Over the last two months or so I've been guiding newer players to the more complex gameplay mechanics of STO. Since I started STFing earlier this week I have been enjoying myself with the challenge of working with and helping to organize PUG raids both in and outside of STFs.
More recently, I was given the honour of an invitation to join a real-life Trek club and with it, came this voluntary challenge of bringing more players to organize and participate in STFs...
I was asked candidly earlier today "what is the point of STFs" and not just wanting to stick to the "My First STFs" log I posted in the PvE Gameplay forums, I somehow wrote up this monster of a miniature fanfic for an in-game training session I will be running later:
Without further ado...
To: The Office of Ambassador
<REDACTED>, USS
<REDACTED>
From: INDTACDEVGRU-BGω ("Independent Tactical Development Group - Battle Group Omega"), USS Ark Royal (ca. 2409)
Stardate: 89870.46
OMEGA FORCE ACADEMY INTRODUCTIONS
Security level 2RO - Restricted (Approved for dissemination to relevant Starfleet naval personnel for operational preparation purposes; classified details redacted)
Background:
We refer to the meeting on Starbase One between your good self and our independent consultant Ms Fredegonde Valmy dated 89866.72 (GMT + 8) and enclose the following information package for your perusal as requested:
0. Disclaimer
The following information is generated for immediate consumption. Operational conditions, ownforce tech. levels, current doctrine, etc are subject to change without warning pursuant to prevalent environment in Gamma Orionis Theatre of Operations (hereafter referred to as "GOTO").
This document assumes you are familiar with standard aerospace combat protocol and/or terminology as our consultant had indicated. Where applicable, the aforementioned consultant's opinions and experiences in GOTO are freely expressed in the interest of fair evaluation.
As this is an independent, unclassified review quoting non-certified sources, your personal discretion is advised in adapting the information provided herein to the express purpose of preparing
<FLEET NAME REDACTED> impending reassignment to Battle Group Omega - the penultimate Tour of Duty open to only a select few units in Starfleet.
1. Gamma Orionis Battle Group Omega: Special Task Force Operations
Congratulations, Ambassador, on your selection for STF training. STF represents the aegis of Starfleet's ongoing efforts to defend the Galaxy from present and future threats to the very existence of Galactic civlisation as we know it.
Developing and deploying cutting-edge hybrid weapon systems, you will take the fight to the enemy free from political influence or bureaucracy - Battle Group Omega is a combined Federation-Klingon multi-national joint command and you will enjoy the rare honour of deploying KDF Birds of Prey, Raptors and carrier attack wings in support of your very own post-modern Starfleet combat groups.
Against you will be the Borg; a monolithic singular Collective controlled by a single hive mind, with billions of assimilated beings at her disposal. Ever since the time of Voyager, the Borg have been rebuilding and mobilizing reprisal forces on a continuous basis, launching numerous raids on an hourly basis against shipping lanes in the Sirius, Alpha Centauri, and Regulus Sectors. For many months now, our conventional Fleets have been on constant Red Alert in a vain attempt to defend the Federation's SLOC (
Spaceborne Lines of Communication) against Borg incusion; but limited by XXIV Century organization and technology, are unable to launch a decisive counterattack against the transwarp bridgehead at Gamma Orionis - the source of the cybernetic scourge.
We will not deny that you will be facing overwhelming odds alongside officers and warriors that are alien to you. We are in a state of general war in Gamma Orionis, and we are the last line of defence. You will learn to work with the dynamically assigned forces you have at your disposal each assignment, analyzing vessel strengths and weaknesses on a per-mission basis as assigned by BGO Command.
Against the monolithic Borg, our only hope of shattering the Collective lies in rapid reaction and surgical strikes against nodes, hubs, and certain static entities - there is no known logic to Borg organization other than the weaknesses in linear systemic order we identify and which must be struck in a precise timetable in order to smash the Collective's cohesion. Have no doubt, the Borg reconfigure and reinitialize failed networks rapidly, but each and every hub and node disabled represents precious minutes, hours, and days for Starfleet to develop new and decisive weapons with which to eliminate this threat entirely.
On occasion, you will also be tasked to precision-strike
HAV (High Asset Value) targets such as assimilated flagships and spacedock facilities. Expect these to be heavily defended by cybernetically-enhanced units.
Only through impeccable tactical order and the strongest determination can you overcome the odds, inspire your team to take up arms in pursuit of a joint vision, and support one another through challenges never before encountered in your career as a Task Force commander.
2. Expected Competencies
Missions in the GOTO are comprised of rapid strikes against vulnerable points in the Collective. These targets are constantly identified and evaluated using a classified semi-sentient bio-neural hypercomputer array linked to BGO's strategic sensor fusion network. This is an adaptive, intelligent system that constantly receives new information from task forces and strategic reconnaissance assets deployed throughout Gamma Orionis. It is capable of managing thousands of ships simultaneously via the common Link-4098
NCW infrastructure while performing immediate tactical sensor analyses and battle damage assessment as required.
As a result of the extremely high operational tempo and heavy combat, individual ships and assets are constantly rotated on and off the front to minimize crew and equipment fatigue. As a result, rarely will you be grouped with the same vessel or vessels through your initial tour of duty. You must learn to rapidly assess and deploy these "PUG" (Pick Up Group) squadrons to rapidly engage Borg targets designated by BGO Command, regardless of individual Captains' proficiency, language, and vessel type.
Likewise, as BGO Command fully expects each and every crew to function at peak efficiency, you must be intimately familiar with your vessel's tactical systems, and link them to act in concert with allied ships' intentions with minimal delay. Following a strict standard set of targeting priorities, you will then engage the Borg Hubs with the intent of creating cascade failure in their primary systems through coordinated strikes against key components of their infrastructure.
Once familiar with this unique set of battle orders, you may then accept Elite STF taskings which are surgical strikes conducted deep in enemy territory, with an aim to engage and destroy major Collective combat assets and procure prototype technology which can then be adapted to our advantage. As we know from
Robert Heinlein's Forever War concept, the most advanced forces are always deployed towards the core of a starfaring civilization. By striking at the heart of the Collective, we prove that we are years ahead of the enemy in this constant race of innovation versus adaptation. And we must stay as far ahead of the Borg as possible, if only to ensure that we have a home to go back to after all this.
While you must achieve all this using computer-assigned assets at first, with experience and dedication you may learn to operate your vessel in concert with BGO dynamic assignment system to form permanent strike groups, matching your ship and crew's assigned deployment times with those of allied vessels under your command.
3. Training Advisory
Despite your stellar performance in past tours of duty, BGO Command recommends you accept a brief refresher course on the following proficiencies in XXV Century starship operations: -
1. Mission-Adaptive Starship Management
2. Basic Team Navigation and Mission Control
3. Tactical Reconnaissance to Evaluate Indirect Solutions & Identify Target Weaknesses
4. Basic NCW Concepts & Threat Management
5.
Cooperative Engagement Capability Implementation
6. The
Crazy Ivan - Battlefield Dominance using Dynamic Maneuvering
7.
Wild Weasel - Strike Warfare Concepts
4. Training Regimen
The following combat simulations (run on Advanced or Elite level) may be utilized in concert with select reading material to efficiently illustrate the proficiencies mentioned in section 3: -
1. Under the Cover of Night - Armed Reconnaissance, Indirect Problem Solving, "Wild Weasel" precision strike doctrine
2. Ground Zero - "Crazy Ivan" Dynamic Maneuvering & Threat Management
3. The Kuvah'magh - Threat Management, general engagement CEC
4. Task Force Hippocrates - Quick-strike Adaptive Mission Control
5. Skirmish - HAV Strike (graduation)
4a. Training Supplemental
While utilized for primarily personal advertising purposes, Ms. Valmy is in possession of several short propaganda films which do accurately reflect the nature of hi tempo task force operations managed under contemporary NCW-like rules of engagement. The most relevant are: -
1.
2409 - Endless War
2.
Star Trek Online Task Force Operations
We hope you do find the above information comprehensive and useful to your training and development purposes. Should you have any queries, feel free to contact our independent consultant.
As you develop a force of elite officers and crew to meet BGO deployment standards, more information regarding STF assignments will be provided.
Regards
The Consultant's Office, INDTACDEVGRU-BGω
ps: Star Trek Online stardates can be calculated here:
http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/stardate.php