ABBOs are back in more dangerous form, the Dinos warn

The dangerous robot menace, the ABBOs, have returned the Dinos have warned and were responsible for the loss of a number of ships over the last few months. A long range patrol, run by thought to have been Real DDS, has investigated the loss of the ships and encountered the ABBOs. They engaged the ABBOs in battle and were lucky to survive according to one source.

The Dinos said that the ABBOs seem to have merged with an organic species of unknown origin. This is thought to make the ABBOs even more dangerous as it makes them more unpredictable.

7SS and Tarbot come to blows?

The DDS is investigating unconfirmed reports that the 7 Sa Sao (faction unknown) and Tarbotians may have been involved in a skirmish near the free system Blant 5831 which lies between Tarbot and 7SS space. Since the Tarbotian annexation of ABBO territory the fear was that with Tarbot now on the DDS border trouble could be in store, what most analysts have missed is that Tarbot and 7SS now have a common border too.

It is thought the DDS have sent a ship to the region to investigate what exactly is going on. Long range sigint indicates the possibility of a medium-scale space battle though this cannot be confirmed at this stage.

Firefly visits Liberation

DDS Commander Firefly has visited Liberation, his first visit away from GHQ (which is now on Proxima 5) since he became commander. Firefly met with DDS officers and local defence chiefs and tomorrow will meet with the President of Liberation. Firefly will also view plans for the revamp of DDS South HQ on the planet.

Firefly will next go to Saeou, still recovering from the ABBO invasion during the war and then by the end of the week arrive at Starbot for talks with S101. A senior Molabite military officer will also meet with Firefly on the planet.

• Work has begun on Helnikan Island on Proxima 5 of the new DDS GHQ. Automated construction machines will work 27 hours a day on the project.

DDS begin sweep for ABBOs

Following the attack on SS Partnership by ABBO stragglers near Charlotte the DDS have sent 2 ships (said to be MCS though no more details were given) from Liberation to begin a sweep of the many asteroid fields and dark objects in the region of the Rim Worlds near Charlotte which has so often been a haven for pirates and other undesirables.

The sweep is expected to take up to 3 weeks, the DDS do not expect to find the ABBO ships but they might find evidence of the base they might be using.

• The first 5 F-47 light fighters have arrived at the HCSAF Operational Evaluation Service for final testing prior to an entry into service in the early Autumn.

ABBO ships attack DDS transport

The DDS Friendship 75A transport A203U Partnership has been attacked by 2 ABBO ships while on a communications run to ore mines near Charlotte. The ABBO mesh and territory was destroyed by the Tarbotians (and much of the ABBO fleet destroyed by the DDS) but from time to time an ABBO ship is detected, a survivor from the war.

SS Partnership was damaged in the attack though its shields mostly held, it fired one of its Canister TPMs though it did not hit anything, the ABBOs withdrew. Later on telemetry analysis indicated the ABBOs ran a number of scans on the Friendship during the attack which could mean they were looking for something in particular and as SS Partnership didn't have what they wanted withdrew. SS Partnership was able to continue its mission at a reduced speed and after delivering its cargo to the mining colony will go onto Charlotte where a DDS Engineering team will conduct repairs.

• The HCSN are reporting that the missile trial submarine CNSS Warhammer has put to sea ready for the first test launch (from an actual submarine) of the SeaGale SLBM. The first launch will be made from the surface though subsequent test launches will be made from a submerged state.
• The forthcoming Warspite 16A bomber (expected to enter service from 2114) will have a crew of 60 and be able to carry up to 12 MRM plus 60 TPM missiles internally. The DDS have now finalised the hull form which will be worm drive calibrated ready for the flight test programme (though early tests will not use the worm drive).

Kantalda declared operational by Tarbotians

Kantalda, the former ABBO homeworld, has been declared operational as the capital of Kantalda District, the space territory annexed from the ABBOs by the Tarbot Empire early last year. Since then New Tarbot has served as a provisional capital while basic infrastructure including a number of vast military bases were built.

The basis of the capital city plus a large army base and orbital defence facility have been completed and the Kantalda government will begin relocating from New Tarbot in a few weeks according to Tarbotian media. All current building projects are not expected to end until the early 2120s including 2 further large army bases and an underground command citadel.

Dr Slow is expected to visit Kantalda next year.

DDS strike against ABBOs on Delta 9

DDSAF A-85 COIN aircraft have attacked a group of ABBO stragglers on Delta 9, the scene of bitter land battles during the war. A group of around 20 ABBOs managed to avoid the fate of their fellow robots and recently began a string of attacks against Deltan settlers. Around 11 civilians being killed in these attacks.

DDS and Deltan troops managed to herd the ABBOs into a small valley where they were then pounded by 7 A-85s. All of the ABBOs were destroyed though sweeps are continuing in the area for any others.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Victory on Delta 9

Earlier today the final ABBO stronghold was attacked by DDSAF bombers and sensor sweeps now confirm that no operational ABBO soldiers remain on Delta 9. The DDS have declared victory but it has been costly with over 6000 DDS soldiers dying in the fighting since the ABBO invasion plus 1000s of Deltan civilians. Environmental damage to the planet has also been severe with parts of Delta likely to remain irradiated wastelands for decades to come.

Now the attention is turning to Malau, a much tougher proposition but one which must be tackled. The population of the planet is being herded into dozens of "safety camps" on the planet and there is the fear the ABBOs may be planning to "cleanse" the planet or at least begin to in order to force the DDS' hand.

DDS begin build-up for Malau attack?

AP has ordered the DDS South and Starbotian fleets to be put on full readiness (the so-called "24 hours alert") and has ordered 9 ships from DDS Central to re-inforce the fleet at Liberation. The DDS Amphibious Force has also been put on full alert. DDS bloggers think that an attack on the ABBO positions on Malau will occur within days of the final victory on Delta 9 which is thought to be days away now (the remaining ABBO forces are now surrounded at a stronghold near Illaton).

DDS expert Professor King-Meiouf thinks that the battle of Malau will begin by mid-February. "The cost will be very high but the DDS cannot delay it any longer. If the war rumbles on into the Spring then the ABBOs will have chance to regenerate their forces and the DDS will also be running low on cash reserves."

• The first 4 second-generation SROPS have been delivered following a delay in certification. The 76B has improvements to its docking bay, Canister TPM support and a number of other updates. 25 SROPS 76Bs are on order.

HCS Army angry about defence spending slow down?

The HCS Army (which the HCS confusingly refer to as - the HCS) has responded angrily to reports of a slow down in military spending and the delay or trimming of most current procurement projects. The Army say that they have endured lean years over the last few years as money was spent on the other services and they had been promised a big injection in money once projects like the re-born HCS Navy and CSM were up and running.

Instead the Army is likely to see several brigades withdrawn and the production rate of T-89s, T-55Zs and TRV-5s slowed. One major project the Army is keen to get started is a much delayed replacement for their massive fleet of ageing wheeled transports, many of which date from the first Clone War! A HCS blogger has estimated that to replace the oldest and most unreliable trucks and other transports could cost over 9 billion zarks.

• DDS Engineering teams have now managed to erect force fields around the partially demolished nuclear power station on Delta 9. A specialist UNP nuclear accidents recovery team has been bought in to assist.
• The A-84 Bombardier has been declared operational by the DDSAF, 100 ex-HCSAF attack aircraft were bought last year. The first 40 were delivered a few months ago and the first unit has now achieved combat operational readiness. It is thought they will not be sent to Delta 9 however as that battle is almost over. The DDS have ordered another 30 A-85 COIN aircraft from the HCS Reserve, they have been heavily used on Delta 9.

ABBOs begin rounding up Malau population

In a sinister move the ABBOs have begun rounding up the civilian population of Malau and are forcing them into what the ABBOs have called "Safety Camps". The population have been told they will be safer in the camps though if they refuse to go then the ABBOs have been ruthless in their enforcement of their orders. Dozens of civilians have already been killed by the ABBOs.

ABBO units have also been sent to all 7 of Malau's nuclear power stations and a nuclear waste treatment centre. The fear is the ABBOs will unleash a catastrophic radiological disaster if the DDS attack.

• The HCS Navy have accepted into service their 6th Mariner class operational support ship.