First Battle of Yeltsin's Star

First Battle of Yeltsin's Star Conflict Second Grayson-Masadan War Date 1903 PD Place Yeltsin's Star System Result Masadan victory Combatants Grayson-Manticoran Combined Fleet Grayson Space Navy Royal Manticoran Navy Navy of Masada Commanders High Adm. Bernard Yanakov (†) Adm. Raoul Courvosier (†) Comm. Wesley Matthews Adm. Jansen Strength 5 destroyers 2 light cruisers 6 destroyers 5 light cruisers 1 battlecruiser colliers Casualties 3 space stations 4 destroyers 1 light cruiser 6 destroyers 5 light cruisers colliers

The First Battle of Yeltsin's Star, often simply called First Yeltsin, occurred in 1903 PD between the Grayson Space Navy and the Navy of Masada in orbit of Grayson during the Second Grayson-Masadan War.

Order of Battle

The Masadan Fleet entered Grayson space in the early morning, Austin City time. They attacked and destroyed Orbital Four, yet the station was able to get a salvo of missiles off against the attackers. MNS Abraham, the Masadan flagship, was destroyed.

The rest of the Masadan Fleet moved to a range of six million kilometers or more and fired their missiles in large amounts, destroying Orbital Five and Six.

After the attack, a newly formed Grayson-Manticoran Combined Fleet pursued the exiting attackers. A lone Masadan destroyer interrupted the GMCF's anticipated free-time.

The main Masadan Fleet was en route to Orbital Seven in the Blackbird System, when they were intercepted by the GMCF.

The GMCF went into the planned vector that was laid down by Captain Alfredo Yu, formerly of the People's Navy. The main Masadan Fleet was actually waiting for the GMCF to get into position, so that the Masadans could cross in front of the GMCF, or cross their T.

Captain Yu had MNS Principality spinning on its central axis to provide better firing arcs.

The GMCF attempted to cut across the vector of the Masadan Fleet, but it led them into a trap set by the Masadans. At the last moment, the Masadan Fleet altered course that led the GMCF into another Masadan Fleet, which had the GMCF point defense lasers pointed in the wrong direction.

The Masadans fired their modern missiles and destroyed the destroyers Ararat and Judah in the opening salvos.

MNS Thunder of God jammed the GMCF's sensors. HMS Madrigal was able to defend itself, with little or no damage. The destroyer GNS David was heavily damaged with an atmosphere trail. The light cruisers GNS Austin Grayson and GNS Covington were both hit. Austin Grayson was in an uncontrollable roll, trailing atmosphere and debris, and the impeller wedge was fluctuating, while the Covington was trailing atmosphere.

GNS Saul was the only GMCF ship not damaged in the opening shots.

In the second salvo, the David and the Austin Grayson was destroyed. The Saul emerged undamaged again, and the Covington was heavily damaged. The Madrigal became the GMCF flagship, but was damaged. Admiral Raoul Courvosier was killed on the Madrigal, and Commodore Matthews of the Covington became the new GMCF Commander.

The Covington and the Saul retreated, while the Madrigal stayed behind to protect their retreat.

The Masadan Fleet gathered together and attacked the Madrigal. The light cruisers MNS Noah and MNS Samson together with the destroyer MNS Throne were destroyed in the first counter-attack by the Madrigal. MNS David was so badly damaged that it became a useless hulk. The destroyers MNS Cherubim and MNS Seraphim were disabled. The destroyers MNS Angel and MNS Archangel took the full brunt of the Madrigal's last salvo before the Madrigal was destroyed. The Archangel was destroyed. The light cruiser MNS Solomon and the destroyer MNS Dominion were the only Masadan vessels still combat worthy.

Aftermath

The Navy of Masada chose to patrol the outer fringes of the system, rather than to invade Grayson. This was primarily because of the Madrigal's actions during the latter part of the battle.

Grayson Participants

• GNS Ararat - destroyer - Destroyed
• GNS Austin Grayson - light cruiser - Flagship of High Admiral Bernard Yanakov - Destroyed
• GNS Covington - light cruiser - heavily damaged and escaped
• GNS David - destroyer - Destroyed
• GNS Judah - destroyer - Destroyed
• GNS Saul - destroyer - Escaped
• HMS Madrigal- destroyer - Destroyed - Flagship of Admiral Courvosier.
• Orbital Four - Destroyed
• Orbital Five - Destroyed
• Orbital Six - Destroyed
• Orbital Seven

Masadan Participants

• MNS Abraham - light cruiser - Flagship, Destroyed
• MNS Angel - destroyer - Damaged
• MNS Archangel - destroyer - Destroyed
• MNS Cherubim - destroyer - Disabled
• MNS David - light cruiser - Heavily Damaged
• MNS Dominion - destroyer - Damaged
• MNS Noah - light cruiser - Destroyed
• MNS Samson - light cruiser - Destroyed
• MNS Seraphim - destroyer - Disabled
• MNS Solomon - light cruiser - Damaged
• MNS Throne - destroyer - Destroyed
• MNS Thunder of God
• MNS Principality
• colliers