Tyberium
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| Tyberium | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
| Class | League |
| In service until | March 2785 |
Description
FWLS Tyberium was a League-class destroyer in service of the Free Worlds League.
History
The Lyran Invasion of Bolan
In March 2785, the ship was one of four Free Worlds League WarShips assigned to the defense of Bolan, serving alongside two sister ships, the FWLS Talwar and the FWLS Turk and the Aegis-class heavy cruiser FWLS Manaslu under the overall command of Colonel Salam Tutt of the Sixth Bolan Defenders. It was in early March that the Lyran Commonwealth launched an invasion of Bolan, deploying at least three regiments of BattleMechs escorted by eight Mako-class corvettes and four Commonwealth-class cruisers. The Lyrans split their forces, with one half arriving at the zenith jump point and the other half arriving three days out from Bolan via a LaGrange point.[1]
The first WarShip engagement of the invasion came when the Tyberium and her two sister ships engaged the first Lyran task group.[1] Approaching along the solar plane, the first Lyran task group consisted primarily of the Caledonia and Donegal - both Commonwealths - and the Mako-class corvettes Aurelius, Nerva, Vespasian and Vitellius. In addition to the WarShips, the Lyran task force also included two squadrons of assault Dropships and aerospace fighters, and should have been enough to destroy all three League WarShips; however, the Lyrans were undone by the eagerness of the four Makos to engage the League WarShips. The four Makos ranged ahead of the heavier Commonwealths, accompanied by only light Dropship support, and as a result the Lyran task group was divided across too broad a front.[2] The Talwar and her sister ships were able to use a combination of feints and sudden retreats to further disrupt the Lyran formation,[2] damaging two Makos[1] - the Nerva and the Vespasian[2] - and forcing them to retreat, as well as nearly destroying a third Mako before the heavier Commonwealths were able to force the three destroyers to withdraw back to orbit. The first Lyran group managed to successfully land its ground forces and then engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse with the four Free worlds League WarShips until the second Lyran group arrived above Bolan, having burned into orbit from the zenith jump point. All four Free Worlds League WarShips engaged the Lyran WarShips at this point[1] with the Manaslu leading the charge, supported by a handful of assault DropShips and two squadrons of heavy aerospace fighters. The Tyberium had been heavily damaged by the Nerva and Vitellius during the initial engagement, but attempted to support the Manaslu as best she could; while the Manaslu inflicted heavy damage on the Caledonia, damaging the Lyran cruisers' port side fire control and her maneuvering drive, the Tyberium launched a suicidal attack on the Donegal. The Talwar and Turk were unable to assist either the Manaslu or the Tyberium, as they were locked in battle with the Aurelius and Vitellus; as the Talwar and Turk continued to battle the Makos, the Manaslu was savaged by return fire from the Caledonia, taking heavy damage to her prow, including strikes from at least two nuclear-tipped Barracuda missiles; the Caledonia was forced to retreat, but the Manaslu had lost her command centers, her sensor arrays and half her maneuvering thrusters, leaving her tumbling out of control. The crew of the Manaslu desperately launched escape pods even as the Donegal evaded the Tyberium's suicidal rush and crippled her engines. The crew of the Tyberium had no choice but to abandon ship, as she fell into Bolan's upper atmosphere and broke up, shedding escape pods right up until the last moment.[2]