Blair's role in the Battle for Earth?

[luminon]

i heard something that blair felt sorry for the kilrathi and the bombing or was that just something people said beacouse of the ending of wc3? in the shoutle?....

The game hints that Blair doesn't really like the idea of exterminating the kilrathi homeworld, for example when Blair talks to Tolwyn about the Behemoth, saying in a sad sounding voice, "we're headed to Kilrah with that thing aren't we," and he looked shocked at Tolwyn's reply: "well what would you aim for if you had the biggest gun in the universe?" However, I think the novel develops this more, but I can't remember the details as it's been a while since I last read it.

 

[Fellentos]

You know, considering the amount of Kilrathi fighter craft that was present during the Battle of Earth I wouldn't be surprised if Blair got shot down in the first wave. There would just be so many fighters and weapon fire that skill would have been little help I guess. It would explain why there was no mention of him in "Fleet Action".

 

[Paddybhoy]

Good point Fellentos, I think during the opening stages of the battle the Kats detonated a nuke that killed a large number of experienced confed fliers and their craft in its vicinity.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Here's what I can figure, based on references in the novel:

Fighter Losses - Earth Defense Campaign

Battle of Warsaw
Terran Confederation - 38 fighters out of 568 engaged (7%)
Empire of Kilrah - 88 fighters out of 656 engaged (13%)

Battle of Sirius
Terran Confederation - 260 fighters out of 530 engaged (49%)
Empire of Kilrah - 464 fighters out of 2188 engaged (21%)

Battle of Earth
Terran Confederation - 579 fighters out of 627 engaged (92%)
Empire of Kilrah - 1280 fighters out of 1732 engaged (74%)

 

[Mad Cow]

Battle of Earth
Terran Confederation - 579 fighters out of 627 engaged (92%)
Empire of Kilrah - 1280 fighters out of 1732 engaged (74%)

Wow...

And talking about Blair's position on the all-time Ace list, I believe that the Prophecy guide states that Blair was the highest ranking Ace to spend the majority of his career after Custer's Carnival, and the Blair and Maniac are the only two Aces in the all-time top 20 (or something like that) from this period. The allusion was certainly that their achievement was much greater due to the improvements on defensive technology on both sides.

 

[Porthos]

Here's what I can figure, based on references in the novel:

Fighter Losses - Earth Defense Campaign

Battle of Warsaw
Terran Confederation - 38 fighters out of 568 engaged (7%)
Empire of Kilrah - 88 fighters out of 656 engaged (13%)

Battle of Sirius
Terran Confederation - 260 fighters out of 530 engaged (49%)
Empire of Kilrah - 464 fighters out of 2188 engaged (21%)

Battle of Earth
Terran Confederation - 579 fighters out of 627 engaged (92%)
Empire of Kilrah - 1280 fighters out of 1732 engaged (74%)

That's an incredibly impressive defensive performance. Battle of Earth confed is up against nearly 3:1 odds just in fighter to fighter combat, and they still won the engagement. And IIRC, they were up against the elite, to boot.

 

[Death]

Do recall that, in spite of those numbers, the Kilrathi managed to make Gilead (Warsaw system) and Sirius Prime unliveable for centuries, thanks to bombardment with Strontium-90 clad nukes, and would probably have done the same for Terra, if Jugaka hadn't delayed the planetary bombardment long enough for Krueger's forces to dash in and take out the bombarding cruisers before they could launch.

Added to the losses listed by LOAF are the metric butt-tonne of civilian craft in Sol system that threw themselves in front of kat guns so the marines would survive long enough to force their way into the Hakagas, to plant antimatter warheads to destroy the ships from the inside.

 

[Dundradal]

That's an incredibly impressive defensive performance. Battle of Earth confed is up against nearly 3:1 odds just in fighter to fighter combat, and they still won the engagement. And IIRC, they were up against the elite, to boot.

You have to remember that during the battle in Sol confed also threw in a lot of civilian craft (100+ ??) and landing craft that made the kilrathi easier to kill because the target rich environment provided for so many seemingly "easy" kills. Without those forces confed would have gotten their clocks cleaned as they basically did, although they managed to stave off the final nuke assault on earth.

You would also think that confed would have more than 600 fighters in Sol, it is after all the home system and you'd figure they might store some of the decommissioned craft somewhere in system.

 

[Mjr. Whoopass]

You would also think that confed would have more than 600 fighters in Sol, it is after all the home system and you'd figure they might store some of the decommissioned craft somewhere in system.

It would seem so since Sol is your home system. However, it would be realistic for them to not have as many fighters stationed at Sol. Generally, you'd rather reinforce forces on the front lines, since the fighters can be used in greater numbers (giving greater odds) as opposed to having half of them just sit around stationed at home waiting unused while the other fighters are battling. If the enemy breaks through the strength of your army stationed on the front, all you can muster are newly trained fighters and the regrouping of your retreating craft.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Do recall that, in spite of those numbers, the Kilrathi managed to make Gilead (Warsaw system) and Sirius Prime unliveable for centuries, thanks to bombardment with Strontium-90 clad nukes, and would probably have done the same for Terra, if Jugaka hadn't delayed the planetary bombardment long enough for Krueger's forces to dash in and take out the bombarding cruisers before they could launch.

Gilead and Sirius Prime were both in the Sirius System. The planet destroyed in the Warsaw System was simply "Warsaw". Ten other planets were also destroyed in the same manner.

 

[Death]

Argh. That's what I get for trying to rely on my memory.

In my defense, thinking priorities do get kinda skewed when employment isn't a reasonably guaranteed thing. (Weak though the defense may be...)

 

[Fatcat]

Maniac may have been more of a skilled pilot than even Blair. It was his cockiness and carelessness that made him take stupid risks (combined with a few losses and failures... he was responsible for some ally deaths (on a transport?)and somewhat responsible for rosie's death). He was jealous of Blair perhaps, which shows in his reaction as your wingman. He wants to hog the limelight.

Maniac, despite being unhelpful at times, was always my number one choice for a Wingman in Wc3 and 4. Say what you will, he was really good, and I like having him out of the way. Tom Wilson made his character funny, and if you watch the blooper reel, he's even funnier. It was very obvious he was jealous of Blair, and their little verbal spars were the funniest part of Wing Commander.

Blair the one-man army, the Jack Bauer of Wing Commander.

I really found it weird how 1 Excalibur could take on multiple capships, and even destroy a Dreadnought. Blair was either really good, or the Kilrathi sucked.

That's an incredibly impressive defensive performance. Battle of Earth confed is up against nearly 3:1 odds just in fighter to fighter combat, and they still won the engagement. And IIRC, they were up against the elite, to boot.

This was my biggest dissapointment in the Wing Commander Series, that there was no game for the Battle of Earth. Seems like a good premise to me, at least for an add-on pack.

Do recall that, in spite of those numbers, the Kilrathi managed to make Gilead (Warsaw system) and Sirius Prime unliveable for centuries, thanks to bombardment with Strontium-90 clad nukes, and would probably have done the same for Terra, if Jugaka hadn't delayed the planetary bombardment long enough for Krueger's forces to dash in and take out the bombarding cruisers before they could launch.

The Kilrathi should watch it, the Guild could put some serious sanctions on them for using Atomics.

 

[Dahan]

I must admit that Sol was not heavily defended regardless of where the other forces where. Take a look at Kilrah. I think that a large number of ships were protecting the Kilrah system and it would be a near suicide mission to take on that Fleet. Speaking of which. Does anyone know which Fleet was defending Kilrah?? Which Claw Fleet would that be???

 

[Bandit LOAF]

That wasn't a fleet defending Kilrah - it was massing there for a final invasion of the Confederation. Prince Thrakhath refers to it as the "Grand Fleet" (as a proper noun).

The First Fleet of the Claw was the nar Kiranka-controlled force that was kept in reserve.

 

[Dahan]

OK so the 1st Fleet of the Claw is the Primary Fleet which was responsible for the Defense of the Kilrah System and the Fleet that was amassing in Kilrah is the one preparing for the Battle of Earth..Correct?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Yes. The First Fleet of the Claw has a dual role -- it wasn't so much intended to defend Kilrah from invasion as much as it was to keep the Kiranka clan in power.