Wing Commander 3 Replay Week 3
- Thread starter Dundradal
- Start date
Mincemeat
Doomsday's Neighbour
I find that the delius asteroid base model a bit strange - torpedos won't impact (and I know they are not shot down), and there are certain large sections of solid base that you can just fly though without taking damage. It looks like the collision maps for the model itself is not properly done. You wingman will have an easier time taking it out.
According to the CIC game guide, the campaign path branches from Ariel to either Delius or Caliban. If you didn't manage to take out the base for the first time, there are two more missions you can fly there.
If you win Delius or Caliban, you get taken to Torgo. If you lose Delius, it's the one-way losing path to Proxima and Sol...
Mincemeat
Doomsday's Neighbour
I apologise in advance if my write-ups are not too exciting, I'm not much for diaries...
Ariel #1: 1 2
I try to destroy capital ships first, as I'm not sure if any of them jump out on this one.
Ariel #2: 1 2 3
This is quite a test of endurance, definitely one of the more difficult missions flown in WC3 yet. Vaktoths are surprisingly agile for such a large fighter, the best way to deal with them is head-on, trading licks.
Ariel #3: 1 2
Just... watch it ;-)
(other videos available from http://www.youtube.com/user/minzoferrari)
Ariel #1: 1 2
I try to destroy capital ships first, as I'm not sure if any of them jump out on this one.
Ariel #2: 1 2 3
This is quite a test of endurance, definitely one of the more difficult missions flown in WC3 yet. Vaktoths are surprisingly agile for such a large fighter, the best way to deal with them is head-on, trading licks.
Ariel #3: 1 2
Just... watch it ;-)
(other videos available from http://www.youtube.com/user/minzoferrari)
Lorien
Rear Admiral
Yeah, the journals are a lot longer for Wing Commander 3, just because the number of cutscenes has gone through the roof. I hope I've kept a good balance between detail and brevity.
Mincemeat
Doomsday's Neighbour
We arrived at Delius, its main feature being an extensive asteroid field.
Captain Eisen explained that we are at Delius to establish a convoy supply route, however the Kilrathi are already doing so and have built a supply base somewhere. Vagabond and I set out in Arrows, and we found the base at the first Nav point. Several Vaktoth were guarding the asteroid base, and it was like seeing somebody being stung to death by a pack of bees. The base itself was well-defended, full of tachyon turrets. The Arrows were surprisingly effective in evading their fire, and Vagabond scored the kill. We then moved on to the other Nav points, and a medley of Kilrathi fighters met their doom. There were certainly plenty of Dralthi, some Darkets and a few more Vaktoths, but fortunately there were no capital ships.
We returned triumphant, and the battle group moved on to the next star system.
Youtube links: 1 2 3
What goes up, must come down. The euphoria onboard TCS Victory was shaken as Prince Thrakhath sends his regards, especially mentioning me. It's always odd when the Kilrathi are talking instead of shooting. One has to wonder about the significance of what we achieved in Ariel, last time something like this happened was back in Firekka when we disrupted something they considered important...
Maniac is moaning about two "obstacle courses" in a row, and he didn't seem too convinced that the Kilrathi are equally disadvantaged about it.
I had to break up an altercation between Hobbes and Cobra at the flight deck. This is something we just don't need right now. In a bid to gain her trust I try to play along with her, let's see IF she can actually come up with any real evidence to back up her accusations.
Flash is visibly shaken by what happened with the jump point in Ariel and regretted taking me on at the simulator duel. I guess he'll just have to get used to it...
Maniac is moaning about two "obstacle courses" in a row, and he didn't seem too convinced that the Kilrathi are equally disadvantaged about it.
I had to break up an altercation between Hobbes and Cobra at the flight deck. This is something we just don't need right now. In a bid to gain her trust I try to play along with her, let's see IF she can actually come up with any real evidence to back up her accusations.
Flash is visibly shaken by what happened with the jump point in Ariel and regretted taking me on at the simulator duel. I guess he'll just have to get used to it...
Captain Eisen explained that we are at Delius to establish a convoy supply route, however the Kilrathi are already doing so and have built a supply base somewhere. Vagabond and I set out in Arrows, and we found the base at the first Nav point. Several Vaktoth were guarding the asteroid base, and it was like seeing somebody being stung to death by a pack of bees. The base itself was well-defended, full of tachyon turrets. The Arrows were surprisingly effective in evading their fire, and Vagabond scored the kill. We then moved on to the other Nav points, and a medley of Kilrathi fighters met their doom. There were certainly plenty of Dralthi, some Darkets and a few more Vaktoths, but fortunately there were no capital ships.
We returned triumphant, and the battle group moved on to the next star system.
Youtube links: 1 2 3
DaveO
Rear Admiral
Blackmane 1
I run into Rollins on the flight level, and he’s watching a broadcast of some bad news. He wonders if I’m buying the ‘fantasy’ that we’re winning the war, and I ask why he’s so determined to believe that we’re losing. He thinks that I’d have to be blind to not see that things are going from bad to worse. He thinks the lack of shore leave, our ‘defensive’ missions, and that Confed is in constant retreat is not a product of his imagination. He believes the entire war effort is unraveling, and I waste no time in telling him that he has too much time and is spreading rumors causing fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I threaten him with Waste Recyling duty if I hear any rumors caused by him. I see Captain Eisen on the bridge, and he’s not sure whether to thank or curse me for getting Flash on the combat roster. I respond with my belief that Flash is both a boon and a bane. Eisen wishes there were more pilots like myself, and he’s impressed that I’ve not let a legendary ship like the Victory cramp my style. I go back down to the flight level to receive my next mission briefing. Eisen tells me that our job is to keep control of this sector and the jump point. We can’t afford to give up ground here, and I silently agree since that would certainly give Rollins ammunition for more bad rumors. I choose Vagabond for my wingman since he really did not get much of a chance to prove himself the last time I flew with him.
I select the Thunderbolt due to expectations of heavy fighter resistance. I do my usual takeoff routine, and we head off on our patrol. I’m starting to wonder if I selected too heavy of a fighter with a wing of Dralthi going after the Blackmane base. I eliminate two of the Kilrathi fighters, and then Vagabond breaks formation without orders to go after the cats. I take down yet another Dralthi with the devastating firepower of the Thunderbolt. I pound the last fighter of that wing, and a group of Darkets joins the fray. Vagabond takes down one of the Darkets before I can get into gun range of my target. I pick up one of the cats on my tail and do some minor evasive maneuvers. He’s shaken lose, and I can turn my attention to my target. He goes down quickly to my shots, and a second one only takes a few hits to be destroyed. I see Vagabond’s shots trying to track down and hit a Darket. He compensates for shooting wide to the right and nails that fighter. Another wing of Darkets comes in to attack the base. The fighter I pick as my target is a bit elusive, but he ultimately fares no better than his feline friends. Vagabond tells me that he splashed another Kilrathi fighter, and I shred another one in short order. Vagabond gets the final Darket in that wing with a direct pass using the Thunderbolt’s guns. Yet another wing of Kilrathi come in, but this time there are Paktahns led by an ace called Bloodmist. I match speed with the slower Paktahns and go after one while Vagabond does a tango with the ace. I shatter my targeted bomber ship, and go after my next one. He makes a pass on the station letting lose with his guns. I get behind and nail him before a second pass can do further damage to the shields of the station. My Thunderbolt takes some rear gun hits from the third Paktahh, but my ship can handle that without issues. Vagabond is STILL attacking Bloodmist, so it’s time to help out. I hit Bloodmist with a missile, and then both Vagabond and I are tag-teaming Bloodmist. His Paktahn can certainly take a LOT of hits, and then he decides to get nasty by taunting us with saying that our skills are feeble and that we’re leaf eaters. He makes some evasive looping, and then I manage to make multiple hits to his shields again. Vagabond gets thru his hefty armor, and that Kilrathi joins a long list of ex-aces. Together we head back for the Victory, and Rollins tells us that the base is celebrating the defense against the Kilrathi fighters and bombers. I’m sure the techs of the Victory will be happy too since I’m bring the Thunderbolt back without a scratch. After landing, Rachel wants to chat off the record. I tell her that we’ve already had a habit of doing that, and she admits that she likes that about me. She cares enough about me by saying that she has seen the look in my eyes before. There was a pilot she once knew who had his wingman killed and blamed himself for that death. One day he took off in a Thunderbolt and kept going alone. He got to a jump point just as the Kilrathi came through. Rachel does not know if he survived that encounter, and there was no news about him after that tangle with the cats. The look in his eyes was the same that Rachel sees in mine. I tell her that I have somebody close and have been getting nightmares. I have been wondering how Angel has been doing on her covert operation. Perhaps she was forced to get into neutral territory or found a way to avoid the war. I kept expecting to hear some news, but never did. Rachel wonders if perhaps that pilot and Angel somehow got together. They’d be alive, but Rachel does say in jest that she’d kill that pilot if she saw him again.
Blackmane 2
Maniac is in the berths looking over a skin magazine. He admits that he’s seen my ‘moves’ on Rachel, and I ask if he’s jealous. He thinks that it does not take much maneuvering to make Rachel like pilots like himself, and I point out his jealousy by saying that if he was as hot as he thinks he is he would not be breathing my exhaust in efforts to win her heart. Obviously, he made an attempt and got ‘crashed and burned’ in typical Maniac style and is now compensating by fantasizing. I go down to the flight level to see what my next assignment is. Convoys are coming in to the Blackmane base due to our successful defense. They’ll need escorts, so this sounds like a good time to try out the Arrow in a non-scramble situation. I pick Cobra as my wingmate, and we take off in our fighters.
At the first nav point, some transports are in trouble with Dralthis attacking them. The speed, maneuverability, and narrow cone of fire of my Arrow make short work of the first targeted Dralthi. I’m forced to match speed of the second Dralthi, and make some poor shots at his evading fighter. I compensate enough to take him down too, and go after a third fighter. I do better in picking the right moments to shoot with my guns, and another fighter is downed. There is one Dralthi left and I get to see a few pieces come off his ship before it explodes. Cobra and I take the transports back to the Victory but it looks like there are still some more to also escort. Something is odd with the transports here since I can’t get an ID confirmation when within 1000 meters and I can’t communicate with them. A big flash of light comes from the explosions of these transports, and Strakha fighters uncloak to attack. I let Cobra lose, and she gets two of the stealth fighters before I can make a kill. Cobra eliminates another of the Strakhas, but she lets me know that her fighter has taken too many hits. I get a stealth fighter and Cobra also kills a cat. We split on kills for the next two stealth fighters, and I get the final one in my sights. He gets a taste of vacuum, and I give Cobra orders to return to base. I head back to the Victory with no other Kilrathi encounters, and Rollins says that I’ve been invited to the Blackmane base for some steak and eggs after successful defense of the convoys. I land with another undamaged fighter, although Rachel is not there to give her standard congratulations.
Blackmane 3
I see Flint in gunnery control on the bridge, and she admits that it feels good with what we’re doing here. I ask her if the stakes are less personal here, and she does not feel the same connection to the people here like she did in Locanda. She does not have an image of the people she’s helping to protect, and I tell her that if she did it would quickly lead to a burn out. She admits some hate towards herself at feeling lucky that there is a war for her to prove her combat capabilities. I explain that I know that Angel felt that way to ‘fight the good fight’, and Flint says that flying is what keeps her going and doing her best to keep improving her skills. I relay my understanding of her feeling that only fellow pilots know about. I go down in the lift to the flight level and enter the briefing room. Eisen says that there is a weapons convoy coming here, and that we’ll have to help them break any attempt at a Kilrathi blockade. With those weapons, the Blackmane base will have better capabilities of defending itself so we have to protect it at all costs. I choose Flint as my wingman and decide on the Hellcat fighter since it has been a while since I’ve flown it.
Upon takeoff, Flint and I link up with the transports and head on our way. A new Kilrathi Sorthak fighter is on my radar scope. This is a heavy bomber, and boy can it take damage. It also has some dangerous turret fire capabilities, but I get one with my guns without too many troubles. I try taunting another Sorthak to get him from attacking those transports, and Flint gets a kill while I’m still in pursuit. Flint gets yet another kill, and I even the score by clobbering my targeted fighter. At the next nav point are multiple Strakhas, and I let Flint break and attack. She gets two of the stealth fighters before I can contribute with a kill. I accidentally hit Flint with some fire while trying to get a Strakha off her tail, and she says to watch where I’m pointing my guns. She takes down yet another stealth fighter, and I eventually eliminate an uncloaked stealth fighter. One of the transports takes down a Strakha, and I also get another fighter. Flint bags another cat. Two more stealth fighters are split between Flint and myself, and I check on her status. She’s good to go, and so are the transports. At the next nav point are Vaktoth heavy fighters, and I give Flint the orders to go after them. Two missiles are launched at my ship, and I decoy one with the other hitting before another decoy can make the missile miss. Another missile comes my way, and I don’t notice it in time to decoy it away. Flint helps out in taking down the Vaktoth I was targeting. I shoot up the shields of the second Vaktoth, and launch a missile. It hits and destroys the fighter. Another wing of Vaktoths are coming in. I give him continual hits to his rear since it looks like he’s going after those transports and ignoring me. Enough concentrated gun fire brings down his shields enough for me to finish him off. Flint gets the other Vaktoth, and I check the damage control display. EEK! Those two hits have completely wiped out my shields and damage control with my communications almost gone too. Flint and I head back to the Victory, and fortunately there are no more fighters to attack us. During my approach, Rollins tells us that Blackmane will pick up the ball here and that we’re heading out for the Ariel system. I land my fragile Hellcat fighter fully expecting to get ripped on by the techs. Instead, I get group congratulations from Eisen, Rollins, Rachel and others. Still, that Hellcat’s going to be in the repair shop a while before she’s ready for action again. After the jump, I try talking to Rachel but she says that the ‘grunts’ like her have to work extra hard for us due to the expected recon in this system.
Ariel 1
I get the chance to see Cobra smiling. I tell her that it looks good, and she’s definitely happy to be on the offensive. She can ‘smell’ the cats, and is definitely looking to significantly increase her killboard count here. I share my sentiments that we’ll be kicking some Kilrathi tail here for sure. I see Vagabond outside the berths, and he offers to play a hand of cards. Not taking such a rookie bait, I ask to cut the deck and Vagabond admits that a lot of people fall for that trick. I explain that such suckers get what they deserve. Vagabond tells me that he hears that we’re going after a garrison, and wants to make sure that this is a legitimate target. He feels he flies better when he knows the real objective, and I state my view that we’re not like the Kilrathi in purposefully attacking civilians. Vagabond is not entirely convinced by my statement and explains that a lot of people don’t ask questions about the cards they are dealt. I look in my locker at a picture of Angel, and remember a happier time when we were alone and wanting our moments of love to last forever. Not wanting to dwell too much on Angel’s unknown plight, I head back to the flight level for my briefing. Eisen explains that part of the reason we are here in this system is due to my flying, and congratulates me. He also confirms Vagabond’s beliefs about us going after the Kilrathi garrison here. My objective is to make sure no Kilrathi fighters or cap ships get away during my assigned sweep. I pick Flash as my wingman and go with Rachel’s recommendation of the Longbow due to my feelings of heavier cat presence here than in other systems.
We take off in the bombers, and the front view of the Longbow is quite restricted. I do my standard adjustments and go onward with Flash to the first nav point. I see a Corvette here, and give Flash the go-ahead to attack. I can hear stealth fighters, so I have plenty of time to lock on the Corvette with a torpedo. I shoot it off and turn my attention to any fighters I happen to pick up. The Corvette goes up after the torpedo hits it. I get only one stealth fighter kill, and Flash takes out the rest of them along with two transports. We head to the next nav point, and I do better. I take out a stealth fighter and Flash gets a kill too. We again split the kills with the remaining stealth fighters. The next nav point is more lively with a Kilrathi carrier. A nice big target for my torpedoes. I let two go on the carrier and turn my attention to the fighter cover. I make a long distance kill with an IMREC missile. I turn my attention back to the carrier and use my third and last torpedo. I see some Dralthis now trying to cover the carrier and I let one have it with a missile. I gun down a Dralthi with the Longbow’s cannons, and am forced to get two more after Flash insists on not helping with the carrier. Now a wing of Darkets is launched, and my best hope is to use missiles against them since the Longbow has low maneuverability. I get one with a missile shot and get lucky enough to have another one sit in my gun sights long enough to take down in a pass. I let Flash keep the last fighter busy while I turn my guns on the carrier. I realize that my guns against its armor is going to take forever after a few attempts. I do see the open hangar bay, so I decide to try that. Anything that looks like a good point to shoot at in the hangar is targeted, and I do see a few explosions. This is still taking too long, so I break off from the carrier to help Flash out. He finishes off the carrier as I go after a Vaktoth. Seeing no reason to hold on to missiles here, I down the Vaktoth with two IFF missiles. Flash and I go back to the Victory, and Rollins likes the news that there is one less big cat to deal with. Rachel congratulates me on doing well and returning the Longbow in perfect condition.
Ariel 2
I hear Vaquero playing a somber solo on his guitar and ask him if he’s been behind enemy lines before. He thinks that everyone fights better on their home turf, but I explain that the lines are really just points on a map and not to worry about it. He changes tempo to a merrier melody, and I let him enjoy himself. I find Hobbes in the gunnery control on the bridge, and he likes how our missions have been turning out with us now taking offensive against the Kilrathi. I tell him that it feels good especially in terms of morale. Hobbes then gives some insight into the Kilrathi psyche by explaining that part of their spirit is never satisfied by interstellar combat. They are taught how to use their claws to kill even before walking or talking, and he wonders if this seems primitive or savage to me. I tell him that closeup or interstellar killing is not much different, and that he is one of the best pilots on this ship. I emphasize to Hobbes to not second-guess his contributions here. I go down to the flight deck in the lift, and Captain Eisen explains that we’ll be lurking here in a nebula to see what kind of Kilrathi targets come our way. There are certainly expectations of a heavy cap ship presence, so I know I’ll be choosing the Longbow again. I give the details to the other pilots and choose Maniac to fly along with. I hope I won’t regret this, but I’m expecting a much tougher fighter contingent than the last mission and I need his experience here.
We take off in the bombers, and as expected there’s some heavy opposition here. Vaktoth fighters along with a Destroyer are in this area. My Longbow takes two missile hits from the Vaktoths although I thought a decoy might work against one. I turn my attention to a second Vaktoth and get rid of him with my guns. Maniac takes advantage in the lull of the cat defense and dusts the Destroyer. While pursuing a third Vaktoth, my Longbow takes another missile hit. I better be more careful if I expect to live thru this mission. I get another Vaktoth with my Longbow, and Maniac gets a kill as well. I use a missile along with my guns to take down another Kilrathi fighter. There’s just a transport left, and its minimal gun defense is quickly wiped out. I pour all my gun firepower into it and watch it explode. Together we go into the next nav point, and there are more cap ships along with Darket fighter cover. I tag a Darket with a missile, meanwhile Maniac mashes a transport and a fighter with his ship. I get another Darket with a missile launch, and go after that Corvette which survived my torpedo launch. I do some damage to his rear, but am forced to peel off after hearing some hits on my ship. I then again get behind him and hit multiple areas and one of its cannons. Maniac makes mincemeat of the Corvette, and we go on to the next nav point. A wing of Vaktoths with more Kilrathi cap ships are here. I engage and eliminate one Vaktoth fairly easily with multiple gun hits. Another tries some sort of stop maneuver to make me overfly him, but I compensate and shred his fighter into shards. I sight a Destroyer and make him a target for a torpedo. I let loose, but yet another missile hits my Longbow. At least this bomber can take serious punishment. I hear the Destroyer die to my torpedo just as I fry a Vaktoth on a frontal pass. Maniac makes an assist and guns down a Vaktoth, and we both turn our attention to a transport. It eats energy from my guns with the standard fatal results to its crew. I watch its hollow hulk drift thru the void, and we both head for our return to the Victory. Rollins thinks our ship should be renamed due to its successful interception of all those cap ships. As a twist to what Admiral Tolwyn told me some time ago, I think ship names are not open to debate.
Ariel 3
I find Flint at the bar and she’s certainly flying high. She likes the news that she’s hearing about us turning the tide in this conflict. She informs me of how her father taught her about other wars including the mythical Trojan War. She points out that wars do end eventually, even if they last for generations. I pipe in that it only seems like it takes forever while waging this war for the pilots like us. I see Rollins sitting at a console on the bridge and he likes that we’re on the offensive. I ask him if he now believes that we’re winning the war, but he puts in his usual cynical view that he’s not planning on a victory party yet. I head for the flight level and the briefing room to see what we’re doing next. Eisen tells me that Intel thinks the Kilrathi are on to our activities in the nebula, and we’re getting out of here before they bring in some really big guns to take us out. I pick Hobbes as my wingman for this mission, and choose the Thunderbolt over the Longbow due to its higher speed.
At the first nav point are Darket fighters, and Hobbes makes REAL short work of his opponent. I gun down the second, and a group of Paktahns are coming in. The bomber I’m pursuing seems sturdier than others I’ve fought against. He takes many hits before my guns can finally finish him off. Hobbes hands the other Paktahn fighter his hasty defeat. We head along, and there are Vaktoths here. I let Hobbes break and attack, and take one hit from two missiles targeted at my ship. I focus on and fire on a secondary Vaktoth. Between hits from me and Hobbes, I deal him a finishing blow. I hammer a Vaktoth hard with a frontal pass, and I finish him off with a missile. Hobbes takes down four fighters, and the area is clear for us to move on. This point has a big welcoming committee with a Kilrathi carrier. Fortunately, the fighter cover consists of Strakha stealth fighters and not more Vaktoths. While engaging, Rollins gives us the news that the jump point is no longer there for us. Eisen explains that Navigation found an alternate jump point that he hopes is not gone as well. It takes quite a bit of effort to get rid of one Strakha, but I do a lot better in blowing a second one to bits. Now there are Darkets launched by the enemy carrier, but these should be easier to take down than the stealth fighters were. After some effective evasive moves by the fighter I’m pursuing, he gets sloppy enough for two Thunderbolt barrages to hit him and his ship explodes. I go after and gun down yet another Darket, and without any recent communications from Hobbes about kills makes me believe he’s been concentrating his attacks on the carrier. Sure enough, as I’m going after that fourth Darket I hear Hobbes report a kill and that carrier goes up. Great job, and he sure knows how to make shorter work of enemy carriers than I do! Hobbes takes down a Darket, and I finally finish off the one I was pursuing. At the alternate nav point, there is a Corvette waiting for us along with more stealth fighters. I shoot off the torpedo at very close range to the Corvette, but it does not take out the ship. I then notice in alarm that there is a Skipper missile heading right for the Victory! I gun it down and turn my attention back to the Corvette. After my first pass, Hobbes tells me that he needs my help. I figure that the best way to really help out is to blow that Corvette to bits. After my second pass, Hobbes is forced to eject from his Thunderbolt. On the third Corvette pass, I take some damage to my cockpit. I make two more passes, but I’m taking too much damage to risk yet another one. I break off and go after the stealth fighters. I shoot off a missile and get lucky with it taking out one fighter. I get the other with my guns and turn towards the Corvette. The Kilrathi captain has decided to go down in a blaze of glory by attacking the Victory at very close range. I can hear the Corvette getting creamed by the Victory’s guns. I am able to get within gun range, but the Victory finishes off the cap ship before I can deal the final blow. I ask for clearance to land, and Rollins is really spooked that the Kilrathi were able to close the jump point. He’s thankful that Navigation was able to very quickly find an alternate route out, and I land on the Victory. I again get group congratulations and feel that it’s earned this time. Search and Rescue picks up Hobbes, and we jump into the Caliban system.
Somewhere in Kilrathi space, Prince Thrakhath is demanding an explanation on how the Victory escaped their trap. Melek explains that the nav point was outside of the nebula where the cloaking techniques could not work. Thrakhath presses Melek when he sees him hesitate. Melek gives the Prince the news that I was protecting the Victory. The Kilrathi have given me the nickname of ‘Heart of the Tiger’, and Prince Thrakhath decides that the Emperor must not know of this success. Given the threats on how the Emperor would react to another failure by the Prince, he’s definitely trying to save his hide here. Melek thinks that the Emperor’s focus should stay on a course of ultimate triumph for the cats. Prince Thrakhath points out that I’ve continually jeopardized this triumph. The Prince decides that he’s waited long enough and makes a decision to send The Message with a trigger to awaken a double agent.
In the hangar, I see Hobbes and Cobra arguing with each other. She accuses Hobbes of knowing about the trap that was waiting for us. I decide to play along with Cobra and ask her to give me this evidence she has against Hobbes in private. Hobbes wonders if I’m doubting his loyalty, but I explain that Cobra’s hatred is her fuel to make her perform well. This is something we can’t afford to lose despite Hobbes’ hurt feelings.
Delius 1
There’s a big Kilrathi asteroid base here that we’ve been given the orders to take out. I’ve picked Flash as my wingman and selected a Thunderbolt for its firepower and torpedo. There are four Vaktoths defending the base, so I give Flash the go-ahead to break and attack the heavy fighters. I gun one down after multiple hits and a foolish frontal pass by the fighter. Flash fries a fighter, and the mighty guns of the Thunderbolt split another Vaktoth in two. I get a third one with little effort, and I see Flash taking some hits from a second wing of Vaktoths launched by the base. I go after them, and Flash frantically says this is a no win situation. I get a Vaktoth off Flash’s rear, so there’s just one fighter left. Flash decides to retreat before he’s hosed down by that last Vaktoth fighter. Frankly, I think he bugged out too early since I hear an explosion and notice that last fighter off the scope. It’s just me versus Ayer’s Rock version 2. I do notice quite a bit of defending turret fire coming from the base, so I pull out of my attack and take another approach. I let the torpedo launch and it does severe damage to the base. I make a strafing run on the asteroid, but have to pull up quickly as I get too close for comfort. I make another attack run, and I can hear the base taking multiple hard hits. I start going after the defenses, and hear more hits on the base but miss the targeted turret I was looking to eliminate. The next pass is completely ineffective, and my next pass is not much better since I pull out once I hear some hits to my Thunderbolt’s armor. I get a turret on my next run, so I go after another one. The base takes still more damage but my attack failed to tag the turret. I do gun down a turret on my next pass, but again miss on another turret. I try spraying another portion of the base, but I don’t hear any hits. I manage to get two turrets on my next attack, so I’m definitely making good progress here. I eliminate enough turrets to get into a stationary position. I change power settings to more for the guns, and open up on the base. A lot of the base is in the red for damage, so I keep shooting. I let the base have a few missiles but this is not getting me much further. Even with full guns and constant shooting, I’m just not making enough of a dent to finish off the base. Time to find a likely soft spot. I turn a little to the left and notice what looks to be a communication tower. Let’s see how the guns do there. KABOOM! The base goes up and I get to see it’s charred shell float around for a bit before it’s gone. Since I have no backup, I decide that the safer course is to head right back to the Victory. Rollins is there to say that the only good cat is a dead one, and with my successful scuttling of the asteroid base I get the group congratulations again upon landing. Our battle group jumps into the Torgo sector where a certain Admiral is waiting for us.
P.S. - Nice work on the Delius series Mincemeat! I added Delius 1 as my bonus journal entry and mission. Now to upload and get Photobucket up to date.
I run into Rollins on the flight level, and he’s watching a broadcast of some bad news. He wonders if I’m buying the ‘fantasy’ that we’re winning the war, and I ask why he’s so determined to believe that we’re losing. He thinks that I’d have to be blind to not see that things are going from bad to worse. He thinks the lack of shore leave, our ‘defensive’ missions, and that Confed is in constant retreat is not a product of his imagination. He believes the entire war effort is unraveling, and I waste no time in telling him that he has too much time and is spreading rumors causing fear, uncertainty, and doubt. I threaten him with Waste Recyling duty if I hear any rumors caused by him. I see Captain Eisen on the bridge, and he’s not sure whether to thank or curse me for getting Flash on the combat roster. I respond with my belief that Flash is both a boon and a bane. Eisen wishes there were more pilots like myself, and he’s impressed that I’ve not let a legendary ship like the Victory cramp my style. I go back down to the flight level to receive my next mission briefing. Eisen tells me that our job is to keep control of this sector and the jump point. We can’t afford to give up ground here, and I silently agree since that would certainly give Rollins ammunition for more bad rumors. I choose Vagabond for my wingman since he really did not get much of a chance to prove himself the last time I flew with him.
I select the Thunderbolt due to expectations of heavy fighter resistance. I do my usual takeoff routine, and we head off on our patrol. I’m starting to wonder if I selected too heavy of a fighter with a wing of Dralthi going after the Blackmane base. I eliminate two of the Kilrathi fighters, and then Vagabond breaks formation without orders to go after the cats. I take down yet another Dralthi with the devastating firepower of the Thunderbolt. I pound the last fighter of that wing, and a group of Darkets joins the fray. Vagabond takes down one of the Darkets before I can get into gun range of my target. I pick up one of the cats on my tail and do some minor evasive maneuvers. He’s shaken lose, and I can turn my attention to my target. He goes down quickly to my shots, and a second one only takes a few hits to be destroyed. I see Vagabond’s shots trying to track down and hit a Darket. He compensates for shooting wide to the right and nails that fighter. Another wing of Darkets comes in to attack the base. The fighter I pick as my target is a bit elusive, but he ultimately fares no better than his feline friends. Vagabond tells me that he splashed another Kilrathi fighter, and I shred another one in short order. Vagabond gets the final Darket in that wing with a direct pass using the Thunderbolt’s guns. Yet another wing of Kilrathi come in, but this time there are Paktahns led by an ace called Bloodmist. I match speed with the slower Paktahns and go after one while Vagabond does a tango with the ace. I shatter my targeted bomber ship, and go after my next one. He makes a pass on the station letting lose with his guns. I get behind and nail him before a second pass can do further damage to the shields of the station. My Thunderbolt takes some rear gun hits from the third Paktahh, but my ship can handle that without issues. Vagabond is STILL attacking Bloodmist, so it’s time to help out. I hit Bloodmist with a missile, and then both Vagabond and I are tag-teaming Bloodmist. His Paktahn can certainly take a LOT of hits, and then he decides to get nasty by taunting us with saying that our skills are feeble and that we’re leaf eaters. He makes some evasive looping, and then I manage to make multiple hits to his shields again. Vagabond gets thru his hefty armor, and that Kilrathi joins a long list of ex-aces. Together we head back for the Victory, and Rollins tells us that the base is celebrating the defense against the Kilrathi fighters and bombers. I’m sure the techs of the Victory will be happy too since I’m bring the Thunderbolt back without a scratch. After landing, Rachel wants to chat off the record. I tell her that we’ve already had a habit of doing that, and she admits that she likes that about me. She cares enough about me by saying that she has seen the look in my eyes before. There was a pilot she once knew who had his wingman killed and blamed himself for that death. One day he took off in a Thunderbolt and kept going alone. He got to a jump point just as the Kilrathi came through. Rachel does not know if he survived that encounter, and there was no news about him after that tangle with the cats. The look in his eyes was the same that Rachel sees in mine. I tell her that I have somebody close and have been getting nightmares. I have been wondering how Angel has been doing on her covert operation. Perhaps she was forced to get into neutral territory or found a way to avoid the war. I kept expecting to hear some news, but never did. Rachel wonders if perhaps that pilot and Angel somehow got together. They’d be alive, but Rachel does say in jest that she’d kill that pilot if she saw him again.
Blackmane 2
Maniac is in the berths looking over a skin magazine. He admits that he’s seen my ‘moves’ on Rachel, and I ask if he’s jealous. He thinks that it does not take much maneuvering to make Rachel like pilots like himself, and I point out his jealousy by saying that if he was as hot as he thinks he is he would not be breathing my exhaust in efforts to win her heart. Obviously, he made an attempt and got ‘crashed and burned’ in typical Maniac style and is now compensating by fantasizing. I go down to the flight level to see what my next assignment is. Convoys are coming in to the Blackmane base due to our successful defense. They’ll need escorts, so this sounds like a good time to try out the Arrow in a non-scramble situation. I pick Cobra as my wingmate, and we take off in our fighters.
At the first nav point, some transports are in trouble with Dralthis attacking them. The speed, maneuverability, and narrow cone of fire of my Arrow make short work of the first targeted Dralthi. I’m forced to match speed of the second Dralthi, and make some poor shots at his evading fighter. I compensate enough to take him down too, and go after a third fighter. I do better in picking the right moments to shoot with my guns, and another fighter is downed. There is one Dralthi left and I get to see a few pieces come off his ship before it explodes. Cobra and I take the transports back to the Victory but it looks like there are still some more to also escort. Something is odd with the transports here since I can’t get an ID confirmation when within 1000 meters and I can’t communicate with them. A big flash of light comes from the explosions of these transports, and Strakha fighters uncloak to attack. I let Cobra lose, and she gets two of the stealth fighters before I can make a kill. Cobra eliminates another of the Strakhas, but she lets me know that her fighter has taken too many hits. I get a stealth fighter and Cobra also kills a cat. We split on kills for the next two stealth fighters, and I get the final one in my sights. He gets a taste of vacuum, and I give Cobra orders to return to base. I head back to the Victory with no other Kilrathi encounters, and Rollins says that I’ve been invited to the Blackmane base for some steak and eggs after successful defense of the convoys. I land with another undamaged fighter, although Rachel is not there to give her standard congratulations.
Blackmane 3
I see Flint in gunnery control on the bridge, and she admits that it feels good with what we’re doing here. I ask her if the stakes are less personal here, and she does not feel the same connection to the people here like she did in Locanda. She does not have an image of the people she’s helping to protect, and I tell her that if she did it would quickly lead to a burn out. She admits some hate towards herself at feeling lucky that there is a war for her to prove her combat capabilities. I explain that I know that Angel felt that way to ‘fight the good fight’, and Flint says that flying is what keeps her going and doing her best to keep improving her skills. I relay my understanding of her feeling that only fellow pilots know about. I go down in the lift to the flight level and enter the briefing room. Eisen says that there is a weapons convoy coming here, and that we’ll have to help them break any attempt at a Kilrathi blockade. With those weapons, the Blackmane base will have better capabilities of defending itself so we have to protect it at all costs. I choose Flint as my wingman and decide on the Hellcat fighter since it has been a while since I’ve flown it.
Upon takeoff, Flint and I link up with the transports and head on our way. A new Kilrathi Sorthak fighter is on my radar scope. This is a heavy bomber, and boy can it take damage. It also has some dangerous turret fire capabilities, but I get one with my guns without too many troubles. I try taunting another Sorthak to get him from attacking those transports, and Flint gets a kill while I’m still in pursuit. Flint gets yet another kill, and I even the score by clobbering my targeted fighter. At the next nav point are multiple Strakhas, and I let Flint break and attack. She gets two of the stealth fighters before I can contribute with a kill. I accidentally hit Flint with some fire while trying to get a Strakha off her tail, and she says to watch where I’m pointing my guns. She takes down yet another stealth fighter, and I eventually eliminate an uncloaked stealth fighter. One of the transports takes down a Strakha, and I also get another fighter. Flint bags another cat. Two more stealth fighters are split between Flint and myself, and I check on her status. She’s good to go, and so are the transports. At the next nav point are Vaktoth heavy fighters, and I give Flint the orders to go after them. Two missiles are launched at my ship, and I decoy one with the other hitting before another decoy can make the missile miss. Another missile comes my way, and I don’t notice it in time to decoy it away. Flint helps out in taking down the Vaktoth I was targeting. I shoot up the shields of the second Vaktoth, and launch a missile. It hits and destroys the fighter. Another wing of Vaktoths are coming in. I give him continual hits to his rear since it looks like he’s going after those transports and ignoring me. Enough concentrated gun fire brings down his shields enough for me to finish him off. Flint gets the other Vaktoth, and I check the damage control display. EEK! Those two hits have completely wiped out my shields and damage control with my communications almost gone too. Flint and I head back to the Victory, and fortunately there are no more fighters to attack us. During my approach, Rollins tells us that Blackmane will pick up the ball here and that we’re heading out for the Ariel system. I land my fragile Hellcat fighter fully expecting to get ripped on by the techs. Instead, I get group congratulations from Eisen, Rollins, Rachel and others. Still, that Hellcat’s going to be in the repair shop a while before she’s ready for action again. After the jump, I try talking to Rachel but she says that the ‘grunts’ like her have to work extra hard for us due to the expected recon in this system.
Ariel 1
I get the chance to see Cobra smiling. I tell her that it looks good, and she’s definitely happy to be on the offensive. She can ‘smell’ the cats, and is definitely looking to significantly increase her killboard count here. I share my sentiments that we’ll be kicking some Kilrathi tail here for sure. I see Vagabond outside the berths, and he offers to play a hand of cards. Not taking such a rookie bait, I ask to cut the deck and Vagabond admits that a lot of people fall for that trick. I explain that such suckers get what they deserve. Vagabond tells me that he hears that we’re going after a garrison, and wants to make sure that this is a legitimate target. He feels he flies better when he knows the real objective, and I state my view that we’re not like the Kilrathi in purposefully attacking civilians. Vagabond is not entirely convinced by my statement and explains that a lot of people don’t ask questions about the cards they are dealt. I look in my locker at a picture of Angel, and remember a happier time when we were alone and wanting our moments of love to last forever. Not wanting to dwell too much on Angel’s unknown plight, I head back to the flight level for my briefing. Eisen explains that part of the reason we are here in this system is due to my flying, and congratulates me. He also confirms Vagabond’s beliefs about us going after the Kilrathi garrison here. My objective is to make sure no Kilrathi fighters or cap ships get away during my assigned sweep. I pick Flash as my wingman and go with Rachel’s recommendation of the Longbow due to my feelings of heavier cat presence here than in other systems.
We take off in the bombers, and the front view of the Longbow is quite restricted. I do my standard adjustments and go onward with Flash to the first nav point. I see a Corvette here, and give Flash the go-ahead to attack. I can hear stealth fighters, so I have plenty of time to lock on the Corvette with a torpedo. I shoot it off and turn my attention to any fighters I happen to pick up. The Corvette goes up after the torpedo hits it. I get only one stealth fighter kill, and Flash takes out the rest of them along with two transports. We head to the next nav point, and I do better. I take out a stealth fighter and Flash gets a kill too. We again split the kills with the remaining stealth fighters. The next nav point is more lively with a Kilrathi carrier. A nice big target for my torpedoes. I let two go on the carrier and turn my attention to the fighter cover. I make a long distance kill with an IMREC missile. I turn my attention back to the carrier and use my third and last torpedo. I see some Dralthis now trying to cover the carrier and I let one have it with a missile. I gun down a Dralthi with the Longbow’s cannons, and am forced to get two more after Flash insists on not helping with the carrier. Now a wing of Darkets is launched, and my best hope is to use missiles against them since the Longbow has low maneuverability. I get one with a missile shot and get lucky enough to have another one sit in my gun sights long enough to take down in a pass. I let Flash keep the last fighter busy while I turn my guns on the carrier. I realize that my guns against its armor is going to take forever after a few attempts. I do see the open hangar bay, so I decide to try that. Anything that looks like a good point to shoot at in the hangar is targeted, and I do see a few explosions. This is still taking too long, so I break off from the carrier to help Flash out. He finishes off the carrier as I go after a Vaktoth. Seeing no reason to hold on to missiles here, I down the Vaktoth with two IFF missiles. Flash and I go back to the Victory, and Rollins likes the news that there is one less big cat to deal with. Rachel congratulates me on doing well and returning the Longbow in perfect condition.
Ariel 2
I hear Vaquero playing a somber solo on his guitar and ask him if he’s been behind enemy lines before. He thinks that everyone fights better on their home turf, but I explain that the lines are really just points on a map and not to worry about it. He changes tempo to a merrier melody, and I let him enjoy himself. I find Hobbes in the gunnery control on the bridge, and he likes how our missions have been turning out with us now taking offensive against the Kilrathi. I tell him that it feels good especially in terms of morale. Hobbes then gives some insight into the Kilrathi psyche by explaining that part of their spirit is never satisfied by interstellar combat. They are taught how to use their claws to kill even before walking or talking, and he wonders if this seems primitive or savage to me. I tell him that closeup or interstellar killing is not much different, and that he is one of the best pilots on this ship. I emphasize to Hobbes to not second-guess his contributions here. I go down to the flight deck in the lift, and Captain Eisen explains that we’ll be lurking here in a nebula to see what kind of Kilrathi targets come our way. There are certainly expectations of a heavy cap ship presence, so I know I’ll be choosing the Longbow again. I give the details to the other pilots and choose Maniac to fly along with. I hope I won’t regret this, but I’m expecting a much tougher fighter contingent than the last mission and I need his experience here.
We take off in the bombers, and as expected there’s some heavy opposition here. Vaktoth fighters along with a Destroyer are in this area. My Longbow takes two missile hits from the Vaktoths although I thought a decoy might work against one. I turn my attention to a second Vaktoth and get rid of him with my guns. Maniac takes advantage in the lull of the cat defense and dusts the Destroyer. While pursuing a third Vaktoth, my Longbow takes another missile hit. I better be more careful if I expect to live thru this mission. I get another Vaktoth with my Longbow, and Maniac gets a kill as well. I use a missile along with my guns to take down another Kilrathi fighter. There’s just a transport left, and its minimal gun defense is quickly wiped out. I pour all my gun firepower into it and watch it explode. Together we go into the next nav point, and there are more cap ships along with Darket fighter cover. I tag a Darket with a missile, meanwhile Maniac mashes a transport and a fighter with his ship. I get another Darket with a missile launch, and go after that Corvette which survived my torpedo launch. I do some damage to his rear, but am forced to peel off after hearing some hits on my ship. I then again get behind him and hit multiple areas and one of its cannons. Maniac makes mincemeat of the Corvette, and we go on to the next nav point. A wing of Vaktoths with more Kilrathi cap ships are here. I engage and eliminate one Vaktoth fairly easily with multiple gun hits. Another tries some sort of stop maneuver to make me overfly him, but I compensate and shred his fighter into shards. I sight a Destroyer and make him a target for a torpedo. I let loose, but yet another missile hits my Longbow. At least this bomber can take serious punishment. I hear the Destroyer die to my torpedo just as I fry a Vaktoth on a frontal pass. Maniac makes an assist and guns down a Vaktoth, and we both turn our attention to a transport. It eats energy from my guns with the standard fatal results to its crew. I watch its hollow hulk drift thru the void, and we both head for our return to the Victory. Rollins thinks our ship should be renamed due to its successful interception of all those cap ships. As a twist to what Admiral Tolwyn told me some time ago, I think ship names are not open to debate.
Ariel 3
I find Flint at the bar and she’s certainly flying high. She likes the news that she’s hearing about us turning the tide in this conflict. She informs me of how her father taught her about other wars including the mythical Trojan War. She points out that wars do end eventually, even if they last for generations. I pipe in that it only seems like it takes forever while waging this war for the pilots like us. I see Rollins sitting at a console on the bridge and he likes that we’re on the offensive. I ask him if he now believes that we’re winning the war, but he puts in his usual cynical view that he’s not planning on a victory party yet. I head for the flight level and the briefing room to see what we’re doing next. Eisen tells me that Intel thinks the Kilrathi are on to our activities in the nebula, and we’re getting out of here before they bring in some really big guns to take us out. I pick Hobbes as my wingman for this mission, and choose the Thunderbolt over the Longbow due to its higher speed.
At the first nav point are Darket fighters, and Hobbes makes REAL short work of his opponent. I gun down the second, and a group of Paktahns are coming in. The bomber I’m pursuing seems sturdier than others I’ve fought against. He takes many hits before my guns can finally finish him off. Hobbes hands the other Paktahn fighter his hasty defeat. We head along, and there are Vaktoths here. I let Hobbes break and attack, and take one hit from two missiles targeted at my ship. I focus on and fire on a secondary Vaktoth. Between hits from me and Hobbes, I deal him a finishing blow. I hammer a Vaktoth hard with a frontal pass, and I finish him off with a missile. Hobbes takes down four fighters, and the area is clear for us to move on. This point has a big welcoming committee with a Kilrathi carrier. Fortunately, the fighter cover consists of Strakha stealth fighters and not more Vaktoths. While engaging, Rollins gives us the news that the jump point is no longer there for us. Eisen explains that Navigation found an alternate jump point that he hopes is not gone as well. It takes quite a bit of effort to get rid of one Strakha, but I do a lot better in blowing a second one to bits. Now there are Darkets launched by the enemy carrier, but these should be easier to take down than the stealth fighters were. After some effective evasive moves by the fighter I’m pursuing, he gets sloppy enough for two Thunderbolt barrages to hit him and his ship explodes. I go after and gun down yet another Darket, and without any recent communications from Hobbes about kills makes me believe he’s been concentrating his attacks on the carrier. Sure enough, as I’m going after that fourth Darket I hear Hobbes report a kill and that carrier goes up. Great job, and he sure knows how to make shorter work of enemy carriers than I do! Hobbes takes down a Darket, and I finally finish off the one I was pursuing. At the alternate nav point, there is a Corvette waiting for us along with more stealth fighters. I shoot off the torpedo at very close range to the Corvette, but it does not take out the ship. I then notice in alarm that there is a Skipper missile heading right for the Victory! I gun it down and turn my attention back to the Corvette. After my first pass, Hobbes tells me that he needs my help. I figure that the best way to really help out is to blow that Corvette to bits. After my second pass, Hobbes is forced to eject from his Thunderbolt. On the third Corvette pass, I take some damage to my cockpit. I make two more passes, but I’m taking too much damage to risk yet another one. I break off and go after the stealth fighters. I shoot off a missile and get lucky with it taking out one fighter. I get the other with my guns and turn towards the Corvette. The Kilrathi captain has decided to go down in a blaze of glory by attacking the Victory at very close range. I can hear the Corvette getting creamed by the Victory’s guns. I am able to get within gun range, but the Victory finishes off the cap ship before I can deal the final blow. I ask for clearance to land, and Rollins is really spooked that the Kilrathi were able to close the jump point. He’s thankful that Navigation was able to very quickly find an alternate route out, and I land on the Victory. I again get group congratulations and feel that it’s earned this time. Search and Rescue picks up Hobbes, and we jump into the Caliban system.
Somewhere in Kilrathi space, Prince Thrakhath is demanding an explanation on how the Victory escaped their trap. Melek explains that the nav point was outside of the nebula where the cloaking techniques could not work. Thrakhath presses Melek when he sees him hesitate. Melek gives the Prince the news that I was protecting the Victory. The Kilrathi have given me the nickname of ‘Heart of the Tiger’, and Prince Thrakhath decides that the Emperor must not know of this success. Given the threats on how the Emperor would react to another failure by the Prince, he’s definitely trying to save his hide here. Melek thinks that the Emperor’s focus should stay on a course of ultimate triumph for the cats. Prince Thrakhath points out that I’ve continually jeopardized this triumph. The Prince decides that he’s waited long enough and makes a decision to send The Message with a trigger to awaken a double agent.
In the hangar, I see Hobbes and Cobra arguing with each other. She accuses Hobbes of knowing about the trap that was waiting for us. I decide to play along with Cobra and ask her to give me this evidence she has against Hobbes in private. Hobbes wonders if I’m doubting his loyalty, but I explain that Cobra’s hatred is her fuel to make her perform well. This is something we can’t afford to lose despite Hobbes’ hurt feelings.
Delius 1
There’s a big Kilrathi asteroid base here that we’ve been given the orders to take out. I’ve picked Flash as my wingman and selected a Thunderbolt for its firepower and torpedo. There are four Vaktoths defending the base, so I give Flash the go-ahead to break and attack the heavy fighters. I gun one down after multiple hits and a foolish frontal pass by the fighter. Flash fries a fighter, and the mighty guns of the Thunderbolt split another Vaktoth in two. I get a third one with little effort, and I see Flash taking some hits from a second wing of Vaktoths launched by the base. I go after them, and Flash frantically says this is a no win situation. I get a Vaktoth off Flash’s rear, so there’s just one fighter left. Flash decides to retreat before he’s hosed down by that last Vaktoth fighter. Frankly, I think he bugged out too early since I hear an explosion and notice that last fighter off the scope. It’s just me versus Ayer’s Rock version 2. I do notice quite a bit of defending turret fire coming from the base, so I pull out of my attack and take another approach. I let the torpedo launch and it does severe damage to the base. I make a strafing run on the asteroid, but have to pull up quickly as I get too close for comfort. I make another attack run, and I can hear the base taking multiple hard hits. I start going after the defenses, and hear more hits on the base but miss the targeted turret I was looking to eliminate. The next pass is completely ineffective, and my next pass is not much better since I pull out once I hear some hits to my Thunderbolt’s armor. I get a turret on my next run, so I go after another one. The base takes still more damage but my attack failed to tag the turret. I do gun down a turret on my next pass, but again miss on another turret. I try spraying another portion of the base, but I don’t hear any hits. I manage to get two turrets on my next attack, so I’m definitely making good progress here. I eliminate enough turrets to get into a stationary position. I change power settings to more for the guns, and open up on the base. A lot of the base is in the red for damage, so I keep shooting. I let the base have a few missiles but this is not getting me much further. Even with full guns and constant shooting, I’m just not making enough of a dent to finish off the base. Time to find a likely soft spot. I turn a little to the left and notice what looks to be a communication tower. Let’s see how the guns do there. KABOOM! The base goes up and I get to see it’s charred shell float around for a bit before it’s gone. Since I have no backup, I decide that the safer course is to head right back to the Victory. Rollins is there to say that the only good cat is a dead one, and with my successful scuttling of the asteroid base I get the group congratulations again upon landing. Our battle group jumps into the Torgo sector where a certain Admiral is waiting for us.
P.S. - Nice work on the Delius series Mincemeat! I added Delius 1 as my bonus journal entry and mission. Now to upload and get Photobucket up to date.