Federation Commander

I will be starting a new campaign shortly. It will be Orion and Vudar Vs ISC.

Does any Terrain give us the edge?

I realise that we will (or more likely I will) just have to take the PPDs on the chin. My Orions will be armed ph1s +phg & Hellbore.

Capt Jack wrote:I will be starting a new campaign shortly. It will be Orion and Vudar Vs ISC.

Does any Terrain give us the edge?

I realise that we will (or more likely I will) just have to take the PPDs on the chin. My Orions will be armed ph1s +phg & Hellbore.

Asteroids:
1) Inhibit long-range fire. Three asteroid hexes and stealth coating is +4 to the die roll.
2) Your Orions will be more maneuverable in them.
3) Plasma evaporate in asteroids.
4) Your Orions at least can double engines on "run away" turns and accept a lot more damage from asteroids than a typical ship by using specific reinforcement (and then double again and dump a lot of energy into shield repair if you want).

Planets might help too if they let you approach to closer range and/or evade.

OTOH you do NOT want to assault an ISC base. Phaser IV and PPDs with Plasma to deter an overrun is just flat-out painful.

duxvolantis wrote:
Asteroids:
1) Inhibit long-range fire. Three asteroid hexes and stealth coating is +4 to the die roll.

Note the max shift is +3 for any combo of dice modifiers (4A4?). But I think the maximum asteroid shift is +2 anyway, so you wouldn't get to +4 even without the max +3.

OTOH you do NOT want to assault an ISC base. Phaser IV and PPDs with Plasma to deter an overrun is just flat-out painful.

Yes that will be painful. The orions will have to go in under EM for a +3 shift to either pull out the plasma or get into gatling range, then double and overload hellbores, the vudar can then follow up for the finisher

storeylf wrote:

duxvolantis wrote:
Asteroids:
1) Inhibit long-range fire. Three asteroid hexes and stealth coating is +4 to the die roll.

Note the max shift is +3 for any combo of dice modifiers (4A4?). But I think the maximum asteroid shift is +2 anyway, so you wouldn't get to +4 even without the max +3.

OTOH you do NOT want to assault an ISC base. Phaser IV and PPDs with Plasma to deter an overrun is just flat-out painful.

Yes that will be painful. The orions will have to go in under EM for a +3 shift to either pull out the plasma or get into gatling range, then double and overload hellbores, the vudar can then follow up for the finisher

U are right on the +3 max and asteroid adjustment. Either way, it pushes the PPD toward the downward side of the 2d6 bell curve which greatly reduces the # of pulses that hit.

Can't say I am overly happy, with the Vudar tactics of fightihg to the last drop of Orion blood.

Hellbores and Ion Cannons are both very accurate. And you will have more of both than he has PPDs.

I agree with the asteroids idea. Your heavy weapons are not that badly affected by the die roll shifts because you are rolling two dice. Plinking away with Ion Cannons to weaken a shield for Hellbore exploitation is a good idea too. Doubling an Orion ship's engines and dragging an ISC ship through asteroids until it explodes is also amusing.

In asteroids, launched plasma will get shredded up a bit and bolts will stink on ice. Launched plasma may still work better.

Dragging ISC ships through asteriods, sounds like jolly good fun

i like to play as the ISC heres a tip:
keep the ISC at a far range and use the vudar's ion cannons and stuff to weaken their plasma's
use drones to prevent them from getting too close.

Tactic #2

this is better (i figured this out after i wrote the first on)
wait. wait for the ISC ship to fire its plasma's at you.
then, go as close as you can to the ISC ship preferably 0-3 hexes as he cannot shoot his PPD's at you.
then, fire phasers and on the 8th impulse on the turn before the Plasma's are shot, fire all drones.
retreat, repair, regenerate (oh my!) repeat.

(that was bad pun, sorry)

I did enjoy the pun BTW! Last time I fought the ISC was with federation and we tried to overload, big mistake! We could never close the distance and got ate up by the PPD's!

Not sure I understand how you would use the Ion Cannon to weaken plasma. Do you mean using the option to select weapon damage?

I understand where you are coming from with the "get to range 0-3 and let him have it" option. I think the tricky bit will be fighting your way through the PPD and plasma storm to get there, which is kind of where the ISC want to send you - straight into the teeth of the echelon. Any thoughts on the best way to achieve that?

How 2 get to range 0-3?

Well the Vudar suggest the Orions to the lead
(and the punishment ) and just get there!

( Am practicing my Telekenitic skills to rol a 6 for my stealth coating Vs Plasma )

If you have read the mouse that Roared Thread. Then you will see that my Telekenesis skills worked well!
( Rolled two 6's out of six dice! for stealth coating!! )

That was 30 points of plasma rather than 60 on one ship! (shift due to steath and scout channel).

This means 9 times out of 10 face plasma Death than PPD Death. Because with luck and bit of skill you will survive.