Strategy Discussion: Maori Sector Ambush

[Lion El' Jonson]

Post whatever ideas you've got for strategy or tactics here. :)

If you're interested in taking part in this RP, please put down the name of your character, so that I can start working out ship assignments and such. Telan didn't want this thread to be a classic battle of "who has the biggest guns", so we're going to be sneaky and detailed. :D

I'm thinking we'd stage a classic ambush where we wait at the likely entry points for Telan's fleet, and then jump them when they exit hyperspace. If we're lucky, we can get a salvo off before their shields go up, giving us an advantage. Our forces will be small; perhaps a Nebulon-B, a light Calamari Cruiser, and several gunships.

[Reshmar]

Count me in. I will use the Gunship Squadron attached to my group. 3 Corellian Gunships. vessel and squadxron name will come later.

[Seren Irreantum]

If you can find a way to work an Intel man in, then I'd be interested. Oh - and I like the idea of trapping them in a Lagrange point.

[Lion El' Jonson]

As stated before, as an Intel officer, you have quite a bit of authority. If you'd like to temporarily command one of our Corellian Corvettes in an "overseeing" role, you could work a bit of fleeting experience into your character. Perhaps you were in the area, and hitched a ride in order to observe.

Many Intel officers are "jack of all trades", with experience in ground and space combat, so I think this would be a good chance for you to interact with other NR members. :)

[Seren Irreantum]

Hmm...that would be interesting. :)

Perhaps he could be after an Imperial Order of Battle...thoughts?

[Arthur Phellan]

Well I think that my character (and his NPC team) would work well with Seren.

Being a SpecOps team it would only be natural to take special orders from an Intel officer.

As for what role, I think that recovery of some sort of information is obviously the best idea. I like the idea of a Imp Order of Battle, or even a sector deployment map, etc. Something that could lead to further roleplays.

[Lion El' Jonson]

Yes, that'd be exactly the kind of thing that an Intel officer would need to be there for. You could essentially "hang back", picking off strays, and then swoop in once (if) the enemy is defeated. You might even attempt to hack the enemy's systems while the fight is occuring, as counterintrusion software wouldn't be a high priority for the VicStar's computer systems.

The Imperial OrBat is a good idea, and the sector map is also very good; both give us an idea of how much force we need to bring to bear in a given region to expect victory, which could lead to some interesting roleplays.

[Seren Irreantum]

This could be very interesting.

Perhaps an attempt at slicing from a distance, but I'll double-check my copy of that one book that talks about the Order of Battle: I'm thinking it might not work remotely. If so...I can see boarding as an interesting side story. Is that allowed?

[Lion El' Jonson]

Boarding is definitely allowed, provided that you can pull it off without getting your ship chewed in half. If we've got enough of an advantage, we might be able to throw up a wall of fire to divert their attention while you sneak in close to the ship. :)

http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39174

So, the thread is up. I'll be commanding the Light Cruiser and both frigates, Reshmar has the gunships, and Arthur and Seren have joint command over the Corellian Corvettes. I'm assuming that the Modified Corvette will be both the "lead" ship of Saber Squadron and the true Intelligence vessel, while the other two corvettes were requisitioned by Intel and assigned to protect the Modified Corvette.

Have fun, everybody. :D

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Originally posted by Lion El' Jonson
I'm thinking we'd stage a classic ambush where we wait at the likely entry points for Telan's fleet, and then jump them when they exit hyperspace. If we're lucky, we can get a salvo off before their shields go up, giving us an advantage. Our forces will be small; perhaps a Nebulon-B, a light Calamari Cruiser, and several gunships.

Uh oh, hope it's not too late to post this:

Telan will be expected a classic ambush. Since he suggested it that way, why not make it completely different?

The Alliance is not strong when it comes to head-to-head fleet engagements. To go instantly into a battle is what Telan wants. His strategies always revolve around two enemies that meet close in and use broadsides.

Well, what is the Alliance’s strongest point? Its fighters.

Hypothetically we’re supposed to know the time and location of his fleet’s entrance into the sector. Let’s use it to the fullest.

Have X-wings, Y-wings, and B-wings loaded down with heavy munitions assault the temporarily unshielded craft. He’s using smaller vessels; they should focus on taking those out first. Concentrated fired will be the trick.

Now, A-wings should be “holding” (flying circles around the conflict) just far enough away that they aren’t the primary targets. When Telan releases his fighters, the A-wings will pounce. Y-wings will escape to a predefined reload location when they have used up their payloads as will B-wings.

Once the X-wings have unloaded their payloads they will continue to fight as anti-fighter. However, after all units have unloaded their munitions, all fighters will exit and meet up with the reloading vessels.

The second attack force, using the recon information from the fighters, should align on both flanks of whatever (wedge probably) formation he chooses. We’ll have crossfire and chaos. Primary targets should be the small vessels, they’re more mobile and, because of this, a larger threat overall.

The reloaded fighters will then return in one wave and continue their bombing runs.

Once the smaller escorts have been eliminated, his Destroyer will become very vulnerable to attack. Any of our more damaged vessels will leave to a safe distance.

[Lion El' Jonson]

An excellent strategy; the only problem is, Telan wanted a very even fight, so I'm considering crippling at least two of our fighter squadrons in order to make this "fairer". I've got ships surrounding the Lagrange Point, with guns aimed exactly at the jump-in location, so we should be able to get salvos off before their shields can come up.

We also have starfighters already in the air, with the Y-Wings loaded with 4 Heavy Rockets a piece. X-Wings will fly cover for the Y-Wings, allowing them to get close enough to deliver their payloads. The A-Wings will be, as you described, flying starfighter superiority missions.

[Arthur Phellan]

I think our primary targets for intel gathering should be either the Order of Battle, or a sector deployment map. Both of which would most likely only be found on the Star Destroyer. However I think that we shouldn't wait too long before falling back to a secondary target, that being whatever intel we can get from one of the escorts, if not one of the escorts themselves.

I haven't RPed vs Telan personally, but from what I gather, he's not just going to give us an easy opening to get aboard a Star Destroyer.


Boarding is definitely allowed, provided that you can pull it off without getting your ship chewed in half. If we've got enough of an advantage, we might be able to throw up a wall of fire to divert their attention while you sneak in close to the ship.

That gave me a thought that is kinda off subject... but what is the policy on cloaking technology? I'm still trying to figure out the board reset completely, but I have the feeling that we are pre-"TIE Phantom's" and hence pre-workable cloaking technology, but I thought I should ask since I might have an idea if it's allowed.

[Arthur Phellan]

Not sure why I didn't think about this before, but another target that we should look at in the intel side of things is capturing one of those new gunships. This appears to be the first time they will be used in combat and so the first time that the rebellion will have faced them, and any new ship should be evaluated as soon as possible. So the capture of one of those gunships, in any capacity would be a coup.

[Seren Irreantum]

Certainly.

[Redic Scott]

don't forget that A-wings have Powerfull Jammers on them :), you can use them.

[Lion El' Jonson]

Oh, definitely, we should be trying to take one of those gunships. Great idea. :)

Our policy on cloaking technology is...don't use it. Timothy Zahn highlighted the tremendous handicaps of cloaking technology ("Double Blind" element, tremendously expensive, sucks power like crazy, etc.), and it just isn't practical for the Alliance to own them or use them, even assuming that the technology wasn't highly classified at this point in time.

Like Redic said, your best option is the jammers mounted aboard A-Wings, which when a squadron focuses them upon one target can potentially shut down targeting and communications aboard that ship completely. There are also ECM/ECCM variants of Y-Wings, that mount minimal weapons in exchange for heavy shields and very powerful jammers.

[Arthur Phellan]

I was just wondering, and thinking about a cloak capable assault shuttle.

While obviously there are many problems with it, the ability to sneak past a ships sensors to the point where it is too close to be targeted by turbolaser batteries has intreguing possibilities. Especially since most ships don't carry anything that would be able to shoot at an assault ship that might de-cloak a meter or two off the hull.

Anyway as with many other things... it's good in theory, not so easy in practice.

[Constantine Miltiadis]

Originally posted by Arthur Phellan
I was just wondering, and thinking about a cloak capable assault shuttle.

While obviously there are many problems with it, the ability to sneak past a ships sensors to the point where it is too close to be targeted by turbolaser batteries has intreguing possibilities. Especially since most ships don't carry anything that would be able to shoot at an assault ship that might de-cloak a meter or two off the hull.

Anyway as with many other things... it's good in theory, not so easy in practice.

The problem would be navigating it correctly.

As to capturing Telan's design, meh... it's a piece of junk. I would've thought a Grand Admiral would know how to design well. Guess I'm wrong.

[Arthur Phellan]

Hence why theory is easier. And why it will most likely remain theory.

Anyway as for the ship. I agree that it's not exactly the cream of the crop, but in an IC way of thinking it's still a target of value, at least for the intelligence to tell us IC that it's a piece of junk.

[Lion El' Jonson]

It may be a piece of junk, but we don't know that, IC-wise. :lol

It might be worth capturing just so the boys down in R&D can have a good laugh.

[Seren Irreantum]

Well, it obviously relies on maneuverability - assuming, at least, that 'casement-mounted' means fixed direction, as I'm guessing. It also relies on being pointed towards your opponent - us. It's bigger than a Corvette, and I'm assuming slower and less maneuverable. A Corvette's guns are all turret-mounted.

Yeah - a Corvette could take one of these things. Bear with me. I haven't fleeted in at least a year and a half, maybe two.

Interesting. It would actually be pretty decent for pursuit, but anything else and I think it would be cooked. Seems a good ship for hunting down Rebel transports. I don't know, I'm not an expert.

[Lion El' Jonson]

The thread is up, so any time you'd like to jump in, feel free. Battle has now been joined, and the Capital Ships are going to duke it out, leaving you guys to fend for yourselves against those gunships. One of my frigates will be assisting you.

...So, let's cream those dirty Imps, no? :lol

[Seren Irreantum]

Lion, you're not describing an L4. An L4 is located as follows. You're talking about an L1, which doesn't have the same qualities.

http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wlagran.html

That site doesn't have everything, but in essence, an L1 is like a 'trough' in space-time. An object there won't go easily along one axis - the 'walls' of the trough - but it can easily roll out of the 'ends' of the trough. An L4 or L5 does not have that disadvantage. In fact, it functions not unlike a gravity well, and hyperspace dropoffs for L4 or L5 would be best calculated for a spot in an orbit around one of those points. They're a little more complicated, from what I've heard, than simple null zones.

If we're using L1, then attacking from the ends of the trough would be beneficial.

Apologies for the lecture - I used to be involved in some NASA activities.

[Lion El' Jonson]

*Bangs head on table*

I've been reading too many theoretical physics books, and neglecting things closer to home. :lol

Thanks, Seren, I'll fix it.

[Redic Scott]

AS of now, the Rebel Alliance will in no way have enough money to make a cloaked ship. Maybe if you steal a shipment of crystals or even a generator itself. I guess it would be fun to play it out, but I think we should hold off on that. The only problem is that all the cloaked technology is hidden so we would have to find it or try and somehow steal the plans for making a cloak field.