Strike Force Alpha

From FEInfobase

Strike Force Alpha (also known informally as "SF-A") was the codename given to the Allies second offensive task group in the Battle of Sol. It composed of roughly 1500 starships made up of Starfleet, Dominion and Klingon attack vessels and was the most destructive allied group in the battle, being credited individually with the destruction of over fifty Borg vessels and taking part in the destruction of many more.

SF-A's reputation has been built upon by Starfleet, seeking to instill passion and pride in its officers. Despite being almost completely wiped out by the end of battle, it is seen as a testament to the defiance and individuality that won the War, in start contrast to the disastrous Saturn Counter-Offensive which was an unmitigated failure.

Initial offensive

With the majority of the fleet holding back at Earth and the Saturn Defence all but wiped out, Strike Force Alpha engaged the enemy fleet in orbit of Mars in and around the massive frames of Utopia Planitia. The cluttered nature of the yard meant that the immense Borg vessels were limited in their movements whilst the smaller B'rel, Dominion Fighters, Defiant and Saber class vessels were able to maneouvre easily around the larger obstacles. Due both to this and a tenacity displayed by the crews of the strike force, the initial assault resulted in the complete destruction of twenty-six Borg vessels.

Eventually however, the Borg were able to disable a number of the attacking craft and quickly began to tear apart the spaceframes littered throughout the yard. SF-A was involved in a running firefight towards Earth, and ultimately lost just under 500 vessels as a result of the initial engagement.

Subsequent engagements

Many of the ships that survived the initial assault were used to attack the tactical cubes which opened fire on Earth midway through Day 3. Though the defence ultimately proved successful with eleven of the enemy vessels being destroyed or disabled and the remaining two herded back to the main fleet, the hardier nature of the tactical cubes meant that the loss ratio for the force noticably increased.

Notable Vessels of Strike Force Alpha

Here are listed some of those vessels which composed the task group. Only vessels with infobase entries are shown.

• USS Akira NCC-62497 (Akira-Class)

The Akira survived the battle.

• USS Challenger NCC-71099 (Galaxy-Class)

The Challenger was a group leader. She survived the battle.

• USS Galaxy NCC-70637-C (Galaxy-Class)

The Galaxy was a group leader. She survived the battle.

• USS Paisley NCC-74220 (Defiant-Class)

The Paisley was a group leader. She survived the battle though was scrapped due to damage sustained.

• USS Trojan NCC-78655 (Intrepid-Class)

The Trojan made it to Day 4 of the engagement before it's crew were forced to abandon her after she sustained heavy damage.