Crimson Skies: Air Pirates Wanted! (Interest Check)

Started by Sel Nar, February 18, 2011, 12:29:55 AM

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Sel Nar

http://www.nobleknight.com/imagepage.asp?image=RAL20-120.jpg&name=De%20Haviland%20Hornet

The Hornet, for lack of a better descriptor, has next to no armour, only 2 guns, a Giant Engine, and is even smaller than the Bell Valiant Mk II. So it's damn hard to hit, shifty as hell, and happens to be both cramped and has.... unique flight characteristics.

(Poor Stall Speed, Cramped Cockpit, Poor Landing Gear, and has, at most, 2 Rocket hardpoints. And yes, Tissue paper for armour; the Nose Plating on the Hughes Devastator [approx. 50mm worth] is equal to all the plating on both wings and the nose of the Hornet [15, 15 and 20mm respectively)

pendarious

so Haibane doesn't want to command the crew....just the ship? so does that mean she's in need of a logistics officer?
Psycho Mantis: You must spend every day pretending to act like you're falsely letting on that you aren't not unbetraying someone you don't not purport to allegedly not work for but really do! How do you keep all this shit straight without having an aneurysm?
Revolver Ocelot: *shrug* Practice.
—The Last Days Of FOXHOUND


Sel Nar

#52
Considering that a decent-sized Zepplin in the Crimson Skies Universe is, on average, two to four times the size of the Hindenburg was in real life? Assume a minimum crew of 20, plus gunners if the Zepp has MG emplacements on the engine pods, and at the bow and stern.

Edit: Here's a good image of the Pandora, arguably the most famous Zepplin from the series (If you've played the PC and Xbox games, at least)



The picture is old; by 1937 the zepplin had 4 more engine pods, each armed with Twinned .50 calibre MG turrets, and there were heavy Quad rocket launchers emplaced on the bow and stern. There's also at least four turrets holding twin .70 calibre cannon around the pilot's cabin at the underside of the bow.

Needless to say, It's Big, fast, and mean. Bulk cargo zepps are even bigger, but usually slower and less-armed.

pendarious

so by all measure yes you'd need a logistics officer.......maybe two.
Psycho Mantis: You must spend every day pretending to act like you're falsely letting on that you aren't not unbetraying someone you don't not purport to allegedly not work for but really do! How do you keep all this shit straight without having an aneurysm?
Revolver Ocelot: *shrug* Practice.
—The Last Days Of FOXHOUND


Major Major

And I'm willing to have a go at writing an Air Action Weekly report or two for the game.

Sel Nar

Mmm, entertaining Fluff. If you're up to it, go for it.

Sel Nar

#56
Thread is up.

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=98959.0

I'm keeping this thread open until everyone that's interested posts their charactersheets. Get cracking, yes? Sooner you're done the hard part, the sooner you can play about in the world. ;)

Haibane

#57
As far as commanding goes, Hedy is Captain and owner of the Blue Ridge. She says where it goes and makes strategic and tactical decisions. She will need things like an executive officer to run the ships administration and people like a navigation officer and a master gunner and engineer as well as a few others - probably a doctor, could even be a role such as master of marines (air-marines? Paratroops?) with a small NPC landing party. I'm thinking in terms of a naval warship style crew set up (only much smaller), or if you want to think in other terms, the crew arrangements on a Star Trek vessel. Sel Nar will have a better grasp of what it's like as I'm only going by hazy memories of the PC game.

As to whether the game story will need such posts to be filled only Sel Nar can say. I would think, going by the description you give of the Pandora, with all those gun mounts and such plus mechanics in the plane hangers, that an airship crew could be as many as 100 people.

What Hedy is not is in command of the plane squadron of air-pirates and mercenaries she is now hiring. I'd hope someone would rise up and command that unit or there could be a couple of senior pilots so that there is a need to make strategic and mission decisions by way of discussion in-character, for example Hedy might need to fly to X to get her engines overhauled and a new gyrocompass fitted but the pilot leader has to go via Z to settle an old score with an adversary so stuff will be compromises.

Think of Hedy as the captain of a WW2 aircraft carrier while our senior pilot will be the equivalent of the air group commander (though he'll fly too). Does that help?

EDIT: Sel, is that the IC thread you've put up? Also, hate to sound a bit like a GN, but 'Zeppelin' has two 'e's *chuckle*

Major Major

#58
Just saying here and now, I'm not sure that Al would make a good leader, given he's more than a little nuts.

And for that matter, how many bars are there in Sky Haven?

EDIT: Actually, thinking about it... Hey Haibane, got any objects towards having Alec already on your payroll?

Haibane

 No reason why he wouldn't be, surely not all Hedy's previous pilots would have been killed/injured/forced to quit.

This does bring up some story critical elements though, one of which is that being in place he might be expected to be the leader simply because he knows the ship and the captain's methods. Secondly it would require us to build an existing relationship between him and Hedy, I'm not suggesting what this would be, just that the work is then needed to create it. Third, it would also require him to know the ship intimately and that would require me to design it and I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet unless Sel Nar is willing to give us a design including a layout plan.

Having a character with his 'foot in the door' on the crew already also confers some advantages I think plot-wise.

I'm thinking it may work better for story reasons if all the pilots are new though if Sel Nar wants him there for a good storyline reason I'll be okay with it.

ReijiTabibito

*poke*  I was talking over my character concept with Sel, and if you want, I can give you some of the details over PM to see if you'd like him to be your leader...or at least the fighter commander.

Haibane

I would say that's for Sel to decide, if he thinks your pilot is a good leader then he is the leader. I'm not sure it's up to me to OOCly pick and choose. Unless we do it all IC.

Sel Nar

And, having just dragged my sorry cadaver out of bed, Let me answer a few comments.

First off; No this is not the only bar in Skyhaven, it's just the one that's Literally about twenty feet from the Zeppelin hangars; Location, location, Location and all that rot. 90% of the time it's packed with Zepp crews on leave, so the owner of the bar is probably the only legitimate businessman in the entire city.

The Blue Ridge, as a retrofit cargo hauler turned light carrier, has a crew of around 45 people, not including aircrew. Most ships of its type have only eight engines, and, once the cargo boxes on the underside have been stripped, It'll be lighter and faster, with a rather sizeable internal bay used for plane storage and booty.

As for who gets to be flight leader, that's an in-character decision; If someone's ballsy enough, or insane enough to say 'Hey there, this is what we should do, and here's why' they're a bit more likely to get a promotion, even if it's a smack to the back of the head and being saddled with *shudder* responsibility.  ;)

Now, as for the internals of the Blue Ridge; well, about 85% of its volume is taken up by the internal gas cells that keep it afloat; In fact, Helium sales is probably the only legitimate export Free Colorado has. The Engine pods are all self-contained units with individual fuel supplies all drawn off of two central tanks; Like most freight haulers, it's unlikely to have more than eight or so light MGs as 'deterrence', so a major influence, on a defensive front, is upgrading the engines and guns from 'Slow and useless' to 'Not-slow and dangerous'

The Entire mid-section of the Zeppelin, like practically Every zepp made after 1934, has a Rolls-Royce Rotary Craft hangar; a large, rather wheel-like contraption that can carry a half-dozen planes in 'ready-to-launch' positions; when launching a plane, the 'spoke' extends out over a belly hatch and literally drops the plane nose-first out of the open hatch. (note: Do not try an emergency launch less than 1000 feet from the ground; It ends... poorly) Forward of the hangar is the main internal cargo bay, which can carry approximately the equivalent of Four rail shipping containers; Not as much as the external bays, and not nearly as easy to empty out, but it's well-protected, and is reinforced enough for people to use the empty bay as an excercise yard.

Just above the actual pilot's cab (the big metal pod right at the underside of the nose) is the crew quarters; usually split into four levels, depending on crew number; the quarters are generally small, approximately fifteen feet by ten wide, and most have portholes so off-duty crew can watch the scenery. The Pilot's cab itself is basically the bridge of the zepp, containing the controls, the main radio, and, defensively, at least four sets of guns. It also has, (in this case, at least) a private lounge so Miss Lamarr can at least 'talk shop' with any persons of interest without being spied on.

And yes; Haibane, that's the IC thread; feel free to jump right in whenever you like.

pendarious

well the character I have in mind is more the navigations officer type along with deskwork so to speak.
Psycho Mantis: You must spend every day pretending to act like you're falsely letting on that you aren't not unbetraying someone you don't not purport to allegedly not work for but really do! How do you keep all this shit straight without having an aneurysm?
Revolver Ocelot: *shrug* Practice.
—The Last Days Of FOXHOUND


Ramster

#64
Look what the Zeppelin dragged in, Haibane!

Hi guys, my geeky adoration of impractical flying machines and vague experience of the PC game means I simply have to join you. Mmmmmmm, air combat!

Because no combat flight sim is complete without a magnificent bastard of a German, here's my character:




Yes, you recognise him from somewhere.


Name: Graf Heinz von Oberammergau
Age: 47
Hair Colour: Dirty blond, greying
Eye Colour: Blue
Height: 6'0
Weight: 182 lbs
Birthplace: Bayreuth, West Prussia, Germany

Plane: A Sanderson FB14 Vampire he calls 'Bombensau', won in a high-stakes game of Circle of Death with a pirate. Heinz later shot the pilot with his Mauser automatic pistol for making infuriating rules throughout the game. It is painted in a black and white zebra stripe pattern of his own design and execution, which looks zany but in fact disrupts the outline of the large aircraft for superior camouflage. A bit like this:




Armament is 2 x .40 cannon, 2 x .60 cal cannon and 2 x .70 cannon, firing a variety of ammo types, and hardpoints on the wings for a heavy load of bombs and/or rockets.

Gunnery
   QuickDraw: 2
   Deadeye: 4
   Steady Hand: 3

Piloting
   Natural Touch: 4
   Sixth Sense: 3

Constitution: 3

(Points spent: 450)

Distinguishing features/ Noticeable quirks: He always dresses in riding boots with silver spurs, a nod to his Uhlan background of which he is extremely proud. They also come in handy in bar fights. So does his cavalry sabre, used by him on the Eastern Front in the Great  Wars, without which he will not fly. It has a specially designed clasp on the hilt designed to clip it in place in the scabbard, and stop it falling out if he has to bail out. He'd rather lose his plane than the sword. He wears the Iron Cross First Class over his heart on his flying jacket.

Heinz speaks educated English in clipped a clipped German accent. He is obsessively polite, having had to call his dad 'Graf' rather than 'Pappi' from birth.

History they're willing to tell others: Heinz doesn't mind boring people with his history, or his family's. He'll introduce himself as Graf von Oberammergau, and explain his family's exploits in every war since Napoleon, briefly touch upon his heroics on horseback in Poland back in 1915, then show off his medal and explain how he shot down six Frenchmen, bombed London twice in a Gotha G.V heavy bomber, and actually survived to get it.

After the war, he left the chaotic Weimar Republic with distaste, and enough family heirlooms to pay his way and accesorise. The fractured states of North America were truly a land of opportunity to him. Soon, he was air-dropping cases of whiskey above prohibitionist enemy territory from a rickety old Balmoral, and laying waste to anything that shot at him with broadsides of rockets. Shot down over the Republic of Texas, he taught some local pirates a drinking game he'd learned from an English pilot he'd taken prisoner in the Great War. Laughing drunkenly, he took of in one of their planes two hours later, and battled his way to Colorado Free State, where he repainted his new plane and made his services available for the right price.
Leave not a piss untaken, nor a Michael unappropriated.
A/As!!!
Knight of the Order of the Pizza



Nulla gratuitas sine anchoa

Haibane

Quote from: Ramster on February 24, 2011, 01:34:44 PM
Hair Colour: Blue
Eye Colour: Dirty blond
Unusual...  :-\

Also, my word, he's got a huge... pipe.

Major Major


ReijiTabibito

#67


Name: Maxwell 'Silver Hammer' Quinn
Age: 23
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 149 lbs
Birthplace: Nation of Hollywood

Plane: One very shot up Whittley & Douglas M210 Raven - the thing is a flying gas can with a pair of functional .50 cannon.

Gunnery
   Quickdraw 3
   Deadeye 5
   Steady Hand 4

Piloting
   Natural Touch 3
   Sixth Sense 4

Constitution 3

Distinguishing features/ Noticeable quirks: Maxwell has a small book that he carries around with him in his jacket pocket.  The contents of this book are yet unknown.

History they're willing to tell others:  At the moment, nothing.  The Silver Hammer is a mystery.

Outfit: Tends towards the casual - trousers with suspenders and dress shirts.  ((For those of you with knowledge of Torchwood, think Captain Jack))

Sel Nar

Note: Reiji's character has a single stat boost, but, in return, he literally has to rebuild his plane from scratch. (roughly to the tune of, in-game, around 8000$ worth of repairs and parts)

Haibane

Thanks for letting us know. I was looking at those numbers and trying to work out how he did that!

Sorry to be a pest but can we get some idea of the value of things in the game world please? I can see that a nasty beer costs a dollar and a complete plane overhaul 8000 but a few other items' values would be useful to know such as the usual hiring rates for a rookie and a more skilled pilot and the cost of various bits of hardware like engines, guns, gasbags and a top-up of helium, etc.

pendarious



Name:  Frederick Steele
Age: 29
Hair colour: Black
Eye Colour:  Hazel
Height: 5 foot 11 inches
Weight: Stocky
Birthplace: Lexington Appalachian Territory
Plane- Doesn’t Have one any more. Formerly owned Bell Valiant MK II
Gunnary:
Quick draw-2
Dead eye-3
Steady Hand-3

Piloting:
Natural Touch-4
Sixth Sense-4
Constitution-3

Distinguishable features/Noticeable  quirks: Has a tendancy to to constantly check his pocket watch, checks over any written work at least three times and uses a magnifying glass in search of fine print. Has a love of Card games.

History  that they are willing to share: His birth was in the appalachian territory but he was quick to leave off for millitia services in the Georgia Territory He was a quick witted fellow then and a bit cautious in his flying. He crashed during a training mission and developed a strange nervous disorder about it. He soon took up logistics and navigation and he fit right in on the zepplins. His millitary career came to an end when he grew tired of the strict regimine. Soon he became a navigator for hire.


Outfit: He wears a tattered millitary style outfit with a cap that seems to be in better condition than the rest. He carries a silver pocket watch and a deck of cards at all times.
Psycho Mantis: You must spend every day pretending to act like you're falsely letting on that you aren't not unbetraying someone you don't not purport to allegedly not work for but really do! How do you keep all this shit straight without having an aneurysm?
Revolver Ocelot: *shrug* Practice.
—The Last Days Of FOXHOUND


Sel Nar

#71
Quote from: Haibane on February 24, 2011, 04:11:46 PMI can see that a nasty beer costs a dollar and a complete plane overhaul 8000 but a few other items' values would be useful to know such as the usual hiring rates for a rookie and a more skilled pilot and the cost of various bits of hardware like engines, guns, gasbags and a top-up of helium, etc.

A Beer (even if it's shit) Costs $1.25

A Crappy revolver (6 shots, .32 calibre) is about 8$

Good Bourbon or imported Liquor can cost up to 50$ for a bottle

A Tommy gun (.45 calibre Submachinegun with 50-round drum magazines) costs around 80$

A Zepplin Engine replacement will cost around 1500$; they're big, bulky, weigh well over a ton, and labour will be around 500$ per engine. Additional engines, above and beyond what the Zeppelin's original design had cost 2500$ each due to the modifications to the frame.

A replacement bag is only 250$, and a full helium load, at least in Free Colorado, is 100$ per bag cluster (one cluster is, approximately, 1/5th the Zepp's internal lifting capacity). Helium is Far more expensive in other nations, with the ISA and Empire State costing 1500$ or more for a full load.

Replacement gun barrels are between 60$ and 140$ (20$ per .10 calibre increase); in general, about 1-2000 rounds will wear out a barrel; especially if needing to constant-fire; The bigger the barrel, the faster they wear out.

A Brand-new plane can cost anywhere between 6500$ to 14000$, depending on the type. A Devastator, for example, costs around 8500$, and is considered the 'benchmark' for pricing.

Edit: Average hiring fees are between 400$ and 1200$ a month; pricey, but you get what you pay for.


Ramster

Quote from: Haibane on February 24, 2011, 02:36:04 PM
Unusual...  :-\

Also, my word, he's got a huge... pipe.

No, there wasn't a hair dye incident!

And a big pipe like that, with a sort of cover if you look closely, prevents enemy snipers seeing the glow and/or smoke and taking your head off.
Leave not a piss untaken, nor a Michael unappropriated.
A/As!!!
Knight of the Order of the Pizza



Nulla gratuitas sine anchoa

Haibane