Autobot Break Out

Log Title: Autobot Break Out

Characters: Astrotrain, Banshee, Coldsnap, Dirge, Muniton, Primer, Reflector, Slugfest, Starscream

Location: The Plains of Iacon

Date: March 9, 2017

TP: End of Days TP

Summary: Cons will be Cons.

As logged by Zerombr

The Plains of Iacon
The siege of Iacon was still dug in sound, despite the recent Autobot break out. Megatron's defeat at the hands of Optimus Prime has been circulating through the Decepticon forces. While morale has dropped considerably with that, the Decepticons still have weapons yet brought to bear, and they still have a great thicket of troops and support around Iacon. While the Bots shield is still up, it is only a matter of time.

The planet is rejuvenating itself, miraculous after all these years! Even now, a transport has landed, actually laden with fresh Energon! Fresh Energon! For the first time, in five eons, pumped from the planet itself!

There's naturally a run on Astrotrain as he grumbles, his shuttle-mode having opened up to reveal the gleaming cubes of Energon. <>

Nobody is listening to Astrotrain. Poor Astrotrain.

Coldsnap was currently discussing some scheduling conflicts with some of the other Seekers, including his two trireme members. They were temporary... he himself took it very seriously who he would be working so closely with. Other trireme sergeants and he were looking at various holovids of the patrol schedules until things were settled of who was going to be going when, and with a gesture, the display was closed.

A tiny hungry robo stego noses in and nibbles at an energon cube!

Banshee, meanwhile, is resting in her usual revetment. She herself is waiting for the liquid stuff in Astrotrain's tanks - only the very best, she considers. However the noise of the A-train's landing is enough to wake her, the propellercon's holograms flickering into life as she wakens. "Hrm? Ah, zat's a delivery"

<> Astrotrain says, "I see you there, damn tape! Get out of my loading bay, or I'll stomp you flat!"

<> Banshee says, "Hey, easy zere Astrotrain he's got to eat like zer rest off us."

<> Slugfest says, "eeeeee!"

<> Astrotrain says, "And I've got to haul another load right after this! You want a shipment, you ensure *I* get my fill, and I want it FIRST!"

<> Reflector says, "Getting some motion in quadrant 22.1..."

<> Banshee says, "Ja ja but zere's enough of der high-grade liquid stuff zat you can spare a cube for zer little one, ja? ...motion? I'll get into zer air."

<> Reflector says, "Coldsnap's on the duty roster as well. Lets get it checked out, we don't need another Autobot break out."

So Astrotrain's being unloaded, and most everyone is doing exactly what Slugfest is doing. Completely ignoring Astrotrain's demands, and bellying up to the glittering goodness. Slugfest is among the lucky few to get the good stuff, and early too! However, libations will have to wait, as duty calls!

For in quadrant 22.1, there is activity. For a brief moment, the Iacon shield in the area goes down, just long enough for a tactical team to bolt through the shield. A tanker truck, accompanied with an escort of small, light, and fast jeeps, armed with anti-air weaponry, rip out of Iacon, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

Coldsnap hears the radio chatter, and had noted Astrotrains' arrival. But he was too, like Banshee, content to wait until things had died down. He had enough for now after all. His optics turn to scan the horizon from his ground position at first, finding the reported spot. Nothing could be seen from there though and he frowns a little, stepping away from the others still discussing other schedules while he transformed, booting into the sky. He does not climb too high though, instead cruising towards the location where the others were, such as Banshee. <> he asks.

 Imager says, "I'll give a basic rundown. there's 3 of you. I'll give you 3 rounds (after this round) to accomplish the task of either destroying, capturing, or otherwise harrying the tanker convoy. There'll be various degrees of success. So 3 rounds + average difficulty + 3 people = 45 points needed in order to properly harry them and ensure they can't complete their task. at 55 points, you can destroy most of the escort vehicles, and the tanker itself. at 65 points, you can capture someone that you can interrogate for a possible shield entry code, giving you a great asset into Iacon during the next major TP"

The Stuka's engine growls into life, spitting black smoke as it coughs before catching. "Schnell!" her pilot hologram scolds her gumbie loaders as they move the last of her ordnance into position, brandishing a holographic luger at them threateningly. "Schnell sie übergewichtiges Stuck Schrott!"

As soon as the last 50kg bomb has been hoisted into position the anachronistic little dive-bomber is rolling out of her revetment. She points her nose down the runway as she pulls her canopy closed, gunning her engine. Her tail lifts and then, after a moment, her wheels pull off the ground.

<> she replies, climbing up to 500ft or so - dive bombing altitude.

<> Muniton says, "Do you have any idea what she just said?"

<> Coldsnap says, "'Yes, I will be joining you promptly'."

<> Primer says, "I think that's understood in any language."

 Imager says, "okay so next turn will start momentarily. I'll let you choose how you wish to attack or defend. You could use your Firepower to attack, or maybe power through any flak inbound with END. Someone could set up a tactical move to cut them off, so that'd be Leadership. Really, about anything works, this is your chance to showcase your character."

 Imager says, "you generally are encouraged to aim high in your strengths, you want as many points as you can get, because that means a better success, but its also riskier!"

There's a Stuka, and an F-15 in the air together, and that means only one thing! From one of the fast assault jeeps below, a mech screams out, "We're stuck in a time-dilation loop, synchronized on two points in Earth History!"

The jeep driver turns to stare at him for a moment, and then says simply, "Wrong! It means Decepticons!"

There's a rapid series of low, chunking sounds as flak starts to fill the sky, perhaps making Banshee feel at home.

Meanwhile, the tanker convoy itself is moving at a high clip towards what has recently been identified as an underground energon spring! If the Decepticons can't ward them off early enough, the convoy'll at least be able to fill up, and possibly return the goods back to an Energon-Starved Iacon!

ROUND ONE BEGINS.

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "ATCHUNG! AUTOBOTS!"

Coldsnap pitches around, slowing in an attempt to somehow match the speed of Banshee. He swings about slowly in his own alternate form and transmits to those assisting <<Cut them off... attack from facing angle if you can!>> He advises, and accelerates, deciding he of the three were best suited to that task. He first twists one way, and then another, intending to fire as soon as he can at the front of the convoy, the leader the Seeker's target.

GAME: Coldsnap PASSES a FIREPOWER roll of Average difficulty.

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "And? Kill them. It's rather simple."

<OOC> Imager says, "Coldsnap adds 5 pts to the victory total. well done."

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Or do I need to draw a diagram? I'm good at diagrams."

Banshee is... very familiar with flak. She greets the flaming onions like old friends, banking around the little back balls of smoke and flame almost like she's dancing. She's slow, but agile - Coldsnap promptly overtakes her and delivers his ordnance first. <<Hallo Flak mein alter Freund>> She mutters, waiting until she's almost above the convoy.

Then she rolls over hard, her pilot starting to sing. At the same time, the sirens on her wings cycle up to speed, a terrifying sound that's not been heard over any battlefield for generations. The ancient terror weapon of her airframe, enhanced by the technology of the decepticons...

GAME: Banshee PASSES an AGILITY roll of Average difficulty.

<<Decepticon>> Reflector says, "That, the Air Commander, is good at"

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Amongst many other things. And that's Supreme Commander. Until Megatron recovers which will be sooner than you think should you think about failing"

<OOC> Imager says, "10 Pts for the Cons. So to recap...since Sluggo is AFK, 30 pts is needed for a basic success, so you phone it in, you drive em off. 40 pts for a better success. You blow up some stuff and celebrate with some 'Gon. 50 pts means you bring back a hostage, who you can interrogate to maybe get the shield codes to Iacon, and be a real hero."

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "Destruction in progress! Watch it Bansh... oh, you have that VERY well done."

<OOC> Imager says, "Round 2 - 10 pts out of 30 needed for victory."

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "Mein freund... flak and I haff been dancing longer zan you haff been avake."

Somewhere in the battle line, Dirge raises his head. In a clear and clarion monotone he declares, "Someone's stealing my gimmick....of FEAR!" Nobody pays him any attention.

Banshee's wail roars overhead as she dodges the flak fire coming in about her. Its a constant dance, but so far she's not even grazed by any errant shells. One of the Autobot scouts raises his hand up, "Forget the bomber, we're moving too fast. Get the..." And then Coldsnap and his trine come in from another angle, strafing at the lead Fast Attack Vehicle, sending a trail of laserfire across its hood. The driver is struck by the blasts and incapacitated, the side-gunner reaches over to grasp at the wheel, but suddenly the driver's foot floors it, and sends the jeep onto a piece of debris shaped like a ramp.

Elsewhere, a Junkion raises his head, and starts humming the action theme from the A-Team, as the jeep flips. He is promptly given a dirty look by an onlooker, before he proclaims, "What? Too soon?"

<OOC> Imager says, "RISE UP, CONS"

Used to fighting in a very different style than Banshee, Coldsnap started to peel up again and kill his speed, to turn as fast as he could without overshooting the Convoy. He drops more altitude, coming dangerously close to the ground as he does so. Coming in this time perpendicular to the convoy, he moves to outrace the Autobots. Something easy to do against ground vehicles like these ones. Forgoing firing at the Convoy itself, he aims for the road. Dropping to 'land' ahead of him, his form shifts very minutely... and as he whips past, a large, thick cloud of ice particles start to coagulate out of the air, the temperature dropping drastically as he forms a debilitating ice-haze across the road, slicking things and making vision nigh impossible.

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "not entirely sure what to roll from this Ice Haze is a stun attack. Super cold frost. Firepower again?"

<OOC> Imager says, "if you wish it to be. Remember you can use any attack or tactic you wish, this is your moment to emphasize what YOU want to do to help"

<OOC> Coldsnap is working to slick the road, freeze lines and basically try to slow them down.

GAME: Coldsnap FAILS a FIREPOWER roll of High difficulty.

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "dang. And I dont think I have anything I can reroll for that."

<OOC> Imager says, "what sort of skills do you have? I can't see your sheet"

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "Meditation, crystalocution, philosophy and melee combat."

<OOC> Imager says, "hmmm, you're right, I don't see anything that could help in that. I figured you'd have Cryo-Warrior or some such listed"

<OOC> Imager says, "well, alas, a failure, just means you guys have to knuckle down next turn and get that W"

<OOC> Coldsnap should perhaps study weather patters etc... So I guess I annoy them and chill them but nothing really they cannot handle.

Banshee decides to show them the error of their ways if they think they're going too fast; she's not just a bomber, but she's a DIVE bomber. With her nose aimed down vertical and her dive-brakes fully extended, Banshee centres her gunsight on her chosen target - a tanker - and drops two of her small 50kg bombs. She pulls up hard, the modern 27mm cannons on her wings stitching two neat furrows into the ground as she tries to bring her guns across something while she pulls out of the dive, low enough to make those she passes over consider ducking. Low enough that the Autobots below can count her rivets, and read the 'Ich schrei - du stirbst' and markings of StG2 Immelman on her frame.

GAME: Banshee PASSES a COURAGE roll of High difficulty.

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "Slaggitallstupidroads."

<OOC> Imager says, "well done, was that a 7 you rolled?"

<OOC> Banshee says, "Yep"

<OOC> Imager says, "17 pts for the cons, for a base success, you need 13 pts this last round."

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "In THEORY that should have worked."

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "You miss some you hit some, Unteroffizier Coldsnap"

Machine gun fire lights up, as tracers shoot through the sky at the F-15 in their way. Coldsnap's low slipspace move has left him open to the ground fire, as weaponry rips a few holes in his systems. "There! There!" One of the scouts points ahead, PAST Coldsnap, towards the underground tunnel entrance. Two flak cannons are wheeled about, pointing towards Coldsnap. "He's in the road!" Command radios over, "Let him, I've got 16 astrotons under me, lets see him shake this off!>>

Coldsnap starts to coat the road, but one of his tanks gives out prematurely, losing his cryopressure due to the damage taken moments earlier. And now he's got the front tanker bearing down on him!

Banshee is proving that there's no war like the Great War (part 2), as she dives in, engines revving with that rumbling whirr every human can identify from those old films. The drone climbs as she brings her cannons up, stitching the second tanker up. Its heavy armor deflects the first several rounds, but she punctures through before her strafing run ends. Surely the Bots won't be transporting much in that until its repaired.

Another scout flinches as Banshee buzzes the escort troop, then motions for flak fire to resume. "They're mad!" He exclaims. <<Worse.>> The unit commander responds, <<They're desperate to keep their advantage.>>

A tiny stego is scrambling to get out of Astrotrain's cargo hold to join the fun! His little feets pelt as he runs around seemingly confused as to where the exit is!

<OOC> Imager says, "last round, Cons, you need 13 pts to keep em from getting to the entrance (this could be considered either blowing shut the entrance to the underground, or just harrying them away or some such)"

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "I haff zer tunnel! Slow zem down!"

<<Decepticon>> Astrotrain says, "If you would UNLOAD ME ALREADY, I'd get in there and bust some Autochumps myself!"

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Do I need to remind you all the price of failure? Be happy that I am currently in charge. Lord Megatron isn't nearly as forgiving as I am. *sarcasm apparent*"

<OOC> Banshee says, "Related trivia! The classic 'plane diving' sound from movies is actually the Stuka and it's not the engines that make it but the two smaller siren propellors on the wings, powered by airflow"

<OOC> Imager says, "interesting!"

<OOC> Imager says, "siren propellers, so their only effect is cosmetic?"

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap grunts in pain "I'm TRYING.... "

Coldsnap yelps as one of his nitrate tanks blow, scattering hissing, steaming Nitrogen all over - sadly not in a large enough area. "Frag this." he mutters, and transforms, staggering a little. One wing was shredded almost entirely, and he was leaking from several holes. Still hidden in the cloud of frosty air, he may not be seen. <<Take them down. I'm going to do something that will either be VERY cool, or VERY stupid. Depending how it turns out.>>

He then shuts off his optics, trying to replay pictures of the front vehicle in his head... angle, speed, material made. Solid plate metal at front or not? Again, air starts to hiss out of joints as he works to get the area around him as cold as possible. The mercury drops, ice starts to form over his body as he shifts his weight, the shards crackling as they shatter and he takes up a pose. Stilling, he listened to the engines. A shiver goes over him, as he waited, watching the sudden stirring of the air, the blinding headlights....

ANd then, in a split second before the lead Autobot vehicle hits him, his body moves, whipping forwards, his lead hand snapping forwards, fingers pointed and held rigid at /JUST/ the right angle to crack the front plate. ..

GAME: Coldsnap PASSES a STRENGTH roll of Very High difficulty.

<OOC> Banshee says, "They're a terror weapon. They make noise. A terrifying scream"

<OOC> Imager says, "thats 8 pts, I believe, okay so looks like Banshee just need 5 to harry them away"

<OOC> Imager says, "also interesting, I do like learning about such things."

Banshee 's pilot hologram spots the tunnel mouth as she pulls out of the dive. That's where they're going... bastards. <<I haff zer tunnel! Slow zem down!>> Banshee radios. Her pilot hologram reaches up and pulls her goggles dow over her eyes, hunkering down behind the controls as she pulls a neat half-loop to gain altitude and turn around to line up on that tunnel.

She ignores the incoming fire now as she begins a shallow dive, her nose locked onto the entrance of that tunnel, her sirens silent, all business. She pulls up at the last second, but she leaves something behind.

Swinging down on a little crutch to clear her propellor before release... it's Torpedo Ted.

Not really. It's a 250kg precision bomb painted like the Mario enemy... and it's aimed to land slightly nose-up just ahead of the tunnel and slide to a halt before detonating on a time fuse deep inside...

GAME: Banshee PASSES a FIREPOWER roll of High difficulty.

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

<OOC> Imager says, "looks like a success! well this ought to be something"

<OOC> Banshee says, "I think COldsnap and I had different ideas... I was tryina trap them by blocking the tunnel, Coldsnap's kicking their arses XP"

<OOC> Imager says, "together you're working things out. Meanwhile Slugfest is getting loaded off of the energon, heh"

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "You told me to slow them down. I did ;P"

<OOC> Slugfest says, "hee. Torpedo Ted. Close cousin of Bullet Bill"

<OOC> Banshee says, "But on a related note, that's a real tactic... useful on both ships and tunnels. On water, a well-laid bomb will bounce and hit the side of a ship... on land, you land it nose-high and have it slide into the tunnel. One of the harder techniques."

<OOC> Imager says, "BDEW the sound they make, heh"

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "sons of the MOAB?"

<OOC> Coldsnap likes that tactic. Actually Chance has done that... toss a bomb INTO the tunnel. Maybe he should take up bowling

<OOC> Banshee says, "Mein bomben http://imgur.com/YjQiEOW"

<OOC> Coldsnap says, "This is going to be ICly awesome, but painful"

Coldsnap stands before the escort team, a moment of peace and clarity among the fire. Flak explodes around him as he centers himself, and the lead tanker revs up into high gear, ready to trample a Con beneath 16 wheels of fury!

Meanwhile Banshee takes some flak fire as she manages the bank and low dive of her attack. Of course, if this hit properly, the bearings she'd have peeled out of her frame would be worth it. Especially since the initial tactics had been light on the enemy. Her large bomb drops onto the roadway, sending sparks up as metal grinds against metal. It fires off like a rocket towards the underground tunnel.

The tanker bears down on Coldsnap! A hundred feet, sixty feet...and Coldsnap visualizes his moment. He strikes at the tanker's front plate, ice and crystalizes around his hand as he punctures the front of the vehicle, even as it collides with him.

The Tanker shifts, and reformats itself, into a dismayed looking mech, who, in mid-flight, hurtles towards the same passage Banshee just slid a bomb into.

The 'torpedo' enters, the unit commander follows suit, and an explosion follows, belching out dark smoke and fire, before the tunnel collapses in upon itself.

One of the Autobots makes a 'whirl about' gesture, as the Jeep technicals break off the assault, and start to scatter into the darkness.

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "...full points for style, unteroffizier."

<OOC> Imager says, "Sluggo, apologies that I couldn't fit you back into the scene, but I'm sure you have a full tank now, so thats a good consolation prize if you ask me"

The tanker was not the only one to go flying. Much heavier than Coldsnap, the crystalocution expert feels his entire arm shatter - not as badly as the front plate of the eighteen wheeler, but still! - as it collapses between them. The force slams into him as they tumble apart, his white form skittering nd tumbling along the icy road and back into view, the icy fog dispersing quickly from the hot engines all about, and the fire blazing from the tunnel. His optics brighten and flicker back on. "... Ow... Very ow..." he mutters, dazed.

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "Th... thank you... ow..."

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "... Did it work?"

Banshee pulls away, peering intently over her shoulder to watch the bomb slide into the hole... followed by the tanker... and very nearly Coldsnap. She's relieved as he steps out of the smoke, her gunner hologram applauding him. <<Full points for style, unteroffizier.>> She says, admiringly. <<Ja, it vorked! I haff you covered if you want to walk or fly home>>

To emphasize the point, and to spook any remaining Autobots, she drops low and fast, pulling a neat roll over Coldsnap's head before she circles to protect him.

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "Vorked? Ja, it vorked. Beautifully."

<<Decepticon>> Air Commander Starscream says, "And here I warming up my null cannon. Perhaps I'll just have to congratulate you instead."

<OOC> Slugfest says, "yay, OK Imager :3"

<OOC> Slugfest is dinnertimes for tiny stegos anyway

<<Decepticon>> Reflector says, "Is that confirmation, team?"

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "OH good."

Coldsnap starts to climb to his feet carefully. HIs right arm was... basically skeletal. No doubt there are some pieces there, and here... and possibly even a few dropping down on IAcon... and embedded in the tanker. And all over the road. He wobbles, then straightens, trying to regain composure now as he looks up at the overhead jet, then smiles a little... and then notices the firey tunnel entrance <<I'm guessing THAT was you though... NIce work back. Ow.>>

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "Yes I think so. I'll need pick up though. Can't transform like this."

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "Ja, ist confirmation. Ve haff plugged ein secret tunnel, too. Very plugged."

<<Decepticon>> Astrotrain says, "No. Walk."

<<Decepticon>> Banshee says, "I can't pick you up, unteroffizier. Mein aiframe ist too small"

<OOC> Coldsnap snerks at Astrotrain.

<<Decepticon>> Astrotrain says, "Hah hah ah! Serves ya right."

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap mumbles "/I/ waited my turn."

<<Decepticon>> Astrotrain says, "Ya want a medal or something?"

<OOC> Imager says, "I do enjoy playing Astrotrain, heh"

<<Decepticon>> Coldsnap says, "A lift."

<Public> The Infatiguable Imager says, "back! and so the Decepticons successfully harried the Autobot supply run"

<Public> The Infatiguable Imager says, "good night all, take care!"