To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)

2318.Q4



Vice Admiral Lathriss was rueful when he arrived to personally present the work of Starfleet Tactical. Much of the detail had been upended very late by the two surprises of Nash's rampage through Enio, and the arrival of the Imelak on the Ashidi border. Both of these were incidents they had precious little time to assess, but which loom large for the future. However, at the same time, the destruction of over a half-dozen Jalduns and other ships in the GBZ has undoubtedly pushed well back any timetable to war the Cardassians may have.

Just as well, as the problem posed by the Harmony appears to loom ever larger with every passing report.

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Current Required Ship Roles, as identified by Starfleet Tactical:


All roles are scrapped, to be redefined

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Propose either a new set of roles, or a new proposal for how to handle roles
(Here's your write-in opportunity, go hog wild)
[ ][ROLES] The Next Generation (Write in)



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Wargames

Pick a Scenario you would like to see occur:

[ ][WG] A 1v1 with any two Ships, including member world ships (Nominate two ships)
[ ][WG] A 2v2 with any Ships, including member world ships, (Nominate ships)
[ ][WG] A Fleet Battle (Cost 2pp/Explorer, 1pp/Cruiser, 1pp/2 Escorts)


GM/N: Not this year, we'll keep it focused on the Roles discussion.

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Next Year's Report should be...

[ ][REPORT] Improving the Cardassian Readiness report
[ ][REPORT] A Horizon Readiness Report
[ ][REPORT] A different possible War Scenario with <group>
[ ][REPORT] Request (write-in)




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Starfleet Tactical Defence Readiness Report
Ashalla Pact Analysis

Courtesy of:
Vice Admiral Pathe Lathriss, Director, Starfleet Tactical
Rear Admiral Kimberley Pragur, Chief of Staff, Starfleet Tactical
Commodore Sanok, Director, Starfleet Tactical Theory Command
Captain Alexandria Kuznetsova, Chief, Starfleet Tactical Tiger Team
Research-Supervisor Kenat Inon-Allac, Technocracy Interstellar Ministry

-

The third iteration of the Starfleet Tactical War Readiness Report continues to focus on the Ashalla Pact. Being released so soon after the inflicting of devastating losses at 45 Gabriel on the Cardassian fleet, people may be forgiven for giving this report short shrift. However, it is important for all decision-makers in Federation politics to be aware that the Ashall Pact is far from defanged, and their industry is working hard to make up losses. The threat of an all-out war is no doubt further postponed, but by no means eradicated.


We have added in an assessments of weak points and potential courses of action to our reports, including possible fortification points, locations for possible Starbases, areas that require additional reinforcements, and places where supplies should be pre-positioned.

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Summary:

Two Major Theathres with Five Major Front-Zones:

Apinae Theatre:
Adrazzi Corridor (Coreward Apinae Sector)
GBZ Front

Rethelia Theatre
Balogot Front (Rimward Apinae Sector)
Themis Front (Rethelia Sector Spinward)
Ashidi Front (Rethelia Sector Rimward)


Low-Likelihood Flashzones:
Vega Front
Dawiar Front

Federation-Wide Suggestions:

Starfleet Tactical's recommendation is to make our major assault via the Themis/Bajoran Front, which offers our best chance to cut into enemy industry and strike at the heart of Cardassia.

* Appeal to Council for an investment in pre-building space mines
* Continue to invest in Signal Intercepts and other parts of your Intelligence apparatus to counter the Obsidian Order
* Continue to build up a Spacelift Reserve to allow for potential convoy losses
* Bring the Seyek and Qloath into Federation membership as soon as possible

Expected Fronts:

Adrazzi Corridor Front
Nature - Light Forces, Intense, Heavy Skirmishing
Exposure - Federation Feeder Loop assets, all Apiata Loops, Trade from Indoria, Amarkia
Logistics Vulnerability - Very High, it will be difficult to protect convoys here, and many ships from the GBZ will pass through

Local Member Readiness:
Apiata - Very high, the major worlds of the Apiata are a very tough, mutually supporting cluster
Amarkia - Well equipped forces will be ready to reinforce here.
Orion - Still requires a great deal of work to become battle ready, but a start has been made.

We strongly expect that the Goshawnar will place their weight here, and the empty 0g and 1g subsectors allows for considerable room to move. Light forces will have an edge here, and attacks from unexpected quarters would be a real concern. However, it will be difficult for either side to generate a breakthrough. However, If we are driven back from Apinae, our links to the GBZ will become nearly impossible. The line must hold here or we will suffer a very shop drop in resource budget.

Over the last year, the Apiata are pushing out into the Adrazzi Corridor. Grizzi has seen considerable development and further settlement, and is well on the way to becoming a major colony world for the Apiata. An outpost and a number of defensive platforms will provide for a sturdy defensive point. In addition, listening posts and a few minor colonies have been settled out into the corridor, in subsector 0g, as well as other facilities and mines in what is nominally the CBZ. This provides for more defence in depth, and a logistical chain to launch our own offensive on this front.

Stages:
Cardassia - Homeworld of the Cardassian Union, sure to be extremely heavily defended
Koyang Adyot - A key Cardassian Mining Colony, last major inhabited
Anou - An agricultural site
Vedarot - A key world that will be fiercely contested
Kamey Prime - An important Mining Colony, the outpost here protects the approach to Vedarot
Antak - A Minor Colony of the Cardassian
Adrazzi Gulf - Open space without many interesting systems, but maybe more surveying will identify tactical advantages?
Lapruzziz - A minor colony of the Apiata established in the Adrazzi Gulf which is very effective for long range sensors.
Grizzi - Minor Colony of the Apiata, growing rapidly with an outpost.
--> Impinti - A minor colony that has been set up to cover the rimward approaches to the Burrizz system.
Burrizz III - A Major World, with a shipyard and extensive population
Apinae - Homeworld of the Apiata, an important world politically and industrially.
Irrizizza - Major World, another major Apiata world, if pushed past here then Apiatan space has effectively fallen
Beta Corridan 31 - A Starfleet Mining World and outpost, a hub which can be used to hold the line
Leas Akaam - A hub of Amarkian chivalry, the key defence in the way of Amarkia
-> From here it becomes the Amarkian Front

Suggestions:
The biggest obstacle here is the Adrazzi Gulf itself, and the limited settlement of space between Apinae and Indoria. This will allow wolf packs to pass through with relative ease. The problem will become far worse if we go on the attack on this front, pushing across to Antak, where our supply ships will need to pass over the Gulf. So our recommendations here include the following:
* Building a Starfleet outpost at Grizzi as a forward hub
* Push the Apiata to use their Foragers aggressively in the Adrazzi Gulf and claim defensible positions.
* Undertake building more waystations, and reinforcing them, to give better protective cover for passing convoys.
* Pre-position materials at Burrizz III through the MWCO.

A less conventional solution is also to extend critical industry to world around Apinae in order to reduce the amount of traffic that needs to undertake the journey back to the transit up at Leas Akaam.


Vega Front
Nature: Highly likely to be a hot spot of rogue Yrillian piracy and brigandry, with Corsair-based wolf-packs attempting to infiltrate Federation space to impact the Industrial Loops of Starfleet.
Exposure: Limited, as the Vega Starbase and and outposts at Klivvar Proxima, Subiaco, and Joburg all lead to a well protected frontage.

Local Member Readiness:
UESPA - Moderate, fleet size is increasing and making good on frigate losses during Arcadian War
Tellar State Forces - Good, fleet size has increased and this is their major focus at present
Vulcan High Command - Forces are there, but their command structure is resistent

Suggestions:
* This is a fairly well-protected space, but in this case it may be best to push the UE and Tellar authorities to seed their minor colonies in the area with Stations. It may take some political will to get buy-in.
* Organising exercises utilising SBZ ships attempting infiltration past the UESPA/TSF will lead to better performance in any potential war.

Balogot Front
Nature: Potentially a messy meat-grinder. From Lapycorias to Balogot, with cross-over to the Themis Seye-Bajor front.
Exposure: Indoria is very near, but the supply lines are tight and well protected.
Logistics Vulnerability: Moderate

Local Member Readiness:
Indoria - Moderate and trending positive, doing what they can but this is going to be a very high-intensity zone and they are still modernising.
Orion - Not prepared for this, but starting to develop
Caitian - Have suffered a deep loss of preparedness after the lost sensor scandal has caused widespread firings.

Whichever front the Konen ties into will become very strained. If it is this one, it will be very difficult to hold, even with two Starbases in the way of Indoria. These two systems, Lapycorias and Indoria, are the keys to holding the sector. If they fall, the compression eases considerably, and protecting your convoy lines will start to become very difficult.

The Indorians have recently commenced construction of a four-berth repair yard, including one berth that will be capable of repairing up to an Ambassador class, with the others being one-megaton berths. This will be instrumental in keeping this front operational despite casualties, especially as the Lapycorias system is very likely to become an ongoing grind.

Cardassia
Trangot - Major
Ultalla - A minor Cardassian world, little more than an outpost, but it does provide some exotic foodstuffs. A necessary jumping off point for Trangot.
Pak Gassong - A minor Cardassian civilian colony with limited defences, but an important convoy waystation
Balogot - A major Cardassian world that has recently built a Starbase
Inaka - Mining Colony protected by a reinforced outpost, and with a Jaldun always on patrol.
Laypcorias - Starfleet Starbase 9, set to protect Indoria
Indoria - Homeworld of the Indorian Congress, now protected by a Starbase of its own.
Pridorin IV - A mining colony
Vintus - A minor colony world
Galus V - A mining colony
Gaiar Har - An Amarkian mining colony
Leas Akaam
-> Amarkia Front

Suggestions:
* Preposition supplies to reduce the chance of losing auxiliaries.
* Request the Indorians produce a repair yard to support what is likely to become a very destructive front.
* Build an outpost at Gamma Canidae V to protect against potential wolf packs.
* Starfleet Intelligence has a few connections on the ground to Bajor, and would like approval to plan for potential missions to the planet to disrupt the Cardassians in event of war.
* Push the Indorians to scout and fortify systems flanking Lapycorias with outposts and upgraded sensors during the MWCO.

Themis Front
Nature: Smashmouth offence, with forces lined up on both sides for the headlong rush.
Exposure: Rethelia is very near the border.
Logistics Vulnerability: Low

Local Member Readiness
Indoria - Unable to support
Seyek - Have lost their preparedness due to social upheavals and the pandemic that recently ripped through their worlds - starting to recover
Qloath - Ill-prepared, but starting to organise

Cardassia - Homeworld of the Cardassian Union, heavily defended.
Tolyok - A minor colony world
Galundun - A major Cardassian world with shipyards
Bajor - Homeworld of the Bajorans, well garrisoned
Gandei - Bajor's main colony
Rethelia - Homeworld of the Seyek, if it falls there will be serious trouble
Cethoth - A minor colony world of the Seyek, a key SR producer, and home to Nav Deflector yards
Iciapas - An outpost world in the centre of Seyek space that guards their internal LoC.
Fiiral - Homeworld of the Fiiral people, second-most important world in Seyek space
Carnin Quel - A major Qloathi world with Shipyards and Critical Industry
Arqueniou - Homeworld of the Qloathi, the loss of which would be a major political blow
Lamarck - Homeworld of the Lamarckians, a race with very little military capacity. Hard to defend but footage of this world under occupation would be very bad.
->From here it becomes the Dawiar front pushing back into the Ferasa sector

Suggestions:
* Suggest to the Rethelians that additional defences in Rethelia will be crucial, including reinforced stations around infrastructure.
* Less of a military suggestion, but it would be good to suggest that the FDS help prepare the Seyek for being on the front of an Cardassian-Federation War to help make sure their support is as high as possible.
* Hacitorus will require protection
* Get Seyek a membership as soon as possible
* Push the Seyek to identify potential blocking systems

Imelak Front
Nature: Unknown
Exposure: Ashidi is going to be difficult to defend, and the angle allows for cutting off Rethelia
Logistics Vulnerability: Moderate

Local Member Readiness
Seyek - Recovering from pandemic
Ashidi - Minor power, out of their depth

This has only just recently developed, and thus it is a late addition and we are scrambling to add details. The Imelak are a 'refugee' race, which recently setup camp in subsector -7g, presenting a danger that has deeply alarmed Starfleet tacticians. This is a front that we did not anticipate fighting on, and although the Imelak are still adapting to their new home, their migratory fleet was substantial, and their technology considerable.

Imelak - Imelak Territory, thus far we have very limited details
Ashidi - Homeworld of the Ashidi, they are not cut out to hold a front in a war of this scope.
Saritcos - A mining and research colony sit in this system, both important facilities for the Seyek.
Hassonus - A major world and shipyard of the Seyek
Fiiral - Homeworld of the Fiiral


Suggestions:
* Seyek membership - we need to be able to have forces positioned within Seyek space

Dawiar Front (Low-Risk)
Nature: Not expected to go hot, we believe we can talk the Dawiar down in event of war
Exposure: If this does fail, it would be a problem likely only if Cardassian forces are allowed to pre-position. If not, Dawiar should be able to be collapsed by member forces surging spinwards.

Local Member Readiness:
Caitian - Much of the Caitian Grand Fleet's focus has been on the Dawiar, they'll be ready
Andor - Limited cooperation with the Caitians, but they have some of the firepower. Could do with another Renaissance.
Risa - No.

Kharhazard - Homeworld of the Dawiar, likely to be both well fortified and defended to the last.
Thon-Shalud System - A mining colony, weakly defended so far, but expect an outpost to be built here if the war looks likely.
Ollasa IV - The President's homeworld, although it is not a crucial strategic site, expect there to be political hell to pay if it falls.
17 Canis - An uninhabited system with a waystation and listening posts that sit between Ollasa and Ferasa.
Ferasa - The Caitian Homeworld, if this falls it will have serious ramifications.
Harper's Mane - A Caitian Mining Colony

-or-

Kharhazard - Homeworld of the Dawiar, likely to be both well fortified and defended to the last.
Thon-Shalud System - A mining colony, weakly defended so far, but expect an outpost to be built here if the war looks likely.
Yashrr - A minor colony world of the Caitians. Although far less important that Ollasa IV, it is much more vulnerable, and opens the road to other avenues of attack.
Foshieran - A research colony is in the system. From here it is easy to cut the Caitian Trunk/Industry Loop between all three major Caitian worlds.
Merfara - One of the major Caitian worlds, from here an attacking force has a soft-underbelly to prey upon.


Suggestions:
* Maintain as friendly a set of relations as possible with the Dawiar.
* This should be defensible with just member world fleets.
* Push for Andor-Caitian Joint Exercises in the MWCO, as they are the likely forces for holding this front.
* A Starbase at Ollasa would be a luxury, but an outpost at Yashrr would be a necessity. The Caitians should be advised of this.

Gabriel Expanse Front
Nature: This is already a free-for-all, but it is likely to become rather a meat grinder.
Exposure: All sides have exposure here, and if the Sydarxians cannot be kept out of any war here, we could find ourselves pinched out of the Expanse.

Qloath Front (Low-Risk)
Nature: Potential Front against the Lecarre, likely to become a battle between Lecarre and Qloath. We have seen very little evidence that the Lecarre are on the verge of any major fleet capacity.
Exposure: Mainly Special Forces in nature.

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Federation Industry Breakdown

QM/N: This will be further updated later

Feeder Loop:
Route Penalty = 1.5x (Increased due to increased GBZ mining and additional wide-spread mining colonies)
(Continued GBZ expansion will increase this penalty due to the distance it must travel to the industrial hubs)

Industry Loop:
Route Penalty = 2x


What follows here is pretty freaking nerdy, you are warned:

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Intelligence Analysis of Doctrinal Beliefs of Various Tier 1 and Tier 2 Powers

Please review the following:
* = Variant
** = Klingons are starting to shift to a specialised doctrine with larger ships
*** = You don't spend your whole day thinking about Glory and Honour without thinking out a few tricks

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Member World Coordination Office


Ships Commenced

Vulcan - 1 Civilian Freighter
Tellar - 1 Cargo Ship
Amarkia - 1 Cargo Ship