Author Topic: Month 147  (Read 2260 times)

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Offline Kurt (OP)

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Month 147
« on: November 03, 2012, 06:54:33 AM »
Month 147, 2nd Empire
Day 1
The Contact system was one of the Empire’s primary contact points with the ASR.  The system led to the ASR’s Colmar Sector, and had been heavily fortified due to the continuing instabilities in the Sector.  The bulk of the Empire’s 4th Fleet had been forward deployed to the system for months.  Some thought that the deployment of the 4th had meant that Imperial intervention in the Colmar Sector was imminent, but to date the Fleet had been content to sit and wait.  Until now. 

Late last month movement orders arrived, and now, obedient to those orders, the fleet was moving out.  Over the years many had speculated that the fleet would advance into the ASR, but now it turned away and retreated into the interior of the Empire, returning to the capital of the New Territories Sector.  The Empress had ordered the bulk of the fleet to return to its base, in preparation for dispatching heavy reinforcements to assist the 2nd Fleet.   

Day 10
The 7th Fleet, ninety seven ships strong, built around a core of fifteen massive light monitors, approached the planet known to the Axons as Fortress Solcho behind a screen of two hundred gunboats and three hundred fighters.  More than nine hundred fighters, sixty gunboats and fifty armed pinnaces buzzed around the fleet itself, protecting against surprise attacks from any direction. 

For the last twenty five days since the battle at the warp point, the fleet had been broadcasting surrender demands to the planet.  The only response they had received was repeated demands from the Axon government to stop where they were and approach no closer.  It seemed that both sides were ignoring the other. 

The planet, a beautiful blue-white orb so much like other inhabited planets throughout known space, caused mixed emotions throughout the fleet.  Every man and woman on board the fleet’s ships and small craft was sworn to protect such planets with their lives, regardless of the species that lived there.  This oath was central to the makeup of the Terran Fleet, and went back to its formation in the late 21st century on the Earth, after the Breakup and the chaos that followed.  The Terran Fleet was perfectly willing to contest over the ownership of a planet, but no Terran ship had ever bombarded an inhabited planet with nuclear weapons.  The intransigence of the Axons, after their destruction of the human populations in the New Berlin system, causing the death of approximately 44 billion humans, had severely tested the Fleet’s resolve.  So far none of the Axon planets the Fleet had encountered had outright surrendered, but aside from token resistance, usually by the planetary leadership and their immediate guard force, there had been no serious opposition once a planet was invested.  This was largely due to the fact that the Axon leadership had long since alienated itself from the general population.  For over thirty years the senior priesthood had kept the average Axon ignorant, with just enough education to do his job and no more.  Curiosity about the ruling regime’s activities was discouraged, usually with extreme violence.  Thus the average Axon had no investment in the continued survival of their own government, or even of the religion itself.  The result was that the Axon government on each planet encountered was isolated even before the fleet arrived, and could not turn to the population for support against the invading Terrans.  This planet, though, was different from the others.  The Axon central government had retreated here, with the bulk of their supporters.  They wouldn’t be likely to surrender, even if they didn’t know the Empire’s intentions towards any Axon official they encountered.   

The planet was orbited by five large space stations.  When the fleet’s lead elements passed the sixty light second line around the planet the demands from the surface grew more strident.   Aboard the Imperial ships the crewers sat hunched at their stations, each waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Everyone thought that the Axons had to have one last surprise, one last force hidden.  When the fleet thirty light seconds from the planet, though, the strident demands from the surface cut off.  Then, seconds later, two of the orbiting space stations detonated in massive explosions, flinging bits and pieces in every direction.  Several large chunks streaked towards the planet in decaying orbits. 

Admiral Stern knew what this meant.  He keyed in a command for a comm link.  “Force Delta, you are go.  Take them down.”  In response to the admiral’s command eighteen gunboats and eighteen assault shuttles lifted away from the monitors at the core of the fleet.  Each assault shuttle was packed to the airlocks with Imperial Marines in full armor.  The entire group raced away from the Imperial Fleet, joined by sixty fighters from the vanguard.  Behind them the fleet continued towards the planet at a much slower speed. 

Tension on board the Terran small craft was high as they approached the remaining three space stations.  When they were at nearly point blank range the fighter escorts peeled off, assuming a high guard position.  The gunboats followed the assault shuttles in to provide close-in support should it be needed.  If the Axons were planning to suck the Terrans in before blowing the stations they would certainly get the assault shuttles and their marines, and probably the gunboats, but the fighters were far enough from the stations that they would survive any conceivable explosion. 

The stations were conglomerations of modules that massed approximately three point six times as much as the Terran monitors standing back from the planet.  Close inspection by the Terran shuttle crews as they approached showed that each station possessed six shipyard modules.  Two of the modules contained massive monitors that appeared to be almost complete.  In addition, the stations each had a fighter module with twenty four fighter bays, and a defensive module with numerous point defense turrets and shield emitter arrays.  The gunboats targeted the defensive modules, but the station’s shields were down and showed no signs of powering up, and the point defense turrets weren’t tracking. 

The assault shuttles docked with the stations, six to each.  Two went to each of the defensive modules, two to the fighter bays, and two to the command modules.  The Terran marines poured out of their shuttles into the stations in orderly streams.  They met no resistance anywhere.   The marines assigned to the fighter modules quickly discovered that the bays were empty.  They would later learn that the Axons had stripped the stations of their fighters to equip their last fleet.  The marines assigned to the defensive modules found them empty and powered down.  The marines assigned to the command modules found a skeleton crew only, and those Axons quickly surrendered.  Finally, the bulk of the crews were found in the habitation modules.  They weren’t hiding, exactly.  They were just waiting. 

After the marines secured the stations, they interrogated the command crews.  The crews held nothing back.  They had all been drafted into service, and their loyalty had been secured by the government in exile by the threat of violence to their families.  The death of the fleet defending the warp point had made it obvious to all except the central government that the fight was over.   Even as the central government made its plans to defend the planet to the death, a group of officers and crewers formed a plan.   When the Terran fleet began its final approach, the plotters made their move.  Mutineers within the ground defense groups moved to secure the areas where the families were being held, while others took control of the ground forces and the orbiting stations.  They weren’t 0ne hundred percent successful, as evidenced by the destruction of the two stations, but they succeeded more than not. 

Over the next few hours, as the Terran fleet moved carefully into orbit, fighting spread across the planet below.  The planet had a moderately large population, approximately one hundred and fifty million.  On a Terran planet the population would likely be spread across the planet in small cities in towns, but here it was concentrated into five large industrial cities, supported by large farms and mining outposts.  Three of the cities were in flames as the Axons fought over them.  One showed signs of fighting, but was now controlled by the rebels.  The other, the seat of the central Axon government in exile, was intact.  Shortly after settling into orbit the fleet received a signal from the intact city, warning them against landing anywhere on the planet. 

Admiral Stern nodded at his communications officer, and a second later the central view screen on his flag bridge lit with the hideous features of an Axon.  This Axon, like most, was tall and lean, with boney face and a mouth surrounded by protruding fangs.  The Axon began speaking as soon as he saw that he was connected.  The Axon language sounded like a series of guttural growls, overlaid by Imperial Standard as the translator took over. 

I am Senior Bishop Krak, speaking for his holiness the Prophet and his Council, the elect of Axon.  I warn you that there are fusion warheads hidden in every city on this planet.  We will not hesitate to detonate the warheads if you try to land troops anywhere on the surface.  You are warned.”  With that the transmission cut off. 

Admiral Stern shook his head.  He looked across the bridge, looking at each of his officers.  “They are consistent, aren’t they?”  He looked at his comm officer next.  “Recorded?”

The officer nodded.  “It’s on the chip, sir.” 

“Very well.  Prepare to transmit to all units in our fleet and in the clear to the ground.  I’ll let you know when to insert the recording.”

Next he turned to his sensor officer.  “Do we have their location?”

“Sir, based on intel received from the captured stations, and from ELINT information, we have localized the Axon leadership to a hardened installation in urban area of City #4.”

The weapons officer was next.  “Are the weapons targeted?”

“Yes sir.  Awaiting your command.”

Admiral Stern frowned.  Finally he shrugged and nodded at his comm officer. 

“Yes sir.  Transmitting now.”

Admiral Stern stood and faced the pickup.  “I am Admiral Stern, commanding officer of the Imperial Terran Seventh Fleet.  Seconds ago, we received this transmission.”  He turned and nodded at his comm officer, who turned and entered a command into his console.  Seconds later the central screen lit and showed the Axon that had spoken earlier.  The recording ran, and then the pickup on the flag bridge went live again. 

“The Axon leadership is consistent.  They cannot threaten us, so they threaten the innocents under their control.  Therefore, under the power given to me by Imperial Order 362, signed in the aftermath of the destruction of New Berlin, I will take the actions I deem necessary to end this conflict.  I will not allow this evil to fester.  Therefore, if the Axons known as the false Prophet and his Council are not apprehended and turned over to Imperial forces, along with all of their subordinates, I will initiate a bombardment of planet, beginning with the city under the control of the Prophet’s forces, and specifically with the buried fortress in the urban area of that city.  We do not wish to bomb this planet, but we will not leave a threat behind us.  You have twenty four hours.”

The pickup’s light went out and Admiral Stern sagged into his chair.  Now they waited. 

They didn’t have long to wait for the first reactions below.  The first reaction was in City #2, the city under the control of the rebels.  A somewhat orderly evacuation began there, with the inhabitants being moved to staging areas outside the city.  Apparently the rebels believed the threats being made by both sides.  The rebel’s action was followed by the appearance of three motorcades and two aerial transports leaving the hidden installation in City #4.  In spite of the fact that the motorcades and the air units left through dispersed ports in differing locations they were easily spotted by the orbiting units, as all other traffic in the city had been shut down.  Admiral Stern gave an order, and a few seconds later a cluster of sleek missiles left one of the orbiting monitors.  The missiles raced towards the planet using their drive field engines, but after entering the atmosphere they dropped their fields and boosted with a rapid impulse rocket drive, and when that burned out they went ballistic at five times the speed of sound.   In the final second of their lives, as they closed on their targets, each missile split into numerous small seeker heads that blanketed their target area.  For all of their tiny size they packed a punch.  The targets had a mere seconds warning, and then night was split open by a series of massive explosions that devastated the neighborhoods around the motorcades, all of which were destroyed.  The aerial vehicles were swatted from the sky by the massive explosions that surrounded them, and when they plowed into the ground they destroyed more of the area around the hidden base.  All five escaping groups were completely destroyed. 

A few minutes later the Terran fleet received a transmission from the rebel city.  Admiral Stern was seated in his command chair when the pickup’s light went on, and the central screen lit up to show an Axon in considerably shabbier clothes than the last. 

“I am Survo, and I lead here.  You would bomb us, even though we fight a common enemy?”

Admiral Stern frowned.  “It is important that you understand me.  This is not a negotiation.  All negotiation with Axons ceased the minute your government bombarded our planets, killing over forty billion humans.  This is what will happen.  You will turn over all Axon government officials, including any and all members of the Axon priesthood.  You will open your city to Terran occupation forces.  Anything less will be met by bombardment.  Any city that disobeys this order will be bombed.”

“But…but…there must be some other solution.  There are millions of innocent Axons, children, living in those cities.  They had no hand in the acts of the government.  We surrender!  We will do everything you say.  Send down troops.  Help us!”

Admiral Stern nodded.  “You are right.  There are many living in the cities that had nothing to do with the despicable acts of your government.  That makes no difference now, though.  The time for you to act was before you all allowed your government to take such horrible acts.  Now there is only time to pay for those acts, whether you supported them or not.  This is the way it will be.  I would gladly send my marines down to help you, but your own leaders set the rules.  They say they will detonate bombs hidden in all of the cities if I do.  Maybe those bombs are there, or maybe they aren’t, but either way I will not risk one more Terran life in this war.  You are on your own.  Solve this problem on your own, or we will resolve this standoff once and for all.”  He waved at his comm officer and the transmission cut off. 

Shortly thereafter all four of the other cities signaled that they were willing to meet the Terran terms.  The only holdout was City #4.  It was still silent and locked down.  When it became clear that #4 was the only holdout, the other cities launched transport planes towards the holdout city, escorted by aerospace fighters.  The air units approached the city unmolested, but when they tried to approach the hidden base they were engaged by buried weapons bunkers and forced back.  The transports landed at the fringes of the city and the Axon troops from the other cities closed on the base through the city streets.  Unfortunately when they got close they found the base locked up tight.  They began efforts to open the base, but it was heavily fortified and progress was slow.  The Terran fleet waited and watched above. 

Eighteen hours later the rebel Axons still had not managed to penetrate beyond the outer area of the bunker complex.  They weren’t encountering active resistance, but the bunker was sealed by a series of massive portals and interlocking mazes that they hadn’t been able to penetrate in the short amount of time they had.  The Rebel leaders were beginning to despair, and were planning on withdrawing ahead of the Terran deadline to avoid being caught in the city, when a transmission was received from the bunker complex. 

On board the Stupendous, the command monitor of the 7th Fleet, Admiral Stern was asleep when the transmission came in.  His aide woke him, and within two minutes he was watching a replay of the transmission in his quarters. He was wiping sleep from his eyes when the comm plate on the wall lit up to show an Axon officer in a torn uniform, with large patches of blood spattered on his side. 

“I am Senior Detail Leader Quart, in acting command of the Government Complex.  The Prophet is dead.  I am in control of this complex.  The detonator equipment for the bombs has been destroyed.  We surrender.  I have ordered that the entrances to the base be cleared and opened.  We will leave the complex and open it for inspection.”

The transmission cut off.  Admiral Stern thought for a minute, and then told his aide he would be broadcasting to the surface in five minutes.  Five minutes later he was dressed and on the command deck.  He nodded, and the pickup went active.  “This is Admiral Stern.  This transmission is for Survo, or whoever leads the rebels.  I require you to confirm that the bombs have been disarmed.  When you have confirmed that, I will send down one shuttle to each city.  The shuttle will have experts that will confirm that the equipment has been disarmed.  If they are attacked, or if any bombs are detonated, we will bombard this world until no two stones are standing on top of each other.  Is this understood?”                     

A few seconds later the screen lit to show the image of Survo.  “We understand you, Admiral.  We will signal when we have confirmed that the base is in our hands.”

Sure enough, an hour later the rebel Axons confirmed that the base had been cleared.  Shortly thereafter, Terran shuttles landed in each of the cities.  In four of the cities they confirmed that the city was under the control of the rebels, and that the government officials had been detained.  In City #4, though, experts went down into the base complex and confirmed that not only were the rebels in control, but that the bomb controls had been disabled.  None of the teams were attacked, possibly because each was guarded by a large group of rebels, and all confirmed that the rebels seemed to be in charge.  The team in the base confirmed that not only was the bomb control equipment destroyed, but that the Axon leadership had been bluffing.  They only had one bomb, in the lower levels of the base, and it was now harmless. 

Soon after this last confirmation Terran occupation troops began landing, followed quickly by Intel Groups.  The first bit of information gathered confirmed that the Prophet and his closest followers had been in the motorcades that had been annihilated by the Terran missiles.  The military leadership had been left in control of the bunker, but they had been adamant in their refusal to surrender, as they knew that they faced certain death for their part in the bombardment of New Berlin.  They believed that the Terrans were bluffing, but their subordinates didn’t want to take that risk.  They believed the Terrans and also knew that they bore no responsibility for New Berlin.  The fighting began six hours after the death of the Prophet, and ultimately the mutineers won and invited the rebels into the base. 

The real prize was discovered in the computers on board one of the orbiting shipyards.  One of the Intel Teams working on the command computer network made a major discovery when they found a cache of astrogation information.  When the information was sorted, they realized that they had found the prize.  The closed warp point to New Berlin was in the Komal system, adjacent to the Solcho system just one jump away. 

Upon receiving this information Admiral Stern immediately dispatched a frigate at maximum speed to deliver the news.  The discovery was made on Day 20, and the frigate arrived in New Berlin on Day 28.  When it entered the system it immediately began broadcasting in the clear, informing everyone that the closed warp point had been discovered.  The news was sent via the ICN to the Imperial Capital immediately, where its arrival was met with joy and celebration.  The weakness in the heart of the Empire had been discovered, and now could be dealt with. 

Even better, the distant front lines of the Axon conflict were now very close to the Imperial heartlands.  Ships could be repaired and resupplied in a much shorter time now.  Even though the Empire, pressed on all sides as it was, could spare no more ships for the conflict, the advantage gained by shortening the supply lines couldn’t be overestimated.   The offensive in the Axon territories had just become a much different beast.   

********************************************************************

Month 147, ASR
Day 1, Xanti Home System
Admiral Jacquern finally relented on this date, and agreed to accompany Xanti ships in a sortie.  He left behind his damaged units, along with a few carriers to provide cover.  The Xanti brought nearly every ship they had operational, less the ships that had been damaged in the battle last month. 

Xanti 17th Legion (Home)
3xMLR, 15xSDR, 3xBBR, 1xBBA, 10xCV, 12xBCA, 1xCVL, 3xCA(P), 7xCVS, 47xDD, 2xCVE, 474xF1, 36xApin

ASR 6th Fleet, Battle Group #1
9xMLR, 18xCV, 3xBC, 3xCA, 5xCL(supply), 3xCLE, 18xDD, 648xF2, 279xGBP

The combined fleets transited into the Valkha system unopposed.  Xanti armed pinnaces had been probing the warp point since the attack, but about ten days ago the Chosen had disappeared.  Before bringing the fleets through Admiral Jacquern had sent through his gunboats, confirming that the area around the warp point was clear. 

By the time the two fleets had assembled on the far side of the warp point in the Valkha system it was clear that the Chosen had left the area.  Valkha was a dim red star with a few asteroids and gas giants.  Its value had been in its location, adjacent to the Xanti home system, not in its real estate.  High Admiral Oorick, commanding the Xanti fleet, immediately broadcasted messages to the Xanti colonies and outposts in the system.  The replies began coming in as the combined fleets moved across the system to the next warp point.  The reports from all of the settlements were the same.  In the aftermath of their failed assault the Chosen had withdrawn completely from the system. 

On Day 15 the combined fleets reached the warp point to the Alkumar system.  Alkumar was very different from Valkha.  It was a binary system with twin yellow stars, and the secondary star had a type T and a type ST planet.  The type T planet was heavily colonized by the Xanti.  Both of the allied admirals felt sure that the Chosen would defend the system. 

Probes of the warp point confirmed, though, that the warp point was clear, and so the combined fleets transited into the system unopposed.  Once again broadcasts went out, and once again the local inhabitants confirmed that the Chosen had withdrawn from the system, one and all.  By the end of the month the combined fleets were advancing on the warp point to the Delgor system.

**********************************************************************

Day 1, Xeon Home System
ASR 6th Fleet, Battle Group #3
24xML, 12xSD, 12xBBA, 6xBB(MS), 22xCV, 12xBCAA, 21xBCR, 8xCVL, 24xCA, 10xCVS, 30xDD, 51xCVE, 12xCT(SC), 1465xFighter, 1000xGBP

Xeon Home Fleet
12xSD, 6xCA, 24xFG

Alliance Expeditionary Force
3xSD, 3xCA, 1xCVS, 2xCL(Pin), 3xDD, 11xCVE, 2xCT(SC), 204xFighter, 14xApin

Gwynxa settled into his perch, seemingly completely at peace.  His assistants and staff officers paced the deck, each admiring the Area Marshal’s pose, which they assumed he had put on to bolster his crewer’s morale.  In reality, Gwynxa was watching his crewer’s pace and was inwardly amused at their nervousness.  He knew they assumed that he was putting on a façade of calmness, and it amused him.  He wasn’t nervous at all, although he knew he should be.  In his mind he had made his decision, and he would deal with whatever came, good or bad.  Worrying about it was foolish, from his point of view. 

A bell chimed and every eye turned to the tactical tank sunk into the center of the command deck.  At the signal proto-type gunboats began transiting out in a steady stream.  The stream of gunboats ended after thirty seconds.  Another thirty seconds passed, and then a gunboat returned and began transmitting. 

A few more seconds passed, and then the central plot shifted to show the far side of the warp point in the Golan system.  In the center of the plot was the warp point itself.  Surrounding the warp point was a swarm of ASR gunboats.  Slightly further out was a globe of red, representing a minefield.  Beyond that space was empty as far as the gunboat’s sensors could see. 

Gwynxa pondered the situation for a few seconds, and then keyed his comm.  “Put me through to Admiral Watkins.”  A few seconds later the central screen lit to show a human dressed in the sky blue uniform of the Republic.   “Admiral, take your sweepers through and clear us a lane.”

Admiral Watkins saluted and the display flickered out.  The human battleships lined up in front of the warp point and began transiting through.  Six BB’s transited out, then, a minute later, more gunboats transited back with the news that the route was open.  The minefield had been light, and none of the sweepers were damaged. 

At Gwynxa’s order twenty four CVE’s transited out.  Once they were on the far side they faded into cloak and raced away from the warp point, their sensors straining to detect any Eater ship waiting to ambush the ASR main fleet.  After the CVE’s were away ASR destroyers transited in, followed by cruisers, and then carriers.  Finally the light monitors that were the core of the ASR fleet transited into the system.  A Xeon squadron followed the ASR fleet into the Golan system, followed closely by an Alliance squadron. 

Before his command monitor transited out, Gwynxa sent an order back to the Le Harve system (ASR Fleet base adjacent to the Xeon system).  Within an hour of its receipt the ASR reserve force waiting at the warp point jumped into the Xeon system and began heading towards the warp point to Golan. 

ASR Reserve Fleet
18xMLR, 24xCV, 12xBCAA, 18xCA, 7xCVS, 2xCLS, 31xDD, 29xCVE, 6xCT(SC), 1224xFighter, 648xGBP

For two days the combined fleets sat in the vicinity of the warp point, waiting while the cloaked ASR scouts spread out.  By the end of the second day there was still no sign of the Eater fleet, so Gwynxa ordered his command to head inwards, towards the former Xeon colony. 

Ten days later the combined fleets entered orbit over the habitable planet circling the “B” component of the binary system.  As expected, it was infested with Eaters.  The ASR monitors wiped the Eater hives with nuclear fire, cleansing the planet.  Gwynxa and the other members of the fleet waited and watched, but even the death of the colony failed to flush the Eaters out of hiding.  By now all fifty one CVE’s were spread out across the system searching, but there was no sign of the Eaters.  With the Eater colony dead and no sign of the Eater Fleet, Gwynxa had nowhere else to turn.  He ordered the fleet to the warp point to the system where the Xeon had first discovered the Eaters.  They would arrive in Month 148, on Day 6. 

Shortly after departing the planet Gwynxa issued orders to the Reserve Fleet.  It was to proceed to Alliance space and move to reinforce the ASR units deploying there from the Republic.   
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Month 147
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2012, 07:39:48 AM »
Kurt, a question on the GBP's how do you carry them around?  Do you have dedicated motherships or just sacrifice some XO racks on all combat ships and add in an extra Q?

The CSN will not be using fighters but will be using gunboats so I'm curious if you have any views on the best way to do it.  I'm considering what ship to use for armed Pn at the moment...trying to sort out what the best size is for the transport ships and whether to make them FT hulls or not.  Having them be commercial engine ships isn't as bad as it would be for a fighter carrier.

The eaters are apparently playing coy as are the Chosen.  That part of the galaxy looks like it might end up being a major see-saw.

Unfortunately for the Axon leadership in starfire there is no way to hide, and limited ways to run.
 

Offline Starslayer_D

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Re: Month 147
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2012, 09:09:43 AM »
gbp are carried in gunboat racks. This tech system has been moved to an earlier TL to accomodate the requirement. So I guess it's 'rip off the XO racks' time.
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Month 147
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2012, 02:02:32 AM »
Hmmm...1 per 8 HS...for 2 SQN that is 48 HS...too much for a CL...50 HS CA would be the best bet.  For a dedicated gunboat/aPn transport.
 

Offline Kurt (OP)

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Re: Month 147
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2012, 04:28:24 PM »
Kurt, a question on the GBP's how do you carry them around?  Do you have dedicated motherships or just sacrifice some XO racks on all combat ships and add in an extra Q?

The CSN will not be using fighters but will be using gunboats so I'm curious if you have any views on the best way to do it.  I'm considering what ship to use for armed Pn at the moment...trying to sort out what the best size is for the transport ships and whether to make them FT hulls or not.  Having them be commercial engine ships isn't as bad as it would be for a fighter carrier.

The eaters are apparently playing coy as are the Chosen.  That part of the galaxy looks like it might end up being a major see-saw.

Unfortunately for the Axon leadership in starfire there is no way to hide, and limited ways to run.

The ASR sees gunboats and fighters as units that can be attrited to reduce their losses in larger classes, so they carry gunboats on most ship classes.  Other races have different strategies.  The ASR is not fond of the armed pinnaces, and for the most part they are fielded only by the Brrralk member state on a dedicated CA hull. 

The Eaters have become painfully aware of the implications of the tech differential between them and the ASR. 

Kurt
 

Offline Paul M

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Re: Month 147
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2012, 05:25:58 AM »
Thanks Kurt.  Yeah I was looking at it and a CA hull seems the best bet you can fit 6 Gunboat racks on a smaller sized CA (50 HS) and fill it with BbL for APn.  Do you allow partial squadrons to be carried or does the full squadron have to go on a single vessel?  To get 2 GB as opposed to GBP squadrons though it looks like you need to go to the BC.  The GB squadrons seems to require the DN.

The Shanirian's use telekinetics to move their ships so there is an absolute minimum in crew size as a cutter still takes 3 "engineers" and a focus so fighters aren't an option.  So their only early game option is the APn, I frankly think the AFSC is not worth it...might as well use an ast.

The eaters are showing more tactical smarts then the Bugs in ISW4 ever did!