Author Topic: The First War Against the Darkness  (Read 2488 times)

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Offline IanD (OP)

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The First War Against the Darkness
« on: May 30, 2011, 03:49:11 AM »
WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS WITHIN!!

The Annals of the Terran Defence League II.


 
Second Contact, First Blood.

15:19:06 27th October 54 of the New Calendar. Sol System.
Sol System’s Operations Centre was a large open plan office with hundreds of data terminals each with a figure hunched over it. None were busier than the Traffic Management Section. Lieutenant Truscott frowned as he studied his screen, which displayed in red the ominous

15:19:06 27th October 54NC,Sol,
Hostile transit detected!
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 001 (New), Class ID: Serpent (New), Race ID: Sol Aliens #1029 (New), TCS 120.
Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Serpent has Thermal Signature Detected! Strength 960 and is capable of 7999 km/s


Lieutenant Truscott announced “Sir! Transit in-bound from Wolf 359.” The shift commander, Lieutenant Commander Bell replied ”are you sure, nothing is scheduled for days.” “Certain sir, hostile contact 2766 million klicks, bearing 119o from Earth, vessel altering course to a bearing of 275 degrees away from the inner planets. Power signature appears strange, and it’s travelling fast, 8000 k/s! Contact now down rated to neutral” was the response.   Lieutenant Commander Bell brought up the output on her own screen and immediately realised that the vessel’s signature was like nothing she had ever seen, she opened her com channel “Fleet – we have an intruder in sector 7, possible alien contact,” as she spoke her fingers were busy sending the necessary data to Fleet. “Roger” came the reply.

Rear Admiral Lewis Ross was not best pleased at being diverted from vital training manoeuvres, to go and investigate a sensor ghost, but he supposed needs must and once clear of the Earth-Mars traffic lanes Battle Group #2 would take several days to reach the anomalous contact, time for training enroute. Battle Group #2 consisted of the fleet carriers Waterloo and Armada, the jump carrier Warspite with 100 embarked A-7B Firestorm fighters, the fleet scout Sentinel, the missile frigates Bonadventure, Diadem, Leopard and Lion, the escorts Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar and the AO/K’s Altmark and Westmark, navigated its way out of near Earth space and burned at maximum thrust towards the Wolf 359 jump point and the supposed alien.

07:19:11 4th November 54NC,
Battle Group #2 closed the alien contact and even Rear Admiral Ross had to admit it looked real on the fleet’s sensors, then a new piece of data filtered in as battle groups fire controls woke from their slumbers.

Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Serpent (Sol Aliens #1029) has an ECM strength of 60

Rear Admiral Ross reclined in his command chair, along side him was Padre Graham, keeper of the knowledge of the Book of Foes, which only the clergy, ship commanders and flag officers were normally privy to. “Coms put up a visual on the tactical screen as soon as you can please, might as well get a look at the aliens” said Rear Admiral Ross. As the Battle Group closed the distance to the alien to 67.7 million kilometres the large tactical screen situated in front of the main ship command functions came to life. The fuzzy shape of a dark ship hung against the blackness of space, it consisted of half a sphere that appeared to contain the drive units atop of which were a series of cones pointing forward. Rear Admiral Ross turned grey, “Padre can it be!” Padre Graham consulted his personal screen, a unit isolated from all others on board and containing the text and illustrations from the Book of Foes. He enlarged an illustration and swivelled his screen towards the Admiral “there is no doubt! It is an emissary of the Greater Force of Darkness!” The screen turned towards Ross depicted a ship similar to that on the tactical screen, but larger and more menacing, but they were clearly out of the same stable. Rear Admiral Ross barked an order over the intership com “Bonadventure! Captain Fitzgerald, destroy that alien ship. Now!”  
Captain Isobel Fitzgerald was surprised to get such an order, but one glance at the image that accompanied it and she hastened to obey. “Weapons target that alien vessel; lock tubes one through thirty-eight, engage ECCM, fire!” The weapons officer was shocked to receive these orders but training took over and she hurried to obey and at 07:19:11 thirty-eight SIM-4 Javelin missiles leapt from their tubes and burned towards the enemy. 08:03:26, the missiles bore down on the alien vessel, five were rent from space by point defence fire, the remaining thirty-three smothered the alien hull in nuclear fire, the alien shield turned incandescent before failing and the hull shattered from a large internal explosion.

Postscript
5th November 54NC. Vice Admiral Farmer (Commander–in-Chief, Terran League Navy) presided over the post mortem. The burning question was - were had the Greater Force of Darkness scout vessel come from? According to scripture it should have come from an Eye of the Enemy. Nobody knew precisely what that was, but all were assured by the Church that they would recognise it if they ever saw it. The Prelate concurred, the scripture was a little unclear but it was usual to find the Eye somewhere close to the emergence of their vessels, but one interpretation maintained that it was all relative and if as one radical translation had it the Greater Force of Darkness actual resided in another Galaxy instead of a star cluster (which was the usually accepted translation) that the Book of Foes obliquely hinted at, then close could mean in another nearby star system not the same star system. The only decision that could be made was to send Battle Group #3 on a tour of all the systems which link through Wolf 359 until the Eye was located. This left Battle Group #1 beginning a series of refits and Battle Group #2 on alert in Sol.
The Finance Minister was also present and had to deliver the depressing news that finances were on a knife-edge. The Navy could build the new engines for the new ship classes or it could retool the ‘Yards, but not both if they wanted ordnance production to continue. Construction of new R&D complexes had already had to close down; the Treasury only had a little over 1300 billion in reserves! New construction was out of the question.

 
The Search.

The Wolf 359 Arm
                                          Sol
                                           /
6 unexplored JP -DX Cancri - Wolf 359 – Luyten 143-23 – LHS 292- 2 unexplored JP

25th November 54NC LHS 292
Commodore Alexandra Holmes relaxed in her command chair on the bridge of the carrier Aisne. She reflected that it would be nice if the carrier had a flag bridge, but that wasn’t even in the latest round of refits. Battle Group #3 had been sent out to locate the mysterious Eye of the Enemy. But the Battle Group had visited every system in the Wolf arm the League had so far explored. But all known systems in the arm had been revisited and there was no Eye. This only left the unexplored jump points. LHS 292 contained two and the fleet was now going to probe them.
The first jump point led to Gliese 408 an M2-V red dwarf, 21.6 years light from Sol with a few uninteresting planets. But most importantly there was no Eye.
The second jump point revealed AD Leonis, another red dwarf with a few more uninteresting planets 15.9 light-years from Sol, but again no Eye. So unless the Eye was in systems beyond these two the chances were it was located somewhere out of DX Cancri, although you might have thought the listening post on DX Cancri-A II would have detected the alien ship! Still orders were to work outwards progressively and the fleet was now four jumps out of Sol down this section of the arm so the next stop was DX Cancri.

10th December 54NC. DX Cancri.
Battle Group #3 arrived in DX Cancri and immediately set out for the first unexplored jump point, The CVJ Swiftsure flanked by the CVs Aisne and Austerlitz led the way followed by the SC Searcher and the ES Afghan, Amazon and Amerind with the FGs Black Prince, Defence, Destroyer and Warrior bringing up the rear. Swiftsure activated her jump engine and the fleet fell through the resultant hole in space emerging into the light of Luyten’s Star 12.36 light-years from Sol, another dim red dwarf. The planetary system was nondescript, but Commodore Holmes still stiffened in her chair “Padre is that what I think it is?” was all she managed to utter as the tactical screen displayed a spatial anomaly the like of which had never been seen before by humans. Padre Mulligan crossed himself as he replied “It fits the description in the Book so well it cannot be anything else!” On the screen the stable wormhole pulsed malevolently.


The Test.

14th February 55NC. Luyten’s Star.
Battle Group #3 had been on overwatch of the Eye of the Enemy and for months nothing had happened. Then in an instant it all changed, Klaxons sounded and sensors beeped in protest as three vessels of the Greater Force of Darkness (or GFD) appeared on scanners at the location of the wormhole.

08:03:26
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Kagitingan 001 (New), Class ID: Kagitingan (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 640.
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 004 (New), Class ID: Serpent, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 120.
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 003 (New), Class ID: Serpent, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 120.

Two new ships of the Serpent class from the Greater Force of Darkness have been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new ships as the Serpent 003 and 004.

A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Kagitingan.
Our intelligence service has designated the new ship as the Kagitingan 001.
Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Kagitingan (Greater Force of Darkness) is capable of 10000 km/s


Commodore Holmes looked over the intelligence as it came in, nothing new on the Serpent class but the new vessel was a monster, 32,000 tons, and still capable of 10,000 k/s. Well it would have to be faced sooner rather than later, She called up Commander Nicholas Houghton, current Wing Commander of the Battle Group’s fighter complement over the senior officers call channel. “Commander Houghton, briefing in ten minutes, bring your squadron commanders. Out.”
The briefing was a hurried affair; Aisne’s Firestorm squadron nicknamed “Fist of the Fleet” would engage the large alien ship, while the FGs Defence and Warrior would eliminate the two Serpent class vessels.

14th February 55NC. 16:13. Luyten’s Star.
Lieutenant Commander Emily Hargreaves, squadron commander, sat in her cockpit, examining the displays in front of her. In some ways she missed the bubble canopy design of the old A5 Sabres, intellectually she knew that she would never see her target against the blackness of space many millions of kilometres away and she knew that it made more sense to incorporate life support in the centre of the attack craft, where even if it offered no real increase in protection it provided a greater chance of ejecting with her small crew successfully, but she still missed the view of the exhausts of her 40 strong squadron peppering the night black vista. It wasn’t the same seeing it on a screen.  Her navigators voice sounded in the headphones incorporated into her helmet “Coming up on target now, range 23 million klicks.” Emily answered, “roger Brian, Steve light up the target lets see if we can lock on.” The reply was a disappointing “No dice Skipper, They have really effective ECM, we need to get in under 14 million klicks before lock-on is possible.”
The Squadron continued to close the enemy until at 16:31 the small craft were finally at just over 12 million kilometres from the alien ship. Over the intership came Lieutenant Commander Hargreaves instructions “Section one synchronous launch, go!” Sixty SIM-4 Rapiers leapt off their launch rails and rapidly closed the distance between the fighters and the alien. Just under four minutes later space lit up with the detonation of the eleven-kiloton warheads, the ship’s shields turned incandescent and were studied with black blotches. But when it cleared the ship was still there, travelling at 10,000 k/s and still with a shield strength of 750, radiating energy furiously. “Section two, fire” came the order; another sixty Rapiers bore in upon the alien ship. Just under four minutes later the alien was again wreathed in nuclear fire shields turning incandescent and once again it sailed through the maelstrom apparently unhurt, although it was leaking atmosphere. So far the alien vessel had ignored the fighters as beneath its notice, but it now changed course and began to close the squadron. A minute later Firestorm 228 erupted unexpectedly as an alien weapon snatched it from space scattering chunks in all directions, fortunately the most of the crew managed to eject. The wisdom of the crew compartment positioning was proved as crew escaped even from this destruction. The beginnings of panic were evident in Lieutenant Commander Hargreaves voice as she issued new orders, “sections three and four fire!” One hundred and twenty SIM 4 Rapiers left their launch rails and streaked towards their target. No sooner had the missiles left the attack fighters than Firestorm 245 exploded, hit by four 22-kiloton weapons, missiles did not quite fit. The Rapiers screamed silently through the vacuum of space, as they approached their target twelve were ripped out of the void by point defence fire, the rest detonated around their target, once more the shield turned incandescent, black blotches appeared as burn-through occurred. The great vessel was wracked by a large strength 356 internal explosion and broke apart. Once more there were no life pods seen leaving the wreck. The squadron picked up the survivors of the unfortunate Firestorms 228 and 245 and returned to their carrier, the usual intercraft banter silenced.
The Defence and Warrior chased down their quarries and rapidly despatched them before they could complete their gravitational survey of the system



The Trial.

“And you will be tested by the forces of Darkness and you will face trial to see if you are worthy to claim a place in the firmament. The Darkness will put forth great strength and you must prevail or perish.” Chapter 7, verse 26, Book of Foes.  

1st September 55NC. Luyten’s Star, Battle Group #3.
The decks of the warships in Luyten’s Star thudded with the noise of boots striking the deck plates as crew ran to battle stations, the air reverberated with klaxons calling the crew to their posts.
The GFD had made a major incursion into the Luyten’s Star system. The intelligence reports began to filter in; several new classes of ships had been detected.


1st September 55 18:56:41,Luytens Star, A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Malagard.
1st September 55 18:56:41,Luytens Star, A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Vhaeraun.
1st September 55 18:56:41,Luytens Star, A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Behemoth.
1st September 55 18:56:41,Luyten's Star, A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Tiamat.



1st September 55 18:56:41,Luytens Star, Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Tiamat 001 (New), Class ID: Tiamat (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 512
Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Tiamat (Greater Force of Darkness) cross section indicates a mass of 25,600 tons and is capable of 10000 km/s

1st September 55 118:56:41, Luytens Star, Hostile Ship Contacts!  Contact ID: Kagitingan 006, Kagitingan 007, Kagitingan 008 (New), Class ID: Kagitingan, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 640

1st September 55 1118:56:41, Luytens Star, Hostile Ship Contacts!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 001, Vhaeraun 002, Vhaeraun 003, Vhaeraun 004, Vhaeraun 005, Vhaeraun 006, Vhaeraun 007, Vhaeraun 008 Vhaeraun 009 Vhaeraun 010 Vhaeraun 011 Vhaeraun 012 Vhaeraun 013 (New), Class ID: Vhaeraun (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256 Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Vhaeraun (Greater Force of Darkness) cross section indicates a mass of 12,800 tons and is capable of 10000 km/s

1st September 55 18:56:41, Luytens Star, Hostile Ship Contacts!  Contact ID: Malagard 001, Malagard 002, Malagard 003 (New), Class ID: Malagard (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 2500 Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Malagard (Greater Force of Darkness) cross section indicates a mass of 125,000 tons.

1st September 2055 18:56:41,Luytens Star, Hostile Ship Contacts!  Contact ID: Behemoth 001 Behemoth 002 Behemoth 003 Behemoth 004 Behemoth 005 Behemoth 006 Behemoth 007 Behemoth 008 Behemoth 009 Behemoth 010 (New), Class ID: Behemoth (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 220 Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Behemoth (Greater Force of Darkness) cross section indicates a mass of 11,000 tons and is capable of 16000 km/s


The sensor officers looked aghast at their screens as the data scrolled across them, some thirty GFD vessels were in the system! The news that the Behemoths were capable of 16000 k/s was a blow; these would probably be priority targets.
Current disposition of the enemy was that most of the GFD fleet made for the wreck of a Serpent class ship 1020 million kilometres from the star on a bearing of 239o, while the three vessels of the Malagard class sat glowering on the Eye.

2nd September 55NC, Luyten’s Star.
The opposing fleets were on the move, all but the three Malagard vessels made for the beacon that was the SC Searcher, while Commander Houghton led the 98 strong A-7B Firestorm strike wing of Battle Group #3 to engage the lead group of ten Behemoth class vessels outpacing the rest of the GFD fleet.

3rd  September 55NC. Luyten’s Star.
Commander Houghton allocated just ten fighters per target in the hope of getting them all and at 04:18 at a distance of just over 12 million kilometres ordered a synchronous launch. Thirty seconds later a torrent of 588 SIM-4 Rapier missiles were on their way. The aliens appear to have been taken completely unawares as the missiles created a nuclear maelstrom. Many ships were subjected to large internal explosions and when it all died away only three damaged vessels remained, leaking atmosphere and suffering drive unit failures. The strike wing burned for their carriers thankful for the lack of anti-fighter fire.
The escorts Afghan, Amazon and Amerind separated from Battle Group #3 gambling they could reach and destroy the damaged Behemoths before the GFD cruisers could reach them.  They caught up with Behemoth 006 and at 09:29 opened fire with their lasers and SIM-1 Dagger AMMs. But it was soon apparent that this vessel may be down but was not out and still had teeth. A salvo of three size 5 “missiles” was detected incoming and very quickly the lasers had to be diverted to intercept the “missiles” being launched at the escorts. Every forty-five seconds another small salvo was detected, increasing in size as the Behemoth drew closer. It took but one leaker to impact on Amerind’s shields with the force of eight-kilotons and half-flatten them. But as soon as the first few Daggers hit the alien it literally fell apart. But by now the main body of the GFD fleet had reached the other two damaged and slower Behemoths so the escorts returned to Battle Group #3.
The Firestorms reached their carriers at 12:54 and rearmed, the crew given a scant two hours rest and then sent out again. As the fighter wing passed the two damaged Behemoths they tried in vain to intercept the fighters but at 5090 k/s and 4363 k/s respectively, were far too slow.

4th September 2055. Luyten’s Star.
The fighters rapidly approached the GFD fleet which was arranged in four closely spaced groups, a lead element of three Kagitingan class battlecruisers closely followed by six Vhaeraun class frigates with a further group of seven Vhaeraun class frigates trailing that group and the lone Tiamat cruiser bringing up the rear, the distance between any of them not more than a quarter of a million kilometres.
The strike commander, Commander Houghton, decided to use all the fighters on the battlecruisers as the previous one encountered proved so tough requiring 240 Rapiers to destroy it. The 98 fighters reached firing position at 00:26:35 13.8 million kilometres from the GFD squadrons and carried out a successful synchronous launch of 588 SIM-4 Rapiers at the three Kagitingan class battlecruisers. New active sensors of strength 14400, resolution 100 were detected emanating from two of the Vhaeraun class frigates. Then 45 seconds later A7-BFirestorm 258 exploded into a million pieces as two enemy torpedoes found her and detonated with the force of ten-kilotons each. Then three minutes later as the squadrons burned for their carriers A-7B Firestorm 223 suffered a similar fate. The handful of survivors from both crews realised the chances of being rescued were negligible, even if the current fleet could be defeated there was still the three Malagard class sitting on the Eye. Twenty-five second elapsed and then the three GFD battlecruisers were the centre of a transient nuclear generated star as a blizzard of Rapiers found them. The battlecruisers point defence tried in vain to protect them accounting for 27 missiles, but it was insufficient.  The local star was obscured by the cataclysm as 458 Rapiers smothered their targets; internal explosions wracked all. When the cataclysm cleared Kagitingan 007 was still there, just, but so were sixty-nine SIM-4 Rapiers. It took only seconds for the missiles to acquire a new target and only eleven to finish off Kagitingan 007. The other 58 made a beeline for Vhaeraun 001and punched through shields and armour alike rending the ship’s structure, rent by more internal explosions the vessel died.

09:03:24. The fighters had rearmed, however the fighters had problems, there were only enough SIM-4 Rapiers for sixty fighters and only 206 SIM-1 Rapiers remained in the armouries. Still the squadrons took what they could and launched leaving two unarmed fighters behind.  12:52:10 saw the strike wing at 14 million kilometres from the new lead group of five Vhaeraun class frigates and only 187 million kilometres from Battle Group #3. The Vhaeraun class appeared a little more fragile than the big cruisers so these were the targets of the final fighter strike.   Five seconds later the SIM-1 equipped fighters launched their ordnance all against one target, (Commander Houghton having grave doubts about the effectiveness of these missiles) and turned for home. Just over three minutes later the SIM-4 armed fighters added their weight of fire to the fray. 12:59:00. 206 Sim-1 Rapiers attacked Vhaeraun 007, ten missiles were shot down by point defence, the rest roared in and the results were less than spectacular, only one or two missiles from each salvo found their target and failed to penetrate the vessels armour. Commander Houghton’s reservations were fully justified, Only 44 hit! Fortunately Vhaeraun 007 was included in the target list for the more capable SIM-4 missiles and fifteen seconds later 360 missiles found the defences of Vhaeraun 006, 007, 008, 009, and 010 wanting as they tore through armour and shield alike burning into the ships vitals. The missile strike was followed by internal explosions that ultimately destroyed the vessels. The fighters regained their carriers without loss, leaving four Rapier salvos still looking for a target. The Tiamat 001 attracted the searching missiles like moths to a flame and they expended themselves against her shields.  

16:19. The only missiles left in the fleet were located in the missile tubes of the FGs Black Prince, Destroyer, Defence and Warrior. Commodore Holmes, senior officer of the Battle Group, sat on the jump point to DX Cancri now aboard the Black Prince in the vain hope of denying Luyten’s Star to the GFD. But seven Vhaeraun frigates and a Tiamat class cruiser were still approaching at 10,000 k/s. The GFD vessels had just entered extreme missile range for the SIM-4 Javelins the frigates carried. Commodore Holmes assigned the priority target as the Tiamat, while three of the seven Vhaeraun class would each receive 76 Javelins.
16:42. The Javelins reached their targets; space was speckled with the detonating warheads as each salvo picked out its victim. The Tiamat 001 shuddered as 192 eleven-kiloton warheads exploded around it, the vessel’s shield went incandescent, then blotched with black, the ship became the centre of a rapidly expanding fireball as internal explosions sundered the vessel. The three unlucky Vhaeraun class vessels, each targeted by 76 Javelins suffered a similar fate, their graves briefly marked in the dark. But that still left four Vhaeraun class vessels untouched and two damaged Behemoth class ships in addition to the three huge Malagard class vessels. All the League forces had to oppose this were short-ranged Dagger AMMs and a few 10cm lasers on the three Tribal class escorts, which looked entirely unlikely to prevail. Thus Commodore Holmes made the entirely sensible choice and surrendered the Luyten’s Star system to the Darkness, retiring to DX Cancri.
Battle Group #3 entered DX Cancri, putting the local defence squadron on alert as they did so. Time pasted and no GFD ship entered the system, the Darkness did not follow up, it appeared for now that the Battle Group and the nascent colony on DX Cancri-A II was safe.

Postscript
The Church was furious that Battle Group #3 had ceded Luyten’s Star to the Greater Force of Darkness. The Prelate demanded that Sol System be stripped of ships so they could be sent to purge this evil from the stars! Fortunately the politicians, always ones to look to their own skins, had other ideas – for the moment.
 
The Contagion Spreads?

12th November 55NC. DX Cancri.
Battle Group #2 had replaced Battle Group #3 as overwatch of DX Cancri, Rear Admiral Isabel Owen commanding and Commander William Bowen as strike wing commander. Battle Group #2 currently consisted of the CVJ Warspite, CVs Waterloo and Armada embarking 100 Firestorm A-7Bs, the SC Sentinel, the FGs Bonadventure, Diadem, Leopard and Lion, the ES Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar, the AO/K’s Westmark and Altmark and the AE Fort Purbrook.
Then without warning alarms tripped as GFD vessels entered the system. The three monstrous Malagard class vessels previously identified in Luyten’s Star system appeared at the jump point to Luyten’s Star. The alert went out to the local defence squadron, fortunately equipped with 80 Firestorm A-7As rather than the obsolescent A-6A Star Slayers, but unfortunately armed with SIM-1 Rapiers.

12th November 55 16:47:55,DX Cancri, Hostile transit detected!
DX Cancri, Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Malagard 001, Class ID: Malagard, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 2500  Thermal: 16000 (New)
Malagard 002, Class ID: Malagard, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 2500  Thermal: 16000 (New)
Malagard 003, Class ID: Malagard, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 2500  Thermal: 16000 (New)
Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Malagard (Greater Force of Darkness) has an Thermal Signature of 16000


The alien ships just sat there like a brooding presence, the four surviving Vhaeraun class ships had not accompanied them, as though unnecessary. Battle Group #2 scrambled its fighters, as did the local defence base.

14th November 55. 03:28:00,DX Cancri.
Commander Bowen led the strike wing from Battle Group #2 to a rendezvous with the Stingers Squadron out of PDC 003, DX Cancri-A II. The 180 attack craft closed the massive alien vessels to a range of 13.8 million kilometres. Captain Isaac Kaur of the Stingers discussed the options with Commander Bowen and eventually decided to use the system defence squadron to fire on one target with their obsolete SIM-1 Rapiers to get some idea of the alien defences before using the limited stock of SIM-4 Rapiers. Seconds later a storm of 480 SIM-1 Rapiers were unleashed against one of the great enemy vessels.
03:42:37. The space about Malagard 003 erupted as the seven-kiloton warheads of the SIM-1 Rapiers detonated, to every ones surprise the hit rate was far superior to that seen against the target in Luyten’s Star system, the fires burnt into the ships hull and the ship died, large pieces of debris flying away from the ship. Many missiles were wasted as the SIM-1 Rapier lacked terminal guidance.  In light of the result achieved by the Stingers, Commander Bowen allocated twenty-five fighters per target and fifty fighters launched against Malagard 001 and 002. Fourteen minutes later the missiles burst around their target, both vessels put up a desultory, ineffective point defence fire before breaking up.

Postscript.
The great victory (as it was seen on Earth) in DX Cancri was a much needed boost to morale, the non-combatant nature of the enemy revealed on salvage of the wrecks being carefully concealed. The Navy had been busy designing and building three Star class assault jump carriers, equipped with the latest A-7C Firestorms and RA-8A Vigilantes. However Following the victory in DX Cancri the Navy came under pressure from the populous, politicians and the Church to take back Luyten’s Star system far sooner than the Navy wanted to. In February 57NC two of these assault vessels, the Canopus and the Altair embarked their fighter squadrons. They were meant to be accompanied by purpose built beam combatants, which would not be ready for some years. The Navy had stalled for sixteen months but on completion of the first two assault carriers and their fighter complement the pressure intensified until the Navy could resist no longer. The escorts Afghan, Amazon and Amerind were stripped from Battle Group #3 and formed the escort for the CVAJ Canopus, the escorts Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar from Battle Group #2 formed the escort for Altair. The two assault carriers would make squadron transits into Luyten’s Star system and the remainder of Battle Group #3 would follow if the jump point was clear. It was intended to be a reconnaissance in force.



 
Prevail or Perish.

22nd February 57 22:30:13, Luytens Star.
Assault Group Canopus (CVAJ Canopus, ES Afghan, Amazon and Amerind) and Assault Group Altair (CVAJ Altair, ES Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar) made squadron transits into Luyten’s Star.  Both carriers launched their fighters, released escorts and prepared to jump out if they came under fire. Sensors stabilised and there was nothing on screen, although there was now a jump gate at the jump point into DX Cancri and another jump gate showed up deeper in system. Altair returned to DX Cancri and came back with the SC Searcher while it was left to the CVJ Swiftsure to shepherd the remainder of Battle Group #3 in to Luyten’s Star. Once Searcher’s sensors recovered Luyten’s Star was revealed to be empty of enemy ships. The ES Afghan, Amazon and Amerind returned to Battle Group #3 and Altair joined Battle Group Canopus.

26th February 57 22:34:43, Luyten’s Star.
Alarms blared through the League vessels in Luyten’s Star. The enemy had returned in strength. Data scrolled across screens, officers blanched at the data flow.

Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 002, Class ID: Vhaeraun, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256  
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 003, Class ID: Vhaeraun, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 004, Class ID: Vhaeraun, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 005, Class ID: Vhaeraun, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Vhaeraun 054 (New), Class ID: Vhaeraun, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 256
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 001 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 002 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 003 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 004 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 005 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Hextor 006 (New), Class ID: Hextor (New), Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 1280
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 007 (New), Class ID: Serpent, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 120
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 008 (New), Class ID: Serpent, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 120
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Serpent 009 (New), Class ID: Serpent, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 120
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Behemoth 001, Class ID: Behemoth, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 220
Hostile Ship Contact!  Contact ID: Behemoth 003, Class ID: Behemoth, Race ID: Greater Force of Darkness, TCS 220


A new ship class of the Greater Force of Darkness has been detected in Luyten’s Star. Our intelligence service has designated the new class as the Hextor. Sensor Data reveals that the alien ship class Hextor (Greater Force of Darkness) cross section indicates a mass of 64,000 tons and is capable of 10,000 km/s.

The rump of the enemy forces last seen in Luyten’s Star had returned, reinforced with half-a-dozen dreadnoughts and a single Vhaeraun class frigate, all attracted to the Sentinels sensor signature at 10,000 k/s. True to form the faster Behemoths were charging ahead at 16,000 k/s while the bulk of the warships followed in two well separated groups while the Serpents stayed just off the Eye. Eyes of the Eagle Squadron from CVAJ Canopus were tasked with destroying the Behemoths ahead of the main assault. The Eyes of the Eagle Squadron composition was 20 of the new A-7C Firestorms with a new longer ranged FC46-R20 fire control capable of engaging the enemy at 18 million kilometres, and four RA-8A Vigilantes which sacrificed two missile rails for an Active Search Sensor MR38-R20 with a range of 38.6m km while keeping the older FC34-R20 missile fire control. The latter craft were designed to provide local sensor cover for the rest of the squadron during a jump point assault after their carrier has transited out. On this sortie the squadron was equipped with the new SIM-5 Rapier armed with a 16-kiloton warhead.

27th February 2057 03:11:53, Luytens Star.
The Eyes of the Eagle Squadron closed the two speeding Behemoths The twenty A-7Cs targeted the two vessels at 18 million kilometres, the four RA-8A Vigilantes being kept in reserve for follow-up strikes. Five seconds later a synchronous strike of 120 SIM-5 Rapiers were in-bound, 60 allocated to each target. The squadron turned for home and pushed their throttles to the max, hoping to out run any anti-fighter fire.
The missiles bored in upon their targets, piercing with ease the lightly protected Behemoths. There were a series of brilliant explosions and all that was left was scattered wreckage and ten SIM-5 Rapiers forlornly looking for a valid target.
19:25:26. Now it was the turn of the missile frigates. Since in the last engagement the Vhaeraun class frigates succumbed readily to FGs Javelin missiles the FGs Bonadventure, Diadem, Leopard, Lion in company with the ES Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar had moved out to engage the Darkness frigates. Targeting each of the five GFD frigates with salvos of 76-77 SIM-4 Javelin missiles the FGs launched. 383 Javelins left their missile tubes, twenty-six and a half minutes later the missiles exploded around the Vhaeraun class frigates, all began streaming atmosphere and were wracked by internal explosions and four of the vessels broke up. The fifth, Vhaeraun 002, managed to weather the storm, although obviously badly damaged.  Squadron commander, Commodore Vincent on the Diadem decided not to expend any more missiles and dispatched the escorts Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar to engage the damaged alien ship with their lasers.

28th February 2057 07:15:50,Luytens Star
The Ghurkha, Mohawk and Tartar closed the vessel and engaged it with Dagger AMMs at a range of 9 million kilometres. But the Vhaeraun was not toothless and the escorts’ lasers were devoted to intercepting enemy salvos of four “missiles”. Two impacted the Mohawk, scorching her armour. It took but forty-eight of the one-kiloton Dagger missiles to destroy the alien. The escorts were close enough to watch it break apart and saw nothing resembling life pods exit the dying craft or even anything that could be recognised as a biological entity.

The sparring was over; all that was left was the main event, six 64,000 ton GFD dreadnoughts still approaching at 10,000 k/s. The aliens were still 1173 million kilometres distant in two loosely associated groups of three when the five squadrons from the League carriers reached the enemy. The squadrons involved in the attack were Eyes of the Eagle (20 A-7Cs, 4 RA-8As, CVAJ Canopus), Diamondbacks (20 A-7Cs, 4 RA-8As, CVAJ Altair), Eightballers (20 A-7Bs, CVJ Swiftsure), Fist of the Fleet (36 A-7Bs, CV Aisne) and the Red Rippers (40 A-7Bs, CV Austerlitz). The fighters were armed with a mix of SIM-4 and SIM-5 Rapiers. To achieve lock-on the squadrons closed to 13.8 million kilometres, where the FC34-R20 missile fire control on the A-7Bs and RA-8As could lock-on. The 144 fighters all launched successfully, each squadron managing a synchronous launch. But almost as soon as the missiles left the rails the squadrons’ thermal sensors were squawking their alert and A-7B 206 exploded leaving but one survivor. Revenge was not long in coming the 588 SIM-4 and 36 SIM-5 Rapiers were aimed at just two enemy vessels in the lead group of dreadnoughts, Hextor 004 and 005, thirty-two were lost to point defence fire, but the rest turned that area of space into the heart of a star, rending shields as if they were paper, burning through armour, destroying the internal machinery of the ships that were then wracked by strength 750 internal detonations. When the cataclysm finished there were still 192 missiles looking for a target, they locked on the nearest dreadnought, Hextor 006, and burned through shields and penetrated armour, the vessel losing atmosphere. 017:54. A-7B 201 exploded, hit by six five kiloton “missiles” spreading wreckage in the wake of the retreating squadrons.  Four minutes later A-7B 208 received a scare as six energy missiles ploughed into it, but luck was on their side. The energy weapons were at the end of their run and deflected without damage by the fighter’s thin skin! The fighters returned to their carriers and rearmed.

29th February 2057 14:15:30,Luytens Star.
The combined squadrons once more approached the GFD dreadnoughts, they were now only 565 million kilometres from the League fleet milling around the jump point. By 15:00 the squadrons were in position and beginning preparations to launch. Fifty-five seconds later the squadrons each individually began to fire at Hextor 001, 002 and 006. 15:04. A-7C 023 had just loosed its missiles when it was destroyed by the impact of the enemy torpedoes, as they were beginning to be referred to.  A minute later Hextor 006 was the centre of its very own star that burned the already damaged hull and it exploded spectacularly just as the final squadron fired its missiles at Hextor 002. Less than a handful of minutes later Hextor 001 and 002 were the centre of attention for several hundred Rapiers streaming in from the attack squadrons, shields trying to radiate the energy as warheads detonated in close proximity to them, but it was a losing fight, the armour soon evaporated under the onslaught and internal explosions blew the ships apart. Eighteen salvos lost their target and homed on the only remaining vessel, Hextor 003 that was rocked by 94 missiles that penetrated its defences.  Then at this moment of triumph A-7B 254 blew up as its power system overloaded and exploded when damaged by a torpedo nearly at the end of its run.
The race was now on to rearm the squadrons for a final launch against the foe.  

21:01. Hextor 003 was now only 180 million kilometres from the League fleet. Three squadrons managed to rearm and sortie, Eyes of the Eagle, Diamondbacks and Eightballers closed the remaining dreadnought. 21:54 the three squadrons launched, 632 missiles swarmed towards the lone ship, just as its point defence failed to stop the onslaught RA-8A 005 exploded, the focus of thirteen ten-kiloton torpedoes.  At 21:59:40, a strength 750 absorption shield explosion was detected as the dreadnought perished. Sixteen salvos were left still searching for their target.

2nd March 2057 14:42:05, Luyten’s Star.
The final act was rung in as the Fist of the Fleet squadron targeted the three Serpent class survey vessels sitting unmoving just off the Eye. It took the missiles from just five fighters each to annihilate them. The victory had been comprehensive, but there had been a cost, virtually the entire stock of modern Rapier missiles had been expended. If there were to be another incursion then there would not be the weapons to fight them off! Fortunately for the League on the 1st of May the Eye closed! This would be a public holiday in future years to celebrate the first great victory against the Darkness.

 
The Reward!

6th August 57NC Luyten’s Star.
Battle Group #2 replaced Battle Group #3 on station in Luyten’s Star and it was August before the Battle Groups received sufficient missiles to complete the rearming of all of their attack squadrons. Battle Group #2 was then released to investigate the second jump gate that had appeared in Luyten’s Star system during the absence of the League.

12th August 57 NC. V577 Monoceri.
Battle Group #2 entered the jump gate, the universe reformed around them and collision alarms went off immediately, there were two 125,000 ton Malagard class vessels bearing down on the Battle Group! There were two ramming attacks on the CV Waterloo before they could put distance between them. Now knowing they were non-combatants the Battle Group detached its escorts to destroy them with their 10cm lasers, while the rest of the Group boosted away. From the carriers it looked almost comical if it was not so serious; the escorts were thrusting around a roughly rectangular course pursued by the two leviathans while the lasers slowly burned the armour off one them. It took eleven and a half minutes before the lasers caused their target to lose atmosphere and two minutes later the vessel just fell apart. Meanwhile the second ship had been fired on by the FG Bonadventure with 76 SIM-4 Javelin missiles and once the escorts switched targets it took only a couple of minutes to hit a power plant causing an internal explosion that destroyed it. The Battle Group then went after the five Serpent class survey vessels also present in V577 Monoceri. It took time to chase them down, but with nowhere to go it was a foregone conclusion. It was only as the Battle Group drew a figurative breath that the Senior Sensor Officer aboard the Waterloo brought the scan readouts on the system to the attention of Rear Admiral Owen. V577 Monoceri-A II was a terrestrial planet with an HI of 0! The Padre immediately organised a service of thanksgiving, emphasising the rewards that following His path of righteousness can bring.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2011, 05:41:26 AM by IanD »
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Re: The First War Against the Darkness - Appendices
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2011, 05:15:52 AM »
Appendix A Ship Classes

Code: [Select]
Star class Assault Jump Carrier    27,500 tons     2151 Crew     10099.2 BP      TCS 550  TH 1451.52  EM 2160
10996 km/s    JR 5-500     Armour 3-81     Shields 72-300     Sensors 54/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 80     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 151%    IFR: 2.1%    Maint Capacity 10181 MSP    Max Repair 1444 MSP    Est Time: 2.55 Years
Hangar Deck Capacity 6000 tons     Magazine 540    

J27500(5-500) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 27500 tons    Distance 500k km     Squadron Size 5
Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E5.5 Military (36)    Power 168    Fuel Use 55%    Signature 40.32    Armour 0    Exp 7%
Fuel Capacity 450,000 Litres    Range 53.6 billion km   (56 days at full power)
Theta R300/20 Shields (18)   Total Fuel Cost  360 Litres per day

CIWS-320 (3x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 32000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
SIM-5 Rapier (180)  Speed: 46,900 km/s   End: 8.6m    Range: 24.2m km   WH: 16    Size: 3    TH: 516 / 309 / 154

Active Search Sensor MR193-R20 (1)     GPS 4800     Range 193.2m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH3-54 (1)     Sensitivity 54     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  54m km

ECM 40

Strike Group
20x A-7C Firestorm Fighter  Speed: 20200 km/s    Size: 5
4x RA-8A Vigilante class Fighter Speed: 20200 km/s    Size: 5
Ships in class: Canopus, Altair, Rigel.

Code: [Select]
Vanguard Mk II class Jump Carrier    27,500 tons     2232 Crew     8527.84 BP      TCS 550  TH 1111.44  EM 1350
8420 km/s    JR 3-500     Armour 3-81     Shields 45-375     Sensors 42/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 61     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 147%    IFR: 2%    Maint Capacity 8946 MSP    Max Repair 1600 MSP    Est Time: 2.26 Years
Hangar Deck Capacity 5000 tons     Magazine 450    

J28000(3-500) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 28000 tons    Distance 500k km     Squadron Size 3
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (39)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 505,000 Litres    Range 73.5 billion km   (100 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (18)   Total Fuel Cost  270 Litres per day

CIWS-250 (3x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 25000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
SIM-4 Rapier (150)  Speed: 45,800 km/s   End: 9.6m    Range: 26.4m km   WH: 11    Size: 3    TH: 427 / 256 / 128

Active Search Sensor MR193-R20 (1)     GPS 4800     Range 193.2m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH3-42 (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  42m km

ECM 30

Strike Group
20x A-7B Firestorm Fighter   Speed: 15000 km/s    Size: 5

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
Ships in class: Vanguard, Swiftsure, Warspite.

Code: [Select]
Agincourt Mk III class Carrier    27,500 tons     1748 Crew     7067.32 BP      TCS 550  TH 1111.44  EM 1140
8420 km/s     Armour 1-81     Shields 38-375     Sensors 42/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 40     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 302%    IFR: 4.2%    Maint Capacity 4212 MSP    Max Repair 240 MSP    Est Time: 2.93 Years
Hangar Deck Capacity 10000 tons     Magazine 617    

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (39)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 555,000 Litres    Range 80.7 billion km   (110 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (15)   Total Fuel Cost  225 Litres per day

CIWS-250 (3x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 25000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
SIM-4 Rapier (206)  Speed: 45,800 km/s   End: 9.6m    Range: 26.4m km   WH: 11    Size: 3    TH: 427 / 256 / 128

Active Search Sensor MR193-R20 (1)     GPS 4800     Range 193.2m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH3-42 (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  42m km

ECM 30

Strike Group
40x A-7B Firestorm Fighter   Speed: 15000 km/s    Size: 5

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
Ships in class: Agincourt, Aisne, Armada, Anzio, Austerlitz, Waterloo.

Code: [Select]
Resolution Mk III class Scout    10,000 tons     967 Crew     4963.5 BP      TCS 200  TH 398.88  EM 660
8310 km/s     Armour 3-41     Shields 22-375     Sensors 42/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 20     PPV 11
Annual Failure Rate: 76%    IFR: 1.1%    Maint Capacity 5257 MSP    Max Repair 2400 MSP    Est Time: 1.94 Years

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (14)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 180,000 Litres    Range 72.0 billion km   (100 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (9)   Total Fuel Cost  135 Litres per day

Twin 10cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser Turret (1x2)    Range 90,000km     TS: 33350 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 3    ROF 5        3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 0
Fire Control S12 96-16000 (1)    Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 AR-0 (3)     Total Power Output 6    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Active Search Sensor MR8-R1 (1)     GPS 48     Range 8.6m km    Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR4320-R100 (1)     GPS 240000     Range 4,320.0m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH3-42 (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  42m km

ECM 30

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Ships in class: Resolution, Searcher, Sentinel.

Code: [Select]
Tribal Mk III class Escort    10,650 tons     1044 Crew     3504.96 BP      TCS 213  TH 427.44  EM 300
8361 km/s     Armour 3-43     Shields 10-375     Sensors 42/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 17     PPV 41
Annual Failure Rate: 129%    IFR: 1.8%    Maint Capacity 1440 MSP    Max Repair 230 MSP    Est Time: 2.61 Years
Magazine 308    

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (15)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 190,000 Litres    Range 71.4 billion km   (98 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (4)   Total Fuel Cost  60 Litres per day

Twin 10cm C3 Near Ultraviolet Laser Turret (3x2)    Range 90,000km     TS: 33350 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 3    ROF 5        3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 0
Fire Control S12 96-16000 (3)    Max Range: 192,000 km   TS: 16000 km/s     95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 AR-0 (3)     Total Power Output 15    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 AR-0 (1)     Total Power Output 2    Armour 0    Exp 5%
Magnetic Confinement Fusion Reactor Technology PB-1 AR-0 (1)     Total Power Output 1    Armour 0    Exp 5%

Size 1 Missile Launcher (8)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 5
Missile Fire Control FC7-R1 (2)     Range 7.8m km    Resolution 1
AMM-4 Dagger (308)  Speed: 49,700 km/s   End: 3.2m    Range: 9.7m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 1010 / 606 / 303

Active Search Sensor MR8-R1 (1)     GPS 48     Range 8.6m km    Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor MR77-R20 (1)     GPS 1920     Range 77.3m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH3-42 (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  42m km

ECM 20

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
Ships in class: Afghan, Amazon, Amerind, Afridi, Cossack, Ghurkha, Mohawk, Tartar, Zulu.

Code: [Select]
Victory Mk IV class Missile Frigate    10,000 tons     617 Crew     3018.5 BP      TCS 200  TH 398.88  EM 1140
8310 km/s     Armour 4-41     Shields 38-375     Sensors 42/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 15     PPV 69
Annual Failure Rate: 160%    IFR: 2.2%    Maint Capacity 943 MSP    Max Repair 119 MSP    Est Time: 2.65 Years
Magazine 460    

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (14)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 175,000 Litres    Range 70.0 billion km   (97 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (15)   Total Fuel Cost  225 Litres per day

Size 4 Box Launcher (115)    Missile Size 4    Hangar Reload 30 minutes    MF Reload 5 hours
Missile Fire Control FC115-R20 (3)     Range 115.9m km    Resolution 20
SIM-4 Javelin (115)  Speed: 46,900 km/s   End: 27.8m    Range: 78.3m km   WH: 11    Size: 4    TH: 375 / 225 / 112

Active Search Sensor MR77-R20 (1)     GPS 1920     Range 77.3m km    Resolution 20
Thermal Sensor TH3-42 (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  42m km

ECCM-3 (3)         ECM 30

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
Ships in class: Black Prince, Bonadventure, Defence, Destroyer, Diadem, Leopard, Lion, Lynx, Minotaur, Superb, Tiger, Warrior.

Code: [Select]
Fort class Collier    12,500 tons     749 Crew     3144.2 BP      TCS 250  TH 427.44  EM 1260
7124 km/s     Armour 3-47     Shields 42-375     Sensors 14/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 7     PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 178%    IFR: 2.5%    Maint Capacity 1100 MSP    Max Repair 119 MSP    Est Time: 2.73 Years
Magazine 1932    

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E4.5Mil (15)    Power 118.75    Fuel Use 45%    Signature 28.5    Armour 0    Exp 4%
Fuel Capacity 220,000 Litres    Range 70.4 billion km   (114 days at full power)
Delta R375/15 Shields (17)   Total Fuel Cost  255 Litres per day

CIWS-250 (2x10)    Range 1000 km     TS: 25000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Active Search Sensor MR86-R100 (1)     GPS 4800     Range 86.4m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH1-14 (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  14m km

ECM 30

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
Ships in class: Fort Purbrook, Fort Sumner, Fort Widley, Fort Worth, Fort Victoria.

Code: [Select]
Nordmark Mk II class Support Vessel    13,550 tons     337 Crew     1189.4 BP      TCS 271  TH 630  EM 0
6642 km/s     Armour 1-50     Shields 0-0     Sensors 5/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
Maint Capacity 3055 MSP    Max Repair 88 MSP

Magneto-plasma Drive E0.6 Commercial (9)    Power 200    Fuel Use 6%    Signature 70    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 1,070,000 Litres    Range 2369.0 billion km   (4128 days at full power)

Active Search Sensor MR39-R100 (1)     GPS 3600     Range 39.6m km    Resolution 100
Thermal Sensor TH1-5 (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  5m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
Ships in class: Altmark, Neumark, Nordmark, Ostmark, Sudmark,Westmark.

Code: [Select]
A-7A Firestorm class Fighter    250 tons     4 Crew     74.4 BP      TCS 5  TH 18  EM 0
15000 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 2.7
Annual Failure Rate: 5%    IFR: 0.1%    Maint Capacity 19 MSP    Max Repair 25 MSP    Est Time: 5.03 Years
Magazine 18    

FTR Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E500 (1)    Power 75    Fuel Use 5000%    Signature 18    Armour 0    Exp 25%
Fuel Capacity 30,000 Litres    Range 4.3 billion km   (3 days at full power)

Size 3 Box Launcher (6)    Missile Size 3    Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes    MF Reload 3.7 hours
Missile Fire Control FC34-R20 (1)     Range 34.8m km    Resolution 20
SIM-2 Rapier (6)  Speed: 34,700 km/s   End: 12m    Range: 25m km   WH: 9    Size: 3    TH: 219 / 131 / 65

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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes
Note SIM-2 Rapier was never produced.


Code: [Select]
A-7B Firestorm class Fighter    250 tons     4 Crew     83.4 BP      TCS 5  TH 24.24  EM 0
20200 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 2.7
Annual Failure Rate: 5%    IFR: 0.1%    Maint Capacity 21 MSP    Max Repair 34 MSP    Est Time: 4.47 Years
Magazine 18    

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E550 (1)    Power 100.8    Fuel Use 5500%    Signature 24.192    Armour 0    Exp 35%
Fuel Capacity 30,000 Litres    Range 3.9 billion km   (54 hours at full power)

Size 3 Box Launcher (6)    Missile Size 3    Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes    MF Reload 3.7 hours
Missile Fire Control FC34-R20 (1)     Range 34.8m km    Resolution 20
SIM-4 Rapier (6)  Speed: 45,800 km/s   End: 9.6m    Range: 26.4m km   WH: 11    Size: 3    TH: 427 / 256 / 128

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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes


Code: [Select]
A-7C Firestorm class Fighter    250 tons     4 Crew     87 BP      TCS 5  TH 24.24  EM 0
20200 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 2.7
Annual Failure Rate: 5%    IFR: 0.1%    Maint Capacity 22 MSP    Max Repair 34 MSP    Est Time: 4.59 Years
Magazine 18    

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E550 (1)    Power 100.8    Fuel Use 5500%    Signature 24.192    Armour 0    Exp 35%
Fuel Capacity 25,000 Litres    Range 3.3 billion km   (45 hours at full power)

Size 3 Box Launcher (6)    Missile Size 3    Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes    MF Reload 3.7 hours
Missile Fire Control FC46-R20 (1)     Range 46.4m km    Resolution 20
SIM-5 Rapier (6)  Speed: 46,900 km/s   End: 8.6m    Range: 24.2m km   WH: 16    Size: 3    TH: 516 / 309 / 154

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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes


Code: [Select]
RA-8A Vigilante class Fighter    250 tons     5 Crew     123.1 BP      TCS 5  TH 24.24  EM 0
20200 km/s     Armour 1-3     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 1.8
Annual Failure Rate: 5%    IFR: 0.1%    Maint Capacity 31 MSP    Max Repair 48 MSP    Est Time: 4.58 Years
Magazine 12    

FTR Inertial Confinement Fusion Drive E550 (1)    Power 100.8    Fuel Use 5500%    Signature 24.192    Armour 0    Exp 35%
Fuel Capacity 25,000 Litres    Range 3.3 billion km   (45 hours at full power)

Size 3 Box Launcher (4)    Missile Size 3    Hangar Reload 22.5 minutes    MF Reload 3.7 hours
Missile Fire Control FC34-R20 (1)     Range 34.8m km    Resolution 20
SIM-5 Rapier (4)  Speed: 46,900 km/s   End: 8.6m    Range: 24.2m km   WH: 16    Size: 3    TH: 516 / 309 / 154

Active Search Sensor MR38-R20 (1)     GPS 960     Range 38.6m km    Resolution 20

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 Fighter for production, combat and maintenance purposes

 
Appendix B – Missiles

Code: [Select]
Sim-1 Rapier
Missile Size: 3 MSP  (0.15 HS)     Warhead: 7    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 26000 km/s    Endurance: 16 minutes   Range: 25.7m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  0
Cost Per Missile: 3.05
Chance to Hit:   3k km/s 86%   5k km/s 52%   10k km/s 26%

Code: [Select]
SIM-4 Rapier
Missile Size: 3 MSP  (0.15 HS)     Warhead: 11    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 28
Speed: 45,800 km/s    Endurance: 9.6 minutes   Range: 26.4m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0.1085    Detect Sig Strength 1000:  70,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 5.6002
Chance to Hit:   3k km/s 427%   5k km/s 256%   10k km/s 128%

Code: [Select]
SIM-5 Rapier
Missile Size: 3 MSP  (0.15 HS)     Warhead: 16    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 33
Speed: 46,900 km/s    Endurance: 11 minutes   Range: 30.2m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0.144    Detect Sig Strength 1000:  144,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 7.0657
Chance to Hit:  3k km/s 495%   5k km/s 309.5%   10k km/s 154.8%

Code: [Select]
SIM-4 Javelin
Missile Size: 4 MSP  (0.2 HS)     Warhead: 11    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 24
Speed: 46,900 km/s    Endurance: 27.8 minutes   Range: 78.3m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0.1085    Detect Sig Strength 1000:  70,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 6.295
Chance to Hit: 3k km/s 375%   5k km/s 225%   10k km/s 112%

Code: [Select]
AMM-4 Dagger
Missile Size: 1 MSP  (0.05 HS)     Warhead: 1    Armour: 0     Manoeuvre Rating: 61
Speed: 49,700 km/s    Endurance: 3.2 minutes   Range: 9.7m km
Thermal Sensor Strength: 0.056    Detect Sig Strength 1000:  40,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 2.4102
Chance to Hit: 3k km/s 1010%   5k km/s 606%   10k km/s 303%
« Last Edit: May 31, 2011, 02:44:38 AM by IanD »
IanD