No, it isn't a joke, BfS III is actually starting!
The story so far:
In the first Battle for Sol, The Rebellion launched a massive attack on the Confederation capital, trying to gain release from Confederate tyranny once and for all. Their attack seemed to be on the verge of succeeding when the Aliens returned, directing their attention to more important matters. A truce was negotiated, uniting the two against the Aliens again. The Rebel system of government remained, but at the homeworld of Sol.
Afterwards, the Alien invasion began in earnest, while the Pirates united in an attempt to gather significant power while the HC was busy fighting on other fronts. The HC was squeezed by massive attacks from the Pirates and Aliens until the inconclusive Battle of Levo, in which several fleets from all three sides were utterly destroyed. The HC, which had appeared to be near collapse, regained the initiative and succeeded in pushing the Aliens back into their own galaxy, while clearing the Pirates out of the Northeastern region as well.
The Pirates have maintained their hold on the Western section of the Milky Way, where much of the strength was concentrated. United under a new leader, Sa'amo Vaten, they hope to end the so-called "tyranny" of the HC and form an alliance with the Alien Empire.
Meanwhile in the Alien Empire, an uproar followed the defeat in the Milky Way. A series of assassinations followed, eventually leaving the throne of Emperor to rebel council, a minor Fleet Commander at the Battle of Levo. The Empire is under increasing pressure, as the HC has assembled some of it's best tactical minds to assault the Empire, while at the same time unknown forces within Sentarus have made impressive gains.
President Skyblade and Vice-President Navarone of the HC were both KIA after the Battle of Levo, leaving former Speaker of the House Macavenger in charge of the government. The HC remains strong, despite losing some of it's initiative in the six months since Levo, and has introduced many new ships and weapon systems which may leave it at a technological advantage in some ways, rather than the disadvantage that has traditionally been its of late.
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Human Confederation Income: 350,000,000
Credits remaining: 352,800,000
Construction:
1 Republic-class Carrier (140,000,000)
1 Enterprise-class Battlecruiser (40,000,000)
1 Destroyer M7 (5,000,000)
2 Destroyer M8s (7,000,000)
2 Skyblade Frigates (10,000,000)
48 Skates (24,000,000)
124 Stingrays (49,600,000)
Total Spent: (275,600,000)
Remaining: 80,400,000
1 Republic-class Carrier assigned to Admiral Mark James's Fleet at Apollo
1 Destroyer M7, 2 Skyblade Frigates, and 20 Stingrays assigned to Vice-Admiral ZenMastaT's fleet at Antares
48 Skates and 92 Stingrays assigned to Fleet Admiral Alan Rak's Fleet at Kaujathat
1 Enterprise-class Battlecruiser, 2 Destroyer M8s, and 12 Stingrays assigned to President Macavenger's fleet at Propus
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"Mr. President?" inquired Rear Admiral Foster as he approached. "Our reinforcements have just checked in, sir. They're all on their way up from the surface and will be in position in five minutes."
"Excellent," the President replied. "Latest intelligence on the Pirate First?"
"Intelligence now puts the target in the Perseus system, but it seems to be holding there," Foster informed him. "No change in composition or disposition that we've been able to detect."
"Then they won't get the chance. Colonel Oveido, set course for Perseus, via the Darven system. We'll depart as soon as the fleet is in position."
"Aye, sir," the helmsman responded.
Mac settled into the command chair on the H.C.S. Intrepid. The prototype of her class, she was still a fine ship, and had served well through several previous battles with Pirate forces. He turned to his communications officer. "Lieutenant, have the orders for the other 3 major fleets been sent yet?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Get me Major Hutchinson of Alpha Group."
The quarter size holo of the leader of his quick-strike group materialized in front of Macavenger. "Any change, Mr. President?" it asked.
"No change, just calling to make sure you're ready. You have your entry vector plotted and ready?"
"Yes, sir. We'll split off from the main group at Darven and come in above the plane. Assuming intelligence is accurate, we should come in close, but not so close as to attract too much attention right away. Especially since they'll likely only see the four gunships. Don't worry sir, we'll get those bombs on the target."
"Very good, Major. I trust I don't need to remind you that this entire assault hinges on the success of your strike force. We're all counting on you."
"Understood, sir. We won't let you down."
The holo faded, and Mac turned back to his personal commander. "Is my flagship ready, Admiral?"
"The Intrepid is fully at your command, sir. All ships of the fleet reporting in position," Foster added.
Mac turned to the helmsman. 'Engage."
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A few hours later, the First Fleet of the Human Confederation dropped out of hyperspace in the Perseus system and began launching fighters. The bridge immediately became a riot of activity. "Beta group, engage target mu. Start your run," Foster said into his comm unit. "Alpha group, you're clear to proceed as soon as they begin drawing fire."
"Beginning run now," replied Commodore Odell from the bridge of the HCS Sovereign , commanding Beta group. 3 _Enterprise-class Battlecruisers, 9 Destroyer M8s, 3 Skyblade Frigates, and a supporting fighter formation broke away from the main force and charged at spl_cadet's flagship, the SDF-1 Macross.
"Helm, come to 334 by 014 and engage at full. Communications, relay to main group. Engage the Halberds of enemy group Lamda first. Stingrays, screen formation Epsilon."
As the Pirates began to launch their fighters, Torpedoes and LRBMs began to cut across space. It quickly became apparent that the Pirate Flagship was focusing most of it's LRBM batteries on the HCS Nova , one of the three Enterprise cruisers of Beta Group. Orders from other group leaders began flashing through the comm units.
"Alpha Group, target is engaging Nova. We're clear to target, all ships start in. Carriers, targets of opportunity in enemy group nu, but try not to attract attention. Hammers engage, bombers get set for your run."
" Levo, Hikeeba, Spica, screen Nova. Adhara, Lethe, Deneb, screen Ambassador. Endor, Hera, Zeus, , with us. Defend your target if it's attacked, otherwise targets of opportunity. Fighters to screen position alpha."
Led by the HCS Intrepid and HCS Excelsior , the new Enterprise cruiser, he main battle group closed on the Pirate ships around the flagship, torpedo tubes blazing. forced to defend themselves, they couldn't take much time to fire on the cruisers attacking the SDF-1 Macross.
And most ominous of all, Major Hutchinson's tiny, almost unnoticed Alpha force was just coming into range of its target. Four Hammerheads, and the unseen fighters trailing behind them...
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Aboard the bridge of the Pirate flagship, confusion reigned. Torpedoes were slamming in at all parts of the fleet from all directions. Only a small group of Halberds and Drakes, less than half those in the fleet, to one side of the Macross were relatively unaffected. "Those cruisers will take a while to destroy, but they don't really have enough firepower to kill us," one of spl_cadet's tac officers reported. "Continue firing at them," he ordered. "We'll have one of them knocked off as soon as they get in range."
"Chieftain, do you want us to do anything about those gunships?" another asked.
"What Gunships?"
"Those, sir, approaching from above the starboard bow."
spl_cadet glanced that direction just in time to see the Hammerheads abort their approach, and thus was the first to see the 48 Devil Ray fighters trailing behind them. He cursed, but nothing could be done. The bombs from the Hammerheads impacted on the shields, followed by a massive wave of bombs from the Devil Rays. The Devil Rays pulled out and headed back for the main force, now firmly engaged with his main group...
The bridge rocked with a titanic explosion, and alarms began shrieking. "Shields down, sir!" One man yelled. "The last group of bombs got through!" spl_cadet looked out the viewport again, seeing dimly through the fiery explosions of torpedoes on his hull the shapes of the three Battlecruisers, which suddenly did have the firepower to destroy his flagship...
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An exultant cheer went up on the bridge of Intrepid as the indicator on the SDF-1 Macross went to "Shields Down." The three Battlecruisers approached and began tearing at the hull with Turbolasers. Heavily damaged, the Nova dipped into Particle Beam range and open fire with all batteries. The Macross couldn't take that for long, and the rest of the fleet was starting to fall to the tide of small HC ships raking them...
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Macavenger's fleet:
1 Intrepid-class Cruiser (46 Stingrays, deployed)
4 (i)Enterprise-class_ Battlecruisers (1 nearly destroyed)
3 Freedom-class Cruisers (64 Stingrays, deployed)
3 Skyhawk Carriers
8 Skyblade Frigates
5 Destroyer M7s (21 Stingrays, deployed)
9 Destroyer M8s
6 Hammerhead Gunboats
15 Tigershark Gunships
30 Stingrays
19 Swordfish
39 Skates
48 Devil Rays
spl_cadet's fleet:
1 Macross (Heavily Damaged)
6 Drakes
6 Halberds
112 ghosts
16 Lancers
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- Macavenger | e-mail: (url="http://"mailto:e-gamerguy1@attbi.com")mailto:e-gamerguy1@attbi.com(/url)e-gamerguy1@attbi.com
