Battle of Lillian Nebula (GRAAL)

[Theopolis]

Battle of Lillian Nebula

In both a surprising and rather strange political move, the humans of Varium, the single inhabited planet in the Lonos System, hav struck a military alliance with the Graal Hegemony. Under the leadership of the Gnatar, the joint military command has dubbed itself the Black Confederation. While Graal troops slug it out with Esharan Guardsmen and RWU troops across the deserts of Sorguth Prime, the Graal 7th Fleet disembarked across the vast expanse of space to secure the Lonos System against the inevitable invasion. Like clockwork, a small contingent of Dronav ships and transport craft broke off from the planetary encirclement of Sorguth Prime and headed toward the Lonos System where Third Earth sat.

While the Graal had disembarked toward Third Earth twenty-seven days prior to the Dronav Fleet, they had taken a longer route to avoid Dronavi and RWU patrols in the Gruul System. The rendezvous between the Graal and Varian was disrupted when the two fleet strong Varian Defense Fleet struck out of the Lonos System and entered the Gruul System. Now undefended, Third Earth was open to even the much smaller assault force the Dronav Holdworlds mustered up, but they first had the problem of the Graal 7th Fleet. Interstellar cartography indicated the fastest route from Sorguth Prime to Third Earth was a straight shot through the Lillian Nebula; a nebula miniature in nature and offering only art of a cosmic sort to the passing vessels. It was here the Dronav and Graal would square off.

While it was plausible the Dronav Fleet, outnumbered and intrepidly outgunned, could flee -- they would have to brave running through the Graal Fleet to return to Allied controlled space, or continue to Third Earth where the Dronav had no information on what additional Varian forces they might meet hanging in orbit of Third Earth.

Moderation Note:
-- Battle Phase 1: (Engagement)
-- Varium please PM Graal Hegemony with your intended strategy, tactics, ship/troop disposition, et cetera for the Graal 7th Fleet.
-- Vaklu please PM Graal Hegemony with your intended strategy, tactics, ship/troop disposition, et cetera for the Dronav Assault Fleet.


Belligerents
Black Confederation
Commander: Mognosh Korguth (Played by Varium)
Fanged Sunder (Graal Hegemony

[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: I
Mobility:

Young Gnatar (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: I
Mobility:

Killtooth (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: I
Mobility:

Hollow Eye (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: II
Defense: I
Mobility: I

Ravager (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: I
Mobility: I

Sundersun (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Destroyer (2 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: I
Mobility: I

Slithertusk (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Frigate (4 GDP)
Firepower: I
Defense: II
Mobility: I

Deathdealer (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Frigate (4 GDP)
Firepower: III
Defense: I
Mobility:

Bloodhound (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Battleship (8 GDP)
Firepower: III
Defense: II
Mobility: III

Starkiller's Revenge (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Battleship (12 GDP)
Firepower: IIII
Defense: IIIII
Mobility: III

Confederacy (Graal Hegemony[/color])
Dreadnought (12 GDP)
Firepower: IIII
Defense: IIII
Mobility: IIII

Allied Coalition
Commander: Currently undisclosed (Played by Vaklu)
Dragon Reborn (Dronav Holdworlds[/color])
Destroyer (6 GDP)
Firepower: III
Defense: II
Mobility:I

Heathermar (Dronav Holdworlds[/color])
Destroyer (6 GDP)
Firepower: II
Defense: II
Mobility:II

Abraxas (Dronav Holdworlds[/color])
Battleship (10 GDP)
Firepower: IV
Defense: III
Mobility: III

Army:
4th FHA Volunteers (100,000) (Dronav Holdworlds[/color])
Unit Type: Infantry (1 GDP)
Training: [II] Basic Training (2 GDP)
Division: None.

7th FHA Volunteers (100,000) (Dronav Holdworlds[/color])
Unit Type: Infantry (1 GDP)
Training: [II] Basic Training (2 GDP)
Division: None.
Price: 3 GDP[/blockquote]

[Theopolis]

Phase 1: Engagement

The Dronav Assault Fleet

[/color] continued on, hoping to outrun the larger Graal Fleet and retreat back into Dronavi space immediately afterward. It wasn't meant to be, unfortunately. With the Destroyers as the rearguard and the Battleship at the fore, the formation pressed onward as the Graal Battleships Starkiller's Revenge, Bloodhound and the Graal Dreadnought Confederacy slowly caught up as both fleets sailed across the vast expanse of space.

" Cap'in, they're closin' in! 5,000 meters until they're in range! Engage? " The Radar Office aboard the Dronavi destroyer Heathermar turned from his console, his eyes held a certain trepidation that the Captain didn't seem to share. Across the spartan bridge, through the front port the officers could see the Abraxas a few thousand meters at the front, with the larger, squat transport ships sulking in the middle. The Captain briefly closed his eyes, ran a pair of stubby fingers through his beard and firmly shook his head.

" Nay, lad. We need'a reach the Varian planet and let our boys make planetside. We can't tangle with those Graa -- " The bridge rocked with an explosion, immediately followed by the blaring of emergency klaxons. The bridge came alive with activity, but the Captain was quicker still as he pulled himself back into the command chair. " Report, what in the hell happen'd! "

" Incoming laser fire, Graal pulse batteries! Decks 5 and 7 are damaged, engineers have sealed them off. Return fire? " A nearby command adjutant shouted.

" Aye, give'em a taste! "

As the Graal Battleships and Dreadnoughts neared, they opened up with a battery from their fore cannons. Those few shots that missed went darting off into space past the Dronav Fleet. The Heathermar and the Dragon Reborn continued their forward course while opening fire with their rear batteries, although even with a direct hit their weaponry failed to genuinely penetrate the thick frontal armor of the Graal Battleships. The Graal ships returned fire and after a prolonged engagement, the Dronavi destroyer Dragon Reborn reported to the Abraxas that it's aft cannons had been destroyed and the Heathermar, although listing heavily to port was still steaming ahead, albeit with a fiery wake. The Abraxas, positioned at the head of the formation, could not return fire without risking hitting the transports and destroyers that stood between it and the Graal warships.

The Graal Destroyers and Frigates a lagged behind, their inadequate engines made them incapable of catching up with the Dronav Assault Fleet. They maintained their forward course however with the understanding that if the Dronav Assault Fleet stopped, they would catch up eventually.

Moderation Note:
-- Both players send changes to strategy for Phase II.[/blockquote]

[Theopolis]

Phase 2: Conclusion

The battle was over before it really began. Unable to outrun their pursuers, the small but courageous Dronavi Assault Fleet

[/color] met it's end with only a fleeting glimpse of Third Earth. The Battleship Abraxas, continuing to act as a vanguard to a Varian Defense Fleet that didn't exist had only half of it's arsenal to throw against the incoming Graal Dreadnought and Battleships. The Messenger of Smiths Transport was subsequently ripped in half as the Confederacy loosed a broadside as it slowly rumbled past, more eager to catch the Abraxas. The other transport ship was battered to and fro between Starkiller's Revenge and Bloodhound.

The Heathermar had been left for dead, it's engines decimated and it's armaments ruined, the Graal did not even pause to finish it off -- though within twelve hours the smaller vessels of the Graal 7th Fleet would catch up to the floating Heathermar and dock with it. The Graal frigate Slithertusk's crew disembarked and in the subsequent Rape of the Heathermar[/color] fought their way to the bridge and forced the remainder of the crew to surrender after the capture of it's captain. It's 423 remaining crew members, were skinned and flayed alive, even to the chagrin of some of the participating Graal sailors. The Dronavi would have no such knowledge of the event.

The Dragon Reborn maintained her forward course until the Heathermar fell behind. She turned hard to port and slammed into the Confederacy who had been ordered to target the Abraxas with it's forward guns and leave the destroyers to the Battleships. The ensuing firestorm was intense, and as the Bloodhound and Starkiller's Revenge cruised past the wreckage, it was impossible to even identify the wreckage of the former Graal Dreadnought and the Dronavi destroyer. There was no pause for battle however, as although such a courageous act may have deterred other rational species', this incited the Graal to revenge and the Abraxas' met with a fiery end after trading blows with the Starkiller's Revenge for nearly four hours.

Results
Dronav Holdworlds
-- Heathermar: Destroyed.
-- Dragon Reborn: Crew killed. Vessel captured.
-- Transport Ships 1&2: Destroyed. 200,000 dead.
-- Abraxas: Destroyed.

Graal Hegemony
-- Starkiller's Revenge: 78% combat effectiveness remaining. Guns 2, 3, 4 heavily damaged.
-- Confederacy: Destroyed.
-- Bloodhound: 92% combat effectiveness remaining. Front armor damaged.

Conclusion: Graal Victory.[/blockquote]