Rise of the Remorhaz Society

[capnq]

I like to see a mix. Game reports are good for the main action, but background and subplots make for more variety and individuality. The hardest part of writing game reports is keeping them from all sounding the same.

I haven't done as much with subplots so far in History of the Galaxy II as I'd like to.

[Edit] Oops, forgot to stroke Sachmo's ego. You're doing a great job here.

[ November 24, 2002, 21:15: Message edited by: capnq ]

[Wardad]

Woof!
Woof!
Woof!!!

[dumbluck]

I think he's having too much fun interacting with gasp humans in the HotG game to play the lowly AI in RotRS.

[sachmo]

Actually, they both have their upsides. I hope to have another chapter up before the weekend is over. I really don't intend to abondon this story, however I make no promises that it will end before I die of old age!

[dumbluck]

LOL

[sachmo]

Consolidation, Part II

2411.5

In the Jethanis system, the rogue Rage fleet fell on the recently liberated planet of Peonei. Having no signal from a Sequencer, the fleet bLasted the planet’s surface to powder, exterminating all life. Such was the ruthlessness of the Rage.

The Iolo system saw the Ukra-Tal establish a colony on Iolo Prime. They acted almost as if the fleet at Correlia did not exist. Consequently, Midguard and Shining Victory made best speed for the colony and destroyed all traces of it with an orbital bombardment.

On the diplomatic front, the Ukra-Tal once again rejected a peace offer.
Despite the best efforts of the diplomatic corps, the Romulan Empire officially declared war on the Remorhaz Society.

Rear Admiral Sakazawa detached Honor from the offensive in Sutran to scout the unknown wormhole in the system. Upon exiting the wormhole, a new system was discovered which held two Rage worlds: Zezzis III and IV. Both worlds were populated by over 100 million Rage and it was decided that the offensive would carry on into this system once Surtran was liberated. The admiral’s staff estimated the attack on Zezzis could begin within three months.
Sakazawa’s fleet closed on their next target, Sutran Prime. Twenty million Rage colonists took cover as the fleet appeared high above the planet. There were no defenses, and the 2nd Space Marine Brigade took the planet without firing a shot. The planet was renamed Surtran. Apparently the Rage were having a hard time coordinating their efforts since the loss of the Primary Sequencer. This intelligence was beamed back to the Naval Staff for analysis.
The next planet to fall was Surtran III. This planet was a research center, and it was also undefended. It was taken with very few casualties. It was renamed Gordov.
The fleet headed for Sutran IV, and once that fell, Sutran would be secure.

2411.6

The Rage wiped out the colony of Gerean in Jethanis, and set course for Cetarus, and Brennan.
Correlia completed construction of a repair station, and immediately went to work repairing the damage done to the ships of the fleet. Skydancer was rushed thru, and back in combat shape before the month was finished. The Ukra-Tal moved five cruisers into the system, but their purpose was still unknown.

The Research Guild had improved the range and firepower of the point defense cannon and also the anti-matter torpedo. The Design Bureau updated the design of the Ganymede Class cruisers, to take advantage of both advances. They also designed a new space mine, the Correlia, which boasted a larger warhead. These were put into service right away.

Both Glory and Fort Justice launched colony ships. The first set course for Fezzran V, one of the few remaining uncolonized oxygen worlds in the known galaxy. The ship from Glory headed for the Tudran system to colonize a new mining colony.

Throughout the Society, mining operations were running at a fever pitch, trying to keep pace with the expenditures brought about by the war. Currently, they were building up a nice surplus of minerals, and also had ample supplies of organic and radioactive resources. The addition of Rage to the Society was a big boost to the economy, with its two billion people. Once they were brought into the Remorhaz way of life, they contributed quite nicely.

Remorhaz launched another Rochester class light cruiser, the RSS Buffalo. She took up station above the homeworld, ready to guard against any incursion.

Sutran IV fell to the 2nd Space Marine Brigade with light casualties. The planet was named Isla Bella, and with its capture, the Sutran system was completely in Remorhaz hands. Sakazawa detached two frigates and a destroyer and formed a relief fleet, and this he sent toward Jethanis to join Brennan’s fleet. The main fleet turned to continue the offensive against the Rage in the Zezzis system.

Meanwhile, Honor moved thru Zezzis to explore the system next to it. The display lit up with Rage signals, and it was quickly surmised that this new system, Bardron, was a major Rage stronghold. Honor sent the information back to the fleet, and was ordered to proceed to Jethanis at best speed to join Brennan in what was hoped to be the Last space combat against the Rage.

[ December 12, 2002, 05:33: Message edited by: sachmo ]

[sachmo]

First Battle of Cetarus

2411.7

The Rage fleet of nine ships closed in on Cetarus as Brennan watched. His five combat ships would have to use everything that they had to defeat the enemy fleet. These Rage ships, like most that they had fought before, relied on speed and missile fire for their strength. The ships could get off a salvo of missiles and be out of range of return fire before his own ships could react. Since Brennan’s force was a mix of gun ships and missile launchers, he would have to modify his tactics to allow his fleet to gain the advantage over the Rage.
When the Rage fleet entered the system, Brennan had the defense forces on Cetarus produce as many anti-missile batteries as they could fit on the small planet. Brennan planned to have his fleet wait behind this extra wall of protection while the Rage ships fired their missiles at them. He was hoping that one of their ships would come a bit to close and present his fleet with a chance to pounce on one. He realized that he could very well wind up sitting and soaking up missile fire and never get a chance to engage the Rage fleet, but he had the luxury of knowing that help was on the way. If he could ride the attack out, he might be able to counterattack and defeat the Rage. He could lose, but only if he acted impatiently. He chuckled to himself, remembering days earlier in the war when the Rage could have counted on just such behavior from him. If he had learned nothing else, he had learned patience. If he had not learned, he would probably be dead already.
The Rage ships deployed into a wall formation, preparing to close range and let fly with a salvo of missiles. Their scanners were creating electronic noise on all of the fleet’s sensors as the Rage eagerly tried to find out what they were up against. Still the wall advanced, with four of the ships moving back into a second rank to wait and launch a second salvo. This told Brennan that they probably had not seen the anti-missile batteries on the surface of Cetarus. If they had, they would try and fire all of their missiles in one salvo to overwhelm the Remorhaz defenses.
Once they reached maximum range, they opened fire. Missiles streaked across the darkness of space, casting an orange glow until they reached maximum velocity and cut their engines, homing in on their targets.
The sensor officer called out targets and the ranges of the incoming missiles. Tension gripped the deck. Brennan did some quick math in his head, and he knew that the missile salvo would probably not be large enough to penetrate the Remorhaz defenses. He was right. Once the missiles reached maximum engagement range, the point defense cannons on the Remorhaz ships opened fire, knocking a number out. The fire from the anti-missile batteries on the surface quickly smashed the few that penetrated the ship’s defensive fire.
“Surprise”, Brennan thought as the tactical display snuffed out the Last of the threat icons. “Now let’s see how you react.”
The Rage did not hesitate, and the second rank opened fire. This salvo too was knocked out. The Rage moved into range, fired, and then pulled back. Every time, the Remorhaz defenses held.
Finally, the Remorhaz chance came. Once of the Rage ships closed past his optimum missile range, and quickly closed distance with the Remorhaz ships. Brennan took his own light cruiser Sierra and the frigate Catreus at full burn toward the Rage ship. Quickly realizing his mistake, the Rage captain turned his ship and tried to open the range. The ship had already fired its missiles, and was defenseless. Sierra was the first to reach weapons range, and she fired everything she had. They hit with the heavy depleted uranium cannon and the anti-matter torpedoes, causing considerable damage to the Rage frigate. As the other Rage ships turned to react to this threat and fire their missiles at Brennan and his wingman, Hawk, Comet, and Fortitude moved to engage another Rage ship which had moved into range while changing position to fire at Sierra. They scored a few hits on a Rage destroyer, but did no major damage. All of the Remorhaz ships raced back toward Cetarus and the cover from the anti-missile batteries.
Soon the Rage presented them with another opportunity. A Rage Notorious class destroyer came charging at the Remorhaz fleet. Brennan assumed they planned to concentrate their fire on one ship and fire at close range, possibly to overwhelm their defenses by limiting reaction time and flooding the ship with missiles. However, the Rage ship moved in alone. Sierra and Catreus closed range and fired on the enemy destroyer. Depleted uranium shells tore thru the hull, knocking out two engines, it’s point defense cannon, and one of its missile launchers. Hawk was able to close range with a Claymore class frigate that was in the process of reloading its missiles and pump a few shells into the ship’s dark hull. The ship lurched as the shells tore deep into its interior, wrecking havoc with the ship’s components. Hawk turned and ran back to the protection of the batteries on Cetarus.
At this point, the Rage broke off the attack. They left having done no damage to the Remorhaz fleet while having four of their own ships damaged, one of them heavily. Brennan watched as the Rage ships fled, slowed by their damaged ships. He immediately began weighing his options. He had taken no damage, and had almost full supplies. His ships were outnumbered, but the enemy was fighting with reduced capacity. He called his XO over.
“Well Benson, they turned tail. What do you think we should do?”
Lieutenant Benson cracked a smile that split his face in two.
“Well sir, we have the initiative. They are going to be slowed by their stragglers. I say we go after them.”
Brennan gave Benson a little wink.
“Good idea. Let the fleet know we are counterattacking. Also, I need to speak to General Townsend. I want to see if he can go after Jethanis VII with his Marines while we keep the Rage busy here.”