Let's talk strategy

[Corsair]

So, for my World History class, we had to pick a subject, then a sub-topic based on that subject. So, I chose military, and the Strategy sub-topic.

I was assigned to develop a battle strategy of any setting. I'm alright at RTS games, but decided, hell, I'm going to make it a Freelancer battle.

So I chose two capital ship-oriented factions, Liberty and Rheinland. Might as well RP this.

So the battle starts with two patrol wings meeting, and having a brief skirmish in the Bering system. Rheinland gunboats emerge from the asteroid field, and assist the fighters. Liberty calls for reinforcements, and soon a fresh two wings of fighters come in. With a clairvoyant show of skill, the Liberty pilots take down the Rheinland fighters and are focused on the gunboat.

At this point, the situation has become a small-scale battle, as three wings of Rheinland fighters and two more gunboats arrive. Liberty responds by sending in a cruiser. The asteroids hamper the cruiser somewhat, so the Liberty fighters fall back into Texas. This was a faulty move, as now the Rheinlanders take this golden opportunity to pour into Texas. After a desperate battle, Rheinland controls the Jump Gate to Texas.

Liberty blockades the Trade Lanes leading to New York, and prepare a counter-attack to reclaim the Jump Gate. They muster five Dreadnoughts and ten cruisers, as well as three score fighters and two score bombers. They engage cruise engines and head for the Gate.

They are met two-thirds of the way by some patrols, a gunboat and two fighters. The Liberty force loses no units, where the Rheinland forces are crushed. They find the Rheinlanders have three Battleships, fifteen cruisers, and over fifteen score fighters and bombers.

The Dreadnoughts charge straight into the fray, focusing their fire on the Battleships. The fighters try to stave off the bombers, but Liberty soon loses a Dreadnought. Liberty bombers destroy a Battleship, but Liberty is already down half of their ships. As the last fighter is shot down, Rheinland is left with two cruisers and a handful of fighters. Liberty now focuses it's diminished strength on guarding the Gate.

Rheinland pulls in reinforcements, so they are five Battleships, five cruisers, and five score fighters strong. Liberty has one Dreadnought, ten cruisers, arranged so their forward guns are aimed at the Lane, and five score fighters and bombers.

Rheinland captures Houston and Dallas, and prepares to assault the Gate. Rheinland engages their cruise engines, when Liberty gets a surprise: Liberty Rogues are assaulting their blockade. By the time the Rheinlanders arrive, Liberty has lost several fighters. The Order arrives just in time, with Corsair allies. In the following fight, Rheinland is beaten off by the Corsairs, Order, and Liberty.

Well? Plausible scenario?

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[Jacob S.]

This is.... The most epic idea for an event ever. Except, I'd think the Rogues would oppose Rheinland before Liberty. They already think they are somewhat oppressed by the elitist government of Liberty, I doubt they would enjoy Fascism very much more than Liberty.

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[pchwang]

Corsair, if I were your teacher, I might give you a grade based on what you have done in relation to the battle in Freelancer, but at the same time, I would also not be amused.

If you really want to do well on this assignment, don't do it on Freelancer. Do it on a battle that could have happened in history. For instance, what if Alexander the Great did not stop at India? or if Fascist Spain had entered WWII on the Axis side? What if the Germans under Hitler had not circumvented the Maginot Line by invading Belgium and fought against it head on?

These are questions that a history teacher might be more interested in exploring.

For one, I doubt your history teacher knows what Freelancer is. Second, I doubt that he will understand the terminology in your paper. If you really are stuck, ask a few of your friends what they are doing.

Good luck.

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[7:42:05 PM][6:51:36 PM] Igor (Smokey): btw terry
[6:51:48 PM] Terrance Cooper: Ye?
[6:52:00 PM] Igor (Smokey): nothin
[6:52:03 PM] Igor (Smokey): just sayin btw
[6:52:05 PM] Terrance Cooper: <_<

Johnny_Haas: you shot anti criuse speed rockets!!!
Johnny_Haas: but why????
Johnny_Haas: ??
Johnny_Haas: why you shoot criuse speed rockets?

[Niezck]

As Elgato said, great idea, I'd give you full credit for it, but I doubt your teacher will be best pleased. I once wrote a FL essay for English ... It didn't go down very well.

[Taffic]

Read Sun Tzu "The Art of War"
Its short, highly relevant & a brilliant read.

Then do something other than Freelancer.

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[Monk]

The devil cat is right, especially since real military strategy is based on reality. Military strategy based on a universe with faulty physics and suspect technology would not be very educational. You can, as suggested, make alterations of historical battles or you could pour over some resources on military strategy and formulate a scenario of your own (based on real limitations of course).

[Death.RunningVerminator]

Don't do Freelancer... you need to do something more realistic probably.

[Lucend]

Okay, I'm going to tell you to not do Freelancer, but I'm gonna suggest a battle to do instead.

The Battle of Trafalgar. The spanish/french fleet launched from Cadiz and encountered the British fleet headed by Admiral Lord Nelson. Check wikipedia for complete play-by-play of the battle, but it's a perfect example of superior tactics winning the day.

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"The thirteen saloons that had lined the one street of Seney had not left a trace. The foundations of the Mansion House hotel stuck up above the ground. The stone was chipped and split by the fire. It was all that was left of the town of Seney. Even the surface had been burned off the ground.
Nick looked at the burned-over stretch of hillside, where he had expected to find the scattered houses of the town and then walked down the railroad track to the bridge over the river. The river was there."

Osaika Moto, the Fall and Rise of a Kusari Farmer

Juan Lucendez, √ Corsair

[bluntpencil2001]

If I was the teacher, I would award it an F, since it is a narrative, not an analysis of strategy.

Also, strategy is on a grand scale, not battles. Strategy is about supply lines, the positioning of brigades and entire armies, less so about the battles themselves. Strategy is to wars as tactics are to battles, as it were.

If analysing strategy, you might want to look at Blitzkrieg strategies, troop and supply movements at Stalingrad, or everything surrounding the Battle of Midway, and US naval superiority in World War 2.

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[johnpeter]

Great idea for a event, but for stratagy... Not so much, how about making something like a ambush, or rear attack? Also, you should make it more that R brings in 1 BS 2 C 3 GB & 1 FI, then L brings in 2 BS 5 GB, and 4 FI... Add some twists, make it more interesting...

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Come on! Be free!