Bretonian Armed Forces Defense Intelligence Staff (DIS) (iRP) (AO)

[Thunderer]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Ceylon
To: BAF DIS
From: Captain Edward Neville

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This report is about a battle that took place today in the New Holland System.

Following the capture of Planet Sydney, the HMS Thunderer was to be moved in orbit to scan the traffic. We met two ships of the MOA, a small ship and a Bustard-class, who were freelancers and said they specialized in the procurement of information and the transportation of cargo. When I asked them, they said that they did not oppose out actions in New Holland. I allowed them to go on with their business.

At about that time an Osiris-class appeared, owned by an order subdivision unknown to me, and named the OCV Khonsu. Their intentions were, as they said, to dislodge our presence from New Holland. I was, at that point, joined by the HMS Indomitable from the Auxiliary Fleet, an Invincible-class. I ordered them to attack the Osiris, and they headed forth. The Thunderer was not engaged, and the purpose of this was to put the Indomitable to pressure in order to properly test the Invincible-class, in battle, and with which I myself lack experience, having been recalled into service after a long retirement. The Indomitable's drone did not react to controls, so I told them to return to Bretonia and have their systems checked, while the Thunderer deals with the Khonsu. I did everything according to late captain Hall's written instructions from the BRF. The ship's crew apparently gain confidence if they notice that I am using them, though I hope that time will make them more accustomed to myself and my own ways, as I find having my ship run by the ghost of a dead man rather intruding. And the fact that I am much older and yet alive so frequent in war.

Our pulses had no issue with their shield, and our Hellbore turrets, chainfired to make up for the slow refire rate, started scoring hits on their plating. They were armed with primaries, a mortar and a Hellbore, the latter being the front mount I suppose, as it was not used. I intended to hold the battle at between 3.5 and 3K distance, in order to use our Hellbores' range advantage over their primaries', as the mortar we could evade easily, but the shield was holding at 2.8K, so we stayed there.

Commodore Reese, with a Templar, and a mercenary with a fighter called the Sankyuu had arrived before. I thought to pay the mercenary a million for participation, as I needed someone to do the CD duty, but I forgot about it when the commodore arrived. I am 76 and my memory is not as it used to be, please understand. At the moment when the Osiris received help, in the form of a Resheph-class named the Leontopolis, from the Order primary fleet, Sankyuu decided to switch sides and start helping the Order. I advised the commodore to return to my ship's protection, called for reinforcements and attempted to delay the Order by turning away and withdrawing to Sydney. The Sankyuu, after quitting the pursue of the commodore, positioned itself on the starboard side of the Thunderer and started speaking about something which I do not remember, while standing still. I exploited the opportunity and our point defense shot it down. The Order capital ships then engaged cruise, but the commodore managed to stop the Leontopolis. I had also engaged the Thunderer's cruise engines, and using the old trick with inertia, was able to charge up some of her powerplant before approaching near the Leontopolis. We managed to drop their shield, but the Khonsu arrived to their protection, so we had to switch targets. We inflicted minor damage to the Khonsu, which turned away, while recieving minor damage ourselves from the focused fire. In order to prevent them from focusing, I had to order the ship to often make sharp turns and change targets, which made the lighter enemy ships temporarily move away. These maneuvers were also from Captain Hall's manual. I am not used to this, as we had no need for such during my service because no pirates, believe it or not, possessed capital ships, and we were not at war with any House, at least until 800, though Rheinland's ships were usually heavier than ours.

This way we had been able to last for long enough while receiving minor damage before reinforcements arrived. That was the HMS Conclusive from the Auxiliary, under Flag Officer Garret again, who had just returned the Indomitable to Bretonia Proper and swapped ships. We formed a fleet ad hoc, and teamed up on the Khonsu. The Khonsu fired back at the Thunderer, but instead of choosing the same target, the Leontopolis fired at the Conclusive. They had issues getting past their shield, as well as the Khonsu past ours. When the Leontopolis eventually did become important enough, the Conclusive turned her heavy mortars and sent a surprise salvo of two the Leontopolis' way. Our radar registered a hit, but I do not know if both projectiles hit at the same time, or only one did. Meanwhile the Thunderer was doing well against the Khonsu, reducing their armour plating to about 50% integrity, not having ours drop below 80%. With the Leontopolis temporarily out of the way, the Conclusive engaged their cruise engines and reentered firing range, the Khonsu being the target again. The Conclusive hit their flank with primary turrets and the commodore was very vigilant with his CD. I suppose out of desperation, though I am not saying it took little courage for the maneuver, the Khonsu turned towards the two Dunkirks and was, predictably, disabled. I advised the commodore to pay attention to the Leontopolis just before the Khonsu was predicted to turn silent, which he acknowledged. Thus the Leontopolis did not manage to escape, although they tried. Both our battleships cruised up to them. I had originally planned to place the Thunderer in the front, while the Conclusive stands behind them, thus trapping them, but the Leontopolis outmaneuvered us. Although I was not able to execute that specific plan, the Thunderer was still close enough to hit them reliably, and as our powerplant started recharging, so we did. The enemy cruiser was disabled very quickly from such a close range and they did not use nanobots, which leads me to conclude that the Conclusive's surprise attack from before indeed was very effective. In the last moment, the Leontopolis leaped forward in cruise mode, only to have their engine burst and render the whole ship inoperable. Thus they fell while fleeing, a humiliating end which our government could use as propaganda if it wishes.

We suffered no losses and our ships were lightly damaged. All enemy ships were out of action. The Thunderer returned to the Stirling Fleet and its array of repair ships, while the Conclusive returned to Bretonia Proper. The commodore said that he had administrative work to do, although I still had to write the report about this battle. It is no issue -- I am accustomed to this practice and used to apply it myself in my younger days.

Thus our first space battle in the New Holland campaign was a decisive victory.

Allied Ships:
1) BAF|MN-David.Reese (Templar; Operable; unknown damage)
2) BAF|HMS-Thunderer (Dunkirk; Light Damage)
3) BAF|A-HMS-Indomitable (Invincible Class; No Damage; retreated at the beginning due to malfunction)
4) BAF|A-HMS-Conclusive (Dunkirk; Light Damage; replaced the Indomitable)
5) Sankyuu (Mercenary Fighter; switched side to help the enemy)

Enemy Ships:
1) |O|-CV-Khonsu (Osiris; Disabled)
2) Order|CV-Leontopolis (Resheph; Disabled)
3) Sankyuu (Mercenary Fighter; Disabled)

Attachment:

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Edward Neville
Captain
Bretonian Armed Forces

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