Archive through February 12, 2024
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Mini-Campaign: Starbase Tryouts:
Archive through February 12, 2024
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3.
I surely do appreciate the support.
Here's the Federation force:
A Starbase, of course. With (according to R1.1E) 12 F-14B's, 24 F18B's, and 12 A-10 mega-fighters.
PF's? Ha! Who needs them.
Come to think of it, this is a ton of attrition units. I think the Klingons are in trouble. Payback for Game #1.
Anyway, returning from Game #2 is the CL and DDG, with them are a FFG, and a DW. Replacing some police ships with some heavy firepower, two NCL's will toe the line. Heading up the defense force is a NCA.
The Starbase has one SWAC shuttle, the Klingon C7 one MRS shuttle.
All shuttles are advanced shuttles (J17).
Oh, almost forgot, The Feds have 3 standard mine packages.
All in all, a solid defense. My prediction is that the Klingons are in for a rough ride. But so far, I've guessed wrong half the time.
Now it's time to gather SSD's, spend commander's options, map minefields, plot strategies, consider tactics, populate spread sheets, and pull all my hair out.
Another detail (so much to track!): all drone speeds are fast, Speed 32. That should liven things up a bit considering there will be a total of 72 drone armed fighters in play.
We got to be nuts.
Sounds like a fun game. I've been wanting to play a SB assault for a long time.
Just haven't had that. Time that is...
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3
Still in prep.
If you asked me before Game #2 where to set up a minefield around a base, I'd have given you a series of confident answers.
If you asked the same question now, as I set up my base defenses, I'd say: "beats me."
What radius will a belt of mines least interfere with my defending ships, fighters, and drones, while hindering my enemies ships fighters and drones?
Clearly I need safe passage channels with command controlled mines. Probably 2 passages for fast engagement and retreat.
With 3 packages, I'm looking at 45 large mines, 120 small, and some fluff, plus a strategic purchase or two.
The spy vs spy nature of mine placement is crazy.
Anyway, everything else is basically ready for Turn #1 energy allocation, we're just waiting on me to set and record the minefield.
SPP has several "prebaked" minefields all ready to go. Or he used to.
JJ, let's look at the math, the standard mine package is used for a 5x30 beltway, with three packages, you have 90 hexes or radius-15 from the base (+/- 5) which can be to block easy access to range-15 disruptor fire (note your phaser-4s have range-17 for steady fire and range-25 decent fire [pending on EW]) ...
Yes indeed, Mr. Frazier. Game 1 and 2 proved the Klingons could be disrupted (no pun intended) at the 15-hex mark. My thinking is that Electronic Warfare can also disrup--ok, different word--interfere with their range-15 effectiveness.
A 3-package minefield at say, 8 to 12 hexes, will put 25+ mines into a field of 53 hexes per shield facing at that radius.
But will that compel the enemy to more aggressive and/or drastic measures?
Game #2 suggested that speed is his ally, time is mine. (That's not set in stone, but it certainly sounds clever.)
The 15 hex radius field slows the enemy at some distance from the base. This seems like good sense.
The 8-radius field gains population density and phaser-4 chewing proximity. Also seemingly good.
Surely there are pros and cons to both plans.
Now, given about 20 small mines, and 6 or 7 large mines per shield facing (at whatever range), how many should be set against shuttle/fighters, how many against drones, against ships, or against any target?
One more thing about the Base in general, if I may be allowed to pontificate. The Federation base will be doubling its fighters for this round--at the cost of losing its power modules. That leaves less go-go juice for torpedoes, phasers, and sensor operations. Thus, in my mind, increasing the importance of a well devised and well placed mine field.
In the words of Fezzik, from The Princess Bride: "Inigo, I hope we win."
Mike Grafton:
Sadly, as I have noted before, that ring binder of minefields is no longer in existence, and it was never complete as I never got around to developing minefields for the Seltorians (RULE R15.0, Jindarians (R16.0) or Vudar (R17.0) as the last empire I had to develop minefields for was LDR (R14.0). The LDR was the last empire when I was reasonably active, the other three, plus the Magellanic and Omega octants all showed up when I was not active in planning minefields. Further, I am not sure how much minefields have changed since that time. As it was, it was a binder as think as the master rulebook, and I had about six binders for running fleets (energy allocation forms, to include a PF form that you slid in the SSDs and were ready to go, with quick access to a weapons chart and other useful plaids, to include a sequence of play. But I no longer have any of those.
That's unfortunate, SPP. I suspect there are untold numbers of eyeballs that wouldn't mind getting a peek inside that lost lore.
I've been drawing up some of my own maps. Well, I have 3 printed pages of hex-map and I'm drawing 5 hex radius bands around a point at different ranges, then subdividing those bands into 6 sections. This way, I can do 12 sample fields per page.
I've got 5 'fields' so far.
Last game, EW was available aplenty. It'll still be present in Game #3, but the starbase has less power and the Klingon's have a smaller scout, so EW effects will be somewhat reduced.
The starbase makes up for that with more attrition units. The Klingons have their suicide freighters.
In a more traditional campaign, I dont think summoning up so many freighters would be an option, but it's a unique challenge we chose to examine here.
Just looking at what I've got so far, a closer, denser field appears to play to the defender's advantage. Were there fewer or no suicide ships and or reduced attrition units, a wider, more dispersed field does work to some degree (at least it seemed to slow up the Klingons last game).
There's a couple of more ideas I want to map out before I settle in with a (gulp) decision.
I'll say this though, I think I know less about Starbases and minefields now than when I started. That's life I guess.
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3
Update.
The game is set to start this Friday. But I have not been idle. Utilizing a printed paper map, I've color coded the minefield for easy reference. Automatic explosive mines are orange for large, red for small. Targets are basic ship, or small craft; detection # in the mine hexes. Multiple mines are divided by fine tip Sharpy. Special mines are asterisk with notes on the mine sheet from Advanced Missions. Dark green and light green denote captor mines large and small, operational notes on mine sheet by hex number. Dumby mines are brown, sensor mines in blue, command controlled mines in yellow with notes on mine sheet.
It sounds convoluted, but it allows one to get the entire picture at a glance and should really streamline effective minefield ops.
Now working on a rapid-at-a-glance drone and fighter system. Any ideas?
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3
Start of play, sort of.
This is the largest, most involved SFB game we've ever played. We studied rulebooks on Friday, established starting positions, and weapon status (Federation base WS1, Klingons WS3).
The Klingon is set to approach from the Base's RF (shield #2) facing. Range is 20 hexes.
Already I wish I could modify the minefield. I see two improvements I wish I'd thought of.
A few last minute changes:
Only 8 suicide freighters, instead of 10; 3 large, 5 small.
No mega packs, but all fighters/shuttles have booster packs. (Y181)
One could argue that these 3 scenarios are not representative of 'likely' starbase assaults.
True.
Game one is straight out of the book. It's purpose seems self evident. And it was a lot of fun to play. Game 2 and 3 are setups we've talked about for more years than I'd like to admit. We just had to give them a try.
So, the Klingon claims to have completed his EA; I'll do mine while waiting for the new year to drop this evening. And then we'll have at it in the coming week(s). Scheduling is a pain. Ya, pain, that's the word I'll use. A real pain.
Anywho, Happy New Year to all and everyone!
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3 Impulse #1
Somehow 4 hours went by and we played one impulse.
Kind of funny.
Next time I need to think harder about minefield deployment. I continue to see new opportunities to improve.
Klingon speeds are all over the map. Not sure the plan, but looks like the they are red hot and ready to rumble.
The D5J and C7 each launched an advanced, boosted shuttle at Speed 16. Matching the speed of 2 large suicide freighters. All freighters evacuated their crews by shuttlecraft. All freighters now on programed courses at speeds 10, 12, 15, and 16. The D5P launched its G1 flotilla at spd zero.
The Federation Starbase launched its SWAC, and one shuttle from each of 5 pods. 2 A10's are already on the map. The F14 squadron is launching without drones assuming now that the klingons are pulling a zerg rush given the weapon status advantage.
A handful of ECM drones were pre-launched by the Klinks, but at range 20 no direct weapons fire was exchanged.
That's Turn #1, Impulse #1. Until next time . . .
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3, Turn #1, Impulses #2 through #9
Well, the Klingons seem hell bent on charging through the Federation minefield. I guess they have the Suicide Freighters to do it. Not sure yet if it will be to their advantage.
The Fed E2 SWAC just came online and is loaning ECM to the starbase. It's headed away from the klingons.
2 small, photon torpedo captor mines have shot at Klingon shuttles. One hit and a kill, one swing and a miss. Their minesweeper has launched minesweeping shuttlecraft in response. One will likely succeed in neutralizing a captor mine, the other is, well, flying into a minefield.
The Fed starbase invoked Rule (R1.1G7) and successfully fired 2 P4's at a freighter as they went out of arc.
There are 30+ Klingon drones strung out like Christmas lights incoming, and my guess is 3 scatterpacks about to bloom.
Fed F14's are in flight, cleared hot, and weapons free (fully active on Impulse #19) Most of the A10's and all off the F18's are loading drones before launch.
Lastly, the 7 Federation warships defending are racing to intercept, desperately powering weapons as fast as possible.
On a side note, tracking fighters and drones is easier than anticipated. Matching squadrons and drones by other empire's colors, using SSD's, and fighter/drone forms, everything is well documented and flowing well.
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3, Turn #1, Impulses #10 through #14
For some reason, neither of us can figure how 2 Federation A10s got on the map. I think I was supposed to launch them on Impulse #1. We've agreed to not think about it too much and move on. Also, we were moving SP's like drones for several impulses and have (to the best of our mathematical ability and memory) restored them to their proper locations.
So here's the latest:
The aforementioned A10's have made it as close to the minefield as is practical, dumped their booster packs and announced emer decel in the path of the Klingon invasion.
The old CL, DD, and DDW have 'crossed the T' relative to the incoming suicide freighters and each of them has rolled out a little ten point welcome gift for the arriving guests.
Several Federation advanced shuttle craft are scrambling to get out of the blast radius of those 'gifts' before they activate. The remaining Federation fleet elements are adjusting their flight plans to compensate as well.
The Fed SWAC along with a 2 Shuttle escort is headed for a safe pocket in the minefield to lend its EW. Utilizing Rule (R1.1G3), it'll be range 12 from the starbase, and have 2 shuttles and 2 captor mines protecting it.
The Klingons keep launching boosted admin shuttles at the minefield ahead of their fleet. They haven't hit pay dirt yet, but their whole dang fleet is going too fast to even detect mines, much less sweep any.
The D6U Interdiction Carrier has begun launching its Z-YB fighters, like the G1's, they are moving slow to not at all.
Federation FFG uses reserve warp power to HET around the recent transporter bomb drop,
Klingon SP's bloom as the first few Speed 32 drones break through the minefield. One is a MW Drone and it blossoms in harmony with the SPs.
The two A10's launch drones against drones.
The Klingon heavy weapons drogue launches 2 Type H drones. I've been informed by my opponent that they are named Dagor-nuin-Giliath (the battle under the stars) and Dagor Bragollach (the battle of sudden flame).
How poetic. It's good to see the Klingon is not above some petty copyright infringement for a good time.
To wrap up the action, two Klingon large freighters, the Kick the Bucket, and the Fatally Flawed, both entered the minefield at Speed 16, each striking a different large mine. Both freighters are wrecked and a review of the effects of this damage are now in progress for our next session. Rule questions may be forthcoming.
That's it for now, folks.
I got to say, there was a lot of discussion and concern that a game like this, moving in a slow motion fashion might not be sustainable, or even fun. Not so. Playing to this level of detail has really drawn us into the action. We're having a ball. Hopefully I'm not boring y'all too much with the scant details each week.
Until next time, warp it like you mean it.
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3, Turn #1, Impulses #15 and #16.
In no particular order:
The klingons recovered their MRS shuttle, and 6 of their cruisers have announced a speed change. It looks like they really intend to plow through the mine field at high warp.
A mine sweeping shuttle has swept a captor mine.
Those large freighters and admin shuttles spearheading the minefield have met their doom. They did make a big dent, but the path is far from clear.
The type H 'epic war' drones got caught in the blast radius of a large mine and were obliterated.
"Argh, mediocre!" Roared the Klingon.
Mediocre???
A quote from from Mad Max: Fury Road.
The big bad guy quests a minion with an epic task and the minion proceeds to stumble and fail from the get go. The bad guy shouts out: Mediocre!
I can only presume my esteemed opponent had higher hopes for his drones and should have spent more time plotting their course and less time rewatching mad max for the umpteenth time.
Although, it makes a great meme.
STARBASE TRYOUTS:Game #3
Cold rain splattered the windows; Federation personnel looked up at a menacing, oil painted sky.
The fate of Starbase C was unknown. Orbiting equidistant between planet and moon, cocooned within the shell of a dense minefield, all their hopes rested upon its survival. The saucered fleet stood guard about it. Stoic sentinels far from home; no place to run, no place to hide.
A Klingon battle force appeared without warning. Adrenaline pumped, salivating with bloodlust and visions of glory, it smashed into the minefield like a battering ram.
Instantly, chaos flooded across the star system like a tidal surge. Stark raving terror gripped hearts and minds like a vice, the battle raged, the fates rolled the dice . . .
"Nithss cut sscene," exclaimed exchange officer Zilard. "Much more gravatasss than our home grown ssimss."
"Shut up and get those F18's loaded rookie! Or we'll be scrubing the mess hall with our toothbrushes-again."
"Sso exsscitable."
"Drones. Load. Launch." Came a plethora of responses.
"Thssss . . ."
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3, Turn #1 (still), Impulses #17 to #22
Were this a more traditional campaign, it seems likely the Klingons would greatly lament the loss of freighters and shuttles of this one battle.
To his credit, he's doing a remarkable job of criss crossing shuttle trajectories, sideslipping cruisers and dive bombing freighters to clear the field.
But the Klingon battering ram is beginning to splinter.
One of its two mine sweeping shuttles met an early demise as it neared its captor mine target, it struck an undetected mine. All of the Klingon fighters are currently in range of this captor mine. Not devastating, maybe more of an inconvenience.
The cruisers have 'caught up' with the sweepers and the ensuing ballet to detonate mines and not take collateral damage is becoming comical.
The D5J is ramping up speed, presumably on reserve e warp, to take some of the heat off the invading fleet. Also, in what looks like a desperate use it or lose it panic, the Klingons dumped all of their disruptors into the Fed FFG. The little frigate took the bad news well; it was spared crippled status by a point or two.
In a surprise move, the Klingon PFT EW'd up and is painting my starbase with offensive ECM.
As for the Feds, I dropped shields and deployed more T-bombs, blasted drones, and mostly watched the Klingon read up on speed changes, mine warfare, plot strategy, fix a movement error, and pull his hair out.
More to come. Don't be a stranger, but go ahead and be strange.
STARBASE TRYOUTS: Game #3, Turn #1, Impulses #23 to #31
An advanced Klingon shuttlecraft detonated a small explosive mine. It was destroyed along with another shuttle and the blast damaged 9 Klingon ships in 3 separate but adjacent hexes. The D5J detonated a large mine taking 9 internals thru its #2 shield. Most of the Klingon ECM drones failed to survive these blasts as well.
A 3rd Klingon shuttle was destroyed by another mine, adding shield damage to the D5M and F5E.
The small captor mine threatening the Z-YB's was swept by the only remaining minesweeping shuttle, after which it moved into an undetected mine and was lost.
The D5J set off a phaser-2 large captor mine, losing another shield.
Both sides launch drones, shuttles, and shoot phasers.
The D5J shoots down 2 drones, tractors one, and takes a 4th in the teeth, loosing yet another shield. The Klingon and I agree that if it survives, the captain will be promoted to a standard D5 and given legendary status.
Impulse #32 is complete, I'll write it up seperately.
Quote:... and the blast damaged 9 Klingon ships in 3 separate but adjacent hexes.
Ok, I have to ask. Why were the Klingon ships clumped that closely together? Usually, trying to breach a minefield is a case in which you want to spread the ships a little further apart.
Addendum to the previous:
By "spread the ships a little further apart", I mean spread them out linearly, so that they follow one another in a line, but each ship a couple of hexes behind the previous ship. I don't mean trying to breach the minefield in several different places.
There can be circumstances in which breaching the field in a compact cluster is advisable even though it greatly increases the risk of a single mine damaging multiple ships. But that's the exceptional case and I didn't notice anything in your previous post calling for this tactic. Did I miss something?
Initially, I think that was the plan. Ultimately, they sacrificed 3 large freighters, 14 shuttles, and most of the D5J shields to punch thru the minefield at an average spd of 12. Things started to fall apart for them about half way and they started to zigzag all over to compensate.
Only two mines were 'swept' in the traditional way.
I can't say if it was a good plan or not, and I'm not defending it. My opponent nearly had an aneurysm playing it out.
I can say this: Turn #1 is now complete. The Klingons have cleared a safe path thru the minefield. They have 11 ships, 5 freighters, 6 PFs, 24 fighters, and plenty of drones all within 15 hexes of my starbase. I have 7 ships, scattered about, 1 crippled, 14 fighter with no drones, and 34 fighters still on the base with only a single drone each.
Now it's my turn for an aneurysm. 
I am reminded, yet again, of my first effort to crack a minefield around a base. I had one battlecruiser deep inside the minefield trying to sap through it, but it had been pretty damaged, so I decided to replace it to continue the attack. We had detected Lyran reinforcements, so I was in something of a hurry, and decided to do a "relief in place," moving the second battlecruiser into position where the first one was currently clearing the path. As I said before, the "Command Detonated NSM" forced me to withdraw my force (since it severely damaged both Battlecruisers and I did not think I would be able to repel the reinforcements with two Battlecruisers damaged (I was leading Kzinti ships)
That was one of two NSM Encounters that led me to buy my own rulebook.
and 34 fighters still on the base with only a single drone each
You're doing it wrongly then, if there are 48 fighters on the base, that means there should be 48 deck crews reloading instead of 34 ...