AT22

Combat keeps going!

The Hydrans gave up at planet 0416 after a couple rounds (when the IC is pushed off the line), but they are in supply and in a position that putting them out of supply next turn will be very difficult.

In Kzinti space, fights are still raging over 1105 and 1504, but the Kzinti are running out of fighters and FFs escorting CV groups.

On the Fed/Klingon front, the Feds fled from planet 2306 after the Klingons spent 3 rounds removing all their EW support (which, to be fair, was directing 2xSWACs after killing their only scout), so the Feds came out ok there, but then lost 2 cripples in pursuit, but still, came out a little ahead.

Over on the Romulan side, the Romulans chase the Alliance away from planet 3706, but the Feds got to kill a WE in a drive by fighting retreat over a few province raiders that ended up in a bad neighborhood.

No action in Gorn space yet (which has the potential to be a kill factory for small Romulans if cloaked evasion goes badly).

So far, we are at 25 dead Coalition, 19 dead Alliance (and 2xSWACs!).

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandor) on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - 04:52 pm: Edit

it is beginning to look like the Alliance is gaining sme ground in ship count, However when does the fighting end

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, January 24, 2019 - 06:19 pm: Edit

AT22

All of the current combats have finished up, and we are about to move into Gorn space and a potentially exciting fight where the Tholians are fighting ROM BATS 3319, defended by a Klingon reserve force.

In Kzinti space, the Coalition managed to keep ahold of planets 1105 and 1504, and on the Romulan front, the Romulans kept planet 3609.

There are still 12 battle hexes left, but all but 2 of them are "kill the smallest ship you can sacrifice, unless the Romulans cloak out" fights.

At press time, the Coalition are down 30 ships compared to the Alliances 23. This will be a good turn for the Alliance.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 08:20 am: Edit

AT22

There was a purge of small Romulan ships in Gorn space; for the turn, I made 8 of 16 total cloaked evasion rolls (50%; low from the expected 66%), but a bunch of them were in hexes with multiple ships, so I didn't lose all 8 of those failed cloak evasion rolls.

The Gorn are currently fighting the Romulans over planet 4705; the Gorn have a compot advantage with a line of DNH+ADM (c/f), 3[CMV, CLE, DDE], HD, BD, (LSC)=115/4 to start out with, but it remains to be seen how long they will keep fighting as they run out of fighters and small escorts.

On the Tholian front, the Tholians decided they didn't want to get mangled fighting over BATS 3319 this turn, as all their fighters were off doing something else. They had a lot of ships, and a lot of webcasters and could have cut my compot by about 20, but without fighters to soak damage, they'd end up with a lot of cripples, so probably not worth it, and the BATS will still be there next turn. So this turn, the Tholians mostly just made the Coalition park about 85 ships on their border, and are stealing back NZ hexes, but otherwise haven't caused much havoc yet.

The Coalition are considering offensive actions against the Tholians--I can't realistically take their capital without moving another 100 ships down there (many of which wouldn't come back...), but could certainly kill some BATS without too much effort. But as their BATS don't count for victory points, it doesn't seem remotely worth the effort; taking a few cripples or losing a few ships to kill a Tholian BATS just seems like a waste of effort and resources that might be able to do something else.

Combat is almost over. At press time, we got 36 dead Coalition and 24 dead Alliance.

By jim howard (Noseybonk) on Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 10:19 am: Edit

seesm to me peter your at the tipping point or almost there radical thinking may break the inevitable tide turning. but you gotta be quick now.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Sunday, January 27, 2019 - 07:46 pm: Edit

Oh, in all reality, I think the tide has turned. Like, I don't know that the Alliance will end up winning the game, but they are now clearly pushing back, and will start gaining ground.

The Feds have enough ships at this point to have a lot of maneuver options, and can have localized ship superiority. And unless I drastically reposition ships, I'm never going to get into the Federation capital (and haven't yet). And I don't think I can afford to drastically reposition ships. I don't have enough ships in Gorn space to realistically threaten their capital; I'm pretty sure the Kzinti capital gets piles of heavy fighter upgrades this next turn. Things are in for the long grind at this point.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Monday, January 28, 2019 - 06:39 am: Edit

But is there time to crash a CVA in to Romulus ?

Remember we get XShips pretty soon and that changes things all over again.

Though I get PFs soon as well !

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, January 28, 2019 - 07:58 am: Edit

I'm sure you can crash that CVA in good time!

By jim howard (Noseybonk) on Monday, January 28, 2019 - 01:07 pm: Edit

Jason wasn't it Remus, that got a CVA crashing into it?.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Monday, January 28, 2019 - 03:13 pm: Edit

Jim, possibly. I can create my own history !

By jim howard (Noseybonk) on Monday, January 28, 2019 - 11:08 pm: Edit

how about a CVA to both Remus and Romulus. just for good measure.

By Jon Murdock (Xenocide) on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 11:24 am: Edit

Don't skimp. Use BBs.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 08:39 pm: Edit

AT22

Combat is over!

In Hydran space, the Hydrans killed a few small ships and have a solid supply line, but didn't take back planet 0416.

In Kzinti space, the Kzinti took back planet 1001 and traded a lot of FFs for a lot of bigger ships, and killed some province raiders.

On the Fed/Klingon front, the Feds took back planets 2106, 2403, 2509, and 2610, and killed a bunch of little province raiders.

On the Fed/Romulan front, the Feds took back planet 3306 and chased some little Romulans around, killing a couple.

In Gorn space, the Gorn took back planets 4702, 4903, 5004, and killed a bunch of little ships.

The Tholians attacked a couple Romulan bases, but didn't kill anything, and are regrouping for next turn.

A lot of ships were killed:

-LYR: 2CW, 2FFE, 2FF
-KLI: 4D5, MD5, 4F5, 2E4A, 7E4
-ROM: 3KE, 2SP, SPF, 2WE, SK, 2SNB, 2SEH, K4

-ZIN: FFK, 8FF
-HYD: 2CU
-FED: 2NCL, SC, FFS, 5FF, (NCL), (FF), (2SWAC)
-GRN: 3DDE
-THA: PC

So 38 Coalition and 26 Alliance ships were killed (64 total). 69 dead in a single turn is the record so far. But that is a lot of dead ships, and the Alliance came out way ahead, in terms of hulls swapped. So a good turn for them.

In terms of dice, the Alliance rolled higher this turn, but still a little below average, at 3.4 as opposed to the Coalition's 3.33 average.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - 08:46 pm: Edit

In terms of ship numbers, for T22 in total:

-The Coalition put 52 new ships on the map; they lost a total of 48 ships, for a net gain of +4 ships this turn.

-The Alliance put 65 new ships on the map; they lost 37 ships, for a net gain of +28 ships this turn.

None of this takes into account fighters, PFs, auxes, or Tholians (as the poor Tholians don't actually count for anything in the long run). But the Alliance are now soundly out producing the Coalition (we are out of mothballs ships, can't really afford to overbuild anymore). PFs certainly help the Coalition keep pin parity a little closer, but probably not enough.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 01:22 pm: Edit

Can the Alliance convert that ship advantage now into pushing the Coalition back…..or has the real estate claimed by the Coalition got them enough depth to defend to keep the Alliance in Alliance territory* ?

* - Other than the Tholians - who count for noting

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 04:05 pm: Edit

Paul, Im hoping I can start pushing him back slowly.

Will be nice if I could get my own PFs !

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 06:33 pm: Edit

Will be nice if I could get my own PFs !

Coming on-line boss, Hydrans T23, Tholins T24, Kzinti T25

Just need to fine-tune the engines …

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 07:19 pm: Edit

Hydrans will be a major letdown. They have nothing.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 07:36 pm: Edit

Well, on the upside, they get 16 free PF flotillas to put on PFTs (having put 2 on their off map SB), and can churn out PFTs. And turn PALs into SCS. So really, PF's can be huge for the Hydrans.

By chris upson (Misanthropope) on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - 10:41 pm: Edit

one free pegasus PFT per year, right? 15 compot and 2 EW for one ship and one of your three squadrons isn't hard to like. it represents a noticeable improvement to those IC-plus-crap-carrier lines

actually building the things is hard, despite them being objectively good. 10 EPs out of pocket for the CW version is more than five CUs you have to cut (considering eventual salvage); the five trades are hard to pass up especially now when the coalition are really showing some wear from the long alliance attrition campaign. maybe converting PGS is worthwhile?

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, January 31, 2019 - 07:22 am: Edit

Converting the PAL to SCS costs 5EPs (plus some free fighter upgrade points, but there are plenty of those to use), and gives home to a flotilla every turn, and lets you double up PALs on the line; the free PG at the start of the year is major boost. I think they can convert a free DDP at some point if they arrange it.

With all the free flotillas they get (basically 18), even with only 31 some odd EPs a turn right now, I'd still earmark 5EPs a turn for PFT/SCS/pallet conversions.

By Stefano Predieri (Preda) on Thursday, January 31, 2019 - 10:43 am: Edit

Not building PFT with Hydrans is criminal. There are a lot of conversion that are worth too much to miss.

Behiond the obvious Paladin conversion, every CV you still have around can be converted to LHE for only 3EP, turning a 2,5 pin, 13,5 compot carrier to a 3 pin, 21 compot AND 2EW carrier without an oversized group (that still has better compot than the CV even leaving in the hangars the fighters to let her be on the line with the IC); a NPF might cost 10, but it is still a 2 pin (aganst the 4 pin the corrisponding 4 CU are) ship that let you put an extra NEC/MKE on the line (and has the 3rd allowed attrition group to use with IC/LP).
An HR->MKP conversion (7ep) cost you less than 2 pin (confronting with CU) and gives you a protected position survivable ship if the coalition keeps her lines low...
That significative extra compot will force coalition to either devote better ships to a secondary front or risking to start losing ground where it can't afford to at all...
And all that without even have to rebuild a PF at all unless your adversary direct them, because you'll still have plenty of fighters to absorb damage on anyway...

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, January 31, 2019 - 11:56 am: Edit

Some of those are possibly ships we are not using (CO/FO/AO only). But generally speaking, yes.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, February 05, 2019 - 04:40 pm: Edit

AT22

The turn is finished!

The Hydrans retrograded one group of ships off map, have a very significant fleet in 0316, a smaller, but still significant pile in 0117, and a couple small reserves off map.

The Kzinti have most of their ships split between the capital and SB 1704, and two reasonably good reserves off map.

The Feds pulled most of their ships back to in or adjacent to their Capital, but have some localized significant fleets in the NW of Fed space. They have 3 solid reserves in the Capital, and a modest reserve off map.

The Gorn have about 50 ships at SB 4206, a reasonable fleet at planet 4903, then most of the rest of their fleet at the shipyard (4402), including a couple modest reserves.

The Tholians have all their ships in the capital, including a good reserve.

The Coalition are working on their economy presently.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, February 05, 2019 - 04:45 pm: Edit

AT22

Map at end of AT22:

http://www.lightlink.com/pdb6/SCD2mapAT22end.html