I am filing this transmission to report you the events that took place on the 9th of March, 818 AS, ranging from 20:51 to 21:22.
Frontline scout vessels reported the presence of a Liberty capital ship fleet massing in Bering, around Freeport 2 with the obvious intent to assault the Hamburg system. The fleet was spearheaded by the Liberty Carrier Sacramento, accompanied by several other secondary fleet capital ships and gunboats.
The Ravensburg, with Admiral Malte on deck commenced the organization of the system's defense, the Westfalen was put on red alert, from where a wing of bombers was scrambled to assist. I personally was ordered to mobilize with the Seydlitz, my command cruiser which was moored at Planet Berlin. When the navigations reported Hamburg being reached, our fleet was already assembled. The plan was to launch a counter strike before the hostile forces entered the Hamburg system.
The Ravensburg stayed in Hamburg orbit and the Admiral herself launched with a bomber, taking charge of the bomber wing while I was in command of coordinating the reserve capital ships being present (which was one cruiser, the Schmiedehammer at that time). The bomber wing started an advance with the cruisers covering their rear flank, entering Bering without resistance.
The hostiles were spotted around Freeport 2, as the reports accurately claimed. The Liberty fleet was smaller than we expected, but a carrier was indeed leading the battle group. They tried abusing the neutrality of the Freeport as soon as they saw our approaching fleet, even though their intent to assault Hamburg was obvious, therefore Admiral Malte ordered our forces to commence a clean sweep, whilst I ordered the same for my cruiser company.
The sweep was swift and effective. The Seydlitz and Schmiedehammer gunnery control commenced a swift bombardment of the Liberty carrier, using long-range weaponry to cover the advance of the bomber wing. The bombers broke through without hardship, delivering their ordnance to the capital ship's hull. The carrier at first tried shooting down the bombers, but upon failure to do so the hostile capital ship company broke to engage the cruisers. In the meantime, some other reserve capital ships, such as the RNC Eisenfaust arrived to assist, they were the primary target of the hostile fleet.
I gave orders to the cruiser company to pull distance from each other and flank the hostile capital ships, which they did effectively. The joint armaments of the bombers and the cruiser mortar fire quickly ripped the carrier apart, leaving an LABC open to be shot down too.
As there were only gunboats left, I gave orders for the capital fleet to disengage. The Seydlitz became under fire by an uncoordinated bomber, his assault was effectively countered by the gunnery crew, neutralizing the hostile vessel in one pass. The gunboats stood no chance as the still fully operational bomber squadron rendered their vessels to scrap metal.
Upon our success, the fleet didn't chose to advance, we pulled back to secure Hamburg and prepare for a counter strike.
