Fire On The Suns From: "Greg Ellis" <gnellis@ifn.net> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 00:00:00 +0000 Game 2, Year 3, January-August, 2271 CE Turn 13 (January-February, 2271 CE) opened with a sudden attack by the Empire of Kahs across the border into Arachnid territory in Sector 405x424. The Capitol Fleet, and the 1st and 2nd Imperial Reserve Fleets, numbering about 3 dozen ships charged across the border - and straight into an Arachnid "mousetrap". Having fallen for the bait, the Kahs forces were overwhelmed and driven back across the border in full retreat by hundreds of Arachnid gunboats. Casualties were extremely heavy amongst the Kahs forces with thousands of Kahs crewmen killed and over a dozen ships destroyed in action. In the midst of this fighting, a massive ripple in the fabric of spacetime was detected passing through the populated areas of the galaxy from a point originating approximately 500 light years outside of known space. An equal and opposite ripple, originating approximately 500 light years outside of the border of known space, but on the opposite side answered the first ripple a few hours later. While no damage was done to any planet, world, or colony, the effect, described as being "like 2 large rocks dropped in a pond" was widely felt and reported on. Several empires began organizing potential deep space missions to investigate these phenomena as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Grymphon rebels continued their consolidation of Dominion space as the loyalists struggled to pull together some kind of defense. By the end of the turn, however, it was clear that their cause was hopeless and a new deity was placed upon the Alabaster Throne. ------------------------------- Turn 14 (March-April, 2271 CE) opened with a massive attack by the Arachnids across the border into Kahs space, into the space of the Reagah Confederate, and into the United Earth Federation's outlying sectors. Overmatched and overrun in numerous locations, the warriors of the Empire fought fiercely, but were forced to retreat, leaving thousands upon thousands of civilians to the tender mercies of the Arachnid invasion forces. To top matters off, the Empire and the Federation suddenly found themselves embroiled in a 2-front war as the Grymphon rebels attacked the Empire for their refusal to aid the Grymphon rebellion, and the Federation launched a surprise raid into Grymphon space at virtually the same time. By the end of the turn, 1 Federation sector and 4 Kahs sectors were in Arachnid clutches, another Kahs sector was firmly in the grasp of the Grymphon, one Grymphon fleet had been wiped out by Federation forces, and full-scale war had once again erupted throughout the galaxy as the Gorn Confederation declared war upon the Machine Empire after a clash between Gorn and Machine scout forces in unclaimed space. As the Gorns scrambled desperately for allies in their war against the Machines, two new empires emerged, one claiming to be Kahs and the other claiming to be Machines causing much confusion in the Gorn and Kahs camps. A clash was also reported as having occurred between the Machine Empire and forces of the Pyronian Empire, but no details were available on the results of this action. One Machine faction declared both the Gorns and the Pyronians to be "badlife" and stated that they would be destroyed, but another faction was known to be actively negotiating with the Gorns. The second Kahs faction offered the Empire aid in their conflict with the Arachnids, but no one knew whether such aid would arrive in time to be of any use before the Kahs homeworld fell to the devourer. -------------------------------- Turn 15 (May-June, 2271 CE) continued the course of the Arachnid War as the Arachnid offensive continued, slowing only slightly to consume the entirety of the Empire of Kahs. By the end of the turn, the Empire, completely defeated, capitulated to the Arachnid Hivehome in exchange for being allowed continued existance. A handful of ships led by a renegade Kahs Admiral, the remains of the Imperial War Reserve, and the Emperor's Personal Bodyguard fleet escaped across the border into the Federation to seek sanctuary there. It was reported that the Emperor's personal guard had to use force to prevent the Emperor from staying behind with his now-enslaved people. To the west, the Grymphon attacked and defeated the Federation Battle Fleet in their territory, advancing into Federation space in pursuit. The Gorn-Machine War ended abruptly after the destruction of a Machine scoutforce by the Gorn Confederation's 4th Fleet when the Gorns again offered the Machines a peaceful, and this time "logical" solution to the crisis before their main fleets met in battle. Still, this action left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Gorns, something which was to prey on their minds for months to come. Meanwhile, the Arachnid advanced inexorably into the United Earth Federation, clashing with the might of the Federation's 1st, Home, and 5th Fleets. The 1st and Home Fleets, forming the Combined Fleet met the Arachnid 3rd Claw of the Hive Fleet and were quickly sent packing with horrendous casualties. A similar fate met the crews of the Federation's 5th Fleet beneath the claws and fangs of the Arachnid 5th Claw of the Hive Fleet. The Federation placed its defeats squarely on the shoulders of having attempted to rely upon technology to win the day against the sheer mass of the Arachnid fleets. They failed, and they paid dearly for their failure, seeing the cream of their fleet destroyed in a single turn. The Kahs Progenitors began their Operation Black Flag with the Cold Terror Fleet racing to the vicinity of the Reagah Confederate only to find devastated worlds occupied only by Arachnid soldiers. They burned these worlds mercilessly to wipe out all trace of the Arachnid invaders after failing to find a single Reagah survivor anywhere. --------------------------------- Turn 16 (July-August, 2271 CE) opened with a marked slowing of the Arachnid offensive and a scrambling attempt to knit together an alliance to meet and stop them. As the Arachnids consolidated their new holdings in the Empire of Kahs, a relief force was sent into determine what had happened to the soldiers occupying the Reagah Confederate zone. This Reagah Eater Fleet was set upon by fighters from the Kahs Progenitors Cold Terror Fleet. In a 3-week long battle, the Kahs fighters attacked the Arachnids again and again, but they refused to stop advancing or to retreat. Suffering horrendous casualties, the Kahs Progenitors pressed their attacks, finally succeeding in completely destroying the Reagah Eater Fleet a mere 8 light years from the Reagah homeworld. Casualties were enormous, however, with more than 350 Kahs fighters having paid for the destruction of 60 Arachnid ships. In Federation space, after receiving the first orders from his superiors in more than 8 months, the Admiral commanding the UEF's 6th Fleet was relieved to be ordered home to assist in the defense of Earth against the advancing Arachnids. This relief turned to bitter determination, however, when the 6th Fleet detected an Arachnid force advancing upon an undefended Federation colony. Disobeying his orders, the Admiral devised a plan to save at least some of the colonists. Splitting his fleet into 2 task forces, he led the majority of his warships in series of slashing attacks against the Arachnid 1st Claw of the Hive Gunboat Flotilla #3, seeking to delay them long enough for the rest of his fleet to evacuate as many of the colonists as possible and to arm the rest for guerilla actions later. His fighters gone, his ships hopelessly damaged and lagging behind, unable to escape the Arachnids who were rapidly overtaking his fleet, he stood upon the bridge of his badly damaged strike carrier as it rammed the lead Arachnid gunboat and exploded in fire brighter than the surrounding stars. ---------------------------------- Fire On The Suns, Fire On The Suns: Tactical Command, and A Sea Of Stars are Copyright (C) 1998-99 by Ellis & Company Publishing and Gregory W. Ellis. All Rights Reserved. All graphics, text, and other materials associated with these games are the exclusive property of Ellis & Company Publishing and Gregory W. Ellis and may not be reproduced in any fashion without express written permission. Questions & comments may be sent to us via the following address, gnellis@ifn.net Please visit the FOTS Forum at FOTSCom-l@Onelist.com or the FOTS Website at http://www.fireonthesuns.com Up