Due to the exploding rate of growth of the Emperor's Hammer, the Wing Commander has decided to delegate some of the administrative functions of the Wing to the Command Officers. Consequently, these expanded duties are posted as follows:
XO - Contributes to Hammer development and management of the Wing (accepts all written "fiction" submissions from Members for Newsletters prior to Wing Commander review)...These will typically include stories, biographies, and articles.
TACT - Evaluates new missions and Battles, reports mission reviews to Wing Commander (accepts and reviews all Battle/Mission ideas prior to final Wing Commander review and approval).
FLT OFF - Roster development and maintenance (same thing Vice Admiral Thunder does now but includes direct submission of all new pilots for review rather than the Wing Commander).
In addition, General Renegade (CMDR/Renegade/Phi-1/T-D) and General Shekinah (FLT LDR/Shekinah/Gamma-2/MIS) were appointed as Tactical and Executive Assistants, respectively...These Squadron Commanders will be aiding the Tactical and Executive Officers in their review of Member submissions for the Newsletters.
The following series of three Free Missions was created by the Wing Commander to allow Members of the Emperor's Hammer to participate in the fateful battles leading up to the Battle of Endor.
Mission 1
General Jacobin has escaped from the Imperial Dungeon Ship, Empress Teta, enroute to Coruscant for interrogation by the Imperial Security Bureau. Admiral Ronin was notified by General Kane of Jacobin's escape and intended destination of Cygnus. Cygnus is a known and well established Contractor for construction of the new DeathStar. In addition, Lord Ulysses Krul, Chairman of the Cygnus Spaceworks Board of Directors, is Jacobin's father. Therefore his capture or termination is absolutely necessary. The Emperor's Hammer has been personally dispatched by Lord Vader to address the situation.
The ISD Avenger Fleet mobilizes...fends off attacks by Rebel fighters trying to stop interception of Jacobin by the Hammer before they enter hyperspace.
Mission 2
Jacobin flees to the Krul Homeworld (Cygnus Territory) and obtains the plans for the second DeathStar in a clandestine meeting with his father, Lord Ulysses Krul. Lord Krul decided to hand over the plans for the Death Star since he has already been supplying his son's forces with Cygnus fighters and arms. The Divine Wind had apparently blackmailed him into handing over these plans or they would leak his association to their terrorist group to the Imperial Security Bureau. Jacobin's urgings regarding the moral superiority of the Rebellion, also helped convince Ulysses Krul to take this fateful action which would seal the fate of Palpatine and the Empire...
The ISD Avenger Fleet arrives as General Jacobin and a sizeable Divine Wind force are preparing to enter hyperspace for another meeting. This meeting will reportedly be with the Bothans who have close ties to Mon Mothma, one of the prime leaders of the Rebellion. The Avenger must prevent the Divine Winda and Rebel forces from fleeing the Cygnus System.
Mission 3
The ISD Avenger Fleet attempts to intercept a meeting between Jacobin and the Bothan spies working for the Rebels (under Mon Mothma). General Jacobin arrives with his Divine Wind force to meet the Bothans (pirates). There will be an exchange of shuttles at which time the plans for the Death Star will presumably be handed over to the Bothans who ultimately get try to get them to the Alliance. Mon Mothma was referring to this battle when she said, in Return of the Jedi, "Many Bothans died to obtain this information..." Specifically, she was referring to the of the loss of two valuable Dreadnaughts, destroyed the ISD Avenger....
The ISD Avenger Fleet meets the Divine Wind Missile Boats and Bothan Z-95 fighters ("pirates"). In addition, an entire Divine Wind and Bothan Fleet of Strike Cruisers, Modified Corvettes and Dreadnaughts are prearing to hyperspace out of system...Each must be inspected for the Bonus Goals but it is probable that one or more of the Bothans may escape... Members should be cautioned that, due to the amount of capital ships included in this mission, some detail levels may have to be reduced to play it...
BATTLE XI: Renegade
Background: After quenching the new rebel stronghold, the Empire awaited another campaign of reprisals from the Rebellion. With new developments from the Iron Hand and the Divine Wind pressuring the Imperial Fleet, tensions began to rise when the incidence of Rebel related attacks fell off. What were they up to?...Unbeknownst to the Empire, a small group within the New Republic became increasingly critical with the long campaign and in the light of the recent setback of their new base having been wiped out. Shortly after the demise of the new base, a Calamari cruiser, the Republic never showed up at the rendevous point; this ship was in the Core group of the Rebel command and contained critical information regarding the Rebellion's strengths, contigency plans, Imperial sympathizers, etc... A frantic search began by enlisting the help of Outer Rim pirates and sibling Rebel groups. A week later, a coded message was intercepted passing through the Military ComNet on a low-band. The problem was that the distress signal was not Imperial but from a derelict shuttle.The Hammer fleet, eager to crush the Rebellion still reeling from defeat, moved ships into position to investigate....
MISSION #1: Investigate the source of the distress signal, assess information and disable for boarding. Alpha testing done. Imperial T/D (1) DarkAngel TRN (1) Takeover Arrive after SHU Disabled, Must survive ISD (1) Hammer Must arrive after SHU captured Neutral SHU (1) Florence Must be captured & Survive by TRN Takeover *Cargo: Rebel Crew Rebel/Pirate T/W (3/1W) Spade Destroyed *[Adv. Concussion] R41 (3) Vector Destroyed *[Mag Pulse Torps] CKC (1) Rancher Identified (Bonus) TRN (1/2W) Capture Destroyed
MISSION #2: The Rebels may have penetrated our communications network after some raids near several Com Points. To be certain, the Emperor is sending a ComNet engineer from Coruscant by an Armed Envoy M/CRV. He is one of the best in the Empire and to be sure, the Rebels will probably want him dead. Your job is to see that doesn't happen. Oversee the transfer between the M/CRV & the Hammer - Stop all interference. Alpha testing done.
Imperial T/D (1) DarkAngel ISD (1) Hammer Get SHU & Survive M/CRV (1) Kerib'Yah Give Cargo; 2ndary: Survive SHU (1) Novell Dock to M/CRV: take cargo; return to Hammer Rebel/Pirate CKC (1) Molotov Attack the M/CRV Y/W (3) Troika Attack the M/CRV & then Hammer R41 (4) Protect the Y-Wings Terrorists T/A (3) Iron Fist Attack the SHU, then T/DMISSION #3: It would appear that the Rebels have gained access to our transmissions. The ComNet Tech is re-coding the matrix from a Web Node but the defenses are less than satisfactory, that is where you come in...don't let anything happen to him or else! The Hammer is going for extra supplies and will return shortly...
Imperial MIS (disguised to look like a Utility SHU) Kraken (1) CON (6) Net AOL *Tech is Randomly in one of these CON (6) Net CIS CON (6) ProdigyCOM Rebel Y/W (3/2) Hacker Disable AOL, then CIS [Mag Pulse] R41 (3/2) Zulu Disable ProdigyCOM TRN (6) Snatcher Take AOL's cargo T/W (4/1) PlanB * if HVYLFT 50% destroyed, destroy all Imp cargo 1st [*T/w armed with Prot. Torps] Primary: Tech Must Survive; 50% of AOL , CIS, & Prodigy must survive. 50% all fighter grps Hacker & Zulu destroyed TRN Snatcher 100% destroyed Mission Complete Message: Kraken 1 Emergency...Hyper to these coordinates... Hammer's been ambushed...Supply depot destroyed...MISSION #4: While you were guarding the Tech, we got ambushed by the Iron Hand at the supply depot...Look's like we're going to run out of 100% Columbian Coffee.
Imperial ISD Hammer Disengage at 50% Hull T/D Alpha (1) Spec: Ronin Super Ace T/D Alfa (2) Escort FG Alpha Top Ace T/D Beta (3) MIS Gamma (3) FG Delta arr 5:00 FG Iota & Harpax II FRG arr 10:00 All Hammer FGs depart if Hammer disengages Depot PLT 1 SUP-1 No Lasers CN/G (12) ReSupply Iron Hand M/FRG (1) Tetanus FG Hammer T/A (3/2) Iron Claw FG Alpha T/A (3/2) Shadow Rider FG Beta T/B (3/2) Spike FG Hammer GUN (3/2) Archer FG Gamma Pirate CKC Zinovyev Hold Steady & Protect FGs Pirate IFF T/W Dragon (4) Proton Torps Destroy PLT 1-P then CNs G/I Z-95 Coyote (4) Adv. Con. Destroy PLT 1-P then CNs B/D Primary: Hammer - SurviveMISSION #5:Our supply situation isn't good. We can hold out a while longer but if we encounter heavy resistance we could find ourselves in trouble... The Rebel crew has informed us of the existence of a 5th column within the Rebellion. They say that an MC80 cruiser, bearing strategic information on the Rebel Alliance poisiton & strength, is somewhere within the sector. They had abandoned ship during the mutiny that ensued after we destroyed their base. In exchange for the information they wish to assist us...Admiral Ronin is investigating the matter as we speak with Grand Admiral Thrawn who is taking the matter up with the Emperor himself!
NEW MEDAL AWARDS POSTED
NOTICE
The Wing Commander has decided that, to be eligible for Battle Medal awards, interested pilots are asked to complete, at a minimum, ALL of the Primary Goals in each Mission (just like the game, completion of the Primary Goals is required to advance missions) at whichever difficulty they prefer. Obviously higher difficulties translate into higher scores for posting on the Battle Board. The mission performance files (i.e. film clips/*.clp files) must be submitted to your individual Squadron Commanders for review and recommendation regarding Medal awards and possible promotions following completion of ALL missions in any given Battle.
One point must be stressed regarding submission of mission performances clips and pilot files...Please direct these submissions to your individual Squadron Commanders rather than myself...The Wing Commander can not spare his time and efforts from the Newsletters, new plots and missions for these reviews (except for Alpha Squadron, of course)...Subsequently, your Squadron Commanders will be making periodic recommendations for Medal Awards "on behalf" of the Member seeking a Medal (i.e. a nomination...). Thankyou for your understanding...
The following recipients of new Medals are herein posted by the Officer of the Wing Commander:
General Shekinah (FLT MBR/Shekinah/Gamma-3/MIS)>>Commendation for Service, Medal of Tactics w/ 2 Green Hammers [For creation of Plotline for Renegade Battle and missions 1 to 3] General Dorja (CMDR/Dorja/Beta-1/T-D)>>7th Green Hammer [For creation of Free Mission Dorja-3] General Thunder (FLT OFF/Thunder/Lambda-1/T-D)>>4th Green Hammer [For creation of Mission 5 of the New Dimensions Battle] General Sten (CMDR/Sten/Pi-1/MIS)>>Medal of Loyalty [For completion of Tracking the Defectors Battle] Admiral Ronin (WC/Ronin/Alpha-1/T-D)>>3rd, 4th and 5th Green Hammers [For creation of Free Missions Ronin-4, Ronin-5 and Ronin-6] General Shekinah (FLT LDR/Shekinah/Gamma-3/MIS)>>Medal of Tactics w/ 2 Green Hammers [For creat