TBC24

Chapter 24 - The Broken Commonwealth

Gibbs Star System, Lyran Commonwealth
Late 3146

Precursor to Battle

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"...we don't have a wall of battle yet."  Sharon explained.  Trillian looked at the operational reports, LIC's reports, and the data from the Wolf Empire.

"Alaric is sending fleet units, Sharon, and I'm inclined to accept the help." Trillian stated.

"Do it." Sharon nodded.  "it'll help, but if we let Malvina try a wall of battle in the Gibbs system we're going to lose a ton of infrastructure even if we win."

"Solution?"

"When the enemy's strongest move is known and you have evidence she's going for that strongest move?" Sharon smiled slowly, "Then it's more a matter of figuring out how to disrupt it mid-motion.  I want the Mongols to make their thrust. I want them committed."

The Gibbs Offensive

Jade Falcon's Battle Plan

Attacking Forces:

• Units

  CJF Turkina's Pride, Cameron class Battlecruiser
  CJF Jade Aerie, Blacklion class Battlecruiser
  CJF Blue Talon, Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser
  CJF Chaos Sailor, Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser
  CJF Kerensky's Pride, Congress Class Frigate
  CJF Emerald Tornado, Whirlwind Class Destroyer
  CHH Black Knight, Lola III Class Destroyer (on loan from Clan Hell's Horse)
  CHH Stampede, York Class Destroyer-Carrier (on from Loan Clan Hell's Horse)
  

The Jade Falcon Plan:

• Objective

  Overwhelm defenders. Capture or destroy all naval facilities. Prepare Gibbs for invasion and support landings.

Taking advantage of apparent confusion in the Lyran command structure, as well as the visible appearance that LCN forces are distributed in an unfocused manner across too wide a front, the Falcon operational plan is to deliver a force of warships-fortified with 'pocket warship' type assault dropships and heavy fighter carriers deep  into the Gibbs system via stable L1 pirate point insertions.  Initial strikes will be made at command and control facilities and the dockyards, which contain at least two Mjolnir cruisers and between three and five Fox class Corvettes under construction or refit.

The initial wave of attacks is intended to destroy or disrupt the ability of the Lyran defenders to organize a defense against such a deep strike, after which, the second wave moves in and mops up defending forces in detail, before moving to secure the lanes for the ground assault.

Defending Forces:

• Units:

Lyran Commonwealth Naval Forces

• LCS Wotan, Mjolnir Class Battlecruiser (just commissioned)
  LCS Peter Marsden, Fox Class Corvette
  LCS Walter Steiner, Fox Class Corvette
  

• 1st Cutter Squadron

  Patrol 1

  LCS Duchess Elizabeth Ngo, Sampan IV /"Duchess" class light Corvette
  LCS Bianh Vu Dao Sampan III Class Cutter
  LCS Nicole Minh, Sampan III Cutter
  LCS Linda Sithers, Sampan III Cutter
  

  Patrol 2

  LCS Kelli Whyte, Sampan III Cutter
  LCS James Qua, Sampan III Cutter
  LCS Edward Vanh, Sampan II Cutter
  LCS Karriana Mohrs, Sampan II Cutter
  

• Patrol 3

  LCS Ingrid Hoeven, Sampan II Cutter
  LCS Nolan MacGuire, Sampan II Cutter
  LCS Iris Stevens-Deen, Sampan II Cutter
  LCS Kurt Myerley, Sampan II Cutter
  

• Gibbs Protection Squadron

  LCDS Hummingbird, Overlord A3 Class Assault DropShip
  LCDS Blutbat, Overlord A3 Class Assault DropShip
  LCDS Lunwulf, Triumph Class Pocket Warship
  LCDS Vampir, Mule Pocket Warship
  LCDS Graf Kell, Vengeance Class fighter carrier
  LCDS Flamberge, Claymore Class assault dropship
  LCDS Morningstar, Claymore Class assault dropship
  LCDS Luzern, Triumph Class Pocket Warship
  

• 1st and 3rd Royal Guards Air Wing
• Gibbs Reserve Air Wing

• Clan Wolf Ships

  CWS Bloody Fang, Cameron Class Battlecruiser
  CWS Rogue, Congress Class Frigate
  CWS Jerome Winson, Liberator Class Cruiser

Note: Clan Wolf forces are transporting their own Pocket Warships and Titan class Carrier dropships, with full fighter loads.

The Defenders' Battle Plan:

Intelligence confirmed from both Clan Wolf and LIC sources have located the mustering grounds and staging areas for the oncoming Falcon assault.  Vessels from patrol 3 have positioned to monitor and report on activity in Jade Falcon staging areas, communicating their information via 'black box' comms to LCN headquarters for distribution.  While the Jade Falcon watch had some good sources in the Gibbs system, those sources were shut down in August of 3146, and the Lyrans have been feeding them misinformation-just-close-enough-to-the-truth, which has then been dutifully reported back to the Falcons, including the actual readiness of the vessels under construction and refit, quantity of operational vessels, and readiness of the defenders.  This has also managed to strangle off any verifiable information regarding the political situation between Trillian's government and Clan Wolf.

Alaric's Plan: Fortify the existing 'wall of battle' units defending the Gibbs system, and save the damn day like big damn heroes.  He's placed operational command in the hands of the Star Commodore commanding CWS Bloody Fang.

Sharon's Plan: Timing is crucial, the Falcons must be committed to the attack before closing the ambush.  Patrols 3 and 2 are set to begin hitting the Jade Falcons as soon as their emergence waves are confirmed.  Squadron 1 is positioned in the outer system as a fast reaction force.  non-jump capable assets are positioned close to key industrial or command facilities with orders to hold terrain and only engage within a 3-5 minute overthrust distance of their charges.  Fighter squadrons from the ground units are on standby, with Naval fighters positioned to support the assault dropships or larger warships.

While the Jade Falcons are engaged in their first wave of attacks, Kowloon Coast Guard units from 11th Squadron will be conducting strikes at the Jade Falcon mustering points over Cameron, Westerstede, Horneburg, and Pobeda, as well as strikes at enemy transport assets one jump further out.  These strikes are also meant to support LCAF counter-invasions launched from Coventry, Alma Alta, Pherkad, and Donegal.

Cameron-Class Battlecruiser

Sampan IV Class / Duchess Class Light Corvette

Sampan III Class Cutter

Sampan II Class Cutter

Congress Class Frigate (pre-refit Image)

Lola III Class Destroyer

Black Lion Class Battlecruiser

Liberator Class Cruiser

Fox Class Corvette

Mjolnir Class Battlecruiser

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