Cracking can be heard in the comms in the vicinity, as a KNF-identified Gunboat passes Sapporo. It doesn't stop to investigate, perhaps the captain believes it to be interference.
As the ship activates the tradelane and moves out of scanning range, the space around Sapporo suddenly becomes busy. Multiple ships move out of the cover of the Shiden Cloud, including one 'Bumblebee'. From afar, this looks like a normal Samuran H-fuel convoy - hadn't it been for the fact that after filling the hold up the ships don't move to the gate, they turn south instead.
"Hien-Ichi speaking. We are moving through cloud cover now, radio silence relieved. All vessels, form around the Kobe. Kyofu Burn in three. Two. One. Engage!"
The convoy silently crosses the Kyofu, engines on maximum capacity. Nobody likes to stay in this radiated zone, especially not this close, but it cannot be avoided - the strong radiation masks the emission of the transport's engines.
On the other side of Hokkaido, two red-coloured Fighters are on their way back home. They have completed their assignment and are now on their way back.
"Do you believe they will take the bait?"
"I'm sure of it"
"What makes you so sure?"
"Simple. They're simple... Hey, do you see that?"
"What?"
"That dot over there. It looks like a large ship. Transport, I'd say. On this side of the sun?"
"This is Hien-Ni. I got two bogeys closing the distance. Looking like Chimaeras. Permission to engage?"
"Ryokai, Ni. You and San divert those traitors. We'll take the route through Nagano then. Dood hunting, you two!"
//The 343rd has recently opened supply lines to Sapporo, using their only transport vessel they have left to supply Nagasaki with the necessary H-fuel. On their way back, they run into a pair of Blood Dragons, returning from a raid in Rishiri. Not knowing that these bogeys are in fact not KNF, the leader of the convoy decides to take the longer, lesser patrolled route through the Nagano System.
First engagement:
The Blood dragons are engaged by two of the flanking fighters the Exiles have assigned to their convoy.
Exiles Objectives:
Destroy the scouting party to avoid detection (Primary objective)
At least one fighter of the Exile force must survive (Secondary objective)
Flight path:
Sapporo ->Rishiri Jump Hole (Breaking off halfway to engage the dragons)
Dragons Objectives:
Cover the leading fighter while he sends a transmission to dragon forces in the surrounding systems (5 minutes at least) (Primary objective)
Destroy both attacking fighters (Secondary objective)
Flight path:
Rishiri Jump Hole ->Chugoku Jump Hole (Breaking off halfway to check out the convoy)
Second engagement:
Option A: Exiles fullfilled their primary objective:
Knowing that the wing was not by the KNF rather than the Dragons, the convoys leader decides to take the Tottori-Route back. A hastily sent distress call alarmed a dragon wing in the Kyushu System, which now intercepts the prepared convoy in Tottori.
Flight path Exiles: (Waiting on the outcome of Engagement one)Hokkaido Jump Hole ->Tottori Jump Hole ->Tau-44 Jump Hole
Flight path Dragons: (Waiting on the outcome of Engagement one) Around Misaki Station -> Tottori Jump Hole -> Tau-44 Jump Hole (Stopping halfway to meet the convoy)
Exiles Objectives:
Defend the Kobe-Maru at all cost (Primary objecitve)
Destroy every single attacker (Secondary objective)
At least half of the escorts must survive (Tertiary objective)
Dragons Objectives:
Destroy the Kobe-Maru (Primary objective)
Eliminate all Exile forces (Secondary objective)
At least half of the raiders must survive (Tertiary objective)
Option B: Dragons fulfilled their primary objective:
Not knowing who the attackers were, the convoys leader tries to avoid the presumed KNF response by flying through Nagano. The returning raider wing of the dragons, however, alarmed Kyoto, resulting in a fully prepared wing intercepting the convoy at the exit of the Rishiri Jump Hole in Nagano.
Exiles Flight path: (Waiting on the outcome of Engagement one)Hokkaido Jump Hole ->Nagano Jump Hole ->Tau-37 Jump Hole
Dragons Flight path: (Waiting on the outcome of Engagement one)Around Misaki Station ->Nagano Jump Hole (Waiting on the convoy to arrive)
Exiles Objectives:
Defend the Kobe-Maru at all cost (Primary objecitve)
Destroy every single attacker (Secondary objective)
At least half of the escorts must survive (Tertiary objective)
Dragons Objectives:
Destroy the Kobe-Maru (Primary objective)
Eliminate all Exile forces (Secondary objective)
At least half of the raiders must survive (Tertiary objective)
Total Slots:
Exile force (4-6 men projected)
Transports:
{343}IKT.Kobe-Maru - Toris James Gray
Fighters (Coloured ones taking part in Engagement one): {343}Taiyouji.Gin-Shoi - Sol
{343}Kitabatake.K-Shoi - Yaoquizque
{343}Hattori.Katsu-Daii - Punisher5431
{343}Hien-Ichi - Char Aznable
/Z/-Infinity - Protege
~Free slot~
Dragon Force (4-6 men projected)
Fighters (Yellow ones taking part in Engagement one, orange ones only if Engagement 1 is won): Total Slots: BD|May.Ling - Arbs
BD|Getsuga - Mort
BD|Kohaku.Hokama - Big_B
BD|Yoshiko.Kawaguchi - An'shur
Inubashiri Hida - Western Peregrine ~Free slot~
This event requires a bit of organizing. For this reason the BD should inform {343}Kobe-Maru when they are in position, so that the exiles can move out.
Participants, please state the name of your character, the side your participating, and if you want to take part in the initial engagement (if no one applies here, I'll roll a dice)
Indies are of course welcome to this event.
I tried to balance out the penalties for losing the initial engagement. The Blood Dragons losing an additional fighter in their lineup when losing the first one only comes into play when 6 Dragons take part.
Feedback to the Event is appreciated, please try to even out the numbers.