Centauri Blockade Run

[Majoun]

This may seem pointless, since I have no doubts my opposition, Methos, will be reading this post, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Playing in a campaign, and I have an upcoming battle that I would like advice from veterans.

I play Centauri, and I have to run an Interstellar Alliance blockade. Normally, with my fast ships, I wouldnt worry about this battle, Ive run a group of Vorchars through a blockade with no problem. HOWEVER, unfortunately, my opponent gets up to 5 point WAR, and Im at 2 I think. I know that my opponent doesnt have the resources this round to field the whole amount, but Im worried about a hand-full of WhiteStars annihilating my skirmish and patrol units that have the speed to accomplish the mission quickly.

I have at my disposal: 1 Octurian, 1 Tertius, 2 Prefect, 2 Maximus, 2 Morgrath, 4 Vorchan, 6 Vorchar, 3 Vorchat, 3 Corvans, and 3 wings of Razics for the battle.

Anything with speed 12+ would have to endure 1 round of fire, speeds 8 and 10 would endure 2, and speed 6 would have to withstand 3 rounds of White Star fire.

Played on a 4ft x 4ft table, random terrain, If I go all out speed, I will have to withstand only 1 round of incoming fire. Im worried about the speed, mobility, and forward firepower of the White Stars, It will be hard to keep a majority of my ships out of the front arc for the 1 round I would be vulnerable.

It is my understanding that in order to win by victory points, I must get a majority of my ships off of the board intact.

-majoun

ah crap, theres no spell checker....

 

[voodoomachine]

You get victory points for ships you get off the table. He scores victory points like normal (destroyed, decrewed, skeleton, etc.)

Only a 4x4 table? We normally play on a 4x6 around here. I think he has to deploy first. He'll have to cover all of the edge of the board. You can come on where ever you want, and with all ahead full, you should only be on the board for a short period of time. He'll never be able to bring all of his ships to bear.

Its a sad fact, but Block run favors the runner.

 

[WickedE]

I would try to take the Vorchars/Vorchans. The stealth of the Vorchar combined with All Power to Engines let's it go 21inches in one go. He'll either have to turn around with his White Stars to hit them, or focus on the other things coming. Vorhcar's and Vorchan's should be able to make it out, other than that? I'm not sure.

 

[Silvereye]

I would probably agree with the flock of Vorcha*s. Just make a mad dash for the goal and not worry about getting shot.

Or you could try dropping a couple of slightly slower ships (those that could depart the turn after) in behind the charging Vorcha*s to try and keep their backs clean.

 

[Vertexx69]

its much easier to take as large a ship as possible to maximize your survivablilty. I have run it a couple times with my paper minbari, and taking several little ships as opposed to a big one tends to help the blockader more than you...unless you can field a swarm of 15-20 bitty ships.

 

[Hans Olo]

its much easier to take as large a ship as possible to maximize your survivablilty. I have run it a couple times with my paper minbari, and taking several little ships as opposed to a big one tends to help the blockader more than you...unless you can field a swarm of 15-20 bitty ships.

That's not true you should go with fast ships remember you will have a free turn what means only one turn of fire for your opponent.
He will not be able to destroy enough of your ships to win the battle especially if you deploy your whole fleet as close as possible to one of the table edges.

 

[Hash]

its much easier to take as large a ship as possible to maximize your survivablilty. I have run it a couple times with my paper minbari, and taking several little ships as opposed to a big one tends to help the blockader more than you...unless you can field a swarm of 15-20 bitty ships.

That's not true you should go with fast ships remember you will have a free turn what means only one turn of fire for your opponent.
He will not be able to destroy enough of your ships to win the battle especially if you deploy your whole fleet as close as possible to one of the table edges.

Even Shadows can have difficulty stopping a blockade run (well against really fast moving ships anyway), as you get to deploy last, you should definately deploy next to a table edge as far from your opponent as possible (as the previous poster states), and then just All Power to Engines your way to victory!

Also, just because you have 2 Pts of War in the battle, doesn't mean you have to field 2pts of War - don't pick any slow ships as they will just provide VPs for your opponent.

As an alternative to just Vorchans, consider also the Corvan as its stealth and interceptor (vs the pulsars) may help save it and it is almost as fast.

The Maximus is also not a bad choice due to its interceptors (vs the WS molecular pulsars) and reasonable speed (10", or 15" with APE) but to be honest I would stick with something like the Corvan and Vorchans...on the other hand if you have a Liati (from Armageddon) in your fleet list, it might be a situation that calls for its unique strengths!

 

[Itkovian]

The Maximus is also not a bad choice due to its interceptors (vs the WS molecular pulsars) and reasonable speed (10", or 15" with APE) but to be honest I would stick with something like the Corvan and Vorchans...on the other hand if you have a Liati (from Armageddon) in your fleet list, it might be a situation that calls for its unique strengths![/quote]

Funnily enough I have just that game coming up, War level blockade run, ISA v Centauri and the Centauri blockade runner is a Liati. Provides an interesting tactical decision for the setup. I decided to go with spreading the firepower into foour squadrons on the theory I ought to get shots with two of them.
As for the original question, fast ships, as fast as possible, big ships are slow and will die horribly.

 

[Majoun]

Hey, wow, I wish I woulda seen the Liati when I made my fleet...

 

[Locutus9956]

It's worth noting that you dont have to field your full points. Just field the ships you think will survive and are fast. It may seem a bit cheap but it is very effective, if you try to run a blockade with a big fleet your offering him more chances at victory points, whereas if you onyl field a few small fast ships your chaces of getting off in one piece without taking more losses than actually get out skyrocket. Form your fleet list Id field the 6 Vorchars. Thats it.

APTE all of them and theyll be off the board in 2 or 3 turns. And with their stealth they will be hard targets certainly for turn 1 and probably turn 2 too.

Ive used a very similar routine with EA Delphis (quite possibly the best blockade runner ever made (speed 12, stealth 5 and interceptors on top of that). Minbari Veshatans are also damn good at this.

Truth be told I dont actually LIKE theblockade run scenario as if you have decent fast stealth ships available its practically a guarenteed win for the runner unless the blockader is very VERY lucky.

Or Narn.....

 

[Itkovian]

I have a feeling Whitestars may do quite well, being quick enough to get in range, the one or two 0downsidea I can see in the Liati dash are the pathetically short range on it's weapons, and it's relatively low hull.

Admittedly I do have two Vree scouts so a reasonably good chance of getting a redirect fire

 

[Destroid]

The blockade run for the Defender [from memory this is the player running the blockade] is more a matter of getting through then doing damage to the enemy fleet. My principal concern would be getting my ships past the blockade, rather than smashing a hole in the picket line, though I guess this would vary for different fleets.

 

[Majoun]

Well, I took 3 Vorchan, 5 Vorchar, 2 Vorchat, and 4 Corvans
up against a blockade of 3 WS2, and 6-8 White Stars

I lost a total of 2 Corvans and 1 Vorchar

My opponent rolled HORRIBLY with his beams and vs Stealth

All White Stars were spread evenly about the edge, with the exception of a dust cloud in his left corner, about 8" wide. I stacked everything I could on his weak, dust cloud ridden, left. My Vorchars made it to the dust cloud, and the rest came up right outside of the cloud at turn two (I kinda screwed myself, having a ship sheet listing the Vorchans at move 12, not 14, and I should have remembered that). Opponent moved 2 white stars into the dust cloud, and lined the rest of his ships, including 3 WS2s within short distance, up to the ones who didnt make it, with the stealthy and cheap corvans on the inside, closest to the White Stars. He took the bait and fired his ships through a 2 Corvans, though I admit, he must have failed at least half of his stealth checks. Out of the Vorchars in the dust cloud (5 of them) 1 was crippled and lost movement, so he couldnt escape on round 3, exposing him to the fire of 4 white stars, I think the first white star blew him up.

Over all, I lost 2 patrol and 1 Skirmish; with 10 Skir and 2 Pats escaping, with minimal damage to repair.

Thank you all for the advice, i was intimidated by the White Stars because I have never played against them, but your input gave me alot of confidence.

 

[Locutus9956]

Pretty much as expected there. Its unfortunate but simply a fact that some scenarios are HUGELY stacked in favour of one side. Blockade run is probably the worst offender of the lot, but it can still be fun. Also some races dont do quite as well at it due to their slow speed (the Narns for example, or the Vorlons (though in the case of the Vorlons speed doesnt really matter much to them as theyre so damned tough they can just wander off anyway ). Early years EA and to a slightly lesser extent 3rd Age EA can have a hard time here too.

Crusade EA on the other hand positively excel at blockade runs thanks largely to two ships, the Delphi, fast, high stealth, and the Marathon (which is disgustingly fast for a ship as tough as it is!)

 

[Hash]

I now have a blockade run of my own to fight

Shadows (5pt War Attacker) vs. Centauri (2pt War Defender)

Hmm...this is going to be tricky, I've already fought a blockade run in my current campaign (and lost to ISA who ran the blockade but lost a Whitestar doing so) but thankfully the Centauri aren't as fast...

Oh you forgot Shadows Locutus...Shadows are good at blaockade run too!

 

[Tank]

I also must run a blockaed
Early EA (Runners) Narn (Blockers) Battle

Oh deep and fulfilling joy!

 

[Silvereye]

Speed 10 Artemis, or Speed 12 Oracles, or before and after-burning fighters?

Thats going to be an interesting match.

 

[Tank]

Yup they are all well and good but the energy mines on the 2 G'Quans he may very well take will do bad things to a hull 4 ship!

 

[Silvereye]

Yeah, I figured on e-mines appearing somewhere. Though you could attempt to limp the blockade with a Orestes, try and destroy the blockaders before wandering off the table? Or use an Explorer or two as huge damage sponges and try and avoid crit death?

 

[Tank]

ARe you mad??? You realise the only death can be crit death??? :lol: