Battle for K'aken Kar

UPF Frigates engaging Sathar cruisers at short range.

(FY 81) "The approach of the Sathar Fleet has been observed by the residents of the fortified station Ken'zah-Kit for several days. The word has come from fleet headquarters: "No reinforcements available." The few UPF ships are already at the station are ready for the fight, their officers and crew knowing the fate that will fall to the civilians on the station if they fail."

Preface

Task Force Z'Gata was able to evacuate Doliin Bay Station when the Sathar sent a recon force of one heavy cruiser and one destroyer. They suffered heavy losses and the Sathar recon force retreated. The ships of Task Force Z' Gata were in the shipyard being repaired at the time of the Battle for K'aken-Kar. (Doliin Bay is in a further orbit than UPFB Ken' Zah; it's powerful sensors are used to detect ships entering the system on a deceleration vector)

The K'aken-Kar Militia had been dispatched to assist the UPF at Madderly's Star due to the invasion by the First Sathar Fleet. They were not available for the Battle for K'aken-Kar.

This only left five UPF ships, some fighters and the Ken'Zah Station to defend Ken'zah-Kit.

UPF forces

• UPFB Ken' Zah (Fortified Space Station)
  • 5 Fighters
• UPFS Z' Rak't Zoz (Minelayer)
• UPFS Shimmer (Frigate)
• UPFS ZZ' Nakk'T (Frigate)
• UPFS Rapier (Assault Scout)
• UPFS Lancet (Assault Scout)

Sathar forces (unattached forces)

• SAV Maelstrom (Assault Carrier)
  • 6 Fighters
• SAV Carrion (Heavy Cruiser)
• SAV Deathstroke (Light Cruiser)
• SAV Bludgeon (Destroyer)
• SAV Viper (Destroyer)

Aftermath

The Sathar forces suffered initial casualties from mines and seeker missiles laid by the UPFS Z' Rak't Zoz. The UPF forces then rushed in to finish off those ships that were heavily damaged (destroyers and fighters). The UPF was able to cripple the SAV Carrion with assault rockets from the Raiper, Lancet and two fighters but, all but the Rapier was destroyed. The ZZ' Nakk'T and Shimmer focused on the SAV Deathstroke, both attackers receiving heavy damage, but delivering a catastrophic hit on Deathstroke when one of ZZ' Nakk'T's last seeker missiles struck it from behind.

The UPF forces then fell back to UPFB Ken' Zah. With all other Sathar ships rendered combat-ineffective, SAV Maelstrom made a suicide run on the battle station, but the four remaining UPF ships and the station's batteries made it a fruitless endeavor, leaving Maelstrom a ruined hulk.

The UPF successfully defended K'aken Kar but suffered heavy losses. Task Force Prenglar regrouped in this system in later during SWII.