Fox Hounds Escort Mission Report

Contract Registry: FS-OC-08-08 - CONTRACT COMPLETE
Unit Assigned: FOX HOUNDS
Working for the: Federated Suns
In the: Federated Suns
To complete the following: Escort
System: Great Gorge
Forces Recommended: 1 Lance
Contract Duration: 1 Month (15 Days in REAL TIME)
Employer Contact: Losart Ulitock, Marquis of Great Gorge
Jump/Drop Fees: 50 WP
Pay Rate: 100 WP
Support: None
Salvage Rights: Low
Command: Independent

You are requested to provide escort for a shipment of medical supplies being transported from New Stockden to Gorge View. Pirate activity from the Tortuga Dominions has been hitting shipments. Ensure the shipment reaches Gorge view unharmed. A 5 WP bounty will be paid for each destroyed pirate mech.

Planetary System Data:

Star Type A3V
Position in System 5
Time to Jump Point 21 Days
Recharging Station None
HPG Facility Class B
Percent, Level of Native Life 40%, Primitive Plants
Planetary Capital New Stockdon

Fox Hounds Personnel:

Scarlett ( Gunnery 4, Piloting 5)  Javelin

Ranger (Gunnery 4, Piloting 4)   Commando

Domino (Gunnery 4, Piloting 6) Assassin

Vike (Gunnery 4, Piloting 5)      Valkyrie

Mission Report:

Deployed in line abreast for maximum sensor coverage of the main island, the Foxhounds cautiously approached the Panacea Medical facility where they were contacted by local guide Angel-One, a militia hovercraft.

After scanning the surrounding area, discovering to their dismay that the route passed over a number of long road- bridges linking a chain of several small islands, the Foxhounds formed up. Lishka and Ranger, with their short range weaponry, took up position at the head of the convoy and travelling approx 100m ahead of the five civilian craft they were contracted to escort. Domino and Vike, with their longer ranged weapon systems, took up position at the rear of the convoy to scan for approaching threats. 

Soon after successfully identifying a suspicious mag-scan return as a deposit of metal ore, the Foxhounds intercepted a transmission from Angel One:

...."lambs to the slaughter, they're all yours boys."

While the initial reaction was to blow Angel One out of the water, Scarlett instead argued that so long as Angel One believed it's treachery undiscovered, the hovercraft would not join in any fighting. She predicted that the hovercraft would soon develop a convenient malfunction that would leave it combat ineffective. Inevitably, this happened as soon as the first Pirate Mechs were detected.

Scarlett and Vike took up over watch positions while Ranger and Domino continued to scan for contacts. It was as well they did, for while three contacts appeared on scopes some three hundred metres out -two Locusts, and a Fire Starter- Ranger also detected three more contacts in the water a scant thirty metres to his North.  Reasoning that the Pirates -the Vultures, by their unit markings- anticipated that the  Foxhounds would charge the three Mechs in front (and thereby place themselves in a vice) instead held their ground, salvoing missile strikes into the Locusts in a bid to cripple them early. Not until the three concealed mechs in the water - a Falcon, a Wasp and a Stinger- completed their start up did the lead Fox Hounds back up into cover.

By this time, the convoy had already been ordered to retreat to a small ruin some three hundred metres behind the lead Foxhounds but still within Domino and Vike's scanner range and Line of Sight. While Scarlett and Ranger continued to savage the Locusts at close range -forcing one to retreat and attempt a flanking manoeuvre through the shallow seas, Vike and Domino provided long range fire support. With at least three Foxhounds concentrating fire on a single Pirate Mech at a time, the Pirates swiftly lost a Locust (to Vike)  and then a Stinger (to Domino) in quick succession. Ranger's Commando sustained heavy damage in the exchanges but with two Mechs down and two more in danger of being crippled, the Pirates retreated. Pursued by the Fox Hounds, the second Locust was brought down in a hail of fire from Scarlett and Ranger, though Ranger struck the final blow and claimed the kill.

All three pirates were captured after ejecting from their Mechs. All three (including the infamous Stinger pilot, Johnny Redbase) were arrested by the local militia. They were soon joined by the treacherous crew of Angel One. As well as receiving full-pay for a successful mission, the Fox Hounds were pleased to receive a 50,000 C-Bill bonus for each pilot (5WP). They were also presented with some salvaged ammunition and a salvaged medium laser from the Battlefield. Aside from the Commando, the Foxhound Mechs suffered only light damage in the engagement.

Reward: 120 WP

Total WP: 170 (50 remaining after jump fee's plus 100 for mission plus 20 for bounties).