Duel: Fed FF vs. Lyran DD

[pinecone]

Turn 1: I started at speed 8, as did my opponent (For you that can't guess, I was the Fed). I had both photons in operational status now (I had dumped the batteries and then payed the load cost for both). we moved twoards each other slowly, and ended 14 hexes apart. I fired all my phasers, resulting in one damage after reinforcement. He fired both distruptors and missed. He launched a Full sucicide shuttle at me and I fired a drone at him. I brought 1 photon to full power.

Turn 2: I fired a drone to fry his shuttle, while I began after him as he came in on my right flank, but curiously let me get behind him ( ). I fired my two ph-1's bearing on him and my normal torpedo. I nearly stripped him of that shield and got a burn-through on a transporter. That was when I fell for his trap. Next thing I knew, he had hetted and moved one hex in front of me (Hey, point that ESG somewhere else...please...). Needless to say my ship was crippled. In return, I had scored 17 internals on him (lucky I still had that overloaded photon). I tried a hit-and-run on the ESG, but failed. I dropped a full suicide shuttle in his face with my remaining energy. He had no energy left.

Turn 3: I Made a mistake here by choosing backwards 0. At backwards 8, I could have escaped another ESG pounding (that or if my Marines had done their job), for he was going forward 0. My ship was destroyed, he wasn't even crippled (But it was close ).

Total Points:
Lyran: 78 (for blowing me to space dust)
Federation: 15.3 (5 for the disadvantage in points, 8.3 for scoring internal damage on him)

Lyran: Minor Victory
Federation: Draw

[Davec_24]

Thanks for sharing the battle with us! Those ESGs really hurt if you get on the wrong side of them, as you now know even if you didn't before. It is difficult to get into a decent firing opportunity with ESGs since you have to be at range 0-1, but the very threat of them can keep the enemy on his toes and make him think twice before closing for a photon shot, etc. What sort of map were you playing on (fixed, floating, location)?

One nit-pick, I'm not sure that 5 and 8.3 add up to 15.3...

[pinecone]

Yes but I was only off by 1... (being serious, I got 13.3. Thanks for catching that)

We were playing on a fixed board.

[Davec_24]

A fixed board would make that battle interesting - the Feds could corner the Lyrans to prevent them Saber Dancing, and then photon them - but if the Feds misjudged it, they would eat serious fiery ESG death (like you did ).

I actually quite like the Lyrans in FC, they're interesting because they are very good at point-blank range due to their ESGs and are also pretty good at long range (disruptors and some Ph-1s) but are not as good at medium range as most ships (Ph-3s and ESGs are ineffective and disruptors are too close to really show off their accuracy relative to photons and the likes, and your mid-range phaser battery isn't as good as the Klingons or Feds) - a strange combination but good fun to play!

[pinecone]

Sabre-Dancing would be hard for the leapord, with no ph-1's. Against an enemy with ph-1's and better sheilds (Fed FF), it's even worse for them.

[Davec_24]

Indeed it doesn't have any Ph-1s and does have worse shields, though this never stopped the D7 Saber Dancing the CA - it can be done, it just takes longer. Ph-1s have the same average damage output per point of power as a disruptor at those ranges, but the Leopard has two disruptors (and the Ph-2s, for what they are worth) so on average will be able to deal more damage than the FF's 3 Ph-1s. The Feds do have photons, but firing them off at that range is arguably unwise as the threat of overloads will be reduced, maybe enough to tempt the Lyran into ESG-ramming the Fed.

[pinecone]

The d7 has at least some ph-1's...

[fathertaylor]

I'm curious why you chose to go reverse instead of using your own HET and picking speed 8? If you were going reverse speed 8 it would have cost you 4 points of power, but a HET and speed 8 would only cost 3 1/4 points plus have the advantage of turning a fresh shield to him. Was there a tactical advantage you were going for with moving in reverse?

[pinecone]

After hearing that, I think I just made a mistake.

[Mike]

And this is an example of the point system that is now in use in FedComm. How can one player using one of two evenly matched ships get a "draw" when he is totally destroyed?

[Paul B]

The d7 has at least some ph-1's...

I dunno about Lyrans, but with Klingons the main weapons are the phasers not the disruptors. When you're dancing or firing at point blank, fire all your phasers first and then whatever power you have left over can go into disruptors.

[pinecone]

A Lyran at poin blank is going to lay down beating with ESG's.

And Mike, I did find that rather odd. And considering that had I Crippled his ship, both of us would have a minor victory is even stranger.

[Paul B]

And this is an example of the point system that is now in use in FedComm. How can one player using one of two evenly matched ships get a "draw" when he is totally destroyed?

That's the federation propaganda machine in action.

[Davec_24]

The d7 has at least some ph-1's...

I meant the "D7" as seen in SFB, as opposed to SFB's "D7K" which is effectively what you have as a D7 in FC - the original D7 had only Ph-2s on the boom (i.e. had 9 Ph-2s and no Ph-1s). Although this is SFB and not FC, the damage from these weapons is pretty much the same between the two games.

[Kang]

I actually quite like the Lyrans in FC, they're interesting because they are very good at point-blank range due to their ESGs

He knows whereof he speaks - I have had his Lyran BCH cripple my Klink C7 with its ESGs.... I think we did a battle report on it at some point.

And this is an example of the point system that is now in use in FedComm. How can one player using one of two evenly matched ships get a "draw" when he is totally destroyed?

Yep. I thought that too. IIRC, aren't they design team working on it?