Sadly, the yellow crate placement won't work. The most you could get would be the midpoint of a container off the gray area.

I have no general quibles with the layout, other than the question of where we'd get the energy to move the crates, probably wieghing several thousand kilograms each the ten meters needed to achieve the yellow positioning within a reasonable amount of time. We could theoretically rig some kind of pulley system to tranfer motion from the monotask arm to the crates, but it'd take time to set up and use. Blue layout's probably best. It could be supplemented by placing gunmen at either set of catwalk steps, providing a cross-fire, and by placing Claymores rigged to the interior frame of the airlock, placed so as to concentrate their potential within say, a ten foot radius of the doors. With that screwing them up, fire from at least two points (either both behind the baricade or some behind and some on the stairs), we can hope to generate enough choas to disrupt their coordination, and cut them down quickly. I'd recomend Semo, Hugh, and Davis for the barricade, and Angel either on the barricade or the middle set of stairs. The Claymores need to be set for remote cascade detonation. Concentrated like that, the trick'll only work once anyway, so let's put all the power into it. Switch all defenders to Imperium weapons. When the combat starts, Luis, Max, and the NPCs can move out to assist.

As for repairs, I'd say Max and One-Ton start work with the Delta NPCs while Luis helps Angel rig the bombs. Once that's completed, Luis can switch to repair work. The parts crate should be loaded into the hold and secured.

I would point out that a crossfire isn't very safe (not that I'm military, but I've gamed with a bunch). If you've seen Ronin, Sean Bean gets kicked out of the group for planning one.

As I understand it, L-shaped ambushes are the talk of the town. If you simply took your shooter off the top catwalk stairs and moved him/her to the middle catwalk platform while keeping your container shooters in place, you'd avoid any friendly fire.

Nearly everywhere in the hangar is within grenade throwing range as well, although some shots may be harder than others (like trying to put a frag into the airlock door from the far side of the loading zone, across a starship, catwalk and a ton of boxes).

Um. Why don't we use the monotasks in classic Ripley vs. Alien fashion? The Turai would never, ever expect that manuever. Although the trouble therein becomes drawing the Turai close enough to the ship then trapping them inside. Perhaps locking or disabling the airlock (via electronic or explosive method) would be a good way to do so.

The fact is, we have the lead time and ability to mount an effective defense. We need to use the terrain and equipment to our advantage.

Although I know I replied on IM, for the group's benefit I'll repeat. The monotasks only reach stuff inside that gray area. Additionally, the monotask control booth is shielded from the ship but open towards the airlock. To crush and toss Turai would require you to do so while exposing your back. However, if you figure out a way to get them inside that area, AND manage to grab one with a monotask, it's one of those things where I just don't bother rolling damage.

I was kind of thinkng of an L-shaped ambush. One or two on the stairs, some behind the baricade. Add in the Claymores and the crate's defensive properties and we ought to be okay. Monotask won't be needed. Anyway, the way I'm envisioning it, it's more like one of the crain-games you see in arcades than a forklift. Is that a correct interpretation? Or am I wrong?

No, I'd say that's fairly accurate. Like big multi-limbed warehouse crane that runs along the ceiling or something.

What would give the station cause to say....want us out of their docking bay ASAP? Whatever that is, I'd like to have a contigency in place.

Also, in the interest of getting some stuff done before people evaporate for Christmas, the cutoff on planning this defensive will be tomorrow (tuesday) night. I'll be out and about tomorrow, so get your planning in. If you can give me a definitive plan by tonight, I should be able to get an update in before I'm out all day. Otherwise we'll kick in the door on Wednesday.

In regards to your question, you mean something like "those fuckers spilled radioactive sludge in our hangar, get them out of here ASAP!"

admiralducksauce wrote:

In regards to your question, you mean something like "those fuckers spilled radioactive sludge in our hangar, get them out of here ASAP!"

Riiiight.

The options are too numerous to mention. Any sufficiently gross breach of social or moral values should do it, and may even expand "kick you out" to "throw you out without a spacesuit" or "chase you all the way to the Gate".

Keeping in mind everyone on the station is cool with slavery, rampant drug use, and the occasional maiming, you'll have to aim low. Shit that endangers everyone aboard would certainly qualify.

We need the station management to help us get rid of the evidence, so pissing them off wouldn't really be a good idea. I think we should play the innocent for this one. Semo saw something he shouldn't have seen about the Imperials blowing up the station or something, and they attacked us to shut him up. That way they not only could help us kill them, but get rid of their ship as well.

I think our final version of the defensive setup is Punkey's blue version, with probably Angel and somebody else on one of the stairways, Luis, One-Ton, Max and an NPC starting on the drive and all but One-Ton coming out to help when the shooting starts. Claymores rigged for simultaneous detonation (placed where they're hard-ish to see) near the airlock so as to blanket about a 15-foot square starting at the airlock. Other then those, Imperium-origin guns are the order of the day as much as possible. When they show up (which we need some warning of. Does the airlock make any sounds as it cycles? Or lights or something? About forty seconds if it's possible.) we let them get a few paces in, then hit them with the Claymores when there's the most in the area of effect. Then we open up from behind cover. Anybody see anything problematic in that?

Other than not being sure what claymores and other weapons would do to the station hull?

The plan is good, but I'm worried about that one.

Gatac

Is it really the exterior hull they'd be hitting? However, that is a good point. ADS, will they punch holes in the walls? Lasers rifle thingies, stingers, handlancers, Claymores. If so, will those holes threaten our continued existence as PCs?

Generally, whenever it comes to atmosphere/vacuum barriers, any hole is bad. Now, that said, I think it might actually be best to avoid using the claymores, if not for worries of breaching the outer hull of the station, to avoid messing up the second half of the plan, where we accuse them of trying to blow up the station. They will be useful later, though. And remember, we need one of them alive. It can be the last one, or we could just shoot one in the knees or something, but we need one of them alive.

e of pi wrote:

Is it really the exterior hull they'd be hitting? However, that is a good point. ADS, will they punch holes in the walls? Lasers rifle thingies, stingers, handlancers, Claymores. If so, will those holes threaten our continued existence as PCs?

I think I mentioned that you doubt even the AT-4 could breach the outer doors. A Claymore really really shouldn't breach the hull.

Beam rifle? Again, you don't think so. Same with the handlancer.

Stinger? Even if it did, the holes would be so small that you could finish your repairs and leave by the time anyone took notice.

Look at it this way. You've been walking around with guns - but so have quite a few of the people on the station. If hull breaches were possible (or even rarely possible), guns wouldn't be allowed. Someone before you guys would have shot a few rounds into the wall.

Okay, then. As described, I think.

Here's what I've got then:



The orange arcs are the claymores' kill zones. One'd be hidden on the north staircase, and the other would... well, there's no real good place to hide it, but "in the shadows of a sludge container and catwalk grating" should work well enough to get you that head-on shot on the airlock.

The final question is, how much of a stickler are you going to be on Imperial vs. Earth weapon usage?

All Imperium weapons:
Hugh, Arketta, and Angel use the team's 3 beam rifles
Mellish has his own stinger
Davis takes the handlancer
Semo uses a stinger

Best tools for the job:
Angel uses his rifle
Hugh, Arketta and Davis use beam rifles
Mellish uses the Mk.48 machine gun
Semo uses his 25mm cannon

Luis, Max, One-Ton and Taylor are on repair detail.

I have to get out of here, so I'll make the repair rolls and whatnot tomorrow and get an update in.