NationStates Jolt Archive

Sanchez (president): "Today, the war against the tyrannical Melkor has begun. Many nations are already rallying on Melkor's beaches. But Melkor has many allies, and they, too, shall not go unpunished. So, it is with a heavy heart that I send our brave men and women into combat on the shores of Darkseed..."

(OOC: Darkseed is defending Melkor, I believe (if, for some reason, this turns out to be wrong, we can ignore the whole thing), and I'm invading, so this attack is justified. I'd prefer that others stay out of this and go to another front/Melkor, but whatever.

Darkseed, what are your defenses like? And are there any good islands or something off your coast to make a base on?)

IC: The fleet is under the command of Winston Yoltz. Fleet:

45 Type 42 Destroyers
30 Gurov class submarines
20 Type 23 Frigates
20 Cruisers
7 Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers

600 Phoenix III fighter planes
100 Merlin ASW Choppers

20,000 well-trained soldiers
500 Manticore I tanks

bump

OOC: you did TG darkseed correct?

OOC: you did TG darkseed correct?

I have TGed Darkseed the location of this thread, but I don't think that s/he's on right now. :( Ah well... troops are still ready and waiting.

OOC: I'm going to assume that any defensive measures (mines, and oil spills) that Melkor had taken for his coastline were passed down along the entire Arda region in the event of a multi-pronged invasion.

Our own defenses are something like the old Atlantic Wall from WWII, except upgraded with SAM sites and missile batteries, defended by 100,000 men along the entire run (about 23 miles).


IC: Admiral Gregory Frost looked over the map of the area with President Heinz. "Melkor doesn't need any help from our navy, just the army. Since there about 2 million in that area, we should divert everyone else to our coastal lines. Let's set up tank divisions 1, 2, and 5 in formations that would allow them to take the quickest route to any land that might be taken. Then, place the 3rd and 4th divisions behind them, staggered so they can reinforce any places taking any hits."

"Now, about our navy," the President continued. "We need to defend our coast at any cost. No invading men should reach our Western Wall. Have our submarines meet their fleet first. They should approach the rest later. For now, have the carriers fly CAPs around the area, but take no hostile actions until we can get some bombers into the air."

B-2 Bombers started up their engines at Darkseed's air force bases. Their primary mission was to take out the carriers first.

OOC: I have to go and do other things now. I should be back much later tonight, say 6 or 7 hours (worst case).

(OOC: OK)

IC:

"Sir, we have [insert number somewhere around the amount you sent] bombers coming at us from Darkseed."

"It shouldn't be a problem. Launch half of the Phoenix's. If the bombers still get through, our destroyers can fire."

"Right away, Admiral!"

"Oh, and tell the captains of the fleet to slow down and wait for the mine detecting ships! And get the subs firing on coastal defenses!"

"Yessir!"


In number terms:

300 Phoenix III's streak out from the carriers. Once they get within 150 km of the bombers, they will fire their EPX-200 missiles (range: 200 km). (depending on how many bombers there are, not all will fire). If the bombers still come on, they will continue firing.

The fleet grinds almost to a halt ~750 km from Darkseed's coast to wait for the mineships.

However, 15 Gurov class subs (with 10 tomahawks each) spread out into 5 groups (3 each) and head ~250 km ahead and then fire a total of 5 tomahawks each (75 missiles); 3 groups fire on fairly random locations, 2 groups fire on the location where I plan to land. Then, the subs retreat back to the fleet.

OOC: Oh, yeah, dunno exactly when I'll be on, but make a response to what I did, and maybe I'll be there, or, otherwise I'll respond to it when I get back.

The Commonwealth Army will support Mintar in this operation. We offer the following:

ARMY:
5 Infantry Divisions (30,000 Men Total; armed with AK-105s, RPG-7s, Stinger Missiles, Combat Shotguns and 200mm Mortars.
2 Armored Divisions (12,000 Crewmen; 1,320 IST-02A1 Heavy Tanks (M60s), 2,680 IST-01 Light Tanks (M41s)

NAVY:
CVN-01 'Freeport' (Nimitz-class)
6 'Rivera'-class Missile Cruisers (Ticonderoga-class)
40 Torpedo Boats w/ Supporting Craft
400 Landing Ship - Personnel (able to hold 10 people each)
150 Landing Ship - Tank (able to carry 8 IST-01 Light Tanks or 4 IST-02 Heavy Tanks)
60 F/A-18 Hornets
20 F-14 Tomcats

AIR FORCE:
16 F-16 Falcons
8 B-1B Lancers

Our navy will be in the area shortly and is deploying F-14s for carrier defense. 20 of our torpedo boats are being fitted with towed-array sonar and depth charges. To assist the torpedo boats, the missile cruisers will be carrying sonar bouys.

We will support Mintar in this operation. We can deploy a max. of 500 F/A-2000s, and a max. of 3 Naval Battlegroups.

Please state the aid needed.

Island states....
First, that's a lot of tanks for an armored divison...a british battlegroup only has around 56 tanks...

Second, a 200mm mortar? don't you mean a 20mm mortar? and are you on the list?

OOC: I was unaware that wars seperate of the main engagement were under the jurisdiction of the list. We're withdrawing immediately.

OOC: Aid is uneccesary at the moment. I'm trying to keep this a 1v1 for my head's sake. :D Anyway, you could invade:

Addamous (245 mil)
The Phyrexian Horde (97 mil)
Dulcarnon (67 mil)

Anyway, sorry, I'd prefer to keep this a 1v1 unless Darkseed gets some allies, too. Sorry. :?

OOC: Ah well, we can invade Phyrexian Horde first.

OOC: Check Roania thread, he's engaged in that...

OK, number time. Second wave, following not far behind the first one includes:

20 Mine-sweeping ships
10 SSN submarines
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
2 aircraft carriers
1 Battleship

100 f-117's
250 Phoenix III's

30,000 infantry
500 M1A2 Abrams tanks

10 of Darkseed's SSNs approach the fleet. Their orders are to commence firing on any ship that may hinder bombing efforts of the B2s (15 of which which are en route). 25 F-16s armed with Harpoon missiles also leave the air force base in hopes to slow the fleet's advance.

Another 5 subs have been tasked to fire at the minesweepers. Their objective is to make the sweepers look as if they have actually hit mines, and have not been hit by torpedos.

Missiles start falling in the area of the wall. The men hold their positions, and prepare to counterattack. 50 missiles are fired in the first volley, followed by 50 more 30 seconds later.

a) 50 Merlin choppers are dispatched to deal with all 15 submarines.
b) The 250 Phoenix III's launch 75 EPX-200 missiles at the oncoming planes. The EXP-200 missile has a range of 200 km, so your fighters, depending on what missiles you have, may not have gotten a chance to fire back. The missiles are launched at the bombers and fighters equally.
c) OOC: just confirming, your missile batteries have a range of 500 km?

a) 50 Merlin choppers are dispatched to deal with all 15 submarines.
b) The 250 Phoenix III's launch 75 EPX-200 missiles at the oncoming planes. The EXP-200 missile has a range of 200 km, so your fighters, depending on what missiles you have, may not have gotten a chance to fire back. The missiles are launched at the bombers and fighters equally.
c) OOC: just confirming, your missile batteries have a range of 500 km?

OOC: About c), I figured that if you were able to fire at the coast, you were within firing range (unless I read something wrong, in which case, I'm sorry). Also, I'm assuming the vertical range of your SAMs caught my high-altitude bombers

IC: Admiral Frost looked over the projections in the main battle room. "All of our inbound planes were taken out by SAMs. We're going to need a lot more firepower than that if we're going to take out the carriers. Send in the carrier groups to take care of that fleet! Our submarines must make their targets!"

In the ocean off of Darkseed's coast, the submarines dove into deeper water, in hopes of evading the helicopters that were in pursuit. The 4 main battlegroups, each consisting of:

1 Nimitz Class Carrier
3 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
3 Ticonderoga Class Cruisers
2 Iowa Class Battleships
4 Oliver Hazard Perry ClassFrigates

took to the sea. The fight was evening up now, and once those pesky AA systems were out of the way, the bombers could have a field day with the fleet.

OOC: Out for a little bit more.

I dont have any thing agianst Melkor. I would help but i dont know who and i have nothing agianst melkor. I have heard he is evil or something but seen no proof, if some one could show me proof that he is evil or something we will join mintar and others agianst him and allys.

I dont have any thing agianst Melkor. I would help but i dont know who and i have nothing agianst melkor. I have heard he is evil or something but seen no proof, if some one could show me proof that he is evil or something we will join mintar and others agianst him and allys.

I dont have any thing agianst Melkor. I would help but i dont know who and i have nothing agianst melkor. I have heard he is evil or something but seen no proof, if some one could show me proof that he is evil or something we will join mintar and others agianst him and allys.

OOC:Sorry i post three times, i had really bad internet connection for some time.

I dont have any thing agianst Melkor. I would help but i dont know who and i have nothing agianst melkor. I have heard he is evil or something but seen no proof, if some one could show me proof that he is evil or something we will join mintar and others agianst him and allys.

OOC: Bleh, please, no hijacking. Anyway, yes, Melkor is evil, but go to another thread to talk about this.

I dont have any thing agianst Melkor. I would help but i dont know who and i have nothing agianst melkor. I have heard he is evil or something but seen no proof, if some one could show me proof that he is evil or something we will join mintar and others agianst him and allys.

OOC: Bleh, please, no hijacking. Anyway, yes, Melkor is evil, but go to another thread to talk about this.
OOC:yes sorry i made one and i agree if you let me we will help the attack on Darkseed. We aircraft that we can sedn with speacil forces.

OOC: About c), I figured that if you were able to fire at the coast, you were within firing range (unless I read something wrong, in which case, I'm sorry). Also, I'm assuming the vertical range of your SAMs caught my high-altitude bombers

IC: Admiral Frost looked over the projections in the main battle room. "All of our inbound planes were taken out by SAMs. We're going to need a lot more firepower than that if we're going to take out the carriers. Send in the carrier groups to take care of that fleet! Our submarines must make their targets!"

In the ocean off of Darkseed's coast, the submarines dove into deeper water, in hopes of evading the helicopters that were in pursuit. The 4 main battlegroups, each consisting of:

1 Nimitz Class Carrier
3 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
3 Ticonderoga Class Cruisers
2 Iowa Class Battleships
4 Oliver Hazard Perry ClassFrigates

took to the sea. The fight was evening up now, and once those pesky AA systems were out of the way, the bombers could have a field day with the fleet.

OOC: Out for a little bit more.

a) (Subs) half of the Merlins fire at the subs, then retreat back to the fleet.

b) (Your fleet) OOC: Actually, they aren't SAMs, they're fighters. :)
IC:

After grinning about shooting down 40 enemy planes at the cost of only missiles, an aid tapped the Admiral on the shoulder.

"Sir, an enemy fleet is approaching!"
"How many?"
"It appears to be about 42 ships."
"Get those F-117's in the air, and fire those Yakhonts! Then, if they're still coming, prepare to blow that fleet to bits!"
"Yessir!"

The 100 F-117's rise into the air and fire 100 Yakhont-3 missiles ( http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52769 Basically, very hard to shoot down, so these should still do significant damage to your fleet.), if your fleet is still relatively intact, they will fire another 100 before coming back down. Meanwhile, all defending ships prepare for a battle.

OOC: What's on those carriers, btw?

c) http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/missiles/wep-toma.html . Says that the tomahawk range is well over 500 km, the range at which my subs are. It's certainly possible to have missiles go that far, but it seems unlikely and expensive (why pay so much when you can get a sub or something for that much?), I think.

OOC:yes sorry i made one and i agree if you let me we will help the attack on Darkseed. We aircraft that we can sedn with speacil forces.

Sorry, I'm not looking for help here. Melkor has other allies that need invading. See: http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=60859
for the war on Melkor.

Clarification post.

Mintar has:

45 Type 42 Destroyers
30 Gurov class submarines
20 Type 23 Frigates
20 Cruisers
20 Mine-sweeping ships
10 SSN submarines
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

850 Phoenix III's
100 F-117's
100 Merlin ASW chopers

50,000 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
500 M1A2 Abrams tanks
500 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

The 100 F-117's rise into the air and fire 100 Yakhont-3 missiles ( http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52769 Basically, very hard to shoot down, so these should still do significant damage to your fleet.), if your fleet is still relatively intact, they will fire another 100 before coming back down. Meanwhile, all defending ships prepare for a battle.

OOC: What's on those carriers, btw?

c) http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/missiles/wep-toma.html . Says that the tomahawk range is well over 500 km, the range at which my subs are. It's certainly possible to have missiles go that far, but it seems unlikely and expensive (why pay so much when you can get a sub or something for that much?), I think.

Entirely OOC: F-117's on a carrier? I don't think that's very plausible. Where do you store them? As for the Yakhont-3, I think a pretty good Phalanx system would take at least 50-65% of them out, plus the other systems in place to deter missiles.

On my carriers are mainly F-14s for attack purposes, with P3C Orions and an assortment of helicopters.

I don't feel like responding to the attack now, though, at 2 a.m., and I want to know how the F-117 on a carrier thing works first. Don't forget though that I should be able to detect them before they reach firing range.

Deep in the bowels of the Central Emergency Command Bunker, Governor-General Al-Zwahiri sighed as the reports came in.

It had begun.

The fighters had long been ready, kept on constant alert since the first airstrike days earlier. The bombers were fueled up and tooled to sink ships. With a single call, the 1st and 3rd Air Fleets were dispatched to destroy as many fleet assets that had parked themselves off of Arda as possible. Three hundred bombers, escorted by as many fighters, took off to indiscrimetly bomb they enemy fleet. Each bomber carried four Typhoon-2 missiles, top of the line Anti-Ship Missiles. The fighters carried four light Firehawk AAMs, to keep enemy fighters off of the bombers. They estimated that it would only take six minuites after the group was airborne for them to get into launch range. Not long at all...

"Delta Lead, this is Taxi Company Lead, come in please."

"This is Delta Lead, I copy."

"Delta Lead, take Alpha, Bravo, and Zeta and take point. Gamma, Epsilon, take port, Theta, Omega, take star, and Beta, Tau, Kappa, take tail. Taxi Co, Greyhound Co, and Transit Co are ready to go for a ride. Fare is two ninety-nine, and we are ready to depart."

The signal had been givin, and the mulitiude of aircraft set off at 8,000 feet. Death was coming.

(ooc: this was from the main thread. Now, it's coming for you, Mintar. Hope ya'll don't mind. :))

"Taxi Co Lead, this is Alpha-Two. We have aquird targets, bearing oh-six degrees south, four hundred miles, closing. An enemy carrier fleet, numbering seven-odd capital ships, plus heavy escort. Engage target?"

"Roger that Alpha-Two. All squads, bear down, and target away."

Six hundred craft slowly turned to the south east, and activated their targetting radar's. The massive power spike was not something that could have gone unnoticed...

http://www.invisible-defenders.org/programs/f-117/af-117x/af-117x.htm

Darkseed: Not very well versed in what can and cannot be held on a carrier, so if this website is completely inaccurate, then forgive me, and we'll make those 100 Phoenix IIIs shooting instead.

As to the Yakhonts, sure, depending on your system, you could shoot down a lot. So, if you get 60% that's 80 missiles that are hitting, which should deal quite a bit of damage.

United Indiastan: OOC: Ack... am I gonna have to call in allies, or is this a one time thing? :( Anyway...

IC:

"Admiral, we've got a problem, here."
"What is it?" Yoltz growled. "Can't I do one thing without YOU coming up and saying that 'we have a problem'?"
"Well no sir, because this is an NS war and I've got to tell you everything that's happening, and if nothing's happening that means we're waiting."
"Ugh... never mind. What is it?"
"We've got about 300 bombers coming at us, with fighter protection, too."
"Well, why do you need me to tell you what to do? Get those Phoenix's in the air (again)!"

600 Phoenix's shot out from the carriers and prepared to engage the enemy air force. As soon as the Phoenix's got within range (200km=124 miles) they each launched an EPX-200 missile at a target (fighters and bombers targeted about equally).

The 45 destroyers ready their Sea Dart system (range ~80 km) for any bomber (only) that gets within range. If the bombers get past that, the Phoenixs will attempt to jam their missile systems as a last resort.

Don't forget though that I should be able to detect them before they reach firing range.

Well, the Yakhont range is 800 km. Can you fire at my F-117 (or Phoenix III's as they may turn out to be) from that range?

OOC: Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about this. I didn't even know about the F-117 thing, but it looks OK to me. I'll reply when I get back later today.

OOC: Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about this. I didn't even know about the F-117 thing, but it looks OK to me. I'll reply when I get back later today.

OK, is good. :) I look forward to continuing the RP.

Darkseed's ships start moving towards the inbound Mintar fleet, steaming ahead to get within missile range. Admiral Frost's CIC abounds with activity, when suddenly all alarm systems go off. The E-767s flying overhead begin tracking multiple inbound missiles headed towards the fleet. F-14s are dispatched to take care of the planes that delivered the missiles, and the carriers race to get their remaining flight groups off the decks.

Phalanx systems on every ship fire up, ready to rapid-fire any missile that comes into their sights.

An E-767 relays the flight paths of the planes, and tries to radar lock on them. All F-14s are given weapons free clearance. They race foward on afterburner, but don't turn on their individual radars. They'll rely on the E-767s for that.

The ships, still steaming ahead, begin firing cruise missiles at the ships of Mintar. A total of 125 missiles are rapid fired from their tubes, and crews start mounting up for another go-around. Some of them would not be that lucky.

The massive gatling guns start firing at the missiles as they draw within range. Most of them are destroyed, but the numbers were just too great for the system to handle. Ships begin rapidly changing course and speed, in a last-ditch effort to save their crews. The missiles hit the ships and explode upon impact.

Admiral Frost looks out at the fleet. Fires and explosions have take out about a third of the fleet, spread out among the outer ships of the carrier group. Frost gives the order for all ships to remain at their positions, if immobile, and to fire off as much as they can at Mintar's fleet. All ships not damaged are to continue on their course.

More air squadrons are arriving in the area now, and most are rearming and retanking on the ground, and then taking off for bombing runs on the fleet. They plan to follow in the 300 other bombers already on their way. A squadron of 35 B1-Bs escorted by F/A-18s and F-16s form up behind the other wave of bombers.


OOC: I don't know how your fleet is lined up, so for now:

Secret IC: Frost gives the order for submarine groups 6 and 7 to get out of sonar range of Mintar's fleet, approach it from the behind, and take out the landing craft. If there are no landing craft, this engagement can turn into one where Mintar's forces are left in Darkseed's territory with nothing to do but fight their way back to the open waters, with no beach to hold.

OOC: More to come much later (everybody picked a bad week to go to war)

a) It had begun. The remaining Phoenix's (250) rose into the air and fired their long range missiles at any incoming bombers and fighters that came within range. F-117's (100) continued to fire ASMs.

Meanwhile, giant guns on the fleet's ships roared to life. Javelin missiles were fired at oncoming cruise missiles, and Sea Darts and Cruise Missiles and the like were returned (~200 missiles, two per ship until they reload). The subs also return fire with spearfish missiles (40 subs = 40 missiles until reloading).

OOC: BTW, how close are our fleets? The F-117's are pretty much with my fleet as the Yakhont range is the same as the range for these missiles we're firing.

Edit: You can fire AA missiles at the F-117's though. I can't tell if you are or are trying to get close or what... sorry... :?

Despite the fleet's best efforts, many cruise missiles get through.

7 Destroyers
3 Gurov Subs
3 Frigates
2 Cruisers
2 Mine Sweeping ships

are down. Many more ships are damaged.

78 soldiers were also killed when a missile hit and damaged a transport. Current fleet:

38 Type 42 Destroyers
27 Gurov class submarines
18 Cruisers
18 Mine-sweeping ships
17 Type 23 Frigates
10 SSN submarines
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

850 Phoenix III's
100 F-117's
100 Merlin ASW chopers

49,922 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
500 M1A2 Abrams tanks
500 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

b) Still waiting for Indiastan...

c) The Merlin choppers are deployed to protect the transports as they will have little use in combat against an enemy navy at this range and will not do anything if they are simply shot down on a deck.

Edit: If you don't think that this is realistic (which is fine by me), I'll deploy them when/if I see subs or your subs start shooting down transports.

With losses expected, Mintar is reinforcing it's navy with an extra 20 SSNs and 20 Type 42 destroyers (they won't arrive until after the battle, obviously).

OOC: My current in battle fleet

3 fully capable Nimitz Class Carriers
1 damaged Nimitz with only one catapult still in tact
4 fully capable Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
2 damaged but still firing Destroyers
5 Ticonderoga Class Cruisers
3 Iowa Class Battleships
5 fully capable Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates
2 damaged and still firing

My fleet is steaming towards yours, so we can get the Iowas in range. My carriers are rapidly unloading jet fighters, all with their radars off and the E-767s guiding them.

We're not in range of your fleet for AA yet, but our fighters are on the way.

The helos around the transports are a good tactical idea, and so they're fine already having been deployed.

IC: Admiral Frost looked over his maps again. Things were going well, but not well enough. "Call up some more ship reserves from the beach. They can reinforce our current position and try to eradicate Mintar's navy. Call up two more carrier groups."

Sailing full steam into battle come 2 more Nimitzes and their respective battle groups. They launch their planes immediately, and group up out of Mintar's firing range. 75 F-14s and 75 F/A-18s gunned their engines and moved towards the group. By now, the remaining 3 carriers had launched their air groups, putting close to 500 naval aircraft in the sky. Combined with the F-16s and F-18s from land, there were close to 750 of Darkseed's fighters in the sky, with more reinforcements coming from the southeastern front (invasion of Melkor).

The navy fighters began searching for the F-117s, which would be easy targets due to their lack of counterattack. The E-767 began emitting huge amounts of microwaves, and soon a few were spotted. Assuming to be flying in formation, 30 F-14s were tasked to use all their available missiles to fire at the F-117s. Soon, 120 missiles flew towards the bombers, but not before they could get another wave of anti-ship missiles. That was their final mistake. Firing the missiles gave the F-14s true targets for their missiles to home in on.

The rest of the 45 F-14s and 75 F/A-18s were tasked to stop those Phoenixes.

The mission of the F-16s was to find enemy surface targets and use their harpoon or HARM missiles to do as much damage as possible. The non carrier-based F-18s were to act as the main line of defenses, to ensure the F-16s reached their targets. F-18s would lock on and fire at any Phoenix thought to be a threat to the F-16s.

Admiral Frost's command ship registered the missiles coming from the F-117s, brought to them by the wonderful E-767s that were doing a spectacular job. Now that a fierce air battle was happening, another two were dispatched from a nearby air force base, as the time was coming for the others to tank up. After tanking though, they would stay in the air and monitor the different aspects of the battle.

Onboard the ships engaged in the main battle, warning lights started going off, and the ship radars took over the automated controls of the Phalanx system. Thousands of rounds were expended again in an attempt to stop every inbound missile, but there was just not enough time. Explosions rocked more of the outer ships of the fleet. The inner ships favored a little better, due to the longer time the Phalanx system had to deal with the inbounds. Fire control systems activated on almost every ship, and lifeboats could be seen covering the ocean now. Darkseed's current forces would probably not withstand another round of missiles, and definitely not two. The valiant sailors retained their posts until the last possible minute, firing off as many cruise missiles as they could. At least 50 were fired from the damaged ships, many causing the remaining rounds to ignite and thus ending the ships' careers in Darkseed's navy.

Admiral Frost ordered two of the submarine groups to go for the mine hunting ships yet again, in an attempt to confuse them in the battle. If the mine ships were lost, the fleet would not make it to Darkseed's shore intact.

The submarines tasked to the landing craft were taking their time now, being careful not to be detected at all. They were running slowly and silently, tracking the landing craft. "Sir, if we can get to a high enough depth without being detected, then we stand the chance of shooting down those landing craft. We show only surface activity, and no sign of enemy subs. If we wait too long, then those forces might overtake our navy and get to the shore. We can fire and immediately dive back down to a safe depth."

"Alright, we can get these torps out and then take care of business," said the captain of the lead SSN. "Flood torpedo bays 1 and 3.... Open outer doors.... Match bearings and shoot!"

"Torpedoes away," said an ensign.

"Dive, dive dive!!! Make your course 159, full speed ahead!!"

The other submarines, taking the message from their leader, began firing their torpedoes too.

OOC: Here is my current fleet in battle:

2 fully functional Nimitz Class Carriers
1 severely damaged Carrier
3 fully capable Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
2 Ticonderoga Class Cruisers
1 Iowa Class Battleship
2 damaged, but battle ready
3 fully capable Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates
2 damaged and still firing

Fleet en route (to arrive in 2 posts or 16 RL hours, whatever comes first):
2 Nimitz Class Carriers
8 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
8 Ticonderoga Class Cruisers
10 Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates

Even more OOC: Phew, that was a lot. It is very much my bedtime now.

"Taxi Co lead, this is Uptown Bravo. Your targets are right ahead of you, launch when locked. Over and out."

"This is Taxi Company lead to Taxi, Transit, and Greyhound companies, launch is. go. Repeat, launch is go. Range is 100 clicks and closing, launch at ninety, over."

"Taxi Company lead this is Delta-One. Launch order confirmed. Thirty seconds to zero-hour. Over"

"Copy that Delt-One. We a-go. Seems our pals have been laying the ground for us, lets not let them down."

The huge bomber fleet came into range shortly thereafter, not far behind the first wave of Darkseed craft, but still ahead of the second. As they saw the first two air fleets battle, the Valkyries dropped their missiles. Each dropped four missiles from their bomb bay, and in under sixty seconds, two waves of six hundred missiles streaked towards their targets on the water. Once the missiles were away, the bombers came about, heading for home. However, the day wasn't over.

"This is Uptown Bravo to Delta-One. You are to take all squads to engage enemy fighters and provide assistance to Darkseed. The bombers will return un-escorted. Over."

"Delta-One to all squads, go to attack speed and arm missiles. We're going in. All squads go."

The Scion fighters were as numerous as the bombers, and quickly they started scanning for targets. They armed their Flamestrike AAMs, and bored in on the aerial scrum that had ensued as a result of the first Darkseed attack. This wasn't going to be pretty."

a) OOC: I think your 2nd fleet should arrive after the battle is finished. I mean, we're fighting ~750 km ~460 miles off your coast, remember. Moving at 30 knots = 36 MPH, it would take over 12 hours to get there (although you'd get in firing range sooner). As to fighters coming from Melkor, won't they have to stop and refuel? Well, w/e. Anyway...

IC: Once again Javelin missiles flew into the air to block incoming cruise missiles. Yoltz smiled. There weren't half as many as before. Then he noticed the fighters grouping.
"God-- tell the fighter pilot's to fire!" The remaining 250 Phoenix's shot out 200 AA missiles in return, in addition to attemtping to jam enemy equipment, and firing counter missiles. Chaff and flares are also dropped but it is too late for many of the bombers and 23 go down in great explosions. A few pilots ejected, but for most it was too late.
"Damn..." Yoltz muttered. "Get those destroyers firing. We can't afford to lose any more bombers."

(Numbers):
Casulaties:
23 F-117's
2 Phoenix III's

3 Cruisers
2 Destroyers

Destroyers fire half at your fighters, half at your ships. Cruisers, subs, frigates, carriers (as best they can), and subs fire all at your ships. F-117's fire at your ships, then quickly move so as not to be spotted by your radar.

So:
~235 AA missiles coming at your fleet.
~250 missiles coming at ships


b) OK, the air battle between the fighters should be over fairly fast; I outnumber you 2:1 (in fighters) and my planes are high quality (yours probably are too, just saying), although the phoenixs are still directing some missiles toward your bombers. So... after launching 600 AA missiles at both the fighters and bombers, and attempting to jam your equipment and having Ticonderoga cruisers fire at your bombers, how many missiles totaly were launched?

At any rate, 33 Phoenix's down in the figher battle. Yours?

c) "Take that allies of Melkor!" shouted a captain in an SSN as he launched another spearfish.
Blip.
"Hey, what's that on the sonar? Awwww $^*&! They've got subs in here! Alert the Merlins!" he yelled.

The 100 choppers moved to fire on the subs, hoping to kill them before they could deal significant damage to the fleet.

(Numbers):
445 soldiers
12 M1A2 Abrams tanks
3 Mineships

killed/destroyed. Total fleet:

36 Type 42 Destroyers
27 Gurov class submarines
15 Cruisers
15 Mine-sweeping ships
17 Type 23 Frigates
10 SSN submarines
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

815 Phoenix III's
100 Merlin ASW chopers
77 F-117's

49,477 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
488 M1A2 Abrams tanks
500 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

"Sir, we're having more problems. Our fighters are just taking each other out, but he has about 50 more than us. We need more air support."

Losses:
23 F-14s
18 F-18s

1 Nimitz
2 Destroyers
1 Cruisers
2 Battleships
3 Frigates

Admiral Frost scowled, looking at the readouts on his screen. The second aspect of the fleet was approaching, but not fast enough. They were nearing conventional firing range, but...

"Sir, we still have our submarine fleet, and they seem to be doing well. There have been no shots fired upon us, and we are sinking transports."

"Yes, but not fast enough!" The Admiral yelled. "The second wave is carring the Yellowjackets, right?"

OOC: The Yellowjacket is a small missile, built to be fired from a ship, but with one major difference. It skims about 25 feet above the surface of the water, and combined with its stealth design and small size, it is virtually indetectable by radar. It has a range of about 500 miles, but runs more slowly due to the needs of fuel efficiency.

IC: "As soon as the second wave is in range, tell them to fire as many Yellowjackets they can get their hands on. Have our sub groups tasked to the sinking of transports (about 15) continue their operations. Have the others seek and destroy any SSNs that might be in the area. Sub Groups 8 and 9 (16 subs in all) sink some of those destroyers. Task a few fighter squadrons to shoot down those helicopters too."

Semi-IC:
To sum up:
15 subs coming at your landing craft
30 subs coming at your other subs
16 subs coming at your destroyers
50 fighters coming for your ASW helos
150 Yellowjackets locked on to your ships

2 Nimitz
1 Destroyer
1 Cruiser
1 Battleship
2 Frigates

Continuing to fire cruise missiles (about 100 total)

OOC: Since my fleet was in my waters, I think it's OK for them to be able to arrive, since they were tasked to defend.

Also, the fighters were fully loaded up, and all they had to do on their way was re-tank midair. About 200 of them will arrive in my next post.

OOC: My Merlins fired at your subs. Casualties?

Mmmmm... the yellowjacket sounds very similar to the Yakhont-3. Anyway, I think I'll assume that your reinforcements will get here at about the time mine come. Sound good?

IC:

Those subs would be a problem. There seemed to be about 50 or 60 of them, which was not good. But Mintar had fought subs before and this was nothing new.

"Finish off those surface fleets and make those subs wish they'd never come within a thousand miles of our fleet!" shouted the Admiral.

Just then, there was a large explosion on a destroyer as a torpedo hit it. And then, even as AA missiles flew to intercept them, several missiles blew what was left of the destroyer to bits. The battle wasn't over yet.

Numbers:

Casualties:

26 Merlins
18 Phoenix III (btw, the Phoenix is higher quality/more expensive than F-18's/F-14's in general)

8 destroyers
5 gurov subs
5 ssns
3 cruisers
2 frigates

244 infanty killed
8 Manticore tanks destroyed/sunk

Return fire:

Ships now split their fire between air and the rest of your fleet while using their separate sub systems to fire on the subs.

~200 AA missiles from Phoenix's, plus hamming attempts (is the jamming having any effect?)
~50 AA missiles coming from ships
Total:
~250 AA missiles.

Sea:
~50 missiles from the ships.
~70 missiles from F-117's
Total:
~120 missiles

Which, I think should about finish your surface fleet, since they're only 7 ships left (is your Admiral on one of them, BTW?).

Subs:

Each destroyer can fire 6 anti-submarine torpedos (2x guns with 3 torpedos each), so that works out to ~160 (taking off some for damage etc) torpedos. Each Gurov sub has 2 torpedo holes. So that's ~40 torpedos. Cruisers have about 10 torpedo tubes, say they fire ~6 each, depending. That's another ~70 ASW torpedos. SSNs have 4 torpedo tubes = ~20 torpedos. Finally, the Merlins that remain fire another ~70 missiles (in addition to the ~100 that they fired initially). Total: is somewhere around 360 torpedos fired at your 61 subs.

Landing craft attempt to move away from the subs as best they can, but it will do little good.

Remaining forces:

28 Type 42 Destroyers
22 Gurov class submarines
15 Mine-sweeping ships
15 Type 23 Frigates
12 Cruisers
5 SSN submarines
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

797 Phoenix III's
77 F-117's
74 Merlin ASW chopers

49,233 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
488 M1A2 Abrams tanks
492 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

Reinforcements:

20 Type 42 destroyers
20 SSN subs
(enroute; to arrive when yours arrive, about)

200 Phoenix III's which will be carried on carriers NOT joining the fleet, and/or refueled in flight to take the vacant spots of already destroyed planes/helis.
10 Cruisers
(these forces are being sent now; they will NOT arrive when your second fleet comes)

"Sir, our fleet numbers are rapidly approaching zero. We need to fall back and regroup."

"Yes, that will do." The Admiral said. "Our ships will all retreat at once. Tell them to steam full speed towards our location, where we will regroup."

The remaining ships that were able to maneuver turned about face and began their boilers and nuclear reactors steaming at maximum capacity.

"We'll show them what Darkseed's ground forces are made of."

OOC: Don't forget about having to make your way through the mines and randomly placed objects in the water that is intended to thwart your approach to the steep, heavily guarded coast.

Yoltz sneered as what remained of the enemy fleet sailed away, missiles from the ships flying into their backs (parting shots). What had Darkseed thought that they could do against their might? He laughed. (What can I say... we're a haughty nation). He did not bother to pursue the fleet; a few ships didn't matter. What mattered was the beach-head. Yoltz paused a moment, then sighed. It had been a hard battle with over a thousand deaths. But they had won...

"Fire tomahawks at their positions. We'll see how well they hold up then." (Tomahawk range = over the range we're at now, so I don't have to move) Ships not undergoing reapairs fire off their missiles at any coastal defenses/armies/bases detected on radar. Other ships search for survivors (of theirs, I doubt anyone from Darkseed got this far) or start necessary repairs.

Number:

~60 tomahawk missiles fired total by the fleet.

The fleet will move slowly forward, waiting for the first bach of reinforcements and the Phoenix's (the Phoenix's will get here early because they're flying part of the way) and will continue to fire tomahawks periodically (unless for some reason we completely destroy everything or you retreat, which would be... odd...) with more and more accuracy each time.

(This is what I have including reinforcements that I've waited for. Depending on where the next "battle" is (either raids, fleets, or d firing at me) I may or may not have 10 of those cruisers. If it's at the coast, however, I will.)

48 Type 42 Destroyers
25 SSN submarines
22 Gurov class submarines
22 Kirov Cruisers
15 Mine-sweeping ships
15 Type 23 Frigates
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

997 Phoenix III's
77 F-117's
74 Merlin ASW chopers

49,233 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
488 M1A2 Abrams tanks
492 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

Reinforcements: none

Coastal Defense warning sirens began sounding. There were missiles on the way, and this meant the beginning of the invasion. Phalanx systems were activated, and 45 of the missiles were shot down. The remaining 15 hit the ultra reinforced walls and did major damage to them. No structural integrity was lost, but now gaping holes led the way into Darkseed. Reinforcements were being called to that area, and engineers raced to repair the damages.

The missile batteries located behind the walls shot off 50 of their tomahawk missiles back at the closing ships, sending them at the oncoming warships.

Ships manuever and fire anti-missiles, but it's just not enough for some.

2 Destroyers and 1 Cruiser suffer enough damage to start sinking as their crews race out on life boats and attempt to salvage what equipment they can. The fleet's progress is halted as the ships prepare to return fire. Tomahawks and other sea-to-ground missile take off from the ships and head toward the coast.

The fleet's still pretty far out from your coast, so I can't use my fighter/bombers yet. However, 10 Phoenix's are equipped with a ground missile/bomb and head out to the Darkseed coast, losely grouped. They are stealthy (for what it's worth) although they are not made to carry anti-ground weapons (but they can. They'll just be not so big, and not as accurate). They should reach the coast in about 7 minutes to drop their payload, and the retreat.

Numbers:

~170 missiles heading toward missile batteries, although some will inevitably hit the walls or engineers attempting to fix them.
10 Phoenix III's with anti-surface weaponry to reach the coast in 7 minutes.

Current fleet numbers (what would I do w/o copy and paste!):

46 Type 42 Destroyers
25 SSN submarines
22 Gurov class submarines
21 Kirov Cruisers
15 Mine-sweeping ships
15 Type 23 Frigates
9 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
5 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 Battleship

997 Phoenix III's
77 F-117's
74 Merlin ASW chopers

49,233 infantry (the Mintarian army is well trained)
488 M1A2 Abrams tanks
492 Manticore I tanks (more advanced than the Abrams, but more costly)

After consulting with the Mintarian authorities, the Edolian Armed Forces have been given the go-ahead to participate in the ground invasion of Darkseed.

12 squadrons (244) of Drake stealth fighter/bombers, the sister plane to the Phoenix-III take off from Edolia en route to Arda. They fly the long distance, stopping to refuel in Mintar, Milantos and Iuthia <<OOC: I figure since we have so many dozens of allies, I can probably refuel somewhere>>. Over longer distances, we use the massive fleet of Edolian refuelers...

Over the Mintarian fleet...
Captain Samuel von Blatterschplitt, a distant cousin of the King of Edolia turned the control stick. "Let's move, strikeforce Alpha... gogogo!" As the Mintarian transports were loading up their troops, the wave of fighters flew over them. Mintarian soldiers waved at the Edolian planes who tipped their wings in salute.

Meanwhile...
Edolian transports were being loaded up themselves to help in the occupation of Darkseed. Ready to make a second landing at a different loaction a few days later, 200,000 Edolian regular soldiers, 100,000 Edolian Royal Guardsmen and 50,000 Hellenic Corps troops began loading onto the transport ships. Also being loaded, were 7,500 Manticore-II battle tanks and 1,500 Gryphon-II attack helicopters. Artillary transports are bringing in some 600 heavy artillary pieces of various calibers. It is estimated that this force will arrive in one week <<NST>>.

Another large force of nearly 600,000 soldiers is being prepared to leave within the next couple of weeks.

Back among strike force Alpha...

The 244 planes shrieked towards their targets, flying at dangerously low speeds. Two planes, their pilots making grave errors, crashed into the water, their two man crews dead before they even realized what had happened. At 120 kilometers away, they moved up, revealing themselves to enemy radar. Each plane fired off four long range HEX-0 missiles at their targets before immediately regrouping and flying back home...

The 968 HEX-0 missiles streaked towards their targets, preparing to smash into enemy defenses. Specifically targetted, were beach defense bunkers and coastal defense batteries....

<<OOC: I talked to Mintar who said that he would be perfectly happy to have me help as I am one of his closest allies who has not been around for about two months. I would assume that most of the rockets hit. They are very advanced and difficult to shoot down.>>

(OOC: I've let Edolia in. I hope you don't mind. I'll definitely need the help if any Arda allies try to fight us here. I'd have enough to deal without them! :D And we have control of each other's troops if either of us isn't here.)

Order of combat (as I understand it):

1) Fleet/50 coastal batteries fight it out.
2) Mintarian fleet stops for repairs, and then sets sail again.
3) Drakes drop their payload (around the time any SAMs fire I'd guess, so Edolia should probalby take appropriate casualties)
4) Mintar's forces attempt to land on the freshly bombed coast.
5) Edolian forces attempt to land (if I fail)/backup Mintarian forces (if I succeed in landing).
6) (depends on what happens)

Sound good?

The 3rd, 5th, and 6th gravship fleets were dispatched form home base at Udûn to deal with the mounting threat in Darkseed. Accompanying the deployment was the 1st and 2nd Transport divisions, totalling 1.25 million raw infantry, and 750,000 support troops.

Also accompanying the fleets is the 32nd Imperial Air Corps, who will station themselves in and around Darkseed.

The 3rd and 5th Fleets were travelling under Sky Furnace Escort: the Carcharoth, and the Hithlum.

***

"This is it. Turn back now or wither under the Flame of the Imperial Sky Furnace, and have your bodies broken under the grinding gears of Lord Melkor's War Machine."

--Lord Alkanphel

<<OOC: As I think you know, I probably haven't been around for a while so I'm pretty new to the situation. If you wouldn't mind Melkor, could you tell me a bit more about your forces? These gravship fleets... What are they? How many gravships per fleet and what exactly is a gravship? After that, I'd like to know what you mean by "raw infantry" and what you mean by "support troops". What are these guys? Uruk-Hai with M-16s? And... what's the Imperial Air Corps? Oh... also... what's a "sky-furnace?" Sorry that I'm asking you to basically explain your entire army but... I learn fast. You won't have to tell me twice.>>

<<OOC: Oh, one more question. I assume that Darkseed is relatively close to you. Are there any other coalition nations that are close to Arda? For the purposes of landing planes, I mean. Or... are there any other lightly defended islands nearby that could be conquered?>>

<<OOC: As I think you know, I probably haven't been around for a while so I'm pretty new to the situation. If you wouldn't mind Melkor, could you tell me a bit more about your forces? These gravship fleets... What are they? How many gravships per fleet and what exactly is a gravship? After that, I'd like to know what you mean by "raw infantry" and what you mean by "support troops". What are these guys? Uruk-Hai with M-16s? And... what's the Imperial Air Corps? Oh... also... what's a "sky-furnace?" Sorry that I'm asking you to basically explain your entire army but... I learn fast. You won't have to tell me twice.>>

<<OOC: Oh, one more question. I assume that Darkseed is relatively close to you. Are there any other coalition nations that are close to Arda? For the purposes of landing planes, I mean. Or... are there any other lightly defended islands nearby that could be conquered?>>

[A gravship is a large airship, which flies via a set of drives that reverse [or otherwise manipulates]] the gravitic field around it, enabling massive ships to stay aloft in the atmosphere. Its drives can operate in space, in the atmosphere, or underwater. GravTech is very versatile that way.

There's 50 ships to a fleet, so three fleets makes 150 ships. Each fleet contains 17 frigates, 5 destroyers*, 8 cruisers, 3 light carriers, 11 battleships, 5 PD [point defense] vessels--for shooting down missiles and what-not, and one Fleet Carrier.

By 1.25 million raw infantry, I mean 1.25 battle-ready troops, with 750,000 actin in support positions: overseeing supply lines, building bases, airfields and shit: you name it. Of these, scarely any are Uruk Hai. They're coming later. This wave is mixed Easterling and Haradrim marines.

The Imperial Air Corps is a group of MiG 39's [5 wings: 350 of them].

A Sky Furnace is a 2km long, 300 meter [?] wide gravship, with 6 massive plasma flamethrowers on the bottom. These furnaces are capable of levelling cities in just a few hours. Anything caught benetah a Sky Furnace during a purge is burnt to the ground: they've been used against cities, armor, and troop columns almost exclusively.

And regarding your last question: I don't know. Western Asia has a base somewhere, and he [i]won't answer that TM I sent about it. I am not aware of any coalition force with a notable foothold on, in, or anywhere near Arda. If I'm wrong, someoneshould let me know. :D ]


*- I switched the designation around for my airships. Air Destroyers are the gravitic equivalent of Cruisers in the average Navy, and vice versa.

<<OOC: How futuristic would you say you play? I like 2013 tech myself and I generally don't fight against people who play more futuristic. However, I have been impressed by your roleplaying in the past and I look forward to the opportunity to fight a war against you. Thus... if we find certain problems... like for instance my $110 million dollar fighters being considered unadvanced I'll just fudge the stats and make them more so that their cost matches up to their relative power in this slightly futuristic war. On the other hand, I don't know much about the gravships and furnces (for instance, how you like to play their abilities) so we may not have a problem and it may be the case that the EAF can take them on with modern tech.>>

The Edolian navy is being dispatched to try to back up the substantial Mintarian navy deployed off the coast of Darkseed. It consists of advanced Trimaren hulled ships (built by Western Asia).

2 Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers (Derik von Blatterschplitt, Gertrude von Humpliburg)
3 127 Missile Array GM Cruisers
4 64 Missile Array GM Cruisers
9 16 Missile Array GM Cruisers
8 24 Missile Array Anti-Sub FD Destroyers
8 24 Missile Array AA/ABM FD Destroyers
3 96 Missile Array GM Destroyers
8 24 Missile Array GM Destroyers
8 16 Missile Array GM Frigates
8 8 Missile Array ASW Frigates
5 16 Missile Array ASW Frigates
4 Krivak class Guided Missile Frigate
20 Fast Attack Missile Gunboats
96 Shaldag MK II Gunboats

On board each Nimitz carrier are 75 Phoenix-III interceptors (150 total).

As the fleet moves towards the front, they begin modifying their anti-ship missiles, including Yakhont-3s to be able to strike at large, airborne targets.

Using the right of control that Mintar and I share, I have deemed that at this point, due to the recent massive reinforcements, the Mintarian army will not attempt a landing. However, they will continue to bombard enemy coastal positions and their crews begin modifying their missiles to strike at airborne targets.

The Edolian fleet moves to join the Mintarian off the coast of Darkseed and wait for further orders...

<<OOC: Edolia has dozens of allies in the United NationStates Anti Oppression and Tyranny Organization. Ergo, I figured that it would be unrealistic to say that there is no ally that is within a short flight in a fighter from Darkseed. Fyreheart agreed that he is 800 kilometers away, across a small ocean.>>

On the news that Fyreheart, a nation currently neutral in this war has agreed to give landing space to Edolian air forces, a large flight of Edolian planes make their way to that country:

400 Roc heavy bombers
800 Drake stealth fighter/bombers
800 Phoenix-III stealth interceptors
800 Phoenix-IIA stealth interceptors
800 Phoenix-IIB stealth interceptors

150 MOAB bombs are also shipped to Fyreheart. Rocs are equipped to carry two of these massive weapons.

More Edolian planes are on standby to fly to Fyreheart...

Tag.

OOC: The above was me. Damn puppets.

The walls begin taking heavy damage, and 3 engineer companies give their lives for Darkseed. Although not ever thought to be inpenetrable, the walls give Admiral Frost to send wires out to Melkor and the other allies.

Hearing that Melkor's assistance is given, the Admiral breathes a sigh of relief. "With their help, we can keep Mintar's forces from reaching the beach."

The Phalanx systems fired up again, as a warning of the missiles about to come. The guns erupted into the air, firing off their rounds as quickly as possible. There was no way to take out almost 1,000 missiles,but the guns did their best. Explosions rocked the walls again, and many of the front line missile batteries were taken out by the missiles fired from unknown attackers. Now there were large gaping holes in the walls, but no engineer companies were being told to repair them. No, troops would replace the engineers, and so they began digging themselves into the ground and readying themselves for battle.


OOC:

Order of combat (as I understand it):

1) Fleet/50 coastal batteries fight it out.
2) Mintarian fleet stops for repairs, and then sets sail again.
3) Drakes drop their payload (around the time any SAMs fire I'd guess, so Edolia should probalby take appropriate casualties)
4) Mintar's forces attempt to land on the freshly bombed coast.
5) Edolian forces attempt to land (if I fail)/backup Mintarian forces (if I succeed in landing).
6) (depends on what happens)

Sound good?

Sounds good.

Two fighter wings continue their push into Darkseed, escorting the transport Fleet. The rest land at various airbases around Darkseed.

The transports touch down [somewhere a few miles inland], and troops begin to roll out. Imperial Ground Forces [IGF] Commander Rash'ad Ni'staan strode to the highest ranking field commander he could find, as soldiers hurried off the ships behind him. Well trained Easterling and Haradrim marines, they were--the 'lower wrung' of Imperial Special Forces, as it were.

Ni'Staan locked eyes with the Darkseed commander, his steely gaze seemingly searching the other man's soul. Ni'staan was a tall, intimidating man with a flair for combat. After all, who in the Imperium wasn't?

"I will assume control of this operation from here on in. We have orders straight from the top to crush any landing attempts. We can't do it the way we would want, given the circumstances; but each of the troops you see here today had a hand in crushing the coalition landings last week.

Soon, you will be a firsthand witness to the awesome strength of our War Machine. Sky Furnaces will be dropping MBK's on their way out to sea, which will act as mobile AA and armor support."

Ni'Staan turned as his troops began counting off and marching to the beach. Over the course of the next few hours, the transports were emptied and sent home for another trip.

"Soon, the invaders will know our wrath."

***
The 3rd, 5th, and 7th fleets broke from the transport line to deal with the threat at sea. Coming in from the north, two of the fleets [the 5th and 7th] appeared to take a detour. They began to close on the enemy fleets from the northeast, maneuvering to come up behind them...

[ooc: note - all directional references are assuming Darkseed's shore faces to the east. I'm not too sure as to the geography.. Did you pick a plot on the map Darkseed?]

<<OOC: Ack, how horrible. I wrote a reply and finished just after Melkor. Since he posted first, my reply to what Darkseed wrote didn't make any sense. I don't know where Mintar is and since most of the fleet is his, I feel that I should probably wait for him to come before doing anything.

I have a few questions for Melkor though about his gravships. For one, how fast are they? How heavily armored? What kind of weaponry would be expected to do damage? I would imagine that bunker-buster type weaponry could really hurt them, even if they have armor too thick to be vulnerable to pretty much anything else. I know about hitting their engines with fighters though... Also, what kind of weapons do they carry?>>

(OOC: As I understand it, there are 50 gravships coming at me from the north (Darkseed is east), and 100 coming at me from the east (behind me). If that's not correct, I'll have to change this... anyway)

IC:

"Damnit!" Yoltz yelled. They weren't supposed to come so early. He wished they had waited until he had been able to establish a beach head. But things didn't usually go the way you wanted in war. Officers stared around, stunned as the massive blips on the radar got closer and closer...

"Well?! What are you standing around for? It's not like our fleet can't hit the AIR!!! Get--"

"Sir, we've got a message coming in from the Edolian command, the want us to..."

...

"Sounds good. If we go down, we won't go down easy! Fire!"

Numbers:

ALL my planes and helis rise as the gravships get nearer. 200 Phoenix III's move to engage the gravships coming at us from the east/behind (5th and 7th, if memory serves). They fire 2 missiles each (modified Yakhonts/Sidewinders/other heavy missiles) at the oncoming fleet while flying evasively to avoid as many missiles as possible.

Everything else focuses on the 50 gravships coming at us from the north (3rd, I think) except for the subs which, not very well equipped against air, fire on the coast.

797 Phoenix III's fire 2 modified Yakhonts/Sidewinders/other heavy missiles each, trying to aim for any parts with less armor than the others (are there any?).
Destroyers fire 2x Sea Dart missiles (is the bottom more vulnerable than the top/sides? If so, we aim for there/any other weak spot we can reach. Other ships do the same.)
Frigates fire 1x Sea Wolf missiles
Ticonderoga fire 2x AA missiles
Cruisers fire 2x AA missiles
(other ships don't fire many more missiles than what I've got here, but they're still firing)

F-117x's fire 2 sidewinders each to cover themselves and then attempt to get within range of dropping bunker busters on the gravships...

To sum it up:

~400 heavy missiles coming from the front at the 5th and 7th
~1,900 AA missiles (most from the Phoenix's, but somewhere around 150 from the ships, aimed at the bottom of your gravships (the ones from the ships that is)) coming at the 3rd
~45 tomahawk missiles coming at the coast

Fleet is attempting to manuever as much as possible to avoid the counter fire that's coming. All missiles from the fighters are aimed at any vulnerable spots the gravships might have that are easily reached.

The 150 Phoenix-IIIs stationed about the Edolian carriers move to join the 200 Mintarian fighters attacking the 5th and 7th gravship fleets as they attempt to relieve pressure on the Coaltion navies. Armed with advanced EPX-200, 100, 40 and 15 missiles (each with a range indicated by their number) their goal is to strike at the vulnerable engines of the gravships.

Meanwhile, in Fyreheart, Edolian pilots rush to get into their planes. One of the largest air deployments in Edolian history takes off, heading directly towards the rear of the 5th and 7th fleets. Each Phoenix-II and III (a total of 2,400 of them) releases an EPX-200 missile, designed to home onto the strongest source of heat, in this case, the engines of the enemy gravships, at this time, facing the EAF pilots. The fighters (800 Phoenix-IIIs, 800 Phoenix-IIAs and 800 Phoenix-IIBs) streak towards the enemy gravships at speeds of nearly mach2. In the meantime, 400 Roc heavy bombers, armed with dozens of DIAB-0 bunker-busters as well as Hornet anti-SAM rockets, make their way towards the enemy gravship fleet. At 20,000 meters they can fly at over mach2. ETA: 2 minutes.

The EPX missiles streak towards their targets. Fired from 200 kilometers away, the missiles would most likely take approximately 60 seconds to reach the vulnerable engines of the enemy gravships. Just enough time for the gravships to be turned around so that their engines were no longer a major target... The Mintarian and Edolian carrier Phoenix-IIIs, coming in from almost exactly the other side prepare to fire their own missiles...

The Rocs will most likely be nearing firing range (about 10 kilometers for this mission) at the same time the Phoenixes from Fyreheart will be in range to use their extremely advanced maneuverability and almost no-miss close-range EPX-15 rockets to strike at the enemy engines.

<<OOC: I really hope I understood your post right Melkor. You were saying that you were trying to come in and hit the back of the Coalition fleet. That would leave your 5th and 7th fleets with their backs to Fyreheart and the 3,600 Edolian planes stationed about 200 kilometers away. My understanding of the situation is that you're trying to flank out the coalition fleet. I can't understand how you might be able to do that without putting your back to Fyreheart. Anyway...>>

Oh, almost forgot! Since reinforcements to Neo-Wu are ignored/turned back (since Neo-Wu left this war), we're going to be deploying stuff to Fyreheart, too..

Deployed, using carriers/IFR when needed:

1,000 Phoenix III's

(more to follow when more air bases are set up in Fyreheart).

Major General Frank Alter stood and met Commander Rash'ad Ni'staan. "I will report to you from now on. Although we don't prefer that other troops come in and tell us what to do, we know that you are by far better trained and more prepared for this situation. I await your orders."

Meanwhile, Admiral Frost was aboard his command ship, sailing out to meet the second wave of the fleet, and waiting for the remainder of the first wave to arrive. "Now that we have a serious air battle going on, we need to achieve air superiority. With those gravships and fighters from Melkor, we have a good chance at regaining our footing in this. Prepare to launch the bomber wings, but not until Melkor has sufficiently taken out most of the air power. Get them in the air and ready to go, but do not give any orders yet on how to proceed."

Admiral Frost stood at the rails of the ship, looking out at the ocean filled with the better half of Darkseed's fleet. The other half-- what remained of it-- was limping home, leaving thousands of their navy brothers in the sea.

So many of the men gave their lives defending our land. Our people. Our way of life...

"Alright, let's get to work!"

<<OOC: Ack, how horrible. I wrote a reply and finished just after Melkor. Since he posted first, my reply to what Darkseed wrote didn't make any sense. I don't know where Mintar is and since most of the fleet is his, I feel that I should probably wait for him to come before doing anything.

I have a few questions for Melkor though about his gravships. For one, how fast are they? How heavily armored? What kind of weaponry would be expected to do damage? I would imagine that bunker-buster type weaponry could really hurt them, even if they have armor too thick to be vulnerable to pretty much anything else. I know about hitting their engines with fighters though... Also, what kind of weapons do they carry?>>

[ooc: :shock: Wow. A lot of people are bitching at me because they never realized the extent of my forces' strengths and/or weaknesses. They never bothered to ask me questions like this and as such they had no idea of their capabilities.

What follows will be what you might reasonably know about a gravship from an IC standpoint. Melkor's gravships are all generally of the same design: long, fairly wide-sort of like bricks--with engines in the back. Melkor's gravships do not posses 'deflector' shield technology, but compensate for this deficiency by having absurdly thick hulls. Uruks double as slave laborers during peacetime, so we have a healthy mining secotr which provides for this obscene amount of metal. A Sky Furnace's outer hull is in some places 10 meters thick. One might assume then that bunker busters would be very effective, at least at killing the crews in the outer compartments, etc. Some are wholly too large for this, and must realistically be attacked by the norotious weak point: the engines. As is true with fighting any large capship, it pays to go after them, but you seemed to have caught on to this. To compensate for this weakness, however, the Gravships have extensive PD [point defense] systems, along with several ships per fleet that are desginated solely for PD [shotting down missiles, etc and [sometimes] hitting artillery]. PD arcs generally consist of a network of AI-Controlled Flechette cannons and high powered lasers. These sytems are strongest around the engines, and about the ventral face of the Sky Furnace. All Fleets travel under fighter escort, with a rotating escort of Raven fightercraft [cheap, but fast and fun! the engines in those are better than the weapons] of about 500, with supporting VTOL craft numbering about 150 ships per fleet. A program is underway to regulate Ravens to AS use only, and replace gravship escort with the VTOL craft, which would increase capacity. Also present are 100 smaller 'gunships' per fleet: gravships about the size of a city bus with rotating weapons pylons for unprecedented adaptability.

Each gravship is packed to the gills with a variety of weapons. Not all of them are disclosed right off. For example, each of the Imperial Sky Furnaces has a "special weapon" aside form their blast furnaces. The Dor Daedoloth has three enormous rail cannons, the Hithlum has augmented engines, and the Carcharoth has 18 double barreled capship killer class missile launches. The other's havent used them yet, I dont think. Aside from those, gravships pack a hell of a lot more firepower than a surface naval fleet, mostly because they're a lot bigger. Artillery cannons [gauss rifles and rail drivers primarily, with arrays of standard naval artillery equivalents], missile launchers, and a limited amount of energy weapon and EMP cannon fire rounds it out.]

<<OOC: Alright. Thanks for answering my questions. I probably won't be around much tommorrow until later so Mintar has control of my forces. I'm looking forward to finishing up this battle that we're doing. BTW, Edolia has a lot of spy satellites up in space so chances are we would have a decent idea of the Melkor military situation. How many fleets do you have in total?>>

<<OOC: Alright. Thanks for answering my questions. I probably won't be around much tommorrow until later so Mintar has control of my forces. I'm looking forward to finishing up this battle that we're doing. BTW, Edolia has a lot of spy satellites up in space so chances are we would have a decent idea of the Melkor military situation. How many fleets do you have in total?>>

[ooc: 11. 8 are at home and 3 are abroad. Surface scans indicate no military movement whatsoever in the Imperium, and those that are in Darkseed are flocking to the beaches.]

(OOC: Won't be on much either today. :| If Edolia's on of course they got my forces. I guess my only question, how effective are missiles against em, will be answered when you post casualties from the attack(s).)

<<OOC: Yeah, I hate to rush you Melkor, but I just want to make sure that you know that we both launched joint attacks that you haven't responded to. Sorry if you just hadn't gotten the time to respond to them yet. I just want to make sure you didn't miss them.>>

(OOC: Will be inactive today. :? )

ALL my planes and helis rise as the gravships get nearer. 200 Phoenix III's move to engage the gravships coming at us from the east/behind (5th and 7th, if memory serves). They fire 2 missiles each (modified Yakhonts/Sidewinders/other heavy missiles) at the oncoming fleet while flying evasively to avoid as many missiles as possible.

Raven escort, already airborne, immediately broke formation, streaking high in the sky and dropping countermeasures to distract the missiles as they came in. The missiles were clustered together for the most part, so they tended to cluster to single targets. 4 frigates took moderate to heavy surface damage, and 2 Light carriers had significant damage to their runways. One light carrier and a Battleship were lost to missiles up the tailpipes, their massive hulls plowing into the waves, creating a serious surface disturbance. It may occur to the Mintar and Edolian crews that if the gravships get over them, then destroying them would prove more damaging to their own fleets.

PD vessels were brought to the front of the Line, and began picking the missiles off. Thunderclap missiles were loaded and fired at the enemy fighters as they came in. When shot down or detonated, these missiles create an incredibly bright, blinding light, followed by an ear-piercing blast, sometimes powerful enough to shake the cockpit if close enough. Aside from this, they did no structural damage to the actual planes, they were more designed for distraction. As the missiles began to pop off, squadron after squadron on Raven escort flew in on them from the top, firing 6 Phoenix missiles per squadron [1 per plane] on the fighter formations.

As they veered away, another wave was exposed and fired AAMRAMs at any pursuant aircraft [probably around 200, in 10 waves of about 20 missiles each]. So far, the fighters were keeping the enemy at bay, while repair crews were scrambled to fix the damaged gravships. Gunship escort was launched, and Point Defense Arcs were raised on the backsides, with foreward facing anti-air missiles and LRM's also pointed out. Diving in low over the water, they launched their LRM salvos at the enemy fleets, each missile tagetted with precision at any visible missile arrays. 1200 LRMs streak towards the fleets [Tomahwks of some slight variation thereof], in waves of 100. [This will be going on for a while, since it's 12 waves of missiles, so you might be able to attack the gunships while they're firing]

The Gravship fleet answered with a stunning display of artillery firepower. Hundreds of heavy gauss cannonsand rail drivers delivered an awesome barrage on the Enemy naval fleet, targetting specifically the heaviest hitting ships on the scope [I got my eye on: 4 64 Missile Array GM Cruisers, and the 3 96 Missile Array GM Destroyers]

Battleships and cruisers responded with anti-ship missiles as well, sending a wave of 50 AS-6 Anti ship missiles skimming over the water, followed by another 10, 5 each aimed at the two carriers [provided they're in range].

The Heavier missiles fired at the gravships slammed into the hulls of the gravships, creating tremendous craters and ruptures along the fronts of the ships. Some front facing AA is knocked out, as are some missile bays in the ranks of the Frigates and the Cruisers. PD picks off a good deal of the heavier ones, so damage is hopefully reduced.


The 150 Phoenix-IIIs stationed about the Edolian carriers move to join the 200 Mintarian fighters attacking the 5th and 7th gravship fleets as they attempt to relieve pressure on the Coaltion navies. Armed with advanced EPX-200, 100, 40 and 15 missiles (each with a range indicated by their number) their goal is to strike at the vulnerable engines of the gravships.

...and are rushed into headon by the remainder of the 7th Fleet's Raven escort, complete with thunderclap missiles as well, and as they got closer, heavy EMP and flechette cannon fire from teh aft-facing turret posts. The escorts streak to intercept, in an effor to keep them out of missile range, unleasing several waves of AAMRAMs. While the fighters engage the enemy, PD vessels are maneuvered to the back of the line, and 25 gunships take up the rear with Full PD rotated out, and countermeasures at the ready. AA Flak guns were manned, and Uruk Berserkers ran to their AA turrets, in case any stray fighter were to dare the ranks of the Fleet.

The 3rd Fleet begins heavy gauss and rail driver bombardment on the Edolian Fleet, launching a wave of 50 AS-6 anti ship missiles at the carriers.

[ooc: if I missed something, I'll edit.]

Melkor, Lord of Darkness
He who Arises in Might
Emperor Eternal of the Imperial Dominion of Melkor Unchained, Lord and Master of Arda
http://www.thangorodrim.net/graphics/morgoth.jpg

<<OOC: Alright. I'm going to wait to talk to Mintar before replying. You didn't reply to the part in my post about my planes coming from Fyreheart though and the 2,400 long range missiles they fired. Or the bombers moving to fly over the gravships.>>

(OOC: Will respond to attacks once Edolia's planes from Fyreheart have been taken into account. Otherwise...

The missiles were clustered together for the most part, so they tended to cluster to single targets.

Well, I was firing at everything mainly, so my attacks wouldn't've been more clustered than your fleet. I'm not quite sure how dense your fleet would be, but I'd guess that gravships must be placed fairly far apart so they don't bang into each other when they go down.

Mkay, lemme also see if I've got this straight:

200 AAMRAMs
200(?) Phoenix missiles
100x12 LRMs
Gauss fire
[Edolia fleet has ~60 ASMs coming at them]

The above, aside from the thing in brackets being roughly split between our fleets.

Did I miss something there?)

<<OOC: Mintar has control of all Edolian forces around the fleets so he will say what's happening to them. I will be managing my planes flying in from behind.>>

The 2,400 EPX-200 missiles streak towards the engines of the gravship fleet. As the fighters are coming from behind Melkor's gravship fleet, the engines are currently facing the missiles which should arrive in about 60 seconds after launch.

In the meantime, the 400 Roc heavy bombers move into range, 40 kilometers away and 10,000 meters above the 5th and 7th fleets. Each bomber releases four ARC-01 heavy bunker-buster medium range cruise-missiles. They have a maximum penetration of 20 meters of RHA (rolled homogenous armor, aka steel plate). <<OOC: This would happen about two minutes after the 2,400 EPX-200s struck.>> The 1,600 missiles streak towards their targets...

The 800 Phoenix-IIIs and 1,600 Phoenix-IIs ready their medium range, 100 and 40 kilometer EPX missiles, hoping to gain a first strike advantage over enemy Raven fighters. Phoenixes, besides carrying advanced long-range weaponry are also excellent dogfighting craft.

800 Drakes follow behind the fighters and bombers, preparing to release swarms of smaller bunker-busters at remaining enemy gravships.

<<OOC: I was getting kind of impatient and since you hadn't responded to my strike, I decided to continue it but leave a hole for you to move fighters to intercept my force if you wanted to (I would assume that you would since if you don't the fleet is going to be destroyed very very fast). Remember though that all this would happen within about two minutes of the battle starting so you can't redirect all your fighters and gravships to attacking this force or you will be ignoring the fleet and the fighters around them.>>

(To make things simpler, Edolia has control of the air force, and I get the navy. For this battle, anyway).

bump as requested

Meanwhile, in Fyreheart, Edolian pilots rush to get into their planes. One of the largest air deployments in Edolian history takes off, heading directly towards the rear of the 5th and 7th fleets. Each Phoenix-II and III (a total of 2,400 of them) releases an EPX-200 missile, designed to home onto the strongest source of heat, in this case, the engines of the enemy gravships, at this time, facing the EAF pilots. The fighters (800 Phoenix-IIIs, 800 Phoenix-IIAs and 800 Phoenix-IIBs) streak towards the enemy gravships at speeds of nearly mach2. In the meantime, 400 Roc heavy bombers, armed with dozens of DIAB-0 bunker-busters as well as Hornet anti-SAM rockets, make their way towards the enemy gravship fleet. At 20,000 meters they can fly at over mach2. ETA: 2 minutes

[ooc: I just noticed this, and I think it's the attack you're talking about. At any rate, I think it's going out on a limb to have a giant air wing like that just sort of causally take off from a third party nation and attack me same post, right under that paragraph.]

Meanwhile, in Fyreheart, Edolian pilots rush to get into their planes. One of the largest air deployments in Edolian history takes off, heading directly towards the rear of the 5th and 7th fleets. Each Phoenix-II and III (a total of 2,400 of them) releases an EPX-200 missile, designed to home onto the strongest source of heat, in this case, the engines of the enemy gravships, at this time, facing the EAF pilots. The fighters (800 Phoenix-IIIs, 800 Phoenix-IIAs and 800 Phoenix-IIBs) streak towards the enemy gravships at speeds of nearly mach2. In the meantime, 400 Roc heavy bombers, armed with dozens of DIAB-0 bunker-busters as well as Hornet anti-SAM rockets, make their way towards the enemy gravship fleet. At 20,000 meters they can fly at over mach2. ETA: 2 minutes

[ooc: I just noticed this, and I think it's the attack you're talking about. At any rate, I think it's going out on a limb to have a giant air wing like that just sort of causally take off from a third party nation and attack me same post, right under that paragraph.]

I had already said (I believe page three) that I was moving this force there and Fyreheart had already said that he was near to Darkseed. If I have planes in the third-party nation already, I don't see why it's going "out on a limb" to say that they take off and join the battle.

BTW, don't edit your previous post, just respond to my last one. I gave you the opportunity to jump in. I was just giving a more detailed description of what my plans are doing.

Edit: Found the post where I mention it. About halfway through page three:

<<OOC: Edolia has dozens of allies in the United NationStates Anti Oppression and Tyranny Organization. Ergo, I figured that it would be unrealistic to say that there is no ally that is within a short flight in a fighter from Darkseed. Fyreheart agreed that he is 800 kilometers away, across a small ocean.>>

On the news that Fyreheart, a nation currently neutral in this war has agreed to give landing space to Edolian air forces, a large flight of Edolian planes make their way to that country:

400 Roc heavy bombers
800 Drake stealth fighter/bombers
800 Phoenix-III stealth interceptors
800 Phoenix-IIA stealth interceptors
800 Phoenix-IIB stealth interceptors

x to y." That's fine, but it takes some time... And to have them take off from your country, fly to and land in Fyreheart, take off again, and attack me all in two posts is cramming too much into a post. I like to think of FFRP war scenarios as somewhat turn based.]

x to y." That's fine, but it takes some time... And to have them take off from your country, fly to and land in Fyreheart, take off again, and attack me all in two posts is cramming too much into a post. I like to think of FFRP war scenarios as somewhat turn based.]

Alright. That's an interesting way of looking at is but I see it more as a time-based idea. And considering that your gravships took off from Melkor, arrived in Darkseed and attacked the Mintarian and Edolian fleets in two posts (mine were the two posts exactly following yours) as well I'm not entirely sure what the critisism is. The way I see it, there is more than enough time for them to begin the transfer to Fyreheart as we begin seeing that you are moving your fleets (via satellite). They would probably arrive in Fyreheart at around the same time that your gravships arrive in Darkseed (fighters are a good deal faster but you're closer to DS than I am to FH). Since you said that the ships were taking time to drop units to fortify Darkseed, I would imagine that would leave me with just enough time to have my pilots get a quick rest before they were suddenly scrambled to intercept your ships (everything would be on very high alert).

(OOC: Here's the naval stuff. Edolia's in control of my air stuff as well as his, so...)

Missiles and Gauss fire smash into the combined fleets. Ships are ripped apart by the Gauss or explode from missile attacks. Both of Edolia's carriers are hit repeatedly and start to sink, virtually unsalvageable. A Mintarian carrier goes down as well.

Massive waves from the sunk gravships sweep through the fleet and turn over several ships and spilling their crew into the ocean...

The fleet is attempting to spread out as much as possible in order to survive.

Additional casualties:

3 127 Missile Array GM Cruisers
3 64 Missile Array GM Cruisers
3 16 Missile Array GM Cruisers
5 24 Missile Array Anti-Sub FD Destroyers
2 24 Missile Array AA/ABM FD Destroyers
3 96 Missile Array GM Destroyers
2 24 Missile Array GM Destroyers
3 16 Missile Array GM Frigates
8 Missile Array ASW Frigates
2 Krivak class Guided Missile Frigate
6 Fast Attack Missile Gunboats
34 Shaldag MK II Gunboats

18 Type 42 destroyers
11 SSN subs
4 Gurov subs
3 Kirov Cruisers
8 Type 23 Frigates
4 Ticonderoga Cruisers

The fleet is in a state of semi-chaos with ships smoking and sinking, men dying and screaming, but despite this, the commanders still manage to put some order to the battle and return fire...

(OOC: Edolia informs me that some of his ships are equipped with the ARX-X, a surface-to-air bunker buster, or the equivalent. The heavier cruisers/destroyers/frigates will be firing these against the gravships)

(Edolian fleet):

1 64 Missile Array GM Cruiser
6 16 Missile Array GM Cruisers
3 24 Missile Array Anti-Sub FD Destroyers
6 24 Missile Array AA/ABM FD Destroyers
6 24 Missile Array GM Destroyers
5 16 Missile Array GM Frigates
2 8 Missile Array ASW Frigates
5 16 Missile Array ASW Frigates
2 Krivak class Guided Missile Frigate
14 Fast Attack Missile Gunboats
65 Shaldag MK II Gunboats

In total, they manage to fire about 285 AA missiles at enemy fleets (at Ravens, Gravships, and the like; ARX-X's and other heavy missiles are fired at the gravships, while lighter ones are fired at fighters/gunboats.

(Mintar's fleet):

28 Type 42 Destroyers
18 Gurov class submarines
18 Kirov Cruisers
15 Mine-sweeping ships
14 SSN submarines
8 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
7 Type 23 Frigates
1 Ticonderoga Cruiser
1 Battleship

The Mintarian fleet fires about 420 AA missiles, once again heavier ones going to the gravships and lighter ones going at Ravens/Gunboats (lots of these from Kirov cruisers). In addition, about 55 guns from the fleet (guns made for shooting down fast and manueverable airfcraft/ships) have been trained on Ravens/gunboats.

As always, the fleets are trying to fire on any weak spots (craters, any pipes we can reach, etc.).

x to y." That's fine, but it takes some time... And to have them take off from your country, fly to and land in Fyreheart, take off again, and attack me all in two posts is cramming too much into a post. I like to think of FFRP war scenarios as somewhat turn based.]

Alright. That's an interesting way of looking at is but I see it more as a time-based idea. And considering that your gravships took off from Melkor, arrived in Darkseed and attacked the Mintarian and Edolian fleets in two posts (mine were the two posts exactly following yours) as well I'm not entirely sure what the critisism is. The way I see it, there is more than enough time for them to begin the transfer to Fyreheart as we begin seeing that you are moving your fleets (via satellite). They would probably arrive in Fyreheart at around the same time that your gravships arrive in Darkseed (fighters are a good deal faster but you're closer to DS than I am to FH). Since you said that the ships were taking time to drop units to fortify Darkseed, I would imagine that would leave me with just enough time to have my pilots get a quick rest before they were suddenly scrambled to intercept your ships (everything would be on very high alert).

[ooc: You got it wrong. My gravships were never over Darkseed, they went straight for your fleets. The transports and the 32nd Air Corps split off and made their way inland. So I deployed and attacked in two posts with the gravships. With that in mind... what are these interceptors all about? Are they fighters or what? If so, what are their capabilities?]

[ooc: Mintar, could you post what's left? Also, Darkseed, you need to get back on this! Those bombers need tendin' to!

Also.. I'm not sure if this 'surface to air bunker buster' stuff is going to fly. But first I have to know some things about the missile: is it real or did you make it up? If so, how long have you had it? I sense this is being made up on the spot...]

*tag*

(OOC: I have posted what's left, but here's a copy anyway:

(Edolia)

1 64 Missile Array GM Cruiser
6 16 Missile Array GM Cruisers
3 24 Missile Array Anti-Sub FD Destroyers
6 24 Missile Array AA/ABM FD Destroyers
6 24 Missile Array GM Destroyers
5 16 Missile Array GM Frigates
2 8 Missile Array ASW Frigates
5 16 Missile Array ASW Frigates
2 Krivak class Guided Missile Frigate
14 Fast Attack Missile Gunboats
65 Shaldag MK II Gunboats

(Mintar)

28 Type 42 Destroyers
18 Gurov class submarines
18 Kirov Cruisers
15 Mine-sweeping ships
14 SSN submarines
8 Nimitz class aircraft carriers
7 Type 23 Frigates
1 Ticonderoga Cruiser
1 Battleship

As to the missile, it's possible that I've made a mistake, but you'll have to talk to Edolia about it. ::shrug:: If I have, then assume that they are regular heavy surface-to-air missiles.

As to the fighters (once again, Edolian equipment), they are top-of-the-line ($110 mil), and have a range of missiles with a... range... from 40-200 km (different missile types). They are stealthy (although it's a tad academic at this point), very fast, good in dogfights. Well, if you want more specifics, I can copy & paste Edolia's long description.

Edits-- I do not believe that the Arx-X is a real missile, but once again you'll have to ask Edolia.

As to the fighters (if there's still any disagreement), it's hard to say much concretely without knowing any distances, but the fighters could probably cross the ocean in a few hours + refueling time. ::shrug:: That's my 2 cents.)

[ooc: post coming later today hopefully, I'm waiting to hear from Edolia as to the position of those bombers as of the first attack on the Fleets]

OOC: Eh, I think I've become active again a little too late in the game to stamp on anyone. If someone wants to fill me in, sure, I'll have a crack at this, being Melkor's lieutenant, & all, but I reckon I've probably left it too long.

<<OOC: Ok, first to address the missiles. No, they're not real missiles. Edolia does use the ARX-X bunker buster (designed by yours truly) but they cannot strike at air. If you remember, I mentioned my crews modifying their missiles to be able to strike at very large air targets. If you remember, we discussed the problems that I, as a fully "in-10-years" tech nation would have fighting against someone playing future tech and so I decided to take a few liberties and say that my men were able to do it quickly. If there's a problem with that.... well, I don't really have anything that would do very much damage to your gravships. I can understand if you don't want to though.

Alright, yeah, I reviewed your posts. It was your furnaces that were moving over Darkseed to deploy some MBKs (or something like that). In that case... It becomes very difficult to say at this point whether or not my fighters would have made it to Fyreheart in time. I would imagine that it would probably take them about five hours travelling time from Edolia to Fyreheart but you have to take into account one refuel and a small delay (they were all on very high alert) before they launched. I would say 6.5 hours between the point when your gravships started moving and the point when my planes landed in Fyreheart. It's quite difficult to say how long it would take your ships to get to Darkseed and I don't know enough about gravships to make any estimates. For instance, how fast are they? Also, would they need refueling or re-supply? In conclusion, if necessary, my planes could probably be relaunched seven and a half hours after you sent your gravships. For the sake of the RP do you want to just let it go and then set some geographical constants (distance from Edolia to Darkseed, distance from Darkseed to Melkor, etc)?

I guess Mintar already answered the question about the Phoenixes.

You're asking about the position of my bombers in the attack? I would assume by that that we're just going to accept the fighters flying out of Fyreheart? Anyway, flying at 20,000 meters, Roc heavy bombers are about as fast as Phoenix-IIIs and IIs. So, they're flying at around 20,000 meters above sealevel. My fleet of interceptors is flying below them at the altitude of the gravships (which, because they are attacking surface ships, I would imagine are flying relatively low, perhaps 500-1,000 meters). The bombers, I believe I said, are armed with another type of bunker-buster, specifically a heavier type or the same stuff used before. Except these aren't modified. I figure that the gravships have a large enough radar signature that the bombers, flying well above them should have no problem targeting them using air to surface missiles. The interceptors flying beneath the bombers are set up such that enemy fighters coming to strike at the bombers will have to be subjected to a long stream of air to air missiles. However, I believe your Ravens are quite maneuverable and probably would be able to do alright.

I think that we might want an independent mod to come in and make a few rulings. No offense to your abilities, Melkor, I know that I would have difficulties being able to make moderation rulings on a war that I was fighting and I'm suggesting that there is any godmoding going on, just some misunderstandings that are slowing down the process. I would suggest TJHairball.>>

<<OOC: Ok, first to address the missiles. No, they're not real missiles. Edolia does use the ARX-X bunker buster (designed by yours truly) but they cannot strike at air. If you remember, I mentioned my crews modifying their missiles to be able to strike at very large air targets. If you remember, we discussed the problems that I, as a fully "in-10-years" tech nation would have fighting against someone playing future tech and so I decided to take a few liberties and say that my men were able to do it quickly. If there's a problem with that.... well, I don't really have anything that would do very much damage to your gravships. I can understand if you don't want to though.

Alright, yeah, I reviewed your posts. It was your furnaces that were moving over Darkseed to deploy some MBKs (or something like that). In that case... It becomes very difficult to say at this point whether or not my fighters would have made it to Fyreheart in time. I would imagine that it would probably take them about five hours travelling time from Edolia to Fyreheart but you have to take into account one refuel and a small delay (they were all on very high alert) before they launched. I would say 6.5 hours between the point when your gravships started moving and the point when my planes landed in Fyreheart. It's quite difficult to say how long it would take your ships to get to Darkseed and I don't know enough about gravships to make any estimates. For instance, how fast are they? Also, would they need refueling or re-supply? In conclusion, if necessary, my planes could probably be relaunched seven and a half hours after you sent your gravships. For the sake of the RP do you want to just let it go and then set some geographical constants (distance from Edolia to Darkseed, distance from Darkseed to Melkor, etc)?

I guess Mintar already answered the question about the Phoenixes.

You're asking about the position of my bombers in the attack? I would assume by that that we're just going to accept the fighters flying out of Fyreheart? Anyway, flying at 20,000 meters, Roc heavy bombers are about as fast as Phoenix-IIIs and IIs. So, they're flying at around 20,000 meters above sealevel. My fleet of interceptors is flying below them at the altitude of the gravships (which, because they are attacking surface ships, I would imagine are flying relatively low, perhaps 500-1,000 meters). The bombers, I believe I said, are armed with another type of bunker-buster, specifically a heavier type or the same stuff used before. Except these aren't modified. I figure that the gravships have a large enough radar signature that the bombers, flying well above them should have no problem targeting them using air to surface missiles. The interceptors flying beneath the bombers are set up such that enemy fighters coming to strike at the bombers will have to be subjected to a long stream of air to air missiles. However, I believe your Ravens are quite maneuverable and probably would be able to do alright.

I think that we might want an independent mod to come in and make a few rulings. No offense to your abilities, Melkor, I know that I would have difficulties being able to make moderation rulings on a war that I was fighting and I'm suggesting that there is any godmoding going on, just some misunderstandings that are slowing down the process. I would suggest TJHairball.>>

[ gravships can go along at quite a clip, and are capable of speeds comparable to fast airline jets. They do not need to be refueled save every once in a great while. I imagine the flight from the Imperium to Darkseed would be fast--probably less than 8 hours to get there, probably 6 or 7 to get within weapons range. The fleets, despite these attacks, and losses, are still advancing and as such it will be quite difficult for your bombers to hit them from over 12 miles up.

I just realized I never told you how high up my gravships. Right now, they're just about 15,000 feet off the water. Gunships are around 12,000 feet, and escort is spread evenly about the sides. They're high enough to totally screw some shit up if they crash into the ocean, mmkay :shock:

Also, I do not have any earthly clue as to how many time's I'll have to keep saying this, but a mod will not get involved, unless it's TJ. In that case, he's operating as a player mediator as opposed to a moderator. We are not here to police RP. Look at it this way: what would we do? Delete people for godmodding?

Anyhoo, will respond soon.]

With the issue of air superiority at stake, Admiral Frost ordered in the elite tactical wings of Darkseed's Air Force. These were the cream of the crop, the best fighter pilots in Darkseed, each trained to know the ins and outs of one specific plane, in order to be better at that.

The force, 1,000 jets strong, flew out to meet whatever was in their paths.

Gravships can go along at quite a clip, and are capable of speeds comparable to fast airline jets. They do not need to be refueled save every once in a great while. I imagine the flight from the Imperium to Darkseed would be fast--probably less than 8 hours to get there, probably 6 or 7 to get within weapons range. The fleets, despite these attacks, and losses, are still advancing and as such it will be quite difficult for your bombers to hit them from over 12 miles up.

<<OOC: I disagree. There are plenty of missiles that can target things much much smaller than a gravship from that high up and in fact, even higher. That height would actually be an advantage because chances are, the gravships would just show up as a very tall part of the land. Actually, I can't give you any examples of AtS missiles that can hit targets from that height but I do know that there is no real reason why they shouldn't be able to. All it requires is that the missile fall for a while with almost no guidance. Once it reaches a particular point, the targetting would switch on. It is possible that no such missiles exist but I find it doubtful. The only reason that I can think of that they wouldn't is that there is no need to develop them in the real world where small stealth aircraft can do basically the same thing at lower altitudes. Like I said though, I'm pretty sure they exist now and though I didn't do very much research in the development of this particular missile, I do know from research for other designs that it wouldn't be very difficult to make.

And to talk about the time... I believe that my estimate earlier in the thread (actually I may not have posted it but I mentioned it to Mintar on AIM) when I launched a very long range strike on Darkseed, landing in allied bases and using air tankers was approximately six hours. With supercruise, fighters can maintain supersonic speeds for a good long time. Thus, by these calculations, my planes would have to really scramble (say that my pilots are fighting at a small but significant disadvantage due to the fact that they had to rush to get into the air).>>

I just realized I never told you how high up my gravships. Right now, they're just about 15,000 feet off the water. Gunships are around 12,000 feet, and escort is spread evenly about the sides. They're high enough to totally screw some shit up if they crash into the ocean, mmkay :shock:

<<OOC: Yes, I agree. They are going to totally screw shit up. However, Mintar and I both agree that by the end of this battle, there probably wont be much left of our fleets anyway.>>

Also, I do not have any earthly clue as to how many time's I'll have to keep saying this, but a mod will not get involved, unless it's TJ. In that case, he's operating as a player mediator as opposed to a moderator. We are not here to police RP. Look at it this way: what would we do? Delete people for godmodding?

<<OOC: Sorry, I didn't realize that you had say that there will be no mods. I don't remember that being posted on this thread and as you may or may not know, I was gone this whole summer so this is the only Melkor War thread that I have read. And I want to reiterate that I'm suggesting that there is any godmoding going on. But in almost every conflict there are going to be arguments about certain things and misunderstandings that slow the process down. An independent moderator to make quick rulings would really speed the process up.>>

With the issue of air superiority at stake, Admiral Frost ordered in the elite tactical wings of Darkseed's Air Force. These were the cream of the crop, the best fighter pilots in Darkseed, each trained to know the ins and outs of one specific plane, in order to be better at that.

The force, 1,000 jets strong, flew out to meet whatever was in their paths.

<<OOC: What type of planes are they? That's critical to knowing how to respond to them.>>

"Hmmmm..." said Air Marshall Durn von Durenburg. "We're reading a large number of planes heading towards the fleet. We've got at least [blank] minutes until they're a threat. Order the pilots to turn up the heat on the gravships before they get here."

<<OOC: I left the amount of minutes it would take them to arrive blank since I don't know what kind of planes you're using or how fast they are. If I remember correctly, the fleet is outside of cruise missile range from shore, right? That's at least a good 600 km I would guess meaning that unless these fighters are very advanced (which they very well could be) it would take at least half an hour. However, they could be advanced fighters with supercruise (like the type Edolia uses) and so could arrive a lot sooner. That is also critical in determining my full response.>>

With the war going, 45 MiG-39s taking the long journey from its home base in Cavenport City streak towards Darkseed. A thundering sound occurs as 360 F-14s join the MiGs in the air. From the background, 6 Nimitz class carriers accompanied by their battlegroup hasten their speed to the battle.

On board one of the MiG-39:
"This is Elven Alpha Omega Squadron Leader Majuro. All fighters engage. Intercept incoming bogeys. Ordering random fire. Initiate heat seekers now."

<ooc: Edolia invited me to join the war on this front. Notice, I have 6 carriers but not all planes were able to fly immediately. Anyone on the opponent side objecting to that? btw, here's my forces.>

6 Nimitz Class Carriers (carrying at maximum capacity)
24 Tigerclaw Class Destroyers
45 Unseen Class Submarines
540 F-14 Tomcats
4 Battleships (2 Iowa, 2 Arizona)
2 Mine Sweeping Ships
10 Logistic Support Ships
6 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 B-2 Bomber (coming)

OOC: Something worth noting, during the later stages of World War II, German bombers would fly above American ones &, well, bomb them.

For this reason, provided that the bombers can move faster than the gravships, there's no reason why they couldn't be attacked in the same way. Even less reason than during the War (When misses resulted in the Germans helping the Allied bombing campaign along its way.), as modern-day missiles are far "smarter" & more capable than the leaden dumb bombs of the forties.

With the war going, 45 MiG-39s taking the long journey from its home base in Cavenport City streak towards Darkseed. A thundering sound occurs as 360 F-14s join the MiGs in the air. From the background, 6 Nimitz class carriers accompanied by their battlegroup hasten their speed to the battle.

On board one of the MiG-39:
"This is Elven Alpha Omega Squadron Leader Majuro. All fighters engage. Intercept incoming bogeys. Ordering random fire. Initiate heat seekers now."

<ooc: Edolia invited me to join the war on this front. Notice, I have 6 carriers but not all planes were able to fly immediately. Anyone on the opponent side objecting to that? btw, here's my forces.>

6 Nimitz Class Carriers (carrying at maximum capacity)
24 Tigerclaw Class Destroyers
45 Unseen Class Submarines
540 F-14 Tomcats
4 Battleships (2 Iowa, 2 Arizona)
2 Mine Sweeping Ships
10 Logistic Support Ships
6 Ticonderoga Cruisers
1 B-2 Bomber (coming)

Thanks for arriving Mactan. However, I don't think that you'll be able to join this particular battle. You're a LOTR nation (or at least I'm almost positive you are) so I would imagine that you would probably be relatively close to Arda but still your fleet wouldn't be able to make it in time to join the battle. Of course you could probably make it very shortly after in which case you would be able to either help the Edolian and Mintarians prepare for another assault by Melkor gravships (if we win this battle) or most likely finish off the enemy fleet (if we lose).

{Tag; For Intelligence Purposes}

{Tag; For Intelligence Purposes}

Ah, two tags. I feel so special!

Due to Edolian request, all Island forces leave the immediate area.

"MIAF on standby. Over."

<ooc: no, i'm not an LOTR nation. 96% of the population is human. Only 4% is elven.. magic™ the gathering elves. The reason I didn't post here 2 days ago when you TGed me was I gave time for my forces to arrive in Darkseed since I'm pretty far away. But since you prefer me to stay away for a while, I'll respect that.>

Three battleships, two frigates, and two cruisers from the 5th and 7th burst into flames and plow into the waves, sending massive columns of water hurling towards the enemy fleet as the gravships closed in. By now, they were less than a mile from the outer perimeter of the enemy fleets. Ventral cannons still fired liberally at the enemy ships, as dorsal weapons systems, gunships, and fighter escort continued battling with the enemy fighters. A new wave of Ravens cleared their decks, supported by Xaosis! Fusion core XLF-45 VTOL Aircraft, outfitted for air to air combat.

The fleets begin hacking their way through the fleet lines, relentlessly firing on anything that crosses their path. Soon, they would meet up again, and continue the push southward.

Dozens more AS-6 anti-ship missiles streaked from their pylons, aimed at enemy missile frigates and carriers, primarily. Gunships rotate LRM pylons back, and in their place arises PD pylons and AAMRAM missiles. Gravship fighter escort just got a hell of a lot nastier.

The 3rd Fleet was advancing in the exact same manner; only from a weaker point in the enemy fleet lines. Several frigates fall out of the sky, followed closely by a cruiser and a battleship. AA fire nearly fills the sky as Uruk Berserkers take tot the turrets, firing madly at incoming fighters.

As the bombers show up on the scopes, the 32nd Air Corps springs into action, immediately mobilizing to intercept, as Edolia threw [what had better be] the bulk of their airforce at the gravship fleets.

Back on the Imperial Mainland, reinforcements are prepped, and leave their moorings. Two more fleets [the 9th and 10th] along with the transport fleet, carrying another 2 million men is now en route to Darkseed. This battle would not be lost.

Melkor, Lord of Darkness
He who Arises in Might
Emperor Eternal of the Imperial Dominion of Melkor Unchained, Lord and Master of Arda
http://www.thangorodrim.net/graphics/morgoth.jpg

I will supply 70 planes and 40 choppers full of paratroopers to aid darkseed

(OOC: I dunno if there are any fleet "lines" anymore, we've spread out the fleet to avoid (some) casualties. Ah well, won't matter much anyway. The fleet's gonna take a pretty hard beating this round. However, I'm going to wait for Edolia to post air movements first.

Dirty Pie, I doubt those things will be needed. I don't think we'll be landing any time soon)

<<OOC: Sorry, I forgot to post the air movements of fighters taking off from carriers.>>

The 1,147 Phoenix-IIIs and 77 F-117xs (modified F-117s designed to take off of carriers and carry AtA missiles) take off and immediately begin working to keep Melkor fighters as busy as possible. Their job is to make sure that as few as possible of his fighters can break off and fight the EIAF (Edolian Imperial Air Force) coming from Fyreheart. In such close fighting conditions, the F-117s will most likely get slaughtered. But the Phoenixes are in their element, the $110 million dollar craft are agile as hell and carry some of the most advanced dogfighting and long-range missiles in the world.

(OOC: You didn't post any Raven casualties, but I'd guess that there were some. About how many of your fighters are in the air at the moment?)

"Look at that!" said one of the sailors aboard a destroyer, pointing toward a flaming gravship falling down toward the water, with maybe about 10 seconds left until impact.

10...

9...

8...

"Ha! Those Uruks aren't so tough, eh?"

7...

6...

5...

4...

"Get back to work, sailor!" yelled the captain.

3...

"Yessir!"

2...

1...

0... and all Hell broke loose. The waves from the gravships smashed into many ships, tossing them aside as if they were nothing. Crews and soldiers screamed and cried out; their pride availing them nothing. Subs die silently... to everyone but those trapped inside.

Many waves hit already sinking or damaged ships, but this hardly consoles those inside.

Still, there are some ships in the fleet who have miraculously survived all that has come against them. The sole battleship, nearly unscathed, truly earns its name, the M.S. Vengeance, and continues to fire missiles even while the chaos and death rain around it.

And suddenly... time stops. No, it doesn't seem to stop, it actually does. And out of the sky a huge sign comes falling down and attaches itself to the battleship. It says "Blow me to bits!". Then time starts again.

(OOC: Sorry, I just thought the battleships needed that. :) )

Numbers:

Remaining ships (somewhere around 10-20%):

(Edolia)

1 24 Missile Array Anti-Sub FD Destroyer
1 24 Missile Array AA/ABM FD Destroyer
1 16 Missile Array ASW Frigate
2 24 Missile Array GM Destroyers
2 Fast Attack Missile Gunboats
12 Shaldag MK II Gunboats

(Mintar)

3 Kirov Cruisers
3 Type 23 Frigates
2 Type 42 Destroyers
1 Gurov class submarine
1 Mine-sweeping ship
1 SSN submarine
1 Nimitz class aircraft carrier
1 Battleship

The fleet, while battered and beaten, does what it can against the enemy air fleet. From the Edolian fleet comes:

58 AA missiles
12 Typhoon guns trained on fighters

From the Mintarian fleet comes:

100 AA missiles
10 AA guns trained on fighters

Missiles are being aimed at both gravships and fighters.

<<OOC: Sorry, I forgot to post the air movements of fighters taking off from carriers.>>

The 1,147 Phoenix-IIIs and 77 F-117xs (modified F-117s designed to take off of carriers and carry AtA missiles) take off and immediately begin working to keep Melkor fighters as busy as possible. Their job is to make sure that as few as possible of his fighters can break off and fight the EIAF (Edolian Imperial Air Force) coming from Fyreheart. In such close fighting conditions, the F-117s will most likely get slaughtered. But the Phoenixes are in their element, the $110 million dollar craft are agile as hell and carry some of the most advanced dogfighting and long-range missiles in the world.

[ooc: if they're that good, you've sure got a hell of a lot of them. $110 mil a pop? last I checked, like 2400 of these things were coming at me.. I beleive that's $2640000000 for all that, if I got the numbers right. How many have you got? ]

<<OOC: I have 800 Phoenix-IIIs ($110m *800 = $88b) coming from Fyreheart, 150 Phoenix-IIIs ($110m *150 = $16.5b), 800 Phoenix-IIAs ($70m * 800 = $56b), 800 Phoenix-IIBs ($80m * 800 = $64b), 800 Drakes ($80m * 800 = $64b). Total: $288.5 billion. With a military budget that rotates between 2.5 and 3 trillion a year (we have conquered states that give tribute and Edolia is somewhat militant) there is more than enough funds to keep that force supplied and since we have a tiny ground force and a tiny (not non-existant) navy considering our size, we can afford to build a lot of planes. I would like to know how much those gravships cost though. Considering how much metal would have to be used to get such thick armor, I can't imagine that they cost less than a few billion a piece. With the number that you have (over a thousand in total, right?) that would get pretty expensive. If you are a militant state (which you certainly are, that is not all that unreasable.) BTW, how many fighters do you have in this battle? Since you just mention Air Corps, I don't know what their strengths are.

Mactan -- I wasn't saying I wanted you to go away. Just that you wouldn't be able to arrive for this battle. If you sent your forces now, you would be able to come for the next one though. Sorry for the misunderstanding.>>

Melkor? When can we expect another war-post from you?

<<OOC: Sorry, I forgot to post the air movements of fighters taking off from carriers.>>

The 1,147 Phoenix-IIIs and 77 F-117xs (modified F-117s designed to take off of carriers and carry AtA missiles) take off and immediately begin working to keep Melkor fighters as busy as possible. Their job is to make sure that as few as possible of his fighters can break off and fight the EIAF (Edolian Imperial Air Force) coming from Fyreheart. In such close fighting conditions, the F-117s will most likely get slaughtered. But the Phoenixes are in their element, the $110 million dollar craft are agile as hell and carry some of the most advanced dogfighting and long-range missiles in the world.

The F117's, sadly, were no match for Ravens in combat. The decision to use F117's as air superiority fighters baffled Fleet command, as wave after wave of Raven escort craft loosed their AAMRAMs at the new enemies, coupled with heavy flak.

By now, elements of the 32nd Air Corps established a perimiter around the Fleets [particularly the 3rd], as the Ravens went about their business decimating the F117's.

Turning their attention soon thereafter to the Phoenix craft, the Raven began to fare worse, as ships were scrambled from their launch pds aboard various Imperial gravships to replace those shot down. So far, an estimated 54 fightercraft have been shot down. Gunship escort joins the fray, treating the Phoenix interceptors to an added barrage of Air to Air missiles and light Flak fire.

[ooc: gravships cost a lot: usually over $16 billion in my case, and that's just for a battleship. And no, I don't have 'thousands' of them, I have about 550 of them, but I've been building my fleets since March.]

OOC:

...Whilst I realise I probably shouldn't be helping out the enemy, this is OOC, so...

The A/F-117X, which I assume is what is being utilised here, is an F-117 variant that can be carrier-launched & has been done up with air-to-air capabilities, an enhanced bomb bay, after-burning fighter engine thingy & whatnot. Essentially it's a rather impressive stealth fighter-bomber/attack plane & more than capable of at least attempting to seize air supremacy, though it really would be far more effective with dedicated fighter support.

It was meant, I believe, to be an alternative to the Join Strike Fighter, but it was ditched because Lockheed were told that it would kill off funding for the F-22 project. Skunk Works is still working on it, though (I assume that they're an in-house development team, I don't actually know.), so who knows?

I guess Melkor could've used that information when he tridd to take on some people in the air with weaponless F-117s. Probably he's irked at me informing his opponents now. I wasn't around, sorry!

http://www.f-117a.com/images/af117x/F-117Xpaintingsm.jpg

(OOC: The F-117x's already launched their missiles. They were trying to drop bunker busters on gravships. Or at least that's what I wanted them to do. I dunno what Edolia wanted...

Also, could we have a recap, how many gravships and how many Ravens are left in the air? It seems odd that after the fleet firing ~160 missile + guns, and about 3,500 interceptors firing that you'd only have lost 54 Ravens.)

I'll respond to this when I get back from school. It might be the last post I make on this thread before giving control of my forces to Mintar. School is really sucking up a lot of my time and I've been having difficulties keeping up with NS.

:( Well, I guess I'd be up to that.

You there, Melkor? It's just that you haven't posted in a bit, so...

(OOC: The F-117x's already launched their missiles. They were trying to drop bunker busters on gravships. Or at least that's what I wanted them to do. I dunno what Edolia wanted...

Also, could we have a recap, how many gravships and how many Ravens are left in the air? It seems odd that after the fleet firing ~160 missile + guns, and about 3,500 interceptors firing that you'd only have lost 54 Ravens.)

[ooc: several things: first off, your fleets fired your missiles at my gravships as they advanced, leaving me with no other assumption than they must have hit the front of the ships. If you wanted to take them down this way you'd probably unload all of your ordinance before downing a fleet.

Secondly, the mechanics of attacking with 3500 fighters is frightening, at best. So many aircraft tend to generally be a more of a hinderance on whoever is crazy enough to use that many at once, as opposed to his opponent. Since they'd have to be grouped so closely together, a single missile can often take out 2 or more planes. This, coupled with an alarming frequency of frienly fire incidents, should precipitate [i]serious problems for the attack force.

Third: Because of this, I tend to only have a couple hundred aircraft in the air at one time. Fighter capacity for a gravship fleet is near 500 light attack craft [Ravens], most of which aren't even launched until we start sustaining losses. This keeps the skies around my gravships from getting to cluttered, and increases air-to-air combat efficiency.

Fourth: will post what I have left later today. I must be heading to bed now, as I only had 5 hours of sleep last night, and I had to work for 10. :x ]

<<OOC: To respond about the 3,500 fighters: I would disagree with that. Consider this: I would imagine that your 5th and 7th fleets are probably spread out over a relatively large area (that's generally how you do your formation if I'm not mistaken). Even if they aren't, my fighters can move towards them probably over an area of about five kilometers. They can also fly from between 500-10,000 meters. If you do the math 5,000 * 9,500 meters = almost 10,000,000 mtrs squared. That gives my 3,500 fighters a relatively large amount of space to be spread out around. I would imagine that you are perhaps right about the friendly fire part, but with those distances, and advanced targetting systems that calculate distance in the missiles as well as radar signature and heat, those incidents would be extremely uncommon.

BTW, I can't really respond militarily. I'm giving Mintar full control of my forces. Since it seems that most of the Melkor War has dried up, I'm wondering if the other parties (Mintar, Melkor) would like to just end this.>>

(OOC: Mkay, understand about the work-load. :( Anyway, Edolia said what I was going to say about the fighters.

As to suddenly deciding that our fleets are no longer fighting, I personally don't really have a preference.)

So... uh... what say you, Melkor?

Melkor, if you decide to pick up this thread, do TG me. However, as of now, I'm assuming that this is all history.