United Earth Federation Timeline: 2075–2076
A Chronicle of Perseverance and Expansion

January 1, 2075
 The production timeline for a full ground combat company is approximately 2.5 years, with plans to field five companies initially. However, troop transports remain on hold due to critical Gallicite shortages. Stockpiles must first be replenished to refit existing ships and complete the vital Jump Tenders.



January 10, 2075
 Advancements in shield recharge technology are implemented into the Jaffa II-class vessels before their completion. Research has shifted toward sector command logistics, with plans to deploy construction facilities to Little Rose and Sagan Prime. These colonies aim to achieve self-sufficiency and support orbiting fleets in the near future.

January 16, 2075
 Freighters have returned with 2,300 tons of Gallicite, a third of the total required for the planned ship refits and Jump Tender production. While this is a positive step, the resource crisis persists.

January 31, 2075
 A gravitational survey of Tau Ceti has revealed no additional jump points. The search shifts back to Codalus, where the aliens must reside beyond an unexplored jump point.

February 6, 2075
 Three stabilized jump points are uncovered in the Orphicon System, possibly leading to new alien civilizations. A Beta-class exploration ship will be dispatched post-overhaul to investigate.

April 2075
 Diplomatic shipyards begin upgrades to support the Beta II-class, with advanced engines and Jump Drive technology. These upgrades will increase their range from 42 billion km to an impressive 106 billion km.

February 12, 2075
 New particle beam research offers incremental upgrades, though practical implementation must wait for Gallicite stockpiles to recover. Microwave and particle weapon-equipped frigates are slated for the future once resources allow.

March 17, 2075
The Alexandria II-class vessels have completed extensive engine and sensor package refits, marking a significant milestone in the United Earth Federation fleet’s development. For 15 years, the venerable Alexandria I-class ships have stood as a backbone of the fleet, their reliability and firepower serving as key assets in numerous engagements. Now, with the transition to the Alexandria II design, these ships are poised to continue their legacy with cutting-edge enhancements.

The refits include advanced engines, providing a substantial boost to speed and maneuverability. This upgrade enables the Alexandrias to close the distance to targets more effectively and reposition in battle with greater agility.

However, the most transformative improvement lies in their sensor packages. The new systems represent a quantum leap in tracking technology, allowing the Alexandria II-class to detect and lock onto hostile targets with unprecedented precision. This upgrade not only enhances their long-range strike capabilities but also significantly improves their effectiveness as command-and-control vessels during fleet engagements.

For the crews who have served aboard the Alexandrias since their inception, the transition to the Alexandria II is a moment of pride and renewal. Commodore Jacques Bonald, addressing the fleet upon the completion of the first Alexandria II, remarked, “These ships have carried us through the darkest moments of our expansion, and now, they are reborn to face the challenges of tomorrow. The Alexandria-class is not just a ship—it is a symbol of our resolve and ingenuity.”

As the Alexandria II-class takes to the stars, its enhanced capabilities will ensure that it remains a cornerstone of the UEF fleet, ready to confront any threat that arises in humanity’s relentless journey into the unknown.

Alexandria II B class Light Cruiser      18,000 tons       500 Crew       3,000.3 BP       TCS 360    TH 2,700    EM 0
7500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 6-61       Shields 0-0       HTK 101      Sensors 16/16/0/0      DCR 15-8      PPV 64
Maint Life 3.32 Years     MSP 3,112    AFR 173%    IFR 2.4%    1YR 427    5YR 6,399    Max Repair 675 MSP
Magazine 664 / 0   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

MK II Cruiser Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 18000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

MK II Alexandria Engine (2)    Power 2700    Fuel Use 51.96%    Signature 1350    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 2,878,000 Litres    Range 55.4 billion km (85 days at full power)

Size 8.00 Missile Launcher (8)     Missile Size: 8    Rate of Fire 45
MK II Cruiser MFC (1)     Range 34.5m km    Resolution 120
Wasp Anti-Ship Missile MKIII (83)    Speed: 22,525 km/s    End: 29.6m     Range: 39.9m km    WH: 18.802    Size: 8    TH: 75/45/22

MK II Cruiser ASS (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK II Thermal Sensor 100T (1)     Sensitivity 16     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  31.6m km
MK II EM Sensor 100T (1)     Sensitivity 16     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  31.6m km

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes
April 20, 2075
 The Jaffa II-class ships have been completed. With the Jump Tenders a year away, sensor package upgrades have begun for improved missile defense.

May 6, 2075
 A new stabilized jump point has been discovered in Codalus, likely leading to the Tau Ceti Alien’s home system. Survey efforts are redoubling in this area.

May 14, 2075
 The Jaffa II B-class vessels have successfully launched. These upgraded ships bring enhanced EM/Thermal sensors and their own missile tracking sensor.

Jaffa II B class Battlecruiser      36,000 tons       963 Crew       6,855 BP       TCS 720    TH 5,400    EM 3,120
7500 km/s      Armour 15-97       Shields 104-325       HTK 169      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 18-5      PPV 156
Maint Life 1.68 Years     MSP 4,142    AFR 576%    IFR 8.0%    1YR 1,750    5YR 26,247    Max Repair 900 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons     Boarding Capable   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

MK I Battlecruiser Engine (3)    Power 5400    Fuel Use 45.00%    Signature 1800    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 4,760,500 Litres    Range 52.9 billion km (81 days at full power)
MK II Battlecruiser Shields (4)     Recharge Time 325 seconds (0.3 per second)

MK II Battlecruiser Laser (20)    Range 192,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-4     RM 40,000 km    ROF 10       
MK III Battlecruiser Railgun (8x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 12-4     RM 40,000 km    ROF 15       
MK II Battlecruiser Laser BFC (1)     Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-0     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
MK I Battlecruiser Rail BFC (1)     Max Range: 168,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-0     94 88 82 76 70 64 58 52 46 40
MK II Battlecruiser Reactor (3)     Total Power Output 113.9    Exp 10%

MK II Capital Ship Sensor (1)     GPS 19200     Range 99.6m km    Resolution 120
MK II Missile Tracker (1)     GPS 2     Range 2m km    MCR 181.7k km    Resolution 1

Ground Forces
1x Naval Boarding

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

June 26, 2075
 The first Beta II-class vessel is ready and dispatched to Codalus to explore the newly stabilized jump point. The journey will take over 100 days.

July 13, 2075
 The Red II-class ships are rolling out of refit, with the last two expected to finish alongside the Broadsword Jump Tenders. They now wield the same railguns as our Jaffas and can perforate ship hulls out to 168,000 km.

September 18, 2075
 Beta II B 001 arrives in Codalus, while Beta II B 002 finishes its refit and sets course for Orphicon to explore its three stabilized jump points.

October 10, 2075
Beta II B 001 crosses through the stabilized jump point, uncovering the Niven system—a colossal expanse dominated by a black hole at its core, stretching nearly 50 billion kilometers across. The system’s sheer size and the intense gravitational forces emanating from the black hole promise a daunting and complex survey operation.

Adding to the intrigue, sensors detect the wreckage of an enormous vessel, approximately 110,000 tons in displacement. The ship’s design is unfamiliar, bearing no resemblance to any known alien factions encountered by humanity thus far. Its ruined state suggests a violent end, possibly from combat or the system’s harsh gravitational forces.

The discovery raises more questions than answers: Who built this colossal vessel, and what brought it to such a catastrophic fate? The Beta II crew marks the site for closer investigation, though caution will be paramount given the black hole’s perilous pull.



October 28, 2075
 A third stabilized jump point is discovered in Codalus. Beta II B 001 will investigate, while a gravitational survey vessel begins probing Niven for additional stabilized points.

November 15, 2075
 The stabilized jump point in Codalus leads to the Lassa system, a small, planetless region. A survey vessel will investigate further for potential connections.

December 25, 2075
 The diplomatic vessel UEF Harmony and the gravitational survey ship UEF Pathfinder entered the Orphicon System, tasked with surveying its jump points and celestial bodies. While scanning the inner system, their sensors picked up an anomaly: a massive, slow-moving object. Closer analysis revealed it to be a freighter of alien origin, distinct from anything encountered before.
 The discovery brought operations to a halt. Crews aboard both ships stared at their screens in awe, realizing the implications of their find. For the first time, humanity had encountered a spacefaring civilization that didn’t immediately raise weapons or remain frustratingly silent like the Tau Ceti aliens. Unlike the hostile forces encountered before, this was the first time humanity's presence wasn’t met with aggression or indifference.
 As the freighter continued its journey, diplomatic protocols were activated. The UEF Harmony transmitted standardized first-contact greetings in multiple forms: mathematical sequences, cultural references, and encoded star maps showing Earth’s position. Hours passed with no response. Then, just as hope began to wane, the alien vessel transmitted an encoded reply. Its cadence and structure suggested an intentional communication effort rather than an automated response or warning.
 Back on Earth, the UEF government and the scientific community erupted with excitement. Experts worked around the clock to decipher the alien transmission, while the Harmony and Pathfinder shadowed the freighter at a safe distance. Every precaution was taken to avoid any appearance of hostility, ensuring the alien crew felt no threat from humanity's presence.
 This encounter marked a turning point for the United Earth Federation. After years of costly and devastating conflicts with the Sansibar aliens and the Mirage Coalition, and prolonged uncertainty regarding the Tau Ceti aliens, this event offered hope. For the first time, humanity glimpsed the possibility of peaceful coexistence—and perhaps even collaboration—with an alien civilization.

July 29, 2076
 Over seven months of painstaking work had passed since first contact in Orphicon. Linguistic teams on Earth and aboard the UEF Harmony had pieced together fragments of the alien language, aided by repeated transmissions and reciprocal exchanges of information. Finally, on this day, a breakthrough was achieved.
 The aliens identified themselves as the Marilith Empire, a sovereign interstellar civilization. Their message, once translated, conveyed a cautious but unmistakable tone of cooperation. While wary of humanity's expansionist tendencies, the Marilith Empire seemed eager to open channels of communication and trade, noting their own interest in rare minerals and advanced technologies.
 The UEF’s diplomatic corps wasted no time. Commodore Victoria Langford, commanding the Harmony, exchanged greetings with her Marilith counterpart—a rare honor in interstellar relations. The discussion touched on mutual goals, shared interests, and the vast unknowns of the galaxy.
 Initial reports from this exchange painted the Marilith as an advanced, hierarchical society with a rigid caste system and a focus on efficiency. Their freighter’s presence in Orphicon was part of a trade route, and they seemed keen to ensure humanity’s presence in the system would not disrupt their operations.
 This successful communication marked humanity’s first peaceful interstellar diplomatic exchange, contrasting sharply with the hostilities faced in Sansibar and Scorpia/Sagittaron. The prospect of an alliance with the Marilith Empire offered hope—not just for trade, but also for an ally in the struggles ahead.

August 18, 2076
The Sansibar Offensive begins. The fleet, now jump capable due to the addition of Broadsword-class Jump Tenders, set course for the system where hostile aliens struck down a UEF Surveyor 20 years prior. Avenging the fallen at Aerelon and securing the habitable planets in Sansibar is paramount.

Broadsword class Jump Tender      36,000 tons       398 Crew       2,978 BP       TCS 720    TH 5,400    EM 0
7500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 8-97       Shields 0-0       HTK 88      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 51    Max Repair 600 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months   

MK II Broadsword Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 36000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

MK I Jump Tender Engine (6)    Power 5400    Fuel Use 2.36%    Signature 900    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 1,150,000 Litres    Range 244 billion km (376 days at full power)
Refuelling Capability: 60,000 litres per hour     Complete Refuel 19 hours

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a None for auto-assignment purposes

The Battle of Sansibar: September 4, 2076
Aboard the UEF Caesar, flagship of the United Earth Federation fleet, Commodore Jacques Bonald reviewed the sensor displays. Reports indicated four unidentified vessels near the fourth planet in the Sansibar system. Their missile volleys suggested the presence of [/b]enemy cruisers[/b], a logical assumption given the volume of firepower. The fleet—3 Jaffa-class Battlecruisers (including the UEF Caesar and UEF King George), 5 Alexandria-class Light Cruisers, 6 Anaconda-class Missile Defense Destroyers, and 5 Red-class escort Destroyers—adjusted its formation. The Alexandrias prepared for long-range missile strikes, the Anacondas set their defensive systems to full alert, and the Reds flanked the fleet to bolster point defense.
Phase One: Sensor Suppression and the Hidden Threat At 25 million kilometers, the Alexandrias fired their first salvo at the sensor-jamming vessel. Within moments, the jamming field collapsed as the ship was reduced to debris. However, the elimination of the jammer revealed a grim surprise: 16 additional vessels, previously hidden. Combined with the original four, 20 Death Slayer-class FACs emerged, their formations tight and aggressive. “What we mistook for cruisers were fast-attack craft,” Bonald muttered. “And now they’ve drawn us in.” The Death Slayers maintained a cautious orbit near Sansibar II, drawing the UEF fleet closer while their missile barrages focused on the UEF King George and UEF Caesar. The volume of incoming fire tested the fleet's defenses, but the Anacondas, Reds, and Jaffas worked in unison, creating a near-impenetrable shield of interception fire.



Phase Two: FAC Engagement At 14 million kilometers, the Death Slayers broke orbit, accelerating directly toward the UEF fleet. The Alexandrias and Anacondas launched coordinated salvos, prioritizing the most immediate threats. Despite the overwhelming speed and maneuverability of the FACs, the long-range missiles struck true, destroying several before the enemy could close the distance. Meanwhile, the FACs unleashed another devastating wave of missiles. Their concentrated fire succeeded in overwhelming the UEF King George’s shields. Several projectiles punched through its armored hull, causing structural damage, but the battlecruiser held firm and returned fire with unrelenting resolve. “King George reporting,” came the voice of its captain. “Armor breached, but we’re still in the fight.”
Phase Three: The Wrath of the Fleet As the FACs drew closer, the UEF fleet prepared for railgun and laser engagements. Sensing the danger, the remaining Death Slayers attempted to withdraw. The Alexandrias and Anacondas launched their final salvos, depleting their missile reserves in a desperate bid to neutralize the retreating vessels. One by one, the Death Slayers were annihilated, their evasive maneuvers unable to outpace the fleet's superior firepower. By the end of the engagement, 19 of the 20 FACs were destroyed. The sole survivor escaped into deep space, leaving the battlefield silent except for the faint echoes of victory. Aftermath The fleet regrouped, counting its successes and examining the damage. Despite taking heavy hits, no UEF ships were lost. The UEF King George was damaged but operational, its crew hailed as heroes for their resilience under fire.



On Sansibar II, the wreckage of enemy surface-to-orbit weapons (STOs) and Death Slayers served as a stark reminder of the price of resistance. Commodore Bonald addressed the fleet: “Today, we were tested. Today, we prevailed. Sansibar is ours—not by luck, but by the strength of our unity and the courage of our crews.” The Battle of Sansibar marked another milestone in humanity's relentless expansion, a victory that would inspire generations as the UEF continued its march across the stars.


September 15, 2076
 The fleet had successfully turned back the Sansibar Aliens, something previously thought impossible, thanks to coordination, new technology, and exceptional bravery. Yet, something darker lingered over the Federation. Despite this victory, the enigmatic Marilith Empire and other threats had set humanity on a new path: one that might lead to both peace and war.

December 8, 2076
 Terraforming efforts accelerate, with additional units deployed to Shayou II. Mars’ habitability project receives renewed focus, prioritizing atmospheric development over temperature control.

December 29, 2076
 The first Pentagon-class Troop Transports roll off the assembly line. They will soon be ready to deploy troops to secure Sansibar's habitable planets once enemy STOs are neutralized.


Overview of our Terraforming efforts

That's why I never finish these things...

Republican Army organization

The backbone of the Republican Army is the citizen soldier, committed to performing their national duty through military service. Each soldier is honour bound to uphold the values and laws of the People's Democratic Republic against all enemies. The army is made up of several branches, namely infantry, artillery, armour, engineer, C4I and logistics. The basic building block of the army is the venerable infantry squad, that has withstood the test of time. Each squad consists of eight soldiers:

• Squad leader, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, sergeant
• Assistant squad leader, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, lance corporal
• Gunner, armed with the Type-02 machinegun, corporal
• Assistant gunner, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, private
• Grenadier, armed with Type-03 advanced rifle, corporal
• Hunter, armed with Type-04 antimaterial rifle, corporal
• Trooper, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, private
• Trooper, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, private

In combat, the squad generally splits into two fireteams, with the squad leader, gunner, assistant gunner and grenadier providing fire while the assistant squad leader, hunter, and the two troopers provide movement. Three squads make a platoon alongside a command element of:

• Platoon Leader, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, 2nd lieutenant
• Platoon Medic, armed with the Type-05 carbine, corporal
• C4I Specialist, armed with the Type-05 carbine, corporal
• Platoon Sniper, armed with the Type-06 sniper rifle, private

This makes a platoon 28 soldiers strong. However, while a platoon is able to use fire and manoeuvre on the low tactical level, it is not considered capable of independent operations and is thus always a part of a company. The most senior sergeant acts as an assistant platoon leader. In general, regardless of whether a platoon is advancing or defending a position, it will maintain a triangle formation of two squads deployed forward, one squad deployed back, acting as the platoon reserve. A keen reader can spot that the platoon leader is encouraged to lead from the front and this is the reason they are armed with the Type-01 battle rifle instead of the more compact Type-05 carbine that the medic and the C4I specialist carry. As for the three specialists in the command element, the medic is only expected to stabilize wounded so that they can be evacuated, the C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence) specialist is responsible for maintaining the communications with the company command post as well as any supporting elements as well as coordinate drone usage inside the platoon area, and the platoon sniper has a dual-role of being both the premier scout of the platoon as well as a force multiplier for the platoon leader. With their Type-06 sniper rifle, the sniper is capable of eliminating important enemy personnel as well as take down enemy drones up to a distance of two kilometres in Earth gravity and atmosphere.

Infantry company is made up of three infantry platoons, a weapons platoon and a command squad. The command squad consist of:

• Company Commander, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, captain
• Company Executive Officer, armed with the Type-01 battle rifle, 1st lieutenant
• Company Quartermaster, armed with the Type-05 carbine, staff sergeant
• Company Medic, armed with the Type-05 carbine, sergeant
• C4I Specialist, armed with the Type-05 carbine, lance corporal
• C4I Specialist, armed with the Type-05 carbine, corporal
• C4I Specialist, armed with the Type-05 carbine, corporal
• Education and Mental Hygiene Officer, armed with the Type-05 carbine, 1st lieutenant

Similarly to the platoon leader, the company commander is expected to lead their company personally in battle if the situation so demands with the executive officer acting as a backup at the command post. Often a company command squad will be split with a forward command post and a rear command post to ensure that the chain of command is not disrupted in the chaos of battle. The tasks of the Education and Mental Hygiene Officer are CLASSIFIED BY ORDER 67-555-A9 OF THE MINISTRY OF STABILITY AND HARMONY. To provide improved organic firepower to the company, a fourth combat platoon is included, though it is a common practice of commanders to split up between the infantry platoons and it is a rare situation where the weapons platoon would operate on its own:

TO BE UPDATED - I figured I better post this for safekeeping even though it is not ready yet. I will update this post as I have time.

September 8, 2151
A sensor buoy in the 111 Virginis system detects a ship belonging to Hive Fleet Kraken jumping into the system from Omega Ceti.  This is a new kind of ship, and will be eventually designated as the Iku class once the contact report is received on Terra.  It is small, at 3,950 tons, has military engines, and its observed speed in 17,392 km/s. 

The ship leaves the vicinity of the jump point and is soon out of sensor range of the buoy.  Thirty-six hours later the buoy on the fourth jump point, to an un-surveyed system named 103 Ceti, detects the hive ship approaching the jump point.  The Hive ship jumps out shortly thereafter. 

Nine hours later, on the 10th, a buoy tender jumps into the 111 Virginis system and strips the nearest buoy’s logs.  The contact report is noted and the ship jumps back out, headed for the Lalande system to report this newest information. 

September 18,2 151
Battlegroup Indefatigable sets out for the Omicron Tucanae system from Terra on this date.  The battlegroup is composed of three Indefatigable class missile cruisers, two strike carriers, a jump cruiser, and three destroyers.  The missile cruisers are carrying sensor buoys in addition to their standard missile loadout, and will seed the systems around Omicron Tucanae to track Hive Fleet Leviathan ships. 

November 17, 2151
Eight Hive Fleet Kraken ships jump into the 111 Virginis system.  The nearby sensor buoy notes their arrive and dispatches its contact report to the other buoys in the system.  One day later the buoy tender will jump in and download the logs.  It will take seventeen days for the contact report to reach Terra.

November 25, 2151
The Empire announces the establishment of the courier network.  The network will consist of couriers stationed at each side of jump points connecting inhabited or exploited systems.  Each courier will receive messages transmitted from the inhabited worlds of the system, ships, or bases, and jump through to the far side of the jump point to transfer the messages to the courier on the far side, which will then transmit the messages to the next courier in the network. 

This is a monumental accomplishment, greatly reducing message transit times between bases and planets in the Empire.  Currently, for a courier to get from the frontier at Shield Base in the Monoceri system to the solar system with a message it would take just over thirteen days.  Once the new network is in place, a message will take just eleven hours to get from Shield Base to Terra!  This will revolutionize not only business practices and personal communications, but will also allow for much faster comms between naval bases and forward fleets.   

December 4,2 151: The contact reports detailing Hive Fleet Kraken activity in the 111 Virginis system reach Terra.  Many of the major units of the fleet are in the midst of a major refit, so no action will be taken for now, at least until the buoy seeding force returns from the Omicron Tucanae frontier. 

December 15, 2151
The Buoy Seeding Force has delivered sensor buoys to the three known jump points in the Mu Draconis system, and to the second planet in the inner system.  No hive fleet ships are detected, so the force jumps out to continue seeding the nearby systems. 

January 31, 2152
A light raider is detected in the Lacaille system.  An interceptor group is dispatched from the naval base in the inner system, and a contact report is sent to the solar system via the ICN (Interstellar Communications Network).  Unlike the earlier courier network, where a courier based in Lacaille would have to travel all the way to the Solar system to report, taking days, the message, which is transmitted to a courier on the jump point in Lacaille, and then carried through the jump point to the Wolf system, where it is transmitted to a courier on the jump point to the solar system and then carried through that jump point by that courier, will arrive on Terra in just five hours. 

The light raider is positioned in the outer system, beyond the jump point to the Wolf system.  Fortunately, the interceptors are fast and will intercept the raider before it becomes a problem.  The interceptors close on the raider, until at twenty million kilometers it turns and begins running.  The interceptors steadily close, until at 160,000 kilometers they open fire with their 15 cm lasers.  It takes three salvoes before they get a penetrating hit, and the interceptors continue to pour fire into the fleeing raider.  After eleven additional salvoes and numerous additional hits, the commander of the interceptor group decides to close to enable his lasers to do more damage per hit.  The very next salvo, at 123,000 kilometers, cripples the raider, and the next destroys it.  A second message is sent to the solar system while the interceptors return to base. 

April 29, 2152
The ICN is extended to the 111 Virginis system, establishing a link with the sensor buoys in that system that have been tracking the Hive Fleet Kraken activity in the system. 

May 7, 2152
The 1st LR Survey Group has assembled on the jump point to the Lambda Volantis, joining the Buoy Seeding Force in the area beyond Omicron Tucanae.  Their survey of the 85 Draconis system is complete, and both adjacent systems have been probed. The Buoy Seeding Force has positioned sensor buoys on all three jump points in the system.  At this point, Captain Feng declares his mission complete.  The survey ships will return to Terra for overhaul and possible refits, accompanied by the Buoy Seeding Force.  No contact has been made with Hive Fleet Leviathan.   

May 31, 2152
A force of ten Hive Fleet Leviathan ships is detected by a sensor buoy in the Mu Doradus system, at the jump point to the 26 Draconis system.  The force is composed of four 10,650 ton Abuser class, and six ships of a new class, designated as the Equalizer class.  The ships jump through to the 26 Draconis system.  Shortly thereafter, the ships jump back to the Zeta Doradus system. 

June 11, 2152
The Hive Fleet Leviathan force appears in the 123 Herculis system. 

June 19, 2152
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet begins forming in the Solar System.  Many of its units are still training up, or in overhaul or refit status, but once it is ready it will head out to deal with either of the hive fleets, depending on their activity. 

August 11, 2152
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet leaves Terra for Omega Ceti.  The fleet consists of two dreadnoughts, six carriers, three battleships, one battlecruiser, four missile cruisers, two strike carriers, three jump cruisers, five destroyers, six escort destroyers, five missile destroyers, one hundred and ninety-two strike fighters, sixteen Aegis sensor fighters, a fleet scout, and six military replenishment ships.  Tankers, tugs, and UNREP ships are moving from various bases across the Empire to support the fleet, along with a survey fleet.  The 2nd LR Survey Fleet is being recalled from Bobruisk territory and will join the fleet as soon as possible. 

August 29, 2152
A light raider is spotted in the Lalande system, 365 mkm’s from Terra Nova.  The thirty-five warships of the 1st Expeditionary Fleet just happen to be passing through the system at the time, but are just over a billion kilometers away.  Rear Admiral Casella orders her fleet to continue on towards the jump point out of the system, while the naval forces assigned to Terra Nova respond.  The six interceptors of the Terra Nova squadron chase down the raider and destroy it with two salvoes from 120,000 kilometers range without suffering any damage of their own. 

September 3, 2152
A light raider is detected in the Alpha Centauri system, in between the base on the innermost planet and a group of freighters transporting resources from the Groombridge system to the Solar System.  The interceptors of the Alpha Centauri group are dispatched to intercept.  These interceptors are equipped with the latest soft X-ray lasers, and engage at 261,000 kilometers.  It isn’t long before the raider is reduced to wreckage. 

September 25, 2152
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet has refueled and resupplied from waiting support ships, and jumps into the 111 Virginis system.  The jump point is clear, as confirmed by the ICN ship that has been stationed on the far side.  Once in system, the fleet proceeds to the nearest jump point, to 63 Hydrae.  Given the prior hive activity in the system, Admiral Casella wants to probe each jump point to determine if Hive Fleet Kraken ships are present. 

September 26, 2152
The 63 Hydrae system is clear, and contains no planets, asteroids, or comets.  The fleet jumps out and heads to the next jump point.  Four days later the fleet clears the 100 Ceti system, which, like 63 Hydrae, has no planetary bodies and only a lonely comet. 

September 30, 2152
The fleet is assembled at the jump point to the 101 Ceti system.  To probe the jump point, five warships move away from the rest and then jump through.  The DN Pegasus, followed by the battleships Pride of Sol, Rigel, and Antares, and the battlecruiser Terra.  For these probing jumps, Admiral Casella had decided to only include ships with shields, to avoid exposing her destroyers to microwave and corrosive weapons. 

Unlike the other two probes, there is a Hive Fleet Kraken ship waiting for them on the far side.  It is a 3,298 ton Charon class, just 40,000 kilometers from the jump point.  The assault group appears 290,000 kilometers from the alien ship.  Admiral Casella orders her ships to pursue the alien ship and open fire. 

Reacting quickly, the alien ship jumped out to the 111 Virginis system, and to what it clearly thought would be safety.  Instead, it appeared in the midst of the assembled Expeditionary Fleet.  The alien ship was ravaged by a nearby destroyer and then nearly cut in half by a 30 cm Soft X-ray laser from the DN Andromeda.  The assault group jumped back and the fleet moved on to the next jump point. 

October 6, 2152
Having cleared all of the other jump points, the Expeditionary Fleet has arrived at the jump point to Omega Ceta.   As it is entirely possible that a large proportion of the Hive Fleet is on the other side, Admiral Casella will be taking three assault groups through the jump point.  Two of the groups are composed of five ships, the third is composed of four.  The three groups account for virtually all of the beam combatants in the fleet.  The carriers and missile ships move off of the jump point, in case the hive ships jump through. 

They find nothing on the far side, so Admiral Casella calls forward the support ships so her fleet can refuel before moving into the system.  In the meantime, the missile cruisers begin launching senor buoy carriers to various points in the system, to provide intelligence on the location of the Hive Fleet, if it is present. 

When the main fleet enters the system, the scout’s sensors pick up two contacts in the inner system approximately 350 mkm’s away.  The first contact, designated as Viper-1, consists of one previously unknown 19,762 ton ship designated as Scathach-01.  The second contact, designated Viper-2, is fifteen million kilometers in-system from the first group and consists of the 61.550 ton Osiris class suspected to be the hive’s flagship, two 20,550 ton Anubis class (laser combatant), and four 10,153 ton Mors class (point defense).  Admiral Casella orders an Alpha Strike with every fighter in the fleet, hoping to eliminate the enemy’s flagship in the first strike. 

Seconds later one hundred and eighty-two strike fighters are headed in-system, leaving only the DN’s fighters with the Fleet.  Unfortunately, one hour later the alien forces disappear through the system’s inner LaGrange point, jumping out to the outer system.  The fighters are ordered to hold position.  An hour later Viper-2, including the alien flagship, jumps back into the inner system and sets its course for the jump point where the main fleet is located.  The fighters are ordered to intercept. 

Unfortunately, force Viper-2 soon turns back and jumps back to the outer system.  Admiral Casella orders the fighters to continue to close on the LaGrange Point. 

2144 hours
The fighter group is now 2.3 mkm’s from Viper-2.  The fighter’s sensors have confirmed that the group has no additional ships.  The hive group is moving at 14,663 km/s, over five thousand km/s slower than the fighters.  Lt Command Tupin orders an overwhelming strike against the alien fleet.  Seventeen fighters targeted each of the Anubis class ships, ten each of the Mors, and fifty-two targeted the Osiris class (416 total missiles). 

The Sparrow IIb missiles raced away from the fighters at 41,266 km/s.   Forty seconds later they slammed into Viper-1.  The first wave scored as follows:

Osiris-1: 124 hits, 14 penetrating hits
Anubis-5: 28 hits, 3 penetrating hits
Anubis-6: 26 hits
Mors 1: 28 hits, 4 penetrating
Mors 2: 30 hits, 2 penetrating
Mors 3: 25 hits, 2 penetrating
Mors-4: 24 hits, 1 penetrating, destroyed (internal explosion)
121 missiles destroyed short of their targets by point defense

Second wave attacks
Osiris-1: 17 hits, 9 penetrating, destroyed (internal explosion)
Anubis-5: 15 hits, 1 penetrating, destroyed
Anubis-6: 16 hits, 1 penetrating
Mors-1: 8 hits, 2 penetrating, destroyed (internal explosion)
Mors-2: 7 hits, 2 penetrating, destroyed (internal explosion)
Mors-3: 14 hits, 8 penetrating     
10 missiles destroyed by point defense

Third wave attacks:
Anubis-6: 11 hits, 3 penetrating
Mors-3: 4 hits, 4 penetrating, destroyed
3 missiles destroyed by point defense

Fourth wave attacks:
Anubis-6: 4 hits, 3 penetrating

Fifth wave attacks:
Anubis-6: 4 hits, 3 penetrating

Sixth-tenth wave attacks
Anubis-6: 7 hits, 7 penetrations

The fighters launched a follow-up attack on the last surviving Hive ship, Anubis 5.  Thirty-two missiles raced away from the fighters and wiped the Anubis from space.  Their mission complete, the fighters turned back to their carriers. 

October 24, 2152
The fleet has been refueled and the carriers have rearmed their fighters, and restocked their magazines from the replenishment ships.  As survey ships enter Omega Ceti, the fleet moves in-system towards the inner LaGrange point.   Sensor buoys have been deployed to all critical locations in the system, and there is no sign of the hive. 

November 5, 2152
A new jump point is discovered in the outer system of Omega Ceti.  One of the survey ships launches a buoy carrier to position a buoy to observe the jump point. 

November 22, 2152
A second new jump point is discovered in the Omega Ceti system.  This one is located just inside of the orbit of Omega Ceti VI, and is in the general area that the Hive Fleet Kraken ships seem to retreat towards.  A survey ship launches a buoy carrier towards the jump point.  The grav survey of the system is now complete. 

November 24, 2152
Sensor buoys are now in place surveilling both jump points.  Admiral Casella orders the fleet to move to the most recently discovered jump point to probe it before unleashing the survey ships on the new system. 

November 27, 2152
An assault group jumps through the jump point just inside of the sixth planet’s orbit.  The five warships materialize 123,000 kilometers from the jump point, and 134,000 kilometers from the 19,762 ton Scathach class hive ship hovering just off of the jump point.  The Hive ship dives for the jump point and jumps out before the Terran ships can fire, materializing in the midst of the Terran fleet.  The soft X-ray lasers of the Andromeda and the Pride of Sol ripped the hive ship apart five seconds after it materialized. 

The Fleet jumped into the new system shortly thereafter.  The scout’s sensors were clear out to 400 mkm’s.  The new system was designated as the Iota Ursae Majoris system, with a K-8V primary orbited by two terrestrial planets, three gas giants, and a small rocky dwarf.  Neither of the terrestrial planets were particularly habitable as one was airless and the second had a thin helium-hydrogen atmosphere.  One of the moons orbiting the innermost gas giant was terrestrial class, though, and had an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, although its atmosphere was thin and the moon was bitterly cold. 

Admiral Casella ordered a missile cruiser to launch a buoy carrier to the moon, just in case.  With the buoy carrier on the way and the survey fleet moving into the system, Admiral Casella ordered the fleet back to Omega Ceti to probe the other jump point. 

December 1, 2152
A Charon class hive ship appears in the 111 Virginis system, on the jump point to 100 Ceti.  One of the couriers left in the system by the fleet jumps through to Omega Ceti and warns the fleet.  Once Admiral Casella receives the warning, she dispatches her two strike carriers, along with several DDE’s and DD’s, and a jump cruiser, to return to the 111 Virginis system and deal with the threat. 

December 4, 2152
The fleet is now positioned at the second new jump point in the Omega Ceti system.  As before, the three assault groups have assembled on the jump point, and the carriers and other ships have retreated to one million kilometers from the jump point.  The three assault groups have incorporated missile cruisers, to make up for the destroyers sent with the strike carriers. 

1328 hours: The three assault groups jump through to the new system.  They are immediately taken under fire by waiting Hive Fleet Kraken ships.  The three assault groups are spaced almost evenly around the jump point, with the nearest being 270,000 kilometers from the jump point and the farthest 490,000 kilometers.  A Hive Fleet Kraken force composed of Mors class escort, Anubis class laser-cruiser, and two massive 93,890 ton ships designated as the Mania class by the tac computers, sits just 48,000 kilometers from the jump point.  The Anubis class ship fired on the nearest assault group with its heavy lasers, getting seven hits on a jump cruiser that knocked the ship’s shields down and scored her armor. 

As per their orders, the three assault groups accelerated towards the hive ships, their crews struggling to open fire as they came.  All of the Terran ships targeted the Anubis class unit.  The three Terran cruisers remained with their assault groups but did not open fire. 

In response the Hive fleet jumped back to Omega Ceti.  Admiral Casella ordered the assault groups to close on the jump point in case they jumped back. 

In Omega Ceti, the carriers of the Expeditionary Fleet observed the hive ships jump into the system.  Captain Scoggin ordered the fleet to maintain the range and for to prepare to launch their fighters.  The hive squadron set a course away from the Terran carriers, towards the outer system, eliminating the sensor buoy as they passed it on their way towards the outer system.   

Fifteen seconds later the hive ships turned back towards the jump point.  Captain Scoggin had delayed launching the fighters as he wanted the hive ships to get far enough away from the jump point that they couldn’t duck back to the other system if he launched on them, and his hesitation turned out to be prudent.  The hive ships didn’t jump out, though.  Instead, they passed the jump point and continued their pursuit of the fleeing carriers, which were now 1.4 mkm’s away and running at their top speed, just half of the hive’s speed. 

Forty-five seconds later the hive ships had closed to 1.1 mkm’s and were now almost 600,000 kilometers from the jump point.  Captain Scoggins gave the order and the one hundred and fifty-six fighters of the carrier group launched.  Five seconds later over a thousand missiles were in space, streaking towards the hive ships. 

Twenty-five seconds later the missiles slammed into the oncoming hive ships, wreathing them in fire and destruction.  None of them survived. 


First wave results
Mania 01: 139 hits, 8 penetrating hits, drifting
Mania 02: 135 hits, 13 penetrating hits, drifting
Mors 05: 28 hits, 3 penetrating hits
Anubis 08: 40 hits, 2 penetrating hits, destroyed
29 missiles destroyed by PD

Second wave results
Mania 01: 12 hits, 5 penetrating hits, destroyed
Mania 02: 36 hits, 20 penetrating hits, destroyed
Mors 05: 8 hits, 3 penetrating hits, destroyed
18 missiles destroyed by PD

All targets destroyed after 573 hits

Back in the new system, the jump cruiser that had been hit by corrosive fire from the hive ships has suffered light internal damage after the corrosive effect managed to eat through its armor, but the corrosion had stopped after destroying its search sensor and damaging its troop bay.  By then, the assault group’s personnel finally had enough time to look around and realized that they were in a very unusual system.  Approximately 435 mkm’s away lay the accretion disk of a black hole.  There was nothing else in close proximity, aside from dust and gas falling into the maw of the nearby (in galactic terms) beast.  After a short time, the assault ships jumped back to the Omega Ceti system and rejoined the victorious carriers. 

December 7, 2152
The strike carrier group detached from the 1st Expeditionary Fleet has arrived at the last known position of the Charon class hive ship in the 111 Virginis system, the jump point to the 100 Ceti system.  The group’s jump cruiser, along with two destroyers, head to the jump point and jump through, leaving the two strike carriers and their escorting DDE’s waiting one million kilometers from the jump point.  The jump cruiser and destroyers find space clear on the far side and soon jump back to 111 Virginis and join the carriers. 

December 21, 2152
Charon-06 appears in the 111 Virginis system on the jump point to 101 Ceti.    It soon jumps back out. 

February 8, 2153
A survey ship working in the Iota Ursae Majoris system discovers a single new jump point in the system as it finishes up the survey.  Following orders, the survey ship heads back to the Omega Ceti system, where he will report the discovery to the 1st Expeditionary Fleet before heading on to the black hole system. 

February 18, 2153
Admiral Casella dispatches an assault group, reinforced with the 1st Carrier Division, to probe the new jump point in the Iota Ursae Majoris system. 

March 12, 2153
A light raider is detected by a sensor buoy in the Zeta Doradus system.  Zeta Doradus is located in the Hive Fleet Leviathan frontier beyond Omicron Tucanae.  The contact report will be sent back eventually, but as the system is uninhabited and unexploited no ships will be sent. 

March 18, 2153
A Terran assault group jumps through the new jump point in the Iota Ursae Majoris system, leaving the 1st Carrier Division watching the jump point behind them.  They appear in a K5-V star system the computers will later determine to be 1112 Aquarii.  The system has a grand total of one atmosphere-less terrestrial class planet and three lonely comets.  There are no hive ships within sensor range of the jump point, so the assault group jumps back out. 

April 21, 2153
A LR survey ship working in the 63 Hydrae system, adjacent to the 111 Virginis system, detects an Iku class Hive Fleet Kraken ship sitting on top of the survey point it is heading towards.  This seems to confirm the fleet’s suspicion that the Iku is a survey ship of some sort. 

May 19, 2153
A light raider appears in the V577 Monoceri system.  This is a serious mistake on the part of the raiders, as this is the largest Imperial Naval fleet base outside of the solar system.  One of the base’s two interceptor squadrons is dispatched to deal with the raider, while the base’s naval squadron is put on alert in case there are more raiders lurking. 

The interceptors soon overtook the raider, which had turned and run as soon as it detected the Terran ships.  The six interceptors were an older design, not yet refitted to the latest standard, and so had to get relatively close to consistently hit the raider, and so one of the interceptors suffered several minor hits to its armor before the raider was destroyed. 

May 22, 2153
A raider salvage ship is detected two billion kilometers out in the Monoceri outer system.  This is somewhat more serious than the attack by the light raider, as the salvage ships are usually escorted by several larger warships.  The base commander sorties his fleet, two battlecruisers, a strike carrier, and four destroyers, all of the latest design. 

May 24, 2153
When the Monoceri task force reaches sensor range of the raider force the Terran ship’s sensors confirm the presence of the salvage ship, and detect its three escorts, two raiders and a light raider.  As the Terran sensors pick up the raider force, the raiders see the oncoming warships and turn to run.  Their flight will be futile given the Terran overtake speed of 5,700 km/s. 

Captain Galster, the CO of the BC Uranus, decides to directly engage the raider force instead of using the Io’s fighters, and the Terran force closes to 300,000 kilometers, well within range of even the DD’s 15 cm soft X-ray lasers, before opening fire.  The four destroyers concentrate on the light raider, while the two BC’s fire on one of the larger raiders.  They began scoring hits immediately, but all were low power hits from the smaller lasers, so Captain Galster ordered his ships to close to 200,000 kilometers and maintain fire.  Four salvoes later the light raider exploded, and the Terran DD’s turned their fire on the other raider.  Pretty soon only the salvage ship remained.  Captain Galster ordered his squadron to close on the civilian ship and to pound it into scrap.  It took just three salvoes from the devastating laser weapons to destroy the civilian ship. 

Jume 18, 2153
Admiral Casella has been considering declaring the campaign complete and returning to Terra, mostly because her ships are all in increasing need of overhauls, however, on this date two Hive Fleet Kraken ships appear in the Omega Ceti system, close to the jump point to the Iota Ursae Majoris system.  As this is the first sighting in some time, and one of the two ships is a Mors class anti-missile escort, she orders her fleet to relocate to the jump point to investigate the contact.  Their ETA is 3.5 days. 

June 21, 2153
The 1st Assault Group jumps through to the Iota Ursae Majoris system.  They are taken under fire as soon as they materialize close to the jump point.  The two Hive ships, a 10,153 ton Mors class destroyer escort, and a 19,762 ton Scathach class, are sitting just 15,000 kilometers away.  The Mors class fires ten lasers at the Terran destroyer Aydan Calligaris, hitting with all ten and scouring away 20% of her armor.

As the Terran ships struggle to recover from the jump shock, the Hive ships begin running from the jump point at the Scathach’s apparent maximum speed of 3,818 km/s.  A second salvo from the Mors manages to penetrate the Aydan Calligaris’ armor and causes significant internal damage.  Admiral Casella orders the damaged DD to open the range while the rest of the Terran ships pursue the hive ships.     

The Assault Group closes to point blank range as the Terran crews try to get their system’s operational, while the Calligaris flees.  A third laser salvo hits the Calligaris at 65,000 kilometers, causing extensive internal damage and dropping the DD’s speed to 50%.  The hive ships turned and pursued the Calligaris continuing to fire and inflict damage, with the Terran ships in close pursuit.  However, the hive ships weren’t pursuing the Calligaris, they used the opportunity to duck through the jump point.  Unfortunately for them, they appeared in the midst of the 1st Expeditionary Fleet. 

The Mors lasted exactly as long as it took the BC Terra’s soft X-ray lasers to discharge.  The Terra’s 45cm spinal laser tore a massive hole in the Mors’ thin armor, and the rest of her lasers savaged the ship, leaving it breaking up after a single salvo.  The Scathach was destroyed by the Pride of Sol’s lasers immediately after. 

The Aydan Calligaris rejoined the Assault Group and the group jumped back to Omega Ceti.  Damage control teams worked frantically to repair the Calligaris’ damage, fearing the accumulation of additional damage from the corrosive effect of the Hive ship’s weapons.  For some reason, in this case, there was no such corrosion and the DC teams were able to focus on the destroyer’s most significant damage. 

June 27, 2152
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet has returned to the jump point in the Omega Ceti system that ultimately leads back to the Terran Empire.  The Aydan Calligaris has repaired its engines and some of the other damage the DD suffered during the battle, but the ship has run out of maintenance supplies.  Admiral Casella orders the fleet to refuel and resupply from the waiting support ships, and then return to the Solar System.  The campaign is over. 

"The Dawn of Conflict and Resilience: The UEF’s Struggle for Survival and Expansion"

     Diplomatic Efforts and Communication Challenges (2068)

The year 2068 was a crucial time for the United Earth Federation (UEF), especially in its efforts to establish relations with alien species. The Federation’s diplomatic mission to the Sagittaron System continued in earnest, though it faced significant communication barriers. The transmissions received from Sagittaron were complex and difficult to interpret, presenting a formidable challenge for UEF linguists. Despite their best efforts, the alien language remained largely indecipherable.

By October 6, the diplomatic ship had spent nearly 12 months in space, trying to decode the transmissions. Unfortunately, progress had been minimal. The ship was overdue for a major overhaul, so it returned to Earth for essential maintenance and crew shore leave, leaving the Sagittaron Mission in a state of suspended progress. Though the Federation still held hope for eventual success, the inability to understand the aliens in Sagittaron marked a setback in the Federation’s diplomatic efforts.

Terraforming and Industrial Challenges
Back in Sol, the terraforming of Mars continued its slow but steady advancement. Two additional terraforming units were deployed early in the year, focused on warming the planet to improve habitability. By mid-2068, progress was visible on Mars. However, despite the advances in the terraforming process, Mars still faced significant hurdles in its industrial development. The planet's mining infrastructure was lacking, and while terraforming efforts were making Mars more livable, its industrial base could not yet support the growing demands of human expansion. The Federation worked to improve the efficiency of existing systems, but self-sufficiency was still far from reach.
Meanwhile, the moons of Thengo III, Little Rose and Lucille, continued to see rapid development. Little Rose was now capable of supporting 15 million people and Lucille could support 18 million. These moons provided a more immediate solution for human settlement, alleviating some of the pressure on Mars and offering better prospects for colonization.
However, even with these promising developments in the Thengo System, the challenge of scaling up infrastructure to support human expansion across both Mars and the moons remained a daunting task. The Federation’s plans for future colonization were still constrained by the lack of industrial capacity on Mars.

Technological and Military Advancements
In early 2068, the Federation made a notable leap in missile technology. On January 19, new warheads were introduced, designed to significantly enhance destructive power. These warheads were more effective at breaching enemy point-defense systems, offering the Federation greater offensive capabilities at the cost of a slightly reduced range. This improvement was part of a broader effort to refine the Federation’s combat readiness and ensure more effective strikes in engagements.
By April 13, the Federation turned its focus toward enhancing infantry capabilities. Research was initiated into genetic improvements that would make soldiers more adaptable to extreme environments. This research aimed to provide infantry with greater resilience in harsh conditions such as high-pressure or extreme-temperature environments, ensuring they would be better equipped for hostile planets and deep-space missions.
The same year also saw the completion of the first Red Class Destroyers on October 10. These three destroyers were built to serve as the backbone of the fleet, enhancing the Federation's defensive capabilities. With their advanced design and cutting-edge technology, the Reds were ready to secure the Federation’s expanding territories.


The Scorpia System Discovery
In October, the UEF’s exploration efforts led to the discovery of the Scorpia System through a stabilized jump point. The system contained a terrestrial planet with an atmosphere rich in oxygen—too much for humans but possibly suitable for alien life forms. Its moon, nearly the size of Earth, shared similar oxygen levels, making it an intriguing prospect for future exploration and potential colonization efforts.
While the initial survey revealed no signs of intelligent life, the planet and its moon’s habitability raised questions about the system's past and whether it could have hosted life in some form. This discovery marked a significant step in humanity’s expansion, offering a glimpse of the challenges and opportunities that lay beyond known space.

Infrastructural Developments and Civilian Expansion

With civilian infrastructure expanding rapidly, 2068 saw the opening of a second civilian shipping line, Schut Logistics, which helped improve resource distribution across human colonies. The UEF’s own freighter yard’s capacity grew to 200,000 tons, but the ongoing demands of military production—specifically for the Anaconda II-class ships and Red Class Destroyers—strained the Federation’s resource pool. Gallicite, a crucial resource for ship construction, was in short supply, and Venus' mining operations could not yet provide enough.

     Tensions Build and the First Military Clash (2069)

The year 2069 began with notable progress in the UEF's naval capabilities. On January 18, the completion of several Anaconda II-class ships and advancements in turret tracking systems set the stage for the Federation's future battles. These upgrades were slated to be implemented on the newly designed Jaffa-class battlecruisers, reflecting the UEF’s commitment to cutting-edge military readiness.
In June, the Beta Class Diplomatic Ship arrived in the Canceron system to investigate potential alien activity. However, despite earlier reports, no transmissions were detected. This lack of contact left the UEF perplexed but resolute, prompting Beta to move to the recently discovered Scorpia System by early August.
On August 18, the first alien transmissions in Scorpia were intercepted. Unlike the enigmatic signals encountered in Sagittaron, these transmissions carried a sense of urgency and hostility that was difficult to ignore. As Beta continued its survey, tensions escalated until September 3, when the unthinkable happened—Beta was ambushed by unidentified alien vessels. The sudden and unprovoked attack forced the ship into a desperate retreat, utilizing the stabilized jump points to evade destruction.

Despite sustaining damage, the Beta crew managed in-situ repairs that allowed the ship to limp back to friendly territory. This encounter marked a turning point for the Federation. The Scorpia incident shattered any illusions of universal peace, solidifying the UEF's resolve to respond with strength. Plans for a retaliatory strike were set in motion, with the Federation determined to demonstrate that such aggression would not go unanswered.

Technological Breakthroughs: Fusion Drives and Laser Weaponry (2069)
The Scorpia attack highlighted the urgent need for rapid technological advancement. On November 9, a major milestone was achieved with the development of Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drives. These revolutionary engines enhanced the fleet's speed and range, granting the UEF a critical edge in both exploration and military engagement.
Later that month, on November 21, another breakthrough followed with the completion of 15cm laser weaponry. These advanced lasers promised a significant upgrade in offensive capabilities, offering precision and power that the Federation hoped would turn the tide in future conflicts. With ultraviolet lasers on the horizon and the Jaffa-class battlecruiser nearing readiness, the UEF was poised to emerge from the Scorpia setback stronger and more determined than ever.

Unwelcome Visitors in Sol: February 2070
Early in 2070, the UEF encountered an unexpected incursion within the Sol system. Sensors detected an alien presence—a massive 120,000-ton vessel, likely commercial in nature, accompanied by a smaller military craft. The UEF moved swiftly to engage, intercepting and destroying the larger vessel before it could reach any strategic locations. The ship's design suggested it could have been a colony planter, though its true purpose remains unknown.

However, the operation revealed a troubling vulnerability. While the larger ship was neutralized, the smaller military craft evaded detection, disappearing into the depths of space. This incident exposed the Federation's insufficient sensor technology, sparking urgent discussions about enhancing detection capabilities to safeguard humanity's home system.
The encounter served as a stark reminder that humanity's dominion over Sol was not unchallenged, and vigilance would be essential in the years to come. The UEF currently has no idea where this new alien species could have originated from.


Mars Expansion and Strategic Developments (2070)
By 2070, Mars was rapidly becoming a cornerstone of humanity’s expansion. Terraforming efforts continued to progress, gradually transforming the planet into a viable environment for large-scale habitation. The growing population presented challenges, but tensions eased when a small fleet of frigates was stationed in orbit, providing a reassuring military presence. This move stabilized the situation, allowing the Federation to focus on strengthening Mars’ role as a vital resource hub for the UEF.

Meanwhile, relations with the alien species in the Scorpia system remained uncertain. In early 2070, the Beta Class Diplomatic Ship, under the command of Captain Irina Popov, was redeployed to the system for a renewed diplomatic mission. Despite initial communication attempts, the alien response remained distant and non-confrontational, suggesting a tenuous truce. This relative calm gave the UEF a brief window to prepare for future interactions, whether peaceful or hostile.

The Escalation: The Battle of Scorpia (December 25, 2070)
By late 2070, tensions with the Scorpia aliens reached their breaking point. On December 25th, the UEF fleet engaged in a full-scale confrontation with the hostile aliens in what would become the largest military engagement in Federation history. Despite initial successes, the Federation fleet faced overwhelming odds. Heroic actions by the Alexandria-class Light-Cruiser UEF Ceres saw it unleash a devastating missile barrage, severely damaging enemy forces. However, the UEF paid a heavy price: two Gemini-class Carriers and two Alexandria Cruisers were lost, along with numerous fighter squadrons.

Amidst the chaos, the Red-class Destroyers distinguished themselves with remarkable valor. Employing their advanced weaponry and agility, they brought the fight directly to the enemy, downing six alien ships in a fierce exchange of fire. Their actions were instrumental in covering the retreat of the surviving UEF vessels, ensuring the Federation could regroup and recover from the heavy losses.
The Battle of Scorpia marked a turning point for humanity. Though costly, the encounter demonstrated the Federation's resilience and the effectiveness of its newer ship designs under fire. The lessons learned from the engagement solidified the UEF's resolve to strengthen its military, knowing that the survival of humanity might depend on its ability to confront alien threats head-on.


     Recovery and Strategic Adjustments (2071-72)

Feb 2071: Recognition and Reflection
The UEF fleet’s return in February 2071 brought both solemn reflection and well-earned celebrations. Medals were bestowed on the crews who fought valiantly in the Battle of Scorpia, with special recognition given to Captain Ricky Cockram. His leadership and heroism were legendary, credited with the destruction of four enemy vessels—equaling over 40,000 tons of military might—during the Scorpia campaign. Cockram’s exceptional skill in maneuvering his Red-class Destroyer Advance under intense enemy fire earned him not only accolades but also a place in Federation history.

Resource Challenges and Strategic Realignments
Despite the heroic efforts of the fleet, resource shortages in 2071 created challenges. Corundium and gallicite bottlenecks slowed shipbuilding, forcing the reallocation of automated mines from Io to Venus. These shortages also delayed the completion of the upgraded Jaffa-class battlecruisers and Alexandria-class cruisers, reinforcing the need for new colonies like Querion to secure vital minerals.
Technological Advancements and Doctrinal Changes
As technological breakthroughs continued, including the development of ultraviolet lasers and 20cm railguns, the UEF reevaluated its carrier doctrine. The underperformance of fighters during the Battle of Scorpia led to the decision to halt carrier production until fighter armaments could achieve longer range and greater lethality.

Jan 2072: The January Raid
The January Raid proved to be another showcase of Captain Cockram's skill and leadership. Commanding the UEF Advance, he led a task force of three Red-class Destroyers, each armed with railguns, in a high-stakes operation against a second wave of Mirage Coalition ships. Their superior speed and maneuverability allowed the Red-class ships to close in on their enemies, despite the opposition's superior firepower.
The critical moment of the battle came when the Alexandria-class Cruiser Abdiel, which had been escorting the Reds, unleashed a devastating missile strike on the enemy fleet. The missiles disabled several enemy reactors, rendering their powerful laser weapons inactive and giving the Reds the opening they needed. With their railguns, the Red-class Destroyers were able to perforate the hulls of the weakened enemy ships, destroying five in total. Cockram himself personally targeted and destroyed several ships, proving the effectiveness of his leadership under fire. His decision to disengage at the optimal moment, once the missile stockpile was depleted, ensured minimal damage to his fleet. This highlighted the importance of logistical planning and efficient resource use during extended engagements.
Captain Cockram's heroism and effectiveness in the January Raid solidified his place in Federation lore. By the end of the campaign, Cockram was credited with the destruction of 10 enemy vessels—equating to over 100,000 tons of military might. His actions earned him numerous awards, including the Raider Class V for eliminating over 100,000 tons of commercial shipping and the Wolf Class IV, III, II, and I for destroying similar amounts of military hulls.

Soon after, a ballad emerged in Cockram’s honor, capturing both the mythos of his exploits and the incredible effort behind the Red-class destroyers’ construction. One verse immortalized the challenges of engineering and the sheer grit required to achieve victory:

When the *Ceres* call broke through the din, 
How I wish I was on Earth again! 
Through Scorpia’s void, to our final stand, 
We fought like hell with a rail in hand.

Diplomatic and Cultural Developments: March 2072
In March 2072, the Mirage Coalition opened a communication channel with the United Earth Federation (UEF), marking a pivotal moment in interstellar diplomacy. After years of conflict, both sides sought common ground in the face of mutual threats, opening the door for trade, cultural exchange, and a fragile ceasefire. While some feared the truce was merely a delay of inevitable conflict, others hoped it could lead to lasting peace and reshape the political landscape. Negotiators worked tirelessly to bridge differences, sharing knowledge in key areas like technology, medicine, and resource management.
Simultaneously, humanity's expansion into the stars gained momentum, beginning with the colonization of Querion II, later renamed Sagan Prime in honor of the famed astronomer. Although the planet's harsh conditions—primarily its high ammonia content—required extensive terraforming efforts, its proximity and potential for long-term habitability made it an ideal candidate for human settlement. Terraforming teams worked tirelessly to strip the atmosphere of harmful gases, making Sagan increasingly viable for colonization.
The stabilization of its jump point played a pivotal role, enabling quicker and more efficient travel to the system. Sagan’s colonization, while challenging, became a symbol of humanity’s resilience and growing presence in the galaxy. The diplomatic truce with the Mirage Coalition and the Federation's growing influence inspired hope for the future. Many believed that diplomacy, cooperation, and shared knowledge could steer humanity toward lasting peace.

     Looking Forward: End of 2072

By the end of 2072, the United Earth Federation (UEF) had entered a pivotal phase, balancing military growth, resource management, and diplomacy. The victories of Captain Ricky Cockram and his Red-class Destroyers became symbols of unity and Federation strength, inspiring citizens across Earth and the colonies. These triumphs, alongside contributions from Alexandria-class and Anaconda-class vessels, reinforced humanity’s resolve to face its challenges together.
Sagan's terraforming efforts and asteroid mining bolstered the Federation’s resource supply, though rapid expansion strained logistics. Ensuring the needs of Earth and its colonies were met became a critical priority, with success relying on foresight and adaptive infrastructure. Meanwhile, the fragile truce with the Mirage Coalition held, offering hope for a stable coexistence as the Federation grew into a rising interstellar power.
With advances in jump drive technology and an expanding fleet, humanity stood poised to explore uncharted space beyond the Sagan system. While the frontier promised opportunity, it also carried unknown risks. The Federation’s unity, innovation, and resilience would be tested as it prepared to meet these challenges.
The triumphs of 2072 reaffirmed humanity’s belief in its ability to overcome adversity. Emboldened by the bravery of figures like Captain Cockram, the Federation carried forward a shared vision of progress and survival in the vast expanse of space.

Our current UEF Battle Fleet after all the action:

3x Alexandrias 3x Reds 6x Anacondas

Alexandria class Light Cruiser      18,000 tons       517 Crew       2,745.9 BP       TCS 360    TH 2,160    EM 0
6000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 5-61       Shields 0-0       HTK 99      Sensors 12/12/0/0      DCR 15-8      PPV 64
Maint Life 3.48 Years     MSP 2,980    AFR 173%    IFR 2.4%    1YR 376    5YR 5,645    Max Repair 540 MSP
Magazine 664 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

MK I Cruiser Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 18000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

MK I Alexandria Engine (2)    Power 2160.0    Fuel Use 51.96%    Signature 1080.00    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 2,737,000 Litres    Range 52.7 billion km (101 days at full power)

Size 8.00 Missile Launcher (8)     Missile Size: 8.00    Rate of Fire 45
MK I Cruiser MFC (1)     Range 42.2m km    Resolution 120
Wasp Anti-Ship Missile MKIII (83)    Speed: 22,525 km/s    End: 29.6m     Range: 39.9m km    WH: 18.802    Size: 8.0000    TH: 75/45/22

MK I Cruiser ASS (1)     GPS 4320     Range 40.9m km    Resolution 120
Thermal Sensor 27.4m km (1)     Sensitivity 12     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  27.4m km
EM sensor 27.4m km (1)     Sensitivity 12     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  27.4m km

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes
Red class Destroyer      8,000 tons       258 Crew       1,326.2 BP       TCS 160    TH 974    EM 0
6090 km/s      Armour 6-35       Shields 0-0       HTK 49      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 7-8      PPV 25
Maint Life 4.33 Years     MSP 725    AFR 73%    IFR 1.0%    1YR 62    5YR 934    Max Repair 243.6 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

MK I Red Engine (2)    Power 974.4    Fuel Use 69.88%    Signature 487.20    Explosion 14%
Fuel Capacity 1,513,000 Litres    Range 48.7 billion km (92 days at full power)

12cm Railgun 80kkm ROF10 (5x4)    Range 80,000km     TS: 6,090 km/s     Power 6-3     RM 40,000 km    ROF 10       
MK I Particle BFC (5)     Max Range: 96,000 km   TS: 8,000 km/s    ECCM-0     90 79 69 58 48 38 27 17 6 0
MK II Destroyer Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 15.1    Exp 10%

MK I Frigate 50T (1)     GPS 2     Range 1.5m km    MCR 136.2k km    Resolution 1

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes
Anaconda II class Destroyer      12,000 tons       305 Crew       1,897.1 BP       TCS 240    TH 1,440    EM 0
6000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 3-46       Shields 0-0       HTK 64      Sensors 12/12/0/0      DCR 8-6      PPV 16
Maint Life 2.55 Years     MSP 1,290    AFR 144%    IFR 2.0%    1YR 278    5YR 4,167    Max Repair 360 MSP
Magazine 616 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

MK II Anaconda Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 12000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

MK II Anaconda Engine (2)    Power 1440.0    Fuel Use 36.83%    Signature 720.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,320,000 Litres    Range 53.8 billion km (103 days at full power)

Size 1 Missile Launcher (16)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 15
MK II AMM MFC (1)     Range 21.4m km    Resolution 1
Sparrow AMM MKIII (616)    Speed: 55,200 km/s    End: 0.7m     Range: 2.5m km    WH: 0.8    Size: 1.00    TH: 184/110/55

MK I Missile Finder ASS (1)     GPS 240     Range 21.4m km    MCR 1.9m km    Resolution 1
Thermal Sensor 27.4m km (1)     Sensitivity 12     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  27.4m km
EM sensor 27.4m km (1)     Sensitivity 12     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  27.4m km

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes


These ships will soon be refit to their upgraded classes with the next engine tech and boast 7500 km/s with 50b km of range.

Here's a sneak peak at the Jaffa II which will go into production in June 2073. It will need a jump tender that can keep up but I'm happy with how it turned out.
Jaffa II class Battlecruiser      36,000 tons       963 Crew       6,792 BP       TCS 720    TH 5,400    EM 3,120
7500 km/s      Armour 15-97       Shields 104-433       HTK 169      Sensors 1/1/0/0      DCR 18-5      PPV 156
Maint Life 1.68 Years     MSP 4,122    AFR 576%    IFR 8.0%    1YR 1,740    5YR 26,100    Max Repair 900 MSP
Troop Capacity 500 tons     Boarding Capable   
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

MK I Battlecruiser Engine (3)    Power 5400.0    Fuel Use 45.00%    Signature 1800.00    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 4,740,500 Litres    Range 52.7 billion km (81 days at full power)
MK I Battlecruiser Shields (4)     Recharge Time 433 seconds (0.2 per second)

MK II Battlecruiser Laser (20)    Range 192,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-4     RM 40,000 km    ROF 10       
MK III Battlecruiser Railgun (8x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 12-4     RM 40,000 km    ROF 15       
MK II Battlecruiser Laser BFC (1)     Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-0     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
MK I Battlecruiser Rail BFC (1)     Max Range: 168,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-0     94 88 82 76 70 64 58 52 46 40
MK II Battlecruiser Reactor (3)     Total Power Output 113.9    Exp 10%

MK I Carrier ASS 74.6m km (1)     GPS 14400     Range 74.7m km    Resolution 120
MK I Frigate 50T (1)     GPS 2     Range 1.5m km    MCR 136.2k km    Resolution 1
MK I Commerical EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 1.2     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  8.7m km
MK I Commerical Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 1.2     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  8.7m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

Flag for Thengo


Map of Little Rose


Map of Lucille


The full shanty the Red-class Destroyers sing constantly post January Raid

   The Red Destroyer’s Call
*Inspired by Barrett’s Privateers* 

    Verse 1
Oh, the year was twenty-sixty-eight, 
How I wish I was on Earth once more! 
A call went out for a ship so keen, 
The Red Destroyer—the fleet’s machine. 

Refrain
Void take them all!
I was told we’d guard the fleet and never fall.
We’d fire our rails, shed no tears,
Now I’m a hardened soul in the outer spheres,
The Red Destroyer’s pride endures.

     Verse 2
Captain Cockram cried the line,
"How I wish I was on Earth with mine!"
For twenty brave souls, a crew so bold,
Who'd man the Red, in fire and cold.
Refrain

     Verse 3
On Tragedy Day, we set our flight, 
How I wish I was on Earth tonight! 
Through alien skies, where missiles flared, 
We’d hold the line; no risk was spared. 

Refrain

     Verse 4 
When the Ceres call broke through the din, 
How I wish I was on Earth again! 
Through Scorpia’s void, to our final stand, 
We fought like hell with a rail in hand. 

Refrain

     Verse 5
The Red shook hard as the rails sang, 
How I wish I was on Earth again! 
The fleet moved fast, but the battle stayed, 
And the Red held firm in the missile’s shade. 

Refrain

    Verse 6
Now here I sit, in my thirty-third year, 
How I wish I was on Earth, my dear! 
Through trials and fire, the Red endures, 
A shield for the fleet, forever sure. 

Refrain

Thank you all for reading and liking this story, you encourage me to keep going. <3