Duke Alexander
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| Duke Alexander | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
| Class | Davion II |
History[edit]
The Duke Alexander was a Davion II in service with the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns during the First Succession War as the FSS Duke Alexander. In March 2814 the Duke Alexander was part of a three-ship WarShip escort for the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns task force assigned to recapture Dahar IV, the former administrative capital of the Dahar Combat Region and one of many systems in the Draconis March to have been captured during the early years of a massive invasion of the Federated Suns mounted by the Draconis Combine.[1]
The Duke Alexander was serving alongside a sister ship, the Sarah Davion, under the overall command of Admiral Mateo Arrian, a veteran of the Battle of Cholame, from the Congress-D-class frigate FSS Starlight Raider. Shortly before the attack on Dahar IV was due to be launched, Arrian received intelligence indicating that there were a pair of Draconis Combine Admiralty WarShips on station in the Dahar system: the Narukami II-class destroyer DCS Shōwakusei and the Samarkand II-class fighter carrier DCS New Samarkand, the former flagship of the Second Fleet and one of the most experienced carrier crews to be found in the DCA at this point in the War.[1]
Arrian chose to press ahead with the attack, but switched three of his DropShips over from carrying aerospace fighters to carrying Land-Air 'Mechs. When Arrian's forces attacked, the Duke Alexander and Sarah Davion engaged the Shōwakusei, while the various fighter groups from the WarShips and accompanying DropShips battled each other. All five WarShips were in fighting trim, but half of the New Samarkand's fighter complement were guarding key sites on the planet, and were unavailable for the battle. As the Starlight Raider engaged the New Samarkand, the three DropShips carrying LAMs emerged from concealment behind the AFFS WarShips and drove for the New Samarkand. When they were within range, the DropShips disgorged their squadrons of LAMs, which engaged the New Samarkand directly, before transforming into the BattleMech configuration and blasting their way into the inside of the New Samarkand through her flight bays. Once inside the New Samarkand, the 'Mechs caused havoc, inflicting enough damage to cause the carrier to tumble out of control. Only three LAMs managed to escape from the burning hulk of the New Samarkand, but the Starlight Raider took only moderate damage during the attack. Arrian's forces also destroyed the Shōwakusei during the battle, but not before the Sarah Davion was crippled.[1]