Editing Star Fleet Battles (section)

=== '''The WYN Star Cluster''' ===

A small side faction the WYN Cluster is a group of refugee's comprised of many races and some Orion pirates who settled into a small stellar proto-cluster near the Klingon/Lyrans/Kzinti border. They used mostly converted freighters as warships and one super up gunned Lyran DD they convert into a, no joke, "Pocket Battleship" to defend the cluster from outside forces. The stellar nebulae helps to hide the home world from the outside but it makes for desperate fights as your home-world is only a few minutes away by warp and any loss spells the doom of your people. 

The WYN Star Cluster stands as a huge (50 parsecs diameter) beacon marking the point where the Klingon, Lyran, and Kzinti borders meet. The rich planets are surrounded by a thin shell of intensely radioactive dust. A Kzinti captain who plunged into the radiation shell to deny the Klingons his badly damaged ship found instead a bountiful planetary system rather then certain death, as the shell was only a few light years thick, but it blocked all outside sensors. Over time more and more refugee's came to the system and after offering assistance and trade some Orion Prirates started to call it home as well. Eventually all the worlds were settled and the WYN Cluster announced itself to the galaxy so of course the Klingon's immediately attacked but thanks to the effect of the radiation shell their ships were disabled and after a ferocious defense by some pirate ships who were near-by and what ever forces the WYN's could scrape up the tattered Klingon survivors retreated.

The WYN position is perfect for defense for two reasons. First any ship coming through the radiation belts would be disoriented for a considerable period. Until the effects of the radiation wore off, invading ships would suffer continuous computer and electronic malfunctions that drastically reduced their effectiveness in combat. The small WYN fleet, which would have been blasted to dust in high space, could easily handle intruders disoriented by the radiation. In game ships attacking the WYN cluster start the battle with major penalties that decrease every turn. This allows the WYN players slow and under gunned ships to get some hurt in before the real warships can fight back but it only lasts a few turn so make the most of it.

The second reason for WYN defensive success was that none of the bordering empires could afford to see the others gain control. The WYN Cluster was richer by far in rare minerals and metals than any other region of space. Time and again, Kzinti ships prevented the Klingo-Lyran alliance from overwhelming the cluster, and more than once Klingon or Lyran ships helped keep the Kzintis at bay.

I would consider the WYN's to be a sub-faction of the Orions but without the engine doubling. They have weapon mounts for flexibility and the larger Armed Freighter is rather dangerous with it's cargo being replaced by a huge power reactor and Phasers.  Still a freighter though and it can't really take punishment and keep on fighting. The captured Lyran ships are some of your best warships but due to all the overhauls their BPV's are quite expensive but if your facing a real warship they'd be your go to with the Pocket BB being a ridiculous ship that has a battleships firepower and the maneuverability of a destroyer. The in lore explanation is that all WYN are designed to be used for a limited time as they only fight to defend the cluster and never have to leave their home space so things like crew space and science station are a luxury they cannot afford.

Over all the WYN's are an interesting race with some fun ships but they are very limited in their selection and play-style as freighters, no matter how many guns you strap onto them, are still freighters and the converted ships are overpriced for their size and only Lyran's. You can grab a Orion Pirate ally if needed as well.

The WYN slogan is "If you save the Cluster then today IS a good day to die."  

So play like it. The armed freighters are 100% disposable and every battle might be the end so fight hard and never give up. 

Historically the WYN Cluster did survive the General War but it's fate after the Andromedan Invasion is unknown. Given the radiation belt I'd guess the Andro's would stay out as their PA's would overload before they made it through to the cluster. But that's not official cannon just my opinion.