The Bindoner]

If we all land together and get busy with our training regimen, that will be much more convincing than us arriving in penny packets. OTOH, an advance team to secure quarters and a training area is plausible, too. It does leave the team in the wind, but that's the boss's decision.

Isn't this a commando mission? Surprise surgical strike on specific facilities "yet to be identified"?

I can see how establishing quarters and training grounds would be useful if it took weeks to locate and study the target, but that's expensive and invites counter-recon. Wouldn't it be better for the PCs to Recon before the ship with the main force arrives? Then we just need to join the troops, detail the plan and execute it.

[joertexas]

If we all land together and get busy with our training regimen, that will be much more convincing than us arriving in penny packets. OTOH, an advance team to secure quarters and a training area is plausible, too. It does leave the team in the wind, but that's the boss's decision.

Isn't this a commando mission? Surprise surgical strike on specific facilities "yet to be identified"?

I can see how establishing quarters and training grounds would be useful if it took weeks to locate and study the target, but that's expensive and invites counter-recon. Wouldn't it be better for the PCs to Recon before the ship with the main force arrives? Then we just need to join the troops, detail the plan and execute it.

There's a lot to be said for hiding in plain sight. We have a lot of activity, which we really do need to accomplish at some point, giving our opponents a lot to watch. It's the perfect excuse to go skulking about, flying about, marching about, and generally appearing anywhere at odd times.

In the end, it's Frank's decision, though.

[shaidar]

In the end, it's Frank's decision, though.

No. I'm not deciding that on my own.

[The Bindoner]

We have a lot of activity, which we really do need to accomplish at some point[

True enough. Prefer not to do it in the field. Under observation by the people we're about to engage...

It's the perfect excuse to go skulking about, flying about, marching about, and generally appearing anywhere at odd times.

Is it a good excuse? We have no contract to be there. The local security battalion might go on alert if an off-world merc unit starts popping up all over their zone.

In the end, it's Frank's decision, though.

True. Though... Prerna is our Recon expert, and one of the founders....

Edit

No. I'm not deciding that on my own.

Well, we'll sort it out between us I'm sure

[Tiglath]

Just throwing these spanners into the works:

One advantage about Avastan is the apparent utter lack of customs officers as a "thing".

"No questions asked" really does mean that and so, turned to your advantage, might mean that no one's going to climb aboard and start poking through the stacked "ice boxes" containing your sleeping unit...

The questions that are more likely to get asked are "What are you selling?"

[joertexas]

We have a lot of activity, which we really do need to accomplish at some point[

True enough. Prefer not to do it in the field. Under observation by the people we're about to engage...

It's the perfect excuse to go skulking about, flying about, marching about, and generally appearing anywhere at odd times.

Is it a good excuse? We have no contract to be there. The local security battalion might go on alert if an off-world merc unit starts popping up all over their zone.

In the end, it's Frank's decision, though.

True. Though... Prerna is our Recon expert, and one of the founders....

Edit

No. I'm not deciding that on my own.

Well, we'll sort it out between us I'm sure

Y'all have my/Prerna's recommendations...

[BackworldTraveller]

How much has Freya received in cash from her employment...

[shaidar]

What is Freya paid from her job...Obviously not a Merc issue but she wants to know!

Also, what are the termination details. Do I get paid off at Collace only?

She gets 1000Cr and the option of being terminated at Collace or Inchin (with the option of working her passage back to Collace).

[The Bindoner]

We're considering forming a mortar team from our pool of 8 recruits. Each recruit is trained ex-forces with core skill 2 and secondary skill 1.

For the mortar we'd need one of the troopers as HW/Mortar 2, another as ?? 2 and HW/Mortar 1, plus an ammo bod ( who could be one of our less skilled existing troopers ).

Thoughts?

[shaidar]

Makes sense. I assume secondary guy is protection and a backup, so we'd want a rifle skill? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick? Are you thinking might we want to give them some kind of observer skill?, or another useful skill we are currently low on to support us elsewhere?