[OOC]Star Wars: The Desperate Days

[Heyseuss]

Still a work in progress, though I am thinking of somewhat reviving a concept I had going for a Star Wars plot I was doing on another board that involved one planet and the uprising on that planet, though that creates an awful lot of room for taking the plot in all kinds of direction.

Originally, it was done as part of an alternative universe Star Wars plot, but it got derailed due to politics (and the accusation that I was setting up Imperial NPC's as strawmen rather than like donating a lot of time to helping Imperial players get a better handle on things militarily) and I left the board, but I always wanted to start the whole thing up again.

Essentially, the original plot was intended to weave the separate, but related storylines of people forming up the everyday resistance, Rebellion operatives put in to help train/start up a local insurrection and of other things related to that particular plotline. It was a good plot when it was worked up, and it was meant to be a flashpoint in this alternative-Star Wars, but I've since re-canonized it and want to give it a shot here with players that are used to playing with a high degree of independence and creativity...I sort of want to make it clear that the idea to create enough of a 'sandbox' (ie, a setting where you're free to build up things and create) so that everyone can get in on things at the level they want, from an Imperial General or Admiral to a Rebel grunt.

[Heyseuss]

Oh, and here's the old OPORD (Operational Order) format I used to describe the situation on the planet in question.

Okay, this is the setting info, as promised. It's in an In-Character format, because I was feeling creative and off-beat. Plus, it lays out the situation and some interesting character spots.

OPORD - GIZKA BREEDER

SITUATION:

Galleefryn II is a planet in the Corporate Sector that functions as a producer of goods for Arcon MultiNode Agricorp but also is host to an Imperial Developmental Weapons Facility that tests designs in prototype stage development by Corporate Sector Authority companies.

With the expansion of the Corporate Sector by the Empire, Galleefryn II’s native legislature was disbanded by General RADIVAN VORTUSK after the assassination of Prime Minister IRNIST SERAT. General VORTUSK was voted emergency powers after the assassination and quickly signed a sovereignty deal with Arcon MultiNode in exchange for stock and an executive title. Arcon MultiNode Agricorp sent QURZIT SANGHA to oversee the corporation's on-planet operations, leading to policies that control the price of farm produce, a measure that is deeply unpopular with the natives, who have no legal recourse against the CSA. There is an Imperial military garrison, but it consists of a regiment that tests various types of developmental equipment in field equipment; day to day security remains in the hands of Corporate Security Authority forces.

Galleefryn II's climate is tropical, with high precipitation, humidity and temperatures. Much of the terrain is covered in tropical rainforests or highland plateau grasslands, with agricultural communities carved out of the jungle and linked by roads and/or riverine traffic. See attached maps for further detail. Growing season is continual on Galleefryn II. Predators are present in the forests, types undetermined. Operating within the forest areas provide extensive cover and concealment advantage for infantry. Settlements, by contrast, are fairly urbanized, by the standards of the Outer Rim, though cost considerations restrict them to the cooler highland areas of the planet; as a result, there is a blend of highly urbanized, heavily CorpSec-policed areas and much more sparsely controlled rural areas.

Galleefryn II is considered a breadbasket of the the Corporate Sector, and making it more expensive to do business on this planet will create significant difficulties for Imperial units relyin grain supplied through contracts with Arcon Multinode, as well as generally making the parts of the Corporate Sector dependent upon imported food work less efficiently. This undermines the Imperial position in the region and forces them to invest in more security to the detriment of other operations.

1. Enemy

The original Imperial presence on Galleefryn II was a legion of Stormtroopers with AT-AT support. They were not particularly effective in actually catching the guerrillas and were relieved by regular Imperial Army units, who were considerably more effective in engaging guerrillas.

The enemy's most powerful formation on Galleefryn II is the 352nd Infantry Regiment, headed by Colonel JATT NUMARKUS. The 352nd is rated veteran by intelligence assesments based on material provided by allied assets, and primarily serves as a constabulary force on Galleefryn II. While they do not have heavy forces or walker vehicles, they do have more than the usual allotment of repulsorlift vehicles that allow them to cover more ground; most of these are not formal military vehicles, but are converted to military use with armor and heavy repeating blasters.

1/352nd uses what appears to be AT-XT walkers, a forerunner of AT-ST's, and these are possibly dropped by LAAT/c units, though there is no verification of this except for hypothesis and that air support assets in the form of LAAT/i's have been confirmed. This higher than usual degree of mechanized firepower gives the 352nd a considerable mobility. Artillery is limted to weapons company assets for the individual units, as well as one semi-mobile artillery battery on-planet. The 352nd is reinforced with a Scout Trooper company that rotates in to train in arboreal operations from time to time.

CSA Security Police activity is considerable on Galleefryn II; the estimated strength of CSA Security Police on-planet is in multi-divisional strength. Infantry is composed primarily of former CIS battledroids surplused from the Clone Wars to avoid medical-related costs of operating in a jungle environment, though much of this strength is tied down in trying to regulate and control Arcon City, formerly Senkas. Despite the droid-heavy security, there is a contingent of organic troops, generally operating vehicles. Security Police elements under QURZIT SANGHA are commanded by Commissioner GAL DURKA, a former mercenary known to have worked for Hutt syndicates in the past. CSA Security Police TO&E is roughly analogous to Imperial outfitting, including light walker, landspeeder and airspeeder assets, though with minimal artillery support.


2. Indigenous Beings

The typical Galleefryn II farmer is not currently aligned with either side, though will report anything out of the ordinary out of a general feeling of endangerment by the local authorities; due to the latest repression of resistance on planet and the general high capability of the local forces coupled with their easy victories over local guerrillas who have attempted pitched battles with the Imperials, most civilians do not believe that Galleefryn II's resistance is viable. The many city-dwellers on the planet is likely to be a CorpSec employee of some sort, so extraordinary caution has to be taken in recruiting sympathizers. At the same time, there is the Galleefryn Agricultural and Mechanic institute, which is considered a potential source for recruitment, as well as some sympathetic refugees from Confederation planets during the Clone Wars.

3. Friendly Forces

The arrival of the 352nd on Galleefryn II resulted in the eradication of several potential Alliance member-groups, leaving the most cautious and best organized of the remaining groups to ally with us. The initial Imperi

The Galleefryn Volunteers led by ATRIA SERAT, is the most organized possible ally for the Alliance, and are the ones who initiated contact with Alliance HQ through a series of cutouts. ATRIA SERAT is the daughter of the deceased head of the Galleefryn II parliament but has a very precarious organization and no military experience. However, they do have an extensive intelligence network composed of the careful survivors of the initial anti-Imperial uprisings on Galleefryn II. This provides a considerable intelligence advantage to the Volunteers. Atria Serat has agreed to join the Alliance on the proviso that she is provided with military instructors for her guerrilla units. The Volunteers are ideologically supported by an extensive, but informal, network of urban sympathizers which could be organized into something more effective, as espionage or even smuggling network operating in support of the guerrillas in the rural areas. There is a quiet, but well organized criminal element on-planet, mostly running spice.

MISSION

1. Mission Group VANADIUM, will insert into Galleefryn II within the month, make contact with ATRIA SERAT and proceed to advise and instruct the Galleefryn II Volunteers in expanding their operations to disrupt the Imperial/CSA presence on Galleefryn II.

2. Secondary orders may be given to VANADIUM in the course of the primary mission, regarding specific, short duration operations with specific targets.

EXECUTION

Prior to insertion, Alliance intelligence will survey Galleefryn II's surface for up to date topographic mapping information, probable DZ's and to assess Imperial facilities on planet.

PRIMARY: Insertion method will be the landing of YT-1760 freighter INTRUDER, guided in via beacon. Landing Zone location to be determined by survey and pending communications with ATRIA SERAT. Upon landing VANADIUM will cache supplies and march to Point CUTTER to rendezvous with friendly elements and proceed to spend an undetermined amount of time instructing and advising local personnel in their operations. Discretionary missions include assisting in the recruitment of forces on Galleefryn II, direct action against CSA Security Police and Imperial positions and facilities and the dissemination of propaganda.

SECONDARY: Insertion method will be via smuggler craft into ARCON CITY and then via local transportation out into the rural areas. This method will only be used as a contingency if primary method is rendered inviable due to unforeseen events as it is riskier given the enemy force concentration in ARCON CITY.

SERVICE & SUPPORT

Supplies are to be procured on-site, beyond initial supplies on the drops. Further drops via may be arranged, depending on the situation in-system. Transportation, beyond initial drop, is to be determined and will likely be procured on-site. Medical evacuation viability will be determined during the mission, but may be impossible without severely compromising the operation. Prisoners of War are the responsibility of indigenous friendly forces.

A mixed starfighter wing will be established gradually in the Thela System base, not only to assist Vanadium and operations in the Corporate Sector, but also to hinder traffic into and out of the Hydian way, particularly any sensitive shipments identified during ongoing intelligence efforts within the Corporate Sector.

Note from Starfighter Command: This is the perfect opportunity to deploy some of the new X-wings into the field and see what they can do. Attached is a list of requested personnel from Starfighter Command; we need unconventional pilots out there.

COMMAND & SIGNAL

1. Signals

Callsign ORRAY– Mission Group VANADIUM, Alliance Intelligence
Callsign VERVIKK - ATRIA SERAT, Galleefryn II Volunteers.
Callsign KAADU – Alliance Communications Relay Station, Thela System, Aparo Sector

Communication between ORRAY and KAADU are to be undertaken via encrypted burst transmission buoy hidden in Galleefryn II space, to be checked by space courier on a bi-monthly basis or more, as the situation demands.

2. Command

Vanadium - Unassigned; see attached list of officers for CO Billet.

Approved, Shayl Bey'rey, Alliance Intelligence.

[CrimsonSprite]

Count me in.

[Heyseuss]

It's pretty much a play-as-you-like thing, rather than a specific sort of plotline where everyone has to wait on each other to RP. Where major events occur (or even minor events) characters should sort of react to the setting a bit.

I mean, if something gets blown up, that should be news and there should be alerts and so forth that create more problems for other characters...stuff along that line of thinking. If characters are working more closely together, that works as well.

I don't care if someone wants to throw in a hidden jedi or force sensitive or whatever, though that won't be my end of the storyline. I don't intend to put down some sort of anal-retentive control of the storyline, either. I'll be here to help with suggestions, of course.

In the end, I want people to feel inclined to do their thing, with minimal restraint on creativity.

I'll be posting my stuff, but it'll mostly be a prelude more than anything else. I'm not sure when precisely I'll post, of course.

[Heyseuss]

Potential Plot hooks:

- Imperial Stormtrooper detachment on planet, or a member/officer of the 352nd, dealing with the rising insurgency.

- A native, joining the Volunteers and fighting the good fight as part of the sector forces in the region.

- A Rebel SpecForces or SpecOps operative, sent to assist in training and advising, or operating on something related to the Volunteers.

- A special ISF Counterinsurgency Unit (similar to the South African Koevoet) sent to try and neutralize/pacify the leadership and essential counterinsurgent infrastructure in the region.

- Part of the Starfighter units operating out of Thera, handling raiding duty along the Hydian Way.

- Bounty Hunters, tracking down quarry, particularly the likes of Atria Serat.

- And lots of other things.

This is kind of like an open world, take a portion of things and run away with it.

[Varyn]

Ill look into getting involved at some point!

[Heyseuss]

That's cool. It's meant to be easy to get involved without having to ask a gazillion questions. I guess if it's not specifically stated, it's not developed. I set up the setting a bit, but I don't want people to feel worried about throwing in, like as if toes are being stepped on. Other places do that, but I want a looser sort of 'self-starter' environment.

[Heyseuss]

First post's up on my part. I have a few more to go through...the truth is, I had intended to make the first post a series of different viewpoints, but I didn't get past the first part and combined it with some other stuff so I can move it forward to Galleefryn II.

Truth is, I have two other characters that I'm going to write from the viewpoint of, besides Dral. Only one of them will be in first person.

So far the cast for me is:

- Dral Kelborn (Neyla's part of it, but she doesn't count for now)
-An experimental subject at a research base, alien phenotype (not going to spoil, more to come.)
- Imperial Army intelligence officer, something of a liason between the Imperial 352nd Infantry Regiment and the CorpSec police guys that are the bulk of the armed forces on planet. Pipesmoking professor type, former professor during the Clone Wars that got pressed into service.

[CrimsonSprite]

Fantastic post, Dave! I loved it! Puts mine to shame, lol. Now I have to think of what to write next for my twins.

[Heyseuss]

I'm going to try to post more today, but not as long. I was setting up a backstory for how a Mando winds up in the Alliance and on Galleefryn, and I wanted to build up to other things a bit as well. The rest will be more straightforward.

Chronologically, I'm not holding to some sort of timeline (which is to say, I'm not going to go holding people up because of some weird timeline where I decide what month it is) but we probably should try to stick to the beginning of the rebellion on Galleefryn until everyone feels comfortable with proceeding to elsewhere. It probably will build up naturally and this won't have to come up as a topic. I believe in not regulating until regulation is necessary, so we're going to start with zero to few restrictions and only add what is absolutely necessary to keep things moving.

However, it might be a good idea for us to make sure to list characters and where they are as a way of allowing for potential interactions, though that's not entirely necessary. In Dral Kelborn's case, interaction will be minimal until someone joins the Volunteers out in the jungle.