Captain Kwok's Space Empires Depot
Captain Kwok's Balance Mod Game Stories

Space Empires VBalance Mod Game Story - Rise of the Xiati Empire

Rise of the Xiati Empire Main | Previous Chapter 2437.1-2438.0 | Next Chapter 2439.1-2440.0


Turns 2438.1 to 2439.0

Closing the Gap

Over the last 4 years, the Xiati Empire has made a concentrated effort to split the quadrant in half, cutting off routes for enemy ships to move across the quadrant. One of the more effective tactics has been to isolate enemy held systems so that whatever ships they produce are trapped while simulataneously preventing rival fleets from entering those systems. Over time, Xiati forces can accumulate in the target system and slowly wear down each planet's defenses until they can be captured with minimal losses. Recent examples of this technique have proven effective in Deneb and Rizzil, which should be full Xiati control within the year. The Xiati's next systems to target are Cydonia and Corneria/Arrakkis.

The Ukra-Tal

The Ukra-Tal have emerged as the Xiati's primary rival for domination of the quadrant. They have colonies in 39 systems across the quadrant and their extensive diplomatic links with all the other races has given them an overall economy and technological development that far exceeds the Xiati Empire. Although the Xiati have enjoyed a significant advantage in combat, the Ukra-Tal are capable of continuously throwing ships at the Xiati from all regions and replacing losses within a month. Fortunately the diffuse nature of the Ukra-Tal Collective has sapped their ability to accumulate enough ships in any given location to strike a serious blow to the Xiati. The year of 2438 was especially active as the Xiati destroyed over 150 Ukra-Tal ships and have averaged at least 100 ships destroyed per year over the last 5.

One of the Ukra-Tal's pockets of strength is in the southeast region amongst the remaining cores of the EEE and Cue Cappa empires. They have periodically raided the Lezzari, Fezzran and Sirius warp points, occassionally breaking through the more lightly defended Lezzari-Cunaxa and Fezzran-Falcor transits before being repelled. In 2438.1, they attempted to breakthrough the Sirius-Andross WP with no success.

Ukra-Tal assault on the Sirius-Andross WP in 2438.1:

Ukra-Tal assault on the Sirius-Andross WP in 2438.1

In the west, the Ukra-Tal have started mounting regular attacks on the Fornax-Firaxis WP, which had remained relatively inactive for the last few years. Consecutive attacks in 2438.3 and 2438.5 by large Ukra-Tal fleets did damage but perhaps if they had attacked in a single strike they could have overwhelmed the Xiati defenses.

Ukra-Tal Fleet attacks the Fornax-Firaxis WP in 2438.3:

Ukra-Tal Fleet attacks the Fornax-Firaxis WP in 2438.3

In a revenge strike against a Ukra-Tal colony in Cydonia, the Xiati disarmed and conquered Cydonia I in 2438.5. The planet will now serve as the base of operations for the newly formed Cydonia Attack Fleet which will control both the Cydonia and lucrative asteroid fields of the Arrakkis systems directly south. The Xiati used a large number of captured Cue Cappa troop vehicles in the attack.

Xiati forces take Cydonia from the Ukra-Tal in 2438.5:

Xiati forces take Cydonia from the Ukra-Tal in 2438.5

The Ukra-Tal did not react well to the loss of Cydonia I and a few months later in 2438.9, a large Ukra-Tal fleet (22xDEs,5xCRs,1xLCX,3xDNs,3xMFs,3xLFs,29xLFtr) was intercepted and destroyed by the Xiati attempting to re-take the planet.

Xiati Cydonia Fleet takes out Ukra-Tal counter-attack in 2438.9:

Xiati Cydonia Fleet takes out Ukra-Tal counter-attack in 2438.9

One of the Ukra-Tal's allies, the EEE, sent an even larger fleet (14xDEs,2xLCs,9xCRs,3xBBs,3xDNs,2xMFs,2xLFs) into Cydonia and towards the Lylat system which the Xiati had to cautiously engage on the Lylat side of the Lylat-Cydonia WP. The Xiati fleet with the aid of a Defender starbase and a concentration of defensive satellites, the EEE were stopped but the starbase and most of the satellites lost. No Xiati ships were destroyed though.

EEE allies attempt to breakthrough into the Lylat system from Cydonia in 2439.0:

EEE allies attempt to breakthrough into the Lylat system from Cydonia in 2439.0

In late 2439.0, the Ukra-Tal made one final attack from the north against the Sirius-Corneria WP. The attack was repelled and was the push that Emperor Tax'Renath needed to push his fleet into the Corneria system to proactively deal with threats from the system. The Ukra-Tal colony on Corneria VIII looks vulnerable.

Bebblebrox

For a long time, the Bebblebrox system was monitored passively by the Xiati and enemy ships allowed to move freely from the northern-most systems to the Corneria and Gemma systems and into Rizzil and Deneb. There were few battles. With recent Xiati moves to cut some of those systems off and prevent ships from moving south, the Bebblebrox-Quesstris WP became more attractive for enemy empires to breakthrough and a rash of attacks started in 2437. In 2438.6, the Jraenar had a sizable fleet (9xDEs,2xLCs,8xCRs,2xBBs,1xCX,7xDNs,50xLFtr,1xMF,1xLF) moving to engage. To improve the Xiati's chances, the Bebblebrox Fleet (39xMSat,1xSS,1xSB,7xDEs,21xLCs,10xCRs,11xBBs,3xDNs) retreated to the Quesstris side of the WP. The battle was intense and the Xiati losses (-3xDEs,-8xLCs,-1xCR,-3xBBs,-23xMSat) significant but the Jraenar ultimately destroyed.

Jraenar mass attack at the Quesstris-Bebblebrox WP in 2438.6:

Jraenar mass attack at the Quesstris-Bebblebrox WP in 2438.6

Rizzil Secured?

With consecutive landings in 2439.0, the planets of Rizzil VIa (Cue Cappa) and Rizzil VII (Cue Cappa) were on the verge of Xiati control, which would also mean full control the Rizzil system in just over 2.5 years. In the adjacent Deneb system, two enemy colonies remain Deneb VII (Phong) and Deneb VIa (EEE).

Quadrant Map 2439.0:

Map of Known Space 2439.0

Contact Captain Kwok
Website © 2024 Luke Hazlett | Celebrating more than 20 years of Space Empires!