Introduction

The 3rd Battle of Henry's Star was a PBEM game set in the 2300AD universe, pitting a multi-national human fleet against a Kafer fleet in orbit of the British colony world of Crater. This document is a record of the action. Much of the work here was put in by the Human Commander, Andy Goddard. The 3rd Battle of Henry's Star ran from October to December, 1998, the GM was Bryn Monnery, and his assistant was Kevin Clark.

The Briefing

The Third Battle of King Henry's Star

It is November 2302. The British have assumed command of the joint fleets committed to pushing the Kafers out of Human Colonial Space. One small Task Force headed by the new Battle Cruiser HMS Duke of York is ordered to land British and Canadian troops on the occupied world of Crater.

An Australian Cruiser, HMAS New Canberra, raided into the system a week ago forcing the Kafers to pull back all their forces to their main holding. Long Range Scans show that 5 Kafer Warships are in Orbit with an orbital defence platform built on the hulk of King Henry's Star Station (the British Orbital Platform). A large number of Kafer Sentinels and Whiz-Bangs (Jamming Drones) have been observed and an unknown number of Hotel class fighters are operating from the Planet's surface. The Kafer have several brigades of troops on world.

The Wardroom, HMSS Duke of York

In the near-silence as the final plates were cleared, an exquisite cut-glass port decanter - refilled more than once in its slow circuit of the room, and reverentially handled by an immaculately dressed rating - clinked almost inaudibly against the rim of the Commodore's glass as the last of the rich red wine poured out... 

The meal - a great success - had officially ended. As the rating turned to take the decanter away, Commodore Bell's hand rose to stop him, and motioned that the vessel be put down on the table. The Commodore rose to his feet - an easy task in the one-third-gravity of the wardroom - and looked over the table at the faces of more than eighty senior officers assembled from a score of British, Canadian and French military vessels. A few wore the greens and khakis of ground military units, while most were dressed in the formal white and midnight blue dress uniforms of the various naval forces. 

Some the Commodore knew well. Others had only recently attained their seniority - and for many this had been hastened by the ongoing war. Still more were unknown to him. He turned to the hologram of the King, larger than life size and today in "gold", situated behind him on the dark oak panelling that filled the wardroom. He nodded at the hologram, and turned back towards the table. 

"Fellow Officers. You may smoke!" 

Of those present a few laughed - smoking had been strictly forbidden within the first British space naval ships over a hundred years ago, and the tradition (along with a senior officer's 'allowance' to break it during the after-dinner port) had been maintained. As the laughter subsided, Commodore Bell continued... 

"Tomorrow we warp out to King Henry's Star. We carry the hopes of many planets with us: the Earth and Tirane, primarily, who need to see a victory against the Kafer; and the hope of the people of Crater, who need all our help in this most desperate of times."

 "Now. You may know that over a third of a millennium ago an action was undertaken to land troops on the then enemy-occupied northern coast of mainland Europe. It was one of mankind's greatest logistical and military achievements, and it helped bring to an end a great tyranny." 

"The victors of that action had the manpower, the technology, and the benefits of a short sea and air crossing to make it work. They also had near-total air superiority, definite sea control, and were fighting a foe whose rationale was not unlike their own..." 

"...and they still lost thousands of men." 

This was giving it to them straight, he thought. 

"At Henry's Star in a few day's time we will be meeting our common enemy on *their* own turf." 

He counted the following points on his fingers: 

"I'm informed they have better technology, total control of the space around Crater; the will and the ability to give it all they've got - and the knowledge that they've soundly thrashed us in the past." 

"Fellow Officers - I'm not strictly speaking a gambling man, but I must warn you that the odds of our victory are as poor as our task is great." 

The Commodore let this sink in, and lifted his glass, thinking. Holding it against the light, the ruby liquid - thirty light years from its home - glowed within. 

"The decanter you've just been served from was once owned by a great Admiral of a bygone age. An age when raw wind and sail, gunpowder and shot were employed by our sea-borne ancestors..." 

All eyes were now on the glass vessel, sat empty on the table between the Commodore and his second-in-command. 

"...No, it wasn't Nelson. It was a man called Sir John Jervis who was Nelson's commander at a famous battle over five hundred years ago - I'll paraphrase something this man once said:" 

'' 'A victory to Humanity is very essential at this moment'. " 

"Think well on this!" "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the King..."

The Human Plan

Communications:

No Broadcast Messages are to be allowed until detection of our main units by the Kafer. Psycho-Ops and secret drones will be used to confuse them after this point. Tight beam-link communications are to be used only. (i.e. Messages should be sent via the scl-human mailing list).

Movement & Tactics:

Group A will naturally split due to differences in speed while they skirt the Henry's Star Near Stellar Hexes.

The Red elements of Group A are the primary strike force. These vessels must destroy the major Kafer large fleet elements and the Orbital Platform before a landing can be considered. Initially, this will be achieved by long range, co-ordinated fighter and missile attack.

Missiles from the Green elements of Group A will back up this attack. These units must also consider themselves picket units to harry and destroy fighters and any fleet elements that break through the primary strike force.

Group B, the blue warships, are there to mop up any survivors that may get past Group A's twin lines of defence. Ultimately, the security of the transports is all.

The Group B units, Andromeda, Jupiter, Normandie and Nice must remain within a couple of hexes of the Transports and must ensure that nothing gets through. Once the transports are unloaded, these range restrictions will not apply.

Command and Contingency Plans:

Duke of York is in overall command of the fleet and Group A. Should this vessel be lost, all command decisions will transfer to the Blake. The Normandie has command of the Group B, with the Nice as back-up.

The Canadian forces (Green vessels) will be split from the forward strike elements of Group A after our initial attack, and will then operate under local command of the Quebec.

If things should not go our way, it is expected that the British elements of the fleet shall fight a rearguard action at whatever cost to ensure that the French, Canadian and transport vessels can escape. The escaping fleet elements will be under command of the Marechal Lemire or the Quebec, in that order.

The Transports

It is obviously vital that all these elements reach Crater. The Bayleaf carries fuel for the landers, fighters and other fleet elements that have MHD turbines. The Lancalot has support gear required by the fleet. Between them, the Yukon, Albion and Edgar are transporting approximately five thousand troops. The Juno carries heavy weaponry that will be required on the surface of Crater - even if we land all the troops it is by no means assured that we are guaranteed a victory: the presence of the MBTs will greatly help, however.

Finally, if we should lose some landing capabilities, the empty Juno, along with landers from the naval vessels, could be employed to "get the troops dirtside"...

Remember: save the Yukon, Albion and Edgar above all others if you have to make that unpleasant (and hopefully unnecessary) decision.

System Wide Transmission

Audio transmission via the drone in 1709. Multiple human wavebands, non-encrypted, English language.

"This is Admiral Bell of the Royal Naval vessel HMS 'Duke of York' to all humans on Crater."

"You may be aware that a multinational fleet is currently operating within the Henry's Star system. We can report at this time that the Kafer have lost numerous vessels in a ferocious and ongoing engagement between your star and Crater."

"An intense orbital bombardment on selected military targets will be occurring shortly. I repeat, an intense orbital bombardment will be occurring shortly. Take cover."

"Resistance units are requested not to broadcast supplementary target locations from any transmitters that they may have. These units are also requested to withdraw from areas in or adjacent to Kafer bases on the surface. Five kilometres is a safe distance."

"Other units on Crater are to consider 'Tango-Tango-Five' is underway at phase 3."

"This message will be repeated for the next five minutes."

The Translation

Attention Kafer Fleet

We have intercepted the following transmissions from the Meatbeing group. Best translations follow:

(Audio transmission via Meatbeing drone in 1709. Multiple Meatbeing transmission lengths, not-confused, language Eknnaghlatch.)

------------
"Saying I Admiral Bell of the Imperial vessel Ash'Hem'Esh [?] 'Subcommander of Yarkh [?]' to all meatbeings on Hole-in-the-surface."

"You can be intelligent that a many-tribes group of vessels is electrically [?] running inside the Khan'raighz [?] Star organization. We are replying now that the Vah have misplaced many vessels in an enlightening and running marriage [?] interpolated [?] your star and Hole-in-the-surface."

"Concentrated circular dropping of explosions on chosen Mikh'ilit'trah [?] targets will understand narrowly. I am again, a concentrated circular dropping of explosions will understand narrowly. Seize top."

"Denial units are ordered not to widetransmit extra target locations from some transmitters that they can have. Indicated units are also ordered to flee from places in or attached to Vah places on the surface. Five surface-distance-units is a walled [?] distance."

"Different units on Hole-in-the-surface are to consider Takhun'go [?] Takhun'go [?] Five' is below method at Pfahz [?] 3."

"Indicated message will be again thrown for the adjacent five time intervals."

The Translation of the Translation

Comms Officer Williamson looked up at Admiral Bell.

"Sir, I'm getting some sort of transmission in Kafer. it's being broadcast
throughout the system."

"Really? Run it through the translators, filter level 12."

With odd intonations, pauses and an occasional bizarre stress on individual
words, the following was relayed through the speakers on the bridge of the
Duke of York:

>Listen black-traveller-Vah!
>
>Caught us the light-words of Meat-unit party. These meanings:
>
>Speaking is, Admirable Reverberation of the Imperial hulk (?)
>"Lieutenant of the ocean(?)" to others upon Socket...

"Ha!" laughed Bell, "I've heard enough. Prepare the turret weapons for
firing. That's the only language these bastards know..."

Fleet Elements

Top Secret
Human Side
SCL PBEM
Map Page

The Star Cruiser Lite PBEM Game is run by Bryn Monnery.

The maps are made by KevinC.

These maps stay hidden until the PBEM is over, then they become available to both sides.

Turn Six Map [ NEW]

Turn Five Map

Turn Four Map

Turn Three Map

Turn Two Map

Turn One Map

Last Update: 16 Dec 1998

Top Secret
Kafer Side
SCL PBEM
Map Page

The Star Cruiser Lite PBEM Game is run by Bryn Monnery.

The maps are made by KevinC.

These maps stay hidden until the PBEM is over, then they become available to both sides.

Turn Six Map [ NEW]

Turn Five Map

Turn Four Map

Turn Three Map

Turn Two Map

Turn One Map

Last Update: 16 Dec 1998

Dispatches

To: The First Space Lord, The Admiralty, London, Earth.

Via: Ottawa (ordered to immediately dispatch as a courier vessel for the Human Fleet)

From: Admiral Duke Amaury Bell, CO Duke of York, Henry's Star.

Cc: Open broadcast throughout the system.

Subject: The Third Battle of Henry's Star

My Lord, It gives me the greatest pleasure to inform you that we have accomplished our primary mission objectives.

Within the last few moments, units operating as part of our fleet have recently completed the destruction of all enemy craft operating at Henry's Star. Human ships have regained superiority within this system and can again operate with utter impunity.

Even as the Ottawa leaves Henry's Star with this dispatch, our unscathed transport vessels are closing on Crater at full speed. These will soon be able to disembark their ground forces, safe in the knowledge that they are immune from the risk of any immediate Kafer space-based retaliatory attack.

The Ottawa's battle computers naturally carry full tactical details of our action, but I suspect, my Lord, that you would like a brief personal account of our recent activities...

Following our arrival in-system at the designated rallying point some hours ago, we progressed towards Crater at speed, and subsequently found enemy naval units present in near-Crater orbit in close accordance with our intelligence reports.

These vessels were attacked in a series of separate and hard-fought actions that ultimately led to the complete destruction of the enemy. The Kafers used massed missile salvoes and fighter waves as the primary methods of their attack, and tended to concentrate on the weaker elements of our force: this would appear to be a mirroring (albeit a less able one) of our own tactics.

The Kafers must have known an invasion was likely once we entered the system, but our fleet was able to prevent any successful long range sweeps during the action. It was through skill and, perhaps, not-a-little luck that we were able to keep them bottled up in near-Crater space throughout the ensuing battle.

Our sensor teams and battle analysts have accounted for the destruction of the following enemy vessels:

• Two Alpha class battleships

• One Beta class battlecruiser

• Two Epsilon class cruisers

• Twelve Hotel class fighters

• Eight Foxtrot class fighters

• Two Golf class fighters

In addition to this total, it is strongly suspected that a supplementary pair of fighters carried on board one of the Alphas were destroyed before being able to launch.

I had hoped to be able to recover a major Kafer unit in an near-intact state, but sadly - due to extensive battle damage - this has proved to be an impossible task in the circumstances.

Unfortunately, my Lord, you will be aware that these successes could not come without a price...

Regrettably it is my grievous duty to inform you of the loss of two RSN capital ships, along with a pair of Harrier fighters.

Both HMS Blake and HMS Indefatigable were lost in two overwhelming attacks by Kafer forces during the early and most balanced stages of the battle. The two Harriers launched from the Duke of York were destroyed by intense fire during daring submunition attacks on one of the Alphas. Thankfully, we understand that there are a considerable number of survivors from each of these vessels, and I have just recently issued orders to have them rescued.

In addition to the above losses, HMS Raleigh was badly damaged, and her master reports that she will require extensive space dock repairs before she can fully take part in future engagements with the enemy. I would therefore recommend the release of this vessel and her immediate return to New Rosyth as soon as fresh forces arrive here.

The other vessels of our fleet have a variety of levels of damage, but are all still mission-capable.

I must stress, however, that our position with regard to resources is poor - we have exhausted our Longbow missile warheads, and HMS Duke of York lost both her drones during combat. If I may be so bold to make a suggestion to my Lord, new warheads and drones ought be delivered immediately to cover the possibility of further Kafer forces arriving in-system.

Should any new Kafer forces warp in before they hear of our success, we will have the considerable advantage of complete suprise. It goes without saying that we would very much like to be able to give them the sort of welcome that they wouldn't quickly forget - and for this to occur restocked missiles should be considered a priority. With regards to both the behaviour and the character of those men and women who followed their orders, did their duty, and fought alongside me today, I have nothing but the highest praise.

Of all these people, several names spring instantly to mind. I have, my Lord, the great pleasure and honour of being able to mention a few of them here...

Captain St. Hilaire of the Canadian vessel Montreal, while well within missile range of a nearby Kafer Alpha, vastly more powerful than his own vessel, elected to stay alongside and aid drive repairs to the then-crippled Ottawa, thereby ultimately saving that vessel and her crew. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him for the highest rewards both we and the Canadian Navy can offer to both him and his fine crew. Outstanding bravery is a rare thing indeed: I thank Captain St. Hilaire for giving me the opportunity to witness it here today.

In a separate action, the French vessel Marechal Lemire, while operating with HMS Duke of York and HMS Raleigh near Crater, probably saved a major unit of ours from destruction by almost single-handedly annihilating a massed Kafer missile attack, with fast and accurately placed turret fire, all the while under considerable pressure. This vessel's excellent shooting at a most difficult moment is a fine example for us all to live up to. Both the RSN and the French Navy should be justifiably proud of her CO and crew.

Within the RSN, Captain Hunter of HMS Indefatigable performed his duties extremely well (it was his sensor crew who first alerted us to the locations of the enemy, and thus enabled us to draw up the deployment plans that proved so successful). It was a tragedy when, through sheer bad luck, he was caught in a most impossible position. To lose your vessel must be the worst of feelings: to lose it under sustained and accurate enemy fire does little to mollify them. I do not hesitate in recommending him for promotion.

Finally: Captain Mitchell of HMS Blake, in an action that can only be described as exemplary and in a class of its own, single-handedly attacked a Beta Class battlecruiser with missile and turret fire. At one stage he considered a boarding action on this vessel, while his own ship traded blow-for-blow at zero range. It is my absolute opinion that his prompt, desperate, but stunningly brave and outstanding performance almost certainly saved our transports from detection by the roving Beta and therefore from attack during the early stages of the battle, and certainly brought under our control a large volume of space near Henry's Star - space which, once held, was ultimately crucial towards our victory.

I recommend him and his surviving crew members for the highest reward that you may feel fit to propose. The name "HMS Blake" is one that I think the RSN will do well to remember... Finally, my Lord - and with the greatest of respect - I have issued orders to collect an amount of scrap composite from the armoured hull of one of the destroyed Alphas. Should my honourable Lords feel it is right to issue a battle medal to commemorate this action, it is my considered opinion that they should be laser-cut (at my own expense) from the very wreckage of our vanquished foes and be distributed to the men and women that it has been my delight to serve with.

I remain, my Lord, your most humble and obedient servant,

Admiral Duke Amaury Bell

23rd November, 2302