First Battle of Nightingale

The Battle of Nightingale was a battle between the Royal Manticoran Navy and the People's Navy in the Nightingale System.
== Prelude ==
Attempting to capitalize on the confusion in the People's Republic due to the overthrow of the Legislaturists and the purging of the Navy, the Royal Manticoran Navy embarked on a campaign to seize control of Trevor's Star in order to secure the Trevor's Star Terminus. This would give them a forward base deep within the People's Republic from which to launch strikes. ()
== Order of battle ==
=== Royal Manticoran Navy ===
Task force of the Sixth Fleet:
* Battle Squadron 8
* Battle Squadron 17
* Battle Squadron 21
=== People's Navy ===
So called "the main Peep fleet" or a part of it:
* task force marked as "Bogey One" - four battlesquadrons32 SD
* task force marked as "Bogey Two" - three battlesquadrons24 SD
== Course of battle ==
Initially facing four squadrons of superdreadnoughts in "Bogey One", Admiral Alexander flushed his ships' missile pods, firing over thirty-two hundred missiles, to which the opposing ships, lacking pods, could only reply with twelve hundred. Alexander spread his fire across the enemy formation, while "Bogey One" concentrated it's fire on BatRon 21. The two groups continued to exchange fire, with the PN losing five ships in return for the destruction of the HMS King Michael.
Suddenly the ships of "Bogey Two" lit their drives, appearing behind Alexander's forces. But their commander had jumped the gun, and their acceleration was not sufficient to catch up to Alexander's as he ran for the hyper-limit. HMS Thunderer broke apart, but he could not slow down to pick up survivors, or "Bogey Two" would be able to catch up. Two more PN superdreadnoughts were destroyed. Alexander then concentrated his fire on the central squadron of "Bogey One" as his ships made a tactical withdrawal. ()
== Manticoran losses ==
The superdreadnoughts HMS King Michael and HMS Thunderer were destroyed, as were eight other ships during the withdrawal. HMS Ravensport was so heavily damaged that she was put out of action following the battle. ()
== References ==
Nightingale, Battle of
Nightingale, Battle of