Dramatic SFB: Tholian Battles

[Matt]

The Tholians found a ghostly Hydran colony, defended by a large Civilian 
Base, a command cruiser, a war cruiser, and a destroyer-based survey 
cruiser. The Tholians sent a command cruiser (with PFs), three cruisers, 
and a frigate-based scout. It certainly looks like the firepower is 
tilted against the defenders, though they have (very) superior EW. The 
attackers have a pair of Web Casters, which are very good when attacking 
fixed establishments. A loss of this area by the defenders would mean 
that the two empires have no geography left that they *can* fight over.

I would expect the attackers to stay at extreme range (say, 20+ from the 
planet) and force the mobile defenses to come to them or else be 
whittled to death by disruptors. This nullifies the effects of the BSC. 
Then it turns into a hellbores-and-fighters-vs-disruptors-and-phasers 
battle where the Tholians have more of each than the Hydrans.


The Romulan dreadnaught that was crippled last turn in a dust-up with 
Tholian forces turned up at a major Romulan colony (presumably for 
repairs at the civilian facilities.) It's advantageous that the Tholians 
didn't show up to finish the job, as the Dreadnaught didn't have all of 
her consorts and would have been forced to retreat in the face of a battle.


On the same Romulan border, a Tholian major colony was visited by a 
friendly cruiser to show the flag. Nothing happened here. It seems that 
both empires have a new-found respect for eachother's forces after that 
nasty battle over the canisters, where the Tholians lost a scout and the 
Romulans came away with a mauled dreadnaught.


A Tholian convoy of Federation photon parts was escorted by a destroyer 
squadron to ensure safe-passage past the Paravians. Wisely, the birds 
left it alone.


The Lyran empire was recently raised to importance in the conflict, 
making one of their bases on the Tholian border vulnerable. Seeing the 
importance of that bit of space, the Lyrans sent one of their 
ultra-effective frigates to defend the base. Scared of it, the Tholians 
elected to save their fragile ships and shied away from poking the cats.


The Klingon Empire sent a destroyer to pay homage to the warriors fallen 
in the war against the Tholians. Because the cowardly Tholians don't 
care so much for their own fallen, the Klingons were able to claim that 
bit of space for their own. The Klingons have pushed the Tholians far 
enough back, there, that now the two powers have lost contact with 
eachother.