EPISODE 1: Operation Dark Sunset

[tomcat]

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
Episode 1: Operation Dark Sunset

Clone Wars – after only the briefest respite from war
Derecho Squad is once more immersed into combat. A chain
of sensor relay outposts that receive and send signals along the
Braxant Run is one of the chief sources for the Confederacy to
detect any Republic ingress into their territory.

If the intrepid squad of heroes were able to silence the outpost, then
Republic ships, carrying soldiers of the Grand Army, could begin to take
positions to threaten Mygeeto and Muunilinst. Once in place, the Confederacy
of Independent Systems would find their financial resources strained as the
InterGalactic Banking Clans were threatened with invasion. It would be a step
to help quickly bring the Clone Wars to an end.

So three planetary systems along the Braxant Run hyperspace lane collect
and send data of all spectrums of energy that approach the sector. The first
closest to Republic Territory with its strong garrison of troops; the second further
down the way but safer in its proximity to Confederate space. The third – with its
massive booster to gather and transmit the long distance to Mygeeto – is the least
expected to be assaulted...and the very one that the Derecho Squad has in its sites.
Shut it down and the outer two go silent and the Republic Navy can converge.

[tomcat]

The night had passed quickly and the team roused one after the other as each heard the broken stillness in the pod. Most felt refreshed from the rest, but a couple still lagged from the constant activity since Yavin 4. Well, maybe it could be called the inactivity - the hurry-up-and-wait effect that could sap a man's energy due to the anxiety of inaction. Still, none of team Derecho showed the other that they were not ready and at 100% for the mission at hand. They checked their chronometers and saw there was enough time to consult their data plans again and to go through their equipment load out.

Booth took the pilot seat once more and began the start up process for the pod. It was connected to the Pride's power core to provide light and heat during their hyperspace flight, but soon they would be released and the reconfigured pod would have to maneuver via its own engines. It was a small sublight system that would give Booth the ability to fly the thing and control the drop to planet-side. He tapped a button and watched as green lights came up on his screen. That was good - their flying can's engine was beginning its warm up.

Behind the Sergeant, Longshot and Mitts squeezed past the Arrow speeder that was chained in place within the pod to the crate behind it. Mitts depressed a numeric pattern on the keypad and it hissed open. Within the crate was the team's gear - all their personal weapons were secured in a rack that sat on top of everything else they would need: computer spikes, datapads, electrobinoculars, medpacs, and more. Contained safely within, too, was Haywire's explosives.

The slicer specialist was in the center of the pod, just behind Booth along with Hammer and Jalobar. The trio tried to comfortably squeeze themselves around a small fold out table that had an open case across it. Projected from the case's flat surface was a holo-image of their target and the planet's geo-data. Plinth was essentially a pastoral planet that swept around its star within the habitable zone. It was blanketed with a breathable atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen and had mass enough to provide a standard gravity that the men would be used to. Why the planet had not been colonized by more than just free merchants, pirates, and smugglers was a wonder. Of the three planets in the chain of sensor stations, Plinth provided everything that a society would need to flourish - both a proper flora and fauna.

But the three men did not have any desire to debate the reasons why Plinth was not a major populated world within the expanse of the galaxy. All they were concerned with was the large sensor relay and power boosting station that sat along its equatorial line. The structures were atop a rocky dome surrounded by miles of flat grasslands. Other small mountains of bare, sand-colored rock were scattered across these plains in no particular pattern that would show plate tectonics. Instead these domes must have been formed by subterranean pressures bulging up and pushing the rocky sub-surface through the grasslands.

The image of the power station was three-dimensional, but was drawn like a schematic and showed a sub-surface conduit that plunged down deep into the dome on which the structure sat. It was determined that the power station tapped into the geo-thermal energy of Plinth. Haywire looked the schematic over - it was all speculative, but the Republic engineers who designed these power stations told the Republic Army High Command that Derecho team would most likely find a power supply system within like the one displayed. If it was the case, then the explosives expert didn't need to haul a ton of explosives into the sensor station to destroy it. The boosting station was already full of energy that it used to amp up the signals it sent to and from its sister sensor relays. That energy could be harnessed and used to destroy itself. Haywire had two options: plant the explosives he did have to cause damage to key cooling systems and thus create an overload, or to slice into the control systems and shut down the coolers. Either way, the power station would go critical and blow the top of the mountain off - destroying itself and the sensor station that sat next to it.

While Haywire read system specs, Hammer and Jalobar busied themselves discussing the potential threats that would be present. There was no estimate as to any garrison that might be guarding the station, but the Confederacy itself, like the Republic, was hard pressed to keep troops on the front lines. The only hard intel they had from the free merchants that brought news from CIS territory, and this planet in particular, was that a large, shadowy reptilian humanoid was in charge of the station. Word was that there were both battle droids and soldiers present but no one was allowed to get close to the relay station. Finally, the pastoral grasslands were teeming with great herds of bovine-type animals but these brought the many predators - some indigenous and some that had been introduced into Plinth's ecology.

A voice suddenly filled the pods confines, "It's time. Prepare for release in three...two...one."

CLUNK!

The team felt the pod shake as it was let go from the Wayfarer. Jaena had brought the Sarin's Pride in towards Plinth, after dropping out of hyperspace, using the planet's shadow to guard against the large sensor relay detecting her. She flew her ship into the mass of tumbling chunks of ice and stone and released the converted cargo pod. Once done, she activated her ships tractor beams and grabbed two of the huge pieces of ice and dragged them out of the beltway in which they circled both Plinth and her star. Jaena pulled the asteroids until the planet's gravity grabbed them and began to pull. These would provide additional cover for team Derecho as they fell to the planet's surface. With her part of the mission performed, Jaena pointed her ship back the way she came so that she might fly a normal path to Plinth and the little port town of Krastor.

Again it became a game of waiting. Booth used the pods maneuvering jets to get into a flight path with the large asteroids, using them to shadow their own presence. Even if they were detected, it would be like three chunks of ice had broken free and were now starting their short trip to burn up in the astmosphere. Everything went as planned - the pod began to buck as it hit Plinth's robust atmosphere and Booth did little but let the ship fall. He couldn't guide it well until the speed was significantly reduced, but even then it would be a metal box falling to the ground. Once he had piloted it so that the pod wouldn't skip off the atmosphere, he concentrated on covering as much distance towards the relay station as he could without drawing any major attention.

With a teeth rattling impact, the pod came to a halt. Booth's control panel had shorted and smoke and sparks filled the interior. The other clone troopers quickly began to do their tasks - opening the pod, securing the perimeter and once safe, unloading the equipment. The Arrow was unchained, its engines activated and then pushed out of the pod. It now hovered within the waist-high grass that surrounded their landing site. The relay station was one hundred and forty klicks from their position - a good two to three hours by the speeder, more if they approached on foot. Derecho team continued to unload their gear, strap on their armor, load up the speeder, and slap power packs into their personal weapons.

Booth took out a hand-held holo-projector and activated it. An admiral of the Republic Navy appeared and spoke:

TO: Sergeant Booth and Commander Martel Jalobar
FROM: Republic Navy Fleet Ops, Fleet Admiral Desaul
Team Derecho, SpecOps ARC team-16, is to transit immediately to the Generis Sector along the Braxant Run where you will make planet fall on the third world known as Plinth, which orbits the star PL-IVc. Once landed, you will conduct immediate operations to destroy the CIS sensor relay and power boost station that sits on the equatorial line of the planet.
ROE: the Republic is currently at war with these Separatist planets and all actions are permitted to see your task completed. Team Derecho has full autonomy and may act in whatever accordance needed to complete its mission - all subjects are expendable but said assets are best expended at the price of success.

AD VICTORIUM

[tomcat]

Okay, as I said the team has their vehicle with a blaster cannon mounted on it.

Now, except for what we have on the PC sheets, if there is any other specialized equipment desires (i.e. this is what is stored in the weapons locker), let me know.

Zil, I am still considering the CI scopes.

[Callowmoryne]

 hey Doug, the pod is just jettison at this point right? Its useless to us and are we to far away from our objective to worry about booby trapping it or some such?


Longshot checked over his gear. Double checked his rifle. He spared a glance at the rest of his squad and couldn't help but smile. Imagining some poor locals or separatist forces seeing team Derecho plunging over a hill guns blazing. The mental image gave him a chuckle to go with that smile. He quickly swallowed that prideful thought. Yes they were the best. But even the best had bad runs. Anything could happen out here. He needed to focus on the mission. Take nothing for granted. That was how they survived. He was damn sure glad he had a crew like Dsquad.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Martel shook his head, "All for the glory of the Republic." This time their contempt and lack of empathy wasn't so thinly veiled for their troops, he thought.  One last check over his pack and other gear, he fell into a routine he had established early on.  Calling out to the force to quiet his center, he stretched out his senses to get a lay of the land and maybe some insight that had been lacking before.  This installation and how it was situated bugged him -- the CIS never made anything as easy as it seemed -- and in the back of his mind he continued to ponder the intel and lack thereof on the environs.  Finished with his ritual, "Saddle up!" he called.

Use the Force (Search Your Feelings) 1d20+12 : 13 + 12, total 25

[tomcat]

Longshot looked at the pod that had carried them to the surface. It was scored from the heat but still very intact, most of its electronics still active within and quite capable of betraying their presence. But this was a smugglers' planet and it was said that the wilds were littered with cargo pods from the many illicit trades, or deals gone bad. It didn't matter though - once they were done, Longshot knew that Booth would trigger the white phosphorous incendiary charges that laced all the pods equipment and blow them to non-existence. All that would be found would be a burnt out husk of a cargo pod that anyone would assume had been dumped by a pirate trying to escape the law. Caught in the planet's gravity it burnt up on entry.

No worries.

What never entered the mind of the clone trooper was the fact that the team had literally just ridden a flying bomb to Plinth's surface... no worries.

Martel caught his breath as the Force immersed him in the life energy of Plinth. He felt a mass of energy, not far from their position, and though it was made up of many it seemed as if it was one huge living thing. The mass moved like the wind over the grassland covering it for kilometers. In a moment its head would shift course and all behind it would move in that direction - it was amazing.

The Jedi knew what he felt. Plinth had an indigenous creature that locals called paloo-beasts. Hoofed, grazing animals that stood a man's height at their shoulder. They were hunted for their meat, skin, hooves and horns - but never had they been domesticated. Hunting was an inappropriate word, he corrected himself. The paloos roamed in massive herds that any predator could easily follow and snag a weak and lagging beast. Martel told himself to warn the men to be careful. If a herd suddenly began to move in their direction, they could be caught up in a mess - especially if the animals decided to halt around them. It was said that they could rest for days.

[Posterboy]

 

Doug:Booth's load-out is good... maybe add a jetpack. See below. Also, a camo sheet for the Arrow to hide it when we're not driving. I imagine this to be kept in the Arrow, not on Booth.

Team: I'm thinking the best approach might be to follow alongside the river until we are within 1 km. Perhaps one approach would be to get jet packs for each of us, pop up the back side, land on roof, dispatch the enemy, make our way inside. We are all trained in Pilot, so that's great news. However, we'd also likely have to drop a bunch of our equipment due to weight restrictions. Jet packs are also quite loud, so no element of surprise.

Another, quieter option would be to use syntherope and grapple darts and scale the 30 m back side of the complex. I'd suggest our S-5's, but I don't think they hold enough syntherope. (Doug?)

Another option (not sure if this is legit game mechanics) would be for Martel to use "move object" to send a couple team members up to the roof top. They secure the area, send down syntherope to the others.

Otherwise, this looks like a long and costly uphill battle. Perhaps, we could use our S-5s to bounce up each "step" of the front approach, rather than zig-zag up.

Other ideas? Or affirmation for any of the above plans? Let's lay it out.

Doug: Regarding the map, are the numbers, yellow spots, and red "D" a legend for our characters or for you as DM?

Also, am I correct in noting a hatch of some kind on the roof of the complex heading into area 3?

Finally, is that an anti-air defense turret on top of the roof?

[Callowmoryne]

  I'm up for anything. Personally I like the stealth approach. Night creep. Also I think if we do go guns blazing what about a preop to that we cause a local diversion and try to draw out a patrol. We can get an idea what they're working with or even torture some information from them.  At the very least we weaken their forces. Or a reverse  dress like a storm trooper Gimmick.This time the troopers dress like you. if they are droids maybe we can hack them or their equipment. Idk as much about the genre as you guys. I'm just throwing Gungans against a wall to see if one of them squeals

[tomcat]

Doug:Booth's load-out is good... maybe add a jetpack. See below. Also, a camo sheet for the Arrow to hide it when we're not driving. I imagine this to be kept in the Arrow, not on Booth.

Regarding the map, are the numbers, yellow spots, and red "D" a legend for our characters or for you as DM?

Also, am I correct in noting a hatch of some kind on the roof of the complex heading into area 3?

Finally, is that an anti-air defense turret on top of the roof?

Cool about your load out. The jetpacks are fine, but if you are going to have one for the whole team I am going to need to take a look at the Arrow and see if it has room to hold six jetpacks and all the other equipment, plus six men.

The map is one I could find that represents an installation on top of a rocky prominence. There may be changes as we 'zoom in' - but it won't be too significant, cool? For the approach and the climb, we will stick with the one I have posted but the structure itself may change a little.

The legends on the map are for my purposes - again part of the original map, but I am going to use them. I didn't want to trash the map by trying to cover them all.

The thing on top of the building is actually the huge sensor dish - on this map it is a turret - but for our game, think of it as the sensor array. And yes, there is a service hatch on top of the structure.

[Zilfallion]

Haywire had finished suiting up into his armor, putting on his bandolier, utility belt, and weapons when the order to saddle up was given.  After a quick check to make sure everything wasn't going to fall off, he grabbed his pack that was mostly full of explosives.  In fact, the only things that weren't an explosive in his pack was some data cards and a couple medpacs, but that was the way he liked it.  Plenty of explosives meant plenty of ways to make things go bad for the Seps.  It was sure going to be a bit cramped in the landspeeder, but it would be nothing new.  He was much more interested in what the approach plan was rather than how much leg-room he'd have for the trip.

Well, Ascension Guns have a 45 meter range on the rope firing, so we can scale if needed.  2 uses means we'd potentially be able to scale up the cliff and then the building to get on top[Use the ropes we went up with to go back down when we're done].  If we can draw them off and then go up the front, I can lay down some mines on the way up to hit anything they bring when they're coming back.  Anti-Vehicle+Ion+Proximity in that order should take out or disable any vehicles they send, followed by proximity mines hitting any droids or troops.  Lay out a length of detonite cord across one of the turns, blow something up as it comes around a corner with a manual trigger.  Would allow us to defend if it takes time to deal with the cooling units.  Personally, I feel like a sneak in, hit the cooling units, get out fast, disappear is the better plan, but explosives is the plan that would make things more fun.  You know what, give one of those proximity mines a manual trigger so you can set it off after troops start to go over it for maximum effect.  I can almost guarantee the only thing that would be going up that hill after that would be droids after the first set of 3 mines.  Of course, there's always the chance they've planted explosives along that approach as defense too.

As for explosives in the pack that aren't on the equipment list, I'd like:  2 Anti-Vehicle Mines, 2 Proximity Mines, 2 Ion Mines, 2 Limpet Mines, 4 Explosive Charges, 4 timers, 4 manual triggers.  Plan is to leave 3 grenade clips, take all the mines, 3 charges, 3 timers, all 4 additional manual triggers.  Plenty to take out some cooling units, and leave some nasty surprises for the Seps if we have to defend the facility while I take care of the cooling units.  Should leave me unencumbered weight wise. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

 
Stealth and guile is the preference -- deposit the explosives and detonate from a distance, an assault as a last resort.  Martel will need night-vision goggles of some sort for a nighttime incursion.  Mind you jetpacks have a limited number of uses before running out of fuel.

[deadpool]

"So we are expendable? Ugh, I hate that blasting slimeball" muttered Mitts in clear discontent after hearing the recording. With each day that passed on this war it became more and more clear to him that they were just pawns in this game. "But pawns can get crowned" he said to himself. And that's what he intended to do. He longed for the day he could get out of this with his brothers and say goodbye to the damn kaminoans and the whole blasted Republic.
But for now he had to focuse on the task at hand. He checked his equipment again, he felt his med kit next to his thigh. He made sure it was still there. The life of his teammates depended on that, and he wasn't about to let them die like beasts face down on the mud for some general's glory.

I agree with the sneaky approach. If we can actually get in through the back of the mountain/hill we can just raid the bunker and provide cover while Haywire sets up the explosives. Maybe we could get Longshot into a sniper position so he can pick up the enemies at the top from a distance and look at the bigger picture, let us know what's coming our way, etc. I don't see how this can be done without a fight.

Doug, how about a survival knife? Could be usfeul for some emergency operation and stuff.

[Posterboy]

The decent through atmo went almost as well as the sergeant could hope for given the limited control he had with the pod. Booth had managed to slow the container enough that they wouldn't burn up... Now, I just to land this barge, he grimaced as he pulled hard on the stick, trying the bring the nose up level with the fast approaching ground. "Hold on, boys. You're gonna feel this."

The front belly of the pod banged and then bounced off Plinth's crust, skipped two more times, before gravity and friction finally dug the nose of the container into the ground. Booth gave his head a shake as the pod came to a full stop. "Not bad," he grinned back at his squad. "Hey, ow!" Sparks and smoke shot out as he pushed himself away from the control panel. "Time to load out, boys."

He didn't have to say it though; the squad was already working at getting the Arrow out and prepping their gear. He smiled, genuinely proud of his brothers. Efficient as ever...

Once the Arrow was loaded, Booth gather the squad for a quick review. His hand-held projector came to life and Admiral Desaul appeared, giving Derecho final clearance to engage the relay station.

"So we are expendable? Ugh, I hate that blasting slimeball" muttered Mitts in clear discontent after hearing the recording.

"Easy, Mitts. None of us are expendable," Booth gave the medic a pat on the shoulder and a wink, "That's why they put you on the team... gotta keep us together, right."

A quick tap with his index finger brought up the schematics of the station. Booth reviewed the plan:

"Alright, men. Operation Dark Sunset is a full go. We take down this station and the Seppies will be blind to our ships' movements. Give our guys a solid opportunity to hit the enemy where it hurts them the most... their credits. No credits, no more droids production. Let's make sure it happens.

"Not much intel to go on, but here's what we got so far: Our target is sitting on top of thirty meters of rock, with a sidewinding ingress route meant to slow down any assaulting force. It's pretty wide open all around, with little cover. I suggest we find and follow the river behind the station, get ourselves behind a nearby hill, and recon the target.

"The station is too small to garrison a large force, but I'm sure they can call up reinforcements for the port town. The good news for us is that reinforcements from the town will likely take two to three hours to arrive. We won't be waiting around for them.

"The taget is set for defense. I imagine a small patrol, perhaps a couple of STAPs*, might be sent out from time to time to investigate something of interest in the plains. Otherwise, tactically, they're in a much better position if they stick to defending. The enemy commander will call in reinforcements long before he'll let his troops out.

"As far as what we'll be facing, organic forces will likely be Muuns or, possibly, Gossams, depending on how valuable this station is to the Commerce Guild. suspect most of these forces will be within the station. Outside, the terrain suggests light attack vehicles... STAPs probably, maybe speeders. Likely two squads of battle droids, probably escorting DSDs**. If fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find two more ADSDs*** up top for anti-air defense and a few more mundane ones patrolling the mountain sides. Hopefully we'll get a better picture once we get closer."

Booth tapped another button and the projector went dead.

The Jedi commander brought the briefing to a close. "Saddle up!" he called out.

"With pleasure, sir!" Booth ackowneledged the order. "You heard the commander. Let's load out!"

Booth moved to take his position in the pilot's seat. "Longshot, I want you up top with a set of binoculars, manning that cannon, scanning the area for any threats and keeping us away from those roaming hills. Let's do this, Derecho!" 




* = STAPs = "Single Trooper Aerial Platforml"
** = DSDs = "Dwarf Spider Droids"
*** = ADSDs = "Advanced Spider Droids"

[tomcat]

The Arrow was stowed with all their gear. Derecho Squad began to climb into the armored speeder - Longshot climbing in and taking position in the cupola. Mitts, Haywire, and Hammer took the three of the four individual seats in the back while Booth and Martel climbed in the driver doors. The sergeant tapped a small radio control - behind him there was a hiss as the white phosphorous incendiaries ignited and began to burn at temperatures that would leave very little behind. Next came the THOOM! of an explosion and smoke and fire leapt into the air. What remained was a cargo pod that looked like it had seen the worst part of a fall through the atmosphere.

The team moved out.



It is essentially 140 kilometers to the escarpment on which the sensor relay sits. If you guys were to drive at a normal speed with no stealth, it would take you a little over two hours to get there. If you guys drive with random direction changes and slower speeds it will take longer - so let me how straight a shot you are making. I am putting together a map now.

I need in no particular order:

Two Perception checks DC 20 from Longshot

Three Use the Force [Search your Feelings] checks DC 22 from Martel

Two Use Computer checks DC 12 and Knowledge [Life sciences] DC 15 from Haywire to navigate from their position to the target (essentially you are bringing up the data maps and can understand the terrain from pictures seen and relay to Booth which way to go)

Three Pilot checks DC 15 from Booth

I like to have interactive games - I mean, what is the point in playing if you can't throw dice - but like in our old games, you guys would have me handle simple rolls to keep the game moving.

Let me know if that has changed and what level of rolling you guys want me to handle (i.e. fear checks, etc.).

[Posterboy]

 I don't mind rolling dice... but I'd say, if I don't respond within 24 hours, roll 'em for me to keep the game going.

The team voted for stealth, so let approach stealthy and take the time needed.

Pilot checks:

Pilot Check #1: 1d20+15 : 9 + 15, total 24

Pilot Check #2: 1d20+15 : 19 + 15, total 34

Pilot Check #3: 1d20+15 : 16 + 15, total 31