Author Topic: Nemesis Campaign  (Read 33491 times)

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Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #45 on: April 18, 2010, 10:43:26 AM »
February 2204  part 5/ The Destruction of Ceres


February 10th  0100 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 4 light seconds from Ceres

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji moved to lock his station.  His monitor had lit up with comm uplinks from Ceres.  The colony was showing a single magnetic signature on the far side of Ceres at over 8 lights seconds.  The other sensor report couldn't be right.  Couldn't.  The Tung was too far away to resolve the contacts.  Zhu keyed the prompt for all ships to lock stations and prepare for acceleration.  The combat ships were to come about toward Ceres, while the Zhuang was to move farther out into the belt and try to disengage.  If the reports from Ceres were correct, then it would make no difference what any of them did.
   As the Tung drew closer to Ceres, the truth became horribly obvious.  The launches from the ground troops and defenses left hundreds of sensor tracks on Zhu's monitor, as did the five detonations from what had to be small alien craft being destroyed.  Next were the detonations of nuclear bombs the small ships were releasing.  Several, then dozens.  In less than a minute over one hundred detonations had rippled across the surface of Ceres.  There would be no survivors this time.  No valiant defense.  Only debris and burned wreckage.  Launches from the alien combat ships were destroying the Transfer Station in orbit of Ceres, along with two civilian cargo ships that were just now firing up their drives to try and escape.
   The alien combat ships were close enough that if the Chinese ships were to fire on the small craft, the aliens would be able to target the launch signatures.  But at this range they would find it difficult or impossible to lock onto the ships' drive or hull signatures.  There were just too many false contacts.  The aliens were not hiding their magnetic fields this time though.  It was as if they were daring anyone to attack.  How many ships would it take to launch that many small craft?  Zhu wasn't sure, but if they weren't going to rush his group, he would follow the aliens until they did.  Perhaps something could be learned of the alien fleet and its plans.  Something that could help to avenge the millions who had just died.
   

   0335 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 32 light seconds from Ceres, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 wondered if the Commander of Combat Group 3 was either very brave, or just reckless.  It was obvious that combat ships of the native race were following the forward detachment as they returned to the reserve element.  Many of the small craft had already landed on the vessels of the forward detachment, but most were still waiting to return to the pair of Hive Vessels in the reserve group.  Each Hive Vessel carried eighteen of the small craft.  Of the sixty small craft that had attacked the enemy settlement, only five had failed to return.  It had been a resounding success.  The first test of the new ships had showed that they were effective.  Now it was time to find another target.  To continue destroying this race until there was nothing left.
   But the ships that were shadowing the group concerned the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  This enemy had shown it was capable of gathering its strength for a battle, and could launch vicious ambushes here in the debris fields of this system.  They were not to be underestimated.  But the Commander of Assault Vessel 4 had decided that chasing the native vessels would only allow them to choose the location and timing of the next battle.  The enemy ships were as fast and maneuverable as any ship in the Combat Group, and they were out of range.  Chasing them would not bring them in range, and would only stress engines for no gain.  If the native race attacked, they were to be engaged and destroyed, but there would be no more pursuits.  Any battles would be fought where the Combat Group chose to move.
   This sounded good, but the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 still worried.  If they were following the group and not hiding, it was because they thought that they could fight, and possibly win.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had seen this 'backward' race destroy too many ships not to take them seriously.
   For the moment there was nothing that could be done but wait, and prepare for the next target.


   2120 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 10 light minutes from Ceres, Asteroid belt

   Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell read the transmission on his screen twice.  It would be nearly twenty minutes before the message would reach Earth, and another half hour for any response to return this distance.  With the Earth on the far side of the sun, it would simply take too long.  The decision would have to be made now.  Could the Chinese be trusted or not.  If this was a ruse, then US Task Force 3 would be leaving the belt colonies undefended.  If it was true, then the threat was too great to ignore.  Joshua didn't want to make this decision, but it had to be made now.  And there was no one else who could make it.
   The Chinese had broadcast about 15 minutes ago that they were following a group of alien ships which had destroyed Ceres. Destroyed?  A few garbled messages had been received, and it had been unusually silent.  But they could still be experiencing issues with damage on that colony, or simply cutting down emissions to make it harder for the aliens to relocate the big asteroid.  Regardless, the Chinese were now broadcasting that the alien ships had cleared the debris field and were headed in system.  The course was on a bearing that could either take them to Mars, Venus, or both.  Mars was the closest though.  With US Task Force 2 gone, it was nearly undefended.  The Mars Station was armed, but the Pan Euro Station at Mercury had also been armed - and destroyed.  Mars also had over 6 million colonist.
   There wasn't really any choice.  Joshua began to put together the message for Admiral Walters back at Earth.  Joshua hoped his only choice wasn't the wrong one.


   2200 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters read the situation reports for a second time.  It couldn't get much worse.  It was far too late to have his office crammed with staff, but it was.  They weren't making it easier to evaluate the situation.  Not that much could be done.  Just analysis and planning for the moment.
   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan was currently 30 hours out from Neptune, and the alien colony on Triton.  With luck it hadn't been reinforced and he would be able to deal with the stationary defenses.  An attack would incur losses though, and if the aliens had reinforced, Task Force 2 could be destroyed.
   Now Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell had reported that he was moving Task Force 3 out of the belt to engage a possible alien contact that the Chinese were tracking.  A contact that could be headed towards Mars.  An unconfirmed, but if real very dangerous alien contact.
   No one had any information on the current disposition of the Chinese fleet, or the status of the colony on Ceres.  What was slowly being analyzed didn't look good though.  Relays from the Pan Euro Hygeia Colony had picked up fragments of broadcasts from Ceres that had indicated the colony was under attack, but nothing since then.  Civilians under attack were a noisy bunch, and unless the communication arrays had been knocked out, it was just too quiet out there.  Unlike in peace time, no news was seldom good news during a war.
   If the aliens had a fleet that could destroy the colony on Ceres in only a few minutes, then Mars was in real danger.  And so was Task Force 3.  It didn't matter if it was aliens that destroyed Task Force 3, or the Chinese if this was some terrible ploy.  With Task Force 3 gone, the US would have no real combat forces left inside the belt.  That would change everything.
   It would be better to have as much firepower as possible to combat a sizeable alien fleet, and the Mars Space Station carried as many long range missile bays as an entire US Task Force, and more laser batteries.  It would be a valuable addition to any combat situation.  Could they permit an alien fleet that had the ability to destroy a colony of over 2 million in minutes that close to Mars?  That was the question that would need answered.
   If the Chinese were being honest, the aliens could reach Mars in 9 hours.  Task Force 3 could intercept in just under 8.  The transmission delay meant there were only six hours left to decide what to do, and where to do it.  The room quieted as Admiral Walters stood.  "I need someone to contact the Chinese Admiral out there, and find out if he knows what the hell they are following.  And then I need to know if there is ANY ship that can get there and verify if this is really happening.  And it needs to be done in the next two hours.  Does everyone understand that?"  
   The room emptied slightly as several bodies left.  Admiral Walters sat back down.  The training updates showed that Task Force 3 was one of the best groups, US or Euro, out there, but Josh was new to command.  He was sharp, but was that going to be enough?  
   In chess, the winner is the one to make the next to the last mistake.  The US couldn't afford a mistake now.

   2335 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus

   Admiral Hu locked the Flag Officer's station on the cruiser and approved the request for acceleration.  It was unfortunate and would put the Shek's refit behind schedule, but the alien ships were too close to remain at Venus.  The Shek was nowhere near combat ready, but was still capable of cruising.  They would simply have to finish the refit at Earth Station in the empty slip there.     Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji had been in constant communication with both the Venus Station and the US ships near Mars.  It would appear that the US group was going to assist the Chinese ships in an attack on the alien group, but the Euro group was not moving from Earth orbit.  The large Euro ship there would be of great assistance in the battle, but they seemed unwilling to leave their current positions.  The smaller US ships would have to do.
   The last hour had made the alien's course more definite, and the probability that they were moving toward Mars was over 90 percent. The US commander wanted to intercept the aliens several light minutes from Mars, which was understandable.  Dealing with the mass of small craft and the larger ships at the same time would be almost impossible.  Current estimates had the Tung Group and US Task Force meeting at 0540, with the engagement to occur no later than 0600.  Any alien course alterations might change that schedule, but only by a few hours.
   The problem was the size of the alien group.  The Tung had been unable to close sufficiently to resolve the individual ships without risking an engagement.  But if the reports of 60 small craft had been accurate the alien armada would be of immense size, unless they had deployed a new 'carrier' class of vessel.  The planned engagement might not be able to stop the aliens, even with the new protective fields on the Chinese ships.  If that was the case there were less than 24 hours at standard cruise between Mars and Venus.  The Shek could not be left in a vulnerable position, so it would be moved to Earth.  If the Tung Group was able to withdraw from an unfavorable engagement successfully, they would move to support the Venus Station defense.  The US would have to manage the defense of Mars on their own.
   The world turned grey and blue as the Shek's drive engaged.


February 11th  0315 hours/Interceptor JFK, 13.5 light minutes from Neptune

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan waited impatiently.  Every hour lost was another hour the aliens could improve the defenses of Triton.  Stopping Task Force 2 at this time would do nothing to affect the events elsewhere.  Jack wondered what could have inspired such an order.
   The message had come in only minutes ago, and gave no reason for the halt.  It was only a few light minutes distance to reach the rendezvous with the surviving Survey Tender and two Pan Euro Attack Escorts.  Jack could see no reason to delay the meeting, and the combined group would be better able to defend itself than they would be separate.  It was unlikely the Euro Red October would stop simply because the US group had received orders to do so.  Jack ordered the message from Earth logged and to send a request for retransmission of the orders for US Task Force 2, to confirm what they had just received.  It would take over 4 hours for the request to reach Earth, and another 4 for the retransmit to reach the JFK.  More than enough time to reach the waiting ships, and cover over one third of the remaining distance to Neptune.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #46 on: April 21, 2010, 05:42:00 AM »
February 2204  part 6/ A Clash of Arms

February 11th  0505 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon sat at her station.  The whole crew was awake, even though they were not scheduled for 'At Stations'.  Brenna figured everyone who could was listening right now.  The engagement wasn't scheduled to take place for about an hour, and it would take another 22 minutes after that for it to reach Earth.  But the world was listening - at least those who could translate the encoding.  The US and Pan Euro forces would listen to the broadcasts from Task Force 3, while the Chinese would most likely be listening to the transmissions from their ships.  
   With the attack on Mercury and destruction of the shipyards there, and the apparent destruction of Ceres, this alien group seemed to be either powerful or lucky.  No one seemed to know its exact composition.  It was a deadly enigma that was now bound for Mars.  If the alien fleet wasn't stopped it would only be a matter of time before they reached Earth.
   Brenna looked around the bridge.  The crew was clustered in threes and fours.  Talking.  Waiting.  All thinking the same thing.  Was this battle going to come to Earth?  Brenna got up from her station and walked to the group at the Comm Station.  They must have felt the magnets in her feet snapping to the decks as she approached, as they all came to attention.  With a wave and quick "As you were" she settled in among them.  For the moment she was just one more person waiting to see what card fate dealt.  And she didn't feel like waiting alone.


   0555 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 3.25 light minutes from Mars

   Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell looked over his sensor returns.  The Chinese ships were now settled into formation with Task Force 3.  The large Chinese ship was the center of the formation, with four Strike Vessels around it.  Task Force 3 had separated into two groups and taken up position on the flanks of the Chinese formation.  The aliens group had separated into two sensor returns.  The forward return had resolved into a number of ships.  A disturbing number of ships.  Two Foxtrots, two Deltas, and four Alphas were approaching at just over 2000 kilometers per second.  The second return was distant, only the magnetic signature was visible.  But the presence of more ships than what was already in front of them was at best ominous.  Realistically, it was disastrous.  Joshua had studied the engagement records, and if there was anything more than support ships in the second group, this engagement was likely doomed.  But other than the battle at Uranus, no one had ever recorded the presence of support ships with the combat ships.
   The combined US and Chinese group was passing in front of the alien group.  Several hundred years ago this would have been the ideal location. 'Crossing the T' as they called it.  Limiting the opponent to only his forward batteries while your own ships could fire full broadsides.  Now with launch bays that could deploy weapons in a nearly 360 degree arc, it was no better than any other position. The range was too great for any of the missiles to lock on, but the aliens had started accelerating.  The range would shrink now until that was no longer the case.   The Chinese vessels were beginning to accelerate, and had changed course.  Joshua keyed in for the helm to follow suit when the new course plots lit up on his monitor.  'I hope I can do as well as this crew does,' thought Josh as he keyed in to accept the new course.
   The blue halo disappeared for a second as the drive shut down and the maneuver thrusters fired.  Then the grey and blue halo reappeared as the drive kicked in.  The new course had turned them almost directly away from the aliens.  They could just track the alien contacts past the nuclear inferno of their own drive blooms.  Targeting solutions were beginning to fill Josh's monitor, but the aliens were still over a minute away from being in range at the current velocities and rates of acceleration. 'In one minute the fates of nearly six million people will be decided,' Josh thought.  'Most likely not for the better.'
   Joshua's monitor lit up with new magnetic readings.  "What the hell."  The Sensor Officer caught himself before he could say more.  Joshua checked the readouts. The contacts were to close. 'How did they get so close without us knowing?'  As he checked the bearings and signatures it became clear.  The Chinese ships were the ones that had deployed the magnetic fields.  The implication of that in the long term was almost as ominous as the alien fleet bearing down on Mars.  But for the moment it meant that six million people might have a chance of being alive tomorrow.  
   "INBOUND CONTACTS"  
   "FIRING SOLUTION PLOTTED"
   "MISSILE LAUNCH"
   Joshua watched his monitor as the crew brought the Hancock into the fight.  They were one hell of a crew.


   0558 hours/Cruiser Mao Tse Tung, 3.12 light minutes from Mars

   Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji felt the Tung shudder as the drive cut out, then flared back to life.  Damage readouts showed that the magnetic protective field generators had gone off line, and the outer plating was damaged, but the hull hadn't been breached.  The Tung had passed through four detonations with only minor hull damage.  Four impacts had nearly destroyed her in the engagement against the aliens at Ceres.  The new fields were proving their value.  But they weren't invulnerable.  The lead alien cruiser was showing that.  The first volley of missiles had collapsed the field surrounding the alien ship and caused it to shut down its drives and vent in response to the damage.  When the drive had come back online the bloom had lost almost two thirds of its thermal signature.  The alien ship was losing speed.
   The Tung lurched again as another alien inbound detonated to close.  Damage reports lit up Zhu's console.  An auxiliary missile storage and the external sensor array had been damaged.  The internal system was still up, but fire control would be degraded.  One of the short range launch bays had also taken damage, but at this range those missiles were all but worthless.  The four long range bays and all particle accelerators for the drive were still online.  'Five impacts and we are still in this fight.'
   The sensor readings showed a large detonation nearly 4.5 light seconds away as the lead alien cruiser lost containment on the drive or some internal reactor.  One of the mid sized ships had also lost its magnetic field and its drive never restarted after shutting down.  'The aliens won't find this quite as easy as they had hoped.'
   Zhu watched as the third volleys crossed in space between the fleets.  The aliens had changed their targeting.  As one of the smaller US ships and then one of their Interceptors broke apart under the detonation of alien weapons, Zhu wondered if the US ships would break off and disengage.  But as the moments ticked by the US ships were actually coming about and racing toward the alien group.  Brave, if perhaps foolish, mused Zhu.
   Returns showed another of the alien ships had been unable to restart its drive after several intercepts.  It was one of the smaller alien ships, but it was one less to deal with now.  The aliens were suffering in this exchange.  As Zhu watched he realized that both of the coasting alien ships were launching.  'Their weapon bays must be hardened to survive for this long.'
   The Tung lurched again as the next wave of alien missile detonated.   As the drive restarted warnings flashed on Zhu's screen that nearly two thirds of the Tung's particle accelerators were off line - she was slowing.  Readouts showed that all of the short range launch bays were off line and one of the four long range bays was damaged.  'We've taken six hits and survived, but we can't do this much longer' he thought.  We aren't going to be able to get away either.  The sensors were showing that one more of the US Interceptors had exploded as its drive shield failed.  They also showed that another of the small alien ships had been damaged enough it had failed to restart its drive.  For a moment three alien ships were coasting through space, until a US missile destroyed one of the smaller contacts. 'Just two floating targets now.'
   Zhu transmitted the orders for the Missile Frigates to maintain their current speed as the Tung fell out of formation.
   A moment later a two kilo chunk of metallic hydrogen struck the Tung's drive shield and the ship disappeared in an enormous flare.


   0600 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock 3 light minutes from Mars

   Joshua was amazed at the crews of the US ships.  Amazed and proud.  They were taking it to the alien ships, without the magnetic shielding the heavy Chinese ships had.  Josh watched the sensor track as the missile from the Hancock intercepted and destroyed one of the drifting Alphas, and then saw that the laser battery had actually forced the alien Foxtrot to stutter its drives to vent away shattered plating as the beam shattered the ship's outer skin.  The Adams had also managed to scorch the large ship, even as one of the missiles from a nearby Delta had ripped into the Adams hull.  The targeting computers had never been designed to plot multiple target solutions simultaneously.  Somehow the crew was managing to get more out the Hancock than had ever been intended.
   The Hancock staggered as the drive cut out and then restarted.  'Where did that come from?'  Then Josh saw it.  The rear alien contact had closed and two more Alphas were launching on the US ships.  The Interceptors had gotten around the big alien vessels so that they would be unable to use the mass drivers they carried, but the two Alphas in the rear had closed and begun to launch.  Two other ships were with the Alphas.  Smaller, and not cataloged.  Not launching.  Joshua saw that the Sensor Conn had already logged the contacts and transmitted initial readings towards Mars.
   Then the sensors showed that the Adams had been hit by a second launch from an Alpha and been destroyed.  The Alpha was breaking away from the Foxtrot and trying to move behind the Hancock.  It was too late to do anything about that now.  Firing solutions were already locked in on the Foxtrot.  The ship lurched slightly as the drive cut out to allow missile deployment and the laser output coupler to line up on the big alien ship.

   0601 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 2.97 light minutes from Mars

   The Commander or Patrol Vessel 17 strained at the fields on his station.  The crew was doing all they could to bring the ship in line but it was too late.  The Commander could feel through the sensors as Assault Vessel 6 was damaged by the enemy weapons.  One detonated against the magnetic fields, while the other seemed to be able to pass right through them and shattered more of the ships hull.  A torpedo left the launch bay of Patrol Vessel 17 moments later and the Commander noted with satisfaction as the weapon shattered the enemy ship's hull, destroying it.
   Three of the unshielded enemy ships had been hit or destroyed by Patrol Vessel 17's torpedoes in this engagement.  The Commander would congratulate the crew later, if they survived.  The large enemy ships had deployed protective magnetic fields also.  How could they have managed to come up with them so quickly?  It was simply unthinkable that they could copy and adapt so rapidly.  The enemy Assault Vessel had been destroyed, but the other four smaller enemy ships still had protective fields up.
   The last of the unshielded enemy ships had been destroyed, it was only the four shielded vessels left.  But every launch from them was 12 weapons, and they had stayed distant enough that the Assault Vessels and Combat Vessels had been unable to employ their mass drivers.  Only five torpedoes were being launched for every 12 of the enemy's weapons.  The Commander followed the torpedo from Patrol Vessel 17 as it raced across the gap between the two fleets, and sensed the native ship lose the protective field as the torpedo intercepted the ship.  As the next torpedo deployed, the Commander tensed as the Assault Vessel was struck by one enemy weapon after another.  The protective field collapsed under the onslaught, and the ship vented again and again as it tried to clear the debris and damage from its hull.  The Commander's hopes fell as the great ship's drive never re-engaged.  It hadn't been destroyed, but the next wave of 12 weapons was already inbound.  It would never survive another intercept.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 noted the message from the Commander of Combat Vessel 6 as the larger ship passed overall Command of the Combat Group to him.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 hated to do it, but the group would never be able to reach the nearby planet without being destroyed.  The Hive Vessels were still intact, and the Combat Group would find another way to destroy the native race.  There was nothing to be gained here anymore.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 ordered the surviving elements of Combat Group 3 to reverse course and disengage from the enemy.
   As Patrol Vessel 17 changed course, the Commander noted that the enemy ships were not changing course to pursue.  The one that had lost its protective fields was showing signs that it had been damaged.  Perhaps the last torpedo from Patrol Vessel 17 had also found its target.  The Commander decided that later the records would have to be analyzed for that little bit of information.
   It had been a horrible day for Combat Group 3.  It had lost both Assault Vessels, one of the two Combat Vessels, and three of the six Patrol Vessels.  But it still had both Hive Vessels, and one enemy colony had been destroyed while another was in ruins.  The enemy now knew how to create the protective fields, but did not seem to have them on all of their ships.  The Combat Group would have to strike again before the native race could correct that situation.   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 vowed to himself that the two bombed colonies would not be the only losses to the enemy's homes that Combat Group 3 would inflict before they returned to base.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #47 on: April 22, 2010, 05:32:30 AM »
February 2204 part 7

February 11th  1345 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October

   Captain Robert McNeely looked at the message from the US Rear Admiral again.  It wasn't an order.  Not at all.  It had just been a message to inform the Pan Euro ships of what had happened, and what was going to happen.

   ATTN:  REAR ADMIRAL J RYAN / UNITED STATES TASK FORCE 2
   FOLLOWING DESTRUCTION OF US TASK FORCE 3, US TASK FORCE 2
   AND ALL OTHER US ASSETS ARE ORDERED TO RETURN BY MOST
   DIRECT ROUTE WITHOUT DELAY TO MARS FOR COLONY DEFENSE.  
   AKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF MESSAGE.
   FORWARD TO PAN EURO ELEMENTS R OCTOBER, R PIERCE,
   MARY QoS.
   ADMIRAL W BRADLEY

   Bob was sure the message had likely been abbreviated for transmission to the Pan Euro ships, but it wouldn't make any difference.  Without the US ships there was nothing the Red October and two Attack Escorts could do against the alien defenses near Triton.  The US Survey Tender and all of the supplies would also be returning to Mars so remaining was pointless.  The group was now less than one days travel from Neptune, but it would make no difference.  The alien colony was as safe as if the ships had never made the journey at all.
   "Comm, request course plots for return to Mars from US Interceptor Hancock.  Looks like we are going home again."


   2215 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the reports.  One of them kept drawing his attention, but for once he didn't know exactly what to do about it.  Doing nothing for the moment seemed to be the best plan.  The two Missile Escorts of Task Force 2 hadn't gone beyond the belt, but they had now turned up conducting humanitarian operations in support of the surviving population on Mercury.  Pan European population.  The fact that the FSC Mary Reed was with them only complicated matters more.
   In fact they had successfully transported 15000 stranded colonists out of the wreckage and were currently returning for more.  Those Missile Escorts should be at Mars providing additional defensive firepower to the colony there.  But the public acknowledgement of the effort to save the Pan Euro colonists was gathering a great deal of publicity and public support.  The fact that the only off world US shipyards were at Mars seems to have escaped the publics' notice.
   The Missile Escorts had proved to be terribly vulnerable to the alien weapons, and perhaps their contribution to the defense of Mars was much less than the contribution to the morale of the people on Earth.  The Pan Euro was already sinking into a recession, and morale was sinking just as quickly.  The loss of two out of three US Task Forces wasn't likely to help morale on the home front.  Perhaps the little ships should be allowed to continue their 'humanitarian' mission for the moment.  Staving off the hopelessness he saw in his staff daily would be more valuable than two more ships at Mars.  
   Bradley shut down his monitor and decided that it was late enough to get some rest.  Tomorrow would bring more pressing problems than the whereabouts of a pair of Missile Escorts.  'Why shouldn't it, every other day this month has.' he thought to himself as he left the office.


February 13th  1750 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 2 light minutes from Mercury

   Commander Justin Reynolds checked his monitor again.  Four hours ago they had been in orbit of Mercury.  The FSC Freighter Mary Reed had managed to fit another 15000 refugees from the stricken planet in her hold.  This was the third time the ships had managed the journey.  Now it would be their last.
   The radio traffic had been brief, only a few minutes, but there had been no doubt of what had happened.  The aliens had returned to Mercury.  If there were any survivors, they were unable to send any sort of signal.  But there wouldn't be survivors.  Not this time.
   It was also obvious that the aliens hadn't been driven off.  Hurt, but not beaten.  And now nearby.  Only four hours ago the Falcon had been at Mercury.  Four hours that separated the alien ships from the rag tag US/FSC group.
   Justin checked the sensors again.  The refugees on the Mary Reed had only narrowly escaped death just now.  Justin hoped their luck would hold out just a little longer.  Maybe they would all make it home.


February 14th  0800 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir looked out the viewing port at the giant Chinese ship in the dock of the station in orbit below.  Right now the Chinese ship was nearly helpless, with the bulk of her plating removed and many of her internal systems scattered about in orbit beside the slip.  In a month though, that ship would likely be more powerful than the entire Pan Euro Fleet.  Perhaps the combined Euro/US Fleets.  The possession of the magnetic fields by Chinese ships changed the balance of power in a significant way.  Possibly world changing.
   'If we were to strike now, we could destroy the ship before it was operational.  But that could easily doom the human race as the Chinese possession of protective field technology was what most likely saved the Earth only a few days ago from the aliens.' Jude thought.
   'We need everything we can get against the aliens.  The failure of Pan Euro and US ships to inflict any damage on the alien colony at Triton shows that the current designs are inadequate.  The Chinese ships could easily have fought to a different conclusion out at Neptune.  The Earth will need those ships in the months to come.  The Pan Euro and US Fleets are spent, and won't be able to carry the fight to the aliens for months.  We don't have months.  We might not have weeks.'
   Jude remembered the last brief transmissions from Mercury.  'Perhaps we don't have long at all.'


February 16th  1205 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 pondered the display of the inner portion of this system.  The destruction of the survivors on the innermost planet had been satisfying, but not of any great value.  The enemy colony had already been in ruins, and was left unguarded.  The native race was obviously placing their assets to guard the most valuable colonies.  And the planet Combat Group 3 had failed to reach had displayed the most formidable defenses of any planet so far.  Defenses that indicated it was a worthwhile target.
   But to continue rapid attacks would only exhaust the crew and leave the native race wary and always on alert.  The debris fields seemed an appropriate place to rest and perform routine maintenance on the ships.  Soon enough they would turn toward the fourth planet of this system, and this time they would reach it.  But for now, rest.

February 20th  0245 hours/Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock, 24 light minutes from Mars

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked over the screen.  It showed that less than 24 hours now remained before the group would reach Mars.  No more human colonies had been attacked, and perhaps the aliens had left the inner system to resupply or regroup.  Regardless, they were returning to Mars, Fleet Base for Task Force 2.  It had been home for some time now and Jack was actually looking forward to getting off the Hancock.  Perhaps he would be able to manage another visit to his daughter.  If not at least hearing from her would help.  Knowing that she was alive and safe made the days a little easier.
   Just another day left and they would be home.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #48 on: April 23, 2010, 05:28:51 AM »
February 2204  part 8 / Whatever the cost

February 22nd  1410 hours/Interceptor MkIIa JFK, 1light second from Mars

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan pushed off from the sensor console hard and flew toward his station.  In micro G it was faster to push, or in this case hurl yourself to your station.  The Sensor Officer had reported intermittent faint contacts, and Jack had gone to make sure the array wasn't shorting or damaged and creating sensor ghosts.  When the mass of small craft had appeared, along with magnetic contacts farther out, Jack knew it wasn't ghosts.  And it wasn't good.
   Jack locked himself into his station as the crew sprang to life throughout the bridge.  The Sensor Officer had already broadcast for lock stations/battle stations.  Jack's monitor flashed to life as he finished locking himself down.  It always seemed unusual to get ready for a fight by making anything but the smallest finger movements impossible.  A power-armored trooper or cyborg soldier would have greater overall strength, but nothing matched the power/hydraulics/composites applied to Space Model Cyborg's fingers.  They were designed to maintain control of the ship's systems even under stresses or 1000 G's.  A power-armored trooper may be able to pick up the front end of a tank, but Jack knew his fingers would be able to dig divots into its armor.
   Jack took in the sensor returns.  They were coming in at over 4000 kilometers per second.  This always seemed to be the aliens' initial engagement velocity.  The Interceptors could easily reach them long before the alien ships got to Mars, but they would be unsupported by the Mars Station's weapons at that point.  Of course if they stayed closer to Mars, they would have to give up accelerating - and the aliens would be in range to launch on the colony.  Except the aliens had never seemed to directly attack a colony.  Jack plotted a course and quickly transmitted it to the rest of the Interceptors, and then used the Mars Station to relay the course to the Pan Euro ships parked on the far side of Mars.  The Red October and the two Pan Euro Attack Escorts had stayed at Mars while Task Force 2 waited for the little Missile Escorts to come home.  As much as he loved the crews of his own Missile Escorts, Jack was glad to have the larger Euro ships right now.  Especially with what the sensors were showing.
   The sensor returns had resolved.  'The forward group is composed of.... oh mother of god 48 small craft.'  The more distant return was one Delta and three Alphas.  'That second group we have a chance against.  How are we ever going to hit that many small targets and still shoot at the big ships?!!'  Jack thought.  The JFK was already coming about and looping away from the alien ships.  Jack hoped they thought that his group was retreating.  He doubted it.  By looping away and then back he could come up to combat speed and still not pull away from the Mars Station.  With that many alien ships, they would need all of the station's launch bays and laser batteries.
   As the Interceptors pulled out and away from Mars, the sensors picked up the Euro ships mirroring them.  The two groups would meet by the planet just as the aliens drew in range - if all went according to plan.  The sensors picked up a pair of contacts lifting off from the surface of Mars.  The Survey Tender and Pan Euro Mobile Repair Ship were both using the planet to shield them from the aliens as they began to accelerate away. 'Why didn't I think of that' Jack wondered.
   The JFK was coming around toward the planet now.  The laser batteries on the Station were already firing on the small craft as they reached 2 light seconds from the planet.  A pair of small detonations as the alien craft passed through the invisible pulses were the only warning the aliens would have had that the station was firing. Moments after the detonations, the small craft began accelerating.  Readings of nearly 7000 kilometers a second began to appear.  Jack decided the small ships were either far more advanced than anything the US possessed or were pushing their drives to the limit.  
   The Pan Euro ships had pulled slightly ahead of the US Interceptors Jack noticed as he saw launch indicators spring up on his display around the Red October.  The Mary Queen of Scots and Rachel Pierce were also launching.  Then the alien launch signatures began to light up Jack's monitor.  The US ships were still out of range, but their laser batteries could easily begin firing on the approaching small craft.  The JFK stuttered her drives as the laser couplers aligned and discharged, as did the rest of the Interceptors, but only one alien ship broke up.  Then another as the station discharged its batteries.  'Its not going to be enough.  We aren't destroying them fast enough.'  The sensor returns showed that the small ships would reach Mars in a little over one minute.  Far to quickly.
   Jack checked the sensor returns as the alien weapons approached.  It was now obvious they were homing in on the Pan Euro ships.  The four detonations were followed by the Red October shutting down her drives and venting damaged plating, but her drive restarted moments later and a second launch left the Euro ship's two bays.
   The next few moments became a blur of action.  Firing solutions lit up the monitor as the enemy vessels came in range of the JFK's missiles. Detonations lit up around the alien Delta as Pan Euro and US missiles strained to make intercept, and the large alien ship's protective field failed. Then it began to slow as its drive bloom lost strength.  An outer module on the Mars station blew apart without warning and began to spin away out of orbit.  No warning whatsoever - damned alien mass drivers.  Small alien bombers shattered as lasers found their targets.  The Red October began to vent again as alien missiles detonated along her path.  When the big Euro ship restarted its drive it had also lost much of its strength.
   Jack tried to sort through the information splashing across his monitor, appearing and scrolling away.  Changing. Flashing.  It was almost impossible.  But the crew kept on fighting, each doing their jobs as Jack watched.  The Red October was coming hard about, probably trying to put Mars between her and the aliens.  She was still launching from both of her missile bays, but must be damaged badly to try and withdraw now.  The Pan Euro Attack Escorts were both falling into formation with the Interceptors though.  And then the Franklin disappeared as an alien missile detonated far too close for any ship to survive, and the Eisenhower began stuttering her drive and venting to clear damage she had sustained.  But the alien and US ships had been rushing together.  An alien alpha began to vent as the Truman passed by and discharged its laser.  Another vented as the JFK's laser shattered the outer plating from its hull.  Sensors also showed that Mars was launching everything it had from the surface defense batteries as the alien bombers descended toward the planet.
   Then the detonations began to ripple across the surface of Mars. Points of light and swirls of dust.  The Mars Station was firing on the small craft with everything it had.  There were only 20 or so small craft left but they continued to bank across the surface - hunting for habitats to destroy.  Then Jack's attention was drawn away from the planet as the sensor returns recorded the destruction of the alien Delta as its drive shield failed.
   The Alphas were beginning a high-speed bank to disengage and Jack seized the chance to try and assist the planet.  The Eisenhower broke into thousands of pieces as an alien missile managed to find the US ship.  The JFK's laser tore into the alpha it had already damaged as the aliens pulled away.
   The next few minutes were spent firing on the small craft as the alien ships accelerated away and disengaged.  The small alien bombers tried to scatter, but to no avail.  Lasers and missiles found them one after another as they tried to pull away from the planet.  Jack knew that they would have hunted them down, even without the desperate calls of the civilians below - crying out for help as their life support and homes failed from the damage the aliens had done.
   Jack looked at the status reports as they updated on his monitor.  Only two of the Interceptors had been destroyed.  The Red October was damaged, but still operational.  The colonies had been savagely attacked, but it looked as if over two thirds of the habitats had survived undamaged.  But the destruction of the Eisenhower and Franklin was half of the US Interceptors at the moment.  And the aliens would be back.  They would know they hadn't finished the job, and they would return.
   Jack unlocked his station and thought for a moment.  'Is there any hope for my little girl?'  He looked at the visual pick up and watched smoke drifting across the surface of the red planet below.  'Is this all that we have waiting for us.'

February 24th  0400 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan tried to relax.  For the last two nights she couldn't sleep.  To many nightmares. She know her dad was alive.  The aliens hadn't killed him.  But it didn't happen that way in her dreams.
   She looked over the reports on her console.  She was getting a little bleary eyed, but really didn't want to lie back down.  It was just easier to try and get ready for the morning briefing for the Admiral.  He had been in a terrible mood.  At least she had some good news.  The techs on the ground finally had a successful test of a full-scale magnetic field generator.  Granted everyone in orbit would have been able to see it on their sensors, but at least it had been successful.  It would be better if there were more ships to fit them onto when production started, but at least the ships they had left should be able to deploy the system in the coming weeks.
   The test had also been very informative.  It had generated a wealth of data on the system and on magnetic fields in general.  Meagan had been working on some of the corollaries herself for the last few hours.  It seemed the alien ships had slight variations in their magnetic signatures that were almost like fingerprints.  You could track an individual ship by the perturbations of its field.  It wouldn't be useful in combat as it took to long, and was impossible at longer ranges, but could possibly identify something useful on the alien's deployment.
   The data on every engagement was available to Meagan on her databases, and the crunching of the data would be done soon.  As the results began to list out, Meagan began to feel a cold chill creep through her.  Her nightmares weren't going to get any better.  Not now.
   She hadn't woken up the Admiral in months, but she keyed open the comm to his office.  He needed to see this.

   0445 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked at the data.  "Your sure this is accurate."  The pale girl with dark circles wearing into her face just nodded back at him.  She hadn't even gotten into her full uniform.  She thought this was real.    That meant there was every chance that it was.
   She had been to trying to analyze alien ship signatures, and see if she could find out something about alien ship dispositions and deployments.  She had only a small amount of success in that.  But she had managed to find something else.  Something very disturbing.
   The article of interest was a return designated contact two, as it had been the second recorded contact of the aliens made.  The first had been the fleeting sensor data gained by the Outreach.  This 'Contact Two' kept turning up.  Over.  And over.  It had been at almost every engagement that had been recorded.  
   It had been part of those responsible for the initial attack on Mercury and in the later destruction of the station and colony there.  It had been at Uranus and destroyed ships there.  It had been at Jupiter, and in the belt, and at Mars.  Engagement records showed it had destroyed 7 US and Euro ships and damaged at least four others.  No other alien ship even came close to that total.  This was the alien's Red Baron.  And as long as it was out there, well... they couldn't let that happen.
   "The Chinese aren't exactly on friendly terms, but they might want to know about this.  If this alien ship has destroyed 7 of ours, they have probably lost some to it also."  Bradley looked up and saw Meagan nod in agreement.
   "This ship needs to be destroyed.  Whatever the cost."
   Bradley couldn't have believed that the girl in front of him could have turned whiter.  He was wrong.
   He knew what she was thinking, and what that cost would be.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #49 on: April 27, 2010, 12:17:18 AM »
February 2204 part 9/And the pieces move into place

February 27th  0255 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon stood and looked up at the stars.  A vast gulf of them all around her.  She looked aft and could see the engineering crews doing their regular checks on the hull and drive shield.  Walking along the smooth skin of 'Anna and calibrating the sensor array pick-ups.  It was a privilege of rank to be able to come out here on the hull.  So long as you stayed on the dark side of the hull or the backside of a planet it was no different than the hard vacuum of the cabin.  But inside 'Anna, the walls could begin to feel like a prison.  It already felt as if her soul was locked in the body she now wore, with no way out.  Out here she felt less trapped.
   The devastation on Mars was just beginning to be grasped.  Over two million died in the attacks.  More would die in the days to come.  It never seemed to end.  Pallas.  Mercury.  Ceres.  And now Mars.  "How will it end?"  She looked at the millions of lights surrounding her.  "Will this be the site of our last stand?  The end of the long years I've seen?"
   "I love to look at this.  How many times do I have left?"
   She looked at the great gulf below her, falling away to the blue green planet below.
   "Are we worth saving?"


   0800 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Earth orbit

   Admiral Hu sat and looked at the console.  The Shek was nearly ready.  Only a few hours left and she would clear the dock.  And he would go with her.  Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji was gone, and there were no other Fleet Officers to take command.  The Cruiser would be his.
   The US had sent data that had indicated one of the alien ships was beginning to become the main threat.  Chinese analysts had looked over the data but were unable to correlate it with the combat records.  The belt had made it almost impossible to get clear readings of the ships or of which one launched what weapon.  They may have lost ships to this alien vessel, but there was no way to tell.  But it was a small ship, no threat to the Chinese group.
   What was important was the data the Pan Euro had sent.  The source was unclear, but the data was crystal clear.  An alien colony had been identified on Triton near Neptune.  The US and Euro had failed to destroy it, and lost several ships in the attempt.  Their losses weren't important.  The target was.  The aliens would find this Cruiser much more difficult to stop than the fragile ships of the other nations.  
   The scientist had come up with a way to bleed off the feed back from impacts with the protective fields into a magnetic loop capacitor.  The fields would no longer burn out the generator and need repaired at a shipyard.  They would be reset within an hour or two by simply replacing the capacitors when they burned out.  Much like a fuse burning out and being replaced.
   'Revenge is a dish best served cold it is said, and they have picked a very cold home.'


February 28th  0415 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 checked on the status of the transmission to the elders.  The attack on the enemy colony had inflicted damage on the habitats there, but had failed to destroy it.  The last Combat Vessel had been destroyed.   Patrol Vessels 19 and 12 had sustained damage to the outer plating.  And only one of the scout craft had managed to find its way home to the hive ships.
   Repairs were being made to the damaged vessels, and new scout craft would have to be sent.  The four Patrol Vessels would remain here in the debris belt of this system while preparations were made for the next attack on the enemy home.  The Commander intended to stay here and continue attacks on the native race.  Patrol Vessels 17 and 13 would be able to make harassing attacks to keep the enemy tied down here by their homes, and unable to attack New Home 3.
   All of their race would know of the feats this Combat Group had attained.  And of the destruction Patrol Vessel 17 had unleashed upon this enemy.  But now he was no longer just the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17.  He would be the Commander of all Vessels that would come to the inner part of this system.  And the Commander intended to see this enemy race destroyed.


///////////////////////////////
Overview part 1
Yes, I am going to need more than one part to take a good look at what happened in this month, but here it goes.

First the tale of the tape.  It was a bad month for humanity.  
Really bad for the Euro.  
Horrible for the US.  
The FSC already has it so bad it was hard to get worse.

Worst news first.
The US started the month with 12 Interceptor MkIIa's and 6 Missile Escorts in three battle groups.
The US finished the month with 2 Interceptors, and 2 Missile Escorts.
The Mars Station also lost one of its Military Modules.
That was 80 percent of the US fleet in combat HS's.  Ouch.
Add to that the loss of two admirals.  
They also managed to lose 43 PU on Mars in the attack at the end of the month.
Double Ouch.
You don't really want to know what someone's mood was like that month.

The Pan Euro started with 2 Queen Class Destroyers, 2 Heavy Escorts, 8 Attack Escorts, and the Red October.
They finished it with 1 Destroyer, 1 Heavy Escort, 6 Attack Escorts, and the Red October badly damaged.
They also lost the Mercury Space Station, with its six military modules and 2 shipyards.
This amounted to over 50 percent of their combat HS's and half of their construction capability.
They also lost an admiral.  And 22.3 PU on Mercury.
Her mood wasn't much better.  Wonder why?....

China lost one Cruiser.  Less than 20 percent of their combat HS's.
The loss of the admiral hurt more.  It forced him to put his only other one into danger.
The loss of 41.5 PU at Ceres was the worst.
China was now the most powerful military for Earth.  
They had nearly as many combat HS as the Euro and US put together.

The FSC didn't lose anything, which was good as they only had one ship left.
With their only population on Earth, if they had lost any this would have likely been the game's last month.


The good news for Earth, although they didn't know it...
This month destroyed just over 60 percent of the Nemotian's mobile combat HS's.

Murphy's combat law says that when both sides think they are about to lose, they are both right.
This was that month.

The other interesting part concerns Patrol Vessel 17.  
This is a danger of paper and pencil games with the dice out for everyone to see.  
The early attack moved Patrol Vessel 17 up to elite.  When the Patrol ships only have one shot, and no datalink, it is pretty easy to figure out which one is hitting on numbers it ' shouldn't ' at a given range.  When it started racking up the kills they decided that they were going to hunt it down.  I heard it muttered often that they needed to take that ship out.

They also mentioned to the middle boy (China) that if he wanted payback for Ceres, that Neptune was the place to go.

The next post will go over the battles and economics to a degree.  If you've got a question, just drop it on the comments.  This was a complicated month.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #50 on: April 27, 2010, 12:19:25 AM »
February 2204 part 10

//////////////////////////////
Overview part 2

For the economics

Pan Euro
   The recession was still in effect for the Euro, so she decided to mothball her survey ships to try and offset the costs.  She also sank a fair portion of her income into IU's to try and make up the continuing shortfall.  She continued with a trickle of colonization out to the belt, but began to regret it as the turn went on as she was sure they were just going to become targets as time went on. The Euro progressed to just needing one success left for her shield research before she had the system, and the promise from the US to provide a tech copy was going to help that in March.
   The big hit for her, although it would take time to be felt, was the loss of the shipyards at Mercury.  This would put a crimp on her ability to both refit existing ships while building new ships to replace losses.  The Euro's two Mobile Repair ships with the SYM's would actually become a vital piece of her construction assets for the year or so to come. The time it would take to build a new shipyard - and the shipyard that would become unavailable during that time while it worked on the construction, just couldn't be spared under the circumstances.  She could have used ground construction, but the cost during her current finacial straights was just untenable.

US
   The US economically had an ok sort of month.  They piled all the money they could into developing shields, and made their last roll this month easily.  They also quietly started working on the breakthru for datalink - but wasn't so lucky with his roll.  He also managed to miss his roll for EL2 which miffed him somewhat.
   He continued a small investment in IU's, and shut down colonization to Mars.  Whether it was a good guess at the next target or just dumb luck, he quit investing in that right before it got hit.  The damage to Mars was substantial, and coming right as he was looking for the PU increase due to a jump in EL hurt even worse.  Each PU lost was lost growth when he made his roll.
   The damage to the SS at Mars did not damage the core, so he retained all three of his SY, which was good.  He had a LOT of rebuilding to do after this month.  But he was also planning on introducing a new model of Interceptor, so it hurt to lose so many ships but did free up the maintenance for new construction.  He grumbled a lot, but was planning just as much.

China
   This month saw the complete transformation of China from the whipping boy of the other powers at the beginning of the game to the most powerful of the players bar none.  The loss of Ceres hurt, but he had been anticipating it and pouring money into IU at a rate greater than the Euro and US combined.  The loss of Ceres hurt, but the IU bought in February offset nearly one third of the loss.  He also managed to get the success on S regenerating every hour roll this month, after mildly accelerating the research over the last few months.
   Possibly the most game altering event was his rapid and extensive refits over the last two month.  China's FG's now packed as many shields as a Nemotion Assault Vessel (Light Cruiser), and the Tung and Shek would pack almost twice that number.  The Shek's conversion to a pure long range weapon platform put as many R's on it as an entire US Task Force.  His greatest weakness was his limited strategic flexiblity.  He had immense power concentrated in just a few ships (a habit he keeps to this day). He has a big hammer to hit with, but can only drag it to one place at a time.  He understood that he probably had enough ships to pound Triton to rubble, but would have to leave everything unguarded at home if he did.
   He was beginning understand (and discuss with the SM) that he would need the other players to guard his assets while he went of and fought the war.  And that they would have to trust each other for that to happen.

South Seas Free Space Consortium (FSC)
   The oldest girl pretty much had to sit back and hope for the best this month.  Her only ship wasn't fit for the combat going on, and she wasn't in a position to risk it.  So she used it to try and garner a little good will from the other players by taking on the missions they didn't have the assets to cover.  Even if it was a slight risk.  Her mission to Mercury (with US support) managed to rescue 0.9 PTU's for the Euro.  Not a lot, but with the Euro already hurting for cash, it was appreciated. With the FSC supplying the FT support, and loaning her mom (the Euro) the cash for CFN H shortfall, all the Euro had to come up with was the emplacement cost to drop the rescued PTU's into her AB colonies.
   The oldest girl was able to use this to gain a claim to the AB for emplacement of her own colonies (which she had already started - she just failed to mention that),  and emplaced another of her own PTU's to the AB and emplaced a few more IU's on Earth. She also managed to scrape together the funds to begin her last research project on shields. Her growth was slow at this point  compared to the other player, but it was the turning point for the FSC.  Over the coming year, she would find her niche in this game.

Nemotians
   Economically the Nemotians were continuing to grow.  Their war effort took a pounding this month at the hands of the players, but they were a long ways from beaten.  The survival of Triton not only allowed them to keep the income for another month, but allowed the growth off of it as the Nemotions grow by 2% every 5 turns.  To give a little idea of how the Nemotians work, I combined several attributes of both the Ice Life and a Hive Mind with the Colonization random event.  They grow fairly quickly and can ship PTU in much less Qv and H. They can only colonize O1 moons as benign - to me the enviromental difference between Triton and Neptune are WAY to vast for anything to consider both environments as benign.  They also research slowly, although not as slowly as a true hive mind.  I decided that would be unbalanced due to the severely limited PU caps on their worlds set by Ice Life - they get precious few SA and RDS.  Slow it more and there would be no point to even trying to research. I also allowed them some individuality (as per the story) and gave the ships grades as opposed to straight average for all of them.  If would have been too easy for the player to figure out just what they were facing if I didn't mix things up a little.  I wanted them to work for the victrory, as what is gained easily is oft taken for granted.  The players don't spend much time discussing the 'gimme's' of the game, but the hard fought battles that were nearly lost seem to inspire discussion years later.
   What was hurting the Nemotians  was their dwindling saving.  With limited PU available, and maxed out IU (I allowed them to place IU on any pop over 60 as they maxed at 180 for the moment), and FT's actually losing you money with the math we used for our systems, the Nemotians earned over 20% of their income (early on it was over 35 to 40%) from interest on Treasury.  That treasury was dwindling and with it their sustainable income.  They still maintained a treasury of over 11000 MC, but with only 3 SY for building warships and no investment opportunities, it wasn't hard to see that the writing was on the wall for the Nemotians.  Unless the players made some big mistakes.

On a side note, Patrol Vessel 17's move to Elite began to change the players tactics in the coming months.  They realized that the little ships packed just as much firepower as the DD's at long range (both carried only a single Pt), and that some of those little ships were surviving long enough to get better at using that weapon.  They didn't like that idea much.


And now for the ship lists for the battles....

First Battle of Neptune

US Task Force 2
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Matthew Thomas / LG +0

Interceptor MkIIa A. Lincoln (BG+1) , T. Roosevelt , S. Grant (BG-1) , J. Davis (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Escort Hawk , Eagle
Class:  EX      7HS
[2] A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]
(by now simply called trash cans with firepower)

Survey Tender 1
Class:  FT0      5HS
[2] H (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Pan Euro 1st Battle Group
Admiral:  Vice Admiral Elizabeth Avery / LG +0

Queen Elizabeth (BG+1)
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] A A A A A A A Hs Qa Mgs (Cp) (Cp) Qa Ra Ra Ya Ra Ra (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Heavy Escort Anastasia (BG+1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] A A A Hs Mgs Qa Ra Ra Ya (cpCp) [6/1] cg x1

Attack Escorts Cynthia , Suzette (BG-1) , Mary Queen of Scots (BG+1), Rachel Pierce
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Nemotian Defense Fleet 2
Admiral:  LG +0

Assault Vessel 5
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessel 2
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 4 , 5
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Defense Base Mk I  (x1)
Class:  BS1      30HS
  • S S S S A A A H Qa Mg Qa Ya Kb Pta Kb

Note: Kb's are turret mounted on a BS1 so 360 degree fire.

Defense Base Mk 0  (x2)
Class:  BS0      15HS
  • S S S A A H Qa Mg Ya Pta


New Home 3 Shipyards (BG-1)
Class:  SS      82HS
  • H Qa (SY2)


New Home 3 Support Station (BG-2/CFN Terminal)
Class:  SS
  • (H H Qv) x60 (Bsa) (Bsa) (TCF) H Qa
  • gtos x2

(for those who like shooting civilian assets)

Mobile Repair Ships 3 ( 9 , 10 in mothballs in Triton orbit)
[2] H Qa (Cp) (Cp) (Cp) (SYM2) [6/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Support Vessels (BG-2)  (x2)
Class:  FT 2      16HS
[2] A (Bsa) H H H A H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [4/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Small Support Vessel (BG-2)  (x2)
Class:  FT1      12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]
PT x2 on board for detonation

Reduce Combat Vessel and Assault Vessel magazines by the 10 PT on the FT's.
Nemotians may automatically "ram" (see below) to defend populations.

Nepture will fill the hex it is in.
Proteus is an O1m at 2tH from Neptune.
Triton is an O1m at 5tH from Neptune with 180PU, 90 IU, RDS x1.
Triton has planetary fallout shelters for 36PU (you can't nuke 'em).
(Players didn't know about fallout shelters yet)

We had long discussions on ramming in this game, and settled it thus.
In the absence of drive field, not possible for ships of ANY sort to ram one another.
(Players definitely scared of kamakazie attacks.  At the speeds used, if you could ram another ship with yours, direct hits with a missile should be easy.  A direct hit with an X megaton missile would destroy any ship.)  Ramming of planets/pops possible.
Use of large explosion rules allowed, with increased damage for warhead in force for the detonation but FRN.  Ie,  2 PT's would have 2 pts x2 for Lg Exp. damage normally, x3 for our no field mod for 12 damage.  A successful ram roll would inflict all 12 points, a miss would inflict 1/10th (FRN not FRU) for 1 pt
Dumb bombs were ruled to do 1 pt on planet strikes due to precision, not as a ship to ship damage level.  They could do 1 pt base damage - not tripled - on a successful ram.  You'd need a bunch if you missed.
You could load more PT's on the suicide ships if you wanted. The Assault and Combat Vessels carry a BUNCH.
The players still wanted to be able to load ships with missiles from the PDC's and "ram" to defend Earth, but that was about the extent of it.

The aftermath was the loss of all US and Euro ships other than the Rachel Pierce and Mary QoS.
Both advanced with the R. Pierce to BG+1 and the Mary QoS to BG+2.
Triton lost all mobile assets except the mothballed ships, and none of the orbital defenses were touched.  No damage to the moon.

(I will confess to having lost the original ship lists, but know which ships were there by that month's deployment orders.  I am fairly sure of all the ship grades from the fleet rosters that month, but that wasn't recorded on the turn notes.  Sorry.)


The Second Battle of Mercury

Pan Euro Ship List

Mercury Space Station
Class:  SS      162HS
  • H Qa (SY2) (SY2)

Mercury Station Military Modules 1-6 (BG-1)
Class:  SS      12HS
  • A A H Qa La Ra


Mercury Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS
  • (H H Qv) x22 (Bsa) (TCF) H Qa
  • gtos x1


Nemotian Combat Group 3 Detachment

Nemotian Patrol Vessels 12 , 13 , 17 (BG+1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3
cg carry bombs x2 each

Mercury has 22.3PTU.
The complete destruction of all population on Mercury is a tactical defeat for the Nemotians as this was an attempt to draw defenses from Ceres. (They wouldn't know these folks don't really like each other.  A race fighting itself, that is just plum silly.....)


The Destruction of Ceres

Chinese Ship List
Admiral: Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji / LG+1

Cruiser Mao Tse Tung
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A H Qa Qa Mgs Ya Ga Ga Ga (cpCp) (Cp) Ra Ra Qa Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui , Hubei (BG+1) , Shangxi , Henan
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Ceres Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS
  • (H H Qv) x40 (Bsa) (Bsa) (TCF) H Qa
  • gtos x2


Chinese Light Cargo Freighter (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  FT1      12HS
[2] A H H H H A H H H H Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Mobile Construction Ship Zhuang
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] H A H Qa (Cp) (SYM1) [6/1] cg x1

Ceres has 41.5PU, and 6Qv of troops with 3H.

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Assault Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 19 (BG-1) , 20 (BG-1) , 21 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1) - not actually present at battle, hiding in belt 240 tH away.
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18 - these did go to Ceres.

All cg carry bombs x2 each

AB rules for reduced sensors in force.

Notes.  Historically speaking, this battle never happened.  The Chinese simply left the colony to its fate.  But it could have if you want to give it a shot.  You could put bombs in the FT's if you make your roll for the CFN to help (the GaM's would do nicely).  The gtos's speed of one would make it an easy target for big ships but a bomb or two in it wouldn't hurt.  At least it could draw fire.
Trying to save the colony from the swarm of 51 gigs is pretty much hopeless though.
And China wanted some help facing down this group.  What they did is trail the Nemotian Group to keep track of it so they couldn't just show up at Earth or Venus unannounced.
The Zhuang was sent off toward Venus.


The Clash of Arms / Defense of the Inner System

Chinese Ship List
Admiral:  Vice Admiral Zhu Rongji / LG+1

Cruiser Mao Tse Tung
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S S S S A A A H Qa Qa Mgs Ya Ga Ga Ga (cpCp) (Cp) Ra Ra Qa Ra Ra (CpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Frigates Anhui , Hubei (BG+1) , Shangxi , Henan
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] S S S S Qa Hs Qa (Cp) Ra Mgs Ra Ra Ya (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1


US Task Force 3
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Joshua Campbell / LG-1

Interceptor MkIIa J. Hancock (BG+1) , J. Adams , T. Jefferson (BG+1) , G. Washington
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Missile Escort Vulture (BG+1) , Condor
Class:  EX      7HS
[2] A Hs Qa Ra (cp) [4/1]
(by now simply called trash cans with firepower)

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Assault Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  CL      45HS
[2] S S S S A A A H Qa Qa (cpCp) (M1) Mg Mg Mg Mg Kb+ Kb+ (Cp) Qa Pta Ya (CpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x1

Combat Vessels 4 , 6
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 12 , 13 , 17 (BG+1) ,19 (BG-1) , 20 (BG-1) , 21 (BG-1)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1)
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18

This happens in deep space, no terrain.  
The Hive Vessels 1 and 2, plus Patrol Vessels 12 and 13 start 16 hexes behind the lead group.
No gigs had been launched.  None were used to attempt "ramming" with bombs on board as that wasn't Nemotian SOP/Tactical Doctrine.  They were to be held for planetary bambardments. The Nemotians actually have about 5 gigs less, as they were destroyed by the PU/Qv on Ceres.  Exact number and which ships were short are unavailable.

Notes.  This battle was fought to a draw, with both sides withdrawing to preserve their remaining ships.  The US Task Force and Tung were destroyed.  Every FG made its advancement roll.  They retreated to Venus to protect the shipyards there and to allow better rolls on the emergency repair of the S's since they would not regenerate at this time.

The Nemotians used this opportunity to lose the constant surveilance of their group so they could attempt a more favorable attack on Mars.  This was the first engagement that the players really noticed PV 17.  Due more to lucky rolls, PV destroyed 2 ships outright, assisted in the destruction of the Tung, and finished or a crippled Interceptor.  After the battle all of the surviving PV's succeeded on their advancement rolls (you need one week of downtime as I read it, so they just hung out in the AB).  The surviving destroyer didn't go up and stayed average.

Although if the Nemotians had won this engagement, the next battle would have looked very different.  In the interlude PV 17 and 12 returned to Mercury to finish its destruction.  They were the only ships present, so I see no point in typing it out as a battle.

The Battle for Mars

Pan Euro Ship List
Admiral:  None.  Senior Captain Robert McNeely of the Red October

Armed Science Vessel Red October (BG+1)
Class:  FG      22HS
[2] A A A A A A H Qa Mgs Xp (cpCp) Ra Ra Ya Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Attack Escorts Mary Queen of Scots (BG+2), Rachel Pierce (BG+1)
Class:  ES      12HS
[2] A A A A Hs Mgs Ya Ra Qa (Cp) [6/1]

Mobile Shipyard
Class:  FT4      30HS
[2] H H H Qa (Cp) (SYM1) [6/1] cg x1


US Ship List
Admiral:  Rear Admiral Jack Ryan / LG+2 - Navigator

Interceptor MkIIa JFK , B. Franklin , H. Truman , D. Eisenhower (BG-1)
Class: CT      16HS
[2] A A A H Mgs Qa Ya Lb Ra (cpCp) [6/1]  cg x1

Survey Tender 1
Class:  FT0      5HS
[2] H (Bsa) H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x1

Mars Space Station (BG-1)
Class:  SS      82HS
  • H Qa (SY2)

Mars Station Military Modules 1-6 (BG-1)
Class:  SS      12HS
  • A A H Qa Lb Ra


Mars Transfer Station (BG-2/CFN Holding)
Class:  SS
  • (H H Qv) x60 (Bsa) (Bsa) (TCF) H Qa
  • gtos x2


Mars has 139.0PU.

Nemotian Combat Group 3

Combat Vessels 4
Class:  DD      30HS
[2] S S S A A H Qa (Bsa) (Cp) Mg Mg Mg (M1) Qa (Cp) Kb+ Ya (Cp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Patrol Vessels 12 (BG+1), 13 (BG+1), 17 (BG+2)
Class:  CT      16HS
[2] S S A A Hs (Bsa) Qa Mg Ya (cpCp) Pta [6/1]  cg x3

Hive Vessel 1 (BG-1) , 2(BG-1)
Class:  ESf      12HS
[2]  (Bsa) x9 H Qa (Cp) [6/1]  cg x18

cg carry bombs x2 each

Notes.  The story says 48 gigs, it was really 47.  Oh well.  This is a nasty fight that both sides claimed to have won afterward.  The Nemotians lost the DD and most of their gigs (only one survived).  The US lost two Interceptors and 43PU, plus one destroyed Military Module.  The Red October was hit twice and hid behind Mars - where she shot at the gigs as they attacked.
Neither side was decisively defeated, as the Nemotians withdrew as soon as the gigs started bombing.  
After the battle the JFK finally made it to BG+1.  The rest either didn't or couldn't (already rolled for the month) advance.
This battle singled out PV17.  The DD took out the Mil Mod on the SS, and hit the R. October. I think PV 12 hit an Interceptor.  PV17 put the other hit on the October, finished off the Interceptor, and took out the other MkIIa by itself.  Several were on rolls that 'shouldn't' have hit.
And so began the story of the 'alien ace' that the players claimed was BG+3 or better to start the game.  Little did they know that they helped create it by targeting the big ships.

For some what if scenarios, you could always take the Euro/US group from the last battle (without the SS's) and have them try to crack the defenses of Triton in the battle that got called off. (Would have left the Mars SS alone against the surviving parts of Combat Group 3.)
Another that almost happened was the FSC Mary Reed and US Missile Escorts Falcon and Owl. They could have fought PV 12 and 17 at Mercury.  Both the US ships are BG+1 and the design is covered above.  The PV12 and 17 would be the same as the last battle.  The Mary Reed would be...

Converted Frieghter Mary Reed
Class: FT2      16HS
[2] A Qv Qv Qv H H La Ra Qa (Cp) [4/1]  cg x1

Reallistically, if I were the human player, I would hide on the backside of Mercury and try to force them to close to point blank range for the engagement.  At least the lack of sensors wouldn't make any difference.  It would be better to hope the alien ships would just go away after they kill the PU.

In that this post if fairly immense to stick in the middle of a story, if folks post a fair amount in the comments that they would rather see this stuff moved to the Starfire Scenarios section, I would be willing to do that (so as to not clutter the story to much).  Otherwise I would rather post it where anyone can get to it without having to log in if they choose not to (or aren't registered yet).

Thanks again for reading...
March won't be near so big....(sigh)....
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #51 on: April 30, 2010, 10:34:27 PM »
March 2204  part 1

March 2nd  0845 hours/US Space Station, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked over the status reports on the JFK.  The refits were just starting.  Sections of the outer plating were being removed to provide access to place the conduction circuits that would allow the magnetic field generators to form a protective field around the JFK.  The project engineer talked as if it would only take a little over a week.  Jack thought that was a conservative estimate, looking at the progress reports coming back.  Even if it took two weeks, both of the surviving Interceptors would be able to make the conversion from MkIIa to MkIIb by the end of the month.  Then the trials of the new system would begin.  Assuming that the aliens didn't return while they were docked and down for the upgrades.
   It appeared that there was no plan to refit the Missile Escorts.  Apparently their hull was too small to allow effective emplacement of the field generators.  It was believed that the weak field the small ships would generate would simply collapse, and that the ship would still be destroyed, or so badly damaged that it would be combat ineffective  They would simply have to continue service with the current fragile design.
   Jack switched the console in Engineering from the status of the JFK to the repairs on the station itself.  The crews were finishing up cutting away the remains of Defense Module 2.  There were no plans to replace the destroyed section at the moment.  Perhaps when enough Interceptors had been replaced the station would be repaired and upgraded.  At the moment there simply wasn't enough construction capacity for the project.  That was assuming the US was able to get the upper hand on the aliens for a change.  The way it looked, the days of humanity might be numbered.
   With the JFK down for a bit, perhaps this would be another good chance to go visit Meagan. Her letters made it obvious she was worried and not sleeping so well.


March 3rd  1420 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Earth orbit

   Admiral Hu stepped off of the Captain's shuttle and onto the hard deck of the landing bay.  The tour of the new construction was complete, and now the Shek could begin trials to ensure the new systems were functioning at full capacity.  The new Cruiser, the Ho Chi Minh, would be operational later in the year.  Its design was based on the refitted Shek, and it was intended as a purely long range weapon platform.  The small ship that was beginning to take shape in the slip beside the Minh was almost its polar opposite.  The Matsu was based on a hull much smaller than the Frigates, and it was intended as an assault vessel designed purely for close range work. Only one was under construction for the moment, but three more were planned for the coming months.  They were intended to close with the stationary defenses of an alien settlement and destroy them.  They would also be useful for bombarding alien colonies due to the large drive detonation of the short ranged missiles.  The small ships would mount field generators nearly equal in strength to a frigate.  The fact that the design cost about 40 percent of a Missile Frigate and required much less support made it an attractive design for a ship that would likely sustain substantial losses.
   Admiral Hu had pushed for an immediate offensive against the alien colony the US and Euro data showed to exist at Triton.  Something was needed to disrupt alien operations before they could renew their offensive here in the inner system.  The ministry had not seen it that way.  The loss of the Tung had shaken them, and they seemed unwilling to risk the Shek with the Minh only just beginning to take shape.
   At least the presence of the Shek and the four Missile Frigates here in the inner system had allowed the Yunnan to assume convoy escort duties without weakening the defense of Chinese assets.  Its short range armament actually suited it well for the assault role in reducing alien fixed defenses, but the Missile Frigates had been deemed to valuable to risk on convoy escort duties.  The Yunnan was also undergoing trials and would not be able to engage alien vessels at full effectiveness until the crew had gained more familiarity with its systems, but the magnetic field generators it now mounted should help protect it in the event of alien contact.  So far convoy escort had been an uneventful duty.  The aliens seemed to have no interest in destroying civilian shipping.
   The difficult task for the coming months would be to 'mend the fences' with the other powers.  The US and Euro would be needed to help secure Chinese assets in the coming months, without attacking them.  They would have presented only a small diplomatic challenge, but the FSC could become a problem due to its increasingly friendly relations with those governments.  The invasion of FSC soil and detonation of a missile over a research facility would leave lingering animosity that would be difficult to overcome.  The US and Euro intervention in the ground war had prevented a rapid resolution to the situation.  They would likely continue to intervene if force was used to secure FSC cooperation.  China should be able to resolve that problem with force also, but the damage to Chinese assets and Earth's defenses would leave the planet open to alien attack.
   Time would provide another chance for China to assert its dominance.  But not now.


March 5th  0930 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Captain Robert McNeely walked into the quarters and saluted.  Admiral Kushnir returned the salute and motioned for him to be seated.  He looked at Admiral Kushnir's quarters as he sat and noted they weren't any larger than his on the Red October.  The Queen Mary was intended as a front line combat vessel and the layout reflected that.  The Flag Officer's quarters couldn't be too large or it would cut excessively into the space needed for other systems.
   "Admiral Kushnir, repairs on the Red October have begun, and are projected to be finished late in the month or early in April.  The damage was rather extensive, but both launch bays and the Phoenix Array are functional and could support any defensive action here at Earth if needed.  Much of the research equipment was destroyed or lost, and the particle accelerator banks will need extensive work to get online.  I have submitted requests to have the crews of the decommissioned survey ships reassigned to the Red October to avoid the delay of waiting for replacement personnel to be trained and assigned."  Robert sat and waited for the inevitable questions.  Admiral Kushnir always liked to quiz any commanders to try and assess what hadn't made it in to the AAR's.
   "Captain McNeely, what was your assessment of the alien ships' capabilities at the 'Battle of Mars', as it has been designated.  In particular I would like you to address the alien level of proficiency in ship to ship combat at this engagement."  Admiral Kushnir had the same featureless black faceplate as every other cyborg, but Robert was sure he could feel eyes behind it boring into him.  She was after something and Robert wasn't sure he really wanted to address it.
   "Ma'am, our crews' level or training and performance is unparalleled.  I'm sure you are aware it has allowed us to face these alien ships from a technological disadvantage and still be able to manage favorable engagements."  Robert wanted to shift nervously, but resisted the urge.  "I have not been involved in the number of engagements that some other officers and crews have seen, but it would be my opinion that the alien training or doctrine has improved since our initial encounters.  In particular some of the smaller vessels have become more proficient in ship to ship combat."  It was said.  Robert didn't like it, but it was what many of the crew members had been thinking ever since the engagement.
   Admiral Kushnir leaned forward in her chair.  "Captain, how effective do you believe the new alien 'doctrine' or 'training' to be?  How great of an impact do you feel it will have in future engagements?"
   Robert paused.  How do you answer that?  There were just too many variable in combat.  Too much luck.  But Admiral Kushnir cut through his thoughts with a simple "Captain."  Robert decided to step out on a limb and take a guess.  "Ma'am, I think that the crews of the alien vessels were probably combat veterans.  They understood how to maneuver, and how we maneuver.  They seemed to be able to predict our positions and plot appropriate targeting solutions.  I think that they will rapidly be able to engage our vessels on even footing to make successful engagements difficult in the future.  We field smaller ships with weaker defenses, and they will be able to gain a distinct advantage."  Robert knew the only advantage the Pan Euro had was their high level of training, but they were losing their well trained crews.  With that advantage gone, the chances of winning this war were slipping away.
   "Thank you, Captain.  That will be all."


   1110 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 27 light seconds from Earth

   Commander Justin Reynolds looked over the translation of the incoming message.  Three days ago the Pan Euro Attack Escorts Rachel Pierce and Mary Queen of Scots had joined the Falcon, Owl, and the FSC Mary Reed in protecting the convoys of civilian ships, but this new message was unexpected.  Justin had been excited to add the Euro ships with their long range sensor arrays.  The advanced warning they would provide of alien contacts was invaluable.  This message could provide another valuable addition.  But the problems it could cause might not be worth it.
   Captain Ng of the Chinese Strike Vessel Yunnan (he identified it as an "Attack Frigate") had requested permission to accompany the convoy and to assist in its defense in the event of hostilities.  It was no secret the Yunnan had just come out of the slip at Earth only a few days ago, and likely had the new Chinese protective fields that were like the defenses of the alien ships.  Justin had heard that the US Interceptors were being refitted with a similar system, but it was just rumor at this time.
   The Chinese ship carried significant armament, and the protective fields would make it difficult for even the alien ships to destroy.  But this ship had fought with the Mary Reed only a few months ago, and Justin wasn't too sure how well this would work.
   But the aliens had begun to use their Alphas more aggressively of late, and the close calls at Uranus and Mercury had left him with the feeling that his luck could be running out any day now. The reports were that four of the small alien ships had survived the engagement at Mars and were likely still in the area.  Another ship that could fight the alien Alphas on their own terms was just too good to pass up.
   "Comm, send a message granting the Chinese ship permission to join the convoy.  And let the Captain of the Mary Reed know he has company."


March 6th  1950 hours/Elders Chambers, New Home 3

   The Elders of New Home 3 reviewed the status of the defenses.  Two Combat Vessels had arrived to assist in protecting the settlement, and construction had begun on two defense installations on the surface of the moon.  Prior doctrine had forbidden the construction of defenses based on the New Homes to avoid drawing fire onto the settlements themselves.  But the space based construction facilities were completely committed to replacing losses to the mobile combat assets, and only the planet based construction assets were available to assist in building the defense.  The current situation had proved too hazardous not to use every asset available to strengthen the defense of the colony.  The race native to this system would return and attack New Home 3 again, and more mobile assets would not be available for some time to come.  A great deal of time.  A time might come when the New Homes would be responsible for their own defense.
   One more Patrol Vessel had been detached and was well on its way to joining the surviving ships of Combat Group 3.  That group had now been redesignated Patrol Group 3, and was responsible for scouting the inner parts of this system and identifying any new enemy targets. It was also to attack enemy ships as the opportunity presented itself.  This native race needed to be given every reason to keep its combat assets tied down defending their settlements.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #52 on: May 02, 2010, 06:43:07 AM »
March 2204 part 2/...show me a hero, and I shall write you a tragedy...(Fitzgerald)

March 11th 1245 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, near asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 waited for the ship to react.  The enemy vessel was simply moving in a straight line in front of Patrol Vessel 17, at a distance of 7.5 light seconds.  It was making no attempt to either evade or attack.  The Commander paused.  Over time, several of the enemy vessels had been destroyed without ever firing on the Patrol Vessels.  Perhaps this vessel was like the Support Vessels that brought supplies to the Combat Groups.  Unarmed and with poor sensors.  If this was true then it would be easy to destroy, but would eventually lead them to a settlement of a group of enemy ships.  Either find would be valuable.
   The Patrol Vessels had been combined into a Patrol Group.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had decided that the undamaged Patrol Vessels would divide into two groups to scout for enemy settlements and ships.  New targets for the next attack.  This ship would be easy prey, but could be much more useful for the moment.  
   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 adjusted the fields of his station.  Patrol Vessel 17 would follow this enemy support ship.  Patrol Vessel 13 would accompany them.  And perhaps it would lead them to a new target.


March 14th  0830 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters listened as the various members of his staff briefed him on their areas of responsibility.  It was a little different from yesterday.  Lieutenant Commander Meagan Ryan seemed to be in better spirits, if only a little.  The work was definitely taking a toll on the young woman.  Her father Rear Admiral Ryan had arrived on the 13th, and was even seated in the room to give his update on the work at the Mars Station.  Jack seemed awfully interested in the information on the new ship being built here at Earth.  The first of the MkIII's was beginning construction, and would be done late next month.  It was being rushed through due to the need for replacement of the recent losses.  Perhaps Jack and his crew, with their experience, would be a good choice to take out the new ship.  If anyone could find the bugs in her and get them fixed, it would be Jack.
   Meagan would be up next with her information on any progress with the magnetic field generators.  They worked, but were going to need overhauled every time the ship got hit.  That was still better than having to replace the ship, but would still be troublesome.  As the charged particles from a detonation washed past the fields, it generated an electrical charge that would burn out the generators.  Work was being done to try and stop the feedback, or to draw it off, but so far it had proved difficult.  The magnetic field itself was carrying the charge, and trying to keep that charge from damaging the equipment was going to be the trick.
   Perhaps it was time to let the young lady take some leave.  She had been here on the station non stop for quite a while now.  She had even asked for a short leave not long ago.  Bradley decided that would be one of the things that got done today.


March 16th  2250 hours/Attack Escort Mary Queen of Scots, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Ian McTavish locked his station.  Two Alphas had just appeared at slightly over 7 light seconds.  Closing.  A new contact flashed on the screen, but Ian had been expecting it.  The Chinese Strike Vessels at Mars had displayed magnetic signatures like the aliens.  Now this one had also.
   The civilian ships in the convoy had been grouped close together to try and reduce the distance that the escorts would have to cover.  The two little US ships and the FSC ship were up front, while the Chinese vessel and the two Attack Escorts were covering the back half of the group.  All told six armed vessels to protect thirteen unarmed freighters.  But even one Alpha could be dangerous, and there were two.  The US Commander Reynolds was officially in command of the group, but Ian didn't need to be told what to do.  Fight as if your life depended on it, because it did.
   The Mary QoS showed all stations locked and Ian keyed in for combat acceleration.  The group would try to stay together, but being a sitting duck just wasn't going to be part of the plan.


   2252 hours/Missile Escort Falcon, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Justin Reynolds had received the message from the Pan Euro Attack Escorts of the two alien Alphas.  Those long range sensors were such a blessing.  They wouldn't have had time to get to battle stations without the Euro ships. The Falcon's sensors lit up with launch signatures as the two Alphas fired on the convoy.  A firing solution flashed on Justin's screen and disappeared as the ship's drive stuttered and a missile deployed.  Sensors showed all the convoy escorts were launching on the two alien contacts.
   Justin keyed in for the Comm Officer to transmit orders to hold formation.  The Euro ships were sliding forward along the convoy.  They were obviously trying to improve the range for their missiles, but the convoy couldn't afford to be left uncovered.  Justin waited as the alien weapons closed.  Detonations clouded the Falcon's rudimentary sensors for a few moments and then cleared.  It wasn't clear, but one of the alien Alphas seemed to have lost its magnetic field.  Then the sensors picked up the wreckage of the Owl tumbling through space, drifting out away from the convoy.  Damn, the aliens seemed to have learned the small missile escorts were vulnerable to their weapons.
   The Alphas were closing fast, and the lead one had just reached clear sensor range for the Falcon when the next missile finished prep for deployment.  The other Alpha had lost its protective field, but this one was the clear shot.  Justin keyed the firing solution for the second contact and watched the sensor returns on the launch as it sped away.  Sensors showed that the Euro ships were targeting the damaged Alpha, while the Falcon and Mary Reed were targeting the undamaged one.  The Chinese missile seemed to have lost guidance early on and wasn't headed anywhere useful.  As the alien missiles detonated the sensor reports clouded again.  The massive electromagnetic pulse always seemed to overwhelm the arrays.
   As sensors came back on line Justin could see that the exchange had definitely gone against the aliens.  None of the ships in or around the convoy seemed to have been hit, while the lead Alpha was just coasting through space with its drive bloom gone.  The Alpha the Falcon and Mary Reed had targeted had lost its protective field also.  The aliens were taking a pounding !
   The drifting Alpha had moved into range of the Falcon’s sensors and Justin keyed in the firing solution for the crippled vessel.  The other ships had launched on the active Alpha, but Justin knew that if the drifting Alpha hadn't come apart, it would probably still be able to fire.  Sure enough a new contact lit up from the coasting Alpha as it managed another launch.  Justin watched as the missile from the Falcon found its target and the Alpha was destroyed.  The second Alpha stuttered its drive and vented as missiles detonated along its path.  Then it too was drifting without a drive bloom.  Yes !  Only one left to go.


   2253 hours/Attack Escort Mary Queen of Scots, 16 light minutes from Mars

   Commander Ian McTavish watched as the sensors recorded the destruction of the last Alpha.  The laser on the Mary Reed tore the vessel apart as the hull shattered from the sudden expansion caused by the laser's heat.  Both of the Alphas had been destroyed, and the convoy was safe.  But Ian hated this part.  After the battle were the messages sent to let folks back at home know that another ship and its crew had died bravely against the aliens.  It should have been the US Commander's job, but that wouldn't be the case.  The Falcon had been hit by the last launch from the second stricken Alpha.   Ian knew that the loss of the Falcon was going to be a shock for the US, and the Euro.  He had been there last June when the little ship and her crew had managed to fight an alien Alpha to a standstill.  Now not only had the little David faced down Goliath, it had rescued many stranded Pan Euro colonists from Mercury before the aliens had destroyed the colony.  No one back at Earth was going to want to hear that the Falcon and her crew weren't coming home.  
   And Ian didn't want to have to be the one sending the message.  Two of his grandkids had come home from that colony on Mercury.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2010, 12:24:26 AM by procyon »
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Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #53 on: May 03, 2010, 05:09:25 AM »
March 2204 part 3

March 18th  0035 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek,  Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu keyed in for the Venus Station's sensor logs to be transmitted to the Shek.  The Shek and the Missile Frigates Shangxi and Henan were detecting no alien presence near the station, and the station itself was reporting no contact prior to the Shek's arrival.  Hu decided the aliens most likely had not come to Venus yet, or they would have attacked.  The aliens had rather quickly attacked, and then destroyed the Pan Euro station at Mercury.   The attack reported by the Yunnan was far to close to Venus for comfort though.  This deployment was necessary.
   The Earth was guarded by a Pan Euro Battle Group, and the Anhui and Hubei.  Add that to the many ground based defenses and the Earth would be able to withstand any alien attack force that had been encountered to date.  Venus was far less well defended, and vital to Chinese interests.  If it was only the remnants of the prior alien group which had attacked, the Shek and two Missile Frigates would be able to easily deal with them.  If it was another group like the one that had descended on Ceres, Venus would have to be abandoned.
   For the moment, deploying the Shek to Venus was both prudent and useful, in that Venus was far closer to Neptune at this time than Earth was.  It would cut nearly two days off the travel time to the out system - should the ministry chose to launch an offensive within the next month or so.  Would the ministry be willing to risk the Shek before the Minh was completed?  That was uncertain.


March 22nd  2255 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata looked over the data on his monitor.  The greatest part of it didn't make sense.  But what did was very intriguing.  It would require some outlay of capital, but could place the FSC in a position to deal with the other governments of Earth from a more favorable stance.  And it would definitely assist against the aliens if it panned out.
   A technician that had emigrated from the Pan Euro after his ship was decommissioned had been pivotal to the project.  A man by the name of Jager.  Regardless, his skill with sensor arrays was remarkable.  He had been able to interface an array with a fire control system in a way that had often been thought of as impossible.  The implications were enormous.  But it would still take time and money to try and create a useful system from the data.  Money would simply have to be diverted in the coming months.  The work on magnetic field generators was progressing rapidly, and should be completed within the next month or two.  At that time all available resources would be put into this project.
   Right now Mukata needed to talk to this Jager.  To ensure that his loyalties remained with the FSC.  And that no one else possessed this data.


March 25th  1750 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, 30 light seconds from Earth

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 didn't believe what he was sensing.  The energy signature and flux from the nearby planet was immense.  This third planet from the star was simply unreal.  To have such a large energy signature, this race must be packed onto the face of this planet.  Packed in one upon another in a seething mass.  Like some infestation gone far out of control.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could feel revulsion well up inside.
   If the energy signature was correct, this planet's population would have to be thousands of times greater than any Home.  The New Homes were only on moons a fraction of this planet's size, but the number of creatures that would have to be involved was unthinkable.  Disgusting.  How could they stand to live in such a way?  There was no way a race like this could ever have been tolerated.  Such vermin were only fit to be exterminated.
   There was no sense in attacking such a nest of the enemy with only two Patrol Vessels.  But if the enemy understood that their true home had been discovered, perhaps they would move more of their ships to this area.  They would become less able to deploy ships to attack New Home 3.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 adjusted the fields around him, and then sensed the torpedoes launched from Patrol Vessel 17 and 13.  Moments later the small ship they had followed for days disappeared in the detonations.
   The race native to this planet would be able to sense that.  And they would know that they had been found.


   1758 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, 5 light seconds from Earth

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon stared at her monitor.  She could see the information sprawled across it, but could only think of one thing.  'They have found Earth at last.  It will only be a matter of time now.  They will attack here also.  And people will die.'   The attack had occurred too far out for any of the sensors at Earth to record the alien ships, only the detonation of the civilian freighter and the magnetic signature of the alien ship or ships.  The aliens had turned on their protective fields for a few minutes, and then shut them off.  Possibly they were afraid of unseen defenses.  Brenna was sure they just wanted to let everyone know that they were there.
   In the next few minutes the civilian news services would have the story, and it would spread to every corner of the world.  The recession already had people on edge.  This could result in much more.  Riots, hysteria.  The aliens would be able to do a great deal of damage without ever having to directly attack the Earth itself.
   But they would attack.  Sooner or later.  And people on Earth would die.  And the panic then could destroy what mankind had taken thousands of years to build.  The alien attack would have to be stopped cold.  It could never reach the Earth.  Stopped with what they had available now, because it may come before anything else would arrive or be built.
   But how?  Brenna stared at her monitor with a new resolve. Scrolling through lists and databases, she started to put together a plan.


March 26th  0610 hour/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan watch as his daughter worked at her desk.  It was as if she was possessed.  She had been up for over 20 hours, and had barely eaten.  She had only eaten a little since the attack on the convoy.  She was to have gone on leave the morning of the 17th, but had stayed to work.  Jack had stayed to try and help her, but her work was nothing that he was used to.  It was worrying.  If she didn't try to rest, she would work herself sick. Perhaps even worse than just sick.
   Suddenly she was standing and pointing at the screen.  "There.  There it is."  She was white and unsteady.  Jack moved over to try and keep her from falling.  Then he sat her back down.  Meagan just kept pointing.
   "What is it honey?  What is wrong?"  Jack knew his voice sounded flat.  It always would.  But it had never bothered Meagan.  She had always seemed to hear the emotion that wasn't there.
   "Its the ship I told you of.  It was here.  At Earth.  I need to tell Admiral Walters."  Meagan tried to get up but Jack simply held her down.
   "No, you won't.  You are going to rest.  I can tell him.  You are going to pack some clothes, and none of them uniforms.  That is an order."  Jack waited until she relaxed to let go.  She nodded weakly.  "But first go lay down.  I'll be back in an hour or so."  He waited until she nodded to leave.


      0625 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters cleared the briefing room as Rear Admiral Ryan waited.  It was unusual for Lieutenant Commander Ryan to be late.  Let alone have her father here instead.  Bradley had intended for her to be on leave now, but she had insisted on staying after the convoy attack.  Her ability to discern a pattern in the alien fields was uncanny, and her input valuable.  Otherwise he wouldn't have let her stay.  Perhaps that had been the wrong decision.
   When the room was clear Rear Admiral Ryan spoke.  "Admiral.  Meagan, I'm sorry, Lieutenant Commander Ryan believes she has identified the vessel that made the attack here at Earth as the Alpha of interest.  The 'alien ace' as rumor has it.  I believe her, but I have ordered her to stay in her quarters and rest pending leave, with your permission of course."  Bradley wasn't sure whether Rear Admiral Ryan was asking him or telling him about the leave, but it didn't really matter.  The only way that girl wouldn't have come to tell him herself was if she couldn't get up and move.
   "Sit down Jack.  Lets talk."  He waited while Rear Admiral Ryan sat at the table.  Cyborgs really didn't need to sit all that much, but it did give Bradley the height advantage, and might make Jack a little less agitated.  "If she said it was the Alpha, it was the Alpha.  Currently, its code-named the 'Baron'.  And it is dangerous.  The freighter will make the eighth ship we can confirm that it has destroyed.  And it would seem to not only have started intercepting commerce, it has found Earth."
   Bradley moved around the table to where Jack was seated.  "Jack, I know you are concerned about your daughter.  And she is going to get some rest.  I guarantee it."  He waited for the words to sink in and hoped Jack was feeling a little more relaxed.  Able to focus on things more objectively.  He was going to need to.
   "Jack, you're not going to be spending any of that time with her.  That ship out there in the slip will be done soon enough.  Then she will be headed for Mars, and you are going to be on her.  When you get there you are to transfer your crew to the new ship and spend whatever time you need shaking her down.  Learn just what is wrong, how to fix it, and how to use her as well as possible.  She is the cutting edge, the best weapon we have in the arsenal right now.  Her name is the 'Yari', and you are going to use her to kill the Baron and whatever son of a bitch is commanding her."
   Bradley leaned over and keyed the intercom.  "Cancel the briefing for this morning.  I have another project on the table right now."
   "Ok Jack, lets figure out how you are going to do this."
« Last Edit: May 15, 2010, 02:31:59 AM by procyon »
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #54 on: May 04, 2010, 02:16:53 AM »
March 2204 part 4

//////////////////////////////////////
Overview
Sorry that I couldn't get this on the end of part 3.  It has been a very busy weekend.  We've got more sick babies than well right now. :(


Patrol Vessel 17 managed to snag one of the few unconvoyed ships for the month.  I decided to follow it instead of destroy it.  Random rolls then had it travelling from the AB to earth.  Yippee.  It was destroyed when PV 17 could detect the PU on earth at 120 tH's.  If you feel like shooting it, it was the same as a Std Lift FT above.  For those scratching their heads at the unusual FT sizes in the convoy, we agreed at the beginning of the game to downsize all CFN ships by one due to the fact that not everyone could build FT4's to start (seemed silly for the CFN to be building bigger ships than the player it belonged to), and the generally small CFN (due to the Cp engines) they had to work with.

That's all for March.  Hope to get April out by the weekend.
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Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #55 on: May 11, 2010, 12:27:41 AM »
April 2204 part 1

April 1st  0320 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, Earth orbit

   The Dutchman unlocked his station and left the bridge.  He was past due for some rest, and this seemed the perfect time.  The Chinese were now posting two of their frigates to convoy escort duty, while the Pan Euro was pulling all of their ships in for refits and upgrades.  The US just didn't have any ships left to run escort with.  For the Mary Reed to stay out by herself with a pair of Chinese frigates was foolish.  This might be April's Fools day to some, but not for The Dutchman.  The FSC civilian ships had moved out of the convoys, and should be relatively safe from Chinese predation at least.  The aliens were another story.
   And for some reason, the cartels wanted the Mary Reed on hand to keep watch on the airspace over the FSC research sites.  Sounded a whole lot safer than waiting for the aliens to show up and attack a convoy you were guarding.  Why had the aliens started that?  This war was only getting worse.


April 2nd  0800 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan looked out at the vessel docked in the slip.  Sections of the hull were being dismantled while nearby components were being prepped for installation.  "This really lets you know how desperate we are." thought Jack.  
   He wondered how long it would take for the refits to be finished.  They had said at Admiral Walters' morning briefing it would only take two weeks.  That was less than half the time it took to build an Interceptor.  Much less than half.  But had it really come to the point the US needed to arm one of the government passenger transports to perform convoy escort duties?   It would free the US from depending on the Chinese for convoy escorts, and when you're down to your last two ships you definitely need more.  But refitting a freighter?
   Jack turned and left the room.  It was past time to check in on Meagan.  He had forced her to go and get a check up before she went on leave, and it had turned out to be a good idea.  She had managed to acquire a bleeding ulcer.  That explained her poor color and worse appetite rather well.  Instead of leave she was laid up in sick bay, but she needed it.  The last few days she actually had color in her cheeks.  She was to be released soon and sent on her planet side leave.  "Perhaps I could join her," Jack thought.  "It has been years since I walked on something other than a deck."


   1200 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 seethed.  The orders were clear, but cowardly and foolish.  The Patrol Vessels were to cease all offensive operations until additional support arrived.  Further losses were deemed unacceptable.
   Unacceptable?!  Allowing the enemy a chance to regroup and prepare an attack on New Home 3 was unacceptable!  To sit back and allow them to do this while there were still combat ready ships that could strike the enemy was unacceptable!  How could they justify such a course of action?
   There were only 9 scout craft, and a handful of bombs for them, but they could be used to conduct an attack on the enemy settlement on the third planet of this system.  They could quickly move to attack and then disengage.  It would do little damage, but entailed little risk.  It would help to tie down enemy ships, making New Home 3 safer.
   In the end, the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 knew it was not his decision to make.  The group would wait.


April 5th  1430 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna, Earth orbit

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon wondered if the aliens would attack while the refits were underway.  Even the Mobile Shipyards were busy assisting in the overhauls of the ships.  Every ship, every single Pan Euro combat vessel was scheduled to be refitted this month.  First up were the Red October, Rachel Pierce, and Mary Queen of Scots.  Not only were they the first to be refitted with the new 'shield' technology as the US called it, they were to be redesignated as the 3rd Light Battle Group.  
   The Tatianna was the next to have her hull torn apart for installation of the new system.  The Tatianna had needed to wait for the second Mobile Shipyard to arrive before her upgrades could begin.  This new system would change how the battles against the aliens would be fought, and Brenna had tried to account for a system that she didn't have any experience with.  Her training schedules and regimen for the upcoming month should give them an idea of how the system would impact the Pan Euro ships' operations, but the impact on combat was impossible to gauge.
   The Queen Elizabeth class had always been able to withstand a few hits from the aliens, but the smaller ships were seldom able to withstand more than one or two impacts.  The new shields were supposed to allow the Heavy and Attack Escorts to withstand the first few impacts with no real loss of combat efficiency.  It could allow for successful withdrawal of ships from combat, without undue danger to the other ships of a battle group.  It could also allow the US ships to utilize their laser batteries without it essentially being a suicide mission.
   It would likely change how the aliens approached an engagement also.  That would be the most difficult thing to anticipate and compensate for.
   But training was going to be vital.  With the number of new Pan Euro and US ships that were going to be coming out of the yards in the next few months, training would make the difference in whether those ships survived or not.  And ultimately, the survival of all humanity.


April 8th  0445 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu reviewed the progress reports on the new cruiser.  The Ho Chi Minh was on schedule, and would be ready for deployment in just over 3 months.  At that point the Shek would likely be on her way to Neptune.  Along with the bulk of the Chinese Fleet.
   The first of the Close Assault Escorts was complete and undergoing trials here at Venus.  Two more were under construction at Earth, while a third was being built at the Venus Station.  When trials of all the Close Assault ships were finished, it would be time to move toward the out system and Neptune.
   But for the moment it was trials and training for the new ships.  The first, the Matsu, would hopefully prove a capable design, as the Taiwan, Penghu, and Kinmen were already under construction.  They had primarily been designed for rapid assembly and ease of maintenance.  Hopefully they would also prove capable in combat.  The sensors and short range missiles were basic and rugged, but had fared poorly against the Pan Euro and US ships in the Battle for Jupiter.  Hopefully with the new magnetic protective field generators they would prove more successful against the aliens.
   The Yunnan had returned to Earth, and would eventually lead the Close Assault Escorts in the move to reduce the fixed defenses around Triton.  The Anhui and Hubei had been assigned to convoy escort duty to ensure that a ship with more advanced sensors was available.  They would also be able to deal with alien 'Alpha' class vessels unsupported by the US and Euro.  The US had withdrawn from convoy escort duties with the loss of its two small missile ships, while the Euro had simply withdrawn for 'refits'.  It was possible the other powers now had the protective field technology available for installation, but it would matter little.  The US and Euro fleets had been reduced to almost token sizes by the aliens.  They would provide no real opposition when the time came to assert Chinese dominion over the Earth.
   But first the other powers would have to believe that supporting China was in their best interests.  The attack on Triton would take all of the Chinese fleet elements, and the US and Euro would be responsible for security here in the inner system.  
   Then the aliens would pay for the lives and ships they had destroyed.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #56 on: May 11, 2010, 12:30:19 AM »
April 2204 part 2 / A Gathering Storm

April 11th  2215 hours/Queensland Research Facility, Australia

   Chairman Mukata continued his tour of the research facility, but he had already seen what he had come for.  The work on the protective fields, shields as the US termed them, was progressing nicely.  Within the next month or two the system would be ready for deployment.  The Mary Reed would be the first trial of the new system, to verify that it was compatible with current designs.  After that a second ship might be commissioned for use by the FSC.  But that might be deemed too great a drain on current resources.  It would be addressed at the next meeting of the board.  For the moment it appeared that the US and Pan Euro would be willing to defend the FSC's assets in the event of hostilities.  The rest of the tour would simply be to ensure that the repairs to the facility were complete and satisfactory.  Signs of the damage could be seen outside, but not in the workspaces.  The damage outside had been left to camouflage some of the work done here, and to try and discourage a repeat strike by the Chinese on the complex.  Much of the work had been transferred to the South African research center, but much would still have to be handled here in Queensland.
   The new project had looked intriguing, but whether such a farfetched system would be possible, or cost effective, had yet to be seen.  If the long term implications of the current work panned out, it could have a major impact.  The technician in charge of the system integration, this Jager, seemed to be completely loyal to the FSC, and rather disgruntled with the Euro after having been discharged from duty following his ship's decommissioning.  He was now teamed with the drive design teams to see if a more appropriate platform could be designed for the new hardware.  Current models were completely unsuitable for conversion to this technology, and a new design would be needed for it to be effective.  That was assuming a drive shield of the proper size and capabilities could be designed.  "If it was even possible" had been the design team leader’s way of saying it.
   In two days he would have to present all of his findings here to the board at the meeting in Port Elizabeth.  They would decide the fate of this new project then.  In an unusual move it had been decided to have The Dutchman attend the meeting, to give his input on the new project.  Whether he felt it would be worthwhile.  'For what it is worth, I think that I will support this endeavor.  It would seem to be the one area we may be able to gain an advantage over the other world powers, at this moment', Mukata decided.


April 12  0200 hours/Fulda Gap, Germany

   Feldwebel Tanja Frank moved across the rocky ground quickly.  Far more rapidly than she could have managed in her old powered armor.  This new body was fast, and strong.  It didn't tire.  And it wasn't hers.  She still hated it.
   Crouching in a depression on the rocky slope, she paused while her squad secured the area.  It was only training, but everyone took it so much more seriously now.  Everyone felt like it was only a matter of time before they were fighting again.  Whether against the Chinese or the aliens, on Earth or some other body, it wouldn't matter.  The dying would become close and brutal once again.  The sterile battles across the long dark of space would end with the bitter and close battles fought face to face.  Wars weren't won by owning space, nobody lived there.  You had to own the ground.  Hold it.  And a ship in orbit could only do so much.
   Tanya checked her power and heat output readings habitually.  The PT and OT following her discharge from the hospital had given her that habit.  If either got to far out of limits, she would die as quickly as a normal person running out of air.  It took a lot to overload or overwork a cyborg body, but it could be done.  Particularly if your weapon put a heavy load on the power or cooling circuits.
   The HUD showed that the area was secure.  The squad was moving again.  Upslope to the next objective for the days training.  Tanya got up and began to move with the group.  She was still alive, while the rest of her old company had died there in India.  She wondered if she was the lucky one, or not.


April 15th  0620 hours/Pan Euro Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushner watched as the Queen Mary was locked into the slip at the station.  Soon the outer hull would be opened up in several places to allow the installation of the new magnetic field generators.  The ships were being overhauled as quickly as possible.  The goal was to have all of the Pan Euro combat ships done by the end of April, or early May.  It looked like they might be able to make that deadline, but Jude hoped the speed wouldn't leave any of the ships with fatal flaws in the work.  It took only a loose fitting in one place to destroy a ship when the drive engaged.  A small strand of wire coming free as the rest of the ship accelerated at over 1000 G's would be able to tear a ship apart if it struck the right supports or systems.  A generator or hull plate coming loose would easily rip the ship apart.
   Early May would see the first new production for the Pan Euro.  Two new Attack Escorts and a new Heavy Escort would begin construction.  They would form the 4th Light Battle Group and hopefully be ready for deployments in June or July. They would be able to take over convoy escort duty and allow the Pan Euro to avoid the dependence on outside powers for guarding the commerce between the belt and Earth.  They would also free up the Red October to assist the newest US Interceptor in hunting down the alien ships moving through the inner system, and hunting down the alien ship the US had codenamed the 'Baron'.


April 21st  1740 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1(Eris)

   The Elders were uneasy.  Great changes were being made to combat this new race.  Soon the first three of the new Attack Vessels would join the three completed Patrol Vessels.  They would accompany the Support Vessels carrying the new scout craft to the waiting Hive Vessels in the inner parts of this system.  Then a new, more cautious offensive could be undertaken.  With the enemy's true home, and true size known, attempts could be made to try and defeat this ominous foe.  The need to design new vessels to combat this race had proved that the original designs were not as formidable as had been thought.
   The ground based defenses were being strengthened, to help them withstand enemy fire.  With the native race now displaying that they were able to deploy protective fields on their ships, the danger of enemy attacks reaching the populations of the New Homes was increased dramatically.  The ground based defenses would need to be substantial to provide the necessary protection that the decreasing mobile assets had once provided.
   The orbital defenses of New Home 4 were also being disassembled for transport and reassembly at New Home 5.  New Home 5 was of far greater importance, and in a much more vulnerable position.  The ground based defenses there were not adequate protection.  Many of the elders disagreed on this point, and their fields still betrayed their agitation, but it had been decided.
   This conflict had become too prolonged.  Steps would now have to be taken to create an offensive and defensive structure that could be supported solely by the resources of the New Homes.  The time when the supplies and materials that had been sent with the colony ships would be exhausted was quickly approaching.  Soon this war would have to be fought with much more limited resources.
   The unease of the Elders would not soon be resolved.  This enemy was proving far too durable.


April 24th  2010 hours/Beijing, China

   Minister Po relaxed at his desk.  His position was once again secure.  The peace with the US and Euro was allowing the Chinese to strengthen their military uncontested by the other Earth nations.  The supremacy of China would only be a matter of time now.
   The massive growth of industry to support the wartime economy was rapidly being emplaced, and morale within China and its holdings was high.  They had shown that their fleets were now the supreme power in space.  Even the large alien fleet had been turned back.  The alien armada had destroyed all of the flimsy US ships, but destroyed only one of the five Chinese ships present.  The loss of the Tung hurt, but as a martyr it was generating great resolve in the people.
   'The massive bond fund I started will be able to cover half of the construction cost for the new cruiser.  Having framed it as a ship to avenge the lost cruiser has gotten a large public subscription to the project,' mused Po.  'With the public supplying half of the construction fees, the investment in this cruiser will be less than the cost of a new frigate.'
   Po leaned back.  It was only a matter of time...


April 27th  1530 hour/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the morning's reports.  The progress on the protective fields was slowing to almost a halt.  With Lieutenant Commander Ryan gone, the whole project seemed to have lost its momentum.  She wouldn't be available for the next two months, so that could be a problem.  The fields themselves seemed to work well on the Interceptors, but would require overhauls each time the fields encountered any major influx of charged particles.  Devising a way to prevent this, or make it an easily reversed problem, was at a standstill.  Still, Bradley reminded himself, having the shields was a vast improvement in the ships' ability to engage the aliens.
   The newest Interceptor, the MkIII Yari was on her way to Mars with Rear Admiral Ryan on board.  She would join the two MkIIb's at Mars for her shakedown cruise.  With the Euro committing to assist with their Red October in the coming months, this 'Baron' should find surviving quite a bit more difficult.  Two more of the MkIIb's were even now under construction in the yards and would be ready late in May.  With four operational MkIIb's, the MkIII, and the armed freighter Vigilance taking over convoy escort duties, the US might again be able to claim that we have a credible war fleet in space.
   'Perhaps we will be able to defeat these aliens after all.  Assuming we don't end up killing each other in the process.'  Bradley looked over the reports of the Chinese construction over the last two months.  Three craft the size of Euro Attack Escorts, and a big ship well on its way to completion.  And that was just what we can see here at Earth.  Who knows what they have built out at Venus?  The aliens may not be the worst of our problems in the end.


////////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month was fairly quiet, but everyone was still trying to rebuild/refit.  But the momentum for an offense was building, especially with China.  It wasn't going to take long before the groups came back out swinging.  

For the Euro,
The recession was still siphoning off money from the economy.  Continued colonization into the belt, and investment in IU were offsetting it a little, but it was still making itself felt.  The Euro's research projects were slowly moving along, but nothing was anywhere close to producing useful results for months.  The refit of every ship to using S's was quite the juggling act for the month, with every available asset being brought to bear.  In the end she managed it, but just barely.  It was a massive drain on her assets though, as paying the new class cost on every ship amounted to most of what she made.  She normally liked to carry a treasury balance of about 60-100MC to cover repair costs, etc, that would crop up.  This month left her scrapping the armor she was stripping off the ships just to have single digits in her treasury at the end of the month.
The fact that all of her ships would be Poor grade the next month was worrying her quite a little bit also.

For China,
The middle boy was on a roll.  He was plowing as much into IU as the other were into their fleets.  He was still building ships at the same time though.  He could see the economic boom's end was in sight, as he only had 10 IU left before he had maxed out the Earth.  He was going to need a place to colonize in the near future if he was going to keep his economy expanding, and with Ceres glassed (we use the reduced PU limit if a site is nuked), he was low on options.  Saturn was waiting, the question was if he would be brave enough to stick his neck out and try to settle there.  He knew if he waited too long, the other players were going to catch up.
The random events roll in March for the public subscription paying for half of the new CL (did I get that in the write up???) was still in the works, and I am pretty sure that refund was what he was waiting on to try and prototype a CA.  He didn't want to strap his economy trying to come up with the cost of a prototype hull and new class cost all at once, and the refund would turn the trick by boosting his income for the month.
Dice just seem to love this kid.

For the US,
The oldest boy was doing his best to put a shattered power back together.  He was looking forward to getting EL2 in May to boost his income and build rate.  He even decided that converting a FT was the fastest way to put another combat ship on the line.  With 2 shields, a Ya and an Ra, it would be able to take two hits, and was as effective at range as the Interceptor MkIIa's.  At least it was something, and would be able to free up his real combat ships.
He managed a trickle of investment in IU and colonization this month, but was frustrated by a lack of success on his roll to get the shields to regenerate in an hour.  He had poured a bunch of money there, accelerating it as much as he could.  No luck.  But he was making progress, Mars was still there, and he had all of his SY's.  Could have been worse.

For the FSC,
The oldest girl's luck was starting to turn around, as she made her roll for EL2.  It would make her new research project go even more quickly, if not any cheaper.  She continued her trickle of colonization to the belt, doubled her investment in IU (worse return, but less chance it would get nuked by aliens), and started investing in her new project slowly.  She didn't want to dive in and then not have any money to work with when she got there.  She decided 25 turns was a while, and she would try to build and research together.  Unfortunately she didn't make her roll on S's, so she would have to continue with that expense for the time being.
She could see light at the end of the tunnel now, but it was a long way off, and she wasn't sure if she would make it to the end.

The Nemotians,
The bad guys were definitely working hard to keep an even footing this month.  I decided to pull in PV17 and its group.  They were just getting too thin on ships to keep pushing it.  With reinforcements on the way, there was no sense in risking the ships unsupported.  I decided the Nemotians would also move the bases around Home 4 to Home 5.  Home 5 had three times the income, and was closer to the inner system.  It made little sense to put more protection around the smaller colony.  The downside was that neither was going to get any use from the bases while they were disassembled, shipped, and reassembled.  The risks we take in war......
The gigs were done, the bombs purchased, and the six new ships were finished at the end of the month.  May would see them head on in to join the fight.  The trend toward smaller ships was a little disturbing so early, but it was necessary with the Nemotian's treasury dwindling.  It fell another 1100 this month, and was just going to keep getting smaller.  I had increased the Nemotian's income to its max this month, without population growth.  Growth wouldn't happen again till month 20 (this was 16).  They were going to have to be able to get by on what they had for the time being.  They were rolling for EL3 now, and that would help.
I decided deepen the defenses of the PDC's, and doubled their size this month.  They were cheap to maintain, and almost certain to see use in the coming months.  They might as well be ready for it.

As always, thank you for reading.

Oh, as a warning.  I will be gone with the middle boy on a school trip for the last week of this month and the first week and a half of May.  There won't be any posts during that time, so don't think I've quit.  I'm just going to be a little busy.  A two week trip with over one hundred eighth graders will keep me plenty busy.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #57 on: May 15, 2010, 01:42:06 AM »
May 2204 part 1

May 2nd  0715 hours/Elders' Chambers, New Home 1 (Eris)

   The elders took note of the new developments.  The elders of New Home 4 had successfully plead their case and convinced the counsel to allow the largest of the orbital defense platforms to remain at New Home 4, while the two smaller platforms would continue to be disassembled for transport to New Home 5.  The elders had also inspected the new surface based defense installations.  The level of protection afforded by the new ground bases was such that another wave of construction had begun.  Plans were to ensure that New Homes 1, 2, 3, and 5 would each have 6 of the ground bases to protect the colonies.  This level of protection, in concert with the orbital defenses, should allow all of the mobile assets to be freed for use against the native race.
   The message had been decoded that the Hive Vessels had received the shipment of scout craft and bombs, and that the group was again at full strength and ready to renew offensive operations.  The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 had requested authorization to begin immediate operations against the enemy near the third and fourth planets.  The elders had deemed this unwise, and had transmitted that all ships were to await the arrival of the three Patrol Vessels and three Attack Vessels, and complete the initial training of the new ships.  After the initial training was completed the group would resume limited offensive operations as directed by the elders.
   Progress was again being made in the war effort, but the enemy was being afforded a rather extended break from attacks.  Hopefully the native race would not be able to capitalize on it to make an attack on New Home 3.  The defenses were still not adequately prepared.  With the enemy having deployed magnetic protective fields of their own, an attack now could be devastating.


May 3rd  1200 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, 20 light seconds from Earth

   Captain Robert McNeely checked over the flight log for the convoy.  He was now in command of the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group, and was in charge of convoy security for the combined civilian shipping of the Euro and US.  But his Light Battle Group had the firepower of the older Battle Groups, and with the addition of the US 'shields', would be far more powerful.  If his crew could just get used to the damned new fangled system.
   The new magnetic system caused no end of false contacts for the Phoenix Array, and the few missile tests had shown that the launches were often 'bent' as the missile passed through the field.  The crew was desperately trying to calibrate the systems so they would all work with the fields up, and still be able to plot accurate firing solutions for targets that actually existed.  Admiral Muldoon had worked out a number of training operations to try and calibrate the systems, and it looked like it would only take a few weeks to get the work done.  So long as the aliens left them alone for the next month, that would be ok.  Of course, the alien's plans might not be so accomodating.
   The convoy did have one 'ace in the hole' as the Americans put it.  The US Q Ship Vigilance was parked in the middle of the convoy.  It looked like another freighter on the sensor returns, but hidden inside the hull was the US equivalent of the Phoenix Array, a long-range missile bay, and a powerful enough 'shield' generator to stop one of the alien weapons cold.  Of course the second intercept by an alien missile would send the fragile hull into a thousand pieces, but it would be a nasty surprise for an alien ship not expecting a fourth armed vessel with the convoy.
   Of course the US ship was having the same problem with their sensors and launches that the rest of the Pan Euro group was having, due to the new 'shields'.


   1530 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan knew that no voice could carry through the hard vacuum of the ship, but he could still hear the grumbling of the crew.  Two crews to be exact.  The crew that had come on the Yari was now being transferred off onto the older JFK, while the JFK's crew had to leave their old and familiar 'girl' for the new and unfamiliar 'gimmick'.  The JFK's crew had learned that if they upped the volume on their voice modulators, that the sound would carry through their feet into the deck and to anyone close by.  The composites deadened the noise after a few feet, but it allowed somewhat private grumbling that wouldn't get put on the comm log.  The newbies of the Yari had figured it out fairly quick after the usual round of hazing by the 'vets'.
   The sensors kept logging contacts close to the Yari, but Jack just kept deleting them from his display.  It was the Mars Station as the work crews began installing field generators on the military modules of the station.  When complete, they should allow the Mars Station to be nearly as powerful as a Task Force of Interceptors.  Of course, the only Task Force was awfully light on ships at the moment.  The crews had even taken to calling it a Task Farce.  'Gallows humor at its best' Jack decided.
   Jack locked his station and opened the All Ships comm link.  "OK folks, lock stations.  We're taking these ladies out to put them through their paces.  To those of you new this, learn from the old hands.  For the old hands with a new dance partner, lets see what she can do.  She's supposed to be the best.  Let's see if that’s true."  Jack keyed in a course and waited for the 'All Stations Locked' prompt to appear.  A few moments later (but still to long as far as Jack was concerned) it appeared on the monitor.
   The world went blue grey as the drive engaged.


May 6th  0700 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, Venus orbit

   Admiral Hu approved the orders and requests on his monitor, and then checked the status reports.  It appeared he was going to be at Venus longer than he had anticipated, but transferring onto the station would be no more comfortable than the spartan comforts of a warship.  The station was busy with multiple crews fitting magnetic field generators onto it to provide a greater degree of protection.  When the fleet moved out, the station would be on its own.  Of course, the fleet wasn't going anywhere until the upgrades to the station's defenses were done.  The Ministry had said so, therefore it was so.  Regardless, the station was nothing but activity and noise.  No rest.
   The fleet had gathered at Venus in anticipation of the deployment to Neptune, but now the Yunnan and all four of the Close Assault Ships had been posted to convoy escort duty.  The Ministry had decided it would give the new crews a reason to learn their jobs well.  As if the impending conflict at Neptune wasn't incentive enough.  Perhaps the Ministry didn't trust the US and Euro with Chinese civilian ships and cargos as much as they made public. The FSC would be little danger, their only ship was on the ground at Earth.
   What wasn't common knowledge was the deployment of two other ships.  The two scientific vessels had been dispatched back to Saturn.  They would arrive in about a week.  If the planet had no signs of alien occupation, they were to begin the surveying of the surface of Titan in preparation for colonization.  It would take a great deal of time for Ceres to become habitable, and disputing the US and Euro claims in the belt would be unwise at this time.  But wise courses of action were hard to find, and eventually the belt would have to be disputed.
   Not now though.  For now we sit and wait.


May 9th  2235 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, Mars orbit

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan walked into the shuttle bay and climbed into the little 'dingy'.  Jack hated the little ships with a passion, but docking with the station during the construction was just about impossible.  At least it was for a good reason, or at least good news.  The two newest MkIIb's were already complete, with the one at Mars ready for trials and the second due to arrive from Earth in a few days.  To have five ships in one place would finally make the Task Farce into a Task Force again.
   The newest ship, the Andrew Jackson, would come out of dock in the next hour or two.  Jack was on his way to meet the new Captain, James Gauld.  He had a good reputation in the fleet, and had been the Commander of one of the Survey Tenders for two years.  This would be his first combat post, and Jack wanted to meet the man before they began training.  Jamie had apparently questioned the wisdom of using a Pan Euro Admiral's training doctrine, but so far the Euro's Rear Admiral Muldoon had been the nearest thing to a godsend that Jack had seen in this war.  Without her assistance in training, it wouldn't be a question of how many more ships they might have lost.  Jack knew it was a question of whether there would be a human race or not.  Most likely not.
   Jack was also fairly sure that she had something to do with the leaked information from the Euro, but that wasn't ever going to see the light of day.  The senior Euro Admiral had nearly lost her job disclosing information to the Chinese in an open, and necessary, manner.  Muldoon probably wouldn't fair so well.
   Jack watched the sensor plot as the little ship moved toward the station.  With only four seats, even the senior officers were nearly in the driver's seat.  The sensors showed what Jack had heard rumors of.  The colonization of Mars was continuing.  Even after the devastation of the alien attack, people were still settling here.  Most had been 'encouraged' by the government, but many were still hoping for a better life.  Or perhaps a little more money for the family at home.  Jack wondered how Meagan was doing.  She hadn't written for a few days.  She was out of sickbay now, maybe she was having fun somewhere.  'Lord knows she needs it.'
   The little ship touched down in the bay on the space station.  'Time to get the new Captain on board,' thought Jack as he stepped onto the deck.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #58 on: May 19, 2010, 01:01:41 AM »
May 2204 part 2

May 14th  0250 hours/Survey Vessel Marco Polo, 2 light minutes from Saturn

   Captain Jingtsu waited for the transmission from the two small landers.  The small craft should have reached the outer moons of Saturn by now, and would begin low powered broadcasts.  The Marco Polo would be able to monitor the transmissions, but the power would be to low for anyone inside the belt to pick up unless they were specifically looking for it.  Even then, it would resemble some low power static disturbance, most likely a large electrical storm on Saturn or perhaps Titan.  But it would be powerful enough to alert any alien vessels near the planet of the two ships' presence.  Assuming the aliens even monitored for radio transmissions.  None had ever been intercepted from the alien ships, and it was theorized that they used a different method for communication.  Regardless, the small craft would continue to search the area for any sign of the aliens.  When the search was done, the two survey ships would move to Titan, join the landers, and begin what they had come here for.  To find a new colony site for the Chinese to settle.
   Jingtsu's monitor indicated that the transmissions had been picked up by the comm station.  Now they would see if the aliens had settled around the great ringed planet.


May 15th  1310 hours/Armed Science Vessel Red October, Asteroid belt

   Captain Robert McNeely watched the sensor readings.  Only a light second away four Pan Euro Colony Ships were settled in orbit around an asteroid named Victoria.  It had been identified as a low priority for colonization due to the surface and orbital characteristics it possessed.  It was hoped that would make it a low priority for the aliens to check.  Robert didn't think the aliens would care.
   The four ground to orbit shuttles, or GTOS's, were busy trying to land and emplace equipment for the construction of habitats.  The colony ships held 125,000 people who would try to make a life on this barren rock.  In normal times, they would make large salaries for risking their lives in such a harsh and unforgiving environment.  In the best of times people died in the belt.  Now it was truly a gamble.  The economic times were hard on Earth, but was it worth this?
   The Rachel Pierce, Mary Queen of Scots, and the US Vigilance were all parked with the rest of the convoy less than a light minute away.  The colony was to be a secret for the moment.  The US and Pan Euro were on good terms, but money could still convince many people to share secrets.  China was still not a trusted partner, and the less they could find out, the better.


May 19th  0925 hours/Patrol Vessel 17, Asteroid belt

   The Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 could sense the new arrivals.  The three new Patrol Vessels and the three new Attack Vessels had arrived.  The Attack Vessels were smaller than a Patrol Vessel and lacked the bay to carry scout craft. They also carried six less torpedoes than a Patrol Vessel.  They did carry the same torpedo launch bay and field generators.  They were designed purely to engage enemy ships.  Nothing else.
   The new ships were engaged in the initial training that all vessels underwent to prepare for service.  They would finish in less than two orbits of New Home 3 around its planet.  For the moment the Commander of Patrol Vessel 17 would wait. The new ships would finish preparing for combat, then they would see it.  With nine combat ships, and 54 scout craft/bombers, the native race would find that its time to rest was over.
   The time to die would begin again.


May 24th  1600 hours/Converted Freighter Mary Reed, South Africa, Earth

   The Dutchman looked about the bridge as he unlocked his station.  It would be different when he returned.  The word was that the refits would be extensive.  Rumor also said that the work on the field generators the aliens used had been completed.  The Mary Reed would not only be outfitted with the new defensive system, it would also receive new sensor systems to allow engagements at much greater ranges.
   The Mary Reed would be able to face the alien ships on even terms.  But it was only one ship, and the aliens were seldom found alone.  The FSC would need the US and Euro until more ships could be completed.  But more ships were unlikely.
   Rumor also had it that the initial tests of the new drive shield had been a success.  The new class of ships was coming closer and closer to becoming a reality.  It would take time before the first prototype hull was completed, but when it was, the Mary Reed would become obsolete.
   But that could be years away, and the aliens were here now.  For now, the Mary Reed would have to fight for the FSC alone.


May 26th  0800 hours/US Space Station, Earth orbit

   Admiral Bradley Walters looked over the information from the morning briefing.  The trials of the MkIII were almost complete.  Its performance had been remarkable.  The ship had managed to record speeds of over 18,600 kilometers a second for a short duration.  It could sustain speeds over 16,000 kilometers a second for combat.  Thanks to Pan Euro Rear Admiral Muldoon's assistance, the crews were quickly approaching their former levels of combat efficiency with the new fields in place.  Her training plan for the crews to calibrate the necessary systems had worked well.  By June all of the Interceptors would be combat ready.  Even the Vigilance was reporting increased success in operations with the shield employed.
   The Mars Station was finished with installing the field generators on the military modules.  Rear Admiral Muldoon had even come up with a way for the various modules on a station to use the field generators to protect other areas of the station.  It was less a technical issue, and more of a way for the modules to position themselves to allow the overlapped fields to protect areas they had not been designed for.  The aliens wouldn't have to simply defeat the shields of one module; they would have to defeat the shields of the entire station to damage it.
   Possibly the most important development had been the completion of the feedback loop conduction link, allowing the field generators to bleed off the feedback of a weapon impact without destroying the field generator itself.  It would take an hour for the conduction loop to be discharged and the field to be re-established, but it would be possible without a return to a shipyard for repairs.  The Interceptors would be capable of extended operations away from the inner system.  The Interceptors and Vigilance would all be refitted at the end of the month, and it would only require a few hours per ship.  A copy of the system would then be sent to the Pan Euro, allowing them to deploy the system on their vessels in the near future.  Bradley wasn't sure that Meagan hadn't been involved to some degree, but she was still on leave and could spend her time as she saw fit.  So long as her father didn't find out.
   The war was beginning to turn around.  Of course that assumed the aliens weren't coming up with any surprises of their own.  The small bombers were problem enough.  Anything else could be disastrous.


May 27th  0915 hours/Queen Mary, Earth orbit

   Admiral Jude Kushnir walked back to her cabin.  Training was only beginning for the day, but Muldoon would handle it.  Jude wanted to get a closer look at the new Attack Escorts.  To that end she needed to get her official dress 'uniform'.  It was only a few items that were attached to the standard cyborg body, but it would allow everyone to know what and who she was.  Most of the workers on the Pan European Space Station were not cyborgs, or even military.  To them, all of the space models looked pretty much the same.
   Jude didn't intend to tour the newest Heavy Escort, the Esme Jurkat, as she was being built mostly on the ground, with the components shipped up to orbit and assembled piecemeal.  The Esme would still need a few more weeks to be ready for her first trials.  The two Attack Escorts were actually ready for their trials, but would wait for Jude's tour before they were released from the station.  These ships were notable - they were the first ships named for men in decades.  The first she would visit was the G. Vetra.  That ship was named for the Captain who had steered his ship back towards Triton and an alien Delta, buying the only survivors of that attack time to escape.  The second ship was even more unusual.  Not only was it named for a man, but one that wasn't part of the Pan Euro or its history.  But he was a hero of the Pan Euro none the less.  The Justin Reynolds had been named to honor the US Captain who not only had taken his small ship against a much larger alien vessel at Uranus, but who had risked his ship and his life to rescue Pan Euro citizens on Mercury.  In the end he had given his life to protect a civilian convoy that contained ships not only belonging to the US and Pan Euro, but the FSC and China also.  'Such selfless acts may be the only hope humanity has' thought Jude.
   Jude reached her cabin and went in.  It was only a few hours of her time, but the civilian news crews would be in attendance.  Jude knew she would need to look her best.  The economy was beginning to pick up, and hopefully morale would follow.  This ceremony would help to both cement relations between the US and Pan Euro, and to give hope to all of those on Earth and in the colonies.  The aliens had killed millions, found Earth, and just seemed to keep coming.  'Unless the tide of the war changes, hope is all we have right now.'


May 30th  1750 hours/Ministry of Defense, Beijing, China

   Minister Po listened to the reports.  Most were good news.  The upgrades to the Venus Station were complete, and the magnetic field generators in place.  The newest Cruiser, the Minh, would be out of the yard in early July.  She would start trials immediately after that.  The economic infrastructure to support the current war effort was completed.  No alien presence had been found at Saturn, and the survey of Titan had begun.  Much progress had been made on many fronts, and would soon bear fruit.
   The questionable news wasn't bad, but the results were still in question.  Before the end of the day, the Admiral Hu and the entire Chinese Fleet would leave Venus Station bound for Neptune.  The aliens had been given time to strengthen the defenses there.  Whether the Chinese Fleet would be able to crack those defenses was still in doubt.  Hopes were high, but nothing was sure.
   Construction would also begin on a new class of ship.  A ship even larger than the Tung class of cruisers.  If it proved possible to construct a ship of the size planned, it could again change the face of combat in deep space.  The heaviest alien ships would pale in comparison to the new class.  That was if the cost of it did not bankrupt the Chinese Empire.  The time it would take to build the ship would also occupy Chinese construction assets for a great amount of time. If replacement ships were needed following the offensive at Neptune, the construction of the new ship could delay them.
   Much would depend on Admiral Hu and the battle at Neptune.  Very much.


///////////////////////////////////////
Overview

This month saw the players trying to get their 'navies' ready for the next month.  The Nemotians were in the same boat.  Once again, the next month would see the fighters come out swinging, with less than predictable results, but that is another part of the story.  I won't be able to fit June into one or two posts, but I will try to get it done before I leave with the middle boy (china) on his school trip for a week and a half.

For the Euro,
The high point for the Euro was that she rolled a one and the recession adjustment ended.  She no longer lost 2% a month of her income.  She immediately re-convoyed her FT's, which took up most of the 'increase'.  She continued her trickle of colonization to the belt, and built a few more IU.  She also built a pair of Attack Escorts, and started a new Heavy Escort.  Slowly she was working toward building up her fleet.  She was looking at adding in larger ships as soon of the 4th LBG was finished, but wasn't sure what she wanted to do.
In research, the Euro continued to work toward S regeneration, and got an early success on Electronics SL2.  Nothing that was going to make a difference in the short term, but it helped to improve her mood as she tried to rebuild.  The oldest boy's (US) decision to send a copy for S regeneration helped.
Perhaps most importantly, she got her ships through shakedown before any combat surfaced.

 For China,
China built the last IU he could fit on Earth this month, and was really wanting to find somewhere to expand.  He started the survey of Triton for two reasons.  He was planning on hitting the other great planets on the way to Neptune, but the orbit of Saturn left it well off the beaten path.  He wanted to try and find if the aliens were  colonizing/based at any of the moons there, and sending the survey ships would allow him to check Saturn without slowing/detouring/splitting up the combat group.  He also reasoned that if the aliens weren't there, his upcoming move on Neptune would keep them from poking around over that direction too much.  Made sense.
He also refitted the Venus SS with shields on the military modules to make it a better protected if the aliens showed up.  He was willing to lose the SS by the sounds of it, but wanted to take some of the aliens with it.

For the US,
The US got a pair of new Interceptors out of the yard, got a success on S's regenerating, got shields on the Mars SS, and the EL increase on his income.  Things were looking much better.  A long ways from good, but at least he had on operational Task Force, a more powerful base, and didn't have to repair his shields after combat.
He continued to build more IU, and put a few more PTU on Mars.  He still had the lowest income of the big three, but was catching up.
His big goal was to find PV 17.  He didn't know the name of it, but he knew it was out there and wanted it gone.

For the FSC,
The oldest girl got a slight boost in income with her EL increase, and managed to succeed on all her research rolls (all two of them).  She got shields, and could now start on her last SL for her pet project.
She put a few more IU on Earth, and moved another PTU to the belt.  She was slowly growing, but was still way behind the other powers.
She wrote out how she wanted the Mary Reed to be refitted, and tried to figure out how she was going to make it happen without shutting down her research for a month.  In the end she decided that she needed a ship with combat sensors and shields more than another month of research at her normal rate.

For the Nemotians,
The new ships had made it to the belt, and just needed to shakedown.  The bigger colonies were building another pair of PDC's on each, but the roll for EL3 bombed.  The roll for shuttles also didn't work out.  The Nemotians were ready for the next offensive, but the momentum just didn't seem to be there.  I didn't want to wait any longer for the next attack, but I had doubts it was going to turn out well.  Of course, sitting around wasn't going to win anything either.

Overall, May was just a month for everyone to brace for June.  June doesn't have quite as many turn notes as Feb did (11 instead of 14), but with the limited resources on hand, I would say it strained the players even more than Feb......

As always, thanks for reading.
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...
 

Offline procyon (OP)

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Re: Nemesis Campaign
« Reply #59 on: May 22, 2010, 05:32:53 AM »
June 2204 part 1

June 1st  0630 hours/Queen Mary,  15 light seconds from Earth

   Admiral Jude Kushnir wondered if this was the right decision.  It was a risk, but would increase the security of the convoys.  It would also allow Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon's plan to be tested.  It just seemed wrong to be the senior admiral of the Pan Euro and be assigned to convoy escort duty, even if she was the best officer for the job.
   Brenna was needed at Earth.  She was easily the most experienced admiral in the Pan Euro, and was needed for the training of the two newest Attack Escorts.  The new Heavy Escort Esme would also be coming into service in the next week or so, and would need Brenna to get started in the right direction.  Leaving the Earth's defense to the most experienced admiral made sense.  Giving her the equivalent of two Light Battle Groups, one of which had just come out of the yard, was more than a bit risky.  The surface launch sites would add more firepower than two full Battle Groups, so Brenna should be able to face down any alien attack.  Nonetheless, reassigning the most experienced ships away from the Earth just felt wrong.  If the aliens were close enough for the surface launch sites to come into play, the aliens were too close to the Earth.
   If this redeployment worked, the aliens should have a hard time getting to Earth.  If it didn't work, well, the aliens would find the Earth a much easier target than it had been 24 hours ago.  Jude looked at her monitor and studied the sensor returns.  They just needed to find the aliens, or hope the aliens found them.


June 2nd  1420 hours/Interceptor MkIII Yari, dark side of the Asteroid Belt

   Rear Admiral Jack Ryan rechecked the course plot.  It was as good as he could come up with.  It would still take nearly two weeks to reach the orbit of Neptune, but no more than that.  They should still be able to reach position well before the Chinese could.  A civilian convoy had intercepted the Chinese ships as they approached the belt, and the projected course for the Chinese group would take until the end of the month to reach Neptune.
   The Red October and two Pan Euro Attack Escorts had met the Yari a short distance from Mars almost 24 hours ago, and outlined a joint mission plan that had been given the go ahead by both Admiral Kushnir and Admiral Walters.  It was risky, and would move assets away from areas that were already poorly defended.  But it was the best game in town at the moment.  Although technically a Pan Euro operation - due to the plan having been devised by Rear Admiral Muldoon and the Pan Euro supplying most of the ships - Captain Robert McNeely of the Red October had turned over command of the group to Jack.  Jack had read enough reports to know that Captain McNeely had seen his share of combat, and that the Pan Euro 3rd Light Battle Group was his command.  Handing over the command of his Battle Group was more than just a courtesy of rank.  Jack intended to make good on the respect he had just been paid.
   'If this works' thought Jack, 'we could finally get the initiative in this war.'


June 4th  0515 hours/Cruiser Chiang Kia Shek, 7 light seconds from Jupiter

   Admiral Hu openned up the external view from the Shek and panned until he found the nearby planet.  It had been almost two decades since he had seen the great planet.  Hu had been on the first Chinese outsystem probe, and had been the commander of the first small Chinese vessel that had ventured beyond the belt.  That journey had started his career.  It seemed fitting that the next time he saw the great planet it might be the end of his career.
   All the ships were ready for the upcoming battle.  Systems had been checked and rechecked.  The arrays had been calibrated over and over.  The crews knew their jobs.  They were all aware that the aliens crews were just as good.  
   The current course would bring them to Neptune on the 27th.  On that day the fate of the Chinese Empire, and likely all of the Earth would be decided.  History would record the fleet as the heroes of the Earth, and that he had been the man in command of them all.  It would have too.  If the aliens won this battle, there wouldn't be any future for the human race.

June 6th  0200 hours/Heavy Escort Tatianna,  3 light seconds from Earth

   Rear Admiral Brenna Muldoon watched her monitor as the ships manuevered.  The ships of the 4th Light Battle Group were struggling.  The Heavy Escort Esme, and the Attack Escorts G. Vetra and J. Reynolds tried to match the turns of the Tatianna, Isabelle and Catherine as they banked on opposites sides of the Earth.  The newest ships were trying to keep the planet between the groups and avoid the weapon lock of the more experienced ships.  They would have been destroyed several times over in the last hour.  Drills when the new crews were accustomed to resting made it even harder for them.  This was easy compared to real combat.  They needed to learn.  The billions of lives on the planet floating between the groups depended on them learning their jobs.  Quickly.
   Brenna had a new training plan for the day.  One that even the old hands didn't know about.  One that would push the crews and their ships to the limit.  "All ships, cease current operations.  New course plots will download from my station.  Prep ships for full combat acceleration."  Brenna waited as the 4th Light Battle Group finally started to move on the new course.  It was time to see if the new training would work.  It had taken months to get Admiral Kushnir to sign off on the training, and only the advent of the new shields had make it possible.  With luck, none of the ships would be damaged, or burn their drives out.
   The distance from Earth began to grow.  The Pax line grew closer, and then the ships were beyond it.  Time to download the new block of instruction.  Brenna keyed the transmitt prompt for the tightbeam link, and waited for the crews to process what they were about to do.
   The plan was simple, but would take practice to execute.  It would give the new ships a chance to practice with their weapon locks and firing drills.  It would give the old hands a chance to try and learn to survive.  The Tatianna, Isabelle, and Catherine would take turns being the target.  They would be the first to see if the new drive protocols would be able to defeat an active lock on.
   Brenna openned the channel from the Tatianna to the Esme.  "Captain McWilliams, your are to attempt to mirror our course at a range of three light seconds.  Your ship is to aquire sensor lock, plot a firing solution on the Tatianna,  release primary safeties, and launch a single missile.  Do you understand?"  Brenna waited.
   "Admiral, am I to understand correctly.  You want the Esme to fire on the Tatianna?"  
   "That is correct.  Primary safety release only. We will begin in 45 seconds.  Admiral Muldoon, out."  Brenna closed the channel.  "Helm, a new manuveur protocol is downloading to your station.  As soon as the Esme aquires a weapons lock, implement the new protocol.  Engineering, you will need to be on your toes.  Were going to push the drive.  Don't let the particle accelerators burn out."
   Brenna waited and watched the monitor.  The Esme began to follow the Tatianna as the drives engaged.  The world was a solid blue grey as the Tatianna accelerated to full combat speed.  The Esme began to fall back, but managed to hold on at just over 3.5 light seconds.  Then the sensor conn detected the  lock on and launch from the Esme.  The world turned into a kaliedescope of colors as the drives stuttered, the maneuver jets fired, and the monitor lit up as the particle accelerators were redlined.  
   'I hope like hell this works...'
... and I will show you fear in a handful of dust ...