Mixed Fleets - Alliance v Coalition

[McKinstry]

Is there a general consensus on mixed fleets? The Gorn could/would certainly have the possibility of facing the Romulans with Fed support as would the Kzinti against the Klinks. Both the Romulans and Klingons could work together in any game where Tholians are on the other side.

I don't think mixed fleets would work in a tournament setting but it might be interesting if there was a 20% allied contingent allowance.

 

[scoutdad]

Since we come from an SFB/F&E background and mixed fleets are part and parcel of our experience... we have no problems playing them in local ACTASF games. While we'd never attempt to use a mixed fleet at a tournamnet - they do provide an intersting twist to the games we've used them in.

Our typical house rule is:
At least 51% of the total points must consist of ships from one empire and that empire must provide the flagship (i.e., the ship with the largest point value).
We've also played around with allowing Orion Pirate mecenary forces as well. Up to 20% of your force can consist of mercenaries.

Federation and Gorn versus Romulans and Klingons with a Pirate or two!!! :shock:

 

[McKinstry]

Since we come from an SFB/F&E background and mixed fleets are part and parcel of our experience... we have no problems playing them in local ACTASF games. While we'd never attempt to use a mixed fleet at a tournamnet - they do provide an intersting twist to the games we've used them in.

Our typical house rule is:
At least 51% of the total points must consist of ships from one empire and that empire must provide the flagship (i.e., the ship with the largest point value).
We've also played around with allowing Orion Pirate mecenary forces as well. Up to 20% of your force can consist of mercenaries.

Federation and Gorn versus Romulans and Klingons with a Pirate or two!!! :shock:

I like it. Orions adding a drone component to a Gorn or Romulan fleet certainly makes the tactical problem a lot more complicated.

How did the Nashville games and tournament go?

 

[scoutdad]

How did the Nashville games and tournament go?

It went great.
I have a ton of photos to resize and upload and some AARs to complete, but since today is a holiday... expect a full rundown by days end.

In a nutshell though:
8 tournament players
Klingons won...

Over a dozen demo games scattered through out the weekend...

And the Con organizers saw so much activity at our area through-out the weekend, they've asked up to come back next year, offered us our chopice of either a private gaming room for ACTASF or twice the floor space in the main hall... and have offered us the first four full tables as you walk in the door!

 

[tneva82]

Love the idea. Well at least once I get ships to play mixed fleets

Prolly go for idea of 33% max of allies and most expensive ship must be from the main fleet.

Tournaments are unlikely to allow mixed fleets but for home games sure. Adds a colour and fits the game background.

 

[scoutdad]

We went 51% simply because allied battle forces in Federation and Empire are required to have a simple majority of ships from the same empire that provides the flagship.

 

[tneva82]

We went 51% simply because allied battle forces in Federation and Empire are required to have a simple majority of ships from the same empire that provides the flagship.

Yeah well exact ratio is matter of preference. I just prefer to have main fleet to be notably larger. Also 33% is nice round 500 in 1500 pts fleet.

 

[Myrm]

We have done Tholian and Fed vs Romulan and Klingon plus also done a Gorn/Fed/Kzinti vs Romulan/Orion/Klingon

Worked well. Tactical challenges abound

 

[billclo]

You ought to see what a typical Coalition battle line in F&E with the Klingons and Lyrans can look like. :shock:

1 C8 + Admiral (allows one extra ship)
5 Lyran DN and/or BC
1 Mauler
3 D5
3 F5/F5W
A scout

PLUS 3 x D6D drone bombardment (which isn't in this game yet).

Fed + Kzinti vs Lyran and/or Klingon can be interesting. The Kzinti provide the drones, the Feds provide the crunch power of Photons.

 

[McKinstry]

And the Con organizers saw so much activity at our area through-out the weekend, they've asked up to come back next year, offered us our chopice of either a private gaming room for ACTASF or twice the floor space in the main hall... and have offered us the first four full tables as you walk in the door!

Next year I'll probably skip Origins to make Nashcon. 2.5 days of ACTASF goodness.

 

[scoutdad]

Well, while you are welcome to attend Nashcon - I intend to do both cons and do ACTASF events at both.
Although since NashCon is only 30 minutes away, you can bet I'll certainly be there.

We're looking forward to a huge turn-out next year.

 

[AdrianH]

Is there anything in SFU history about allied fleets?

B5 has two combined fleets, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and the Army of Light. The League can pick ships freely from any of several single fleets; the Army of Light can pick from the same fleets plus a few more, but is restricted to specific ships from those fleets. In addition several single fleets such as the ISA are allowed to draw a few ships from an allied fleet. (B5:ACTA uses a different system for deciding how many ships are allowed in a scenario; the allied fleet could typically supply between 20% and 33% of the ISA's fleet depending on how the scenario is set up.)

Translating to SFU, if there is historical background for allied fleets then you could either define a combined fleet list, limiting it by in-service date; define a combined fleet, limiting it to specific types of ships allowed into the mix; or put one fleet in charge and allow it to draw a percentage from one allied fleet. The basic idea is to prevent someone from using a combined fleet as a way to get the best from each of the contributing single fleets to create an unbeatable monster of a fleet.

 

[Finlos]

There's no shortage of SFB scenarios involving allied fleets, particularly between neighboring empires. Going straight from memory I would venture that towards the end of the General War single empire fleets would be more the exception rather than the rule. Even a good number of smaller scenarios involve a couple of ships from allied empires working together.

In ACTA I think allied fleets could work in friendly games (not in tournaments obviously). The difficulty is, as mentioned, trying to avoid 'best of' fleets.

 

[GalagaGalaxian]

Could always leave it to "historical" scenarios where both sides have specified fleets. Though some may not find that as enjoyable.

 

[Ben2]

I can think of a fair few ways of doing allied special rules to make it a bit more interesting. I'll get some thoughts down over the next few days and post them on the forums for people to chew over.

 

[MongooseMatt]

And the Con organizers saw so much activity at our area through-out the weekend, they've asked up to come back next year, offered us our chopice of either a private gaming room for ACTASF or twice the floor space in the main hall... and have offered us the first four full tables as you walk in the door!

Take the main hall

 

[scoutdad]

And the Con organizers saw so much activity at our area through-out the weekend, they've asked up to come back next year, offered us our chopice of either a private gaming room for ACTASF or twice the floor space in the main hall... and have offered us the first four full tables as you walk in the door!

Take the main hall

That's what we told them we wanted.
They're giving us 4 tables, each 8 feet by 4 feet. Enough room for 8 simultaneous tourney battles, or 4 really large games, or 8 demo tables, or any combination thereof.

And it's the first four tables in the door! Everyone has to walk past us to get in or to get out.
8)

 

[tneva82]

And the Con organizers saw so much activity at our area through-out the weekend, they've asked up to come back next year, offered us our chopice of either a private gaming room for ACTASF or twice the floor space in the main hall... and have offered us the first four full tables as you walk in the door!

Take the main hall

That's what we told them we wanted.
They're giving us 4 tables, each 8 feet by 4 feet. Enough room for 8 simultaneous tourney battles, or 4 really large games, or 8 demo tables, or any combination thereof.

And it's the first four tables in the door! Everyone has to walk past us to get in or to get out.
8)

Excelent

Obviously enlarged room in main hall is vastly superior idea to private gaming room. Well at least if you are trying to attract new gamers

That's bloody impressive amount of table space though for what isn't yet "big game". Seems game is picking up some speed then(well at least in UK/USA. Finland is lot quieter

 

[AdmiralGrafSpee]

We are playing a combined fleet action this Friday. However we are actually treating it has 4 different fleets - just that they are in teams. Everyone is going to roll initiative separately, and we'll actually be coming in on different table sides.

750pts per fleet - Fed and Kzinti vs. Romulan and Klingon

Not the most historical matchup, but hey that's who's available.

-Tim

 

[GalagaGalaxian]

Actually it could be! During the war the Alliance shuffled the occasional Kzinti squadron to the Romulan Border and Gorn to the Klingon Borders to try to capitalize on those race's lack of experience in dealing with Drones (in mass quantities) and Plasma Torpedoes outside of simulators and the occasional oddly equipped Orion Raider.

This is also the reason the Federation purchased some Plasma-F launcher systems from the Gorn and installed them on various federation hulls, they intended to send them to the Klingon front and give them quite the surprise (unfortunately most of those ships ended up serving on the Romulan front due to supply issues, since all the parts had to come from the Gorn).