Just recieved my Drazi!

[Linkusmax]

Received my Drazi last night, A fleet Box, 8 Sunhawks and two blisters of Star Serpents.

Had two games against Ben's Third age EA, one 5 Point battle and one 6 Point Raid. Both if which were a victory to the Drazi who really suit my style of play (very aggressive).

All I have to say is FireHawks are INSANE a round of firing from two of them crippled a Marathon (I think, its the third age War level) (It was dispatched by a third Firehawk). Plus with their survivability (comparatively speaking for Drazi) they are great

Ranking the Drazi Ships from what I have used. (At least against the EA)

1.Firehawk
2.Warbird
3.Guardhawk
4.Darkhawk/Jumphawk
5.Stormfalcon
6.Sunhawk

The sunhawk ends up at the bottom because I found the Guardhawk too useful with its Anti fighter against the fighter heavy EA fleet. Plus with Hull 4 and less fire-power in two of them in a single warbird I can't see a reason to take them except as initiative sinks (which is why I still have 2 in my 5 Point battle fleet and even then im considering dropping 1 for a 3rd guardhawk.)


In the end I find the Drazi are good but require a lot more finesse in the movement phase then a lot of other fleets as you have to line up boresights and stay in as few arcs as possible and out of the EA's side arcs..

We didn't use special orders in that game but as far as I can tell there's no reason not to call concentrate all fire with the drazi as they only have one arc? or is there a disadvantage from calling it that I can't see?

Dodge rules!

 

[Harry Lonsdale]

We didn't use special orders in that game but as far as I can tell there's no reason not to call concentrate all fire with the drazi as they only have one arc? or is there a disadvantage from calling it that I can't see?

CAF doesn't affect Beam or Twin-linked weapons, which means few Drazi ships will benefit from it.

 

[Linkusmax]

CAF doesn't affect Beam or Twin-linked weapons, which means few Drazi ships will benefit from it.

AH, figured it would be something like that, seemed a bit too good. I don't have a rulebook of my own yet (distribution woes) so I haven't had that good a look

 

[Gunnvaldr]

All I have to say is FireHawks are INSANE a round of firing from two of them crippled a Marathon (I think, its the third age War level) (It was dispatched by a third Firehawk). Plus with their survivability (comparatively speaking for Drazi) they are great

EA 3rd Age War level it is the Warlock, not the Marathon, which makes your kill even more juicy since that ship is a beast

 

[Gunnvaldr]

We didn't use special orders in that game but as far as I can tell there's no reason not to call concentrate all fire with the drazi as they only have one arc? or is there a disadvantage from calling it that I can't see?

I believe your missile ship, the Darkhawk I think, will benifit frim CAF

 

[Linkusmax]

EA 3rd Age War level it is the Warlock, not the Marathon, which makes your kill even more juicy since that ship is a beast

It was pretty crazy, I opened up with Those two beam weapons and did 68 damage between the two ships (turning the triple damage shot to 8 hits and 11 hits helped ). I've found the range on the main weapons of the warbirds and firehawks really help with a couple of Darkhawks to help out.

Strikehawks don't seem worth it unless you have a Night falcon and a patrol point or two of Star Snakes.

My total Fleet (which I still need to name, any advice?), Going to differentiate the different types by painting the bulb things different colours (starting with yellow blending to whatever the colour is), Black for Darkhawks, Green for Guardhawks, Orange for Sunhawks, Red for the Jumphawk and purple for the eyehawk.)

If you think I shopuld change my composition of uses for the sunhawks let me know.

1 Stormfalcon
1 NightFalcon
4 Firehawks
4 Warbirds
2 Darkhawks
2 Guardhawks
1 Jumphawk
1 Eyehawk
2 Sunhawks
8 Star Snakes
20 Star Serpents (10 per blister holy crap)

 

[Gunnvaldr]

My total Fleet (which I still need to name, any advice?), Going to differentiate the different types by painting the bulb things different colours (starting with yellow blending to whatever the colour is), Black for Darkhawks, Green for Guardhawks, Orange for Sunhawks, Red for the Jumphawk and purple for the eyehawk.)

Purple fleet for expansion/raiding/attacking, green fleet for guarding/raiding/attacking

also might want to consider 'nose art' for your ships since drazi duty/refit let you add artwork to ships like the EA. Can always go for the teethed mouth and eyes like the WW2 Warhawk planes

Firehawk will be your best friend in Raid. For skirmish I think it will be a toss between solarhawk (TD beam goodness) vs. warbird (tougher, more AD).

 

[Linkusmax]

Purple fleet for expansion/raiding/attacking, green fleet for guarding/raiding/attacking

also might want to consider 'nose art' for your ships since drazi duty/refit let you add artwork to ships like the EA. Can always go for the teethed mouth and eyes like the WW2 Warhawk planes

Firehawk will be your best friend in Raid. For skirmish I think it will be a toss between solarhawk (TD beam goodness) vs. warbird (tougher, more AD).

Nose art eh? I'm not sure I can paint well enough for that amount of detail.

Yeah, I may change the 2 Sunhawks to Solarhawks, can anyone else not really see the point in the sunhawk? Guardhawk/eyehawk/sleekbird all seem a crap load more usefull then it.

 

[Gunnvaldr]

Nose art eh? I'm not sure I can paint well enough for that amount of detail..

well if you want to do complex 'nose art' then try out what I'm doing if willing, get printable decal paper n' print out a design, then transfer. simple!

Yeah, I may change the 2 Sunhawks to Solarhawks, can anyone else not really see the point in the sunhawk? Guardhawk/eyehawk/sleekbird all seem a crap load more usefull then it.

The following are my evaluation of those 3 ships in question:

eyehawk are good for their scout trait, what you lack in quility compare to other fleets you can make up in bulk, and since they're at the lowest priority, they're expanable.

guardhawk is good for her escort trait, and anti fighter 6 on a patrol ship no less is noteworthy. what you lack in quility compare to other fleets you can make up in bulk, and since they're at the lowest priority, they're expanable.

sleekbird is good n' mass for boarding, in particular Drahk. with it's 12 AD and combined with claweagle , what you lack in quility compare to...etc....etc

the idea is to flood and disrupt the enemy fleet by swarm

 

[Harry Lonsdale]

eyehawk are good for their scout trait, what you lack in quility compare to other fleets you can make up in bulk, and since they're at the lowest priority, they're expanable.

guardhawk is good for her escort trait, and anti fighter 6 on a patrol ship no less is noteworthy. what you lack in quility compare to other fleets you can make up in bulk, and since they're at the lowest priority, they're expanable.

Eyehawks have a pretty decent weapons for a scout too--they're nearly as good as a straight combat ship as the Sunhawk is. With the Guardhawk, don't forget about Intensify Defensive Fire for AF 12

 

[Linkusmax]

Eyehawks have a pretty decent weapons for a scout too--they're nearly as good as a straight combat ship as the Sunhawk is. With the Guardhawk, don't forget about Intensify Defensive Fire for AF 12

You seeing the same eyehawk as me? The beams the real threat on a sunhawk anyway. But I get what you mean.

I didn't even think of that on the guardhawk, that rules.

 

[Gunnvaldr]

Eyehawks have a pretty decent weapons for a scout too--they're nearly as good as a straight combat ship as the Sunhawk is. With the Guardhawk, don't forget about Intensify Defensive Fire for AF 12

Hrm wonder if u use Escort and IDF and add it on top of another guardhawk with IDF for a disgusting 24 AF

 

[Linkusmax]

as a side note: is there any reason to ever take a FireRaptor?

 

[Harry Lonsdale]

as a side note: is there any reason to ever take a FireRaptor?

Sure, if it's a battle you just have to lose.

 

[eldiablito]

Yeah, if you REALLY want to stick to the fluff, you might want to accent the ships with ONLY Green and Purple.

 

[Gunnvaldr]

as a side note: is there any reason to ever take a FireRaptor?

Well more or less to flaunt your RR goodness if your dominating others in a campaign, see it like a luxary car, you don't need it and a total waste of cash, but it's all about status and class and that point. your bling bling if you will

 

[Linkusmax]

So is there a chance of the Fireraptor being errata'd so its less sucky?

Also any advice for a 10 PT battle Campaign List?

 

[Gunnvaldr]

My suggestion is pick a Nightfalcon as your Admiral Ship, it's has good C4I for the Drazi and armed well for a carrier.

spend 2 battle pts on 4 Firehawks, they're a very fine ship and when you don't use them, send them on duty to gain refits and prevent them jsut sitting around.

Your main focus should be in your Raid and Skirmish selection, since this is where your fleet focus on and are design to swarm in low intensity warfare. Hence always try to swary the priority roll to these levels.

Overal strat is make sure you always outnumber your enemy, and only engage if you have enough ships to sawrm the enemy in any priority level.

 

[Harry Lonsdale]

when you don't use them, send them on duty to gain refits and prevent them jsut sitting around.

What do you mean by this? Refits just come from XP, and don't take any time.

 

[Gunnvaldr]

Haven't look at the drazi duty roll list as of yet. But instead of repair you can gain extra RR and for some races, free refit and repair. you won't use your ship for acouple turns, but the extra RR for ships can buy you some time in campaign depending how you fair.