Modding, Mission Design, and Coding > FRED Academy

FRED Academy

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karajorma:
The experiment appears to be working so I thought I'd draw all the FA threads together in one place to stop any confusion.

What is the FRED Academy

The FRED Academy is an attempt by the community to help develop the skills of new FREDders. Too often new people join the community and work for a little while on a campaign before getting bored by the solitude of working on a mod singlehanded and leave.
 The idea of the academy is to let these people work as part of a team on their first few missions while similtainiously helping improve their skills.
  People who just want to brush up their FREDding skills are also welcome to join too.

The Academy will also serve as a place where the hosted campaigns can spot talented new FREDders and sign them up.

How does the academy work?

Basically the FREDders write missions for one of the campaigns described below. The missions are then playtested by the other members of the Academy and passers-by looking for missions to play. They post their impressions of the mission. What worked, what didn't and if any bugs were found.
 In addition to this general testing missions will also be tested by some of the more able FREDders in the community. Not only will these people spot bugs etc but they will be on hand to advise how to correct them.

Okay. I'm interested in joining as a FREDder. How do I sign up?

There is no formal sign up procedure. Have a look through the campaigns below for an unassigned mission you like the look of. Simply post saying that you're interested in joining up and give the mission and campaign number. As soon as I notice the post (or who ever is running the academy) I'll update the campaigns list to reflect your acceptance into the academy.
 The only requirement there is for the academy is that you've tried the walkthrough that came with FRED (look in the help menu). If you have the HOTU edition or some other version that didn't have the FRED help docs you can download them from here

I'm accepted. What now?

Basically you get to work FREDding the mission you've chosen. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Once you've done as much as you can on the mission you should upload it somewhere so that people can download it and test it. (If you don't have any webspace there are several sites like geocities or tripod who offer free webspace.  Give the mission a filename that includes your username and the campaign and mission number (as that makes it easier to spot amongst all the other FA missions I've already downloaded).

Once you have uploaded your mission make a new thread on this forum starting with [FA] and containing the campaign and mission numbers. (it's much easier to keep all discussions about a particular mission to it's own thread than to have them popping up all over the place).  

It might take a day or two but someone will play your mission and (hopefully) offer some constructive criticism. Take that and use it to improve the mission. Once the mission is finished you can then pick another one.

I wrote a list of common FREDding mistakes that I've seen while testing for the FA. You can find it here.

I don't want to FRED but I'm interested in playtesting/complaining about other peoples missions. How do I sign up?

Quite simply you don't. When you see a mission you like the look of posted try it and post your thoughts on it. There's no sign up at all for testers. Do some testing whenever you have time. Anyone is welcome to try the missions and state their opinions on them (as long as they keep it polite of course!)

karajorma:
What are the FA campaigns?

At the moment 5 campaigns have been picked. Only 4 are actually in development at the moment. (The fourth is a reserve that will be brought out once the first campaign is finished).

The campaigns are also split depending on whether you are using FRED2_Open or the retail version.  You can choose to work on FRED2_Open campaign with the retail version (unless it explicitly says that a mission/campaign requires FRED2_Open) but the reverse is not allowed (the retail campaigns can only be worked on using the retail version of FRED).


Campaign 1

Campaign 1 is a GTVA verses reminants of the NTF campaign. The plot was designed by Black Wolf. The campaign requires a few simple mods which you can find here

FRED Version : Retail.

Plotline : (Hidden in spoiler tags so as to not give it away. Just highlight to see it).

Spoiler: Mission 1 - (ASSIGNED to Willy_Principal) - NTR (Neo Terran Remnant) have been raiding cargo depots in the Polaris system. Intel has pinpointed several likely future targets, and has rotating shifts watching them. Your squadron (luckily enough) happens to be there when the NTF make their move.

Mission 2 - (ASSIGNED to freespacegundam) Intel has received an anonymous tipoff about a smuggler filling an NTR contract for highly restricted materials (high level decoding and cryptography computers). It is believed they are trying to crack GTVA ciphers to gain a tactical advantage within the region. The computers use a unique powersource that can be detected through simple scanning, but the smuggler is moving as part of a huge convoy. Once detected, the vessel must be captured intact. NTR vessels do their best to prevent this should the freighter be discovered.

Mission 3 - (ASSIGNED to Akalabeth Angel) - The NTR as been trying desperately to recruit other capital ships in the region, but until now had been unsuccessful. However, recent intel on the Aeolus class GTC Alexander suggests it destroyed the (Aten Class) GVC Khem. Alpha wing escorts bombers tasked with disabling and disarming the Alexander, but things become more complex when the Damocles arrives.

Mission 4 - (ASSIGNED to Fergus) The NTR has attacked and boarded the Adur research installation (Black Wolf suggested Robin Varleys Archeron (With weaker weapons of course) for this. If we decide to use mods we'll add them in but until now just use an Arcadia) . The player arrives too late to prevent their transports from escaping, but the NTR are trying desperately to eliminate the installation and the science vessels around it, apparently to cover up what exactly they stole. The NTC Perilous should escape with the transports here as a set up for the next mission.

Mission 5 (ASSIGNED to Fergus) - Information from the Adur confirms what some had already begun to suspect. The NTR stole the prototype for a subspace communications device that was being developed to send subspace messages through destabilized nodes and re-establish some contact with Earth. It is theorized that Staker plans to use this device to contact someone possibly on the other side of Capella, either Bosch or the Shivans themselves. Nobody really knows what thatll mean, but theyre pretty sure they dont want it to happen. The GTVA needs to keep up the pressure and disrupt Stakers timeline. The NTC Perilous was recently confirmed as operating within the system, and its present location has been confirmed. Your mission here is two fold - destroy the Perilous, and capture at least two of the three wing leaders of the fighters guarding it. They will be interrogated and the location of the cache hopefully disclosed. (Black Wolf's suggestion was to use special table entries to make Uberlokis - however I've recently written a disabiling mission and believe me it's not easy to disable an enemy fighter. We'll stick to using standard craft (The Ares sounds suitable to me as it's an offshoot of the Herc II (Which the NTF had) and it's a real bastard to disable ).

Mission 6 - (ASSIGNED to FreespaceGundam) Acting on information gleaned from our captives, A GTVA ground force raided and took the NTRs main cache, but many of the fighters and bombers escaped into space, presumably to join Staker. Without the Perilous or his cache, theres nothing holding him in Polaris, and hes attempting to escape into EP. You try to prevent him, but this mission should really echo mission 3. The Damocles escapes and youre left fighting its entourage.

Mission 7 -  (ASSIGNED to Primus) the GTVA has scrambled the GVCv Sopedu to intercept it at the EP- Capella node. Your job is to guard the Sopedu, take out turrets and also the communications subsystems on the Damocles (Add a few to make this part more challenging).


Campaign 2

Campaign 2 is the story of a small GTVA task group trapped in the nebula just before the destruction of Capella. The plot was designed by Singh.

FRED Version : FS2_Open (3.5.5 or greater)

Plotline :

Spoiler:(ASSIGNED to Singh) You play Alpha wing, sent into the Gamma Draconis nebula to rescue a damaged GTVA Battlegroup, the only survivors of which are an Orion Class Destroyer , the GTD Ionas, and two damaged Corvettes, The GTCv Julius and the GVCv Annatet. The group has been missing for several days after a fierce encounter with a large Shivan fleet. Due to the nebula, contact with command was lost for the time period, and the fleet has been drifting and trying to repair itself.
Initially, the rescue attempt suceeds and the first mission sees the Ionas jumping out to safety after repelling several shivan assaults. Ive actually managed to FRED this mission; only left with beta testing it and what-not.

The Second mission (ASSIGNED to Roanoke) is where things start to go downwards. Alpha wing and the Ionas are approaching the jump node back to Gamma Draconis when the Shivans arrive - this time in force. They encounter a retreating Aquitaine as it heads for the node. Command re-establishes contact and informs them that another Sathanas has been found, and more are inbound for Gamma Draconis. Alpha must now defend the Battlegroup as it heads to the node (which is now empty as the Aquitaine has jumped out) and as it comes under fierce attack from the Shivans. Just before the Ionas can make it through the node - A Sathanas jumps in from behind and rips it to shreds, throwing the Julius and the Annatet off-course. Alpha wing is ordered to retreat and re-group with the Julius as it jumps out.

Mission three (ASSIGNED to King Zelch) sees the rendevouz with the Julius. They are badly damaged after the previous encounter. The commander forms a plan to make a run for the node, along with the Annatet once they reach the rendevouz point. But when the Annatet reaches the point, it is badly damaged and is able to send only a distress signal before a large force jumps in behind it and obliterates it. Alpha cannot do anything much to save it; and is ordered to jump out again with the Julius.

Mission four (ASSIGNED to McMad) is in Subspace. The Shivans have followed both Alpha wing and the Julius into subspace. Only a few fighters and bombers have managed to follow them in, and strangely the main fleet seems lacking. After the fighters and bombers a dispatched off; its comms chatter time. A plan is hatched and a secret is revealed: The Battlegroup had actually gone in to rescue a SOC transport, which had been the base for several scout operations within the nebula and beyond. Recently, a lone wing had come in from of the nodes leading systems beyond the Nebula, where the Shivans were gathering all the Sathani to invade. But what was more interesting is the node next to this one. It leads to a crossroads which in turn leads back to Gamma Draconis and at the time, an undiscovered node.
The transport's signal was lost and it was assumed destroyed; but recently the SOC recieved it's distress signal again, and sent the Ionas in to rescue it. The Shivans were about to close in onto the Transport when the Ionas arrived, but they managed to distract it enough for it to escape. The transport is still in the nebula and around the same co-ordinates, so if they can find the Transport, they might just be able to find a safe haven of sorts. The plan is to find the transport and get a way out of there.

Mission five (ASSIGNED to Blue Lion) takes place back in the Nebula. Alpha wing is searching around for the transport and its quite...seemingly too quite. Alpha wing find a few shivan wings and destroy them before they eventually find the transport - its barely functioning and only a single survivor is left. The Julius jumps in and the transport docks. It then undocks and leaves along with the Julius. Alpha is ordered to leave as well. Thats about it - mostly a talking mission more than anything else.

Mission six (ASSIGNED to Darth DySkO)  is where things get interesting. The subspace node to the gamma draconis system is not too far away from the one leading to the system the Sathanas is coming from. The transport pilots says that scout wings went into this system and came out the other side near the outer parts of the Gamma Draconis system, but far away from actual GTVA presence. The node is too unstable for Destroyers to use, but a Corvette and a few small ships should be able to get through allright. The plan is simple. First, the Transport goes in laden with heavy explosives some distance from the node. Alpha is ordered to keep some distance from the transport as the Shivans attack and destroy it, causing a large explosion and damage to ships all around. The Julius then jumps in and makes a run for the node. The Shivans have a small presence near the node (which Alpha has to clear), but things tend to get interesting as a group of corvettes follows the Julius in as it departs.

Mission seven (ASSIGNED to Mr Who) is again in subspace. The trio of corvettes, designations Flaga, Isthar and Ereshkigal, have followed the Julius through subspace. Fortunately, it is almost at the end of its journey through the node when the Corvettes come through. The Isthar tries to take a pot shot at it, and hits, but then doesn't fire after that. Alpha must now intercept bombers and fighters as they try to destroy the Julius (again)

Mission eight (ASSIGNED to SypheDMar) is red alert from Mission seven. Turns out the node doesn't go to Gamma Draconis - nothing could be further from the truth. The node leads all the way to the Capella system, skipping Gamma Draconis totally. It turns out that the subspace corridor was unstable, and kept on switching from the nodes in both systems; with an ever-changing exit point the chances of the trio of corvettes following is quite low. But now the problem is that the Julius has emerged smack bang in the middle of a battle between GTVA and Shivan forces. The Julius (and Alpha 1) runs through beam fire, GTVA ships, Shivan ships and whatever else you can think of in an attempt to get away from the crossfire. GTVA forces cover the Julius's retreat as they themselves start to retreat and head to the node to Epsilon Pegasi. Alpha 1 leaves just as the trio of corvettes show up nearby.

Mission 9 (ASSIGNED to Cobra) is simple. The Julius has reached the Epsilon Pegasi node - it moves past the convoys in an attempt to reach the node (maybe insert complaints from the civvys that the GTVA are cowards) and gets there whilst protecting them against shivan attacks as well. Red Alert to Mission 9a.

Mission 9a (ASSIGNED to Cobra) is VERY simple. Julius jumps into the node, so does Alpha 1. Their moving along when they recieved a signal from a bouy on the other side - the GTVA are about to close the Node; the Bastion is on its way in. General cursing and shouting and "OH CRAP! WE'RE GONNA DIE!! ARRGH! RUN!!!" sort of a thing as the Julius turns around and makes a run back for the entrance. It warns off the Civvies that come in as well; and is about 5 seconds out when the Bastion arrives in the node. Cue command starting the remote detonation sequence. Alpha 1 and the Julius make it out barely in time.

Mission 10 (ASSIGNED to nuclear1)  is the last mission. The Julius jumps in...only to see the entire fleet being annihalated by the Shivans - including the Trio of corvettes mentioned earlier. All are extremely damaged, but all open fire on the Julius (enter more messages about "Oh crap!! We aint gonna make it!! stuff) and it goes down. Their are other GTVA ships here; but they are behind the shivan vessels. Alpha one is now ordered to jump out ASAP to rendevouz with the retreating task force, but has to jump in behind the Shivan vessels. Basically running through all the way to a nav bouy.
Now Cue Supernova, end-mission and debrief. The debrief is a log entry from the Captain of the GTCv Actium, which was one of the few ships that made it into the nebula. The captain laments on their current situation, stranded behind enemy lines and what-not. In the log the captain mentions the presence of the Julius and what an aid the information it was holding might have been - and also mentions that a fighter tried to escape from there, but was destroyed in the Supernova before it could reach them. Also mention on how hopeless the situation is for the survivors; faced with an overwelhming shivan force and nowhere to go.


Campaign 3

Campaign 3 is a different spin on the whole remaining NTF vs GTVA idea from the first campaign. The plotline was mostly FreespaceGundam's with a bit of work from me.

FRED Version : FS2_Open (3.5.5 or greater)

Plotline :

Spoiler: Setting: Ross 128,Laramis, N362
Plot: Assigned to special operation command GTVI Phantoms, you fly missions to protect the security of the GTVA. Against remnant NTF, mysterious conspirators, and even the shivans.

Mission 1: Oh **** (ASSIGNED to GoulMiester)
Briefing: GTSC Minerva attacked and disabled, Alpha wing flies in and secures the area. After a scan, the GTT Vagabond jumps in and docks. Alpha then fights off five more successive wings, with itermittent transmissions between Alpha 2 and the Vagabond, and command. Vagabond determines Minerva was attacked, but vital data was not accessed(or so it seems), Vagabond undocks, but is destroyed when NTCv Bosch jumps in and destroys it. Command orders Alpha to destroy the Minerva, and a hasty getaway ensues.

Mission 2: Aren't we curious? (ASSIGNED to ngtm1r)
Briefing: Intelligence tracks the Bosch deeper into the system, hiding out in a hidden asteroid staging ground. Alpha, Beta, and Delta are sent in to capture the Bosch. Arriving just in time to see it jump, they see a rogue cruiser, the NTC Alexus, guarding cargo containers. The pilots engage the enemy forces, and a reassigned to capture the Alexus and the cargo. After disabling the Alexus and destroying the escort, the GTT Eschelon and three freighters jump in to collect the cargo and ships. The Eschelon finds the crew dead, and a self destruct in progress. Set for five minutes, the freighters collect the cargo as Alpha looks on, waiting for the Eschelon to undock. The Eschelon downloads the Alexus's mainframe information and undocks, jumping out just as the ship explodes. Alpha then does likewise.

Mission 3: The Plot Thickens (ASSIGNED to AqueousShadow)
Briefing: Data retrieved from the Alexus reveals that it and the Bosch rendevous with a supply company called Tetrarch Conglomorate, who also supply the GTVA forces in the area. An analysis of the information reveals a secret location of supply exchange. Alpha 1 is put in a pegasus stealth fighter and dropped in, waiting for the exchange to take place. Three transports arrive, and Alpha 1 scans them. Then the Bosch arrives and the transports dock one by one, as Alpha listens to their transmissions. As the transports attemtp to leave however, they are destroyed by the Bosch, which claims they broke the agreement. Fighters of the regular GTVA arrive to investigate, and engage the Bosch and its forces. Alpha one is ordered to jump out.

Mission 4: (ASSIGNED to Ransom Arceihn) Aren't You Dead Already?
Briefing: The Bosch is cornered by GTVA regulars, and consequently devestates them when its backup arrives. Alpha, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta wings arrive, jumping the Bosch and destroying it completely. The regular wings of Beta and Charlie wonder who you are, but are called back for debriefing.

At this point you are offered a covert operation for SOC

Branch 1 = You accept.

Mission 5: Accomplices. (ASSIGNED to Braxis)
Briefing: Since Tetrarch supplied the rogue NTF, they seem to have some hidden agenda. Since they're hiring pilots to defend their transports(what with the Bosch destroying three of them and all), Alpha 1 can volunteer for this mission. If he doesn't, he goes on to the second plot line. If he does, his first task is to guard a convoy of six ships heading to the GTI Boone. You get attacked by a few straggling NTF fighters, who don't quite get that they're done. You eliminate them and move on.

Mission 6: Wolves in the Fields (ASSIGNED to SSX-Kahn)
Breifing: Second part of Accomplices. Alpha wing escorts the convoy to the Boone, and oversees the docking, along with a few patrolling wings from the station. A convoy from a rival company arrives, one that also supplies the station. Supposed rebel fighters jump in, destroying the rival convoy. Your employers order you not to engage until attacked, and you do so. The fighters are revealed to be mindless drones, and you destroy them completely.

Mission 7: Follow the leader (ASSIGNED to brinlong)
Briefing: Alpha wing is ordered to escort the corporate corvette Apos to while it meets with a mysterious buyer. A few pirate wings show up, but you handle them easily. Eventually, a shivan transport jumps in, but does not appear hostile. A mysterious person aboard the ship,(who may or may not be Bosch!), talks with the Apos and agrees to supply something called, the Thanatos. GTVA forces arrive, having detected the Shivan signal. You feign ignorance, and the transport jumps out.

Mission 8: Buddying Up (ASSIGNED to KonZu)
Briefing: The Apos meets up with a wing of dragon class fighters, who are piloted by terrans oddly enough. A Shivan cruiser arrives and transmits data, as GTVA regulars attack. You fight them off, killing as few as possible, or not. You and the Apos jump to the Laramis system.

Mission 9: The Masks Come Off. (ASSIGNED to ngtm1r)
Briefing: You finally are allowed to betray the Apos, and do so at an opportune time. You attack it during a scheduled meeting with another unknown contact. You disable it, then the Ravana jumps in and screws everything up, destroying the Apos. This ends the covert assignment.

Branch 2 = You decline.

Mission 5A: Aggressive Requisitioning. (ASSIGNED to Screechy)
Briefing: Instead of escorting a convoy, Alpha 1 is assigned to attack and capture a CEO of Tetrarch company, in order to find out what his companies involvement is. You destroy the mercenary escorts and capture it, destroying his transport and waiting for the regular GTVA to arrive. Beta wing does so, and you inform them that the NTF destroyed it, and you arrived in time only to destroy the fleeing enemy fighters.

Mission 6A: Corporate Payback (ASSIGNED to Koorah)
Briefing: The CEO reveals that Tetrarch is attempting to monopolize its trade in the outer systems, and has been using the NTF to attack rival convoys. Other ships were attacked just to throw off the GTVA. In a payback move, Alpha wing ends up destroy the convoy it would've guarded had it taken the covert op. Its escort, being your operatives, assists. As the convoy is destroyed, however, a mysterious ship, the TCv Apos, arrives and destroys a passing rival convoy(yet again), and jumps out.

Mission 7A: (ASSIGNED to Imposible Uncorrect) Where do they Get These Toys?
Briefing: Alpha wing follows the Apos to its meeting place, this time with no escorts, and spots the Shivan transport escaping. The Apos summons twelve wings of fighters, and you fight for your life. As you do, it makes it escape. The enemy fighers are revealed to be drones.

Mission 8A: Someone's Been Bad.
Briefing: You come upon the same situation as the loop, but the Apos once again gets away. You attack and disable the cruiser, the Ecmus, and are just about get away when a Ravana destroyer arrives to smoke it. The Ravana then runs off

Mission 9A: All Loose Threads (ASSIGNED to Luigi30)
Briefing: The Apos is cornered, just as in the loop, but this time has a cruiser guarding it. You blow up the cruiser, and then try to capture the Apos. Once again, the Ravana shows up to destroy it before disappearing into the Laramis system jump node.

At this point the two threads join

Mission 10: Excuse me? (ASSIGNED to supernova_989)
Briefing: The Ravana's appearance sends shockwaves throughout the alliance, with your unit being mandated to destroy it at all costs. The destroyer makes little effort to hide itself, launching an attack on a GTVA installation in the system. The station is hammered by the time you get there, though strangely its weapons seem not to be fully charged. You duke it out with Shivan bombers and fighters, but having no bombs you can't harm the Ravana. The GTCv Orestes jumps in behind the Ravana, its beam cannons doing a bit more damage than they rightly should. The Ravana finishes off the station and retreats, leaving you with more questions than answers.

Mission 11: It Gets Better (ASSIGNED to diceman111)
Briefing: The Ravana sets course for the Ross 128 jump node, sending allied forces into a frantic panic. The GTID Acumen attempts to catch up to it, only to be ambushed by Shivan fighters with terran weaponry. The Acumen's engines are damaged, leaving it vulnerable. A pair of Molochs jump in, but like the Ravana, their weapons seem puny. After a pitched battle in which the Acumen blows the two corvettes away, a transmission is received indicating the Ravana made it to the node. The Acumen jumps out and you follow, hoping to catch up.

Mission 12: Punic Victory (ASSIGNED to eliex)
Briefing: The Ravana is spotted near GTVA HQ in Ross 128, which means things are getting worse. Ross is only one jump away from the terran capital. Fighters are launched to intercept, but when you arrive the battle is already nearly one. Mjolinir beam cannons are ripping the Ravana to shreds, and HQs own protectors are having an easy time. As the Ravana is destroyed, a battered Fenris cruiser, the Pollux, arrives with grim news. An attack was launched in Luyten that destroyed the remaining defenders, and the ships were under the banner of the NTF. Analysis of the Ravana debris reveals terran materials, and power sources. The fleet is scrambled, with you jumping out to rejoin the Acumen.

Mission 13: Agendas (ASSIGNED to Jbman)
Briefing: The Acumen is first back into the Luyten system, where scouting reveals an NTF stronghold deep within the asteroid belt you visited earlier. A strike mission is launched, coming upon a small vanguard of cruisers and a Bodecia installation. Realizing that it could turn out to be another Iceni, command orders you to wipe out all enemy ships and installations. Just as you are about to finish the base off, two corvettes, identifying themselves as the NTF vessels Athos and Porthos, come in with multiple wings of fighters. The Bodecia reveals itself as the NTCv Terra, under the command of Marshall Richard Gelmeth, who is revealed as the Bosch look alike. He muses about how easy it was to manipulate corporate interests to suit his goals(i,e. Tetrarch), and then promptly jumps out. You follow suit, heading back to the Acumen.

Mission 14: Grand Scheme (ASSIGNED to Tron)
Briefing: A hidden Acadia installation is located at the edge of the system, with a large gathering of NTF warships approaching it. Command sends you in in a lone Pegasus class stealth fighter to scope out the situation. You find at least twenty warships, with more jumping in and out all the time. Intercepting transmissions, you learn that the NTF has already sent forces into Laramis and other systems, and is massing its forces in Ross 128. Marshall Gelmeth addresses his fleet, revealing his plan to build a new Neo-Terra, free from the influences of the decrepit alliance. As he speaks, two Demon destroyer look alikes jump in, with a small freighter following suit. Docked with it is a meson bomb. The NTF revels in its fearsome ships and how the fear of the shivans led the GTVA to pull their forces out of Wolf 359 leaving the systems beyond Luyten poorly defended. Their plan is simple, to detonate a meson bomb at the Laramis node and seal themselves off all the while leaving the alliance to ponder their shivan 'allies'. A passive scan reveals your prescence, and you are forced to jump out.

Mission 15: Double-edged Sword
Briefing: A small task force of NTF ships is spotted, consisting of eight ships. Four corvettes, three cruisers, and one Hecate class destroyer, the NTD Chaldean. The Chaldean carries with it the meson bomb, bound for the node. Because the Acumen is still the only vessel in system, it has no choice but to intervene. All of its fighters are launched, assaulting the defending ships. The forces are evenly matched, due to the timely arrival of NTF fighters. Flying a Boangares bomber, you and Alpha wing fight for your lives to destroy the Chaldean, to no avail. Then, the Acumen orders you to disable it, and then get out of there. You do just that, and the rest of your fighters jump out, but due to a malfunction, you can't. The disabled Chaldean is on the verge of blowing up, but her captain laughs as he thinks they can just load it onto another ships. The Acumen arrives, informing them that their time has come. You are ordered to move as far away from the enemy as possible, while the Acumen fires on the Chaldean. The explosion destroys the NTF ships and damages the Acumen, but the battle is won.

karajorma:
Campaign 4

Campaign 4 has been removed for now.

FRED Version : Retail

Campaign 5

Campaign 5 isn't actually a freespace campaign. Instead using The Babylon Projects mod this one will be set in the B5 universe instead. FREDding for TBP presents a few challenges that you don't get in the Freespace universe so no doubt there will be a few tricks to be learned by the experts here too.

FRED Version : FRED 3.5.6. With TBP 3.1  

Plotline : Spoiler:
 This Demo campaign will follow the Narn heavy cruiser G'Tok, seen in S2 "The Fall of Night" and S3 "Walkabout", and likely S3 "Shadow Dancing" and S4 "Into The fire".  It will take place between the events of "The Fall of Night" and "Walkabout", following the the G'Tok and its crew as they attempt to evade Centauri persuits and ambushes, locate additional Narn ships that have been disabled and attempt to repair them, or evacuate the crew and salvage what remains of the ships, scavange for supplies and procure weapons.  The full campaign won't be feasable until additional models become available, such as:  Narn T'Loth class assault cruiser, Narn commercial transport, Babylon 5, as well as Shadow and Vorlon vessels, and follow the G'Tok from the beginning of the Narn-Centauri War, though their days as figitives in early Season 3, then fighting the Shadows and Vorlons possibly right up to "Into The Fire", and then conclude with that ship's return home to a free Narn homeworld.  I have no name for the Demo campaign, the full campaign, or the following missions.  Names will also be needed for the ships encountered, as well as wing names (which shouldn't be Alpha, Beta, etc. in my view), and the systems in which the missions take place.  Feel free to make minor alterations to this.

Demo Mission 1:

(ASSIGNED TO AugustusVarius) G'Tok has just exited a jumpgate, with fighter escort from B5, Zeta wing and possibly one other.  Some pilots have been shot down including Zeta 1, who is missing.  G'Tok's jumpengines are still charging, its primary weapons are off line, and until just prior to your launch, the fighterbays were dammaged.  The bay is now repaired enough for your wing to launch.  Zeta wing has been ordered to reenter hyperspace and attempt to locate Zeta 1, while the rest have been ordered back to B5 incase the Centauri attempt to retaliate further.  This system (undesignated at present) has been selected because a few Narn transports (I'll use EA transports for the Demo) have been vectored to this system to meet up with you there.  These transports were originally on a course to meet up with the primary Narn fleet which was sent to attack a Centauri supply base in "The Long Twilight Struggle", but when that fleet was destroyed by the Shadows and the Narn government surrendered, they chose to flee and hide rather than surrendering to the Centauri.  Citizen G'Kar learned of these transports and vectored them to meet up with the G'Tok, since these transports are carrying both supplies to expedite the repairs of the G'Tok, and in powering up its subspace drive, as well as skilled crew members, pilots, specialists and doctors, to fill out the ranks.  However, this system is also in neutral space so its prone to raider attacks.  As the transports enter sensor range, they report being under attack by raiders.  The transports have an escort wing, but they are outnumbered.  The G'Tok limps ahead to assist, but its moving pitifully slow, so your wing is ordered to burn ahead and assist the transports.  Additional raider wings attack, until the transports near the G'Tok and a raider carrier jumps in.  You have to keep the raider fighters busy and knock out the forward turrets on the carrier until the transport shuttles board the G'Tok through its full repaired fighterbay.  Not long after this, the G'Tok is able to bring its primary beam cannons online and dispatches the carrier.  Soon after, the G'Tok reports that its jump engines are online, so your wing is ordered to return aboard so they can jump.

Demo Mission 2: (ASSIGNED to Primus)

Now mostly repaired, the G'Tok has proceeded into Narn space, tracking a faint distress call from a cripled Th'Nor class light cruiser, amid a debris field of Narn ships, and some defence platforms.  The ship is a write-off, but there are still crew and savageable supplies aboard, so you have to attempt to rescue both crew and supplies from the cruiser before more Centauri forces arrive.  At first you just get some Sentri fighter wings on patrol, but they radio for assistance.  Soon you get a VorChan class war-cruiser and additional fighters.  The G'Tok keeps the Th'Nor between it and the Vorchan until it manages to bring its main guns to bear on the Centauri cruiser.  When the Centauri have been dealt with and the crew evacuated, the G'Tok opens fire on the Th'Nor class, scuttling it.  Then you jump out with the G'Tok.

Demo Mission 3: (ASSIGNED To JanCS)

Elsewhere in Narn space, an additional distress call is detected, this time from a disabled G'Quan class heavy cruiser.  Hoping to add one of these top-of-the-line warships to their fleet, the G'Tok moves in quickly, but they are soon suspicious.  There are no defense platforms deployed, and the voice transmission from the ship is coming through in INTERLAC rather than Narn.  You're ordered to get a scan of the cruiser, during which Na'Khal (sp?)(the G'Tok's captain) then asks the cruiser's captain which Narn religion he follows.  He replies that he follows G'Quan, and Na'Khal asks him an obscure but trick question regarding that religion.  The captain answers incorrectly and the G'Tok pulls away.  Once you scan the fighterbay of the cruiser, the "cargo" is revealed as a Centauri Brezebel class transport.  A scan of the weapons system indicates that one active mine is still aboard and intact.  Once the G'Tok pulls away, Sentri fighters launch from its bay and attack, while the G'Tok manages to jam communications, preventing the Centauri from calling in reinforcements.  This gives the G'Tok time to get clear of the area, before the Centauri reinforcements arrive as per their prearranged attack schedule.  The G'Tok is well out of position for them to attack however.  Fighters manage to get into attack range of the G'Tok, but the Narn have an ace up their sleeves and remote-detonate the mine aboard the Centauri-controlled cruiser, destroying that ship and crippling the 3 Centauri cruisers that were part of the attack.  Once the fighters are dealt with, formup on the G'Tok and jump out.

Demo Mission 4:

After sending out scouting wings, another Th'Nor class light cruiser has been discovered.  It had managed to limp into an asteroid field before suffering an engine failure.  Scans confirm Narn lifesigns aboard so a recovery is attempted, however the field is too dense for the G'Tok to maneuver in safely, so you need to escort the 2 transports in to repair the cruiser and escort it out of the field.  Now, some data I've encoutered indicates that the Th'Nor class is not jump-capable.  I deduce this from a line in the B5Tech page (I know, you don't think much of them) regarding the T'Loth class, which states that it was the first Narn warship to be capable of making solo jumps.  It didn't explicitly state in the Th'Nor class entry that that class wasn't solo-jump capable, I just deduced this.  I'm therefore decreeing that the Th'Nor they encounter also requires jump assistance, so the G'Tok needs to wait for the light cruiser to maneuver out of the asteroids, so the 2 can jump out together.  No Centauri forces are present in this mission.  Its purely about blasting asteroids.  Jump out with the 2 cruisers.

Demo Mission 5: (ASSIGNED to Kiith-Sa)

While scavenging for supplies on the far end of Narn space, the ships find themselves caught in an engagment between Centauri and Drazi forces.  Only the Th'Nor is present, since it used a nearby jumpgate to enter the area.  During recovery of some supplies, several dammaged Drazi vessels jump in through the gate.  The Centauri are on their heels, with a battlecruiser jumping in through the gate with fighters and a pair of war-cruisers through jump points.  An engagement ensues, and as the gate is the only means of escape for the Th'Nor, it joins the engagment... not that the Centauri would have strictly faught the Drazi and ignored the Narn.  The battle turns in your favor, when the G'Tok jumps in and fires up its beams on the battle cruiser.  When the Centari forces have been destroyed or have retreated, the Drazi thank you for your assistance, to which Na'Far replies something like "any enemy of the Centauri is an ally of ours".  The Drazi reply that while they are grateful, the G'Tok is unfortunately on their own, and that the Drazi will not shelter them.  All ships then jump out through the gate.

Demo Mission 6:

Having recieved a message from Citizen G'Kar, the G'Tok has new orders.  Both to arm the resistance on Narn and feed the people, G'Kar has ordered that Na'Khal find a way to get weapons and food to Narn.  This includes the difficulty of getting said supplies into the Narn system, but Na'Khal has concocted a daring plan.  The G'Tok will act as bait, taking up position near a site of an engagement, near the end of the war.  The G'Tok will be partially evacuated onto the Th'Nor class, and powered down. Scans indicate that the Centauri haven't passed by this site recently, so odds are they will attempt to effect a repeat of their aborted trap from Mission 3.  The plan is, the G'Tok will place itself adrift there, appearing to be left over from the previous engagment.  The Centauri will move in and attempt to capture it, so to set another trap, but expect no resistance.  Ambient radiation in the debris field will mask the lifesigns of the Narn aboard the G'Tok.  A pair of Centauri atmospheric shuttles boards the G'Tok with a tech crew, but the Narn troops are waiting and capture or kill them before they can warn their fighters.  One of the Narn crew members, speeks fluent Centauri, and fools the Centauri fighters into coming aboard, and are captured as well.  You are hiding in the nearby debris field during all of this, but you have to dispatch with additional fighters in the vicinity until the G'Tok finishes reactivating its jumpdrive and warps out.

Demo Mission 7: (ASSIGNED to eggnartz)

Escort the supplies sent by Citizen G'Kar, from the Transfer Station in Sector 90 to the nearby jumpgate, however Sector 90 is in the fringe of EA space. This is the same station that Garibaldi's old buddy runs, who owes him a favor. Garibaldi arranged that G'Kar's supplies would be shipped through at no cost (S2, "Comes the Inquisitor"). The station is an Orion ring (though it never said what class in the series), with considerable traffic of other kinds in the area. Garibaldi said that half the trade at this station was illegal goods, but that his buddy was profiting from this and paying off the right people to get away with it. We can assume that there are some disreputable folks as well, which may require his own private security force, likely made up of Zephyrs due to their wide availability. While Garibaldi's friend may have both paid off the right people, and given his word to Garibaldi not to interfere with the Narn, or sell them out, some of the people who work for him have not. One of his security wings have been paid off by one of those disreputable businessmen to both give up the time of the Narn's transfer, and set them up. The same disreputable businessman has ties to the CO of a nearby EA outpost. With the recent treaty between the Centauri and Earth, EA is authorized to apprehend any Narn fugitive forces that pass through its space but as a rule, they don't. This is inferred by Bester's line in S3 "Dust to Dust" of "why annoy the Narn without cause" when Garibaldi asked why they were apprehending the makers of the illegal Dust rather than just going straight to G'Kar. Since however, there is no legal reason why EA forces can't effect such an apprehension, a financial incentive from said businessman is enough to convince the CO to dispatch a select wing of fighters for this. The businessman is hoping to capture the Narn and hand them over to the Centauri for a considerable bounty. As your fighters are overseeing the transports departing the station, there are a few wings of Zephyrs covering various transports and freighters in the area. When the Narn convoy gets a bit out from the station, one of the wings breaks off and closes in on you. Garibaldi's friend comes on the comm link ordering them to return to their previous escort, but they continue to close. When the enter firing range, they go hostile and engage you. They ignore the convoy itself, trying to keep you busy. Some of the other security wings move in to assist you, but as the Narn transports get nearer to the gate, a group of EA Furies exit hyperspace through it. The narn fighters have to catch up with the transports and dispatch the Furies. When all hostiles are desrtoyed, jump out with the transports. For ease, we could use a name both for the transfer station, and more importantly Garibaldi's buddy who runs it. Names for both the disreputable businessman and the CO of the EA outpost would be useful as well. This could precipitate some interesting dialogue. Feel free to change the number of hostile wings if it seems a bit un-ballanced either in the player's favor, or the the opposite.

Demo Mission 8:

Fly captured Centauri fighters and escort one of the Centauri Shuttles making a food drop on Narn.  This one might make good use of the Nebula and groundscape pof, and Gravity if it works properly.  The when the transport makes a low pass to the ground, you have to provide top-cover and avoid detection.  It may also do well to place some additional structures on the ground for you to perform recon/scanning runs on.  You then have to follow the shuttle as it gains "altitude".  Once at a certain position, a red-alert sexp jumps into the following mission.

Demo Mission 9:

Still flying the captured Centauri fighters, you have to continue your escort of the shuttle, having just left the Narn atmosphere and are on course for the jumpgate.  On the way, you're ordered to scan Centauri warships and freighters in the area, and those that jump in through the gate.  Once you near the gate, there is a distress call from the other shuttle and its escort, that was to drop weapons for the resistance.  They succeeded in their drop, but were soon discovered by the Centauri.  Na'Khal orders you to leave the 1st shuttle, since its nearly at the gate, and assist the other team.  Fortunately, no one will shoot at you until you get to the engagement, or until you open fire on the Centauri, if you chose to do so before getting to the other team.  You may chose to either provide close support of the transport, or if you feel they can handle themselves for the moment, detour and knock out turrets on the war-cruiser nearby.  The war-cruiser isn't in firing range of the shuttle by that point, but it is moving to block the approach to the jumpgate.  You won't have the oppertunity to destroy the cruiser, as additional forces arrive, but your primary objective is to see that the shuttle makes it to the gate and jumps out.

willy_principal:
i'm interested on signing up...
give me the mission 1 from the Campaign 1...(ghostavo quited?didn't he?)
i need some more details...
what kind of forces are present in the system...

Roanoke:
is campaign 2 still alive ?

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