Difference between revisions of "User:AlexM/Sandbox/The Dominion War"
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The '''Dominion War''' was a devastating interstellar conflict fought between the Federation Alliance and the Dominion, beginning in late 2373 and lasting until late 2375. The conflict thrust the entire Alpha Quadrant into one of the most destructive wars in galactic history. By war's end, the Alpha Quadrant saw the loss of a notable power, the [[Cardassian Union]], the military strength of the [[Klingon Empire]] was significantly reduced, and the death toll was catastrophic for all those involved. | The '''Dominion War''' was a devastating interstellar conflict fought between the Federation Alliance and the Dominion, beginning in late 2373 and lasting until late 2375. The conflict thrust the entire Alpha Quadrant into one of the most destructive wars in galactic history. By war's end, the Alpha Quadrant saw the loss of a notable power, the [[Cardassian Union]], the military strength of the [[Klingon Empire]] was significantly reduced, and the death toll was catastrophic for all those involved. | ||
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== Prelude == | == Prelude == | ||
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A combined force of 1,254 Jem'Hadar and Cardassian ships met the Federation fleet on its way to Deep Space 9. Captain Sisko attempted to create confusion along the Cardassian forces to find an opening in the Dominion's lines. Realizing Sisko's plan, Dukat allowed Starfleet to push its way through, only to close in by surrounding with the overwhelming forces under his control. The Federation was taking heavy losses, and defeat seemed at hand. Fortunately for the allies, a Klingon fleet decloaked and engaged the Dominion forces, turning the tide in the favor of the allies. The {USS|Defiant} was able to break through the lines to head for the wormhole. Although the Dominion was able to destroy minefield, Sisko was able to enter the wormhole and persuade the [[Bajoran Religion|Bajoran Prophets]] to destroy the Dominion reinforcements. With the help from the wormhole aliens, and the fleet battle ending to the favor of the Federation-Klingon alliance, the Dominion was forced to withdraw from Deep Space 9. [[Operation Return]] was the first major defeat for the Dominion. Dukat's defeat left him captured by the Federation forces. He would be replaced by [[Damar]]. | A combined force of 1,254 Jem'Hadar and Cardassian ships met the Federation fleet on its way to Deep Space 9. Captain Sisko attempted to create confusion along the Cardassian forces to find an opening in the Dominion's lines. Realizing Sisko's plan, Dukat allowed Starfleet to push its way through, only to close in by surrounding with the overwhelming forces under his control. The Federation was taking heavy losses, and defeat seemed at hand. Fortunately for the allies, a Klingon fleet decloaked and engaged the Dominion forces, turning the tide in the favor of the allies. The {USS|Defiant} was able to break through the lines to head for the wormhole. Although the Dominion was able to destroy minefield, Sisko was able to enter the wormhole and persuade the [[Bajoran Religion|Bajoran Prophets]] to destroy the Dominion reinforcements. With the help from the wormhole aliens, and the fleet battle ending to the favor of the Federation-Klingon alliance, the Dominion was forced to withdraw from Deep Space 9. [[Operation Return]] was the first major defeat for the Dominion. Dukat's defeat left him captured by the Federation forces. He would be replaced by [[Damar]]. | ||
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+ | While the allied forces led the attack on Deep Space 9, the Eleventh Fleet was redirected to defend the [[Benzar]] system. After feigning to [[Alpha Centauri]], the Dominion sent a large fleet to Benzar. Unprepared for the enslaught, the Eleventh Fleet tried to hold out until reinforcements could arrive. Unfortunately, the Fourteenth fleet arrived to late, and the Eleventh Fleet had already been decimated. The Fourteenth Fleet lost nearly 100 ships in the battle before retreating, leaving Benzar in the hands of the Dominion. | ||
===Stalemate=== | ===Stalemate=== | ||
+ | After the Federation retook Deep Space 9, the war reached a lull. Dominion forces fortified Cardassian space and their held territories, and further activity along the border was rare. The Dominion offered a chance for peace with the Federation, offering to withdrawal their forces from a sizable amount of territory that had been captured during the fighting. Federation analysts determined that the Dominion was using peace offering as an opportunity to gain control of the Kabrel system, allowing them to produce ketracel-white in the Alpha Quadrant. The think tank predicted that it would be favorable to take the territory without a fight while they had a chance, even if it meant that the Dominion would be able to restore their supply lines. The Dominion would be able to regroup their forces, but the Federation and Klingon forces needed the respite more than the Dominion, and would benefit more from the pause in fighting. The analysts suggested that the Federation accept the peace proposal. However, the Federation made a counter-proposal, which the Dominion rejected. The lull ended, and fighting resumed a few weeks later. | ||
+ | Dominion forces launched a successful invasion of [[Betazed]] in late 2374. Striking from the Kalandra sector, the Dominion caught the Federation off guard since intelligence suggested that the Kalandra sector was too far from Dominion supply lines. Additionally, the Tenth Fleet, responsible for the defense of Betazed, was running battle exercises and was out of position. By taking Betazed, the Dominion was now in a position to invade Vulcan, [[Andoria]], [[Tellar]], and Alpha Centauri. Due to the massive number of casualties suffered by the Federation, and the destruction of many of their shipyards, the Federation was unable to put up a counteroffensive. Meanwhile, the Dominion shipyards were running a peak capacity, and new Jem'Hadar were being bred at an impressive rate. It would only be a matter of time before the Dominion would be able to defeat both the Federation and the Klingons. | ||
− | + | == Turning of the Tide == | |
− | + | At this point in the conflict, the [[Romulan Star Empire]] had remained neutral, in part due to the nonaggression pact with the Dominion. However, they were allowing Dominion ships free passage through their space. Knowing that the war was lost without Romulan support, Captain Benjamin Sisko implicated the Dominion in the assassination of Romulan Senator Vreenak. The ploy worked, and the Romulans joined the war on the side of the Federation and Klingons. Within a few hours of joining the alliance, Romulan fleets attacked fifteen bases along the Cardassian-Romulan border. This resulted in opening another front and drawing forces away from the Federation and Klingon lines. During this offensive, the Romulans liberated the captured Benzar system, among others. | |
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− | '' | + | === The Invasion of Cardassia === |
+ | With the Federation Alliance now complemented by the Romulans, the allies had the resources, ships, and manpower necessary to finally go on the offensive. Initially there was resistance from the Romulans, fearing that a successful invasion of Cardassia would only result in an appalling number of casualties. Eventually, the Romulans were convinced that the only way to achieve a lasting victory against the Dominion was to destroy the shipyards and cloning facilities. After diverting ships to the Romulan front, the Dominion lines were stretched thin. The Chin'toka system was left with only five squadrons of Jem'Hadar attack ships to defend it. The system became the first target of the combined alliance invasion fleet for this reason. Without Gamma Quadrant reinforcements, the Cardassians deployed orbital weapon platforms, reducing the need for a large number of fleets to defend the system. The platforms were nearly successful in stopping the allied advance, but a weakness was discovered that allowed the Federation to disrupt the platform's power grid. The Allied forces pushed into Cardassian territory, boosting morale through the fleets. | ||
− | + | After the success in capturing Chin'toka late in 2374, the offensive into Cardassian territory stalled. Allied casualties mounted while Dominion forces kept the allies occupied in the Chin'toka system. Dominion shipyards were pushing beyond capacity in attempt to build enough ships to retake the system. The war reached another stalemate from early to mid 2375, with Allied forces unable to advance, but Dominion ships unable to retake the system. For several months, attempts to gain territory on both sides were repelled while Alliance ships were under constant attack at Chin'toka. | |
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− | + | === Chaos Behind the Lines === | |
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''One very important event that changed the shape of the war was occurring behind the front lines: a debilitating disease was attacking the [[Founder]]s. It would later be claimed that [[Section 31]] had a hand in the infection. The Founders' abilities as leaders were being compromised just as their military was taking severe punishment from the emboldened alliance. | ''One very important event that changed the shape of the war was occurring behind the front lines: a debilitating disease was attacking the [[Founder]]s. It would later be claimed that [[Section 31]] had a hand in the infection. The Founders' abilities as leaders were being compromised just as their military was taking severe punishment from the emboldened alliance. |
Revision as of 03:03, 14 October 2012
Dominion War | |||
Date: | |||
Location: | |||
Result: |
Federation Alliance victory; | ||
Belligerents | |||
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Notable commanders | |||
Federation: |
Dominion: | ||
Strength | |||
Unknown number of ships. |
At height: 30,000 starships | ||
Casualties and Losses | |||
Unknown, severe |
Over 807 million Cardassians, near complete destruction of Jem'Hadar forces in the Alpha Quadrant, unknown number of Breen losses | ||
[ Source ] |