Once More, With Feeling

[Vinyl]

We've got tons of personnel, it doesn't really matter.

[҉]

We've got tons of personnel, it doesn't really matter.

Of course it matters. If you're running a special forces mission and you send in a hundred guys instead of an actual platoon-sized strike team, you're gonna have a bad time because that's a vastly different operation. Squads are the size they are because that's a useful unit size; quadrupling the size of your smallest operational unit isn't better, it's clumsier. Unless you've made up a new smallest unit, in which case I must ask why you bothered doing everything wrong in the first place, how are you going to deal with situations in which a small team is needed?

[Error]

I prefer the traditional version. A platoon is ~30 (3 sections of 8 + MG teams), a company 3 platoons, and so on.

[Vinyl]

We've got tons of personnel, it doesn't really matter.

Of course it matters. If you're running a special forces mission and you send in a hundred guys instead of an actual platoon-sized strike team, you're gonna have a bad time because that's a vastly different operation. Squads are the size they are because that's a useful unit size; quadrupling the size of your smallest operational unit isn't better, it's clumsier. Unless you've made up a new smallest unit, in which case I must ask why you bothered doing everything wrong in the first place, how are you going to deal with situations in which a small team is needed?

This is not a special forces mission. They are not special forces. These are slightly above the standard meat wall bricks.

[҉]

We've got tons of personnel, it doesn't really matter.

Of course it matters. If you're running a special forces mission and you send in a hundred guys instead of an actual platoon-sized strike team, you're gonna have a bad time because that's a vastly different operation. Squads are the size they are because that's a useful unit size; quadrupling the size of your smallest operational unit isn't better, it's clumsier. Unless you've made up a new smallest unit, in which case I must ask why you bothered doing everything wrong in the first place, how are you going to deal with situations in which a small team is needed?

This is not a special forces mission. They are not special forces. These are slightly above the standard meat wall bricks.

Not relevant. This is true of normal infantry too. If it takes forty soldiers to hold a bunker, four times that many won't do a better job. Instead, they'll overcrowd the bunker and probably end up with half of them standing on top trying to cram inside, and then the enemy will know where your bunker is. Making the bunker four times as big will make it four times as obvious. The whole situation becomes silly. So why do it?

[Error]

Because the Hexalani have little or no concept of 'subtle'.

[Vinyl]

Not relevant. This is true of normal infantry too. If it takes forty soldiers to hold a bunker, four times that many won't do a better job. Instead, they'll overcrowd the bunker and probably end up with half of them standing on top trying to cram inside, and then the enemy will know where your bunker is. Making the bunker four times as big will make it four times as obvious. The whole situation becomes silly. So why do it?

Use more bunkers, not larger bunkers if you're so scared of the enemy knowing your location.

[҉]

Not relevant. This is true of normal infantry too. If it takes forty soldiers to hold a bunker, four times that many won't do a better job. Instead, they'll overcrowd the bunker and probably end up with half of them standing on top trying to cram inside, and then the enemy will know where your bunker is. Making the bunker four times as big will make it four times as obvious. The whole situation becomes silly. So why do it?

Use more bunkers, not larger bunkers if you're so scared of the enemy knowing your location.

Surely you understand what I'm saying. This feels like I'm talking to joykler.

[Vinyl]

Not relevant. This is true of normal infantry too. If it takes forty soldiers to hold a bunker, four times that many won't do a better job. Instead, they'll overcrowd the bunker and probably end up with half of them standing on top trying to cram inside, and then the enemy will know where your bunker is. Making the bunker four times as big will make it four times as obvious. The whole situation becomes silly. So why do it?

Use more bunkers, not larger bunkers if you're so scared of the enemy knowing your location.

Surely you understand what I'm saying. This feels like I'm talking to joykler.

Yes. Smaller units are far more usable. But Hexalan was built to take or hold an entire planet, not fight in a localized region on a planet. If we need to do that, we use either a small group or an elite unit (small being relative to the massive armies used to wage planets). The forces at the city ship are a "small group".

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

LJS, your problems started when you assumed Hexalan has actual military tactics that go beyond "moar meatbags".

[cats]

burn everyone that points out things that don't work outside of shitty RTS tactics.

[Shadowcatbot]

OOC: wtf people it's been like a week since anything died. BZZZT CLEAR!

The Nivanshae medical ship Surveyor warped in. Flanked by two cargo ships the Vega and Comet and a Cutter class cruiser Scorpion following behind. They navigated next to the already in-system ship Errant. The ships docked together in close formation while the Scorpion prowled closer to the city ship. Several boarding shuttles deployed to the Nivanshae assigned crater with engineering and cleanup crews to remove radioactive debris and set up a forward base. On the Surveyor a number of medical boarding teams were being prepared along with a few marine units.

(More story later om nom nom)

[Professor Fenway]

The Third Fleet crowded around the crater, mere specks compared to the massive size of the city-ship. As the first boarding teams deployed, another fleet began jumping in. They boasted the NR insignia of the Fifth Fleet Battalion.

Karlyus answered the communication line. "Admiral Karlyus," said Admiral Barne of the Fifth Fleet, "We've been ordered to render assistance and support in your operation. We brought a few science ships with dedicated sensor systems."

"Acknowledged Admiral Barne. Have the science ships render tactical data and sweep as much of the ship you can. Patrol the area and ensure nothing gets in or out without us knowing about it."


The first shuttle lumbered towards the damaged block, what appeared to be a hanger damaged by the first nuclear blast. Small craft were littered everywhere. It touched down and the team exited, quickly setting up several other devices to secure the landing zone. Perimeter turrets, a shield generator, an atmosphere shield. When they finally looked around, they didn't believe what they saw.

"This can't be a space-faring vessel," remarked one. "These fighters are made of aluminum. They're atmospheric fighters. Thousands of years old."

[Error]

The Novan transports set down within the NeoRoman perimeter; the science teams scattering to their tasks, the medical teams awaiting anything to do.

- - -
The shipyard within the ringworld has been completed; transport of materials and personnel to that location has begun. Defensive installations on the surface of the ring are being considered.

Oddly, despite further explorations and scans, no trace of the ring's drone defense system has been found, nor have any drones. Analysis and investigation continues.

[ACH0225]

Strigiforme breaching teams began sweeping the corridors of the vessel, having arrived in what might be tentatively described as a commercial area of the vessel, having what appeared to be storefronts and small rooms displaying a few bits and baubles. The teams searched around, nabbing a few small objects of particular note.

Fen, no clue what lives here/what Strigi are going to find. Feel free to PM me, or even do a brief control of the Strigi forces to describe what they are seeing.