X-WING

　OP 9: Take Out Intrepid's Escort

　File Name: std1
　Mission Briefing
　A group of corvettes and several Assault Gunboats are on their way to protect the Star Destroyer Intrepid. Your mission is to intercept and destroy the would-be escort. You will lead a three-ship flight of Y-wings in this attack. The Intrepid is more than 50 clicks away. Three Imperial corvettes are located about 8 clicks away. Each is accompanied by a group of three Assault Gunboats. An X-wing has been assigned to escort you as you make your attack.
　Farlander's After-Action Report
　It promised to be a great mission. We hyperspaced into the area - Raider, Hamo, and I - ready for action, and certain to see plenty of it. Our escort, Captain Marskan, in X-wing Blue, arrived a moment later.
　I ordered X-W Blue to wait while we built up our shields, meanwhile targeting the nearest Gunboat, Mu 3. As soon as we were fully charged, I ordered my wingmen to attack Mu 3, then ordered our escort to resume his mission.
　I felt that if we could lure some of the Imperial fighters out to fight us, away from the corvettes, we could destroy them more easily. The Empire's pilots proved quite cooperative in that regard, and, with the assistance of my wingmen, I was able to wipe them out, one group after the other.
　Finally, the three corvettes were alone, and I took up a position outside their cannon range. I cut my throttle to zero, and then switched to torpedoes, selecting the dual-fire mode.
　I targeted the middle (lead) ship of the Vic formation, and ordered my wingmen to do the same. By removing the lead ship first, the other two were left with a blind spot that had previously been covered.
　I launched as soon as I had a lock, and then targeted the next corvette and fired another pair of torpedoes at it. My wingmen had each fired two torpedoes at the first corvette, and it was soon destroyed. I then targeted the third corvette, and fired my remaining four torpedoes into it.
　I retargeted the second corvette at that point, so that I could order my wingmen to attack it. As soon as they acknowledged, I switched back to lasers and made a final attack run on the third corvette, coming in at full throttle. My wingmen finished off the last one on their own.
　X-W Blue was of little help, frequently targeting the same ship I had. This led to my being hit by his lasers several times! Since he failed to account for a single kill, I see no justification for what appeared to be a reckless disregard for our safety.
　C.O.'s Analysis
　"Captain, didn't I tell you to see the medics!"
　"Yessir. I did, sir."
　"Good."
　I noticed with relief that the commander seemed to consider the issue closed.
　Ill must say you handled yourself well in this mission. An excellent job. We've got some other suggestions for attacking corvettes, but they haven't been tested.
　"We think you might be able to concentrate on the gun emplacement on one side of a corvette. Once it was taken out, you could attack from that angle without fear of reprisal. However, our analysis also suggests that the corvette might roll before it was completely disabled, bringing you into point-blank range of the guns on the opposite side. Needless to say, you should be very careful, and stay alert, if you try this technique. Back off from the corvette when its shields go down, and finish it from a distance."
　"Again, your performance was very good. However, X-wing Blue did very poorly."
　"I don't know what got into Marskan. He's never been so erratic," I agreed.
　"This was a very difficult mission, and your success was marred by X-W Blue's performance. He arrived late, and was reckless in combat, endangering the very ships he was charged with protecting. Rest assured, he will receive an official reprimand."
　"Listen, commander... Marskan's a good pilot... I just hope he's OK."
　"I would think that you'd be pretty angry with him," said Lagrane.
　"I am," I said. "But I also know that we all make mistakes."
　Lagrane nodded, understanding me.
　Debriefing (Win Conditions)
　All three corvettes and all nine Gunboats must be destroyed.