Putting this here due to restructure of original post:

I posted a less detailed version of this somewhere around page 30 and wanted to bring it up again as a possible way to kick this thing off come the day. There are, of course, many ways this could change or be rendered pointless given how little hard data we actually have to go on at the moment.

Idea the first:

I am generally not in favor of splitting ourselves up (or at least not too much). In the interest of limiting the numerical superiority of the Vanduul I think we should mass at Nul and head right for Caliban. Simple, direct, and we have other places to go once we clear out the space bacon that's there.

I really have only one reservation with the direct approach: We don't know if the Vanduul will move their forces between systems to fight us. If they don't - for whatever reason - we can just go about crashing into one system after another until we're all sitting in our hangars looking at the spaces where our ships used to be. If they do move forces around we could end up with a space version of the Alamo in a few systems. That brings me to my next idea.

The second idea:

If the Vanduul will move between systems to gnaw on our bones before mounting them in their halls, Tiber will be a problem. Notes on the map suggest a large presence of space bacon there that will have to be dealt with at some point. I think we should kick things off by hitting Vendetta from Kellog and Virgil from Vega. Once the Kellog and Vega wings draw a chunk of whatever's around Tiber away, we pounce on it from Garron. If it works, whoever's left rallies at Tiber.

We'd have a couple of options at that point. We could all drive straight to Orion, or send a chunk of the fleet around to hit Caliban as well.

I don't like splitting our forces, but clearing out Vendetta, Virgil, and Tiber would leave our rear safe and keep the bacony bastards in front of us in hopes of avoiding the space Alamo. It would also give us a chance to deal with Tiber somewhat on our own terms. If the space Alamo can't actually happen though, we just smash one system at a time.

Again, all of this is subject to change as we learn more, scout around the border, etc.

Thoughts?

Sorry Hike figured your proposal Plan should also get its own thread for review from the community. Can't keep your Proposal Hidden for very long.

I share your fondness for keeping our forces together but I'm not sure zerging Vanduul systems is the best way to go. The Vanduul don't seem interested in protecting planets, so they could very well dodge your zerg and refuse to meet you in open battle. Be it a clan, a couple or all of them, they have no real reason to face a "blob" of enemy units that will most likely run dry of supplies and suffer from attrition the more time they stay in hostile territory.

The Vanduul already demonstrate a tendency to refuse open battle (specially when the odds are against them) and seem very prone on guerrilla tactics. You move a big army through their territory and you'll find yourself having paid a king's ransom in lives and materials with not much to show for.

If they get out of our way, all the easier it will be to get to and take Orion. Orion is the objective, not destroying the Vanduul.

Though if we get to Orion quick and easy because of this, we all might have to jump to Tiber. THAT will definitely be a fight.

I like moving on the Nul-Caliban-Orion axis, but that's because that is identical to my plan.