Battle over Dunkelheist [REICH]

[Empire of Ezria]

Battle over Dunkelheist

Belligerents: United Council & Laws of the Centicrus vs Reich von die Wasser-Krieger

Backstory:
After moving their fleets into position, the UCLC declared war on the Reich. The announcement was followed by a surprise attack on the Reich's military installations throughout its principal planets. The first shots to be fired in the new war were over the Hai planet of Dunkelheist, where Hai forces were awoken to a small but effective Centicrus fleet that began opening fire on them without warning. The Hai for the moment are confused and dazed but will no doubt bring about order in their ranks soon enough to put up an effective counterattack.


Points of Interest:
Surprise Attack: The UCLC managed to gather its fleet surprisingly well and advance quickly into Hai space using the advantage of its superior engine technology, and with no troop ships behind to slow them down. As a result they were able close rapidly before Hai sensors could pick them up. While the Hai were expecting war, they were not expecting a pre-emptive strike. Hai ships for the first two turns will not be fully combat capable as they struggle to get to battle stations and scramble.

Warlike: The Hai are bred and trained for war practically since birth, as a result they have greater combat effectiveness.

Esharan Steel (Trade Good) : Hai ships are more robust and difficult to destroy

Forces:
Reich:
1 Battleship
3 Frigates

UCLC:
4 Advanced Frigates
1 Destroyer


Posting Order:
-UCLC
-Reich
-Modmark

*This is a Major Battle, there will be 5 modmarks.

[Talis]

"Take it by the book. Concentrated fire, all Frigates are to focus on their outermost Frigate first. Bring that thing down. Have the UN Firebeetle (Destroyer) screen for incoming missiles. Everyone avoid exchanging fire with the battleship, maneuver to avoid as much of the battleship's weaponry as possible, put the enemy ships between us if you can." Admiral Vaka snapped his orders tersely, letting the bridge crew disseminate them to the fleet as necessary.

The Hai ships had been caught off guard, and the UCLC fleet would make good use of that. Already they spread out, using their superior engines and maneuverability to surround the Hai vessels while focusing all fire on the outermost frigate. Their intent was simple: Destroy the enemy light craft as quickly as possible, before the enemy had time to react.

[Holy Malikai Empire]

Sensors aboard the RWK Lowe, the Reich battleship, went haywire as they picked up the approaching of the UCLC battle group. With the warning and the sounding of the battle klaxons, a cheer went up among the Hai bridge staff. Oberst Ein grinned predatory, though he didn't share in the cheer. He knew that kampher were rushing in good order to their stations.

"Comm send word to the 1st Raum and military bases. Let them know the UCLC has been foolish enough to take follow on their already foolish mistakes within our space. Tell the rest of the 2nd that they are to concentrate firepower and if they are able to close and board then to do it.

" Weapons, concentrate fire on their frigates. One at a time if we have to, but I want them destroyed or taken."

The Raum Heers would never be outclassed in their own system. With how hostilely they defended their system, the Reich warships always had their weapons primed for battle (established in D2Ds and negotiations.) The massive plasma cannons (tech) and the various other weapon systems that bristled the hulls of the frigates and warships were a danger to any they targeted. Kampher Marines headed for the armories to suit up with plasma rifles in the preparation for boarding or to repel boarders.

[Empire of Ezria]

Moderation Mark

The RWK frigate Arminius disappeared in a bright fiery explosion, sending debris scattering in all directions as the frigate succumbed under the massive combined firepower of the UCLC heavy frigates. While Hai ships weapons might have been primed, that didn't mean much if crews were still fumbling in their stations and confusion was still in the air over whom and how many targets there were. When the clutter was finally cleared from sensors, the Reich ships began to put up a fight.

The RWK Battleship Lowe aligned its firing sights with the UCLC frigate Silkworm, only the fact that the ship had superior evasive maneuvers due to its engines and that the Hai were still obviously recovering from the surprise attack kept the thing from being blasted into a million pieces. Instead, it managed to turn hard to starboard as the plasma rounds came screaming across its Xenophite laden armor in a glancing hit. The shot left a gaping hole in its side as emergency bulkheads came screaming down and the sudden breach sent numerous Centicrus in the lower decks flying out into the void of space.

Casualties:
Reich:
1 Frigate Ariminus (DESTROYED)

UCLC:
1 Frigate Silkworm ( 42% combat effectiveness, heavily damaged)

[Talis]

"Silkworm, pull back at full power. Firebeetle, cover the Silkworm's retreat. No heroics people, we're here to do damage, let them do the dying in a blaze of glory." Vaka approved of the way his crewmen responded: calm and collected, relaying orders and completing their tasks with admirable efficiency.

"Now let's do what we came here for. All ships are to concentrate fire on the second Hai frigate and pull away from the enemy fleet at full power. Continue the retreat if the battleship pursues. Confront and destroy any enemy frigates. Head for the planet if there are no pursuers."

The Centicrus fleet burst into action, splitting into three groups and heading off in different directions while their fire pounded the cluster of Hai ships. Without enough ships to fully defend the planet or the speed to catch the Centicrus vessels the Hai would face a tough decision.

[Holy Malikai Empire]

"Ignore the retreating ships unless they reengage. Focus on those still in the fight and I want them out of our space. Continue targeting their engines and bridge if you can, if not do as much damage to the hull to take these bastards out of the fight." Oberst Ein ordered from the bridge on the 2nd Raum's capital ship (the battleship).

With the 2nd Raum in between the planet and UCLC battle group over Dunkelheist, their primary concern was the groups that still were on attack vectors. The retreaters could be dealt with later if need be, but the kamphers' primary concern was protecting the planet and its civilians. Both the Reich frigates stayed clear of the firing lines of RWK Lowe's massive cannons as it targeted one of the advancing frigates. The two frigates themselves focused their fire power on the other as they closed the distance for a possible boarding attempt.

The RWK Hauptlin's hauptmann ordered the vessel to increase its attack vector by 20 degrees and have the retro thrusts burn to give the frigate a spin as its sensor lit up that it was being targeted. This still allowed the Hauptlin's weapon batteries to fire on the enemy frigate, but it was in the hopes that by changing the angle of attack and rotating the ship that the enemies weapons would not do as much concentrated damage. That was of coarse if the esharan steel held up to the beating.

[Empire of Ezria]

Moderation Mark

Like a boxer recovering from a staggering blow that sent them reeling, the Hai fleet slowly awoke from its stupor. It's nose bloodied as the UCLC ships continued their advance. The tempo of the battle picked up now, high velocity shells ripping back and fourth between the two fleets. It was like two 17th century armies advancing, firing volleys that ripped gaping holes into hulls as the Hai fleet attempted to viciously close. Under the cover of the Firebeetle, the Silkworm was able to escape to the edge of the battlefield where her crew attempted to restore power to battered engines. But the rest of the UCLC fleet wasn't to emerge unscathed.

As the fleet split, they were still within the firing vectors of the Lowe whom now used her cannons and their range to her advantage to counteract the speed of the Centicrus. The UCLC frigate Swarm took four brutal hits from the Lowe and was left little more than a floating heap of slag while the combined firepower of the UCLC fleet destroyed the frigate Hauptlin as even her highly durable Esharan steel wilted under the attention of three combined frigates. Meanwhile, the UCLC frigate Hive provided cover for her sister ship the Queen as she maneuvered past the blockading grouping of Hai ships that were straddling Dunkelheist's orbit. The Hive used her superior evasive maneuvers to keep the Hai battleship at bay for the moment but it was only a matter of time before she was overwhelmed while her sister ship went about her bloody work.

The Queen's upgraded gun toyed over the planet, possible targets swinging into the computer before she spat death down onto the industrial centers below. The city of Wertzburg took the largest hit, without the sea to shield her like on Wasser the force of the Centicrus rounds landed with the impact of a small tactical nuclear bomb. Thousands died in a bright fiery blaze as the Queen targeted the xenophite extractors that made up the cities economy. By the end of the brutal assault, much of the facility was burning and the hab blocks that housed many of the cities workers and civilians were but little heaps of rubble.

The only thing that interrupted the Queen's indiscriminate bombardment was the warning klaxons of a targeting lock, the Hai frigate Strata had broken off from her engagement with the Hive when the Queen had slipped away. Using the slingshot effect of the planets orbit, she'd been able to make up the distance between them that had been gained thanks to the Queen's advanced fusion engines. Her first few hurried shots only hit glancing blows off the Queen's enhanced armor but she was now in firing range. A new personal duel had erupted over the skies of Dunkehlehist with millions of lives at stake.

CASUALTIES:
UCLC:
1 Frigate (Swarm / DESTROYED)
1 Frigate ( Silkworm / RETREATED)

REICH:
1 Frigate (Hauptling / DESTROYED)
1 Xenophite Extractor Facility (60% damaged, 7 credits to repair, only able to produce 1 Xenophite per turn)
30,000 civilians killed or wounded

[Empire of Ezria]

Moderation Mark

The Queen desperately turned to port to bring her guns around, but the Strata was closing fast. The result was a hurried collection of shots between them, ripping gaping holes into their armor. The Queen could continue her assault on the planet but it would come at a heavy price, almost certain destruction as the Strata chewed into her. In the end, the Queen and her compatriot chose survival. The limping ship breaking off, the Strata so damaged herself that she couldn't pursue. The Hive was trailing after them alongside the Firebeetle, what was left of the Reich fleet rather than pursuing chose to lick it's wounds. They were in no shape to continue the battle, the enemy had been driven off but at a heavy price. But, the UCLC had not succeeded in completely wrecking the planetary economy. The Reich had shown that it was still in this fight.


Result: Pyrrhic Reich Victory

TOTAL CASUALTIES:
UCLC:
1 Frigate DESTROYED
2 Frigates DAMAGED (one at 40%, second at 60%)

REICH:
2 Frigates DESTROYED
1 Frigate DAMAGED (50%)
1 Xenophite Extractor (DAMAGED / 1 Xenophite a turn)