Earthforce Early Years

[arbaily]

Does any play as Earth Alliance Early Years. I've got a small fleet put together, pics will follow soon. At times I feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot as I don't have anything like an Omega or Warlock to pick, but then I get a lot of variants at skirmish level.
At the moment my fleet is:-
1x Nova Dreadnought (second is being painted now)
4x Hyperion Cruisers (can be taken as variants)
1x Explorer Survey Ship
2x Artemis frigates (still to be painted)
2x Tethys Cutters

Not really sure what to get for the fleet next. Don't think I need an Avenger as the 2 Nova's carry the same amount of fighters and you also get 2 combat worthy ships, but the command bonus and the fact it has carrier trait are nice. At some point I might get the only battle pick that the fleet has the Orestes System Monitor. At the moment I'm only going to face the Narn with my fleet, but I know that the G'Quan is going to appear, so need something hard hitting to deal with it.
Wonder if I'm going about picking the fleet for a 5 point raid game the wrong way, all ways look for the big guns and worry about the rest later.
Has anyone got an ideas of what to pick or just some general advice on how they pick their fleets? Any help would be welcome.

 

[Nightmares about Minbari]

OK, if you want advice:

More Nova, they will be the core of your fleet, definitely worth investing.
They can be a bit fragile at times, but a block of four of them provides overwhelming firepower.

Having several sags is also useful. some races are particularly vulnerable to criticals, and the uses of massed missiles are obvious

Beyond that, I don't generally rate the Orestes unless the scenario dictates where the fighting will happen. Too slow to make it to the fight.

 

[JayRaider]

An Oracle would be useful option to have if your gonna play Minbari.

 

[Nightmares about Minbari]

Oh, definitely, scouts are definitely going to be useful.

In fact if you can stretch to it, the early years fleet box may be a good investment. Not done the math off hand, but I'm sure you get more than your money's worth in it, and most if not all the ships are useful.

 

[Tolwyn]

If you have the E-MW Supplement take at least one Hyperion Command Prototyp, it gives you a much needed boost in Initiatve. There are also some nice Nova and Hyperion variants in this book.

 

[Tank]

You need Saggitarius and Olympus in that fleet, especially the Olympus Gunship. TheSag & Gunship both give a bit more kick to the Early Era Fleet.

 

[Destroid]

I agree with all the above posts, plus the Avenger is Raid level in the Early Years fleet and Olympus Corvettes and the Gunship variant, they're excellent for dishing out the damage, if a bit on fragile side hull [4] wise. Orestes are pretty solid but horribly slow, I would only take them if the enemy has to come to you or you can safely open a jump point closer to the action.

 

[arbaily]

An Oracle would be useful option to have if your gonna play Minbari.

Forgot to add that one to my list of ready ships

 

[arbaily]

Forgot to add my missile cruiser to the list as well but I only have one so far

 

[JayRaider]

Have u used breaching pods as a tactic?
I'd imagine an Avenger full of breaching pods and 4 Nova would make a powerful unique 5PT Raid combo.

 

[Davesaint]

I would concentrate on these hulls:

Hyperions
Olympus
Oracle
Sag
Hermes

Although I love the model for the Nova, the ship itself is pretty useless. It's the same PL as they Hyperion, but the hyperion has much more firepower. Use the Olympus and the Hermes to act as initiative sinks so you can get your boresighted beams in arc


Dave

 

[Shadow Queen]

Im going for 2 Bolter Novas, 4 Bolter Tethys and 2 Artemis

 

[Nightmares about Minbari]

Trust me, the Nova is definitely equal to the Hyperion, and could easily be superior.

One word of warning. With 2e just around the corner, it is likely to change quite a bit, not just rules but ship stats and the like. Might be worth sitting on your wallet till you've seen the new edition.

Last thing you want to do is invest in ships now that prove to be less useful under 2e.

 

[Triggy]

Trust me, the Nova is definitely equal to the Hyperion, and could easily be superior.

One word of warning. With 2e just around the corner, it is likely to change quite a bit, not just rules but ship stats and the like. Might be worth sitting on your wallet till you've seen the new edition.

Last thing you want to do is invest in ships now that prove to be less useful under 2e.

If you concentrate on style rather than stats then you'll be fine for 2nd ed. This means not buying bucket loads of Sagittariuses but instead buying Novas, Artemises and Orestes if you want brawling ships and Hyperions, Olympuses and Hermes if you want something with a little more firepower. Either way, carriers and scouts are great in 2nd ed.

 

[Celisasu]

I suggest lots of Novas because they're sexy beasts. Hyperions are pretty too so they're a good second choice.


What do you expect from someone who plays the Narn Regime because they think the G'Quan is the coolest looking ship in the series? :lol:

 

[Burger]

If you concentrate on style rather than stats then you'll be fine for 2nd ed.

That sentence makes me scared for some reason?

 

[Triggy]

If you concentrate on style rather than stats then you'll be fine for 2nd ed.

That sentence makes me scared for some reason?

LOL, from a collector's point of view I was meaning. This means that although you won't know the precise stats of 2nd ed. ships yet, if you think of how you want your fleet to play then you won't be handicapped by how they've actually been statted.

 

[LimeyDragon]

I still play early years, since i've had my fleet before mongoose got the license.. Keep in mind I mix and match as need for game play..

11 x Hyperions
5 x Omegas
3 x Nova
4 x Artemis
6 x Tethys
4 x Sagittarius

I find running the Hyperion variants against people throws them off, sicne they are used to playing the standard version..

 

[Tankdriver]

I always looked at the 1E stats and thought BROADSIDE. And the Orestes is not that slow compared to the fleet as a whole. With the pulse cannon dice this fleet makes availabe, in 1E at least, the Broadside attack should work well. Orestes, Novas, Hyperions for those closing laser shots and the medium pulses on the sides, Oracles for scout duties, Hermes for hunting down stragglers, and yes for the fighter support. And the Sag. Six AD Missiles to the sides, the screams broadside.

Keep the Oracle on the side of the broadside away from the enemy where it can lend support and not be a big target. If they try ranged shots at the oracle and don't pay attention to the Novas and Orestes blowing them apart, more power to them. A gun line of Hyperions, Oracles, Orestes and Novas with a Sag or two interspaced then circles the enemy until it is too damaged to keep together. Here is where your slow speed pays dividends, as as your ships lose speed to crits, they should stay right about the same. Then, once his formation is split, cross the T and let him have it with both sides!

Of course I could be saying all this because I also play the Dilgar. :twisted:

 

[Shadow Queen]

I agree with all the above posts, plus the Avenger is Raid level in the Early Years fleet and Olympus Corvettes and the Gunship variant, they're excellent for dishing out the damage, if a bit on fragile side hull [4] wise. Orestes are pretty solid but horribly slow, I would only take them if the enemy has to come to you or you can safely open a jump point closer to the action.

Deffo an Avenger is always a must brings a carrier into the fight as well as fighters, and at least 3 Novas to run fighter escort