Tehuantepec
Sarna News
| Tehuantepec | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
| Class | Essex |
Contents
History
As at 3059 the Essex-class destroyer Tehuantepec was serving as the CSA Tehuantepec within the Clan Star Adder touman. One of two Essex-class ships to be in service with the Star Adders at this time - the other being the CSA Eagle - the Tehuantepec formed a part of a ready reserve star of five WarShips.[1] Following the absorption of former Clan Smoke Jaguar holdings the Tehuantepec had been returned to full service by 3067 under the orders of the Star Adder Naval Adjutant, Star Admiral Tobias McKenna.[2]
In 3072 Khan Stanislav N'Buta of the Star Adders was looking for revenge against Clan Blood Spirit for their actions on Strana Mechty, in which the Star Adder enclave was destroyed and saKhan Dante Truscott was killed. In August N'Buta mobilised a large part of the Star Adder navy including the Alpha Naval Reserve Star and struck at the world of York; the Tehuantepec was one of the WarShips mobilised for the attack.[3]
The Aegis-class heavy cruiser CBS Exsanguine was in the York system at the time, and immediately on arrival the Star Adders engaged both the Exsanguine and the nearby recharge station. The Blood Spirits launched five assorted stars of AeroSpace Fighters and DropShips to join in the battle, but were unable to prevent the Star Adders from crippling the Exsanguine and leaving the Exsanguine's commanding officer, Star Admiral Ilse McFadden, with no way to retaliate.[3]
Once it was obvious that the Exsanguine was crippled, the Star Adders pulled back from the battle and instead pressed on to York. In the face of attacks from military and civilian vessels - up to and including civilian DropShips ramming Star Adder vessels - the Star Adders secured themselves in orbit above York and then landed DropShips to evacuate the Star Adder personnel located at their one enclave on the planet. One of the casualties from the suicidal Blood Spirits attacks was the Tehuantepec, which broke up against the planetary atmosphere after being left spinning out of control following three Merchant Caste Union-class DropShips rammed themselves into her maneuvering thrusters; despite the damage taken and the impending loss of the ship, the Tehuantepec did manage to launch all of her DropShips before breaking up.[3]
When the evacuation of the Adder enclave was complete, the Star Adders began a twenty-two day orbital bombardment of York, striking at all of the major cities and industries on the planet, shattering the Blood Spirits. More than three quarters of the planetary population were killed and upwards of ninety percent of the industry was destroyed; while the Star Adders ceased the bombardment short of completely destroying the capital world of the Blood Spirits, the bombardment tipped the planetary ecology into decline as the damage resulted in conditions akin to a nuclear winter, beginning York's slow death.[3]
Notes
In Field Manual: Updates the Tehuantepec is referred to as the Tuhantepec.[2]