The original timeline breakouts:
--------- 25 Years Ago ---------
Exploration and colonization ships of the Terran Confederation increase their penetration into Vega Sector.
On 2629.105 (3/15/2629 Terran reckoning), the exploration ship Iason encounters a spacecraft of unknown origin. Iason commander Jedora Andropolos beams the standard wideband non-verbal greeting designed by the Committee for Interaction with Alien Intelligences.
Captain Andropolos keeps Iason motionless for twenty-two minutes standard while the alien vessel waits. Finally, the alien vessel opens up with all guns, utterly destroying Iason and all hands.
--------- 20 Years Ago ---------
On 2634.186, war is formally declared by the Terran Confederation on the Empire of Kilrah for countless acts of piracy and unwarranted assault.
On 2634.228, Confederation cryptographer Ches M. Penney partially decodes the current Kilrathi cipher. The intercepted message refers to a punitive strike being launched against the Confederation, starting with the colony on McAuliffe and the space station Alexandria in orbit around it. Confederation High Command launches a couter-offensive twice the size of the anticipated enemy fleet; it is to reach McAuliffe first and ambush the attackers.
On 2634.235, the Kilrathi fleet reaches McAuliffe. It is four times the predicted size; the incomplete translation of the intercepted message had underestimated the size of the Kilrathi offensive. So begins the McAuliffe Ambush engagement.
In several days of bloody combat, the Terran fleet is all but obliterated, leaving a still-sizeable force of fuctional Kilrathi spacecraft. But the Kilrathi, momentarily daunted by the ferocity of teh Terran resistance, turn back to regroup and repair. The first large-scale Terran-Kilrathi engagement ends with the Kilrathi spearhead momentarily broken.
--------- 15 Years Ago ---------
On 2639.033, Kilrathi occupation forces land on the human-occupied world Enyo, put a quarter of a million human prisoners under orbital guns, and await Terran reprisals. So begins the Enyo Engagement, a tactical situation made difficult by the presence of so many hostages.
Phase One of the Enyo Engagement involves bringing in an attack force against teh Kilrathi fleet at Enyo. The attack force consists principally of Raptor-Class heavy fighters reconfigured to carry extra Porcupine Space Mines and practically no milssiles. The force is small enough that Kilrathi foces at Enyo are certain of victory.
The Phase One forces drop their Space Mines in one region of space near Enyo and engage the enemy. Kilrathi ships maneuver to get out of the mined region and turn their attention to destroying the invaders.
By the time the Kilrathi navigators realize that the mined region corresponds to Enyo's principal jump point, it is too late: Phase Two has begun. A single radio signal detonates all the specially-modified Porcupine mines, and moements later the remainder of the Terran fleet appears at that jump point, in the middle of the engagement.
The Terran fleet strikes first against the gunships threatening the human colonies. The enemy ships are destroyed with minimal loss of life among the colonists. Then the two fleets settle in for a pounding match.
The Enyo Engagement ends with the Kilrathi in retreat. Losses have been nearly identical between the two fleets, but the Kilrathi have been forced to abandon a strategic position.
--------- 5 Years Ago ---------
Terran ground forces launching an attack on a fortified Kilrathi colonial position are routed by unexpected Kilrathi fighter-craft support. The Terrans quickly reform and advance back into Terran space, their lightly-armed transports pursued by Kilrathi warships. TCS Tiger's Claw is detached from its previous station and sent to the Terran fleet's path.
Tiger's Claw fights a delaying action, subsequently called Custer's Carnival, to allow the Terran fleet time to reach Terran-controlled space. Though swarmed and badly damaged by Kilrathi fighter-craft, the carrier occupies the Kilrathi forces until the Terran fleet reaches safety. The Claw is able to limp back into Terran space, though three-quarters of its engines are destroyed and half its pilots are listed as casualties.
Subsequently, two Gold Stars and numerous other medals are awarded to Tiger's Claw personnel, and the carrier spends six months in spacedock being repaired and refitted.
And then the separate Tiger's Claw timeline:
Pride of the Fleet
The TCS Tiger's Claw
2642: The Confederation military command, determining that a need exists for a heavy space carrier, authorizes design of the Bengal-class carrier line. Trojan Four Spaceyards wins the assignment to build the new line of carriers.
2644: The newly-launched TCS Tiger's Claw, on its shakedown cruise, carrying a minimal spacecrew and an under-experienced command, finds itself in the path of a surprise Kilrathi invasion force. The ship's unexpected presence along the Kilrathi flight plan, clever tactics on the part of the command crew, and performance above and beyond the call of duty by the spacecrews rout the superior Kilrathi force. Shortly thereafter, Tiger's Claw is given permanent assignment in Vega Sector.
2645: The second Bengal-class space carrier, the Kipling, is launched. Owing to design modifications, the Kipling and all subsequent Bengals are 10 meters shorter and several tonnes less massive than the Tiger's Claw, making the Tiger's Claw the biggest space carrier in its class.
2649: Tiger's Claw performs a delaying action to allow Confederation transports carrying ground troops to retreat out of Kilrathi-occupied space. The engagement, known as Custer's Carnival, concludes with Tiger's Claw seriously damaged but able to return to port. The carrier is in spacedock undergoing repairs and refitting until early '50.