Topic: Post Litterbox 5 Coalition ceremony...

[Julin Eurthyr]

Sector 5,20 Deep in the heart of "Alliance" space...

The Coalition fleet sits within sight of the Black hole in this sector.  The ISCS Little Paradise sits at the head of the formation, in the flagship position, while the remainder of the Coalition fleet sits in formation.  The occasional bit of wreckage from Alliance ships creates a beautiful pyrotechnic backdrop as they are sucked into the black hole.

Recreation Room, ISCS Little Paradise

The assembled vessel Captains, of all 4 coalition races, stand in formation on the deck.  The main window is open, granting these officers a look at the pyrotechnics.  Lt. Commander Varkin Nikrav, a Meeskeen officer, approaches the dias, and calls out "Attention to Orders!".  The room snaps to attention simultaneously, and Admiral Julin Eurthyr, still wearing his brevet Fleet Admiral rank, heads to the dias, now vacated by his exec.

"Ladies and Gentle-beings of the Coalition," Julin 1 speaks cleanly into the mike, his other 3 bodies at attention behind him, "it is with great honor I stand here, in front of you, on this, the greatest of our acheivements.  This sector, deep in the heart of Alliance territory, represents the final linked time-anchor the Alliance has managed to keep in place.  Now, the time-anchor has been replaced, in this era, with one of our own.
If not for the dedication and skill displayed by you throughout these weeks of combat, this day would not exist.  Taking advantage of the situation in the early days of the conflict, before I received this position.  Following through on my objectives in a timely fashion.  And having a solid command structure that insured these tasks were completed whether I was available or not.
You have stood off the SSCF in the 'Fed Trench'.  You have stood off the rest of the galaxy in various other combat theatres, specifically the approach to and in the 'Molson' area.  And you have completed this final task of mine in a matter of hours.  I salute you, and am honored to have both flown with, and led, this fleet."

Julin motions for a yeoman to bring the awards box up to the dias...

<this post will continue with the RP once I find out what's going on with the Battleclinic awards...>

RP Off:

To the Alliance, I salute you on a good game.  You have provided many a tactical challenge for our pilots to overcome, and a strategic plan for me to overcome.

I have but a few questions for you:

D2: on Thursday of the second week, you attacked a planet on the south side of the map that held no VC importance, after holding the Coalition fleet on the same lines for most of the week.  While you did that, we had a relatively unopposed strike on the Fed Trench and the 18,16 area I believe it was.  What posessed you to do that strike, and, on the matter of strange planet assaults, why did you spend most of your first week sacking worthless in VC planets on the outer rim of the map?

Also, what was the strategic importance of the SSCF fleet spending most of it's on-server time in the area we have come to call the "Fed Trench", the area leading up to the ISC planet at 24,20, starting back in Fed space and passing through or near 3 black holes?  Instead of defending critical VC points, we saw the SSCF holding then-worthless black holes while we deep-struck or defended Coalition held "Alliance" VC holdings, knocking 100 points off your final score in the first 2 rounds.

D3:  What was the purpose of creating LOS to multiple planets, but focusing all your efforts on the center of the map?  Do you realize you could have scored VCs, maybe even more than the 100 you were focusing on, by sacking planets deep within your half of the map?  The 3 planets in the Fed Trench area (the exact hex numbers elude me at this moment, all I remember is late this week there was a Klingon base down there for a short while) could have netted you 150-300 VCs, and forced the D2 Coalition to split their forces in whatever efforts they were performing to snipe down the score.  Smaller snipe forces, in conjunction with your registered player advantage, may have kept you holding more targets, and more VCs.

[KDS-KYTARH]

Bump

[_SSCF_Hooch]

It's called no command authorty or control.

[Fluf]

From what I understand from the D3 Alliance side, they simply didnt want to flip planet hexes at 50 DV, as it was too boring and very hard to do.  So they elected to try to win the campaign by getting BB kills at 20 pts a shot.  This backfired on them when we all scaled down in ships to confront them, and selected our battles a little more wisely. (all except me!  )  Once the coalition made such a large lead in the 2nd round they just gave up.

[FPF-DieHard]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

[SSCF-LeRoy]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

It sure seemed that way to me. No cheifs and all Indians.

[Bonk]

While you did that, we had a relatively unopposed strike on the Fed Trench and the 18,16 area I believe it was.  What posessed you to do that strike, and, on the matter of strange planet assaults, why did you spend most of your first week sacking worthless in VC planets on the outer rim of the map?

The 18,16 area was opposed, but with the disengagement rule no defence could be mounted due to player numbers.

Re outer rim planets: To have somewhere to supply once our homeworlds were overrun, but it never came to that.

In the last week I was all over the map looking for fresh PvP, it was fun hunting people but I just had to run away most of the time in my light cruiser in nebula hexes vs multiple heavies/DNs. I did my best to at least get in the way. 

[Bonk]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

Correct, as far as I could tell, there was no command - Just Amadeus' DN to hide behind.

P.S. I logged in initially as ISC but immediately switched to Klingon, for reasons that are obvious... I was all set to romp as a froggie, but I like an uphill battle too...

[_SSCF_Hooch]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

It was not my place to do so.

[FVA_C_ Blade_ XC]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

It was not my place to do so.

Looks like someone should have taken charge.

[FPF-AJTK]

Im sure the ISC will be serving only the FINEST of CHEESE at this lil shin-dig, eh Julin?

 

All kidding aside, I had a great time on the server, and want to thank everyone I flew with/against. Julin, that was probably the best fight I had on LB5. Well, that one, and the one vs Soth I guess.

The matches vs Lears KCRF in my F-DGX were awesome as well.

All you ISC bastiches are cordially invited to fly Fred on GW3. (We are the most idealogicaly the closest to your "Peaceful" natures after all.


 

[Julin Eurthyr]

On the issue of command on D2:

The first week, we used field commanders.  The position rotated among whoever was on, the "ranking officer" on at the time was usually in charge.

The first sunday afternoon, I was on and "in charge" most of the afternoon.  When Blade came on, the only other advertised Coalition RM, we were just beginning our deep strikes, and Blade deferred command to me for the operation.  5,20 fell for the first time.  After the round ticked, I posted a sitrep, and asked for permission to become the supreme commander, with the intent that I would only take charge if the players of the Coalition were willing to listen.

With a couple of Ayes, and Fluf's blessing, they accepted my offer.  The rest, as they say, is history...

On "Operation Molson" as we called it, the drive to 18,16:  This drive was called for early in the week, as the Alliance was using the path from there to pressure the Mirak world at 24,20.  No matter how hard we would smash on it, the Alliance would neutralize our gains and hold the lines steady for the early part of the week.  On Thursday, when we actually had our first day crew (outside of Gook) for the week, and the Alliance diverted to strike on a planet around 17,38, did we finally advance and claim the hex.  Once the planet fell, and the Alliance returned, the trench was effectively redrawn there and did not significantly advance, even though we did boot all Alliance players from a hex in that region at one point, leaving us a 1/2 hour window to work that hex, until near the end of the round, when the Coalition got their main people on, and even then, our advances were still very slow (on the order of a couple of hexes a day) until the end of the round.

The sad part of this server was, no matter what the D2 Alliance may or may not have been able to do, the D3 Alliance's decision to score all their VCs from PvP kills effectively rendered all the D2 Alliance's work moot.  

With that in mind though, the SSCF's dedication to the "Fed Trench" area is now somewhat explained to me.  That was the best area for the Alliance to score in, period.  With the SSCF guarding the area, all it took was 150 "boring planet assaults" by the D3 crew to score 150 points, maybe more.  I had left standing orders to harass, but not outstrike, Alliance forces in the area as there was no overwhelming VC reason to fight there, but I couldn't let the SSCF build a path up into the center from there.  Had there been a VC reason to fight there, things may have been much different.  I could see me ordering more troops to the area, possibly changing the force dynamics the Alliance had to fight against, and making the server more fluid as the fighting shifted from the north (Molson area) to the south (Fed area) and back.  Perhaps I would even have been forced to hold the above RP from a secondary location like 24,20...

[Capt Jeff]

It's called no command authorty or control.

I figured as much, I assume nobody actually took charge?

It was not my place to do so.

Nor was it mine.  Who were the Alliance RM's?     Did we even have any?

I had fun anyway.  I play mornings, so I basically logged in, looked to see where we got pushed back the night before, and tried to reverse as much as I could.

R/P on :

Capt Jeff opens a drawer in his ready room and stares at the command pins he wore so long ago, the gold plating still shimmering in the light.  "You may have to put these on again one day soon" he said to himself out loud.  Closing the drawer, he looked out at the stars streaking by his window and thought for a few moments.  "Capt Jeff to the Bridge".  "Bridge here" came through the intercom.   "Set a course for Earth, maximum warp".  "I need to talk to the president about the future".....

R/P off.

[FPF-Jem]

I think Eviltwin was the only Alliance RM for both sides and only because he got shoehorned in at the last minute by Fluf. 

On a related note, good job coalition. 

I'm sorry I wasn't there for as much as I wanted to, I think I only had 50000+ Lifetime prestige on both the D3 and D2 sides, RL intervened.

[eviltwin]

 

[GDA-Agave]

As Jem did above,

I salute the coalition on a well run server.  Congrats.

I have mentioned this to several coalition pilots earlier, but I thought this might be a good spot to say it again.


Agave

[F9thRyker]

From what I understand from the D3 Alliance side, they simply didnt want to flip planet hexes at 50 DV, as it was too boring and very hard to do.  So they elected to try to win the campaign by getting BB kills at 20 pts a shot.  This backfired on them when we all scaled down in ships to confront them

Of course, we didnt have BBs which carried fighters, making Planet runs and PvP childs play..

Of course, we didnt have access to every type of heavy weapon (apart from Plasma, you guys had Gravs on your shuttles and not photons like on ours, Quantums on the Hydran's, Ions, Myos, Photons and Shield Inversion Beams available for refit...

Of course, we had to work down 50DV planets in the center, which you came in after we'd worked them to ours (and they went back to 25DV, and not 50, making less work for you guys...

Of course,...

               ... need I go on? 


Despite the balancing issues, it was a good game, especially on the D2 side. I enjoyed myself far more on the D2 than I did on the D3, much to my own amazement...! 

[Julin Eurthyr]

Ryker:

If PvP was "child's play" for the Mirdan, why did the D3 Alliance get most of the VC kills.  Against the Mirdan?

I'm trying to understand some things.  Didn't the center planets flip twice in the second round, and at least one more time in the third?

So, you ran 100 planet raids to nab the center, and at least 25-50 more, maybe 100-ish, in the course of fighting over the center...

Had you let the Coalition initially flip the center, and you flip at least 1, maybe 2 of the 3 Fed-Trench area worlds with the 100 planet assaults saved from the center, you would have:
Netted 50, more like 100 VCs per round, maybe more as I would have to actually had to pressure the Feds instead of holding trenches up north
Had an easier time of claiming the center yourself (50 runs knocks both planets off, instead of just knocking one planet off.  From what I heard Mirdan were fairly worthless in the nebula, the fighters don't work as well there, if at all, and it took at least a few hours, more like 1/2 a day, minimum, for even Mirdan fleets to claim 50 VC worlds.  I think I was cited 5 minute minimum averages per raid, don't quote me on it at all...

And from what little I saw, and heard, the D3 Rommies were effectively a no-show due to plasma issues.  Did the Feds / Klinks have most / all weapons available between them?  I logged in as Rommie to get my hands on the ISC boats.  R-Dizzys, Plasmas, Myotronics, and Tachyon beams was all I recall on the refit yards...

The balance and prep work on D3 was on the short side, and Fluf has admitted that.  Sometimes, it's a matter of taking what you got and using it.  Sometimes, it's the enemy who is your best weapon...

[FPF-Jem]

Ummm, cause Fluf is too silly to run away when he's outmatched. 

just joking,

However, when you say minimum 5 min raids do you mean it was only taking the Mirdan 5 mins to run a mission? cause I had considerably longer minimum mission times, between 12 and 14 minutes in an average patrol

Should add that I'm just curious, nothing ulterior ment, well except the Fluf part 

[Julin Eurthyr]

I can only go by what I remember from a quick snippit sent me in one chat session.

Like I said, don't quote me on the 5-minute planet raids.  It just sounded reasonable (ie, it takes 5 min * 50 runs = 250 min or 4 hours, 1/2 a day) to swipe a planet.  It also could be I'm thinking what it might have been like after Fluffy-bot lowered planet-raiding difficulty.  I never got into a ship bigger than a starter, so I couldn't tell you firsthand what my raid times were.

All I remember is watching the Coalition take 2 worlds in one day once or twice, and being told each full world takes at least 1/2 a day to snag...

[FPF-Jem]

For Planet raids. 5 min sounds infernally fast, I was in a few of the early planet attacks and those were taking us a good half hour (at least) or so to do, even with four CAs and up.

But then I was only in the D3 for the first 3 days or so, I guess if Fluf lowered the difficulty level that might account for the lower times.

[Gook]

Jeff said:

Capt Jeff opens a drawer in his ready room and stares at the command pins he wore so long ago, the gold plating still shimmering in the light.  "You may have to put these on again one day soon" he said to himself out loud.  Closing the drawer, he looked out at the stars streaking by his window and thought for a few moments.  "Capt Jeff to the Bridge".  "Bridge here" came through the intercom.   "Set a course for Earth, maximum warp".  "I need to talk to the president about the future".....

Go for it Jeff, grab the Horde, shake them up and turn them into a unit. You have done it before, do it again.

With you and Dog at the helm of the principal protagonists games could only get better.

[eviltwin]

hmm my first post didnt take  but my smilie. yes guys i was the rm for both d2 and d3 but was on the d3 most of the times this was my first time playing live on the d2. had fun and that is the name of the game.
im not taking anything away from the coalition they beat us no doubt about that. just some things need to be changed for next time is all.
1. if we have fighters they need to be the same for all sides. example 3 klingon bb's total fighters =2 ,3 mirdan
   bb's with the oman total fighters =26 i believe or 22 not sure if the hold 8 or 6 per bb ecept oman with 10
2. more time to get rm's lined up and battle plans lain out not day of kickoff he he he.
3. d2 and d3 should be seperate but both maps add up for total vc points.
4. d3 side go back to oa2 and can flip netral hexes.
5. change the planet and base assualt missions no more spawning ships{we were told the oman could solo
    planet runs and bases. also there other bb's could solo bases with there fighter in tow. while we had
    no bb that could do that.
just the guys got tired of it decided to pvp more than scan and take objectives
this is not a rant just facts being said for next time. good game to all involved

[Julin Eurthyr]

Eviltwin:

There was a post back on Taldren, specifically the General SFC Forum IIRC, asking for RMs and ARMs (total of 3 from each race, like 30 RM-types overall), and a supreme commander for Alliance / Coalition.
Blade and I were the only respondants to that post, offering ourselves as ISC RM and ARM appropriately.
The rest of the RM stuff came later.  I think that the rest of the D2 Coalition RMs were appointed on Sunday Night, around the end of round 1.

Was the fighter imbalance really that bad?  What was the HW loadouts?  Remember that the Hydran part of the Mirdan alliance is supposed to be fighter heavy but HW-lite, and the Mirak are almost as fighter-reliant (primarily to launch drones) as the Hydrans.
Still, 3 to 20+ is quite the imbalance, if all other things are equal...

The purpose of this server was to get D2 and D3 working together.  Hence the reason to get both camps needing the matching hex for VCs.  However, at the end, while a few D3 people tried out D2, and a few D2ers checked out D3, there was no overall pressing need or reason for players to switch over to one game or the other for a while.  Other than the few players who made a couple of runs, the major D2 / D3 interaction really happened amongst the top echelons, and usually in the Forums or occasionally on Teamspeak...
Perhaps periodic days where only one campaign was active, funnelling the players there, or specific VCs on one side that would all-but require the majority of the players on that server to score, would have helped get the sides intermixing on the same server...

[Julin Eurthyr]

RP on:
It should be noted that it is the entire Coalition fleet in the formation, a timerift has allowed the D3 forces to join the festivities

Prior to the ceremony...
"Julin!" Fluf calls.  Julin walks over and nods to Fluf, who continues "Upon review of both the historic records of this operation, along with what we have done in the future, these are the operatives who have been actually granted medals."  Fluf hands Julin a data chip, and he proceeds to move on, mingling with the crowd...

And now back to the ceremony...
Julin steps to meet his yeoman on center stage.  Varkin resumes his position at the dias, where he begins...

"Gook, of KAT, in honor of his strategic assistance to this offince and recognition of your frequent solo operations, holding the right line when most officers were unavailable, we hereby present this award for strategy."
Gook steps up to center stage, where Julin salutes him, and pins the award on the appropriate place of Gook's uniform.  A quick handshake and photo-op later, Julin nods and Gook steps off the stage, and returns to his place in formation.  All awards are handed out the same way...
"Deadmansix, of the Hydran Armada, in recognition of your losses to benefit the cause, the sacrifice award."
"BOTA1, of the DoA, in recognition of your future losses, the sacrifice award."  There is a slight snicker from the crowd at that comment, and Varkin continues "Isn't it nice that the losses of the D3 haven't happened, as far as time is concerned here..."
"SmileY, of KOTH, in recognition of your continued operations and support of Coalition operations, the duty award."
"And Bolt, of the DoA, for your assistance, coordination of future operations with this timeline, and valiant activities that will occur in the future in support of this operation, the Medal of Honor."
With that, Varkin steps off the dias, but before Julin can return Fluf leaps up, and with catlike agility takes the dias
"Julin Eurthyr," Fluf says, "don't think you're getting away with it.  In recognition of your leadership over both timelines, leadership which has led to today's ceremony, on behalf of the entire Coalition we present you with the strategy award."  Fluf steps over to center stage, and pins the award on Julin's uniform.  Fluf then returns to his position in formation, leaving Julin on the stage, while the entire formation applauds the award winners.
After a moment of applause, Julin returns to the dias.  "While these are the officers that have officially been granted awards, I would like to take a moment to recognize certain other individuals, primarily of this timeline, as now is when I've spent most of my operational time, with some unofficial awards of my own.
LordKrueg, for recognition to the amount of your service and assistance to this office, the duty award.
Soreeyes, of KOTH, the sacrifice award for the amount of time and prestige used to procure numerous bases from Mirak command, the sacrifice award.
Chuut Ritt, of KAT, the sacrifice award for the same thing Soreeyes got his for...
Die Hard, of the FPF, the courage award for facing his Allies in, of all things, Romulan ships.  Fortunately for him, the near-constant PvP started after the Kestrel and Hawk designs came out.
A kill ribbon goes to Blade of Xenocorp, Dib of the KBF, Corbomite of Xenocorp, 762 of Xenocorp, Firehawk, and ChuutRitt of KAT, D2 officers who have destroyed the heavy ships of the Alliance, whether in a team-up operation or solo.
I would like to take a moment to award special mention to Viper and Kortez, officers who were piloting a pair of battleships, that were jumped by, and engaged, with 4 Alliance battleships.  Fortunately for the Coalition, they emerged victorious from such heavy odds, a situation that rarely occurs and deserves the recognition.
Finally, I would like to thank each and every officer who stands in this room today.  Without the skill and dedication each and every one of you has displayed, even if it was only for a couple of missions, we never would have completed this operation..."
With the spiel done, Julin starts applauding, and is quickly joined by the entire Coalition forces.
"And now, with the awards and recognitions done, let's enjoy the party, for soon we shall return to war..."
Julin steps off the dias, and gets off the stage.  The serving crews, along with the famed Jello Wrestlers, begin to hand out drinks of "appropriated" Alliance beverages and munchies, recently procured from numerous supply convoys.  The air hangs thick with smoke, as various officers light up all manner of smokable materials from cigarettes to personal Catnip supplies.  The jovial air continues, and once all the officers have a drink in hand, someone, who shall remain anonymous to the records of time, calls forth "and a toast to the Alliance, without them, there would have been no honorable combat from which we are here celebrating victory!!!"
the repeated clang of glasses is heard throughout the rec room, as the transmission of the award ceremony to the assembled crews of the fleet dims and is cut off...

RP off...

The reason I am now completing this award ceremony is that I believe the work on Litterbox 5 is complete, as the forum is now archived, and all portions are visible to everyone...