(S_.0) X-RAID (Y181)
by Ahmad Abdel-Hameed, Washington

By the middle of the General War, it was becoming clear to all of the races that frigates were just too small to survive the fury of full-scale fleet combat. Still, they were built in large numbers; partly because they were cheap and the shipyards were already in place, and partly because they could still readily function in less critical roles. The Federation (and several other races) often placed them in groups of up to four to patrol border areas and intercept raiding ships. When enemy tactics or technologies would change, they were often the first to have to deal with the resulting surprises. Due to a number reasons, this encounter was to be their last surprise.

(S_.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the Federation player and the Klingon player.
(S_.2) INITIAL SET UP
FEDERATION: 4*FFG start within 5 hexes of 2230, heading A, speed max, WS-III
KLINGON: DX starts within 5 hexes of 3201, heading D, speed max, WS-III
(S_.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: THe scenario continues until all units of one side have been captured, destroyed, or have disengaged.
(S_.4) SPECIAL RULES
(S_.41) MAP: The map is fixed. The Klingon player may only disengage by crossing the xx01 or xx30 map edges.
(S_.42) SHUTTLES AND PFs: Shuttles and PFs will have warp booster packs.
(S_.421) MRS shuttles may be purchased [up to the limits in (J8.5)] under (S_.431). Though only the DX is qualified to carry one.
(S_.422) If using EW fighters, one fighter in any squadron of eight or more can be an EW fighter. If not using EW fighters, it will be a standard fighter of the most common type in the squadron.
(S_.423) PFs are available as balance items in certain varients.
(S_.43) COMMANDERS OPTION ITEMS
(S_.431) Each ship can purchase additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (e.g. T-bombs, extra marines, etc.) up to 20% of its combat BPV. See (S3.2) for details and exceptions.
(S_.432) All drones are speed 32. The DX can carry any number of type VII or type VIII drones. Each drone-armed ship can purchase special drones up to the historical racial percentages as part of the Commander's Option Items. Note that (S3.2) allows drone ships extra points for this purpose.
(S_.433) PRIME TEAMS: If the players wish to use the optional rules for Prime Teams (G32.0), the DX may buy one team with its commander's options.
(S_.44) REFITS: The FFGs have all available refits.
(S_.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Klingon player gets points for the following scenario endings. If all of the Federation ships have been destroyed or have disengaged, the Klingon player is considered to have satisfied the condition of crossing the xx30 map edge.

4-Disenegaging by crossing the xx30 map edge uncrippled.
2-Disengaging by crossing the xx30 map edge crippled.
-1/2 for each crippled FFG left on the map.
-1 for each uncrippled FFG left on the map.
-2 for Disengaging by crossing the xx01 map edge while crippled.
-4 for being destroyed.
[This section is unfinished.]
(S_.6) VARIATIONS: This kind of event happened frequently, both in the General War and in previous conflicts. The scenario can be played again under different conditions by making one or more of the following changes.
(S_.61) Replace the existing forces with 4*EF [Is that what the Early Years frigate is called?] and a D6. Set the year at 134.
(S_.62) Replace the existing forces with an F5L, 2*F5K, E4K and a Federation CX.
(S_.63) Replace the existing forces with
KZINTI: MCC, 2*CM
LYRAN: BCH, PF group
(S_.7) BALANCE: The scenario can be balanced between players of different skill levels by one or more of the following changes.
(S_.71) Add an FFS to the Federation side.
(S_.72) Add 2*G-1 PFs to the Klingon side.
(S_.8) TACTICS
FEDERATION: The Klingon player has a lot of advantages, but you do have more firepower than he does. Even with all of its fancy technology, the DX is still just a cruiser and takes damage like one. If you can generate significant internal damage to him with minimal losses to yourself, he will be forced to slow down and that's when you have him. During your reload turns, you may be able to use massed scatterpacks to drive him away from you while you are vulnerable.
KLINGON: You can do a lot to make the Federation player react to you. They can be fast, but you are faster. You can readily rearm your weapons and move at high speeds. You should have significant EW advantages at any point in the game. They have relatively thin shields that you should be able to penetrate at will at ranges 15-22. Still, they can pack quite a punch and the map is rather small. You may find yourself doing some fancy dancing to keep them off of you.

DESIGNER’S NOTES: It is entirely possible that I designed this scenario because I thought the name was cool. :P

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 05:45 am: Edit

I'm not sure I understand the mission of the Frigates...are they trying to disengage out one side?

I'ld also commend you opt for a more realistic 2 FFG, 1 FFD & 1 FFS squadron, partly because the special sensors can counter-act the EW advantage of the DX and partly because it's more realistic.

I also think you'll find the YFF to be the early years Federation Frgate.

I'm also not entirely convinced that a 250 BPV Klingon DX will go down to Four FFGs ( 300 BPV ) even at WS-III.
Klingon Ph-1 Swordfish can harm the FFGs with some damage (set to R5 but timed to jump range to R4) so that using the G-rack as an ADD-8 will not be able to stop the damage...conversely the rapid pulsing of Klingon Phasers makes it unlikely that even a wave of four type IVF drones would be a threat ( although 16 uning SP might be ). Also note that the Klingon can hold overloads for the cost of standard making the ship very deadly against the frigates; at R8 her Disruptors alone will generate 36 points of damage if she can capitalise on a negative shift. The Feds have to pay for EW so many times over that they are unlike to actually be able to chase down the DX...not saying it's impossible, just that the DX has the huge advantage of Force Dynamics where in it's paying 8 EW and 4 H.K and the Feds will be paying 24 EW and 10 H.K. and be on the back foot (and having an MC of 1.33) and with reserve power the DX has (15 points...I don't recall) and the FFGs have a grant total of 8, none of which can be loaned to the ship that needs it. About the Only hope the Feds have is ECM drones lasting long enough to escape...but I could be wrong.


You might also consider using a Floating map ( for realism ) and then place facing restrictions on the disengagmgnet rules (C7.0). E.g the DX being increadibly fast (or atleastrhumoured to be so) the Federation vessels may only disengage by distance in headings A, B, C or D. The Klingon may disengage by any means but only when facing in heading E or F.

By Ahmad Abdel-Hameed (Madarab) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 01:24 pm: Edit

Michaelcampbell, you raise several points. I used 4*FFG for the Federation forces for a couple of reasons. First it's not clear that FFDs were still being produced that late in their war as their effectiveness is rather limited. Likewise, an FFS costs significantly more strategically (which isn't reflected in their BPV value) and had at least a marginal usefullness in fleet roles, and would therefore be more limited for such low priority assignments. By that late in the General War, there would be huge surpluses of FFGs that needed to be used one way or the other.

Thank you for the YFF comment. I'll make sure to change it in the next draft. I may need to change the year for that variant as well.

How many swordfishes can the DX carry? They have two Gx racks with a capacity of 12 drones total. It seems to me they could only have 1 in the racks and 2 reloads. (Did I calculate that right?) While they're nice, will their limited numbers make that much of a difference?

The primary mission of the frigates is to prevent the DX from exiting the map via the xx30 hex row. All of the victory conditions are given in terms of the Klingon player's success in disengaging in that manner and not leaving too many ships behind him to cut off his access to supplies needed to make it back home after raiding the Federation rear areas. Do I need to rewrite that some to make it more clear?

While the DX can do considerable damage to one FFG at range 8, it can neither completely destroy one at that range nor can it safely enter that range without at least a +2 EW shift or it will take significant damage itself. If I were playing the Feds in this scenario, I would happily pay for maximum ECCM if I could lure the DX into range 8 or less (and shoot the bloody ECM drone first).

I purposely made the map fixed. It reflects both the time restrictions the DX is under during the raid and the narrow path that it's taking towards the unseen soft targets in the rear areas. This also makes it much, much harder for the DX to simply dance around and beat up the frigates at range 15.

Thank you for your comments. They've exposed some weaknesses that I'll be fixing when I revise the scenario.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 02:29 pm: Edit

Ahmad Abdel-Hameed:

What you need to do is sit down and play it against yourself. Look at the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two sides. There is always a problem matching small ships against one big ship.

Basically, the only chance the Frigates have is to go straight in with overloads and try to get to range one (at least), otherwise they have no chance at all. The EW situation is unmanageable simply because the FFs cannot generate EW, hold overloaded photons, and move (2.5 housekeeping, four points holding overloads, six points for EW, leaves 3.5 points of power or a speed of ten).

The FFs HAVE to spend Commander's Options for Boarding parties, as with seven transporters and 24 (normally) to up to 38 (if the ten extra, plus two extra commando and two extra heavy weapons squads are bought) boarding parties the DX has a real chance of overwhelming the defenders of any one Frigate.

You may also need to seriously consider putting a time limit on the scenario, as given an infinite amount of time, the Frigates are dead no matter what they do (short of disengaging). Obviously you want the frigates to fight (or you do not have an interesting scenario, i.e., just having them run in four different directions while the DX then has to run them down before a given number of turns passes is no fun for either side).

Further, the name of the scenario does not work, as this is not a raid (the raid is the OBJECTIVE, i.e., the reason the DX has to fight past this apparent screening force, so this battle is not the X-Raid).

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 02:59 pm: Edit

The DX just crushes the FFGs.

R8 (ignoring phasers, which just tilts this more towards the DX):

FFGs generate 6 ECCM (somehow, as SPP points out they don't have the power to do this very well) + 3 ECM from ECM drone.

DX generates 7 ECM + 1 ECCM + 3 loaned ECM from ECM drone. (Remember, X-Ships can buy 8 EW.)

FFGs fire 6 Photons at -2 to hit for FFGs. Average: 1 Photon hits for 16 damage on a 40pt #1 shield.

DX fires 6 Disruptors at -1 to hit. Average: 4 hit for 24 pts of damage on a 18pt shield.

More bad news for FFGs:
1. FFGs fire at R8 and the DX doesn't. Now it gets close are really savages the FFGs.
2. FFGs don't fire at R8 but the DX does. DX now turns out/HETs and runs away. Repeat next turn.
3. FFGs don't generate 6 ECCM (probable) so the DX can free up enough EW capability to counter the ECM drone. Then all 6 hit (-1 to hit for an X-Ship with more ECCM than target's ECM).
4. Turn 2; FFGs have unloaded photons. DX lights up another FFG with overloads. Probably at R1-4 for 48 damage (on a 18pt shield).

FFGs have to play a perfect game, the DX has to make mistakes, AND the FFGs need to have lucky photon dice to have any chance.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 03:31 pm: Edit

Gary Bear:

Like I said, there needs to be a time limit to force the DX to fight hard, i.e., get close, but at the same time something that makes it effectively impossible for the four FFs to simply scatter in four different directions at maximum speed to keep the DX from killing them all.

Balancing scenarios is always tricky, and sometimes it is just not possible.

By Ahmad Abdel-Hameed (Madarab) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 06:35 pm: Edit

Gunner, Petrick, you're absolutely correct. I didn't realize the DX could so easily generate a +2 shift against it. Even adding an FFS wouldn't solve things for the Feds as it could at best loan ECCM to two of the frigates. Some things just aren't meant to be.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 06:58 pm: Edit

It is probable that in late war there wouldn't be any front line pure frigate squadrons but perhaps DW squadrons augmented with a frigate or perhaps and NCL leading a pair of DD's.

A tough balance though. You definately need a scout.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 07:09 pm: Edit

Don't get hung up on DX vs. 3xFFGs. You're just trying to get a fun/playable scenario for your cool title "X-Raid".

You've got 3 questions to answer:

1. What WOULD a X-Ship Raid? That can help set your scenario.

2. What is a viable opposition for the X-Ship? Viable meaning some combination of units that would be reasonable to be at a raided location and be a playable battle vs. the X-Ship.

3. Scenario conditions. This can be both for balance and for setting your scenario to make it truly a Raid vs. just a battle.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 07:55 pm: Edit

You could put in a planet and have a Frigate squadron happen to be in system at the time.

Make on a Battle Frigate as leader for fun.

This might be a clean up raid to take down a possible supply node that has a ComPlat and a small PDU.

You can out BPV the DX if the DX doesn't have to destroy everything to win. Perhaps it need only destroy the ComPlat and the Warning Station.

The Frigate Squadron arrives at the same time which is the problem for the DX who was planning of finishing the mission before Federation reinforcements arrive.

Of course, if you don't like that I may do one up myself and call it "The Price of a Ticket."

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:10 pm: Edit

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Quote:

FFGs fire 6 Photons at -2 to hit for FFGs. Average: 1 Photon hits for 16 damage on a 40pt #1 shield.

DX fires 6 Disruptors at -1 to hit. Average: 4 hit for 24 pts of damage on a 18pt shield.

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Even adding an FFS wouldn't solve things for the Feds as it could at best loan ECCM to two of the frigates.

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This might be a clean up raid to take down a possible supply node that has a ComPlat and a small PDU.

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By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:16 pm: Edit

You could also illiminate the ecm advantage of the X ship. Since its a klingon x ship it could be sabotage by a malcontent crewmember, It could be the first actual combat mission of this x ship and its ew station isn't working, thus giving the possibility that the ff's could actually have an ew advantage when normally they wouldn't. But giving the x ship a mission for it to stay in the combat area would be a must.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - 10:37 pm: Edit

FOr SFB you have to remember that the scenario should be balanced without EW as many people don't use the EW rules.

By Ahmad Abdel-Hameed (Madarab) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 01:08 am: Edit

Gunner, an X-ship running a raid isn't particularly different from any other ship (especially a DNL) doing the same mission. Four frigates was a magic number because of their command rating (though you could add a scout) and I kind of wanted to do write something that allowed the players to use a lesser-regarded ship in a meaningful way.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 10:39 am: Edit

Try this.
A Klingon shuttle has hidden it'self in an asteroid feild and all the near by ships are searching for it because it contains an important Klingon Officer who they wich to...err...ummm...interveiw.
Eight asteroid counters are laid out (as allowed in the set up rules).
The Federation vessels need to develop 40 points of scientific information about each asteroid to determine if it is hidding or not hidding the shuttle. The Klingons need just 10. With each asteroid counter a die roll is made and a result of 6 indicates the shuttle is there. If the first seven don't yeild the shuttle then the eighth must carry it.
The Feds have each corner and the DX starts somewhere in the middle-ish. The Feds have an FFD, FFS and 2 FFGs and the Klingons have a DX that has dashed forth to try to recapture the shuttle and the officer. Other vessels such as a CLa+ and an NCA will arrive soon.

In this way you get a fixed map and time limit and the DX can't just systematically hunt down the frigates, one at a time, because the asteroids need to be investigated to avoid the Feds capturing the shuttle and once the shuttle/C.U. is aboard the Klingon needs to leave with the officer alive.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 10:45 am: Edit

Michael John Campbell:

While you play SFB, and your contributions have been noted, kindly do not define SFB background. That is our perogative.

You may have your own ideas for how things work/should work in the SFB universe, and when expressing your own ideas it would be a good idea to add comments such as "I think", or "I imagine", or "in my opinion" rather than fiat statements such as ". . . although two would be a typical squadron".

Thank you.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:03 am: Edit

What's really weird is the number I was thinking of was in fact three...sheesh. I should really have plugged in a "to the extent of my knowledge" so I'm sorry.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:15 am: Edit

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By that late in the General War, there would be huge surpluses of FFGs that needed to be used one way or the other.

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By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:46 am: Edit

In re the raid.

The background for the raid could always be modified.

What is needed is balance.

(And maybe a different title if the object of the scenario is not changed).

For example, adding a "significant" convoy being escorted by the four frigates (honorable duty late in the war for such ships still) with a time limit (the X-ship must get in, do damage, and get out, without itself being crippled). The object of the raid is the convoy. The convoy itself can have "weapons", and provides a justification for an "FFS" to be present (the convoy is "important").

Add a time limit to put pressure on the DX to do damage to the convoy and get out of dodge before a reaction force of X-ships can intercept it.

Has to leave sooner if it is crippled.

Can leave later if it is not crippled.

The convoy cannot disperse (the Feds/defending race know that dispersing the convoy to make it vulnerable to Orion pirates that the Klingons/opposing race has contracted to attack the freighters if the convoy is dispersed.

By Craig Tenhoff (Cktenhoff) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 03:00 pm: Edit

Or as an option, let the Federation player decide if he wants to diperse the convoy, but losses an additional X freighters to Pirate activity.

By Ahmad Abdel-Hameed (Madarab) on Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 03:53 pm: Edit

Petrick, that's an excellent idea. Would 8 turns be too long for something like that? I keep thinking of the Pickett's Charge scenario where the Fed CB barely has time to reach the raiding target (much less fight the two defending ships) before he has to plot his disengagement.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 02:58 am: Edit

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Quote:

How many swordfishes can the DX carry? They have two Gx racks with a capacity of 12 drones total. It seems to me they could only have 1 in the racks and 2 reloads. (Did I calculate that right?) While they're nice, will their limited numbers make that much of a difference?

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By Stuart C. Brennen (Evlstu) on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 03:07 am: Edit

I really should reread the above posts, but...
Some random thoughts:
the Fed squadron consists of 1xFLG, 1xFFB, 1xFFD(or some other variant), and 1xFFS;
there is a planet which is the object of the raid (economics, nothing special);
there are local assets, including (but not limited to) at least 1 Warning Station and/or ComPlat (or SamS), 1 or more civilian bases on the planet, such as Agro or mining stations, a couple of skiffs (of some type), and a few extra shuttles and freighters.
NOTE: The Warning Base would help even the EW situation and the rest would represent the actual targets of the Klingon raid.
There could also be a moon around the planet which could have either the Waring base and/ot mining base and part of the Klingon promblem would be to figure out where the bases are located before destroying them.
One of the FF could be replaced with a CL (or CL variant).

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 02:04 pm: Edit

Michael John Campbell: You, sir, do not get to tell Steve Petrick to drop the projects I assigned to him and spend his day proofreading your sloppy and dubious work. I am his boss; you are not.

Everyone can assume that everything Michael John Campbell says is WRONG until it is confirmed by somebody who actually understands the game system.

By michael john campbell (Michaelcampbell) on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 01:43 am: Edit

Okay, I'll admit it was poorly worded.
But I will say that CL23 was unclear as to how type VIII drones moving from 2 spaces to 1.5 affected the calculations of drone percentages.

By Steve Petrick (Petrick) on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 12:14 pm: Edit

Michael John Campbell:

I fail to see what the problem is.

The rules flatly state that: "Drone-using X-ships use the Kzinti availability rates for special drones. Their calculations are based on payload spaces, not "rack spaces"."

If you were to trade your six type-VII drones in a given rack for four type-VIII drones, you would drop from nine payload spaces to eight payload spaces, and correspondingly apply the math for what payloads you could have based on the lower number of payload spaces.

Six type-VII drones (in a GX rack) would have 9 payload spaces.

Four type-VIII drones in he same rack would have eight payload spaces.

Replacing two type-VII drones in the rack with one type-VIII drone and one type-IX drone would leave you with eight payload spaces (the type-IX cannot be modified, but could be an ADD).

Replacing three type-VII drones in the rack with two type-VIII drones would leave 8.5 payload spaces.

And so on.

And note that the precentages are not "25 and 25", but 30 and 20.