[SEMC] Forward Thoughts

[BackworldTraveller]

Cyber, EW&Sensors Group

• Freya
• 3 Cyber, EW & Sensors Techs

[shaidar]

OK

We will likely have to build up the equipment and crew as we grow, so we'll need a prioritised list to work through.

Assuming this fits in with what the rest of you guys are thinking.

[Leitz]

Cyber, EW&Sensors Group

• Freya
• 3 Cyber, EW & Sensors Techs

Is that going to be the best solution for Freya? The techs are military, and she isn't. They will need career growth options and opportunities that she doesn't really seem to be concerned with. Has she been a leader or trainer before? Does she really want the responsibility of command, since it will preclude much of the technical work she seems so good at?

[BackworldTraveller]

Noting the command style of the current group, it doesn't seem so different to herding catsscouts.

[BackworldTraveller]

Alternative B...Liv and I form a related intel consultancy. Not of the SEMC as such.

[shaidar]

Interesting alternative.

What services would you provide?
How would you pay for starting equipment?

[Tiglath]

The myriad unit expansion choices could become bewildering and (all the more) difficult as you don't yet know what you're doing next. Equipment purchases could be problematic since we don't all share the same reference works. However, if there's specific gear you want I'll source it.

One way to handle this might be to decide on which areas you want to expand and I can offer tiered options on that?

Thoughts please.

IC 4DC might help as you are nudging towards a mid tech version of their high tech niche?

Meanwhile more thoughts / spanners to throw in the works!

It seems you'll need two types of Tech.

"Field" who will be in the EW section. If you are looking to recruit "soldiers with sensor ops" these guys are like gold dust sprinkled unicorns. The other option is a Hawkeye/Nimrod type EW vehicle with your (squishy non combat variant) Field Techs inside. The sensor suite on these things is sooo expensive you'll want to add on an armoured tank chassis with an expensive point defense system to stop millions of credits going boom...

A cheaper merely expensive option would be man portable gear and grav belts

"Service" Techs/Mechanics who will stop everything in the unit from ACR sights to comms to drones malfunctioning when you deploy.

Your expanded "backroom" could cover many roles with a foot in Intel, Recon and EW - dependant on role and platform.

Recon Team seemed very effective but due to small unit size were pulled in two directions as scout snipers and drone operators. Could/should drones go with "Field" Techs?

Medics: you need a dedicated crew (and a medic) for the ambulance. An autodoc and rescue bots might do the same job for less pay?

Thoughts on picking your fights/tickets. Going high tech is good but you don't need to beat anything better than TL13 in 268. If you are suddenly fighting a TL14/15 Super Power then it has all gone horribly wrong!

[Leitz]

I'm not familar with 4DC so can't comment there. Who were the bad guys the team fought, back when Jakob was a field medic?

Medics: A human crew would be better, with an autodoc/actual doctor in sickbay.

Sensor Ops: Another option is combat armor or other with embedded sensors, low light vision, etc. With a data stream feed back to the Command Post, the actual sensor analysis can be done further away.

Command Post: Building on that idea, and the desire to eventually have a ship, a remote and defensible command vehicle seems a useful priority. It can provide a place for command, data analysis, and a fallback point if it has sufficient armor and weapons.

Field Techs: If a trooper can't maintain their gear, then they need training or reassignment. Field units keep spares, and repairs are sent to the rear lines. Assuming there's a "line".

[shaidar]

I'm not familar with 4DC so can't comment there. Who were the bad guys the team fought, back when Jakob was a field medic?

Medics: A human crew would be better, with an autodoc/actual doctor in sickbay.

Sensor Ops: Another option is combat armor or other with embedded sensors, low light vision, etc. With a data stream feed back to the Command Post, the actual sensor analysis can be done further away.

Command Post: Building on that idea, and the desire to eventually have a ship, a remote and defensible command vehicle seems a useful priority. It can provide a place for command, data analysis, and a fallback point if it has sufficient armor and weapons.

Field Techs: If a trooper can't maintain their gear, then they need training or reassignment. Field units keep spares, and repairs are sent to the rear lines. Assuming there's a "line".

Sounds good to me, FWIW.

Could we make the pirate gig our command post for now? It's armoured, weaponed and manoeuvrable. Far better than the bus. Although, would that mean we'd need a dedicated pilot? At the very least they would have to stay with the ship at all times, might be a better NPC post or it could be quite boring.

[Tiglath]

The gig as a command post makes sense.

It already has a sensor suite, is well armoured with superb mobility.

[Leitz]

Noting the command style of the current group, it doesn't seem so different to herding catsscouts.

Um, I think you missed Jakob's willingess to detonate a grenade in a senior officer's groin when said senior officer put Jakob's people at risk.

There are a lot of moving parts to the SEMC command structure; Jess and the Aslan, Prerna and Erica, Liv and Jakob, and Frank with Polly. The unit is already "special operations" in that it operates in a complex and multivariate environment. However, it is also a military unit, and if someone can't follow orders then they need to be elsewhere. Scout/cat herding will get good people killed.

[shaidar]

The gig as a command post makes sense.

It already has a sensor suite, is well armoured with superb mobility.

Recon Team seemed very effective but due to small unit size were pulled in two directions as scout snipers and drone operators. Could/should drones go with "Field" Techs?

Obviously need feedback from joertexas, but I think this makes sense. Let Prerna focus on the people and recon/sniper stuff and someone else worry about the tech/drone stuff.

Maybe we can link this into Kits interest in FO? Whatever we do I think we'll be building capability for a while and people at HQ will be multitasking for a bit.

We'll need a dedicated pilot I think, plus a backup just in case, they'll have to double up with other HQ type skills.

How long does it take to learn pilot-0 for someone with grav vehicle-1?

EDIT: I guess that would be ship-boat rather than pilot skill

[Tiglath]

While keeping things small seeking purity of role might be counter productive vs. purity of purpose. Another great strength from the PCs is their multitasking ability to flexibly switch across into, for instance, Medic to keep the mission on track. At unit level this happened when the Recon team stepped into the line infantry role rescuing the delegates.

Re: Drones
Recon troopers might still carry personal/tactical drones as a recon tool while the drone flight fulfils the general recon role over the unit's "battlespace".

[shaidar]

Agreed wrt multitasking.

By dedicated pilot I mean somebody who normally doesn't run off with other duties. We don't want not to be able move the HQ in an emergency.

[Tiglath]

Yes, quite right (and mentioned upthread), you probably need integral crew for all vehicles as a tactical necessity (and as an in game RP "wheeze" because sitting outside with the engine running doesn't make for a rewarding game experience).

So add a co-pilot (Ship's Boat skill) to the shopping list.

[Leitz]

How different are large grav vehicles and small ships boats? My assumption is that since 7 year olds can fly, and teens can get their pilot license in modern day, it should be doable for the average person.

[shaidar]

See, I catch up eventually

If we can find a copilot with other useful HQ skills then that's a bonus!

[joertexas]

While keeping things small seeking purity of role might be counter productive vs. purity of purpose. Another great strength from the PCs is their multitasking ability to flexibly switch across into, for instance, Medic to keep the mission on track. At unit level this happened when the Recon team stepped into the line infantry role rescuing the delegates.

Re: Drones
Recon troopers might still carry personal/tactical drones as a recon tool while the drone flight fulfils the general recon role over the unit's "battlespace".

I think a squad-sized unit is enough for each PC to keep track of, while still being flexible for any mission we'd care to take on.

There are pocket-sized drones in military use now, so I think we should make them part of our regular kit. This goes for everyone, not just the recon team. Even if we each have one, they should be small (hand-sized), and smart enough at TL-12/13 to be intuitively controlled by the operator's combat armor computer.

[BackworldTraveller]

Those are about 10,000 each...or mine was.

[shaidar]

Tiglath's plans might have changed, but I get the impression that 4DC are trying to poach Skip, so we may have to replace him.