DW: Republic of Arcadia, Part 19: WAR

Stardate 2127.01.01

The declaration of war upon the Republic by the XHuman Supremacy has caused an uproar in the Senate.  Accusations fly and vows are made.  A few voices speak for peace, arguing that the Republic is having a difficult enough time fighting off pirates, and can not handle a war at this time.  They suggest that the XHumans be appeased and trade sanctions lifted.  These voices are drowned out in the general calls for war, taking the fight to the enemy, and making them pay for the unprovoked firing upon the passenger liner Daring Pathway, in what has been called the Daring Pathway Incident.

While the debate is going on, the RN prepares for war.  2nd Fleet moves towards the Epsilon Corvi system.  The shipyards fill with retrofitting warships, and the hulls are laid down for new ones.  Exploration ships are constructed to provide long range sensor coverage for the border colonies.

While this is going on, the Republic passenger liner Wild Trailblazer wanders into the Relakis system despite the news of war, and comes under fire of the XHumans.  

The Wild Trailblazer is destroyed by the XHumans, but fortunately it was not carrying passengers at the time.  The loss is a tragedy, but it has a benefit in that before it is destroyed it managed to provide vital intelligence regarding the XHumans’ military strength.

Their spaceport is making Centurion X-class frigates.  There is no intelligence as to their armament, but they are just over half the size of the Republic’s Astraea-class.  Their Sovereign-type escorts are half the size of the Republic’s Hatsushio-class, and a tiny fraction of their firepower.  Their defensive bases and spaceport is more formidable, however, but the Republic vessels outrange it...barely.  

By any objective analysis the Republic comes out ahead.  Despite the debate in the Senate, the mood is hawkish.  The XHumans will pay for attacks on unarmed civilian vessels.  

2127.02.22 It is over three months since the XHuman Supremacy declared war on the Republic.  However, aside from isolated attacks on civilian vessels that stumble into XHuman space, the XHumans have not engaged in any attacks.  After a careful evaluation of intelligence of the XHuman military capability, it is decided that rather than have 2nd Fleet go to Epsilon Corvi as a staging area, they will assault the XHuman system of Sigma Capricorni directly.  Pirate attacks on Rho Librae continue, and the Senate is eager to provide them relief--crippling the XHuman Supremacy might allow that.

2127.03.03 The space port under construction at Mu Leonis Minoris 2 (MLM2) is heavily damaged in an explosion.  Evidence suggests it was sabotage.  One guess as to who it probably was...

As if to confirm these suspicions, an XHuman exploration ship--undoubted on a recon mission, appears in the Mu Leonis Minoris system.  This could be the precursor to an attack.  3rd Fleet is ordered to move into the system.  

2127.03.19 Here they come...  The long range scanners pay off.  3rd Fleet was dispatched just in time.  A large XHuman force heads towards the MLM system.  It looks like 3rd Fleet will arrive at nearly the same time.

Scanners reveal that the enemy fleet consists of the following 13 vessels:

• Tetrarch II (Tetrarch II-class cruiser), FP: 72
• Decimator VIII 001 (Decimator VIII-class destroyer), FP: 66
• Decimator III 002 (Decimator VIII-class destroyer), FP: 66
• Decimator IV 001 (Decimator IX-class destroyer), FP: 66
• Decimator IX 002 (Decimator IX-class destroyer), FP: 66
• Decimator III 001 (Decimator X-class destroyer), FP: 66
• Centurion IV 001 (Centurion IV-class frigate), FP: 42
• Centurion VIII 001 (Centurion VIII-class frigate), FP: 42
• Centurion III 001 (Centurion VIII-class frigate), FP: 42
• Centurion IX 001 (Centurion IX-class frigate), FP: 42
• Centurion IX 002 (Centurion IX-class frigate), FP: 42
• Centurion IX 003 (Centurion IX-class frigate), FP: 42
• Maximus VIII 001 (Troop Transport), Firepower: 14

The total firepower of this attack fleet is 668.

    3rd Fleet is not up to full strength.  Closest are the following:

• K-13 Shirakumo, FP: 120
• K-15 Akatsuki, FP:120
• K-16 Kasumi, FP:120
• K-18 Harusame, FP: 120

for a combined firepower of 480.  Further out, and separated by a few days each, are:

• K-27 Yayoi, FP: 120
• K-26 Hatsushio, FP: 120
• FF-07 Iris, FP: 182
• DD-03 Apus, FP: 182

with a combined firepower of 604.  Assuming the first wave can keep the X’s occupied, the rest of the fleet should arrive and clean up the enemy.  

Yes, I know...

However, this brings an added complication.  Instead of 13 vessels, now there are 15.  And the trailer is a battleship, Red Enforcer.  

• Red Enforcer, Atlantis II-class battleship.  FP: 720.  

Uh-oh...

That makes 14 ships...the 15th is unaccounted for.

2127.03.28  Two more vessels are inbound, a Sovereign IX-class escort, FP: 21, nothing to worry about; second vessel is another troop transport.  The Republic frigate Hebe and destroyer Antlia, en route to rendezvous with 2nd Fleet at Sigma Capricorni, are diverted to MLM.  The balance of 2nd Fleet is committed to Sigma Capricorni.  The attack there will proceed as planned.

2127.06.06 The first four ships of 3rd Fleet arrive first.  

And the battle is joined.

Shirakumo is damaged right away, as Decimator IX 002 comes out of hyperspace at point blank range.

2127.04.16  Yayoi arrives, but then, so does Red Enforcer, right on top of the crippled Shirakumo.  

Red Enforcer fires its battery at Shirakumo, which instantly explodes.

Kasumi and Yayoi concentrate their fire on Decimator III 001.

Hatsushio arrives, but Kasumi is crippled.  Murasame takes heavy fire from Red Enforcer, and cannot last long.  

Yayoi destroys Decimator III 001.  

Murasame explodes.  Those corvettes that are mobile attempt to open the distance and make use of their superior range.

Iris arrives broadside to Decimator VIII 001.  

Kasumi explodes.  Yayoi takes an unlucky hit in its reactor, and it is suddenly dead in space.  Akatsuki takes heavy damage.

Hebe arrives in system, and immediately targets Decimator VIII 001.

The helpless Yayoi is swarmed by XHuman warships, while Akatsuki fights like a demon.

Akatsuki turns to face Red Enforcer head on, and explodes.  Iris and Hatsushio destroy the escort Sovereign IX 001.  Apus arrives and adds its firepower to the fray.  Soon after, Yayoi is destroyed.  

Centurion VIII 001, its shields almost down, flees the battle.  Antlia arrives at the scene.

Apus destroys Centurion IX 001.  

2127.05.19 Tragedy strikes...the XHuman troop transports succeed in landing their forces upon MLM2, and succeeded in conquering the planet.  But the battle above is not yet over.