Stellar_Magic

You write his death? You? I've already got it written out, and well, it'll be graphic. I'm also considering having another jedi among the casualties... Just a general question (I won't do it yet) do any of you want Darth Avarice dead?

Actually I was planning on unleashing the Aklasp on the UDA, The Rapora will probably want to shore up and consolidate their gains, unfortunately their supply line to Ord Mantell remains tenuous, they'll want to expand their control and secure systems between the two systems in order to maintain their position. I'll tell you that the Jedi and UDA will be taking some bitter losses in the coming days, the Rapora will also begin to initiate assasination attempts on prominet jedi and figures so watch your back. The GFFA and UDA will probably try and pry the Vagaari away from the Rapora which may initiate a Vagaaran civil war. Also the Rapora really don't have any solid bases yet and will undoubtably begin building some.

We've all heard it, Empire at War, and our reaction to some of its features has been... huh? Firstly I'd like to say that at least we've been blessed with another RTS after all these years that with a little modding may be our hope and prayer for a sequeal to Rebellion, maybe... Pertoglyph is a surprisingly open community for a game design team, and has as Cain posted, contacted several members of the modding community, unfortunately it seems that in the process they skipped over us. I figured if we wrote an Email of introduction, suggestions, and questions, we may be able to help lead them toward a game we'd all like to play... So what would you want in such an E-mail? Of course we should probably ask if they've ever played Star Wars Rebellion... That will undoubtably be the first question on the list. I'd like to ask about the moddability of the game, can more planets be easily added, and can units and vessels be added instead of simply replaced like in Star Wars Rebellion? How intelligent are the individual unit AIs, X-wings and the like are constantly moving right? The dumbest thing with Galactic Battlegrounds was how the fighters just sat there... How accurate are the units, do they always hit their mark (Even if the target has moved, hence sand) or is their a random element effected by experience that tells how often the vehicle will just plain miss? Now suggestions... We've read that Y-wings and X-wings can be called in on strike missions, but what about orbital bombardment? Why not make it so that the shield generator on the planet (Like on Hoth) is designed to protect the planet from an orbital barrage instead of shielding an individual structure. That way if you loose the shield generator you're almost completely helpless from the bombardment and will be forced off the base... probably. You could make it so that ground based ion cannons could stop the bombardment and give the player a fighting chance. Now, some articles say that the game gives rebel units an edge both in space and on the ground, but in the films the rebel army units (Not counting the Commandos) on the ground were inferior to the imperial army. The rebels should be given something of a mixed bag of units, Alliance Army units should be poor fighters and cheap (These are what were defending hoth) while rebel commando units should be superior to their imperial foes and expensive. Entrenchements, rebels dig trenches, imps don't. We saw it on Hoth, is it in the game, and how hard would it be to impliment such a simple defense into the game? We'd also like to see the game have more planets, a lot more... Though adding as many planets as Rebellion had (200 available planets) would be problematic we feel anything less then fifty would make for a rather short lived and less then replayable game. Perhaps 200 would be possible with the addition of a random map generator for each of the individual worlds but otherwise we understand that such a large number of hand crafted planetary maps created for an off the shelf game is excessive. Okay what would you like to say?

OOC: The Space battle is on the main hyperspace route from Adumar to Ord Mantell. A unit of GFFA and UDA ships engaged and batter a Raporan Convoy and a Raporan task force until the Aklasp ships crash the party. Anyway back to Ord Mantell. IC: Darth Fury and Darth Tuvax stood in the command center. Avarice could feel their impatience their urge to strike at the enemy and smiled, "Now, I know you're all eager to strike upon the enemy. Especially you Fury, the UDA embarassed you somewhat didn't they." Avarice leaned back in the command chair and keyed the holoprojector, "We'll be making a general assault on prepared enemy positions. Our first stage of operations will be a series of wild weasel strikes and barcap missions to eliminate enemy air and space defenses. Then we'll send in our reserve squadrons of Kar Asp to strike upon the enemy artillery. After that the first wave will have returned and been resupplied to provide immediate Close Air Support. We will advance behind a rolling barrage provided by our artillery. Fury, you'll be attacking the UDA, Tuvax, you'll be hitting the Imperials. I'll be against the GFFA and Mandalorians. Any questions?"

Actually something odd does happen when you've got that many fighters around. Because the distance between fleets is determined by the number of ships and fighters when you've got a ton of fighters the two fleets start farther away from each other, thats the only odd thing that happens.

Luke just got thrown into the Vaathkree Affair. If you want to join in you'll have to figure your own way in, I think most every party is represented now, except maybe the UDA. What should we do after Ord Mantell? Any suggestions?

OOC: Sounds like you guys need a real enemy, so here I am Seperatist commander Veran Krummel of the world of Bbfassh in charge of the Seperatist combined operations in the Sluis sector...who will soon be transferred to the outer rim to combat Republic incursions. IC: The calm quiet rap of metallic fingers against a durasteel door filled the room as the glow light at the rooms center flickered to life. The door to the cabin hissed open as the lone occupent climbed out fo his bunk and pulled on the steel grey uniform of command. Slowly he stood in front of the mirror as the command droid AA-9B stepped into the room with a datapad clutched in his hand, "Commander Krummel a report from the XT-998 Listening Post, Republic forces are reportedly massing in the Sruma V star system." Commander Veran Krummel stroked his beard as he turned to the droid, "Good, what about commando activity?" "Commando activity is down sir, we have forces remaining in high alert to rapidly respond to any threat," AA-9B answered swiftly. "Let us hope the Republic does not intend to enforce their rule on our systems," Veran Krummel said simply as he zipped up the front of his jumpsuit, "If they do, they'll quickly discover the foolishness of their ways." Suddenly the droid straightened, "Sir, we've just got word from command, Republic ships have been spotted over Tatooiene." "Why Tatooiene?" Veran Krummel thought to himself. Frowning he glanced back at the droid, "Was there anything else?" "Yes sir, you're being transferred to the Outer Rim."

The two cruisers shot toward the engagement, their forward firing energy weapons powering up, the Polaron Beam cannon's nozzle that was at the head of the ship began to glow a fain blue as energy was diverted to the weapon at the ship's nose, shrouded by a number of forward facing mandables. Then with a flash it fired sending a beam slicing through space and into the side of a UDA cruiser. As it skipped across the ship's side the vessel shattered like glass before detonating. The second ship loosed a volley of six glowing blue torpedoes for the nearest target. The shots hit the Ravager class Star Destroyer Equality blowing through the port shields and ripping through the star destroyer's side. The craft began a slow tumble as the reactors began to fail, then as the first escape pods began to jettison from the ship the Polaron cannon from the second cruiser ripped through it and moments later the destroyer was nothing but free floating atoms in space. Commodore Athien watched in horror as the two enormous cruisers which had appeared on her sensors roared into the fight, their starfighters already ripping through her fighter screen, "All units, condition red, microjump in any direction, disengage!" The Aklasp fighters shot toward Athien's command ship and broke toward the engines sending blasts of positron energy through the shields. As the ship rocket the engineer hissed in frustration behind a cascade of sparks, "Engines offline!" Athien gripped her command chair as the fighters blasted into her vessel's rear again, "Engage Phase Cloak!" The last shots from the fighters passed harmlessly through the cruiser as it shimmered out of existance.

OOC: Sorry about the double post, but I'm transferring a character from this plot to the subplot RPG. IC: Luke Skywalker sighed as the sonic thunder of the Jade Scimitar entering the atmosphere echoed across the valley. Within moments the ship appeared followed by a host of other transports marked in New Republic colors. Luke felt the start of a smile crack across his lips at the sight, it was the first real smile he'd shown since they'd arrived. Anyone could see that Skywalker was not at his best, his eyes were red rimmed with exhaustion and fatigue. His skin was almost unnaturally pale as he slowly walked to the landing field. Danni Quee limped into view as the first medical transports dropped to the ground. As the medical teams rushed out she yelled, "Follow me, we've set up soem collection points!" She took charge of the teams before he could reach them. With a hiss the ramp for the Jade Scimitar slid to the ground and Mara and Ben clambered down the ramp. "How many ships?" Luke asked blankly as he stepped up to her. Mara sighed, "Over a hundred starships, more will be arriving as we speak, has annyone spoken to Sekot?" "No," Luke answered coldly. "Luke, the council..." She stopped midsentence as an image of Vergere rose from the ashes behind Luke, "Luke..." "Master Skywalker," Vergere's icy soft voice floated across the air. Luke slowly turned, "Your time here is at an end, I will take care of Zonoma." "Sekot?" Luke asked stunned. "You must attend your own, as I must my own, they need you," Sekot said quietly, "The Rapora must be stopped, the evil they perpetrate must be ended." Mara sighed as she pulled a datapad from her vest, "We've been given a mission Luke, you remember Kyp's first diplomatic mission?" Luke felt his mouth drop open, "No..."

OOC: Thanks for the idea Trej. I'll see who I can dig up for this next one. Luke Skywalker felt the weight that had been with him since blasting off Zonoma Sekot begin to ease, maybe it was Mara's company, or maybe it was Ben's presence. Or maybe it was the horrifying things he was learning, the Rapora had a new weapon in their arsenal, one that may be able to defeat the New Republic single handedly, one which the New Republic knew absolutely nothing about. Except that they were silicate creatures and therefore the military and basic technology of warfare was all but useless against them. So here he was, being sent to make a deal with the one other form of silicate life known to the New Republic with a request of help. In front of him on the main computer screen was the report filed by Kyp Durron on his mission to the Vaathkree, and Luke knew that his mission just had gotten harder starring at the words, "Why am I still cleaning up after him over ten years later?" "Because you didn't slap him down way back when," Mara answered from her seat as she glanced back at Ben, "Strap in, we're twenty seconds out." Luke looked up at the blue tunnel of hyperspace and pulled his belt tight around his chest and leaned back as Artoo twittered from his mount between the seats. Then with a flash the tunnel turned into starlines then individual stars around a dark world sheathed in the brilliant light of a red giant star, "By the force." Even Mara sat in wonder at the sight of Vaathkree serenely orbiting the star, "Wow, its allot like Sullust or Ryloth." Luke nodded, it was a lot like those worlds, but worse it was fruther to its star then Ryloth was but it was constantly rotating, and just as volcanic as Sullust, without the deep caverns and tunnels that helped those that lived their survive. Vaathkree was a demon world. Ben leaned back in his seat and tapped his screen, "Mom, multiple contacts, I've got several Imperial ships, one Kar Lur cruiser, and several unknown contacts." Mara leaned over her displays, "Twelve of the unknowns are a match to known Vaathkree designs, the other one..." Luke frowned as the image came up, at first it looked like an anatomical display of kracken until Luke read the marked points on the ship. Mara tightened her fist, "It's one of the Raporan allies, those 'firewalker' things." Suddenly the comm screen crackled, "Jade Scimitar you have entered Vaathkree space, please state your mission, passengers, and any cargo." Luke leaned forward and frowned, "This is Luke Skywalker of the New Republic transport Jade Scimitar on a diplomatic mission to the ruler of Vaathkree. My passengers include my wife, son, and droid. We have no cargo which we wish to declare." "Very well, are we to assume your purpose is to form an alliance against the Rapora as well?" "You may." "Then I welcome you to the deal as another bargainer for the friendship of our people," The comm answered before closing. Luke glanced over at Mara, "So how'd I sound?"

Or I could just point him to our Game encyclopedia for the RPG...

I think you were thinking of my experiments with trying to make an ultra realistic SWR rebellion when you wrote about the Squadron to Flight thing. Anyway I just try and strike a balance of fast and heavy ships in my games, usually establishing a number of small task forces instead of one or two huge fleets. Typically I'd deploy one or two heavy ships in a task force with three to four times that number of smaller ships.

The UDA pulled back to the base on the river, also those Aklasp ships will arrive in just a few minutes. Their fighters have already engaged.

Councilor Valar paced in his room, his claw fingering his lip, "A piece of 'trivial' technology..." Frowning he turned to Calra, "Have you gotten access to the data library onboard the Ammending Cycle?" "Yes, what exactly am I looking for?" Valar smiled as he stopped and glanced at the stone furniture, "What technologies do the Vaathkree lack." He stopped thinking back through their entire stay as a thought struck him, "Stone..." Frowning again he wandered over to the table top and rapped at it, "Of course!" Valar turned, "Run a search for high energy chemistry, compare our list with known alloys used by the Aklasp." "I don't see where this is going..." Calra answered as she tapped at the keyboard. "Think Calra, the Vaathkree use asteroids as space craft, stone tableware, and have you seen how weathered the keypads of their devices look after just a few moments use." Valar dropped down in front of Calra, "The Aklasp have none of these problems." Suddenly Calra stopped as the implications sank in, "You're saying they lack the basic technology to build metallic equipment that can withstand their use." "Exactly, the Aklasp have developed a way to maintain the integritty of their vessels and equipment despite the intense heat they give off, which is significantly more then our hosts... And because they are on our ships as often as they are..." Calra smiled as her communications equipment pinged and began to download, "They shared it with us." Valar grinned at her as the droids in the suite stood somberly starring out into space, "And I know just how to sweeten the deal."

Coucnilor Valar smiled when he heard the news, "Interesting." He tossed the datapad on the table as the Vaathkree stepped inside the chamber, "Especially considering that was precisely what my first offer would have been, their neutrality in exchange for some trivial piece of technology." "Neutrality?" Calra asked raising her eyebrow slightly as she spoke, "I thought..." "Neutrality is just one step away from war, Calra, tempt them enough and they'd jump for it." Valar smiled slightly before leaning forward onto the table and glancing at the prepared feast that was lain before them, "For cilicate creatures they are quite good cooks it seems." Hissing softly Valar leaned back and glanced across the table to the Imperial delegation and smiled, "Arkanian, something on your mind?" The Arkanian frowned and glanced to the leader of the delegation, "Sir..." Valar smiled before clearing his throat and spoke again this time in Rapora, "You know what I'm saying... Your ancestors knew, do you?" Before the Arkanian could answer the door to the room slid open and Valar turned and felt his muscles contract as a massive creature stepped inside. As it entered Valar felt the temperature of the room increase, "By the Timeless One." It was an Aklasp, an elder one from the look of it and Valar felt his eyes narrow, "Councilor Chorack why are you here?" The Aklasp smiled before answering, his glowing eyes flicking over to the imperials, "Doing what I always due Valar. I'm insuring the survival of my race." OOC: Ha! There's your new group, take that imperial scum!

Darth Avarice paced hottly in the command center, "Alright get me links to Fury and Tuvax if we destroy Solo here the GFFA will surely suffer a mental scar from the loss of such a hero, I want that mental scar to be imprinted upon them for the rest of the war!" With a shimmer the glowing holo the cloaked figure of the Timeless One appeared in the communications center. Avarice felt her heart leap for her throat as he lowered his cowl to reveal a clearly angry face, "Darth Avarcie explain your delay in securing Ord Mantell!" Darth Avarice felt a cold fist close over her iron heart, "The enemy has put up more resistance then expected. They've been reinforced..." "You have failed me Darth Avarice," Timeless One hissed and Darth Avarice clenched her heart and knelt to the ground. "I confess it," Avarice yelled as a pain flashed through her temples. She crumpled, "Please master...forgive me!" As she crumpled to the floor she felt the pain begin to ease as the Rapora in the center starred at her dumbfounded. Suddenly all at once the pain disappeared as the Timeless One began to smile, "It is true that you are not solely responsible for this failure. Crush the enemy forces, I expect news of your victory within the day," He paused, "If you fail..." Darth Avarice grit her teeth, "I will not fail." The hologram faded away as she stood, "Get me Tuvax and Fury, NOW!!!" * * * Han Solo walked along with his wife and aides through the command center, "Alright, so where have the enemy deployed?" Lieutenant Melina Thompson tapped a key on the holotable at the center of the room to display the entire field of battle. She smiled slightly at General Solo before begining her presentation, "The enemy has four major battle groups, three mixed Rapora-Vagaari troops and one unit of 'Firewalkers". The units we believe are broken up into three seperare commands, each one of roughly equal strength. The Rapora have also started cooking again, from overflights it appears they're building a unit of droids, what type we're not sure." Melina keyed a button which zoomed in the map on the enemy, "They've deployed along the hills which line the river valley, so far the enemy have not brought up the 'firewalkers' to the front, we've spotted farps for raporan fighters and vagaari craft." Han nodded, "Alright, have the mandalorians deployed as requested?" "Yes sir," Lieutenant Thompson answered glancing up at him, "Are you thinking about sending a liason?" "Of course, Katarn?" "I can handle some mandalorians," Kyle answered as he strolled into the center with a hand on his hip, "Of course thats if they don't try and kill me for beating the crude out of Fett." Kyp Durron and the rest of the jedi had entered the chamber and were waiting. Han smiled, "Alright here's your assignments: Kyp you'll liason with the Imperials, Zekka you're going to work with the commandos Thompson will be your immediate superior, Lowbacca you're with the commandos as well, Horn I need you with our fighter squadrons and Leia you're with me." "As if you could send me anywhere else," Leia snickered. * * * The Aklasp fighters dropped into range of the Chiss weapons and missiles guided by infrared seekers shot toward the enemy. The Aklasp ships kept on coming. As the missiles closed in the fighters suddenly reversed direction. One of the missiles skipped off the green graviton shield of a fighter and spun off into space. Another detonated on impact with the green barrier. The Aklasp reversed and came on, not bothering to fire back until they were at point blank range. Three chiss fighters evaporated from the concetrated barrage of blue weapons fire. Johann swore as his wingman detonated under the direct fire of one of the enemies. He broke hard away from the flash of light and gas and settled in behind one of the squid shapped fighters, he flicked his weapons control to missiles and set to burst fire, a setting used only for starships normally. As the targeting computer got a lock he tightened down on the trigger, "Block this!" Six missiles rushed out of their boxy missile launchers and smashed into the enemy fighter, detonating one after another. The shield receded impact by impact, backing up toward the hull as the last missile impacted blowing into the hull and blasting a chunk of the hull. The hit looked like a lava eruption as the starfighter spun out of control, obviously out of the fight.

You act like it's already over, we've got a spin off RP and the original may be winding down but I'm not going to let it die yet. I've been modding Rome Total War, I'll get back to this project in a week or two I hope.

Councilor Valar ywaned, his jaws gapping in the room and licked his lips, the air was dry here much drier then most worlds even desolate Tatooine... He thought to himself, of course the Vaathkree were silicon life forms, water as far as Valar knew, could be poisonous to them. Valar frowned slightly as he tried to get comfortable on the stone furniture, like most furniture it was designed for a roughly humanoid form and this had always created a problem for him. He always found difficulty in becoming truly comfortable. Across from him Calra swirled around a decanter of water on the table, her harden shoulder blades flexing like a cats as her eagle like eyes defocused on the drink, "How long?" "Any time now," Valar answered sighing, he stood and walked over to the table and turned one of its chairs sideways before sitting, "You seem ill at ease with the situation." Calra seemed to grimace before a slight smile slid over her mouth, "What is there to be at ease about?" She snorted slightly, "We're sitting down the hall from a bunch of Imperials that certainly would be willing to kill us if they had the chance, with just some droids to protect us." Valar smiled slightly, "I have the utmost respect in your abilities." At that moment his commlink beeped, "Well it seems our hosts are calling."

I made this a while back out fo complete boredom, considering the project I made it for is on hold... oh well. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/StellarMagic01/Signature.gif Um...You know that GIF would have been better if it was a Twilek dancer...

In retrospect Han thought as he watched the figure drop down to the ground before him, maybe he hadn't been so far off the mark. The man, if it was a man wore the classic armor of a mandalorian warrior, but it was clearly an older suit and style then those he'd seen fighting alongside Fett during the war with the Vong. If that weren't enough he wore a lightsaber on his belt, a combination that could mean only two things Han thought. A force using Mandalorian, or a Jedi hunter with his trophy, neither of them was good in his opinion. The slightly familiar buzz of the helmets speaker echoed as the man talked, "General Solo I greet you on behaf of the Mandalorian Empire." The man's helmet glanced up as he straightened slightly, "Fett sends his greetings." Han felt a slight smile slide across his lips, "Really, well it's been awhile since I saw the old man." Han's mind raced as he processed this newest seed of information, "So the Mandalorians aren't extinct after all." He glanced up at the man, "Who are you then, I mean you personally?" * * * The three flights of Chiss clawcraft broke from the taskforce, their blue stripped wings glinting in the distant sun. Between each pair of claws a boxy missile launcher sat. In the cockpits a dozen pilots were hunched over their controls as their comrades battled the Rapora behind them. Their leader was a human named Johann Vela. He scratched his cheek as he watched his sensor display, "So what are these things? Two, are you reading what I'm getting?" "Roger that, they're registering as having a internal temperature of 600 Kalvin," The calm stern voice of his chiss wingman answered. Johann nodded, "Alright switch to missiles open fire at maximum range, I don't want those things getting any closer."

OOC: It's alive...maybe. I'll setup the climatic battle at Ord Mantell IC: Han Solo looked up as the sensor operator ran into his quarters, "General!" "Yeah, what is it?" Han answered groggily standing. "Kyp Durron is on his way here, with Raporan fighters in tow!" Han was instantly awake, the grogginess forgotten, "Scramble Spear and Polearm squadrons have them escort them in." He started toward the door, "Was there anything else?" "The UDA forces have withdrawn to a mile of our position and are digging in, also remaining Imperial forces have begun to arrive." "Good," Han answered smiling, perhaps soon they'd be able to get off this rock. * * * Fifteen kilometers to the north of the base an Army slowly awoke beneath the trees and prepared for its last few kilometers of movement. Their dull grey and green vehicles thrumbing to life as squads of infantry in their battle suits clambered onboard transports. Within moments the entire Mandalorian army was moving. Boba Fett watched them move out, "It is quite an impressive sight, one I'd never thought I'd see." Seryk stepped around the command track with a Raporan Plasma Carbine in his hands, "Lets go meet our hosts." Boba snickered softly within his helmet, "Which ones, the old enemies or the new?" * * * Kyp Durron maneuvered his bulking transport as best he could in atmosphere. Suddenly a storm of X-wings flashed by their lasers blazing at the Raporan fighters. Kyp smiled, "Good, that should help us." Leia Organa Solo glanced at the displays, "We're clear, the Raporan fighters have moved to head for space." Kyp glanced down at his monitors and whistled softly, "Looks like we arrived just in time."

Well I think its obvious. You have a bunch of starfighters requiring two pilots but only have one pilot. You talk about Zsinj's Shadow... I know exactly what it is. If you recall from Solo Command, Zsinj used a squadron of droid starfighters. How about your secret project be an Android factory...

Jacen Solo lead Shren through the corridors of the GFFA Intelligence Headquarters to the landing pad where the shuttle that would take them to the Star Destroyer Prometheus waited. With a hiss the doors slid open and Jacen lead her into the vessel. As he did his thoughts turned to Ord Mantell and his mission once this one was complete. * * * With a flash the Corellian Action IV Transport dropped out of hyperspace above the world of Ord Mantell. The moment it dropped into the system the Jedi onboard went to work projecting the illusion of nothing and hoping the Rapora wouldn't catch on. Kyp Durron hunched over the controls, his brow furrowed in concentration as he reached out with the force to make sense of the chaos bellow him. He heard the hatch behind him slide open as Kyle Katarn slipped into the cockpit, "So how many ships?" Zekk turned away from the display frowning, "Over a hundred, most of them are Rapora but there are a couple Vagaari and a few unknown types." Leia glanced up at the holographic display, "Lets hope most of them don't catch on." Lowbacca growled agreement as the Corellian Action IV slid through the enemy formation and toward the planet. As the atmosphere of the world began to surround the ship Corran Horn keyed his comm, "Well Kyp, that seemed pretty easy." Leia suddenly jerked forward, "Maybe not as easy as you thought, we've got a squadron breaking to engage us." Kyp grit his teeth, "Alright I'm heading for Han's Headquarters, hopefully someone around there will get some cover up to us, this could get nasty."

4 Days without a post... well I guess I'll start CPR.

Perhaps I should have said...Romulan Empire with Reman support.