All Quiet on the Northern Front

 ...but not on the Southern Front as the Hydrans make their move. The Coalition offensive for Autumn Y169 has finished, with the highlights being the destruction of the Kzinti Count's Starbase and the successful (albeit desperate!) defence of Zamyan against the Klingons. This is what the map looks like like after the Coalition retires to regroup, and the Kzinti try to shore everything up as best they can:

Although the Kzinti border areas are now looking rather sparse, their economy is still in reasonably good shape. That will change, though, once the Coalition makes more inroads. In the meantime, the big cats have been busy, with a second Starbase almost ready to come online in their capital hex, and a Mobile Base being set up in readiness for further upgrading there too. Realistically, that one will probably end up as a Battle Station rather than a full-blown Starbase. Many of the crippled lighter Kzinti ships have been moved off-map to the Barony for later repairs, while the heavier ones remain at the capital shipyard - the New Fleet is actually composed of fifteen crippled ships. In the spring, the Lyrans and Klingons will repair their damaged ships ready for the next phase of their invasion. The Lyrans will have another go at the Count's Fleet, stationed at Zamyan, while the Klingons assault the Duke's Starbase. At the very bottom of the map, a Klingon Tug is about to convert a Battle Station there to a Starbase; the Coalition  needs all the logistical support it can get.

The story in the south (i.e. Rimward) is rather different as the Hydrans launch attacks towards two Lyran Battle Stations and a couple of Klingon ones too:


The result is an impressive set of battle hexes as the Coalition reacts in with substantial forces of their own. I have to say I have no idea how this will pan out, since it will be the first time I've used the Hydrans with my solo fleet rules. The one thing I do remember from times past is just how vicious they are, even with Stinger-1 fighters. I also know the 'history' of the General War quite well, and there are certain strategic choices that I am going to make differently from the semi-official history associated with the game. One is already happening: you might be able to make out what seems like a lone Hydran Tug at the bottom left of the map as you look at it. This is in fact a Tug that has arrived with a Fleet Repair Dock from the capital; next turn, the plan is to upgrade the Battle Station here to a Starbase to make it much harder for the Coalition (i.e. the Lyrans, given the geography) to cut the main Hydran forces off from the Old Colonies.

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