Yes, I do actually just brainstorm up and think out ideas like this on a broad range of subjects (though usually military/war-related, real or fictional) for fun. Usually as something like an intellectual exercise. However, BP has enamored me with its great story, feel, setting, and gameplay, so it's received more than its typical proportion of ideas of late.
I asked if the developers/forum-goers wanted me to post any of them, and was encouraged to do so, so here they are. It's going to be a bit messy (some of them are quite lengthy, and organized for OneNote, not a general forum post), but I figured it was a bad idea to make a separate thread for each.
NOTE: I'm not assuming that these are
good ideas; I'm just putting them out there and letting you guys have at them. They may not be balanced (though usually I tried to make them at least somewhat balanced), as I focused more on the general concepts rather than specifics. Maybe I'll get some fun discussion in the process as a nice bonus. And if one or two are good enough to be implemented, I'll be glad to have contributed.
Triton-based Mass LogisticsThough more vulnerable to attack than Poseidons, Tritons can carry twice the cargo. In this unique theater of war, mitigating the risk of attack is possible through new tactics.
Depending on how quickly a Triton can recharge its jump drives, and the availability of TAC crates, two options are available regardless of tactics:
1) Aside from the cargo bays inside the Tritons themselves, cargo will be inside cheap, lightly armored crates. Each crate will have some kind of sufficiently-powerful explosive inside or mounted outside of it. If the Triton comes under threat, it dumps the cargo container and remote-detonates it. The Triton then jumps away. It's much lighter weight also adds to its speed and maneuverability for that time being.
2) Cargo is carried in the heavily-armored TAC's. Thus, destruction of the cargo requires significantly more effort/resources/commitment on the enemy's part.
The tactics/system:
1) After arriving in Sol, they will be staged in a secure area (potentially even right where they are, if the node is secure), and provided with an up-to-date, encrypted report on the supply/logistics situation of certain battle groups or installations, with the reports cycling between various sets of groups/installations. The specific locations of those battle groups or installations will also be provided; when a battle group is not in a position to accept supplies, they will not be included in that report; because reports continually cycle somewhat random and limited selections of battle groups and installations, a report just by itself cannot provide sufficient, useful intel.
2) The captain/command staff of each Triton will then decide, independently, where their cargo should be delivered to (and no one else is notified until the transfer begins). Until the resupply operation is complete, the comms officer is closely monitored by the captain her/himself. It will then jump precisely to its destination, quickly deliver its supplies (potentially even just dropping off its crate and jumping back to the node, leaving on-site Poseidons with fighter cover to finish the job), and then jump back to the node. Upon arrival, its recent course of action is reported by the Triton to Command.
3) The Triton will then jump back through the Sol-DS node, receive resupply in whatever time frame and manner planned upon (ahead of time or at that moment), and then repeat the process.
The end result is a continuous, fast train of resupply to many major groups of the GTVA military in Sol. This system is NOT a replacement for GTL's, and might not carry particularly important/valuable specific items (like, say, meson reactors), but it DOES provide significant and frequent resupply of more mundane and less expensive, but still important as a whole/in bulk, materiel. This lightens the load on GTL's for some roles/cases/types of supplies, and improves the logistical situation for the GTVA's efforts in Sol at low risk and cost. In terms of enemy intelligence or infiltration operations, there are only two vulnerabilities: the encrypted reports, and the crews of the Tritons themselves.
The former is risk-minimized, and enemy interference is quickly apparent, with only a few Triton deliveries at most being compromised at any one time, and potential strategic gain is limited and generally unreliable in the short windows of opportunity they could be useful for. If a Triton leaks its destination to the UEF in time for it to be intercepted, the captain (or comms officer) is very likely responsible, allowing for leaks/sympathizers/infiltrators to be found much more easily. They will not be assumed guilty, but they will be subject to thorough and intensive investigation. If a Triton defects wholesale, then most of the crew (or its command staff) must have actively defected as well, making such instances highly unlikely. Only skilled sabotage of the ship's NAV computer would allow for a Triton to end up in enemy territory without such defection.
Any single Triton (or its cargo crate to be delivered) loss would not be very significant. Since they usually only carry general, not-especially-valuable-in-relatively-small-numbers cargo, they can resupply groups in a "random", unplanned fashion; many groups would need (or want) stuff like ship fuel, general ship/fighter components, food, medical supplies, Tempest missiles, Flak ammo, etc. Since both the resupplier and group in need/want of resupply are dealing in general goods, the process can be very decentralized and somewhat randomized, and the risk is very minimal. This, again, lightens the burden on other kinds of resupply/logistics operations.
Hydralisk-class Hunter Killer (This is one of the few where I actually have specific stats, even as a baseline)
A very specialized ship with a specific purpose: assassinate a key (and usually weak) ship even when an enemy AWACS and ECM is present.
Probably around the size of a large cruiser, it's equipped with a sprint drive and one or two powerful forward beam cannons. Due to the huge power draw of those systems, the rest of the Hydralisk's armament is almost entirely defensive in nature and not energy based.
Point Defense is largely done by missile turrets, equipped with anti-fighter and anti-torpedo missiles. This includes Trebuchets, in order to intercept bombers at range, though if the circumstances allow it, they can be used to target enemy subsystems as well.
It can maintain accurate targeting despite enemy AWACS through the use of a focused, directional LADAR array--thus, it can only accurately target ships within a relatively strict cone of view in front of the ship. However, since enemy ships (including the specific target) can be found visually (and usually with ease), a Hydralisk can quickly identify strategic targets and maneuver its arrays into position for accurate fire.
This setup also happens to give the Hydralisk significantly increased range compared to other beam cannon setups.
Hydralisks are not cheap, and have very limited utility. However, they are also designed to serve as test-beds for new, experimental reactor and power (network?) designs/technology (as well as sprint drives?). As such, they are few in number, with most of them deployed to the Sol theater. Unless the Hydralisk performs far better than anticipated or circumstances change significantly, the Hyralisk will stick to its very limited production run.
((Maybe they can transmit their targeting data to allied ships, so they can properly target those enemy vessels as well?))
Approximate stats:
Armament:
Aurora-Wake Beam Cannon (1) [[When used with directed LADAR array(s), it has an increased range]]
Standard Flak (4)
FighterKiller (3) [[NOTE: There don't seem to be any modern missile turrets; those would ideally take a FighterKiller's place]]
(Armament Option 2)
Aurora-Wake Beam Cannon (1)
Standard Flak (4)
RAM Turret (2) [[RAM turrets, based off of their real life counterparts, are point defense turrets that shoot small missiles to intercept incoming enemy torpedoes (cruise missiles in real life) at range. Hydralisks are thus far less vulnerable to bombers and torpedo salvos from capital ships, but that only holds up as long as these turrets aren't destroyed by fighters or enemy weapons. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIM-116_Rolling_Airframe_Missile for more details]]
Hitpoints:
68,000
Larger than a heavy bomber, but similarly armored and shielded, these are deployed alongside fighter wings, or in some cases, alongside ships.
They're not designed to destroy enemy fighters, but rather missiles/torpedoes/bombs. However, they CAN serve as moderate area denial for enemy fighters, provided they are backed up by fighter support.
Typically, they're equipped with different arrangements of low-intensity pulse beams, flak turrets, energy-based guns (like those carried by fighters), missile launchers, or gatling guns. Its low cruising speed is made up for by powerful afterburners; these burners take up far less space, but use much more energy than those typically mounted on fighters. Sentinels feature powerful reactors/generators and large heat sinks (which can be modularly swapped out for ammunition storage, when ammunition-based weapons are used), allowing the afterburners to be used when needed, usually at the cost of holding fire on energy-based weapons for the duration.
One variant of the craft features larger turret mountings, slower/smaller engines, and potentially even less shielding and armor, but equips larger, slightly higher-intensity pulse beams with long range. These beams shoot down enemy torpedoes and anti-subsystem missiles from long range. The turret mountings are modular, and can be swapped out for additional heat sinks, capacitors, generators/reactors, or quad-turrets of energy-based guns. This variant is designed to defend ships and stations; in cases where one of the large turret mountings is swapped out for quad-gun-turrets, the craft can flip on its axis to defend against enemy bombers/fighters that are at close range--in these cases, the target fighters are inside the effective AA defense bubble , so these Sentinels provide exceptional point defense for ships and installations.
Another, rather novel variant takes full advantage of the Sentinel's highly modular design, and equips it with ECM jamming technology, with powerful directed emitters. The end result is that such a Sentinel can jam a single ship's beam cannon targeting for limited intervals. It can also use that to jam the targeting of a somewhat tightly packed salvo of torpedoes, missiles, or bombers, for a short period of time. After each interval, its capacitors must recharge. Depending on the specific loadout of capacitors, generators/reactors, and emitters, a Sentinel can jam for longer intervals but suffer from longer recharge times, jam for shorter intervals but have faster recharge times, or can jam more than one ship at the cost of shorter intervals and/or longer recharge times. Typically, heavy armor plating is swapped out for stronger shields, as heavy armor would provide little defense against the exposed emitter(s). Regardless, depending on the loadout, Sentinel jammers have shorter intervals or longer recharge times than those fitted on/into ships, making Sentinel jammers supplementary rather than primary to those equipped on ships.
Obviously, Sentinels are far from cheap. They are to be well defended by fighters or AA from ships/stations at all time, and whenever that protection is no longer available, a Sentinel must quickly find new protection, or jump out via its subspace drive. Its large power output can charge its subspace drive rather quickly, but this comes at the cost of powering its weapons, and when charging the drive as quickly as possible, even the engines and shields. They are usually deployed defensively, and kept as save as effectively possible.
Only when the risk is outweighed by the potential reward are Sentinels deployed offensively, and they are always covered by ships or fighter wings when doing so. Because Sentinel weapons are largely automated (but can have targets designated as priority, designated as neutral/friendly, designated as low priority, or be manually put on ceasefire), its crews require comparatively little in the way of training. This is especially important in the face of growing GTVA fighter superiority both in terms of tactics and pilot skill; Sentinels are seeing heavy production and deployment all across UEF space. They can effectively defend against long-range Trebuchet salvos, protect fighters against medium- and long-range missiles, and protect ships and stations from a variety of missile/torpedo attacks, as well as provide invaluable support against enemy beam fire. Cost is thus being somewhat ignored for the time being, while nearly all elite and good UEF pilots are being transferred back home to teach ACM to new or less experienced pilots. Primarily defensive in nature and useful as a deterrent against attack, the First Fleet and Council of Elders approve of its widespread production and deployment as a way to buy time, save lives, protect assets, and give credence to desires of peace and de-escalation of the conflict on both an in-the-field and negotiations level. The development of truly new tactics/military assets that reduce casualties on both a fighter and ship level are also a morale booster, where common knowledge/perception of vast GTVA advantages in fleet size and weapons technology are seen as an area where UEF attempts to catch up are futile.
As it lessens the need for increased production of large warships, the Elders also see the benefit of heavy production of the Sentinel, as more resources can be diverted/directed into their massive, secretive project.
Shuriken MissileA low-payload, highly maneuverable, small missile that uses heat seaking guidance. Rather short-ranged, but it makes up for that with high speed. It is notoriously difficult to dodge, and countermeasures must be spammed repeatedly while taking evasive maneuvers in order to completely evade salvos.
The trick is that these missiles are spammed, but are small enough to allow a fighter to rapid-fire them for a somewhat extended duration. Even if no hits are scored, it forces evasive maneuvers and rapid depletion of countermeasures, forcing the enemy fighters to resupply (or be rendered highly vulnerable to missiles).
They are cheap to produce, and have enough versatility to be deployed somewhat extensively in the dogfighting niche. An Aurora or Perseus can equip a bank of these and use them effectively in the event that they end up in a dogfight with skilled enemy pilots; they also make highly effective tools of psychological warfare against less skilled/experienced pilots, where the sight/warnings of two dozen highly maneuverable missiles bearing down on you can have quite the effect.
These missiles are not very powerful; only when faced with a dozen (or when taking even minor damage from a missile is not acceptable) are they a true threat (aside from the psychological effects). Against aces in a dogfight, however, being forced to face down several dozen of these missiles presents a dilemma: evade, spam countermeasures, but potentially leave yourself open if your allies can't effectively cover you, and risk being effectively taking out of the action while doing so, or tank the damage and risk facing the enemy with depleted shields or hull damage.
It also has another, novel use: interception of torpedo salvos. Provided the pilot is within range, she or he can fire off a salvo of these missiles and destroy most or all of the torpedoes in short order; the self-guided heat-seeking missiles will seek out the warheads in quick fashion. However, because of their self-guiding nature, many missiles often end up striking the same bomb (or are detonated by the intercepted bomb's explosion), rendering this method somewhat inefficient, though still useful.
In the hands of the GTVA, this is exactly the kind of leg-up that their prevalent "good" pilots can use to mitigate the rare "masters" and uncommon "expert" UEF pilots. It also proves to be an effective psychological weapon against new and/or inexperienced UEF pilots.
In the hands of the UEF, this helps to keep GTVA fighters at bay, even if only for a short time. They can also help significantly when two formations of UEF and GTVA fighters clash head on; these missiles can be fired in large numbers very quickly, without waiting for an aspect lock--this can force GTVA pilots into evasive maneuvers, giving UEF pilots a tactical opening in the engagement. By extension, they can be used to break up GTVA formations/wings even when lacking the otherwise necessary firepower and/or numbers. The missiles can also help somewhat against torpedo/bomb salvos, provided a fighter is near enough.
Diplomatic: Avoiding Scorched-EarthA treaty: the UEF will not conduct scorched-earth actions against infrastructure in danger of falling into GTVA hands, but in return, the GTVA cannot use that infrastructure as staging grounds and resupply stations for their Sol operations. Vasudans would monitor it/enforce it. GTVA could not conduct its own scorched-earth actions, either, however.
The UEF agrees because they want to de-escalate the war, prevent further moral and morale damage to themselves, set up some kind of diplomatic precedent for peace/cooperation/negotiation, and because they're that desperate. It also saves tens of thousands of civilian lives, and lessens the burden of evacuating those lives in a rush (and protecting said evacuation, at the cost of military lives and assets).
The GTVA agrees because they've already got a good logistic foothold in Sol, and things are going pretty well for them as is. They also want to preserve as much of Sol's infrastructure and industry as possible, so this significantly helps in that regard. It also improves (or at least improves its perception of) its own moral standing in the war, and makes it easier to sell back home (keeping infrastructure and industry intact, preserving civilians lives, etc.). As for the clause about it not being allowed to conduct its own scorched-earth actions, they don't see it being a problem--the likelihood of losing more than a few insignificant things is small, anyway.
I'm not sure if the spoiler tag function worked here. Or how to make it work. I can't really make sense of it.
Well, what do you think? Any of them worth a second thought? I'd really appreciate any feedback, regardless
