'''WING COMMANDER YEAR 2669 + PRIVATEER TIMELINE:'''
Acknowledgements
A merging of various sources including:
- [–WC] Wonder Chicken's exquisitely well written post BOA situation
- [–51] Area 51's handy timeline
- [–FT] To a great extent, Psych's finely detailed Fleet Tactics - Communications (site is off-line it seems… UPDATE: Back on-line.)
- [–ET] The CIC Encyclopedia's Timeline, of course, as well as
- [–TR] the Wing Commander -- The Revival's timeline; plus
- [–PA] some creative storytelling and flights of fancy based on our (deep) Privateer Analysis, and
- [–PT] our Privateer and Righteous Fire Timing analysis, and some
- [–PU] events leading to a background for a possible future PU project;
- [–HT] and, needless to say, Heart of the Tiger, by William Forstchen.
—-
2669.005
Admiral Tom Jarvis repots completion of improved fighter prototypes:
- F-96 Arrow
- F-86 Hellcat V
- F-66 Thunderbolt VII
- F/A-76 Longbow
(NOTE: Thanks to Bainbridge's secret order authorizing testing during false peace.)
–FT
2669.007 Doctor Frederick Whitmore reports on Blair:
“I am replying to your inquiry about Colonel Christopher Blair, TCSF. Colonel Blair has severe internal
bleeding, oxygen deprivation sickness, moderate radiation poisoning, head trauma, several small fractures,
and several severe fractures on his arms and legs. His situation is however stabilized, and I estimate
that he has about 6 months for full recovery.”
–FT
2669.007: (Start of Privateer Part 1)
Grayson Burrows arrives to Troy, Gemini, claims his Tarsus
2669.011
Hancock reports Lexington class carrier refitting complete for self-sustaining operation.
- Rechristened “TCS Lexington” (10th ship to carry the name)
- Enroute to Goddard, from where it will jump through an uncharted jump-point, presumably into the rear of Kilrah…
–FT
Following the attack on Earth, the Terran Intelligence Agency deploys a top-secret,
tactical search party through a previously uncharted Kilrathi jump point. A heavy
carrier named TCS Lexington is equipped with self-sustaining recycling systems,
mining apparatus, and a 62-person Special Operations team. This unit leaves Goddard
Transfer Station and passes through a newly discovered jump point. Its mission:
- to search out and destroy Kilrathi forces, sector by sector. The mission fails
when the Lexington starts an ambush on an equally equipped Kilrathi carrier, which
results in the destruction of both carriers.
WC Armada, KS Manual, The Kilrathi Counter-Attack
(Where did they get the story of the encounter with a Kat carrier? Can't find any
other references to it :P …)
COVERT INFILTRATION
A new secret carrier, the TCS Lexington departs from the
Goddard Transfer Station. Its mission: destroy the enemy
system by system. A self-sustaining, powerful vessel, carrying
among its crew a special unit of 62 Covert Operatives, the
carrier passes through a secret jump point into Kilrathi space.
The Lexington is not heard from thereafter, and is presumed
lost with all hands.
–Armada
2669.018
The Lexington class carrier TCS Lexington was a secret ship
designed to be completely self-sufficient. Equipped with oxygen
planetariums, water-producing modules and greenhouse gardens
the ship supported a crew of 62 and sported a complement of 18
fighters. The Lexington was sent on a mission to locate and
destroy Kilrah … via uncharted jump points, but failed and didn't
return from the mission.
–WC Encyclopedia - Combat Information Center
2669.012
Commander Jacorski's shore leave is cut short as he is ordered to Goddard transfer Station for an unknown reason. Upon his arrival, he meets General Sturdivan who assigns him as Commander of the newly constructed TCS Lexington. He is ordered to tell his crew only that the ship is performing a dangerous strike run and is sworn to secrecy. As Commander of the new secret ship TCS Lexington (Armada), Commander Jacorski orders 61 people to Goddard Transfer Station, where they will join his crew. Orders were sent as follows:
- Report for duty at Goddard Transfer Station by 1700 hours, 2669.018.
- Return date not yet determined, estimated to be 4 - 6 months.
–Voices of War
2669.014
TCS Tarawa crippled in a Kilrathi attack.
2669.018
TCS Lexington leaves from Goddard, on its secret mission to Kilrah
2669.024
Jarvis reports carrier repairs completion. Ready for deployment are:
- TCS Armageddon (Confederation class dreadnaught)
Plus 6 Concordia-class:
- TCS Winterrowd
- TCS Liberty
- TCS Valiant
- TCS Hermes
- TCS Invincible
- TCS Illustrious
–FT
2669.024
President Dave Quinson declines Tolwyn's requests.
- 2 carriers must remain at Sol
- The other 5 may join the 7th Fleet, and take defensive positions while awaiting target list drafted by Congress
–FT
Six days after beginning its mission, Commander Jacorski tells the crew of the TCS Lexington (Armada) what their mission is. The crew soon realises that their chances of completing the mission are slim.
–Voices of War
2669.026
Two days after hearing the accouncement of the TCS Lexington's (Armada) mission, over twenty of the ship's sixty-two crew report to the ship's doctor, James Heircho for counseling or anti-anxiety medication.
–Voices of War
2669.030
President Dave Quinson declines Tolwyn's request to be in charge of 7th Fleet.
- Vice Admiral Jack Rumley to take command of the Seventh Fleet's five carriers.
- Tolwyn removed from Terran Defense, replaced by Vice Admiral Rush Fletcher
- Tolwyn assigned to 14th Fleet, Enigma sector, to be joined by Concordia and Invincible
–FT
2669.040
Richards reports new Kat fighters encountered:
- Darket
- Dralthi IV
- Vaktoth
–FT
Destroying a majority of the attacking CVE forces, the Kilrathi
military started to gain a momentum that would rear its ugly
head in their massive counter-offensive that started near the
beginning of March.
Approximately twenty Kilrathi carrier groups attacked from
all points along the front and steamrolled over the defending
Confed forces.
The Confederation Forward Fleet lost six of its twelve carriers
in an utterly disasterous period lasting from March to June.
–WC
2669.052: TCS Illustrous lost
Vice Admiral Jack Rumley, Aloysius system, Vega sector (Roberts quadrant) reports:
- TCS Illustrous destroyed by new Kat bomber, 5000 dead
- Retreating to Port Hedland
–FT
The TCS Illustrious was destroyed in the Aloysius System by the famed Kilrathi ace “Bloodmist”.
–WC
2669.054
Prof. Monkhouse is kidnapped by Rondell agents
- 2669.054 Xenobiology Professor Monkhouse is kidnapped by agents of Rondell Corporation and taken to planet Palan, in the Palan system. Rondell misinforms Oxford, telling them that Dr. Monkhouse is in Palan voluntarily, working on an excavation, and receiving Rondell's financial support.
2669.059
Richards reports on new Kat bomber:
- Paktahn – half-dozen torpedoes, dozen defensive missile hardpoints and a half-dozen heavy energy weapons
–FT
2669.060: TCS Wellington lost; 6th Fleet lost
- 2669.060 Light carrier TCS Wellington lost in Gemini
The 6th Confederation fleet is lost around Midgard.
–PT
Could this be a reference to the TCS Wellington? Gemini's fleet is the 15th, according to Fleet Tactics; but apparently there is no canon reference identifying Gemini's fleet. However, there is a canon reference to a 6th Fleet that was decimated at Deneb (Epsilon):
…2666, of which the most drastic was destruction of the 6th Battle Fleet in the Deneb Sector.
In just six hours, Thrakhath's forces destroyed the dreadnought TCS Apocalypse (flagship
of the 6th Fleet) and the carriers Freedom, Viking, and Gibraltar
–FT
It should also be mentioned that there is a system named “Midgard” in Deneb (Epsilon), Antares quadrant. The bar rumor doesn't specifically say “Midgard in Gemini, near Perry”, though it would seem logical they'd be commenting on local news…; and there's no mention of a 6th fleet anywhere else in WC around 2669, AFAIK.
2669.061
Jarvis reports completion of new fleet carriers. Ready for deployment:
- Lexington-class CVN:
- TCS Quinson - assigned to Jackson (Jack Rumley, 7th Fleet?)
- TCS Bradshaw - assigned to Jackson (Jack Rumley, 7th Fleet?)
- TCS Kinney - assigned to Jackson (Jack Rumley, 7th Fleet?)
- TCS Eisenhower - assigned to Fletcher, Terran defense
- TCS Roosevelt - assigned to Jackson (Jack Rumley, 7th Fleet?)
- TCS Kennedy - assigned to Fletcher, Terran defense#
- TCS Lincoln - assigned to Fletcher, Terran defense
- Jutland-class CVA:
- TCS Coral Sea, will be ready for commissioning in a week, assigned to Tolwyn, Enigma, 14th Fleet
–FT
2669.064
Ernesto Sandoval, against the cautions of Damien and Deiter Lang, embarked for New Detroit. He manages to recover Deiter's artifact from Bronte HQ, where it had been stored since Lynch had taken it from Deiter. Lynch hires mercenaries to mount a 24 hour watch around New Det. Sandoval plays a waiting game, hoping that Lynch will eventually have to give up and stop maintaining a mercenary perimeter. In the meantime, he hires privateers to do dummy deliveries carrying the artifact with them, so that if he's caught by Lynch he can say he doesn't have it.
–PA
2669.067
Rear Admiral Richard David Terrell requests 2 fleet carriers for reinforcement, citing: * loss of light carrier TCS Wellington * Kilrathi moving older Snakier II class carriers near Gemini * Retro insurgency picking up. * Pirates and crime syndicates on the rise * Current forces: “rat-pack of militia fighters, a squadron of destroyers, and several shitbox light carriers” –FT
2669.068
Vice Admiral Jack Rumley orders the Concordia-class fleet carries TCS Winterrowd and TCS Valiant
to Perry Naval Base.
–FT
2669.071
Kilrathi raiders enter Hell's Kitchen to seize the opportunity left by a departing TCS Valiant.
Rear Admiral Ludmilla Petranova, takes the Confederation-class dreadnought TCS Armageddon, under her command,
from Proxima to Hell's Kitchen, to counter the offensive.
–FT
2669.074
A Kilrathi cruiser and escorts cross Clarke quadrant, move into Palan, and, from space, attack several buildings belonging to Rondell Corporation, on the agricultural planet. Dr. Monkhouse escapes alive, as his captors are killed.
–PA
2669.076 am
Grayson Burrows meets Sandoval at a bar in New Detroit. Takes possession of stolen Steltek artefact. –PT
2669.076 pm
Mob boss Roman Lynch's cousin, Regis, murders Ernesto Sandoval; and gets caught at the scene, smoking gun in hand, dead Sandoval on the floor, by local militias
responding to a call. Roman Lynch uses his influence to have the militias forget that they saw Regis, and to try
to frame the unfortunate privateer who'd last seen Sandoval, instead. The militias plaster wanted posters with Burrow's face all over town.
–PA
2669.077
Rear Admiral Ludmilla Petranova, current commander of TCS Armageddon, accused by Fletcher of disobeying orders by
leaving Proxima Centauri for Hell's Kitchen in Vega sector to stop a Kat raid.
Rear Admiral Johnny Murasaki, current commander of TCS Eisenhower, threatened by Fletcher with court martial for
suggesting moving carriers to the front.
–FT
2669.077
Roman Lynch asks Tayla to wait for Burrows in New Detroit and to ”…take him away from New Detroit, make
him look like a fugitive, turn him into a pirate, keep him busy; and, if possible, have him meet with death.”
–PA
2669.078
Grayson Burrows meets Tayla in New Detroit
–PT
2669.081
Planet Palan blockaded:
Bronte Corporation's hired guild mercenaries lay siege to planet Palan, Gemini; R. Lynch foots the bill.
–PA
2669.082: Regis charged with murder
- 2669.082 Confed Militias, having received an encrypted message from Tayla, arrive in New Detroit to rectify the handling of Sandoval's murder; and charge Regis with it.
–PA
2669.084: TCS Quinson lost
Admiral Vance Richards reports loss of carrier:
- TCS Quinson battlegroup wiped out by new Kat Dreadnaught, H’varkann-class, even without the benefit of escorts
- Far larger than the Hakaga-class carriers that ambushed Earth: 22 km in length, over forty heavy energy batteries
–FT
The TCS Quinson battle group encountered one of the new Kilrathi dreadnoughts and the entire group was wiped out.
–WC
2669.086
TCS Winterrowd arrives in Perry
–FT
Note that it takes the Winterrowd 086 - 068 = 18 days to travel from 7th Fleet territory to Perry. We can guess a starting location for the Winterrowd by looking at where other 7th fleet events are reported from. 7th fleet does NOT include the Armageddon, as she's stationed at Proxima Centauri; nor The TCS Eisenhower or Kennedy as these are probably at Sol; nor the Concordia or the Coral Sea, which are part of the 14th Fleet at Enigma. And the Valiant is sent together with the Winterrowd. This leaves the Quinson, Bradshaw, Kinney, Roosvelt, Liberty, Hermes, Invincible and Illustrious.
Paranoid by Kilrathi raids and fearing another attack on the inner homeworlds, the civilian government
refused to deploy the Third Fleet’s five major carriers to the front. The TCS Armageddon, Saratoga,
Eisenhower, Kennedy, and the Lincoln stayed behind to defend Earth under direct Presidential order
as the core to the newly christened “Terran Defense Fleet”.
–WC
So, it seems we haven't missed any. However, we only hear again of: TCS Illustrous destroyed by new Kat bomber at Aloysius TCS Roosvelt - shot down at Munro TCS Invincible - victory in Morpheus But! Notice that Ludmilla Petranova leaves Proxima for Hell's Kitchen 8 days after the Winterrowd and Valiant depart for Gemini. Was the kat raid there due to the vacuum left by either ship? It would seem so: Hell's Kitchen is about half way between Munro and Morpheus. We later hear about losing ground at Port Hedland, Chang-Du, and Gimle. Hell's Kitchen is pretty much in the middle, so I'll measure distance to Perry by counting jumps from Hell's Kitchen. So we go, Enyo, Krieger, Luyten, Weslyn, Mastif, Oxford, Saxtogue, New Detroit, Perry. Nine jumps in 18 days. Now, too bad, we don't know the class of the Winterrowd nor Valiant, but if we assume a speed of 125 as typical for carriers, a Centurion's cruising speed is 4 times that, so, for the purposes of estimating Privateer plotline dates, we'll use a rule of thumb: 2 jumps per standard day. And we will work backwards, since the first part of the game is devoted to trading and upgrading the ship. For the second part, Righteous Fire, we'll work forwards, since the game can be completed without additional trading or taking of non-plot, paid missions.
2669.091
Grayson Burrows meets mob boss Roman Lynch in Gemini's capital, New Constantinople
–PT
2669.094
Admiral Vance Richards reports new Kat fleet carrier:
- Bhantkara-class: 900 meters in length, 100,000 tons
- Counters Lexington-class heavy carriers; worthy opponent to Concordia-class fleet carriers
–FT
2669.095
Grayson Burrows foils Salman Kroiz's attempt to intercept a delivery of weapons to Siva,
Rikel. Kroiz, former governor Menesch's right hand man, barely survives by ejecting from his craft
in a state of the art, stealth ejection seat; and hiding behind an asteroid.
–PU
2669.096
Mob boss Roman Lynch's cousin, Regis, accused of murder, escapes custody. He's believed by
authorities to be traveling towards Romulus.
–Priv
Kroiz arrives in Eden for treatment and surgery. His face is removed and then replaced with
not too advanced prosthetic tissue, due to Retro surgeons' measured reliance on technology.
–PU
2669.098 TCS Valiant lost
Rear Admiral Richard David Terrell reports loss of carrier:
- “clouds of battle debris along the border that is traceable to the Valiant and her escorts”
- The TCS Valiant battle group simply dissapeared along the border while enroute to the Gemini Sector.
–WC
2669.098
TCN military analyst Guthrig Andropolos, son of Commander Jedora Andropolos, who died in the
Iason incident of 2629, updates the History of the War database.
–KS Manual
2669.100
Grayson Burrows foils a pirate data mining op near Oxford, destroys their flag ship Black Rhombus
–PT
2669.101
Grayson Burrows saves famous writer Hunter Toth from a Retro attempt to assassinate him
–PT
2669.104
Grayson Burrows meets Professor Monkhouse at a bar in Palan, Gemini
–PT
2669.104: Blockade of Planet Palan foiled
Grayson Burrows and 2 Militia escorts break Bronte Corporation's blockade of Rondell, in Palan
–PT
2669.106
A Kilrathi flight-group near Palan fails to kidnap Professor Monkhouse during his trip to Basra.
–PT
2669.107
Prof. Monkhouse identifies location on Steltek map by joining Burrows' artifict and his own piece.
–PT
2669.108
Grayson Burrows meets Taryn Cross, joins the Exploratory Service on a contract basis
–PT
2669.109
Admiral Vance Richards reports new Kat stealth fighter:
- Strakha-class: more maneuverable and well-armed; one stalked and shot down 4 Hellcats from the Roosevelt
–FT
2669.111
A luxury cruiser is attacked soon after departing Basra refinery en route to Sol. The attackers were
cloaked before the attack; believed to be Kilrathi. No survivors or escape capsules found.
–PU
2669.112
Admiral Vance Richards reports new Kat fighter:
- Bloodfang II: Prince Thrakhath piloting one, made his wingman stay on the sidelines while he wiped out the entire Confed unit on a space superiority flight off the TCS Coral Sea.
- Tougher, faster, more agile, more firepower
–FT
2669.116: Steltek weapon found
Grayson Burrows explores Delta Prime; obtains Steltek energy weapon; is followed by drone.
–PT
2669.121
Rear Admiral Richard David Terrell reports suspected “Kilrathi superweapon”:
- Winterrowd and 2 light carriers holding the Kilrathi at bay near Blockade Point Tango and Blockage Point Alpha
- Kilrathi superweapon running around the sector; not near the border “systematically tearing up anything it sees: pirates, Retros, civilians, our picket ships, even Kilrathi…”
- Pulling TCS Winterrowd from the front to take care of “this nuisance”
–FT
2669.122: TCS Winterrowd lost
The TCS Winterrowd, also reassigned to the Gemini Sector, was destroyed by what Intelligence has determined
to be a Kilrathi superweapon.
–WC
TCS Winterrowd is destroyed by a Steltek drone.
–Priv
2669.123
Grayson Burrows meets Rear Admiral Richard David Terrell at his office in Perry
–PT
2669.124
Grayson Burrows destroys the Steltek drone at Blockade Point Tango, Gemini, Clarke quadrant
–PT
2669.125
Rear Admiral Richard David Terrell gives Burrows a Medal of Valour.
–PT
2669.126: (End of Privateer Part 1)
Burrows arrives at Jolson to stay there for a badly needed vacation.
–PT




