FC: War And Peace - Andromedan vs Federation play test repor

[Nerroth]

That burn through thing is going to make things really interesting in a late-era Federal Republic fleet - or, indeed, when using the Throne after it gets its disruptor refit in 2575.


I was thinking about the kind of tactic I'd try against Andros in such a situation - and as an aside, was thinking over some of the wet navy-era tactics I'd love to sit down and try with the Iridani sometime...


...but back to the Andro thing.

Basically, what I'd try to do would be to start off going in and taking on at least one SatShip in the first go. I'd keep track of each ship's volley (if I'm not mistaken, you declare and resolve all of the fire from one ship before moving on to another in your force, yes?) and see how close I'm getting to popping the Cobra/Mamba/Viper in question. If it's looking like I can destroy the SatShip and still have enough to take out a second, I'd let the next SatShip have it - but if not, I'd keep the rest of my fusillade on hold.

After that, I'd split my squadron up, sending each ship in a different direction. If the mothership pursues one ship, the others have more of a chance to run, repair and re-load unmolested. (In contrast to many other fleets, you could argue the Andros need to keep relatively close together, in order to maximise the synergy between Mothership and SatShip. So, an Intruder might prefer to keep its flying sponges within range five - making it easier to keep more ships away from them. And if the Intruder wants to send SatShips off in different directions, that makes it easier to pick them off, too.)

When the time gets closer for another approach, I'd turn each ship in a way to have them close the range on the Intruder's group - but not necessarily have them line up one beside the other. (Since PA panels cover three shield facings each, you can have your fire come in from several directions and still target the same banks.) In this pass, I'd again go for a SatShip, and see if I can destroy one without running out of spare firepower for another.

After that, I'd rinse, repeat - trying to leave no more than one ship at risk from being chased down at a time (if the Intruder doesn't pull back over its brood's TR arming turn, that is).

Eventually, if things go well, the SatShips would all be gone. At this point, whenever closing in on a given PA bank, I'd just let the Intruder have everything, since it's the only thing left. Again, run, split up, and try to wait for another chance.


Of course, no plan survives contact with the enemy, and there's no guarantee that it would work out... but I'd at least give it a try and see what happens.



EDIT: Thanks for the energy module clarification, Terry.

[Kang]

I realise that there will have been 'tweaks' since the battle, but I thought I'd better ask: is there still no panel degradation?

Wasn't the reason that degradation was introduced in SFB to place a 'clock' on the Andromedans?

[Dan Ibekwe]

Still confused?

Not as such. I was pointing out that the word *bank* seemed to be missing from the rule text as posted.

The mechanics look to be very similar to SFB minus the degradation, which will cut down on the record keeping.

Also no Andro T-bombs (are there?).

Do Andro bases have Temporal Elevators in FC?

[Scoutdad]

Great report, thanks. Can't wait to see the full Andro rules and how they work out for FC. Just from this little taste it seems like the Andros can't dissipate as fast, but then they also aren't getting degregated and getting filled up as fast. I really wonder how the power burning ticks for the Adros are going to work since generated and battery power isn't differentiated and it's all just "power" for FC.

They work as well as, if not better.
Since all FC power is effectively "reserve power" - you can really blow throug hthe power in your batteries.
Want to go speed 16? Plot base line 8 and accel each Impulse. That's 8 extra power right there removed from the batteries.
Or. if the batteries are full...
Plot 16... Accelerate each Impulse (that's 8 ponts) then decelerate by canceling movement points you don't need. (that's 8 or so more points of battery power burned)...
Use evasive manuevering on your approach... Bingo! 6 more points.
and so on...

[Scoutdad]

@ Tony:
No still no degradation. That was one of the most complicated rules in SFB and we avoided it like e coli in Fed Comm.
The disruptor burn through should simulate degradation rather well.
Photons, Plasmas, and PPDs hit hard enough to punch through PA Panels (if you concentrate your fire) and do some real damage. Disruptors don't... and with no degradation, you just can't overwhelm them. This will allow a large volley the opportunity to score some potentially harmful damage (think row 6... Phaser, Drone (PA Panel), Torpedo...) while not having the crunch power of the bigger weapons.

@ Dan:
No. No Andromedan T-Bombs. And no Temporal Elevator either - Fed Comms goal was simplicity, remember?

[Scoutdad]

... I'd keep track of each ship's volley (if I'm not mistaken, you declare and resolve all of the fire from one ship before moving on to another in your force, yes?) ...

Not quite.
You declare all fire from EVERY ship before rolling for any of them.
That means you may "overkill" one of the Sat Ships... but that's the game you're playing.

[storeylf]

Since all FC power is effectively "reserve power" - you can really blow throug hthe power in your batteries.
Want to go speed 16? Plot base line 8 and accel each Impulse. That's 8 extra power right there removed from the batteries.
Or. if the batteries are full...
Plot 16... Accelerate each Impulse (that's 8 ponts) then decelerate by canceling movement points you don't need. (that's 8 or so more points of battery power burned)...
Use evasive manuevering on your approach... Bingo! 6 more points.
and so on...

MM, I'm not able to check the rules at the moment. Does anything prevent declaring a HET every impulse then cancelling it, that is 40 energy a turn used up (for a cruiser size ship). Would seem a cheap way of dispersing energy other wise. At least EM has it's downsides (can't fire and stuck in it for 2 impulses). Or playing with speed can mean giving up the move intiative, or having a higher turn mode.

[edit] Or is there anything to stop you tractoring your own sat ship with a 40 point tractor (can't say I've ever tractored my own ships, so I can't remember how that worked).

[Scoutdad]

MM, I'm not able to check the rules at the moment. Does anything prevent declaring a HET every impulse then cancelling it, that is 40 energy a turn used up (for a cruiser size ship). Would seem a cheap way of dispersing energy other wise. At least EM has it's downsides (can't fire and stuck in it for 2 impulses). Or playing with speed can mean giving up the move intiative, or having a higher turn mode.

Hmmm... need to email SVC about this one... good catch.
The rules "specifically" allow this (see 2D2b BREAKDOWN, 2nd "starred" note)
That needs to be looked at.

Or is there anything to stop you tractoring your own sat ship with a 40 point tractor (can't say I've ever tractored my own ships, so I can't remember how that worked).

Yes, the Andromedan rules specifically prevent you from using battery power to tractor a unit with more than 1 point of power if not necessary (and do not allow tractor auctions between allied units).

[Nerroth]

... I'd keep track of each ship's volley (if I'm not mistaken, you declare and resolve all of the fire from one ship before moving on to another in your force, yes?) ...

Not quite.
You declare all fire from EVERY ship before rolling for any of them.
That means you may "overkill" one of the Sat Ships... but that's the game you're playing.

Fair enough - I guess in terms of zapping SatShips, better to be safe than sorry.

[Dan Ibekwe]

And no Temporal Elevator either

Thank goodness for that, I always hated that thing.

I assume Hellbores divide their damage between all panel banks on the target equally?

[storeylf]

I imagine the reverse movement rules of FC will play well with andros as well. Mmmm how to get rid of lots of power, pay double for moving! even have to pay braking energy first - bonus!. Those big batteries make it sound you could actually declare a decent reverse speed.

All though again, at least there are tactical implications to that -- you might be heading the wrong way.

[Scoutdad]

@ Dan:
I concur. I never liked the temporal elevator either.

Yes, Hellbores well spread damage evenly among the panels.

The HET thing is currently legal as per the rules, but hanks to storyelf - it is now being re-examined.

[terryoc]

The trouble with flying backwards (per storeylf's suggestion) is that it makes it tougher to dump power into batteries by dropping your forward panels (which are likely full after an attack run). If you are flying backwards, your forward panels would probably be facing the enemy.

[storeylf]

I realise that there may be tactiical implications. But it may another area where a fundamental change in rules between FC and SFB might need to be pondered on when porting the Andro.

The Intruder headed towards the far corner of the map at base speed 24Å  accelerating each impulse to burn the power in the batteries.

speed 24 is 24 MPs of power dumped, plus another 8 MPs of power over 8 impulses. 32 MPs of power over a turn

Braking energy and speed 16 would immediately clear 36 MPs of power, with the option of another 16MPs of power in acceleration.

Whilst it may mean the front PA panels are still facing the enemy, you can still immediately HET (another 5MPs of power). Or you gain from keeping forward weapons in arc.

It all comes down to the tactical situation. I'm not saying it is wrong per se, but just noting that the rule change that makes reverse a rare choice for most ships become a very viable choice for Andros.

[Scoutdad]

You just can't say it enough...
Andros are wierd!