LaFong timeline

A timeline based on references made in Wing Commander I and II: The Ultimate Strategy Guide. Note: Contains all direct references, but also attempts to work with references of time made in the book. May or may not fit with other timelines exactly. For Venice and Goddward, Firekkans campaign it uses the dates given in several timelines, and works backwards or forwards in some spots. it also incorporates a few dates from Star*Soldier as well.

This timeline is notable in that it places the start of the Vega Campaign and Enyo between August and September of 2654 (long after the Pilgrim Uprising, even past many of the Wing Commander Academy tv show episodes, and certainly after the date given in the manual for Super Wing Commander, and at the start of the original WC1 of 2654.110). For an alternative LaFong based timeline see Bible timeline which written and narrated by LaFong had a few alternate dates in places (or may require what he said in the guide to be reinterpreted, ad it starts Vega Campaign earlier around 2654.85).

Timeline

1851

The Academy Honor Code is developed at Annapolis.

1951

Women are allowed into the Naval Academy.

c. 2489

The previous great famous historical work.

2609

Paladin is born.

2623

"Iceman" Casey is born.

2627

LaFong is born..

2632

Paladin begins his combat pilot career.

2633

LaFong begins his education.

2634

The war officially begins, academy becomes a training ground for combat pilots and support personnel.

War Powers Act of 2634.

First attack by Confederation pilots on massive enemy ships.

2635

Halcyon begins fighting the Kilrathi..

2636

Enyo Engagement officially begins. Raymond Blakely designs a strategy that will ultimately defeat the Kilrathi by 2639.

Blakely becomes LaFong's hero.

2637

Many lives are starting to be impacted by the war.

2638

All women wings are not allowed at this time.

2639

The Enyo Engagement ends. Kilrathi abandon the system.

2643

Last time Raymond Blakely flew a mission.

2644

Shakedown cruise of the Tiger's Claw, battle of Custer's Carnival.

Tiger's Claw spends six months in spacedock for repairs.

2647

Blair ends his first 14 years of education.

2650

Enemy activity was sporadic.

2651

LaFong and Marshall's first year of training at the Academy in mid-August.

2652

Second half of Year 1 begins in January.

Year 1 ends, and LaFong goes on summer vacation.

Marines discover the Firekkan culture.

Doomsday starts his career as a fighter pilot.

Second year of training at the Academy, in September.

2653

Last half of Second Year starts in January. No summer vacation classes continue.

On the Tiger's Claw, Halcyon leads pilots such as James Kuhmalo, James Taggart, Jeanette Devereaux, and Michael Casey who all carried reputations as most professional and effective pilots of the war.

LaFong and Marshall and others begin their third year of flight training on the TCS Formidable (in mid-August). This includes six months of flight training.

LaFong sees his parents while stationed on the Formidable.

2654

Formidable enters a system in the Vega Sector (around January) where the second half of OJT takes place providing support for the the war effort.

.060-.90

Bossman's baby is born in march. The last time Bossman saw his wife Chen and his baby daughter when she was born.

.110

This is the publishing date of Claw Marks. It is the date from WC1 for Enyo (or any campaign starting from scratch including Goddard or Firekka), but is not fit in LaFong's timeline. LaFong was still on board the Formidable at this time.

.140

Date given for th TCSO tour on the Tiger's Claw in the ad in the back of Claw Marks. This would roughly corresponds to Port Hedland in the game (in which TCSO is mentioned, but is one of the main losing streak paths through the game). But there are potentially other issues. Reference in the guide would seemingly place a TCSO tour many months beyond .140.

.213-.244

LaFong transfers to the Claw, and travels to Enyo one day later. Note: This is only rough estimate based on the 3 years date of Academy plus Formidable and that academy began roughly in August (as September is mentioned as following month).

.286

The Final Assault: Preparation for Victory

.287

Venice (Tiger's Claw and Eagle's Talon assist each other)

.326

Goddard is attacked.

2655

Goddard campaign ends.

Firekkan campaign.

Caernarvon station was originally an Intergalactic Science Council (ISC) research outpost, the scientific staff are sent to a new facility in another sector. The new TCSN staff convert it into a monitoring and reconnaissance station for the Enigma Sector of Space.

2656

Tiger's Claw is destroyed.

One week later, LaFong goes on trial on the TCS Austin.

Maniac spends months on the TC Austin, and then sent elsewhere for therapy.

2657

A Treacherous Hero is published.

2658

A treacherous Hero goes off the best sellers list.

Maniac is feed from two years of therapy.

Maniac saves the entire strike fleet in Deneb Sector when he forced two Ralatha to collide in space.

2664

Jalkehi and Grikath are introduced by the Kilrathi Empire causing pilots to have to approach dogfights with a new respect. They introduced rear turrets as a new danger. Other technologies changed the situation as well.

2666

Note: If Claw is destroyed in 2656 this would be the real 'ten years later' (likely towards the end of the year).

LaFong transfers over to the Concordia after ten years on Caernavon Station.

2667

Two months after leaving the Caernavon Station, the K'Tithrak Mang is destroyed.

2669

LaFong retires and leaves the Concordia as a Lt. Colonel.

2689

Illusions is published.

2698

Tristan Roberts contacts LaFong and they start designing the two Wing Commander holo-vids

2700

73 year old LaFong writes and publishes The Memoirs of Lieutenant Colonel Carl T. LaFong at the end of the 27th century.

2701

Marshall publishes Me, which is compared to Armstrong and LaFong's works.

Notes

• David Johnson's four volume Intergalactic War was said to be 'finest historical work in the last two hundred years.
• The Academy years begen around mid-August of one year, a small winter vacation inbetween, and new classes in January. he was there for three years from 2651. This roughly places him on the Claw around mid-August three years later (2654.2).
• Towards the end of 2654, it had been more than 2 years since LaFong had been able to take a vacation.
• LaFong spent a year on the formidable.
• Each mission takes place over the course of about a day. So if there are 3 missions he spends at least three days in the system. The amount of time between missions is rarely specifically mentioned, but usually is a day to few days.
• The amount of time it takes to jump between systems is not mentioned or known.
• Towards the end of his time on the formidable he says he had a few days before he and Maniac would be transferred to the Tiger's Claw (there are some issues with this and how and when Maniac made it to the claw in other sources).
• Unclear amount of time on the Tiger's claw in Ardai System after he left the Formidable, but appears to be about a day, and then learning about the attack on Enyo, and then jumping there three days later (briefings start at 0800 hours the next day (4th day). Mission two is set to take place the next day.
• No specific amount of time given between Enyo and McAuliffe. Though the guide does say its a 'few weeks' in the Between Missions notes, suggest its probably 2-3 weeks, or not much more than a month between both sets of missions.
• No specific amount of time between McAulliffe 1, 2, and 3. During 3 it is mentioned that they are scheduled to jump out of system the following day.
• Between McAulliffe and Gateway it states that they had been on the claw for their 'first few weeks'. No specific time given when Gateway starts however.
• There is at least 12 days between Gateway and first mission of Port Hedland (going by the number of missions between Gateway, Gimle, Brimstone, and Chengdu, and at least another 3 days in Dakota before Port Hedland 1 begins).
• No specific time given between Gateway and Gimle. Mission 1 appears to have occurred on the first day there however. No specific time given for the period between mission 1 and 2, and 2 and 3. A couple of hours pass afterwards in which they hear about attack on Brimstone.
• Brimstone occurred shortly after Gimle, but no specific time given for how much time it took to jump there. No specific times given between missions. But it does imply that they leave shortly after the last mission in the system.
• Chengdu took place over a 'few days'.
• Between Chengdu and Dakota the Claw stops for supplies. No specific time given for time spent, or how long to reach Dakota. But it does suggest that
• No specifics for when or how long the missions took place in Dakota.
• TCSO show occurs after first mission of Port Hedland, so likely same day. Timing of second mission, or third is not known.
• Time between Port Hedland and Kurasawa not given. Bossman's daughter was born 'last march'.
• No specifics given for how much time took place between each at Kurasawa.
• No specifics for how much time to jump to Rostov. Second mission appears to have occurred a day after the first mission. Time time between second and third is not given (but reference to 'daily' suggests that a few days had passed between them).
• The time when the Claw is Hubble's Star with the Talon is not specific. It's not clear how much time passed between Rostov.
• It mentions in middle of Rostov that Maniac and LaFong only graduated a 'few months ago' (this is likely a reference to leaving the Formidable, rather than the Academy, as they were on Formidable a year).
• It's not clear how much time passed between Rostov and then and Venice.
• Final Assault section takes place one day before Venice Mission 1. How much time passed between each mission in Venice is not known.
• It appears that it places the start of Operation Thor's hammer only about a few days after Venice. There is unspecified amount of time in between, but at one point he mentions they will be jumping the next day.
• LaFong states he had only been in space for 18 months at the end of the Goddard campaign. It's hard to tell if he was counting his time on the Formidable, and Claw both, or just his time on the Claw. If he spent about a year on the formidable, that would make him about six months on the Claw. If he was a year on the claw, it would make him about six months on the Formidable. Or was it divided 9 months on each? He does seem to suggest he was on the formidable for a year, which would mean six months between the Formidable and Goddard.
• Depending on how things are split:

• Assuming the time on Formidable was a full year (as mentioned a few times), and one academic year begins mid-august then potentially LaFong might have joined the Claw in mid-August 2654 (.213-.243/.244-.273). Venice ends in .287 which is about two months after August, Goddard begins on .326 which is in November about two months later. But it may have carried in over into the new year.
• From there one can working back about 18 months starting from December 2654. That would mean he boarded the Formidable about July (2653.182-.212) or August (2653.274-.243). However, if Goddard began in say late January early February 2655, then he would have joined the Formidable in September (2653.244-.273), and Tiger's Claw in September (2654.244-.273). Either way it doesn't seem that 2654.110 (April) from the game itself is utilized. However, more months or dates from the book may be missing in this calculation. If one calculates August 2653 into it, it would still be later than April, when he joined the crew.
• If its from august-september to august-September for each year of 1-3, following august/September 2654, that leaves six months later, which would place the end of Goddard in January-February 2655.

• Firekkans were discovered 'several years' before late 2654/early 2655. Three years before 2655? 2652.
• Tiger's Claw travels to Enigma a 'few weeks' after Firekka. Doomsday became a combat pilot 4 years before.
• It had been more than 16 hours since LaFOng's last drink when he first saw the cloaked ships, and another hour when the Claw was attacked. Halcyon, Lefty, Shotglass, and 750 others killed. Angel, Iceman, and a few others survived. They rejoined on the Austin.
• He is restricted to quarters for 24 hours.
• His trial was about one week after the destruction of the Claw. He visited Maniac one last time before heading to Caernaven (there is a trip back to earth as seen in the game before heading to Caernaven, meeting Tolwyn).
• 2664 appears to be when the book suggests WC2 takes place, but this is only about 8 years after the Claws destruction (other timelines suggest WC2 takes place around 2667 about 11 years after).

• The intent may have been to have Goddard and possibly Firekka both ending in December 2654, and even destruction of Tiger's Claw towards the end of the month. Such that ten years would pass to 2664. Only the reference to Spirits fiancé's capture happening 11 years before puts a small wrinkle in that idea, suggesting that things have to be at least 2665 between WC2 and Firekka mission (which would have to mean LaFong was rounding by one every time mentions 10).
• Later sources place Firekka into 2655, destruction of the claw into 2656, and destruction of K'Tithrak Mang 10-11 years on 2667.

• 10 years after Claw's destruction date, coincides with 2666.
• Spirit's fiancé was captured a 11 years before on about 2655 (this fits with 2666 date).
• Angel and LaFong shared many experiences in the last 11 years, his first mission in the sector was 10 years ago. He had been flying on the Concordia for the last two months.
• One month later jump into Deneb Sector to visit Maniac.

• Assuming that at least two weeks between his time on the claw up to Gateway. That jumps take at least a day depending where Jump points are located in relation between systems, does the Claw have to make a detour to reach certain locations. There is at least 1 day per mission (other than where more than one day is implied), while in some cases it might be possible for there to be more than one mission per day, this does not appear to be the usual intent. There is perhaps a week or two on the claw before enyo, the claw spends about 3 days to get to Enyo, 2 days in Enyo, 1 days to jump to McAuliffe (there is a direct route), 3 days of missions there, perhaps an extra day for the 'between missions', 1-2 days to get to get to Gateway (two jump points 'back'), 3 days in Gateway, 2-3 days to get Gimle likely going to have to jump back to enyo, then McAuliffe to Gimle (extra jump) or via brimstone to Gimle (shorter distance), 3 days at Gimle. 1 day trip to Brimstone, 3 days at brimstone. 1 day trip to Chengdu, 3 days of missions, at least 1 day for 'between missions'; LaFong is at HQ for a few days over this time training new pilots (where is HQ?, and how long did it take to get there and back? Assume a week for the whole period?). 1-2 days to Dakota (shortest distance is via Brimstone to Dakota). 3 days of missions at Dakota. 1-2 days to jump to Port Hedland (via Brimstone or via Rostov), 3 days of missions there (plus a few maybe, 2-3 days 'daily' between missions 2 and 3), meanwhile LaFong is on a Drayman trip to Planck's Star (only one jump away, so unlikely to impact time by much). 1-2 days to Kurasawa (shortest distance is through Rostov to Kurasawa, long way is Brimstone through Dakota to Kurasawa), 3 days of missions there, perhaps 1 day visit with Della Guardia. 1 day jump to Rostov, 3 days of missions, and 1 day of between missions, 1 day to Hubble Star, 1 mission there. 1-2 days to reach Venice (via Rostov), 1 day of preparation, 4 days of missions there.

• Added together this adds up to roughly 60-73 days on the high end (depending on if there is 1-2 weeks before enyo), or about two months (which would fit the first 'few weeks' at McAuliffe and the later 'few months' statement at Rostov.) If he joined the Claw in August (.213), this would place Venice about (.273-.286), just short of .287 of the confirmed timelines (but padding extra 1-14 days throughout would be fine, these might correspond to a few extra weeks before Enyo, maybe several extra days in Chengdu (to figure for travel time from HQ back to Chengdu), or downtime between individual missions here or there. or by simply shaving off a few day at the beginning, and moving it closer to mid-August would correct the timing.
• With this information it is then possible to create a rough calendar of events up to Venice (purely guestimates, but would give a certain idea of about which days of the month each mission begins).
• Venice begins and ends in October.
• Another thing to note is that the timeline as presented by LaFong places the majority of these events after most of the Wing Commander Academy (tv series) with the exception of Word of Honor/Price of Victory and perhaps Glory of Sivar, which take place after Venice but before Goddard.

• Following the same procedure it is possible to work forward from the given starting date for Goddard (2654.326, or late November) date to find approximate date for when each mission began, and its approximate ending. Leave for Goddard 1 day after the announcement, perhaps 1 day for jump about, plus 2 days of mission. 1 day to Border Zone, plus 2 days of missions. 1 day jump to Midgard, and 2 days of missions. 1 day jump to Jotunheim, plus 3 days of missions, and possibly 1 day of between missions. 1 day to jump to BiFrost, plus 3 days of missions. 1 day jump to Valguard, plus 2 days of missions. 1 day jump to Vigrid, plus 2 days of missions. This adds up to about 22 days (or about .348, or about mid-December), this is about five months after leaving the formidable. However, following the mission he says he has been in space for 18 months. This would mean several things, he was on Formidable for little more than a year (an extra month for example), or that Goddard was likely stretched several more days to take place over a bit more than a month, or he was giving the approximate number of months, or when he made those thoughts a couple of weeks had passed since the last combat mission. Also noting that even the Vega Campaign may have had up to 13 extra days as well depending on how each system was split, and his time on the claw before entering Enyo (which each of these unaccounted days could add up to an extra month, and push things to 18 months).

WC1 Game Script Details

• Enyo mission 2 takes place on the following day after Mission 1 according to Shotglass (characters refer to pilot flying with Spirit 'yesterday').
• McAuliffe 1, Been flyin’ fighters for twenty-odd years...
• McAuliffe 2, Bossmann has been a pilot for 17 years.
• McAuliffe 2...major offensive, so we’re expecting several supply ships within the next 48 hours.
• Gateway 3...we’ll be pulling out from Gateway tomorrow, but before we do, we’ve got a few tankers and ’sports coming in. Since yesterday’s attack on the Tiger’s Claw.
• Gimle 3/Chengdu 2...Casey ran into Dakhath a couple of years ago, near Planck’s Star.
• Gimle 3/Chengdu 2...You hear what they’re sayin’ in Blue Devil Squadron? Word is, one of their boys ran into Dakhath on patrol yesterday.
• Port Hedland 1...I know you’re all excited about tomorrow’s TCSO show, but…
• Heard about the TCSO show? I hear the Bob Hope holo’s a riot. I love ol’ Ski-nose. Retired almost five centuries ago, but you can’t keep a good comic down.
• Hubble's Star 1...We’re scheduled to leave Hubble’s Star tomorrow.
• Venice 2... hear you ran into Khajja the Fang out there yesterday.

WC2 game details

• Game: 2665.110 (during the first mission is a reference to the 2654.110 date)
• Manual: 2664.128 Joan's Fighting Spacecraft Note: this is likely where the reference to 2664 comes from in the Guide.