ABS FIESTA REDUX

[ZombiLoin]

Gaffe clicks on the comms. He lets the static run for a bit before messaging Bell.

"Commander, do you think we made the right decision?"

[Ad Bot]

[Badger]

: I'll engage the blackjacks once I enter a suitable range.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"Weapons free. Blackeye, Virvel, let's take the fighters. We could accelerate and try to get them to chase us and come off of the bombers,"

[Operator¹]

: Who knows? You could say that we made the wrong decision by becoming fighter pilots.

Bell adjusts her aim a little.

: Besides that, let's get in formation so we can split countermeasures, I have a feeling we're going to need it.


Ellie locks onto Vespid-3 and waits to get into missile range.

[Gojira]

"Copy."
Markus locks on to the lead Blackjack, depresses the trigger, and fires a HARM and two RGMs.

[NoZoner]

Ash "Crash, Blackeye, roger. Master arm on," Ash flicks the all-important switch on the front console before working the multi-function display, "Radar on. I'm engaging the first Terminator on the left." The reference circle shows up on the Tukreb's HUD, with a square target designator marking the position of the bandit. Ash takes a deep breath. This marks the first time he'll open fire on his own countrymen with every intent to kill. "No turning back." He gulps and mashes the munitions release button. "Long Fox-1 ripple!" The weapons bay doors swing open to make way for two semi-active radar missiles. The rocket motors light with a whoosh, followed by the cackle of two sonic booms.

Lorens "Yes ma'am. Three, changing formation." Lorens flies closer to Bell's Su-57, placing the Shiva where he might best leverage his superior's countermeasures to defeat missiles. He suspects the drones may have prioritized his aircraft, being the target with the biggest radar cross-section. In the meantime, Lorens slaves the Shiva's BVR scanner to Vespid-2, cools his heatseekers, de-clutters his HUD to give the lead-computing optical sight more room for movement, and takes aim. The missile feedback tone rises from silence and turns into a pulsating growl as the Stirling cryocoolers drain the seeker elements of all heat.

[Tayasaurus]

Tippy creeps along staying in cover waiting.

[Qwepir]

Gaffe clicks on the comms. He lets the static run for a bit before messaging Bell.

"Commander, do you think we made the right decision?"

"Who knows? You could say that we made the wrong decision by becoming fighter pilots. "
Bell adjusts her aim a little.
"Besides that, let's get in formation so we can split countermeasures, I have a feeling we're going to need it."

Ellie locks onto Vespid-3 and waits to get into missile range.

"Yes ma'am. Three, changing formation."

Lorens flies closer to Bell's Su-57, placing the Shiva where he might best leverage his superior's countermeasures to defeat missiles. He suspects the drones may have prioritized his aircraft, being the target with the biggest radar cross-section.

In the meantime, Lorens slaves the Shiva's BVR scanner to Vespid-2, cools his heatseekers, de-clutters his HUD to give the lead-computing optical sight more room for movement, and takes aim. The missile feedback tone rises from silence and turns into a pulsating growl as the Stirling cryocoolers drain the seeker elements of all heat.

A small wing of stealth drones reveals itself a few thousand feet ahead of the Vespids.

"Copy."
Markus locks on to the lead Blackjack, depresses the trigger, and fires a HARM and two RGMs.

"Crash, Blackeye, roger. Master arm on," Ash flicks the all-important switch on the front console before working the multi-function display, "Radar on. I'm engaging the first Terminator on the left."

The reference circle shows up on the Tukreb's HUD, with a square target designator marking the position of the bandit. Ash takes a deep breath. This marks the first time he'll open fire on his own countrymen with every intent to kill. "No turning back." He gulps and mashes the munitions release button.

"Long Fox-1 ripple!"

The weapons bay doors swing open to make way for two semi-active radar missiles. The rocket motors light with a whoosh, followed by the cackle of two sonic booms.[/td][/tr][/table]

: What the- missiles! Incoming from 2 o'clock!
: They've got me spiked too.
: Bombers, divert course and head northeast while we go check this out.

The escort squadron hits the turbochargers and closes into missile range, with the exception of the one waiting for a better opportunity to evade the missiles.

[Operator¹]

Bell switches her aim to the Umbral.

: Heads up, there's more of them.


Ellie locks onto Nox-2.

[Gojira]

Markus keeps the Blackjack in his sights until impact.

[NoZoner]

Ash Ash's RWR squeals as the Tukreb is pinged by the trio of Su-57s. "Three nails, twelve o'clock. Flatlines. Still committed on the Superflanker," He turns on his HMD and prepares his heaters, all while gritting his teeth and keeping the reference circle over the bandit.

Lorens "I see the drones on my scanner, I'm going after the first Nox." Lorens breaks radar lock and reacquires Nox-1 for a gun solution, waiting for the distancing arc to meet the in-range cue.

[Tayasaurus]

Tippy's grip tightens around the controls, waiting for gun range.

[Qwepir]

Bell switches her aim to the Umbral.
"Heads up, there's more of them."
Ellie locks onto Nox-2.

"I see the drones on my scanner, I'm going after the first Nox." Lorens breaks radar lock and reacquires Nox-1 for a gun solution, waiting for the distancing arc to meet the in-range cue.

Umbral-1 fires a Vortex Missile at Shortsword, and the two Nox classes launch all-aspects at Skytracer and Snowman.

All drones are now in missile range.

Markus keeps the Blackjack in his sights until impact.

The bomber is struck by the heavy missile and half of the plane disintegrates in a fiery explosion. The wings and tattered fuselage are splashed to the wind and flutter down to earth trailing oily black smoke.

Ash's RWR squeals as the Tukreb is pinged by the trio of Su-57s. "Three nails, twelve o'clock. Flatlines. Still committed on the Superflanker," He turns on his HMD and prepares his heaters, all while gritting his teeth and keeping the reference circle over the bandit.

Terminator base EV 81
Experience provides bonus of 8
RGM 1 provides penalty of 45
RGM 2 provides penalty of 45
Chaff provides bonus of 40
Test taken at 39
Roll: 49 - failure by 1 degree
Reroll: 50 - failure by 2 degrees
You see a dim flash in the distance as your missiles connect.
: I'm hit! Bailing out!

Virvel surveys the available targets before zeroing in on one of the Gymir planes.
: Hey Ashes, I bet you a pack of smokes you can't nail one of those bombers from here.

The rest of the escort squadron continues to charge towards you.
: Think we found our defectors, boys. Engage at will, but that Corsair's mine.
: Roger that.

Gymir lead lines up and fires on Scorch with an RGM and two all-aspects. Gymir 2 takes aim and fires on Crash with a particle cannon.
PPC accuracy 60
Experience provides bonus of 8
Aim provides bonus of 10
Test taken at 78
Roll: 51 - success
The bolt strikes Crash's plane with unprecedented strength, and he feels his teeth buzzing as the electricity arcs through the plane despite the ablative armor functioning properly.

Tippy and Blackeye receive missile warnings.
2 turns to gun range against Gymir squadron.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"Mu- mother-- forget- er," Jaakko forces out of his chattering teeth.

Jaakko retaliates on his attacker with two HSM's. He maneuvers erratically to throw off anyone aiming on him.

[Badger]

: "Sure. targeting Blackjack-2."

Walter pulls the Skepna towards the bomber and lines up his shot, dropping a preemptive flare and chaff to void off unwanted missile locks.