WCGW Chpt 129

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==Chapter 129 - What Could Go Wrong==
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17 June 3043
Wokha (Former Outworlds System)
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The vote among the troops was for the 200th Royal Light Horse to return to active duty once again. New unit patches would have to wait for a return to Inner End to be manufactured, but a new unit stencil was quickly designed by several of the troops with artistic abilities. While this was good for the unit's overall morale, it also started talk among the troops about a massive recruitment need when they returned. It did not take long for that talk to percolate up to the higher ranks.
"So how about it? How big do we grow?" Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Dortman asked
"I never expected to even get this large. It just seemed to take on a life of its own. Every time I turned around, we needed more of everything. What are your thoughts on the matter, your the S3." Colonel Mitchell replied
"To be honest with everyone, if we are forming a full Infantry Regiment. I would like to return to a field command." Lieutenant Colonel Dortman said
Lieutenant Colonel James Woodall chimed in "No offense, Sir, but you need to think about forming a Command Company, possibly even two of them. One for a rear detachment and another for field ops. We fill out to three Regiments and the logistics alone will be a hassle. Not a person among us has ever handled anything close to that size. Even if we massively streamline everything, the amount of stuff a unit that size will consume even without active combat will be enormous." 
Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Davion decided to throw his two cents in. "I concur, your going to need a dedicated staff. Much larger than you currently have. Preferably headed up by someone experienced with a large, combined arms command. On Inner End, you had mentioned a different organization during the last exercises, but you never fielded it against the Kilbourne DMM. I never got around to asking, what was it?"
"It was more of an idea. But after careful thought, I shelved it, we were too small for it to work right anyway. The Ceti Hussars use a three Regiment combat command as their smallest unit. Trying that, even with an expansion to use all of our equipment, would just fill out a single combat command. Right now, I feel better hitting a target enmass." Colonel Mitchell said
"I think first, we should carefully study exactly what we can haul around with us. So, let's start there, shall we?" Lieutenant Colonel Davion replied, and this brought a few smiles among the gathered officers. Since being briefed in, their Liaison Officer had started trying to fit in instead of just an observer.
"Okay, so we cover the Dropships and Jumpships first." Colonel Mitchell said as he picked up a pen and started writing on a large pad set on an easel.
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SaRI Transportation Assets
Jumpships
-(2) Star Lord Jumpships
-(1) Invader Jumpship
-(2) Merchant Jumpships
Total Collars - 19
Dropships
-(3) Lee Dropship (Mech)
-(2) Lee Dropship (Arm/Inf)
-(1) Intruder Dropship
-(1) Titan Dropship
-(1) Union Dropship (Mech)
-(4) Seeker Dropship (4 Mech)
-(1) Union CV Dropship
-(1) Mule Dropship
-(1) Mammoth Dropship
-(1) Tug
Available Transport Bays
-148 Battlemechs
-52 Aerospace Fighters
-80 Heavy Armors
-168 Light Vehicles
-92 Infantry Platoons
-40 Small Craft
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"So according to those numbers, you can carry a reinforced Battlemech Regiment, Aerospace Wing of the SLDF size, Regiment of Light Armor, two Battalions of Heavy Armor and over three Regiments of Infantry combat loaded. Anything left over you load on the Mule Cargo Dropship. You still have three empty collars. You could sell the left-over Merchant Jumpship or even the Invader Jumpship." Lieutenant Colonel Davion said
"No. I like having extra collars. You never know what we might trip over and it takes way too long to go back and fetch those extra collars, plus the damned cost." Colonel Mitchell replied
"I can understand that. We are 6 months from Inner End." Lieutenant Colonel Davion said
"Actually, we are only 61 days from Inner End if we travel a direct path. We took six months to get here because we traveled via uninhabited systems, and it required a zig zag path. Nine jumps are all it takes to get to Inner End from here. But still, that could be a 5 month round trip for whatever we need. Plus, everything has to be escorted somehow." Colonel Mitchell replied
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While the discussions continued on the surface, aboard the Invader Jumpship SaRI Express,, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Campbell had finished studying the captured pirate navigational records and comparing the records to her own survey's, had the pirate system identified as Thazi. A single jump away. She was about to recall the Union CV Class Fighter Carrier from its own scouting mission when the call came in.
<<"Express, this is Covey Den. We have actually found something. We have a mining station with a unknown Dropship attached. No signs of life though.">>
"Covey Den, Express. Good copy on find. Mark coordinates and standby for further instructions." Lieutenant Colonel Campbell said
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