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Starfire / Re: Battles of the Empires Campaign
« Last post by procyon on December 17, 2010, 02:25:26 AM »Death in the Silent Places (with my apologies to Mr Capstick)
Part 3 in the Sunset Saga
New Empires Campaign - Month 34
Following the battle for New Haven, forces were redeployed within the Wollf Confederation. Defenses of the WP to the home system were strengthened and the remains of the battered Princess Mia Group were replaced by the Baltian Princess Amalthea Group. The heavily damaged Escort Carrier Nile returned to New Euro space for repairs and replacement squadrons and crews. The New Euro forces were hampered by the presence of a mazer nebula known as Inferno on the only available warp line to the Wolff Systems. With no warships equiped to cross the system, the New Euro was dependant on the few Transit Carriers of the Cryocians and Baltians. The transit ships were unable to carry anything larger than a New Euro destroyer, limiting the support that could be readily moved to the system.
The destruction of four Drakar freighters near the asteroid belt by three squadrons of AI gunboats showed that the AI were still active in the system, but not willing to attack the defenses at New Haven. The AI had often resorted to destruction of civilian shipping or unguarded populations when unable to immediately defeat an opponent. The Drakar Rear Admiral Embressa realized that deploying elements to cover shipping and populations within the system would weaken the defenses of the Cryocian population, but with four unguarded Drakar colonies near the site where the freighers had been destroyed - was left no other choice.
The Drakar 1st Destroyer Squadron, Baltian Princess Amalthea Group, and several Cryocian Storm Class Corvettes were redeployed to the asteroid belt to hunt for the AI carrier, while the New Euro Escort Carrier Tigris and newly arrived Ruth Heavy Escort Group remained at New Haven. A small group of Cryocian Strom Class Corvettes was also deployed to support the defense of New Haven.
Thirty seven days after the relief of New Haven, a single Drakar freighter was attacked in the asteroid belt. Unfortunately the freighter was nearing the end of its run and was near a Drakar belt colony. The AI gunboat squadrons destroyed the ship and then salvoed the last of their missiles at the colony. The colony was severely damaged, but not destroyed. The rapid response of the nearby Princess Amalthea Group prevented its complete destruction as the gunboats withdrew.
Anticipating a follow up strike, the only other nearby ships, the Cryocian Tempest and Typhoon were rushed to the colony. When the AI follow up strike arrived 48 minutes later, the ships were dismayed to find that two AI destroyers now accompanied the three gunboat squadrons. The five allied ships prepared to give their lives protecting the 600,000 colonists as the AI group closed. But unknown to the AI, the Baltian ships had one ace up their sleeve. The only New Euro ship left that was capable of crossing a system like Inferno was an old heavy missile collier designed to support battles against another race in a system known as Tiamat. It had arrived with the New Euro Heavy Escort Group and had several magazines loaded with missiles designed to be compatible with the Baltian and Drakar launchers, but using far more advanced New Euro software. With the new missiles, the allied ships hoped to make the AI pay for the lives they would destroy.
Baltian Forces
Rear Admiral Janus (LG -1/Green)
Light Cruiser Princess Amalthea (Average)
8XOb (EDMa x1/RbM-AFM x4) CLb / 51HS
[3] (S1) x6 (A1)x9 Zb H Qa Mg (MNE) (MNE) (Ib) (Ib Ib) Qb (Ib) Rb Rb Rb Dzb Rb Rb Rb Rb Qb Yb ?a (Ib Ib) [4] / gig
(Rb x7/ Dzb x1/ ?a) RbM x52, RbM-ECM1 x35, RbM-LW x28, RbM-AFM x15
Heavy Escorts Rhiannon (Average) , Sarah (Average)
3 XOb (RbM-AFM x3) CTb / 19HS
[2] S1 S1 S1 A1 A1 A1 Zb H Rb (Ib) Ya Dzb Rb (Ib) Qb (Ib) [6] / gig x1
(Rb x2 / Dzb x1) RbM x10, RbM-ECM1 x10
WP Explorer Van Goeh (Average)
FG / 22HS
[2] S1 A1 A1(MNE) (MNE) H Xb Qb (Ia) Yca (Ia) (Ia) [4] / gig
Cryocian Forces
Storm Class Corvettes Tempest (Green) , Typhoon (Green)
CTb / 19HS
[3] S1 S1 S1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Hs Qb (jb Jb) (Jb) (Jb) Eca+ [7] / gig x1
(Eca x1)
AI Forces
DD 25 (Average) , 26 (Average)
5XOa (RcaM x1/ RbM x3) (AM1) DDb / 35HS
[2] (S1) x8 (A1)x8 Za Ht Qa (Ib) (Ib) Rca (Ib) Db Rb (Ib) Yb Rb ?a Qb (Ib) [5] / gig
(Rca x1 - salvos 10/ Rb x2 - salvos 10/ Db x1/ ?a)
GBa x2 (ast internal weapon) - K external ordinance
GBa x1 (sYb internal) - R external ordinance
Setup
The entire map is an asteriod field (1/2 sensor range).
Drakus colony with 12 PTU remaining in center of map.
Princess Amalthea Group in escort formation with colony.
Heavy Escorts will always use EM at one and stay with the CL if the group moves from the colony, unless their datalink is lost.
Storm Class Corvettes start within 3 hexes of the colony.
Van Goeh starts within 10 hexes of colony.
AI gunboats start at 30 hexes from colony on any radian - facing toward the colony with AI DD's three hexes behind them.
AI gunboats with K external ordinance will target ships, R external ordinace will target colony.
Aftermath.
The battle was a brief and bloody skirmish. The AI destroyed both of the Cryocian Corvettes, but not before one of the destroyers was deprived of its shields by the Baltian ships and torn apart by the energy beams of the Cryocians. The Sarah was gutted by the gunboats but survived, and the EDM plus datalink point defense prevented all but four missiles from reaching the colony. One AI squadron was lightly damaged by the AFM's before the small craft launched, and the gunboats immediately broke off following the launch. The surviving AI DD was able to disengage with its shields still up.
After the engagement, the Princess Amalthea Group was relieved by the Drakus 1st Destroyer Squadron. The dreaded attack by the AI battleship at large, or another attack by AI gunboats did not materialized.
Part 3 in the Sunset Saga
New Empires Campaign - Month 34
Following the battle for New Haven, forces were redeployed within the Wollf Confederation. Defenses of the WP to the home system were strengthened and the remains of the battered Princess Mia Group were replaced by the Baltian Princess Amalthea Group. The heavily damaged Escort Carrier Nile returned to New Euro space for repairs and replacement squadrons and crews. The New Euro forces were hampered by the presence of a mazer nebula known as Inferno on the only available warp line to the Wolff Systems. With no warships equiped to cross the system, the New Euro was dependant on the few Transit Carriers of the Cryocians and Baltians. The transit ships were unable to carry anything larger than a New Euro destroyer, limiting the support that could be readily moved to the system.
The destruction of four Drakar freighters near the asteroid belt by three squadrons of AI gunboats showed that the AI were still active in the system, but not willing to attack the defenses at New Haven. The AI had often resorted to destruction of civilian shipping or unguarded populations when unable to immediately defeat an opponent. The Drakar Rear Admiral Embressa realized that deploying elements to cover shipping and populations within the system would weaken the defenses of the Cryocian population, but with four unguarded Drakar colonies near the site where the freighers had been destroyed - was left no other choice.
The Drakar 1st Destroyer Squadron, Baltian Princess Amalthea Group, and several Cryocian Storm Class Corvettes were redeployed to the asteroid belt to hunt for the AI carrier, while the New Euro Escort Carrier Tigris and newly arrived Ruth Heavy Escort Group remained at New Haven. A small group of Cryocian Strom Class Corvettes was also deployed to support the defense of New Haven.
Thirty seven days after the relief of New Haven, a single Drakar freighter was attacked in the asteroid belt. Unfortunately the freighter was nearing the end of its run and was near a Drakar belt colony. The AI gunboat squadrons destroyed the ship and then salvoed the last of their missiles at the colony. The colony was severely damaged, but not destroyed. The rapid response of the nearby Princess Amalthea Group prevented its complete destruction as the gunboats withdrew.
Anticipating a follow up strike, the only other nearby ships, the Cryocian Tempest and Typhoon were rushed to the colony. When the AI follow up strike arrived 48 minutes later, the ships were dismayed to find that two AI destroyers now accompanied the three gunboat squadrons. The five allied ships prepared to give their lives protecting the 600,000 colonists as the AI group closed. But unknown to the AI, the Baltian ships had one ace up their sleeve. The only New Euro ship left that was capable of crossing a system like Inferno was an old heavy missile collier designed to support battles against another race in a system known as Tiamat. It had arrived with the New Euro Heavy Escort Group and had several magazines loaded with missiles designed to be compatible with the Baltian and Drakar launchers, but using far more advanced New Euro software. With the new missiles, the allied ships hoped to make the AI pay for the lives they would destroy.
Baltian Forces
Rear Admiral Janus (LG -1/Green)
Light Cruiser Princess Amalthea (Average)
8XOb (EDMa x1/RbM-AFM x4) CLb / 51HS
[3] (S1) x6 (A1)x9 Zb H Qa Mg (MNE) (MNE) (Ib) (Ib Ib) Qb (Ib) Rb Rb Rb Dzb Rb Rb Rb Rb Qb Yb ?a (Ib Ib) [4] / gig
(Rb x7/ Dzb x1/ ?a) RbM x52, RbM-ECM1 x35, RbM-LW x28, RbM-AFM x15
Heavy Escorts Rhiannon (Average) , Sarah (Average)
3 XOb (RbM-AFM x3) CTb / 19HS
[2] S1 S1 S1 A1 A1 A1 Zb H Rb (Ib) Ya Dzb Rb (Ib) Qb (Ib) [6] / gig x1
(Rb x2 / Dzb x1) RbM x10, RbM-ECM1 x10
WP Explorer Van Goeh (Average)
FG / 22HS
[2] S1 A1 A1(MNE) (MNE) H Xb Qb (Ia) Yca (Ia) (Ia) [4] / gig
Cryocian Forces
Storm Class Corvettes Tempest (Green) , Typhoon (Green)
CTb / 19HS
[3] S1 S1 S1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Hs Qb (jb Jb) (Jb) (Jb) Eca+ [7] / gig x1
(Eca x1)
AI Forces
DD 25 (Average) , 26 (Average)
5XOa (RcaM x1/ RbM x3) (AM1) DDb / 35HS
[2] (S1) x8 (A1)x8 Za Ht Qa (Ib) (Ib) Rca (Ib) Db Rb (Ib) Yb Rb ?a Qb (Ib) [5] / gig
(Rca x1 - salvos 10/ Rb x2 - salvos 10/ Db x1/ ?a)
GBa x2 (ast internal weapon) - K external ordinance
GBa x1 (sYb internal) - R external ordinance
Setup
The entire map is an asteriod field (1/2 sensor range).
Drakus colony with 12 PTU remaining in center of map.
Princess Amalthea Group in escort formation with colony.
Heavy Escorts will always use EM at one and stay with the CL if the group moves from the colony, unless their datalink is lost.
Storm Class Corvettes start within 3 hexes of the colony.
Van Goeh starts within 10 hexes of colony.
AI gunboats start at 30 hexes from colony on any radian - facing toward the colony with AI DD's three hexes behind them.
AI gunboats with K external ordinance will target ships, R external ordinace will target colony.
Aftermath.
The battle was a brief and bloody skirmish. The AI destroyed both of the Cryocian Corvettes, but not before one of the destroyers was deprived of its shields by the Baltian ships and torn apart by the energy beams of the Cryocians. The Sarah was gutted by the gunboats but survived, and the EDM plus datalink point defense prevented all but four missiles from reaching the colony. One AI squadron was lightly damaged by the AFM's before the small craft launched, and the gunboats immediately broke off following the launch. The surviving AI DD was able to disengage with its shields still up.
After the engagement, the Princess Amalthea Group was relieved by the Drakus 1st Destroyer Squadron. The dreaded attack by the AI battleship at large, or another attack by AI gunboats did not materialized.