3rd June 2036
The light carrier task group in TW Piscis Austrini is still in orbit of the second planet, guarding a NATO salvage ship. As the innermost planet moves close to the second planet in its orbit, NATO sensors detect a ground forces signature. Once the Leonidas arrives in the system, Rear Admiral Majewski will ask for ground troops to secure what he believes will turn out to be a Golem sensor outpost.
19th June 2036
The Soviet Union launches three Project 1207B 'Antonov' class freighters, beginning the long task of rebuilding of the state-controlled freighter fleet.
28th June 2036
NATO launches Devonshire, the sixth Daring Mod 1 area defence cruiser. Nine units of the smaller Daring class area defence cruiser are also in service.
1st July 2036
NATO completes a survey of the Fomalhaut system without finding any new jump points.
8th August 2036
The NATO light carrier task group returns to the maintenance base at Heintz 299-II to refuel, resupply and take on ordnance. There are insufficient missiles available to completely reload the magazines of every ship so Rear Admiral Majewski requests that colliers be dispatched from Epsilon Eridani. He also takes the opportunity to overhaul several of his ships, although the carriers and the Virginia class cruisers are too large for the four Mackenzie class maintenance vessels to handle. The fifth Mackenzie, currently under construction in Roanoke orbit, will solve that problem.
13th August 2036
Construction factories on Alpha Centauri-B III complete work on a commercial shipyard. This is the first Soviet shipyard to be built outside the Sol system.
16th August 2036
A NATO geological survey ship finds a ruined alien settlement on the first planet of TW Piscis Austrini II, the planet guarded by the Golem bases. The presence of both ground forces and a small population signature, almost certainly a sensor outpost, on TW Piscis Austrini I have also been confirmed. The area defence cruiser Diana has remained behind to monitor the innermost planet until the arrival of NATO marines.
22nd September 2036
The NATO salvage ship which was operating in TW Piscis Austrini unloads a significant number of recovered components at New Amsterdam. NATO scientists disassemble them and gain valuable information that allows an improvement in missile reload rate technology and helps NATO scientists advance their knowledge of several electronics-related technologies. Most importantly the new data enables NATO to completes its research into Internal Confinement Fusion Drive technology almost a year ahead of schedule. This new technology will allow the creation of a new family of engines, leading to faster ships, fighters and eventually missiles. It also brings NATO on to a par with the Golems in terms of engine technology.
2nd October 2036
The light carriers are recalled from the systems around Heintz 299 so they may be refitted to a new design with upgraded engines.
12th October 2036
The US 5th Marine Regiment lands on TW Piscis Austrini I and immediately assaults the Golem ground forces guarding their sensor outpost.
29th October 2036
NATO completes a gravitational survey of EQ Pegasi, adjacent to Heintz 299. It is a dead-end system
24th November 2036
The 5th Marine Regiment secures the innermost planet of TW Piscis Austrini, capturing a deep space tracking station and securing a stockpile of 3800 SA-N-34 Gargoyle anti-missiles. A San Antonio class Troop Transport picks up the Marines and carries them to the outpost on Heintz-299 II. They will be stationed there for the moment in case they are needed for a similar mission in the nearby systems.
10th December 2036
The Soviet Union launches its first purpose-built tanker, the Project 1223 'Zhdanov'. It also completes the refit of Varyag, a Project 1204 Atlant, to the more modern Project 1204B class. Three Project 1204Bs are now in service. Varyag and Slava are older refitted ships and Vladivostok was built as a Project 1204B. A fourth ship is under construction and the only remaining Project 1204, Chervona Ukrayina, will soon start her own refit. The Soviet Navy is attempting to recover as quickly as possible from the disaster in Kostinbrod and emerge as a more modern force.
Project 1223 Zhdanov class Tanker 11,750 tons 450 Crew 1346.4 BP TCS 235 TH 1000 EM 0
4255 km/s Armour 1-46 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Capacity 72 MSP Max Repair 50 MSP
Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (5) Power 200 Fuel Use 7% Signature 200 Armour 0 Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 5,000,000 Litres Range 10941.4 billion km (29761 days at full power)
NATO launches Deadly, the seventh Daring Mod 1 class area defence cruiser. Although an eighth unit is under construction, no more Daring Mod 1s will be laid down. With the introduction of the new engine technology, initial designs are being prepared for a Daring Mod 2, which will also feature the Mk10 Guided Missile Launching System, with its five second reload time, and possibly upgraded electronics.
14th December 2036
A NATO xenology team on TW Piscis Austrini II deciphers the language and symbology used by the alien race who was once lived in the ruined settlement on that world. They were known as the Union of Hobart and appear to have been reasonably advanced in technological terms. Twenty-nine installations on the planet have been identified as potentially recoverable.
5th February 2037
Alpha Centauri-A III becomes an ideal habitable world. The planet has a population of twenty-two million. The largest Soviet population in the system, one hundred and forty-five million, is on Alpha Centauri-B III. Soviet terraforming efforts will now be concentrated on Alpha Centauri-A IV.
19th February 2037
Minotaur, the twelfth Cerberus class monitor, is launched by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Roanoke orbit. No more units of this class are planned.
16th March 2037
NATO completes a survey of TW Piscis Austrini, finding two new jump points.
23rd March 2037
The Goavelha Host sends an amazing ten construction ships into Gorshkov in a single wave and ten survey ships into Ross 154. Soviet railgun-armed FACs picketing both systems chase down and destroy all of the intruders. The continual dispatch of unarmed ships into systems where they have previously suffered heavy losses seems a very strange policy. However, given the large number of systems that have been reached by Goavelha ships in the past, perhaps the Host sees it as way of testing enemy defences and deem the losses acceptable if they can gain strategic information or open up more systems to the jump gate network.
24th April 2037
Designs are finalized for the next generation of NATO fighters. The F-24D Cobra uses the newly developed Pratt & Whitney F200 IC Fusion Drive, giving it a top speed of over 14,000 km/s, and has a upgraded fire control system. The SN/APG-43 Missile Fire Control has both greater range and lower resolution than its predecessor on the F-24C, allowing it to engage ship-sized targets at over one hundred and ten million kilometers and fast attack craft at twenty-seven million. The operational range of the F-24D is slightly less than the F-24C as the F200 engine uses the latest power boosting technology, providing improved engine output at the cost of fuel efficiency.
F-24D Cobra class Strikefighter 245 tons 3 Crew 62.1 BP TCS 4.9 TH 69 EM 0
14081 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 2.4
Annual Failure Rate: 49% IFR: 0.7% Maint Capacity 0 MSP Max Repair 32 MSP Est Time: 0 Years
Magazine 16
Pratt & Whitney F200 IC Fusion Drive (1) Power 69 Fuel Use 7800% Signature 69 Armour 0 Exp 60%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres Range 0.9 billion km (18 hours at full power)
Mk3 Box Launcher (4) Missile Size 4 Hangar Reload 30 minutes MF Reload 5 hours
SN/APG-43 Missile Fire Control (1) Range 110.6m km Resolution 40
AGM-1C Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (4) Speed: 36,000 km/s End: 34.7m Range: 75m km WH: 6 Size: 4 TH: 120 / 72 / 36
The F-32B Anaconda has the same fusion drive as the Cobra, giving it an impressive top speed of 18,648 km/s. The SN/SPG-42 Fighter Gauss Fire Control is a newly designed system with the tracking capabilities required for extreme high speed.
F-32B Anaconda class Interceptor 185 tons 4 Crew 56.7 BP TCS 3.7 TH 69 EM 0
18648 km/s Armour 1-2 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 1
Annual Failure Rate: 37% IFR: 0.5% Maint Capacity 0 MSP Max Repair 30 MSP Est Time: 0 Years
Pratt & Whitney F200 IC Fusion Drive (1) Power 69 Fuel Use 7800% Signature 69 Armour 0 Exp 60%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres Range 1.2 billion km (18 hours at full power)
A17 Gauss Cannon (1x3) Range 20,000km TS: 18648 km/s Accuracy Modifier 17% RM 2 ROF 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
SN/SPG-42 Fighter Gauss Fire Control (1) Max Range: 80,000 km TS: 20000 km/s 88 75 62 50 38 25 12 0 0 0
The J-30C Vanguard is equipped with a fusion drive and the recently developed SN/SPS-46 Area Search Sensor. Considering the small size of the Vanguard, it has an impressive active sensor range of two hundred and thirteen million kilometers against targets of 6000 tons or larger, a greater range than many major NATO warships. The J-30C retains the Blohm + Voss F300 Military Jump Drive of its predecessor, enabling it to fill a role as jump scout as well as early warning and strike support roles.
J-30C Vanguard class Jump Scout 300 tons 8 Crew 133 BP TCS 6 TH 69 EM 0
11500 km/s JR 1-50 Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 7% IFR: 0.1% Maint Capacity 28 MSP Max Repair 108 MSP Est Time: 2.2 Years
Blohm + Voss F300 Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 300 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 1
Pratt & Whitney F200 IC Fusion Drive (1) Power 69 Fuel Use 7800% Signature 69 Armour 0 Exp 60%
Fuel Capacity 10,000 Litres Range 0.8 billion km (18 hours at full power)
SN/SPS-46 Area Search Sensor (1) GPS 12960 Range 213.0m km Resolution 120
The K-31B Boa class Tanker is identical to the A model, except for the upgraded engine.
K-31B Boa class Tanker 400 tons 8 Crew 83.3 BP TCS 8 TH 69 EM 0
8625 km/s Armour 1-4 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 12% IFR: 0.2% Maint Capacity 13 MSP Max Repair 12 MSP Est Time: 3.62 Years
Pratt & Whitney F200 IC Fusion Drive (1) Power 69 Fuel Use 7800% Signature 69 Armour 0 Exp 60%
Fuel Capacity 310,000 Litres Range 17.9 billion km (23 days at full power)
22nd May 2037
The fifth Mackenzie class maintenance vessel arrives at Heintz 299 II. This forward outpost is now capable of maintaining and overhauling ships of up to 15,000 tons, which includes the Illustrious class light carriers.
24th May 2037
The Soviet Project 1200 'Berkut' class escort cruisers Marshal Timoshenko and Admiral Oktyabrsky are refitted to the new Project 1200B class. Compared to the Project 1200, the Berkut-B has a Magneto-Plasma engine that increases its top speed by 33%, updated reactors and improved endurance both in terms of fuel and maintenance supplies.
Project 1200B Berkut-B class Raketnyy Kreyser 13,500 tons 1233 Crew 2501.6 BP TCS 270 TH 1440 EM 0
5333 km/s Armour 4-50 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/16/0/0 Damage Control Rating 8 PPV 47
Annual Failure Rate: 171% IFR: 2.4% Maint Capacity 984 MSP Max Repair 384 MSP Est Time: 1.25 Years
Magazine 510
Magneto-plasma Drive (18) Power 80 Fuel Use 70% Signature 80 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 210,000 Litres Range 40.0 billion km (86 days at full power)
200mm Railgun (2x4) Range 160,000km TS: 5333 km/s Power 12-3 RM 4 ROF 20 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 1 1
MR-504 Podkat Railgun Fire Control (1) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 4000 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
Stellarator Fusion Reactor (1) Total Power Output 6 Armour 0 Exp 5%
B-301A Anti-Missile System (15) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 10
B-405A VLS System (24) Missile Size 5 Hangar Reload 37.5 minutes MF Reload 6.2 hours
Volna-300 Missile Fire Control (3) Range 28.0m km Resolution 1
Garpun-BAL Missile Fire Control (1) Range 84.1m km Resolution 120
P-506 Palash-B (24) Speed: 32,000 km/s End: 44.5m Range: 85.4m km WH: 8 Size: 5 TH: 106 / 64 / 32
9K60 Strela-30 (390) Speed: 48,000 km/s End: 1.8m Range: 5.1m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 320 / 192 / 96
Voskhod MR-920 (1) GPS 11520 Range 68.7m km Resolution 180
Fregat MAE-30 Missile Detection Sensor (1) GPS 384 Range 30.7m km Resolution 1
Gurzhor-16 EM Detection Sensor (1) Sensitivity 16 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 16m km
ECM 20
NATO begins production of the latest version of the long-serving Sabre anti-ship missile. Although the AGM-1D has the same warhead and range as its immediate predecessor, its speed has increased from 36,000 km/s to 45,000 km/s.
AGM-1D Sabre Anti-Ship Missile
Missile Size: 4 MSP (0.2 HS) Warhead: 6 Armour: 0 Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 45000 km/s Endurance: 28 minutes Range: 75.0m km
Cost Per Missile: 4.5
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 450% 3k km/s 150% 5k km/s 90% 10k km/s 45%
Materials Required: 1.5x Tritanium 2.75x Gallicite Fuel x2500
10th July 2037
Illustrious, Implacable and Indefatigable complete their refit to the Illustrious Mod 2 class. This new version of the successful light carrier class has a speed of 7000 km/s, faster than the main combatants of any known power, including the Golems. The carriers will now only be restricted by the speed of their escorts, although the first in a new area defence cruiser class capable of a similar speed should be laid down by the end of the year. The Illustrious Mod 2 is also equipped with an improved ECM system. The strike group and ordnance load out shown below represent intent rather than the current situation. Invincible and Indomitable, which will soon begin their own refits, have recently received strikegroups of F-24C Cobras but it will be some time before sufficient F-24Ds are available. Illustrious also has a strikegroup of F-24Cs, which performed very well in the recent actions in area around Heintz 299. Implacable and Indefatigable carry F-24B Cobras. All five carriers have full load outs of AGM-1C Sabre anti-ship missiles.
Illustrious Mod 2 class Light Carrier 15,000 tons 899 Crew 2354.2 BP TCS 300 TH 2100 EM 0
7000 km/s Armour 4-54 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/14/0/0 Damage Control Rating 10 PPV 0
Annual Failure Rate: 180% IFR: 2.5% Maint Capacity 981 MSP Max Repair 84 MSP Est Time: 3.12 Years
Hangar Deck Capacity 5000 tons Magazine 600
Rolls Royce RR100 IC Fusion Drive (21) Power 100 Fuel Use 60% Signature 100 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres Range 100.0 billion km (165 days at full power)
AGM-1D Sabre Anti-Ship Missile (150) Speed: 45,000 km/s End: 27.8m Range: 75m km WH: 6 Size: 4 TH: 150 / 90 / 45
SN/SPS-28 Area Search Sensor (1) GPS 10080 Range 128.8m km Resolution 120
SN/SLR-25 EM Detection Sensor (1) Sensitivity 14 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 14m km
ECM 20
Strike Group
1x J-30C Vanguard Jump Scout Speed: 11500 km/s Size: 6
18x F-24D Cobra Strikefighter Speed: 14081 km/s Size: 4.9
25th July 2037
A terraforming installation recovered on New Plymouth, in the Tau Ceti system, contains detailed specifications on advanced terraforming software developed by the Bahraich Enclave. Once the necessary software upgrades are implemented, NATO's own terraforming installations should have an annual production rate of 0.0025 atm.
1st August 2037
The Soviet Union launches its first Project 1224 Hegu-B class Troop Transport. This is an upgraded version of the Chinese-built Hegu class equipped with a magneto-plasma drive instead of nuclear pulse engines, which allows a maximum speed double that of the original. It is equipped with an improved cargo handling system and additional fuel storage. The sole remaining Hegu class will be refitted to the Hegu-B
Project 1224 Hegu-B class Troop Transport 22,000 tons 262 Crew 705 BP TCS 440 TH 1400 EM 0
3181 km/s Armour 1-69 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 1 PPV 0
Maint Capacity 20 MSP Max Repair 50 MSP
Troop Capacity: 5 Battalions Cargo Handling Multiplier 10
Commercial Magneto-plasma Drive (7) Power 200 Fuel Use 7% Signature 200 Armour 0 Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 116.9 billion km (425 days at full power)
6th August 2037
The Soviet missile cruiser Chervona Ukrayina completes its refit to the Project 1204B Atlant-B class. There are no longer any Project 1204s in service as all three survivors of this class have now been refitted to Project 1204Bs. A fourth 1204B was built as new construction. The fifth and sixth members of this class are under construction and are scheduled for launch in February 2038 and October 2038. The rebuilding of the Soviet Navy continues.
The Soviet Union still maintains its hold on the small Goavelha population in the Gorshkov system, although the only forces in the system are a single Vidyut-B FAC and a Molniya-S FAC scout in orbit of Gorshkov II and two garrison battalions keeping order on the colony below. Both NATO and the Soviet Union maintain picket forces at the Sol - Gorshkov jump point. So far there has been no sign of Invader or Houma ships In Gorshkov since the debacle in the adjacent Kostinbrod system, although it is possible they have simply not been detected. There is talk among senior Soviet officers that plans should be made for a return to Kostinbrod once the Soviet Navy is ready. There are valuable mineral stockpiles remaining on the irradiated wasteland of Kostinbrod Prime and a huge number of wrecks that can be salvaged. There is also the matter of retribution against the Invaders.
16th August 2037
NATO completes the recovery effort at the ruins of the Bahraich Enclave on New Plymouth. The various engineer brigades involved in this long running operation will now be deployed to the much smaller Bahraich Enclave ruin sites elsewhere within the Tau Ceti system. One is a ruined outpost and the others are destroyed outposts. There are only forty installations in total that have been identified as potentially recoverable from the three sites.
23rd August 2037
The railgun-armed Project 1221 'Nevsky' class cruisers Admiral Lazarev and Admiral Senyavin join the Soviet Fleet, taking the total for the Nevsky class to four. Two more are under construction.
12th September 2037
The population of the Eridani Republic now exceeds that the remaining NATO population on Earth. As a result, the internal divisions within the alliance are growing rapidly. All NATO shipyards, ordnance factories and fighter factories, sixty percent of its construction factories and sixty-two percent of its research facilities are now based in Epsilon Eridani. Eighty-three percent of NATO's total mining capacity is based in either Tau Ceti or Epsilon Eridani and all sixteen fuel harvesting bases are in orbit of Tau Ceti IV. Roanoke is home to the vast majority of NATO naval forces and Earth does not even possess any maintenance facilities. Earth retains NATO's planet-based fuel refining capacity and all of its ground force training facilities, as well as four hundred and thirty construction factories, twenty-eight research labs and two hundred and twenty mining complexes.
The population of the Eridani Republic is spread across five colony worlds, four of which are major population centres with their own areas of expertise. Three of the colony worlds, Roanoke, Jamestown and Bermuda, are moons of Epsilon Eridani II while New Amsterdam is the Earth-sized Epsilon Eridani III. The fifth colony world is New Plymouth, the seventh moon of Tau Ceti IV. Roanoke, with a population of three hundred and nineteen million, is the largest colony, NATO's primary fleet base and the location of all eleven active shipyards. Jamestown is the capital of the Eridani Republic and its major factory-based production centre. Its population is two hundred and five million. New Amsterdam, the Republican centre for scientific research, and Bermuda, home to over six hundred mining complexes, each have a population of one hundred and thirty-five million. New Plymouth was established at the site of major ruins from the Bahraich Enclave and has yet to find its role within the Republic. This small colony has a population of ten million. The Eridani Republic also has a major automated mining colony on the fourth moon of Tau Ceti IX, with four hundred and seventy complexes currently in operation. The total Eridani population of over eight hundred million is almost fifty million greater than the total NATO population on Earth and the gap is growing.
Due to the departure of a significant proportion of NATO's original Earth-based population and much of Earth's Trans-Newtonian industry, some areas are becoming depopulated and consequently property prices have crashed. The economic future of many NATO countries does not look bright. NATO's Earth-based political leaders are all too well aware their personal power is declining rapidly while that of Eridani President Arno von Kolbe is growing to overshadow every other NATO politician. Despite strenuous efforts on the part of many politicians to place the blame for Earth's economic woes on the Eridani Republic in general and President von Kolbe in particular, the anger of the vast majority of citizens is not directed against the Eridani Republic, which for most represents their dream of escape from an economically-depressed Earth, but against their own leaders.
While NATO continues to build new ships and upgrade the technology of its existing fleet, mainly because those activities take place within the Eridani Republic, there is a complete lack of long-term direction or strategy for the alliance. President von Kolbe is barely on speaking terms with several NATO leaders and is almost afraid to suggest strategic options for fear that they will be opposed for no other reason than antipathy toward the originator of the suggestions. Relations with the Soviet Union have degraded to the point where the two superpowers are going about their own business and virtually ignoring each other. Only the NATO and Soviet crews at the long term picket at the Sol - Gorshkov jump point have any real interaction and President von Kolbe and his allies among the NATO military are constantly fighting against attempts to unilaterally withdraw the small NATO force of three monitors and nine fast attack craft. Even the survey operations around Heintz 299 have petered out because agreement cannot be reached on whether to probe those jump points found in the surrounding systems, change focus to the systems around Gliese 105 or cease surveying altogether for a while.
24th November 2037
New Plymouth becomes an ideal habitable world. Four of the five Eridani populations are now on ideal worlds. Only Bermuda remains hostile. The planet had no atmosphere when the colony was established but operations are well underway to create a complete biosphere.
25th November 2037
Despite the temporary boost to the Soviet economy from the injection of wealth following the Kostinbrod Conquest, Soviet economists report to the Politburo that the long term prospects are still not favourable. Given the 13.82 per capita income of the Soviet Union compared to 41.47 for NATO, the Soviet population base is too low to support the long term buildup of warships and supporting infrastructure that will be required to face NATO from a position of military equality. Reparations from China still make up almost a quarter of Soviet income and without that the situation would be considerably worse. At the behest of the Politburo Admiral Melnikov holds a series of meeting with his top military and intelligence advisors to find a solution to this looming problem. Some suggest long-range operations against the Goavelha population centre in the Gliese 908 system and a few recommend returning to Kostinbrod to defeat the Invaders and seek out the home world of the Houma. The majority though agree on a solution that lies much closer to home. After the Sino-Soviet war, China accepted a protectorate status, gave up all of its Trans-Newtonian industry and shipping and agreed to pay two-thirds of its income in reparations. In return, China retained the three remaining Hainan class planetary defence centres and its ground forces and there was no Soviet occupation of Chinese territory.
The Chinese population is 2.65 billion, greater than the Soviet population of 1.87 billion, but the Chinese per capita income is only 4.8, which makes the overall Chinese income much lower than that of the Soviet Union. Several of Melnikov's advisors point out that even though the Soviet Union is receiving two-thirds of that income, a general occupation of China and eventually its incorporation into the Soviet Union, would bring the per capita income of the Chinese population up to the Soviet level and result in a far greater overall income. Their best estimate is that income received by the Soviet Union from the Chinese population would eventually reach four times its current amount. With a total Soviet population exceeding four billion, the income of the Soviet Union would match that of NATO's much smaller population. There is little downside to the plan as China has no forces capable of inflicting damage on Soviet industry. Although their ground forces could hold out for some time in the Hainan class PDCs, Soviet victory would be inevitable. Admiral Melnikov takes this recommendation to the Politburo and they agree to the plan immediately. They order Admiral Melnikov to implement the final conquest of the People's Republic of China as soon as possible.
28th November 2037
A Soviet task group arrives in Earth orbit to cover the imminent ground action and act as a deterrent to any NATO interference. It comprises the battlecruiser Frunze, the aviation cruiser Kiev, the Project 1200B escort cruiser Admiral Oktyabrsky, the Project 1204B missile cruisers Chervona Ukrayina and Slava and the Nevsky class cruisers Admiral Lazarev and Admiral Senyavin. The arrival of the Soviet ships causes concern at NATO Fleet Headquarters as it is the largest concentration of Soviet ships in Sol since the Soviet Union moved its main fleet base to Alpha Centauri. Admiral Thorn recommends sending a NATO task group of equivalent strength to Earth. He is backed by President von Kolbe but the other NATO leaders reject the idea on the basis that they do not wish to raise tensions with the Soviet Union. Both Thorn and von Kolbe point out the Soviet Union is the one raising tensions, not NATO, but their appeals fall on deaf ears. President von Kolbe provokes an uproar when he suggests that perhaps voting on NATO political decisions should be weighted by the populations of the nations involved and several leaders disconnect from the interplanetary video-conference.
29th November 2037
NATO lays down the first three hulls of the new Daring Mod 2 Area Defence Cruiser. Twenty-two percent larger than its predecessor and thirty-one percent faster, the Daring Mod 2 represents a quantum leap in escort design. Its Mk10 Guided Missile Launching System can reload twice as fast as the Mk5 system on the Mod 1, allowing it to produce double the weight of fire, and the magazine capacity has been expanded by thirty percent. Upgraded electronic systems allow it to detect and engage incoming missiles at a range of over six million kilometers while defence is enhanced by the inclusion of an ECM system. The Daring Mod 2 will be complemented by the introduction of a new NATO anti-missile, the RIM-8C Stiletto. The first ship of the new class is scheduled for launch in January 2039.
Daring Mod 2 class Area Defence Cruiser 12,850 tons 1019 Crew 2756.6 BP TCS 257 TH 1800 EM 0
7003 km/s Armour 5-48 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 8 PPV 20
Annual Failure Rate: 165% IFR: 2.3% Maint Capacity 1073 MSP Max Repair 324 MSP Est Time: 1.5 Years
Magazine 1346
Rolls Royce RR100 IC Fusion Drive (18) Power 100 Fuel Use 60% Signature 100 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 350,000 Litres Range 81.7 billion km (135 days at full power)
Mk10 Guided Missile Launching System (20) Missile Size 1 Rate of Fire 5
SN/SPG-45 Anti-Missile Fire Control (4) Range 58.3m km Resolution 1
RIM-8C Stiletto (1346) Speed: 49,000 km/s End: 2m Range: 6m km WH: 1 Size: 1 TH: 473 / 284 / 142
SN/SPS-44 Missile Detection Sensor (1) GPS 324 Range 58.3m km Resolution 1
ECM 20
30th November 2037
The Soviet Union declares war on the People's Republic of China and launches an immediate ground assault on Hainan Five, a Chinese planetary defence centre garrisoned by the 3rd Infantry Division. Five of the sixteen defending battalions take casualties before they can organize themselves. Soviet losses are relatively light. There is no supporting fire from the orbiting warships as the Soviet Union does not wish to inflict unnecessary casualties on future Soviet taxpayers. A far more humanitarian view of the decision to restrict combat to the ground is presented to the Western media. NATO is in such political disarray that its leaders cannot even agree on a statement condemning the invasion.
President von Kolbe is disgusted by the lack of political will on NATO's part and the endless short-term political maneuvering of the majority of the other leaders. He is also well aware of the long term consequences of the Soviet Union absorbing China, which seems the inevitable outcome of the Second Sino-Soviet War. Therefore he reaches a fateful decision. After three days of secret talks with senior Eridani politicians, business leaders and NATO military leaders he announces that the Eridani Republic is withdrawing from the NATO alliance and is claiming Epsilon Eridani and all systems that lie beyond its jump points to Tau Ceti and Teegarden's Star. Furthermore, any NATO military units that wish to do so may join the new Eridani Republican Navy and Marine Corps. Admiral Thorn follows the President's announcement with a statement that he is accepting an offer to head the Eridani military and all his senior commanders will be joining him. Every major NATO warship is home-ported in the Eridani Republic and all the crewmen and their families are Eridani citizens, mainly living on Roanoke. It is no surprise that the vast majority of NATO ship commanders quickly declare that their ships are at the Republic's command. The few holdouts realize that any form of resistance would be a futile and dangerous gesture and declare their support shortly thereafter. In every case, their delay is due to a gut reaction against what amounts to a takeover of NATO's military forces by President von Kolbe rather than any belief that the future of their ships and their families would be better served by NATO's remaining national leaders. There is very little dissension among the officers and crews. All six interstellar shipping lines, well aware of the need for military protection, announce their ships will all become Eridani registered and future shipping fees and taxes will be paid to the Republic. Several hours after his initial announcement President von Kolbe addresses the citizens of Earth and promises them the Eridani Republic will still welcome immigrants from all NATO countries and the Eridani Republican Navy will ensure the safety of Earth against all threats, be they of Soviet or alien origin.
NATO is left with very little in the way of military forces under its direct control. There are a dozen F-24A Cobras still based on Titan and they have plentiful supplies of AGM-1A Sabre anti-ship missiles. Earth itself has four Fortress class planetary defence centres armed with BGM-10A Soliferrum anti-ship missiles and a single old Cheyenne class PDC armed with AGM-1A Sabres. The PDC crews are NATO loyalists. A further two hundred BGM-10A Soliferrums are stockpiled on Earth but there are no ordnance factories to build replacements. Five divisions of NATO ground forces are still based on Earth, although one of those is comprised of Eridani citizens who have declared their wish to return home. All the ships in Sol - Gorshkov picket of three monitors and nine FACs declare their support for the Eridani Republic. Admiral Thorn orders them to hold position for the moment. There are four hundred construction factories still on Earth so ordnance factories and other facilities could be built. However, there are no state-controlled mining colonies under NATO control so mineral supplies will soon be exhausted. Earth itself has deposits of Duranium but no other minerals. Eighteen automated and two hundred manned mining complexes are based on Earth and could be redeployed to potential mining sites, such as Titan. Another option is buying minerals from the numerous civilian mining complexes in the Sol system.
While Earth's politicians argue about their response to the Eridani secession, the NATO colony on Mars declares independence. The Martian independence movement has been growing for several years, due to lack of interest and investment from Earth. Mars was directly ruled by the NATO council rather than a separate, sovereign member of NATO. Its population is sixty-two million. The Eridani Republic immediately recognizes the Martian colony as an independent state. The leaders of the Soviet Union, who's intelligence services did not fully appreciate the growing divisions within the NATO alliance, are stunned by the Eridani secession. They view it as very much in their interests though, believing the split in NATO will severely weaken any possible reaction to their invasion of China.
Freed of the need to argue every decision with NATO's political leaders, President von Kolbe and Admiral Thorn prepare an Eridani response to the Soviet attack. They do not wish to provoke a direct clash in Sol between the Eridani Republic and the Soviet Union, even though the outcome of such a battle could inflict far more damage on the Soviet economy should it escalate to planetary bombardment. The loss of life for NATO countries caught in a confrontation would be considerable and President von Kolbe has no wish to punish NATO citizens for the failings of their leaders, even though they are responsible for electing them. Their first step is to issue a strongly worded condemnation of the invasion and their second is to contact the government of the People's Republic to discuss the support that the Eridani Republic is willing to provide. Meanwhile the war on the ground continues. Eight Chinese and four Soviet battalions take substantial casualties in the ongoing battle for Hainan Five.
President von Kolbe announces that the Eridani Republic has agreed to sell fifteen obsolete warships to the People's Republic of China. These include six Daring class area defence cruisers, six Virginia class cruisers, two Spruance class destroyer escorts and a Redoutable class command cruiser. All the ships are fully loaded with missiles, albeit obsolete ones from NATO's perspective. The Virginias are armed with RGM-2A Scimitars while the Darings carry RIM-8A Stilettos. There is considerable discussion within the Eridani media and on the interplanetary web regarding this decision. Military experts point out the Eridani Republic still has eight Daring Mod 1 area defence cruisers and three original Darings in service. Both classes will be severely outclassed by the new Daring Mod 2 when it becomes operational. In any event, the Darings have a top speed of 4000 km/s and cannot operate with the fusion-engined Illustrious Mod 2 light carrier or even the heavy carriers with their 5000 km/s top speed. The Virginias, two of which will remain in Eridani service as they are on detached duty in Tau Ceti and Heintz 299, suffer from the same problem and their missiles and fire control systems are antiques by modern standards. As part of his announcement, President von Kolbe reveals that the design of a new and far more capable cruiser class to replace the Virginias will be unveiled within a few weeks. It will be known as the Eridani class. The fifteen ships depart Roanoke orbit, bound for Sol where they will officially be handed over to the Chinese. The Eridani Republic has agreed to crew the vessels until the Chinese replacement crews are trained. The Soviet Politburo goes into emergency session. The Second Sino-Soviet war, now six days old, has taken a totally unexpected turn.
to be continued...
