Author Topic: The Northern Coalition (AAR)  (Read 68837 times)

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Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #210 on: October 07, 2013, 04:16:08 AM »
Well, at least your destroyer can match the wolver. So your next generation ships will definitely work against them.

Uhmmmm...4 destroyers, and 8 heavy frigates were able to stop the fire a single wolver ship.  That cost them every Falcon in the heavy frigates (312) plus some from the destroyers.  But your optimism is appreciated.

But yes based on solid intel, paid for with 6 ships, the next generation of NCN ships will be considerably more effective.  Except against the magic missiles...50 000 km/s is not something that their current level of tech can deal with. 

Operation Humpty Dumpty is over with.  Just to write it up. 
 

Offline Destra

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #211 on: October 07, 2013, 11:23:36 AM »
Just wanted to say, long time lerker first time poster here for ya, but I check in on the forums each day just to see if this is updated so thank you!

Also the NCN does know its ships can defend against the wolver anti ship missiles, its just their short range ones that are a problem now. So at least the sacrifice of those crews wasn't in vain. I do feel sorry for the navy though, its not their fault they don't have the tech needed to properly defend themselves and the political backlash from so many deaths that I'm sure will be seen as unnessisary .... Maybe they can use this to push through a rush on defensive equipment?
 

Offline Mel Vixen

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #212 on: October 07, 2013, 01:01:34 PM »
A short range rail or gaus guns could be helpful. Go with the small ones and try area PD max tracking range 300k (1/4 size?) and maxed tracking speed (4x) size. The multiple shots increase the chance to hit a missile and iirc get more missiles killed if they come in the same salvo. The gaus gubns can be installed in the turrets you use for the lasers too.

CIWS for your ships could also be an options.

Maybe you can build something for less then 1k tons. This would mean you can get a few more slipways quickly to churn out a squadron ... still wolvers arent the only things to worry about. 
"Share and enjoy, journey to life with a plastic boy, or girl by your side, let your pal be your guide.  And when it brakes down or starts to annoy or grinds as it moves and gives you no joy cause its has eaten your hat and or had . . . "

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Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #213 on: October 07, 2013, 04:32:30 PM »
Just wanted to say, long time lerker first time poster here for ya, but I check in on the forums each day just to see if this is updated so thank you!

Also the NCN does know its ships can defend against the wolver anti ship missiles, its just their short range ones that are a problem now. So at least the sacrifice of those crews wasn't in vain. I do feel sorry for the navy though, its not their fault they don't have the tech needed to properly defend themselves and the political backlash from so many deaths that I'm sure will be seen as unnessisary .... Maybe they can use this to push through a rush on defensive equipment?

Yeah well there is a considerable amount of political fall out, I'm trying to sort out myself how that will go.  The problem is that the NCN sees the mission as sucessful but costly.  The NCC sees it as expensive in the resources it cost but are willing to accept the Navy's word that it was worthwhile.  The politicians are seeing what is hard to not call a failure given 50% of TG2 was destroyed and a wolver showed up in Sol.  The common person on the street got the scare of their lives and there will be a call for "things to be done" by the colonists off earth, which will mess with what the Navy or for that matter the NCC wants done.  Plus the opposition is trying to figure out how to spin this in their favor or at least against the government...but the fact is they knew about it...mind you there are a lot of politicians that are happy Peter Morgenrot died (he was not at all liked in certain circles).  All in all how this sorts itself out is hard to judge right now.

Their tech development at the moment is actually at the worst it will ever be...so in that sense it is not good but the key thing is it will get better.  The next research complex will be devoted to defensive tech and they will start with better armour, then faster recharging/stronger shields and then 50% masking for their engines.

And thank you for posting.  It doesn't hurt my motivation...that battle was just brutal to fight though I have to say...it was rollercoaster ride emotionally.
 

Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #214 on: October 07, 2013, 04:42:52 PM »
A short range rail or gaus guns could be helpful. Go with the small ones and try area PD max tracking range 300k (1/4 size?) and maxed tracking speed (4x) size. The multiple shots increase the chance to hit a missile and iirc get more missiles killed if they come in the same salvo. The gaus gubns can be installed in the turrets you use for the lasers too.

CIWS for your ships could also be an options.

Maybe you can build something for less then 1k tons. This would mean you can get a few more slipways quickly to churn out a squadron ... still wolvers arent the only things to worry about. 

Unfortunately that is a lot of tech development that I don't have; for the moment the NCN has not enough research capacity to "branch out" so lasers and missiles are it for the forseeable future.  The NCN is more or less likely to develop the particle beam as a long range weapon...they feel the need for a longer ranged non-missile weapon.  Based on the results they actually were considering revisting their armed pinnace project though.

Build stuff for less than 1K tonnes?  Ships you mean?    I could as I have a 6 slip 4500 tonne capacity yard and the Navy wants a 2-3 slip 3000 tonne yard for their smaller ship needs (survey ships etc).  What mission would you propose for this ship?
 

Offline Mel Vixen

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #215 on: October 07, 2013, 05:19:48 PM »
In my current game my "Cacle II" ships are purely Anti-Spoiler and work similiar to the wolver "magic missile ship". 3 size 1 launchers and very short range targeting with 30 missiles in store. 700tons so far but i am a bit further into the game ... thought the first edition was around 950 tons.

I use an 1000ton shipyard with 7 Slipways now, churning out a few now and then. Also a bigger "carrier" later to fit 10 of them is planned. Another slipway is build surprisingly quick.



What i would propose are small 1000 ton ships with boxlaunchers. Lots of them. These then can saturate the clouds of inbound magic missiles. You would have to reload them somehow but they give you a better chance to survive. You could go with a 3000ton version as well. 

It would be hard on your missile economy thought ... i dont know if that would be a viable idea thought. Never got to try that. You could build a 3000 ton Particle frigate too.
"Share and enjoy, journey to life with a plastic boy, or girl by your side, let your pal be your guide.  And when it brakes down or starts to annoy or grinds as it moves and gives you no joy cause its has eaten your hat and or had . . . "

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Offline TheDeadlyShoe

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #216 on: October 08, 2013, 02:05:27 AM »
I don't think he has box launchers.
 

Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #217 on: October 08, 2013, 02:58:08 AM »
I don't have box launchers.  However a laser armed pinnace would have been viable in the fight with the Taiho.  Also how would your 1000 tonne vessel survive the magic missile fire?  They targeted 200 tonne pinnances so a 1000 tonne ship would just evaporate.  The problem is counter missiles didn't intercept since the missiles were launched and the wolver missiles struck then the launched missiles self destructed.  I'd have to detect the missiles at say 350 000 km and have them be at say 100 000 km out at the end of the next movement phase for any sort of counter missile to have a chance to work.  And that could only happen with EW pinnaces deployed forward but then they would just be destroyed.

At my level of technology they are "death rays" not missiles.  If I am missing something somewhere please let me know but I honestly can't see a way to deal with them.  Point Defence is irrelevant to a target moving that fast given my base tracking speed is still 1250 km/s.  It will soon be 2000 km/s but that is still a factor 25 too slow.
 

Offline chrislocke2000

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #218 on: October 08, 2013, 07:30:58 AM »
Against those missiles I think your only bet if for heavier armour and shields on the forward deployed ships in your task group. As you say, you are never going to stop them so instead you need to weather them. Be worth running some numbers to see if shields rather than armour is a better protection given the risk of armour being breached before it is fully depleted.

If it's any help you are certainly not the first and won't be the last to loose a pile of ships to those horrors. That's why there has been so much debate around the effectiveness of small missiles v large. I lost 60 fighters to a barrage from one of those things in my current campaign - in fact the wrecks are still floating around the now colonised planet.

Just on the lasers have you looked at four time tracking speed mounts with 1x range? With your tech that could get you to 8000kms tracking which substantially narrows the gap although still leaves most of the missiles leaking. Not sure what your turrect gear tech is at though?
 

Offline MWadwell

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #219 on: October 08, 2013, 05:58:01 PM »
September 25 0341 Sol Near Jump Point to Wolf 359  Bridge Bloodhound

"Hostile Transit detected!"  The threat plot blossemed with an icon for the Wolver ship.  Tracking suggested Taiho 2 as an identifier.  Even though the ship arrived only some 20 k km from the jump point not a mine activated.  "smeg!"

And what happened next???
Later,
Matt
 

Offline Destra

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #220 on: October 08, 2013, 06:15:20 PM »
Its called a cliff hanger, something very evil people employ to keep your attention (not that he needs to, we visit often to see if there's a new post :p)
 

Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #221 on: October 09, 2013, 08:55:38 AM »
AD 2286 September 25 to October 3 Operation "HUMPTY DUMPTY" (as the Naval Review unofficially records the battle) or Battle of Sol-Wolf 359 Jump Point 2286 (as it is more officially known) or The Taiho 2 Incursion (as the historians often refer to it)

September 25 0341 Sol Watchpoint 1 (Near Jump Point Wolf 359) Bloodhound Bridge

"Action Stations! All crew to action stations!"
"Guns!  Target is Wolver ship!"
"Captain!  Hostile transit detected!"
JOW Ensign Matt Payne was hoping the Captain Vaughan got here soon before he made a mess of things.  The returning ships from 4th Squadron Support Group had jumped in not long ago and he had woken Captain Vaughan then.  The ship was still in spin mode with the hab ring at full rotations.  They were currently some 1.5 million km from the jump point.  Six hours or so insystem were the heavy frigates of 5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups, trailing them by a few hours were the ships of their Support groups.  An hour or so behind them were the pair of ships of Interstellar Survey IV.  4th Squadron Support group was making its way towards the 2nd Squadron Battlegroup to pick up with the Wizard currently waiting nearby.
"Engineering, power the shield."  That was standing orders on hostile contacts.
What else...?
"Captain on the Deck!"
"I have the conn Mr. Payne."
"Aye aye sir.  You have the conn."
"Guns, squadron fire.  Beagle and Bloodhound to engage all missiles."  The target was boosting fast essentially directly away from the human ships and had slid between two mine groups that had refused to engage for some reason.  At this range its ECM reduced the Grumman CM guidance system to hash so only the Telus ASM fire control had lock.
The Terrier shuddered like the dog it had been named for as the mass driver launched the missile free of the ship.  "Captain.  Communications from Enchanter.  Commander Barker says to check fire, the alien has point defence."
Two Arrow missiles from 2nd Squadron and 6 Falcon missiles launched from the Hippogriff, which had only recently been firing on the Taiho in Wolf 359, raced after the Taiho 2.  The missiles were roughly half again as fast as the Wolver ship.
Captain Vaughan decided to trust that Commander Barker knew what she was talking about, "Guns hold fire."  "Communications send to Beagle:  Hold fire."  "Communications send to Cheshire:  take up station on the jump point."  "Helm take us to waypoint 7."  Waypoint 7 was located 100 000 km from the jump point at 210° and was used as a location for the Comm/Sensor Buoy that was monitoring the jump point.

The missiles chase the fleeing Wolver ship and then close in.  One group of Falcon missiles is destroyed and a single Falcon impacts on the Wolver ship for no obvious effect.   Ten minutes later the Arrows close in on the Wolver and one is knocked out by the point defence system while the other one detonates and again the Wolver ship sails out of the plasma ball with only spectroscopic tell tails of an armour strike.  Five minutes later the Escort Cheshire and the 4th Squadron Support group are near the jump point and 10 minutes later the Wizard rejoins the 4th Squadron Support group.  The Wolver ship is moving away from the jump point at 8.4K km/s at a bearing of some 284°.   Then it stops.  Hanging motionless in space 55.4 million km from the jump point.  That detail confirmed the suspicion that Wolver electronics was twice as capable as the NCNs as it was exactly twice what the threat analysis system predicted for the Wolver long range sensor.

On Earth the fecal matter had struck the whirling air circulation device and nuclear explosions not to mention the tremendous IR signature of the Wolver ship are impossible to hide.  Commadore Frasier woken up once news of the incursion reaches Earth has to deal with his favorite groups of people without the support of his PR staff.  The assignment computer had transfered the last officer out and not replaced her. 
"Prime Minister, that is munitionless ship.  And unless the damn alien bastards have some sort of nano-fabrication factory that can convert hydrogen atoms into something else they aren't going to re-munition where they are.  Earth is safe, and so far as I can tell it is content to sit there, as it has been there for an hour now.  5th and 6th Squadrons are on their way to the colliers and by then we will have a plan." 
"Plan?  We are working on it Prime Minister, but Earth is safe.  And given we are the biggest EM signature in the system I'm sure the ship will come here first.  The forts will nail his ass to the wall if it does."  In fact the best plan the NCN could come up with was luring the ship into range of the 180 Arrow missiles and 60 odd launchers for them that were present on Earth, but Commadore Frasier didn't think he would get approval for that.  That meant finding a way to engage a ship that was 4 times faster than his ships.

The Prime Minister went on the Net with an anouncement and the results were the riots, panic, stock market downturns and other such manifestions of fear and horror any sensible person would expect.  The fact that the Navy wasn't concerned didn't matter the first day at all.  Riot police and the Army were called in, NCN Shore Patrol had to help defend naval ground installations.  Cults formed, dire predictions of doomsday were made by various talking heads.  Knives were sharpened as the finger was pointed everywhere.  The NCN intel spooks grabbed Diana Nimm and whisked her away from her retirement to a lovely and very lonely fishing cabin near Sylvan Lake.

Of a greater concern to the NCN was why in hells name had the mines not triggered?  They also had the sad duty of informing the families of the lost crewmen including those that had been lost in previous actions since it was clear now what had happened to the lifepods.  At least worries of mistreatment or experimentation could be put to rest bringing in many cases a sense of closure.

5th Squadron Battlegroup rendevoused with the last Edinbourgh to have munitions and took them on board and then with the 6th Squadron made their way to the jump point where 4th Squadron Support group waited with more missiles.  After filling the magazines of the Wounded Knee class frigates there was even 2 spare Arrows to replace the ones fired on the Wolver ship.  Falcon missiles were divided up as best as possible but most ships were sadly deficient in them.  By 22:50 the ships were as ready as they could be while the 2 support groups of 5th and 6th Squadrons made for Earth and its munition bunkers.  Through all this the Taiho 2 hangs motionless in space 55 million km from the jump point.

September 25 2300 Sol Jumppoint to Wolf 359  Vimy Ridge Bridge

Captain Ewan Ahmed, CO of 6th Squadron and Acting Task Group 2 CO, stared at the threat plot.  The Taiho 2 had sat there for hours unmoving.  His force plus the 2nd Squadron Battlegroup had missiles with a range of 12 million km but no way to close the distance to the ship since it was four times faster than they were.  Commadore Frasier had made it clear in his mission brief he wanted this dealt with now.  The Wolver ship was on Earth's Deep Space Array plus that of the nearby comet Van Biesbroek which had a Civvie Mining Complex present.  The Plan, such as it was, would be for 5th and 6th Squadrons to move around in an arc till they were behind the Wolver ship and see if it might be "forced" into action.  It wasn't exactly without holes that destroyer sized objects could float through but it was at least: a plan.
"Communications:  Send to 5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups.  Engage drives in 30 seconds."
Almost immediately the plan fell apart.
"Tracking.  Target is parelling our course sir.  Velocity matches ours."  Ah duh.  The long range sensor would pick up a 3800 tonne vessel his ship was 4500 tonnes.  "Helm maintain course."  Maybe it would get bored.

September 26 0645 Sol Approaching Waypoint A  Vimy Ridge Bridge

Clearly this was not working, absolutely not working.  The Taiho was 55 million km distant and had matched each course change he had ordered.  Captain Ahmed drummed his fingers on the chair arm.  This was the same as before only it was 55 million km distant and not 150 000 from the destroyers.  Destroyers... he blinks then smiles.  "Communications, contact Captain Vaughan, with his complements I'd like to borrow his pinnace."  The Taiho had trailed the pinnace back to 4th Squadron Support Group.

September 26 0650 Sol Neart Jump Point to Wolf 359 Watchman Readyroom

Ensign Terry (Teressa) Prey, pilot of the Voyeur pinnace, stared at the screen. 'Did she understand...well yes...only an idiot could fail to understand those sorts of orders.'  "Aye aye sir." 
"God speed Ensign.  Vimy Ridge out." 
She blinked.  "What kind of drugs is he doing?"  She asks her crew chief.   "I've heard of crazy ideas before but..." words failed her. 
"He just knows you are so sexy even Wolvers won't be able to resist." 
She rolls her eyes, outside of being shorter then a man survival suits much like armour weren't exactly provocative attire.  "Yeah...sure...I'll just go out and shake my ass at the stupid aliens."  Given the name of the pinnace sexual jokes over anything that could be sexualized (and what can't?) were part of the working atmosphere regardless of how many regulations they broke. 
"Well he does have the brass...so lets not keep him waiting chief." 
"Aye aye Ma'am." 
"Voyeur crew:  we launch in 5 minutes."

====

"I'll be damned!"  Ensign Prey stared at the tracking report projected onto the "viewing screen" of the pinnace.  The Alien was moving towards them at 8.4K km/s.  "Maybe there is a reason he is a captain after all."  Right about then the story's she had heard about the Jintsu ramming crossed her mind and she felt a chill go down her back.  What was more horrifying was how fast that ship moved...it seemed so far away and then it was a lot closer.

====

"Ensign Prey, Communications  Vimy Ridge.  Captain Ahmed says to reverse course but to cut our speed down to allow him to arrive back at the jump point first.  Course and speed details follow." 
"Voyeur acknowledges receipt of data pack course change in 20 seconds."  The alien was still distant but closing rapidly.  Twenty seconds later she drops the Voyeurs velocity and sets course for the new location close to one of the mine fields.  5th and 6th Squadrons will beat her back to the jump point by some 54 minutes.

====

The spooky thing was still following the Voyeur, it was giving Terry the creepiest feeling up her back.  "Range?" 
"160 000 km"  The same as last time you asked hung unsaid. 
Captain Ahmed had refined her course and she was to lead it through the center of the mine field and over the waiting laser armed ships.

September 26 1423 Waypoint 7 (100 000 Km from Sol-Wolf 359 Jumppoint) Bridge Vimy Ridge

For a space battle this was "waiting till you can see the whites of their eyes"  the Wolver ship was trailing the Voyeur matching the course and speed of the small pinnace for no reason Ewan could fathom.  The Human ships were clearly visible to it but it kept coming. 
"Communications send to all ship:  hold fire."  If this worked the mines would soften up the target.  It was deep in his missile envelope and the urge to open fire was overwhelming but he waited letting the Wolver ship move closer and closer to see if it would trigger the mines at 75 000 km.

"Tracking!  Target has reversed course and is boosting to full velocity."
"Damn!"  The Wolver had spooked at 100 000 km from the mine field. 
"Communications send to all ships:  Open fire."  It took precious 10s of seconds before the Task Group started launching Arrows and Falcons after the fleeing Wolver.  By this time the range was already over 450 000 km.  The NCN ships were staggered in a line angled at 45° 2nd Squadron BG slightly closer to the Wolver than the 5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups. 

At 14:26:41 the first group of 9 Falcon's and 2 Arrows intercepts the Wolver.  No hits.  Taiho 2 is already at over 1.1 m km from the NCN ships.
At 14:27:06 the second group with 24 Falcons and 8 Arrows intercepts the Wolver.  7 Falcons detonate in close proximity to the Wolver ship with no apparent effect.
At 14:28:11 9 Falcon missiles self destruct as they are out of fuel.
At 14:28:41 24 Falcon missiles self destruct as they are out of fuel.  The Wolver ship is already more than 2 million km from the jump point.
At 14:33:51 2 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  No hits.
At 14:34:01 8 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  3 Arrow missiles detonate but the Taiho 2 emerges from the plasma cloud with only armour damage. The range is now 3.9 m km.
At 14:36:56 10 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  2 Arrow missiles detonate at close range with again no change in the Wolvers trajectory.
At 14:38:06 10 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  2 Arrow missile scrub more amour off the Wolver ship but otherwise have no effect.
At 14:39:16 8 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  2 Arrow missiles deal yet more armour damage to the Wolver ship.  5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups are out of Arrow missiles.
At 14:40:56 2 Arrow missiles intercept the Wolver.  No hits.  2nd Squadron Battlegroup is out of Arrow missiles.

Well that had sort of worked...only now he was out of Arrows.  Captain Ahmed orders the Cheshire to take up a position in space some 300 000 km from the jumppoint.

====

"Aye aye sir."  Terry shakes her head.  'He was certifiable.  Nothing could be so stupid as to fall for the same trick.' 
"Listen up people...next brilliant plan.  Our irresitably sexy selves will pick up the Wolver again and this time we stop well short of the mine field but 160 000 km ahead of the Cheshire."  Dead silence greated this announcement. 
"The ship should then be in range of the Cheshire's lasers.  Apparently while following a pinnance before it ignored incoming fire."  While talking she had brought the Voyeur around and waited for the Escort Cheshire to reach the ambush spot.

"CRAP ON TOAST!"  Terry could not help but blurt.  The damn alien ship had reversed course and was homing in on her again like a sailor at a free bar.  She brought the pinnace around again and started back to see if she could drag the Wolver ship to a spot 10 000 km infront of the waiting Cheshire's laser barbettes.

"Aye aye Sir."  She cut the connection before the brass came up with more brilliant plans and as ordered eased back on the throttle slowing the pinnances approach. 
"Ma'am if this works we will never hear the end of the jokes." 
"Don't remind me...I'm never going to be able to wear a little black dress ever again in my life."

Voyeur closed on an invisible location in space 160 000 km ahead of the Cheshire at 500 km/s.  Captain Ahmed's force was located along a 45° line from 2nd Squadron BG at Waypoint 6, through 4th Squadron Support Group on the WP and to 5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups at Waypoint 7.  "Communications sent to all ships:  Commence bombardment."  At 14:58:36 with the target at 760K, 787K and 825K km from the groups the computers on all ships have agreed to fire and the Falcon missiles errupt from the 10 ships.

It becomes obvious that the ships positions is less than ideal as the missile strike almost but not quite in a single merged salvo.  Captain Ahmed orders the 5th and 6th Squadron Battlegroups to change to Waypoint 2 and by 15:01 the ships are located in the middle of one minefield, he can only hope the mines don't mis-identify his ships.  Salvo after salvo is launched at the apparently oblivous Wolver ship.  At 15:02:31 the last salvo of 6 Falcon's (launched by the Hippogriff) intercept the Wolver ship, 3 are destroyed by point defence fire and 1 missile closes to attack position to detonate.  In total 36 Falcon's hit the Taiho 2.  Not long after that at 160 000 km from the Cheshire the Taiho 2 spooks and reverses course to head back towards the spot in space it favours to monitor the jumppoint.

It is apparent that a "fast solution" to the problem isn't in the offing.

====

On the 28th Captain Ewan Ahmed is promoted to Commadore and officially takes command of Task Group 2, First Fleet NCN.  The media circus on Earth is in full swing, but after several days without the universe ending, life for most of the planet has returned to a semblance of normality.  In certain circles the loss of Commadore Morgenrot is toasted.  The Opposition is officially supportive of the Navy efforts but the more radical elements are stiring the pot as much as they can.  Oddly enough the outer colonies are far more stable then the Home planet, their initial reaction had been nearly as extreme but it had died off nearly overnight once it became clear that no Wolver fleet had appeared and the single ship was staying near the jump point.

1st Squadron Battlegroup is boosting for the jump point while the 5th and 6th Squadron Support groups race for Earth, swinging by to collect nearly every available Falcon counter missile and full combat load of Arrows then heading back for the jump point.

October 03 0400  Sol Near Jump point Sol-Wolf 359

Ensign Prey sighed, they were doing it again.  The Voyeur was out to "hook" the Wolver.   This time the pre-flight breifing had identified a centralized location she was to head towards once it was obvious she had attracted the Wolvers attention.  It was equidistant from all three ship groups.  The 1st and 2nd Squadron Battlegroups were on Waypoint 6, the 4th, 5th and 6th Squadron Support Groups, plus escorts Cheshire and Dorset were on the jump point, and the 5th and 6th Squardon Battlegroup was again in the midst of the mines at waypoint 2.  She still could not blieve anything intellegent enough to build a starship could fall for the same lousy trick 3 times but her faith in the overwelming level of universal stupidity was affirmed when the Wolver set off to intercept her approaching pinnace with its usual terrifyingly high rate of closure.

Commadore Ahmed watched the slowly approaching Wolver ship and shook his head.  The fact there could not be a crew on the ship was confirmed, only an automated system and one as has been suggested bordering on senile could fall for the same stupid trick three times in a row.  The age of the ship was apparent, high resolution photos of the ship clearly showed micrometeor scoring that made its hull look like it was diseased.  What the purpose of the spikes and bumps and protrusions on its hull were, no one knew exactly but there was no way it was not centuries old.  Old enough even for an AI to develop quirks, either that or as was also suggested it felt the pinnace was some sort of child-ship that needed looking after.  Whatever the reason for its behaviour though, frankly, Ewan didn't care.  It was approaching the human ships at 50 km/s the same velocity as the Voyeur.  It was time to end this.  "Communications send to all ships.  Target is close enough.  All ships commence sycronized bombardment, all weapons."

At 05:34:06 the computer handshaking had reached an agreement.  Arrow and Falcon missiles launched from the Battlegroups, Falcon and Hawk IIBs launched from the Support Groups.  The three seperate groups of missiles converged together melding into a cresendo of nuclear death 583 K km later when they intercepted the oncoming Taiho 2.  And again there was no reaction.  Missile after missile detonates near the Wolver vessel ablating its armour but the ship stays on a steady course oblivious to the efforts of the NCN.  Hippogriff exhausts her magazines first. 

At 05:37:26 the situation changed.  8 Arrows and 24 Falcon missile intercept the oncoming Wolver.  7 Falcons strike home.
"Tracking!  Target has reversed course and is boosting!"
"Sensors! Thermal signature changed from 1500 to 1200."  The Wolvers velocity only climbes to 6.7K km/s.
"Spectroscopy!  We have multiple lines, probable armour breach!" 
"Communications send to all 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th Squadrons:  All ships pursue." 
"Communications send to Cheshire and Dorset:  you are released for pursuit." 
The human ships moved from their positions to keep the target in range for as long as possible as the two escorts went to full power. 
"You felt that did you?"  Captain Ahmed hammers his arm rest, the Wolver had lost an engine.  Of course to put that in prespective that engine had a power output equal to all the engines that propelled a Tribal class destroyer.  The range was 560K Km.

At 05:37:26 12 Hawk IIBs launched by the four Flower Class Jump Tenders intercepted the oncoming Wolver.  A single missile detonates near the ship and it emerges from the resulting nuclear fireball.
"Sensors!  We lost the signal from the high resolution sensor system." 

On board the Voyeur, Ensign Prey looked at her tiny plot and whistled.  The Escorts were at full boost and they were the fastest ships in the NCN at over 2600 km/s.  The Wolver was still doing 6.7K but there was a huge cloud of oncoming missiles, each one faster than it.  Then she blinked and in a few deft moves of the control stick the Voyeur flipped ass over teakettle and she slammed the throttle forward she wasn't going to miss this part.

"Communications!  Request form Enchanter 'Permission to Pursue'"
"Communications send to Enchanter:  Permission Granted."  The 4th Squadron Support group boosts leaving behind the 5th and 6th Squadron support groups.

At 05:38:11 a cloud of Falcon missiles intercepts the fleeing Taiho, 10 missiles detonate close enough to damage it.
"Tracking!  Target is slowed."
"Sensors! Thermal signature has dropped by 300."  The Taiho's velocity drops to 5K km/s.  Each drop made the inbound missiles even more dangerous.
Captain Ahmed grins, the Wolver had lost another engine.  The range was now 820K km.

At 05:38:56 12 Hawk IIB's intercept the Taiho 2.  Three of them are on target.
"Tracking! Target is slowed."  It was now 3.4K km/s only slightly faster than the human pursuers.
"Sensors! Thermal signature now 600."

At 05:39:11 6 Falcons intercept the Taiho 2.  Three are on target; three are destroyed by its point defence suite.
"Sensors!  Long range sensors are down, target is no longer emitting!"  The Taiho was blind.

At 05:39:41  12 Hawk IIB and 12 Falcon missiles intercept the Taiho 2. Fifteen missiles detonate just off the Taiho's hull.
"Tracking! Target has slowed!"
"Sensors! Thermal signature now 300."  The Taiho 2 was now moving at 1638 km/s and could no longer outrun the beam ships closing in on it.  Commadore Ahmed is five seconds too slow on his check fire order and a last volley is launched at the now crippled Wolver.

Against a target this slow the human missiles are deadly accurate and a further 41 Counter Missiles slam home before 8 Arrow shipkillers arrive on target at 05:40:21.  Two are stopped by the Taiho's point defence but 6 close to detonation range and only debries comes out of the merged plasma cloud.

"Guns.  Send the self destruct codes."  Captain Aaron Benson (CO Task Group 1) says as the crews on all the human ships errupt in cheers.  The 4 Arrows launched by the 1st Task Group self immolate seconds later.

In the second battle the Taiho 2 had been hit by 26 Hawk IIB, 128 Falcon and 7 Arrow missiles not including that last volley; to that could be added 43 Falcons and 11 Arrows from the first battle and all the missile hits scored on it before that.

"Communications send to Fleet HQ:  Target is Eliminated."
« Last Edit: October 09, 2013, 03:19:53 PM by Paul M »
 

Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #222 on: October 09, 2013, 09:02:11 AM »
Its called a cliff hanger, something very evil people employ to keep your attention (not that he needs to, we visit often to see if there's a new post :p)

Well...yes it was a cliff hanger, but an un-intentional one.  I was mentally exhausted after the previous battles and when I wrote them up the game clock was still at that point.

As far as fire controls go...it has to be at least comparable in size to the current one so I'm not sure what I can squeeze into it.  Turret speed 3000 km/s is being researched and the next generation of turrets will be smaller and have a 12000 km/s tracking speed.  I'll see when I have the tech available.  I do know that the PDCs will get their own version and that will definitly have 4x tracking speed.

« Last Edit: October 09, 2013, 10:02:23 AM by Paul M »
 

Offline Destra

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #223 on: October 09, 2013, 01:38:35 PM »
Just so long as your aware lasers and atmosphere don't work well together, :p

And I totally get the mental exhaustion thing, I suffer from it a lot and not just from a battle! But its good to see SOL is clear and wolf system is clear? Too, explotation can now begin , and a new golden era I'm sure too.
 

Offline Paul M (OP)

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Re: The Northern Coalition (AAR)
« Reply #224 on: October 09, 2013, 02:22:24 PM »
Lasers do half damage through an atmosphere is my understanding...am I wrong?