Post by daniel on Jan 13, 2011 16:39:04 GMT -5
Well into the re-imagined First Cylon War Colonial recon has discovered a derelict Cylon basestar. Pattern matching reveals her as one presumed destroyed years ago. Colonial Intelligence wants a good look at her records and three battlestars (Athena and Hera, both Hermes class and the new Acropolis) are ordered out on Operation Eagle Cliff.
The objective:
A combination of Cylon computer worms and powerful analysis programs provide good insight into current Colonial activities. They know a basestar, missing and presumed lost, has been found and a BSG is being dispatched to its location. Three basestars (all Type 1 Assault Carriers) are tasked with preventing this and rescuing the damaged unit. The Colonials have a 200+ point deficit.
In a messhall deep inside battlestar Athena a replacement Viper pilot is looking anxiously at his pre-mission breakfast. A more experienced pilot leans over and says, “Relax Rook. If you get any more nervous you’ll pass out and get scrubbed from the mission. Besides, you’re all worked up for nothing and today will be a piece of cake. All we have to do is sit tight as the group jumps to the target. We’ll fly a leisurely CSP while the heavies drive over to the cripple and shuttle over the techies and some Jarheads to babysit until they get what they need. Bring your camera and maybe snap some pictures. Besides, we have the shiny new Acropolis to protect us.” The Noob looks a little better and says, “Really?” The vet laughs hard, “Not a frakking chance, but I always like a good fairy tale! Eat up and get to the briefing – it starts in fifteen.”
A Viper ready room aboard Battlestar Athena: Pilots are seated and the commander strides in. They stand to attention. “Take your seats. Good morning, Headhunters!” The assembled pilots return the greeting as they sit. The Skipper continues. “We have a different mission today which means you all have fresh and unique opportunities to creatively frak it up. As I’m sure you know from rumors Colonial recon found a crippled Toaster basestar, previously presumed destroyed. It’s heavily damaged and appears dead.” The pilots quietly laugh and Skipper smiles. “Our BSG has been ordered to retrieve the computer core for analysis and destroy what’s left. The plan is to jump to the target, secure it, and shuttle over some techies and Jarheads to babysit until they get what they need. Our squadron will join the others in providing CSP throughout the operation. Since the Chromejobs still seem able to read our mail I doubt this’ll be a quiet milkrun. We jump in thirty minutes and launch immediately after the first DRADIS sweep. Get in your cockpits and good hunting.”
Three majestic battlestars suddenly appear in space some distance from the dark basestar. DRADIS gear comes online and initial sweeps are made. “DRADIS online and reporting one contact. It’s our target, right where it’s supposed to be. Check that! Three more DRADIS contacts just jumped in! Confirmed they’re Cylon basestars. Course to target set. Alert Vipers report launched.”
The Colonials sense a trap of some sort and decide to keep speed low (4) and let the Raiders attack without baseship support. Vipers are ordered out to get the jump on the lead Cylon fighter units and some local superiority is gained. First round of dogfights see 26 Cylons and 18 Vipers downed.
The Raiders sweep on by and go after the battlestars, forcing the Vipers into more attrition to keep the Cylon attacks from going in. This tactic paid off well for the Machines.
All Colonial ships see lots of activity around them but Battlestar Hera (top of Colonial formation) gets the brunt of the incoming missiles. 6 arrive at first. PD drops 3 and AV stops 2 more for 20 total damage. The next wave sees 4 more come in. PD stops 1 and 3 hit, obliterating the starboard flight pod and the landing party shuttle sitting in it. Hera is now down 40 hull. Fighter casualties are up to 70 Raiders and 57 Vipers.
Using excellent game turn timing, Battlestars Acropolis and Hera manage to get 3 shuttles to the objective. Players are shocked to find 3 functioning Centurion defenders aboard facing down the 6 Colonial Marines. 3 Marine units go down in the first ambush but they recover well and manage to beat every moving Cylon into scrap. The techs head for the goodies while the remaining Marines cover them and wait for more trouble.
Speaking of boarding actions, right about here Battlestar Athena also has one as 2 early heavy Raiders manage to get aboard and unload 4 centurions. Because Athena wasn't close enough to send her shuttles to the derelict she has the landing party Marines available for the fight. They die but their sacrifice allowed the ship's defenders to mount a defense and beat off the attack.
By now Hera is in bad shape, with 57 of 64 hull gone. She's ordered to turn away and spool up her FTL drive and get away. A long range fusion torpedo hit makes sure she doesn't make it and Hera is destroyed.
Below, Acropolis shows some amazing helmsmanship to retrieve the landing party without losing them to swarms of Raiders. The ships are now exchanging fire and Acropolis' midship railguns score a reactor hit on the Cylon that took down Hera. Revenge is sweet. At the same time her forward batteries join Athena's and punch huge holes in the basestar ahead.
Below, here's a dogfight rolloff. Colonials are blue - machines are red. Splash 6 Vipers just like that. Ouch...
The range is very close now and both battlestars are taking bombardment missile hits in addition to fusion torps. Athena goes down and the last Vipers sacrifice themselves to buy Acropolis more time. Her fwd bateries finish off the Cylon ahead while her midship guns tear into the other remaining Cylon, taking out 32 of 77 hull.
It isn't enough and Acropolis is destroyed
Some survivors limping around. The Cylons have a badly damaged baseship and 30 of 180 Raiders left.
The objective:
A combination of Cylon computer worms and powerful analysis programs provide good insight into current Colonial activities. They know a basestar, missing and presumed lost, has been found and a BSG is being dispatched to its location. Three basestars (all Type 1 Assault Carriers) are tasked with preventing this and rescuing the damaged unit. The Colonials have a 200+ point deficit.
In a messhall deep inside battlestar Athena a replacement Viper pilot is looking anxiously at his pre-mission breakfast. A more experienced pilot leans over and says, “Relax Rook. If you get any more nervous you’ll pass out and get scrubbed from the mission. Besides, you’re all worked up for nothing and today will be a piece of cake. All we have to do is sit tight as the group jumps to the target. We’ll fly a leisurely CSP while the heavies drive over to the cripple and shuttle over the techies and some Jarheads to babysit until they get what they need. Bring your camera and maybe snap some pictures. Besides, we have the shiny new Acropolis to protect us.” The Noob looks a little better and says, “Really?” The vet laughs hard, “Not a frakking chance, but I always like a good fairy tale! Eat up and get to the briefing – it starts in fifteen.”
A Viper ready room aboard Battlestar Athena: Pilots are seated and the commander strides in. They stand to attention. “Take your seats. Good morning, Headhunters!” The assembled pilots return the greeting as they sit. The Skipper continues. “We have a different mission today which means you all have fresh and unique opportunities to creatively frak it up. As I’m sure you know from rumors Colonial recon found a crippled Toaster basestar, previously presumed destroyed. It’s heavily damaged and appears dead.” The pilots quietly laugh and Skipper smiles. “Our BSG has been ordered to retrieve the computer core for analysis and destroy what’s left. The plan is to jump to the target, secure it, and shuttle over some techies and Jarheads to babysit until they get what they need. Our squadron will join the others in providing CSP throughout the operation. Since the Chromejobs still seem able to read our mail I doubt this’ll be a quiet milkrun. We jump in thirty minutes and launch immediately after the first DRADIS sweep. Get in your cockpits and good hunting.”
Three majestic battlestars suddenly appear in space some distance from the dark basestar. DRADIS gear comes online and initial sweeps are made. “DRADIS online and reporting one contact. It’s our target, right where it’s supposed to be. Check that! Three more DRADIS contacts just jumped in! Confirmed they’re Cylon basestars. Course to target set. Alert Vipers report launched.”
The Colonials sense a trap of some sort and decide to keep speed low (4) and let the Raiders attack without baseship support. Vipers are ordered out to get the jump on the lead Cylon fighter units and some local superiority is gained. First round of dogfights see 26 Cylons and 18 Vipers downed.
The Raiders sweep on by and go after the battlestars, forcing the Vipers into more attrition to keep the Cylon attacks from going in. This tactic paid off well for the Machines.
All Colonial ships see lots of activity around them but Battlestar Hera (top of Colonial formation) gets the brunt of the incoming missiles. 6 arrive at first. PD drops 3 and AV stops 2 more for 20 total damage. The next wave sees 4 more come in. PD stops 1 and 3 hit, obliterating the starboard flight pod and the landing party shuttle sitting in it. Hera is now down 40 hull. Fighter casualties are up to 70 Raiders and 57 Vipers.
Using excellent game turn timing, Battlestars Acropolis and Hera manage to get 3 shuttles to the objective. Players are shocked to find 3 functioning Centurion defenders aboard facing down the 6 Colonial Marines. 3 Marine units go down in the first ambush but they recover well and manage to beat every moving Cylon into scrap. The techs head for the goodies while the remaining Marines cover them and wait for more trouble.
Speaking of boarding actions, right about here Battlestar Athena also has one as 2 early heavy Raiders manage to get aboard and unload 4 centurions. Because Athena wasn't close enough to send her shuttles to the derelict she has the landing party Marines available for the fight. They die but their sacrifice allowed the ship's defenders to mount a defense and beat off the attack.
By now Hera is in bad shape, with 57 of 64 hull gone. She's ordered to turn away and spool up her FTL drive and get away. A long range fusion torpedo hit makes sure she doesn't make it and Hera is destroyed.
Below, Acropolis shows some amazing helmsmanship to retrieve the landing party without losing them to swarms of Raiders. The ships are now exchanging fire and Acropolis' midship railguns score a reactor hit on the Cylon that took down Hera. Revenge is sweet. At the same time her forward batteries join Athena's and punch huge holes in the basestar ahead.
Below, here's a dogfight rolloff. Colonials are blue - machines are red. Splash 6 Vipers just like that. Ouch...
The range is very close now and both battlestars are taking bombardment missile hits in addition to fusion torps. Athena goes down and the last Vipers sacrifice themselves to buy Acropolis more time. Her fwd bateries finish off the Cylon ahead while her midship guns tear into the other remaining Cylon, taking out 32 of 77 hull.
It isn't enough and Acropolis is destroyed
Some survivors limping around. The Cylons have a badly damaged baseship and 30 of 180 Raiders left.
