Archive through September 04, 2017
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Federation & Empire: F&E INPUT:
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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure:
Archive through September 04, 2017
Yeah F and E cant be considered in the 1 on 1.
Its just not made for it.
Ali turn 4
Kzinti econ: The Kzinti manage to not borrow money again this turn. They had to down build a DN to a TGC to do it, but they did manage to build all their hulls. A few escorts were repaired off map, but a slug of Battlecruisers remain crippled off map. The coalition is occupying all of Kzinti space except the 2 marquis provinces and 1401. There are over 130 hulls in 1402, with 25 or so in reserve, so operational will be “challenging.” No raids
Builds: TGC, CVS, LTT, 2MEC, CM, FKE, FFK, 4xFF.
Repair off map: MEC, 2xEFF, SF
The Kzinti do not raid and have not done any siginificant op moves as yet. They did infiltrate and cripple an FF at 1202.
On the Hydran front, a force of a couple cruisers and a bunch of frigates attack BATS 0212, the last BATS on the Hydran front. It will surely die.
A large Coalition fleet is in 0815, and a large number of aux's at 0916 along with small Coalition forces scattered around Hydran space. Large Coalition fleets are on the Klingon border, just waiting for a Hydran to let them react and move across the neutral zone. So far the Hydrans have been disinclined.
The Hydrans move a PV and GRV to 0716 and combine with the SB to do a fighter strike into 0815 of 21 fighter factors. After no reaction from the Coalition, the rest of 2nd Fleet (14 or so strong SEQs) goes to 0815.
The continuation of Hydran op moves saw 30ish SEQ of Hydrans in 0815 vs weak Klingons.
The Hydrans moved some POLs to 0519 (Hydrafahl). They then moved 71 SEQs of ships to the aux stack in 0917.
The Kzinti attack BATS 1707 with a modest force but do not otherwise attack Coalition targets.
The Coalition sent two reserves that will save that base.
In the Hydran theatre, the Coalition send all their reserves to 0917 to defend their aux stack. This was mostly modest ships though four maulers did arrive. About 50SEQ of Coalition is here after reserve movement.
In the Hydran theatre, 43 compot of Hydrans destroy BATS 0212 for fighters. A Lyran POL and CW defend for a round and then retreat to 0313.
In 0917, one round of combat has carriers fight, trading a Hydran SC for an E4. The Coalition then retreats, and in the slow pursuit round the Hydrans destroy an SAF+CC group and a Lyran LAV our of the formation bonus. The Hydrans lose fighters.
In 0815, the Hydrans drop damage, killing an F5L and crippling a D6 and another F5L. The Coalition destroy a KN and retreat.
The Hydrans fail to make contact in pursuit and the Coalition escapes.
Correction - was SAF+DW group.
C5 Econ
Links to my econ forms provided below, in case you want to review in detail.
Highlights:
Klingons: Full builds, substantial repairs, a convoy, B10 under construction, and a pair of VP pods. Includes 2 D6Ms and 2 D6Ds by conversion+build. Sherman's Planet (1910) is convinced of the benefits of becoming a subject of the Klingon Empire. Klingons go a bit deeper into debt.
Lyrans: Full builds, substantial repairs, and a bunch of useful conversions. Lyrans convert BATS 1407 to a SB this turn (no additional fighters). Lyrans begin ADS full bore.
Raids: the Klingons use a pair of FD7s to raid the Marquis provinces. Lyran blockade run uses an APT to deliver a freshly graduated prime team to 1407. Klingons use a D5H to help deliver EPs as part of the every turn WYN shuffle.
Klingon Econ:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z1t5aevzzk9bvda/BT%20Coalition%20Klingon.xls?dl=0
Lyran Econ:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/j939mglm7a01n6s/BT%20Coalition%20Lyran.xls?dl=0
Romulan Econ:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0w7sil2mhyl45j9/BT%20Coalition%20Romulan.xls?dl=0
You know that the Romulans should have 0EP diplomatic income on Turn #1, don't you??
Stewart: Thank you for catching that. I've fixed it (set to 0). Not sure what I was thinking... maybe I thought I was centering C2. Anyway, it's fixed now.
C5 raids, operational, and reserve movement are done.
Raids:
A pair of FD7 successfully raid the Marquis provinces. Blockade runs deliver a Lyran PT and help the Klingons "do the WYN shuffle."
Operational:
The ZTO was easy. Most of my fleets are sitting at 1402 and all other Zin planets and provinces are taken, but for the Marquis zone (and I'm not ready to have the Fed go to limited war on C5, so they sit there nicely). Anyway, I plop my fleets onto 1401. There will be one big battle over Kzintai, and that's it.
The HTO was substantially more complicated, as there were plenty of targets left and my fleets were a bit scattered from C4 and A4.
During A4 the Hydrans turtled up. They have two decent reserves offmap, but they put only 13 ships at SB215 and left SB716 completely undefended. They have some 90 SEQ in the capital. Personally, I can see good reason for this strategy. I have nearly 150 SEQ in range of the capital and another 45 SEQ sitting at Lyran SB 411. However, the Hydrans did manage to drive back my SAF park to range 4 of the capital on A4, so they will not participate this upcoming capital assault.
Using the usual operational movement tricks (starting with ships farther back, keeping large fleets in reserve to discourage reactions, etc.) I manage to put squadrons configured to have a 100% success at destroying fixed points at 114 (BATS), 315 (BATS), 416 (planet with 2*PDU), 318 (BATS), 718 (planet with 4*PDU), and 716 (starbase). I also put 30 SEQ onto 215, which will force the Hydran to use at least one reserve to save it. Most other ships in range head to the capital, giving me about 120 to 130 SEQ against 90 SEQ of Hydrans. Definitely not enough to take the capital, but plenty enough to do some more damage before leaving.
I also move up my AUX park and a Lyran TGC+FRD in hex 815 (within 3 of 617). A few Klingon AUX CV make it to 716 to join the party there.
Reserves:
The Kzinti send both their reserves to the capital. It's shaping up to be quite the luau.
The Hydrans send both their revers to SB215. This action not only absolutely guarantees preservation of that base, but also means he can put the hurt on my fleet before I go. The trade-off is that I will now bag 3*BATS and a minor planet (416) that were within range of the reserves. The other two points (major planet 718 and SB716) were out of reach of reserves, and thus lost causes.
Most veteran players would not anticipate a capital fall this turn based on forces arrayed. Earliest capital fall will be C6.
Combat now commencing.
C5 complete.
ZTO first, as it was easy. I killed 4*PDU over Kzintai and then I left. He killed a mauler and I took several cripples, which mostly I field repaired later in the turn.
The HTO was absolutely brutal. It's now become clear to all that I am pursuing a Hydran first policy, which is why I only just reminded the Kzinti that I'm still around. In the HTO I took tremendous damage, but now 6 hard points are obliterated or captured, and all of the PDUs are stripped in the Hydran capital system.
Perhaps the "highlight" of C5 combat was when the Hydran rolled boxcars over round 1 of the Hydran capital assault. Fortunately BIR was only 5, but even as it was the 132 damage crippled almost everything (I decided to keep the D6S uncrippled) and self-killed several ships. Twice Richard direct killed D6V groups (D6V,F5L,E4A), and twice he direct killed C8s (one when it was in the form box). He also killed a mauler or two. When the smoke finally cleared after the Coalition left with almost nothing but E4s and other riff-raff left able to fight, the Coalition had suffered nearly 16 SEQ of KIA casualties at the capital alone. Add to that the undefended SB assault (cost me another ship to DD) and other fights, Richard definitely took his pound of flesh.
However, no PDUs remain in the capital, meaning he can't reinforce them on A5. Also, he only has one on-map planet remaining (519) that is not in the capital. All BATS are dead and only SB215 and SB617 remain.
I have two moderate reserves in 1407; enough to keep him out of that hex and make his life annoying if he wants to do picket hunting within that range.
I have a strong Lyran reserve in 411. He could send enough ships to that SB to kill it on A5, but I would extract my own pound of flesh in the process.
In 1013 I have two strong Klingon reserves and two weak Lyran reserves. He can't reach my FRD park here. However, he could put a squad or two into my AUX park in 815 if he wanted to. It's unlikely that he could send in enough ships to kill my SAFs there, not with 32 ships in reserve fleets able to come to the rescue.
But Richard is a clever sort. We will see whether he gets aggressive or turtles up.
A5 and C6 tend to be the darkest turns for the Alliance. However, A7 is coming all too soon. No matter what, at least Bill can count on support from the Federation 4th fleet at that time.
Exciting! 
Go Hydrans.. 
I killed an STT and D6M (in pursuit). He used rescue tugs to prevent me from having a shot at the other two crippled D6Ms.
I did direct a D7A over Anthraxan (2PDU) with a carrier battle line. Kids, don't let your D7As die to carrier groups.
This game has provided a good distraction from other issues right now.
The D7A death was... unintended. I was going low BIR and had decent EW. I was using the D7A and a mauler (the STT) at the outlying planets (mostly stripped of PDUs) to devastate the planets and discourage him from sending out cruiser lines to bang me up before I was ready to hit the capital. Seemed like a good idea, especially since I figured had just enough reserves to strip Hydrax major of PDUs before I would have to bug out, and I was concerned that sending out cruiser lines (while being nice in that I could kill cruisers) would prevent me from accomplishing my primary goal. It later turned out to be prescient, as I indeed only had just enough reserves to strip all PDUs off of Hydrax major. Of course I could not know whether Richard would have sent out cruiser lines had I not been putting up mauler-stasis combinations, but I didn't want to take the risk - and I *did* also want to do that 12 EP of income damage to him by devastating the outer worlds.
Problem was, he rolled like very well in those two rounds with carrier lines and did just enough damage to bag those valuable units.
Also, he was supported by a PDU in one case and 2 PDU in the other (if I recall correctly). Those were the last PDUs in the outlying systems.
And, yes, this capital assault was very interesting.
Richard's "luck" overall was pretty average. However, he got lucky twice in the outlying systems, allowing him to bag very nice units, and then rolled box cars at round 1 over the capital planet itself. Mega ouch. However, these effects were moderated by generally poor rolls for the remaining 4-5 rounds over the capital planet itself.
Overall, it worked itself out so that the die rolls were average. However, *when* the luck hit mattered both positively and negatively - for both sides. So, in the end, it was a wash in terms of luck, but it certainly made the battle more exciting!
Turn A5 is complete. In the Kzinti Theater, I again resisted crack and did not do ADS. I was unable to build 2 frigates, and still have a large backlog of cripples, but still owe nothing. The Coalition moved all 130 SE from 1402 to 1407 during retro’s, allowing the Kzinti to come out and play. All targets, not within 2 hexes of 1407 were attacked. I had the forces to attack 1707 but missed it in the fog of war. Reserves saved planets 1105 and 1504. Planets 1001, 1202, and 1502 were liberated. A half dozen small coalition ships were destroyed. 2 strong reserves are off map.
I think you also killed a BATS using 2DNL 2BF.
On A5, the Hydrans built 18 SEQs (mostly FFs).
They used two LGE to try to destroy isolated Coalition ships (a CW and FF), crippling the CW and killing an FF. This also had the effect of liberating Pthaa III and the province that planet was in.
They also used a HNG to disrupt a captured province.
The Coalition had eight ships in three adjacent provinces, the plan was to hit them in op move (where they'd all react together), which is what happened. The province they ended up in was where I had raided, so I cost the Coalition an F5L and 3 EP by doing this.
The Hydrans also liberate Hydraxaport (killing some small Coalition ship in the process) and also liberate the province.
The Hydrans kill a POL in the SW Lyran province. A POL in 0413 is saved by four reserves, driving off three Hydran ships while killing (and capturing) a CR.
Hydrans then redeploy, about 60 percent of their strength at 0617, most of the rest at 0215, leaving a reserve at 0215 and offmap.
All Hydran POLs, FLGs and POL-Vs also go to 0215.
The two POL-Vs helped in combat by doing a fighter strike on 0718 (as did the SB at 0617).
Generally, only the battle hex at 0413 was not attacked by strong Hydran forces (ie 25ish SEQs).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkBPP5c63q0
This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of the Hydrans, and will soon see the end of the Kzinti.
For the first time in any of my games the Coalition captured both the Kzinti and the Hydran capitals on the same turn. In this case, that turn was C6.
Casualties were... enormous to say the least. I'll do a tale of the tape later. The Klingons also spent nearly 35 EPs on drone bombardment.
Oh, yeah, and in other news the Klingons destroyed Hydran Starbase 1017 - though in fairness it was completely abandoned and only it's automated defenses were in place.
You are getting ahead of yourself Ted, the Hydrans still have a SB and planet on map, the Kzintis still have a bit more than that on map...
Yeah, well, Vader was getting ahead of himself too. ;)
Casualties for Coalition Turn 6
It's *really* expensive to take two capitals in a single turn!. Coalition racked up a butcher bill of just over 200 EPs for repairs alone...
Coalition Losses:
Klingon Black Fleet: TGA+AL, 2*D6M, 3*F5L, 6*F5 (1 CAPTURED), 1*F5E, 1*E4A, 4*D6S, F5S, D6G, F5G (21 SEQ; 31.625 in salvage; 36 EPs in drone bombardment).
Klingon WIA: 2*C5, 4*D7C, 6*D6M, 3*D7, FD7, 3*D6, 22*D5, 9*F5, 2*TGA+BB, 1*CVT, 1*D5V, 1*D6V, 4*AD5, 3*F5E, 2*E4A, 2*D6D (227 Repair points; 113.5 EPs in damage).
Lyran Hall of Heroes: DN, CC, 3*CW, DWS, 3*SC, TGC+NN (10 SEQ; 17.75 in salvage).
Lyran WIA: 2*BC, DNL, CC, CA, 2*CF, 11*CW, 2*CL, 2*DW, 2*DD, JGP+V, 2*SC, JGP+G (90 Repair points; 45 EPs in damage).
Net Coalition Losses: 31 SEQ KIA, 36 EP in DB, 158.5 EPs in cripples.
Alliance Losses:
Kzinti KIA: CAPITAL SHIPYARD, SB, 8*PDU, CL, 2*FFK, 3*FF, CLE, FFG, D6 (CAPTURED), 2*FTL, 2*FTS, SAV, LAD, 2*FHL (9 SEQ in ships KIA, but +1 captured ship).
Kzinti WIA: DNL, 3*CC, 7*BC, 3*BF, CM, CL, 2*FFK, FF, 2*CVS, TGC+BB, CVL, 2*MEC, CLE, 5*EFF, 4*DF, F5 (CAPTURED) (116 repair points; 58 EPs).
Hydran KIA: CAPITAL SHIPYARD, SB, TG+FSP, 4*RN, THR, 2*SA, 2*PGS, 2*FHL, 2*PTR, LAS, SAS, F5L, FTS (14.5 SEQ)
Hydran WIA: TG+BP, LM, 2*DG, RN, TR, KN, CR, 4*CU, 4*DE, PGS (52 Repair points, 26 EPs).
Actual cost of repairs will vary with use of the depot (heavy by the Alliance, somewhat by the Coalition).
Net permanent change in ship SEQ from losses: Coalition down a net 7.5 SEQ relative to Alliance losses (not too bad).
Brutal turn!
So the coalition took out 2 shipyards, 2 SB, 8 PDU, and a bunch of auxiliaries, and came out 7.5 SEQ, 80.5 EP in repairs, and 36 EP in drone bombardment worse off than the alliance.
That looks a lot like a coalition decisive victory. Am I missing something?
The coalition can attack the feds relatively feebly on turn 7, counting on the fact that the Hydrans and Kzinti are both largely out of it to let them pick on the fairly weak Fed initial forces; or they can spend 3 turns rebuilding, repairing, and maybe putting fixed defenses on Alliance territory and smash the Feds from two sides on turn 10.
The Hydrans and Kzintis do have significant forces remaining.
The Coalition took a fair amount of damage on a previous turn reducing PDUs at Hydrax and, at least at the moment, are fairly weak in the Kzinti theatre.
More analysis isn't really possible until the Coalition set up their reserves and do their strategic movement. They might yet spend EP on field repair.
I will be sending money on field repair. However, only the Lyrans can do that because the Klingons borrowed near max and that massive salvage income only gave me enough for DB.
If the Hydrans and Kzinti wanted to, I would not be able to stop them A6 unless I committed all new builds to one theater, and that would likely be a mistake. No need to be hasty.
I *could* commit my new construction and builds to the FTO for a relatively anemic attack on the Feds on C7, maybe only 80 SEQ or so. I'm seriously considering it though, because it allows me to take out the 7th fleet SB relatively cheaply. And the Feds are going to be able to reinforce anyway.
I've attacked the Feds on turn 10 before with some success. However, I remain unconvinced that that is the best way to go. A hidden disadvantage to attacking the Feds on turn 10 is that the Feds will have a HUGE warchest which they can then use to overproduce upwards of 50 FF. That is bad news.
Will consider options carefully.
Im yet to see a successful delay but would love to read up on one.