HISTORY OF NOVA SECTOR

28/10/3002:    The Madron Resurgence.  Three enormous Madron Assault Fleets appeared from nowhere whereupon they attacked and totally destroyed the capital world of the Empire - Centrus.  The battle lasted for three whole days, but eventually, the Madrons were defeated. The improved nature of the rebuilt Imperial fleet proved its worth, but at a very high cost.  The Madrons began to retreat their shattered fleet (one of the few times they have ever retreated from anything) and were pursued by the remaining Imperial Battleships of Fleet Gamma (one of the main internal security forces for the Empire).  Unfortunately, the fleet was unable to close the range, they could only harass from a distance, and the Madrons escaped through a spatial anomaly. The Imperial fleet formed a perimeter around the anomaly in case the Madrons should return.  A few hours later, the Home Fleet arrived. Having been on manoeuvres some hours way, they had been unable to participate in the battle, however they were fully equipped and totally unblooded.   

02/11/3002:    Orders were given that the Home Fleet should pursue the Madrons through the anomaly to investigate and hunt them down.  The transit to enemy space was instantaneous, however a few scant minutes after the fleet completed the journey, the anomaly vanished and the Home Fleet was completely cut off from contact, support or return.  Six hours after their arrival through the "wormhole", the fleet was attacked by a small screening force of Madron warships. The Madrons were defeated, but they did manage to destroy a small number of Imperial ships, including HMS Excalibur.

03/11/3002 - 06/11/3002:    For the next few days, constant Madron attacks kept the fleet on its toes, but the Madrons, strangely, were only sending in ships piecemeal. It's been suggested that the Empire's arrival in Madron space was something of a shock, and they were simply sending ships as and when they arrived to try and drive the Empire away again.

10/12/3002:    A major battle occurred when a large force of Madron "Hammer" and "Heckler" class warships appeared. By now, the newly designated "Nova Fleet" was en-route to a newly discovered planet where they had decided to create a base of operations, and the journey became a running battle.

12/12/3002 - 03/06/3003:    Having defeated this large Madron force, the enemy appeared to be reluctant to commit more large forces to battle for some time and a period of relative peace allowed the construction of the initial phases of Andromeda Base and the establishment of a Terran "Exclusion Zone" that the fleet felt confident they could defend.  

04/06/3003 - 12/06/3003:    Three major battles were fought in close succession near to Andromeda Base as the Madrons launched a concerted effort to dislodge the Terrans. Many Terran ships succumbed during these battles and for a while, things were looking dicey. One day in particular, 10/06/3003, saw the loss of five Starships in one battle.

15/07/3003:    Having finished the construction of Andromeda Base, the Fleet commanders felt confident that the base could now defend itself with minimal support, and so the two Rapid Reaction Forces were formed to regularly sweep the Exclusion Zone and defend it from attack. Madron incursions were regular.

10/09/3003 - 21/09/3003:    Two large Madron incursions caused major concern.  As a direct result of these attacks, Battle Group Orion was formed to act in a pre-emptive manner to attack and destroy any Madron formations that might be seen to be forming up outside the Exclusion Zone. 

12/10/3003:    Battle Group Orion identified a large build-up of enemy forces outside the exclusion zone and proceeded to engage them in a pre-emptive attack.

21/11/3003:    A Madron supply depot was identified and destroyed.

29/11/3003:    Long-range scanners picked up an approaching Madron Assault Fleet heading for the Exclusion Zone which was intercepted in between FTL jumps and annihilated.  It is not clear why the Madrons continue to field relatively small forces in battle, or why some of their ships are seen to retreat when they can - this is decidedly contrary to standard Madron tactics, and suggests either a change in their thinking, or some kind of desperate desire to maintain what forces they can. Either that, or they are planning something nasty and this is all just a distraction.

23/12/3003:    Strike-Force Bulldog is formed.

15/01/3004:    The remains of HMS Venom are found.

17/01/3004:    The first "Horror" Class Command Vessel is sighted outside the TEZ's northern perimeter.