The Codexian Saga LP

[Ulminati]

How much intel do we have on the Hi'in fleet placements in the area? Do we have estimates on how many ships are active in the theatre, and how much resistence we can expect at the staging point?

As far as you are aware, the Hin'in deploy something like three hundred ships (minus the ones destroyed in recent fighting) in this theater of operations. Their total strength (above included) in the Raumeni expanse is around twelve hundred ships. Overall strength of the Hin'in empire is unknown, though estimated at around two thousand vessels.

As for resistance at the staging point... no way to know. It is unlikely that they have committed everything to that focal point. But it depends on whether or not they've reinforced.

You are in the same situation as very many field commanders before you: not a great deal of information is at your disposal, but you have hefty decisions to make. The only thing that Conan can promise is that every available outcome has a basis in the story so far. The Barbarian is using the Hin'in in the way he imagines they would behave 'naturally'. That is to say, they are not simply acting as a foil for arbitrary choices. Take that as you will.

So 300, minus the 20 we destroyed at te depot, minus 10 in the fighting, minus whatever the 100-or-so Commies managed to destroy. Given that the Hi'in fleet apparently split up, it seems unlikely they posted over half their strength at their staging point. Ah hell. Glory it is then. Hopefully the Hi'in aren't playing Xanatos Roullete with us.

A vote for C

 

[Sergiu64]

Yeah... so we've got like 400 ships total +- like 150 I suspect left for the Commonwealth fighting against an empire with 2000 ships in their disposal. Not to mention that the seem to be better then us when the fight is equal.This is why I'm really worried that if we make some moves that are too aggressive we'll draw too much attention to ourselves and get wiped off the map. Sure we might clear their remaining ships in the sector, but what if that makes them mad enough to come back with their full strength???

This is why I think trying to tie them down in this region with guerrilla warfare has the best chance of making their populace war weary without giving them a big enough cause to really go after us full force.

 

[praetor]

War Master laclongquan speaks wisely yet again. A isn't the smart choice, B is flat out stupid since we lost a war of attrition when we could equal the hin'in in raw numbers, D also isn't very sensible (given the Raumeni fate... now, they may not be the "masters of hit 'n' run", but they sure as hell are better than we are at this particular strategy since they've been performing it for quite some time and our tech isn't exactly geared towards it..) so C is the only good, if somewhat risky, option.

a vote for C

 

[Undead Phoenix]

Yeah... so we've got like 400 ships total +- like 150 I suspect left for the Commonwealth fighting against an empire with 2000 ships in their disposal. Not to mention that the seem to be better then us when the fight is equal.This is why I'm really worried that if we make some moves that are too aggressive we'll draw too much attention to ourselves and get wiped off the map. Sure we might clear their remaining ships in the sector, but what if that makes them mad enough to come back with their full strength???

This is why I think trying to tie them down in this region with guerrilla warfare has the best chance of making their populace war weary without giving them a big enough cause to really go after us full force.

No wonder we're so schizophrenic if we vote before verifying your data. We had, before that battle, roughly 600 ships. The Commonwealth had an equal number of ships.

 

[treave]

What is with the assumption that option D will be hit and run attacks?

Do you... order that your forces split up into smaller taskforces and lead a multitude of attacks to further destabilize the Hin'in? We do not need one mailed fist to smash this enemy. We need the flexibility of fingers, to strike many targets at once and keep our foe from recuperating. Though not immediately decisive, the results could well make this conflict impossible for the Hin'in, without major reinforcement.

All this means seems to be that, while the enemy is caught off-guard, we split up and begin striking the enemy constantly in contested areas before they have the chance to regroup. This is the strategy, and the tactics may or may not involve guerilla warfare. It could be a straight up fight if we keep one step ahead of them and it would still work.

Option C involves us trying, again, what we did in the previous choice. Although most of the armada have departed for the Raumeni territories, if they have any plans to resume their assault they must be regrouping at the jump-off point together with reinforcements. Going there will throw us into a straight-up fight with little idea of what will be going down. I have nothing against such a battle, but it is not an optimal choice.

Now, if we start off with a feint against the jump-off point, and then split up to strike less strategically important, but still valuable areas, this will draw their ships away from the jump-off point to defend the entire theatre of operations, or risk losing it all.

Consider that they only have about two thousand vessels total in their whole empire. Of that, 1200 have been tied down in the Raumen expanse. Even if we do succeed in destroying their staging point and throwing them into retreat, we will never have the numbers to take those 1200 by ourselves especially considering we just burned our bridges with the Commonwealth. Whittle down the Hin'in ships, since they have proven to have little taste for blood, and force them to waste resources in maintaining their control over the Raumen.

We are in this for the long haul, gentlemen. You are satisfied with just pushing the hated xenos back to their pre-war borders?

 

[Nickless]

It certainly is worth considering that the Hin'in in this area are disorganised after loosing their station. Remember that they have a very CE way of determining the leader, the strongest becomes top-dog. If the destruction of the battle-station means the Hin'in no longer have a direct communication with their central leader, and the commander of the operation died on the battle-station... Then they could all be fighting amongst themselves to determine who should lead.

If this is the case then I'm changing my vote to

C

unless someone can convince me otherwise.

 

[The Barbarian]

The Barbarian will keep voting open for another 24 hours, or so. If 'enough' votes can be registered before then, he will update duly.

Luckily, Conan's workload is lightening, ever so slowly, and he can once again update with a semblance of regularity.

FYI, he is also considering the long term (3-4 months ahead) and wants to know whether there would be any interest in another game of a similar sort. At the moment, he is tossing up whether or not it is going to be an RPG or a strategy game.

He is considering the following, at this stage:

- A Fallout-style Post Apocalyptic Strategy-RPG, wherein players assume leadership of factions within a 'tribe', or jointly lead a 'tribe', on a fixed map (the mechanics would be a little bit more complicated than this set-up).

- A Choose Your Own Adventure-style RPG in an established homebrew setting. The mechanics would be fairly simplistic, with an emphasis on story. This would actually be a universe building exercise.

- Conan might also be open to other suggestions, within reason.

Voice your opinions, if you will.

The above will not impact the current exercise, if Codexia is still in good working order at the time in question (three or four months down the line).

 

[anus_pounder]

Hell YES, I would be open to another of Conan's games. Dunno which one to choose. Will vote for PA SRPG for now.

Also, *shrug*


D !

 

[laclongquan]

Let's do an After Action Report:

We achieve victory by using superior quantity and element of surprise. We have 200 againts their 10. An ideal odds for this kind of space battles. Their attention have focused totally on Sonata. We use cautious movement with stealth. Total Surprise.

An important fact to remember is that 100 vessels of Commo are either destroyed or heavily damaged in holding 200 enemy vessels in place for weeks.

So: 200+100 versus 120. We destroy 20, 100 are demoralized and running all over the front. We lost 100 combat effective vessels.

Conclusion: Hiin are our better in matter of war. Recommend that further battles are committed with as big odds on quantity as possible, with a readiness to withstand loss, and aim toward strategic victory, not battles.

Furthermrore, I want to Codexia to transport a full AAR toward Commo, a heartily praise for the blood of heroes that make this victory possible, and materiel help in reconstruct and rebuild Sonata.

 

[treave]

Remember that the Commonwealth was expecting aid, and even asking for it at the end. They would have fought differently from the start had they known we would rescind our offer to help them.

That humans, potential converts, have been lost to the Void before seeing the light of Santi Maria because of our actions... that weighs heavily on my heart.

 

[anus_pounder]

Some would say we could bring the light to them via force, once we're done with the Hin'in.

Frankly, I'm not entirely convinced any of us will be alive once the Hin'in call in their main forces.

 

[Donaroriak]

...

He is considering the following, at this stage:

- A Fallout-style Post Apocalyptic Strategy-RPG, wherein players assume leadership of factions within a 'tribe', or jointly lead a 'tribe', on a fixed map (the mechanics would be a little bit more complicated than this set-up).

- A Choose Your Own Adventure-style RPG in an established homebrew setting. The mechanics would be fairly simplistic, with an emphasis on story. This would actually be a universe building exercise.

- Conan might also be open to other suggestions, within reason.

...

More story, less mechanics is better suited to this medium in my opinion

 

[laclongquan]

Falloutstyle post apocalyptic sound good. Lead the House of Bishop toward Wasteland Domination.

 

[Azira]

- A Fallout-style Post Apocalyptic Strategy-RPG, wherein players assume leadership of factions within a 'tribe', or jointly lead a 'tribe', on a fixed map (the mechanics would be a little bit more complicated than this set-up).

This!

 

[laclongquan]

Hell, just make a Fallout2 setting with a vote on starting tribe/house/city.

 

[treave]

- A Fallout-style Post Apocalyptic Strategy-RPG, wherein players assume leadership of factions within a 'tribe', or jointly lead a 'tribe', on a fixed map (the mechanics would be a little bit more complicated than this set-up).

Hm... sounds good, but could we take a page out of King of Dragon Pass and have various sections to vote in, but have each player only able to vote in, say, one of those sections, depending on the faction he is aligned to? For example, if he's in the Mouthbreather faction, currently in control of the economy, he can only vote on economic decisions. Something along these lines might be cool.

 

[The Barbarian]

We will solidify the mechanics of the next game in coming months. If we, hypothetically, did run it as a 'tribal council', then that idea might be the go.

What Conan will definitely do is make sure that the entire map of the game is completed prior to the first turn; that all encounters are already in the game bible at that time; that the mechanics are simple and transparent.

(Assuming, of course, we go with the SRPG variant, and not the CYOA idea - or something else entirely)

As always, the Barbarian is committed to bringing you quality, in any case.

 

[Conkrete Knight]

Those lost ships due to infighting are interesting, if our information on their society is right they are basically a dictatorship were the strongest rules, and the strongest is choose from an upper class of “psychists”.
This is the first sign of dissent we see, forget your idea if them succumbing due to being sensible to losses, the real chance is to trigger a civil war with two strong individuals battling for control if the current ruler appears “weak”.

Additional to that the number of psychics seems to be limited, so if we could kill the majority of them their basic mean of battlefield communication would be history.
The problem: To kill them we need to destroy the vessels they are in, which is our goal in the first place.

If we have learned one thing about them, then it is that they are not reckless. They like a well planed military campaign. Catching them flatfooted could actually work, the question that remains is: How fast can they adjust to our actions?

D is to spread our forces thin and lead an asymmetric war, the problem being that we have no place to hide, our core worlds are in their reach.
Of course if the Bugs go rebel again things are going to be fun.
Also this could be a good way to encourage wannabe Hin'in dictators.
But lets not forget Laclongquans point: If we have no numerical superiority they usually swipe the floor with us.
So even those spare ships in Raumenei territory could hurt us really badly.
The real danger here is of course that they could actually send those reinforcements, and then we would be toast.

B gives the Hin'in time to reinforce to, and they have more to reinforce with, so not a good idea.

C Could work. The problem? Even if we succeed we would have 200 ship close to their borders and hence their entire fleet, we would probably loose them.
However if our fleet would occupy big parts of Raumenei space, the current leader would most certainly appear “weak” even more so when we stand at their borders.

Option A is mindbuggling stupid, risking a two front war while already fighting a superior enemy, really?

In conclusion C or D are the only real choices I see, and both are risking a replay of our first contact war with the Hin'in as we only commit few ships.

So I chose C if there wont be better arguments for D.

Also please correct me if I remembered something wrong, as I did not bother to re-read older posts.

Also tribal council sound nice

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

Flip-flop to C. Better to strike now and faster in one fell swoop.

 

[Nickless]

CYOA appeals to me the most, although it would certainly help if you could give us a quick description of the homebrew setting, Conan.

 

[The Barbarian]

Conan is considering two individual settings.

The first is an industrial era fantasy setting (not really 'steampunk', per se, but there are certainly elements thereof), centered on a metropolis that represents the last vestige of a fallen empire. This is 'gritty' fantasy in question, there is no visible magic - though who knows what lies beneath the veneer of civilization. Essentially, it is a pastiche of typical genre fare, but the Barbarian will strive to make it original via strong characterization.

The second is Muria, the fantasy world Conan is still building (there is a thread on the Codex Workship forum). The protagonist would be a Plainsman noble drawn into a bloody civil war enveloping his homeland. Conan's inspiration was, is and shall remain films such as Akira Kurosawa's Ran and Kagemusha. However, the setting is distinctly non-Oriental.

In both cases, the emphasis would be on character, rather than on concepts. War and human conflict are central themes, across the board.

 

[Donaroriak]

 

[laclongquan]

The problem is that a total new world with new history is hard to get our teeth onto.

Steampunk sound good.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

I prefer the Tribal, fallout-ish one. There's just something enticing in the making of nations, tribes, ethnies, etc. If that one happens, it should go somewhere non-typical, away from the usual post-apoc lands. (USA, Russia and Australia)

 

[treave]

I prefer the Tribal, fallout-ish one. There's just something enticing in the making of nations, tribes, ethnies, etc. If that one happens, it should go somewhere non-typical, away from the usual post-apoc lands. (USA, Russia and Australia)

Post-apoc Pakistan! Complete with honour-killings!