June, 2012
The Alliance launches two Invasion class troop transports, the Tarawa and the Normandy. The two transports are immediately assigned to transport the newly formed 1st Colonial Army to Mars. The Army is composed of six engineer and two mobile infantry divisions.
By July the engineer divisions have begun assembling prefabbed sections of Colonial Defense Unit PDC?s which were built on Earth and transported to Mars.
July, 2012
The Reich launches two troop transports of its own, and immediately begins transporting troops to secure Venus. Freighters accompany the transports, and Alliance Intel believes that the Reich is constructing its own PDC?s on Venus.
Late in the month the Reich announces the completion of its survey of the solar system. While the report is vague, the Reich announces that it is satisfied with the results. The Berne returns to Earth orbit on July 30, 2012.
In response the Alliance announces that its survey efforts will be complete before the end of the year.
September, 2012
The USSR and the Japanese Empire jointly announce that they have signed a mutual defense pact and, that, as part of that agreement, they are jointly establishing a colony on Titan. Survey efforts have revealed that Titan has large deposits of resources at good availability levels, and is probably the best mining site in the solar system after Earth, Venus, and Mars. Some of the asteroids have resources at better availability levels, but none can match the total amount of resources available on Titan. Representatives of the USSR and the Japanese state that they have been forced into this move by the pre-emptive behavior of the Alliance and the Reich and their seizure of Mars and Venus.
The leaders of the Reich and the Alliance immediately meet to address what can only be viewed as a threat. Together, the USSR and the Japanese possess significant military strength. Both the Reich and the Alliance militaries are placed on alert when the Empire and the USSR begin loading automated mining complexes onto freighters.
In mid-September, the USSR and the Japanese Empire launch a combined mission composed of six freighters escorted by a grand total of four cruiser sized ships. The President of the Alliance and the Kaiser, who have been following a mutually agreed upon policy of discouraging the expansion of the lesser powers into space, go into emergency meetings with their military advisors. Between them, the Alliance and the Reich field four cruiser class ships and eight destroyers, which should be more than a match for the USSR and the Japanese, even before the relative technology levels are taken into account. However, the military representatives are forced to point out that the true capabilities of the Japanese and Russian ships are unknown, and it is possible that the Navies of the Alliance and the Reich would take heavy damage in a pitched battle.
After much debate the two superpowers decide to do nothing. While they would like to stop the other powers before they expand to other planets and moons, they aren?t sure they have the strength, don?t want to provoke a major war, and don?t really trust each other enough to attempt a combined attack. After all, if the major powers combine to attack the others, and then during that combined attack one of them suffers the most damage, the other would be in a very good position to exploit the resulting power imbalance. The end result is that the political leaders on both sides dither, and the combined Russian and Japanese convoy launches without interference.
As a result of the crisis, the Alliance decides to go ahead with their plan to build a central command base on Earth, equipped with the very latest, and largest, sensors Alliance technology has developed. The Reich decides to go ahead with its own plan to seed the asteroid belt, and perhaps a few scattered moons, with deep space detection stations. Both nations are deeply concerned with keeping track of the other nation?s ships.
November, 2012
The geological teams deployed to Mars discover vast new deposits of Mercasium, however, they conclude that the resources of Mars are now completely mapped. No new finds are likely to be made.
January 11, 2013
The 1st Colonial Army completes construction of the Alliance?s first Colonial Defense PDC. This PDC is much smaller and less capable than the equivalent units on Earth, but its two long-range missile launchers give Mars a significant self-defense capability that was lacking before.
The Lexington Battle Group is tasked with ferrying missiles to Mars to stock the PDC?s magazines. Unfortunately, the Lexington?s magazine space is limited, and even if all of its own missiles are unloaded it can only carry five of the huge planetary defense missiles that the PDC requires. As the Lexington begins replacing its own missiles with PDM?s, the Alliance Navy begins considering the need for a long-range supply ship/ammunition carrier. A design study is initiated to determine the capabilities of such a ship, resulting in the UNREP Mk 1 Support Vessel design.
UNREP Mk 1 class Support Vessel 5000 tons 289 Crew 617 BP TCS 100 TH 360 EM 360
3600 km/s Armour 3-26 Shields 12-375 Sensors 44/0/0/0 Damage Control Rating 2 PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 100% IFR: 1.4% Maintenance Capacity 2154 MSP
Magazine 500
Rolls Royce Ion Engine (6) Power 60 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 60 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres Range 77.1 billion km (248 days at full power)
Republic DS Delta Class Shields (5) Total Fuel Cost 88 Litres per day
Cyberdyne Class A Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 44 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 44m km
This class is based on the Admiral class Destroyer design. The armament was removed, as was most of the sensor suite and some of the defenses. In the resulting space magazines and maintenance storage was installed. Due to shipyard scheduling, the Navy anticipates that it will be 2014 before the first unit of this class will be laid down.
January 20, 2013
Alliance Naval Intelligence notes that the Reich has begun shuttling missiles to Venus, indicating that they too have completed a PDC on their colony.
February, 2013
The Alliance government announces that the Magellan has completed its survey of the solar system. The government has been unwilling to allow the Magellan to transmit its findings, so the complete survey results cannot be reviewed until the Magellan arrives in Earth orbit in early March.
March, 2013
The Alliance Navy prepares a report for the highest levels of the Alliance government on the results of the survey of the Solar System. The results are as follows:
Mercury: Duranium and Tritanium at low availability, high level total deposit
Venus: Unknown
Earth: All eleven known minerals, high-low availability, moderate to high total deposits
Luna: All eleven known minerals, low availability, moderate to high total deposits
Mars: All eleven known elements, high-low availability, moderate to low total deposits
Asteroids:
Low Interest: 8
High Interest: 2
Note: High Interest means multiple minerals with high total deposits for asteroids, low interest means low total deposit sizes or limited number of minerals.
*Note: The asteroid belt has been completely surveyed, however, the outer Kupier belt was ignored due to time constraints.
Jupiter, Europa: Four minerals, moderate to high availability, moderate deposit sizes
Jupiter, Ganymede: Tritanium, moderate availability, high deposit size
Jupiter, Sinope: Three minerals, high availability, very low deposit sizes
Saturn, Enceladus: Two minerals, high availability, low deposit sizes
Saturn, Tethys: Three minerals, low availability, low to moderate deposit sizes
Saturn, Dione 8: Mercasium, high availability, low deposit size
Saturn, Titan: Six minerals, High to low availability, high to moderate deposit sizes
Uranus, Oberon: Three minerals, high availability, moderate to high total deposit size
March, 2013
Alliance ground-based sensors observe the Indian Republic?s survey ship, which has been busily surveying the asteroid belt, suddenly change course and head towards the outer system. Projections of the ship?s course are run, but no destination can be found. No alliance ships are in a position to intercept or shadow the Indian ship, so its destination is remains unknown.
April, 2013
Recovery teams working on Mars discover a cache of ninety alien missiles. The missiles are in working condition, thanks to the stasis system that preserved them, and it is immediately apparent that they are approximately the same size as the Alliance?s Thor and Valkyrie ICBM/ASM?s. Tests show that the alien missiles are superior in every way to the latest Valkyrie ASM?s, with the sole exception being the fact that the Valkyrie is slightly more maneuverable. The Alliance Navy begins making plans to move the new missiles back to Earth for safe keeping.
May, 2013
The Trinkat, the Indian survey ship last observed heading towards the outer system, is picked up by Alliance sensors returning to Earth. The Trinkat?s return course is different from the course it took out of the inner system in March, possibly indicating that the Indians are trying to conceal the Trinkat?s destination and mission.
Alliance Naval Intelligence, which has become intensely interested in the activities of the Indian Space Corps, requests that the Navy dedicate ships to shadow the Trinkat the next time it departs from Earth. The request is ultimately approved, and the 2nd Battle Group, consisting of the City class cruiser London, and the Admiral class destroyers Cochrane and Nelson, is assigned to the job.
The disappointment in Naval Intelligence is intense when the Trinkat makes orbit and immediately begins a major overhaul. Intense telescopic study of the Trinkat and EM surveillance of Indian orbital transmissions is largely fruitless and little is learned of Indian intentions.
May, 2013
The USSR launches two new ships from its orbital yards. The ships are relatively small at 3500 tons, but their purpose becomes clear when they immediately begin loading troops. Once loaded the transports set out towards the USSR?s Titan colony.
June, 2013
The Japanese Empire also begins shipping troops to its Titan colony.
September, 2013
The Indian Republic launches two new mid-sized ships this month. Shortly thereafter, the Indian cargo fleet begins loading automated mining complexes, while the suspected troop transport that was completed in February begins loading a mobile infantry division.
Alliance Naval Intelligence believes that the new Indian ships are warships, based on long-range photographic surveys of the ship?s hull. The new ships each sport a fairly large turret, making it an almost certainty that they are warships.
The Alliance 2nd Battle Group is activated, and one of the Reich?s Flotillas begins readying itself as well.
October 4, 2013
Admiral Otto Jentzsch, the father of the Reich space navy, dies in his sleep in Berlin. The Raumarine is thrown into confusion, and the government is in morning at the passing of a legendary officer. Admiral Jentzsch is replaced by Vizeadmiral Sven Goldstucker, a tough, no nonsense officer respected throughout the service. Unfortunately, Goldstrucker doesn?t share Admiral Jentzsch?s understanding and knack for organizing research efforts, and the Reich?s research program suffers as a result.
October, 2013
The Indian squadron arrives at its destination, a comet in the outer system. The 2nd Battle Group and the Reich?s Flotilla have followed the Indian ships at a steady 150,000 km?s throughout the entire voyage, however, upon arrival the Indian ships order the other nation?s ships to maintain a one million kilometer exclusion zone around the comet. Commodore Puri, aboard the London, has no choice but to agree and orders his ships to retreat to 1,050,000 kilometers. The Europeans shortly match the Alliance ships and the Indians get to work unloading their mining complexes.
A short conference with Fregattenkapitan Klugmann, CO of the Reich Flotilla, reveals that neither the Alliance nor the Reich bothered to survey the comet. Science experts in both squadrons assure the commanding officers that current theories are that comets are likely to contain rich deposits of trans-newtonian minerals, but at relatively limited quantities.
The two squadrons observe everything they can and then follow the Indian squadron when it departs for the inner system.
Intelligence Report, December 2013
AllianceThe Alliance?s Mars Colony is now well established with 13.5 million colonists. The colony supports over two hundred and fifty mining complexes, both manned and unmanned, and six mass driver installations. The 1st Colonial Army?s engineers have completed three Colony Defense Stations, giving Mars a significant self-defense capability.
The Alliance Council is growing increasingly concerned about the resource situation on Earth. Given the fact the other nations will not release their mining capacities, it is difficult to derive an accurate mining rate for the entire planet, but even so it is clear that at current rates some minerals will be mined out within one year and others within five to twenty years. Therefore, the Council has approved the conversion of some mining complexes to automation and their transfer to Mars.
The Alliance Navy now comprises three Battle Groups and one Escort Group composed of four City class cruisers and ten Admiral class destroyers. The Navy has become concerned about reports of the Reich?s reliance on missiles, and their technological superiority in that area. Therefore, a new class has been commissioned to take advantage of the newly enlarged Bethleham-Fairfield orbital yards. The State class battlecruisers are intended to provide long-range firepower to the fleet?s capability, enhancing the City class?s rather anemic missile capacity. The orbital yards are being retooled now, and the first State class unit will be laid down in January of 2014.
State class Battlecruiser 9600 tons 839 Crew 1473.8 BP TCS 192 TH 600 EM 2250
3125 km/s Armour 4-40 Shields 75-375 Sensors 66/0/0/0 Damage Control Rating 4 PPV 30
Annual Failure Rate: 184% IFR: 2.6% Maintenance Capacity 2384 MSP
Magazine 280
Rolls Royce Ion Engine (10) Power 60 Efficiency 0.70 Signature 60 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 150,000 Litres Range 40.2 billion km (148 days at full power)
Republic DS Delta Class Shields (30) Total Fuel Cost 525 Litres per day
Aegis Standard Missile Launcher (10) Missile Size 3 Rate of Fire 30
Gerard Standard Missile Fire Control (2) Range 37.8m km Resolution 20
Gerard Systems Class C Active Search Sensor (1) GPS 7560 Range 75.6m km Resolution 60
Cyberdyne Class C Thermal Sensor (1) Sensitivity 66 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 66m km
The European Reich
The Reich has expanded its Venus colony to almost 30 million residents, and based on an analysis of the equipment being shipped by Reich freighters, the Venus colony is much more balanced than the Alliance?s Mars Colony. The Reich has established both mining and construction complexes on Venus, and Naval Intelligence believes that the Raumarine has established a base capable of servicing their warships on Venus as well.
Analysis of orbital surveillance has shown that the Reich?s construction and mining capacity is slightly behind that of the Alliance, however, that is likely due to the fact that the Reich has sent a larger portion of their capacity to their colony than the Alliance.
Relative Ship Strengths:
Cruisers
Reich: 3
Alliance: 4
Destroyers
Reich: 8
Alliance: 10
Survey Ships (one each)
Freighters
Reich: 9
Alliance: 8
Colony Ships
Reich: 2
Alliance: 1
Troop Transports
Reich: 2
Alliance: 2
Relations between the Reich and the Alliance continue to be good, although the Council is concerned that as resources are depleted, our friendly competition with the Reich will deteriorate into open conflict.
USSR
The USSR has shipped approximately forty mining complexes to Titan, a colony that it maintains along with the Japanese Empire. Attempts by both the Alliance Navy and the Reich?s Raumarine to get a close look at the Titan colony have been rudely rebuffed by a combined response from the USSR and the Japanese navies acting in concert. Both powers are extremely jealous of their colonies and give every impression that they are willing to fight over their prerogatives if necessary.
Alliance orbital surveillance of the USSR has revealed the following information concerning their economy/military strength in relation to the Alliance?s:
Construction Capacity: 69%
Mining Capacity: 65%
Shipyards: 2/4 compared to 4/8
Divisions: 32 compared to 16 Alliance divisions
The USSR People?s Space Navy is currently composed of three 6,000 ton cruisers, three 3,500 ton troop transports, one colony ship, four freighters, and one survey ship. The cruiser?s armament is unknown, but surveillance shows that it is armed with at least two twin turrets equipped with what analysts theorize is some sort of projectile cannon. In addition, the cruiser appears to be heavily armored and is equipped with a massive engine space, which has given it an observed speed of 3000 kps.
The USSR continues to protest nearly every action taken by both the Alliance and the Reich, however, this is no change from prior behavior and relations have neither gotten worse or better.
Japanese Empire
The Japanese have shipped approximately twenty mining complexes to Titan, and the Empire continues to work closely with the USSR in securing their mutual colony.
Alliance orbital surveillance of the Empire has revealed the following information concerning their economy/military strength in relation to the Alliance?s:
Construction Capacity: 50%
Mining Capacity: 61%
Shipyards: 2/4 compared to 4/8
Divisions: 19 compared to 16 Alliance divisions
The Imperial Japanese Space Navy comprises three 6,000 ton cruisers, two 3,500 ton destroyers, two 3,500 ton troop transports, three freighters, one colony ship, and one survey ship. There appear to be two different classes of Japanese cruisers, with the most recent class armed with two triple laser turrets and the older design containing no obvious weaponry (possibly missile tubes, but this is unconfirmed). The smaller escorts are with a single triple laser turret similar to the turrets mounted on the larger cruiser.
The Japanese seem grimly determined to hang on to their colony on Titan, and their relationship with the USSR appears to be good at this time.
Indian Republic
The Indian Republic appears to be concentrating on their cometary base at this time, perhaps preferring to avoid any potential conflict with the other powers in the inner system.
Alliance orbital surveillance of the Republic has revealed the following information concerning their economy/military strength in relation to the Alliance?s:
Construction Capacity: 26%
Mining Capacity: 26%
Shipyards: 1/2 compared to 4/8
Divisions: 14 compared to 16 Alliance divisions
The Republic has fielded a space fleet composed of two 2,850 ton warships, one troop transport, eleven freighters, and one survey ship. The warships are each armed with one turret equipped with unknown weaponry.
African Union
The Union has commissioned a survey ship to search for resources throughout the solar system, however, it has shown no signs of desiring to plant a colony anywhere. Instead, the Union has been focusing on internal matters and building up its military.
Alliance orbital surveillance of the Union has revealed the following information concerning their economy/military strength in relation to the Alliance?s:
Construction Capacity: 24%
Mining Capacity: 31.5%
Shipyards: 2/3 compared to 4/8
Divisions: 31 compared to 16 Alliance divisions
The African Union has fielded four 3,000 ton warships and a survey ship. The armament of the warships is unknown, and the oldest of the class recently re-entered the Union?s orbital yards for refit, indicating that the Union has developed better technology since the warships were first designed and launched.
