A Capture operation to save the Empire!
Part 1 of a slightly connected series:
(These are 99.9% accurate, following the real adventures of a virtual race)
A dark cloud hangs over the empire. A peaceful, intensely religiuos people, dedicated to improving and terraforming every object in the universe, from moons to planets and eventually stars.
The Phong and Jreanar have declared war, after a decade of peaceful relations.
With only two out of six controlled systems having planets, we are no match for the two galaxy-spanning empires 10x our size. Fortunately, they are at war with each other, but this has left them with unfathomably powerful military technologies.
Ships the size of a moon, shields of fantastic strength and regenerative capacity. Weapons of mass destruction.
It is only a matter of time before the defensive perimeter of Minefields currently 3000 mines strong is breached in various places by sweepers, and the empire crumbles.
In an effort to stave off the looming collapse, the emperor has Decreed that the entire Navy should participate in an dangerous tactical operation, known only as
"Plan Nine-Seven-Two"
Plan Nine-Seven-one, minefield traps, weren't working, but I noticed a lone Phong DN just barely within my fleet's range.
-=<Plan Nine-Seven-Two was born>=-
I would attack with the Tachyon cannons, disabling the weapons, and proceed to carve up the helpless victim with DUC for capture & analysis.
The technology aquired would advance the Empire by decades, and possibly allow us to fend off the invaders.
My Fleet: 17 ships
-4 Boarding party & DUC Combo Escorts (single 10kT shield-armor)
-4 DUC Destroyers (light shield-armor)
-1 MineLayer Destroyer
-2 Caldera class DUC/Tachyon LCs (medium shield-armor, 1 tachyon, 3 DUC)
-4 Tachyon Raider class LCs (heavy 70kT shield-armor, triple tachyon cannons)
-2 Healer class repair LCs
One Phong DN, with 3 Shard Cannon X, 2 HEMagnifier "deathbeams". 2,500 shields! With 100 regen per turn!
I gathered the Fleets (Tachyon-armed ships & DUC only ships)
The Phong DN moved in and SKEWERED the closest Tachyon LC. Ripped it to shreds.
All Tachyon ships (except the obvious one) made an immediate charge towards the DN while it reloaded, boxing it in.
All batteries FIRE!!!
Crap. Nothing.
The damn Heavy-mount guns are just too tough to hurt with the tachyon cannons. Not a scratch on the thing.
Another Tachyon Raider Spins off, engulfed in flames.
[Ponder]The
entire Space Force trapped in one sector, Nowhere to retreat, plan in shambles, enemy reloading for another attack. Better to go down fighting.[/ponder]
The lightly shielded "clean-up" fleet of ES&DS charge in, spitting shells at the boxed-in DN. Minimal damage. DN Shields regenerate to full strength.
Shard Cannons rip into another Tachyon Raider, but shields hold (barely), and it pulls back.
Half the ES&DS are at short range now, and unleash a barrage at the DN. 50% misses.
DN shields holding strong.
*BLAM*
One more Tachyon Raider is lit up by the dual-HEMs and burns off into the cold night.
Point-blank range, now, the ES&DS are supposed to be hitting 75%, but barely manage a pitiful 50% accuracy.
Reloaded tachyon BLasters manage to pick off one of the smaller Shard cannons.
The DN fires Shard cannon at the still-intact Tachyon Raider that is falling back from the battle (with crushed shields), but misses.
Maybe the practice is doing good, the ES&DS manage a decent hitrate @ 80%, point blank.
The DN shields are showing the strain, but still over 1000.
A DUC LC gets blown apart, and the wreckage drifts off. I'm running out of LCs.
Another great volley of fire from the DS&ES send the DN's shield generators into overload, but don't quite penetrate.
Shard Cannon digs into the shields of another DUC LC, but they hold, and the LC falls back.
ES&DS finally bLast through the DN's shields and begin tearing up the internals. Armor Crushed, Shard Cannons destroyed, one HEM crystal shattered, shield generators down 80%.
A final searing HEM burns into the Last Tachyon Raider, burning out shields, but the hull is only lightly damaged.
The Escorts now fire slowly, and pick off the crew quarters & SDD. One moves in and the Elite commandos board & quickly subdue the surviving crew.
Not much remains for salvage. A single operational Quantum 3 engine, an ECM 3, a supply storage bay, and two living quarters.
The minelayer outlines a defensive perimeter with 20 mines.
Repair ships dock and tow the 4 ruined LC hulks back to the fleet, and settle in for nearly a year's worth of work before the fleet arrives at HomeWorld.
Everybody knows that this winter season will be filled with sleepless nights as the fleet limps towards the safety of the Empire's Defence MineFields.
WOO HOO
But, its not over till the blue alien sings!
I took heavy (70%) LC casualties, and now even 1 DN would be able to crush my lightly shielded ES & DS.
[This message has been edited by suicide_junkie (edited 28 April 2001).]