What If? Alliance raid on Scariff

[Kevral]

How would you plan a raid on Scarif (Rouge 1 film) using Mass Effect Citadel and Babylon 5 ISA forces?

This is just the plan not an actual V's i.e not who would win.

You are a general familiar with all the tech, training etc of ME and B5 forces put in charge of a joint op with the Rebel Alliance with 6 months prep time.

The op itself is to be a relatively covert one (as covert as you can get throwing around KM long starships etc).

The aim of the raid is to get the death star plans and weakpoint. Secondary objectives is any other info preferably on shields if possible.

The Citadel will provide the bulk of ground forces while the ISA the bulk of ships, fighters etc.

Outside Citadel and ISA forces you have access to:
*2 lambda class shuttles piloted by traitorous pilots with access to Scariff
*2 imperial droids and 1 low level officer
*Cassian (rebel liason), Jyn and 20 Rebel troopers
*1 Mon Cal cruiser, 4 Nebulon B frigates and 4 CR90's

You are aware of the forces & tech protecting Scariff and that the closest reinforcements could arrivive in 4 hours of being called. However the empire has gotten word something may be up and has reinforced Scariff. An additional star destroyer and interdictor have been deployed to Scariff

What is the plan general?

 

[The Whispering Monk]

So 3 SDs and an Interdictor plus the shitload of TIEs in the shield platform?

 

[Kevral]

So 3 SDs and an Interdictor plus the shitload of TIEs in the shield platform?

Yup 😟😄

 

[The Whispering Monk]

What period of the ISA?

Are the Excalibers available?

 

[Husky_Khan]

Going to shoot from the hip here because I'm medically retarded.

Two Assumptions I have Going In:

1.I'm assuming this isn't a "I get everything I want from the ISA and/or Citadel" and it's taking place later in the franchise so there's no weird issues about what era vessels are available or if Thanix cannons are a thing or whatever. But also limited because "covert."

2. I'm pondering this with minimal or independent Rebel Alliance support even though its specified in the OP.

In ironclad Imperial Japanese Navy fashion, I will lay out the plans for every phase of the operation inflexibly and yet still give not enough detail for compromise or adaption because I'm lazy and TIME IS SHORT.

Forces to be used:

Earth Alliance Nova-class Dreadnoughts
Salarian Dreadnoughts (or failing that Cruisers): I suppose preferably Turian or Salarian or Earth designs. All of the Citadel races are militarized and have special forces but I feel the Salarians would be best, all professional and desiring to know everything about their foes and intelligence gathering and encourage the idea of pre-emptive attacks etc).
ISA Whitestars
SSV Normandy or equivalent Hero Ship

Phase One:

Citadel Dreadnoughts will arrive in system and open fire from long range, because their speciality is opening fire at long range according to the Codex with their giant spinal mounted Mass Accelerator Cannons. They can target the platform first obviously in order to whittle it down but can switch to the Imperial Star Destroyers if they move out of position. Main purpose is to draw the ISD's out of position and if failing that, attrite the orbital platform with long range fire.

Phase Two:

Salarians will transmit jump point coordinates to the Novas, preferably ON TOP of the ISD's. I would say on top of the Orbital Platform but that would be cheating. But failing that, behind and below the Imperial Star Destroyers. Nova's will have fighters already deployed. The Novas are older Earth Alliance ships so maybe covertly we can get them instead of an Earth Alliance Warlock or Omega or a Minbari Sharlin. Plus they are BRISTLING with around twenty or so plasma cannons. If the Omega is a rifle, the Nova-class is a shotgun and I want to blast those fucking Star Destroyers. Furthermore they have twenty four Starfuries or Thunderbolts on board.

They might be inferior starfighters overall (acceleration is its own maneuverability) but Starfury/Thunderbolt pilots fight in a three dimensional, no gravity type of combat and are familiar with it. And in the close quarters of this battle they will have the advantage over enemy TIE's. Furthermore Earth Alliance interception grids just seem better then turbolasers in intercepting TIE's.

In the actual Battle of Scarif it was the TIE Fighters that actually damaged the shields of the Mon Cal cruisers. Here the long range Dreadnoughts are even more vulnerable... but also more prone to death. With the Novas entangling the Star Destroyers, the Dreadnoughts can commit to destroying the Orbital Platform. But if they're not enough...

Phase Three:

ISA Whitestars and an SSV Normandy equivalent (or some other hero ship) can arrive and with their powerful main weapons, help blast apart the platform and furthermore the White Stars have veteran crews, can deploy Minbari Nial Starfighters and can maneuver in atmosphere. So the Normandy-equiv and some Whitestars can provide the close fire support while uber MAKO's are dropped unleashing bouncing ultra maneuverable death upon things. Mass Effect ground forces are pretty top notch, certainly have more showings then Minbari Rangers with fighting pikes (staffs) so Salarian STC forces can accompany the heroes into penetrating the Scarif Base proper and do their thing. Asari Commandos might be good as well though.

Phase Four:

???

Phase Five:

Victory Ceremony. I get a gold medal for surviving unlike 95% of the force in your standard successful Rebel Alliance Operation.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

Hmm...1st off here are my assets:

-Covert Mission Force
--Rebel Force inserted with the Cassian/Jin force: this force will enter like they did in Rogue 1, but with the 2nd Imperial shuttle on a second pad as an alternate escape vector.

-Space Force
--Rebel Fleet: Mon Cal cruiser, Nebulon Bs & CR-90s w/fighter squadrons
--Mass Effect Fleet: Dreadnought, Cruiser Squadron, and 2 Frigate Squadrons & the Normandy
--ISA Fleet: Neshatan Gunship (Dreadnought), 3 White Star Squadrons

-THE PLAN
Insertion Force has the task of getting inside the facility and getting the data. The big difference here is that those shuttles are big, and, since this is an allied venture, we get to add some things!
--Turian Commando Platoon led by Shepard and her team. Shepard's team will also go into the base once the attack starts to go headhunting for the command center and attempt to wreck the defenders' Command & Control.
--Minbari ground forces Assault Platoon led by some Rangers
So the 3 platoons of special forces operators get to really cause havoc! Instead of 'reported' attacks across Scariff, they will be real and vicious!

The Fleet arrives with everything but the White Star squadrons. Their initial target is the Interdictor. All long range fire goes there first till the interdiction field drops. Then the Neshatan uses it's superior drive and computers to communicate pin-point jump coordinates to the White Stars squadrons. Each one opens a jump point on top of a Star Destroyer. They're big, so they might not die, but they'll be meat for the taking at that point.

Once the heavy resistance is gone, the White Stars, Frigates and all remaining fighters go on pure anti-fighter duty while the Heavier vessels target the Shield Platform if it hasn't already gone up. Once the Shield is down, the Normandy and other escort craft will begin CAS and CAP above Scariff base.

Because it's the way these things work, the Normandy will extract the heroes from Scariff base after they get as much data as possible so they can escape once Vader's Fleet and the Death Star arrive. Escape from the system will happen as a result of the ISA ships using their Jump Drives. Can't trace me now Vader!!!

Dang...what happens to the OTL when Vader isn't able to chase Leia to Tatooine?

 

[Kevral]

What period of the ISA?

Are the Excalibers available?

This is just after Ivanovna is made captain of EAS Warlock. On the ME side this is at the start of ME 3 (reapers are butterflied away and Shepard is an active spectre)

As much as I love them no Excalibur's. Thankx is available.

 

[Husky_Khan]

It's more fun for the Nova's to open jump points because they are less precise and will likely miss.

Then after incurring unnecessary casualties in an SFX laden engagement the White Stars jump in with more precise jump point attacks.

Good point on the fleeing back into B5 Hyperspace though @The Whispering Monk

 

[The Whispering Monk]

It's more fun for the Nova's to open jump points because they are less precise and will likely miss.

Then after incurring unnecessary casualties in an SFX laden engagement the White Stars jump in with more precise jump point attacks.

Good point on the fleeing back into B5 Hyperspace though @The Whispering Monk

I have to admit my love for the Novas as well. Those things are just amazeballs!

 

[Agent23]

One big problem is we have no reliable calcs for RodentWars, because it is written by retards.

 

[Husky_Khan]

One big problem is we have no reliable calcs for RodentWars, because it is written by retards.

Fairly immaterial I feel since this OP doesn't seem to be particularly calcs based but something more thematic and holistic. If it was calcs based then its possible that the existence of the OP could be pointless depending on the calcs used.