jan 1, 1362 - Cloak of the First Pilot Campaign

Description:

The Cloak of the First Pilot Campaign. The scro Tarantula Fleet is approached by the undead Neogi mage Skarkesh, who forms an alliance with them to recover the Cloak of the First Pilot from the Cloakmaster, Teldin Moore. This attempt encompasses four battles, as the Imperial Elven Fleet squadron stationed at the Rock of Bral (previously unaware of the Scro conquest of Spiral) fights to gain the Cloak for its commander, Admiral Uliananon Cirathorn.

The Battle of Ironpiece. The Scro fleet (27 ships strong), along with Skarkesh's pyramid ship, intercepts Teldin Moore aboard the hammership PROBE as it is about to make planetfall on the gnome colony world of Ironpiece. The Imperial Elven squadron (five ships strong) intervenes, and a gnomish fleet from Ironpiece arrives as well, leading to a confusing, three-way battle. When the hours long contest is over, the scro have lost two viperships, three scorpionships, two waspships, and one mammothship. The Elves lost one man-o-war, and had another damaged, and the gnomes lost a sidewheeler and several small spellfighters. This battle is generally seen as a gnomish victory as they drive the other two fleets from their colony world.


The Raid on Port Walkaway. Still determined to acquire the Cloak of the First Pilot, the Scro launch a raid on the gnomish naval base of Port Walkaway. The attack is a disaster, as the elves had warned the gnomes of it in advance (hoping to patch up relations after accidentally firing on gnomish vessels in the previous battle). Of the twelve vessels the Scro dispatched on the raid, only five survived. The gnomes lost seven small craft and had two large ships destroyed on the ground, as well as some buildings burned. Teldin Moore fled during the battle on the gnomish experimental vessel PERILOUS HALIBUT, heading for Herdspace.


The Battle of the Cloaked Ships. Realizing the elves were employing cloaking helms, the scro and Skarkesh developed a powder they could jettison to reveal the men-o-war. When two of the elven men-o-war crept in close to investigate the Tarantula Fleet, this technique was used. One of the men-o-war was destroyed, the other damaged but the scro suffered no losses.


The Battle of Herdspace. A final battle is fought in Herdspace as the Imperial Elven squadron and the Tarantula fleets fight over the Cloak of the First Pilot. Losses are severe on all sides. The elves lose two men-o-war and an armada, only one man-o-war of the squadron survives the campaign to return to the Rock of Bral. The Tarantula fleet loses the pyramidship, a squidship, and a scorpionship. Only ten of the original 27 Tarantula fleet vessels survive the campaign to return to Spiral. Admiral Cirathorn of the IEN, as well as the scro commanders Admiral Halker and General Vorr, all perish as well. Teldin Moore and the Cloak of the First Pilot survive to continue his quest.

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