30 April 3063
Luthien
Commanding General Cocus was in the huge command center the Draconis Combine used and had allowed the SLDF to use during Operation Neutered Jaguar. Hundreds of Regiments, almost a thousand Jumpships, Warships and thousands of Dropships stood poised to kick off the removal of Clan Smoke Jaguar.
Acting on Archon Prince Victor Steiner Davion's repeated suggestions, General Cocus had finally agreed with the risky plan. They called this plan Operation Snip. The following forces were already in motion to carry out the operation. Moving thru uninhabited systems, uncharted systems, the following forces would attempt to seize control of the furthest Clan Smoke Jaguar systems and also deploy warship patrols to prevent as many Clan Smoke Jaguar forces from fleeing the onslaught about to be released upon them.
Operation Snip
Targeted Systems
Richmond- Wolf's Dragoons Beta and Delta Regiments
Idlewind- Wolf's Dragoons Alpha and Gamma Regiments
Rockland- Stirling's Fusiliers, Northwind Hussars, 11th Legion of Vega, 1st Alliance Air Wing
Schwartz- 16th Legion of Vega, 6th Ghost, 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry
Escorts
Wolf's Dragoons Warship Group
1st Carrier Squadron, 2nd AFFC Fleet
1st Battle Squadron, 2nd AFFC Fleet
2nd Battle Squadron, 2nd AFFC Fleet
Archon Prince Davion had released a portion of the 2nd AFFC Fleet to win over Commanding General Cocus on the plan. It was the only way General Cocus would agree to the plan. Citing the already stretched warship count for Operation Neutered Jaguar. The goal was for the invasion forces to arrive at the start of the 2nd Wave, currently planned for a week after 1st Wave operations.
1 May 3063
Operation Neutered Jaguar
The massive invasion began right on schedule, hundred of ships jumped into targeted Clan Smoke Jaguar held systems. It would be a bloody day for everyone.
Kiamba
DCS Dream of Kessel, DCS Draconis Rift, Kyushu Class Frigates and SLS Defender of Versailles, SLS Hammerstrike, Essex Destroyers leaped into the system. Finding no Jaguar warships, they called in the ground forces transports.
Tarazed
The 1st SLDF Battle Squadron leaped into the systems Zenith Jump Point and found 3 Clan Smoke Jaguar warships in the system.
1st SLDF Battle Squadron
SLS Invisible Truth - Cameron
SLS Montpellier - Dante
SLS Divine Wisdom - Lola III
SLS Holy Martyrdom - Lola III
SLS Strength Through Adversity - Lola III
Clan Smoke Jaguar
CSJ Sabre Cat - Essex
CSJ Dark Claw - Essex
CSJ The Iowa - Essex
Commanding Admiral Alan Beresick had insisted on leading his squadron into battle. He had to give it to the Smoke Jaguar commander, he did not hesitate to bring his forces to battle. SLS Invisible Truth and SLS Montpellier quickly managed to get the CSJ The Iowa between them and pummeled the poor destroyer until it was a drifting wreck. The squadrons Lola III destroyers ganged up on the CSJ Sabre Cat and quickly destroyed the Jaguar Essex Destroyer. The CSJ Dark Claw, attempted to help the CSJ The Iowa and found itself adrift when her engines were knocked out of the fight by the SLS Montpellier. Negotiations finally convinced the Jaguar commander to surrender his ship.
Port Arthur
1st AFFC Carrier Squadron arrived at the systems Nadir Jump Point and quickly destroyed 2 Jaguar Invader Jumpships and captured 1 Jaguar Star Lord.
Asgard
The 2nd SLDF Battle Squadron arrived at the systems Zenith and Nadir Jump Points in a risky move, that unfortunately found the lighter of the 2 sections facing the CSJ Snow Leopard - Congress. The SLS Alacrity and SLS Resilience, Vincent Corvettes could only try to survive until the SLS Righteous Fury, SLS Swift Justice and SLS Reborn, Aegis Cruisers could arrive on the scene.
SLS Alacrity was quickly destroyed by the CSJ Snow Leopard, and it was doing heavy damage to the SLS Resilience when the 3 Aegis Cruisers made their in system jump. Star Commodore Jube Freelander broke off his assault on the poor Vincent and focused his ships attention on the 3 rapidly closing Aegis cruisers. He would leave the Vincent for his Aerospace Star to finish off. He ordered his 2 Carrier Dropships to combine their attacks on one of the Aegis cruisers while their Aerospace fighters tried to fend off the incoming enemy Aerospace fighters. 54 SLDF Aerospace fighters and 20 Jaguar Omni fighters slammed into each other and a swirling dogfight began. The SLS Righteous Fury quickly focused on one Carrier Dropship and destroyed it, the SLS Swift Justice focused on the other Carrier Dropship and quickly rendered it a non threat and adrift.
SLS Reborn and CSJ Snow Leopard danced a dance of death each pounding the other with NAC's. Before CSJ Snow Leopard could deliver what could have been the killing blow, the SLS Righteous Fury and SLS Swift Justice entered the fight. Seeing that his ship had no chance to either flee nor survive, Star Commodore Jube Freelander signaled his surrender.
Yamarovka
1st Battle Squadron of the 3rd AFFC Fleet jumped into the systems Nadir Jump Point and found nothing. They called in the transports and prepared to escort the dropship in.
Hyner
Clan Nova Cats Alpha Galaxy escorted by the NCS Severen Leroux - Black Lion, NCS Growler, NCS Ranger and NCS Hunter - Lola III Destroyers leaped into the system Zenith Jump Point. Finding no warships, Khan Carns issued his Batchall for the planet. Star Colonel Paul Moon of the 3rd Jaguar Cavaliers accepted the terms of the Batchall. Khan Carns would lead the 1st Nova Cat Guards with his Novastar Keshik.
Kabah
Clan Nova Cats Delta Galaxy escorted by the Vision Naval Star arrived at the systems Nadir Jump Point. Galaxy Commander Karl Devalis issued his Batchall for the planet which was refused by the defending 7th Garrison Cluster and 19th Striker Cluster. The 4th Nova Cat Guards and 246th Battle Cluster were ordered to take the planet.
Stapelfeld
Clan Nova Cats Sigma Galaxy escorted by the Transcendent Naval Star arrived at the Zenith Jump Point and issued their Batchall for everything in the system. 3 Jaguar Jumpships were at the Nadir Jump Point. When the commander of the 27th Garrison Cluster and 19 Garrison Cluster refused to answer, Galaxy Commander Kelly Hardo ordered the Nova Cat Lancers and 189th Striker Cluster to take the planet while a ship from the Naval Star secured the Jaguar Jumpships.
Marshdale
1st DCMS Naval Squadron leaped into the systems Nadir Jump Point and discovered the CSJ Firecrest - Congress Frigate almost on tip of them. The fight was sharp and brutal. DCS Shiro and DCS Urizen II, Kirishima Cruisers and DCS The Lair of Mighty Wyrms and Dragon's Last Tear Tatsumaki Destroyers immediately engaged the CSJ Firecrest in a close range brawl. DCMS Aerospace fighters quickly got the upper hand on the Jaguar Aerospace fighters and never let it go. Assault Dropships assisted the fighters and engaged the Jaguar Congress. The CSJ Firecrest was quickly a drifting wreck, but so was the DCS Shiro.
Outer Volta
3rd Battle Squadron and 2nd Carrier Squadron of the 3rd AFFC Fleet leaped into the Zenith and Nadir Jump Points. As the sensors came back online, Admiral Judith Ribail was horrified to find her Nimitz Carrier only 1500km from a Texas Class Battleship and it's escorts. She quickly gave the order to launch fighters and for helm to get moving.
2nd Carrier Squadron
FCS Nimitz- Nimitz Class
FCS Midway- Nimitz Class
FCS Simon Davion, Avalon Cruiser
FCS Hewitt, Fox II Corvette
FCS Elliot, Fox II Corvette
FCS Caron, Fox II Corvette
FCS Oldendorf, Fox II Corvette
3rd Battle Squadron
FCS Lucien Davion, Avalon Cruiser
FCS Robert Steiner Riga Frigate
FCS Lützow Halsey II Destroyer
FCS Königsberg Halsey II Destroyer
FCS Livermore Buford II Corvette
FCS Plunkett Buford II Corvette
FCS Woo Buford II Corvette
Clan Smoke Jaguar
CSJ Veiled Huntress Texas-class Battleship
CSJ Lioness - York-class
CSJ Griffin - Lola III
CSJ Storm Cat - Lola III
CSJ Ripper - Vincent Mk. 42
Quickly hundreds of AFFC fighters began filling the void. As the Nimitz carriers began trying to put some distance between themselves and the Jaguar fleet, the 2nd's escorts moved to engage the Jaguar ships. 3rd Battle Squadron, notified by Admiral Judith Ribail hurried to complete calculations for a in system jump. Over 100 Jaguar Omni fighters engaged the AFFC fighters in a massive dogfight. The FCS Simon Davion, Avalon Cruiser, drove right into the Jagaur fleet followed by the escorting Fox II Corvettes. While the FCS Simon Davion engaged the Texas Battleship, the Fox II Corvettes ganged up on the escorts. The first ship to be rendered a non threat was the CSJ Ripper, the Vincent Corvette just could not take the punshiment dealt by 2 Fox II Corvettes at close range. But the FCS Hewitt had taken some moderate damage in the melee.
After 30 minutes of fighting, the FCS Hewitt was adrift with serious damage, the FCS Caron had been destroyed. But the CSJ Griffin had also been destroyed. It was then that the 3rd Battle Squadron arrived and the tide turned hard against the Jaguars. FCS Lucien Davion and FCS Robert Steiner focused on helpig the FCS Simon Davion with the Texas Battleship. Both Halsey Destroyers focused on taking the York out of the fight. 3rd Battle Squadron's Buford II Corvettes assisted the remaining Fox II Corvettes pound the remaining Lola III until it signaled it's surrender.
Admiral Ribail had gotten her carriers a safer distance from the massive battle and was standing off just out of range of the Jaguar warships. FCS Simon Davion finally succumbed to the pummeling it had recieved from the Texas Battleship and went adrift, several escape pods launched. At the one hour mark, both the Texas Battleship and York Carrier signalled their surrender.
2nd Carrier Squadron
FCS Nimitz- Nimitz Class, 31 fighters destroyed
FCS Midway- Nimitz Class, 43 fighters destroyed
FCS Simon Davion, Avalon Cruiser, critical damage
FCS Hewitt, Fox II Corvette, serious damage
FCS Elliot, Fox II Corvette, heavy damage
FCS Caron, Fox II Corvette, destroyed
FCS Oldendorf, Fox II Corvette, moderate damage
3rd Battle Squadron
FCS Lucien Davion, Avalon Cruiser, heavy damage
FCS Robert Steiner Riga Frigate, moderate damage
FCS Lützow Halsey II Destroyer, moderate damage
FCS Königsberg Halsey II Destroyer, moderate damage
FCS Livermore Buford II Corvette, light damage
FCS Plunkett Buford II Corvette, light damage
FCS Woo Buford II Corvette
Clan Smoke Jaguar
CSJ Veiled Huntress Texas-class Battleship, serious damage, captured
CSJ Lioness - York-class, heavy damage, captured
CSJ Griffin - Lola III, destroyed
CSJ Storm Cat - Lola III, serious damage, captured
CSJ Ripper - Vincent Mk. 42, serious damage, captured
SAR operations began immediately. Rescue beacons were sounding across huge areas of space.
Labrea
Clan Wolf in Exile's Alpha Galaxy jumped into the system escorted by a small portion of their warship force. Khan Phelan Kell issued his Batchall and was granted Safcon by the commander of the 6th Jaguar Dragoons Cluster.
Byesville
The SLDF's 4th Battle Squadron leaped into the system and found no hostile shipping in the system.
