Prev: Age of Iridium Summary - Final Commentary - 6/6 Next: Age of Iridium Summary - Tsarist Mission Briefing - 4/6

Age of Iridium Summary - Nipponese Mission Briefing - 3/6

From: Allan Goodall <agoodall@s...>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 21:17:34 -0500
Subject: Age of Iridium Summary - Nipponese Mission Briefing - 3/6

This is the mission briefing given to the Nipponese players.

AGE OF IRIDIUM - Nipponese Shogunate Mission Briefing
copyright 1996 by Allan Goodall

Last Engagement

To the surprise of several Nipponese gunnery teams, a number of "hits"
bounced off the Tsarist capital ships during their last encounter. A
raiding
party discovered the source of the problem after a Tsarist battleship
blundered into close range with the Nipponese fleet and was destroyed. A
bulky screen device (Level 1) was discovered that made long range
gunnery
against the Tsarists more difficult. The size of the device seems to
have
prevented it from being mounted on cruisers or destroyers.

Technological Advancements

Nipponese scientists have, as yet, been unable to reverse engineer the
captured portion of the screen device. However, enough was learned from
it
that a new weapon was devised to counter the screens. All but half of
the
destroyers have been equiped with pulse torpedoes, a weapon designed to
ignore the Tsarist screen devices.

A more recent development is the suite of enhanced sensors that became
available shortly before the attack on New Vladivostok. Only the
Shikishima
class battleships have been fitted with these, but it is expected that
the
new sensors will be retrofitted to all ships at a later date.

Intelligence Briefing

The Nipponese capital ships were faster than the Tsarist capital ships
during their first engagement. It is unknown whether or not the Tsarists
have improved the speed of their capital ships, though Shogunate
Intelligence has found evidence that the Tsarist ships have undergone
some
improvements over the last 12 years. The Tsarists were at their most
vulnerable at close range, as the bulky screen device was somewhat
negated
by the greater firepower of the Nipponese ships. Close range fire with
the
new pulse torpedoes should favour the Nipponese. It is unknown whether
or
not the Tsarists have improved their screen technology.

Tactical Briefing

The Tsarist ships, with their screen systems and slower capital ship
speed,
usually prefer a "stand off" engagement where they hang back and pick
off
advancing opponents. However, in this case the Tsarists are on the
offensive. If they hang back, they run the risk of being pinned down
beside
the star and the jump point. The Nipponese mines are expected to give
the
Tsarists trouble if they attempt to break through the Nipponese battle
line.
A close range battle would probably favour the Nipponese. The battle is
expected to be viscious.

GAME INFORMATION

Set-Up

The Nipponese ships are allowed to set up as per the scenario rules.
Nipponese ships are allowed to have any heading. Any ships set up within
the
140 damage band (see the scenario rules) are allowed to have a speed up
to
twice their thrust factor. Any ships set up within the 160 damage band
are
allowed to have a speed less than or equap to its thrust factor. Any
ships
set up in the safe zone beyond the 160 x co-ordinate line must have a
speed
of 0 (they are at station keeping).

Mines have no speed or heading and can be set up anywhere on the board
within the constraints of the scenario rules.

Ship Designs and Assignments

The following is a list of the ships used in the scenario and the
players
that control them.

Class Name:	Nippon - Fuji Class Battleship
Point Cost:	424
Ship Class:	Capital (Military)
Mass:		48/24
Thrust: 	4
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	2 A Beam batteries with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	2 A Beam batteries with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 1 firing arc (Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 1 firing arc (Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	2 Pulse Torpedo Tubes
	
Fire Control:	3 Fire Control Systems
	
Defensive Systems	
	3 Damage Control Parties
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	6 / 6 / 6 / 6

Class Name:	Nippon - Shikishima Class Battleship
Point Cost:	449
Ship Class:	Capital (Military)
Mass:		48/24
Thrust: 	4
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	2 A Beam batteries with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	2 A Beam batteries with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
	
Fire Control:	3 Fire Control Systems
	
Defensive Systems	
	3 Damage Control Parties
	
Other Systems	
	2 Enhanced Sensors
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	6 / 6 / 6 / 6

Class Name:	Nippon - Yoshino Class Cruiser
Point Cost:	219
Ship Class:	Cruiser (Military)
Mass:		32/16
Thrust: 	4
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
	
Fire Control:	2 Fire Control Systems
	
Defensive Systems	
	2 Damage Control Parties
	
Other Systems	
	1 Minelayer
	3 Mines
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	5 / 5 / 6

Class Name:	Nippon - Idzumi Class Cruiser
Point Cost:	179
Ship Class:	Cruiser (Military)
Mass:		26/13
Thrust: 	4
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
	
Fire Control:	2 Fire Control Systems
	
Defensive Systems	
	2 Damage Control Parties
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	4 / 4 / 5

Class Name:	Nippon - Akashi Class Cruiser
Point Cost:	173
Ship Class:	Cruiser (Military)
Mass:		22/11
Thrust: 	5	
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	1 B Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
	
Fire Control:	2 Fire Control Systems
	
Defensive Systems	
	2 Damage Control Parties
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	3 / 4 / 4

Class Name:	Nippon - Murakumo Class Destroyer
Point Cost:	95
Ship Class:	Escort (Military)
Mass:		14/7
Thrust: 	6
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	1 C Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	
Other Weapons:	1 Pulse Torpedo Tube
	
Fire Control:	1 Fire Control System
	
Defensive Systems	
	1 Damage Control Party
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	3 / 4

Class Name:	Nippon - Ikazuchi Class Destroyer
Point Cost:	101
Ship Class:	Escort (Military)
Mass:		14/7
Thrust: 	6
		FTL Drive Equipped
	
Weapons 
Beams:	2 C Beam batteries with 3 firing arcs (Forward, Port, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Forward, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Port)
	1 C Beam battery with 2 firing arcs (Rear, Starboard)
	1 C Beam battery with 3 firing arcs (Rear, Port, Starboard)
	
Fire Control:	1 Fire Control System
	
Defensive Systems	
	1 Damage Control Party
	
Damage Points per Threshold Level	
	3 / 4

Ship Assignments:

Mike Elliott:	Fuji (Fuji Class Battleship)
		Mikasa (Fuji Class Battleship)
		Asahi (Shikishima Class Battleship)

Rick Rutherford: Asama (Fuji Class Battleship)
		Shikishima (Shikishima Class Battleship)

Steve Ansell:	Yoshino (Yoshino Class Cruiser)
		Takachiho (Yoshino Class Cruiser)
		Suma (Idzumi Class Cruiser)
		Akashi (Akashi Class Cruiser)

Tom Granvold:	Naniwa (Yoshino Class Cruiser)
		Chiyoda (Yoshino Class Cruiser)
		Idzumi (Idzumi Class Cruiser)
		Kasagi (Akashi Class Cruiser)

Jerry Han:	Murakumo ("Gathering Clouds" or "Cluster of Clouds")
		Fubuki ("Snowstorm")
		Isonami ("Shore Wave")
		Shinonome ("Morning Twilight" or "Daybreak Clouds")
		Usugumo ("Thin Misty Clouds")
		Shikinami ("Rolling Waves")
		Sazanami ("Curling Waves (Ripples)", or "Pretty, Small
Waves
Raised by a
			   Zephyr") 
		Shirakumo ("White Clouds")
		(all 8 are Murakumo Class Destroyers)

Chris Smith:	Ikazuchi ("Thunder")
		Inazuma ("Lightning (Thunderbolt)")
		Akatsuki ("Dawn")
		Hibiki ("Echo")
		Sagiri ("Mist")
		Ushio ("Tide")
		Ariake ("Dawn, But Still the Moon Remains in the Sky", 
			"Dawn Twilight")
		Yugure ("Evening", "Evening Dusk")
		(all 8 are Ikazuchi Class Destroyers)

		100 mines (laid by the Fleet Admiral; see the PBEM
rules)

Allan Goodall:	agoodall@sympatico.ca 
"You'll want to hear about my new obsession.
 I'm riding high upon a deep depression. 
 I'm only happy when it rains."    - Garbage

Prev: Age of Iridium Summary - Final Commentary - 6/6 Next: Age of Iridium Summary - Tsarist Mission Briefing - 4/6