Centauri beams

[akenatum]

Hi all, I'm a relatively new player having started out about 4 months back with first edition and moving into second ed in the last 2 months and i've tended to notice some things (acta is rather new here in terms of player base)....


So in first ed i got to admit and so did a lot of other people that the centauri beam weapons where great they had a good range, did a nice alot of damage and where front arc, but compared to the other races ( I speak of earth narn and league) they seemed a little powerfull i'll admit to that as well...

But in this edition they seem a bit too weak i've had a fair few games now and i'm noticing that they don't cause nearly as much damage and your fleet tends to get beamed into submision before you even get close to the enemy these days, the pick up of precise is good and it doesn't phase me that they lost the double damage for this gain, but I am finding that they just don't have the range any more to really engage the other fleets well.

A sample of my fleet (usual force) at the moment is 4 point battle 3 vorchans 3 demos 2 primus and a centurion... But even against a fleet of 4 G'Quans (it's worse when i face a balanced list) where i have numbers on my side for initiative movement the boresighted double damage weapons with longer range just tear me apart before i can really close....

Has anyone else noticed a lacking here? is it just my list?

 

[Burger]

The nerfing of Centauri beams was a definite design decision. Especially since in the series, the Centauri had no beams at all! So yes, the beams did get less. But the secondary weapons improved a lot. In fact, the secondary weapons really became the primary, and the beams became secondary.

Centauri have had a change of role. Instead of sitting back and beaming the enemy to death, you have to get in there and get your hands dirty.

 

[akenatum]

I kind of figured that was the case still for the most part i don't even seem to get enough ships close enough at times....

 

[Da Boss]

Centauri have had one of the biggest changes and yes to someone who has played 1st ed they appear (at first galance) to have lost their beamy goodness as a friend would put it.

However they have made up for it with:

Awesome DD, TL guns , with better range on them (was 8 now 12")
Demos - deadly skirmish rather than rubbish raid
Liati - now great battle Choice
Dargan - now great Battle Choice
Balvarian - great raid carrier
superb fighters
8)

Narn should be one of the better fleets to face as you can maneiver out of their arcs esp with ships like the Vorchan, Demos, Liati, Dargan - and terrain is very much your friend. You should be able to choose which ships he gets to fire out with his BoreS weapons and the rest of his fairly rubbish guns are 8" range - try and get to 9-12" and enjoy the free firing!
Don't be afriad to fly through fleets if you can and come round with your rapid turning ships - agile 2 x 45. Close the blast doors as you approach with Primus if you have to and let it / them absorb the fire as your skirmish ships pound their fleet.

 

[H]

and of course if you still want a decent ranged beam, you can buy the Suluust.

Against Narn, the Demos and Vorchans are quite fragile, a good e-mine salvo can kill them without problem. that said, 4 G'Quans is actually a weak choice for the Narn!

 

[akenatum]

KK thanks for the ship ideas, guess i'll have to work on getting some of those other ships in....



Curently there is no one arround here that stocks single minatures for babylon 5.... and shipping to Aus is a real pain so i spose i'll have to sit back and wait for a while till i can get some of those suggested ships.

 

[Da Boss]

In friendly games - would have thought you could use proxy ships to try them out?

 

[Burger]

In friendly games - would have thought you could use proxy ships to try them out?

And in unfriendly games, you can use poison-tipped darts.

 

[Da Boss]

Yes Posion is a civilised way to deal with enemies according to the Centauri

 

[akenatum]

Haha... I spose i could proxy... I just like to have the actual ship there... Spose next time i'll proxy some up and see how they go the liati does look very nice with that damn dodge.

And in regrds to the narn i know that's not so great a fleet with the 4 G'Quans that was kinda the thing i was alluding too but even that was rather pain full.

 

[Da Boss]

Liati is vulnerable to emines but has the nice beam you want if he sticks with the same fleet he only has 4 though for your whole fleet - including any fighters so spread 'em out if you can.

4 pt battle

could go

Primus / Liati / Dargan, (personal prefernce really - they are all good use the Primus a bit more than i did now - Lord David gives good advice
4 x Demos,
Balvarian, (Maximus or Demos) , Kutai, 2 haven

Gives you In sinks and +1 to In, good guns and to durable ships to absorb fire - plus good fighters.

 

[H]

And if the narn player gets a chance, a mix of Var'Nics, Dag'Kars and G'Kariths with support from Thentus' can be quite deadly.

 

[Da Boss]

no giving the Narn a chance, thats against the Rules of War - kick 'em when they are down!

 

[Lord David the Denied]

The big thing to remember with the new Centauri is how hard it can be to damage hull 6 targets with your primary armament - ion cannons. They're twin-linked which gives you re-rolls to hit, but you still only have a 1/6 chance of hitting with any of the dice. Ships with matter cannons - the Dargan, Altarian, Octurion, etc. - get double that chance, hitting on a 5 or 6 against hull 6 ships. All other weapon characteristics are the same.

Of course, the Vorchan, Centurion and Liati can hit a hull 6 target on a 4+ with their SAP plasma accelerators. Well worth using them if the Narn player takes a lot of high hull units.

 

[Banichi]

The big thing to remember with the new Centauri is how hard it can be to damage hull 6 targets with your primary armament - ion cannons.

I struck this yesterday. My opponant took a lot of hull six ships, and I had a run of poor rolling. I kept on scoring one hit with 12 and 10 attack dice weapon systems. It was one of those games were karma gives you a spanking for all the great rolls you had in a previous game.

 

[David Anla Shok']

Haha... I spose i could proxy... I just like to have the actual ship there... Spose next time i'll proxy some up and see how they go the liati does look very nice with that damn dodge.

And in regrds to the narn i know that's not so great a fleet with the 4 G'Quans that was kinda the thing i was alluding too but even that was rather pain full.

It is a very nice little ship. The only thing better than a Liati is a pair of Liati.