[18 BBY]
[Command Bridge, Eriadu Authority Republic Navy Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Republic 5th Fleet, Near the Terminus System, Kallea Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"Confirm their ours Captain, best be on the safe side" I instructed the Captain of my city-ship as we watched the tactical display showing the sudden entry of the *attacking force* into the system. Everything was showing up as correct, but I'd put 'Referees' with the two task-forces to confirm codes and IFFs separately if we wanted, and a few seconds the correct challenge was sent to us in response. Only to us though, and I watched as the system filled with ECM and Sensor-Jammers that made tracking only easy through the IFF signals being on active with both groups.
"They're coming in more aggressive than I'd have thought" Gardan said, and I nodded as we watched the tactical plot show the *defending force* come active and begin to deploy droid-fighters in response. Bit faster than a Confederate fleet element did in our experience, but they were forewarned, and therefore maintaining an active combat readiness. Plus it was a good idea to expect fast response times because the Confederates *could* sustain those times if they put in the effort. Now….they usually didn't, but with important facilities they did, and it showed our new Lucrehulk captain was learning his trade at the very least.
I nodded again, watching attack vectors and the fact the *attacking force* hadn't jumped in its one of the two light support freighter-carriers assigned to them. Only the one with the Scarab droid-fighters at that, and they were pouring our immediately upon system entry "True, but you need to be with force ratios as they are…and they've remembered what the mission is at the very least. Let's see how it pans out for them"
Playing at war, during an actual war, wasn't an easy thing as I'd had to split off ships and fighters to both combat groups, then use the remaining vessels to be on full combat alert should things turn from games, to very real. Thankfully that hadn't happened these past few days here, nor with the *attacking force* who'd been operating a few systems away from here. Most of those crews were green as fresh mown grass and this was the best I could do to drill them into combat squadrons under a few veteran officers without throwing them into the meatgrinder just yet. We'd be doing that soon enough, in weeks or months, depending on when us or the enemy were ready for the next round of offensives.
It was a lop-sided force ratio, one side having a up-armoured droid-control ship along with a cruiser and frigate escort, with horde of droid-fighters relatively. Up against a restored Hammerhead cruiser, a heavily modified YT-freighter, a converted freighter-carrier with it's old Scarabs, and two squadrons of hyper-drive capable Z-95s. Even then the Hammerhead wasn't truly a cruiser, instead she'd been fitted with good engines, a big power plant, and then filled with sensors and data-analysis systems rather than more weapons. Thankfully our brave *attacking force* were actively using that with it's ECM and interference, and earlier scouting,
"Mistake there" I murmured, largely to myself, as the *defending force* mistook the primary threat due to ECM and 'noise-makers' as the scarabs and Z-95s mingled, then separated on separate tracks just before the Vulture's got into engagement range. Defending spread out facilities was a bitch, and while the *defending force* was covering the primary {false} gas-mining operation, they'd failed to think of an attack by ducking into the upper atmosphere of the world.
Z-95s weren't X-Wings, but with modification they could mimic weaker versions, and it seemed these ones were playing at bombers right now as the scarab droids began to die. It was a good plan all in all as the YT and Z-95s struck at the false facilities….but they took losses in the effort, just like the Hammerhead was taking damage before it jumped out. It was pretty textbook Rebel Alliance tactics, even if that force didn't exist yet, or maybe at all now, but those tactics had both their place, and a time limit
The whole engagement had been over in a matter of minutes, and I'd rate it a positive for both sides, with the fake target destroyed, but with unacceptably high losses in return for it – that and a Cataphract or Archer escort with better anti-fighter systems would have made a big different. I nodded to myself at that, that would be something to throw in for the next engagement to see if our *attacking force* did their scouting properly in advance. I glanced up at the time on the tactical display;- or maybe I wouldn't as I training with Celeste and then would need to getting my brief ready for our mission to Mustafar, and then for when we finally reached Eriadu…
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[18 BBY]
[Command Centre, Central Military Command, Raxus Secundus, Raxus System, Tion Hegemony, Outer Rim Territories]
Mar Tuuk, now an Admiral of the Confederacy of Independent System Navy, despite recent battlefield setbacks, was in better form today than usual. Though that wasn't saying much really, as this task had proven one of the more stressful and exhausting tasks he had ever done in his life till now. Not only that but he had to deal with the constant presence of Senators from the Confederate Parliament, along with some of the madmen he called colleagues nowadays. Despite that things were somewhat more positive in recent days than in previous weeks, even if the frontlines hadn't changed dramatically.
While he had failed to subdue Kashyyyk, something he'd consistently stated before the mission could not be done without significantly more forces, his mission to secure the Sector itself had been a success. Mostly. Just as he'd done well in relieving Umbara, and seeing off what looked to be increased Hutt-backed piracy in its aftermath. Of course his promotion had little to do with his battlefield prowess sadly, instead being due to his logistical ability, being a proud Neimodian and Trade Federation member….and having the political connections to handle the current difficulties. Something many of his colleagues oft forgot he'd discovered since his arrival here.
"Consolidation…" he stated calmly to his fellow Generals and Admiral, along with War Committee Senators in attendance, in his faintly modulated voice, hands to the table "…needs to be our primary strategy in the short-term. Offensive operations should not be suspended of course, but by estimate we are capable of only one major, sustainable, offensive in the next ten standard months"
Senator Bonteri nodded slowly "Can you explain your reasoning for that situation Admiral Tuuk?"
"Certainly Senator. Combat operations in the past standard year have been very costly to us, as has the need to deal with the Mandalorian threat, the Mon Calamari pocket, and of course operations in the Colonies and Inner Rim against Republic forces, or their proxy warlords. Furthermore, Trade Hyperlane Security is increasingly becoming a significant concern as forces were taken from those reserves to enable previous offensives…and not been replaced as yet. A matter that is also a difficulty with the loss of strategic shipyards such as Mustafar and Sullust, in addition to strategic resource worlds such as Christophsis. Finally there is increased needs as the Hutts are clearly conspiring against our operations"
"Admiral Mar Tuuk is correct Senator…" Kleeve, the Devaronian General, agreed with him as they studied the Strategic Galaxy Display "…most notably in regards the Hutt situation. This is of course is in addition to many so-called Republic Navy forces been little more than pirate fleets loosely aligned with the Republic faction of the day so they can raid our hyperlanes. We have made significant advances…"
"And significant losses as well General…" the human Senator replied calmly "…with major Oversectors still under siege and in danger of falling"
Kleeve nodded politely as there was no denying the poor situation with the Druckenwell and Vandelhelm pockets, but the situation wasn't desperate yet either "Yes Senator, there was indeed, but recent advances have been of worlds requiring garrisons and reconstruction to make them of use, while our losses in the Galactic South came not only with the loss of those regions, but also increased production capacity for our foe. Such as evidenced by the number of Lucrehulks and Munificents appearing under Eriadu-Republic banners. But… pushing back into those regions comes at the cost of not-attacking other sectors. The purposes of these meetings is to decide on where to focus our grand offensive"
The Senator nodded "And where would propose such operations General?"
"Towards reuniting with our remain OverSector Commands in the Galactic South primarily. In an ideal galaxy we would strike directly at Coruscant, or Kuat, or Corellia, or even Eriadu, and eliminate one major Republic faction….but if we do not relieve those OverSectors they will fall. It would also once again allow us to interdict the hyperlanes from the Core to the Outer Rim. With the Hutts not only preventing us from using their hyperlanes, but actively encouraging piracy….it is our best bet to winning the long war"
'Ah, there are the unhappy words' Mar Tuuk noted as the Senator, and her two colleagues, made wary faces at that comment, but stayed silent allowing Mar Tuuk to support his current Commander in Chief "Unfortunate, but true Senators. While our galaxy-wide shipbuilding since the start of the war has been damaged our current production is on the rise as we reorganise Quite simply we cannot outright win this conflict with the full power of the Core now deployed, even while it us fighting itself. Their fleets even now are too great to overcome, and if we allow our internal problems to persist, we will be crippled even if we were to win such battles…"
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