Summary (including post 2301 construction)
The BSM was faced with a situation much like the French Navy in WW2, two different governments were giving them orders, the Bavarian Government in exile, in France, and the Union government in Berlin. Faced with two differing sets of orders, a civil war developed between the Loyalist BSM and the Unionist BSM and DSM. In the months before the French intervened an the War of German Unification got under properly, the Space Forces had smashed each other, with the Unionists coming out on top, and the remainder of the Loyalists fleeing to French ports.
The creation of a single united space force, the DSKM, occurred on 10th April, 2292, boasting a single uncomplete Battleship, 3 Bavarian and 2 German Cruisers, 3 Bavarian and 3 German Destroyers and 7 Bavarian and 5 German Frigates. It’s initial task was trying to control the various breakaway colonies which decided to go it alone rather than submit to a Unified German government. Dunkelheim was garrisoned by Unionist forces from Hochbaden, on Vogelheim, a bloody civil war sprang up between Unionist and Loyalist forces, one that would soon involve the French. Two colonies, Garten and Heidelschemat had successful bids for independence, both gain significant portions of the old Bavarian Navy.
When France intervened, and the WoGR got underway properly, the outnumbered German forces could not face the French main fleets directly, and a war of small engagements broke out. At the end of the French Arm, Hochbaden and Dunkelheim were besieged by French forces in the Beta Comae system denying stutterwarp discharge, and many German ships were lost running this blockade, although many others got through. At Vogelheim, the French had complete orbital superiority, but the downport was badly damaged, and neither side would bring in substancial outside help. The bloody conflict there, setting brother against brother still reverberates now. At BCV, the French had their main French Arm fleet, a body the DSKM could not hope to oppose, but the Uethen government had declared neutrality, as had the government of Neubayern, not allowing DSKM or Loyalist forces to use their facilities while they continued business as usual. Joi was the site of a Hannoverean colony.. However, France had lost control of their colony there, and no fighting occurred on the ground. In space the MSN demonstrated against Joi, but it was a German bastion, and a major assault would have cost the French dearly.
Most actions involved a Combat Group of German ships ambushing French convoys, and occasionally being counterambushed by elite French Chasseur units. However, occasional fleet to fleet actions occurred, such as the 3rd Battle of Alpha Centauri, where the Germans attempted to break Frances orbital defences at Tirane, and allow the landing of ground troops in Freihafen, this was repulsed with the loss of the Cologne.
The final action of the war (which, ironically occurred after the war ended), was the Battle of Sturmwelt in the Hochbaden system. The French blockade had been broken and the French decided to counterattack. The French plan was to demonstrate towards Hochbaden and draw in the German forces, when engaged, a courier would bring in the main body, including one of Frances 2 operation Battleships to outflank the Germans and invest Hochbaden. This plan went wrong when the courier FS Marathon was destroyed by the frigate DMS Saschen.
Post War, the DSKM had to be rebuilt as a creditable threat to France, in order to make the Unified German state stick. Already, the German Union was at a disadvantage, in that her population and resources was actually smaller than the old Bavarian Federation. An ambitious building programme was begun, and the remaining old Bavarian ships were scrapped, replaced with new German ships, as the resources needed to keep these ships going was enormous.
The 2301 Invasion proper took the Germans as much by surprise as the other powers. It began with an attack on their colony at Hochbaden. The Defence squadron was wiped out in the opening hours, inflicting no serious damage, and the colony was destroyed utterly, although defences managed to shoot down a Kafer Battleship and a few smaller vessels. The German Colonial Admistration at Dunkelheim fled, with the Defence squadron as escort, leaving the local administration to themselves. They broke out the weapons that had been in storage waiting for the day they could claim their freedom from German and retired to fight the enemy.
In July, 3 Kafer ships attacked the colonies at Vogelheim. This was not a coordinated attack, but a raid by disaffected Kafer commanders, and the Kafers were seen off. On Vogelheim, the scene of the worst fighting between loyalist and unionist forces in the Unification War, the 3 sides of that planets society united for the first time since that war in opposing the Kafers, and anti-French sentiment died a quiet death.
September saw a massive blow to German arms. At the first Battle of Beta Comae Bernices the combined French 3rd Fleet, German BG Admiral Hipper (reinforced by the Dukelheim Squadron) and the British Expeditionary Squadron defeated a Kafer fleet, and the French pushed on. However, the defeated fleet was only the Vanguard of the main fleet, which fell upon the Anglo-German forces. The Cruiser Admiral Hipper, Destroyer Lutzow, Frigates Brandenburg and Leipzig were destroyed, supposedly with all hands, although intelligence was since suggested that over 100 German prisoners were taken from these ships hulks, along with an intact German computer. The Germans had an old “secret” base at Grosshiddenhafen, and the remainder of the forces (the German Destroyer Lutzow, British Destroyer Indefatigable and 2 frigates) withdrew there, contacted the human forces and were substancially reinforced, with the German Carrier Graf Zeppelin, operating a mixed Anglo-German fighter group (8 Udet and 7 Harrier), Cruiser Berlin and Frigates Westfalen and Mecklenburg, while the British sent the Cruiser Revenge, and the Frigates Orion and Charybdis. Several British Destroyers (Fleet Cruiser Ships) passed through Grosshiddenhafen on line of communications raiding missions, as well as several French vessels. This fleet (dubbed “Battlegroup Waterloo” by the press) was instrumental in stopping a major Kafer thrust towards Vogelheim from the Joian Finger.
In October, the two opposing nations at Joi, Germany and Japan finally formed a combined Battlefleet Joi, consisting of the Japanese 4th Fleet and the German Battlegroup Bayern. In their first action in December, they would fail to coordinate, and the Japanese would abandon the field at Kimanjano, after the Germans fail to engage the enemy, and the fleet would withdraw to BCV, losing the Hannover in the process.
Meanwhile, after two unsuccessful attempts to relieve Aurore, the 3rd Relief Expedition is successful, and Battlegroup Guderian, forming the Aurore Relief Fleet with the French Battleship Napoleon and 2 French Destroyers finally relieve Aurore just as they are collapsing. The renewed supplies allow for Terran victory at the Battle of Three Suns, the largest Battle of the War upto that point (and second largest overall, after Beowulf). The Bismarck and Guderian Battlegroups finally form a German fleet (The German Aurore Fleet) in the Aurore system.
February was a bad month for German arms, the Schleswig, veteran of several engagements at Vogelheim was finally destroyed, and the Joi Fleet was driven from BCV and withdrew to Joi. The Kafers then drove them from Joian space, however, in a counterattack in early March, the Joi Fleet returned, reinforced by Rochemonts 3rd Fleet and won a major victory over the Kafers. However, this strategy did not play well with the inhabitants of Joi, the fleet was supposed to stop the Kafers from dropping nukes on them, invading their cities and spreading bioweapons. Both Germany and Japan would later learn that the colonists were not footballs to be kicked around, a lesson learnt in blood.
From March to June scattered raids, and the “liberation” of several occupied worlds would occupy the fleets downarm, but in July, the Kafers launched their final great bid for Earth, attacking the Reserve Fleet at Beowulf. The Reserve Fleet was more than 50% British, with significant elements of other nations fleets. The Germans contributed the Battlegroups Kohl (without the Kohl, which was new off the slips and managed to miss the battle by days) and Augsburg, a total of 2 Cruisers (Munchen and Augsburg), 2 Destroyers (Blucher and Derrflinger) and 2 Frigates (Braunschleswig and Hessen). Of these the Augsburg, Blucher, Braunschleswig and Hessen were destroyed, and the other two heavily damaged, but the Kafers were stopped.
With the arrival of the Kohl, the more intact elements of the Terran forces set off in a pursuit. Rochemont had botched his interception at Kimanjano, and half of the Kafer Fleet managed to retreat downarm, reoccupying worlds and bases as they went, trying to consolidate some kind of front line.
As of mid-2303, the Kafer fleet has either been destroyed or retreated behind Arcturus, but ground fighting continues on several worlds, trade is returning and the German colonies on Joi and Dunkelheim are making moves towards establishing independence, and German forces may be forced to fight another civil war.
Saschen class Frigate
Laid down as a cheap, but powerful escort vessel, the Saschen has become the workhorse of the DSKM. A simple 40 meter long slab hull, lacking in spin, but mounting a huge arsenal of weapons, the Saschen isn’t a particularly sophisticated ship, but it is effective.
Saschens have proven their combat effectiveness in both the War of German Unification, and the Kafer Wars and their production continues. The statistics below reflect the modern statistics of the Saschen, rather than those of the WoGR era.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 1.95
Power Plant: 25 MW fission
Fuel: N/A
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: minimal (>4 weeks)
Mass: 2,675.68
Cargo Capacity: none
Crew: 56 (12 Bridge, 15 TAC, 22 Engineering, 5 stewards, 2 medical);
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 56 for 180 days
Cost: MLv85.303 without ordnance
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 4
Screens: 0
Radiated Signature: 5
Radial Reflected: 6
Lateral Reflected: 7
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: -2
Lateral Profile: 0
Armour: 4
Hull hits: 42
Power Plant Hits: 30
Active: 7
Passive: 3
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other:
Weapons
10 x1+1dbl lasers in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
1 Missile Pack with 12 SR-9 or 10 missiles
Damage Control: 11
Komet class Frigate
Design Date: 2299
First Example Laid Down: 2299
First Example Completed: 2302
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 1; Komet
Dubbed “the great experiment” the Komet has been years in coming, but the first of the class is finally joined the fleet. None are currently on the slips, and it will be at least 2305 before another joins the fleet.
The Komet has been designed as a cheap version of the Anglo-French “Hunter-Killer” concept, designed to work independently, raiding enemy shipping. The Komet has seen useful service in the Kafer war so far, operating with British and French hunter groups behind the Kafer lines.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 3.67, full load
Power Plant: 25 MW fusion
Fuel: N/A
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: 12 weeks
Mass: 1,675.2, unloaded
Cargo Capacity: 499 cubic meters
Crew: 30 (14 Bridge, 7 TAC, 8 Engineering, 1 medical);
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 30 for 180 days
Cost: MLv78.525 without ordnance
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 6
Screens: 0
Radiated Signature: 2(5)
Radial Reflected: 4
Lateral Reflected: 5
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: -2
Lateral Profile: 0
Armour: 0
Hull hits: 28
Power Plant Hits: 16
Active: 7
Passive: 12
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other:
Weapons
Ordnance Load
1 Missile Pack with 12 SR-9 or 10 missiles
Damage Control: 4
Seydlitz class Destroyer
Design Date: 2290
First Example Laid Down: 2290
First Example Completed: 2292
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 6
The Seydlitz class replaced several Bavarian vessels in the Battleline, and has proved to be a good solid ship in the mold of the Saschen.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 3.09 loaded
Power Plant: 50 MW fusion
Fuel: N/A
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: minimal (>4 weeks)
Mass: 4,580.65, unloaded
Cargo Capacity: 861 cubic meters
Crew: 47 (16 Bridge, 10 TAC, 11 Engineering, 10 troops, 2 medical);
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 47 for 180 days
Cost: MLv126.752 without ordnance
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 6
Screens: 0
Radiated Signature: 3(6)
Radial Reflected: 4
Lateral Reflected: 6
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: -1
Lateral Profile: +1
Armour: 4
Hull hits: 56
Power Plant Hits: 60
Active: 13
Passive: 10
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other:
Weapons
4 x2+1dbl lasers in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
1 Missile Pack with 12 SR-9 or 10 missiles
Damage Control: 5
Hamburg class Missile Cruiser
Design Date: 2290?
First Example Laid Down: 2290?
First Example Completed: 2292?
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 6
The Hamburg was rushed into production by Hannover when it became clear that a war with Bavaria was inevitable. Originally designed as a counter to the Munchen class, it never fought any of them. In fact the only Cruiser-Cruiser engagement between Bavarian and German forces was between BMS Munchen and DMS Admiral Raeder, a former Bavarian ship which resulted in both vessels being destroyed and both crews evacuated to the Medical Frigate BMS Linderman, carrying loyalists to Rho Eridani.
Hamburg and Koln were the first two off the line and sent to attack the weakened garrison at Tirane, forcing orbit would allow Germany freedom of action with regards to Garten, and hopefully allowed for the integration of that rebel state into the German Union, however the Koln was destroyed.
Hamburg was also present at the liberation of Aurore in 2298, and two of the class, Munchen and Augsburg were involved in hunting down Kafer intruders in 2301, and were present at Beowulf, the Augsburg being destroyed.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 2.3 (Standard, 2.48 unloaded)
Power Plant: 100 MW fusion
Fuel: 525 tons (for Small Craft)
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: 10 weeks
Mass: 10,515 tons (loaded)
Cargo Capacity: 2,067 cubic meters
Crew: 108 (22 Bridge, 10 Flag, 22 TAC, 17 Engineering, 6 small craft
and pilots, 27 troops, 8 medical); Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 108 for 180 days
Cost: MLv284.064 without ordnance or fighters
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 5
Screens: 6
Radiated Signature: 7
Radial Reflected: 6
Lateral Reflected: 7
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: 0
Lateral Profile: +2
Armour: 6
Hull hits: 77
Power Plant Hits: 60
Active: 13
Passive: 10
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other: 2 Gustav fighters carried in one bay (launch 1/ turn)
Weapons
12 x3-2 PBWS in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
2 Missile Packs with 24 SR-9 or 10 missiles
Sensors and Electronics:
Phased Active-13
Spherical Passive-10
Navigation Radar
DSS
Gravitational
12 TTA
Damage Control: 8
Graf Zeppelin class Fighter Carrier
Design Date: 2295
First Example Laid Down: 2295
First Example Completed: 2302
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 2 (plus one building); Graf Zeppelin, Manfred von
Richthofen
Laid down as Assault ships, Graf Zeppelin and Manfred von Richthofen were converted to fighter carriers while still on the slips. The Graf Zeppelin served at Grosshiddenfaden with a mixed Anglo-German fighter group, before recently getting her full quota. The Manfred von Richthofen is currently waiting for her wing to be complete, but may deploy with a multi-national fighter wing instead.
Both can carry 2 battalions of German Marines, and can be converted to carrying landers.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 1.83, full load with fighters
Power Plant: 100 MW fusion
Fuel: 8,320 tons (for small craft)
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: ?
Mass: 70,300.2 full load (22,937.62 unloaded, without fighter wing,
but including fuel) (Fighter Wing Masses 3,530.5 tons)Cargo Capacity: 43,832
cubic meters
Crew: 1,714 (16 Bridge, 33 TAC, 39 Engineering, 66 Small Craft, 1,504
troops, 56 medical), not fitted as a flagship;
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 1,714 for 180 days
Cost: MLv311.159 without ordnance or small craft
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 4
Screens: 0
Radiated Signature: 3(6)
Radial Reflected: 6
Lateral Reflected: 10
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: +1
Lateral Profile: +4
Armour: 0
Hull hits: 299
Power Plant Hits: 60/12
Active: none
Passive: 12
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other: 9 Gustav Strike fighters and 5 Wespe Heavy fighters carried
in hangars (launch 2 of either per turn), 8 Udet Defence fighters carried
externally (all launch in 1 turn), May replace Udet with company landers
Weapons
10 x1+1dbl lasers in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
None
Sensors and Electronics:
Spherical Passive-12
Navigation Radar
DSS
Gravitational
10 TTA
Damage Control: 19
Bismarck class Battlecruiser
Design Date: 2295
First Example Laid Down: 2295
First Example Completed: 2298
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 3; Bismarck, Guderian, Kohl
Designed as the new German flagships and as power projection platforms, the 3 Bismarcks have been at the very centre of the fighting in the Kafer War.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 2.94, full load with fighters
Power Plant: 150 MW fusion
Fuel: 606 tons (for small craft)
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: ?
Mass: 21,058.29 tons full load with small craft
Cargo Capacity: 3,683 cubic meters
Crew: 544 (20 Bridge, 16 flag, 27 TAC, 21 Engineering, 21 Small Craft,
420 troops, 14 medical), fitted as a flagship;
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 544 for 180 days
Cost: MLv466.354 without ordnance or small craft
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 6
Screens: 5
Radiated Signature: 4(7)
Radial Reflected: 6
Lateral Reflected: 7
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: +1
Lateral Profile: +2
Armour: 6
Hull hits: 150
Power Plant Hits: 100
Active: 16
Passive: 12
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other: 4 Gustav Strike fighters and 3 Company Landers carried in hangars
(launch 2 of either per turn)
Weapons
4 x2+1dbl lasers in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
4 SR-10 packs with 48 SR-10 missiles
Sensors and Electronics:
Phased Active-16
Damage Control: 10
Bayern class Battleship
Design Date: 2288
First Example Laid Down: 2288
First Example Completed: 2294
Fleets in Service: Germany
Number in Service: 1; Bayern
The Bayern was designed as Bavarias flagship, but has only every seen service in German hands.
Performance
Warp efficiency: 3.15, full load with fighters
Power Plant: 360 MW fusion
Fuel: 1400 tons (for small craft)
Range: 7.7 light years
Endurance: ?
Mass: 42,858.89 tons full load with small craft
Cargo Capacity: 5,254 cubic meters
Crew: 624 (30 Bridge, 16 flag, 44 TAC, 51 Engineering, 42 Small Craft,
420 troops, 21 medical), fitted as a flagship;
Passengers: none
Comfort: 0;
Emergency Power:
Total Life Support: 624 for 180 days
Cost: MLv829.018 without ordnance or small craft
Ship Status Sheet
Move: 6
Screens: 6
Radiated Signature: 5(8)
Radial Reflected: 7
Lateral Reflected: 8
Target Computer: +2;
Radial Profile: +1
Lateral Profile: +3
Armour: 6
Hull hits: 234
Power Plant Hits: 240
Active: 16
Passive: 12
Manoeuvrability: ?
Other: 8 Gustav Strike fighters and 6 Company Landers carried in hangars
(launch 2 of either per turn)
Weapons
8 x2+1dbl lasers in masked turrets
Ordnance Load
4 SR-10 packs with 48 SR-10 missiles
Sensors and Electronics
Phased Active-16
Spherical Passive-12
Navigation Radar
DSS
Gravitational
6 TTA
Damage Control: 25