'One of them looks like us. Could be another Shrike but who can tell with this interference. Would almost be better looking out of the bloody window. Presumably someone on the Fury will call us if they have more luck.'
Printable View
'One of them looks like us. Could be another Shrike but who can tell with this interference. Would almost be better looking out of the bloody window. Presumably someone on the Fury will call us if they have more luck.'
An ambush may be possible, although we do have one tactical disadvantage compared to our usual modus operandi- namely, that we cannot allow them to close with the salvage ship. I don't suppose there's any way of telling if they've spotted the Sting specifically with this static- If they have, we may as well turn and broadside them rather than flee.
"Then you'd better get on the horn right away and get Torgan to tell us how long he needs to finish the salvage job. He ain't listening to me, at least. Then we'll know whether we can do a fighting retreat or whether this is a fight to the finish. If it's the latter, we still don't want the Sting to be trading broadsides unless those are transports or something like that. Send the Fury out ahead to engage the enemy and take the hits - that what she's good at - and we can unload on the Carrion when they're busy."
'We'll know if they've seen us from seeing if they respond to us as a threat. Assuming they aren't crazy enough to ignore us and swarm the closest target first.' Anika will try to see if there are any particularly large wrecks in the area that they could use to help them disappear.
Spoiler
Looking for terrain. If I need a roll, Scrutiny vs. Per 43 (-10) (+20)
[roll0]
Failed in the ooc
"Not long, not long." Captain Torgan responded. "I think I see what's got your hackles up. We're in clearing stages now, just getting the last bits loaded. Don't suppose we've got time to stick around tearing more chunks out of this ol' girl, eh?" He paused, the vox crackling. "Never mind. Just keep 'em off us while we're getting the clamps disengaged. We'll have to do a runner back through the rings."
There were any number of hiding places, once they went back to the inner sea. Out here things were a little more sparse, but the huge volume of detritus in the system meant that somewhere to slip away was never especially far. The bigger difficulty would be guarding Torgan's ship at the same time. The Fury could hit hard, and was fast for her size, but smaller ships would still be able to outflank her.
++Its a shame indeed that we can't extract more from this treasure trove of old parts++
Perhaps we shall return when I have my new flagship. Give these Carrion fellows the old what for, eh?
'It's the Hollow Men and whatever else is out here that worries me.'
"Alright then. I recommend a fighting retreat, but we need to give Torgan a head start. Send the Fury out to draw fire while we manoeuvre out of sight. If they've already seen us, then hopefully us disappearing will worry them enough to stop them running straight past the Fury and after Torgan. If they slow down or swarm the Fury, we can flank them or hit them in the rear. If they just charge after Torgan it's the same, and if they come looking for us then at least we'll have split their forces."
'Seems only sensible. I would like to think they'd be more interested in dealing with the target that's actually firing back first.'
After a brief vox conversation with the other ships in their group, the Sting broke off, going dark and slipping into the debris fields. They couldn't go too far in, or they'd need to bring the turrets online to handle the scattered wreckage, but by keeping to the fringes and hiding behind larger wrecks, Hannabel worked the ship forwards, into a flanking position on the approaching hostiles.
The Fury took a more direct approach, tightening the circle around Torgan's Pride and bringing her weapons online. She swung her prow about to face the interlopers, and set coarse for the heart of their fleet. Engines flaring, the old Arbites Turbulent brought her guns to bear and opened fire. The lead enemy ship was a frigate, an ancient Firestorm class, and for a few brief moments she vanished as nearly every shell impacted with pinpoint accuracy. Hannabel could just imagine Elena Dassel, grinning madly and bellowing at her gun crews to reload and fire again, surveying the havoc she was wreaking with undisguised glee. The void shields overloaded almost immediately, and the old vessel was hammered by high-density rounds. Armour cracked and failed, huge chunks of hull exploding into fragments. Then the meltacannons struck. In a single withering volley, the frigate was smashed almost beyond repair. Fires blazed across its hull, but still it limped on, trying unsuccessfully to retaliate against its killer. The Fury sailed through everything the enemy threw at her, with scarce more than a few scratches to the paint of her armoured prow.
"YES! That's my girl! Well done Elena!" Hannabel crows in triumph on the bridge. "Lord Commander, looks like the Fury go their attention, so I suggest an immediate strike on the nearest of those undamaged raiders. Take one down, and it's practically even odds from there."
OOC: I'd suggest attacking the Shrike first, but since we haven't actually identified any of the enemy vessels yet...
'She's very good at that.' Now that the enemy ships were closer Anika will have another look at the auger.
'I'd like to wait until the worst actually happens, but what if any of them go after Captain Torgan?'
Spoiler
Active Augury vs. Per 43 (+20 Sting's Detection) (-10 Trauma)
[roll0]
"Then we run 'em down and send them back into the black," Hannabel answers.
"Alright helm, let's break cover and join the fight. Can't let the Fury have all the glory, eh? Get us in range for a full volley of missiles and beams at the nearest Carrion ship."
OOC: On the phone, so I can't post properly. Suggesting a basic manoeuvre action followed by Hannabel using a shooting action to blast the closest enemy.
Fire on that ship, Hannabelle! Gunners, bring it down, in the Emperor's name!
Spoiler: OOCInspiring Leader and PYBIT, for a total of +15 BS.
The helmsman sends the Manticore's Sting darting out from behind cover, moving at an angle to the Carrion before executing a turn to bring the Sting into the rear arc of the nearest undamaged enemy vessel.
At Hannabel's command, the Jovian batteries unleash a volley of missiles at the target to knock down its void shields, closely followed by the Sunsear batteries.
Spoiler: OOCCombining the missiles and lasers into a single salvo, so damage from both batteries is added together before being reduced by armour. Hits from the missile batteries will be used to knock down void shields.
I'm assuming that Macharius' roll for PYBIT was good enough to enable granting a bonus to both BS tests.
Jovian missile batteries vs. 90 (if 3 VUs or closer; BS 60+10 range +10 Exceptional Leader +5 Shrike +5 PYBIT) or 80 (if 4-6 VUs)
[roll0]
Pre-emptive re-roll: [roll1]
Sunsear laser batteries vs. 90 (if 4 VUs or closer; BS 60+10 range +10 Exceptional Leader +5 Shrike +5 PYBIT) or 80 (if 5-9 VUs)
[roll2]
Pre-emptive re-roll: [roll3]
Link to damage resolution post: ZAP!
The enemy fleet approached the Fury, the two smaller ships breaking from the main group to flank her. They fired as they went, and this time their shots were more accurate. Lasers flicked out from the nearest raider, dancing across the hull and setting off a series of explosions amongst the manouevering thrusters. The Turbulent shuddered, trying to turn to get at the attackers. The enemy Shrike approached, looking for a moment as though it might try to strike the Fury, but when its guns fired, they were directed at Torgan's ship instead.
A volley of macrocannon shells sped across the void, skimming the wreck of the Wrath and narrowly missing the salvage vessel. The other shots, balls of ionised gas, impacted dead on. The void shields crackled and overloaded, visibly flaring and dying as electricity arced across the hull. The crackling discharge remained visible as flickering afterimages for a brief moment. Torgan's voice, tinged with panic, came across the vox a moment later.
"Just lost void shields. I'll keep working here, do something about that damned ship!"
The Fury heard him. Completing its ponderous turn with damaged thrusters, the ship fired. Once again, the Stygies fired first, knocking out the void shields but doing little actual damage. The meltacannons, though, impacted on the enmy gun decks, slagging armour and setting off a half-dozen fires. The enemy Shrike burned, but it was not to be the only one. Even as the Sting approached the fight, hammering the raider that had wounded the Fury and setting off a chain reaction that depowered half the ship, the crippled frigate brought her guns to bear and fired. The Fury's shields collapsed under a sustained volley, and then the lance struck. A beam of incandescent light pierced the Fury midship, punching out the other side of the hull. As the light from the lance strike faded, it was replaced by flickering orange light from within the hull. The gun decks were burning.
'I don't want to leave the Fury alone but can we kill that Shrike?'
Spoiler: ooc
Active Augury vs. Per 43 (+20) (-10)
[roll0]
"Lord Commander, the Fury is taking a beating, but that's what she's built for. After that last exchange the Shrike is on fire and she's probably just lost some of her guns. The last raider is the only fully operational enemy vessel left and we need to shut her down quickly. Without our missiles we'd need a whole lot o' blessings from the Emperor to do that in one volley. I recommend we board her instead and you should order the Fury to finish off the Firestorm. It stinks, but Torgan will have to hold on against the Shrike a little longer."
No one needs to ask Felidae twice: I'll get ready straight away - we launch on your order, commander! And with that, she stomps off to join the marines.
Splendid! Prepare the shuttles! For Absolom, glory, and Him on Terra!
Felidae's voice booms over the vox to the assembled marines: Launch all boats. Our enemies this day are depraved and deranged. Show no mercy, and expect none in return, they have long left the realms of reason and the light of the Emperor behind. In His name, cleanse and purify.
Spoiler: OOC
Rolls that may be needed:
WS: [roll0] vs 85 (65 base, full auto +20)
Damage rolls:
[roll1] or [roll2]
[roll3] or [roll4]
[roll5] or [roll6]
[roll7] or [roll8]
[roll9] or [roll10]
WS confirm in case of RF: [roll11]
RF rolls:
[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]
[roll15]
[roll16]
Should the need arise, Command: [roll17] vs 51. Felidae has Peer: Military, which is think covers 'social skills'. Is Command a social skill? =)
Also should the need arise - should any roll fail in a spectacular and embarassing fashion, Fate reroll: [roll18]
That's all I can come up with.
Haha! I'm actually slightly disappointed at the lack of any RF. We'll reroll the WS, and hope succesful Command is less important =)
"Alright everyone, hold on to yer nuts an' bolts, 'cos we're about to make a hard turn. Hobbes, when I give the order, fire the thrusters and bring us about ninety degrees. We're going straight for that last raider so Bolterface and the Lord Commander can get their rocks off, get it? Ready? On my mark...GO!"
OOC: Successful Pilot test in OOC thread after FP re-roll.
The raider slipped out from behind the Fury, only to find the Manticore's Sting bearing down on it at full speed. The doomed ship lashed out with its guns, scoring a glancing hit across the Sting's front armour. Then the larger vessel crashed into it. For a moment, it looked as though they might lose control and simply grind past the raider, but Hannabel managed to swing the stern around, firing the manouevring thrusters as hard as they would go, locking the ships together and opening all the launch bays. Felidae and a full load of marines covered the gap in seconds, hitting the decks running. The enemy here were like those they'd fought before, raving and desperate, a ship full of frothing mad berserkers. Against the leadership of Macharius and Felidae, though, they were no match.
Meanwhile, the space combat around them had turned brutal. The burning Fury fought hard to get the fires under control, but was unable to prevent them from spreading. The Stygies decks would need repair before they could function properly again, but the meltacannons were still working, and the crippled Firestorm felt their full power. The first volley collapsed her void shields. The second ripped across her bow, inflicting horrifying damage. Her gun decks were slagged, the lance on her prow twisted beyond function. Armour melted, shields failed and, as final insult, one shell pierced the hull near the stern and detonated. Superheated gas tore through the engineering decks, reducing the reactors to hissing puddles of molten metal. Plasma containment failed, and the rear half of the ship nearly tore itself apart, every light across the hull winking out simultaneously. The Frigate was reduced to little more than a drifting tomb, as the Fury came about to face the final enemy ship.
Torgan had finally finished disengaging the umbilicals and salvage clamps, but he was being pressed hard by the enemy Shrike. Macrocannon shells burst across the armour, failing to find purchase. Without working void shields, though, it was more a matter of time. Of course, the Shrike had her own problems. The disruption cannons were no longer operational, the fire started by the Fury's meltacannons spreading rapidly.
After the collusion Anika is still anxiously watching the augur on the Sting's bridge. 'What's the betting that the Shrike will stick around while it's friends are dead?'
Spoiler: ooc
Focused Augury on the Shrike
vs. Per 43 (+20 detection) (-10 trauma)
[roll0]
Macharius drives his soldiers forward, urging them on to slaughter the Carrion. Press the attack! Give them no quarter. Forward, for Absalom and the Emperor!
Spoiler: OOCCommand VS 112 [roll0]
Fate reroll if I lose the opposed test: [roll1]
While Torgan works to finish the salvage and extricate his ship Ravia will lend her might to getting the Prides voids back online.
Torgan's void shields flickered back to life just in time to intercept another volley from the enemy Shrike's cannons. The ship creaked and groaned, her hull weathering the punishment as best it could. For now, the armour held. Torgan's guns were similarly ineffectual, the old freighter firing desperately as she retreated. Fortunately for her, she was not alone. The Fury completed her turn, sending a well-aimed volley from the meltacannons after the Shrike. The shells impacted the armour, doing little visible damage... until a lucky shot glanced off an open gun port, and cooked off some of the ammunition inside. The Shrike burned, the crew's efforts to extinguish the blaze failing at every turn.
Hannabel and the Sting, though, had more important things to worry about. With Felidae at their head, the Absalom marines were cutting a bloody swath through the defenders. Their enemies were vicious, but experience and leadership were telling, and some of them seemed to have realised they were fighting a losing battle. For the past several minutes the Sting's augurs had been picking up some very worrying power fluctuations from the raider. Fluctuations consistent with reactor overload...
"Lord Commander! Bolterface! We've got some bad juju coming across the augurs! There's power fluctuations over there that look like a reactor overload. Looks like these Carrion are intending to go to hell and bring us along for the ride! You need get yerselves back here right now!"