A Gorn/Romulan BATREP

[Drummer]

A battle I played with my brother last week. Vensar's Gorn ships against my "old school" Romulans.
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State Security Administration Inquery File #29087
Commander Cetis from the WE Kraken
Subcommander Thyl’nn from the BH Overcast.

Things had gone horribly wrong. Things had gone horribly wrong and I am sitting here getting grilled by this board of inquiry. This Admiral Hanli’I, while doing his job, definitely is looking at putting me out of the service. He phrases things as if I lost the entire battle myself. Those SSA members sitting there certainly look as if they would like to break my neck. Would not that be ironic; I survive the space battle only to get executed. I wonder if having all these intelligence types here is normal protocol. Subcommander Thyl’nn of the Overcast, I can somewhat see him standing to my right, looks very tense. I had better keep my head straight. Focus. I think poor Thyl’nn might just faint. Those veins running alongside his temples pulse and throb, giving me a headache. I wonder how I look? They have been questioning us now for days; first separately, now together. After wringing out every last detail, they now wanted -again- a synopsis of events. How long is this going to last? What do they want?

“That is correct, Master Patrician.” I heard myself say without color. “It all started when our two small fleets joined together to form a larger wall-of-battle able to confront the Gorn invaders rushing into the system. Admiral Mindellis, on the KRC Deathdealer, waited with his KF5Rs and War Eagles for reinforcements from the planet. As you know, I was part of this group. Admiral Thotles arrived from the planet, onboard the KE Audacia, with Battlehawk and Snipes as escorts. Their ships folded themselves into our formation. The Audacia pushed itself behind the Kestrals amongst the War Eagles, leaving its escorts unattended on our right flank. We therein changed course to intercept the enemy.”

 

[Drummer]

“It was quite unexpected that Admiral Thotles, as Procurator, would leave his position planet-side, as system administrator, to appropriate the Audacia and arrive at the battle himself. Admiral Mindellis was tasked with the actual implementation of defending the system as the acting naval commander, so Admiral Thotles’ assumption of command bewildered all.“

“We had been instructed, had trained months actually, to keep the War Eagles behind the Kestrals as so they could provide cover fire for us with their defensive phasers. Admiral Mindellis originally made preparations for an uncloaked assault on the enemy. However, Admiral Thotles uncharacteristically overrode the order while on final approach, and the fleet cloaked upon reaching the enemy. It seemed strange at the time, but my Centurion theorized it protected the small escorts better from long-range phaser fire. For whatever reason, it was a sudden and unexpected switch from our long planned defensive strategy.”

“Suddenly, the Gorn were upon us. It happened quickly. There was little time to think. The Battlehawks and Snipes wrapped themselves on the flank of the Gorn’s tight formation. We were all too close. The order to uncloak and engage was received. We disengaged our cloaking device and prepared to fire torpedoes.”

 

[Drummer]

“Our navigators were good, and virtually all our Romulan ships had placed themselves at prime plasma range to a corner grouping of the Gorn formation. This key group of ships became the primary focus of our attack. Many Gorn ships found we were at their midrange weapons range. We thought this would carry the day. We were wrong.“

 

[Drummer]

“Plasma filled the space between the fleets as balls of energy rolled heavily across the void. Explosions filled the emptiness as overwhelming fire raked a series of ships on both sides. Phasers stabbed at the plasma torpedoes to nullify their deadly energy. Ships were gutted. Ships exploded.” I stole a look at Subcommander Thyl’nn and could tell he paled a shade of green. “It was horrific.” I stammered.

“The War Eagles were a favorite Gorn target. They were utterly defenseless. Uncloaking so close prevented any interlocking defensive fire from assisting ships. The Kestrels could do nothing to help the War Eagles. In fact, each and every Romulan ship had to defend itself. Not a single one could help defend a comrade in dropping out of cloak so close to the enemy.“

 

[Drummer]

“Admiral Thotles on the Audacia was one of the first to die. The Gorn knew a King Eagle when they saw one. Dazed and depleted, a fleet wide order to cloak was given. What else could Admiral Mindellis do?”

 

[Drummer]

“In the face of the enemy, our cloaking devices slowly engaged. Cloaking took forever as phasers prodded our fading ships. Shields dwindled. Shields collapsed. Ships took more damage… particularly the small ones. One KF5R exploded during the cloak.”

 

[Drummer]

“When fully cloaked, the Gorn force pushed headlong into a fragment of our scattered group. Enemy phasers stabbed searchingly for our remaining ships. That damned plasma flame torch of theirs hit a number of our small cloaked ships doing harm.”

 

[Drummer]

pics continued.

 

[Drummer]

When rearmed, we were ready to take the fight back to the enemy. But it was like the Gorn had the initiative. They moved quickly -uncharacteristically- like they knew what was about to happen, and the moment we uncloaked our flagship went down. I do not understand why we uncloaked so soon. We should have waited. Our torpedoes seemingly evaporated in the face of so much phaser fire. Well, we were spread out and our plasma came in from all directions… into all the various firing arcs of the enemy. The torpedoes needed to be concentrated on one facing. Those damned heavy battlecruisers maimed us! Fear the Gorn heavy battlecruiser!! Our plasma torpedoes that did hit their ships easily ricocheted off their boosted shields. I think only one small ship of theirs went down in that last exchange, while almost our entire line collapsed and died. I lost track of the Snipe Leonis. I thought they had survived as well, but I am now unsure. Perhaps the Gorn moved off to pursue them and spared us. I am unsure of so many things now. I do not know how Subcommander Thyl’nn and I saved our ships. It was like we fell off the edge of space, lost in all that wreckage. I swear, it was like our cloaking device was working for the enemy.”

 

[Drummer]

pics continued.

 

[Drummer]

Suddenly, Admiral Hanli’I asked a startling -impatient- question. One which struck at me like a bolt from the blue. He said, “Are you sure the orders to cloak and uncloak came from your command ships?” I staggered and sputtered, “Who else has our encrypted command and control links? The Gorn are not possibly…” But I never finished my sentence. Slowly, Subcommander Thyl’nn and myself met eye to eye. Eyebrows shot up.

 

[LimeyDragon]

Awesome pictures, Awesome paint jobs..

 

[billclo]

That is a really sweet AAR and story.

 

[Nerroth]

Very nice work on the Romulans. Are there any Hawk-series ships to complete the set, or is the collection solely based on Eagles and Kestrels?

One thing I might suggest is that a few of the story details might need to be edited in order to make them SFU-compliant, in case you were thinking of asking/allowing Jean to post them on the ADB FB page. (The SFU Romulan Star Empire's secret police are the SSA, or State Security Administration; but the term "Tal Shiar" is not used.)

 

[McKinstry]

Great AAR!

 

[Drummer]

Very nice work on the Romulans. Are there any Hawk-series ships to complete the set, or is the collection solely based on Eagles and Kestrels?

One thing I might suggest is that a few of the story details might need to be edited in order to make them SFU-compliant, in case you were thinking of asking/allowing Jean to post them on the ADB FB page. (The SFU Romulan Star Empire's secret police are the SSA, or State Security Administration; but the term "Tal Shiar" is not used.)

I'm currently finishing three Firehawks. Kinda picking at them lately. Burned out on painting and more into playing at the moment (if I can get out of the house and away from the children). I have four Skyhawks and four Sparrowhawks I'm very happy with... I'll post some pics when I get around to it . Oh, and a Condor. There's a few more Romulan ships I have finished, too. I have a KC9R, KF5R to get around to and then my fleet will be complete. Then, my nefarious plans to conquer the known galaxy can begin! I just have to shake off this last tragic battle :lol:

So many universes to keep track of!!! I'll edit the the Tal Shiar to SSA. Thanks.

 

[Nerroth]

Very nice work on the Romulans. Are there any Hawk-series ships to complete the set, or is the collection solely based on Eagles and Kestrels?

One thing I might suggest is that a few of the story details might need to be edited in order to make them SFU-compliant, in case you were thinking of asking/allowing Jean to post them on the ADB FB page. (The SFU Romulan Star Empire's secret police are the SSA, or State Security Administration; but the term "Tal Shiar" is not used.)

I'm currently finishing three Firehawks. Kinda picking at them lately. Burned out on painting and more into playing at the moment (if I can get out of the house and away from the children). I have four Skyhawks and four Sparrowhawks I'm very happy with... I'll post some pics when I get around to it . Oh, and a Condor. There's a few more Romulan ships I have finished, too. I have a KC9R, KF5R to get around to and then my fleet will be complete. Then, my nefarious plans to conquer the known galaxy can begin! I just have to shake off this last tragic battle :lol:

I look forward to seeing what you've worked up.

Is there any difference you've given the "belly birds" on the SparrowHawks relative to the War Eagles, or do they have a common pattern?

So many universes to keep track of!!! I'll edit the the Tal Shiar to SSA. Thanks.

If it helps, there are GURPS and D20M versions of the Romulan sourcebook for Prime Directive, and presumably a Mongoose Traveller edition will be in the works once Traveller: PD is up and running.

(They even have a write-up on the various bird species the SFU Romulans named their different generations of ship after!)

 

[kenting]

Great AAR and very nicely painted ships. The pics brought the AAR to life.

 

[Drummer]

Very nice work on the Romulans. Are there any Hawk-series ships to complete the set, or is the collection solely based on Eagles and Kestrels?

One thing I might suggest is that a few of the story details might need to be edited in order to make them SFU-compliant, in case you were thinking of asking/allowing Jean to post them on the ADB FB page. (The SFU Romulan Star Empire's secret police are the SSA, or State Security Administration; but the term "Tal Shiar" is not used.)

I'm currently finishing three Firehawks. Kinda picking at them lately. Burned out on painting and more into playing at the moment (if I can get out of the house and away from the children). I have four Skyhawks and four Sparrowhawks I'm very happy with... I'll post some pics when I get around to it . Oh, and a Condor. There's a few more Romulan ships I have finished, too. I have a KC9R, KF5R to get around to and then my fleet will be complete. Then, my nefarious plans to conquer the known galaxy can begin! I just have to shake off this last tragic battle :lol:

I look forward to seeing what you've worked up.

Is there any difference you've given the "belly birds" on the SparrowHawks relative to the War Eagles, or do they have a common pattern?

So many universes to keep track of!!! I'll edit the the Tal Shiar to SSA. Thanks.

If it helps, there are GURPS and D20M versions of the Romulan sourcebook for Prime Directive, and presumably a Mongoose Traveller edition will be in the works once Traveller: PD is up and running.

(They even have a write-up on the various bird species the SFU Romulans named their different generations of ship after!)

Most of the ships have a design already there, luckily. I paint that. It depends on the individual miniature casting as to how clear the grooves are, though. The few ships without (like the KRs) I needed to freehand. After doing identical colored bird bellies on the BHs, I then decided it was more fun to treat each color scheme differently on each ship. It's a shame all this work is under the mini!!! :lol: And I'm pretty traditional in how I like my Romulans. I seem to remember some people posting Rom pics with some very neat wings/feathers wrapping up or on top, too.

 

[OrneryRooster]

Great report and pics, Eric.

I can't wait to see our game from earlier this week; you know, the one where no one on our side knew how to perform IDF for some reason. :lol:

-George