The East PacificBoard

Battle of the Levantine Sea

The remnants of the broken and battered Task Force Sword reorganize and stand their ground. Shells, cruise missiles, and torpedoes are fired at the retreating Kilkiran fleet by the remaining destroyers and cruisers. The few remaining submarines in "Sword" move in to cut off the enemy carriers, firing lethal homing torpedoes. Scattered missile boats launch their payloads and attempt more kamikazi ramming attacks. The Levantines know they have a chance. "Sword" moves in to meet the enemy head on once again, this time the attack is less suicidal in nature, but intended to pack a punch. The Levantine ships fire as many projectiles at the enemy as possible at once, hoping to draw more attention to their sector.

"Hammer" fleet also spies victory from the jaws of defeat. Rear Admiral Paul Al-Misr reorganizes his fleet and directs the full force of the attack on the remaining Kilkiran formations. Destroyers and cruisers meet the enemy head on, firing armor piercing shells, cruise missiles, and homing torpedoes. Some even launch marine helicopters from their decks, which head straight for enemy ships with the goal of taking out their weapons. Meanwhile, attack submarines, missile boats, and frigates move alongside the flanks of the enemy formations unleashing devastating broadsides of torpedoes, shells, and lethal anti-ship missiles aimed for the decks of the enemy vessels.

Fighters continue engaging the enemy aircraft in brutal dogfights. Kamikazi attacks are occasionally attempted by well placed jets, but most pilots by now see that these are wasteful. The Levantines have another trick up their sleeves as well:

Pilots above the burning waters spotted the Kilkiran supercarrier in the distance and relayed the information and coordinates to Rear Admiral Misr. With further reports from other Levantine craft, ballistic missile silos along the coast as well as submarines are able to confirm the exact location of the supercarrier. Dozens of stealth cruise missiles are launched and head straight for the supercarrier.

Battle of the Levantine Sea

The Second Fleet, now with orders for full flanking speed, charge forth towards the remnants of Task Force Sword and Hammer. With air superiority fighters scrambled from the carrier groups and attack craft in the skies, they have come to tip the tides of the aerial battle. They gain an altitude advantage in the time it takes for them to enter the airspace above the battle, and use their extreme energy retention to dive into the fray with astounding speed. Evasive maneuvers, chaff, flares, and other countermeasures are used as the fighters make themselves well known. The attack craft carry a special payload of electronic warfare packages, aiming to screen the fleets assault with a variety of anti radiation missiles and jamming packages.

Coming in from the flanks of the pursuing Levantine Task Forces, the Vanguard destroyers, true to their name, lead the assault. The loud screech of rockets are heard as Sea-Skipper anti-ship missiles are launched from the vessels and ramjets kick into action. Slicing through waves, the destroyers grow every closer, with their 630mm guided torpedo tubes coming to bear and almost within range. And directly behind them are the Squire class cruisers, their 203mm gun turrets roaring into life, shelling the closest targets with long range plunging fire. Granted, not the most accurate fire due to range, but a shell shot is still a shell that may hit. The heavy cruisers are farther back still, with their own respective flotillas constantly hunting for submarines and providing a fire support role with powerful radar. The Vigilant class dedicated anti air cruisers are scattered throughout the fleet, purging the skies of anything that may be a threat with an absolute torrent of flack and hunting particularly annoying aircraft with SAMs.

The Hunter-killer submarine groups are not entirely bound to the fleet, as ever since leaving port they have maintained radio silence on their own, classified missions. Their active sonars off, they move slowly and stealthily towards the Levantine force, refraining from opening fire until the have identified as many enemy submersibles as possible, and therefore will not be taking any notable actions as of yet other than existing.