The Bombardment of Hunjiang
By Bryn Monnery
Background
In 2282, as tensions mounted between France and Manchuria it was decided that actions must be taken to protect trade on the Chinese Arm of space. One of the chokepoints was the planet of Hunjiang. Since the Manchurian outpost orbited the only planet (and hence discharge point) in the system, no civilian craft would pass through it without coming under the guns of the outpost. Realising this, the Manchurians have built a strong system of forts in orbit of the planet, and have armed the two stations which constitute the outpost, Yuangquan (an orbital terminal) and Huan Xian (a research station). In times of war these were to be further reinforced by fleet elements and nuclear minefields.
Mere days before declaration of war, the French High Command sent a signal to Vice-Amiral Jean-Paul Colbert, Commander, 5th Fleet at D’Artagnon to proceed to Hunjiang and neutralise all weapons systems there by any means. Two weeks after departing the fleet entered Hunjiang space and signalled the outpost to surrender and stand down, they refused and the French ships closed on the enemy…
The French 5th Fleet
The Fleet consists of the following vessels:
The Suffren (CG +3) is a new vessel, only in commission for a year, and is under the command of Capitaine de vaisseau Rochemont, an excellent officer with a strong tactical flair. Vice-Amiral Colbert flies his flag in this ship.
The Picardie (CG +2) is an older cruiser, but still combat worthy. She is under the command of Capitaine de vaisseau Du Boise, a less competent officer in the field but an excellent logistician, who needs a field command for his first star, so he can move over to fleet logistics commander.
Fontenoy (CG +3) and Wagram (CG +2) are fairly modern vessels and constitute DC-3 under Capitaine de frégate Marie St. Eglise and Capitaine de frégate Claude Campbell.
Magenta (CG +1) was not built for the MSF, but rather the Russo-Ukrainians, and was taken over when 90% complete along with one of her sisters, Solferino. Both were returned to the Russians after the war and commissioned as Kiev and Sevastapol. She is under the command of Capitaine de frégate Dareau, a recently promoted 2nd in command who has never commanded a vessel before.
Rubis (CG +2) and Perle (CG +2) are older frigates, and were due for retirement before this conflict broke out, replaced with Aconit class vessels. They are under the command of Capitaine de Corvette Jocelyn Landis and Capitaine de Corvette Paul Tyce.
The last fighting ship is the Pluie (CG +2), a new Orage class frigate commanded by Capitaine de Corvette Nicolas Peppin, a high flier who is destined for great things in the MSF, should he survive long enough.
In addition, the 2 Cruisers carry an escadron of fighters between them, and the despatch ship Marathon (who brought the orders) is also present.
|
Ship |
Suffren |
Picardie |
Fontenoy and Wagram |
Magenta |
Rubis and Perle |
Pluie |
Mirage |
|
Type |
CGN |
CGN |
DDN |
DDN |
FFN |
FFN |
Ftr |
|
Power |
300MW Fusion |
150 MW Fusion |
50 MW Fusion |
50 MW Fusion |
15 MW Nuclear |
15MW Nuclear |
2 MW MHD |
|
Fuel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 hours |
|
Mass (approx) |
22,000 |
12,500 |
4,200 |
5,200 |
2,650 |
2,300 |
100 |
|
Warp |
3.34 |
3.21 |
2.91 |
2.27 |
2.50 |
2.08 |
3.46 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Move |
7 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
|
Rad Sig |
4(7) |
5(7) |
4(6) |
5(6) |
3(5) |
3(5) |
0(2) |
|
Screens |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Lat Ref |
11 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
|
Rad Ref |
4 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
|
TC Bon |
+2 |
+2 |
+2 |
0 |
+1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Rad Prof |
+3 |
+2 |
+1 |
+1 |
-1 |
-2 |
-3 |
|
Lat Prof |
-2 |
0 |
-1 |
0 |
-1 |
+1 |
-2 |
|
Armour |
5 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
Hull Hts |
96 |
72 |
48 |
48 |
24 |
27 |
2 |
|
PP Hts |
200 |
100 |
60 |
60 |
20 |
20 |
6 |
|
Active |
13 |
13 |
10 |
10 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
|
Passive |
10 |
10 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
|
Weapons |
18 x1dbl |
12 x1dbl |
5 x1+1 |
5 x2+1 |
2 x1dbl |
2 x1+1 |
x1+1 |
|
Missiles |
16 Ritage (3) |
16 Ritage (3) |
8 Ritage (3) |
8 Ritage (3) |
4 Ritage (2) |
None |
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DC |
21 |
11 |
5 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Points |
10 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
The Manchurian Defences
There are nine stations in orbit of Hunjiang. Two of these are the outpost and 7 are small orbital forts. The details necessary are much less than the French ships, and are included in the descriptions.
Yuangquan station: This is an orbital docking/ refuelling terminal and is mostly docking bay and fuel processors, with some accommodations. It is not armoured and has 48 hull hits and 26 power plant hits (20MW nuclear, rad sig = 5). The solar vains are folded and can be ignored. Reflected signature is 14 and profile is + 3, sensors are active-15, passive-10. She is armed with a x4-3 PBWS, 4 x3-2 PBWS, 1 x2+1 laser and a x3 railgun.
Huan Xian research base is a small facility powered mainly by solar, but with a small (7MW) MHD plant which powers the defence systems in emergencies. She is unarmoured and has only 3 hull hits and 20 power plant hits (sig = 4). Reflected sig is 5 and profile is –2. Sensors are active-5, passive-1. Armament is 2 x2+1 lasers and 2 x1+1 lasers.
Forts 1, 6 and 7 are similar, being powered by 20MW nuclear plants (sig = 5) and just being cylinders with guns on. All are equipped with active-10, passive-5 sensors and +1 target computers. Reflected sig is 7 and profile is 0. Armament for fort 1 is 3 x3-2 PBWS, 2 x2+1 lasers, 2 x1+1 lasers and 3 x3 railguns. Forts 6 and 7 have 1 x4-3 PBWS, 3 x3-2 PBWS, 2 x2+1 PBWS and 3 x3 railguns.
Forts 2 and 5 are similar, being powered by 25MW nuclear plants (sig = 5) and are equipped with active-5, passive-5 and target computer +1. Reflected sig is 9 and profile is +1. Armaments are for fort 2: 1 x4-3, 1 x3-2 and 3 x2+1, 5 x3 railguns, while fort 5 has 1 x4-3, 3 x3-2, 5 x3 railguns and 1 x6 railgun.
Fort 3 is equipped only with railguns and is powered by a 4MW MHD plant (sig = 4). It is equipped with active-5, passive-3, has a reflected sig of 4, a profile of –2 and is armed with 3 x3 railguns.
Fort 4 is the same pattern as fort 3, but armed with 2 x1+1 lasers and 1 x3 railgun instead.
All Forts are CQ = +1, the Terminal and Research Base are CQ = 0.
Stationary Targets
If a target is not warping (such as a station), the shooter receives a +2 bonus to hit.
These can only be fired at vessels which are in the same hex as the firer, and are not warping (such as vessels within the stutterwarp cutoff). They all have –4 to hit, modified by the +2 stationary target bonus.
This does exaggerate the range of these weapons quite a lot, but makes for an interesting game.
The planet Hunjiang should be in the centre of one map, the French enter on the far side of the other map.
Hunjiang is a gas giant, 3 hexes across, and none of these hexes may be fired through, sensed through or entered. The Cutoff zone is another 4 hexes beyond this. The stationary orbital paths are in the outer “ring” of the cutoff zone, and all stations are here, placed where-ever the Manchu player wants, except no two stations may occupy the same hex.
The French win by silencing all the enemy guns by any means, and not losing more than 10 points of ships. If the guns are silenced but more than 10 points are lost, it is a draw. If the Manchus destroy 15 points of ships, the French withdraw and the Manchus win.