A friend and I tried two scenarios using Jester's ACTA: BSG mod. Here are our results:
Battle Report 1
Pegasus is jumped by 2 Base stars while recovering from an earlier raid; she attempts to defend herself as she spools up her FTL to escape.
Colonial Forces: Mercury Class Pegasus
Cylons: Basestar 01
Basestar 10
Setup: Face to face setup. 2 Basestars online with Pegasus oriented on the left flank.
Turn 1: Cylons win init. Pegasus maneuvers forward, scrambling fighters. (2 fights + ECM raptor.) Cylons advance to firing range and launch Raiders (1 Raider, 2 HVY each) Pegasus fires Missile Batteries at 01. Raider flight absorbs 2 hits. 4 damage done to Basestar. Both Basestars return fire inflicting light damage to Pegasus.
Turn 2: Colonials win init. Cylons begin side slipping to remain outside 15”. 01 Attempts to flank, 10 slides along the front. Pegasus attempts to bore in on 10. 3 Raiders and 2 HVY raiders advance on Pegasus. 3 Flights of Vipers + ECM raptor Hit one raider flight. Vipers do 3 dam to one raider flight. Pegasus does light damage to 10 with the HVY Batteries (2 Hits absorbed by Raider flight) Pegasus Flak destroys 2 Heavy raiders and 1 Raider Squadron.
Turn 3: Colonials win Init. 01 Attempts to slide along the flank, while 10 begins to move backward. Pegasus continues to bore in on 10. Additional Raiders and Heavy Raiders move in to attack the Pegasus. Raider missiles and Cannon ravage the Pegasus carving a hole the Basestars are quick to exploit. One Heavy raider manages to slip in and destroy the ECM raptor guarding the Pegasus. Missile fire from the Pegasus is mostly absorbed by the defensive raiders. Allowing only light damage to 10. Flak batteries, however wipe out 4 heavy raiders and 2 flights of Raiders. Return fire from the Basestars Inflict massive damage to the Pegasus damaging the engines and FC.
Turn 4: Pegasus does a crash recall and jumps out of the area.
Final Score:
Cylons: Basestar 01 - 6 Damage, Basestar 10 - 4 damage, 8 Heavy raiders destroyed.
Colonials: Pegasus – 58 Damage, -62 Crew; 1 Raptor Destroyed.
Battle Report 2
Seeking information on the route to Earth, Galactica engages a lone Base star around a lifeless Planet in unknown space.
Colonial Forces: Acropolis Class Galactica
Cylons: Basestar 11
Setup: Small Planet near Colonial Set-Up zone. Basestar set up across from the Planet expecting Galactica to attempt to use the planet to maneuver. Galactica set up near planet. With 1 Viper deployed and 1 ECM Raptor deployed.
Turn 1: Colonials won initiative. Base star slid forward slowly launching addition raiders. Rather than use the planet, Galactica went APTE and drove straight at the Basestar.
Missile and Gun Fire from 3 squadrons of vipers wiped out the advance Flight of Raiders, while the Galactica unloaded everything on Basestar 11. 11’s defensive Raiders are wiped out by the massed Fire of the onrushing Battlestar. The fire that leaks through critically damages the Basestar's Fire control (Power Fluctuations) and Reactor. The Basestar’s return fire is swept aside by the Galactica’s Point Defenses, with only a few missiles leaking through.
Turn 2: The Basestar attempts to recede at an oblique to draw out of the Galactica’s main battery range. Unfortunately, its damaged engines prevent it from getting far enough away. The Galactica continues to bore in, launching its final Viper and a Scout Raptor. The Cylon Heavy Raiders plunge forward to disrupt the Galactica, but are intercepted by the Vipers and destroyed.
Turn 3: Base Star continues to attempt to evade. Desperately launching raiders, The Galactica closes, launching a strike force of Raptors. The Vipers drive in to continue the massacre of the Heavy Raiders. Another valiant Raider flight goes down protecting its basestar. Further engine damage cripples the Base star (Down to 2” move)
Turn 4: The Basestar continues its death spiral. Raiders launch in direct contact with a flight of Vipers. The Hvy Raiders launch in range of the Strike Raptors. All is for naught. The Vipers wipe out the Hvy Raiders and manage to damage the Raiders. The Galactica's fire continues to devastate the Basestar taking its weapons offline and leaving it at the mercy of the colonial fleet.
Turn 5: Yeah, same story new round. Raiders manage to destroy a Raptor…. After a cascading series of Criticals, we decide to call it.
Final Score:
Cylons: Basestar 11 - 107 Damage, -8 move, Power Fluctuations, No Dam Control, No SA, -1AD and Weapons Off-line; 9 Heavy raiders destroyed.
Colonials: Galactica – -12 Damage, -12 Crew; 1 Raptor Destroyed
Observations/Suggestions
*Basestars at 8” SM capability makes them very difficult to bring within range of the move 6” Mercury Battlestar. With a 30” missile range (12AD, SAP, DD) they can stream in Damage and elude the 15” big guns of the battlestars. In the 1st game the Pegasus was taken to 50% damage and 33% crew and inflicted a total of 10 damage total against the 2 Basestars.
*Raiders squadron as Point Defense for Basestar is an interesting, novel idea. That said, they are exceptionally resilient at long range. I suggest that DD and TD weapons inflict additional damage on PD Raiders.
* Battlestars need more fighter squadrons. (At least the Galactica does, there were too many Raptors and too few fighters flying around. I suggest 6 Vipers and 4 Raptors)
* Increase the lethality or the AD for the forward Heavy batteries on the Pegasus. I would suggest one of the following:
8AD
6AD + Triple Damage
Remove Slow Loading.
*Point Defenses are quickly overwhelmed by Raiders and Heavy Raiders. This allows the Basestars to inflict maximum damage. This works for ACTA, but not really reflective of the show. I suggest giving the PD dice a min roll of a 5 rather than a 6.
The games were both very lopsided, so may not be indicative of proper game balance. In the second game the Cylon player was expecting to do the same battle plan, and was caught off-guard by the Galactica sprinting straight at him. (Not sure what else would be expected.)
Battle Report 1
Pegasus is jumped by 2 Base stars while recovering from an earlier raid; she attempts to defend herself as she spools up her FTL to escape.
Colonial Forces: Mercury Class Pegasus
Cylons: Basestar 01
Basestar 10
Setup: Face to face setup. 2 Basestars online with Pegasus oriented on the left flank.
Turn 1: Cylons win init. Pegasus maneuvers forward, scrambling fighters. (2 fights + ECM raptor.) Cylons advance to firing range and launch Raiders (1 Raider, 2 HVY each) Pegasus fires Missile Batteries at 01. Raider flight absorbs 2 hits. 4 damage done to Basestar. Both Basestars return fire inflicting light damage to Pegasus.
Turn 2: Colonials win init. Cylons begin side slipping to remain outside 15”. 01 Attempts to flank, 10 slides along the front. Pegasus attempts to bore in on 10. 3 Raiders and 2 HVY raiders advance on Pegasus. 3 Flights of Vipers + ECM raptor Hit one raider flight. Vipers do 3 dam to one raider flight. Pegasus does light damage to 10 with the HVY Batteries (2 Hits absorbed by Raider flight) Pegasus Flak destroys 2 Heavy raiders and 1 Raider Squadron.
Turn 3: Colonials win Init. 01 Attempts to slide along the flank, while 10 begins to move backward. Pegasus continues to bore in on 10. Additional Raiders and Heavy Raiders move in to attack the Pegasus. Raider missiles and Cannon ravage the Pegasus carving a hole the Basestars are quick to exploit. One Heavy raider manages to slip in and destroy the ECM raptor guarding the Pegasus. Missile fire from the Pegasus is mostly absorbed by the defensive raiders. Allowing only light damage to 10. Flak batteries, however wipe out 4 heavy raiders and 2 flights of Raiders. Return fire from the Basestars Inflict massive damage to the Pegasus damaging the engines and FC.
Turn 4: Pegasus does a crash recall and jumps out of the area.
Final Score:
Cylons: Basestar 01 - 6 Damage, Basestar 10 - 4 damage, 8 Heavy raiders destroyed.
Colonials: Pegasus – 58 Damage, -62 Crew; 1 Raptor Destroyed.
Battle Report 2
Seeking information on the route to Earth, Galactica engages a lone Base star around a lifeless Planet in unknown space.
Colonial Forces: Acropolis Class Galactica
Cylons: Basestar 11
Setup: Small Planet near Colonial Set-Up zone. Basestar set up across from the Planet expecting Galactica to attempt to use the planet to maneuver. Galactica set up near planet. With 1 Viper deployed and 1 ECM Raptor deployed.
Turn 1: Colonials won initiative. Base star slid forward slowly launching addition raiders. Rather than use the planet, Galactica went APTE and drove straight at the Basestar.
Missile and Gun Fire from 3 squadrons of vipers wiped out the advance Flight of Raiders, while the Galactica unloaded everything on Basestar 11. 11’s defensive Raiders are wiped out by the massed Fire of the onrushing Battlestar. The fire that leaks through critically damages the Basestar's Fire control (Power Fluctuations) and Reactor. The Basestar’s return fire is swept aside by the Galactica’s Point Defenses, with only a few missiles leaking through.
Turn 2: The Basestar attempts to recede at an oblique to draw out of the Galactica’s main battery range. Unfortunately, its damaged engines prevent it from getting far enough away. The Galactica continues to bore in, launching its final Viper and a Scout Raptor. The Cylon Heavy Raiders plunge forward to disrupt the Galactica, but are intercepted by the Vipers and destroyed.
Turn 3: Base Star continues to attempt to evade. Desperately launching raiders, The Galactica closes, launching a strike force of Raptors. The Vipers drive in to continue the massacre of the Heavy Raiders. Another valiant Raider flight goes down protecting its basestar. Further engine damage cripples the Base star (Down to 2” move)
Turn 4: The Basestar continues its death spiral. Raiders launch in direct contact with a flight of Vipers. The Hvy Raiders launch in range of the Strike Raptors. All is for naught. The Vipers wipe out the Hvy Raiders and manage to damage the Raiders. The Galactica's fire continues to devastate the Basestar taking its weapons offline and leaving it at the mercy of the colonial fleet.
Turn 5: Yeah, same story new round. Raiders manage to destroy a Raptor…. After a cascading series of Criticals, we decide to call it.
Final Score:
Cylons: Basestar 11 - 107 Damage, -8 move, Power Fluctuations, No Dam Control, No SA, -1AD and Weapons Off-line; 9 Heavy raiders destroyed.
Colonials: Galactica – -12 Damage, -12 Crew; 1 Raptor Destroyed
Observations/Suggestions
*Basestars at 8” SM capability makes them very difficult to bring within range of the move 6” Mercury Battlestar. With a 30” missile range (12AD, SAP, DD) they can stream in Damage and elude the 15” big guns of the battlestars. In the 1st game the Pegasus was taken to 50% damage and 33% crew and inflicted a total of 10 damage total against the 2 Basestars.
*Raiders squadron as Point Defense for Basestar is an interesting, novel idea. That said, they are exceptionally resilient at long range. I suggest that DD and TD weapons inflict additional damage on PD Raiders.
* Battlestars need more fighter squadrons. (At least the Galactica does, there were too many Raptors and too few fighters flying around. I suggest 6 Vipers and 4 Raptors)
* Increase the lethality or the AD for the forward Heavy batteries on the Pegasus. I would suggest one of the following:
8AD
6AD + Triple Damage
Remove Slow Loading.
*Point Defenses are quickly overwhelmed by Raiders and Heavy Raiders. This allows the Basestars to inflict maximum damage. This works for ACTA, but not really reflective of the show. I suggest giving the PD dice a min roll of a 5 rather than a 6.
The games were both very lopsided, so may not be indicative of proper game balance. In the second game the Cylon player was expecting to do the same battle plan, and was caught off-guard by the Galactica sprinting straight at him. (Not sure what else would be expected.)
.
). It's all well and good to ignore some aspects of the show where thres inconsistency (like hyperspace speed in B5) but the fact is that on the show the battlestars are clearly more powerful than a single basestar and Pegasus is clearly more powerful than Galactica. You cant just ingore what happens on the show when making a game based on it because its your only source!
