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[Darrian Wolffe]

IC: Are these guns computerized or human controlled?

Summer possesses a complete SDS Defense Grid.  So, both, with layers of redundancy.  From what I understand about how those systems work (and we don't have a lot of details, mind), they're computer controlled, but can be easily overridden by human operators.

What is likely to happen in this case is that the computers will not be able to plot a firing solution at your DropShips as you fly NOE.  However, the human operators can manually track you, even if they can't fix you as a target.  As they track you manually, they give permission for the computers to override them and"take their best shot" at you if and when you become a target within their range, but it'll be an inaccurate snapshot since they won't have the time to really let their firing computers lock in (since you're only exposed for such a short time).

There are four alternatives to this plan:
1) Drop from orbit.  Ground weapons will have four complete turns to fire at you (you fall 3 altitudes per turn, SO pg 22), and there's canonical evidence that NLs and ground-based capital missiles controlled by an SDS can accurately target Mech-sized targets.
2) Drop from within the atmosphere.  The DropShips are likely (like 99% likely) to be blown out of the sky before they ever get near the drop point.
3) Fly NOE the ENTIRE way in and crash-land without the benefit of "spotting" your landing zone.  The odds of striking an "instant-death" surface (elevation changes, etc) increase greatly, because your landing strip would then be determined essentially randomly.
4) Drop out of range of the ground weapons and move in to secure the bridges on foot.  This allows the enemy to see you coming and move ground troops to stop you, as well as completely giving away the general strategy to take the planet.

Attacking a functional and alert planet defended by an active SDS is dangerous (to say nothing of Terra's Reagan Defense Grid).  Canon casualty rates seem to be in the mid 60% range.  If you weren't badass elite troops, they'd never even ask you to do it.  But that's what you get for being the best: the hardest assignments. 

Also, since I've gotten PMs from people who know their military history, the rest of you may as well get to know about it too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Deadstick

[ItsTehPope]

Edit:screw it, post removed.

[agustaaquila]

[Excerpts from Lt. Hanney Sermon Sept 3, 2772]

So we are left with the huge question of what really makes us different from them.  We are all soldiers, we all try to kill each other.  We each have mother crying after each engagement.  But let me show you how we are different.

When I joined the 741st, I filed in the spot of a sergeant who just died.  I came to feel like I knew him through the stories others in the company told of the man.  I came to learn that the man I replaced was a former gang member and brought a gang mentality to everything he did, that he smoked constantly, that he developed bloodust later into his career so much so that his commanding Major began to worry about both his sanity and what he was doing out of the Major's view.  He was not a good person by several measures, and quite a bad one by many.

But when he died, he walked his heavily damaged Exterminator up to a Hunchback and a Thunderbolt.  He destroyed the Hunchback, and then the Thunderbolt finished him by first legging, then decapitating a downed mech.  His last act, a despite act was not made in vain.  He bought a few seconds for one of his company mates to come up and finish the job, and stop the Thunderbolt.  And what would have happened if Xin had not engaged those two mechs?  They would have gone on to kill people huddled in old broken warehouses, whose only crime was that they were born on a different world than the pilots.  He died defending those who he never met, but who did not want to fight.

This is what makes us different from them.  Its you all, your drive your courage.  You do not do things just to avoid punishment.  You of the SLDF make sacrifices for people you will never see, and will never receive their thanks.  You do it because deep down you, just like Xin, are a good person who knows that this war is the only way to make things better for others.,  For all the people of the Hegimony, no the entire Sphere.  This is what each of you are, and why our enemy cannot hope to stand before us.

[Black Omega]

Banzai finally raises his hand during the briefing.

"Maj. Freund, Lt. Reed, I have some ideas about the drop, but I'm not sure if they will work or not.  First, on Hawker's point, I think I can rig [ooc: try to rig] one of the Leopard's ECM for a one turn overload to boost the masking.  The problem with it is everyone WILL be alerted by the power spike and we could loose surprise.  Second, and this also risks surprise, I could lead with the LAM and scout for landing fields so the Leopard's would not have to pop up.  The Beagle Probe in the LAM should be able to find enough clear areas and send the info to the droppers as they're coming inbound.  The only problem with that is if the Rimworlder's get those big guns set to AAA mode... Just thought of something, can we get a RimWorld's IFF transponder?  If they spot me, I might pass for one of them if I had a nifty Rim World paint job, Major."

"Oh, one other thing, I would like to load Swarms in my LRM launcher.  Do we have any?  And I know Lt Hanney has a great feel for LRM's, do we have any semi-guided missiles that the LT could use to lock on my LAM's TAG?"

[agustaaquila]

"What's a semi-guided missile?  I have heard to the Artemis Fire control system, but with my large engine I cannot fit it onto my mech.  I know that there are Swarm missiles, but they are too limited for my tastes.  They can only drift about 30m, and they have no way to engage a IFF.  Way too dangerous.  If you have something brewing in that weapons lab of yours, I just pray that it hasn't fallen into the Rimmers hands. 

[Ice]

..20 minutes after the briefing..

"What is this madness? Crashing a perfectly good ship. It is like saying jump from my cockpit off a cliff. Why would I ever want to do that? On top of that we do not even know where our landing zone is or if it is safe. I do not want to die and thoughts of the day Xin died still bug me, killing and death should not be hard for a soldier to get over. Xin dying just left a bad feeling in my stomach." Allen's thoughts continued for another five minutes while he wandered around. Eventually he made his way to Lt. Hanney's quarters and knocked.
"Lt Hanney can I speak to you for a few minutes? This plan is even to crazy for me to keep it to myself I may need a prayer before this battle.

[Ice]

Allen stood there waiting tried the door again after trying the com panel to the room. He tried once more and walked into Lt. hanney's quarters after a few minutes of an uneasy silence in the hall."I thought he would be here. I guess he might be with the other guys in the wardroom."  He exited and slowly made his way to the others. He walked into the room with a solemn look. Normally allen would not let his emotions show this much. Some of the guys looked up with a surprised and curious face. "I know this is kind of a odd question guys but has anyone heard a word from events on terra? I am worried about my family back home. Do you all think they might have done what they did on Syrma?" A long quiet pause filled the room.

[agustaaquila]

I don't know Allen.  I can pray that the madness doesn't touch Terra, but I have a strange feeling that's not the case.  All we can do is to push hard to provide what relief we can, for every minute we can shave off our push is one less minute people will have to live under the Pretender.

[phlop]

Schwepps wandering about the mech bay, as he does checking on his mech; is heard mumbling by one of the techs. " Operation Horsa, they should have put a couple of ss"s on the end of that title and got it right."
Being the occasional military history buff that he is, it reminds him of a silly operation during WWII an ancient terra. Something that, after it was all over; was nicknamed " A Bridge to Far". He hopes that this doesn't end the same as it did for those men at Arnhem.
Oh well, suck it up and get on with it."

[Death or Glory]

At the mentioning of Terra, Duncan's normally chipper demeanor becomes sullen for a moment.  "You're not the only one with family on Terra, Allen.  I try not to think about what might be happening to them too much.  Judging from what we've seen in this war so far, I'm concerned there might not be much of a Terra left for us to liberate when we get there.  I hope Amaris spares Terra from his depravity, but..."  Duncan leaves the sentence unfinished and lapses into pensive silence.  After a few brief moments, his normal mood begins to return and he adds, with his customary grin, "After all, fighting to save someone is a bit more dashing than simply fighting for revenge, don't you think?"

[Ice]

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Aff, this does seam like a better fit for our little band of misfits. I hope they got out in time though. I mean they did have access to safe houses since dad is part of a guard detachment but everything happened so suddenly. I wonder if dad had to fight as hard as you all did or did he take mom and Ethan go into hiding. I wonder about the cadets, Ethan was among the newer ones admitted last year. I hope he was home on leave when it happened. I was lucky to be deployed to join you guys before it happened. It still amazes me how long you all fought and survived. Anyway sorry to have ranted on sometimes a guy just needs to talk." Allen pulls out a chair and sits down.

[Black Omega]

Banzai goes to the Leopard dropship "Blacksheep" (one of the 5 designated for the assault on Pegasus bridge--but will be empty of Echo Co. troops for the drop) and attempts to rig an ecm system powerbooster with a toggle on/off switch on the pilot's control panel.  A one second test of increased field strength will be performed to verify operation before the assault.  The hoped for results will be for a temporary field strength equivalent to a warship.

The plan for use is for the switch to be engaged when the dropships pop up to alt 2 to scan for landing zones.  The other dropships should be flying close enough to be masked by the boosted ecm field.  The pilot will have command of switch and discretion for it's use.

(ooc: Of course if commanding officers object to this, please scrap this plan)

Afterward, Banzai goes to his LAM and tests transformation modes, especially between fighter and airmech.  He supervises the loading of the swarm lrms (if available) and leaves the LAM in fighter mode prepared for launch.

[Darrian Wolffe]

Banzai goes to the Leopard dropship "Blacksheep" (one of the 5 designated for the assault on Pegasus bridge--but will be empty of Echo Co. troops for the drop) and attempts to rig an ecm system powerbooster with a toggle on/off switch on the pilot's control panel.  A one second test of increased field strength will be performed to verify operation before the assault.  The hoped for results will be for a temporary field strength equivalent to a warship.

The plan for use is for the switch to be engaged when the dropships pop up to alt 2 to scan for landing zones.  The other dropships should be flying close enough to be masked by the boosted ecm field.  The pilot will have command of switch and discretion for it's use.

(ooc: Of course if commanding officers object to this, please scrap this plan)

Afterward, Banzai goes to his LAM and tests transformation modes, especially between fighter and airmech.  He supervises the loading of the swarm lrms (if available) and leaves the LAM in fighter mode prepared for launch.

OOC: I've got rules for this developed.  Since it came up so close to the actual game, peeps may not have seen it.  Thusly, if ya'll want to do it tomorrow, tell me, and I'll roll it out.  Might work, might not.  Depends on your skill roll. Luckily, your Science/Engineering and Technical skill levels are fairly high