Game one finished in... a draw! Slightly odd for an annihilation mission but we sort of ran out of time.
Both fleets lost a single frigate. The heroic crew of the USS Jellico taught the rest of the fleet that even a lowly D6 can paste you all over the sector in a single volley, and the inept morons of the IKV Blackstar were last heard uttering the final words - "but they haven't taught us how to use the damage control machine yet sir".
The setup was a 4 foot square table with dust and density 9 asteroids along one edge.
The ships are not yet setup, but the terrain is ready to go.
It was at this point I realised the CQ2 figate couldn't enter the asteroids without exploding but they still setup on the laft flank, with the Carnage of on the right. The Feds setup with the Kirov in the centre with the burke and jellico on flanking positions.
The Feds advanced, with the kingons just getting into range for close drones and disruptors. They fired everything at the burke. And missed. Go team! A few drones here and there and the blackstar loses its AD. Uh oh.
Closing further but staying just out of photon range phaser disruptors and drones go off. There is a target painted on the Blackstar and a lucky hit crits the impulse drive. This is where I discover CQ2 is not enough to work the damage repair machine.
Unable to take the 6" power drain and the burke in prime position the 2 F5s close to attack it off of the dust cloud. Then the Kirov goes APE. Slots in nicely of the blackstars STARBOARD side. Not front, starboard. Nuts. The Carnage gets a sneaky angle on the burke right on the fire arc border of the D6, but out of photon arc. The Kirov fires and the Blackstar is in real trouble. Not crippled but damaged heavily. The carnage shoots a few shields of the burke.
Now comes the brutality. The Blackstar flees in to the dust cloud hoping to confuse targeting sensors. The Kirov slowly turns towards the striken ship as does the Burke. the Audacious makes use of its agile turning and comes in behind the burke and the Jellico turns for the main engagement and boosts ots shields. The Carnage also takes advantage of its agility and parks another perfect arc off the back of the Jellico this time overloaded. The burke fires on the Blackstar. The only on target photon slips past in the dust but the phases find there mark and cripple their target by a single damage bonus from a crit. The Audacius fires on the Burke stripping some shields. The Kirov fires 4 drones at the Blackstar one spirals off in the dust. One is taken out by the Blackstars remaining drone. The Final 2 drones completely gut the ship setting of a critical chain that causes it to explode then and there.
Then the Carnage fires. 1 phaser 2 misses. The rest hit. Explosions play across the surface as the little ship dies.
The next turn sees both fleets take stock. The Kirov is slowly turning to return to the fight. The carnage getting clear of the exploding jellico and the burke turing to get some revenge.
Two more turns of movement and firing and both commanders realised that nonoe was going to come out of this engagement well. The kingons were more agile but lacking in decisive firepower and time was against us so it was called a draw.
This game taught us sevaral things. Federation really do rely on phasers not photons when fighting klingons.
Crew quality is very important and in a campaign setting enhanced bridges are really handy to have.
We both want to play some bigger games.
Geoff
