Balance Mod Game Story - Rise of the Xiati Empire

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Rise of the Xiati Empire Main | Previous Chapter 2404.1-2405.0 | Next Chapter 2407.1-2408.0

Turns 2406.1 to 2407.0

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The raid to save an Empire...

In 2406.5, Charger 0003 and Charger 0004 were ordered to transit the Obotron-Fwandrei warp point. It was assumed that one of the EEE's fleets that had threatened Obotron earlier would be present. As they emerged from the warp point, the two Chargers were indeed met with an EEE fleet (FG,3xDEs,1xLC) but were able to run the blockade with their speed advantage and escape to the adjacent sector.

In 2406.6, the two Chargers spotted a pair of EEE colonizers in orbit of the EEE colony on Fwandrei IIIa. Although the colony ship designs were unknown, the two Chargers attacked the colony sustaining minor damage from a small minefield. Combat scans indicated one colonizer had a rock module and the other a precious gas giant module. To make it complicated though, the Gas colonizer also had shields and two shield regenerators! Exploiting the aggressiveness of the EEE captains, the two Chargers waited away from the WPs of Fwandrei IIIa and lured the colony ships out. A precision attack disabled the Rock colonizer, allowing the Chargers to use their TDBs against the shields of the Gas colonizer. Once the shields were taken out, boarding parties were launched and the Gas colonizer captured.

Target Captured!

After the ship was captured, there was still the problem of getting it to Obotron I so it could be analyzed. After all, Fwandrei was the home system of the EEE empire and multiple EEE combat ships were present in the system and a fleet was stationed at the warp point. The two Chargers and the captured ship moved in 2406.7 to a nearby storm sector to hang out. Next month, the EEE fleet had moved off the warp point and were heading towards the storm sector. With no ships on the WP, the two Chargers and their bounty warped through and back to the Obotron system. On the other side, the Obotron Defense Fleet was there to provide protection until the captured colonizer could be moved safely.

Finally in 2406.8, the captured ship arrived at Obotron I where it was analyzed by top Xiati engineers and scientists. Not only did the Xiati recover Gas Giant colonization technology, they gained key improvements in shields as well.

Technological Loot

World War EEE

In late 2406.0, an EEE fleet (FG,DE,2xLCs,3xMFs) attacked through the Obotron-Fwandrei warp point. 4 Xiati ships were present: Raptors 0001/0006/0008 and Phantom 0001. Unfortunately most of the Xiati firepower hit the EEE support ships first and the EEE combat ships tore through the Xiati ships. All hands were lost.

By 2406.1, two EEE fleets (the attacking fleet plus another) had broken into the Obotron system. Obotron I was heavily defended and escaped a direct assault.

Obotron Crisis of 2406.1

Fortunately one of the EEE fleets moved back to Fwandrei, but the second fleet seemed to head towards the Reticulum system before sensor contact was lost. The loss of 4 ships was fairly significant and the Xiati were stretched thin. Emperor Tax'renath's popularity was dropping quickly.

In 2406.7, one of the EEE fleets re-appeared and attacked Reticulum IV. The planet had 4 Blaster WPs and a fleet of 3 Xiati DEs. Remaining close to the colony, the Xiati DEs combined their firepower and PD coverage with Reticulum IV and the EEE ships, despite their advanced designs, were easily destroyed. Revenge was had for the loss of 4 DEs at the Obotron WP. Luckily too, as one of EEE support freighters was carrying a full load of EEE troops ready to invade.

In 2406.8, the second battle of Obotron-Fwandrei WP started. The Obotron Defense Force (5 DEs: 4 Phantoms, 1 Raptor) had recently been assembled and were holding the warp point. The EEE fleet contained a FG, DE, 2xLCs and a MF. The battle was intense, but the Xiati force managed to destroy the ships with a ranged attack. Phantom 0008 and Raptor 0008 were lost.

After a difficult start to the EEE war, a couple of victories and the capture of an EEE colony ship had raised Xiati spirits and strengthened Emperor Tax'renath's grasp on power.

Battle of Obotron-Fwandrei WP II

Cue Cappa Repelled

As the war with the EEE went hot, the Cue Cappa were looking to strike the Xiati again in the Lezzari system. Forager 0009, on a dangerous mission to scout Cue Cappa space, had spotted a Cue Cappa fleet (2xDEs,2xLCs) heading towards the Lezzari system from Fezzran. The Cue Cappa fleet after a brief skirmish with Charger 0002 at the Lezzari-Fezzran WP and by this point the fleet had added 4 MFs. In 2406.7, they attacked Lezzari I, which was defended by 4 Blaster WPs and 6 DEs (4 Phantoms, 1 Raptor, 1 Charger) plus a squadron of Stinger fighters. The Cue Cappa fleet was easily destroyed and the Stinger fighters were effective in tracking down the fleeing Cue Cappa support ships - including one full of invasion troops. Charger 0002 was able to capture one of the freighters, which was good for some extra resources.

The first combat action for Stinger fighters on Lezzari I

Immediately after in 2406.8, a second Cue Cappa fleet struck Lezzari I from the Cunaxa system (2xFGs,2xDEs,4xLCs). Again, the Xiati defense forces stayed close to the planet and were able to destroy the invaders with only minor damage.

Another failed Cue Cappa Assualt on Lezzari I

In 2407.0, yet another Cue Cappa fleet (8 ships) had entered the Lezzari system from the undefended Cunaxa WP. The Battle of Lezzari I part 4 is on the horizon?

Forager 0009 has managed to survive so far in Cue Cappa space and has even managed to pick off a few Cue Cappan colony ships in the process. Also, it located the Cue Cappa HW in the Falcor system.

Northern expansion...?

With the turn around in the EEE and Cue Cappa conflicts and more importantly the acquisition of gas giant colonization technology, Emperor Tax'renath is pushing for a rapid push into the northern systems where several lush oxygen gas giants can be colonized. Palantir class satellite layers have placed many observational satellites in the target systems and so far alien activity is light. With the first Gas Colonizer off the Xiati Prime space yards in 2407.0, it's full steam ahead.

Southern Strategy...

In the southern systems, the Xiati have been pushing Forager class scouts into alien territory to gather active sensor information on EEE colonies and ship movements. So far, only one ship has been lost on this dangerous mission (to a minefield).

Xiati Prime needs Moms

The Xiati population is growing very slowly. Xiati scientists are looking for ways to get the Xiati to reproduce faster... but not much luck so far. Will research into Medical Technology help solve the problem?

Quadrant Map 2407.0: