Any tips on playtesting and usefullness of the crusade EA
- Thread starter mechaone
- Start date
The Crusade Era EA fleet is strongest at Battle level and above as you can see from the many choices available at this PL. You can play the fleet almost any way you want.
Long ranged bombardment? Load up on the Apollo variants and CAF the enemy to death fro afar.
Hard hitting? Plenty of Omegas led by a Warlock or two should do nicely. For big games you can even wheel out the Excalibur.
Fast? Marathons and Hyperions.
Burying your opponent under fighters? A Poseidon will do very nicely.
In all eras, EA tend to be able to cover most bases pretty well, even if they don't excel at them. The trick is to design your fleet to attack your enemies' weak spots.
Long ranged bombardment? Load up on the Apollo variants and CAF the enemy to death fro afar.
Hard hitting? Plenty of Omegas led by a Warlock or two should do nicely. For big games you can even wheel out the Excalibur.
Fast? Marathons and Hyperions.
Burying your opponent under fighters? A Poseidon will do very nicely.
In all eras, EA tend to be able to cover most bases pretty well, even if they don't excel at them. The trick is to design your fleet to attack your enemies' weak spots.
Celisasu
Mongoose
And the Hermes is an excellent patrol craft. Really your only truely crappy PL is Skirmish. I believe you only have the Chronos available and while not bad, it's not really good either. Most other races will have better Skirmish choices. This problem becomes more noticable as the Hermes while nice is your only patrol craft and the Hyperion will be your only Raid level choice in a skirmish engagement(the Delphi despite being Raid, really not being of much use until Battle where it's great scout traits don't cost you as much as they do at Raid or below).
I think Mongoose needs to make a Chronos varient just so Crusade EA has something to do in low priority engagements.
I think Mongoose needs to make a Chronos varient just so Crusade EA has something to do in low priority engagements.
Celisasu
Mongoose
I like the Myrmidon, I'm just not sure how effective it is. Especially considering the Hermes. 20" SAP Precise weapons are very nice. Although I'll grant that if it gets in range, the tossing of 14AD, 8 of which are TL can be quite nasty, especially on a patrol craft. I'd just think that such a slow ship with close range weapons and low crew/damage scores would go pop pretty easy. Although it might good in a Patrol level engagement where you won't see as many beams and AD tend to be lower making that Hull 5 and interceptors more useful.
But the Hermes is definately superior to the Myrmidon in higher priority games.
But the Hermes is definately superior to the Myrmidon in higher priority games.
phoenixhawk
Mongoose
I personally like the Apolo and Marathon ships for the Crusade EA. My EA is mostly focused on Crusade EA and apart from the high priority levels that make it hard to play a low-level game, they are quite good.
Chris
Chris
eldiablito
Mongoose
A buddy of mine is playing the crusade era earth alliance. What can I say, These guys ROCK!
Now I will say that his fleet is 5 point Raid fleet is:
1 Marathon
1 Scout (I forget the exact hull name)
The rest are Chronos level ships.
With the high hull, interceptors and whoppings of interceptors, they'll survive quite a bit. With the decent guns, the chronos ships can close blast doors and still put out a decent amount of damage.
I have yet to beat that fleet with my Minbari...
...So, perhaps, the crusade era is better in bigger games, but I still think that it has some real strength in it at the raid level too...
Now I will say that his fleet is 5 point Raid fleet is:
1 Marathon
1 Scout (I forget the exact hull name)
The rest are Chronos level ships.
With the high hull, interceptors and whoppings of interceptors, they'll survive quite a bit. With the decent guns, the chronos ships can close blast doors and still put out a decent amount of damage.
I have yet to beat that fleet with my Minbari...
...So, perhaps, the crusade era is better in bigger games, but I still think that it has some real strength in it at the raid level too...
The Chronos is actually a great ship but is not simple to use and has to be picked in a complementary fleet to work at full effectiveness. It is awesome at soaking up damage and its firepower is such that you have great flexibility. Don't make the mistake of trying to get it in the middle of a furball though, the strength of flexible weaponry is lost (gaining only a few extra AD but getting hammered by secondaries on all sides), instead, try to stick to the sides of an enemy fleet and pick off priority targets. As with all EA ships, Interceptors work a lot better when you can get in a position to take only a few hits per turn, particularly on a Hull 6 ship.
Chronos are great. But due to the new beam and minibeam mechanics they are not that funny against Minbari..... :S
They really feel like those little annoyances, that just sit at the side of the enemy and pick on him with 4 rail AD. Will the enemy divert firepower for them, or just take the damage ^^.
They really feel like those little annoyances, that just sit at the side of the enemy and pick on him with 4 rail AD. Will the enemy divert firepower for them, or just take the damage ^^.
nekomata fuyu
Mongoose
The Excalibur is Armageddon level. You're thinking of the Explorer class 
Also, Raid level is hardly a low PL for a scout.
Also, Raid level is hardly a low PL for a scout.
nekomata fuyu
Mongoose
Oh, I'd definitely say that the Explorer is the better scout (36" has always been more than enough for me anyway), but that doesn't negate the fact that as scouts go, Raid is a high PL.
True enough. I probably wouldn't field a Raid level scout in anything less than a Battle level engagement (well, I might against the Minbari but they are a special caseneko said:
). My current Minbari campaign fleet has a Leshath (Raid level scout) but I will probaby save it for special scenarios rather than regular engagements.Alcibiades
Mongoose
Although an absolute newbie, it seems from looking at the fleet list that Crusader era fleets could use an escort class ship at skirmish or raid level. While there is never a shortage of fighters available to EA, I would think the additional protection afforded by an escort would still be welcome.
My 2 cents (now worth something again...)
Kent
My 2 cents (now worth something again...)
Kent
[Omicron]Urobach
Mongoose
Alcibiades said:
i work on this problem....but i can only give your an model, an "fan-made ship". :wink:
With Crusade era EA the idea was to show their rising tech base the priority level goes up a noch.
Ie Marathon (battle) to replace the Hyperion (Raid) and Warlock (War) to replace the Omega (Battle). Unfortunately that is where it ends, and I take the view that bigger does not always mean better.
I feel there was more scope to add new ship designs to flesh out the Crusade list, as it stands it baddly needs a 'unique' Raid level ship, esp when all the tournaments are at 5 Raid.
Ie Marathon (battle) to replace the Hyperion (Raid) and Warlock (War) to replace the Omega (Battle). Unfortunately that is where it ends, and I take the view that bigger does not always mean better.
I feel there was more scope to add new ship designs to flesh out the Crusade list, as it stands it baddly needs a 'unique' Raid level ship, esp when all the tournaments are at 5 Raid.
A new Raid PL ship is being looked at in concpt at the moment but it's still a little early to say what will happen. The idea would be fitting in with newer ships replacing old at a higher PL, so it may not be too different to an Olympus but then again, it may be.Frohike said:
