Trial by fire!

Fresh from it's shakedown cruise, Grossadmiral Smoke arrived on the battlecruiser KRS von Clausewitz with orders to take a battlegroup of ships and escort a small carrier group from a friendly NAC faction across hostile territory. Joining the battlecruiser was the heavy cruiser KRS Edelweiss, the light cruisers KRS Pirch and KRS Bulow, the heavy destroyer KRS Hohenzollern and the two heavy frigates KRS Lutzow and KRS Leichtenstein. The battlegroup was swiftly gathered and the calculations made for the jump to the rendezvous with the NAC carrier RNS Ark Royal and it's escort cruiser RNS Achilles.

On arrival, the long range sensors indicated no other vessels in the sector and the NSL ships awaited the arrival of their erstwhile allies. Soon the sensors picked up the energy signatures of the NAC ships as they jumped into the designated coordinates and the fleet began to align for the jump to the next waypoint. However, just before the command to spool up the FTL was given, the Grossadmiral was alerted to the sudden appearance of a hostile ESU fleet jumping almost on top of the battlegroup. There was no time to jump now. The ships would be too vulnerable to enemy fire while the calculations were made and the drives were prepared. All hands were piped to quarters and the ships ordered into battle formation. The von Clausewitz moved into a position to protect the Ark Royal and sent the Hohenzollern, Lutzow and Leichtenstein ahead to screen the capital ships. On the right of the line, the Edelweiss formed up with the Pirch and Bulow.

The enemy ESU fleet jumps in (this isn't their actual setup, though)

Battlegroup Smoke in formation

The two forces began to move towards each other and the ESU immediately began to split their fleet into two. An enemy carrier and battlecruiser were identified to the NSL right, supported by an escort cruiser, while several heavy cruisers, destroyers and frigates began an encircling motion to the left. After some minor manoeuvring the allied fleet held it's battle line as the long range fire began to probe shields and armour alike. As the gap between the two ESU groups got larger Grossadmiral Smoke sensed an opportunity. The battlegroup was ordered to fire thrusters and concentrate on the carrier group.

The ESU carrier launches it's fighters

A fierce exchange of fire began and the ESU fighter groups swarmed around the Edelweiss. Fortunately, swift action by the Achilles swatted many of the enemy craft from the void and the attack was dampened. As the range closed the Ark Royal launched her torpedo attack craft with orders to attack the two capital ships ahead. Meanwhile, heavy fire from the von Clausewitz and escorts destroyed a frigate providing close support  for the carrier. The second ESU group swung about into the von Clausewitz's group and returned fire, destroying the Leichtenstein. Undeterred, the von Clausewitz continued to swing around to attack the carrier while the fighters pressed their attack. A huge volley of beam fire and torpedoes struck the carrier and in a flash of brilliance it's core was breached and the enormous hull vaporised with all hands lost. This allowed the Edelweiss to bring it's beams to bear on the opposing battlecruiser and a lucky strike smashed the bridge killing the nerve centre of the ship, leaving it to drift at the mercy of the allied fleet.

The carrier is gone and the battlecruiser is crippled.

At this point the Grossadmiral ordered full thrust to be applied and the von Clausewitz and escorts set off after the crippled battlecruiser, while the Edelweiss was to swing around to tackle the oncoming ESU cruisers.  As the Ark Royal's fighters returned to their bays and began rearming, the ESU commanders realised that the game was up and loosed a last volley before spooling up their FTL. The full force of fire struck the rear of the von Clausewitz and many systems were damaged. Reports indicated that nothing was critically damaged, though, and as the ESU ships blinked off the sensor displays, Grossadmiral Smoke was left with the task of organising the capture of the enemy battlecruiser, limping the von Clausewitz back to space dock and informing the families of those lost on the Leichtenstein.

The ESU prepare to jump as the Edelweiss comes around and the Ark Royal prepares to launch again.