The First Colonial War9th June 2108A Brazilian task group, comprising two Antares class kinetic battlecruisers, six Sao Paulo class kinetic cruisers, two Almirante Saboia class kinetic frigates and one Guapora class troop transport, arrives at the Luhman jump point. Instead of transiting, it immediately sets a new course for Vanaheim, the third planet of Alpha Centauri-A and home to the second largest Centauri population and a Martian colony. As the Brazilians have already attempted misdirection to disguise their true destination, it is possible that is still the case and the task group will at some point divert to the Lagrange point of Alpha Centauri II and jump to the Alpha Centauri-B system. The Centauri Federation demands the Brazilian ships state their intentions and warns them not to approach Alpha Centauri-A. The Brazilians do not respond.
10th June 2108The heavy cruiser Chancellorsville and the destroyer Oldendorf depart Colombia en route to Earth to reinforce the US Navy task group in orbit, leaving a heavy cruiser, an escort cruiser and two destroyers at Columbia.
11th June 2108A large Japanese task group has assembled in Edo. Both reinforcement groups have arrived from Earth and joined the destroyers already in the system. The combined force comprises three Akagi class missile cruisers, two Kongo class escort cruisers and eight Kagero class destroyers. As the Brazilian task group is still on its heading for Vanaheim and the threat to Edo is receding, three destroyers are detached to guard Edo while the rest of the task group heads back to Alpha Centauri via Luhman in case Japan can gain any advantage from the apparently imminent combat between Brazil and the Centauri Federation. The task group is fully fuelled after a rendezvous with a Japanese tanker.
In Alpha Centauri, a Tyr class escort cruiser and an Asgard class jump cruiser remain in orbit of Asgard while the rest of the Centauri Fleet, comprising one Asgard, three Tyrs and seven Grendel class cruisers, heads for the Alpha Centauri-B V Lagrange point to jump to the Alpha Centauri-A system and confront the approaching Brazilians.
12th June 2108Based on the estimated time of travel since the recent UK sighting, two Caliphate FAC carriers and two troop transports will now be somewhere in the Eta Cassiopeiae system, although they are not on US sensors. Concerned that they may launch FACs strikes if alerted, the United States decides to wait until they are in orbit of Eta Cassiopeiae-A III before launching any attack. The delay also gives Germany more time to moves forces into place. A Scharnhorst class battlecruiser that was already in Neu Brandenburg has moved to the Medina jump point. A second Scharnhorst and two frigates are en route from Sol and will arrive in Medina via the WX Ursae Majoris jump point
14th June 2108 00:10The Brazilian task group is passing through Alpha Centauri-As outer asteroid belt seven hundred and fifty million kilometers from Vanaheim. The Centauri Fleet is moving to meet them from the direction of the Alpha Centauri-A II Lagrange point. The Centauri issue a demand that the Brazilians withdraw their ships from Alpha Centaur immediately or they will open fire. The Brazilians ignore the demands and continue onwards.
07:30Chancellorsville and Oldendorf arrive at Earth.
12:00With the Brazilians six hundred and fifty million kilometres from Vanaheim, the Centauri give a final warning before launching a full salvo of seventy Thor anti-ship missiles from the seven Grendel class cruisers at a distance of ninety-two million kilometres. Their target is the kinetic cruiser Júlio de Noronha. A second salvo follows forty seconds later targeting the cruiser União. The Centauri cease fire to observe the results of the first two salvos.
The Thor is a modern, fast anti-ship missile with a strength-6 warhead, speed of 24,000 km/s and a range of over one hundred million kilometers. One hour after launch the first salvo reaches its target. The Centauri are horrified when the powerful salvo melts like snow in the face of massed point defence fire from gauss cannon and railguns. Not a single missile survives. The second salvo of seventy missiles is equally ineffective. The Centauri also have three Tyr class cruisers in their force, each of which is armed with fifteen launchers for short-range anti-missile missiles. However the AMMs have a speed of 33,600 km/s so they cannot be launched in a combined salvo with the Thor missiles. The Centauri Fleet withdraws toward Vanaheim and the fourth Tyr, currently in Asgard orbit, is ordered to join them. A Martian patrol ship in orbit of Colonia Antium, a moon of Alpha Centauri-A II, also sets course for Vanaheim. Fortunately, the Brazilian fleet is moving relatively slowly due to the presence of the troop transport so the 400 km/s speed advantage of their warships is not in play. The ineffectiveness of missiles against massed point defence is observed by the ships of several other nations in the system, including Japan, Russia, Canada and the United States.
Halfway to Vanaheim, the commander of the Centauri fleet, Ulfhednar Moritz Bergstrasser, realises there is a way to get past the devastating Brazilian point defence. Any point defence system requires sufficient time to detect, track and engage incoming missiles. If the Centauri ships can launch close enough to the Brazilians, their point defence systems will not have time to shoot down the missiles. Therefore he orders his ships, designed to launch attacks from one hundred million kilometers, to close to just one hundred thousand kilometers from the approaching Brazilian task group. The disadvantage of this course of action is that the Brazilian’s own weapons may be able to engage the Centauri ships at that range, plus the Brazilians have a 400 km/s speed advantage if they choose to close the range further. However, to do that they would have to leave behind the troop transport, which would then be an easy target for Centauri missiles.
15th June: 10:00The Japanese task group of three missile cruisers, two escort cruiser and five destroyers arrives in Alpha Centauri. A sixth Japanese destroyer has been in the system throughout and is shadowing the Brazilians at a distance of five million kilometres.
16:30Conscious that some of his crews are inexperienced, Ulfhednar Bergstrasser gives the order to open fire when the Centauri Fleet moves within 200,000 kilometres of the Brazilian task group, reasoning that wasting missiles against the enemy point defence is less important than waiting too long to fire. Besides, the AMMs of the Tyrs are fast enough that launching within 150,000 kilometers should be sufficient to avoid the enemy point defence. As the Grendels only fire every forty seconds, Bergstrasser is concerned about wasting missiles through overkill. Therefore three Grendels target each of the Antares class battlecruisers with the seventh targeting the troop transport. All three Tyr class escort cruisers target the cruiser Brasil. The fourth Tyr, sent as a reinforcement, has only just arrived in the Alpha Centauri-A system and is four hundred million kilometres away
The Brazilian task group is commanded by Contra-Almirante Rafaela Ferreira, the senior office of the Brazilian Navy. As the Centauri close in without firing, she realises their intention. Unfortunately the maximum range of her ships’ railguns is 90,000 kilometers and she is well aware that the Centauri missiles are fast enough for them to be fired outside that range. Her task group is restricted to 2142 km/s due to the presence of the Guaporé class troop transport so it is unable to close the range if the Centauri decide to keep it open. Before departing Earth she warned the Brazilian civilian leadership that bringing the troop transport was too restrictive and that the Centauri defences should be eliminated before such a vulnerable vessel entered Alpha Centauri. She was overruled because the government wanted to launch an invasion as soon as possible after Brazilian intentions were revealed, to achieve maximum surprise. Faced with the destruction of her task group, Contra-Almirante Ferreira has little choice but to detach the Guaporé and its precious cargo of five thousand Brazilian troops so that her warships can achieve their maximum speed of 4400 km/s and charge the approaching Centauri. All the Brazilian ships lock their railgun fire controls on a Tyr class escort cruiser and wait for the range to fall.
At 153,000 kilometers, the Centauri launch forty Thor anti-ship missiles and fifteen Magni AMMs. The range closes fast enough that the Brazilian do not have time to track and engage the inbounds. With the two forces just 111,000 kilometres apart Almirante Maximiano, an Antares class battlecruiser, suffers eighteen strength-6 hits, penetrating her armour in two places and damaging engineering and fuel storage. Antares is struck nine times, suffering damage to twenty percent of her armour. The cruiser Brasil is struck by all 15 Magnis, causing relatively minor armour damage.
Due to their inexperience, the Centauri are a few seconds late in reversing course to maintain their distance. With the high closing speed, they suddenly find themselves just 69,000 kilometers from an opposing force designed to fight at close range. Tyr is struck by a barrage of railgun fire that penetrates her armour, destroying one of her missile launchers. All three Centauri escort cruisers launch a simultaneous salvo. Three of the Grendels have yet to launch their first missiles and it will be thirty seconds before the other four launch again. The ships yet to fire are all recent construction and their crews are still green. If he survives, Ulfhednar Bergstrasser intends to create an extensive training program for the Federation Navy.
The Centauri perform their course reversal but the damage has been done. The range falls to 67,000 kilometers as the 400 km/s speed advantage of the Brazilians start to tell. The Brazilian railguns have a fifteen second cycle time and the Brazilian warships are firing in sequence are so the Centauri are facing a continuous hail of kinetic projectiles. Many hits penetrate Tyr’s armour, striking one of Bóndison-Arnmundarson BA-400 Main Drives. The destruction of the engine triggers a strength-85 secondary explosion that rips the 10,200 ton escort cruiser to pieces. The kinetic cruiser Brasil is hit by forty-five AMM. Although her armour suffers substantial damage, nothing penetrates to the interior of the ship. The Grendel class cruiser Hrothgar finally joins the battle, launching a salvo of ten missiles against Almirante Maximiano. Six hit, causing extensive armour damage and destroying a reactor.
Sigurðr is the next Centauri ship to be hit by railgun fire. Her armour is holed in several places and remarkably unlucky internal damage takes out her active sensor and all three fire controls. She is out of the fight unless she can effect repairs. More AMMs hit the Brazilian cruiser Brasil, destroying one of her two gauss cannon turrets and her active sensor. Six Thor missiles from Unferth strike Antares, also destroying a gauss cannon turret. The Antares class has four turrets in total compared to two on the São Paulo class. Thor missiles from Wealhtheow pass the Brazilian force heading for the Guaporé class troop transport in its wake. All ten missiles strike their helpless target, killing forty percent of the troops on board and disabling one of its six engines. Given it has only strength-1 armour, it is surprising the transport survived at all.
With the range at 61,000 km/s, Sigurðr is hit again. Her armour absorbs most of the damage but she still loses three launchers and part of her fuel storage capacity. The Brazilians are concentrating on the fast-firing escort cruisers first as they launch every ten seconds compared to forty seconds for the Grendels. The cruiser Brasil is hit by missiles from SigrdrÃfa, the last Tyr still in action, which damage one of her fire controls. Despite her damage, Brasil is still fighting at offensive capacity.
Sigurðr explodes with the two sides 57,000 kilometres apart. The Centauri are running for Vanaheim while the Brazilians pursue. Beowulf, Grendel, Heorot and Sceadugenga fire for the second time, sending forty Thor missiles toward the two Antares class battlecruisers. Antares is struck by six missiles that blast two large holes in her armour and destroy a second gauss cannon turret. Almirante Maximiano is devastated by twenty-five detonations that destroy most of her armour, three gauss cannon turrets, two railguns, two fire control systems and one of her engines. Most importantly, all four fuel storage bunkers are opened to space, leaving the battlecruiser with four intact engines but no fuel. She is left dead in space and rapidly falls behind the battle.
Brazilian targeting changes to SigrdrÃfa, the last of the three Tyr class escort cruisers. A barrage of railgun fire from the six São Paulo class cruisers inflicts considerable damage and she loses several magazines, all of her fire control systems and one of her engines. SigrdrÃfa’s last salvo, fired just before the loss of her fire control, hits Brasil and disables one of the cruiser’s three engines. Brasil’s speed falls to 2933 km/s and she begins to fall astern of the Brazilian main body. As the range falls to 49,000 kilometres, Antares and the two Brazilian frigates fire their railguns and SigrdrÃfa is blown apart by a secondary magazine explosion. Due to SigrdrÃfa’s reduced speed Brazilian railguns were within the range where they caused strength-2 hits, effectively doubling the firepower of the Brazilian warships.
Thor missiles from Hrothgar and Unferth score thirteen hits on Antares while a volley from Wealhtheow streaks past the Brazilians warships en route to the Guaporé class troop transport. Antares has several gaping holes in her armour, which allows one of the Centauri missiles to take out one of her five Vieira-Bastos VB-264 Ion Drives. The battlecruiser’s speed drops to 3520 km/s and the range begins to the remaining Centauri ships begins to open.
The new target of the Brazilian railguns is the Grendel class cruiser Beowulf. The first salvo from the five São Paulos still in range causes significant armour damage but does not penetrate. A follow-up shot from the frigates inflicts several strength-2 hits and knocks out three missile launchers. Now the entire Centauri fleet is within the range at which the Brazilian railguns double in effectiveness. The salvo from Wealhtheow reaches the Brazilian troop transport, destroying another thirty percent of its troop capacity. Only the fact that the transport’s engines are proving incredibly resistant to damage has prevented it from being destroyed entirely.
Beowulf, Grendel, Heorot and Sceadugenga launch thirty-seven missiles against the cruiser Constituição. The missiles arrive just as the São Paulos fire again. Beowulf is hit by sixty-three strength-2 railguns hits and is blown to pieces by two secondary magazine explosions. Constituição is destroyed simultaneously after being hit by thirty-two Thor missiles. Four São Paulo class cruisers and two frigates are now 37,000 kilometers from six Grendels and an unarmed Asgard class jump cruiser. Antares is falling astern but still just within weapon range. Brasil is out of railgun range and has reversed course to protect the troop transport as best she can.
Grendel begins to take railgun hits. The first volley is from the frigates and fails to penetrate. The follow-up five seconds later from the cruisers causes massive damage and she falls out of formation. Missiles are launched by Hrothgar, Unferth and Wealhtheow against União but only thirteen hit out of thirty and none penetrate the cruiser’s armour. Antares scores several strength-1 hits from long range that destroy Grendel’s remaining engine, leaving her dead in space. The frigates Aratu and Atalaia deliver the coup de grace. Five Grendels remain.
The range is 27,000 km/s and the Brazilian railguns strike Heorot with a devastating barrage of strength-3 hits, leaving her burning and dead in space. The defensive gauss cannon on the cruisers are also in range. Despite their limited power, they have a high rate of fire and begin blasting away at Hrothgar’s armour. Aratu and Atalaia destroy the crippled Heorot. Sceadugenga sends a single volley in response that damages an engine on União and causes the cruiser to fall out of formation. Another volley of railgun fire and Hrothgar explodes. Ulfhednar Bergstrasser, on board the jump cruiser Vanaheim, realises the battle is lost so he orders his three surviving cruisers to target the damaged troop transport. Even if the Brazilians win the battle, they cannot land on Vanaheim or Asgard without troops. He also orders the Centauri freighters, colony ships, terraformers and fuel harvesters to leave Asgard orbit and head for the Sol jump point directly, without jumping to Alpha Centauri-A. If they survive the trip they are to head for Mars.
Sceadugenga is next to die. Simultaneously Unferth and Wealhtheow launch a salvo of twenty Thor missiles at the Guaporé. Ulfhednar Bergstrasser gives his last three ships, including his own, the order to scatter, hoping the division of enemy forces will allow one of the Grendels to survive long enough to launch another salvo. While the scatter does cause some momentary confusion among the Brazilian forces, they split up and chase the Grendels, sending a single frigate after Vanaheim. Meanwhile the Centauri missiles arrive at the Brazilian troop transport, scoring nineteen hits. Amazingly the transport survives once again, although it is as good as destroyed. All the troop transport bays are wrecked, along with the fuel bunkers and all but one engine. The Brazilians will not be landing any ground forces on Centauri territory in the near future.
Both Grendels are quickly run down and destroyed. Unferth manages to launch five missiles but they lose tracking after her destruction. Vanaheim lasts a little longer but cannot escape and has no armament. Ulfhednar Bergstrasser refuses to surrender his ship and the Brazilians are forced to destroy it. He escapes in a life pod with sixty-five others from the crew. The Federation Navy now comprises the Tyr class escort cruiser Lokasenna and the jump cruiser Asgard. Lokasenna is recalled to protect the primary Centauri colony of Asgard, although she has little chance against the remaining Brazilian ships.
The Brazilian task group has only lost the cruiser Constituição but several other ships have serious damage, including both battlecruisers. The cruisers Independência, Júlio de Noronha and São Paulo and the frigates Aratu and Atalaia are all undamaged. The cruisers União and Brasil both have massive armour damage. The former has lost an engine while the latter has suffered significant internal damage. Almirante Maximiano has virtually no armour at all, serious internal damage and no fuel storage capacity, so she is currently dead in space. Antares has perhaps forty percent of her armour remaining and has lost all four gauss cannon turrets, two railguns, a fire control system and an engine. Contra-Almirante Rafaela Ferreira reorganises her force, deciding to send all the damaged ships home. While they can repair some of their damaged systems from their own resources, the armour damage requires a shipyard. The damaged ships are ordered to form a single squadron and to concentrate on repairing engines to speed their voyage home. Almirante Maximiano will need to repair her fuel storage first so that fuel can be transferred from another ship. The squadron will also pick up the life pods before leaving the battle area. The Guaporé class troop transport is dead in space and does not have sufficient engineering capability to repair an engine so the ship will have to be abandoned until such time as the Brazilian Navy has a tug that can tow the transport to a shipyard.
Contra-Almirante Ferreira transfers her flag from Almirante Maximiano to Independência and forms a second squadron with the five undamaged ships. Although she can no longer land ground troops, she has a sufficient force to cause havoc within the virtually undefended Alpha Centauri system. Her orders are not to target civilian shipping or commercial vessels, such as colony ships or fuel harvesters, unless absolutely necessary. Before her task group departed Earth, the intention of the Brazilian government was to eventually force a Centauri surrender and capture as much shipping as possible. Due to a shortage of ground forces the plan was to secure Vanaheim first and use that as a base to build up for an attack on Asgard. The ten infantry battalions lost on board the Guaporé represented the only available striking force. Only six garrison battalions remain on Earth to guard Brazilian territory. Four more infantry battalions are in training and should be available within three months. With no prospect of any offensive ground operations for at least three months, Brazil is faced with the prospect of a long war. Therefore, Contra-Almirante Ferreira seeks permission to destroy the naval shipyards in orbit of Asgard and to hunt down the any surviving Centauri warships. After some debate in the higher echelons of the Brazilian government, permission is granted.
The Centauri Federation is in a very difficult situation and requests assistance from the Martian Union. Mars has a single patrol ship in Alpha Centauri which is currently moving to protect Vanaheim, although her commander suspects it is a forlorn hope. Six patrol ships are guarding the Martian fuel harvesters against a squadron of three Brazilian frigates lurking in the moons of Uranus. The remaining seven patrol ships depart Mars orbit on course for the Alpha Centauri jump point. Mars has powerful orbital defences so the planet is safe against attack. Six of the fourteen orbital weapon platforms are Spiculum class, armed with the Apollo anti-ship missile, which has a range of two hundred and twenty million kilometres and is intended for interplanetary bombardment. Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun and currently three hundred and seventy-five million kilometers apart so any direct Martian retribution for the attack on the Centauri will not be possible for several months.
Twenty minutes after the battle, an offer of help arrives from a very unexpected source. The Japanese ambassador requests an urgent audience with the Centauri. He offers Japanese military assistance in exchange for two concessions. Firstly, permission for a Japanese colony on Vanaheim with full mining rights and no restrictions on military forces. Secondly, an agreement from the Centauri to withdraw from the rest of the Centauri chain, leaving it solely to the Japanese. The Centauri have only a single small colony outside of Alpha Centauri, on the inner planet of Delta Pavonis, so the Japanese offer that the colony can remain and may be visited by civilian traffic but no additional colony ships may visit. The Centauri are faced with the option of seeing their shipyards destroyed and having no ability to rebuild while the Brazilians conduct an eventual ground invasion or even carry out an orbital bombardment. In contrast, the Japanese terms are harsh but they preserve the Centauri Federation as a functioning state, along with its full industrial capacity and an ability to rebuild its military forces. The Alpha Centauri system is capable of sustaining the Federation for many years with no need for extra-system colonies so the restriction on exploration will affect the Centauri much less than the Earth-based nations. Therefore, despite considerable suspicion of the long-term motives of the Japanese, the Centauri agree to their terms.
The Japanese have a task group stationed at the Alpha Centauri – Luhman jump point, comprising three Akagi class missile cruisers, two Kongo class escort cruisers and five Kagero class destroyers. A sixth destroyer, Arashi, has been following the battle from relatively close range and is seven million kilometres from the damaged Brazilian ships. In Earth orbit are three more Akagis, three Kongos and four Kageros. A small Brazilian task group comprising a cruiser, two frigates and two jump frigates is also in Earth orbit. The problem for the Japanese is that the five intact Brazilian ships can reach both Vanaheim and Asgard long before any Japanese ships can intervene. The commander of the Combined Fleet, Kaigun Taisho Tagawa Masamura, decides the only way to prevent the Brazilian ships reaching their targets is to give them something more important to think about. He orders Arashi to close to within 200,000 kilometres of the damaged Japanese ships, which are spreading out to pick up life pods, and he puts the ships in Earth orbit on standby for a point-blank strike against the Brazilian task group. For now, the task group on the Luhman jump point remains in place to avoid giving any warning of Japanese intentions.
The damaged Brazilian ships have repairs underway. Almirante Maximiano has restored the integrity of one of her fuel bunkers and is mobile once again. As Arashi closes in Almirante Maximianorepairs her damaged engine, giving her a top speed of 4400 km/s. compared to 4000 km/s for the Japanese destroyer. The Japanese destroyer has an armament of four 15cm railguns and six 10cm railguns and her main armament has the same range as her larger Brazilian opponents. Arashi does have intact armour but that may no longer be sufficient if the Brazilians can choose the engagement range. Therefore Kaigun Taisho Tagawa orders her to back off but to keep the Brazilians on active sensors until reinforcements arrive. The Brazilians complete their rescue operation and the four damaged ships, Almirante Maximiano, Antares, União and Brasil, set course for the Sol jump point at 2933 km/s, the maximum speed of the latter three ships, with Arashi shadowing from a million kilometres. A Russian destroyer is a few million kilometers further away. The five intact ships, Independência, Júlio de Noronha, São Paulo, Aratu and Atalaia, are on course for the Alpha Centauri-A II Lagrange point.
Kaigun Taisho Tagawa waits eight hours to give the Brazilian more time to divide their forces. At 01:15 on June 16th 2108 he gives the order for his Earth-based task group to eliminate the Brazilian task group in orbit. All Japanese ships wait until every ship is ready to fire simultaneously to ensure maximum impact. Hosho, Ryujo and Soryu launch a total of forty-five Katana anti-ship missiles at the cruiser Jaceguai, Haruna, Hiei and Yamashiro launch sixty Wakazashi anti-missile missiles at the frigate Albardão while Hayashio, Isokaze, Maikaze and Natsushio open fire with railguns against the frigate Araçatuba. Two Tridente class jump frigates are not targeted by the first salvo as they are seen by the Japanese as the least effective Brazilian ships.
Araçatuba disintegrates under a hail of 15cm, and 10cm railgun fire from the four Japanese destroyers, which change their targeting to the Tridentes. The Brazilians desperately try to return fire as the first wave of missiles arrives. Albardão suffers significant armour damage from AMMs and loses one of her railguns. Jaceguai is simply obliterated by the heavy Japanese anti-ship missiles. The jump frigates Tridente and Tritão both take armour damage from 10cm railgun fire. Another wave of AMMs inflicts massive internal damage on Albardão, leaving the frigate with a single functioning railgun, then the Japanese destroyer recycle their 15cm railguns and both Tridente are blown to pieces. The destroyers’ secondary armament turns on Albardão and suddenly Earth’s skies are clear of Brazilian warships. Not a single shot was fired against the Japanese task group. Brazilian colony ships, freighters and tankers all break orbit, heading for the Bernard’s Star jump point. Japan issues an ultimatum to Brazil. Withdraw immediately from Alpha Centauri and cease all combat operations against the Centauri Federation and the Japanese Empire, or Japan will destroy all the Brazilian shipyards and commercial vessels.
The grand plans of the Brazilian government are suddenly in tatters. There is still no way for the Japanese to prevent the ships in Alpha Centauri from destroying the Centauri shipyards but that will not help Brazil if its own shipyards are destroyed and it has no way to invade Centauri territory. Plus the Japanese Navy is in a position to blockade the Sol – Alpha Centauri jump point and inflict huge losses on any Brazilian warships re-entering Sol. There is no choice but to accept the Japanese terms and find a way to exact revenge in the future. All Brazilian ships in Alpha Centauri are ordered to set course for the Sol jump point. The three Brazilian frigates threatening fuel harvesters at Uranus also head for home.
Japan has achieved a great victory with no loss of life and even appears to be a peacemaker rather than an aggressor. The problem of a rival for the Centauri Arm has been resolved, a colony closer to Earth can be created to speed up transportation of colonists and the mineral resources of Vanaheim will prove very useful. The Centauri Federation has been reduced to almost a client state of Japan and will be no threat in the short or medium term. The prime minister of Japan issues a statement on behalf of the Emperor, complimenting the Imperial Japanese Navy on its efforts to end war between human nations and highlighting that no further action has been taken against Brazil, beyond preventing its aggression against a peaceful neighbour.
Stunned by the swift destruction of the Brazilian squadron by the Japanese, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff become very concerned that, given the tension between the United States and the Caliphate, the Caliphate may disperse its forces to avoid a similar attack. Therefore, they abandon their planned timetable and order the task groups in orbit of Earth and Eta Cassiopeiae to begin combat operations immediately. This hasty attack causes a number of problems for the US-German alliance. Half the Caliphate forces in Eta Cassiopeiae are still en route to the planet and not in sensor range of the US task group in orbit of Eta Cassiopeiae-A III. Therefore the strike can only target the Caliphate ships already at the planet. Germany does not yet have its forces in place to move against Medina, although it can contribute to the battle in Earth orbit.
In Earth orbit five Shiloh class heavy cruisers, Antietam, Appomattox, Chancellorsville, Chickamauga and Vicksburg, each target a Mersin class FAC carrier. The Shilohs are armed with ten launchers for RGM-1 Sabre anti-ship missiles, each one of which has a strength-9 warhead. Given what is known of the Mersins they are unlikely to have more than minimal armour. Three more Mersins are each targeted by a pair of Spruance class destroyers while the three Ticonderoga class escort cruisers, Bunker Hill, Lexington and Yorktown, all target the ninth Mersin. Almost fifty independent fast attack craft are not targeted in the first salvo. They will be engaged as soon as the primary targets are eliminated. German ships will also begin firing as soon as possible after the initial US strike. As it would be difficult to coordinate the exact timing of multi-nation attack, the plan is for the far more powerful US Navy task group to fire first rather than risk a smaller German attack alerting the Caliphate.
The Spruance class destroyers fire first, destroying the FAC carriers Abdul-Aziz and Al-Farouq and crippling Khalid, with the latter’s FACs destroyed in their hangar bays. Moments later the first American missiles arrive, destroying Badr and Al-Yarmook and inflicting massive damage on Abha, Hitteen, Tabuk and Taif. Only five Ashdod class FAC make it out from the wreckage of their hangar bays. All US Navy ships begin targeting the independent FACs, ignoring the unarmed carriers. In Earth orbit the Caliphate has fifteen Ashdod class FACs armed with Scimitar anti-ship missiles, twenty-seven Matrah class with twin 10cm meson cannon and ten Mecca class with a single 15cm meson cannon. Most of the FACs destroyed in the hangar bays of the nine Mersin class carriers were Ashdods.
The Spruance class destroyers only have a single fire control system, so their powerful broadside of eight 15cm lasers can only be directed against a single target. Against FACs that represents massive overkill. Ten seconds after their attack on the carrier the destroyers annihilate six Ashdod class FACs. The Caliphate is already starting to respond. Four Meccas open fire on Oldendorf, scoring three hits. Three fail to cause damage but the fourth disables a laser. Three Ashdods launch a total of forty-eight missiles. Fletcher takes ten hits from the 10cm meson cannon of the Matrahs and loses her fire control system and one of her lasers. The fragility of the single fire control means the destroyer is out of the fight. The senior US commander, Rear Admiral Napoleon Pilsner, orders the destroyer to head for Lalande then orders the rest of his command to follow, trying to open the range against the deadly meson-armed FACs. The US crews are inexperienced and the orders will take some time to put into effect.
The destroyer Spruance suffers fourteen strength-4 hits from Caliphate missiles, which punch through her armour and take out her fire control and a laser. Two US destroyers are now out of the fight after suffering relatively minor damage. The lone fire control is proving to be a serious design flaw. Fletcher is hit again, losing half of her lasers. AMMs from the Ticonderogas destroy two Ashdods and cripple a third. The four combat capable destroyers fire again and four more Ashdods die. Oldendorf takes four hits from mesons and becomes the third destroyer to lose its fire control. American laser firepower is down by half since the start of the battle. Realising that Fletcher and Oldendorf have ceased firing, the Caliphate FACs choose new targets. RIM-2A Stiletto missiles from Bunker Hill, Lexington and Yorktown damage three Matrah class FACs. The five Shiloh class cruiser have a fifty second reload time and are still only halfway through that cycle. The destroyer Moosbrugger is hit several times by Mecca class FACs and loses a laser and her active sensor. Her sister ship Nicholson is battered by a large number of Matrah class FACs that disable an engine, a laser, three reactors and her active sensor. Despite the initial success, the battle is not going well for the US Navy with over thirty meson-armed FACs still in action. The Matrah in particular is proving to be a deadly opponent with twin 10cm meson cannon firing every five seconds.
Germany finally makes an entrance thirty seconds after start of the battle. The battlecruisers Derfflinger and Scharnhorst launch a total of twenty-four anti-ship missiles at four Matrah class FACs. The frigate Hannover launches ten AMMs while the lightly-armed jump cruisers Konigsberg and Nurnberg launch a further four missiles between them. Prinz Eugen, a laser armed frigate, is a new ship with an inexperienced crew and has yet to join the battle. The German attack destroys five Matrahs and cripples a sixth. The last Ashdod and another Matrah are destroyed by Moosbrugger and Peterson. The Ashdod launched before it was destroyed and Spruance suffers another twelve missile hits. Her armour is mostly destroyed and she loses two more lasers. Nicholson takes crippling damage from heavy meson fire and is left dead in space, her engines destroyed and her two lasers unable to fire due to lack of fire control. Moosbrugger also takes damage, losing an engine and another laser but she is still in the fight. Peterson is the only undamaged US destroyer.
The Ticonderogas launch another volley, destroying two Matrahs and damaging a third. The Matrahs return fire against Peterson, inflicting massive damage including five lasers and her fire control. Moosbrugger takes further damage and she too has her fire control knocked out. All six of the US destroyers are now out of the fight with varying degrees of damage. Fifteen Matrah class FACs and ten Meccas are still intact with several more damaged. The greatest problem for the USA and Germany is that their major warships are slow-firing and are now facing rapid-firing FACs at very close range.
The German frigate Hannover destroys a Matrah with a salvo of Adler anti-missile missiles. Peterson and Moosbrugger take further damage. As all the US destroyers seemed to have ceased fire, the remaining Matrahs target Bunker Hill and the Meccas target Hannover. Bunker Hill takes damage to an engine, a missile launcher, three magazines and her active sensor but she is still combat capable. Hannover suffers only minor damage. Return fire from the Ticonderogas damages three Matrahs. The German frigate Prinz Eugen finally joins the battle, eviscerating a Matrah with eight 15cm lasers.
The US and German ships suddenly pull away from Earth and the Caliphate FACs are slow to respond due to their own inexperienced crews, even though the Caliphate commander, Vizier Abdul-Mujid Amin, has already ordered his ships to follow any US ships moving away from the planet. A volley of missiles from Hannover destroys another Matrah. Hannover is struck by return fire, taking six hits from Mecca class FACs,. The last of the six triggers a secondary magazine explosion which itself causes two further magazine explosions. Hannover vanishes in a ball of flame. The sudden departure of the allied force takes it outside the 30,000 kilometre range of the Matrahs so Bunker Hill takes no further damage.
The five Shiloh class cruisers complete their reload cycle and prepare to open fire, each one targeting two of the remaining Matrahs. Unfortunately, in the confusion of battle, only those launchers assigned to the primary fire controls are activated, leaving half the missiles still in their launchers. The twenty-five Sabres that do launch are accompanied by the latest salvo of forty-four AMMs from the Ticonderogas. Seeing the allied forces pull away and the incoming wave of missiles, Vizier Amin orders his surviving ships to target whatever enemy ships are within range. Seven Matrahs are blown to pieces by the US missiles and an eighth damaged. Prinz Eugen picks off another. The Caliphate meson cannon strike the slow-moving Peterson, destroying the ship, and inflict further damage on Moosbrugger.
Antietam and Chancellorsville sort out their fire control issues and two more Matrahs die. The other three heavy cruisers still have fifteen ready launchers between them but in their haste to sort out the problem they have caused their fire controls to reset causing further delays. Three Mecca class FACs are hit by AMMs from the Ticonderogas but survive. Scharnhorst and Derfflinger reload and send a new wave of twenty-four Astra Anti-ship missiles toward the FACs now pursuing the allied force, killing three Meccas and damaging a fourth. The jump cruisers Konigsberg and Nurnberg pick off the sole Hebron class FAC – assumed to be some form of sensor platform. Moosbrugger is hit again as she is slower than the chasing FACs and is left dead in space with all engines destroyed.
Appomattox and Chickamauga launch their missiles and destroy a Mecca and a Matrah. Bunker Hill cripples the last mobile Matrah. Six crippled Matrah remain but they are out of range of all allied ships except Moosbrugger, which is unable to move further from Earth and continues to take sporadic fire. One Mecca is still underway and four more are crippled. Two Ashdod are intact but have launched their missiles. The damaged carriers and four ammunition transports are heading away from Earth at their best speed. The battle has been vicious and bloody but is now reaching its conclusion. Vicksburg is the last US cruiser to resolve its fire control problems and takes out the mobile Mecca.
The Shiloh class heavy cruisers and the German battlecruisers cease fire to assess the situation. Bunker Hill, Lexington, Yorktown and Prinz Eugen continue firing, picking off the remaining crippled FACs with AMMs and lasers. Less than a minute after the cruisers cease fire, there are no Caliphate FACs left in the Sol system. Two US heavy cruisers and the two German battlecruisers resume fire, targeting the ammunition transports which blow up spectacularly from a single salvo each. The Ticonderogas target the Mersins while Prinz Eugen moves in to eliminate a FAC Tender still in Earth orbit. Within a few minutes every combat-related Caliphate vessel has been destroyed. A large number of wrecks, including those from the Japan – Brazil engagement, are floating in Earth orbit or scattered across nearby space. Allied losses include the German frigate Hannover and the American destroyer Peterson. The escort cruiser Bunker Hill and the five surviving Spruance class all have varying degrees of damage.
Simultaneously with the action in Sol, the US Navy task group in Eta Cassiopeiae engages the Caliphate forces in that system. The American task group in orbit of Eta Cassiopeiae-A III includes the heavy cruiser Shiloh, the escort cruisers Valley Forge and White Plains and the destroyers John Rogers and Kinkaid. The Caliphate has two Mersin class FAC carriers in orbit, along with a Mosul class FAC tender and an ammunition transport. Both Mersins are destroyed by the opening US salvo without any chance to launch their fast attack craft. The three US missile combatants cease fire while John Rogers and Kinkaid target and destroy the FAC tender and the transport.
The Caliphate has several other ships in Eta Cassiopeiae. Two Mersin class FAC carriers, Al-Medinah and Dammam, transporting nine Ashdod, one Hebron, one Matrah and one Mecca, are one point two billion kilometres from Eta Cassiopeiae-A III. Two hundred and fifty million kilometres further in-system is a troop transport with six battalions of Janissaries while in the opposite direction, heading toward the EV Lacerte jump point, are eight freighters that have recently unloaded mines at the Caliphate colony in the system. Two Dubai class geological survey ships are also in Eta Cassiopeiae, one surveying the planets of the B component and one midway between the two stars. The troop transport immediately reverses its heading and sets course for the jump point to EV Lacerte. One of the survey ships does the same. The other is ordered to investigate an unexplored jump point in Eta Cassiopeiae, which was detected by observing a US transit. The FAC carriers engage their active sensors, which have a limited range of sixty million kilometres, to check for any nearby hostile ships. Detecting nothing, they launch their FACs toward the planet, then disengage sensors and set an evasive course. A single deep space tracking station deployed by the United States on Eta Cassiopeiae-A III, detects the short burst of sensor activity but the US squadron cannot leave the planet without endangering the US colony on the surface. Instead, they prepare for a Caliphate counterattack.
In Medina, the Caliphate has the FAC carrier Hofouf with one Hebron and five Ashdod embarked plus a FAC Tender in orbit of the Caliphate colony. Eleven colony ships are heading to the planet from the WX Ursae Majoris jump point. Seven fuel harvesters and another FAC Tender are in WX Ursae Majoris. After hearing the news from Sol they set course for the Medina jump point to seek protection from one of the few Caliphate military forces remaining, as do the terraformers in Sigma Draconis two jumps from Medina. Two troop transports en route to Eta Cassiopeiae are in the 61 Cygni system. They change course for the Manchu jump point, intending to head back to Sol via Proxima rather than Barnard’s Star.
In Sol, the United States and Germany have eliminated all opposition. They demand the immediate unconditional surrender of the Caliphate. The Caliph and his advisors are well aware the situation is grim. Not only has the bulk of their navy been destroyed, but they have committed almost all their ground forces to the operation in Eta Cassiopeiae. Seventeen battalions of Janissaries are still on troop transports and would make a significant difference if they could return to Earth. There is no way that can happen though with US and German warships in orbit. However, there are still active naval forces in Eta Cassiopeiae and Medina, despite being of limited capability, and there is still the possibility of assistance from other nations. The Caliph ignores the demand to surrender and begins to contact the leaders of the other major powers. The German frigate Prinz Eugen begins to systematically destroy the Caliphate shipyards.
Although the other major powers are not allies of the Caliphate, nor do they even have particularly friendly relations, some are concerned about a possible shift in the balance of power if the United States and Germany gain the total assets of the Caliphate. Russia, and Japan in particular are concerned about the United States while France does not want to see a major improvement in the fortunes of her long-time rival Germany. A joint communique is sent from those three governments to Washington and Berlin stating their concern about any major ground assault on Caliphate territory on Earth and requesting a cease-fire to allow negotiations. As Prinz Eugen has now completed the destruction of the Caliphate shipyards and there is nothing in space left to shoot at, Germany and United States agree to a ceasefire in Sol only.
Within twenty-four hours a peace conference is convened that includes representatives of every major nation and is hosted by the United Kingdom as a relatively neutral observer. The debate is complicated by the Caliphate releasing details of the alien race on Eta Cassiopeiae-A III, something of which even Germany was unaware. Although Russia and Japan both demand access to the aliens, the only known access route is through the Avalon Arm and the United Kingdom has announced that due to the recent widespread combat in Sol, Alpha Centauri and Eta Cassiopeiae, which represents a clear and present danger to its colonies and those of Australia and Canada, the Commonwealth nations are claiming the Avalon Arm and will no longer permit the forces of other nations to enter, with the exception of US commercial vessels due to an existing agreement. As the route through US territory to Eta Cassiopeiae is only known to the United States, this effectively cuts off the Eben from all other human powers, unless they want to fight their way through the Commonwealth naval forces and the United States Navy. Brazil is particularly incensed as it has two colonies within the Avalon Arm. The conference representative from the UK points out that Brazil is guilty of unprovoked aggression against the Centauri Federation and therefore it cannot be permitted to threaten Commonwealth colonies. The United Kingdom plans to annex the Brazilian colony on Novo Rio at the earliest convenient time.
The peace conference is fractious to say the least, with the representatives from the United States and Germany stating that they are content to eliminate the Caliphate industry by orbital bombardment if other nations are concerned about the balance of power. Russia, Japan and France are not entirely sure if the allies are serious but are much less interested in fighting to prevent the destruction of Caliphate assets rather than fighting to prevent them falling into US and German hands. Even so, they would prefer to avoid the environmental impact if possible. The Caliphate itself becomes rather more amenable to a peaceful resolution once it becomes obvious Russia, Japan and France are reluctant to support them in such circumstances. Eventually, a compromise is reached that allows the Caliphate to continue as a functioning state, albeit with significantly reduced power, gives the United States and Germany sufficient reward for their dominating position and does not alter the balance of power to the point where other nations feel it would be in their long-term interests to intervene. The main points of the settlement as are follows:
1) The Caliphate population on Earth will be left intact and can rebuild its shipyards
2) The remaining Caliphate military forces, troop transports and survey vessels may return to Earth by the shortest route possible. A troop transport may be sent to recover the Janissaries on Eta Cassiopeiae. The Commonwealth nations will permit this movement through their territory.
3) All civilian shipping and the civilian mining complex on Hesperia in the Sol system will remain with the Caliphate.
4) All Caliphate assets in Eta Cassiopeiae, the mining colony on the comet Faye in Sol and the fuel harvesters in WX Ursae Majoris will pass to the United States
5) All Caliphate assets in Medina or anywhere within German-controlled territory will pass to Germany. Germany will transport an occupying forces to the Caliphate colony.
In essence, this means the Caliphate will retain 90% of its population, all its research facilities, ordnance factories and fuel refineries and almost all its manned mining complexes. The main losses are in automated mines, construction factories and commercial shipping. Thirty-eight automated mines are on Faye and a total of thirty-six more are deployed on two moons in Medina. One hundred and five construction factories are on Medina, leaving two hundred and thirty-one on Earth.
The United States has achieved its primary war aim of securing the Eta Cassiopeiae system and removed the Caliphate as a potential competing power in the American Arm. In addition, it has gained eight Beirut class freighters, seven Muara class fuel harvesters and thirty-eight automated mines. Troops will occupy the small Caliphate colony on Eta Cassiopeiae-A III. In many ways, Germany has perhaps gained the most from the brief conflict. The occupation of Medina-A II will remove the most immediate threat to the established German colonies in WX Ursae Majoris, Neu Brandenburg and Neu Bayern and will remove the threat standing astride the gateway to explored German territories beyond. In time, if the colony can be assimilated, Germany will add sixty million citizens to its population. While the colony planet lacks mineral resources, there are thirty-six automated mines in the Medina system that can be moved to the German mining colony on the twelfth moon of Neu Bayern-B III, two transits away. Germany also gains six Shiraz class terraformers and eleven Jiddah class colony ships, which will speed up its colonization efforts considerably. The hundred construction factories on Medina will be useful in the long-term but it will take some time to transport them to locations that have a sufficient manufacturing population.
Another after-effect of the First Colonial War is that several nations follow the example of Russia and the Commonwealth powers in claiming areas of space as sovereign territory. The United States claims DX Cancri and all systems beyond, although this leaves its primary colony of Columbia in neutral space. This is unavoidable as Germany, France and Argentina all have to pass through the Lalande system. Japan claims all systems of the Centauri Arm beyond Alpha Centauri, which creates borders at the Alpha Centauri – Luhman, Proxima – Gliese 682 and Kyokai – WISE 0811-8051 jump points. The Proxima – Gliese 682 connection is to protect Kyoto, which is a cul-de-sac system adjacent to Gliese 682. Gliese 682 connect to Luhman, another border system, which in turn connects to the primary Japanese colony in Edo. The third border connection is between the Centauri and Russo-Manchurian Arms. So far this has been respected by Russia but not by Manchuria. Whether Japan will take issue with any further Manchurian traffic through this system remains to be seen. Finally, Germany claims all territory beyond Medina and Neu Brandenburg. These systems are connected to each other and to the adjacent neutral systems of WX Ursae Majoris and Wolf 358 systems respectively. The four systems form the corners of an interlinked square.
Other powers are more wary. Manchuria cannot claim the area of space that contains its primary colony as that would cut off Russia from its colonies, with predictable results. Based on a lack of traffic from other nations near its colonies, France does not believe such a move is necessary while Argentina is not yet in a position to defend any claimed territory. Brazil, the Caliphate and the Centauri Federation effectively have no colonies outside their home system, although Brazil is still disputing the recent UK statement regarding Novo Rio and the small colony in V1581 Cygni. The Martian Union is content to remain on the defensive.
One of the major long-term ramifications of the war is the reaction to the revelations regarding the Eben, a sentient, contemporary alien race, albeit at a relatively low tech level. Alien ruins, drifting wrecks and ancient jump gates heralded the presence of aliens in the distant past and changed mankind’s view of its place in the universe. Live aliens in the here and now present a completely different situation; one that includes the potential for higher tech, aggressive aliens attacking human colonies. All nations begin to think in terms of rivals or enemies beyond the current bounds of known space.