Persei-Aries War Resumes
New Faction Raids American Base at Alpha Lyra
FROM: UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL COLONIAL CENTER
15:45 SOL GMT, 10 JANUARY 2521
BREAKAUTH: 181072.18J
CLEARANCE: SECRET (NATIONAL)
**UNITED NATIONS COMMUNIQUE**
Reports continue to come in from the expanding Third Hercules War, where a new faction seems to have joined the rapidly-worsening conflict. On January 10, a light raiding force of the so-called “Black Dragons” of the self-proclaimed Khitan-Tunguska Free State engaged American forces in the extreme outer reaches of the Vega (Alpha Lyra) star system. Vega is the seat of the Jamison Colonies, a major United States holding in the neighboring Lyra constellation. As the Hercules War continues to heat up, American involvement in the conflict has been based solely out the Jamison Colonies, particularly the Port Halsey naval base.
The Americans have been moderately engaged in several confirmed battles thus far, both in the Russian-held Kransaya Nadhezda (Red Hope) colonies in the 72 Hercules system. The Americans are allied with the Holy Russian Empire in this conflict, having signed the so-called “Coalition of Eagles” accords at the Kayashenko Colony in the UN-chartered “Redemption” system last fall. The most recent of these battles saw the successful repulse of a British invasion effort at Krasnaya Nadhezda. One American warship, the destroyer USS Oriskany, was moderately damaged in this exchange, and set a fast magnitude 12 Darkstar wave back to Port Halsey after the engagement.
The Oriskany required six days of repair after returning (covering the 30 light-years from 72 Hercules in just 10 days). Repairs were completed on January 6, at which time Oriskany joined arriving units of “Task Force Liberty” carrier group, now building up at Alpha Lyra for several weeks.
On January 10, however, American aerospace patrols detected a force of Khitan-Tunguska torpedo corvettes in the extreme outer reaches of Alpha Lyra’s protoplanetary debris disk (Kuiper Belt). These “Black Dragon” rebels have been fighting an extremely brutal war against the Panasian Union and Holy Russian Empire for almost nine years now, and most analysts agree that the Black Dragons see any allies of the Holy Russian Empire as enemies. The Americans also fought two bitter campaigns against the Black Dragons in the recent Xi Scorpio and Scorpion’s Tail Wars, so this torpedo corvette squadron was immediately regarded as a threat.
The USS Oriskany (DSGN-797) was dispatched with orders to find and eliminate this squadron. With her enhanced electronic warfare, ion engine thrust, and Darkstar FTL drives, the Oriskany seemed to be the Navy’s best chance of finding these small, elusive ships as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, the rest of Task Force Oriskany (destroyers USS Valley Forge, Princeton, light carrier Tarawa, and corvette Daggerfish) were still at 72 Hercules, so the Oriskany would have to tackle this mission alone.
Destroyer Sweep vs. Torpedo Corvette Hunter-Killers - Outer Debris Belt, Alpha Lyra (Vega)
The current state of the Third Hercules War. We can see where most of the recent fighting has been taking place (“1”) at the embattled Russian colony at Krasnaya Nadhezda (72 Hercules). The Black Dragons that launched this incursion are thought to have come from Khaizan’s Haven at 14 Hercules (“2”), a staggering 60 light-years from the American base at Alpha Lyra (“3”). Even with their enhanced 11th-magnitude Darkstar drives, this would have taken at least a month.
The matchup. Lately we’ve been working on a lot of playtesting for the new pricing model on the corvettes, making their cost in scenario points commensurate with their abilities on the table (especially in large numbers). I’m satisfied the playtesting has confirmed the new models as “fair” – so this battle will be “canon” in the timeline of the Third Hercules War. These are K-56 class torpedo corvettes, originally built for the Holy Russian Empire. Unfortunately, hundreds of Russian and Panasian warships were lost to the Khitan-Tunguska Free State when the Black Dragon revolt started in 2512. When you’re up against the Black Dragons, you’re usually up against Russian- or Chinese-built warships, often heavily modified or upgraded.
The Oriskany drops out of a short, 4th-mag wave (x8 c) and soon detects the Black Dragon corvettes some 4.5 AU from her position. She lines up a second 1st-mag wave (the speed of light, very slow, very accurate, very hard to detect) and makes a second hop to engagement range. By how the Black Dragons have detected USS Oriskany’s approach as well, and pivot to engage. The battlespace is near a tiny dwarf planet and protoplanetary debris field, which the Black Dragons use to screen their initial approach. The Oriskany wins initiative, and vectors her approach to use the Black Dragons’ cover against them. Note the trailing three corvettes cannot see her, and so cannot launch torpedoes. The Oriskany launches Mark 48 gravitic torpedoes at the lead corvettes, as well as her two E/S-101 Hawkeye class scouts.
The Oriskany rushes the corvettes, but the Black Dragons anticipate the move. Although the Oriskany is able to use the asteroid in Hex 1115 to screen her stern, the corvette wolf pack rushes her port bow, clearly hoping to target her bridge and forward magazines. No less than 36 P-500 “Plamya” (Flame) warheads make their attack. Seven are shot down by Oriskany’s point-defense guns, one more by a scout. But the Oriskany’s gravitic shielding has been massively upgraded, as has her electronic warfare suites (in game terms she has an 8 shielding vs. torpedoes). Only two P-500s actually hit the ship, knocking out part of Oriskany’s sensor suite and maneuvering thrusters. Plasma guns (10kg caliber) open fire as well, doing even more damage than the torpedoes at this close range. The Oriskany has now lost her portside torpedo tubes. The Black Dragons, meanwhile, shoot down all of Oriskany’s torpedoes. Looks like she’ll have to do this the old fashioned way! A port broadside of 6-MgKv lasers and 5-GW rail guns cripples the KT-202 and KT-203, while KT-201 has her fo’c’sle all but torn off, losing both port and starboard torpedo tunes, her plasma “deck gun”, and forward maneuvering thrusters. 
With her maneuverability reduced, Oriskany slows to 15 kilometers per second and jackknifes to starboard, coming to 090 and using another asteroid field to screen her badly-damaged port bow. The Black Dragons swarm in behind her, pelting her stern with (KT-201 was able to launch her twelve P-500s just moments before these mounts were destroyed by the Oriskany’s broadside). Six are shot down, the reduced performance clearly due to the Oriskany’s damaged sensor suite. However, the “Lady O” has always been a lucky ship, and not one Black Dragon torpedo gets through the enhanced shielding and electronic warfare. Only one plasma gun hits, and even this is a glancing burn off the port quarter. This was seriously good luck for the Lady O, she very well could have been crippled here. However, only her aft weapons can now hit, and all guns fire on K-204. Hits are scored on the magazine, forward weapons, bridge ... just hat fast the corvette is crippled. 
The Oriskany finally wins initiative. As the three surviving Black Dragon corvettes regroup and tuck behind another asteroid, the Oriskany decelerates to 12 kilometers per second, makes three turns (remember her enhanced thrust of 7) and sets up a broadside along her starboard bow. She has no choice has to, she was unable to fire any torpedoes last turn (they’re all mounted forward and the enemy corvettes were all behind her) and she's lost half her launchers anyway. Twenty-four P-500s rush at her stern, seven are shot down. The scouts can't help, since any American scouts would be ruthlessly shot down by Black Dragon point defense guns who have no American torpedoes to shoot at. Two torpedoes hit, damaging the starboard engine and blinding more of Oriskany’s sensors. Plasma hits are also scored on Oriskany’s starboard bow, but the armor on this facing is undamaged and Oriskany shrugs off the hits. The Oriskany’s guns reply, putting three hits on KT-205, crippling her. Four hits land on KT-206, crippling her as well. One hit strikes the previously-mauled KT-201, finishing this last Black Dragon corvette (previously damaged with a hit on the bridge). The Oriskany is technically at a 6+ to lose power (one hit on the starboard engine) so the Black Dragons COULD tie the game here, but they 2 (they needed a 6). The Lady O's luck has held once again.
Technically this would be counted as a 108-0 Major American Victory (raid victory conditions, all six 18-point corvettes crippled). But the Oriskany is heavy mauled and was honestly very lucky on Turn 3, when those P-500 torpedoes really could have crippled her with hard hits astern. So for campaign purposes it will count as a minor victory on a small battle (+/-2 campaign points for the Americans and Black Dragons). KT-201, 203, and 205 are lost, scuttled before capture by Oriskany's Marine platoon. KT-202, 204, 206 will be recovered and repaired. The Oriskany will require 9 days in port before she is fully spaceworthy again. 
@oriskany it seem like the corvettes are in a good place now
Indeed, @rasmus – corvettes and +2 / +3 CICs … which were another cuplrit, especially for smaller ships.
I don’t know about overpowered, but You don’t get maneuverability like that with anything but a corvette!
Well, @gladesrunner, especially Corporate corvettes, which are even faster than most corvettes.
Thanks for the +1s. 😀