(SP2102.0) WHY???
(Y184) by Captain Grieft An, Germany

    A flotilla of Orion PFs conducting a distant security patrol from an Orion BATS was inexplicably attacked by a group of Andromedan satellite ships. The Flotilla commander was at first baffled by the attack, then realized that the satellite ships must be protecting something. Perhaps something the Pharaoh's Cartel might find worth raiding.

    The problem was that the patrol had been following an erratic course in its sweep for possible threats to the base, and it was obvious that the Andromedans, in their desire to protect whatever they were protecting, had not come directly upon the flotilla. The commander would have to convince the Andromedans to show him which direction their own base lay in.

(SP2102.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the Orion player and the Andromedan player.

(SP2102.2) INITIAL SET UP
ORION: A flotilla of Buccaneer PFs enters the map anywhere along the xx30 map edge, heading A, WS-I.

ANDROMEDAN: 3xCobra, 1xTerminator, 1xEel, enter anywhere along the xx01 map edge, heading D, WS-III.

(SP2102.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario continues until all forces belonging to one side have been destroyed, captured, have disengaged, or until the end of Turn #8.

(SP2102.4) SPECIAL RULES

(SP2102.41) MAP: Use a modified floating map [See (SP2102.46).The Orion units can only disengage in direction D. The Andromedan units can disengage in any direction except D. Units which disengage in unauthorized directions are considered destroyed.

(SP2102.42) SHUTTLES AND PFs: All shuttles and PFs have warp booster packs.

(SP2102.421) No ship in this scenario is qualified to carry an MRS shuttle, but in a variant of the scenario where that is possible, they may be purchased [up to the limits in (J8.5)] under (SP2102.431).

(SP2102.422) There are no fighters in this scenario. In a variant in which fighters are present, use the standard deployment patterns (one EWF for each squadron of eight or more fighters) for EW fighters.

(SP2102.423) The six Buccaneers are a standard flotilla including one leader and one scout.

(SP2102.43) COMMANDER'S OPTION ITEMS

(SP2102.431) Each ship can purchase additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (e.g., T-bombs, extra marines, etc.) up to 20% of its Combat BPV. See (S3.2) for details and exceptions.

(SP2102.432) The races that are involved in this scenario do not use drones. In a variation where a drone-armed race is used, drone are "fast," i.e., speed-32. Each drone-armed ship can purchase special drones up to the historical racial percentages as part of the Commander's Option Items. Note that (S3.2) allows drone ships extra points for this purpose.

(SP2102.433) Prime Teams (G32.0) are not available in this scenario.

(SP2102.44) REFITS: The Orion PFs have received the shield refit; no other refits are available in this scenario.

(SP2102.45) CARTEL: The Orions are from the Pharaoh Cartel and may have any allowable weapons from the Cartel's Home (11 Options) or Operating (5 Options) Zones, but is not allowed any of the 10% any options.

(SP2102.46) CONCEALMENT: The Andromedan ships are attempting to prevent the Orions from discovering the broken down dominator. To reflect this, the Andromedan player will record a map direction from the counter in hex 2215 that the ship can be detected. The goal of the Andromedan player will be to prevent the Orions from gaining the information either by destruction, or deception (massing your ships on one azimuth may convince the Orion to mass his PFs to break past to see what is there). The Andromedans may select any direction, including Direction D (the nominal direction from which the Orion PFs arrived) because of the erratic nature of the Andromedan and Orion patrol paths.

(SP2102.47) SEMI-FLOATING. Place a counter in hex 2215 of the initial map. If the Orion Scout PF is ever more than 30 hexes from that chit (which will require it to enter an adjacent map or the map will need to be "floated"), it can confirm that there is or is not something in that direction from the Chit, i.e., if the Orion Scout is 30 hexes in direction B from the chit, it confirms whether or not something is in direction B from the chit. Normal Orion PFs must be 40 hexes in a given direction to make the determination.

(SP2102.48) DISENGAGEMENT: The Orion PFs must disengage after Turn #8 because they are operating at the limit of their fuel reserves. While they could have continued the patrol some distance further, the demands of combat will rapidly eat up the available remaining supply.

(SP2102.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the Orions spot the Dominator, they win so long as one PF disengages with the information. If the Orions do not spot the Dominator by the end of Turn #8, the Andromedans win.

(SP2102.6) VARIATIONS: The scenario can be played again under different conditions by making one or more of the following changes:

(SP2102.61) Replace the Orions with a PF flotilla of any Galactic race.

(SP2102.62) The Andromedans wanted to know why the Orions were near the Dominator and thought they might be looking for it. To reflect this, the Andromedan players must attempt to capture one of the PFs so that its crew and onboard computers can be interragated. Note, capturing a survial pod will not do as any information gained from the crew must be corroborated with computer files. If the Andromedans capture a PF, they win the scenario even if the Orions spot the Dominator.

(SP2102.63) For a smaller and more intense battle, delete three of the Orion PFs and use only two Cobras and the Eel.

(SP2102.64) For a three-player version, add a Federation POL+ attracted by the flare of the weapons fire. This ship enters at the start of Turn #3 before Energy Allocation from a random direction determined by die roll with a roll of "one" equaling direction A and so on. The ship's initial heading will be the opposite of the direction it is approaching from, e.g., if it is approaching from direction A its initial heading will be D. The ship can be no closer than 30 hexes from any other combatant (Orion or Andromedan) when it is initially placed on the map. The ship will be at speed max, WS-III. The ship wins by destroying two PFs, or one Andromedan ship, or by determining the location of the Dominator itself.

(SP2102.65) Replace the Andromedans to the Orion PFs (defending a broken down PFT) and replace the original Orion PFs with PFs of any other race.

(SP2102.7) BALANCE: The scenario can be balanced between players of different skill levels by one or more of the following:
(SP2102.71) Change the Buccaneers to a Brigands.
(SP2102.72) Replace the Cobras with a Vipers, or the Eel with a Courier.
(SP2102.73) Increase or decrease the time the Orions have to spot the Dominator.

(SP2102.8) TACTICS

ANDROMEDAN: Some tough choices. The Orions are fast, and while you can easily kill them, they will be doing their best to get around you and gather the data. It may be best to concentrate on two directions, perhaps forcing the Orions to come to you. You might gamble and choose two false directions hoping the Orion will not believe you would leave the real direction unguarded. Time is on your side, and it is your best asset if you can just run the Orions out of it.

ORION: You can win this without firing a shot. What you know about your opponent (and how well he keeps a poker face) may help decide the battle. Just try to get around them, and keep one PF ready to run with the information when (and if) you get it.

(SP2102.9) PLAYTESTERS COMMENTS: We have reserved this space for YOUR comments on this scenario.

(SP2102.X) DESIGNER'S NOTES: Combat intelligence can be the key to overall success. This scenario was written to provide a rare glimpse into the idea of fighting for information.

HISTORICAL OUTCOME: What the flotilla commander did not know was that the Andromedans were trying to protect a Dominator which had suffered an inexplicable breakdown. He spotted the ship on long range scans, and reported it as a BATS since he saw no mobile warp signature and the size of the object could be nothing else. As such, the matter was considered of no importance to the Orions (who had had no real problems with Andromedans poaching their turf and saw no reason to invite in a Federation assault force that might accidentally discover their own base).
    The Andromedans were unaware of the Orion "live and let live" policy. With the Dominator spotted, the satellite ships returned and used its repair systems to prepare themselves for a "Run For Home". The Dominator then self-destructed to avoid capture by Galactic forces which were now (the Andromedans believed) certain to reach it before repair ships could.

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