MOD:WCU:WC0:Combined

2628 Friend-or-Foe "Pilum" missile enter service

The Laser Cannon, Meson Blaster, Plasma Gun and the Friend-or-Foe "Pilum" missile enter service. KS Manual

Hugh Paulson is born. WC4

2629 Vega Sector penetration + Iason incident

Exploration and colonization ships of the Confederation increase their penetration into Vega Sector. Claw Marks

The vidstar Saranya Carr is born. KS Manual

2629.105 First Kilrathi Encounter During exploration of the Vega Sector on 2629.105 (Orbit 151, Sun Year 5105 Kilrathi date), the TCS Iason encounters a craft of unknown origin. This craft is later discovered as being the KIS K'rath'kan. Commander Jedora Andropolos, commander of the Iason transmits an international wide-band, non-verbal greeting to the unknown craft, keeping guns off-line. Detecting the wide-band radiation produced when the Iason transmits, the K'rath'kan believes that the radiation is an attempt to disable Kilrathi shields. When the Iason fails to leave the area after twenty minutes, Brath'kar nar Caxki, commander of the K'rath'kan orders the ship to open fire destroying the Iason and all hands. Voices of War

2629.105 The exploration ship TCS Iason encounters a spacecraft of unknown origin. Commander Jedora Andropolos transmits the standard wideband, non-verbal greeting designed by the Committee for Interaction with Alien intelligences and waits for response. Less than twenty minutes later, the still unidentified ship opens fire with full lasers, completely destroying Iason and it's crew. Although the identity of the attacking ship is never definitively established, Confederation deep space tracking computers point to a possible point of origin from a previously unexplored planet, soon to be known by its native name, Kilrah. Claw Marks, KS Manual

2630-2634 "space piracy, kidnapping and interplanetary plundering by Kilrathi"

The Terran Confederation receives numerous reports of unwarranted assault, space piracy, kidnapping and interplanetary plundering, all taking place at an increasingly expanding distance from the planet Kilrah. Frequent attempts to meet with Kilrathi High Command are rejected without explanation. In retaliation, the Terran Confederation Congress votes unanimously to enforce a strict non-aggression policy by the Kilrathi. The leaders of Kilrah are warned that their next transgression could lead to military reprisals. KS Manual

2630 Turreted Laser Cannon enters service

The Turreted Laser Cannon enters service. KS Manual Kilrathi High Command The Kilrathi High Command rejected attempts to meet the Confederation. A strict non-aggression policy was enforced by the Terran Confederation Congress. The Kilrathi are warned that future transgressions would lead to military reprisals. Victory Streak

Tanaka Mariko is born as the daughter of Major Tanaka "Go-Devil" Shun at Sapporo on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Later, she will become a third-generation military pilot. Claw Marks

2630.168 Christopher Blair is born. KS Calendar

2631

2631.038 Todd Marshall is born at Leto, Proxima Centauri IV. Claw Marks, KS Calendar

2632 Photon Cannon enters service

The Photon Cannon enters service. KS Manual

2633 M-421A survey + Image-Recognition missile enters servic

The Image-Recognition "Spiculum" missile enters service. KS Manual

The Confederation starts initial survey of the inhabited system M-421A near the Kilrathi border. WC Academy Series

TCNA, Houston, Sol System William Eisen first meets Raul Dominguez. WC4

TCS Albermarle Cadets Geoffrey Tolwyn and David Whittaker are assigned to their first cadet cruise. The ship's Capt. assigns Tolwyn and Whittaker to a shuttle survey team. During the landing approach Tolwyn's helm console explodes and the shuttle crashes. Tolwyn awakens blind and trapped without his helmet under the wreckage. Whittaker's helmet is crushed under a wrecked computer. Whittaker rescues Tolwyn and brings him to an emergency pressure bubble. Both cadets spend six months in the hospital recovering from sulfur dioxide inhalation. Whittaker is awarded a commendation and the Distinguished Service Award. FC

2633.089 TCNA, Houston, Sol System Daniel Eugene Wilford and Raul Dominguez graduate WC4

2634 Landreich + Anna Magdalena + War declared + McAuliffe attack

Terran Confederation Congress The TCC voted unanimously to enforce a non-agression policy with the Kilrathi and threaten military reprisals if it was broken. Victory Streak

Daymon Karnes graduates the Naval Space Academy and enters active service. WC Academy Series

Landreich System The Empire of Kilrah launches an offensive against the Landreich Sector. The Terran Confederation recognizes the attack as a diversionary effort and refuses to reinforce the region. Maximilian Kruger helps organize the ramshackle defense of the System. During the battle, his ship crash lands on a Kilrathi held world. He launches a series of antagonizing commando raids against the garrison, eventually stealing a frigate and returning to the Landreich. He is hailed as a hero for his actions. FC

Vordran System Forces from the Landreich System build an asteroid base in the system, which is promptly destroyed by Kilrathi forces. The Kilrathi, in turn, build their own base – which is quickly destroyed by Landreich raiders. FC

2634.186 The Anna Magdelena, a refitted transport ship ferrying orphans to their new homes on Dieno, is openly attacked by a pair of Kilrathi fighters. No one survives. In retaliation for this and the five-year string of equally heinous abuses of all known laws of civility, the Terran Confederation officially declares war on the Empire of Kilrah. Claw Marks, KS Manual

2634.186 Declaration of War: The Anna Magdelena, ferrying orphans to Dieno, is attacked by a pair of Kilrathi fighters. All hands are lost. In retaliation for this and the five-year string of equally heinous abuses of all known laws of civility, the Terran Confederation officially declares war on the Empire of Kilrah for countless acts of piracy and unwarranted assault. Victory Streak

2634.228 TCN cryptographer Ches M. Penney intercepts and partially decodes a stray Kilrathi cipher implying that a strike will soon be launched against the planet McAuliffe and its orbitting space station, Alexandria. Confederation High Command orders a counteroffensive twice the size of the anticipated fleet, hoping to reach McAuliffe first and ambush the attackers. Claw Marks, KS Manual

2634.228 McAuliffe attack: signal Confederation cryptographer Ches M. Penney partially decodes a Kilrathi message which refers to a strike against the Confederation, starting with an attack on the colony on McAuliffe and the station in orbit around it, Alexandria. Confederation High Command sends a fleet twice the size of the expected enemy fleet to defend McAuliffe. Wing Commander

2634.235 After a tense rush to McAuliffe, the Confederation fleet establishes a formidable defensive position around the planet. When the Kilrathi fleet arrives, however, it is quadruple the expected size. The incomlete transmission of the intercepted message had underestimated the size of the Kilrathi offensive. So begins the McAuliffe Ambush engagement. In several days of bloody combat, the Terran fleet is all but obliterated, leaving a still-sizeable force of funtional Kilrathi spacecraft. But the Kilrathi, momentarily daunted by the ferocity of the Terran resistance, turn back to regroup and repair. The first large-scale Terran-Kilrathi engagement ends with the Kilrathi spearhead momentarily broken. The phase-shield piercing torpedo technology is used by Kilrathi forces during this ambush for the first time. That technology is soon to be adapted by the Terran Military. Claw Marks, KS Manual

2634.235 McAuliffe attack: A Kilrathi fleet attacks McAuliffe and wipes out the defending Terran fleet using their new shield-piercing torpedoes and fighter based doctrine to decimate the Confederation forces. Despite the Confederation deploying a fleet twice the size of the estimated enemy fleet, the incomplete translation of the partially decoded signal means that the enemy fleet is actually quadruple the expected size. The battle lasts four days. The Kilrathi take more damage than they expected during the battle forcing them to turn back and regroup after the offensive. Voices of War

Major Tanaka "Go-Devil" Shun, father of Tanaka Mariko, is killed in this ambush. Claw Marks

TCS Coral Sea TCS Coral Sea was destroyed by fighter based shield-piercing torpedoes, shortly after managing to disconnect from Alexandria base at McAuliffe. Action Stations

TCS Belarus exploded after having its outer hull ruptured by a collision with the falling skyhook at McAuliffe Action Stations

2634.236 Battle of McAuliffe Fighters and bombers from the Concordia and the Ark Royal launch on a counter-attack against Kilrathi forces at McAuliffe. Concordia's forces feign at a carrier, then break off, loop McAuliffe and attack the Kilrathi transports and landing craft, while Ark Royal's forces engage the originally targetted Carrier. Once Ark Royal's bombers have struck the carrier, they loop around the planet and form the second wave of the attack against the Kilrathi transports and LCs. There is only time for one sweep, and the confed forces can't slow down because they need the velocity to loop back out and make it to rendezvous with the carriers. Missiles are to be under complete computer control, taking care of target acquisition and firing. Pilots are to control the guns Action Stations

Ratha Ratha, ejecting after his ship was destroyed by Vance Richards, kills himself by removing his helmet, so he would not be shamed by being defeated and left alive. Instead of taking Tolwyn's wave as a friendly gesture to a fellow warrior, he took it as a mocking insult to his honour Action Stations

2634.236 - 2634.239 The Concordia is abandoned and explodes just before Turner jumps back to McAuliffe. Action Stations

2634.352 The Kilrathi Emperor announces the decree to eliminate the human race. KS Calendar

2635-2643

Confed encourages the production of the movie "The last hero" in hope that it will encourage young people to become combat pilots. The movie is about Daymon Karnes, the best Confed pilot at this time. The young Todd Marshall watches the movie and decides to become combat pilot. WC Academy Series

2635

TCNA, Houston, Sol System William Eisen graduates. WC4

2637 Chen Kien graduates

Chen Kien graduates the Space Naval Academy and enters active service. Wing Commander

2638

The Flak Cannon enters service. KS Manual

2639 Kilrathi forces occupy Enyo

The central metropolis of New Detroit begins to spread over the entire planet. Over the next 30 years the entire planet will become one huge city. Privateer Manual

2639.033 The Kilrathi occupy the human world of Enyo taking 250,000 humans prisoner. See Enyo engagement. Wing Commander

McAuliffe occupation Kilrathi forces occupy McAuliffe and take a quarter of a million humans hostage under orbital guns. The Confederation attempts an attack, made difficult by the presence of hostages. The Confederation deploys an attack force consisting mainly of Raptor class fighters equipped with Porcupine mines. The Raptors drop their mines in a region of space near a main jump point. This forces the Kilrathi to avoid the area. While the Kilrathi concentrate on destroying the Raptors, a radio signal detonates all of the mines allowing the Terran fleet to jump in-system. The Terran fleet smashes the orbital guns and enemy ships with minimal loss of life to the colonists. The Kilrathi are forced to retreat, however losses on both sides are about equal. Voices of War

2639.033 Kilrathi occupation forces land on the human-occupied world McAulifee, put a quarter of a million human prisoners under orbital guns, and await Terran reprisals. So begins the McAulifee Engagement, a tactical situation made difficult by the presence of so many hostages. Phase One of the McAulifee engagement involves bringing in an attack force against the Kilrathi fleet at McAuliffe/Enyo. The attack force under command of Captain Geoffrey Tolwyn consists principally of Raptor-Class heavy fighters reconfigured to carry extra Porcupine Space Mines and practically no missiles. The force is small enough that Kilrathi forces at McAulifee are certain of victory. The Phase One forces drop their Space Mines in one region of space near McAulifee and engage the enemy. Kilrathi ships maneuver to get out of the mined region and turn their attention to destroying the invaders. By the time the Kilrathi navigators realize that the mined region corresponds to McAulifee's principal jump point, it is too late: Phase Two has begun. A single radio signal detonates all the specially-modified Porcupine mines, and moments later the remainder of the Terran fleet appears at the jump point, in the middle of the engagement. The Terran fleet strikes first against the gunships threatening the human colonies. The enemy ships are destroyed with minimal loss of life among the colonists. Then the two fleets settle in for a pounding match. The McAulifee engagement ends with the Kilrathi in retreat. Losses have been nearly identical between the two fleets, but the Kilrathi have been forced to abandon a strategic position. Claw Marks, KS Manual

In this engagement 2nd Lt. Joseph Khumalo is assigned as wingman to Captain Maria "La Doña" Alvarez. After the tough fight the Captain says "Oh, it's my White Knight" giving Khumalo his callsign "Knight". During this fight, Khumalo scores enough kills to finally become an Ace. Claw Marks

2640

The Neutron Gun enters service. KS Manual

Landreich System Vincent Camparelli leads a fleet to victory against a Kilrathi fleet. FC

2642

The Confederation military command, determining that a need exists for a heavy space carrier, authorizes design of the Bengal-class carrier line. Trojan Four Spaceyards wins the assignment to build the new line of carriers. Claw Marks

The Venice Offensive. Raul Dominguez and William Eisen serve together. WC4N

Razin System Jason Bondarevsky is born. FC

2643

John Dekker is born. WC4

2644 Trojan Four Spaceyards builds the first Bengal: Tiger's Claw

Daymon Karnes, at this time considered being a war hero, is MIA when he doesn't return from a standard patrol in system M-421A. Confederation HQ finds out later that Karnes has turned renegade and begun to establish a pirate base on Tortuga, a planet in M-421A. Confed declares this fact Top Secret fearing it might have negative effects on morale. WC Academy Series The newly-launched TCS Tiger's Claw, on its shakedown cruise, carrying a minimal spacecrew and an under-experienced command, finds itself in the path of a surprise Kilrathi invasion force. The ship's unexpected presence along the Kilrathi flight plan, clever tactics on the part of the command crew, and performance above and beyond the call of duty by the spacecrews rout the superior Kilrathi force. Shortly thereafter, Tiger's Claw is given permanent assignment in Vega Sector. Claw Marks

Tara System Aengus Harper is born. FC

2645 Second Bengal class, TCS Kipling, launched

The Turreted Neutron Gun enters service. KS Manual The second Bengal-class space carrier, the TCS Kipling, is launched. Owing to design modifications, the Kipling and all subsequent Bengals are 10 meters shorter and several tonnes less massive than the TCS Tiger's Claw, making the Tiger's Claw the biggest space carrier in its class. Claw Marks

2646-2651

Hector "Grunt" Paz is wounded at Repleetah and suffers a lingering paralysis since. He manages to keep his medical status off his records and requests a transfer from the Marine Corps to the Naval Space Academy. WC Academy Series

2647 The Battle of the Landreich

Landreich System “The Battle of the Landreich”. The Terran Confederation dispatches the TCS San Jacinto, commanded by Vance Richards, to organize the Landreich Sector’s Home Guard fleet. Richards’ is ordered to withdraw, offending Maximilian Kruger, who launches a mutiny. Kruger captures the heavy cruiser and takes it to Kilrathi territory. Kruger spends three years behind enemy lines, finally destroying the base which had organized Kilrathi efforts in the region. FC

2nd Lt. Casey begins a nine year flying career, during which he will score 367 confirmed kills and win bronze, gold and silver stars. ICIS

2648

Velina Sosa is born. WC4N

2649 Custer's Carnival

Murragh Cakg dai Nokhtak is born. FC

Terran ground forces launch an attack on a fortified Kilrathi colony, only to be routed by unexpected Kilrathi fighter support. The Terrans quickly reform and advance back into Terran space, their lightly-armed transports pursued by Kilrathi warships. The TCS Tiger's Claw is detached from its previous station and assigned to intercept the pursuing fighters in a delaying action evantually known as Custer's Carnival. Swarmed and badly damaged by Kilrathi fighters, the carrier distracts Kilrathi forces long enough for the Terran fleet to reach safety. Despite the fact that three-fourths of its engines are destroyed and half its pilots are listed as casualties, the heroic efforts of the Claw's crew allows the carrier to make it back into Terran space. Two Gold Stars and numerous other medals - many of them posthumous - are awarded to the ship's personnel. The carrier itself spends six months in spacedock for repairs and refitting. Claw Marks, KS Manual

Custer's Carnival: In 2644 ((Most probably wrong; according to KS Manual and Claw Marks this happens in 2649)), Terran ground forces launch an attack on the fortified Kilrathi Kr'azna colony. Unexpected Kilrathi fighter cover causes the ground forces to retreat in their lightly armed transports. Since the transports had little chance against the pursuing heavy Kilrathi warships, the TCS Tiger's Claw attempts to intercept the Kilrathi warships and give the transports time to escape. The Tiger's Claw succeeds in allowing the transport to escape, but suffers heavy losses and damage. The Claw retreats in to Terran space with three quarters of its engines destroyed and half of its pilots injured. Two Gold Stars and numerous other medals are awarded to Tiger's Claw pilots. The Claw itself is forced to spend six months in spacedock repairing. This action is later given the name Custer's Carnival. Voices of War

2650

The TCS Liberty is commissioned. Her fighter wing's bomber squadron includes turret gunner Evan Bean. WC4N

Landreich System Maximilian Kruger returns from spending three years raiding behind Kilrathi lines. He is hailed as a hero in the Landreich, but the Terran Confederation orders his arrest. The people of the Landreich formally declare independence, expelling the Confederation governor and his staff. They go on to elect Kruger their new president. Wealthy industrialists, including Daniel Webster, loan the republic a large amount of money with which to start the new government. Kruger presides over the creation of a constitution, giving the president as much direct power as possible. Other planets in the region join the newly formed Free Republic of the Landreich, which is made up of ten square parsecs and eight Maj. colony worlds by 2668. The Tara System is among the first to join the new republic. Kruger helps Zachary Banfeld set up The Guild. FC

2653

The Terran Confederation runs an exhaustive computer analysis of the Kilrathi War. After considering thousands of possible scenarios and spending hundreds of millions of credits the computer determines that the war cannot be won traditionally. This leads directly to the formation of the Black Projects division. WC4N

The Genetic Enhancement program begins looking for likely candidates for creating the perfect fighter pilot. Cadet Christopher Blair is among those used for the genetic template. WC4N