Part 96: Caliban System, Vega Sector, Mission 1 [(Gameplay)

31st August 2669, Caliban System (Mission 1), Vega Sector
TCS Victory

The Victory's escorting destroyers ambush the forward units of the Kilrathi fleet trying to chase the retreating Terran carrier down.

Conversation videos (Youtube) (Polsy/Gamerstube)


Briefing Video (Youtube) Briefing Video (Gamerstube/Polsy)



Mission Video (Youtube) Mission Video (Gamerstube/Polsy)


Kills this mission: 5, which is really the most you can get in this mission, given that there are only six enemies and the TCS Sheffield kills the first destroyer (as in the picture) before you can get into weapons range. Getting all five took a bit of effort, figuring out ways to make sure I got all of them and not letting Vagabond or the Coventry steal any of the kills (without cheating and ordering Vagabond back to base or not to break and attack). I think it's also partly luck-based, because you need to hit the mark with your missiles. Four is more usual. Anyway, speaking of the Sheffield and the Coventry...

Ship of the day:
Southampton-class

Class: Destroyer
Length: 490 m
Mass: 19,000 tonnes
Max Velocity: 200 kps
Cruise Velocity: 100 kps
Maximum Yaw/Pitch/Roll: 5/5/5 degrees\second
Weapons: 8x dual laser turret, 1x dual anti-matter gun turret, capship missile launcher
Shields: 2000 cm durasteel equivalent all sides
Armour: 1000 cm durasteel equivalent all sides
Other: Some ships carry a small hangar for a half-squadron of fighters.

Official Strategy Guide: The OSG makes no comment on the Victory's escorts, other to note that they can generally handle themselves when they appear in the same places as enemy forces.

I say: The Southamptons are fairly small and heavily gunned; certainly more than a match for the Kilrathi Ralarrads they encounter in this mission. Like most WC3 capital ships, they're weak against enemy fighters due to lacking enough firepower in the point-defense turrets to do more than annoy the enemy, but the anti-capship armament works just fine, so I guess they're good at what they're designed for. You don't have to spend a particularly long time protecting either the Sheffield or the Coventry, and in the one mission where one of them does need taking care of...well, it's far from the worst part of it.

Total kills (Wing Commander III): 16 missions / 136 kills
Total kills (this thread): 42 missions / 501 kills
Total kills (including previous thread): 152 missions / 1416 kills

Next time on Let's Play Wing Commander:
There are HOW many fighters at the nav point?