NATO vs Soviet Union: Part 16

[Beersatron]

If I was in the Russian Politburo I'd see about using some hit and run tactics on civilian shipping. Perhaps a FAC with a combat drop module to board isolated shipping. Perhaps even use a microwave weapon. Assuming Microwaves don't cause secondary explosions etc then they would make for good civilian disabling weapons. Use the scout to ID targets of opportunity sneak in  the combat dropship board ---> --->profit.

Odds are that the freighters would be too slow to outrun the Host's responding warships and would end up dead - along with your Marines. Plus, if you are forced to fire on the freighter before boarding action you run the risk of destroying an engine or two, further reducing the prizes speed.

Just had a thought, I presume that if you board a freighter and it is carrying automines then you get the automines. What happens with colonists? Do you then have to dump them somewhere and thereby are forced to govern, maintain and garrison a colony or can you vent them out into space

[MWadwell]

Well, if the USSR want to invade the Goavelha, it means much less spoils.

True. But at the moment the Goavelha are that much ahead of the Russians militarily, that an invasion isn't an option....

What is needed is something to either destroy their existing military (such as another Behemoth running around in their system), or something else happening to divert resources from their military buildup - hence my idea of going after the commercial shipping.

[Sheb]

Well, nothing is telling us that they are that far ahead anymore. They lost quite a lot of ships in the battle in Zukhov and against the Behemot.

If the Soviet could lure the second Behemot into Goavelha, I'm pretty sure they could defeat what'll be left of the fleet.

[voknaar]

I hope so I want russia to regain her glory! Then the game can go back to how it started off, a cold war of interstellar proportions between its arch nemisis NATO/Eridani. First for me, rooting for russia. Probably because of the losses they've suffered compared to Eridani.

[MWadwell]

Well, nothing is telling us that they are that far ahead anymore. They lost quite a lot of ships in the battle in Zukhov and against the Behemot.

True. However, after the first behemoth was destroyed, there were still 33 13,800 ton ships detected when the Novorossiysk did another probe, and the probe did not detect any other ships.

However, the Russians were then attacked by 8 13,800 ton ships plus a destroyer. This leads to two points:
1) That the Goavelha have at least another 25 13,800 ton ships left (plus the 16 bases in orbit);
2) That the probe by Novorossiysk was incomplete, as it didn't pick up the DD that was part of the force that attacked the Russians.

Now the point that the Novorossiysk didn't pick up the DD is the one I'd like to emphase, as it means that we don't know how many ships the Behemoth destroyed, and how many are left....
 

If the Soviet could lure the second Behemot into Goavelha, I'm pretty sure they could defeat what'll be left of the fleet.

While I'm normally the voice of conservatism, I'd have to agree with you here....

[Steve Walmsley (OP)]

I agree.  The Soviets keeps conquering people for the spoils and then losing almost as much as they gain.  They experienced this with the Chinese and then with their conquest in Kostinbrod.  At this point, their approach to this strategy might be sheer desperation.  The GoaVelha probably represent their last real chance to defeat someone and cash in on the spoils.  They either need to make it work or give up on the idea entirely.  I imagine that they have yet to decide which way to go as they do not yet have the armaments to effect either strategy.  As such, they would avoid damaging commercial shipping and infrastructure until such point as they are in a position to make a choice.  Simpy an example of hedging their bets.

Yes, this is the Soviet position at the moment. Once the new Project 1300s are available, which is a couple of years away, they will be returning to Goavelha and perhaps even Kostinbrod, where there are a lot of potential resources and knowledge in wrecks.

Steve

[Rastaman]

I wonder, is there any room for the Soviets to stop expanding violently and just colonize peacefully, building a new powerbase that way? To the galactic north through Proxima Centauri and Wold 359, or the galactic east through Alpha Centauri  and Ross 128? They could create a policy of containment against the alien menaces, maybe even together with Eridani. With the nice planet in Kuiper 75 it seems possible, and of course there is massive space beyond that, far away from their problems in the old country.

On the other hand, NATO is not NATO anymore, nobody knows what Eridani will become, now that mutually assured destruction is not such an issue anymore, and might seize to be in issue in the future altogether. The intrepid men of Eridani might decide to unite humanity once and for all ...

It's a fascinating story really - a world where The West emigrates to another solar system and the Soviet Union battles aliens in outer space.

[Wintrow]

If the Soviet could lure the second Behemot into Goavelha, I'm pretty sure they could defeat what'll be left of the fleet.

While I'm normally the voice of conservatism, I'd have to agree with you here. . . .

The Goavelha could pull their fleet back to the homeworld and use the combined firepower of the stations and fleet + any planet based weapons against a new Behemoth.

They might not have many missiles left though.  It seems missile shortages are a problem for everyone in this game. 

[Sheb]

But will they risk the Behemot shooting at their population?

[UnLimiTeD]

With what?
They don't have any missiles.
They fire the radiation without the explosions^^
Thinking about it, thats a tech I'd like to have.

[Sheb]

Well, do the AI knows that? :p

[UnLimiTeD]

Does the AI care for it's population? A mystery that will never be solved.

[ExChairman]

Eagerly awaiting more..

[Starmantle]

First of all, this is a fascinating story.

I read through it twice in my long march towards learning how to play this game (over a year ago) and it's just phenomenal stuff.

I might even skim through it again and then start playing the save file, though that's a hell of a challenge.   

Many thanks to Steve for writing this and really showcasing what the game can do.

I think when I first read this, I didn't have quite the depth of analysis to realize how true the Soviet and NATO designs and doctrine were to their real world counterparts.

But then I read this - hxxp: www. militaryphotos. net/forums/showthread. php?144822-Large-aircraft-carriers-compared

It's a bit more up to date since the cold war, but it's a fun read.

And really, it's the kind of thing that I bet Aurora players would like.   It's helped my think much more critically about fighter wing compositions and strategy.   

[bowman]

Sort of an old post to comment on but I am curious: Would the Chinese be able to dismantle the freighters and other ships given to them in order to get the components for potential technological insights? If they could then giving them those ships could strengthen the Chinese far more than expected.  (Just for reference, I have not read through the entirety of these AARs yet.  Or, if I have, I forgot it all. .  pretty sure I originally started a couple years ago)