The Unseen Servant forums

Didn't it just know Jess was coming up for her solo run?

No worries and I'll wait on your posts.

Tiglath wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 2:23 pm However, it seems that the issue she has is that they are not "contracted mercs". This is both in the sense that the amount of command and control anyone can exert over them might well be very limited and also that they have very little internal military discipline. These might be very good reasons for them being deniable assets!

Assuming a conventional chain of command their activation and deployment (as a deniable Imperial asset) is likely not going to be the responsibility of a lowly Naval Ensign. It is likely that such a responsibility would be given to someone with the apparent specific military expertise.

So, we need to figure out who has their trigger. Someone, or some thing, needs to be there for them to activate. And they'd need direction. First guesses are the Lead Dip or Smitty, but neither seems right. One of the factions looking to have some muscle?

I dunno, from what the Dep Minister has said he might be the one with the trigger. he does seem to know a bit about the avastan pirates and the skills they have, inferring that he knows that these are not the pirates as the pirates don't have the right skills to do what I've been calling a 'cold jump', but probably has a better technical term. Either that or I'm reading between the lines and lost the plot.

shaidar wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:12 pm Either that or I'm reading between the lines and lost the plot.

I have a Skill-4 in that, sadly...

You're both right - I may have been too obscure with things you'd know/be able to find out;

Leitz wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:03 pm
So, we need to figure out who has their trigger. First guesses are the Lead Dip or Smitty, but neither seems right.

Someone, or some thing, needs to be there for them to activate. And they'd need direction.

The Deputy Minister commanding the asset (advised by Smith) or Smith in independent command are the two most likely options.

Notionally the asset could be activated on a specific condition (e.g. seize the starport if this signal is broadcast or some event occurs) or set to activate at a date/time but that would limit command and control to a minimum.

shaidar wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:12 pm I dunno, from what the Dep Minister has said he might be the one with the trigger. he does seem to know a bit about the avastan pirates and the skills they have, inferring that he knows that these are not the pirates as the pirates don't have the right skills to do what I've been calling a 'cold jump', but probably has a better technical term. Either that or I'm reading between the lines and lost the plot.

You haven't got much Naval expertise on tap (although you have got Prerna) and you also have sufficient Marines to contribute to some "working knowledge" of how ships can perform if not their "hands on" functionality.

"Running in Cold" can only be carried out by elite Navy crews. It's usually the tactical preserve of Destroyers or other "hunter/killer" boats stalking prey or Intruder Transports inserting jump troops or commando assault craft from orbit (or those transport assets assigned to Black Ops outfits).

Tiglath wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 3:49 pm"Running in Cold" can only be carried out by elite Navy crews. It's usually the tactical preserve of Destroyers or other "hunter/killer" boats stalking prey or Intruder Transports inserting jump troops or commando assault craft from orbit (or those transport assets assigned to Black Ops outfits).

Which does nothing but give me the idea for running a pirate game.

Addendum: Okay, so then the question becomes 'What if the Dip wants to off us if things don't go his way?' I'm assuming Jakob and Frank are thinking this, and possibly chatting about it.

Addendum II: We could probably "chat up" Smith and see if he's holding some secret. Whether or not he is, his attitude would say a lot.

Leitz wrote: Addendum: Okay, so then the question becomes 'What if the Dip wants to off us if things don't go his way?' I'm assuming Jakob and Frank are thinking this, and possibly chatting about it.

We can have a chat about this, here, or go to PM if you want. I think, currently, this is unlikely as the Dip is behaving as though we are 'imperial assets', of course this might not continue depending on what we do down the line.

Leitz wrote: Addendum II: We could probably "chat up" Smith and see if he's holding some secret. Whether or not he is, his attitude would say a lot.

That might be better coming from Jakob or Skip, I doubt the rest of us will get anything useful from the guy.

shaidar wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:05 pm

Leitz wrote: Addendum: Okay, so then the question becomes 'What if the Dip wants to off us if things don't go his way?' I'm assuming Jakob and Frank are thinking this, and possibly chatting about it.

We can have a chat about this, here, or go to PM if you want. I think, currently, this is unlikely as the Dip is behaving as though we are 'imperial assets', of course this might not continue depending on what we do down the line.

Here is better, mostly because I'm about half brain dead right now. Actual writing consumes more brain cells than I have available.

shaidar wrote: ↑Mon Aug 10, 2020 4:05 pm

Leitz wrote: Addendum II: We could probably "chat up" Smith and see if he's holding some secret. Whether or not he is, his attitude would say a lot.

That might be better coming from Jakob or Skip, I doubt the rest of us will get anything useful from the guy.

Agreed. I'll work on it with Tiglath. Depending on the time scale, and when the Jakob's team trains with the BGs, it might be before or after.

Is it too late to retcon Jess priming Charlie to stand by with the G-Carrier and an HMG crew to ride to the rescue if we call?

A flare in the pocket would be nice too, in case of comm failure.

I plead distraction due to technical difficulties in mitigation

Of course!

Life's currently tricky enough!

The Bindoner wrote: ↑Tue Aug 11, 2020 1:36 am Is it too late to retcon Jess priming Charlie to stand by with the G-Carrier and an HMG crew to ride to the rescue if we call?

That sort of thinking is probably what spurred Jakob into doing his latest drill set.

I fought the shonkey keyboard and unwanted help/support requests long enough to post. It's not great, but it will do for now. I'm busy tomorrow, but I should be back in the evening, maybe I'll improve it then.

Consult with engineer tomorrow. Might have to buy a cheap interim/backup.

Is the Joint Op with Jakob happening at the same time as Jess and Prerna's adventure? If so, and if Jakob is aware of what Jess and Prerna are doing, he'll comm them to let them know.

The Bindoner wrote: ↑Tue Aug 11, 2020 11:38 pm I fought the shonkey keyboard and unwanted help/support requests long enough to post. It's not great, but it will do for now. I'm busy tomorrow, but I should be back in the evening, maybe I'll improve it then.

Consult with engineer tomorrow. Might have to buy a cheap interim/backup.

If its just Web stuff then you could consider a cheap chrome book.

Leitz wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:15 pm Is the Joint Op with Jakob happening at the same time as Jess and Prerna's adventure? If so, and if Jakob is aware of what Jess and Prerna are doing, he'll comm them to let them know.

Yes!

What could go wrong?

You pitched it up the chain of command and so "failsafed" that someone will have briefed both you and Prerna of the existence of (and co-location of) each other's operations.

Tiglath wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:22 pm

Leitz wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:15 pm Is the Joint Op with Jakob happening at the same time as Jess and Prerna's adventure? If so, and if Jakob is aware of what Jess and Prerna are doing, he'll comm them to let them know.

Yes!

What could go wrong?

You pitched it up the chain of command and so "failsafed" that someone will have briefed both you and Prerna of the existence of (and co-location of) each other's operations.

It'd still be a really good idea to tell Prerna that friendlies - trustworthy ones - are flying over her team...

Nobody told Frank that Prerna was getting involved, the last he knew Jess was going in alone.

Unless we are assuming implicit, rather than explicit, information sharing. Jacob's assignment is 'official' an no doubt common knowledge. Jess's trip is off-book, but it would make sense for the other officers to know (and keep stum).

shaidar wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:31 pmJacob's assignment is 'official' an no doubt common knowledge. Jess's trip is off-book, but it would make sense for the other officers to know (and keep stum).

Let's declare things are as above.

I'm probably confusing matters just a little by working too hard to stress I'm not planning a "gotcha" here!

Fair enough.

Perhaps I need to push more on regular/official briefings IC. Or at least make it clear what information discussed with Frank gets briefed out to others even if we don't actually do the brief IC.

shaidar wrote: ↑Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:50 pm Perhaps I need to push more on regular/official briefings IC. Or at least make it clear what information discussed with Frank gets briefed out to others even if we don't actually do the brief IC.

As a person with military experience, it drives me nuts to see "military" games that make no military sense at all. It warms the flinty shards of my old heart to see players work to make a military game look like a military event. That said, I think we as a group may be breaking into stuff that a lot of players haven't experienced. Count me in for briefings and drills!

I few it like the cultural games we play; pseudo-historical Japan, far flung space merchants, or sword in hand fantasy. None of us will get it perfect, but the flavor will be significantly enhanced as we work "in character".