So, here at Club Mongoose, a Star Fleet campaign was quickly started. Everyone had the usual Feds/Klingons/Romulan fleets (of course), so I thought I'd pull the Gorn out of the cabinet for a bash. First time they have been used in 'anger.'
Lessons learned after the first couple of games...
1. Yes, the big Gorn ships have lots of plasma weapons. That does not mean you have to use them all when catching an undamaged D6 in the flank. I could have sent a few off to a C7 in the same turn and, at worst, just have two ships to mop up in the next - at best, i could have taken out two ships. Instead, I did 68 points of damage on a D6, which wasn't really worth rolling on the Stricken table for...
2. Just because plasmas work best at under 8", it does not mean you have to get within, say, 2". Just get within 8", and you will have made your point. See point 1 for when a D6 explodes in your face...
3. Fast Cruisers are awesome when they have plasma weapons. However, if you are going to send them up one flank in the first turn on All Power to Engines, make sure you send at least a pair of them off together. They can catch a D5W in the flank and pretty much boil it. A single Fast Cruiser will get its shields down and then get rogered by the rest of the Klingon fleet.
4. Boosting Shields with Gorn is even more fun than with Federation ships...
5. It is also lovely having small ships the enemy _cannot_ ignore. Currently pairing a Heavy Destroyer with either a Destroyer or Light Cruiser, and together they can get into position to whoop even a Heavy Cruiser (and the forward phasers on a Heavy Destroyer are pretty handy too).
6. Don't be afraid to let plasmas fly at medium range. Sometimes that extra few plasma torpedoes are all you need to overwhelm an enemy's defences and leave him ripe to be hammered by someone else who is a bit closer.
7. If you have been humming and harring about the Gorn, give them a whirl. There is plenty to like...
Lessons learned after the first couple of games...
1. Yes, the big Gorn ships have lots of plasma weapons. That does not mean you have to use them all when catching an undamaged D6 in the flank. I could have sent a few off to a C7 in the same turn and, at worst, just have two ships to mop up in the next - at best, i could have taken out two ships. Instead, I did 68 points of damage on a D6, which wasn't really worth rolling on the Stricken table for...
2. Just because plasmas work best at under 8", it does not mean you have to get within, say, 2". Just get within 8", and you will have made your point. See point 1 for when a D6 explodes in your face...
3. Fast Cruisers are awesome when they have plasma weapons. However, if you are going to send them up one flank in the first turn on All Power to Engines, make sure you send at least a pair of them off together. They can catch a D5W in the flank and pretty much boil it. A single Fast Cruiser will get its shields down and then get rogered by the rest of the Klingon fleet.
4. Boosting Shields with Gorn is even more fun than with Federation ships...
5. It is also lovely having small ships the enemy _cannot_ ignore. Currently pairing a Heavy Destroyer with either a Destroyer or Light Cruiser, and together they can get into position to whoop even a Heavy Cruiser (and the forward phasers on a Heavy Destroyer are pretty handy too).
6. Don't be afraid to let plasmas fly at medium range. Sometimes that extra few plasma torpedoes are all you need to overwhelm an enemy's defences and leave him ripe to be hammered by someone else who is a bit closer.
7. If you have been humming and harring about the Gorn, give them a whirl. There is plenty to like...
