RockyMountainNavy
SOC-12
(Been many years since I played Imperium but I was able to pull it out this week and play the First War. A bit clunky and slow as I relearned but oh so fun!)
2113-2114 (Turn 1)
The First Battle of Nusku: A Terran Fleet consisting of a single CL, 2xDD, 3xSC and lone transport with Jump Troops embarked enter the Nusku System and faces off against an Imperial Squadron with a CR, 2xDD, and a SC over a planet with Planetary Defenses and an Outpost. Against all odds the Terrans destroy the Squadron, weather the Planetary Defenses and land the Jump Troops. At the end of the invasion Nusku Prime belongs to the Terrans.
(This was actually a VERY lucky turn of events; just how lucky would not be realized until later. The apparent lesson learned was that planetary defenses are weak. Keep reading to see how that idea works out!)
The First Battle of Procyon: An Imperial Squadron of 2xCL, 2xDD and a SC enter the Procyon System and destroy a Terran Fleet of a Missile Boat, 3xSC, and 2xTR that had landed an Outpost and Regular Troops. Though the Navy is driven off, the Army digs in for a long siege.
(-1 Glory for Imperium/4 Glory Overall)
2115-2117 (Turn 2)
The First Invasion of Procyon: An Imperial Invasion Fleet enter the Procyon System and attempts to land. It is driven off by the Terran Outpost defenses.
(The Imperial Squadron of a CR, 2xDD, SC and two Transports looks not that much different from what the Terrans used to take Nusku. The Terrans don’t even have forces in orbit to defend. But the Outpost destroys the CR, SC, and one Transport with defensive fire and prevents the landing.)
2118-2119 (Turn 3)
The Terrans focus on building outposts and using transports to spread the reach of the new Terran Federation. The Imperials are slowly building up a fleet force but suffer from poor maintenance which disrupts the movement of many ships.
2120-2121 (Turn 4)
The Second Invasion of Procyon: Once again an Imperial Invasion Force appears in the skies over Procyon. Once again the Outpost Defenses prove too powerful; the Bombarding Fleet is mostly intact (loss of only 1xCL) but after two of three Transports are destroyed before landing the Imperial Commander aborts – again.
(Once again the powerful Outpost gets lucky shots, in this case blasting two of the transports before they can land their troops. Strategic thinkers on both sides are reconsidering what is needed for an opposed planetary invasion.)
Second Battle of Nusku: An Imperial Squadron enters the Nusku System and bypases the primary planet to land a force at the secondary once they establish space supremacy.
(This situation appears to not be covered in the RAW. I gave the Imperials “Space Supremacy” once they had driven off the Terran ships in system and allowed an administrative landing on the undefended secondary system. The Terran Outpost and Regular Troops on the primary were considered “blockaded” and now unconnected to the Federation.)
2122-2123 (Turn 5)
The Third Battle of Nusku: The Terran Federation waits until the later year and takes advantage of Imperial disruptions and sends an invasion force. The Imperial Overwatch Squadron, consisting of 2xCS, a CL and 2xDD is severely weakened since all the ships but one DD are suffering from poor maintenance. The Terran Fleet is able to destroy or make flee the Overwatch Squadron and lands troops on the secondary system, taking that valuable outpost from the Imperium.
(The Terrans were able to bring sufficient missiles to make the bombardment effective before landing troops. Another lesson learned.)
(-1 Glory for Imperium/3 Glory Overall)
2124-2125 (Turn 6)
Sirius Passthrough: The Terrans take advantage of a newly constructed tanker (AO) and strike into the Sirius System which is defended by a lone SC guarding an Imperial tanker.
2126-2127 (Turn 7)
Battle of Markhashi: Seeing an opening in the Imperial lines, a Terran Invasion Fleet enters the Markhashi System with a landing force. The Terran Fleet brings with it many missile boats which bombard the planetary defenses into submission, thereby ensuring the success of the landing. The Imperial Governor, having invested in Troops and Transports in preparation for yet another invasion of Nusku, finds that he has insufficient ships to escort a landing force and reluctantly opens negotiations with the Terrans for a cease-fire.
(-1 Glory for Imperium/2 Glory Overall – Terran Victory).
The Imperial Governor never appealed to the Emperor during the 14 years of war. The Terrans control systems from Mirabillis to Nusku, Sirius and Markhashi. The Jump Line to Rimward of Nusku is unoccupied but the Terrans should be able to invest this area during the peace.
The InterWar Period looks like it will be 12 years (6 turns) long. During the InterWar Peace the Terrans are able to expand and colonize the area to Rimward. Three new Worlds enter the Terran Federation along with five new colonies. If war comes, the Terrans will generate 73RU per budget cycle. The Imperium is very weak with a mere 25RU in each budget cycle.
InterWar attrition is also harsh on the military forces with most planetary defenses falling into disarray during the long peace. Although the Terran economy is booming, the fleet grows stagnant. The only real consolation is that the same is happening to the Imperial Squadrons.
As the InterWar Peace comes to an end, the opposing fleets are thus:
Terran Federation Navy:
* 1xCS
* 1xCL
* 1xDD
* 8xMB
* 1xAO
* 6xTR
* TOTAL COMBAT POWER = 11 combatants/7 support ships; 8-52-26 (Beam-Missile-Shields)
* 2xRegular Troops (5/3)
Imperium:
* 2xCS
* 3xCL
* 2xDD
* 2xSC
* 1xAO
* 6xTR
* TOTAL COMBAT POWER = 9 combatants/7 support ships; 16-32-30 (Beam-Missiles-Shields)
* 2xRegular Troops (3/1)
* 2xJump Troops (5/3)
2113-2114 (Turn 1)
The First Battle of Nusku: A Terran Fleet consisting of a single CL, 2xDD, 3xSC and lone transport with Jump Troops embarked enter the Nusku System and faces off against an Imperial Squadron with a CR, 2xDD, and a SC over a planet with Planetary Defenses and an Outpost. Against all odds the Terrans destroy the Squadron, weather the Planetary Defenses and land the Jump Troops. At the end of the invasion Nusku Prime belongs to the Terrans.
(This was actually a VERY lucky turn of events; just how lucky would not be realized until later. The apparent lesson learned was that planetary defenses are weak. Keep reading to see how that idea works out!)
The First Battle of Procyon: An Imperial Squadron of 2xCL, 2xDD and a SC enter the Procyon System and destroy a Terran Fleet of a Missile Boat, 3xSC, and 2xTR that had landed an Outpost and Regular Troops. Though the Navy is driven off, the Army digs in for a long siege.
(-1 Glory for Imperium/4 Glory Overall)
2115-2117 (Turn 2)
The First Invasion of Procyon: An Imperial Invasion Fleet enter the Procyon System and attempts to land. It is driven off by the Terran Outpost defenses.
(The Imperial Squadron of a CR, 2xDD, SC and two Transports looks not that much different from what the Terrans used to take Nusku. The Terrans don’t even have forces in orbit to defend. But the Outpost destroys the CR, SC, and one Transport with defensive fire and prevents the landing.)
2118-2119 (Turn 3)
The Terrans focus on building outposts and using transports to spread the reach of the new Terran Federation. The Imperials are slowly building up a fleet force but suffer from poor maintenance which disrupts the movement of many ships.
2120-2121 (Turn 4)
The Second Invasion of Procyon: Once again an Imperial Invasion Force appears in the skies over Procyon. Once again the Outpost Defenses prove too powerful; the Bombarding Fleet is mostly intact (loss of only 1xCL) but after two of three Transports are destroyed before landing the Imperial Commander aborts – again.
(Once again the powerful Outpost gets lucky shots, in this case blasting two of the transports before they can land their troops. Strategic thinkers on both sides are reconsidering what is needed for an opposed planetary invasion.)
Second Battle of Nusku: An Imperial Squadron enters the Nusku System and bypases the primary planet to land a force at the secondary once they establish space supremacy.
(This situation appears to not be covered in the RAW. I gave the Imperials “Space Supremacy” once they had driven off the Terran ships in system and allowed an administrative landing on the undefended secondary system. The Terran Outpost and Regular Troops on the primary were considered “blockaded” and now unconnected to the Federation.)
2122-2123 (Turn 5)
The Third Battle of Nusku: The Terran Federation waits until the later year and takes advantage of Imperial disruptions and sends an invasion force. The Imperial Overwatch Squadron, consisting of 2xCS, a CL and 2xDD is severely weakened since all the ships but one DD are suffering from poor maintenance. The Terran Fleet is able to destroy or make flee the Overwatch Squadron and lands troops on the secondary system, taking that valuable outpost from the Imperium.
(The Terrans were able to bring sufficient missiles to make the bombardment effective before landing troops. Another lesson learned.)
(-1 Glory for Imperium/3 Glory Overall)
2124-2125 (Turn 6)
Sirius Passthrough: The Terrans take advantage of a newly constructed tanker (AO) and strike into the Sirius System which is defended by a lone SC guarding an Imperial tanker.
2126-2127 (Turn 7)
Battle of Markhashi: Seeing an opening in the Imperial lines, a Terran Invasion Fleet enters the Markhashi System with a landing force. The Terran Fleet brings with it many missile boats which bombard the planetary defenses into submission, thereby ensuring the success of the landing. The Imperial Governor, having invested in Troops and Transports in preparation for yet another invasion of Nusku, finds that he has insufficient ships to escort a landing force and reluctantly opens negotiations with the Terrans for a cease-fire.
(-1 Glory for Imperium/2 Glory Overall – Terran Victory).
The Imperial Governor never appealed to the Emperor during the 14 years of war. The Terrans control systems from Mirabillis to Nusku, Sirius and Markhashi. The Jump Line to Rimward of Nusku is unoccupied but the Terrans should be able to invest this area during the peace.
The InterWar Period looks like it will be 12 years (6 turns) long. During the InterWar Peace the Terrans are able to expand and colonize the area to Rimward. Three new Worlds enter the Terran Federation along with five new colonies. If war comes, the Terrans will generate 73RU per budget cycle. The Imperium is very weak with a mere 25RU in each budget cycle.
InterWar attrition is also harsh on the military forces with most planetary defenses falling into disarray during the long peace. Although the Terran economy is booming, the fleet grows stagnant. The only real consolation is that the same is happening to the Imperial Squadrons.
As the InterWar Peace comes to an end, the opposing fleets are thus:
Terran Federation Navy:
* 1xCS
* 1xCL
* 1xDD
* 8xMB
* 1xAO
* 6xTR
* TOTAL COMBAT POWER = 11 combatants/7 support ships; 8-52-26 (Beam-Missile-Shields)
* 2xRegular Troops (5/3)
Imperium:
* 2xCS
* 3xCL
* 2xDD
* 2xSC
* 1xAO
* 6xTR
* TOTAL COMBAT POWER = 9 combatants/7 support ships; 16-32-30 (Beam-Missiles-Shields)
* 2xRegular Troops (3/1)
* 2xJump Troops (5/3)
