"No, no, no! This is unacceptable!" Dar'Shal held his chronometer up, brandishing it like a weapon. "Your times are ninety seconds below standard!" The flight crew looked exhausted as they gathered in the ready room for his assessment of their ninth drill today. This was unusual work for a Battlemaster, especially one who was captain of his own vessel. But Dar'Shal had been asked to assist in training up crews in the fleet. Casualties had created massive shortages in manpower. Shortages that were being filled in by civilian recruits. Spite was the worst of the bunch with 80% of her crew being new replacements. If he could bring this crew up to military standard then thre was hope the fleet could sustain itself. He started his career as a flight deck officer so this was where he felt he could make a real difference.
The battle at Demeter had given the crew some experience under pressure. But a review of their performance in that battle proved alarming. Every order to scramble fighters at battle speed had failed to execute. It was a miracle that there hadn't been a crippling accident. Reading the ships personnel records he noted that Fleet Command's assesment of this crew had been upgraded from "disaster" to "potential disaster."
Now Spite was on a mission of its own and there was no large fleet to hide behind. Their only companion was the scout frigate Rogue providing ELINT and, more importantly, battle experience. The crew of Rogue were hardened veterans. While Spite was officially lead ship of the squadron, they would be following Rogue's lead. A large detachment of fighters was also along to provide additional space superiority. With the fleet in its current battered state attrition units were the order of the day.
There was no more time for drills today. The mission was about to begin. "Okay crew, today we are doing a reconnasance in force. We will try to establish a zone of control in the primary shipping lane to Garden. This means our fighters will be performing sorties with a Yellow Talon rotation schedule. One flight on CAP and one flight on Ready. We will be providing fuel and maintainence for two independent wings so keep bays 8 through 12 free and ready for stragglers. Straightforward enough. Any questions?"
Dar'Shal was dismayed to see over half the flight crew raise their hands. This was going to a long day.
As if to punctuate his thoughts the ship's klaxon announced the transition to battle status, bathing the crew in crimson light, and a voice over the intercom intoned, "Enemy contact. All hands to combat stations."
The crew stood in the room, looking confused and lost. "Move it, people! Team Blue get to ordinance. Team Red...fuel. Go!" This seemed to shake everyone into action and the crew filed out looking almost like professionals. I only hope we don't face anything too daunting. It would embarras War Leader Jo'Tok greatly to have her second crushed by an errant fuel canister.
And with that last positive thought the Battlemaster ran to take his station.
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Battle Report
The campaign pushes on in the remote system of Krish. Remnants of the Dilgar Imperium are trying to establish a new homeworld in the wake of the capture of Omelos. Today they are attempting to capture the lush world of Garden. This is one of the two remaining locations held by the Centauri and they are determined to defend it.
Scenario:
Space Superiority, 4 pts. Skirmish
This will be a tiny battle, especially given the mission - to capture as much territory as possible.
Forces:
Centauri:
Vorchan (Slicer)
Maximus (Triario)
Kutai x2 (Parry, Riposte)
Razik x4
Sentri x4
Dilgar:
Garasoch, Spite (5 Dartfighters, 5 Torpedofighters)
Jashakar Vi, Rogue
Dartfighters x4
Torpedofighters x8
My plan here was to fight a battle of attrition. I would send in my fighters, aided by the scout and attempt to inflict enough early damage that I could then simply retreat off the board and win on points. The scout had a crew quality of 5. This enabled it to help the poor carrier (CQ 3) perform its Scramble order. It also meant that a successful Redirect scout action only needed a roll of 3. By my calculations, I only needed to kill a skirmish ship and the two kutai and victory would be mine. If things got too dicy, I would just spin round the planet and leave the board.
Setup:
Initiative Dilgar
The map had a single moon on it in one corner which would be the center of the fighting. There were several asteroid clusters, but they would play no part in this battle.
The Centauri fleet set up as a cohesive group facing the moon. The Vorchan and Maximus were the center of the line, with the Kutais on the flanks and the fighters serving as escorts (unpainted fighters are Razik, painted fighters are Setnri).
The Dilgar fleet is simply a carrier and a scout in a small squadron. They set up in orbit of the moon, hoping the gravity well will give them extra options as well as some cover from the large array of Centauri guns. The scout hides behind the moon while the carrier has its guns facing the enemy.
I knew this would be a tough battle as soon as I saw the enemy fleet. It had both fighters (including the excellent Razik) and a Maximus providing anti-fighter and interceptors in support.
Turn 1
Initiative Centauri
The Dilgar fleet calls an All Stop order with Spite also giving a Scramble order.
The Centauri fleet cautiously moves forward, measuring carefully to avoid any possible attack from the torpedofighters. All centauri fighters move to escort their ships.
Dilgar fighters move up in a wave in front of the Centauri outside of the range of their guns - or so I thought. It turns out that two of these vessels had refits with extended range weapons. I loose 2 dartfighters to bad dodge rolls.
In the end phase, all remaining fighters scramble from Spite.
Turn 2
Initiative Centauri
The Dilgar fleet again holds position as Spite wants to keep its guns facing the enemy. It orders Close Blast Doors, just in case. Rogue remains behind the moon, holding position and getting ready to leand redirect for the fighters.
The Centauri roll up in a line, with all ships except the Triario giving a Close Blast Doors order. The slow Maximus must give an APTE order to keep up.
Having lost initiative, I am forced to move my fighters first. I realize that I can't out dogfight his raziks with my dartfighters. I also realize that his escorting fighters can fly out to attack my torpedofighters if they open fire on his ships. I decide to try and do some serious damage to both his big ships. I move a single torpedofighter in to dogfight each of the 4 raziks on escort duty (2 on each enemy ship). Then I send my dartfighters on suicide runs against the vorchan and maximus. Finally, I move the remaining torpedofighters to fire on the Vorchan from maximum range.
The suicide fighters are met by anti-fighter fire from Triario. Most get through and do moderate damage to the Maximus (no criticals) and moderate damage to the Vorchan (-1 AD crit).
My scout fails to redirect fire on Slicer.
Torpedofighters then unload onto the vorchan, doing light damage but scoring a single critical. The crit rolls up as a Reactor Implosion (6,5) doing heavy damage and killing all crew aboard.
One of my torpedofighters manages to win its dogfight, the others are lost. Two are recovered by the carrier.
Triario and the two Kutai fire on Spite. They all manage to only score only 2 hits, but one of these hits scores an Engines Disabled (2,6) critical and sets Spite adrift.
Turn 3
Initiative Centauri
The scout Rogue leaves the squadron, attempting to init sink at least one enemy ship. This will prove to be a mistake, though it does manage to line up its guns on a kutai, Riposte. Spite gives an All Hands on Deck order and drifts in orbit around the moon.
The Centauri manuver to attack the scout, giving Concentrate Firepower orders with all ships except Riposte, which gives a CBD order.
Centauri fighters continue to stick to their ships in escort. I am again forced to sacrifice several torpedo fighters in dogfights to enable the others to attack the kutai unmolested.
My scout again failed to lend redirect for the fighters. Their fire is only moderately effective between the dodge rolls, and the CBD rolls of Riposte.
Centauri fire destroys Rogue. Spite is only able to fire a port volley at a kutai, which is lent interceptors by Triario. This and the dodge rating keep any real damage from hitting home.
In the end phae, Spite rolls a "1" trying to fix the Adrift critical. This failure leaves her unable to attempt an escape.
Turn 4
Initiative Centauri
Time is running out for the Dilgar to inflict sufficient damage. Continually losing initiative is also taking a toll on fighters.
Spite, drifting listlessly toward the edge of the board, issues a Scramble! order. She has a lot of hit points and needs more fighters in space to inflict harm upon the enemy.
The centauri ships all move up behind Spite, where she has no guns bearing. All ships give Concentrate Firepower! orders except the damaged Riposte which gives CBD.
Centauri fighters move first and engage many torpedofighters in dogfights. The remaining torpedofighters line up shots against Riposte.
Anti-fighter fire and dogfighting chews away the bulk of remaining Dilgar fighter forces. Dodge, CBD, and interceptors lent from Triario make the torpedofighters ineffective.
The Centauri open fire and do severe damage to Spite. She isn't crippled, but yet another Adrift! critical is scored. There is now no hope for the wounded carrier.
End of turn, Spite fails to repair a critical and launches her last 2 fighters.
Turn 5
Initiative Centauri
Spite drifts further, now simply hoping for blind luck to allow her time to drift off the board.
The Centauri all stay in her aft arc. Triario gives Intensify Defensive Firepower order.
Centauri fighters race out to engage the new fighters and most of the remaining fighters. The hail of anti-fighter fire lent by Triario destroys them all.
Fire from the Centauri fleet finishes off poor Spite, reducing her to exactly zero damage. She goes dead in space and becomes a prize for the Centauri fleet.
Result:
Centauri losses:
Vorchan (Slicer), Decrewed
some fighters
Dilgar losses:
Garasoch (Spite), Destroyed
Jashakar Vi (Rogue), Destroyed
some fighters
Centauri victory, 25 pts to 10 pts
Conclusions:
Things really turned south for me when my carrier was set adrift with a lucky critical. Combined with the failed attempt to repair it and the second adrift critical - the carrier was doomed. I also failed all scouting rolls with a CQ:5 scout. This drastically reduced the effectiveness of my torpedofighters.
My opponent also brought just the right force to counter me, Raziks and a Maximus. This forced me to loose too many fighters in my "tie up" dogfights when trying to enable my attack craft a clear shot. The most effective weapon I had in this battle was my dartfighters making suicide runs on the enemy. But I only had so many fighters to expend.
I think I had the right idea, using attrition units and running away with the carrier. But since the carrier couldn't escape and the fighters were largely neutralized by good enemy fleet selection and bad scouting - I was doomed.
Ovservations:
The Centauri excel at skirmish level, with the Maximus in the role of MVP. This tough ship is a force multiplier that can reduce waves of enemy fighters to so much scrap when supported by fighters of its own.
Splitting the scout off from my squadron was also a bad move. With the CQ 5 of the scout, my carrier would have been much more likely to repair its Adrift critical and escape.
A ship with a Dodge score and on Close Blast Doors order is extremely difficult to damage. Kutai are amazing patrol level ships.
Aftermath:
The Centauri keep possession of the planet and gain valuable XP dice to spend on missions and upgrades. In addition, since the carrier was set adrift and didn't explode they captured BattleMaster Dar'Shal - one of my named characters in the fiction for the campaign. What fate awaits Dar'Shal? I can only hope for an eventual prisoner exchage. But I fear he is already in the hands of Centauri telepaths.
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Station Prime, Observation Deck
Jo'Tok read the report a second time, but the words hadn't changed. Spite was lost. And with her, a close friend and one of the more promising officers in the fleet. And perhaps there had been the potential for something more once the war was over.
With effort she brushed these thoughts aside. There would be time to mourn later. For now there was still a war to prosecute.
This was the third carrier task force lost in Krish. It seemd that they glory days of the Thorun fighter were finally over. The tiny craft had swept the Dilgar to victory over the last three years, but that was against the League. Now that they were facing two major and highly professional navies it seemed the shock value of fighter groups had been greatly diminished.
The battleforce was just ariving from Demeter after their clash with the humans. Heavy damage was apparent on many of the ships and again there were several missing frigates. The War Leader sighed. Even victory has a heavy price.
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