Robotech - Expedition Under Fire

[Silanon]

"Orders received - accelerating." Without too much delay, the Beta spins around its axis, its nose pointing at one of the few inoccupied spots where an escape seems possible. Not directly towards the UES Vanguard, no need to risk possible friendly fire - but certainly away from the mass of drones on the quickest way possible, no point in staying there any longer. Damn many of them out there, though; hard to not collide with one, really.

 

[Epiphany]

Somehow still alive through literally the worst engagement she'd ever encountered, Aymeline is only too happy to follow the orders to disengage.

 

[WlfSamurai]

You all move to disengage under the cover of the Vanguard and her reinforcements.

Alyxis and L’n, you pull away and fly through countless bogies using every maneuver you can muster.

Nora, you angle for the Vanguard and fire off your thrusters. Before you get too far, you mis-calculate a gap and a drone latches onto your starboard wing. Two more attach to the bottom of your Beta. They fire their own thrusters and begin steering you in the opposition direction.

Aymeline, similarly, two drones grab onto your veritech and change your course.

What does everyone do?

 

[Sherwood]

Alyxis begins to swear in multiple languages. "We got two of our own in trouble! Going back in to make a recovery. Tigger! Cover my back!"

Boosting in, she lines up a carefully aimed shot with her triple gun pods on one of the drones on Nora's Veritech, then squeezes off a shot.

Spoiler

In the Beta
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +8 /+2 with Gun Pods, +3 with Forearm Pulse Cannons
Parry: +10
Dodge: +10 / +12 while Flying
Roll: +6
Initiative: +3
Perception: +2

Beta Stats
Main Body: 515 MDC
Forearm Shields Left: 375
Forearm Shields Right: 375

MM-20 Missile Launchers (2): 40 Short HEAP 2d6x10 MD - 5 mile range
MM-16 Missile Launcher: 16 Short Plasma/Heat 2d6x10 MD - 3 mile range
Wing Hardpoints (6): 6 / 0 Medium Multi Warhead 5d6x10 - 80 mile range

 

[Psychie]

L'n curses her dedication to orders as she hauls on the joystick to turn the Alpha around. "Copy that, Ghost. Tigger has got your back." She keeps her eyes open for any drone that is about to get in Alyis' way as she makes her rescue run, and is ready to launch a trio of her HEAP missiles at the offending target.

Spoiler

Alpha Bonuses
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +7 - +10 to hit with EU-13
Parry: +9
Dodge: +10 / +12 when flying
Roll: +6
Initiative: +7
Perception: +3

Alpha Stats
Main Body: 420

Missile Payload
40 Short HEAP - 2d6x10 MD, 5 mile range - 34 left
20 Short Plasmas - 2d6x10 MD, 3 mile range - 18 left
8 Mini HEAP - 1d4x10, 1 mile range

 

[WlfSamurai]

Alyxis, you boost back into the fray, weaving and dodging. Taking aim, you fire your gun pod. One of the three drones on Nora’s Veritech crumples and floats away a burned up hulk.

L’n, two bogies take up residence behind Alyxis. Your HEAP takes both out in one ordinance blast.

Nora, you still have two drones on your machine.

Aymeline, the two drones on you angle themselves to fire on the main hull. At this close range, it would be devastating.

 

[Sherwood]

Using precise, well aimed shots, Alyxis will clear the drones attached to the body of Nora's Beta. She uses all of her focus, ignoring everything else besides the overwhelming need to come to the defense of her squadmate. Nothing else matters; if she takes a few hits in the process, so be it.

 

[Silanon]

Whenever two sides clash in armed conflict, a single mistake can make all the difference - if not because of the immediate results of one ill-advised action, then certainly because one mistake tends to lead to another. People panic, become unpatient; begin to dig their own graves. Nora knows that much, somewhere back in her mind, but that does not mean that the blood isn't pumping through her veins. Those drones outside, clearly visible - red lights flashing as the sensors pick them up, warnings about the involuntary deceleration. A variety of piercing beeps, contending with the voices in the comms.

"Trying my best to break away." Her hands feel sweaty, almost shaky as she tries to stay on course, fighting for every little bit of speed that her Beta might allow for. Not that there's much to do - that's the worst part of it. Just pray to the Goddess that this steely coffin will get her out of here alive, hope that the others can give decent cover. Missiles are useless if they travel half an inch before hitting a target, and they didn't care to sit down on the gunpods. Maybe soon, though, there's more of them out there.

Incoming fire, if she's not mistaken; no chance to react in time if it's aimed at her. Let's hope the Zentraedi is up for the task - or that the Beta is robust enough if she isn't. She is, apparently - one drone down, two to go. A small speed boost, but certainly not enough. Stay on course, aim for the darkness beyond the bloody drones. Best she can do right now, rest is in the others' hands.

 

[Epiphany]

Meanwhile, Aymeline sees her wingman Nora picking up the same drone 'inventory' that she's had the misfortune of acquiring. She sees their squad leader pick one off with two remaining. And meanwhile her sensory readouts tell her she's picked up two as well. There aren't enough Hydra in the air to help them both and Alyxis has already committed to tackling the first of the squad in danger.

Time to help herself.

Throwing the lever, Aymeline switches her Veritech out into Battloid mode. No matter how tightly affixed those robotic attackers are, Protoculture changes the playing field. Unfortunately, it cuts her acceleration profile out for the moment and potentially puts her in danger of more drones coming up on her. But in the meantime, conservation of momentum means she'll continue on her present course at her present speed, and that's not insubstantial either.

As her Alpha reconfigures around her, the Tirolian pilot puts her mecha into a tight spin, using the advantage of transformation and centrifugal force to hopefully pitch the drones right off her hull.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Alyxis, you're able to blast the two remaining drones off Nora's machine while, L’n, you keep Alyxis’ six clear, slagging any drone that gets near.

Aymeline, your transformation works. The changing mecha loosens the drones’ grips and also puts you into a spin. The drones separate from you.

Meanwhile, around you, the four Veritech squadrons dispatched for reinforcement do their part. With the help of the UES Vanguard, Red Devils, White Wolves, Phantoms, and Green Falcons mop up.

“This is Pixie,” Fisk says to you all on the squadron comm. “I'm thinking we bug out now, boss.”

Alyxis, you can hear Dorsky typing frantically behind you. “Lieutenant, I’m getting a bunch of activity on the planet. I’m collecting as much as I can.”

 

[Sherwood]

Alyxis can feel a sigh of relief coming out as she says, "Damn right we bug out now. Stupid Cerberus squadron, diving into the furball like that. Good work everyone, keeping it together like that. Lets get our butts over to the Vanguard before anything else goes wrong. We need to get our intel about that planet and its mega cannon that hit our recon mission. It will take a lot to be able to take it out."

 

[WlfSamurai]

You all manage to break away and get back onto the Vanguard.

As you're pulled into your respective refit bays, a priority message comes through to all of you in your cockpits. The young Communications Officer on the bridge stares at you on your screens.

"Hydra squadron, stand by for priority feed to Captain Davis," she says.

The feed switches to Captain Davis' face. As always, she looks sharp and impeccable. Crisp. "Hydra Squadron. We appreciate what you've done out there so far. Thanks to the data you've pulled, we have actionable intel. The drones were just the beginning and an early warning system. Tarsiss-23 is waking up and mobilizing. We've stirred the hornet's nest. We need to bring the rest of the fleet in ASAP. But we can't do so as long as that reflex canon they have on the surface is active. Even now, the Haydonites are charging it up to fire again. We have twenty minutes to shut it down.

"I'm sending you back into the fight. We're going to use the high-velocity catapult to get you within operational range. We're sending Dragon Squadron with you. The flight crews are doing an emergency refit on you as we speak. Take a moment and get yourselves squared away. You have 15 until launch. Good luck and Godspeed."

The feed cuts out. It's quickly followed by coordinates and strike solutions uploaded to your vertiech's computer. The mission calls for you to reach the reflex canon and fly into it to reach the main reactor inside. Then, you blow the reactor. Simple. Dangerous. Not easy.

 

[Sherwood]

"I'm sending you back into the fight. We're going to use the high-velocity catapult to get you within operational range. We're sending Dragon Squadron with you. The flight crews are doing an emergency refit on you as we speak. Take a moment and get yourselves squared away. You have 15 until launch. Good luck and Godspeed."

"Understood. Hydra will take down that weapon. Alyxis out." Damn. Talk about earning your pay. Ok, lets do this. Switching to the squad only channel, she says, "Listen up Hydra. We are getting rearmed and ready to go back out. Our target this time is that massive Reflex Cannon that hit our recon bird. This is no sneak and peek, but a full on assault. Don't waste any time with secondary targets that you can avoid. Our goal is the destruction of that big gun, and everything else is just icing on the cake. Once we launch, we will have only five minutes before that weapon can fire again. That's our window, and we will not miss it. Too many lives are at stake. I know we can do it. Alyxis out."

She pauses for a moment, reflecting on the scale of the mission, and she smiles. This will be a true test of this team, one that is worthy of us. Good.

WlfSamurai The Beta comes with a bomb bay capable of carrying four heavy bombs that are the equivalent of Long Range Missiles. What kind of heavy binga-banga-booma can I get loaded in the racks? Can I get Medium or Heavy Reflex bombs for this? Even better would be the Reflex Multi-Warhead if I can get them.

Spoiler

In the Beta
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +8 /+2 with Gun Pods, +3 with Forearm Pulse Cannons
Parry: +10
Dodge: +10 / +12 while Flying
Roll: +6
Initiative: +3
Perception: +2

Beta Stats
Main Body: 515 MDC
Forearm Shields Left: 375
Forearm Shields Right: 375

MM-20 Missile Launchers (2): 40 Short HEAP 2d6x10 MD - 5 mile range
MM-16 Missile Launcher: 16 Short Plasma/Heat 2d6x10 MD - 3 mile range
Wing Hardpoints (6): 6 Medium Multi Warhead 5d6x10 - 80 mile range
Bomb Bay: 4 Reflex Heavy Smart Bombs 1d6x100

 

[Psychie]

L'n shivers at the image of the lost squadron and recon shuttle that were blasted into non-existence from that weapon. If we don't stop it, the whole fleet is at risk. Ghost is right. We must do this. "Tigger here, ma'am. I will make it happen, don't you worry. Just get your Beta linked up to me, and I'll focus on flying while you use the missiles to hit the enemy. I just have a few empty launchers to fill, but that won't take long."

Spoiler

Alpha Bonuses
Number of Attacks: 6
Strike: +7 - +10 to hit with EU-13
Parry: +9
Dodge: +10 / +12 when flying
Roll: +6
Initiative: +7
Perception: +3

Alpha Stats
Main Body: 420

Missile Payload
40 Short HEAP - 2d6x10 MD, 5 mile range
20 Short Plasmas - 2d6x10 MD, 3 mile range
8 Mini HEAP - 1d4x10, 1 mile range

 

[WlfSamurai]

WlfSamurai The Beta comes with a bomb bay capable of carrying four heavy bombs that are the equivalent of Long Range Missiles. What kind of heavy binga-banga-booma can I get loaded in the racks? Can I get Medium or Heavy Reflex bombs for this? Even better would be the Reflex Multi-Warhead if I can get them.

You’ve been authorized for Heavy Reflex smart bombs. It’s the heaviest they’ve got. And they only have enough to outfit your Beta.

 

[Epiphany]

Well, she wanted action. Aymeline drums her fingers on her control consoles in her Alpha and quickly runs the mecha through a series of checks. Surprisingly, despite the lethally close call, all lights were still green. It was at least theoretically possible to survive this mission.

Of course theory is simply a hypothesis that's been tested...as I'm about to be.

The Tirloian sighs, taps on her squad radio, and says "Acknowledged. We'll both keep up and cover your approach. You can count on us, sir."

 

[Sherwood]

For our other two Betas in the squad, can we get Proton Torpedo bombs for them? With all three of us making bombing runs, that will do a hell of a lot of damage.

 

[WlfSamurai]

For our other two Betas in the squad, can we get Proton Torpedo bombs for them? With all three of us making bombing runs, that will do a hell of a lot of damage.

Absolutely. Anything up to and including the Proton Torpedoes are available to you. It's the reflex stuff that is limited.

 

[Sherwood]

Alyxis will give the orders to have the Beta Fighters in the squad loaded with the heaviest explosives that they can pack, and decides to take the Reflex bombs for herself. She gathers up the team. "Listen up! I have a rough plan to get us there and back in one piece, but it will require that we all work together. When the Alphas are linked to the Betas, the back end fighter becomes a giant booster pack, right? So, those of us in back are just passengers, but with access to really nasty boom-booms. We rely upon the Alpha drivers to maneuver and dodge out of the way of incoming attacks, and those in the Beta fighters use the gun pods and missiles to engage targets."

"When we approach the cannon, we will reevaluate the situation. We may need to split to let the Betas make the bombing runs, and have the Alphas provide top cover for us as we approach. Keep the damn Haydonites off of us, and let our heavy bomb load do the rest. Just like Luke Skywalker and the Death Star. Any questions?"

 

[Epiphany]

"Who are Luke Skywalker and what is the Death Star? Other than that, no questions sir."

 

[Psychie]

L'n's smile is hidden behind her breathing mask, but those that know her would be able to tell that she is in a good mood from how her tail and ears are perked up. "Just two questions, LT. Who is Luke Skywalker, and what is a Death Star? Is he a new Admiral that I haven't heard of? Is the name of that planet now going to be this 'Death Star'? Other than that, you can sit back and relax. We'll get you there."

 

[Sherwood]

Alyxis sighs. "Don't the two of you have any appreciation of old Earth culture? That is from a classic movie that I saw in training. Loved it. Note to self: Show these guys some cool movies. Just do your best to get everyone there in one piece. I don't care if we have to burn through every missile in our payload, just so long as that weapon is destroyed and we get back to the ship in one piece."

 

[Psychie]

"Well, depending on how much atmosphere we are dealing with for reentry, I may not be able to promise that I won't melt some of your armor off the wings, but yeah, we'll get you there!"

 

[WlfSamurai]

Fisk pulls a hand out of her crossed arms to raise it. “Yeah, LT. You think bombing runs can do the trick or do you think we’ll have to fly down that sonofabitch’s throat?”

 

[Sherwood]

Alyxis looks grim. "Whatever it takes. I think we'll do well dropping our heavy bombs in the very heart of that thing, depending on how big the barrel is. If it is like the old Earth weapon known as the Grand Cannon, we will have to since it is so large."