As a confirmed Drakh player, I can safely say that most of the Drakh tactics out there can be completely thrown out the door. The GEG considerations are largely the same, but you can no longer count on any of the following:
1). Having enough initiative sinks
2). Winning initiative
3). Playing for the endgame
4). The GEG
5). Being able to kill Skirmish ships
6). Being able to deal with heavy fighters in any constructive way
7). CAF
8). The Light Cruiser in any capacity whatsoever
However, you can count on:
1). Being the 2nd Edition Beam Team
2). Killing Hull 6 all day long
3). Using an unbelievable amount of Close Blast Doors
4). Using an unbelievable amount of All Hands on Deck
5). Light Raiders are now a major threat
6). Get a Skirmish Gaim ship as an ally in a campaign and you are good to go.
The Drakh have zero active means to handle fighters. There's absolutely no escort, no anti-fighter, nothing. Given that there are many Precise, DD and multi-DD bombers out there (Riva, Thorun Torpedofighter, Tzymm, Firebolt, Vorlon, Sky Serpent, Klikkitak) you cannot count on your GEG to preserve you as cleanly as in the past. Similarly, there is no efficient means to kill fighters supporting ships directly, so, if they want to act as interceptors to your pulse arrays, there isn't much you can do about it.
The change to beams helps out the Raiders a ton, and the internal Beam change to the Light Raider helps out even more. It's a serious attack hull at this point, and couple with the no-brainer of Close Blast Doors, the Raiders have greatly improved survivability. Of course, as every other fleet seems to have gotten more guns everywhere, you'll desparately need it, and sometimes, it won't be enough. You are particularly vulnerable to the Trait-loss crit, which is white death about half the time for a Given Drakh ship.
You have no correct weaponry to handle Hull 4 (especially if the ship in question has fighter interceptors), so expect tons of Hull 4 for yoru regular life. It will be very, very frustrating, and there isn't a thing you can do about it.
2-for-1 patrol ship initiative sinks means that you'll have to deal with the Haven-sink fleet of doom. Or, more accurately, try to deal with it; I just don't see that happening. You will not get shots; he will.
One of the ships that used to give you the ability to cover to all sides against this sort of thing effectively, the Light Cruiser, got whacked with the Nerf bat bad. I could see trying to tune it, but this is a mistake; 3 dice of beam with 1/45 was the right way to go.
The new War ship and attendant Battle ship are mean, and might be the new Drakh fleet core in the next generation.
i would love it if you put your heavy and light raiders on permanent CBD, means they are not shooting ever.
