Faction A Spicy Situation

[Felix Yorwell]

Objective: I
Allies: Mahporeem | John Mahporeem | Captain Charles | Aldus Kragg
Enemies: WSR & allies | Zoro Igala | Binn Toskros

​

5th Fleet (partial)

BATTLELINE​

• 1x Sykes-class fleet carrier
  • Julius (flagship) - Shields 63% | Hull 100%
    • 8x Hassion-class starfighter squadrons (17FL + 18 FL)
    • 3x Harrier-class strategic bomber squadrons (5BL)
    • 1x Lambda-class R-1s reconnaissance shuttle squadrons
• 2x Orikan-class heavy cruiser
  • Makhun - Shields 100% | Hull 100%
    • 3x Hassion-class starfighter squadrons (19FL)
  • Aolhun - Shields 98% | Hull 100%
    • 3x Hassion-class starfighter squadrons (19FL + 20FL)

OTHER​

• 1x Carceral-class interdictor
  • Oidu- Shields 100% | Hull 100%
    • 1x Hassion-class starfighter squadron (20FL)
• 1x Von Strauss-class cargo ship
  • Shields 100% | Hull 100%

5th Fleet: Actions

• All vessels advance at flank speed to catch up with the Collateral Star
• Lambda Scouts are withdrawn to safety
• All starfighter + bomber lances are deployed
  • 17th and 18th Fighter Lances chase and attack K-wings, firing 192 concussion missiles at range
  • 19th Fighter Lance splits in two
    • Two wings chase and attack Y-wings, firing 48 concussion missiles at range
    • Two wings chase and attack B-wings, firing 48 concussion missiles at range
  • 20th Fighter Lance & 5th Bomber Lance engage Heavy Metal
    • 5th Bomber Lance fires 1,728 ion torpedoes at range
  • Makhun and Aolhun engage Heavy Metal
    • Each cruiser fires 200 ion torpedoes at range - total of 2,128 ion torpedoes fired at Heavy Metal
    • Both cruisers bombard Heavy Metalwith their heavy turbolasers
      • Makhun ceases fire after twenty-five seconds due to advancing up Collateral Star’s left flank

“Good to have you Commodore Yorwell.” he replied. “Captain Charles of First Scouting Squadron, though it is just the flagship at the moment. I have been tasked with engaging the CFW frigates. Currently I am drawing them to the extreme left. Your heavy cruisers would be most effective supporting the Collateral Star against whatever decloaks. Keep your interdictor active. We need nothing leaving this system.”

"Commodore Felix Yorwell , your orders are to intercept the incoming wave of rebel fighters and to simultaneously launch a counterattack on the second rebel flagship. Begin sortieing your fighters toward the incoming enemy units and move your capital ships into a defensive formation. Once the initial enemy line is broken, you are free to begin moving your forces forward to engage the enemy capital ships."

“Ladies and gentlemen, to your battle stations!"

The bridge of Julius scrambled to action, combat alarms blaring all the while.​

“All vessels, advance at flank speed!” ordered Felix. “Form a perimeter around the Collateral Star!"

“Scramble all starfighters and bombers!” continued the commodore. “Fighters are to intercept inbound, bombers are to stick back until capital ships are exposed. Withdraw the Scouts!"

By the time the first rebel starfighters appeared on Julius’ radar, all eight of its Hassion wings had been deployed en route to the Collateral Star. Based on his prior experience against the Wild Space rebels over Dac and the battle report from Vulgwinur, Felix understood where among their number the greatest threat lay.

Surely enough, there were plenty of K-wings in the rebel fleet, and they wasted no time bombarding the Collateral Star with enough missiles to reduce a small city to dust and cinders.

“Order lances 17 and 18 to target the missile bombers. We must stop them from launching more Thunderbolts!"

The eight Hassion wings deployed from Julius banked right, pursuing the K-wings as they finished expending their ordinances. As they had above Vulgwinur, the Hassions split into hunter-killer pairs, one securing a target lock on a K-wing while the other used the lock to fire a quartet of concussion missiles. They all sped forward in an attempt to close the distance, where they could use their cannons and superior agility to score easy kills.

“Lance 19 is to intercept the other bombers. They can split their targets as they see fit."

Another four wings of Hassion starfighters had deployed from the two heavy cruisers shortly after Julius’ two lances. The second wave of Hassions also banked right, but after their initial maneuver the 19th Fighter Lance split in two. One wing dove to pursue the rebel Y-wings, using hunter-killer tactics to strike them from range with a quartet of concussion missiles. The other wing advanced upon the B-wings, using the same strategy to chip away at their defenses from afar.

“Instruct the 20th Lance to stay with the bombers until a target presents itself."

Finally, the word came. Heavy Metal's ion cannons and Hammer turbolaser batteries aimed at the engines of the Star opened up, as well as their composite beam cannons firing one massive beam, opening up on the superstructure with a beam dragging across the rear of the ship.

The other ship, the Heavy Metal, abandoned any pretense of stealth and starting firing at the Collateral Star, though the angle at which they were firing instead ended up targeting the ships belonging to Felix Yorwell .

“Enemy capital ship uncloaked, two o-clock!"

Well, that was convenient.

No sooner had the thought crossed Felix’s mind did the rebel Venator open fire, lashing out against the back of the Collateral Star. However, due to the speed at which both the Collateral Star and Julius were advancing, the rebel Venator’s weapons instead struck the latter.

Fortunately for Julius, no Thunderbolt missiles were involved. Instead, the carrier faced exactly the type of conventional bombardment that its shields were built to resist. The Heavy Metal’s ion cannons were absorbed with little effect by Julius’ ion shield, its ray shield withstood the turbolaser bombardment, and its particle shield held fast against the composite beam attempting to slice through its flank. Though the Caragachi carrier’s shields had taken a beating, they still had plenty of life yet. Furthermore, despite the Heavy Metal’s efforts, there not a single scratch on Julius’ hull.

“We have our target. Deploy the bombers."

Three wings of Harrier heavy bombers turned to face the Heavy Metal, escorted by three wings of Hassions. The rebel Venator had overcommitted its own starfighter wings, leaving the path for the Harriers practically unobstructed. Once the bombers entered missile range, the 5th Bomber Lance opened up with a total of 1,728 ion torpedoes launched from 24 Harriers, all targeting the Heavy Metal. Still, the Harriers kept on advancing, for they had another, even deadlier payload they had yet to deploy. Each Harrier had a bomb bay separate from their missile payload, and each of these bomb bays contained twenty 1,000kg armor-piercing bombs. As soon as the Harriers were able to fly directly over the Heavy Metal, the bombs would drop.

While the Harriers drew closer, readying their bomb bays, the two Orikan cruisers joined the fray from afar. Each cruiser contributed another two hundred ion torpedoes to the barrage started by the Harriers, bringing the total to 2,128 ion torpedoes. Simultaneously, the cruisers opened fire with their heavy turbolasers. Though Makhun soon advanced up to the Collateral Star’s left flank and was unable to keep firing, Aolhun was on the Collateral Star’s right flank and therefore able to continue unloading a full broadside of heavy turbolaser fire on the Heavy Metal.

All that was left for the Caragachi fleet to do was to adapt to whatever counterstrike the rebels attempted.