Background:
It is on the ESU/IJSF frontier. The 4th Imperial Japanese Star Fleet under Admiral Mitsu Supi is currently garrisoning the Dubhe
system to protect the Kawasaki Corporation colony on Dubhe V.
Dubhe V is a Terran class planet, one of the few discovered to date by the IJSF, and a prize not to be relinquished lightly. While,
tactically, Admiral Mitsu might consider withdrawing before a superior force, strategically, he is honour bound to defend the colony to his utmost.
A General Alert has been issued to all IJSF units following a recent encounter between the IJSF 7th Fleet and Eurasian Solar Union scouts in the
neighbouring Polaris system.
IJSF Situation:
4th Fleet is on alert in the Dubhe system. ESU scouts have been encountered and engaged in the Polaris system, only three parsecs away.
Then, the remote sensor buoys in the Dubhe Kuiper Belt signal the tachyon shear of incoming ships dropping out of FTL. As scan sorts itself out,
the plots become clear. Five hostile Scouts, two hostile Escorts, one hostile Cruiser, and two hostile Capital ships.
Admiral Mitsu has the option of engaging in free space, out beyond the planetary system; around one of the three gas giants in the system; or
around the colony world, itself. In free space, or in the smaller gravity well of the colony world, Admiral Mitsu can still reserve the option
to escape via FTL, if he so chooses. If he engages in the more massive gravity wells of the gas giants, he commits himself utterly.
Admiral Mitsu and the captains of the Soyokaze and Hagikaze are Average Officers. Captain Ito Musashi of the Akitsuki is a
Poor Officer, owing his posting to family connections with the Kawasaki Corporation.
4th Fleet consists of:
- Soyokaze class Destroyer Soyokaze
- Soyokaze class Destroyer Akitsuki
- Ashigaru class Patrol Frigate Hagikaze
The Soyokaze is serving as the flag ship.
ESU Situation:
Dispatched from Bootis System in 2139 to secure the Spinward-Rimward flank, the ESU 3rd Fleet under Kontr-admiral Zhou Li has moved rapidly
towards the Dubhe system. Surprised when an IJSF Command Post sparks up in the system, Kontr-admiral Zhou is further dismayed to receive
reports that ESU scouts have been repulsed at Polaris.
Entering the Dubhe system, he is much relieved to discover the size of the opposing force. Superior in numbers, and vastly superior in
tonnage of ships, the only issue now is can he catch the Japanese ships before they flee, and can he disable or destroy them without suffering
damage himself.
Admiral Zhou and 1st Kapitan Kisa Duan of the Battleship Petrograd are Good Officers. All other officers of 3rd Fleet are Average Officers.
3rd Fleet consists of:
- Tsiolkovsky class Light Carrier Glushko, with four flights of Standard fighters - Evil Horde, Iron Fists,
Victorious Workers and Lucky 8's
- Petrograd class Battleship Petrograd
- Udaloy class Missile Battlecruiser Udaloy
- Kashin class Missile Destroyer Kashin
- Nanuchka II class Corvette Shytl
The Glushko is serving as the flag ship. A troop of nine Lenov class Scout Ships arrived in Dubhe sytem with 3rd Fleet but played no part
in the battle.
Points/Mass:
- Imperial Japanese Star Fleet: 332 Points 98 Mass
- Eurasian Solar Union: 1424 Points 438 Mass
Ships Used:
All Imperial Japanese Star Fleet ships in this engagement were Beta Fleet standard.
All Eurasian Solar Union ships were Fleet Book 1 standard except for:
UDALOY Class BC/M:
Mass 94, Strong Hull (10/10/9/9), Thrust-4, FTL, 1xLevel-1 Screen, 2xFireCon, 3xPDS, 1xClass-1, 4xClass-2 (AP/FP/F, FP/F/FS, AS/FS/F, F), 1xSML,
6-Mass Magazine; 312 pts.
KASHIN Class DDM:
Mass 28, Ave Hull (2/2/2/2), Thrust-4, FTL, 1xArmour, 1xFireCon, 1xPDS, 2xClass-1, 1xSMR(ER); 94 pts.
Ships designed by Mark ‘Indy’ Kochte.
Historical Result:
Admiral Mitsu elected to give battle near Dubhe V, the colony world. Drawing the ESU 4th Fleet into the planet's gravity well, Mitsu then
attempted a high-velocity pass-through, hoping to launch his missiles at close range before swooping off around the planet.
Leaving the scout ships well back, Admiral Zhou dropped his corvette back as he moved 4th Fleet up to engage the in-bound Japanese. At this
point, both fleets were too far apart to reveal details of individual ships. Then Zhou ordered his fighters launched as the fleets moved into
scan range.
Admiral Mitsu realised the game was up. He had thought he had a small chance of surviving a high velocity pass-through with his frail ships,
but the four flights of fighters just tipped the odds too far.
As the fleets converged, the fighters attacked. The Lucky 8's lost one fighter as the fighters pounded the three Japanese vessels. Good
positioning on Zhou's part also ensured that the ESU main guns were bearing. The Japanese were ripped to shreds, only scoring a minor hit
on the Battlecruiser Udaloy.
And so ended the Battle of Dubhe V. The Kawasaki colony swiftly surrendered and the IJSF Command Post was destroyed.
Aggressor: Kra'Vak
Victor
Defender: ESU
Background:
The Eurasian Solar Union 4th Fleet was created by the simple expedient of cutting some ships loose from 2nd Fleet to send to reinforce
3rd Fleet as it made its dash to Dubhe. CINC 2nd Fleet Kontr-admiral Zinoviev made use of this necessity to engage in a little housekeeping,
ridding himself of the irritating 2nd Kapitan Zaneta Ma by placing her in command of the new formation.
Heading Rimward to join 3rd Fleet, Kapitan Ma plots a course via Spica system, explored just the year before by 2nd Fleet. Beyond Spica lies
the long 8 parsec voyage to Dubhe and 3rd Fleet.
Spica system consists of eight orbits. Orbits 1 and 2 are occupied by two small, uninhabitable, rocky worlds, orbit 3 contains a Terran type
world the ESU intends to colonise in the future, and orbit 4 has a Sub-Terran world. The outer system lies beyond a planetoid belt (orbit 5)
and consists of two large gas giants separated by a small gas giant.
ESU Situation:
4th Fleet enters Spica system, passing through on the long haul to Dubhe. While there has been action and engagements in the Dubhe sector,
the ESU has not encountered hostile fleets elsewhere. Consequently, watch-keeping is lax as the FTL drives go through their cycle.
Suddenly, the alert is sounded from the Burun, travelling a little ahead of the rest of the formation. Unknown vessels have been detected
in the Spica system.
If Kapitan Ma can win the initial Initiative (as a Poor officer, she has a -1 on Initiative), she can determine the engagement location within
the system. Her choices are: Free Space, near a Dense world, near a Gas Giant, or in an Asteroid Field.
Kapitan Ma's objective is simple, to escape the hostile ships in the Spica System so that ESU High Command can be alerted to their presence,
and to complete her mission to bring reinforcements to 3rd Fleet at Dubhe.
4th Fleet consists of:
- Warsaw class Destroyer Bialystok
- Novgorod class Frigate Burevestnik
- Nanuchka II class Corvette Burun
The Bialystok is serving as flagship.
2nd Kapitan Ma is a Poor Officer, 3rd Kapitan Mikhail Frolov of the Burevestnik is a Good Officer and Kapitan-leytenant Elga Eikhe of
the Burun is an Average Officer.
Kra'Vak Situation:
Huntleader Ti'uk of the 1st Host of the Kra'Fas'Kon has been patrolling Coreward of the Kra'Fas lairworld of Zha'Lau in the Almach system.
Sweeping through the Spica System, his kon's scout has picked up unknown ships. As the scan data comes in, Ti'uk orders an immediate attack.
1st Host consists of:
- Yu'Kas class Superdreadnought Kia'Zes
- Va'Dok class Heavy Cruiser Va'Lak
- Da'Kak class Heavy Frigate Di'Fan
- Da'Kak class Heavy Frigate Ko'Tol
- Lu'Dak class Scout Lu'Tek
The Kia'Zes is serving as flagship.
The captains of the Ko'Tol and Va'Lak are Good Officers, while all other officers, including Huntleader Ti'uk, are Average officers.
If Huntleader Ti'uk can win the initial Initiative, he can determine the engagement location within the system. His choices are, Free Space,
near a Dense world, near a Gas Giant, or in an Asteroid Field.
Huntleader Ti'uk's objective to capture or destroy the hostile ships in Spica System while ensuring his own ships are not needlessly damaged.
Points/Mass:
- Kra’Vak: 1512 Points 384 Mass
- Eurasian Solar Union: 214 Points 64 Mass
Ships Used:
All Eurasian Solar Union ships in this engagement were Fleet Book 1 standard.
All Kra’Vak ships were Fleet Book 2 standard.
Historical Result:
Pretty much as expected, Huntleader Ti'uk won the initiative. The result was a Pursuit Battle in Free Space.
Kapitan Ma's heart sank as scan revealed the advancing behemoth of the Kia'Zes. Deciding that she was unable to engage, Ma ordered a turn
away to port and that all ships rig for FTL.
All this succeeded in doing was cause the Kra'Vak to drift to starboard as they corrected their approach vector, while Ma's manoeuvre resulted
in the ESU main Beam Batteries being out of arc, even as the ships desperately accelerated away.
Tightening her turn away, Ma suddenly found herself in range of the fearsome K-guns. Bialystok disappeared in a flash of fire,
neatly solving Kontr-admiral Zinoviev's problem, though possibly not in the fashion he had anticipated. Burevestnik and Burun
were pounded within inches of their lives, and both ran on with wrecked bridges, Burun's Power Core failing, and both ships Life
Support collapsing.
Huntleader Ti'uk grunted with satisfaction as he ordered the killing blow - his ships had not taken a single hit and the enemy had been
completely obliterated.
Note:
As the sides differed so greatly in strength, I actually played this as a solo game, working out several strategies and then using the
Officer rating to select the most likely.
Aggressor: Kra'Vak
Victor
Defender: NSL
Background:
During 2142 a Neu Swabian League Scout Troop explored the Schedar System as part of the NSL's Trailing expansion. In 2143 1st Fleet under
Admiral Ludwig von Vettinghoff arrived in the system to secure it, as the Scout Troops pressed further to Trailing.
Schedar system consists of eleven orbits. Orbits 1 and 2 are occupied by two small, uninhabitable, rocky worlds. A planetoid belt separates
the inner worlds from the Terran type world in Orbit 4. It is this planet that Von Vettinghoff and his command are securing for the expansion
of the Neu Swabian League. From the Barren world of Schedar V, the system stretches outwards from its star with another planetoid belt and
then alternating small and large gas giants. Orbit 11 is occupied by a small, icy, ball.
NSL Situation:
Von Vettinghoff and 1st Fleet are conducting exercises near the Terran class planet when the scout in the outer system sends a Flash signal.
Hostile ships have been detected. Hard on the heels of the message comes the scan data from the remote sensor buoys. One hostile Capital
class and three hostile Escort class vessels are in-bound.
As 1st Fleet sets out on an intercept course, the scout reports coming under fire from one of the Escort vessels. The hostile Escort is
closing, but has opened fire from 30 MU range. Tense moments pass, and then, suddenly, contact is lost with the scout.
Von Vettinghoff has Engage orders, though, if the scout is lost, he has the option to Stand-off and observe. He now decides to follow the
latter course.
Admiral Vettinghoff can determine the engagement location within the system. His choices are: Free Space, near a Dense world, near a Gas Giant,
or in an Asteroid Field.
1st Fleet consists of:
- Kronprinz Wilhelm class Light Cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm
- Kronprinz Wilhelm class Light Cruiser Kronprinzessin Erzherzogin Stephanie
- Stroschen class Corvette Faust
The Kronprinz Wilhelm is serving as flagship.
Admiral von Vettinghoff and his Captains are all Average Officers.
Kra'Vak Situation:
Huntleader Da'Tah of the 2nd Host of the Kra'Fas'Kon has been patrolling to Core-Spinward of the Kra'Fas lairworld of Zha'Lau. Encountering
a hostile scout in the outer Schedar system, he has set his own Lu'Dak class Scout Da'Dak upon it. Much to his satisfaction, Da'Dak is
successful in its mission. Then, scan data begins to come in of ship movements deeper in the system. Huntleader Da'Tah orders an immediate attack.
2nd Host consists of:
- Ko'San class Heavy Carrier Kia'Dan
- Di'Tok class Heavy Destroyer Doa'Tat
- Di'Tok class Heavy Destroyer Ru'Na
- Lu'Dak class Scout Da'Dak
The Kia'Dan is serving as flagship.
The Captain of the Da'Dak is a Poor Officer, a lesser member of a high status Clan foisted upon Huntleader Da'Tah and assigned a berth where
he can do little damage. The Destroyer commanders are Average Officers and Da'Tah and Ra'Tau, Captain of the Kia'Dan, are Good Officers.
NSL Admiral Vettinghoff will determine the location of the battle. Huntleader Da'Tah's objective is to destroy the hostile ships while
preserving his own.
Points/Mass:
- Kra’Vak: 1387 Points 385 Mass
- Neu Swabian League: 369 Points 110 Mass
Ships Used:
All Neu Swabian League ships in this engagement were Fleet Book 1 standard.
All Kra’Vak ships in this engagement were Fleet Book 2 standard.
Historical Result:
Vettinghoff decided to engage in Free Space. His plan was to attempt to pass the hostile fleet, concentrating fire on one of its units,
and then FTL clear of the system.
As the Kra'Vak bore down on his ships, he ordered a turn to starboard. This drew the Kra'Vak to port as they closed range. Initiative was
the key, and luck was running in Vettinghoff's favour, as, abruptly, the Kra'Vak came in range of the Wilhelm's and Stephanie's Class 2 Beams.
Because of the angle of approach, only two batteries per ship could bear, but both found targets on the Ru'Na.
With its FTL drive down and its Fire Control knocked out, the Ru'Na began to edge to starboard. Return fire from the other Kra'Vak vessels
pounded the Wilhem and Stephanie, damaging the Wilhelm's Main Drives, and smashing one of the Class 2 Batteries. Vettinghoff ordered the Faust
to break and run as the range dropped, meantime hammering the Ru'Na and putting shots into the Kia'Dan and Doa'Tat. Da'Tah tore at the dying
Wilhelm and thrashed the Stephanie. Stephanie's bridge took a hit, and her Life Support began to fail. Meanwhile, heroic efforts by the Wilhelm's
Damage Control parties stabilised a runaway Power Core.
Faust had given up on her breakaway move, and was now driving after her fleet mates, but to no avail. Then, suddenly, the crippled Ru'Na tore
herself apart as her Power Core went critical. Apoplectic with rage, Da'Tah went in for the kill. A single volley from Doa'Tat finished off the
Faust while Kia'Dan and Da'Dak destroyed first the Wilhelm and then the Stephanie.
Huntleader Da'Tah was not a happy Kra'Vak. He had destroyed the enemy, but it had cost a Destroyer, and the second had major hull damage.
In attempting to preserve his precious fighters, he had also incurred a small amount of damage on his carrier. The next Clan Council could
prove most difficult for him.
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