That's what all the extra booms are for.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar2) on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 - 07:12 pm: Edit

BTW, Ted, both SFB 'conversions' can be done at one SB (312.321) …

By Bill Steele (Bill83501) on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 - 11:57 pm: Edit

The Federation CVA groups have a running bet witch one cripples him.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 11:12 am: Edit

Love it, Bill! I'll take that bet!

Steve: Extra booms, eh? Boom, Boom, POW! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m48GqaOz90


Stewart, good to know. Thanks! Fortunately I didn't need the 3rd conversion this turn, so no harm done.

By Timothy Linden (Timlinden) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 04:05 pm: Edit

79 ep for a B10 would pay for 65 rounds of drone bombardment.

Or another way, 80 ep would pay for 16 command points.

Either way you need to use the B10 a lot to equal the above compot increasing alternates.

While you can do both of the above along with your B10 for even more grossness, you won't be doing so very often.

Though if you are trying to take a third capital, then massed B10's along with 3 Lyran DNP's can get you the compot needed to direct starbases. Which without you likely would not be otherwise able to take a well defended third capital.

B10's are rather nice, but do cost a bunch more than they are likely worth.

Tim.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 04:18 pm: Edit

True. But they do have psychological value. And a certain "gene se quois", that ineffable "coolness" factor.

However, I certainly understand the argument against B10s. There have been some Coalition games where I don't bother with them and put the money into extra fighter factors for damage absorption. Or I build only 1 B10.

-T

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 04:58 pm: Edit

A key part being glossed over here are the two reasonably well protected SFGs you can have on it, and the excellent table it uses.

This value is more than doubled once you have two B10s in the same battle force.; 10 freeze attempts is no joke!

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 05:34 pm: Edit

Dang it! You gave away my secret surprise!

=)

By Bill Steele (Bill83501) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 07:36 pm: Edit

wait, 10 freeze attempts? the entire line just disappears without touching more than a fighter or 2? e-gad I better infiltrate that thing and fly it into the sun before anyone else gets hurt!

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Thursday, October 18, 2018 - 09:41 pm: Edit

Times like these Im glad I havent played with SFG or Commandos or many of the other extras from the expansions.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, October 19, 2018 - 09:50 am: Edit

Well... the Fed's ace in the hole is plethora of carriers. Only the outer escorts are vulnerable to stasis.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Friday, October 19, 2018 - 10:34 am: Edit

Pretty sure random results can freeze more, if earlier results hit the outer escorts.

By chris upson (Misanthropope) on Friday, October 19, 2018 - 11:20 am: Edit

what richard said

also, freezing the outer of a three ship group puts the carrier in immediate jeopardy (36 with mauler; the b10 is buffing your damage output too), and three four-ship groups is too big for one line except on special occasions.

situations where you can turn on the SFGs without coughing up a penal cruiser and something else worthwhile, aren't terribly common. but each one of those is like a juicy pursuit battle; it only takes one or two and the *threat* of more to justify the B10AAs cost, in my view anyhow.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, December 03, 2018 - 08:06 pm: Edit

Game is up to turn 13. I'm playing the Hydrans. With the newly finished medium shipyard, the Hydrans produce a DG and TG, a CR (for raid purposes) at the OM SB, and an NEC and AH(I think) at the two MSYs.

A THRplus PT crippled a F5S in raids but failed to kill it. The CR contested a captured Hydran province (it had a PT), the Klingons could have sent an E4 to fight, but declined.

The Hydrans had a LGE in the raid pool, but it left.

A LNG disrupts a Lyran province. Hydrans have yet to commence operational movement.

By Bill Steele (Bill83501) on Monday, December 03, 2018 - 08:51 pm: Edit

Gorns have poured into northern Romulan space. Klingons have stripped every PDU in 2908 except for the 12, now 16 over earth. exciting times!

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, January 11, 2019 - 09:51 am: Edit

A13 was fairly eventful. The Gorns threatened Rom SB 4411, even after I sent two reserves there. They stuck around a few rounds, killed an FRD, scored 2 SIDS with Gs and Gorn special attacks, but then decided they didn't have the stomach to actually kill the starbase (i.e, didn't want to pay the butcher bill). So, they lost some ships on pursuit.

All Rom BATS on the Northern border are now destroyed, except for 4710 (saved with a reserve). The Feds have likewise destroyed most of the Rom border BATS, except for 3914 and 3317.

The Gorns/Feds threatened planet 4112, but it was saved with a timely reserve. They occupied neutral-turned-Rom planets 3912 and 4309. The Feds re-took all Fed planets on the Easstern side of the Federation.

Gorns/Feds also killed a fairly large number of Rom pickets and other ships. Sadly, I did not keep a tale of the tape for A13. However, it was an aggressive and good turn for the Alliance. They even conquered Rom province 4310!

In the ZTO, the kitties came out to play, playing "claw the Sh out of the Coalition" at planets 1202, 1105, and 1504, retaking all 3 with substantial forces. A reserve saved 1802 from being liberated.

Hydrans moved a single hex from 317 to 316 and then stopped. No doubt repositioning for something on A14. I did not react, so no combat in the HTO this turn.

In the central FTO, the Feds retake 2509 and most of the planets in the northwest of the Federation.

The Alliance remained forward deployed for A13, especially in the RTO, threatening Romulus itself. Fed ships shifted to the RTO, but left *plenty* to keep the Coalition pinned out of Earth (nearly 200 SEQ).

Reserves are left relatively forward deployed, though all are medium to weak strength.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, January 11, 2019 - 10:18 am: Edit

C14 is now underway. Flush with cash, the Klingons do a full build including two medium carriers - a DWB and a D6U, paying cash straight up for the extra fighters above 12. The Lyrans build full build plus 4 PDUs. The Klingons and Lyrans each build a full SB with fighters (including SBAA for the Klingons) in 617. Lyrans also upgrade the MB in 1401 to a BATS (no fighter). Roms manage a full build but also spend 50 points on repairs. Klingons help with another 18 EPs on repairs using the FRDs now deployed in Rom space, taking advantage of a MB network which now reaches all the way to Romulus. Klingons build another FRD and a PRD at 1910 (which had turned Klingon during diplomacy). Lyrans and Klingons build an additional 25 APTs (10 and 15 respectively) for hauling around stuff for free.

Roms had to borrow to the max again and are now facing extra exhaustion (half turn, which will not hurt them. Yet). Although the Klingons and Lyrans had nearly paid off their debt, they now went into more debt in order to be able to send nearly 40 EPs to the Roms by the end of the turn (20 each).

In the HTO, the Coalition sends its main fleet to intercept the Hydrans at 316. I'm not sure what Richard has planned, but the man is wily and I want to keep him away from Lyran space if I can, so I plan on fighting to force him back to 216.

In the ZTO, I retake all the planets the Zin liberated, including 1105 and 1504.

In the western FTO I kill BATS 2201 and attack BATS 2103. 2103 is saved by offmap Zin reserves. I also press into the Fed breadbasket, taking out a colony under development at 2904, and attacking planets 3005, 2705, 2403, 2505, and starbase 2204.

Planet 3005 is saved by a timely Fed reserve. I take or retake all of those other planets.

Starbase 2204 was defended by a decent Kzinti contingent of 36 SEQ. However, I noted that the Zin did not maintain a supply route to 2204 (or, more accurately, I cut off that supply by keeping planet 1802 using reserves on A13). As a result, while the Zin would be in supply during combat at the starbase, they would be out of supply for purposes of depot and salvage (if the SB went down) and would be OOS with cripples behind enemy lines, and fighters not replenished as of Eco of A14.

So, I attacked with a force which could guarantee victory even though I could take heavy casualties. However, my gambit paid off. After taking as much damage as he could on Fed forces (which were scant), he voluntarily took damage on the SB and killed it. The Zin took no damage, not even on fighters. While they will be OOS during eco of A14, all he has to do is lay down a POL during A14 and they will be a full, undamaged fighting force in supply on A14. Thus, he might be able to retake some of my gains on A14.

Also important in the Central FTO, I ignored Earth (couldn't get there anyway) and instead sent 40 or so SEQ in cripples to planet 2509 from the battle over Earth on C12. They will retrograde to the waiting FRD park I've setup at 1910 (at the end of the turn it will be 5 Lyran FRD, 1 Klingon FRD, and 1 Klingon PRD).

The only other thing of note in the central FTO (and partially Eastern FTO) is that I pinned 3 of 4 reserves, limiting his options. The one unpinned reserve saved planet 3005.

In the Eastern FTO and RTO I noted that the Gorn and Feds had overplayed their hands, leaving too many forces forward deployed. I suspect (Bill will have to confirm) that Bill didn't realize just how many ships I would be repairing and returning to action on C14. With those ships I had overwhelming pincount superiority (nearly 40 SEQ for the theater).

As a result, I pinned all of his forward deployed units and then sent sufficient units to take or retake planets 3210, 3509, 3612, 3711, 3912, and 4309. The lone Gorn reserve I pinned at planet 4705 (not enough to take the planet, but enough to pin the reserve).

I also attacked the remaining forward Gorn SB in hex 4206. He has 13 SEQ of defenders and 3.5 in cripples (yes, he did use Gorn cheap field repair on A13). I attacked with 41 Rom and 10 Klingon SEQ, including the B10AA. The Starbase is doomed - the only question is how much damage am I going to take before it goes down.

Loss of these Gorn supply points is going to result in his forward deployed fleets having tenuous supply lines, and unless he does something clever or I missed something, the bulk of his forces in 4410 (39 SEQ) will be out of supply at least during eco of A14. He can definitely get them back into Gorn space, but the problem he will have will be limited offensive capability and much of A14 will force him to select targets which will allow him to get back to defend the Gorn homeworld.

Combats continue to rage, but mostly all that is left is the RTO/GTO where some dozen or so fights are left. Plus the one battle in the HTO.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, January 11, 2019 - 10:20 am: Edit

Short version: Feds lose SB 2204 and a bunch of planets. Gorns lose SB 4206 and all of their gains.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - 12:20 pm: Edit

C14 combat is done.

Hydrans fight a round, exchanging a DWE for a CU and then leaving after fighters on both sides go down. Annoying Hydrans...

Gorn SB 4206 goes down "on the cheap", relatively speaking, as Bill chose not to fight too hard. I mauled and then captured a Gorn CC (yay!). The mauler shocked, but the KRM's captain nevertheless got a promotion. Bill killed a SPG and a WE. I also suffered a crippled WE and bill also crippled a DD. Other than that he took damage on the SB and I took damage on fighters.

The biggest of the Gorn forward deployed fleets will be OOS as of A14 Eco. However, he can lay down a POL and guarantee it has supply for purpose of operational movement. Still, he's going to have to mostly attack in a manner to get his fleets back to the Gorn Homeworld... or else the B10AA will be in range of an undefended Gorn capital.

The Gorns curse the name Invincible, planning on building another DNT and swearing to use it to bring down the mighty battleship.

I now have to do retro/strat/reserves. I plan on leaving most of my forces forward deployed to keep the pressure on the Federation breadbasket and the Gorn core worlds.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 11:55 am: Edit

C14 is done.

Reserves a bit weaker this turn - needed the ships to accomplish the big push I managed this turn. I have two reserves in the HTO - which is a bit of an overkill, but since I'm upgrading TWO SB in 617 this turn, I'm taking no chances that Richard can get in and lay waste to that huge EP output.

In the ZTO I'm a bit understaffed, but I now have 5*PDU with IGCEs at Kzintai and a MB being upgraded to a BATS. I have enough ships, lead by a C9A, that if he wants to stop the BATS upgrade it's going to cost him. I have just enough ships to defend the Lyran SB at 1407 - if - the reserve I have at 1401 also makes it. He's got some leeway, but with 40 SEQ stuck in Fed space for this turn and 50 SEQ offmap, his options to reach 1407 are limited.

In the Eastern FTO I'm woefully understaffed. I've got a mere 100 or so SEQ against 165 Feds *PLUS* whatever he builds and repairs this turn. While I hurt him bad, until my cripple backlog from hitting Earth back on C13 gets repaired, I'm going to have make choices - and this is where I did so. I fully expect Bill to push out and take back all Fed planets within 6 hexes of Earth, and that will threaten my supply points further back for a possible counter attack on A15. I'm betting that I can defend against that on C15. We shall see.

In the RTO I increased my pincount dominance by sending 25 Klingons to the region. I have four reserves, moderate strength, on Romulas, Remus, and the West Fleet SB (2). I pulled back the B10 and put the bulk of the Klingon fleet on the NR SB, along with a bunch of Roms. I have about 20 or so Roms on the West Fleet SB as well, and 40 Roms on the planet just north of there.

I left North fleet forward deployed, within range of the Gorn homeworld. While I seriously doubt I'm going to take the Gorn homeworld on C15, having 40 SEQ in striking distance of the homeworlds is going to force him to send a whole bunch of ships there. I'm hoping to force him to bring his now OOS gorn fleets back, which will give me an opportunity to regroup, finish repairing the cripple backlog, and then push back on C15 and C16.

But, for now, it's A14... and the Alliance has got some interesting options. Over to the Alliance for now.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Friday, February 15, 2019 - 01:15 pm: Edit

So, combat in A14 is happening, I'm just running the Hydrans.

No actual combat for me, I had the Hydrans build a RGR, MHK, NEC LTT do an ID conversion and some FF gulls, they also notably called up a PGV.

The Coalition have some ships at 0411 and of course a lot of defense at 0617, so I moved the whole Hydran fleet to 0112 or so and also started setting up a MB there. The Coalition won't be able to reach it with a fleet as I can pin 'em out. To be continued.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Saturday, February 16, 2019 - 04:49 am: Edit

"Lyrans and Klingons build an additional 25 APTs (10 and 15 respectively) for hauling around stuff for free."

Alas one of the add on to the games which I think nullifies some of the game balances.

What was the point of having a Romulan K-Part Supply rule when for 10 Ep's you can basically now ignore it (and then the APT's can be used for something else towards the ends of the game)?

But on the game - looks like the Alliance is in serious pain - perhaps the Fed space will end more blue than it has for a while - but the rest of the map looks Coalition?

By Bill Steele (Bill83501) on Saturday, February 16, 2019 - 09:07 am: Edit

pretty much, The Eastern half of the map looks much better than the West for sure. The Gorns and the Fed's have blown up all but 2 of the Romulan battle stations on their boarders and have kept them mostly on the defensive.

So far this turn the Kzinti have attacked 1401 and destroyed a MB, 5 PDU's and killed a D6S and C9A!

lets not talk about the CVD......

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Saturday, February 16, 2019 - 12:03 pm: Edit

Well, the loss of CVD isn't nice....but the Kzinti seem to have extracted a high price so far for it so far?

By Bill Steele (Bill83501) on Sunday, February 17, 2019 - 09:08 am: Edit

I think they did well, They accomplished the objective and the Kzinti used up all the fighters they brought.