Rhona W

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Okay, GM Speaking here.
I don't know who the hell all you people are, but if you're not involved in the game? Stop being disruptive in my OOC.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Hey @Chronic
What does that IC post actually add to the game
You don't need to be every other post. In fact it's probably best if you're not every other post.
Just a thought.

@Thayr

^This^

@Chronic It is getting a little annoying having every other post being your character reacting to things. It's a bit post/attention hogging. You don't need to splurge every time. Also, this isn't the Free section of the forum. Longer posts are encouraged, as it says in the section description.
I understand you're excited and want to get involved, but could you please slow down on the replies.
That's my comment as the GM too, not just a fellow player, so consider it a polite warning.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

FYI - I tend to take the approach when GMing a game of reacting to posts once all the players have had a chance to make a post each. So that's why Scott and Kat haven't said anything or reacted yet.
Once everyone has posted once, I'll move the scene on with my next post.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

By the way you said you were going to give us ranks and positions?-@Rhona W

@Chronic

Yes, but I'm waiting on it to see how everyone's characters act and interact first, and then I'll decide. Also want to review a few things first, as I'll have to consider things like character's age and experience as well as their demeanour and behaviour before I decide how high a rank - and responsibility - people should have.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

@Chronic, damn; your character must read fast. We've only been waiting for less than a few minutes, and bro can read a whole book in that time? xD

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

NPCs

Some recurring friendly NPCs that you'll be dealing with on a regular basis.

Guru

Theo Wiseman
Callsign/Nickname: Guru
Age: 55
Appearance:
Slim and athletic. Theo is 5'7" in height. He has calm, blue eyes that sparkle with his intelligence and humour. His face shows age with crow's feet and laughter lines, and he mostly has a calm, approachable smile on his face... but when that disappears is when you know things are serious. He is always very well-dressed and presented, even managing to make a flight suit look smart.


Summary:
Theo is the Wing Commander for the Tactical Air Wing of Shattered Steel. This makes him Scott's immediate commanding officer. Very experienced and highly skilled, he has a somewhat fatherly, encouraging, warm demeanour at most times and has a wily, clever, sharp mind.
He is English, and formerly flew with the British Royal Navy. He lost his wife during the Heavenfall, and has a son and daughter still in England, working in the civilian world.
He still keeps his flying current and his skills sharp, often surprising other pilots in training exercises by appearing as an adversary pilot, flying his heavily modified and upgraded Sea Vixen.

Snowman

Lars Nielssen
Callsign/Nickname: Snowman
Age: 34
Appearance:
6'00" tall, rugged and barrel-chested with lanky limbs. He always has a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, only seeming to dim or droop at the corners when he is stressed.



Summary:
Lars serves as the pilot of the C-130J Hercules multi-role transport plane that supports the Cobalt Haze squadron. Working closely with Lilah, the pair are an inseprable double-act and bounce off of one another in good humour and their personalities in general. He rarely talks about his home in Norway or his family life, but has mentioned a sister from time-to-time and a childhood growing up on a farm.

Lily

Lilah Nkosi
Callsign/Nickname: Lily
Age: 27
Appearance:
5'5" and with a fairly athletic build. Lilah moves with an easy, cocky confidence. Her flight suit and uniform are always accentuated by colourful jewelery or bands to keep her full head of hair in check.



Summary:
Lilah was born in South Africa, but her family emigrated to England when she was young. She was lucky to have grown up without Apartheid and after it ended, but inner city London and the East End was still a place of hard lesson and urban realities.
As such, she grew up knowing how to look after herself, and with a lot of first-hand knowledge and experience of often dangerous and grim realities living on the edges of poverty.
She joined the RAF after graduating from college as a way out of a life of gangs, violence and crime, prompted by the death of her brother in a petty argument between gangs.
Always fascinated by machines, aircraft even more enthralled her and the clean break and new life energised her. She eventually managed to get a role as a transport pilot as she meshed and melded with her new role and life more than she could have imagined.
After the Heavenfall, the RAF had worked with the various PMCs as part of their obligations to their role in the N/UN. She met Lars during this time and the two fell into an easy friendship. After several escapades not long after their first meeting, he coaxed and tempted her into joining the Shattered Steel PMC, serving as his co-pilot for the C-130J.

Traveller

Miles Saint Claire
Callsign/Nickname: Traveller
Age: 28
Appearance:
Miles is 5'6", and has a runner's or swimmer's build. He has a disarming, charming smile and moves with a fluid grace. He is quite easy-going, and tends to take people as they come, but is very professional when working. He has a strong belief in the justice and rights of other people, and will stand up for them whenever he feels they are challenged or threatened.



Summary:
Miles grew up in France, and served with the Gendarmerie as a helicopter pilot in their air support wing. He became infamous for his daring and confident flying. However, he was forced to leave after an incident where he struck a commanding officer, after finding out about their abuse of someone under their command.
Still wanting to fly, he joined Shattered Steel and resumed his duties as a helicopter pilot, expanding more into military roles, flying a Eurocopter Panther with Brigitte as his co-pilot.

Showgirl

Brigitte Billet
Callsign/Nickname: Showgirl
Age: 28
Appearance:
Brigitte is a transwoman; though only with a keen eye would one be able to tell. She often has a smile on her face, albeit a somewhat nervous one, though get her to open up, and she'll be the life of a party and light up a room with her laughter.
She dresses in fairly androgynous clothes, often things that hide her figure or soften it somewhat - well, when not in her uniform. Nonetheless, she has a lot of colour to her, and wears a lot of jewelry and accessories with her outfits.



Summary:
Brigitte's life was originally set to be very different. She - then he - originally had an on-stage career as an actor, working in theatre, and then later small roles in TV and film. After their transition, Brigitte still had a good career, with several roles, becoming something of a small-time icon and celebrity.
However, when the Heavenfall happened, Brigitte left the showbiz industry and enlisted in the Belgian Navy, becoming a helicopter pilot. Later, she joined Shattered Steel, after receiving a better offer from them.

Wolf

Gunther Wolfman
Callsign/Nickname: Wolf
Age: 57
Appearance:
Gunther has a sturdy, muscular build that matches his relatively compact height of 5'5". He has a greying full beard and hair, though he often wears a worn, stained baseball cap covering his head. His mechanics' overalls likewise show their use and experience.
He often looks gruff and miserable... and often comes across that way, but has been known to smile.



Summary:
Gunther was a mechanic with the German Luftwaffe for many years, and worked on a variety of aircraft and vehicles there. He cross-trained with numerous air arms around the world, as well as spells in the civilian world.
He was head-hunted for Shattered Steel due to his reputation and experience, and became the maintenance crew chief for Cobalt Haze squadron. While he comes across as gruff and grumpy, especially when it comes to the pilots causing damage to 'his' planes, in reality he drives himself and his crew to give nothing but the best performance and work for the aviators he supports, so that they can do the best jobs they possibly can.

Skywatch

???
Callsign/Nickname: Skywatch
Age: ??
Appearance:
~Unknown~

Summary:
"Skywatch" is the female operator that provides and feeds information to the Cobalt Haze squadron pilots from the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS plane that often accompanies them or is in the same area for their missions and operations.

Val Glass

Valerie 'Val' Glass
Callsign/Nickname: N/A
Age: 35
Appearance:
A fit, trim woman of 5'5" in height, Val looks as professional as she is... most of the time. Due to her role mostly being an official liason, she usually is dressed in a well-tailored N/UN air forces uniform.



Summary:
Val enlisted in the US Navy out of college, intending on becoming a career officer, following in the footsteps of her father before her, and his before him. She was never interested in aviation, and instead pursued a career commanding vessels. She met Scott during both of their academy days, and they formed a strong friendship, that later bloomed into a tempestuous, on-again, off-again relationship.
Eventually, Val got her wish and became captain of a Frigate, carving herself out an admirable career, before later being promoted into a 'shoreside' role with the N/UN, where she was part of the N/UN military department responsible for managing and liaising with PMCs, and specifically with Shattered Steel.

Sergeant Fletcher

Sergeant Fletcher
Callsign/Nickname: Sarge, Fletch, TDC (That Damn Cat), others
Age: Unknown
Appearance:
A very large, brown tabby and white tomcat. Blessed or cursed with a serious case of 'resting cat face'. Despite this, he is actually surprisingly friendly. And surprisingly agile, despite his fatness.



Summary:
No one is entirely sure where this cat came from, who he belongs to, or who looks after him. But somehow, he seems to have 'adopted' Shattered Steel, and has a knack to just... appear in places, as cats do.
Friendly, for the most part, he is often found sleeping in various places around the base, inside and outside. He even sometimes turns up on deployments, presumably having stowed away, unnoticed, in a transport plane.
He has become something of a good-luck charm for the PMC as a whole, and an unofficial mascot. Remarkably unflappable for a cat, he seems to enjoy attending briefings, reviews, and generally being 'part of the team'.
He does have some uses, frequently catching mice, rats, and other vermin around the base, as well as scaring away birds and thus avoiding birdstrikes, earning his official title of 'animal control specialist'.
His name came from the fact he is a rather rotund cat, not unlike the 'Sergeant Fletcher' droptanks and in-flight refuelling pods used by several aircraft.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

Useful Resources for Players

Here are some useful resources for both in and out of character information.

OOC Information

Not everyone is especially familiar with military, and especially military aviation terms. Especially all of the acronyms that are involved, and the specific technology and systems that are integral to modern military aerial warfare.
As such, hopefully some of these links and information will be helpful in understanding some of these terms, and giving an insight into what the life of a military combat pilot is like.

Fighter Pilot Slang - if you want to make your characters seem more authentic, pepper their dialogue with this!
Brevity Codes - what it means when someone says 'Fox One' or 'Feet Wet' and other such things, and how to use them yourselves.

A - somewhat lengthy and poorly written - overview of aircraft weapons and their roles

The category page on Wikipedia for military aircraft, which also has links to lists by decade, role, type and more, as well as informative articles.

Aerospace Web has a lot of useful information in its' Q&A sections

Finally, here is a glossary of some aviation related terms, acronyms and technologies that I have put together, hopefully helping with understanding of some modern technology, tactics, strategies, and other relevant things.

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Shattered Steel PMC - An Overview

The PMC Shattered Steel is one of the largest and most well-equipped PMC's in the post-Heavenfall world, and especially of the small number of legitimate ones working for the N/UN.

Shattered Steel is organised along the lines of any military force, with a military-style commander structure and ranks, and a number of divisions handling all the necessary infrastructure supporting the forces in the field.

Force Structure

The main thrust of forces are the Air Wing, which consists of fifteen Tactical squadrons of combat aircraft, supported by ten Logistics Squadrons, which are dispersed and their aircraft and personnel attached to the Tactical squadrons for support. Three squadrons are exempt to this; one personnel transport flight that shuttles people between facilities worldwide as necessary with a mix of varying sizes of personnel transport aircraft, and two aerial refuelling squadrons; one naval-oriented and one heavy land-based, both of which are dispersed between various facilities world wide as needed for various contracts and operations to support other aircraft.

One squadron of Airborne Warning and Control System - AWACS - aircraft split between navalised and land-based types are also dispersed to support contracts, missions and operations worldwide.

The tactical and logistics squadrons also have some squadrons devoted to helicopter support, as well as light, medium, and heavy transport planes in the case of logistics. The Tactical Squadrons also feature a single squadron of Heavy, land-based strategic bombers, as well as specialised submarine hunters/maritime patrol aircraft. A single tactical squadron also deals solely in strategic and tactical reconnaissance missions, with a mix of light and heavy aircraft for various specialised recon roles.

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Naval Forces

Naval combat forces include the advanced aircraft carrier, Iron Maiden, otherwise known affectionately - and otherwise - by Shattered Steel personnel as the 'metal bitch', 'rusty wench', and the 'tin tub', among other titles. The ship was purchased unfinished from a French shipyard, and then finished jointly by the N/UN and Shattered Steel.
A small flotilla of escort ships protect the carrier, in the shape of a refitted and modernised ex-Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer and a MEKO 200 class frigate, suitably fitted for the role, along with suitable logistics support ships. All of these are crewed by mixed N/UN and Shattered Steel crews, and the ships are under Shattered Steel control, while being part-leased from the N/UN, and serviced and maintained by their shipyards and facilities.

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Ground Forces

Ground Combat elements also exist.
Some serve as security forces for the deployed Shattered Steel units, guarding airfields and bases, and carrying out other such roles. Some also act as forces to take-and-hold objectives once the air forces have done their work.
Not heavy forces, or able to sustain long campaigns, they are intended for swift, decisive operations to take-and-hold an objective until other forces can relieve them, much like the US Marine Corps amphibious brigades, and similarly equipped to be mobile, flexible, and self-contained, albeit on a much smaller scale, having no heavy armour - such as main battle tanks - instead relying on armoured personnel carriers, and mobile gun systems or missiles as their 'organic' firepower. Artillry is only light towed artillery and/or mortars. All air support and mobility provided by the Air Wing.

---

Bases and facilities

Shattered Steel has few permanent bases worldwide, deploying as needed to various territories and facilities for their contracts as needed. However, their main base is an otherwise unnamed island in the Bahamas, leased from the N/UN and Bahamian government. Part of the agreement was to develop the island's infrastructure, and to employ locals in the operation of the base and its' facilities, as well as providing security, search and rescue, disaster relief, training and air traffic control for the local region.
The Forge, as it was dubbed, is a modern, newly-built facility with hangars, housing, support and administration facilities for the majority of Shattered Steel's combat personnel as well as the support personnel to run the base. A small 'village' of civilian operated businesses supports the base as well with R&R facilities such as bars, shops, businesses, restaurants and so on, as well as civilian-run schools to support families on the island.
The island has its' own power grid, supplied by a mix of tidal, solar and hydroelectric power. A port as well as the airfield itself provide logistics and transport between the various islands and further afield. The island is also protected by several fixed and mobile air and surface defence weapon emplacements.

Other physical locations include a long-term maintenance and supply and administrative facility in the continental united states, with no active combat units based there.

And finally, just for fun - here's a playlist I put together on Spotify with inspirational music

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

You come up with a IC yet?-@Rhona W

@Chronic

Thank you @TokyoPewPew, I appreciate that!

But to answer, yes! The first IC post is up. A slow start to get everyone introduced and in the same room, rather than diving straight into the action, and a little bit of world-building first as well.

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

March 12th, 2014
Shattered Steel Headquarters, 'The Forge'
Unnamed island in the Bahamas
10:30 Hours Local Time

Scott paced back and forth in front of the large wall-mounted monitor again, his boots squeaking on the flooring of the meeting room. Anxiously, he glanced toward the door to the room and back at the laptop on the desk for the umpteenth time. His pacing was interrupted by an annoyed sigh of breath, and he glanced to the end of the front row of seats, and Kat 'KK' Kane, his RIO. She scowled at him, her single ice blue eye giving him a stern, disapproving look that he momentarily bristled at, before deflating, a wry smile creeping on his lips, matched by an amused one from her.
"All right, fine; I'll stop pacing. I'm just... nervous. It's been a long time since I've been responsible for anyone else. Well, in a professional capacity anyway. Command always seemed... out of my reach"
Kat sighed again and gave him a slight, sympathetic smile, speaking up in her rough, ragged, hushed voice.
"If the higher-ups didn't think you had what it took, then you wouldn't be standing there, ready to handle the briefing. And you and I both know you've got the experience and the record to back it up"
Scott sighed himself and nodded, leaning on the desk, and gazing the screen of his hardened laptop without really seeing it as he pondered.
"...Yeah, you're right. I've done as much preparing as I can do; I've read all of their dossiers and records, and I've reviewed the mission brief and intel. All I can do now is wait for them all to turn up". He frowned and checked his watch, and then glanced at the clock on the wall of the classroom-like briefing room.
"Speaking of which... where are they, they should be starting to arrive now...

Shattered Steel - An Ace Combat/Project Wingman/etc inspired aircraft-based RP

A neat party trick the F-111 can do that looks more impressive/dangerous than it is - dumping fuel and then igniting it with the afterburners.
It works because the fuel dump nozzle is between the engine exhausts.

youtu.be/PTeRFZdmwko?si=T5KEVnVCL33agAAf