They are big ships, but it takes a long time to build them. I only have built 4 patrol ships 2 corvettes and my 1 North Carolina in the last 85 years of game time. I just now got enough capacity for the mega-freighters though and it says that if I tool it for Essex the shipyard should be able to produce all three types.
Now, i'm sure your interested in how things went down.
"Admiral, we've transited into Washington." a buzzcon announced.
Fleet Admiral Lord Marn Justis nodded. He stood up and walked out of his quarters and headed for CIC. It wouldn't be long before the bastards showed their faces and he needed to be in CIC to give orders to the fleet. Not that it was much of a fleet, just two ships. Two ships earth and the colonies had slaved over for thirty years to build. Packed with as many missile launchers as possible and enough magazine space to feed their hunger. One hit to a magazine and the entire ship would blow. The missiles had taken as long as the ship to produce, longer actually. The last ones were fresh off the press as soon as they had finished their three year fleet training. The result was 30 years of missiles, with continuous updates to them being slammed in the auto-loaders. The technicians promised that it didn't' matter whether it was a firestorm I or IV or a Nova Fury, as long as the missile was the right size it would fire.
He stepped onto the CIC and his flag officers saluted and went back to work. Even though there wasn't a fleet to command, he and his staff where taking up a lot of slack from the Captain and his men. Even with three years of training no one had manned a ship so large, the crew, numbering over 80 thousand took a small army to keep them all organized. Eighty-thousand of the best earth and the colonies had to offer. The entire military command structure was on the two ships, with the exception of a few logistics officers in the rear, and the old 50 year old patrol ship orbiting earth.
"Main Tacscreen."
A display flashed on infront of him detailing the entire layout of the North Carolina and the Fletcher II. The smaller ship was the same design almost, just on a much much smaller scale.
Justis watched the radar screen intently for any sign of aliens. None appeared, and the captain advanced them toward the New York Jump hole. Twelve hours later klaxons sounded. Justis stood up from the bench he had fallen asleep on.
The aliens where on long range scanners at maximum range, six of their twelve thousand ton ships blazing at them at 7750km/s.
Three hours passed while they headed toward each other, then another alarm sounded for a moment before being turned off. The aliens had activated their active radar and where now most likely firing missiles. Their range was much better due to their ECM and technology.
Another long wait, then the incoming missile alert sounded. The computer, prepared for this, was already set to fire. Two hundred and fourty Spark AMM IIs flashed out of the tubes of the Fletcher II and North Carolina. The enemy had launched only 40 missiles in all. Still, most of the Sparks missed, but enough hit to destroy all the missiles. Everyone stood silent waiting for the next volley, and the next. They never came.
"The Bastards haven't reloaded in thirty years." an officer remarked.
They kept closing and finally at 33 million kilometers the firing control systems kicked in, finally overpowering the enemy ECM.
"Flush all ASMs." Justis ordered. It took thirty seconds for the order to be relayed to the captain. Another twenty for the captain to order the technicans. Then 426 missile tubes spat four different classes of missiles at the incoming ships. Another wait. Then thermal sensors exploded with the sounds of nuclear fury.
"Ninty-nine size 9 explosions! X-ray spike! The bomb pumps have hit! Fire storms impact in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Impact!"
Justis listened and watched. Five ships confirmed destroyed.
"Order the Fletcher to fire its volley of Novas."
They did, and they impacted still the alien ship came on, at half speed.
"Order the Fletcher to flush its firestorms."
Ten firestorm missiles flashed out...and the alien ship finally crumpled under the fire.
"Ammunition report?"
"Sir, we have 91% of our stores remaining. The Fletcher 81%."
"Order the captain to continue on, we are going to New York. It is time to make the bastards pay for what they did."
"Aye aye sir!"
