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Space Empires VBalance Mod Game Story - Rise of the Xiati Empire

Rise of the Xiati Empire Main | Previous Chapter 2420.1-2421.0 | Next Chapter 2422.1-2423.0


Turns 2421.1 to 2422.0

Consolidating Holdings

After a the rapid takeover of the Fwandrei system in the 2420.0s, Emperor Tax'renath focused Xiati efforts on upgrading colony infrastructure, research and replenishing Xiati resource stocks after a rapid ship building period to support the Fwandrei invasion. Additional Dart and Ray defensive satellites were deployed at border warp points while fleet ships were upgraded. Despite the internal focus, enemies of the Xiati were not content to wait and attacks from the Ukra-Tal, Jraenar and resurgent Cue Cappa.

EEE War

Although the EEE had fallen a bit back of the quadrant leaders after losing their home system and a substantial amount of their population, they continued to remain a threat to the Xiati, particularly in the Fezzran system where their colony on Fezzran III remained a key resupply and staging point for their ships operating in the north-eastern systems. Operating from Fezzran II, the newly upgraded Fezzran Defense Fleet along with several Invader class transports were dispatched to capture Fezzran III. Protected by a number of large weapon platforms and an orbital defense station, Fezzran III put up a fight and 4xDEs and 2xLCs were lost in the attack out of a 32 Xiati combat ships. However, the planetary defenses were eliminated and Xiati troops were successfully landed where they quickly overwhelmed the EEE defenders.

Xiati Fezzran Defense Fleet approaches Fezzran III in 2421.6:

Battle of Fwandrei IIIa in 2420.1

Ground Battle of Fezzran III in 2421.6:

Battle of Fwandrei IIIa in 2420.1

With the loss of Fezzran III, no EEE colonies remained within a reasonable striking range of Xiati space and the safe practical routes for EEE ships to the northern systems have been eliminated.

Cue Cappa Strike

After a series of significant combat losses in the late 2410s, the Cue Cappa had been content to pick on the weaker Sergetti Empire. However, with the Xiati ramping up activities in the Fezzran system including an intermittent blockade of the key Fezzran-Falcor WP, the Cue Cappa launched several probing attacks. The first attack was at the Fezzran-Falcor WP in 2421.1 where the Cue Cappa where able to destroy the defending satellite group before engaging the Lezzari Defense Group which had been pulled off the warp point during an earlier Ukra-Tal destroyer pursuit. The Cue Cappa fleet was destroyed, but several Xiati ships were lost.

The second attack was a surprise strike through the Lacerta system attempting to enter the Xiria system in 2412.2. The relative small Cue Cappa fleet did significant damage to the defensive units at the warp point, but were eventually destroyed. Their presence was unexpected so far north. It could indicate that the Cue Cappa have new colonines in the north, but it was thought the Norak had colonized all available Oxygen planets.

Cue Cappa attack repelled at Xiria-Lacerta WP in 2421.2:

Battle of Xiria-Lacerta WP in 2421.2

Recent forays into Cue Cappa space have provided evidence that the Cue Cappa are indeed building up their forces and have started to add numerous defensive starbases in orbit of their primary colonies in the Prot, Lylat and Falcor systems. Emperor Tax'renath is looking towards the Sirius system, adjacent to the Fezzran system, where a successful blockade of the Sirius-Andross WP will cut the Cue Cappa off from their colonies (and war) in the extreme North-East quadrant.

Ukra-Tal War

With most of their ships suspected to be tied up in the southwest fighting Terran forces, the Ukra-Tal were unable to launch any meaningful counteroffensive against the Xiati attacks that took the Fwandrei system more than a year ago. Although an attack was suspected to come against Xiati forces in Reticulum, much closer to the Ukra-Tal's core systems, the first major fleet battle took place right after the Cue Cappa attack at the Fezzran-Falcor warp point. By that time, the Fezzran defense fleet had relieved the Lezzari defense fleet, so the Xiati had signficant firepower directly at the warp point and was able to heavily damage the Ukra-Tal ships as they emerged.

Ukra-Tal assault routed at Fezzran-Falcor WP in 2421.2:

Battle of Fezzran-Falcor WP in 2421.2

Norak and Jraenar Breakthrough at Eskirk

In 2421.7, a Norak battleship group containing 15 ships attacked the Eskirk-Drax warp point, which was defended by a large satellite group and the Eskirk Defense Fleet. The Norak fleet was destroyed, but took out 2xLCs and almost 40 Dart and Ray satellites. With the defenses weakened significantly, a subsequent strike by a Jraenar task force in 2421.8 took out the remainder of the defensive satellites and heavily damaged most of the Eskirk defense fleet, although only 1xDE was lost.

Norak Eskirk-Drax WP Assault in 2421.7:

Battle of Eskirk-Drax WP in 2421.7

Jraenar Eskirk-Drax WP Assault in 2421.8:

Battle of Eskirk-Drax WP in 2421.8

Both attacking fleets were destroyed, but the Eskirk defense fleet was forced to retreat to Eskirk III for repairs and the Eskirk-Drax WP is undefended. Efforts are underway to restore the blockade, but several more incursions are anticipated and the lack of available defensive units in the nearby systems will put more emphasis on the Eskirk Defense Fleet's ability to defeat enemy ships directly.

Sabotage Overload

As the primary enemy of all the major powers in the quadrant, the Xiati continue to struggle with foreign intelligence operations sabotaging colony infrastructure. Altough the Xiati are adept at intelligence gathering and have prevented many attacks, the shear number of operations against them is simply overwhleming. Despite all the recent successes of Emperor Tax'renath in capturing new Xiati territory, opponents of the Emperor have continue to use the intelligence failures to undermine his regime and re-introduce unrest in many Xiati colonies.

Quadrant Map 2422.0:

Map of Known Space 2422.0

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