Using Astrosynthesis and evildrganymede's fine blog, I worked off the NSL I and II star charts that had been uploaded to the Yahoo Groups. I tried to use the right names for everything but not sure if that held true at all times.
As mentioned, these are the rough notes:
--------
This uses the Canon NSL and NSL II. Not the accurate ones in order to keep everything in place.
THE HYDRUS (Water Snake) CLUSTER
Need to connect Beta Hydri to...
-Arabia, Japan, ??
FIRST KAFER WAR 2298-2300
Combat Walkers utilized strongly, combined arms and fleets, guerrilla action as they dug out the remaining Kafer presence on Kilmanjano, Beta, etc.
INTERLUDE 2300-2301
While the Kafer fleet, led by Triumphant Destiny, retreated to Arcturus the conflict still raged on numerous planetary surfaces. The Kafer Fleet had landed troops on Aurore and a bitter ground battle was commenced to root out the remaining alien troops. Public sentiment against the Kafer rose to a fever pitch. Franco-German relations were strong in the face of an alien threat. Discussions began among the various powers regarding different ways of dealing with the alien threat. Several scouting expeditions were sent into the Arcturus system and relayed back that a small Kafer Fleet remained in orbit within the system. The scouts made no attempt to approach the entities.
Combat Walkers utilized extensively in Aurore.
Several factions within the various governments attempted to express some desire for peace and accommodation with the aliens but public sentiment overrode them. The French Empire, led by their Emperor, seized on the opportunity to regain prestige and power lost during the War for German Reunification. The military output of the French milindustrial complex began working extensively towards refitting starships and weaponry.
2301-2308 The First Kafer War
(See 2301 AD document)
The next big challenge for CWs was the Kafer War. The French deployed two battalions, some 250 BH-21s, to the world of Aurore to help defeat the alien invaders. These highly trained units performed excellently. They often operated on their own in raids against Kafer rear areas, but more frequently worked with conventional infantry units. Indeed French battle schools were soon set up to train militia and other troops in CW operations. CWs were soon shown to be effective battle winners against the Kafers.
The 2301 Kafer offensive into the French Arm brought more and more CWs into action, in particular on Kimanjano, Beta Canum and Joi. The Japanese deployed large numbers of CWs on Joi to counter the Kafer invasion in the hands of the marines, militia and the paramilitary police. British regulars took their capable new Bowman CWs into action on Beta Canum for the first time and coped with a steep learning curve. In turn American Marines deployed their license built BH-21s in action alongside their French allies. Every major nation deployed hundreds of CWs against the Kafers with even more flooding into the French Arm with the Liberation. CWs have become a mainstay of the lingering and bloody effort to remove Kafer remnants from all of the previously occupied human colony worlds.
The Kafers continued to hold onto Kilmanjano, Grosshiddenhaffen, Crater (Henry’s Star) and Arcturus. In Joi, a small squadron of understrength warships maintain orbit and start ground operations to root out the Kafers. On Beta Canum, a similar operation was undertaken by an International Peace-Keeping Force from Earth. A second IPF, also drawn from Earth, arrived at Beowulf in time to be seconded to the formation of the First Allied Restoration Fleet, led by Sir Charles Graham and the Ukrainian Admiral Kiri Usteyev. The 1st ARF was dedicated to the liberation of human systems from the Kafers. A component of private vessels arrived at Beowulf from Tirane and were suborned into the military effort. This caused several private industries to complain of nationalization but several corporations, including Trilon and Waas, supported the efforts. A third corporation, Timberwolf Co., a relatively small but advanced materials and munitions supplier, made its name by donating its two armed merchant ships and over a thousand private security forces. This fleet formed the 1st Restoration Auxiliaries and was placed under the command of Admiral Manning of the Australian Armed Forces.
In August, 2302, the two fleets launched into Kilmanjano system and confronted the Kafer remnants still orbiting in the system. The fleets were astonished to discover a signifiant smaller presence than was anticipated although intelligence had been sketchy. It was later discovered that, with the death of Triumphant Destiny, several would-be Suzerains had attempted to take control of the fleet and dissension had led to bloodshed. The two ARF’s swept through the system and took orbital control of the Kilmanjano system.
THE DIRTSIDE WAR
While the ARF devised ways of cracking the Kafer Fleet hold-outs in the various systems, a period of brutal and savage groundside fighting took place in the French Arm. For the first time, massive fleet engagements led to full-strength interplanetary invasions and the rule book was being written as the campaign progressed. During this time, the stratagems and equipment needs for invasion were being documented and would serve to drive the military machine for decades to come. Numerous units distinguished themselves in the Dirtside War, as the media called it, including the French Foreign Legion, US Marines, the Black Talons, the Ukrainian Ursa Brigade and numerous others. Many mercenary companies sprung into being in other areas of space such as the Manchurian, American and Latin Arms and made transportation to the conflicted systems.
Kafers dug in. Troop numbers constantly lessening, need for mobile units.
Again, the Combat Walker came into its own during these planetary struggles. Small enough to drop or airlift to the surface, with extensive mobility and support advantages over other vehicles, a squad of Combat Walkers could deliver a significant amount of damage to a corresponding infantry enemy. The technology of the Walker began to change and improve resulting in the exo-suit of modern warfare.
The liberation of BCV , Crater, Joi, Hochbanden and Kilmanjano took over four years to accomplish. There were sporadic attacks by Kafer squadrons during this time, launched from Aurore and Arcturus. The invasion and orbital occupation of the Arcturus system allowed the Allied military to focus on mopping up the Kafers left behind on the various colony systems.
While the French military was utilized in many of these engagements, the Alderhorst Alliance members (America, Australia, UK) provided the naval support in the conflict. With the French fleet nearly decimated by the Kafer combat actions, the French were left dependent on civilian and reserve vessels.
(See individual actions, French Foreign Legion etc.)
ALDERHORST ALLIANCE
The Alderhorst Alliance was formed on Vogelheim in the aftermath of the Second Kafer War between the United Kingdom, Germany and America. Having borne the brunt of the Kafer counter-attack, the Alliance members were an informal group based on the defense of the French Arm in the face of France anemia. The three countries gathered to discuss the future of military campaigns against the Kafers. In the face of a weak French responses to the actions in the Second Kafer War, the three nations agreed to support a defensive operation centered on Arcturus. The informal agreement, which is widely discussed in political papers published in the past fifty years, was a lack of faith in French capabilities and the future of the French Arm. The three members of the Alliance realized that their resources were limited and sponsored…
Australia and America had focused almost exclusively on the American Arm. They had responded to the threat of annhilation out of old habits but were leery of becoming entangled in the politics or expenditures along the French Arm. With the opening of the Beta Aquilae cluster through the Acey-Acey bridge, both countries wanted a means to ensure the safety of humanity while avoiding entanglements. The United Kingdom and Germany were invested heavily along the French Arm as members of the ESA. Their acceptance that France was unable to provide protection was the impetus for their urgings of maintaining the Alliance.
Germany was extremely upset with the resulting indecision by the other nations. While a rival of France, the German government sought a lasting solution for the Kafer menace. Without commitments from the other allies, however, Germany was forced to abide by the status quo.
In 2308, the Alderhorst Alliance was formed officially (although still secret) between the attending nations. In need of resources and allies, the Alliance mounted a campaign on Earth for recruits and funding for a combined defense force that would blockade the Alpha Bootis system and cluster. Since this was the only known access point to Kafer space, the Alliance felt that they could safeguard humanity without investing significant resources into an offensive campaign.
By 2310, the Alderhorst Alliance was in control of Alpha Bootis system. Behind them, the reconstruction of the French Arm continued at a rapid pace.
KAFER ROT AND FRENCH ARM QUARANTINE COMMAND
The discovery of Kafer Rot, a degenerative fungal growth on agricultural products, was a significant issue amongst the fertile planets of Beta Canum and XXXX. Although it was unknown whether it was specifically tailored for use against the human planets or a byproduct of the Kafer invasion, the Rot drastically reduced food supplies along the French Arm. Scores of scientists and agricultural experts were employed by the French Empire in efforts to halt and then defeat the microbial weapon.