05:23
Yet another salvo of SA-N-2/1 missiles hit the Swarm. Atago 024 is hit seven times but none of them penetrate. Atago 036 is hit thrice and Atago 035 four times. Then a salvo of SS-N-2/8 reaches the aliens. Atago 032 is hit by three missiles, two of which penetrate. Atago 031 is hit twice, with no penetration - which means that the alien FAC's actually have armour rating of at least 3. Atago 004 receives a single hit, causing internal damage. Atago 027 is hit twice and it explodes. As does Atago 032 as it receives an additional hit. Atago 030 is hit thrice, blowing the craft up, as is Atago 031. Seven missiles self-destruct, as their targets have been destroyed. There are 13 Atago-class and 36 Kirishima-class FAC's left and they are getting dangerously close.
Ten seconds later, more missiles hit but this time only SA-N-2/1's. Kirishima 002 bears almost the whole salvo - seventeen missiles hit it and the small vessel explodes. Atago 023 shrugs off three hits. Five seconds later, three more missiles hit Atago 023. Five seconds after that, another two missiles hit the same craft.
Salvo XYZ (can't remember which number were going on now) hits, again consisting only of SA-N-2/1 missiles. Kirishima 004 scored eight hits, Kirishima 003 scored six hits, Kirishima 005 only three hits. Infuriatingly many missiles missed. None of the hits penetrate armour.
The Swarm are only 311,000 kilometres away from the Fleet.
Next salvo hits - Kirishima 004 is hit thrice, Kirishima 003 six times - two of which penetrate armour, Kirishima 005 is hit five times. Then Atago 025 is hit by a SS-N-1/8 and begins to stream liquid. Atago 004 is hit and destroyed. Atago 025 is hit again and it blows up. Atago 035 is hit twice and explodes. Man, I love the shipkillers.
245,000 km. Corvettes requires 10 seconds to reload, destroyers 35 seconds, frigates 55 seconds. Swarm moves 10,000 km/s - 50,000 in a 5 second interval.
Kirishima 003 is hit by six missiles, one of which penetrates. Kirishima 004 is struck by five missiles, one of which also penetrates. Kirishima 005 is also struck by six missiles, two of which penetrate and it's engine is shut down. Meanwhile, the Swarm turn their active sensors on - strength 28, resolution 1. Which means that they are almost at firing range.
Luckily the missiles don't care about trivialities like that. Kirishima 003 is hit seven times, four of which cause internal damage. Kirishima 004 is hit ten times, three of which penetrate. Both craft lose their engines and are dead in space.
Kirishima 006 is struck by four missiles. Kirishima 005 is by seven missiles, several of which penetrate and the craft explodes. Atago 028 is hit by two shipkillers and blows up. Unfortunately, Swarm has reached Meson range. Airedale is hit thrice, from Kirishima 006, 013 and 037. Two of her missile magazines are destroyed and one of her SM-L/8 launchers is damaged but still firing, which is good as she still has two other magazines feeding missiles. She suffered 17 casualties.
As the missile ships require more distance, the Rear Admiral makes a ballsy move and detaches the two command ships - Derfflinger[/] and Helgoland, armed with 12cm Rail guns - from the main Fleet. They will hopefully get the attention of the Swarm as they turn around and head towards them and thus buy time for the missile ships to get more missiles launched - The Illustrious-class frigates need 35 seconds, the Hood-class destroyers need 10 seconds and the Invincible-class corvettes need 10 seconds.
Kirishima 003 explodes after being hit by four missiles. Kirishima 004 suffers the same fate. Kirishima 037 is hit five times, Kirishima 036 twice and Kirishima 006 four times. None of these hits penetrate. Swarm does not fire - either they miss all their shots or their Meson cannons are recycling.
Some stray missiles hit Atago 008 which was immobilized earlier - all four hit but the stupid craft remains in existence. Meanwhile, the ploy works - the Swarm concentrates fire on DL Derfflinger. The SunLight Active Search Sensor and three of the Ion Engines are destroyed, causing 64 casualties. The ship is still under power, however.
Five seconds pass. The massive salvo from the destroyers is halfway to the Swarm, who do not fire. It seems that their Meson Cannons have 10 second recycling rate.
Five seconds pass. The salvo reaches the Swarm. It's a mix of SA-N-2/1 and SS-N-2/8 missiles. Atago 008 is again hit by four missiles and finally destroyed. Kirishima 006 receives two harmless hits. Atago 021 gets three armour plates blown off. Atago 020 loses six plates. Atago 033 is hit twice and blows up. Kirishima 014 is hit once, losing nine armour plates. Atago 029 is hit twice and starts to stream liquid. Atago 022 is hit once but its armour holds, as holds the armour of Kirishima 011 which receives a single hit. Kirishima 010 shares their fate. Kirishima 009 is hit twice and begins to stream liquid. Both Kirishima 008 and 007 shrug off single hits. Over half of the missiles miss. There is a secondary explosion - possibly Atago 029 as its engine went offline. Both Derfflinger and Helgoland are still preparing to fire. Unfortunately, the Swarm hits the former again - this time she loses two of her Gas-Cooled Fast Reactors, four Ion Egines, crew quarters, two CIWS-120, engineering spaces, one of her railguns, EM sensor and EagleEye sensor. Too many casualties to count. All together, she has lost ten of her sixteen engines, her two active search sensors, her passive EM sensor, two of her four reactors and both of her CIWS-120 systems. Two crew quarters, the flag bridge and one of the engineering spaces are also trashed. 722 crew members, out of the nominal 990, are still working. Her single remaining railgun has enough power from the surviving reactors, she is still under power and able to move. It will take 110 seconds for the destroyers to reload their launchers.
The destroyer leaders finally open fire. They pellet Atago 019 in a maelstrom of fiery shells, peppering the small craft with kinetic objects. The Swarm craft begins to stream liquid but the DL's do not ease the fire until it explodes.
Kirishima 006 is hit by four missiles and streams liquid. Atago 021 is hit by six missiles. Atago 020 is struck by four. The armour belt of the latter two holds fast. Kirishima 006's engine goes offline. The capacitors in the DL's are still recharching, so the ships can't fire. Which is tragic, as the Swarm concentrate all their fire upon DL Derfflinger. The poor ship finally disintegrates under the withering Meson fire, but 138 survivors manage to reach life pods in time. Helgoland alters her course to pick them up before the Swarm can blast them. Still, the ploy is working - the main Fleet has managed to grow the distance between them and the Swarm, as the aliens fully concentrate on the two DL's. Well, one DL now.
While the alien Meson cannons recycle, Helgoland gets a slice of revenge - her railguns pummel Atago 020 into oblivion, blowing the little vessel away. The frigates and corvettes launch their missiles, while the destroyers require 95 seconds more.
Kirishima 006 is hit by eight missiles, three of which cause internal damage. Atago 022 is hit by two missiles, one penetrating its armour. Atago 021 is hit by four missiles and explodes, as Helgoland had also pummelled the very same craft. Then the Swarm bombard her in revenge and cause significant damage (damn those armor-ignoring Mesons!), worst part being that both of her railguns are destroyed.
Kirishima 007 is struck by seven missiles, three of which penetrate. Kirishima 008 is hit by ten missiles, two of which penetrate and destroy its engine. In revenge, the Swarm maul Helgoland and the ship is turned into a steamy wreck. Captain Manoonkrit Leekpai, along with 377 other survivors, manage to reach life pods in time. But the Fleet does not pick them up until the Swarm has been dealt with.
Atago 023 is hit once, and streams liquid, as does Atago 034 and Atago 022. Atago 036 shrugs off nine armour plates. Infuriatingly, more missiles miss than hit, again. How I wish I had remembered to load SS-N-3/8 or SS-N-4/8 missiles instead of the SS-N-1/8 or SS-N-2/8 missiles the ships actually have. Oh well, such is life. In any case, both Atago 022 and Atago 034 lose their engines.
Kirishima 010 is hit ten times, one piercing. Kirishima 009 is hit five times, destroying the ship. Atago 029 is hit by one SS-N-1/8 missile and blows up. But now the Swarm has caught up with the Fleet. Airedale is the first one to feel the sting of their Mesons - in fact, the ship disintegrates, with only 337 survivors reaching the life pods. Commander Joel Macdonald goes down with his ship.
Kirishima 007 is hit by seven missiles, three of which penetrate its armour and whacks its engine. Five seconds later, it is destroyed by three additional missiles.
The Swarm focus their fire on FFG Armada, which withstands the withering fire. 50 seconds until FFG's can fire, 60 seconds for DD's.
Kirishima 010 is hit by four missiles, three of which cause internal damage. It's engine goes offline and it's thus now harmless. Eight missiles strike Atago 024, two penetrating its armour.
The aliens turn FFG Armada into junk pile. 211 survivors manage to reach life pods.
Atago 023 is hit by five missiles and violently explodes. Atago 024 catches five missiles, though only one penetrates its armour. It is leaking fluids.
Now Swarm focuses on FFG Anzio. She withstands the first volley of Mesons, though severely damaged.
Atago 024 is hit by six missiles and the craft explodes. Atago 036 is hit by four missiles, three of which cause internal damage.
Anzio does not last the second volley. 251 survivors reach life pods.
05:26
Whoops, completely failed to keep up with the clock. Anyway, as you can see, the battle has only raged for few minutes - even though it has taken me several hours to resolve IRL.
Kirishima 012 is hit by eight missiles but the sturdy craft shrugs it off. Kirishima 011 gets nine hits, four of which cause internal damage. 15 seconds for FFG salvo, 25 seconds for DD salvo.
This time the Swarm shoots at FFG Agincourt. She is damaged but still limping alongside rest of the Fleet. It seems that they prefer a 16k range, as they have slowed down to trail humanity's finest.
Kirishima 012 is pounded some more - ten hits, four of which penetrate armour. Its engine is destroyed. Kirishima 011 receives also ten hits and blows up. Scratch two more bad guys!
FFG Agincourt is slashed again but miraculously survives. Or maybe enough of the little Swarm vessels have been destroyed, so that their firepower has diminished? In any case, she is badly damaged, barely able to move. Captain Franz von Lackner would like nothing more than to abandon ship to preserve lives but knows that his ship must play the role of a target as long as possible. FFG's and CT's launch missiles.
Kirishima 016 is hit by seven missiles. Kirishima 017 is hit by ten missiles, one of which actually penetrates. Kirishima 014 is hit once, blowing off nine armour plates but otherwise not harming the craft. All other shipkillers - fifteen of them - miss their targets!
Agincourt is attacked for the third time and this time the ship cannot take the punishment. 271 survivors, including Captain Franz von Lackner, reach the life pods. DD's and CT's launch their missiles.
Kirishima 017 is hit eleven times, three of them penetrating and loses power. Kirishima 016 gets struck by eight missiles, two causing internal damage. Kirishima 014 is by a single SS-N-2/8 and explodes. Atago 036 shares its fate. Kirishima 015 explodes after three hits. Kirishima 013 survives two hits, albeit streaming liquid and losing its engine. Kirishima 022 survives a single hit, intact. Kirishima 020 explodes after two hits. Kirishima 021 shrugs off a single hit. Kirishima 019 blows up after two hits, as does Kirishima 018.
Stiil, the Swarm keep coming. CT Fort William Henry does not survive even a diminished single volley but explodes. Her captain, Kaminaga Ryosei, along with 89 survivors, eject in life pods, hoping for a rescue. It seems that the aliens finally realized that the corvettes, with their rapid reload rate, cause serious damage too. 18 alien vessels remain on the heels of the Fleet.
Kirishima 017 finally explodes under heavy pounding. Kirishima 021 is hit nine times, three of which pierce armour. Kirishima 016 is hit four times, two penetrating and it loses its engine.
Swarm shoot at CT Fort George, damaging her badly but the corvette survives.
Kirishima 023 is hit eight times. Kirishima 022 is hit seven times, two penetrating. Kirishima 021 eats a single missile, which causes internal damage - apparently wrecking its active sensor as that is suddenly turned off.
Swarm continue slashing at Fort George and the little vessel gives up the ghost. Commander Imogen Brown goes down with her ship but 110 other crew survive in life pods.
Revenge is exacted, as Kirishima 022 blows up after two missile hits. Kirishima 023 is struck by eight missiles but only one penetrates. Kirishima 021 is hit three times.
The Swarm focus their fire on FFG Borodino. The ship should withstand at least a volley - but disaster strikes. One of the meson cannons manage a hit on of the Missile Magazines that wasn't apparently maintained properly. Its ejection system fails to work as designed and the magazine explodes inside the ship with disastrous results. The frigate blows up in a spectacular explosion, though Commodore Volker Feldmann and 115 of his crew manage to escape in life pods.
Kirishima 023 is hit by seven missiles and three penetrate its armour. Kirishima 021 is struck by a single missile - but that is enough to blow up the ship in an massive explosion that almost rivals the one that destroyed Borodino.
FFG Bastogne withstands the Meson bombardment of the Swarm.
Kirishima 023 is struck by two missiles, both causing internal damage and the craft loses its engine. Kirishima 024 is hit by seven missiles, causing no apparent damage.
Bastogne is hit again, though it seems that only six Meson cannons scored hits on her.
Kirishima 024 gets more pounding - nine missiles hit it, two causing internal damage, apparently on its engine as it shuts down.
Bastogne is hit again, though it seems that only four Meson cannons scored hits on her this time, partially because the Swarm had apparently stopped at some point for ten seconds before continuing their pursuit.
Kirishima 026 is hit thirteen times but with only penetration. Luckily, that hit disables the engine, rendering the craft harmless, for now.
Kirishima 025 is hit by two missiles and begins to stream fluid, as well as losing speed, its engine apparently disabled. Unfortunately, the Swarm get their revenge as Bastogne disintegrates - one of her magazines, in fire, fails to ejects its contents and blows up, transforming the ship into a flaming wreck. Luckily, Commodore Laura Richardson makes it to the life pods in time, along with 333 of her crew.
Kirishima 027 is struck by fifteen missiles but only two cause internal damage.
FFG Balaclava is the Swarm's next target but the trusty ship withstand Meson fire, for now.
Kirishima 027 is pounded by ten missiles, three causing internal damage and destroying its engine. Kirishima 028 is hit by only three missiles.
Balaclava survives another volley of Mesons.
Kirishima 028 is struck by eight missiles, three causing internal damage. Sixteen missiles missed.
Balaclava survives a third volley of Mesons.
Kirishima 029 is struck by eleven missiles, none piercing its armour. Kirishima 028 eats seven missiles and explodes.
Amazingly, Balaclava survives a fourth volley of Mesons. And then, the Swarm turn around and retreat! Fleet turns around, to ensure that the faster craft cannot escape too soon.
Because of the U-turn, the missiles hit in a staggered form, instead of all together. Importantly, Kirishima 029 is destroyed, as is Kirishima 030 and Kirishima 033 and Kirishima 031 and Kirishima 037. In addition, Kirishima 032, 034 and 036 lose their engines. Defiantly, Kirishima 035 and 035 fire their Meson cannons at FFG Austerlitz, slightly damaging her.
Kirishima 032 is hit once more and blows up. Kirishima 034 is hit four more times.
Kirishima 035 is struck by nine missiles and explodes.
VICTORY!
Yes, Kirishima 035 was the last Swarm FAC with a working engine. This means that I can easily and safely, snipe the other crafts on my will. Whew, what a battle! For a moment there it looked like I might get my ass kicked for good.
Lessons: 1. Missiles need two fire controls - one for big targets and another for small targets. This must be rectified in the next generation of military ships. 2. Always check your ordnance before committing your forces into a battle - the lack of modern missiles could have been disastrous.
Of course, DX Cancri isn't necessarily safe yet. There might be another group of the Swarm here somewhere. Stay tuned!