30.10.10

DDS break through to Delta 9

Red Vulture has succeeded at the second attempt, more or less. Following another battle near Delta 9 the DDS managed to break through ABBO lines and were able to get the amphibious warfare squadron into orbit over the planet where 4 brigades of troops were landed along with a large quantity of equipment and ammunition and several hundred wounded troops were evacuated. The ABBOs counterattacked forcing the DDS to abandon part of the operation though the ground troops on the planet have been greatly reinforced.

The success was not without cost, the DDS lost 4 warships in the battle. The Panther 35A D104 Leopard, the Isometric 41A F111 Pleistocene, the Freedom 41B F172 Fearless and the Rome 46A K118 Constantine. The landing ship L112 Gondwana was also destroyed by the ABBO counterattack though the rest of the amphibious fleet managed to get away unscathed. 36 Ferret UCVs were also lost. The ABBOs lost 62 warships.

The DDS are confident now the Delta 9 forces can hold out into next year now which buys the DDS time as to their next move.

29.10.10

DDS attack ABBOs at Delta 9 again

The DDS fleet has engaged with the ABBOs at Delta 9 again according to unconfirmed reports. A few days ago the DDS was unsuccessful in breaking through the ABBO lines and were not able to land the much needed fresh troops and supplies on the planet. The DDS have again put a media blackout on the attack though have said they will give a full report "after the battle".

The DDS amphibious warfare fleet is again understood to be ready to land troops on Delta 9 though will not be risked unless the DDS can secure control of the planet's system.

28.10.10

Things I'd Like To Do
Origano must enter the SS... or will the SS enter him?

27.10.10

Raegris preparing for DDS defeat?

There are signs that the Raegris may be fearing a DDS defeat to the ABBOs. If the DDS were defeated by the ABBOs then the Raegris could be vulnerable to a Bolitic, Utrek or even an ABBO attack at some stage. Secret plans uncovered by a Raegris newspaper indicate that production of the DF-1 and PC-1 warships could be greatly increased if the Raegris did end up on their own.

A Raegris delegation is also to visit the Dinos next month. It is possible the Raegris would align themselves to the Dinos should the DDS fall. The Raegris probably calculate they would have a couple of years grace before they entered the firing line so they would have some time to build up their forces.

DDS will try again soon - Windscorpion

Despite the failure of Red Vulture to relieve Delta 9 Windscorpion has said that the DDS will try again very soon and will get through to the increasingly beleaguered troops on the planet. DDS sources indicate the ground forces on the planet may not last much longer without a major injection of fresh manpower and equipment.

According to respected bloggers the troops embarked on the DDS amphibious squadron have been kept at 24 hour readiness which indicates another attempt may be made within the next few days. Analysts say the DDS were too cautious in their operation which led to them not breaking through the ABBO lines.

DDS fail to breakthrough at Delta 9

Operation Red Vulture has been declared a failure after the DDS fleet failed to breakthrough ABBO lines and land fresh troops and supplies on Delta 9. Some supplies were landed on the planet though thanks to a brave infiltration by Falcon 47A ships though one ship was lost when it crashed on the planet (thought to be due to ground fire).

In the battle that raged near Delta 9 the DDS lost the Solaris 37C destroyer D162 Epsilon Eridani and the Terran Sea frigate F131 Caspian Sea. The Falcon that was lost was P138 Barn Owl. During the battle an ABBO raiding party also managed to get behind DDS lines and destroyed the Extender 73A oiler A143 Liftmaster. 23 Ferrets were also destroyed in the battle. At least 67 ABBO ships were destroyed in the battle.

Some special forces and ammunition was supplied to DDS forces on the planet but the amount landed was fairly puny compared to what is needed. The DDS amphibious fleet has returned to Liberation unused.

26.10.10

Operation Red Vulture

The DDS have begun a major amphibious and combat operation to try and regain the initiative on Delta 9. A large part of the amphibious fleet supported by much of DDS South is trying to break through ABBO lines and then land 3 brigades of troops on the planet to relieve the increasingly beleaguered DDS troops on the planet who have been fighting against ABBO ground forces.

The DDS are keeping all details of the operation, known as Red Vulture, a secret. Some DDS bloggers are reporting the DDS fleet has met an ABBO fleet in combat near Delta 9 and there have been casualties.

Three more CSS agents arrested, 2 killed

Three more CSS agents have been arrested as the DDS try to capture the spies uncovered in the Clone plot to steal TPM technology. Two DDS officers serving aboard a DDS warship (unnamed but thought to be a Terran Sea frigate) were arrested earlier today. It has been reported (though not confirmed) that they were planning to sabotage a TPM so that it flew away into deep space for later pick up by a HCS ship. A third agent was arrested on Liberation, thought to be a communications liaison with the CSS HQ.

Two agents were also killed in a shoot out on Proxima 7. They were serving DDS officers at GHQ. No other details have yet been released by the DDS. The Clones have denied they have any agents in the DDS.

25.10.10

Reshuffle of DDS fleet commands

The Orchid has instigated a new "joint-command" of the 2 DDS fleets which are in combat with the ABBOs as part of a reshuffle of command. DDS Centre is now being commanded by The Orchid and Windscorpion and DDS South by Knobhead and Sea Urchin. The "joint-command" model The Orchid says will allow for a seamless changeover of control should one commander be killed or incapacitated.

Under the model the 2 commands take charge on alternate days though remain in the full loop to take over at any time. Von Kane has been put in sole command of DDS North which is no longer considered in the firing line.

DDS infiltrated by HCS agents

Three DDS officers have been arrested at DDS Engineering HQ at Solaris and accused of spying for the Clones. It is thought the three were long-term sleeper agents for the Clone Secret Service and had been recently activated in an effort to steal DDS technical information. The 2 humans and 1 Aritan were discovered when they tried to break into DDS Engineering's secure datalog trying to access maintenance manuals for the TPM-2.

A 4th CSS agent, a civilian working at DDS Communications on Proxima 5, was later arrested. It is not thought the agents were able to access any sensitive information before their discovery. The DDS keep details of their key weapon system at the highest possible security though it is feared that the weapon in allied hands could be a weak point though information like the agents tried to steal is kept only by DDS Engineering.

24.10.10

Bum Rap
SFX launches an attack.

New MRM factory opens

A vital new factory producing MRMs has opened at a secret location (rumoured to be on Liberation) but this is unconfirmed. The MRM has really come into its own in the current conflict giving the DDS a much needed stand-off strike capability however heavy usage has dwindled stockpiles as the existing production capacity could not keep up with demand.

A factory is also expected to begin production on Starbot before the end of the year. Two further TPM factories are also in final build. One remaining bottleneck for the DDS though is nuclear weapons, their warhead stockpile is also being whittled down rapidly. The DDS are trying to source warheads from both the Dinos and Clones.

22.10.10

Explosions on Malau

The DDS are reporting explosions on Malau that may be due to Prowler special forces attacking and destroying an ABBO factory being built on the planet. The DDS have been suspecting the ABBOs have been trying to build factories on the planet to support their war effort and recent reconnaissance has indicated an ABBO soldier factory close to completion on the planet.

A number of Prowler units are said to be now operating on the planet. DDS sources indicate they were behind the attack on the factory.

Independence 35B will have "swivel missile pods"

To concentrate on war production of proven designs the next destroyer of the DDS the Independence 35B was delayed until 2112. This has allowed for extra work to be done on the design. One new addition will be "swivelling" missile pods which can turn through 360 degrees. This allows for the ship to release a broadside of TPMs in any direction. One DDS Research source said "You won't be chasing this ship... twice anyway".

The power grid is also being redesigned to make the best use of the worm drive that will be fitted to the ship as standard, it will be the first new class of ship in the DDS with the new drive which should enter production next year.

Lakes calls for closer co-operation between Dinos and Clones

The new HCS Liaison Officer for the Dinos Senator Lakes has made a speech to a meeting of Dino and HCS officers on Cloneworld where he said the two empires should work even closer together. "We already co-operate on weapon development but there is much more to be done." he said, "We should work together on information sharing and security co-operation to better defend our respective interests in the uncertain environment to come."

Informal discussions with Dino and HCS officials to the media indicate that both sides are unsure that the DDS can survive the ABBO war but even if they do they will be badly weakened for a decade at least. Analysts think the Dinos are seeking closer links with the HCS in case the DDS falls but also as a counter to DDS power.

21.10.10

MBH visits Voth

MBH has moved on from Sirikwan and paid a surprise visit to the Free Voth Republic. The former minority race of the Vosun-Voth Star Empire has been part of the DDS' plans for expansion in the area though the war against the ABBOs has meant planned investment in the Voth armed forces and infrastructure has been delayed.

Thus it could be the Dinos are trying to move in and fill the void. MBH held talks with the Voth government about a Dino refuelling depot in orbit around Voth and a listening station on Apassara near the Bolitic border. MBH also indicated there may be some military aid the Dinos could donate to the Voth to help them out.

DDS destroy ABBO base

The DDS have attacked an ABBO base in the Rim Worlds using MRMs and their strategic assets. Three Pulsar bombers made the attack on the ABBO communications relay and intelligence gathering station which had been discovered by the Aritans a few weeks ago. The base was hidden in an asteroid field which precluded an attack by conventional means.

However the smaller MRMs were able to penetrate the field and strike the base which was destroyed (in fact the asteroid was totally destroyed) by 4 nuclear strikes.

Remnants of Zone pirate nation flee to HCS

Three Zone pirate ships have arrived at Colom in the Clone Star Empire laden with Zone civilians, said to be the last remnants of the Zone pirate nation which the Dinos have almost totally wiped out in recent operations. The three battered ships were carrying some 4,202 survivors which is said to be the sole survivors from a nation that up until a few weeks ago numbered nearly 200,000.

The shell-shocked survivors have asked for political asylum in the CSE and join the other Zones now trying to integrate with the empire. As yet the Clones have not said if they will accept the Zones but it is likely given the small number.

20.10.10

HCS to build large new base on Lornaca Melnig

Lornaca Melnig, a recent addition to the empire, has until now been a fairly unimportant part of the Clone Star Empire, notable mostly for being where Captain Clone was killed. The HCS have announced there will be a major new military base built on the planet to house up to 6 brigades of troops. Extensive maintenance and storage facilities will also be built. The orbital space dock will also be replaced with a much larger facility that can serve up to 30 ships at any one time.

Lornaca Melnig is in a very strategic position near the Rim Worlds and it is thought the HCS want this as a base of operations for their strategic efforts in the region. There are also reports that HCS surveyors have been looking for possible sites for CSM silos though the HCS have denied they are planning to site any missiles on the planet.

Bolitic preparing to resume war?

There are worrying signs that the Bolitic may be preparing to resume the war against the Dinos. There are now 37 ships at the holding area near Remnatar including both of the remaining Reptoli Tuuls and much of the remaining front-line assets of the Bolitic fleet. Two new build Snarls are said to be also on the way.

At the peace talks on Yeng progress has suddenly stopped when Lord Melson was said to have picked up an "illness" and talks have now been delayed until next week. Consul Jimmy is returning to Dino-Land, officially he is returning to brief the Senate but rumours abound that the Dinos are convinced there is to be a Bolitic attack and Jimmy wants to take direct control of the Dino Army.

19.10.10

UV159 : Dark Dino

  • The Battle Of Liberation - The DDS and ABBOs meet in battle...
  • Purity - Ronald steps into a darker place...
  • Clarity - The hunt for the Zone pirate homeworld begins...
  • Despair - The DDS and ABBO meet in battle again...
  • Excellence - The Dinos get their revenge on the Zones...
  • Hope - SFX enters the cauldron of combat...

18.10.10

DDS close to ditching Aritans for Porquatians?

There have been reports in UNP media that the DDS are seriously considering making the Porquatians allies, such a move would almost certainly cause the Aritans to leave the DDS. The DDS are denying these reports of course but insiders confirm that the DDS are weighing up the advantages of adding the powerful Porquatian fleet to their available forces against losing the current bulk of the New DDS Army. With the Aritan brigades the DDS Army is rather weak.

However the space war is at the moment the most important. The DDS are gambling that by the time they might need a proper army their human and Remedian (and maybe Porquatian) units will be ready. There is also a body of opinion that the Aritans may not leave after all. "What are they going to do? Rely on their fleet of relics to defend against the next ABBO fleet to come their way?" an unnamed source said.

One complication is Aritan possession (and indeed industrial capacity to build) TPMs and other advanced DDS technologies. If the Porquatians cannot be given access to these technologies without becoming a Tier 1 ally then the question remains what if a state no longer is an ally. One report in the media states that several Prowler units have been recalled to New Jakarta (which is the nearest part of the DDS to New Arit) for "training" but their real reason is to be ready to remove sensitive technologies from Arit such the state leave the DDS. It could all get very messy.

Dinos seek closer relations with Sirikwan

MBH has paid an unexpected visit to Sirikwan where he has called on the Sirikwanese to "get closer to their Saurian cousins". Sirikwan is a DDS ally though they have shown a liking for cultivating a number of friendships. As well as DDS ships the Sirikwanese have some Dinomark XTs on order too.

MBH indeed said that the first 2 XTs would be delivered in a couple of weeks and also offered some sensor upgrades for the Sirikwanese backbone fleet of Helwin cruisers for free. The Dinos already have an agreement to refuel ships at Sirikwan and have a modest operating base on the planet but MBH is likely to press the Sirikwanese to allow the Dinos to have a full military base on the planet.

HCS show off Soulaki SLBK

The HCS have shown off the first of 5 Soulaki SLBK battlecruisers, the most advanced warships yet built by the Clones they claim. The SLBK is a further evolution of the SLB itself an improvement on the original Soulaki as with the previous generation has modest improvements in a number of areas though no massive changes.

Top speed has been raised to 730c which is said to be the maximum possible with the engines fitted to the Soulaki, a new engine is said to be being developed for a future upgrade of the Soulaki fleet. The SLBK also has improved firepower and sensors. It is thought to also have an early version of an attack system like the DDS SAS to aid ground attack operations and also has datalink support for the Nybble NL drone.

17.10.10

Dinos warn Bolitic to not stall for time

The Dinos have delivered a stern message to the Bolitic Confederacy telling them to not drag out peace talks in order to re-arm in order to continue the war at a later stage. "We know their production lines are working flat out." Consul Jimmy told reporters at a break in the negotiations on Yeng, he continued "But so are we. The Bolitic surely do not think we are so stupid as to not know what is going on behind their lines."

For their part the Bolitic are denying they secretly wish to continue the war, "The war is over. We crushed the Dinos and now wish to move onto things more interesting." a spokesman for Emperor Borca said.

16.10.10

Dinos will not help DDS "this year"

The DDS made a request to the Dinos for some ships to join their fleet to bolster their forces against the ABBOs. Previously the Dinos have said they would help the DDS once the Bolitic threat had ceased but have now said any help will not come this year.

The poor state of the Dino fleet, where much of the front-line fleet has been destroyed, plus a remaining Bolitic threat have been cited as reasons for not helping but it is thought also that Ronald and MBH no longer wish to help the DDS.

The Raegris are going to help the DDS however, 3 ships are en route to join the DDS fleet at Liberation (thought to be 2 DF-1 and an RC-2). The Aritans have also sent an Extender oiler.

Dinos "complete cleansing of Zones"

The Dinos have made a second attack on a planet in the Rim Worlds, Efaseu 32B, which was the site of a Zone pirate base. The base and several habitation rings on the (atmosphere-less) planet were destroyed in an attack by the SS forces under the command of Ronald. 7 Zone ships were also destroyed along with an orbital maintenance platform. Two Dinomark XTs are reported to have been destroyed.

The Dino fleet is now returning to Dino-Land. The vast majority of the Zone pirate fleet has been destroyed and their population butchered by the SS. DDS and Aritan analysts reckon over 95% of the population of the Zone pirate nation has been killed by the Dinos in these reprisal operations for the Zone attack on Dino-Land.

SS-Legate Solax has said that the "complete cleansing of Zones has been completed".

Fleet News (16/10/10)

The depleted DDS fleet has had a timely boost with 3 new warships added. D115 Margay is the latest Panther 35A destroyer, though will be operated by Starbot, and there are also 2 Freedom 41B frigates F174 Foresight and F175 Firebrand. DDS production rates are just starting to reach maximum just in time.

L152 Asia II is the second Oceania 63A amphibious assault ship and has also been added to the fleet. Around 45 Ferret-G UCVs have also been delivered from Starbot.

Gibson to be SS Commander again, Lakes to new HCS appointment

MBH has announced that there is to be a new appointment as HCS Liaison Officer which will have senator rank. He said the new position had been agreed with Ronald and the two Consuls and would be a high-level liaison with the Clone Star Empire as the Dinos already have with the DDS. Lakes is to be the first HCS Liaison Officer because of his earlier working relationship with Oojok and Sleeze (he used to clean out the toilets at their old criminal hideout). Lakes will retain command of the 1st SS Legion and overall command of the Black Dragon Martyrs Brigade.

Gibson will take over as the SS Commander, a post he has held before and recently he has been commanding SS forces on Dino-Land. Gibson, who has made a spectacular return to favour as part of MBH's nexus, is said to be thrilled at the chance of working alongside huge buff SS stormtroopers.

15.10.10

Bolitic fleet moves to Remnatar

The Dinos are reporting that a fleet of around 30 Bolitic warships has moved to Remnatar on the southern edge of the Bolitic Confederacy. The Dinos don't know why the fleet has moved there they say but the possibility exists that the Bolitic may be preparing to resume the conflict if peace talks between the Dinos and Bolitic fail.

However these are said to be going well with Consul Jimmy and Lord Melson getting on well and may even have gone bowling together. The Dinos are maintaining their fleet levels at Pulsin just incase.

Latest DDS attack fails

The DDS have launched a long-range MRM attack on the ABBO fleet at Malau though the results were poor and probably not worth the expenditure in MRMs. Five of the missiles were launched from outside the Malau system and managed to destroy 6 ABBO ships though one missile missed an ABBO orbital refuelling point.

The Orchid has told DDS South to not use up its MRM stockpile so quickly. The MRM production is concentrated at one factory and is struggling to keep up with demand. A second factory is due to open in January.

Porquatian fleet leaves DDS

The Porquatian fleet has returned to Porquat 640 with no deal about technology transfer or an alliance between the Porquatians and the DDS in place. Negotiations are still ongoing but it is reported that the Porquatians are rather angry the DDS have not rewarded them for helping the DDS in the recent battles. A Porquat 640 newspaper has said that it was wasn't for Porquatian involvement then not only could DDS GHQ have been attacked then also fresh troops would have reached the ABBOs at Malau.

The DDS are keen to have a closer working relationship with the Porquatians but the two existing Tier 1 allies are standing in the way. The Raegris did not want Porquat to have TPM technology without joining as allies and Arit don't want Porquat anywhere near the DDS.

HCS stage full test of CSM

The HCS say they have conducted a full test of a live Clone Space Missile ahead of an expected entry into service by the end of the year. The missile was launched from a silo near HCS GHQ on Cloneworld and then travelled 3 light years to a target asteroid where the warhead (a live nuclear warhead) was detonated around 7km from a surface mock-up of an enemy base. Although the missile landed some way away the HCS say that the NSV did not receive any course correction during its flight and if it had it would have landed within a few hundred metres.

Initially around 20 CSMs are expected to be deployed, all pre-set to attack DDS GHQ on Proxima 7 (though the Clones are of course not commenting on this or confirming it). The HCS are said to be still working out the precise target data for other targets as a planet's orbit and rotation cycle has to be taken into account to strike a target on another world.

14.10.10

HCS Fleet News (14/10/10)

Delayed because of some recent security lock-downs (thought to be an exercise not due to any actual threat) here is the latest bumper HCS Space Fleet additions:
  • 1 Soulaki SLBK cruiser
  • 2 Molentic Tuul MTM conversions
  • 2 Kelsan KS bombers
  • 2 Shark SKH frigate/minesweepers
  • 1 Nybble NL UCV
In the transport fleet 2 new Type A transports have been built though an old one has been withdrawn as has a Type B due to some serious fatigue problems being found on it.

HCS flex muscles with major amphibious operation

The HCS have begun a major exercise involving large scale amphibious warfare assets the DDS can as yet only dream about. A powerful fleet of around 60 ships including 4 Tiamon TM assault carriers and 12 Intruder IN landing ships has departed from Cloneworld and will conduct a landing operation on Taragargi.

HCS sources are reporting an entire legion of HCS troops will be landed in the operation : thousands of men plus hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces. The exercise will also involve Red Lizard special forces and Nybble UCVs.

Dinos to rebuild fleet

Consul Cruggson has said the Dinos will rebuild their fleet after the huge losses of the war with the Bolitic and their allies which now seems to be finally over. Almost 250 ships have been lost in the war on the Dino side with the PT and NG fleets decimated. Cruggson said shipyards were now at full rate to build a replacement for these losses however he also said the future Dino fleet would be a bit different.

"The NG fleet will be retired next year." he told reporters, "And we have begun design work on 2 new Dinomarks, one is an NG replacement and the other will be a larger ship optimised for space combat. It will fall between the PT and RS in size. Yes perhaps Panther 35 size."

The Dinos plan to have the following combat fleet within 5 years :

3 Dinomark RS
15-20 New Medium Sized Combatant (NMSC)
45-50 Dinomark PT
15-20 New Long Range Scout (NLRS)
160-170 Dinomark XT + reserves (at least 100)

Designs for the NMSC and NLRS Dinomarks will be hopefully unveiled within the next few months.

13.10.10

DDS will trade missile technology with Porquatians but no alliance... for now

The DDS have turned down the Porquatians' request to join the DDS as Tier 1 allies however they are willing to trade what has been called "QPM Plus" in return for Porquatian missile technology. QPM Plus is said to be an improved version of the Quad Phase Missile already available to export customers but with the targeting sensors and countermeasures of the TPM-2 and some refinements to the phasing technology (though still falling some way short of being a TPM weapon).

The Raegris have told the DDS they must not give the Porquatians TPM technology as without the safeguards of an alliance it is unlikely the technology will remain out of enemy hands (i.e. the HCS) for long. It is unlikely the Porquatians will accept this deal however as they could just buy QPMs if they wanted them anyway.

DDS transport ship destroyed by ABBOs

A209 Assistance, a Friendship 75A transport, has been destroyed by an ABBO raiding party. The raid took place in Remedian space which is a surprise and means the DDS may have to strengthen its forces in DDS North. Although the transport was equipped with Canister TPM it is thought it was unable to destroy any of its attackers.

A Remedian ship investigated the transport a few hours later but found no survivors.

HCS announce string of infrastructure upgrades

While the DDS is fighting for its life and the Dinos begin to recover after huge losses the other Central Power, the Clone Star Empire, is taking the opportunity to strengthen. Following recent equipment orders and upgrades across all of the services of the HCS now the central HCS authority has announced an 11 billion zark programme of infrastructural upgrades to be carried out over the next 4 years.

Key to the upgrades will be a 4.1 billion zark upgrade to the HCS data network to bring a 40% increase in bandwidth, improved speed and enhanced data security. Other upgrades include refurbishments and improvements to many key roads and railways used by the military, the replacement of runways at 16 airforce bases, a new army base in Micom, upgrades to the HCS' microwave network and a new naval base on the West Clone Republic's coastline.

There are a number of unspecified programmes too, these are speculated to be a new underground bunker near Ailier City to supplement the existing facilities under HCS GHQ and a new nuclear weapon storage facility. Work has already begun on some of these upgrades.

12.10.10

Dinos crush Zone pirates

The Dinos have crushed and "liquidised" a major Zone pirate group on an undisclosed planet in the Rim Worlds. Zone villages on the planet were destroyed and the population wiped out (according to the showbiz column on SS Singles). 6 Zone ships were destroyed in a battle with the Dino SS forces in orbit. One Dinomark PT was destroyed.

It is reported that the rest of the Zone ships fled but the Dinos are giving chase. The Dinos intend to wipe out the Zone pirates once and for all according to some sources.
Excellence
The Dinos get their revenge on the Zones.

11.10.10

DDS attack ABBOs near Malau

The DDS have made a hit-and-run attack on the ABBOs near Malau in an operation thought to be separate to the anticipated offensive to retake Delta 9. Led by 2 Missileer carriers plus escorts the DDS attacked an ABBO fleet concentration using MRMs, Ferrets and several salvos of TPMs.

29 ABBO ships are reported destroyed. No DDS manned ships were lost though 11 Ferrets were lost. The DDS fleet has now returned to an undisclosed location.

Dinos attack Zone pirate homeworld?

The Dinos are said to have attacked the homeworld hidden deep in the Rim Worlds that is the base of the Zone pirates who recently attacked Dino-Land. The Dinos are not yet saying how successful the operation has been which may be still ongoing but it is thought to have involved a space, air and ground attack by SS forces.

Around 20 Dinomarks are said to be involved in the operation which is a sizeable chunk of SS space assets.

10.10.10

DDS preparing to go on the offensive?

With the ABBOs on the back step it looks as if the DDS may be finally able to fight back against them. Relieving Delta 9 is a priority as the DDS troops there are running out of supplies and are being worn down by endless ABBO attacks. The DDS have moved their amphibious forces (which had been dispersed to Solaris and Proxima 5 when the ABBO fleet advanced on Liberation) back to the former home of King Rathun and several warships are en route to strengthen DDS South.

The DDS may try and battle their way to Delta 9 then land more troops, 4 brigades are said to be ready along with supplies and special forces.

8.10.10

Porquatians press DDS on alliance

The Porquatians have pressed the DDS to hurry up and make a decision as to whether to make the Porquatians Tier 1 allies or not. The Porquatians have said they can transfer their advanced missile technology within hours of the agreement and will help the DDS merge their missile technology with the TPM warhead to produce "the weapon that can win this war".

It is not an easy decision for the DDS however because if the Porquatians join then the Aritans may well leave. Although Porquat 640 brings much needed warships to the fight the loss of the Aritans would cripple the New DDS Army.

It is thought the DDS may offer to trade technology with the Porquatians instead and have a more informal alliance which would keep the DDS intact. However the Raegris have said that TPM technology should not be given out to non-allies and that the Porquatians should become part of the DDS.

Starbot attacked by ABBOs, Ferret factory targeted

Starbot has come under attack by the ABBOs who have again targeted the Ferret UCV factory which was badly damaged in a previous attack (and is still not yet back to full capacity). Starbot's TPM factory was also attacked. Both facilities however did not sustain heavy damage as the Starbotians have greatly increased protection for their strategic sites with TPM-G launchers and active protection suites on the buildings.

S-101 said that the Ferret factory's production was unaffected by the attack though some auxiliary buildings were destroyed. The TPM factory has suffered some moderate damage but will be back to full production in days. The ABBOs lost 11 ships in the attack.

Dinos destroy Zone ships

The Dinos have begun "Operation Strike Back" (as it has been termed in the Dino media) against the Zone pirates who attacked Dino-Land. Two Zone ships were destroyed near New Jakarta earlier and another Zone ship was destroyed in the Rim Worlds last week it is reported.

A powerful SS fleet is understood to be searching for the homeworld of the Zone pirates which is said to be at a secret location in the Rim Worlds. According to one SS source "der net ich der closing in".

6.10.10

Despair
The DDS and ABBO meet in battle again.

5.10.10

Porquat 640 apply formally to join DDS

After helping the DDS with their latest battle against the ABBOs (the Porquatians destroyed the latest wave of ABBO troops and helped turn the tide in the battle at Proxima Centauri) the Porquatians have now formally requested to join the DDS. They said they wish to become a Tier 1 ally on a par with the Raegris and integrate their fleet with the DDS.

One problem with the Porquatians joining however is that the Aritans will not like it. It is about than 10 years since Porquat 640 had a war with New Arit, destroying the Aritan fleet of the time and attacking the planet causing 1000s of deaths. The Aritans say they have not even begun to forgive the Porquatians. It may well be the DDS will have to choose between an existing ally who needs support and a new ally who come with an existing fleet of powerful warships. With the current war it may be an easier decision than expected to have to make.

The Battle of Proxima Centauri

Earlier today the DDS Centre fleet met an ABBO fleet in battle just outside of the Proxima Centauri system (the home of DDS GHQ of course). The battle was a close one and victory was only assured by the timely intervention of a new ally of which more later.

With an ABBO fleet also approaching Liberation it was clear the ABBOs planned simultaneous attacks. DDS Commander Orchid therefore decided to force the battle at Proxima early and hope a victory would deter the ABBOs from attacking Liberation too. Around 130 ABBO ships were employed in the battle, their tactics subtly changing to negate the DDS' initial salvo of MRMs. The ABBOs kept their fleet more spaced out as to limit the effect of the MRMs warheads. The DDS did not use their EM dampening weapon (it is thought all available stocks had already been sent to Liberation).

The battle when it started was fierce, although DDS shields upgrades generally held there were still 5 ships destroyed : C102 Australasia, D152 Advance, F115 Cainozoic, F138 Java Sea and K110 Nero. 62 Ferret UCVs were also destroyed and many ships damaged. The DDS began to pull back to Proxima 7 to make a last stand. Although the ABBOs had lost a lot of ships they had the advantage.

But then a fleet of Porquatian warships decloaked behind the ABBOs and proceeded to pound the ABBOs! Confused the ABBOs fled, they lost around 92 ships in total during the battle. The Porquatians said they wished to join the DDS' fight against the ABBOs. They said they had already attacked the ABBO troop convoy en route to Malau destroying many of the troop ships and 16 further ABBO warships.

The ABBO fleet approaching Liberation is now returning to Malau. After the unexpected events of the last few hours it seems the ABBOs need to regroup.

4.10.10

"Battle with ABBOs within hours"

The ABBO fleet approaching GHQ has sped up after the departure of the troop ships to join the ABBO forces at Malau. Around 120 warships are now speeding towards the Proxima Centauri system and will be in a position to give battle later today. Standard ABBO operating practice is to hold off and let its ships recharge after a lengthy voyage however so the DDS are not expecting the ABBOs to give battle immediately.

The fleet approaching Liberation is thought to be around 23 hours from the Liberation system and the DDS think the ABBOs may plan to launch both attacks simultaneously.

3.10.10

DDS man rate worm drive

The DDS have successfully completed a series of tests with the worm drive fitted to the trials ship SS Isometric. The worm drive has been calibrated for DDS personnel and declared "provisionally man rated". Extra work will now take place over the next month with a crewed Isometric (the first series of tests have been made with the ship operated remotely) to conclude the certification of the new drive and to work on integrating the Dino technology into DDS systems.

The DDS announced that the Isometric's equivalent speed with the worm drive is 4880c though it is expected when the W1A is fitted to a Panther 35A (as will happen before the end of the year) the speed will drop to a "mere" 4700c because of the extra mass of the destroyer.

A reverse-engineered W1A is still in development but the DDS hope to start building their own drives by sometime next year. Until then the DDS may buy 4-5 extra W1As from the Dinos once the drive is fully certified.

Zanus opens out lead as Consul race enters final month

With a vote to be held in early November the contenders for the post of Consul to replace Cruggson who will step down after the end of his 2 year term in January are now devoting their full attention to the election. The lull in fighting allowing the front runners El Diablo and Zanus to be released from their normal duties.

Zanus has opened a 3% lead over El Diablo though the Imperial Order candidate knows the gap is still narrow and he expects to gain ground when he takes part on a number of high-profile hustings across Dino-Land. Zanus, who as an independent, does not have the resources of Diablo is relying on his power base in the Dino Army (he was the head of the army for a long time).

SS to receive budget increase

The Dino Senate are expected to agree a 10% increase in the SS budget following lobbying from Ronald and MBH as well as SS Commander Lakes. Although the size of the SS is unlikely to increase in the short term the extra money will be used to boost their numbers of Dinomarks and equip the 2nd SS Legion with improved armour such as the T-55ZDM2 tank.

Extra money will also go into surveillance and communication monitoring. Consul Jimmy has expressed his concern however that the SS must not be allowed to become too powerful and pervasive in Dino society.

Other Fleet News (03/10/10)

  • The Dinos have added 3 Dinomark PTs and 4 XTs to their fleet this month. The lull in fighting is also allowing them to restore a number of damaged ships to service. It is understood that the XT will have a new version standard from next month which will have worm drive fitted as standard as is already the case with the PT.
  • The Bolitic are understood to have built 4 Meltinans this month. The Snarl production line is still not fully operational following the Dino raid though 2 ships are approaching completion.
  • The 2 ex-HCS Type B transports bought by the Sirikwanese are now operational. It is thought one may be operated by the DDS (with a Sirikwan crew) for the next few months.
  • New Arit have received their first 15 MQ-5BAG Ferret-G UCVs though to get bumped in the queue they had to return 20 of their MQ-5AA Ferret-Es which will be added to DDS stocks.

1.10.10

DDS preparing for next major battle

Long range scans indicate the ABBO fleet coming up towards Proxima 7 has split into 2 with a core of warships heading towards GHQ (200 odd ships) and the rest (including troop ships) heading to a rendezvous with existing ABBO forces near Liberation. The DDS are fearing the ABBOs may be planning to attack both planets simultaneously.

The Orchid has returned to Proxima 7 to lead the fleet there leaving Knobhead in charge of the fleet at DDS South. Analysts predict the ABBOs will be in a position to attack by mid next week.

Dino-Bolitic peace talks off to rocky start

The Dino-Bolitic peace talks have got off to a rocky start on Yeng with a full-scale riot between the two parties and further scuffles between the two sides respective supporting groups resulting in several injuries and a number of rapes.

Consul Jimmy has decided to lead the talks for the Dinos personally, the Bolitic side is represented by Lord Melson of the House of Melson. Following the initial hostility and violence it is reported the two sides have started to engage constructively. Jimmy and Melson are reported to have gone bowling last night.

Dino fleet departs for Rim Worlds

A powerful Dino fleet containing much of the front-line SS and almost the entire Black Dragon Martyrs Brigade has departed from Dino-Land for an undisclosed mission and destination. Sources have said the destination is the Rim Worlds however and the Dinos are off to hunt down and destroy the Zone pirates who attacked Dino-Land.

An SS source said that Ronald and GBH are commanding the fleet personally and the presence of the brutal Black Dragons, the fascist vanguard of Ronald, indicates the fleet is not intending on a diplomatic mission.