In 2032, Earth was attacked without warning by an alien armada, which bombarded the surface from orbit. The aliens were apparently only interested in devastating the planet as there was no follow-up invasion. Only pockets of humanity remained, living in near-medieval conditions in a cold, irradiated wasteland. In the centuries that followed, some semblance of civilisation returned with the emergence of villages, towns and eventually small city states. Even though knowledge of the Fall was part of collective human memory in the form of myths and legends, humanity was fractured and small wars still broke out over territory or resources. One state, known as the Imperium, expanded as a result of conquering its neighbours with swift and effective military campaigns. Those campaigns were aided by propaganda from the Imperium claiming that humanity must unite and prepare for another alien attack. This was effective enough to bring some small powers into the fold without military action.

As The Imperium developed into the most powerful state on Earth, it became an economic, scientific and military powerhouse. Trans-Newtonian physics were re-discovered, leading to the construction of factories, research facilities and orbital shipyards. Spacecraft were built, although remained close to Earth to support combat on the ever-expanding Imperium frontiers. The leader of the Imperium, known only as The Emperor, did not wish to venture into space, even to the rest of the solar system, until humanity was ready. Concern was high that the aliens had left some form of monitoring system to alert them to humanity venturing forth from its home.

By the dawn of the forty-first century, almost two millennia after the alien attack, Earth was united under the banner of the recently renamed Imperium of Man. Earth itself was named Terra in High Gothic, a derivative of Latin that had become the official language of the Imperium. It was accepted wisdom across the globe that aliens were an existential threat and that the Imperium had to be ready for their return. On the symbolic date of January 1st 4000, the Emperor gave the order for the first survey frigates to leave orbit.

This campaign uses the WH40k Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard as a guiding theme, with elements of the Space Marines. Ship classes mirror the general capabilities of classes of the Imperial Navy, based on the type of weapons specified for the ship classes in the Battlefleet Gothic board game, with the following exceptions. Survey ships don’t exist in BFG, so I chose a design and reduced weapons to allow room for the sensors. I also designed the carrier-hybrids, such as the Defiant and Dictator, as full carriers, because ‘fighters’ are relatively larger in Aurora vs WH40k and it is the ‘carrier’ aspect that distinguishes those ships. I no longer require specialised jump-capable designs due to the changes in v2.4.0, so all ships of frigate-size or greater will have their own jump drive. Finally, there is a much wider variety of non-warships in Aurora compared to BFG so I created most of those from scratch using names appropriate to the theme.

For the Battlefleet Gothic ship lists, I am primarily using the Expanded Revised edition, plus I may use the Additional Ships Compendium for roles not covered by the standard ship lists. Ground forces will be based on the equipment of Imperial Guard, Space Marines and other Imperial forces from the WH40k 8th edition codices. In order to utilise the nomenclature of the Imperial Navy, railguns on major warships will be named weapon batteries, gauss turrets will become defence turrets, CIWS are commercial defence turrets, 10cm railguns on small craft will be lascannon, particle lances will be lance batteries, lasers will be bombardment cannon and missiles will become torpedoes. There are various attack craft in WH40k which are harder to replicate, but I will stay true to their intended roles.

To reflect the theme and to allow me to include all the listed weapons, I have ‘gone large’ with the ship design, with frigates at 15,000 tons, light cruisers at 30,000 tons and cruisers at 60,000 tons. This fleet doctrine and weapon mix will not produce ‘efficient’ ships, but good design is not the intention. This is a role-play campaign based on a WH40k Imperial Navy theme. There are fewer distinct classes than in previous WH40k games, due to the absence of specialised jump ships and the larger hulls, which allowed me to combine classes such as the Firestorm and Sword class frigates into a single design. I’ve also ignored gauss and lasers initially to allow for an initial RP spend on particle lances.

With all the above in mind, I made the following changes to the starting setup:
•   Starting population is two billion with standard installations for that population size, except for 800 Maintenance Facilities instead of 600.
•   Research Points are double normal to allow for the variety of starting weapons.
•   Starting Build Points are double normal, on the assumption the Imperium has been building up the largest army and fleet it can support before venturing into the galaxy.
•   Shipyards are customised for the ship classes. This results in a larger than normal number of shipyards, although many have only a single slipway. Also, the Imperium doesn’t have the resources to use them all simultaneously.
•   Ruin chance is increased from 20% to 25%.
•   Enhanced Invaders, Enhanced Precursors, Enhanced Swarm and Raiders are active
•   System Count is 30 for Raiders, 60 for Swarm and 100 for Invaders.
•   NPRs can activate Precursors and Raiders
•   Ten multi-system NPRs using 2 + 4 empire radius. 60-120 LY
•   NPRs generate other NPRs with a 10% chance.
•   NPRs generate Precursors and Raiders
•   Minor Races set to 100%
•   Limited Research Admin
•   Research speed 50% after game start
•   Hostility Modifier +20
•   Survey Speed 25%

Imperial Navy Ship Designs
The Firestorm class frigate is a workhorse for the Imperium, capable of independent operations, functioning as part of a frigate squadron or providing an escort for larger warships. The main armament comprises six Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Batteries, with each battery firing four projectiles every fifteen seconds out to a range of 160,000 kilometres, supported by the same number of light weapon batteries for close defence. The single Gothicus-Caliban GC-8-200 Lance Battery is a slow-firing but devastating weapon that can penetrate the armour of cruiser-sized warships, but is less effective in terms of overall damage output against lighter targets. Passive defences include moderate armour and a single Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield. With a full suite of sensors, the Firestorm can locate hostile ships with her active augur array at over sixty million kilometres, detect incoming torpedoes and conduct passive searches with both thermal and electromagnetic augur arrays.
 
Firestorm class Frigate      15,000 tons       512 Crew       2,522.4 BP       TCS 300    TH 1,200    EM 1,110
4000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 4-54       Shields 37-370       HTK 96      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 12-8      PPV 72
Maint Life 2.11 Years     MSP 1,261    AFR 150%    IFR 2.1%    1YR 378    5YR 5,672    Max Repair 600 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-150 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 15000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1200-MB (1)    Power 1200.0    Fuel Use 34.92%    Signature 1200.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 538,000 Litres    Range 18.5 billion km (53 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (1)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.1 per second)

Gothicus-Caliban GC-12-200 Lance Battery (1)    Range 200,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 37-4    ROF 50       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Battery (6x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 12-4     ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Light Weapons Battery (6x4)    Range 40,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 3-3     ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (2)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
R-23 Gaseous Fission Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 46.9    Exp 5%

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Frigate Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 8640     Range 66.8m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 1    Missile 1   

The Tempest class survey frigate is based on the Firestorm hull. The lance battery, light weapon batteries, shield generator and two of the six weapon batteries have been removed and the armour reduced by twenty-five percent. The fire control and missile jammers are replaced by a sensor jammer. The freed-up interior hull space is dedicated to four gravitational and four geological survey sensors, a probe launcher and significantly increased endurance. The sensor jammer and the reconnaissance capability provided by the probe launcher improve the chance of avoiding detection by hostile forces in unexplored space, while the extensive crew accommodations, large engineering deck and considerable fuel capacity allow the Tempest to operate without support for up to five years.

Tempest class Survey Frigate      15,000 tons       413 Crew       2,463.3 BP       TCS 300    TH 750    EM 0
2500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 3-54       Shields 0-0       HTK 99      Sensors 6/8/4/4      DCR 18-12      PPV 29.2
Maint Life 5.43 Years     MSP 2,347    AFR 100%    IFR 1.4%    1YR 133    5YR 2,002    Max Repair 281.3 MSP
Magazine 21 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-150 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 15000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-750-ME (1)    Power 750.0    Fuel Use 10.78%    Signature 750.00    Explosion 7%
Fuel Capacity 1,297,000 Litres    Range 144.3 billion km (668 days at full power)

Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Battery (4x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 12-4     ROF 15       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
R-16 Gaseous Fission Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 16.3    Exp 5%

MK I Probe Launcher (1)     Missile Size: 4.0    Rate of Fire 800
MK I Probe Launcher Fire Control (1)     Range 4m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-1
MK I Small Augur Probe (5)    Speed: 4,500 km/s    Range: 3,781.2m km    Size: 4.00   

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Frigate Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 8640     Range 66.8m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (4)   4 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (4)   4 Survey Points Per Hour

Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1   

Imperial light cruisers lie halfway between true capital ships and the escort classes and are intended to form the core of a light task group. The Dauntless class is the standard light cruiser class of the Imperial Navy and has double the armament of the Firestorm, mounting twelve weapon batteries, twelve light weapon batteries and a pair of lance batteries. As the Dauntless is intended to operate in heavy combat, destroying hostile vessels at close range, it has substantially more passive defences than the Firestorm, with triple the shield strength and almost two and a half times the armour volume. The Dauntless has an improved sensor suite, adding seventeen million kilometres to active sensor range and dedicates three times as much hull volume to passive sensors.

Dauntless class Light Cruiser      30,000 tons       988 Crew       5,022.2 BP       TCS 600    TH 2,400    EM 3,330
4000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 6-86       Shields 111-370       HTK 181      Sensors 18/24/0/0      DCR 23-7      PPV 144
Maint Life 1.92 Years     MSP 2,406    AFR 313%    IFR 4.3%    1YR 845    5YR 12,679    Max Repair 600 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-300 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 30000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1200-MB (2)    Power 2400.0    Fuel Use 34.92%    Signature 1200.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,027,000 Litres    Range 17.6 billion km (51 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (3)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.3 per second)

Gothicus-Caliban GC-12-200 Lance Battery (2)    Range 200,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 37-4    ROF 50       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Battery (12x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 12-4     ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Light Weapons Battery (12x4)    Range 40,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 3-3     ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (3)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
R-48 Gaseous Fission Reactor (2)     Total Power Output 96.2    Exp 5%

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Light Cruiser  Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 13440     Range 83.3m km    Resolution 120
MK I Large Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 24.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  38.7m km
MK I Large Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 18.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  33.5m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 1    Missile 1   

The Dread Argent class Strike Cruiser is a modified Dauntless, with half the armament replaced by a hangar bay with a capacity of 4300 tons. The bay houses a pair of 2000-ton Thunderhawk assault transports, each able to carry a company of eighty-three Space Marines and conduct boarding missions against hostile shipping. The Dread Argent is still a capable ship-to-ship combatant, with six weapon batteries and eight light weapon batteries, plus the same passive defences and sensors as the Dauntless class light cruiser.

Dread Argent class Strike Cruiser      30,000 tons       788 Crew       4,368.5 BP       TCS 600    TH 2,400    EM 3,330
4000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 6-86       Shields 111-370       HTK 156      Sensors 18/24/0/0      DCR 23-7      PPV 66
Maint Life 1.74 Years     MSP 2,093    AFR 313%    IFR 4.3%    1YR 846    5YR 12,688    Max Repair 600 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 4,300 tons     
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Flight Crew Berths 86    Morale Check Required   

RM-300 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 30000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1200-MB (2)    Power 2400.0    Fuel Use 34.92%    Signature 1200.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 1,035,000 Litres    Range 17.8 billion km (51 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (3)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.3 per second)

Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Battery (6x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 12-4     ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Light Weapons Battery (8x4)    Range 40,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 3-3     ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (2)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
R-48 Gaseous Fission Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 48.1    Exp 5%

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Light Cruiser  Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 13440     Range 83.3m km    Resolution 120
MK I Large Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 24.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  38.7m km
MK I Large Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 18.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  33.5m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Fire Control 1    Missile 1   

Strike Group
2x Thunderhawk Assault Transport   Speed: 9375 km/s    Size: 40
1x Aquila Lander   Speed: 4001 km/s    Size: 6

The Lunar is the standard cruiser class of the Imperial Navy. With a hull twice the size of the Dauntless class, the Lunar has sufficient internal space to add six weapon batteries, six light weapon batteries, two lance batteries, and eight torpedo launchers, with sufficient magazine space for fifty-six torpedoes. Passive defences are substantially increased for the Lunar, with double the shield strength of the Dauntless and sixty percent greater armour volume. The MK I Cruiser Active Augur Array replaces the active augur array on the Dauntless, extending sensor range by a further sixteen million kilometres. Finally, the fuel storage, engineering systems and reactors have all been upgraded in line with the larger hull.

Lunar class Cruiser      60,000 tons       1,809 Crew       9,538.9 BP       TCS 1,200    TH 4,800    EM 6,660
4000 km/s    JR 3-50     Armour 6-136      Shields 222-370      HTK 342     Sensors 18/24/0/0     DCR 40-6      PPV 285.6
Maint Life 1.86 Years     MSP 5,874    AFR 720%    IFR 10.0%    1YR 2,157    5YR 32,361    Max Repair 750 MSP
Magazine 1,348 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-600 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 60000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1200-MB (4)    Power 4800.0    Fuel Use 34.92%    Signature 1200.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 2,006,900 Litres    Range 17.2 billion km (49 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (6)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.6 per second)

Gothicus-Caliban GC-12-200 Lance Battery (4)    Range 200,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 37-4    ROF 50       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-20 Weapons Battery (18x4)    Range 160,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 12-4     ROF 15       
Astaroth Kinetics AK-10 Light Weapons Battery (18x4)    Range 40,000km     TS: 4,000 km/s     Power 3-3     ROF 5       
MK I Energy Weapon Fire Control (4)     Max Range: 256,000 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
R-48 Gaseous Fission Reactor (3)     Total Power Output 144.4    Exp 5%

MK I Standard Torpedo Launcher (8)     Missile Size: 24    Rate of Fire 1960
MK I Torpedo Fire Control (2)     Range 19.4m km    Resolution 10   ECCM-1
MK I Standard Torpedo (56)    Speed: 25,000 km/s    Range: 9.4m km    WH: 25   Size: 24   TH: 3,000 / 6,000 / 12,000

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Cruiser  Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 19200     Range 99.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Fighter Detection Array (1)     GPS 160     Range 13.8m km    Resolution 10
MK I Large Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 24.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  38.7m km
MK I Large Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 18.00     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  33.5m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1    Fire Control 1    Missile 1   

The Dictator class carrier is based on the same hull as the Lunar, but with massive internal changes. All the weapons have been removed, along with four of the six shield generators and half of the armour. In their place is an expansive hangar bay, which holds a strike group of twenty-four Starhawk bombers, thirty Fury interceptors and two Aquila landers, plus sufficient magazine storage to reload the bombers twice. The Starhawks are capable of launching twenty-four standard torpedoes in a single salvo, while the interceptors can escort the bombers, provide anti-torpedo defences for the carrier or launch their own independent strikes against soft targets. The significant reduction in defences for the Dictator is based on a doctrine of operating at stand-off ranges.

Dictator class Carrier      60,000 tons       1,184 Crew       7,641.7 BP       TCS 1,200    TH 4,800    EM 2,220
4000 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 4-136       Shields 74-370       HTK 278      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 51-8      PPV 0
Maint Life 1.98 Years     MSP 5,059    AFR 565%    IFR 7.8%    1YR 1,714    5YR 25,707    Max Repair 750 MSP
Hangar Deck Capacity 19,250 tons     Magazine 1,156 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 2   BRG   AUX   
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months    Flight Crew Berths 385    Morale Check Required   

RM-600 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 60000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-1200-MB (4)    Power 4800.0    Fuel Use 34.92%    Signature 1200.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 2,167,000 Litres    Range 18.6 billion km (53 days at full power)
Valentinian-Stern VS-37 Void Shield (2)     Recharge Time 370 seconds (0.2 per second)

MK I Standard Torpedo (48)    Speed: 25,000 km/s    Range: 9.4m km    WH: 25   Size: 24   TH: 3,000 / 6,000 / 12,000

MK I Torpedo Detection Array (1)     GPS 16     Range 6.4m km    MCR 574.5k km    Resolution 1
MK I Cruiser  Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 19200     Range 99.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km
Electronic Warfare Jammers:   Sensor 1    Missile 1   

Strike Group
24x Starhawk Bomber   Speed: 8000 km/s    Size: 8
30x Fury Interceptor   Speed: 10001 km/s    Size: 6
2x Aquila Lander   Speed: 4001 km/s    Size: 6

The Cetaceous class troop transport is the primary transport ship of the Imperial Navy and can carry an entire Imperial Guard Corps, with ten thousand troops and over a thousand vehicles. The Cetaceous is not jump-capable, has no drop capability and lacks any defence beyond its minimal armour. Therefore it will require a stabilised jump point or support from a jump tender, plus warship escort in hostile space. Once the required technology is available, a larger, better protected, drop-capable transport will be designed.

Cetaceous class Troop Transport      225,963 tons       1,081 Crew       4,004.1 BP       TCS 4,519    TH 7,200    EM 0
1593 km/s      Armour 1-330       Shields 0-0       HTK 331      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 11    Max Repair 320 MSP
Troop Capacity 125,000 tons     Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 12   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (18)    Power 7200.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres    Range 53.3 billion km (387 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

The jump-capable Orca class troop transport has a capacity sufficient for a single infantry regiment of the Imperial Guard, or an Ordos expedition. The Orca has no drop capability and lacks any defence beyond its minimal armour.

Orca class Troop Transport      51,794 tons       280 Crew       1,100 BP       TCS 1,036    TH 1,600    EM 0
1544 km/s    JR 3-50(C)      Armour 1-123       Shields 0-0       HTK 82      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 13    Max Repair 320 MSP
Troop Capacity 25,000 tons     Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 3   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

JC52K Commercial Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 52000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (4)    Power 1600.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 400,000 Litres    Range 62 billion km (465 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1440     Range 23.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 5.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km

The 2400-ton Vigilance class is used for long-range deployment of Auspex buoys, normally at both sides of a jump point. It is jump-capable, can deploy up to eighteen buoys in a single mission and has a range of over forty billion kilometres. Two are in service.

Vigilance class Buoy Deployment Craft      2,400 tons       49 Crew       276 BP       TCS 48    TH 120    EM 0
2500 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 1-15       Shields 0-0       HTK 17      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1-4      PPV 3.6
Maint Life 2.50 Years     MSP 71    AFR 46%    IFR 0.6%    1YR 16    5YR 237    Max Repair 60 MSP
Magazine 216 / 0   
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-24 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 2400 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-120-M (1)    Power 120.0    Fuel Use 63.90%    Signature 120.00    Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 369,000 Litres    Range 43.3 billion km (200 days at full power)

Buoy Dispenser (1)     Missile Size: 12    Rate of Fire 1390
MK I Probe Launcher Fire Control (1)     Range 4m km    Resolution 1   ECCM-1
Auspex Buoy (18)    Speed: 0 km/s    End: 0m     Range: 0m km    WH: 0    Size: 12.00    TH: 0 / 0 / 0

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km

Imperial Navy Attack Craft
The Thunderhawk class Assault Transport is a 2000-ton vessel designed to launch a Space Marine Company against hostile ships. Even with a speed of 9375 km/s, the Thunderhawk is not fast enough to successfully assault warships with similar speeds to Imperial designs, at least not without heavy casualties among the boarding parties, so the ideal target ship is a lower moving commercial vessel or a damaged warship.

Thunderhawk class Assault Transport      2,000 tons       7 Crew       257 BP       TCS 40    TH 375    EM 0
9375 km/s      Armour 1-14       Shields 0-0       HTK 6      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0
Maint Life 0 Years     MSP 0    AFR 399%    IFR 5.6%    1YR 318    5YR 4,769    Max Repair 187.5 MSP
Troop Capacity 1,000 tons     Boarding Capable   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 0.3 days    Morale Check Required   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-375-ADB (1)    Power 375.0    Fuel Use 564.81%    Signature 375.00    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 9,200 Litres    Range 0.15 billion km (4 hours at full power)
MK I Fury Augur Array (1)     GPS 2     Range 2m km    MCR 181.7k km    Resolution 1

Ground Forces
1x Space Marine Company

The Starhawk bomber is the primary long-range strike weapon of the Imperial Navy and is equipped with a fixed launcher for a standard torpedo. The Starhawk includes an integral active augur array and fire control system, allowing torpedo launch from over eight million kilometres. The bomber’s endurance is sufficient to attack targets over six hundred million kilometres from its parent ship.

Starhawk class Bomber      400 tons       1 Crew       56.5 BP       TCS 8    TH 64    EM 0
8000 km/s      Armour 1-4       Shields 0-0       HTK 2      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 3.6
Maint Life 1.73 Years     MSP 25    AFR 80%    IFR 1.1%    1YR 10    5YR 152    Max Repair 32 MSP
Magazine 24 / 0   
Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 days    Morale Check Required   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-64-AB (1)    Power 64.0    Fuel Use 700.00%    Signature 64.00    Explosion 20%
Fuel Capacity 21,300 Litres    Range 1.37 billion km (47 hours at full power)

Fixed Torpedo Launcher (1)     Missile Size: 24    Hangar Reload 245 minutes    MF Reload 40 hours
MK I Starhawk Fire Control (1)     Range 8.7m km    Resolution 10   ECCM-1
MK I Standard Torpedo (1)    Speed: 25,000 km/s    Range: 9.4m km    WH: 25    Size: 24   TH: 3,000 / 6,000 / 12,000
MK I Starhawk Augur Array (1)     GPS 192     Range 10m km    Resolution 120

The Fury class Interceptor has three different missions; long-range interception of hostile targets, providing an escort for bomber attacks and fleet defence against torpedo attack. The Fury is armed with the MK I Lascannon, a small, rapid-firing weapon, and is equipped with an augur array capable of detecting torpedoes.

Fury class Interceptor      300 tons       2 Crew       66.6 BP       TCS 6    TH 60    EM 0
10001 km/s      Armour 1-3       Shields 0-0       HTK 1      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 1.65
Maint Life 2.80 Years     MSP 30    AFR 60%    IFR 0.8%    1YR 6    5YR 83    Max Repair 30.00 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 0.6 days    Morale Check Required   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-60-ADB (1)    Power 60.0    Fuel Use 1412.03%    Signature 60.00    Explosion 25%
Fuel Capacity 12,500 Litres    Range 0.53 billion km (14 hours at full power)

MK I Lascannon  (1x2)    Range 40,000km     TS: 10,001 km/s     Power 1.5-1.5     RM 40,000 km    ROF 5       
MK I Fury Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 64,000 km   TS: 10,000 km/s    ECCM-1     84 69 53 38 22 6 0 0 0 0
R-1B Gaseous Fission Reactor (1)     Total Power Output 1.5    Exp 15%
MK I Fury Augur Array (1)     GPS 2     Range 1.5m km    MCR 136.2k km    Resolution 1

The Aquila class Lander is a multi-role, jump-capable small craft, used for scouting missions, picket duty, long-range interception of unarmed vessels and even fleet defence in desperate situations. The Aquila is armed with a MK I Heavy Bolter, capable of a single shot every five seconds.

Aquila class Lander      300 tons       6 Crew       39.3 BP       TCS 6    TH 24    EM 0
4001 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 1-3       Shields 0-0       HTK 1      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 0.98
Maint Life 4.76 Years     MSP 25    AFR 60%    IFR 0.8%    1YR 2    5YR 27    Max Repair 12 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 1 months    Morale Check Required   

RM-3 Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 300 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-24-MB (1)    Power 24.0    Fuel Use 246.91%    Signature 24.00    Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 36,700 Litres    Range 8.9 billion km (25 days at full power)

MK I Heavy Bolter (1)    Range 40,000km     TS: 4,001 km/s     Power 0.75-0.75     ROF 5       
MK I Aquila Fire Control (1)     Max Range: 52,480 km   TS: 4,000 km/s    ECCM-1   
Heavy Bolter Power Plant (1)     Total Power Output 0.8    Exp 10%

MK I Shuttle Augur Array (1)     GPS 384     Range 14.1m km    Resolution 120
MK I Shuttle EM Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 0.8     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  7.1m km
MK I Shuttle Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 0.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  6.1m km

Imperial Navy Starting Forces
4x Lunar class Cruiser: Imperial Wrath, Holy Flame, Iron Duke, Justicar
4x Dictator class Carrier: Archon Kort, Ferrum Aeterna, Hammer of Justice, Rhadamanthine
4x Dread Argent class Strike Cruiser: Angelic Blade, Dread Argent, Eternal Defiance, Holy Execution
8x Dauntless class Light Cruiser: Aegis, Bellerophon, Bloodhawk, Cerberus, Dauntless, Divine Crusade, Ravenor, Unbroken Vow
12x Firestorm class Frigate: Cape Wrath, Excalibur, Firestorm, Heroic Endeavour, Kraken, Medusa, Pegasus,  Rubicon, Silent Fire, Valiant, Vengeful, Vortex
8x Tempest class Survey Frigate: Acta Sanctorum, Ascension, Constantia, Covenant, Emperor's Light, Evening Star, Morning Star, Tempest
2x Vigilance class Buoy Deployment Craft: Sentinel, Vigilance
4x Cetaceous class Troop Transport: Cetaceous Andromedae, Cetaceous Aurigae, Cetaceous Draconis, Cetaceous Leonis
4x Orca class Troop Transport: Orca Andromedae, Orca Aurigae, Orca Draconis, Orca Leonis

24x Thunderhawk class Assault Transport
60x Fury class Interceptor:
48x Starhawk class Bomber:
12x Aquila class Lander:

Imperial Guard
The primary ground combat forces of the Imperium are known as the Imperial Guard, or more formally as the Astra Militarum. There are several different types of Imperial Guard formation, the largest and most numerous of which is the Imperial Guard Infantry Regiment. The standard infantry regiment requires 25,000 tons of transport capacity and comprises two thousand four hundred guardsman armed with lasguns, two hundred and forty heavy weapon teams armed with light anti-vehicle weapons, two hundred and forty Chimeras (light vehicles armed with crew-served anti-personnel weapons), four Vox Caster squads for liaison with orbital fire support, two hundred and forty labourers assigned from the Departmento Munitorum to handle logistics and the Regimental HQ.

When multiple regiments are deployed together, they are organised into Corps formations. Each corps consists of up to four regiments plus corps-level assets including two hundred and forty heavy mortars, one hundred and twenty Departmento Munitorum vehicles, twelve Trojan construction vehicles and the Corps HQ. The corps assets require similar transport capacity to a regiment. In total, the Imperial Guard in January 4000 has six infantry corps, each of four regiments.

These large infantry-based formations are supported by the Heavy Armour Regiment, which comprises one hundred and twenty Leman Russ Battle Tanks, armed with a battle cannon and a heavy bolter, one hundred and twenty Leman Russ Exterminators, equipped with twin heavy bolters, two hundred and forty Departmento Munitorum labourers and a Leman Russ Command Vehicle. As of January 4000, there are four heavy armour regiments organised into a single Corps. The final combat formation is the Planetary Defence Regiment, intended to guard colonies against hostile torpedo attack or bombardment by energy-armed warships. This formation comprises four Planetary Lance Batteries, twelve Planetary Weapon Batteries and six Planetary Light Weapon Batteries. Four regiments are in service.

In addition to the combat forces, there are three other Imperial Guard formations; the Ordo Xenos, the Ordo Mineralis and the Ordo Machinum. The Ordo Xenos is intended to investigate any alien artefacts or ruins that are discovered during the re-survey of the galaxy. The Ordo Machinum comprises seventy-two Trojan construction vehicles for various tasks, including recovery of any alien installations identified by the Ordo Xenos. Finally, the Ordo Mineralis will conduct ground-based geological surveys where the orbital survey finds evidence to suggest further mineral deposits may be located. Two formations of each type are available in January 4000.

Imperial Guard Starting Forces
6x Imperial Guard Corps (each with 4x Infantry Regiment): Cadian Shock Troops, Caliban Jaegers, Kaledon Hunters, Lucifer Blacks, Mordian Iron Guard, Thunder Warriors
4x Heavy Armour Regiment: Armageddon Steel Legion, Jantine Patricians, Konig Armoured Regiment, Vostroyan Firstborn
4x Planetary Defence Regiment: Black Guard, Celestial Guard, Grey Slayers, Raven Watch
2x Ordo Machinum
2x Ordo Xenos
2x Ordo Mineralis

Commercial Ship Designs
The Jericho class colony ships provide the means by which the Imperium will colonise the galaxy. It is capable of transporting half a million colonists and is equipped with a full commercial sensor suite. The Jericho is almost as expensive to construct as a Dread Argent class strike cruiser. Unlike the Imperium’s warships, the Jericho and its companion ship, the Universe class mass conveyor, do not have jump capability and will rely on jump tenders and the stable jump network.

Jericho class Colony Ship      226,073 tons       1,156 Crew       6,418.8 BP       TCS 4,521    TH 7,200    EM 0
1592 km/s      Armour 1-330       Shields 0-0       HTK 243      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 17    Max Repair 400 MSP
Cryogenic Berths 500,000    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 12   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (18)    Power 7200.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres    Range 53.3 billion km (387 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1440     Range 23.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 5.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

The Universe class Mass Conveyor is the primary cargo transport of the Imperium. It is capable of transporting up to five factories or mines over considerable distances.

Universe class Mass Conveyor      225,661 tons       871 Crew       2,536.4 BP       TCS 4,513    TH 7,200    EM 0
1595 km/s      Armour 1-330       Shields 0-0       HTK 228      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 7    Max Repair 200 MSP
Cargo 125,000    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 12   
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (18)    Power 7200.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 1,500,000 Litres    Range 53.4 billion km (387 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1440     Range 23.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 5.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

The Carrack class freighter is the much smaller companion to the Universe class and is used for tasks where the vast capacity of the mass conveyor is not required, such as transporting minerals or establishing sensor outposts. Because the Carrack will often operate in newly explored space, it is equipped with a jump drive.
 
Carrack class Freighter      51,220 tons       230 Crew       795.1 BP       TCS 1,024    TH 1,600    EM 0
1561 km/s    JR 3-50(C)      Armour 1-122       Shields 0-0       HTK 60      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 9    Max Repair 130 MSP
Cargo 25,000    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 2   
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

RC-520 Commercial Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 52000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (4)    Power 1600.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 400,000 Litres    Range 62.7 billion km (465 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1440     Range 23.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 5.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

The small Empyrean class jump tender provides jump support for the Imperium’s large, commercial-engined craft, such as the Universe and Jericho classes.

Empyrean class Jump Tender      27,789 tons       227 Crew       1,060.3 BP       TCS 556    TH 1,200    EM 0
2159 km/s    JR 3-50(C)      Armour 1-81       Shields 0-0       HTK 51      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 23    Max Repair 600 MSP
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

RC-2400 Commercial Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 240000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (3)    Power 1200.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 400,000 Litres    Range 115.7 billion km (620 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

The Gateway class is intended to stabilise jump points within Imperium space, opening up systems to colonisation and mining and providing access to civilian shipping.

Gateway class Stabilisation Ship      87,453 tons       396 Crew       1,919.7 BP       TCS 1,749    TH 2,800    EM 0
1600 km/s      Armour 1-175       Shields 0-0       HTK 94      Sensors 5/6/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 13    Max Repair 1000 MSP
Lieutenant Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   
Jump Point Stabilisation: 180 days

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (7)    Power 2800.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 750,000 Litres    Range 68.9 billion km (498 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1440     Range 23.6m km    Resolution 120
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Thermal Augur Array  (1)     Sensitivity 5.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  17.7m km

The Gaia class terraforming station has been designed and built on the premise that the Imperium will find worlds that are not immediately ideal for human habitation, but could be transformed over time. The Gaia will be towed into place by the Atlas class tug.

Gaia class Terraforming Station      126,557 tons       516 Crew       2,720.2 BP       TCS 2,531    TH 0    EM 0
1 km/s      No Armour       Shields 0-0     HTK 69      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 13    Max Repair 500 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   
Terraformer: 5 modules producing 0.0016 atm per annum

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

The Ambrosia class Fuel Harvester Stations have been constructed to refine fuel from the atmospheres of gas giants. While the Sol system has yet to be surveyed, Imperial scientists are hopeful that at least one of the four gas giants in the system will contain gaseous Sorium. If not, there will be many other gas giants in the galaxy that could serve as the Imperium’s long-term source of fuel.

Ambrosia class Fuel Harvester Station      129,596 tons       536 Crew       1,786.4 BP       TCS 2,592    TH 0    EM 0
1 km/s      No Armour       Shields 0-0     HTK 281      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1      PPV 0
MSP 8    Max Repair 30 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   
Fuel Harvester: 50 modules producing 2,400,000 litres per annum

Fuel Capacity 2,500,000 Litres    Range N/A
Refuelling Capability: 50,000 litres per hour     Complete Refuel 50 hours

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

The Atlas class Tug was constructed to tow the Gaia and Ambrosia class stations, plus any future Imperial stations that may be designed and built. It is equipped with a jump drive to allow deployments outside the stabilised jump network.

Atlas class Tug      138,121 tons       1,087 Crew       3,083.6 BP       TCS 2,762    TH 10,000    EM 0
3620 km/s    JR 3-50(C)      Armour 1-238       Shields 0-0       HTK 298      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 13    Max Repair 350 MSP
Tractor Beam     
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

RC-1400 Commercial Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 140000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (25)    Power 10000.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 2,000,000 Litres    Range 116.4 billion km (372 days at full power)

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

The Brigantine class provides jump-capable logistics support to the Imperial Navy, as well as transporting fuel and maintenance supplies from colonies and harvesting stations.

Brigantine class Replenishment Ship      35,809 tons       228 Crew       794.4 BP       TCS 716    TH 1,600    EM 0
2234 km/s    JR 3-50(C)      Armour 1-96       Shields 0-0       HTK 62      Sensors 6/8/0/0      DCR 1-0      PPV 0
MSP 10,013    Max Repair 90 MSP
Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 1   
Captain    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months   

RC-360 Commercial Jump Drive      Max Ship Size 36000 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3
Ravenor Drive Systems RDS-400-C (4)    Power 1600.0    Fuel Use 2.24%    Signature 400.0    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 10,000,000 Litres    Range 2,244 billion km (11625 days at full power)
Refuelling Capability: 50,000 litres per hour     Complete Refuel 200 hours

MK I Commercial Active Augur Array (1)     GPS 1920     Range 31.5m km    Resolution 120
MK I Thermal Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 6.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  19.4m km
MK I Electromagnetic Augur Array (1)     Sensitivity 8.0     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  22.4m km

Commercial Shipping
4x Empyrean class Jump Tender: Empyrean Maelstrom, Empyrean Storm, Empyrean Tempest, Empyrean Vortex
4x Gateway class Stabilisation Ship: Arch of Constantine, Arch of Titus, Golden Gate, Meridian Gate
4x Phoenix class Salvage Ship: Gryphon, Phoenix, Sphinx, Wyvern
4x Brigantine class Replenishment Ship: Brigantine Amethyst, Brigantine Diamond, Brigantine Emerald, Brigantine Sapphire
4x Atlas class Tug: Atlas, Cronus, Hyperion, Tethys
5x Universe class Mass Conveyor: Aldebaran, Antares, Arcturus, Rigel, Vega
5x Jericho class Colony Ship: Alexandria, Antioch, Jericho, Jerusalem, Troy
5x Carrack class Freighter
5x Gaia class Terraforming Station
5x Ambrosia class Fuel Harvester

Note: These events occur during the same time period as the last post, but were separated out for clarity.  The last event in this post occurs just before the end of the Rift Campaign.

April 10, 2157, Bobruisk Territories
A ship from the 2nd LRSS working in the Bobruisk system of 86 Cygni, jumps through a newly discovered jump point to find itself in a binary yellow/red star system.  The system’s third planet, a super Jovian gas giant, is orbited by twenty-one moons, three of which have oxygen-nitrogen atmospheres.  None of them are particularly Terra-like, but given the system’s proximity to the battle grounds in the 86 Cygni and HIP 84051 systems, it is certainly possible that this system contains the long-searched for Bobruisk home world.  The system’s secondary star is very distant from the primary, over two trillion kilometers, and has no planets or moons with oxygen-nitrogen atmospheres.  As the jump point is located almost six billion kilometers from the primary star, the survey ship immediately begins moving in-system to reach a point at which it can launch sensor probes towards the habitable planets to determine if they are populated.  The system is designated as the Mu Puppis system.

April 23, 2157, Mu Puppis System, Bobruisk Territories
The first of the sensor missiles launched by the survey ship arrives over one of the habitable moons of the third planet and deploys its sensor buoy.  It immediately detects over three hundred Bobruisk ships in orbit over the moon and another eighty in orbit over the planet.  The moon has a thermal signature five times that of Terra. The other two probes find a small Bobruisk population on the sixth moon, and nothing on the eleventh moon. 

May 22, 2157, HIP 84051 system, Bobruisk Territories
Three ships of the 2nd LR Survey Group were occupied surveying this system when their sensors alerted them that numerous small nuclear explosions had been detected at the jump point to 86 Cygni.  Seconds later, the wreck of a 16,190 ton unknown ship appeared on the jump point.  The HIP 84051 system was controlled by the new race the Terran ships had discovered when they jumped into the system, and the Bobruisk had had ships stationed on the far side of the jump point.  It wasn’t clear if the destroyed ship was Bobruisk, the local aliens, or someone else. 

May 24, 2157, 86 Cygni system, Bobruisk Territories
Units of the 2nd LR Survey Group in operating in this system pick up sixty-two strength 12 nuclear detonations on the jump point to the HP 84051 system, along with a large secondary power system explosion.  This occurs just over two days after the incident in the HIP 84051 system.  It is clear that the Bobruisk and the new race are engaged in a war. 

June 12, 2157, Bobruisk Territories
A survey ship in the 2nd LR Survey Group jumps out of the HIP Alien controlled HIP 84051 system through a newly discovered jump point and finds itself in the Rho Camelopardalis system.  The system has a red M0-V primary, orbited by three terrestrial class planets, two gas giants, and a small outer dwarf.  The second planet was a colony cost 0.0 world for humans, and the other two appeared to be easily terraformed.   Of extreme interest were twelve wrecks, mostly clustered around the jump point.  Five wrecks were of unknown type, likely meaning they belonged to the new alien race encountered in the HIP 48051 system.  These wrecks included three mammoth 89,159 ton ships, and two smaller 25,517 ton ships.  In addition, there were five wrecked Bobruisk warships on the jump point, two light battleships and three cruisers.  There was an additional wrecked HIP alien ship 75 mkm’s out-system from the jump point, and a wrecked Bobruisk light battleship 800 mkm’s in-system, towards the habitable planet. 

The Terran survey ship immediately launched sensor drones towards all of the planets and then jumped out to inform the rest of the survey group about its find. 



Known Bobruisk Military Ships
2xLDN
30xHBB
3xBB
48x LBB
4xHBC
7xLBC
19xCA,
3xCL
12xHDD

The armaments of Bobruisk ships are unknown, but assumed to be advanced as their speeds range from 5,575 to 17,314 km/s for capital ships, and speeds in excess of 18,000 km/s for the CL and DD classes.  In addition to the military ships listed above, the Bobruisk are known to operate two hundred and six commercial ships of varying sizes.  Finally, there are four hundred and thirty-two ships of unknown design operating within the Bobruisk territories.  At the current time they have not been observed closely enough to determine if they are military or commercial ships. 

Currently, a fleet scout is en route to the Bobruisk Territories to scan both Bob and HIP ships and gather useful intelligence on their military capabilities.  In addition, a group of diplomatic ships is on its way to the HIP 84051 system to establish contact with the HIP aliens, and several salvage ships have been sent to begin recovering whatever we can from wrecked Bob and HIP ships. 

June 16, 2157, Rho Camelopardalis system, Bobruisk Territories, suspected New Alien home system
A Terran sensor buoy is deployed over the innermost terrestrial planet, detecting a thermal signature twice as strong as the Ganymede colony, which has 527 million colonists but little industry as of yet.  The innermost planet is much smaller than Terra, and has no atmosphere.  No ships are detected in proximity to the planet. 

The sensor buoy also detects a population on the second planet, which is the Terra-like colony cost 0.0 planet.  This population has a thermal signature close to that of Terra’s, indicating it is a heavily populated and industrialized world. 

Shortly after, a sensor buoy is deployed over the fourth planet, a gas giant.  This buoy detects two outposts, on the fifth and six moons, and nine HIP ships orbiting the sixth moon. 

Several hours later the drone assigned to the second planet deploys its sensor buoy, and when the data reaches the survey ship, its plot is littered with HIP ship contacts over the world, making it clear that it is almost certainly the HIP home world.  In fact, there were over four hundred ships in orbit over the planet.  The buoys deployed to the two outer planets, five and six, detected no settlements or ships.   

Sometime later, as the survey ship explores the system, it discovers a mining outpost on one of the comets, and deploys a sensor buoy.  Seven 956 ton HIP ships are accompanying the comet. 

June 19, 2157, HIP 84051 System, Bobruisk Territories
The survey of the HIP 84051 system is complete.  It contains two jump points, which see, to connect the HIP and Bob empires.  The innermost planet has large deposits of seven TN resources, some at good availability levels.  And, of course, dozens of wrecked starships. 

June 28, 2157, Rho Camelopardalis, Bobruisk Territories
The Long-Range Survey Ship Husband was conducting a geo survey on an asteroid when its sensors began picking up explosions on or around the HIP home world.  Out of the blue there were thousands of energy weapons discharges, and nearly simultaneously the survey ship’s sensors detected over a hundred HIP ships bound for their position at the asteroid, or intent on moving past it, perhaps fleeing the fighting in the inner system.  Based on the number of energy weapons discharges there was clearly a major battle ongoing over the HIP home world.  The captain of the Husband ordered his ship to abandon the survey and move in-system. 

It was at this point that the Husband was attacked by a missile wave, seriously damaging her armor.  The Husband’s captain sent out an emergency alert to the other survey ships in the system, and turned to run.  Unfortunately, the Husband wasn’t fast enough to escape the groups of HIP ships closing on their position, and they certainly weren’t fast enough to escape the missile waves approaching at 86,000 km/s and 53,000 km/s.  The ship wasn’t a warship, and her box launchers were filled with sensor drones. 

The first wave of missiles to reach the Husband was composed of four fast missiles, and they devastated the ship.  The missiles exploded short of the Husband and sent powerful laser blasts into the ship, which had already had much of its armor stripped away.  The four strikes penetrated the remaining armor and destroyed much of the ship’s critical systems, including its engines.  This left it a sitting duck for the next wave of missiles, which stripped away more armor and did even more internal damage.  At this point the ship’s captain ordered his crew to abandon ship and sent off his last report. 

There was one other survey ship in the system, the LRS McAuliffe.  When it received the Husband’s distress call and warning, the ship’s captain immediately ordered his ship to head for the jump point.  Their ETA was 3.3 days.  Once the HIP aliens began taking out the sensor buoys the captain of the McAuliffe decided to detour out to the outer system before heading for the jump point, to try and avoid any alien warships. 

June 30, 2157, 86 Cygni system, Bobruisk Territories
A survey ship in the 86 Cygni system picked up explosions at the jump point to the HIP alien-controlled HIP 84051 system, and shortly afterwards a new wreck of a small HIP alien ship appears on the jump point. 

July 4, 2157, Rho Camelopardalis, Bobruisk Territories
The LRS McAuliffe is on final approach to the jump point out of the HIP aliens’ system.  At a range of sixty million kilometers the survey ship’s sensors detect four corvette class HIP warships on the jump point.  The captain of the McAuliffe is determined to run the gauntlet and leave the system, to get word back to the empire of the treachery of the HIP aliens.  An hour later a light cruiser becomes visible on the jump point. 

When the survey ship reaches 38 mkm’s from the jump point the HIP squadron leaves its station and heads for the oncoming survey ship.  As the alien ships are much faster than the Terran survey ship, Captain Quinn knows that she will have little chance to make it to the jump point, and they cannot outrun their pursuers.  Therefore, she issues orders for a sensor buoy to be launched.  Seconds later a sensor drone races away from the ship, headed towards a point away from the jump point.  Before it was launched the McAuliffe’s comm officer downloaded the ship’s logs into the databank of the buoy carried by the drone. 

Two minutes later a missile salvo consisting of thirty-three missiles moving at 104,000 mkm’s appeared on the survey ship’s sensors.  Just before the missiles hit, Captain Quinn ordered a final download to the buoy’s databanks.  Then the missiles exploded and sent rods of coherent light spearing out, cutting through the survey ship’s armor and carving it in half. 

The sensor drone was too close to the survey ship when the missiles arrived, and died in the same salvo. 

July 7, 2157, HIP 84051 system, Bobruisk Territories
The LRS Smith, which was in the HIP 84051 system, on the jump point heading back towards Bobruisk territory, detected a group of four HIP ships inbound towards the jump point.  The captain ordered his science officer to continue to try to establish communications with the aliens, but was otherwise unconcerned.  When the HIP ships reached firing range they opened fire at the Smith, annihilating it in one salvo.  The Smith had been waiting on the jump point for one of the survey ships in the HIP home system to report in. 

July 20, 2157, 86 Cygni system, Bobruisk Territory
LRS-10 Resnik arrived at the jump point to HIP 84051 and found a single Bobruisk ship guarding the point.  As the Resnik approached the jump point, the Bobruisk ship transmitted a short message to the Terran survey ship.  This was an unusual development, from the normally standoffish Bobruisk, so Captain Jian ordered his ship to halt before they transited and waited for the message to be deciphered.  They discovered it was a picture of a wrecked starship.  As the survey ship’s officers examined it, they realized that it was a destroyed Terran Long Range Survey ship.  The Bobruisk were warning them. 

That was enough for Captain Jian.  The Resnik had been preparing to jump into HIP 84051 to determine the status of the other four survey ships of the 2nd LRSS, which had all been in the HIP 84051 system, or the HIP alien’s home system.  They had been overdue for check in, and now it appeared that they had been destroyed.  Captain Jian was tempted to jump through anyway, to see for himself, but his ship wasn’t a warship and couldn’t take a point-blank attack.  So, he did the only thing he could.  First, he sent a message to the only other remaining ship from the 2nd, which was heading towards the jump point back to the Empire.  The message informed them of the warning from the Bobruisk and detailed his plan to meet the 1st LRSS, which was surveying in Bobruisk territory beyond their home system and inform them of the possible destruction of the rest of the 2nd.  In the meantime, the Onizuka would head back to Shield Base with their information.     

It would take the Onizuka forty-three days to reach the Groombridge system and Shield Base. 

July 24, 2157, Mu Puppis (Bobruisk Home system), Bobruisk territories
A survey ship from the 1st LRSS jumps out of the system through a newly discovered jump point, finding itself in the omega Lyrae system.  This system has a G8-V primary, orbited by a inner terrestrial planet, a dwarf, two gas giants, and a super Jovian.  None of the planets have atmospheres, but the jump point is surrounded by forty-one Bobruisk ships.  While all of the ship classes are known, little is known about these classes, even whether they are military or commercial. 

July 26, 2157, Mu Puppis (Bobruisk Home System), Bobruisk Territories
The survey of the Bobruisk home system is complete.  In addition to a total of three jump points, the system contains a small number of resource deposits of limited interest.  The only major deposit is a sorium deposit on the same super Jovian the Bobruisk home world orbits.  Interestingly, the Bobruisk home world appears to have no TN resources, indicating that they must have mined it out and are dependent on out-system mining, much like the Empire.  The survey ships move on to the two systems found through the newly discovered jump points, both of which have been stabilized. 

August 1, 2157, Omega Lyrae System, Bobruisk Territories
The 1st LRSS Komarov, headed in-system and nine hundred and eighty million kilometers from the system, detects two Bobruisk light battleships apparently sitting in deep space. 

August 24, 2157, HIP 48659 (Original Bob contact point), Bobruisk Territories
The two surviving survey ships of the 2nd LRSS jump into the HIP 48659 system and immediately send their reports to the courier waiting on the jump point back to the Empire.  It will take twenty-three hours for the courier network to relay the message back to Terra. 

August 25. 2157, Terra
The arrival of the news of the destruction of the bulk of the 2nd LRSS at the hands of the enemies of the Bobruisk causes consternation throughout both the admiralty and the senate, however, that is a distant problem, and for now the Empire is focused on securing the GJ 1128-Rift system.  This new enemy is thirteen jumps from Terra and almost 39 billion kilometers.  It can wait. 

September 4, 2157, 86 Cygni System, Bobruisk Territories
Three Terran salvage ships and their six accompanying freighters jump into the 86 Cygni system.  The group immediately breaks up and heads for the wrecks clustered around their entry point into the system.  There are two Bob wrecks, a LBB and an LBC, and a lone 30,644 ton unknown class, probably belonging to the HIP aliens. 

The salvage ships are relatively safe in this position, deep within Bob territory, and a Terran scout is located on the far side of the system watching the jump point to HIP alien territory, so there will be warning if the HIP aliens jump into the system. 

This is a high priority operation, as salvaging Bob and HIP ships will give the Empire valuable insight into their technological capabilities.   

December 19, 2157, Sol
The Imperial Navy puts into action Operation Tollhouse, a plan to establish a hidden base in the Bobruisk Territories.  This base will eventually contain ground defenses, refueling and resupply capability, and maintenance support and R&D facilities.  The plan calls for the base to be established on one of the moons of the third planet of Upsilon Puppis, which is adjacent to 86 Cygni, where salvage operations are currently underway, and two jumps from the Bob home system and the disputed system of HIP 48069.

The Navy views this as a necessary step to enable a military expedition against the HIP aliens, now officially code named the Oct’s (rather unimaginatively, as the aliens look as if they are descended from Terran octopi).  The closest Oct controlled system to the solar system is HIP 48069, and it is fourteen jumps and 42 billion kilometers away from Terra.  The Upsilon Puppis system does not appear to be used by the Bob’s, so if they happen to stumble across our base, they hopefully will not be too upset.  It will take quite some time to ship all the necessary installations to the system, though.

December 29, 2157, 86 Cygni System, Bobruisk Territories
Three salvage ships had been working in this system for the last several months to recover everything possible from the five wrecks located in the system.  These wrecks belonged to both the Bob’s and the Oct’s, and the Empire desperately needed information on their capabilities.  The recovery effort was done, and the salvage ships were withdrawing from the vicinity of the jump point to HIP 86059 to rendezvous with the scout assigned to watch over them.  It had been a risky move to salvage so closely to the jump point, when the Oct’s were known to launch periodic attacks, but the jump point was guarded by two Bob light battleships, so the risk had been fairly low. 

The salvage ships had recovered numerous ship’s systems, including ECM systems equal to those the Empire used, various sensors, and size 8, 2.5, and 9 missile launchers.  The size 9 missile launchers came from the unknown wrecks, which were presumed to be Oct warships, and interestingly they were reduced size, slow-loading designs.  Additionally, one of the salvage ships stripped some data from one of the wrecks that would give Imperial R&D a leg up on fuel efficiency research. 

The real prize was in the HIP 48069 system, where over eighty wrecks drifted.  Unfortunately, the loss of the survey ships argued that the jump point was defended, so until the Empire could dispatch a fleet to the area there would be no way to recover those wrecks.   

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The elections resulted in no party achieving a majority in either the upper or lower house, however due to momentum against the government and a willingness to compromise from the opposition they were able to create a coalition of parties to elect president "Alvarez Fring" and gain control of both houses of government. The opposition coalition, the "Prosperity Alliance" maintains this slim majority and will do so for the next five years. After the election the coalitions main promise was to reduce military programs and funding to non civilian organisations and direct these funds and resources purely to colonisation efforts, existing defence programs are to be cut or suspended entirely and an amibitious new colonial plan is to be enacted as part of the new presidents agenda.

The "New Horizons" Program is to be a ten year program that would set out to expand known space to one-hundred star systems and redouble efforts to colonise every useful planetary body within that space to increase the prosperity of humanity. The program proposed the following:

1. Elimination of the current exploration fleet and the doctrine it held under the previous government. New Survey ships will be developed based on a cheaper and more efficient design which will have the range and number of vessels to survey the required amount of star systems the government has called for, as part of this effort a new survey ship design will be created, the Halcyon Class, coming in at 1,650t at nearly 1/10th the size of the previous survey ship types they maintain no defensive capabilities and a complete focus on cheap civilian operations with specialisation in survey purposes also being established, two variants one for geological and another for gravitational. These vessels are a direct rebuke of the previous method of exploration and the new government promises that these vessels are just as safe and will perform for a fraction of the cost.

Halcyon class Survey Ship (P)      1,650 tons       37 Crew       233.1 BP       TCS 33    TH 66    EM 0
2003 km/s    JR 3-50      Armour 1-12       Shields 0-0       HTK 12      Sensors 0/0/0/1      DCR 1-6      PPV 0
Maint Life 7.24 Years     MSP 153    AFR 22%    IFR 0.3%    1YR 5    5YR 77    Max Repair 100 MSP
Commander    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Morale Check Required   

J1650(3-50) Military Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 1650 tons    Distance 50k km     Squadron Size 3

Ion Drive  EP66.09 (1)    Power 66.1    Fuel Use 8.77%    Signature 66.09    Explosion 4%
Fuel Capacity 166,600 Litres    Range 207.2 billion km (1197 days at full power)

Cayouette Electronics AS1/R1 Radar array (1)     GPS 2     Range 1.5m km    MCR 136.2k km    Resolution 1
Active Search Sensor AS3-R10 (1)     GPS 12     Range 3.3m km    Resolution 10
Active Search Sensor AS7-R100 (1)     GPS 120     Range 7m km    Resolution 100
Cayouette Electronics Industries F01-06 EM Sensor Suite (1)     Sensitivity 0.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  6.1m km
Cayouette Electronics Industries T1-6 Thermal Sensor Suite (1)     Sensitivity 0.6     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  6.1m km
Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour
2. Re-assessment of current known space potential, existing resource deposits must be exploited and planets colonised to ensure the future expansion of humanity. In that effort a new agency will be established for deep survey efforts by ground based teams, new teams will be recruited and planets with potential looked at more closely.

3. Construction of all assets required for large scale extraction and colonisation of existing colonies, including the initial procurement of 400 Mines, 200 Automated Mines, and up to 12 fuel harvesting stations, and the large scale expansion of commercial shipbuilding including the replacement of older class vessels for more fuel efficient variants and the implementation of new ways of transporting goods, with short and long range freighters instead of homogenous vessels.

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Recognising the costs associated with these efforts the new government has implemented a plethora of spending cuts to the military including but not limited to:

• Cancellation of any development into the Everest Class Supercarrier
• Cancellation of further development into the new Gorgon Class Heavy Frigate
• Suspension of all further UNSC ship building
• Initial order of F-62 fighters reduced from 36 to 15
• Initial order of new Valiant class frigates reduced from 12 to 4
• Missile production is halved
• Weapons research funds are re-allocated to civilian uses
• Naval shipyard expansion is suspended
• Further naval work is to focus on refitting and modernising existing designs

These cuts caused outrage throughout the military-industrial complex and it was only with significant lobbying that the valiant and F-62 program were allowed to continue, despite the outrage the public supported this reduction with popular arguments in support stating that there is no threat to human expansion, so what is the need of military development?

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January:

January - 14th Additional ONI Forces arrive on new Jerusalem

January - 21st the first colonists leave Earth for Baakto

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May:

May - 23rd The first colonists arrive on Baakto and found the colony of New Andorra

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June:

June 4th - First colonists arrive on 18 Scorpii IV

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July:

July - 30th Reach begins locally manufacturing mines and maintenance supplies with the population now reaching 66.9 million colonists

Continued exploration of reach uncovers expansive caverns of technology which are catalogued by ONI and studied in secrecy

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September:

September- 8th ONI finishes its work on New Jerusalem and begins permanent operations

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October:

October - 28th Federal Elections are held, and with 8.58 billion voters eligible the election is the largest ever held in humanities history.

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2372

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January

January - 23rd President Alvarez Fring is inaugurated as president of the United Earth Government for a term of five years

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End of United Earth Council Report - 2371/72

-Chairman Zheng Wei

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Author Note: Some focus on how the government of the UEG works and a sudden change in the priorities of government. Will this lead to a golden age of humanity or leave it defenseless against supposedly fictious enemies.

There we go, a huge new threat and a looming battle!

!!!!  I know, right!  I was beginning to wonder if anything was ever going to come out of that damned thing. 

Shield Sector
April 7, 2157
The Tau Cephei system is located just within the borders of the Shield Sector.  It is an uninteresting red star system with three planets, a number of moons, and several comets.  Two of the planets are gas giants and contain significant amounts of sorium at good availability levels, marking them as targets for future exploitation should sources closer to the inner empire run out, but otherwise the system has largely been ignored.  It is, however, on the route between the Shield Sector and the GJ 1128 system, which contains the anomalous region of space dubbed the “Aether Rift” by the scientific team sent to study it.  Because of this, the sensor buoy network and the courier network have been extended through the system so that if something comes out of the rift the empire will know about it.   

At 01441 hours the courier and the sensor buoy stationed on the jump point in the Tau Cephei system that leads to the GJ 1128 system detects an unknown ship just off of the jump point.  The ship’s thermal signature is similar to that of an Imperial battleship, and its observed speed is 13,794 km/s.  The courier immediately jumps out to the Tau Cephei system, while the buoy sends a contact report to the other jump point.  As soon as the contact report is received it is forwarded on to the Shield Sector Capital.  This takes eight and a half hours. 

At nearly the same time, the buoys deployed around the Aether Rift in the GJ 1128 system detect a second ship in close proximity to the rift.  This ship’s thermal signature is between that of a battleship and a battlecruiser, and its observed speed is 10,626 km/s.   This contact report is sent off as well. 

About an hour later, a third ship is detected in the GJ 1128 system, headed towards the jump point to Tau Cephei.  This ship has a similar signature to that of the one still hovering over the rift, but is moving slightly slower.  The ship moves past the jump point, possibly headed to the system’s other jump point. 

The contact report arrived at Shield Base at approximately midnight, and their reaction was immediate.  Their course was clear, as the Naval HQ on Terra had directed a very clear response should ships emerge from the rift.  The bulk of the base’s mobile strength, the 1st Battle Group and the Battlecruiser Pluto’s battle group, were dispatched to the Tau Cephei system to make contact with the aliens.  They were not to move into the GJ 1128 system without direct orders from Sol, though. 

Meanwhile, the contact report, and Shield Base’s response, were forwarded up the chain to all other commands.  They would reach Terra in approximately 11 hours, and 111 Virginis in just over 10. 

When the contact report arrived in the 111 Virginis system, on the Kraken Frontier, it was received by Commodore Zadrozny, the Contact Force CO, who was on the verge of ordering his ships to return to the Solar system after the disastrous contact mission’s aftermath and cleanup.  His mission to the Kraken Frontier was done, he had merely been putting off returning to help the system garrison chase down the Hive Fleet Kraken survey ships that had been popping up occasionally. His squadron was still well within its endurance limits, and they had plenty of supplies and fuel.  So, after a short stop at Virginis Base to refuel one final time and give his crews R&R, he ordered his force to the Mu Cassiopeiae system.   They would approach GJ 1128 from the secondary route from the Kraken Frontier.  He sent his intentions to fleet command in the Solar System before he departed, but once en route would be beyond the courier network and out of touch. 

The contact report arrived in the Solar System one hour later.  The Admiralty had been electrified by the recent arrival of the news from the Bobruisk territories of the discovery of numerous wrecks and apparent fighting, but this was far more alarming.  Unknown ships coming out of a mysterious rift, something never mentioned in any of the records recovered from the alien Imperium. It could only be a threat of stupendous magnitude.  Therefore, a fleet was assembled and designated as the 1st Expeditionary Force.  It consisted of 1xCVA, 1xDN, 2xBB, 2xCV, 1xCVS, 6xDD, 5xDDE, 100xStrike Fighters, and 8xSensor Fighters.  Rear Admiral Paglinawan is placed in command with orders to establish contact with the new aliens.  Support units will follow as they are organized. 

April 13, 2157
The new aliens, already being referred to as Rift Aliens, have appeared in the Omicron Tucanae system.  The news is alarming, as the Omicron Tucanae garrison force is returning from several system’s away, where it had been chasing contact reports of an elusive Hive Fleet Leviathan warship. 

After hesitating on the jump point, the Rift ship begins moving in-system.  This causes a problem on the second planet, which has been settled by over five million colonists.  The system’s naval base is located on the first planet, where an ancient construct is located.  This is where the terraformers are currently stationed, and they are defended by the base’s STO’s in the absence of the garrison squadron.  The Imperial Army has not yet stationed a defensive force on the second planet, as it was not scheduled to be settled yet.  As has happened before, though, once the terraformers were finished civilian ships began transporting colonists to the now planet whether the government wanted them to or not.  So, the naval base in the system is defended, as are the terraformers, but the population on the second planet is not. 

Fortunately, the Rift Aliens reach the fourth planet and then turn for the outer system and the jump point, without moving towards the inner system planets. 

Once the alien ship departs the system, the base commander orders the terraformers to leave the system, fearing the disappearance of the aliens is only temporary.  The massive ships slowly lift away from the first planet and begin moving towards the distant jump point out of the system. 

April 14, 2157
A Rift Alien fleet is detected closing on the jump point to Omicron Tucanae in the GJ 1128 system.  The fleet is composed of nine ships of two different classes.  Five of the ships have thermal profiles consistent with that of an Imperial dreadnought, while five have profiles 50% higher than a dreadnought.  All are moving at 13,734 km/s.  When the ships arrive at the jump point, they casually swat the Terran sensor buoy before jumping to Omicron Tucanae.  The other buoys in the system record the death of the sensor buoy, along with the energy profile of the weapons that took it out.  If those weapons had been aimed at an Imperial dreadnought, they would have taken out its shields in one shot. 

April 17, 2157
The Shield Base Battlegroup, under Rear Admiral Casella, jumps into the Tau Cephei system from Gamma Carinae on this date.  The sensor buoy at the jump point reports the presence of a single Rift Alien ship at the system’s second jump point to the GJ 1128 system.  At this point, Admiral Casella is unaware of the destruction of the sensor buoy in the GJ 1128 system, however, that information would have been of interest to her, but would hardly have been pivotal in her planning.  The destruction of an automated buoy was not a friendly act, but it also wasn’t a declaration of war.  And she could hardly be any more cautious than she planned on being anyway. 

For now, the Shield Base Battlegroup was on its own.  The 1st Expeditionary Fleet, advancing out of Sol, was still twenty-two days away.  And the Contact Expedition hadn’t left the 111 Virginis system yet, and would need time to move up the chain to a flanking position on the far side of the GJ 1128 system.  Admiral Casella’s battlegroup was not an inconsiderable force in its own right.  The battlegroup consisted of the DN Pegasus, the battleship Rigel, four battlecruisers, four missile cruisers, six destroyers, five missile destroyers, four destroyer escorts, a fleet scout, and a carrier and strike carrier with forty-four fighters embarked. 

Admiral Casella’s orders were to block the aliens from moving further into the Empire, and, if possible, establish contact with them and determine their intentions.  Mindful of the fact that the alien ships were almost twice as fast as Terran warships, she was not willing to advance her force very far from the jump point back to the Empire.  Neither was she willing to risk her capital ships, or God forbid her carriers, in close contact with an alien race of unknown intent and capabilities.  Therefore, she ordered her force to advance 850 mkm’s towards the jump point on the far side of the system, and from that vantage point she would launch her strike group towards the lone alien ship.  The strike group would position themselves approximately fifty mkm’s from the alien ship, at which point a single automated sensor fighter would move into close contact with the aliens to determine their intent. 

April 19, 2157, Tau Cephei – Leviathan Frontier
The Shield Base Battlegroup’s strike fighters jumped through the system’s La Grange point into the inner system, bound for a waypoint that would position themselves approximately 60 mkm’s from the jump point to the GJ 1128 Rift System and the Rift Alien ship last seen on the jump point.  Shortly after jumping into the inner system, the Aegis sensor fighters with the fighter group detect a 7,423 ton Rift Alien ship in orbit over Tau Cephei I, an airless terrestrial class planet.  Instead of continuing on as planned, the strike group remained on the La Grange point and dispatches the specially prepared automated sensor fighter towards the Rift alien ship.  Shortly after that, the Rift Alien ship departed the planet, bound for the jump point to GJ 1128. 

The automated fighter makes contact with the Rift Alien ship short of the jump point, but is ignored as the alien ship continues to retreat.  Once the alien ship reaches the jump point it jumps out, followed by the sensor fighter.  The automated fighter is programmed to follow the alien ship through the jump point and return as soon as possible to report on the conditions on the far side. 

Two minutes and forty seconds later the fighter reappears in the Tau Cephei system and sends its report to the waiting fighter group.  The Rift Alien ship continued its retreat when the fighter appeared in the GJ 1128 system.  No other Rift Alien ships were within detection range of the jump point.  As ordered, the fighter stripped the logs from the sensor buoy near the jump point and transmitted those as well.  The logs were very interesting.  The buoys at the jump points to Omicron Tucanae and Mu Cassiopeiae had both been destroyed by Rift Alien ships, which was not in and of itself necessarily a hostile act.  While not exactly friendly, it was completely understandable that an alien race might not want sensor buoys from another race in territory they considered their own.  However, much more important was the destruction of an Imperial jump point stabilization ship that had apparently been in transit through the GJ 1128 system before it was placed off limits.  The commercial ship had been attacked without warning and destroyed within seconds of entering the system.  When that report reached Admiral Casella, it settled the question of whether the aliens were peaceful or not rather definitively. 

Admiral Casella was tempted to proceed to the jump point and picket it with her heavy ships, but her orders were clear, she was not to unnecessarily risk her command but rather to block any advance into the Empire.  To that end she recalled her fighters and ordered one of her missile cruisers to re-establish the sensor buoy coverage of the jump point to the GJ 1128 system. 

April 20, 2157, Omicron Tucanae, Leviathan Frontier
For days now a Rift Alien ship had been sitting on the jump point to the GJ 1128 system, watched by a sensor buoy sitting off of the jump point.  Now it was joined by a second ship, which immediately headed in-system, towards the Imperial base on the innermost planet.  Eventually this new ship would be matched to the ship which ran from the sensor fighter in the Tau Cephei system, but for now it remained unknown to the Imperial forces in this system. 

Several hours after leaving the jump point the ship stopped at about 350 mkm’s from the jump point, and the second ship, which had been sitting on the jump point, left and started heading in-system.  About an hour later the second ship returned to the jump point, while the first began heading across the system towards a different destination.   

April 23, 2157, Omicron Tucanae, Leviathan Frontier
The Omicron Tucanae Carrier Group was back in the system and finally in between the retreating terraformer squadron and the Rift Alien ship that had been poking around the system.  The Terraforming Group, one hundred and thirty-four terraformers strong and very slow, was still over eleven days from jumping out of the system.  The Rift Alien ship was five hundred and thirty mkm’s ahead of the Terran squadron, and was 7,400 tons and moving at 10,626 km/s.  Commodore Hong, CO of the carrier group, was very suspicious of the aliens.  They had not been confirmed as hostile, but the immense industrial investment represented by the terraformers meant he couldn’t just avoid contact with them, he had to be aggressive and try to establish whether they represented a threat or not. 

Unfortunately, his “carrier group” was, in reality, a single carrier supported by a jump capable battleship.  Doctrine demanded that the carrier not be exposed to close attack by a potential threat, but the battleship Antares was built for just such a situation.  Commodore Hong ordered the carrier France to retreat and follow behind the Antares from one million kilometers, while the battleship closed on the alien ship and tried to establish contact. 

April 24, 2157, Omicron Tucanae, Leviathan Frontier
The battleship Antares reached three hundred thousand kilometers from the alien ship without incident.  The battleship had been transmitting contact messages the entire way in, but the alien had not responded.  In fact, the alien was doing nothing, just sitting in space.  Since the alien hadn’t reacted, Commodore Hong ordered the Antares to close to one hundred thousand kilometers.  It was at this point that the alien ship began running, and as it was faster, soon pulled out of the Antares’ weapons range.  After ten minutes Commodore Hong called a halt to the chase.  After consulting with his officers, Commodore Hong decided on a different approach.  He ordered his ships to close on the second alien ship, a faster ship equipped with military engines that had been hovering around the jump point to GJ 1128. 

After several hours of following the alien ship as it maneuvered apparently aimlessly across the system, Commodore Hong was losing his patience.  The alien ship was faster than the Terran warships, almost twice as fast, and hadn’t allowed then any closer than seventy million kilometers before darting away again.  What made it even more frustrating to Hong was that he knew that he could order the France to launch its fighters and they’d be able to chase it down.  After some thought he raised the commander of the France and ordered him to launch the carrier’s fighters.  The fighters were to close on the alien ship to 1,000,000 kilometers range, and then send in a lone sensor fighter to try and make contact. 

Two hours later the fighters were in position and a single sensor fighter detached from the group and closed on the alien ship.  The aliens let the fighter close, and changed course towards the jump point, but otherwise ignored the Terran fighter.  As the alien ship raced back towards the jump point, the battleship Antares was able to intercept it by cutting across its course, but it ignored the big warship just as it had ignored the fighters. 

The alien ships both jumped out of the Omicron Tucanae system at 0937 hours on the 25th, leaving the sensor fighter to wait at the jump point for the rest of the squadron to arrive.  The Antares arrived at the jump point five hours later.  Commodore Hong ordered the France to retreat to the 4th planet, which would put it 415 mkm’s from the jump point, but still in between the jump point and the base in the inner system.  He then sent a message to the courier at the jump point back to the Empire to be forwarded on the other fleets involved in the operation and the fleet HQ on Terra. 

The Empire now has blocking forces in place in three of the four systems adjacent to the GJ 1128 system, although two of those forces aren’t particularly strong, and the main force advancing from Sol is still a week away from the Tau Cephei system. 

May 7, 2157, Tau Cephei system
The 1st Expeditionary Force has entered the Tau Cephei system, fresh from refueling from the tankers in the Gamma Carinae system.  Rear Admiral Paglinawan, following orders issued to him on Terra, retires to his quarters to open sealed orders.  Inside the packet he finds that he is ordered to clear Imperial space of the Rift Aliens.  Prior to his departure the Senate declared the Rift system and all associated systems part of the Shield Sector.  He was ordered to establish contact with the aliens and order them to depart, peacefully, if possible, by any means necessary if not.  If the aliens refused to talk, his orders were clear, that would be considered willful refusal of an Imperial order and he was authorized to use force to clear the alien infestation. 

His orders clear, Admiral Paglinawan ordered his fleet towards the jump point to the GJ 1128 system. 

May 13, 2157, Tau Cephei
The three assault groups of the 1st Expeditionary Fleet were arrayed around the jump point to the GJ 1128 system, also known now as the Rift System.  They consisted of an assault carrier, two dreadnoughts, two battleships, a jump battleship, four battlecruisers, and five destroyers.  Five million kilometers back from the jump point were the fleet’s other ships, three carriers, two strike carriers, four missile cruisers, five missile destroyers, seven destroyers, nine destroyer escorts, and several support ships.  On the signal, the assault groups jumped into the Tau Cephei system. 

They materialized in the GJ 1128 system with the familiar 7,602-ton Rift Alien ship sitting on the jump point.  The alien ship immediately set out across the system, towards the jump point to the Omicron Tucanae system.  After the fleet’s sensors settled, several things became clear.  First, the rift itself was not only still there, but had significantly expanded, now extending beyond where the sensor buoys had been placed.  The buoys were still there, and still reporting, though.  The buoys on the Omicron Tucanae and Mu Cassiopeiae jump points had apparently been destroyed, and, finally, a commercial stabilization ship had been destroyed at the jump point to Mu Cassiopeiae system.  That last was enough for Admiral Cassella, who had taken over command of the fleet upon its arrival.  The aliens were hostile.  With the jump point secure, she sent a destroyer back to call through the rest of the fleet. 

Unknown to Admiral Casella, shortly after she jumped into the GJ 1128 system, nine large Rift Alien ships jumped into the Omicron Tucanae system, on top of the battleship Antares, which was picketing the jump point.  There were four 22,905-ton ships, and five 15,258-ton ships.  None were as large as the Terran warship, but as a group they significantly out-massed the battleship.  Commodore Hong ordered his crew to prepare to jump, and targeted all his ships weapons on one of the larger ships, but held fire to see what they would do.  After fifteen seconds of staring at the motionless alien ships, Commodore Hong decided to put some space in between his ship and the potentially hostile alien ships.  The Antares moved out to just within weapons range of the jump point and settled in to watch the alien ships. 

Ninety seconds later all uncertainty was removed when the alien ships opened fire on the battleship and the sensor buoy.  Ten lasers of varying strengths hit the Antares, reducing her shields to 91%.  Commodore Hong ordered his ship to open fire and sent a message to the France to launch her fighters.  The fighters wouldn’t arrive in time to decide this battle, but they would avenge the Antares, if nothing else.     

The alien ships accelerated away from the jump point at almost twice the speed of the Terran battleship, racing to close the distance.  The Antares fired her laser weapons, but the alien jammers made hitting the oncoming ships nearly impossible and all the battleship’s lasers missed. 

Commodore Hong saw the nine alien ships rushing towards his command and knew they were doomed.  He couldn’t out run them, and if a single long-range salvo was able to take out 10% of his shields, when he couldn’t even hit their ships, then he wasn’t likely to take very many of them with him.  Worse, based on the latest information he had, Admiral Casella had advanced into the GJ 1128 system to make contact with the aliens, and did not know that they were hostile, unless she had already encountered them.  His comms officer had already dispatched a message to the courier network ship sitting on the jump point back to the Empire, warning them of the attack, but it would take over twenty hours for the message to reach Admiral Casella.  There was a quicker way, though. 

“Helm, set a course to the jump point.  Take us through.  All weapons to continuous fire!”

The Terran BB turned towards the jump point, and the alien fleet, and raced forward. The aliens, perhaps realizing they held the range advantage, turned away to maintain the range.  This amused Commodore Hong, who hadn’t been sure that his ship could stand up to a close pass with the alien ships.  With them running ahead of his ship, the path to the jump point was clear.  The BB took several more hits to her shields during the approach, and scored one low power hit to an alien ship at long range. 

At the last second, as the BB approached the jump point, the aliens must had realized she was going to jump out as they turned and raced towards the human ship.  The battleship took a heavy shield hit that reduced her shields to 86%, and scored several more hits on one of the alien ship’s armor, and then jumped out. 

Once in the GJ 1128 system Commodore Hong ordered his comms officer to send a message towards the jump point to the Tau Cephei system and Admiral Casella’s last reported location.  It would take that message thirty minutes to arrive.  Then they settled in to wait for the Rift Aliens to jump into the system and continue their assault. 

Thirty seconds later they were still waiting.  By then the BB’s shields had recharged almost to 100%.  Thirty minutes later the battleship was still waiting.

Admiral Casella and the fleet received the transmission from the Antares twenty-eight minutes after it was sent.  By that time the Expeditionary Force’s carriers had joined them on the jump point and Admiral Casella had just ordered a fighter strike against the fleeing Rift Alien ship which was now ten million kilometers distant. 

Even as the carriers launched their fighters, the fleet scout accompanying the expeditionary force sent a contact report for four additional Rift Alien ships that had appeared within the Rift.  The four contacts were 15, 231 tons each.  Not wishing to leave a force in her rear when they advanced on the jump point to the Omicron Tucanae system, Admiral Casella ordered her fleet to advance on the rift. 

Twenty-five minutes later the fighters had chased down their target and launched their missiles.  It took thirty-five seconds for the missiles to reach their target, which launched a decoy at the last second.  Only two of the twenty-four missiles were decoyed, and it only took five of the remaining missiles to destroy the fleeing ship.  Unlike the Hive aliens, the destruction of the Rift Alien ship left a drifting wreck, which was somehow comforting for all of the Terran crews.  The fighters returned to their bays aboard their carriers, to rearm for a strike against the ships in the rift. 

May 13, 2157, GJ 1128 system (Rift System)
By 0947 hours the Expeditionary Force was 82 million kilometers from the nearest of the Rift Alien ships.  The four ships that had ‘jumped’ into the system were divided into two widely separated groups, and had done nothing since jumping into the system.  This put Admiral Casella in something of a difficult position.  She could launch her fighters and use them to attack the ships within the rift, but she was reluctant to launch an alpha strike with missiles that could only be replaced by UNREP ships that had to travel all the way from Sol, against ships that could jump out of the system seconds before the missiles reached them.  In the alternative, she could take her assault groups into the rift to attack the alien ships, which would avoid wasting missiles, but that would expose her capital ships to a counter-attack by any ships the Rift Aliens had sitting on the far side of the rift. 

After some thought, and conferring with her staff, she decided to close to 25 mkm’s, at which point they would launch a strike from the force’s DDG’s.  The Absolution class DDG’s carried Archer IV missiles with a range of 30 mkm’s.  They would launch a small test strike, to see if the Rift Alien ships would jump out of the system when they came under missile threat. 
 
May 13, 2157, 1132 hours, Omicron Tucanae System
The France’s fighter group had been facing the same problem as Admiral Casella’s expeditionary fleet, in that their targets, the nine Rift Alien ships that had chased the Antares out of the system, were sitting on the jump point.  If the fighters launched their missiles, they would be able to avoid the strike by jumping out.  Here, though, the strike leader was relying on the experience of the France’s captain, who had served as a fighter pilot and fought several engagements against the Reapers and the Hive.  With both of those alien races, if the fighters got close enough to be detected, the aliens would pursue, even if they couldn’t catch the faster fighters.  Captain Zhen had ordered his fighters to approach to one million kilometers, and then, if the aliens didn’t react, to close even further.  The goal was to get them to pursue the fighters and move off of the jump point.  And it worked.  When the fighters reached two million kilometers from the jump point the nine alien ships began to pursue. 

The France’s fighters turned and ran ahead of the Rift Alien ships and salvoed their missile racks, targeting the four enemy ships equipped with heavy lasers, as they were the bigger threat to the Antares.  The heavy laser ships were slightly larger than an Imperial battlecruiser at 22,905 tons, and equipped with nine heavy lasers capable of dealing heavy damage out to 341,000 kilometers.  These had been christened the Espakeh heavy battle cruiser class, while the other five ships were the Caripare light cruiser class, in between battlecruiser and destroyer sized, and equipped with eight small lasers presumably for missile defense. 

Thirty second after launch, the missiles slammed into their targets.  Sixty-three hit their targets, fifty-one were intercepted by laser fire short of their targets, and the remainder came around to attack again.

Espakeh-001: Twelve armor hits, four decoyed
Espakeh-002: Twelve armor hits, two decoyed
Espakeh-003: Eight armor hits, four decoyed
Espakeh-004: Seventeen armor hits, four decoyed

The remaining came around and attacked again, getting only thirteen hits and losing fifty-three to point defense fire. 

Espakeh-001: two armor hits
Espakeh-002: four armor hits
Espakeh-003: two armor hits
Espakeh-004: four armor hits, one decoyed

The rapidly dwindling missile swarm came around again, but only managed to get one hit while losing twenty-six more to point defense fire.  That left one missile in the strike, and it got shot down before it could get close enough to attack again. 

None of the targets suffered breaches in their armor, however, the strike was not a complete failure.  The four ships had suffered an average of fifteen missile hits each, and as they had no shields their armor must be at least somewhat depleted.  The fighters raced away from the slower alien ships to return to the France and rearm.