CB News from the Homefront

[Suicide Junkie]

A single jump from the HomeWorld, you will find the system of Tudran.
Once a peaceful industrial system cohabited by both Terrans and Vikings, it has become the focus of unimaginable violence in recent months.

Shortly after the defeat of the Norak, by combined Viking and Terran forces, relations between the two friendly empires went sour. The Terrans had taken the Norak homeworld for themselves after three years of fighting and ten thousand troops. Although the Vikings had gained possession of all the Norak colonies, they resented the huge profits from the homeworld all going to the Terrans.

Four months later, war broke out.
Minor skirmishes immediately erupted across the two systems, and the Vikings launched major invasion fleets.

The Terrans were quite unprepared, with most of their forces assisting allies in the far off galactic core. System defense forces were gathered, and industrial production shifted to war, and the fleets recalled.
A quick strike brought terran troops to the hot hydrogen world of Tudran 1, where over three hundred squads continue to fight across the red deserts.

Major Viking fleets were not far, however, and the Terran blockade was quickly broken.
The retreating Terrans fell back to the research planet of Tudran IV, but their pursuers were undaunted, and a fierce melee lit the skies.
The planetary militia was launched to support the fleet, but were wiped out by a massive missile and fighter assault. Fortunately this distracted the enemy long enough for the defense fleet to strike from behind with devastating effect.

Counter strikes were launched to the south in the old Norak systems, and although the Terrans had no significant naval forces, they had plenty of troops and some very brave assault transport pilots. Fetid II and VIII soon had hundreds of heavy terran troopers marching across them.

Although the Viking fleet was defeated at Tudran IV and had begun a retreat back to Viking territory for repairs, the orbital factories were smashed beyond repair and there was now a platoon of raiders on the surface, looting and pillaging. To make matters worse, there were fresh Vikings warping in.

Across the system, a large force was heading to Tudran IX. The Terran defense fleet could do nothing but watch as the far superior fleet swept aside the planetary militia, vaporized the orbital factories, and landed 1500 troops.
Although the Vikings quickly captured most of the planet, they were halted at the capital city by a valiant civilian militia and the 60 surviving squadrons of riflemen. A vigourous civilian recruitment was immediately begun, and the new militia troops were holding their ground despite heavy casualties.

What it came down to in the late months of 2408, was a race between the large Terran fleets arriving from the galactic core, and the equally threatening Viking reinforcements.
If the Vikings could drop additional troops behind the terran lines on Tudran IX, the planet would be lost.

-

It is now 2408.9, and just days ago, the Gamma fleet made contact with the Vikings over Tudran IX.
Despite withering fire, seven Waterloo class Cruisers charged into the enemy lines, and ripped into the enemy with their 80mm Depleted Uranium batteries.
Although all were destroyed, they were able to disable or destroy a significant number of enemy destroyers, and saved the lives of many in the fleet.

Although Gamma fleet now outnumbers the enemy 2:1, a large group of viking reinforcements are expected any day now. If they can withstand that assault, the system defense fleet will be joining the effort at the end of the month, bringing relief troops to shore up the defenses.
Reports from Fetid indicate that yet another Viking assault fleet is less than two months away, so the Navy will have its hands full.

Some good news this month; the scientists on Tudran IV have finally put a stop to the Viking assault. Dr. Phongerson of the Tudran High Energy Physics Institute is quoted as saying "It was scary for a while, but once we discovered that kegs of beer worked better than grenades and bullets, everything fell into place."