CEarth Aerospace Fighters (ASF)

This is a thread for the discussion of CEarth Aerospace Fighters (ASFs) only. As such it is the place to:

-discuss ASFs for CEarth's use
-put up pictures of ASFs for CEarth's use
-put up stats for CEarth based ASFs
-some discussion regarding Dropships may occur as well but the focus is on ASFs

Alright here is what we have to start out with.

The Bearcat is the 1st one to get designed, built, qualified, and flown into combat.
That's been decided LONG ago. Loadout was a VAC/10 (or VAC/5), and either three or five medium lasers (one of which is aiming backwards), along with internal missile bays.

Stealth was optional iirc for the first production runs. Later they'd get stealth if only workable, to a large degree, in atmosphere (no discussions on that guys, it's been dealt with elsewhere - ASFs can be stealthy in atmosphere. They can also be stealthy in space but requires them to be coasting, non-reflective coatings, minimal heat profiles, and being in the right place, at the right time, and on the right heading).

Beyond that, I don't think we really mentioned any. Although a redesign of the Seydiltz to include the extended range lenses, and a few internal missile bays, was thrown around as an idea. (not mine)

Yeah, I was talking with Psycko about that. The conversation went like this:

I responded as such:

I'm thinking that he Kestrel will be a GDI only fighter with maybe a number of downgraded ones being sold to the Outworlds Alliance in return for them supply certain parts and weapons. It would come out after the BearCat and be a culmination of the lessons learned from the BearCat which according to Psycko should be getting produced relatively soon.

Remind me again why we EVER want to use Thunderbolts? Beyond being able to fire multiple salvos of them one after the other, instead of one massive salvo? Same thing with LRMs, as they can also be fitted onto EvilAuthor's (near) universal missile racks.

Don't know, I wasn't present for that conversation I think. What are the Pros and Cons of each option?

The Bearcat stats were written before you developed the missiles-as-cargo attachment I believe, during the phase that everything had to be BT-rules compliant until consequences built his BT-rules compliant M1 Abrams and we all had a good laugh.

I still like the Bearcat, except for the Thunderbolt thing.

Also, very shortly GDI will enact a limited declassification (to approved contractors- ie: major aerospace companies as discussed prior to this thread) of recent acquisitions to aid in the production of home-produced ASF quality craft.

12x Swift ASF
6x Gotha (GTHA-500b) ASF
6x Rapier (RPR-100b) ASF


EDIT: Access will also be made to the engineers who built the SR-71 experimental stealth HPG equipped ASF, although such access will remain strictly confidential (standard non-disclosure agreements, that sort of thing). The earliest requests for such access will probably be accepted around, oh, March, after they've had time to settle and get acquainted with all the shit that's gone down since they were frozen.

Where are you getting those numbers from? Are they spoils from Antallos or are they from Columbus?

I just want to know as I already described much of the ASF spoils taken on Antallos in the segment I posted earlier for review.

They're from Columbus. I edited my above post with some additional information- the SR-71 was an experimental ASF that Psycko statted up. We have both the remains of the prototype model, as well as the first production model, which is intact.

Tyrchon, there was another design that I found that you liked as well on the bottom of page 53 in the art thread. It kind of got buried a bit before it could be discussed all that much but if you want to use it still it might make a good clan-era ASF or something.

It was also posted way early on in the art thread but didn't really get noticed, not sure who it was that found it then.

Ok.

I would make the minor suggestion though that the SR-71 designation be changed as to avoid confusion with the real life SR-71 Black Bird and the proposed SR-91 Project that was canceled. We know that the SR-71 Black Bird would have been in use in the BT timeline and I would expect that eh SR-91 Project would have probably gotten more attention in BT later on. If you haven't made any real mention of it in a story segment yet it would be okay to make such a minor change and not worry about the flow of the story.

Given time progression might I suggest SR-141?

I don't know, it is Psycko's baby. I would suspect that they are being imported from the Outworlds Alliance maybe. That or they are copies of the ones recovered from the invasion and from Antallos, but that wouldn't account for the projected number of craft or for how quickly they are to go into production and service.

Thanks for the reminder about the Fireblade Mk. II there Dreamyr. Looking at it more I'm thinking that it might be a good Second Generation Design as it gets away from the design aesthetics that CEarth engineers are used to applying.

As I said, it is Psycko's baby. He designed the BearCat and he is the one who got it approved awhile ago in the review thread. Address such questions to him.

------------------------------

As for the F-45 Kestrel, which I am thinking that the Joint Venture group will be making, seeing as how both Keiran Halcyon and I like it an we're writing those segments at the moment, here is what i've got so far.

My concept for the F-45 Kestrel doesn't have the first prototype rolling out until 3024 and it not entering into full scale production until 3025/3026. I'm thinking by that time that relations with the Outworlds Alliance will have been established and CEarth will have enough infrastructure and ability to start producing a number of the components in large quantities by itself. The OA will help supply things like the lasers and maybe allow the CSN to refurbish and retool an old factory to produce fusion engines in return for a few of the new F-45 Kestrels. The export version to the Alliance will lack the VAC/10 and the advanced sensors, targeting systems, and the 'stealth' technology. Later on when the OA gets fully incorporated into the CSN they'll reequip many of the squadrons they are rebuilding with the GDi version of the Kestrel.

The Helm Op's cover tracked straight through the OWA, starting at Rudolpho and making a beeline towards Alpheratz.


EDIT: I never made exact numbers, but GDI can be assumed to have recently received a message from Comstar, by way of the Helm expedition, detailing trade agreements and other arrangements with the Outworlds Alliance. We currently own several large plots of land, and least two factories (pick something ), and have several arrangements to import teachers and doctors to the OWA in exchange for further materiel. The OWA doesn't need more ASFs- it needs people to help it survive, and the helm mission's cover promised that, by writ of the CSN diplomat dood on board.

Still, we should get a segment with greater detail going regarding the building of ties and initial diplomatic contact between the CSN and the government on Alpheratz.

Also, wasn't there a post or something regarding a pirate raid on Alpheratz in the story? I remember seeing something and not being too sure what exactly it was or how it fit in.

Yes, the Helm expedition got themselves hired under a limited merc contract to provide support to the local militia and military during a major pirate attack. Basically, every pirate from the general area who wasn't at Antallos when we hit it was at Alpheratz... getting the shit kicked out of them by our Helm team and the local forces.

EDIT: I only actually wrote like five hundred words on it- if anyone wants to fluff out that out, they can feel free and we can back-edit into the story thread, or just add it to the general apocrypha of the story.

Really? All I recall being written was

a) The Farm Equipment Salesmen was supposed to be a cover for the Helm Expedition

b) They just happened to be present during a pirate raid.

Nothing was ever mentioned about official relations with the OWA. Hell, they were sent out BEFORE Port Krin and was trying to disguise the fact that they were from "Motherload".

Yeah I was under that impression as well. Either way though we still need to start up the diplomatic relations between the CSN and the Outworlds Alliance soon. if we don't a few projects like the ASFs will bet stalled out.

We never actually said where we were from. Just that we were traders from a periphery state that wishes to remain anonymous- oh, and we did namedrop the GDI a couple of times. But nobody actually knew what the GDI was until Antallos hit. Generally we negotiated trade contracts and stuff, but it wasn't 'we're from Earth/the mother load'- up until Antallos hit the airwaves, they probably thought we were from one of their own worlds, from back during the heyday of the Star League, before the Decline.


So official relations, not so much. But we've definitely had contact with them, and by now they know that the folks who came through making deals and trading damn fine quality farming equipment were from the Motherlode, and doing so under the banner of the CSN (which actually wasn't even formed when they left initially, lol)

Needs to get written. If not by you, then by someone.

I'll talk with Mage and Egaroad- they seem to be the most familiar with the OWA.

EDIT: And that's starting official relations, I'm assuming, not the brief helm expy contact. I can do official relations- I had pretty well laid out plans for them, and Egaroad is very familiar with OWA, as is Mage, the latter being the one who started that whole thing out. Maybe get Psycko on board and then load up some people into a dropshop, and send off the Vitoria (and Captain Sanford!) off to go make nice with the OWA.

I'm pretty familiar with the Outworlds Alliance so I'll help where I can if you want. I can tie a few story sections into some of the things I'm planning on submitting in the future in regards to the ASFs and partially with a Buron Cav tie-in that I'm planning on running past Magni later on. However, I'd prefer leaving the 'meat' of the whole diplomacy thing up to others since I've already committed myself to working on a number of other things at the moment.