Y2522The Ordo Xenos on Cerix Magnus II identified fourteen sites for recovery operations. Ordo Machinum formations discovered maintenance supplies, fuel, wealth, minerals and eight installations, including a sector command.
Black Star, the first Tempest III class survey frigate, was launched in mid Y2522. The Tempest III was twenty percent larger than the Tempest II and included several new features. The newly developed engines had thermal reduction technology, lowering their thermal signature by fifty percent. The passive sensor suite was the best of any Imperial design while the active sensor was comparable to that of a Lunar class cruiser. The most significant change was the addition of ten Torpedo Box Launchers. The box launcher was a scaled up version of the Starhawk light torpedo launcher and could launch a full-size standard torpedo. The normal load out would be equally divided between the new MK II Active and Passive Augur torpedoes with a range of over two billion kilometres. The Tempest III was designed to detect hostile forces well before it was detected in return and therefore end the regular loss of survey ships when entered alien-controlled systems.
Tempest III class Survey Frigate 9,000 tons 220 Crew 1,439 BP TCS 180 TH 336 EM 0
3734 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 1-38 Shields 0-0 HTK 55 Sensors 18/55/2/2 DCR 11 PPV 60
Maint Life 6.33 Years MSP 1,149 AFR 56% IFR 0.8% 1YR 49 5YR 740 Max Repair 176.4 MSP
Magazine 60
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months Morale Check Required
Ravenor Drive Systems RM-90B Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 9000 tons Distance 50k km Sqn Size 3
Ravenor RDS-336TE Magneto-Plasma Drive (2) Power 672 Fuel Use 16.57% Signature 168.0 Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres Range 120.7 billion km (374 days at full power)
Torpedo Box Launcher (10) Missile Size: 6 Hangar Reload 122 minutes MF Reload 20 hours
MK II Torpedo Fire Control (1) Range 71.2m km Resolution 100
MK II Active Augur Torpedo (5) Speed: 5,200 km/s End: 4.8d Range: 2,174.5m km WH: 0 Size: 6
MK II Passive Augur Torpedo (5) Speed: 5,200 km/s End: 4.8d Range: 2,166.7m km WH: 0 Size: 6
MK II Light Cruiser Active Augur Array (1) GPS 12600 Range 97.5m km Resolution 100
MK II Very Large Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 55 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 58.6m km
MK I Large Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 18 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 33.5m km
Gravitational Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
Geological Survey Sensors (2) 2 Survey Points Per Hour
A gravitational survey of the recently conquered Necron system of Cerix Magnus revealed two jump points. The survey frigate Tempest investigated. She discovered Jago, a planetless white dwarf, and Cyprian Gate, a red dwarf with nine planets, including a huge super-terrestrial world 27,000 km in diameter and covered with forested mountains. Cyprian Gate III had a surface temperature of 20C, oceans covering two-thirds of the planet and gravity of 1.73G, just within the habitable range. However, the dense nitrogen - oxygen atmosphere of 3 atm contained 0.39 atm of oxygen, which was too high a concentration for humans. Lowing that oxygen content to 0.3 atm would result in an ideal habitable world. Tempest began a geological survey of Cyprian Gate and was headed in-system when she was intercepted by five Necron ships; three laser-armed Scarab class destroyers and two Jackal class escorts. Tempest attempted to run but was soon caught and destroyed.
The survey frigate Morning Star entered the system several days later to join her now-destroyed sister ship and raised the alarm. The Cobra III destroyer Veritas and the Falchion III jump frigate Gladius were dispatched from Sol to investigate and arrived on July 7th. Veritas launched augur torpedoes at the third planet and detected three Scarabs, two Jackals, a Scythe and a Shroud.
At the same time as the events in Cyprian Gate, the Cobra III destroyer Implacable entered the solar system of Gamma Virginis-B and launched augur torpedoes at the second planet, a suspected tomb world. The torpedoes revealed the largest Necron force to be encountered so far. The planet was directly guarded by three Scythe class and three Shroud class orbital defence platforms, plus a Tesseract. The mobile fleet included six 30,000-ton Reaper class ships, four 20,000-ton Monoliths and two 20,000-ton Cartouche class, all of which had unknown capabilities and previously had only been seen in Prometheus, plus six 20,000 ton Phaeron class escort cruisers, three Mephrit class scouts, Dirge, Cairn and Khopesh class destroyers and a Jackal class escort. The fifteen Ankh class fuel harvesters that were previously detected in orbit of the seventh planet were now in orbit of the tomb world, presumably due to the presence of alien ships in the system.
Given the size of the alien fleet, it was very unlikely the Gamma Virginis tomb world could be conquered with the forces available to the Expeditionary Fleet. Therefore, the next target of the Expeditionary Fleet would be the recently discovered tomb world in Cyprian Gate. In the meantime, a base would be established in the Gamma Virginis-A solar system to prepare for a more capable Imperium force in the future. The Necrons had shown no interest in the primary solar system, despite regular Imperium activity, so a base would be relatively safe. The Fleet arrived in Cyprian Gate on August 21st. A Sword class frigate and most of the jump-capable ships from the previous mission had been detached prior to leaving Sol. A Firestorm class frigate and two Cobra class destroyers had been added. The resulting fleet composition was as follows:
Expeditionary FleetLunar III class Cruiser:
Agrippa, Imperial WrathDictator II class Cruiser:
Fortitude, RhadamanthineDominator class Cruiser:
Ultima PraetorDauntless IV class Light Cruiser:
Divine Crusade, Guardian, Hammer of Truth, VigilantVanguard III class Strike Cruiser:
Angelic Blade, Dread ArgentCobra III class Destroyer:
Arbitrator, Omnis Arcanum, Valour Eternal, VeritasFirestorm IV class Frigate:
Harrower, Just Persecution, ThunderFalchion III class Jump Frigate:
KatanaSword III class Frigate:
Final Silence, Mariatus, Order Absolute, Pegasus6x Thunderhawk II class Assault Transport:
32x Starhawk III class Bomber:
6x Aquila class Lander:
The five destroyer-sized Necron ships remained at the planet with the bases as the Expeditionary Fleet closed in, halting at six million kilometres. The Scarabs were known to have six lasers with a range of at least three hundred and ten thousand kilometres and they were 300 km/s faster than the Imperium ships, which meant they could not be killed in energy combat unless they chose to move within maximum Imperium weapon range. Conversely, they would be hard to kill with torpedoes while defended by the Scythe, the Shroud and the two Jackals. Lord-Captain Caliban considered an attack by all thirty-two Starhawks in the hope that a large wave of light torpedoes could survive the defensive fire and kill the Scythe and allow follow-up waves to take out the Shroud and the Jackals. However, the Imperium was producing little more than five hundred light torpedoes a year using sixty percent of ordnance production capacity. Two full salvos from the Starhawk bombers would consume eighteen months of production.
Therefore, he decided the fleet would advance to energy-range. Alone, the Scythe did not have sufficient weight of fire to seriously threaten the Expeditionary Fleet with anti-torpedoes. While the Scarabs were a threat, they would be outgunned if they stayed within energy range and if they retreated, the fleet would destroy the orbital bases and then use a much smaller torpedo attack on the Scarabs and Jackals. The fleet continued to close at 4000 km/s, slowed by the presence of Ultima Praetor. Caliban considered detaching her at the jump point but her defence turret and eight weapon batteries were too useful to leave behind. At 460,000 kilometres, the Scythe opened fire with anti-torpedoes.
All the missiles in the first salvo were shot down by weapon batteries and defence turrets. Due to ten second recycle time of the Scythe’s launchers, the second wave arrived before the weapon batteries could recharge. Fourteen of the forty-nine anti-torpedoes struck the shields of Imperial Wrath. Those ships with particle lances, which had a forty second recharge time, were holding them back so they could be used when they would be most effective. The weapon batteries were ready for the third salvo and all inbounds were destroyed. With the range at 320,000, the fourth salvo arrived, scoring twenty-five hits in Imperial Wrath, and the three Scarabs opened fire, although without inflicting any damage.
Concerned about how many anti-torpedoes were penetrating when only the defence turrets were available, Lord Captain Caliban ordered his four Cobra III class destroyers to fire a salvo of standard torpedoes. During the action in Necromunda, Imperium torpedo attacks had caused a Scythe to divert its anti-torpedoes and relieve pressure on the fleet’s defences. As the torpedoes launched, the weapon batteries shredded the fifth wave. The sixth wave of anti-torpedoes completely ignored the inbound Imperium torpedoes and targeted Imperial Wrath once again. Nineteen anti-torpedoes struck the Lunar III class cruiser, along with three strength-3 hits from the lasers of the Scarabs. The Shroud class base destroyed all twenty Imperium torpedoes with point blank point defence. The Necrons had improved their tactics since the engagement in Necromunda and had presumably calculated the Shroud was sufficient to defend against the torpedoes, allowing the Scythe to target Imperium ships. The void shields of Imperial Wrath were at seventy-two percent.
As with all the odd-numbered waves, when weapon batteries were available, wave seven was entirely destroyed. More Imperium torpedoes were launched and once again ignored by the Scythe which launched a new wave against Imperial Wrath. Twenty-two struck her shields and were accompanied by seven strength-5 hits from the Scarabs, which were now becoming a serious threat. The cruiser’s shields were at forty-three percent. The weapon batteries recharged just after the arrival of the eighth wave and Caliban ordered those ships with particle lances to open fire. The Scythe was skewered by seven strength-12 particle lance strikes and battered by over fifty strength-1 hits from weapon batteries. Moments later it exploded in a spectacular fireball.
Caliban ordered his ships to target the Scarabs, as they were the only ships now within range of the Expeditionary Fleet. The cruiser Agrippa and the strike cruiser Angelic Blade had yet to fire their particle lances. Angelic Blade fired first, hitting with both lances and reducing one of the Scarabs to half speed. As that ship moved toward the Expeditionary Fleet, Agrippa fired her two lances at a second Scarab and both hit. The target suffered a large secondary explosion and its thermal signature dropped to almost nothing. Simultaneously with Agrippa the whole fleet opened fire with weapon batteries, scoring almost one hundred and fifty strength-1 hits across the three Necron destroyers.
The Scarab that had not been hit by particle lances and both Jackals suddenly left orbit and headed directly away from the Expeditionary Fleet. The Scarab fired as it fled and Imperial Wrath suffered four strength-6 hits. Her shields were at thirty-five percent. A second Scarab remained at the planet while the third continued to close on the Imperium ships. Neither of them were firing. Either their weapons were disabled or they were slower than normal in recharging. The fleet could not easily pursue the three fleeing ships as the Shroud would shred anything moving close to the planet with its massed defence turrets, so they were out of range before weapon batteries could recharge. The other two Scarabs were well within range and both were blown to pieces.
The fleet began to move around the planet while staying well out of the assumed range of the Shroud. Caliban ordered every ship to fire on the Shroud with weapon batteries, while those with particle lances opened fire on the surviving Scarab at 204,000 km/s, scoring a single hit. The Shroud exploded under heavy fire, but the Scarab suffered no apparent damage from the particle beam hit and moved out of range, escorted by the two Jackals. Caliban ordered a torpedo attack from the two Lunar III cruisers and the four Cobras, directed at one of the Jackals. Thirty torpedoes were destroyed by point-blank defensive fire and four missed. The other four hit their target, but did not slow it down. Caliban did not want to waste further salvos to score a small number of hits. The Starhawks would be required after all.
Caliban ordered half of the Fleet’s thirty-two Starhawks to launch. Four were directed to target the Jackal that had been struck by standard torpedoes, while the other twelve divided their fire between the Scarab and the undamaged Jackal. As the Starhawks began syncing their fire controls for launch, Imperial Wrath was struck by two strength-2 hits from the Scarab, which was maintaining a distance of 235,000 kilometres, within its own weapon range but outside that of the Imperium ships. It was a frightening thought for Caliban that if his fleet did not have torpedo-armed combatants, that single, damaged Scarab would destroy his entire force.
The Starhawks launched a wave of one hundred and ninety-two MK III Light Torpedoes, which streaked toward the three Necron ships at 48,000 km/s. Twenty-one were shot down by point-blank fire. One hundred and forty struck their targets. The Scarab and the previously undamaged Jackal both blew up. Somehow the Jackal that had survived four standard torpedo also survived twenty-four light torpedoes, but was left dead in space. Seeing an opportunity, Caliban ordered the cruiser Agrippa to close within twenty thousand kilometres to determine the firepower left to the crippled escort. Three Thunderhawks followed the cruiser, ready to overtake and initiate a boarding action if the risk was low.
Agrippa moved to 20,000 kilometres and suffered eight strength-1 hits to her void shields from the Jackal’s defence turrets. The Thunderhawks were lightly armoured, but Caliban decided the risk was acceptable. They were ordered to attempt a boarding and then move out of range as quickly as possible. Agrippa moved to point blank range to try to draw fire. The Jackal fired on the cruiser, allowing the Thunderhawks to drop their space marines and run for home. As soon as the marines were on the hull and entering the alien ship through gaps in the armour, Agrippa began moving out of range. She took six more hits on her egress, but her shields were still at ninety percent. The space marines captured the Jackal within three minutes without suffering any losses.
The Jackal was a capable escort with three defence turrets and a single commercial defence turret. The beam fire controls were a generation ahead of current Imperium designs. Apart from the short maintenance life, it would easily fit within Imperium combat doctrine. Both engines were disabled due to damage and two of the three defence turrets had been knocked out, plus several other systems were inoperative and armour damage was significant. The Jackal would require repairs before it could function as part of an Imperium fleet.
Jackal class Destroyer Escort 9,900 tons 224 Crew 1,787.1 BP TCS 198 TH 1,120 EM 0
5657 km/s Armour 5-41 Shields 0-0 HTK 48 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 3 PPV 52.2
Maint Life 0.81 Years MSP 338 AFR 261% IFR 3.6% 1YR 419 5YR 6,288 Max Repair 280 MSP
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Magneto-plasma Drive EP560 (2) Power 1120 Fuel Use 37.42% Signature 560 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 650,000 Litres Range 31.6 billion km (64 days at full power)
Twin Gauss Cannon R400-100 Turret (3x8) Range 40,000km TS: 20000 km/s RM 40,000 km ROF 5
CIWS-200 (1x8) Range 1000 km TS: 20,000 km/s ROF 5
Beam Fire Control R80-TS20000 (2) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 20,000 km/s
Stellarator Fusion Reactor R0 (3) Total Power Output 0.6 Exp 5%
Active Search Sensor AS25-R1 (1) GPS 189 Range 25.7m km MCR 2.8m km Resolution 1
ECM 10
The Thunderhawks returned to the Jackal to pick-up the space marines, then headed for Cyprian Gate III where a small Necron outpost had been detected. There was no sign of Necron ground forces. The marines quickly secured the outpost which had the same installations as the Necron outpost in the adjacent system of Cerix Magnus; a refuelling station, an ordnance transfer station and two deep space tracking stations. An orbital survey of the planet revealed the expected alien ruins, plus six mineral deposits, including ninety million tons of accessibility 0.7 Gallicite. Unfortunately, there was no Duranium and most of the other deposits were at minimal accessibility but there was a low chance that a ground survey would locate additional deposits. To the surprise of the ground forces, the ruins on the surface were from the same alien race as those in Cerix Magnus, known as the Empire of Berea. As the language and symbology was already known, they quickly identified fifty-four sites for recovery of installations and other artifacts.
Cyprian Gate III Survey Report (Low)Tritanium: 36,905,625 0.20
Mercassium: 105,267,600 0.30
Vendarite: 63,441,224 1.00
Uridium: 22,325,625 0.10
Corundium: 178,623,225 0.10
Gallicite: 91,872,224 0.70
Four new Imperium colonies were founded in Y2522, the highest number for many years. The recent conquered Necron tomb worlds of Cerix Magnus II and Cyprian Gate III had populations of two million and half a million by the end of the year. One million settlers landed on Gamma Virginis II as part of a long-term plan to establish a base to support operations against the huge Necron fleet in the companion solar system. The fourth colony was on Taros II, a super-terrestrial world that was barely within the human habitable range. Terraforming had recently increased the oxygen in the atmosphere to a breathable level and was working on adding water vapour. The planet was 28,000 km in diameter, resulting in a gravity of 1.78G that would be tough on the colonists. Due to the temperature of 31C, the terrain was mostly desert, apart from small seas covering sixteen percent of the surface. Colony cost was 0.4. Eight mineral deposits were present but all at minimal accessibility. Taros was a waystation on the route to Gamma Virginis, two jumps from the latter system and five from Sol. At the other end of the scale, Centaurus Colony passed one hundred million in population.
New construction in Y2522 included the first pair of Tempest III survey frigates, Black Star and Acta Sanctorum, eight Starhawk III bombers, four Solomon class orbital mining platforms, four Ambrosia class fuel harvesting platforms, two Gaia class terraforming platforms and the first Nebula class support ship. The Nebula was a cut down version of the Galaxy class without the refuelling and re-arming capabilities, but with upgraded engines. It was designed to provide maintenance support in remote locations and its first mission was to the growing outpost in Gamma Virginis.
Nebula class Support Vessel 229,665 tons 1,867 Crew 7,513.5 BP TCS 4,593 TH 9,216 EM 0
2006 km/s Armour 1-334 Shields 0-0 HTK 424 Sensors 6/11/0/0 DCR 1 PPV 0
MSP 10,020 Max Repair 200 MSP
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months
Maintenance Modules: 25 module(s) capable of supporting ships of 50,000 tons
Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (32) Power 9216 Fuel Use 1.41% Signature 288 Explosion 3%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres Range 83.4 billion km (481 days at full power)
MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1) GPS 1920 Range 31.5m km Resolution 120
MK II Electromagnetic Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1) Sensitivity 6 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 19.4m km
Terra was down to a single mining complex by the end of Y2522. The Imperium’s mining complexes and orbital mining platforms had been distributed to eleven different sites, the most important of which included Taranis, two colonies each in Gryphonne and Scarus plus Centaurus Colony. Scarus IV had recently been renamed as Scarus Primus, while the mining operation on the 5th moon of Scarus VIII was named as Scarus Secundus. Mordian was a growing mining colony and would become more important in the future. The twenty-two Solomon class mining platforms, each of which had twenty-five orbital mining modules, were mainly in orbit of a comet in the Sanctum system, adjacent to Scarus, although a couple had recently been towed to comet Whipple in the Sol system.
Mine Locations Y2522 (OMM = Orbital Mining Module, AM = Automated Mine)Sanctum Comet #2: 500 OMM
Fortress Taranis: 261
Gryphonne Secundus: 260
Scarus Secundus: 212, including 169 AM
Centaurus Colony: 200
Scarus Colony: 98
Gryphonne Prime: 55
Mars: 55
Mordian-B II: 55
Aurelia I: 50
Sol Comet Wild: 50 OMM
Athena Colony: 30
Endymion Base: 25
The distribution of mines around the Imperium had significantly eased the Gallicite Crisis, which allowed the rate of refits to increase. Refits completed in Y2522 included the Overlord III battlecruiser Sword of Retribution, the Lunar III cruiser Justicar, the Dictator II cruiser Archon Kort, the Dauntless IV light cruisers Havock and Luxor, the strike cruiser Eternal Defiance, the Firestorm IV frigates Kraken, Thunder and Reaver’s Dismay, the Sword III frigate Drusus, the Cobra III destroyers Callidus and Zealous, the Falchion III jump frigate Flamberge and the first Cerix Magnus orbital defence platform Victoria Magna.
The Cerix Magnus class was an Imperium refit of the Necron Tesseract orbital weapon platform. The Cerix refit removed the Necron torpedo launchers and commercial defence turret and reduced armour thickness by twenty-five percent. The huge magazine, the ECM system and all the electronics were left in place. The latest Void Shield generator, sixteen standard torpedo launchers and a pair of DV-2 defence turrets were added and the engineering deck was increased in size to improve maintenance life. A refit of the second captured Tesseract was underway.
Cerix Magnus class Orbital Weapon Platform 19,955 tons 554 Crew 2,805 BP TCS 399 EM 2,130
1 km/s Armour 4-65 Shields 71-426 HTK 105 Sensors 11/22/0/0 DCR 13 PPV 128.64
Maint Life 1.04 Years MSP 1,142 AFR 245% IFR 3.4% 1YR 1,057 5YR 15,860 Max Repair 879.7 MSP
Magazine 3,169
Commander Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months Morale Check Required
Valentinian-Stern VS-71 Void Shield (1) Recharge Time 426 seconds (0.2 per second)
DV-2 Defence Turret (2x6) Range 0km TS: 16000 km/s RM 30,000 km ROF 5
MK II Torpedo Launcher (16) Missile Size: 6 Rate of Fire 20
Missile Fire Control FC116-R111 (2) Range 116.6m km Resolution 111
Active Search Sensor AS123-R111 (1) GPS 20979 Range 123.6m km Resolution 111
Thermal Sensor TH1-11 (1) Sensitivity 11 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 26.2m km
EM Sensor EM2-22 (1) Sensitivity 22 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 37.1m km
The increased rate of refits meant that by the end of Y2522, every warship in several key classes had been refitted, including both Overlord class battlecruisers, the three Dictator class cruisers, all eight Cobra class destroyers, all eleven Firestorm frigates and all eleven Sword class frigates. The last of the older model Lunar class cruisers and Dauntless class light cruisers were in the shipyards of Terra undergoing their own refits. With entire classes finally refitted, the first new warships in many years were being laid down.