Assault on Niagra Creek

The lead elements of ESU Assault Group Riga and Villnus moved into orbit over the planet Niagra Creek to begin an orbital assault with ortillery and landing craft from the Ropucha-class Assault Ships. The NAC had mustered its last line of defence, in the form of Carrier Battle Group 101. The oldest element of CVBG 101, the venerable Fleet Carrier RNS Saratoga is due to be stood down and placed in mothballs when the Admiralty make a replacement carrier available. Destruction of this initial wave of ESU assault ships could turn the tide of events and set back, if not defeat ESU plans for the EQ Pegasi system.

Carrier Battle Group 101 (NAC)

CVN Saratoga, RNS Saratoga
2x CH Vandenburg/T, RNS Cape Kennedy, RNS Miramar
CE Furious, RNS Protector
2x CE/M Furious, RNS Striker, RNS Savage
6x FFG Tacoma, RNS Colwick Park, RNS Broadway, RNS South Park, RNS Hope, RNS Cooper, RNS King's Lynn

Assault Group Riga (ESU)

SDN Komarov, VKK Yosef Stalin
BC Manchuria, VKK Chervona Ukraina
2x CH Gorshkov, VKK Udaloy, VKK Akula
CE Beijing/E, VKK Mikael Gorbachev
5x DDG Volga, VKK Novamorsk, VKK Grozny, VKK Oktober, VKK Bezzavetny, VKK Smolensk
DD Warsaw, VKK Dnepr

Assault Group Villnus (ESU)

2x AOE Ivan Rogov, VKK Tsesar Kunikov, VKK Nikolay Filchenkov
2x LST Ropucha, VKK Julius Fucik, VKK Alligator

Historical Outcome

NAC forces split into two task groups hoping to converge on the ESU forces on two fronts. Assault Group Riga advanced towards the orbit of Niagra Creek apparently ignoring the NAC formation. Assault Group Villnus remained stationary and held position at the edge of the battle area, waiting for the outcome of the battle ahead.

The NAC plans called for immediate destruction of the Komarov class Superdreadnought and its accompanying Escort Cruiser. Fighters advanced ahead of the the warships and engaged. NAC underestimated the protective umbrella of the VKK Mikael Gorbachev and suffered heavy fighter losses during their attack on the VKK Yosef Stalin. Immediately, they switched fire to the cruiser. Long range fire combined with fighter attacks soon put the escort out of the action. By the time, it was destroyed, the heroic actions of this single ship had accounted for approximately two thirds of the Saratoga's fighter complement.

ESU Super Destroyers broke formation with a hard turn to starboard to intercept a heavy frigate group led by RNS Cooper. Three of the four Heavy Frigates were quickly overwhelmed, but not without inflicting damage on vital systems aboard the ESU Destroyers.

All ships soon found themselves in a large melee. Slow, close maneuvering was the order of the day. This seemed to favour the ESU ships. Salvo missiles were fired by both sides resulting in heavy damage to the VKK Chervona Ukraina and the destruction of RNS Protector and RNS South Park. The majority of Assault Group Riga poured fire into the RNS Savage and RNS Cape Kennedy ending their battle. NAC retaliated by destroying VKK Akula, and VKK Grozny.

It was time for the ESU to mop up the remaining NAC vessels, the RNS Mirimar , Striker and Saratoga. The Striker quickly fell to a savage assault by the VKK Yosef Stalin. Fire from the RNS Saratoga destroyed an already badly damaged VKK Bezzavetny. All ESU targetting systems were locked onto the Saratoga. The RNS Mirimar moved in to attempt to save the carrier, but itself fell prey to the Chervona Ukraina which had only just got its fire control systems back on line.

The remains of Assault Group Riga (VKK Yosef Stalin, Chervona Ukraina, Udaloy, Novamorsk, Smolensk, Oktober, and VKK Dnepr) closed formation with Assault Group Villnus and escorted them into orbit over Niagra Creek. The ground assault was about to begin.

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