[Suicide Junkie]

Update:

After buildups on both sides, and a few hit-and run attacks to destroy solitary Vaxin intruders, A 15-BattleCruiser Fleet started heading for the inner systems.
Defensive forces were pulled back from the two forward military colonies in Tyrik, in order to secure the warp point.
Vaxin forces responded by turning towards the larger colony of Tyrik VIII, where Three BullDog III+ class Defense Stations lay cloaked.
The fast escorts from the warppoint defenders sped ahead to secure the colony, and the heavier craft advanced to a flexible position.

With the Vaxin fleet less than a month from Tyrik VIII, a second 15-Battlecruiser fleet warped in next to Tyrik V.

The escorts flew across the system to cover Tyrik V, leaving the heavy home defense forces to join the planetary defenses of Tyrik VIII.

The Pincer attack of the Vaxin Closed, and both colonies were attacked simultaneously.

Tyrik VIII's Bulldogs decloaked as the Vaxin force methodically advanced. Combined missile fire from the bases and the heavy defenders was overwhelmed by Vaxin PDLs, but soon the planetary platforms added their Heavy bombardment missiles. In the time it took to close into weapons range, two Vaxin Battlecruisers crumpled.
The defense bases were now taking heavy fire, and the first base began burning internally.

As the Vaxin closed in, the older Missile batteries on the planet opened fire, and the skies swarmed with missiles.
Amidst the confusion, one of the vaxin ships was captured, and another rammed to death by the capture ship. The distraction of shooting down one of their own left enough time for the waves of missiles to vaporize two more Vaxin Battlecruisers.
As the Vaxin fleet swept past the bases, they began to lock long range weaponry on the defense ships and the colony itself, and pounded the bases with the short range guns.
Two more vaxin ships were crippled, but now the defense bases were little more than firey pinwheels, loosing an occasional missile or Autocannon round.
Defense platforms on the planet were absorbing heavy fire as the Vaxin closed and forced back the defense ships.
One Vaxin Battlecuiser fell, at the cost of many platforms and half of the orbital factories.
A second Vaxin ship was destroyed by the Last gasp of the planetary defenses, but there was now insufficient firepower remaining to penetrate the PDLs of the fleet.
The six surviving ships turned to flee, but only four have the speed to escape if the Vaxin decide to hunt them down anytime within the next 6 months.


Tyrik V is a smaller world, and the Vaxin blitzkrieg overran the colony, suffering only two destroyed Cruisers.
The 22 escorts held at maximum range and retreated slowly, managing to cripple only one Light Cruiser after that.
Somehow, one of the orbital factories was overlooked by the Vaxin force. It is unlikely to survive the four months required to finish assembling its BullDog, and even then, the bulldog would be overwhelmed easily.


The Strategic situation looks dire. Our prototype "Blazing Fury" class Cruisers are still almost a year from completion, and in small numbers as well.

The Escorts from Tyrik V have barely enough fuel to reach Tyrik VIII before the Vaxin have a chance to move. They may be able to overwhelm the smaller number of Vaxin Battlecruisers there, but even if they succeed, returning home to defend the inner systems may not be an option...

One ray of hope shines through, though: we have completed plans for Mine warheads capable of piercing the organic armor of the Vaxin ships.
Actually deploying them in front of the Vaxin front may be a bit of a challenge.