March 22, 2012: After some discussion, it is decided that communication should be attempted with the aliens. Scientists begin transmitting a signal to the vessel, and receive an untranslatable answer in return.
Early results are not encouraging.
April 27, 2012, Scientists develop a new engine design suitable for fighter type craft. New projects are launched to develop stronger particle beam weapons and also a unit of ground forces specialized in zero-g boarding maneuvers.
Attempts to communicate with the aliens continue, though they have yet to show much promise.
July 2, 2012: The Gravsurvey task force discovers the system of Ross 128 beyond the Hope system. Ross 128 contains an Oxygen/nitrogen world with a pleasant temperature and low (though livable) gravity; unfortunately the atmosphere is too thin to be breathable. It appears to be an ideal candidate for future terraforming.
July 23, 2012: The last deposits of Mercassium and Gallicite are exhausted on Earth, providing further evidence that Mankind must quickly expand off the homeworld.
August 29, 2012: Scientists attempting to communicate with the Alpha Centauri aliens believe their task to be impossible. They claim that the signal being transmitted contains no sign of intelligence, instead being some strangely modulated carrier signal or machine communications.
The UHF is in agreement that the situation cannot be allowed to continue; Alpha Centauri is adjacent to the homeworld and contains a valuable near-habitable planet. Additionally, if the ship detected is simply an automated craft there is the possibility it could be captured and prove a valuable source of information.
As soon as the first two Cornwallis class carriers are completed the UHF navy will journey into the Alpha Centauri system in force and challenge the alien craft.
December 13, 2012: The Outreach completes work on a two way jump gate at the Hope Gate, allowing unrestricted passage between the two systems. It is decided to not build further jump gates until a system can be fully surveyed.
Production begins on the infrastructure required to establish a colony on Hope.
March 27, 2013: Construction on the first two Cornwallis class light carriers completes, and they join up with the first fleet in order to launch an expedition into Alpha Centauri
First Fleet consists of:
CVL Cornwallis and CVL Washington, each carrying 4 GB Brazwell and 1 CC Rodney
CL Clausewitz, Jomini, Maurice, Musashi, Nelson, and Sun Tzu
PS Napoleon and Bonaparte
GEV Discovery, as its thermal sensors have proven valuable in locating the alien ship's drive plume at long distance
Meanwhile, Second Fleet will guard the jump point in case the confrontation proves unsuccessful. Second fleet consists of 4 CC Rodney and 28 GB Brazwell
April 3, 2013: First Fleet jumps into the Alpha Centauri system. The decision is made that the slow, fragile carriers will remain at the jump point; at the first sign of trouble they can flee back to Sol and the support of Second Fleet. Their onboard gunboat squadrons have the range to reach the last reported position of the Sebo contact with the rest of the fleet.
The rest of the fleet activates their sensors and begins moving in-system.
April 17, 2013: The Discovery's thermal sensors detect the Sebo, still in orbit of Alpha Centauri A-I. As the fleet approaches, a second contact, designated the Mamba, is discovered with a much smaller signature of 1100.
At a distance of approximately 6 million km, both the Sebo and the Mamba engage active sensors and begin approaching first fleet at over 7000 km/s. This is more than twice the fleet's best speed.
The fleet detects 6 incoming 7.5 ton contacts, which intelligence believes to be missiles. The alien ships are declared hostile and the fleet braces for impact.
The fleet opens fire on the approaching missiles. Though the weapons are not designed to hit such small targets, the fleet is well trained and 4 of the six missiles are destroyed. The remaining 2 impact the Sun-Tzu, and two strength 4 nuclear explosions are absorbed by the ship's armor
A second salvo of missiles are detected; The fleet commanders decide that the best option is to try to weather the storm; Given the size of each missile, the enemy cannot be carrying an unlimited number. Two of the missiles make it through the fleet's fire and impact the Nelson.
A third salvo is picked up by the fleet's sensors, but this one consists of 16 size 12.5 ton missiles It is believed that this might be a salvo from the larger of the two contacts. Ten of the new missiles impact the Sun-Tzu with strength 5 explosions, doing heavy damage.
Missiles continue to impact the fleet, and a new type of salvo is picked up; 62 2.5 ton missiles. It is theorized that these might be intended to destroy smaller targets such as fighters, but are being pressed into service against the fleet. The new missiles prove almost impossible to intercept, and 60 strength 1 explosions destroy the Sun Tzu.
The situation looks grim indeed for the human fleet; the order is given to begin pulling back towards the jump point. However, the Nelson loses four of her five engines to another salvo and must reduce speed to 750 km/s. Then a second volley of small missiles destroys the Musashi.
Successive volleys of missiles continue to impact the fleet, destroying ship after ship. Then the enemy vessels enter active sensor range, and the fleet sensors are able to identify the vessels. The Mamba is 7,750 tons while the Sebo is a massive 23,250 tons; the two ships very nearly outmass the entire First Fleet, and appear to have far superior technology.
Missiles continue to come in, destroying all of the fleet's capital ships. Freed of the need to protect their slower companions, the Brazwell and Rodney class take off for the jump point at their max speed of 8,625 km/s, faster than the approaching enemy vessels. Unfortunately, the 2.5 ton missiles prove to be extremely fast, and repeatedly pound the retreating gunboats. The last one is destroyed after retreating barely half a million kilometers.
Emergency beacons from the life pods begin vanishing as the aliens either destroy or, possibly even worse, capture them.
April 18, 2013: After confirming all lifepod beacons have disappeared, the Cornwallis and Washington jump back into the Sol System. The first fleet has been completely destroyed without inflicting a blow on their enemies; for now it is hoped that the Second fleet will be enough to hold the jump point if the enemy tries to pursue.
The best that can be done now is to learn a lesson from the defeat. The missile weapons used by the aliens were extremely powerful; though copying the weapons are beyond Humanity's abilities, that could be compensated for with a multi-stage delivery system. The following design has been proposed
Javelin ASM
Missile Size: 4 MSP (0.2 HS) Warhead: 4 Armour: 0 Manoeuvre Rating: 10
Speed: 27000 km/s Endurance: 28 minutes Range: 45.0m km
Cost Per Missile: 2.96
Chance to Hit: 1k km/s 270% 3k km/s 90% 5k km/s 54% 10k km/s 27%
Materials Required: 1x Tritanium 0.16x Uridium 1.55x Gallicite Fuel x1500Falcon class Fighter-bomber 200 tons 5 Crew 41.5 BP TCS 4 TH 41 EM 0
10250 km/s Armour 1-3 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 0 PPV 1
Maint Life 0 Years MSP 0 AFR 40% IFR 0.6% 1YR 2 5YR 34 Max Repair 10 MSP
Magazine 4
FTR Ion Engine (1) Power 41.4 Fuel Use 7800% Signature 41.4 Armour 0 Exp 60%
Fuel Capacity 5,000 Litres Range 0.6 billion km (15 hours at full power)
Missile Launcher (25% Reduction) (1) Missile Size 4 Rate of Fire 3000
Missile Target Painter (1) Range 41.0m km Resolution 140Operating out of a Cornwallis or similar class carrier, 20 Falcons could carry the Javelin missiles to within 40 million km of the target before launching a devastating long range strike.
As the events in Alpha Centauri proved, there is also a need to defend our ships against missile attacks. Though the weapons of the first fleet were not well suited to the task, they did prove themselves well against larger missiles. With some modifications these capabilities could be improved further:
Aegis class Frigate 4,000 tons 311 Crew 656 BP TCS 80 TH 300 EM 0
3750 km/s Armour 3-22 Shields 0-0 Sensors 1/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 4 PPV 30.91
Maint Life 4.51 Years MSP 410 AFR 32% IFR 0.4% 1YR 33 5YR 490 Max Repair 179 MSP
Military Ion Drive (5) Power 60 Fuel Use 60% Signature 60 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 50,000 Litres Range 37.5 billion km (115 days at full power)
Quad Advanced Coil Gun Turret (1x12) Range 30,000km TS: 16000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 3 ROF 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Point Defense Fire Control (1) Max Range: 128,000 km TS: 16000 km/s 92 84 77 69 61 53 45 37 30 22
Short Range Targeting Sensor (1) GPS 21 Range 2.3m km Resolution 1Officers are welcome to submit additional suggestions. Additional, Alpha Centauri Aliens does not flow off the tongue well; we need to decide on a name for the propaganda campaigns.
I should note that I expected the humans to win, with heavy losses; The myriad had previously encountered the Precursors and I knew the large vessel carried only 16 size 5 launchers, and not a whole lot of ammo. It just didn't occur to me it might have friends, and those 62x size 1 volleys hurt.
If it makes the readers feel any better, when the Myriad ran into the precursors one of the 23kton ships rammed and destroyed the Myriad flagship.
Oh, and everyone except EuchreJack is dead.
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Topic: Let's Play Aurora - Ad Astra per Aspera (Read 38563 times)