Difference between revisions of "Skulker (Individual Soyal-class WarShip)"
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| − | | serviceuntil = March [[2789]] | + | | serviceuntil = March [[2789]]<ref name="HS(TLC)p50">''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 50: "Attacks on Hesperus II"</ref> |
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The '''''Skulker''''' was a ''[[Soyal]]''-class<ref name="FSWp63"/> heavy cruiser in service with the [[Free Worlds League Military]] as the FWLS ''Skulker'' during the years following the collapse of the [[Star League]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> | The '''''Skulker''''' was a ''[[Soyal]]''-class<ref name="FSWp63"/> heavy cruiser in service with the [[Free Worlds League Military]] as the FWLS ''Skulker'' during the years following the collapse of the [[Star League]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | ===Acquisition of | + | ===Acquisition of the ''Skulker''=== |
| − | The ship was part of an order of ''Soyal''-Class Heavy Cruisers made by the Free Worlds League Navy as a check against House Liao who had also ordered the large heavy cruisers and their dreaded spinal mounted [[Medium Mass Driver|Mass Driver]] cannon from [[Delhi WarShips]].<ref>''Field Report: CCAF | + | The ship was part of an order of ''Soyal''-Class Heavy Cruisers made by the Free Worlds League Navy as a check against House Liao who had also ordered the large heavy cruisers and their dreaded spinal mounted [[Medium Mass Driver|Mass Driver]] cannon from [[Delhi WarShips]].<ref>''Field Report 2765: CCAF'', p. 21: "Soyal-Class Heavy Cruiser" - Free Worlds League purchases ''Soyal''s from Delhi for its fleet</ref> |
===Third Battle of Hesperus II=== | ===Third Battle of Hesperus II=== | ||
| − | ==== | + | ====Buildup to the Attack==== |
| − | The [[Free Worlds League]] launched an attack against the world of [[Hesperus II]] in [[2789]], intent on capturing the planet and the vital factories there despite the destruction of the orbital shipyards there by WarShips from [[Draconis Combine]] in [[2787]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> Launched in March, the attack was commanded by [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Thaddeus Marik]] from his flagship, the ''[[Lola III]]''-class destroyer [[Bucharest|FWLS ''Bucharest'']]. | + | The [[Free Worlds League]] launched an attack against the world of [[Hesperus II]] in [[2789]], intent on capturing the planet and the vital factories there despite the destruction of the orbital shipyards there by WarShips from [[Draconis Combine]] in [[2787]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> Launched in March, the attack was commanded by [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Thaddeus Marik (29th c.)|Thaddeus Marik]] from his flagship, the ''[[Lola III]]''-class destroyer [[Bucharest|FWLS ''Bucharest'']]. Thaddeus—the son of [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captain-General]] [[Kenyon Marik]]—used information obtained by Free Worlds League intelligence agents on the attacks launched against Hesperus II by the [[Federated Suns]] and Combine to form his plan of attack, and had decided that he wouldn't attempt to capture the world—instead, he was intent on destroying the factories from orbit. This meant that Thaddeus wasn't constrained by the need to escort or protect ground forces and their transport vessels; his attack was intended to use speed and surprise to achieve victory, and was based around a daring gamble—a jump insertion into the Hesperus system via a Lagrange point between the system primary and Hesperus I.<ref name="FSWp63">''First Succession War'', pp. 63–64: "The Third Battle (vs. Marik)"</ref> |
| − | While the [[Star League Defense Force]] had used similar tactics, the [[SLDF]] had only attempted such maneuvers using ships equipped with [[Lithium-Fusion Battery|Lithium-Fusion batteries]], so that if there was a problem, the ships could quickly jump back to safety. Of the WarShips assembled by Thaddeus, only the ''Bucharest'' had such a battery; nevertheless, the advantages in jumping in to such a risky pirate point outweighed the risks for | + | While the [[Star League Defense Force]] had used similar tactics, the [[SLDF]] had only attempted such maneuvers using ships equipped with [[Lithium-Fusion Battery|Lithium-Fusion batteries]], so that if there was a problem, the ships could quickly jump back to safety. Of the WarShips assembled by Thaddeus, only the ''Bucharest'' had such a battery; nevertheless, the advantages in jumping in to such a risky pirate point outweighed the risks for Thaddeus—the arrival of his fleet would limit the Lyran response time, with emissions from the system primary masking both the arrival of the fleet and the signs of their swift acceleration towards Hesperus II.<ref name="FSWp63"/> |
====Task Force's arrival the Skulker engages in Combat==== | ====Task Force's arrival the Skulker engages in Combat==== | ||
| − | The task force approached Hesperus II from an unusual vector, intent on not repeating the mistakes made by the Draconis Combine and the [[Federated Suns]] during the first and second battles for Hesperus II. Unfortunately for the League task force, the [[Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces]] had bolstered the garrison at Hesperus II just days before by assigning two cruisers to the system, the [[Granite|LCS ''Granite'']] and the [[Endeavor (Individual Aegis-class WarShip)|LCS ''Endeavor'']] under the overall command of [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Oscar F. Dewey]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> Veteran ''[[Aegis]]''-class heavy cruisers, the ''Endeavor'' and ''Granite'' also possessed LF-batteries, having been refitted by the SLDF prior to the [[Amaris Civil War]]. Dewey responded to the urgent warnings of the inbound League fleet by ordering the ''Endeavor'' and ''Granite'' to execute an emergency jump to the lunar | + | The task force approached Hesperus II from an unusual vector, intent on not repeating the mistakes made by the Draconis Combine and the [[Federated Suns]] during the first and second battles for Hesperus II. Unfortunately for the League task force, the [[Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces]] had bolstered the garrison at Hesperus II just days before by assigning two cruisers to the system, the [[Granite (Individual Aegis-class WarShip)|LCS ''Granite'']] and the [[Endeavor (Individual Aegis-class WarShip)|LCS ''Endeavor'']] under the overall command of [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Oscar F. Dewey]].<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> Veteran ''[[Aegis]]''-class heavy cruisers, the ''Endeavor'' and ''Granite'' also possessed LF-batteries, having been refitted by the SLDF prior to the [[Amaris Civil War]]. Dewey responded to the urgent warnings of the inbound League fleet by ordering the ''Endeavor'' and ''Granite'' to execute an emergency jump to the lunar Lagrange point between Hesperus II and its moon, allowing the two Lyran heavy cruisers to reach planetary orbit at the same time as Thaddeus' ships were due to make contact with the bulk of the Hesperus II naval defenses.<ref name="FSWp63">''First Succession War'', pp. 63–64: "The Third Battle (vs. Marik)"</ref> |
| − | Thaddeus had anticipated heavy defenses, and ordered the ''Skulker'' and a sister ship, the [[Devastator (Individual Soyal-class WarShip)|FWLS ''Devastator'']]<ref name="FSWp63"/> | + | Thaddeus had anticipated heavy defenses, and ordered the ''Skulker'' and a sister ship, the [[Devastator (Individual Soyal-class WarShip)|FWLS ''Devastator'']]<ref name="FSWp63"/>—the two largest WarShips assigned to the fleet tasked with capturing Hesperus II<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/>—to break off from the main battle and attack the factory sites. The sudden arrival of the ''Endeavor'' and ''Granite'' caught both League heavy cruisers by surprise;<ref name="FSWp63"/> the ''Endeavor'' and the ''Granite'' targeted the two ''Soyals'', exchanging furious broadsides with their opponents in a fashion akin to the blue water naval battles of old on [[Terra]], but after several broadsides it became apparent that the more modern ''Devastator'' was swiftly getting the upper hand against the much older ''Granite''. From his position aboard the ''Granite'' it became apparent to Dewey that he was faced with the potential loss of the entire battle, and as a consequence Dewey took a desperate step, ordering the ''Granite'' to ram the ''Devastator''. The Lyran cruiser drove its prow deep into the bowels of its opponent, pushing both of them out of orbit and into a spiral towards the surface of Hesperus II while the ''Endeavor'' and the ''Skulker'' continued to battle each other.<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> |
| − | When Dewey became aware of the rapid descent of both ships towards the planet he had the ''Granite'' pull itself free of the ''Devastator'' using its maneuvering drive, the two ships finally | + | When Dewey became aware of the rapid descent of both ships towards the planet he had the ''Granite'' pull itself free of the ''Devastator'' using its maneuvering drive, the two ships finally separating as their hulls began visibly glowing from the friction of atmospheric entry. The venerable ''Granite'' fought for several minutes to remain above the atmosphere, but it became apparent that she could no longer maneuver effectively and Dewey ordered his crew to abandon ship. The ''Endeavor'' vanquished the ''Skulker'' and swiftly recovered the crew of the ''Granite'', and with both League cruisers vanquished, the League fleet no longer had a clear advantage over the Lyran defenders and retreated<ref name="HS(TLC)p50"/> even as three squadrons of attack DropShips were detected lifting off from Hesperus II to help close the gap in the orbital defenses left by the attack.<ref name="FSWp63"/> |
====Destruction of the Ship over Hesperus II==== | ====Destruction of the Ship over Hesperus II==== | ||
| Line 36: | Line 37: | ||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
| − | * ''[[First Succession War ( | + | * ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)|First Succession War]]'' |
* ''[[House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)]]'' | * ''[[House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)]]'' | ||
| + | |||
[[Category: Individual WarShips]] | [[Category: Individual WarShips]] | ||
[[Category: Individual Heavy Cruisers]] | [[Category: Individual Heavy Cruisers]] | ||
[[Category: Individual Soyal-class WarShips]] | [[Category: Individual Soyal-class WarShips]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:45, 10 February 2024
- This article is about the WarShip. For the wheeled scout tank, see Skulker (Combat Vehicle).
| Skulker | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
| Class | Soyal |
| In service until | March 2789[1] |
The Skulker was a Soyal-class[2] heavy cruiser in service with the Free Worlds League Military as the FWLS Skulker during the years following the collapse of the Star League.[1]
Contents
History[edit]
Acquisition of the Skulker[edit]
The ship was part of an order of Soyal-Class Heavy Cruisers made by the Free Worlds League Navy as a check against House Liao who had also ordered the large heavy cruisers and their dreaded spinal mounted Mass Driver cannon from Delhi WarShips.[3]
Third Battle of Hesperus II[edit]
Buildup to the Attack[edit]
The Free Worlds League launched an attack against the world of Hesperus II in 2789, intent on capturing the planet and the vital factories there despite the destruction of the orbital shipyards there by WarShips from Draconis Combine in 2787.[1] Launched in March, the attack was commanded by Fleet Admiral Thaddeus Marik from his flagship, the Lola III-class destroyer FWLS Bucharest. Thaddeus—the son of Captain-General Kenyon Marik—used information obtained by Free Worlds League intelligence agents on the attacks launched against Hesperus II by the Federated Suns and Combine to form his plan of attack, and had decided that he wouldn't attempt to capture the world—instead, he was intent on destroying the factories from orbit. This meant that Thaddeus wasn't constrained by the need to escort or protect ground forces and their transport vessels; his attack was intended to use speed and surprise to achieve victory, and was based around a daring gamble—a jump insertion into the Hesperus system via a Lagrange point between the system primary and Hesperus I.[2]
While the Star League Defense Force had used similar tactics, the SLDF had only attempted such maneuvers using ships equipped with Lithium-Fusion batteries, so that if there was a problem, the ships could quickly jump back to safety. Of the WarShips assembled by Thaddeus, only the Bucharest had such a battery; nevertheless, the advantages in jumping in to such a risky pirate point outweighed the risks for Thaddeus—the arrival of his fleet would limit the Lyran response time, with emissions from the system primary masking both the arrival of the fleet and the signs of their swift acceleration towards Hesperus II.[2]
Task Force's arrival the Skulker engages in Combat[edit]
The task force approached Hesperus II from an unusual vector, intent on not repeating the mistakes made by the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns during the first and second battles for Hesperus II. Unfortunately for the League task force, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces had bolstered the garrison at Hesperus II just days before by assigning two cruisers to the system, the LCS Granite and the LCS Endeavor under the overall command of Fleet Admiral Oscar F. Dewey.[1] Veteran Aegis-class heavy cruisers, the Endeavor and Granite also possessed LF-batteries, having been refitted by the SLDF prior to the Amaris Civil War. Dewey responded to the urgent warnings of the inbound League fleet by ordering the Endeavor and Granite to execute an emergency jump to the lunar Lagrange point between Hesperus II and its moon, allowing the two Lyran heavy cruisers to reach planetary orbit at the same time as Thaddeus' ships were due to make contact with the bulk of the Hesperus II naval defenses.[2]
Thaddeus had anticipated heavy defenses, and ordered the Skulker and a sister ship, the FWLS Devastator[2]—the two largest WarShips assigned to the fleet tasked with capturing Hesperus II[1]—to break off from the main battle and attack the factory sites. The sudden arrival of the Endeavor and Granite caught both League heavy cruisers by surprise;[2] the Endeavor and the Granite targeted the two Soyals, exchanging furious broadsides with their opponents in a fashion akin to the blue water naval battles of old on Terra, but after several broadsides it became apparent that the more modern Devastator was swiftly getting the upper hand against the much older Granite. From his position aboard the Granite it became apparent to Dewey that he was faced with the potential loss of the entire battle, and as a consequence Dewey took a desperate step, ordering the Granite to ram the Devastator. The Lyran cruiser drove its prow deep into the bowels of its opponent, pushing both of them out of orbit and into a spiral towards the surface of Hesperus II while the Endeavor and the Skulker continued to battle each other.[1]
When Dewey became aware of the rapid descent of both ships towards the planet he had the Granite pull itself free of the Devastator using its maneuvering drive, the two ships finally separating as their hulls began visibly glowing from the friction of atmospheric entry. The venerable Granite fought for several minutes to remain above the atmosphere, but it became apparent that she could no longer maneuver effectively and Dewey ordered his crew to abandon ship. The Endeavor vanquished the Skulker and swiftly recovered the crew of the Granite, and with both League cruisers vanquished, the League fleet no longer had a clear advantage over the Lyran defenders and retreated[1] even as three squadrons of attack DropShips were detected lifting off from Hesperus II to help close the gap in the orbital defenses left by the attack.[2]
Destruction of the Ship over Hesperus II[edit]
The Devastator and the Granite burned up together in the atmosphere of Hesperus II, the last remains of the two ships crashing violently into the surface close to the vital factories over which they had been fighting.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 50: "Attacks on Hesperus II"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 First Succession War, pp. 63–64: "The Third Battle (vs. Marik)"
- ↑ Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 21: "Soyal-Class Heavy Cruiser" - Free Worlds League purchases Soyals from Delhi for its fleet