Aurora 4x

C# Fiction => Gyrfalcon's Fiction => Topic started by: Gyrfalcon on October 10, 2022, 01:32:07 PM

Title: The Kingdom of Avalon
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 10, 2022, 01:32:07 PM

The Ancients
Little is known of those now called the Ancients except that in the distant past, the fractured nations of Earth banded together as a polity known as the Terran Federation. They succeeded in quelling warfare on the surface of the Earth, and expanded into space.  Through their mastery of science, the flag of humanity spread out into the stars through a series of Gates of some form. It seemed to be a golden age for Humanity, though there were enemies that tested the Ancients. The stars were not peaceful, and their borders were contested on several fronts by enemies foreign and domestic.

Yet the Ancients were strong, and it seemed that it was an age that would last forever. But then the Cataclysm came. The Gates were abruptly shut, and could not be reopened. Earth was dependent on its daughter colonies and could no longer survive without them.  As famine gripped the planet, the fragility of the Federation was shown. Nations turned on each other, and the space fleet burned in orbit as mutiny ripped through the ranks. In an act of madness or salvation, the fleet burned most of its own shipyards, ending the struggle for their contents as the burning pieces deorbited, crashing into the continents and oceans below as nuclear missiles rained down indiscriminately.

The conflict ended not with victors, but with survivors. No nation was left standing, no army left intact. What ships survived the battle in orbit were left to rot and degrade, eventually ending their lives as comets streaking through the night sky and disasters where they struck. Only one monument to the Ancients survived the Cataclysm - the Tower of Babel reaching into the heavens, connecting Earth to a geostationary artificial moon in orbit named Selene.

The Rise of Avalon
Centuries passed as the world slowly recovered from the devastation. Villages became cities, communities became nations, and nations went to war with each other.  Wars were fought over land, resources- and the ruins of the past. On one island, off the coast of Europa, a pair of mercenaries fleeing a lost battle made a discovery that changed the course of the world.

Beneath the white cliffs once called Dover, the two discovered gates forged of a strange metal that neither had ever seen before. One of them, who came to be called Merlin, was a genius that only appears rarely in the pages of history. He managed to restore function to the gates and break through their security, opening the first vault of what would become Castle Camelot.

Within the vaults were the untainted and pristine artifacts of the Ancients. Among them were suits of armor many times the size of a man that no blade nor bullet could pierce, wielding guns that could destroy even armored vehicles with blazing bolts of plasma, spears of light or rounds that pierced the air.

Merlin’s companion took the name Arthur Pendragon, and reached out to the loyal companions he had made in his days as a mercenary. To these men he gifted possession of the magnificent suits of armor that became known as Armiger. These men became his Knights, and clad in their invincible armor and wielding their unstoppable weapons, they marched forth and founded the Kingdom of Avalon.  In time, Merlin managed to reproduce the arcane heart that powered and supported the armor, and many more Armiger were created. Crude and clanking things compared to the work of the Ancients, none the less they were a force to be feared on the battlefield and supported the armsmen of the Kingdom.  In time, possession of an Armiger became synonymous with the nobility and knightly orders of the Kingdom.

On the white cliffs of Dover, the great city of Camelot was founded. While Arthur fought battles and made alliances, Merlin labored to divine the secrets of the Ancients, and then translate those secrets to working technology. Aided by his Order of the Magi, Merlin created sources of pure water and bountiful fields. The Magi created roads to link the cities that Arthur conquered with the rest of Avalon.  The Knights of the Round table defeated the bandits that sought to haunt those roads, and the Kingdom experienced a peace that had been missing from the world for long centuries.

No foe could defeat Avalon, for even as the last Armiger left the Castle, their presence on the battlefield provided the Royal Army an unbeatable counter to the tactics of their enemies. As the reputation of the Kingdom grew, more and more warlords bowed to the inevitable and joined the Kingdom as nobles rather than seeing its flag rise over their fortress as they hung from the gibbet.

King Arthur did not live to see his dream of uniting the world fulfilled, but his eldest daughter would ascend as Queen of Avalon. Queen Guinevak would unite the last holdouts in the world-spanning Kingdom, once more making true the old claim of the British that the sun never set upon the Kingdom.

Under Queen Guinevak and her successor, Queen Eigyr, the Kingdom of Avalon was united by more than the sword as they worked tirelessly to build an identity as one people and share the  bounty of the Kingdom with all of its citizens.

Opening the Tower of Babel
Centuries passed, and the Earth recovered to the heights of the Ancients. As the Kingdom celebrated its population passing 500 million citizens, Magus Camelot Ver discovered a way to access the Tower of Babel. No mere tower, it was an orbital elevator connecting the ancient spaceport at its base and the shipyard of Selene above. The Magi also discovered that the spaceport contained a Deep Space Tracking Network, though there was nothing detected in the solar system.

Much of the data stored on the ancient computers of Selene was lost entirely or corrupted by memory errors. But what could be gleaned was troubling - for if the simulations run by the Ancients were correct, then the phenomenon that had closed the Gates and cut off Sol from the rest of the galaxy had passed. For all the Kingdom knew, the enemies of the Ancients could be poised to invade Sol once again.

But all was not lost, for the computers also gave clues to the final secrets of the ancients. Foremost were notes and equations that proved that another dimension closely overlaid our own, one in which the Newtonian laws that humans were so familiar with worked differently. The Ancients dubbed this dimension the Aether.

The second were tantalizing hints of something monumental uncovered on Mars just days before the Cataclysm. But whatever was found, there were also great indications of danger.

Through the gift of the Ancients, the way to the stars were once again open, and the Kingdom would claim their destiny on distant worlds.

Title: (1) The Formation of the Royal Navy
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 17, 2022, 09:50:25 AM

Starting Information
Known Star Systems OFF
Allow Human NPRs ON
Generate Precursors, Star Swarm, Rakhas, Aether Raiders ON
Generate Invaders OFF
Limited Research Administration ON

Difficulty Modifier, Research Speed, Terraforming Speed, Survey Speed - 100%

(https://i.imgur.com/c0qQyAM.png)


Humanity:
Population: 500m
Determination 58 / 100
Diplomacy 38 / 100
Expansion 50 / 100
Militancy 55 / 100
Trade 40 / 100
Translation 0 / 25
Xenophobia 81 /100

Terra
Population: 500m
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 1,000t
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 10,000t
Repair Yard Capacity: 0t

Conventional Industry: 800
DSTS: 1
GFCC: 1
Maintenance Facility: 5
Military Academy: 1
Naval Headquarters: 1
Research Facility: 8
Spaceport: 1

The Formation of the Royal Navy
King Eliwlod was an old man, and in poor health. It was well known that he was transferring more and more of his duties and responsibilities to his son, Crown Prince Kyduan. Because of this, he gave his son free reign in determining how the Kingdom would respond to this mess, knowing that it would be the coming generation that would bear the burden of the changes to come.  The old King knew that it would make his son’s tasks easier if he did not have to navigate dealing with loyalists to the old King in important positions of power.

The Prince’s greatest concern from the data discovered in the Tower was that for an unknown period of time, the Sol system has once again become accessible to outside powers. It was well documented historically that the Ancients had struggled against multiple alien powers, and that the stars were not safe for humanity.

Crown Prince Kyduan directed that a crash program to begin the construction of Aether voidships should be undertaken with all haste. Preliminary experiments with the Aether indicated the dimension had properties that crossed between conventional knowledge of space and underwater environments.

The Kingdom still had little in the way of a space tradition, but they did have a lively flight and naval community including a number of submarines that engaged in undersea exploration and recovery of Ancient wrecks and ruins. Officers for the Aether Navy (quickly displacing the blue water navy as simply the Royal Navy) were drawn from the submarine service alongside the air force. Given the Kingdom’s long centuries of peace, the first generation of officers in the Royal Navy would have only theoretical knowledge.

Kyduan appointed Peredurus Auvray as the first Admiral of the Royal Navy. Formerly part of the blue navy’s submarine command, the admiral was known as a courageous man whose quick and decisive thinking had saved the crew of his submarine when a ruptured ballast tank threatened to kill them all. He was also known to be passionately devoted to his work, with no outside interests beyond his martial arts hobby.

The First Naval Designs

Admiral Auvrey and the senior officers of the Navy sat down to design a workable void ship. The Aether engine constructed by Merlin proved a crude basis for a ship, though the performance in such a large vessel was atrocious.

Project BROADSWORD

Code: [Select]

Broadsword class Gunship (P)      3,997 tons       44 Crew       192.2 BP       TCS 80    TH 24    EM 0
300 km/s      Armour 1-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 13      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 24
Maint Life 6.16 Years     MSP 130    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 6    5YR 88    Max Repair 20 MSP
Magazine 160   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required   

Louet-Addinell Engines Limited CE-12 Aether Engine (2)    Power 24    Fuel Use 91.29%    Signature 12    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres    Range 2.5 billion km (95 days at full power)

Type VI External Rack (22)     Missile Size: 6    Hangar Reload 122 minutes    MF Reload 20 hours
Type I External Rack (28)     Missile Size: 1    Hangar Reload 50 minutes    MF Reload 8 hours
RN/MGM-4 80/10.9M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
RN/MGP-5 1/227K Anti-Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 2.5m km    Resolution 1

RN/MGA-3 80/10.8M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 320     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Massing nearly 4000 tons, the only viable armament for Project BROADSWORD were externally-mounted racks for nuclear-tipped weapons. There was a lively debate between the naval and air force officers on what to call them - to the sailors, they were torpedoes, while the pilots called them missiles. Eventually, the debate was solved by dividing them by size - weapons smaller than 10t in displacement were missiles, while anything larger was a torpedo. It was a solution that pleased no one, which probably meant that it was the best solution possible.

The Project BROADSWORD ships would be equipped with two types of weapon system, the SGT-1A ‘Pernach’ Light Torpedo and the MIM-3A ‘Maduvu’ Anti-Torpedo Missile.

SGT-1A ‘Pernach’ Light Torpedo

Code: [Select]

Missile Size: 6.00 MSP  (15.000 Tons)     Warhead: 4    Radiation Damage: 4    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 1,100 km/s     Fuel: 200     Flight Time: 165 minutes     Range: 10.9m km
Active Sensor Strength: 0.03   EM Sensitivity Modifier: 5
Resolution: 80    Maximum Range vs 4000 ton object (or larger): 941,529 km
Cost Per Missile: 1.240     Development Cost: 176
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 11.0%   3k km/s 3.7%   5k km/s 2.2%   10k km/s 1.1%
MIM-3A ‘Maduvu’ Anti-Torpedo Missile

Code: [Select]

Missile Size: 1 MSP  (2.5 Tons)     Warhead: 1    Radiation Damage: 1    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 1,000 km/s     Fuel: 25     Flight Time: 52 minutes     Range: 3.12m km
Cost Per Missile: 0.27     Development Cost: 82
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 10%   3k km/s 3.3%   5k km/s 2.0%   10k km/s 1.0%
A second, larger ATM had been designed, but while it theoretically had a better chance to hit its target, the probability wasn’t so much greater to justify its use.

MIM-4A ‘Ninjato’ Anti-Torpedo Missile

Code: [Select]

Missile Size: 2.00 MSP  (5.000 Tons)     Warhead: 1    Radiation Damage: 1    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 1,500 km/s     Fuel: 25     Flight Time: 31 minutes     Range: 2.75m km
Cost Per Missile: 0.33     Development Cost: 90
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 15.0%   3k km/s 5.0%   5k km/s 3.0%   10k km/s 1.5%
Notably, the design was unarmored - attempts to armor the hull consumed nearly all the available mass. Magos Avalon Gillain, a materials specialist, posited that with modern techniques a lighter composite armor could be created.

Regardless, the Gunship was designed to carry nearly two dozen light torpedoes which could be ripple fired in a massive alpha strike. Defensively, it carried 28 interceptors - this required that the ATMs achieve nearly one for one interceptions against enemy torpedoes, which no one expected to be the case. However, it provided the design some measure of defense against hostile fire.

Like many aspects of BROADSWORD, the designers were aware of the limitations they were working around and could only do their best to address them.

While void ships of BROADSWORD’s displacement could only be built in orbit, the Air Force lobby pointed out that smaller Aether Engines were capable of being constructed and used planetside - Armatures being a prime example. Experiments had proven that up to around 500t, the Aether Engine could function in a gravity well, which opened the possibility of producing smaller Aether ships planetside to complement the orbital building program.

After consideration, the Admiralty agreed to this proposal, and project CATFISH was implemented alongside its larger brother.

Project CATFISH

Code: [Select]

B-1/A Catfish class Bomber (P)      475 tons       1 Crew       17.5 BP       TCS 9    TH 2    EM 0
252 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 1      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 1.2
Maint Life 5.73 Years     MSP 7    AFR 18%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 0    5YR 5    Max Repair 5 MSP
Magazine 8   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-24 Starburst I (1)    Power 2.4    Fuel Use 204.12%    Signature 2.4    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,000 Litres    Range 0.2 billion km (8 days at full power)

Type IV External Rack (2)     Missile Size: 4    Hangar Reload 100 minutes    MF Reload 16 hours
RN/FGM-6 Missile Fire Control System (1)     Range 4.9m km    Resolution 80

RN/FGA-7 80/4.9M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 32     Range 3.4m km    Resolution 80

FUM-2A ‘Zhanmadao’ Heavy Missile

Code: [Select]

Missile Size: 4.00 MSP  (10.000 Tons)     Warhead: 3    Radiation Damage: 3    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 1,250 km/s     Fuel: 25     Flight Time: 24 minutes     Range: 1.78m km
Cost Per Missile: 0.87     Development Cost: 147
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 12.5%   3k km/s 4.2%   5k km/s 2.5%   10k km/s 1.2%
The design was notably lacking compared to the BROADSWORD - it was slower, with a much more limited range and deployment time. However, the FUM-2A ‘Zhanmadao’ Heavy Missile designed for the Catfish packed three quarters of the punch of the larger ‘Pernach’ in a package two thirds of the size. More importantly, the bomber could be produced on the ground, supplementing the planned construction in orbit.

Research Efforts and Economic Efforts

Lord Gringgolet Brinon was assigned as the Governor of Earth, a position that allowed him to put his skills in managing production of new factories to good use. His skill bled into the area of ground force construction and shipbuilding. Highly educated and calm, he was a good match for more excitable elements of the Royal Council.

Magos Camelot Ver was assigned a quarter of the Kingdom’s research capacity to discover the Ancient’s secrets of Trans-Newtonian Technology.  His work was projected to be completed by the start of April, 453 - over six years from now. This left 6 labs available to the research projects necessary to make the two designs a reality.

Research projects were assigned, quickly dividing up the Kingdom’s research capacity. These were:

RN/FGA-7 Gravitational Sensor - Magos Baldulf Chartres - 14 February, 447
Type IV External Rack - Magos Pellean Bursigni - 23 May, 447
Louet-Addinell Engines Limited CE-12 Aether Engine - Magos Drystan de Hattes - 24 May, 447
Type VI External Rack - Magos Ban Venois - 24 June, 447
Conventional Composite Armor - Magos Avalon Gillain - 16 January, 448
Trans-Newtonian Technology - Magos Camelot Ver - 31 March, 453
Heavy Crew-Served Anti-Personnel Weaponry - Magos Dechtere D’Auvay - 7 February, 458

While prototypes were turned into actual technology, Lord Brinon tasked engineers to expand Selune’s Aleph yards. The first 1000t expansion of the military yard was slated to be completed by the end of the year.

Once the designs were finalized, the Admiralty planned to build at least one squadron of 4 BROADSWORD gunships and a squadron of 12 B-1/A Catfish bombers.  These would have a combined total of 22,000t, quite a bit more than the limited maintenance facilities the Babel installation could support. Construction effort began on adding a further 20 facilities, slated to be completed May the following year. Plans after that were to build another Research Facility, followed by another Naval Shipyard Complex and a Ground Force Construction Complex.

Title: (2) The End of an Era
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 21, 2022, 03:00:57 AM

The Royal Army Reactivated

At the same time that the Navy was busy organizing itself, the Royal Army was dusting off old production lines and sourcing suppliers of needed materials. With centuries of peace behind it, the Army had atrophied until it consisted of a few ceremonial units.  With a generally peaceful populace, the police was largely unarmed, with only a few armed units to deal with the occasional lunatic that produced their own crude homemade explosives and firearms.

While the Major Generals of the army were jockeying for position to be the first to be promoted to Lieutenant General and given full control of the Kingdom’s military efforts, they could agree that the security and safety of the royal family was of paramount importance. Because of this, the first production would not go to Armigers, but instead to infantry weapons and equipment to equip the Royal Life Guards.

The Royal Life Guards were one of the ceremonial units that had retained some practical function as the Royal Family’s bodyguards were drawn from the unit. They consisted of four battalions of infantry -  the King’s Own, the Queen-Consort’s Own, the Prince’s Own, and the Royal Bodyguards, rounded out by a command battalion that included a construction company, fire support direction, supply company and fixed defenses for the Palace.

Training and equipping the Life Guards would take until August of the next year, after which it was all but guaranteed that the next unit would be an Armiger unit.

Code: [Select]

Infantry Regiment
Transport Size: 14,967 tons
Build Cost: 419.7 BP
1x Regimental HQ
4x Armsman (FFD) '47
1120x Armsman (PW) '47
40x Armsman (LB) '47
80x Armsman (LAV) '47
40x Armsman (CAP) '47
160x Destrier APC
20x Combat Supply - 500GSP '47
4x Construction Vehicle
4x Fortification - MAV
8x Fortification - CAP
The First Years

October 25, 447 - All drive components have been designed for both projects, and Magos Glais Saint-Germain successfully lobbies to use the research facility that is freed up to improve the Kingdom’s maintenance facilities. They project a 25% increase in efficiency per facility.

December 15, 447 - The Aleph shipyards are expanded aboard Selune. Work continues to ready the military slipway for the Project BROADSWORD design. The yard workers anticipate that the Aleph way will be ready in August, 449. The continued construction for the Civilian yard will be completed earlier.

The Army requests a design capable of deploying a Regiment from Earth to another planet, with the expectation that it will be needed in the future. While no production work will go into the design, plans are created under Project RECONQUISTA for a troop transport capable of reaching Neptune and returning… eventually.

Code: (Project RECONQUISTA) [Select]

Reconquista class Troop Transport (P)      45,900 tons       263 Crew       609.6 BP       TCS 918    TH 88    EM 0
95 km/s      Armour 1-114       Shields 0-0       HTK 83      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 2      PPV 0
MSP 116    Max Repair 20 MSP
Troop Capacity 15,000 tons     Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 1   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Moron-Moyaux C/25CE Aether Engine (7)    Power 87.5    Fuel Use 11.18%    Signature 12.5    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 290,000 Litres    Range 10.1 billion km (1235 days at full power)

RN/FGA-7 80/4.9M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 32     Range 3.4m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Someone in the Ship Bureau sneakily added a few small fuel tanks to round its tonnage to the nearest hundred tons.

January 2, 448  - The Kingdom’s first missile completes its design and prototyping. Production began on 200 interceptors to equip the first flight of BROADSWORD gunships with one set of reloads.

February 1, 448 - Avalon Gillain delivers examples of his new composite armor for consideration  by the Navy. The advantages are clear as the redesigned Catfish drops nearly 170t from its frame, and BROADSWORD sees nearly 600t of weight savings.

In the case of BROADSWORD, that weight saving is returned as a layer of composite armor on the design, while the Catfish receives a significant update.

Code: (B-1/B Catfish) [Select]

B-1/B Catfish class Bomber (P)      493 tons       1 Crew       25 BP       TCS 10    TH 5    EM 0
487 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 1.8
Maint Life 5.29 Years     MSP 8    AFR 19%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 0    5YR 7    Max Repair 5 MSP
Magazine 12   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-24 Starburst I (2)    Power 4.8    Fuel Use 204.12%    Signature 2.4    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,000 Litres    Range 0.2 billion km (4 days at full power)

Type IV External Rack (3)     Missile Size: 4    Hangar Reload 100 minutes    MF Reload 16 hours
RN/FGM-6 Missile Fire Control System (1)     Range 4.9m km    Resolution 80

RN/FGA-7 80/4.9M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 32     Range 3.4m km    Resolution 80
A second engine and a third external rack means that the small Bomber is now significantly faster than the BROADSWORD, and an equal tonnage has a slighter greater throw weight in missiles.

Magos Avalon Gillain is praised for his work, and receives authorization to continue experimenting as he believes that he can improve on his work.

April 22, 448 - The SGT-1A ‘Pernach’ Light Torpedo is completed, and a production run is authorized to arm the BROADSWORDs.

August 27, 448 - The Royal Life Guards complete training, and Colonel Madoc Tabraham has the honor of assuming their command. Work begins on training and producing Armigers for a Medium Regimental Combat Team.

Code: (Medium Regimental Combat Team) [Select]

Medium Regimental Combat Team
Transport Size: 14,987 tons
Build Cost: 786.6 BP
1x Regimental HQ
4x Construction Vehicle
42x WSP-1 Wasp
24x TR-A-1 Toro
18x FRB-1E Firebee
48x ICR-1X Icarus
24x KY2-D-01 Kyudo
24x NH-1A Rook
4x Armsman (FFD) '47
280x Armsman (PW) '47
10x Armsman (LB) '47
20x Armsman (LAV) '47
10x Armsman (CAP) '47
40x Destrier APC
22x Combat Supply - 500GSP '47
A Medium RCT consists of two medium Armiger battalions, a light Armiger battalion, and a battalion of infantry for security and to hold ground seized by the armor.  The command battalion, as with the infantry Regiment, includes the supply company, fire direction for artillery, and integral construction capability to fortify the infantry positions.

September 26, 448 - All components for BROADSWORD and the B-1/B ‘Catfish’ are completed, and production is underway for their missile and torpedo armament. Unwilling to wait for the promised advances in composite armor, the first squadron of bombers enters construction, to be completed in February, 450.

August 4, 449 - King Eliwlod passes in his sleep after his long struggle with cancer.  After a week of mourning, his son will ascend the throne as King Kyduan II.

Earlier that week, the Selune Military Aether Yard Aleph reached 4,000t capacity and began work on adding a second slipway. King Kyduan II decided to delay the construction of the first ship of Project BROADSWORD for a short while as Magos Avalon Gillain promised the finished results of the Conventional Advanced Composite Armor by the end of the month, which would allow a final redesign of the project before it went to the builders.

September 8, 449 - The final revision of the Project BROADSWORD is complete. Armored with Advanced Composite Armor, which saved an additional 339t of space over the last design. While it was possible to thicken its armor, the designers chose to use the reduced weight of the hull to add more launchers, increasing its throw weight to 30 light torpedoes and 30 ATMs. The first ship, to be named the HMS Arnica is laid down, giving name to the class.

Code: (Project BROADSWORD) [Select]

Arnica class Gunship      4,000 tons       44 Crew       244.9 BP       TCS 80    TH 24    EM 0
300 km/s      Armour 2-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 13      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 31.5
Maint Life 6.48 Years     MSP 138    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 6    5YR 85    Max Repair 20 MSP
Magazine 210   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required   

Louet-Addinell Engines Limited CE-12 Aether Engine (2)    Power 24    Fuel Use 91.29%    Signature 12    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 51,000 Litres    Range 2.5 billion km (96 days at full power)

Type VI External Rack (30)     Missile Size: 6    Hangar Reload 122 minutes    MF Reload 20 hours
Type I External Rack (30)     Missile Size: 1    Hangar Reload 50 minutes    MF Reload 8 hours
RN/MGM-4 80/10.9M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
RN/MGP-5 1/227K Anti-Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 2.5m km    Resolution 1
MIM-3A 'Maduvu' Anti-Torpedo Missile (30)    Speed: 1,000 km/s    End: 52m     Range: 3.1m km    WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 3/2/1
SGT-1A -  'Pernach' Light Torpedo (30)    Speed: 1,100 km/s    End: 165.1m     Range: 10.9m km    WH: 4    Size: 6    TH: 3/2/1

RN/MGA-3 80/10.8M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 320     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
In addition to the Arnica-class Gunships, the B-1/C Catfish was designed to take advantage of the weight savings Advanced Composite Armor offered. Unlike the B-1/B model, instead of simply slapping another engine on, the bomber was fully redesigned to make use of a single, larger engine. With a fourth added rack point, and an engine 10% larger than the combined engines of the B-1/B, the B-1/C is slightly faster and has a longer range than the older design.

Code: [Select]

B-1/C Catfish class Bomber (P)      497 tons       1 Crew       22.4 BP       TCS 10    TH 5    EM 0
523 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 2.4
Maint Life 4.70 Years     MSP 7    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 1    5YR 8    Max Repair 5 MSP
Magazine 16   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-52 Starburst II (1)    Power 5.2    Fuel Use 138.68%    Signature 5.20    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,000 Litres    Range 0.3 billion km (5 days at full power)

Type IV External Rack (4)     Missile Size: 4    Hangar Reload 100 minutes    MF Reload 16 hours
RN/FGM-6 Missile Fire Control System (1)     Range 4.9m km    Resolution 80
FUM-2A 'Zhanmadao' Heavy Missile (4)    Speed: 1,250 km/s    End: 23.7m     Range: 1.8m km    WH: 3    Size: 4    TH: 4/2/1

RN/FGA-7 80/4.9M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 32     Range 3.4m km    Resolution 80
May 5th, 450 - The lead ship of the Arnica-class Gunships is launched, marking the Kingdom’s fist Aether Warship,. A second ship, the HMS [i[Scoparius[/i] is laid down, with two more successors planned to follow.

Two B-1/C ‘Catfish’ of a planned squadron of 8 have also been constructed, and the first Bomber squadron composed of B-1/B models has been assigned to 1st Fleet.

October 2, 451 - The Royal Army’s 1st Medium RCT becomes operational. With two units already produced for the Royal house and the Army, construction turned to a unit of infantry for House Lanval.

March 29, 452 - Research into improved maintenance support per facility has been completed, increasing the effectiveness of the Kingdom’s facilities by 25%.

May 10, 453 - Camelot Ver completes his six year research project into Trans-Newtonian technology and releases his findings. The possibilities are immense and far-reaching for every aspect of life in the Kingdom, from civilian applications to infrastructure, from simple infantry weapons to the mightiest Armiger. Most of all, Trans-Newtonian technology and proper access to the Aether opens the way to exploit space and the Solar system for the first time in the Kingdom’s history and promises to open the way to follow in the footsteps of the Ancients.

Title: (3) ...and the Beginning of a New
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 26, 2022, 06:44:34 AM

Economic Overview and 5 Year Plan
Earth
Population: 584.45m (+84.45m)
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 8,000 tons (+7,000 tons)
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 50,000 tons (+40,000 tons)
Maintenance Capacity: 31,250 tons (+26,250 tons)
Research Facility: 9 (+1)
Ground Force Construction Complex: 1
Conventional Industry: 800
Maintenance Facility: 25 (+20)
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Military Academy: 1
Naval Headquarters: 1
Spaceport: 1

The Kingdom has seen a great deal of growth over the last six years, with a burgeoning population growing quickly as their standard of living reached that of the Ancients of the past. A great deal of work has gone into expanding the shipyards and creating the necessary support facilities for the Kingdom’s small navy.

This hasn’t been without its own pain - the Kingdom experienced a financial crash as the breakneck pace of spending on research, ground unit construction, shipbuilding and shipyard expansions outpaced its income. While the Kingdom has since recovered, it was a sobering reminder that it couldn’t afford to finance everything it wanted at the same time.

However, Trans-Newtonian technology promised to radically change that. Converting the Kingdom’s existing economy to use TN technology promised to double the output across all sectors of the economy. This will be a decades-long process, but it promises to more than double the Kingdom’s production capability even before expanding its industrial base.

While plans were laid down to start the process, the King demanded that a second naval shipyard be added to Selune, which would slow the conversion process significantly. The shipyard is slated to be completed in 458, at which point more resources can be turned to the Kingdom’s TN conversion.

Research Goals
Once the breadth of possibilities opened up by the TN revolution became known, the Magi nearly engaged in physical brawls over whose research projects had priority. Eventually the Crown stepped in and stunned them all by canceling all current research projects and making each scientist submit their proposal. With 9 research facilities, the Kingdom couldn’t research everything desired at the same time, and eventually the King and the Admiralty submitted a set of requirements to focus towards.

Specifically, one of the near-term challenges that the Kingdom faced was that the Earth did not have endless amounts of resources available - enough for the next few decades, but then new sources of Trans-Newtonian materials would need to be secured.

Therefore, research needed to be focused on producing an effective survey ship to find more sources of TN minerals in the Solar system. As a secondary goal, researching  which beam technologies are available with an eye towards combat and point defense systems, and a method of internalizing (and better protecting) a ship’s missile armament.

Within the 5 year plan, the following technologies are slated to be researched:

PP - Maximum Engine Size - 40, followed by Radioisotope Thermal Generator
SC - Auxiliary Control, followed by Geological Survey Sensors
DS - Duranium Armor
EW - 15cm Plasma Cannon, followed by Infrared Laser and 10cm Laser Focal Size
MK - Magazine Neutralization System - 70% chance
MK - 10cm Railgun, followed by Railgun Launch Velocity 10,000
LG - Fuel Storage - Very Large
GC - Troop Transport Bay - Standard
CP - Research Rate 240 RP

The last two are longer term projects that fall outside the 5 year plan.

Military Buildup
Unit Breakdown

The Kingdom’s armed forces consists of 3 regiments, one each of Royal (House Pendragon), Army and House units.

IRGT Royal Life Guards
IRGT 1st Lanval House Guard
MRCT 1st Medium Regimental Combat Team

A Construction Regiment is being trained for the Royal Army.

Currently the Army is waiting on results of the Trans Newtonian research programs - they believe that the Duranium armor and plasma weapons entering research will require a massive overhaul of the Kingdom’s military forces, but believes that they will be key to producing Armiger on par with the Ancients.

The General Staff were lobbying for another GFCC, but lost the battle with the Navy over the priority of the naval shipyard.

Naval Strategy
Naval Organization
Royal Navy
- Sol Fleet
- - 1st Fleet
- - - Task Force 2
- - - - Bomber Squadron #1 (8x B-1/B ‘Catfish’)
- - - - Bomber Squadron #2 (8x B-1/C ‘Catfish’)
- - - - Gunship Squadron #1 (4x Arnica-class Gunships - Arnica, Scoparius, Datura, Pulsatilla)

- - 3rd Fleet
- - - Task Force 1

Somewhat grandly named and organized, the Royal Navy consists of three squadrons, two of bombers and one of Gunships, organized under 1st Fleet.

The 2nd Fleet currently does not exist, but will concentrate on the Kingdom’s survey efforts.

3rd Fleet is the training fleet, and ships in workup and newly built construction will belong to this fleet before being passed on when ready.

The Aleph shipyards are currently busy with an ambitious 5,000t expansion plan for their two slipways. Once complete, the Admiralty wants to lay down a second series of larger missile combatants that make full use of the TN technology currently being developed. The second shipyard will focus on a geological survey ship that is currently in the planning stages. The  Admiralty also hopes to win the King’s favor for a third shipyard to focus on building further light combatants to supplement the Arnica-class Gunships.

---

September 26, 454 - Research is completed into Duranium Armor and a Sorium-fueled Radioisotope Thermal Generator.

February 1, 455 - Research into plasma weaponry is completed, and a raft of new Armiger designs taking advantage of plasma weaponry and Duranium armor are released. As promised, they at least come close to matching the formerly peerless designs of the Ancients.

While half of the Armiger designers won with their upgraded models, a number were replaced with new designs Specifically the Icarus, Kyudo and Wasp designs lost against newly founded Armiger companies.

The Icarus was replaced by the ugly but effective QSM-3D Quasimodo, which was instantly recognizable by the ugly cluster of plasma cannons on its shoulder that provided a withering hail of burning plasma.

The Kyudo was replaced by the solid SHD-2H Shadow Hawk design whose mix of armaments for all ranges made it a solid workhorse design.

Finally the Wasp lost out against the better armed and harder hitting COM-2D Commando design.

November 8, 456 - Magos Drystan de Hattes completes his ground-breaking work in producing the first Trans-Newtonian Aether engine. Based on his work on  Nuclear Radioisotope reactors, it promises massive improvements in the speed of the Navy’s vessels.

The new Duranium armor and Nuclear Radioisotope engines were a boon to the Navy’s strike craft program. A new and far sleeker design then the B-1 ‘Catfish’ was designed. Designated the ‘Black Ghost’, the B-2/A design was more or less similar to the B-1/C model, retaining the four racks with two on each wing, though it took advantage of the Duranium hull’s weight savings to once again increase the size of the engine. The far more powerful FTR-2800 Starfire I engine required an increase in fuel and maintenance supplies to allow the new bomber model to retain a 3 day strike range.

Code: (B-2/A ‘Black Ghost’) [Select]

B-2/A 'Black Ghost' class Bomber (P)      498 tons       2 Crew       32.3 BP       TCS 10    TH 28    EM 0
2811 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 2.4
Maint Life 4.27 Years     MSP 14    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 1    5YR 19    Max Repair 14.00 MSP
Magazine 16   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-2800 Starfire I (1)    Power 28.0    Fuel Use 133.63%    Signature 28.00    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 3,000 Litres    Range 0.8 billion km (3 days at full power)

Type IV External Rack (4)     Missile Size: 4    Hangar Reload 100 minutes    MF Reload 16 hours
RN/FGM-6 Missile Fire Control System (1)     Range 4.9m km    Resolution 80

RN/FGA-7 80/4.9M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 32     Range 3.4m km    Resolution 80

More than 5 times as fast as the ‘Catfish’, the Navy immediately put its engine into research with an eye towards reequipping the Bomber squadrons with it.

The new missile and torpedo designs were also impressively faster than their conventional counterparts, though the anti-torpedo missile was embarrassingly slower than its target - the main issue being that the 1MT warhead cost half of the missile’s space. Improvements in warhead yield would do much to improve the Navy’s interceptor.

Missile Name	Speed (km/s	Yield
FUM-5A ‘Flyssa’ Heavy Missile	6,200	3 MT
MIM-7A ‘Tekko’ Anti-Torpedo Missile	4,800	1 MT
SGT-6A ‘Mughal’ Light Torpedo	5,833	4 MT

September 8, 457 - The second military shipyard is constructed, and immediately goes to work on expanding its slipway. With the possibility of building an exploration ship now close to becoming a reality, the Admiralty settles down to design an appropriate survey ship.

Its requirements were fairly simple - it would need to be a reliable, robust design that could handle up to 2 years in space away from Earth. The designers opted to only give it enough fuel for one year of travel with the expectation that much of its time would be spent in orbit of the planetary bodies as it searched for signs of Trans-Newtonian materials.

The first revision of the design was nearly 4,000 tons in displacement, but after a few rounds of redesign, the Naval Board managed to trim 1,100t from the design while retaining nearly the same capacity.

Code: (Project TEMPLE) [Select]

Temple class Survey Craft (P)      2,850 tons       59 Crew       361 BP       TCS 57    TH 86    EM 0
1500 km/s      Armour 1-17       Shields 0-0       HTK 23      Sensors 5/5/0/2      DCR 1      PPV 0
Maint Life 5.51 Years     MSP 308    AFR 65%    IFR 0.9%    1YR 17    5YR 256    Max Repair 100 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Morale Check Required   

Louet-Addinell Engines Limited NRE-9 Aether Engine (2)    Power 85.5    Fuel Use 92.72%    Signature 42.75    Explosion 9%
Fuel Capacity 728,000 Litres    Range 48.3 billion km (378 days at full power)

RN/MGA-3 80/10.8M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 320     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/MOA-8 Geological Survey Sensor (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour
The Engines were an interesting point - LAE Limited managed to wring nearly the same fuel efficiency from the 450t engines than the initial 600t engine prototype offered, though at the cost of a minor performance penalty. For a design with no combat applications, this was seen as an acceptable tradeoff. Project TEMPLE otherwise carried the same sensor suite as the Arnica-class with the addition of two dedicated geosurvey sensors.

With the necessary upgrade to the Bet shipyard already underway, the first ship of Project TEMPLE could  be laid down in August, 459.

October 8, 457 - Research is completed on Active Grav Sensor Strength 10 technology, significantly improving on the performance of the conventional sensor technology currently in use. While reviewing sensor systems for replacement, they discovered that the Arnica-class is in fact unable to acquire missiles in time to launch counter missiles reasonably, as its sole active sensor system is optimized to track other 4,000t vessels and larger.

While embarrassing, it adds impetus to an overhauled model of the Arnica-class before construction begins on a larger model. The Aleph shipyard will be done expanding September, 458 at which point a refit of the Gunships can take place.

Meanwhile, construction on the B-2 ‘Black Ghost’ is temporarily canceled while an updated model with improved electronics is produced. As the first model had not yet left the production lines, the delay is acceptable.

September 30, 458 - Work is complete on the Selene Aleph yards, increasing their capacity to 9,000 tons. While the Admiralty is itching to create a new and larger combatant, the technology simply isn’t ready yet. The Magi promise results by the end of next year or the start of the year after in a variety of fields, and the Admiralty is reluctantly forced to wait. Instead they turn their focus to the required improvements for the Arnica-class.

The Arnica-B-class Gunship is a radical refit of its progenitor. After some debate, it was decided given the modeled poor performance of the ATMs that it was better to remove them entirely from the design rather than try to fit an extra sensor package into the design. Instead, they leaned into the combat capability of the design.

A complete stripdown of the hull and rearmoring with Duranium, alongside removal of the ATMs freed up space to add an auxiliary bridge and two extra light torpedo racks. The sensors were upgraded to new models, and the original engine block was removed entirely and replaced with three NRE-9 engines from Project TEMPLE, saving on research costs. These are fed by much larger fuel tanks, increasing the design’s range markedly.

Unfortunately, each refit will take 5 months and 60% of the cost of the original Gunship. The Admiralty eventually approves it as the refits will be done or nearly done in time for retooling the ways for the new design to come.

Code: (Arnica-B Gunship) [Select]

Arnica-B class Gunship      4,000 tons       49 Crew       314.3 BP       TCS 80    TH 128    EM 0
1603 km/s      Armour 2-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 20      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 28.8
Maint Life 4.32 Years     MSP 149    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 13    5YR 192    Max Repair 20.30625 MSP
Magazine 192   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required   

Louet-Addinell Engines Limited NRE-9 Aether Engine (3)    Power 128.2    Fuel Use 92.72%    Signature 42.75    Explosion 9%
Fuel Capacity 238,000 Litres    Range 11.5 billion km (83 days at full power)

Type VI External Rack (32)     Missile Size: 6    Hangar Reload 122 minutes    MF Reload 20 hours
RN/MGM-4 80/10.9M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
SGT-6A 'Mughal' Light Torpedo (32)    Speed: 5,833 km/s    End: 32.1m     Range: 11.2m km    WH: 4    Size: 6    TH: 19/11/5

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
Unfortunately, the Kingdom was on the cusp of another financial crisis.

The Kingdom earned 354.7 MCr per month, but was spending 414.1 MCr. The largest expenditures by a large margin was the research and construction programs, which while vital, consumed over 270 MCr alone per month together.

After some consideration, the Kingdom suspended the warhead production program as the Royal Council expected that shortly newer models would need to be created as research was nearly complete on improved engine performance.

This would only cover the shortfall temporarily as once the new missiles went into production, the issue would only return. Plans were made to create new dedicated financial centers, but with the resources that could be dedicated to the project, they were projected to be complete in 484.

Cutting down on the Kingdom’s research program was also unpalatable - there was simply so much technology that was immediately necessary and useful.

The eventual decision is to temporarily halt research on one project for two months, focus research towards improving the Kingdom’s financial methods once the current research programs are completed, and cut the B-2 program short at one squadron, to be completed in December

August 9, 459 - The financial crisis is weathered for the moment, and the first of the Emerald-class Survey Craft has entered construction. The reconstruction of the HMS Pulsatilla and HMS Scoparius will be completed in December, allowing the Aleph shipyard to retool for the forthcoming TN design.

Project STRONGHOLD had the following design goals: To produce a ship of up to 9000 tons of displacement that was faster, longer ranged and better defended than the Arnica-class. It should have a deployment time of at least six months and be able to deliver a similar level of firepower.

The final design wasn’t entirely satisfactory - they had also wanted to include a beam turret for handling the threat of a fighter, but lacked the space while being able to deliver the desired missile broadside. The armor belt was also lighter than desired, though supplemented by the newly designed shield generator.

To its credit, the design was 25% faster than the gunship with twice the operational range and deployment time. The destroyer design could deliver six volleys of six light torpedoes, and was defended against counterfire by a trio of 10cm railguns.

To the designers' frustration, they couldn’t round the design’s weight satisfactorily on paper.

Code: (Project STRONGHOLD) [Select]

Stronghold class Destroyer (P)      8,999 tons       213 Crew       657.8 BP       TCS 180    TH 360    EM 300
2000 km/s      Armour 2-38       Shields 10-300       HTK 52      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 5      PPV 30.6
Maint Life 3.46 Years     MSP 328    AFR 130%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 42    5YR 628    Max Repair 60.00 MSP
Magazine 216   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Moron-Moyaux M/120NRE Aether Engine (3)    Power 360.0    Fuel Use 64.55%    Signature 120.00    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 733,000 Litres    Range 22.7 billion km (131 days at full power)
Piquiri Defence Industries Alpha S10 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0 per second)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1 (3x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,000 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
RN/MGB-12 Point Defense Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 2,000 km/s     25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
de Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R3 (1)     Total Power Output 3.1    Exp 5%

Erquemboure Armaments Mark I Light Torpedo Tube (6)     Missile Size: 6.00    Rate of Fire 370
RN/MGM-13 80/18.8M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 18.8m km    Resolution 80
SGT-6A 'Mughal' Light Torpedo (36)    Speed: 5,833 km/s    End: 32.1m     Range: 11.2m km    WH: 4    Size: 6    TH: 19/11/5

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/MGP-14 1/359K Torpedo Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 10     Range 4m km    MCR 359k km    Resolution 1
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Alongside Project STRONGHOLD, the designers made use of some of the technology developed for the project to produce a space superiority design, the F-3/A ‘Heron’. The design is as fast as the B-2 design and carries a single 10cm railgun with a rate of fire of one round every 5 seconds

Code: (F-3/A ‘Heron’ Fighter) [Select]

F-3/A 'Heron' class Fighter (P)      500 tons       5 Crew       35.9 BP       TCS 10    TH 34    EM 0
3379 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 0.98
Maint Life 5.15 Years     MSP 24    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 2    5YR 23    Max Repair 16.875 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-3375 Starfire II (1)    Power 33.8    Fuel Use 237.73%    Signature 33.75    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 7,000 Litres    Range 1.1 billion km (3 days at full power)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1/S1 (1)    Range 10,000km     TS: 3,379 km/s     Power 0.75-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 5       
RN/FGB-15 Fighter Railgun FCS (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 3,500 km/s     44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
du Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R1 (1)     Total Power Output 1    Exp 5%

RN/FGP-16 1/227K Fighter Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 4     Range 2.5m km    MCR 227.1k km    Resolution 1
And so 459 came to a close, with a raft of technologies in research to turn Project STRONGHOLD into a reality.

Title: (4) Echoes of the Past
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 28, 2022, 03:56:52 PM

Economic Overview and 5 Year Plan
Earth
Population: 688.81m (+104.36m)
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 21,000 tons (+13,000 tons)
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 50,000 tons
Maintenance Capacity: 31,250 tons
Research Facility: 9
Ground Force Construction Complex: 1
Conventional Industry: 564 (-236)
Construction Factory: 98 (+98)
Ordnance Factory: 19 (+19)
Fighter Factory: 19 (+19)
Mine: 62 (+62)
Fuel Refinery: 19 (+19)
Maintenance Facility: 25
Financial Centre: 21 (+21)
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Military Academy: 1
Naval Headquarters: 1
Spaceport: 1

The Kingdom’s population has exploded over the last six years, with over another hundred million citizens born. While some are worried about overpopulation, modern technology (and especially the Trans Newtonian advances) have been easily keeping up with the population’s needs in a sustainable fashion.

The Kingdom’s economy continues to struggle under the strain of the conversion efforts, often flirting with going into debt on a monthly basis.

Lord Escanor Emory has been appointed the Governor of Earth after his predecessor retired, bringing a focus on improved wealth creation that will help balance the Kingdom’s coffers.

In the next five year period, the conversion of conventional industry to construction factories will be complete, alongside another shipyard complex and conversion of conventional industry to fighter factories.

A project to create maintenance facilities to cover the upcoming squadron of destroyers is begun, though it won’t be fully complete in the next five years.

Research Goals
Research is in full swing for the various prototype technologies in Project STRONGHOLD, all of which will be complete within half a year. Afterwards, the focus will be split between civilian projects and improvements to military hardware, specifically focusing on attempting to make a better ATM possible through improved warhead and engine technology.

Ground Forces
The Kingdom’s armed forces has grown to six regiments, split between one Royal, 3 Army and 2 House units.

These are:

IRGT Royal Life Guards

IRGT 3rd Infantry Regiment
MRCT 1st Medium Regimental Combat Team
CRGT 1st Construction Regiment

IRGT 1st Lanval House Guard
MRCT 1st Palmades Hussars

Currently the GFCC is busy training command elements to create the Kingdom’s command structure - an Army HQ, Corps HQ and three Divisional HQs. Once done, it will return to building more combat units.

The armed forces are 33% equipped with TN equipment.

Naval Forces
Naval Organization
Royal Navy (FADM)
- Sol Fleet (ADM)
- - 1st Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 2 (RADM)
- - - Bomber Wing #1 (CDRE)
- - - - Bomber Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 8x B-1/B ‘Catfish’
- - - - Bomber Squadron #2 (CAPT) - 8x B-1/C ‘Catfish’
- - - - Bomber Squadron #3 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/B ‘Black Ghost’
- - - Task Group 1 (CDRE)
- - - - Gunship Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x Arnica-B - Arnica, Datura, Pulsatilla, Scoparius

The Admiralty plans to lay down an initial squadron of four destroyers, and once the new Naval shipyard is completed and expanded, create an ATM-armed escort class for the destroyers to thicken their defenses.

Once the new technologies are researched, the first two Bomber squadrons will be refitted with B-2s and the original B-1s will be scrapped.

In the meantime, the first Emerald-class Survey Ship is under construction with another three slated to join her.

---

March 17, 462 - The first two years passed quietly, with the launch of the HMS Emerald and her sister ship the HMS Iridium marked with little fanfare. Initial explorations of the inner system and the asteroid belt have found few points of interest.  This state of affairs changed when the HMS Iridium approached Mars on a routine survey mission.

The sensors aboard HMS Iridium detected a series of intact, deserted cities scattered in locations all across Mars… as well as over half a million tons of ground forces defending them.

Attempts to contact the Martians failed, all attempts to signal them were ignored. When Iridium attempted to land a shuttle nearby, it was shot down by a particle weapon - something that was only just being researched back on Earth.  Aside from warding off their airspace, the forces on Mars took no further action except to transmit a signal of their own that pulsed outward through the Solar System. Whatever its purpose was, the Deep Space Tracking Station on Earth discovered an increase in thermal activity on the Moon.  The Fleet was ordered to bring its active sensors to full power and investigate. Gunship Squadron 1 was dispatched and shortly after reported nearly 30,000 tons of previously undiscovered ground forces protecting what looked to be a well hidden underground base.

The discovery threw the Council into an uproar - who knew how many planets and moons in the Solar system were occupied by hostile forces?

The King demanded that the Army and Navy work together to propose a solution, but they had few options to offer him. Research efforts could be focused on creating a more effective version of Project RECONQUISTA, but the Kingdom’s Army simply wasn’t ready to take the fight to orbit. The entirety of the armed forces - Royal, Army and House alike, totaled only 75,000 tons of combat troops, most of which were still equipped with conventional weapons, while the hostile forces were obviously equipped with some level of TN technology.

It would likely take at least a decade before the force on Luna could be faced, and far longer to deal with the problem on Mars. In the meantime, once the latest Naval Shipyard was complete, the Generals would finally get an expansion to the GFCC they had long desired.

February 26, 463 - Construction of the third Naval shipyard for the Selune complex is completed. It begins the process of adding tonnage for the planned 4,000t escort design. The industrial capacity freed up goes to work creating new GFCCs to speed the Army’s expansion.

November 2, 463 - Two additional enemy forces are discovered on the moons of Jupiter. Given that they’ve been discovered around ruins on both the Moon and Mars, they have gained the name Tomb Guardians.

February 24, 464 - More ruins have been discovered on the moons of Saturn. What is odd is one of them is built around a strange construct, completely unlike the ruins around it. As with the other ruins, Tomb Guardians are present at all three sites.

May 12, 464 - the first Conventional Industry conversion project completes, with 40 fighter factories serving the Kingdom’s needs. The construction effort freed up goes towards maintenance facilities that are desperately needed as the destroyer squadron has overstretched Earth’s capabilities.

June 29, 464 - A Trans-Newtonian technology troop transport bay has been developed, which promises to significantly slim down the size of the Project RECONQUISTA troop transport.

Code: (Project RECONQUISTA) [Select]

Reconquista class Troop Transport (P)      25,250 tons       155 Crew       548.4 BP       TCS 505    TH 400    EM 0
792 km/s      Armour 1-76       Shields 0-0       HTK 65      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 513    Max Repair 80 MSP
Troop Capacity 15,000 tons     Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 1   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Moron-Moyaux C/100NRE Aether Engine (4)    Power 400.0    Fuel Use 7.95%    Signature 100.0    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 256,000 Litres    Range 22.9 billion km (335 days at full power)

RN/FGA-10 80/7.7M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 160     Range 7.7m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
The difference between the new revision and the original are night and day - more then 20,000 tons have been shed from the design while carrying the same regiment of troops. The range is doubled, and the speed of the vessel (not very speedy compared to the Redoubt-class destroyers) is nearly eight times the original specification.

Title: (5) The Invasion of Skathi
Post by: Gyrfalcon on October 31, 2022, 11:07:54 AM

Economic Overview and 5 Year Plan
Earth
Population: 768.59m (+79.78m)
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 26,000 tons (+4,000 tons)
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 100,000 tons (+50,000 tons)
Maintenance Capacity: 52,500 tons (+21,250 tons)
Research Facility: 9
Ground Force Construction Complex: 1
Conventional Industry: 327 (-237)
Construction Factory: 194 (+96)
Ordnance Factory: 43 (+24)
Fighter Factory: 40 (+21)
Mine: 110 (+48)
Fuel Refinery: 43 (+24)
Maintenance Facility: 42 (+17)
Financial Centre: 57 (+36)
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Military Academy: 1
Naval Headquarters: 1
Spaceport: 1

The Kingdom’s population continues to expand quickly, having increased 50% over the last two decades. This is matched by their growing TN industry as more and more facilities are converted to TN standards alongside new construction efforts.

The Kingdom’s treasury stands at 1,543MCr - a sensible buffer, but one that the Council is all too aware can easily disappear in only a few months of overenthusiastic building.

The major milestone of the conversion process, the creation of construction factories, is nearly complete and should be done in April. At that point a significant amount of industrial effort can be poured into finishing the maintenance facilities the Navy requires before being reinvested into completing the conversion effort, much of what is remaining still requiring decades at the current level of effort put towards them.

The other major construction project is the massive expansion of the Kingdom’s GFCC, with another four slated to be built, the last to be ready within the next four years at current levels.

Research Goals
The Council had relaxed its grip on the Magi after the technology that went into the Redoubt-class destroyers was completed, resulting in a scattershot of projects seeing progress.

With the Kingdom’s goal of dealing with the Tomb Guardians and exploring the ruins scattered throughout Sol, those efforts are slated to be narrowed towards four focuses.

1 - Research the necessary technologies to make Project RECONQUISTA a reality - this one is already underway.
2 - Research technologies to further increase the effectiveness of the Kingdom’s ground forces - an improvement to Duranium armor is already being researched, and more advanced beam weapons will likewise be developed.
3 - Research technologies that improve the speed with which ground units can be trained and deployed
4 - Research xenoarchaeology technology and produce at least one regiment.

Ground Forces
- 1st Kingdom Corps
- - 1st Army Division
- - - 1st Construction Regiment
- - - 3rd Infantry Regiment
- - - 1st Medium Regimental Combat Team
- - 1st House Division
- - - 1st Lanval House Guard
- - - 1st Palmades Hussars
- - - 1st Percival Light Horse (under construction)
- - 1st Royal Division
- - - Royal Life Guards

The Army’s efforts prior to the discovery of the Tomb Guardians was to raise command and control elements for the regiments already in existence. The Generals have authorized another House unit based on the Light Regimental Combat Team formation and have finally received the King’s blessing to significantly expand the Kingdom’s ability to raise troops. When the project is done, a full Division will be able to be raised at the same time.

Naval Forces
Naval Organization
Royal Navy (FADM)
- Sol Fleet (ADM)
- - 1st Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 2 (RADM)
- - - - Bomber Wing #1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/C
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #2 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/C
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #3 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/B
- - - - Fighter Wing #1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Fighter Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 8x F-3/A
- - - - Task Group 1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Gunship Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x GS Arnica-B
- - - - - Destroyed Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x DD Redoubt
- - 2nd Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 3 (RADM)
- - - - Task Group 2 (CDRE)
- - - - - Survey Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 3x SS Emerald
- - 3rd Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 1 (RADM)

Over the past five years, the Navy has reequipped all of its bomber squadrons to fly B-2 bombers and added its first fighter squadron to the roster. Additionally, four Redoubt-class destroyers and three Emerald-class survey ships have joined the fleet.

This has proven to be a problem as Earth’s maintenance facilities have been badly overstretched, and plans to build a second squadron of destroyers have been shelved. Likewise, the proposed class of escorts remain on the drawing table, especially as improved warheads are needed to give ATMs a fighting chance at completing their mission.

Once the necessary engines are prototyped and ready, the Navy will begin production of troop transports, with two squadrons of five planned for production.

Ruins Report
Earth (Luna) - Ruined Settlement
Mars - Deserted Intact Cities
Jupiter (Metis) - Partially Intact Colony
Jupiter (Io) - Ruined Settlement
Saturn (Mimas) - Ruined Outpost
Saturn (Dione) - Partially Intact Colony
Saturn (Titan) - Partially Intact Colony and Unknown Construct
Saturn (Skathi) - Destroyed Outpost
Uranus (Umbriel) - Ruined Outpost
Neptune (Nereid) - Ruined Settlement

Scans from orbit indicate that the Tomb Guardians are present guarding all of the ruins, from the hidden complex on Luna to the destroyed outpost on Skathi. The most heavily defended yet alluring prize are the cities on Mars, but the General Staff believes that multiple Corps will be needed to fight the forces arrayed there.

The initial plan is to produce sufficient transport capability to transport at least one division at a time, and at least two combat-ready TN divisions before landing on Luna to engage the hostile forces there.

---

April 9, 465 - 200 Construction Factories have been converted from conventional industry, representing around 2.5x the available construction effort available through conventional industry standards.  The effort has been redirected to the maintenance facilities, which are now projected to be completed within a year.

July 8, 465 - Construction begins on the first two Rio Grande-class troop transports.

December 8, 465 - The HMS Iridium discovers another destroyed outpost on Orcus, and the signature for the remaining Tomb Guardians there is 2,300 tons.

February 20, 466 - Research is completed in High Density Duranium armor. Magos Apollo de la Champagne believes that a Duranium composite alloy would provide yet better results and begins research into the matter.

July 15, 466 - Research is completed on Implosion Fission Warheads, which provide 50% more nuclear potential for the same weight. With the technology in hand alongside further engine performance improvements, the Kingdom’s ranged options are revisited.

September 29, 466 - the first two Rio Grande-class troop transports are completed, and another two are immediately laid down.

November 7, 466 - Research is completed on the MIM-8A ‘Cestus’ ATM. With a speed of 10,000 km/s, it is solidly faster then even the upgraded versions of the ‘Flyssa’ Heavy Missile and ‘Mughal’ Light Torpedo that are currently in the works.

January 4, 468 - A decades-long project to increase research efficiency across the  board is completed, giving the Kingdom’s research establishment a noticeable boost.

May 18, 468 - HMS Iridium finishes investigating the last interesting asteroid in the Oort cloud. The Sol system has been completely surveyed, and the results are that the Kingdom will have to fight for most of the interesting real estate.

Venus has massive deposits of Duranium, Neutronium and Uridium but at very low levels of accessibility. Mars has large deposits of six elements, but is guarded by massive numbers of Tomb Guardians. The few moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune that have deposits are also likewise guarded.

Neptune itself has large amounts of gaseous Sorium, but the Kingdom will need to develop the technology to extract and refine the element. Otherwise mining prospects are limited to a small number of asteroids and comets that can provide a limited amount of minerals.

Around this time, the Royal Navy submits a Corvette design for consideration. Envisioned as an escort for the Redoubt-class destroyers, Project SKJOLD produced a design with the same range, deployment time, armor and shield capabilities as its larger sibling, while carrying a single 10cm railgun and four newly designed light missile tubes that allowed it to fire volleys of MIM-8A ‘Cestus’ ATMs at approaching torpedoes every 30 seconds. It carries enough missiles for 16 volleys before running dry. To cut down on the R&D needed, the power plant for the railgun is a modified version of the one used in the F-3/A ‘Heron’ fighter.

Code: (Project SKJOLD) [Select]

Skjold class Corvette (P)      4,000 tons       94 Crew       322.4 BP       TCS 80    TH 160    EM 300
2000 km/s      Armour 2-22       Shields 10-300       HTK 34      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 7
Maint Life 2.17 Years     MSP 100    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 29    5YR 428    Max Repair 40.00 MSP
Magazine 64   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CT-8000 Solar Wind I (2)    Power 160.0    Fuel Use 71.15%    Signature 80.00    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 324,000 Litres    Range 20.5 billion km (118 days at full power)
Piquiri Defence Industries Alpha S10 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0 per second)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1 (1x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,000 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
RN/MGB-12 Point Defense Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 2,000 km/s     25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
du Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R1 (1)     Total Power Output 1    Exp 5%

Mark I Light Missile Tube (4)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 30
RN/MGM-17 1/718K ATM FCS (1)     Range 8m km    Resolution 1
MIM-8A 'Cestus' Anti-Torpedo Missile (64)    Speed: 10,000 km/s    End: 2.5m     Range: 1.5m km    WH: 0    Size: 1    TH: 33/20/10

RN/MGP-14 1/359K Torpedo Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 10     Range 4m km    MCR 359k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
Around the same time, the strike craft faction of the Admiralty floated ideas for a carrier for the  bomber squadrons - which were currently limited to deployment around Earth. Unfortunately, any carrier would be far larger than anything the Selune shipyards could manage to create.

Code: (Project SAVO ISLAND) [Select]

Savo Island class Escort Carrier      17,250 tons       316 Crew       1,455.5 BP       TCS 345    TH 600    EM 600
1739 km/s      Armour 1-59       Shields 20-300       HTK 96      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 18      PPV 0
Maint Life 4.76 Years     MSP 949    AFR 132%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 69    5YR 1,031    Max Repair 100 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 4,000 tons     Magazine 660   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Flight Crew Berths 80    Morale Check Required   

Moron-Moyaux M/120NRE Aether Engine (5)    Power 600    Fuel Use 64.55%    Signature 120    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,294,000 Litres    Range 20.9 billion km (139 days at full power)
Piquiri Defence Industries Alpha S10 / R300 Shields (2)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.1 per second)

FUM-5B 'Flyssa' Heavy Missile (165)    Speed: 8,800 km/s    End: 21m     Range: 11.1m km    WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 29/17/8

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Strike Group
8x B-2/C 'Black Ghost' Bomber   Speed: 3438 km/s    Size: 9.82
November 20, 468 - Research is completed on 20cm Plasma Carronades - once the current units being trained complete doing so, a new generation of Armigers will be rolled out to the production lines.

March 25, 469 - the 1st Royal Light Horse is activated, marking the last line unit to be deployed with 1st generation TN technology. An artillery regiment for the Army is currently being trained, but as it will not see direct combat, the jump in technology is judged less important.

Competition for the new Armiger designs is fierce, and only the solid Rook design receives an upgrade, with the rest of the designs being replaced by entirely new models. A standout design is the INI-02 Initiate, a homage to those who enter the knightly orders still and their humble position when they first begin their service. Armed primarily with anti-infantry weapons, the Initiate remains one of the first designs a Knight will pilot before advancing to a model that is geared towards fighting its fellow Armigers.

May 19, 469 - The HMS Ural leaves the shipyard, marking the last troop transport of the 1st Squadron.

The Army, after careful consideration, has decided to first test the Tomb Guardians at a location where there is minimal resistance. With four TN regiments available, a joint task force is organized between Royal, Army and House troops supported by the Navy’s Destroyer Squadron.

Joint Expeditionary Force #1
Naval Element
- Destroyer Squadron #1 - Defender, Fairy, Hostile, Redoubt
- Troop Transport Squadron #1 - Carpathian, Mount McKinley, Rio Grande, Ural, Zambezi

Ground Element
DIV 1st Royal Division
- LRCT 1st Royal Light Horse
- LRCT House Galahad Light Horse
- MRCT 1st Palmades Hussars
- IRGT 3rd Infantry Regiment

The transports begin loading the ground force, a 31 hour process with the shuttles working around the clock. Once loaded, the expeditionary force departs at the stately speed of 792 km/s for Skathi, a 19 day trip.

May 27, 469 - The expeditionary force closes on Skathi, less than an hour out. The sensors aboard the destroyers detect 2,300t of ground forces, which the 60,000t of the expeditionary force should be able to sweep aside.

As the transports begin the nearly three day long process of ferrying their troops to the ground, the destroyers move into close orbit to provide fire support for the landings.

While the landings are unopposed, within a day the expeditionary force meets the enemy. Initial estimates suggest that they face between three and four hundred enemies, mostly infantry with personal weapons, heavy crew-served support weapons, mortars, and transports. They are obviously TN equipment as the Kingdom forces trade 11 infantry and 3 vehicle kills for the loss of 6 armsmen and 8 Armigers.

Battle continues over the next several days on a non-stop basis, with the Kingdom taking 2 to 1 losses against a far numerically inferior force. That said, the outcome is also not in doubt as those same numbers mean that the Kingdom can absorb the losses better than the Guardians.

Their basic infantry unit has been designated the Legionnaire, and has an armor value of 16 and toughness value of 10. It carries a bulky railgun rifle with a penetration value of 12.5 and damage of 10. The Kingdom’s own Armsmen with the latest gear have an armor value of 6 and toughness value of 6. Their plasma rifles have a penetration value of 6 and damage of 6.

It is quite obvious that the Guardians are still quite far ahead of the Kingdom technology-wise.

After several days, the enemy resistance weakens significantly as their supplies run out.  Despite this, unwary armsmen and knights alike are pulled down and killed as the Tomb Guardians fight with untiring ferocity.

15 June, 469 - Brigadier General Galatyn Briqueville declares that combat operations on Skathi are complete. Aside from the ruins of the outpost the Tomb Guardians were defending, only a Deep Space Tracking Station was found, which had no doubt alerted them to the Kingdom’s approach.

Without Xenoarcheology capability, the Kingdom has no further business on Skathi and the weary soldiers of the expeditionary force begin to return to their transports.

Losses for the units involved ranged between 3 and 7%, with the 3rd Infantry Regiment taking the worst casualties - their body armor simply wasn’t effective against enemy weapons that more closely resembled anti-tank rifles.

Combat Losses:
Armsmen: 114
Light Armiger: 23
Medium Armiger: 14

Construction Vehicle: 4
Destrier APC: 12

Fortification - MAV: 1
Fortification - CAP: 1

Combat Supplies Expended: 69

It is estimated that around 550 enemy units were destroyed, the vast majority being heavily armored combat robots, alongside a small number of mechanized infantry fighting vehicles. Like the Kingdom, they had been organized in squads centered on a squad support weapon such as a heavy needler, particle projection cannon or plasma mortar.

However the General Staff does caution that two important factors played a part in the battle - first, the Guardians were heavily outnumbered whenever encountered and second, they had only a limited amount of supplies. Against a larger and better supplied force the casualties were likely to be far greater.

Most of the combat supplies brought by the involved units were expended, though the Army had already thought of this and was building a Supply Regiment, but the inclusion of such a unit was a requirement for any future invasions to keep units in fighting condition.

Title: (6) The Reign of King Kyduan II - Part 1
Post by: Gyrfalcon on February 07, 2023, 02:08:17 AM

Economic Overview
Earth
Population: 855.16m (+86.57m)
Naval Shipyard Capacity: 45,000 tons (+19,000 tons)
Commercial Shipyard Capacity: 100,000 tons (-)
Maintenance Capacity: 88,750 tons (+32,250 tons)
Research Facility: 9 (-)
Ground Force Construction Complex: 3 (+2)
Conventional Industry: 133 (-194)
Construction Factory: 200 (+6)
Ordnance Factory: 73 (+30)
Fighter Factory: 40 (-)
Mine: 208 (+98)
Fuel Refinery: 73 (+30)
Maintenance Facility: 71 (+29)
Financial Centre: 102 (+45)
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1 (-)
Military Academy: 1 (-)
Naval Headquarters: 1 (-)
Spaceport: 1 (-)

The Governor projects that the TN conversion project should be completed within the next five years - most tasks will be completed next year, with only the conversion of conventional industry to financial centers lagging behind, at least until more resources can be diverted to that process.

Construction of ground force complexes continues, and another two will be completed within the next four years.

However, the Governor has noticed a disturbing trend that a number of TN minerals are quickly being depleted from the stockpile, which would impact the construction program, fuel refining and ground unit production. After investigation of usage and production, the following information was generated.

Usage
Duranium: Usage 200% above production - stockpile depletion in 3 years
Neutronium: Usage 200% above production - stockpile depletion in 4 years
Corbomite: Usage 400% above production - stockpile depletion in 3 years
Tritanium: Usage 25% of production
Boronice: Usage 10% of production
Mercassium: Usage 1% of production
Vendarite: Usage 200% above production - stockpile depletion in 5 years
Sorium: Usage 125% above production; stockpile depletion within the year
Uridium: Usage 25% of production
Corundium: Usage 25% of production
Gallicite: Usage 66% of production

Sources
Top 3 Sources
Duranium: Venus (67.5m/0.1); Io (1.3m/1.0); 2002 TC302 (0.5m/1.0)
Neutronium: Venus (17.4m/0.1); Titan (0.7m/0.1); Io (0.3m/0.5)
Corbomite: Io (3.1m/0.5)
Tritanium: Titan (3.8m/0.5); Faye (0.1m/0.8)
Boronide: Titan (2.2m/0.4); Venus (0.2m/0.1); Orcus (0.1m/1.0)
Mercassium: -
Vendarite: Umbriel (0.1m/0.9); Halley's Comet (0.1m/0.9)
Sorium: Neptune (19.9m/0.7)
Uridium: Venus (4.7m/0.3)
Corundium: Titan (0.1m/0.5)
Gallicite: Chernykh (0.1m/1.0)

Proposal

Sorium: Gas miners are needed at Neptune. Technologies: Sorium Harvester (5k) Fuel Storage - Ultra Large (5k), Ship to Ship Tractor Beam (5k); Civilian dockyard (2); Designs: Sorium Harvester Station, Tanker, Tug

Corbomite: Clear Io of resistance and create a mining colony. Technologies: Cryogenic Transport (1k) Civilian dockyard (2); Designs: Freighter, Colony Ship; Production: Infrastructure, Mines, Mass Driver
Duranium - Handled by Io
Neutronium - Handled by Io

Vendarite: Create a mining colony on Umbriel. Production: Automines, Mass Driver

Venus is in the top 3 of 4 resources (overlaps Io on 2, Titan on 2, sole source of 1)
Io is in the top 3 of 3 resources (overlaps Venus on 3, sole source of 1)
Titan is the top 3 of 4 resources (overlaps Venus for 2, Faye for 1, sole source of 1)
Neptune is the sole source of Sorium
Chernykh is the sole source of Gallicite

The Governor cannot stress enough the precarious situation the Kingdom is in. While none of the minerals have run out, mining on Earth would have to be doubled to match current requirements, and work will begin on that project in the short term. In the middle to long term, other sources of TN minerals need to be secured and ferried to Earth, and the necessary civilian shipping needs to be designed and built to support those efforts.

Research Goals
A variety of technologies are being researched, mostly with an eye towards improving the Kingdom’s ground forces - either in the speed they can be raised or their effectiveness on the battlefield.

Ground Formation Construction Rate - 320, 25com Carronade, Genome Sequence Research, Heavy Crew-Served Anti-Personnel Weapons, Composite Armour and Xenoarchaeology Equipment are all in various stages of completion and all expected to be completed within the next four years.

Taking the Governor’s proposals in stride, as current projects are completed some research effort will go towards the required technology.

The Navy is looking forward to the potential of the Nuclear Thermal Engine being researched by Magos Drystan de Hattes, and a raft of engine refits and new strike craft is expected in the next five years.

Ground Forces
- 1st Kingdom Corps (G1TN)
- - 1st Army Division (G1TN)
- - - 1st Construction Regiment (PTN)
- - - 3rd Infantry Regiment (G1TN)
- - - 1st Medium Regimental Combat Team (PTN)
- - 1st House Division (G1TN)
- - - 1st Lanval House Guard (PTN)
- - - House Galahad Light Horse (G1TN)
- - - 1st Palmades Hussars (G1TN)
- - 1st Royal Division (G1TN)
- - - Royal Life Guards (PTN)
- - - 1st Royal Light Horse (G1TN)

Construction
1st Supply Regiment
1st Artillery Regiment (G1TN)
Replacements/Upgrades (combat losses and pre-TN technology; G2TN)

The Kingdom’s line units are 57% equipped with TN technology, and 2nd generation designs are currently in the pipeline. The fighting on Skathi showed that while inferior, the Kingdom could face the Tomb Guardians. The General Staff would prefer to wait for the delivery of a few 2nd generation units before facing a larger force.

Naval Forces
Naval Organization
Royal Navy (FADM)
- Sol Fleet (ADM)
- - 1st Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 2 (RADM)
- - - - Bomber Wing #1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/C
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #2 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/C
- - - - - Bomber Squadron #3 (CAPT) - 8x B-2/B
- - - - Fighter Wing #1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Fighter Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 8x F-3/A
- - - - Task Group 1 (CDRE)
- - - - - Gunship Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x GS Arnica-B
- - - - - Destroyer Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x DD Redoubt
- - 2nd Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 3 (RADM)
- - - - Task Group 2 (CDRE)
- - - - - Survey Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 4x SS Emerald
- - 3rd Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 1 (RADM)
- - 4th Fleet (VADM)
- - - Task Force 3 (RADM)
- - - - Task Group 3 (CDRE)
- - - - - Transport Squadron #1 (CAPT) - 5x TT Rio Grande

Construction
2x Steil-class Corvettes - Steil, Glimt

The Admiralty plans to build one squadron of Steil-class Corvettes, expand Troop Transport Squadron #1 to six ships, and build a second squadron of six ships. However, with new engines available shortly, the fleet will be overhauled and a modernization project for the strike craft squadrons is also in the works.

---

July 6, 470 - Magos Drystan de Hattes completes his research into Nuclear Thermal Engines, delivering a working prototype that promises a new generation of engine technology for everything from missiles to capital ships.

Code: (Emerald-B Refit) [Select]

Emerald-B class Survey Craft (P)      3,100 tons       65 Crew       421.4 BP       TCS 62    TH 154    EM 0
2477 km/s      Armour 1-18       Shields 0-0       HTK 21      Sensors 5/5/0/2      DCR 1      PPV 0
Maint Life 3.64 Years     MSP 309    AFR 77%    IFR 1.1%    1YR 36    5YR 541    Max Repair 100 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CS-15360 Lightspeed Max I (1)    Power 153.6    Fuel Use 58.09%    Signature 153.60    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 729,000 Litres    Range 72.8 billion km (340 days at full power)

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/MOA-8 Geological Survey Sensor (2)   2 Survey Points Per Hour

The original engines are replaced with a single CS-15360 model which has the advantage that it can be shared across almost all current designs, simplifying logistics immensely. This increases the mass of the design to 3,100t and includes a hull replacement in high density Duranium to keep the mass increase somewhat in check.

Code: (Arnica-C Refit) [Select]

Arnica-C class Gunship (P)      4,000 tons       46 Crew       344.3 BP       TCS 80    TH 154    EM 0
1920 km/s      Armour 2-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 15      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 32.4
Maint Life 2.44 Years     MSP 153    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 35    5YR 532    Max Repair 76.80 MSP
Magazine 216   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CS-15360 Lightspeed Max I (1)    Power 153.6    Fuel Use 58.09%    Signature 153.60    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 223,000 Litres    Range 17.3 billion km (104 days at full power)

Type VI External Rack (36)     Missile Size: 6    Hangar Reload 122 minutes    MF Reload 20 hours
RN/MGM-13 80/18.8M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 18.8m km    Resolution 80
SGT-6C 'Mughal' Light Torpedo (36)    Speed: 7,733 km/s    End: 40.2m     Range: 18.6m km    WH: 6    Size: 6    TH: 25/15/7

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

In addition to the engine replacement, the FCS has been updated and the number of external rack points has been increased to 36.

Code: (Redoubt-B Refit) [Select]

Redoubt-B class Destroyer (P)      9,000 tons       213 Crew       708.2 BP       TCS 180    TH 461    EM 300
2560 km/s      Armour 2-38       Shields 10-300       HTK 52      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 5      PPV 30.6
Maint Life 3.22 Years     MSP 350    AFR 130%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 51    5YR 765    Max Repair 76.80 MSP
Magazine 216   
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CS-15360 Lightspeed Max I (3)    Power 460.8    Fuel Use 58.09%    Signature 153.60    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 733,000 Litres    Range 25.2 billion km (114 days at full power)
Piquiri Defence Industries Alpha S10 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0 per second)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1 (3x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,560 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
RN/MGB-12 Point Defense Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 2,000 km/s     25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
de Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R3 (1)     Total Power Output 3.1    Exp 5%

Mark I Light Torpedo Tube (6)     Missile Size: 6    Rate of Fire 370
RN/MGM-13 80/18.8M Torpedo Fire Control System (1)     Range 18.8m km    Resolution 80
SGT-6C 'Mughal' Light Torpedo (36)    Speed: 7,733 km/s    End: 40.2m     Range: 18.6m km    WH: 6    Size: 6    TH: 25/15/7

RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/MGP-14 1/359K Torpedo Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 10     Range 4m km    MCR 359k km    Resolution 1
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Code: (Steil-B Refit) [Select]

Steil-B class Corvette (P)      4,000 tons       94 Crew       369.4 BP       TCS 80    TH 230    EM 0
2880 km/s      Armour 3-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 34      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 9
Maint Life 2.25 Years     MSP 107    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 29    5YR 428    Max Repair 38.40 MSP
Magazine 66   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CS-7680 Lightspeed I (3)    Power 230.4    Fuel Use 82.16%    Signature 76.80    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 337,000 Litres    Range 18.5 billion km (74 days at full power)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1 (1x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,880 km/s     Power 3-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 15       
RN/MGB-12 Point Defense Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 2,000 km/s     25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
du Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R1 (1)     Total Power Output 1    Exp 5%

Mark I Light Missile Tube (6)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 30
RN/MGM-17 1/718K ATM FCS (1)     Range 8m km    Resolution 1
MIM-8A 'Cestus' Anti-Torpedo Missile (64)    Speed: 10,000 km/s    End: 2.5m     Range: 1.5m km    WH: 0    Size: 1    TH: 33/20/10

RN/MGP-14 1/359K Torpedo Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 10     Range 4m km    MCR 359k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
The Steil-B is the most controversial of the refits. The three Lightspeed I engines were larger than its original engine block, and put the design nearly 300t overweight. The only major weight savings available to the engineers was to remove its shield generator. However, the space freed up allowed the designers to increase the hull armor and add two more light missile launchers to the design.

Code: (Rio Grande-B Refit) [Select]

Rio Grande-B class Troop Transport (P)      25,250 tons       155 Crew       576.4 BP       TCS 505    TH 512    EM 0
1013 km/s      Armour 1-76       Shields 0-0       HTK 65      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 514    Max Repair 80 MSP
Troop Capacity 15,000 tons     Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 1   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Couci Turbines CIV-12800 Sunbeam I (4)    Power 512.0    Fuel Use 7.95%    Signature 128.00    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 256,000 Litres    Range 22.9 billion km (261 days at full power)

RN/FGA-10 80/7.7M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 160     Range 7.7m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
One of the simplest upgrades, the new Couci Turbines engines (marking a clean sweep of Navy contracts) increases the design speed by 20% while retaining the same range.

Code: (B-4/A ‘Triggerfish’) [Select]

B-4/A 'Triggerfish' class Bomber (P)      487 tons       2 Crew       47.8 BP       TCS 10    TH 48    EM 0
4928 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 3
Maint Life 5.08 Years     MSP 26    AFR 19%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 2    5YR 25    Max Repair 24.00 MSP
Magazine 20   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-4800 Flare I (1)    Power 48.0    Fuel Use 350.74%    Signature 48.00    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 15,000 Litres    Range 1.6 billion km (3 days at full power)

Type IV External Rack (5)     Missile Size: 4    Hangar Reload 100 minutes    MF Reload 16 hours
RN/FGM-11 80/10.9M Missile Fire Control System (1)     Range 10.9m km    Resolution 80
FUM-5B 'Flyssa' Heavy Missile (5)    Speed: 8,800 km/s    End: 21m     Range: 11.1m km    WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 29/17/8

RN/FGA-10 80/7.7M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 160     Range 7.7m km    Resolution 80
A completely new design, the Triggerfish manages to increase the speed, range and throw weight of the B-2, while reducing the weight by four tons.

Code: (F-3/B ‘Heron’) [Select]

F-3/B 'Heron' class Fighter (P)      460 tons       5 Crew       43.3 BP       TCS 9    TH 48    EM 0
5223 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 0.98
Maint Life 5.11 Years     MSP 25    AFR 17%    IFR 0.2%    1YR 2    5YR 24    Max Repair 24.00 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines FTR-4800 Flare I (1)    Power 48.0    Fuel Use 350.74%    Signature 48.00    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 13,000 Litres    Range 1.5 billion km (3 days at full power)

Piquiri Defence Industries 10cm Railgun V10/C1/S1 (1)    Range 10,000km     TS: 5,223 km/s     Power 0.75-1     RM 10,000 km    ROF 5       
RN/FGB-15 Fighter Railgun FCS (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 3,500 km/s     44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
du Bailleul Turbines Radioisotope Thermal Generator  R1 (1)     Total Power Output 1    Exp 5%

RN/FGP-16 1/227K Fighter Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 4     Range 2.5m km    MCR 227.1k km    Resolution 1
Unlike the Triggerfish, the Heron’s design did not change significantly - the new High Density Duranium hull and slightly smaller engine allowed it to drop weight by 40 tons, but otherwise no changes were made. A new railgun waits on better capacitor technology.

Title: (7) The Reign of King Kyduan II - Part 2
Post by: Gyrfalcon on February 14, 2023, 01:47:32 AM

October 4, 470 - As warned, Sorium shortages begin to impact fuel production as refineries simply can’t be supplied fast enough.

February 15, 471 - The new engines for the Rio Grande-B design are complete, the shipyard begins retooling for the design.

July 19, 471 - the Kingdom mourns the loss of Magos Drystan de Hattes. The father of its TN engine program, he was killed when a prototype FTR-4800 Flare I engine exploded.

November 10, 472 - Another research accident claims the life of Magos Isoude Vauville, best known for his work with high energy plasma that has led to the newest generations of Armigers.

June 25, 473 - Magos Apollo de La Champagne presents a Duranium Composite Armor that, alongside the plasma weapon advances pioneered by the late Drystan de Hattes means a series of 3rd generation Armigers will soon be ready to deploy.

Role	Gen 0 (Pre-TN)	Gen 1	Gen 2	Gen 3
Light Hybrid	FRB-1E Firebee	FRB-2E Firebee	FRB-3E Firebee	JVN-10N Javelin
Light Anti-Armiger	TR-A-1 Toro	TR-A-6 Toro	MTS-S Mantis	BH-K305 Battle Hawk
Light Anti-Infantry	WSP-1 Wasp	COM-2D Commando	OSR-3D Osiris	OSR-4D Osiris
Medium Hybrid	KY-2-D-01 Kyudo	SHD-2H Shadow Hawk	STH-1D Stealth	STH-2D Stealth
Medium Anti-Armiger	NH-1A Rook	NH-1B Rook	BEO-12 Beowulf	BEO-14 Beowulf
Medium Anti-Infantry	ICR-1X Icarus	QSM-3D Quasimodo	INI-02 Initiate	INI-04 Initiate

The Firebee chassis has run its course, marking an end to the Kingdom’s longest-running design given its pre-TN origins. It is replaced in the newest generation, alongside the Mantis, while the other four designs in use are upgraded with better armor and more advanced plasma weapons.

While the Kingdom has experimented with the use of lasers, particle beam weapons and railguns on the battlefield, the ease of use, physical impact and extreme temperatures of plasma weapons makes them the Army’s weapon of choice. Lasers are easily defeated by reflective chaff systems, and while railguns are consistent, plasma weapons likewise carry a physical impact with the addition of long-term problems as the plasma weaponry continues to sear the target and create fires where it impacts.

April 19, 475 - There are minor celebrations as the last conventional industry on Earth is converted to TN technology, marking the beginning of the era that the Kingdom is truly a Trans-Newtonian power.

February 25, 477 - The Army inaugurates the 1st Xenoarchaeology Division. Currently composed of two regiments training to uncover and handle the ruins of the Terran Federation, they embark on transports for Skathi.

The current round of training is winding down for now - as soon as the last unit clears the training facilities, facilities will be converted to train infantry equipped with powered armor, similar to what the Kingdom had faced on Skathi. Given their prevalence through every type of regiment, it was considered worthwhile to hold off training new units until the facilities were ready for them.

August 31, 477 - To great fanfare, the 2nd Expeditionary Force departs for Io to clear the Tomb Guardians from the moon and allow the Kingdom to investigate the strange construct there. Unlike the previous force, this force is composed entirely of forces from the Orders of the noble Houses.

Expeditionary Force #2
Ground Element
CORP Noble Orders (2nd Gen)
- DIV The Brave Lancers (1st Gen)
- - IRGT House Lanval Guard (PreTN)
- - LRCT House Galahad Light Horse (1st Gen)
- - LRCT House Pellinore Light Horse (2nd Gen)
- - LRCT House Feirefiz Light Horse (3rd Gen)
- DIV The Templars of the Hydra (2nd Gen)
- - IRGT House Bagdemagus Foot (2nd Gen)
- - IRGT House Sagramore Guard (3rd Gen)
- - LRCT House Lamorak Light Horse (2nd Gen)
- - MRCT House Griflet Lancers (2nd Gen)
SRGT 1st Supply Regiment

The expeditionary force is 92% equipped with TN technology, and 75% equipped with 2nd generation or better equipment.

Unfortunately, the Tomb Guardians on Io were better equipped and the mountainous terrain worked against the Knights. Three regiments were forced to retire from the field when their HQs were wiped out, belonging to House Feirefiz, Lanval and Galahad. The remaining five regiments continued to battle grimly, but were trading losses at a 3 to one or worse ratio. After several days of hard fighting, Major General Gwendlolen Vatteville managed to convince her counterparts in the Orders to send for reinforcements. Transport Squadron #1 was busy loading the three regiments who were making a fighting retreat, so Transport Squadron #2 was sent to Earth to take aboard the 1st Army Division and 2nd Supply Regiment.

As soon as TransRon1 was loaded, they too left for Earth with orders to return with the House Palmades Division and the Royal Division (except for the Life Guard).

In the meantime, the remaining forces fought with the knowledge that any relief was a month’s time away. Their morale waned as the command staff of the House Griflet Lancers were killed, decapitating their most powerful unit.

Unfortunately, reinforcements were not available in time and on October 14, the battered rear guards of the Orders were lifted clear under heavy fire from the Tomb Guardians. Of the eight combat regiments that dropped, only House Lamorak managed to maintain its command structure.

The aftermath of the First Battle of Io was brutal for the Orders politically - the Light Horse regiments of House Galahad and Pellinore and the Guard regiment of House Sagramore were scrapped entirely as they were reduced to complete combat ineffectiveness, and the rest of the Orders would need several years to rebuild.

They would have a hard time getting the needed materials as the King castigated them for their vainglory. More priority would go to raising Royal and Army units instead of feeding materials towards the Noble Orders. It took the last of their political capital to secure replacements to make good for the losses in the remaining regiments, and it would be years before those replacements would be ready.

June 13, 478 - The Xenology units managed to crack the Federation encryption and survey the site on Skathi. 8 buildings were still salvageable, and the Kingdom directed that its single Construction Regiment be dispatched to begin the work.

February 22, 479 - The recovery of the Skathi ruins is complete. There is very little of interest left to recover - a few buildings, a fuel depot and some infrastructure. Of interest is the terraforming station - the best guess, combined with the extensive infrastructure, was that the colony was in the process of being terraformed when the Cataclysm cut off the Sol system. Without maintenance, the environment on Skathi reset itself over time to its natural state.

5.6 ML Fuel
2x Mine
1x Construction Factory
320x Low-Grav Infrastructure
1x Terraforming Installation
320x Infrastructure

14 June, 479 - Thinking they were clever, a civilian conglomerate establishes a mining complex on Mars, based as far as possible from the nearest cities. Unfortunately, while they managed to evade Kingdom oversight (who would have told them that this was a terrible idea), the first the Kingdom became aware of the installation is when the owners started screaming for help as the hapless workers and PMC mercenaries were overrun and slaughtered to a man.

The only useful information gained from the sorry experience was a rough estimation that the Guardians on Mars consisted of 20,000 or more robots, and that their forces included what the grainy footage suggested was a main battle tank.

October 25, 480 - The long-awaited expansion of the Aleph yards on Selune is complete, allowing construction of ships up to 14,000t in displacement. While the Admiralty wished to build a larger missile-armed successor to the Redoubt-class destroyers, their influence has steadily waned. In the 33 years that the Kingdom has been aware of the possibility of alien contact, there has been no sign of extraterrestrial activity in the Sol system. Meanwhile, many of the most interesting planets and moons from a terraforming and mineral perspective are in the control of the Terran Federation’s Legions.

The First Battle of Io three years ago showed that the Kingdom’s armed forces could not take the Tomb Guardians lightly. While they continue expanding with five GFCC running non-stop, it was also clear that the limited railgun armament of the Redoubt-class is simply insufficient for orbital fire support purposes. Therefore, the General Staff prevailed on the King to direct that the new design be purpose-built to provide orbital fire support.

The result is Project GLADIATOR, designated as an Armored Cruiser design. Powered by the same Couci Turbines engine block as the Redoubt-class, the 14,000t design is significantly slower, though still faster than the troop transports it would escort. One thing the Navy did manage to push through was a raft of technology improvements to be built into the design.

Built around a broadside of six 25cm Plasma Carronades, it also carries two triple 10cm visible light laser cannon turrets, four new faster-firing railguns, and a pair of experimental Particle Beam Weapons. Defensively, the design is armored in four layers of Composite armor and carries two new Beta shield generators, providing triple the shield coverage of the older Alpha-series of the Redoubt-class.

A command version of the design drops the PBWs and makes some minor adjustments to make space for a flag bridge, marking the first time a squadron command staff will be with their ships.

Code: (Project GLADIATOR) [Select]

Gladiator class Armoured Cruiser (P)      14,000 tons       417 Crew       1,136.1 BP       TCS 280    TH 461    EM 900
1645 km/s      Armour 4-51       Shields 30-300       HTK 101      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 9      PPV 94.12
Maint Life 4.93 Years     MSP 856    AFR 174%    IFR 2.4%    1YR 58    5YR 876    Max Repair 76.8 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Couci Turbines CS-15360 Lightspeed Max I (3)    Power 460.8    Fuel Use 58.09%    Signature 153.6    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres    Range 22.1 billion km (155 days at full power)
Beta S15 / R300 Shields (2)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.1 per second)

25 cm C2 Plasma Carronade (6)    Range 80,000km     TS: 2,000 km/s     Power 16-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 40       
Triple 10cm C2 Visible Light Laser Turret (2x3)    Range 60,000km     TS: 6000 km/s     Power 9-6     RM 20,000 km    ROF 10       
Particle Beam-2 (2)    Range 60,000km     TS: 2,000 km/s     Power 5-2    ROF 15       
10cm Railgun V10/C2 (4x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,000 km/s     Power 3-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 10       
RN/MGB-18 80K/2000 FCS (2)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 2,000 km/s     44 38 31 25 19 12 6 0 0 0
RN/MGB-19 80K/6000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
Pressurised Water Reactor R18-PB10 (2)     Total Power Output 36    Exp 7%

RN/MGP-14 1/359K Torpedo Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 10     Range 4m km    MCR 359k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-9 80/17.2M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 800     Range 17.2m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
Development of the new technology for the project will take seven or eight months. Once the designs are finalized, the Aleph shipyard will be retooled and construction on the first squadron can begin. In the meantime, construction begins on the maintenance facilities needed to cover the new naval tonnage.

August 4, 484 - After many years, the Kingdom is ready to face the Guardians once more at Io. Preparations begin to move the Kingdom’s Army, Royal and House units to prepare for the assault, supported by the newly created Task Group 2, four of the Ceres-class armored cruisers.

Expeditionary Force #3
ARMY 1st Army
- CORP 1st Army Corps
- - DIV 1st Army Division
- - - ARGT 1st Artillery Regiment
- - - IRGT 3rd Infantry Regiment
- - - IRGT 5th Infantry Regiment
- - - MRCT 3rd Medium Regimental Combat Team
- - DIV 3rd Army Division
- - - IRGT 10th Infantry Regiment
- - - MRCT 4th Medium Regimental Combat Team
- - - MRCT 6th Medium Regimental Combat Team
- CORP Noble Orders
- - DIV The Brave Lancers
- - - IRGT Lanval Guard
- - - LRCT Feirefiz Light Horse
- - - MRCT Caradoc Lancers
- - DIV The Templars of the Hydra
- - - IRGT Bagdemagus Foot
- - - LRCT Lamorak Light Horse
- - - MRCT Griflet Lancers
- - DIV House Palmades Division
- - - IRGT Palmades Guard
- - - MRCT Palmades Hussars
- - DIV The Legion of the Pyre
- - - IRGT Bors Guard
- - - IRGT Brunor Guard
- 1st Royal Division
- - IRGT 1st Royal Infantry
- - LRCT 1st Royal Light Horse
- - LRCT 2nd Royal Light Horse
2nd Supply Regiment
3rd Supply Regiment

Unlike the 2nd Expeditionary Force, which consisted of only 8 front line regiments, the third is the vast majority of the Kingdom’s military might, consisting of 19 front line regiments equipped to a much higher level of TN technology.

The first step of the invasion is establishing a rally point on the nearby moon of Europa. Once all the participating units are based there, the spearhead units can make the initial assault on Io and secure a beachhead for the following units to land and support the assault. The cruisers of Task Group 2 will provide orbital fire support with their batteries of energy weapons.

The initial wave consisted of the nine infantry regiments of the combined force alongside the three medium RCTs of the Army. Unlike the disastrous 1st Battle of Io, losses against the Guardians were closer to 2 to 1. The Kingdom forces faced around 2,000 robots with limited fire support from IFVs. Fire support was provided by the cruiser squadron in orbit to one of the Army’s medium RCTs.

While the first wave battled with the Guardians, the transport squadrons returned to Europa and began loading a second wave of reinforcements consisting of the rest of the front line units, the artillery regiment and the supply regiments. In the days it took for those units to be transported and unloaded, the Wave 1 units managed to mostly crush the Guardian’s resistance, slashing their numbers in half. The arrival of Wave 2 ensured the downfall of the Guardians, with resistance ending before Wave 3, consisting of the command elements, even managed to land.

In the aftermath of the Second Battle of Io, the Kingdom’s army had a number of tactical lessons to digest before another major invasion. The short summary was the following

1 - Supplies became an issue at the end of battle. Even with supply regiments present, units engaged in active fighting were not able to draw replacement supplies from them, with a number of Wave 1 units running out entirely.

2 - The loading and unloading cycle took too long with the current generation of troop transports. Two complementary solutions were identified that would serve to correct the issue. For loading units, the current cargo shuttles relied on conventional technology with only crude Aether engines. Replacing them with true TN shuttles would greatly increase their speed, as well as adding more shuttles to each troop transport.

For unloading units, single-use drop pods would allow for extremely quick deployment of units, expediting the deployment of troops.

The Army plans to produce a logistics unit for the command level that can provide supplemental supplies. This necessitates a different drop sequence where command elements are dropped alongside their frontline units. Those command elements would also be expanded in size from their current 5k drop tons to the same 15k of a frontline element, with the extra drop weight going towards supply elements for their frontline formations.

On the Navy side, research will be turned towards replacements for the current cargo shuttles and troop bays, which will result in an updated version of the Rio Grande or a new troop transport model.

Title: (8) The Prince's Rebellion
Post by: Gyrfalcon on February 21, 2023, 03:41:25 AM

The Prince’s Rebellion

On the face of things, what came to be called the Prince’s Rebellion was absurd. Masterminded and launched by Crown Prince Adeluf to overthrow his father, King Kyduan II, the Crown Prince was his father’s favorite and heir, popular with the enlisted and lower officers of the Navy and Army, as well as the citizens of the Kingdom. He was the face of the Crown’s efforts to improve the Kingdom’s standard of living with TN technology.

The official line during Adeluf’s reign was that his actions were a regrettable necessity, and that he and his loyalists had crushed a plot by the noble houses to take control of the Kingdom from House Pendragon, a conspiracy that had infiltrated the highest echelons of the Army and Navy. 

Exhaustive research by historians after his reign proved that there was no such conspiracy - while many of the Admiralty and General Staff were noble-born, many others were commoners or had achieved noble rank as a result of their own efforts.  There was a seed of truth to Adeluf’s accusations - under King Kyduan II and his father, King Eliwlod, the noble houses had been granted increasing amounts of authority and power in political trades for support for the policies the Kings supported.

The economic crises that the Kingdom suffered under Kyduan II led directly to the explosive growth in the power of the noble houses and from there of the Orders, which were bulwarks of noble power. By the time of the Second Battle of Io, almost half of the Kingdom’s armed forces no longer answered directly to the Crown, including a large number of modern Armigers.  Would that have eventually led to the noble houses conspiring against House Pendragon? The general conclusion is likely not - though after Adeluf’s actions, the shattered nobility certainly had no love for him.

However, what weighted as heavily was the Prince’s deep-seated hatred of the Army and Navy - he despised the officer corps of both services, an enmity that festered since the Prince’s time at the Academy. As was customary, Adeluf attended the Camelot Academy on the Army track under an assumed identity. While details of what occurred remain sealed to this day, there are suggestions that the Crown Prince was involved in a scandal that was hushed up at the highest levels. However, he was dismissed from the Army track for behavior unbecoming of an officer.

Denied the traditional track to military service in the Army, the Prince turned to the nascent Navy track. While no scandals marred his record, Adeluf turned out to be one of those rare people who were adversely affected by an active TN field, particularly the crude fields that the first B-1/Bs and Arnica-class Gunships projected.  While his dismissal from the Navy track was medical in nature, he nursed a grudge against the Navy ever after, that was only compounded over the years as he begrudged the resources that were poured into the Royal Navy, even as the threat of an alien invasion waned.

The Prince instead turned to the business and administration track of the Academy, and graduated with honors. In truth he came into his own in this track, and displayed an intense charisma that swayed others to his viewpoint.  After his graduation, Adeluf spearheaded the Crown’s support of the transition to TN technology, while building personal support in the Army and Navy, particularly among the enlisted forces and the commoners at the lower ranks of the officer corps.

Over the years, he developed an intricate network of cells operating throughout the Kingdom, bound by their loyalty to the Prince and his vision. He successfully co-opted the heads of the Kingdom’s intelligence services as well as the commanding officer of the Royal Life Guards, ensuring that a blind eye was turned to his activities. Beside that, the Loyalists were remarkably circumspect, and even now there are questions as to how many were secretly members of Loyalist cells that were never identified, even in victory.

The Second Battle of Io proved the turning point in the Prince’s Rebellion. With the vast majority of the House forces off world, Crown Prince Adeluf moved to seize power. Loyalist cells within the Army were activated, taking the General Staff into custody and disarming the Orders, whose Armigers, loaded into the troop transports at Io, were disabled by their commoner support staff where they tried to resist.

The main point of concern was the Navy. While the members of the Admiralty were seized planetside, the individual ship captains had the ability to unleash nuclear devastation across Earth. Crown Prince Adeulf ordered that any ship not in possession of the Loyalists would need to be disabled or destroyed.

The prelude to the battle was the triumphant return of the first wave of armed forces from Io. Escorting the troop transports was the squadron of Ceres-class cruisers that had provided fire support. The rest of the Navy was sortied when the transports were a few days out from Earth to provide an honor escort. Each of the Loyalists was provided with instructions that once the fleet was escorting the transports, at a predetermined time their ships would break from the convoy to a position at 180 degrees, 10,000 km distance and pulse their IFFs in a specific manner. Any ships that did not repeat the same actions within a minute were to be engaged and destroyed.

Because of the cell systems, many of the officers were unsure of how many ships stood with them, though the Prince assured them that the majority of the Navy was with the Loyalists, and the element of surprise would ensure their success.

When the time came and the Loyalists revealed themselves, it became clear that the Prince had been perhaps optimistic by number of ships, though truthful in weight of metal. Commodore Girard Fresle was the highest ranked ship commander, and led the majority of his squadron. Among the destroyer squadron, only two ships broke away, trading the Defender, whose Loyalist XO killed his Captain and took control with the support of the rest of the bridge staff for the Fairy, where the situation was reversed as the Captain’s attempt to murder his XO went awry.

Among the small craft, only a single Corvette and Gunship declared for the Loyalists, alongside a little more than a squadron of bombers and most of the fighter squadron.

The Navy forces were caught flat-footed by the maneuvers and the reports from the Fairy and Datura of murder attempts.  The Loyalists began raising their shields and fired the first shots of the battle a minute later, launching 48 torpedoes and 35 missiles. At the same time, railguns and lasers rained fire on the bombers, destroying 2 and crippling 2 more in the first moments. Plasma cannon fire from the Ceres lashed the corvette Skjold, visibly damaging its engines.

At this point, AIs aboard the Navy ships took over, ATMs and railguns engaging the incoming warheads while ships danced into a flurry of evasive maneuvers.  Automated point defense fire took out half the salvo targeting the lone cruiser, Scout, but the remaining 20 torpedoes landed 14 hits, including two breaching hits. The destroyer Fairy suffered three hits, including one penetrating and the destroyer Redoubt took a single hit.

At such close ranges, the AI aboard each ship on both sides continued to fight the battle for their crew, beam combat at such close quarters overwhelming human reaction times.

Among the Loyalists, their bombers and the gunship Scoparius disengaged and headed to Earth at best speed, their part in the battle done. There was a dawning realization that the three Gunships were not engaged at all in the first moments of battle, an oversight that was punished severely as the Gunship AIs coordinated their fire and belched over a hundred torpedoes at the Dido and Ceres, including a missile strike from the bombers against the command cruiser. Meanwhile the Navy destroyers fired on the Defender. As the thunder of nuclear detonations faded, both sides took stock.

Among the Loyalists, the Dido was dead in space, the armored cruiser having lost all of its engines, 3 of its 4 fuel tanks and its fire control systems. The Ceres was likewise crippled, with only one working engine and both of its battle reactors disabled. The destroyer Defender has suffered an engine hit, but was still fairly mobile. The armored cruiser Topaze, destroyer Hostile and corvette Glimt were all undamaged.  Meanwhile the bombers and gunship Scoparius were withdrawing to Earth at best speed to rearm.

As for the Navy, they had nowhere to go - for now the bombers and gunships made best speed to Mercury with the two destroyers escorting. Two of the three corvettes were crippled and slowly tried to follow the rest of the fleet to Mercury. The remaining armored cruisers moved to clash, but the Loyalists had the advantage that their ship was pristine, while the Scout was badly damaged.

A lagging volley of missiles tore into the Ceres, one of the explosions ripping through the bridge, killing Commodore Fresle.  Moments later, a volley from one of the Gunships wiped out the Dido, and the Navy Corvette squadron finished the Ceres.

The Loyalist forces concentrated on destroying the Scout, blasting away at the armored cruiser, even as its own weapons reached out to cripple the destroyer Defender. The Navy cruiser managed to destroy its target before fire from the Topaze overwhelmed it.  The small task force ran down the corvettes, fire from the Topaze destroying two corvettes outright and leaving the last dead in space.  The Loyalists then set out in pursuit of the remaining Navy ships, but the slow speed of the Ceres-class meant that even the gunships could remain ahead. The Glimt used its ATMs in offensive mode to attempt to slow the gunships, but quickly ran dry without managing to inflict engine casualties.

The destroyers exchanged volleys during this time - the twelve missiles from the Navy arrived in separate volleys due to inexperience. The Topaze continued to prove the surprising value of its laser turrets as they wiped the salvos from the plot, aided by railgun fire from the rest of the small squadron. In return, the Loyalist salvo lost only half of its torpedoes to railgun fire, evasive maneuvers saving its target from any hits.

The captains of the Navy destroyers quickly conferred. There was no chance they would be able to take the Topaze, but it wouldn’t be able to catch them either. They could flee into the outer system beyond the range of the Loyalist bombers, though the gunship could still engage them, but… what then? There was nowhere to go, and the Loyalist destruction of crippled ships showed that there was no quarter to be expected.

They decided to make their remaining torpedoes count and turned for Earth, planning to do as much damage to the shipyards as possible. The Loyalist fleet raced after them, firing torpedoes as they went.

The first salvo struck the Fairy, killing its captain and crippling an engine, though the ship remained faster than the cruiser pursuing it. The second salvo destroyed part of the ship’s sensors and disabled a torpedo tube. The third was wiped out by railgun fire entirely. The fourth and final salvo lost five torpedoes to defensive fire, but the last struck home and triggered an engine overload that blew the destroyer apart.

With its companion lost, the last Navy destroyer, the Redoubt accelerated to its maximum speed and made for Earth. The Loyalist fleet had run out of torpedoes and pursued in vain. The Loyalist bombers raced ahead of the Destroyer and started the slow process of reloading their external racks in orbit. As soon as the Redoubt entered range, it opened fire with its torpedoes at the Selene shipyards, four salvos of 6 torpedoes racing towards their target.

Loyalist fighters did their best, destroying three torpedoes out of the first six, but losing a slipway from the Alpha docks. 4 torpedoes of the next salvo fell to defensive fire, but another slipway of the Alpha complex went up in a nuclear fireball. The third salvo lost 2, but destroyed the Beta shipyard entirely. The final torpedo attack struck the Gimel shipyard with five torpedoes, but miraculously no major damage was sustained.

Bereft of torpedoes, the Redoubt continued its charge. Loyalist fighters and bombers waited grimly for its approach, hoping that the bomber’s missiles would be ready in time to take out the destroyer. With hours remaining before their missiles would be ready, the F-3/B Herons sortied, firing their railguns into the approaching destroyer, even as its own railguns began swatting them from space. Two fighters were destroyed, and another crippled as they brought the destroyer’s attack to a halt short of Earth.

With no armed ships remaining, the Navy ships gathered at Mercury struck their flags and abandoned their ships as demanded by the Loyalists. The first Naval Battle of Mercury was over.

---

King Kyduan II was killed by a member of the Royal Life Guard, supposedly as part of the coup attempt that Prince Adeluf put down. While nothing has ever emerged linking the Crown Prince to his father’s murder, historians generally agree that he must have arranged the event, as the timing was too coincidental.

The aftermath of the battle is a bloodbath. Trials were swiftly arranged and the entirety of the Admiralty and General Staff were convicted of treason and executed. At the King’s direct orders, life pods from the ‘Rebel’ ships were left to float in the void until their life support ran out, the pleas and curses of their occupants petering out one by one as they fell silent to loss of oxygen and suicide.

The Navy was left a shell of its former self, the highest ranking officers remaining being the Captains of the Topaze and the Hostile/.The Navy itself consists of a cruiser, destroyer, corvette, gunship, three fighters and six bombers.  Still reeling, the Navy suffers another blow as one of the King’s first decrees is that deployment of nuclear weapons will be placed under royal control, and any ship bearing nuclear weapons would require a Royal Commissar and detachment of Marines onboard.

On his orders, the bombers and gunship were scrapped immediately, and the corvette and destroyer were impounded until such time as they can be refitted without missiles or with appropriate quarters for a Commissar and his guards.

Extensive purges devastate the Army as well, with the Noble orders being disbanded and their assets seized. King Adeulf announces a reorganization will take place that will streamline the efficiency of maintaining and supplying the Kingdom’s armed forces, organizing units into homogenous forces that will engage in combined armed operations at a strategic level instead of relying on doing so organically. The original regimental system was replaced with a series of homogenous brigades that were designed to make resupply and replacements far easier to manage.

Code: (Infantry Brigade) [Select]

Transport Size: 14,775 tons
Build Cost: 900 BP
1x IHQ-G1 Infantry Brigade HQ
1000x IPWI-G1 Armsman
200x ILAV-G6 Armsman
200x IHCAP-G1 Armsman
30x ILOG-G6 Local Combat Supply
Gone are the APCs, light bombardment weapons, forward fire direction and more. Each infantryman of the new brigade is equipped with heavy powered armor that provides enhanced strength, stamina and reflexes. The general armsmen are equipped with improved personal weapons capable of penetrating the armor of the robots of the Legions. Supporting them are armsmen equipped with anti-vehicle weapons and heavy anti-personnel weapons.

Code: (Light Armiger Brigade) [Select]

Transport Size: 14,947 tons
Build Cost: 636.9 BP
1x LVHQ-G1 Light Brigade HQ
140x LVAA-G4 Battle Hawk
120x LVGEN-G4 Javelin
30x ILOG-G6 Local Combat Supply
The light Armigers equipped for anti-infantry work had proven ineffective against power-armored equivalent targets. The new brigade focuses on bringing highly mobile firepower to the battlefield with a mix of anti-Armiger designs and autocannon equipped models that can face either Armigers or heavy infantry.

Code: (Medium Armiger Brigade) [Select]

Transport Size: 14,831 tons
Build Cost: 1,179.5 BP
1x MVHQ-G1 Medium Brigade HQ
80x MVAA-G4 Beowulf
80x MVGEN-G4 Stealth
25x ILOG-G6 Local Combat Supply
The medium Armigers follow the same pattern, relying more on their heavy armor and heavier weapon systems to carry the day. Comparing the Javelin and the Stealth, the medium Armiger is equipped with a heavy anti-personnel plasma weapon in addition to its medium autocannon, while the Beowulf doubles the number of anti-Armiger weapons that the Battle Hawk carries.

Code: (STO Battalion) [Select]

Transport Size: 4,992 tons
Build Cost: 604.5 BP
8x STOAS-G1 - PBW/2 Emplacement
8x STOPD-G1 - 10cm V10/C2 Railgun Emplacement
The bombardment of the Selene shipyards proved the necessity of planetary defenses for Earth. Each STO battalion provides a mix of anti-missile and anti-ship weaponry.

Currently existing units are stripped down and used to fill Auxilia units to supplement new brigades built and trained from the ground up in the new system.

By early February 485, work was well underway on the sweeping transformation of the Kingdom’s Army. Six Auxilia brigades were once again combat ready, their soldiers a careful mixture from the Royal, Army and Noble units, watched over by Royal Commissars.  Plans were underway to raise a total of 17 Auxilia brigades to support the politically loyal regulars that would become the Kingdom’s frontline forces.

Title: (9) The Reign of King Adeluf the Cruel - Project Phoenix
Post by: Gyrfalcon on February 28, 2023, 01:44:25 AM

February 20, 485 - Camelot Ver retired from his research position at the age of 62. The father of the Trans-Newtonian era, his brilliance will be sorely missed by the Kingdom.

April 8, 485 - Work on retooling the Kingdom’s sole remaining civilian shipyard is complete, and two Aberdeen-class freighters are laid down. They will be used to move recovered TN buildings and supplies.

April 23, 485 - the 1st Construction Regiment recovers what appears to be an advanced engine from the ruins of Io. Once an Aberdeen is cleared for flight, it will be sent back to Earth where it can be disassembled for study.

June 16, 485 - A cache of eight 31.25cm Far Ultraviolet Lasers is discovered. The massive beam weapons are far more advanced than anything the Kingdom has built. Disassembling them for study could lead to a number of advances in several fields.

September 22, 485 - The ruins on Io have been fully excavated and a number have been restored to functionality. The first two Aberdeen-class freighters have been assigned to transfer infrastructure from the ruined colony on Skathi to Io, in preparation for the Kingdom’s first offworld colony.

Code: (Io) [Select]

Population: 0m
Ground Force Construction Complex: 1
Construction Factory: 2
Mine: 2
Automated Mine: 7
Fuel Refinery: 2
Financial Centre: 1
Terraforming Installation: 1
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Mass Driver: 1
Infrastructure: 560
Once the newly reconstructed Selune Beta shipyard has expanded sufficiently, it will begin laying down the keel for the first Bainbridge-class Colony Ship, capable of transporting 50,000 colonists in cryogenic suspension to the new colony.

12 January, 487 - While no breakthroughs are generated, the disassembly of the Ancients’ technology has provided a great deal of insight into larger laser calibers, near-ultraviolet lasers, better capacitors, damage control technology, nuclear pulse engines and engine efficiency.

February 12, 487 - Research is completed on TN dropship equipped transport bays. They significantly speed up the process of deploying troops, but weigh 20% more than a regular troop transport bay.

The Rio Grande class is beginning to show its age, though well suitable to transport troops in a non-combat situation. Therefore, the Navy is directed to devise a new troop transport, capable of carrying two brigades into combat and deploying them at once. The result is the Crete-class transport. More than double the mass of the [i[Rio Grande[/i], the Alpha yards are already capable of building the massive ship.

Code: (Crete-class Troop Transport) [Select]

Crete class Troop Transport      49,600 tons       330 Crew       1,710.4 BP       TCS 992    TH 640    EM 0
645 km/s      Armour 1-120       Shields 0-0       HTK 122      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 521    Max Repair 200 MSP
Troop Capacity 30,000 tons     Drop Capable    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 3   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Couci Turbines CIV-12800 Sunbeam I (5)    Power 640    Fuel Use 7.95%    Signature 128    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 558,000 Litres    Range 25.4 billion km (456 days at full power)

RN/FGA-10 80/7.7M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 160     Range 7.7m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
The drawback of the massive design is its slow speed, but the Crown considers the design otherwise sufficient and orders the Alpha shipyard retooled to produce it. The first three will be laid down in April, 489.

February 14, 489 - The first colonists are awakened on Io, marking the founding of the Kingdom’s first colony.

February 22, 489 - A long-running research project finishes with the first viable nuclear pulse engine prototype. The Navy drafts a set of new proposals for designs and upgrades based on the new engine technology.

---

The top proposals, and the only ones King Adeulf looked through thoroughly were simple upgrades of the Kingdom’s freighters and troop transports to make use of the new technology. The only standout from the proposal is that the first Crete-class transports will be delayed as the slips immediately start retooling from the original model to the upgraded version before the first keels are laid down.

Buried further down in the proposal are the upgrades for the Ceres, Redoubt and Steil classes under the heading of ‘Project Phoenix’.. Commodore de Balon held his breath, but the King’s eyes skimmed over the section names and otherwise ignored them entirely. Buried in the technical language of the proposals was the fact that the ships were far different beasts then their names and misleading descriptions would suggest.

Code: (Rio Grande-C) [Select]

Rio Grande-C class Troop Transport (P)      28,450 tons       202 Crew       999.7 BP       TCS 569    TH 640    EM 0
1124 km/s      Armour 1-83       Shields 0-0       HTK 73      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 521    Max Repair 200 MSP
Troop Capacity 15,000 tons     Drop Capable    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 2   
Commander    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Bouchard NPE/C 168.00 (4)    Power 640    Fuel Use 7.07%    Signature 160    Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 267,000 Litres    Range 23.9 billion km (245 days at full power)

RN/CGA-25 80/18.8M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 960     Range 18.8m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
The most radical change of the civilian designs, the Navy converted the design to use dropship equipped bays like the new Crete class. Limited to transporting one Brigade and with limited loading capacity, it allows the Army to drop significantly more troops in an initial landing wave.

Code: (F-5/A ‘Osprey) [Select]

F-5/A 'Osprey' class Fighter (P)      500 tons       6 Crew       61.5 BP       TCS 10    TH 55    EM 0
5524 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 3      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0      PPV 1.65
Maint Life 6.23 Years     MSP 47    AFR 20%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 2    5YR 31    Max Repair 27.6 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Bouchard NPE/F 55.20 (1)    Power 55.2    Fuel Use 325.04%    Signature 55.2    Explosion 15%
Fuel Capacity 13,000 Litres    Range 1.4 billion km (3 days at full power)

10cm Railgun V10/C2/S2 (1x2)    Range 10,000km     TS: 5,524 km/s     Power 1.5-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 5       
RN/FGB-24 20K/6000 Fighter FCS (1)     Max Range: 20,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s     50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bouchard PBR/2MW (1)     Total Power Output 2    Exp 10%

RN/MGP-22 1/393K Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 12     Range 4.4m km    MCR 393.3k km    Resolution 1

The Heron had proved itself in the first battle fought by the fleet, both engaging Rebel fighters, a destroyer and taking out torpedoes. However the design was already showing its age. The Osprey carries a heavier 2nd generation railgun with improved capacitors that doubled the Heron’s rate of fire. The heavier weapon necessitated a smaller engine, but despite that the nuclear pulse engine gave the Osprey a higher maximum speed then its older predecessor and helps maintain the design’s speed advantage over even the fast corvettes and destroyers.

Code: (Steil II-class Corvette) [Select]

Steil II class Corvette (P)      4,000 tons       126 Crew       475.6 BP       TCS 80    TH 269    EM 0
3360 km/s      Armour 3-22       Shields 0-0       HTK 28      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 12
Maint Life 2.28 Years     MSP 174    AFR 128%    IFR 1.8%    1YR 45    5YR 679    Max Repair 75 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   AUX   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Bouchard NPE/M 134.40 (2)    Power 268.8    Fuel Use 71.45%    Signature 134.4    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 346,000 Litres    Range 21.8 billion km (75 days at full power)

10cm Railgun V10/C2 (4x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 3,360 km/s     Power 3-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 10       
RN/MGB-23 80K/3000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 3,000 km/s     66 56 47 38 28 19 9 0 0 0
Bouchard PBR/8MW (1)     Total Power Output 8.1    Exp 5%

RN/MGA-20 80/26.6M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 1920     Range 26.6m km    Resolution 80
RN/MGP-22 1/393K Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 12     Range 4.4m km    MCR 393.3k km    Resolution 1
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m kmThe Steil II class was the first ship in the proposal’s military projects because it was least controversial. Like its progenitor, the corvette weighs in at 4,000t displacement. Gone is the missile armament, but it still embraces its role as an escort vessel with an array of four second generation 10cm railguns.

During the First Naval Battle of Mercury, the navy discovered during the fratricidal battle that their railguns had around a 20% hit rate against missiles and torpedoes. The Ceres-class with its ‘Triple 10s’ laser turrets scored a far superior 70% hit rate engaging enemy projectiles.

The results of the battle has spurred the navy to invest in gauss weaponry research which could likewise be placed in turrets - initial models were promising compared to the laser turrets, but fell short of a railgun array of the same displacement. Navy planners expect that second generation gauss cannons will make gauss turrets the superior choice for point defense, but such technology is years away from becoming a reality.

Code: (Redoubt II-class Destroyer) [Select]

Redoubt II class Destroyer (P)      10,000 tons       291 Crew       1,026.6 BP       TCS 200    TH 672    EM 450
3360 km/s      Armour 3-41       Shields 15-300       HTK 65      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 5      PPV 39.12
Maint Life 2.41 Years     MSP 320    AFR 160%    IFR 2.2%    1YR 76    5YR 1,137    Max Repair 84 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   AUX   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Bouchard NPE/M 168.00 (4)    Power 672    Fuel Use 63.91%    Signature 168    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 788,000 Litres    Range 22.2 billion km (76 days at full power)
Beta S15 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.1 per second)

Triple 10cm C2 Visible Light Laser Turret (2x3)    Range 60,000km     TS: 6000 km/s     Power 9-6     RM 20,000 km    ROF 10       
10cm Railgun V10/C2 (5x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 3,360 km/s     Power 3-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 10       
RN/MGB-23 80K/3000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 3,000 km/s     66 56 47 38 28 19 9 0 0 0
RN/MGB-19 80K/6000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
Bouchard PBR/13MW (2)     Total Power Output 25.3    Exp 5%

RN/MGP-22 1/393K Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 12     Range 4.4m km    MCR 393.3k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-20 80/26.6M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 1920     Range 26.6m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

The Redoubt II is a marked divergence from the original model. Massing 1,000t more than the original Redoubt, the designers dubbed it a ‘pocket cruiser’ as its armament has more in common with the Ceres-class. Equipped with twin triple-barreled laser cannon turrets and a 5 railgun defense array, the Redoubt II is equipped with heavier armor and a stronger shield generator than the original design.

The Redoubt/C is the first flag bridge equipped destroyer. It drops a railgun and swaps the twin battle reactors for a single larger model along with minor changes to the fuel storage to fit a flag bridge onboard.

Code: (Topaze-class Escort Carrier) [Select]

Topaze class Escort Carrier (P)      14,000 tons       275 Crew       1,462.5 BP       TCS 280    TH 672    EM 450
2400 km/s      Armour 4-51       Shields 15-300       HTK 77      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 4      PPV 24.12
Maint Life 1.13 Years     MSP 293    AFR 348%    IFR 4.8%    1YR 234    5YR 3,505    Max Repair 100 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 4,000 tons     
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   AUX   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Flight Crew Berths 80    Morale Check Required   

Bouchard NPE/M 168.00 (4)    Power 672    Fuel Use 63.91%    Signature 168    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,000,000 Litres    Range 20.1 billion km (97 days at full power)
Beta S15 / R300 Shields (1)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.1 per second)

Triple 10cm C2 Visible Light Laser Turret (2x3)    Range 60,000km     TS: 6000 km/s     Power 9-6     RM 20,000 km    ROF 10       
RN/MGB-19 80K/6000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 6,000 km/s     88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
Bouchard PBR/13MW (1)     Total Power Output 12.7    Exp 5%

RN/MGP-22 1/393K Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 12     Range 4.4m km    MCR 393.3k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-20 80/26.6M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 1920     Range 26.6m km    Resolution 80
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

Strike Group
8x F-5/A 'Osprey' Fighter   Speed: 5524 km/s    Size: 9.99
The Navy was originally unsure of what to do with the last Ceres-class Armored Cruiser. While the Topaze had carried the day at the First Naval Battle of Mercury, its flaws were clear - it was very slow compared to the destroyers and corvettes that it was facing, and it was unable to bring the Redoubt-class destroyers to combat outside of the initial ambush. With the Army’s swing away from desiring naval fire support, the design seemed destined for the scrapyards.

However, the Navy envisioned a radical change to the layout of the Topaze. By gutting the ship’s broadsides entirely, they managed to install a larger engine block that brought it more in line with the Ceres II. It retains the armor belt and laser turrets of its armored cruiser origins, though the second shield generator was also removed to make space. Its broadsides are instead occupied by hanger ports that allow for the launch of a squadron of the new F-5/A ‘Osprey’ fighters.

Code: (Ceres II-class Heavy Cruiser) [Select]

Ceres II class Heavy Cruiser (P)      20,000 tons       441 Crew       2,010.9 BP       TCS 400    TH 1,008    EM 1,350
2520 km/s      Armour 5-65       Shields 45-300       HTK 128      Sensors 5/5/0/0      DCR 5      PPV 68.8
Maint Life 1.14 Years     MSP 314    AFR 640%    IFR 8.9%    1YR 246    5YR 3,695    Max Repair 84 MSP
Troop Capacity 250 tons     Magazine 961   
Captain    Control Rating 3   BRG   AUX   CIC   
Intended Deployment Time: 6 months    Morale Check Required   

Bouchard NPE/M 168.00 (6)    Power 1008    Fuel Use 63.91%    Signature 168    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1,553,000 Litres    Range 21.9 billion km (100 days at full power)
Beta S15 / R300 Shields (3)     Recharge Time 300 seconds (0.2 per second)

10cm Railgun V10/C2 (5x4)    Range 10,000km     TS: 2,520 km/s     Power 3-2     RM 10,000 km    ROF 10       
RN/MGB-23 80K/3000 FCS (1)     Max Range: 80,000 km   TS: 3,000 km/s     66 56 47 38 28 19 9 0 0 0
Bouchard PBR/6MW (2)     Total Power Output 13    Exp 5%

Mark I Heavy Missile Tube (28)     Missile Size: 4    Rate of Fire 1200
Mark I Light Missile Tube (9)     Missile Size: 1    Rate of Fire 30
Missile Fire Control FC26-R80 (2)     Range 26.6m km    Resolution 80
Missile Fire Control FC11-R1 (3)     Range 11.1m km    Resolution 1
FUM-5C 'Flyssa' Heavy Missile (196)    Speed: 11,250 km/s    End: 16.4m     Range: 11.1m km    WH: 4    Size: 4    TH: 37/22/11
MIM-8B 'Cestus' Anti-Torpedo Missile (177)    Speed: 12,600 km/s    End: 2m     Range: 1.5m km    WH: 0    Size: 1    TH: 42/25/12

RN/MGP-21 1/963K Point Defense Sensor (1)     GPS 72     Range 10.7m km    MCR 963.4k km    Resolution 1
RN/MGA-20 80/26.6M Gravitational Sensor (1)     GPS 1920     Range 26.6m km    Resolution 80
RN/CTR-1 Thermal Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
RN/CER-2 EM Sensor (1)     Sensitivity 5     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

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

The centerpiece of Project Phoenix, the Ceres II-class heavy cruisers are the largest ships the Aleph shipyards are currently capable of building. Slower than the destroyers and corvettes of the fleet, the heavy cruisers can instead devote that space to their expansive missile armament.

The Ceres II is capable of firing volleys of 28 heavy missiles every 20 minutes, and their expansive magazines allow them to fire seven such barrages. Defenses are also not skimped on - they have the thickest armor belt in the Navy and the heaviest shields, while carrying a five railgun array for point defense work and nine AMM missile tubes tied to three fire control systems.

The Ceres II/C command cruiser sacrifices four heavy missile tubes alongside some layout changes to include a flag bridge.

Both designs have quarters for a marine detachment to oversee the Royal Commissar in charge of their nuclear capability.

---

Speaking of nuclear capacity, the new leadership of the Navy had come up out of fighter and bomber squadrons and considered the missiles carried by the bombers superior to the torpedoes espoused by the old blue-water admiralty that came before them. This, alongside the necessity of swamping a hostile force’s point defense pushed the navy to switch to heavy missiles as the primary ranged strike option rather than torpedoes.

Code: (SUM-8A ‘Epee’) [Select]

Missile Size: 4.00 MSP  (10.000 Tons)     Warhead: 4    Radiation Damage: 4    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 12,850 km/s     Fuel: 900     Flight Time: 35 minutes     Range: 26.87m km
Cost Per Missile: 2.405     Development Cost: 245
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 128.5%   3k km/s 42.8%   5k km/s 25.7%   10k km/s 12.8%
The Epee boasts a modest speed increase over the Flyssa used by the Kingdom’s bomber squadrons. However it has double the range of the previous design, allowing the Ceres II-class heavy cruisers to engage targets from much farther away.

Code: (SIM-9A ‘Tekko II’) [Select]

Missile Size: 1.00 MSP  (2.500 Tons)     Warhead: 0    Radiation Damage: 0    Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 15,800 km/s     Fuel: 25     Flight Time: 105 seconds     Range: 1,659,000 km
Cost Per Missile: 0.6475     Development Cost: 127
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 158.0%   3k km/s 52.7%   5k km/s 31.6%   10k km/s 15.8%

The Tekko II continues to increase its speed advantage over the missiles it targets, though greater improvements will only be possible with better warheads as the current generation still requires a third of the missile’s mass to achieve critical mass.

---

Commodore de Balon envisions growing the Navy beyond its original size as part of Project Phoenix. Taking advantage of the King’s obsession with the Io colony, the Commodore cheekily manages to slip a number of orders into the Naval proposal that temporarily redirects the Kingdom’s research establishment to finish prototyping the raft of new technologies going into the new designs. Once prepared, those designs will lead to two task groups as the combat arm of the Royal Navy.

TG1 will consist of a three ship heavy cruiser division, the escort carrier, a squadron of destroyers and two squadrons of corvettes.TG2 will consist of a destroyer squadron and a corvette squadron.

---

While the Navy planned to once again expand beyond the sad remnants left behind by the First Naval Battle of Mercury, the Army had also been busy in the last years. The utter devastation of the senior officer corps had led to the disbanding of the already existing divisions, corps and army as functional organizations. Rebuilding the officer corp and the professional capacity was a long and ongoing process.

Currently 10 brigades are once again fully functional and combat ready, and an 11th will be ready soon. Training the remaining Infantry Auxilia is delayed mostly by the construction of heavy weapons to round out the formations. Enough rifle-equipped Armsmen remain in the reserves to raise eight further auxilia units.

Alongside the Auxilia efforts, two STO battalions have been raised and a third is in training - once complete, it will be deployed to Io alongside at least one infantry auxilia as a planetary garrison.

Two infantry brigades are also being raised, and the King has authorized a massive expansion of Earth’s GFCC as he is impatient to clear the rest of the habitable worlds in the solar system for recolonization.

Code: (Royal Army OoB) [Select]

CORP Corps V
- DIV Division XII
- - IAUX Infantry Auxilia I
- - IAUX Infantry Auxilia II
- - LAUX Light Armiger Auxilia I
- - MAUX Medium Armiger Auxilia I
- DIV Division XIII
- - IAUX Infantry Auxilia III
- - IAUX Infantry Auxilia IV
- - LAUX Light Armiger Auxilia II
- - MAUX Medium Armiger Auxilia II

CORP 1st Corps of Engineers
- DIV 1st Xenoarchaeology Division
- - XRGT 1st Xenoarchaeology Regiment
- - XRGT 2nd Xenoargaeology Regiment
- DIV 1st Engineers Division
- - CAUX Construction Auxilia I
- - CRGT 1st Construction Regiment
- - CRGT 2nd Construction Regiment

IAUX Infantry Auxilia V
IAUX Infantry Auxilia VI
SRGT Supply Regiment I
STOB STO Battalion I
STOB STO Battalion II

CAUX Construction Auxilia II (47% understrength)
MAUX Medium Armiger Auxilia III (26% understrength)

Title: (10) The Reign of King Adeluf the Cruel - The Legion War
Post by: Gyrfalcon on March 07, 2023, 02:50:21 AM

August 4, 489 - While the Kingdom’s research establishment is in full swing turning prototype technologies into functional designs, the civilian sector marks the first launch of a civilian-flagged freighter belonging to le Marechal Interplanetary Freight.

Under King Adeluf’s reign, the Kingdom’s civilian space sector has been growing in leaps and bounds with the Navy’s own freighters and colony ship, alongside the establishment of twelve civilian mining ventures on five different comets. The minerals mined are currently being funneled to Io to help supply the new colony.

March 4, 490 - The first three Crete-B-class transports are laid down, with delivery expected in a little more than 2 years.

 March 27, 490 - The last of the raft of technologies for Project Phoenix are completed, and research picks up on the interrupted projects, with civilian technologies once again the main focus. The military shipyards around Earth begin retooling to produce the new ships, with twelve new hulls expected to be put down within the year. Meanwhile, factories on Earth are hard at work producing the new ordnance and fighters for the Navy. In short order, Selune is bustling with work as 13 new hulls are under construction alongside two refit projects.

The Governor of Earth, Erek Froissart is forced to do some very creative accounting to keep the outgoing expenditures from the King’s attention. Around 1,600 MCr per month, or 45% of the Kingdom’s expenditures is going towards the naval programs in the shipyards. To help balance the budget, an audit of the civilian mining operations is done and a number are diverted to the civilian economy as their output (primarily Duranium) is or will be Io’s primary mining export. While purchase of minerals from civilian sources remains an expenditure, it goes a long way to balancing the second largest line item on the Kingdom’s books.

August 15, 491 - The 1st Corvette Squadron clears the drydocks of Selune to little fanfare, assembling on the far side of the sprawling dockyards from Earth. A second squadron of corvettes is laid down, while the first begins their workup.

May 21, 492 - The first three Crete-class transports are launched, joined by the single Rio Grande-C that has so far been refitted. This allows the Kingdom to perform a combat drop with seven brigades of troops. The King orders a second squadron of transports laid down - once complete, the Army is directed to start removing the Legion remnants scattered around the Sol system, working their way up by scale of resistance.

August 6, 494 - The second squadron of Crete-class transports is launched. Together with the refitted Rio Grande-C ships, the King decrees that Expeditionary Force #4 will be tasked to clear the Moon of hostile forces.

---

Expeditionary Force #4
Navy Elements
Transport Division #1 - 3x Rio Grande-C Troop Transports - Carpathian, Matterhorn, Mount Everest
Transport Squadron #3 - 3x Crete-B Troop Transports - Himalayas, Krakatoa, Mont Blanc
Transport Squadron #4 - 3x Crete-B Troop Transports - Mount Rainier, Pyrenees, Rockies

Army Elements
Division XIII
- IAUX Infantry Auxilia III
- IAUX Infantry Auxilia IV
- LAUX Light Armiger Auxilia II
- MAUX Medium Armiger Auxilia II
Division XIV
- IBRG Infantry Brigade II
- IBRG Infantry Brigade III
- LBRG Light Armiger Brigade I
- MAUX Medium Armiger Brigade III
Division XVI
- IAUX Infantry Auxilia VII
- IAUX Infantry Auxilia VIII
- LBRG Light Armiger Brigade II
- LBRG Light Armiger Brigade III

---

August 8, 494 - The Expeditionary Force completes loading the Army units and sets out for the Moon.

The hostile forces have an orbital signature of 15,900 tons, compared to the expeditionary force’s drop capacity of 225,000 tons.

The combat drop goes off without a hitch, and the expeditionary force turns back to Earth to begin loading a second wave.

Meanwhile, the Army engages the hostile Legion forces. Initial estimates suggest they are facing around 1600 Legionnaire units, supported by around 100 IFV and two dozen main battle tanks.

The Army achieves 16 breakthroughs as their combat landings penetrate Legion defenses across the moon. Over 500 Legionnaires are destroyed in the fierce fighting for around 160 Armsmen and 16 Armigers.

Fighting over the rest of the next day continued in the same lopsided fashion, with the majority of the MBTs wiped out by an Armiger strike with few losses in return. By the end of the first day, the Legion’s back has been broken, and little remains to be done except to mop up the remnants.

The fleet elements are ordered to load the Corps of Engineers to begin bringing the ruins online before the Expeditionary Force moves out to the next targets.

Division XIII - 87% (32 LVLOG lost)
- Medium Armiger Auxilia II - 99% (1 MVAA lost)
- Light Armiger Auxilia II - 94% (9 LVGEN, 8 LVAA, 1 ILOG lost)
- Infantry Auxilia III - 92% (55 IPW, 33 ILAV, 27 ICAP, 5 ILOG lost)
- Infantry Auxilia IV - 100%
Division XIV - 87% (32 LVLOG lost)
- Medium Armiger Auxilia III - 100%
- Light Armiger Brigade I - 100%
- Infantry Brigade II - 95% (27 IPWI, 21 IHCAP, 19 ILAV, 1 ILOG lost)
- Infantry Brigade III - 98% (10 IPWI, 7 IHCAP, 8 ILAV lost)
Division XVI - 89% (27 LVLOG lost)
- Light Armiger Brigade II - 100%
- Light Armiger Brigade III - 98% (3 LVGEN, 2 LVAA lost)
- Infantry Auxilia VII - 98% (11 IPW, 7 IHCAP, 4 ILAV, 1 ILOG lost)
- Infantry Auxilia VIII - 99% (2 IPW,  IHCAP, 1 ILAV lost)

The battle was a resounding success for the Army and a testament to the reorganization. Damage to the Brigades was light, with all units above 90% of their pre-invasion strength and several emerging completely unscathed. Once the engineers are deployed on Luna, the Army will attack Mimas, Umbriel and Nereid where similar levels of resistance are expected.

After the current wave of invasions, the Army will rest and refit before moving on to larger concentrations - Metis, Dione and in particular Titan, where an unknown construct is present.

That will leave Mars as the final challenge for the Army, and the deployment there will wait on further expansion of the Army and the complete refit of the transport squadrons.

September 9, 494 - Mimas is invaded. In the initial orbital drops, nearly 90% of the estimated Legion forces are destroyed for the loss of two armsmen and five Armigers.

October 14, 494 - Engineers from the 2nd Construction Regiment uncover a cache of drives of esoteric design. Initial investigation suggests they may be capable of FTL travel between systems, though the mechanics and methods are unknown.

October 15, 494 - Umbriel is invaded. Initial estimates suggest that around 1,000 Legionnaires are present. Around a quarter are destroyed in the first hours of fighting against moderate losses for the Army. After reorganizing from the drop, the Army advances with the Armigers taking the lead, suffering 4 Armiger losses versus over 200 Legionnaire robots destroyed.

December 8, 494 - Nereid is invaded. The largest enemy concentration EF4 has yet faced, over 2,000 Legionnaires are present defending the installation. Despite that, the Army is forcing 3 to 1 losses on the robots, achieving multiple breakthroughs.

December 11, 494 - Expeditionary Force #4 has completed their objectives, wiping out the smaller Legion forces in the Sol system. In total around a hundred abandoned installations have been opened up for reclamation. The Divisions involved in EF4 will return to Earth for rest and refit. Once completed, the Army will be able to move on to the next phase of operations.

Once returned to Earth, many awards are handed out to the victorious officers and enlisted of the Royal Army. Perhaps the most meritorious goes to Colonel Sigune Boneth. Over her 10 year career, she has commanded the Army’s 6th Medium Regimental Combat Team during the Second Battle of Io, and has led the MAUX Auxilia II successfully during the most recent campaign. Units under her command have destroyed over 12,000 tons of enemy forces, the most of any officer in service.

January 3, 495 - The Corps of Engineers have finished with the ruins on Luna. The following buildings were recovered:

Code: (Luna) [Select]

Population: 0m
Research Facility: 1
Construction Factory: 4
Ordnance Factory: 1
Fighter Factory: 1
Mine: 2
Automated Mine: 6
Fuel Refinery: 1
Maintenance Facility: 1
Financial Centre: 1
Terraforming Installation: 1
Deep Space Tracking Station: 1
Mass Driver: 1
Sector Command: 1
It appears that Luna was once a naval outpost for the Ancients, but without any TN minerals to encourage development, the King is loath to invest resources in attempting to found and maintain a colony there. Instead, contracts are issued to move the installations on Luna to Earth and Io where they can be better put to use.

March 7, 495 - Expeditionary Force #4 has returned to Earth and has presented their total losses for the campaign to the Crown. These were remarkably light for the number of battles fought, totalling less than 500 Armsmen and 50 Armigers.

Code: [Select]

LVLOG x 366
IHQ x 1
IPWI x 242
ILAV x 121
IHCAP x 119
ILOG x 36
LVAA x 13
LVGEN x 16
MVAA x 14
Replacements will take 21 months to train and equip, at which point the Rio Grande transports will all be refitted and several more brigades will be ready, preparing the Army for the coming battles.