Democratus
Mongoose
After Aaction Report
(EA Third Age vs. Drazi, 5 Points Raid)
EA Forces: (Played by Atredies)
Strike Squadron
Omega Destroyer (6 Auroras)
Olympus 1: Olympus Corvette - Fusion Missile (2 AD Emine)
Support Squadron
Hyperion Heavy Cruiser (Aurora(1))
Olympus 2: Olympus Corvette - Fusion Missile (2 AD Emine)
Avenger Heavy Carrier - Aurora(8)
The pride of President Clarke.
Drazi Forces: (Played by Democratus)
Stormfalcon Heavy Cruiser
Firehawk Advanced Cruiser
Jumphawk Command Cruiser
Guardhawk Battle Escort
Sunhawk Battlecruiser
Strikehawk Carrier
Sleekbird Assault Cruiser
Sky Serpent(3) x2
I don't have any Firehawks or Drazi fighterss, so my trusty Dilgar will stand in.
Map:
There were two pieces of significant terrain on the map. On the right of the EA position was an asteroid field. On the left of the Drazi postion was a gas cloud.
Setup: (EA initiative)
I had to set up first, so I formed two lines of ships all spaced so that an e-mine could only hit one ship. My command ship, the Jumphawk, hid behind the gas cloud.
My ships look so much alike, I had to label them.
Earth set up in a cohesive fleet next to the Asteroids. He formed two squadrons: Omega and Olympus 1, Hyperion and Olympus 2, with the Avenger behind the Asteroids. Fighters were scattered throughout.
Earthforce in parade formation!
Turn 1: (EA init)
Drazi: Sunhawk moves in front of Stormfalcon (Manuver to Shield), in case Omega gets any cute ideas
EA: Strike Squadron moves. Omega boresights Sunhawk (suprise!) and the Olympus 1 uses Priority Fire to hit Sunhawk and Stormfalcon with an e-mine, doing 3 dmg to Stormfalcon and 6 dmg to Sunhawk. Omega is CBD
Drazi: Strikehawk moves forward, turning to the left. (CBD)
EA: Avenger moves forward into the asteroids, making its CQ check. (Scramble!)
Drazi: Sleekbird moves forward and turns left. (CBD)
EA: Support squadron moves forward. Hyperion gives (CBD) and Olympus 2 guards with a (Manuver to Shield)
Drazi: Guardhawk moves up behind the gas cloud (CBD)
Drazi: Jumphawk moves up into the cloud for some cover (CBD)
Drazi: Firehawk moves up and turns left. (CBD)
Drazi: Stormfalcon moves up and turns into the Omega, it doesn't quite have the range to reach. (CBD)
Fighters:
EA fighters move along with their ships. Drazi fighters close in on the EA, careful to keep their spacing due to the remaining Fusion Missile on Olympus 2.
Earthforce keeps a united front against the barbarian horde.
The Drazi turn in and try to get to grips with their enemy, though they are scattered.
Firing phase:
Omega fires its main laser at Sunhawk, scoring only a single hit which is dodged. The EA captain teaches me some new swear words.
End phase:
The Avenger launches its remaining 4 flights.
Turn 2: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves forward. Omega uses Priority Fire to fire its laser at Stormfalcon, scoring 8 hits and 2 criticals (one of them a 6/5!). Stormfalcon is heavily damaged and very close to skeleton crewed. I use the new swear words my opponent just taught me. Both of my redundancy points for the battle are spent, preventing further havok. Olympus 1 keeps station next to the Omega. (Manuver to Shield)
Drazi: Sleekbird moves in to close distance. (CBD)
EA: Avenger suprises me and gives an "All Power to Engines!" order, blasting out of the asteroids and behind my left flank.
Drazi: Jumphawk leaves the dust cloud and lines up a shot on Olympus 1.
EA: Support squadron breaks up as Olympus 2 races forward to get Jumphawk in railgun range.
Drazi: Strikehawk moves in from my left, still out of range (CBD)
EA: Hyperion attempts a "Track That Target!" on Stormfalcon, but fails. It moves forward to close with my fleet.
Drazi: Firehawk moves forward and boresights Hyperion, hoping to elminiate the threat
Drazi: Sunhawk moves up and targets Omega
Drazi: Stormfalcon moves up and boresights Omega, with the guarding Olympus 1 squarely in the way. (Scramble!)
Drazi: Guardhawk flies up into the middle of the pile of ships for anti-fighter support. It boresights Olympus 1 (Intensify Defensive Fire!).
It's getting a little crowded in my sky.
Fighters:
Drazi fighters move closer to the "scrum" but still unable to engage. EA fighters move on the attack against several drazi ships.
13 Anti-fighter dice (12 from guardhawk, 1 from Stormfalcon) cut into the fighters and destroy 5 fighters. Three are recovered by the Avenger.
EA fighters fire on the Stormfalcon, doing 2 damage and one critical (-1 speed). The fighters also fire on the Sunhawk, missing, and the Jumphawk doing one damage and one critical (Loose Dodge trait).
Firing:
Drazi: Jumphawk fires on the Olympus 1, hoping to eliminate its ability to shield Omega. It damages the Olympus but falls short of a cripple or skeleoton crew.
EA: Hyperion fires its forward batteries at Stormfalcon, scoring 4 more hits and another critical (-1 DC).
Drazi: Guardhawk takes a chance and fires its 3 AD at Olympus 1, to little effect.
EA: Olympus 1 fires on Guardhawk, which dodges 4 railgun hits and takes only 1 damage.
Drazi: Stormfalcon fires its FA weapons at Olympus 1, coming within one point of reducing it to a skeleton crew. It then fires its beams at Omega, which (after all this) Olympus 1 fails to shield. Omega takes a pile of damage (about 20) with one crit absorbed by redundant systems.
EA: Olympus 2 fires on Firehawk and Stormhawk, scoring 5 hits on Firehawk and none on Stormhawk.
Drazi: Sunhawk fires on the Olympus 2, missing with all beams and scoring 3 other hits that are intercepted.
EA: Avenger fires a broadside at Sunhawk, landing 2 points of damage.
Drazi: Firehawk fires on Hyperion and scores a pile of damage, coming within 1 of skeletoning it and taking out its Interceptors with a critical.
End phase:
Omega, having given no SA, launches an Aurora
Stormfalcon, launches a Sky Serpent out next to Omega and deploys a Star Snake.
Turn 3: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves. Omega crawls forward nearly nose-to-nose with Stormfalcon and Priority Fires once more. Stormfalcon is pushed just short of crippled but is reduced to a skeleton crew. Olympus 1 issues another "Manuver to Shield" order.
Drazi: Firehawk, flies past Omega, failing a roll to "Begin Attack Run".
EA: Avenger moves into the dust cloud
Drazi: Guardhawk moves forward into the center of the melee, again giving an "Intensify Defensive Fire" order.
EA: Olympus 2 moves forward to bring the melee into range of its guns.
Drazi: Sleekbird moves to centerline Olympus 2
EA: Hyperion moves forward to bring its secondaries in range of the melee
Drazi: Sunhawk lines up a shot on Omega
Drazi: Stormfalcon, at skeleton crew, is unable to perform any special actions and so must fly right past Omega without firing. It angles for the asteroids, hoping to hid behind them on the next turn.
Drazi: Srikehawk lines up an attack on Hyperion
Drazi: Jumphawk lines up a point-blank attack on Omega
Fighters:
Drazi fighters move into the center of the melee, gambling on protection from Guardhawk. EA fighters oblige by piling in themselves, some engaging enemy fighters while others move to attack ships.
Anti-Fighter is devastating this turn, killing 6 Auroras. One is recovered.
The remaining EA fighters do little damage, but they tied up the Sky Serpents for another turn.
Firing:
Drazi: Sunhawk fires on Omega, scoring moderate damage.
EA: Hyperion fires forward batteries at Sunhawk, crippling it and scoring two criticals (-1 Spd, -2 Spd).
Drazi: Sleekbird fires on Olympus 2, but only scores 4 damage after interceptors.
EA: Olympus 1 fires on Guardhawk, crippling it and destroying it's Anti-Fighter and Agile traits.
Drazi: Strikehawk fires on Hyperion and does enough damage to cripple it.
EA: The Olympus 2 fires on Jumphawk, scoring minor damage.
Drazi: Jumphawk fires on Omega, scoring some damage, but nothing vital.
EA: Avenger fires a broadsides at Guardhawk scoring no damage.
End Phase:
Omega launches a fighter.
Avenger launches the 3 fighters it rescued last turn.
Turn 4: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves. Omega lines up its aft laser and Priority Fires at Stormhawk, destroying it.
Drazi: Desperate to even the score Sunhawk rams Omega, doing heavy damage and dying in the process. But Omega still stands intact.
EA: Avenger issues an "All Stop!" order.
Drazi: Sleekbird also succeeds in ramming Omega. This time a pile of criticals causes Omega to explode. Explosions kill the nearby Olympus 1 and Jumphawk, along with all the Drazi fighters and one EA fighter.
EA: The crippled Hyperion manages to stagger forward and get just out of the FA of Strikehawk.
Drazi: Strikehawk, unable to turn enough to hit Hyperion, attempts to ram the Olympus 2 and fails. It sails by and ends its move right next to Avenger.
EA: The Olympus 2 moves forward, closing with Avenger.
Drazi: Remaing ships make for cover behind the asteroids.
Two rams and one big explosion later...
Fighters:
The newly launched fighers attack Strikehawk, but score no damage.
Firing:
Avenger fires on Strikehawk, scoring a few points of damage.
Wrap Up:
At this point, I have a crippled Guardhawk, a Firehawk, and a Strikehawk in trouble. With the pile of fighters my enemy still had I knew I couldn't win this one. I flew off the board and left the EA in command of the field.
Losses:
EA
Omega Destroyer (20)
Olympus Corvette (5)
Hyperion - Crippled (5)
Drazi
Stormfalcon Heavy Cruiser (20)
Sunhawk Battlecruiser (Death by Ramming) (3)
Sleekbird Assault Cruiser (Death by Ramming) (3)
Jumphawk Command Cruiser (Death by exploding Omega) (5)
Guardhawk Battle Escort - Crippled (1)
EA holds the field at the end of battle: +5
Score: EA 37, Drazi 30
Victory, EA!
Observations:
We discovered a glaring flaw in our Command Point system.
The EA lost initiative nearly every turn - and this meant that they had to move first. The result was that he was able to do a Priority Fire BEFORE I was able to do anything, even though it was he who lost initiative.
We have now added an addendum to the Command Point system. The player that lost initiative can't use a Command Point on his first activation.
Fighters are a big problem for the Drazi, especially the excellent and fast Starfuries.
Beam weapons, especially those with few dice, are very fickle weapons. The Drazi live or die by how their beam dice perform
I think I focused too much on his Omega and gave up chances to kill the smaller ships first. The Olympus proved to be deadly ships up close, and the threat of his emines kept me from effectively utilizing my own fighters.
Conclusions:
The turn on which the Drazi first engage an enemy is critical, due to the slow-loading nature of their Solar Cannons. Drazi must get close to do damage, but this can make it hard to keep targets in arc due to their high speed. An enemy who travels in a tight formation avoids the Drazi tactic of "rolling the flank".
(EA Third Age vs. Drazi, 5 Points Raid)
EA Forces: (Played by Atredies)
Strike Squadron
Omega Destroyer (6 Auroras)
Olympus 1: Olympus Corvette - Fusion Missile (2 AD Emine)
Support Squadron
Hyperion Heavy Cruiser (Aurora(1))
Olympus 2: Olympus Corvette - Fusion Missile (2 AD Emine)
Avenger Heavy Carrier - Aurora(8)
The pride of President Clarke.
Drazi Forces: (Played by Democratus)
Stormfalcon Heavy Cruiser
Firehawk Advanced Cruiser
Jumphawk Command Cruiser
Guardhawk Battle Escort
Sunhawk Battlecruiser
Strikehawk Carrier
Sleekbird Assault Cruiser
Sky Serpent(3) x2
I don't have any Firehawks or Drazi fighterss, so my trusty Dilgar will stand in.
Map:
There were two pieces of significant terrain on the map. On the right of the EA position was an asteroid field. On the left of the Drazi postion was a gas cloud.
Setup: (EA initiative)
I had to set up first, so I formed two lines of ships all spaced so that an e-mine could only hit one ship. My command ship, the Jumphawk, hid behind the gas cloud.
My ships look so much alike, I had to label them.
Earth set up in a cohesive fleet next to the Asteroids. He formed two squadrons: Omega and Olympus 1, Hyperion and Olympus 2, with the Avenger behind the Asteroids. Fighters were scattered throughout.
Earthforce in parade formation!
Turn 1: (EA init)
Drazi: Sunhawk moves in front of Stormfalcon (Manuver to Shield), in case Omega gets any cute ideas
EA: Strike Squadron moves. Omega boresights Sunhawk (suprise!) and the Olympus 1 uses Priority Fire to hit Sunhawk and Stormfalcon with an e-mine, doing 3 dmg to Stormfalcon and 6 dmg to Sunhawk. Omega is CBD
Drazi: Strikehawk moves forward, turning to the left. (CBD)
EA: Avenger moves forward into the asteroids, making its CQ check. (Scramble!)
Drazi: Sleekbird moves forward and turns left. (CBD)
EA: Support squadron moves forward. Hyperion gives (CBD) and Olympus 2 guards with a (Manuver to Shield)
Drazi: Guardhawk moves up behind the gas cloud (CBD)
Drazi: Jumphawk moves up into the cloud for some cover (CBD)
Drazi: Firehawk moves up and turns left. (CBD)
Drazi: Stormfalcon moves up and turns into the Omega, it doesn't quite have the range to reach. (CBD)
Fighters:
EA fighters move along with their ships. Drazi fighters close in on the EA, careful to keep their spacing due to the remaining Fusion Missile on Olympus 2.
Earthforce keeps a united front against the barbarian horde.
The Drazi turn in and try to get to grips with their enemy, though they are scattered.
Firing phase:
Omega fires its main laser at Sunhawk, scoring only a single hit which is dodged. The EA captain teaches me some new swear words.
End phase:
The Avenger launches its remaining 4 flights.
Turn 2: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves forward. Omega uses Priority Fire to fire its laser at Stormfalcon, scoring 8 hits and 2 criticals (one of them a 6/5!). Stormfalcon is heavily damaged and very close to skeleton crewed. I use the new swear words my opponent just taught me. Both of my redundancy points for the battle are spent, preventing further havok. Olympus 1 keeps station next to the Omega. (Manuver to Shield)
Drazi: Sleekbird moves in to close distance. (CBD)
EA: Avenger suprises me and gives an "All Power to Engines!" order, blasting out of the asteroids and behind my left flank.
Drazi: Jumphawk leaves the dust cloud and lines up a shot on Olympus 1.
EA: Support squadron breaks up as Olympus 2 races forward to get Jumphawk in railgun range.
Drazi: Strikehawk moves in from my left, still out of range (CBD)
EA: Hyperion attempts a "Track That Target!" on Stormfalcon, but fails. It moves forward to close with my fleet.
Drazi: Firehawk moves forward and boresights Hyperion, hoping to elminiate the threat
Drazi: Sunhawk moves up and targets Omega
Drazi: Stormfalcon moves up and boresights Omega, with the guarding Olympus 1 squarely in the way. (Scramble!)
Drazi: Guardhawk flies up into the middle of the pile of ships for anti-fighter support. It boresights Olympus 1 (Intensify Defensive Fire!).
It's getting a little crowded in my sky.
Fighters:
Drazi fighters move closer to the "scrum" but still unable to engage. EA fighters move on the attack against several drazi ships.
13 Anti-fighter dice (12 from guardhawk, 1 from Stormfalcon) cut into the fighters and destroy 5 fighters. Three are recovered by the Avenger.
EA fighters fire on the Stormfalcon, doing 2 damage and one critical (-1 speed). The fighters also fire on the Sunhawk, missing, and the Jumphawk doing one damage and one critical (Loose Dodge trait).
Firing:
Drazi: Jumphawk fires on the Olympus 1, hoping to eliminate its ability to shield Omega. It damages the Olympus but falls short of a cripple or skeleoton crew.
EA: Hyperion fires its forward batteries at Stormfalcon, scoring 4 more hits and another critical (-1 DC).
Drazi: Guardhawk takes a chance and fires its 3 AD at Olympus 1, to little effect.
EA: Olympus 1 fires on Guardhawk, which dodges 4 railgun hits and takes only 1 damage.
Drazi: Stormfalcon fires its FA weapons at Olympus 1, coming within one point of reducing it to a skeleton crew. It then fires its beams at Omega, which (after all this) Olympus 1 fails to shield. Omega takes a pile of damage (about 20) with one crit absorbed by redundant systems.
EA: Olympus 2 fires on Firehawk and Stormhawk, scoring 5 hits on Firehawk and none on Stormhawk.
Drazi: Sunhawk fires on the Olympus 2, missing with all beams and scoring 3 other hits that are intercepted.
EA: Avenger fires a broadside at Sunhawk, landing 2 points of damage.
Drazi: Firehawk fires on Hyperion and scores a pile of damage, coming within 1 of skeletoning it and taking out its Interceptors with a critical.
End phase:
Omega, having given no SA, launches an Aurora
Stormfalcon, launches a Sky Serpent out next to Omega and deploys a Star Snake.
Turn 3: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves. Omega crawls forward nearly nose-to-nose with Stormfalcon and Priority Fires once more. Stormfalcon is pushed just short of crippled but is reduced to a skeleton crew. Olympus 1 issues another "Manuver to Shield" order.
Drazi: Firehawk, flies past Omega, failing a roll to "Begin Attack Run".
EA: Avenger moves into the dust cloud
Drazi: Guardhawk moves forward into the center of the melee, again giving an "Intensify Defensive Fire" order.
EA: Olympus 2 moves forward to bring the melee into range of its guns.
Drazi: Sleekbird moves to centerline Olympus 2
EA: Hyperion moves forward to bring its secondaries in range of the melee
Drazi: Sunhawk lines up a shot on Omega
Drazi: Stormfalcon, at skeleton crew, is unable to perform any special actions and so must fly right past Omega without firing. It angles for the asteroids, hoping to hid behind them on the next turn.
Drazi: Srikehawk lines up an attack on Hyperion
Drazi: Jumphawk lines up a point-blank attack on Omega
Fighters:
Drazi fighters move into the center of the melee, gambling on protection from Guardhawk. EA fighters oblige by piling in themselves, some engaging enemy fighters while others move to attack ships.
Anti-Fighter is devastating this turn, killing 6 Auroras. One is recovered.
The remaining EA fighters do little damage, but they tied up the Sky Serpents for another turn.
Firing:
Drazi: Sunhawk fires on Omega, scoring moderate damage.
EA: Hyperion fires forward batteries at Sunhawk, crippling it and scoring two criticals (-1 Spd, -2 Spd).
Drazi: Sleekbird fires on Olympus 2, but only scores 4 damage after interceptors.
EA: Olympus 1 fires on Guardhawk, crippling it and destroying it's Anti-Fighter and Agile traits.
Drazi: Strikehawk fires on Hyperion and does enough damage to cripple it.
EA: The Olympus 2 fires on Jumphawk, scoring minor damage.
Drazi: Jumphawk fires on Omega, scoring some damage, but nothing vital.
EA: Avenger fires a broadsides at Guardhawk scoring no damage.
End Phase:
Omega launches a fighter.
Avenger launches the 3 fighters it rescued last turn.
Turn 4: (Drazi init)
EA: Strike squadron moves. Omega lines up its aft laser and Priority Fires at Stormhawk, destroying it.
Drazi: Desperate to even the score Sunhawk rams Omega, doing heavy damage and dying in the process. But Omega still stands intact.
EA: Avenger issues an "All Stop!" order.
Drazi: Sleekbird also succeeds in ramming Omega. This time a pile of criticals causes Omega to explode. Explosions kill the nearby Olympus 1 and Jumphawk, along with all the Drazi fighters and one EA fighter.
EA: The crippled Hyperion manages to stagger forward and get just out of the FA of Strikehawk.
Drazi: Strikehawk, unable to turn enough to hit Hyperion, attempts to ram the Olympus 2 and fails. It sails by and ends its move right next to Avenger.
EA: The Olympus 2 moves forward, closing with Avenger.
Drazi: Remaing ships make for cover behind the asteroids.
Two rams and one big explosion later...
Fighters:
The newly launched fighers attack Strikehawk, but score no damage.
Firing:
Avenger fires on Strikehawk, scoring a few points of damage.
Wrap Up:
At this point, I have a crippled Guardhawk, a Firehawk, and a Strikehawk in trouble. With the pile of fighters my enemy still had I knew I couldn't win this one. I flew off the board and left the EA in command of the field.
Losses:
EA
Omega Destroyer (20)
Olympus Corvette (5)
Hyperion - Crippled (5)
Drazi
Stormfalcon Heavy Cruiser (20)
Sunhawk Battlecruiser (Death by Ramming) (3)
Sleekbird Assault Cruiser (Death by Ramming) (3)
Jumphawk Command Cruiser (Death by exploding Omega) (5)
Guardhawk Battle Escort - Crippled (1)
EA holds the field at the end of battle: +5
Score: EA 37, Drazi 30
Victory, EA!
Observations:
We discovered a glaring flaw in our Command Point system.
The EA lost initiative nearly every turn - and this meant that they had to move first. The result was that he was able to do a Priority Fire BEFORE I was able to do anything, even though it was he who lost initiative.
We have now added an addendum to the Command Point system. The player that lost initiative can't use a Command Point on his first activation.
Fighters are a big problem for the Drazi, especially the excellent and fast Starfuries.
Beam weapons, especially those with few dice, are very fickle weapons. The Drazi live or die by how their beam dice perform
I think I focused too much on his Omega and gave up chances to kill the smaller ships first. The Olympus proved to be deadly ships up close, and the threat of his emines kept me from effectively utilizing my own fighters.
Conclusions:
The turn on which the Drazi first engage an enemy is critical, due to the slow-loading nature of their Solar Cannons. Drazi must get close to do damage, but this can make it hard to keep targets in arc due to their high speed. An enemy who travels in a tight formation avoids the Drazi tactic of "rolling the flank".
