Perhaps a game of brockian ultra cricket?

D’Bringi Alliance Update, Month 165

D’Bringi Expanses
Total Income (all sources): 26,236 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 63.5%

The D’Bringi clans are enthused to finally be able to come to grips with the Mintek, but the discovery that their enemy has fighters has given the clan leadership pause, as has the performance of the fighters in the recent battles in the Kure system.  All in all, the D’Bringi are disappointed that they have not been able to exploit their successes in the Kure and Juath systems, but relieved that they defeated the Mintek in both cases.  Clan Chief Skull Splitter, who led the D’Bringi forces in both systems, is particularly glad that it appears that the D’Bringi will have time to evaluate their performance in the battles in Kure and reshape their navy if necessary. 

The D’Bringi have considered transferring fighter technology information to the other races in the Alliance, however, studies have shown that the cost will be prohibitive, and with the Rehorish announcing that they have reached a tech level that will let them develop the fighter tech on their own, there is only one other race in the Alliance likely to benefit from the tech, the T’Pau.  The D’Bringi had secretly approached the T’Pau prior to the start of the fighting in the Kure system with the tech, however, the T’Pau had declined to make the massive expenditures that would be needed to develop the tech at this time.  In lieu of developing fighters on their own, most of the other races in the Alliance are paying great attention to the studies of the fighting in Kure, and will likely begin work on their own counters to fighters, such as escort ships with heavy point defense suites, or even developing and deploying their own AFSC’s, as the Rehorish did. 

The D’Bringi and the Rehorish are concerned about the fact that the Mintek had apparently probed the Kure system prior to their invasion, and so are planning on deploying sensor networks to, at the very least, critical systems.  They have both already recommended to the other Alliance races that they do the same. 

Fleet Deployments
Automated Warfare Unit, Breshy (Mintek Border, closed warp point): 1xCA(AW), 2xCT(Mine), 53x Mine, 200xDSB-L
Automated Warfare Unit, Home Reserve: 2xCT(Mine)
Automated Warfare Unit, Jerothal (Colonial Union Border, closed warp point): 1xCA(AW), 1xCT(mine), 240xMine
Automated Warfare Unit, Phyriseq (Mintek Border): 1xCA(AW), 2xCT(mine), 825xMine, 80x DSB-L
Keeper Border Patrol, Chropol (Bjering): 3xCTV, 18xF0
Clan Fleet, B’Regest (Home): 1xCAV, 2xCT, 6xF0
Clan Fleet, K’Rorin (Home): 1xBC
Clan Fleet, T’Chau (Home): 1xBC, 1xCA
Blockade Fleet, Phyriseq (Mintek): 3xBC, 3xCAV, 9xCA, 6xCVE, 108xF0
B’Regest Guard Group, Bir Home System: 3xCTV, 18xF0
Keeper Guard Group, Chirq Home System: 3xCTV, 18xF0
Keeper Home Fleet, Home System: 1xCVS, 24xF0
Keeper Repair Fleet: 7xMSY
Keeper Watch Fleet, Juath (Mintek): 3xCTV, 18xF0
Mothballs, Home system: 3xBS3
Orbital Defense, D’Bringi Prime: 2xAF, 1xBS0, 78xF0, 1xApin
1st Alliance Fleet, Kure System: 14xBC, 3xCAV, 1xCA, 11xCVS, 2xDDV, 12xCTV, 301xF0 (ships from all clans, and the keepers)
1st Alliance Fleet, Support Group, Kure System: 1xMSY, 1xFT1, 100xCrated F0
Fighter Support Group, Reserve (home system): 4xFT1, 24xCrated F0
1st Survey Fleet, Schach: 25xEXX, 3xB’Regest CTV, 18xF0, 50xCutter
2nd Survey Fleet, Tyny: 25xEXX, 3xB’Regest CTV, 18xF0, 50xCutter
Warp Point Fortifications, Breshy (Mintek Border, closed WP): 5xBS0, 30xF0
Warp Point Fortifications, Home System: 1xAF, 6xBS3, 240xMine, 20xDSB-L
Warp Point Fortifications, Phyriseq System (Mintek): 16xBS0

Under Construction
6xBC, 2xCT(Munitions), 96xF0

Rehorish Stellar Dominion
Total Income (all sources): 41,829 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 59.8%

With the defeat of the Mintek in the Kure system, the Rehorish government is moving forward on development of the fighter technology that recently became available.  This is a large relief for the Navy, as the anti-fighter small craft they had deployed to support their fleet performed poorly in battle, and without the assistance of the D’Bringi fighters the Mintek would have wiped all of the Rehorish small craft out and been able to attack their fleet.  Cho-sho Banzan has reported that AFSC would have to be present in much larger numbers to successfully challenge enemy fighters, and he would need at least twice as many AFSC compared to attacking fighters to feel confident in the ability of the AFSC to defend the fleet.  This would entail a massive and expensive building program to deploy enough hulls to carry the AFSC into battle, but now, with fighters under development, this will no longer be necessary.  For now, new fleet construction will be curtailed while the new tech is developed. 

The Rehorish Navy is developing defensive plans for the Kure system, now that the Mintek have retreated.  The Mintek’s entry warp point remains undetected, which means that they present a continuing threat to the system’s 24,000,000 inhabitants.  The region around the suspected location of the closed warp point the Mintek used to enter the system is currently picketed by the 1st Alliance Fleet, and DSB-Xr’s are being sent to take their place next month.  This means that should the Mintek return, the location of the warp point will be pinpointed, allowing the Alliance to attack into Mintek space once the Kure system is under the control of the Alliance.  However, as the warp point location is currently unknown, no defenses can be mounted there, meaning that the Mintek can enter the system at will.  The Alliance does not want to tie down a major fleet guarding one system, though, so the Navy is developing plans to defend the system.  These plans are complicated by the fact that in the modern day, the defenses will have to be planned around fighters, or the defenses will merely become targets once the Mintek are in the system.  For now, the Navy is planning on establishing defenses at the warp point to Kure in the Kawasaki system, which would be able to bottle up any Mintek assault until response forces could arrive.  This plan is understandably unpopular with the Rehorish citizens living in the Kure system. 

Fleet Deployments
Damaged and depleted Units, Home System: 5xBC, 5xCT(AFSC), 7xAFSC
Border Defenses, Phyriseq WP #5 (Titov Free State): 8xBS2
Border Defenses, Sapporo WP #1: 11xBS1, 1xFG(AW), 365xDSB-L, 100xMF
Blockade Force, Phyriseq: 12xBc, 3xCA, 9xDD, 1xCT(Munitions)
Border Patrol Force, Kure (Kawasaki System, returning to the Kure System): 3xCL, 6xDD, 3xCT
Border Patrol Force, Phyriseq (WP #5, to Titov Free State): 3xCA, 6xDD
Border Patrol Force, Sapporo (Titov Free State): 6xCL, 6xDD, 1xCT(munitions)
1st Alliance Fleet, Kure System: 7xBC, 3xCA, 3xCL, 13xDD, 3xCT(Pin), 1xCT(AFSC), 7xCT, 1xCT(munitions), 12xPin, 10xAFSC
Home Fleet, Home System: 9xBC, 9xCL, 8xDD, 2xFG(AW), 2xCT(Pin)
Mothballs, Home system: 3xCA, 12xCL, 9xDD
Orbital Defense Network, Home System (Over Rehorish Prime): 1xAF, 5xBS3, 1xBS1, 26xAFSC, 2xPin
Repair Group, Phyriseq System: 3xCL, 3xDd, 5xMSY, 5xMS
Survey Fleet #1, Miyazakiy: 1xCT(Pin), 25xCTX, 40xCutter, 9xPin
Survey Fleet #2, Nagoya: 1xCT(Pin), 25xCTX, 40xCutter, 9xPin
Survey Fleet #3, SN-910: 1xCT(Pin), 25xCTX, 40xCutter, 9xPin

Home System WP Defense
Note: The home system has seven warp points.  The Rehorish have emplaced a BS3 and two BS1’s at each warp point, supported by 60 minefields at each warp point.  The BS3’s in orbit over the home planet are a reserve for the warp point defenses, and can be relocated to any warp point. 

Under Construction
9xDD, 3xCT(AFSC)

Under Refit (All shown above)
9xCL, 2xDD

Torqual Benignity
Total Income (all sources): 14,839 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 40.5%

The new communist government of the Torqual has changed the name of the nation to the Communes of Torqual, and is perhaps the most reluctant of the Alliance’s races.  The Torqual fleet units assigned to the 1st Alliance Fleet did not engage in combat during the recent campaign, which was not unusual given the fighter-centric nature of the combat that did take place; however, the fleet’s commander consistently placed his fleet at the rear of the main fleet whenever given the opportunity, something noted by the three major Alliance races.  The D’Bringi ambassador has raised this issue with the Torqual government and has been given assurances that the Torqual fleet is a full participant in the Alliance and will support the 1st Alliance Fleet to the full extent of its abilities.  The D’Bringi have found these assurances somewhat lacking, given the new government’s stated intention to reduce its out-system commitments to the Alliance in the near future, when the current emergency is resolved. 

Fleet Deployments
Home Fleet, Home system: 12xCL
Phyriseq Blockade Force: 12xCA
1st Alliance Fleet, Kure System: 9xCA
Home System Defenses, Orbiting Home planet: 3xBS2
Survey Fleet: 3xCTX, 22xEXX, 80xCutter

Under Construction
6xBS2, 3xCA, 1xDD(AW)

Doraz Contingency
Total Income (all sources): 8,582 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 22.9%

The Doraz, unlike the Torqual, are much more willing participants in the Alliance, and are working diligently to increase their contribution to the Alliance’s fleets.  Indeed, the rulers of the Doraz, a military junta, have used the lure of adventure and conquest offered by the Alliance to motivate their people to devote even more effort and resources towards the Doraz military. 

Fleet Deployments:
1st Alliance Fleet, Kure: 3xCA
Home Fleet, Home System: 9xDD, 6xCT
Mothballs, Home system: 2xDD , 17xCT
Phyriseq Blockade Group, Phyriseq: 6xCA
Home System Defenses, Over Home Planet: 3xBS3
Survey Fleet, Scythe: 10xFGX, 50xCutter

Under Construction
6xCA

T’Pau Syndicate
Total Income (all sources): 25,750 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 32.8%

The T’Pau have reached HT-7, with D’Bringi assistance, and are rapidly developing critical systems available at that level.  The T’Pau declined the transfer of fighter tech from the D’Bringi, due to the expense of developing something that much more advanced than their general tech level, and instead are pushing forward with anti-fighter technology that they can more reasonably develop, such as AFSC and capital point defense.  The T’Pau have tentative plans to transform their light cruisers into anti-fighter cruisers, with heavy point defense suites, perhaps supported by AFSC’s carried by fleet ships. 

Once the new technology now being researched is ready for deployment, the T’Pau plan a complete redesign of their fleet, including ships purchased from the Rehorish and the D’Bringi, to create a more coherent fleet design and strategy.  This will take some time, though, as much of the new technology is still being developed. 

Fleet Deployments
Phyriseq Blockade Fleet, Phyriseq: 9xCA, 6xCL
Home Fleet, Home System: 3xCA, 6xCL, 9xCTS
1st Alliance Fleet: 9xCa, 3xCL
Survey Fleet One, Snaw System: 3xCTX, 22xEXX, 36xCutter
Survey Fleet Two, Bluem System: 3xCTX, 22xEXX, 36xCutter
Home System WP Defense, WP #3 (to Colonial Union space): 6xBS3, 300xDSB-L, 540xMine

Under Construction:
1xBC, 1xBS4, 3xCA

Bir Meritocracy
Total Income (All Sources): 492 MCr’s
The Bir are approaching IND-1 tech level, with D’Bringi help. 

Chirq Cooperative
Total Income (all sources): 1789 MCr’s
Fleet Maintenance Percentage: 7.5%
The Chirq have reached HT-2 and are developing systems available at that level.  To date, the Chirq have built two orbital shipyards and a small exploration fleet. 

Zir Contemplative Union
Total Income (all sources): 12,505 MCr’s

The Zir are the most reluctant of the D’Bringi allies.  The Zir are not particularly warlike, and have been uneasy with their alliance with the more warlike races of the D’Bringi Alliance.  In spite of this, the Alliance has been seen as a boon for the Zir, not only because it brought knowledge of interstellar travel, but because the Zir are convinced that the races in the local galactic area is warlike, and so, to be safe, they must be allied with other warlike races. 

The Zir have mothballed a significant portion of their fleet, to free up resources for colonial expansion and R&D. 

Total Fleet Strength: 6xDD, 9xFG, 12xFGX, 12xCT, 3xCTX
Fortifications: 6xBS4
Mothballs: 3xBS4, 64xDD, 8xFGX, 92xFG, 122xCT

Were this to happen it would only exacerbate the factionalism tenfold, as you might guess from the proclivity for detailed reports full of statistics and analysis the Legion high command is already a baseball league in all except the sport played. The fighting over precisely which league sport they do not actually play may just tear apart the Legion where lesser debates have failed.

If only they were a Cricket league, same ridiculous amounts of statistics but a more majestic pace. As an added advantage the fights amongst senior officers would be conducted under Queensbury Rules so there would be fewer permanent casualties.

I believe the correct balance has been struck (literally in the case of Admiral Macaria), continue to research particle beams as a long term project while heading for the 203mm rail gun for the next generation.  That said I wonder if the Hellfire debate is actually distracting from the real issue with the Legion's fleets - the Bellerophons.  The operations in Belaire proved the value of a long ranged sensor, so the capability is valuable, but it is clearly one that the enemy fully understands and targets as a priority.  Just on a practical level it is going to get expensive building so many new ships to replace all the losses, so should ship design and building efforts not be focused on either a new improved variant or a wholesale replacement?

I have no way of knowing for sure, but I suspect that it will come out some ways down the line that the members of the high command who are the most vehemently anti-Hellfire, secured their promotions for work that they did designing the Bellerophons when they were junior officers.  If so, then they are trying to distract from their own failure to equip it with sufficient defensive systems.  Although I am reading this chronicle at the same pace as everyone else and so am not an expert, if I have correctly understood the philosophy of the Legion, then these actions have only compounded the failure, as although personal valor and glory is important, victory or defeat only truly matters when measured as part of the whole.  First they failed in their task but far worse was when they then failed in their duty, for when they realized that they had introduced a weakness to the Legion, instead of admitting it and working to correct it they tried to conceal it and their involvement.  In so doing they would have knowingly allowed a weakness to remain in the Legion and that is likely unforgivable.

I could be completely wrong or have misunderstood the philosophy of the Legion in some way but I do think that the above explanation is, at the very least, a distinct possibility.  Or maybe it will just be an un-provable narrative that the pro-Hellfire faction will use to justify purging their enemies in the officer corps!

I guess we will just have to wait and see if I at least came close. 

the factionalism within the general staff is dangerously close to degenerating into a hockey league.