No G attacks. Using ships from CO. Not the rules.

I honestly dontrecall what happened to the FSP.

Maybe I sacrificed it.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 08:09 am: Edit

-0411 is a regular SB, not a SBX, so that's something.

-The FSP is alive somewhere I think; last I checked it was sitting off map? They don't need the FSP, however, as they have X ships.

-The Gorn still get their special "Roll 2D6 at the end of each combat round, on an 8+, they score a free SID step" attack, even without G units. I think it hasn't come up once in this game so far, however (all the BATS they killed were, like, "10 ships show up and kill an undefended BATS, 'cause the reserves got pinned. Or went somewhere else."

It isn't impossible that the Hydrans could direct the SB in one shot. Not hugely likely, however, as they'll probably have a EW deficit. I think it is certainly possible that he can kill the SB. He'll take a lot of damage (I think I have 20 or more X ships there currently), and probably lose a lot of ships, but at this point, if I lose the SB, I lose 20VPs. If he trades, what, 95 ships to kill the SB, he comes out ahead (19VP loss to 20VP loss).

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 11:27 am: Edit

Paul wrote:
>>1) Could the Gorn destroy 4411 with the G Attack special bonus in 2010 - just sit there and do a SID a turn with a 10/36 chance (IIRC) of getting an extra SID - with luck 6 rounds would see it crippled and a good line kept back to direct kill it when crippled? >>

It isn't *impossible*, but it is unlikely; the forces are equal in size (i.e. the Alliance sent enough ships there to exactly pin what was there), but the Romulans have a SB.

If the Gorn SID directed every round, and *also* got the free SID at the end of each round, they probably can do it, but on an 8+, that's, what, a 41% chance of a hit? They might be able to do it, if they luck out a bit and save an X ship to X-maul the crippled SB (which even then isn't super likely, as they'll need 26 damage shooting through a likely EW shift and some minus points).

It isn't impossible. But unlikely.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 11:34 am: Edit

If it's the last turn, then it's probably worth a shot. After all, under the current rule being played, the Gorn has little to lose by crippling the entire fleet for the chance of destroying a SB just right at end game (with no repercussions coming).

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 12:56 pm: Edit

That is correct, so probably worth trying.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 04:44 pm: Edit

308.87 - Gorn special attack succeeds on a 9+.

Only think you can't do is a Normal G attack from CO - so it's one or the other.

Might make the difference and unlike SID'sing (overcrlipping so less than 18 damage is left) and normal G attacks (own G troops) - other than stopping the 6 ships/50 compot requirement, can't be stopped.

In SB assault....probably a very good rule to remember!!

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, January 31, 2020 - 04:49 pm: Edit

Oh, ok. 9+, not 8+. That is a lot worse. That moves from a 41% to a 27% chance of working.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Sunday, February 02, 2020 - 03:06 pm: Edit

AT34

Combat is well underway. They Hydrans have killed a bunch of little ships, reclaimed and captured a lot of space, and are currently deciding what to do over SB 0411 (I'm pretty sure that they can make a line that can potentially direct cripple the SB in one shot, but it would require not terrible dice, and if the miss, it'll be harder the next round due to something big exploding and possible minus points).

The Kzinti have captured a lot of space, reclaimed planets 1001, 1105, 1802, and are fighting over planets 1504 and 1506. They have killed Lyran BATS 0708 and captured Lyran planet 0607.

About 20 dead ships so far (about 2:1 Coalition to Alliance). Plenty of fighting to go!

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 05:44 pm: Edit

AT34

This Just In!

Over SB 0411, the Hydrans direct crippled the SB in a single shot in R1.

The two lines were:
HYD: PAL+ADM (c/f), 2LGE, 2LBX, 3RNX, 3DGX, 6PF, 6PF, (PGS)=193/2

LYR: DNH+ADM (c/f), [SCS, HDWE, CWE, DW], [3CWX, 3DWX], 3CW, (SCX), (SB: 36+24+12)=209/4

Hydran was reduced to 0EW by X-ships; the Lyrans lost 1EW (from the SB) by X-ships, so the Hydrans had a -1EW shift.

BIR was 4+3=7, rolled up 1 to 8.

The Hydrans roll a 4, -1=3 (35%) 193=68 damage.

The Lyrans roll a 3 (35%) 209=73 damage.

With X-mauling, the Hydrans direct cripple the SB in a single shot, killing a dozen fighters on top of that (6 from X-ships). They'll have to stick around for another round or two to kill it, but, well, that's a quickly dead Lyran SB. The Lyrans sank an LBX and then a lot of fighters and PFs.

Yeesh.

By Richard Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 05:53 pm: Edit

Ouch!

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 05:57 pm: Edit

Another 6 or 8 Turns and I could have got my Capital back !!

This is a major factor in who wins the game. I think I had enough massive ships for 2 chances at the direct cripple from X Mauling.

Then I would have had to switch to hammering away with SIDS each round of combat. That would have been far more horrible.

By Richard Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 06:34 pm: Edit

That's where having a fleet with 500 fighter factors comes in handy. :p

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 06:38 pm: Edit

One reason to be a bit aggressive with SBX upgrades ... much harder to one-shot …

By Jason Langdon (Jaspar) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 06:52 pm: Edit

There are only so many you can update if you want to build a dominant X ship stockpile.

The Hydran Capital has a Klingon SBX. I assume that is because they get so much more cash.

The Lyrans did build an SBX in 1407 which is probably the wiser choice given the Kzinti never lost their Capital and had more chances for big fights.

That said, the Hydrans really never attacked anything so were able to save up all of their X Ships for one last attack.

By Richard Eitzen (Rbeitzen) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 07:00 pm: Edit

Could you list all the Hydran Xships you started the turn with?

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, February 03, 2020 - 08:02 pm: Edit

I'm pretty sure the Hydrans started AT34 with a total of 2LBX, 3RNX, 3DGX, and a couple LNX.

Conversely, the Coalition had 30 X-ships in 0411 alone.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 02:58 am: Edit

411 - I bet the Lyrans wish they now went low on BIR, but with a 6, I bet would still have been crippled - so I can understand why they want high.

Lyrans might need to even retreat from there now once the SB is dead?

That was also a pretty evil Hydran line - not often you can say 'the PF squadrons were the weak part of the line'

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 07:55 am: Edit

I mean, yeah? That was one of those things where playing on the internet via e-mail resulted in not necessarily the most optimal play, but whatever. I sent over a line with a BIR picked (default 3, 'cause I had a line full of X-ships), and the discussion of "let's direct the SB!" happened after I had already picked my BIR, and it wasn't then really worth changing it after having extra knowledge. One of the ups and downs of playing by e-mail.

At 193, the Hydrans needed 32.5% (i.e. a total of 10). If he picked a 4, I picked a 1, and with the -1 shift, BIR needs to roll up and he needs to roll high to get 32.5%. But still not impossible.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Tuesday, February 04, 2020 - 09:57 am: Edit

Peter - one problem with trying to eliminate 'the unlikely' not to happen, is that it will ALWAYS happen.

Fact

On a more statistical basis - 1/6 isn't that unlikely (i.e. BIR 5 with EW of -1).

With the VBIR going up, that just made it easier.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Friday, February 07, 2020 - 08:01 am: Edit

AT34

Combat is well underway, and lots of things are exploding.

The Feds have now killed KLI BATS 1813, liberated planet 2517, and are fighting over planets 1910, 1916, and 2216. They have also killed scads of FFs that were holding provinces down.

As of press time, the Coalition have lost 27 ship, the Alliance have lost 16 ships, and we aren't yet even half way across the map.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Saturday, February 08, 2020 - 09:02 am: Edit

AT34

Over on the East side of the map, the Romulans have been totally crashing and burning on cloak rolls; failing 9 of 14 for the turn so far, and losing a significant pile of small ships.

The Feds are still fighting over planet 1910; the Klingons don't want to leave, the Feds seem like they want to try and take it. The Feds are out of X ships and running low on fighters; the Klingons have taken more crippled CWs than the Feds so far.

Planet 2812 (Orion) was an anti-climactic last battle for the B10; the Feds had way too many ships and attrition units for the Klingons to try and keep the planet, so they fought a round and abandoned the planet.

The Feds ran away from Klingon planet 2216, which was defended by a bunch of Lyrans and Klingon X-ships. They did manage to devastate planet 1916, but didn't try and capture it.

The Gorn are attacking some BATS currently, at least one of which will certainly die.

Lots of explosions!

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Sunday, February 09, 2020 - 05:53 pm: Edit

AT34

We are nearing the end of the last combat phase of the game.

A lot of action on the Gorn/Romulan front. The Gorn killed BATS 4310, were chased off from BATS 4611, and captured both minor planets 4112 and 4313. The Romulans shot down the Gorn DNT over planet, mostly out of spite and 'cause they scored exactly the 42 damage necessary (and not killing it wasn't going to save the planet).

So far 44 dead Coalition ships and 29 dead Alliance ships. This is certainly the deadliest turn of the game, and still 4 or so combat hexes to go.

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Sunday, February 09, 2020 - 08:57 pm: Edit

well not 2X the dead but WOW.

By Peter Bakija (Bakija) on Monday, February 10, 2020 - 06:01 pm: Edit

Jason is currently without power ('cause Australia hasn't had enough problems of late), so we are stuck till the power gets fixed.

On the upside, his kid gets to skip school!

By Gregory S Flusche (Vandar) on Monday, February 10, 2020 - 09:53 pm: Edit

That is the upside.. Kids under foot... I feel for Him I really do.