Author Topic: The Solar Union. Contact of the Worst Possible Kind  (Read 1860 times)

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Offline IanD (OP)

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The Solar Union. Contact of the Worst Possible Kind
« on: January 06, 2010, 08:01:14 AM »
[center:29exzzrk]Episode 3 Contact of the Worst Possible Kind[/center:29exzzrk]
13th October 2088

Geo-Survey Group 1 completed their geological survey of Lacaille 8760, a previously unexplored system from a jump point out of Kapteyns Star . They were then tasked with exploring a second unexplored jump point in Kapteyns Star system. Thus on 28th October 2088 22:45:06, exploration of a jump point in the Kapteyns Star system has revealed the new system of Gliese 832 and the group began their work. All went well until 5th December 2088 when the inevitable happened. Geo-survey Group 1 using the original Pioneer class geo-survey vessels, with virtually no onboard sensors were moving into the outlying planets of Gliese 832 when at 18:15:06, a new Thermal Contact, was detected, at strength 800. Five seconds later an active search sensor was detected, Strength 5460, Resolution 65, 10 seconds later a salvo of missiles impacted Pioneer 003. Other ships in the group detected eight 7 kiloton nuclear blasts, after which the Pioneer 003 disappeared from sensors and life pod signals detected. The two remaining survey vessels made for the jump point to Kapteyns Star. Then at 07:44:51 on 6th December 2088 a strength 15 thermal contact was detected by Pioneer 001and another eight 7 kiloton nuclear detonations detected by Pioneer 002. Pioneer 001 was observed to break up and life pods eject. Pioneer 002 made for the jump point at maximum velocity. Pioneer 002 observed the life pods being recovered by the hostile contact two days later. The next day the Pioneer 002 transited out of Gliese 832 apparently the hostile contact did not follow. Using the jump gate network she reported recent events in Gliese 832 to Star Command.

On receipt of the signal Star Command Ordered the Battle Group to make all speed to Gliese 832 and intercept this alien aggressor. The Battle Group consisted of FFGs Dido, Theseus, Ajax, Achilles, escorts Shark and Barracuda and the Jump Cruiser Fort Worth. In command was Captain Elizabeth Chapman. The auxiliaries Abdiel and Blue Rover were also despatched in support. The Battle Group reached the jump point in Kapteyns Star system at 12:45:11 on the 6th January 2089. The Fort Worth was detached and the rest of the Battle Group entered Gliese 832.

On the 7th January 2089 at 18:40:11 in Gliese 832, a new thermal contact was acquired.  The contact was given the unfortunate ID: Demolisher 001. At 18:54:52 the FFGs attempted to open fire as the contact continued to close with the fleet and entered Viper  missile range of just under 73 million kilometres. But due to enemy ECM (strength 40) the effective range was reduced to 57.6m kilometres. The two ill matched forces continued to close. As the contact entered effective missile range fire was opened. By 19:43:52, 20 Viper ASMs were on their way to the target. Ominously the target, Demolisher 001 was 7300 tonnes and capable of 5555 k/s. As the enemy reached 51.8m kilometres it came to a halt relative to the Battle Group. By this stage the FFGs has fired a little under 50% of their missile load and fire ceased to observe effects. There was now only the tense waiting for the results of the attack and inevitable retaliation. The Weapons Officers watched the 160 Vipers close the target at 18,400 k/s, when at 20:15:37, with a start they detected a new contact entering missile defence sensor range! Eight strength 4 contacts streaked in at an incredible 35,298 k/s! The Weapons Officers on Shark and Barracuda had to manually target the incoming salvo and hit the launch button. All interceptors missed their targets and only one missile was shot down by the lasers, seven missiles hit Dido, one magazine was destroyed but did not detonate. The armour absorbed most of the impacts. The second salvo was picked up at 20:15:53, the Pythons were quicker away, but still under manual control. This time they intercepted 2 inbound missiles, while the lasers again hit one missile, the other five slammed into Dido, this time the engines took most of the damage, more that half were destroyed and more magazines were hit, Captain Larouche, Captain of the Dido was killed by a bridge hit. The third salvo bore in at 20:16:39, still targeting the Dido. The Pythons all missed as did the lasers, eight missiles covered the Dido in nuclear annihilation, at 20:16:49, Dido suffered complete structural failure due to the amount of damage it had received and broke up.

Task Group Commander, Captain Chapman ordered fire to be reopened, since if this carnage continued any missiles in the magazines would be lost. The fourth salvo approached at 20:17:19, this time picking out the Theseus. Her engine spaces were hammered by the impacts as seven missiles immolated themselves against her armoured flanks. The fifth salvo was detected at 20:17:39, this time the Pythons hit one missile, the lasers two more, but five still blanketed the Theseus in Nuclear fire. The sixth salvo came regular as clockwork at 20:18:04, only one missile was stopped by the lasers, the other seven hit Theseus, and when the detonations cleared at 0:18:14 the Theseus was no more. The enemy salvos continued to bore in relentlessly, the next appeared on scanners at 20:19:04, eight new missile contacts glowed menacingly on the sensors screens. Now it was the turn of the Battle Group Flagship, Ajax, to suffer, only one missile was intercepted, the other seven stripped the armour off the ship, causing minor internal damage. The Ajax was now effectively defenceless. Of the next salvo two were intercepted, both fell to the Python interceptors. But six still detonated in close proximity to the Ajax, both engines and magazines were destroyed, but the greatest loss was the destruction of the S80-R100 active search sensor, now only Achilles possessed a search sensor with the range required to pick up the enemy contact. Already three quarters of the Vipers were homing using onboard sensors. The Escorts had their most successful interception to date with the next salvo, stopping fully half of them, unfortunately the lasers again failed to capitalise on this success, unable to take down any further missiles. Once more Ajax shook under the hammer blows on the surviving missiles, further degrading her systems. The attempt to intercept the next salvo was a disaster, not one missile was stopped, this was the death knell for the Ajax. The ship, stressed far beyond her tolerances, suffered complete structural failure as a secondary power system went up, venting through the spine of the ship. Captain Elizabeth Chapman, Battle Group Commander, made it to a lifepod before the destruction of Ajax, and awaited pick up with trepidation.

 The next salvo was aimed at the Achilles, this time the lasers finally found the target, killing two missiles, while the Pythons failed to score any hits. The six missiles began the process of Achilles destruction by scouring the armour off the hull. The next salvo was reduced by three as the Pythons took one bird down and the lasers another two. The Achilles received most of the damaged to its engine spaces, reducing its velocity to less than half. At 20:21:39 what would prove to be the final salvo for the Achilles raced in. The lasers and Pythons were honours even for this salvo and got one each. The six remaining missiles caused catastrophic damage, destroying the final ion engines, the Achilles was now wallowing in space, rocked by the near contact nuclear fireballs. But most importantly of all the final S80-R100 set was destroyed, leaving the Battle Group blind to everything out of the range of the Python interceptor search sensors, the S80-R20GB, with a range of a mere 16m kilometres. The Achilles fire control set was also destroyed; all missiles now in flight had to depend on their own sensors, but were still millions of kilometres away from the target.

At 20:24:14, after a brief conference over the laser com, the Captains of the Achilles, Shark and Barracuda reached the decision to abandon the Achilles, recover lifepods and make all possible speed to the jump point and hope to escape. The recovery of survivors went well with no interventions from the hostile Demolisher 001. However, the bad news was not yet over as telemetry from the Vipers revealed the missiles launched first had failed to find a target and run out of endurance. There was not even the satisfaction of having hit, let alone destroyed the enemy ship. It was a fraught 28 hours as the remnants of the Battle Group ran for the jump point. Finally making transit in the early hours of the 9th January and linking up with the Fort Worth before making all speed to Sol. The only bright spot was for Commander Sam Hussain, former captain of the Achilles, confirming his promotion the captain.

On the 10th January 2089 at 18:15:49, the minelayer Abdiel reached the jump point to Gliese 832 in Kapteyns Star system and began to lay a minefield of sixty DSM Stonefish at a few million kilometres around the jump point, providing the Solar Union with some security. The DSM15-2 Stonefish had a sensor range of 2 million kilometres and an endurance of nearly 17 months with an offensive payload of four AMT2.25-1 Sprinter missiles, capable of greater than 20000 k/s and carrying a 5 kiloton warhead.

The news reached the House of governors within hours of the Battle Group transiting into Kaptenys Star system. The Solar Union was virtually defenceless! The only modern warships were the Grey Mk II class FAC. Any new FFGs would take years to design and complete without considering the great improvements required to enable them to face the hostiles in Gliese 832. The decision was rapidly taken to build more Grey class, 50 being authorised, to be built by the BEA Corporation Yard. A research project was initiated to develop an S1400R100 search sensor so that the fleet would no longer be so myopic, but this project would take ages to be translated into a fleet Scout. The idea of a carrier for the FAC was accepted, being able to double up as a LCA carrier for the Troop Transports. But this would take a further eighteen months before the first ship left the Yards.

The Minefield in Kaptenys Star System, Jump point to Gliese 832
IanD
 

Offline Steve Walmsley

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Re: The Solar Union. Contact of the Worst Possible Kind
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2010, 03:21:13 PM »
Fascinating read. Looking forward to the next report!

Steve
 

Offline Shinanygnz

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Re: The Solar Union. Contact of the Worst Possible Kind
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2010, 03:45:10 PM »
Aaahhh, brings back not so fond memories.  :D

I've been running a test game to get a proper feel for things before I launch in to a proper campaign (and waiting for Steve to add new shield techs and maybe laser warheads).
I've had lots of "fun" with Precursors of this kind.  Watching my supplies of anti-missiles dwindle down to nothing as the stream of uber-missiles keep coming and coming, then the valiant, but ultimately futile laser fire and the slow whittling down of my fleet, with a sad trail of wrecks and lifepods in their wake.  Occasionally some ships look like they might get away, then hope is snuffed out again as the stragglers are picked off one by one.
On the glass half full side, it certainly helps with learning anti-missile tactics and designs.

Now the boot is usually on the other foot as the waves of missiles break upon the walls of my defences, whilst my missiles blow them to bits.  So long as I don't get cocky and remember to bring enough ships.  Like last time.  Still, just scraped out of that one with some damage, then came back with enough ships to do the job.

One tactic I've used on occasion to get the buggers in range of my missiles when I didn't have the speed to catch them (and it didn't always work btw), is to split the fleet with some ships going to speed 1 and sensors off whilst the rest do a Sir Robin ("bravely run away") leading the Precursors over the doggo ships.  At the right time, missiles away!  And you don't even have to bring your active sensors online if a couple of scouts in the main fleet have them in range and lit up.

For info, here are my current Precursor bashers...
First, the anti-missile missile ship
Code: [Select]
Dreadnought -r1 class Destroyer Escort    5000 tons     463 Crew     1153.7 BP      TCS 100  TH 560  EM 0
5600 km/s     Armour 3-26     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 4     PPV 10
Annual Failure Rate: 50%    IFR: 0.7%    Maintenance Capacity 577 MSP    Max Repair 394 MSP
Magazine 280    

Magneto-plasma Drive E7 (7)    Power 80    Fuel Use 70%    Signature 80    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 51.4 billion km   (106 days at full power)

S1R10 Missile Launcher (10)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 10
Anti-Missile Missile Fire Control Mk2 (1)     Range 3.2m km    Resolution 1
Dart Block III Anti-Missile Missile (1) (280)  Speed: 35,200 km/s   End: 1.4m    Range: 3m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 375 / 225 / 112

Anti-Missile Search Sensor Mk2 (1)     GPS 315     Range 3.2m km    Resolution 1

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

And this is the close escort, laser destroyer.  The fast firing turrets do a very nice double duty when you get in close on them.
Code: [Select]
Tribal -r3 class Destroyer Escort    5000 tons     514 Crew     1087 BP      TCS 100  TH 560  EM 0
5600 km/s     Armour 3-26     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 3     PPV 16
Annual Failure Rate: 66%    IFR: 0.9%    Maintenance Capacity 408 MSP    Max Repair 288 MSP

Magneto-plasma Drive E7 (7)    Power 80    Fuel Use 70%    Signature 80    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres    Range 77.1 billion km   (159 days at full power)

Twin 10cm P6 16k 150kkm Far UV Laser Turret (2x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 16000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 5    ROF 5        3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
Anti-Missile Fire Control S16 96-16000 (1)    Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Stellarator Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 AR-0 (2)     Total Power Output 12    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Anti-Missile Search Sensor S160-R1 (1)     GPS 160     Range 1.6m km    Resolution 1
ECCM-1 (1)

Not forgetting what punches them out...
Code: [Select]
Invincible -r2 class Strike Cruiser    6000 tons     372 Crew     1242 BP      TCS 120  TH 640  EM 0
5333 km/s     Armour 4-29     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 4     PPV 36
Annual Failure Rate: 72%    IFR: 1%    Maintenance Capacity 518 MSP    Max Repair 394 MSP
Magazine 240    

Magneto-plasma Drive E7 (8)    Power 80    Fuel Use 70%    Signature 80    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 200,000 Litres    Range 85.7 billion km   (186 days at full power)

Size 6 Box Launcher (40)    Missile Size 6    Hangar Reload 45 minutes    MF Reload 7.5 hours
Missile Fire Control 63m 1000t (1)     Range 63.0m km    Resolution 20
Sun Burn Block III ASM (40)  Speed: 22,400 km/s   End: 44.6m    Range: 60m km   WH: 10    Size: 6    TH: 171 / 103 / 51

Active Search Sensor 63m 1000t (1)     GPS 6300     Range 63.0m km    Resolution 20

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
Now I've got gunboats and some carriers, the carriers can also sit the other side of the jump point and send the gunboats through to help.

Stephen