Rho Wing (Brimstone System)

Rho Wing
Date	2654.138.0600
Fighter	Scimitar
Wingmen	Todd Marshall
Medal	Bronze Star
Objectives	Destroy Kilrathi Convoy
Previous	Theta Wing (Brimstone System)
Next	Gamma Wing (Dakota System) (Win Series) Eta Wing (Port Hedland System) (Lose Series)

Mission Layout

• Between the Tiger's Claw and Nav 1
  • 2 Jalthi
• Nav 1
  • Wave 1
    • 4 Krant led by Khajja nar Ja'targk
    • 1 Dorkir-Class Transport
  • Wave 2
    • 2 Krant

The Memoirs of Lieutenant Colonel Carl T. LaFong

Maniac and I headed to Nav 1 to take out a Dorkir sport and her fighter escort. Confederation warships were pounding the Kilrathi bases in Brimstone, and stopping their freighters from delivering any new supplies was vital.

I kept thinking of Iceman's advice to hit them from the rear and Bossman's suggestion to take out the fighter wings before going after the larger Kilrathi ships. I was also concerned with Maniac flying on my wing, when he called out that two bogies had appeared.

"How did Intel miss these guys?" I said to myself. "We aren't even close to the Dorkir yet." In fact, we were still 42,000 kilometers from the capital ship and I doubted these guys were an escort. Just dumb luck that they'd found us.

They were Jalthi and packed a lot of firepower. A straight-on approach was out as we faced six neutron guns and six laser cannons from only two enemy ships. "Break and attack!" I screamed at Maniac.

I ran the throttle up to 360 KPS and kept my thumb on the afterburner switch. I knew we had to steer clear of all those guns and get to their rear shields. The first shots of the battle rocketed toward. It looked like a whole wing of Salthi were shooting, but these were much more powerful neutrons.

I hit the afterburners, rolled right, and went into a hard left turn. It was the quickest way to slide above them. Then I yanked the stick right and almost slammed right into the enemy ships. I kept jockeying for position, and almost collided two more times. Finally I figured out a pattern to their movements and slowed down when they approached from either side, then hit the afterburners to stay on their rear end when they raced away. That did it. Maniac dropped one with his mass drivers, while I took down the shields and weakened the armor with guns and finished off the last enemy with a Javelin. Missiles alone wouldn't have done the job unless I'd used my entire inventory on one ship.

When we reached the Dorkir, four Krant were protecting her. I told Maniac to attack my target when the four enemy ships spotted us and turned to defend the target. Weakest on the left and right, I knew an afterburner slide would put me into position to inflict heavy damage on more than one plane. If I locked onto the lead target, Maniac would stay with him and I could then attack the rest of the wing from the rear.

When 3000 meters separated us, I turned about 20 degrees to the left and stayed on my afterburners. At 1500 meters I turned hard to the right, bringing my nose around to target the lead Krant. While sliding, I locked onto the target and held down the fire key until my blaster power was gone. I knew I'd scored more than once, but didn't know how many ships I'd hit. As the wing raced past on my right, I spun around and followed, again hitting the afterburners.

Maniac had the locked target, so I concentrated on the others. I wasn't even thinking about the Dorkir yet. The tailing Krant turned to attack me head on, but a dumb-fire missile blasted his fore shield before he completed the maneuver. It was Khajja. Six shots from the mass driver finished him. Maniac yelled that he'd blown up his target. I ordered him to break and attack so we'd be one-on-one with the last two Krant.

I had taken some damage before we finished off the last of the escort wing with our Gatlings. I swung around to approach the Dorkir from the rear. At 2000 meters I launched my last Dart and hit backspace to stop and keep my position. As soon as the Dart hit, I slammed the throttle to full and jumped on the fire button when I hit 1500 meters. I broke right at 1000 meters and hit the afterburners to avoid the turreted lasers. After repeating the maneuver two more times, the Dorkir was orbiting Vega as a thousand shards of metal and tyrilium.

We'd completed the objective and I was proud. Two Jalthi, four Krant and a Dorkir were the toughest assignment I'd pulled so far. Two more Krant tried to slow us up on the way to the Tiger's Claw, but our ships had made repairs and regenerated shields. It wasn't that tough a fight, although Maniac reported damage to his computer system before we finished. I was ready to get away from Brimstone.

Next Section: Between Missions (Brimstone-Dakota Systems)

Preflight Conversations

Talk to SHOTGLASS

Hey, Maverick.

Y'know, a couple of boys from Tactical were in here earlier...

They were sayin' it was gettin' ugly in on the planet, Brimstone II.

The Kilrathi bases planetside are startin' to get desperate...

Looks like the furballs're ready to try just about anything.

One fellow said it'd all come down to supplies.

If they can get enough supply ships past us to the planet...

...their bases on Brimstone II might throw off our blockade.

Talk to KNIGHT

Hello, Maverick. I was just trying to draw Casey here into a conversation.

We're expecting to strike a number of Kilrathi supply convoys soon...

I was hoping to get some advice from our quiet comrade.

Michael Casey

Shoot 'em from behind.

Their armor is weak around the engines.

Couple of good shots in the pipes...

...and she blows. Boom. Game over.

Talk to ICEMAN

Maverick. Colonel says we'll be going after transports soon.

Just one thing to remember with big ships...

Missiles.

Save your missiles for the mother ship.

Your guns won't even scratch their paint...

...so when you're out of missiles...

...it's time to head home.

Mission Briefing

Mission Briefing. Brimstone System, 06:00 hours, 2654.138.

Peter Halcyon

As you know, people, several warships have arrived in the last 48 hours.

Most of these have headed in to beseige Kilrathi bases on Brimstone II.

Under this blockade, the planet is desperate for munitions and supplies.

The Empire has dispatched dozens of Dorkir 'sports...

...hoping at least a few of them will get past us and in to Brimstone II.

Our mission is to make sure they don't get there.

Maverick, you and Maniac are first up.

Computer, display Rho.

We've got a large bogie near Nav 1.

Tactical is pretty sure this is one of those inbound Dorkir.

We've detected at least four smaller bogies nearby...

...so watch out for fairly strong fighter escort.

The colonel quickly assigns the rest of the wings sending them to intercept other transports headed for Brimstone.

Peter Halcyon

Every tranpsort that gets past us drags the seige out another week...

...so look sharp and don't let your target get past you.

Squadron dismissed.

Mission Debriefing

Mission Debriefing. 16:00 hours, 2654.138.

Peter Halcyon

Nicely done, gentlemen.

Tactical believes that 'sport was carrying ground-to-space missiles...

...if they'd gotten to the planet, our losses would have been devastating.

Todd Marshall

I figured it was some sorta missiles, chief.

You should have seen the explosion It was like a supernova!

Peter Halcyon

Well, let's go over the mission report from your flight recorder.

Recorder credits you with 7 kills, Maverick...

...and Maniac gets 2 kills.

And Maverick ... I want to see you in my office in an hour.

That's all. Dismissed.

Colonel Halcyon’s Office. 16:50 hours, 2654.138.

Peter Halcyon

Blair. Come in. I need to speak with you.

Christopher Blair

Yes, sir?

Peter Halcyon

We’ll be leaving Brimstone soon, and I need to make some personnel changes.

Effective immediately following the jump, you’ll be reassigned.

I need you in Star Slayer Squadron, flying a Raptor-class heavy fighter.

Christopher Blair

Yes, sir. You won’t be sorry.

Peter Halcyon

Good. I’m glad to hear it. That’s all, then, Captain. Dismissed.

Hangar Deck. 17:00 hours, 2654.138.

Peter Halcyon

For meritorious conduct in confronting the Kilrathi enemy, in the Brimstone system,

on or about 2654.138, the Terran Confederation is proud to present the Bronze Star to Captain Blair.

Your courage is exemplary of the Confederation’s finest defenders.

Good job, Maverick. Congratulations.

Christopher Blair

Thank you, sir.

Filled with pride, Maverick meets the applause of his fellows.

Win / Lose Series

Meanwhile…

Outside a Kilrathi Military Installation, Brimstone System.

As Terran starfighters gain control in space at Brimstone, a daring band of Human saboteurs strikes a major Kilrathi base.

With the destruction of this installation, the Kilrathi hold on the strategic Brimstone system is broken.

Win Series: Gamma Wing (Dakota System)

Outside a Kilrathi Military Installation, Brimstone System.

As Kilrathi starships defeat the Terran Confederate fleet in space,

Human commandos make a daring raid to sabotage the Kilrathi base.

But their desperate mission fails when they are discovered by a patrol of Kilrathi soldiers!

Lose Series: Eta Wing (Port Hedland System)