Fleet Boxes...
- Thread starter Itkovian
- Start date
CZuschlag
Mongoose
Haven't ever done it. And I don't really know the contents of the new EA boxes, just the old one.
Excepting the Ancients, Shadows, and Vorlons...
When you get right down to it, the Minbari box is beyond brutal. 3 Sharlins and 4 Tinashi are just rapacious. Add a Neshantan, and you have 6 War right there. And good ships for the quality, too. You get some Tigaras as well, if you're bored. Bru-tal.
Excepting the Ancients, Shadows, and Vorlons...
When you get right down to it, the Minbari box is beyond brutal. 3 Sharlins and 4 Tinashi are just rapacious. Add a Neshantan, and you have 6 War right there. And good ships for the quality, too. You get some Tigaras as well, if you're bored. Bru-tal.
Itkovian said:
Would make the Centauri kind of crappy... considering all they have is a bunch of Vorchans, 2 Primus and 2 Centaurians.
Since Vorchans suck (for now)... it makes them tough to use as a fleet element. With that said... maybe it's time to change the fleet box for the Centauri.
Maybe just 4 Vorchans and 2 Maximi or something. Add a few more support ships or something...
Just a suggestion.
Aside from that, I haven't bought any Fleet boxes.
CZuschlag
Mongoose
If you're asking what fleet boxes, on their own, make for playable stuff, I'll recommend the Drakh, Dilgar, EA boxes, Brakiri, and ISA.
The Dilgar gives you what you really need -- scouts, decent Skirmish ships (you WILL later on want to add Omelos to your fleet) and the most important part, the Targrath, in quantity (4). The carrier is pretty much useless, but there it is. The Tikrit is useful, and the Mishakur --- well, if you just imagine it's a similar-looking Mankhat, you're great. Expansions you'll want later: several Omelos, more Targraths, one Tikrit, maybe a Rohric or two (last is very optional). Can support up to 6 Battle and small change.
The Drakh almost give you the same, quality ships at every priority level. 3 Scouts, more than enough Raiders, 3 Light and Heavy Cruisers give you scouting and firepower at every level. You also don't get stuck with any of those gosh-awful Fast Destroyers, thank God. You get a Mothership, too, which is a reward and a problem --- that Mothership is why it's almost impossible to find this boxset anymore. Expansions you'll want later: an unbelievable quantity of Raiders, a second Mothership (good luck finding that!), at least 3 more Light Cruisers. Can support up to 7 Battle and small change.
The Brakiri is the one league race, that, if you field it by itself, is workable. While it only has 3 ship classes, it gives you the best of what they have -- Ikortas that you'll call Brikortas, 4 Aviokis that you'll call Kalivas, and 2 Tashkhats you'll likely call Takatas. No patrol options does hurt, though. Expansions you'll want: rest of the league (expensive), at minimum several small Vree scouts. A Brokados will be selected, too. Can support up to 9 Battle.
EA Early years really gives you a fleet to work with, but its maximum point theshold isn't that high, getting you only 5 Battle. But all the ships are capable and coherent, and you'll be covered in virtually every low priority-level fight with gobs of options. Expansions you'll want: one Avenger carrier, many more Saggitarius, several Hyperions. Can support up to 5 Battle.
The last capable box is the ISA, with tons of WS's that could be WS-2's if you need them to be. Too bad you get two Victories -- you'll only ever need 1 -- I think. You'll also run into the very first ISA player problem --- where are my Skirmish ships? Some players are still lookin'. Expansions you'll want: White Star Carrier, Vree Scouts (again), a few of the Nolo'tar Skirmish thing no matter how good or bad it is. Can support up 9 War, so bring it, baby.
The complaints for the beginner's ears about the other fleet boxes:
1). The soul of the game is the Raid ship, and the Minbari one only gives 2 of them at that priority or below.
2). The Centauri are stuck fielding Vorchans from their fleet box. Ew.
3). And the Narn don't get any members of the Bat Squad, just T'Loths and G'Quans.
4). The Vorlon gets two Heavy Cruisers, one of which you will not ever use.
5). the Shadows have a bazillion Armageddon-level Shadow Ships, which is at least half a bazillion too many
6). Abbai miss a couple of classes, but, as a fleet, on their own, they haven't struck wonder without masses of Tiracas.
7). Drazi as a race are very hard to fly by themselves; otherwise, fleet box is very good.
8). Vree as a race to themselves are extremely hard to win with, Xorr just doesn't get the job done.
9). You will probably never use all 3 P'Shul'Shi Convoy Guardians at once; and where are all my Sunhawks and Warbirds? You mean I gotta buy a Drazi box, too?
The Dilgar gives you what you really need -- scouts, decent Skirmish ships (you WILL later on want to add Omelos to your fleet) and the most important part, the Targrath, in quantity (4). The carrier is pretty much useless, but there it is. The Tikrit is useful, and the Mishakur --- well, if you just imagine it's a similar-looking Mankhat, you're great. Expansions you'll want later: several Omelos, more Targraths, one Tikrit, maybe a Rohric or two (last is very optional). Can support up to 6 Battle and small change.
The Drakh almost give you the same, quality ships at every priority level. 3 Scouts, more than enough Raiders, 3 Light and Heavy Cruisers give you scouting and firepower at every level. You also don't get stuck with any of those gosh-awful Fast Destroyers, thank God. You get a Mothership, too, which is a reward and a problem --- that Mothership is why it's almost impossible to find this boxset anymore. Expansions you'll want later: an unbelievable quantity of Raiders, a second Mothership (good luck finding that!), at least 3 more Light Cruisers. Can support up to 7 Battle and small change.
The Brakiri is the one league race, that, if you field it by itself, is workable. While it only has 3 ship classes, it gives you the best of what they have -- Ikortas that you'll call Brikortas, 4 Aviokis that you'll call Kalivas, and 2 Tashkhats you'll likely call Takatas. No patrol options does hurt, though. Expansions you'll want: rest of the league (expensive), at minimum several small Vree scouts. A Brokados will be selected, too. Can support up to 9 Battle.
EA Early years really gives you a fleet to work with, but its maximum point theshold isn't that high, getting you only 5 Battle. But all the ships are capable and coherent, and you'll be covered in virtually every low priority-level fight with gobs of options. Expansions you'll want: one Avenger carrier, many more Saggitarius, several Hyperions. Can support up to 5 Battle.
The last capable box is the ISA, with tons of WS's that could be WS-2's if you need them to be. Too bad you get two Victories -- you'll only ever need 1 -- I think. You'll also run into the very first ISA player problem --- where are my Skirmish ships? Some players are still lookin'. Expansions you'll want: White Star Carrier, Vree Scouts (again), a few of the Nolo'tar Skirmish thing no matter how good or bad it is. Can support up 9 War, so bring it, baby.
The complaints for the beginner's ears about the other fleet boxes:
1). The soul of the game is the Raid ship, and the Minbari one only gives 2 of them at that priority or below.
2). The Centauri are stuck fielding Vorchans from their fleet box. Ew.
3). And the Narn don't get any members of the Bat Squad, just T'Loths and G'Quans.
4). The Vorlon gets two Heavy Cruisers, one of which you will not ever use.
5). the Shadows have a bazillion Armageddon-level Shadow Ships, which is at least half a bazillion too many
6). Abbai miss a couple of classes, but, as a fleet, on their own, they haven't struck wonder without masses of Tiracas.
7). Drazi as a race are very hard to fly by themselves; otherwise, fleet box is very good.
8). Vree as a race to themselves are extremely hard to win with, Xorr just doesn't get the job done.
9). You will probably never use all 3 P'Shul'Shi Convoy Guardians at once; and where are all my Sunhawks and Warbirds? You mean I gotta buy a Drazi box, too?
Is it just me that doesn't understand or do you guys only (or very often) play at small PL ?
Because we DO use the war ships. I agree for the shadow box as they're now arm. ships but don't forget they used to be "only" war ships when the box was released.
But for Sharlins or Pak ships they are often on the table.
Unless playing campaign mode with random PL, we often play between 3 or 5 points of War/Arm.
With what has been said earlier I understand why i found the boxes a bit ... light. My first one was the minbari one .. ;-)
Because we DO use the war ships. I agree for the shadow box as they're now arm. ships but don't forget they used to be "only" war ships when the box was released.
But for Sharlins or Pak ships they are often on the table.
Unless playing campaign mode with random PL, we often play between 3 or 5 points of War/Arm.
With what has been said earlier I understand why i found the boxes a bit ... light. My first one was the minbari one .. ;-)
Lord David the Denied
Mongoose
It's the time issue, isn't it? A 5 point battle level game might get your big guns on the table, but it takes a lot longer to play than a 5 point raid game does...
Valen is my name
Mongoose
well i brought the CrusadeEra EA and its not bad, but ive add a couple of omegas that i had before and would recommend getting a warlock or two, as the nemisis are not that great, although i do think some people rubbish them too much!
