Nearly Simplest Campaign

[MadSeason]

I should add that, so far, I like playing with reduced ranges. Previously, these two factions fought with many weapons ranged to 15 and some to 18. Now, with 12 the maximum, I think a little more care has to be put into maneuver.

[Blacklancer99]

Following the humiliating defeat at Charybdis Junction, the survivors of the Republic squadron have launched a "spoiling raid" at the Gorlev fleet scouts discovered assembling inside the Crucible Nebula. The Republican commanders hope that they can do enough damage with the attack to slow down the Gorlev and buy time for reinforcements to arrive. The Gorlev have accepted the challenge, and likely believe that it gives them an opportunity to crush the remaining Republican resistance in the region. But, with the Gorlev, who can tell for sure?
Cheers,
Erik

[MadSeason]

The inscrutable Gorlev... one never knows what motivates them.

It should be noted that after the resounding victory at Charybdis junction, a memorial was erected on the Gorlev homeworld in honor of the Republican losses and the scroll of heroes received not one new entry for the lost Gorlev ship (Heartstab) but four, to include the lost Republican ships (Gale, Medusa, Lark).

Perhaps stranger still, a new Gorlev Battle Carrier was laid down in the homeworld shipyards, to be christened Honored Warriors of Gale.

[Blacklancer99]

The battle of the Crucible Nebula has begun in earnest. In the opening moves the Gorlev used their striker flights to obliterate most of the onrushing Republic fighters. The survivors have pushed through and begun to strafe the Gorlev warships. The Lone survivor of the Republic forces at Charybdis Junction, the Heavy Cruiser Wendigo has begun to salvo long range missiles...
I'll post a screen shot at the end of the current turn, no time now.
Cheers,
Erik

[jygro]

Awesome report so far! The pictures are a definite plus.

-Bren

[Blacklancer99]

Awesome report so far! The pictures are a definite plus.

-Bren

The fourth Turn has ended and after a savage round of withering fire the two sides are battered. The Republic has lost Wendigo and Flamberge to the powerful Gorlev main batteries, but the Gorlev have lost one of their prized ship-killing "frigates", seen another gutted, and had their heavy cruiser battered to an air streaming hulk. The points seem to give the scenario to the Republic, but at a very high cost as their entire available combat strength has been reduced to an escort carrier and a light cruiser. The Gorlev, while battered still retain the upper hand as (if they did indeed loose this turn) they will be able to get RPs to fix damaged ships or acquire new ones. The sacrifice of the Republican ships will hopefully slow the Gorlev advance long enough for reinforcements of their own to arrive though. The war continues...

[MadSeason]

The Gorlev commander forgot on the verge of contact that we were fighting inside a nebula. Otherwise, the heavy cruiser would have hung back further. It's heavy shields were of little avail and it was nearly destroyed.

The margin is close, and the victory Pyrrhic, but the Republic has won round 2 on points. We'll see what kinds of resources I get to repair my ships for round 3 but the Gorlev have only two ships undamaged. Five more need minor or major repairs.

[Blacklancer99]

Following the humiliating defeat at Charybdis Junction and the costly skirmish in the Crucible Nebula the Republic survivors found themselves hounded by the Gorlev. The Republican commander withdrew from the approaching force at extreme range without even getting useful sensor data on the Gorlev force, trading territory for time needed to gather in reinforcements (scenario 3 was declined by the Republic). Still, the Gorlev have stuck to their dogged pursuit of the Republican force, and they have managed to intercept them near the 3rd planet of the Ryleh system. But all is not lost for the Republic, for reinforcements of their own have made it to the Ryleh system and are racing to meet their comrades. But will they be in time to do more than collect life pods?

[Blacklancer99]

Through 3 Turns of the Battle of Ryleh 3, the only action has been the destruction of 1 Republic fighter flight for the cost of one Gorlev Striker flight. The first half of the Republic has been able to keep the planet between themselves and the Gorlev so far, and now the reinforcements have arrived. Still, it means that the Republic has only 3 light cruisers and a handful of fighters to go against the Gorlev force, but at least now they have a chance to inflict hurt before they die.

[Blacklancer99]

Well, the fighters and strikers pretty much engaged in an orgy of mutual destruction, though the fact that the Terrans had more fighters than the Gorlev had strikers paid off big time as a flight blew apart on of their heavy hitting frigates and damaged their light cruiser before they themselves were blasted. At the end of 7 Turns, the ships have finally locked horns, with the Republic commander wheeling to face the "heavier" of the Gorlev elements. After a mass of missiles were fired from the Republic light cruisers, and the lone surviving fighter bravely attacked alone, another Gorlev frigate was destroyed, and the Experimental Heavy Cruiser Paladin was damaged. In exchange, Paladin vaporized the Light Cruiser Roland with her massive main batteries, and the resulting explosion damaged Skirmisher.

[Blacklancer99]

Well, the Battle of Ryleh 3 has ended in another loss for the Republic. After a bunch of cat and mouse/duck and weave around the planet, all 3 Republic CLs were destroyed. In Return they killed 2 of the ship-killing Gorlev Frigates, and a Destroyer-Escort. This doesn't tell the whole story though...as has been the case with so many of our games, the victor was so badly mauled that he will be hard pressed to actually fight the next battle. In addition to the ships the Gorlev lost, they also suffered severe damage to the powerful CAX Paladin (whose Big Guns accounted for 2 "one-shot-kills" in this battle) with her hull reduced from 10 to 2, the a CL that was reduced from 7 to 3 and a DDE that was reduced from 4 to 2. In fact, the only two ships undamaged in the battle were the Gorlev and Republic light carriers, which stayed out of the fight.
The worm turned for the Republic when the Gorlev commander decided not to jump out Paladin and the CVE. Had he chosen to do so the lost points and the lost firepower still available to the battered CAX would have allowed the Republic to eek out a victory (I think). So after three fights and one declined game, the Republic is reduced to just its CVL, and the Gorlev force consists of the undamaged CVL, and a heavily damaged BC (5/13), CAX (2/10), CA (2/10), CL (3/7), and DDE (2/4), and the Gorlev have just 5 RPs to try and fix all the dents.
Of course, the Gorlev just have to win one more fight to win the campaign, and with only one loss, they have some room to breathe...stay tuned...
Erik

[Blacklancer99]

The Gorlev have managed to corner the Republic CVL and her escort a heavy cruiser in Dust Cloud 47. Despite have just a handful of mauled vessels themselves they have aggressively attacked the Republican ships in an effort to crush their remaining power. Fighters and strikers have been launched, while the Gorlev van has leaped forward to get into the engagement envelope of their powerful main guns. In terms of pure firepower the Gorlev massively outgun the single CA of the Republic, but with just a few lucky hits that CA can possibly take out one or both of the battered Gorlev battlewagons...the fighters of the Republic and the Strikers of the Gorlev have proven to just about cancel each other out...this ought to be interesting!

[Blacklancer99]

The Gorlev commander's worst fears seem to have been realized. The mighty Justice and Paladin, already battered from previous battles, have fallen under the hammer of the Republic's assault fighters. Pressing ahead of their escorts they exposed themselves dangerously, and paid the price. Of course, the Republic is about to lose their heavy cruiser in a similar fashion...

[cricket]

Just want to say thanks to all involved in posting these in-game reports -- I think they are so cool.

[Blacklancer99]

Just want to say thanks to all involved in posting these in-game reports -- I think they are so cool.

Thanks Cricket, I mean, your welcome! Thanks go to you for creating such an enjoyable game, and constantly "being around" to support it!
Erik