Drazi in 2e

[Linkusmax]

Would someone mind giving me a little review of the new Drazi?

Any new ships/variants? (aside from the claweagle, can we get a little more depth on how that works?)

Any major Changes? what ships have gotten better and what have gotten worse?

Any choices which just arent worth it and any that are must haves?

What about the ships above raid level, are they still pretty meh?

The fireraptor still the biggest thing we can field?

Cheers
Rhys

 

[Burger]

Hull 6 ships drop to 5. To compensate pretty much all Drazi gain dodge, just like in the series (when Marcus was launched from the Strikehawk it was dodging well... til it got wasted). The Raid level choice is actually now worth taking, and not simply a VP machine.

Still boresight, so Battle and above ships are a bad idea.

 

[Genghis]

In some ways they're nastier than before. It might be just me, but at low PLs, the Sunhawk variants look much nastier than the Warhawk variants. One of the skirmish level choices comes with a 4AD Solarcannon, and a dodge save! Others include options for long-range missiles, improved anti-fighter scores (essential to any Drazi fleet), and, (my personal favourite) the option to literally latch onto enemy ships and board them - try this against Minbari for much hysterics...

I think the basic swarm tactics of the Drazi aren't going to change much, although they seem to be just as vulnerable to fighters as they always were - perhaps more so, now that many races have had their fighters buffed up. Personally, I'll be making carriers a top priority for my solarcannons.

I think Drazi fleets will suffer however at higher PLs, especially against the Gaim (hordes of fighters+energy mines).

 

[Burger]

In some ways the Drazi's fighter defence (Dodge 5+) is better than the anti-fighter trait. Anti-fighter is useless against a Thunderbolt... dodge 5+ still works :lol:

 

[Triggy]

The Nightfalcon and Stormfalcon are actually decent ships but as others have said, due to the Drazi needing initiative sinks they only really come into their own in Battle PL games and above. One of these with lots of Patrol PL ships would still work well though. It's not the ships that aren't so good at high PLs, it's the way the fleet works.

 

[Romu]

Too bad the claweagle doesn't have dodge
I'm still gonna try them out real soon tho

 

[katadder]

the drazi can actually put out a hell of alot of AF fire due to having a patrol level escort.

 

[Greg Smith]

New ships/variants:

Claweagle
Eyehawk
Sleekbird
Firehawk

The Claweagle attaches to an enemy ship and its troops board.

The Starsnake is a slightly better dogfighter.

Solarhawk has dropped to skirmish.

Stromfalcon has improved. The change from AP, beams to just Beam helps out the Sunhawk and others.

 

[Burger]

Solarhawk has dropped to skirmish.

...and been appropriately defanged.

The change from AP, beams to just Beam helps out the Sunhawk and others.

Old rules AP Beam -> New beam with same ADs is a buff
Old rules SAP Beam -> New beam with same ADs is a nerf
So the Sunhawk gained, but the Strikehawk lost out.

An SAP Beam needs a 20% increase in ADs to remain the same in 2e. But instead, the secondary weapons have been increased in AD, so the ships are still just as good offensively. \o/

Oh and scouts are pretty useless to the Drazi except for reducing stealth, since most of their weapons are either Beam or Twin-linked. Sky Serpents will benefit from a redirect though, I guess!

 

[Greg Smith]

An SAP Beam needs a 20% increase in ADs to remain the same in 2e. But instead, the secondary weapons have been increased in AD, so the ships are still just as good offensively. \o/

20% is a bit tricky to adjust on weapons with 2 or 3 AD. So secondary weapons do compensate.

Oh and scouts are pretty useless to the Drazi except for reducing stealth, since most of their weapons are either Beam or Twin-linked. Sky Serpents will benefit from a redirect though, I guess!

That is true for a lot of races. Stealth reduction and occasionally hyperspace, is all they are useful for.

 

[Locutus9956]

Im actualy quite liking the new drazi. I did prefer them without dodge and high hull though, it just seemed more draziish to plow headfirst through the enemy fire with a big metal plate strapped to ones face than to try and AVOID incoming fire

The change to their weaponry I rather like though and the fact the the warbirds and varients are very slightly nerfed whereas the sunhawks are very slightly boosted sits about right with me

 

[Romu]

Still sound very draziish to me. Especially the claweagle

I might play a mixed league fleet with a lot of drazi ships in the upcoming vassal campaign

 

[Ripple]

Sigh...

Drazi did dodge about in the show...they were dogfighters not kamikazee ships. You want stupid head first into combat see the Narn...

Ripple

 

[Harry Lonsdale]

IIRC from the quick look I got at the book tonight, the Sky Serpent twin particle array went to range 4, allowing it to fire both weapon systems from outside AF range.

 

[Ripple]

Comment on the secondary weapons compensating...

No they don't. Reasoning here is range and lack of 'roll-up' threat. While the agile trait helps keep drazi on target for a second (and maybe third shot) on one run, you have lost significant firepower from the initial shot. As we have all seen in this game, he who gets in the hard shots first gains a significant advantage. Having to wait for shorter ranges (and few firing oppurtunities) to 'balance' the effect of the beam change kinda blows.

Ripple