Difference between revisions of "Pretoria Castle"
Sarna News
m (Text replacement - "First Succession War (Source Book)|First Succession War" to "First Succession War (Source Book)") |
m (Text replacement - "First Succession War (Sourcebook)" to "First Succession War (sourcebook)") |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown) | |||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
| serviceuntil = April [[2817]] | | serviceuntil = April [[2817]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| + | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
The '''''Pretoria Castle''''' was a ''[[Carrack]]''-class transport in service with the [[Free Worlds League Military]] during and possibly before the [[First Succession War]] as the FWLS ''Pretoria Castle''. In April [[2817]] the ''Pretoria Castle'' was involved in the invasion of [[Bella I]] by the [[Free Worlds League]], a world that had already changed hands between the Lyrans and Free Worlds League at least twice.<ref name="FSWp75">''First Succession War'', p. 75, "McGaines' Gambit"</ref><ref name="FSWp75+">''First Succession War'', p. 75-76, "Humiliation Avenged"</ref> | The '''''Pretoria Castle''''' was a ''[[Carrack]]''-class transport in service with the [[Free Worlds League Military]] during and possibly before the [[First Succession War]] as the FWLS ''Pretoria Castle''. In April [[2817]] the ''Pretoria Castle'' was involved in the invasion of [[Bella I]] by the [[Free Worlds League]], a world that had already changed hands between the Lyrans and Free Worlds League at least twice.<ref name="FSWp75">''First Succession War'', p. 75, "McGaines' Gambit"</ref><ref name="FSWp75+">''First Succession War'', p. 75-76, "Humiliation Avenged"</ref> | ||
| Line 14: | Line 15: | ||
The invasion force that struck Bella I was one of several aimed at [[Lyran Commonwealth]] worlds, with similar invasions being launched at [[Dixie]] and [[Ilion]] at the same time. The FWLM intent was to obliterate the defending forces on Bella I, and the three 'Mech regiments deployed to conquer the planet were escorted by the ''Pretoria Castle'' and another ''Carrack'', the [[Histria Azure|FWLS ''Histria Azure'']] - the main distinction between the two vessels being that the ''Pretoria Castle'' had been converted into a converted fighter carrier transporting a complete [[wing]] of [[aerospace fighter]]s.<ref name="FSWp76">''First Succession War'', p. 76, "Once More, With Feeling"</ref> | The invasion force that struck Bella I was one of several aimed at [[Lyran Commonwealth]] worlds, with similar invasions being launched at [[Dixie]] and [[Ilion]] at the same time. The FWLM intent was to obliterate the defending forces on Bella I, and the three 'Mech regiments deployed to conquer the planet were escorted by the ''Pretoria Castle'' and another ''Carrack'', the [[Histria Azure|FWLS ''Histria Azure'']] - the main distinction between the two vessels being that the ''Pretoria Castle'' had been converted into a converted fighter carrier transporting a complete [[wing]] of [[aerospace fighter]]s.<ref name="FSWp76">''First Succession War'', p. 76, "Once More, With Feeling"</ref> | ||
| − | The ''Histria Azure'' had acted as escort vessel for the League invasion force that had captured Bella I in [[2813]],<ref name="FSWp75"/> before a Lyran | + | The ''Histria Azure'' had acted as escort vessel for the League invasion force that had captured Bella I in [[2813]],<ref name="FSWp75"/> before a Lyran counterinvasion in March [[2816]] saw the same Lyran regiments ousted from Bella I return under the command of [[Colonel]] [[Raymond Hempsted]], former commanding officer of the famed [[Stealths]] mercenary unit, in a campaign lasting just a few weeks.<ref name="FSWp75+"/> This time, Colonel Hempsted was absent from Bella I, having been summoned to [[Tharkad]], but the defending forces were under the command of his second, [[Marcus Steiner]] - son of the [[Archon]]. In addition to the two experienced regiments of [[Lyran Regulars]] stationed on Bella I, the garrison had been reinforced with tactical nuclear ordnance transported by the ''[[Essex]]''-class destroyer [[Edelweiss|LCS ''Edelweiss'']], which was still on station in the Bella system; Colonel Steiner had placed most of the nuclear ordnance amongst the aerospace squadrons in place in the orbital stations above Bella I.<ref name="FSWp76"/> |
The invasion began with a naval battle between the ''Pretoria Castle'', the ''Histria Azure'' and the ''Edelweiss''. The ''Pretoria Castle'' took the lead amongst the League ships, with the ''Pretoria Castle's'' fighters forming a screen ahead of the attack force. The ''Edelweiss'' responded by ignoring the fighters and pressing the attack directly on the ''Pretoria Castle'' as soon as it was in range, while the orbital stations launched fighters followed close behind. Within two minutes of the engagement beginning the ''Edelweiss'' had destroyed the ''Pretoria Castle'', as the transport's light armor was no match for the barrages from the ''Edelweiss''. The Captain of the ''Histria Azure'', [[Monica Talasi]], knew that the ''Histria Azure'' was no match for the ''Edelweiss'', and decided to inflict as much damage as she could on the Lyran WarShip - by ramming it, while ordering the crew to abandon ship.<ref name="FSWp76"/> | The invasion began with a naval battle between the ''Pretoria Castle'', the ''Histria Azure'' and the ''Edelweiss''. The ''Pretoria Castle'' took the lead amongst the League ships, with the ''Pretoria Castle's'' fighters forming a screen ahead of the attack force. The ''Edelweiss'' responded by ignoring the fighters and pressing the attack directly on the ''Pretoria Castle'' as soon as it was in range, while the orbital stations launched fighters followed close behind. Within two minutes of the engagement beginning the ''Edelweiss'' had destroyed the ''Pretoria Castle'', as the transport's light armor was no match for the barrages from the ''Edelweiss''. The Captain of the ''Histria Azure'', [[Monica Talasi]], knew that the ''Histria Azure'' was no match for the ''Edelweiss'', and decided to inflict as much damage as she could on the Lyran WarShip - by ramming it, while ordering the crew to abandon ship.<ref name="FSWp76"/> | ||
| Line 26: | Line 27: | ||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
| − | * ''[[First Succession War ( | + | * ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)]]'' |
| + | |||
[[Category: Individual WarShips]] | [[Category: Individual WarShips]] | ||
[[Category: Individual Transports]] | [[Category: Individual Transports]] | ||
[[Category: Individual Carrack-class WarShips]] | [[Category: Individual Carrack-class WarShips]] | ||
Latest revision as of 18:40, 6 July 2022
| Pretoria Castle | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Profile | |
| Type | WarShip |
| Class | Carrack |
| In service until | April 2817 |
History[edit]
The Pretoria Castle was a Carrack-class transport in service with the Free Worlds League Military during and possibly before the First Succession War as the FWLS Pretoria Castle. In April 2817 the Pretoria Castle was involved in the invasion of Bella I by the Free Worlds League, a world that had already changed hands between the Lyrans and Free Worlds League at least twice.[1][2]
The invasion force that struck Bella I was one of several aimed at Lyran Commonwealth worlds, with similar invasions being launched at Dixie and Ilion at the same time. The FWLM intent was to obliterate the defending forces on Bella I, and the three 'Mech regiments deployed to conquer the planet were escorted by the Pretoria Castle and another Carrack, the FWLS Histria Azure - the main distinction between the two vessels being that the Pretoria Castle had been converted into a converted fighter carrier transporting a complete wing of aerospace fighters.[3]
The Histria Azure had acted as escort vessel for the League invasion force that had captured Bella I in 2813,[1] before a Lyran counterinvasion in March 2816 saw the same Lyran regiments ousted from Bella I return under the command of Colonel Raymond Hempsted, former commanding officer of the famed Stealths mercenary unit, in a campaign lasting just a few weeks.[2] This time, Colonel Hempsted was absent from Bella I, having been summoned to Tharkad, but the defending forces were under the command of his second, Marcus Steiner - son of the Archon. In addition to the two experienced regiments of Lyran Regulars stationed on Bella I, the garrison had been reinforced with tactical nuclear ordnance transported by the Essex-class destroyer LCS Edelweiss, which was still on station in the Bella system; Colonel Steiner had placed most of the nuclear ordnance amongst the aerospace squadrons in place in the orbital stations above Bella I.[3]
The invasion began with a naval battle between the Pretoria Castle, the Histria Azure and the Edelweiss. The Pretoria Castle took the lead amongst the League ships, with the Pretoria Castle's fighters forming a screen ahead of the attack force. The Edelweiss responded by ignoring the fighters and pressing the attack directly on the Pretoria Castle as soon as it was in range, while the orbital stations launched fighters followed close behind. Within two minutes of the engagement beginning the Edelweiss had destroyed the Pretoria Castle, as the transport's light armor was no match for the barrages from the Edelweiss. The Captain of the Histria Azure, Monica Talasi, knew that the Histria Azure was no match for the Edelweiss, and decided to inflict as much damage as she could on the Lyran WarShip - by ramming it, while ordering the crew to abandon ship.[3]
The Edelweiss attacked the Histria Azure, shredding her armor and veering away from the badly-damaged ship, but the doomed ship managed to hold together well enough for Talasi to adjust the Histria Azure's course before dying; the wreck of the Histria Azure came close enough to the Edelweiss to rip open the starboard hull of the destroyer from stem to stern, igniting several magazines in the process. The resulting explosion destroyed both ships, with the only survivors of the engagement being the crew who made it to the eight lifeboats from the Histria Azure that survived the blast.[3]
The League eventually drove Marcus Steiner and his defending forces off Bella I by December 2817, after months of grueling combat between the highly skilled regiments.[3]