AT27

Yeah, this turn the Romulans have succeeded in 15 of 18 cloaked evasons, statistically saving 2 or 3 hulls (average is 12 of 18, but most cloaked evasions are 2 ships at a time, so if they both fail, only one dies anyway). But in any case, yeah, the Romulans continue to come out ahead in cloaked evasions.

In combat so far, the Alliance are rolling up over 6 rolls so far. The Tholians were chased away from planet 2518 after one round, with neither side losing anything important. The rest of the fights are still in process.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, July 15, 2019 - 08:15 pm: Edit

AT27

In Hydran space, the Lyrans held on to planet 0519.

In Gorn space, the Romulans held on to planet 4705.

In Fed Space, the Romulans held onto planet 3706, but lost planet 3306.

On the Tholian Front, the Tholians killed a PDU at planet 2518, and then fled.

So far, 12 dead Coalition, and 8 dead Alliance.

Plenty of fights to go.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 09:06 am: Edit

AT27

Combat continues to rage on. The Feds reclaimed planets 2306 and 2811. The Hydrans killed Klingon BATS 1013, and have an open retrograde path back to 0416. The Kzinti crippled both BATS 0908 and 1208, but fled after a round crippling them. The Tholians are currently fighting over BATS 2519 and just scored, like, 40 damage, so that BATS is likely down. he Kzinti reclaimed planet 1105 and has a big fleet sitting on it.

Still lots more fights.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 - 07:31 pm: Edit

AT27

Now a giant fight over planet 2812 (i.e. Orion). The Klingons have about 135 SEQ, including about 10 X ships. The Feds have about 220 SEQ, but only 2 X ships. The first round of combat saw compots of 140 for the Klingons (B10, C8V group, 6 X ships) vs about 124 for the Feds (a couple CX, SCS group, BG). First round, both sides saw an X cruiser explode.

The Feds have a lot of fighters and a lot of NCLs, so this might go for a while.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 03:09 am: Edit

The Feds decided to cut and run after 2 turns. I was down to a single CX and Peter still had many DX.

Plus the B10 is just a stupidly large ship.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 09:03 am: Edit

AT27

Fights are mostly winding up. The Klingons kept 2812 (as noted above), a few more little ships exploded here and there, the Klingons hold on to 2106 again.

I think the only fight left at press time is a mob of Kzinti against a mob of Lyrans in open space, so the Kzinti can retreat into an open retrograde path for the forward attack forces.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 09:40 am: Edit

Have the Romulans ever been 'unlucky' on a turn with the Cloak roll's - as it seems they consistently seem to only fail about 50% of what they should fail?

Over several turns - that will add a lot of Romulan ships to the game!

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 10:06 am: Edit

I think on a few turns, they were marginally below average on cloak evasions, but they have never failed to the same extent that they don't fail.

For years, I have maintained that cloaked evasion is probably too good of a deal. If it were 50-50, probably better for everyone. Or 2D6 evade on a 7 or less (58%). At 1-4, I see a *lot* of turns in a lot of games where the Romulans just hit, like, 80% of their evasions.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 10:34 am: Edit

AT27

Combat is over!

In the last fight in 1307, the Lyrans gambled on mauling a Kzinti [PFT, CLE, FF] group that was on the line. They maul crippled the group, but then the STT broke down. In pursuit, they didn't do enough damage to get the PFT, so killed a cle and an ff for their trouble. The Kzinti ended up in 1306, which was necessary for the forward ships that are in 1208 currently to be able to retrograde somewhere.

In Hydran space, the Hydrans killed BATS 1013, kept supply and retrograde open for those ships, and killed some province raiders.

In Kzinti space, the Kzinti crippled two Klingon BATS, took back planet 1105, killed some province raiders, kept retrograde paths open.

On the Fed/Klingon front, the Feds took back planets 2306, 2403, 2811, and took planet 2214 away from the Romulans who have been holding it for the better part of a decade.

On the Fed/Romulan front, the Feds took back planets 3210 and 3306, and killed some raiders.

In Gorn space, the Gorn took back most of Gorn space, liberated planets 4702 and 5004, took back planet 5403, killed some province raiders.

On the Tholian front, the Tholians killed BATS 2519 and got another PDU on planet 2518.

Ships Killed:
-LYR: 2CW, 2DD, 3FF
-KLI: 2DX, 2D5, F5, 6E4
-ROM: SPC, SPF, SP, 2SEE, 4SEH

-ZIN: MSC, CM, FFK, FF, (CLE, FF)
-HYD: 2CU
-FED: 2CX, CA, NCL, 4FF
-GRN: 3DD
-THA: NCA

So 27 Coalition, 20 dead Alliance. The Klingons also lost 2BATS, a PDU. Numerous PFs perished as well.

The Alliance rolled marginally higher than the Coalition this turn, but it was mostly even, and both sides were a little under average--3.34 over 23 rolls vs 3.26. I think the only 6/1 split the whole turn was I hit a 6 and Jason got a 1 in a dumb 4 ship on a side province raider fight, the only effect of which was me crippling an FF that wouldn't have otherwise been crippled.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 10:54 am: Edit

Im pretty happy with how the turn went.

Only crippled 2 of the Klingon BATS but I can hit them any time until T34 fairly easily. Or else Peter has to pull a HEAP of ships back.

Tholians are nearly done causing trouble. Then Fed space will be flooded with extra Coalition ships. That wont be fun.

The Gorn really havent done much all game. The carrier build restrictions really hurt. PFs and X ships may help things. But Roms and Lyrans get their fun too. And first.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 01:11 pm: Edit

Yeah, the Gorn and Romulans are mostly a wash this game; for the Gorn to get really aggressive, I imagine they need to have a bunch of Fed ships loaned over to that side, which requires the Feds to be more secure most of the game. I suspect that at this point, the Feds could start shipping fleets over there, but it would mostly be a zero sum with the rest of the war, so probably not really worth it.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 05:46 pm: Edit

I think the Feds are better off driving the Roms back to their border. Then they have all those BATS to defend.

By jim howard (Noseybonk) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 07:49 am: Edit

I think the Klingons should assault earth :P

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 08:15 am: Edit

Round 1 over Earth:
"We direct the B10 in formation, and then you still get to resolve the remaining 130 damage..."

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 08:54 am: Edit

Im not sure. I would roll a 1.

And I would have a -2 EW shift.

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 09:00 am: Edit

Sounds like you have my dice.

By chris upson (Misanthropope) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 10:35 am: Edit

jason

i don't understand why you would build a line that has a (non-x) BG but not a CVBG. going CVBG basically means trading the 3 small BG units for a 3 ship carrier group, straight up! something like

[CX] {scs csv 2hdwe nac 2dwe ffe} 4 NCL = 122/6+

seems capable of competing with even a pretty angry klingon line. its got the compot to threaten DXs (.325 needed), it has the EW (given SWACs) and fighter burn rate to offset the X effects and compot disparity.

the csv may be optimal for the job and unbuilt/unavailable, but lots of good options are out there.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 11:35 am: Edit

Chris, what are you responding to here? Most of the time, the Feds have CVBGs on the line. When they don't, it is usually 'cause they are spreading out CVs for more groups for a longer fight, but that doesn't happen much.

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 04:08 pm: Edit

Chris, with the SCS I can have a battle group and then a 6xIFF for free along with having 2x CX to reduce EW for Peter.
CX (adm), [SCS+HDWE+DE+2xFF], [3xNCL, 3xFF], CX, 6xIFF.

This can also absorb a huge aount of damage if Peter rolls high or lets it fall.

I tend to combine a CVA with a CAV if I can, and again use 6xIFF for free.

I now have F-111 so this will be a lot of fun.

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 05:38 pm: Edit

IIRC an E2 SWACS can also control a additional half squadron of fighters; E3 can control a full squadron...

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 05:44 pm: Edit

Ive only ever used them for EW advantage.

Peter early on sometimes would target them but there are so many.

By Richard B. Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Thursday, July 18, 2019 - 05:52 pm: Edit

E2s and E3s do not control fractions of squadrons, they control 3 and 6 fighter factors respecitvely, if memory serves. So an E3 doesn't let you have a full extra squadron of F14s, A10s or whatnot.

By Chuck Strong (Raider) on Friday, July 19, 2019 - 12:05 am: Edit

I stand corrected...

From FO2016:

---

Quote:

(518.46) Fighter Control Mission: One (and only one) SWAC in each battle force could be assigned to this mission in a given battle round. The effect is to allow an increase in Federation fighter strength above the normal limit of three squadrons (or of four squadrons in the "third way" rules). The extra fighters could be from a carrier in the battle force or a carrier outside the force that sends fighters into it (in which case they would count against command limits). The effect of an E-2 SWAC using this mission is to allow up to three additional fighter factors; an E3 SWAC from Advanced Operations would allow up to six additional fighter factors. (Note: the limit is three or six factors and this does not allow players to use 4 or 8 or 9 or 10 factors of F-14s, F-111s, or A20s.

---

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, July 19, 2019 - 08:25 am: Edit

Ah, ok, so an E2 SWAC can add 3 extra fighters (counting as a ship) to the battle line. So the Feds now can have, if pushing all limits on fighters, 3 squadrons (on ships), +1 squadron, (as IFF, but do not count against ship limits), and then +3 fighters (or whatever; half a squadron as IFF, but do count as a ship). Wacky.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, July 19, 2019 - 08:39 am: Edit

AT27

The turn is over!

The Hydrans have most of their ships on 0416, a few ships forward deployed (8 ships that couldn't retrograde), a few ships by the old colonies. A couple modest reserves off map.

The Kzinti have about 50 SEQ at planet 1105, about 25 SEQ at each planets 1202 and 1504, a battle line at 1802, still about 100 SEQ at Kzintai. 2 reserves off map, both about 8 ships.

The Feds have fleets spread all over the map, including planets 2306, a significant fleet in 2811, 3210, and 3306 (i.e. they have pushed their perimeter out significantly). They have 4 reserves at Earth; 2 pretty solid, 2 fairly modest, all involve X ships.

The Gorn are mostly in and around their capital, including 2 very solid reserves in 4402. They have a pretty solid fleet in 4403 this turn, meaning they can conceivably hit the Romulan front line next turn.

The Tholians continue to hold up in their Capital.

Here is an end of turn map, posted with captured territory markers all over captured hexes so as to provide a contrast to last turns map (i.e. the map looks *vastly* less dire for the Alliance at the end of the Alliance turn, as opposed to the end of the Coalition turn...):

Map at end of AT27:

http://www.lightlink.com/pdb6/SCD2mapAT27end.html

(and a link to Map at end of CT27:

http://www.lightlink.com/pdb6/SCD2mapCT27end.html )