Author Topic: Theban Empire  (Read 38057 times)

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Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #180 on: June 26, 2015, 05:04:06 AM »
Following a conversation with Paul, in this fight it was less the size of the invading fleet as a change of gunboat tactics and armement. Fighter misisles, while providing a standoff capacity, cannot be launched in dense enough salvoes by pgb to overwhelm the defenses of larger ships. Maybe wizth true gunboats and ripple fire they are viable again, but for now I will have to adjust the magaize loadouts to reflect a change.
And even if fM provide some standoff for the pgb, they are still deep in beam and sprint mode range of e defenders when launching and will take heavy losses. Then better to go with a weapon which offers damage capacity against heaveir units, the fighter laser.
Also, the red fleet used the gunboats of the later assault waves in a simultaneous transit, thus preventing the commitment in small waves effect which cost them so far. And thus providing a much higher critical mass in the first few rounds.
Contrary to my initial exspectations, the Thebans were overrun before they could even realistically try to cretae a running engagement against the gunboats. (Also, increasing pgb speed to 9 may have played a small factor, but the Theban ships would then have died in turn 6 instead of turn 5, latest.)
Of course, the Thebans alsohoisted themselves on a petard of their own making too, by not having any mine control capacity in-system when they deployed the mines. I See a mobile control ship on the horizon. So much for 147 MCS bases, but never any where you need them.

 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #181 on: July 12, 2015, 03:33:27 AM »
Month 241, Undine Expanses, Helium System.
-In war, the simple things are complex-
Watching over the holo-display on the ships assembled near the warp point, Water Lord Sea Elephant quietly thought to himself "What a mess of a fleet we make, but if we can't regain the system with this we will not regain the system for a long time. Well, it can't be helped, we're scrapping the bottom of the barrel and dreadnaughts simply cannot traverse the warp point. At least the Cartell and the tigers are coming through."
Nine undine battleships floated in space, escorted by only three heavy cruisers and a frigate and two corvettes. This alone would have been suicidal to send, but the Cartell had send another nine battleships and six battle cruisers, with a lonesome destroyer, under command of their first war leader Giovanni Gambesone . It looked they  were also scrapping the escort barrel clean, given what he heard about a distant front where they had send their fast ships. And the tigers.. or the citizens of the Sri Raj... despite their at first glance fearsome appearance the worthies were a peaceful society with unheard of civil liberties and freedom of work and choice. Political decisions were reached by eventual consent, and people were assigned by peer selection. It was strange but worked, but did not produce a very military society. Still, they had named Free Thought Mahajan rear admiral and send him here with three battle cruisers, six cruisers and an actual escort element of three destroyers and three corvettes. They also claimed it was all the supply situation here allowed, else they would have send somewhat more. Unfortunately, it was also most likely true, as they last expedition force into Helium had to turn back due to supplies.

Now came the simple bit, sneak into Helium, reach the Tantalum warp point, recover the Surge fleet from there and then invest the Tungsten warp point. The execution of this, without knowing enemy dispositions, would be complex.

Thus they set out, and from the warp point out at radian 11, distance 28 they moved inward to the sun, past the Rhenium warp point at radian 11, distance 27 from the primary. A short robe revealed that the system was undefended, but also no longer inhabited. Then they flew further inward to swing past the sun, towards the Tantalum warp point at radian 6, distance 20.

But moving outwards, an intercepting contact was detected, coming from the Tungsten warp point at radian 8, distance 21 presumably. It appeared as if the foe did have pickets in-system and now had dispatched their fleet guarding Tungsten, or the Tungsten warp point. But a quick virtual conference between all three allied commanders revealed that although they all had brought escorts, no one had brought any fleet scouts. Now they had three options. Try to engage an enemy with yet unknown strength, try to make a run past him for Tantalum, and then fight it out, or turn back but most likely reveal the warp point to Ocean to the pursuing enemy. In the end they decided to try and make a run for it, and hopefully join up with the whole fleet available in Tantalum. But not let themselves be trapped there, as Tantalum must be strained already by the present fleet in terms of resources.
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #182 on: July 13, 2015, 09:26:02 AM »
Just a point:  they might want to send off speed 12 CDs to the Tantalum WP as letting the defenders know they are coming, how strong they are, and when they arrive would be wise.  This would also allow for joint coordinated action.  I'd suggest sending a goodly number of CDs (each BB has 10 so they could send 45 or so).
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #183 on: July 13, 2015, 01:46:59 PM »
That I already considered. My trouble right now is to handle the intercept between the fleets fairly with two fleets of equal speed. Because the intercept will happen halfway between sun and warp point. Ok, one fleet can also send out a heck of a loot of apn and pgb.
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #184 on: July 13, 2015, 03:36:02 PM »
Editted out my previous comments.

After speaking to starslayer...the mystery is solved...we had a good chat discussing options for the two fleets.  It is really one of the case where it would be best played out with 2 room each with a map and a SM going between them.  I will say that the one time this was done in a previous campaign the situation is very different.  The Fog of War really gets murky.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2015, 01:47:54 AM by Paul M »
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #185 on: July 15, 2015, 07:40:53 AM »
Month 241, Helium system -contested-

Thus after sending off courier drones towards Tantalum to alert the system (hopefully) to their imminent arival and to have the surge fleet ready to meet them at he warp point, they set out on a course designed to avoid directly running into the red fleet operating outsystem of them. With some consternation the allied admirals watched as the red fleet retreated before them towards the Tantalum warp point while staying out of range for a further sensor resolution, and finally settled down on the warp point with some gunboat activity. Declining to charge into whatever they might have prepared there, they instead swung around to cut of the red fleet from Tungsten. As the red fleet had to honour that threat, they pulled stakes and followed the allied across the system to near Tungsten. This allowed the allies to send  more courier drones to Tantalum to call forth the surge fleet from there.
Unfortunately for the allied effort the available supplies in Tantalum had been inadequate to support all of the Surge fleet after it had to retreat into the system. Thus, several of its ships where on shakedown cruises or in the yards, and only a small contingent of six battlecruisers, six cruisers and a smattering of frigates was available to respond. This small fleet cautiously probed and spend soem time making sure no hidden ambushes where deployed close to the Tantalum warp point, and then set on a course system inwards to swing around the red fleet to join the allied fleet, using their superior strategic speed to make the journey. While moving on the course they noticed a contact moving out from the sun towards the tungsten warp point at a similar süeed to their own. Probably lighter fleet elements or survey ships. It seemed like the red fleet didn't want their survey vessels trapped behind enemy lines again and was withdrawing them too.
As the various forces neared the Tungsten warp point, timming strated to become interresting. The red fleet deployed an unknown number of gunboats who raced off towards their survey fleet, which also launched some , and from then advanced towards the Surge fleet, finally revealing themselves as two squadrons of gun boats who swung close to scout out the Surge fleet. Unable to chase down their swifter foes, the Surge fleet altered course slightly to intercept the survey fleet if possible and accelerated. The scouting gunboats, seeing this, turned around and flew off towards the red fleet.. The Survey vessels as well as their gunboat escort accelerated towards th red fleet on a converging course, but might not reach them before everything came together at the tungsten warp point. Incidentially, they had thus opened the way for the Surge fleet to reach the warp point at the same time as the allied fleet and thus allowing a joined effort. Only twelve light minutes separated the allied fleet from the red fleet, twenty-four light minutes the allied fleet from the warp point and the Surge fleet, as well the Surge fleet from the red fleet., and thirty-six light minutes the Surge fleet from the warp point. But then gunboats blinked into existance around the red fleet and raced off onto an intercept towards the surge fleet, pushing between it and the allied fleet, joined by gun boats deployed from the survey fleet.. By the time they reached the point between, the fleets had mutually closed to perceive the numbers, and a cold shadow fell upon their hearts. 540 gunboats were bearing down on the Surge fleet, and besides watching them run for their lives there was nothing the allied fleet could do to to help them. The cold shadow deepened even more when the gunboats, after having pushed the Surge fleet away turned to occupy the warp point before the allied fleet could reach it, trapping it between the red fleet and their looming numbers, and both hostile components accelerated to full military speed to bear down upon them.



(Somehow SA doesn't rellay accept that when maintenance is missing by .. say .. 10 MCr, the whole fleet is not to immediatly suffer system failures in multiple systems in all ships...  and I could have sworn the system had enough maintenance for the bases (who never suffered  afailure), the yards (ditto), the buoy controll ships (as well) and the Surge fleet (suffering multiple destroyed systems in ships each turn...).
For those wondering about the seeming omniscience of the red fleet, they had pickets hiding drive field down 2-3 lm near the warp points and thus observing movements and numbers.
Unfortunately, due to quantity of gun boats being detectable at one system hex, its very hard to play a numeric shell gam with them.)
« Last Edit: July 15, 2015, 10:30:42 AM by Starslayer_D »
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #186 on: July 23, 2015, 03:56:26 AM »
(Small correction after resolving movements on the interception scale, the allied fleet and surge fleet merged up, but got kind boxed in now and things are coming into battle range.)

With the armed pinnaces closing i from the ten o'clock, the gunboats closing in on the eight o'clock and the red fleet comming from the four o'clock, the aliied fleets moved towards the twelve, untill turning away from the approaching gun boats towards the two o'clock, and thus barely edging into long range.
The first salvo from a datagroup of Catapults targetted a Sri Ray heavy cruiser, and managed to bring 3 missiles to bear, stripping it of its shields and some armour. Unfortunately, at this range the Cartell fleet was th only one able to respond, targetting one of the enemy battlecruisers as experience had shown them to die more easily, but all missiles were shot down. The Sri Rajs Invincible class cruiser was targetted again, this time deploying two EDM but even thus 2 missiles slipped through and finished the destruction of its armour. The second datagroup of Killer class battleships from the Cartell fared better and landed an SBM on the shields of the battlecruiser. But that was the only succesfull attack. Still, the allies declined to close further, as by experience this would increase the amount of firepower being brought to bear. The further salvos continued to damage the Invincible untill it was slowed.

The next enchange of fire happened with the gunboats closer, and thus allied fire shifted to them. Although the red fleet managed to break another Sri Raj destroyer out of the formation, the allies got the better of the exchange and eliminated 30 gunboats. The slow erosion of allied firepower continued with another Invincible loosing engines and as second losing its shields and some amour. The allied escorts claimed ten apn, but due to evasive maneuvers used by the gun boats only twelve were killed this time. The escorts killed another six armed pinnaces, and the allied fleet accounted for another 8 gun boats, but the Cartell ships shifted their fire back to the red fleet battlecruiser and eroded shields and armour from it, while the SriRay suffered another Invincible slowed down and the remaining two taking fire as well, using up their EDMs. With the ever closing aps, the allied fleet had to turn on a slowly converging course with the red fleet. But the allies hadn’t fully paid attention, and the escorts in their effort to slay pinnaces had come back into missile range of the Red Fleet.

At 1.25 ls the Cartell fleet was able to use their advanced point defense and shifted 40% towards the apn, killing twelve. Together with the fire of the Sri Raj cruisers and the other escorts, 44 armed pinnaces had been killed so far, accounting for almost a third of the strike. In return, the 4 allied destroyers all got slowed, as well the two undine corvettes and three frigates. And the two Invincibles with the fleet took some damage as well, now being in capital missile range. The destruction was no longer one-sided though, as now the Red Fleet was close enough to take fire from the Undine and Sri Raj ships, and the primary target battlecruiser lost its shields armour and three engine rooms, basically removing it from the fight.

Then the armed pinnaces swooped in, not quite reaching the allied fleet but close enough to fire their rockets. But in response the allies send out a withering fire from point defenses and lasers and force beams and sprint missiles, killing 85 apn before they could fire, and taking out another red fleet battlecruiser from the fight. In return, the armed pinnaces slowed down three Undine heavy cruisers and thus depriving the allied fleet of their potent missile broadsides in a coordinated defense. A fourth lost its shields and some armour. It was then damaged by and the other two lost their passives to the capital missile fire of the red fleet, and the two remaining Sri Raj cruisers where slowed down as well.
In response, the undine frigates turned towards the onrushing red fleet and by their closing movements managed to bring their primaries just into range. The main bodies continued the long stern chase while the gunboats maneuvered to stay in the main allied fleet’s blind spot. The allied heavy cruisers moved to bring the gun boats into their weapon arcs. First to fire were a data group of demolishers and they vaporized a valiant undine frigate with their hetlasers. In return a group of frigates took out half an engine room and the engine tuners on a demolisher, thus also preventing it from ever catching up with the main allied fleet. Another Demolisher suffered the same fate, but a third only lost its life support. In return the frigates took heavy fire from the red fleets beams, with seven destroyed or damaged into inefficiency. The allied cruisers took out several gunboats with long range fire, but in return the undine heavy cruisers took a lot of damage from capital missiles, with one destroyed and all others further damaged. As one undamaged red fleet battlecruiser had fallen back to cover is two damaged comrades, the allied fleet continued to engage one in the remaining data group, but it weathered the fire better, only losing its shields and some armour. Still, taking them out was important as the battle cruiser were the only red fleet ships whose beam armament outranged the allied capital force beams and whose speed was higher than the battleships.

In a stroke of luck, in the next exchange the allies were the first of the mark, and the undine cruisers send salvoes of missiles at the closing gunboats, killing 8. In retaliation, three Sri Raj cruisers took further damage from Catapults, and three crippled frigates faced capital energy beams, removing two from the battle. The damaged Sri Raj cruisers responded swiftly, killing two gun boats but their breathren earned the wrath of the otehr data group of Catapults, with two exploding under the misisle barrage. The lonely plasma gun corvette tried to deal with the shield less Quickdraw battlecruiser but both guns missed. Then the two damaged Demolishers demonstrated to the undine frigates why it is generally a bad idea for small ships to come close to dreadnaughts and unleashed ten heatlasers, targeting two on each frigate and hitting. Not enough to kill them, but leaving only an engine room and a primary beam inside their shields reduced their role in the battle significantly. With the last Sri Raj cruiser taking out another gun boat, the damaged Quickdraw battlecruisers targeted the Trafalgar destroyers of the Raj and killed two and reduced one to a wreck. The Rajs Lion battlecruisers took out some armour on the currently targeted Quickdraw, and the undamaged Demolishers punished the Raj cruiser for firing, hitting with eleven hetlasers at long range. Then the Undines whiskey battlecruisers send four missiles into the Quickdraw, which responded together with its data group by dealing slight laser damage to the undine cruisers and sending three capital missiles into the last really combat worthy Raj cruiser, wrecking it. Then the red fleets Marauders damaged a Lion battlecruiser and together with the Daikus eliminated further cripples from the field. In return allied fire damaged the target Quickdraw, slowing it down, and ripped the shields of another.

The fleets and gunboats closed further, leaving various damaged units behind to fight it out among themselves. First of was one of the undine frigates, firing at the lone Quickdraw escorting it two damaged comrades, but it missed. In response, the Quickdraw lagging behind the most used its lasers to eliminate the other four frigates. The three undine cruisers which still had some missiles used them well and killed three gunboats, and in return took some laser fire from the other two lagging Quickdraws. Next the Sri Raj battlecruisers traded fire with the Quickdraws, but the mutual damage was minimal, unlike the Catapult salvo which neatly removed second Lions passives and first two engine rooms. In return, Undine ships reduced the Quickdraws armour further, but not as much as the other Catapult salvo dealt to the last Sri Raj battlecruiser. Still, with only four missiles hitting it, the passives still held. Unfortunately, as the marauders and smaller salvoes from the other red fleet ships hammered away at all three battlecruisers, this was not enough and all three staggered under further hits which tore deeply into their innards, crippling them and making sure they soon would be in reach of their foes heavy beam broadsides. Still, it was not one-sided, with the undines dealing with the Quickdraw battlecruisers the Sri raj had already damaged, killing three of its engine rooms and thus rendering it irrelevant for the further battle. And the last Quickdraw with the main red Fleet force was dealt harshly by the Cartell, who tore through its passives and first three engine rooms as well.
The allied fleet had to turn now to keep the gunboats under fire. First to fire were the Sri Raj battlecruisers, using their hetlasers to shoot at gunboats, but missing all but one. In return a group of demolishers demonstrated what hetlasers can do and hit the most behind Lion with 8, and killed the most damaged one with capital missiles. Undine Tangoes now started to work on a Catapult, hitting with five laser torpedoes and killing three gunboats with their beams while the other Demolishers finished the destruction of the Sri Raj expedition. The Catapults exchanged fire with an Undine Whiskey class BC, but though the whiskeys damaged the catapult further, the catapults also didn't manage to get past the Whiskeys passives. This was then delivered by a group of marauders, hitting with six missiles and dooming the valiant undine ship. The Undine Victor class battlecruisers finally got to play their role and killed nine gunboats at over three light seconds. The Cartell finished eliminating the Catapults armor with laser torpedoes and took out its first engine room. While not destroyed, it was slowed. And the combined allied beams brought the total of destroyed gunboats to 105, allmost a fifth of the whole force.
But then things started to become interesting with the gunboats closing in to two light seconds, and the Red fleet’s main body coming into hetlaser range. The Undine Victors again were quick of the mark and killed thirteen gunboats. In recognition of the threat they presented, the Demolisher group in range send two advanced laser torpedoes and eleven hetlasers into Whiskeys armour. In response the two still capable Whiskeys send five laser torpedoes into the damaged catapult, taking out another engine room. A group of Daikus responded in kind on the damaged Victor, existing two engine rooms and the rest of its armour. The Cartell Creeper battlecruisers send another salvo into the damaged catapult, killing a capital launcher, and then concentrated with the rest of the allied fleet on hammering a second Catapult, and reducing it to a scrap or armour. In return, the marauders slowed down a second Victor and scoured half the armour of the third.

To be concluded...

As can be seen, the allied battleships are defenitely working, but none of the allies brought enough escorts able to wheather the fire from the antimatter or LT2 misisles, and that is preparing he way for the gunboats to now swoop in. I predict a huge bill for the red fleet, replacing 400+ pgb and 144 apn + 1200 fL  (alone, 1700 HS worth of small crafts). And quite a lot of damaged ships. But the allies still have to get their doctrine right, though I suspect the Cartell at least can feel good about their ships, as they are technologically allmost up to the task. The allies defenitely need more escorts or tougher, BC and BB sized escorts. That will cost them time and money. Overall, this one isn't quite as onesided as the first fights between Undines and the Red Fleet. But not there yet. I actually sould add up the HS involved to see whether it was an even contest from the start at all.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2015, 04:29:44 AM by Starslayer_D »
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #187 on: August 01, 2015, 11:47:51 AM »
Now, the allied showed uncertainty faced with their impending doom and thus, the Demolishers shot first at the battered Undine battle cruisers. Luckily, at 2.5 ls hetlasers were still not powerful enough to cause crippling damage and thus all three Victors only took further engine damage. They swiftly reacted and with force beams and sprint mode missiles took out 14 gunboats and another six with their capital point defence. The last intact data group of Catapults smashed 5 missiles into the remaining Whiskey class battle cruiser, stripping it of shields and some armour.
Maybe it was unwise by the undines to use their Tangoes capital point defence against the gunboats, as this allowed the marauders to take out one, but they killed a lot of gunboats this way.
After the smoke had cleared, all but a Whiskey class battle cruiser had been severely damaged of the undine battle cruisers, and the tally of dead gunboats had risen to 250. In return, they had damaged six Cartell battleships and slowed them down.
Though not as much as they might have thought, as they revealed their engine tuners and held pace, keeping away from the Red Fleets beams at close range.
The undamaged allied battle cruisers diverted sideways, keeping the range open, and the undamaged Cartell battleships speed ahead, but the Undine Tangoes now were caught by the gunboats and at that close range found most of their weapons useless. The same could be said for just 30 seconds before oh so powerful capital missiles, and thus the allies turned towards the red fleet with their missiles for targets.
What now followed was devastation. With lasers blazing the red fleet gun boats ripped apart the Cartell battleships, followed by the undine ones. Only the battle cruisers escaped being battered into wrecks by virtue of their distance. But soon they followed, and fell, taking a catapult with them into the darkness between the stars. They fought gallantly, damaging four dreadnaughts and killing another one, damaging five battle cruisers, killing 309 gun boats and 144 armed pinnaces, but the allied fleet was no more. The next expedition into Helium would have to be welll prepared, and while the long range doctrine worked to an extend, the allies had not brought along sufficient weight of numbers and ships to defeat the red fleet. Also, they needed fighter to deal with the gunboats decisively.

Well, that battle was intense and actually short, only 14 turns of fire after a lot of manoeuvring. If one counts the pgb as 3 hs, the allies were out massed. if not, they had the advantage. But different design philosophies and capabilities made the Sri Raj ships easy meat, and by themselves the Cartell could kill a lot of gunboats but not enough. And the red fleet dreadnaughts still remain very hard to kill. I think the allies will definitely take along more laser torpedoes next time.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #188 on: August 02, 2015, 01:54:57 PM »
Month 242, Undine expanses, Zirconium system

The probe by a pinnace from Techneticum Salt was not a real surprise. Given how few ships currently remained in the undine inventory, the defenders decided to retreat. Most of the people in the colonies had been lifted by now, with the current transport wave loading 17.5 million undines, leaving behind only 5 million in what once was a thriving system. But better a few than the 45 million who had inhabited the system two months ago. But the response to the probe was slow, and the invasion appeared three weeks later, allowing the transports and defenders to get away through the closed warp point and thus covering their retreat. The undines left behind might not have been happy about their fate, but their families lived another day.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #189 on: August 14, 2015, 03:35:50 AM »
Month 243, Theban Empire, Kheruef secundus, Nun Secundus, Blue Nile and First Katarakt systems.
Four  months ago the Second Thebes Fleet had to abandon Kheruef secundus as due to an overrun supply depot the fleet was out of supply and his ships suffered damage from maintenance failures. Thus, the fleet retreated through Blue Nile to First Katarakt. Now his ships where shaking down after repairs have been completed. Given the uncertainity last month an evacuation of Nun Secundus, a dead end system next to Kheruef Secundus was started. Nun Secudus was an economically powerfull system with three benign worlds, two of whom are very rich. Blue Nile and Nun Secundus at that moment were the last two habitable systems left in that branch of warp lines.
Third Priest Ramses Amnechotep of the Second Thebes fleet was cursing the yard dogs silently under his breath. Only now they had released his ship from shake-down cruises after repairs, and he now could advance to Blue Nilee from First katarakt and cover the evacuation of Nun Secundus. Allready last month a huge fleet of transports had moved from there through his current location, First Katarakt and onwards to another newly explored branch of systems diverting from First katarakt, by now becoming one of the most important junctions in the empire. Especially the Alexandria branch, with eleven habitable worlds in a string of three systems was not only troubled by a possible contact with the red fleet but also an economic powerhouse.
Suddenly an alarm howled through the ship. "Alert message from Blue Nile, sir! They have a contact approaching the planet." A cold hand gripped his heart as he realised that the murderous aliens must have been surveying Keruef Secudus allready.... and possibly have followed the evacuation fleet from Nun Secudus as well. Seven hours later his fears were confirmed as Nun Secundus also reported contacts inbound.
With a somewhat panicky haste he ordered his powerfull fleet to immediately assume a defensive position about the warp point to Blue Nile. Not even the fact that on the Blue Nile side it was a closed warp point gave him hope, given that the sensor blind freighters used for evacuation might easily have been followed through Blue Nile by a scout.
In the end he could only rally at the gods and curse the non-existing foreward fleet supply ships as bombs fell on four worlds and whiped 291 million Thebans from the universe before even his fastest sscout could transit to Blue Nile.
In response, ships from several systems were dispatched to fortify his position, but also leaving Bishenphat next toor uncovered by mobile elements and pulling the assault fleet and all mobile machine shops from Thebes. This concentration of ships was destined to grow to the most powerfull mobile and active fleet agglomeration in Theban history outside the home system, and firmly fixating theban forces upon this point of contact.

Ouch, a major blow to the Thebans, caused in one part by not having fleet supply ship, and by SFA immediately hitting all ships at once with multiple defect systems. But also by the thebans evacuating late after realising they may not hold the systems. It was made even worse by not havingany scouts in blue nile and thus potentially allowing a red fleet scout to follow the blind freighters to the closed WP into Blue Nile. Also.. I am not 100% sure if the thebans can hold First Katarakt if the red fleet does follow up quickly. And that would be very bad.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #190 on: August 22, 2015, 06:26:08 AM »
Month 246, week 4, Undine expanses, Neon System

Traffic control reported a contact inbound from the dead end Potassium system. As not even a patrol vessel was available a freighter was diverted from its route towards Tantalum to investigate. Unfortunately for the undines, fate was not done handing them a bad hand, and the freighter was destroyed before it could resolve the contact. But any doubts were soon resolved when two days later the planetary scanners could confirm the presence of nine battleships, six battle cruisers, six heavy cruisers and four light cruisers. In the absence of any defenders, the red fleet settled into orbit, scanned the planet and then a light cruiser proceeded to systematically wipe out 40 million undines using a simple gun catapult and a sheer inexhaustible supply of fusion warheads. The only consolidation for the Tantalum system was that the connection to Tantalum was a closed warp point at he neon side and no further undine inhabited system existed in that small pocket created by Neon and Potassium. But 12% of Tantalums supporting supply and income had just been reduced to slag.
 

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #191 on: August 29, 2015, 02:57:39 PM »
Month 247 Cartell Realm, Bootlegger system.

Bootlegger had already seen two battles recently. In one a theban survey force was destroyed, in another a small Theban fleet successfully defended the system, allowing the Cartell to bring more forces to the area via a connection through Yeti space. The system had four warp points and would be
somewhat of a crossroad if not for current events. One lead to Bullet, the main system of the Cartells new expansion, and from there to Yeti space and several other systems settled in support of the current frontline here. Another lead to a dead end. A third to Theban space, where the Theban
fleets came from. The fourth was the one full of danger and potential. It lead to space occupied by the Red Fleet, those so far nameless aliens who had ravaged Undine space and dealt several blows to the allies.
As Bootlegger only had a very resource poor planet, although habitable, it had been resettled only by a token population of 2 million cartellian citizens. Unfortunately, the Theban fleet supporting the defences had been withdrawn to meet an incursion into Theban space close by, and subsequently been destroyed there, leaving the warp point to Theban space no longer a source of reinforcements but of danger. Due to the long distance and scarce supply situation, Bootlegger was staffed more with a swift picket force than a substantial fleet. But a potent picket. Eighteen Cartell destroyers, half of them of the most modern vintage, three light carriers and six strike carriers, with a total of 90 fighters between them formed the Cartell presence. Supplemented they were by a Yeti force of seventeen corvettes and three battle cruisers. The Cartell still hadn't gotten around to building dedicated fleet scouts and thus two Thief class corvettes from the Yeti contingent formed the only long range scouts the fleet had. Still Gang Boss Antonio Marecone was confident of being able to outrun anything he could not outfight, and of being able to deliver a surprise or two to any red fleet incursion before having to abandon the system. But time was now running out now for Bootlegger.
With the Theban losses in recent months the system was now under potential siege from two directions, and now reports have come in from local traffic control that a contact had been spotted moving inwards from the second warp point. Soon the allied fleets were ready to report and investigate the hostile force. As they approached, it became apparent that the red fleet force was on a course to investigate the innermost warp point from which the previous incursions into the system had been launched. Gradually both forces converged until individual numbers could be resolved, and the invading fleet was found to consist of only eighteen ships, a small force indeed. Thus encouraged, the gang boss ordered the force sunder his command to close further to determine what exactly the were facing. Several hours later, with all crews standing by the enemy fleet resolved into six battleships, six battle cruisers
and three light cruisers. Not an overwhelming force but still difficult at least in s stand-up fight and one Angelo Mariacone had no intention of spending his crews like bullets in. After all, there were more systems to defend and few reinforcements due to arrive for now.

After some manoeuvring the allied fleet was running just out of SBM range and kept the distance. As expected the red fleet launched their prototype gun boats, a whole 147 of them coming screaming down on the allied fleet. For the next minutes they slowly approached until they reached extreme standard missile range and came under the allied fire from the 18 destroyers. 108 missiles streaked out, and by a bit of luck killed 6 gunboats. The next exchange killed another 15 gunboats with the Cartell carriers adding to the fire with their advanced missile launchers. Slowly the gunboats came closer, losing another 19. Then they maneuverer, and managed to get into the blind spots of the capital ships. But for the Yeti corvettes who now could apply their lasers, allied shooting was dismissal and only 13 gunboats died, most to lasers. Pursuing further, things now came to ahead as the gunboats came into extreme range of one of the two groups of Obliterator destroyers. an intense exchange of fire happened, but the allies sprint mode missiles and beams won out. They eliminated all the gunboats, but 4 destroyers suffered enough engine damage that they could no longer escape the enemy battle cruisers.
After reorganising themselves, the allies send in heir fighters. Careful of the possible jammers on the battleships they stayed out of range of those on the battleships, but unfortunately, the Red Fleet battle cruisers they approached instead as they put themselves between the battleships and the fighters also mounted a jammer ECM. the mall salvo of fighter missiles launched by the first fighter was dealt with easily, and then all hell broke loose as 48 missiles were launched from the first data group of battle cruisers and homed in on the fighters, killing 25. Almost as an afterthought, a while squadron was whipped out by capital point defence obviously not reserved for huge missile volleys from the fighters. When the other group of battle cruisers threw another 24 missiles, followed by 30 from the light cruisers and the capital point defence of the battleships and their hetlasers, not many allied fighters survived. Only four F1 and 12 F0 turned away to flee, but the pursuing cruisers and battle cruisers swatted them from space before they could escape. Thus the allies, now aware of
this technology, abandoned the four slowed down destroyers and retreated to Bullet.
Small consolidation it was though to the 2 million citizens thus abandoned to nuclear annihilation, this was the only the second time an allied fleet had escaped from a fight, and they had gained important information about the Red Fleets anti-fighter defences.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #192 on: October 02, 2015, 12:46:07 PM »
Month 248, Northern Lizards Trerretory, Alaisiagae system

In a perfect world, all would be arranged and ready, was the thought running through Huscarl Jotunvars head. In an imperfect world, something was always missing. Since ten years the race had guarded this warp point and the systems beyond against the aggression of the race contacted beyond it in the Sleipnir system, and in three battles had pushed them back and held. But the race could not afford many ships, and thus was not willing to spend them assaulting a most probably heavily defended warp point. and thus they had developed and build the current fleet. Definitely able to hold the system. Then new technologies came and mandated a refit of the assault dreadnaughts. And one had developed automated bombardment units. But... one still lacked data on what was defending the other side these days.
And while the bombardment control ship was now imminent, no one had thought to provide any pinaces for scouting. Thus now the six assault dreadnaughts actually had to be used to gather data. and the brave crews went forth, dedicated to their duty. Six dreadnaughts vanished into the warp point, and arrived in the middle of a huge fleet of bases. Six titanic bases, even larger than the dreadnaughts and twelve small weapon platforms were closest. The first Grendel's Mother Dreadnaught fired on a base, but due to training and transit only two hetlasers and six CAM hit.
One of the titanic bases retaliated, and with ten force beams, ten energy beams, 18 CAM and eight XRay lasers ripped away the passives of the last dreadnaught to transit and deep into its structure, ensuring that it would not escape.
The next dreadnaught had more luck and with six lasers ripped into the base past its armour. Apparently for their size and impressive load out they were lightly defended. But then another base let its weapons speak, and another dreadnaught was reduced to a crippled state. The third dreadnaught to fire did hurt he base even more and eliminate its shields. Still those bases took a lot of firepower to kill. A third titan activated and yet another dreadnaught was damaged, although a bit less than its sisters.
In return, the damaged dreadnaughts did not manage to damage the base further. Then the twelve SB1 used energy beams to carve into the damaged ships. Then twelve more BS used standard missiles to eliminate the last two dreadnaughts to enter. Nine frigates circling the warp point at two light seconds tried to reach action stations but all failed. Then there were fourteen heavy cruisers, a very small number compared to the amounts used in the past by the aliens. But apparently they had refitted them to a missile based design, as the three active ones demonstrated. also present were twelve destroyers. Five of them eliminated the crippled dreadnaughts and started to work on the shields of the third to enter. Only one of the nine alien dreadnaughts reached action stations, but that was enough to overwhelm the shields on the races dreadnaught and gouge its armour. Shaken, the three survivors finished their turns and fled the system. They sojourn had been very costly, but they returned with priceless information.

The analysis presented the following: 6 BS5 (one damaged), 9 SD, 14 CA, 24 BS1, 12 DD, 9 FG and some contacts out of range behind the SD.
Far too much to engage with a conventional assault, and far too much even for the 600 SBMHAWK pods present. But the smaller enemy ships could be taken, the bases and dreadnaughts had to go though.
after some deliberation, the Huscarl settled on the following numbers:
210 pods on the large bases. Another 240 on the dreadnaughts, 30 on the destroyers and the remaining 120 on the small bases. The pods vanished into the warp point, and then the Lizards settled down to wait two days before a new assault to catch their foes off guard again.
Three Grendel's Mother class dreadnaughts, twelve Grendel II class battle cruisers, There Wooden class Battle cruisers, and six Odin class light carriers stood ready to invest the system. The nine Skadi class Battle cruisers also present were held back as a precaution.
When the first six ships transited, they found themselves faced with still strong defences. The six huge bases were gone, but three dreadnaughts remained, as well as all fourteen heavy cruisers and all twelve destroyers. Of the light bases only fourteen remained, but the number of frigates had grown to twenty-one.
Three small close-in bases died despite the really bad shooting by the transiting ships, but the aliens defences were sluggardly as well, and only one battle cruiser suffered gutting damage, leaving only an engine room intact. Then 60 DSB-Land 60 IDEW-L exploded, scouring the ships and eliminating the cripple.
Then, after another six Grendel battle cruisers had arrived, the assault dreadnaughts fired again, eliminating all close-in bases and one of the sprint range small bases. The previous bombardment had relieved them of most of their armour, it seemed. In response the enemy fire shifted to the most damaged dreadnaught, with 3 heavy cruisers sending 30 missiles at it with nine on target. The two Grendels remaining from the first wave then took apart another three sprint missile bases, leaving one which spat 3 missiles in defiance at the dreadnaught, reducing its armour further, before falling to a just transited Grendel. Then the transiting Grendels destroyed the remaining sprint bases and damaged a frigate. In return, the defenders removed the defences and two engine rooms from a  dreadnaught, forcing it to transit out while more Lizard forces arrived in-system. The next exchange saw another Lizard battle cruiser reduced to near scrap while several of the defenders destroyers took damage, leaving eight, and the XO launched capital missiles removed an already damaged by the pods enemy dreadnaught from effectiveness, leaving it weaponless. In return, one Grendel would be forced to leave and one of the Wodens had its shields and armour reduced.
Next the six carriers transited in, probably too early. But the lizards once again fired first,  trying to damage one of the heavy cruisers with the three Wooden class battle cruisers, but the defences of that ship held against the salvo. In return, the defenders chipped away at the damaged Wooden, until forcing it to retreat or face destruction. The lizard battle line reduced the destroyers, but in return the heavy cruisers and dreadnaughts almost killed one of the carriers. If not for the EDM these carried they might have done more, but with three deployed the maximum possible amount of missiles was intercepted and thus 126 prototype fighters could be launched after the catapults stabilised.
Now the cruisers retreated from the warp point, engaging the lizards Woden class battle cruisers and reducing the second one to a wreck, in exchange to light damage to a cruiser. Then they focused on the fighters, killing some while all lizard ships but the last moved into the minefield and breached it. With the fighters then using their lasers and crippling some cruisers, the fighters then closed in and devastated the cruisers, making all unable to escape anymore. Seeing this and having nine battle cruisers coming after them, the aliens surrendered, but blew up most of heir ships after entering their lifeboats.
The way into the system lay now open, but the planets were an unknown quantity and the Norse fleet was mostly damaged from the assault.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #193 on: October 02, 2015, 12:49:08 PM »
Month 249, Cartell space, Bullet system.

The defending fleets had assembled to cover the cartell system. 12 Bushwacker class strike carriers, 6 Carnage V heavy cruisers,  15 Obliterator IV class destroyers and 4 Destroyer class 3 bases from the cartell were supported by the Yeties relief force of 12 Skadi class battle cruisers and 55 Hodur class corvettes in defending the warp point to the recently fallen bootlegger system. Currently loitering on the warp point were as well 12 prototype fighters and 36 first generation ones armed with antimatter close assault missiles.
suddenly the warp point flared and spit out six battleships in a line, apparently the usual probe of a warp point the red fleet performed. The second and third turned slightly to clear their blind spots, but the fifth was unable to turn away. Also unusual, they launched no gunboats. As most of the defenders lingered beyond the effective range of three light seconds, the enemy started to fire upon one of the corvettes which was somewhat closer at two and a quarter light second.
While the red fleets battleships managed to destroy a single corvette, the allied fleet concentrated first upon the fifth ship to emerge to deliver salvoes of missiles into the blind spot from the six battle cruisers in its blind spot, then from the cartell heavy cruisers and destroyers. But activation was poor and the red fleets point defence formidable, and so they failed to breach the passive defences of the Daiku class. Then the Norse Yetis other six battle cruisers added their potent lasers. Five of them immediately reached action stations and carved up the larger ship, leaving only a small remnant for the corvettes to deal with, which they promptly did, slicing away at the ship until the drive field flickered out. Maybe now the xenologists may have something to study. They then proceeded to melt away two thirds of another's battleships armour. Unfortunately, none of the fighter squadrons on CAP managed to activate, nor the bases and thus the remaining five battleships transited out, having gained survey data and an idea about the defences. Before the last ship could be captured, its magazine was detonated and it vanished into an incandescent cloud.
 

Offline Starslayer_D (OP)

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Re: Theban Empire
« Reply #194 on: March 05, 2016, 11:55:20 AM »
Month 253, Cannon Cartell, Second Expansion Branch, Bullet System

With tension the defenders awaited the coming assault. That the Red Fleet would assault was a given, but when. For once the yet enigmatic aliens had declined to immediately follow up on a probe. Most likely they were formulating a response to the presence of Cartell fighters. But how would it manifest?
The Norse Yetis had send twelve battle cruisers and a staggering 54 corvettes to aid in defending the system, all crewed by superbly trained warriors. Unfortunately they were technologically obsolete by the standards of this conflict. On the other hand, they lend numbers to a defensive force which due to the local supply situation was rather small. Six heavy cruisers, twelve light carriers and fifteen destroyers reinforced the six Class 3 weapon platforms guarding the warp point. While the Yetis hung close to the warp point, only three light seconds of to bring their laser weapons to bear, the Cartell forces were further back, with the heavy cruisers at four light seconds and the bases at six, with the carriers and their escorting destroyers even further back to avoid being swarmed over by small craft.

But given the recent encounter in Bootlegger next door, all battle cruisers of the Red Fleet were priority targets to remove their advanced gun/missile launchers from the equation as fast as possible, and allowing the fighters the best chance to inflict damage.

The long wait ended quite suddenly and in an unexpected way. Twenty-seven destroyers blinked into existence on the warp point, and two immense fireballs announced that four of them managed to interpenetrate. Six more destroyers arrived conventionally. Then they started to take the Yetis corvettes under fire with three force beams each. These were those quite resilient ships which had given the undines trouble once, but used in a new way. Nineteen of the destroyers used their force beams to eliminate two corvettes. The corvettes which activated retaliated and destroyed a destroyer and damaged a second one with a laser each. But seven of the other destroyers fired anti-mine-missiles into the minefield and eliminated five patterns, halving the strength in that sector. Only six of the Yeti battle cruisers activated, but this was enough to eliminate two of these destroyers. The two Cartell Destroyer II class bases which activated destroyed a third one despite its deployed EDM missiles. The lone cartel cruiser could only clear away the crippled two gun destroyers, leaving four of them to recycle their launchers.

Six battleships arrived through the warp point and launched 72 gunboats, followed by another simultaneous transit of 72 armed pinnaces, ten of which interpenetrated, leaving 60. The disregard of their own lives displayed by the aliens here left the allied commanders somewhat stunned, allowing two the gun armed destroyer to link up and fire their mine-clearing missiles again, reducing the minefield strength to 30% in the sector. The reporting name Lynx was assigned to these, and Kirishima to the force beam armed ones.

Three Yeti battle cruisers then fired as once, and destroyed one of the two Lynxes, but the other one stubbornly kept at its task and reduced the minefield strength to 20% of what the field started out with. The Kishimas used the pause given by the destruction of the Lynxes to cripple four corvettes, slowing them down instead of eliminating them. The corvettes shifted to shooting at gunboats, killing  27of them. Three Cartell cruiser eliminated the two remaining lynxes, and three bases took out a Kirishima. The six Daiku class battleships crippled another three corvettes.
Then the Kigishimas advanced, sweeping through the remaining mines and closed some to the corvettes while leaving two of their number behind, and the Daikus also advanced slightly. Six more battleships arrived on the waypoint and disgorged their parasite crafts.
First to fire were the three destroyers who had not yet done so, and their surprise was a nasty one, they used primaries and destroyed two engine rooms on a Skadi battle cruiser doing so. It also made them priority targets. For reporting purpose, they were named the Sturmfeur class for their weapons able to pierce all armour. In return, a data group of Skadies eliminated a Sturmfeur. The Daikus responded, carving away at a Skadies armour with their beams. This merry exchange continued once more, destroying another two Sturmfeuers and leaving the Skadi slowed down due to the loss of three engine rooms. One Kigishima was crippled, and removed a crippled corvette with its remaining beam.
 Then the battle descended into an exchange of beams between the corvettes and the destroyers. The Six new battleships revealed themselves as Marauders by taking out the lonely Thief class corvette hovering just in range of its data-gathering sensors, and then another Hodur class frigate and a crippled one. It seems that the Yeti were not meant to gain technological data from this fight.
The Cartell cruisers damaged another Kigishima, and the bases ripped the shields and some armour off one marauder.

Then another five BBs arrived, followed by 42 gunboats, of whom 36 survived. The red fleets destroyers advanced by half a light second, modulating their engines while the six battleships already in system dashed ahead and started to unleash salvoes into the yeti battle cruisers. But even this titanic display of firepower only managed to remove one Yeti battle cruisers from datalink and damaging the armour on another. Both of these where then breached and slowed by the six marauders on the warp point with later torpedoes, while the yeti battle cruisers whipped a battleship from space and damaged another one. This now left four battle cruisers slowed down near the warp point. The cartel CA’s destroyed a damaged red fleet destroyer, and damaged another one, while the corvettes and destroyers engages in mutual slow erosion of their presence, hampered by both sides using evasive manoeuvring. The gunboats all stayed on the warp point but the armed pinnaces advanced somewhat into a position to pounce should the defenders still remain on the warp point. The final exchange was by the bases, but of fifty missiles thrown at a Marauder class battleship, only two managed to evade the point defence and scrap more armour.
while the Daikus pushed further, and the allied fleet moved off the warp point, six red fleet battle cruisers materialised. Finally the targets the allies had hoped to eliminate first were present, but no longer in optimal range for most of their ships. still the Norse Yeti were quick of the mark, initiating the exchange of fire. But the Daikus had gotten too close, and their data nets went down by jamming. The first BC to fire scrubbed more armour of a Daiku, in return a Skadi battle cruiser got seriously damaged. His comrades continues to fire, and heavily damaged the Daiku and stripped most of the armour of a second one. The Marauders targeted the bases, but for a lucky first salvo did not damage them, while the bases salvoes damaged a battle cruiser heavily. These revealed themselves to be Quickdraws by firing their lasers at the Norse battle cruisers for negligible effect. The corvettes focused on the Daiku with armour damage, but they didn't manage to breach its defences, with only 24 lasers hitting. Meanwhile the armed pinnaces swept over the slowed battle cruisers and slaughtered them wholesale with their mounted lasers. The destroyers managed only to damage two corvettes, and in return the cartel cruisers whipped two of them out, leaving seven in the fight.
Now the armed pinnaces turned away from pursuing the battle cruisers, towards the three bases between the warp point and the carriers. This set up a flurry of activity, with the corvettes and the cartel cruisers turning to intercept them, leaving the remaining battle cruisers and battleships to duke it out. The gunboats as well moved though the breach in the minefields, with sixty peeling off towards the other three bases and the remaining 213 moving somewhat indeterminate towards the battle cruisers. The Red fleets destroyers also moved off after the corvettes, trying to keep themselves in the play. Meanwhile, the Cartells fighters moved forward, nearing the bases from the other side. Also, another six battle cruisers arrived through the warp point.
Once again a Norse battle cruiser fired first, unloading into the battleships the corvettes had weakened from less than a light second. The battle cruiser hit with all lasers, ripping deeply into the battleships engines. In return, two battleships eviscerated a Norse battle cruisers. By the time the intense fire was resolved, only two unscathed battleships remained, and three undamaged Norse battle cruisers with a fourth having lost its armour. The Cartell bases stripped the passives from a newly arrived battle cruiser, but in return, after seeing one salvo defeated by the bases point defence, the red fleets Marauders managed to breach one base with laser torpedoes and remove it from its data group.
Then the Cartell heavy cruisers engaged the destroyers in close range with plasma guns and sprint mode missiles, and allocating fire a bit conservatively, destroyed dour of them, but with better allocation possibly could have destroyed more. still, this removed the destroyer force as a factor from the battlefield. And the cruisers advanced point defence took out seven armed pinnaces. Twenty-seven armed pinnaces managed to fire, then the corvettes had eliminated the ones still bearing arms unfired, and eliminated a few more. Leaving twenty-three armed pinnaces in space, but most likely unable to fire again at the bases. In return, ten corvettes lost armour and engines, but their sacrifice saved the bases.
But no, not carrying for their safety, the remaining pinnaces just raced on and hurled themselves like huge guided missile onto the three bases, trying to bring them down. Twelve were in targets, but only one on each base survived the defensive fire.
The Norse battle cruisers turned to run, prolonging the chase for the gunboats. The corvettes and the heavy cruisers followed the armed pinnaces to prevent further ramming, and the three still capable destroyers moved closer to the bases, as well. another three battle cruisers appeared on the warp pint, signalling a possible end to the number of ships still coming through. And the seven still capable battleships continued to chase the battle cruisers. The Cartell fighters as well dove into the fur ball around the bases. The battle cruisers and the battleships exchanged fire, leaving one battleship and one cruiser crippled, and another cruiser stripped of its armour. The bases fired on the damaged marauder class battleship, and managed to breach its armour finally. In return the second base group lost one base from its data link. And eight armed pinnaces died as the first base group focused all point defence on them. One of the destroyers fired on the bases, but this drew an immediate response from the Cartell cruisers, and they damaged the other two. One was able to return fire taking out the passives of a second base, but the other cruiser group then finally killed the destroyers, and the cruisers took out the last pinnaces with their point defence. with no other targets, the corvettes eliminated the wrecked destroyers with long range sniping from their lasers. Ina  final exchange, the second wave of battleships dealt with one Norse battle cruiser, and stripped the armour of a second one, leaving only one undamaged norse capital ship in the battle. In return, they had crippled five Daiku class battleships, notoriously hard targets, an almost unparalleled number yet in the known record of engagements with this implacable foe.

The allied battle cruisers managed to gain some distance as the red Fleer Daiku class battleships bunched up into a solid element, but only a total of six remained undamaged from the eleven they started out with. An exchange of laser fire between the two fleets lead to a damaged Daiku being almost scrapped and an undamaged one losing a chunk of armour, but crippled the remaining two battle cruisers. With the corvettes lacking a target right now and the fighters and gunboats still converging, the fight shifted to the long range sniping between the bases and the Red Fleet elements on the warp point. The Cartell Carnage V class cruisers rained down salvoes on the isolated intact battleship and eroded its shields, but some leakers from the battleships in turn did likewise to a heavy cruiser. Then the bases fired, but the first salvo of 20 laser-headed capital missiles was just targeted abysmally, and the sole missile on target was dispatched with contemptuous ease. The red fleets response was not much better, but their missile at least evaded the counter fire. Things picked up slightly but both sides having equivalent point defence allowed only singular leakers to pass the defensive fire.
The remaining 5 undamaged battleships turned back to the warp point, leaving the cripples to follow as well as possible. The gun boats maneuverer, trying to slip around the fighters, but these proved somewhat better at positioning and flanked the gunboats. The remaining 26 undamaged corvettes closed to within a light second of the gunboats, also on a flank. The heavy cruisers continued to distance themselves from the warp point, slipping out of capital missile range. On the other hand, the sixty detached gunboats closed into laser range of the second base group. Judging their HET lasers to be ineffective at the range to the corvettes, the battleships proceeded to melt crippled battle cruisers from the battlefield. Then the slaughter started. While the marauders and the first base group exchanged further missile fire, crippling the damaged marauders and removing he weapons from a second base, the other base group killed three gun boats but then was destroyed in a single pass of searing laser fire.
With the corvettes, cruisers and fighters engaging the gunboats and these using their point defence to engage fighters, 86 of the gunboats were destroyed, but taking 34 fighters with them, leaving 127 or 110 respectively.
Then the battle cruisers and battleships on the warp point advanced, now that the bases threatening their rear are gone, and the gunboats turn sharply around and flee into the firepower umbrella of the ships. The Cartell fighters decline to follow, and instead sweep round and over the crippled battleships, destroying them before joining the remaining 28 corvettes and the cruisers in high-tailing it away from the warp point. even though costly, this is the first battle where a fleet survived the confrontation with a detachment of the red fleet, and especially the surviving flight crews gained a lot of practical experience. The red fleet is slow to pursue and destroys first the crippled allied ships around the warp point before setting a course for the planet. Bullet, despite a valiant defence, had been doomed by the lack of sufficient supplies in-system to support a larger defensive fleet.

Second Expansion Branch, beyond the Bullet System

While the allies retreated from Bullet, the supporting systems for bullet started going up in flames, eliminating the support network for Bulet. But... this was not the work of the red fleet.

Theban Empire, Alexandria sector, Haremakhet Secundus
Haremakhet Secundus is a Theban system with a benign planet, though poor in resources. Only recently it had been settled by evacuees from Nun Secundus, removed from there before the red fleets advance from Pedise. The settlers were still rebuilding their lives when the planetary traffic control spotted an incoming contact. To the horror of the colonists, and soon of the Theban fleet command, the contact resolved into six red fleet light cruisers, which proceeded to wipe out the colony. This was grave news. The closest fleet concentration is just two systems away in First Katarakt, but it was there guarding against the incursion from Pedise. Now the quandary was, how many ships to split off to guard the systems reached from Haremakhet Secundus? Too many lay open beyond Akhab, the system accessed from Haremakhet Secundus to abandon it without a fight.