This is a game between Karl Mangold (Alliance) against me (Coalition).

We're using the full rules except for:
- Fighter swarms
- Heavy fighters
- LTC
- Admirals
- Diplomats
- Raids except blockade running and E&S
- Police ships
- Minor empires
- WYN trade
- Commercial convoys
- Orions
- Resistance movements

This isn't so much about balance, but about things that one or the other of us didn't really want.

----

It's just C1 and the Kzinti have already shown their true colours. The Count's Fleet is forward deployed in 0803; the Duke's in 1003, so Lyran High Command sends the order to make a preemptive strike.

There's 17 Lyrans on 0902 (pinning one reserve and drawing the other) against 18 Kzinti - so likely just an approach battle, if that. The Lyrans slightly outnumber the Kzinti in open space in 0903 (15-14), and heavily outnumber them in 0803 (24-15.5). 0701 and 0703 are getting blown up, and an FF in 0703 is probably going to become scrap.

Pretty close to standard for C1, I'd say.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Saturday, June 01, 2024 - 10:49 pm: Edit

>> Kzinti have already shown their true colours

They've been asking for it for years! It's time to put the Kzinti in their place, once and for all.

--Mike

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Sunday, June 02, 2024 - 10:56 pm: Edit

The best defense is a good offense, right?

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Tuesday, June 04, 2024 - 03:43 am: Edit

Combat is finished. Border BATS in 0701 and 0703 went down without much of a fight. Approach battle over the count's SB went a few rounds more than expected before the Lyrans retreated, similarly the open space fight in 0903 went a few rounds instead of the customary one and done. The biggest fight was 0803, half of Red Claw and half of Home fleet showed up, while the BATS was defended by most of the Count's fleet. Ultimately the BATS was destroyed. There were more Kzinti kills than I would have liked, (he was able to one-shot a CVE) but the Lyrans have piles of cripples. Kzinti cripples will mostly be able to be repaired this alliance turn. In the end, the Lyrans all ended up west of the 08XX hex column, they won't be able to help CT2 if the Klingons make a run at the capital. I mainly let damage drop, as I was trying to hobble Lyran fleet as much as possible, while Sam directed quite a bit.

The gory details...
Kzinti losses: 3 BATS, BC, CVE, 2EFF, FFG, FF
Kzinti cripples: CC, 2BC, CVE, CLE, 2EFF, FFK, SF
Lyran losses: CL (pursuit)
Lyran cripples: JGP, 9CW, 7CL, 2DW, HDD, 6DD, SC, 2HFF, 2FF

Sam's finishing up retrograde and reserves. I'm interested to see if there will be any field repair; nearly half of the Lyran fleet is crippled. Two Kzinti provinces are disrupted so there is not too much of a hit on the economy, plus at least I'll get salvage out of the kills. Kzinti Econ forthcoming.

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Tuesday, June 04, 2024 - 12:25 pm: Edit

C1 is over.

I think I made a mistake in the distribution of my ships - the CCs went to undefended BATS so I had mostly smaller ships in the more important battles. But the Kzinti let the Lyrans get away with murder (literally), so I'm very happy with the result.

I directed a fair bit; Karl didn't. It does mean that I have quite a bit of repairs to do compared to the Kzinti - but they all made it to bases and FRDs, so they'll all be repaired (even if some won't get to combat on C2).

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Tuesday, June 04, 2024 - 02:43 pm: Edit

Well, the CVE is not a good carrier - but it's a Carrier and early on, the Kzinti do need some depth in them.

Will be interesting to see if the Kzinti can do much with a temproary ship advantage?

Have the Lyrans been able to keep anything in range of 1401?

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Tuesday, June 04, 2024 - 03:37 pm: Edit

Nothing in range of 1401. 0502 and 0504 are both potential targets, but there's no way that my reserves can be pinned (because there are 20 SEQ in 0704 and the reserves are in 0705). But it's very likely that I'd be able to force a fight in 08xx if the Kzinti make any aggressive move, so I expect it to be a quiet turn.

Either that or we'll have a whole bunch of deep-space battles where we're both willing to tear each other to shreds.

I'm very much of the opinion that F&E is won and lost by the economy, and I have a secret strategy that will be testing just how far I can push that line of thinking. In that vein, though, a CVE costs 13 - a better kill than any non-carrier besides DNs (not that anyone builds new CVEs, but that's the yardstick I have). And the EFF is just a bonus.

By Stewart Frazier (Frazikar3) on Tuesday, June 04, 2024 - 08:42 pm: Edit

'Kzinti cripples will mostly be able to be repaired this alliance turn.'

'Kzinti - but they all made it to bases and FRDs'

OK, how did those Kzinti make it to those bases and FRDs when they can't retro on C1??

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 - 02:23 am: Edit

Well, the Kzinti forces near the 902 SB might have retreated onto it - plus the 902 APproach battle cripples are there?

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 - 02:41 am: Edit

Yes, cripples from the open space battle at 0903 that retreated to the base, as well as cripples from the attack on the base that the Lyrans retreated away from. It wasn't especially planned that way, more of a happy accident.

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 - 11:47 am: Edit

Ah, poorly phrased on my part. All the Lyran cripples are getting repaired; some of them will be out of range of combat hexes for C2.

The Kzinti have moved - there's a 5 ship attack on 0502 that's being answered by a 6 ship reserve, an FFG in 0302 (but that's going to be killed by 2DD that would otherwise do nothing C2), and a big open-space battle in 0801.

The Kzinti have 24.5 SEQ against the Lyrans' 15 in 0801, so the Lyrans won't be able to stay in range of the capital.

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 - 04:40 pm: Edit

Well, the Kzinti took a chance at stabbing back at the Lyrans but some poor dice rolls left them licking their wounds. A Kzinti FFG managed to capture Lyran province 0101. The attack on the BATS in 0502 with cripples was saved by a reserve; Kzinti lost an EFF for the effort. I also realized that knocking out the Lyrans in 0801 (reinforced by a reserve) would probably require an unacceptable amount of cripples. The decision to only stay one round was cemented when two lucky rolls by the Lyrans allowed them to direct kill a CC, and then capture it! For a crippled DN in return. As a result there is now there is a small fleet in range of the capital. He likely will have more than enough ships after repairs to pin the Count's SB fleet and get the fleet there if he wants next turn.
Otherwise there was the customary rearranging of fleets in preparation for turn 2. The Kzinti have a moderate reserve in the off-map and a strong reserve at the Marquis' SB.
Klingons are lined up in 1307 now at the start of Y169, looking forward to their involvement. Up to this point the Klingon war effort has consisted of rolling snake eyes for survey and getting a prime team wounded. I hope they keep it up!

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Wednesday, June 05, 2024 - 05:36 pm: Edit

The Lyrans are spending 40.5 EP on repairs. I don't think that it makes sense to have the Lyrans sending EPs to the Klingons - that just ties up tugs better used elsewhere. Instead, the Lyrans are going to be sending their FRDs to Klingon space to pay for Klingon repairs directly. We'll see whether the logistics of it work out. If Karl targets FRDs with anything approaching the intensity that I do, it might not be a good idea.

Lyrans convert 3CL to 3CLS, and Klingons again spend their FFF on building an FCR.

The Lyrans now have 14 ships in range of the capital.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 02:41 am: Edit

Well, sending FRD's to help the Kingons is always a good idea!1

On the FCR - why not buuld FV's?

Cost is no more than the FCR in effect - and FV's help boost Fighter numbers in the small pinning battles - or combinng them to feed 6 x IFF's forward.

(Yes, you can use all 6 free on a single hull on turn 1, but assuming your using annual fighters - turn 2 would allow you to build 3 FV's!)

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 09:06 am: Edit

Hmm the Lyrans need to repair their own ships, too. I guess if you're building a bunch of FRDs its a wash?

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 09:12 am: Edit

Moves are done CT2 and its the usual progression of things. Every ship in range of 1401 went there, while the Northern Reserve and Lyrans went after miscellaneous BATS and planets. Those battles are mostly over with, 1202 had a reserve show up to save them so that Lyran supply to Kzintai is threatened. Everything else went about as expected. There are battles yet to be resolved over the Count's and Duke's SB but they are mainly just pinning battles, I doubt much will come of it. The real action will be at 1401 which will probably be decided last.

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 09:36 am: Edit

Building a couple of FRD's usually gives enough front line repair - but Lyrans are always cycling crippled ships back into Lyran space to get them repaired and converted.

It all depends on how many Eps are sent to the Klingons

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 02:55 pm: Edit

Yeah, maybe I should have built FVs... they might be better than FCRs. But I like the D6V less, so I wasn't going to build one of those.

My thought was that if I build FRDs I can "transfer" as much or as little as needed on any given turn. Like I said, we'll see.

There was quite the battle in 1304. It's not quite done, but 5 rounds in the pending damage is certainly going to cripple the starbase, and I can't see Karl staying after that. I sent all of the best ships from 1509 there (just 7), along with a dozen Lyrans. I mauled 2BC in the first two rounds before the mauler shocked, and Karl's only directed against a F5J that had an honour duel with a SF on the line.

Just the capital left after this.

By Ted Fay (Catwhoeatsphoto) on Thursday, June 06, 2024 - 07:41 pm: Edit

FCRs also have utility as emergency escorts.

The FCR and FV each have their respective utilities.

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Friday, June 07, 2024 - 01:24 am: Edit

Duke's SB got destroyed; I wasn't willing to sacrifice the whole Duke's fleet for the base (he already mauled 2 BCs as he mentioned) and so after the base got crippled I retreated and left it to its fate. When its as even a fight, a couple of good (or bad I suppose) rolls, especially early, pushes the battle in one direction or another. At least if I was going to have bad luck it was just at the Duke's SB.
Speaking of repair, that battle alone had 15 coalition cripples. There are almost as many over the capital now just one round in.
For the Kzintai assault Sam looked to pick off a couple of planets but so far the only success was at Vronkett where the mauler was able to clean up the brigade on the planet. It will certainly get devastated. Not sure about the other systems, they've all retained their PDUs and the only mauler shocked after the first round.

By Sam Benner (Nucaranlaeg) on Saturday, June 08, 2024 - 06:42 pm: Edit

There were 2 maulers in 1401; one killed 4 PDUs over Vronkett and shocked while the other killed 4 PDUs over Kzintai and was destroyed. The only planet I managed to devastate was Vronkett (a major).

Total damage for the turn:

Kzinti dead: 4BC BF SAD FF EFF 4BATS 16PDU
Kzinti cripples: DNL CVL CLE 2DD FF EFF 2FCR (13.5 EP)

Lyran dead: BC DD DDG HFF
Lyran cripples: 4CC CF 6CW 5DD DDG 2DW 5FF HDD HFF (35.5 EP)

Klingon dead: D6M D7C F5J
Klingon cripples: D7C 3D7 D6J 2D6M TGA 6D5 4F5L 15F5 E4 2E4A E4S (52 EP)

I managed to take 1506 with just auxiliary carriers, an FCR, and an F5T (because reserves can't go to a neutral planet, I wasn't risking losing them). All of the Klingons are in positions to be repaired as I have 5FRD in 1307 - 4 of them Lyran. There are about 15 Lyrans that won't be repaired, but most of those are going to be in position to be repaired and sent to fight the Hydrans.

Outside of the capital, the Kzinti have SB 0902, BATS 1805, Zimdars (1202) and Kindlai (1502). Significant fleets stayed forward deployed, so there's little chance that the Kzinti make significant strikes in Coalition space.

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Sunday, June 09, 2024 - 03:30 am: Edit

Thought I would post Kzinti econ AT2 for funsies

AT1 Y169 Spring

Kzinti Econ
Survey: 9+5+6+2+2 (3 survey ships + PT) = 24 (one new province)

2.375 Existing treasury
24 On Map (1 major, 3 minors (1 dev), 8 provinces (4 disrupted)) Zamyan recovery 1/4
19 Off Map (1 Major, 2 Minors, 3+1 Provinces)
29 Capital (4 Majors (1dev), 4 Minors) Vronkett recovery 1/4
72.375 New Treasury

Prior turn accounting
DBB AT1: 0 (18 free points remaining)
DBB CT1: 0902(4), 1304(20), 1401(28) - 18 free points = 40 = 4.0EP
Salvage AT1: 2.675 (BF, EFF)
Salvage CT2: 11.125 (FF, 4BC, SAD)

EPs recieved from allies: 0
Other income: 1.5 Salvage captured Lyran HFF

Total: 89.675EP

Y169 annual FFF: 0+12=12

Production:
Standard production (64.5)
12 CV subbed for BC (6fff)
12 2 MEC subbed for 2CM
5 2FF subbed for 2DD (downgrade)
2.5 FFT subbed for FF
4 FKE subbed for FF
3 FFK subbed for FF (0902)
0 free Prime Team
14 2PDU
12 4PGB

Conversions (10)
1 FFK to FKE (0902)
4 CVL to CV (1401) (3fff)
0 MB to BS (OM, ENG)
4 MB to BS (1401)
1 BC to CC (CDR) (OM)

Repairs (11.5)
OM - BC, CVE, EFF, FFK, SF
1401 - 2DD
0902 - FCR, FF

0 no E/S Raid

Total: 86
89.675 - 86 = 3.675 EP remaining

Command Points: 1+1=2

FFF: Y169 (12)-9=3 remain

Tug assignments:
1401 Home TGC - 2BP
1401 3 FFT (MB->BS)
1401 FFT (add FTM to MB)
0902 Count's TGT - (S+V)
1303 Duke's TGC - 2BP
1401 TGT - 2SP
OM Baron's TGT - (S+V)
OM - ENG upgrade MB to BS

PT Assignments
OM - Survey ship
1401 - Shipyard protection (E&S)

PDU placement
2PDU - Kzintai
2PGB - Kzintai
PGB-Keevarsh
PGB-Vielsalm

By Paul Howard (Raven) on Sunday, June 09, 2024 - 03:46 am: Edit

"I managed to take 1506 with just auxiliary carriers, an FCR, and an F5T (because reserves can't go to a neutral planet, I wasn't risking losing them)"

If the Kzinti can ever react a ship or an Independent Fighter Squardon into 1506...... it does give them the option to be resuce heros for the Minor planet!


On the Kzinti buillds - are the Kzinti trying to get a second SB over the Capital. Couple of terms away...or it is designed to be a target

By Douglas Lampert (Dlampert) on Sunday, June 09, 2024 - 09:00 pm: Edit

Isn't CVL to CV 1.5 fff rather than 3?

By Karl Mangold (Solomon) on Monday, June 10, 2024 - 11:58 am: Edit

Oh good call I hadn't even noticed!

Setting up a second base in the capital is mostly a delay tactic; it can be excluded since the capital SB cannot, so it would effectively function as a second (third?) line of defense after the original SB and PDUs are taken. Give the shipyard another layer of protection, even if thin.

I'm a bit torn on whether it's worth it to upgrade beyond BATS because of the cost. FFTs are doing the job so it's two-step from MB BATS, which is actually fine by me because if it happened to get blown up early I wouldn't be out as many EPs.

I'm also testing an idea about fortifying Major planets with a single PGB to force an additional battle round before devastation. I imagine there is a tac note on this somewhere but it was an idea that was new to me.