From the playtesting my friends and I have done with the new vessels Al-Malik can have, the Wraith-class Stealth Destroyer and the Rashid-clas Escort Carrier, a normal Efreet-class destroyer and Asim-class light carrier do a better job. Anyone found a strategy or usage we didn't think of for the new vessels that does make them more useful to take over the Efreet and Asim?
Ships for Al-Malik: New vs Old
- Thread starter Garthim
- Start date
The Rashid looks to me much like the Hazat Shamshir - i.e. "I want a few fighters but don't want to buy a dedicated carrier". It's not that important at the moment, since (a) people tend to go all-out on bombers or not at all, and (b) thanks to the !@%$£!?£$!! Mumit it's usually you lot handing out the micro-torpedo based shenannigans rather than receiving them.
Since we have been told there is something coming in Fleets of the Fading Suns that will apparently shatter out world-view of fighters, I wouldn't count the Rashid's functionality out just yet, because the advantages of a handful of (lets be honest, very good) Al-Malik Zubayr superiority fighters may not be obvious yet.
The Wraith is a different kettle of fish. It's something rather unusual - a ship with principally forward firepower, and (more importantly) unlike the Matachin, this seems to me to complement stealth; you want to be at the extreme range offered by those torpedoes, because that's also the point at which you get the most benefit from your stealth - by comparison to the troop-carrying stealthship, which gives up much of the protection of stealth if it gets close enough to achieve anything. That said, whilst those forward torps are nice, missile turrets would do the same and give it more flexibility if the enemy got out of its forward arc. I like the torpedoboat concept, but would prefer it if it gave up some of its broadside or something and packed even more....
We understand the concepts of how each vessel were to be used based on their abilties and rules, buts thats were we ran into problems.
The Rashid works fine as an escort carrier as it is noted in its lore, the problem is how bad its staying power is. We tried using it in a defense role to sit back to use its bombers to discourage flankers and faster atttack vessels who would just zip through my lines and even tried it in a more aggressive role of joining the charge with frigates and destroyers. Each time we had the same problem. With a hull of 3 and only 21/7 damage, even with a bomber screen to deter would be attackers (yes, I do load all my carriers with Mumits, so much fun) raiders or frigates would zoom right up to it and blow it up or cripple it no problem. With that being the case, I find it better to simply spend a few points and get a Asim. In smaller games where the Rashid is being hinted at to be used, throwing out the extra points for an Asim makes it decent flagship and support vessel while in larger games, I have had people move out of the way of a squadron of Asims all carrying Mumits.
Fleets of the Fading Sun? You mean it might actually come out before almost everyone forgets Noble Armada due to lack of expansion and is playing solely Star Fleet? Wait, that already happened where I live. (sorry, had to get that out of my system).
I do agree with you on the Wraith. Turrets would be more effective on the vessel and it would be nice if it packed more firepower in some way that was balanced. Its forward firing torpedoes tend to tickle (if I roll bad) or just annoy them (even when I roll well) since I have no other firepower to bring to bear on them after the torpedoes hit. That was the problem we had with its. We understood fully how to use its stealth and torpedoes together, just that the weapon package of an Efreet and giving up stealth for that firepower has a better DPS per game than the Wraith (spec when a scout is thrown in there with the weapon system re-roll to really make the Efreet hurt someone). We tried sniping at weaker, less armored ships to destroyers and cruisers classes to see what it could do, and other than hurting scouts and raiders really well, anything above that tended to shurg it off and keep going.
The Rashid works fine as an escort carrier as it is noted in its lore, the problem is how bad its staying power is. We tried using it in a defense role to sit back to use its bombers to discourage flankers and faster atttack vessels who would just zip through my lines and even tried it in a more aggressive role of joining the charge with frigates and destroyers. Each time we had the same problem. With a hull of 3 and only 21/7 damage, even with a bomber screen to deter would be attackers (yes, I do load all my carriers with Mumits, so much fun) raiders or frigates would zoom right up to it and blow it up or cripple it no problem. With that being the case, I find it better to simply spend a few points and get a Asim. In smaller games where the Rashid is being hinted at to be used, throwing out the extra points for an Asim makes it decent flagship and support vessel while in larger games, I have had people move out of the way of a squadron of Asims all carrying Mumits.
Fleets of the Fading Sun? You mean it might actually come out before almost everyone forgets Noble Armada due to lack of expansion and is playing solely Star Fleet? Wait, that already happened where I live. (sorry, had to get that out of my system).
I do agree with you on the Wraith. Turrets would be more effective on the vessel and it would be nice if it packed more firepower in some way that was balanced. Its forward firing torpedoes tend to tickle (if I roll bad) or just annoy them (even when I roll well) since I have no other firepower to bring to bear on them after the torpedoes hit. That was the problem we had with its. We understood fully how to use its stealth and torpedoes together, just that the weapon package of an Efreet and giving up stealth for that firepower has a better DPS per game than the Wraith (spec when a scout is thrown in there with the weapon system re-roll to really make the Efreet hurt someone). We tried sniping at weaker, less armored ships to destroyers and cruisers classes to see what it could do, and other than hurting scouts and raiders really well, anything above that tended to shurg it off and keep going.
Clanger
Mongoose
Us Playtesters are just putting the finishing touches under The All Seeing Eye of Matt. Just tweaking Fighters and Vau at the moment and it should be ready to rock. Since CTA:SF was released we started work on Fleets (no rest for us Playtesters).
With the new fighter tweaks it might not pay to take all Bombers. The Rashid would be useful taking just Fighters whilst your Asim has Bombers. Or in small games take the Rashid instead of a Frigate and load it up with Bombers.
With the new fighter tweaks it might not pay to take all Bombers. The Rashid would be useful taking just Fighters whilst your Asim has Bombers. Or in small games take the Rashid instead of a Frigate and load it up with Bombers.
