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Blue Planet

2024-08-05T20:51:08Z

General Battuta: This is my writing and was not meant to be shared publicly. I do not consent to its use outside its intended purpose - as a work in progress draft.

[[File:BP-Banner.png|center|From our odyssey into Hell, we return with a gift...]]
'''Blue Planet''' is a series of campaigns set 18 years after the events of FreeSpace 2. With the Alliance in economic turmoil, Terran-Vasudan relations decaying, and the Security Council grappling with the ominous Contingency Morpheus, the GTVA's elite 14th Battlegroup spearheads the effort to re-establish contact with [[Earth]].

Blue Planet is very widely known throughout the Hard Light Productions (HLP) community as being one of the best user-made campaign projects of all-time, excelling in story concept, mission design, cutscene use and music selection.

==Story==
It is 2385, fifty years after the appearance of the [[Shivans]] at [[Ross 128]] and the beginning of the [[Great War]] and eighteen years following the [[Capella]] supernova and conclusion of the [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. Using [[Knossos]]-derived technology, the [[GTVA]] have finally completed the construction of a subspace portal, stabilising the subspace corridor linking [[Delta Serpentis]] to [[Sol]], the birthplace of the Terrans. After sending numerous probes through the portal, the GTVA decides that the node had indeed stabilised, and proceeds to send in the real ambassadors.

[[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius]] (AoA), released in 2007, introduces the universe, and describes the struggles and adventures of the GTVA's 14th Battlegroup, an elite force of ships sent on a mission to re-establish contact with Earth. As they take a detour through a parallel reality where the Lucifer succeeded in wiping out Earth during the events of the original FreeSpace, one officer gains insight into the greater forces at work in the fabric of the multiverse.

The first part of [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven]] (WiH), released in August 2010, details the final weeks of a civil war between the government of Earth and the GTVA after contact was re-established. It focuses on the journey of a young woman torn between the ideals of her upbringing and the necessities of war. The GTVA, the UEF, and the other factions of the war struggle to shape the future of humanity and the Vasudan race as apocalypse looms.

[[Blue Planet: Chanticleer]], a spin-off campaign released in 2023, completes the arc of the GTVA-UEF civil war, as seen from the GTVA side. The story picks up where War in Heaven left off and is told from the perspective of a veteran GTVA pilot, following a single squadron through the end of the war.

==Missions==
===Age of Aquarius===
* 22-mission campaign

===War in Heaven===
* 23-mission campaign (released)
* Three single missions

===Chanticleer===
* 13-mission campaign

===Battle of Neptune===
* Two single missions

===Battle Captains===
* Two single missions

==Factions==

===Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance===
[[Image:GTD_Erebus.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The GTVA's most powerful vessel since the [[GTVA Colossus|''Colossus'']]—the GTD ''Erebus''.]]
[[Image:Gtfatalanta.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The Alliance's next-generation space superiority fighter—the GTF ''Atalanta''.]]
====Summary====
The Blue Planet continuity begins in 2385, only 18 years after the [[NTF Rebellion]] and [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. Following the GTVA's production doctrine employed between the Great War of 2335 and the NTF Rebellion of 2367, a number of FS2-era ships are still used, although most FS1-era ships, by contrast, have been phased out. Ships in active production are determined by their age, popularity among pilots, practicality and irreplaceableness. At the same time, in response to the massive losses sustained as a result of the [[Second Shivan Incursion]], the Alliance pushed forward the Threat Exigency Initiative, an extensive upgrading and redeployment project that spans the Terran arm of the GTVA. Lessons learned from the lack of proper logistical support in remote locations also prompted the introduction of a new "Logistics" class, non-combatant ships designed to serve as mobile installations.

The Threat Exigency Initiative, conceived as a more proper deterrent to the threat of future invasions, ushered in an age of new warships and battle doctrines inspired, ironically, by the [[Shivans]], fighters that can operate more independently, and weapons designed to be as versatile as possible. Products of the Threat Exigency Initiative include the [[GTD Erebus|GTD ''Erebus'']], a three-kilometre destroyer mounting [[HBlue|a powerful forward beam cannon]], warship-mounted heavy torpedo launchers, fast-firing pulse weapons that serve as secondary and tertiary warship armaments, the [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], and the [[Balor]], a rapid-firing, energy-efficient fighter-mounted particle blaster.

====Warships====
While many Capella-era warships remain in active production, most of the Great War-era warships have been phased out. The only remaining class of warship from the Great War that is still servicing the front lines is the [[GTD Orion|GTD ''Orion'']]. With the addition of the GTD ''Erebus'' into the ranks of the Terran fleet, the ''Orion'''s lengthy service to the Alliance has at last reached its final stages. Only a few ''Orion''-class destroyers remain in active service. The Capella-era warships are supplemented by warships designed and pushed into production as a result of the post-Capella Threat Exigency Initiative.

Virtually all Capella-era warships remain in active service, although some warship classes have been sorted into different sub-classes. For instance, the [[GTD Hecate|''Hecate''-class]], first commissioned as a destroyer during the [[NTF Rebellion]], has since been sub-classified as a carrier following a mediocre performance in the anti-warship field during the [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. The effectiveness of the [[GTC Aeolus|''Aeolus'' cruiser]] during the Second Shivan Incursion, combined with cheaper manufacturing techniques, meant that the Alliance resumed production for a cruiser class that originally had production lines cut after only twenty-four vessels were commissioned. Although still officially classified as a cruiser, the deployment of the ''Aeolus'' in the modern era is much closer to a tactical gunboat and warship escort. The [[GTCv Deimos|''Deimos''-class corvette]] now forms the core of Alliance corvette battlegroups, serving as an all-round warship.

The Threat Exigency Initiative introduced a new generation of warships that are generally faster and more agile than their Capella-era counterparts and are equipped with better-placed anti-fighter defenses, as well as secondary and tertiary anti-warship armaments such as anti-warship torpedoes and pulse cannons. The most powerful warship brought into service as a result of this project is the [[GTD Erebus|GTD ''Erebus'']], a three-kilometre destroyer fitted with the most advanced Alliance weapons and systems to effectively neutralise any threat. Other warships pushed into production include the [[GTD Titan|GTD ''Titan'']], a destroyer sporting a devastating frontal array of three [[BBlue|''Ice Queen'' heavy beam cannons]] and cavernous hangar, the [[GTCv Diomedes|GTCv ''Diomedes'']], a strike corvette mounting several [[TerSlashBlue|''Bull Frost'' tactical slashing beams]], and the [[GTL Anemoi|GTL ''Anemoi'']], a massive logistics vessel that can resupply and repair any ship ranging from fighter to destroyer and carry enough supplies and equipment to sustain a small fleet for months.

====Spacecraft====
Nearly all Great War-era spacecraft have been pulled from active service and sold off to third parties or used as training targets. The only two exceptions to this fate are the [[GTF Ulysses|''Ulysses'' fighter]] and [[GTB Ursa|''Ursa'' assault bomber]]. Of these two, the ''Ulysses'' remains in limited production and is no longer used in front-line operations, while the ''Ursa'', despite its incredibly lethargic speed and sluggish manoeuvrability, still retains its original role in the Alliance fleet, although no plans have been drawn up to create a new class of bombers taking after the design philosophies of the ''Ursa''.

By sharp contrast to the current deployment of all Capella-era warships, a number of Capella-era spacecraft have been slated to be pulled from active service. The two most prominent ship classes befalling this fate are the [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']], cited as being a powerful but excessively large fighter by many former Rebel pilots who have flown it, as well as the [[GTF Erinyes|GTF ''Erinyes'']], deemed to be too complicated to improve upon. At the opposite end of the spectrum are ship classes such as the [[GTB Artemis|GTB ''Artemis'']] and [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']], the former now mass-produced as the Alliance's main strike bomber, and the latter now reclassified and deployed as the Alliance's main space superiority fighter.

Four fighter classes and one bomber class have been brought into service as a result of the Threat Exigency Initiative: the [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], sporting enhanced sensors that can navigate the thickest nebula and detect stealth ships, all packaged in a decently armoured spaceframe; the [[GTF Draco|''Draco'' interceptor]], with an insanely high velocity rating allowing it to escort several warships at once; the [[GTF Atalanta|''Atalanta'' advanced space superiority fighter]], with its high speed and agility as well as excellent weapons compatibility; the [[GTF Nyx|GTF ''Nyx'']], a heavy fighter that blends the firepower of eight gun banks with a level of agility comparable to the ''Perseus''; and the [[GTB Rhea|GTB ''Rhea'']], a strike bomber with an asymmetrical weapons configuration that has been regarded as a statistical success among bomber squadrons.

====Weaponry====
Lessons learned during the [[Second Shivan Incursion]], at the cost of thousands of lives, prompted the GTVA to begin upgrading several warships in service after the Capella supernova, as well as to phase out older weapons that have been used for the past five decades and replace them with more modern weaponry. One of the Threat Exigency Initiative's primary goals is to produce better warship armaments and it has, to date, produced three different types of anti-warship weaponry. At the forefront of this are the range of new beam cannons installed on the GTVA's newest line of warships, such as the [[HBlue|''Winter King'' heavy beam]] mounted at the bow of the ''Erebus'' destroyer, and the [[TerSlashBlue|''Bull Frost'' tactical slashing beam]] mounted on the ''Diomedes'' corvette. The second type of anti-warship weapons developed are anti-warship torpedoes, serving as secondary weapons on the ''Erebus'' and ''Titan'' destroyers as well as friendly artillery. The third and final type of anti-warship weapons are pulse cannons, serving as battery weapons on heavier ships. Both the [[TerPulse|''Hellstar'']] and [[STerPulse|''Riptide'']] pulse cannons are recent developments of [[Morgan Technologies]], and have yet to be fully integrated into GTVA battle doctrine.

Much of the GTVA's fighter-mounted weaponry remains the same, although the [[Balor|Balor rapid-fire particle blaster]], so far the only fighter-mounted primary cannon developed by the Threat Exigency Initiative, adds a much-needed and fearsome complement to the standard-issue [[GTW Subach HL-7]]. The Balor was designed to serve and destroy everything short of a light cruiser, and it was designed to be far more versatile than nearly every other fighter-compatible primary gun in the GTVA arsenal. At the time of the Sol Gate's completion, the Balor was brand-new, and GTVA battle doctrine did not fully integrate it. By the time of the UEF-GTVA war, however, the Balor has seen widespread use in nearly every stage of the conflict.

While the [[GTM Trebuchet]] is now commonly used as a long-range heavy missile for destroying slower, heavier ships, the Alliance have also pushed a new missile into production lines—the [[GTM TAG-C]]. This, the third and final iteration of the Target Acquisition and Guidance line of missiles, not only retains the painting beacon of the [[GTM TAG-A]] and aspect-seeking technology of the [[GTM TAG-B]], but combines both with a highly sophisticated targeting beacon that will, on impact, transmit authorisation codes to a local friendly warship. Any large vessel unlucky enough to be hit by a TAG-C will have to deal with the barrage of anti-warship torpedoes that emerge from subspace. The TAG-C enables even fighters to deliver the same warship-shattering punch as an assault bomber.

===United Earth Federation===
[[Image:UEDSolaris.png|thumb|right|480px|The be-all and end-all of the UEF's military might—the UED ''Solaris''.]]
[[Image:NuKent.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The fastest ship in the UEF fleet on afterburners—the UEF ''Kentauroi''.]]
====Summary====
In the fifty years following the collapse of the Sol-Delta Serpentis jump node, the [[Galactic Terran Alliance]] was reorganised into the [[United Earth Federation]], or UEF, headed by the Global Ubuntu Party.

The Ubuntu Party placed emphasis on economic recovery and political stability, rather than military strength. What was left of the old GTA military was scrapped and slimmed down to suit the need of only being able to maintain order throughout much of an entire star system. Standard military doctrine in the UEF places emphasis on frigates that can serve as mobile carriers and operate in remote locations for lengthy periods, as well as versatile fighters that can be reassigned to numerous roles in a single operation. The main base of operations for each of the UEF's three fleets is a [[UED Solaris|''Solaris''-class destroyer]], a formidable carrier and command vessel that is never deployed on the front lines unless absolutely necessary.

====Warships====
The UEF only has three destroyers in active service, all of them [[UED Solaris|''Solaris''-class destroyers]]. Each of these destroyers serve as a base of operations to the Federation's three fleets, as well as their commanding officers. Originally considered "answers to a nonexistent problem", the ''Solaris'', ''Toutatis'' and ''Eris'' now serve at the very centre of the UEF's battle doctrine and, despite being designed to effectively neutralise an attack from any direction, are rarely seen on the front-lines. Instead, most military operations are carried out either by the fighter squadrons within these fleets or by smaller, faster frigates and cruisers assigned to each fleet.

Frigates and cruisers make up the Federation's primary attacking force. The two frigate classes currently in active service, the [[UEFg Karuna|''Karuna'']] and [[UEFg Narayana|''Narayana'']], both sport a hangar capable of housing a small fighter squadron, and the sole cruiser class, the corvette-sized [[UEC Sanctus|''Sanctus'']], is used in almost the same manner as the GTVA deploys the ''Deimos''. Although every frigate and cruiser in the Federation is assigned to one of the three fleets, they are often deployed on their own, away from the ''Solaris''-class destroyer that serves as their fleet's home base.

====Spacecraft====
The Federation makes heavy use of high-performance spacecraft that are generally much more agile and versatile than their GTVA counterparts. Almost every fighter class is capable of reverse thrust, as well as reverse afterburn, adding to their overall versatility on the field. The Federation's main space superiority fighter is the [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']], an all-round ship capable of fulfilling any fighter role as the situation demands. Other common ships include the [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']], the Federation's cross between the GTVA's ''Nyx'' and ''Perseus'' fighters, the [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']], a heavy assault fighter sporting a long-range gauss cannon, and the [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']], an assault bomber with the firepower to level entire cities. The Federation also produces an additional class of spacecraft, the [[UEF Lao Tze|UEF ''Lao Tze'']], an extremely powerful but difficult to fly heavy fighter used primarily by the elite [[Knights of the White Brotherhood]].

====Weaponry====
While the GTVA have spent decades developing beam and energy-based weaponry, Federation anti-warship armaments, on the other hand, follow a more traditional kinetic-based principle. The primary stopping power of the UEF's two frigate classes, the ''Karuna'' and ''Narayana'', are a pair of powerful bow-mounted heavy mass drivers that are complemented by their own targeting system, allowing them to incapacitate crucial enemy subsystems or turrets at will. The ''Solaris'' destroyer's primary weapons, however, come in the form of twelve heavy torpedo launchers that can easily decimate anything short of a superdestroyer in a matter of minutes. Secondary armament on all ships are made up of a mixture of anti-fighter tracers, flak guns and smaller anti-subsystem torpedo launchers.

The technology that powers Federation fighter-mounted weaponry, although crude and slightly dated as compared to the much greater level of sophistication seen in Alliance weaponry, is nonetheless just as effective, if not more so. The standard-issue [[Vulcan|SCWS-1 Vulcan]] is a rapid-firing plasma cannon that can easily track torpedoes and even the fastest ships produced by the Alliance, while the slightly heavier [[Maul|SCWS-2 Maul]] sacrifices refire rate for even more damage per shot. In the many decades since the [[Great War]], the legendary [[GTW Prometheus]] has been remade into the [[Rapier|SCWS-6 Rapier]], the most powerful fighter-compatible plasma weapon available to the standard Federation pilot, capable of Swiss-cheesing even the heaviest fighters in the Alliance with a few shots. Federation gunships such as the ''Uriel''-class mount a third weapon: a long-range ammo-based mass driver, such as the [[Archer]] or [[Vajra]], designed to obliterate turrets and subsystems from beyond regular retaliation range.

The UEF sports a slightly wider variety of secondary weapons compared to the GTVA. In addition to the regular [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire dumbfire missile]], [[Javelin|Javelin aspect-seeking dogfight missile]], [[Grimler|Grimler heavy missile]] and [[Paveway|Paveway anti-subsystem missile]], as well as three anti-warship torpedoes, the Federation also produces two fire-and-forget swarm missiles, called the [[Dirk]] and [[Dart]], as well as the dreaded [[Slammer|Slammer suppression missile]], an aspect-seeking cluster missile containing heat-seeking explosive charges. While the Dirk and Dart provide Federation pilots with a third tier of dogfight missiles to choose from, the Slammer, on the other hand, has gained a reputation among the GTVA for being a fighter- and bomber-killer, capable of destroying entire wings with one hit, and is the most feared weapon in the UEF's arsenal of missiles.

===Vishnans===
[[Image:Vishnanpreserver.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The embodiment of Vishnu—the Vishnan Preserver.]]
[[Image:Vishnanmissionary.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The first known Vishnan ship ever encountered—the Vishnan Missionary.]]
:''See also: [[Vishnans]]''
====Summary====
The [[Vishnans]] are a new species introduced in Blue Planet. They describe themselves as Great Preservers and counterparts of the [[Shivans]], though initial contact with their species was possibly violent. What little is known about the Vishnans is sketchy and fairly inaccurate at best. The full capabilities of the Vishnans are, like the Shivans, unknown to the Terrans or Vasudans. What ''is'' established is that the Vishnans are arguably the only race capable of matching the Shivans.

All Vishnan ships are unmanned, piloted by instanced sub-sets of the species' superordinate consciousness nested in a hierarchical dependency of cognitive structure. They have not been encountered in the same universe as the GTVA and UEF, although it is hinted that they do exist.

====Warships====
Only four classes of Vishnan warships have been encountered so far, the largest simply designated the [[Vishnan Preserver]]. The Preserver appears to be a superjuggernaut with enormous tactical and strategic capabilities, including the modification of jump nodes. It may be unique.

The Vishnans' main warship is a massive squid-like vessel designated the [[Vishnan Sacred Keeper]]. While classified as a destroyer, the Keeper is able to go toe-to-toe with a Shivan [[SJ Sathanas|''Sathanas''-class juggernaut]], and its hull rating is well within superdestroyer levels. With a large beam emitter built into its underside, the Keeper is usually heavily guarded by a number of cruiser-class [[Vishnan Arbiter]]s and gunship-class [[Vishnan Protector]]s. The Keeper is the core of its entire fleet and is integral to their ability to communicate with their superconsciousness.

The Keeper's escorts, the Arbiter and Protector, are smaller, faster vessels armed with lighter beam cannons. They do not usually undertake and complete tasks on their own, but instead provide fire support for Vishnan strikecraft and, in return, require escort from enemy fighters and bombers on occasion due to their sub-par defences.

====Spacecraft====
To date, the Vishnans are known to possess two fighter classes and two bomber classes. Vishnan spacecraft vastly outperform their Shivan equivalents, with their fighters capable of flying circles around even the extremely agile Shivan [[SF Dragon|''Dragon''-class fighter]], and their bombers manoeuvrable enough to defend themselves and not compromise on secondary weapons. All Vishnan spacecraft are made of a crystalline compound that repairs itself over time. On the downside, Vishnan spacecraft number a lot less than their Shivan counterparts. Most Vishnan wings hardly ever exceed three ships, while Shivan ships by contrast are usually deployed in wings exceeding four ships.

The most commonly seen Vishnan spacecraft is designated the [[Vishnan Missionary]]. Agile and fast, the Missionary is an interceptor, reconnaissance vessel and space superiority fighter all in one. It was the first known Vishnan spacecraft ever encountered by the Alliance. The other Vishnan fighter, the [[Vishnan Preacher]], sacrifices speed and secondary weapon capacity for additional durability and an impressive combined primary firepower of ten guns.

The Vishnans' main bomber, designated the [[Vishnan Seeker]], is a medium strike bomber that can carry approximately the same amount of ordnance as the [[GTB Ursa|GTB ''Ursa'']]. The other bomber class is the massive [[Vishnan Inquisitor]], capable of carrying torpedoes that can easily level anything smaller than a superdestroyer with a few hits.

====Weaponry====
:''See also: [[Vishnan Beam Weapons]]''
The Vishnans are the second species ever encountered by the Terrans and Vasudans to already demonstrate beam capability. The two most powerful of these beams are mounted only on the Preserver and Sacred Keeper, while the lighter, smaller beams are mounted onto the Arbiters and Protectors. Vishnan beam weapons out-range and out-damage Shivan beams by a significant margin, but do not recharge as quickly.

Fighter-mounted Vishnan weaponry lack diversity as compared to Terran, Vasudan and even Shivan weaponry. Only one kind of primary weapon is used across all Vishnan fighters and bombers to date. The [[Vishnan Primary]] is a medium-firing heavy cannon that can double up as an anti-subsystem weapon.

Three classes of Vishnan secondary weapons are known to date. The [[Vishnan Missile]] is an aspect-seeking missile that can also be used as a light anti-subsystem missile, while the [[Vishnan Megabomb]] is used in the same manner as the GTVA's [[GTM Cyclops|''Cyclops'' torpedo]], although it is far more powerful. The third class of Vishnan missile, the [[Vishnan Ultrabomb]], is a torpedo containing a subspace device that, on impact, transfers a devastating warhead from within a nearby Keeper onto the target.

==Development==
===Original Concept===
:"Wow." 
::''—excerpt of Reply #60 of the original Age of Aquarius release thread, by Jeff Vader'' [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=49876.msg1009465#msg1009465]

Blue Planet started off as a one-man project by Darius, much akin to how [[The Procyon Insurgency]] was created. When Age of Aquarius was released, several members of the community pointed out numerous errors and problems with the campaign, including crashes, missing effects, and empty tech room descriptions. As a consolation, these members also added praise to the portions of Age of Aquarius that did play out as planned, adding special mention to the harder missions, such as [[Keepers of Hell]], and the music used in other missions, such as [[Forced Entry]]. The numerous errors, glitches and issues prompted Darius to release a patch only two days after it was first released. Almost immediately after the patch was released, comments on the campaign shifted from its issues and praise to praise only. Much of the initial praise was targeted at three aspects of the campaign:

* mission design and difficulty;
* background music; and
* storyline.

Age of Aquarius also came in for special praise as it made extensive use of FS2_Open's cutscene feature, which was relatively new and unused at the time.

===The Team===
:"Very funny, Goob." 
::''—the first post on the Blue Planet board, by NGTM-1R'' [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=55706.msg1125921#msg1125921]

Blue Planet as a project team, however, did not take off until about ten months later, when Age of Aquarius began to be relayed to newcomers as a recommended FS2_Open campaign, alongside stalwarts such as [[Derelict]] and [[Warzone]]. The formation of the Blue Planet board on the Hard Light Productions Forum's Hosted Projects section—reserved only for the most active hosted projects on HLP—was initially viewed as a joke, but ultimately became the catalyst needed for the formation of the project team as it is today. Over the course of the next few months, the size of the Blue Planet team grew rapidly. Initially comprising only Darius, as of August 2010, the Blue Planet team is made up of sixteen core members and six beta-testers.

===War in Heaven===
Not too long after the release of Age of Aquarius, Darius had finished conceiving a storyline for War in Heaven. However, he chose to wait until enough positive feedback was received from members of HLP before attempting to work on it. The development cycle of WiH was accelerated by rapid expansion of the project team from 2009 to early 2010, as well as the use of subversion, enabling all members of the team to work on the same version of the project.

===Chanticleer===
[[Chanticleer]] was written as a solo project by Jake "qweqwe321" Berman in 2022 and 2023, with the support of Blue Planet team members Darius and The_E, and beta testing by Fusion and LawBroSteve.

===Spinoff Campaigns===
* Battle of Neptune, by BP team member Dilmah G, covering the First Battle of Neptune.
* Battle Captains, by Lepanto, covering capital ship combat under Admirals Severanti and Lopez.

==Releases==
''Age of Aquarius'' was first released on October 3, 2007, and the first patch for it was released two days later on October 5. In February 2010, AoA was rereleased with voice acting, reorganized modpack, and new assets.

The first part of ''War in Heaven'', consisting of the first two acts (15 missions) was released on August 7, 2010. The third act was released on January 7, 2013.

''Chanticleer'' was released in September 2023.

==Developers==
===Age of Aquarius and War in Heaven Project Staff===
*'''Darius''' — ''Project lead''

*'''Axem''' — ''Just another FREDder''
*'''Belisarius''' — ''Music composer''
*'''blowfish''' — ''Modeller''
*'''Cobra''' — ''Voice acting management assistance''
*'''Daddy Warhol''' — ''Music composer''
*'''Dilmah G''' — ''Mission designer, Military advisor''
*'''Dragon''' — ''Texture artist''
*'''Esarai''' — ''Modeller''
*'''Fury''' — ''Tabler, AI lead''
*'''General Battuta''' — ''Writer, Mission designer''
*'''HerraTohtori''' — ''Skybox artist''
*'''Nighteyes''' — ''Effects artist''
*'''Rian''' — ''Script content redundancy axe-man, Character writer''
*'''Steve O''' — ''Model contributor, Paternal figure''
*'''The E''' — ''Codework, Mission work, Model work, Writer''
*'''Wanderer''' — ''Effects artist''
*'''Zacam''' — ''Testing, Mod pack management, SVN manager''

===Chanticleer Project Staff===
*'''qweqwe321''' — Project Lead

===Beta Testers===
* [[User:Androgeos Exeunt|Androgeos]] [[User_talk:Androgeos_Exeunt|Exeunt]]
* MatthTheGeek
* QuantumDelta
* Snail
* Spoon
* ubiquitous
* Fusion
* Lawbrosteve

==See Also==
* [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius]]
* [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius Campaign Walkthrough]]
* [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven]]
* [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough]]
* [[Blue Planet: Chanticleer]]
* [[Blue Planet: Chanticleer Campaign Walkthrough]]
* [[Blue Planet Extras Portal]]
* [[Blue Planet ship database]]
* [[:Category:Blue Planet]]

==Related Links==
*[http://blueplanet.hard-light.net Blue Planet Website | Hard-Light Productions.net]
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,169.0.html Blue Planet board | Hard-Light Productions.net]
*[http://www.moddb.com/mods/blue-planet-war-in-heaven Blue Planet at ModDB]
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3566260/ Blue Planet: War in Heaven at IMDB]

[[Category:User-made_Campaigns]]
[[Category:Blue Planet|*]]

User:MjnMixael

2021-08-22T16:41:52Z

General Battuta:

Not today, Aesaar. Sorry.
*What? What is this aboot [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] ([[User talk:General Battuta|talk]]) 16:41, 22 August 2021 (UTC)

GTC Aeolus

2021-02-05T13:27:19Z

General Battuta: I thought we all agreed this got to stay

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

The claims the Aeolus is typically used for convoy escort are very much justified in practice - with only fighters and bombers to worry about in practice when it comes to guarding freighters and transports, the flak guns and anti-fighter beams of the Aeolus can drastically magnify the otherwise pathetic defensive armament of a [[Faustus]] or a [[Poseidon]], either by shredding incoming assault fighters targeting the transports or letting the otherwise meager guns of the civilian ships chip away at attackers while it receives their ire. This effective magnification also works well when reinforcing an outpost or guarding a cargo depot - it's hard to kill a [[Watchdog]] when you have flak raining down on you.

Little in the middle but she got much flak
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2021-02-05T02:00:52Z

General Battuta: restoring mixalot levels

Ai profiles.tbl

2021-02-05T01:43:20Z

General Battuta: Uh I assume there's supposed to be a 'no' here?

{{SCP_table}}
{{TableVersionGit|2020-10-09|465af93dc}}
{{Tables}}
The '''ai_profiles.tbl''' allows the creation and management of different patterns of AI behavior, called profiles. Profiles consist of various statistics and flags that provide some control over AI behavior. All options within a profile are optional; if an option is not specified it will follow the original FreeSpace 2 retail behavior. Different missions can specify different profiles.

The default ai_profiles.tbl is hardcoded into the FSO executable, and defines the "FS2 RETAIL" AI profile. It's usually recommended not to modify this profile, but to create a new AI profile in a modular table instead, which will then inherit its defaults from the FS2 RETAIL profile.

This table is one of the [[Modular Tables]] and can be extended with xxx-aip.tbm

{{Table202|
*For mods targeted to version 21.0 and up using [[game_settings.tbl]], the following ai-profiles options are enabled by default:
*'''huge turret weapons ignore bombs'''
*'''fix linked primary weapon decision bug'''
*'''prevent turrets targeting too distant bombs'''
*'''fix heat seekers homing on stealth ships bug'''
*'''allow vertical dodge'''
*'''fix ai class bug'''
*'''ai guards specific ship in wing'''
*'''fix ai path order bug'''
*'''aspect bomb invulnerability fix'''
*'''use actual primary range'''
*'''any ship with no shields can manage ETS'''}}
{{Table372|
*For mods targeted to version 3.7.2 and up using [[game_settings.tbl]], the following ai-profiles options are enabled by default:
*'''fix ramming stationary targets bug'''}}

==General Format==
'''#AI Profiles'''

'''$Default Profile:''' ''a profile name''

''Up to 9 different AI profiles''

'''#End'''

==#AI Profiles==
*Indicates to the parser that this is an ai_profiles table file.

===$Default Profile:===
*Defines the profile that each mission will use if no profile is specified in FRED. In addition, this profile will be selected automatically in FRED when you create a new mission. If this line is not specified, the default profile will be the FreeSpace 2 retail behavior.

===$Profile Name:===
*The name of the profile, naturally.

----

The following entries accept '''float list''' of five comma-separated values. One value for each of the difficulty levels (Very Easy, Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane).

===$Player Afterburner Recharge Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the speed of afterburner recharge
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 5, 3, 2, 1.5, 1}}

===$Max Beam Friendly Fire Damage:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the maximum damage inflicted by friendly beam fire
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 5, 10, 20, 30}}

===$Player Countermeasure Life Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the factor applied to player launched countermeasure lifetime
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 3, 2, 1.5, 1.25, 1}}

===$AI Countermeasure Firing Chance:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the chance a countermeasure will be fired by an AI-controlled ship (this is scaled by ai_class)
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.9, 1.1}}

===$AI In Range Time:===
{{Table3610|
*The delay (in seconds) for the AI to fire its weapons after getting in range.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 2, 1.4, 0.75, 0, -1}}

===$AI Always Links Ammo Weapons:===
{{Table3610|
*AI ships will link ballistic primaries if ammo levels are greater than these percents.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 95, 80, 60, 40, 20}}

===$AI Maybe Links Ammo Weapons:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the same as '''$AI Always Links Ammo Weapons:''' but in situations when its hull is below 33 % of maximum hitpoints.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 90, 60, 40, 20, 10}}

===$Primary Ammo Burst Multiplier:===
{{Table3611|
*Allows the AI to fire primary weapons in bursts. How long the bursts are (and how much time between them) is a function of ammo remaining, distance to target, angle to target, and this multiplier. A value of 0 turns this feature off (AI fires normally, without bursts). A value < 1 will make for shorter bursts with larger gaps, and a value > 1 will give longer bursts with shorter gaps.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$AI Always Links Energy Weapons:===
{{Table3610|
*AI ships will link energy primaries if energy levels are greater than these percents.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 100, 80, 60, 40, 20}}

===$AI Maybe Links Energy Weapons:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the same as '''$AI Always Links Energy Weapons:''' but in situations when its hull is below 33 % of maximum hitpoints.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 90, 60, 40, 20, 10}}

===$Max Missiles Locked on Player:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the maximum number of missiles allowed to be homing in on a player at any given time
*Note: Single-player only, no restriction in multiplayer
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 2, 3, 4, 7, 99}}

===$Max Player Attackers:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the maximum number of ships allowed to be attacking the player at any given time
*This number is also checked when a ship checks for a new target, such as using the goal attack-any.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 2, 3, 4, 5, 99}}

===$Max Incoming Asteroids:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the maximum number of active (i.e. "thrown") asteroids that can be heading toward a friendly ship at any given time
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 3, 4, 5, 7, 10}}

===$Player Damage Factor: or $AI Damage Reduction to Player Hull:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the factor applied to damage suffered by the player
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.25, 0.5, 0.65, 0.85, 1}}

===$Player Subsys Damage Factor: or $AI Damage Reduction to Player Subsys:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the factor applied to subsystem damage suffered by the player. This is in addition to the '''$Player Damage Factor:'''
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1}}

===$Predict Position Delay:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the time after which the AI will recalculate the position of its target.
*It does not apply to the AI's aim, it only applies to things like avoiding collisions and maneuvering at close range. Generally, anything other than a 0 just allows the AI to do monumentally stupid things like try to turn to avoid ramming where it thought you were 2 seconds ago.
*Syntax: '''Float list''', seconds
**Default: 2, 1.5, 1.333, 0.5, 0}}

===$AI Shield Manage Delay:===
{{Table3610|
*Also '''$AI Shield Manage Delays:'''
*Sets the time in seconds between each instance of an AI ship managing its shields
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 5, 4, 2.5, 1.2, 0.1}}

===$Friendly AI Fire Delay Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the factor applied to "fire wait" for friendly ships
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 2, 1.4, 1.25, 1.1, 1}}

===$Hostile AI Fire Delay Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the factor applied to "fire wait" for hostile ships
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 4, 2.5, 1.75, 1.25, 1}}

===$Friendly AI Secondary Fire Delay Scale:===
{{Table3614|
*Sets the factor applied to "fire wait" for friendly ships
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2}}

===$Hostile AI Secondary Fire Delay Scale:===
{{Table3614|
*Sets the factor applied to "fire wait" for hostile ships
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 1.4, 1.2, 1.0, 0.8, 0.6}}

===$AI Turn Time Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the factor applied to time it takes for enemy ships to turn. A value of 1.0 means the ship turns at normal speed, 2.0 means half speed (takes twice as long), etc. Note that this value ONLY affects ships hostile to the player (always 1.0 for friendly ships).
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 3, 2.2, 1.6, 1.3, 1}}

===$Glide Attack Percent:===
{{Table3611|
*How often the AI will use the "glide attack" move when it has the opportunity. Glide attack means using glide to maintain course while aiming and firing at the current target. Only affects ships capable of glide.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Circle Strafe Percent:===
{{Table3611|
*How often the AI will use the "circle strafe" move when it has the opportunity. Circle strafe means that the ship will attempt "Descent-like" combat, trying to maintain distance while circling around the target using sidethrusters. Ships will only attempt this when sidethrust top speed is at least 2/3 of target's current velocity.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Glide Strafe Percent:===
{{Table3611|
*How often the AI will use the "glide strafe" move when it has the opportunity. Glide strafe means using glide to attack capships by flying past and shooting at them. Only affects ships capable of glide.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Random Sidethrust Percent:===
{{Table3611|
*Percentage of the time where AI ships will randomly sidethrust in a dogfight.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Stalemate Time Threshold:===
{{Table3611|
*The minimum amount of time required for the AI to detect a "stalemate" situation. If a ship and its target have been within a certain distance of each other (defined by ''$Stalemate Distance Threshold'') for this amount of time without either of them scoring a hit on the other, the AI will do something to break the stalemate. Only applies to small ships. If this value is 0 or less, no stalemate detection is performed.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Stalemate Distance Threshold:===
{{Table3611|
*The maximum distance that an AI ship must remain from its target for a "stalemate" to occur (see ''$Stalemate Time Threshold'').
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Player Shield Recharge Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the factor applied to the speed at which the player's shields recharge
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 4, 2, 1.5, 1.25, 1}}

===$Player Weapon Recharge Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Defines the factor applied to the speed at which the player's weapons recharge
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 10, 4, 2.5, 2, 1.5}}

===$Max Turret Target Ownage:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the maximum number of turrets on a particular ship allowed to be attacking the same target at any given time
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 3, 4, 7, 12, 19}}

===$Max Turret Player Ownage:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the maximum number of turrets on a particular ship allowed to be attacking the player at any given time
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 3, 4, 7, 12, 19}}

===$Percentage Required For Kill Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the minimum percentage of the total assessed damage a player must inflict in order to be awarded a kill (3.6.10 and on)
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.30, 0.30, 0.30, 0.30, 0.30}}

===$Percentage Required For Assist Scale:===
{{Table3610|
*Sets the minimum percentage of the total assessed damage a player must inflict in order to be awarded an assist (3.6.10 and on)
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15}}

===$Percentage Awarded For Capship Assist:===
{{Table3610|
*In TvT and Coop missions all teammates will be granted this percentage of the capships score when someone scores a kill (3.6.10 and on)
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5}}

===$Repair Penalty:===
{{Table3611|
*The amount to subtract from the player's score if they are repaired by a support ship
*Syntax: '''Integer list'''
**Default: 10, 20, 35, 50, 60}}

===$Delay Before Allowing Bombs to Be Shot Down:===
{{Table3611|
*Time after bombs are fired during which the bombs are invulnerable to weapon hits
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5}}

===$Chance AI Has to Fire Missiles at Player:===
{{Table3611|
*Chance - expressed in ('''value''' + 1) / 7 - of each AI turret within current 10 second segment to be allowed to shoot missiles at player ship.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4}}

===$Max Aim Update Delay:===
{{Table3611|
*Maximum amount of delay allowed before the AI will update its aim. Until the next update, the AI will project the target forward based on last checked position and velocity. Applies to small ships vs small ships (dogfights). The actual delay is randomly selected between 0 and the maximum (so setting a value of 2 will result in an average of 1 second delay).
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Turret Max Aim Update Delay:===
{{Table3611|
*As $Max Aim Update Delay, but affecting turrets instead
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Player Autoaim FOV:===
{{Table3613|
*Gives the player autoaim within the specified number of degrees from the target (FOV).
*Unlike the ships.tbl settings for autoaim, this only affects the player (and, of course, only if there is a nonzero value for the difficulty level.)
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}}

===$Detail Distance Multiplier:===
{{Table3613|
*Affects how the "model detail level" setting in Options switches between LOD levels.
*This number acts as a multiplier on the LOD distances specified in ships.tbl.
*NOTE THAT THIS IS PER DETAIL LEVEL, NOT PER DIFFICULTY LEVEL.
*Syntax: '''Float list'''
**Default: 0.125, 0.25, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0}}
----

The following entries are boolean flags. They can be set to ''YES'' or ''NO'', ''TRUE'' or ''FALSE'', ''OUI'' or ''NON'', ''HIja′'' or ''ghobe′'', etc. The default is ''NO''.

===$big ships can attack beam turrets on untargeted ships:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, big ships can attack a beam turret that's firing on them from a ship that they don't currently have targeted.}}

===$smart primary weapon selection:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, enables the new primary weapon selection method}}

===$smart secondary weapon selection:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, enables the new secondary weapon selection method (including proper use of bomber+ missiles)}}

===$smart shield management:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, shields will devote all their charging energy to the weakest quadrant(s) and not waste energy on fully-charged quadrants (previously was -smart_shields on the command line)}}

===$smart afterburner management:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, the AI will properly use brief pulses of afterburner power instead of afterburning until fuel is exhausted}}

===$free afterburner use:===
{{Table382|
*If set, the AI will use afterburners in more situations.}}

===$allow rapid secondary dumbfire:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, allows an AI ship to switch to rapid fire for dumbfire missiles}}

===$huge turret weapons ignore bombs:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, causes huge turret weapons (including anti-capship beams) to not target bombs}}

===$don't insert random turret fire delay:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, removes the random turret fire delay (from .1 to .9 seconds) inserted in addition to AI Fire Delay Scale}}

===$hack improve non-homing swarm turret fire accuracy:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, triggers a hack to improves the accuracy of non-homing swarm missiles by firing them along the turret's last fire direction rather than the direction it currently faces
*Also disables swarm weapons ability to fire only on the 'turrets barrel line'.}}

===$shockwaves damage small ship subsystems:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, shockwaves will cause damage to small ship subsystems (like in FS1)}}

===$navigation subsystem governs warpout capability:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, ships will not be able to warp out if their navigation subsystem is destroyed or low in strength}}

===$check communications for non-player ships:===
{{Table202|
*When set, every ship will have the same communications subsystem restrictions as the player, including minimum strength to send messages and EMP scramble status.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$ignore lower bound for minimum speed of docked ship:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, there will be no lower bound for the speed at which docked ships move (like in FS1).
*When a ship is towing another ship or ships, the towing ship will be slowed down to a degree depending on the total mass of all docked ships. In FS1, the ships could slow down to an arbitrarily slow speed, even a fraction of a m/s above zero. In FS2, there is a lower bound on this behavior so that all ships are guaranteed to move at a minimum docked speed. When set, this flag removes the lower bound and restores FS1 behavior.}}

===$disable linked fire penalty:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, there will be no penalty for linking primaries. Normally, the rate of fire is *1 for a single bank, *0.66 for two banks and *0.5 for three banks (the fire delay is increased according to the formula 1+([nb of banks]-1)*0.5 ).}}

===$disable player secondary doublefire:===
{{Table202|
*If set, players are not allowed to dual-fire their secondaries.}}

===$disable ai secondary doublefire:===
{{Table202|
*If set, AIs are not allowed to dual-fire their secondaries.}}

===$disable weapon damage scaling:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, weapons will do the same damage to a ship regardless of "big damage", "supercap", etc. ship types.}}

===$use additive weapon velocity:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, weapons will inherit their firing ship's velocity. A ship traveling quickly will fire weapons faster than a ship traveling slowly. This also improves the accuracy of weapons fired while gliding.}}

===$use newtonian dampening:===
{{Table3610|
*Newtonian Dampening changes turning and acceleration behavior. By default, there's quite a bit of slide when you turn, and when combined with high damp values (such as in BtRL), you can actually push your speed up beyond the max. Newtonian Dampening is the more realistic turns, where too much turning will lower your speed. Forward momentum is also affected. Backslash can explain it in more detail. [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,50870.msg1029741.html#msg1029741] }}

===$include beams for kills and assists:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, beam damage is counted when calculating kills and assists.}}

===$score kills based on damage caused:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, kills gain score based on the percentage damage the killer inflicted on the dead ship.}}

===$score assists based on damage caused:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, kills gain score based on the percentage damage the player gaining the assist inflicted on the dead ship.}}

===$allow event and goal scoring in multiplayer:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, players (rather than just their team) can gain score from events in multiplayer.}}

===$fix linked primary weapon decision bug:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, the AI will properly link primaries according to specified percentages of energy levels instead of retail behavior where it mistakenly linked according to absolute energy levels.}}

===$fix ramming stationary targets bug:===
{{Table202|
*When set, AI ships will try not to crash into stationary targets. See [http://scp.indiegames.us/mantis/view.php?id=3147 Mantis #3147].
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$prevent turrets targeting too distant bombs:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, prevents turrets from targeting bombs beyond maximum range of the weapons of the turret.}}

===$smart subsystem targeting for turrets:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, prevents turrets from trying to target subsystems beyond their fov limits, also keeps the turret subsystem targeting preference order intact regardless of the angle to the target.}}

===$fix heat seekers homing on stealth ships bug:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, heat-seeking missiles will not home in on stealth ships (this mirrors the established behavior where heat-seeking missiles do not home in on ships that are hidden from sensors).}}

===$multi allow empty primaries:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, allows a player to commit into a multiplayer game without primaries.}}

===$multi allow empty secondaries:===
{{Table3610|
*If set, allows a player to commit into a multiplayer game without secondaries.}}

===$allow turrets target weapons freely:===
{{Table3611|
*If set, allows turrets to target any weapons instead of just targeting bombs, to be used in conjunction with target priorities setup.}}

===$use only single fov for turrets:===
{{Table3611|
*If set, allows turrets to fire outside some hardcoded FOV set for certain missile types limits, and rely only on the user defined FOV.}}

===$allow vertical dodge:===
{{Table3611|
*If set, allows ships to dodge weapons fire vertically as well as horizontally.}}

===$force beam turrets to use normal fov:===
{{Table3611|
*If set makes beam turrets use same FOV rules as other weapons do. Prevents beam from a turret from following the target beyond the turret's FOV}}

===$fix AI class bug:===
{{Table3611|
*Fixes a bug where AI class attributes are not set properly on ships if the AI class is set in the mission to something other than the default for the ship type. Set this to YES if you want attributes in [[Ai.tbl]] to mean anything at all.}}

===$turrets ignore targets radius in range checks:===
{{Table3611|
*TBD.}}

===$no extra collision avoidance vs player:===
{{Table3611|
*Disables the extra collision avoidance that AI normally uses against the player. Makes the AI more aggressive vs the player at close range (same treatment as vs other AI), although ship-ship collisions are slightly more likely.}}

===$perform fewer checks for death screams:===
{{Table3614|
*If set, the game will check if the dying ship is a player's wingman, before making it give a death scream.
Prior to revision 9119, this was "$perform less checks for death screams:", but the old version will still parse correctly.}}

===$advanced turret fov edge checks:===
{{Table3614|
*Forces all turrets to use [[Subsystem#.22fov_edge_checks.22|"fov edge checks"]].}}

===$require turrets to have target in fov:===
{{Table3614|
*Forces all turrets to use [[Subsystem#.22target_requires_fov.22|"target requires fov"]].}}

===$all ships manage shields:===
{{Table3613|
*Allows AI to manage shields on big ships}}

===$ai aims from ship center:===
{{Table3613|
*AI aims weapons using the center of the ship instead of the first gunpoint. If a convergence offset is specified for this ship in ships.tbl, AI aims using that as a reference point.}}

===$allow primary link at mission start:===
{{Table37|
*Normally, no ships will link primaries for the first 30 seconds of a mission. In addition, ships will randomly not link for the first two minutes of a mission. Set this flag to YES to get rid of this often-problematic retail behavior. (Prior to revision 9119, this was called $allow primary link delay and defaulted to YES; to get rid of retail behavior you would specify NO. The old method is still supported for compatibility.)}}

===$allow beams to damage bombs:===
{{Table3613|
* Default: NO.
* When no, when any secondary encounters any beam it is instantly destroyed regardless of if it is marked as interceptable, has a health value, or any other circumstance that would normally apply to interception by other weapons.
* When true, damage and health values are respected in these circumstances. Secondaries without hitpoints are still destroyed, however.
}}

===$disable weapon damage scaling for player:===
{{Table3613|
*When set, Player weapon damage will no longer be scaled down when firing a non-huge primary against a ship with the "big damage" flag. Use with caution, as this may severely impact mission balance.}}

===$countermeasures affect aspect seekers:===
{{Table3613|
*TBD.}}

===$ai guards specific ship in wing:===
{{Table3615|
*If ordered to guard a ship in a wing (of which it is not a member), the AI will guard that specific ship instead of the entire wing (resulting in guarding the wing leader).}}

===$support don't add primaries:===
{{Table382|
*When set, the support ship will not equip a new primary weapon into an empty bank.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$ai path mode:===
{{Table3613|
*Possible options are "normal" and "alt1". The alt1 mode differs from the normal behaviour in the following ways:
**1. No path shortcutting. Normal pathing AI will skip forward along a path to the furthest point it can reach. This is sometimes desirable, but makes it a lot harder to predict how the AI is going to behave at various points along a path. Turning this off also allows us to force the AI to straighten out, by giving it several waypoints in a more-or-less straight line. This is useful for such things as lining up a landing.
**2. No sliding when following paths. Docking still works, but there is some code that causes the AI to go full retard if it just misses a point: it turns towards the point in big, looping circles. This is apparently caused by passing a slide_vec value into ai_turn_towards_vector, which doesn't even seem to do what you'd expect it to do. Passing a null value instead turns off the stupid. (The behavior is fixed in alt1).
**3. Momentum taken into account when following paths. Path points will trigger sooner, proportional to the ship's speed and momentum. This prevents the AI from massively overshooting a waypoint, especially with high-damp ships.
**4. AI tries to follow the line between waypoints. Instead of just pointing at the next waypoint, the AI will fly a bit towards the line. This helps keep the AI actually on the path it claims to be following. See picture:[[Image:Altpaths.png]]
Blue is what happens with regular pathing. Red is the modified pathing: as you can see, it actively moves back towards the line.
**5. AI will respect "cap-waypoint-speed" when following paths (such as when docking or departing via bay).}}

===$default weapon select effect:===
{{Table3613|
*This specifies which effect to use for weapon select animations when no .ani can be found, or the -weapon_choice_3d commandline flag is active. This will default to the FS2 effect.
*Possible options are "FS1" and "off"}}
{{Table3615|
*This flag has been moved to [[Game_settings.tbl]]}}

===$default ship select effect:===
{{Table3613|
*This specifies which effect to use for ship select animations when no .ani can be found, or the -ship_choice_3d commandline flag is active. This will default to the FS2 effect.
*Possible options are "FS1" and "off"}}
{{Table3615|
*This flag has been moved to [[Game_settings.tbl]]}}

===$no warp camera:===
{{Table3615|
*When set, prevents the view from switching to the external camera when the player warps out.
*Note: this flag is deprecated and may get moved to another table without further notice.}}

===$fix ai path order bug:===
{{Table3615|
*When set, ship will follow its own waypoint path unless the wingleader has the same waypoint path and order.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$strict turret-tagged-only targeting:===
{{Table372|
*When set, newer turret-tagged-only behavior will be enabled. See [http://scp.indiegames.us/mantis/view.php?id=3114 Mantis #3114].
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$aspect bomb invulnerability fix:===
{{Table373|
*When set, the code that makes bombs invulnerable for the first 1.5 seconds of life will use the correct lifetime calculation for aspect bombs. Without this fix, the invulnerability time will be extended by 20% of the total lifetime of the bomb.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$glide decay requires thrust:===
{{Table373|
*When set, gliding ships will maintain their current speed without decay as long as they aren't actively thrusting.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$ai can slow down when attacking big ships:===
{{Table38|
*When set, fighters attacking big ships will slow down depending on how long they've been attacking (80% speed after 5 seconds, 60% after 8 seconds, 40% after 10 seconds, and 20% after 15 seconds), how long it's been since they were last shot (full throttle if it was within the past 6 seconds), and how close they are (full throttle if the target is more than 1200 meters away).
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$use actual primary range:===
{{Table382|
*When set, fighters will no longer fire primary weapons at targets outside their range just because weapon travel time would be sufficiently short.
*Off by default.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$override radius for subsystem path points:===
{{Table202|
*When set, this value overrides the default distance for determining if a ship had reached a point in a model subsystem path. Useful to allow ships with high damp values to navigate subsystem paths when attacking a subsystem. Must be greater than or equal to 1. If '''''$use POF radius for subsystem path points:''''' is set than this override value will only be used if the point in the subsystem path is less than 1 or invalid.
*5 by default.
*Syntax: '''''Integer'''''}}

===$use POF radius for subsystem path points:===
{{Table202|
*When set, the distance for determining if a ship had reached a point in a model subsystem path will be the radius of that path point, not the default distance of 5.
*Off by default. If this is set to YES and ''''''$override radius for subsystem path points:''''' is set to greater than or equal to 1, then the path point radius will be used. If the path point radius cannot be found or is less than 1 then override radius will be used if it is set to greater than or equal to 1.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$bay arrive speed multiplier:===
{{Table373|
*Causes all AI ships arriving from fighterbays (following a fighterbay path) to gradually accelerate, instead of immediately attempting to attain maximum speed. This can be used to prevent fighters from overshooting the fighterbay paths. The initial target speed is the maximum speed multiplied by the given value, with the multiplier gradually approaching 1.0 as the distance to the end of the path decreases.
**Syntax: '''''Float''''' (defaults to 1.0)
{{Note|Will be overridden by path-specific multipliers, see [[Ships.tbl#.2Barrive_speed_multiplier:]].}}
}}

===$bay depart speed multiplier:===
{{Table373|
*Same as above, except for departures into fighterbays. The initial target speed is the maximum speed, with the target speed gradually approaching maximum speed multiplied by the given value as the distance to the fighterbay decreases.
**Syntax: '''''Float''''' (defaults to 1.0)
{{Note|Will be overridden by path-specific multipliers, see [[Ships.tbl#.2Bdepart_speed_multiplier:]].}}
}}

===$lead indicator second-order prediction factor:===
{{Table202|
*This is a 0 to 1 multiplier of a factor to adjust the lead indicator to take into account a ship's rotational velocity as well as its velocity. This will directly affect autoaim, making it more accurate for turning enemies.
*This ''will'' make the lead indicator slightly jitterier in general, and does not properly take into account gliding. It is recommended to adjust the value to fit your situation.
**Syntax: '''''Float''''' (defaults to 0.0)}}

===$no directional bias for missile and ship turning:===
{{Table202|
*When enabled, this will cause ships and missiles to take direct turning paths to point at their target. This does not directly affect their turning time, but in many situations will result in more efficient paths and a better time-to-target.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$respect ship axial turnrate differences:===
{{Table202|
*Normally AI ships will use the average of their pitch and heading turn times for their turn time on all axes. If this is enabled the ship will actually use the tabled values for each axis.
*'''''NOTE''''':The AI will '''''NOT''''' take this into account when turning, it will always turn directly towards its target, even if it could bank and use a faster axis instead. Use this flag carefully, and make sure that their your ships have exactly the turn times you want for each axis.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$any ship with no shields can manage ETS:===
{{Table202|
*Normally AI ships will not manage ETS if they do not have shields set to be on. When enabled, this flag allows the AI on any ship to manage ETS for weapons and engines even if they do not have shields set to on.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$fighters/bombers with no shields can manage ETS:===
{{Table202|
*Normally AI ships will not manage ETS if they do not have shields set to be on. When enabled, this flag allows the AI on fighters and bombers to manage ETS for weapons and engines even if they do have shields set to on.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$better combat collision avoidance for fightercraft:===
{{Table202|
*If set will cause small ships to be much better at avoiding colliding with large ships while fighting, and will not spend as long reocvering from a collision if one does occur.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

===$firing requires exact los:===
{{Table202|
*If set will cause turrets and AI weapons to only fire if they have a clear line of sight from their firing point to their target's ship's center.
*Syntax: '''''Boolean'''''}}

==Sample Entry==
*Retail FS2 behaviour

<pre>
#AI Profiles

$Default Profile: FS2 RETAIL

$Profile Name: FS2 RETAIL

$Player Afterburner Recharge Scale: 5, 3, 2, 1.5, 1
$Max Beam Friendly Fire Damage: 0, 5, 10, 20, 30
$Player Countermeasure Life Scale: 3, 2, 1.5, 1.25, 1
$AI Countermeasure Firing Chance: 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.9, 1.1
$AI In Range Time: 2, 1.4, 0.75, 0, -1
$AI Always Links Ammo Weapons: 95, 80, 60, 40, 20
$AI Maybe Links Ammo Weapons: 90, 60, 40, 20, 10
$Primary Ammo Burst Multiplier: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$AI Always Links Energy Weapons: 100, 80, 60, 40, 20
$AI Maybe Links Energy Weapons: 90, 60, 40, 20, 10
$Max Missiles Locked on Player: 2, 3, 4, 7, 99
$Max Player Attackers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 99
$Max Incoming Asteroids: 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
$Player Damage Factor: 0.25, 0.5, 0.65, 0.85, 1
$Player Subsys Damage Factor: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1
$Predict Position Delay: 2, 1.5, 1.333,0.5, 0
$AI Shield Manage Delay: 5, 4, 2.5, 1.2, 0.1
$Friendly AI Fire Delay Scale: 2, 1.4, 1.25, 1.1, 1
$Hostile AI Fire Delay Scale: 4, 2.5, 1.75, 1.25, 1
$Friendly AI Secondary Fire Delay Scale: 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2
$Hostile AI Secondary Fire Delay Scale: 1.4, 1.2, 1.0, 0.8, 0.6
$AI Turn Time Scale: 3, 2.2, 1.6, 1.3, 1
$Glide Attack Percent: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Circle Strafe Percent: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Glide Strafe Percent: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Random Sidethrust Percent: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Stalemate Time Threshold: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Stalemate Distance Threshold: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Player Shield Recharge Scale: 4, 2, 1.5, 1.25, 1
$Player Weapon Recharge Scale: 10, 4, 2.5, 2, 1.5
$Max Turret Target Ownage: 3, 4, 7, 12, 19
$Max Turret Player Ownage: 3, 4, 7, 12, 19
$Percentage Required For Kill Scale: 0.30, 0.30, 0.30, 0.30, 0.30
$Percentage Required For Assist Scale: 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15, 0.15
$Percentage Awarded For Capship Assist: 0.1, 0.2, 0.35, 0.5, 0.6
$Repair Penalty: 10, 20, 35, 50, 60
$Delay Before Allowing Bombs to Be Shot Down: 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5
$Chance AI Has to Fire Missiles at Player: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4
$Max Aim Update Delay: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Turret Max Aim Update Delay: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Player Autoaim FOV: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
$Detail Distance Multiplier: 0.125,0.25, 1.0, 4.0, 8.0

$big ships can attack beam turrets on untargeted ships: NO
$smart primary weapon selection: NO
$smart secondary weapon selection: NO
$smart shield management: NO
$smart afterburner management: NO
$allow rapid secondary dumbfire: NO
$huge turret weapons ignore bombs: NO
$don't insert random turret fire delay: NO
$hack improve non-homing swarm turret fire accuracy: NO
$shockwaves damage small ship subsystems: NO
$navigation subsystem governs warpout capability: NO
$ignore lower bound for minimum speed of docked ship: NO
$disable linked fire penalty: NO
$disable weapon damage scaling: NO
$use additive weapon velocity: NO
$use newtonian dampening: NO
$include beams for kills and assists: NO
$score kills based on damage caused: NO
$score assists based on damage caused: NO
$allow event and goal scoring in multiplayer: NO
$fix linked primary weapon decision bug: NO
$prevent turrets targeting too distant bombs: NO
$smart subsystem targeting for turrets: NO
$fix heat seekers homing on stealth ships bug: NO
$multi allow empty primaries: NO
$multi allow empty secondaries: NO
$allow turrets target weapons freely: NO
$use only single fov for turrets: NO
$allow vertical dodge: NO
$force beam turrets to use normal fov: NO
$fix AI class bug: NO
$turrets ignore targets radius in range checks: NO
$no extra collision avoidance vs player: NO
$perform fewer checks for death screams: NO
$advanced turret fov edge checks: NO
$require turrets to have target in fov: NO
$all ships manage shields: NO
$ai aims from ship center: NO
$allow primary link at mission start: NO
$allow beams to damage bombs: NO
$disable weapon damage scaling for player: NO
$countermeasures affect aspect seekers: NO
$ai path mode: normal
$no warp camera: NO

#End
</pre>

== References ==
# "[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,50870.msg1029741.html#msg1029741 Re: New difficulty? - Feature request!]", ''Hard Light Productions Forums'', Hard Light Productions, 2007-12-15. Retrieved on [[December_27]], [[2007]].

[[Category:Tables]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-19T23:56:00Z

General Battuta: Oh my god Becky

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-17T04:20:57Z

General Battuta: time is a flat circle, much unlike butts

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-16T22:47:40Z

General Battuta: repairing vandalism to vital cultural landmark

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-01T15:01:44Z

General Battuta: i know how to use wikis

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-01T15:01:23Z

General Battuta: don't explain the joke!

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-11-01T05:02:39Z

General Battuta: Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an American rapper, songwriter, and recording producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song "Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut
}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-10-30T18:26:59Z

General Battuta: i know how to use wikis

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-10-30T18:26:42Z

General Battuta: enhancing mixalot levels

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

Little in the middle but she got much flak

Oh my God, Becky, look at her strut}}

[[Category:Ship]]

Talk:GTC Aeolus

2020-10-29T20:40:29Z

General Battuta:

Go into FRED.

Set up a mission with 4 Artemis attacking an Aeolus.

Watch the Aeolus die while inflicting barely any damage on the attacking bombers.

Make another mission. Send 4 Artemis to kill a Leviathan.

The Leviathan will die, but bring half of the bombers down with it.

Although the Aeolus has a lot of flak, this stuff is very bad at shooting down bombs. Blob turrets seem much better at that. Plus, it only has two anti-fighter beams, which are what really kills fighters and bombers. The Leviathan has ''four''. Why does this article claim that the Aeolus is such a great ship? Mind if I edit it? Mustang19 Apr 17 2007

:'''Ngtm1r'''... People are entitled to have their opinions. Calling them liers isnt going to help at all. So if you really have any opinions or comments about this please post those but leave the flaming elsewhere.
:'''Mustang19''', as for the actual article.. i think some of the more 'outrageous' comments are in the tech descriptions and those are '''''NOT''''' to be edited. However you may add your comments to the 'veteran comments' section. - [[User:Wanderer|Wanderer]] 00:54, 23 April 2007 (CDT)

I just realized something. If you count up all the Aeolus cruisers in the canon FS2 named ship list, it adds up to 23 already, meaning that any campaign that is using more than one Aeolus not on the list should actually explain why there are more. Unless, of course, you dismiss the 24 Aeolus limit as non canon.
Vigilant, Warwick, Agrippa, Stalwart, Templar, Malta, Ertanax, Sparta, Ascendant, Ashaton, Zanthar (11 - GTVA)
Camisard, Alexandria, Liberty, Epigoni, Loyola, Mylae, Hellespont, Saharan, Retribution, Righteous, Vindication, Vengeance (12 - NTF)
- [[User:Droid803|Droid803]]

:I know. I was counting too. - [[User:Stormkeeper|Stormkeeper]] 12:45, 16 July 2008 (CDT)

::Bear in mind that three of those appear in multiplayer missions that are described as simulations, so you can argue that there are four available, without the need to write in additional production. -- [[User:BlueFlames|BlueFlames]] 13:33, 16 July 2008 (CDT)

:::Still, 4 surviving cruisers spread through out the entire GTVA territory is abit stretching it. Which means the Fenris and Leviathans pick more than their far share of the slack. [[User:Stormkeeper|Stormkeeper]] 00:21, 17 July 2008 (CDT)

The Aeolus has a narrow midsection, and a lot of flak guns. [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] ([[User talk:General Battuta|talk]]) 23:45, 6 April 2019 (CDT)

Banging pots and pans "please unlock this page" [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] ([[User talk:General Battuta|talk]]) 19:32, 29 October 2020 (UTC)
*I do support the unlock providing the edits are relevant, tangible, and not made for the specific purpose of triggering a revenge over somebody else. - [[User:Mobius|Mobius]]
**Given that the forum thread was closed temporarily, I would hesitate to unlock it yet. I'll be around and keep an eye on the forum as much as I can, though. - [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] ([[User talk:TopAce|talk]]) 20:23, 29 October 2020 (UTC)
***I'm going to post my Aeolus jokes because they're good[[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] ([[User talk:General Battuta|talk]]) 20:40, 29 October 2020 (UTC)

Talk:GTC Aeolus

2020-10-29T19:32:54Z

General Battuta: is this how it works??

Talk:GTC Aeolus

2020-10-29T19:32:40Z

General Battuta: PLEASE

GTC Aeolus

2020-10-08T00:18:34Z

General Battuta: rephrasing

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

The Aeolus has a narrow structural spar for a midsection, and a large number of flak guns. Put otherwise, it has a small middle and a lot of flak.}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2020-07-15T18:35:52Z

General Battuta: important data

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg|650px]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in the latest MVPs}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVPs''':
:$POF File: Aeolus.pof
:Credits: Nyctaeus

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.

It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser...it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.

While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.

The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.

The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.

Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.

Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.

The later versions of the mediavps Aeolus include a fighterbay with working docking paths. AI-controlled ships can use this fighterbay to arrive in and depart from the mission without issue, but physically, even the tiny [[GTSh Mercury]] wouldn't fit within the fighterbay's height clearance.

The Aeolus has a narrow structural spar for a midsection, and a large number of flak guns.}}

[[Category:Ship]]

Talk:GTC Aeolus

2019-04-07T04:45:28Z

General Battuta:

Talk:GTC Aeolus

2019-04-07T04:45:13Z

General Battuta:

GTC Aeolus

2016-05-29T21:47:58Z

General Battuta:

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in FS2_Open 3.6.10}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVP 3.6.10''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: Aeolus-HTL, Trition_HTL_Turrets, AeolusTurrets, Damage, Aeolus-HTL_debris, Doctile6A, nameplate
 
History 
Proposed by: ??? on ??? 
First WIP Post: ??? on ??? 
First In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Completed In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Final Corrections: ??? on ??? 

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
''Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.''

''It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser... it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.''

''While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.''

''The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.''

''I have to disagree with the third comment. The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.''

''Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.''

''Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.''

''Little in the middle...but she got much flak.''}}

[[Category:Ship]]

Transcend

2015-11-29T18:51:58Z

General Battuta: restored deleted VCs, it's perfectly valid to debate whether the campaign is good or bad

==General Info==
'''Released:''' 26th July 2005 
'''Author:''' Ransom Arceihn 
'''Missions:''' 44 
'''Mods included:''' 
Taristin's Kelpie 
Cobra's GTSC Plato 
Nico's Legion 
 
'''SCP Required'''

==Story==
''Lieutenant Sunder Marcel never particularly enjoyed his assignment in the Luyten patrol. The pay wasn't bad, but this far from the central systems things got a little hazy. Nestled within asteroid belts and lurking over scarcely travelled supply lanes, it seemed there was always some desperate set of renegades waiting for their day's profit to come drifting by in poorly defended transport crates. The three pilots who jumped his convoy today, however, were not interested in money.''

''They need his help, and they're not prepared to take no for an answer. Already it's much too late to run; the landslide of events has long since started, and even now its dire effects are beginning to take hold. Things that were once clear now have no meaning, and reality is beginning to slip ...''

''Everyone has a limit ...''

==Author's Notes==
''Transcend'' has been criticised for having a confusing or downright incomprehensible story. From the beginning of the project I wanted to make a campaign that showed rather than told the story to the player and force them to work things out for themselves, in contrast to that of ''[[Sync]]'' which had a few missions that were little more than one of the characters spouting exposition for the player's benefit. As a result the campaign would certainly not be to everyone's taste, and to be honest it was received far better than I was expecting.

The theories that rose from the story's ambiguity were both interesting to read and pleasantly surprising. More than one got extremely close to my version of events.

Another thing it's been criticised for is repetitive missions. I don't really have anything to say about that other than it's completely true and I'm not sure what I was thinking with some of those missions, which is particularly embarrassing as Sync suffered from the same problem.

One misconception I'd like to clear up is that ''Transcend'' is not a sequel to ''Sync''. It takes place in the same continuity, but it isn't a chapter in that storyline. It's a spin-off, in other words.

===References===
Some references of varying significance which may or may not be of any interest to anyone.
 
 
'''GTD Voran''' - Voran is a demo character in the MMORPG ''Clan Lord''. 
'''GTD Brax''' - Another demo character from the same game. 
'''GTC Tanner''' - Tanner Mirabel is a character in Alastair Reynold's ''Chasm City''. 
'''GTT Incontrovertible''' - A friend of mine wrote a fanfiction for David Brin's ''Uplift'' series which involved a ship by this name. I don't know if he made it up or if it's actually in Uplift. 
'''GTC Brice''' - Name of a character from the film ''Below''. 

===Delays===
''Transcend'' was actually complete in late March. However, due to a slew of problems, specifically Taristin's Kelpie being unplayable (the game crashed when you shot at it, a complication of the 3ds max pof exporter plugin) and SCP bugs, it was delayed for four more months until everything was fixed and the campaign was released.

==Player Comments==
''Transcend has got to be one of the best FreeSpace mods I have ever played! Really well thought out storyline and all-around great mission construction! (I'm still wondering how the developer made the missions the way he did!) On the upside of the mod, Transcend really has a spooky feeling to it after the first mission (enough to the point that after I emerge from the first nebula, I was afraid of going into another nebula without wingmen or a capitol ship battle going on in the background!) and the mod is open-ended enough to keep you asking yourself questions about the story of the mod. On the downside, though, this mod does tend to get kind of repetitive until you get to the nebula. I mean, it's like you fight through one gauntlet, and then you more or less do it again. Other than that minor problem, this is a mod worthy of playing over and over again! 9.75 out of 10, in my books!'' - NFSRacer, callsign "Cypher"

''The transcend campaign is a masterpiece. The author who thought of all this is a hero. This campaign thrilled me, scared me, and entertained me. I would say it's almost a stand-alone game... The triggers are simply amazingly well done as well as every details. Fantastic, eery atmosphere and gameplay. Some parts were actually scary. If you are a fan of scary science fiction, I definitely recommended downloading and playing this campaign... And i think it's integrated in the latest SCP anyway. Good Job. ~KR''

''Transcend redefined the tools for storytelling with FS2 and the types of stories that could be told. Transcend is one of the campaigns you MUST play to really understand what the SCP engine is capable of. Transcend's gameplay is mostly solid but occasionally dips, but as to telling a story...this is about as a good as anyone has done to date with the FreeSpace engine. (Even now two years later!) With a story that brings to mind for me Dean Knootz stories such as ''Phantoms'' and ''Dragon Tears'', Transcend lives up to its name by transcending the boundaries of all previous campaigns in what can be done with FreeSpace as a medium.'' [[User:Ngtm1r|Ngtm1r]] 15:55, 14 June 2008 (CDT)

''Transcend plays almost identical to Sync, which means that if you're wanting to have fun playing a space warfare simulator, Transcend will disappoint you. However, if you're looking for an interesting and at parts Twilight Zone-ish story, then you're going to enjoy this. Ngtm1r's comment above is accurate--Transcend tries to tell a story with FreeSpace as a medium; not give you great gameplay. The story telling is great in that regard. My problem still lies with me wanting Transcend to be a game and not just a short story told by cut-scenes.'' --[[User:Ioustinos|Ioustinos]]

''I have to strongly disagree with some of the comments above, unfortunately. While Transcend certainly has its good moments, it consists almost entirely of boring, tedious, repetitive missions. This is made worse by the fact that you are forced to use the same craft, weaponry, and missiles the entire (extremely and overly long) campaign--a Herc II, with a bank of Subachs and a bank of the useless Prometheus R, along with a bank of Hornet missiles and another basic missile. The story is completely incoherent and nonsensical, characterization is all over the place, few of the actions of any characters involved make any sense in any way, and the story is almost completely lacking in even a basic framing reference--the genre is unclear, the intention and direction of the plot is unknown and ultimately goes nowhere, and all of the mysterious questions (of the ones that get answered at all) that pile up over the course of the extremely long, repetitive campaign are only answered in any way by--of all things--a few lines of text by a bizarre, unexpected faction that comes out of nowhere, and the answers themselves are about as cliche and nonsensical as it gets. While Transcend definitely has great potential, in its current form it is, in my experience, an absurdly long, tedious, and boring campaign that makes no sense in almost every way, and it is all made worse by the fact that you are given no choice in your craft or loadout for the entire game, with the one forced on you being both bland and poorly suited to the missions you'll have to do. Love the sparks of brilliance and isolated cases of incredible atmosphere and tone, but if you're looking for anything more than a few isolated diamonds in a pool of mud, make sure you know what you're getting into before trying to play through this entire campaign.'' --[[User:SaltyWaffles|SaltyWaffles]]

''The above commenter has no idea what he is talking about. Transcend's mission design is what it is (awful), but he seems to have completely missed the point of the story. Most of the things he mentions are not lazy plotting, but a very effective way of building a sense of isolation and confusion. Despite being set mostly within the known FS2 universe, the plot, the characterisation and the setting are all slightly bizarre, and it's never explained why. The upshot of this is that in Transcend, there is no rational explanation at the end of the day: there's no reliable ally who knows what's going on, there's no-one you can turn to even as you fly through the heart of GTVA space. Whenever it promises answers or resolution or even backstory it's incomplete and hollow. ''That'' is why Transcend is great, not because of jump-scares or any particular fear, but because of the way it makes something familiar so very alien.'' -- [[User:Phantom Hoover|Phantom Hoover]]

''I'm with [[User:Phantom Hoover|Phantom Hoover]] on this one. Bear in mind that [[User:SaltyWaffles|SaltyWaffles]] thought Vassago's Dirge was inexplicable and confusing, rather than picking up on any of the clues that explain pretty clearly what's happening. Transcend might not be for Waffles, but unless you need an algorithmic, literal procession of events that requires only passive processing, you should absolutely find out whether Transcend is for you.'' [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 18:26, 19 October 2012 (UTC)

==Related Links==
'''Websites'''
*'''[http://game-warden.com/transcend/ Official website | Game-Warden.com]'''
*[http://mods.moddb.com/4385/ Campaign profile | ModDB.com]

'''Forums/Threads'''
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,34098.0.html Release thread | Hard-Light Productions.net]

'''Downloads'''
*'''[http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.69 Campaign download, v1.2 | FreeSpaceMods.net]'''
*[http://www.staircasewit.ch/transcend.rar Campaign download | Staircasewit.ch]'''

[[Category:User-made_Campaigns]]

Vishnan Gravity Spike

2015-11-20T18:15:31Z

General Battuta: added Vishnan Gravity Spike w/comment from Doko

{{BPArticle}}
==Description==
===Blue Planet Tech Room Description===

==Performance==
===Statistics===

==Notes==

===Veteran Comments===
{{Comment|The Vishnan Gravity Spike not only has a cool name, it's every pilot's dream weapon when fighting agile fighters such as Dragons or Maras — your own personal ultra AAA beam, capable of piercing shields and inflicting massive hull and subsystem damage in a fraction of a second. These qualities make this weapon not only immensely powerful but also really fun to use.
}}
[[Category:Blue Planet weapons]]

Everything is Permitted

2015-11-19T00:24:56Z

General Battuta: added damage's walkthrough for Everything is Permitted

{{BPArticle}}

{{Mission|previous=Nothing Is True|next=One Future|campaign=Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough}}

'''MISSION 19''' 
'''ACT 3, MISSION 02'''

'''Fighter squadron:''' Falcata Wing, Fedayeen

'''Description:''' Laporte infiltrates behind enemy lines to eliminate the traitor that killed Elder Lin Taudigani.

----
==Background==
'''"If you are Fedayeen, you've always been Fedayeen."'''

With those words from al-Da'wa, Laporte is initiated into the secretive cabal of sociopaths harnessed for the good of humanity. With no uniform discipline, no clear command structure, and the run of the frigate -- except for CASSANDRA in its Frame 16 sanctum, guarded by a platoon of combat armor -- it is clear that the Fedayeen is no ordinary combat unit.

As Laporte gets to know the other Operators on her wing, Thorn and CASSANDRA have found the mole that betrayed [[Deals in Shadows|the UEF's Vasudan diplomatic mission]], killed Elder Lin Taudigani, and [[Delenda Est|betrayed the Wargods to Admiral Steele]]. Elder Svetlana Henriksson was originally selected to meet with Admiral Recamai to open diplomatic relations with the Vasudans, but she opted out, saying she was too ill at the time to travel. Apparently, this was a ruse; she transmitted the details and itinerary of the plan to Steele, who set up an [[Special Operations Command|SOC]] op to derail the talks. In addition, her close friendship with Admiral Netreba gave her access to Second Fleet's military plans, helping Steele to lure the Wargods into a trap.

Henriksson's rationale for turning traitor appears to be twofold. First, she is convinced that the [[GTVA]] will inevitably win the war, and wants to minimize the loss of life. Second, she is convinced that Shambhala -- the code name for the Council's end-state contingency -- is a reckless gamble with humanity that may cause its extinction.

The Fedayeen attempted to capture Henriksson on Luna, but the SOC managed to extract her to the GTCv ''Fortitude''. She was badly wounded during the extraction; she is being moved to Artemis Station for treatment and debriefing. As the information she holds about the Federation and Shambhala would destroy everything the Council would hope to achieve, al-Da'wa has unilaterally authorized Henriksson's termination.

Laporte will take a single [[UEF Ainsarii|Ainsarii]] fighter to Artemis Station. From there, she will hack into their communications system using backdoors left during the [[Artemis Station|Fall of Jupiter]]. Once she has the encryption keys, Laporte will determine which transport Henriksson is on by listening to her transmissions to Admiral Steele and vice versa. As they are using directional transmissions, Laporte will need to monitor the signal strength of the transports whenever a transmission is sent or received.

Once Laporte determines which ship Henriksson is on, she is to destroy it, and escape capture by Tev forces once they go on alert.

==Walkthrough==

The multiple paths available for the assassination of Elder Henriksson make an interesting exercise. You have several options, both direct and subtle, though I prefer the direct approach. The Ainsari's glide feature will be of great help, and while the selection of weapons is good, this mission is only going to require firepower if that's your style — and if you plan your approach carefully. With a small amount of luck, it's quite easy to get a perfect no-damage playthrough.

One approach uses Gattlers and Shrikes.

First, cover the distance to Artemis Station as fast as possible. Take care not to approach the AWACs near the Atreus. During your approach, you'll see the Marcus Glaive leaving the area. (This is a good opportunity to find out how your signal gauge works, incidentally.) Scan the comm subsystem of Artemis Station, since you need this no matter what happens. Lambda Transports will arrive by the time you've completed this.

Second, move out towards the transports, using Glide Mode. Point your trajectory so that you'll pass a couple of kilometers "above" the transports and their escort fighters. While you're doing this, a second group (Omega) will arrive. Elder Henriksson will transmit a message to Admiral Steele. This is your first opportunity to narrow down her location. The signal gauge is sensitive enough to narrow down which group she's in from a few kilometers away, so now you can move in a bit closer. Her second message, about a minute later, will allow you to just about specify which transport is hers. Stay within a kilometer of that ship, because her third message a minute later will be enough for confirmation.

Target the transport's engines and head directly away from it. Gliding backwards, your Shrikes have enough range to be fired from several kilometers away—five is plenty. Move quickly as you won't be noticed for several more seconds. Cancel glide mode and change your trajectory. Best bet, move yourself significantly "up" or "down" relative to the plane of the action and start gliding again—then shut down. If you've done this quickly enough, you'll have just enough time to watch your missiles' impact on the transport.

Give it several seconds to move yourself out of the danger zone. The fighter escort should spread out a bit, searching for you in the areas nearby (but don't be surprised if one or two lurk near the transport.) Now's your time to strike: Change your glide trajectory again, this time aiming to pass near the disabled transport. You have one chance to make this pass, and the Gattler's range makes this a viable option. It will take a few seconds of sustained fire to destroy the transport, after which you should jump immediately.

This approach doesn't require you to use the decoy transport or any of the other tools in the mission, making it good for reducing complexity.

==Notes==

==Total number of forces==

Her Finest Hour

2015-11-18T04:22:03Z

General Battuta: veteran comment by sgtcanuck

{{BPArticle}}

{{Mission|previous=One Future|next=Eyes in the Storm|campaign=Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough}}

'''MISSION 21''' 
'''ACT 3, MISSION 05'''

'''Fighter squadron:''' Falcata Wing, Fedayeen

'''Description:''' Facing an opportunity to retake Neptune, Laporte must lead the Third Fleet in an attack against the GTD ''Carthage'' battlegroup.
----
==Background==
After making peace with her choices at the Kostadin Cell habitat, Laporte starts thinking about Admiral Steele. He is ruthless and brilliant, but his cunning is also a weakness; he lays very intricate traps with razor-thin margins for error, and his subordinates do not necessarily share his insight into the Big Picture or his strategies. Thus, they do not have the same level of confidence in them that he does. If pushed at the right spot, his plans will collapse.

Laporte and Thorn share the same conclusion at his vulnerability: Rear Admiral Anita Lopez, commander of the GTD ''Carthage''. Steele's use of her battlegroup in the [[Delenda Est|trap at Saturn that killed the Wargods]] eliminated almost all of her air wing's fighters, destroyed most of her cruiser escorts, critically damaged her ship, and, worst of all for her, killed thousands of personnel who had been under her command for years. In the wake of this, Lopez must be harboring doubts about her superior's choice of tactics. Being a professional, however, she will follow orders despite her doubts unless stressed to the extreme. In addition, she will not fall for a second attempt to exploit her tendency to protect those under her command. To get her to break with Steele's plans will require planning and opportunity.

Conveniently, that opportunity has arrived. In order to avoid strategic overextension during his buildup for the invasion of Earth, Steele is pulling his forces out of Neptune, concentrating them at Jupiter. The ''Carthage'' and her battlegroup has been tasked with covering the evacuation and ordering the destruction of their installation once the evacuation is complete. Doubtless she has orders to blow the station and pull out if she can't hold off the attackers; however, with sufficient pressure, she might decide to ignore those orders and stay until the evacuation is finished.

Mission-killing the ''Carthage'' battlegroup, even while it's understrength, will require a fleet action. The Fedayeen has convinced Admiral Calder of Third Fleet to undertake the operation, but he wants Laporte as his tactical liaison. This is agreed to, and Laporte, breveted to the rank of Captain, is placed in tactical command of Third Fleet's assets in the attack. That attack is now underway; Admiral Calder has committed all of his fleet's assets, save for the [[UED Toutatis|UED ''Toutatis'']] herself, to the field. The [[UEFg Karuna|frigate]] ''Serenity'', the [[UEC Sanctus|cruisers]] ''Segura'' and ''Tripoli'', and the [[UEA Oculus|AWACS ship]] ''Anansi'' have committed to close action, and are taking heavy losses; meanwhile, the ''Carthage'' with her [[GTSG Mjolnir|''Mjolnir''-class RBCs]] and the [[UEFg Narayana|artillery frigates]] ''Vikrant'' and ''Toreador'' have begun an artillery duel.

The key asset in this battle will be the ''Toutatis'' air wing, held in reserve by Admiral Calder for the final attack run on the ''Carthage''; however, he will not release the fighters until he has confidence they won't be shredded immediately by the enemy. To this end, Laporte, Falcata wing, and the rest of Third Fleet must build eliminate [[GTVA|Tev]] assets before calling in the final strike. There is a time limit; the Carthage will finish the evacuation and jump away in 13 minutes.

During the final strike, the ''Carthage'' must be disabled, or she will jump away after taking heavy damage. Mission-killing the ''Carthage'', either through destruction or capture, is the priority; dealing with all other ships are secondary. Once the ''Carthage'' is dealt with, transports with UEF marines will board the station. The [[Hammer of Light]] has disabled the station's self-destruct charges and given the marines a nerve gas that will corrode Tev suit seals and render the defenders unconscious or dead. With the defenders decimated, the marines will secure the station for Third Fleet's use in harrassing the [[Delta Serpentis]] subspace node.

==Walkthrough==
This mission has two phases:

# Destroy or disable enough Tev assets to gain reinforcement points, and
# Use the reinforcements to attack the ''Carthage'' and her battlegroup.

The artillery frigates can be switched between free fire and target designation mode; use the 1 key to switch between modes, and the 2 key to designate targets while in target designation mode. You can designate more than one target at a time, and the frigates will target them as the opportunity arises. There are some assets, like the AWACS ships, that they won't be able to target.

When you're ready to commit to attacking the ''Carthage'', you can select '''Declare The Attack''' from the Reinforcements menu to release the fighters to you and begin the second phase of the mission; after Phase 2 begins, you gain no more reinforcement points, and you can select fighter wings to jump in using the Reinforcements menu as normal.

Your HUD will show the status of the artillery frigates, the estimated departure time of the ''Carthage'', how many reinforcement points you have, and how many units are on station.

===Gaining Reinforcements===
To gain reinforcement points, you must make conditions favorable for a fighter strike on the ''Carthage''. The following are the things you can do to make that happen:

* '''Destroy the two [[GTSG Mjolnir|Mjolnir]]s flanking the ''Carthage''.''' (2 points each)
** This will also give the artillery frigates the upper hand in the artillery duel.
* '''Destroy or disarm the [[GTCv Deimos|corvettes]] ''Iolanthe'', ''Deianira'', and ''Radhanite''.''' (4 points each)
* '''Scan one of the subsystems (except Navigation) on the ''Iolanthe'' and ''Deianira'' to upload a virus that will disable their weapons.''' (2 points each)
* '''Destroy the minelayers ''McAuliffe'' and ''Gallant''.''' (3 points each)
** Destroying the minelayers will keep them from deploying more sentry guns, making torpedo runs more effective.
* '''Ensure the escape of the UEFg ''Serenity''.''' (2 points)
* '''Destroy the radar dishes on the ''Carthage''.''' (no points)
** This will degrade the AI class of the sentry net.
* '''Destroy the various other subsystems on the ''Carthage''.''' (1 point each)
** Sensors, Weapons, Comms, and Navigation are the subsystems you need to hit.
* '''Destroy the four tankers the ''Radhanite'' is protecting.''' (1 point each)
* '''Upload a virus into the sentry net by scanning the Sensors, Weapons, and Communications subsystems on Neptune HQ.''' (6 points)
** This will cause most sentries to self-destruct.
* '''Destroy or disable the radomes of the [[GTA Charybdis|AWACS ships]] ''Beholder'' and ''Shrievality''.''' (5 points each)
** This will allow the stealth ships to move freely around the battle space, as well as allow the artillery frigates to bring their [[Mass Driver|main]] [[Gauss Cannon|guns]] to bear on the enemy.
* '''Destroy Pisces wing of [[GTF Aurora|Aurora]] fighters.''' (no points)
** This will allow the stealth ships to move freely around the battle space.

Being within 2000 meters of the AWACS or in the line of sight of Pisces will cause you to lose your stealth. In addition, firing a weapon will break your stealth in any circumstance until you have ceased fire for five seconds. Breaking stealth near a warship is a quick way to get killed, especially if the sentry net is still fully functional.

One way to play this out: Have Falcata wing cover the ''Serenity'' while slaving the artillery and having them take out the ''Radhanite'', the tankers, and the minelayers. Once the ''Serenity'' is safe, have Falcata banzai the AWACS assets, including Pisces wing. After the enemy's eyes are poked out, go and infect the corvettes while assigning Falcata to destroy the Mjolnirs. After you infect the corvettes, burn over to the station to take down the sentry net; if Falcata's finished with the Mjolnirs, send them to deal with the radar dishes on the ''Carthage''. Once the sentry net is down, set your artillery to free fire, pull back yourself Falcata to the frigates, and call in the final strike; you should have 30-40 points available, with about five minutes on the clock.

===''Carthage'' Delenda Est (redux)===
Once you declare the attack, you will have the option to call in strikecraft to attack the ''Carthage'' by using the Reinforcements menu; this works much the same as it did during the strike on the GTCv ''Medea'' in [[Aristeia]], except now you have the entire ''Toutatis'' air wing to choose from. Here are the strike elements you can choose from:

* Rho [[UEF Kentauroi|Interceptors]] (1 point)
** Good for [[Wikipedia:Combat air patrol|TARCAP]] (strike wing escort) and light anti-subsystem work.
* Kappa/Lambda [[UEF Kentauroi|Anti-Turret]] (2 wings, 2 points each)
** What it says on the tin. Also good for disabling the ''Carthage''.
* Nu [[UEF Uriel|Gunships]] (3 points)
** Versatile heavy fighters armed with bombs, good for long range disabling and anti capital work.
* Chi/Phi [[UEB Durga|Strike Bombers]] (2 wings, 5 points each)
** The big guns. Bombers armed with [[Sledgehammer]]s.
* Xi Saturation [[UEF Uriel|Gunships]] (3 points)
** Same as Nu, but armed with [[Warhammer]]s instead. Good for disabling and point defense saturation.
* Balisong [[UEF Ainsarii|Stealth]] (4 points)
** Another Fedayeen wing of the ships you're flying right now. Good for stealth missions.
* Tau [[UEC Custos|Gunboats]] (5 points)
** Good for anti-capital strikes, but vulnerable to beam fire.

Don't forget to utilize the artillery frigates as well, if you still have them.

The primary goal is to first disable, then mission-kill the ''Carthage''; dealing with other ships is secondary. Casualties will count in this and future missions, so take care with your strike wings; kill turrets on the ships first, then send in the heavy stuff to finish them off. If needed, make sure the skies are clear of enemy fighters and pull back (or pull out) damaged strike wings. If you stalled for too long, you may get an option to call in the ''Toutatis''. If you wish to do so, make sure the ''Carthage'' is disabled.

When the ''Carthage'' drops below 10% or so, Admiral Lopez will surrender. You can either accept her surrender...or not. If you do, the ''Carthage'' stays behind while the corvettes (if they're still alive) jump out; if you don't, you commence fire until all ships are destroyed. Either way, attention quickly moves toward the station, which is refusing to surrender. Laporte decides to move the capture teams aboard and have them use the HoL nerve gas on the station personnel. After some dialogue, you can either jump away or catch a bit more chatter as the transports dock and start the capture operation.

==Notes==
* The emblem on the UEFg ''Serenity'' is the same as the one on Malcolm Reynolds' ship ''Serenity'' in the movie [[Wikipedia:Serenity (film)|"Serenity"]], set in the [[Wikipedia:Firefly media franchise|''Firefly'' universe]].
* One of the cargo containers near Neptune Station has "cutlery (spoons)" as its cargo. This is a reference to [[Vassago's Dirge]], which had secret, collectible spoons in almost every mission.

==Gallery==

<gallery widths=250px>

File:2013-02-09 00005.jpg|<center>The Carthage and one of her escort corvettes take heavy fire in front of Neptune HQ.

</gallery>

==Total number of forces==

{{total_numbers_2
|belligerent_1 =[[United Earth Federation|UEF]]
|belligerent_2 =[[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|GTVA]]

|ship_1 =
* 1 [[UEI Bretonia|UEI ''Bretonia'']]
** Normandy
* 1 [[UED Solaris|UED ''Solaris'']]
** [[UED Toutatis|''Toutatis'']] (*)
* 2 [[UEFg Narayana|UEFg ''Narayana'']]
** ''Vikrant''
** ''Toreador''
* 1 [[UEFg Karuna|UEFg ''Karuna'']]
** ''Serenity''
* 2 [[UEC Sanctus|UEC ''Sanctus'']]
** ''Segura'' ($)
** ''Tripoli'' (#)
* 5 [[UEC Custos|UEC ''Custos'']]
** ''Gunboat Tau'' (5) (*)
* 6 [[UET Kadmos|UET ''Kadmos'']]
** ''Assault'' (6)
* 1 [[UEA Oculus|UEA ''Oculus'']]
** ''Anansi''

|ship_2 =
* 1 [[GTI Asteria|GTI ''Asteria'']]
** Neptune HQ
* 2 [[GTI Ganymede|GTI ''Ganymede'']]
** Ganymede Alpha
** Ganymede Bravo
* 1 [[GTD Orion|GTD ''Orion'']]
** ''Carthage''
* 3 [[GTCv Deimos|GTCv ''Deimos'']]
** ''Iolanthe''
** ''Deianira''
** ''Radhanite''
* 1 [[GTCv Bellerophon|GTCv ''Bellerophon'']]
** ''Marcus Glaive'' (*)
* 2 [[GTCv Chimera|GTCv ''Chimera'']]
** ''Hydra'' (*)
** ''Pilum'' (*)
* 1 [[GTC Leviathan|GTC ''Leviathan'']]
** ''McAuliffe''
* 1 [[GTC Hyperion|GTC ''Hyperion'']]
** ''Gallant''
* 4 [[GTG Zephyrus|GTG ''Zephyrus'']]
** ''Tanker Alpha''
** ''Tanker Bravo''
** ''Tanker Charlie''
** ''Tanker Delta''
* 1 [[GTM Hippocrates|GTM ''Hippocrates'']]
** ''Pasteur''
* 4 [[GTSG Mjolnir|GTSG ''Mjolnir'']]
** ''Mjolnir Alpha''
** ''Mjolnir Bravo''
** ''Mjolnir Charlie''
** ''Mjolnir Delta''
* 6 [[TC-TRI]]
** ''TC-TRI 1''
*** Ordnance
** ''TC-TRI 2''
*** Ordnance
** ''TC-TRI 3''
*** Ordnance
** ''TC-TRI 4''
*** Repair Components
** ''TC-TRI 5''
*** Cutlery (spoons)
** ''TC-TRI 6''
*** Hello Laporte

|strikecraft_1 =
* 10 [[UEF Ainsarii|UEF ''Ainsarii'']]
** ''Falcata 1''
*** Laporte
** ''Falcata 2''
*** Kovacs
** ''Falcata 3''
*** Falconer
** ''Falcata 4''
*** Vidaura
** ''Balisong'' (6) (*)
* 12 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Saturation Xi'' (6) (*)
** ''Gunship Nu'' (6) (*)
* 6 [[UEF Izra'il|UEF ''Izra'il'']]
** ''Omega Anti-Turret'' (6) (*)
* 8 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']]
** ''Strike Chi'' (4) (*)
** ''Strike Phi'' (4) (*)
* 18 [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']]
** ''Intercept Rho'' (9) (*)
** ''Anti-Turret Kappa'' (6) (*)
** ''Anti-Turret Lambda'' (3) (*)

|strikecraft_2 =
* 3 [[GTF Atalanta|GTF ''Atalanta'']]
** ''Auriga'' (3)
*** 2nd Stormriders
* 3 [[GTF Aurora|GTF ''Aurora'']]
** ''Pisces'' (3)
*** 39th Szczerbiec
* 3 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mk II'']]
** ''Borealis'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
* 9 [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']]
** ''Libra'' (3)
*** 161st Yoshisada
** ''Cancer'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
** ''Gemini'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
* 3 [[GTF Kulas|GTF ''Kulas'']]
** ''Taurus'' (3)
*** Neptune Provisional
* 4 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Capricorn'' (4)
*** 202nd Lobos
* 3 [[GTF Nyx|GTF ''Nyx'']]
** ''Caelus'' (3)
*** 2nd Stormriders
* 3 [[GTB Rhea|GTB ''Rhea'']]
** ''Aquila'' (3)
*** 63rd Sword-and-Spear

|casualties_1 =
* 0-1 [[UEFg Karuna|UEFg ''Karuna'']]
** ''Serenity''
* 1 [[UEC Sanctus|UEC ''Sanctus'']]
** ''Segura'' ($)
* 0-5 [[UEC Custos|UEC ''Custos'']]
** ''Gunboat Tau'' (5) (*)
* 0-6 [[UEF Ainsarii|UEF ''Ainsarii'']]
** ''Balisong'' (6) (*)
* 0-12 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Saturation Xi'' (6) (*)
** ''Gunship Nu'' (6) (*)
* 0-6 [[UEF Izra'il|UEF ''Izra'il'']]
** ''Omega Anti-Turret'' (6) (*)
* 0-8 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']]
** ''Strike Chi'' (4) (*)
** ''Strike Phi'' (4) (*)
* 0-18 [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']]
** ''Intercept Rho'' (9) (*)
** ''Anti-Turret Kappa'' (6) (*)
** ''Anti-Turret Lambda'' (3) (*)

|casualties_2 =
* 0-1 [[GTD Orion|GTD ''Orion'']]
** ''Carthage''
* 0-3 [[GTCv Deimos|GTCv ''Deimos'']]
** ''Iolanthe''
** ''Deianira''
** ''Radhanite''
* 0-1 [[GTC Leviathan|GTC ''Leviathan'']]
** ''McAuliffe''
* 0-1 [[GTC Hyperion|GTC ''Hyperion'']]
** ''Gallant''
* 0-4 [[GTG Zephyrus|GTG ''Zephyrus'']]
** ''Tanker Alpha''
** ''Tanker Bravo''
** ''Tanker Charlie''
** ''Tanker Delta''
* 0-4 [[GTSG Mjolnir|GTSG ''Mjolnir'']]
** ''Mjolnir Alpha''
** ''Mjolnir Bravo''
** ''Mjolnir Charlie''
** ''Mjolnir Delta''
* 0-3 [[GTF Atalanta|GTF ''Atalanta'']]
** ''Auriga'' (3)
*** 2nd Stormriders
* 0-3 [[GTF Aurora|GTF ''Aurora'']]
** ''Pisces'' (3)
*** 39th Szczerbiec
* 0-3 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mk II'']]
** ''Borealis'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
* 0-9 [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']]
** ''Libra'' (3)
*** 161st Yoshisada
** ''Cancer'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
** ''Gemini'' (3)
*** 181st Bloodhounds
* 0-3 [[GTF Kulas|GTF ''Kulas'']]
** ''Taurus'' (3)
*** Neptune Provisional
* 0-4 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Capricorn'' (4)
*** 202nd Lobos
* 0-3 [[GTF Nyx|GTF ''Nyx'']]
** ''Caelus'' (3)
*** 2nd Stormriders
* 0-3 [[GTB Rhea|GTB ''Rhea'']]
** ''Aquila'' (3)
*** 63rd Sword-and-Spear
}}

'''($) Destroyed prior to mission start''' 
'''(#) Departed prior to mission start''' 
'''(*) May not appear in mission'''

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|The whole mission is an optimization sandbox, set besides the shores of big blue Neptune. For veterans, it becomes a tightrope walk of execution against the clock. The challenge is deciding the execution order leading to the climax: the massive Toutatis air wing warp-in. What's the fastest, most thorough, or most spaceframe-thrifty way?

The tools become familiar toys. You must abuse the Ainsarii's glide mode. At the start, hit max burners, then glide to close the distance to the Mjolnirs. Shrike is better than the Grimler due to the extreme range. Just equip the ammo pack and abuse your support ship while softening the Carthage's starboard side. For a one-hit dual-Shrike knockout of the AWACS domes, you must launch them at least 60 degrees above their horizontal. A top down snipe is best, but the positioning moves you far from the slow support ship.

The ultimate metric is the number of the air wing spaceframes lost. Call in just enough, not all. Once disabled, order them to depart, while the artillery whittles down the Carthage. However, you won't have time/missiles to disarm the Carthage's port-side Big Green Beams (closer to Neptune HQ station). So Custos gunboats will be battered by them, and they cannot depart!

When starting out, losing 20-30 spaceframes is expected on Medium difficulty. A veteran can lose less than 10 spaceframes on a good run (darn right it was an Excellent command performance!). By then, 10+ lost is a sign of error. You've called in too much, or you have not defanged the Carthage belly/destroyed the 2 Deimos. The holy grail is zero spaceframes lost, if luck helps you in distracting the Tev fighters.

For giggles, see how low you can fail. Try to get the UED Toutatis to jump in (to save your sorry butt), and then get it destroyed.
}}

GTC Aeolus

2015-11-17T15:04:03Z

General Battuta: enhancing mixalot levels

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in FS2_Open 3.6.10}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVP 3.6.10''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: Aeolus-HTL, Trition_HTL_Turrets, AeolusTurrets, Damage, Aeolus-HTL_debris, Doctile6A, nameplate
 
History 
Proposed by: ??? on ??? 
First WIP Post: ??? on ??? 
First In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Completed In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Final Corrections: ??? on ??? 

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
''Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.''

''It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser... it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.''

''While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.''

''The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.''

''I have to disagree with the third comment. The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire a one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus, is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.''

''Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.''

''Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.''

little in the middle, but she got much flak}}

[[Category:Ship]]

UEF Kentauroi

2015-11-16T14:15:24Z

General Battuta: veteran comment by xeno-life-form

{{BPArticle}}

:''For the original ship, see [[FTF Jackal]].''

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Uefkentauroi.jpg|480px]]|caption=The {{PAGENAME}}}}
===Blue Planet: War in Heaven Tech Description===
The Kentauroi is a heavily armed, high-performance interception and strike platform. At full afterburn, the Kentauroi can outrun almost any other fighter class in the field, and is unrivalled in its ability to perform surgical strike missions against well-defended targets. Despite exceptional theoretical performance, the design suffers from occasional lock-up in its weapon systems. The Kentauroi has seen deployment primarily in Second and Third Fleet, where it is exceptionally popular but unforgiving to new pilots.

===Developer Notes===
The original [[FTF Jackal]] had a 2x2x2 primary bank setup with animated parts for the first and third banks. This caused a lot of problems with animating parts becoming stuck and the primary bank being unable to fire as a result. To minimise these issues the first two banks were merged into one, even though the code bug that made the alteration necessary was fixed for the 3.6.12 release.

===Name Origin===
Kentauroi (Κένταυροι) was the Greek name for the centaurs, mythical creatures that were part human and part horse.

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship_box
|name = UEF ''Kentauroi''
|type = Interceptor
|manufacturer = Oxys-Ultor Threat Workshop
|maneuverability = Excellent
|yaw_pitch_roll = 3.3, 3.2, 3.2
|max_velocity = 90 - 120
|max_ab_velocity = 200
|max_ab_duration = 13.333
|armor = Medium
|hitpoints = 275
|shields = 380
|length = 28
|gun_bank_1 = 4
|gun_bank_2 = 2
|missile_bank_1 = 40
|missile_bank_2 = 40
|missile_bank_3 = 40
|missile_bank_4 =
|countermeasures = 25
}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Gun Mounts|Gun Mounts]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Guns
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 4
| [[Maul]]
|- align="center"
| 2nd
| 2
| [[Rapier]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Primaries
|-
| colspan=3| [[Vulcan]], [[Scalpel]], [[Maul]], [[Rapier]], [[Gattler]], [[Sidhe]], [[UX Accelerator]]
|}

*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Missile Banks|Missile Banks]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Capacity
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 40
| [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire]]
|- align="center"
| 2nd
| 40
| [[Dirk]]
|- align="center"
| 3rd
| 40
| [[Javelin]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Secondaries
|-
| colspan=1 align="center"| 1st
| colspan=2| [[Dirk]], [[Dart]], [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire]], [[Javelin]], [[Slammer]], [[Paveway]], [[Grimler]]
|-
| colspan=1 align="center"| 2nd
| colspan=2| [[Dirk]], [[Dart]], [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire]], [[Javelin]]
|-
| colspan=1 align="center"| 3rd
| colspan=2| [[Dirk]], [[Dart]], [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire]], [[Javelin]]
|}

==Gallery==

<gallery widths=250px >

File:Kentauroidatasheet.png|The data sheet of the UEF Kentauroi.

File:Aristeia1.png|<center>A dogfight between the Wargods and the 60th Bloodletters in [[Aristeia]].

File:Aristeia2.png|<center>A Kentauroi evading [[Balor]] fire in [[Aristeia]].

File:Kent on the Moon.jpg|<center>A Kentauroi on its way to Luna City to serve as part of an honor guard for a Federation Elder.

File:UEFKentUnderside.png|<center>The underside of a Kent with external weaponry.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|An incredible dogfighter, the Kentauroi is second to none in its ability to tear other fighters to pieces. Four [[Rapier]]s will shred anything in the sky to pieces in short order, and shields and armor are surprisingly good. A huge improvement over the Uhlan. If you're a fan of fast fighter craft, such as the Great-War era [[GTF Valkyrie]], this ship fits the bill, but this ship surpasses the Valk in every way save a larger profile.

With Paveways in the primary missile bank and some Scalpels, the Kentauroi is good for disarming and disabling GTA warships. You should be able to neutralize the armament of enemy warships and destroy fighters with equal efficiency using a primary weapon of your choice and the remaining missile banks. Plus, just look at those afterburner capabilities!

It also has some really neat model features you're (sadly) unlikely to notice in game, like the variable-geometry tailfins that open up when afterburning (if you want to notice afterburner or weapon slot priming features on UEF ships, you MUST use the external camera view, default numpad-* is third-person combat view). No real effect, it just looks cool.

Oh, and it is '''not''' lying about that fire control system lock-up, which occurs as a scripted event in certain missions. Stay sharp.

In terms of lethality, much better than the [[UEF Uhlan|Uhlan]]. It has much better missile compatibility, and much more primary firepower; it helps that the player gets it at the same time they get the [[Rapier]]. On the other hand, in terms of survivability, the Kentauroi, despite 25 more hull points, is far less survivable by virtue of the synergistic effect of less maneuverability and a much larger target profile (it's somewhere between 20 to 25 meters long); where an Uhlan is about the size of a [[GTF Pegasus|Pegasus]] a Kentauroi is larger than a [[GTF Myrmidon|Myrmidon]]. This is particularly noticeable when dogfighting with a maneuverable GTA opponent, the [[GTF Nyx|Nyx]], [[GTF Atalanta|Atalanta]], [[GTF Perseus|Perseus]] are all good examples of fighters that are hard to dogfight in this. This is also noticeable around anti-fighter defenses, the edge of a [[GTC Hyperion|Hyperion's]] [[STerPulse|pulse cannon range]], while not particularly dangerous to the Uhlan, are devastating to this fighter. It is, however, much faster than the Uhlan and has comparable firepower to an Atalanta. If given a choice between this and the very comparable Atalanta ([[Aristeia]]), I'll choose the Atalanta every time for its halved target profile. You are actually warned about the dangers of anti-fighter defenses as early as [[The Intervention]], where the introductory briefing does not lie about its low survivability rate around beam and flak envelopes (the safest way to avoid this is to use your Paveways or a Gattler at optimal range, and if you need some sort of long-range punch for whatever reason, Grimlers work too).

If you are used to fast yet fragile craft, the Kent is a lifesaver. Never try to take a [[GTF Nyx]] head on with this (as you can always bet on it slaughtering a Kent or an Uriel, which is basically its job), always go for the side or soften it up with missiles. The fact that you can carry four Slammers helps as well if you need to scatter or destroy a wing. Be aware of fighters that have the Prometheus S! If you're not careful, ships that carry that weapon can write your death sentence rather quickly.

Note that this ship has the largest amount of miscellaneous animations of any released craft, or very close to. It has animations for afterburners, primary switching and secondary switching. You can see some of those on the gallery. (This can also present a minor annoyance when your animating parts get shot, your damage display will show all of the parts under subsystem damage.)

While the Uhlan turns faster and slightly sharper, in the hands of a good pilot it won't matter--the Kentauroi's reverse afterburners and reverse thrust give it far more options for maneuvering. Its speed is second to none--only the GTF Draco can match it, but not for quite as long. What makes the Kentauroi so good beyond just an excellent dogfighter and interceptor is that it can pack a diverse and large punch. It can take out a couple wings of fighters, disable and/or disarm a cruiser or corvette, and then intercept two wings of bombers ten klicks away, all with the same loadout on the same mission. When paired with Uriel gunships, the Kentauroi is downright incredible.

If you afterburn to evade, and hold your stick hard to one side, your ship can go up to '''230''' meters per second. That's not a joke.

The Kent's strength comes mainly from it's large afterburner speed and reserve, so a good tactic is to divert power to engines to limit the chances of running out at a critical moment, and adopt hit & run tactics when facing hostile fighters instead of getting into a prolonged dogfight : pick a target, go in as fast as you can, fire your guns and missiles until it's dead or your reserves are depleted, then pull out to a friendly warship to rearm, repair and recharge. Repeat until the area is clear. Also, don't forget that your reverse afterburners give you extra mobility in a knife fight.
}}

[[Category: User-made Ships]]
[[Category: Blue Planet]]
[[Category:Blue Planet ships]]

GTF Atalanta

2015-11-16T14:14:24Z

General Battuta: added vet comment by frigfeek

{{BPArticle}}

:''For the original ship, see [[TF Kvasir]].''

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtfatalanta.jpg]]|caption=The {{PAGENAME}}}}
===Blue Planet Tech Room Description===
The Atalanta is the first of the Threat Exigency Initiative's Wave 2 fighters, featuring extraordinary agility and speed. The original specifications of the Atalanta called for a multirole interceptor and space superiority fighter. Due to the United Earth Federation's fighter corps' successes, this variant has been field-modified to enhance its capabilities in the space-superiority role. These fighters remain rare in the Terran theatre, but they are likely to become a mainstay of Alliance forces in the near future.

===Credits List===
*Model by '''Esarai'''

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Atalanta (Αταλάντη) was an accomplished hunter. She was notable in slaying the [[Wikipedia:Calydonian Boar|Calydonian Boar]], sent by Artemis as punishment for being forgotten in a king's rites to the gods. Atalanta was also notable for challenging potential suitors to a footrace for the honor of marrying her, which Melanion won with the help of Aphrodite.

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship_box
|name = GTF ''Atalanta''
|type = Space Superiority
|manufacturer = Nankam Aeronautical
|maneuverability = Good
|yaw_pitch_roll = 3.3, 3.3, 3.3
|max_velocity = 80 - 100
|max_ab_velocity = 160
|max_ab_duration = 7.64
|armor = Poor
|hitpoints = 300
|shields = 425
|length = 17
|gun_bank_1 = 4
|gun_bank_2 = 2
|missile_bank_1 = 80
|countermeasures = 25
}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Gun Mounts|Gun Mounts]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Guns
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 4
| [[Balor]]
|- align="center"
| 2nd
| 2
| [[Balor]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Primaries
|-
| colspan=3| [[GTW Subach HL-7|Subach HL-7]], [[GTW Akheton SDG|Akheton SDG]], [[GTW Morning Star|Morning Star]], [[GTW Prometheus S|Prometheus S]], [[GTW Prometheus R|Prometheus R]], [[GTW UD-8 Kayser|UD-8 Kayser]], [[GTW Lamprey|Lamprey]], [[GTW Circe|Circe]], [[GTW Maxim|Maxim]], [[Balor]]
|}

*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Missile Banks|Missile Banks]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Capacity
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 80
| [[GTM Tornado|Tornado]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Secondaries
|-
| colspan=3| [[GTM MX-64|Rockeye]], [[GTM Tempest|Tempest]], [[GTM Harpoon|Harpoon]], [[GTM TAG-A|TAG-A]], [[GTM TAG-B|TAG-B]], [[GTM TAG-C|TAG-C]], [[GTM Hornet|Hornet]], [[GTM Tornado|Tornado]], [[GTM EMP Adv.|EMP Adv.]]
|}

==Gallery==

<gallery widths=250px >

File:Aristeia3.png|<center>A captured Atalanta engaging a [[GTF Nyx|Nyx]] in [[Aristeia]].

</gallery>

===Veteran Comments===
{{comment| ''The [[Blue Planet]] Atalanta is essentially the [[GTF Ulysses]]'s spiritual successor. Insanely maneuverable for a Galactic Terran fighter, more so than the [[GTF Perseus]] or [[GTF Aurora]] it still has 6 guns, a small target profile, and as much missile space as a [[GTF Myrmidon]] albeit all in one bank. It is still too lightly armored to be survivable anywhere near anti-fighter defenses, particularly AAA beams. The sole mission in which it's player controllable: [[Aristeia]] demonstrates this accordingly. If you do have occasion to fly it, don't forget that it also possesses side thrust ability, excellent for strafing larger targets, pacing and taking down multiple enemy bombs, making tighter turns, and dodging enemy fire. When fighting them, several well placed [[Rapier]] bursts can and will take them down, but even the [[Javelin]] doesn't have the maneuverability to catch them in higher difficulties.''

''An amazing fighter that's a joy to fly and to look at. Its small, excellent target profile is ideal for dogfighting and interception. Its gun configuration is excellent and flexible, and when a swarm of Atalantas come at you, Balors blazing and Tornadoes volleying, don't even try to do anything other than extreme evasive maneuvers. My one criticism of it is that its secondary capacity (which is the same as the [[GVF Thoth]]), while good, is all in one bank, severely limiting the Atalanta's flexibility and versatility--even in pure dogfighting roles. It's easy to see, though, why it would become a mainstay of GTVA forces in the near-future: unless it's expensive, this fighter excels in the interceptor, space superiority, and warhead/bomber intercept roles.

Taking these fighters on in early acts of War in Heaven, treat it like you would a hyper-intelligent Dragon pilot. Grimlers or well-timed Slammers at long range, and the Rapier or Sidhe are surefire ways to bring these ships down.''

"The weapons subsystem is right on the nose, break early in head2head engagements and be very careful not to collide with anyone or you'll lose your weapons. This can be fixed by firing a lot of rockeyes which will make the AI break away and with the huge capacity on your only secondary bank you can pack enough of them to last for a few fights. The placement on the 4-bank is sub-optimal so switch to your 2-bank for bomb intercept or adjust your aim as needed. If you're against these ships in something heavier always go for jousts instead of close-range dogfights, they will fly circles around you with side-thrusters and reverse burners."
}}

==Download link:==
*Blue Planet: WiH Part 1 Release Thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=70745.0

[[Category:Blue Planet ships]]

Collateral Damage

2015-11-12T23:04:03Z

General Battuta: added vet comment by vidmaster

{{BPArticle}}

{{Mission|previous=The Cost of War|next=Post Meridian|campaign=Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough}}

'''MISSION 02''' 
'''ACT 1, MISSION 02'''

'''Fighter squadron:''' 170th Fighting Navajas

'''Description:''' Third Fleet's Exodus continues. Two ships are out of communication, and the Navajas are sent to investigate.

----
==Background==
After a twenty-minute break following [[The Cost of War|their last mission]], Alpha wing of the Navajas receives a situation report on the evacuation of Third Fleet and new orders from Captain Tefler.

Flight operations to cover Third Fleet's remaining assets are in full swing and have achieved limited success. While two additional cruisers have been recovered, the [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Alliance]] managed to destroy six haulers. Beta wing of the Navajas is in the midst of launching to cover evacuation operations at Jovian storm platforms.

Alpha wing is now deployed to one of a number of likely misjump sites to locate two missing frigates, the [[UEFg Karuna|''Karuna''-class]] ''Akula'' and the [[UEFg Narayana|''Narayana''-class]] ''Ranvir''. These two ships are part of a flotilla that crash-jumped from Europa orbit while under heavy fire. Their course was vectored by reconnaissance, but their eventual exit point is not known. Alpha wing's job is to sweep the area where they are most likely to end up in and find them before the Alliance does so.

Sensors have also detected a pack of Allied corvettes sweeping the area as well. The evacuation effort means that the ''Solaris'''s assets are severely limited for this sortie. Although the 12th Shuduhune are on standby to intercept Allied warship targets, they will not be deployed except under the most dire circumstances.

==Walkthrough==
You can only pilot the [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']] in this mission. As with the previous mission, the default loadout should suffice, but feel free to change your loadout as you see fit.

This mission begins with Brie yelling an order to turn hard left and hit afterburners as you jump right into the flak and AAA range of the ''Cho'', an [[GTC Aeolus|''Aeolus''-class cruiser]]. As you recover, you see the two missing frigates on your escort list and radar being besieged by three [[GTCv Deimos|''Deimos''-class corvette]]s. The ''Ranvir'' is able to hold off the ''Idomeneus'' on its own, but because of the corvette, it is unable to assist the less powerful ''Akula'', which is under attack from the ''Cardinal'' and ''Regensburg'' some ten klicks away because of considerable damage to her navigation systems. Brie attempts to call the ''Solaris'' for reinforcements, but he realises that there is massive jamming in place, preventing anyone from requesting outside help.

The ''Ranvir'' will chase the ''Idomeneus'' off eventually, and the ''Cho'' will follow suit not too long after. Almost immediately, Brie alerts you and Kassim about a wing of [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora''-class fighters]] setting up a subspace missile strike on the ''Ranvir''. The ''Ranvir'' acknowledges this transmission. As the frigate bears down on the two corvettes attacking the ''Akula'', the subspace missiles—numerous Eos torpedoes—warp in. Intercept as many as you can. This will be followed soon after by a wing of four [[GTB Artemis D.H.|''Artemis D.H.'' bombers]]. Destroy them quickly, as they pack numerous [[GTM Cyclops|Cyclops torpedoes]] that will whittle away at the ''Ranvir'''s hull if left unchecked.

With the added firepower of the ''Ranvir'', both the ''Cardinal'' and ''Regensburg'' are eventually forced to jump out. As the battlefield falls silent, the jamming clears, and the ''Ranvir'' and ''Akula'' finally make contact with Second Fleet HQ. HQ plots an exit path for both ships, as they are still capable of making a jump to subspace under their own power if given proper navigation coordinates and enough time to recharge their jump drives. The two frigates follow HQ's instructions, with the ''Akula'', well over eight klicks ahead of the ''Ranvir'', taking point.

The ''Argus'', a hostile [[GTA Charybdis|''Charybdis''-class AWACS]], will jump in about forty-five klicks away not too long after. Brie orders you and Kassim to ignore it and stay close to the ''Ranvir'', as the ''Argus'' is most likely vectoring in additional attack waves. All too soon, a wing of [[GTF Ares|''Ares''-class fighters]] jump in about four klicks away. Brie predicts an anti-fighter Trebuchet sweep. True enough, the fighter wing departs right after releasing one round of Trebuchet missiles. Keep the lock indicator as far left or right to the reticle as you can and pay attention to the lock alert. When it starts to drastically increase in frequency, release your countermeasures and hit your afterburners. Done correctly, you should be able to evade the Trebuchet missiles locked onto your ship without having to mash your Countermeasure key.

The ''Ranvir'' signals your wing after the Trebuchet threat has passed on. It is concerned that the ''Argus'' may vector in heavier forces, like a bomber wing or warship. Just then, the ''Akula'' detects another wing of ''Ares'' fighters attempting to gain targeting lock on her. Brie immediately orders you to intercept the fighters, but you are too far away. As you watch, you see numerous subspace wormholes forming all around the ''Akula''—more than you can count. From them emerge countless Eos torpedoes heading directly for the frigate. The torpedoes hit home as the fighter wing jumps out, and the ''Akula'' is completely and utterly destroyed. Your scan of the debris field returned no survivors.

No less than thirty seconds after this, Command alerts your wing and the ''Ranvir'' that their listening posts have detected a massive subspace transit into the immediate vicinity, and are scrambling reinforcements to assist. The ''Ranvir'' prepares to make another crash-jump.

And then, they arrive.

Three corvettes—two [[GTCv Chimera|''Chimera''-classes]], designated ''Hydra'' and ''Pilum'' and a [[GTCv Bellerophon|''Bellerophon''-class]], designated ''Marcus Glaive''—emerge a few klicks away and well within beam range. The ''Ranvir'' loses her composure for a moment before she sends out the following transmission:

<center>'''''"It's Serkr Team, Steele's war dogs, the ones who took ''Artemis''. Alpha, clear our blast zone. You've done all you can."'''''</center>

The ''Ranvir'' barely manages to send out this message before the three corvettes charge their frontal beam cannons—nine in all. As one, and with a sound that could almost make your ears bleed, they annihilate the ''Ranvir'' with their combined firepower.

Two wings from the 12th Shuduhune arrive on the battlefield just as the frigate disintegrates into a debris field. ''Shuduhune Alpha 1'' identifies herself as Captain Lila Zhiyan and immediately commences a heavy strike attack with her wingmen. Brie gives her a status update before asking her about the rest of her strike force. Her reply: there are none. She and her three wings are given the near-suicidal task of delaying the corvette trio to prevent them from attacking other fleet assets. They are not expected to survive.

Brie gives new orders. You now have to protect Shuduhune Alpha, comprising of two [[UEB Durga|''Durga'' bombers]], Shuduhune Beta, consisting of four [[UEF Uriel|''Uriel'' gunships]], and Shuduhune Gamma, a wing of two ''Uriel'' gunships, from enemy fighters. As the heavy fighters and bombers charge towards the corvette, three [[GTF Myrmidon|''Myrmidon''-class fighters]] show up, designated Cetus wing. Intercept them before they rip through the Shuduhune wings.

As the strike force nears the corvettes, Captain Zhiyan orders Brie, Kassim and you to disengage and withdraw to beyond the striking range of Serkr Team. The three of you can only watch as the three wings fly straight into a maelstrom of anti-fighter artillery. The corvette trio departs not too long afterwards.

As Serkr Team leaves, you realise that this mission is over. Brie was hopeful that the Shuduhune managed to slow the corvettes long enough for another frigate to make it to safety. Kassim is furious that the three of you were the only ships that stood between the ''Akula'' and ''Ranvir'' and countless tons of explosive warheads. Brie, however, acknowledges that the two frigates were already lost even before your intervention; the Alliance's plan of attack was far too great for three fighters to stop it.

Brie gives orders to return to base. Jump out.

==Notes==
* The ''Ranvir'' uses the Hydra Torpedo in this mission. This was originally necessary because the Apocalypse (the standard capital ship missile of the UEF) didn't have the turn radius to reliably engage the corvette. In-universe, the Hydra is a swarm weapon that is designed to penetrate thick point defenses by saturating the enemy with missiles, but at the cost of lower overall damage output.
* The ''Cardinal'' and ''Regensburg'' sport new pulse weaponry in addition to the normal loadout of a GTCv ''Deimos''.
* The ''Hydra'' and ''Pilum'' are normal ''Chimera''-class corvettes with more powerful weaponry, befitting Captain Tefler's description of Serkr Team.
* Strangely enough, the GTCv ''Hydra'' did not make an appearance in [[Artemis Station]] despite being part of Serkr Team. It did, however, appear in [[Delenda Est]] (without the rest of Serkr team) which may indicate that it commonly goes on individual missions.

==Total number of forces==
{{total_numbers_2
|belligerent_1 =[[United Earth Federation|UEF]]
|belligerent_2 =[[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|GTVA]]
|ship_1 =
* 1 [[UEFg Narayana|UEFg ''Narayana'']]
** ''Ranvir''

* 1 [[UEFg Karuna|UEFg ''Karuna'']]
** ''Akula''
|ship_2 =
* '''Serkr Team'''
** 1 [[GTCv Bellerophon|GTCv ''Bellerophon'']]
*** ''Marcus Glaive''
** 2 [[GTCv Chimera|GTCv ''Chimera'']]
*** ''Hydra''
*** ''Pilum''

* 3 [[GTCv Deimos|GTCv ''Deimos'']]
** ''Cardinal''
** ''Idomeneus''
** ''Regensburg''

* 1 [[GTC Aeolus|GTC ''Aeolus'']]
** ''Cho''

* 1 [[GTA Charybdis|GTA ''Charybdis'']]
** ''Argus''
|strikecraft_1 =
* 7 [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']]
** ''Alpha 1''
*** Brie
** ''Alpha 2''
*** Kassim
** ''Alpha 3''
*** Laporte
** ''Upsilon'' (4)

* 6 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Shuduhune Beta'' (4)
** ''Shuduhune Gamma'' (2)

* 2 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']]
** ''Shuduhune Alpha'' (2)
|strikecraft_2 =
* 2 [[GTF Aurora|GTF ''Aurora'']]
** ''Auriga 4''
** ''Eridan 6''

* 3 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Cetus'' (3)

* 3 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mark II'']]
** ''Auriga'' (3)

* 10 [[GTF Ares|GTF ''Ares'']]
** ''Corvus'' (5)
** ''Eridan'' (5)
|casualties_1 =
* 1 [[UEFg Narayana|UEFg ''Narayana'']]
** ''Ranvir''

* 1 [[UEFg Karuna|UEFg ''Karuna'']]
** ''Akula''

* 0-4 [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']]
** ''Upsilon'' (4)

* 0-6 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Shuduhune Beta'' (4)
** ''Shuduhune Gamma'' (2)

* 0-2 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']]
** ''Shuduhune Alpha'' (2)
|casualties_2 =
* 0-1 [[GTF Aurora|GTF ''Aurora'']]
** ''Auriga 4''

* 0-3 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Cetus'' (3)

* 0-3 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mark II'']]
** ''Auriga'' (3)
}}

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|This mission is sort of a tutorial, albeit of the trial-by-fire type. It shows you three things: 1.) story-wise, you are not going to win all the time. It brings the themes of loss and the grim reality of wartime operations to your attention again. 2.) It shows you the new tactics you will and face see in WiH, first and foremost the subspace strike, but also other tactical maneuvers. And 3.) it demonstrates the lethality of capital ships in Blue Planet, with you being heavily damaged the moment you start the mission without knowing what expects to Serkr Team's barrage.
}}

Maul

2015-11-12T23:02:32Z

General Battuta: added vet comment by frigfeek

{{BPArticle}}
==Description==

{{shipimage|image=[[Image:maul tech model.png|400px]]|caption=The SCWS-2 Maul}}
===Blue Planet Tech Room Description===
SCWS-2 Maul. A Shekar-Johnson Weapons product, second component of the Vulcan/Maul suite. The Maul is a heavy plasma weapon with a low cyclic rate of fire and good performance against both armor and shields. Lacks the advanced fire control system used on the [[GTW Prometheus|Prometheus]] and [[Rapier]] weapon systems, but compensates with higher base damage than even the Prometheus due to excellent excitation and packaging systems. Considerable utility against bombers and targets that demand snap deflection shots for effective engagement. Demand for the Maul has increased as the war has proceeded, due to a spreading perception that the Vulcan is not performing to standards outside of the bomb intercept role.

==Performance==
===Statistics===
{{Primary|1250|2.86|800|30|1.0x|30|1.0x|30|0.3x|9}}

==Notes==

===Veteran Comments===
{{Comment|This is the weapon to use at the beginning of [[War in Heaven]]. It doesn't fire as fast as the [[Vulcan]], but does a lot more damage, and if you can line up your shots, will kill things much faster. Good as an all-round weapon.

It's very similar to the [[GTW Prometheus S|Prometheus S]] it has the same Rate of Fire and the same base DPS. It does have some differences: an unnoticeable increase in armor damage, an even less noticeable cut to subsystem damage. More significant changes include a 250 meter reduced range, and 50 m/s faster projectile speed, and most of all an increase in weapon power efficiency. It's significantly faster for taking out fighters than the [[Vulcan]].

Deals decent damage at mid-range compared to your alternatives in act 1. If you get caught up in a dogfight with bomber escorts don't forget to fry any bomber that happens to fly in front of you, even if that's not your target. The bonus damage within 150m paired with some Hellfires will completely incinerate anything lighter than an Ursa.
}}
[[Category:Blue Planet weapons]]

PTF Kulas

2015-11-12T23:01:35Z

General Battuta: added vet comment by frigfeek

{{User-made Ships|''PTF '''Kulas'''''}}

{{shipimage|image=[[Image:ptfkulas.jpg]]|caption=GTF Kulas}}

==Description:==

===MotA Tech Room Description===
The Kulas appears to be a variant of several ageing aerospace designs. Little is known about this ship, bar what information has been gathered from flight-recordings and salvaged debris. What we do know is that this ship has exceptional performance for a civilian vessel - almost equivalent to military Ulysses class fighter. Whilst it poses a significant threat to unguarded freighters, we do not believe it can threaten military ships - especially as the pilots lack access to modern weaponry.
===Blue Planet Tech Description===
The GTF Kulas was originally a civilian design popular with pirates and law enforcement agencies within GTVA systems. After the resolution of the Second Shivan Incursion, RNI Systems refurbished the design, replacing the old reactor with one of military grade. The result is a moderately powerful light fighter, able to perform a multitude of tasks, and it has provided a welcome boost to GTVA fighter strength.

===Credits List===
*Model by '''Aldo'''
===Name Origin===
Named after the Volition president, Mike Kulas
==Performance:==
===Original===
{|
|-
| style="width:200px" | '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Type|Type]]'''
| style="width:200px" | Interceptor
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Manufacturer|Manufacturer]]'''
| Baranec Systems
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Maneuverablity|Maneuverability]]'''
| Excellent
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Velocity|Max Velocity]]'''
| 60.0 - 94.0 mps
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Afterburner Velocity|Max Afterburner Velocity]]'''
| 135.0 mps
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Armor|Armor]]'''
| Light
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Hitpoints|Hitpoints]]
| 180
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Shields|Shields]]
| 380
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Length|Length]]'''
| 18 m
|}

===Blue Planet===
{|
|-
| style="width:200px" | '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Type|Type]]'''
| style="width:200px" | Space Superiority
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Manufacturer|Manufacturer]]'''
| RNI Systems
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Maneuverablity|Maneuverability]]'''
| High
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Yaw, Pitch, Roll|Yaw, Pitch, Roll]]'''
| 3.3, 3.0, 3.7 s
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Velocity|Max Velocity]]'''
| 75.0 - 88.0 mps
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Max Afterburner Velocity|Max Afterburner Velocity]]'''
| 130.0 mps
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Armor|Armor]]'''
| Average
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Hitpoints|Hitpoints]]
| 195
|-
| [[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Shields|Shields]]
| 310
|-
| '''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Length|Length]]'''
| 20 m
|}

===Armaments===

*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Gun Mounts|Gun Mounts]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
| colspan=3 style="background:#191970;"| '''Blue Planet (GTF Kulas)'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Guns
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Guns
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 2
| [[GTW Subach HL-7|Subach HL-7]]
| 1st
| 4
| [[GTW Prometheus S|Prometheus S]]
|- align="center"
| 2nd
| 2
| [[GTW Prometheus R|Prometheus R]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Primaries
| colspan=3| Compatible Primaries
|-align="center"
| colspan=3| [[GTW Subach HL-7|Subach HL-7]], [[GTW Akheton SDG|Akheton SDG]], [[GTW Morning Star|Morning

Star]], [[GTW Prometheus S|Prometheus S]], [[GTW Prometheus R|Prometheus R]], [[GTW Lamprey|Lamprey]], [[GTW Circe|Circe]], [[GTW Maxim|Maxim]]

| colspan=3| [[GTW Subach HL-7|Subach HL-7]], [[Balor]], [[GTW Akheton SDG|Akheton SDG]], [[GTW Morning Star|Morning Star]], [[GTW Prometheus S|Prometheus S]], [[GTW Prometheus R|Prometheus R]] [[GTW UD-8 Kayser|UD-8 Kayser]], [[GTW Lamprey|Lamprey]], [[GTW Circe|Circe]], [[GTW Maxim|Maxim]]
|}

*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Missile Banks|Missile Banks]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 style="background:#351515;"| '''Default Statistics'''
| colspan=3 style="background:#191970;"| '''Blue Planet (GTF Kulas)'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Capacity
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
| style="width:40px" |Bank
| style="width:60px" |Capacity
| style="width:160px" |Standard Loadout
|- align="center"
| 1st
| 20
| [[GTM Harpoon#Weak|Harpoon#Weak]]
| 1st
| 40
| [[GTM Harpoon|Harpoon]]
|- align="center"
| 2nd
| 20
| [[GTM Hornet|Hornet]]
|- align="center"
| colspan=3| Compatible Secondaries
| colspan=3| Compatible Secondaries
|-
| colspan=3| [[GTM Tempest|Tempest]], [[GTM MX-64|MX-64 Rockeye]], [[GTM Harpoon|Harpoon]], [[GTM Hornet|Hornet]], [[GTM Harpoon#Weak|Harpoon#Weak]], [[GTM Hornet#Weak|Hornet#Weak]], [[GTM Tornado|Tornado]], [[GTM Trebuchet|Trebuchet]]
| colspan=3| [[GTM MX-64|Rockeye]], [[GTM Tempest|Tempest]], [[GTM Trebuchet|Trebuchet]], [[GTM Infyrno|Infyrno]], [[GTM Harpoon|Harpoon]], [[GTM Hornet|Hornet]], [[GTM Tornado|Tornado]], [[GTM EMP Adv.|EMP Adv.]], [[GTM TAG-A|TAG-A]], [[GTM TAG-B|TAG-B]]
|}

===Veteran Comments===
{{comment|''The Kulas in [[Blue Planet]] is actually more maneuverable than practically any other fighter. It's not particularly fast and it's not especially tough, but it's smaller and more maneuverable than the [[GTF Myrmidon|Myrmidon]], [[GTF Aurora|Aurora]], and even the [[GTF Perseus|Perseus]]. The 4-gun bank that it has, combined with a power output of 5 gives the Kulas more firepower than the Perseus as well - on par with the Myrmidon and Aurora. That said, it only has enough space for sixteen [[GTM Harpoon|Harpoons]] and its fairly fragile armor limits the endurance of this fighter. Like the [[GVF Thoth|Thoth]], it's an excellent dogfighter, but there are no missions in which to merely dogfight. It is capable of standing toe-to-toe with a single [[UEF Kentauroi|Kentauroi]], but will be swarmed very easily.'

This is really, really good in dogfights. The turning rate allows you to quickly get people in your sights and rip them to shreds with that quad-linked bank. However, as previously stated, it's not too much use for anything other than dogfighting - but that doesn't stop you from taking it to multiplayer matches. On the other hand, there are a couple things to look out for: the secondary weapons placement isn't all that great for loading [[GTM Tempest|Tempests]], being a tad far apart, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't still bring them along. Crucially, the Sensors subsytem placement is quite simply awful (right on the tip of the nose) and will, with outrageous frequency, get destroyed in frontal jousts and leave you flying blind.

Due to extremely long burner duration, this little fighter has incredible staying power in long missions where you don't get a break. Since engine power only matters when pumping the burners you can redirect ETS to shields and guns to recharge them while afterburning to the next bomber group. If you need to cover a huge distance simply put power into engines once your burners run out after 21 seconds. With 4 balors you'll be able to take down quite a few enemies even with 0 power on guns, only recharging them while moving between groups. Remember that the only secondary bank has poor placement for dumbfires, don't try to hit anything smaller than a Nephilim from mid-range."}}

==Download link:==
*MotA Campaign: http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.53
*Blue Planet: AoA (no-jolly roger textures): http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.42

Post Meridian

2015-11-09T14:35:33Z

General Battuta: veteran comment from Vidmaster

{{BPArticle}}

{{Mission|previous=Collateral Damage|next=Ken|campaign=Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough}}

'''MISSION 03''' 
'''ACT 1, MISSION 03'''

'''Fighter squadron:''' 170th Fighting Navajas

'''Description:''' The GTD Meridian has been located, and a Task Force is dispatched to deal with her.

----
==Background==
Just as the [[United Earth Federation|Federation]]'s Third Fleet completes its retreat from Jupiter to Mars, and subsequently allowing the [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Alliance]] to secure Jupiter, both Mars and Earth's satellite, Luna, are subjected to heavy fighter bombardment. Unlike previous attacks, where unarmed, unprotected civilian targets fell under a protection clause of the Alliance's [[Beta Aquilae Convention|BETAC]] and were spared from harm, this new attack does not distinguish civilian and military assets. It is believed that the Galactic Terran Assembly has activated the Total War contingency of BETAC, meaning that all hostile targets are valid targets, civilian or otherwise.

The Federation has tracked the source of the fighters to the GTD ''Meridian'', flagship of Admiral Cyrus Severanti, the Theatre Commander of all Allied forces in Sol. Because the ''Meridian'' has deployed most of her fighter wings for the attack, leaving only a handful of fighters behind for escort, she is vulnerable to attack. The Navajas have been selected to play a crucial role in an attack on her.

While the ideal Federation attacking force would consist of a destroyer, all three [[UED Solaris|''Solaris'']] destroyers are tied down and cannot assist in this battle—deploying either the [[UED Eris|''Eris'']] or [[UED Solaris (BP)|''Solaris'']] would leave both Mars and Earth unprotected, and the [[UED Toutatis|''Toutatis'']] is in dry dock, undergoing repairs. Admiral Byrne is also unwilling to commit significant assets for this operation despite its importance, so Second Fleet, under Admiral Netreba, has bartered for tactical command of this mission in exchange for deploying the [[UEFg Karuna|''Karuna''-class frigate]] [[UEFg Indus|''Indus'']] to assist in this operation.

Flying space superiority, Alpha and Beta wings of the Navajas must escort Delta wing from the 271st Gunship Squadron while they disable the ''Meridian'''s primary beam cannons.

==Walkthrough==
You can only use the [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']] in this mission. Bring along at least one bank of [[Javelin]]s.

Your first task in this mission is to escort Delta wing, consisting of four [[UEF Uriel|''Uriel''-class gunship]]s. Delta's survival is most important, as they are the only fighters in this mission carrying the [[Paveway|Paveway anti-subsystem missile]]s needed to disarm the ''Meridian'''s main guns. If they are destroyed before they release their payload, the Meridian's main guns, coupled with the additional firepower from its escorting cruisers and corvettes, will sweep the ''Churchill'' and ''Indus'' quite quickly. Keep a short distance ahead of Delta and do a quick scan through all hostile targets. Your only concern for now should be the three [[GTF Ares|''Ares''-class strategic assault fighter]]s that form Aquarius wing. Each of them are equipped with two full banks of [[GTM Trebuchet|Trebuchet long-range heavy missile]]s and will make short work of Delta if left unchallenged, so destroy them as soon as you can. Aquarius wing is bound to the F10 key; use it if you are disoriented.

Secondary threats in this mission are all fighters from the 545th Kukris, armed with [[GTM TAG-B|TAG-B fire designator missiles]] and the GTCv ''Juarez'', providing TAG fire support for the Kukris.

The ''Vilnius'', a [[UEC Sanctus|''Sanctus''-class cruiser]], will accidentally mis-jump into the middle of the Allied battlegroup. Its deployment was originally in response to the TAG threat posed by the Kukris and ''Juarez''. There is nothing you can do to save it, so ignore it and continue escorting Delta.

When the ''Meridian''<s></s>'s main guns are destroyed, you receive the order to pull back to the UEF frigates. Hit your burners and get back to the ''Indus'' and ''Churchill'' because the Alliance will begin to sortie fighters and bombers to attack both frigates just as all of the ''Meridian'''s escorting warships finish off the ''Vilnius'' and enter the firing range of the two Federation frigates. It is at this point in time when the ''Indus'' decides to deploy its Alpha wing, consisting of four [[UEF Kentauroi|''Kentauroi''-class interceptors]], headed by Lorna Simms.

The Alliance will sortie a wing of six [[GTF Hercules Mark II|''Hercules Mark II'' heavy assault fighters]], three designated Aquila wing and the other three designated Cepheus wing. All six are armed with the [[GTW Maxim|Maxim anti-hull cannon]] to deal with the ''Indus'' and ''Churchill''. To counter this threat, Epsilon wing will be sortied. Epsilon, comprising two ''Uriel'' gunships, will be placed under your command. Use them to take out Aquila and Cepheus wings and fend off or destroy the ''Juarez''. This will leave the frigates clear to pummel the ''Meridian'' and its remaining escorts.

If Beta wing is destroyed, Gamma wing will jump in to assist you. Like Epsilon, Gamma, consisting of three ''Uhlan'' space superiority fighters, is under your command and can be ordered around. Use them to guard the frigates if needed. Solaris Strike Alpha, comprising two [[UEB Durga|''Durga'' bomber]]s, will be sent in if the hull integrity of either the ''Churchill'' or ''Indus'' falls below 40 percent.

The ''Indus'' and ''Churchill'' must survive in order for this mission to be a success. If either frigate falls, the UEFg ''Yangtze'', another [[UEFg Karuna|''Karuna''-class frigate]], will enter the fray to assist, but you will automatically be returned to base shortly after its arrival.

==Notes==
* The ''Yangtze'' was originally scripted to jump in once the hull integrity of either the ''Churchill'' or ''Indus'' falls below 40 percent.
* Federation Intel speculates that the reason why the normally cautious Admiral Severanti chose to switch to an all-out offensive is because he fears that Admiral Steele's recent gains—primarily most of Jupiter—would threaten his position as Theatre Commander.
* The ''Ajax'', ''Essex'' and ''Juarez'' are outfitted with [[Heavy Flak|heavier flak cannons]] and [[AAAh|slightly different AAAs]]. In addition, the ''Juarez'' is also equipped with the all-powerful [[ULTRA Anti-Fighter Beam]]. The latter is to facilitate its role as TAG fire support in this mission.
* Both ''Indus Alpha 1''—Simms—and ''Indus Alpha 2''—Levi—become invulnerable once their hull integrity falls between 41 to 16 percent. This prevents them from being killed off during this mission as they are plot-critical characters.
* Although the mission debriefings include a stage to accommodate the destruction of the ''Meridian'', and the destroyer herself can be destroyed if she is disabled, thus being unable to flee once her hull approaches critical, her loss is very unlikely and can be considered non-BP canon.
* Curiously, Severanti violated long-standing GTVA doctrine regarding Hecate-class destroyers by offensively deploying the Meridian with only a minimal escort. Given his history and psych profile, his gamble seemed to be desperate in a political sense but calculated in a tactical sense--the Meridian escapes, along with (usually) most or all of his escort ships. Thus, even if it didn't work politically, it wouldn't be a disaster militarily if the gamble failed.

==Tips==
* Do '''''NOT''''' attempt to single-handedly attack any Allied warship without assistance. You '''''WILL''''' be killed.
* Follow your orders to the letter.
* For pros to the game, the Vilnius can be saved and the Meridian's support ships can all be disabled.
* Generally speaking, providing a good escort to the pair of friendly gunships will allow them to take out the Meridian's forward beams. Avoid doing it yourself, as getting back to the frigates through the Meridian's point defenses and reinforcement fighters can bog you down for the rest of the mission, or kill you.

==Total number of forces==
{{total_numbers_2
|belligerent_1 =[[United Earth Federation|UEF]]
|belligerent_2 =[[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|GTVA]]
|ship_1 =
* 2-3 [[UEFg Karuna|UEFg ''Karuna'']]
** ''Churchill''
** ''Indus''
** ''Yangtze'' (*)

* 1 [[UEC Sanctus|UEC ''Sanctus'']]
** ''Vilnius''
|ship_2 =
* 1 [[GTD Hecate|GTD ''Hecate'']]
** ''Meridian''

* 1 [[GTCv Deimos|GTCv ''Deimos'']]
** ''Juarez''

* 2 [[GTC Aeolus|GTC ''Aeolus'']]
** ''Ajax''
** ''Essex''
|strikecraft_1 =
* 9 [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']]
** ''Alpha 1''
*** Brie
** ''Alpha 2''
*** Kassim
** ''Alpha 3''
*** Laporte
** ''Beta 1''
*** Consoleto
** ''Beta 2''
*** Gapar
** ''Beta 3''
*** Crash
** ''Gamma'' (3)

* 4 [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']]
** ''Indus Alpha 1''
*** Simms
** ''Indus Alpha 2''
*** Levi
** ''Indus Alpha'' (2)

* 6 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Delta'' (4)
** ''Epsilon'' (2)

* 0-2 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']]
** ''Solaris Strike Alpha'' (2)(#)
|strikecraft_2 =
* 4-8 [[PTF Kulas|GTF Kulas]]
** ''Libra'' (4) '''*2 waves'''
*** 545th Kukris

* 8 [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']]
** ''Auriga'' (2)
*** 508th Prowling Bears
** ''Cancer'' (4)
*** 545th Kukris
** ''Cepheus'' (2)
*** 508th Prowling Bears

* 4 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Taurus'' (4)
*** 545th Kukris

* 6 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mark II'']]
** ''Aquila'' (3)
*** 591st Flare Riders
** ''Borealis'' (3)
*** 591st Flare Riders

* 3 [[GTF Ares|GTF ''Ares'']]
** ''Aquarius'' (3)
*** 500th Gladiators

* 6 [[GTB Artemis|GTB ''Artemis'']]
** ''Meridian Alpha'' (6)
*** 556th Stallions

* 16 [[GTB Artemis D.H.|GTB ''Artemis D.H.'']]
** ''Meridian Beta'' (4)
*** 556th Stallions
** ''Meridian Kappa'' (6)
*** 555th Swordfish
** ''Meridian Psi'' (6)
*** 555th Swordfish

* 6 [[GTB Boanerges|GTB ''Boanerges'']]
** ''Meridian Gamma'' (6)
*** 556th Stallions
|casualties_1 =
* 1 [[UEC Sanctus|UEC ''Sanctus'']]
** ''Vilnius''

* 0-6 [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan]]
** ''Beta 1''
*** Consoleto
** ''Beta 2''
*** Gapar
** ''Beta 3''
*** Crash
** ''Gamma'' (3)

* 0-2 [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']]
** ''Indus Alpha'' (2)

* 0-5 [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']]
** ''Delta'' (3)
** ''Epsilon'' (2)

* 0-2 [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']] (#)
** ''Solaris Strike Alpha'' (2)
|casualties_2 =
* 0-1 [[GTD Hecate|GTD ''Hecate'']]
** ''Meridian''

* 0-1 [[GTCv Deimos|GTCv ''Deimos'']]
** ''Juarez''

* 0-2 [[GTC Aeolus|GTC ''Aeolus'']]
** ''Ajax''
** ''Essex''

* 0-8 [[PTF Kulas|GTF Kulas]]
** ''Libra'' (4) '''*2 waves'''
*** 545th Kukris

* 0-8 [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']]
** ''Auriga'' (2)
*** 508th Prowling Bears
** ''Cancer'' (4)
*** 545th Kukris
** ''Cepheus'' (2)
*** 508th Prowling Bears

* 0-4 [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']]
** ''Taurus'' (4)
*** 545th Kukris

* 0-6 [[GTF Hercules Mark II|GTF ''Hercules Mark II'']]
** ''Aquila'' (3)
*** 591st Flare Riders
** ''Borealis'' (3)
*** 591st Flare Riders

* 0-3 [[GTF Ares|GTF ''Ares'']]
** ''Aquarius'' (3)
*** 500th Gladiators

* 0-6 [[GTB Artemis|GTB ''Artemis'']]
** ''Meridian Alpha'' (6)
*** 556th Stallions

* 0-16 [[GTB Artemis D.H.|GTB ''Artemis D.H.'']]
** ''Meridian Beta'' (4)
*** 556th Stallions
** ''Meridian Kappa'' (6)
*** 555th Swordfish
** ''Meridian Psi'' (6)
*** 555th Swordfish

* 0-6 [[GTB Boanerges|GTB ''Boanerges'']]
** ''Meridian Gamma'' (6)
*** 556th Stallions
}}
(*) '''Deployed only when the ''Churchill'' or ''Indus'' is destroyed''' 
(#) '''Deployed only when the hull integrity of either the ''Churchill'' or ''Indus'' is below 40 percent'''

{{comment|"In my experience, this is the mission that will force you to unlearn all of your usual habits picked up from playing years of Freespace 2. It took me over a dozen attempts in BP's 2014 release to beat this mission on the 3/5 Difficulty (called 'Medium' in vanilla) and it took me more or less the same amount of attempts when I replayed it in the 2015 release recently. The reason for this is simple, I suffer from a severe case of Alpha 1 syndrome and that mission makes this fact abundantly clear. In short, to win this mission you have to stop being the hero. This mission simply destroys you if you try to pull basically defeat everything youself as you are used to, hell it basically kills you immediately if you only wander to close to any of the cruisers. To successfully finish the challenge present here, you only have to understand one thing: Following the ****ing battle plan and make sure survival is your top priority, not racking up the most kills. And it honestly surpised my how long this understanding process could take. You will definitely dive head-first into a brick wall with this mission. But if you get over it, you have understood how combat works in the War in Heaven universe and what is expected of you, making this basically a prerequisite for the rest of the campaign. Which was probably the intention."}}

GTC Aeolus

2015-10-28T19:50:17Z

General Battuta:

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in FS2_Open 3.6.10}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVP 3.6.10''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: Aeolus-HTL, Trition_HTL_Turrets, AeolusTurrets, Damage, Aeolus-HTL_debris, Doctile6A, nameplate
 
History 
Proposed by: ??? on ??? 
First WIP Post: ??? on ??? 
First In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Completed In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Final Corrections: ??? on ??? 

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
''Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.''

''It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser... it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.''

''While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.''

''The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.''

''I have to disagree with the third comment. The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire a one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus, is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.''

''Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.''

''Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.''

''little in the middle but she got much flak''}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2015-10-28T19:50:05Z

General Battuta:

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in FS2_Open 3.6.10}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVP 3.6.10''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: Aeolus-HTL, Trition_HTL_Turrets, AeolusTurrets, Damage, Aeolus-HTL_debris, Doctile6A, nameplate
 
History 
Proposed by: ??? on ??? 
First WIP Post: ??? on ??? 
First In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Completed In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Final Corrections: ??? on ??? 

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
''Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.''

''It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser... it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.''

''While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.''

''The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.''

''I have to disagree with the third comment. The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire a one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus, is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.''

''Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.''

''Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.''

''little in the middle but she got much flak''}}

[[Category:Ship]]

GTC Aeolus

2015-03-04T15:06:26Z

General Battuta: enhancing mixalot levels

{{FS12_Ships}}
The '''GTC ''Aeolus''''' is an [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|Allied]] [[Terrans|Terran-designed]] cruiser. It boasts more turrets in total than any other [[canon]] cruiser in the [[Freespace_2_Era_Craft|GTVA arsenal]]. Both the GTVA and the Neo-Terran Front use several of these vessels in ''[[FreeSpace 2]]'', and the [[:Category:FreeSpace_2_Demo|FreeSpace 2 Demo]] places another in the hands of the GTVA. The ''FreeSpace 2'' tech description states that production was discontinued two years prior to [[the Second Shivan Incursion]], and only 24 were produced. However, the tech description was never made available to the player in the game, making its reliability debatable. In-game references warn of this ship's formidable anti-fighter weaponry.

==Description:==
{{shipimage|image=[[image:Gtcaeolus-old.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus}}
===FS2 Demo Tech Room Description===
The biggest, baddest, and meanest cruiser EVER. The Aeolus will smack you up.

===FS2 Tech Room Description===
The GTC Aeolus is the first cruiser class ever produced by the RNI shipyards orbiting Laramis II. Only two dozen of these cruisers were put into service in GTVA fleets, with production ending in 2365. Allied Command assigns Aeolus-class ships primarily to guard slow-moving convoys against fighter and bomber wings, as these cruisers are severely out-gunned by most capital ships in service today. Their flak and AAA turrets serve as marvelous deterrents to smaller craft, however.

===Developer Notes===
None

===Name Origin===
In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the nation of Aeolia, and had the power to control the winds. He was supposed to live in an island in Southern Italy, now called ''Lipari''.

===Canon Ships===
22 of the 24 Aeolus cruisers are named. Over half of them are destroyed over the course of the FreeSpace 2 campaign, many on the side of the [[Neo-Terran Front]]. Named cruisers are:

* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Adamant|GTC ''Adamant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Agrippa|GTC ''Agrippa'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Alexandria|NTC ''Alexandria'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ascendant|GTC ''Ascendant'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ashaton|GTC ''Ashaton'']] (simulated)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Camisard|NTC ''Camisard'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Epigoni|NTC ''Epigoni'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Ertanax|GTC ''Ertanax'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Hellespont|NTC ''Hellespont'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Liberty|NTC ''Liberty'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Loyola|NTC ''Loyola'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Malta|GTC ''Malta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Mylae|NTC ''Mylae'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Retribution|NTC ''Retribution'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Righteous|NTC ''Righteous'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Saharan|NTC ''Saharan'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Sparta|GTC ''Sparta'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Stalwart|GTC ''Stalwart'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Templar|GTC ''Templar'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC ''Vigilant'']] (destroyed)
* [[FreeSpace 2 Rebel Ship Database#NTC Vindication|NTC ''Vindication'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Warwick|GTC ''Warwick'']]
* [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Zanthar|GTC ''Zanthar'']] (simulated)

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship Stats|Cruiser|RNI Shipyards|N/A|100.0, 100.0, 80.0|30.0|N/A|N/A|38 000|N/A|272}}

===Armaments===
*'''[[Technical_Terms_and_Definitions#Turrets|Turrets]]'''
{| border=1 cellpadding=4 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 style="background:#351515;"| '''FreeSpace 2'''
|- align="center"
| style="width:120px" |Turret Type
| style="width:60px" |Amount
|- align="center"
| [[Terran Huge Turret]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[Standard Flak]]
| 6
|- align="center"
| [[AAAf|Anti-Fighter Beam]]
| 2
|- align="center"
| [[SGreen|Small Green Beam]]
| 2
|}

==Modding Resources==
{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Gtcaeolus.jpg]]|caption=The GTC Aeolus in FS2_Open 3.6.10}}
'''Retail''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: ctile1( /c), ctile2( /c), ctile3( c/), ctile4(a/b/c), ctile5( /c), tbody(2/A), carmA, damage

'''MediaVP 3.6.10''':
:$POF File: cruiser2t-01.pof
:Textures: Aeolus-HTL, Trition_HTL_Turrets, AeolusTurrets, Damage, Aeolus-HTL_debris, Doctile6A, nameplate
 
History 
Proposed by: ??? on ??? 
First WIP Post: ??? on ??? 
First In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Completed In-Game Model: ??? on ??? 
Final Corrections: ??? on ??? 

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:RScreen0018.jpg | The [[FreeSpace 2 Terran Ship Database#GTC Vigilant|GTC Vigilant]] on patrol.
</gallery>

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
''Look upon its armament, ye fighter pilots, and despair. The Aeolus is the second most effective cruiser in the game, thanks to its array of [[Standard Flak|flak]] guns and [[AAAf|AAA]] beams that make attacking it a daunting prospect. The Aeolus will make mincemeat out of an unprepared fighter wing, and going one-on-one with it at short range is a very effective method of committing suicide. Its anti-capital capability is good for a cruiser with two [[SGreen]]s; however, the mounting scheme, and the [[SGreen]] being the woefully inefficient piece of junk that it is, the Aeolus will make most warship kills by bathing them in flak fire. This is actually surprisingly effective.''

''It's pretty hard to overestimate the effectiveness of this cruiser... it has, by far, the best anti-fighter capability of any cruiser in the game, and nearly the best of any ship in the game. As far as I'm concerned only the [[GTCv Deimos|Deimos]] really outdoes it in that respect. The Aeolus, however, is no super-warship; like all cruisers, it's really ineffective in an anti-capital respect, though superior to most other cruisers. The missions of [[Portal:FreeSpace 2|FreeSpace 2]] are cruel to the Aeolus and do not show its full potential. For example, in [[Clash of the Titans II]] all of the cruisers were severely damaged, even though at full strength Aeoli can fight off ~ 12 bomber wings and survive. In [[Their Finest Hour]] (which also causes many people to doubt the [[GTVA Colossus]]) many allied warships failed to have their beams armed, decreasing both their capital-ship weaponry and their anti-fighter defenses.''

''While the Aeolus is feared by many as the most powerful anti-fighter cruiser in the game, I must say that it is not. Despite the fact that it has many flak guns (which other Terran cruisers have a complete lack of), the Aeolus has only two anti-fighter beams, while the [[GTC Leviathan]] has four. It is not flak that kills people, rather it makes the screen pulse red. This probably gives people the illusion that it is more dangerous than the Leviathan. Beams are what do the damage; the Leviathan is the triumphant anti-fighter cruiser.''

''The Aeolus is just about the only FS2 ship that can reliably take down a single fighter. That doesn't sound like much, but one competently flown bomber can find and exploit a weak spot in almost every other ship. However, despite the Aeolus' fearsome reputation, it can be overwhelmed by a thought-out attack. If you go into FRED and do some testing, you'll notice that it only takes a wing or two of [[GTB Medusa|Medusas]] to kill this 'badass' ship. The exact number depends on the difficulty level, as the bombers' AI is better on higher difficulty.''

''I have to disagree with the third comment. The Aeolus's small structure allows just about all flak guns to fire at one target. Despite AAA beams doing the most damage, 6 flak guns on one fighter will wear your shields down very quickly and tear through your hull even faster. Plus the Leviathan can only fire a one or two AAA beams at a fighter, depending on its position. The Aeolus, is the best cruiser to deal with fighter attacks.''

''Similar to the [[Ravana]], this ship can fire through its own hull when using its SGreens. This can be observed when the Aeolus engages a target that is off to one side.''

''Like any vessel using Standard Flak, the Aeolus' combat effectiveness is strongly dependent on the ship's pilot AI class, which determines the refire rate of turret-mounted weapons. As the AI class approaches maximum the fire rate approaches the Standard Flak's tabled rate, which is absurdly high. Using a custom AI profile that removes the random turret refire delay converts the Aeolus into an awe-inspiring anti-fighter death machine.''

''Little in the middle but she got much flak.''}}

[[Category:Ship]]

User-Made Weapons

2015-03-04T15:04:03Z

General Battuta: oops! fixed?

{{Note|This page is under construction. Feel free to add stuff and play with it.}}

{|-
{|border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #000; border: 0px #000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
|{{UMW-Legend}}
|width=510px|The following is a list of released, user-made ship mods for [[Freespace 2]], for use in the creation of custom missions and campaigns. 
*For canon weapons from FreeSpace: The Great War: [[Weapons_Database_(FS1)| FreeSpace 1-era weapons]].
*For canon weapons from FreeSpace 2: [[Weapons_Database_(FS2)|FreeSpace 2-era weapons]].
*For weapons from Blue Planet: [[:Category:Blue_Planet_weapons|Blue Planet weapons]]
|-
|}
|}

The following is a list of released, user-made weapon mods for Freespace 2, for use in the creation of custom missions and campaigns.
 
==Strikecraft Weapons==
===Primary Weapons===
{| border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="background: #311; border: 2px #811 solid;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!style="width: 300px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Weapon Name !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Campaign !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Custom Features
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || {{CM}} {{MH}}
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|}
 
===Secondary Weapons===
{| border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="background: #311; border: 2px #811 solid;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!style="width: 300px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Weapon Name !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Campaign !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Custom Features
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|}
 
==Capital Ship Weapons==
===Plasma Turret Type weapons===
===Flak type weapons===
===Missiles===
===Beams===

==Notes to Wiki contributors==
*This page is currently a WiP.
*This page is primarily intended as a modding resource, to make custom weapon models and effects available to campaign builders. It is also meant to be used for truly innovative or well known weapons from major campaigns. It is not meant as a repository for every slightly table-tweaked weapon used in your campaign. If you wish to record these weapons, generate a campaign specific weapon list, and link it from the top of the page. (NOTE THAT THIS IS CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION AND NOT FINAL!)
*Only add weapons that have been released, and are freely available for download. Only add weapons for which you have created a specific wiki page. (NOTE THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED YET FOR MY PLACEHOLDER PHOENIX 3, I KNOW THIS)

User-Made Weapons

2015-03-04T15:02:52Z

General Battuta: fixing link to point to BP weapons

{{Note|This page is under construction. Feel free to add stuff and play with it.}}

{|-
{|border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #000; border: 0px #000 solid; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
|{{UMW-Legend}}
|width=510px|The following is a list of released, user-made ship mods for [[Freespace 2]], for use in the creation of custom missions and campaigns. 
*For canon weapons from FreeSpace: The Great War: [[Weapons_Database_(FS1)| FreeSpace 1-era weapons]].
*For canon weapons from FreeSpace 2: [[Weapons_Database_(FS2)|FreeSpace 2-era weapons]].
*For weapons from Blue Planet: [[Category:Blue_Planet_weapons|Blue Planet weapons]]
|-
|}
|}

The following is a list of released, user-made weapon mods for Freespace 2, for use in the creation of custom missions and campaigns.
 
==Strikecraft Weapons==
===Primary Weapons===
{| border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="background: #311; border: 2px #811 solid;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!style="width: 300px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Weapon Name !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Campaign !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Custom Features
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || {{CM}} {{MH}}
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|}
 
===Secondary Weapons===
{| border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="background: #311; border: 2px #811 solid;" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!style="width: 300px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Weapon Name !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Campaign !!style="width: 200px; background-color: rgb(24,0,0);"|Custom Features
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|-
| [[GTM Phoenix III]] || [[Frontlines|Frontlines]] || Yes
|}
 
==Capital Ship Weapons==
===Plasma Turret Type weapons===
===Flak type weapons===
===Missiles===
===Beams===

==Notes to Wiki contributors==
*This page is currently a WiP.
*This page is primarily intended as a modding resource, to make custom weapon models and effects available to campaign builders. It is also meant to be used for truly innovative or well known weapons from major campaigns. It is not meant as a repository for every slightly table-tweaked weapon used in your campaign. If you wish to record these weapons, generate a campaign specific weapon list, and link it from the top of the page. (NOTE THAT THIS IS CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION AND NOT FINAL!)
*Only add weapons that have been released, and are freely available for download. Only add weapons for which you have created a specific wiki page. (NOTE THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED YET FOR MY PLACEHOLDER PHOENIX 3, I KNOW THIS)

Shivans

2014-02-23T06:42:33Z

General Battuta: updated with newly discovered shivan image

[[File:Shivans_-_Color.jpg|thumb|right|350px|An individual Shivan, showing hard carapace and multiple legs.]]
:''This article is about the species. For the campaigns by Blaise Russel, see [[Phantoms]] and [[Echo Gate]].''
:'''''The Destroyers''' redirects here. For a list of destroyer-class vessels, see [[Destroyer]].''

The '''Shivans''' are a sentient species who likely originated in an unexplored region of space. The first known entry of the Shivans into the known galaxy occurred 8,000 years before the events of FreeSpace, during which the Shivans exterminated a highly advanced civilization, known as the [[Ancients]]. The Terrans—or alternately, humans—and Vasudans explored subspace and colonized the known galaxy, without any traces of the previously fought [[Ancient-Shivan War]]. When the [[Terran-Vasudan War]] entered its fourteenth year, the Shivans attacked ''Riviera'' outpost in [[Ross 128]], initiating the conflict known as [[the Great War]]. At terrible cost and a stroke of luck, the joint Terran-Vasudan forces repelled the Shivans, though this victory was temporary. 32 years later, in 2367, the Shivans returned and the [[Second Shivan Incursion]] broke out.

Although experiments were performed on live Shivan specimens, very little is known about this species. Their origins and motives remain completely unknown. However, there are many non-canon [[Shivan theories]] discussing the possibilities.

The Shivans serve as the primary antagonists of both FreeSpace games, as well as a fair majority of [[User-made Campaigns|user-made campaigns]].

==Physiology==
[[Image:IWSV6hy.jpg|right|350px|An intelligence readout related to the Shivans.]]

Shivans have multiple eyes, some of which seem to have the function of compound eyes, not unlike some varieties of insects. Shivans also have five legs, and can run equally well over a floor or over a ceiling. It has been hypothesized that Shivans may have spent their evolutionary process in a zero-gravity environment. Each Shivan leg ends in a very strong claw, capable of crushing even the sturdiest of known alloys. Parts of their thorax seem to act as compartments, such as ones that might be found on a space suit. It has been suggested that what we have actually seen have been either robots or organic creatures in some sort of exo-skeleton. However, we have, at present, no reason to support either hypothesis.

Their insect-like carapace does not appear original to the creature's physiology, suggesting the Shivans are a cybernetic fusion of biology and technology. The integrated plasma weapon also exhibits properties of an organic-artificial fusion. The weapon may be a kind of focusing device powered by the energy of the being itself, though this point is the subject of heated controversy. These details are cited as evidence that the Shivans could not have evolved as the Terran or Vasudan species had, but that they were likely constructed by another entity. Only a handful of Shivans have ever been captured, and all research on live specimens ended with the [[Galactic Terran Intelligence]]'s (GTI) [[Hades Rebellion]] in 2336. The results of these studies remain highly classified.

==History==
The first known conflict fought by the Shivans is the Ancient-Shivan War, 8,000 years ago. The Ancients were a proud, technologically developed race who built a vast empire. Though they were a belligerent warrior race, they were eventually outmatched by the technologically superior Shivans. The Shivans drove them back to their homeworld, bombarding it from orbit. The war ended with the extinction of the Ancients and the withdrawal of all Shivan forces from the known galaxy.

8,000 years later, in 2335, the Shivans resurfaced during the Terran-Vasudan War. The SD ''Lucifer'' came out of nowhere and annihilated ''Riviera'' station in Ross 128. Rumors started to surface among Terrans about a third sentient race, but nothing could be confirmed until the Shivans intervened a small Terran-Vasudan battle in Antares. In the following days, the Shivans inflicted heavy casualties for both Terran and Vasudan forces, encouraging a cease-fire between the two warring factions, combining their strength against the new adversary. The Great War has begun.

Emboldened by the new technologies that allowed the defenders to compete with Shivan superiority, Terran Command attempted a daring operation—to capture the SC ''Taranis'', a [[SC Cain|''Cain''-class Shivan cruiser]]. The mission was successful, and the cruiser was towed to Tombaugh Station. Tragically for the Terrans, the Shivan counteroffensive was devastating. Tombaugh Station came under attack and annihilated by a massive Shivan force, led by the SD ''Lucifer''. Fighters and bombers deployed to defend the station could not inflict measurable damage against the ''Lucifer''. Analysis indicated that the ''Lucifer'' was imbued with a seemingly impenetrable shielding. The ''Lucifer'' made its way uninterrupted to [[Vasuda Prime]], and bombarded it from orbit, rendering its surface uninhabitable. Then it set course towards Earth. Fortunately for the Terrans, Vasudan refugees uncovered some Ancient artifacts and decoded them, revealing that the SD ''Lucifer'''s shielding did not function in a subspace tunnel. The ''Lucifer'' was destroyed in the Sol-Delta Serpentis tunnel, minutes before it could enter the Solar System. In the following weeks, the remaining Shivan forces were wiped out from known space. The Terran-Vasudan alliance won the Great War.

{{stub}}

==Identity and motives==
Despite what information we've been able to obtain, Shivans still remain, on many levels, an enigma to both the Terrans and Vasudans. Their origin and their destination remain unknown. While many have offered up possible explanations as to why the Shivans seem focused on the destruction of all other sentient species, we still do not know why they seem bent on total xenocide.

According to Ancient artifacts, the Shivans seem to possess some kind of sensitivity to subspace disturbances. While it is unknown why the Shivans returned to now-GTVA space in 2335 and 2367, it may have been by chance, cycle, or by the detection of Terran-Vasudan subspace travel and/or conflict.

In the ending of ''Descent: FreeSpace'', the protagonist speculates that the Shivans as a race are not necessarily evil, stating that "the Shivans are the great destroyers, but also the great preservers". Their role was to exterminate other species who advanced beyond their ordained place in the cosmic order. It is postulated had it not been for the Shivans' intervention 8000 years ago, the Ancients may have grown so powerful that the Terrans and Vasudans may not have been able to survive. In turn the protagonist realizes that the Terrans' expansion would have made them a threat to any other fledgling species. This theory is taken further by [[Aken Bosch|Admiral Bosch]], who hypothesizes that many races came before even the Ancients themselves, who were each wiped out in their turn to allow a new generation to develop.

One theory, suggested by Admiral Petrarch in the end monologue of ''FreeSpace 2'', is that the Shivans are a nomadic race cut off from home, much like the Terrans are from theirs since the end of the [[Great War]]. This theory goes on to speculate that the Shivans used the Capellan supernova to create some form of "bridge", allowing travel to another (their home) universe.

==Culture==
Xenobiologists know very little about Shivan society. A leading hypothesis is the hive mind theory, arguing that Shivan society is broken down in specialized functions driven by a collective intelligence. The most convincing evidence supporting this theory is the behavior of Shivan forces following the destruction of the [[SD Lucifer|SD ''Lucifer'']], the turning point of the [[Great War]]. Other experts caution against attributing insectoid properties to the Shivans, regardless of their appearance and behavior. Shivan communication seems to occur through quantum waves; [[Admiral Aken Bosch]]'s [[ETAK]] project was successful in decoding their transmissions, but all data concerning that project has been classified at the highest level.

However, due to the capture of the specifications of the [[ETAK]] project, it is possible that the [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|GTVA]] may try to communicate with the Shivans at some point in the future, or possibly create a device to monitor and/or disrupt their communications. Either of these possibilities may hold the key to surviving a future Shivan incursion, as from the last two major encounters, it is evident that the Shivans exponentially increase their power between campaigns against other beings.

==Technology==
[[Image:Lucifer480x340.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A Shivan [[SD Lucifer|''Lucifer'']]-class destroyer.]]
Shivan technology has proved baffling for both Terran and Vasudan scientists. Although their weapons and technology by necessity obey the same physical laws, the systems of Shivan craft seem to be fully integrated with the pilot's biology, making it difficult, but still possible, to use their spacecraft for espionage and spying. Only three documented successful missions have been carried out using retrofitted Shivan spacecraft to traverse Shivan territory under disguise.

Shivan technology also appears to be much more advanced than most Terran or Vasudan equivalents. Reverse-engineering captured Shivan technology has led to tremendous advances in shielding, beam weaponry, energy and other weapon systems. Shivan primary weapons are portrayed as inferior to their Terran and Vasudan counterparts, though this is arguably simply a matter of game balance. However, the true capability of the Shivan arsenal is demonstrated with their much deadlier beam cannons, which have faster firing rates than those of both the Terrans and Vasudans. Shivans also rely on their heavy shielding and use little armor plating on their fighters. The Shivans also have an inclination towards the color red; almost all Shivan vessels exhibit a red color scheme. Strangely, the Shivans seem to have adapted some Second Incursion-era Terran and Vasudan weapons, such as flak guns and anti-fighter beams, achieving technological parity for that period.

[[Category:Species]]

Talk:Galactic Terran Alliance

2014-02-14T00:34:04Z

General Battuta: no nm should have trusted Snail

Where's the GTA insignia?

Parts of this article are not only non-canon, but ''contradictory'' to canon. Would anybody mind if I nuked this article and rewrote it? - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 18:35, 17 July 2008 (CDT)

*I revised the article and found the following: Only the "Origins" section looks non-canon to me. Others are canon, maybe the bit about the "There was no initial military conflict" isn't. (I don't remember such a thing). If there are contradictions between the article and canon, point them out. Other than that, the article is okay. Still needs the GTA logo and perhaps some more details about the organization itself. Something else: Some articles are referenced too many times in the article, like [[Shivans]] and [[Vasudans]]. I removed most of the links because I cannot find an apparent reason for linking to the [[Shivans]] page every time the species' name is mentioned. Distracting, in my opinion. - [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] 06:58, 18 July 2008 (CDT)

**I'm still not satisfied with how non-canon'd this thing is, especially given how an important faction this is in the FS universe. It's chock full of contradictory to canon statements and just doesn't seem right that someone's guesswork should be able to go straight onto this thing like this. - [[User:Snail|Snail]] 09:11, 20 June 2009 (UTC)
***That template refers to the Origins section. It doesn't say much anyway, so let's get rid of it. The other sections are all right to my eyes. - [[User:TopAce|TopAce]] 15:54, 20 June 2009 (UTC)

What the fuck is going on with this article? Much of it seems to have been made up from whole cloth. I can't find canon reference for a lot of this. [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 00:20, 14 February 2014 (UTC)
*I take it back, this is more solid than I thought! [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 00:34, 14 February 2014 (UTC)

Talk:Galactic Terran Alliance

2014-02-14T00:20:34Z

General Battuta: what the fuck is up with this article?

UES Aranyaka

2014-02-04T19:05:39Z

General Battuta: page felt lonely

{{BPArticle}}

{{shipimage|image=[[Image:Placeholder aranyaka.png|480px]]|caption=UES Aranyaka}}

==Description:==
===Blue Planet: War in Heaven Tech Description===
The Aranyaka support ship is designed to get in and out of battle as quickly as possible. It is fast and quite maneuverable, allowing it to dock with fighters in a minimum amount of time. Most notable about the Aranyaka, however, is its extremely large explosion radius. The amount of warheads carried on a support ship makes it very dangerous to be close to an exploding Aranyaka.

===Developer Notes===
Model and textures by Axem.

===Name Origin===

The Aranyakas are part of the four Vedas of Hinduism, and discusses the proper performance of rituals that were considered dangerous -- for instance, those involving fire -- and thus had to be taught and learned in the wilderness. The term ''aranyaka'' in Sanskrit means "belonging to the wilderness".

==Performance:==
===Statistics===
{{Ship_box
|name = UES ''Aranyaka''
|type = Support Ship
|manufacturer =
|maneuverability =
|yaw_pitch_roll = 3.0, 3.0, 3.0
|max_velocity = 70
|max_ab_velocity =
|max_ab_duration =
|armor =
|hitpoints = 500
|shields = 500
|length =
|gun_bank_1 =
|gun_bank_2 =
|gun_bank_3 =
|missile_bank_1 =
|missile_bank_2 =
|missile_bank_3 =
|missile_bank_4 =
|countermeasures =
|turrets =
|containers =
|fighters =
}}

==Veteran Comments==
{{Comment|
Unlike other support ships, the Aranyaka is equipped with surface shields, enhancing its survivability. The Fedayeen also deploy a stealth variant to work with their [[UEF Ainsarii|Ainsarii]].}}

[[Category: User-made Ships]]
[[Category: Blue Planet]]
[[Category:Blue Planet ships]]

Talk:Briefing texts (WiH)

2014-02-04T06:59:10Z

General Battuta: thoughts

Would WiH be better dealt with at the Act by Act level, the way FS1 is? This page is quite long, and WiH does have those nice natural break points. And ultimately, as I understand it, the act breaks are all going to be of equal significance once all 5 acts are out? [[User:Black Wolf|Black Wolf]] 06:20, 4 February 2014 (UTC)
*It'd mean more clutter for disambiguation pages, and also (selfish of me) make it a bit slower to Ctrl-F stuff when FREDding. >.> About the extent of my opinion on the topic. [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 06:59, 4 February 2014 (UTC)

Earth Alliance (INF)

2014-02-04T00:10:37Z

General Battuta: Updated this page (mostly by excision) to match current Inferno plans. Needs some language cleanup.

The ''Earth Alliance'' is [[Sol|Sol's]] superpower, an expansionist military government that came to power by main force. It's also featured in non-INF-canon campaigns, like the popular [[Sol: A History]].

==INF Canon==

====[[Inferno: Release 1]]====
''See also:'' [[Inferno R1 Terran-EA Ship Database]]

The old INFR1 release shows outdated EA models, weaponry, tactics and skills. In the single, official INFR1 campaign the EA was not a powerful opponent and only a few episodes involving the [[EASD Nemesis|EASD ''Nemesis'']], flagship of the EA fleet, contributed significantly to turning the Earth Alliance into a fearsome entity.

==Non-INF-Canon==

===Old Continuity===
====[[Sol: A History]]====
In S:AH, the Earth Alliance emerges later. Unlike the EA featured in newer INF canon releases, there are no apparent technological connections between it and the Jovian Coalition. In S:AH, the EA relies on technological superiority and covert operations to achieve its objectives.

===New Continuity===

{{stub}}

[[Category:Inferno]]

Briefing Texts

2014-02-03T23:45:30Z

General Battuta: added new briefing text pages

{{disambiguation}}
*[[Briefing texts (FS1)]]
*[[Briefing texts (ST)]]
*[[Briefing texts (FS2)]]
*[[Briefing texts (Operation Templar)]]
*[[Briefing texts (Vassago's Dirge)]]
*[[Briefing texts (WiH)|Briefing texts (Blue Planet: War in Heaven)]]
*[[Briefing texts (Tenebra)|Briefing texts (Blue Planet: War in Heaven - Tenebra)]]

Neo-Terran Front

2014-01-30T06:10:41Z

General Battuta: removed non-canon link

[[Image:NTFlogo.png|thumb|right|300px|The Neo-Terran Front logo]]
[[Image:NTFLogo.png|thumb|right|300px|The NTF logo by MjnMixael]]

The '''Neo-Terran Front''' (or '''NTF''') was a rebel group led by [[Admiral Aken Bosch]], former commander of the [[Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance|GTVA]] 6th Fleet. They came to prominence after a violent military coup in the [[Polaris]] system, eighteen months prior to the events of FreeSpace 2. Within weeks, a domino effect saw the governments of [[Regulus]] and [[Sirius]] fall to the NTF.

:''This article is about the ideals of the Neo-Terran Front. For a complete chronolgy of events concerning the Neo-Terran Front, see '''[[NTF Rebellion]].'''''

Bosch's vision of [[Neo-Terra]] informs the ideology of his movement. With contact to [[Earth]] severed since the end of the [[Great War]], Bosch imagined a new home world for the Terran race, a utopia that would restore the grandeur of the lost world. As the people of Earth once relied on Polaris to help them navigate the seas, the North Star would become the spiritual and political compass for [[Terrans]] of the new era. Bosch's message had a profound impact on the so-called "[[Lost Generation]]," born during the post-war [[Reconstruction]]. Bosch's message resonated with many people, largely because his pro-Terran ideology, and eventually the actions and attitudes of the NTF as a whole, were explicitly anti-[[Vasudans|Vasudan]]. The NTF opposed any Terran-Vasudan alliance and called for the dissolution of the Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance. The NTF core systems had suffered political and economic chaos throughout the post-war Reconstruction, and the Vasudans' miraculous recovery under Khonsu II's leadership embittered those Terrans still struggling to rebuild their own systems. Bosch exploited this anti-Vasudan sentiment to achieve his own political ends. The Neo-Terran Front provided the youth of Polaris, Regulus, and Sirius with a cause to fight and die for.

That cause, however, was not all it seemed. While Bosch's apparent motives were relatively simple and straightforward, he saw the entire NTF Rebellion as little more than a means to an end, calling them a "herd of stupid cattle." Bosch's true intentions, while not made explicitly clear, essentially involved dissolving the alliance with the Vasudans in order to forge a new alliance with the Shivans, an alliance which, in Bosch's mind, would have protected humanity forever. Almost all of the NTF's ideologies and actions can be traced back to this particular goal. Bosch's anti-Vasudan message allowed him to target Vasudan systems, where [[Ancients|Ancient]] ruins holding key information about the Shivans could be plundered. He constructed the [[NTF Iceni|NTF ''Iceni'']], a fast but heavily armed vessel for his eventual trip into Shivan space, and he built [[ETAK]] in secret (apparently in the ''[[NTF Boadicea|Boadicea]]'' asteroid facility) to hide his true intentions from the GTVA (though actions by the GTVA suggest that at least elements of Alliance Command knew what he was doing and intended to allow him to complete his work, before taking ETAK for themselves).

The downfall of the NTF came about due to a combination of factors, but can largely be attributed to two things: Firstly, as Bosch's goal grew nearer, he began to expend resources on noncritical (to the NTF) battles which would allow him to enter the [[Nebula System|nebula]] to make contact with the destroyers. This severely weakened the NTF fleets which were already reeling due to the second factor in their downfall, the deployment of the [[GTVA Colossus|GTVA ''Colossus'']].

==Wiki Comments==
No dates more specific than the year (2367) are given for the events of FreeSpace 2, so we cannot be certain of the exact date of the rebellion's emergence, and it could be any time between the June of 2365 and June of 2366.

When the ''Iceni'' is destroyed in [[Return to Babel]], the ship transmits a message as it breaks apart: ''It's too late, Command. This secret's going to hell with us. Trust me, you don't want to know. Rusk out.'' Admiral Bosch and his cabal likely knew far more than revealed by the in-game dialog.

==See also==
*[[ETAK]]
*[[Admiral Aken Bosch]]

[[Category:Organizations]]

User talk:AdmiralRalwood

2014-01-28T14:41:17Z

General Battuta:

Hey Admiral Ralwood,

There's no need to sign your name on the pages you generate - the wiki records who creates the page and how much work is done by each individual, and putting bylines everywhere is kind of against the collaborative spirit if the wiki (not to mention a little untidy). Thanks for contributing though - everything else looks fine. [[User:Black Wolf|Black Wolf]] 07:11, 28 January 2014 (UTC)

*It looks like Ralwood was modeling his format on the [[Briefing Texts (FS1)]] and [[Briefing Texts (FS2)]] page. I can go ahead and pull Eishtmo's attribution from there if you'd like. [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 14:41, 28 January 2014 (UTC)

User talk:Niffiwan

2014-01-22T01:05:07Z

General Battuta: he's so great~!

You're great! [[User:General Battuta|General Battuta]] 01:05, 22 January 2014 (UTC)

Inferno (2026)

2014-01-18T23:04:58Z

General Battuta: bringing this up to date

An expanded re-release of [[Inferno: Release 1]], '''Inferno Nostos''' is the centerpiece of the Inferno Anniversary project. It will feature a radically revised version of the original Inferno campaign and additional missions to conclude the story, as well as upgraded visuals, models, and design elements.

== General info ==

'''Author:''' ''The Inferno SCP Team''

'''Missions:''' ''30''

'''Features:'''

* Improved missions from the original R1 and more brand new missions, more than doubling the original R1 campaign length
* One of the largest modpack fleets ever assembled surpassing the original FS2 retail ship limits
* Improved HTL versions of R1 models and many more new ones
* Brand new weapon effects and new weapon designs as well as revamped R1 classics
* Several new music tracks as well as upgraded R1 music

'''Status:''' ''WIP''

'''Required:'''

* The latest FS2 Open nightly build
* MediaVPs 2014

==Related Links==

'''Forums/Threads'''
*'''[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=83460.0 Inferno Nostos Announcement Thread | Hard-Light Productions.net]'''
*'''[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=86262.0 Inferno: Nostos Discussion | Hard-Light Productions.net]'''

{{stub}}

[[Category: New INF Continuity]]

Blue Planet

2014-01-17T20:40:26Z

General Battuta: Fixing up slack language in the opening.

[[File:BP-Banner.png|center|From our odyssey into Hell, we return with a gift...]]
'''Blue Planet''' is a series of campaigns set 18 years after the events of FreeSpace 2. With the Alliance in economic turmoil, Terran-Vasudan relations decaying, and the Security Council grappling with the ominous Contingency Morpheus, the GTVA's elite 14th Battlegroup spearheads the effort to re-establish contact with [[Earth]].

Blue Planet is very widely known throughout the Hard Light Productions (HLP) community as being one of the best user-made campaign projects of all-time, excelling in story concept, mission design, cutscene use and music selection.

==Story==
It is 2385, fifty years after the appearance of the [[Shivans]] at [[Ross 128]] and the beginning of the [[Great War]] and eighteen years following the [[Capella]] supernova and conclusion of the [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. Using [[Knossos]]-derived technology, the [[GTVA]] have finally completed the construction of a subspace portal, stabilising the subspace corridor linking [[Delta Serpentis]] to [[Sol]], the birthplace of the Terrans. After sending numerous probes through the portal, the GTVA decides that the node had indeed stabilised, and proceeds to send in the real ambassadors.

[[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius]] (AoA), released in 2007, introduces the universe, and describes the struggles and adventures of the GTVA's 14th Battlegroup, an elite force of ships sent on a mission to re-establish contact with Earth. As they take a detour through a parallel reality where the Lucifer succeeded in wiping out Earth during the events of the original FreeSpace, one officer gains insight into the greater forces at work in the fabric of the multiverse.

The first part of [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven]] (WiH), released in August 2010, details the final weeks of a civil war between the government of Earth and the GTVA after contact was re-established. It focuses on the journey of a young woman torn between the ideals of her upbringing and the necessities of war. The GTVA, the UEF, and the other factions of the war struggle to shape the future of humanity and the Vasudan race as apocalypse looms.

==Missions==
===Age of Aquarius===
* One 22-mission campaign

===War in Heaven===
* One 30-mission campaign (estimated)
* One 1-mission campaign
* Two single missions

==Factions==
===Galactic Terran-Vasudan Alliance===
[[Image:Atreus.png|thumb|right|480px|The GTVA's most powerful vessel since the [[GTVA Colossus|''Colossus'']]—the GTD ''Raynor''.]]
[[Image:Gtfatalanta.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The Alliance's next-generation space superiority fighter—the GTF ''Atalanta''.]]
====Summary====
The Blue Planet continuity begins in 2385, only 18 years after the [[NTF Rebellion]] and [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. Following the GTVA's production doctrine employed between the Great War of 2335 and the NTF Rebellion of 2367, a number of FS2-era ships are still used, although most FS1-era ships, by contrast, have been phased out. Ships in active production are determined by their age, popularity among pilots, practicality and irreplaceableness. At the same time, in response to the massive losses sustained as a result of the [[Second Shivan Incursion]], the Alliance pushed forward the Threat Exigency Initiative, an extensive upgrading and redeployment project that spans the Terran arm of the GTVA. Lessons learned from the lack of proper logistical support in remote locations also prompted the introduction of a new "Logistics" class, non-combatant ships designed to serve as mobile installations.

The Threat Exigency Initiative, conceived as a more proper deterrent to the threat of future invasions, ushered in an age of new warships and battle doctrines inspired, ironically, by the [[Shivans]], fighters that can operate more independently, and weapons designed to be as versatile as possible. Products of the Threat Exigency Initiative include the [[GTD Raynor|GTD ''Raynor'']], a three-kilometre destroyer mounting [[HBlue|a powerful forward beam cannon]], warship-mounted heavy torpedo launchers, fast-firing pulse weapons that serve as secondary and tertiary warship armaments, the [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], and the [[Balor]], a rapid-firing, energy-efficient fighter-mounted particle blaster.

====Warships====
While many Capella-era warships remain in active production, most of the Great War-era warships have been phased out. The only remaining class of warship from the Great War that is still servicing the front lines is the [[GTD Orion|GTD ''Orion'']]. With the addition of the GTD ''Raynor'' into the ranks of the Terran fleet, the ''Orion'''s lengthy service to the Alliance has at last reached its final stages. Only a few ''Orion''-class destroyers remain in active service. The Capella-era warships are supplemented by warships designed and pushed into production as a result of the post-Capella Threat Exigency Initiative.

Virtually all Capella-era warships remain in active service, although some warship classes have been sorted into different sub-classes. For instance, the [[GTD Hecate|''Hecate''-class]], first commissioned as a destroyer during the [[NTF Rebellion]], has since been sub-classified as a carrier following a mediocre performance in the anti-warship field during the [[Second Shivan Incursion]]. The effectiveness of the [[GTC Aeolus|''Aeolus'' cruiser]] during the Second Shivan Incursion, combined with cheaper manufacturing techniques, meant that the Alliance resumed production for a cruiser class that originally had production lines cut after only twenty-four vessels were commissioned. Although still officially classified as a cruiser, the deployment of the ''Aeolus'' in the modern era is much closer to a tactical gunboat and warship escort. The [[GTCv Deimos|''Deimos''-class corvette]] now forms the core of Alliance corvette battlegroups, serving as an all-round warship.

The Threat Exigency Initiative ushered in a new generation of warships that are generally faster and more agile than their Capella-era counterparts and are equipped with better-placed anti-fighter defenses, as well as secondary and tertiary anti-warship armaments such as anti-warship torpedoes and pulse cannons. The most powerful warship brought into service as a result of this project is the [[GTD Raynor|GTD ''Raynor'']], a three-kilometre destroyer capable of projecting at least 50% of its armaments in virtually any direction. Other warships pushed into production include the [[GTD Titan|GTD ''Titan'']], a destroyer sporting a devastating frontal array of three [[BBlue|''Ice Queen'' heavy beam cannons]] and cavernous hangar, the [[GTCv Diomedes|GTCv ''Diomedes'']], a strike corvette mounting several [[TerSlashBlue|''Bull Frost'' tactical slashing beams]], and the [[GTL Anemoi|GTL ''Anemoi'']], a massive logistics vessel that can resupply and repair any ship ranging from fighter to destroyer and carry enough supplies and equipment to sustain a small fleet for months.

====Spacecraft====
Nearly all Great War-era spacecraft have been pulled from active service and sold off to third parties or used as training targets. The only two exceptions to this fate are the [[GTF Ulysses|''Ulysses'' fighter]] and [[GTB Ursa|''Ursa'' assault bomber]]. Of these two, the ''Ulysses'' remains in limited production and is no longer used in front-line operations, while the ''Ursa'', despite its incredibly lethargic speed and sluggish manoeuvrability, still retains its original role in the Alliance fleet, although no plans have been drawn up to create a new class of bombers taking after the design philosophies of the ''Ursa''.

By sharp contrast to the current deployment of all Capella-era warships, a number of Capella-era spacecraft have been slated to be pulled from active service. The two most prominent ship classes befalling this fate are the [[GTF Myrmidon|GTF ''Myrmidon'']], cited as being a powerful but excessively large fighter by many former Rebel pilots who have flown it, as well as the [[GTF Erinyes|GTF ''Erinyes'']], deemed to be too complicated to improve upon. At the opposite end of the spectrum are ship classes such as the [[GTB Artemis|GTB ''Artemis'']] and [[GTF Perseus|GTF ''Perseus'']], the former now mass-produced as the Alliance's main strike bomber, and the latter now reclassified and deployed as the Alliance's main space superiority fighter.

Four fighter classes and one bomber class have been brought into service as a result of the Threat Exigency Initiative: the [[GTF Aurora|''Aurora'' heavy reconnaissance fighter]], sporting enhanced sensors that can navigate the thickest nebula and detect stealth ships, all packaged in a decently armoured spaceframe; the [[GTF Draco|''Draco'' interceptor]], with an insanely high velocity rating allowing it to escort several warships at once; the [[GTF Atalanta|''Atalanta'' advanced space superiority fighter]], with its high speed and agility as well as excellent weapons compatibility; the [[GTF Nyx|GTF ''Nyx'']], a heavy fighter that blends the firepower of eight gun banks with a level of agility comparable to the ''Perseus''; and the [[GTB Rhea|GTB ''Rhea'']], a strike bomber with an asymmetrical weapons configuration that has been regarded as a statistical success among bomber squadrons.

====Weaponry====
Lessons learned during the [[Second Shivan Incursion]], at the cost of thousands of lives, prompted the GTVA to begin upgrading several warships in service after the Capella supernova, as well as to phase out older weapons that have been used for the past five decades and replace them with more modern weaponry. One of the Threat Exigency Initiative's primary goals is to produce better warship armaments and it has, to date, produced three different types of anti-warship weaponry. At the forefront of this are the range of new beam cannons installed on the GTVA's newest line of warships, such as the [[HBlue|''Winter King'' heavy beam]] mounted at the bow of the ''Raynor'' destroyer, and the [[TerSlashBlue|''Bull Frost'' tactical slashing beam]] mounted on the ''Diomedes'' corvette. The second type of anti-warship weapons developed are anti-warship torpedoes, serving as secondary weapons on the ''Raynor'' and ''Titan'' destroyers as well as friendly artillery. The third and final type of anti-warship weapons are pulse cannons, serving as battery weapons on heavier ships. Both the [[TerPulse|''Hellstar'']] and [[STerPulse|''Riptide'']] pulse cannons are recent developments of [[Morgan Technologies]], and have yet to be fully integrated into GTVA battle doctrine.

Much of the GTVA's fighter-mounted weaponry remains the same, although the [[Balor|Balor rapid-fire particle blaster]], so far the only fighter-mounted primary cannon developed by the Threat Exigency Initiative, adds a much-needed and fearsome complement to the standard-issue [[GTW Subach HL-7]]. The Balor was designed to serve and destroy everything short of a light cruiser, and it was designed to be far more versatile than nearly every other fighter-compatible primary gun in the GTVA arsenal. At the time of the Sol Gate's completion, the Balor was brand-new, and GTVA battle doctrine did not fully integrate it. By the time of the UEF-GTVA war, however, the Balor has seen widespread use in nearly every stage of the conflict.

While the [[GTM Trebuchet]] is now commonly used as a long-range heavy missile for destroying slower, heavier ships, the Alliance have also pushed a new missile into production lines—the [[GTM TAG-C]]. This, the third and final iteration of the Target Acquisition and Guidance line of missiles, not only retains the painting beacon of the [[GTM TAG-A]] and aspect-seeking technology of the [[GTM TAG-B]], but combines both with a highly sophisticated targeting beacon that will, on impact, transmit authorisation codes to a local friendly warship. Any large vessel unlucky enough to be hit by a TAG-C will have to deal with the barrage of anti-warship torpedoes that emerge from subspace. The TAG-C enables even fighters to deliver the same warship-shattering punch as an assault bomber.

===United Earth Federation===
[[Image:UEDSolaris.png|thumb|right|480px|The be-all and end-all of the UEF's military might—the UED ''Solaris''.]]
[[Image:Uefkentauroi.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The fastest ship in the UEF fleet on afterburners—the UEF ''Kentauroi''.]]
====Summary====
In the fifty years following the collapse of the Sol-Delta Serpentis jump node, the [[Galactic Terran Alliance]] was reorganised into the [[United Earth Federation]], or UEF, headed by the Global Ubuntu Party.

The Ubuntu Party placed emphasis on economic recovery and political stability, rather than military strength. What was left of the old GTA military was scrapped and slimmed down to suit the need of only being able to maintain order throughout much of an entire star system. Standard military doctrine in the UEF places emphasis on frigates that can serve as mobile carriers and operate in remote locations for lengthy periods, as well as versatile fighters that can be reassigned to numerous roles in a single operation. The main base of operations for each of the UEF's three fleets is a [[UED Solaris|''Solaris''-class destroyer]], a formidable carrier and command vessel that is never deployed on the front lines unless absolutely necessary.

====Warships====
The UEF only has three destroyers in active service, all of them [[UED Solaris|''Solaris''-class destroyers]]. Each of these destroyers serve as a base of operations to the Federation's three fleets, as well as their commanding officers. Originally considered to be "a solution to a non-existent problem", the ''Solaris'', ''Toutatis'' and ''Eris'' now serve at the very centre of the UEF's battle doctrine and, despite being designed to effectively neutralise an attack from any direction, are rarely seen on the front-lines. Instead, most military operations are carried out either by the fighter squadrons within these fleets or by smaller, faster frigates and cruisers assigned to each fleet.

Frigates and cruisers make up the Federation's primary attacking force. The two frigate classes currently in active service, the [[UEFg Karuna|''Karuna'']] and [[UEFg Narayana|''Narayana'']], both sport a hangar capable of housing a small fighter squadron, and the sole cruiser class, the corvette-sized [[UEC Sanctus|''Sanctus'']], is used in almost the same manner as the GTVA deploys the ''Deimos''. Although every frigate and cruiser in the Federation is assigned to one of the three fleets, they are often deployed on their own, away from the ''Solaris''-class destroyer that serves as their fleet's home base.

====Spacecraft====
The Federation makes heavy use of high-performance spacecraft that are generally much more agile and versatile than their GTVA counterparts. Almost every fighter class is capable of reverse thrust, as well as reverse afterburn, adding to their overall versatility on the field. The Federation's main space superiority fighter is the [[UEF Uhlan|UEF ''Uhlan'']], an all-round ship capable of fulfilling any fighter role as the situation demands. Other common ships include the [[UEF Kentauroi|UEF ''Kentauroi'']], the Federation's cross between the GTVA's ''Nyx'' and ''Perseus'' fighters, the [[UEF Uriel|UEF ''Uriel'']], a heavy assault fighter sporting a long-range gauss cannon, and the [[UEB Durga|UEB ''Durga'']], an assault bomber with the firepower to level entire cities. The Federation also produces an additional class of spacecraft, the [[UEF Lao Tze|UEF ''Lao Tze'']], an extremely powerful but difficult to fly heavy fighter used primarily by the elite [[Knights of the White Brotherhood]].

====Weaponry====
While the GTVA have spent decades developing beam and energy-based weaponry, Federation anti-warship armaments, on the other hand, follow a more traditional kinetic-based principle. The primary stopping power of the UEF's two frigate classes, the ''Karuna'' and ''Narayana'', are a pair of powerful bow-mounted heavy mass drivers that are complemented by their own targeting system, allowing them to incapacitate crucial enemy subsystems or turrets at will. The ''Solaris'' destroyer's primary weapons, however, come in the form of twelve heavy torpedo launchers that can easily decimate anything short of a superdestroyer in a matter of minutes. Secondary armament on all ships are made up of a mixture of anti-fighter tracers, flak guns and smaller anti-subsystem torpedo launchers.

The technology that powers Federation fighter-mounted weaponry, although crude and slightly dated as compared to the much greater level of sophistication seen in Alliance weaponry, is nonetheless just as effective, if not more so. The standard-issue [[Vulcan|SCWS-1 Vulcan]] is a rapid-firing plasma cannon that can easily track torpedoes and even the fastest ships produced by the Alliance, while the slightly heavier [[Maul|SCWS-2 Maul]] sacrifices refire rate for even more damage per shot. In the many decades since the [[Great War]], the legendary [[GTW Prometheus]] has been remade into the [[Rapier|SCWS-6 Rapier]], the most powerful fighter-compatible plasma weapon available to the standard Federation pilot, capable of Swiss-cheesing even the heaviest fighters in the Alliance with a few shots. Federation gunships such as the ''Uriel''-class mount a third weapon: a long-range ammo-based mass driver, such as the [[Archer]] or [[Vajra]], designed to obliterate turrets and subsystems from beyond regular retaliation range.

The UEF sports a slightly wider variety of secondary weapons compared to the GTVA. In addition to the regular [[Hellfire Missile|Hellfire dumbfire missile]], [[Javelin|Javelin aspect-seeking dogfight missile]], [[Grimler|Grimler heavy missile]] and [[Paveway|Paveway anti-subsystem missile]], as well as three anti-warship torpedoes, the Federation also produces two fire-and-forget swarm missiles, called the [[Dirk]] and [[Dart]], as well as the dreaded [[Slammer|Slammer suppression missile]], an aspect-seeking cluster missile containing heat-seeking explosive charges. While the Dirk and Dart provide Federation pilots with a third tier of dogfight missiles to choose from, the Slammer, on the other hand, has gained a reputation among the GTVA for being a fighter- and bomber-killer, capable of destroying entire wings with one hit, and is the most feared weapon in the UEF's arsenal of missiles.

===Vishnans===
[[Image:Vishnanpreserver.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The embodiment of Vishnu—the Vishnan Preserver.]]
[[Image:Vishnanmissionary.jpg|thumb|right|480px|The first known Vishnan ship ever encountered—the Vishnan Missionary.]]
:''See also: [[Vishnans]]''
====Summary====
The [[Vishnans]] are a new species introduced in Blue Planet. They describe themselves as Great Preservers and counterparts of the [[Shivans]], though initial contact with their species was possibly violent. What little is known about the Vishnans is sketchy and fairly inaccurate at best. The full capabilities of the Vishnans are, like the Shivans, unknown to the Terrans or Vasudans. What ''is'' established is that the Vishnans are arguably the only race capable of matching the Shivans.

All Vishnan ships are unmanned, piloted by instanced sub-sets of the species' superordinate consciousness nested in a hierarchical dependency of cognitive structure. They have not been encountered in the same universe as the GTVA and UEF, although it is hinted that they do exist.

====Warships====
Only four classes of Vishnan warships have been encountered so far, the largest simply designated the [[Vishnan Preserver]]. The Preserver appears to be a superjuggernaut with enormous tactical and strategic capabilities, including the modification of jump nodes. It may be unique.

The Vishnans' main warship is a massive squid-like vessel designated the [[Vishnan Sacred Keeper]]. While classified as a destroyer, the Keeper is able to go toe-to-toe with a Shivan [[SJ Sathanas|''Sathanas''-class juggernaut]], and its hull rating is well within superdestroyer levels. With a large beam emitter built into its underside, the Keeper is usually heavily guarded by a number of cruiser-class [[Vishnan Arbiter]]s and gunship-class [[Vishnan Protector]]s. The Keeper is the core of its entire fleet and is integral to their ability to communicate with their superconsciousness.

The Keeper's escorts, the Arbiter and Protector, are smaller, faster vessels armed with lighter beam cannons. They do not usually undertake and complete tasks on their own, but instead provide fire support for Vishnan strikecraft and, in return, require escort from enemy fighters and bombers on occasion due to their sub-par defences.

====Spacecraft====
To date, the Vishnans are known to possess two fighter classes and two bomber classes. Vishnan spacecraft vastly outperform their Shivan equivalents, with their fighters capable of flying circles around even the extremely agile Shivan [[SF Dragon|''Dragon''-class fighter]], and their bombers manoeuvrable enough to defend themselves and not compromise on secondary weapons. All Vishnan spacecraft are made of a crystalline compound that repairs itself over time. On the downside, Vishnan spacecraft number a lot less than their Shivan counterparts. Most Vishnan wings hardly ever exceed three ships, while Shivan ships by contrast are usually deployed in wings exceeding four ships.

The most commonly seen Vishnan spacecraft is designated the [[Vishnan Missionary]]. Agile and fast, the Missionary is an interceptor, reconnaissance vessel and space superiority fighter all in one. It was the first known Vishnan spacecraft ever encountered by the Alliance. The other Vishnan fighter, the [[Vishnan Preacher]], sacrifices speed and secondary weapon capacity for additional durability and an impressive combined primary firepower of ten guns.

The Vishnans' main bomber, designated the [[Vishnan Seeker]], is a medium strike bomber that can carry approximately the same amount of ordnance as the [[GTB Ursa|GTB ''Ursa'']]. The other bomber class is the massive [[Vishnan Inquisitor]], capable of carrying torpedoes that can easily level anything smaller than a superdestroyer with a few hits.

====Weaponry====
:''See also: [[Vishnan Beam Weapons]]''
The Vishnans are the second species ever encountered by the Terrans and Vasudans to already demonstrate beam capability. The two most powerful of these beams are mounted only on the Preserver and Sacred Keeper, while the lighter, smaller beams are mounted onto the Arbiters and Protectors. Vishnan beam weapons out-range and out-damage Shivan beams by a significant margin, but do not recharge as quickly.

Fighter-mounted Vishnan weaponry lack diversity as compared to Terran, Vasudan and even Shivan weaponry. Only one kind of primary weapon is used across all Vishnan fighters and bombers to date. The [[Vishnan Primary]] is a medium-firing heavy cannon that can double up as an anti-subsystem weapon.

Three classes of Vishnan secondary weapons are known to date. The [[Vishnan Missile]] is an aspect-seeking missile that can also be used as a light anti-subsystem missile, while the [[Vishnan Megabomb]] is used in the same manner as the GTVA's [[GTM Cyclops|''Cyclops'' torpedo]], although it is far more powerful. The third class of Vishnan missile, the [[Vishnan Ultrabomb]], is a torpedo containing a subspace device that, on impact, transfers a devastating warhead from within a nearby Keeper onto the target.

==Development==
===Original Concept===
:"Wow." 
::''—excerpt of Reply #60 of the original Age of Aquarius release thread, by Jeff Vader'' [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=49876.msg1009465#msg1009465]

Blue Planet started off as a one-man project by Darius, much akin to how [[The Procyon Insurgency]] was created. When Age of Aquarius was released, several members of the community pointed out numerous errors and problems with the campaign, including crashes, missing effects, and empty tech room descriptions. As a consolation, these members also added praise to the portions of Age of Aquarius that did play out as planned, adding special mention to the harder missions, such as [[Keepers of Hell]], and the music used in other missions, such as [[Forced Entry]]. The numerous errors, glitches and issues prompted Darius to release a patch only two days after it was first released. Almost immediately after the patch was released, comments on the campaign shifted from its issues and praise to praise only. Much of the initial praise was targeted at three aspects of the campaign:

* mission design and difficulty;
* background music; and
* storyline.

Age of Aquarius also came in for special praise as it made extensive use of FS2_Open's cutscene feature, which was relatively new and unused at the time.

===The Team===
:"Very funny, Goob." 
::''—the first post on the Blue Planet board, by NGTM-1R'' [http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=55706.msg1125921#msg1125921]

Blue Planet as a project team, however, did not take off until about ten months later, when Age of Aquarius began to be relayed to newcomers as a recommended FS2_Open campaign, alongside stalwarts such as [[Derelict]] and [[Warzone]]. The formation of the Blue Planet board on the Hard Light Productions Forum's Hosted Projects section—reserved only for the most active hosted projects on HLP—was initially viewed as a joke, but ultimately became the catalyst needed for the formation of the project team as it is today. Over the course of the next few months, the size of the Blue Planet team grew rapidly. Initially comprising only Darius, as of August 2010, the Blue Planet team is made up of sixteen core members and six beta-testers.

===War in Heaven===
Not too long after the release of Age of Aquarius, Darius had finished conceiving a storyline for War in Heaven. However, he chose to wait until enough positive feedback was received from members of HLP before attempting to work on it. The development cycle of WiH was accelerated by rapid expansion of the project team from 2009 to early 2010, as well as the use of subversion, enabling all members of the team to work on the same version of the project.

==Releases==
''Age of Aquarius'' was first released on October 3, 2007, and the first patch for it was released two days later on October 5. In February 2010, AoA was rereleased with voice acting, reorganized modpack, and new assets.

The first part of ''War in Heaven'', consisting of the first two acts (15 missions) was released on August 7, 2010. The third act was released on January 7, 2013.

==Developers==
===Project Staff===
*'''Darius''' — ''Project lead''

*'''Axem''' — ''Just another FREDder''
*'''Belisarius''' — ''Music composer''
*'''blowfish''' — ''Modeller''
*'''Cobra''' — ''Voice acting management assistance''
*'''Daddy Warhol''' — ''Music composer''
*'''Dilmah G''' — ''Mission designer, Military advisor''
*'''Dragon''' — ''Texture artist''
*'''Esarai''' — ''Modeller''
*'''Fury''' — ''Tabler, AI lead''
*'''General Battuta''' — ''Writer, Mission designer''
*'''HerraTohtori''' — ''Skybox artist''
*'''Nighteyes''' — ''Effects artist''
*'''Rian''' — ''Script content redundancy axe-man, Character writer''
*'''Steve O''' — ''Model contributor, Paternal figure''
*'''The E''' — ''Codework, Mission work, Model work, Writer''
*'''Wanderer''' — ''Effects artist''
*'''Zacam''' — ''Testing, Mod pack management, SVN manager''

===Beta Testers===
* [[User:Androgeos Exeunt|Androgeos]] [[User_talk:Androgeos_Exeunt|Exeunt]]
* MatthTheGeek
* QuantumDelta
* Snail
* Spoon
* ubiquitous

==See Also==
* [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius]]
* [[Blue Planet: Age of Aquarius Campaign Walkthrough]]
* [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven]]
* [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven Campaign Walkthrough]]
* [[Blue Planet Extras Portal]]
* [[Blue Planet ship database]]
* [[:Category:Blue Planet]]

==Related Links==
*[http://blueplanet.hard-light.net Blue Planet Website | Hard-Light Productions.net]
*[http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/board,169.0.html Blue Planet board | Hard-Light Productions.net]
*[http://www.moddb.com/mods/blue-planet-war-in-heaven Blue Planet at ModDB]

[[Category:User-made_Campaigns]]
[[Category:Blue Planet|*]]

File:Gtfdraco-bp.jpg

2014-01-14T15:04:29Z

General Battuta: uploaded a new version of "File:Gtfdraco-bp.jpg": er

The GTF Draco, as it is seen in [[Blue Planet: War in Heaven]] with Spidey's light settings; see [[Sample Lighting Settings#Spidey.27s Settings|this page]] to learn how to replicate this light setting on your copy of FS2_Open.