[General Battuta]

I don't get this rainbow stuff, thinking maybe it's a reference to katamari? (which I haven't played and know virtually nothing about) Or what?

No it's muppets

[NGTM-1R]

I don't get this rainbow stuff, thinking maybe it's a reference to katamari? (which I haven't played and know virtually nothing about) Or what?

You have not heard Kermit the Frog sing enough.

[CT27]

Has there been any indication that Steele/GTVI knows anything about Byrne working on a 'secret project'?

[Aesaar]

There are a few hints that there are more reasons for the GTVA going to war than just the ones we've been given.  I expect it has something to do with the project.

[-Norbert-]

Do we know if the Secret Project was already in progress before the war started, or if it was only started because of the war?
If it's the latter, that certainly rules it out as a reason for the war.

[MatthTheGeek]

There are a few hints that there are more reasons for the GTVA going to war than just the ones we've been given.  I expect it has something to do with the project.

The GTVI knows always more than they let on. Remember that they know about the Fedayeen while nearly the entirety of the UEF population thinks it's just conspiracy bull****.

I'm pretty sure they know about the existence of the Project. Whether they know what this project is actually about is anyone's guess though.

Do we know if the Secret Project was already in progress before the war started, or if it was only started because of the war?
If it's the latter, that certainly rules it out as a reason for the war.

Good question. I don't remember anything stated about that point. I'll need to re-dig BP2's briefings and fiction.

[NGTM-1R]

The GTVI knows always more than they let on. Remember that they know about the Fedayeen while nearly the entirety of the UEF population thinks it's just conspiracy bull****.

Considering that the Feyadeen would be the direct opponents of GTVI's efforts to infiltrate the UEF, that's...not as surprising as it sounds. It'd be sort of like the CIA not knowing about the Second Chief Directorate of the KGB, and indicative of a serious failure that just isn't likely to happen given BP's generally treating all sides as capable and not stupid.

[CT27]

Hypothetical: 

If you were Steele and had a chance to take out Calder and his destroyer or Netreba and his destroyer, which would you choose?

(I left Byrne out of this hypothetical question because he's not as much of a front line admiral as the other two it seems).

[BlasterNT]

Hypothetical: 

If you were Steele and had a chance to take out Calder and his destroyer or Netreba and his destroyer, which would you choose?

(I left Byrne out of this hypothetical question because he's not as much of a front line admiral as the other two it seems).

Probably Netreba.  From bp fiction, Calder doesn't have much of a fleet left after Artemis, so netreba probably has more of an actual role, plus, he's always seemed more of a administrative, behind the scenes type guy that is actually indispensable.  Though Steele does rely on psychological effect a lot, so calder might be a better choice for him. 

Which of the destroyers got the new mass drivers?

[Aesaar]

Probably Netreba.  Calder would go down fighting every step of the way.  Netreba might decide his crew is more valuable than spite and surrender when he realises he's beaten.  In addition, 2FM has more ships remaining than 3JRF does, so its decapitation has a bigger effect.  Might also provoke Calder into making a mistake, though that seems unlikely.

EDIT: BlasterNT: the Toutatis is the one that gets upgunned.  Probably during a stay in dock after DE.

[Scotty]

Calder.  The man is a good admiral, significantly more experienced than either of his counterparts, and has a vested interest in making Steele personally hurt.  Remove a thorn before it becomes more of an issue.

[NGTM-1R]

3rd is significantly short of ships, most of its combat power has already been expended. It does not appear an attractive target.

On the other hand, if you kill 2nd's entire command structure by knocking out the destroyer complete with Admiral and staff, there is a very real danger that Calder (as he commands a ship equipped to do so and presumably has the staff as well) will be given the duties for both Mars' fleet and what's left of his own fleet.

Before you conduct a decapitation strike, always make sure that you will not inadvertently give command to a better person.

EDIT: I think in the end my answer would be neither. I would probably elect to damage both ships or destroy significant portions of their escorts, and escape cleanly. At this point it's unlikely the UEF will be able to repair a significantly damaged Solaris, and with the command structure of the Rim fleet being essentially dead weight and the unpredictable results of decapping Mars' fleet, neither presents a a valuable enough target to justify their individual destruction when I can instead sow chaos by attacking two of the three UEF command ships and further cripple UEF logistics with a backlog of repair and resupply needs.

[MatthTheGeek]

Before you conduct a decapitation strike, always make sure that you will not inadvertently give command to a better person.

Sounds like the "mistake" the UEF made in Post Meridian...

At this point it's unlikely the UEF will be able to repair a significantly damaged Solaris

The full retrofit conducted on the Toutatis after the damage it took during the events of DE proves otherwise. The UEF may be on the brink of logistical collapse, they still have enough to prioritize their major assets. They just can't afford to do the same for the dozens of frigates and cruisers around.

[-Norbert-]

Before you conduct a decapitation strike, always make sure that you will not inadvertently give command to a better person.

Sounds like the "mistake" the UEF made in Post Meridian...

Not quite.
The reason for the Meridian attack was to drive it's task force away, so they can't continue to bombard the Moon. Retaliation would also have been part of it.
Besides I doubt the GTVA would have left him in charge even if he didn't order that attack. Remember that he was in charge of an 18 month stalemate and then Steele charged in, took Jupiter and wiped out most of the third fleet.
By the point of post meridian, Severanti already lost his post as overall commander of the Sol theatre, and was just desperately trying to show that he could have done better, if he had had the same freedoms as Steele.
But due to a lack of time for planning, lack of skill or lack of available assets (or a combination of those) that attempt backfired and instead of saving his career, got him relegated to a deskjob.

[LordPomposity]

Definitely Calder. Netreba is probably a more valuable asset to the UEF, but as far as anyone on the GTVA knows, the war is all but won. When the Council of Elders sends out the order to surrender, I can see Calder doing something that will get a lot of people killed on both sides.

[NGTM-1R]

The full retrofit conducted on the Toutatis after the damage it took during the events of DE proves otherwise. The UEF may be on the brink of logistical collapse, they still have enough to prioritize their major assets. They just can't afford to do the same for the dozens of frigates and cruisers around.

It proves nothing. It suggests otherwise.

It also suggests they don't know how to prioritize at all; a full refit for a destroyer consumes more resources than major repairs for about a dozen frigates. That's more reason to damage the ship if they do this kind of thing.

[Sciguy]

Calder.

Netreba has a kind of McClellan feel to him.  He would be a great peace time admiral but is a little too cautious (or lacking in experience/chutzpa) to be anything more than adequate in wartime.  Keeping him in command can only be a good thing.

Additionally, if Calder is taken out, along with his Solaris, the rest of 3rd fleet would no longer be as free to conduct strike operations against GTVA targets, relegating them to defensive operations and removing a major thorn from the side of the GTVA.

[qwadtep]

I got the impression that Netreba is a good admiral who doesn't get a lot of credit to his name because he chooses to support both First and Third Fleet rather than just doing his own thing like the other admirals. Without him the rift between Calder and Byrne would probably be too great to mount an effective defense and the GTVA would be able to divide and conquer.

Calder has definitely got more death flags though.

[Sciguy]

I got the impression that Netreba is a good admiral who doesn't get a lot of credit to his name because he chooses to support both First and Third Fleet rather than just doing his own thing like the other admirals. Without him the rift between Calder and Byrne would probably be too great to mount an effective defense and the GTVA would be able to divide and conquer.

Calder has definitely got more death flags though.

There is that.  The spirit of Ubuntu is strong with Netreba.

Calder is the warhawk who is always attacking the mighty GTVA.  I suppose the idea is that if he is gone the Feds will just give up or something.  Although he is the one who keeps sending frigates out to die so maybe he is a double agent

[Drogoth]

I got the impression that Netreba is a good admiral who doesn't get a lot of credit to his name because he chooses to support both First and Third Fleet rather than just doing his own thing like the other admirals. Without him the rift between Calder and Byrne would probably be too great to mount an effective defense and the GTVA would be able to divide and conquer.

Calder has definitely got more death flags though.

There is that.  The spirit of Ubuntu is strong with Netreba.

Calder is the warhawk who is always attacking the mighty GTVA.  I suppose the idea is that if he is gone the Feds will just give up or something.  Although he is the one who keeps sending frigates out to die so maybe he is a double agent

Maybe there was something to the GTVA's theory that old GTA citizens would yearn for their old government