Mecha Space Pirate Quest XXVI

>the Tarrasque is no longer damaged
Awww yeah. Time for one of the nobodies to make a good impression.

In front of. The Jaburo's weapons have longer ranges, and will need protection from incoming hostiles.

I dunno, I'd say take out the Agamemnon first to take out its guns and ensure it doesn't have a chance to launch anything close to its full complement.

Front won't really work if the Jaburo's main cannon is front facing. Our guns can provide support to the sides with enough wiggle room.

The issue is they have the same sort of screen we have. It will take a long time to get through it and wreck them, especially with the jaburo's weaker crew. We MUST however prevent them from getting as many mecha out as possible. If they can crit they can damage our systems and screw us over and the jaburo is no no shape for a big mech fight. Take out the ones we can in the first turn to limit flanking, encirclement, and being swarmed by mechs.

Ship initiative is slightly different than mech initiative, because it's 1d10 plus the crew value instead of 1d10 plus Mecha Reflexes (Roarke's Reflexes - the first tonnage digit of the Knuckle Kaiser). However, ships automatically act after all mecha during a turn.

To ablate a ship's armor takes at least a 100K attack, which reduces it by 1d10.

Due to being crewed by upwards of a hundred people, a ship is not bound to a limited number of Actions, it can perform any and all of the following that are applicable.

It can move its full speed.
It can launch up to 1/10 its maximum mecha complement
It can fire any and all main weapons (CIWS arrays fire automatically when an enemy enters range) up to two times per turn.
Ship initiative is slightly different than mech initiative, because it's 1d10 plus the crew value instead of 1d10 plus Mecha Reflexes (Roarke's Reflexes - the first tonnage digit of the Knuckle Kaiser). However, ships automatically act after all mecha during a turn.

To ablate a ship's armor takes at least a 100K attack, which reduces it by 1d10.

Due to being crewed by upwards of a hundred people, a ship is not bound to a limited number of Actions, it can perform any and all of the following that are applicable.

It can move its full speed.
It can launch up to 1/10 its maximum mecha complement
It can fire any and all main weapons (CIWS arrays fire automatically when an enemy enters range) up to two times per turn.

Front would work as long as we don't position the Rhinehawk directly in front of its cannon like idiots. Keeping ourselves mobile in its front hemisphere would provide an additional CIWS enemy mechs have to pass through to get to it.

If they start properly encircling us, then we'll change tactics, of course.

But I do see your point about taking out the cruiser first. I didn't realize the Yamato didn't have a Light Screen.

The shield screen stops us from getting critted to shit by mecha IIRC, which gives us some time to use CIWS to soften them.

But in a 1-1 fight between the ships alone the Agamemnon has us beat by virtue of having better guns.

The small ship with 50K guns can also still sap at our shield slowly.

We need to focus fire on killing at least the one support ship they have that isn't the light transport.

Station the Tarrasque as a mobile turret. Use the Jaburo as an extremely tanky bait while the Rhinehawk circle around and hammer the Agamemnon and the Jovian cruiser. Prioritize the Agamemnon's engines so that it lies dead in the water while we finish off the cruiser and the troop transport.

That means we cannot be port or starboard of either of these ships. We need to position them to ensure only one of their batteries can hammer us at a time.

This is kinda why I wanted the 200k batteries upgrade beforehand.

Lets try and capture the Agamemnon it could make a good new flagship for us

Any attack on the Agamemnon would require us to eat through uit's shields first. If it has the same as us, thats 1000. If we fire twice a turn, thats 5 turns of hitting it before we even get through. Meanwhile it would be 3 on 2. We should not allow them the chance to keep the numbers up.

Bruh. Do you want me to slap your shit?

Rhinehawk best shipfu.

Also

>implying it's going to survive the battle

We're strapping its gutted remains to our ship to make ours more swole.

You are, once again, Avi Silversmith. The Helmsman of the Rhinehawk and fleet commander in the absence of Captain Oda and Admiral Starwind. A young man with a healthy appetite for vengeance and baked goods. Right now, you have the relative positioning of the enemy vessels in front of you, and are hovering near the airspace of the Jaburo, somewhat above it. The enemy ships are ten kilometers away. One of the problems with Jovian vessels is that they have to be sideways to an enemy to hit with both of their main batteries, while the Rhinehawk's martian configuration lets it hit twice when enemies are directly ahead of or directly behind it. (Irritatingly, this system doesn't indicate how many hexes a starship takes up unless I'm missing something crucial, preventing me from modeling this with a hex map)

Right now, you have a UJCIDF Colonel on vidcomms while you work out your strategy. You wonder why she's distractedly petting your best friend, Mohammed al Tabir, on the head while she explains to you that the engines are currently down and asks what your strategy is, providing suggestions and help. You have the courtesy not to embarrass Mohammed by asking why he's being patted so much. Among other things, she wants to play possum and not have the Jaburo activate shields and open fire until the enemy ships are within your range, to avoid having them circle around and avoid the reach of the superheavy battery. As you speak, all five of the ships involved are launching mecha.

>[What is your basic strategy? You've had an hour-ish to work on it, after all]

Focus down the cruiser. It has 1k less armour than Agamemnon because it doesn't have a shield but has a sizable amount of mechs inside. Kill it before it can deploy those mechs.

Hail the Jaburo. We need it to focus down the cruiser with us with. Even if it can only use of its spine batteries it will be a big help to deny as many mechs on the field as possible.

Wong can Mechs still megacrit even if the target ship has shields? I know you can't deploy mechs while shield is active.

To clarify here. Your range being the Rhinehawk's range of 4000m. The cruiser will have to engage at this distance to hit with its own batteries, or it could (unless you advance on it) hit you from slightly outside your reach with missiles.

Have Oda destroy the engines on the ship that launched the first mate I feel theres something important on the ship that would be destroyed if we just blew up the ship

Megacrits I'll allow since they ignore armor.

Focus down the cruiser. It has 1k less armour than Agamemnon because it doesn't have a shield but has a sizable amount of mechs inside. Kill it before it can deploy those mechs.

Hail the Jaburo. We need it to focus down the cruiser with us with. Even if it can only use one of its spine batteries it will be a big help to deny as many mechs on the field as possible. We can't deploy tarrasque yet. Wait until they shoot down our shield to start deploying mechs to counter theirs on the field. Tarassque needs the be the first in the field to try and soften mechs en masse. Have the rest of the bluegills try to provide cover or sweep through the weakened units.

Bringing down the Cruiser first should be priority if it can simply fire off a ton of missiles. Work together with the Jaburo to do so. Oda can shoot at the transport, but if it gets too far, head to the front line to assist in taking down the enemy flag ship. If we can make it 3 on 1, we stand a good chance at winning.

Are you sure you don't want to deploy your mechs? The three enemy vessels are already deploying Harpies.

Shit.. yeah, deploy the Tarrasque, our officers and the Betta. Same with the Jaburo and it's best. Once the shields are up we are going to have to keep them up.

Voting for prioritizing the cruiser, and placing the Rhinehawk as a physical obstacle between the majority of the mechs and the Jaburo.

Keep the Jaburo's guns silent until it raises its shields - it'll attract fire from the enemy batteries otherwise.

Deploy all our fucking mechs.

Why not deploy everyone? This is why we have them in the first place.

Sounds good to me.
We probably shouldn't send the Betta out unless they send Mohammad though.

Yeah, +1 to this. We don't have an army just to hold them back. Everyone here knows fighting and death, and isn't afraid of it. We should let them do their jobs and deploy them to defend ourselves and our allies.

Deploy the mechs, Tarrasque and officers first, then harpies. Get between the enemy and the Jaburo, make it look like the Jaburo is totally crippled.

I thought we were leaving Oda at Auditorium as defender. He can take goal tend against any mech rush or late gates near the Auditorium. The missiles to burst down whatever ship pops up and the CIWS for mechs. The place is filled with too much civilians to leave undefended. We could have come close in the middle of the fight (after cruiser is gibbed) to launch his missiles at the Agamemnon if it doesn't look like any more gates are opening.

Lower shields until we get in range. Deploy mechs while its down. Can we please get range status on Jaburo and the ships?

because we only have so many to deploy each volley and they take up actions. Actions that could be getting our shields up and firing on the cruiser. We get our aces out with their best suits to provide screening and support, and we focus down the missile boat.

Could say it's an act of good faith to protect both crews from a mutual threat.

Mohammed's mech is currently damaged, although he could deploy in a Morgan II or Warmouth if necessary. If the Jaburo had Pumpkinseed IIs, he might like one of them, but missiles aren't his specialty and Pumpkinseed IIs are generally melee-missile hybrids. As for the Betta, it wouldn't be too weird to employ it, they might assume one of your pilots is inside rather than Samantha.

Have Avi put Roarke on all the speakers of the Rhinehawk. We got a speech to make. The Suleiman 1 survivors are gonna be extra furious fighters this battle.

Thats a good point.

>they might assume one of your pilots is inside rather than Samantha.
Isn't it pilot-locked to Sam, though?

The enemy vessels are all about 10km from you and the Jaburo, which are floating next to each other. They are not yet approaching, and their Harpy complements are hovering around their vessels protectively.

Which is all well and good until our guys are fighting over a hundred mechs on their own. This is exactly the situation where you want your no names out fighting.

Don't the Green Skulls only have 5 ships and we already destroyed one earlier

You're implying a skilled hacker couldn't break that in the long time we have had it with us?

She has the codes to open it and the codes to shut it down remotely with a PC. Theoretically, however, someone else could pilot it with her consent.

Roarke, at this very moment, is engaged in combat with the First Mate, leaving Avi in charge.

You destroyed two, so it would be correct to assume that this extra transport they have is new.

>Could say it's an act of good faith to protect both crews from a mutual threat.

This would be accepted, most likely. It's reasonable to assume a Europan aristocrat has honor while being a prisoner, and Pierre knows what's really going on too.

If it gets to the point of them having their full compliment out, we already lost the battle. They are stuck with getting so many out a turn, just like us. They ALSO cannot leave the ship if their shields are on. Same as us. If we focus down their cruiser, which has no shields, then all crew men on it along with unused mechs are gone. That prevents additional reinforcements. If we put out too many they can focus fire us or the Jaburo who is putting out weaker crew at HALF the rate. We want our shields up and that cruiser gone asap.

The reason why they are maintaining distance is to get their full complement of mecha in the void before engaging ship-to-ship. It would be very difficult to stop them without charging. It takes 100 seconds for a ship to discharge its full complement, 200 seconds for the Jaburo to do so because of its damaged bay catapults.

We destroyed one battle cruiser and one transport ship.

My line of thinking is that NO ONE ports into a battle with even odds willingly. It's basic warfare since the spear was first invented. Especially when you are going to siege. The Green Skulls has something planned. Especially when they know that a Wels-class cruiser(even if it is handicapped) is teaming up with 2 other medium battle cruisers.

We know that there is a mole in the UJCIDF and we also know that the attack was right after the sabotage and escape from a prisoner and a traitor on Jaburo. I'm betting the Green Skulls have a game changer that they are willing to put forth this much of their "known" military force to meet on the battlefield.

Could be using a transport as a suicide bomber. Wouldn't be surprised.
Well, our full and half of their compliment will have to do for now. The Jaburo can't dodge if it can't move so it needs those shields up.

Hmm so this is just a bit before we kill the first mate? We do we get Roarke back into space?

In the meantime. Have the Auditorium on lock down. Send police mechs on patrol for ANY outside disturbance. Can't have another stealth mech make its way inside. Inform Oda and Red Siren that the green skulls have stealth technology.

Also what the shit. Karen isn't on the Rhinehawk. More reason Karen is a shit. Ditched her station in the middle of combat. Especially when mechanics are so important on space ships.

stop trying to stir up the waifu wars, you asshat

He is sort of right though.

I'm just saying. We have important shit to deal with and Karen blundered.

>Calling Karen a shit

I'll cut you m8, swear on Bruce Kelly I will. It's not like she's going to be fixing mecha or developing new upgrades mid-combat.

Glasses + Tits + Cheongsam + Upgrades = Perfection

She made an error in judgement? Perhaps.

She also helping Roarke get back into tip-top shape, so she's doing her job as a mechanic and fixing problems.

She's not safe but she's showing Clemmy a run for her best girl mug.

Obviously we should get her back to safety soon, but he's letting his hate of Karen show. Just let him rage.

Went and found some new Karen images just for you, user! :^)

i'm pretty sure Karen is out here for a dramatic scene and will have no trouble getting back before shit hits the fan. This game has always put cinematic before realistic

You agree with her suggestion, and recommend that she does, indeed, keep her guns and shields silent until you give the signal. You position the Rhinehawk between the Jaburo and the now-motionlessly-hovering Green Skulls.

Suddenly, you receive a hail, and vidcomms request, from the Agamemnon. Without thinking, you put it onscreen. The first thing you see is an obscenely round, pallid ball of flesh floating in a restraint harness. Although its body is huge and nearly spherical, its limbs are spindly and gnarled and resemble dead branches. The bald, ugly head however, is alive and mobile and its eyes are full of malice. Apart from him, the only people you see are women. Young women, ranging from thirteen to thirty, their eyes strangely lifeless, clad in tight green fatigues. Each one is wearing a silvery circlet with a skull between the eyes, working the computers of the Agamemnon's bridge without even looking up. There is an eerie precision to their movements, performed to a steady, silent rhythm.

The floating blob of flesh speaks, its voice thick and phlegmy and full of malice, “This is Captain Vladimir Galbadie of the Agamemnon, lord of the Green Skulls and master of the Belt. I am addressing the crew of the starships Jaburo and Rhinehawk, as well as the apparently perfidious Yamato, which is must have fled.”

One of the women glances at him. She doesn't say anything, but he nods, or rather his head wobbles vertically. She returns to her duties.

[Continued]

so we're fight Baron Harkonen? ew

“Apparently not!" He laughs, it's a horrible, wet sound. "Ah, I knew I could count on the First Mate to keep at least one of you busy. I trust the Yamato is doing its best, but I will enjoy flaying the skin from its captain nonetheless. At any rate, I call upon the crews of your ships to do what is necessary for survival. Even the meanest rat will do what it takes to survive, and humans are no different. When we piled the skulls of the Green Men and their followers and their followers' families into pyramids during the Purging of Mars to show them the price of their iniquity, we learned this lesson well. Cut off what hinders you, deliver your officers and any females aboard your vessels to me, and I will permit you to join my armada. Refuse, and die a cold death in space.”

He shifts his head, “We will not be fooled, we are already aware that the Jaburo is a floating husk in space, a cold metal coffin for its passengers and crew. Its mighty cannons lie silent, its shields and engines and gate generator are useless, it is a hostage and I can only suspect you are banking on its mecha complement to save you...and worse, you have made the mistake of dividing your forces. I can only assume that this incompetence comes from your flashy juvenile commander, the so-called 'Admiral' whose supernatural good fortune has cost me valuable officers and worse, valuable time...." He squints at you suddenly, "You. You are not Roarke Starwind, boy, where is he?"

You fold your arms and give him the same look you gave the other Kestrels when they asked where the rest of the cake the Suleiman survivors baked for the pilots had gone. This man is ultimately responsible for the death of your father, and given the chance you will stuff his ugly face with plasma bolts.

[Continued]

So he doesn't know Roarke is currently wiping the hull of Auditorium with Mask?

Welp.

He also thinks our bays are dead and that the main cannon of the Jaburoni isn't working.

I.. sort of want to punch his face in personally considering he is basically mind controlling people to be his bridge crew.

If he is the leader of the Greenskulls and he's just a blob of person, how can he do anything? I don't even think he can find his own penis much less use it.

He also doesnt know that the Jaburo can still fight which is nice.

They I imagine they follow him for his leadership and tactical abilities rather than his ability to wipe his own ass.

If, by 'leadership and tactical abilities', you mean 'bullshit psionic powers', then I imagine you would be right.

And judging by the glassy eyed stares and the circlets, a lot of mental conditioning and mind control.

"I see you are admiring my bridge crew." He glances in a direction, and without looking up, one of the women caresses another's face.

"Do you know the workings of the HMIS? I cannot imagine so. Once, I too was a pilot, manning one of the handful of Thoroughbred MPs produced during the War. The way it works is simple, but I will explain it using as few technical terms as possible. The signals from your brain, used to move your body, are translated into a form your mech can understand, and then copy. The HMIS is not used for starships because the sheer processing power and many, many minute adjustments needed either render the ship horrifically clumsy or induce brain death from neuron overload. However, I found a way. If the signal can be translated once, why can't it be translated back into the signals used to move a human body? Originally, the technology used in the HMIS was intended for prosthetics, and I, a cripple, have restored its original function. This entire ship and its crew are my body. Mine to crush my enemies with. Mine to once again experience pleasure with. Mine to once more know how it feels to walk, to speak without feeling the weight of lard crushing down upon my chest. Through my precious dolls, I can experience the things I have lost."

Your expression twists into a scowl.

"Perhaps you would like to see for yourself?" He gestures, and one of the women locks its fingers around another's throat, "This one was growing old anyway, her body has been traumatized to the point where I gain little pleasure from it. I think it fitting that her daughter be the one to dispose of her. Oh, do not fret...she herself, the person she was, is long, long dead.

[Continued]

What a pleasant fellow.

Karen's a mech mechanic. Specifically, she's the mechanic for the Kaiser. there are, like, 100 other mechanics on the ship for the rest of the mechs, including her Granddad. Her not being there is pretty negligible. But she is pretty stupid for leaving in the first place

Does that mean if we blow a hole in his ship he'd feel it?

Does that mean if we killed some of his bridge girls he'd have a seizure?

So just blow up the ship i guess? If he has DIRECT CONTROL over all of the crewmembers on board, we would be doing them a favor.

Considering he is currently killing one of his bridge girls I doubt it.

>Through my precious dolls, I can experience the things I have lost.
>He gestures, and one of the women locks its fingers around another's throat
If he's so eager to experience death, we can surely do nothing but oblige him.

Sometimes you meet someone who you just want to gut like a fish, then cover in salt and gasoline. Then - you get the idea, this dudes a scumbag.

"Her body is simply a doll of meat and bone for my use. This is only immoral if you view clipping your toenails or cutting your hair as a sin."

The woman gurgles but doesn't even shrug in her own defense as her face turns blue. Maya covers her face with her arms, Brunhilde looks as if she's trying not to vomit. You, though, you don't look away. You won't give him the satisfaction, although you stare him down with hate in your eyes.

For some reason, this triggers an outraged reaction from him. "How dare you look at me like some sort of monster! I, who traded my soul and the use of my own body for the future of mankind! I, a hero of a war you are too young to remember! I, who was condemned by the UJCIDF for doing what needed to be done to ensure we received the cooperation and submission of the Martian natives and cast aside like a used tissue! THIS IS WHAT MY SPECIES OWES ME!"

You glance down at the Rhinehawk's sensors. Enemy vessels are within 8km and closing. Not quite within firing range yet. Your mech complement is fully in place, "Shields up." You order, before sitting back in your chair, folding your hands across your belly, and preparing to tell this fat fuck off.

>[What say?]

We should laugh at him. He's a pathetic manchild. He should an hero himself.

Fuck off.

>The only thing this species owes you is the torment your going to be receiving in whatever hell you go to you fat pathetic fuck

If his ability has the mechanical basis that immediately springs to mind (Remote Control or Piracy over multiple Human-scale headband Gizmos each equipped with the Merging with your Mecha Stupid Mekton Trick) rather than being a story-driven ability, then I imagine hitting the ship will indeed damage him, though killing the bridge girls will not.

Watching a woman get choked to death by her daughter is no laughing matter user.

Really? Because all I see is an old man too afraid to die. Sacrificing innocent people for 'the greater good' like the useless landwhale you are.

But hey, you know what they say, the inner mind tends to match the body in time and it certainly looks like yours had PLENTY of time to adjust you gelatinous pile of garbage, filth, and fecal matter.

"I used to fear you. I think everyone has, at one point or another. Now that I have seen you though... killing you will be like killing a disease bearing rat. A mild bit of satisfaction, then I will utterly forget about you as I move on the more important things."

>"'Your species' doesn't owe you anything, as long as you've stopped giving back to it in return. Don't pretend you did what you did out of the pure goodness of your heart - your actions show clearly otherwise. But if you keep insisting on living in the past, then you will drown in it.
>"There's a word for people like you, who have lived their pitiful existences for far longer than they should have, who leech of the livelihoods of others, and whose over-inflated egos and bodies only serve to emphasize how little worth they really have. You know what that word is? 'Cancer'. So, don't hold what we're about to do against us. It isn't murder, really. It's just chemotherapy."
HAHA IS IT TIME FOR HAM

"Yeah? well you owe me a pound of flesh for what your boys did to my crew. And I'm gonna carve it out myself after I burn through all that gristle, you fat fuck."

Seconding.

>It's just chemotherapy."

I actually really like that. Damn.

"I used to fear you. I think everyone has, at one point or another. Now that I have seen you though... killing you will be like killing a disease bearing rat. A mild bit of satisfaction, then I will utterly forget about you as I move on the more important things. Like lunch, or my guild in Fleet Command."

A translucent blue-green sphere shimmers into life around the Rhinehawk. Enemy ships at 7400m and closing.

"All I see is an old man too afraid to die, sacrificing innocent people for his own good like the useless landwhale he is. You know, they say the mind and body tend to match up in time, and it looks as though you're proof positive you gelatinous heap of garbage, filth, and fecal matter. There's a word for people like you, who have lived their pitiful existences for far longer than they should have, who leech off the livelihoods of others, and whose over-inflated egos and bodies only serve to emphasize how little worth they really have. You know what that word is? 'Cancer'. So, don't hold what we're about to do against us. It isn't murder, really. It's just chemotherapy, and I'm your oncologist today."

The woman expires, but you're already good and angry, you can't get much angrier, and despite your usual reticence the words flow in a torrent, "Your species doesn't owe you anything because you long since stopped paying it back. Don't pretend you did anything out of goodness when you've spent decades proving otherwise...but if you insist on living in the past, I will make sure you drown in it. I'll give you what humanity really owes you, eternal torment in whatever hell you go to you fat pathetic fuck."

6800m.

"My name is Avi Silversmith. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

6200m, they're staying roughly together and advancing at the same speed, but you suspect the Agamemnon will slow around 5550m to use its cannons from outside your reach. You pick up your thermos with the cheerful brown cow and take a preparatory swig of chocolate milk.

[Continued]

>Mine got used at the start.

Oh gosh I feel like I actually contributed. I'm so proud!

Rolled 1, 4, 1, 6 = 12 (4d10)

"YOU LITTLE TOAD! For your insolence, I will kill EVERYONE on board your vessel!" His ship cuts away from the others at an angle and at full speed. It has to, after all, to get into broadside position, cutting around to the side of the Jaburo. You estimate 20 seconds before it can fire.

"I WILL WATCH YOU BURN, CHILD! I WILL WATCH YOU DIE!" Galbadie roars, "AND WHEN I AM DONE, NONE WILL CONTEST THE NEW KING OF THE BELT!"

"Too bad you're too fat for belts." You comment drily, wiping your chin.

5600m.

5000m.

The Agamemnon's guns swivel towards you while its escorts are still twenty seconds out of range. Beams of plasma arc across the void towards your vessel.

"Take evasive action." You order.

>[Feed me 1d10+14s, the Agamemnon's special crew use A-Class stats despite being randomly kidnapped weapon, due to the reversed HMIS]

Rolled 7 + 14 (1d10 + 14)

Kill them all Avi

Rolled 2 + 14 (1d10 + 14)

let's go!

Rolled 4 + 14 (1d10 + 14)

Watch as the world burn

Rolled 7 + 14 (1d10 + 14)

he's just aiming at us, right?

Rolled 4 + 14 (1d10 + 14)

Let's burn some garbage

Miss.

Hit.

Miss

Yes, hit. Shields down to 600SP.

By the way, did you all decide to order Yoritomo to meet up with you when he was done, or have him pursue the transport? I'll retroactively allow either.

Pursue, I have a feeling something important is on that transport and have him try and only destroy the engines so we can search it later

Meet up with us. We need to even the field and bring everything to bear on the green skulls. No point in full seperating