Operation Back Lash - 2667

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Operation Back Lash was a Confederate operation in planning for over a year that sought to even the odds in the war against the Kilrathi. The objective was to catch a portion of the Kilrathi Home Fleet at Vukar Tag and smash it along with elite assault landing troops. Four large carriers (TCS Concordia, TCS Wolfhound, TCS Gettysburg, and TCS Trafaglar) and upwards of seventy other ships were assigned to be the primary strike force with an additional task force centered around the escort carrier TCS Tarawa and two escorts.

After a diversionary assault on the planet of Vukar Tag by two of the new Wake-Class Escort Carriers, Confederation forces acted as if they were reinforcing Vukar Tag to make it a main base for their advance into Kilrathi territory. Vukar Tag is several jumps into Kilrathi territory, although it is considered something of a backwater. The main point of interest involving the planet is the ancestral home of the Emperor's mother, Dowager Empress Graknala nar Kiranka. Her home was a beautiful palace, reminiscent of medieval castles found on Earth.

The plan was to use the threat against the Empress as a reason for the Kilrathi to sortie the entire Home Fleet of ten carriers and corresponding assault forces. Confederation forces knew that the Empress was no longer on Vukar Tag but utilized the Kilrathi sense of honor to force their hand. The Confederation sent in massive reinforcements to Duke Grecko's forces on Vukar Tag. Those forces proceeded to construct immense fortifications to repel the Kilrathi assault. All the while, a single Kilrathi burst signal installation was allowed to broadcast reports back to Kilrah. This was the source of information the Kilrathi needed, and the Confederation wanted, in order to decide on their course of action.

The Kilrathi sortied their entire Home Fleet of ten carriers against Vukar Tag along with a large contingent of landing forces. The four large carriers of the Confederation could not hold their own against all ten of the Kilrathi carriers, however with the element of surprise they could perhaps take on five or six. Strike Force Valkyrie, centered on TCS Tarawa, was to proceed directly towards Kilrah, making its presence known along the way, and strike at the heart of the Kilrathi Empire.

Strike Force Valkyrie forced the Kilrathi to make a decision that no military commander wants to make, the decision to split their forces. Honor required vengeance at Vukar Tag as well as protection of Kilrah. Prince Thrakhath choose to divide his forces, six carriers to proceed to Vukar and four to encircle Kilrah and prevent the escape of the Tarawa.