Red Hessian Reporting Facility

[LancerZero]

Message to: RHA
Comm ID: Fleet Kapitan Conrad Egon
Location: Vogtland Base, Dresden System

Quite a day yesterday...Oberleutnant Black took the light gunship Leopard out of mothballs, Shimada and I got our bombers, and Maus got in his Odin for a little adventure. It started with hunting a cruiser: the newly-repaired RNC_Hamburg. It was something of a lengthy trip, but we made it into Hamburg, where the cruiser had last been reported.



While searching for it, we happened upon a heavy tanker. It was a simple matter for our four-ship fleet to stop this trader and extract a fee for passage...but while we were in the process, an independent Viper Mk2 decided to play hero. Foolish choice...whilst Maus made sure the trader didn't go anywhere, the rest of us dealt with the Viper.



It wasn't long after that, that the Hamburg was teased into the open...we fought her near Alster Shipyard. Oddly enough, the captain didn't think it was a fair fight! Decide for yourself:

1x Rheinland Cruiser

vs.

1x Hacker Gunship (with all basic turrets)
2x Thor bombers
1x Odin VHF

We flew circles around him, hassling and preventing his escape while I briefly considered. It took perhaps a minute. "That's the way the dice fall, Hamburg. RHA, engage!" The captain put up a decent fight, but in the end our determined pilots proved to be the better. My gun camera missed the cruiser's final moment, but the killing blow again belonged to Oberleutnant Black aboard the Leopard.

Keeping to guerilla tactics, we hurriedly left the Hamburg system to return to New Berlin, where a NovaPG fleet had apparently gathered. The Leopard stopped at Kreuzberg to resupply while the rest of us pressed on to aid our allies at the Sigma-13 jump hole. By the time we reached it, however, there was nothing...except our old friend, Pinky&Brain. We engaged the cruiser, which was soon forced to flee. An independent Wrath joined the fight, and was also forced to flee.

We entered Sigma-13 before more enemy reinforcements could arrive, and were confronted by a Rheinland battleship...and no NovaPG, who had already fallen back to Chugoku. We played cat and mouse until a third RHA bomber arrived, along with the patched-up Leopard. Then we engaged the battleship, quickly downing its shields and inflicting about 20% hull damage before the massive warship decided to flee. No losses on our side. This shot is from us chasing him, just after he used up most of his regens to restore his ship's shields and hull. Notice how he claimed there were too many of us.



The chase turned deadly, however...the battleship cut its engines, turned, and began firing on us as it coasted along. Now, I've chased ships in engine kill before, and they always lose speed. Within moments, you are gaining on them...but not this one. I have no idea how he maintained separation and speed, but he did, while firing.

Eventually, he used braking thrusters to stop and engage us...I am confused as to what happened next. You see, before, we had easily downed his shields and forced him to flee without him so much as causing minor damage to any of us. He just couldn't hit us. But now, all of a sudden, ALL of his shots hit, in spite of us thrusting and dodging at less than 500 range. It shouldn't have been possible...the Leopard fell within seconds, then Shimada and another of our ships...I barely escaped myself, with the escape pods tractored safely in my hold.

Incidentally, I also discovered that it is possible to leave the cloud in Sigma-13 completely.



However, in spite of the bad ending, the day on the whole was very productive. We interdicted a trader, destroyed a VHF and made another flee, destroyed a cruiser and made another flee, and nearly took out a battleship. Not bad at all.

Now, for some news...Kaspar and Shimada, as soon as you two get your IFF sorted, you will be Leutnants. Shimada, go to Chugoku to remove your Dragons tag; Kaspar, a few more missions should sort yours perfectly (assuming you haven't already done so). Wolfgang, you are also a Leutnant now. Congratulations to you all. Pie and Jaeger in the Vogtland bar tonight!

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Current Stories
Linus' Lackadaisical Logs(upd.3-1-10)
Archived Logs
In the Queen's Service(upd.4-21-10) | The Finer Things in Life (upd.4-8-10)
Silvy's Story(upd.2-29-08) | Conrad's Flight & Fight(upd.1-14-08)