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	Archive through July 02, 2026	25		07/22 07:55pm
	Archive through August 19, 2026	25		09/02 11:25am

bakija (GRN) over Hardcore (ORI PPPf1)

A kooky game where no one fired any guns before it was over.

T1: GRN moves 24 all turn, holds an S, rolls an S, has some in HET, some in tractor. ORI doubles one engine, moves 16/15/26 late. GRN did not arm an enveloper, figuring there was a reasonable chance the Orion cloaks on T1. Impulse 1, the Orion cloaks. Impulse 6, GRN attempts to retain lockon on a 1-2, but fails. We close up the map, GRN turns out and slips away some, turns back up north, and ships turn towards each other. ORI speed up to 26. GRN speeds up to 31 with a battery on impulse 26. I think Orion considers uncloaking, but declines. ORI turns off, GRN ends up 4 hexes behind ORI, GRN facing E, ORI facing D, GRN off ORI #5 shield. ORI still cloaked. No guns fired. ORI burns an engine.

T2: GRN plots 31/17/12 (20 moves), continues rolling the torp, has 7 in tractor. ORI doubles one engine and moves 19 all turn. ORI does not turn off the cloak. ORI squirrels around to avoid GRN. GRN closes in as best it can, slowing down to 17 on impulse 10, allowing it to turn some. GRN looks at the cloak chart, and discovers that it has a 1-2 chance of retaining lockon (as ORI is moving 19, which is the best possible chance, until the GRN gets to R0). Checks for reaqcuisition, fails. GRN and ORI get real close. GRN uses 3 batteries to change the impulse 25 decel to 12 an acceleration to 24 instead. ORI turns, and GRN turns into R0 centerlined on the ORI #3. GRN now has an improved chance of lockon (1-3) and rolls for lockon reaquitsion, rolls a 1, gets lockon. GRN grabs ORI with a tractor, and ORI surrenders. GRN still has to roll on the cloak chart, but 2xS (still have 2 batteries to finish the rolling delay), 2xF, 6xP1, 2xP3, even with the cloak chart, will make a big mess of the Orion.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, August 24, 2026 - 09:12 pm: Edit

bakija (GRN) vs Cadet_Stimpy (TKE)

4 turns in.

T1: GRN moves 24, speeding up to 31 late (probably batteries). TKE moves 17/31 split. Ships move up map, at about R11, TKE launches a standard R torp. GRN closes a little, launches a standard S torp. Ships fire some phasers at R8; GRN does 12 damage with 5xP1 to the TKE #2, sees 6 reinforcement, so 6 sticks. GRN takes 4 damage from P1s at R8 to the #5. Ships turn off and run from plasma.

T2: GRN moves 24, speeding up to 26 mid turn when convenient to run out plasma to 1 point. TKE moves 31/17. Ships run in opposite directions till they each take the respective plasmas for 1 point; GRN plasma S (A tube) is fake. Plasma R is real, scoring 1 point to GRN #4. Ships come back around, close on middle of map, ending at R17, GRN facing B, TKE facing E.

T3: GRN moves 17, speeding up to 24 about mid turn. TKE comes out at 17, slows to 8. Ships close a little. At R9, after dropping to speed 8, TKE launches both F torps. GRN launches an enveloper (tube A)) the next impulse, after the TKE turns on the cloaking device. GRN turns off, TKE slips away. When the TKE is fully cloaked, the GRN has a 1-2 for lockon, but fails. The enveloped torpedo has a 1-4 (it is closer and has ECCM), and succeeds! TKE is concerned for a couple impulses, but then it slows down to 4, forcing another lock on roll (1-3 this time), which the enveloper fails and falls off the map. GRN speeds up to 24 after it turns a second time, and accidentally runs the F torps out to zero, so I don't know if they were real or not. Cloaked TKE slowly follows, speeding up to 12 late, GRN comes back around. Ships end at R11, TKE facing E, GRN facing F.

T4: GRN moves 24/26. TKE moves 14/24 late. TKE drops cloak on impulse 1. GRN closes a little. On last impulse of cloak from R9, GRN launches S+F (tubes B+D) from range 9. TKE fully uncloaks and launches an enveloped R torp. GRN turns off. TKE turns off. TKE does not have AFC, and tries to run the plasma out as best it can, firing 7xP3 into it an impulse before AFC comes up. The plasma hits the TKE #5 for 32 damage, -11 from phasers, for 21 which sticks after 12 moves. The GRN runs from the enveloper, turning E, then back F, then back E, then down into the corner in direction D. Impulse 32, the torp is 2 hexes from the GRN, which fires 6xP3 into the torp, knocking 10 off the warhead (which may or may not have been necessary). At end of turn, GRN is 2 hexes from the absolute corner of the map, with a largely run out (27 hexes?) enveloper R torp 2 hexes away. TKE is about 30 hexes away. TKE fixes 2 shield boxes on the #2.

GRN has only 1 F torp available (tube C) the next turn. TKE may or may not have 2 F torps. GRN has 4 damage on the #5, 1 damage on the #4. TKE has 4 damage on the #2, 21 damage on the #5.

This might take a while.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - 01:38 pm: Edit

Another thing that is worth mentioning about my game with Stimpy here (GRN vs TKE) is that about half way through T3, the game crashed out; neither of us had the most up to date save file, and the Restore function only got us to the end of T2.

As such, we ended up starting back up at the end of T2, and reconstructing our EA and turn up till the point at which the game crashed. Which worked well enough, and it's nice that my opponent and I just worked to make this work out.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, August 31, 2026 - 07:55 pm: Edit

bakija (GRN) over Cadet_Stimpy (TKE)

It's only a marginal victory, as my opponent reasonably and kindly resigned the game, rather than play a tedious plasma ballet for another 10 turns. GRN was a little ahead at the resignation point.

T5: GRN was right in the SW corner of the map with a 10 point degraded enveloped R torp 2 hexes off. TKE was about 30 hexes to the North. GRN moves 17/26, rearms. TKE moves 17/24, rearms, has no AFC. GRN slips away and takes the enveloper for 10 damage, -10 from phasers last turn for 0, and turns to avoid the wall. TKE turns in (suggesting that it still has plasma F's armed, so the previous ones were the pseudoes probably). GRN turns NE and speeds up to 26. Ships close some. At R7 (TKE facing D, GRN facing B), GRN launches Fast F+F (tubes A, D). TKE launches both F torps next impulse. TKE turns off (DIR E). GRN gets a R8 shot with 4xP1 at the TKE #5, hits average for 8, sees 6 reinforcement (batteries probably), scores 2 hits (shield now at 7!). GRN turns off, both ships evade plasma. GRN had better launch telemetry and impulse 32, the 2xF torps are R1 from the TKE damaged #5. TKE fires 5xP3 into the plasmas, knocking 6 damage from the warheads. GRN ends 3 hexes from the incoming plasma Fs. Ships are about 20 hexes apart, TKE facing F, GRN facing B. TKE fixes 2 boxes on the #5 (all my hard work for nothing!).

T6: TKE moves 17, GRN moves 17. Neither ships have any fully armed plasma this turn. Impulse 1, the GRN F torps hit for 4 total damage, which is blocked with reinforcement. Impulse 4, the TKE plamsa F's hit the GRN #5 for 2 total damage, which is blocked with reinforcement. Daniel thinks here and resigns.

GRN is ahead a little (GRN has 4 total shield damage on the #5; TKE has 21 damage on the #5 and maybe 4 damage on the #2 after some repairs?). TKE used the pseudo Fs, but still has a pseudo R; GRN used one pseudo S. This game likely takes another 10 turns for anything dramatic to happen, so I completely understand the decision to throw it in here. TKE can be fun and effective vs non plasma ships, but against other BP ships, it just has to be incredibly conservative (or just bully into an alpha bolt on T1 without taking too much damage and hit with everything).

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, September 02, 2026 - 11:25 am: Edit

Current Standings:

http://sfb.mattnet.org/world_league.html

Team GKT (bakija, Madman, DataLoreQ) has 39 points.

Team Pacific Rim of Fire (Spartan, Cadet_Stimpy, Putraack) has 34 points.

Team Frenemies (Eric_The_Silent, Andromedan, Hardcore) has 31 points.

About two weeks left for the first round.

By Daniel Bitseff (Cadet_Stimpy) on Sunday, September 06, 2026 - 11:44 pm: Edit

Stimp(TKE) over Hardcore(Orion PPPf1)

T1 Orion doubled one engine, did a 26/31 split. TKE did a 17/24 split. We waddle out, Orion turns in, TKE launches the 50 ptr. Orion turns & bravely runs away. TKE follows, trying to keep the bricked up (10 pts) #6 at the Orion. Orion never shoots at it, but he does phaser hose the R at range 1 on imp 32.

T2 TKE does the 17/24 split again, but instead of a brick, arms an EPT R. (T1 launch was the fake). Orion goes 19/26/31, one engine doubled, tops off his last photon. Plasma would have hit the #4 for 12 on imp1 after the phaser hose, but was fake. TKE tries to get a good launch angle for the EPT as Orion swings around. Orion does get range 8, but doesn't deem it a good enough shot. Ept comes out, and Orion runs again, TKE turns to follow, trying to stay out of FA. Late in the turn, TKE gets a range 5 shot & bolts an F (hits) & 4ph-1s for 23 damage on Orion #5. Orion return fire (3xph-1) does 11 to TKE #6. TKE turns out to rearm, Orion turns out to avoid ept damage.

T3 Orion does 30/26 split (one doubled engine again), TKE does another 17/24 split. Ept runs Orion into the very corner, he gives it some phasers & takes it for 10 pts (-10 from phasers), bricks away 4 of it. TKE flees to center of map, rearming, Orion digs itself out of the corner to pursue.

T4 Orion has center of map & is coming in hard. Orion doubles one engine again (he has been repairing engines as well, so mitigating the cocaine effect). TKE does a 17/8/4 split & cloaks, but uses batts to maintain speed 8 instead of dropping to 4 (since Orion cloak lockon failed). TKE launches the remaining F torp & cloaks out. Orion is not deterred & uses 2xph-3 on the F, it would have hit the Orion #6 for 17 if real, but was a fake (doh!). Orion overruns the cloaked TKE & does 14 damage (after chart rolls) on the TKE #2 with 5xph-1. Does not fire photons. End of turn when Orion is far enough away, TKE decloaks, out on imp 32 to launch F-torp C. Orion is at range 6 & fires the photons, TKE returns fire with 4xph-1. Orion hits with 2 full overloads & does 12 in after reinforcement (armor gone, center hull, ph-3), TKE does 8 phaser damage to Orion #6 in return.

T5 Orion has phasers coming online imp 1 on a down shield, so TKE parks & boosts general reinf. Orion does a 26/31 split, both warp doubled. Imp 1, Orion shoots 5xph-1 rolling 1,1,2,2,5 which is well beyond my general reinf. brick. I use batts & still take 5 in (bridge & hull!). TKE tacs a new shield to the Orion even though they're empty. Orion runs out the F-torp until it hits for 1. Orion at very fast speeds swings around & gets back to range 3 or 4 on the TKE at end of turn.

T6 Orion is right up on me, so I stay parked. Orion is 19/31 split. Anticipating another photon shot, I WW & dive again at start of turn. TKE gets fully under & Orion shoots down the WW with 3xph-3. Around turn 20 TKE starts to fade back in. After fade in, TKE launches the R (50) with Orion at range 3 after slipping in. Orion comes to range 2 and TKE attempts a desperate anchor & succeeds with 2 pts of tractor! (I don't know where the orion's reserves went). Orion fires 2xol, 1x std, 5xph-1, 2xph-3 at TKE, TKE returns fire with 4xph-1. TKE does 19 to Orion #6, Orion does 53 to TKE #1, after 4 reinf., TKE takes 19 ints (ph-3, ph-1, trac, pl-F, some batts, some warp, some shuttles, ouch!). Orion then HETs to take the R on a fresh shield, but still takes 21 in: photon, couple ph-3, ph-1, couple warp, 3 batts)

T7 Orion is speed 19, TKE stays parked. Orion launches some shuttles & moves up on the TKE, slips out as TKE tacs to keep a reasonable shield in arc, but it was late Orion had a lot of cocaine & put a down shield to me at range 1. 3xph-1 & 4xph-3, Orion concedes.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, September 07, 2026 - 08:05 am: Edit

Thanks for the update!

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Tuesday, September 08, 2026 - 12:40 pm: Edit

I'm... shocked. The ORI is a very tough customer for the TKE. Well done. A bit of luck on the tractor, but nevertheless well done.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Tuesday, September 08, 2026 - 02:08 pm: Edit

I'm curious - what was the ORI's other package? Ordinarily I wouldn't pick the mini-Fed package against BP, but that's just me.

By Daniel Bitseff (Cadet_Stimpy) on Tuesday, September 08, 2026 - 02:15 pm: Edit

Ship & Options: Orion TBR (PPPf1;FFgff)

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Tuesday, September 08, 2026 - 08:13 pm: Edit

Interesting. Why the min-Fed against BP?

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, September 08, 2026 - 08:37 pm: Edit

I think of the two packages, the PPPf1 is probably better than the FFgff would be against BP? I can't speak for Carl, but seeing the PPPf1, I was concerned, where I would have been a lot less so against the FFgff version. The PPPf1 has the ability to just, like, double everything, HET around some plasma, blast you in the face at R4 or something without taking significant damage in return, and getting away at speed 31. I mean, to be fair, that isn't at all what happened in our game, but that sort of thing has certainly killed me in the past.

By Jack Taylor (Jtaylor) on Wednesday, September 09, 2026 - 09:34 am: Edit

I would think PPPf1 is better against BP for sure. I still think it very hard to choose any package that doesn't have a phaser-g in it, but that is me.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Wednesday, September 09, 2026 - 11:55 am: Edit

I was more thinking something more traditional like HgHBB.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Wednesday, September 09, 2026 - 12:54 pm: Edit

I am thinking of switching to PPgff.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Wednesday, September 09, 2026 - 02:09 pm: Edit

PPgff gives you a bit more on the defense side against BP, and uses less power. I can see it.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, September 09, 2026 - 07:53 pm: Edit

Ted wrote:
>>I was more thinking something more traditional like HgHBB.>>

Oh, sure, but those weren't the packages he selected at the start of the tournament. He had PPPf1 and FFgff. Between those, I think PPPF1 is a better choice against a plasma ship.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Thursday, September 10, 2026 - 10:49 am: Edit

Agreed. Package selection really is key to Orion, but I always have a BP selection and PPPf1 seems (to me) like it would have several of the disadvantages the Fed has against BP.

YMMV, of course.

I'd take HgHBB or 1g111 against BP.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Thursday, September 10, 2026 - 11:39 am: Edit

Photons got more flexible arming options, and the fusions are good for a follow up attack. The reason I switch to a Gatling is to get more firepower for just that attack. As secondary package I would pick the plasma package. In case there are any feds about, and because I have to