Mission #14 - A New Ally?

[GM Craig]

Tibbero shakes his head. "This is a self-contained building, there are no sewer or water access. As for your contact, we've been given a passphrase to use to identify them."

[Niil Spaar]

Niil sat back, listening to the opinions from Trax and Jex.  Taking out that commo gear on the roof was top priority, or there would be little chance of escape.

Thinking for a moment, he said, "Trax . . . if you were on that warehouse roof with the E-Web, how long do you think it would take to bring down the commo gear and two of the turrets, and then join up with us?  Before you give me a time-frame, what about this as an option?  The shuttle - could we rig it with one of those semi-portable concussion missile launchers we captured awhile ago?  One well-aimed missile would take the commo gear out; then we'd have to take just two of the weapon turrets out.  We could mount the E-Web by the shuttle door with a swing-out rig, and give Trax a fairly stable platform for firing on the turrets." 

"Not that I don't doubt Trax's ability with a blaster of any make or model," he said with a faint grin, "but the sooner we had him on the rooftop with us the better." 

[GM Craig]

Tibbero shakes his head. "The shuttle is a medical shuttle, fast but no armour or hardpoints for mounting weapons, and the power plant won't handle it. And that concussion missile launches is far too bit to fit in the shuttle. Maybe you could be firing out the doors with a couple of light repeaters, but that shuttle can't handle anything bigger than that."

[Trax]

"Assuming two shots to take out each target and the fly over...a minute.  Less if the shuttle doesn't make it's approach until after I start shooting."

[Jex]

Is this base near a well traveled road? [I'm assuming this is an urban area] Could we stage an 'accident' on the road? That might get the shuttle an opportunity to come a lot closer without raising suspicions.

[Niil Spaar]

Niil didn't think the shuttle could mount any external hardpoints, but he had to ask; the concussion missile launcher would have helped a great deal.  One minute for Trax to take out the targets and join them was acdeptable, especially if the troops in the shuttle were providing their own fire.

"One minute or less should be all right.  We can start the approach for just after you open up on the commo tower and gun emplacements, and if you run into any snags we can have a pair of troopers at the shuttle doors providing support fire with light repeaters and/or grenade launchers.  As for staging an accident . . . it might gain the shuttle a bit of an edge for the deception, but I'm getting the impression that the garrison enforces a strict 'no fly zone' even to civilian EMT vehicles."

[GM Craig]

Tibbero shakes his head. "The base was positioned where it is precisely because there is not a lot of traffic. Otherwise we could use the cover of the normal noise to get you past the sensors. No, I'm afraid this will have to be a straight-up assault. We can get the shuttle in without being seen. But that means it will come under fire when you land. The other option is to use the shuttle high-altitude to drop you onto the facility, but that raises the likelihood that fighters will be scrambled to intercept it.

"Now, it's a civilian craft, so it can probably handle the damage from the anti-personnel cannons on the roof, but not for long, and you might get an unlucky hit that damages the shuttle. I won't lie to you. This whole plan is risky. But it is the opinion of high command, myself included, that the risks are worth the benefit."

[Trax]

"Okay, so we're agreed on the details of the initial assault then.

What are we talking about in regards to numbers of personnel in this place?"

[GM Craig]

Tibbero nods. "On the surface, the base is configured for 25 personnel, but we estimate nearly twice that based on the supplies going in and the waste being removed. Figure 25 Imperial Army regulars, NCO's and officers, and 25 Intelligence troopers. Most of the intel personnel are likely from Surveillance, but you can never be sure with the Ubiqtorate. There may be troops from other branches stationed there, even masking themselves as Surveillance. Surveillance are their high-tier troops, well trained for combat operations and infiltration, but there may be worse that Surveillance inside, so exercise caution. NCO's and officers will be better trailed and equipped."

[Trax]

"Fifty very hostile targets huh...well, technically 49 I guess.

That'll make it slow going if we have to fight our way around to find this guy, fight our way to the core, and then fight our way back to the shuttle on the roof before the place goes up.  Any chance we could ask our target to see if they could put the place on lock down and hand over some over-ride codes?"

[GM Craig]

Tibbero shrugs. "We can ask, but they've got to be careful. You can expect an ally on the inside, and we can time the attack so that a third or more of the forces are out on patrol. Our local cell can also make a little diversion to get more troops out of the facility, so you can expect to be facing half that. There are risks though - the more noise our local cell makes, the fewer troops you'll be facing, but the more troops will be hot in the region, which could make escape difficult."

[Collan]

Collan was quiet, thinking about their options.

"If it's a patrol base could we ambush a patrol and take their gear and uniforms? It make allow us to get fairly close before we're recognized as attackers."

[Trax]

"A good idea in theory," Trax gave an approving nod to the new comer.  "But we'd risk them getting an alert off, and if they didn't, we'd likely be driving the speeder back to the facility with a bunch of blaster scorch marks on it.  With this being an intel facility, getting through the gate with a clean speeder would be difficult enough."

Trax turned to the Major.  "I don't think we need, or want, to incur any more risks in this that we already are.  My vote is to leave the local cell out of it other than a few guys to pack up the e-web after we're done with it.

Once we're in, everyone and everything will be focused on us so trying to lock the place down should attract very minimal attention.  But it's his choice.

What's the average time a patrol is out?"

[OOC: Okay, I'll stop now until our fearless leader can post ]

[GM Craig]

Tibbero says, "Patrols generally last 8 hours. Sometimes they send out several smaller patrols at intervals that last 4 hours."

[Trax]

"So we try to time the hit with as many patrols out as possible, but even one would mean at least a half dozen fewer in the facility.  And if the shuttle could come from a bit of an opposing angle to where I'm firing from I might be able to make short work of one or two extra guns when their backs are exposed.

Could we get a few guys with light repeaters to hold the roof for us?  It'd also help secure the roof quicker and they'd have a good vantage point in case a patrol comes back earlier than expected."