first blood has been spilled ... 4 turns are complete...the NCL 'Tarawa' was destroyed in 2 impulses with 100 pts of plasma....... 8 hours on...need sleep...more to come....Evil Spock Fed/Bad sumo

By Robert Grey (Tugger) on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 01:29 pm: Edit

There was some chat about my doing a write up, but I only witnessed parts of the battle. Most of the players, 5 of 6, I think, saw at least some of the battle. I do hope to see a write up from the fighting admerials themselves, it looks to be a glorious battle indeed, with significan damage all around.

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 02:42 pm: Edit

Robert: 15%.

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 02:52 pm: Edit

Maybe we could have some extra time to finish this turn battles since 1 of them is in both battles this turn.

Ken Gulnar, I can play all week evenings/nights send me a time we could start ours.

By Robert Grey (Tugger) on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 03:24 pm: Edit

Agrees with Bneus.
Ken and Glenn are putting in a heroic effort to finish their game.

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 - 04:13 pm: Edit

The deadline is 2 weeks from when they were scheduled to start, which was last night. So, no extension needed - Y'all have until the 26th before we need to worry about extensions.

By glenn somerfield (Sumo) on Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Fleets - Fed/Bad = 2 NCL 'Iwo Jima' and 'Taraga', DWS 'Google' and Baduvai DW 'Dialogue'
- Rom/Thol = CON 'Condor', F5S 'Scout', BH 'Hawk', and Thollian NCL ' Webby'
Fed/Bad enters in northeast hexside B, Rom/Thol on the opposite E
How do 4 light cruisers avoid a ROC and its support? I was not going to give up my fleet easy.

Figuring that a forward attack on the R/T was futile, i ran spd 15 across the top.....R/T ran Spd19 T1, Spd28 T2 to the centerline, then straight up the map.... i SideSliped passed center, keeping my #1 on the R, and still in FA arc. First exchange...his 2Disr 1 hit on Iwo Jima, my return of 8 proxies..4 hit wreck 16 in Scouts #1.
T3, im runnin 21, spd change to 30 on imp 18 after a range 10 or so pass to run from the plasmas that were bound to show up... R/T at 28, cept for Scout which back off to 23...
3 SP' out, 3 drones out, and im hooking around. Google begins loaning both NCL,s 3ECM...The SP's open, and the R/T fleet is looking at 24 drones, 9 fast on his #1 shield R=>15...with 2 SpecSens and 6 attempts, 2 drones locks are broken. R/T turns F, Condor opens #2 and #3 to drop TB's, and im still in #2 arc...BABOOOM first blood...inside of the Condor, at R11 i unload all Phas exect Google. Webby WC cast web in my path, I turn and slip out of its way, but now im on the F wall edge. The 2 NCL slip away from the Diolouge and Google and the turning brings a few more Phas to bear at R8, some 'mizza' to help the Condor- 24 total inside in this turn, 5 Phas 1's, 4 warp, and a Plas F...the Bliss on the FED/BAD ships would not last long...SPD 40 PLASMAS on the way...an R and S..after moving 15, they meet the Taraga's #5 for 35...using all my reserve warp to make a spd change to 30, instead of 26 as in EA, the Taraga had no resistance to a Trac from Condor...4 plasmas and one impulse latter...100 pts destroyed the NCL Taraga and all her crew...The Iwo Jima was hit on #5 with 24 in Phas from the R/T fleet at R2 +1 ecm mod..


T4...with 4 plasmas on the Iwo Jima,and at R2 to the R/T fleet, plot spd 0 and WW, bringing spd 10 on imp 5, the other 2 ships spd 19/20...the R/T spd 23, 21 for 'Scout'...the 'Iwo Jima' has 6 ecm loaned...the R/T has been laying TB eggs and with some maneuvering, miss all but one,caught all R/T fleet's #3 and Iwo Jima's #1. no drones no Mass Drivers(direct fire drones)get through the def fire and mini minefield. As we pass each other, im porting(left)the whole time,from E to B. On imp 3 at R1 Iwo Jima unloads 4 Phots, 2x10 2x9 OLS, and 3 Phas into the TB damaged shield #3 of Hawk,while under passive FC effective R=2, 38 inside, Hawk crippled, no plasmas. And the moral of the FED/BAD fleet has risen...The R/T knock more outa Iwo Jima's #1 with Phas fire. Imp 13 Dialogue and Google unload on Webby's damaged #3 at R4/R3 respectively...27 inside, including the Web Caster(hit #2), 4 Phas, 1 Disr, and all 3 Batts. All 3 Special Sensors now blinded. Imp 31 R2 Webby unloads on a slow Iwo Jima getting 14 in on the #2, 1 Phot, 2 Phas and the Drone.

This game ran 9 hours setup to good night, and all the help given by the audience was greatly appreciated. Turn 5 should begin this weekend or early in the week. Hope i didnt forget anything good.
Evil Spock FED/BAD sumo

By glenn somerfield (Sumo) on Saturday, May 15, 2010 - 02:09 pm: Edit

...just talked to ken....Turn 5 begins Sunday early afternoon....

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 12:53 pm: Edit

What about Ken and Benoit's battle?

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Sunday, May 16, 2010 - 05:39 pm: Edit

Monday high Noon!!
There will be Blood!

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Monday, May 17, 2010 - 10:48 pm: Edit

The Hype was Real!

Hy-RGR Lord Ry'ah 9 St2 3 Sth
Pe-SR Survivor
Hy-UH Hive Alpha 12 St2 4 Sth
VS
Ro-CON Regal
Ro-BH Target
Ro-K5S Scout

1st turn
Hype fleet starts at spd 29-30 all turn, they get center.
Romolians go spd 15 loading high cost Sabot torpedoes.
2nd turn
Both fleets advance at high speeds 28-30
r15ish Romolians launch 6 torps 2 R's 4 S's, 3 are obviously fake. Stingers stop Wbps and EM and turn to stop torpedoes. Romolians turn away, SR has loaded shotgun S Sabot, and launches, none of the torps on both side do any damage. but romolians are getting themselves in a corner.
3rd turn
Hydrans keep closing on Romolians, fighters are in a wide wave pattern and keep hording the romolians in the corner, Romolians turn upward showing their #5 . at 3.25 28 Stingers fire 112 p3 shots at r9+ 16 dmg, what would be the 1st of multiple volleys in same sheild.
4th turn Romolian fleet stays together while Hype are spread in front, side, and back of them. at r8 K5S lends Con 1 ecm. A squad of Stingers fire some fusions to damage the K5S, another volley of fusion and gatlings cripple it and take off both sensors. a side back pass of the RGR's phasers add some few internals to CON. 4.25 CON gets another volley of r8 p3's in same downed sheild. By now K5S is crippled CON has lost all but 1 phaser, has 1 R left. and i havent got any sheild damage other than a t-bomb explosion on side sheild of RGR.

There is no way he can do anymore dmg so he concedes and is counted destroyed.

even if the bpv was 100to150 diff, the fact i had lots of seekers and was impervious to his own, and that 112 p3's at r8 will down a sheild, or that my scout was clearly more effective than his, it was no contest.

But all in all it was real fun.

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Monday, May 17, 2010 - 11:51 pm: Edit

Map file is updated with the results of the turn 2 battles.

Deadline for Turn 3 orders is this Friday, sooner if you can get 'em in.

Remember, this is the turn to Occupy the supply centers you're holding to get them to produce for you.

By Fred J. Kreller (Kreller1) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 12:52 am: Edit

Orders in!

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 04:07 am: Edit

Arrgg you mixed up my fleets
fleet 2 is at 43 fleet 3 is at 45

By glenn somerfield (Sumo) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 12:56 pm: Edit

Orders sent

By James Bunker (Valonqar) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 02:37 pm: Edit

Orders Sent

By Robert Grey (Tugger) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 03:07 pm: Edit

Sent

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 08:51 pm: Edit

5 of 6 orders in.

Benoit, I will double check your fleets to make sure I put them in the right places based on the last few sets of orders.

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 - 09:26 pm: Edit

Sent ive rechecked myself, all seems to be in order.
new orders sent

By Ken Burnside (Ken_Burnside) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 02:46 pm: Edit

A quick question:

Is the disengagement timer averaging too long of a game for the size of map we have, or have the battles I've seen been bloody messes because of aggressive players?

By Ken Apel (Kengulnar) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 03:36 pm: Edit

I tried my best to run away.. Just the fact that the map is fixed means you will get cornered if the other guy wants to catch you.

Ken

By Peter Thoenen (Eol) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 03:46 pm: Edit

Having watched a couple fights it seems like 1d6+3 might work better.

One thing I do like though is how DBOM avoids the FSC issue in that the *loser* fleet simply fights along the map edge and the second it looks like a ship will die or gets crippled side slips off the map.

When you know you can't disengage for another 4 or 5 turns it AND WILL GET CORNERED BEFORE TEHN it actually forces you to come out and fight and use some creative strategies which was why the Fed/Rom fight was interesting. Even though he was undergunned him being forced to fight actually gave the Rom's a good run for their money.

Lessoning the timers will result in the FSC edge hugger problem.

By James Bunker (Valonqar) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 03:54 pm: Edit

Well the average of 2d6 is 7, add the +2 modifier bringing it to 9. I believe the first battle went 8 rounds and the second 5 till he conceded.
I don't think we will see many disengagements with the current timer. The Masters would seem to be cruel in keeping a fleet with 150 pts disadvantage locked in the ring that long with no real hope.
Maybe a single roll for disengagement with a modifier for the smaller fleet would work better. I would suggest a -2 for every 100 pts since that is what we know about each others fleets.
Also you could say loosing the flagship releases the fleet in 2 rounds if you want some survivors. It would still give the dominate fleet the chance for a total decimation but hope for the smaller fleet.
I would vote for a adjusted timer to give the smaller fleet hope and make them struggle more rather than cave into despair. It would have been a more interesting story, had one lone Battlehawk escaped the battle at little Stinghorn hehe.
Just some thoughts, please feel free to carve an dissect them as you wish my Lords.

Valonqar

By Robert Grey (Tugger) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 04:08 pm: Edit

If one player gets agressive, the battle are becoming decisive before the average timer is up.
My practice battles and the 2 real battles have shown this. There might be one or two ships able to flee, but mostly its a done deal before 9 turns are up. The limited EW means higher speed, and more weapons hitting, and more carnage faster than a 'normal' battle.

That being said, I dont mind the longer timer. If you lose the fleet, you will get the points back soon enough. It might be worth trying with a flat 2d6, and drop the +2.

It might also be worth while to look at the reinforcemnt rolls as well, and trim a bit off them.

By Benoit Rheaume (Bneus) on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 05:30 pm: Edit

When do we have to send what we build with the new production BPV we are getting this turn?

AND
here is my 2 cents
Disengagements are just fine as they are.
Explanation--> the only time the disengagement timer is irrelevant are when two fleets of unequal strength fight.
In Any Fight between a small fleet and a big one, the Big one will always be super aggressive, to get the 1 victory point.
So the answer is to make some really small fleets that can control and go get stuff on the map, but wont give any victory points when they are crushed, cause of their size.
Then make maxed out fleets that will fight evenly vs anyone hence more carefuly, hence more chance of a retreat.
IMO middle of the road fleets wont make much sense as the game advances.

In mid game, the trick will be to strategically place your fleets so that they can support each other.