Briefing texts (FS2-Act3)
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the following storylines: FreeSpace 2
Note that the texts may or may not contain the original Volition spelling due to Wiki spellcheckers.
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FreeSpace 1 (Act 1) -
FreeSpace 1 (Act 2) -
FreeSpace 1 (Act 3) |
Bearbaiting
Mission Filename: sm3-01.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
The Sathanas decimated our fleet at the Capella node. Your bomber wing will be scrambled to destroy the Juggernaut's forward beam turrets before it reaches Capella. You must destroy at least two turrets to give the Colossus a fighting chance. You will be armed with the new long-range Trebuchet missile and the Helios torpedo, the GTVA's most powerful tactical warhead.
Debriefing
Stage 1
Your wing destroyed the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons. The tactical significance of this achievement cannot be over-emphasized. Initial reports from Capella are favorable, though the battle is far from over. You will be scrambled immediately to assist the Colossus.
Stage 2
Your wing destroyed three of the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons. Under these circumstances, your performance is superb. Initial reports from Capella are favorable, though the battle is far from over. You will be scrambled immediately to assist the Colossus.
Stage 3
Your wing destroyed two of the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons. Under these circumstances, your performance is adequate. Initial reports from Capella are favorable, though the battle is far from over. You will be scrambled immediately to assist the Colossus.
Stage 4
You destroyed only one of the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons, pilot. You faced overwhelming odds, but they were not insurmountable. The Sathanas poses a dire threat, not only to the Colossus but to all systems of the GTVA. We are on the threshold of a second Shivan invasion, and we have limited resources to wage this war.
Stage 5
You failed to destroy any of the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons, pilot. You faced overwhelming odds, but they were not insurmountable. The Sathanas poses a dire threat, not only to the Colossus but to all systems of the GTVA. We are on the threshold of a second Shivan invasion, and we have limited resources to wage this war.
Stage 6
You also helped to eliminate the Beleth. Consequently, our remaining forces in Gamma Draconis are on the verge of securing the system.
Stage 7
The destroyer Thebes, however, did not survive the engagement. Our sacrifice in this battle is immeasurable.
Stage 8
A Vasudan never leaves the field of battle without authorization from a superior officer. Your cowardice jeopardized the lives of our brothers and sisters. You are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance. You will be taken into custody and handed over to the Terran 3rd Battle Group authority, where you will face a court martial. You are a disgrace to your species, Terran.
Stage 9
Regrettably, you were unable to stop the Beleth. However, neutralizing the Sathanas must remain our highest priority.
High Noon
Mission Filename: sm3-02.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
The Satahanas has entered the Capella system and engaged the Colossus. Your exceptional performance in Gamma Draconis has significantly improved the odds for the Alliance. We are deploying your wing to provide bomber support for the Colossus. Eliminate any target of opportunity, but do not take unnecessary risks.
Stage 2
The Satahanas entered the Capella system and obliterated the line of defense we had established to intercept it. We now have no choice but to send in the Colossus. With its beam cannons still operational, the Sathanas has sufficient firepower to win this engagement.
Your wing will be scrambled immediately. There is no time to select your ship or armaments. Your mission is to neutralize these remaining beam cannons as quickly as possible. If you fail, we risk losing the Colossus and the Capella system.
Debriefing
Stage 1
With the destruction of the SJ Sathanas, Allied Command has declared a decisive victory. In the months ahead, we will isolate and eradicate the remnants of the Shivan fleet. This operation could not have succeeded without your intervention, pilot. By neutralizing the forward beam cannons of the Sathanas, you gave the Colossus the advantage it required to win the battle.
For your outstanding record of service, you are hereby awarded the Nebula Campaign Victory Star. This medal recognizes your contributions to our mission of exploration and containment, from your first engagement in Gamma Draconis to our victory in the Capella system. Most notably, we commend you for three successful sorties against the Shivan Juggernaut Sathanas. Congratulations, Terran.
Stage 2
With the destruction of the SJ Sathanas, Allied Command has declared a decisive victory. In the months ahead, we will isolate and eradicate the remnants of the Shivan fleet. The outcome of this operation would have been more favorable had you completed your objectives. Though the Colossus won the engagement, neutralizing the Juggernaut's forward beam cannons would have reduced the damage it sustained.
Stage 3
The GTVA Colossus, the largest Terran-Vasudan warship ever constructed, over twenty years in the making, has been destroyed. Thirty thousand perished in the Juggernaut's attack, and millions more are in jeopardy. Though you neutralized the four beam cannons, you completed your objectives too late.
Stage 4
The GTVA Colossus, the largest Terran-Vasudan warship ever constructed, over twenty years in the making, has been destroyed. Thirty thousand perished in the Juggernaut's attack, and millions more are in jeopardy. You failed to neutralize the forward beam cannons, pilot, and now we will all pay the price of that failure.
Return to Babel
Mission Filename: sm3-03.fs2
Command Briefing
Stage 1
Colossus Triumphant
At 0345 hours, the GTVA Colossus destroyed the Shivan juggernaut Sathanas near the Gamma Draconis jump node in Capella. This victory proves without a doubt our technological superiority over our Great War nemesis. For the second time, the Alliance defeated a species which has annihilated entire civilizations across this galaxy.
With the Colossus, we will have nothing more to fear.
Stage 2
Damage Control
We still have much to accomplish, however. The Sathanas inflicted moderate damage against the Colossus, though its systems remain 80% operational. Terran and Vasudan engineers anticipate it will take several months to fully repair the warship's hull. Until we completely secure the nebula, our evacuation of Capella's civilian population will proceed as planned.
Stage 3
Chasing the Iceni
With the immediate Shivan threat neutralized, we must now focus on capturing Admiral Bosch. Recon units are scouring the nebula for any sign of his command ship. The Psamtik will lead a task force assigned to recover the Iceni once its position has been determined.
Command has disclosed new information concerning the NTF's secret agenda.
Stage 4
ETAK
We now know that Admiral Bosch has developed a Shivan communication technology that transmits and modulates quantum pulses. Bosch secretly resurrected a defunct GTI project involving captured Shivan specimen, terminated after the GTI's Hades rebellion in 2335. Bosch referred to his project as ETAK, short for Etamnanki, the tower that may have inspired the story of Babel.
Stage 5
Stealing History
Through a rigorous study of Ancient archeology, Bosch learned the location of the Knossos subspace device, the portal to the region of the galaxy where the Ancients first encountered the Shivans. His genocidal war was a smoke screen to cover his plunder of Ancient sites in Vasudan systems. In Deneb, he learned how to activate the portal and deployed the Trinity to power up the device.
Stage 6
An Infernal Pact
Integral to Bosch's vision of Neo-Terra was an alliance with the Shivans upon their return to our systems. When Bosch realized his regime was on the brink of collapse, he ordered his forces into the nebula to make contact with the enemy. Interrogation of rebel prisoners reveals that only Bosch's immediate subordinates had access to the ETAK project. No further details are available at your level of clearance.
Stage 7
Circe
You are now authorized to use the GTW-19 Circe. Derived from advanced EM weaponry, the Circe disrupts shield systems by directing a barrage of fluctuating EM harmonics on the target. This energy is completely ineffective against armor plating or insulated subsystems. For this reason, the Circe is best paired with a weapon such as the Maxim or the Prometheus, which inflict heavy hull damage.
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
Reconnaissance has located the NTF Iceni. Bosch has made contact with the Shivans a second time. An Azrael-class transport is currently docked with the vessel. A second transport appears to be waiting nearby. We do not know if the Shivans are boarding the Iceni, or if Bosch and his followers are boarding the transports.
Stage 2
Our objective is to capture the Iceni and the ETAK technology. Two Shivan cruisers are guarding the vessel, the Azmedaj and the Sammael. Once the cruisers have been destroyed, we will deploy a Special Forces unit to board and secure the rebel command ship. Your second objective will be to defend our transport, the GVT Qeb.
Stage 3
To our knowledge, the Iceni holds the only example of the ETAK technology in existence. Bosch took extraordinary measures to destroy all evidence of his research. If we fail, we have little hope of rebuilding the device. Command has absolute faith in your ability to succeed in this endeavor.
Debriefing
Stage 1
A Vasudan never leaves the field of battle without authorization from a superior officer. Your cowardice jeopardized the lives of our brothers and sisters. You are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance. You will be taken into custody and handed over to the Terran 3rd Battle Group authority, where you will face a court martial. You are a disgrace to your species, Terran.
Stage 2
Our transport failed to dock with the Iceni. The NTF survivors and our boarding party are now dead, and we lost the communication technology. All evidence of Bosch's ETAK project has been destroyed.
I regret to inform you that your participation in the officer exchange program has been terminated by order of Vasudan Tactical Command. I petitioned in your favor but to no avail. You faced overwhelming odds, and many of our own Vasudan pilots died in the struggle. However, Command failed to anticipate the intensity of the Shivan attack.
You must not blame yourself, pilot. You are, after all, only human.
Stage 3
The GVT Qeb rescued the survivors of the Iceni and retrieved the specifications for Bosch's ETAK device.
Command has classified these materials Level Omega, accessible only by persons specially authorized by the GTVA Security Council. Be advised that divulging any information regarding this operation is punishable under the GTVA Security Act, Antares Convention, Section 15-5-7.
We arrived too late to stop the Azrael transport carrying Admiral Bosch and his immediate subordinates. Our questioning of the survivors reveals the encounter had been violent. The motives of the Shivans cannot be determined, though it seems Bosch's experiment attracted their attention. Reconnaissance is now searching for the Shivan transport.
Against overwhelming odds, you destroyed the Shivan cruisers, protected the Iceni, and escorted the transport safely home. It is indeed an honor to serve with a pilot of your caliber.
Stage 4
The Shivans destroyed the GVT Qeb while the transport was still docked with the Iceni. The NTF survivors and our boarding party are now dead, and all evidence of Bosch's ETAK project has been destroyed.
I regret to inform you that your participation in the officer exchange program has been terminated by order of Vasudan Tactical Command. I petitioned in your favor but to no avail. You faced overwhelming odds, and many of our own Vasudan pilots died in the struggle. However, Command failed to anticipate the intensity of the Shivan attack.
You must not blame yourself, pilot. You are, after all, only human.
Stage 5
We were almost there, pilot. Our transport was mere seconds away from jumping to safety. The NTF survivors and our boarding party are now dead, and all evidence of Bosch's ETAK project has been destroyed.
I regret to inform you that your participation in the officer exchange program has been terminated by order of Vasudan Tactical Command. I petitioned in your favor but to no avail. You faced overwhelming odds, and many of our own Vasudan pilots died in the struggle. However, Command failed to anticipate the intensity of the Shivan attack.
You must not blame yourself, pilot. You are, after all, only human.
Stage 6
Our transport failed to dock with the Iceni, and we lost the ETAK technology. All evidence of Bosch's research has been destroyed.
I regret to inform you that your participation in the officer exchange program has been terminated by order of Vasudan Tactical Command. I petitioned in your favor but to no avail. You faced overwhelming odds, and many of our own Vasudan pilots died in the struggle. However, Command failed to anticipate the intensity of the Shivan attack.
You must not blame yourself, pilot. You are, after all, only human.
Straight, No Chaser
Mission Filename: sm3-04.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
At 1640 hours, reconnaissance detected the Shivan transport carrying Admiral Bosch and his subordinates deep within a Shivan-controlled zone of the nebula. A wing of Maras repelled our recon unit, but we now have an approximate location. Alpha and Beta, your mission is to find and disable the Azrael transport.
Stage 2
The attack must be executed quickly, before the transport escapes. Once its engines are disabled, defend the transport until the recovery team arrives on Lambda 1. They will dock with the Azrael and haul the vessel back to Gamma Draconis. Lambda 2 will be standing by in case Lambda 1 should fail.
Stage 3
Capturing Bosch and his lieutenants is of the utmost importance. We do not know if they are alive or dead, or what the Shivans intend to do with them.
Debriefing
Stage 1
A Vasudan never leaves the field of battle without authorization from a superior officer. Your cowardice jeopardized the lives of our brothers and sisters. You are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance. You will be taken into custody and handed over to the Terran 3rd Battle Group authority, where you will face a court martial. You are a disgrace to your species, Terran.
Stage 2
Welcome to the GVD Memphis, Terran. The annihilation of the Psamtik and the thousands on board is a tragedy for all Vasudans. A people birthed in sorrow will die in sorrow, as the old proverb goes. The discovery of the second Knossos portal was of extraordinary significance, but there will be no expedition.
Allied forces have sighted multiple Sathanas-class juggernauts converging on our positions throughout the nebular theater. We stand on the brink of a new Shivan resurgence, and our systems are once again in jeopardy.
For the second time, Command has ordered a full retreat of all allied vessels from the nebula. We will withdraw immediately to the Capella system, where we will mount our defense. However, not even the Colossus has the firepower to repel a juggernaut fleet.
With the disappearance of the Azrael, and the extreme secrecy surrounding the Alliance's handling of the ETAK project, it could be many years before we learn what happened out here.
Argonautica
Mission Filename: sm3-05.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
At 3320 Vasudan Galactic Time, we received a distress signal from the GTD Aquitaine. The destroyer came under attack 4,000 meters from the Gamma Draconis jump node. The SC Urobach and its fighter escort incapacitated the Aquitaine's engines and fighterbay.
Stage 2
Admiral Petrarch reports that his gunners destroyed the Urobach and all but one of the fighter wings. With the entire Shivan armada now heading for Terran-Vasudan space, we must get the Aquitaine out as soon as possible. Your mission is to defend the Aquitaine until its propulsion systems are restored.
Stage 3
A damage control team is currently en route from Gamma Draconis. The GTC Agrippa, an Aeolus-class warship, escorts the Argo transport carrying the team and the components needed for the repair. When the Argo arrives, your objective will be to ensure it docks safely with the damaged destroyer.
Stage 4
The Aquitaine's Engineering Officer estimates that once the damage control team arrives with the required materials, the repair will be accomplished in a matter of minutes. However, this provides the Shivans sufficient time to launch additional wings and threaten the Aquitaine.
Debriefing
Stage 1
With sorrow, we remember the 10,000 officers and crew of the GTD Aquitaine. They fought courageously and died with valor.
Your next assignment would have been on board the Aquitaine, leading the 70th Blue Lions squadron. However, with these recent developments, you have been reassigned to fly support for the 12th Fleet in the remote Wolf 359 system.
Your transport departs at 0150.
Stage 2
Because of your actions, the GTD Aquitaine safely reached the Gamma Draconis system. The damage to the vessel's fighterbay and targeting system is now being repaired.
Vasudan Tactical Command has informed us you are to be transferred immediately to the GTD Aquitaine for your next assignment. You will serve as leader of the elite 70th Blue Lions. However, you have also received an urgent transmission from Special Operations Command. Your talents are in demand, pilot.
For your exceptional service to the crown of Emperor Khonsu II, Heir of the Dynasty of Ten Thousand Years, you are hereby inducted into the Imperial Order of Vasuda. Rarely is this honor conferred upon those of your species. Congratulations, Terran.
Stage 3
Your sighting of the Shivan juggernaut has provided Intelligence with valuable information regarding the potential strength and movements of the enemy fleet.
Stage 4
A Vasudan never leaves the field of battle without authorization from a superior officer. Your cowardice jeopardized the lives of our brothers and sisters. You are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance. You will be taken into custody and handed over to the Terran 3rd Battle Group authority, where you will face a court martial. You are a disgrace to your species, Terran.
As Lightning Fall
Mission Filename: loop2-1.fs2
Command Briefing
Stage 1
Special Operations Command
You have been selected for a covert assignment with Special Operations Command (SOC), in conjunction with Galactic Terran-Vasudan Intelligence (GTVI). Our primary objective is to provide the Alliance with accurate and comprehensive information regarding the tactics, technologies, activities, and strategic objectives of forces hostile to the GTVA.
Stage 2
Lieutenant Commander Snipes
At 0437 reconnaissance units received a coded transmission from Lieutenant Commander Snipes. The Commander's vessel, the NTT Grall, is now adrift in a Shivan-infested region of the nebula and will not survive much longer. The Grall was docked to the NTC Alexandria when the cruiser ran our blockade of the Knossos portal in Gamma Draconis.
Stage 3
S.O.S.
Here is part of the actual transmission. We processed the message to enable better comprehension:
Granite Mountain, this is Black Dove requesting immediate extraction. Engines and jump drives are inoperative. Location, Delta 429 by 372. Deployed Pharos beacons to assist search. Heavy Shivan presence. Severe nebula storms. Probability of survival not good.
Stage 4
Allied Retreat
As you know, Allied forces are in full retreat to Gamma Draconis, so logistical support will be virtually non-existent. We have no available reinforcements and only one recovery ship. We're operating in a Shivan-infested area, so expect a fierce enemy offensive. The odds are against you on this one, pilot.
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
You know why you're here, pilot, so let's get down to work. Recon located a Pharos navigation buoy not far from where Snipes's transmission was received. Your wing will be inserted at that position to find the Grall and make contact with Snipes. His transport has been incapacitated, and there's a high probability he's already a goner.
Stage 2
This sector of the nebula is extremely volatile. Recon reports heavy EM interference, scrambling sensors and communications. These buoys are the only chance we have of finding Snipes and the Grall. The EM storm will make aspect lock difficult to acquire and maintain, so we recommend you loadout with Tempests and Rockeyes.
Stage 3
Once you locate Snipes, call in Lambda 1. This is critical. Do not deploy the recovery craft until you are ready. Our transport will dock with the Grall and extract the survivors. You'll need to buy them some time as they complete this procedure. Good hunting.
Debriefing
Stage 1
Congratulations, pilot. You saved my life, and I owe you big. If I had more clout with the brass, I'd have them give you a Service Medallion, but they don't just hand those out. You didn't have to volunteer for this assignment, but I'm damn glad you did.
Now here's an important lesson. SOC didn't mount a rescue op because they liked me. They did it because I had information they needed, and information is what keeps you alive out here. Now I'm heading up the 99th for another mission, and I think we're going need you on this one. I already cleared it with Command, so it's your call, pilot. Hope you do the right thing.
Stage 2
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Snipes distinguished himself as one of the best operatives ever to serve in the SOC. His courage, resourcefulness, and determination helped us defeat Admiral Bosch and his Neo-Terran Front. Snipes worked deep-cover for over six months, advising the GTVI of the enemy's movements, strategies, and capabilities. His career will stand as a shining example of service and sacrifice to the GTVA and the ideals for which the Alliance stands.
Lieutenant Commander Snipes is hereby posthumously awarded the SOC Service Medallion, the most prestigious honor bestowed by the GTVA Special Operations Command. I know of no officer more worthy of such recognition.
Stage 3
You did not have authorization to return to base, pilot. Your actions jeopardized the lives of those involved in this mission and the GTVA's objectives in this theatre. Desertion is grounds for a court martial, and you are confined to quarters pending your preliminary hearing. Until a military court decides otherwise, you are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Into the Lion's Den
Mission Filename: loop2-2.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
Here's the situation. Allied Command has ordered the full retreat of all GTVA forces. They've written off Gamma Draconis, so they're moving the armada into Capella to hold down the system. Meanwhile, SOC needs a unit to fly suicide to check out a second Knossos device the Vasudans found deep in the nebula.
Stage 2
To give us a fighting chance, our unit will fly a wing of Shivan fighters SOC forces captured early in the nebula campaign. Our engineers have modified and optimized these craft. They'll handle even better than the Shivan original, and if you play it right, you might even avoid enemy detection.
Stage 3
We're going in with a handpicked squad. You'll fly Alpha 1. I've got Alpha 2. Two of our top pilots, Xinny and Zero, will cover Alphas 3 and 4, respectively. Our Maras will be equipped with intersystem jump drives so we can use the node.
Stage 4
The timetable for this mission is 15 minutes. We'll jump in, gather data, hold down the fort, then jump out. Your drives will be inoperative inside a window of exactly 15 seconds. If we miss our jump, the recovery ship will leave us behind. There's no room for error.
Stage 5
Here's something else to think about. By the time we launch, we'll be the only allied operatives left in the nebula. There'll be no reinforcement, no support, and no base to run to. That's why this mission has to be carried out by the numbers. We have fifteen minutes. No more. No less.
Debriefing
Stage 1
Good work, Alpha 1. Most pilots only get to fly one suicide mission. We survived what should've been our last sortie. GTVA analysts are now reviewing our flight data.
Unfortunately, we failed to destroy a single one of those Shivan devices. The Alliance demands top-notch flying from its elite squads, and our performance out there was a little disappointing. At least we were able to warn the Alliance.
It's been a privilege and an honor, pilot. Allied Command has reassigned you to the GTD Aquitaine. Rumor has it you'll be leading the 70th Blue Lions, and I can't think of a better pilot for the job. Good luck.
Stage 2
Good work, Alpha 1. Most pilots only get to fly one suicide mission. We survived what should've been our last sortie. I've advised the GTVI that multiple Juggernaut-class warships are now en route to the Capella system. We'll have our hands full getting everyone out of there alive.
By the way, nice work destroying that Shivan technology. Analysts are poring over the scan data now, but you can rest assured the results will be classified beyond your level of clearance. They always are.
For helping to provide the Alliance with accurate and comprehensive information regarding the tactics, technologies, activities, and strategic objectives of forces hostile to the GTVA, you are hereby awarded the SOC Service Medallion, the most prestigious honor bestowed by Special Operations Command. Congratulations.
It's been a privilege and an honor, pilot. Allied Command has reassigned you to the GTD Aquitaine. Rumor has it you'll be leading the 70th Blue Lions, and I can't think of a better pilot for the job. Good luck.
Stage 3
Outstanding job. Most pilots only fly one suicide mission. We survived what should've been our last sortie. I've advised the GTVI that multiple Juggernaut-class warships are now en route to the Capella system. We'll have our hands full getting everyone out of there alive.
Great work neutralizing those Shivan devices. You delivered a top-notch performance. Analysts are poring over the scan data now, but you can rest assured the results will be classified beyond your level of clearance. They always are.
One more thing. For helping to provide the Alliance with accurate and comprehensive information regarding the tactics, technologies, activities, and strategic objectives of forces hostile to the GTVA, you are hereby awarded the SOC Service Medallion, the most prestigious honor bestowed by Special Operations Command. Congratulations.
It's been a privilege and an honor, pilot. Allied Command has reassigned you to the GTD Aquitaine. Rumor has it you'll be leading the 70th Blue Lions, and I can't think of a better pilot for the job. Good luck.
Exodus
Mission Filename: sm3-06.fs2
Command Briefing
Stage 1
70th Blue Lions
Welcome back to the Aquitaine. Because of your outstanding service to the Alliance, the GTVA has granted you command of your own elite fighter squadron, the 70th Blue Lions. This is quite an honor, pilot. You'll receive all your briefings directly from quarterdeck.
As squadron leader of the Blue Lions, you will be granted the highest priority in ship and weapon selection, but choose your ordnance carefully. Review the techroom database if you have any questions.
Stage 2
The Shivan Armada
Nine Sathanas juggernauts have now entered the Capella system, and Intelligence has sighted even more in the nebula, converging on the jump node to Terran-Vasudan space.
We are on the threshold of a new apocalypse. Though the juggernauts have not engaged our warships, they have set course for the Capella star. We can only speculate about their intentions, but this development cannot bode well for the Alliance.
Stage 3
Exodus
Allied Command is committed to evacuating all non-essential personnel. A contingency plan is in the works to hold the Shivans here, in Capella, and prevent the expansion of the Shivan incursion to other systems of the GTVA.
The 70th Blue Lions will provide the fighter cover needed to get our convoys out of the system. Millions of lives are at stake here, pilot. And if we fail, all our worlds and systems will be in jeopardy.
Stage 4
Erinyes Fighter
The GTVA has just unveiled the newly developed Erinyes-class heavy assault fighter. With eight gun banks, you'll have sufficient firepower to make short work of enemy targets at close range.The Erinyes can accommodate fire control for up to two different primary systems.
You may need to allocate more power to weapons to fight effectively, so make adjustments as needed.
Stage 5
GTW UD-8 Kayser
You have also been issued the GTW UD-08 Kayser. For its limited OpEval period, only select units will be authorized to carry this weapon. The Kayser emits focused wavelets of subatomic particles that bombard the target, causing the wave function of the particles to collapse and emit intense zero-point energy microbursts. The Kayser is the product of our research into Shivan weapon technology.
Stage 6
GTM-11 Infyrno
Finally, we have received the new GTM-11 Infyrno, a wide-area fighter suppression warhead. To use the Infyrno, press your secondary trigger once to launch the missile, then press it again to detonate. A HUD indicator will display the distance of the warhead from your ship.Upon detonation, the Infyrno releases multiple submunitions which themselves contain ultra-high explosive charges.
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
As we speak, convoys of transports, freighters, and medical ships are heading for the jump nodes to Vega and Epsilon Pegasi. The evacuation of civilian personnel proceeds on schedule, but the enemy offensive has intensified. We have blockaded the Gamma Draconis node, though Shivan forces are swarming into the system.
Stage 2
The 53rd will relieve the 309th at the Gamma Draconis node, and we'll deploy the 19th to hold down the fort at 3rd Fleet Headquarters as we evacuate non-essential personnel. Command needs a closer look at the Juggernauts, so we'll be sending in the 91st.70th Blue Lions will be sortied to the Epsilon Pegasi node.
Stage 3
Blue Lions, your mission is to escort a four-ship convoy to Epsilon Pegasi. The group consists of civilian transports Lambda 1 and 2, GTFr Sulla, and the medical ship GTM Vesalius. All have minimal armaments and vulnerable hull plating. GVCv Nebtuu leads the escort.
Stage 4
At 1415 hours, the Shivan corvette Abraxis and a wing of Manticore fighters attacked the convoy. The Nebtuu called for assistance, so you're going in. Theta wing will stand by to reinforce your position. Call them in at your discretion. Good luck, pilots. The people of Capella are counting on you.
Debriefing
Stage 1
You did not have authorization to return to base, pilot. Your actions jeopardized the lives of those involved in this mission and the GTVA's objectives in this theatre. Desertion is grounds for a court martial, and you are confined to quarters pending your preliminary hearing. Until a military court decides otherwise, you are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Stage 2
Excellent work, pilot. Your first sortie as leader of the 70th Blue Lions proved you are just the officer to lead this outfit. The Shivans launched a savage attack, but you and your squadron held them off. Because of your tactical leadership, the entire convoy safely reached Epsilon Pegasi.
Stage 3
The Shivans launched a massive offensive against all our outbound convoys. The death toll has escalated into the hundred of thousands. We do not have the resources to defend every ship escaping this system. Even your elite 70th Blue Lions failed to complete all mission objectives.
Stage 4
Both Lambda transports perished in the Shivan attack. Thousands of civilians were lost.
Stage 5
Both Lambda transports reached Epsilon Pegasi. Your efforts saved thousands of lives.
Stage 6
One of the Lambda transports reached the jump node. Half the civilians perished in the Shivan attack.
Stage 7
Relief workers in Vega and Epsilon Pegasi report a shortage of vital provisions and medical supplies. The loss of the Sulla will only complicate matters.
Stage 8
We managed to save the GTFr Sulla. The provisions it carried will help alleviate the supply shortages in Epsilon Pegasi.
Stage 9
The destruction of the GTM Vesalius is a tragedy. With the casualties the Shivans have inflicted in Capella, every medical vessel is vital to our efforts.
Stage 10
The GTM Vesalius arrived in Epsilon Pegasi. The medical vessel will play a crucial role in handling the influx of refugees from Capella.
Stage 11
Your squadron eliminated all hostile targets. If we are to halt the Shivan advance, every effort must be made to diminish the enemy force.
Stage 12
We need to deploy your unit to 3rd Fleet Headquarters pronto. Assemble your squadron in the ready room.
Stage 13
For demonstrating exceptional leadership under fire, you are hereby awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Dunkerque
Mission Filename: sm3-07.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
At 2345 hours, Allied Command authorized the immediate evacuation of 3rd Fleet Headquarters in the Capella system. The installation has come under heavy fighter and bomber attack. The Shivans are deploying their wings from the SD Nebiros, a Ravana-class destroyer. The 19th squadron, assigned to defend headquarters, has been wiped out.
Stage 2
The evacuation will proceed as follows. Lambda 1, an Argo-class transport, will dock with the installation. Personnel will then board the Argo, which will take them to the GTD Messana. Command will deploy a second transport to extract the remaining personnel on board the installation. The injured have already been transferred to the medical vessel GTM Galen.
Stage 3
After Lambda 2 has docked with the Orion, the Messana will leave the system, and you will be authorized to return to base. You will take Alpha and Delta wings and provide fighter cover for this operation. You must protect the installation, the Messana, and the two transports. Once evacuated, the installation will be destroyed.
Stage 4
We have already extracted non-essential personnel, so the operation should proceed quickly. With the evacuation of Headquarters, the Alliance is preparing to initiate the final phase of its plan to hold the Shivans in Capella.
Debriefing
Stage 1
Outstanding work, pilot. Both Lambda transports safely docked with the GTD Messana. The evacuation of 3rd Fleet Headquarters was a complete success. Under your capable leadership, the 70th Blue Lions upholds its standing among the elite squadrons of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
The GTVA Security Council has revealed its strategy for holding the Shivans in the Capella system. I will address the officers and crew of the Aquitaine in one hour. The 70th Blue Lions will play a critical role in the upcoming operation. I know that you and your squadron are up to the challenge.
Stage 2
Though we lost the first transport, Lambda 2 safely docked with the GTD Messana. The evacuation of 3rd Fleet Headquarters was only a partial success. Under the circumstances, this outcome is perhaps the best we could hope for. However, may I remind you that elite squadrons earn their status by going above and beyond the call of duty.
The GTVA Security Council has revealed its strategy for holding the Shivans in the Capella system. I will address the officers and crew of the Aquitaine in one hour. The 70th Blue Lions will play a critical role in the upcoming operation. I know that you and your squadron are up to the challenge.
Stage 3
Though we lost the second transport, Lambda 1 safely docked with the GTD Messana. The evacuation of 3rd Fleet Headquarters was only a partial success. Under the circumstances, this outcome is perhaps the best we could hope for. However, may I remind you that elite squadrons earn their status by going above and beyond the call of duty.
The GTVA Security Council has revealed its strategy for holding the Shivans in the Capella system. I will address the officers and crew of the Aquitaine in one hour. The 70th Blue Lions will play a critical role in the upcoming operation. I know that you and your squadron are up to the challenge.
Stage 4
Both Lambda transports were lost. With 3rd Fleet leadership all but annihilated, the outcome of this engagement could not have been more disastrous. The GTVA Security Council has expressed its extreme displeasure with your performance as leader of the 70th Blue Lions, a so-called elite squadron. You have been relieved of command, pilot.
Stage 5
The loss of the GTD Messana is a tragedy. Many friends and colleagues perished today, and we are left only to ask what could we have done to save them. As Commanding Officer of the Aquitaine, I placed my faith in you and your squadron. The 70th Blue Lions have earned a reputation as one of the finest units in the GTVA. But reputations do not save lives. Reputations do not achieve results. I have no choice but to relieve you of your command. You are dismissed, pilot.
Stage 6
We have lost the GTD Messana. With 3rd Fleet leadership all but annihilated, the outcome of this engagement could not have been more disastrous. The GTVA Security Council has expressed its extreme displeasure with your performance as leader of the 70th Blue Lions, a so-called elite squadron. You have been relieved of command, pilot.
Stage 7
The perseverance and courage of your unit are well noted, pilot. You eliminated all hostile targets. With our backs against the wall, every advantage we achieve can make the difference between annihilation and victory.
Stage 8
You did not have authorization to return to base, pilot. Your actions jeopardized the lives of those involved in this mission and the GTVA's objectives in this theatre. Desertion is grounds for a court martial, and you are confined to quarters pending your preliminary hearing. Until a military court decides otherwise, you are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Stage 9
For conspicuous gallantry at the risk of your own life, you have distinguished yourself above and beyond the call of duty in the highest traditions of military service. You are hereby awarded the GTVA Legion of Honor, the highest decoration awarded by the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Their Finest Hour
Mission Filename: sm3-08.fs2
Command Briefing
Stage 1
Exodus
With over one hundred thousand casualties and more Shivans incoming, we have no hope of holding Capella. Our only real chance is to seal off the system and prevent the invasion from spreading to other Terran-Vasudan worlds. If we fail to contain the Shivan advance, we will unleash the second Great War, a conflict we have virtually no chance of surviving. The Lucifer fleet we defeated 32 years ago is nothing compared to the strength of this armada. Command is committed to getting every last Terran out of the system.
Stage 2
A Subspace Anomaly
Over 80 Shivan Juggernauts are now in position around the Capella sun. Science vessels monitoring their activity have detected an anomalous subspace field rippling from the Juggernaut fleet. Though we can barely detect the field with our instruments, its intensity has been increasing slowly over the past seventy-two hours. We have known since the Great War that the Shivans possess advanced subspace technologies, but this field goes beyond our wildest speculations. The Shivans may be powering up a new kind of weapon, the likes of which we have never before encountered.
Stage 3
Sacrifice
Preparations are now underway to collapse the Epsilon Pegasi jump node. A Great-War-era destroyer, the GTD Bastion, will contain multiple meson warheads that will detonate inside the node. Scientists believe an explosion of sufficient magnitude will cause this node to collapse, as evidenced by the destruction of the Lucifer 32 years ago. The detonation of the Lucifer's reactors sealed off the Sol jump node in Delta Serpentis and severed all contact with Earth. The Bastion has completed its modifications in the Vega system and is now entering Capella.
Stage 4
Will the Strategy Work?
Skeptics have argued the Shivans made intersystem jumps without using nodes in Ross 128, Ikeya, Vega, and other systems at the outbreak of the Great War. However, scientists assure us this plan will work. Though Shivans have used uncharted nodes and nodes too unstable for Terran and Vasudan vessels, they are as dependent on jump nodes as we are. Nevertheless, we must accept this strategy as nothing more than a temporary measure.
Stage 5
Endgame
Once we have evacuated all civilian and military personnel from the Capella system, we will send a second destroyer, also carrying meson warheads, through the Capella jump node in Vega. If we succeed in sealing off both nodes, the Alliance will have trapped the Shivans in this system. If we fail, we face certain annihilation.
This is our Alamo, pilots. We hold them here, or we die trying.
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
The GTD Bastion will enter the Capella system at 1835 hours. We're sending in the 116th to escort the warship into position. Our forward observer units near the Juggernauts are calling for backup, so we'll send in the 83rd. The 309th will assist with the containment effort at the Vega node, and as for the 70th Blue Lions, we've got something special for you.
Stage 2
Your mission is to create a diversion at the Gamma Draconis node. The operation here will be a feint to lure the Shivan armada. The Colossus and its group will form a battle line near the node. By focusing our firepower here, we'll draw the brunt of the Shivan offensive. Meanwhile, on the other side of the system, the Bastion will collapse the node to Epsilon Pegasi.
Stage 3
Your objectives are simple. Destroy all enemy targets. Be advised reinforcements will not be readily available. In a recent engagement, the Colossus sustained damage to its fighterbays. You'll have to hold out until they get the flight deck cleared. Good luck, pilot.
Debriefing
Stage 1
The Colossus has been destroyed. Over thirty thousand officers and crew, our colleagues, compatriots, and friends, perished in this battle. The most powerful Terran-Vasudan warship ever constructed, twenty years in the making, was vaporized in a matter of minutes.
Command acknowledges there was nothing you could have done to save the Colossus. Many of your squadmates were killed, and you are lucky to have survived the engagement. However, we have no time to mourn the dead. We have a job to do, and if we fail, millions more will suffer and die.
The 70th Blue Lions are being scrambled to assist the Bastion. Report to the ready room on the double.
Stage 2
You did not have authorization to return to base, pilot. Your actions jeopardized the lives of those involved in this mission and the GTVA's objectives in this theatre. Desertion is grounds for a court martial, and you are confined to quarters pending your preliminary hearing. Until a military court decides otherwise, you are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Clash of the Titans II
Mission Filename: sm3-09.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
The GTD Bastion, loaded with Meson warheads, is now en route to the Epsilon Pegasi jump node. The Bastion will be detonated inside the node to create a subspace cataclysm that will seal off the Capella system. If the Bastion fails to achieve this objective, the Shivans will swarm into our adjacent systems.
Stage 2
The task force defending the Bastion has been decimated. Three ships remain: the Templar, the Malta, and the Ertanax. All are Aeolus-class cruisers. The Shivans continue to send wave after wave of fighters and bombers. Only a handful of the Bastion's original fighter complement have survived the onslaught.
Stage 3
Alpha, Delta, and Beta wings will fly heavy intercept. Your mission is to take out enemy bombers before they close within targeting distance. You'll be armed with the Trebuchet missile, which has an effective range of four kilometers. Gamma wing will fly the Perseus. Their role will be to engage enemy fighters.
Stage 4
The majority of the fleet is fending off a massive attack at the Vega node. Thousands of civilians await evacuation and the enemy continues to flood in from Gamma Draconis. We will not get a second chance to pull this off. If we fail here, we unleash the Second Shivan War. We must get the Bastion through at any cost.
Debriefing
Stage 1
You did not have authorization to return to base, pilot. Your actions jeopardized the lives of those involved in this mission and the GTVA's objectives in this theatre. Desertion is grounds for a court martial, and you are confined to quarters pending your preliminary hearing. Until a military court decides otherwise, you are hereby stripped of your wings and all privileges bestowed upon you as an officer of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance.
Apocalypse
Mission Filename: sm3-10.fs2
Mission Briefing
Stage 1
Excellent work. The detonation of the Bastion's Meson bombs created a subspace cataclysm that sealed off the node. You and the 70th Blue Lions deserve the highest commendation.
The Security Council has authorized the deployment of the GTD Nereid. The destroyer will depart from the Vega system and collapse the node in fifteen minutes. We must therefore complete our evacuation of Capella by that time. Any ship that remains behind will be trapped with the Shivan armada.
Your objective is to defend our convoys as they flee through the Vega node. Cargo ships, personnel transports, medical vessels, and the remnants of the allied fleet are now in transit. These convoys are under heavy bomber fire. If we don't provide cover, thousands will die.
Your secondary objective is to prevent Shivan warships from entering the Vega node. The Allied fleet has been pulverized, so for the sake of all Terrans and Vasudans, the war must end here. You will receive authorization to enter the Vega node and leave the system once the Nereid has been deployed.
