(Or, Catastrophic weapons really hurt)

A four-way action, this, each side consisting of one Haconre light cruiser

Haconre-class light cruiser (256)
Hull: 9
Engines: 3
Shields: 3
Weapon Hit Chart: 1: VX, 2: VX, 3: WX, 4: W, 5: W, 6: W
Weapons
V Battery: Spinal Lance Cannon, 1-6, 7-12, 13-18, 1/4+/1/1, Catastrophic, Piercing +1, Slow-firing
[G] [G]
W Battery: Heavy Cannon Turret, 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 2/4+/1/1, Double Damage
[GHI] [GHI] [GHI] [GHI] [JKL] [JKL]
X Battery: Light Cannon Turret, 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 2/3+/1/1
[ACE] [ACE] [BDF] [BDF]
Special: Carrier (50)
Carries one standard flight

The four sides were the Cyclanin, Carhaulin, Tyrahnin and Bormhamer.

SIRS

I have the honour to inform you that three cycles ago we encountered and defeated three opposing Haconre cruisers with attendent fighters.

We had information that the Vobraunin federation was planning a cargo run and moved to intercept the freighter at the L4 point of the Mohaxas system. When we got there, though, we found three other cruisers that the Carhaulin, Tyrahnin and Bormhamer federations had sent. As per the standing relations with each federation, we all moved to engage.

I ordered my flight commander to engage targets of opportunity and he quickly engaged the Carhaulin fighter flight, which was to port of our cruiser. Our fighter pilots showed great skill, dispatching four of their fighters for only one of our own fighters destroyed. However, fire from the Carhaulin and Tyrahnin cruisers destroyed four of the five remaining fighters as they moved into the engagement range of their cruisers heavy and light turrets. The remaining Carhaulin fighters were destroyed, as well as four Tyrahnin fighters (two by my cruisers guns) and one Bormhamer fighter was also destroyed.

As they were closer, I ordered my cruiser to turn to port to bring my lance cannons to bear. This he also did, and my tactical officer informed me that the Tyrahnin and Bormhamer cruisers were doing likewise. In the midst of all this, my flight commander showed incredible daring, moving to engage the Bormhamer fighters and killing one, which the Tyrahnin fighters also engaged, destroying two. The Bormhamer fighters were obviously not blooded, as they failed to hit either of the Tyrahnin fighters.

Then all cruisers let fly with their weapons. I ordered the majority of my fire (the forward heavy cannons, the port light cannons and both lance cannons) on the Carhaulin cruiser, but my aft heavy and starboard light cannons had the range on the Tyrahnin cruiser and opened up.

Luckily, both of the Carhaulin lance cannons missed my cruiser, and one of mine hit his, as well as over half of my cannon fire. Then the screen polarised, which meant at least one cruiser had been destroyed, and once it had cleared I noticed that all three cruisers had been destroyed, attesting to the power of the lance cannon. But even though my cruiser had survived, it was fairly heavily damaged, both engine and shields down to 66% and hull integrity to 55%. All of my heavy cannons had gone, as had half of my light cannons and one lance cannon.

Because of my engine reduction I carried on and called my sole fighter back to help protect the cruiser from the four remaining fighters. Unfortunately they were close enough to be able to choose their angle of attack, but only one fighter hit, causing negligible damage to my shields. And, in so doing, the Bormhamer fighter flight flew into the sights of my port light cannon turret which dispatched both of the fighters, which my starboard light cannon equalled targetting the Tyrahnin fighters.