Training exercises today for Gold 2 - Lt. Alexandrov Vasiliev - and myself as Gold 1 against the Havana commanded by Commodore Jovem. The Commodore had chosen Omega50 as the training ground...good to get out of the system.
Try as we might, our two Taiidans were no match for the crew aboard the Havana...and it looks like Commodore Ares has been putting them through drills. Congratulations to the Havana crew, drinks are apparently on Gold wing next time on Verde.
While setting for the second bout, two trains were spotted coming from O52. While the Havana went to he "unknown planet" to switch out the wargames software, Lt. Vasiliev and I intercepted the traders. After a conversation about violating Coalition space, Vasiliev and I escorted the traders to the O49 Jumphole.
Commodore Ares and the Havana had traveled back to Verde, and Ares had launched in his fighter in case of needed assistance, and was buzzed by an interloping Merc, some VOID merc. I ordered Gold 2 to intercept and CD at the O52 JH and after seeing the traders out, headed to intercept. The merc made it through both and jumped to O49, where I followed.
With the whole flight-group in 49, Commodore Ares quickly "subdued" the offending merc, and we were quickly set upon by another merc, who somehow got the help of an entire wing of Corsairs. Vasiliev was first to leave with equipment malfunctions, but safely made it back to Verde (good job Lt. of evading and retreat).
The TAZ flagship hovered nearby, and without it my Taiidan would have succumbed to is Obscured's Raven Talon...but the blasted Zoner neutrality had the Flagship passing regens to the merc as well. After a very long battle, with both the Merc and at least a dozen Titans hammering both ships, Commodore Ares and I docked at Canaria, where the Zoners repaired our ships and we treated the TAZ to some drinks and pie.
No losses for the Coalition this time, but it easily could have been. It's my recommendation to High Command that Gold Wing be put to more intense bomber training...specifically group tactics against capital ships AND small fighters. Also, if I could recommend, the merc "Obscured" be put on a Kill-on-Sight list.
