Report from fleet HQ of Engagement involving elements of Task Group 6 in Colonial Quadrant 6 : Stardate 3197.200

Situation

Colonists on Paquito IV sent a Flash distress call to Colonial HQ that they were under attack. Their HS Transmitter then shut down and a Task Force from Task Group 6 was dispatched to the system.

This Task Force consisted of:

EISENHOWER, SOLO (Battleships)
GUEVARA (Carrier)
PATROCLUS, ACHILLES (Heavy Cruisers)
WILLIAM, HENRY (Light Cruisers)
IRKUTSK, NOVOSIBIRSK, ANKARA (Destroyers)
ILLINOIS, IRRAWADDY, JIHLAVA (Logistic Support Ships)

The Battle

Once in-system the fleet detected two large USO (1) close to Paquito IV, and closed to engage. During the approach phase it became clear that both hostiles were very large (in the 400 kilton class) and were engaged in a planetary bombardment of considerable ferocity.

On detecting the approaching Task Force the two hostiles moved to engage, launching a number of very high g 'pacifier class' ships and deploying for battle.

The Task Force formed line of battle and commenced a standard long range DEW(2) exchange, preliminary to closing - supported by the pacifier quadron from the Guevara (which, in accordance with SOP (3) was some distance behind the main force).

It quickly became clear that the hostiles had very heavy DEW armament and that their pacifiers were much more heavily armoured and capabable of much higher g than fleet pacifiers. [Intelligence note: these seem very similar to those encountered recently at the M'Drid Incident].

In addition, the two hostile 'super battleships' had large numbers of heavy DEWs of the PAD(4) class. Within a few minutes of the main battle lines becoming engaged, the Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and Ankara were all critically disabled by DEW fire and the surviving crew forced to abandon ship.

Shortly after, the William's fusion pant detonated totally destroying the ship, and the Henry's control room was knocked out, disabling the ship - this was caused by a combination of hostile pacifier attack and long range DEW fire.

The Force commander, Admiral Mendel in the Eisenhower, ordered the fleet to close in an attempt to inflict heavy damage and hopefully bring secondary weapons to bear.

The hostiles had by now recovered and relaunched their pacifiers and continued to inflict serious damage on the heavy units as they closed.

During this phase the fleet shot down about 10 hostile pacifiers.

The Patroclus suffered critical damage and was forced to drop out, and this was followed closely by the Achilles which was destroyed by concentrated DEW fire from both hostiles.

The Task Force was clearly inflicting heavy damage on the hostiles, but the incoming DEW fire did not seem to be slackening much during this time.

Unexpectedly, some part of one of the hostiles detonated, totally destroying it.

This was followed shortly after by the destruction of the Eisenhower.

The only remaining ship, the Solo was now heavily outgunned by the remaining hostile super battleship. Vice Admiral Cortez on the Guevara ordered a general withdrawal, but the Solo, already damaged, was destroyed as it started to accelerate away.

The Guevara was able to accelerate away safely and managed to reach the M25(5) limit with only minor damage.

The logistic support ships which had remained at the M25 limit withdrew safely.

Task Force Units lost in the battle: 2 Battleships, 2 Heavy Cruisers, 2 Light Cruisers, 3 Destroyers, 6 pacifiers.

Hostile Units identified as destroyed: Approx. 10 pacifiers, 1 'super battleship'.

There is every indication that the civilian colony on Paquito IV has been utterly wiped out and the orbital tradining station destroyed.

This battle represents the greatest military defeat and loss of life to Earther Forces this century.

The unidentified hostiles have struck elsewhere in all colonial quadrants, and we know that the other political groupings have suffered equal or worse defeats at the hands of what the interstellar media are calling the 'Berserkers'. In every case the enemy has been successful. There is some concern that home worlds may be at risk from a concentrated attack by these 'super battleships'.

Urgent summit talks are being conducted between all human leaders.

This may be a start of one of the greatest crises ever to face humanity.

Jargon Buster
(1)  USO : Unidentified Space Object
(2)   DEW : Directed Energy Weapon
(3)   SOP : Standard Operating Procedure
(4)   PAD : Plasmatic Annihilation Device (a heavy DEW)
(5)  M25 limit is the closest distance from a major gravity well that a ship can go into hyperspace.