We Will Have No Caesars!
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We Will Have No Caesars!
I decided to toss this up on the board. For my own benefit. This is GW Game and is (game #3) teaching a friend of ours the game. The first 2 games were played to T7 and T8 respectively.
We are using all expansions though no one has TacOps but me so not that one. There are a couple of rules we have eliminated (mainly they don't like the E&S rules)
The players are Dallas Wagner, Tim Losberg, Todd Lovas, and myself. So new guy (as the Lyran) and three tin men badly in need of an proverbial oil can 
We are plodding along on an every other week schedule and typically play on Mondays when the time zone permits. (On guy is in Ireland, one in the Midwestern US, and two here in CA.
(The first game was a run through of the basic concepts of economics, movements, and combats.
We got just past the brutality of knocking down a very strong T6 Hydran Capital.)
(The 2nd game added experience to the main concepts and strategies. The Hydrans were knocked down earlier T5C but the Kzinti were allowed to become an upstart and on T8A they and the Feds succeeded in their version of Operation Calvary knocking down the NR SB.
They say third time is a charm...we shall see.
We started T1C about 6-7 weeks ago.
The Lyrans did what they typically do, rudely coming over the border. (No Raids run)
They took out the stations at 701 & 703. They attempted 803 and were thwarted by RESVs and a fighting retreat that saved the base.
Lyrans left a forward force in 903 with a couple of crips.
Remaining forces pulled only their cripples back to Lyran space. One Kzinti Province captured, one disrupted.
RESVs were set at the Red Claw SB.
Time for a counter attack...
T1A
Kzinti builds a Tug and Carrier group, some escorts and a couple extras. Bolstered the Capital defenses and did some repairs at 803.
The Kzinti ran a successful Raid to 0302 and a small blockade run into the Wyn.
Having limited choices for the counter attack and not wanting to pull RESVs into the space the Kzinti jumped on the force in 704 (17 vs 19) and ran 26 ships forward to 705.
The Lyran RESVs both went to the NZ (to our surprise) to pull the ships closer.
The 705 base fell quickly with a sacrificial G attack cleaning up the crippled base in 1 round.
The Z-force then pulled back into to 704 where it also outnumbered the L-forces. Two rounds and no pursuit later a dead FFK, and a Crip FFK along with 20 brave pilots gave their lives in exchange for 6 crippled Lyran tri-hulls. The Z-forces retreated to 803. Lyrans stayed in the former NZ.
We ran back to the SBs and sent the Cripples back to the Z-Capital.
A few strats and RESVs set. There are 22 Lyran and 59 Klingons in range of the Z-Capital. How dare them.
"Having limited choices for the counter attack and not wanting to pull RESVs into the space the Kzinti jumped on the force in 704 (17 vs 19) and ran 26 ships forward to 705.
The Lyran RESVs both went to the NZ (to our surprise) to pull the ships closer."
Silly question - 704 , you said it was 17 v 19 - and then the Lyran reserves went there.
What did the Lyrans have in 704 prior the the reserves arriving?
i.e. did the Lyrans outnumber the Kzinti forces in 704 and the retreating force?
Probably not....but you can't retreat into a hex with more enemy forces than allied forces there and in the retreat force (unless all hexes are like that!).
Yes we considered that.
They had 17 L in the hex...Kz left 19 of thier own. The L-RESVs were another +19 in two groups (+10 and +9). My ships that moved to 705 were 26 SEs.
The Base battle only took out 6 fighters (and the heroic G unit). Kzinti had 2 - FCR along for the ride so the Kz-SEs remained the same.
The Coalition took some time to discuss their RESV plan and I can only imagine they decided it was better to give up the base and have the RESVs a little more forward deployed. They likely also discussed the estimate of crippling roughly 6 ships (that would be out of the action on T2) could fall back to the Capital area, be repaired and have the option to support the Hydran theatre for T3A.
Twice the Hydrans have been the issue for our learner. The 1st time was a pure lack of experience and understanding of how anything worked. The 2nd time was a big over-reaction by the veteran Klingon which caused the Kzinti to run Amok ...Time ;).
This 3rd time we have a different veteran playing the teacher for the new guy and a rusty one added to the Alliance, this is sauce for the goose.
The balance on the two sides is the main reason I posted this time and not the other two (far too uneven). Mistakes will be made, the rules will be challenged and learned or re-learned (as always). But all-in-all we are adding a player to the mix and having fun doing it.
Not sure where you can get to from 704 where you can't get to from 705 (or 706 if you had to retreat)?
Giving up the BATS seems a poor exchange - yes the BATS would have probably died - but it would have allowed the Lyrans to direct kill a ship while over a Coalition base rather than an Alliance base.
Would seem the ideal opportunity to kill some Kzinti!!
The Kzinti doesn't have an endless supply of fighters on turn 2... and so the cost might have been more than they was prepared to pay?
Endless no, but there were enough to see us through.
803 was still standing (our origination point) we moved through 704 to 705 killed the BATS, beat up some Lyrans on the way back through 704 to the base at 803.
It was but a match stick of light in the foul approaching darkness.
Personally I like killing/choking logistics (as you do in war), but they have the cash enough they may hardly feel it.
Another game day has passed. CT2 is in flight.
Lyrans finally kill BATS 803 and also attack 1004, and assaults at planets 1001 & 1105. These battles are resolved and all are Lyran victories.
Unresolved Counts SB assault pits about 39 Lyrans against 19 Kzinti.
Klingons also storm the border killing 1205, 1405, 1605 and taking the NZ planet @1506 (all resolved). They faked an attack to 1805 and a few Marquis ships reacted, the Klingons turned tail at the approach, vowing to return.
Unresolved battle @ Dukes SB has 60 Klingons against 56 Kzinti (including the two RESVs). They may turn tail here also and come back when numbers are more favorable.
Counts SB, 30 Ftrs (every last one of them in the hex), and a couple of slow ships destroyed for a battle line of L-Cripples (2 CA/1 CF plus 5 DD/DWs).
The Dukes SB was saved...for now.
Kzinti T2
Repairs of 2xCC, BC and CVL (CDR) + CLE + EFF
CV build and Conversion of a CVL to CV.
Escorts
PDUs
Police Units
Only 2 battle hexes; one in front of the Duke SB and one in 1605. Mostly for burning some ftrs and shifting some ships around.
No ships lost for the Kz (Crippled a TGCV, CLE, EFF), DD and 2xFF. -54 fighter pilots
Coalition Crippled a SAV+E4A, D5S, and Killed an F5S, -12 ftrs.
Baron Arrived
Coalition T3: Eye on the prize. The Moves and combats are finished
The Coalition focused on two major locations: Zimdars and the Dukes SB; taking down both. They also grabbed some provinces to add to the reduction in Kzinti economy and feed the war machine.
Some notes:
The Kzinti Capital will get to full Defensive Capacity.
The Klingons (run by a former Kzinti player) in this slow approach are also building Carriers Garbage or not they were able to eat up 50 Damage points over the Dukes SB assault. This saves them repair funds.
The Lyrans sent the entire Far Stars south for what comes next. They own the western half of Kzinti space for now.
I await their final Retro and RESV file.
It would be nice if James dropped a combat coefficient chart on the battle mat.
AT3 is underway. As you saw on the Q&A Discuss board the Hydran made a run at the Coalition soft underbelly (area between the Lyran & Klingons). Kzinti have assaulted the FRD park and two captured minors.
Combats are in progress.
AT3 Combats are complete.
Kzinti had a successful Raid resulting in a dead G2 and no damage to them.
Kzinti Counter Attacks were also successful.
Kzinti: (7 Battle Hexes, 4 SSC and 3 regular Combats)
Dead: BC, DD, 2*EFF
Crippled: CC, CL, CLG, 2*DD, 3*FFK, FF, 2*CLE, 2*EFF
Coalition:
Lyran Killed: 2*FF, FRD, MB
Lyran Crippled: CA, CF; 3*DW, 2*FF (+ SC sent to Depot)
Klingon Killed: G2 (Raid), E4, 2*FRD, SAV
Klingon Crippled: F5L, 7*F5
Hydran in Support of the Northern Treaties attacked into Klingon Space:
Hydran Killed: 2*HR, LN, HNG (Lyran captured one of the HR)
Lyran Killed: 3*DW (pursuit, no salvage)
Lyran Crippled: CW
Klingon Planets Devastated: 1010 (Min), 1112 (Maj)
Klingon Killed: MON, ENG, 2*G2, 6*PDU, BTS (1011)
Klingon Crippled: D5, F5L
Hydrans and Kzinti are in retrograde and all can get back to their Capitals if need be. Its a little more dicey in the Hydran Theatre but they can never cover everything at the start so infrastructure will burn. Either way we feel we got our 2-lbs of flesh.
Overall Coalition Economic hits:
- Loss of 3 FRDs and L-MB (FRD Park) -40 EPs to replace.
- 38 EPs spent in Combat Repairs (FRD Park)...field rates!
- Loss of Captured previously captured minors. (-2 EP next Econ phase)
- Loss of ENG (more EPs to replace, plus loss of -5 EP discount until they do)
- Devastated Major and Minor. (-4 EPs per turn for both until fully recovers)
After a change in Apple's schedule and a StratCon visit (put this game on a temp hold) the Coalition should be resuming their turn soon.
Alliance Set up RESVs and the file was send over on 8/6.
This game resumed today with Coalition T4 seeing no attacks to the Kzinti or Hydran Capital. The Hydran zone was flooded and in typical fashion the Klingons will shotgun the BTS defense line shattering it. They should also get the SB on their border activating the OC fleet.
In the north the vengeful attacks will see the recapture of 1104, the Minor in the NZ and an assault on Lumien. As I mentioned the fleet heading for the Capital was intercepted.
This game should continue on Halloween.
T4C Resolved some battles on Halloween.
The Coalition Pumpkinheads rattled chains and swords. They destroyed 5 Hydran BATS and the First Fleet SB. The Lyrans should get two more when we resume.
In the north they re-captured Zimdars & Zursk, Destroyed BATS 1805, and will (next time) Capture for the first time Lumien.
This turn: Besides the bases mostly fighters have died (on both sides).
Crippled Allies FH, SF. No dead ships.
Coalition Cripples so far are D6, F5, 2 E4, 2 E4A. And a Dead E4A.
We resume during the week of Thanks.
The Lyrans wrapped up their Hydran attacks killing BATS 0111 and 0515 for a crippled ship each (DD or FF I forget).
In the North the did capture Lumien and the last battle outside the Kzin Capital system (1402) saw the Coalition smartly fight a round and run. The Kzinti burned fighters and cripple a couple of escorts. The Klingons crippled an F5L & took a handful of fighters.
They re-set up their Northern FRD park at the BATS in 1107, added 1 RESV (1307) for defense. They have a covering force of about 1.05:1 over the Kzinti. Overall the Capital is safe from being lost on T5C Ahead...we will see what we can do to extend that with the actions of our next turn 4A.
They sent everything else to the South. The Hydrans are losing ground and the numbers are shifting the wrong direction. The bright spot is economy is not as bad as it could be...no Hydran planets were lost or damaged in the coalition counter attack.
Southern RESVs are EB SB and 1214.
AT4: North -
Counterattack by the Kzinti liberating the planet at 1001. Dead: Lyran SAV
Counterattack and Liberation of planet 1105. Dead zEFF, + 2 and crippled CL Escort
Klingons 5 crippled (2 war cruisers & 3 F5s )
South - Hydran attacks on both the Lyran Border BATS drew some reserves resulting in one saved 212, and one dead 413. Hydrans lost an HR in the failed attempt and a whole mess of fighters.
An attack into the NZ killed two crippled Lyran FFs and forced a DD to retreat.
The Hydrans reorganized and set up for the pending retribution.
The Kzinti have drawn a line let’s see if the cross it
In all a mild turn.
CT5: North
Nothing to Report really, the Coalition fleet Advanced toward the Kzinti Capital and was pinned out again due to them sending all extra forces south to destroy the Green Menace.
South
Combined forces continued to eat up hydran space
Attacks made and yet unresolved are as follows:
0215 SB (Lyrans)
0315 BATS (Lyrans)
0416 Minor Planet (klingons)
0317 open space battle created when the Hydran RESV#2 reacted to the incoming pinning force (preserving the base behind it one more turn).
0716 SB (Lyrans)
0617 Capital (Klingons)...this is not a capital taking force but it will soften things up and hurt the economy.
0919 open space battle to take province
1119 open space battle to take province
0916 Tug w/FRD in position 3 hexes from Hydran Cap (presume they will set up a supply point to strat SAFs to in the near future)
Hydran RESVs when to 0416 and the aforementioned 0317 (by reaction); Kzinti RESV to the Open space hex outside the Capital to pile on the Klingons.
Well combat is complete for CT5:
In the North the Kzinti and Klingons did their dance and the Kzinti reaction force retreated back to the Capital after killing a D5 and crippling another.
In the South things are getting uglier and uglier for the Hydrans.
The Lyrans finally got out of the litterbox to take down some bases. They mopped up the last border BATS at 0315. They also took down SB 0213 and 0716.
The Klingon invaders were expelled from the Capital hex but not before they damaged every planet not called Hydrax in the hex. This will be an economic blow to the Kingdom.
All planets outside of the capital hex remain intact and in control of the Hydrans. The Hydrans also control 3 provinces and share control of 2 provinces. The Hydran DIP in the LDR has been isolated from the Kingdom but she is thought to be safe.
With 124 SE of Coalition forces sitting on the doorstep of Kzintai (plus another 16 ships over Lumien) as well as all RESVs sent North hoping to toss the balance back in favor of the Coaltion the Hegemony found the crack in the Coaltion plan. A well placed Raid (which only rolled okay, but it was enough) sent a small attack force skirted the northern edge to Lyran Space and killed the undefended 0502 BATS. This battle hex was out of range of the Coalition RESV and did not pull them any closer to the capital (still 7 away).
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In the south The Hydrans also made an valiant effort to eliminate the last Lyran BATS but were caught by a reaction force causing the death of 24 fighter and a TR traded for a Crippled CL (and 2 SIDS). The hydran commander vowed to get 'em next time.
They were able to kill a forward Convoy, 2 pesky POLs and clear their own zone (taking every Lyran help province and most of the Lyran held NZ back). They even managed to kill a Klingon province garrison ship.
This will likely be the last good news story for the Monarchy for a time as they are about to be out shipped over their capital 2.25:1, outside that it is T6C next and the BlueMan Group is on the way.
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Northern Reserves are set but the Hydrans still need to retrograde. (most likely to the capital).
The Coalition finally responded in the North taking back 1001 and 1105 and reclaiming or disrupting the surrounding provinces. They now for the time being hold all non-Capital and non-Marquis minors.
They also sent 142 SE into the Capital. In the end 8 rounds of combat later a major and two minors were devastated 7 Kz ships crippled in exchange for 10 crippled, and five killed, these were 3 D6S, D6D, and a D6.
In the South the Lyran finally took a minor planet outside of the Capital hex and the Klingons drove through the Capital and sent a squadron to take the Major adjacent. Both were successful for a pittance. 2 DW crippled and 3 squadrons of fighers plus an E4A. The real fun was the approach battle to the Capital systems. The Hydran decided to toughen up the line a bit and challenge the Klingons. Putting up a BTg in command and some cruisers on the line. The Klingons, as expected, directed on a RN and the Hydrans returned the favor directing on the Mauler used. The Klingons decided to offer a second round so the Hydrans gave them the middle tentacle and replaced the RN with an LC.
This time it wasn’t so fun as the Hydrans rolled well and so did the Klingons. The Klingons destroyed the Hydran BTg and the Hydrans seeing the Coalition only had one Klingon Command 10 Ship crippled the C8. The Klingons having a Stack of SAF 3 hexes behind them retreated to the FRD there. The Hydrans waved bye as their Capital had survived T6.
The expectation is no attack on the Kzinti Cap and Fed Limited war for T7 with a hard right turn for the Klingon Fleet as they divert about 90 ships into the Marquis and a southern victory as they smash the Hydran Capital planet.
Let’s not jump ahead too much though because now it’s T6A
T6A: No real counter attack in the North. The Kz fleet did not draw any additional Coalition RESVs into the area. They reinforced their fleet counts with some new builds and did some repairs. They were hurting economically after the devastation of their non-Cap worlds and the loss of all but one on-map provinces 9add back the one Marquis planet and provinces and offmap region) it didnt account for much.
The hydrans made a move to intentionally draw the coalition int the capital and force a fight. The coalition obliged...came in and smacked around a minor system planet and left.
This game has ended and another has begun. Dallas the new guy made it farther than ever and wishes to try his luck learning the Allied forces.
We have started that one with a new name so a new thread will present the players and opening of that game.