1st Battle of Dubhe 2142
(Turn 6)
Background:
The 4th Imperial Japanese Star Fleet under Admiral Mitsu Supi is currently garrisoning the Dubhe system to protect the Kawasaki Corporation colony on Dubhe V.
Dubhe V is a Terran class planet, one of the few discovered to date by the IJSF, and a prize not to be relinquished lightly. While, tactically, Admiral Mitsu might consider withdrawing before a superior force, strategically, he is honour bound to defend the colony to his utmost.
A General Alert has been issued to all IJSF units following a recent encounter between the IJSF 7th Fleet and Eurasian Solar Union scouts in the neighbouring Polaris system.
IJSF Situation:
4th Fleet is on alert in the Dubhe system. ESU scouts have been encountered and engaged in the Polaris system, only three parsecs away.
Then, the remote sensor buoys in the Dubhe Kuiper Belt signal the tachyon shear of incoming ships dropping out of FTL. As scan sorts itself out, the plots become clear. Five hostile Scouts, two hostile Escorts, one hostile Cruiser, and two hostile Capital ships.
Admiral Mitsu has the option of engaging in free space, out beyond the planetary system; around one of the three gas giants in the system; or around the colony world, itself. In free space, or in the smaller gravity well of the colony world, Admiral Mitsu can still reserve the option to escape via FTL, if he so chooses. If he engages in the more massive gravity wells of the gas giants, he commits himself utterly.
Admiral Mitsu and the captains of the Soyokaze and Hagikaze are Average Officers. Captain Ito Musashi of the Akitsuki is a Poor Officer, owing his posting to family connections with the Kawasaki Corporation.
4th Fleet consists of:
| Soyokaze class Destroyer Soyokaze | |
| Soyokaze class Destroyer Akitsuki | |
| Ashigaru class Patrol Frigate Hagikaze |
The Soyokaze is serving as the flag ship.
ESU Situation:
Dispatched from Bootis System in 2139 to secure the Spinward-Rimward flank, the ESU 3rd Fleet under Kontr-admiral Zhou Li has moved rapidly towards the Dubhe system. Surprised when an IJSF Command Post sparks up in the system, Kontr-admiral Zhou is further dismayed to receive reports that ESU scouts have been repulsed at Polaris.
Entering the Dubhe system, he is much relieved to discover the size of the opposing force. Superior in numbers, and vastly superior in tonnage of ships, the only issue now is can he catch the Japanese ships before they flee, and can he disable or destroy them without suffering damage himself.
Admiral Zhou and 1st Kapitan Kisa Duan of the Battleship Petrograd are Good Officers. All other officers of 3rd Fleet are Average Officers.
3rd Fleet consists of:
| Tsiolkovsky class Light Carrier Glushko, with four flights of Standard fighters - Evil Horde, Iron Fists, Victorious Workers and Lucky 8's |
| Petrograd class Battleship Petrograd |
| Udaloy class Missile Battlecruiser Udaloy |
| Kashin class Missile Destroyer Kashin |
| Nanuchka II class Corvette Shytl |
The Glushko is serving as the flag ship. A troop of nine Lenov class Scout Ships arrived in Dubhe sytem with 3rd Fleet but played no part in the battle.
Points/Mass:
| Imperial Japanese Star Fleet: | 332 Points | 98 Mass |
| Eurasian Solar Union: | 1424 Points | 438 Mass |
Ships Used:
All Imperial Japanese Star Fleet ships in this engagement were Beta Fleet standard.
All Eurasian Solar Union ships were Fleet Book 1 standard except for:
UDALOY Class BC/M: Mass 94, Strong Hull (10/10/9/9), Thrust-4, FTL, 1xLevel-1 Screen, 2xFireCon, 3xPDS, 1xClass-1, 4xClass-2 (AP/FP/F, FP/F/FS, AS/FS/F, F), 1xSML, 6-Mass Magazine; 312 pts.
KASHIN Class DDM: Mass 28, Ave Hull (2/2/2/2), Thrust-4, FTL, 1xArmour, 1xFireCon, 1xPDS, 2xClass-1, 1xSMR(ER); 94 pts.
Ships designed by Mark ‘Indy’ Kochte.
Historical Result:
Admiral Mitsu elected to give battle near Dubhe V, the colony world. Drawing the ESU 4th Fleet into the planet's gravity well, Mitsu then attempted a high-velocity pass-through, hoping to launch his missiles at close range before swooping off around the planet.
Leaving the scout ships well back, Admiral Zhou dropped his corvette back as he moved 4th Fleet up to engage the in-bound Japanese. At this point, both fleets were too far apart to reveal details of individual ships. Then Zhou ordered his fighters launched as the fleets moved into scan range.
Admiral Mitsu realised the game was up. He had thought he had a small chance of surviving a high velocity pass-through with his frail ships, but the four flights of fighters just tipped the odds too far.
As the fleets converged, the fighters attacked. The Lucky 8's lost one fighter as the fighters pounded the three Japanese vessels. Good positioning on Zhou's part also ensured that the ESU main guns were bearing. The Japanese were ripped to shreds, only scoring a minor hit on the Battlecruiser Udaloy.
And so ended the Battle of Dubhe V. The Kawasaki colony swiftly surrendered and the IJSF Command Post was destroyed.