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Fed Strike Cruiser vs. Fed New Heavy Cruiser

 
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CaptainDANO
Ensign


Joined: 10 Sep 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Battlegroup Totem Lake

PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:28 am    Post subject: Fed Strike Cruiser vs. Fed New Heavy Cruiser Reply with quote

Hello fellow UFP Captains. I'm considering which ship to use in an all out brawl scenario (every captain for himself) using 160 point or less ships with multiple players.

The New Heavy Cruiser (150 BVP) and Strike Cruiser (145 BVP) look pretty close (I don't have the standard Heavy Cruiser card). Does the slight increase in maneuverability of the Strike Cruiser benefit outweigh its smaller power grid? Is leaving 15 BVP on the table going to doom me against something like a Kzinti C. Cruiser (160 BVP) (also don't have that card)?
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Savedfromwhat
Commander


Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 657

PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The strike cruiser is a very nice ship. you gain about 4 more power at speed 24 do to the 3/4 speed cost. Basically it is just as powerful as a CA, the biggest difference is that you give up to Forward firing phasers for better protection in your rear. The New Fed ships can fire everything they have out of their centerlines while the CS can only fire I believe 4 of its 8 phaser ones off the Centerline.
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mjwest
Commodore


Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 4069
Location: Dallas, Texas

PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The four "lost" power is deceiving because of the differing movement rates. So, for example, if both ships are at base speed 24, the NCA has (38-24=) 14 points of discretionary power, while the CS has (34-18=) 16 points of discretionary power. They both have 22 points of discretionary power with a base speed of 16. (That ignores photons, of course. But, since the photons are identical on the two ships, I just abstracted them out for this discussion.)

Really, it comes down to this:
- The CS's rear phasers are RH arcs; the NCA's are 360.
- The CS's Ph-3s are 360 arcs; the NCA's are LS/RS.
- The CS has four transporters; the NCA has only two.
- The CS has two extra forward hull; the NCA has two extra rear hull (total is the same).
Everything else is pretty much the same (including shields and total weapons).

They are very, very similar ships, and are obviously superior choices to the (oddly enough) more expensive CC.

In a duel environment, I would without question take the CS. Having that slight advantage in discretionary power at high speeds can be a big advantage. But in a multi-sided free-for-all, I would lean more towards the NCA just because those extra four points of power are four more points of damage I can take and still be effective. I just think the NCA will take damage better, and in a free-for-all, you are going to need to be able to operate damaged.
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djdood
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Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 3412
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not a tactic, but worthy of being printed in my opinion. Very good commentary/analysis on how to size-up two similar ships.
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CaptainDANO
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Joined: 10 Sep 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Battlegroup Totem Lake

PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks mjwest. I think your analysis is spot on. In most games I like to have a little extra speed, but in a slug-fest I do think the slight extra toughness does make a lot of sense.

I will let you know how it goes-- the battle is tomorrow night.

Capt. DANO
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CaptainDANO
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Joined: 10 Sep 2008
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Location: Battlegroup Totem Lake

PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, we had the battle and it didn't go so well for my Fed new heavy cruiser, but I do think the extra durability and power did save me. I took a bunch of drones from the Kzinti, two point blank Romulan plasma torps and various sundry shots from Klingon and Lyran disruptors and phasers and still made if off the board with only 31 internals. Basically everyone got a shot at me (luckily the Hydrans missed with the hellbore!). I guess Fed Comm players tend to hate the Feds.

Shocked

For my first time playing in a while it was an accomplishment to survive and I learned more about handling this ship. Thanks for the advice!

This is part of a campaign so there will be other battles and I shall report here.
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OGOPTIMUS
Captain


Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Posts: 980

PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How long was the game? Did they shoot at anyone else? What kind of ships were on the table besides your NCA?

Sorry to ask so many questions, just trying to find out as much as possible.
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DNordeen
Commander


Joined: 05 Apr 2007
Posts: 564

PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow sounds like they all ganged up on you.
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CaptainDANO
Ensign


Joined: 10 Sep 2008
Posts: 10
Location: Battlegroup Totem Lake

PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everyone had ships of 160 point value or less. To be honest I don't know all the ship types as I don't have a ton of FC stuff, but you can probably work it out as I think everyone had as close as possible to the 160 limit. (The Hydran only had one fighter and didn't even use it.)

We had nine boards and each started on the edge. I managed to go from one end of the board to the other (long way), so I kind of ran the gauntlet. So I kind of brought it upon myself I guess. Smile

I did make some pretty dumb maneuvers (fell out of the stupid tree and hit all the branches) and also got greedy trying for a 0 range shot through a down shield and miscalculated.

The Kzinti took a good amount of damage thanks to my photons, but managed to run away. The Romulan's shields were pretty well scuffed but only one internal and he ran off the board (CHICKEN!). The others were all in pretty good shape.

It was the first game in a while for our group so I think people were playing pretty cautiously, I just ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Next time, it will be different! (I hope....)
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rulesjd
Lieutenant JG


Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 48
Location: seattle

PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll supplement Dan's answer though this should be on a different forum heading.

We are playing a campaign ala master of the universe with crews having been abducted for fun and games. Each player starts with a 750 point pool of BPV. Each session will be a different scenario with different objectives.

The first was a free for all with 160 point ship limits. These were a Fed NCA, Klingon D5W, Romulan Sparrowhawk, LDR CA, Kzinti CC and a Hydran Lord Bishop with one stinger.

Everyone started on a map edge with minimum 20 hex seperation. The Romulan dove in between the Klingon and Hydran. He launched an S torp on turn one which sent the Klingon cruising. The Hydran snuck into EM and tried for an angle on the Romulan or the Kzinti.

The Kzinti didn't like the shape of the map and so started toward the other end. He was threading the needle between the LDR and the Fed when he inexplicably turned to go nose to nose with the Fed. Remarkably the Fed (sorry Dan) withheld some phasers for a better range (under 4). When the dust settled, both ships had a few boxes on their number one shields. The ships then passed each other.

I was able to score the internals on the Kzinti before he disengaged. The Fed wandered into the Klingon/Romulan/Hydran mess and the Rom got to range zero with two F-Torps. Dan had no choice but to run.

The empty Romulan then opted to leave the map. (I would have stuck around for a couple more turns to try and reload and use the phasers). That left the Hydran, LDR and Klingon to duke it out.

The Hydran continued to use EM to jockey for position while the Klingon chased me to a corner. I turned up map with the Klingon turning into may left rear flank and closed the Hydran. We achieved range 1 with the Klingon about 4 heaxes away.

Rather than maul each other and give the Klingon easy mop up, we both shot him after which he leapt off the board. The Hydran and I seperated going opposite directions after which the game was called due to scenario time limit.

It's interesting that in this campaign and scenario environment, most people were looking for the safe medium range exchange. Having a limited budget, no one wants to lose ships.

Dan will likely not seek the center of the map next time.
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CaptainDANO
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Joined: 10 Sep 2008
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Location: Battlegroup Totem Lake

PostPosted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 6:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for filling the blanks, Les!
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