I'll look into upgrading the phon before the next battle. Probably in the next couple of days.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - 12:04 am: Edit

If the non-Phon goes that slow, he's going to have trouble catching the Phon on turn 2, which means another EH hit on turn 3. But even if you brick - if all three EHs hit, you are taking 72 damage on your facing shields, plus 16 from phasers. You will have three mostly-down shields if he fires phasers at your brick, or one good shield, one weak shield, and one down shield with internals if he hits a different shield.

I agree the Phon is vulnerable to mizia, which is another reason why it needs PQ3s to be viable. On the flip side, versus a single large volley, this is about the toughest ship in the game.

As for a weaseling Phon, it depends. If you have lost most your shields and are starting to get mizia'd, and the Phon is still intact, then I think the Phon is fine, at least against BP. Against a Kzinti... No, I would not advise weaseling, unless it is his last few drones and you have already removed most of his phaser-3s and half his disruptors.

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - 09:43 pm: Edit

Lord_Goofy (ryn) defeats Baldnforty (Archeo) in 2 turns.

Need to rethink the tactics to use.

Also, there are some client issues that need to be addressed.

1. No Ryn Shuttle counters.
2. TCB are are not in fire and or EAF.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - 11:12 pm: Edit

The RYN is about the last TC I would try to balance. It has RPS issues that make the Andro look normal.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 - 11:19 pm: Edit

Laszlo (Kzinti) vs Eol (Trobrin) scheduled for 11/28 at 9 AM MST/ 4 PM UST.

Waiting to hear back from Paul Scott to schedule the Koligahr/Rom TFH battle.

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:47 am: Edit

Andy,

I understand the Ryn have serious issues.. The only way to truly understand those issues is to play the ships. And, I think that they may require rule modifications to get them better balanced.

TEM missiles have some serious issues for example. Here is one change I think should be made to the TEM.

Rule OFD2.213 TEMs can fire their TCB on the command of the owning player, I would like to see changed to

TEMs must fire their TCBs if possible.

So, if all of the firing conditions are met.

1. Eight impulses since launch
2. Target in FA arc
3. Target within 11 hexes
4. 32 impulses since last firing if not the first firing

Their are a couple of reasons for that change.

1. They are very easy to maneuver onto a down shield. If you can wait until your facing a down shield before taking the shot, it's too much flexability.
2. It prevents a major wild weasel exploit in that TEMs go inert upon the destruction of an unvoided wild weasel. If the target launches a wild weasel, TEM missiles don't have to fire. The weasel never gets destroyed and the target is left under weasel restrictions. This is the only seeking weapon that doesn't have to fire. Given that quantum phasers are uneffected by wild weasels in the tournament game, they have 4 built in ECCM, a Ryn ship can keep firing it's phasers at the target until they void their own weasel. At that point, they can fire all the TEMs the next impulse.

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:03 am: Edit

I've been discussing upgrades to the phon, since it is considered highly disadvantaged.

I'm thinking at this point of just making the following minor tweak.

1. Add two PQ-2 FH arc.

Looking for feedback on this change.

I've talked to Tom Gondolfi, the creator of the Chlorophons and he stated that the phons absolutely would never use a PQ-3 on any of their ships. So, I won't be adding any PQ-3.

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 01:24 pm: Edit

Hmm. I don't know that the racial flavor of the Chlorophons should result in them not getting much needed QP3s added. I'd consider adding 4xQP3 (2xLS, 2xRS) as a starting point. It needs the seeking weapon defense really bad. And the close in firepower.

I've got some new ideas on how to fly the ship, and will give them a try next game. But there *really* needs to be an ability for the ship to add counters to the map (i.e. SC counters).

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 07:09 pm: Edit

Hmm. Can't find bneus on the player search (and as such, his e-mail). Anyone have any contact info?

By Stephen McCann (Moose) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 09:41 pm: Edit

Peter, you need to search for Squire_Bneus. His e-mail is bneus@videotron.ca
Hope this helps.

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:07 pm: Edit

It does. Thanks!

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:07 pm: Edit

Barry,

You're right, I see that no Phon ships have PQ3s. However, your proposal to add PQ2s makes even less sense, because they don't have PQ2s, either, and a PQ2 is more powerful than a PQ1.

However, to have any chance of creating a balanced TC, you may have to consider adding PQ3s. It may be a minor loss of historical racial flavor (very minor, IMO), but would be crucial to balance. You could add 2xPQ1-FH, a la the BC, but you still have a ship that a) suffers greatly from phaser hits, b) does much worse against heavy seeker ships than others, and c) you are exacerbating its imbalance of long range firepower to short.

By Peter Thoenen (Eol) on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 05:18 am: Edit

Andy: I think all Omega have problems with heavy seekers. I can fire the entire Trobrin phaser suite and still not kill 3xT4, 1xT1

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 01:44 pm: Edit

Andy,

The PQ-2 is more powerful at long range than a PQ-1, however, at point blank range, the PQ-1 is more powerful. Thus, PQ-2 makes sense from the FH arcs.

A phon ship will most likely fire the PQ-2 at range and then turn off and run.

Any case the new phon ship with the extra 2 PQ-2 FH is posted.

Peter,

The Koligahr is actually very good versus seekers. Microphaser 3s are AK against type I drones, and PM-1 are AK against type IV.

Also, the Koligahr have the Antimatter cloud generators.

The Alunda should also be excellent against seekers.

The Hivers might be good against seekers.

The Souldra might be good against seekers but I'm not sure. Certainly the dimensional phase device is one of the best anti plasma systems out there.

Yo, plasma, go 16 hexes in that directon and then come get me.

The Ryn should do well against seekers simply because of their bouncy nature.

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 08:59 pm: Edit

Sorry Bakija got your mail at 8pm sunday, but im off tomorrow and tuesday..if ya can play in the evening or whenever.

When ya send me a mail send me a facebook too so there is more chance i get to see em

"Bneus Original"

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 09:05 pm: Edit

I seem to have lost the rules for this Omega vs Alpha tourney style but with some ecm??

could i get a quick recap..or a link.

Oh and a Gorn vs my Vudar..gaackk..idk what to do?

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Monday, November 23, 2009 - 07:45 pm: Edit

Here is the link to the tourney rules...

As for the Vudar, they have an IPG which can be used to kill drones and shuttles or to generate ECM.

Basically, the IPG can be used to generate points of ECM. Their is a limit to the amount of power that can be funneled through the device each turn. It can be used to generate a lot of ECM for a short period of time or less ECM for a longer period of time.

Overall, the IPG has two drawbacks to standard powered ECM.

1. The ECM generated by the IPG affects everything including the Vudar's own weapons.

2. The IPG is not very efficient. Standard powered ECM is much more efficient.

However, the IPG can generate ECM in the tournament.


https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AfB8N-Hr7tCIZGhka214OThfNmdydDg5Nmpt&hl=en

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 01:15 pm: Edit

Working on setting up a time with Bneus (my Gorn vs his Vudar). Maybe this Sunday?

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, November 28, 2009 - 05:28 pm: Edit

Laszlo (KZI) over Eol (Trobrin). Write-up under Star Fleet Battles: Star Fleet Battles Online: Battle Reports.

Summary: The Trobrin is fine as is for now.

By Barry Kirk (Barrykirk) on Sunday, November 29, 2009 - 04:48 pm: Edit

I'll modify the Trobrin to give it the LS/RS arcs on the IB.

By Brook J. Villa (Brookie) on Monday, November 30, 2009 - 01:49 pm: Edit

Barry,

I will e-mail Ken to schedule my Maghadim/ISC match. I have only talked briefly with him. Any delays are my fault. That being said. I have looked at the Maghadim closely. Seems a bit overpowered if you ask me. The ISC doesn't have a a prayer in hell against that ship with those shields. The PPD is useless unless it's on a down shield. I think there should be a special rule for the PPD when it faces a ship with those shields. Otherwise, the game is JFF(not that much fun for the ISC captain)

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Monday, November 30, 2009 - 06:08 pm: Edit

Brook: Your plasmas are more dangerous to me than the PPD, but the PPD is not useless.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Monday, November 30, 2009 - 07:24 pm: Edit

Under the old Mag shield rules, the PPD would be completely useless. Under the current published rules, each pulse of the PPD would score 0+2+0 at range 4-10, 0-1-0 at range 11-20. Not completely useless, but only 20-33% as effective.

Enveloped G's are significantly degraded - a 40-pointer would score 3 points on each shield facing, i.e. 45% as effective. OTOH, 40 points of normal plasma would still get through to the inner shield.

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Tuesday, December 01, 2009 - 12:06 am: Edit

I watched two people psych themselves out against LMC shielding at Co5N. If you think you're going to lose, you will. LMC TCs have problems against plasma ships, even half-asses plasma ships like the ISC.

I watched Mike Johnson THINK about how to fly the ISC against the Eneen, and watched him crush Barry Kirk at Co5N. First time he'd ever seen the LMC shielding system.

So, either Barry sucks as a player, Mike is a genius, or you're missing something.

Am I obligated to tell you how to beat my ship to make this fair? Or are you willing to get out of your tactical rut?

Have you looked at what I have to do to win on my side?

By Peter D Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, December 01, 2009 - 03:05 pm: Edit

Not having much success in getting a game lined up with bneus--we are in sporadic contact, but seem unable to match a time.