[HH-STGOD] Main Story Thread

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-23 02:37pm

In a way, the minefield had almost been a blessing. Previously, the fleet had been treating this battle almost as a joke, now, they set about their duties with a purpose.

The fleet was taking no more chances. A full defensive shell was in place, and scouting platforms raced in every direction from the fleet.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-23 03:02pm

The scouting drone picked up the Mesan battle ships just short. Skulking at the edge of the hyper limits they had they had been creeping in under stealth. Now their cover was blown just short of the Allied fleet.

"All ships, open fire, max range."

Twelve missle heavy battleships opened fire with a full salvo of mdms aimed right at the heart of the CLAC sphere. Pods were flushed and launchers went to continous fire. All targeted on just four CLACs.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-23 03:15pm

The fleet maintained course, launching 2 full pod salvos to provide additional coverage, 3000 additional drones causing the formation to almost vanish in a reinforced wave of jamming. The Superdreadnoughts almost casually fired both broadsides and the rear chasers, the Ghost Rider technology allowing them to all vector back towards the attackers. 2600 missiles poured forth every quarter of a minute, blazing at full acceleration towards the attackers, joined by 1500 pod launched missiles on the third salvo. The missiles quickly passed their Mesan counterparts, slashing in on the attackers before their own swarm reached the Manticoran fleet.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-09-23 04:40pm

The Havenite advance screen cleared their minefield before them with limited, but acceptable losses for Haven.
"Sir, it seems the Mantie CLACs are under attack."
Tourville watched the Impeller signatures dance around on the other side of the system.
"Well," Tourville winced. "I'll give them at least some ingenuity. But I think it is time, then. Go to full safe power, I want to get into range of those fortresses as quickly as possible. As soon as we are in 'ordered' range, open fire. And send out more drones, form a two-tier shell around the outer screening units. I don't want to be surprised."

He wished he really could use his full range and abilities. It would've made it easier. But the Manties will be surprised, and suspicious, as it is, anyway.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-23 05:04pm

The Mesan commander watched with glee as all three of the CLACs intially targets were destroyed. Four follow up salvos were out of the tubes before the Manty missles hit.

Six of the battleships were totally destroyed, three more were little more than wreckage. But the last three kept firing until they too were so much burning wreckage.

A dozen Mesan battleships had been sacrificed but five CLACs had been destroyed and two more heavily damaged.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-24 02:08am

The Alliance fleet reeled from the unexpected blow. The admiral in charge of the CLACs had been a Manticoran, and overly complacent, and he had suffered for his failure. His flagship, and four other Minotaurs had died, easier targets than their Grayson counterparts, and made still easier as a last effort at redemption by the admiral, to keep the Grayson carriers still with LAC embarked alive.

In a voice as cold as space itself, Brentworth ordered, "Find the rest of them. This will not happen again. All restrictions on engagement range are lifted, if you see it, kill it."

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-09-24 05:02am

"So those pigs somehow acquired MDM technology of their own..."
He turned to his sensor officer. "Did you pick up any signs of their home fleet?"
"No, sir, only the fortresses."
"Well, keep an eye out. Keep advancing."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-24 01:02pm

The Mesans simply lay in wait, the main fleet holding with in the range of the massive fortresses. Already allied overconfidence had hurt them. Everyman knew he was doomed to die. Intelligence had long ago reached Manpower; every man knew the allies planned to hang the lot of them.

As preparation continued on the ground the fleet waited for the next oppurtunity, patiently moving forces concealed under stealth.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-24 01:21pm

"They want to play it that way do they. Come to a halt relative to them at a range fifty percent greater than our MDM range, and commence firing, with a delayed activation of the third drive stage as they reach effective range. Signal the Havenite fleet to stand off for the moment if they can not match the Mesans capabilities. Maintain 200% of normal sensor drone coverage of the surrounding area"

The Alliance fleet came to a relative stop over 300 million klicks distant.(provided that the 180 million klick max range I remember is correct, farther away if I am misremembering)
The pod ships began quietly dropping pods, to three times the extent extent of the available fire control capabilities. They then fired, at quarter minute intervals, three massive salvos, each with well over twenty thousand missiles.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-24 01:28pm

Mesan jammer and decoys went active as soon as the missles launched. The extreme range meant that the missles were entirely dependent on their own internal seekers. Between the jamming and decoy only the barest fraction ever made a hit.

Three Mesan ships of the wall took serious damage but none were crippled. A handful of escorts were maimed. But the sheer range negated the effectiveness of the sophisticated MDMs.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-09-24 02:04pm

"Well, I concur," Tourvielle said to his chief of staff as soon as he got the Manticoran message.
The fleet now consisted of roughly two shells. A dense shell of drones, over another shell of screening units. Even stealthed ships, or ships lying dogo wouldn't reach the heart of the formation, were the SDs were, to open fire before being spotted.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-24 02:16pm

The Havenite forces had gotten sloppy. While it made sense to sweep the system, the formation also ensured that the escorts were in deep trouble if they pressed the attack. They would have a hard time supporting one another.

And the Mesans did. Forty three battlecruiser, fifteen heavy cruiser and thirty eight smaller escorts opened fire on the vulnerable screen and cut them two peices. Nearly every ship targeted died in a hail of missle fire. All in all 29 escorts were targetted. It was hard to tell how many were destroyed and how many merely crippled.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-24 04:42pm

"Right, we have a good read on their defense capabilities now. The LAC force is to ghost there way in to within 20 million klicks, at which point we will resume missile bombardment. Make sure to maintain enough EW drones to make it look like the LACs are still here."

The 1500 LAC remaining to the fleet seamlessly engaged their stealth systems, as the drones came on line, and began slowly accelerating under full stealth.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-09-24 05:37pm

"Open fire on the attackinships!" Tourville barked.
And all ships fired a massive volley targeted at the attacking ships.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-24 11:15pm

The Mesans show clustered into a tight formation and used their Solarian built stealth to best effect as they broke contact with the escorts. Four light cruisers were destroyed, three heavy cruisers crippled and many of the battlecruisers took hits but they had hid at extreme range, their stealth gear making engagement difficult.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-25 01:51am

A message was sent on all channels:

"Mesan forces, surrender now, and we will guarantee your lives. Fight any longer, and we turn your survivors over to Torch for war crimes trials"

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-25 11:43am

"Oh well, at least we tried. Commence fire on the Fortresses and Superdreadnoughts as soon as the LAC reach point Alpha."

The LAC drifted in, now with wedges down, at the center of a shell of recon drones, also unpowered at this point. The Harrington's once again began rolling pods, handing them off to other ships. As the LAC crossed an invisible lin in space, the fleet cut loose with timed 4500 missile salvos, each concentrated on a different 8 ships of the wall.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2003-09-25 01:04pm

"We're moving in again. Tight formation, at 300g, and I want EW, ECM and ECm up so that I see each bloody fleck of sace dust from here to Mesa! Anything coming into range will be fired upon immediately."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-25 01:13pm

"Some surrender offer egh?"

The missles bore in. But at the extreme of range targeting was poor indeed. Blinded by the powerful ECM of the fortresses and ships few of the small salvos scored hits. The defensive envelope of the fortresses and SDs sweeping the few missles that managed to track.

Still, hits were scored. Three of the mighty warships staggered as they were hit.

But the Mesan reply was far more devestating. The fortress fired their slave linked pods as well as their internal launchers. Massive fortress grade missles having a longer reach and as far better seekers. Over 17,000 missles belched from the launchers into the heart of the Allied fleet. They were all concentrated on the flagship position.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-25 01:15pm

The first salvo slashed in on the Mesan Devestator class Superdreadnoughts. The massive upgrade in the missiles targetting caught the fleet by surprise, as the eight targetted ships were gutted by the incoming fire. Two ships exploded, and the remainder were horribly savaged, as the next salvo slashed in towards the older Superdreadnought SDs.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-25 01:21pm

So far the Allied fleet had settled for long range fire, disdaining a close range duel. And the Allies were paying for it. Despite the apparent upgrades the simple fact was they were firing mostly blind.

The Mesans had lost three of the mighty superdreadnaughts, though and they knew the battle was ultimately hopeless.

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-25 01:44pm

"Begin accelerating in to meet them, 350 Gravities, we don't have the missiles to win this this way. Retransmit the surrender demands."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-25 02:00pm

"Ah, looks like they're coming to play. Excellent."

The Mesan fleet held cover, waiting for the enemy to come them. So far they had managed to whittle away some at the Allied fleet. The massive salvos from the forts were having an effect. Several Manticorian ships had fallen from formation. So far an even trade but at closer range it was going to get bloody.

"Are the BBs in place?"

"Yes sir."

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2003-09-25 02:17pm

"Continue Firing. Put one salvo into destroying their lighter forces to throw off their targeting, then start hammering those fortresses."

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-25 03:34pm

"My god, the bastard are practically broacasting their location. With that many sensors going the seekers won't have any problem at all homing in."

"Time to launch?"

"Two minutes sir"

Nineteen battleships and eleven battlecruisers closed on their enemy.