William Cargano hated being summoned. It didn't matter who did the calling, whether it was a higher ranking officer or an old friend. In this case it was both. So he gently walked down the hall toward the conference room. He didn't know why James summoned him there, but he still didn't like it.
As he opened the door, he was Admiral James Carstairs seated at the end, flanked by General Piotr Hrudek and Captain Shirish Gonzalez. Cargano also hated being the last person at a meeting. "I'm here, James. What's this all about?"
Carstairs face was blank. "This is an official function. Please report properly."
Cargano looked at all three men suspiciously. In three years of serving under Carstairs, he had never had to report formally. Eying the three officers, he thought to himself that these are, not counting himself, the three most senior officers in the Krish Fleet, exactly the men needed for a board or a court martial... Cargano snapped to attention and saluted. "Captain William Cargano reporting as ordered, sir."
Carstairs returned the salute. "As you were. Have you heard the news from Omelos?"
Cargano had been on patrol so communication had been sporadic for the last two weeks. "No, I haven't. Has something happened?"
"The good news," Carstairs began, "is that Omelos has fallen. The bad news is that the Dilgar managed to kill Hamato and several senior staff in the process."
"Then I am both happy and sad. Why have I been summoned here?"
Carstairs leaned forward. "Because I am not happy with your performance, Captain."
Cargano felt his blood being to boil. "What aspects of my performance have upset you, sir?"
Carstairs leaned forward into the daggers shooting out of Cargano's eyes. "Quite frankly, Captain, I think there are...better places for you than commanding a Nova."
"Are you demoting me, James? Are you serious?"
"Sir."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Are you demoting me, Sir."
Cargano began to grit his teeth. "Are you demoting me, Sir?"
"I think it's time to move you somewhere else."
Cargano glared at Cartairs for a moment. "And I suppose the orders have already come through."
"They have."
"You should have come to me like a man first. Fuck you, James." Cargano snapped back to attention. "Where have I been reassigned, sir?"
Carstairs point out the window. "There."
Cargano looked out the window to see an Orestes Battleship surrounded by repair scaffolding. "Executive Officer I assume, sir?"
"What do you think, General Cargano?"
"I think that you can go to..." Cargano's face softened as he thought for a moment. "Did you say 'General'?"
Hrudek burst into laughter. Gonzalez's smile was both embarrassed and amused. Carstairs tossed a small box at Cargano. "Gotcha, Bill!"
Cargano caught the box and opened it. Inside were two stars, each one rank insignia for a Rear General. "What the hell?"
"The promotion has been in the works for a while. With all the staff losses at Omelos, it got fast-tracked. And since a General needs a good ride, you are now the commanding officer of the Louis Davout, fresh from the front."
The tension in Cargano's face disappeared. "I... I don't know what to say."
Shirish, in a quiet but deferential voice replied. "Well, you could still tell Admiral Carstairs where to go..."
Three general officers burst into laughter.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Judgement
Orbit over Demeter, Dilgar Flagship Throne of Judgement
"Last of the assault fleet jumping out now.", the ELINT officer reported crisply. "Relief force reports that they are inbound, ETA one hour." It had taken a week of hard work and coordination to get the colony established below. His ships had been fighting constantly for over a month without relief and only now could he send them back to Station Prime for repair and refit. Morale was at an all time low after news of homeworld spread to the fleet.
Tor'han sighed as he observed the crew working in Throne's cavernous bridge. So young now. They are all so young.
"Acknowledged", responded Battle Leader Fen'sta. Again she looked up at the Warmaster standing at her shoulder. "Sir, are you sure you don't want to take command? This seems...irregular." She looked uncomfortable holding command of a ship with the Supreme Warmaster present, as if she were usurping his authority.
"Negative, Battle Leader. While I do plan on transferring my flag at some point, you are far more familiar with this ship's systems and operations than I." Tor'han again gazed around the bridge at the amazing display of advanced technology. The capabilities of Throne of Judgement outstripped anything he had experienced. And until he was able to master its nuances he did not intend to take over for those that did.
Fen'sta's record showed that she served as a lead engineer during design and construction and served with the ship since it left dry dock six months ago. She was a brilliant engineer and a promising tactician. Her crew followed her with an almost fanatic devotion. The original commander of Throne was killed only days into her first deployment. The young Battle Leader took command in the field and brought the ship through a harrowing gauntlet in order to reach Krish. No one was more qualified than she to sit at the conn.
Outside in the skies over Demeter the latest batch of new and experimental vessels took station around the massive battleship. These had arrived shortly after Throne of Judgement, representing the peak of Dilgar technology. Some were weathered veterans with hastily installed advanced systems. Others were new from the keel up, like Throne. All were rushed out of the shipyard to ferry their precious technology to Krish. Even now there were as many scientists as soldiers on the vessels. The Warmaster would be glad when the relief force arrived. This motley collection of ships was more a technology showcase than a proper fleet.
Other concerns weighed on his mind. His fleet had survived two massive clashes with the humans, leaving it in rough shape. Fully 80% of his ships were being refitted and repaired at Station Prime. While he didn't believe the humans would come at him again for a while, the Centauri were another matter. Fighter patrols were sweeping the system searching for the elusive Centauri fleet, but they had yet to make contact. Where were they? Surely they aren't cowering behind the station at Krish Prime. No matter. He had set things in motion to draw them out.
"Contacts inbound!" the ELINT officer excitedly barked.
Fen'sta looked over at the Warmaster expectantly. Tor'han nodded once in response. And then he watched something amazing happen. The youthful, unsure officer he was begining to know transformed before his eyes. Her posture changed, her face became a mask of professionalism though her eyes showed the feral anticipation of a hunter. She began to calmly issue orders rapid fire.
"All hands to stations. ELINT, give me numbers and types!", Fen'sta span around in her chair to face the comms officer. "Contact the fleet, tell them to form up in two pentacons, centered on command destroyers Order and Duty. Even while ELINT was sounding off the list of enemy vessels in the background she continued to issue instructions to to the fleet.
Tor'han watched the tactical displays. The Centauri were taking no chances, jumping in on the far side of a heavy debris field made up of wrecked Diglar and human warships. It looked to be a heavy raiding force, perhaps even enough to retake the space around Demeter. Their ad-hoc collection of new ships and untried crews were all that stood in the way.
=====================================
Scenario:
A Call to Arms, 7 Points Raid
Forces:
Centauri
Primus, Emperor Morell
Balvarin, Turhan's Glory
Sulust, Stalwart
Maximus x2, Principio, Retiario
Kutai x4, Parry, Thrust, Slash, Lunge
Sentri(4)
Razik(4) x3
special: Due to an 'other duties' result, the Centauri was forced to leave one Maximus, the Principio, behind.
Dilgar
Command Pentacon
Mankhat Dreadnought, Throne of Judgment (extended range missile rack, mass drivers)
Omelos Light Cruiser, Flawless (+2 AD forward hvy. bolters)
Ochlavita Ki Command Destroyer, Order (extended range missile rack, advanced sensors)
Jashikar Tae, Hazard
Support Pentacon
Ochlavita Ki Command Destroyer, Duty (Jump Engine)
Jashakar Vi Scout, Assassin
Jashakar Vi Scout, Whisker
Jashakar Tae, Peril
In my last few encounters with the Centauri, they had begun bringing large numbers of razik fighters to the field. This largely neutralized my own fighter threat, forcing me to rethink my composition. Intelligence reported that the Centauri had just purchased a Balvarin carrier. I suspected it would be in this battle. Rather than try to win an uphill fighter duel, I decided to bring no fighter force and leave his fighters with little to do.
Battlefield
The board had asteroid fields (density 6) and a dust cloud in one corner. The rest of the board was clear.
Setup
Initiative Centauri
Placing my ships first, I decided to give the Centauri the corner of terrain. This would encourage him to try and hide in the terrain, allowing me to dictate the range of the engagement. Knowing my opponent's conservative nature, it was a good bet. I placed both pentacons in the corner opposite the terrain.
The Centauri didn't disappoint. This turn he had won his other battle, successfully defending the planet Garden from attack. Thus the stakes in this battle weren't as high in his estimation. He set up nearly all of his ships behind the asteroid field. The Primus and Balvarin were even pointed to the far edge of the board, in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat. His Sulust Stalwart (the one long-range weapon in his inventory), was set up in the asteroid field along with one Kutai, Parry. They had high enough crew quality that there was no chance of damage. It seemed he wished to castle up behind some stealth and see what I would do. All his fighters were placed in the asteroid belt, looking like a cloud of angry wasps.
There was a great deal of distance between our two fleets. This suited me fine as I wanted to try some long range missile tactics.
Turn 1
Initiative Centauri
Our extreme range left me little to do but advance forward with both pentacons, keeping my ships together for mutual support.
The Centauri moved his Primus and Balvarin behind the dust cloud in the corner. He had to give an APTE order to the slow carrier so it could make the distance. This meant it was not launching more fighters this turn. All other ships gave an All Stop order. He seemed to like his current position.
The swarm of fighters moved forward to be just outside 15" (bolter range) of my fleet. This gave me the option of ignoring them or using my slow-firing missiles against them. I chose to ignore them, so there was no shooting this turn.
Turn 2
Initiative Centauri
I call an All Stop with both pentacons. My reasoning is that I am far outside range of his Sulust and if he does nothing on this turn I will start using missiles on his fighters. Most of them are raziks with a single weak weapon, but they are a lot of them. If the Centauri stays in his "fort", then I should be able to take some shots without risk.
The Centauri responds by moving his three kutai near the Sulust out and toward my fleet. The two that were behind the asteroid field swing around and angle in toward me, the one in the asteroid field is able to just move straight out. All kutai issue CBD orders. The Primus lumbers behind the dust cloud, slowly turning toward my fleet. The Carrier issues a Scramble order and unloads the remainder of its fighters.
Here we see the treacherous Centauri hiding behind a dust cloud.
And here we see the brave Parry moving out to face the Dilgar fleet.
The pile of fighters elects not to move. They won't give me free bolter shots.
As I'm considering my fire options, I notice that the closest kutai, Parry, is just within missile range of Throne. I'm itching to try out my new ship so I decide to fire, unloading 20 AD of tripple damage missiles into the little boat. It explodes spectacularly. First blood to the Dilgar! The missiles on my other ships are only in range of the fighters and I don't want to waste all my slow loading fire.
Turn 3
Initiative Centauri
My pentacons again both call All Stop, hoping to stay out of range while Throne reloads its missile racks. I make a mistake by keeping the dreadnought out front.
The Sulust Stalwart races out of the asteroids and places itself 24" away from my flagship, inside range of its beam but outside the 24" range of the missiles from my other ships. He also moves his other two Kutai, Thrust and Slash, forward toward my fleet.
His Primus swings about to take position inside the dust cloud. The balvarin holds position, facing the edge of the board and ready to run at any moment.
His fighters continue to hover outside botler range.
Stalwart gets an unanswered battle laser shot at my flagship, scoring 6 hits with its 4 AD beam. The damage roll scores three criticals. I'm stunned as the three criticals rolled are a 5/6 (Hull Breach), 6/3 (Engineering), and a 6/6 (Catastrophic Explosion)! The Throne of Judgement reels as it takes 25 damage, 20 crew, looses all traits, can issue no special actions, and has no damage control for the rest of the game. Ouch!
I again decide to not fire missiles at the cloud of fighters hovering in the distance.
Turn 4
Initiative Dilgar
This was my first turn to finally win initiative, but it couldn't have come at a better time. My pentacons moved slowly forward since the dreadnought couldn't issue an all stop. I had the Jashakar Tae Hazard move in front of Throne and issue the order "Maneuver to Shield Them!" - kicking myself for not doing the same last turn as is my normal tactic.
The Sulust gave a CBD order, expecting a great deal of return fire this turn. Thrust and Slash moved further forward, one within gun range of the Throne, the other just short of the dreadnought but able to fire on Hazard.
The Centauri fleet core is slowly coming about to engage from the dust cloud.
His fighters then moved forward. Four sentri fighters took escort around the Sulust, raising its interceptor rating to 6. The rest of the fighters moved forward to fire on the one ship that was close enough to attack, my sacrificial Hazard (life is very hard on frigates under my command).
Scouts light up the Stalwart, broadcasting my intentions quite clearly.
Three flights of razik attack Hazard, scoring minor damage.
Then it's my turn to fire, and the command pentacon unleashes hell. Thirty eight dice of missiles converge on Stalwart. To it's credit the ship stops a great deal of the damage with its fighter escort and the CBD order. But in the end there are simply too many dice. Starwart explodes and takes out the escorting fighters, doing minor damage to Slash. Throne fires its guns on Slash and damages it heavily, though dodge and CBD keep it from suffering fatal wounds. All other bolters fire at fighters and manage to kill 3 flights.
Thrust fires on my flagship and scores a few points of damage.
My support pentacon fires missiles on Slash, reducing it to a skeleton crew. Their bolters fire on fighters to no effect.
Slash fires on Hazard and decrews the frigate, leaving it adrift.
This turn worked much better for me. Throne is hurt badly, but its maneuvering and weapons still function. In return I have destroyed the only long range weapon in the Centauri fleet.
Turn 5
Initiative Dilgar
My pentacons begin to angle toward the far corner, hoping to position themselves to attack the remaining Centauri fleet. There is some risk, though, as Throne is gravely wounded. A good volley from the Primus could send it over the edge.
Slash and Thrust move forward, getting very close to Throne in hopes of using all guns or, at least, harming the ship in their explosion.
The Primus initiates a Jump Point. It wants to be ready to leave on a moment's notice if things continue south. The maximus is right there with it. The last Kutai takes station at the edge of the dust cloud.
A cloud of fighters piles around Throne, hoping to inflict damage through sheer weight of numbers.
My scouts light up Thrust and Slash.
The fighters fire, doing a bit of damage to Throne. The massive ship is now at about 38 damage, 10 from being crippled. I can see my opponent trying to do the numbers in his head as he eyes his Primus.
Throne fires all guns in a spectacular light show, attempting to kill some of the fighters that plague it. Three are flights killed. It also fires a surgically calculated number of weapons at Slash and Thrust, managing to destroy them both without an immediate explosion.
The rest of my fleet fires all bearing guns at fighters, killing 2 more all told.
The moment of decision is upon the Centauri. Stay or leave?
Turn 6
Initiative Centauri
My opponent didn't see any lucky criticals in the previous turn as he had hoped. So he decided to excercise caution and leave the planet. If this had been a one-off game I'm sure he would have charged in. But the Centauri are in dire economic straights right now and could not easily replace a lost Primus.
The Maximus first races through the jump point. The last Kutai (is that a movie title?), Lunge, can't make the jump point so it turns toward the edge of the board. It ends the turn a mere 2" from the table edge. The Bavarian lumbers off the edge of the board easily.
I continue to bear down on the far corner. I manage to get my scouts within scouting range of Lunge and I get Throne just barely within the 42" range of its single extended range missile rack. All my ships with anti-fighter traits huddle in close around Throne.
Centauri fighters also heed the call to retreat and run for the edge of the board. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Scouts paint Lunge.
Throne makes a 'Hail Mary' shot with 5 AD of missile at range 40". After dodge and CBD I do exactly 10 points of damage, destroying Lunge just before it can escape.
Losses:
Centauri
Destroyed:
Sulust, Stalwart (10 pts)
Kutai, Parry (3 pts)
Kutai, Thrust (3 pts)
Kutai, Slash (3 pts)
Kutai, Lunge (3 pts)
1 razik flight (3 pts)
Withdrawn:
Primus, Emperor Morell (5 pts)
Balvarin, Turhan's Glory (2.5 pts)
Maximus, Retiario (1.25 pts)
Sentri (.75 pts)
Razik x2 (1.5 pts)
Dilgar
Destroyed:
Jashakar Tae, Hazard (3 pts)
Result:
Dilgar victory (37 points to 3)
Observations:
Playing within the scope of a campaign can greatly change how a battle plays out. This is one of the things I love about campaign play. My opponent had won a previous battle in this campaign turn, and so was not in a position where victory was necessary to stay in the game. Furthermore, he was loathe to risk any expensive assets because his income is currently low. This made him play very conservatively and I was able to benefit from this.
This battle wasn't "make or break" for me, either. But I had declared Demeter the new Dilgar homeworld and decided to defend it zealously, no matter the cost. So I was willing to risk big in order to keep it. It also helped that I am flush with resources in this campaign.
Had the Cenaturi kept all his fleet together they could have easily destroyed the Throne of Judgement after it took so much critical damage on turn 3. It would then have been a simple matter to finish off the remainder of my fleet, as 75% of my firepower on the table was in that one ship. But he couldn't have known he would get so lucky. Instead he decided to hold back his most expensive units and see if he could inflict enough damage with his other ships to make easy prey for them to finish off.
The net effect of this was that I got to fight half his fleet with my whole fleet. Even then it was a close, exciting fight. Damn those high-quality Centauri ships.
The strength of the pentacon played a big part in this battle. It is likely a second shot from the Sulust would have crippled Throne. I absolutely had to kill it before it got the chance. Having the firepower of 4 ships all at once was the only way I made this happen. The loss of init sinks was a small price since the Centauri were holding defensive positions.
Aftermath:
The planet Demeter (New Omelos) remained in Dilgar hands long enough for a relief fleet to arrive. The Throne of Judgement and its companions, bathed in glory, returned to base for repairs and a much deserved rest.
=========================================================
Supreme Warmaster Tor'han looked up from his console. He had taken over ELINT when the officer manning the station had been killed by shrapnel from a secondary explosion. It had been a long time since he served anywhere other than the captain's chair. There was a kind of purity in it. No tactics or mind games. Just efficiency and duty.
He spun around to see the Throne's true commander. Fen'sta had been flawless and the Centauri were in full retreat. In particular, she had a clear grasp on missile systems and linked targeting. Never had Tor'han seen such accurate and effective 'time on target' coordination.
As the ventalators were finally clearing the smoke from the bridge the two locked eyes, the old campaigner and the brilliant young warrior. His decision was made in that moment.
He stood up and walked toward the bridge exit. At the door he stopped and turned around. "I'm a creature of habbit, captain. I've grown comfortable in my quarters on Incorruptable and, frankly, can't be bothered to uproot my whole command structure every time a new ship is built."
Fen'sta turned to regard him, a confused look on her face. "Sir?"
"I'm going to leave Throne in your hands. I can think of none more capable, Battlemaster Fen'sta."
He left the bridge before she could respond. The cheers of the crew could be heard even through the close bulkhead behind him. For the first time since news of the homeworld, Tor'han smiled.
"Last of the assault fleet jumping out now.", the ELINT officer reported crisply. "Relief force reports that they are inbound, ETA one hour." It had taken a week of hard work and coordination to get the colony established below. His ships had been fighting constantly for over a month without relief and only now could he send them back to Station Prime for repair and refit. Morale was at an all time low after news of homeworld spread to the fleet.
Tor'han sighed as he observed the crew working in Throne's cavernous bridge. So young now. They are all so young.
"Acknowledged", responded Battle Leader Fen'sta. Again she looked up at the Warmaster standing at her shoulder. "Sir, are you sure you don't want to take command? This seems...irregular." She looked uncomfortable holding command of a ship with the Supreme Warmaster present, as if she were usurping his authority.
"Negative, Battle Leader. While I do plan on transferring my flag at some point, you are far more familiar with this ship's systems and operations than I." Tor'han again gazed around the bridge at the amazing display of advanced technology. The capabilities of Throne of Judgement outstripped anything he had experienced. And until he was able to master its nuances he did not intend to take over for those that did.
Fen'sta's record showed that she served as a lead engineer during design and construction and served with the ship since it left dry dock six months ago. She was a brilliant engineer and a promising tactician. Her crew followed her with an almost fanatic devotion. The original commander of Throne was killed only days into her first deployment. The young Battle Leader took command in the field and brought the ship through a harrowing gauntlet in order to reach Krish. No one was more qualified than she to sit at the conn.
Outside in the skies over Demeter the latest batch of new and experimental vessels took station around the massive battleship. These had arrived shortly after Throne of Judgement, representing the peak of Dilgar technology. Some were weathered veterans with hastily installed advanced systems. Others were new from the keel up, like Throne. All were rushed out of the shipyard to ferry their precious technology to Krish. Even now there were as many scientists as soldiers on the vessels. The Warmaster would be glad when the relief force arrived. This motley collection of ships was more a technology showcase than a proper fleet.
Other concerns weighed on his mind. His fleet had survived two massive clashes with the humans, leaving it in rough shape. Fully 80% of his ships were being refitted and repaired at Station Prime. While he didn't believe the humans would come at him again for a while, the Centauri were another matter. Fighter patrols were sweeping the system searching for the elusive Centauri fleet, but they had yet to make contact. Where were they? Surely they aren't cowering behind the station at Krish Prime. No matter. He had set things in motion to draw them out.
"Contacts inbound!" the ELINT officer excitedly barked.
Fen'sta looked over at the Warmaster expectantly. Tor'han nodded once in response. And then he watched something amazing happen. The youthful, unsure officer he was begining to know transformed before his eyes. Her posture changed, her face became a mask of professionalism though her eyes showed the feral anticipation of a hunter. She began to calmly issue orders rapid fire.
"All hands to stations. ELINT, give me numbers and types!", Fen'sta span around in her chair to face the comms officer. "Contact the fleet, tell them to form up in two pentacons, centered on command destroyers Order and Duty. Even while ELINT was sounding off the list of enemy vessels in the background she continued to issue instructions to to the fleet.
Tor'han watched the tactical displays. The Centauri were taking no chances, jumping in on the far side of a heavy debris field made up of wrecked Diglar and human warships. It looked to be a heavy raiding force, perhaps even enough to retake the space around Demeter. Their ad-hoc collection of new ships and untried crews were all that stood in the way.
=====================================
Scenario:
A Call to Arms, 7 Points Raid
Forces:
Centauri
Primus, Emperor Morell
Balvarin, Turhan's Glory
Sulust, Stalwart
Maximus x2, Principio, Retiario
Kutai x4, Parry, Thrust, Slash, Lunge
Sentri(4)
Razik(4) x3
special: Due to an 'other duties' result, the Centauri was forced to leave one Maximus, the Principio, behind.
Dilgar
Command Pentacon
Mankhat Dreadnought, Throne of Judgment (extended range missile rack, mass drivers)
Omelos Light Cruiser, Flawless (+2 AD forward hvy. bolters)
Ochlavita Ki Command Destroyer, Order (extended range missile rack, advanced sensors)
Jashikar Tae, Hazard
Support Pentacon
Ochlavita Ki Command Destroyer, Duty (Jump Engine)
Jashakar Vi Scout, Assassin
Jashakar Vi Scout, Whisker
Jashakar Tae, Peril
In my last few encounters with the Centauri, they had begun bringing large numbers of razik fighters to the field. This largely neutralized my own fighter threat, forcing me to rethink my composition. Intelligence reported that the Centauri had just purchased a Balvarin carrier. I suspected it would be in this battle. Rather than try to win an uphill fighter duel, I decided to bring no fighter force and leave his fighters with little to do.
Battlefield
The board had asteroid fields (density 6) and a dust cloud in one corner. The rest of the board was clear.
Setup
Initiative Centauri
Placing my ships first, I decided to give the Centauri the corner of terrain. This would encourage him to try and hide in the terrain, allowing me to dictate the range of the engagement. Knowing my opponent's conservative nature, it was a good bet. I placed both pentacons in the corner opposite the terrain.
The Centauri didn't disappoint. This turn he had won his other battle, successfully defending the planet Garden from attack. Thus the stakes in this battle weren't as high in his estimation. He set up nearly all of his ships behind the asteroid field. The Primus and Balvarin were even pointed to the far edge of the board, in case they needed to beat a hasty retreat. His Sulust Stalwart (the one long-range weapon in his inventory), was set up in the asteroid field along with one Kutai, Parry. They had high enough crew quality that there was no chance of damage. It seemed he wished to castle up behind some stealth and see what I would do. All his fighters were placed in the asteroid belt, looking like a cloud of angry wasps.
There was a great deal of distance between our two fleets. This suited me fine as I wanted to try some long range missile tactics.
Turn 1
Initiative Centauri
Our extreme range left me little to do but advance forward with both pentacons, keeping my ships together for mutual support.
The Centauri moved his Primus and Balvarin behind the dust cloud in the corner. He had to give an APTE order to the slow carrier so it could make the distance. This meant it was not launching more fighters this turn. All other ships gave an All Stop order. He seemed to like his current position.
The swarm of fighters moved forward to be just outside 15" (bolter range) of my fleet. This gave me the option of ignoring them or using my slow-firing missiles against them. I chose to ignore them, so there was no shooting this turn.
Turn 2
Initiative Centauri
I call an All Stop with both pentacons. My reasoning is that I am far outside range of his Sulust and if he does nothing on this turn I will start using missiles on his fighters. Most of them are raziks with a single weak weapon, but they are a lot of them. If the Centauri stays in his "fort", then I should be able to take some shots without risk.
The Centauri responds by moving his three kutai near the Sulust out and toward my fleet. The two that were behind the asteroid field swing around and angle in toward me, the one in the asteroid field is able to just move straight out. All kutai issue CBD orders. The Primus lumbers behind the dust cloud, slowly turning toward my fleet. The Carrier issues a Scramble order and unloads the remainder of its fighters.
Here we see the treacherous Centauri hiding behind a dust cloud.
And here we see the brave Parry moving out to face the Dilgar fleet.
The pile of fighters elects not to move. They won't give me free bolter shots.
As I'm considering my fire options, I notice that the closest kutai, Parry, is just within missile range of Throne. I'm itching to try out my new ship so I decide to fire, unloading 20 AD of tripple damage missiles into the little boat. It explodes spectacularly. First blood to the Dilgar! The missiles on my other ships are only in range of the fighters and I don't want to waste all my slow loading fire.
Turn 3
Initiative Centauri
My pentacons again both call All Stop, hoping to stay out of range while Throne reloads its missile racks. I make a mistake by keeping the dreadnought out front.
The Sulust Stalwart races out of the asteroids and places itself 24" away from my flagship, inside range of its beam but outside the 24" range of the missiles from my other ships. He also moves his other two Kutai, Thrust and Slash, forward toward my fleet.
His Primus swings about to take position inside the dust cloud. The balvarin holds position, facing the edge of the board and ready to run at any moment.
His fighters continue to hover outside botler range.
Stalwart gets an unanswered battle laser shot at my flagship, scoring 6 hits with its 4 AD beam. The damage roll scores three criticals. I'm stunned as the three criticals rolled are a 5/6 (Hull Breach), 6/3 (Engineering), and a 6/6 (Catastrophic Explosion)! The Throne of Judgement reels as it takes 25 damage, 20 crew, looses all traits, can issue no special actions, and has no damage control for the rest of the game. Ouch!
I again decide to not fire missiles at the cloud of fighters hovering in the distance.
Turn 4
Initiative Dilgar
This was my first turn to finally win initiative, but it couldn't have come at a better time. My pentacons moved slowly forward since the dreadnought couldn't issue an all stop. I had the Jashakar Tae Hazard move in front of Throne and issue the order "Maneuver to Shield Them!" - kicking myself for not doing the same last turn as is my normal tactic.
The Sulust gave a CBD order, expecting a great deal of return fire this turn. Thrust and Slash moved further forward, one within gun range of the Throne, the other just short of the dreadnought but able to fire on Hazard.
The Centauri fleet core is slowly coming about to engage from the dust cloud.
His fighters then moved forward. Four sentri fighters took escort around the Sulust, raising its interceptor rating to 6. The rest of the fighters moved forward to fire on the one ship that was close enough to attack, my sacrificial Hazard (life is very hard on frigates under my command).
Scouts light up the Stalwart, broadcasting my intentions quite clearly.
Three flights of razik attack Hazard, scoring minor damage.
Then it's my turn to fire, and the command pentacon unleashes hell. Thirty eight dice of missiles converge on Stalwart. To it's credit the ship stops a great deal of the damage with its fighter escort and the CBD order. But in the end there are simply too many dice. Starwart explodes and takes out the escorting fighters, doing minor damage to Slash. Throne fires its guns on Slash and damages it heavily, though dodge and CBD keep it from suffering fatal wounds. All other bolters fire at fighters and manage to kill 3 flights.
Thrust fires on my flagship and scores a few points of damage.
My support pentacon fires missiles on Slash, reducing it to a skeleton crew. Their bolters fire on fighters to no effect.
Slash fires on Hazard and decrews the frigate, leaving it adrift.
This turn worked much better for me. Throne is hurt badly, but its maneuvering and weapons still function. In return I have destroyed the only long range weapon in the Centauri fleet.
Turn 5
Initiative Dilgar
My pentacons begin to angle toward the far corner, hoping to position themselves to attack the remaining Centauri fleet. There is some risk, though, as Throne is gravely wounded. A good volley from the Primus could send it over the edge.
Slash and Thrust move forward, getting very close to Throne in hopes of using all guns or, at least, harming the ship in their explosion.
The Primus initiates a Jump Point. It wants to be ready to leave on a moment's notice if things continue south. The maximus is right there with it. The last Kutai takes station at the edge of the dust cloud.
A cloud of fighters piles around Throne, hoping to inflict damage through sheer weight of numbers.
My scouts light up Thrust and Slash.
The fighters fire, doing a bit of damage to Throne. The massive ship is now at about 38 damage, 10 from being crippled. I can see my opponent trying to do the numbers in his head as he eyes his Primus.
Throne fires all guns in a spectacular light show, attempting to kill some of the fighters that plague it. Three are flights killed. It also fires a surgically calculated number of weapons at Slash and Thrust, managing to destroy them both without an immediate explosion.
The rest of my fleet fires all bearing guns at fighters, killing 2 more all told.
The moment of decision is upon the Centauri. Stay or leave?
Turn 6
Initiative Centauri
My opponent didn't see any lucky criticals in the previous turn as he had hoped. So he decided to excercise caution and leave the planet. If this had been a one-off game I'm sure he would have charged in. But the Centauri are in dire economic straights right now and could not easily replace a lost Primus.
The Maximus first races through the jump point. The last Kutai (is that a movie title?), Lunge, can't make the jump point so it turns toward the edge of the board. It ends the turn a mere 2" from the table edge. The Bavarian lumbers off the edge of the board easily.
I continue to bear down on the far corner. I manage to get my scouts within scouting range of Lunge and I get Throne just barely within the 42" range of its single extended range missile rack. All my ships with anti-fighter traits huddle in close around Throne.
Centauri fighters also heed the call to retreat and run for the edge of the board. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Scouts paint Lunge.
Throne makes a 'Hail Mary' shot with 5 AD of missile at range 40". After dodge and CBD I do exactly 10 points of damage, destroying Lunge just before it can escape.
Losses:
Centauri
Destroyed:
Sulust, Stalwart (10 pts)
Kutai, Parry (3 pts)
Kutai, Thrust (3 pts)
Kutai, Slash (3 pts)
Kutai, Lunge (3 pts)
1 razik flight (3 pts)
Withdrawn:
Primus, Emperor Morell (5 pts)
Balvarin, Turhan's Glory (2.5 pts)
Maximus, Retiario (1.25 pts)
Sentri (.75 pts)
Razik x2 (1.5 pts)
Dilgar
Destroyed:
Jashakar Tae, Hazard (3 pts)
Result:
Dilgar victory (37 points to 3)
Observations:
Playing within the scope of a campaign can greatly change how a battle plays out. This is one of the things I love about campaign play. My opponent had won a previous battle in this campaign turn, and so was not in a position where victory was necessary to stay in the game. Furthermore, he was loathe to risk any expensive assets because his income is currently low. This made him play very conservatively and I was able to benefit from this.
This battle wasn't "make or break" for me, either. But I had declared Demeter the new Dilgar homeworld and decided to defend it zealously, no matter the cost. So I was willing to risk big in order to keep it. It also helped that I am flush with resources in this campaign.
Had the Cenaturi kept all his fleet together they could have easily destroyed the Throne of Judgement after it took so much critical damage on turn 3. It would then have been a simple matter to finish off the remainder of my fleet, as 75% of my firepower on the table was in that one ship. But he couldn't have known he would get so lucky. Instead he decided to hold back his most expensive units and see if he could inflict enough damage with his other ships to make easy prey for them to finish off.
The net effect of this was that I got to fight half his fleet with my whole fleet. Even then it was a close, exciting fight. Damn those high-quality Centauri ships.
The strength of the pentacon played a big part in this battle. It is likely a second shot from the Sulust would have crippled Throne. I absolutely had to kill it before it got the chance. Having the firepower of 4 ships all at once was the only way I made this happen. The loss of init sinks was a small price since the Centauri were holding defensive positions.
Aftermath:
The planet Demeter (New Omelos) remained in Dilgar hands long enough for a relief fleet to arrive. The Throne of Judgement and its companions, bathed in glory, returned to base for repairs and a much deserved rest.
=========================================================
Supreme Warmaster Tor'han looked up from his console. He had taken over ELINT when the officer manning the station had been killed by shrapnel from a secondary explosion. It had been a long time since he served anywhere other than the captain's chair. There was a kind of purity in it. No tactics or mind games. Just efficiency and duty.
He spun around to see the Throne's true commander. Fen'sta had been flawless and the Centauri were in full retreat. In particular, she had a clear grasp on missile systems and linked targeting. Never had Tor'han seen such accurate and effective 'time on target' coordination.
As the ventalators were finally clearing the smoke from the bridge the two locked eyes, the old campaigner and the brilliant young warrior. His decision was made in that moment.
He stood up and walked toward the bridge exit. At the door he stopped and turned around. "I'm a creature of habbit, captain. I've grown comfortable in my quarters on Incorruptable and, frankly, can't be bothered to uproot my whole command structure every time a new ship is built."
Fen'sta turned to regard him, a confused look on her face. "Sir?"
"I'm going to leave Throne in your hands. I can think of none more capable, Battlemaster Fen'sta."
He left the bridge before she could respond. The cheers of the crew could be heard even through the close bulkhead behind him. For the first time since news of the homeworld, Tor'han smiled.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
What Price?
Deep space near the planet Garden...
"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.
==========================================================
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).
"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.
==========================================================
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.
==========================================================
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.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Here Is The News
Carstairs reviewed the repair logs for the fleet. The lack of the third Nova left a hard stone in his stomach. Jeff could be an arrogant pain in the ass, but most truly good captains were. He could still see him sitting in the ready room on the Scott.
"If it makes it easier for Hamato to finish the war, it's completely worth it."
I hope you really felt that way, Jeff. The intercom chime interrupted Carstairs' thoughts. "Sir," the comm officer began, "General Rosales wishes to speak to you."
A small shudder ran down Carstairs' back. His commanding officer's CO and Executive officer of the Liberation Navy, answering directly to Hamato? Carstairs had long ago ceased to be worried about communications from top brass but he knew that this call would be either really good news or really bad news. There was only one way to find out. "Count to ten and then put him through to my screen." He turned his chair to face the screen, pulled the bottom of his jacket to straighten out the wrinkles, ran his hand through his hair and waited for the image to come through.
Herve Rosales' image formed from the static. "Good morning, Admiral Carstairs." he said, slightly rolling his Rs, revealing the accent of his native Spain. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Not at all, sir. How can I be of assistance to you today?"
"Actually, I will be helping you, I think."
Wheels turned in Carstairs' head. "I don't follow you, sir."
"First, let me say that you have done an excellent job of tying the Dilgar up in the Krish System and the intelligence you have provided us has been of great value in the war effort."
Carstairs inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."
"For that, you are welcome. Even more importantly, little stands between us and Omelos. Preliminary strikes have already begun and we should begin the final assault within the next few days."
"That's wonderful, sir! Please confer my congratulations to Admiral Hamato."
With a slight smile beneath his this mustache, Rosales said "I shall do that. Unfortunately, I do not think that this news will be good for you."
"Sir?"
"Our scouts tracking their flagship, the Mancat class vessel 'Seat of Punishment', detected it jumping out of the system two hours ago. We have reason to believe that it is heading in your direction."
Carstairs wheels began to spin again. "It's arrival in system would confirm my belief that the Dilgar are trying to relocate to this system. I had hoped to dislodge them from the planet I believe they have chosen with our last attack but we failed. I wanted to overwhelm them with our force but it was much more heavily defended than we had expected. While we did sizable damage to their forces, it was not as valuable as what we lost."
"Esto es la guerra. But this is both bad and good. If the forces around Omelos feel they have a way out, they may not fight like caged wolves to the death. Good for us but not so good for you."
Carstairs showed a confident smile, but inside he was quite concerned. "I don't suppose you could help us with that, sir?"
"As luck would have it, yes. With the help we've been getting from the worlds we have liberated, we have been able to free up other resources to send your way. We begin with some more Sagittari to replace the ones you have lost. Along with the engineers and tech upgrades, we will have you in better shape. If 'Seat of Punishment' arrives, you'll need it. That thing is a monster. And once we have pacified Omelos itself, we will be able to dispatch more forces from the fleet to aid you."
"Sir, permission to speak freely?"
Rosales leaned back. "Granted."
"Sir, if I remember the specs on the Mancat correctly, I'm not sure we have the firepower to destroy it. And with the Centauri here, I'm loath to commit too much of our forces lest we leave them masters of the system and two jumps from Earth."
"Patience, Admiral. Once Omelos is disposed of, we can turn our attentions to your little problem."
But would we survive our little problem? That remained to be seen. But Carstairs knew Omelos was the most important mission of all. "Understood, sir. We will maintain resistance until more forces can be sent to aid."
"Very good Admiral. Oh, and one last thing, would you pass a message to Captain Cargano the next time you see him? It is not important enough to tie up a channel."
"I'd be happy to, sir." It was a little unorthodox, but everyone passed messages back and forth this.
"Tell Bill I said Queen's Knight to King's four. And that I will mate him in nine moves. Anything else you would like to say, Admiral?"
"No, sir. I have much to prepare for."
"Then I will leave you to it. Good luck, Admiral Carstairs. May God be with you. Rosales out."
As the screen went dead, Carstairs sat back and closed his eyes. Losing a Nova is now, officially, the least of my worries...
"If it makes it easier for Hamato to finish the war, it's completely worth it."
I hope you really felt that way, Jeff. The intercom chime interrupted Carstairs' thoughts. "Sir," the comm officer began, "General Rosales wishes to speak to you."
A small shudder ran down Carstairs' back. His commanding officer's CO and Executive officer of the Liberation Navy, answering directly to Hamato? Carstairs had long ago ceased to be worried about communications from top brass but he knew that this call would be either really good news or really bad news. There was only one way to find out. "Count to ten and then put him through to my screen." He turned his chair to face the screen, pulled the bottom of his jacket to straighten out the wrinkles, ran his hand through his hair and waited for the image to come through.
Herve Rosales' image formed from the static. "Good morning, Admiral Carstairs." he said, slightly rolling his Rs, revealing the accent of his native Spain. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Not at all, sir. How can I be of assistance to you today?"
"Actually, I will be helping you, I think."
Wheels turned in Carstairs' head. "I don't follow you, sir."
"First, let me say that you have done an excellent job of tying the Dilgar up in the Krish System and the intelligence you have provided us has been of great value in the war effort."
Carstairs inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."
"For that, you are welcome. Even more importantly, little stands between us and Omelos. Preliminary strikes have already begun and we should begin the final assault within the next few days."
"That's wonderful, sir! Please confer my congratulations to Admiral Hamato."
With a slight smile beneath his this mustache, Rosales said "I shall do that. Unfortunately, I do not think that this news will be good for you."
"Sir?"
"Our scouts tracking their flagship, the Mancat class vessel 'Seat of Punishment', detected it jumping out of the system two hours ago. We have reason to believe that it is heading in your direction."
Carstairs wheels began to spin again. "It's arrival in system would confirm my belief that the Dilgar are trying to relocate to this system. I had hoped to dislodge them from the planet I believe they have chosen with our last attack but we failed. I wanted to overwhelm them with our force but it was much more heavily defended than we had expected. While we did sizable damage to their forces, it was not as valuable as what we lost."
"Esto es la guerra. But this is both bad and good. If the forces around Omelos feel they have a way out, they may not fight like caged wolves to the death. Good for us but not so good for you."
Carstairs showed a confident smile, but inside he was quite concerned. "I don't suppose you could help us with that, sir?"
"As luck would have it, yes. With the help we've been getting from the worlds we have liberated, we have been able to free up other resources to send your way. We begin with some more Sagittari to replace the ones you have lost. Along with the engineers and tech upgrades, we will have you in better shape. If 'Seat of Punishment' arrives, you'll need it. That thing is a monster. And once we have pacified Omelos itself, we will be able to dispatch more forces from the fleet to aid you."
"Sir, permission to speak freely?"
Rosales leaned back. "Granted."
"Sir, if I remember the specs on the Mancat correctly, I'm not sure we have the firepower to destroy it. And with the Centauri here, I'm loath to commit too much of our forces lest we leave them masters of the system and two jumps from Earth."
"Patience, Admiral. Once Omelos is disposed of, we can turn our attentions to your little problem."
But would we survive our little problem? That remained to be seen. But Carstairs knew Omelos was the most important mission of all. "Understood, sir. We will maintain resistance until more forces can be sent to aid."
"Very good Admiral. Oh, and one last thing, would you pass a message to Captain Cargano the next time you see him? It is not important enough to tie up a channel."
"I'd be happy to, sir." It was a little unorthodox, but everyone passed messages back and forth this.
"Tell Bill I said Queen's Knight to King's four. And that I will mate him in nine moves. Anything else you would like to say, Admiral?"
"No, sir. I have much to prepare for."
"Then I will leave you to it. Good luck, Admiral Carstairs. May God be with you. Rosales out."
As the screen went dead, Carstairs sat back and closed his eyes. Losing a Nova is now, officially, the least of my worries...
Comes the Messenger
War Captan Tor'han sat at the bridge of Incorruptable, breathing a sigh of relief. The humans were ending their attack and retreating to hyperspace. His plan of splitting the enemy forces on either side of the planet had paid off. Tactical was reporting the descrutction two hyperion cruisers and half the enemy scout ships. More important was the destruction of the nova dreadnought Posiedon. This was one of only three such ships in the human fleet and it had worried him almost as much as those damnable Orestes battleships.
As if to echo his thoughts, Incorruptable began to shudder as power was restored to the engines. The masive dreadnought had been struk twice and set adrift by the powerful laser of the Orestes, Winfield Scott. A shame he hadn't been able to reach optimal fighting range with him. Tor'han wondered who would prevail in such a battle. Incorruptable was a tough ship, but the Scott could match it blow-for-blow. Intelligence informed him that the commander of all human forces in the system was on that ship. Commendable; and telling. Nearly every other race the Dilgar had fought were commanded from remote locations. The humans seemed to understand that a commander leads from within the battle.
Reports continued to arrive. Their primary assault ship, Terror, along with the other assault craft had been savaged. It seems the humans had singled out his virus bombardment ships intentionally. Why, he wondered? Their contribution to the battle was a token one. Their virus bombs and mass drivers were of little use outside a planetary assault. Perhaps they meant to blunt the Dilgar ability to capture more planets? Since the humans held no other habitable planets this implied close cooperation with the Centauri - a troubling thought.
A full pentacon of torpedo frigates was lost. Again. Duty on these ships had become a kind of punishment, or proving ground depending on the outlook of the crew. The replacement ships were even begining to show this in their names: Hazard, Peril, Penance. The War Captain chuckled at this. At least gallows humor was still humor. And they would need all the elan that they could muster.
Things were much more desperate back at Omelos. The homeworld was now under constant attack. Raids for now, but the final assault was expected at any moment. Everything rested on his success here. The torrent of refugee ships had now ceased entirely. What they had was all there would ever be.
Sieze the system then destroy the jump gate. It was a slim hope, but all that remained for his people.
Still, they were well established here. Their scientific and industrial base was growing as the facilities around the base expanded. A testament to this was the series of new and experimental vessels leaving the local shipyards now. There was a command destroyer with a Jump Engine installed - the smallest jump capable ship in the history of his people. Several craft were upgraded with improved sensors, able to pinpoint and target enemy scout ships despite their stealth technology. If they could simply buy breathing space, a few decades at most, then their people could once again be a vital empire.
The ELINT officer suddenly broke his reverie, "Sir! We have a ship arriving in high orbit. Jump point opening now. IFF codes identify her as... Sir?"
High above the glittering orb of Demeter a tear in space opened and a ship made the transition from the hellish landscape of hyperspace to the relative calm of realspace. The ship was massive, larger even than Incorruptable. Its configuration was one Tor'han had never seen before. But the huge imperial seal emblazoned on the hull left little question as to what it represented. This was the Throne of Judgement, flagship of the Dilgar empire and arguably the most powerful ship in space outside the Minbari Federation.
"Throne of Judgement requesting to speak with you, War Captain!" the comms officer relayed in barely suppressed excitement.
"Acknowledge their transmission," Tor'han pushed off from the console and floated to his command chair. Once he was strapped in he nodded to the young officer, "Patch them through."
The screen came to life, showing a suprisingly young woman in the commander's chair. Even more suprising was her low rank, not the sort of officer you would expect at the conn of the Imperium's flagship. The young officer addressed Tor'han with a salute, "Battle leader Fen'sta reporting for duty."
The War Captain regarded her with a mix of curiosity and dread, "Battle leader, perhaps you should explain yourself."
"Greetings, War Captain. I bring you a gift from Omelos," her eyes dropped to the floor as she finished the message, "The last that you will ever receive."
"Explain yourself, Battle leader," Tor'han calmly requested, though he feared he already knew the answer.
"Omelos has fallen. The fleet destroyed. It is now at the mercy of our enemies."
Silence filled the bridge of Incorruptable as each crewman processed this last statement.
Tor'han considered this news for a long moment. "We have a strong base of operations. From here we could wage a long and bloody vengence. It may take years but we can still liberate our people!" He was already begining to work out the logistics of an extended guerilla campaign against the League and Earthforce.
Fen'sta slowly and sadly shook her head. "Sir, I hold your final orders from the Emperor himself." She held up a sheet of paper and began to formally recite, "Tor'han, you have served the Imperium with honor and glory. I hereby appoint you Supreme Warmaster of the Dilgar Imperium. This ship...the flagship of the Imperium...is now your flagship." It was an effort for her to keep her voice steady, but to her credit she barely managed it. "You are to never return to Omelos. Consider it lost forever. You will understand in due time." A moment's pause, and the young officer looked up at Tor'han. "That is the end of the message."
Gal'fen, the XO and Tor'han's aid de camp through decades of campaigning, stood to attention and shouted, "Hail the Supreme Warmaster!" Such was the confidence and power of his voice that the rest of the bridge crew immediately responded.
"Hail the Supreme Warmaster!"
Tor'han looked out the viewport amidst the cheers of his crew. The planet hanging there in the sky was no longer Demeter. For better or worse it was Homeworld.
As if to echo his thoughts, Incorruptable began to shudder as power was restored to the engines. The masive dreadnought had been struk twice and set adrift by the powerful laser of the Orestes, Winfield Scott. A shame he hadn't been able to reach optimal fighting range with him. Tor'han wondered who would prevail in such a battle. Incorruptable was a tough ship, but the Scott could match it blow-for-blow. Intelligence informed him that the commander of all human forces in the system was on that ship. Commendable; and telling. Nearly every other race the Dilgar had fought were commanded from remote locations. The humans seemed to understand that a commander leads from within the battle.
Reports continued to arrive. Their primary assault ship, Terror, along with the other assault craft had been savaged. It seems the humans had singled out his virus bombardment ships intentionally. Why, he wondered? Their contribution to the battle was a token one. Their virus bombs and mass drivers were of little use outside a planetary assault. Perhaps they meant to blunt the Dilgar ability to capture more planets? Since the humans held no other habitable planets this implied close cooperation with the Centauri - a troubling thought.
A full pentacon of torpedo frigates was lost. Again. Duty on these ships had become a kind of punishment, or proving ground depending on the outlook of the crew. The replacement ships were even begining to show this in their names: Hazard, Peril, Penance. The War Captain chuckled at this. At least gallows humor was still humor. And they would need all the elan that they could muster.
Things were much more desperate back at Omelos. The homeworld was now under constant attack. Raids for now, but the final assault was expected at any moment. Everything rested on his success here. The torrent of refugee ships had now ceased entirely. What they had was all there would ever be.
Sieze the system then destroy the jump gate. It was a slim hope, but all that remained for his people.
Still, they were well established here. Their scientific and industrial base was growing as the facilities around the base expanded. A testament to this was the series of new and experimental vessels leaving the local shipyards now. There was a command destroyer with a Jump Engine installed - the smallest jump capable ship in the history of his people. Several craft were upgraded with improved sensors, able to pinpoint and target enemy scout ships despite their stealth technology. If they could simply buy breathing space, a few decades at most, then their people could once again be a vital empire.
The ELINT officer suddenly broke his reverie, "Sir! We have a ship arriving in high orbit. Jump point opening now. IFF codes identify her as... Sir?"
High above the glittering orb of Demeter a tear in space opened and a ship made the transition from the hellish landscape of hyperspace to the relative calm of realspace. The ship was massive, larger even than Incorruptable. Its configuration was one Tor'han had never seen before. But the huge imperial seal emblazoned on the hull left little question as to what it represented. This was the Throne of Judgement, flagship of the Dilgar empire and arguably the most powerful ship in space outside the Minbari Federation.
"Throne of Judgement requesting to speak with you, War Captain!" the comms officer relayed in barely suppressed excitement.
"Acknowledge their transmission," Tor'han pushed off from the console and floated to his command chair. Once he was strapped in he nodded to the young officer, "Patch them through."
The screen came to life, showing a suprisingly young woman in the commander's chair. Even more suprising was her low rank, not the sort of officer you would expect at the conn of the Imperium's flagship. The young officer addressed Tor'han with a salute, "Battle leader Fen'sta reporting for duty."
The War Captain regarded her with a mix of curiosity and dread, "Battle leader, perhaps you should explain yourself."
"Greetings, War Captain. I bring you a gift from Omelos," her eyes dropped to the floor as she finished the message, "The last that you will ever receive."
"Explain yourself, Battle leader," Tor'han calmly requested, though he feared he already knew the answer.
"Omelos has fallen. The fleet destroyed. It is now at the mercy of our enemies."
Silence filled the bridge of Incorruptable as each crewman processed this last statement.
Tor'han considered this news for a long moment. "We have a strong base of operations. From here we could wage a long and bloody vengence. It may take years but we can still liberate our people!" He was already begining to work out the logistics of an extended guerilla campaign against the League and Earthforce.
Fen'sta slowly and sadly shook her head. "Sir, I hold your final orders from the Emperor himself." She held up a sheet of paper and began to formally recite, "Tor'han, you have served the Imperium with honor and glory. I hereby appoint you Supreme Warmaster of the Dilgar Imperium. This ship...the flagship of the Imperium...is now your flagship." It was an effort for her to keep her voice steady, but to her credit she barely managed it. "You are to never return to Omelos. Consider it lost forever. You will understand in due time." A moment's pause, and the young officer looked up at Tor'han. "That is the end of the message."
Gal'fen, the XO and Tor'han's aid de camp through decades of campaigning, stood to attention and shouted, "Hail the Supreme Warmaster!" Such was the confidence and power of his voice that the rest of the bridge crew immediately responded.
"Hail the Supreme Warmaster!"
Tor'han looked out the viewport amidst the cheers of his crew. The planet hanging there in the sky was no longer Demeter. For better or worse it was Homeworld.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
…And A Time to Reap
Carstairs was lost inside his own head as he pondered the system map. The Centauri hold was growing stronger, he thought, but we must never lose sight of our real mission here. Much of the system fleet was tied up in constant chase and patrol thanks to Hrudek and between the repairs to the fleet, the fuel consumption of so many ships, the monotony of constant drilling and the pall of the defeat Earthforce had been handed, many things were in short supply, most importantly materiel and morale. The boys needed a win and needed it badly. Earth didn't need it as badly. The victories on the way to Omelos were racking up. But these men? You could see it in some of their eyes. Many accepted that you win some and you lose some, but the sting of being the superior force and losing was still fresh.
The one real coup, however, had been the capture of a Dilgar ship. Intel was still going over the information from the computers, but now Carstairs understood why the Dilgar were here.
They want planets in this system for colonization. That means one of two things. Either they are so certain of their victory against Earth and the other races that they're already planning more expansion or they're trying to get people off their homeworld in case they lose.
Wheels continued to turn in Carstairs' head.
The former seems unlikely based on the reports from the front. Maybe a little propaganda was mixed in but even the most conservative reading says we're winning and our allies' reports were backing that up. The latter seemed much more likely. If they're afraid of losing their homeworld to us, then no wonder they're trying to evacuate. They virus bomb worlds they take. In their minds, why wouldn't we do the same to them?
We know what they want. So now we must deny it to them. Carstairs spun his chair around and began typing. We must deny them…
The decision was clear. The die was cast.
"General, Admiral Carstairs wishes to speak to you." Hrudek groggily ran his hand through his hair and over the empty socket. He could still see in his mind the branch that cost him his eye at the age of 14. But if people wanted to believe it was a battle scar, let them. It made most men afraid to…inconvenience him, but not Carstairs. And only he would probably have the guts to call him in the middle of his sleep like this. Unless there was an actual emergency, of course. One could only hope not. There had been enough misfortune. And by "misfortune", Hrudek meant "incompetence". He slipped on an eyepatch and gruffly announced “Put him through.”
Carstairs face appeared on the monitor. "Good morning, General. I'm sorry to wake you, but your new orders were too important to allow them to wait."
Hrudek shook his head to wake himself more quickly. "What new orders?"
"I know you and Kallis have been planning to retake the garden world from the Centauri. The plan has changed. You will have a new target: Demeter."
Hrudek cocked his head. "The virus bombed planet? What good is it to us?"
"I'm broadcasting intel on a sub-channel. Look at it and hopefully you will understand. We're attacking it and taking it. There can be no other outcome. I'll even lead personally."
Hrudek gave a dismissive grunt. "Fine. What forces do you want back from me?"
"You misunderstand, General. Every ship in the system capable of fighting, yours included, will be involved in this action. Failure is not an option on this one."
"I didn't think you had the stones to make that sort of gamble and I question the wisdom of it anyway. What if we lose?"
"If we lose, we will hit it again and we will keep hitting it until we take it or a truly better option comes along. And as long as the Centauri keep the Garden, there is no other 'better' option."
Hrudek shifted uneasily. "What you describe is madness!"
"Read the intel. What I describe is strategy. You have your orders, General. Carstairs out."
That damnable bastard! Hrudek thought. He better damn well know what he's doing! Hrudek scanned the orders he was sent, forwarded them to section heads and then barked out for a com to Navigation. "Plot a course for Rendezvous Point Gamma at half speed. What's our ETA?"
"We...we won't have exact figures for a few minutes yet but about seven hours, sir."
"Fine. Have my adjutant wake me up in three and I want the section heads there waiting 10 minutes later. We are going to be hunting Dilgar."
"Sir! Yes, sir!" and the link went dead.
Hrudek took off the eyepatch and pulled the covers back over him. He damn well better know…
The one real coup, however, had been the capture of a Dilgar ship. Intel was still going over the information from the computers, but now Carstairs understood why the Dilgar were here.
They want planets in this system for colonization. That means one of two things. Either they are so certain of their victory against Earth and the other races that they're already planning more expansion or they're trying to get people off their homeworld in case they lose.
Wheels continued to turn in Carstairs' head.
The former seems unlikely based on the reports from the front. Maybe a little propaganda was mixed in but even the most conservative reading says we're winning and our allies' reports were backing that up. The latter seemed much more likely. If they're afraid of losing their homeworld to us, then no wonder they're trying to evacuate. They virus bomb worlds they take. In their minds, why wouldn't we do the same to them?
We know what they want. So now we must deny it to them. Carstairs spun his chair around and began typing. We must deny them…
The decision was clear. The die was cast.
"General, Admiral Carstairs wishes to speak to you." Hrudek groggily ran his hand through his hair and over the empty socket. He could still see in his mind the branch that cost him his eye at the age of 14. But if people wanted to believe it was a battle scar, let them. It made most men afraid to…inconvenience him, but not Carstairs. And only he would probably have the guts to call him in the middle of his sleep like this. Unless there was an actual emergency, of course. One could only hope not. There had been enough misfortune. And by "misfortune", Hrudek meant "incompetence". He slipped on an eyepatch and gruffly announced “Put him through.”
Carstairs face appeared on the monitor. "Good morning, General. I'm sorry to wake you, but your new orders were too important to allow them to wait."
Hrudek shook his head to wake himself more quickly. "What new orders?"
"I know you and Kallis have been planning to retake the garden world from the Centauri. The plan has changed. You will have a new target: Demeter."
Hrudek cocked his head. "The virus bombed planet? What good is it to us?"
"I'm broadcasting intel on a sub-channel. Look at it and hopefully you will understand. We're attacking it and taking it. There can be no other outcome. I'll even lead personally."
Hrudek gave a dismissive grunt. "Fine. What forces do you want back from me?"
"You misunderstand, General. Every ship in the system capable of fighting, yours included, will be involved in this action. Failure is not an option on this one."
"I didn't think you had the stones to make that sort of gamble and I question the wisdom of it anyway. What if we lose?"
"If we lose, we will hit it again and we will keep hitting it until we take it or a truly better option comes along. And as long as the Centauri keep the Garden, there is no other 'better' option."
Hrudek shifted uneasily. "What you describe is madness!"
"Read the intel. What I describe is strategy. You have your orders, General. Carstairs out."
That damnable bastard! Hrudek thought. He better damn well know what he's doing! Hrudek scanned the orders he was sent, forwarded them to section heads and then barked out for a com to Navigation. "Plot a course for Rendezvous Point Gamma at half speed. What's our ETA?"
"We...we won't have exact figures for a few minutes yet but about seven hours, sir."
"Fine. Have my adjutant wake me up in three and I want the section heads there waiting 10 minutes later. We are going to be hunting Dilgar."
"Sir! Yes, sir!" and the link went dead.
Hrudek took off the eyepatch and pulled the covers back over him. He damn well better know…
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Price of Victory
Lord Maximo Drusella, graying but stately in his dress uniform, stepped up to the viewing gallery on Star Fortress Victory overlooking the spacedock, courtiers and adjutants yet in attendance from the recent victory celebration.
"WHAT. HAVE YOU DONE. TO MY SHIP!?" roared the aged Centauro, his contorted visage approximately 15 centimeters from that of the Emperor Morell's apprehensive captain. The rest of the company became immediately silent.
The once-proud Emperor Morell, a Primus-class battlecruiser of the Drusella House Expeditionary Force, hung pathetically at the end of the primary service arm of Star Fortress Victory's spacedock. The starboard and port sections were relatively intact, but the aft engineering section had been knocked almost completely off, and the central portion of the mighty ship virtually did not exist, only a thin skeleton of internal supports uniting the two sides together, underneath the lolling command section.
"Do you know how much that ship is worth?" Maximo continued, his roar having reduced now to a seething hiss. The ship's captain began to speak, but Maximo cut him off, returning to a roar. "More than you!"
"Yes, m'lord."
The battle over Garden had begun so well. Emperor Morell and her Maximus-class escort Triario had arrived to "show the flag" and perhaps bully Earthforce out of the system with veiled threats and implications of Centauri sanctions... pure bluffing, of course. However, two things surprised the Centauri: first, that the garrison around Garden had been reduced to a minimal level; and second, that the Earthers took an immediately aggressive posture. When the Earthers moved to attack, the Centauri had no choice but to make good their initial bluster.
Even though the Centauri group consisted of only two ships, they were more than a match for the small Earthforce contingent: EAS Spruance, an Avenger-class carrier, EAS Duncan, an Olympus gunship, and four Tethys-class gunboats of various types.
The captain's arrogance was only confirmed when the first shot from Emperor Morell, in a perfect example of precision gunnery, struck the EAS Duncan directly down her spinal beam mount, vaporizing her only weapon (and, indeed, Earthforce's most powerful weapon in this carrier group) and crippling her. The Centauri crew gave a cheer as clearly the battle had already been won.
Surprisingly, the Earthforce group came straight at the Primus. In another stunning display of gunnery from the Primus, two Tethys laser boats were vaporized, and two on the flank were damaged.
Then, the unthinkable happened. First, one of the wounded Tethys missile boats rammed the Emperor Morell, almost knocking away the aft engineering section and setting her adrift. And then, to the horror of the Centauri, the EAS Spruance, with a flight deck still containing at least a dozen Starfuries and crews, launched herself straight into the bow of the Emperor Morell! The aim of the crazed Earther helmsman was off just a tiny bit, and so instead of breaking apart into space junk, the Emperor Morell managed to hold together by a tiny sliver of skeletal structure between her two halves. The enormous brick-like Spruance, however, was crushed and compacted into a smouldering ball of wreckage and human jelly... all hands were squashed and melted in an instant of mind-bending violence. Over half the crew of the Emperor Morell were variously crushed and/or exposed to vacuum.
"Great Maker..." Maximo had begun mumbling, staring out the gallery window. "Great Maker." He heaved a sigh. First, the Dilgar virus bombed the entire planet of Demeter. Why? Why kill everyone? They could have taken the Centauri governor, his family and all the Centauri citizens as prisoners for ransom. They could have made a fortune! And why kill all the millions of native sentients? They were an entire army of slaves waiting to be gainfully employed. To waste all of that potential... for what? It didn't make any sense.
And now this. The Earthers ramming. With a half-full carrier? In order to protect an uninhabited planet? It was pure insanity. Though Garden was not a poor world by any means, it would take a long time for the resource yields on that planet to equal the price of a carrier. After the EAS Duncan was scratched, they should have withdrawn and ceded the issue. Like gentlemen.
"And you have no idea why the Earthers rammed you?"
"No, m'lord."
"Did you say something about their mothers?"
"No, m'lord."
"Did you try to get out of the way?"
"Yes, m'lord."
Silence followed.
"Shall I resign my commission, Lord Drusella?"
Maximo sighed again. "No, no. I'm sure you did everything you could. Besides, you are a Hero of the Centauri Republic. You destroyed two capital ships and three escorts."
The captain gulped. "M'lord, I destroyed one and two, and the others rammed me."
"Don't contradict me again, captain. You are a Hero of the Republic and that is that. You will conduct what remains of my ship back to the Imperial Shipyards at Centauri Prime. The Station Master owes me several favors... and so he will be seeing to these repairs personally. And perhaps make some improvements while he is at it."
"Yes, m'lord."
"Captain, have you ever even heard of anyone using a loaded fleet carrier as a missile?"
"No, m'lord."
"Doesn't it sound as if they are simply flushing ducats out of an airlock?"
"Precisely so, m'lord."
"Well. Now I understand why the Earthers and the Dilgar hate each other so much. They're exactly alike."
"WHAT. HAVE YOU DONE. TO MY SHIP!?" roared the aged Centauro, his contorted visage approximately 15 centimeters from that of the Emperor Morell's apprehensive captain. The rest of the company became immediately silent.
The once-proud Emperor Morell, a Primus-class battlecruiser of the Drusella House Expeditionary Force, hung pathetically at the end of the primary service arm of Star Fortress Victory's spacedock. The starboard and port sections were relatively intact, but the aft engineering section had been knocked almost completely off, and the central portion of the mighty ship virtually did not exist, only a thin skeleton of internal supports uniting the two sides together, underneath the lolling command section.
"Do you know how much that ship is worth?" Maximo continued, his roar having reduced now to a seething hiss. The ship's captain began to speak, but Maximo cut him off, returning to a roar. "More than you!"
"Yes, m'lord."
The battle over Garden had begun so well. Emperor Morell and her Maximus-class escort Triario had arrived to "show the flag" and perhaps bully Earthforce out of the system with veiled threats and implications of Centauri sanctions... pure bluffing, of course. However, two things surprised the Centauri: first, that the garrison around Garden had been reduced to a minimal level; and second, that the Earthers took an immediately aggressive posture. When the Earthers moved to attack, the Centauri had no choice but to make good their initial bluster.
Even though the Centauri group consisted of only two ships, they were more than a match for the small Earthforce contingent: EAS Spruance, an Avenger-class carrier, EAS Duncan, an Olympus gunship, and four Tethys-class gunboats of various types.
The captain's arrogance was only confirmed when the first shot from Emperor Morell, in a perfect example of precision gunnery, struck the EAS Duncan directly down her spinal beam mount, vaporizing her only weapon (and, indeed, Earthforce's most powerful weapon in this carrier group) and crippling her. The Centauri crew gave a cheer as clearly the battle had already been won.
Surprisingly, the Earthforce group came straight at the Primus. In another stunning display of gunnery from the Primus, two Tethys laser boats were vaporized, and two on the flank were damaged.
Then, the unthinkable happened. First, one of the wounded Tethys missile boats rammed the Emperor Morell, almost knocking away the aft engineering section and setting her adrift. And then, to the horror of the Centauri, the EAS Spruance, with a flight deck still containing at least a dozen Starfuries and crews, launched herself straight into the bow of the Emperor Morell! The aim of the crazed Earther helmsman was off just a tiny bit, and so instead of breaking apart into space junk, the Emperor Morell managed to hold together by a tiny sliver of skeletal structure between her two halves. The enormous brick-like Spruance, however, was crushed and compacted into a smouldering ball of wreckage and human jelly... all hands were squashed and melted in an instant of mind-bending violence. Over half the crew of the Emperor Morell were variously crushed and/or exposed to vacuum.
"Great Maker..." Maximo had begun mumbling, staring out the gallery window. "Great Maker." He heaved a sigh. First, the Dilgar virus bombed the entire planet of Demeter. Why? Why kill everyone? They could have taken the Centauri governor, his family and all the Centauri citizens as prisoners for ransom. They could have made a fortune! And why kill all the millions of native sentients? They were an entire army of slaves waiting to be gainfully employed. To waste all of that potential... for what? It didn't make any sense.
And now this. The Earthers ramming. With a half-full carrier? In order to protect an uninhabited planet? It was pure insanity. Though Garden was not a poor world by any means, it would take a long time for the resource yields on that planet to equal the price of a carrier. After the EAS Duncan was scratched, they should have withdrawn and ceded the issue. Like gentlemen.
"And you have no idea why the Earthers rammed you?"
"No, m'lord."
"Did you say something about their mothers?"
"No, m'lord."
"Did you try to get out of the way?"
"Yes, m'lord."
Silence followed.
"Shall I resign my commission, Lord Drusella?"
Maximo sighed again. "No, no. I'm sure you did everything you could. Besides, you are a Hero of the Centauri Republic. You destroyed two capital ships and three escorts."
The captain gulped. "M'lord, I destroyed one and two, and the others rammed me."
"Don't contradict me again, captain. You are a Hero of the Republic and that is that. You will conduct what remains of my ship back to the Imperial Shipyards at Centauri Prime. The Station Master owes me several favors... and so he will be seeing to these repairs personally. And perhaps make some improvements while he is at it."
"Yes, m'lord."
"Captain, have you ever even heard of anyone using a loaded fleet carrier as a missile?"
"No, m'lord."
"Doesn't it sound as if they are simply flushing ducats out of an airlock?"
"Precisely so, m'lord."
"Well. Now I understand why the Earthers and the Dilgar hate each other so much. They're exactly alike."
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