Fleet Commander Kinnaird reporting in. Attached is my report concerning combat action in the New York system.
++Report Begins++
I launched my personal Prosecutor multirole interceptor in response to a priorty target flagging by Fleet Commander Anders. He had engaged a LPI wing near West Point, and having destroyed a hostile fighter, proceeded east towards Norfolk. Down the Trade Lane he encountered an idle Navy Siege Cruiser, which he pinned down with Cruise Disruptors and called in the target.
I arrived on site just as Anders was engaging the Cruiser. *[1]
Notes:
- Callsign "MaryJane"
- Armour Grade Capital Mk IV
The Cruiser's turrets were too cumbersome to track our fighters and we proceeded to suppress its shields. However, concerned that reinforcements would arrive before we could cripple the MaryJane, I called in for heavier fire support. The Inquisitor-class Gunboat HFGB-Spleenflash, captained by Fleet Commander Brass, was on station and headed for the fight. At this stage the Siege Cruiser's crew must have realised that they were in serious trouble and gunned their engines for planar north, towards the New York star.
With the addition of the Heavy Gunboat's firepower, the Cruiser's shields collapsed completely and our guns began to pound its hull. *[2]
The Spleenflash's cannons ripped into the Cruiser's engine block, setting fire to the rear of the ship, which then initiated a catastrophic chain reaction, blowing the Cruiser apart. *[3]*[4]*[5]
{CLASSIFIED (High Command only): A Nomad fighter-class vessel was present. It appeared only to observe this engagement and did not attempt to communicate or attack either side.}
Detecting more hostile contacts on the long-range DRADIS, our temporarily-designated Attack Group Javelin regrouped with Lieutenant Abel Cage in his Roc-class bomber and returned to West Point Academy. There we found multiple hostile vessels waiting for us; an Assault Battlecruiser, LNS-Atlantis, the infamous National Guard Gunboat [NG]-Assualt1, and a Bounty Hunter bomber called [Super.Bass].
To my suprise, I spotted our old comrade Tharog Frosthearth nearby, and I exchanged a few pleasantries. It seems he is a changed man, though, and he went on his way before combat began. When he left, we wasted no time in gunning for the Navy ships. We swung around in formation and bombarded the Assault1, set as the priority target on the belief that all of our ships could evade the Battlecruiser's fire for long enough.
Our training and experience pulled us through, and the Gunboat collapsed before the might of the Legion. *[6]
{CLASSIFIED: At this time, the Nomad entity engaged the Navy ships.}
Multiple fire patterns punctured the Assault1, detonating the Gunboat's primary magazine, scattering shrapnel and wreckage. *[7]
We detected unusual power fluctuations on board the Battlecruiser consistent with Ion weaponry discharges, and it disappeared for a short period of time.
The arrival of another well-known ship, the Navy Repair Vessel LNF-Hope, was short lived. We sent it running for the docks of West Point. *[8]
When the LNS-Atlantis reappeared, we remorselessly punished the Battlecruiser, and its shields began to fail. *[9]
The Bounty Hunter bomber, realising that he was outclassed, fled for West Point, and we redoubled our efforts against the Battlecruiser. *[10]
When its shields gave way completely, the Battlecruiser's captain lost his nerve and headed for the shield bubble of West Point, firing a few futile broadsides towards our Inquisitor. *[11]*[12]
Before we could barely catch our collective breaths, more Navy reinforcements arrived, in the form of a weakly-armoured Gunboat (mr_green) and a Guardian pilot, LN-Timothy.Hawk. Ignoring the Guardian, our combined firepower made a mockery of the Gunboat's defences and it too fled for West Point. *[13]
However, not to be denied a kill, Fleet Commander Anders stuck on its tail until the last possible, and succeeded in destroying the Gunboat. *[14]
Timothy Hawk, obviously outnumbered and heavily outgunned, fled down the Trade Lane to Planet Manhattan. The Spleenflash met up with Major Kailee Barnes out of range of Manhattan's defense grid while I, Anders, and Cage ran back to Ouray to resupply. Anders transferred over to the helm of one of our newer Arbiter Battleships, the HFB-Polyphemus. We RV'd above Manhattan and launched our assault against the waiting ships from ultra-high orbit.
Multiple enemy contacts were awaiting our arrival, including Navy Primary Officer [LN]-Natalie.Cahoone, LPI officer Luke.Walker, and Navy Gunboat Iron.Hammer. Repeating the tactics which had proved effective earlier in the sortie, we locked onto the Gunboat and swiftly destroyed it. *[15]
Responding to the LPI officer's distress call, yet another Gunboat arrived, the Cloud_Of_Sparrows, and another LPI pilot, Thomas.Knox, and Mandalorian Mercenary MM~Espaneca'. Unphased, the Legion proceeded in destroying yet another Gunboat. A very unlucky day for the Navy! *[16]*[17]
A random pirate, That.Hill, showed up quickly after that. We ignored him, and he happened to be after the Liberty ships too, so that didn't bother me one bit. Unfortunately, though, a pair of Navy Roc bombers arrived, LN-Delta.1 and LN-Delta.2. *[18]
Having sustained damage over the course of the combat action, the Spleenflash suffered a number of critical hits from the bombers and was forced to disengage. A dozen crewmen serving aboard it were killed or injured. With multiple hostile capital-grade targets inbound on Manhattan, and becoming swiftly outnumbered by the present snub fighters, I sounded the general retreat. The Polyphemus pulled out of orbit, and while I did not personally receive kill data from the ship, I have it on good authority that they destroyed a BHG Core Mako and at least one Navy Dreadnought before regrouping with Warhammer actual. I held back long enough to make sure Lieutenant Cage and Major Barnes were clear, before accelerating towards the Colorado Jump Hole, Natalie Cahoone hot on my tail. What a persistent woman - she was a hair's breadth behind me the whole way, but once I jumped through she did not follow.
For excellence in the field of battle, and with the approval of Legion High Command, I have been authorised to promoteLieutenant Abel CagetoMajor. Congratulations, Major.
<<Personal Log Begins>>
Looks like I have some loot from the day's battle. Something to enjoy in what little spare time I have... <*>