[BC] The Blackest Heart (OOC)

[Lysimachus]

Cutting and running does seem to be our only option, the Dredge isn't going to be a match for another capital ship even if it were only 1-on-1, and they've got another 5... (though I assume they are smaller?)

 

Of course, we don't know anything about these ships yet? (Very) unlikely, but they could even be friendlies...?

 

The only other thought I have about running is that we will (hopefully) have a Krokodil flying around with a 4-Astartes and 1-dog strike team aboard. If those 6 ships were spread out (searching for a hiding enemy cruiser, for example) and one of them was smaller/weaker, we might be able to use the asteroid cover to get aboard it and take over - taking 1 out of their fleet and doubling ours?

 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

5 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

The only other thought I have about running is that we will (hopefully) have a Krokodil flying around with a 4-Astartes and 1-dog strike team aboard. If those 6 ships were spread out (searching for a hiding enemy cruiser, for example) and one of them was smaller/weaker, we might be able to use the asteroid cover to get aboard it and take over - taking 1 out of their fleet and doubling ours?

 

Yarr! We's Pirates, see!? 

 

We's even got a ship's dog an' a shanty...!

 

For info, the 5 ships are smaller, there's only one capital. You'd gather that info from data passed with the message, so you do have a reason to know it.

[Xin Ceithan]

I have an inkling they’ll have their hands full with whatever is happening to Brimstone soon 

 

I’d say we try to hide and either get away quietly or - if things go extremely well for us and extremely bad for our new arrivals - try to sort through their wreckage afterwards

 

(Yeah, I know. Fat chance )

 

Going into the Warp blind is certainly our last ditch…

[Lysimachus]

4 minutes ago, Xin Ceithan said:

I have an inkling they’ll have their hands full with whatever is happening to Brimstone soon 

 

It is a fair point. Something decidedly Necron-ish is happening, so if we run they might not chase immediately anyway.

 

4 minutes ago, Xin Ceithan said:

Going into the Warp blind is certainly our last ditch…

 

See, that was part of my thinking. One Navigator can guide a few ships if they stick together, so if we could hijack a straggler from their fleet...?

 

[Necronaut]

@Lysimachus I love the idea of a last ditch hostile takeover attempt of one of the (presumably) escort vessels! Very cunning. I reckon we'd have to cut our way in with Ukalegon's melta pistol and then it's a race to take control of the bridge. Unsure how the other few thousand souls aboard would take to being press-ganged into service with the Corsairs though...

[Lysimachus]

19 minutes ago, Necronaut said:

Unsure how the other few thousand souls aboard would take to being press-ganged into service with the Corsairs though...

 

True. They might jump at it if given the chance, though...?

 

Look for the ship in the fleet that is the least clean/well maintained - in any Imperial force, probably even amongst a relatively small group of 10-12 Captains/XOs, you'll probably find someone who is a bit of a malcontent...

 

Anyway, it may not be a viable idea. Depends who they are, and what happens with the rock, etc, etc.

 

I suppose if there is a sizeable Navy Battle Group in the system, we might not want to hang around and make Bounty our next Compact? In which case, this could maybe be a low level Compact to get us started when we officially restart?

 

 

Edit: also, this just popped into my head, but if we do set up Compacts that require an initial level of sneaky infiltration onto a planet, having a smaller, less obtrusive Scout or Escort ship could be very useful?

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23 by Lysimachus

[Necronaut]

Capturing a vessel while fleeing a collapsing asteroid is well within our remit as space pirates, I think, but it is a rather risky thing to do if their friends are close at hand. Definitely would need to keep a watch for if one of them becomes isolated from the rest or somesuch, particularly if matching the description you provided, but the odds would still be stacked against us. I'm open to it if Cyrandras is able to guide the Dredge into a suitable hiding spot in the debris field in which to go silent running while we do a bit of quiet reconnoitering, possibly followed by bashing heads and a spot of jolly rogering if the opportunity presents itself.

 

Also unsure if @Mazer Rackham is keen for more mayhem prior to launch or if he would prefer to close the chapter on this sordid affair. 

Edited February 23 by Necronaut

[Lysimachus]

Very much in agreement with all of those points 

 

Especially the last one... poor Mazer! 

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

The situation with the new visitors will not be resolved this side of closing up. 

 

1 hour ago, Lysimachus said:

Especially the last one... poor Mazer! 

 

 

We need to close this off before you guys have the shirt off my back! 

 

As for cat herding, well this guy ^ is crap at his job...besides, I know a lot of ways to skin things...  

 

Edited February 23 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

@Mazer Rackham Okay so are you saying we need to cut and run for now (for your sanity) or is hiding in the debris field and attempting to engage and capture an acceptable stopping point for now? I understand this is more or less our sandbox to play in, but this is, more importantly, your game to run.

 

Edit: I think we should take the hint and continue to bravely run away...

Edited February 23 by Necronaut

[Mazer Rackham]

Sanity got nothing to do with it, boy! That sucker went out for a pint of milk when I was small, and I ain't seen the blackguard since! 

 

Yes, it is your sandbox, but there's only so much sand you can chew on at once. 

 

 

Let our newer Players catch up, take a breath, post some stuff, and get debriefed when it's over, first.

 

GM needs to be able to read the tea leaves.

 

Edited February 23 by Mazer Rackham

[Necronaut]

Okay then Ukalegon will order the Dredge to start high-tailing it, and then attempt to grab Hagga & co. before doing a hard burn to catch up with the ship and get out of Dodge.

[Mazer Rackham]

Again, we'll hang on for reactions and a few bits and pieces from the other lads if they feel so moved, and we'll tie up.

 

What we really need to look at are the Compacts/missions we have in front of us.

 

There was some discussion on sacking Bounty. That hasn't been prevented per se, as things are in hand to facilitate that. Having a go at an Imperial Planet is of course a bit of a Big Deal^TM (an Operation) and will be more for the whole Party as opposed to securing another ship which is most certainly a different Undertaking (unless you want to roll it into that expedition, which will then add further steps).

 

Let me know what you want to do.

 

Edited February 24 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Personally, my only concern about hitting Bounty is that it isn't a quick Op - time to infiltrate, maybe find cultist support, sabotage defences, all before actually attacking the Arbites bastion (it all sounds great fun!)

 

But this system is not a quiet backwater any more.

 

The prison break on Penitence, and now what is happening at Brimstone, this place is going to be suddenly heaving with Imperial forces, probably within a matter of weeks?

 

If the Imperial ships win against the necron thing, they'll already be here... and if they get destroyed, even more ships will be brought here.

 

That doesn't seem like a place where the Dredge can hold its own?

 

Are we better off getting out of Ithyca and hitting somewhere else? (preferably wherever the Imperials weaken in order to bring in forces to sort out Ithyca?)

 

 

 

 

[Machine God]

@Xin Ceithan - I take it that your character's armour doesn't have functioning magnetic soles? 

 

 

 

 

[Xin Ceithan]

2 hours ago, Machine God said:

@Xin Ceithan - I take it that your character's armour doesn't have functioning magnetic soles? 

Why do I feel there’s a sale pitch coming up?! 
 

And yes, with BC’s rather strict limit on functional PA subsystems, I decided other things were more important 

[Mazer Rackham]

1 minute ago, Xin Ceithan said:

 I decided other things were more important 

 

Cupholders are underrated.

[A.T.]

Well we could wait for the strange xenos pyramid thing to blow away the Imperials and then loot what remains of their ships...  Not sure that an Imperial vessel could pass up the chance to take a pot shot at it :p

[Mazer Rackham]

Imperials: *Make best speed towards the obviously-chaos warship*

Also Imperials: *Open the windows to shoot at the Megalith with Webley revolvers as they go past.*

 

[Necronaut]

Necrons: *Making confused noises after being woken up from pleasant 60 million year nap by gang of belligerent simian toddlers*

 

Also Necrons: "Targets aquired..." 

[Lysimachus]

Just out of interest, how big is the necron pyramid. Are we talking a full on BSF, or smaller? Is it outnumbered by 6 Imperials, or are they all minnows next to it?

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

1 hour ago, Necronaut said:

Necrons: *Making confused noises after being woken up from pleasant 60 million year nap by gang of belligerent simian toddlers*

 

Also Necrons: "Targets aquired..." 

 

Also Necrons: *Paddles ships with giant walking stick, shouting about riff-raff and ne'er do-wells*

 

43 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Just out of interest, how big is the necron pyramid. Are we talking a full on BSF, or smaller? Is it outnumbered by 6 Imperials, or are they all minnows next to it?

 

It's a double Megalith - a Megalith is a Monolith on steroids; big enough to house multiple Monoliths. This sucker is about 3 x that. For size it's as big as a heavy Imperial Cruiser. The Oculus itself is about 25m radius.

 

I wouldn't park on its lawn.

 

Edited February 24 by Mazer Rackham

[Lysimachus]

Ok, cool, so not remotely BSF sized. 

 

Heavy Cruiser equiv is bigger than the Dredge (Carnage-class Cruiser) though, right? What I mean is, as long as we hide or move away, they aren't going to focus on us and ignore the Megalith, are they?

 

I kinda agree with AT. If we pull back, they aren't going to send much after us beyond an Escort or 2? Which I think we could probably handle? (And maybe even steal and/or strip for parts?)

 

Do we know what the 6 vessels are yet? Idents? Classes? Or is that info for once we restart?

 

 

 

[Mazer Rackham]

13 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Ok, cool, so not remotely BSF sized. 

 

No, but it will absolutely annihilate anything built by Mon'Kieghs. A Megalith leaf-blowered 3 whole Imperial Guard Armoured Regiments and a Space Marine tank formation, in one action, so two of strapped together ain't a toothpick.

 

13 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

Or is that info for once we restart?

 

That thinking cap is a good fit. 

Edited February 24 by Mazer Rackham

[Machine God]

1 hour ago, Mazer Rackham said:

The Oculus itself is about 25m radius.

 

 

Only 25 metres?