Opening Moves: Battle for XL-387-G. Turns 1-3
Battle for XL-387-G
Campaign Overview
This is a 3 player Babylon 5 A Call to Arms campaign involving 3 fleets. Dilgar, Centauri and Narn. The Strategic objectives have been randomly determined. Each player starts the game with a fleet of ships with a total value of 10 Battle level priority points. For this campaign we are NOT using in-service dates.
I am playing the Narn Regime, so this account will be primarily from the Narn point of view.
Where possible (i.e, i remembered) photos will provide visual references, but otherwise it will be narrative.
System XL-387-G
XL-387-G is a Red Dwarf star located between the territory of the Narn Regime and the Dilgar Imperium. It has numerous planetary bodies including, highly unusually, 3 terrestrial planets located within the star's habitable zone in close proximity to each other. All of them bear life, but only the middle one, XL-387-G (iii) named Ptarlack by the indigenous sentient species, has any advanced life forms.
The Abbai in the past established a small listening and observation post on the furthermost gas giant to monitor the sentient species, and to study the unusual nature of the system. This was abandoned when a small station was established by a minor Centauri house. This has been used primarily to facilitate the sale or transfer of weapons and ships to interested parties, and, together with a small facility on the planet, allow the export of some native produce, one of which is a fruit that can be used in the creation of an exquisite wine.
With the Dilgar expanding their territory aggressively, the Narn Regime looking to add to their holdings, and the Centauri house looking to protect their interests, conflict is inevitable.
Strategic Objectives
XL-387-G (i)
This is a Dwarf planet with a diameter of approximately 1080km. It’s crust consists largely of silica rocks (~50%) with smaller quantities of Aluminium Oxide and Iron.
The Iron core has cooled such that the planet lacks any magnetic field, and thus a significant atmosphere. The dwarf planets orbit is highly eccentric and it is currently passing through an asteroid belt located very close to the star. Narn survey teams located ruins from an unknown race and were able to use fragments of technology to improve the sensor suite of the G’Quan Class Heavy Cruiser Vin’Tak-var
Barren World (0RR). Heavy Asteroid Density. Ancient Ruins - Explored
XL-387-G Belt
This is a Dense belt of asteroids located very close to the Star XL-387-G. The asteroids have a high metallicity including rare earths which may in the future provide mining opportunities. The asteroids are not evenly distributed around the star, and initial speculation is that the belt is the remains of a small planet that was destroyed somehow. The presence of a small alien outpost with advanced sensors on XL-387-G (i) has led to speculation that it may be the result of a weapon test of some kind.
Asteroid Belt (0RR)
A player who controls an asteroid belt may multiply the dice rolled by five instead of three when spending XP Dice to make repairs.
Any battle that takes place for the possession of an asteroid belt has an additional d3 asteroid fields generated on the battlefield in addition to normal stellar debris. These asteroid fields are generated even if the scenario does not normally permit stellar debris.
This is a very warm planet located just within the habitable zone of its star. The planet has a radius of 5600km, a very thick atmosphere rich in CO2 and extensive vegetation cover, but initial observations reveal that there is no evidence of techno signatures, and any sentient life, if present, is not technologically advanced.
Verdant Planet (2RR) No Features
Located in the middle of the star’s Habitable zone, this planet has a radius of 6700km, a large amount of water, and is home to a sentient species that has started to develop rudimentary agriculture. There is evidence of large urban areas, and observations reveal that there is a material culture that has entered what could be roughly called their copper age. Population of the sentient species is estimated to be in the millions. Rudimentary urban areas surrounded by irrigation are visible from orbit, and a religion has developed based on the new ‘star’ and the sky people.
Agrarian World (5RR). A player who controls an agrarian world may replace ten lost Crew points for every RR spent on recruiting new Crew for a ship.
This is a small trade station located at the L4 point around the only inhabited planet in the system. It is approx 18 Million KM from the planet, and is highly visible due to a vast array of solar panels that provide power to the facility. Located off grid in a system with no jump gate, this is a very isolated facility only reachable by ships with their own Jump Drives. This makes it an ideal place for less than legal trading to take place. There is also a small market in Cultural Items from XL-387-G (iii) as well as a particularly exotic fruit which makes an exquisite wine.
Trade Station (3RR) A player who controls a trade station increases the income they gain from the trade route strategic target by 3 RR.
XL-387-G (iv)
The 4th planet in the system has a radius of 6300km, and is the third planet in the system with a biosphere. Located just within the habitable zone, the planet has a very eccentric orbit, possible indications of a planetary collision in the distant past. Life, such as it is is limited to small aquatic creatures, and moss like vegetation on land. No Sentient life forms, although spectographic surveys have indicated the presence of high concentrations of phosphates in the rock formations.
Temperate Planet (1RR) Explored - Crashed Spacecraft
XL-387-G (v)
The largest planet in the solar system has a radius of 28,000 km and is a lot denser than similar sized planets. This may indicate the presence of a large iron core at the center of the planet. There are a large number of moons around the gas giant, Initial surveys counted 84 which is highly unusual for a gas giant of this size. Additionally, the rapid rotation of the planet, or another unknown phenomena creates a highly energetic and extensive radiation field that interferes with Radar and most other ship sensors
Medium Gas Giant (3RR): Heavy Dust Clouds
XL-387-G (vi)
The Outermost Planet that has been catalogued in the system, this gas giant is completely unremarkable. A radius of 22,000 km, and a standard atmospheric composition. There are a small number of moons.
Medium Gas Giant (1RR)- Hidden Outpost
Opening Moves
The Shor-Li-Ka’s presence did not go unnoticed, however. A Corvan-Class scout, running silent observed the arrival and departure of the Narn Ship. The response was fast, the trade station provided a covert facility to sell arms to raiders and other rivals of the Narn regime, on the understanding that they not be used for any actions against the Centauri. This, together with minor exports from the third planet were lucrative, and they were loath to lose the source of revenue.
A small contingent of the houses military resources was diverted to the system to ‘discourage’ any unwanted intruders.
Things would quickly start to deteriorate though. The Dilgar Imperium had been aware of the presence of the system, and the Centauri forces located there. Ordinarily they would not have challenged the Centauri, but this was a small outpost, with a small force defending it, from a small house, a long way from Centauri territory. The Warmasters deemed it highly unlikely any actions against it would elicit a strong response. Condemnations certainly, sanctions..possibly, but limited, and no more than that. The situation was desperate, and becoming more so by the day. Omelos was dying, the survival of the Dilgar was at stake. A force was prepared, and dispatched.
Turn 1
Jump points opened in orbit of Ptarlack, the sole inhabited planet in the system. 30 ships of the Dilgar Imperium emerged in to normal space. There were no Centauri defenders, and only a small Centauri merchant ship and a league ship in orbit. Missile fire quickly dispatched the merchant ship, but the league ship was a little more fortunate. Engine damage forced it to make a crash landing on the surface. A single shot from a Wahant-Class Assault ship demolished the small Centauri outpost on the surface, and shuttles loaded with assault troops were launched to secure the crashed ship
Ptarlack now belonged to the Dilgar.
The Dilgar presence was unexpected by the Centauri, but they were quick to react. The Centauri Admiral had gathered his force at the Trade Outpost, and Supply ships had finished unloading supplies for the fleet before departing the system.
The Dilgar force was fairly substantial, but the admiral was confident that with the forces at his disposal, he could quickly rout the Dilgar and make them pay for the destruction of the base on the Surface of Ptarlack. The fleet moved off, leaving a small rear guard to defend the Outpost, and provide a fallback position.
 |
| The Shor-Li-Ka |
The Shor-Li-Ka observed the happenings in orbit of Ptarlack, and the rapid response of the Centauri and reported this to the Narn Task Force currently in hyperspace.
A Jump point was opened by the Sho-Vi when the Centauri fleet was half way between the outpost and Ptarlack and a small force exited in close proximity to the Outpost. The Centauri rear guard reacted and moved to Intercept the new intruders, and a short sharp engagement occurred. The losses were skewed in favour of the Centauri, Destroying 2 Rothan Class Destroyers and a Sho’Kov cutter for the loss of a single Amun Class. In doing so, they had been drawn out of position, and the rest of the Narn fleet jumped into Normal space on top of the station.
Caught between 2 strong forces, and having lost control of the trade station the Centauri force changed course so as not to be caught in a 3 way fight, with the Centauri fleet in the middle.
Dilgar seize Agrarian world - crashed ship
Centauri move to seize Trade station, Narn Intercept.
Recon Sweep: Raid Narn Victory 22-23
Losses:
Centauri 1x Amun
Narn 2x Rothan, 1x Sho’Kov
Turn 2
Ptarlack was now under the control of the Imperium. Ground forces were deployed to the major urban areas to assess the viability of the inhabitants for exploitation. Initial reports were positive.
Of more pressing concern was the presence of 2 separate forces in the system, the Narn and a much stronger than anticipated Centauri force. Plans had called for a rapid strike, and then that would have been a fait acompli. The Warmaster instead tasked his scout ships to monitor the movements of both the Narn and the Centauri. A large force would be left around Ptarlack to discourage the Narn, and a smaller force would investigate and seize control of the second planet.
The Centauri were quick to recover from the initial shock of 2 separate forces jumping into the system within hours of each other. The decision was made to rendezvous at the 5th planet, a gas giant with an extensive system of moons, and a very convenient radiation field that would disrupt sensors, and allow the centauri to avoid detailed observation.
The Shar-Li-Ka jumped into hyperspace with a small number of missile cutters, their destination was the furthermost planet in the system. The initial observations by the Shar-Li-Ka had revealed a small hidden observation post in orbit, and this would be a perfect opportunity to keep the centauri force under direct observation, while the bulk of the Narn Force remained at the Trade outpost, ready to sweep in on either the Dilgar or Centauri if the opportunity presented itself
Dilgar seize Verdant planet - no features
Centauri Seize Medium Gas Giant
Narn Seize Hidden outpost
Turn 3
The Centauri Force, having regrouped, considered it’s options. Both the trade outpost and Ptarlack had been lost. It would have made a degree of sense to allow the Narn and Dilgar to fight one another, and then sweep in on the winner to secure the system. The observations of the Dilgar atrocities overtaking the planet were hard to ignore though. The export of the specialist wine had brought the House much prestige, and should the Dilgar continue to the logical conclusion with the indigenous population, that particular source of revenue, and standing would, at the very least be sorely damaged, and at worst, ended. The decision was made therefore to send a small force to the 4th planet, an uninteresting rock, and use that as a base from which to strike at Ptarlack or the Trade Station. Ptarlack would be the priority. A trade station could be replaced. Millions of sentients could not.
With two of the three planets in the habitable zone now under control of the Imperium, the decision was made to send a force to secure the third. First, however intelligence on the Centauri would be needed. The Narn seemed content to remain at the trade outpost, although sensor the sensor Ghosts that were periodically detected suggested that they had at least a handful of ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence)ships keeping tabs on both the Dilgar and Centauri.
The Dilgar had ELINT ships of their own, and they had detected a small formation of ships moving out of the radiation field surrounding the Gas Giant.
A pair of Jashakar Vi scouts escorted by 3 Jashakar Frigates was sent to investigate.
The Centauri detected the Dilgar force in good time, a Corvan scout relaying accurate information while being too distant to intervene. Action stations were sounded in both forces, and the Dilgar and Centauri moved to engage each other. The range closed rapidly, and revealed a Vorchan Demos, an Amun, and a pair of Haven gunships as the Centauri force. Hails of ion blasts, bolter shots and missiles crossed the space as Dilgar and Centauri closed the distance and pelted each other with a barrage of fire. Sentri Fighters tore through the light hulls of the Jashakars, as the 2 forces closed towards and then passed through each other. Both of the Dilgar scouts had been destroyed, and the other ships were heavily damaged. But the Centauri were in a worse position, atmosphere spewing out of rents in the Demos’ armour in its dead man’s tumble, both havens had been disabled, and the Amun, with great gouges torn out of its armour, raced away and disengaged. Minutes after the Centauri Amun was out of the area, a Jump Point opened, and several Lias transports emerged. whatever supplies the Centauri were expecting was now in the possession of the Dilgar Imperium
The abandoned Abbai outpost had been a treasure trove of information about the system, and one thing in particular caught the attention of the Narn’s, A small ruin on the surface of the first planet had been detected. The planet was located in very close proximity to the star, and was completely uninteresting geologically.It was not an Abbai facility, and the Abbai themselves had not investigated it themselves. With the Dilgar and Centauri both rushing forces to the 4th planet, the Narn would wait to see who the victor was, and then crush them.
In the mean time, the Sho-Vi was dispatched. The scout ship using its stealth systems to remain unobserved, it dropped down the gravity well of the star, not needing its engines at all as it fell towards the planet. A small force of Narn’s was deployed to the surface. The ruins were investigated, and it was determined that this too was an observation post of some kind. Who it belonged to could not be determined. But there were some very interesting finds in the ruins. These were noted, and it was doubtless the regime would want to investigate more fully at a later point. In the short term, however, engineers on board the Vin’Tak-Var a newer G’Quan Class ship were able to slightly modify the sensors on their ship so that it could better penetrate electronic interference.
 |
| G'Quan Class Heavy Cruiser Vin'Tak-Var |
Centauri move to seize Trade route planet, Dilgar intercept.
Space superiority: Patrol: 5
Dilgar Victory. 45-20
Losses:
Centauri.1x Demos. 2x Haven
Dilgar. 2x Jashakar scout
Narn Seize Barren Planet - Ancient Ruins 1x free refit
Ownership of objectives at the end of turn 3 is as follows
Trade Route -
Barren World - Narn
Asteroid Belt -
Verdant World - Dilgar
Agrarian world - Dilgar
Trade outpost - Narn
Temperate World -
Gas Giant - Centauri
Hidden Outpost - Narn
The first 3 turns were over. No Significant engagements had occurred, but at this point the Dilgar were emerging into the strongest position. Will they be able to capitalize on their early advantage??
Comments
Post a Comment