Difference between revisions of "User:AlexM/Sandbox/The Dominion War"


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{{Conflict
 
{{Conflict
 
| conflict_name          = Dominion War
 
| conflict_name          = Dominion War
| image                  =  
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| image                  =
| imagecap              =  
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| imagecap              =
 
| date                  = [[2373]]-[[2375]]
 
| date                  = [[2373]]-[[2375]]
 
| location              = [[Alpha Quadrant]]
 
| location              = [[Alpha Quadrant]]
 
| result                = [[Federation Alliance]] victory;<br />Federation Alliance occupation of [[Cardassia]];<br />Withdrawal of [[Dominion]] forces to the [[Gamma Quadrant]]
 
| result                = [[Federation Alliance]] victory;<br />Federation Alliance occupation of [[Cardassia]];<br />Withdrawal of [[Dominion]] forces to the [[Gamma Quadrant]]
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<!-- combatant 1 -->
 
| combatant1            = '''[[Federation Alliance]]'''
 
| combatant1            = '''[[Federation Alliance]]'''
 
:[[Federation]]<br />[[Klingon Empire]]<br />[[Romulan Empire]]<br />[[Cardassian Liberation Front]]
 
:[[Federation]]<br />[[Klingon Empire]]<br />[[Romulan Empire]]<br />[[Cardassian Liberation Front]]
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| strength1              = Unknown number of ships.
 
| strength1              = Unknown number of ships.
 
| losses1                = Unknown, severe
 
| losses1                = Unknown, severe
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<!-- combatant 2 -->
 
| combatant2            = '''[[Dominion-Breen Alliance]]'''
 
| combatant2            = '''[[Dominion-Breen Alliance]]'''
 
:[[Dominion]]<br />[[Cardassian Union]]<br />[[Breen Confederacy]]<br />[[Son'a]]
 
:[[Dominion]]<br />[[Cardassian Union]]<br />[[Breen Confederacy]]<br />[[Son'a]]
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{| class="wiki-sidebar"
 
{| class="wiki-sidebar"
 
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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 ==
 
Tensions with the [[Dominion]] began as early as the [[Federation|Federation's]] first official contact with them.  A [[Dominion Cold War|cold war]] began to develop in 2370 and lasted for three years.  Through placing [[The Founders|Changeling]] doppelgangers in important positions with the governments of the major powers of the [[Alpha Quadrant|Alpha]] and [[Beta Quadrant|Beta Quadrants]], the Dominion was able to drastically reduce the military balance of power by eliminating the [[Cardassian]] [[Obsidian Order]] and severely damaging the [[Romulan]] [[Tal Shiar]] during the [[Battle of the Omarion Nebula]].  Their infiltration also nearly caused a war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi, and caused the breakdown of peace between the [[Federation-Klingon War (2372-73)|Federation and Klingon Empire]] and between the [[Klingon-Cardassian War|Klingons and Cardassians]].
 
Tensions with the [[Dominion]] began as early as the [[Federation|Federation's]] first official contact with them.  A [[Dominion Cold War|cold war]] began to develop in 2370 and lasted for three years.  Through placing [[The Founders|Changeling]] doppelgangers in important positions with the governments of the major powers of the [[Alpha Quadrant|Alpha]] and [[Beta Quadrant|Beta Quadrants]], the Dominion was able to drastically reduce the military balance of power by eliminating the [[Cardassian]] [[Obsidian Order]] and severely damaging the [[Romulan]] [[Tal Shiar]] during the [[Battle of the Omarion Nebula]].  Their infiltration also nearly caused a war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi, and caused the breakdown of peace between the [[Federation-Klingon War (2372-73)|Federation and Klingon Empire]] and between the [[Klingon-Cardassian War|Klingons and Cardassians]].
 
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The Dominion was able to use the war between the Klingons and Cardassians to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant.  In 2373, after facing heavy losses against the Klingons, Gul Dukat negotiated an alliance between the Cardassian Union and the Dominion, with the Cardassians becoming official members.  The Dominion used the opportunity to begin fortifying the Cardassian Union with weekly convoys of ships and troops from the [[Gamma Quadrant]], using the [[Bajoran Wormhole]].  With his new allies, Dukat and the Cardassians drove the Klingons from Cardassian space, as well as eliminating the Maquis resistance in the [[Cardassian Demilitarized Zone|Demilitarized Zone]].  With this new threat, the Federation and Klingons renewed their peace by resigning the [[Khitomer Accords]], and pledged to stand together against the Dominion.
 
The Dominion was able to use the war between the Klingons and Cardassians to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant.  In 2373, after facing heavy losses against the Klingons, Gul Dukat negotiated an alliance between the Cardassian Union and the Dominion, with the Cardassians becoming official members.  The Dominion used the opportunity to begin fortifying the Cardassian Union with weekly convoys of ships and troops from the [[Gamma Quadrant]], using the [[Bajoran Wormhole]].  With his new allies, Dukat and the Cardassians drove the Klingons from Cardassian space, as well as eliminating the Maquis resistance in the [[Cardassian Demilitarized Zone|Demilitarized Zone]].  With this new threat, the Federation and Klingons renewed their peace by resigning the [[Khitomer Accords]], and pledged to stand together against the Dominion.
 
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Over the next several months, border skirmishes would break out along the Cardassian border.  In addition, the Dominion began signing nonaggression treaties with several regional powers in the Alpha Quadrant, including the [[Tholian Assembly]], the [[Miradorn]], the [[Bajoran|Bajorans]], and the [[Romulan Star Empire]].  To prevent any further Dominion reinforcements from reaching [[Cardassia Prime]], the Federation decided to mine the Alpha Quadrant entrance of the Bajoran Wormhole.
 
Over the next several months, border skirmishes would break out along the Cardassian border.  In addition, the Dominion began signing nonaggression treaties with several regional powers in the Alpha Quadrant, including the [[Tholian Assembly]], the [[Miradorn]], the [[Bajoran|Bajorans]], and the [[Romulan Star Empire]].  To prevent any further Dominion reinforcements from reaching [[Cardassia Prime]], the Federation decided to mine the Alpha Quadrant entrance of the Bajoran Wormhole.
 
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== Total war begins ==
 
== Total war begins ==
 
As Starfleet had anticipated, a large Dominion fleet was dispatched to [[Deep Space 9]] to capture the station and prevent completion of the minefield.  The station mounted a valiant defense, but did not have the resources necessary to fight off the Dominion fleet on its own.  All Starfleet personnel were ordered to withdrawal from the station following the activation of the minefield.  Because of the nonaggression treaty with the Dominion, [[Bajor]] was spared any further direct role in the war, and all Bajoran personnel remained on the station during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space 9.  During the battle and Starfleet's withdrawal, a Federation-Klingon task force entered Cardassian space and destroyed the Dominion shipyards at Torros III.
 
As Starfleet had anticipated, a large Dominion fleet was dispatched to [[Deep Space 9]] to capture the station and prevent completion of the minefield.  The station mounted a valiant defense, but did not have the resources necessary to fight off the Dominion fleet on its own.  All Starfleet personnel were ordered to withdrawal from the station following the activation of the minefield.  Because of the nonaggression treaty with the Dominion, [[Bajor]] was spared any further direct role in the war, and all Bajoran personnel remained on the station during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space 9.  During the battle and Starfleet's withdrawal, a Federation-Klingon task force entered Cardassian space and destroyed the Dominion shipyards at Torros III.
 
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=== Dominion Success===
 
=== Dominion Success===
For the next three months, the [[Federation Alliance|allied]] fleets engaged Dominion forces in a number of devastating battles.  However, the Dominon was dominating the battles, forcing the Federation and Klingons to retreat at every turn.  The Federation's Seventh Fleet, a force composed of 112 vessels, was dispatched to the Tyra system to stop the Dominion's advance into Federation territory.  The battle was a disaster for the Federation, as only fourteen ships were able to limp back to Federation controlled space.  In order to keep up the morale on the homefront, the [[Federation News Service]] did not report how bad the losses truly were.
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For the next three months, the [[Federation Alliance|allied]] fleets engaged Dominion forces in a number of devastating battles.  However, the Dominon was dominating the battles, forcing the Federation and Klingons to retreat at every turn.  The Federation's Seventh Fleet, a force composed of 112 vessels, was dispatched to the Tyra system to stop the Dominion's advance into Federation territory.  Led by Admiral [[D’gret]], the battle was a disaster for the Federation, as only fourteen ships were able to limp back to Federation controlled space.  Several of the ships lost in the battle were forced to make emergency landings on Tyra III.  The {{USS|Viper}} had survived the entry into the atmosphere, but crashed into water.  Many of the crew members who had survived the battle drowned in the frigid waters while others escaped to higher ground.  The Cardassian commander, Gul [[Pettar]], ordered his ships to find and eliminate any survivors.  The Cardassians reportedly took no prisoners.  The ''Viper'' herself would eventually be recovered and refit after the war.  In order to keep up the morale on the homefront, the [[Federation News Service]] did not report how bad the losses truly were.
 
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While the Dominion was winning every fullscale engagement, the allies were still able to win some minor victories.  In a mission led by Captain [[Benjamin Sisko]], a small team used a captured [[Jem'Hadar]] ship to destroy the Dominion's primary [[ketracel-white]] storage facility in Cardassian space.  Gul Dukat responded to the attack on his supply lines by driving deeper into Federation-held space. He had hoped to win a crushing victory over the Federation forces before the Dominion ran out of ketracel-white, provided that the minefield could not be deactivated.  In the next month, the front line spread across Federation territory.  The [[Vulcan]] and [[Bolian]] home systems found themselves in dangerStarfleet sent the Fifth and [[Pegasus Fleet|Eleventh]] Fleets to reinforce the Vulcan border.  Another infiltration mission into Dominion controlled space destroyed a Dominion sensor array in the [[Argolis Cluster]], leading to an operation to relieve the pressure on the Bolian front.  However, morale was falling so quickly that even the Klingons doubted if the war was winnable. 
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While the Dominion was winning every fullscale engagement, the allies were still able to win some minor victories.  In a mission led by Captain [[Benjamin Sisko]], a small team used a captured [[Jem'Hadar]] ship to destroy the Dominion's primary [[ketracel-white]] storage facility in Cardassian space.  Another such mission was led by Lt. Commander [[Benjamin Byrne]].  His {{class|Defiant}} {{USS|Hendrix}} hid in the wake of a comet that had found its way into subspaceUsing the tail of the comet to hide from their sensors, the ''Hendrix'' attacked a supply depot deep within Dominion territory.  The risky attack was successful, and the ''Hendrix'' was able to return to Federation spaceThroughout the war, Commander Byrne would lead his crew on several similar missions as well as several raids and border skirmishes, helping to prove the success of the Defiant-class design.
 
 
After months of retreating from the Dominion forces, Captain Sisko, attempted to convince Starfleet that the Federation must go on the offensive if they had any hope of winning the warHis plan was to recapture Deep Space 9 with the combined forces of the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Fleets.  There was some initial resistance to the plan, fearing that too many ships would be diverted away from [{Earth]].  Admiral Coburn was convinced, however, when assured that the key to winning the war was keeping Dominion reinforcements from coming through the wormhole.  The plan was approved, but had to be put into action immediately.  Intelligence reported that the Dominion was only three days away from deactivating the minefield.  The Klingon Empire had not initially agreed to participating in the operation, fearing that the operation would leave the Empire vulnerable.  Eventually, Starfleet decided that they had no choice but to deploy the task force with only the Second and Fifth fleets in order to reach Deep Space 9 before the minefield was deactivated.  The task force, consisting of over 600 Federation ships departed from Starbase 375 enroute for the Bajoran system.  Detecting the approach of the Federation fleet, Gul Dukat redirected a large number of Dominion ships off the front lines to intercept and destroy the enemy fleet.  With only hours remaining before they destroyed the minefield, the Dominion commander, Weyoun, assured Dukat that any ships lost in this engagement would be replaced by the 2,800 Jem'Hadar ships waiting in the Gamma Quadrant.  Holding the station was the top priority.
 
 
 
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 wormholeAlthough 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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Gul Dukat responded to the attacks on his supply lines by driving deeper into Federation-held space.  He had hoped to win a crushing victory over the Federation forces before the Dominion ran out of ketracel-white, provided that the minefield could not be deactivated.  In the next month, the front line spread across Federation territory.  The [[Vulcan]] and [[Bolian]] home systems found themselves in danger.  Starfleet sent the Fifth and [[Pegasus Fleet|Eleventh]] Fleets to reinforce the Vulcan border.  Another infiltration mission into Dominion controlled space destroyed a Dominion sensor array in the [[Argolis Cluster]], leading to an operation to relieve the pressure on the Bolian front.  However, morale was falling so quickly that even the Klingons doubted if the war was winnable.
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After months of retreating from the Dominion forces, Captain Sisko, attempted to convince Starfleet that the Federation must go on the offensive if they had any hope of winning the war.  His plan was to recapture Deep Space 9 with the combined forces of the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Fleets.  There was some initial resistance to the plan, fearing that too many ships would be diverted away from [[Earth]].  Admiral Coburn was convinced, however, when assured that the key to winning the war was keeping Dominion reinforcements from coming through the wormhole.  The plan was approved, but had to be put into action immediately.  Intelligence reported that the Dominion was only three days away from deactivating the minefield.  The Klingon Empire had not initially agreed to participating in the operation, fearing that the operation would leave the Empire vulnerable.  Eventually, Starfleet decided that they had no choice but to deploy the task force with only the Second and Fifth fleets in order to reach Deep Space 9 before the minefield was deactivated.  The task force, consisting of over 600 Federation ships departed from Starbase 375 enroute for the Bajoran system.  Detecting the approach of the Federation fleet, Gul Dukat redirected a large number of Dominion ships off the front lines to intercept and destroy the enemy fleet.  With only hours remaining before they destroyed the minefield, the Dominion commander, Weyoun, assured Dukat that any ships lost in this engagement would be replaced by the 2,800 Jem'Hadar ships waiting in the Gamma Quadrant.  Holding the station was the top priority.
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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 aliens that lived in the Bajoran wormhole, also known as the 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.
 
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.
 
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===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.
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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 withdraw 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.
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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== Turning of the Tide ==
 
== 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.
 
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 ===
 
=== 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.
 
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.
 
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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.
 
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.
  
=== Chaos Behind the Lines ===
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In addition to the majority of the fighting taking place near Chin’toka, Allied ships encountered a number of skirmishes along the Cardassian border.  One such skirmish, in early 2375, was fought between the {{USS|Sphinx}} and a Cardassian warship.  The ''Sphinx'', a [[Red Squad]] training vessel, was victorious, though not without suffering casualties.  The cadets were able to limp back to Federation space despite the heavy damage, but a mutiny broke out among the Red Squad cadets while en route.  The mutiny was caused by uncertainty in the chain of command.  With the captain killed in the battle, command should have fallen to the ranking Chief Medical Officer, but some of the cadets felt that the cadet who had taken command of the bridge during the battle should be in charge.  Eventually the {{USS|Nagarjuna}} was needed to subdue the situation.  The ''Sphinx'' would miss the rest of the war.
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=== The Dominion-Breen Alliance ===
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As the war raged at Chin’toka, tensions grew between the leaders of the Dominion leaders.  Legate Damar began to openly criticize their strategy, pointing out that the Dominion was not living up to their promises.  Cardassia had suffered the brunt of the devastation.  Despite the Dominion’s ability to clone additional Jem’Hadar troops, his people seemed to be suffering the greatest casualties.  In addition, he felt that the Dominion leaders were losing their effectiveness.  The [[Female Changeling]] who was leading the Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant seemed to be suffering from a debilitating disease, which had been compromising her decision making abilities.
  
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Due to the mounting casualties, Damar’s disenchantment with the war effort, and the stall at Chin’toka, the Dominion began to seek a new ally.  By late 2375, the Dominion had reached an agreement with the [[Breen]].  The Breen made a statement by to the Federation Alliance by staging a raid against [[Starfleet Headquarters]] and [[Earth]].  Starfleet was able to repel the attack, and the majority of the Breen raiders had been destroyed.  Unfortunately, they were still able to cause a great deal of damage and casualties.  It was a successful attack for the Breen as they were able to cause fear in the Federation that they faced an enemy willing to sacrifice so many lives.
  
''One very important event that changed the shape of the war was occurring behind the front lines: a debilitating disease was attacking the [[Founder]]sIt 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.
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In the months following the Breen’s entry into the war, they were given much of the responsibility originally given to the Cardassian governmentThe Breen leaders gained more and more control over the war effort, even gaining some territory that belonged to Cardassia. Damar grew more restless as the days went by.
  
''Gradually, Damar began openly criticizing the war effort and deriding the Founders' leadership. Cardassia had taken heavy casualties during the war. Damar believed that there was not one Cardassian family that had not lost someone in this conflict. Dominion leaders began seeking a new ally, and in late-2375 they entered into negotiations with the [[Breen]], a mysterious but powerful race. In the ensuing months, an [[Dominion-Breen Alliance|alliance]] was formed and the Breen took more and more of the Cardassians' responsibility, their leadership, and even Cardassian territory. The tide had turned in favor of the Dominion, but Cardassians grew more restless by the day.
+
With their new allies, the Dominion was empowered and used their new strength to counterattack the Alliance forces at Chin’toka. The Breen broke through the Federation lines and assembled with an advancing Dominion fleet.  An Allied fleet raced to Chin’toka to fight off the counterattack. The battle quickly turned in the favor of the Dominion-Breen forces as the Breen unleashed energy-draining weapons that completely immobilized the entire Allied fleet.  The defending ships were defenseless against conventional weapons, and were completely routed. Only one of the three hundred and twelve allied vessels was able to retreat.  The [[Second Battle of Chin’toka]] returned control of the system back to the Dominion.  Fortunately for the Allies, the Klingons discovered a modification that rendered the energy dissipators inert against their ships.  General Martok reinforced the border with fifteen hundred ships, but were still vastly outnumbered without support from the Federation and Romulan fleets. The Klingons hoped to compensate by using hit-and-run tactics until a successful countermeasure against the Breen weapon could be found.
  
''The Breen entered the war with a shocking attack on [[Starfleet Headquarters]] itself. Most of the Breen attack force was destroyed by Starfleet forces, but not before the Breen had already inflicted a great deal of damage and casualties. The Breen considered the attack a success despite the fact that so few of their ships survived the assault. That they were willing to sacrifice so many of their ships and troops in order to strike at the very heart of the Federation proved to the allies one thing; the Breen were a race of warriors.
+
=== Chaos Behind the Lines ===
 +
The arrival of the Breen turned the war significantly in the Dominion’s favor. However, the Dominion made no efforts to hide that they favored the Breen leaders when it came to making war decisions.  The neglect of the Cardassians prompted Damar to form an active resistance on Cardassia Prime.  A number of his officers remained loyal to him. The Cardassian resistance attacked the Rondac III cloning facilities, although half of Damar’s forces was destroyed during the battle. Even with this huge loss, the Dominion knew that they would not be able to defeat the Allies as long as Damar’s rebellion still stood.  They refocused their efforts on destroying the internal resistance.  The change in Dominion strategy gave the Allies the opportunity to develop a defense against the Breen’s energy-draining weapons.  Unfortunately for the Federation and the Romulans, the process was slow without an operational weapon to study.
  
''The Breen's second operation was a counterattack against the Allied forces in control of the Chin'toka system. The Breen broke through Federation lines in two places and the allies immediately began assembling reinforcements. A Federation Alliance assault fleet arrived at Chin'toka to fend off the advancing Dominion fleet. During this battle, the Breen unleashed their [[Energy dissipator|energy-draining weapons]] that quickly immobilized and disabled the entire Allied fleet. The Federation, Klingon and Romulan ships were rendered completely defenseless against conventional weapons. The Dominion won the [[Second Battle of Chin'toka]] with ease, destroying all but one of the three hundred and twelve allied vessels, thus regaining control of the system. The Klingons by sheer luck stumbled upon a modification that made them immune to the weapon. Subsequently it was up to the Klingon fleet to hold the front lines on their own until a countermeasure could be found for Starfleet and Romulan ships. To do this, General Martok brought 1,500 starships to the border as the Allies' defense by the following day. Even with this sizable fleet, the Klingon force was outnumbered twenty-to-one by the Dominion, Breen and Cardassian forces. To compensate, Martok would have his fleet operate in small battle groups, remaining cloaked until they would engage the enemy, in an attempt to keep them off balance.
+
Starfleet knew that Damar’s rebellion would not survive without outside support.  Allied agents were sent undercover to train the Cardassian liberation forces in guerrilla tactics and to provide equipment such as weapons and replicators.  With the Allied support, Damar’s forces began to sabotage individual ships, and was successful in the destruction of the Tevak shipyards. This loss was a devastating blow to the Dominion industrial base, and would severely hinder their fleet rebuilding efforts.
  
''Although the war turned significantly in the Dominion's favor with the Breen's entry into the war, the Dominion's obvious favoring of the Breen finally frustrated Damar to the point that he formed an active resistance on Cardassia. A number of Cardassian officers, including Gul [[Rusot]], who shared Damar's frustration, remained loyal to him. [[Cardassian Rebellion#Military revolt|Joining his rebellion]], they attacked the [[Cloning facility|cloning facilities]] on [[Rondac III]]. Although the fleet was successful in destroying the facility, half of Damar's entire military force was destroyed in the battle. Despite this, the Dominion realized they could not hope to win the war against the allies until the internal rebellion was crushed. This gave the allies the time they needed to obtain a counter measure to the Breen's energy dissipator, although without a working version of the weapon the research proceeded slowly.
+
During this time, the Klingons continued to bear the brunt of the fighting.  Under orders from Chancellor Gowron, the Klingon fleet attempted to defeat the Dominion forces alone. Despite being outnumbered six-to-one, they engaged the Dominion at Avenal VII. The raid was a complete failure.  It would come into light that this raid, as well as several others that were just as successful, were politically motivated.  Gowron was concerned with his own standing in the Klingon Empire, and used these raids to discredit General Martok. Due to fear that this campaign could ruin the war effort, Gowron was challenged according to Klingon customs.  He was killed in a one-on-one fight, and General Martok was declared the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. With Martok firmly in command of the Klingon forces, the needless raids were ceased, and the Klingons took up defensive positions to keep the Dominion contained.
  
 +
With help of the Allied agents, Damar’s rebellion captured a Jem’Hadar attack ship that had been equipped with the Breen energy dissipators.  After the ship had been delivered to the Federation, a countermeasure was quickly produced for the Allied ships.  The tactical advantage had shifted back to the Allies.  However, the Cardassian resistance forces were betrayed, and all eighteen rebel bases were found and destroyed by the Dominion.
 +
 
==End of the war==
 
==End of the war==
''Realizing Damar's rebellion would be crushed without a necessary change in strategy and outside support, the Federation dispatched [[Kira Nerys]] (with a new commission as a Starfleet [[commander]]), [[Elim Garak]], and [[Odo]] to help train the Cardassian liberation forces in [[guerrilla]] tactics, while also providing food [[replicator]]s and weapons to sustain the rebellion. With Kira's knowledge of guerrilla warfare passed on to Damar's forces, the rebellion began destroying individual ships via [[sabotage]], and was successful in the destruction of the [[Tevak shipyards]].
+
With the countermeasure in place, the Allies could once again go on the offensive.  A number of Allied victories along the main front told the Dominion that the Breen weaponry had been bypassed.  Thanks to the sabotage dealt by the Cardassian resistance, the Dominion supply lines were stretched, and the speed in which reinforcements could be deployed was greatly reduced.  The Dominion fleet was forced to retreat to within Cardassian space where they formed a heavily fortified perimeter.  They realized that a major Allied offensive would be required to break through the line, an offensive that they hoped the Federation would not be willing to undertake due to the projected loss of thousands of ships.  Dominion leadership felt that would slow the Allied advance, and give them more time to rebuild their fleet.  In spite of the anticipated heavy losses, the Federation Alliance decided that this was the best time to mount an offensive.  While they needed a lull in fighting to build up their own reinforcements, they knew that the Dominion was hurting more, and a rebuilt Dominion fleet could lead to even greater losses.  Allied leaders felt that it was an acceptable risk, and devised a three-pronged attack into Cardassia.
 +
 +
=== The Battle of Cardassia ===
 +
In late 2375, the Allied invasion fleet, consisting  of Federation, Klingon, and Romulan forces, engaged the Jem’Hadar, Cardassian, and Breen fleet at the defensive perimeter.  The [[Battle of Cardassia]] initially favored to Dominion.  A third of the Allied fleet was destroyed, including the Romulan flagship and the {{USS|Hendrix}}.  However, the battle raged on as the Allies attempted to break through the Dominion line.
 +
 +
Meanwhile, despite the loss of most of his forces, Damar continued to lead the liberation front.  He led a raid against a Jem’Hadar barracks on Cardassia Prime, a victory that rallied the support of the Cardassia civilian population.  As the Allies pushed closer to Cardassia Prime, the civilian resistance movement caused a planet-wide blackout, crippling communications from the Dominion leadership to their fleet.  To retaliate, the Female Changeling ordered what forces she could control to open fire on Lakarian City on Cardassia Prime.  She felt that the city’s destruction would deter the civilians from further rebellion.  Unfortunately for the Dominion, the slaughter outraged the Cardassian forces still loyal to the Dominion.  The Cardassian forces engaging the Allies at the perimeter changed sides and opened fire on the Jem’Hadar and Breen ships.  The Dominion fleet was suddenly vastly outnumbered, and were forced to retreat to Cardassia Prime where they hoped to make a final stand.  The Federation Alliance, now consisting of the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Cardassians, pursued and surrounded the retreating fleet.
 +
 +
Despite the hopeless situation facing the Dominion, the Founder refused to surrender, and instead ordered every Jem’Hadar and Breen soldier to fight to the last man.  As the battle raged in orbit, Jem’Hadar troops were also ordered to exterminate the Cardassian population for their betrayal. Millions were killed as the Dominion soldiers rampaged through the streets of the Cardassian capital.  Resistance members used the chaos on the ground to assault the Dominion headquarters and capture the Founder.  She would eventually surrender and ordered her remaining forces to stand down as well as agreeing to turn herself over to the Federation to stand trial for war crimes.  In exchange, the Founders would be cured of the debilitating illness that had been plaguing her people, which turned out to have been instigated by [[Section 31]].  After two brutal years, the fighting was finally over.
 +
 +
== Aftermath ==
 +
The [[Treaty of Bajor]], which was signed on Deep Space 9 only days after the fall of Cardassia, officially ended the hostilities.  The treaty dictated that all remaining Dominion forces were to return to the [[Gamma Quadrant]], with the exception of the Female Changeling.  The Dominion and Breen occupation of Cardassia was brought to an end, and the Cardassian Union was reestablished as an independent and sovereign state.  The treaty also gave provisions for an Allied occupation of Cardassia with the intent of rebuilding.  The Female Changeling would face charges of firing on non-combatant civilian populations, attempted genocide, subjugation of a sovereign state, and many others.  Following a trial, she convicted of seven counts of war crimes, and sentenced to four consecutive life sentences at a Federation penal colony in a specially designed cell to prevent escape.
  
''Unfortunately for the allies, [[Chancellor]] [[Gowron]] took control of the Klingon forces in an attempt to defeat the Dominion without assistance from the Federation or Romulan Empire. During his brief campaign, he ordered [[General]] [[Martok]] to engage the Dominion at Avenal Seven &ndash; a world deep inside Dominion territory. Outnumbered six-to-one, the raid on Avanal Seven was an utter failure, losing seven ships, with another five seriously damaged. It soon became clear that Gowron had come to view Martok as a political threat and by launching these raids, he hoped to have the general discredited or killed. Realizing that these useless raids could not continue, Captain Sisko ordered [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Worf]] to "deal" with Chancellor Gowron. After killing him in battle, Worf declared Martok the new Chancellor of the [[Klingon Empire]].
+
The war’s death toll totaled over one billion amongst all of the major powers.  The Cardassians suffered the greatest losses and found themselves in shambles.  Their economy had been completely destroyed since they had been focused entirely on the war effort.  The civilian and military losses left their infrastructure nearly obliterated.  Over 800 million were dead from the Dominion bombardment of Cardassia Prime. Even though they had regained their independence, the Union nearly collapsed. With Federation help, the Cardassians would rebuild, but it would be nearly twenty years before they could be considered a serious galactic power.
  
''With the help of Odo, the Cardassian rebellion was able to capture a [[Jem'Hadar attack ship]] fitted with one of the Breen's energy dampening weapons from the [[Kelvas repair facility]]. With the weapon delivered to the Federation, a counter-measure was able to be produced for both Federation and Romulan ships, thus returning the tactical advantage into the Allies' favor. Shortly afterward however, the rebel Cardassian forces were completely wiped out by the Dominion after Gul [[Revok]] betrayed them, allowing all eighteen rebel bases to be found and destroyed.
+
The Klingon Empire did not fare much better.  Their wars against the Federation, the Cardassians, and eventually the Dominion left their military tattered.  While the fighting never reached Klingon territory, their forces had been in the trenches the longest, and had to hold back the Dominion and Breen advance almost entirely on their own while a countermeasure to the Breen weapon was developed.  Estimates suggested that it would take at least a decade before they had reached full strength. It remained to be seen how wartime Chancellor Martok would handle the Empire in a period of peace.
  
''After successfully destroying the rebel bases, the Dominion realized that the Federation Alliance had developed a counter measure to the Breen's weaponry. As a result, they withdrew all of their forces from Klingon, Federation and Romulan space and created a new defense perimeter within Cardassian territory. The perimeter was heavily fortified, requiring a major Allied offensive to break through and result in the loss of thousands of ships. The Dominion had hoped that the Federation would not attempt such an offensive, giving them the time they needed to rebuild a sufficient armada to destroy Allied forces. The Federation Alliance decided instead to proceed with an invasion, in spite of the heavy losses that they would suffer. A three-pronged attack into Cardassia was organized and led by [[Vice Admiral]] [[William Ross]], Captain Benjamin Sisko, Chancellor Martok, and (presumably) [[Velal]].
+
The Federation and Romulan Empire both suffered heavy death tolls, but among the remaining powers, it was speculated that these two would be the ones struggling for control of a post-war quadrant.  Even during the final days of the war, many from both sides wondered if their alliance was only temporary.  There was even some concern that worlds liberated from the Dominion by the Romulans, such as Benzar, would not be ceded back to the Federation.  Although the territory would be returned, the Neutral Zone was still in effect.  Serious peace talks did not begin until late 2379 following the failed coup by Shinzon.  Until then, both sides maintained a defensive posture.  Ship design doctrine became more aggressive. The Romulans developed new warbird classes that were smaller, but just as heavily armed, while the Federation focused on increasing the armament of all of their ships. Aging classes, such as the {class|Miranda} would be phased out in favor of newer, more advanced starships.
  
''A Federation Alliance invasion fleet departed Deep Space 9 and engaged a combined Jem'Hadar, Cardassian, and Breen fleet at the Dominion's new defensive perimeter. Allied losses mounted as [[Battle of Cardassia|the battle]] raged on, with the Dominion managing to destroy one third of the Allied invasion force, including the Romulan flagship.
+
Fortunately the Dominion War was one of the last great conflicts.  As the Alpha and Beta Quadrants rebuilt, the major powers would not face threats from each other.  Instead, they would see the emergence of local threats and regional powers.  Rogue Cardassian groups would occasionally skirmish along the border.  The Romulans would face a number of internal conflicts, and the Klingons faced border issues with the Gorn. The Federation would see its own threats in the Galactic South, such as tensions with the [[Ritorian Confederacy|Ritorians]] and hostilities with the [[Sojourners]].
  
''Although Damar's military rebellion had been crushed, his brief but effective campaign had left quite an impression on the Cardassian people. After a raid on a Jem'Hadar barracks on Cardassia Prime in late-[[2375]], Damar was able to rally the support of the entire civilian population on Cardassia. ({{DS9|The Dogs of War}}) During the Alliance invasion, these civilians caused a planet-wide blackout, cutting off all communication from the [[Dominion Headquarters]] to their fleets in combat. In retaliation for this, the [[Female Changeling]] ordered the destruction of [[Lakarian City]] as a deterrent to further acts of rebellion. This action had the opposite effect however &ndash; when the Cardassian fleet learned about the fate of Lakarian City, it switched sides to assist the Federation Alliance and opened fire on the Jem'Hadar and Breen ships. With the Cardassian fleet turned against them, the Dominion had no choice but order a full retreat back to Cardassia Prime, where they were surrounded by the pursuing Federation, Klingon, Romulan, and Cardassian ships.
+
The war taught both the members of the Dominion and the Allies many valuable lessons, as well as leaving the galactic political arena drastically different. An empire would fall and many others devastated while the Alpha Quadrant tried to recover. It was a lesson that no one would soon forget.
  
''The situation was now hopeless for the Dominion, but the Founder refused to surrender. Instead she ordered every Jem'Hadar and Breen soldier to fight to the last man. She also ordered the Jem'Hadar to begin exterminating the Cardassian population for their betrayal. Jem'Hadar troops rampaged through the streets of Cardassia Prime killing millions. Finally, members of the resistance were able to break into Dominion headquarters and capture the Founder, though she still refused to order her troops to surrender, therefore Odo beamed down to link with her. While linked, Odo cured the Founder of the virus and convinced her to order the remaining Dominion forces to stand down. She agreed to turn herself over to Federation authorities to stand trial for war crimes. In exchange, Odo would return to the [[Great Link]] and cure the rest of their people of the virus that had been crippling them.
+
== Pegasus Fleet During the War ==
 +
The Eleventh Fleet as it exists today is completely different than its incarnation during the Dominion War, although a number of ships and officers that would be later assigned to the Eleventh Fleet saw combat. Eleventh Fleet itself was initially assigned to reinforce the Vulcan border, but was later sent to defend the Benzar system in early 2374. However, it was overwhelmed by the Dominion fleet. Before reinforcements could arrive, the fleet had already been decimated. The Eleventh Fleet would not be reconstituted until 2386 when it was assigned to Vice Admiral [[Roman Sanchez]]. The reformed fleet, nicknamed Pegasus Fleet, would take over patrol duties of region known as the [[Galactic South]].
  
== Aftermath ==
+
At least two ships that would later be added to the new Eleventh Fleet were involved in the conflict. The {{USS|Viper}} was lost and presumed destroyed following the ill-fated campaign at Tyra.  The hull would later be recovered nearly intact, having been spared destruction by Cardassian forces by being partially submerged. The hull was raised and repaired, eventually being put back into active service.
''The instrument of surrender, the [[Treaty of Bajor]], was signed on [[Deep Space 9]] only days after the [[Battle of Cardassia]]. Following the end of the war, the [[Dominion]] was forced back into the [[Gamma Quadrant]], the [[Cardassian Union]] was in shambles, and the [[Klingon Empire]] was estimated to be set back by at least a decade. The war also prompted a change in leadership in the [[Klingon High Council]], as [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Worf]] killed [[Chancellor]] [[Gowron]] for squandering the Empire's resources on a political vendetta against [[General]] [[Martok]] in the final weeks of the war. Worf passed the Chancellorship onto Martok immediately after Gowron's death.
 
  
''Although both the [[Federation]] and the [[Romulan Empire]] suffered a heavy death toll, [[Section 31]] operative [[Luther Sloan]] speculated that these two powers would be the ones struggling for control of a post-war [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Even before the war's end, many in both the Federation and the Romulan Empire believed that their alliance was only a temporary war-time coalition. There was concern that the Romulans would not cede worlds they liberated from the Dominion, such as [[Benzar]], back to the Federation. By [[2379]], the [[Romulan Neutral Zone|Neutral Zone]] was still in effect, and serious peace talks did not begin until late that year.
+
The {{USS|Sphinx}} was serving as a Red Squad training vessel during the early part of 2375.  After a costly victory against a Cardassian patrol that severely damaged the ship and killed the captain, the ‘’Sphinx’’ limped back towards Federation space.  On her way home, a mutiny broke out between the members of Red Squad, some loyal to the cadet that took over the bridge during the battle, and the others siding with the ranking officer, the Chief Medical Officer. The mutiny was eventually broken up without a clear winner, but by then the war was nearly over.
  
''Foremost in the aftermath, however, was the state of [[Cardassia Prime]]. Eight hundred million civilians were dead, and the entire Cardassian Union was in danger of total collapse. The Alpha Quadrant had lost a major power, and the effects on galactic politics would continue to be seen for many years to come.''
+
[[Benjamin Byrne]], who would later command the {{USS|Endeavour}}, was given his first command in early 2374 as a [[Lieutenant Commander]], the {{USS|Hendrix}}. The ''Hendrix''  would be assigned to a number of raids deep behind enemy lines, utilizing the unique design of the Defiant-class to disrupt communications and supply lines. The ''Hendrix'' would also participate in a number of large fleet engagements.  It was destroyed in 2375 during the [[Battle of Cardassia]], but much of the crew, including Commander Byrne, was able to abandon ship.

Revision as of 03:17, 1 November 2013

Dominion War
Date:

2373-2375

Location:

Alpha Quadrant

Result:

Federation Alliance victory;
Federation Alliance occupation of Cardassia;
Withdrawal of Dominion forces to the Gamma Quadrant

Belligerents

Federation Alliance

Federation
Klingon Empire
Romulan Empire
Cardassian Liberation Front

Dominion-Breen Alliance

Dominion
Cardassian Union
Breen Confederacy
Son'a
Notable commanders

Federation:
Benjamin Sisko
William Ross

Klingon Empire:

Martok
Gowron

Romulan Empire:

Kimara Cretak
Velal

Cardassian Liberation Front:

Damar

Dominion:
Female Changeling
Weyoun

Cardassian Union:

Dukat
Damar† (later started rebellion)
Broca

Breen Confederacy:

Gor
Pran

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 ]
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.

Prelude

Tensions with the Dominion began as early as the Federation's first official contact with them. A cold war began to develop in 2370 and lasted for three years. Through placing Changeling doppelgangers in important positions with the governments of the major powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the Dominion was able to drastically reduce the military balance of power by eliminating the Cardassian Obsidian Order and severely damaging the Romulan Tal Shiar during the Battle of the Omarion Nebula. Their infiltration also nearly caused a war between the Federation and the Tzenkethi, and caused the breakdown of peace between the Federation and Klingon Empire and between the Klingons and Cardassians.

The Dominion was able to use the war between the Klingons and Cardassians to gain a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant. In 2373, after facing heavy losses against the Klingons, Gul Dukat negotiated an alliance between the Cardassian Union and the Dominion, with the Cardassians becoming official members. The Dominion used the opportunity to begin fortifying the Cardassian Union with weekly convoys of ships and troops from the Gamma Quadrant, using the Bajoran Wormhole. With his new allies, Dukat and the Cardassians drove the Klingons from Cardassian space, as well as eliminating the Maquis resistance in the Demilitarized Zone. With this new threat, the Federation and Klingons renewed their peace by resigning the Khitomer Accords, and pledged to stand together against the Dominion.

Over the next several months, border skirmishes would break out along the Cardassian border. In addition, the Dominion began signing nonaggression treaties with several regional powers in the Alpha Quadrant, including the Tholian Assembly, the Miradorn, the Bajorans, and the Romulan Star Empire. To prevent any further Dominion reinforcements from reaching Cardassia Prime, the Federation decided to mine the Alpha Quadrant entrance of the Bajoran Wormhole.

Total war begins

As Starfleet had anticipated, a large Dominion fleet was dispatched to Deep Space 9 to capture the station and prevent completion of the minefield. The station mounted a valiant defense, but did not have the resources necessary to fight off the Dominion fleet on its own. All Starfleet personnel were ordered to withdrawal from the station following the activation of the minefield. Because of the nonaggression treaty with the Dominion, Bajor was spared any further direct role in the war, and all Bajoran personnel remained on the station during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space 9. During the battle and Starfleet's withdrawal, a Federation-Klingon task force entered Cardassian space and destroyed the Dominion shipyards at Torros III.

Dominion Success

For the next three months, the allied fleets engaged Dominion forces in a number of devastating battles. However, the Dominon was dominating the battles, forcing the Federation and Klingons to retreat at every turn. The Federation's Seventh Fleet, a force composed of 112 vessels, was dispatched to the Tyra system to stop the Dominion's advance into Federation territory. Led by Admiral D’gret, the battle was a disaster for the Federation, as only fourteen ships were able to limp back to Federation controlled space. Several of the ships lost in the battle were forced to make emergency landings on Tyra III. The USS Viper had survived the entry into the atmosphere, but crashed into water. Many of the crew members who had survived the battle drowned in the frigid waters while others escaped to higher ground. The Cardassian commander, Gul Pettar, ordered his ships to find and eliminate any survivors. The Cardassians reportedly took no prisoners. The Viper herself would eventually be recovered and refit after the war. In order to keep up the morale on the homefront, the Federation News Service did not report how bad the losses truly were.

While the Dominion was winning every fullscale engagement, the allies were still able to win some minor victories. In a mission led by Captain Benjamin Sisko, a small team used a captured Jem'Hadar ship to destroy the Dominion's primary ketracel-white storage facility in Cardassian space. Another such mission was led by Lt. Commander Benjamin Byrne. His Defiant-class USS Hendrix hid in the wake of a comet that had found its way into subspace. Using the tail of the comet to hide from their sensors, the Hendrix attacked a supply depot deep within Dominion territory. The risky attack was successful, and the Hendrix was able to return to Federation space. Throughout the war, Commander Byrne would lead his crew on several similar missions as well as several raids and border skirmishes, helping to prove the success of the Defiant-class design.

Gul Dukat responded to the attacks on his supply lines by driving deeper into Federation-held space. He had hoped to win a crushing victory over the Federation forces before the Dominion ran out of ketracel-white, provided that the minefield could not be deactivated. In the next month, the front line spread across Federation territory. The Vulcan and Bolian home systems found themselves in danger. Starfleet sent the Fifth and Eleventh Fleets to reinforce the Vulcan border. Another infiltration mission into Dominion controlled space destroyed a Dominion sensor array in the Argolis Cluster, leading to an operation to relieve the pressure on the Bolian front. However, morale was falling so quickly that even the Klingons doubted if the war was winnable.

After months of retreating from the Dominion forces, Captain Sisko, attempted to convince Starfleet that the Federation must go on the offensive if they had any hope of winning the war. His plan was to recapture Deep Space 9 with the combined forces of the Second, Fifth, and Ninth Fleets. There was some initial resistance to the plan, fearing that too many ships would be diverted away from Earth. Admiral Coburn was convinced, however, when assured that the key to winning the war was keeping Dominion reinforcements from coming through the wormhole. The plan was approved, but had to be put into action immediately. Intelligence reported that the Dominion was only three days away from deactivating the minefield. The Klingon Empire had not initially agreed to participating in the operation, fearing that the operation would leave the Empire vulnerable. Eventually, Starfleet decided that they had no choice but to deploy the task force with only the Second and Fifth fleets in order to reach Deep Space 9 before the minefield was deactivated. The task force, consisting of over 600 Federation ships departed from Starbase 375 enroute for the Bajoran system. Detecting the approach of the Federation fleet, Gul Dukat redirected a large number of Dominion ships off the front lines to intercept and destroy the enemy fleet. With only hours remaining before they destroyed the minefield, the Dominion commander, Weyoun, assured Dukat that any ships lost in this engagement would be replaced by the 2,800 Jem'Hadar ships waiting in the Gamma Quadrant. Holding the station was the top priority.

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 aliens that lived in the Bajoran wormhole, also known as the 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.

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

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 withdraw 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.

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.

In addition to the majority of the fighting taking place near Chin’toka, Allied ships encountered a number of skirmishes along the Cardassian border. One such skirmish, in early 2375, was fought between the USS Sphinx and a Cardassian warship. The Sphinx, a Red Squad training vessel, was victorious, though not without suffering casualties. The cadets were able to limp back to Federation space despite the heavy damage, but a mutiny broke out among the Red Squad cadets while en route. The mutiny was caused by uncertainty in the chain of command. With the captain killed in the battle, command should have fallen to the ranking Chief Medical Officer, but some of the cadets felt that the cadet who had taken command of the bridge during the battle should be in charge. Eventually the USS Nagarjuna was needed to subdue the situation. The Sphinx would miss the rest of the war.

The Dominion-Breen Alliance

As the war raged at Chin’toka, tensions grew between the leaders of the Dominion leaders. Legate Damar began to openly criticize their strategy, pointing out that the Dominion was not living up to their promises. Cardassia had suffered the brunt of the devastation. Despite the Dominion’s ability to clone additional Jem’Hadar troops, his people seemed to be suffering the greatest casualties. In addition, he felt that the Dominion leaders were losing their effectiveness. The Female Changeling who was leading the Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant seemed to be suffering from a debilitating disease, which had been compromising her decision making abilities.

Due to the mounting casualties, Damar’s disenchantment with the war effort, and the stall at Chin’toka, the Dominion began to seek a new ally. By late 2375, the Dominion had reached an agreement with the Breen. The Breen made a statement by to the Federation Alliance by staging a raid against Starfleet Headquarters and Earth. Starfleet was able to repel the attack, and the majority of the Breen raiders had been destroyed. Unfortunately, they were still able to cause a great deal of damage and casualties. It was a successful attack for the Breen as they were able to cause fear in the Federation that they faced an enemy willing to sacrifice so many lives.

In the months following the Breen’s entry into the war, they were given much of the responsibility originally given to the Cardassian government. The Breen leaders gained more and more control over the war effort, even gaining some territory that belonged to Cardassia. Damar grew more restless as the days went by.

With their new allies, the Dominion was empowered and used their new strength to counterattack the Alliance forces at Chin’toka. The Breen broke through the Federation lines and assembled with an advancing Dominion fleet. An Allied fleet raced to Chin’toka to fight off the counterattack. The battle quickly turned in the favor of the Dominion-Breen forces as the Breen unleashed energy-draining weapons that completely immobilized the entire Allied fleet. The defending ships were defenseless against conventional weapons, and were completely routed. Only one of the three hundred and twelve allied vessels was able to retreat. The Second Battle of Chin’toka returned control of the system back to the Dominion. Fortunately for the Allies, the Klingons discovered a modification that rendered the energy dissipators inert against their ships. General Martok reinforced the border with fifteen hundred ships, but were still vastly outnumbered without support from the Federation and Romulan fleets. The Klingons hoped to compensate by using hit-and-run tactics until a successful countermeasure against the Breen weapon could be found.

Chaos Behind the Lines

The arrival of the Breen turned the war significantly in the Dominion’s favor. However, the Dominion made no efforts to hide that they favored the Breen leaders when it came to making war decisions. The neglect of the Cardassians prompted Damar to form an active resistance on Cardassia Prime. A number of his officers remained loyal to him. The Cardassian resistance attacked the Rondac III cloning facilities, although half of Damar’s forces was destroyed during the battle. Even with this huge loss, the Dominion knew that they would not be able to defeat the Allies as long as Damar’s rebellion still stood. They refocused their efforts on destroying the internal resistance. The change in Dominion strategy gave the Allies the opportunity to develop a defense against the Breen’s energy-draining weapons. Unfortunately for the Federation and the Romulans, the process was slow without an operational weapon to study.

Starfleet knew that Damar’s rebellion would not survive without outside support. Allied agents were sent undercover to train the Cardassian liberation forces in guerrilla tactics and to provide equipment such as weapons and replicators. With the Allied support, Damar’s forces began to sabotage individual ships, and was successful in the destruction of the Tevak shipyards. This loss was a devastating blow to the Dominion industrial base, and would severely hinder their fleet rebuilding efforts.

During this time, the Klingons continued to bear the brunt of the fighting. Under orders from Chancellor Gowron, the Klingon fleet attempted to defeat the Dominion forces alone. Despite being outnumbered six-to-one, they engaged the Dominion at Avenal VII. The raid was a complete failure. It would come into light that this raid, as well as several others that were just as successful, were politically motivated. Gowron was concerned with his own standing in the Klingon Empire, and used these raids to discredit General Martok. Due to fear that this campaign could ruin the war effort, Gowron was challenged according to Klingon customs. He was killed in a one-on-one fight, and General Martok was declared the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. With Martok firmly in command of the Klingon forces, the needless raids were ceased, and the Klingons took up defensive positions to keep the Dominion contained.

With help of the Allied agents, Damar’s rebellion captured a Jem’Hadar attack ship that had been equipped with the Breen energy dissipators. After the ship had been delivered to the Federation, a countermeasure was quickly produced for the Allied ships. The tactical advantage had shifted back to the Allies. However, the Cardassian resistance forces were betrayed, and all eighteen rebel bases were found and destroyed by the Dominion.

End of the war

With the countermeasure in place, the Allies could once again go on the offensive. A number of Allied victories along the main front told the Dominion that the Breen weaponry had been bypassed. Thanks to the sabotage dealt by the Cardassian resistance, the Dominion supply lines were stretched, and the speed in which reinforcements could be deployed was greatly reduced. The Dominion fleet was forced to retreat to within Cardassian space where they formed a heavily fortified perimeter. They realized that a major Allied offensive would be required to break through the line, an offensive that they hoped the Federation would not be willing to undertake due to the projected loss of thousands of ships. Dominion leadership felt that would slow the Allied advance, and give them more time to rebuild their fleet. In spite of the anticipated heavy losses, the Federation Alliance decided that this was the best time to mount an offensive. While they needed a lull in fighting to build up their own reinforcements, they knew that the Dominion was hurting more, and a rebuilt Dominion fleet could lead to even greater losses. Allied leaders felt that it was an acceptable risk, and devised a three-pronged attack into Cardassia.

The Battle of Cardassia

In late 2375, the Allied invasion fleet, consisting of Federation, Klingon, and Romulan forces, engaged the Jem’Hadar, Cardassian, and Breen fleet at the defensive perimeter. The Battle of Cardassia initially favored to Dominion. A third of the Allied fleet was destroyed, including the Romulan flagship and the USS Hendrix. However, the battle raged on as the Allies attempted to break through the Dominion line.

Meanwhile, despite the loss of most of his forces, Damar continued to lead the liberation front. He led a raid against a Jem’Hadar barracks on Cardassia Prime, a victory that rallied the support of the Cardassia civilian population. As the Allies pushed closer to Cardassia Prime, the civilian resistance movement caused a planet-wide blackout, crippling communications from the Dominion leadership to their fleet. To retaliate, the Female Changeling ordered what forces she could control to open fire on Lakarian City on Cardassia Prime. She felt that the city’s destruction would deter the civilians from further rebellion. Unfortunately for the Dominion, the slaughter outraged the Cardassian forces still loyal to the Dominion. The Cardassian forces engaging the Allies at the perimeter changed sides and opened fire on the Jem’Hadar and Breen ships. The Dominion fleet was suddenly vastly outnumbered, and were forced to retreat to Cardassia Prime where they hoped to make a final stand. The Federation Alliance, now consisting of the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans, and the Cardassians, pursued and surrounded the retreating fleet.

Despite the hopeless situation facing the Dominion, the Founder refused to surrender, and instead ordered every Jem’Hadar and Breen soldier to fight to the last man. As the battle raged in orbit, Jem’Hadar troops were also ordered to exterminate the Cardassian population for their betrayal. Millions were killed as the Dominion soldiers rampaged through the streets of the Cardassian capital. Resistance members used the chaos on the ground to assault the Dominion headquarters and capture the Founder. She would eventually surrender and ordered her remaining forces to stand down as well as agreeing to turn herself over to the Federation to stand trial for war crimes. In exchange, the Founders would be cured of the debilitating illness that had been plaguing her people, which turned out to have been instigated by Section 31. After two brutal years, the fighting was finally over.

Aftermath

The Treaty of Bajor, which was signed on Deep Space 9 only days after the fall of Cardassia, officially ended the hostilities. The treaty dictated that all remaining Dominion forces were to return to the Gamma Quadrant, with the exception of the Female Changeling. The Dominion and Breen occupation of Cardassia was brought to an end, and the Cardassian Union was reestablished as an independent and sovereign state. The treaty also gave provisions for an Allied occupation of Cardassia with the intent of rebuilding. The Female Changeling would face charges of firing on non-combatant civilian populations, attempted genocide, subjugation of a sovereign state, and many others. Following a trial, she convicted of seven counts of war crimes, and sentenced to four consecutive life sentences at a Federation penal colony in a specially designed cell to prevent escape.

The war’s death toll totaled over one billion amongst all of the major powers. The Cardassians suffered the greatest losses and found themselves in shambles. Their economy had been completely destroyed since they had been focused entirely on the war effort. The civilian and military losses left their infrastructure nearly obliterated. Over 800 million were dead from the Dominion bombardment of Cardassia Prime. Even though they had regained their independence, the Union nearly collapsed. With Federation help, the Cardassians would rebuild, but it would be nearly twenty years before they could be considered a serious galactic power.

The Klingon Empire did not fare much better. Their wars against the Federation, the Cardassians, and eventually the Dominion left their military tattered. While the fighting never reached Klingon territory, their forces had been in the trenches the longest, and had to hold back the Dominion and Breen advance almost entirely on their own while a countermeasure to the Breen weapon was developed. Estimates suggested that it would take at least a decade before they had reached full strength. It remained to be seen how wartime Chancellor Martok would handle the Empire in a period of peace.

The Federation and Romulan Empire both suffered heavy death tolls, but among the remaining powers, it was speculated that these two would be the ones struggling for control of a post-war quadrant. Even during the final days of the war, many from both sides wondered if their alliance was only temporary. There was even some concern that worlds liberated from the Dominion by the Romulans, such as Benzar, would not be ceded back to the Federation. Although the territory would be returned, the Neutral Zone was still in effect. Serious peace talks did not begin until late 2379 following the failed coup by Shinzon. Until then, both sides maintained a defensive posture. Ship design doctrine became more aggressive. The Romulans developed new warbird classes that were smaller, but just as heavily armed, while the Federation focused on increasing the armament of all of their ships. Aging classes, such as the {class|Miranda} would be phased out in favor of newer, more advanced starships.

Fortunately the Dominion War was one of the last great conflicts. As the Alpha and Beta Quadrants rebuilt, the major powers would not face threats from each other. Instead, they would see the emergence of local threats and regional powers. Rogue Cardassian groups would occasionally skirmish along the border. The Romulans would face a number of internal conflicts, and the Klingons faced border issues with the Gorn. The Federation would see its own threats in the Galactic South, such as tensions with the Ritorians and hostilities with the Sojourners.

The war taught both the members of the Dominion and the Allies many valuable lessons, as well as leaving the galactic political arena drastically different. An empire would fall and many others devastated while the Alpha Quadrant tried to recover. It was a lesson that no one would soon forget.

Pegasus Fleet During the War

The Eleventh Fleet as it exists today is completely different than its incarnation during the Dominion War, although a number of ships and officers that would be later assigned to the Eleventh Fleet saw combat. Eleventh Fleet itself was initially assigned to reinforce the Vulcan border, but was later sent to defend the Benzar system in early 2374. However, it was overwhelmed by the Dominion fleet. Before reinforcements could arrive, the fleet had already been decimated. The Eleventh Fleet would not be reconstituted until 2386 when it was assigned to Vice Admiral Roman Sanchez. The reformed fleet, nicknamed Pegasus Fleet, would take over patrol duties of region known as the Galactic South.

At least two ships that would later be added to the new Eleventh Fleet were involved in the conflict. The USS Viper was lost and presumed destroyed following the ill-fated campaign at Tyra. The hull would later be recovered nearly intact, having been spared destruction by Cardassian forces by being partially submerged. The hull was raised and repaired, eventually being put back into active service.

The USS Sphinx was serving as a Red Squad training vessel during the early part of 2375. After a costly victory against a Cardassian patrol that severely damaged the ship and killed the captain, the ‘’Sphinx’’ limped back towards Federation space. On her way home, a mutiny broke out between the members of Red Squad, some loyal to the cadet that took over the bridge during the battle, and the others siding with the ranking officer, the Chief Medical Officer. The mutiny was eventually broken up without a clear winner, but by then the war was nearly over.

Benjamin Byrne, who would later command the USS Endeavour, was given his first command in early 2374 as a Lieutenant Commander, the USS Hendrix. The Hendrix would be assigned to a number of raids deep behind enemy lines, utilizing the unique design of the Defiant-class to disrupt communications and supply lines. The Hendrix would also participate in a number of large fleet engagements. It was destroyed in 2375 during the Battle of Cardassia, but much of the crew, including Commander Byrne, was able to abandon ship.