Part 21: Sparrow (A), Weslyn System, Sol Sector (Story and Cutscene)
Jostiband posted:
Uggh, goddamn AI wingmen shooting me up all the time! *lasers the fuck out of some friendly fighters*
If you do any substantial damage to a friendly fighter then everyone turns hostile and tries to kill you (and if you live then the game just ends with "Traitors never win"). So that didn't happen.
quote:
Are those windows in the front painted onto the hull, or is it the actual bridge? That's some p. cool camouflage if it's paint.
As with the torpedoing in the video, that's where the bridge actually is.
Anyway, time for the end of episode update.
22nd-23rd December 2668, Weslyn System, Sol Sector
End of Episode 2 - Sparrow (A)
The Firekka jumps through to the Weslyn system and meets up with her escort destroyer the TCS Hood, and contact with Kilrathi forces decreases briefly allowing Bradshaw to stand some of his pilots down briefly.
End of Episode Cutscene
Sparrow finally tracks Bradshaw down in the Firekka's repair bay, and Bradshaw slowly begins the long trek to being vaguely likeable with his last line here. Or at least not completely whiny and endlessly attempting to justify himself.
Cutscene Video (Youtube)
FX: Door opens
: There you are. Been looking all over for you. 
: Yeah. I didn't particularly want to be found. : Yeah, I'd noticed. Look William, we need to talk. : About what? Sparrow, what you did? Don't expect me to forget. : I know, and I know it's pointless to say I'm sorry: It is. : I just wanted to say thankyou. You know, for letting me fly. I really appreciate it.: Just don't let me down.: You can count on me. (walks away) [long pause]: Yeah. One of Sparrow's worse scenes, but seriously how do you say "You can count on me" without sounding cheesy?
Episode 3 - Gathering At Warsaw
The Confederation's Third Fleet concentrates in the Warsaw System, to which Admiral Tolwyn has advanced in order to mount a delaying action to buy time for an additional carrier to be readied for action and reach Sirius, where he plans to make his stand.
Also, Bradshaw starts to worry about sounding pathetic now, which is probably two episodes too late.
Cutscene Video (Youtube)
Bradshaw's narration: Everyone's in a foul mood today. We should be relieved that we even made it to Warsaw in time. I still have no idea how Reismann managed to arrange things so that our escorts were waiting for us inside Weslyn. The way things were going in Mastif, we all thought we'd have to fight every inch of the way to Sirius. Instead, thanks to the Hood's fighter squadron, we were actually able to get some rest.
Which is great, but it doesn't matter, since the latest intel reports don't exactly sound optimistic. I don't want to turn this into one of those pathetic 'if you're reading this, tell mom I love her' journals, but I gotta say, things are not looking good at all. Confed's assembled everything they can, but we're still outnumbered. Resimann says that the Kilrathi forces that jumped into Warsaw, they're just a vanguard. Four fleet carriers, a vanguard! When those supercarriers of theirs arrive...
Well, it'll be an interesting day.
Or in greater detail, as Tolwyn sees things from the TCS Concordia...
Fleet Action posted:
He turned and retreated back to his wardroom. Sighing, he settled down into his chair and looked at the holo map. They were now positioned three jump points ahead of Sirius in towards the frontier. The Kilrathi had yet to show their main fleet. The carriers could be a diversion, or the vanguard of the main assault.
Damn, to be able to use full size carriers as a vanguard, while he had to husband the five ships that would be under his command, that is if Saratoga and Leyte Gulf could get up in time to join his other two ships. He ran a quick question into his nav system and the answer coldly blinked back at him. If the Kilrathi came on at flank speed, they'd get to Sirius a day and a half before the other two carriers could join up.
He looked at the three dimensional map, pausing for a moment as a new signal burst in, updating the situation. Three more red blips appeared, the three tentatively identified as cruiser squadrons, crossing the frontier. Far off to one side, over by Landreich, a thin red line was already traced deep into Kruger's territory, two definite and one probable carrier moving fast towards the core worlds of Landreich. Which was the main assault? The carriers at Hanover could be a feint to draw him in, the main fleet following behind one of the three cruiser squadrons. If he had the strength, that would be his approach, hoping to draw the enemy forward, then flanking by a side jump line, cutting him off from the rear.
Ultimately it comes down to reasoning how the Kilrathi commander will see this one:
Fleet Action posted:
It was almost a foregone conclusion that Thrakhath was in charge of the main fleet. He was always bullheaded, and when he believed himself to have the upper edge, arrogant. Thrakhath never really gave a damn about taking territory; he wanted battle, to close with his enemy and destroy him.
He'll come straight in and dare me to stop him. He was behind the carriers.
I need to show confidence, aggression, he thought, not let them think we're already whipped.
Geoff punched in to his bridge officer.
"Pass the word to the fleet. We jump forward to the Warsaw system and will move at full speed to meet the carriers head on. Get Admirals Ching and Bjornsson on laser."
So, the first major battle of this campaign is set to be Warsaw, with the Confederation Third Fleet, with Concordia, Moskva and Verdun, facing off against the Kilrathi second fleet with its four Snakeir-class carriers.
It's also where Standoff really opens up - the first two episodes aren't bad, but it's not until we join up with the fleet that the game really gets going. You really begin to feel that there's a battle between large carrier groups going on around you, and many of the missions here feel much grander than the earlier ones. Starting with a mission that's one of my favourites in the game (though is also rather hard).
The other thing that really amused me in my first attempts yesterday was how much I was overcontrolling the Rapier having got used to the Gladius.