Report from Foetoersh Harry Bragg.
In this exercise I took the role of Opposing Forces and commanded an LSSI and an EVA of the Neverian space forces.
Total Opfor:
3 EVA, 1 LSSI, 1 ALSI, 1 C5A (12 pacifiers)
UoZ Forces
CLI Kedma, DDI Yesha, DDI Firefish, EVI Kidon, C5A
Opfor Plan
The plan agreed was to immediately close to the space station with the ALSI and attempt to capture it with Marines. Meanwhile the C5A would provide local cover and the pacifiers would engage the relieving force. The disposition of the carriers and LSSI was not covered.
Outcome
The plan as defined was implemented. However the UoZ forces did not break and as a result the attack on the station by the marines was not sustainable.
Lessons
The following Lessons became apparent:
a) The pacifier selection was non-optimal. Subsequent debrief identified that the Strike Pacifier did not require the additional fuel and would have been better equipped with a sixth missile. There were also DEW pacifiers, Gunships and Attack pacifiers. The Gunships were most useful vs. other pacifiers and were resilient. The standard Attack pacifier proved neither fish nor fowl - useful perhaps when the mission details are unclear but it does not have sufficient weaponry at range to justify staying at range. The DEWs are an alternative to the missile ships for more sustained combat. Ideally the mix would have been perhaps 9 Strike Pacifiers (9x6 missiles!) and 3 escorts ? probably Gunships - to defeat enemy pacifiers. Once missiles have been launched the single MC armament does not justify the Strike Pacifiers remaining. The escorts could try to mix it with the smaller enemy warhships if there is no opposing pacifier force.
b) The pacifier strike was mainly concentrated on the nearest warship; a destroyer. This was almost totally destroyed in the attack. However, on reflection we should have concentrated totally on the CLI. The presence of PADs on the CLI meant that our force was outranged and out-gunned. However even if this was eliminated we would still have faced 2 DDI and a C5A with only a C5A and the remains of the pacifier force (which was largely depleted of missiles).
c) The enemy used a number of long-range heavy missiles, including some from pacifiers. It was felt that in the numbers used and given their speed compared with pacifiers, these offered little or no advantage over radiation-homing missiles from pacifiers. HOWEVER if we could fit missiles on the LSSI in place of the Heavy Cannon (dubious as Missiles require turrets but the HC on LSSI are sponson mounted) then the LSSI at least could, using heavy missiles, contribute to the combat.
d) The Neverian force was essentially Pacifier-based. However some of the Opfor commanders used their carriers in attempt to draw the enemy fire from the ALSI. I do not concur with this plan ? they had little effect but in the situation where the pacifiers were ?expended? and the ALSI dealt with, would have suffered extensive casualties for their efforts. Indeed, there was no reason to risk the ALSI if we could cripple the enemy
e) We considered the number of marine units on the ALSI to be sufficient without giving it careful thought. Although the available space on the station only allowed 10 squads to engage at once, our advantage in a long fight was not necessarily sufficient, particularly if the enemy fed in reinforcements somehow. We should have at least considered cross-decking extra marines from the EVI (having 7 units each some could be spared) to the ALSI before combat.