NationStates Jolt Archive

round 1 will begin now

The Xanthalian Slipfighter takes its position.

ooc: What's the round schedule?

OOC: Since we don't have a set pecking order:

IC: Iosif looked up at the sky, up there, somewhere, was his opponent.

He looked at Mark and nodded his head. They had been waiting around in the pod for a couple days, preparing for the tourneyment.
He was a little nervous, always was, but it was nothing to be ashamed of. Better to be nervous and on one's toes than relaxed and unaware.

He paused at the extendable ladder leading to the cockpit and did something that may have appeared odd to anyone watching, he wiped his boots.

Taking a deep breath, Joe hoisted himself inside and sat down. A petit young woman, probably just out of training scurried up the ladder after him, securing harnesses and straps as Joe initiated his startup check
Lights...off
Optical circuits...good
And on down a list he had long ago memorized. He motioned for the techs to clear, and they did, stowing the ladder as they went. He depressed a switch and the canopy lowered itself into place, latching and sealing with an audible click telling Joe it was good.

Joe depressed a series of switches and the fusion engines came to life with a roar and a whine as they powered up and various turbines began spinning furiously in place. He kept the brakes on, not wanting the fighter to begin moving just yet. He hit yet another switch bringing the cockpit to life as well, glancing at the floor as it hesitated then came to life as well. He wiped his boots because the floor, like a suprising amount of the interior of the cockpit (except for the canopy) was covered in a thin display, relaying visual information from external cameras. He could see the miriad of tiny cracks running through the pavement below.

He glanced up and could see a 3D HUD display in front of him showing various information. What little console there was, was mostly filled with screens, each demanding his attention, displaying engine temps, fuel loads, weapon heat, reactor output, etc.

Tapping the side of his helmet, a small laser cluster sprang to life, one laser projecting the most basic flight information onto his retinas along with a targeting recticle. The others track his eye movement, and along with sensors that tracked head movement, moved a seperate holographic targeting recticle along the the interior of the canopy and the various displays.

"Hey Mark, wish me luck!"

"Go get 'em kid."

Satisfied everything was in order, Joe depressed on the ends of the foot pedals, careful not to slide them (for that would operate the rudder), and pushed the throttle up to the required power for takeoff.

The brakes strained in a lossing battle against the thrust of the twin engines, but the battle was to be short lived. Joe released the brakes and the fighter bucked and then accelerated down the runway.
Applying the throttle to full, Joe jerked back on the stick, vectored thrust pushing the tail down, lifting the nose skyward.

In a very short distance of runway, the fighter had gone from standing still to having an AOA of nearly 90 degrees only meters fro mthe ground. Yet the fighter didn't stop, quite the opposite, it kept accelerating, The engines producing more kilograms thrust than the fighter weighed.

The technicians watched as the fighter neared a hundred meters, still pointing skyward. A load boom eminated from the location of the fighter, and a techy swore as it vibrated an expensive looking wrench from its stand.

Joe watched the altimeter climb and climb. With little warning, he cut thrust and fired vernies to orient the fighter, belly to space. Alright, only 48 seconds to atmospheric service ceiling...new personal record.

"Jitano control this is Hornet 24833, request vector to combat zone."

Work paused within the Skeelzanian hanger as the Berserker fighter tore into the sky farther down the tarmac. Someone switched on a vidscreen, tuning it into one of the stations broadcasting the tournament. The Skeelzanians crowded around the monitor, each jockeying for a better view.

No one shoved Taegar though, who had taken position directly infront of the screen. The last time a Skeelzanian had seen a slipfighter in action was nearly 80 years ago, and Dren didn't intend to let this chance pass him by.

OCC: This is in space, right? Because the super acolyte cannot operate in-atmosphere.

OCC: This is in space, right? Because the super acolyte cannot operate in-atmosphere.

OCC: Neither can the Centurion. I'm going to solve the problem by using a booster pack to get off the ground however, though I think your fighter might need a bit more than a booster pack :o

OCC: The Super Acolte is a gigantic fighter. Could I perhaps start from space?

If that is the case:

IC:

Lt. Henry Kermit sits in his Super Acolyte's spacious cockpit, the "hood" still open even in the depressurized bay. He was launching from a converted Keith Moon class torpedo frigate, known as a repair frigate.

The large docking legs of his Super Acolyte are still firmly attached to the floor of the bay, and technicians scamper about, attaching this and that and checking up on things. Usually, only one or two mechanics would be used to service such a reliable fighter as the Super Acolyte, but this was, well, they had extra personnel.

Lt. Kermit gets the "all set" sign from his crew chief, a robot who had served with him in deep space. He then reaches up and pulls the heavy canopy shut.

The maintainance crews clear away, and the heavy fusion reactor comes on-line, scorching the bay wall several yards away until the thermal dampers are turned on.

Inside, Kermit switches on the sensors, tactical display, and other systems, and disengages the docking legs. The Acolyte accelerates out of the bay at great speed, and heads out towards the combat area.

OCC: The Super Acolte is a gigantic fighter. Could I perhaps start from space?

If that is the case:

IC:

Lt. Henry Kermit sits in his Super Acolyte's spacious cockpit, the "hood" still open even in the depressurized bay. He was launching from a converted Keith Moon class torpedo frigate, known as a repair frigate.

The large docking legs of his Super Acolyte are still firmly attached to the floor of the bay, and technicians scamper about, attaching this and that and checking up on things. Usually, only one or two mechanics would be used to service such a reliable fighter as the Super Acolyte, but this was, well, they had extra personnel.

Lt. Kermit gets the "all set" sign from his crew chief, a robot who had served with him in deep space. He then reaches up and pulls the heavy canopy shut.

The maintainance crews clear away, and the heavy fusion reactor comes on-line, scorching the bay wall several yards away until the thermal dampers are turned on.

Inside, Kermit switches on the sensors, tactical display, and other systems, and disengages the docking legs. The Acolyte accelerates out of the bay at great speed, and heads out towards the combat area.

A trooper rushed over from the dropship, now serving as the Skeelzanian Control Center. Pushing his way through the crowd of technicians, he sharply saluted the Lieutenant. "Sir! The Von Schultz is reporting a third fighter heading for the combat zone. It appears a melee is forming."

Dren frowned. He had hoped to watch the other fighters from planetside, in order to judge their strengths and weaknesses before fighting them. Now he would have to do that while fighting them. "Very well. Ulric, are all modifications complete?"

The Cheif Engineer detached himself from the crowd. "I wouldn't of let the men off otherwise, sir" he said, also saluting. "The booster is in place, and all appropriate weapon modifications have been made."

"Excellent. Now get the Centurion out on the tarmac! I want to be airborne in 5 minutes. The ground crew dispersed like a school of fish, while Dren himself went to get himself zipped up.

4 minutes and thirty seconds later...

Dren's eyes followed Ulric's finger as it moved its way across the cockpit. "Brakers, 'missile' launch, and booster starter. The booster will detach once you press this button. It has enough fuel to get you out of the atmosphere, so no tricks."

He gave the engineer a dry laugh. "Have I ever been one for tricks? Anyway, it all looks good Ulric. May I use your craft to bring glory to the Principality."

Dren, now fully dressed in the black flight suit of Skeelzania, clambered into the cockpit. Ground crewmen retreated to the edge of the tarmac, and delivered a triple "Sieg Skeelz!" as Dren closed the cockpit, the HUD booting up as he did so. The fighter, helped by a crane, righted itself for launch as the count down ticked away in Dren's helmet.

Five...four...three...two...one...launch! His finger came down on the ignition, and the Centurion rocketed skyward as the solid-fuel booster roared to life. Ejecting the booster near the edge of the thermosphere, he engaged the ion emission drive and continued the ascent.

"Jitano control, Centurion01 requesting vector to combat zone. Over."

Joe scratched his head, or rather tried and found his helmet to be in the way. He had been expecting a one-on-one with the other fighter, but now the tactical warning was blaring. He looked up at Earth at an approaching contact, still outside of visual range, but highlighted by a green triangle anyways. Hmmm. Still a good range off...was that booster flare?

Shruggin to himself he glanced to down at the floor, another contact breaking off of an even larger contact was approaching. Hmmm, should probably tell the computer to ignore that larger contact. Don't want to confuse it with anything else With a bit of concentration a command was issued through the small datajack behind his right ear, and the computer promptly ignored the frigate, it's triangle indicator blinking away.

Looking ahead he noted the smallest of the contacts, also in green for the moment. Well this complicates things. Coulda sworn this was to be a one-on-one

A bit of concentration again and the radio clicked for him Jintano control, this is Hornet 24833. I was led to believe that this would be a one-on-one fight. Confirm. Over.

Mentally dialing in another channel, the one given to the for pilot to pilot transmissions he clicked the radio again. Heya boys and girls. Not to be rude or anything, but I was led to believe this was a one-on-one fight here.
Thinking to himself that it sounded to much of complaint (it was, but that's beside the point) Joe decided to add a little more. Don't all be so eager to come shoot me up now. Letting out a nervous chuckle before he stopped transmitting.

Well, lets see what happens

"Heya boys and girls. Not to be rude or anyyrrrrrzzzzzzgth"

"Bloody comms!" cursed Dren, giving his helemet a good smack.

"...believe this was a one-on-one fight here."

Who was that? The HUD was showing multiple contacts, but it didn't bother telling him who was talking. Whatever. "This is Centurion01 to unknown pilot. The Jitanoese didn't tell us anything back on the planet, and I boosted off as soon as we picked up a third contact. Perhaps the Jits are trying to get us all up here before they start handing out rules".

Dren flipped off his commlink, and went back to the Nav display. There was the Von Schultz and attending corvettes, and whatever ship that big bastard had arrived in. The fighter that had lifted off before him was a few clicks infront, though it was still just a speck. And the Xanthal was out here as well...

Joe clicked the radio back on, and this time also clicked on a camera, transmitting both in audio and visual channels. This is Hornet 24833 to Ceturion 01, I'd say that about makes sense. Been rather vague as of late.

The camera itself was small and tucked away, integrated into the console panel, and rather cheap as well. No sense in putting on extraneous weight. Thus the lighting and the visual feed from the camera was relatively poor. Still, anyone watching could see the light of the panels play off his visor, and if the focused, could possibly see the young Joe through it. Joe gave a half wave to the camera.
Who might you be good sir?

Dren scowled as Joe's portrait filled his main HUD. Skeelzanian engineers were famous for cramming alot of stuff into a small space, no matter how much over-lapping occured. Just have to hope an asteroid doesn't magically appear. "This is Lieutenant Dren of the Skeelzanian Navy, recently of the cruiser Von Schultz. I don't believe we met back on the planet."

The pilot sitting in the cockpit of the Proteus fighter watches the many screens showing the feedback from the sensor packets dropped in orbit before landing. The data is being fed into the battle simulator for each ship and multiple combat situations are being run to determine the outcome.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v248/beldragos/proteus12.jpg

The pilot learns as much about each contestant before it is his turn to fly.

Bump. An IC post will have to wait until I get back from school. :( I swear it's coming though!

Quietly and unobtrusively, a Five Civilized Nations Meteor Class Assault Frigate winked into existence above Jitano. The vessel's powerful SuperNova Warpdrives shutting down, allowing the smaller Trinity Drives to take over. Slowly, the vessel proceeded towards the planet.

On the bridge, sitting next to the Captain, Colonel Londo Bell, Lord of Paserton, opened his eyes and gazed serenely upon the planet. Suddenly, the Comm Officer turned around and calmly said, "Sir, we have short-range communications identified as that from fighters..."

"Hm, looks like the party started before we arrived..." Londo replied as he stood and stretched. "Looks like I'll just have to barge in on the party..." Grinning wickedly, Londo turned and headed towards the lift and to the docking bay...

Minutes later, Londo Bell sat in the cockpit of his modified Nightmare Heavy Interceptor/Fast Gunship, warming the vessel up and preparing it for battle. Londo powered up the fighter's computer core and grinned when it came into existence.

Moments later, a list began to appear on the console:
Computer Core Online
Central Power Core Online
Engines Warmed and Online
Shields Online
Weapons Online

Satisfied that everything was ready, Londo Bell opened a channel with the bridge. "This is Colonel Londo Bell, Call Sign Darkness ready for launch..."

Acknowledged, Colonel... Docking Bay Doors Opening... Prepare for Launch...

A gaping maw suddenly opened on the underside of the frigate and the Nightmare shot out into space, accelerating towards the other fighters...

OOC; internet unreliable, third time i've tried to post, getting pissed, Xanthal and Berserker first, one on one, in space,

IC; "pilot Hokusa, your combat vector is 025-078, the engagement zone is 1000 miles in all directions, leaving the engagements zone once will be warned against, twice is summary disqualification, your opponent will be Lt. Zolkin, good luck pilot."

"Lt. Zolkin, your combat vector is 025-078, the engagement zone is 1000 miles in any direction, leaving the engagement zone during combat once will be warned against, twice will result in summary disqualification, good luck Lieutenant."

"to all Top Gun pilots, you are invited to come and view the first matchup of the trounanment, coordinates are 020-073."

"Well, I guess I better get up there with the rest of them."

Shadow, AKA Cpt Strom, powered up the engines. He felt the familliar presence in his mind as the Neurolink activated. He could feel the entire ship and knew it would respond to his thoughts.

The ship slowly rose straight into the air until it was in orbit. Shadow held position at coordinates 020-073.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v248/beldragos/proteus9.jpg

Treize ran his hands over the controls smoothly, smiling gently at the instruments, he powered the Basilisk up, he had been trained on the Dominator class, but the Basilisk was infinetly preferable, smoother flying, hyperspeed, and heavy weapons galore, he lifted the fighter off of the Hontick's deck, nodded to the deck crew and shot out of the bay, the air shield sizzling against his shields, he powered the light weapons that had been attached, and scowled, not enough time to properly sight in, he saw the few fighters at the engagements zone and made for them coming easily into place on the right
"Evening gentles, this looks like it should be quite a matchup, make sure to stay out of the engagements zone though." he said evenly, never one to show many emotions except with his fighter, Treize sat back in the seat, watching as the ships positioned themselves for the contest...

OOC: I'm going to ask/suggest these here as the forums aren't helping and the other thread is buried. Plus it will probably be answered quicker.

1st: Define the combat zone. Is it simply space combat, or is atmospheric allowed. In either case, what is the deck (minimal altitude), and zone size. (Say X thousand/hundred km by Y thousand/hundred km by Z thousand/hundred km)

2nd: This is a suggestion. I suggest the 5 second locks be used for "gun" kills. And that dummy missiles be used for missile kills. As a lock with a missile isn't nessicarily a kill.
(This would require the pilot to state which weapon they intend to use before gaining lock, so the computer knows wether or not to apply the 5 second lock rule [for guns]. The computer could also relay this to the opponents computer so that it knows when it is "dead" [however the pilot would not be notified of the nature of the lock])

3rd: I also suggest that the targeting computers (the ones doing the locking) be standardized. Either the same computers or just set to the same ranges and such. (This is suppost to be a test of skill rather than who can wank a lock from across the combat zone.)

OOC: Since he has questions he wants answered first, I'll let Berserker have the first IC post. Berserker, when you post IC I'll take that as the que that we're starting the actual fight. In the mean time, I'm reposting all my data here for my convenience.

The pilot:
Access date: June 7, 2544
Xanthalian database: Government database: Xanthalian government: Branches: Ministry of the Armada and Military: The Armada: Personnel: Fighter pilots: Hokusai, Kazuko:
http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Zorak950/Some%20other%20stuff/Elvy_Hadhiyat.jpg
Name: Kazuko Hokusai
Species: Xanthalian
Gender: Female
Age: 31
Height: 1.84 meters
Weight: 72.84 kilograms
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Brown
Physical condition: Excellent
I.Q.: 112
Rank: Pilot
Training: Basic, Advanced, Piloting, Dogfighting, Slipfighter piloting, Tactics.
Last training review: January 1, 2544
Review grade: A
Ministry assignment record: Trainee (2534), Slipfighter pilot (2539).
Current assignment: Special Operations Slipfighter Pilot.
Comments: Pilot Kazuko Hokusai is a strong officer, with a great deal of intelligence and cunning. Her reaction time is remarkable, and she is one of the Armada's best pilots. She is known to be quick to anger, and has been disciplined on multiple occasions for getting into fights with fellow officers. Her skills and temprament make her the perfect pilot.

The ship:
Modified Slipfighter class (one-man fighter): $300,000
A standard Xanthalian Slipfighter optimized for organic piloting. Extraordinarily quick and maneuverable, its weapons are only average and its defense is laughable.
http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v88/Zorak950/Ships/Slipfighter.jpg
Dimensions: 20 X 20 X 3 meters
-Impulse drive (0.5 SL)
-Quantum Slipstream drive (500,000,000 SL)
-Complement: 1 organic pilot, Chobit, or Chibit
-Neural Control System
-Powerplant: One Infinite Energy Core
-2 cluster missiles
-2 forward multiphasic disrupter banks
-Type II shields
-Atmospheric flight capable
-Landing capable

"So it is one on one...right." Dren banked away from the combat zone, instead heading for the Skeelzanian task force. He would get a better view of the battle from the bridge of the Von Schultz.

Lt. Kermit heads for the coordinates in his big Super Acolyte. He had just heard that the Super Acolyte was being replaced, so it would be up to him to make its last real "combat" flight a success.

He notices the various contacts on the HUD in his cockpit, different other fighters no doubt. His craft was probably the largest contact in the area, being, well, so large.

Kermit was perhaps the opposite of the regular fighter pilot. While he has a somewhat quick reaction time, it does not really matter in the sluggish control environment of the Acolyte. He has no real outstanding personality traits, and has served with the LRRSF since he was 20 or so, being now 45 years old.

"So it is one on one...right." Dren banked away from the combat zone, instead heading for the Skeelzanian task force. He would get a better view of the battle from the bridge of the Von Schultz.

OOC: This is still some prep Xan. Don't go shooting yet.

IC: Joe waved to the tiny camera again. Nice talking to you Dren. Tell you what, drinks on me when this is all said and done

OOC: Gee, didn't I just say that I was gonna wait for you?

OOC: Real aerial combat exercises normal require that the lock be "rear-aspect," behind the so called "3-9 line." This is a line that runs along the longitudial (pitch) axis of the craft (3 oclock to 9 oclock). This is done because a foward aspect shot has the lowest hit percentage of any engagement profile. It also makes the combat better balanced, as you have to do more than get the target in your sights, you have to work in behind them.

Single dogfights are usually begun with a head to head pass, with "fight-on" being the moment the two craft pass each other.

Also, if you are going to call it top GUN, why use missiles at all? They remove a larege percentage of the skill required of the pilot. Make it all "guns," i.e. 5 consecutive seconds under the gunsight, with a rear-aspect shot profile, and you have yourself a top GUN competition. It's not called top MISSILE after all.


Just a little friendly information from someont who has done a little bit of this before.

Karmabaijan: becuase using just guns would take away from the dogfight aspects, the way one dogfights is to try and take out with guns, but go for the sure thing if you've got it, it's a fairly simple plan actually,

Berserker: I already did define the combat zone, in space, with a 1000 mile limit in all directions from the designated coordinates, there are no asteroids nearby those coordinates but there are some farther out in the engagement zone. We can't standardize he missl sights because using an unfamiliar sight is a serious detriment to ones dogfighting capabilities

(OOC: Jitano, you do realize that that is a really small combat zone, right?)

yes, it allows for a greater amount of ship to ship contact than a huge combat zone

(OOC: Hehe... That's actually really good for my Heavy Interceptor/Fast Gunship...)

you see, win win

Karmabaijan: becuase using just guns would take away from the dogfight aspects, the way one dogfights is to try and take out with guns, but go for the sure thing if you've got it, it's a fairly simple plan actually,

Berserker: I already did define the combat zone, in space, with a 1000 mile limit in all directions from the designated coordinates, there are no asteroids nearby those coordinates but there are some farther out in the engagement zone. We can't standardize he missl sights because using an unfamiliar sight is a serious detriment to ones dogfighting capabilities
OOC: I mean standardize the ranges and capabilities. One can use whatever "sight" or information display format that they want. If someone has an OMG targeting computer that far outclasses everone else, then it falls into a contest of technology (or wank) and not pilot skills, and Top Gun is intended to be a test of skill.

I still suggest dummy missiles (guided but with dummy warheads), as a missile tone doesn't mean a missile kill.

OOC: Ah, this is where we are. was wondering what happened to this thread..

Berserker: I see what you mean, but guided missles can still cause damage to the fighter, a computer mishap could send a dummy missle into the engines and then...

But for the sights, I think you mean like miles and units and so forth? well I had planned on using the basic american mile, as for capabilities, i don't know what you want there

Berserker: I see what you mean, but guided missles can still cause damage to the fighter, a computer mishap could send a dummy missle into the engines and then...

But for the sights, I think you mean like miles and units and so forth? well I had planned on using the basic american mile, as for capabilities, i don't know what you want there
Example: Each opponent has a max lock range of X# miles. This keeps the competition about skill, rather than who's targeting computer is better.

OCC: I'll let you ponder what you said, till then...game on.

IC:
Iosif looked ahead of him. He could see approximately where the enemy contact was, but it was still far outside of engagment range and even further still from visual range.

Still, Joe focused on the glowing green triangle as the signal was given to start. Applying thrust on full, Joe streaked towards the Slipfighter, which was doing the same to him. They wouldn't begin fighting until they passed each other, a traditional fight-on.

Unblinking, he watched as the Slipfighter drew closer, waiting for the moment it would pass.

Kazuko Hokusai keeps her piercing eyes directly on her foe, monitoring both the tactical display and her visual lock. She is piloting a new brand of slipfighter, but with the rules in this game it barely matters. Her machine is one of the fastest and most agile fighters in the known universe. Defense, she always says, is irrelevant if they can't hit you. Her fingers move across the console in the tight cockpit in anticipation. Most Slipfighter pilots these days rely completely on their NCS, but Kazuko is different. She uses neural control and her panel in a kind of harmony that most of her compatriots can only dream of. As she streaks past her opponent at incredible combined speed, she imagines him as she saw him in his datafile; grim and calculating. This, she thinks to herself in that instant. This is what it's all about.
A hint of a smile pulls at the right corner of her mouth as she taps a button and her fighter's starboard missile deploys, almost instantly splitting open and deploying its cluster of warheads. With nothing in front of them to target, they do not ignite. Instead they begin to turn, searching for a target. Of course, she reminds herself, they aren't really warheads. Just probes with targeting computers. Kazuko banks her craft to port, slowing almost instantaneously to 5,000 kilometers per hour. She will let the missiles she has already deployed give her enemy something to worry about while she feels him out.

((Taggishness!))

"About bloody time."

"Yes sir, yes it is sir."

"Shut up cadet." Dren wasn't sure why the High Command kept stuffing whichever ship he was stationed on to the bulkheads with cadets. Maybe they were hoping he would eject a few. Zooming his vidscreen in on the Xanthal slipfighter, he watched Kazuko eject her missile pod. "Hmm. Selective-ignitors? Assuming she survives, I'll have to watchout for them. Wonder what their range is..."

The enthusiastic cadet piped up. "Perhaps they are duds-" Dren didn't let him finish the sentence before absent-mindedly smacking the teenager off his feet. Ignoring the gurgling noises behind him, Dren's attention returned to the fight.

OOC: I'm going to keep calling those probes missiles because I'm too thick-headed to do otherwise. Basically they're just what I discussed with Jitano earlier: probes equipped with individual targeting computers that simulate those on Xanthalian cluster missiles. Basically, they'll lock on to you just as a Xanthalian missile would, but there's no danger of them actually killing you.
...Just clarifying so you don't all start yelling at me.

OOC: I'm going to keep calling those probes missiles because I'm too thick-headed to do otherwise. Basically they're just what I discussed with Jitano earlier: probes equipped with individual targeting computers that simulate those on Xanthalian cluster missiles. Basically, they'll lock on to you just as a Xanthalian missile would, but there's no danger of them actually killing you.
...Just clarifying so you don't all start yelling at me.

OCC: I don't think a Skeelzanian would have much of a problem with someone "accidentally" dieing anyway. But I'm still a little confused, will the probes/missiles actually track and impact on a target?

OOC: No, J made it quite clear that he doesn't want any risk. The probes will move to keep locks on the target, but they won't engage the target. They've been programmed to simulate almost exactly the targeting capacity of a standard cluster missile. That includes the narrow lock-on radius. If they hadn't been modified for this function they'd have 360 X 360 degree tracking and that wouldn't be very fair, would it?

Kazuko Hokusai keeps her piercing eyes directly on her foe, monitoring both the tactical display and her visual lock. She is piloting a new brand of slipfighter, but with the rules in this game it barely matters. Her machine is one of the fastest and most agile fighters in the known universe. Defense, she always says, is irrelevant if they can't hit you. Her fingers move across the console in the tight cockpit in anticipation. Most Slipfighter pilots these days rely completely on their NCS, but Kazuko is different. She uses neural control and her panel in a kind of harmony that most of her compatriots can only dream of. As she streaks past her opponent at incredible combined speed, she imagines him as she saw him in his datafile; grim and calculating. This, she thinks to herself in that instant. This is what it's all about.
A hint of a smile pulls at the right corner of her mouth as she taps a button and her fighter's starboard missile deploys, almost instantly splitting open and deploying its cluster of warheads. With nothing in front of them to target, they do not ignite. Instead they begin to turn, searching for a target. Of course, she reminds herself, they aren't really warheads. Just probes with targeting computers. Kazuko banks her craft to port, slowing almost instantaneously to 5,000 kilometers per hour. She will let the missiles she has already deployed give her enemy something to worry about while she feels him out.

Joe watches as the Slipfighter flys past, seeing it, or rather the blur of it, only briefly. Without touching the throttle, Joe yawed the fighter about, verniers in the nose throwing the nose around to track the path of the other fighter. About this time the cockpit lit up, first one additional contact, which shortly became multiple smaller contacts.

Hmmm, cluster missiles. Similar to micro-missiles. Lesse, tactics...reduce time in sensor cone, get within minimum arming range.
Nodding to himself, Joe switching on the LAMS and re-applied throttle, halting the fighter's backwards direction and then sending it screaming back towards the cluster of missiles turning lazily in space. Heh, if I'm lucky I'll pass the missiles before they have time to arm and/or detonate themselves.

He kept the throttle on, prefering to keep accelerating as that would aide in confusing the missiles. Simultaneously, he set the LAMS to cover a forward arc, hopefully shooting the missiles directly in his flight path. No sense in denting my fighter. Heh, I wonder if the other pilot thinks I'm crazy.

OOC: How exactly does your LAMS work? Is it a targeted laser, like a PDL kind of thing, or does it blanket an area with a laser arc?

OOC: How exactly does your LAMS work? Is it a targeted laser, like a PDL kind of thing, or does it blanket an area with a laser arc?
OOC: It is a set of small rapid fire point defense lasers. (Not powerful enough to deal with standard armor load outs.) However, Missiles (especially those that would be tiny and inside a cluster missile) are generally unarmored. (or are at least tiny enough that any armor is too thin to matter).

Generally won't intercept all missiles, but enough to even the odds. And currently he's just hoping to clear a swath in front of him.


Other note: Letting missiles do the work for you is NOT the sign of a good pilot. This is a test of how skilled your pilot is, not how shiny your missiles are.


Other small note: Technically you the pilot are supposed to achieve missile lock for a kill. Dropping a bunch of missiles that then search and gain target locks autonomously wouldn't count as the pilot getting a lock, as the missiles are seperated, autonomous entities.

OOC: I said when this started how my missiles worked. Jitano expressed no problem with it. Also, what matters is both the pilot and the ship. Otherwise we would have been required to handicap all our vessels to the same level. The point is that it's how the pilots use their fighters that's important.

IC: The "cluster missiles", unignited, are sitting ducks. Four of the five probes are disabled, but the fifth picks up the enemy fighter as it passes and begins tracking the target. Kazuko, in the slipfighter, is impressed. Remarkable reaction time. A worthy opponent. Then, seeing her opponent's yawing motion, Can't get away from that at this range. Okay then... She pulls up sharply, using the Slipfighter's tight turn radius to face her rival. Watching the enemy complete his rotation towards her, she notes with satisfaction that one of her "missiles" has aquired its target. Yawing is nice, but it makes evasive action much harder! Firing off two quick shots of the low-level lasers that had been installed in place of damage-dealing disrupters for the purpose of this excercise, she accellerates to 20,000 kph., using jerky motions in an attempt to thwart any retaliation by her opponent before she can pass him. She also takes the opportunity to establish a target-lock.

OOC: Okay.......
1st: I yawed before the missiles, not after.

2nd: I haven't even posted reaching and passing the missiles. (But i've less complaint with that portion of the post)

3rd (and perhaps most important): Correct me if I'm wrong, but we're not supposed to shoot at each other. You're supposed to get a target lock, hold it for 5 seconds and that counts as a kill.

OOC: Is this going to be an OOC battle too? Okay.
1: Yawing 90 by 90 degrees takes at least one second to do. If you're still accellerating it takes even longer, and even if it doesn't you'll probably pass the missiles first, since that was your intention.
2: No, you haven't. But since you said that's what you were going to do I took the liberty.
3: The rules, as stated by Jitano, are that a five second missile lock counts as a kill and each hit with an energy weapon is worth one point.

OOC: I was under the impression that the hits rule had been rejected. Meh, rules page isn't working. Jintano, I suggest you summarize and post the rules clearly

IC:
Four of the five missiles vanish in a small clouds of various atoms and molecules. The fifth manages to gain a lock as he passes, it's tiny engine flaring ang propelling it after him.

Inside Joe's helmet a tone sounded, alerting him to the missile in the rear. He reset the LAMS to area-coverage and it swung about, tracking the tiny missile and letting off a few bursts in the missile's predicted flight path.

Joe didn't notice the lasers (as space had little matter to make them visible), but he did see his opponent flying at him. With a little application of vectored thrust and verniers, Joe swung the nose about once more, putting him in the rear aspect of the Slipfighter as it slipped past. Right in the sweetspot. The green targeting recticle passed over the Slipfighter, wobbling about it ever so slightly and finally, as if in triumph changing red. Yet another tone was present in Joe's helmet and Joe grinned a bit, letting off bursts of pulse laser as he did. Gotcha

Kazuko grins as she sees the single remaining missile destroyed. "Very worthy, indeed." She notes that her opponent has gained a lock on her. Ah, but good sir... I was first. As the Slipfighter passed its opponent, its pilot had taken the initiative and done some yawing herself. She still had Joe in her sights, with almost a full second of advantage. Now it's your turn to move. Kazuko brings her fighter to almost a full stop, ready to react to whatever her opponent tries.

BUMP!!!

OOC: Anxious, are we? :wink:

*shrugs* Not really...

OOC: Is this going to be an OOC battle too? Okay.
1: Yawing 90 by 90 degrees takes at least one second to do. If you're still accellerating it takes even longer, and even if it doesn't you'll probably pass the missiles first, since that was your intention.

OOC: I'm just going to ignore that first part. But to help you understand what I did, which was written pretty damn clearly, check this simple diagram. Click Here (http://pages.slu.edu/student/wohlfojm/Copy%20of%20flyby.jpg)

IC: Flipped on his ECM (designed to reduce the effective range at which an opponent can get a sensor lock, which in turn made long range locks unstable and easier to shake)

However Joe didn't run, at least not yet. He charged at the opposing slipfighter, juking back and forth lightly. As he got even closer he stopped juking, just heading straight at the Slipfighter, letting off pulse laser as he went.

At the last second Joe cut thrust, yanking the nose up. As he did, he applied a burst of thrust forcing the craft "down" relative to the Slipfighter. He kicked the main vectored thrust down, (relative to him) and reapplied thrust, along with full ventral vernier.

The fighter looked as if it would collide with the Slipfighter, but it didn't, the nose passing a mere meter underneath the Slipfighter, coming to stop relative to the Slipfighter. Joe was sweating profusely, the manuver being designed put the fighter within the opponent's pitch radius (and outside of their forward lock area). If his opponent had pitched down, his nose would have collided with the opponent's nose, and the two would be worse for wear.

Joe lost lock on the pitch up, but the computer sprang back to action as the fighter came beneath the Slipfighter, and he now had a good strong lock. As the lock tone began to blare Joe once again depressed the trigger for the pulse lasers.

OOC: That doesn't change my point.

IC: Kazuko laughs as she loses her missile lock 3.4 seconds in. "You're good, but you're also too eager." She applies thrust aft and dorsal, shooting out of the enemy's lock-on radius and the path of his energy blasts. This is going to get ridiculous really fast if it becomes a dodging match. We're too maneuverable for that. No one will ever win, not with a battlefield this small. She flips her craft, coming in below and behind her opponent. She sets her computer to auto-lock and opens up with her own lasers. Well, I might as well get some points until I get an opening for a good lock.

OOC wow a running argument and RP combination

From nowhere, came nothing. A sphere of nothing, in fact.

The probe was exceedingly small. Only ten meters across. It was also lost, confused, and ever so slightly angry.

OOC: Yeah. This is why OOC threads are doomed. Anyway, I really don't intend to keep going back and forth OOC. Unless we start over it's too late to change anything now anyway.

OOC:

"Alright, who sat on the remote and pushed the PAUSE button?"

Bump?

OOC: I'm still here, if anyone's wondering...

Meanwhile...

A few hundred kilometers away, the Skeelzanian cruiser spins on its verticle access, as the crew plays around with the directional thrusters. "Weeeeeeeeeeeee."

The pilot, bored of watching the two ships somehow frozen in time switched on a movie and sets an alarm to alert him if anything happens.

"I hope I get back soon, I need to return this rental before I get charged late fee. " He settles in to watch Rocky XXXV.

OOC: I appologize. I've been busy lately, and as it is, I leave for Field Training shortly. I will be withdrawing from competition. Good luck gentleman.

OCC: Oh, thats alright. Why don't you have your pilot freak out and push the self-destruct button, you can at least go out with a bang!

Berserker: I understand completely. Good luck out there, man.

Give him Honorable Mention since it is not his fault.

OOC; sorry about this fellas but my internet access is being cut off, you guys who have the internet should continue the competition, but I'm out, once again, very sorry

Argh! Okay, I propose that I withdraw from the competition and simply manage the matches and such, then declare a winner. Any objections?

OK with me.

Okay, next question. Who's still here?

I'm here...

As am I.

Okay, continue to report in everyone. In the mean time, the first matchup is between 5CN and Skeelzania. Battlefield and rules are the same as before. Make your IC posts and begin when ready!

OCC: Would you mind if I made the first offensive move? I'll let you post a start-up post, then I'll attack.

IC:
Centurion01, you are clear to launch in 5...4...3...2...1 launch

Dren thumbed the ignition switch, the rocket-catapult below him thundering to life. His fighter shot out perpindicularly to the Von Schultz, a side effect of strapping your launch-catapults onto a ships side. Rolling away from the cruiser, Dren quickly found his heading, reorienting his fighter towards the battefield. Behind him, the Von Schultz blinked out a patriotic message with her semaphore lights, which Dren acknowledge with a wing-dip.

His mind returning to the matter at hand, he clicked off the kilometers until he entered the battefield and faced his opponent. Crossing the imaginary boundry, he began scanning for the 5CN fighter.

(OOC: Urm... I'm gonna be offline for the next three days, so can Skeelzania fight someone else?)

Only if someone else shows up. If they do before you get back, they can fight instead.

OOC: Is anyone still here? I just rediscovered this Thread after the move burried it.

Well, I am. And since I appointed myself leader I'm declaring this contest dead/over. The move killed what was left of it. It was a good idea though, and I'd encourage someone to post a new thread.

I'm back... I was getting a blank page for a while when I tried to access the forums...

You two can have a battle if you want. You were the only ones here before the move, and it looks like you're the only ones left now.