Operation Icefang
| Operation Icefang | |||||||||
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| Part of Nightmare Mode | |||||||||
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| Factions Involved | |||||||||
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ShadowHaven Flyboy Marionette Kani Night Claws Chop Shop Eagle Eye | Ares Fighters and Bombers + 1 'Icefang?' | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| All scrambled fighters and bombers | |||||||||
Summary
Kani hires some runner compatriots to, quote, Go fly jets.
Understandably, many take her up on this offer.
Meeting is had, jets are flown, infrastructure + aircraft are destroyed, and remarkably, everyone makes it home in one piece.
Background
Working previously with the UCAS navy, Kani learned of several clandestine operations being undertaken by Ares, one of which being Project Icefang, which involves "the transport of enormous creatures with fangs and claws". With magical bug shenanigans afoot, something must be done.
The Meet
After convening with Kani at the designated less-than-legal airfield, the runners are flown by VTOL (Landing without clearance, much to the chagrin of the airfield) to a UCAS Navy carrier group off the coast of seattle. There, they meet with Lt.Cmdr Yennefer Kerrigan and are filled in on the rest of the relatively sparse mission parameters. The objectives are thusly:
- Take the provided black flagged F-24s and follow a specific route towards an Ares military installation to avoid detection en route.
- Surveil the target site as much as possible.
- Cause havoc if the oppurtunity presents.
- Neutralise any threats to the carrier group or inform them if not possible.
Payment is agreed upon and the runners are loosed upon their newly loaned toys to familiarize themselves with.
The Plan
The runners divide themselves into 3 teams of 2, a Pilot/WSO duo per borrowed jet. The teams consist of: Flyboy/Marionette, Eagle Eye/Night Claws & Kani/Chop Shop.
After they feel comfortable setting off in the machines, the plan seemingly consists of Do The Thing, with additional impetus placed upon causing havoc. This will surely have no repercussions.
Thankfully, great pains are taken to ensure all safety measures are in place and functional with their equipment, in the event the worst happens and an aircraft is downed.
The Run
After a routine takeoff and a quick jaunt (with some moderately successful stunting) over Hokkaido, the ragtag formation refuels at a Zeppelin and heads north of Vladivostok to the target site, skirting a Russian air patrol seemingly undetected. Across the water an unidentified object is spotted in the water, presumably a naval vessel, but disappears shortly after visual acquisition.
Upon reaching the Ares base, one team hangs back and high to capture footage while the other two teams dive in for a supersonic pass, raining 20mm autocannon fire and dumbfired missiles upon the infrastructure. Laser AA batteries return fire with hair raising accuracy, but are deftly avoided.
As the formation continues to swiftly beat the base into submission, a wing of Russian SU157s hurtles in to intercept, scattering the formation; a dogfight ensues. As the inferior pilots are picked off out of range of the AA, an icefang beast tears a hole through one of the runners jets and 'literally starts jumping up and eating jets'. Thankfully the runner teams are able to dance out of reach and pull back.
As the teams begin their retreat, two wings of planes that have been scrambling from the base take to the air, one of Tarantula bombers headed for the carrier group, the other being a pair of F/A-37 Talons on an intercept path. A tense dogfight later, with only some shredded ailerons to show for it, the runners emerage victorious and make to down the bombers.
The bombers are downed, but not before one manages to launch a cruise missile en route to their benefactors.
EE punches the afterburner and manages to force the jet to gain on the missile, lancing it with AC fire. Mission Success.
Aftermath
The jets are returned in ... almost airworthy condition and payment is received.
Consequences of the gathered intel is as-of-yet unknown.
Rewards
- ¥10,000
- 10 Karma
- Option to buy Lt.Cmdr Yennefer Kerrigan as a contact.
Player After Action Reports (AARs)
Kani: This was probably the most fun I've ever had on mission, and the YF-24 was the perfect dance partner. We took some time en route to the target to familiarize ourselves with the capabilities of our new aircraft, and shook 'em down pretty well. Refueling went off without a hitch, and the jaunt below radar to the target site went pretty easily as well. The actual strike... Well, lets just say we got a little bit too familiar with the capabilities of Project Icefang's subjects. The creatures are able to cast Ice Spear, and have a higher than natural essence, as well as a capability of jumping far higher than should be possible. The Talon fighters remain impressive, but I was prepared this time, and managed to blow one out of the sky, as well as two of the Tarantula bombers that were assaulting the carrier group. All in all, a successful mission, even if we failed to return two of the planes in the same shape they were when we were issued them. Here's hoping Kerrigan puts me in another few missions like this.
Flyboy: This was fragging awesome! Eagle-Eye was good fun to watch, and I'll definitely have to see about learning some of his tricks before I go near one of these again. Marionette made for a wonderful WSO, and I'm glad he was able to get the photos we needed when we did, that monstrosity would've made a second pass impossible. It almost killed us on the first fly-over alone! Glad I got to fire some of the ordnance that the Navy let us have, would've been boring if we hadn't, even if we didn't quite get involved in the dogfight proper. I hope the navy isn't too mad at me for bringing their plane back in less than ideal conditions, 'cos I'd love to do work for them again.