Re: [OFFICIAL] Some FT background stuff (guidelines for writers)

> I am particularly interested in the insertion of Specop forces in the
GZG
> uuniverse (hmmm my next piece of fiction is already formulating....)
Given
> the political environment of the GZG universe, the whole place is ripe
for
> things like starting insurrections, foreign Internal defense and other
> Strat recon and direct action missions.

For sure, and covert ops like assassinations, black bag operations, 
psych warfare ops, leading the way for conventional forces 
(establishing LZs and DZs), designation of targets for Ortillery, 
emplacement of demolitions charges, etc. 

Several options probably exist:

Covert Drop Pods (stealth coated to pass through radar) dropped at 
night from a stealthed ship. 

HOLD insertions (High Orbit Low Deployment) using a stealthed ship 
and some form of stealthed parafoils and  jumping from WAY up

Insertion as if you were real local traffic ("Go ahead, shuttle 
Tydirium, you are cleared to land on the moon Endor.")

Insertion on garbage scows, barges, bulk merchants, etc. while the 
crew (or robotic pilot) is unaware of the SF presence

Just land a stealthed scoutship or the like, which is good because it 
gives you an exfil route 

SF are going to have to insert from stealthed or cloaked ships. If 
such do not exist, only on outer colonies with poor sensor nets will 
you be able to run a ship up to the 'coast' (orbit) and drop off your 
teams. On any decent planet, an uncloaked ship even of small size 
that approaches would be detected, possibly intercepted, and at the 
very least watched. If it then inserted a covert ops team, their odds 
of survival drop dramatically....

Of course, one can argue if stealth exists, why wouldn't all ships 
use it. The answer is : Stealth exists today, and we only have a few 
B2s, and a few F117s because it costs so much, and requires a vast 
technological support (even the slightest break in the fuselage ruins 
the radar avoidance features). It's just too expensive for main line 
ships. Although it sounds like something that could be put on an FT 
ship for some exhorbant cost multiplier. (Ideas, FT guys?) Maybe 
additional requirements like the ship must have its batteries 
deactivated, can't use thrust, can't use comms, etc. when stealth is 
on would serve to keep this from being anything other than an 
interesting scenario peice. 

Tom. 

/************************************************
Thomas Barclay
Software Specialist
Police Communications Systems
Software Kinetics Ltd.
66 Iber Road, Stittsville
Ontario, Canada, K2S 1E7
Reception: (613) 831-0888
PBX: (613) 831-2018
My Extension: 2034
Fax: (613) 831-8255
Our Web Page: http://www.sofkin.ca
**************************************************/