Persei-Aries War Resumes
Two Catch-up Battle Reports - Kayashenko 14 and Shindo 919
Okay, everyone. I have a lot of catching up to do here to bring the Third Hercules War Community Campaign up to date.
A lot has happened since the last battle report, and these battle reports frankly take too long to do, so I’ll be quickly buzzing through four missing games / battles here to complete the recent campaign timeline.
I’m only doing this now because, as you’ll see, the combined effects of these battles have triggered some major shifts in the Third Hercules War, shifts which directly impact the national strategic standing of several player factions. These players need to know exactly what’s happening in the Third Hercules War.
So first I have a battle between the Russians and the Arab League in August, 2521 (Darkstar Web Game 42). This actually took place BEFORE the most recently posted battle report (Darkstar Web Game 43 – Holy Russian Empire v. Royal Navy at Uxbridge, Outer Hebrides / Mu Hercules system). Once that is presented, we’ll skip past Uxbridge and move to Game 44, US Navy and India against the Japanese at Shindo 919.
There will be more to come after this. When I am fully caught up we’ll see where we stand, what factions are still in, what factions are out, what separate peace treaties have been signed, and whether Third Hercules War is in fact continuing.
But for now . . .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FROM: UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL COLONIAL CENTER
21:55 SOL GMT, 21 AUGUST 2521
BREAKAUTH: 181072.18J
CLEARANCE: SECRET (NATIONAL)
RUSSIAN COUNTER-RAID ON KAYASHENKO 14 (99 Hercules)
Yet again, the Americans and Russians seem to be checked against the British in the Outer Hebrides (Mu Hercules) system. Despite recent American victories at the McClusky-Ramirez gas giant (Alpha Lyra system) and the HH779 comet in the Outer Hebrides, a bloody British victory against the “Three Princesses” cruiser squadron has frustrated Russian plans to cash in on American momentum in the spinward shoulder of the Hercules Rim. Not only has this allowed the British to yet again step back from the brink of defeat in the Third Hercules War, but also further strained relations between the American and Russian “allies” of the Coalition of Eagles.
Perhaps to show the Americans something of a cold shoulder, the Russians have resolved to “redress their own problems” rather than “help win the Yankees’ war” against the British in the Outer Hebrides. Withdrawing from the spinward sector of the Hercules Rim, they instead launch a strike against the Arab League foothold recently gained among the moons of the Russians’ own Kayashenko gas giant. The largest planet in the “Redemption” UN Mandate in the 99 Hercules system, Kayashenko has at least 60 charted moons, and an Arab League battlegroup lurking among them simply won’t do.
Indeed, several Russian admirals have already contacted friends, both in Krasnaya Nadhezda (Red Hope, 72 Hercules) and Imperial Naval Command in St. Petersburg, demanding to know why Russian cruisers are hammering themselves to ruin to gain an American victory at the Outer Hebrides when an enemy power in fact after has a foothold in Russian space among the moons of Kayashenko.
As for the Arab League, the al-Mutamid battlegroup has hardly paid for their foothold at Kayashenko 14 to give it up to a Russian cruiser raid. While their fleet lacks the strength to mount a “stand or die” defense of the frozen little moon, Captain Rashid al-Magrebi’s orders are to damage the incoming Russian force as badly as possible, mounting a counterstrike to ensure their sortie against Kayashenko 14 does not become a permanent reoccupation.
HOLY RUSSIAN EMPIRE: @Oriskany
ARAB LEAGUE: @Muakhah
RAID VICTORY CONDITIONS (214 points)
FROM: UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL COLONIAL CENTER
16:30 SOL GMT, 05 OCTOBER 2521
BREAKAUTH: 181072.18J
CLEARANCE: SECRET (NATIONAL)
US / INDIA RAID ON SHINDO 919 (Kyokko Bijin / Zeta Hercules)
Frustration among the American commanders at Port Halsey (Virgo / Alpha Lyra system) is running high. Aboard her flagship, the Gettysburg class heavy cruiser USS Shiloh, Rear-Admiral Virginia Saunders knows that the Russian defeat at Uxbridge (Mu Hercules system) has allowed the Royal Navy to regain its balance . . . yet again. “I would say these Brits are cats with nine lives,” she snarks in a rare wardroom press conference. “Except they used more than nine lives some time ago.”
While resources are gathered for a renewed strike against the re-fortified British, the Americans are determined not to let the Renkei Alliance completely regain their footing (or for morale to drop too low among their own crews). While a direct strike against Mu Hercules is off the table for at least 45 days, a smaller raid can be launched against their Japanese allies in the Zeta Hercules system. This is especially true once American admirals and State Department diplomats exert sufficient pressure on their Indian Republic allies to step up their involvement in the war.
First to arrive is the Maharina class heavy cruiser INS Basukhalji. Once Rear-Admiral Saunders has this ship at her disposal, orders for the Zeta Hercules strike are immediate. Escorted by the USS Princeton and the Marine Corps strike carrier USS Tarawa, this combined battlegroup will smash into the Japanese Kyokko Bijin (Sunrise Beauty) colony at Zeta Hercules. If nothing else, renewed Indian participation in this war will demonstrate fortified unity among the faltering Coalition of Eagles, keep the Japanese from reinforcing the British at Outer Hebrides, and warn the Russians to step back in line with the “Stars and Stripes” winning a victory along the coreward sector of the Hercules Rim.
As for the Japanese, Captain Seizo Yamamoto’s Kama task force detects the incoming strike with plenty of time to deploy against it. The Basukhalji is hardly a petite lady, and the magnitude of the Darkstar wave required for a “fast” 20-light-year jump is hard to miss. Also note that the trajectory of this jump between Port Halsey and Kyokko Bijin takes the Indo-American force right past the British holdings at Mu Hercules. A Griffon-class patrol boat is dispatched in a 12th-magnitutde wave to arrive at Zeta Hercules a full 39 hours ahead of the Indo-American force, providing Yamamoto with still more warning.
Accordingly, the Japanese are able to meet the enemy far out along Kyokko Bijin’s outer debris (Kuiper) belt, the two forces colliding near a desolate proto-comet known only as Shindo 919.
JAPAN: @Rasmus
INDIA / UNITED STATES: @Oriskany
RAID VICTORY CONDITIONS (287 points)
I like seeing the “new” factions. It is neat seeing the different tactics they should use (or shouldn’t)/
The Indian Navy continues to expand with heavy cruisers and even battleship designs now. The Americans have taken some heavy hits after doing very well for most of the war (they’re having to drop out to a certain extent), the Russians and Indians have to step it up big time if the Coalition of Eagles is going to hold together
Good to see the reports up, even as abbreviated ones they are great to see!
I would say that my Arab victory over the Russians was more due to luck than skill. If I remember right I got a lucky 6 to cripple the Kravachenko early.
Hope to see more battles soon!
Thanks, @muakhah – there was a “6” that really turned it for the Japanese at Shindo 919 as well. The Americans have been on a rough streak lately.
This weekend we have @damon up – not sure what faction.
@rasmus and his Japanese and Russians are still in it.
@gladesrunner has been asking to play.
Who knows, maybe we’ll even get @ceppie in this one of these days. @davehawes might return, @aras , @elessar2590 , who knows?
Yes, I did feel bad about that 6
I guess I can take on @gladesrunner and the corrupts .. sorry corporates some weekend some time soon
Please don’t worry about it, @rasmus. No one should ever feel bad about winning a game of Darkstar, it’s a tough, high skill-cap game that punishes mistakes. So if you come out on top, good on you. What I’m less happy about is the overall trend in these last four games. Sometimes these details only comes out when you’re crushing out 8-hour battle reports … 1) Critical game play mistakes of mine at Battle of Uxbridge (Game 43) 2) The “6” you mention at Shindo 919 … just bad luck for me (Game 44) 3) An outright math mistake that… Read more »
Epic, thanks for all the hard work.
No worries! 😀 You should jump in one of these games one of these days! 😀