Line Of Death
Can the Isometric get away?

2110 Bolitic-ABBO War Final Scoreboard

2110 Bolitic-ABBO War Loss Scoreboard* - final update 11/02/11
DDS	59
Dinos	297
Other DDS Allies	50
Bolitic Confederacy	292
ABBOs	2213
Other Axis	66

* Axis totals combat ships only

 

Explosion at DDS GHQ

A building at DDS GHQ has been destroyed in a suspected gas leak. The building was reduced to a pile of rubble but there are a number of survivors thought to be trapped including Windscorpion. Redjec, who has taken personal charge of the rescue, said that all professional efforts were being taken though rescue would be slow because of the risk of a further collapse.

Redjec also ordered a higher security alert across GHQ just in case the explosion was due to sabotage. Hood patrols have been tripled.

• Voting has begun in the DDS Commander election, the result is expected on the 2nd of March. AP is the only candidate. All are expected to vote. Hood patrols shall assist anyone who has difficulty in voting.

Dinos developing "new concept warship"

The Dinos are rumoured to be developing a whole new class of ship much smaller than existing Dinomark PT and XT ships but fully equipped with worm drive, advanced weapons like TPM, sensors et cetera. It is said that the Dinomark XA (it is unknown if this is the actual name but this is conjectured by Dino analysts) will be similiar to a small number of Dino shuttles that have been outfitted for special operations.

A Dino analyst said that recent advances in technology (especially macro powerplants, an area the Dinos are way ahead of the DDS) were making it possible to build a ship with the performance and kill-potential of a PT but with a crew of 2 or 3. Such a ship could be used as a scout, personal transport or for special operations.

Access All Areas
Has the Isometric been discovered?

The Shiner outlines the DDS "commercial revolution"

The Shiner, Finance Officer of the DDS and the man likely to be Deputy Commander in AP's administration, has outlined plans for what he has called the "commercial revolution of the DDS". He said the DDS would be totally changing the way it operated, integrating further into the UNP and raising funds by taking over many UNP activities.

"As a pilot scheme the DDS will be taking over civil defence in the Central District of Proxima 5." he said at a media briefing. "DDS personnel and troops, including the Hoods, will be taking responsibility in civil defence and law enforcement support and also absorbing some 350 UNP employees. We will get 80 million zarks a year for this contract and if successful it will allow the DDS to make cost savings and pump more money into ship and weapon procurement."

Observers see this as part of AP's stated plans to merge all UNP paramilitary forces into the DDS or at least be highly integrated into the DDS command structure. This is thought to be an idea being batted around for the New DDS Army with the DDS itself maintaining a small highly trained core of troops supported by UNP member state armies which will integrate with the DDS command and communication structure.

• The hacked together Barrage Barge is to become a permanent weapon in the DDS arsenal. Three new barges are to be built this year and will be spread across the DDS network ready for deployment. The DDS say the new barges will be refined but will still be fairly cheaply and quickly built.
• The Dinos have begun field trials with holographic communications where a holographic representation of the person being spoken to remotely appears instead of just a screen image. This is thought to use technology similar to the FIDO VR projectors being trialled with the DDS though in the DDS' case it will be used for remote crewing.

Tarbotian fleet heading to ABBO 01

SS Isometric has reported via a burst transmission that a Tarbotian fleet has been detected heading towards ABBO 01. The planet, the capital of ABBO territory, had been hit by the EMP weapon and it is thus assumed that all ABBOs and their technology were destroyed on the planet. Thus this fleet may be an invasion or colonisation fleet.

ABBO 01 is one of the few ABBO worlds able to support carbon-based life (although the Tarbotians are silicon based many of their allies like the Okram*Green and their slave and subject races are carbon based) so it is thought likely the Tarbotians will want to claim the planet for themselves.

• The Dinos are to donate 10 Dinomark XTs from their reserve fleet to their DTA allies. The ships all saw service in the war and will receive any needed repairs, some updates and will be localised by the Dinos. New Arit and the Voth will receive 4 ships each and the Sirikwanese and Yengites 1 each.

Wayne King-Meiouf : What does the DTA bring to the Dinos?

Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of Proxima

In the light of the alledged Telvin attack on an Aritan ship and Aritan calls for the Dinos to retaliate for them i thought it would be worth having a look at the planets currently in the Dino Trade Association along with the Dinos themselves and wondering what these worlds actually bring to the DTA apart from potential trouble for the Dinos.

Sirikwan

Well the Sirikwanese can stand on their own two (clawed) feet. They have the money to pull their weight with a fleet and proved in the war they know how to fight even if their first instinct in any situation is to light a spliff. Sirikwan have easily slipped into the position of primary ally with the Dinos who themselves have been keen to dole out responsibilies to the Sirikwanese. In suspect Sirikwan will remain a DTA member who bring a positive balance to the relationship.

New Arit

The Aritans are more difficult to judge. Their economy has been a basket case even before the Porquatian war and they seem unable to stay friends with anyone for long, however the DDS and UNP never really tried to stabilise the Aritan economy and as the DTA is, at first principle, a commercial alliance perhaps the Aritans can start to get back into the black.

Their fleet was nearly totally lost in the war but their army remains intact and after the Dino Army is the strongest land force in the DTA. Their greatest value to the DTA however may be geography. New Arit occupies a very strategically useful position in space. The question is if Arit's value can outweigh their uncanny ability to get into wars with people.

Voth Republic

Like the Aritans the Voth will require a lot of support as their armed forces are minimal however the Voth have shown themselves to be willing to work hard and accept Dino guidance. Like the Aritans also the Voth's main asset is their location in space though they also have some potentially large untapped mineral deposits on Apassara.

Yeng

Yeng are the weakest DTA power at first glance though unlike the Aritans and Voth have a stable economy and society. Yeng is pitching itself as the diplomatic heart of the DTA and it is likely Yeng will take the lead on diplomatic and non-military relief operations.

So we can see all the DTA members bring something to the table though the Dinos will have to work hard to get the Aritans and Voth punching their weight.

Aritan ship destroyed by Telvins?

The Aritans are reporting that a civilian transport ship on their civil registry has been destroyed in what they call an "unprovoked attack by the Telvins". The ship was en route back to New Arit from Sirikwan when it was apparently attacked when near Telvin 802. The Aritans and Telvins have a long history of hostility.

The Aritans have asked the Dinos for assistance and it is understood the Dinos have sent a ship to investigate. If the Telvins are attacking Arit then this could be the first test for the Dino Trade Association and its mutual defence pact.

• The DDS and HCS may team up on a military exercise later in the year. A DDS team may meet with their HCS counterparts after the commander election to discuss a joint exercise.

Tarbotians augmented by new ally

Information gleaned by Windscorpion's mission to the ABBOs is being analysed by the DDS. He discovered the ABBOs being laid waste by the Tarbotians using EMP weapons, two of which Windy stole to destroy the remaining ABBO fleet at Malau. The Tarbotians technology has been enhanced by a new race called the Okram*Green.

The Tarbotians and Okram*Green are understood to have been at war for some time until the Okram*Green agreed to surrender and be absorbed into the Tarbotian Empire in return for incorporating Okram*Green technology in the Tarbotian war machine. The DDS are still analysing exactly how much more dangerous the Tarbotians have become. SS Isometric is currently on a reconnaissance in ABBO space and it is hoped they can tell more about what is happening down there.

Compelled To Be Ruthless
SS Isometric delves deeper into ABBO space.

Missileer fleet to be unified

The first batch of Missileer carriers, the Type 21A, of which 4 survive in DDS service have a lower specification to subsequent ships and the DDS are to update these ships to bring them up to a unified standard. The work will include new engines, structural strengthening (to allow for the higher speed of the later Type 21B) and updates to tactical systems.

This work will be carried out by the late Summer, the whole unified fleet of Missileer 21Bs will then receive a full upgrade next year though details of this have yet to be revealed.

• Information received from SS Isometric via a burst transmission indicates the outlying ABBO world they have reached has been destroyed by the Tarbotian EMP weapon and all ABBOs are dead. They also report Tarbotian military activity in the area. They are continuing their reconnaissance.
• The 5 Kingfisher 39B destroyers, Kalahati Tuuls pressed into service to fill gaps in the DDS fleet due to the war, will be withdrawn this year. It is thought likely they will be sold to the Aritans who have expressed an interest. The 2 Experiment 96Xs, which are KTs used as trials ships by DDS Research, may also be sold as the Helwin in service as a training ship, the Alpha Centauri 93X, is due to transferred to DDS Research.

New DDS Army to be reorganised

The head of the New DDS Army Zeppelin has said that the army performed admirably during the war against the ABBOs especially with the upheaval of the Aritans leaving being added to the mix. However the DDS are looking into the order of battle and the raison d'etre of the army and how it fits into the overall DDS portfolio.

The New DDS Army is still small, it was intended to be able to perform small and medium scale amphibious operations and hold that territory long enough for heavy units from allied armies to arrive to reinforce. However the DDS will likely not have any allies with large standing armies so the purpose and structure of the army might need to change.

With a heavy investment in amphibious landing ships still ongoing it is unlikely the amphibious role will go so the DDS may need to expand beyond its current strength of one fully operational division and two divisions of progressively lighter units. Zeppelin is thought likely to head a full review of the army directed by Knobhead after AP's (likely) election as full-time commander.

• C105 Central America has been withdrawn from service. The Pulsat 12A cruiser was sacrificed to provide spare parts for the other 3 ships in the final 4-5 months of their service, it was chosen after a technical evaluation of the fleet and found to have been in the worst condition. It is likely this ship will be the Pulsar to be preserved because of its historic status. It served as the DDS flagship for a number of years. 
• The next generation basic trainer for the HCSAF the T-76 has entered service. At least 650 of these new trainers derived from the A-85NT platform will be produced to replace the air force's ageing fleet of T-75s. The HCSAF also announced an upgrade for its fleet of TF-40 advanced conversion and weapon trainers. The TF-40C will be rebuilds with a full refurbishment and an updated suite of avionics to enable training of pilots for the F-45C/K.

18:17 And Waiting
So what did happen to the ABBOs?

Windscorpion disbands Windy Massive

Windy, prior to going on holiday to Wales, has said that his fan club the Windy Massive is no more. The WM had been reduced to just a few hundred hard core members following the war and Windy has decided to not try and rebuild it. Instead it is thought he will try something else.

"Windy Massive was good at the time but i think that time has passed." he said, he asked all WM members to keep on touch. "There will be future opportunities but i want to have a vacation first!"

• Sirikwan have confirmed they will purchase 30 more MQ-5AS Ferret UCVs from the DDS completing their order. However future Ferret orders are likely to be DTA sourced, Sirikwan might even build them themselves. The DDS are also thought likely to carry out a refurbishment and upgrade to the Helwin fleet of the Sirikwanese.
• DDS exports are back on track, Putri 500's Velocity-E is now in testing.

Fleet News (15/02/11)

• The first Type 35B destroyer, D121 Independence has finally entered service following much redesign and delay since the idea of a larger multirole version of the 35A was first mooted early in the Panther programme. Full specifications have yet to be revealed by the DDS.
• The penultimate Type 35A version of the Panther has also entered service in the shape of D117 Cougar.

Sea Urchin and Knobhead join AP camp

AP looks to be heading for an unopposed landslide as commander after the two most likely potential rivals, Sea Urchin and Knobhead both accepted provisional posts in the new administration.

If AP is commander then Sea Urchin will take up a new expanded role of Head of Technology which will include command of DDS Engineering, DDS Research and the development and procurement of new ships and weapons. Knobhead will take up the new role of Head of Operations and will be in overall charge of all DDS combat and operational units except the Hoods and DDS Security which remain under Redjec the City Commander's purview.

AP says he will command the DDS with the help of the Central Facility Committee or CEN-FAC which will comprise the above 2 posts as well as Redjec, The Shiner and Hibiscus.

A provisional structure chart has been released :

Senior Comms : What we need in a commander

Hibiscus, Senior Communications Officer

Of course i am remaining neutral in the DDS Commander election however i wish to bring to the table a raft of ideas about what our next Commander should be like. The New DDS Project needs to be renewed, as AP has pledged of course, and we need a DDS with its finger on the pulse.

So let me run a few ideas up the flagpole and see which ones we feel like saluting. The New DDS Project is a home for heroes of professionalism. Therefore it would seem logical to have a commander who embodies professionalism in every pore and sinew of his being, like AP for example.

We need a commander who is totally comfortable with the modern mediascape, who is used to the irregular nature of communications and approach this with an asymetric strategy. These are not skills which are in common parlance, AP has them for example.

We need a commander who will put the DDS first and himself second. The job entails a total degree of selflessness. I got to say no one but AP matches that in my experience not that i wish to influence the election of course and i am sure you will agree that i have remained neutral.

Wayne King-Meiouf : What worked and what didn't?

Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of Proxima

As the dust begins to clear after the most bloody and costly war the DDS has fought forover a decade attention is now turning to how the new generation of weapons, many forged with the experience of the Utrek War, performed.

What worked?

• FIDO worked perfectly, at the end of the war 27% of crewing in non-combat situations was being performed remotely. It will be interesting to see how this is developed further, especially with holographic projection so remote crews will be "visable" to crew on site.
• Open Architecture worked very well, helping the DDS keep their battered fleet running.It has been reported that off-site monitoring of ship telemetry helped alert crews on at least 3 occaisions of developing problems on their ships which allowed action to be taken before things got too serious.
• Damage control and protective systems worked very well, it is estimated that improved uniforms and new materials used in ships reduced blast and shrapnel injuries by 70%.

What worked fairly well?

• The Missileer carrier largely worked though the ships may need some extra protection. UCV handling worked flawlessly. The original concept of the Missileer as a missile carrier seems to have faded away though.
• Amphibious forces worked well though only were called upon once, on the landing of Delta 9. We were luckily spared a much more difficult landing on Malau. The lack of defensive systems on the landing craft is an area the DDS will have to examine.
• Panther and Ferret both performed adequately though both will receive combat tuning updates over the next few months to further improve their capabilities.
• The New DDS Army performed well in fighting on Delta 9 as did their weapons, largely from HCS sources. However there were some problems with integration and communications protocols.

What didn't work?

• MRM didn't really work as a first strike weapon in ship combats. After the success of the first battle the ABBOs quickly learned they could largely neutralise the MRM by scattering their fleet. It remains a useful option though however.
• IWC was rather patchy and the DDS were lucky that combat with the Bolitic was not a major part of their war. Future enemies will likely make heavy use of info-weapons and the DDS need to greatly improve their capabilities in this area.
• Orbital facilities proved very vulnerable and the DDS must look at upgrading its static defence capabilites.

Overall i think the DDS can be satisfied with how their new generation of weapons performed in the war, especially as so many were seeing combat for the first time but there will be a lot of scope for improvement. But if the DDS apply the lessons of the war well then their fleet and armed forces will become very formiddable indeed.

DDSAF ring the changes

Following the end of the war the DDSAF has moved quickly to cancel some orders and also has announced plans for some future developments. The second and third batches of ex-HCSAF A-84s have been cancelled though the DDS will keep the 40 they have already (which were not used in the war). The order for A-85 COIN aircraft will be honoured however as will the outstanding order for Dino build K-18Ds and Clone transports.

The DDSAF will look to improving the ground attack capabilities of its primary aircraft, the F-10S in a future version called SEP-B. The F-10A fleet will also receive an upgrade and refurbishment to unify it in the AEA standard though this was already planned. The much talked about NDAA may now not arrive in service until next year. The DDS want to make some modifications to it after the experience of the war.

Commander election set for March 1st

AP has set the DDS Commander election for March 1st, the shortest possible time. AP also announced he would be standing in the election in a campaign to be run by The Shiner. Other candidates have just until Tuesday to announce they will also be standing.

AP explained his reasoning for a short campaign in that there was much work that needed to be done and a long campaign would detract from that. "We need a new commander in place immediately whomever that may be."

As for his own campaign AP said that he would build on the successes of The Orchid, and his own control of the DDS since her death. AP said the New DDS Project would be rejuvenated and repurposed for the changing geo-political spacescape.

• The DDS will run both the Atomic Fist and Ground Shock exercises this year as well as a "full schedule" of smaller exercises. One of the first exercises due for late April is thought to be a joint exercise with the Porquatians to help integrate them into the DDS system.
• DDS Engineering estimate it will take around 6 months to get the fleet back to "normal". Scheduled maintenance had to be abandoned for a more ad-hoc approach due to the war and it would take a while to restore these and the logistical trails. A lot of ships were in urgent need of proper repair too.
• War time production rates of TPM and MRM would be maintained for the "near future" according to Sea Urchin. "Our stocks are pretty well dwindled and it will take a while to get our stockpiles back to acceptable levels." One weapon that is on the way out though is the TPM-1 of which production has now ended, non-Canister TPM versions of the missile are now said to number "just over 300".

Pulsar final months revealed

The Pulsar 12A cruiser fleet will be withdrawn by July according to the DDS. Only 4 ships remain from what was once the principle fighting ship in the DDS fleet (and maybe the known galaxy). However in latter years the Pulsar has become a rather unreliable and expensive to operate ship. Still powerful but its ageing technology means it is almost twice as expensive to run than a Quasar 15A ILU cruiser.

One Pulsar will be withdrawn immediately, the ship chosen will be the one with the worst condition following an inspection to be undertaken this week. This ship will then be used for spares for the other 3 which will form the 1st Attack Squadron of the DDS. It is expected these ships will have their final deployment on the Atomic Fist exercise planned for the late Spring. The ships will be finally withdrawn in the Summer and this will bring to an end the era of the 2nd generation of DDS warships in the front line (though the Starsystems remain as training ships of course).

• The DDS have said that all 7 nuclear power and reprocessing stations on Malau had been rigged with explosives by the ABBOs. If the DDS had landed troops on the planet it is thought the ABBOs would have detonated the explosives. The radiological release could well have destroyed the Malau biosphere. Bomb disposal teams are now removing the explosives.
• The DDS have been analysing the hundreds of captured ABBO warships. There was a hope from some quarters that some ships could be reused (even if as unmanned assets) but a DDS Engineering team has reported that the computer systems of the ships has fused totally. That plus the totally alien technology would make trying to reuse the ABBO ships more trouble than it would be worth. The DDS will instead recycle them for reuseable materials.
• The research ship SS Isometric will tomorrow depart on a reconnaissance of ABBO territory. The ship is fitted with worm drive already and has extensive scanning systems because of recent trials of new equipment.

HCS View : The DDS has come out well

General Garendin, former commander of the HCS 140th Infantry Brigade and current adviser to the HCS Future Strategy Committee

The war has been a costly one for the DDS, over 50 ships destroyed and thousands dead. Their alliance has also lost a core member. However when the DDS look back at their epic war with the ABBOs in the cold light of day i suspect they will see that they have come out of it rather well.

The bulk of their fleet is intact, the planets attacked were not core UNP worlds but rather fairly sparsely populated colonies, they may have lost the Aritans but they gained the Porquatians which is a win in anyone's book. No, even if it will not be admitted, the DDS will be fairly pleased with how they have come out of the war.

However there are some matters of concern of course (for us all), it now looks like the Tarbotians may move into the vacuum caused by the destruction of the ABBOs. The ABBOs were dangerous but usually did not involve themselves with "organic affairs". The Tarbotians are a traditional empire. We must all hope their appetite for new territory has been sated for the foreseeable future.

The formation of the DTA is another concern. Ronald appears to be trying to build a new DDS but based on the Dinos instead of the hewmons. The DDS will have to be ready for the strategic, tactical and political challenges that lie ahead but after facing down and defeating the ABBOs their confidence can be nothing but high.

UV163 : SS Singles

• Quitting Time - The DDS try and discover the Tarbotians' secret...
• Media Guru - Windy finds out more about the Tarbotians' new allies...
• Unrest - AP and Redjec's evil reaches a new depth...
• The Castle Ruins - Can Windy escape the Tarbotians?
• Pink Is The Colour - Can Windy arrive in time for the final battle or will he be fashionably late?

The war is over!

The war against the ABBOs has been bought to an unexpectedly swift and almost bloodless (for the DDS) end after Windy arrived in his ship SS Carboniferous just before the final battle with the ABBOs to launch 2 captured Tarbotian EMP missiles. The missiles destroyed the circuits of the ABBO troops and ships around Malau. It is thought there are only a handful of surviving ABBOs now in the areaand these are being hunted down by the DDS.

Unfortunately SS Carboniferous was pushed past its safe limits and had to be evacuated before it suffered a reactor core breach which destroyed the ship. Windy is said to be very disappointed in losing his flagship. DDS troops have now landed on Malau but their mission is disaster recovery. Thousands of civilians were butchered by the ABBOs in the days before.

AP called this a great victory for professionalism. "This has been the greatest and costliest war for the DDS since the 1st Clone War. We have prevailed. Now we must repair our shattered fleet, lands and forces. The DDS will also prevail in this as it prevailed in the fight. The future geo-political situation may be uncertain but we have the tools to succeed. As we are the DDS."

It is thought that the ABBOs have virtually ceased to exist after the Tarbotians destroyed their lands and planetary bases. A DDS ship is expected to be sent to investigate in a few days.

• When asked about the DDS and the shattered Windy Massive (which has almost been wiped out due to the fighting and the loss of the ship SS Mryia) Windy did not comment but just said he wanted to go on holiday.
• The Shiner, ex-Commander and current Finance Officer of the DDS, has unexpectedly been bought into AP's inner circle in the new role of "Deputy Commander" though in ranking he will be below Redjec the City Commander. AP said The Shiner would bring his many years of experience to the table. It is rumoured The Shiner may also be going to manage AP's election campaign.

Pink Is The Colour
Can Windy arrive in time for the final battle or will he be fashionably late?

AP gives speech to DDS

As the DDS fleet approaches Malau for what is likely to be the final battle in the ABBO war Acting Commander AP has warned the DDS that the battle will be very difficult. "The ABBOs are not going to run away, they are likely to stand and fight until the end. Not only do we have to destroy a fleet of other 350 ABBO warships we also have to land on Malau and defeat an army of thousands of ABBO troops.

"I will not lie to you, the DDS, by saying it will be easy. But we will prevail as we are professionals. In our souls are the drive to succeed, the hunger for self-actualisation. In the ABBOs' souls is what? Nothing. They are souless creatures. Machines driven on by cold logic and subroutines of death. They cannot win as to them success or failure is meaningless. We have a goal. We have a plan. We will win!"

• There are reports that Windscorpion's ship SS Carboniferous may be returning to the DDS though communication attempts with the ship have so far failed, thought to be due to technical problems and the extreme distances involved. DDS Engineering confirmed they picked up the Isometric ship's telemetry again after a period where it was out of range.

ABBOs preparing for final battle

The DDS fleet is currently making its way to Malau where the ABBOs seem to have lessened their massacre of civilians. This is thought to be mainly because the thousands of civilians assembled in camps have already been killed and it would take up too much resource to hunt down the rest of the scattered population. It is estimated that around 200,000 civilians have been butchered in cold blood by the ABBOs.

The DDS are now aiming to be ready to fight the ABBOs by the "weekend" according to some sources to allow time for the amphibious landing forces of the DDS time to catch up with the rest of the fleet. The DDS are aiming to neutralise the ABBO fleet as soon as they can then land the New DDS Army on the planet.

The ABBOs have recalled all patrols and are amassing their ground forces at key positions on the planet in preparation for what is likely to be the final battle.

• A Fulcrum 85A special forces transport, A603 Forefront, has been destroyed after it delivered a Prowler unit to Malau. The DDS say its cloak was not working at 100% which allowed the ABBOs to detect and destroy it.

The Castle Ruins
Can Windy escape the Tarbotians?

Dino View : Interesting events in the Bolitic Confederacy

Legate Dralson, ex-Dino Army and Security Council

With the Dinos rather war weary and the DDS obviously preoccupied with their own conflict the Bolitic War Of Succession has been below the radar, so to speak. Fighting has raged on Castarian between the main houses all trying to install their Baron as the replacement for Borca.

Now we Dinos are used to these wars which tend to follow the downfall of most Bolitic Emperors but this time the war is somewhat different. Not all of the top table of Imperial Houses are taking part, some like the House of Melson are thought to be biding their time but the House of Erinthorn have simply no interest in the fight.

One reason for this is that they are part of a trend for Imperial Houses to move away from Castarian. They are spending their time instead rebuilding their armies and returning to their crops and women (not necessarily in that order). A group of Houses indeed seem content to drift away from the Imperial centre. Now i'm not saying yet that they will split away from the Confederacy like some commentators think but it cannot be wholly ruled out. It will likely depend on who replaces Borca.

The war itself is also different with many Bolitic against the conflict. They rightly point out that the Bolitic need to rebuild its fleet but the fighting has robbed the production lines of most workers. The Castarian harvest is also likely to be unpicked unless a truce is made to allow for a harvest (not an unknown situation). The lovers of war have done this in the past, bitter combatants have gone back to work the land side by side and then returned to battle.

Are the Bolitic changing, moving away from their purely war focussed mentality? Could we one day even see an Emperor replaced with a vote or even allowed to die in his sleep? It does sound unlikely but sometimes this indeed is what can happen...

DDS fleet departs for "final battle"

A powerful DDS fleet departed from Liberation earlier today bound for Malau and what is likely to be the final battle of the war against the ABBOs. The remainder of the ABBO fleet has been concentrated there and ABBO troops are killing the Malau civilian population en masse. DDS Prowler units are said to be already on Malau and trying their best to stop ABBO units but their efforts are so far unable to stem the massacres. One Prowler unit is known to have been killed in a heavy battle with the ABBOs.

AP has told the DDS to "steel" itself for heavy losses. "I won't lie and say the coming battle will be easy but it is necessary. The ABBOs must be stopped now. The war must be bought to a conclusion." The DDS fleet is thought to be likely to be ready to attack when it links up with the Starbotian fleet near Malau on late Wednesday.

• SS Commander Gibson has suggested that other DTA members also set up their own SS for internal security and military policing. He has said there could be a"franchise" system of SS forces on other DTA member planets which are independant but could regularly meet to co-ordinate practice and equipment. Sirikwan and New Arit are known to be interested.

HCS Fleet News (07/02/11)

• Following an inspection of the fleet a Cosmos CA has been withdrawn after finding serious cracks in main structrural loading beams. The ship would only be able to operate for a few more months before becoming dangerous so it has been decided to withdraw it now as it was due a refuelling. The rest of the CA fleet is said to be fine though some ships may need some repairs.
• The Derinny DR fleet has been finally withdrawn. The last few ships in what was once a large minesweeping fleet were removed from service after a couple of months in reserve.
• Two more Shark SKHs have been added to the fleet, part of their role is minesweeping of course.

ABBOs begin killing Malau population

Reports are coming in that the ABBOs have begun executing Malau civilians whom they have gathered at various camps. Hundreds have already been butchered in cold blood. ABBO units are also attacking human settlements.

The UNP have demanded the DDS attack the ABBOs immediately and the DDS are preparing to send their assembled fleet at Liberation to Malau. AP is understood to have told the DDS the time to end the war is now. However even if the DDS fleet departs now they will not get to Malau for around 3 days. Thousands of Malau civilians are likely to die in that time even if the ABBOs can be stopped quickly.

The ABBOs have around 370 ships at Malau, the DDS will be sending a large battle fleet comprising most of their first line and a good proportion of second-line units with Starbotian, Raegris and Porquatian elements.

Wayne King-Meiouf : Can anyone stop AP?

Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of Proxima

News that AP is already campaigning to be elected as DDS Commander should come as a surprise to nobody. Ever since he was unexpectedly thrust into the hot seat after the death of The Orchid he has shown a zeal for the job that has surprised many.

But not people who know AP well. They will tell you that AP has been quietly building his power behind the scenes for months since the election of The Orchid (of which AP played a key role). Indeed AP may have always planned to replace The Orchid one day. For years he has been in senior but low-profile roles such as City Commander and he now feels it is time for him to move centre stage.

So AP has the desire and with the Hoods and the apparatus of DDS Central Facilies (who are supposed to remain neutral but they of course won't) behind him its hard to see anyone really challenging AP.

It all depends on who stands against him but the DDS has a dearth of candidates to be honest. Knobhead has ruled himself out (but during the last campaign showed himself to not quite have enough for the top job), Sea Urchin seems marginalised in the DDS these days and also seems content to stay that way. Caratore and others of his level may be contenders one day but not for a few years.

That leaves Windscorpion of course. Only he would stand a chance of defeating AP but Windy gave up Command as he felt it was the wrong thing for him. Would he want to return? Its unlikely. A Windy endorsed Firefly would have been tough to beat but alas that can never happen. No the field is fairly clear for AP but as his early campaign start shows he is leaving nothing to chance.

Maybe that kind of energy and professionalism is what the DDS needs however as it regenerates after its most damaging way for over a decade?

AP begins Commander election campaign

Acting Commander AP has said he is the best man to take the job full-time in an election for the job of DDS Commander which will take place after the conclusion of the war with the ABBOs. Although the date of the election cannot yet be set AP and his team have begun campaigning.

AP said that a vote for him would be a vote for a DDS which recognises achievement and rewards it. "I will renew the New DDS Project and put it on a firm footing. I shall prepare a raft of measures to rebuild our shattered DDS. It will be a collective responsibility for it is our DDS. I want every member of the DDS from the Commander down to the lowliest toilet attendant to not think about 'the DDS' but 'My DDS'". AP told DDS TV.

Its not known yet who will also stand. Knobhead who stood in the last election has already ruled himself out.

Accident destroys Provider transport

Provider 71A transport A111 Mryia has been destroyed in what appears to be a tragic accident when it was departing from Delta 9 to bring the 2 Windy Massive infantry brigades which had been fighting on the planet back to Proxima 7. The ship was totally destroyed when it engaged full engine power, there were no survivors.

A DDS Security investigation quickly discovered telemetry from the ship which indicated a critical failure in the reactor cooling system which caused a catastrophic chain-reaction. Poor maintenance has been blamed for this and the ship's engineer who had been posted sick was not present on the ship. When DDS Security tried to arrest Engineer Bronson he was unfortunately shot while trying to escape.

This is a hammer blow to Windy Massive as the 7th & 8th Light Brigades have been totally lost. AP hailed their courage in fighting on Delta 9 and said their loss would be felt by all.

• DTA Minister GBH has suggested the DTA should develop its own interstellar missile system like the HCS' CSM and the DDS' planned LRM.
• The DDS have changed their policy for re-using ship names. Ships which reuse an old name will no longer append a "2nd" (or sometimes "3rd") after the name. Existing names of this type have been changed except in the case of Remedian ships. For example the destroyer SS Solaris III is now just SS Solaris.
• For nearly 10 years now the Isometric Production frigate has been in production in various versions but the end is now in sight. Once the final 6 Freedom 41B frigates are built then production will finally end with the final 3 SOT 43Ds cancelled. The replacement design, Corkscrew, will have its specification finalised in the Summer with the first example due to begin testing by early 2113. On current plans the final 2 Freedoms are to be built in mid-late 2112. Production of the Isometric-E may continue for DDS allies and customers.

Unrest
AP and Redjec's evil reaches a new depth.

HCS View : Is CSM a game-changer?

General Garendin, former commander of the HCS 140th Infantry Brigade and current adviser to the HCS Future Strategy Committee

Over the last few years the HCS has invested heavily in its Clone Space Missile (CSM) system, a weapon that has just gone operational though there is still a lot of work to be done on the programme. Our aim is to have a system of intergalactic missiles that can be launched from protected or hard to detect launch points to deter foreign aggression.

For that is what CSM is, it is a deterrance. We began the CSM programme because we knew we could not compete with powers like the DDS on ship technology. We thus decided to make attacking the Clone Space Empire very costly and developed a weapon that would still be available to strike back even if our fleet was destroyed.

So does CSM make us secure? The proof will be in the pudding of course to take a human saying. I think it will preclude a power from launching an all-out attack and invasion of the empire though it will not stop anyone attacking us. CSM is our trump card, the ability to strike an enemy's worlds with nuclear weapons. However its power also can hinder its usage.

Using CSM would escalate any war unpredictably, what started out a battle on our borders would quickly become an all-out total war if we nuked an enemy's cities. Our enemies will know that too. In a way CSM is a game-changer, it probably keeps us safe from an all-out war as the DDS and Dinos have been involved with but will not prevent the HCS being involved in limited conflicts.