Federation Commander

[Rockymountainnavy]

In the first day of the General War, victory was not easy. Many Star Fleet crew didn't live to see even the second day

Following the loss of battlecruiser Australia, the rest of Star Fleet prepared as best they could to face the Klingon onslaught. The second major battle of the Day of Infamy saw the Federation II Division (Command Cruiser Kongo, Light Cruisers Falklands and Kamchatka, and frigates Hornblower and Rickover) face off against a Klingon squadron led by D-7C Demonslayer, D-6 Carnage, and four E-4 light frigates (Adamant, Determined, Devoted, and Insolent).

Aware that the Klingons held hostile intent, Commodore N'yos in Kongo was tactically better prepared for the coming battle. The Federation division was arrayed in a V formation with the frigates ahead and to the flanks with the light cruisers echeloned in and the command cruiser at the apex. Commodore N'yos used this formation because he wanted to be able to defend in depth against the expected waves of Klingon drones. When sensor contact was made, the Commodore was a bit surprised at the Klingon formation. The Klingon commander had split his squadron, with the D-7C and D-6 on one flank and the four E-4's on the other. This initial formation probably laid the seeds of the Klingons own defeat.

The D-7C and D-6 moved ahead and slightly further to the flank. The E-4s accelerated to higher speeds (max and looked to be trying to turn the other flank of the Federation force. Commodore N'yos chose to face the cruisers first and turned into the Klingon ships while maintaining the same formation. Three minutes into the battle phasers and photons and disruptors flashed as the entire Federation fleet took aim at the D-7C and D-6. The Klingons seemingly ignored the command cruiser and instead concentrated fire on the light cruiser Falklands.

Few ships can stand up to the firepower of a Federation squadron, and Demonslayer was quickly nothing more than an expanding cloud of superheated gases. The D-6 was also heavily damaged and made to move off at a higher speed, appearing to want to disengage. Falklands was severely crippled, with almost no hull, no engines, and few shields. At this point, it became obvious why Kongo had been ignored in the initial exchange of fire as every Klingon ship launched drones (11 flights in all) with all aimed at the Command Cruiser. Commodore N'yos considered the tactical situation; at least nine flights of drones could hit him in the next minute, and the others were close behind. The Commodore split his squadron; Kongo, Falklands, and Hornblower would accelerate ahead while Kamchatka and Rickover would practically stop and (hopefully) both get behind the E-4s which had turned towards the Federation ships and phaser-down the rest of the pursuing drones.

The plan seemed to work, as Kongo took nine flights of drones but (barely) survived. In their haste to pursue Kongo and Falklands, the E-4s found themselves now caught between the command cruiser and Kamchatka and Rickover. One E-4, Determined, disappeared in the crossfire. But the remaining Klingon frigates launched even more drones. Judging from the targets assigned, it looks like the Klingons may have been unsure as to their strategy, since two flights targeted Kamchatka, two flights targeted Rickover, and two flights targeted Falklands (a seeming waste given the range and the fact she was accelerating away).

The D-6 had slowed and was turning back into the battle but the range was too long to make a real difference. The battle was going to be decided by the Klingon frigates; but they were in a poor tactical position with the damaged Kongo and Falklands in front of them (trying to accelerate away) and the battle hungry Kamchatka and Rickover behind them. Even Hornblower was turning back into the fray with a fresh load of overloaded photon torpedoes. As it was, Kongo was too hurt to run away and the last of the drones caught up with her. Commodore N'yos never lived to see the rest of the battle. Adamant very nearly won the day for the Klingons when she nearly overran Falklands, but in her zeal for victory the weapons officer missed with his phasers and overloaded disruptors. E-4 Devoted, up until this point untouched, withered under the hail of fire from a light cruiser and frigate. Kamchatka and Rickover were damaged, but proved tougher than the egg-shell E-4s. Acknowledging defeat, the Klingon ships transitioned to strategic warp and broke off the battle.

Though victorious, Federation commanders and historians loath to call this battle a true victory. The Klingon squadron was defeated; a D-7C command ship and two E-4 light frigates were destroyed but a precious command cruiser was lost and a light frigate practically gutted.

This battle was the second engagement of the Klingon Armada Day One Mini-Campaign. The victory threshold was 500 VP.

Final Score:
Klingons – 291VP
Federation (Winner) – 530VP

Cumulative Total Through Two Engagements:
Klingons: 692
Federation: 812