Author Topic: Humanity First: Story Posts  (Read 5838 times)

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Offline Kurt (OP)

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Humanity First: 2130-2134
« Reply #15 on: July 12, 2024, 03:51:01 PM »
September, 2130: The Jump Ship Cruithne, accompanied by its gravitic survey team, jumps through a newly discovered jump point in the Barnard’s Star system, discovering the Luhman 16 System.  This is a binary system with two small brown dwarves as the primary and secondary stars.  The primary is orbited by two terrestrial class planets, and a dwarf with two moons.  The terrestrial class planets have ice sheets and atmospheres, although the atmosphere of the innermost planet is so thin its hard to detect.  The secondary star has no planets.  The survey group begins hunting for jump points. 

October, 2130: Shield Forward Base is established in the V577 Monoceri system.  Ten DSTS’s have been dropped off by a cargo group, along with a fueling system.  Troop transports with guard and marine units, along with STO’s, are enroute, as are fuel ships to establish a fuel and maintenance dump to support survey efforts in the region. 

November, 2130: The grav survey of the Luhman system is complete and the group has discovered a whooping five new jump points!  This system contains the highest number of jump points found to date.  The group will begin probing the jump points as soon as the survey ships have rendezvoused with the jump tender and refueled. 

Three days later they jump through the innermost jump point, discovering the 25 Ursae Minoris system.  This system consists of a lonely brown dwarf with no planets.  The group jumps back and proceeds to the next jump point. 

A day later the group jumps through the second new jump point, materializing in the Psi Ceti system.  This system is a binary with two red stars.  The primary has three terrestrial class planets orbiting it, the second of which has a thin nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere at the perfect temperature for humans.  The group jumps back out and heads to the next jump point. 

Two days later they jump through to the Sigma Cephei system.  This system has an M9-V primary orbited by two rocky inner planets, a gas giant with twenty-eight moons, and a frigid terrestrial class outer planet with a single large moon. 

Several days later the group jumps from Luhman to the Epsilon Indi system.  This is a trinary system, with a central K5-V star orbited by two brown dwarves.  The two brown dwarves orbit each other in a distant orbit from the central star, which is itself orbited by two Venusian inner planets, two super Jovian planets with forty moons between them, and two rocky outer planets.  The group jumps out to probe the last jump point in the Luhman system. 

On the 20th the survey group jumps through the last new jump point, finding itself in the Struve 2398 system.  This is a binary system with a K5-V central star orbited by a red M4-V star.  The primary is orbited by a super Jovian in a close orbit, a terrestrial and a Venusian planet, and a gas giant with twenty-four moons.  The second planet, a terrestrial class, has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and an extensive hydrosphere.  The planet’s average temperature is 93C, so too hot for unaided colonization.  The secondary red star is orbited by three inner terrestrial class planets, one of which is hot and has a thin oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, a gas giant with sixteen moons, and an icy outer terrestrial planet.  The survey group breaks up and begins its grav survey of this system. 

January, 2131: Late in the month troop transports arrive over Shield Base and begin disgorging the 1st Guard Corps and marine units, along with STO’s.  Shield Base is now fully active and protected, and is already serving a critical function as the survey jump ships have already refueled here, extending the time they can remain on station to support their groups.  Half of the transports will set out for home, while the remainder will be assigned to Shield Base.       

February, 2131: The ruins on Groombridge A-II have been fully exploited.  The construction teams have recovered a mine, two automated mines, two fuel refineries, a financial center, a DSTS, an ordnance transfer station, two hundred infrastructure, several grav survey sensors, and five sorium harvester modules. 

Late in the month, the grav survey group completes its survey of the Struve 2398 system.  The system contains no additional, jump points, so they move on to the Psi Ceti system. 

March, 2131: The geo-survey group completes its survey of the Struve 2398 system.  Struve A-II, which has an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, has deposits of seven TN resources, all of which are present in availability levels of one to fourteen million.  Unfortunately, most have accessibility levels of 0.1, but two, duranium and vendarite, have accessibility levels of 0.7 and 0.8 respectively.  Several other planets and moons have large deposits but in limited numbers or accessibility, and a large number of asteroids have deposits.  The geo-survey group will follow the grav-survey group to Psi Ceti once it is assembled. 

April, 2131: The geo-survey of the Psi Ceti system is complete.  The innermost Venusian planet has some resource deposits, but there are not enough of them, and they are not rich enough to be of immediate interest.  The group will move on to the Epsilon Indi system once it is reassembled. 

The grav survey of Psi Ceti is completed on the 30th.  This system, like Struve, has no additional jump points. 

June 15, 2131: Shield Base in V577 Monoceri detects an Archer Alpha class ship in the system, 290 mkm’s from the base and headed directly for them.  It took just over twelve hours for the ship to close on the base.  As always, the ship ignored all attempts to contact it or warn it away.  Once it entered weapons range of the planet it opened fire on one of the orbiting transports, doing negligible damage to the armored ship.   In response, the base’s ground batteries pounded it into scrap, decisively ending the threat.

August, 2131: The geo-survey of Epsilon Indi is complete.  The two inner Venusian planets have significant deposits, but at low availability levels.  Several asteroids and moons have deposits, but none are of particular interest at the current time.  The survey group will set out for Sigma Cephi as soon as it’s assembled to complete a survey of several bodies that were missed in the first survey. 

The grav survey of the Epsilon Indi system is completed before the end of the month.  One additional jump point was discovered.  The grav-survey group will probe the jump point as soon as it is reassembled.   

September, 2131: Jumping out of the Epsilon Indi system, the grav survey group discovers the FL Virginis system.  This is a binary system with two red stars.  The primary is orbited by two lonely comets, while the secondary’s planetary system consists of two gas giants with twenty-one moons and a barren rocky planet with no atmosphere. 

<author’s note: At this point I’m going to only report survey results if there is something notable or outstanding.>

December, 2131: Victory Base, in the Groombridge 34 system, has largely been evacuated.  A few territorial guard troops will remain, along with some DSTS’s, to protect the fuel and supply dump, against the time that the Empire decides to focus on the unexplored systems beyond Groombridge. 

January, 2132: The first units of the Empire’s newest ship class are launched from the yards.  The Shield Class Destroyer Escorts are 10,000 tons, can match the current fleet speed, and are equipped with ten quick firing gauss cannons for missile and small craft defense.  This ship has slightly thinner armor but mounts light shielding, unlike the destroyers. 

Later in the month, the first group of Miner class asteroid mining ships are launched. 

August 3, 2132: A new Archer Alpha class ship is detected in the Lacaille system, outside of the orbit of the third planet.  The empire maintains a mining base on Lacaille II, and recently the new mining fleet began operations on a comet in the outer system.  Fortunately, the mining base is protected by relatively new STO batteries, and the mining group is laying low in the outer system and should be undetectable. There is also a group of imperial freighters headed in-system to pick up resources from the mining complex.  The freighter group receives the warning from the base and immediately turns away from the mining base, but its maximum speed is far below that of the Archer Alpha. 

The Archer Alpha continues on course for the innermost planet and ignores the freighters, if indeed it can see them.  The Archer Alpha proceeds to the first planet and, finding nothing, immediately turns towards the base on the second planet. 

The base’s heavy lasers open fire first, at 320,000 kilometers, but score no hits.  They fire again, missing again, but then the Archer Alpha entered range of the base’s plasma cannons.  Between them the lasers and plasma cannons got three penetrating hits.  The Alpha class ship came on, shrugging off the damage.  Fifteen seconds later all weapons on the planet engaged the Alpha, killing it just as it got off a salvo of railgun shots at the base.  The railguns managed to take out an automated mining unit, but did no other damage. 

August, 2132:  Transports begin loading territorial guard units bound for the Proxima Centauri system, where a new mining complex will be opened on a moon of one of the gas giants.  Freighters are following will automated mines and DSTS’s. 

January, 2133: The first units of a new group of terraformers are launched from the Terra Yards, and immediately set out for Io, where they will fulfill the Empire’s promise to the colonists.  Meanwhile, the primary terraformer fleet over Shield Base in the V577 Monoceri system is fine tuning the environment of Monoceri B-I, the planet Shield Base is located on.  The environment is currently rated at 0.0 for human colonization, however, the atmosphere’s water vapor content is changing as the water added to the atmosphere settles out and enhances the planet’s oceans.  This settling causes warming, which brings the planet’s highest temps over human-comfortable ratings.  This is due to the planet’s eccentric orbit, which is just within the terraformer’s capability to create a 0.0 environment.  Thus, the terraformers will have to wait for the water to settle out of the atmosphere before they can move on. 

June, 2133: Eight units of the new destroyer escort class are currently training in the solar system.  As with several other previous classes, the tough training schedules have revealed a significant weakness in the class’s maintenance department that will be fixed in the next round of refits.  One DDE nearly had to be towed back to Terra orbit when it suffered a series of failures that drained its maintenance supplies, leaving it unable to deal with an engine failure. 

Late in the month, in spite of the maintenance problems, the first four DDE’s are certified as “Deployable”.  The DDE’s are assigned to escort the fleet’s four capital ships. 

August, 2133: The Imperial Terraforming Command certifies V577 Monoceri B-I as open for colonization with a stable 0.0 rating.  The terraforming group will move on to its next target. 

With V577 Monoceri opened for colonization, a massive effort begins.  Newly built colony ships begin ferrying colonists to the planet, and the civilian companies are given the go-ahead to begin transporting colonists to the planet as well.  Several freighter fleets are assigned to begin transporting maintenance facilities to support a fleet presence in the system.   

September, 2133: The first three units of the empire’s new Challenger class exploration units are released from the yards.  These ships are much more capable than their smaller and older brethren.  They are 10,000 tons, five times larger than the current exploration ships, and they mount their own jump drives, eliminating the earlier design’s dependence on a jump ship to ferry them in between systems.  In addition, the Challenger is 729 km/s faster than the smaller ships, but has a slightly lower endurance and range, meaning it will have to depend on strategically located fuel ships or forward bases for support.  Finally, the Challenger class ships mount both gravitic and geo survey sensors, giving the local survey commander much more flexibility about conducting system surveys. 

November, 2133: Shield Base in the V577 Monoceri system is now a functioning maintenance base, although there will be a worker shortage for some time yet.  Once the worker shortages are alleviated the Navy will station ships there for local defense and forward deployment. 

March, 2134: Imperial R&D teams develop internal confinement fusion drive technology, and development immediately begins on drives for the fleet.  In a drive to optimize performance, the fleet is demanding many different drive types to cater to its various classes, rather than one or two utilitarian types and sizes.  This will require longer development time, but will provide much greater performance to the fleet in the end. 

In mid-month, the Empire designates Io as the Guard’s primary base, and freighters begin transferring ground force training facilities to the colony. 

On the 19th, the Ronald McNair, a Challenger class long-range survey ship, detected an alien ship 3.4 mkm’s away and approaching its position as it conducted a gravitic survey of the Chi Draconis system.  The alien ship was of a type previously unknown, of unknown tonnage, had a thermal signature approximately equivalent to an imperial destroyer, and, most alarmingly, was moving at 13,516 km/s, or three times as fast as the survey ship could move.  Indeed, it was faster than any ship the empire fielded, and even faster than some of the small craft the empire had been experimenting with. 

The commander of the McNair, Captain Devon Trader, ordered his ship to go to station keeping to reduce their already low profile.  The ship’s active sensors were already off, as the survey command preferred to use a stealthy approach to entering new system.  It was immediately clear to Captain Trader that the alien was not native to this system, as the only planet in the binary system was a terrestrial class planet in a close orbit of the secondary orange star with a Venusian atmosphere. 

In spite of the precaution the alien ship rapidly closed on the McNair, and Captain Trader ordered his ship to retreat to the jump point, which was a day away at maximum speed.   Much to the relief of Captain McNair and the entire crew, the alien ship settled in at the gravitic survey point and stopped, almost certainly meaning that it was a survey ship.  As they retreated Captain Trader ordered his comm section to begin first contact procedures. 

Twenty-four hours later the McNair jumped out of the system, back to Gamma Carinae.  Once there he sent an emergency signal to the Scobee, the other Challenger class ship in the system.  The message took over two hours to reach the Scobee, and in fact caught them just five minutes before jumping out of the system through the unexplored third jump point.  The McNair headed back to Shield Base in Monoceri to report the contact, while the Scobee jumped out to probe the unexplored jump point. 


« Last Edit: July 12, 2024, 03:53:03 PM by Kurt »
 
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Offline Kurt (OP)

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Humanity First: Map, 2134
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2024, 03:52:25 PM »

Map of Jump Routes as of mid-2134
 
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Humanity First: Ship Designs 2134
« Reply #17 on: July 12, 2024, 03:54:14 PM »
Code: [Select]
Shield class Destroyer Escort      10,000 tons       240 Crew       1,694.1 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,200    EM 540
6000 km/s      Armour 5-41       Shields 18-216       HTK 63      Sensors 42/33/0/0      DCR 4-4      PPV 60
Maint Life 1.83 Years     MSP 434    AFR 195%    IFR 2.7%    1YR 163    5YR 2,446    Max Repair 200 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

Magnetic Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 1200    Fuel Use 35.36%    Signature 400    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,008,000 Litres    Range 51.3 billion km (98 days at full power)
Delta Shield Gen (2)     Recharge Time 216 seconds (0.1 per second)

Gauss Cannon Mk I (10x3)    Range 30,000km     TS: 6,250 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
DDE Gauss Fire Control  (2)     Max Range: 40,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-2     75 50 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AM Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 140     Range 22.1m km    MCR 2m km    Resolution 1
Standard EM Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 33     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  45.4m km
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

Code: [Select]
Miner class Mining Platform      68,064 tons       589 Crew       2,024 BP       TCS 1,361    TH 1,500    EM 0
1101 km/s      Armour 1-148       Shields 0-0       HTK 133      Sensors 14/11/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 18    Max Repair 120 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months   
Orbital Miner: 10 modules producing 250 tons per mineral per annum

Commercial Magnetic Fusion Drive  (5)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 0.64%    Signature 300    Explosion 2%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres    Range 41.4 billion km (435 days at full power)

Basic EM Sensor Mk IV (1)     Sensitivity 11     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  26.2m km
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Orbital Miner for auto-assignment purposes

Code: [Select]
Challenger class Long Range Survey Ship      10,000 tons       222 Crew       2,131.2 BP       TCS 200    TH 315    EM 0
4500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 4-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 66      Sensors 84/33/3/3      DCR 8-8      PPV 0
Maint Life 6.53 Years     MSP 1,565    AFR 100%    IFR 1.4%    1YR 63    5YR 951    Max Repair 112 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   ENG   SCI   
Intended Deployment Time: 72 months    Morale Check Required   

J10000(3-50) Military Jump Drive Mk III     Max Ship Size 10000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

Survey LP Magnetic Fusion Drive   (6)    Power 900    Fuel Use 24.36%    Signature 52.50    Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,923,000 Litres    Range 142.1 billion km (365 days at full power)

Destroyer Active Search Sensor  (1)     GPS 1568     Range 47.7m km    Resolution 14
Capital Thermal Sensor  (1)     Sensitivity 84     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  72.5m km
Standard EM Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 33     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  45.4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (3)   3 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (3)   3 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Survey Ship for auto-assignment purposes
 
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Offline Kurt (OP)

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Humanity First: Battles in Proxima and Lacaille
« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2024, 07:56:15 AM »
April 1, 2134: The McNair jumps into the V577 Monoceri system and immediately transmits its contact report to the base.  The base then sends its courier back to Terra to inform fleet command of the situation.  It will take the courier eighteen days to reach the Solar System. 

April 13,2134: An Archer Alpha class raider is detected headed towards the mining base set up on one of the moons of a gas giant in the Proxima Centauri system.  The base’s STO’s are put on full alert as the raider continues towards the base. 

Simultaneously, the mining base in the Lacaille system detects an Archer Charlie class ship inbound.  The Archer Charlie class are equipped with commercial engines and are very large.  Naval Intelligence believes them to be troop transports or cargo ships of some sort.  The one other time a Charlie class was observed it was accompanied by warships.  The Charlie is 970 mkm’s away and closing slowly, so it will take approximately 147 hours before it reaches weapons range.  The base commander immediately dispatches the orbiting courier to the solar system with the contact report.  Just over six hours later an Archer Alpha light raider appears much closer to the base. 

At 1335 hours the Archer Alpha in the Proxima Centauri system enters weapons range of the ground batteries on the surface of the moon.  These are all the latest generation of laser ground batteries fielded by the empire, and they get two hits at 282,000 kilometers, penetrating the raider’s light armor. 

Fifteen seconds later they fire again, getting a total of four hits at 198,000 kilometers, causing internal damage to the raider.  Ten seconds later, before the ground batteries could fire again, the raider targeted one of the orbiting terraformers and got one hit, scoring its thin armor.  Five seconds later, firing at 113,000 kilometers, the ground batteries got three hits, doing devastating damage and destroying the raider. 

Six hours later the Archer Alpha in the Lacaille system entered orbit of the third planet, a gas giant with ten moons, none of which had bases. 

On the 16th, the courier from the Lacaille system arrived in the solar system and transmitted the contact report.  Three and a half hours later Naval HQ had the contact report.  The response was immediate. A group of six interceptors was dispatched to the Lacaille system as a fast response group.  It would take them almost seven days to get there.  In addition, the Jupiter Battle Group was dispatched, although it would take them just over 9 days to get there.  Finally, a fuel ship was dispatched to support the short-ranged interceptors. 

At 1520 hours on the 18th, the Archer Charlie has finally approached close enough that the base’s sensors can determine that it is escorted by two Bravo class ships.  The Bravo class ships are much more dangerous than the Alpha class in spite of having the same tonnage as they are more heavily armed with five railguns to the Alpha’s one.  The Archer Charlie class, with its escorts, is 133 mkm’s out and closing at 1,830 km/s, giving it an ETA of just over twenty hours.  While slow, it would reach the base long before any help from Terra could arrive.  Two hours later the base’s sensors picked up a third escort, this time an Archer Alpha. 

It soon became clear that the group of Archer ships were not headed for the base, but the wreck of the Archer Alpha class ship destroyed by the base some time ago.  This likely meant that the Archer Charlie class was some sort of salvage ship. 

At 0914 hours on the 19th, the Archer Alpha class ship that had been hovering over the third planet suddenly accelerated away from the planet, towards the base on the second planet.  At 1314 hours it entered range of the base’s heavy lasers, which immediately opened fire, missing.  Fifteen seconds later they fired again, getting a hit that penetrated the Alpha’s thin armor.  Fifteen seconds later the heavy lasers fired again, along with the plasma cannons now in range, getting five hits and staggering the Alpha, which came a halt 137,000 kilometers from the base.  The Alpha, now within range of its railgun, fired back, but did no damage to the surface targets.  Fifteen seconds later the ground batteries fired again, getting three hits, all of which penetrated the ship’s armor but did no apparent damage.  The Alpha fired back, targeting the base, but also did no damage.  It was the Alpha’s last attack.  It took two more rounds of fire from the ground batteries before the Alpha blew up.  No damage was done to the base. 

The group of Archer ships continued on towards the wreck of the first Archer Alpha destroyed in the system.  If it was a salvage ship, then almost certainly once it was done with the first wreck it would approach the base to salvage the second.  The base’s ground batteries had dealt with lone Archer Alpha’s, but could they deal with an Alpha and two Bravos at the same time?  The Interceptor group dispatched by Naval HQ was still four days away. 

The group of Archer ships continued to approach the wreck, until, for no known reason, they suddenly turned away and began retreating back the way they had come. 

On 1000 hours on he 23rd, the interceptor group entered the Lacaille system and immediately set out in pursuit of the Charlie class, which was still on the base’s sensors.  The Charlie was 588 mkm’s from the base, and almost 900 mkm’s from the interceptors, which gave them an intercept time of 40.5 hours. 

Thirty-nine hours later, the interceptor group had the group on its own sensors.  It took another eighty-nine minutes before they closed to weapons range.  The Archer Alpha fired first, outranging the interceptor’s weapons and fire controls.  It got three hits, lightly scoring an interceptor’s armor.  Five seconds later the interceptor group fired its 15cm far ultraviolet lasers, getting two hits on a Bravo, both of which penetrated its thin armor.  The interceptor’s lasers were fast firing, and were able to fire every five seconds, giving them an advantage over the raiders.  The interceptor’s second salvo targeted the same Bravo, getting three hits.  In return, all three Archer warships opened up on the interceptors, getting twenty-four hits on one, reducing its armor to 68%, getting no penetrations.  The human lasers were doing almost as much damage as the more numerous shots from the alien’s railguns, as the lasers were much more powerful. 

Five seconds later the interceptors fired again, at which time they had closed to point blank range.  The six interceptors got four hits, gutting the alien Bravo class and leaving it a drifting wreck.  In return the alien warships targeted two interceptors, including the one attacked before.  Interceptor 004, attacked before, was hit twenty-six times, with one penetration.  Its armor was reduced to 29%, and it lost both its laser and its targeting system.  The other interceptor, 006, was hit five times, reducing its armor to 94%. 

Interceptor 004 turned away from the battle, while the other five doggedly continued to attack the alien ships, now shifting their fire to the second Bravo class.  Fortunately, the aliens let 004 go.  The second Bravo class was hit by two laser strikes, both of which penetrated its armor, leaving the ship a wreck.  Interceptor 006 took seventeen hits, reducing its armor to 74%. 

The next salvo from the interceptors got three hits, all of which penetrated the Alpha’s armor, bringing it to a halt in space, its weapons silent.  The interceptors continued to follow the fleeing Charlie, but continued to pour fire into the now receding Alpha.  It took two more salvoes before the stubborn ship blew up, and then there was only the Charlie.  It took seven salvoes before the big ship died, but died it did.  With nothing left to do, the Interceptors turned back to the base. 

On the 25th, at 1648 hours, the Jupiter battle group entered the Lacaille system and set course for the second planet.  The battle group is composed of the Jupiter, two destroyers, and a destroyer escort.  Once the Jupiter’s battle group arrives over the base the interceptors will return home for repair and rest for their crews.  The interceptors will have to wait at the jump point for the fuel ship, which is slowly climbing out of the solar system. 

On the 26th, before the interceptors reach the jump point, a new Archer ship is detected 274 mkm’s from the base and headed towards Lacaille III.  This is a new class of ship, designated as a Delta class.  It has a stronger thermal signature than either the Alpha or the Bravo, but is approaching at the same speed as those two classes.  The interceptors, low on fuel, continue out of the system while the Jupiter Battle Group heads out towards the intruder.   

One hundred and ninety-eight minutes later BG Jupiter detects four more ships with the Delta, three Alpha’s and a Bravo.  Just over two hours later, as BG Jupiter was 48 mkm’s away from the approaching alien group, the aliens turned away, running from the Jupiter and her escorts.  The human ships had an advantage in speed over the aliens, but only by 370 km/s.  That meant that if the aliens continued to flee it would take the human battle group thirty-six hours to catch them.  Fortunately, the Jupiter was almost within range of her on board sensors, meaning that they wouldn’t fall out of contact if they moved out of the base’s sensor range.  Eighteen minutes later the aliens were within range of the human sensors, and they were able to confirm that the Delta class ship was showing the same apparent mass as the Alphas and the Bravo. 

Just over six hours later the Delta class ship dropped off of the battle group’s sensors.  The other four alien ships continued on.  One hour and forty minutes later the battle group overran the location that the Delta class had disappeared.  They found nothing, but then shortly thereafter the Delta class reappeared with the other alien ships. 

Some time later the apparent mass of the Delta class changed from 734 tons to 1468.  The Alphas and Bravos continued showing their mass as 733 tons, an apparent affect of their cloaking devices.  The battlecruiser’s tactical department had no theories for why the Delta was behaving in such a manner. 

At 1100 hours on the 28th the pursuit passed the wrecks from the previous battle.  At this point the human battle group was 3.5 mkm’s from the alien ships. 

April 28, 2134, 1343 hours: The battle is joined.  The aliens fired first, targeting the Jupiter with railguns.  The Jupiter was hit by fifteen shots, reducing her shields to 79%.  Fifteen seconds later the aliens fired again, getting thirteen hits on the Jupiter’s shields, reducing them to 68%.  Tactical has determined that the Delta class is armed with railguns, like the other raider warships.  The range is 152,000 kilometers, still out of range of the human ship’s weapons.  Fifteen seconds later the Jupiter is hit again, this time seventeen times, further reducing her shields.  The next salvo, fifteen seconds later, reduces the Jupiter’s shields to 37%. 

The aliens get time for one more salvo before the human ships enter their own range.  The human’s first salvo, aimed at the Delta, misses completely.  The two destroyer’s fast firing lasers recharge and fire again five seconds later, getting one hit that fails to penetrate.  The alien’s next salvo drops the Jupiter’s shields and begins digging into her armor. 

The two groups continued on, with the aliens fleeing and the human ships slowly closing.  The aliens were targeting the largest human ship, the Jupiter, while the humans targeted the Delta class, which seemed to have thicker armor than either the Bravo or the Alpha. 

Two and a half minutes into the battle, after a barrage of laser fire from the human ships penetrated its armor, the Delta class suddenly slowed to 4,222 km/s and began falling behind the other ships.  By this point the Jupiter’s armor had been reduced to 79%. 

Two more salvoes saw the Delta reduced to 2815 km/s and falling even further behind the main enemy fleet.  Two additional salvoes were sufficient to destroy the alien ship, at which point the human ships shifted their targeting to the Bravo class.    It took a single laser salvo to reduce the Bravo’s speed, and two more to destroy it, after which the Jupiter’s battle group began taking out the Alphas.  Two minutes later all three Alpha’s were destroyed.  The Jupiter’s armor was at 69%.   The Jupiter Battle Group turned back towards the base. 
 
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Offline Kurt (OP)

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Humanity First: The Reapers and the Swarm
« Reply #19 on: July 24, 2024, 08:10:11 AM »
April 19, 2134:
Even as the battle raged in the Lacaille system, the courier from Shield Base arrived in the solar system with the news that aliens had been detected on the frontier.  This news galvanized the Navy and accelerated plans to enlarge Shield Base.  Instead of waiting for the civilian population of Shield Base to be large enough to support a ground-based maintenance facility, the Navy rushed an orbital maintenance base into production, along with a rest and recreation facility.  Once complete these would be towed to Shield Base so that major fleet units could be staged at the system.  In addition, two fleet scouts were dispatched to probe the system where the alien ships had been discovered. 

May, 2134: A tanker arrived over Lacaille II and began refueling and resupplying the Jupiter’s battle group.  Later that same day Interceptor Group 4 under Commander Yearta arrives over Terra to a hero’s welcome.  The group receives a unit commendation and the commanding officers of 013, 006, 017, and 007 all receive awards for destroying an alien ship.  The yards immediately begin repairs on 004 and 006. 

Development continues on inertial confinement drives for the fleet, and shipyard retooling has begun for the jump cruisers and some civilian designs. 

July, 2134: The scout group jumps into Chi Draconis with its sensors active.  Nothing is within range of the jump point, so the scouts deactivate their sensors.  One remains on the jump point while the other heads in-system.  The scout’s powerful thermal sensors should be able to detect the known alien ship class at over 200 mkm’s. 

July 6, 2134: The Christopher Columbus, a gravitic survey ship, detects an alien ship in the 70 Ophiuchi system, three jumps from Shield Base in V577 Monoceri.  The Columbus is crossing the system to join the rest of its group at a newly discovered jump point when its sensors detected the alien 13.4 mkm’s behind it.  The ship’s computer immediately ID’d it as having emissions consistent with the Reapers, a frightening development.  The survey ship’s active sensors show that that the Reaper is 8,675 tons and has a speed 8,023, far faster than the Columbus. 

The Columbus immediately sends a contact report off to the survey group and continues on course.  It soon becomes clear that the Reaper ship, now designated as a Charlie class, is following the Columbus.  Two minutes later the Columbus’ passive sensors detect a second Reaper Charlie class ahead of it, orbiting 70 Ophiuchi II, a terrestrial class planet with a thin nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere. 

When the Columbus’ message arrives at the other ships of the group, they immediately set a course for the jump point they entered the system through, avoiding the Columbus’ location if necessary. 



Just over an hour later, as the first Reaper Charlie class is closing from behind, the Columbus’ sensors detect three additional contacts in orbit over Ophiuchi II.  The survey ship is heading across the system, away from the first contact, which is taking it closer to II for the moment, although soon they will begin drawing farther away.  The new ships are designated as Delta and Echo classes, although the ship’s sensors can give little detail aside from their presence.  Another hour passes, and the Columbus detects four more ships or objects in orbit over II, these being designated as Foxtrot class, bringing the number of objects in orbit there to eight.  Shortly thereafter the Columbus detects four more objects, two Alphas and two Bravos. 

Seventy-two minutes later the Columbus detects the objects in orbit raise their shields, and the Charlie orbiting II leaves on an intercept course for the Columbus.  In response, the Columbus changes course away from the oncoming Charlie, and incidentally away from the rest of the human ships in the outer system.  As they turn, two more Reaper ships appear in orbit over II, designated as Golf class.  The first Charlie continues pursuing the Columbus, but the second sets out across the system.  The Columbus runs out-system for twenty hours, and for twenty hours the Reaper Charlie class follows, neither closing or receding.  Commander Wiedmaier orders his ship to turn to run across the system, staying clear of the inner system.  This course will take them across the outer system to a point where they can turn towards the jump point back towards human space without nearing the Reaper ships in the inner system.  By the time the Columbus reaches its turning point towards the jump point, the rest of the survey group will already be at the jump point and hopefully safe.   

July 11, 2134: The scout moving into the Chi Draconis system detects a ship belonging to the same race identified in the system before, although this is a different class.  The ship is in orbit over the only body in the system, a terrestrial class world in a close orbit around the secondary K0-V star.  The planet has a Venusian atmosphere and an average temp of 1216C, so it definitely is not the home world of the Chi aliens, as they have become known.  The scout changes course slightly to a point in space ten mkm’s from the planet and begins contact attempts. 

As the scout approaches it detects two more Chi ships in orbit, these a new class which will be designated as Charlie class.  Three hours later the scout detects thirteen new ships of two new classes, all orbiting the Venusian planet. 

An hour later the scout detected fifty-nine new ships, bringing the total up to seventy-one ships in ten different classes.  The scout’s commander decided to stop where he was and maintain distance from this somewhat intimidating assemblage of ships.  Five seconds after stopping the number of alien ships increased to two hundred and twenty-six, and the scout’s commander ordered them to turn away and begin retreating. 

Immediately after the scout turned away, eight Chi ships left orbit, headed away from the scout, and thirty-six headed towards them.  The aliens were moving 3.7 times faster than the scout, so escape was impossible.   

The Chi aliens closed to 150,000 kilometers and opened fire, hitting the scout with an unknown weapon, causing some internal damage.  The scout turned away and began running, but it was over quickly.  The aliens fired as they came, and when they reached point blank range, they boarded the scout.  The scout’s valiant crew tried to fight them off, but the aliens were fearless and attacked with some sort of acid-based weapon that ate through whatever it hit. 



The scout crew fought bravely against the animalistic attackers, but were completely incapable of stopping the aliens, who killed a third of the crew in the first few minutes of the boarding action.  The crew fought on with no thought to surrender, because everyone who tried was dissolved by the alien acid weapons.  Suddenly, the attack ended when the alien attackers inflicted so much damage on the ship that it exploded, killing the crew and boarders alike. 

The second scout, sitting in the outer system, recorded the transmission from the other scout then quietly jumped out, taking the warning to the rest of the empire.  This was a major threat, and one that could not be ignored. 

Chi ship classes:
Alpha  # 1     speed 13,516       unk                                          suspected gravitic survey ship
Bravo  #1      speed 10,562       sensor tonnage  130,600
Charlie  #2    unk                        sensor tonnage 119,689
Delta     #2    speed 2,732         sensor tonnage 21,030
Echo     #11   speed 10,562      sensor tonnage 21,495
Foxtrot #42  speed 12,326       sensor tonnage 761
Golf #1      speed 10,649     sensor tonnage unk
Hotel #62  speed 11,109     sensor tonnage 844
India #24   speed 11,109     sensor tonnage 695
Juliet #82   speed 11,109     sensor tonnage 844

In light of the numbers, and the way the animalistic aliens attacked the scout, they immediately became known to the Imperial Navy as The Swarm.
 


July 12, 2134: At 0938 hours the Columbus joined the rest of her group and they jumped out, leaving the 70 Ophiuchi system behind.  The Reaper ship had followed them across the entire system, never closing on them.  Once on the far side they began running from the jump point.  If the Reaper Charlie class had a jump engine, then it could jump through in less than a half hour. 

A half hour later the group was five million kilometers from the jump point, which remained clear.  The group proceeded on towards the jump point back to Terran space. 

July 25, 2134: The Challenger, operating out of the Tau Cephei system, probes a newly discovered jump point.  They discover the GJ 1128 system, a single-star system with a small red star primary.  The red star is orbited by seven planets, two terrestrial class, two dwarves, and three gas giants, along with numerous moons.  Excitingly, the third planet is terrestrial, with a cold oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere.  The initial analysis shows that the world is rated at 0.86 for colonizing purposes.  As of yet, the Challenger’s crew is unaware of the Empire’s encounters with the Reapers and the Chi aliens, so the Challenger’s captain is tempted to probe the planet to determine if it is inhabited.  They are low on fuel, though, so he reluctantly turns back to rendezvous with the fuel support ship several system’s back towards Imperial space. 

July 30, 2134: The fleet scout arrives in the Monoceri system and immediately transmits its sensor and comm logs to the base.  Two hours later it receives a response from the base ordering it to return up the jump route to the 25 Ursae Minoris system and picket the jump point.  Shield Base immediately dispatched its courier to Terra with the sensor and comm logs.  It would take just under eighteen days for the news to arrive in the Solar System. 

August 5, 2134: The Jump Ship Culthine and her gravitic survey group jump into the Monoceri system and immediately transmit their Reaper contact report to Shield Base.  As the base’s courier has already jumped out of the system, the base commander orders the Culthine and her group to return to the Solar System with their report.  As the gravitic survey group is low on fuel they head in-system to refuel at the base before setting out for home.  It will take them nearly thirty days to reach the Solar System. 

August 10, 2134: Fleet Scout 003 jumps into the 25 Ursae Majoris system and contacts the fuel support ship stationed at the jump point.  The fuel ship reports that the three long-range survey ships departed less than a day ago, headed for the rim.  The scout immediately sends a message to the three LR survey ships, ordering them to return to Shield Base.  Fortunately, they are still in-system and turn back.  The scout then orders the fuel ship to return to Shield Base as well, after topping off its tanks. 
 
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Humanity First: Reaction to the Discovery of the Swarm
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2024, 11:59:44 AM »
August 18, 2134: The courier from Shield Base jumps into the Solar system with its report of the disaster in the Chi Draconis system.  The report throws Fleet HQ into barely controlled chaos as all of their carefully laid plans are revealed to be inadequate to deal with the threat presented by the Chi Draconis aliens, who quickly become known as the Swarm, for their swarm attack tactic.  The first casualty of the discovery are the new designs for the massive refit that the shipyards are nearly ready to begin.  The new designs incorporate the newly developed engine tech, along with upgrades to sensors and fire controls, but the initial analysis of the sensor logs determines that the upgrades, while significantly improving the fleet’s ships, are inadequate in the face of the Hivers’ speed and numbers.  Worse, their speed advantage and apparent strategy of boarding enemy ships means that the empire’s ships are hideously vulnerable to boarding, especially given the scout crews’ inability to fight off the Hiver boarders. 

After some indecision, with design teams and intel specialists arguing over radical changes to fleet composition and design, fleet command imposes order.  The refit process is already underway, although actual refits to warships haven’t started.  Minor changes will be made to the current designs in light of what they’ve learned, but there is no way that the fleet’s major combatants can be brought up to parity with the Hiver’s displayed speed with the current technology, without a radical redesign, and perhaps not even then.  Instead, the fleet’s units will be modified to carry marine boarders to defend them, along with some other modifications, and the refits will go ahead. 

In addition to modifying the upcoming refits and designing new ships and small craft, the Imperial Navy, in consultation with the Imperial Government, places a moratorium on exploration and expansion beyond Shield Base for the near future.  No further jump point stabilization will take place in the territories beyond Shield Base, and the exploration fleets will be recalled and redeployed.   

This was to be the Flight IV refit for the Hero class destroyer.  The new inertial confinement engines raise the class speed to 7,500 km/s, well in excess of known alien ship classes, although not the newly discovered Swarm ships.  The new IC fusion engines were designed especially for this class, and replaced three of the older engines with two IC fusion drives, giving this class better fuel efficiency and range.  This design removed the small hanger bay, which was never utilized, and optimized the ships weaponry and fire controls. 
Code: [Select]
Hero Flight IV class Destroyer      10,000 tons       235 Crew       2,457.4 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 6-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 62      Sensors 42/0/0/0      DCR 3-3      PPV 33
Maint Life 2.12 Years     MSP 1,360    AFR 267%    IFR 3.7%    1YR 405    5YR 6,079    Max Repair 375 MSP
Tractor Beam     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,796,000 Litres    Range 140 billion km (216 days at full power)

25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (2)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
15cmFUV Laser (5)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (2)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
IC Fusion Reactor (5)     Total Power Output 50    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The redesign as a result of the Chi Draconis incident saw the addition of a troop bay for the ship’s marine contingent, and the removal of all plasma cannons in favor of the faster firing 15cm lasers and an additional fire control, to help deal with the expected high number of targets.  In addition, the armor was slightly increased.  Space for these improvements was found by removing the ship’s tractor beam, along with some of its weaponry. 
Code: [Select]
Hero Flight IVb class Destroyer      10,000 tons       228 Crew       2,498.6 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 7-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 56      Sensors 42/0/0/0      DCR 3-3      PPV 30
Maint Life 2.13 Years     MSP 1,368    AFR 267%    IFR 3.7%    1YR 403    5YR 6,044    Max Repair 375 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,799,000 Litres    Range 140.2 billion km (216 days at full power)

15cmFUV Laser (6)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (3)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
IC Fusion Reactor (5)     Total Power Output 50    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Flight III refit for the battlecruisers included the new IC fusion engines, improvements in range and endurance, newer and larger shield generators that increased the ship’s shield strength by 67%, and upgraded laser turrets, fire controls, sensors, and EW systems.
Code: [Select]
Planet Flight III class Battlecruiser      20,000 tons       509 Crew       5,012.4 BP       TCS 400    TH 3,000    EM 3,600
7500 km/s      Armour 7-65       Shields 120-360       HTK 120      Sensors 42/14/0/0      DCR 19-9      PPV 71.14
Maint Life 2.23 Years     MSP 2,659    AFR 356%    IFR 4.9%    1YR 720    5YR 10,804    Max Repair 500 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

BC IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 3000    Fuel Use 20.0%    Signature 1000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,633,000 Litres    Range 118.5 billion km (182 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (4)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (0.3 per second)

25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
25.00cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 15       
20cm FUV Laser (5)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 10-5     RM 50,000 km    ROF 10       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (2x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (2)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (2)     Total Power Output 160    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The upgrades for the “b” variant include marine bays and a re-arrangement of the weaponry, in exchange for removing some of the fuel tankage. 
Code: [Select]
Planet Flight IIIb class Battlecruiser      20,000 tons       492 Crew       4,953.7 BP       TCS 400    TH 3,000    EM 3,600
7500 km/s      Armour 7-65       Shields 120-360       HTK 114      Sensors 42/14/0/0      DCR 19-9      PPV 63.14
Maint Life 2.33 Years     MSP 2,720    AFR 337%    IFR 4.7%    1YR 679    5YR 10,192    Max Repair 500 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

BC IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 3000    Fuel Use 20.0%    Signature 1000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,648,000 Litres    Range 119.2 billion km (183 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (4)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (0.3 per second)

31.250cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 26-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 25       
25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
15cmFUV Laser (4)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (2x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (2)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (2)     Total Power Output 160    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Flight II upgrade for the DDE adds the new IC fusion engines, improved maintenance capability, increased range, improved shielding, sensors, and EW systems. 
Code: [Select]
Shield Flt II class Destroyer Escort      10,000 tons       249 Crew       1,960.4 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 660
7500 km/s      Armour 5-41       Shields 22-264       HTK 65      Sensors 42/0/0/0      DCR 6-6      PPV 60
Maint Life 2.34 Years     MSP 747    AFR 131%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 186    5YR 2,783    Max Repair 375 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 983,000 Litres    Range 76.6 billion km (118 days at full power)
Epsilon Shield Generator (2)     Recharge Time 264 seconds (0.1 per second)

Gauss Cannon Mk I (10x3)    Range 30,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
DDE Gauss Fire Control  (2)     Max Range: 40,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-2     75 50 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

the “b” variant removes the shield generators to add troop bays, and slightly increases the ship’s tankage. 
Code: [Select]
Shield Flt IIb class Destroyer Escort      10,000 tons       242 Crew       1,923.2 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 5-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 59      Sensors 42/0/0/0      DCR 6-6      PPV 60
Maint Life 2.33 Years     MSP 733    AFR 131%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 184    5YR 2,764    Max Repair 375 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,018,000 Litres    Range 79.3 billion km (122 days at full power)

Gauss Cannon Mk I (10x3)    Range 30,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
DDE Gauss Fire Control  (1)     Max Range: 40,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s    ECCM-2     75 50 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Flight V interceptors included a much improved hi-performance IC fusion engine, increasing its speed to the previously unobtainable 10,000 km/s, and included improved fire controls and sensors. 
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Interceptor Flt V class Interceptor      2,000 tons       44 Crew       693.2 BP       TCS 40    TH 400    EM 0
10002 km/s      Armour 6-14       Shields 0-0       HTK 13      Sensors 42/0/0/0      DCR 1-5      PPV 5
Maint Life 5.63 Years     MSP 325    AFR 21%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 17    5YR 260    Max Repair 200 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 1 months    Morale Check Required   

Hi Performance IC Fusion Drive   (1)    Power 400    Fuel Use 129.53%    Signature 400    Explosion 16%
Fuel Capacity 293,000 Litres    Range 20.4 billion km (23 days at full power)

15cmFUV Laser (1)    Range 300,000km     TS: 10,002 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (1)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Fighter Plasma IC Fusion Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 12    Exp 10%

Interceptor Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 1008     Range 43.2m km    Resolution 14
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The encounter with the Hivers demonstrated that even the new Flight V interceptors were inadequate, so Fleet Command ordered the R&D teams to develop a newer, even higher performance IC fusion engine.  They complied, developing the Mark II Hi Performance IC Fusion Drive, but at the cost of range.  The newer drive was much more fuel hungry than the old, reducing the interceptor’s range to an unacceptable level.  Therefore, all unnecessary equipment, including the thermal sensors, were removed and the fuel tankage was increased, increasing the overall size of the ship.  Fleet Command was not happy with the resulting range, but was forced to accept it in exchange for the speed, which was faster than all known Swarm designs. 
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Interceptor Flt Vb class Interceptor      2,065 tons       45 Crew       743.2 BP       TCS 41    TH 575    EM 0
13929 km/s      Armour 6-14       Shields 0-0       HTK 13      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 1-4      PPV 5
Maint Life 4.90 Years     MSP 337    AFR 23%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 23    5YR 348    Max Repair 287.5 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 1 months    Morale Check Required   

Hi Performance Inertial Fusion Drive Mk II (1)    Power 575.0    Fuel Use 320.91%    Signature 575.00    Explosion 23%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres    Range 13.6 billion km (11 days at full power)

15cmFUV Laser (1)    Range 300,000km     TS: 13,929 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (1)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Fighter Plasma IC Fusion Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 12    Exp 10%

Interceptor Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 1008     Range 43.2m km    Resolution 14

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Flight IV refit for the jump cruisers added the IC fusion engines, improved sensors, EW systems, fire controls, power plants, and shield generators. 
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Annihilator Flight IV class Jump Cruiser      20,000 tons       507 Crew       4,855.4 BP       TCS 400    TH 3,000    EM 2,310
7500 km/s    JR 4-250      Armour 6-65       Shields 77-264       HTK 121      Sensors 42/14/0/0      DCR 17-8      PPV 63.14
Maint Life 1.59 Years     MSP 2,062    AFR 457%    IFR 6.3%    1YR 948    5YR 14,221    Max Repair 500 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

J20000(4-250) Military Jump Drive Mk III     Max Ship Size 20000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 4

BC IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 3000    Fuel Use 20.0%    Signature 1000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,591,000 Litres    Range 116.6 billion km (179 days at full power)
Epsilon Shield Generator (7)     Recharge Time 264 seconds (0.3 per second)

31.250cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 26-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 25       
25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (3)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
20cm FUV Laser (4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 10-5     RM 50,000 km    ROF 10       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (2x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (1)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
IC Fusion Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 10    Exp 5%
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (2)     Total Power Output 160    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The “b” redesign added troop bays and completely changed the weaponry of the class, at the cost of some shielding, along with other minor changes.  The weaponry was changed to smaller, faster firing 15cm lasers, along with an additional turret.   
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Annihilator Flight IVb class Jump Cruiser      20,000 tons       517 Crew       5,445.3 BP       TCS 400    TH 3,000    EM 1,800
7500 km/s    JR 4-250      Armour 6-65       Shields 60-360       HTK 112      Sensors 42/14/0/0      DCR 18-9      PPV 55.71
Maint Life 1.86 Years     MSP 2,361    AFR 400%    IFR 5.6%    1YR 867    5YR 13,010    Max Repair 500 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

J20000(4-250) Military Jump Drive Mk III     Max Ship Size 20000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 4

BC IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 3000    Fuel Use 20.0%    Signature 1000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,642,000 Litres    Range 118.9 billion km (183 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (2)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (0.2 per second)

31.250cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 26-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 25       
15cmFUV Laser (4)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (2)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (3)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
IC Fusion Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 10    Exp 5%
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (2)     Total Power Output 160    Exp 5%

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Flight I refit design for the battleship was not finalized before the reports from Chi Draconis arrived, so the new design includes the improvements based on that information.  The design includes troop bays, the newer, larger Battleship IC Fusion Drive design, which significantly improved the ship’s range, along with improved sensors and fire controls, next generation shield generators, and improved laser turrets.  In addition, the ship’s engineering department was slightly larger, giving it improved sustainability.  Finally, the flag bridge was removed and relocated to a new design (below), turning this class into a pure combat vessel. 
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Star Flight I class Battleship      40,000 tons       957 Crew       8,845.1 BP       TCS 800    TH 6,000    EM 13,500
7500 km/s      Armour 8-104       Shields 450-360       HTK 221      Sensors 14/14/0/0      DCR 29-7      PPV 113.71
Maint Life 1.38 Years     MSP 4,195    AFR 656%    IFR 9.1%    1YR 2,379    5YR 35,683    Max Repair 1,000 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Commodore    Control Rating 4   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

BB IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 6000    Fuel Use 14.14%    Signature 2000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 4,921,000 Litres    Range 156.6 billion km (241 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (15)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (1.2 per second)

25.00cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 15       
25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (5)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
20cm FUV Laser (10)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 10-5     RM 50,000 km    ROF 10       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (3)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (3)     Total Power Output 240    Exp 5%

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The Star class fleet flagship was a formidable ship, but had no jump engines and so was dependent on the stabilization network to travel.  With the discovery of the Swarm, all work on extending the stabilization network in that region will be discontinued, so a jump version of the battleship design was needed.  The flag bridge was relocated to this design, and a new jump engine large enough for the battleships was developed.   The weaponry has been optimized around smaller, faster firing lasers with additional fire controls to engage larger numbers of smaller ships. 
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Star(C) Flight I class Battleship      40,000 tons       960 Crew       8,993.1 BP       TCS 800    TH 6,000    EM 13,500
7500 km/s    JR 4-250      Armour 7-104       Shields 450-360       HTK 205      Sensors 14/14/0/0      DCR 31-7      PPV 83.71
Maint Life 1.51 Years     MSP 4,535    AFR 593%    IFR 8.2%    1YR 2,244    5YR 33,666    Max Repair 1,000 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     
Commodore    Control Rating 5   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

J40000(4-250) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 40000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 4

BB IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 6000    Fuel Use 14.14%    Signature 2000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 5,005,000 Litres    Range 159.3 billion km (245 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (15)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (1.2 per second)

25.00cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 15       
15cmFUV Laser (10)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Main Battery Fire Control MK III (2)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (3)     Total Power Output 240    Exp 5%

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

The above designs are the result of the initial reaction to the discovery of the threat from the Swarm.  While the designs are clearly inferior to the demonstrated speed and numbers of the Swarm, it is felt that this is the best that can be done with the tech and designs available. 

However, the fleet’s designers have been directed to develop countermeasures to the Swarm’s speed and numbers with the available technology.  To this end they are investigating developing small craft, under 1,000 tons, that will be faster and capable of striking at the Hiver ships from beyond their range. 

To this end they have proposed the following design as a carrier for the new small craft.  The design uses already developed systems and is capable of the standard fleet speed.   Tradeoffs between hangar capacity and magazine capacity were made that made no one happy.  Originally, the design had storage for just 80 missiles, which wouldn’t be enough to rearm the fighter group even one time.  To enlarge the magazines without decreasing the hangar capacity, compromises had to be made, such as reducing the armor, removing marine bays, and reducing the ship’s EW capability. 

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Country class Carrier      40,000 tons       681 Crew       6,645.7 BP       TCS 800    TH 6,000    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 2-104       Shields 0-0       HTK 196      Sensors 84/0/0/0      DCR 36-9      PPV 0
Maint Life 1.72 Years     MSP 4,199    AFR 492%    IFR 6.8%    1YR 1,724    5YR 25,864    Max Repair 1,000 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 14,000 tons     Magazine 1,350 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 4   BRG   AUX   ENG   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Flight Crew Berths 280    Morale Check Required   

BB IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 6000    Fuel Use 14.14%    Signature 2000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,930,000 Litres    Range 93.2 billion km (143 days at full power)

Sparrow II ASM (450)    Speed: 41,267 km/s    End: 1.3m     Range: 3.3m km    WH: 6    Size: 3    TH: 181/108/54

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Capital Thermal Sensor  (1)     Sensitivity 84     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  72.5m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Missile 3   

Strike Group
26x Eagle Strikefighter   Speed: 20012 km/s    Size: 9.99
3x Aegis Patrol Craft   Speed: 19289 km/s    Size: 6.48

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Carrier for auto-assignment purposes

The Eagle class strike fighter is the Empire’s first attempt at creating a small, fast combatant that would be capable of out-running a Swarm ship and strike from a safe distance, then return to its carrier which would remain far enough from a Swarm fleet to be safe.  While the Eagle is built around an engine developed for small craft, it is very much a cobbled together design, using missiles and fire control systems first developed to engage Reaper units from beyond their own missile range.  This class is very much viewed as a concept test-bed for future development.
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Eagle class Strikefighter      500 tons       3 Crew       145.4 BP       TCS 10    TH 200    EM 0
20012 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 3      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3.6
Maint Life 1.86 Years     MSP 18    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 7    5YR 99    Max Repair 100 MSP
Magazine 24 / 0   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Aslt Shuttle Inertial Fusion Drive   (1)    Power 200    Fuel Use 357.77%    Signature 200    Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 40,000 Litres    Range 4.03 billion km (55 hours at full power)

Sparrow ASM Box Launcher (8)     Missile Size: 3    Hangar Reload 86 minutes    MF Reload 14 hours
Missile Fire Control  (1)     Range 79.6m km    Resolution 100
Sparrow II ASM (8)    Speed: 41,267 km/s    End: 1.3m     Range: 3.3m km    WH: 6    Size: 3    TH: 181/108/54

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes

The Aegis class is intended to accompany strike waves of Eagle class units to provide active sensor capabilities so that they can acquire targets for their missiles. 
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Aegis class Patrol Craft      325 tons       2 Crew       159 BP       TCS 6    TH 125    EM 0
19289 km/s      Armour 1-4       Shields 0-0       HTK 5      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.67 Years     MSP 30    AFR 8%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 2    5YR 34    Max Repair 86.4 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Fighter IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 125.0    Fuel Use 1250.0%    Signature 62.5    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 101,000 Litres    Range 4.49 billion km (64 hours at full power)

Interceptor Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 1008     Range 43.2m km    Resolution 14

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a None for auto-assignment purposes

The Forward class is intended as a fleet-defense unit, to provide missile defense and close-in defense against Swarm units should they manage to close on an Imperial Fleet.  This unit is not envisioned as a long-range strike unit, like the Eagle class.  In order to squeeze a laser into the fighter frame, a new, down-sized laser had to be designed that was smaller and charged slower than a full sized unit. 
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Forward class Attack Craft      365 tons       5 Crew       163 BP       TCS 7    TH 125    EM 0
17156 km/s      Armour 2-4       Shields 0-0       HTK 4      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 2.25
Maint Life 5.94 Years     MSP 42    AFR 11%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 2    5YR 31    Max Repair 39 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Fighter IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 125.0    Fuel Use 1250.0%    Signature 62.5    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 35,000 Litres    Range 1.38 billion km (22 hours at full power)

Fighter 10cm FUV Laser (1)    Range 80,000km     TS: 17,156 km/s     Power 3-1.5     RM 50,000 km    ROF 10       
Fighter Beam Fire Control  (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 16,000 km/s    ECCM-2     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
Fighter IC Fusion Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 3    Exp 10%

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes

The Breaker class is intended to act in the same role as the Forward class, as a fleet-defense unit.  Unfortunately, fitting a gauss cannon into the small frame made the design larger than the other proposed designs, meaning fewer could be fit into a carrier. 
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Breaker class Armed Shuttle      607 tons       8 Crew       185.7 BP       TCS 12    TH 200    EM 0
16494 km/s      Armour 1-6       Shields 0-0       HTK 5      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 6
Maint Life 1.24 Years     MSP 19    AFR 29%    IFR 0.4%    1YR 13    5YR 194    Max Repair 100 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Aslt Shuttle Inertial Fusion Drive   (1)    Power 200    Fuel Use 357.77%    Signature 200    Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 15,000 Litres    Range 1.24 billion km (20 hours at full power)

Gauss Cannon Mk I (1x3)    Range 30,000km     TS: 16,494 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 30,000 km    ROF 5       
Fighter Beam Fire Control  (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 16,000 km/s    ECCM-2     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a FAC for auto-assignment purposes
« Last Edit: July 27, 2024, 02:31:04 PM by Kurt »
 
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Humanity First: Preparations
« Reply #21 on: August 01, 2024, 10:08:31 AM »
August, 2134: The tug group towing the first contingent of new maintenance bases arrives at Shield Base I n the Monoceri system.  The maintenance bases increase the ground-based facilities capability to 10,000 tons.  The forward deployment of ships has been delayed due to the refit schedule. 

December, 2134: The second group of maintenance bases are released over Shield Base in the V577 Monoceri system, along with a rest and recreation base. 

Later in the month the salvage ship assigned to salvage the wrecks in the Lacaille system finishes the last wreck and moves on towards the Proxima system to salvage the wreck there.  Having seen no additional Archer ships in the system and the salvage ship departing, Battle Group Jupiter turns for home for repairs and rest for its crews. 

January 5th, 2135: The Jupiter arrives over Terra to a hero’s welcome.  The Battle Group receives a unit citation, and its commander receives a medal as well.  The Jupiter will be rushed into the yards as soon as space opens up.   

May, 2135: Io is officially a 0.0 world, finally fulfilling the empire’s promise the colonists.  There are celebrations across the colony as the terraformers continue to labor to improve the world’s livability and ensure that it remains within habitable parameters during its entire year. 

June, 2135: Io is certified as a stabilized 0.0 world and the terraformers move on to their next assignment. 

July, 2135: Io based research teams develop compressed carbon armor.  The fleet’s refit schedule is well underway, but all new refits will include this development, as will new construction. 

Late in the month the first group of six interceptors completes their refits and are launched from the yards.  They immediately set out for Shield Base in the Monoceri system to act as system defense ships.  The trip will be nearly at the limit of their fuel and endurance, but is within their capabilities.  They’ll be on-station in nine days. 

August, 2135: The 2nd Long Range Survey Group is operating in the newly discovered HIP48659 system when one of its ships detects an alien population on one of the moons of the fourth gas giant.  The moon is a barren, frigid rock with no atmosphere, meaning the alien base is likely either a mining base, sensor base, or military outpost.  Following SOP the survey group withdraws, with two of the survey ships heading to their next target while the third heads back to the Groombridge system to report the contact. 

Ten days later the survey ship jumps into the Groombridge system and sends off its contact report.  When the report reaches Victory base, the base commander immediately dispatches his courier to the Solar System with the contact report.  ETA to the solar system is thirty-six days. 

October 4, 2135: The courier from Victory Base arrives in the solar system and sends off its contact report.  The response from the admiralty is immediate.  Couriers are sent to all out-system bases ordering all surveying to come to a halt and for the survey ships to return to Terra.  There are now three known threat axis, and until one or more can be neutralized surveying will stop. 

A fleet scout is dispatched from Terra to rendezvous with a LR survey ship in the Groombridge system, and from there they will proceed to the HIP 48659 system, where the scout will attempt to gather information on the newly discovered aliens. 

February 16, 2136: The scout posted in the 25 Ursae Minoris system, on the jump path in between the Swarm’s known location and Shield Forward Base, detects a Swarm survey ship in the system.  The scout immediately jumps out to report the contact. 

On the 27th the scout arrives in the Monoceri system and sends off its contact report.  It then proceeds in-system for overhaul, as it is near the limit of its endurance. 

March, 2136: The Avenger III, a fleet scout, arrives at a position 30 mkm’s from the alien outpost in the HIP 48659 system.  The outpost appears exactly as it was, and there are no alien ships in sight.  The scout proceeds towards the outpost, and will take up an orbit over moon #9, just outside of the orbit of the moon that the alien outpost is located on. 

Once the scout takes up its position orbiting moon #9, its sensitive sensors detect a ground force garrisoning the alien outpost.  The alien outpost’s thermal and EM signature is relatively weak, indicating that it is either a minor mining outpost or a listening post. 

By mid-month attempts to communicate with the aliens are progressing, but slowly.  On the 23rd the scout detects an alien ship headed across the system.  The ship has emissions consistent with the outpost, indicating that it is likely from the same race, and has a speed of 1,769 km/s.  The ship is almost 300 mkm’s out, and far beyond the range of the scout’s active sensors, so the scout’s CO declines to activate them. 

Late in the month the scout begins receiving communications from other locations in the system, including the jump point back to human space, indicating that the aliens know the location of the jump point.  The scout’s crew has made significant progress with deciphering the alien’s language. 

On the 31st, the survey ship picketing the jump point back to Imperial space in the HIP 48659 system detects two alien ships headed for the jump point at 1,769 km/s.  They are well within its active sensor range, so the CO orders a quick scan of the alien ships.  One of the alien ships is 72,332 tons, and the other 17,755 tons.  The first is the same ship detected by the scout deeper in the system, while the second is a new contact.  The Imperial survey ship deactivates its sensors in case the aliens feel it is an aggressive move.  The alien ships approach the jump point and settle in over it, making it possible that the larger ship is a construction ship. 

April 6, 2135: On this date the fleet scout assigned to establish contact with the aliens in the HIP 48659 system finally succeeds in deciphering their language and establishes meaningful contact.  The aliens call themselves the Brobruisk Corporation, and do not match any records of known Raid species.     

Meanwhile, the Navy continues to work towards a counter to the Swarm’s high speed.  Because the new inertial confinement engines, which were the result of nearly five years of development and R&D, were barely enough to boost the fleet’s speed to just over half that of the Swarm’s demonstrated speed, a new solution is needed.  The Navy Design Bureau’s answer is several different versions of sub-1000 ton fighter craft, and a battleship-sized carrier.  As work has gone forward towards developing and deploying a fighter force, the fleet has asked for a smaller carrier design.  The Moon class strike carrier is the Naval Design Bureau’s answer. 

The Moon class is based on the battlecruiser design, with the weaponry and some defenses removed to make room for the hangar space. 
Code: [Select]
Moon class Strike Carrier      20,000 tons       302 Crew       3,357.6 BP       TCS 400    TH 3,000    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 4-65       Shields 0-0       HTK 89      Sensors 42/14/0/0      DCR 9-4      PPV 0
Maint Life 2.13 Years     MSP 2,246    AFR 337%    IFR 4.7%    1YR 662    5YR 9,936    Max Repair 500 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 6,000 tons     Troop Capacity 400 tons     Magazine 425 / 0   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Flight Crew Berths 120    Morale Check Required   

BC IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 3000    Fuel Use 20.0%    Signature 1000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 2,604,000 Litres    Range 117.2 billion km (180 days at full power)

Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Standard Thermal Sensor Mk III (1)     Sensitivity 42     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  51.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Carrier for auto-assignment purposes

April, 2136: With the fleet undergoing a massive refit, concerns are growing about the advance of the swarm towards Shield Base, so a tug group is detailed to take six missile bases under tow and transport them to Shield Base to act as cover until the fleet can be forward deployed. 

In the HIP 48659 system, the aliens request that the human scout leave their system.  The scout complies. 

April, 2137: The empire’s first ambassadorial ships are launched.  This design is based on the courier design, and is as non-offensive as the empire can make it. 

Code: [Select]
Ambassador class Diplomatic Ship      5,402 tons       82 Crew       524.7 BP       TCS 108    TH 406    EM 0
3760 km/s      Armour 1-27       Shields 0-0       HTK 23      Sensors 14/14/0/0      DCR 1-1      PPV 0
MSP 60    Max Repair 300 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   DIP   
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months   

Commercial Inertial Fusion Drive  (1)    Power 406.2    Fuel Use 0.49%    Signature 406.25    Explosion 2%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres    Range 68 billion km (209 days at full power)

Basic Active Search Sensor Mk V (1)     GPS 560     Range 26.9m km    Resolution 20
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Diplomatic Ship for auto-assignment purposes

The first unit of this class sets out for Victory Base in the Groombridge system, and from there will advance to the HIP 48659 system where it will reestablish contact with the Bobruisk.   

Strategic Situation, April 2137
Battleship Force: BB-01 Sol refitting, launch date May 12, 2137, 2 under construction
Battlecruiser Force: Refitted, ready for deployment, 3 under construction
Destroyer Force: 9 Refitted, 9 Refitting, 7 awaiting refitting
Destroyer Escort Force: 8 awaiting Refitting
Interceptor Force: 30 refitted, 9 refitting, 7 under construction
Jump Cruiser Force: 3 refitted, read for deployment

The existing battlecruisers are refitted and ready for duty, and the existing battleship is nearly ready, however, their escorts are still in the midst of refits, and the refits on the destroyer escort force have not begun yet.  This means that the capital ships are faster than their escorts, and the Navy is loath to commit them against faster foes until their escorts have been refitted. 

The bulk of the refitted destroyers and interceptors are forward deployed to out-system colonies and bases, and to Io.  Construction has not yet begun on carriers for the proposed attack wings, and construction of the attack wings themselves has been slow due to the need to build the factories that would build them. 

The empire faces threats along multiple axis.  The Bobruisk are located down the Alpha Centauri chain, beyond Victory Base in the Groombridge system.  Although they have not behaved aggressively towards the empire, and are not among the alien races identified as participating in the Raids, the Empire must clearly establish a bulwark against their possible expansion into Imperial Space, and Victory Base in the Groombridge system is that bulwark.  Currently the base is garrisoned by six latest generation interceptors, a territorial guard brigade, and relatively new ground batteries.  In addition, an orbital maintenance base has been deployed to the base, and the empire plans to build and deploy orbital habitats to the base to provide a local work force.  Eventually the Navy plans to forward deploy a destroyer group to the system, and the Guard plans to bolster the ground batteries when new batteries become available. 

Victory Base is well sited to act as a defense point against both the Bobruisk and the Swarm, as it has two planet-less systems in between it and the Bobruisk-claimed HIP 48659 system, and three planet-less systems between it and the Swarm. 

The second threat axis is the Reaper base located in the 70 Ophiuchi system, three jumps from Shield Base in the V577 Monoceri system along the Van Biesbroeck’s Star system chain.  A total of seventeen Reaper ships and a planetary base were detected in the 70 Ophiuchi system, and although they have not advanced out of the system since, the possibility cannot be discounted.  The Reapers have been positively identified as a Raid Race, and are one of the worst, having committed countless meaningless atrocities during their time on Terra. 

The third threat axis are the Swarm, originally located in the Chi Draconis system.  Since initial contact, their survey ships have advanced out of the system to first the Gamma Carinae system and then the Ursae Minoris systems, three jumps from Shield Base.   Because of their advance towards Imperial space, and their numbers and speed, the Swarm are viewed as the primary threat to the Empire at this time. 

At the current time, the Empire is taking a cautious defensive stance towards the Bobruisk focused on building up Victory Base and establishing continued peaceful contact with the Bobruisk.  The Reapers are considered a secondary threat, as they have not advanced out of 70 Ophiuchi and may not be able to do so.  Evidence recovered at the former Reaper Base in the Groombridge system hinted that the units there had been established as a forward outpost and then subsequently abandoned for an unknown reason.  It is possible that the installation in the 70 Ophiuchi system is in a similar situation, without the resources to expand beyond its system.  The Swarm are considered the primary threat at the current time; however, the Empire will be unable to advance into the Chi Draconis system for some time due to the need to build attack wings and carriers for them. 

Currently, the Navy intends to assemble an attack force and assault the 70 Ophiuchi system first, before dealing with the Swarm.  The Reapers are considered a softer target, and eliminating at least one threat axis as soon as possible is preferable.  The proposed attack force would consist of the jump cruiser squadron (3xjump cruisers, attached DDE’s), three battlecruiser groups (one BC, two DD’s, one DDE), a battleship command ship, and attached destroyer groups. 
 
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Humanity First: The Fleet moves out
« Reply #22 on: August 04, 2024, 08:13:10 AM »
June, 2137: Development begins on Mark VI armor and weapons for ground troops and vehicles.

July, 2137: The empire’s second battleship leaves the yards and immediately starts its training cruise. 

Later in the month, as the new diplomatic ship crossed the 68 Andromedae system bound for the HIP 48659 system, it encountered a Bobruisk jump stabilization ship.  The diplomatic ship settled in to follow the ship and further the Empire’s understanding of the race.   

A note on refits: The imperial Navy uses “Flight” to denote major upgrades, usually meaning engine upgrades, and “Mod” to indicate minor upgrades.  For instance, Destroyer Flight IIb would indicate a second-generation destroyer with a mod b upgrade.  Mod updates to designs do not usually involve refitting existing units, but rather allow the Navy to include now technology in new builds.  Therefore, Mod B might indicate upgraded weaponry, tracking systems or sensors, or defenses. 

As an example, the Empire recently developed 30cm lasers, and have deployed a 37.5cm spinal lasers.  The Star class Battleship design, currently Flight IIb, will be upgraded to include this new weaponry and will have the designation Star Flight IIc.  Functionally, this means that a squadron or group might contain ships of different mods, with different weaponry, defenses, or sensors.  This is considered acceptable by planners and the admirals, while mixing ships of different flights is not, as they would have different speeds and thus the slower ships would slow down an entire squadron. 

October, 2137: The Antares, a Star(C) class battleship, is launched and begins its training cruise.  The Flight I upgrade of the basic Star class flagship removed the flag bridge and replaced it with quarters for marines, along with other minor changes, turning the ship into a pure heavy combatant.  The Star(C) variant retains the flag bridge and mounts a jump drive capable of getting the massive ships through un-stabilized jump points. 

Code: [Select]
Star Flight Ib class Battleship      40,000 tons       983 Crew       8,911.7 BP       TCS 800    TH 6,000    EM 13,500
7500 km/s      Armour 8-104       Shields 450-360       HTK 230      Sensors 14/14/0/0      DCR 34-8      PPV 113.71
Maint Life 1.78 Years     MSP 4,841    AFR 533%    IFR 7.4%    1YR 1,897    5YR 28,462    Max Repair 1,000 MSP
Troop Capacity 800 tons     
Commodore    Control Rating 4   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

BB IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 6000    Fuel Use 14.14%    Signature 2000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 4,931,000 Litres    Range 156.9 billion km (242 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (15)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (1.2 per second)

25.00cm Spinal FUV Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 15       
25.0cm Plasma Carronade Mk II (5)    Range 160,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 16-6     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
20cm FUV Laser (10)    Range 320,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 10-5     RM 50,000 km    ROF 10       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (3)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (3)     Total Power Output 240    Exp 5%

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

Code: [Select]
Star(C) Flight Ib class Battleship      40,000 tons       991 Crew       9,572.7 BP       TCS 800    TH 6,000    EM 13,500
7500 km/s    JR 4-250      Armour 7-104       Shields 450-360       HTK 209      Sensors 14/14/0/0      DCR 34-8      PPV 70.71
Maint Life 1.87 Years     MSP 5,239    AFR 512%    IFR 7.1%    1YR 1,917    5YR 28,752    Max Repair 1,000 MSP
Troop Capacity 800 tons     
Commodore    Control Rating 5   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

J40000(4-250) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 40000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 4

BB IC Fusion Drive   (3)    Power 6000    Fuel Use 14.14%    Signature 2000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 5,022,000 Litres    Range 159.8 billion km (246 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (15)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (1.2 per second)

15cmFUV Laser (9)    Range 300,000km     TS: 7,500 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (3)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (3)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (3)     Total Power Output 240    Exp 5%

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Basic EM Sensor Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km
Basic Thermal Sensor  Mk V (1)     Sensitivity 14     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  29.6m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

September, 2138: A second group of interceptors is dispatched to Shield Base.  This leaves only six interceptors over Terra, but several groups are training and will be available if necessary. 

October, 2138: Humanity’s first carrier is launched.  The United Kingdom embarks its fighter group and begins exercising in the inner system. 

February 19, 2139: At long last the bulk of the fleet is refitted and ready for service out-system.  The Navy declares the Retribution Fleet operational, and announces a departure date for Shield Base in V577 Monoceri.  The fleet is composed of the following units:

Retribution Fleet, CO Rear Admiral Doxey aboard the Battleship Antares

Battleship Group, CO Commodore McCullick aboard Battleship Antares
1xStar Flight Ib Class BB Pride of Sol
1xStar(C) Flight Ib class BB Antares
2xShield Flight IIc class DDE

Jump Cruiser Group, CO Captain Sessions aboard Jump Cruiser Annihilator
3xAnnihilator Flight IVb class Jump Cruiser

Jupiter Battle Group, CO Captain Fortenberry aboard the BC Jupiter
1xPlanet IIIb class BC
2xHero IVb class DD

Mars Battle Group, CO Commodore Kelm aboard the BC Mars
1xPlanet IIIb class BC
2xHero IVb class DD
1xShield IIc class DDE

Terra Battle Group, CO Commodore Naraine aboard the BC Terra
1xPlanet IIIb class BC
2xHero IVb class DD
1xShield IIc class DDE

DD Group 3, CO Commander Kight aboard the DD Jun Hsu
2xHero flight IVc DD

DD Group 8, CO Commander French aboard the DD Megan Edwards
2xHero flight IVc DD

DD Group 9, CO Captain Belleau aboard the DD Kefilwe Okorie
3xHero flight IVc DD

In addition, seven fuel tankers, two fleet scouts, and two salvage ships accompanied by two freighters were dispatched to support the fleet.  In addition, eleven brigade transports carrying the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions will be sent to provide ground assault capability. 

The Fleet’s orders are to clear the 70 Ophiuchi system of the Reaper infestation.  Naval HQ does not want a Reaper threat on Shield Base’s flank once the fleet goes on the offensive against the Swarm. 

March 11, 2139: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Shield Base and refuels.  The presence of the fleet is straining the base’s maintenance capacity, so it won’t be able to remain long, but it will only be there until the fleet’s support units arrive. 

April 5, 2139: The fleet’s fuel and scout ships have arrived at Shield Base, and the offensive is ready to begin.  The assembled ships will first move to the jump point in the V577 Monoceri system that leads to Van Biesbroeck’s Star, after which the scouts will probe ahead and the fleet and fuel ships will advance behind them. 

April 29, 2139: The Retribution Fleet, after making a cautious advance down the Van Biesbroeck’s Star chain, is now at the jump point to 70 Ophiuchi.  The fleet pauses and refuels from the waiting tankers as the capital ships charge their shields.   

Finally, at 1535 hours, the fleet is refueled and ready to move into the 70 Ophiuchi system.  It is not known if the Reapers are guarding the far side of the jump point, but after following the survey ship that discovered them, they certainly know where it jumped out, so the fleet’s commander assumes they are waiting at the jump point. 

The jump point assault force will consist of the Battleship Group and the three Battlecruiser Battle Groups, each reinforced with a jump cruiser.  Two of the battle groups will have to leave behind their DDE’s, as the jump cruiser’s jump drives cannot take more than four ships through the jump point.   

The fleet jumps through to find the jump point clear.  The Antares jumps back, and in minutes the fleet scouts and the remaining destroyers are assembled on the jump point.  After a short time spent reorganizing, the fleet sets out for 70 Ophiuchi II and the Reaper base.  The three jump cruisers will be left behind with one of the scouts. 

Battle Report to come!
 
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Humanity First: 1st Battle of Ophiuchi
« Reply #23 on: August 06, 2024, 11:45:20 AM »
April 30th, 2139, 0513 hours
Rear Admiral Delois Doxey stared at the plot tank intently as the fleet’s sensors got their first hint that the Reapers were still in the system.  One hundred and fifteen million kilometers away, over 70 Ophiuchi II, three red icons appeared.  After a few seconds the flagship’s computer put up info tags indicating that these were two Deltas and a Charlie.  After a few seconds of studying the plot, she activated the comm system in her station and opened a line to the command deck.  “Commodore McCullick, the fleet will continue on course for planet two.”

Tension built among the crews of the fleet as they continued to advance towards the Reaper Base.  They had all seen the recordings of the Reapers in action on Terra during the Raids, and everyone knew them to be merciless killers.  Every crewer in the fleet was determined to do their best to eliminate this threat, but they wouldn’t be human if they didn’t wonder about what kind of meat grinder they were advancing towards. 

Two hours later the planet was in active sensor range of the fleet, and the plot suddenly updated with numerous contacts over the planet.  The Reaper fleet now consisted of thirty-six ships of ten classes, three of which were new.  Even as the intelligence division parsed the information coming in from the sensors, Admiral Doxey called a virtual command conference for her group leaders. Within minutes Admiral Doxey, her flag captain, and the commanders of the Jupiter, Mars, and Terra battle groups were present in the virtual environment.  Although she could have chosen any setting for the meeting, as usual Admiral Doxey had chosen a no-nonsense briefing room virtual environment for the meeting, and the attendees appeared in the chairs surrounding a table with large displays hanging over them in positions they could all see.  Once they were all present, she called up a breakdown of the Reaper fleet on the overhead displays. 

Alpha: 17,400 tons, speed 0, armor 4, shields 196, suspected beam platform    
Bravo: 17,300 tons, speed 0, armor 2, shields 196, 52xclass 2 Missile launcher   
Charlie: 8,650 tons, speed 8,023, unknown armament or defense      
Delta: 26,089 tons, speed, and armament unknown, shields 122            
Echo:  17,396 tons, unknown speed and armament, shields 196         
Foxtrot: 8,691 tons, unknown armament and defense, speed 5,338      
Golf: 961 tons, Unknown speed, armament and defense            
Hotel: 17,772 tons, unknown speed, armament and defense            
India: 17,399 tons, unknown speed, armament and defense         
Juliett: 8,689 tons, unknown speed, armament and defense         

Total tonnage of Reaper force: 256, 706
Total tonnage of Imperial Force: 310,000

“As you can see, there are thirty-six Reaper ships present over planet two.  Alpha and Bravo are known to be immobile bases, and Charlie class units are known to have a higher speed than our fleet standard.  Aside from that little is known about the composition of the Reaper force.  At this time, it is my intention to advance to contact with the Reaper force and engage them closely.”

Commodore Kelm, commanding officer of the Mars Battle Group, frowned.  “The Reaper missiles are believed to have a range of approximately two million kilometers.  At maximum fleet speed it’ll take two hundred and sixty-seven seconds to close to point blank range with the Reaper fleet, meaning that they will have the chance to launch twenty-two salvoes before we even close to combat range.  And that’s assuming the other unknown classes can’t add any additional missiles to the salvoes.”

A general discussion started between the attending officers about the plan to close to beam range through missile fire.  Admiral Doxey remained silent, watching who was talking, their demeanor, and what they were saying.  Commodore Naraine of the battlecruiser Terra was optimistic as always, pointing out that the new escort destroyers and their gauss cannons, backed up by the fleet’s massed laser point defense, would deal with the Reaper missiles. Commodore Lacefield, CO of the battleship group, argued as always that orders were orders, and shouldn’t be questioned.  Captain Fortenberry, the CO of the Jupiter and her battle group, was the youngest in the virtual room and the lowest ranking, and as usual remained silent throughout most of the conversation. 

After a few minutes the conversations had devolved to a near argument between Commodore Kelm on one side, who was arguing that they should send for tugs to bring up bombardment bases to eliminate known Reaper missile bases before they entered combat range, and Commodores Naraine and Lacefield who were defending the current plan.  Admiral Doxey raised her hand and the others quickly quieted down.  “There are two Bravo class units over the Reaper Base.  Fleet Ops has determined that the escort destroyers and destroyers that comprise our escort force will be sufficient to attrit the Reaper missile salvoes to the point that that capital ships can absorb the leakers with their shielding, which can be recharged.  We will continue with the advance.  Prepare your crews for an anti-missile engagement.  That is all.”

One by one they left the virtual environment, leaving the admiral to be the last to leave.  The fleet advanced through the depths of space, towards an inevitable fight. 

Five minutes after the conference ended, at 0741 hours, Admiral Doxey was in her office, going over the plan of attack and the fleet deployment orders yet again, when alarms started ringing.  Almost immediately Commodore McCullick was on the comms to her office.  “Ma’am, sensors detect an inbound wave of missiles five point two million kilometers away and closing at 30,085 km/s, ETA 173 seconds.  The missile salvo is composed of two hundred and sixteen size seven missiles.  Current range to the Reaper base is fifty-one million kilometers.  The fleet is at combat readiness, shields raised, point defense networks established.”

“Very well.  I’ll be on the flag bridge.  Fight your ship.”  Closing the comms channel she hurriedly left her office and made the short trip to the flag bridge.  Entering, her eyes went immediately to the plot, which showed the missile salvo closing on the fleet.  Seeing the missiles closing on her fleet, she knew that they couldn’t close through fifty million kilometers of repeated missile strikes.  Especially since these larger missiles were almost certainly more capable than the Reaper missiles they had encountered before.  She made a snap decision and opened a comms channel to the bridge. 

“Commodore McCullick, we will be executing a fleet turn to a reciprocal course back towards the jump point.  Please plot the course and disseminate it to the fleet.  We will turn on your mark, after I speak to the fleet.”  She didn’t wait for his acknowledgement before closing the channel and opening the fleet wide channel.   

“This is fleet command to all units.  We will execute a fleet turn to a reciprocal course.  The course and timing will be disseminated by the flagship.  All ships are to engage incoming missiles as per the established missile defense plan.” 

The fleet came about as ordered, and began opening the range to the Reaper fleet and stretching out its engagement time with the incoming missiles.  The entire fleet watched as the incoming missile wave overtook them, racing towards the fleeing ships like a wave.  The missiles raced through the fleet’s point defense fire in seconds to crash against the two battleship’s shields.  It was all over so fast the point defense fire and the missiles hitting the battleship’s shields seemed simultaneous.  Alarms rang throughout the Antares as the big battleship’s shields absorbed multiple missile-strikes, shedding the energy as the shields collapsed.  After the explosions cleared Admiral Doxey could see that her flagship’s shields were still at 84%, but alarmingly, the Pride of Sol’s shields had been reduced to 11%. 

“Report on point defense effectiveness!”

“Enemy missile salvo contained numerous decoys.  Total number of missiles killed by point defense, twenty-five.  Estimated fifty-seven decoy hits by point defense.” 

She grimaced.  A ten percent kill ratio was not enough to attrit the missiles, and the Pride of Sol’s shields had almost been knocked down on the first salvo.  “Damage report.”

“The fleet reports no damage.  The Pride of Sol reports sixty-seven hits by strength six missile warheads, shields intact and recharging.  The Antares reports twelve hits, shields recharging.”

She was fortunate that the Reapers concentrated on her two largest and most capable units.  Even so, the Pride of Sol almost lost her shields.  It was at this moment that she realized that there was nothing she could do to affect the outcome of the battle.  Her fleet was retreating, trying to get out of the enemy’s missile range before the enemy overwhelmed their defenses.  There was no clever strategy that she could employ, no rabbit she could pull out of her hat.  The Reaper missiles would come, and there was nothing that she or her fleet could do about it but endure it. 

Ten minutes and fifteen seconds later the next wave of missiles appeared on the fleet’s sensors, rapidly overhauling them.  Admiral Doxey felt very fortunate that it had taken that long for another salvo to appear on their sensors, as it had given the battleships time to recharge their shields.  Three minutes and forty seconds later the missiles had reached the outer edge of the fleet’s point defense envelope and the battlecruiser’s heavy spinal lasers fired, trying to pick them off at range.  The heavy lasers missed, and the missiles came on.  The next up was the plasma cannons on the battle cruisers, but they only managed to kill one decoy.  The missiles raced in on the fleet and the massed lasers and gauss cannons fired at the last second, killing twenty-two missiles and seventy-six decoys.  The rest targeted the battlecruisers Terra and Mars. 

Admiral Doxey anxiously watched the plot, waiting for it to update.  Finally, the light codes for the Terra and Mars updated.  Both battlecruisers had lost their shields, and their armor had been reduced to 80% and 87% respectively.  Neither was showing any internal damage.  Admiral Doxey was relieved, but if the Reapers continued to target those ships, things would get bad quickly. 

Anxiety aboard the fleet ships grew until, like clockwork, the next salvo appeared on the fleet’s sensors ten minutes and twenty seconds later.  Once again, the long-range point defense fire took out several decoys but no actual missiles.  This time the last second point defense took out twenty-nine missiles and forty-three decoys.  To Admiral Doxey’s horror, the missiles targeted four destroyers, the Jun Hsu, Aydan Calligaris, Chandra Graf, and the Iris Hennig.  The destroyers had no shielding, and were completely exposed to the incoming missiles. 

Admiral Doxey’s eyes remained riveted to the destroyer’s light codes while the system assimilated the incoming damage reports.  She was briefly relieved to see that the Hsu took twenty-one hits, reducing her armor to 62%, and the Chandra Graf took sixteen hits, reducing her armor to 67%, and that both of the destroyers had sailed out of the fireballs as if nothing had happened. 
 
She was dismayed when the light code for the Iris Hennig updated, showing that the destroyer had taken twenty hits and had one burn through, damaging multiple internal systems and causing losses among the crew.  Her dismay turned to horror when the Calligaris’ code updated.  The Calligaris took twenty-six hits, drastically depleting her armor and suffering a burn through that damaged one of her engines, reducing her speed by half. 

Before Admiral Doxey could open a channel to the Calligaris, her comms tech informed her that Commander Spomer, CO of the Calligaris, was on the line.  She opened the channel immediately.  “Commander, what is your status?”

The Calligaris’ bridge was barely controlled chaos as the ship’s officers coordinated the damage control teams efforts.  Commander Spomer looked grim.  “Admiral, our number two engine is damaged, and my engineering teams don’t think they can restore it any time soon.  Our armor is at 47%, but we have multiple burn throughs and several other seriously weakened sections.  We have fifteen casualties at this time.”

Admiral Doxey thought furiously for a few seconds, as Commander Spomer turned away to deal with urgent issues.  It took Doxey only seconds to realize what she had to do.  When Spomer turned back to the screen, she said “Commander, I cannot order the fleet to slow down to cover your ship.  It is imperative that I get the fleet out of range of those launchers.  I’m sorry.”

Commander Spomer grimaced.  “I don’t know what good it would do if the fleet remained with us.  Too many of the Reaper missiles are getting through our defenses, Admiral.  Endangering the fleet won’t save us if they’ve got other missiles out there targeting us.” 

Admiral Doxey hated doing it, but after closing out the channel she ordered the fleet to continue on, leaving the Calligaris behind. 

Eight minutes later, the lagging Calligaris’ sensors picked up the next inbound missile wave.  Admiral Doxey, and the whole fleet, heaved a sigh of relief when the missile wave passed the limping destroyer and continued on towards the main fleet.  No one wanted to be the target of those missiles, but the sight of the lone destroyer falling behind the fleet, valiantly struggling to remain alive as the remorseless Reaper missile salvoes closed, rallied the crews and turned their fear, which had steadily been increasing, into anger. 

The fleet’s massed point defense fire killed sixty-seven decoys and twenty-three missiles.  This wave targeted the battleships, which by this time had recharged their shields.  The Pride of Sol was hit by sixty-seven missiles, once again having her shields reduced to 11%.  The Antares came through with her shields at 73%.

Six minutes later the Calligaris, falling farther and farther behind, detected the next wave of inbound missiles.  This missile salvo passed the Calligaris by as well.  Point defense killed twenty-nine missiles and fifty-nine decoys.  This missile salvo was split between the battleships Antares and Pride of Sol, and the battlecruiser Jupiter.  All three ships emerged from the fireballs with their shields intact.

The next five minutes passed with no new sightings of missile waves.  Another ten minutes passed before Admiral Doxey passed the order for the crews to stand down from alert status.  When another five minutes passed without incident Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to turn back and rendezvous with the Calligaris, taking it back in under the fleet’s protection.  Once the Calligaris rejoined the fleet, Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to turn for the jump point.  A new strategy for attacking the Reaper fleet would have to be devised. 

Admiral Doxey ordered an after-action report on the performance of the fleet’s anti-missile defenses.  It soon became clear that the much-vaunted gauss cannons didn’t perform as well as hoped.  The fleet’s most effective anti-missile weapons were the mark II laser turrets, followed by the destroyer’s rapid firing 15cm lasers.  The turrets had a consistent kill ratio of 29%, and the 15cm lasers were at 10%, while the gauss cannons were at 8%.  The higher rate of fire for the gauss cannons raised their effective kill rate, and the laser turret’s larger size reduced theirs, but it was clear that the fleet needed much more effective anti-missile weapons.     

Five hours later the Calligaris’ damage control teams finally managed to repair the destroyer’s damaged engine and the fleet was able to resume full speed.  Shortly after that, four Delta class ships left the Reaper base and accelerated towards the retreating fleet.  The Deltas were moving at 5,333 km/s, substantially slower than the Terran fleet’s speed of 7,500 km/s. 

For a few moments Admiral Doxey entertained the idea of turning to engage the Reaper ships, but not knowing which units were equipped with the long-range missiles left her unwilling to try to close with the alien ships, even away from the base.  Two minutes later the fleet’s sensors picked up two Charlie class ships speeding ahead of the Deltas, running at 8,023 km/s, faster than the human ships.  There was no way they could catch the human ships before they jumped out, though. 

May 1st, 2139, 0442 hours
The fleet was finally at the jump point.  Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to jump out, leaving only a scout behind with its engines at low power and its active sensors off to reduce its profile.  Once in the Procyon system, Admiral Doxey ordered the four damaged destroyers to refuel and return to Shield Base.  Once the damaged destroyers were off, the rest of the fleet refueled and resupplied from the waiting tankers, after which the slow support ships set out for the jump point back to Van Biesbroeck’s Star.  With the immediate concerns resolved, Admiral Doxey called for another command conference. 

This time, when the commanding officers had assembled, she immediately launched into her plans, instead of calling for a discussion.  She knew the mood of the crews and officers after the long flight from the inner system, and it matched hers.  They were mad, and they wanted revenge for their dead comrades.  The Reapers would pay, and she knew how to make them pay. 

“I intend to move the fleet into defensive positions here at the jump point.  We will wait for the Reaper force to invest the far side of the jump point.  If they come through then fine, we will destroy them here.  If they don’t jump through, then two days from now we will jump into the 70 Ophiuchi system and attack the Reaper fleet at the jump point on the far side.”

Commodore Kelm immediately spoke up. “And if they aren’t one the jump point, but waiting somewhere within range of their missiles?”

Admiral Doxey’s eyes narrowed.  It was a reasonable question, but Kelm’s tone was annoying and her actions during the battle had been…subtly off.  It wasn’t anything she could put her finger on, but it was there.  She made a mental note to talk to her XO and her squadron CO’s after the upcoming battle.  “We will evaluate the situation as needed.  If they aren’t within immediate attack range, then I will decide if they are close enough to make a run at them.  If not, we will retreat through the jump point back to this location and assume defensive positions against an assault by the Reapers.  Assault groups will be determined today, and I’ll send the attack plan to all commands as soon as it is ready.  Prepare your ships.”  She left the virtual conference, and one by one the officers left as well. 

On May 2nd the scout’s sensors began picking up additional ships in the approaching Reaper fleet, until finally just before midnight the count for the Reaper force stood at four Deltas, an India class, six Foxtrot and five Golf class, for a total of sixteen ships.  The two Charlie class ships detected leading the force earlier were not currently with the Reaper Fleet.  The fleet was moving towards the jump point at a speed 0f 5,333 km/s, and the scout waited until they reached 75 mkm’s from the jump point before jumping out.  The Reaper ETA at that point is just under four hours. 

The Retribution Fleet divided into four groups, each led by a capital ship.  The three battle cruiser groups each consist of the lead battlecruiser, a jump cruiser, and two destroyers.  The battleship group consists of two battleships and two destroyers.  The fleet’s destroyer escorts remain behind as the jump ships cannot carry them through the un-stabilized jump point along with the other ships. For now, the DDE’s will assume defensive positions with the battle groups at the jump point.   

May 3, 2139, 1025 hours
Admiral Doxey keyed the all-ships channel, which would put her through to every ship in the fleet.  Each ship, forewarned, put her on the general channel so every crewer could hear her announcement. 

“Men and women of the Imperial Fleet!  The Reapers devastated our home planet.  They killed and kidnapped innumerable human beings over multiple raids.  They attacked our fleet in the Groombridge system, and now they’ve attacked us here.  They refuse to talk.  They refuse to negotiate.  And now they think they’ve thrown us out of their system because we cannot face their missile barrages.  But if I’m right, then they are sitting on the far side of this jump point, and when we go through, we’ll jump in on top of them.  We’ll be in our weapons range, and then we’ll teach them what it means to attack the Empire!  For the Empire!”

Cheers rang out on every ship, and at the appointed time, the fleet jumped out… 

…And into pure chaos!

As soon as the fleet materialized in the Ophiuchi system the Reapers opened fire, even before the Terran ships had fully materialized.  The Terran assault groups came out of the jump scattered around the jump point, with the enemy concentrated directly on the jump point, in between the four groups of human ships.  The Mars Battle Group came out of the jump closest to the jump point and immediately came under fire from the Reaper ships, and most of the fire was targeted on the group’s largest ship, the Mars herself.  The Foxtrots, slightly smaller than Terran destroyers, hit the battlecruiser with three unknown weapons each, later identified as some sort of very powerful particle beams.  The particle beams would prove to be particularly effective in the close-in fighting around the jump point.  The Golf class ships, the same size as the Foxtrots, hit the Mars with rapid fire gauss cannons, picking away at its shields and armor.   The powerful particle beams smashed through the Mars’s shielding and shredded its armor, and within seconds of materializing in the system the Mars blew up. 

Admiral Doxey, along with the entire fleet, was stunned by the quick destruction of the Mars, but none of them could spare the time to grieve as the chaos around the jump point intensified as the Terran ships started striking back.  Although the Terran commanders were as stunned as the admiral at the loss of the proud battlecruiser, they all had a job to do, and their survival, and the survival of their crews depended on them doing it. 

Following established fleet orders, the Terran ships got underway, trying to close to point blank range with the Reaper missile ships, now identified as Delta and India class ships.  The Delta class ships were launching large size seven missiles as fast as they could, while the India class unit was firing off size two missiles equally quickly.  The missiles launched by the Reapers when the Terrans appeared in the system began arriving as the Terran ships moved out, and with their point defense nets disorganized by the jump the missiles had little difficulty closing on the remnants of the Mars battle group.  For whatever reason the Reapers targeted one of the Mars battle group’s two destroyers, and Doxey’s fingers tightened on her chair as the destroyer was wreathed in explosions.  The destroyer was hit by thirty-eight of the size seven missiles, leaving it crippled and drifting.  A second group of missiles attacked the Terra, knocking her shields down and scoring her armor.  Oddly, the Jupiter was attacked by one lone missile, which flared ineffectually against her shields.  As the Terrans advanced, the Reaper Golf class ships targeted a Terran destroyer with their gauss cannons, reducing her armor to 83%. 

Ten seconds after materializing in the system the battlecruiser Terra, the pride of the fleet, opened fire on the Reapers, targeting one of the missile-spewing Deltas.  The Terra’s 31.25cm spinal laser speared the Delta from just over 100,000 kilometers range, cutting through its armor like butter and causing a jet of debris to trail behind the ship.  The Terra’s four 25cm plasma cannons fired next, getting three hits and one penetration, followed by four quick-firing 15cm lasers, three of which hit as well, getting one armor penetration.  The broadside from the Terran battlecruiser left the Reaper missile ship drifting and out of the battle, causing a cheer to break out among the Terran crews who had been shaken by the destruction of the Mars.  One of the Terra’s escorting destroyers opened fire on a second Delta, knocking down its shields and scorching its armor. 

It was at this point that Admiral Doxey, who had seriously been considering ordering her fleet to retreat, realized that the Reapers had been caught with their shields down.  The Terra’s broadside, while powerful, wouldn’t have been able to penetrate a Delta’s full shield strength, but the one the Terra targeted hadn’t had any shields at all.  She keyed the all-ships channel.  “We caught them with their shields down!  Pour it on!  Don’t let them raise their shields!”

The Golf class Reapers turned their gauss cannons on the Terra, ripping through her barely recharged shields and sandblasting her armor, which had already been damaged by the initial Reaper missile salvo.  Eight gauss cannon rounds penetrated her shredded armor, knocking out her passive sensors, a fusion reactor, one of her plasma cannons, and a fuel tank.   The proud battlecruiser was still in the fight, though.  As the Golf’s ravaged the Terra, the lone India class launched twenty-six size two missiles.   

Missiles sleeted in on the jump cruiser and destroyer that were all that remained of the Mars Battle Group.  The Assassin, the jump cruiser, spit defiant laser fire at the incoming missiles, but they were small and very fast, and thus hard to hit.  The Assassin destroyed all five of the incoming missiles, but Terra was targeted as well, and by more missiles.  The damaged battlecruiser defended itself with its laser turrets and knocked down four of the incoming missiles, but that left twenty to slam into her bare armor, causing multiple burn throughs, losing more fuel and a 15cm laser emplacement.  At this point the battlecruiser’s armor was down to 44% and was holed in multiple places.  She was still at full speed, though, and most of her weapons.  She was definitely still in the fight. 

The Jupiter and one of her escorting destroyers poured fire into a Delta at 65,000 kilometers, getting multiple armor breaches and slowing the Reaper missile ship to 75% speed.  Meanwhile, the Terra and one of her destroyers had reached point blank range of the Deltas and unloaded all of their 15cm lasers into one, staggering the Reaper missile ship and leaving it drifting.  While the battlecruisers had been slugging it out with the Reapers, the battleship group had closed to 27,000 kilometers of the main Reaper fleet.   Apparently, the sight of the oncoming battleships was too much for the Reapers, because the Golf class ships shifted their gauss cannon fire to the flagship of the human fleet.  The Antares plowed ahead as if unstoppable as the gauss cannon rounds sparked off her heavy shielding.  In response, the Antares fired its 15cm lasers at an undamaged Delta, but its armor absorbed the blow.  No other Terran ships were able to fire yet. 

The Terran ships closed on the Reaper force, continuing to pour laser and plasma fire into the Delta class missile ships. Each battle group targeted a Delta, and with two at point blank range and two within 100,000 kilometers, the broadside was devastating.   The Delta targeted by the battleship Pride of Sol was hit at point blank range by the battleship’s spinal laser and four plasma cannons and simply vaporized.  Delta one, targeted by the Jupiter battlegroup, was crippled and left drifting.  Delta two, attacked by a single destroyer from the Mars group, had managed to get its shields at least partially powered and suffered no damage, while Delta three, targeted by the Terra battle group was left crippled as well. 

The Golf class ships continued to pour point blank gauss cannon fire into the Antares, getting sixty-one hits.  The big battleship bulled its way through the barrage as if it didn’t notice them, pursuing the Reaper ships.  The India class ship launched another salvo of size two missiles from the periphery of the battle as the other ships slugged it out in a chaotic furball around the jump point. 

Admiral Doxey could see that the Delta’s were a spent force and ordered her battle group commanders to shift fire to the Foxtrots.  They had handily destroyed the Mars with their particle weapons, and hadn’t fired again, indicating that they were slow to charge.  She wanted them out of the fight before they could kill another of her capital ships.  She ordered the Mars group to continue firing on Delta two, which had gotten its shields up and was still intact.   

Terran point defense, having recovered from the jump, shot down fifteen of the incoming missiles, and fourteen slammed into the Antares, but the big battleship’s shields shrugged off the damage.  After being pelted with gauss cannon rounds and now missiles, the battleship’s shields were still at 74%.  Once again, the Golf’s targeted the Antares with their gauss cannons, and got many hits, but merely succeeded in reducing the battleship’s shields to 66%.  The Terran fire against the Foxtrots was devastating.  Most of the Terran ships were at either point blank range or under 50,000 kilometers and their lasers were doing terrible damage at that range.  Five of the six Foxtrots were targeted, and all took penetrating hits, leaving one crippled and one at reduced speed.  Delta two suffered multiple hits, but her armor continued to absorb the damage. 

Admiral Doxy again ordered her fleet to shift fire, this time focusing on the Golf class gauss cannon units, along with the intact Foxtrot and Delta two.  In response, the Golf class units shifted their fire to a Terran destroyer which had already lost most of its armor and shredded the Terran ship, leaving it a wreck surrounded by life pods.  Once again Delta two survived the barrage aimed at it, its armor absorbing the laser fire.  Four Foxtrot and four Golf class units came under laser fire from the Terran ships, destroying one Foxtrot and heavily damaging the others. 

The India class unit launched another salvo of size two missiles, and at this point Admiral Doxey could sense the end of the battle approaching, and gave the order for her units to fire at will, freeing them to choose the best target they could as the enemy faltered. 

The Terrans shot down sixteen missiles leaving eleven to slam into the Antares’ shields, barely affecting the battleship and only reducing her constantly recharging shields to 65%.  The Terran ships spit fire in every direction, targeting every Reaper ship within reach.  The destroyer Ganna Shivets raked a Foxtrot with its 15cm laser, leaving it a wreck.  A second destroyer got in close to a Foxtrot and speared it with its entire laser broadside, penetrating all the way through the Reaper ship and leaving it tumbling in a cloud of debris.  The Antares targeted a damaged Foxtrot that was trying to retreat and wiped it from space.  There would be no quarter given, and no Terran was willing to let a Reaper ship get away now that they had them in their grasp.  In response the DD Kemke Janzen was raked by gauss cannon fire from four Golf class ships, reducing her armor to 87%. 

The battle was turning into a slaughter at this point, and the Terrans were reveling in it.  The remaining Golf class ships continued to pour fire into the Janzen, but the destroyer’s armor was intact when they started and it would take time for the Golf’s to wear it down.  Time they didn’t have.  In quick order Terran laser and plasma fire wrecked two Deltas and three Foxtrots and inflicted punishing damage on several other ships, including the India class missile ship. 

Once again, the Antares was attacked by a size two missile salvo, and once again her shields shrugged off the damage.   The Golf class ships split their fire between the Janzen and another already damaged destroyer, but didn’t get any penetrations on either, reducing their armor to 71 and 74% respectively.  In response the Terran fleet finally destroyed the India class missile ship, and a Foxtrot and Delta class. 

The Terran fleet now turned its attention to the last Delta, Delta two, and the Golf class ships.  In quick order the Delta and a Golf were swatted out of space, and several other Golfs were damaged.  The Golfs returned to concentrating their fire on the Janzen, which had its armor reduced to 59% and suffered a penetration that failed to do any internal damage. 

The battle was close to ending, but the Reapers had no give in them.  They kept fighting to the end, and even when their ships had lost their weapons they tried to ram, although none of them were successful.  By this point only one Golf class still had intact weapons, and it doggedly followed the DD Kemke Janzen, pouring gauss cannon fire into the evading destroyer.  The Janzen suffered a second penetrating hit, losing a 15cm laser, but in quick succession the Terran fleet destroyed the three remaining Golf class ships, decisively ending the battle.

When the light code for the last Reaper ship turned dark, Admiral Doxey looked around the flag bridge at her aides and staff, and for a second they looked back, all of them shocked at the violent and destructive battle.  Still trying to comprehend what had happened, Doxey looked down at her command station and saw that the battle, which had seemed to last for hours, had instead started and ended in less than a minute.  She stared dully at the tank, at the light codes for the two Terran ships lost in the battle.  Two Terran ships, seven hundred crew, lost in less than a minute.  Then she saw the light codes for life pods around the two ships, and that brought her back to herself.  She still had a job to do. 

“All right people!  We won the battle, now let’s pick up the pieces.  I need damage reports from all fleet ships.”  She glanced at the tank and noted that the battleship Pride of Sol’s icon indicated no damage.  “Detail the Sol to pick up the life pods from the Mars and the Fergeson.”

The damage report was sobering.  The battleships had come through the battle with no damage, as had the Jupiter.  The battlecruiser Terra’s armor had been reduced to 44% and had suffered multiple penetrations, and had moderate internal damage.  It could still make full fleet speed, though, and its engineering team promised full repairs were possible before reaching Shield Base.  Of the destroyers, one had armor damage and the Janzen had serious internal damage, although it too could make full fleet speed. 

Overall, Admiral Doxey was well-satisfied.  Sixteen Reaper ships had been eliminated, seriously weakening the force at Ophiuchi.  The battle had cost the fleet two Terran ships, one in the first seconds of the battle.  Of the original thirty-six Reaper ships, the Reaper fleet had been reduced to 2xAlpha, 2xBravo, 2xCharlie, 1xEcho, 12xGolf, and 1xHotel.    After action analysis confirmed that the Delta class carried forty size seven missile launchers, the Foxtrot was armed with 3 particle beams, the Golf’s were armed with two rapid firing gauss cannons, and the India class was armed with twenty-six size two missile launchers.  Although she was tempted to make a run at the Reaper base in the inner system, that was easy for her to put aside.  Seven of her destroyers were damaged to one extent or another, and the Terra, while repairable, shouldn’t go into battle again until her armor was repaired.  The Reapers had been stripped of most of their mobile units, the base could wait. 

The two Terran battleships proved to be extremely durable and effective combatants.  The Pride of Sol came through the battle with her shields at 67% and destroyed three Reaper ships, while the Antares’s shields were at 100% by the end and had destroyed one Reaper ship.  The destroyers, with their fast-firing 15cm lasers, were particularly effective.  The Kemke Janzen, which suffered serious internal damage, destroyed two Reaper ships in the battle.  The jump cruiser Eradicator came through the battle unscathed and destroyed an India and a Foxtrot class ship.  Most of the other ships in the fleet destroyed at least one enemy ship, all assisted in the kills.  The enemy particle weapons, which had destroyed the Mars in the first seconds of the battle, were concerning, but they were apparently slow to reload because they had not fired again during the battle. 

Later, as the fleet assembled at the jump after rescuing the survivors and completing initial damage survey’s, Admiral Doxey was interrupted by an incoming call from the commander of the Pride of Sol.  Commodore Lacefield was considered something of a rising star within the fleet, and had been given command of the tough battleship as a reward for exemplary service.  He was well liked by his peers and subordinates, and generally cheerful.  So, when Admiral Doxey saw the dour expression on his face, she knew she wasn’t going to like what he was going to say.  “Commodore, what can I do for you?’

Commodore Lacefield grimaced in what looked like disgust.  “Admiral, I suggest you take this call in private.”

Admiral Doxey hadn’t expected the unusual request, but it wasn’t too uncommon for an officer under her command to request privacy, so she agreed and put the channel on hold while she relocated to her office near the flag bridge.  Once there, she opened the channel.  “Very well, Commodore, the channel is encrypted and I’m alone.”

“Admiral, we picked up the life pods from the Mars and the Fergeson.  We rescued two hundred and four survivors, including Commodore Kelm and Commander Zadrozny.”

Admiral Doxey looked relieved.  “Well, that is good news, but I assume there is more to the story.”

“Unfortunately, Admiral, there is.  The life pod that Commodore Kelm was recovered from was empty, aside from the Commodore.  She claimed that the entire bridge crew died in the attack on the ship, and that she was the only one who got to the life pod in time.”

Admiral Doxey frowned.  “That’s unlikely.”  It was extremely unlikely, in point fact. 

“I know, but it is possible, I guess.  There is more though.  Commodore Kelm claimed that the entire bridge crew died in the attack, leaving her as the only officer to get off of the bridge and to the bridge life pod.  But lieutenant commander Delduca, an officer in Mars’ logistics department and a bridge watch stander, was rescued aboard a different pod.  He tells a different story.  I think you should talk to him.”

“Right now?”

“Yes ma’am, right now.  I’ve got him waiting in my quarters, and I can bring him in right now.”

Admiral Doxey had a bad feeling about this.  “Very well.”     
 
It took Commodore Lacefield just a few seconds to retrieve the other officer, who sat down in front of the monitor.  “Go ahead, tell the admiral what you told me.”

Lt Commander Delduca looked uncomfortable, but determined.  “Ma’am, it didn’t happen the way Commodore Kelm is claiming.”  The Lt Commander looked nervous, but continued.  “Ma’am, you saw what happened to our ship.  We materialized in the system and were hit almost immediately.  It happened really even before we were aware we had arrived.  One second, we were in the Procyon system and the next there was a tremendous snap when the shields failed under enemy fire.  Whatever weapon they were using just cut through our shields and armor like it wasn’t there!  Our shields failed, and then the Mars shuddered as her armor was shredded.”  Delduca shook himself, and looked right at Admiral Doxey.  “Ma’am, that’s a feeling I’d rather never have again.  The Mars was solid!  As good a ship as there is, but we were torn apart before we knew what was happening.  Alarms were ringing, and entire sections of the ship were going red.  That was my position on the bridge, damage control coordinator.  I could see it happening in seconds.  Entire sections of the ship going red, and the screams from the intercom!  Oh my god, the screams!” 

Delduca sobbed, overwhelmed, and Commodore Lacefield put his hand on the man’s shoulder.  “It’s okay, William.  It’s okay.  Just tell the admiral what happened next.”

Delduca took a second, then nodded.  “Yes sir.”  He looked back at the admiral, and she could see the hell he had witnessed in his eyes.  “Ma’am, it was all chaos.  Everyone on the bridge was struggling with their stations, trying to get the ship under control even as it was shot out from under us.  I could tell it wasn’t going to work.  There was too much damage, and it was coming in too fast.  I turned to the Commodore, to tell her what I was seeing on my board, but when I turned around, she wasn’t at her station.  Then I saw her.”  Delduca’s face got still and rigid.  “Ma’am, she was running towards the aft area of the bridge.  I wasn’t the only one.  The XO, Commander Jenson, saw her too.  He cursed at her, as she left the bridge.”  Delduca sat, lost in thought.

Admiral Doxey sat stunned for several seconds, trying to understand what she had heard.  “Are you saying Commodore Kelm abandoned her post?”  Her voice had gone flat. 

Lt Commander Delduca straightened under her gaze. “Yes ma’am, she did.  She ran through the rear hatch, that leads to the bridge life pod, and the crawlspace tubes that lead down into the ship.  That’s the last I saw of her.”

Admiral Doxey couldn’t believe this.  She didn’t like Kelm personally, but she had always performed well.  This couldn’t be true.  Still, why would a relatively junior officer lie?  “What happened next?”

“Ma’am, the XO began to ask me a question, but before he could the ship shook under us and we knew she was finished.  XO Jenson gave the order to abandon ship and we all went to the bridge life pod.  That’s when we discovered that it was gone.  I think we knew that Kelm had taken it, but none of us really believed it until we saw it with our own eyes.  I…I could see the anger in Commander Jenson’s eyes, but he was our leader now, and he was a good officer.  He ordered us back to the elevators, but I told them that my board had showed them as destroyed just below the command deck, so he ordered us into the crawlspace tubes.  As long as they aren’t breached you can get nearly anywhere on the ship, and all we needed to do was get to the first crew deck two levels down and we’d find some pods.  So, we set out, but before we got to the crew deck there were more explosions and fires, and one by one the others were killed, or wounded and couldn’t go on.  Finally, it was just me, but I got lucky.  I found a pod and got off, with some others from the crew services section.”

Admiral Doxey sat silently for a few seconds, considering what she had been told.  Her elation at their recent victory now tasted like ashes in her mouth.  She didn’t want to believe it, but she knew that Delduca was telling her the truth as he believed it.  Still, accusing a commodore of cowardice in the face of the enemy was a serious thing, and couldn’t be done solely on the word of a junior officer.  “Lt. Commander Delduca, is there anyone else who can support your claims?” 

Delduca looked sad.  “Ma’am, no one else from the bridge got off, I think.”  He looked up at Commodore Lacefield hopefully.

Lacefield shook his head.  “No, I’m sorry, no one else was recovered from the bridge crew.”  Delduca’s face fell.

Admiral Doxey thought for a second.  “Very well.  Thank you for bringing this to my attention.  Commodore, would you take the Lt Commander back to your quarters and then come back.  I’d like to talk to you about this matter.” 

Lacefield straightened.  “Yes ma’am.”  He escorted Delduca out of the office and returned in a few seconds. 

“Commodore, this is a very serious matter.  You are to sequester Lt Commander Delduca for the time being.  No one from his or your crew are to speak with him.  He is not a prisoner though.  You are not to speak with Commodore Kelm at this time.”

“That won’t be a problem ma’am.”  His face twisted with disgust.  “She has been camped in our sick bay since recovery, claiming multiple injuries since her harrowing escape from the Mars.”

Admiral Doxey looked up sharply.  “She said that?  Is she injured?”

Lacefield shook his head.  “In so many words.  But I’d say from the volume of complaining she was fine, ma’am.”

“Very well.  I am going to dispatch the Buckler to the wreckage of the Mars.  They will recover the bridge recorder and any other evidence available, and report to me.  You are not to speak of this matter to anyone else, aside from me, until I give you further orders.  Is that clear?”

“Very clear, ma’am.”

Admiral Doxey signed off, and then made a call to Commander Belmonte, commander of the DDE Buckler.  Shortly thereafter the DDE sped away from the fleet, arrowing towards the wreck of the Mars.  The Buckler hovered over the wreck for three hours, while the rest of the fleet prepared for return to the Procyon system.  Upon its return to the fleet, the Buckler docked with the flagship.  Shortly afterwards, Admiral Doxey ordered Commodore Lacefield to transfer Commodore Kelm to her flagship. 

Admiral Doxey was present at the boarding area when Commodore Kelm arrived from the Pride of Sol.  The Commodore was a tall, regal blonde, with a carefully controlled expression on her face as several Sol crewpersons escorted her aboard the flagship.  She saw the admiral and straightened and saluted.  “Admiral Doxey, thank you for…”  She faltered when she saw the Antares master at arms behind the admiral, along with two of her mates. 

Admiral Doxey, not wanting to prolong this any longer than necessary, nodded at the master at arms.  “Commodore Kelm, you are under arrest for treason and cowardice in the face of the enemy.”  Kelm’s face drained of color and she gasped.  “You will be held until the fleet returns to Terra, at which time you will be tried and convicted.  May god have mercy on your soul.”  Admiral Doxey turned to leave as the master at arms and mates took the Commodore into custody.

“But…but…Admiral!  You can’t!  I didn’t…”  she looked around frantically as the master at arms took her wrists and bent her arms behind her.  “Admiral!  Please!”  Kelm’s voice had taken on a whining tone that grated on everyone present. 

The whine in Kelm’s voice stopped Doxey in her tracks.  Suddenly her self-control slipped and she was furious.  She rounded on the commodore.  “There is video for heaven’s sake!”  Doxey’s face was flushed and she was as angry as she’d ever been.  “There is video of you leaving those heroes behind to die!”  Kelm opened her mouth, and Doxey took a step forward, raising her hand.  “Not one word!  They deserved better than you!”  With that Admiral Doxey turned and left the stunned commodore behind to be taken to the brig. 

The fleet jumped back to Procyon minutes later, leaving behind the scouts to watch the jump point. 
 
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Re: Humanity First: Story Posts
« Reply #24 on: August 09, 2024, 08:34:17 AM »
May 11, 2139: The fleet scouts in the Ophiuchi system detect a single Charlie class ship approaching the jump point.  By 2314 hours the contact is 70 mkm’s out and closing.  The scouts go active and confirm it is a single Charlie class ship, then jump out. 

May 13, 2139: The Retribution fleet has completed refueling and resupplying over Shield Base, and has dropped off the survivors rescued from the pods.  With everything ready, the fleet sets out for home.  Before departing the 9th DD Group is detached to act as a forward defensive force at the base. 

May 29th, 2139: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Terra.  The Emperor himself meets the officers and crews at Terra’s spaceport, and gives an address to the Empire, welcoming the heroes home.  The representatives of the officers and crews of the Retribution Fleet were drawn up in ranks on the spaceport tarmac, in front of the scarred shuttles that brought them home.  In front of them on a raised dais was the Emperor, looking out over a crowd of the family and friends of the crews who had come to welcome their loved ones home.  The Emperor’s speech was broadcast across Terra live, and encoded and sent to every off-planet colony and station. 

The Emperor began by briefly describing the fleet’s move into the 70 Ophiuchi system, and the cowardly Reaper attack on the fleet with long-range missiles, and the decision by Rear Admiral Doxey to retreat rather than subject her fleet to the destructive long-range fire.  The crowd was deathly silent as the Emperor described the heroic actions of the destroyer crewers who lost their life when their ships were damaged by the missile fire, and how the fleet finally retreated beyond the Reaper’s range.  Everyone listening to the address were on the edge of their seats as the Emperor described the retreat to the jump point, with the Reapers in pursuit.  When the Emperor spoke of Admiral Doxey’s decision to attack the Reapers, cheers rang out across the tarmac and indeed the entire planet.  But when he described the destruction of the Mars there were gasps and sobs, and then silence.  The Emperor credited the Mars’ executive officer, Rodrigo Jenson, and a bridge officer, Lt Commander Delduca, with saving other Mars crewers during the chaotic evacuation of that ship, and announced that Captain Jenson would receive the Navy Cross, posthumously, while Commander Delduca would receive the Navy Distinguished Service medal.     

The Emperor’s description of the battle was riveting, and the cheers when he described the final destruction of the Reaper fleet were overwhelming.  After letting the crowd cheer itself out, the Emperor reminded them that the war was not over.  There were still Reaper ships in 70 Ophiuchi, and the menace of the Swarm hung over that entire sector of space. 

No mention was made of Mars’ commanding officer.  She was listed on records released to the public as having died during the destruction of her ship.  As the speech was happening and the crowd was cheering, an unnamed officer was quietly transferred from the battleship Antares to fleet marine custody.  In the weeks after the fleet’s return, a secret court martial was held, after which, as Admiral Doxey had predicted, that officer was found guilty and sentenced to death.  The sentence was carried out immediately, and her name was struck from the navy rolls. 

In the meantime, the damaged ships of the fleet went into the yards for repair, and the fleet was reorganized for its next assault on the 70 Ophiuchi system. 

August 10, 2139: The repairs to the DD Kemke Janzen are complete, and with the release of the DD from the yards the repairs to the Retribution Fleet’s ships are complete.  Once overhauls and shore leave are complete, the fleet will return to 70 Ophiuchi and finish the job. 

October 15, 2139: Repairs, shore leave, and overhauls are complete, and the Retribution Fleet is ready to set out for Shield Base.  However, a hold is declared as the operation is intended as a proving ground for the newly deployed carriers and strike fighters, and there are not yet enough missiles to fill out the two operational carrier’s magazines. 

During this same month, the Navy calls a halt to all fleet training missions due to a severe shortage of maintenance supplies.  Construction resources have been diverted to increase the maintenance capacity on Terra, but that will take time. 

August, 2140:  The Empire’s first DDE(M) is launched.  This is a new design that resulted from the engagements with the Reapers. 

Code: [Select]
Shield(M) Flt IIc class Destroyer Escort      10,000 tons       217 Crew       2,363.4 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 7-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 68      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 6-6      PPV 20
Maint Life 2.59 Years     MSP 901    AFR 131%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 189    5YR 2,837    Max Repair 375 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     Magazine 560 / 0   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,060,000 Litres    Range 82.6 billion km (127 days at full power)

AM Missile Launcher (20)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 10
AM Missile Fire Control Mk II (4)     Range 43.9m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-2
Shrike II AMM (560)    Speed: 87,600 km/s    End: 1.2m     Range: 6.5m km    WH: 1.5    Size: 1    TH: 292/175/87

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

June 30, 2141: An Archer Alpha class ship is detected approaching the mining base in the Lacaille system.  The base commander dispatches his courier and the base’s STO’s are put on alert.  The Archer raider’s ETA is eight and a third hours.  Five hours later the Archer Alpha goes into orbit over Lacaille III, which was in between the mining base and the location that the raider appeared at.  Eleven hours later the Archer Alpha was still orbiting the third planet, so the courier jumped out bound for the Solar System. 

July 2, 2141: The courier jumps in and alerts fleet command about the presence of an Alpha class Archer ship in the Lacaille system.  Fleet command orders two DD Groups, a total of four destroyers, to proceed to the Lacaille system and destroy the raider(s). 

July 9, 2141: The two DD groups arrive in the Lacaille system and set their course for the third planet. 

At long last the Retribution Fleet leaves orbit, bound for Shield Base on the frontier.  The fleet’s departure has been delayed several times, largely due to fleet commands desire to include first the new strike fighters and their carriers in the fleet, then the new AMM DDE’s, and finally the new CVS’s with their laser equipped fighters.  The fleet now consists of 1xBB(C), 1xBB, 3xBC, 3xCJ, 9xDD, 3xDDE(M), 8xDDE, 2xCV, and 2xCVS. 

July 10, 2141: The Archer Alpha begins running when the Terran destroyers reach 47 mkm’s range, and the destroyers pursue.  At 0919 hours the destroyers finally bring the fleeing raider within range of their 15cm lasers and open fire.  The destroyers get six hits at 265,000 kilometers range, a testament to the training of the crews and to how much Terran weaponry and fire controls have improved.  Over the next minute the destroyers get fourteen more hits, destroying the fleeing Alpha class raider before it could return fire.  Their job done the destroyers turn and set course for the base on the second planet. 

Two and a half days later an Archer Delta class ship is detected moving in-system, close to where the wreck of the earlier raider drifted.  The two destroyer groups immediately set an interception course for the Delta class ship.  Deltas are referred to as heavy raiders, and are 50% larger than Terran destroyers and mount four railgun emplacements.  The Delta class soon fades off of the base’s sensors, but the destroyers continue on their course.  Nine hours later they arrive at the last known location of the heavy raider, but it is no where to be found.  The destroyers settle in to wait. 

July 14, 2141: The mining base in the Lacaille system picks up a Charlie class 970 mkm’s out, on the same bearing as the Alpha and Delta.  Charlie class ships are slow, and are suspected to be salvage ships and are usually escorted.  The destroyers immediately set course for the Charlie. 

July 14, 2141, 23:47 hours: The destroyers now have the Charlie on sensors.  It is escorted by three ships, an Archer and two Bravos.  The Archers and Bravos are both smaller than Terran destroyers, and slower.  The Archers are lightly armed and are suspected to be survey ships of some sort, while the Bravos are more heavily armed with short ranged railguns. 

July 15, 2141, 0136 hours: The destroyers are now within range of their lasers and open fire on the Bravo class ships.  At the same time, the destroyers turn and begin running in front of the Archer ships, maintaining the range and firing on them from beyond the Archer ship’s own range. 

Twenty-five seconds later the terran ships have scored fifty-eight hits on the two Bravos, but then two additional Alpha class ships appear on the destroyer’s sensors.  Fortunately, they are 255 mkm’s away and will not be a factor in the battle. 

The destroyers score another forty-two hits on the two Bravos before one is destroyed.  The destroyer targeting that ship shifts its fire to the Alpha and the battle continues.  Twenty seconds and fifty hits later the second Bravo is destroyed and all of the destroyers now focus on the last Alpha class ship.  Twenty-five seconds and forty-five hits later the Alpha is gone, leaving only the lumbering Charlie class ship.  The destroyers close to point blank range before opening fire again, destroying it in two firing passes. 

With the Charlie destroyed, the destroyers set their course for the last known location of the two Alphas, which had disappeared off of the fleet’s sensors during the battle. 

At 10:20 hours, the destroyers detect a large Archer fleet headed in-system.  The fleet consists of a Delta class, nine Alphas and four Bravos.  At first glance it is a bit much for four destroyers to handle, but the Terran destroyers are faster than the Archer ships and have longer ranged weaponry.  Captain Tamburri, aboard the Wei Zhao, orders his destroyers to attack the Archer fleet.  The Archer fleet has turned and is running, but the Terran destroyers are 1,870 km/s faster and will be able to overhaul them.  As if they realize that, the Archer ships turn and run at the Terran destroyers in an attempt to close. 

AT 1153 hours the destroyers open fire on the Bravos at 240,000 kilometers, scoring multiple hits on the two Bravos.  This time, though, as the destroyers turned at to maintain the range, they slipped too close to the Archer fleet.  As a result, the Sashi Patil came under fire from Archer railguns.  The Patil suffered four hits, barely scratching her armor.  The destroyers scored nineteen hits on two of the Deltas. 

The Terran destroyers managed to open the range again, and the Archer ships were unable to return fire.  Eventually the destroyers slipped back into range of the Archer ships as they had broken into two groups and one group had managed to close on the Terran ships.  Once again, the long-range railgun fire did little more than scratch the targeted DD’s armor.  The destroyer’s sensors pick up three more Archer ships in the system, 24 mkm’s away.  Twenty-five seconds after opening fire one of the Bravos suffers a massive internal explosion and rips apart.  The destroyers shift fire to another Bravo and continue the engagement.  Twenty-five seconds later the second Bravo explodes. 

For the next six minutes and thirty seconds the Terran destroyers chased down and mercilessly destroyed all of the raiders.  The Delta class was a tough ship, and it took three times as long to destroy as an Alpha, but it was destroyed like all the others, leaving nothing but wreckage floating in its wake. 

With this group destroyed, the destroyers turned for the new contacts, two Alphas and a Bravo.  While the destroyers had suffered little but scratches, Captain Tamburri was growing concerned at the overtaxing of his lasers.  The destroyers couldn’t sustain another battle as long as the one they had just finished.  Even so he ordered his ships out to interceptor the third group.  The three Archer ships ran ahead of them, but the Terran destroyers were faster. 

At 1535 hours the raiders were within range and the Terran destroyers opened fire.  After fifty-five seconds of sustained fire the three Archer raiders were destroyed and the system was clear.  Of the four destroyers, the Sashi Patil was in the best shape, with 76% of her maintenance supplies remaining, but the Wei Zhao and the Yeong-Ja Rhee both were reduced to just 28%, while the Ryosuke Kamiya wasn’t much better.  Captain Tamburri orders his ships back to the mining base in the inner system and sends a message to the courier to return to the Solar System and ask for another destroyer group to replace his and defend the system. 



Empire as of 2141

Meanwhile, the Retribution Fleet continued on towards Shield Base. 
 
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Humanity First: Battle over Ophiuchi II
« Reply #25 on: August 14, 2024, 08:55:49 AM »
July 26, 2141: The Retribution Fleet reaches Shield Base and refuels, then sets out for the 70 Ophiuchi system. 

August 3, 2141: The Retribution Fleet has arrived at the jump point to the 70 Ophiuchi system.  As before, it separates into assault elements and then jumps to the far side.  Once on the far side the fleet finds nothing but wreckage around the jump point, so it proceeds in-system after detaching the jump cruisers to watch the jump point. 

August 3, 2141, 2249 hours: The Retribution fleet is now 207 mkm’s from the second planet, and although no Reaper ships have been detected they haven’t seemed to stray too far from the planet in the past.  At Admiral Doxey’s order the two carriers, the United Kingdom and the America, launch their strike fighters.  The fifty-two strike fighters and four Aegis sensor platforms race away from the fleet towards the second planet. 

At 0113 hours on the 4th, the strike wave moves close enough to the planet for the Aegis platforms to confirm that the Reaper fleet is in orbit over the second planet.  The Aegis platform’s sensors confirm that there is nine Juliette, one Hotel, three India, twelve Golf, one Echo, two Charlie, two Bravo, and two Alpha class units present, for a total of thirty-two ships.  The India class units are Admiral Doxey’s primary concern at this point, as they are the only known mobile units equipped with missile launchers.  The strike wave commander, Lt Commander Zehnke, orders the group to close to missile range.

The approach is nerve-wracking for the fighter crews, as they have no idea at what range the Reaper ships will detect or be able to fire upon them.  The Naval Design Bureau and the fleet’s strategists insist that the Eagle’s small size and fast speed will be more than enough protection, but their assurances feel somewhat hollow now as the fighter crews race towards a hostile fleet in their thin-skinned fighters. 

Thirty-three minutes later the fighters have closed to 2.9 mkm’s from the Reaper fleet and are within range of their missiles.  Seconds later four hundred and sixteen missiles were in space, headed towards the Reaper fleet.  As the Imperial fleet was still testing its deployment strategies, they were all targeted on one India class ship. 

Sparrow II ASM: Size 3, Speed 41,267 km/s, ECCM 2, ATG 32%, Retarget-Yes, Range 3.3 mkm’s, Warhead 6

Fifty-five seconds later, while the missiles were still 750,000 kilometers from their target, AMM’s started hitting the missile wave.  Thirty-six missiles were taken out by the first wave of interceptors, leaving three hundred and eighty to continue on towards their target.  Five seconds later another thirty-two were taken out by a second wave of AMM’s, and then another thirty-seven five seconds later by a third wave, leaving three hundred and eleven Sparrow II ASM’s in-bound towards the Reaper force.  The last interception before the missiles reached attack range took out just four, and then the Sparrow II’s were in amongst the Reaper fleet.  Twenty attacking ASM’s were hit by a last second AMM launch, and ninety-six more were killed by the Reaper Fleet’s point defense weapons.   A full eighty of the surviving one hundred and ninety-one ASM’s were decoyed away from the target by its decoy defenses, but the remaining one hundred and eleven were enough to wipe the India class ship from space. 

Later analysis would show it took seventeen hits to drop the India’s shields, and twenty more before the armor was penetrated.  Once the armor was penetrated it took thirty-three more hits to kill the India class ship. 

Total ASM’s in strike: 416
Intercepted by AMM’s: 129 (31%)
Intercepted by PD: 96 (23%)
Total stopped by active defenses: 225 (54%)

Decoyed by ship-borne decoy systems: 80 (19%)
Stopped by shields & armor: 46 (11%)
Total stopped by passive defenses: 126 (30%)

That left just sixty-five missiles causing penetrating damage.  It only took twenty-four to destroy the ship, meaning the other forty-one were overkill.  However, the results left Lt. Commander Zehnke with mixed emotions.  He and his pilots were elated at the destruction of the India class ship, but when they had launched their missiles, he had strongly felt that targeting one ship with the entire missile wave was serious overkill.  However, the results indicated that had they split the missile wave between two targets, they likely wouldn’t have penetrated either ship’s passive defenses. 

The fighters turned back towards their carriers to rearm and refuel.  As the fighters retreated, the Retribution fleet was moving forward.  Just over two hours later the fighters landed on their carriers and began rearming.  After rearming they launched and set out for their missile launch point.  Like a well-oiled machine they launched their missiles a second time, again targeted on a single India class ship.

The results were nearly identical with the first attack, resulting in the destruction of the second India class unit.  The fighters turned back to the carrier group to rearm for one last attack. 

It took the fighters fifty-four minutes to return to their carriers, twenty minutes to rearm, and another ten minutes to reset their box launchers, and then they launched, carrying the last of their carrier’s complement of missiles.  The third strike took out the third India class ship, hopefully leaving the Reaper fleet without long-range missile launchers. 

As the fighters returned to their carriers, the Retribution Fleet, which had been stationary beyond the range of the Reaper long-range missiles, began moving forward.  The fleet left behind the carrier group and the strike carrier group.  The carrier group had expended its ammunition and would return to Terra to rearm after it recovered its fighters, while the strike carriers would remain out of range and safe from combat.  At this point the fleet would consist of two battleships, three battlecruisers, nine destroyers, four DDE’s, and three DDE(M). 

Forty-two minutes later Fleet Intel’s analysis was proved inadequate when fifty-six incoming missiles were detected.  Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to prepare for missile defense and for the fleet to come about and let the missiles chase them.  The Reaper missiles steadily closed until they reached 3.4 mkm’s, and then the fleet’s AMM ships launched a salvo of anti-missiles at the offensive missiles.  A second salvo raced away from the DDE’s ten seconds later.  Most of the missiles were drawn off by decoys, and only six were destroyed by the first wave of AAM’s.  A third salvo was launched as the second hurtled towards the incoming missiles.  The second salvo only destroyed three missiles, with eleven being decoyed.  Another salvo raced away from the DDE’s.  The third salvo destroyed eleven missiles, and the fourth took out three.  With the incoming missile salvo reduced to thirty-three missiles, and the DDE’s reduced to approximately 80% of their full load of missiles, Admiral Doxey ordered the DDE’s to cease fire after the fifth and sixth salvoes were launched.  The fifth salvo took out six Reaper missiles, and the sixth took out three, leaving twenty-one incoming missiles.  Last ditch point defense took out eleven missiles, and the rest wasted themselves against the Pride of Sol’s shields, reducing them to 95%. 

Almost ten minutes later, as Admiral Doxey was considering turning back towards the planet, a second salvo appeared on their sensors.  Once again, the fleet deployed to meet the incoming missile strike.  Once again anti-missiles raced away from the retreating fleet, wearing down in the incoming missile strike, and once again Admiral Doxey stopped the out-going fire after six salvoes were launched.  This time the defensive missile fire only killed twenty-nine incoming missiles, leaving twenty-seven to approach the fleet.  This time the fleet’s point defense took out sixteen and the rest again reduced the Pride of Sol’s shields to 95%. 

Ten minutes later a third salvo appeared on the fleet’s sensors.  At this point, Admiral Doxey, who had been pondering her options since the missile attack started, ordered the fleet to come about and resume their course to the planet and the Reaper Fleet.  If they had to endure missile attacks every ten minutes to reach the Reapers, then they would. 

The third salvo managed to reduce the Sol’s shields to 91%, but the DDE’s magazines were now at 36, 45, and 73 %, and they still had a long way to go to get to the planet.  Admiral Doxey ordered the DDE’s to fire three salvoes of AMM’s at 1-1 ratios for each incoming wave of missiles to extend their usefulness. 

The fourth and fifth salvoes were also focused on the Pride of Sol, and even with reduced expenditure of AMM’s the battleship’s shields only dipped to 89% before recharging.  After the fifth salvo the DDE’s magazines were at 11, 27, and 56%. 

The sixth salvo came on schedule, and this one was targeted on the Antares, temporarily reducing her shields to 89%.  Ten minutes passed and no knew missile salvoes appeared, so perhaps the Reapers had run out of missiles. 

The fleet closed to 28 mkm’s when another missile salvo appears on their sensors.  This salvo is composed of sixty size seven missiles moving much faster than the missiles of the earlier attacks.  Once again anti-missiles spill from the DDE’s, but this time one of the DDE’s runs dry and ceases fire after the first salvo.  The AMM’s take care of thirty of the incoming missiles, which seem to have no decoys, making them easier to hit.  The Pride of Sol took five hits, reducing its shields to 95%. 

The fleet braced itself for more missile fire, but no more missile salvoes were detected as they advanced.  Finally, when the fleet was 1.5 mkm’s from the planet, a wave one hundred and four size two missiles was detected.  The DDE’s began firing, running their magazines dry as the fleet was in final approach.  The AMM’s had trouble taking out the small fast missiles and most of them survived to close on the fleet.  They met a wall of point defense fire, but there were too many and eighty-three got through to hit the Sol’s shields, reducing them to 82%. 

The second massive wave of small missiles reduced the Sol’s shields to 76%, and they weren’t being given enough time to recharge.  Fortunately, the next wave attacked the Antares, reducing her shields to 86%.  The next, smaller wave of missiles attacked one of the AMM DDE’s, scoring its armor.  The next massive salvo attacked a different DDE(M), reducing its armor to 65%.  The next massive salvo attacked all three DDE(M)’s, but got no penetrating hits.  The next massive wave was split between one of the DDE’s, which had its armor reduced to 55%, and the Pride of Sol, whose shields, which had had time to recharge, were reduced to 77%.  The current range was 950,000 kilometers, and their ETA to firing range was 85 seconds.

The next massive wave of missiles was targeted on the battlecruiser Terra and one of the DDE(M)’s.  The Terra’s shields easily absorbed the hits, but the battered DDE(M) staggered under the hits and suffered serious internal damage.  The DDE(M) turned away from the battle and accelerated away, hoping to avoid further damage.  The next salvo targeted the two remaining DDE(M)’s, causing serious internal damage to one.  Both were detached to return to the jump point.  Unfortunately, the Reapers continued to target the DDE’s with at least some of their missiles, causing further damage as they retreated.  The next massive salvo destroyed two of the retreating DDE(M)’s.  The destruction of the two retreating ships infuriated the crews of the Terran ships, as they had been damaged and clearly retreating, no longer a threat to the Reapers.  Smaller missile salvoes continued chasing the last DDE(M) as it withdrew, and it was clear that the tiny ship wouldn’t make it.  Rather than abandoning ship in the face of inevitable destruction, her commander, Jin Hoang Jian, refused to leave, insisting on pulling as many missiles away from the main fleet as possible. 

Ten seconds later the DDE Aegis was the center of a fire storm as one hundred and thirty six missiles detonated around the retreating DDE.  Miraculously, the ship was still intact when the missile salvo finished, but it was a drifting hulk.  The fleet’s range to the target was 575,000 kilometers, and their ETA to firing range was 35 seconds. 

The missile salvo that crippled the Aegis was the last.  The Reaper missile launchers had finally run dry.  Admiral Doxey established the following targeting priority list:

Charlie(2) (unk)
Echo(1) (Unk)
Hotel(1) Unk)
Juliette(9) (unk)
Alpha class (2) (EW armed, unknown type)
Golf(12) (short ranged gauss cannon)
Bravo(2) (size two missile launcher)

At 1445 hours on the 4th of August the fleet finally moved within range of its lasers and opened fire on one of the Charlie class ships.  The fleet scored ten hits, scoring its armor.  Admiral Doxey was concerned about ground batteries given the significant signature of the ground force on the planet, so she ordered the fleet to come to a halt at 270,000 kilometers and continued pouring long range fire into the Charlie class.  The second salvo scored ten hits, six of which penetrated the armor of the Charlie.  The third salvo of laser fire got thirteen hits, five of which penetrated, however, in response the Echo class launched twenty-five size seven missiles and the Bravo class launched twenty-five size two missiles. 

Admiral Doxey immediately ordered a targeting change to Echo-001, and ordered the fleet to advance to 250,000 kilometers to improve their accuracy.   The smaller missiles arrived first and targeted the Pride of Sol, and most got through the fleet’s point defense fire but only managed to reduce her shields to 95%.  The Terran ships got twenty-four hits on the Echo, but its shields absorbed them all.   

When no ground fire materialized, Admiral Doxey, ordered the fleet to advance to 200,000 kilometers range and to continue concentrating on the Echo.  The heavier missiles slammed into the fleet, targeting the Pride of Sol, reducing her shields to 86%.  The fleet returned fire at Echo-001 and scored thirty-nine hits, further reducing the ship’s shields.  It was at this point that the ground fire that Doxey feared materialized, as twelve particle lances fired on the Sol, reducing her shields to 79%.  In addition, Charlie 001 left the planet and raced towards the Terran Fleet. 

Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to hold its position, and to target the oncoming Charlie class ship with short-ranged weapons.  The massed plasma cannons of the fleet stopped the advancing Charlie class ship with one tremendous salvo, utterly destroying it in a deluge of plasma.  The fleet scored thirty-nine more hits on the Echo even as the Charlie was destroyed.  The next salvo scored forty-nine hits, further reducing the Echo’s shields.  It took two more salvoes and seventy-six hits to take down the shields and begin eating away at the Echo’s armor.  The next salvo got two penetrating hits, as did the next.  It took five more salvoes before the Echo finally exploded. 

Admiral Doxey ordered her fleet to begin bombarding the ground batteries, hoping to destroy them before they could reload.  Ten seconds of bombardment resulted in the destruction of one of the ground batteries, but then the remaining mobile units began running away from the Terran fleet.  The nine Golf Class units were the fastest, at 8,237 km/s, with the last Charlie right behind them at 8,023 Km/s.  The massive Juliettes were retreating at a mere 585 km/s, leaving the two Alphas, two Bravos, and the Hotel in orbit. 

Knowing she couldn’t catch the Charlie or Golf’s, Admiral Doxey ordered the Strike Carriers to launch their fighters to run down and destroy the fleeing Golf class ships.  In the meantime, the fleet continued to bombard the planet.  After another salvo was ineffective, Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to shift fire to the Alpha class bases.  If they could be eliminated, the fleet could close to point blank range and eliminate the remaining defenders quickly.  Twenty seconds of sustained fire was enough to knock Alpha-001’s shields down, and fifteen seconds more had caused several penetrating hits.  That was when the ground batteries fired again, but they scored no hits.  Another twenty-five seconds of fire destroyed the Alpha, and the fleet shifted targeting to the second Alpha.  It took fifty-five seconds of sustained fire to destroy the second Alpha, but then the planet’s defenders were reduced to two Bravos that were out of missiles, and a Hotel class with unknown weaponry. 

Admiral Doxey ordered her fleet to open fire on the Hotel, and to advance to 150,000 kilometers range of the planet.  Whatever the Hotel was, it wasn’t a hardened target.  The first salvo of laser fire penetrated its thin armor and caused internal damage.  The second salvo destroyed it. 

Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to shift fire to the ground batteries again, and to advance to 100,000 kilometers range.  The closer range, which allowed for greater accuracy and for more of the fleet’s weapons to engage, gave the fleet a decisive advantage.  The first salvo at the closer range eliminated three of the STO’s, the second four, and the third two.  The fourth salvo destroyed the last three STO’s. 

At this point Admiral Doxey ordered the fleet to go into orbit over the planet.  The fleet’s ships fired on the last two remaining orbital bases, the two Bravo class bases, as they raced towards the planet.  When the fleet crossed the 25,000 kilometer range from the planet, a new set of STO’s opened fire on the ships.  Fortunately, the incoming fire was low powered and did minimal damage to the Pride of Sol’s shields.  By the time the fleet made orbit the two Bravo class bases were destroyed and the fleet switched to targeting the STO’s.  The result was a massacre as all seven STO’s were destroyed in the first salvo.  With the defenders destroyed, Admiral Doxey ordered her fleet into pursuit of the slow moving Juliettes, which were just 110,000 kilometers away and struggling to put space between them and the vengeful Terran fleet.  It took just fifteen seconds to run down the fleeing Reaper ships, and by the time the fleet reached them four had been destroyed by laser and plasma fire.  It took just another five seconds to wipe out the remaining Juliette class ships. 

That left the nine Golf and one Charlie class ships that were already out of range and were faster than the Terran fleet’s speed.  They would be left to the fighters from the CVS’s.  The fleet turned back to the planet, while the Jupiter’s battle group was detached to pick up life pods from the two DDE’s. 

1549 hours: The Jupiter has picked up the life pods, and the CVS strike group races past the Retribution Fleet in pursuit of the remaining ten fleeing Reaper ships. 

1645 hours: The thirty Forward class fighters reach firing range and open fire with their 10cm lasers, focused on Golf-002 at 41,000 kilometers.  It only takes thirteen hits to destroy the Golf class ship.  For their next attack the fighters target Golf-003 and 004.  Ten seconds later they fire again, killing the two Golf class ships, which have not returned fire. 

The fighters again split their fire, this time among six of the remaining Golf class ships, but this time they only destroyed one.  This seemed to cause the Reaper ships to change their tactics, and the remaining seven Golf’s began trying to ram the much faster fighters, to little avail.  It took just twenty seconds to eliminate the remaining Golf’s, which just left the last Charlie as the final intact Reaper unit in the system.  It took the fighters just forty seconds to run down the Charlie, and one volley of laser fire to destroy it.  The system was clear, at least as far as the Fleet’s sensors could detect. 

Admiral Doxey dispatched the jump cruiser group, stationed at the jump point, back to Shield Base in the Monoceri system, to call forward the support ships waiting at the base, and to request tug support from the Solar system for the damaged Aegis, which is struggling to repair its systems, and has lost its fuel to damage to its tanks.  It will take the jump cruisers six days to return to the Monoceri system. 

August 12, 2141: The jump cruiser group enters the Monoceri system and immediately sends off its reports and orders.  The commander at Shield Base, Brigadier Chambley, immediately dispatches one of his couriers to the Solar System with the report of the Retribution Fleet’s victory and request for assistance.  He then begins preparation for the support fleet to move to the 70 Ophiuchi system.  The support fleet will consist of the twelve assault transports of Troop Transport Group 2, and the three ships of Salvager Group 1.  Troop Transport Group 2 has been waiting in orbit over Shield Base with the 1st and 2nd Marine divisions embarked, for the order from Admiral Doxey to advance.  With the receipt of the report from 70 Ophiuchi, though, Brigadier General Chambley orders the transports to load the 4th Marine Division from Shield Base, along with all of the support units that can fit in the transports.   

Brigadier General Chambley is the CO of Shield Base, and of the 1st Guard Corps stationed at Shield Base.  He and his staff are virtually certain that the sensor readings from the Retribution fleet that show a brigade sized force on the second planet vastly underestimate the actual size of the Reaper force, given the certainty that they are dug in and hard to detect.  Further, the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions are equipped with older tech than the 4th.  Therefore, the transport group will take the 4th, and all of the support units, tanks, and artillery that can be crammed into the transports. 
 
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Humanity First: Invasion of the Reaper Held Planet
« Reply #26 on: August 20, 2024, 05:53:04 PM »
August 19, 2141: The courier from Shield Base has arrived in the Solar System with the report of the Retribution Fleet’s victory, and its losses.  There are celebrations across the planet as the government releases information from the battle reports, and the Fleet immediately organizes a relief squadron.  The at the heart of the squadron will be a troop transport with a jump engine, as it is the only vessel large enough and capable of conveying the other support ships to the 70 Ophiuchi system.  In addition, the squadron will consist of a tug, three fuel ships, and three munitions ships carrying all of the Sparrow II ASM’s available on Terra to restock the carrier’s magazines.  The Relief Squadron sets out on the 20th, carrying 869 Sparrow II ASM’s, seven construction groups, and five logistics detachments.  It will take the squadron one hundred and seventeen days to reach the Ophiuchi system. 

August 23, 2141: After some study, the Naval Design Bureau has recommended substantial changes to the DDE class ships.  Currently, there are two types, a gauss cannon class and a variant with AMM launchers.  The NDB has decided to combine the classes into a new variant with a gauss cannon turret with newly developed Mark II gauss cannons, and AMM launchers, combining the two and giving each DDE both capabilities.  In the recent battle against the Reapers, the anti-missile equipped destroyer escorts became a liability once their magazines ran dry, however, the flight III version will mount both gauss cannons and AMM launchers, giving it a continuing ability to fill its role even if the anti-missile missiles run out.

Code: [Select]
Shield Flt III class Destroyer Escort      10,000 tons       212 Crew       2,329 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 0
7500 km/s      Armour 5-41       Shields 0-0       HTK 68      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 6-6      PPV 40.76
Maint Life 2.36 Years     MSP 888    AFR 131%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 218    5YR 3,271    Max Repair 375 MSP
Troop Capacity 400 tons     Magazine 365 / 0   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 36 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,012,000 Litres    Range 78.9 billion km (121 days at full power)

Twin Gauss Cannon Mk II Turret (2x8)    Range 40,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 40,000 km    ROF 5       
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50

AM Missile Launcher (5)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 10
AM Missile Fire Control Mk II (1)     Range 43.9m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-2
Shrike II AMM (365)    Speed: 87,600 km/s    End: 1.2m     Range: 6.5m km    WH: 1.5    Size: 1    TH: 292/175/87

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 3   

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

September 4, 2141: The 1st Long-Range Survey Group enters the 70 Ophiuchi system and begins its survey efforts. 

September 9, 2141: The LRSS Scobee has confirmed the presence of wide-spread ruins on Ohpiuchi II.  In addition, the Scobee has discovered significant deposits of three TN resources on the planet, but at low availability levels. 

September 23, 2141: The survey of the 70 Ophiuchi system is complete.  The survey fleet discovered two new jump points, and found resources on the first and seconds planets, and on four asteroids.  The asteroids are potentially good mining sites for the asteroid mining fleets, but none of the planets are of interest for mining efforts at this time.   Planet II, with its oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, temperate temperatures, oceans, and ruins, is a prime spot for colonization and terraforming, just needing additional oxygen to give it a breathable atmosphere. 

October 1, 2141: A long-range survey ship jumps out of the 70 Ophiuchi system through one of the newly discovered jump points, discovering a dim red star orbited by a few lonely comets.  The ship jumps back to the Ophiuchi system to report. 

October 6, 2141: The LRSS Ronald McNair jumps out of the 70 Ophiuchi system through the second newly discovered jump point, and finds itself in a planet-less system with a dim brown dwarf system primary.  The ship jumps back to report.  Admiral Doxey orders the survey group to split between the two newly discovered systems and survey for jump points.  She wants to determine if there are any nearby threats that could affect the coming efforts to eliminate the Reaper ground forces and then exploitation of the ruins. 

October 7, 2141: The troop transports from Shield Base enter the 70 Ophiuchi system and set their course for the second planet.  A salvage group enters with them and immediately begins salvaging the wrecks around the jump point.  The Retribution Fleet’s battleship group, which had been waiting at the jump point, escorts the troop ships to the planet. 

October 12, 2141: The troop transports arrive over the Reaper base and begins an orbital drop of the three marine divisions and their supporting units.  The marine assault battalions immediately began their attack against Reaper positions, supported by heavy tanks and artillery. 

Stats:
1st Marine Division combat elements
Marine Assault Element, Mk I: sz-12, arm-9, HP-6, Sht-6, Pen-6, Dam-6

Second Marine Division combat elements
Marine Assault Element, Mk III: sz-20, arm-20, HP-12.5, Sht-6, Pen-12, Dam-8
Marine Anti-Armor element, Mk III: sz-16, arm-20, HP-12.5, Sht-1, Pen-16, Dam-24

4th Marine Division combat elements
Marine Assault Element, Mk IV: sz-20, arm-24, HP-19.2, Sht-6, Pen-15, Dam-10
Marine Assault Element, Mk V: sz-20, arm-24, HP-24, Sht-6, Pen-18, Dam-12
Marine Anti-Armor element, Mk IV: sz-16, arm-24, HP-19.2, Sht-1, Pen-20, Dam-30
Marine Anti-Armor element, Mk V: sz-16, arm-24, HP-24, Sht-1, Pen-24, Dam-36

Rhino Heavy Tank element: sz-156, arm-72, HP-72, Sht-3, Pen-50, Dam-20, sht-1, Pen-60, Dam-60
Medium Arty element: sz-98, arm-40, HP-40, Sht-3, Pen-12, Dam-32 /Mdm bomb x 2
LR Arty Element: sz-118, arm-40, HP-40, Sht-3, Pen-12, Dam-32 /LR bomb x 2
Heavy Arty element: sz-138, arm-40, HP-40, Sht-3, Pen-16, Dam-48 /Hvy bomb x 2

The carnage was terrible.  The marine assault elements, especially the newer ones, made deep penetrations into the Reaper positions, taking fire from all sides and giving back as good as they got.  The Reapers, as expected, deployed combat mech walkers of various types, and infantry fighting frames dubbed Centurions during the Raids.  The older Marine combat suits had difficulty dealing with the mechs, but could handle engaging the centurions just fine.  The newer generation suits, particularly the fourth and fifth generation suits handled by genetically enhanced marines, did well against the centurions and were able to destroy even the mechs, although with some difficulty.  The heavy tanks, all older models, performed poorly, in general.  It quickly became clear that they were not up to front line engagements against the Reapers, as they were relatively ineffective against the centurions and had difficulty hitting the mechs.  When they did get a hit on a mech, though, they often destroyed it. 

All told, in the first eight hours of fighting, the three marine divisions destroyed an estimated 419 mechs of various types, 5,660 centurions, and 1,993 rear area units.  Unfortunately, the 13th, 17th, and 31st Marine battalions, and the 5th Heavy Armor detachment, were surrounded in the fighting and wiped out, leaving behind a few scattered rear area units that survived the onslaught.  The 9th, 20th, 22nd, and 28th Marine Assault battalions suffered casualties trying to relieve the surrounded units, but remained intact and capable of fighting.  In all, the marines lost 1124 marines of various designations, 32 tanks, and a scattering of rear area units.  All of the units lost were 1st and 3rd generation units. 

Intelligence reported the following information about enemy units:
Centurion: Arm-15, HP-10, sht-6, Pen-12, Dam-12
Praetorian Combat Mech: Arm-40, HP-40, sht-1, Pen-72, Dam-72, sht-6, Pen-18, Dam-12
Decurion Mech: Arm-40, HP-40, sht-1, Pen-36, Dam-72, sht-1, Pen-36, Dam-72

Six hours into the fighting it appeared that the enemy force was spent.  Most, if not all, of the centurions had been wiped out in the counter attack that had encircled the marine battalions, and most of the mechs had been destroyed too.  Over the next three hours the operation turned into an exercise in mopping up, which mostly involved taking out isolated decurion mechs and chasing down evading rear area units.   The marines destroyed 159 mechs, and 1109 rear area units, in exchange for light losses to two marine battalions that let itself become too exposed while hunting mechs.   

The Reaper force was hunted down and eliminated quickly after the destruction of the last mechs.  Combat operations were declared over by 0233 hours on the 14th, and the transports began loading some of the marines to return them to Shield Base, where they would be unloaded and replaced with xeno study teams who would be rushed to the Reaper base to begin studying the ruins.  The 1st Marine Division will remain on the planet until Guard units can be moved forward to garrison the planet. 

With the destruction of the ground force, and the lack of current threats, Admiral Doxey detaches the Jupiter’s battle group and orders them to return to Shield Base and off-load the survivors recovered from the two DDE’s.  The battle group is to remain at Shield Base for the time being. 

November 1, 2141: The survey of Eta Monocerotis, one of the systems adjacent to 70 Ophiuchi, is complete.  No new jump points were found.  The survey ships set course for the 70 Ophiuchi system to report their findings. 

November 9th, 2141: Admiral Doxey orders the three survey ships from the 1st LR Survey Group that have assembled in the system to transit back to the Procyon system and probe the unexplored jump point there.  The three ships set out immediately. 

November 11, 2141: The survey ships jump out of Procyon to discover the Pi Ophiuchi system.  The system has a red star primary, orbited by the usual number of planets and asteroids.  None have oxygen-nitrogen atmospheres. 
 
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Humanity First: Attack on the Swarm
« Reply #27 on: August 25, 2024, 11:59:08 AM »

System Map, 2141

December 4, 2141: One of the survey ships operating out of the 81 Orionis system, adjacent to the 70 Ophiuchi system, jumps through a newly discovered jump point.  The ship materializes in a red star system with several gas giants and a Terra-like world with an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, designated as 65 Serpentis.  The atmosphere is too thin for humans, and the planet is cold, but it is a prime candidate for terraforming.  Given the Reaper’s interest in planets with oxygen-nitrogen atmospheres, the possibility that they might be in the inner system is high, so the survey ship turns back to warn the fleet in the 70 Ophiuchi system. 

December 15, 2141: The survey ship brings word of the discovery of the suspicious planet in the 65 Serpentis system.  Admiral Doxey dispatches the Saturn’s battle group, reinforced with a jump cruiser, to probe the system.

December 18, 2141: The support group arrives at Shield Base, but it immediately becomes clear that there has been a mix-up.  Shield Base currently has no ordnance transfer capability, meaning that the orbiting munitions ships cannot transfer their ordnance to the base.  Heads will roll, but for now this means that the fleet will have to return to the solar system to rearm.   

December 25, 2141: The Saturn and her battle group arrive in the 65 Serpentis system and immediately begin moving inward towards the second planet.  Their ETA to the limit of their active sensors is 3.8 days. 

December 28, 2141: The second planet is now within range of the Saturn’s sensors, and there are no ships detected, so the Saturn continues towards the planet.  Several hours later the battlecruiser is over the planet and has confirmed that there is no Reaper ships present.  The Battle Group turns for the jump point to return to the 70 Ophiuchi system.   

April, 2142: The salvager group has returned from the Lacaille system, where it salvaged the Archer ships destroyed in the most recent attack on the mining base in the system.  The resources and ship’s systems salvaged from the wrecks are offloaded as soon as the salvage ships arrive in orbit.  The Archer railguns are of particular interest, as that is an area that the Empire has done little research.  Teams set to work disassembling the salvaged railguns as soon as they are offloaded, yielding advances in railgun tech.  Most of the rest of the systems are scrapped as they are not as advanced as comparable Terran systems. 

May 6, 2142: Admiral Doxey is forced to withdraw to Shield Forward Base.  She had planned to stay until the base on the second planet was equipped with STO defenses, however, those defenses have been delayed for various reasons and her maintenance situation has become critical.  One of her smaller ships has suffered a major maintenance casualty that cannot be corrected with its remaining on-board maintenance supplies and she is sure that is just the beginning of major problems for her deteriorating fleet.  She therefore orders her fleet to relocate to Shield Base immediately.  She detaches the DDE Buckler, which has lost one of its engines to maintenance issues, before the fleet departs.  The Buckler will be escorted back to Shield Base by a jump cruiser at a slower speed. 

May 8, 2142: A strike carrier Io delivers a fighter squadron to Shield Base to act as the base’s long range strike component. 

May 26, 2142: The DDE Aegis arrives over Terra under her own power.  The ship and her crew are hailed as heroes of the Empire.  The Aegis’ CO, Commander Jin Hong Jian, a hero of the 2nd Battle of Ophiuchi, is presented the Lion of Terra and promoted to Captain by the Emperor himself, in honor of his heroic actions in the battle.  The crew of the Aegis are given a unit citation, and an enhanced combat bonus authorized by a grateful Emperor.

The Aegis herself is sent to the yards for repairs, after which it will be refitted to the flight III design that is the current DDE standard. 

June 11, 2142: The Retribution Fleet arrives home over Terra and is met with fanfare and celebrations across the planet as the crews are released to spend time with their families.  Awards are handed out to many of the officers that participated, and Rear Admiral Doxey is awarded the Navy Cross and promoted to Vice Admiral.  She will be taking command of the Monoceri system Fleet Base that is being formed at Shield Base once it is operational. 

March 2143: Victory Base, in the Groombridge system, detects an Archer Alpha class ship in-bound from the outer system.  Captain Tambum, commander of the newly established Groombridge Naval District, orders his orbiting interceptor group to meet the intruder, which is 60 mkm’s away and closing.  By the time the interceptors close to 28 mkm’s, the Alpha turns away and starts running.  The interceptors are over twice as fast as the raider ship and run it down in short order.  Shockingly, before the interceptors can close to attack range, the raider disappears off of their active sensors, as if it was never there.  This is yet more proof that the raiders are using some sort of unknown interstellar transportation system as this is not the first time they have disappeared while being well within active sensor range.  The interceptors close to probe the location the raider disappeared, and then return to base. 

May 3, 2143: The Retribution Fleet has been reformed, and is ready to set out for the frontier.  The fleet is composed of the following ships:

Retribution Fleet – CO Rear Admiral McCullick
Flagship – BB 03 Antares

Carrier Group, CO Captain Methot
CV 01 United Kingdom
CV 02 America
CV 03 China
78xEagle Class fighter, 6xAegis class sensor platform

Strike Carrier Group, CO Commander Kathleen Melle
CVS-01 Luna
CVS-02 Phobos
CVS-03 Io
45xForward class Fast Attack Craft, 3xAegis class sensor platform

Destroyer Group, CO Commander Arlie Sherlock
DD-05 Victor Aita
DD-06 Victoria Konecny
DD-10 Iris Hennig
DD-14 Kemke Janzen

Destroyer Escort Group, CO Captain Jin Hong Jian
DDE-04 Ancile
DDE-06 Svalinn
DDE-07 Pridwen
DDE-08 Ochain
DDE-10 Derg-Druimnech
DDE-15 Aegis
Note: the DDE’s have all been refitted to Flight III standard, which incorporates both AMM launchers and a gauss turret. 

Jump Cruiser Eradicator, CO Captain Guajardo

The fleet’s mission is to probe down the chain of systems from Monoceros towards the last known location of the Swarm. 

May 19, 2143: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Shield Base and pauses to refuel and give its crews some shore leave.  The Avenger-003 fleet scout, assigned to Monoceri Naval District, is dispatched down the jump chain leading to Swarm space to probe ahead of the fleet while the Retribution Fleet’s crews enjoy the nightlife of Shield Base’s civilian quarter. 

May 20, 2143: The salvage group that salvaged the Reaper ships in the 70 Ophiuchi system have finally arrived in the Solar System.  Immediately after arriving through the jump point, they download research data recovered from Reaper ships to Terra’s research facilities.  This includes a large amount of data relating to shield regeneration tech, an area where the Reapers are apparently ahead of the Empire.  The group will continue in-system and off-load their cargo of recovered ship’s systems and resources once they arrive over Terra. 

May 23, 2143: The Retribution Fleet sets out from Shield Base on course to follow the fleet scout to Swarm space. 

May 26, 2143: The Avenger-003 fleet scout has jumped into the Luhman system, two jumps from Shield Base.  After detecting no Swarm ships, the scout moves on towards the jump point to 25 Ursae Majoris, the last reported location of Swarm survey ships. 

May 28, 2143: The fleet scout jumps into the 25 Ursae Majoris system.  The scout detects nothing at the jump point, but instead of advancing further into suspected Swarm territory the scout waits for the fleet to reach its position. 

May 29, 2143: With the Retribution fleet alongside, the fleet scout advances to the jump point to the Gamma Carinae system. 

May 31, 2143: The scout jumps into the Gamma Carinae system, followed shortly by the Retribution Fleet.  Their sensors clear of contacts, the fleet and scout advance to the jump point to the last confirmed location of the Swarm, the Chi Draconis system.  The fleet jumps through in assault configuration, to find that the jump point is clear.  The scout follows, and confirms there are no contacts within range of the scout’s sensors. 

The fleet then sets out for a point one point five billion kilometers closer to the Venusian planet the Swarm were orbiting the first time they were contacted.  The fleet scout accompanies the fleet as it moves in-system. 

June 5, 2143: The Retribution Fleet is now one billion kilometers from the lone planet of the Chi Draconis system.  Once in place the fleet’s three carriers launch their strike fighters, which then proceed in-system towards the planet.  This will be a test of the new strike fighter concept, and the fleet’s ability to project power against an enemy that utilizes ships that are faster than the Imperial Fleet’s ships. 

At 1908 hours the strike group moves within its own active sensor range of the planet, and suddenly the Aegis platform’s sensors detect a massive fleet in orbit over the planet.  There are a total of two hundred and thirteen Swarm ships over the planet.  Imperial Naval Intelligence had only limited information on the ship classes.  To avoid confusion with the Reapers, the Swarm ship classes have been renamed. 

Current Contacts:
24xAbductor, max speed 11,109 km/s, known tonnage 695
62xAberation, max speed 11,109 km/s, known tonnage 844
82xAbhorrent, max speed 11,109 km/s, known tonnage 844
1xAbomination, unknown speed, known tonnage 21,020
6xAbuser, unknown speed, known tonnage 10,699
38xAccelerator, max speed 12,326 km/s, known tonnage 761

The sheer size of the Swarm was daunting, but the fighters would have to move much closer before being able to fire their missiles.  As they moved closer though, they began detecting more and more swarm ships.  The newly detected ships were as follows:

1xAcid, max speed 10,562 km/s, known tonnage 130,600
11xAdversary, max speed 10,695 km/s, known tonnage 21,495

The Acid class was particularly concerning.  Such a large ship would normally almost certainly be a civilian ship of some sort, but this one was coming at the Terran strike group at the same fleet speed as the much smaller known warships, meaning it was almost certainly a warship of some sort. 

Finally, when the fighters had reached 25 mkm’s from the Swarm, a portion of the swarm fleet broke away from the planet and began racing towards the strike group.  In total, one hundred and ninety swarm ships were headed towards the strike fighters, in three groups, which seemed to correspond to their maximum speeds.  This included the massive Acid class ship, further proof that it was a warship.  The fighters continued on course to close, confident in the fact that their higher speed would allow them to break free once they had launched their missiles. 



As the swarm closed on the fighters, the lead group, which consisted of the bulk of the small fast units, inexplicably slowed down and fell behind the slower, larger units.  This left Lt Commander Rosh, the strike group CO, with a choice of targets.  The closest targets were fourteen of the smaller ships, all Abhorrent, Aberration, and Abductor class units.  Behind that were three large Adversary class units, and behind that was a group of thirteen ships, one of which was a 130,600 ton monster.  Lt Commander Rosh was tempted to launch his missiles at the Acid class on the theory that it was almost certainly the Swarm fleet’s flagship, but was uncertain if his missiles would be able to harm such a big ship.  Instead, he decided to target the tree large Adversary warships in the middle group. 

At 1936 hours the three Adversary class swarm ships were in range of the strike group’s missiles, and the Terran fighters launched their first strike against the Swarm fleet.  A massive wave of six hundred and twenty-four missiles leapt away from the fighters and raced towards the oncoming swarm fleet.  The fighter pilots watched with baited breath as their alpha strike raced away from their fighters.  As always when engaging a new target with unknown capabilities they had no idea of how the strike would go.  It could be massive overkill, with over two hundred missiles assigned to each of three ships, or they might not score any damage at all if the enemy’s defenses were strong enough. 

Fifty seconds later the missiles raced by the lead group of Swarm ships without incident.  No AMM’s had been fired by the swarmers, and no defensive weapons were fired at the missiles as they passed the lead group.  The missile wave slammed into the three targeted ships and exploded on que, with no active defenses apparent.  One of the Adversary class ships exploded after taking seventy-four hits and suffering multiple internal explosions.  The other two Adversary’s took seventy and one hundred and two hits respectively, but survived.  One, the Adversary that took more hits, was left at reduced speed. 

The remaining missiles circled around and attacked again, killing one of the two remaining Adversary’s and causing considerable damage to the other.  The remaining missiles took out the remaining Adversary in an orgy of destruction five seconds later.  Oddly, when Naval Intelligence reviewed the strike group’s sensor logs, they determined that the destruction of the three battlecruiser sized swarm ships left no appreciable debris or wreckage. 

Their attack accomplished and their missile racks now empty, the fighters set their course for the fleet and began pulling away from the remaining swarm ships.  Just over an hour later the swarm ships had slipped far enough behind that they fell off the retreating strike group’s sensors.  Fourteen hours later the fighters landed on their carriers and began rearming and refueling.  One hour later the fighters were refueled and rearmed, and slipped out into space again. 

At 1214 hours on the 7th of June, the strike group detected eight swarm ships in the approximate location where the Adversary class ships had been destroyed.  The strike continued on course.  Over the next several minutes the Aegis platforms detected more swarm ships, including the massive Acid class flagship.   Once again, when the strike wave passed 25 mkm’s from the swarm ships, they started pursuing the human fighters.  The Swarm group was composed of the massive Acid class flagship, four battlecruiser sized Adversary class ships, five destroyer sized Abuser class ships, and three fighter sized Accelerator class units. 

At 1240 hours, the fighters were three million kilometers from the swarm ships, and they launched their missiles.  This time the entire alpha strike was targeted on the massive Acid class ship.  As before the missiles sailed up to the target without opposition.  This time there was defensive fire to contend with one hundred and sixty-seven of the incoming missiles being intercepted at the last second.    One hundred and ninety-eight of the four hundred and fifty-seven remaining missiles hit the massive swarm ship, all of which were absorbed by the ship’s armor. 

That left two hundred and fifty-nine to circle around and attack again.  One hundred and thirty-eight were intercepted, and forty-three hit, leaving seventy-eight to try again.  Six got through to hit, but like the first two attacks, all were absorbed by the massive ship’s armor. 

The fighters turned to run away.  Their carrier’s had enough missiles to rearm them once more.  The results were somewhat gratifying, as they had gotten a 39.5 percent hit ratio, which was outstanding, but every fighter pilot came away from the engagement somewhat intimidated that the massive swarm ship had absorbed almost two hundred and fifty missiles without showing any visible signs of damage. 

At 1421 hours the fighters landed and began rearming.  An hour later they launched again.  This time, instead of heading directly for the planet, they headed to a point offset from the planet, so that they could dogleg around the swarm flagship and her consorts, and thus attack the main fleet at the planet. 

The strategy worked well.  Coming in from the side allowed the fighters to bypass the swarm flagship and other ships positioned in between the Retribution Fleet and the planet.  At 0134 hours on the 8th, the fighters had approached to forty mkm’s from the planet and their sensors picked up one hundred and seventy-nine small swarm ships in orbit over the planet.  As they approached another twenty-four small swarm ships appeared in orbit, bringing the total to two hundred and three ships in orbit. 

When the fighters reached five mkm’s from the planet one hundred and seventy-four small swarm ships began to race towards the fighters, while twenty-nine ran away for some reason.  The fighters continued to close past the three million kilometer range of their missiles as the swarm ships were so small that the fighter’s targeting systems couldn’t get a lock on until they closed to two point two million kilometers.  The fighters each targeted a swarm ship with their missiles and launched at two million kilometers, although they would have to continue to close to target the smallest swarm ships.  The first salvo of missiles raced away as the fighters continued to close on the smaller swarm ships.  A second salvo was launched at one point eight million kilometers, and a third at one point five million kilometers.  As soon as the third wave of missiles was launched, the fighters turned away and began opening the range. 

The first wave of missiles slammed into the small swarm ships in a tidal wave of explosions.  The small swarm ships, all sub-1,000 ton designs, defended themselves with last second energy weapons fire, but it wasn’t enough.  The Terran missiles and their ability to reacquire their targets if they missed proved to be too much for the swarm force, because when the explosions finally cleared thirty seconds after they started, only fifty-seven swarm ships survived, and only six of those were mobile. 

Lt Commander Rosh wished that the fleet commander had sent the Forward class attack fighters with his group, their lasers would make short work of the remaining Swarm ships.  The current distance was beyond their range, though, so they had been withheld.  In any case, the strike fighters had expended their missiles and it was time to return to the fleet.  The remaining mobile swarm ships pursued, but rapidly fell behind. 

Seventeen minutes after turning away, the strike group detected eight swarm ships ahead of them.  The group turned away, headed away from both groups of swarm ships, opening the range before turning back towards the Retribution Fleet. 

In the meantime, Admiral McCullick received the strike group’s report and decided to move the fleet in closer to the planet to enable them to deploy their Forward class attack fighters.  He was under orders to not risk serious losses to his fleet, but he considered the risk negligible given the fact that the Swarm was staying close to their planetary base. 

At 1226 hours on the 9th, the strike carriers launched their attack fighters, which raced away from the fleet towards the planet and its Swarm defenders.  They too followed a dogleg course which should allow them to attack the damaged ships left behind by the strike fighters.  At 0915 hours the Aegis platforms accompanying the attack fighters detected ninety-five swarm ships exactly where the damaged ships had been left.  The damaged force had been composed of fifty-seven ships, meaning that they had picked up an escort of thirty-eight ships.  One minute later the count grew to one hundred and fifteen ships. 

The attack fighters continued to close on the swarm ships.  The main fleet was under orders to avoid close engagement and not to take risks, but the fighters were under no such constraint.  Indeed, this mission was to test their capabilities, and Lt Commander Stano intended to do just that.  Given that there were apparently intact ships in close proximity to the damaged swarms ship, Lt Commander Stano issued orders for his pilots to target the intact ships first, as the greater threat.  By the time they had closed to one point eight million kilometers none of the swarm ships had moved, so Stano ordered his pilots to target the nearest swarm ships and to fire within range, unless some of the ships started moving, in which case they were to prioritize the moving ships. 

At one million kilometers the swarm ships still hadn’t reacted, so Stano ordered his fighters in, targeting the nearest immobile swarm ship, an Aberration class.  The attack fighters opened fire with their 10cm lasers at 40,000 kilometers, and one of the fighters got a hit, destroying the alien ship.  The fighters turned their fire on an Abhorrent class ship at 60,000 kilometers from their current position, destroying it as well.  It took four hits to destroy the Abhorrent, after which the fighters turned towards the large bulk of damaged swarm ships two hundred and forty thousand kilometers away.  As the fighters approached the main swarm force, they began taking fire from the Swarm ships.  The fire was focused on the Aegis sensor platforms, so Lt Commander Stano detached them from the group and ordered them to retreat beyond the swarm force’s weapons range.  Meanwhile, the attack fighters continued to close on the swarm force. 

With the Aegis platforms retreating out of range, the Swarm ships concentrated their fire on the fighters, destroying one and damaging another.  The Terran fighters began firing back, and the melee was on.  The Terran fighters destroyed one swarm ship, in exchange for losing four of their own, two of which had been damaged before.  Lt Commander Stano gave the order to close to point blank range and continue firing. 

Six more fighters were destroyed racing towards the swarm fleet, several of which were damaged in the previous exchange of fire.  Six more fighters died in the next exchange of fire, in exchange for one alien ship. Lt Commander Stano was among those lost when his fighter was hit by the alien weapons.   

At this point Lt Commander An ordered the fighters to withdraw, having lost a third of the force after causing negligible damage to the alien force.  The left behind one crippled fighter, and three lagged behind the main force, reduced to half speed.  Four more were destroyed while retreating, and another fighter lost its engines and was left behind.  Fortunately, the bulk of the fighters were beyond the range of the swarm ship’s weapons and no more were lost, except the crippled fighter left behind.  In all twenty-four attack fighters survived, leaving behind twenty-one of their number. 

Intel analysists would determine the following from the battle sensor logs:
Aberration Class: Armament - High Power Microwave, ROF 5, range 85,780 km’s, estimated Armor 3
Abhorrent Class: Armament – Laser, ROF 5, range 171,555, estimated armor 3

This was of serious concern for the attack fighter program.  To save on mass, the fighters were equipped with a small 10cm laser that had been reduced in size, which decreased its rate of fire to once every ten seconds.  This meant that they were seriously outmatched by the Swarm ships, which had weapons that fired faster and farther.  In addition, the Swarm ships had heavier armor, meaning the only category the attack fighters exceeded their opponents was in speed.  In addition, several attack fighters lost their weapons when they suffered maintenance casualties during the battle.  All of this pointed to the fact that the attack fighters had to be improved if they were going to stand toe to toe with the Swarm.  The Eagle strike fighters, though, had been a complete success, but were dependent on munitions that the Empire was having difficulty producing in sufficient numbers. 

Buy 1322 hours on the 10th, the fighters were back aboard their carriers and the fleet had turned back towards the jump point back to Terran space.  The attack was over. 

June 23, 2143: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Shield Base to tremendous acclaim.  The base’s courier ship is dispatched back to Terra with the fleet’s reports, while the crews are greeted and feted by the grateful civilian population of the planet.
 
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Humanity First: Survey attempts and Raider Attack
« Reply #28 on: August 27, 2024, 11:05:10 AM »
June 28, 2143: The salvage group from the 70 Ophiuchi system has arrived over Terra and unloaded its store of salvaged ships systems.  Tech teams immediately begin disassembling a recovered shield system, gaining some research known how for shield regeneration tech.  The Empire’s tech has surpassed the Reapers and the Archers in all other ways, so the rest of the systems are scrapped. 

On this date the Retribution Fleet departs Shield Base, bound for Terra. 

June 30, 2143: Shield Base’s courier arrives in the Solar System.    A project team is assembled to begin the redesign the Forward class strike fighters. 

This is the proposed new design.  The Forward II class has a standard 10cm laser, meaning its faster charging, and a comparably improved fire control, giving the fighter a much longer firing range.  In addition, it has an enlarged maintenance area to accommodate the more maintenance intensive laser, and increased armor.  All of this means that the Forward II is slower than the original version, although it is still faster than all known Swarm ships, although the Swarm survey ship comes close to the Forward II’s speed. 
Code: [Select]
Forward II class Attack Craft      449 tons       7 Crew       193.2 BP       TCS 9    TH 125    EM 0
13928 km/s      Armour 3-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 4      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3
Maint Life 12.38 Years     MSP 95    AFR 5%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 17    Max Repair 72 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Fighter IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 125.0    Fuel Use 1250.0%    Signature 62.5    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 35,000 Litres    Range 1.12 billion km (22 hours at full power)

10cm FUV Laser (1)    Range 150,000km     TS: 13,928 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Fighter Laser Fire Control Mk II  (1)     Max Range: 160,000 km   TS: 15,000 km/s    ECCM-2     94 88 81 75 69 62 56 50 44 38
Fighter IC Fusion Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 3    Exp 10%

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes

July 1, 2143: The scout picketing the Gamma Carinae system detects a Swarm Aggravator class ship approaching its position.  The Aggravator is a 4,014 ton ship, an observed speed of 10,649 km/s, and with unknown capabilities.  The fleet scout jumps back to the Ursae Majoris system and heads towards the jump point in that system leading back to Shield Base. 

July 9, 2143: The fleet scout in the 25 Ursae Majoris system detects a Swarm Aggravator class ship approaching.  The scout jumps back to the Luhman system and heads for the jump points headed back to Shield Base.  The Aggravator follows the scout through the jump point into the Luhman system, causing the scout’s commander much consternation as it is faster than the scout.  However, the Aggravator turns towards the outer system, away from the scout. 

July 11, 2143: The scout reaches the jump point to the Barnard’s Star system and waits to see if the Aggravator will follow it. 

July 14, 2143: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Terra to much acclaim.  The fleet refuels and rearms while its crews are given shore leave to enjoy the enthusiasm of the masses.  It is at this point that the weakness of the Eagle fighters is revealed.  Terra’s stockpile of missiles isn’t sufficient to rearm the carriers and their fighters, so the next sortie will have to wait. 

September 7, 2143: The xeno teams on the second planet of the 70 Ophiuchi system have finished their examination of the ruins and completed their survey and report.  The perfunctory examination made by Naval Intelligence after the battle was over confirmed that the ground forces and their base was Reaper tech, but they didn’t delve into the ruins.  The xeno teams have determined that the ruins do not belong to the Reapers, but instead a different race entirely.  Disturbingly, it appears based on information discovered by the teams that the Reapers wiped out the local race completely.  The teams have determined that there are three hundred installations that are relatively intact, and construction units assigned to the occupation force have already begun work on recovering them. 

Naval Intelligence Report on information developed from the Reaper base on 70 Ophiuchi II
Classified: Ultra Red, Limited Access
Summary: Information gathered from the Reaper ruins confirms that they are a robotic force employed by an unknown race or power to secure areas of interest beyond the borders (possibly ‘former borders’) of “The Galactic Imperium” (possibly Confederation/Federation/Union), translation uncertain.  The Reaper Base on 70 Ophiuchi II was established approximately 100 years ago, concurrent with the Raid period on Earth.  Notably, this is roughly consistent with the establishment of the Reaper Base in the Groombridge system.  Both the Groombridge base and the Ophiuchi base appear to have been abandoned by either the main Reaper force or by their employers/owners/masters within ten years of the bases being established, for unknown reasons.  No information was recovered as to the power(s) behind the Reapers.  Given the Reaper’s established habit of picketing planets with oxygen-nitrogen atmospheres, caution should be used approaching all such planets in the future. 

September 24, 2143: A long-range survey ship operating in the Sigma Eridani system (three jumps from Lalande in the opposite direction from the Swarm), jumps through a newly discovered jump point and discovers the 111 Virginis system.  This is a single-star system with a red star primary, orbited by two dwarf planets, two terrestrial planets, and a gas giant.  One of the terrestrial planets has a thick nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere.  The planet, planet #2, is larger than Terra with a gravity of 1.31 G, and an average temp of -68 C with an ice sheet covering 60% of the planet.  Given the propensity of the Reapers to infest planets with life giving atmospheres, the survey ship will return to Shield Base to request a warship to probe the planet. 

November 1, 2143: Work has begun retooling the Arrellano Shipbuilding yards to build the Empire’s newest design, the Galaxy class Dreadnought.  The Dreadnought is an experimental design, designed to go toe-to-toe with the largest swarm ships.  It has massive shielding and armor, and a large marine complement to handle any boarders that managed to penetrate its defenses.  In addition, it carries a fighter complement with deep magazines to whittle down any swarm attempts to overwhelm it before they can reach attack range.  The inclusion of the fighters was controversial, as the Empire’s missile shortage is critical, so the hangar bay may be filled with attack fighters rather than strike fighters.  The most controversial element of this design, though, is the increase in speed.  This is meant to improve the design’s ability to engage Swarm ships, however, this also means that it cannot operate effectively with other Imperial ships due to their lower speed. 

Code: [Select]
Galaxy  class Dreadnought      80,000 tons       1,821 Crew       18,190.3 BP       TCS 1,600    TH 16,000    EM 16,200
10000 km/s    JR 4-250      Armour 9-165       Shields 540-360       HTK 380      Sensors 108/84/0/0      DCR 59-7      PPV 146.47
Maint Life 1.09 Years     MSP 11,105    AFR 1024%    IFR 14.2%    1YR 9,461    5YR 141,912    Max Repair 2,000 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 4,000 tons     Troop Capacity 1,200 tons     Magazine 900 / 0   
Commodore    Control Rating 5   BRG   AUX   ENG   CIC   FLG   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Flight Crew Berths 80    Morale Check Required   

J80000(4-250) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 80000 tons    Distance 250k km     Squadron Size 4

DN IC Fusion Drive   (4)    Power 16000    Fuel Use 10.0%    Signature 4000    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 5,334,000 Litres    Range 120 billion km (138 days at full power)
Lg Epsilon Shield Generator (18)     Recharge Time 360 seconds (1.5 per second)

45.0cm FUV Spinal Laser (1)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10,000 km/s     Power 53-8     RM 50,000 km    ROF 35       
30cm FUV Laser Mk II (4)    Range 320,000km     TS: 10,000 km/s     Power 24-8     RM 50,000 km    ROF 15       
15cmFUV Laser (6)    Range 300,000km     TS: 10,000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin 10cm FUV Laser Turret Mk II (3x2)    Range 150,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 6-6     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Twin Gauss Cannon Mk II Turret (2x8)    Range 40,000km     TS: 25000 km/s     Power 0-0     RM 40,000 km    ROF 5       
Miain Battery Fire Control MK III (4)     Max Range: 320,000 km   TS: 6,250 km/s    ECCM-2     97 94 91 88 84 81 78 75 72 69
Turret Fire Control Mk III (1)     Max Range: 200,000 km   TS: 25,000 km/s    ECCM-2     95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Capital IC Fusion Reactor  (3)     Total Power Output 240    Exp 5%

AM Active Search Sensor Mk III (1)     GPS 180     Range 28.3m km    MCR 2.5m km    Resolution 1
Standard Active Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 2016     Range 61.1m km    Resolution 14
Capital EM Sensor  (1)     Sensitivity 84     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  72.5m km
Capital Thermal Sensor Mk II (1)     Sensitivity 108     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  82.2m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 3    Fire Control 3    Missile 3   

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Warship for auto-assignment purposes

November 2, 2143: The survey ship arrives in the Monoceri system and transmits its report on the 111 Virginis system along with a request for a probe by naval ships.  Once finished transmitting it proceeds in-system to refuel before returning to its group and resuming survey duties.  Vice Admiral Doxey, the CO of Monoceri Naval District, orders two destroyers from the 9th Destroyer Group, to probe the 111 Virginis system.  She detaches the jump cruiser Annihilator to accompany the destroyers. 

November 25, 2143: The 9th DD Group enters the 111 Virginis system.  The Annihilator remains at the jump point while the two destroyers move in-system towards the second planet. 

December 4, 2143: The 9th Destroyer Group has completed its probe of the second planet and found nothing in orbit or on the group.  The DD’s turn back towards the jump cruiser at the jump point. 

December 10, 2143: The 9th DD Group jumps into the 82 Draconis system to inform the survey group about the results of their probe of the 111 Virginis system.  The group’s commander intends to turn for home, but the commander of the survey group requests that they remain on station until the new jump points they have discovered in the 82 Draconis system can be probed, avoiding the necessity of requesting their presence again.  Captain Belleau of the Annihilator provisionally agrees, as long as his maintenance situation doesn’t deteriorate.  Several of his ships were near the limit of their maintenance endurance before the mission to 111 Virginis system, and if his maintenance supplies continue to be depleted, they may have to return prematurely. 

December 29, 2143: A Leslie Transport Corp colonist transport in the 61 Hydrae system sends out a distress call stating that it is under attack by unknown forces.  The 61 Hydrae system is uninhabited and unexploited, but it is on the path to the V-Sag fueling base, the Lalande mining system, and Shield Base on the frontier.  The presence of an enemy here is alarming.  Fortunately, there is a group of Imperial tankers in the system, en route to Terra after refueling at the V-Sag base.  The tankers receive the mayday and immediately turn and run for the jump point to Proxima.  They will head to Shield Base Lalande to warn them of the incursion, as they are cut off from Terra.   Their ETA to Monoceri is 14.5 days.  In the meantime, the system is re-designated as off-limits to civilian traffic.  This in essence will divide the Empire into two until it can be resolved. 

The fuel ships monitored the transports calls for help throughout the short battle.  It took the unknown attacker three minutes and thirty seconds to dismantle the colony transport, and the ship’s crew grew more and more desperate as the attack went on and cryo-pod transport bays were peeled away from the ship by the enemy’s weapons.  After they went silent the fuel ship’s crews were left with the knowledge that 220,000 colonists just died in their sleep. 

Four and a half hours later, as the fuel ships ran for the jump point, the next group of civilian ships, this time four large freighters, came under attack.  One by one the freighters were destroyed by the invisible attacker.  The tanker group was 80 mkm’s from the attack location and retreating at top speed.   Given the fact that the last attack was closer to the tanker group than the first, the tanker group’s CO decided that they had to escape the system immediately.  The tanker group shifted their course to jump out through the jump point to the V1216 Sagittarii system, which was closer than the jump point to the Proxima system. 

At 0304 hours the tankers jumped out of the 61 Hydrae system and into the V1216 Sagittarii system.  The tankers immediately set their course for the V-Sag base, which had ground-based defenses and would be able to protect them if the unknown aggressor followed them into the system.  They also sent off a contact report as soon as they entered the system. 

The contact report arrived at V-Sag base seventy-five minutes later.  The commander of the ground forces of the base, Colonel Gasperini, had no ships to send to 61 Hydrae, but he did have a courier, which he immediately dispatched to Shield Base.  The courier’s ETA was just over six days. 

January 3, 2144: There are still several civilian ships in the 61 Hydrae system, mostly lying low and hoping the enigmatic attackers go away.  At 1304 hours the wreck of one of the freighters destroyed in the attack disappeared off of their screens, indicating a salvage effort was underway.  Unfortunately, they had no way of communicating this to anyone else.   

January 5, 2144: The courier from V-Sag base arrives in the Monoceri system and immediately sends off its reports to Shield Base. 

Admiral Doxey, commander of the Monoceri Naval District, responds immediately, dispatching the Jupiter Battle Group, reinforced with destroyers from the Shield Base Defense Group.  Their ETA to the 61 Hydrae System is just under six days. 

As the battle group burns for the jump point, Naval Intelligence analysists examining the sensor logs downloaded by the courier determine that the most likely identity of the attacker is an Archer Light Raider.  The weapons used against the civilian ships match the known weapons profile of the Alpha class exactly.  This information is transmitted to the Jupiter before the group jumps out. 

January 9, 2144: A group of four UNREP ships returning from a resupply mission to Shield Base jumps into the 61 Hydrae system and heads towards the jump point that will take them to the Solar System, after several more jumps.  At 0434 hours the UNREP ships detect an Archer Light Raider and an Archer Salvage Ship at the location of the destroyed civilian ships.  The UNREP ships immediately come about and head directly away from the raiders, towards the jump point to the V-Sag system.  Fortunately, they are faster than the Archer ships and should be able to evade.  Ten hours later, as they are jumping out, they notice a wreck disappear from their sensors. 

January 11, 2144: The Jupiter Battle Group jumps into the 61 Hydrae system and immediately sets course for the last known position of the alien attackers. 

At 2042 hours the passive sensors on the Jupiter pick up the Archer Salvage Ship co-located with the three remaining wrecks.  The group is 105 mkm’s out and closing. 

At 2222 hours, the group’s active sensors are in range and pick up a Light Raider, three Raiders, the Salvage ship, and an entirely new class.  The new ship is somewhat larger than the Jupiter at 23,465 tons, and is provisionally designated as UC-01, for Unknown Class.  The Jupiter and her consorts continue to close. 

At 2312 hours, the Archer task group gets underway, moving diagonally away from the oncoming Terran ships.  The Archer ships have split into two groups, Group A consisting of the Salvage Ship, the Light Raider, and two Raiders, and Group B consisting of the UC and a Raider.  Group A moving at the max speed of the Salvage Ship, 1,830 km/s, while Group B is moving slightly faster at 2,330 km/s.  Captain Fortenberry of the Jupiter orders her group to pursue Group B. 

At 0111 hours on the 12th, the Jupiter opened fire on the UC-01 at just over 300,000 kilometers with her 31.25cm spinal laser.  The chance to hit was low, and indeed she missed, but the fact that the UC-01 and her escorting Raider failed to respond was gratifying.  Captain Fortenberry ordered her group to close to 250,000 kilometers and to continue firing as their weapons came in range.  The UC-01’s capabilities were unknown, but the Raider class was known to be equipped with short range rail guns, meaning that the Jupiter and her destroyers should be able to stand off and pick them apart with lasers.  At this point Group A was nearly four million kilometers behind, and wouldn’t be able to affect the outcome of the engagement with Group B. 

The three Imperial destroyers attacked next, firing their 15cm rapid firing lasers at 291,000 kilometers and getting five hits on the UC-01, all of which were absorbed by the ship’s armor.  The Imperial warships continued to close, firing the 15cm lasers as they came, chipping away at the UC-01’s armor.  After another salvo, Captain Fortenberry ordered her group to continue to close, seeking to improve their chance to hit and the damage being done by their lasers. 

The next salvo, at 223,000 kilometers, got eight hits, three of which penetrated the UC-01’s armor.  The next several salvoes got increasing numbers of penetrating hits, and finally, when they reached 150,000 kilometers, the 15cm lasers were close enough to do additional damage with every hit.  The UC-01 was now reduced to just under 1,000 km/s and faltering.  The very next salvo destroyed the UC-01 and the group shifted targeting to the Raider, which had accelerated to 5,643 km/s.  With the unknown capabilities of the UC-01 no longer a factor, Captain Fortenberry ordered her group to close to 100,000 kilometers from the Raider, which was till far out of that ship’s range.  It took just two salvoes to destroy the Raider, and the Terran ships turned to close on Group A. 

Just under seven minutes later the terran warships were closing on Group A.  The Terran ships opened fire at 208,000 kilometers, getting fourteen hits on the Lt Raider, four of which penetrated.  It took two more salvoes to destroy the Lt Raider, and then they moved on the Raiders.  The four imperial ships split their fire between the two Raiders, taking them down in three salvoes, leaving the Salvage Ship as the last known Archer ship in the system. 

It took just one salvo to destroy the Salvage Ship, leaving the system clear of Archer raiders.  Captain Fortenberry detached two of her destroyers, sending one to Shield Base and the other to Terra with her sensor logs and reports.  The Jupiter and one destroyer would remain in-system for now to guard against a follow up attack. 

January 14, 2144: The DD Miyo Wendell arrived in the Solar System with the reports from Captain Fortenberry.  After waiting for the light-speed transmission to arrive, and for any orders to return, the Wendell jumped back out to return to her task group in the 61 Hydrae system. 

The news electrifies first Naval HQ, then the Imperial government, and finally the people.  The cold-blooded destruction of a colony transport is horrific, and further conformation that the raiders are inhuman monsters.  For the navy and the government, this presents a significant problem.  All colonies and forward bases have been garrisoned with both ground defenses and varying amounts of naval ships for self defense and the defense of their system, but uninhabited and unexploited systems have not.  Up to now it was thought that the raiders focused on inhabited systems, but the attack on the 61 Hydrae system has proven that belief to be mistaken.  Imperial defense plans will have to be re-examined. 

January 15, 2144: A long-range survey ship discovers a connection between the just-surveyed 82 Draconis system and the GJ 1128 system.  The GJ 1128 system was discovered ten years ago just before the Swarm was encountered, two jumps beyond the system from which the Swarm was discovered.  After the discovery of the Swarm the survey ships were withdrawn, in spite of the fact that the GJ 1128 system contained two terrestrial class planets, one of which had a thin oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and a thick ice sheet.  In light of this discovery, the survey ship jumps back to the 82 Draconis system and requests that the 9th Destroyer group probe the system. 


Picture of the north-eastern portion of the Empire's star map.  The skulls represent known Swarm territory.


Picture of the south-eastern portion of the Empire's star map.  Sol/Terra is one jump to the left of the Wolf 359 system. 

January 18, 2144: The Jupiter Battle Group in 61 Hydrae detects an Archer Survey Ship in-bound towards the wrecks the battle group has been watching over.  The contact is 76 mkm’s out and closing.  The group immediately goes to max speed and begins closing.  When the group moves close enough for its active sensors to reach the Salvage Ship, they detect two Raiders and a Light Raider escorting the salvage ship.  The Archer ships eventually turn away and begin running, but it is too late for them to escape as the faster Imperial ships run them down. 

At 0424 hours on the 18th, the battle group opened fire on the Lt Raider at 180,000 kilometers, scoring seven hits with two penetrations.  After four salvoes the Lt Raider was a drifting wreck, and the Imperial ships turned their weapons on the two Raiders.  Once again, the Imperial ships split their fire between the two Raiders, and after four salvoes took both down.  That left the Salvage Ship as the last target.  Three salvoes were enough to take the commercial ship down, leaving the system once again clear of contacts. 

January 19, 2144: A new Archer Light Raider is detected twenty-seven mkm’s in-system from the current location of the Jupiter and her destroyers.  The group begins their pursuit immediately.  The Light Raider appeared well within range of the Jupiter’s active sensors, possibly revealing their entry point into the system.  The group opens fire at 210,000 kilometers, getting multiple hits.  It took four salvoes to destroy the Light Raider, and in exchange the Light Raider got one hit on the Jupiter’s shields. 
 
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Humanity First: 2nd Battle of Chi Draconis (Swarm)
« Reply #29 on: September 09, 2024, 10:31:47 AM »
January 22, 2144: The 9th DD Group has cleared the third planet of the GH 1128 system and heads back out-system.  It is time for them to return to base to resupply and overhaul their ships. 

Fleet Command has decided to establish a naval base in the 61 Hydrae system to protect the shipping transiting the system.  The only suitable body in the system is a small comet, so the base will be established there.  Fuel, maintenance supplies, orbital maintenance facilities, and an orbital recreation facility will be transferred to the system, along with ground-based defenses.  Once the installations are in place an interceptor group will transferred to the system. 

April 1, 2144: The maintenance base has been established in the 61 Hydrae system, and the defenses have been set up.  Six interceptors are dispatched from Terran orbit to establish a guard force in the system.  In addition, the Navy has set up a maintenance base close to the jump point in the solar system, consisting of four maintenance stations and a recreation base.  A destroyer group will be stationed at the base, close to the jump point, as a quick reaction force capable of rapidly responding to all nearby systems without having to first travel all the way from Terra to the jump point.  The base will be named High Guard Station. 

April 29, 2144: The Retribution Fleet has finally been rearmed and sets out for the frontier to confront the Swarm yet again.  This time the Jupiter and Venus battle groups, along with the battleship Rigel, join the fleet in case close combat becomes necessary or possible. 

April 30, 2144: The survey of the GJ 1128 system is complete.  The system has four jump points, two of which are known, and multiple potential mining sites.  While planet #3, the one with the oxy-nitrogen atmosphere, has limited available resources, planets #1 and 2 have moderately large quantities of high-availability resources, making the system an interesting prospect for future exploitation, once the Swarm is dealt with.   

May 15, 2144: The Retribution Fleet arrives over Shield Base and begins refueling, before setting out for the Swarm frontier. 

May 19, 2144: The Retribution Fleet has entered the Luhman16 system and joined the fleet scout stationed at the jump point.  After downloading updates from the scout, the fleet moves forward again. 

Second Battle of Chi Draconis
May 24, 2144: The Retribution fleet is now in the Chi Draconis system, the last known location for the Swarm.  The fleet begins moving in-system to a better location to launch its strike wings. 

May 27, 2144, 1256 hours: The Retribution Fleet is positioned in deep space 700 mkm’s from the planet that seems to be the center of attention for the Swarm.  America, China, and UK launch their fighters, which immediately sweep away from the fleet towards the last known location of the damaged ships from the last encounter with the Swarm.  The second attack on the Swarm has begun. 

At 1932 hours the strike group detects four Swarm ships, two 21,000 ton Abomination and two 10,699 ton Abuser class units, close to where the last battle took place.  The strike group turns to close on the Swarm ships.  At 2008 hours the America’s strike group launches its missiles at the four ships.  Two hundred and eight missiles were targeted on the four ships. 

The missiles sped towards the targets, which never moved or otherwise gave any sign that they knew they were under attack. 

Results:
Abomination-1: total hits 38, all absorbed by armor
Abuser-7: total hits 28, all absorbed by armor
Abuser-6: total hits 33, one penetrating hit
Abomination-2: total hits 40, three penetrated, two secondary explosions, target destroyed

The results were somewhat disappointing, but the strike group commander, Lt Commander Sturgess, decided not to follow up.  The remaining three swarm units would be left for the main fleet, if they decided to follow up the strike.  Instead, the strike group detoured around the three remaining ships and headed for the planet.  The Swarm ships attempted to pursue, but two had been slowed to 2,732 km/s and even at full speed they were too slow to catch the fighters. 

At 2202 hours, while still 95 mkm’s from the planet, the fighters detected six small Abhorrent and Aberration class swarm ships ahead of them.  The swarm ships were racing towards the group at full speed.  By 2223 the swarm ships were well within range, and six fighters from the China’s group launched their missiles at the oncoming attack ships. 

The forty-eight Sparrow II ASM’s killed all six swarm ships, however, it was a close-run thing.  The strike group continued on towards the planet. 

At 2249 hours, the strike group was finally close enough to the planet for its sensors to see what was in orbit.  The fighter’s sensors detected one hundred and twenty-six ships in orbit.  This number grew over the next several minutes as the fighters closed, until the total was:

One Acid class, 130,000 tons
Four Adversary class, 21,495 tons      
Five Abuser class, 10,699 ton      
forty-nine Abhorrent class, 844 tons   
forty-six Aberration class, 844 tons   
twenty-six Accelerator class, 761 tons   
nineteen Abductor class, 695 tons   

Total tonnage: 402,442

When the strike group reached 27 mkm’s from the planet a large group of the swarm ships broke away from the main mass over the planet and began heading towards them at 11,109 km/s.  Lt Commander Sturgess ordered his fighters to close to two million kilometers to launch their missiles. 

Lt Commander Sturgess had hoped to thin out the ranks of the smaller ships, but the lead group approaching the fighters was composed of five Abusers, four Adversary’s, and the massive Acid class mothership.  Sturgess ordered the strike group to target the Abuser class destroyer-sized units with their missiles.  Seconds later three hundred and sixty missiles sped away from the fighters. 

Damage Report:
Abuser-1: 24 hits
Abuser-2: 20 hits
Abuser-3: 18 hits
Abuser-4: 15 hits
Abuser-5: 20 hits

Astonishingly, the Abusers absorbed all of the damage without showing any outward signs of damage, meaning they had to launch more than 72 missiles per Abuser. 

At 0528 on the 28th, as the fighter group was returning to the fleet, they detected a lone Abuser class swarm ship 470 mkm’s from the planet, but just 225 mkm’s from the fleet.  The Abuser was headed towards the fleet, but that could just be a coincidence as the fleet stood between the planet and the jump point back to Imperial space.  Lt Commander Sturgess ordered his group to follow the swarm ship at a discrete distance, as they had no weapons left, and sent a contact report to the fleet. 

Back at the fleet, Admiral McCullick wasted no time and ordered his strike carriers to launch their forty-five forward class attack fighters.  The fighters raced away from the fleet, towards the swarm ship.  They had not performed well against a large mass of smaller swarm ships.  This would be a test of their capability against a larger swarm ship. 

At 0745 hours, the forty-five attack fighters of the CVS strike group open fire on the advancing Abuser class swarm ship, getting nineteen hits, one of which penetrated.  Twenty seconds later the Abuser blew up under the concentrated fire of the attack fighters, which then turned back towards their carrier. 

At 1304 hours the carriers launch their second strike.  At 2228 hours the strike group re-establishes contact with the main swarm fleet over the planet.  Notably, the fleet over the planet consists only of the smaller swarm ships, which all began running from the fighters when they reached 11 mkm’s from the planet. 

At 2315 hours, after a short pursuit, the fighters were technically in range of their missiles, but Lt Commander Sturgess delayed firing to close further, ensuring the missiles could reach the fleeing targets. 

Finally, at 2316 hours the fighters fired all six hundred and twenty-four missiles at the fleeing swarm ships, with each fighter targeting a different swarm ship.  The results were devastating.  When the explosions that wreathed the swarm ships cleared, sixty-six had disappeared, and fourteen were left drifting.  The remaining sixty-two were charging the fighters, but the human ships easily outran them when they turned back towards their carriers. 

The fighters returned to base and reloaded, and were in space again by 1035 hours on the 29th.  At 1959 the strike group’s sensors confirm that the group of mobile swarm ships is over the planet again, sixty-two strong.  The fighters closed as they had before.  Once again, the swarm ships began running when the fighters got close enough, and once again the fighters pursued.  At 2037 hours the fighters from the UK launched their missiles at the fleeing swarm ships.  The twenty-six fighters launched their missiles, each targeted on a different swarm ship, and then turned away. 

Twenty-five seconds later the missiles struck home, leaving forty-three swarm ships in space.  Next, the America’s strike group launched their missiles at the swarm group.  After this strike, only twenty swarm ships were left.  That left the China’s group to mop them up, and when the explosions cleared, there were no swarm ships left.  The bulk of the swarm’s known small ships had either been destroyed or damaged.  The fighters withdrew. 

May 30, 2144: The fighters have returned to their carriers, but the carriers have no more missiles to load in their bays.  Admiral McCullick has a decision to make.  The swarm has been deprived of most of its known small ships, leaving only the larger destroyer and battlecruiser sized ships, along with the mammoth mother ship, all of which are faster than the corresponding human ships.  In the end, it’s an easy decision to make.  The Retribution Fleet’s warships, 2 battleships, two battlecruisers, a jump cruiser, six destroyers, and six destroyer escorts, are out-massed by the remaining swarm fleet.  Admiral McCullick orders the fleet to return to Shield Base. 

June, 2144: Fleet HQ has been dissatisfied with the Fleet Scout design for some time.  This design was intended to be both an independent scout probing and guarding the frontiers, and a support unit for the fleet during fleet operations in disputed space.  However, as an unarmed ship it was seen as vital that the ship be stealthy, so it was fitted with low-emission engines that would make it hard to detect.  However, these expensive engines also meant that the scout was unable to maintain fleet standard speed, which meant that if the scout accompanied fleet units they would be reduced to the scout’s speed, which was seen as unacceptable by most fleet commanders, so the existing scouts remained on independent duty for the most part.  And after the loss of a scout in the Chi Draconis system, the fleet was unwilling to risk them in dangerous systems. 

After much wrangling between the operations department and the fleet designers, they decided to redesignate the existing scout design from “Fleet Scout” to a “Scout”, reflecting its independent operational nature, and to design a new fleet scout capable of maintaining fleet speed and supporting fleet operations.  The new Boone class Fleet Scout is essentially the same design as the Avenger Scout, but with the low-profile engines stripped out and replaced with standard destroyer engines, and the jump drive has been removed and replaced with armor and shields. 
Code: [Select]
Boone class Fleet Scout      10,000 tons       275 Crew       3,363.6 BP       TCS 200    TH 1,500    EM 330
7500 km/s      Armour 3-41       Shields 11-264       HTK 47      Sensors 756/6/0/0      DCR 9-9      PPV 0
Maint Life 2.84 Years     MSP 2,392    AFR 89%    IFR 1.2%    1YR 434    5YR 6,514    Max Repair 1,296 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Morale Check Required   

IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 1500    Fuel Use 23.09%    Signature 750    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 891,000 Litres    Range 69.4 billion km (107 days at full power)
Epsilon Shield Generator (1)     Recharge Time 264 seconds (0 per second)

Scout Lg Search Sensor Mk II (1)     GPS 216000     Range 405.7m km    Resolution 200
Scout Thermal Sensor Mk IIb (1)     Sensitivity 756     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  217.4m km
ELINT Module (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Intelligence Ship for auto-assignment purposes

The Eagle class strike fighters with their Sparrow II ASM’s have proven to be an effective weapon against the Swarm, however, the Empire’s difficulties in producing enough missiles to keep them supplied continues to be a weakness that the Imperial Navy has had difficulty alleviating.  R&D Assets have been tasked with improving the Empire’s munitions factory’s productivity, and construction factories have ceaselessly been building more munitions factories, but it never seems to be enough. 

In the meantime, construction has started on the Forward Flight II attack fighter design, which will replace the current Forwards in the Fleet and are, hopefully, an improvement in action against the various Xenos enemies. 

The Forward II is 84 tons larger than the original, but has better armor, better fire controls for its laser, and the 10cm laser has a better fire rate because it is a full-sized laser installation, rather than the original reduced size installed on the earlier model.  All of this means the Forward II is substantially slower than the original design, but this couldn’t be avoided.  The Forward II is still faster than most known Swarm designs. 
Code: [Select]
Forward II class Attack Craft      449 tons       7 Crew       193.2 BP       TCS 9    TH 125    EM 0
13928 km/s      Armour 3-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 4      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3
Maint Life 12.38 Years     MSP 95    AFR 5%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 1    5YR 17    Max Repair 72 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Fighter IC Fusion Drive   (2)    Power 125.0    Fuel Use 1250.0%    Signature 62.5    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 35,000 Litres    Range 1.12 billion km (22 hours at full power)

10cm FUV Laser (1)    Range 150,000km     TS: 13,928 km/s     Power 3-3     RM 50,000 km    ROF 5       
Fighter Laser Fire Control Mk II  (1)     Max Range: 160,000 km   TS: 15,000 km/s    ECCM-2     94 88 81 75 69 62 56 50 44 38
Fighter IC Fusion Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 3    Exp 10%

This design is classed as a Fighter for production, combat and planetary interaction
This design is classed as a Fighter for auto-assignment purposes
 
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