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Two other notes to this scenario.
-- Everyone is taking anti-rad meds. These are pretty good and will greatly increase the amount of time you can spend in this system. However, some people suffer from side effects. So, question: "A minority of people will suffer cognitive side effects from the anti-rads. What are they?"
-- Remember, Jump drives work best deep down in a gravity well. So, if you want to get out of this system? Normally you'd double-jump -- once down close to the neutron star, and then away. Unfortunately jumping close to a this neutron star means eating a pretty big dose of radiation -- not by itself lethal, but not great, especially if you've already eaten a lot from hanging around in the system.
There is an alternative: you could Jump into the accretion disk itself, into the cooler outer region. The disk itself is relatively thin and tenuous out there, but it will protect you from the radiation. Of course, there's larger stuff mixed in -- dust particles, flying rocks, asteroids.
Anyway, you don't have to worry about this right now. First is the totally easy and straightforward task of Jumping insystem, flying to the asteroid, and getting the Juice out of the refinery.
Jump drives:
-- Require time to charge. Military ships are built with the capacity to double jump, allowing them to jump into battle and jump out again if need be. Civilian ships don't have this capability -- once they jump, they're stuck for a little while.
The “Mark-01 Tomcat” is a direct decedent to Earth’s older “PF1-Manticore”. Much like its predecessor, it has numerous segmented compartments that line it’s thirty-foot-long hull. Those compartments, lined with a next generation radiant barrier, helped to stabilize the ship from its extreme acceleration and Zero-G pivoting. Advancements in radiant barrier material coupled with an improved insulating aerogel now provide substantial Hypothermal and hyperthermal relief for pilots in both their cockpits as well as their flight suits. In addition to the temperature benefits to the ship's compartmentalized insolation, the new radiant barrier reflects up to ninety sever percent of solar radiation, which helps to shield the pilot from most solar events.
To minimize fuel consumption, the wings of the Mark-01 have been fitted with an intergraded solar system that is capable of sustaining its life support, sensors, and primary thrusters without tapping into its fuel reserve.
The Tomcat’s cockpit, very much like the Manticore, is a low-profile seat that is centrally located towards the back of the ship, which provides the best possible vantage point from a defensively protected location. New to its design, is a copilot seat that sits directly behind the pilot and is equipped with navigation, targeting, identification, and a manual secondary pilot toggle, which enables the copilot to take over in an emergency. The offensive capability of the ship utilizes twin electromagnetic repeating mini-rail guns. Unlike its much larger variant, the mini-rail gun propels a solid projectile quickly and is capable of high velocity reloading, which allows for a sustainable burst of fire power.
I think that makes sense - there'd be different ships just because we're the last of whatevers left and it all got used up. Different ships have different roles,ctoo. Thea is scouting ahead so I think Deigon's ship is escorting the juicers in to give support - they're not armed and they go boom for obvious reasons.
Sasha is onboard Cranberry, she's tasked with supply and logistics stuf and this counts. I'll do a gameplay post in a bit.
No objection.
(Hmm, no discussion of damage control.)
What did you have in mind?
There are no civilian ships with you. This is an expedition, not the whole Fleet. So it's just Cerberus and the two tankers.
2. Q2: I thought I read something about only military ships being capable of double jumping, whereas civilian ships were only able to jump once. Is this still the case?
OK, then this makes sense. The tankers also have double jump capability and could utilize it here.
I mentioned spore pods, yes? If they hit you, basically it's somewhere between supermold and grey goo / hostile nanotechnology. The Fleet has been scrambling to develop damage control systems that can deal with it.What did you have in mind?
(Hmm, no discussion of damage control.)
Sounds interesting, go on. I would like to know more.
Also, I should have a gameplay post up soon. I'm currently working on it.
Well, feel free to run with it. Maybe your fighter is great in every way... except it doesn't have good damage control, which forces you to make snap decisions in combat. Or maybe you've got something like an R2-D2 droid, which sounds like fun, but the nature of this game is that there should be some problem, drawback or complication... you tell me.
Sounds interesting, go on. I would like to know more.Also, I should have a gameplay post up soon. I'm currently working on it.
I'm thinking counter measures for the spoor pod would be a spray of intensified Roundup. LoL, just kidding of course, but your point is well noted.
As fare as a drawback goes, I'm thinking about your R2 comment and am thinking in the realm of the copilot seat which is currently unoccupied do to a shortage of pilots. The ship is perfectly functionable with a single pilot but is way less efficient. That means the pilot now has to engage with the ship's sensors, scans, lock-on's, identifying markers, etc. In addition, the ship's shields, which serve as a counter measure in itself, can't be adjusted to compensate for damage without a copilot. That said, base shields are evenly distributed around the ship and are set at that level until the copilot makes adjustments to compensate for directional damage. Later, when new pilots become available, the greenhorn's first assignment normally requires them to serve as a copilot for a designated amount of time before the CO will trust them with one of the fleet's hard to come by ships. (Greenhorn) as a copilot could be all kinds of problems with a lot of drama attached to it.....What do you think?
The spore pods are organic in some fashion yes? Has any work been done on countermeasures targeting them at the cellular level, like enzymes to destroy the cell walls?
So are there two enemy attack groups? One near the tankers and one near the moon/asteroid? Just trying to clarify before I post.
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Well if they weren't enemy they are now.
G*+@*+mit Gunny.
Well if they weren't enemy they are now.
G~%@$$mit Gunny.
LoL!
They be swooping in unannounced. That, in my book, immediately upgrades them from a boogie to a bandit. Priority is the safe deployment and return of the juicers. No leeway for maybes. Simply not taking a chance. My guess, they were automated defenses that Warren Buffet forgot to mention.
It's fine, I'd prbly have done teh same in your place but I didn't so now I get to be judgy about it ;)
*Please* can we give diplomacy a go firtst though before we do any more fighting?
EIT - Imma pay for these good rolls at some point but for now I'm hapy.
Also - you mgith legit say why don't we try and all be on teh same page on this and I agree in principle - but Sasha is a Gemini, she's not hugly into playing well with other so I'm delibratly keeping things close. If any of you are finding that too annoying let me know.
Well, /if/ that's the case, you can just cover the landing of the tankers. Should be no problem.Sasha's with the tankers, right?
Yes she's in Cranberry
.
Yeah, not Sasha thing at all, she might have to show the stick ocadionly but she literally controls the supply of carrot :-)
I'm wondering what's going on with (ElbowtotheFace) Devin Cerrone. Haven't seen a post from Devin in a bit and I'm concerned that we may have just blown right by him.
Gunny is willing to go, leaving Tin Man in charge of the squad if the group requires a volunteer. If not, he will continue flying formation until things settle.
I thought I would add a little more detail on the NPC pilots that make up Wolf.
Jake Monrow “Mackintire” (Wolf-Pilot) Level (+0) Jake is a clean shaven, well mannered, 30-year-old male with dark hair. He stands 6’5” tall and seems willing to take on just about any assignment without complaint. Prior to enlisting with the fleet’s flight defense, he was a business student. Although he didn’t have a chance to complete the course, he did finish half of the curriculum. He is currently single and is open to meeting new people. He enjoys conversations revolving around humanity's intentions of rebuilding some resemblance of commerce.
Julie Thomson “Jaraco” (Wolf-Pilot) Level (+0) Julie is an athletic 28-year-old female with long blond hair that is generally tied back in a ponytail. She stands 5’9” tall and comes across as a serious-minded woman who is focused on getting the job done. Although she has been known to laugh once in a while, she generally doesn’t display a strong since of humor. Julie’s mother, who was also a pilot, flew with Gunny during the mission that failed humanity. Although Julie knows her mother gave her life trying to save the world, she is a bit confused on the details. Julie currently holds a B.S. in robotics and enjoys anything that revolves around that subject.
Simon Moody “Jagger” (Wolf-Pilot) Level (+0) Simon is a 25-year-old male with dark hair that he keeps shaved into a wide Mohawk with dark red highlights. He has two piercings in his left eyebrow where he generally displays two silver hoops. He has recently acquired a black Chinese style dragon tattoo on the left side of his neck. Simon is the last of his family, who died during the invasion. His father, Frank Moody, was a dedicated pilot who became an ace during the early stages of the invasion. Because of his father’s reputation, command has allowed leeway in regard to his attitude and appearance. Because of that leeway, Simon has become a solid pilot who seems to be living up to his father’s reputation.
Mike Bradshaw “Tin Man” (Wolf-Pilot) Level (+0) , Mike appears to be in his mid-50’s, although no one is sure how old the man is. He stands 5’11” tall and has marbled black-gray hair. Clean cut and combed to the right, his hair fades into a zero cut just before meeting a mid-sized full beard. Mike, if that is actually his name, is quiet, reserved, and dauntingly serious. He has never been known to smile or joke about anything. On the rare occasions when he has attended an after-hour’s function, he generally spends most of his time in a quiet corner alone. Prior to the invasion, Mike has no documented history. That’s to say, no one seems to know anything about him. He responds to directives effectively and without complaint but prefers to work alone. In combat, he exhibits a strong efficiency both in and out of the cockpit.
I'll get a post up sometime today but I'm covered up at work this morning at least.
OK, here are (5) greenhorns looking to become pilots. They are set to graduate soon…)
Tina Sparrow “Blackbird” Tine is a 35-year-old petite dark-haired woman who wears her hair shoulder cut. She is 5’4” tall with a bubbly personality. On the surface, she seems to see the glass as half full all the time. In reality she spends most nights crying herself to sleep. During her escape from the invasion, she lost all of her family, which included a female lover who she dedicated her entire adult life to. Tina currently holds a masters in English literature and enjoys anything to do with poetry, plays, or drama reenactments. She has recently proven herself to be a sold pilot candidate by scoring top of her class.
Juan Lopez “Chupacabra” Juan is a 35-year-old male who previously had confidential government clearance and was in the process of undergoing secret service training. Juan has dark colored hair, which he keeps trimmed down to a fade. He stands 5’9” tall and is athletically built. Although most national institutions have been either destroyed or disbanded, his background and training made him a good candidate for the (FDO) program. His personal interests include jazz music and cooking. Because Juan has interests in someday becoming an officer, he spends a fair amount of time volunteering for extra duty when it involves anything to do with command. Although his piloting skills are at best average, his ground combat skill is far above average.
Jack McCraw “Chuckwagon” Jack is a 19-year-old man with a cleanly shaven face and head. He stands 5’9” tall and is a bit thicker than the average pilot. Jack was separated from his family during the invasion and has recently had his 19th birthday aboard the Cerberus. He volunteered for pilot training almost immediately after it became available, but his application was put on hold do to his young age. Because of the massive shortage of pilots, command finally pushed his paperwork through. Eager to prove himself, Jack tends to make a lot of mistakes. He is extremely green but make up for it with enthusiasm. (Please don’t assign this Nugget to Gunny, LoL) Jack’s personal interests include home style cooking and playing video games on an old PlayStation he salvaged just before evacuation. He tends to be accommodating and genuinely friendly to just about anyone. This tends to make him a candidate for being picked on, which he seems to stuck-up without complaint.
Tyson Brown “Q-ball” Tyson is a 40-year-old male with dark, tightly braided hair. He is 6’ 8” tall, clean shaven, and muscular built. Tyson was an amateur bodybuilder before the invasion and tends to keep up his physique on a regular basis. He is selective on what he eats and tends to lean towards higher protein foods if given the opportunity. Most of his family was lost during the invasion, except for his 8-year-old daughter, who he cares for deeply. Tyson’s interests include shooting pool, which he plays at a professional level, reading, and weightlifting. His piloting capability is slightly above average with a strong focus on hand-to-hand combat. Toe to toe, Tyson is a dangerous combatant.
Li Nguyen “Tornado” Li is a 28-year-old male with dark hair, which he keeps cleanly cut into a squared off fade. Li made it aboard the Cerberus with his wife Lee and two daughters, Kali and Mira. He holds a PHD in marine biology and over saw multiple water treatment facilities before the invasion. Li has always held a fascination with piloting, which manifested as more of a hobby fascination until recently. After receiving his wife’s approval to pursue this interest, he volunteered for the (FDO) program. Although his overqualified paperwork was approved, command is currently in the process of trying to motivate Li into a full-time supervising role as a water treatment specialist, which they are in dire need of. In order to maintain his position as a pilot candidate, he has agreed to work part-time in water treatment, but has refused full-time status.
I've been working in a cleanroom today which is really tiring - I'll read everthink and post tomorrow.
Wow, lots of detail here! That's great -- thank you.
Okay now let's all get very attached to these characters, so that nothing bad can happen to them.
Yep, I figured that would be the case. Can't form connections without flushing out a bit of background. I'm thinking that putting together NPC's for this game could literally be a full-time job. I intend to add more Nuggets to the list as time goes. If they eventually become pilots, I'll upgrade them to the pilot's list.
If you would like, as time permits, I could begin a random NPC list that you could pull from. I would include names, basic descriptions, personality traits, interests, and any family they might have. I'll leave current work assignments, titles, and education undeclared with a spot to list them as you see fit. Granted this will be a work in progress because it will take a bit of time to put together but might help to flesh out some random NPC's as you need them.
Gunny is willing to escort whoever wants to do the talking. That said, under normally conditions he isn't the best choice for diplomacy. Now that he's under the effects of the radiation, he's even more off his game. I'll leave it to the rest of the group if they want him to escort or stays with the flight squad.
I guess in my mind this depends on whether Devin is still around. If he is, then this seems like a natural role for a marine to act as escort. If not, then maybe makes sense unless we use Devin as an NPC for the moment.
Thea will, for certain, maintain air cover. At -1 Warm and 0 Smooth, she is not our diplomat. :)
@Thea - remember that your rasie pressure move gives you +1 XP, I jsut realised that my personal touch move with Hannah does the same thing.
You did roll a full Hit, hm. Let's see...
I think it's something expensive, and odd. And I think you're going to get it from Mr. Luca. In fact, I think he already had it, and gave it to you. Since you rolled a full Hit, there are no strings attached... as far as you can tell. Hey, if the Fleet dies, everybody dies, Nexus included, right?
Anyway: you tell me what.
Organise criem is best crime - predicatble, mostly :)
You mentioned he belives in teh Celstials, right? I think he collects old religios icons - all cultures, so Orthodox brass engravings, animistic wooden idols, statues of Buddha - it's all the same. if he has enough of them - more tahn anyone else - he will be chosen when they retrun. So Mr Luca gave Sasha a stone statue of a winged figure shielding its eyes, like it's crying or something? Aparently it's older tahn space travel. He did't say where he got it and honeslyt he maybe looked a bit releived to be getting rid of it?
Hmm. Okay, going forward I'm going to raise the bar a bit for Personal Touch. I suppose paying attention to someone in a tense situation like this -- combat, danger, possible Corax -- could count. But (from a metagame POV) this would mean that every time we're in an action scene, you can just do a Personal Touch post and tick off a Pressure.
So going forward, I would say that /either/ (1) you have to do something more than just talk -- spend a resource, or some such; or (2) if it's just talking, it has to be in a situation where "just talking" is itself remarkable, if you see what I mean.
Does this seem reasonable?
Taht's fine, it's powerful on NPCs cos you can ask them a question and they *have* to answer so your ruling maeks sense to me :)
Gunny is willing to escort whoever wants to do the talking. That said, under normally conditions he isn't the best choice for diplomacy. Now that he's under the effects of the radiation, he's even more off his game. I'll leave it to the rest of the group if they want him to escort or stays with the flight squad.I guess in my mind this depends on whether Devin is still around. If he is, then this seems like a natural role for a marine to act as escort. If not, then maybe makes sense unless we use Devin as an NPC for the moment.
I agree with this. My reasoning for the offer was specifically because I'm unsure if Devin is still around. I figured it might be prudent to have someone with Raw or Hard along just in case something goes south. That said, Gunny is not the best choice here. He is poorly suited on his best day for a diplomatic exchange (-1 Smooth). Now, if we need to kill the a-hole and take his Juice, then Gunny might be better suited for that.
I think in-game it maeks more sense for the pilots to be pilots - the only ohter reason for having us all be there is not to split the party, and I'm asuimg if DMDM was expecting us to all go he'd have said. Of course, if the next 20+ posts are about the landing group then the pilots might not have much to do.
I think in-game it maeks more sense for the pilots to be pilots - the only ohter reason for having us all be there is not to split the party, and I'm asuimg if DMDM was expecting us to all go he'd have said. Of course, if the next 20+ posts are about the landing group then the pilots might not have much to do.
You may be right. Only time will tell.
Hannah can go since I'd think she at best has a pistol she barely knows how to use. She's practically unarmed already. But she's not a smooth talker and she's only an escort in the technical sense of the word.
I'm assuming the pilot Jalasco in your game play post is Jaraco?
I'm assuming the pilot Jalasco in your game play post is Jaraco?Wait, you -- her own squadron leader -- keep getting her name wrong?
I'm finding this post a bit confusing. What are you referring to, when you say I'm getting the name wrong?
NP, my mind was thinking maybe a typo, GM's way of emphasizing the radiation, or someone outside our crew was chatting. Thanks for clearing that up.