The Hydran-Klingon Front

 The Hydrans mass everything they have to assault one of the Klingon Battle Stations at "The Elbow" as it is affectionately known, the odd bend on the border that marks the narrowest point of Klingon territory. The reason for choosing this one as a prime target is because it is the only Klingon base within normal striking distance of the Hydran capital; if they can take it out, the Hydrans reason, they will put a serious crimp in the Klingons' plans for their offensive. The Klingons are well aware of its usefulness to them, so they react in with loads of ships of their own. Even if the Hydrans don't blow the station, they will hope to trade fighters for ships:

The Klingons spend all of their time wiping fighters in this approach battle, and an impressive number it is too: 39  Stingers bite the space dust. However, the cost to the Klingons is considerable: they lose all of their fighters; a D5 War Cruiser; D5C War Cruiser Leader; F5 Frigate and E4E Escort Frigate go to the Black Feet; and another D5 is heavily damaged. This forces them to retire on the station itself.

The Klingons simply replace like for like, and the Hydrans move fighters from their FCR and other supply or reserve ships into the front line. The assault on the station will therefore comprise exactly the same load out for both sides, except that this time the Klingons also have the station and its fighters.

It isn't enough. The Hydran carrier proves its worth because of the sheer number of fighters it adds to an already impressive full fleet total. The Klingons fight bravely, scoring a new record for fighters destroyed in one battle (52!) but they just keep coming. The first two waves of attack craft shatter on the stalwart Klingon cruisers, but then the Hydran ships go in hard. Most of the Klingon fighters are wiped out, the D5C and D7C are both crippled, and the Mauler has to leave hastily with heavy damage. The third wave of Stingers, from the Paladin, does for the station.

This is a classic attrition battle, with the Hydrans purely trading replaceable fighters for Klingon ships. It is also one of the shortest mini-campaigns of the war so far. It just goes to show how events link together: the +1 Admiral leading the Klingons does his best, but he is severely hampered by the lack of a Dreadnought-class flagship in the face of a full Hydran fleet. The earlier destruction of the C8 and crippling of the C5 on this front means he has to lead from a D7C, and it just doesn't cut it, despite undoubted Klingon bravery; the Klingon commander dies when his ship is crippled, and the replacements on the other two D7Cs on this front are not of the highest quality. It also has to be said that this battle proves the value of full carriers to the Hydrans, since they simply overwhelm the defences.

Strangely enough, because it is all over so quickly, the Klingons don't lose many ships - but the fall of the Battle Station is a blow to their logistical build-up to a full offensive on this front.

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