Rebel Squadrons

Operation Hammerfall: Windstorm's Lament mission briefing

By FA Cyrel Vandroth
Unit: The Rebel Squadrons
General Announcement, Oct 05, 2015
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-=Rebel Squadrons Command Dome, Tarsonis, 0600 Local Time=-

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have an emergency.” The hologram of Admiral Licah Fox looked around the conference room at the individuals that made up the RS High Command. Standing on the bridge of the Republic Shield flagship, the [b]Redemption[/b], Admiral Fox had called an emergency session of the RS High Command in order to fill them in on what was happening.

“The [b]Windstorm[/b] has been lured into a trap and is under heavy attack from a trio of Star Destroyers and a small picket fleet. I’ve dispatched Resurrection squadron to assist, but recent reports say that the battle is going extremely poorly. We’re en route as well, but had to drop to sublight speed to pass a mass shadow. They’re just a short hyperjump away from here.” The Admiral glanced away from the holoprojector, likely seeking confirmation from the helmsman.

“‘An how did tha happen? Why is tha bloody Windstorm thar’ in the first place?” The Fleet Commander’s thick accent hung in the room.

“From what we’ve gotten from the [b]Windstorm[/b], they were ordered by Operations to escort a convoy and they were ambushed along the route provided by Ops. I think this is our mole at work. We have four heavy capital ships in the Aurora sector, and one of them is sent off by itself and ambushed by three Star Destroyers? That just doesn’t happen on its own.”

“I want tha bastard found!” Admiral Vandroth slammed his fist into the table, his eyes flaring with a rarely seen anger. “In tha mean time our main goal should be ta --”

“Sir.” Admiral Fox turned back toward the holoprojector, interrupting the Fleet Commander for a moment. “I’ve just been informed that the [b]Windstorm[/b] has been destroyed.”

There was a pregnant pause across the conference room. The [b]Windstorm[/b] had been a staple of the RS for many years, and had participated in conflicts ranging from the RS’ initial conquest of the Cadrel Expanse to her recent tours in the Subterrel sector and beyond. Her loss stunned the assorted members of High Command, the gravity of their peril in the Aurora sector setting in. Admiral Vandroth was the first to recover, mostly due to his still rising anger.

“...be ta save any survivors from the [b]Windstorm[/b]. Transfer Red to tha Ad Astra. Tha’ll be their home fer now.”

“I’ll inform them when we arrive.” Admiral Fox responded, nodding. “We’re about to enter hyperspace.”

Normally, a phrase like ‘may the Force be with you’ would follow, but instead Admiral Fox was met with silent nods by High Command. His hologram flickered and then dissipated as the [b]Redemption[/b] lept into hyperspace.

“We need ta stop tha bleedin’.” Admiral Vandroth continued after a short pause, looking around the room. “Tha’ ABG’s got Titan stopped to our South. They’re plannin’ a big attack on tha fleet that sacked Aurora. Veld has slowed tha Titan advance in Cadrel to a crawl. Subterrel’s up in tha air, it could honestly go e’ther way.” He activated the conference room’s holoprojector, bringing up Aurora. Mounting RS losses scrolled in plain text down the right side as the holoprojector showed a time-lapse animation of Titan’s swift advance.

“We may lose Aurora.” He paused to let that set in. The Aurora sector had been fought over for years, and was the site of the infamous defection that split the RS in two, and it was only after prolonged combat that the RS had emerged victorious and had dumped billions of credits into Aurora’s infrastructure to integrate the resource-rich sector with the RS as a whole.

“Tha’s unacceptable. I want a plan ta stop tha bleeding and push back on Titan. Options?”

Almost immediately after his request for input, he seemed distracted by a figure approaching from the edge of his holoprojection. Undaunted by the abruptly less attentive FC, the commanding officer of the Aurora Sector’s forces, Admiral Borran, spoke up, “Our efforts to stymie the flow of Imperial materiel into Aurora have been disastrous. Every leg of their supply convoy we’ve discovered is layered to all hell with Jammers that render our pilot’s targeting computers useless. Almost every strike force we’ve sent has been destro-”

“Sorry tah cut you off, Spokes,” Vandroth’s voice overrode the Admiral’s report, “But we all need to hear this. Go ahead, Commander.”

A moment later, Commander Jaran Farlance’s hologram materialized in the slot normally reserved for their Operations Officer, Major General Ginofev. “We’ve been attempting to gather intelligence on the scope of the fleet assets arrayed against us. We just received flight-cam data from one of our A-Wing patrols…”

In the center of each of their holographic tables bloomed the grainy recording salvaged from one of the RS’s A-Wings, showing the end of a dogfight with a TIE Interceptor with the Imperial craft exploding into a brilliant fireball. The starfield blurred as the pilot whipped the nimble craft around in a celebratory barrel roll, eliciting a subdued chuckle from one of the members of High Command. While the practice was discouraged, pilots often felt the need to let off a little steam after a tough encounter. Within a few seconds, the starfield stabilized as the pilot leveled his craft towards the holographic representation of her exit vector towards the next leg of her patrol. ADM Boran, slightly irritated at the interruption, began, “Commander, I really don’t see the point of-”

Just then, the faces of the ruling body of the Rebel Squadrons were starkly illuminated in shock when a huge flash of white dominated the holoprojection as the massive form of an Executor-Class Super Star Destroyer reverted to realspace in front of the A-wing pilot. The silence over the holo conference was palpable as the scene played out: the pilot was forced to outrun a swarm of incoming TIE Interceptors and sheets of turbolaser fire from the massive vessel.

Commander Farlance was the first to break the silence, pausing the recording when the pilot’s wild gyrations brought the SSD back into view. With a few taps on a control console, data from the A-Wing’s sensor suite flashed over the screen, including the craft’s designation gathered from the vessel’s model and broadcasted IFF: SSD TITAN. “This was recorded moderately deep behind the Titan Fleet’s forward line in the Aurora Sector, Grid J-7 specifically.”

Farlance bobbed his head to High Command before his holoimage winked back out of existence. Admiral Vandroth, with visible effort, pulled his gaze away from the command ship behind the single greatest threat the RS has ever faced. “We had hoped they weren’t, but tha rumors have proven true lads. We now have confirmation of the existence of tha Titan herself… a Sith damned Super Star Destroyer.”

Demonstrating at least some facilities at multi-tasking, Vandroth’s projection turned to face that of Admiral Borran’s, “If we cannae hit thar supply lines, then we’ll just have teh hit ‘em directly. Wait’n fer them tah crash intah our more fortified positions an’ push back with tha rebound is no longer an option. Greeop is still yet unharassed, I will direct Admiral Fox tah divert more o’ Redemption Fleet into Aurora to assist yeh as an active strike force. Coordinate with him.”

Briane Jamart, captain of the MC-80A Indomitable and acting commanding officer of the Vigilance Strike Group since Kirghy’s injury, spoke up now: “Won’t that leave Greeop dangerously undefended?”

The ethereal and wispy manifestation of the Logistics Officer during these briefings now joined the conversation. Silent before now, the voice of the officer suggested intense strain or focus even through the voice masking modulation: “Greeop has EXTENSIVE and MASSIVE static defense emplacements. Convoys and random ships flying around will be threatened by patrols, but Titan NEEDS to take one of the bordering RS sector before directly attacking Greeop.

For example: The Tarsonis Planetary Defense Network: Full Planetary Shields. Full W-165 and V-150 Planetary Gun Array… about, oh, 5 cannons firing per cycle on any target in any position in orbit. Dozens of Golan III, Bravos Platforms, etcetera.”

Admiral Vandroth looked askance at the ghostly manifestation, having almost forgotten it had been listening in thanks to a rather unique piece of technology. He glibly quipped, “You’re reciting that all from memory, aren’t you? Aren’t you a little BUSY right now?”

“I am, and I am,” was all he got in reply.

Vandroth grunted before looking to Captain Jamart, “Criminals will take advantage of the reduced patrols, piracy will likely increase, we’ll lose assets and credits, and we’ll have to deal with any entrenched pirate groups once this is over… but SYSTEMS and the lives of civilians are being lost in Aurora right now. We MUST slow tha advance before they overrun us entirely…”

He grimaced then, looking back towards the projection at the center of the briefing table, staring at the image of the Super Star Destroyer, “An’ before tha bloody thing decides it wants teh play.”

- FA Michael Raven, ADM Cyrel Vandroth

-=Windstorm’s Lament missions here=-

Greetings RS! As usual, we have a wide variety of activities for you to participate in over the course of this operation. Participation in each event can earn up to 3 ITOD points depending on your ability to complete the neccessary requirements.

What are ITOD Points you ask? They are a way of keeping track of your personal progress towards contributing to the RS Storyline and it’s fight against the Titan Fleet. Members with particularly high ITOD scores can have opportunities for their characters to take a large or interesting role in the RS’s main fiction!

In addition, for this operation earning ITOD points will carry with it a significant bonus on the activity leaderboard as well. For each ITOD point earned, the player will earn an additional 3 activity points on the leaderboard for themselves and their squad.

Fly those missions, and kick some Imperial Butt!

Objective 1: X-Wing Alliance


Task Force Leader: CPT CrazyCarl

Any way we can hamper the Imperial forces is going to massively help our own position. An enemy supply depot has been located, and your mission is to jump in, deal with the local fighter support, destroy the supplies and get out. Don’t worry about any enemy capital ships in the area, they’re not a priority. Just focus on clearing the depot out and getting out alive. We can’t afford losses right now.

Objective instructions: Download the mission from the XWA ITOD page, fly it, and report on it.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point for submission
  • 1 point for a Victory outcome
  • 1 point for narrative


Objective 2: X-Wing Miniatures


Task Force Leader: FA Danny “David Lee Japan” Qatar, MGN Nicolai Ginofev

Primary Mission - Imperial forces are making a push deeper into the Aurora Sector. You will be working with one of our corvettes to screen against enemy fighters and light capital ships (likely corvettes as well). It is imperative that we drive off the Imperials, but this time, because of our losses sustained, we’re at a disadvantage. You’re going to have to get creative here, pilots.

Secondary Mission - Following the destruction of the Windstorm, a number of the crew escaped in shuttles and transports. These ships MUST be protected from the Imperials until the Redemption can arrive on-station. We’ve already lost a lot of good people today, we need to try and at least save who we can still protect.

Objective instructions: Primary Mission - 200 point 2v2 match. One player controls the fighters, the other controls the corvette. Victory is achieved when one side defeats the other. Secondary Mission - 100 point 1v1 match. RS Victory if they survive 10 rounds. Imperial Victory if all shuttles are destroyed before 10 rounds. The Vassal File is in the Download link for the Secondary Mission Objective, the ROE is on the X-Wing Minis wiki page.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point for playing either mission (1 max).
  • 1 point for saving at least 2 shuttles in Secondary Mission.
  • 1 point for RS victory in Primary Mission.


Objective 3: Minecraft


Task Force Leader: MGN Kimiao Quinal

The RS continue to fight with their backs up against the wall. Punishing losses of both men and ordinance has meant that the RS are close to defeat in and around Aurora.

Objective instructions: An ancient parchment has been discovered by the RS archaeologists, after weeks of hard work, the message (or so they think) has been deciphered. "Turn your eyes to the arid land many footfalls to march. You will need to go over the land and far far away, deep in the mouth of hell you are are sure to find, a treasure that could potentially burn and blind. Beware of the drop and take a leap of truth, if you tunnel towards the end best be careful or you will burn and break. Flesh that lies beneath waiting to be freed and a payment which will require you to profusely bleed."

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point: Discover the ancient temple and avoid the *cough* traps/abyss (they will kill you, so don't cry if you die!)
  • 1 point: Rescue (something/someone/many things?) and find a way to bring them home
  • 1 point: Retrieve the ancient treasures and display them in the main RS base.


Objective 4: d6RPG (Simming)


Task Force Leader: FA Michael Raven

Objective instructions: Participate or Watch the main ABG assault on the Titan fleet which attacked Aurora. OR Participate or Watch the Sentinel introductory campaign. Sims regularly happen on Sundays at 2 PM EST, see #allegiance for more details. | Do something that earns a merit point! | GM!

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point - Participate or watch a sim
  • 1 point - Earn at least 1 merit point
  • 1 point - Take the aGM examination, OR GM a sim.


Objective 5: Fiction Writing


Task Force Leader: FA Michael Raven
Objective instructions: Write things and stuff!

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 Point - Write anything! (At least 500 words)
  • 1 point - Write anything of substance! (At least 4,000 words)
  • 1 Point - Participate with other people - Include a COLLABORATION (The other person must write something/give you first hand input) with a member of another SQUADRON.

Objective 6: Immersion PC Directive


Platform Coordinator: FA Michael Raven

The RS needs to cross-train members in other fields to make up for massive personnel losses! Report to your commanding officer for your assignments.

Objective instructions: As immersion has to do with getting people to interact with each other, this month’s mission is all about diversity. You must use the reporter to get credit for this objective.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 Point - Participate in at least 3 different ITOD activities. Include a link to your personal reporting page.
  • 1 Point - Play at least 3 different games/activities (this can include things like simming, minis, RS-supported or non-supported games, etc.) with other members of the RS. Include links to each of the individual activity reports.
  • 1 point - Complete the other two objectives and follow all instructions.


Objective 7: Legacy PC Directive


Platform Coordinator: CPT CrazyCarl
The loss of the Windstorm has indicated a growing need for improved cooperation between pilots in the RS. Command is very interested to see more efforts in improving said cooperation both within squadrons and as inter-squadron operations. As such, they are authorizing simulation and small flight-sized raids on Imperial holdings with handpicked units to bolster a spirit of cooperation.


Objective instructions: Play a multiplayer mission on any Legacy platform (via GameRanger, Voobly, etc.). Submit a match with appropriate screenshots. Each player must link to the match via the ITOD mission in order to receive credit.

Objectives/Point distribution: 3 points to each player as long as multiple RS players were involved in the same mission.

Objective 8: FC Directive


Fleet Commander: ADM Cyrel Vandroth

Objective instructions: Report a game session or co-author fiction either with or against a member of a ‘rival’ Star Wars club (Dark Jedi Brotherhood, Emperor’s Hammer, etc). Report the activity with the generic reporter or fiction reporter, then include a link to said entry for this ITOD mission report. Be sure to indicate who the other participant was, and what organization they belonged to.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 Points for Challenging/Inviting another Star Wars Club member to activity!
  • Repeatable for up to 3 points.


Objective 9: Trivia


Task Force Leader: FA Michael Raven
Objective instructions: Throughout the session, links to a trivia sheet will be sent out via the RS News system (make certain your e-mail is up to date on the site!) Answer the trivia questions to the best of your ability without looking up the information.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point for participating in any trivia event over the operation.
  • 2 points if you average at worst 3 incorrect answers per trivia event
  • 3 points if you average at worst 1 incorrect answer per trivia event.


Objective 10: Commander


Task Force Leader: VA Gavin Cantorph Kravis
The Imperial forces are rallying once again to counterattack after our recent victories throughout the sector. Now, more than ever, we must maintain a solid defense and not allow our forces to be spread too thin. Keep your forces on a ready alert status so that they can be quickly deployed to render assistance to your fellow commanders. There are rumors of new hardware being thrown against some of our bases, so maintain a vigilant watch! We may be able to use these new weapons against our foes. Commanders, may the Force be with you!

Objective instructions:We are retooling the last session objective a bit. The troop donations objective was really great, but a lot of commanders donated at the beginning to get the points, then disappeared. This time around, we'll tally donations on a weekly basis. A base line will be taken at the beginning of the session and every Sunday evening at 11pm EST the donations will be tallied. Two "mulligans" will be given during the session, so if you missed your goal only one or two weesk, you can still get your points. Make sure you get them in every week! (This Objective will be automatically tracked by TFL Gavin, just log in and participate!)

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • 1 point = donate 5 troops/week
  • 2 points = donate 10 troops/week
  • 3 points = donate 20 troops/week


Objective 11: Modern Gaming PC Directive


Platform Coordinator: FA Licah Fox
Recently, the RS has been looking into hiring private contractors (mercenaries, smugglers, anyone who’ll fight for us for a paycheck) in response to the recent losses sustained. Command is hoping that by working with these personnel and encouraging them to contribute manpower and materiel, we’ll be able to recoup these losses. Even recruiting the greenest of mercenary and having them contribute alongside other RS-aligned personnel will help us greatly.


Objective instructions: Participate in the new game Star Wars: Uprising, available for free on iOS and Android! If you lack a touchscreen device, you can use Andy (andyroid.net) or BlueStacks (bluestacks.com) to play the game on your computer. Use the cartel info window for the appropriate screenshots, and the end-of-mission results for co-op reports.


Objectives/Point distribution:
  • Earn 1 point for joining the RS Cartel and getting your character to level 10.
  • Earn 1 point by doing three co-op missions with another RSer.
  • Earn 1 point by contributing 10,000 CXP towards upgrading the RS Cartel.


Objective 12: TOR


Task Force Leader: BGN Ray Djo / CMDR Jaran Farlance

The losses we have been sustaining have also been felt in our Special Operations units. Command has instructed these units to start a recruitment drive, performing in-field training through cooperative combat exercises and having veterans work with new recruits closely, bolstering confidence and unit cohesion. Anyone who is able to contribute by joining these units is encouraged to volunteer.

Objective instructions: See Objectives for specific instructions. Screenshots should be submitted immediately after creation of your new character and after each sub-objective has been completed, i.e. one screenshot for each world boss defeated and one for each datacron recovered.

Submit your screenshots to the following forum thread ( http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3614 ) Include a link to your thread entry when using the ITOD reporter. List in your report the details of the datacrons you recover. Remember to list any other RS member you quest with and make sure their toon is visible in your screenshots. Don’t forget to use the generic reporter to earn activity points when questing with another RSer or singleplayer points for when you’re on your own, but in the RS guild.

Objectives/Point distribution:
  • Earn 1 point by creating a new character and advance to at least level 15 for Subscribed players or level 10 if you are unsubscribed.
  • Earn 1 point by using your newly created character defeat three world bosses either solo or as part of a group.
  • Earn 1 point by questing with another RS member and recover 6 Datacrons.


Objective 13: World of Tanks (TFL: Kimi)


Task Force Leader: MGN Kimiao Quinal

Many men have been committed fighting on the front lines however, they do so to protect the weak. You can see battlefields littered with mangled armor and bent bodies. The RS continues to sustain frightening losses and it is finding it difficult to sustain its current efforts to resupply the battlefield.

Objective Instructions: Report a WoT game session with an RS colleague using the Generic Reporter. Recruit a new member into one of our WoT clans. Obtain a 'Top Gun' medal after a match.

Objectives/Point Distribution:
  • 1 point: fight 1 hour worth of battles with an RS either in REPUB or RST colleague.
  • 1 point: Recruit a new member to your respective clan, either for hard-core or casual play.
  • 1 point: obtain a 'Top Gun' (WoT, not RS) Medal!



Comments

MGN Nicolai Ginofev - Mon Oct 05 2015, 10:23pm
Additionally, our Minis TFL, Cody, has put up an offer: Which ever squadron wins this session in points, he'll create custom X-Wing Miniature Cards for the entire squadron. (Note: Cody reserves the right to apply and terms or conditions as to who gets cards made. Also, Cody, if you've changed your mind, please indicate as such.)

But there's some more incentive to go for 1st Place now; being immortalized in one of our very own games!
FA Danny "David Lee Japan" Qatar - Tue Oct 06 2015, 1:51am
yeah, I'm good, go win Squadron-folk
FA Cyrel Vandroth - Tue Oct 06 2015, 4:34pm
Addendum to the FC Directive: The opponent/co-op player from another Organization cannot *also* be in the RS.
LCL Jay Forerunner - Sat Oct 10 2015, 9:20pm
I'm going to need people for the objectives that require more than myself - such as the LGPCD (which would include XWA Co-Op), Uprising Co-Op, etc. I'm not yet sure how to donate troops in Commander, just how to request troops. :P WoT, no thanks, because PvP. >:( If we can meet up with some of the other..."clubs" out there, that would be cool but I'm not counting on it. Figuring out what I need to do in Minecraft is cryptic to say the least.

Plus, simming: I want to GM, but being an aGM means I'm going to need some help. With Sentinel front-and-center, I'll also need to prepare a map that's more suited to their straightforward mode of operations. And as for the Minis...I'm sincerely not sure how to get involved with that. :P There is some kind of program for it online, but beyond that, the only thing I know is that it's in physical form, so if I need to be somewhere special to participate in that, I need to know.

The rest I have effectively handled myself. I'm working towards playing a significant role against Titan and perhaps shaping the future of the RS! ":)
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