by Max Barry

Latest Forum Topics

Advertisement

Search

Search

[+] Advanced...

Author:

Region:

Sort:

«12. . .3,3083,3093,3103,3113,3123,3133,314. . .8,7238,724»

I just had an issue where I chose to draft all gamers to the military. I think this is reasonable: Modern wars are fought with the click of a button, which is what gamers excel at.

(Disclaimer: IRL I am very much aware that all military conflict since the end of the Cold War was/is ultimately decided by "boots on the ground" and the willingness of the combatants to commit the troops necessary for that. While many modern weapon systems are indeed remote controlled by operators behind a PC, somewhere halfway around the globe from the target, it seems that even after millenia of warfare, infantry is still the decisive decider of wars. The War in Afghanistan is a case in point where our western forces, despite enormous technological advantage, failed to decisively oust the Taliban, who are now occupying half of the country again)

Aigania, Cianlandia, and Loftegen 2

Loftegen 2 wrote:R.F. Hovarth AFB, Canton of Melindor, eastern Loftegen 2

Major Bill Tann of the 366th Medium Bombardment Wing climbed up the left-side ladder of the Viper BT.3 and into the cockpit. Across the aircraft Legat I. Klasse Johann "Hänsel" Schmeid of the Leonism Imperial Luftwaffe was doing the same. They were about to take a familiarization flight, after a week of preliminary training and simulator time.

The Viper BT.3 was a trainer version of the regular Viper B.7, the supersonic capable swing-wing aircraft that eqipped the 366th. Instead of the normal two seat side-by-side cockpit, the BT.3 had a second pair of seats with full controls behind the first. The glass nature of the controls made it possible reconfigure them as needed: you could have a pilot and weapon system operator (WSO) beside each other in each set of seats, as was usual, or you could have both pilots up front, and both 'wizzos' in back (or the other way around, if you really wanted to, but nobody ever did).

The second arrangement was the one being used today. Johann, a pilot himself, would ride shotgun, while fellow officer Legat II. Klasse Ludwig Meyer would ride in back with Captain Adela Bouchard, a WSO.

In theory the Viper BT.3 was fully combat capable, although with reduced internal fuel storage because of the larger cockpit. It also handled slightly differently than a regular Viper, but not enough to make a difference to a decent pilot. And a decent pilot Bill Tann was. Not the best by any means. Better than average, perhaps. But he hadn't been selected for this duty because of his skill as a pilot. It was because he spoke fluent German. There were a lot of people of Germanic, and indeed Leonistic, ancestry living in Loftegen 2. There was an especially high concentration in the canton of Orovalo, where he was from, and he was one of them.

Adela was of Germanic heritage on her mothers side, and spoke German as well, though hers was 'Low' German and only conversational. Or at least it had been, when they'd found out that their outfit would be hosting a pair of Leonism officers. Bill had started tutoring her immediately, and she had improved quickly. She still had a Low German accent, and struggled with technical terminology, but there was only so much you could do in two weeks.

Bill glanced at Johann, who was busy strapping himself in with the aid of a life support specialist. Someone somewhere had compared Imperial and Federation ranks and decided that LGA1 equated to 'major'. So Johann, in addition to his Imperial rank insignia, wore the Loftegen 2 equivalent. Since Ludwig was one rank below Johann, he was given captain's insignia. Bill didn't think it necessary to mention that Adela was really only a 1st Lieutenant, having been given a brevet promotion to captain literally an hour before Johann and Ludwig arrived, and long before she was technically eligible for the rank, because someone somewhere thought a junior officer teaching someone senior to her would be...awkward.

Bill also didn't call Johann Hänsel, even though Johann had invited him to (it was his nickname) and Ludwig did so all the time, because Bill thought it would feel...awkward.

Finally, Bill kept to himself the fact that, while he went by 'Bill Tann', his full legal name was Wilhelm Frederick Johannes Freiherr von und zu der Tann-Rathsamhausen, because it might be...awkward.

Airspace above the Canton of Melindor, East Loftegen 2
"Okay, let's give it a try. You have control". Major Bill Tann handed the controls of the Viper BT.3 over to Legat I. Klasse Johann Schmeid, who sat on the right-side of the medium fighter-bomber trainer. Bill had spent the past 30 minutes giving the Imperial Leonist pilots a demonstration of how the BT.3 handled, demonstrating various techniques to control the aircraft. As a trainer, the BT.3 had somewhat benign handling characteristics, though it still required considerable skill from its pilots to control adequately in all situations.

It turned out the design of the basic flight controls was not too dissimilar from those of the R22 "Falke", the main multirole fighter of the Imperiale Luftwaffe. The Imperial pilots had already noticed this during the simulator sessions during the week before. The R22 "Falke" did not actually occupy the same role as the Viper B.7 and its BT.3 trainer cousin. It was a single seat multirole fighter and light bomber, while the B.7 was heavier armed and better suited for bombing runs. The Luftwaffe did have a similar aircraft in the B18 "Hammer", an aging 40 year old design for which nobody had yet designed an adequate replacement. Design studies to create a modern version of a medium bomber had been begun 10 years earlier, but were shelved when the Imperium of Leonism experienced its breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion power in 2014, indicating that all future aircraft might be fusion-powered. The creation of the R44 "Würger", which began its service this year, had consumed almost all aeronautical engineering resources of the Imperium, preventing the development of a new medium bomber for another five years. Now that the R44 had left its early prototype status and began full-production, these resources where slowly being made available again, and the next medium bomber of the Imperium would certainly be fusion-powered, outshining all earlier bomber types in speed and range by an order of magnitude.

For now, Johann Schmeid realised that the Viper B.7/BT.3 series was probably, in its intended role, better than anything the Luftwaffe had to offer. The modern glass cockpit with options for individual configuration of the controls and instruments were 20 years ahead of the R22, which had only some a single 25 cm (10 inch) multi-function display, while the rest of the instrumentation was made up of analogue "steam gauges", and 40 years ahead of the B18, which was entirely analogue. Johann considered recommending to Luftwaffe High Command to buy the Viper as a stopgap measure, until the upcoming fusion-powered bombers became available in what he expected would be at least another five years, more likely ten.

It was now three minutes since Bill had handed him control of the aircraft, and Johann felt very happy at the controls. The BT.3 was not the most nimble of aircraft, but every control input on the stick or the rudder pedals resulted in a direct response. "Übertreib es nicht!" warned Bill in German when Johann pushed firmly on the stick, yanking the aircraft downwards and making everyone inside experience the elated and somewhat dizzying feeling of negative Gs. He levelled of again several hundred feet lower than before. "Du not wörry", Johann replied in a heavily accented English. The crew of four had quickly realized that it was easier for all of them to converse in German, which Bill was fluent in, albeit with a strange accent, and Adela decent. But the Imperials were nevertheless trying hard to show respect to their hosts by replying in Loftegan English whenever possible, with sometimes amusing results. They did not match the language proficiency of their hosts at all.

Legat II. Klasse Ludwig Meyer, sitting in the back row next to Captain Adela Bouchard, had taken a liking to the Loftegan WSO sitting next to him, despite feeling they had been given an additional language barrier by bad luck. Ludwig was from the northern Province of Meiringen, a mountaineous region on the border to Caybow, where the local dialect was about as far away from Low German as one could get within the Imperium. Adela, who had a Low German background in the family, would have made a perfect match for a pilot from the South Frisia province, where Low German was still common in everday use and heavily influenced the local High German dialects.

Ludwig complained to the two pilots sitting in front of him "Wie wär's wenn ihr uns auch wos zu tun gäbt?" [How about you give us something to do as well?]. Adela looked at him, still perplexed at his Bavarian-dialect, then understood and supported Ludwig "Jo, der Jonge hat recht!" [Yes, "the boy" is right!]. Bill turned to his fellow Imperial pilot ["I see the WSOs are just as trigger-happy in your country, eh? How about we fly to the range and give them something to shoot at. You can still try some air-work on the way"]. Johann nodded in agreement "Alright, letz do it!". He enthusiastically performed an Immelmann-Loop to put the aircraft on course to the targeting range near Horvarth AFB, several tens of miles behind them.

Aigania, Kappan, Caybow, and Loftegen 2

OOC: Following above RP post,

  • Johann Schmeid and Ludwig Meyer were added to the Dramatis personae of Leonism.

  • The B18 "Hammer" was added to

    The following is a list of airplanes in use by the Leonistisches Imperium and will be expanded as new planes appear and more details become known.

    B7 "Viper" (originally: Viper B.7)

    Twin-engined, two-seat modern tactical bomber designed by the Thunderchild Aircraft Corporation in Loftegen 2 and used as Viper B.7 in the Republican Federation Airforce. After getting first-hand experience with these airplanes during the joint exercise Schedule 2019 in Loftegen, the Luftwaffe decided to buy a batch of 100 aircraft from Loftegen and produce a further 200 aircraft locally under license. This was the first time the Luftwaffe used a foreign-designed aircraft in decades.
    The B7 will replace the aging B18 as a stopgap measure, until an advanced fusion-powered craft in the manner of the R44 can fill this role.

    A trainer variant, the B7Tr (originally: Viper BT.3) also exists, with an enlarged cockpit featuring two rows of two seats each, which are freely configurable to seat the pilot, Weapon Systems Officer and instructors anywhere as desired.

    Type: Supersonic bomber
    Role: Multirole tactical bomber, light strategic bomber
    Length: 24m
    Wingspan: 10 m
    Crew: 2
    Engines: 2x Engine Alliance Mk14 turbofan with afterburners (original variant) OR 2x ImpTec ÜS170B turbofan with afterburners (locally built variant)
    Cruise speed: Mach 1.8
    Range: 5500 km
    Armament:

    • 2x LLR19 air-to-air missiles

    • 4x LBR55 air-to-surface missiles

    • up to 12 tons of bombs (UGB250 unguided 250kg bombs, UGB500 unguided 500 kg bombs, LLB425 laser guided 425kg bombs)

    • the aircraft are still capable to carry and deploy several types of Loftegen-made nuclear weapons. Leonism does no longer field WMDs, officially.

    B18 "Hammer"

    A 40 year old medium bomber with variable sweep wings. The ageing design was due to be replaced ten years ago, but the design studies underway were scrapped with the imminent arrival of workable aviation fusion-reactors, which made the entire design process obsolete. The creation of the R44 "Würger" consumed all resources necessary for the creation of a new fusion-powered aircraft, further delaying the production of any replacement for the venerable B18. The B7 (see above) is now being delivered as a stopgap replacement.
    The design of the B18 itself was top of the line when it first flew, a sturdy and heavily armed and armoured aircraft.

    Type: Supersonic bomber
    Role: Medium bomber, High altitude bomber
    Length: 24 m
    Wingspan: 19 m (fully extended)
    Crew: 2 pilots
    Engines: 2x IFW T500 turbofan engines with afterburners
    Cruise speed: 900 km/h, Mach 1.6 with afterburners
    Service ceiling: 19000 m
    Range: 5000 km in subsonic cruise, 2300 km in supersonice cruise
    Armament:

    • 16x LBR30 air-to-surface missiles

    • 4x LLR16 air-to-air missiles for self defense

    • up to 15 tons of bombs (UGB250 unguided 250kg bombs, UGB500 unguided 500 kg bombs, LLB425 laser guided 425kg bombs)

    • provisions for the carrying of the 12 ton FB25 nuclear fusion bombs with 25 Megatons yield do exist. Leonism does officially no longer have WMDs.

    F148 "Kranich"

    An older design, this is one of the most elegant looking aircraft in Lazarus. Most notable for its variable sweep wings which allow for a more "delta"-like shape in supersonic cruise, while the aircraft looks less unusual on approach and landing with the wings fully extended.

    Type: Supersonic airliner
    Role: VIP transport, luxury airliner
    Length: 56 m
    Wingspan: 49 m (fully extended)
    Crew: 3 pilots
    Seats: Up to 210 in an all "business class" configuration (the economy class is outlawed in Leonism as a crime against humanity)
    Engines: 2x IFW S900 afterburning turbojets
    Cruise speed: Mach 1.5
    Service ceiling: 18000 m
    Range: 10500 km
    Armament: None. VIP transport versions are sometimes equipped with anti-missile systems, a mixture of "chaff" and "flares".

    R21 "Spatz"

    A reconaissance plane that excels at that role and little else.

    Type: Military high-altitude manned recon aircraft
    Role: Scout, strategic espionage
    Length: 31 m
    Wingspan: 45 m
    Crew: 1 pilot
    Seats: 2
    Engines: 2x Imptec M80 turbofans
    Cruise speed: 800 km/h
    Service ceiling: 22000 m
    Range: 6600 km
    Armament: None. It is full of high-resolution cameras though.

    R22 "Falke"

    Multirole combat aircraft of conventional design. A "T" variant exists (Träger), modified for aircraft carrier use.

    Type: Jet fighter
    Role: Fighter, Interceptor, Light bomber
    Length: 18 m
    Wingspan: 10 m
    Crew: 1 pilot
    Engine: 1x Imptec ÜS150 turbofan with afterburners
    Cruise speed: Mach 1.6
    Service ceiling: 16000 m
    Range: 1500 km
    Armament: 4x LLR18 air-to-air missiles, 4x LBR55 air-to-surface missiles, 16x UR50 unguided 50 mm rockets, 2x MK66 66mm machine cannons with 200 shells each.

    R44 "Würger"

    Advanced fusion-reactor powered aerospace fighter. While already fielded in increasing numbers, the currently built design is actually preliminary and lacks many advanced components planned for the final version. It is already exceptionally powerful.

    Type: Fusion-powered aerospace fighter
    Role: Heavy long range fighter. Space fighter. Missile boat.
    Length: 29 m
    Wingspan: 19 m
    Crew: 1 pilot
    Seats: 2
    Engines: 2x ImpTec UdI TI50 ion engines linked to the M50 fusion reactor
    Cruise speed: about 7000 km/h
    Service ceiling: Unlimited
    Range: 50000 km in the atmosphere, much longer in space
    Armament: 24x LLR19 air-to-air missiles, 16x LBR55 air-to-surface missiles, 4x ASR33 anti-ship missiles, 96x UR50 50 mm unguided rockets, 2x 5 MW "Illuminator" Lasers.

    T140 "Schildkröte"

    Conventional high-wing medium-sized military transport plane, capable of ferrying up to 100 fully armed combat troops or 2 wheeled armoured vehicles.

    Type: Military transport aircraft
    Role: Mid-range troop transport
    Length: 40 m
    Wingspan: 41 m
    Crew: 2 pilots
    Seats: 104
    Engines: 2x IFW A750 turbojet engines
    Cruise speed: 790 km/h
    Service ceiling: 11000 m
    Range: 7900 km
    Armament: 1x 5 MW "Illuminator" point defense laser. Anti-missile system.

    T190 "Mammut"

    Six-engined oversized transport aircraft for bulky cargo. Ugly yet capable of carrying up to 300 tons of cargo.

    Type: Military transport aircraft
    Role: Long-range strategic air transport, cargo aircraft for bulky cargo
    Length: 78 m
    Wingspan: 80 m
    Crew: 2 pilots, 2 technicians
    Seats: Up to 330 when installed. Usually a majority of the seats are removed for additional cargo space.
    Engines: 6x IFW A3000 oversized turbojet engines
    Cruise speed: 830 km/h
    Service ceiling: 9900 m
    Range: 14000 km
    Armament: Anti-missile system.

    Read factbook


Your imaginary friend and Loftegen 2

Loftegen 2

Ministry of Defense

General Communique to All Commands as part of Exercise Schedule

The political situation in Orange has changed. General Secretary Robert Trebor has "come down with pneumonia", according to the State News Agency. While this is certainly possible, given Trebor's age, the phrase has frequently been used in the past to mean "under arrest" or "dead". Tensions between factions of the ruling party have been increasing as Trebor has worked to improve relations with us. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Your imaginary friend, Kappan, and Leonism

Denado wrote:You know I have been wondering if it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some stats tied to our nation stats, especially stats normally only affected by how long we've been here like population. Imagine if we had a fertility rate stat that was affected by our lifespan/health/hdi/etc. stats and affected our population stats, which in turn affected our economic output stat, and so on.

Obviously some stats are connected, but the backend of the game. Besides, from experimenting with puppets I have found that the working of some stats seems to work differently (in responding by issues) depending of others and the level. For example, I have a high level integrity score, and I can make choices that don't lower my honesty, but in a puppet with high level of corruption it does.

Leonism wrote:I too have a low cheerfulness and high rudeness. I attribute the rudness to the fact that the way of straight-talking that is typical for Germans is seen as rude by Anglosaxons (the English especially, who rather try to hide problems and disdain by polite talking "behind the bush"). My rudness seems to rise whenever I answer social issues in a liberal, open fashion. Oh, and Imperial Leonist citizens are also very cool and relaxed talking about sex and other private issues, which the game also seems to subsume under "Rudeness".

I have the same question here, nearly every time that I don't clamp in behavior to avoid being authoritarian it raises my rudeness. I am at loss how to clamp them down without infringing liberties.
Probably I have the same thing about sex and similar because for a twist. I also have just behind rudeness a top 13 % (of the world, in Lazarus only 16 %) in ... nudity.
The summary of all the stats to show the average Aiganian would be ... interesting.

I didn't knew of that take about German attitudes. Frankly I have the opposite idea from my German classes. One of the most baffling things was the adding of bitte (please) to nearly all the phrases. By the way we Spanish have a reputation of being bad mouthed (at least by people coming from America Spanish-speaking countries). The reason seems to be that after the dictatorship and the rigid mores enforced by the national-catholicism among other things, as a form of reaction the swearing (strong) become commonplace as to be invisible ... and some time comedic.

For example there is nearly a way of expressing any mood in Spanish (Castillian) by referencing the human male producing reproductive cells organs.

Rudeness, indeed. ^_^U

Your imaginary friend, Kappan, and Loftegen 2

Adelsin wrote:e___e wHy are the moose running naked? We are a christian moose farm.

0___o

:/

Your imaginary friend and Loftegen 2

Adelsin wrote:e___e wHy are the moose running naked? We are a christian moose farm.

0___o

Don't all moose have luxurious fur coats?

Your imaginary friend

What is the best hair style?

I personally think mohawks are totally epic, although I can't really imagine myself ever getting one... x)

Treadwellia, Caybow, and Loftegen 2

Your imaginary friend wrote:What is the best hair style?

I personally think mohawks are totally epic, although I can't really imagine myself ever getting one... x)

Flat-tops are cool, but I have never been able to pull one off.

Your imaginary friend and Caybow

Your imaginary friend

Loftegen 2 wrote:Flat-tops are cool, but I have never been able to pull one off.

Those do look neat! I used to be part of an IRL organization but we used forum names when we met up... One of the people there was called "flathead" and he had that hairstyle. xD It was great.

Loftegen 2

Your imaginary friend wrote:What is the best hair style?

I personally think mohawks are totally epic, although I can't really imagine myself ever getting one... x)

I think fades are pretty cool but I can't do it with my hair

Loftegen 2

Your imaginary friend wrote:What is the best hair style?

I personally think mohawks are totally epic, although I can't really imagine myself ever getting one... x)

Surely having no hair at all keeps one cool the best

New Rogernomics, Treadwellia, Kappan, and Loftegen 2

Altenburg International Airport

Green Concourse, Gate 27

The first people off the newly arrived airliner were civilians, of course, though technically, being from Leonism, they were all in the military. Soon enough, men and women in a variety of Imperial uniforms began to emerge from the jetway.

One of them was Zenturio Marcus Höfner of the 1269. Sonderstaffel (Jägertruppe), back in Loftegen 2 to participate in Exercise Schedule. His people were following behind him, and he was looking for the liason officer that would take them to wherever it was they were going to be billeted.

There was a sign posted on one end of the gate area that read '1269. Sonderstaffel (Jägertruppe) hier versammeln'. That was clear enough, and he directed everyone to the indicated spot. A female officer in what he knew was Army Class A uniform was waiting for them. She was wearing a skirt, and a beret, and was tall and familiar, but he couldn't place her...

"You don't recognize me, do you?" she said with a grin, and it clicked.

"Beka!" Marcus exclaimed. "What is this?" he joked, gesturing at her clothes. "You're supposed to be in full field kit and covered in dust and blood!"

"Captain Martinez told me I had to wear this," she answered. "Something about making a good impression."

"Well I'm glad to see you again," Marcus said.

"Likewise," Beka replied. "Now let's get your people's luggage and get you to the hotel."

"Hotel?" Marcus repeated, a bit puzzled. He thought they be put up at an army base.

"You'll see," Beka promised.

A lot less roleplay here than the last part of the world I was in. Ya done good, Lazarus.

Memecrowave wrote:A lot less roleplay here than the last part of the world I was in. Ya done good, Lazarus.

Tubbius the Rotund is confused. Role-playing is good, though?

Loftegen 2

Treadwellia wrote:Tubbius the Rotund is confused. Role-playing is good, though?

Lady Zaharra will teach him the value of role play, or else relieve him of his skeleton. Either one works for her.

Tuesday tarting

More Tuesday Tarting!

Show these great nations some love!

page=dispatch/id=1254716

Treadwellia and Loftegen 2

Sup y'all, haven't been active for a few years my bad. Had to go get some smokes.

Treadwellia, Americastrailia, and Loftegen 2

Americastrailia

Walrusko wrote:Sup y'all, haven't been active for a few years my bad. Had to go get some smokes.

Glad to have you back!

Treadwellia and Loftegen 2

Memecrowave wrote:A lot less roleplay here than the last part of the world I was in. Ya done good, Lazarus.

I believe we have a very healthy mix of roleplay posts and friendly OOC chatter here on the Lazarus RMB. There are a lot of active role players on here, but there's no pressure to participate for those who are not into RP.

Treadwellia, Your imaginary friend, and Loftegen 2

Sneyland wrote::/

e___e just make sure they are wearing their fur coats ok.

We're going to be setting up bible shows from now on as well. This is a cristian family frienly moose farm.

Treadwellia, Kappan, and Loftegen 2

Loftegen 2 wrote:Don't all moose have luxurious fur coats?

Look here mr Loftegen I donno how they do things in Englund but over here in moose country we abide by the book and the lord almighty. The moose need to be dressed appropriately.

I do not want to have to have this conversation again e____e

Treadwellia, Your imaginary friend, Kappan, and Loftegen 2

Adelsin wrote:Look here mr Loftegen I donno how they do things in Englund but over here in moose country we abide by the book and the lord almighty. The moose need to be dressed appropriately.

I do not want to have to have this conversation again e____e

Dude r u high?

Your imaginary friend and Loftegen 2

Communistiah wrote:Dude r u high?

Probably not. He just the local moose farmer.

Treadwellia, Your imaginary friend, Loftegen 2, and Adelsin

Adelsin wrote:e___e just make sure they are wearing their fur coats ok.

We're going to be setting up bible shows from now on as well. This is a cristian family frienly moose farm.

While preaching the good word of the Lord is typically commendable, teaching it to animals is an indication of insanity questionable.

It sounds perfect, where do I sign up?

Treadwellia, Your imaginary friend, and Loftegen 2

«12. . .3,3083,3093,3103,3113,3123,3133,314. . .8,7238,724»

Advertisement