Part 8: Striking Distance, Capella System, Gemini Sector (Story)
I always forget to post the mail update. EVEN IF YOU DON'T NORMALLY READ MAIL UPDATES, READ THE FIRST MAIL AND THE COMMENTARY because it's introducing a gameplay feature that you'll otherwise be rather confused by, or at least you would if you also skimmed over it briefly coming up in conversation earlier.
Three mails between missions 3 and 4; again, if you're on the losing track missions the first is slightly different.
IES Message - Received at 1310 hours GST on 2668.120 posted:
From: Chief Petty Officer Jean Henderson (TCN, TCS Lionheart)
To: Capt. William Bradshaw (TCSF, TCS Lionheart)
Subject: Latest flight deck status
Hey, Captain B.
Figured you might want a rundown of the ships we've got available at the moment. We've made emergency repairs to all the ships, so we now have 4 Stilettos prepped and ready, along with 6 Gladii. Both Hermes shuttles are also ready to fly at a moment's notice, and lemme tell ya, I can't wait to see the backsides of those Marines. Squeezing those two shuttles in here wasn't too much trouble, but their crews are a royal pain in the ass.
By the way, real impressed with your work so far, Captain. The way things are going, I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting my brother out in one piece.
Jean
Here's a feature of Standoff that's pretty unique - those numbers aren't fixed. You start with 6 Stilettos and 6 Gladii and when your pilots have to eject you lose one. The Lionheart only launched four Stilettos in the last mission because that's all I had. This is a little unfair in that it means that if you start losing fighters you generally carry on losing fighters, and it's why I say that Hero (definitely) and Nightmare (sometimes) can actually be easier than Ace for this episode; if you don't have as many fighters as I have for these last two missions it makes it much harder. It really ought to be signposted a bit more than it is, I think. On the other hand, it adds another strategic direction to the game, really gives you a reason to try and keep your wingmen alive, and does substantially add to the game's versimilitude given that small capital ships like the Lionheart are necessarily going to have highly limited capacity for fighters. On balance I think it's something that really ought to be in more games (especially when, like here, you're nominally in charge of the fighters), but could do with being signposted a bit more. To be fair, we'll be getting e-mails like this throughout the game now, so once you learn about it it stays in your mind. It's just something that they could do with being more upfront about. I guess it would help if Standoff actually had a manual.
If you didn't find the pirate base last mission (if you take heavy damage the Lionheart advises you to abort the mission), then the last two sentences change to:
quote:
I really hope things pick up for you from now on. The way the last mission went, I must admit I'm more worried than ever about my brother.
Aw, that makes it sound like I'm doubting you. Sorry, sir. I know you'll get the job done!
Jean
Here's what the marines have to say about our pirate-finding skills:
IES Message - Received at 1320 hours GST on 2668.120 posted:
From: Major Frank Kepler (TCMC, TCS Lionheart)
To: Captain William Bradshaw (TCSF, TCS Lionheart)
CC: Captain Charles Graham (TCN, TCS Lionheart)
Subject: Re: Pirate base
Captain Graham,
> We've just finished uploading the base intel gathered on Bradshaw's
> last mission. I hope it is useful for your team.
The intelligence is definitely useful. Obviously, we still don't know much about the internal layout of the base, but at least we have a fairly good idea what to expect.
> I must admit, I am surprised that we have no records of this base's
> existence. It does appear to be a standard mining base, after all.
Nothing to be surprised about. Many of these mining bases in Fariss quadrant were built entirely without the knowledge of the sector government. As you know, it's only been a few years since we've started trying to bring Fariss under control. Most of the quad's still filled with pirates, smugglers and unregistered mining bases.
Anyway, these bases are usually built using commercially available prefab modules, so it shouldn't be too hard to find our way around. We're expecting most of it to be storage areas for the ore. The pirates probably keep loot and spare parts there now - a good target for confiscation, but of no interest to us given our limited manpower. The section we're most interested in is the administrative center. Usually, this is a fairly compact area, including flight control facilities, management offices, and a detention area. That's where the prisoners will almost certainly be.
Considering all this, our plan will be to take control of the hangar, and then quickly work our way into the admin center. Once we've found the prisoners, we set up the detonation charges and pull back to the hangar. Then we take the remaining Sabres, and we detonate the charges after leaving the hangar. The entire operation should not take longer than a few minutes.
Mjr. Kepler
Finally, Captain Graham is making plans for the assault, and intends to blow up everything he can see.
IES Message - Received at 1350 hours GST on 2668.120 posted:
From: Captain Charles Graham (TCN, TCS Lionheart)
To: Captain William Bradshaw (TCSF, TCS Lionheart)
Subject: Re: Base Assault
Captain Bradshaw,
I hope you've familiarized yourself with Mjr. Kepler's report. As you can see, your task once we find the base will be quite straightforward, though certainly not easy - you must hold off the enemy during the Marine landing, and then long enough for Kepler's men to work their way through the base.
However, the footage you recorded shows a number of defense turrets on the base. I believe it would be preferable to hold back the Marine shuttles until these turrets, along with as much air cover as possible, are eliminated. No point taking unnecessary risks.
One more thing - as you know, our primary objective out here is to completely eliminate the pirate operation. I want you to keep very firmly in mind what this means - if the Marines are unable to land, the Lionheart will destroy the base with her anti-matter guns.
The success of this operation depends even more on you than it does on the Marines. Do not let yourself, or your pilots, forget that.
Cpt. Charles Graham
Yeah, I'm not sure how well "can't get the troops in, oh well, never mind the hostages, just level the place" would play in the media, but I guess out at the arse end of nowhere like Capella they can probably get away with this sort of stuff. And I suppose all of the hostages are military, but still, seems a bit callous to me.