UHF Naval order of Battle, 2026
1st Strike Squadron
1 CS Zeus
4 CVS Lexington
1 JSC Comet
1 SC Scipio
10 CC Rodney
28 GB Brazwell
2nd Strike Squadron
1 CS Zeus
4 CVS Lexington
1 JSC Comet
1 SC Scipio
10 CC Rodney
28 GB Brazwell
3rd Strike Squadron
1 CS Zeus
4 CVS Lexington
1 JSC Comet
1 SC Scipio
10 CC Rodney
28 GB Brazwell
4th Strike Squadron
1 CS Zeus
4 CVS Lexington
1 JSC Comet
1 SC Scipio
10 CC Rodney
28 GB Brazwell
5th Assault Squadron
Strike Squadron
1 CS Zeus
2 CVS Lexington
2 AT Greece
6 CC Rodney
14 GB Brazwell
10 AST Sparta
19 Marine Companies
February 8, 2026: Finishing touches are completed on a second Outreach gate constructor, which departs on a multi-year mission to extend the gate network to Ross 128.
May 22, 2026: Words is received that the Epsilon Eridani jumpgate is now operational. Freighters begin ferrying atmosphere domes from Mars, where they are no longer needed, to Epsilon Eridani II. Other Freighters begin moving automated mines to the rich Duranium/Corundium deposits on Epsilon Eridani VII.
October 17, 2026: The greenhouse terraforming proves even more successful than expected, and while still colder than Earth some parts of the planet are now quite livable. The planet is declared M class. The Terraformers spend a little more time warming the planet and then set course for Alpha Centauri.
October 23, 2026: While surveying GJ 1002 II, Gunboats from the CVL Caeser spot what appears to be an alien-produced structure on the surface of the planet.
The 2nd Strike Squadron will be dispatched with an archaeological team to investigate.
March 2, 2027: While surveying the newly discovered Lalande 21185 system, gunboats from the CVL Washington detect four ships that appear to belong to the AC automatons, using a previously unseen design. The survey gunboats attempt to reverse course, but the enemy has closed to very short range; they appear to be practicing emissions control in order to sneak up on the gunboats. As the gunboats reverse course they activating targetting systems and destroy both unarmed craft with missiles.
The two survey carriers in the system recall their remaining craft; they have only 6 combat craft between them. Instead they will keep watch on the jump point to maintain a friendly beachhead until the fleet can arrive. They watch helplessly as the Automaton ships begin retrieving lifepods for their own unscrutable purposes.
The 2nd Strike Squadron is still in GJ 1002 II, but the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Strike Squadrons along with the 5th Assault Squadron set course to deal with the new threat. If the opportunity presents itself, the fleet will attempt to board enemy vessels, to ascertain what happened to the lifepods and to hopefully retrieve valuable combat technology.
March 20, 2027: The fleet transits into the Lalande system in a well practiced squadron transition. As soon as the jump sickness wears off, all ships launch their gunboats.
The armed gunboats will approach the last sighted position of the enemy at full speed. A second force consisting of the Sparta class Assault shuttles will follow behind; it has been decided that their speed is their best defense, and so they will not be slowed by the addition of combat escorts. Gunboats from the 5th Assault SQ will remain behind as a reserve.
Several hours later the sensors of the Scipio gunboats acquire the enemy force. It consists of four of the new ship type, now identified as 7,750 ton vessels. The Assault Transports come to a stop and wait for the gunboat squadron to de-fang the enemy.
At two million kilometers from the enemy, point defense sensors light up with 36 incoming size 3 missiles. The fleet prepares for point defense fire. 34 of 36 missiles are successfully intercepted, with the remaining two inflicting only light armor damage.
At such close range, the gunboats could likely close and destroy the enemy quickly. However, as the missiles do not appear to be a major threat to the gunboats, they're ordered to maintain distance and allow the enemy to empty their magazines. This will make it easier to capture one intact, and also slow the closing rate of the missiles to improve PD coverage. Only one missile of the second salvo manages to land.
One Brazwell is lost when a fluke missile impacts its engine, but otherwise the gunboats weather the missile storm surprisingly well. Then a salvo is detected with only 18 missiles, possibly indicating that the enemy magazine is nearly exhausted. The gunboats turn around to close only to find more missiles incoming. Perhaps fleet planners need to give the Automatons more credit.
After several more volleys, the missiles salvos stop and the enemy vessels change course for the planetary system. On the assumption that they are out of missiles and moving to reload, the gunboats race to intercept them and orders go out for the assault shuttles to join the fight. The gunboats, wary of ramming attempts, close to 20,000 km and attempt to disable the enemy vessels with light railgun fire.
With no return fire or ramming attempts, the gunboats are free to slowly pound the enemy. One vessel's speed begins to drop as its engines are damaged; once it drops to 2580 km/s it is decided to make a boarding attempt. The 54th Marine Company, commanded by Major General Euchre Jack, and the 60th company (NRDL's Raiders) are selected for the action.
The Assault shuttles fly in, and marines begin jumping out the airlock towards the enemy. The results are unpleasant; despite the assault shuttles incredible speed and maneuverability, only a third of the marines are able to successfully latch on to the frantically evading enemy vessel. In the future the enemy will clearly have to be slowed further even at the risk of destroying the vessel.
The gunboats move on to attack the remaining three craft, while the surviving marines work their way through the numerous holes in the enemy's hull.
A second target slows to 1900 km/s only to suddenly explode; disabling the vessels properly is proving problematic.
Reports come in from the marines boarding the first target that the ship itself seems to be attacking them; with bulkhead doors attempting to chop men in half and robotic machines attacking with welding torches. The fight seems to be in their favor, but only by a small margin.
NRDL's raiders are completly destroyed when robots pin them in a room, then apparently vent the ship's fusion reactor into the room. Combat is fast turning against the attackers.
Another enemy vessel explodes as its fusion engine fails catastrophically, leaving only one target left. It is slowed to 1,934 km/s, promising high casualties to a boarding attempt, but the decision is made to try boarding regardless. From a rather cold blooded point of view, the navy now possesses far more marine companies than available targets; they can afford casualties.
The shuttles make their run, and drop the 63rd Marine Company, lead by Colonel Johnson, as well as the 66th, 64th, and 62nd companies. Slightly less than half of the men make it to their target.
The assault shuttles turn around and head off to reinforce the other fight. Sky Marshal Hannah Avram has a hard decision to make; attempting to slow the vessel further would risk destroying it along with the marines already onboard, but trying another high speed drop promises high casualties. The decision is made to attempt the drop; the men knew what they were getting into when they signed up. Heavy casualties are sustained, but reinforcements arrive at the battle. Unfortunately, they arrive too late for Major General Euchre Jack and his marines.
The assault shuttles return to their motherships to load more marines. The gunboats remain in positon; if necessary, they will do what must be done.
Colonel Johnson and his marines fight their way onto what seems to be a bridge, and their
demolitions expert technician manages to disable what appears to be a supercomputer commanding the ship. They now have control of the vessel, and a little over half an hour later word comes in from the original target that it has been captured as well. The sacrifice of Euchre Jack, NRDL, and hundreds of marines were not in vain; the UHF now controls two alien ships with advanced technology.
Longsword #41251 class Missile Destroyer 7750 tons 141 Crew 1475.8 BP TCS 155 TH 400 EM 0
2580 km/s Armour 6-34 Shields 0-0 Sensors 22/1/0/0 Damage Control 4 PPV 12
Annual Failure Rate: 88% IFR: 1.2% Maintenance Capacity 476 MSP
Magazine 12
Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E6 (4) Power 100 Fuel Use 60% Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 100,000 Litres Range 38.7 billion km (173 days at full power)
Size 3 Missile Launcher (4) Missile Size 3 Rate of Fire 25
Missile Fire Control FC59-R73 (1) Range 59.2m km Resolution 73
Thermal Sensor TH2-22 (1) Sensitivity 22 Detect Signature 1000: 22m km
ECCM-4 (1)
Repair Cost: 888.5The translated numerical designation for the ships is not very comforting. Unfortunately, both ships are badly damaged from a combination of the preliminary attacks and by marines shooting up the ship that seemed to be coming alive to attack them. A junior officer, Commodore Sargento, makes an interesting suggestion; with careful maneuvering, the ships should be able to (just barely) fit into the hangar of a Lexington carrier. The two captured ships set course for the 1st Strike Squadron to conduct emergency repairs, while the gunboats search the system for any further threats.
The 1st Squadron gunboats detect the neutrino signature of fusion reactors on Lalande 21185 II. If the previous pattern holds, this will be a listening post and, considering the enemy attempted to flee rather than ram, likely a stockpile of missiles. The Assault Squadron begins loading its shuttles with a second wave of marines in order to assault the base. The marines find a listening post and 257 more missiles of the same type found in Lacaille.
After several days of feverish work, and draining most of the squadron's supply of spare parts, the large engineering crew of the Lexington and Agincourt manage to restore the ships to decent condition.
Longsword #41251 class Missile Destroyer 7,750 tons 737 Crew 1475.8 BP TCS 155 TH 1100 EM 0
7096 km/s Armour 6-34 Shields 0-0 Sensors 22/1/0/0 Damage Control Rating 4 PPV 27
Maint Life 3.97 Years MSP 476 AFR 120% IFR 1.7% 1YR 48 5YR 722 Max Repair 84 MSP
Magazine 405
Internal Confinement Fusion Drive E6 (11) Power 100 Fuel Use 60% Signature 100 Armour 0 Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 250,000 Litres Range 96.8 billion km (157 days at full power)
CIWS-160 (1x8) Range 1000 km TS: 16000 km/s ROF 5 Base 50% To Hit
Size 3 Missile Launcher (9) Missile Size 3 Rate of Fire 25
Missile Fire Control FC59-R73 (1) Range 59.2m km Resolution 73
Active Search Sensor MR78-R73 (1) GPS 6132 Range 78.9m km Resolution 73
Thermal Sensor TH2-22 (1) Sensitivity 22 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22m km
ECCM-4 (1) ECM 40With the system cleared, the fleet begins preparing to depart. The 1st and 5th Squadrons move to the second planet in order to retrieve marines and load the Longswords from the missile stockpiles on the planet, then set course back for Earth.
Total losses:
1x Opportunity
1x Semmes
3x Brazwell
1x Rodney
2x Marine Companies
~50% losses to 8 Marine Companies
Major General Euchre Jack
Brigadier General NRDL
Author
Topic: Let's Play Aurora - Ad Astra per Aspera (Read 38083 times)