Authors: Dr Jone Brown and Nimbinid Belrut

To: Department of History 

Subject: The Siege of Golgyra: The Worst Sci-Fi Battle Ever.

Background:

Following the decisive victory at Solis, the Kyrnomacek Space Navy (KSN) sought to pursue the location of the hyperlane used by the Clementinans to ferry their space navy to Solis so quickly. Probes and mobile observatories were deployed to Solis to determine the direction of Clementinan forces, only to be attacked by Clementinan stealth probes that presumably showed up to ferry any free friendly survivors out of the system. Tracking beacons were placed on the probes and a Clementinan janissary who had surrendered to our forces during the surface battle on Solis II was released so that we may follow them to their hyperlane. The hyperlane in question led to Scornia, a system very close to the Clementinan heartland. However, an invasion of Scornia was not possible as the gravity well around a blue hypergiant star known as "Golgyra" was not only in the path, but had been converted into a massive space fortress. 

Laying Siege:

The "fortress" was a large array of true ISV defense platforms, several fully-fledged armadas, and a massive orbital ring around Golgyra, designed to be self sustaining via solar power and hydroponics. You may be wondering: why not just go around the whole complex? We could, but their navy there would be very problematic, even bets whether they choose to follow us to Scornia and flank us or launch another attack at Solis while the bulk of the KSN is busy. Therefore, our best course of action was to deny them the luxury of doing so by establishing a perimeter around Golgyra, ensuring nothing gets in or out so that the forces stationed at Golgyra cannot be reinforced. Several colossus artillery guns of ours fired at the orbital ring around the star to hopefully take out what was assumed to be the central command of the entire complex. Unfortunately, the shots were deflected by a monstrous shield from seemingly nowhere and were thus ineffective. Repeated shots around the radius of the complex were conducted to determine the circumference and source of this shield. To our horror, we found that the orbital ring's primary function was not to act as a citadel, but to process a colossal solar-powered shield (more of a laser disruption field at this scale) around the entire complex. This would make the Golgyran Complex the largest space fortress in recorded history, and a major pain in the rear. Laying siege to the complex was the best and only thing we could do for now, though many feared that along the way, we would discover the logistics that resulted in this abomination.

Shield Penetration Attempts:

The shield meant that the only feasible way to do damage to the complex was by torpedos and mass-driven rounds, an issue that was fortunately mutual between us and them due to the shield's overarching radius. An asteroid launcher used for orbital bombardment was brought in, alongside five remnants of the late Solis III to launch. The chunks were outfitted with anti-ballistic missile launchers so they wouldn't be intercepted and fired towards the main orbital ring in an attempt to damage or destroy it. One chunk caught a Clementinan battleship that was in the way off-guard and Holdo'd it, two more were intercepted by a second battleship bearing its own asteroid launcher, firing the remains of the previous vessel at the rocks. A fourth was fired off course and landed in the star while the last hit a defense platform and did a good deal of damage. A detachment of our ships attempted to launch an incursion into the complex while the enemy was reeling, but were chased off by an enemy missile swarm. The Clementinans were always known for their fondness of overly large swarms of space missiles and torpedoes to overwhelm enemy point defense systems and glass whole planets, and this clearly wasn't any different. We had to resort to grapeshot mass drivers to hold off a horde of feral exosneegs attracted by the electromagnetic scream of the missiles. Fortunately the sneegs went into the complex and triggered a great many of these swarms, resulting in mutual destruction and a whole lot of wasted missiles that would now have to be reloaded or brought in from elsewhere (which was impossible due to our siege). This gave us time to probe the shield for any other vulnerabilities to exploit, which we have catalogued below:

• Launching further incursions into the complex (some progress was made but the defense platforms made it difficult).

• Firing our own missile swarms at the orbital ring (most were intercepted by grapeshot mass drivers or dummy drones)

• Nicely asking for them to turn the shield off (they said no)

• Launching the corpses of the dead exosneegs (the impact they made was more of a janitorial inconvenience for them than a strategic move for us)

• Jell fracking (infeasible due to a lack of available resources)

• Making a pact with the rogue god Nyrobactus (he said no)

• Firing a mass driver volley (did not do as much damage as predicted)

• Sending in a team of elite commandos on a stealth drop pod to sabotage the shield generator (they failed)

• Calling in a celestial battlestation for assistance (all were currently busy)

• クソ野郎DOMAIN EXPANSION: OBLITERATIONクソ野郎 (nothing happened and three sailors suffered secondhand embarrassment)

The Boarding:

Eventually, we settled on a gradual approach, by launching a boarding party on one of the larger concentrations of defense platforms. An intense naval battle ensured as we worked to provide cover fire for our landing craft. A torpedo we launched blew a car-sized hole in the hull of one of the platforms, giving our forces an ample entryway in the thick armor of the vessel. When storming the platform, the armor of both our space marines and their guardsmen was too thick for standard issue coilguns, so a bloody melee battle broke out with forces fighting with hydraulic sledgehammers against one another while aided by technosorcerers and heavy caliber machine guns brought in. When the platform was taken, reinforcements were brought in so the remaining marines could repeat this process while the newcomers could man the seized ship's weapons. Two more platforms were taken after sixteen hours, with failed attempts made in two others. The enemy, low on projectile ammunition, withdrew to reload and resupply just as we did the same. Similar skirmishes occurred over a two-month period until the enemy began preemptively rigging the platforms with explosives to prevent capture. 

Abrupt Ending:

While preparing an asteroid barrage against enemy forces, signs of internal conflict were detected among the Clementinans, with a number of them approaching our fleets and surrendering on the condition that we all "get the fuck out of here". Mere hours after the initial wave of deserters, the surface of Golgyra began to illuminate at exponentially greater quantities as radiation from the star started to seep into the ships. Golgyra was going supernova. KSN fleets and Clementinan deserters were barely able to proceed to a space hyperlane entry point before the star exploded and atomized the Clementinans who presumably would have rather died for their country than flee the rapidly approaching blast. Interrogated deserters claim that the star began reacting anomalously shortly before the KSN arrived, and blew apart "unusually rapidly". Captured tacticians say the Clementinans intended to lure the KSN into the blast radius of the supernova, but certain elements within the fortress began fearing for their lives and would rather fall into enemy hands to potentially fight another day than be dishonorably vaporized. All in all, 40,000 individuals were captured and the hyperlane obstruction was no more, though ships passing by would have to avoid the continuously expanding mass of light and radiation in the future. 

Parties involved:

• Kyrnomacek

• Clementinans

• Herd of feral exosneegs (†)

(† indicates that the individual/faction ceased to exist due to the battle)