DW: Republic of Arcadia, Part 23: Punch and Counterpunch

Stardate 2130.01.01 While 1st Fleet blockades Gamma Crateris 1, 2nd Fleet heads towards Relakis to end the war.

2130.01.15 The invasion of Gamma Crateris 3 begins.

2130.02.07 2nd Fleet enters the Relakis system, homeworld of the XHuman Supremacy.

The first target is the Relakis 6 Mining Station, which is destroyed easily.  As expected, as soon as the attack begins, the XHuman navy sends its ships to defend it.

The new carrier Furious launches its fighters, which do considerable damage, but the carrier receives a lot of attention from the enemy.  Avenger, the new cruiser, chooses this time to reveal its secret weapon.  Several years ago, during the exploration of a hidden fortress located in the Zeta Cassiopeiae system, technology was discovered that could make an extremely powerful beam weapon.  This weapon, called a “Death Ray” (although some have nicknamed it the "Wave Motion Gun") is installed on the Avenger.  Avenger fires upon Decimator XIII 007...

...and destroys it with a single shot.

Furious is heavily damaged in the attack, however, and is dead in space.  One lesson learned in this war is that Republic ships are grossly underarmored.  That must be remedied as soon as possible.  

With the invasion of Gamma Crateris going well, 1st Fleet is ordered to join 2nd Fleet at Relakis.

There is still much left in the system to destroy.

Unfortunately, Egeria and Murakumo get too eager and launch a direct attack on Relakis, which is still heavily defended.  Both vessels are lost, and while this reckless action enrages the Admiral, it provides valuable intelligence for the defenses.  When the RN is ready for the real attack, they will make sure to be ready for it.

The invasion of Gamma Crateris 1 is a success.

2nd Fleet destroys another mining base, earning the attention of more XHuman warships at the planet Ohricura.

While this is going on, there is trouble at home.  The Xhumans send their 11th Fleet, consisting of one destroyer and five frigates, to attack Berenice colony in the Epsilon Coma Berenices system, which is only defended by a small space port.  The newly completed frigate Hygiea is the only ship in range, and is diverted to the system.  

Not only that, but a pirate fleet is detected on a course towards Ethoihen in the Phi Lupi system, which is essentially undefended.  This is intolerable.  Although it will undoubtedly be late, the Senate orders ships for a 4th Fleet to be constructed immediately.  The Senate also passes a bill requiring that every colony in the Republic be provided with spaceborne defense.

1st Fleet continues to eliminate the Relakis system’s facilities one by one, dealing with all of the defenses that the XHumans put out, but Relakis 1 itself seems like a nut too tough to crack.  In an abortive attack on it, both Shiranui and Sazanami are lost.  Relakis 1’s four platforms and space port, with massed fighters and bombers, are going to require a massive force to take them out.

With recent improvements to construction technology, new classes of ships are developed that will hopefully give the Republic the means to end the war.