T5 is complete this morning, T6 is likely Monday night @ 7pm.

C7 - 28(8)/20(16)/27 - 4 ECM - maybe increase to 27 came from batt after I saw his speeds and counted to the cutoff point on the map edge.
D6D - 21(17)/27 - 0 EW, 1 channel
E4A - 19(11)/26 - 0 EW
E4B - 15(10)/19 - 0 EW (used 1 lab to EDR l.wp engine, failed)

BCF - 15/14/15 plot for 16 mp I would guess, 0 EW.
NCL - 18(22)/17 - 6 ECCM
DDL - 18(22)/17 - 5 ECCM
FFS - 13(5)/11 - 2 ECM

C7 / D6D launched drones at fed SP drones over first couple imp. C7 shot 1 drone with ph-3. C7 D6D continued heading F for the 5 or 8 hexes required until reached the boundary when the turned facing E and started slipping along the edge. C7 lost 1 hex movement by slipping towards wall and then back in a couple moves later to ensure that launched drones hit the fed drones.

NCL / DDL moved north keeping strong NCL #1 facing C7. DDL slipped out and back in to lose a hex of movement and get in same hex as NCL (it was ahead by a hex). He did some tractor games to pick up a hex movement but it sounded like he mistimed his first announcement and either lost a hex or didn't gain it.

Early on BCF launched 2 ECM drones, one for itself and 1 for the NCL. D6D used it's channel to break both lockons.

Imp 24 C7 didn't slip back to the wall but went straight ahead giving NCL / DDL range 8 on my 12 pt #5. However I got to the shield boundary of the 12 pt #6 on the NCL. So we fired at each other. Feds shot 2 ph-1 at KL ECM drone killing it. Then 6 ph-1 at C7 at a +1 shift. NCL dropped 2 ECCM and raised 2 ECM from batt. He got unlucky rolls and did 3 pts. Average with +1 shift at range 8 should be 9 pts (1.5 each).

C7 raised 1 ECCM from batt, so I got outplayed. I still had a +1 shift shooting at the NCL, but if I'd added a pt of ECM instead the NCL would have had a +2 shift on me. But I did alright, fired 1 disr and hit, and did 10 pts of phaser damage from 6 ph-1, so one above average. Dropped the #6 shield and got a ph-3 as a single internal.

Next imp NCL/DDL turned left and chased towards C7 to cut him off on the angle. Another tractor which worked this time to pick up a hex of movement.

NCL / DDL slipped right on imp 32 (losing a hex if he's trying to cut me off) but getting range 7 centerlined to end the turn. Fired 4 RS ph-1 at no shift to do 9 pts of damage dropping the C7 shield and C7 didn't reinforce so probably out of batteries.

E4A took an early shot at BCF on damaged #5 shield and hit with one range 12ish disr for 3 which he reinforced. Then it skirted along the side of the BCF as it turned left, facing F chasing the C7/D6D to the wall. E4A eventually turned north again near end of turn and is at range 9 to BCF and range 6 to FFS which is 7 hexes behind BCF.

E4B didn't want to get to close to soon, but it ended imp 32 at range 15 on the NCL down #6 shield and 9 hexes off the BCF #6 shield (little close there but if the BCF wants to kill an E4 he's not shooting my C7.

imp 31 D6D launched a shuttle, imp 32 E4B launched a drone. Mid turn FFS broke lockon of E4A, then E4A launched another ECM drone after that.

EOT FFS fixed an impulse as an APR. NCL fixed a shield box on it's #6, so the shield isn't down imp 1 for E4B long range disrs.

C7 fixed a drone rack, and a R/RR ph-3. E4B fixed a dam #2 shield (2 boxes on it now), and failed it's EDR roll.

I learned EDR gets announced at start of turn. I didn't do that for the E4B, I thought it happened at EOT. I could see that mattering if the C7 announced imp 1 it was spending 12 points on EDR, big chunk of energy committed before movement.

EOT klingon has more drones out than the fed, last turn was an abberation.

So, imp 1 NCL/DDl could shoot 6 photons + launch or bolt 2xF torps plus 8 ph-1. BCF is on the #6 shield, not the down #5, but it's only 1 hex off the shield boundary. If they put that much power into weapons and I assume ECCM they will have trouble moving, I am centerlined, so they will not have any map advantage on cornering me and gaining more hexes speed. I assume their batts and phaser caps are empty, maybe a pt in phasers from unfired ph-3.

If the BCF went 31 straight forward, and the C7 went 31 slipping along the top map edge, the BCF would get to range 5. Although the BCF max speed is 28 so absent the NCL turning left after a shot to try and get close enough to the BCF to allow it to play a tractor game and move an extra hex, I think the closest the BCF could get would be range 6. I don't think the BCF can finish arming photons, plasma, EW and make speed 28 for even half the turn. The C7 has 49 hexes to go before hitting the west map edge.

We'll see how the EW game looks like imp 1 next turn. The FFS is range 11 to the NCL/DDl, so it could loan one of them ECCM to help counter the likely ECM from the D6D. But the other ship could very well be firing at a +2. If the FFS wants to spend 7 power on supporting the NCL shot, it's probably the last action it will be taking. The E4A is too close to it for it to drop its speed to < 10. Good way to have 4 ph-2 shot into a down front shield.

On the shield counts, I lost 12 shield boxes and fixed 1. He lost 12 shield boxes and fixed 1 (although a more important one). He took 1 internal and fixed 1 internal. I fixed 2 internals on the C7.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, August 11, 2025 - 07:46 am: Edit

>>EOT klingon has more drones out than the fed, last turn was an abberation.>>

So the Feds have, what, 4 total ship mounted drone racks (2xG on the BCF, 1xG on the NCL and FFS)? That is a total of, like, 48 spaces of drones (plus a bunch of extra ADDs), not counting additional drone>ADD swaps.

Assuming they have been launching SPs, they gotta be very low on drones by now?

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Monday, August 11, 2025 - 11:56 am: Edit

Peter,
The BCF has lots since I bought a MRS but the NCL is running low and the FFS has a destroyed drone rack but she too is running low in any event.

If the NCL and the DDL can get another 20 internals or so via the downed C7 #5 at R7, I will be happy with that!

I like the way Dana is handling the E4s, get to R15, fire disruptors at BCF or NCL and then peel away to repeat next turn.

The BCF shields at 21/26,24,24,9,27 [E4-A on #5 and E4-B on #6, both R9, C7 [R11] and D6D [R12] on #1
BCF is on C7 #6, D6D #5, E4-A and E4-B #1.

NCL shields are 30/8/24/24/24/1 [1 internal, same enemy shield facing as BCF, E4-A at R13, E4-B at R15, C7 at R7 and D6D at R10
NCL is on C7 downed #5, D6D #5, E4-A and E4-B #1

FFS at 1/18/18/18/18/18 [ crippled, 24 internals after 1 CDR work, E4-A [R6] and E4-B [R14] both on #6.
FFS is on C7 downed #5, D6D #5, E4-A #2, E4-B #1

DDL has no shield damage, same ranges and facings as NCL as they are in the same hex

C7 shields at 36/30/0/24/0/30 [ 10 internals after 2 CDR work
D6D at 30/0/22/22/22/22 [11 internals after 1 CDR work
E4A has 21/12/12/9/12/12
E4B has 21/0/12/12/12/12 [1 internal after 1 CDR work

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, August 11, 2025 - 03:09 pm: Edit

Ah, yeah, the MRS drones. Always forget those. Thanks!

By Alan Trevor (Thyrm) on Monday, August 11, 2025 - 03:39 pm: Edit

I don't play drone-using empires very often (favorite empire - Tholian, second favorite - Romulan) so I may be misremembering. But can't ships buy additional drones, over and above the standard reloads, as "Commander's Options"?

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, August 11, 2025 - 04:12 pm: Edit

They can, but that is generally pretty cost ineffective.

Late war ships tend to have oodles and oodles of free reloads (large racks with double or triple reloads; drone specific ships often have cargo spaces with lots of extra free drones; ships with fighters have very deep stockpiles for free, etc.).

Buying a single extra fast drone costs 2BPV, which is a lot.

By Dana Madsen (Madman) on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 - 09:03 pm: Edit

Game is over, Feds conceded at end of T6.

A lot happened, it took 5 hours last night to go through the first 23 impulses, then we finished the turn in 45 min tonight. Every ship had 2, 3 or 4 speed changes, almost no ships flew the same speed and all ships were flying independently shooting, launching and dodging drones. I put 3 SPs on the board for 14 drones and he blew up a fourth one with a photon preventing 6 more launches. I launched 10 drones from the 2 drogues (he missed 2 range 8 photon shots trying to kill one of the drogues which might have been the game) and my ships launched 11 drones this turn. He put out 4 t-bombs, multiple suicide shuttles to kill drones plus a lot of phasers and some tractors. Oh, some of the drones were heavy armoured, in one case he shot a swordfish drone at the same time it shot him

Summary. Imp 1 NCL shot at range 8, 4 ph-1, 4std. I had a plan, then I screwed up and ignored my plan and thought I lost. C7 was going to generate 6 ECM, get loaned 6 ECM by D6D and D6D was going to jam NCL for 4 ECM. I expected NCL to have 6 ECCM and get loaned 6 ECCM by FFS so he was going to have a +2 shift on shot. In speed announcement BCF & NCL announced 28 and FFS announced 22 (FFS is short power). I thought to myself, he's going to chase me and get closer, not shoot at range 8. I was only going 24 on C7 with an upcoming slowdown to 12 (to launch drogue), then back to 20, similar on D6D. I thought maybe I need to jam the BCF more than the NCL the FFS isn't going to loan it 6 ECCM, if he's trying to get to range <4 the NCL probably doesn't have full torps, the BCF doesn't have full torps, but if he gets close it won't matter. Anyways I changed my mind and didn't jam the NCL per my plan, the FFS did loan him 6 ECCM then slowed down fast after. The NCL used a batt to up ECCM to 6. The NCL shot, then slowed down fast after, the BCF chased for a bit, then slowed down fast after. He hit with 3 std and did 9 from 4ph-1 for 33 internals - 2 effective general before batts died. If I'd jammed him it would have been 1 phot + 6 pt phaser or 14 internals, minus general. So end of imp 1 C7 is now up to 41 internals and the BCF isn't damaged.

After a full turn of his dodging though, the last 6 drones from an SP couldn't be stopped by a t-bomb. He tried to lab at r5 and missed 3 attempts. If he'd figured out target he could have placed t-bomb correctly. But he had to guess at target as drones had valid targeting to all his ships. He guessed at protecting the BCF/DDL with his placement, and the target was the NCL. It seemed like a good target when I launched 9 imp earlier as I knew he had to be slowing more. So imp 32 the NCL took 6 I-xF for 48 more internals.

The BCF would have been in trouble from a D6D of all ships on T7 (with some help from the C7 which would have fired 3 range 8 UIM OL + 4 ph-1 on a 9 pt #4 shield). The D6D was 3 hexes behind the #4 at EOT, going faster and able to launch 6 Drones early in T7 and the BCF had no 360 ph left and only 2 RS ph1. I still hadn't shot at the DDL, but I didn't really care. Both E4's were wrecks but they bravely charged and said you need to shoot your f-torps at me and not the C7. Although one of them did get to range 2 on the BCF back shield and give it 20 damage on a 9 pt shield and the BCF had no ph to spare for it. The other one earlier did a close range on the BCF after eating both f's on it's #1. It came through ok, but as it flew past it got tractored and BCF slipped it into a mine hex the same imp 5 drones detonated it, so the E4 took a t-bomb on it's down #1 and became really hurt.

So 2 badly crippled E4's (all that was left was 4 power, couple weapons, control each), 41 internals to C7 (destroyed 9 power, 7 batt, 1 disr, 4 phas (2 were fixed)), and 9 internals to D6D (1 power after rep, 2ph-2 destroyed).

BCF had 24 internals in multiple volleys, down 6 ph, 2 drones, phot and 4 power. NCL was mostly wrecked with 8 power, 3 ph & 2 photons left. DDL was untouched and FFS was crippled.

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 - 11:50 pm: Edit

Yep, a fun fight !
Dana played his fleet perfectly !
Thanks for the tense situations we had !

Thanks to Geoff for organizing this tourney, it was fun !
I got 3 games in and lost 2, I need to work on my tactics I suppose. :>)

Cheers
Frank

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 06:29 am: Edit

My post last night is a little short because I was tired when I posted it, I should not have, my apologies.

To top up Dana's summary,
After I took my NCL shot getting 33 internals or so on the C7, I should have turned away and got out of dodge instead of continuing the chase and then realizing too late it was an error to do so.
The BCF should have launched 2 sabot plasma to keep chasing and forcing the C7 further away while the Feds made their temporary retreat to the rear.

There were simply too many sp 32 drones to deal with. I ran out of TBs and even with phaser fire, not enough drones were KIA.

Those pesky E4s were handled quite nicely by Dana drawing fire.

My speed plot started fast at the start and then slowed down drastically.
BCF = 28/15/8 no EW
NCL = 28/14/7/6 EW 0/5, used 1 batt to get to 0/6 at time of fire
DDL = 16/10/16 no EW
FFS = 22/11/5 no EW

DDL used 2 batts to get back to sp 16 and turned in to help but to late again.

The Klingons had turned back into the Feds and had a much better speed at the end of the turn and being only R7 ish away, a Klingon rundown could not be adoided.

A fun fight, thanks again Dana !

Thanks again to Geoff for organizing the tourney.

Cheers
Frank

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 07:02 am: Edit

Excellent work, team.

Turns out, lots of fast drones are really good!

How long (in hours) do you think it took to play this game out (not counting the gas leak :-)?

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 07:41 am: Edit

Peter,
Going through our posts, I would say 14 hours that we mentioned but I do not see an hour indication for T5 alone.
Lets say 4 hours there so a total of 18 hours or so for the entire game !?

T1-2 = 4 hours
T3 = 3
T4 = 1
T5 = 4
T6 = 6
Total = 18 hours give or take.

Cheers
Frnak

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 09:27 am: Edit

Thanks, Frank!

Yeah, that seems about right; Dana and I got through 13 turns in about 26 hours (IIRC?), so we were a little faster, but not much.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 10:47 am: Edit

Well done. Sounds like a guess on drone target was the critical decision point in the Fed/Kli game.

That is as it should be.

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 08:22 am: Edit

Peter,
Yes, we had lots going on and I am not the fastest player as I usually over analize the situation.
:>)

Ted,
Yep, my R5 lab attempt failed, if only I had a probe ready ... !!

Also, if I had selected the correct phasers back on T2 when I shot up the D6D, that could have made a difference, the D6D got back 15 internals, 5 warp, SENSOR, a couple of phasers, bttys.

Live and learn eh !

Cheers
Frank

By Justin Royter (Metaldog) on Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 12:01 pm: Edit

Dana, if your offer to play this matchup again with me still stands I would be glad to find the time.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 12:36 pm: Edit

If you were glad to find the time, why didn't you just play the game that just happened?

By Dana Madsen (Madman) on Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 06:56 pm: Edit

He'd said that he didn't have the time to keep things moving this spring/summer, but he had time this fall. He popped onto the game one night, and I said if he wants when he's got time in Sep/Oct to let me know and I'll play the same match up again versus him.

And yeah, Justin. I can make this work, after Aug 25 is good for me.

Peter, while our game was long I enjoyed it. If you want to play a variant or pick new forces at some time as a one off let me know. I'd run a 500 pt Lyran fleet against your Kzin drone force for fun.

By Frank Lemay (Princeton) on Thursday, August 14, 2025 - 07:19 pm: Edit

Be careful Justin, Dana is tricky, a true Klingon !! !!
:>)

Cheers
Frank

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 08:11 am: Edit

Ah, ok.

Our game was, indeed, a good time. I could have done without some of the psychotic commentary it generated, but, well, we get what we get.

By Justin Royter (Metaldog) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 10:52 am: Edit

Psychotic? This guy... lol.. SMH.

By Justin Royter (Metaldog) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 11:09 am: Edit

thank you for playing it out Frank, taking over my force. You played well, both of you played a good game. Thank you to Geof as well for making it happen, we need more of this on sfbol. Cheers.

By Justin Royter (Metaldog) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 11:14 am: Edit

Dana sounds good thanks!!

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 05:25 pm: Edit

Listen, man. I don't know what your issue is. Maybe you have a rage disorder. Maybe you are just utterly terrible at interacting with people in polite civilization. I have no idea. But you were so thoroughly objectionable to deal with in this discussion forum for this tournament that, had I advanced, I was planning on resigning my game if I had to play you, rather than having to spend time playing a game with you.

If that's how you want to go through life, that is your right. But you also might want to reconsider how you interact with people in a forum with a small population that exists to further a fun pastime.

By Alex Chobot (Alendrel) on Friday, August 15, 2025 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Peter, he was banned from here for a while for physically threatening me.

By Justin Royter (Metaldog) on Saturday, August 16, 2025 - 02:00 pm: Edit

My issue with you is that you spammed this forum trying to basically remake the tournament in your vision, instead of just playing it as is. I countered, stayed on topic and you lost your ••••, repetedly, lol, get some.

Clearly I am not banned currently, and I do not recall ever threatening someone physically, but if I did, alex was prob deserving. I DONT CARE ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS, nor do I have to. The simple fact that you are still talking about it literally months later, and that you had to bring it up at the tourneys end is all we need to know about what a Karen you are. Move on and talk to your therapist about it.

You did not and would not have advanced in this tournament so your fantasy of dipping on me ( you would have lost badly ) will never come to fruition. You don't have the skill to play at that level.

You are a small minded spammer and a total Karen, Your only giving me more dopamine with your tears. Your comment here was un-necessary and yes IRL I would eat you for all 3 meals. I have no interest in playing you, all you play is gorn TCC and not even that well, stimpy is far better.

Why you decided to start some •••• at the end here is beyond me and again, to be clear I was counter pointing your spam attempts to de-rail and remake this tournament. If words make you react this way I can only imagine how poorly equipped you are for any RL interactions that might challenge you.

In posting this I realize I am giving you a small part of what you want, you live for this ••••, clearly. I will not respond again. I play games with tons of players without issue, there are a small percentage, literally only 2 players I can think of right now that I dont not tolerate.. you are one of them. I will not respond again, I have stated clearly why I countered your constant spam and my issue with you specifically. Let it go, or talk to someone else, perhaps a professional about your trauma and grief.

This was un-necassary and my understanding was that we moved on from this, especially once you got knocked out of the tourney early.. lol.