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Gladiator Squadron / GLADSQUAD
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Gladiator Squadron — Changing space combat as we know it.
(The Vanduul will never know what hit ‘em!)
History
On December 7, 1941, naval warfare changed. 353 aircraft sank or damaged 8 battleships, 3 cruisers, 3 destroyers, a training ship, and a minelayer while still at dock at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This composed the bulk of the US Pacific Fleet. And no one saw it coming. This idea that small, one-manned aircraft could inflict such a devastating blow was an anathema at the time. In fact, the ships were easy targets because they had been arrayed to prevent saboteurs from sneaking aboard, which was considered a far more likely possibility than any sort of coordinated, all-out naval attack.
Five months later, on June 4, 1942, 61 US dive bombers sank four Japanese aircraft carriers and a heavy cruiser; and Japanese aircraft sank a US carrier and destroyer at the Battle of Midway. No capital ship ever sees, or fires, on an opposing ship. The entire battle is determined by small aircraft with the firepower to sink any capital ship afloat.
In 2950 that capability, a small aircraft with the firepower to destroy a battleship, rests with only one fighter — the Anvil Gladiator. Designed to carry size 5 torpedoes, the Gladiator is built with the greatest naval traditions of the “dive bomber” in mind.
As an alien species, this is a history and tradition the Vanduul may not share. The devastating power these small fighters carry may be an anathema to them. It is past time the Vanduul were subjugated to a “Pearl Harbor” of their own.
Manifesto
Squadron 214, The Black Crows — they are the best of the best. Battle tested since 2675, each flight consists of a F8 Lightning, a F7A Hornet, a Gladius, and a T8 Gladiator. But after all these centuries, dare we ask, is there a better way?
Absolutely bombers need the support of others, particularly as they make their bombing run. But tactically, would it be better to group dive bombers as a unit, in and of themselves? That’s the way they did it in the old days, before spaceflight. Entire squadrons of dive bombers would attack capital ships as a unit, raining destruction down from above.
It is this idea we base Gladiator Squadron upon: to attack a Vanduul Kingship as a unified squadron, firing dozens of size 5 torpedoes at a single battleship in a number of waves, destroying its shields, and then punching through its hull.
There was once talk of “Operation Pitchfork,” a civilian led armada to invade Vanduul space to smash those invaders, and give them a taste of their own medicine.
If you fly a Gladiator, they are going to need us. Join us as we go in to crack a Kingship in half!
Charter
Squadrons don’t just “happen.” They are organized, and rehearsed. This organization is intended for just that. Once-a-month exercises will be conducted, and everyone is invited to join. We may be fighting a pirate swam around the broken moon in the Taranis system, helping security forces in Stanton, or taking the fight to the Vanduul at Pyro.
As was mentioned earlier, Gladiators work well in tandem with others. Bring your Anvil Gladiator, certainly! But if you have another ship, or just want to mix things up a bit, please join us regardless.
Granted, there is the concept of “rank.” But in the Gladiator Squadron, “rank” doesn’t translate to authority. Rank is earned, and awarded for participation. Participation “points,” (aka “Battle Stars,”) are awarded to everyone who joins us for our once-a-month sorties. For every ten participation points, a pilot or gunner is awarded the next step in “rank.”
All pilots and gunners in the Gladiator Squadron begin as an Ensign.
10 participation points (total) = promotion to Lieutenant
20 participation points (total) = promotion to Captain
30 participation points (total) = promotion to Major
40 participation points (total) = promotion to Colonel
50 participation points (total) = promotion to Commander
(If the ranks seem peculiar, they are based on the TV series Battlestar Galactica.)
Pilots and gunners earn 1 participation point per sortie. However, it is called the “Gladiator Squadron” for a reason. Pilots and gunners earn 1 extra participation point for bringing a Gladiator to the fight, as well.
Hopefully, we will see you there in the black!
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