The Sol War

The Sol War is the culmination of hostilities between the Western Alliance and the Eastern Coalition, erupting after a devastating surprise attack at the outset of the war.

Background
The conflicts between the two power blocs date back decades, to the very beginning of space colonization. Border friction, disagreements over the speed of expansion into Sol, and political differences made conflict certain. Although full scale war did not erupt until 2160, numerous low-intensity conflicts took place along the final frontier and colonized planets and moons. Notable conflicts include the series of Lunar Conflicts in 2075, 2125, and 2150, the Europa Uprising (2150 to 2152), the Mars Wars (2154), and other border conflicts near the Red Planet (2158).

Many squadrons on both sides of the conflict originated in this tumultuous period, including the Ravens (formed during the last Lunar Conflict, immediately establishing themselves with infamous Midnight Madness raid on Lunar command, where they left no survivors during a night attack) and Black Sun on the Coalition side. On the Alliance side, there are the 109th Maulers (formed in 2150), 101st Hell Cats (formed in 2110, veterans of fighting with the Coalition's member states, renowned for taking out an entire Coalition squadron of 21 fighters while losing just three), 205th Marauders and 406th Blades (the former's brutal raids on Coalition supply lines crippled their war effort, while the latter earned renown for cleaving a Coalition battlegroup in half with a precision strike, both during the last Lunar Conflict).

The immediate cause of the Sol War was the increasing technological and territorial gap between the Alliance and the member states of the Coalition. Left behind by the prosperous Western powers, the Coalition was (re)formed to respond to the threat of being eclipsed by the Alliance as a second-rate power in space. Negotiations between the Coalition and the Alliance culminated in the Balma Treaty, to be signed on Europa at Base Kennedy, which was supposed to bring an end to decades of colonial warfare. Unbeknownst to the Alliance, the treaty was merely a diversion intended to lull them into a sense of false security and put its fleets on peacetime footing. The Coalition instead secretly mobilized its forces, expanding its military with new squadrons and carriers, such as the Black Eagles and their base carrier, the class 1 CS Varyag.

Admiral Vladimir Kulov, the leader of the Coalition's Political Council, planned to strike simultaneously across the front, destroying Alliance forces in one, swift stroke and establishing the Coalition as the new, dominant superpower. Kulov drew on the lessons of history, both distant and immediate: The importance of surprise, the first days of the war, and of course, supply lines. The Coalition's defeat in the last Lunar Conflict, caused by crippling losses in supply convoys inflicted by the 205th Marauders led to the adoption of a mirror policy of striking against all cargo, medical, and support vessels affiliated with the Alliance.

First Strike
The Coalition's forces moved into staging areas across Sol by using deception, cloaking technology, and hiding their ships and fighters in asteroid belts. When the Alliance stood down much of its fleets in preparation for the signing of the treaty at Base Kennedy on Europa, the attack began. The first attack focused on Europa, led by CS Volga with the Black Guard and Saracens leading the charge, sneaking in under the flagship's stealth field. The assault was swift and merciless, destroying many Alliance fighters on the ground and rendering any attempt to defend the Alliance Central Command on the moon impossible.

All across Sol, Alliance fleets were caught unprepared for the onslaught. The French and Italian fleets, berthing at Deimos, Mars' moon, were set upon by Coalition forces and destroyed. Several squadrons ignored the laws of war and attacked surrendering ships, including medical transports. The Tigris Confederation's Black Sun was particularly notorious for their slaughter of the French fleet, while the Scorpions were reported to have destroyed an Allied hospital ship and all of its escape pods.

All Coalition forces in outer Sol, particularly the Saracens, pursued fleeing Alliance forces, pushing them back to the outer rim of the solar system. The Coalition further pressed the offensive by harassing the Alliance across the frontline using squadrons like the Ravens. However, the Coalition failed to knock the Alliance out thanks to the uncommon valor of elite Alliance squadrons. For instance, the 409th Ronin successfully defended the ANS Yamato from an ambush by no less than three Tornado-class cruisers and a class 1 carrier, allowing it to link up with the ANS Bremen and destroy a Coalition strike force that was heading for the undefended Triton, Neptune's moon, which was both an Alliance command center and the rallying point for routed Allied forces. The 307th Vampires were also responsible for the first victory of the war, ambushing a Coalition transport convoy and destroying 28 fighters and 3 large ships.

Other squadrons had to fight their way through to Triton, forgoing counter-offensives in favor of survival. The 105th Cougars and the ANS Mitchell barely escaped the Coalition, crossing paths with the CS Volga and Admiral Kulov twice before making it to safety. The French 205th Marauders lost two thirds of their unit during the first two weeks of the war, narrowly escaping destruction together with their base carrier at Deimos. Alongside them were the 559th Hornets, succeeding thanks to their unconventional swarming tactics.

Squadrons that were already present in outer Sol fared better. Germany's 311th Jaguars, stationed at Titan, were instrumental in protecting convoys and supply lines of the Alliance from Coalition hunting packs since the beginning of the conflict. The 406th Blades from Japan were responsible for stopping enemy offensives and holding the line at Fort Sherman, ensuring the survival of Triton. Several Italian squadrons survived the initial attack. The elite Italian 503rd Stingers survived because they were on a scheduled stand down, with about half of their unit on mandatory leave in outer Sol as the war broke out. They were rebased to Fort Lomax, and quickly validated their fearsome reputation with a high kill ratio and taking no prisoners in combat.

Operation Shield
Having narrowly escaped total obliteration, the Alliance ordered all surviving forces to retreat to Triton from all over Sol and called up all reserves into active duty, adding outfits like the 604th Buccaneers into the fight. Due to a shortage of trained pilots, the Alliance offered amnesty to trained convicts and called up any available pilot into service, forming volunteer squadrons like the 45th Volunteers and 51st Volunteers. All military operations that did not involve the protection of surviving assets and escorting them back to Neptune were cancelled, which brought 605th Pirates and the ANS Intrepid back from an operation around Pluto, providing a powerful asset in these desperate days.

Survival was the order of the day and covering the retreat to Triton was the focus of all operations for the first few months of the War, June through September 2160. An improvised, ad hoc effort in the beginning, it eventually coalesced into what was deemed Operation Shield. Despite the loss of all major colonies and Earth to the Coalition, surviving troops made the long journey to outer Sol together with thousands of refugees from Alliance colonies and orbital bases across Sol. Although victorious, the Coalition was faced with a war on two fronts: Maintaining control over nearly the entire Sol and trying to fight the Alliance in outer Sol. As ordered by Admiral Kulov, Coalition forces had no mercy for the surrendering forces or occupied people. Executions of surrendering soldiers and civilians were rampant, together with random arrests and placement in holding and labor camps with meager rations. The Black Guard and its ace, Ivan Petrov, were particularly notorious for their treatment of prisoners of war and civilians, particularly in the wake of the Mars Massacre, when he ordered his troops to butcher captured soldiers and civilians alike.

However, by June 23, 2160, the situation was dire, with rationing instituted to preserve the supply of food and water and requests for collection and donations common on mass media. The 45th Volunteers started their long career at this nadir, responsible for protecting freighters retreating to Triton. Although not as glamorous as the actions of the Vampires and the Alliance Forward Fleet, responsible for bringing in refugees (Klaus Steiner received the Medal of Valor for his heroic defense of a civilian transport and taking out six Coalition fighters in the process), it was still an essential part of the fight. The occupied territories had it no easier. After a revolt by Alliance citizens on Mars, the Coalition retaliated with an overwhelming offensive resulting in entire settlements being leveled and continuing with random executions to keep the population in line.

The desperate efforts became more organized by July 10, coalescing into Operation Shield. At that point, the Alliance Fleet has started to slowly stem the shipping losses that have plagued Alliance supply routes over recent weeks and earned one of its first major victories: Flying off the ANS Yamato, the Ronin surprised and destroyed the Coalition Cruiser CS Potchenka. High Command believed the Potchenka was acting as a forward command ship for Coalition hunting packs. However, not all news were as encouraging. The 559th Hornets squadron was wiped out while protecting civilian transports, ambushed by the notorious Black Guard, led by Ivan Petrov.

Coalition hunting packs and offensives kept the Alliance back against the wall. However, there were unexpected opportunities. On July 19, a routine recovery operation revealed the Coalition's warp technology and explained the short-range hunting packs behind Allied lines. Klaus Steiner, the 307th Vampires, and the 45th Volunteers were pulled via a prototype warp gate all the way to Venus and successfully destroyed the prototype warp gate, delaying the implementation of the technology. Allied High Command also indicted Admiral Kulov on that date on multiple charges of war crimes. Kulov was responsible for the surprise attacks at the onset of the war, as well as the slaughter of countless civilians and prisoners of war. due to his orders.

The Forward Fleet has held the front-line quadrants against the Coalition, but the situation remained critical and supplies throughout the remaining Alliance colonies were still dwindling. By August 7, Operation Shield continued, as did the deployment of fortifications off Neptune, with a net of early warning satellites and defense forts laid around sectors surrounding Neptune. The stream of incoming refugees continued throughout August, reaching the apex with the fall of Fort Arthur and Fort Rushmore, the only remaining military outpost away from Neptune, under constant attack. Rather than remain on the defensive, the Alliance prepared counter-attacks, rebasing several squadrons to carriers, most notably the US Squadron Hellcats, to spearhead the offensive.

The dramatic situation of the Alliance has prompted desperate measures, such as ordering fully laden cargo carriers to make a run for Neptune space and hoping to provide fighter cover when they near the planet. The vulnerability was exploited ruthlessly by the Coalition and renegade Alliance pilots who turned to piracy and preying on the cargo transports. In one high profile incident on August 15, Col. John McGann and the Cobras deserted with three Mammoth cargo carriers, leaving the Alliance hanging on by a thread. However, the aggressive counter-attacks prevented the Coalition from exploiting the situation fully. For example, the Cougars, the ANS Mitchell's fighter contingent, were involved in a running battle with a Coalition carrier group and managed to destroy two of the cruiser escorts, then follow up with a precision attack on the Coalition force, causing the group to withdraw towards Saturn.

By August 26, the situation was relieved somewhat by the arrival of a large convoy of supplies and senior military officers via the ANS Ulysses, covered by the 45th. Attacks on the entire front line continued, with the Vampires and other elite outfits fighting desperately to protect convoys, even lost causes. Klaus Steiner and the Vampires earned the Navy Cross for a valiant defense of a hospital convoy against a Black Sun wing intent on destroying it. The Alliance, in the midst of reforming itself into a newly unified military and political body, announced the formation of the Alliance Senate, with Admiral Brad Caldwell, announcing his decision to run for president of the senate. Already the most powerful military commander, the position would grant him leadership over all the Alliance nations until the end of the war, effectively transforming it into a military dictatorship.

September 22 brought with it the nadir of the war. The loss of Fort Rushmore off Uranus reduced the Alliance holdings across Sol to just Neptune and its quadrant. The Coalition's net around the quadrant was closing, with refugees from the Fort and Uranus the last to make it through the lines, bringing with it reports of Coalition attacks on military and civilian escapees. The destruction of Fort Baxter by CS Rameses capped off Operation Shield, although the retaliatory attack by the 45th and the Reliant followed up on the strike, destroying CS Rameses in a chaotic close quarters battle.

Despite these setbacks, the strategic situation favored the Alliance. Although the Coalition had a seemingly decisive advantage in men, materiel, and territory, the Alliance managed to evacuate 45% of its fleet from all over Sol and concentrate it around Neptune. Meanwhile, the Coalition struggled to maintain effective control over its newly conquered territories and was forced to spread its forces thin. Allied counterattacks have also claimed a disproportionate number of enemy fighters and capital ships, most notably carriers CS Lenin, CS Potchenka, CS Rameses, and CS Kirov, on top of a large number of escort cruisers like CS Zakov and countless fighters, pilots, and other vessels.

Guerrilla Attacks
With Operation Shield wrapped up, the Alliance consolidated their forces, focusing on much needed repairs and refitting of their surviving vessels and squadrons. The Coalition would continue to relentlessly press the offensive, targeting damaged ships heading home for repairs. On October 30, the ANS Reliant, limping to Fort Carter for repairs and refitting, was ambushed by the CS Krasnaya. The carrier warped in and attacked, coordinating with wings of Kamov bombers. A daring defense by the 45th Volunteers supported by elements from the 307th Vampires turned the tide of the battle. However, as the Alliance rallies, pirate activity continued along the Alliance's forward quadrants. A number of cargo and supply vessels have been commandeered by highly skilled pilots, certainly from a military background. Alliance Command identified the rogue units as being led by John McGann, a veteran black ops leader who deserted after faking his death.

The generally aggressive strategy also yielded dividends for Admiral Caldwell, with opinion polls giving him 73% of the popular vote in elections for the Presidency. His aggressive commitment to taking the war to the Coalition would help usher in a new phase of the war, where the Alliance waged a guerilla campaign, gathering intelligence and striking at exposed, overextended elements of the Coalition. One such example was spearheaded by the 45th Volunteers on November 13, when the squadron participated in an intel raid at a forward battle group, securing information on the Coalition's warp warfare program and helping to take out CS Kozah. However, these successes did little to help Alliance citizens in occupied territories, such as Mars, where harsh rationing imposed by the Coalition Council led to protests and crackdowns, with thousands believed dead or imprisoned.

The intel gained on Coalition warp operations allowed the Alliance to strike at the Latov Asteroid Observation Base, used to coordinate the strikes, and temporarily cripple Coalition warp strikes. The operation was carried out in utmost secrecy on November 21, just as Alliance media were gripped by the arrest of Colonel Pierre Besson, a high ranking French intelligence officer, on charges of espionage after his wife reported his activities. The investigation would eventually reveal his pivotal role in the Deimos betrayal. However, despite these successes, the situation remained precarious due to pirate activity. Regular attacks on military convoys diverted squadrons from the front line and deprived the fighting forces of crucial supplies. Military intelligence scrambled to find a solution to maintain the ability to wage war against the Coalition.

However, rather than risk losing the momentum, the Alliance pressed on, pressing on with the counter-offensive. On January 4, 2161, the strategy bore fruit as Fort Rushmore near Uranus has been returned to Alliance control. The carriers Endeavor, Bremen, and Yamato, supported by marines, attacked and destroyed Coalition forces defending the base. The 45th Volunteers and 307th Vampires were also dispatched alongside other squadrons to attack Coalition targets deep behind enemy lines, using prototype Alliance warp technology. Their target was the CS Czar, a supercarrier that could turn the tide of the war, berthed at its shipyard in Saturn's orbit. The daring attack marked just how far the Alliance came within a year, rebounding after the Deimos Betrayal and near-defeat. These victories combined greatly reduced pressure on Alliance holdings around Neptune and paved the way for further advances against Coalition.

"The liberation of Fort Rushmore is a testament to the skill and bravery of our forces. In times to come it will be seen as the first step that propelled us towards the liberation of our former territories."

- Admiral Caldwell

Counteroffensives
On February 2, marking the beginning of a new phase in the war, the trial of Colonel Pierre Besson moved ahead as the prosecution presented their charges. The most notable was that Besson passed on the location and activities of the Alliance Fleet before the onset of the war, which gave the Coalition the element of surprise. However, there were also setbacks, the Italian 503rd Stingers encountered a heavily defended Coalition convoy. The Stingers made a valiant attempt to destroy what was believed to be the carrier CS Krelov and its fighters. The Stingers, however, were all but destroyed and the remnants of the squadron have withdrawn awaiting further reinforcements. Reports suggested pilots were gunned down in their ejection pods, leading to outrage among Alliance Senators (silently ignoring the fact that the Stingers themselves never took prisoners either).

By February 21, the counteroffensive forced the Coalition Command pulling back their hunting packs to regroup around Saturn. However, the same move was believed to be a reorganization, with the bulk of the Coalition units heading for front line quadrants to reinforce its Forward Fleet. Alliance forces prepared for what would become the bloodiest phase in the war. That included the 45th Volunteer squadron, the only volunteer unit to remain in action. After Klaus Steiner remarked on their braver and skill, comparing them to the Flying Tigers of World War II, Alliance command officially changed the squadron name to the 45th Tigers in recognition of their achievements.

The Tigers quickly distinguished themselves, capturing fuel cells for the Alliance's warp technology at the Stalag on March 6, while other Alliance forces, including the Carriers Yamato and Washington, pushed far into Coalition lines in recent operations, destroying a number of enemy convoys, as well as a Coalition forward supply base. Although Coalition forces attempted to counter attack, further losses along their front lines denied them reinforcements. The aggressive tactics paid dividends, as the Coalition was steadily forced onto the defensive. As such, Admiral Caldwell was almost certainly going to be voted in as the First Alliance President, after his main challenger, Terrance Hanlay, withdrew from the leadership contest - officially due to ill health.

On April 15, the Tigers proved their ability once more, by luring the rogue wing operating under John McGann into hijacking a fully-laden Mammoth cargo carrier, the Crimson Sky, then tracking them down to Fort Vanguard, a derelict ship destroyed early in the war. The mercenary base was heavily fortified and armed with an ion cannon, but the Tigers succeeded in destroying it, and eliminating the rogue unit comprised of deserters from both Alliance and Coalition forces and finally securing their supply lines. Admiral Caldwell personally commended the Tigers performance, putting them as an example for all in the Alliance.

Finally, the trial of Colonel Pierre Besson ended. The court found him guilty of three counts of treason and sentenced him to death. Colonel Besson had remained silent throughout the damning evidence at his trial, and even when sentenced gave no hint of emotion. He was executed by firing squad on Sunday, April 19.

However, despite the pressure, the Coalition still had the advantage of men and materiel and rallied. By May 25, 2161, they launched counterattacks, striking deep into Alliance lines. Supply routes were cut as convoys were attacked and destroyed. In one skirmish, the ANS Valiant, commanded by Admiral Jacobs, was destroyed. This Coalition attack group was lead by the Carrier CS Pukov, base ship of the Black Guard, which returned to Coalition lines after destroying the Valiant. However, despite the counterattacks the Alliance continued to score victories, including the destruction of a warp gate hub coordinating warp operations in the sector and the CS Krasny, cut in half mid-warp.

The attacks were followed up with a combined operation that culminated in the destruction of a class 1 carrier, the CS Gegarin. The loss of one of the Coalition's largest carriers was a major setback for the Coalition, and a symbol to the Alliance that this war could be won. However, even with this victory, the Coalition was far from reeling: It still had twice as many Carriers as the Alliance. Fortunately, they were spread out all over the solar system.

The lucky streak was almost ended on June 24, 2161, when the Coalition launched a surprise attack with its Forward Fleet. After luring the 45th Tigers away from the Reliant, the CS Volga supported by the CS Kiev and CS Yevstafiy, attacked the ANS Victorious and ANS Reliant. With one of the best squadrons in the Alliance Fleet fending off a swarm of Basilisk s, the coalition ships heavily damaged both Alliance carriers, forcing the Victorious to flee with evacuees from the Reliant. The Reliant could not jump away, with a damaged jump drive and no shields. Although the Tigers managed to defend the Victorious and the convoy, Captain Foster ordered the Tigers to remain with the Victorious and rammed the Reliant into the CS Volga, destroying both, but allowing the Tigers and other vessels to withdraw. His sacrifice saved his pilots and crew along with the Victorious and dozens of its support vessels. The arrival of the ANS Yamato was the finishing touch that wiped out the bulk of the Coalition Forward Fleet. What was supposed to be a major victory for the Coalition was instead a crushing defeat.

The Alliance capitalized on the defeat and continued the push against the Coalition's Forward Fleet. On July 11, 2161, the 45th Tigers, 409th Ronin, and 307th Vampires launched a combined operation against the remnants of the fleet: CS Morzov and CS Pukov. What was supposed to be a mop-up operation turned out to be a deadly trap, as the Coalition launched an attack on Fort Sherman and the Yamato, forcing the Ronin to stay back, while the 45th Tigers were caught between a wing of Black Guard led by Nicolai Petrov and the CS Morzov, which feigned refueling to draw them in. Although both squadrons managed to turn the tide of the battle, the Vampires did not. The Pukov, Ivan Petrov, and the Black Guard managed to ambush them and the ANS Bremen, destroying the Alliance's best fighter squadron, one of the most advanced carriers, and apparently killing the Alliance's top ace, Klaus Steiner. Despite these setbacks, the Alliance remained committed to the war and Admiral Caldwell called on Alliance forces to redouble their efforts in the wake of Steiner's death, calling on squadrons such as the Tigers to step up and help drive the Coalition out of the occupied territories.

Liberation of Titan
The Alliance kept up the pressure, aided by the cracking of the captured ConNexus code, giving access to planned Coalition movements. The immediate benefit was the revelation of an imminent arrival of a high-ranking Admiral to the Coalition frontline. After the loss of the Vampires and Captain Foster, the Alliance had to capitalize. The 45th spearheaded the operation on August 11, managing to capture the admiral in a close quarters battle with the command group. The admiral turned out to be Vladimir Kulov, touring the Coalition's battle fleets on a morale boosting trip. As one of the most wanted war criminals, his capture became a great boost for Alliance forces after the loss of Klaus Steiner. The Alliance also continued to push forward to Saturn's moons, to strengthen the Alliance by gaining many new resources for the war effort. Planetary assault transports began leaving Neptune for Saturn space by mid-August, preparing for the largest assault operation in history

During interrogation, Kulov revealed that a new Coalition superweapon, the Dark Reign, was nearing completion in Saturn's orbit. Determined to destroy it before it could be brought online, the Alliance dispatched ANS Victorious with the 604th Buccaneers and the ANS Yamato with the Tigers to attack and destroy it. The operation was launched on September 21 and was nearly a failure when the ion cannon turned out to be active. Despite the loss of the Victorious, the Buccaneers and the Tigers managed to destroy the Dark Reign in close attacks, where the platform could not gain a lock. With the loss of the capital-ship killer gun near Titan, the Alliance blockaded Titan, paving the way for the planetary assault. Although Coalition forces on Titan were cut off, the Coalition has dispatched their Second Fleet to break the Allied blockade. Allied High Command focused on strengthening its position around Saturn, in order to give its forces time to liberate Titan.

News of the impending liberation of Titan was met with mixed emotions. Many were excited that they may see family members stranded since the outbreak of the conflict. Others feared the worst, recalling the terrible reports of the treatment of civilians and prisoners during the early months of the conflict.

The conflict almost suffered a drastic reversal of fortuneson October 17. Alliance forces supporting the liberation of Titan were caught off guard when a Coalition force bypassed Saturn and attempted a surprise attack at Alliance HQ around Neptune. Once again it was the Tigers and Ronin flying off the Yamato who cut off the Coalition group from Alliance Command, and led the assault, destroying several enemy vessels and support craft. With the main assault force broken up, the Coalition retreated back to its own lines.

Alliance forces blockading Saturn's moon Titan have successfully held Coalition reinforcements at bay, allowing Alliance ground forces time to push the Coalition back on the ground. Almost a third of Titan has been retaken, at the cost of over one million Alliance lives.

Despite the losses, the Titan battle continued. On November 5, the Alliance received a morale boost when intelligence operatives revealed that Klaus Steiner was actually alive, kept aboard the Saladin, a notorious prison ship. The Tigers, flying prototypical Shroud fighters, closed in, disabled the ship, and recovered Steiner together with hundreds of Alliance prisoners. Steiner was brought to the ANS Yamato to recuperate. Later that same week, Alliance forces on Titan have finally secured the capital, Talius, after bitter ground fighting. The last compound to be captured was the Coalition's headquarters. Several high-ranking officers and officials were arrested and would face war crimes charges.

By December 8, the Alliance successes caused the Coalition battle lines to fragment. Realizing that Titan was a lost cause, several Coalition battle groups were ordered to retreat behind friendly lines, hounded by Alliance fighter squadrons. The 45th Tigers and the 205th Marauders distinguished themselves in wiping out the retreating forces. However, the successes were tempered by defeats. On December 8, Admiral Kulov was freed by the Black Guard under Ivan Petrov, while he was escorted to Alliance Command near Neptune. The 409th Ronin assigned to escort the admiral were wiped out to the last man. Alliance Command was furious that Kulov has been allowed to slip from their grasp. The Tigers, who lost their sister squadron, were even more determined to destroy the Black Guard once and for all.

Titan was finally liberated the week of December 30, when the last pocket of Coalition resistance was overran at the Mountain Fortress near the settlement of Banick. Although rogue bands of Coalition troops remained hiding around Titan, all organized defenses have been broken. Alliance engineers immediately began work on rebuilding Titan's infrastructure to get much needed supplies of food for its people and materials for the war effort back online. In the background, Alliance war crimes representatives began investigations on Titan. According to their reports, in one settlement just outside of Talius nearly 1,000 bodies were discovered in a mass grave.

Victory in Outer Sol
Still outnumbered and outgunned, the Alliance had to resort to a more insidious means of securing victory. The victory on Titan was made possible by the destruction of the Coalition Second Fleet heading for Titan with fresh ground forces and warships determined to break the Allied blockade and reinforce the flagging ground force. Unable to meet the fleet head-on, the Alliance resorted to a sneak attack using captured enemy bombers: On December 30, the 45th Tigers posed as Coalition pilots using captured Kamov stealth bombers to penetrate the Fleet's perimeter and use torpedoes to destroy its flagship, the CS Varyag, and the CS Bulatov. Once half the Coalition's capital ships were out of the equation, the Yamato, ANS Mitchell, and ANS Endeavor, supported by the 101st Hell Cats and 105th Cougars, jumped in to mop up. The mop-up battle cost the Endeavor, but in the end, the sly attack ensured that the Coalition could no longer threaten a counter offensive against Titan.

New Year's was celebrated with a push towards Jupiter. After briefly regrouping for repair and resupply around Titan, Alliance fleets began to push forward, moving towards the strategic hub of Europa, Ganymede, and Io. The liberation of these moons and their industrial strength was considered crucial for victory, as the victory at Titan came at a steep cost: The loss of several front line carriers and veteran wings such as the Vampires and Ronin. Titan's economy was the furnace of the war effort, providing weapons for the war. Recruitment was not a problem for the Alliance, as since the liberation of Titan, there has been no shortage of volunteers.

While some Alliance battle groups were given pause to rearm and refit, the foremost outfits like the Tigers and the Yamato were not. In order to maintain the initiative, Captain Mukai decided to resupply on the go, attacking the Kronstadt supply depot on January 21, 2162, using the Coalition as an unwilling donor.

The gamble paid off, as the Yamato was able to catch up with the CS Pukov and the Black Guard on February 16. In a fierce running battle, the Tigers supported by Klaus Steiner managed to destroy the infamous carrier and her squadron, depriving the Coalition of its most capable killers. Ivan Petrov managed to escape death, vowing to retaliate. Other elements of the Alliance Fleet have also pushed forward, drawing lines of conflict around Jupiter. However, the Coalition, bolstered by new fleets created in the shipyards on Earth and Mars, prepared for another assault on Alliance forces.

To preempt this attack, the Alliance launched a final attack on CS Borodin, the Coalition's forward command station off Jupiter, responsible for coordinating all Coalition operation in Outer Sol. The honor of attacking the station was granted to the ANS Yamato and the 45th Tigers. In a tense, arduous battle, the Alliance managed to destroy the station, despite the loss of the 45th's torpedo bombers and constant harassment by remnants of the Coalition's finest squadrons. Admiral Vladimir Kulov was killed trying to flee using a piece of the station equipped with a warp projector, after Steiner sacrificed his ship to expose its core. Ivan Petrov was also killed, trying to take out Steiner's escape pod. The destruction of the station marked the end of the campaign in outer Sol and the beginning of a new stage of the war.

A Century of War
Despite the victory, the Alliance and the Coalition continued to be evenly matched, controlling resources that allowed them to continue the war for the next century. As the years passed and colonies switched hands countless times, the two sides became virtually indistinguishable from each other, engaged in total war that consumed millions of lives, with victory nowhere to be seen. After a hundred years, around 2261, the Coalition finally managed to gain the upper hand, defeating the Alliance in a massive battle around Mars.

Reeling from the defeat, the Alliance decided on a gamble: Instead of fighting for a lost cause, the Alliance constructed five sleeper ships, each with thousands of citizens onboard. These ships, named after Allied patron nations - Liberty (USA), Bretonia (Great Britain), Kusari (Japan), Rheinland (Germany), and Hispania (Spain) - launched just as the Coalition closed in on Jupiter and managed to break through the Coalition blockade against all odds, heading for the Sirius system, establishing four new nations (Hispania was damaged en route, but its people survived and formed two divided nations, the Corsairs and the Outcasts), creating a new human civilization over the next 800 years. After the escape of the sleeper ships, the Coalition forces conquered nearly all bases in Sol, leaving the remnants of the Alliance with only Pluto under their control.


 * The following is an alternative ending that was originally used as the basis for Freelancer; the idea was scrapped before release and the intro kept ambiguous as to the fate of Sol. The full early version of the intro was released on the Freelancer bonus disk.

As Atticus Rockford's forces prepared for a desperate last stand, a massive Nomad battleship materialized between both fleets, leaving both the Alliance and Coalition forces dumbfounded by the alien ship's appearance. Shortly after, the ship aimed its bow towards the Sun and opened it, revealing a massive spinal-mounted cannon which fired a purple blast before the ship disappeared once more. When the blast struck the Sun, the star exploded, unleashing a massive micro supernova that obliterated all planets and moons in the inner and outer system, before reaching the Kuiper Belt and burning the surface of all objects in it, including Pluto. Rockford's ship was the only one that survived the system's destruction, and left towards the future New York system to warn the survivors of the Alliance of what was coming.

The war, ended by a mysterious third party, left the Alliance as the ultimate winners of the conflict, as they survived by escaping the system and rebuilt a new civilization in the stars, while their hated enemy, the Coalition, was completely destroyed, its last survivors blown to pieces and incinerated when the shockwave struck Pluto.