u/CrEwPoSt

"They built them with much more 'dakka' than most at their time. If there were historical battle ratings then much of low and mid tier would be almost unplayable because their ships were just that good for their time period."

Examples:

The destroyer Hatsukaze is at the same battle rating as the Antarean destroyer Aukani due to her armament of five 25-inch railguns, despite the latter having been commissioned several decades later.

The first dreadnought battleship in the galaxy, UNS Dreadnought, is at the same battle rating as AIS Omikron. Omikron was commissioned almost two decades later.

And humanity's first fleet carrier, Wright, is at the same battle rating as the Antarean fleet carrier/battleship conversion Asgtia, which was commissioned almost a decade later.

4/28/2329

Antares, Republic of Antares

ITNS S-99 (Type XVIIB S-boat)

"Let them pass. I can see the red cross on their IFF tag."

"Why's that? We aren't Orion Convention signatories."

"It'd be a waste of a torpedo that could be used to torpedo a human troopship or a freighter. G9s aren't cheap, you know?"

"I'll call it off, then."

"Good."

"Affirmative. It's a human tactic that they insist we use. Every ship's got a great deal of autonomy."

"And they want us to use it?"

"Well, if they're going to send their ships to fight alongside us, we ought to fight the same way they do."

"Very well, I'll send the word. I sure hope they aren't bluffing when it comes to this..."

"Also - Admiral, before you yell at me or my ship over comms for not getting the requested items in their entirety, I am letting you know that I have pulled every single string I could get to get good coffee for your ships and sailors, but we're simply out of everything. Even the fake coffee supplements are gone."

"Coffee is completely gone. Bad harvest on Maindros, a forest fire and insurgency on Asgtia, and Kanahuai's still occupied, not to mention the S-boats causing shortages of everything because they blow up every third merchant ship."

"This year's been a real pain train for anyone who likes coffee this year. We've also lost another reefer two weeks ago to the damn stealth boats - Akshan Marii, the one that had all that ice cream, tea, and coffee from Earth."

"Trust me, we're just as frustrated as you, but I'm just a supply ship captain and can't do nothing about it except ask the Admiralty again, which is busy with other things."

"So, we won't have any coffee until the lanes are open again."

"And frankly, I wouldn't care how the lanes are opened..."

1/15/2309

Aragrai City, Asgtia, Republic of Antares *

"This is Radio Aragrai."

In the years since the Antarean Empire collapsed, Aragrai had always been wracked by organized crime, with protection rackets and other illicit activity rife, with an underequipped police department and a National Guard that's too overstretched and underfunded to do anything.

"Aragrai's businesses have collectively decided to stop paying protection fees after several businesses, incliding Akani's Eatery, were shot up by gangsters and mafia last week."

Aragrai is a city of small business owners, many of which are veterans on both sides of the UN-Antarean War.

"We are now to be the target of a collective terror campaign by the elements of organized crime and criminality."

And when they shot up Akani's Eatery - a small restaurant, the owner of which was well-known across Aragrai for his altruistic business practices, it galvanized the city into resistance.

"They can bribe and threaten our officers and prosecutors, but they cannot bribe and threaten the people."

More and more people rallied to fortify the Asgtia Veterans Association building, as arms caches and radio equipment began to amass within it's confines, while wartime Antarean Civil Guard stashes were unearthed and distributed to any Asgtian or Human veteran and business owner who'd enterd through the double doors of it's entrance.

"We won't tolerate organized crime in our city anymore, no matter what species they're from. Human, Antarean, it does not matter, all are equal under the hammer of justice."

No more would the Asgtian people tolerate the organized crime that has wracked Aragrai.

"Bet remember - do not blame all of humanity for the actions of a few, even if the mafia is human-dominated. There are more righteous Asgtians and Humans who have built their lives in this city through sweat and grit, than there are who are aligned with the forces of crime."

And no more would they stand against the mafia and the gangs alone, be they human or otherwise.

"And remember, they cannot threaten nor kill all of us, so you must stand strong in the face of threats and attacks, for the future of our city depends on it."

For the mafia and the gangs can threaten a magistrate or a politician, but they cannot threaten everyone.

"Sons and Daughters of Aragrai, To Arms. Cast the leeches out from the city you call home."

5/25/2182

Aranai, United Nations/Antarean Empire

“The Aranai Question must be solved in Antares’s favor.”

During their respective eras of expansion, the United Nations and the Antarean Empire would both lay claim to the system of Aranai.

In the immediate aftermath of the Chfrsian War of Independence, Antares would fortify Aranai with much of it’s fleet - as it serves as a major bulwark system as the UN must pass Aranai to reach Asgtia and the other Antarean core worlds.

Occasionally, a UN ship will attempt to push the boundaries when it comes to Aranai, and vice versa.

Neither side wants a protracted war, but none will back down from one, especially as Antares has more ships.

You’re the captain of a Caldwell-class destroyer (Canonically, this is UNS Christian (DD-99), but you can name your ship anything in this scenario) sent to push the boundaries…

However, three Aurii-class light cruisers have found your ship and are demanding that you turn back, or else risk almost certain destruction.

You’ve got sixty torpedoes and four 20-inch railguns (comparable to a 4” naval gun in this case), so you still stand a chance if you do everything right or attack first.

And you most certainly don’t have diplomatic authorization.

What do you do/say, human…?

December 10th, 2331

Convoy UOR-147 (U'Ankan, T'Chak Imperium -> Ori'ana, Antarean National Reclamation Government)

_________________

2100 Hours

ANRAN Shunakan: "What's an human S-boat again?"

ANRAN Yashtan: "S-Sorry about Shunakan! We're both recently commissioned!"

ITNS Tash'kan: "Don't worry about it! In wartime, there aren't any stupid questions."

ITNS Tash'kan: "An S-boat, or stealth-boat, is-"

HRS Vaniari: "The hatred I hold for Human stealth-boats is immeasurable."

HRS Vaniari: "Every few convoys, they appear and destroy several freighters or take an escort with them."

HRS Vaniari: The Antareans have their Type 27s, and I have mine, but they are quite unreliable and are inaccurate - a stopgap measure until we can get something better.

HRS Vaniari: "If they choke our supply lines, then the ships at the front won't have any munitions to fight or fuel to sail, and we'll be sitting ducks."

HRS Vaniari: "Every escort fears them, as a single torpedo can and will break an unshielded escort in two, dooming both her and her crew as well."

HRS Vaniari: "And the worst part is that you can't see it until it enters visual range, and by then it's too late."

HRS Vaniari: "One hits a freighter, and then you sound GQ* and begin ASW sweeps, and then three hit you, and then you and most of your crew die a really painful death."

ITNS Tash'kan: "Shut up, Vaniari."

HRS Vaniari: "Tashie, I'm only trying to tell them the truth-"

ITNS Tash'kan: "You're scaring the Antareans. I can already foresee both of them cowering in battle because of your speech."

ITNS Tash'kan: "The good thing about Terran stealth-boats is that they work similar to ours, and can be countered as such."

ITNS Tash'kan: "Torpedo decoys taken from our friends in the S-boat arm do much of the heavy lifting as ion torpedoes don't produce a subspace wake, or at least not enough to be noticeable until visual range.

ITNS Tash'kan: "Makes them really hard to intercept using CIWS, but a good enough torpedo decoy can take out some torpedoes before they hit anyone. And it'll take three or four to down our shields."

HRS Vaniari: "Then, you fire your forward or side ASW torpedoes and watch as the offending boat gets obliterated, harass any uncloaked boats with your guns, and retreat back to the convoy before another boat torpedoes them. Unless there's a wolfpack."

ANRAN Shunakan: "W-w-wolfpack? What's that?"

ITNS Tash'kan: "A wolfpack is a group of several stealth-boats. Terrifying, yes, but not unkillable."

ITNS Tash'kan: "Just follow our lead if something happens-"

ANRAN Ukashan: "SHIT! Freighter next to me just got hit in the rear!"

ANRAN Yashtan: "Freighter's been hit, portside!"

ITNS G46: "Transport hit, starboard side!"

ITNS Tash'kan: "It's a-"

HRS Vaniari: "WOLFPACK!

ANRAN Shunakan: "WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

ANRAN Yashtan: "Sister, stay calm and keep your radar in the fight!"

ANRAN Shunakan: "Yeah! Calm! Panic only gets us killed..."

HRS Vaniari: "Tashie, you take Shuna and Yash, and I'll take 46 and Uka!"

ITNS Tash'kan: "On it. Shunakan, Yashtan, do as I do. If everything goes well, we'll hunt the hunters tonight."

HRS Vaniari: "Every lost S-boat is a victory for us..."

Escorts:
T'Chak Imperium:

ITNS G17 Tash'kan (Type 2326A Destroyer Leader) (DL)

Armament: (8x 35" SK-23 plasma emitters, 40x 210" 533cm G9c anti-ship torpedoes, 24x 127.5" Type 27 ASW torpedoes, 8x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Veteran)*

ITNS G46 (Type 2324A Destroyer) (DD)

Armament: (5x 35" SK-23 plasma emitters, 60x 210" 533cm G9c anti-ship torpedoes, 24x 127.5" Type 27 ASW torpedoes, 8x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Regular)

Antarean National Reclamation Government:

ANRAN Shunakan (Type 29 Destroyer (ASW)) (DD)

Armament: (4x 25" Type 21 Plasma Emitter, 90x Type 25 anti-ship torpedo, 36x 127.5" Type 27 anti-stealth torpedo, 10x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Green)

ANRAN Yashtan (Type 29 Destroyer (ASW)) (DD)

Armament: (4x 25" Type 21 Plasma Emitter, 90x Type 25 anti-ship torpedo, 36x 127.5" Type 27 anti-stealth torpedo, 10x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Fresh)

ANRAN Ukashan (Type 24 Destroyer (ASW)) (DD)

Armament: (4x 25" Type 21 Plasma Emitter, 90x Type 25 anti-ship torpedo, 36x 127.5" Type 27 anti-stealth torpedo, 10x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Regular)

Vazzok Empire:
HRS Vaniari (Vaniari-class Destroyer) (DD)

Armament: (4x 25" ATA Mellaria 2327 Railguns, 60x 210" 533-27 anti-ship torpedoes, 48x 127.5" Type 27 ASW torpedo, 16x "Brave" torpedo decoys)

Experience: (Veteran)

Raiding Boats:

UNS Seawolf SSN-02 (Dolphin-class)

Armament: (1x 25" Mark 18 railgun, 110x 210" Mark 23 Experimental Ion Torpedo (10x torpedo tubes))

Experience: (Veteran)

UNS Albacore SSN-03 (Dolphin-class)

Armament: (1x 25" Mark 18 railgun, 110x 210" Mark 23 Experimental Ion Torpedo (10x torpedo tubes))

Experience: (Veteran)

UNS Tang SSN-04 (Dolphin-class)

Armament: (1x 25" Mark 18 railgun, 110x 210" Mark 23 Experimental Ion Torpedo (10x torpedo tubes))

Experience: (Veteran)

*General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands to battle stations!

*Ship rank comparable to that from Hearts of Iron 4 (yes I know how navy works)

6/18/2300

“Why’s that?”

“The British faction of the UN’s navy are handling anti-piracy patrols this season to give the American faction some rest.”

“So? Nothing our pirate BB (battleship) can’t handle.”

“I’m not scared of them. I’m scared of the Commonwealth destroyers.”

“You can’t mean-“

“All ten Huron-class destroyer leaders are patrolling this sector.”

“And all ten of them are Canadian.”

1/27/2149

Somewhere on Antares, Antarean Empire

“Affirmative, sir. Ten 70-inch railguns in five twin turrets. Our best ships - the Ori’ana-class, have four guns of similar caliber, each.”

“They call her the UNS Dreadnought. BB-02. And given that they’re positioning themselves in a more aggressive manner…”

“We need a ship to match that. Now. Antares cannot fall behind, or else we’ll surely fall…”

8/17/2374

Sol, United Nations

Despite the ultimate loss of the T’Chak Imperium during their war with the Orion Treaty, they still remained an extremely proficient naval power, having pioneered the “S-boat” - a decent-sized vessel similar to a submarine, designed to strike from the depths of the stars, and nearly all the doctrine attached to it.

Even in the postwar order that is the T’Chak Federation, they haven’t forgotten their roots, especially when it comes to S-boat doctrine.

And in any naval exercise, quite a few of their “enemy”’s capital ships would find themselves eliminated by several TM2 heavyweight torpedoes launched from a Type 281 S-boat*, doubly so if their escorts were lacking in ASW warfare.

Even the Terran ones, despite how fearsome they may be.

But this time, Humanity may have some tricks up their sleeves…

*The first postwar S-boat class built by the T’Chak.

“And? That’s proper procedure. Nothing a good pirate should be worried about.”

“That was a human Stellar Guard ship. You know who responds to Stellar Guard distress calls, especially ones signaling attack?”

“Who?”

“The Navy. And they’re more than capable and more than willing to bash our pirate ships to pieces.”

“Fuck.”

“If we stay here, we’re just asking to die. So let’s get out of here before they arrive.”

“But before that, put another broadside into that ship, just to make sure.”

July 30, 2336

Orion Naval Space Station, United Nations

ANRAN Aurii (C93) (Light Anti Aerospace Cruiser)

It’s been a week since I was captured by human forces in the system of Aranai.

By all means, I should be dead. Destroyed.

That’s what they said would happen to the machine spirit of any warship who lets herself get captured.

The lucky ones would get scuttled by friendly forces before that happens, but the rest, they said, would get a one way trip to the yards to be taken apart for the war effort.

Another husk, hollowed out and discarded, her soul long-gone.

And yet, I still live, and my systems still work… partially.

Still damaged, but a great improvement to being dead.

But still, one question has been lingering at my mind.

Why…? Why spare me?

Why spare my sister ship Ishaki (C94)?

Why would humanity show mercy to their worst enemies?

Why haven’t any of the human ships and their commanding officers held any animosity towards me?

Why would they spare me, when they know full well that I wouldn’t have done the same..?

December 20th, 2276

Kaniara, Empire of K’sella

“This station is now under the control of the K’sella people!”

“We cry out for liberty, and for our cries we are silenced, beaten, and shot in the streets like dogs! When will Terra, the “bastion of the free galaxy” see our plight?!”

“Our Empress was shot and has left no heir! Her only crime? Attempting reforms!”

“And yet each of her potential successors and now the military regime vows to crack down on us along with each other even harder in some sick game of retaliation!”

“In the civil war that’s sure to come, we must create a Republic out of its ashes!”

“And as long as a single K’sella breathes, our dreams of republic shall remain alive!”

“No matter how heavy the rain, the flowers of freedom shall still blossom!”

“Down with the Empire, Long live the Republic-“

“This station has been temporarily suspended by order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.“

“A state of martial law has been declared until stability is restored.”

“We urge all citizens to keep watch for any anti-imperial activity and report it to the proper authorities.”

Because what do you mean, you fight each other in replicas of centuries-old tanks for FUN?!

And why are you sailing through the ASTEROID BELT as fast as you can knowing damn well what the risks are?!

"A dreadnought? One battleship against several? They're insane, we have to retreat-"

"There's a reason why the damn T'Chak call them dreadnoughts and not battleships."

"Coming from the ones who invented that classification...? Fine, but if we die I'm blaming you in the afterlife for the deaths of me and my sailors."

"We just need to survive the onslaught for five more minutes."

“Affirmative, and they even shot us first. Teach them a lesson that they’ll never learn.”

May 28th, 2182

Aranai, Antarean Empire

In the aftermath of the Chfrsian War of Independence, the Antarean Empire clutched what territories it could hold even harder than before.

That included the major trade node of Aranai, which most trade had to go through in order to reach Antares.

Split between Earth and Antares, no warship was permitted to go past their half of the system without reason or risk destruction.

Unfortunately, the Caldwell-class destroyer Christian (DD-99) and her crew didn’t heed that warning, and sailed into the Antarean part of Aranai, where they were intercepted and destroyed by 3 Antarean light cruisers following the former’s refusal to pull back AND preemptively launching their torpedoes.

In terms of naval strength, both nations are equally matched in tonnage, although the UN has a stronger carrier arm and Antares has more battleships.

Either way, Antares has moved to occupy the rest of Aranai.

And it seems that nothing can stop them.

1/17/2329

Antares Naval Station, Republic of Antares

“As for that matter, we’re out of basically every luxury item you could possibly think of.” The logistics officer continues, as he rejects the rest of your painstakingly crafted requisition forms. “They even got the ice cream ships, torpedoed the damn reefers in Aranai, along with several destroyers.”

“Sorry about the inconvenience, but there’s simply nothing I can do on my end.“ The logistics officer sighs, bracing himself for the verbal assault that’s surely bound to come…

One day, Terra will tremble under our might, and only then will our forefathers will have been avenged!

______

August 31st, 2327

Ori’ana, Antarean National Reclamation Government

Today, the illegitimate Republic of Antares will fall.

Tomorrow, Orion and even Earth itself will be under our iron grip.

And when humanity finally pays for its crimes is when Antares solidifies itself as the Orion Arm’s foremost power.

That is the fate that awaits our nation, churned from decades of preparation.

Against Humanity’s valiant carriers, we deploy our Aurii-class AA cruisers to swat out any spacecraft that dares to pollute the stars.

Against their convoys, our T’Chak allies deploy their S-boats to choke the enemy of any supplies they may receive.

Against their battleships, we employ our newest dreadnoughts and torpedo cruisers, to overwhelm the enemy with Antarean fury.

Today is the day.

That Sol will submit, the day that the four Chfrsian provinces are retaken, and the day that Antares retakes her place among the great powers of the Orion Arm.

And so our great trial has begun, with us having fired the first shot.

And it is a trial that we will overcome.

Even if it costs us everything.

4/17/2300

“Why’s that?”

“Piracy is treated as a capital crime under Antarean law, and the act of piracy whilst committing the act is punishable by death without the need for a judge or trial. Should it be impossible to capture them alive, that is.”

“The humans don’t have that?”

“No, if they engage and capture them, they have to go to civilian authorities, get a judge on the case, provide legal counsel… they don’t have to do any of that in an Antarean system. Not to mention that Antarean law doesn’t give a damn about species or what citizenship the offender has.”

“So they use us as a legal pawn granting them the right to eliminate every pirate in the commerce lanes?”

“Exactly! Makes it so much easier for them and us to prosecute pirates that prey on the commerce lanes here.”

“And by prosecute, you mean…”

“Sending those pirate mongrels to Davy Jones’s stellar locker. Doesn’t matter if they’re Human, Chfrsian, Antarean, or whatever species they are.”