Year 5, Month 1
Consternation amongst the military establishment at the Druid's advantage in hull size is party assuaged by the laying down of Absolution, the lead ship of our new battlecruiser class. The cost is extreme, some 40% of our available resources, but our disadvantage can not be allowed to last any longer than necessary. The design bureau estimates that we would not have been able to build such a vessel for several years if scans of a hull and drivefield of this size were not available. This raises the spectre of advanced weaponry aboard the Druid BCs.
Absolution BC: [4] Sx9Ax9ZH(III)Q(II)(III)WWWD(II)WWDWMgXrDL(III)D(BbM)(CIC)LhQ(II)L [6/3] 16XO
The first run of the Absolutions have been designed as fleet flagships with survivability of the task force commander of importance.
Cat completes conversion from Proto CA to Cat class, Aphrodite is now Apollo -r1 standard, and eight newly refitted Javelin -r2s begin shakedown. Several more CLs and DDs begin refit.
Many colonists embark for Pangolin and will arrive early next month.
Reorganisation of the survey fleets splits the 100 Whisker scouts evenly between the five fleets. When accompanied by fifteen of the newer Vibrasses, each fleet will be able to fully survey a new star system in two months. The Surveyor survey leaders will be assigned two per fleet, primarily to perform habitable worlds surveys and act as contact ships with alien races. They will assist in general survey work when this is not required.
On the diplomatic front, full communication is established with the Blumters in Buffalo and they happily agree to a Trade deal. The Nacratmo have also seen the error of their ways and agreed to a free exchange of trade goods. Unfortunately, the Druidic Conclave has rejected our improved offer of a trade deal.
3^rd Survey finds the two planets around the binary companion of Pangolin are harsh/poor and benign/normal in climate and resources. Shortly thereafter, the rough survey reveals five WPs in the system. None are probed as yet, as reinforcements are required in the area and the situation with the Druids remains unresolved.
5^th Survey completes the detailed study of Chinchilla, finding one new WP in the home system of our Rigellian friends. It is probed and leads to Octopus, a binary system with two uninhabited, promising looking worlds orbiting the primary white star. 5^th Survey moves eagerly in.
(Notes: The Druids discovered that the ST system is a dead-end.)

Year 5, Month 2
Tiger, Lion and Leopard, three ProtoCAs are completed and immediately begin conversion to Cat class.
Our colonists arrive in Pangolin, and name the four planets Rhovanion, Gondor, Rohan and Mordor, in descending order of climate and mineral wealth. Also, more colonists are sent to Buffalo.
The first new bases begin construction along with more Vibrasses and warship refits.
WPDB-M2: [0] Sx7AAZHWWWDWWWM1DWWWWMgDLhQ [0] 10XO
WPDB-B2: [0] SSAx6ZHLLLLM1LLLDLLLhQ [0] 10XO
The BrunAgi again reject an upgrade to a Trade and Military alliance. Our traders have reported a steady increase in the number of bases covering our contact WP and the ships supporting them. The military are becoming concerned that this apparent fortification effort may be an attempt to provide a secure position prior to offensive operations. First Fang Ishtar-har is considering an upgrade to First FDF, which guards the WP and oversees the conquered planet in Polar Bear, but the refit schedule and needs of Picket Fleet have left the fleet stretched quite thin. The only other solution is to raid Home Fleet for ships, but that would dangerously weaken our strategic reserve. In the end, it is decided that First FDF will be increased as soon as possible, but the situation will have to remain as is for the time being. Fortunately, Polar Bear is only three transits from homeworld, so relief forces can rapidly be in place if the worst happens.
1^st Survey's 20 Whiskers and first three Vibrasses head off to Monkey, whilst 2^nd Survey's 20 Whiskers head to Kingfisher. 4^th Survey links up with surplus Whiskers from 3^rd Survey, bringing it up to the mandated 20 Whiskers, and moves off to Crocodile to complete the detailed survey there. 5^th Survey is now up to full strength. Due to our pressing needs, neither it, nor any other survey fleet, has any escorting warships. Yet another unsatisfied demand on the fleet that needs urgent rectification. Looking at the number of unsurveyed systems, at least one more survey fleet is also required, and ideally two or three. 5^th Survey completes the surveys of the two habitable planets in Octopus, finding them to both be very lacking in exploitable minerals. The inner planet of the two is also unpleasantly hot in climate, but its further sister world is almost perfect.
(Notes: Druids send search forces into the alien system…)
Commodore Nelson's flagship battlecruiser Afghan transited into the system home to the unknown aliens. The Druidic Conclaves had sent him to search for the missing probe ship that had last dispatched news of approaching drivefields three months ago. The Conclave still hoped, against Nelson's opinion, that peaceful contact was still underway, but their ship would be desperately short on supplies by now and a relief mission was vital. His orders were to transit and attempt to locate the probe ship. If it was found, a freighter would be called forward with supplies and his warships would withdraw. If not, then an explanation from the aliens would be sought.
As her internal sensors shook off some of the transit effects, icons began to appear on the bridge tactical displays. Two groups of ships were directly ahead, at three and four light minutes from the WP, but two more fuzzy icons showed another two groups directly astern, at the same ranges. Preliminary scans estimated two CA and four DD ahead, with six CT behind. Worryingly, just before Amerind followed her sister into the system, the two closer groups of alien ships began to close on the WP. They were obviously not fully alert, as they did not close very far, and Afghan was able to swing her vulnerable blindspot away from the corvettes.
As his orders specifically stated he was not to fire unless fired upon, Nelson ordered his Comms officer to transmit greeting messages to the aliens, but also ordered his gunnery officer to stand ready. He was not surprised when the alien datagroup ahead rocked his flagship with a salvo of ten force beams, smashing her shields, crippling her armour and wrecking half her external ordnance. He ordered immediate return fire on the alien heavy cruiser, but transit effects and his crew's inexperience of battle outside the sims resulted in very little damage to the alien's shields. The aliens seemed experienced though, as the three closer corvettes behind slammed two more force beams into Afghan, nearly removing her armour, and eliminating her last EDM on the racks.
Amerind and Apache joined their sister in targeting the CA, but only scored one force beam hit between them, which the alien's shields shrugged off. Assistance from the three escorting destroyers finally brought down the alien's shields and dented her armour, and the other two alien squadrons were not as alert as their fellows, failing to get to action stations.
Shocked by the damage and casualty reports coming in, Nelson failed to react quickly enough and the aliens seized upon the apparent confusion their hostility had created. The closer groups bore down upon the Druids, as they desperately tried to manoeuvre against the two threat axes, whilst the two further groups also began to close.
The Druids are unable to keep both groups out of point blank range, and Amerind was savaged by twelve force beam hits, losing all her weapons and defences. Afghan and Apache returned fire, badly crippling the alien cruiser. Before Nelson knew it, Afghan took three more hits from the corvettes coming up fast astern, finally losing her armour, plus her datalink and hold.
Fire from the escort destroyers holed two corvettes, knocking them both out of their datagroup and slowing one. However, both other groups of alien ships sprang to life, and a storm of twenty-nine missiles slashed in on Afghan. Her point defence did it's best, but eight missiles got through and she lost everything up to her primary beam. A further four streaked up her blindspot from the trailing group of corvettes and she was reduced to three force beams.
Nelson ordered all ships to make for the WP, but feared it was in vain. Apache fired first, gutting an alien beam destroyer, before the alien beam cruiser and Afghan reduced each other to a single beam. Apache's charmed life ended, as fourteen sprint mode missiles ripped away her shields, armour and datalink. The escort destroyers did their best again, inflicting damage on all three missile corvettes, tearing away their external ordnance, smashing their datalink and slowing all three. That was the last joy for the Druids, as Apache was the centre of the alien's attention, losing all but two force beams, and the escort destroyer Vagabond was stripped of her shields and armour.
Thirty seconds later it was virtually all over. The three destroyers escaped through the WP, but Afghan, Amerind and Apache were all reduced to shattered hulks. Amerind was the most unfortunate, as her last engine room went into emergency shutdown just short of the safety of the WP and she was blasted into drifting wreckage by the alien ships just after her sisters escaped.
Druidic Conclaves (all green crews)
3xTribal BC: [3] SSSAix10ZH(BbL)RcQFLhQFPDRcDMgM2XrFDDFDFD(III)(II)(III)(II)(III)(II) [6] AM 16XO
3xVictory DD: [2] SAix4ZHLhQFWMgDM1FD(I)(I)(I)(I)(I)(I)(I) [7] AM 6XO
Chosen of God (all average crews)
1xMissile CA: [3] SSSAAAZH(BbS)WW(II)DWDQW(II)DWDW(II)DWDWMg(II)(II)(II)LhQ [6] 12XO
1xBeam CA: [3] SSSAAAAZH(BbS)DF(II)DQFDF(II)DFDF(II)DF(II)(II)(II)LhQ [6]
2xMissile DD: [3] SSAAZH(I)DQsW(I)DW(I)DWMg(I)(I)(I)(I)Qs [7] 6XO
2xBeam DD: [3] SAZH(I)DQsF(I)DF(I)DF(I)(I)(I)(I)Qs [7]
3xMissile CT: [2] AZH(I)W(I)DWMg(I)(I)Qs [8] 3XO
3xBeam CT: [2] SAZH(I)DDF(I)(I)(I)Qs [8]
The Druids also discovered the T/ST system has a harsh and very poor T, with the ST being normal in resources. They also explored three more of the WPs in their home system, finding a link to the Haggi system of Pangolin, another link to the Chosen's system and a new binary system with two type T with the primary and one ST with the binary component. The type Ts were both found to be resource poor and climatically harsh. The new link to the Chosen is closed and very far out - an ideal attack point. The current link is open and very close in. The WP to Pangolin had been discovered by 3^rd Survey and Vibrasses of that fleet observed the Druids transit.

Year 5, Month 3
A second major wave of colonists is sent to the Pangolin system. Several new warships are laid down, along with additional Vibrasse scouts. Ships are in motion throughout the Confederation as vessels are replaced with newer versions and fall back to the yards themselves for refit. On the diplomatic front the Barada refuse a trade deal, but the Falasians agree to upgrade our treaty from Trade and Military to Partnership.
1^st Survey finds no WPs in Monkey upon completing the rough survey, whilst 3^rd Survey finds four more WP in Pangolin when the detailed survey is done, for a total of eleven. Least Claw Nimitz orders his ships to survey the planetary bodies whilst a Frontier Defence Force is organised to guard the valuable Pangolin system. 5^th Survey locates one new WP in Octopus, which leads to the uninteresting orange star system of Beetle.
(Notes: The Chosen and Druids are busy on repairs and new construction, plus placing DSB-L around the contact WP. The Druids also explored the three remaining WP in their home system, finding two links to existing systems and one new system with a type T in it.)

Year 5, Month 4
The third wave of colonists heads out for Pangolin, again absorbing a large chunk of available funds. However, the system is rich and of importance, so well worth the effort in the long-term.
The three newly refitted Cat class cruisers Tiger, Lion and Leopard rejoin the fleet, along with the Apollo -r1s Enki, Ra and Jupiter. The orbital dock [(SY)] in Walrus has completed upgrade to an orbital factory [(SY)x2].
A command and structural review has been concluded with several promotions and reassignments:
War Ministry – First Fang Ishtar-har
    Battle Fleet – 1^st Great Fang Haggis
        Home Fleet – 1^st Great Fang Haggis
        First Confederated Talon (ex Picket Fleet) – 2^nd Great Claw Smokey
    Frontier Fleet – 1^st Great Claw Borghal
        First Frontier Defence Force – 1^st Great Claw Borghal
        Second Frontier Defence Force – 3^rd Small Claw Aristedes
        Third Frontier Defence Force – 2^nd Small Claw Monty
        Fourth Frontier Defence Force – 1^st Small Claw Runtipole
    Survey Command – 1^st Small Fang Twang
        1^st Survey Fleet – 1^st Small Fang Twang
        2^nd Survey Fleet – 2^nd Least Claw Rakis
        3^rd Survey Fleet – 4^th Least Claw Nimitz
        4^th Survey Fleet – 1^st Least Claw Grendall
        5^th Survey Fleet – 3^rd Least Claw Pertwee
Defence Ministry
    Armadillo Skywatch
    Construction Fleet 1 – 6^th Least Claw Draven
    Construction Fleet 2 – 7^th Least Claw Eldritch
    Haggis Skywatch – 5^th Least Claw Bombur
    Horse Skywatch
    Roadrunner Skywatch
    Walrus Skywatch
Commanders will be assigned to the various Skywatches as they gain armed bases.
The current mandated strength of an FDF remains at one Apollo CL, three Javelin DDs and six Attack CTs. As soon as budget and construction allow, this will be increased to one Cat CA, two Apollo CLs, three Javelin DDs and six Combat CTs. The Combat CT is a new class designed to replace the Attack and Pursuit CTs currently in service.
Combat CT: [2] SSAAHQs(I)(I)D(I)(I)L [8] 3XO
First FDF will be the first to be upgraded to this strength as the BrunAgi may turn hostile, and long-term plans are that this fleet will eventually become Second Confederated Talon.
2^nd Survey finds no new WP in Kingfisher after finishing the rough survey. Also, as the month draws to a close, additional ships arrive to bring 2^nd up to full strength. 3^rd Survey continues the study of Pangolin's extensive planetary and asteroidal bodies. As soon as ships can be spared, the many unsurveyed WP in this system will be probed. In the last few days of the month, 4^th Survey completes the detailed study of twin blue/red giant system of Crocodile, discovering one new WP. It will be probed next month. 5^th Survey finds nothing further of interest in Octopus, so moves on to Beetle.
(Notes: The Chosen and Druids continued their construction efforts. The Druids found that the type T they discovered last month is harsh and poor in resources. They also explored three WP in another system, finding a closed link into Rat that would allow them sneak in behind the Haggi fleet who didn't observe the transit. The other two both led to a binary system with one type ST and two T worlds. A battlecruiser intercepts each probe ship. Although communications are exchanged, both sides find the signal totally unintelligible.)

Year 5, Month 5
Construction of an orbital dock is started in the Pangolin system as even more colonists head out from homeworld. A small party arrives on the benign world in the Octopus system to establish our claim there. They name the planet Quintana Roo and the sister harsh world Yucatan.
The first Combat CT is completed and refits of the other fleet corvettes will commence as finances allow.
There is bad news on the diplomatic front as the Druidic Conclaves have taken offence at our diplomats attempts to win a trade deal and have ejected them along with our ambassador. They have also recalled their own ambassador for "high level discussions". This has caused much concern in parliament. If the Druids turn hostile First Confederated Talon may not be able to stop an assault given their tech advantage. In addition to this, the BrunAgi have again turned down our generous offer of a trade and military alliance, and the Barada have refused a trade deal.
1^st Survey completes the detailed study of Monkey, finding no new WP, and pausing only to complete the resource survey of the system's uninhabitable planets, heads of to Arctic Hare on the way back through homeworld on the way to the frontier beyond Gorilla.
2^nd Survey finishes the detailed survey of Kingfisher; finding nothing new, the fleet moves back through Horse to Skunk.
3^rd Survey completes the study of Pangolin's last asteroid belt. Due to the desire of parliament to secure Pangolin before the nine unexplored WP in the system are probed, 3^rd moves back through Rat into Owl on the way to the unsurveyed system of Rhea.
4^th Survey probes the unexplored WP in Crocodile and finds a single yellow star with a potentially habitable world. The fleet moves in after naming the system Lizard and begins the warp point survey, whilst cutters from the two Surveyor frigates land survey parties. Their results come in in the final week and the planet is a good find, having a pleasant climate and being rich in resources. Due to the extensive reptilian life on the planet, it is named Basilisk.
5^th Survey finds one new WP in Beetle after the rough survey is done. It deposits the probe ship in an uninhabitable orange star system that is named Snail.
(Notes: The Druids are continuing to build up their forces to attack the Chosen, who are busy increasing the defences around the known point of contact. The Druids have had no luck understanding the new aliens they discovered last month. Said aliens, the Federated Planets, have begun to survey their system for warp points.)

Year 5, Month 6
The Apollo -r1 Isis is commissioned, and warships across the Confederation continue to rotate between fleets to meet refit requirements and threat potentials. A large amount of expenditure is allocated to new construction to alleviate the chronic shortage of warships, resulting in all our shipyards being fully in use. The first WPDB2s commission in Horse.
A large colony party sets out from homeworld to the Lizard system, which is only three transits away, to establish a settlement on Basilisk.
With our assistance, our partners the Rigellian Commune have completed their research program, boosting them to the same technology level as ourselves. Unfortunately, despite our aid, they reject an offer to amalgamate our cultures. Our diplomats will continue to try and convince them of the benefits of accepting this.
2^nd Survey's rough survey of Skunk reveals no new WP, as does 4^th's of Lizard. However, 5^th Survey finds two more WP in Beetle after completing the detailed survey. Probe ships are dispatched, finding a twin red star/red dwarf system with an uninhabited terrestoid planet that we name Scorpion, and an unremarkable red star system which we name Possum. The fleet moves into Scorpion and discovers that the type T world has a harsh climate, but is exceptionally rich in mineral wealth. It will be exploited expeditiously.
(Notes: The Druids are now HT6 and will be shifting construction from BC and DD to BB and CL. They have finally managed to establish partial communications with the Federated Planets. In the second week of the month, a Druid survey ship entered the Roadrunner system via a closed WP. It detected the small Haggi population and withdrew before being detected in return.)

Year 5, Month 7
More colonists are sent to Basilisk, boosting the population to the brink of "small" status. The first colony group sets out for the new world in Scorpion, the furthest yet from homeworld at eight transits.
After petitions from survey command, the Vibrasses currently assigned to the various operational fleets will be released as soon as they can be replaced with the newly designed Fleet Scout corvette, as they would better serve the Confederation seeking new worlds than being anywhere near a battle.Fleet Scout CT: [2] SSSAAAH(I)(I)D(I)QsXr(I) [8] 3XO
Some consideration was given to replacing one armour unit with an additional drive room to give the ship the ability to move at full speed strategically with system redundancy for drive burn-out. The role of the fleet scout will be to be the eyes of the active fleets and also to skirt the edges of a battle to collect scanner information on alien tech systems.
New construction continues apace with the yards again being fully utilised.
Lynx and Jaguar, both Cat class CAs, and Blowgun, a Javelin -r2 DD, all join the fleet.
The primitive Barada still have no interest in signing a trade deal with us.
2^nd Survey finds no WP in Skunk and moves off to Pelican on the way to Viper. In Rhea, 3^rd Survey completes the rough survey, finding no WP. 4^th Survey’s luck in Lizard after the detailed survey is similar, no new WP. The fleet moves back to Crocodile, heading for Buffalo. 5^th Survey doesn’t break the cycle, also finding no new WP after the rough survey of Scorpion.
(Notes: The Druids have found a new system with a habitable planet, which is currently under investigation. Due to their need to picket the buffer system to the Federated Planets, their attack on the Chosen has had to be postponed for an unknown time, i.e. until they can scrape up two datagroups of BCs and some escorts for them. Meanwhile, the isolationist Chosen are strengthening their defences, little knowing the Druids have a closed link into the distant reaches of their system. The Federated Planets are busy reactivating scouts and surveying their home system for warp points, plus building up their reserve fleet. The BrunAgi are almost done refitting their fleet and are after some interstellar real-estate, as their home system links only to a starless nexus.)

Year 5, Month 8
The construction program is beginning to pay off. Three Cat CAs, Bobcat, Cougar and Cheetah, two Apollo -r1 CLs, Artemis and Yama, and the Javelin -r2 Uzi all join the fleet, along with the first Fleet Scout.
The first colonists arrive on Valkha, the habitable world in the Scorpion system. More are sent to join them. Along with the commencement of refits to the last three Apollo CLs and the ongoing conversion of Attack and Pursuit CTs, newly laid down construction keeps the yards full for another month.
It has been a successful month for our diplomats. The Smargis have accepted a Partnership offer, allowing us to place an outpost on their homeworld and begin to educate them. Even better than this, the Rigellian Commune has agreed to an amalgamation offer.
First Frontier Defence Force is renamed Second Confederated Talon. A new First FDF is formed at homeworld and sent off towards Pangolin.
1^st Survey completes the rough survey of Dog and breaks a cycle of disappointment with the discovery of two new WP. Probes reveal two uninhabited systems. Butterfly is a binary star system with no habitable worlds, and Tiger has a single type T world orbiting close to a red star. Some of the fleet will enter this system next month to survey this world, whilst the rest remains in Dog to complete the detailed study.
2^nd Survey enters Viper and contacts the primitive race observed back in Month 8 of Year 4. The aliens behave with a barbarity that is almost beyond belief, attacking the contact parties with primitive firearms. In the ensuing firefight, marines from the survey ships are forced to slaughter natives by the dozen in order to get the scientists to the cutters. Several aliens are captured, but most commit suicide before they can be adequately restrained. The rest refuse to communicate at all, and despite all efforts it appears that no basis for understanding can be established.
3^rd Survey completes the study of Rhea, finding the system to be a dead end, and heads off to Rat on the way to Pangolin, where it will begin the probe of that system’s nine WP as soon as First Frontier Defence Force is fully formed up.
4^th Survey arrives in Buffalo and completes the detailed survey there, finding a single new WP. A probe ship is dispatched, finding a single yellow star with one promising looking type T world amongst it’s brood. The system is named Snake and 4^th moves in.
5^th Survey finds a new WP in Scorpion. It leads to an uninteresting single star system that is called Pig. As the detailed survey of Scorpion is complete, the fleet moves back to Beetle, heading for Snail.
(Notes: The Federated Planets have discovered that both their home system’s WPs lead to Rillanon, from which the Druids contacted them. Unknown to the Druids, the Federated Planets will be attacking them in month 10 due to a ‘negotiations rejected’ roll on initial contact.
The Druids found the type T world they discovered to be normal in resources and harsh in climate.)

Year 5, Month 9
Apollo CLs Nike and Fudo, a Javelin DD Flintlock and four Fleet Scouts commission, and several other ships complete refits. New construction and refits keep the yards busy for another month.
Fourth Frontier Defence Force, less one still refitting CT, moves two systems to Chinchilla, the home system of the Rigellian Commune to provide security for the soon to be amalgamated allies. Construction Fleet 1 also arrives this month to refit the six space stations orbitting Rigel.
A new milestone has been reached, as the population on Greta, our first colony world in the Ark system, has reached large status.
In the outer marches of our domain 1^st Survey completes the detailed survey of Dog and, after finding no new warp points, heads into Tiger.
2^nd Survey finds the habitable world in Viper is very rich in minerals, although as a type ST world it is not a very pleasant place to live. Still, a system with this many minerals is well worth exploiting and the Colonisation Bureau is sure it will be attractive to the more hardy of our people. The rough survey also turns up two new warp points, which are probed immediately. One leads to a lifeless binary system which is given the name Wren. The other leads to the recently discovered system of Pig on the far side of the Confederation. Survey work continues in Viper.
3^rd Survey moves from Rat over to Pangolin and prepares to probe the nine warp points in that system.  First Confederated Talon remains in Rat, whilst First FDF under Least Claw Shinanygnz also moves to Pangolin to support 3^rd Survey.  First FDF is weak at the moment, but additional ships will be sent from homeworld shortly.
4^th Survey in Snake discovers no warp points after the rough survey. However, this disappointment is counteracted by the welcome news that the type T planet has a perfect climate and is rich in easily exploited minerals. A most useful find. This system is also only four transits from homeworld, making colonisation easy. The planet is named Cobra.
5^th Survey arrives in Beetle and completes the rough survey, finding one new WP. It will be probed as the first activity of next month.
(Notes: The Federated Planets attack fleet is now prepared to enter the Rillanon system next month and seize it from the Druids. Meanwhile, Druid survey fleets are continuing to chart their systems. In Bodmin, they have discovered four new warp points after the rough survey, and are completing the detailed survey before probing them. Their attack force is now prepared to enter the Chosen system through their distant closed warp point and destroy the Chosen fleet. By an unfortunate coincidence, this fleet will embark on its attack at the same time as the Federated planets attack them. Ouch.)

Year 5, Month 10
All available colonists on homeworld are loaded aboard transports and sent off to Cobra. On the construction side, a new orbital dock is completed above Pangolin, Tabby (Cat class), Shamash (Apollo -r1), Grenade (Javelin -r2), five new Combat CTs and a Fleet Scout are completed.  The last three Apollo CLs complete their refits to -r1 standards and several Attack CTs are now Combat class.  These ships are sent on their way to various active fleets and the few remaining vessels in need of modernisation are summoned back to the yards.
Scientists, with support from some Fortification Command officers, have requested funds for the development of a bomb-pumped laser system to aid in the protection of warp points.  Unfortunately, additional construction for the active fleet and the mothball reserves, plus ongoing development costs for infrastructure upgrades and colonisation preclude any diversion of megacredits to this project. Fortunately, our FDFs and Talons are nearly up to full mandated strength, and although Home Fleet has been weakened to facilitate this, laid down construction will soon provide us with a solid central reserve. Future construction will then go to the mothball reserves at a lower rate, freeing up funds for research. Although our scientists are not overly happy, they accept that things will soon improve.

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