Ancient-Shivan War (campaign)

Ancient-Shivan War ( a.k.a. ASW ) is a mod for FreeSpace 2 Open that attempts to replicate the battles between the Shivans and the Ancients.

An Odigitria-class destroyer in action

Mods

The campaign features many Ancient ships from Inferno R1 and Inferno SCP as well as some brand-new ships. Along with the new ships there are multiple other mods to bring you an entirely new experience, while still keeping the FreeSpace feel.

Plot

The Ancient-Shivan War takes place in the distant past, putting the player in the role of one of the many Ancients as they fight desperately, and ultimately futilely, to save their empire and home from the Shivans. The player has the opportunity to pilot numerous Ancient ships as they take their part in the epic struggle for survival.

The Ancients

Act I galaxy map

Info herein is not canon. For canon information, go here.

The mod portrays the Ancients as an arrogant race confident in its superiority. Briefings and mission messages constantly reinforce this self-identity. At one point, the Ancient Empire is regarded as invincible.

Technologically speaking, their fighters are heavy armored, but lack shields. Their warships are equipped with relatively strong standard turrets, unlike the Aesdherians, who possess both shields and beam weaponry. It is never directly explicated why the Ancients did not steal either shielding or beam technology from the Aesdherians, but it is suggested by various staff members that the Ancients could not be bothered to study an inferior race's technology.

The Ancient Empire is governed by "the Core," which is their equivalent of the government. However, the Ancient pilots do address "Command" in the missions. The highest known Ancient military rank is Fleetmaster. During Act I, only one Fleetmaster is referred to: Fleetmaster Im'Halus, who abdicates at the end of A Bridge Too Far. High Exarch is another, apparently lower, rank in the Ancient Navy. Pilots are referred to as "(battle) brothers and sisters" or simply "warriors." Pilot also appears at some points in dialog.

Ancient war assets are classified along the lines of their GTVA equivalents: They possess fighters and bombers, distinguish between interception, space superiority, heavy assault, and bomber roles. They use a similar array of destructive weaponry such as heat- and aspect-seeking missiles, dedicated anti-warship bombs. Surprisingly, there are no pure tactical weapons like shield breakers, subsystem disruptors, or EMP weapons.

Ancient ranks

The Ancient Navy distributed the following ranks:

• Initiate
• Warrior
• Knight
• Knight Commander
• Commander
• Exarch
• High Exarch
• Rear Fleetmaster
• Vice Fleetmaster
• Fleetmaster

There are two missions in Act I which automatically grant promotion. Consequently, it is possible to advance two ranks for each play through.

Act I plot overview

A Legacy Begins

The nameless player character is a young initiate assigned to join Fleetmaster Im'Halus on board the Ancient carrier Akrotiri in the final days of the campaign against the Aesdherians, a rapidly developing yet apparently technologically inferior species. The Core, the Ancients' ruling body, has declared that the Aesdherian war has lasted too long, and all enemies of the glorious Empire is to be exterminated. It is implied that the Core would have left the Aesdherians live had they proven themselves "worthy of existence."

The player must prove himself worthy for the rank of Warrior by gathering intelligence about hostile ships gathering to defend their homeworld. After analyzing three Claw-class cruisers and a carrier, a more substantial force emerges from subspace. The scout force is permitted to return to the Akrotiri. The initiate is promoted for successfully completing the mission.

The Sword of Damocles

Before launching a direct attack on the Aesdherian homeworld, the Core orders the Apesokari to assault a tactical target, the installation Sabre. Though the Empire views the Aesdherians with contempt, they would not risk sending in the Apesokari until the Sabre's beam cannons are active. Aleph wing's primary goal is to destroy the beam cannons so that the Apesokari can strike the finishing blow without suffering too much damage.

The assailants encounter little resistance for a while. However, an Aesdherian carrier, the Damocles, escorted by two Claw-class cruisers emerges from subspace and confront the Apesokari and the corvette Amerlia. The Apesokari jumps out before the Aesdherian defenders could disable her. The Apesokari's captain, High Exarch Razch'Tar attributes the enemy's manoeuvre to mere luck.

It is estimated that the Apesokari will soon come under attack.

Roadblock

Crippled, the Apesokari is an easy prey to Aesdherian bombers and warships. The Akrotiri is on its way to assist the Apesokari and launch a repair crew ("artisans," as the Ancients call them). The mission goes as planned and the Aesdherian attack force is repelled without suffering any notable casualties.

The Shade and Ghost, two cruisers encountered in the previous engagement, emerge from subspace to attack the Apesokari, but are easily forced to withdraw. The carrier Caliburn is soon to arrive, but the Akrotiri emerges from subspace shortly thereafter and easily annihilates the Aesdherian carrier with its heavy weaponry.

The Battle of Aesdher

The Akrotiri wreaking havoc

The Ancients launch their final, and ultimately successful, attack on the Aesdherian homeworld. The attackers show no mercy and destroy everything that stands in their way, including transports and military vessels. The AD Tiara, the only Aesdherian destroyer in the field of engagement makes a desperate attempt to ram the Akrotiri, to no avail.

The Aesdherians are said to be exterminated once and for all.

A New Adversary

Though victorious, a new threat has emerged not too far away from the Aesdher system. The Shivans are attacking the Knossos portal in the Verbek system, and three fighter wings of the Apesokari are deployed to face this new adversary. The Shivans are trying to dismantle the portal with Shaitan bombers, escorted by numerous wings of fighters. The dogfight is ostensibly dominated by the Ancients; however, one warrior takes note of the Shivan fighters' resilience. The arrival of the SD Vassago, the first Shivan destroyer-type vessel, did not change the outcome, as it was easily eliminated by the Odigitria-class destroyer Koumasa.

This triumph gave little reason for the Ancients to view the Shivans any differently than the races the Empire exterminated beforehand. Fleetmaster Im'Halus ends his debriefing with "A brighter dawn awaits us."

Realm of the Guardians

The Sopul fleet is about to launch a counteroffensive in Verbek through the Vocruar jump node. The Arkalochori-class corvette Apodoulou participates in the attack, and is almost destroyed by Shaitan bombers. Due to the involvement of the Akrotiri's fighter and bomber wings, the Ancients manage to destroy Shivan cruisers and a Moloch-class corvette while suffering minor casualties. The Akrotiri arrives in the system after the battle.

A Bridge Too Far

After numerous skirmishes, the Core has assessed the Shivan threat. They determined that the Shivans are devilish, brutal in nature, and their weaponry and fighter shielding are regarded as formidable. While they inflicted little damage to Ancient assets thus far, the Core fears that with more hostiles flowing into Verbex, the Shivans may potentially become a viable threat. The Sopul fleet is ordered to drive the Shivans back into their territory.

To the Fleetmaster's great surprise, the Shivans entered Verbek through a previously uncharted jump node and established a cargo depot there, defended by a Shivan corvette and a Lilith cruiser. The Apesokari will be deployed to assist the fighters against these warships and blockade the unexplored jump node.

The destruction of the Shivan warships and cargo depot makes Aleph 2 grow supremely confident in the Apesokari's invincibility, but the destroyer's captain declares that he became overconfident, and the Empire will never be truly unstoppable.

Unexpectedly, the Samael, the second Vassago-class destroyer arrives from the node and engages the Ancient task force. In the ensuing battle, the Ancient destroyer suffers heavy damage, but manages to emerge victorious from this engagement, too. The Koumasa is promised to relieve the badly damaged Apesokari, but it never arrives. A new class of destroyer, the SD Demon, jumps in through the node and finishes off the Apesokari, forcing its fighter wings to retreat. The Demon was clearly superior to the Empire's Achladia-class.

Following the battle, Fleetmaster Im'Halus steps down as Fleetmaster, directing all responsibility for himself for not calling the Apesokari back when he had the chance. He hopes that his replacement will achieve greater successes than him.

Introductory cutscene

Altair 3.1.2335

Personal diary of Khor-tu-khet, stranded on Altair IV. The Shivans have attacked and destroyed our outpost. With only very little cover available - we were a civilian research station after all - we started evacuating as soon as they jumped in. But it was no use. We, and Rho wing covering us, were the only ones that could make it out. The others either fell to the Shivans, or died when the station's reactor exploded.

We headed for Altair IV, an uncharted planet. Although our escape pods are not meant for atmospheric flight, they should - in theory - be able to withstand a forced landing. We wanted to get out of space as soon as possible, so the Shivans wouldn't follow us.

To us, it has been painfully proven that theory is just that, theory. During the descent, our pod became so hot that water would evaporate inside it, and it shook so violently that we didn't know when it had touched the ground. None of us came out unbruised, but luckily we were still alive.

While exploring the area and looking for the fighters - they had landed at a safe distance away from us - we found a cave. It looked like a good place for shelter. It turned out to be an incredible discovery...

Of course we knew that there had been species before our own, but we had never found any traces of them. This discovery was more than we could ever have dreamt of... It seemed as if they had come back to life.

Project members

• FSF - Team leader, jack-of-all-trades
• Droid803 - FREDding, model converting, general modding
• ShadowGorrath - Ex-team leader, effects, general modding
• Starwolf1991 - FREDding, general modding
• Stormkeeper - FREDding, website works
• Mobius - Ideas, suggestions, testing
• FreeSpaceKing - Texturing
• Tantalus53 - FREDding
• Bigchunk1 - FREDding
• Esarai - Modelling

Special thanks

• Hunter - Granting hosting for ASW, and making the forums
• Aldo - The original Achladia, Odigitria, Vassago and Tylisos models
• Flaming_Sword - Effects, interface templates
• Alex Navarro - Gathering sound effects
• Inferno - Exclusive Ancient models
• Blue Planet - Effects
• Nighteyes - Effects
• Freeplaymusic.com - Music
• Earth Defense - More music
• Blackhole - Even more music
• Ryan Main - Intro cutscene music

Player comments

ASW is a solid, high-quality mod with a unique atmosphere. While the plot is rather simple, it provides a much-needed background for further releases. The Ancients are portrayed as an arrogant race that views itself invincible, and that's essentially the point of Act I. Combat is slower paced than that of most FS mods, which derives from the underdeveloped weapons the belligerents use. The mod placed the most emphasis on graphics (including a new interface, effects, backgrounds) and it looks really good. Custom music also gives a boost to an already alien atmosphere. The only problem I can see with the re-release is the endless wave of uncounterable Aesdherian missiles in the early missions, making survival a matter of luck, not skill or clever tactics. I recommend ASW for all who seek a diversion from the original FreeSpace feel. - TopAce 18:18, 11 November 2010 (UTC)

Related links

• Ancient-Shivan War Website | Sectorgame.com
• Ancient-Shivan War Forum | Sectorgame.com
• Old ASW Discussion Thread | Hard-Light Productions.net