New Year Offensive A Big Win For Earth
New Guardian Times, London, January 2nd, 2194
The New Year Offensive, in which a Kra'Vak invasion fleet was battered for
eight hours, has ended in a notable and much welcomed Human victory.
Before the aliens succeeded in escaping their losses were increased by the
destruction of two destroyers, a frigates, and a tactical carrier.
Figures are still incomplete, but the latest blance-sheet of losses is:-
Kra'Vak:
Destroyed - three destroyers, seven frigates, two strike cruisers, a
heavy cruiser, two tactical carriers and a battledreadnought.
Damaged - three battleships (one heavily, one badly), two heavy carriers
(one badly), four escort cruisers (three heavily), two strike cruisers and
five light transports.
UN led coalition defence force:
Destroyed - two destroyers, a heavy destroyer, three frigates, three
light cruisers, a patrol cruiser, a battleship, two light carriers and a
strike carrier.
Damaged - three destroyers (one badly), four frigates, 2 light cruisers,
a patrol cruiser (heavily), three heavy cruisers (one heavily), one
battlecruiser, two battleships (minimal damage), three superdreadnoughts and a
heavy carrier (badly).
Yesterday's communiqué issued by Admiral Batson, Commander-in-Chief of
the United Nations Coalition Fleet, said "The enemy appears to be withdrawing.
Contact was broken off at 23:00. Additional damage was inflicted on two enemy
strike cruisers, but until all reports are verified it is impossible to state
whether these are in addition to those already reported. The entire alien
landing strike force was destroyed, as was a reserve escort screen. A number
of Earth vessels
were destroyed, but near-by rescue pods meant that the actual loss of
life was minimal. The enemy vessels have withdrawn from the immediate vicinity
of Earth, though there is continued activity around Mars and the Jovian moons
remain under siege."
Combat experts in Geneva said this afternoon that "in the early stages of the
battle Human fighters engaged Krak Kips from carriers to prevent them entering
the atmosphere and striking Earth directly. Bases on Luna were hit during the
opening sorties of the battle, but the Human defence
screen soon cut off the Kraks in that quarter. Later carrier-based heavy
strike fighters and torpedo-bombers flew through the Krak fighter and
point defence screen and pressed home attacks on their mother ships. The final
stage of the battle largely came down to the exchange of direct fire with the
Kraks strike support force and an all out push to prevent the penetration of
their landers into Earth's atmosphere. This was achieved with the loss of a
number of Human assests, though thankfully there was a minimal loss of life."
The UNSC spokesman went on to say that the coalition force has pulled back
into Earth orbit, to regroup and so as not to over extend (in case of renewed
attacks). However, a small recon force is still seeking to regain contact with
the main Krak fleet. Meanwhile there are reports of a sporadic action off Mars
and a larger force is understood to be harassing the Jovian moon bases.
> [quoted text omitted]
Aliens On Mars!
New Guardian Times, London, January 3rd, 2194.
The latest news from Mars is extremely grave. While the people of Earth
cheered with relief as the Kraks were turned from our doorstep, the people of
Mars were in mourning today. Early yesterday morning a large Krak force landed
south of Middleton Dunes. As this report goes live all contact has been lost
with the Dunes and Kraks are advancing on Severns, while Jalal at Jamsah and
Ojika Jima are already caught up in heavy fighting.
It now seems likely that the people of Mars shall pay heavily for the decision
to concentrate defensive forces around Earth. We all have to face the fact
that the possibility of dislodging the aliens from their present position is
small and that within months all of Mars may have fallen. The remaining
pockets of resistance on the Tokalau Isthmus are now virtually surrounded. The
speed of the initial attack has left little time for the evacuation of the
local mariports and townships, though many have escaped thanks to the
unstinting bravey of the local forces, who have refused to abandon their
position. Reinforcements from
across Mars have para-hopped on to the eastern flank of the mauraders
and more troops head to Mars from Earth, but the situation is grave. There is
an increasing fear that the entire Margaritifer Sector will fall within the
next few days.
Fearing a repeat of the violent anarchy that broke out after the first attacks
on Centaurus, leaders have called for moderation in the reporting of the
events unfolding on Mars. We feel however that the situation is now so clear
that a militarily imposed silence is ludicrous. The people of Earth can only
be better armed for knowing how gallantly their Martian cousins are resisting
the alien onslaught. We have been forced from our usual reserved reporting, by
the nauseating rumours started by sensationalists on the tabvids that Human
will and the people of Mars have in some way failed. They have not failed in
any way! Whether in leadership, gallantry or endurance no troops in any battle
at any time have ever fought better.
The initial wave of attacks was marked by high energy kinetic hits arriving in
the area of Middleton Dunes just after 2am MMT. Soon after the sky was bright
with the flares of landing alien drop troops and by dawn grav driven landing
craft filled the Martian atmosphere with hellish roaring. The local militias
had been called to battlestations with the news of the imminent fall of the
Jovian stations three days ago. Undoubtedly breathing a sigh of relief as the
defenders of Earth turned that assault aside, they can only have been shocked
and horrified when they found themselves the new focus of the alien
aggression. All contact with the Middleton Home Guard was lost by 7am MMT. As
far as comms reports reveal, by the time the 31st RNAR from Fort Alten and the
Preobrajenski Division stationed at Vologansk moved into the Isthmus at
10:11am MMT the Dunes had been overrun and the defences at Jalal at Jamsah and
Ojika Jima were under attack. The defensive positions at the Dunes failed to
stem the Krak long enough for the NAC and ESU forces to reach them, but they
have slowed the advance long enough for the hasty construction of defensive
bulwarks on the approaches to the other major Isthmus settlements and the
evacuation of a good number of the
non-combatants in the area. In spite of the fact the transport corridors
are flooded with refugees, the Human operations are being carried out
faultlessly.
The early collapse of the Dunes and small advance positions along the
corridors to Jalal at Jamsah and Ojika Jima has enabled the Krak to push on
fast; the vehemence of their attacks no less shocking here than on the other
worlds to have felt their brand of violence. Despite the violent attacks the
lines around Jalal at Jamsah are being held by the IFeds in the east down to
the mariport of Al Jamsah and by local Zehwaani to the west down to the edge
of Osuga. Simultaneously the Krak have advanced rapidly through the Arda and
pierced the Japanese defence on the southwest Tsuru frontier. The defence
forces have resisted stoutly, and in every case where they have lost ground
they have
regained it by immediately counter-attacking. It seems that these
aliens, much like Terran sharks, are taken a back by frontal atta... Sorry
fresh comms has just been filed and it appears that the gains will be
temporary, as the overwhelming savagery of the Kraks is again battering the
lines back to the core strong points in the outer habdomes and ring suburbs of
the main settlements of Jalal at Jamsah and Ojika Jima. The IFeds are making a
fighting withdrawal back into central Jalal
at Jamsah, with some of the newly arrived 53rd OU Drop-Cav in conformity
on their eastern flank. The IFeds are withdrawing with their western flank
almost completely exposed as the Europian naval forces securing the shores of
Eos Chasma are now heavily engaged with amphibious Krak grav forces. The
little vision we're getting from the area shows the withdrawal is happening
along roads and across country that is being heavily bombed and still dotted
with fleeing refugees. The eastern corridors are apparently becoming heavily
congested with retreating mechanised transports.
We must apologise for the incomplete coverage, but we have to stress that
heavy fighting is underway as we speak and that there is heavy alien jamming
of the area. The intermittent satellite feeds we are getting are now showing
mayhem as Human forces are being pushed back under heavy fire and Krak armour
is streaming through the gap opened by the collapse of the naval defences on
the coast... Jalal al Jamsah has just taken a direct hit... the dome has gone
down... a third of the city is just rubble... We've lost the satellite, but it
appears Jalal al Jamsah is under heavy assault and may not hold much longer,
we can only extend our prayers to every brave soul currently caught in this
horror.
Our satellites are still down, but direct comm feeds are reporting that
armoured Kraks are now directly threatening Severns. It appears that the alien
forces are using the gap along the western shores of the Tokalau Isthmus to
threaten the flank and rear of all the Human forces in the
west. News is filtering in of an NAC counter-offensive. Yes we can
confirm in an endeavour to stop this flood, a combined NAC-ESU force is
moving down to the Arda and has linked up with a Japanese
counter-attack. Although an orbital recon is reporting launching of
small alien craft and a new wave of landing ships. With the Kraks so vastly
more numerous, the success of our valiant defenders may only be a local one
and we must still prepare ourselves for the ultimate loss of the entire
region.
The multinational defense forces are now faced with the problem of manning a
thinning and continually extending front while under heavy attack from land,
sea and space. While we must be realistic and brace for worse news to come, we
should not despair. The fact that this impromptu coalition force has quickly
formed the necessary defensive line in spite of continued bombing and assaults
by powerful alien formations is proof of the heroic nature and efficiency of
our commanders and troops even in the face of an enemy of epic proportions.
These light armoured and rapidly deployed detachments, supplementing
their anti-tank guns with field artillery, are keeping pace with their
encirclement and resisting to the bitter end every attempt to penetrate their
lines.
As this bulletin draws to an end, one obvious question remains. What does the
future hold? We can only say for sure that it will hold the deaths of many
valiant soldiers this day. While it is against our nature to abandon our
homes, it is now only pragmatic to hope that, faced with such horrific
attackers, the defensive forces can withdraw east in good order and join the
collective Human forces gathering in Aureum and Arsinoes. The end is not yet.
The Martian forces may still succeed in fighting their way out of the net.
They maybe able, by a supreme effort, even to keep the Tokalau Isthmus in our
hands. What is attempted and how much of our lands the aliens will hold are
still unknown, but we can never deny the valour shown this day on Mars.
Okay... I gotta say that this reminded me of a cross between modern broadcats,
and like the recordings of the Hindenburg broadcast that you occasionally
hear.... It also made me thing of the first Startship Troopers flic.... Great
Fic Beth... you should consider a much larger piece of work... perhaps a
collection of filings detailing the entire Mars Campaign? Must say my personal
preferance would be articles about the siege... none of the personal between
briefing bits though.....
Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:New Year Offensive A Big Win For Earth
New Guardian Times, London, January 2nd, 2194
The New Year Offensive, in which a Kra'Vak invasion fleet was battered for
eight hours, has ended in a notable and much welcomed Human victory.
Before the aliens succeeded in escaping their losses were increased by the
destruction of two destroyers, a frigates, and a tactical carrier.
Figures are still incomplete, but the latest blance-sheet of losses is:-
Kra'Vak:
Destroyed - three destroyers, seven frigates, two strike cruisers, a
heavy cruiser, two tactical carriers and a battledreadnought.
Damaged - three battleships (one heavily, one badly), two heavy carriers
(one badly), four escort cruisers (three heavily), two strike cruisers and
five light transports.
UN led coalition defence force:
Destroyed - two destroyers, a heavy destroyer, three frigates, three
light cruisers, a patrol cruiser, a battleship, two light carriers and a
strike carrier.
Damaged - three destroyers (one badly), four frigates, 2 light cruisers,
a patrol cruiser (heavily), three heavy cruisers (one heavily), one
battlecruiser, two battleships (minimal damage), three superdreadnoughts and a
heavy carrier (badly).
Yesterday's communiqué issued by Admiral Batson, Commander-in-Chief of
the United Nations Coalition Fleet, said "The enemy appears to be withdrawing.
Contact was broken off at 23:00. Additional damage was inflicted on two enemy
strike cruisers, but until all reports are verified it is impossible to state
whether these are in addition to those already reported. The entire alien
landing strike force was destroyed, as was a reserve escort screen. A number
of Earth vessels
were destroyed, but near-by rescue pods meant that the actual loss of
life was minimal. The enemy vessels have withdrawn from the immediate vicinity
of Earth, though there is continued activity around Mars and the Jovian moons
remain under siege."
Combat experts in Geneva said this afternoon that "in the early stages of the
battle Human fighters engaged Krak Kips from carriers to prevent them entering
the atmosphere and striking Earth directly. Bases on Luna were hit during the
opening sorties of the battle, but the Human defence
screen soon cut off the Kraks in that quarter. Later carrier-based heavy
strike fighters and torpedo-bombers flew through the Krak fighter and
point defence screen and pressed home attacks on their mother ships. The final
stage of the battle largely came down to the exchange of direct fire with the
Kraks strike support force and an all out push to prevent the penetration of
their landers into Earth's atmosphere. This was achieved with the loss of a
number of Human assests, though thankfully there was a minimal loss of life."
The UNSC spokesman went on to say that the coalition force has pulled back
into Earth orbit, to regroup and so as not to over extend (in case of renewed
attacks). However!, a small recon force is still seeking to regain contact
with the main Krak fleet. Meanwhile there are reports of a sporadic action off
Mars and a larger force is understood to be harassing the Jovian moon bases.
> [quoted text omitted]
Aliens On Mars!
New Guardian Times, London, January 3rd, 2194.
The latest news from Mars is extremely grave. While the people of Earth
cheered with relief as the Kraks were turned from our doorstep, the people of
Mars were in mourning today. Early yesterday morning a large Krak force landed
south of Middleton Dunes. As this report goes live all contact has been lost
with the Dunes and Kraks are advancing on Severns, while Jalal at Jamsah and
Ojika Jima are already caught up in heavy fighting.
It now seems likely that the people of Mars shall pay heavily for the decision
to concentrate defensive forces around Earth. We all have to face the fact
that the possibility of dislodging the aliens from their present position is
small and that within months all of Mars may have fallen. The remaining
pockets of resistance on the Tokalau Isthmus are now virtually surrounded. The
speed of the initial attack has left little time for the evacuation of the
local mariports and townships, though many have escaped thanks to the
unstinting bravey of the local forces, who have refused to abandon their
position. Reinforcements from
across Mars have para-hopped on to the eastern flank of the mauraders
and more troops head to Mars from Earth, but the situation is grave. There is
an increasing fear that the entire Margaritifer Sector will fall within the
next few days.
Fearing a repeat of the violent anarchy that broke out after the first attacks
on Centaurus, leaders have called for moderation in the reporting of the
events unfolding on Mars. We feel however that the situation is now so clear
that a militarily imposed silence is ludicrous. The people of Earth can only
be better armed for knowing how gallantly their Martian cousins are resisting
the alien onslaught. We have been forced from our usual reserved reporting, by
the nauseating rumours started by sensationalists on the tabvids that Human
will and the people of Mars have in some way failed. They have not failed in
any way! Whether in leadership, gallantry or endurance no troops in any battle
at any time have ever fought better.
The initial wave of attacks was marked by high energy kinetic hits arriving in
the area of Middleton Dunes just after 2am MMT. Soon after the sky was bright
with the flares of landing alien drop troops and by dawn grav driven landing
craft filled the Martian atmosphere with hellish roaring. The local militias
had been called to battlestations with the news of the imminent fall of the
Jovian stations three days ago. Undoubtedly breathing a sigh of relief as the
defenders of Earth turned that assault aside, they can only have been shocked
and horrified when they found themselves the new focus of the alien
aggression. All contact with the Middleton Home Guard was lost by 7am MMT. As
far as comms reports reveal, by the time the 31st RNAR from Fort Alten and the
Preobrajenski Division stationed at Vologansk moved into the Isthmus at
10:11am MMT the Dunes had been overrun and the defences at Jalal at Jamsah and
Ojika Jima were under attack. The defensive positions at the Dunes fai! led to
stem the Krak long enough for the NAC and ESU forces to reach them, but they
have slowed the advance long enough for the hasty construction of defensive
bulwarks on the approaches to the other major Isthmus settlements and the
evacuation of a good number of the
non-combatants in the area. In spite of the fact the transport corridors
are flooded with refugees, the Human operations are being carried out
faultlessly.
The early collapse of the Dunes and small advance positions along the
corridors to Jalal at Jamsah and Ojika Jima has enabled the Krak to push on
fast; the vehemence of their attacks no less shocking here than on the other
worlds to have felt their brand of violence. Despite the violent attacks the
lines around Jalal at Jamsah are being held by the IFeds in the east down to
the mariport of Al Jamsah and by local Zehwaani to the west down to the edge
of Osuga. Simultaneously the Krak have advanced rapidly through the Arda and
pierced the Japanese defence on the southwest Tsuru frontier. The defence
forces have resisted stoutly, and in every case where they have lost ground
they have
regained it by immediately counter-attacking. It seems that these
aliens, much like Terran sharks, are taken a back by frontal atta... Sorry
fresh comms has just been filed and it appears that the gains will be
temporary, as the overwhelming savagery of the Kraks is again battering the
lines back! to the core strong points in the outer habdomes and ring suburbs
of the main settlements of Jalal at Jamsah and Ojika Jima. The IFeds are
making a fighting withdrawal back into central Jalal at Jamsah, with some of
the newly arrived 53rd OU Drop-Cav in conformity on their eastern flank.
The IFeds are withdrawing with their western flank almost completely exposed
as the Europian naval forces securing the shores of Eos Chasma are now heavily
engaged with amphibious Krak grav forces. The little vision we're getting from
the area shows the withdrawal is happening along roads and across country that
is being heavily bombed and still dotted with fleeing refugees. The eastern
corridors are apparently becoming heavily congested with retreating mechanised
transports.
We must apologise for the incomplete coverage, but we have to stress that
heavy fighting is underway as we speak and that there is heavy alien jamming
of the area. The intermittent satellite feeds we are getting are now showing
mayhem as Human forces are being pushed back under heavy fire and Krak armour
is streaming through the gap opened by the collapse of the naval defences on
the coast... Jalal al Jamsah has just taken a direct hit... the dome has gone
down... a third of the city is just rubble... We've lost the satellite, but it
appears Jalal al Jamsah is under heavy assault and may not hold much longer,
we can only extend our prayers to every brave soul currently caught in this
horror.
Our satellites are still down, but direct comm feeds are reporting that
armoured Kraks are now directly threatening Severns. It appears that the alien
forces are using the gap along the western shores of the Tokalau Isthmus to
threaten the flank and rear of all the Human forces in the
west. News is filtering in of an NAC counter-offensive. Yes we can
confirm in an endeavour to stop this flood, a combined NAC-ESU force is
moving down to the Arda and has linked up with a Japanese
counter-attack. Although an orbital recon is reporting launching of
small alien craft and a new wave of landing ships. With the Kraks so vastly
more numerous, the success of our valiant defenders may only be a local one
and we must still prepare ourselves for the ultimate loss of the entire
region.
The multinational defense forces are now faced with the problem of manning a
thinning and continually extending front while under heavy attack from land,
sea and space. While we must be realistic and brace for worse news to come, we
should not despair. The fact that this impromptu coalition force has quickly
formed the necessary defensive line in spite of continued bombing and assaults
by powerful alien formations is proof of the heroic nature and efficiency of
our commanders and troops even in the face of an enemy of epic proportions.
These light armoured and rapidly deployed detachments, supplementing
their anti-tank guns with field artillery, are keeping pace with their
encirclement and resisting to the bitter end every attempt to penetrate their
lines.
As this bulletin draws to an end, one obvious question remains. What does the
future hold? We can only say for sure that it will hold the deaths of many
valiant soldiers this day. While it is against our nature to abandon our
homes, it is now only pragmatic to hope that, faced with such horrific
attackers, the defensive forces can withdraw east in good order and join the
collective Human forces gathering in Aureum and Arsinoes. The end is not yet.
The Martian forces may still succeed in fighting their way out of the net.
They maybe able, by a supreme effort, even to keep the Tokalau Isthmus in our
hands. What is attempted and how much of our lands the aliens will hold are
still unknown, but we can never deny the valour shown this day on Mars.
Hey, Beth, great job!
I'm glad I'm not there.
;-)
G'day,
Thanks for the feedback guys, glad to see I haven't just got myself all caught
up in the fun and bored everyoneelse to death;)
> Okay... I gotta say that this reminded me of a
I'll freely admit that's becuase I'm using Guardian reports on things like
Midway and Dunkirk as the basis for tone and shaping it to fit with our Mars
campaign. For instance, any complete Midway nut will have noted that Batson's
report is very much like Nimitz's;)
> you should consider a much larger piece of work... Perhaps
Eventually a larger series of reports will grow as I get time to write up more
of the campaign, along with "essays" on the history of Mars etc. So while it
probably won't all be to the action fan's taste some should appeal.
Cheers
Sorta like Bram Stoker's Dracula (the book, not the movie). Its a
diary/journal with several sub plots. Field reports are like a journal
enntry. Just a thought.
G'day,
> Sorta like Bram Stoker's Dracula (the book, not the movie).
Must admit I've never read it. I once walked in on the black and white movie
when I was real little (its one of my first memories) ever since Dracula and
werewolf stories just aren't for me. I know it isn't rational, but on the
upside at least spiders, snakes and smiley things don't make me scream and I
don't faint at the sight of blood;)
> Its a diary/journal with several sub plots. Field
Nice idea.
Cheers
> Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:
> New Year Offensive A Big Win For Earth
Ha! A 'big win', as written by a friendly press to give the people of earth a
good feeling. If the Kra'vak are now attacking Sol then this means the UN will
stop defending outlying systems, which will be picked off one after another.
We're doomed! Unless of course there are finally some plans to counter attack
the Kra'vak home worlds. If anybody has any clue where those are...
G'day,
> Ha! A 'big win', as written by a friendly press to give the people of
May be, but its our patriotic duty to keep spirits high;)
> If the Kra'vak are now attacking Sol then this
That started happening months ago, in 2193, according to "official" timelines.
> Unless of course there are
Not looking good here yet, but things could still turn... I'd say humanity
ain't beat yet;)
Have fun
In a message dated 1/5/05 1:40:04 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> Beth.Fulton@csiro.au writes:
G'day,
> Ha! A 'big win', as written by a friendly press to give the people of
May be, but its our patriotic duty to keep spirits high;)
> If the Kra'vak are now attacking Sol then this
Not necessarily. This assumes the KRAK view warfare, strategy and the
purpose/goal of war the same as human/western beings do. Going for the
homeland even if it is precariously risky may be a KRAK 'prime directive' as
far as we know. The views on war seem to have been seen differently by groups
of
humans - Cherokee versus Pacific Northwest tribes versus 'White'
Americans versus Japanese Samurai versus today's Terrorists (anarchists on
steroids). The KRAK may be fighting a war by risking total defeat on their
psychological need to strike for the homeland of the enemy. Sort of like the
Xiks in Beast Master thought that destroying Terra would cause a human
collapse.
Gracias,
> > New Year Offensive A Big Win For Earth
"Will"? The UN gave up the Rim many months ago--and good riddance!
> which will be picked off one after another.
Casualties on the Rim have been high, and several planets are under KV
occupation; however, the Rim citizens are determined and resourceful, and
...sorry, you fat, slothful, spoonfed Earthies wouldn't understand the word
"resourceful". Let's just say that when a Rim planet is occupied, we don't
collaborate with the Kravs. Unlike some others we could mention.
> We're doomed! Unless of course there are finally some plans to
As usual, UNBOSS intelligence is a little behind the times. ORC and OU forces
have been raiding Krav supply lines, and launching deep penetration raids such
as Operation Spiders Kiss and Operation
Cueball. Of course, some of these actions involve dropping rocks on
poplation centers, so the UNdies would hyperventilate if they heard about it.
> Laserlight wrote:
TS-OUEO
Not forgetting OU PopRock/Soda strategic demolition packages.
Take a small asteroid on approximate collision course with the target planet.
Correct its course so it's definitely on collision course with the part you
want to hit, perhaps months later. Shatter it into many harmless ( 10 meter
diameter) parts. Hollow out one of the 10 million shards, and fill with
antimatter under
stealth and containment, courtesy of the Alarishi.
You get a Terratonne airburst, enough to keep the opposition amused for
a while, and useful in de-terraforming small continents.
Only good until the opposition figures out how to detect the PopRock from the
Soda, rare and very expensive to make, but good in the short term.
A bit of a delayed-action mine, so to speak, that you plant when you
raid somewhere. The first ones, planted (planeted?) months ago, should be
going off any time now.
Cheaper, mass-produced versions with biological rather than physics
packages are still under development, as are "dummy" warheads to keep the
enemy amused. Detection Countermeasures are operational on all OU
> As usual, UNBOSS intelligence is a little behind the times.
At least, for publication...
> Only good until the opposition figures out how to detect the PopRock
And against a predatory/nomadic race such as big K's, whose culture
causes them to fail to take the simple, and relatively lucrative, precaution
of nudging such objects out of near collision orbits into proper industrial
parks.
Can we EVER understand their psychology?
The_Beast
> Not forgetting OU PopRock/Soda strategic demolition packages.
Or...Find a target planet with a small moon/captured asteroid. Send a
harmless rock to impact the moon. On impact, the rock turns out to be an
antimatter "Uncivil Engineering" package. The moon abruptly de-orbits
(for traditionalists, iridium can be included at a slight additional charge).
As a bonus, you get enough fragments in enough trajectories to interest any
nearby ships or orbital facilities.
G'day,
> And against a predatory/nomadic race such as big K's, whose culture
Somehow I think they're probably alert enough to notice a large rock heading
their way;)
There is a difference between psychology and stupidity;)
> Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:
Yeah, all those OU/ORC notes about quiet retaliation were probably
just bluster. ;-)
Mk
> Somehow I think they're probably alert enough to notice a large rock
True, but, while I'm no scientist of any kind, and certainly not a
physicist/astronomer, everytime the discussion turns to 'we'll just
throw some rocks', my limited understanding of orbital mechanics and the
masses involved just rebels.
Given my abashed respect and admiration for the folks usually involved with
such ideas, I find I have to put forward alternate arguments to quiet that
rebellion, while not getting involved with the actually analysis of physics.
The point you mention was supposed to just hang there, unmentioned.
;->=
The_Beast
Of course we will... but first we have to start thinking like
them......
> Can we EVER understand their psychology?
Da Beast said
> Can we EVER understand their [KV] psychology?
Shoot them first, it makes their psychology a lot simpler. :-7
> Doug Evans wrote:
More to the point, in a universe where altering the orbits of asteroids was
possible, you can be quite sure that all
space-faring nations will have a branch of their astromilitary
that is some species of "orbit guard". They will be charged with preventing
unauthorized asteroid diversion.
Whether this takes the form of patrols and bases near likely asteroid belts
and small moons, or just close monitoring of all such bodies by telescopes and
radar, or something in between, is left as an exercise for the reader.
But it is difficult to deny that such a military branch will exist, since it
is considered an axiom that
> Can we EVER understand their psychology?
[Carl psychically probes the captured brainbug.]
Jenkins: It's afraid. It's afraid!
[Crowd goes wild.]
_Starship Troopers_