Democratus
Mongoose
Ships of the Vree Conglomerate
The Vree are one of the most unusual fleets in the game. The most noticable difference is that they use flying saucers! Yes, these are the classic Little Grey Men. And they can be a fearsome opponent when their saucers are used to best effect. An added bonus is that your fleet on the table will look like a classic 50s Sci-Fi movie.
This saucer-ness comes with an incredible agility and all-around firepower scheme. Since they never have to worry about fire arcs, the Vree fly in combat like nobody else in space.
Float Like a Butterfly...
Most Vree ships can turn on a dime when whizzing across the board. But the real strength lies in their ability to move like fighters when going less than 1/2 speed. When in close quarters it allows a Vree ship to zip around enemy ships, possibly avoiding heavy wepon arcs. When at long range it can allow a ship to move very slow, keeping the range open without having to use the "All Stop!" special action. Torpedo armed ships benefit from this, allowing them to stand still and also give a CAF order to enhance firepower.
...Sting Like a Bee
All Vree weapons have either the Double Damage or Triple Damage traits. They hit very hard and are particularly nasty when scoring criticals. Concentrate firepower and you can eliminate enemy ships very quickly.
Glass Jaw
Vree ships below the Raid level tend to be fragile, with weak hulls and no active defenses. Use their speed and manuverability to avoid damage when possible. Terrain is your friend. Your vulnerability also extends to boarding actions. Most Vree ships have only 1 troop and should avoid being boarded whenever possible.
Roundabouts
All Vree ships mount every weapon in the Turret arc. This is a blessing and a curse. It allows them to always bring all their firepower to bear no matter the facing of the ship. This changes the entire nature of manuver into a game of range rather than facing. The down side to this is that a single critical can take out every weapon on a ship, rendering it as useless in combat as a frisbee.
Shoo Fly
Vree ships all have copious anti-fighter batteries. So much so that they will seldom need help fending off attacks from anything other than long range fighters or the most concerted fighter swarm.
Big Alien Heads
The Telepathy ability gives a +1 to CQ checks. A bonus to CQ can make all the difference during a battle, from more frequent successes with difficult Special Actions to an inherent edge with opposed CQ checks.
In tournament or pick-up play the Telepathy trait of the Vree can be viewed as little different from the CQ boost enjoyed by the ISA or Psi Corps. But in campaigns it becomes something much more. While ISA and Psi Corps ships start out with a higher CQ rating they can only spend experience to reach a maximum CQ of 6. Vree crews get a +1 to CQ checks. This means they can reach CQ 6 and still have a +1 on top of this, making CQ checks of 8 automatic successes!
Vree Ships:
Ships in the Vree fleet are typified by good speed, excellent manuverability, strong weapon traits, and vulnerable hulls. Know your strengths and weakness and fly accordingly.
Auxiliary Craft:
Vree fighters are highly specialized and expensive. But they are excellent at what they do.
Boarding Pod
None. Little Grey Men don't send people to ships, they steal them from ships
Tzymm
A top notch attack fighter, the Tzymm has firepower to spare. It is tough enough to brave anti-fighter batteries and should do so when possible to gain the extra dice. All dice are twin-linked so you won't need scouts to assist. The Tzymm even has a Dogfight rating that matches most superiority fighters of the league races.
Zorth
Possibly the best superiority fighter in the galaxy, these craft have an unsurpassed Dogfight trait coupled with very high speed. The drawback is that they are fragile . Get them into dogfights and keep them there.
Patrol Ships:
One combat hull and one specialty hull are found in this class. Neither will long survive battle condidions unless the enemy has better targets occupying their attention.
Xaar Patrol Boat
This ship has few damage points, but it has better hull than the average Vree ship and the Dodge trait. This ship should use terrain and its high speed to come to grips with the enemy. It has decent firepower for an escort and its natural manuverability can often allow it to find a spot where the enemy can't return fire.
Xim Close Escort
While Vree ships seldom need escorting, Tzymm fighters can benefit greatly from anti-fighter support while closing on the enmey. Be sure to stay more than 4" away from the fighters you are supporting so your inevitable explosion doesn't destroy your charges.
Skirmish Ships:
This is where the greatest variety can be found for a Vree commander. If you know what you will be facing before the battle, choose the variants that work best against the enemy. Otherwise use them to fill out the gaps left by your choice of larger ships.
Vaarka Escort Scout
While having two good traits (Escort and Scout) may seem like a boon at first blush, this ship is not optomized for either role. It leans heavily on its stealth for survival but has less stealth than the other Vree scout. Its escort trait can be used (like the Xim) to protect fighters on the attack. But this will bring it close enough to weaken the stealth. Two Xim would be better than one Vaarka for that task. However, if you are tight on budget and absolutely need both traits (fighting the Gaim, for example) the Vaarka will suffice.
Vaarl Scout Saucer
This is a servicable fleet scout. It has good stealth and very little firepower, making it unabiguous that it should be kept far from the enemy. The antimatter cannons and torpedoes of your fleet will benefit greatly from scouting redirects.
Xeel War Carrier
For a carrier, the Xeel doesn't have much to reccomend it. It doesn't even have the Carrier trait. What it does have is four (more than a patrol point) of the excellent Vree fighter craft. It is up to the player to decide if 6 fighers is better than 4 fighters and a ship.
Xirr Bombardment Saucer
It's a shame that this is the only ship fielding a Heavy Antimatter Cannon. The Xirr is good for throwing consistent long-range damage at the enemy. The AD are low and it is interceptable, so use these in numbers or against enemies without interceptors. The turret mount and manuverability means that the Xirr need never get close to the enemy.
Xixx Torpedo Saucer
Much like the Xirr, this ship should never get close to the enemy. Vree torpedoes are powerful but slow loading. Against enemies with active defenses make sure to concentrate fire. A fleet with several of these can form a ring around the enemy fleet, forcing it to choose which direction to move in response.
Xorr War Saucer
This ship has weapons with excellent traits, but it has few AD even for a skirmish ship. It can fire from outside the range of most enemy secondary batteries, so manuver away from heavy weaopns and it might avoid return fire altogether. The painful part is closing with the enemy first.
Raid Ship:
The Vree have only one ship at this level.
Xill Battle Saucer
The Xorr's big brother. With the Xill the Vree have a ship that can close with the enemy and do some up-close damage. It should still try to use its manuverability to stay away from heavy weapons where possible. Don't forget the value of a CAF order or scout redirect when firing antimatter cannons.
Battle Ships:
There are two good entries in this class, both of which have a place in the vree order of battle.
Xaak Command Saucer
While the Xaak has good close firepower its primary values are in the 8 AD of torpedoes and the Command trait. It is short on damage points for a battle level ship, being a variant of the Xill. Keep it at long range throwing torpedoes until the situation is safe (or desperate) enough to use as a gunship. The command rating of +2 can give the Vree a fighting chance at occasionally winning initiative.
Xonn Dreadnought
This is a serious brawler to be feared by all but the toughest enemy vessels. It can throw up a whopping 28 AD of double damage at close range and it is tough enough to get there. The shuttles are a nice comic touch for a ship with only 2 troops.
War Ships:
The Vree have a couple of real winners in this class, combining a tough hull and massive damage points with the signature manuverability of all ships in the fleet.
Z'Takk Command Saucer
This is another command ship with good firepower at all ranges. However, the Z'Takk is a monster and can close on the enemy without fear. The first turn should be spent getting fighters out of the bays. After that it is simply a matter of "close and hose". Once the range is closed this ship still has the superior manuverability that can allow it to dance around enemy ships outside of their optimal fire zones.
Z'Trikk Heavy Carrier
Were this ship to have the Fleet Carrier trait it would be perfect. The Z'Trikk should stay at long range lobbing torpedoes and fighters at the enemy. Whenever possible use the CAF action to twin link the devastating torpedo batteries.
Special Actions:
The unique properties of Vree ships make some orders essential and render others useless.
All Hands on Deck!
Having all wepons in a single arc can leave a ship toothless from a single critical. Getting them back online can be a matter of victory or defeat and this order will help tip the odds.
All Power to Engines! (APTE)
This order can get a Vree ship somewhere very quickly. Doing this means that you surrender all the manuverability inherent in your ships so have a good reason, like getting behind some terrain. Larger ships can do this more often, relying on their strong hull and damage points to survive. Smaller ships have no active defenses or damage points to help survive a dash in the open.
All Stop! / All Stop and Pivot!
Vree do not need this order as they can move from 0" to half their movement automatically.
Close Blast Doors! (CBD)
This order can increase the survivability of the relatively weak Vree craft. A Vree brawler ship usually has range 15" and 10" weapons. When staying outside of 10" to avoid enemy secondary batteries this order will result in no loss of firepower.
Come About!
Suprisingly, this order can be of some help with the larger ships. It can increase the turns of large ships from 1/90 to 2/90, allowing a full 180 degree turn while moving full speed. This can be critical when you are too close to certain enemy ships and a half move won't get you free of danger. Moving at speed also keeps the threat of boarding parties at bay.
Concentrate All Fir-power! (CAF)
This is a very common order for Vree captains. Adding the twin-linked trait to weapons that already have excellent traits (like DD or Precise) is a force multiplier that can win battles.
Give me Ramming Speed!
The bonus to CQ rolls makes it a bit easier for a Vree ship to make the ultimate sacrifice. Strangely enough, none of the ships qualify for the Agile bonus when ramming.
Initiate Exctraction!
This can be a fun way to push an enemy ship across the line to Skeleton Crewed. In large battles you may even be able to gain a victory point or two. Excepting the rare "crew value on the line" scenario, only use this if you have nothing better to do and you are (for some reason) within 2" of the enemy.
Intensify Defensive Fire!
This is a common order for escorts. Other Vree ships will only need this in the most desperate of circumstances. Gaim swarm attacks come to mind.
Launch Breaching Pods and Shuttles!
How about not? Fisticuffs are beneath such highly evolved beings. On the other hand, be VERY aware that you give the enemy an opportunity for this action every time you utilize your own super manuverable trait. Stay outside of 4" range if you are doing this.
Maneuver to Shield Them!
Some ships are more important than others. Vree manuverability makes it very easy to keep a ship in a "blocking" position. Just remember that the weaker saucer hulls are easily damaged by the explosions of nearby ships.
Run Silent!
The scout ships can use this to stay out of sight. Sometimes other ships can use this in conjunction with terrain to avoid fire while approaching the enemy. Every little bit helps.
Scramble! Scramble!
Only three Vree ships can use this order. They all should do so as soon as possible. Vree fighters are awesome.
Stand Down and Prepare to be Boarded!
Your +1 CQ roll can give you an edge with this action. Your super manuverability makes it a snap for any ship to play babysitter after the capture.
Track That Target!
Um...no.
The Vree are one of the most unusual fleets in the game. The most noticable difference is that they use flying saucers! Yes, these are the classic Little Grey Men. And they can be a fearsome opponent when their saucers are used to best effect. An added bonus is that your fleet on the table will look like a classic 50s Sci-Fi movie.
This saucer-ness comes with an incredible agility and all-around firepower scheme. Since they never have to worry about fire arcs, the Vree fly in combat like nobody else in space.
Float Like a Butterfly...
Most Vree ships can turn on a dime when whizzing across the board. But the real strength lies in their ability to move like fighters when going less than 1/2 speed. When in close quarters it allows a Vree ship to zip around enemy ships, possibly avoiding heavy wepon arcs. When at long range it can allow a ship to move very slow, keeping the range open without having to use the "All Stop!" special action. Torpedo armed ships benefit from this, allowing them to stand still and also give a CAF order to enhance firepower.
...Sting Like a Bee
All Vree weapons have either the Double Damage or Triple Damage traits. They hit very hard and are particularly nasty when scoring criticals. Concentrate firepower and you can eliminate enemy ships very quickly.
Glass Jaw
Vree ships below the Raid level tend to be fragile, with weak hulls and no active defenses. Use their speed and manuverability to avoid damage when possible. Terrain is your friend. Your vulnerability also extends to boarding actions. Most Vree ships have only 1 troop and should avoid being boarded whenever possible.
Roundabouts
All Vree ships mount every weapon in the Turret arc. This is a blessing and a curse. It allows them to always bring all their firepower to bear no matter the facing of the ship. This changes the entire nature of manuver into a game of range rather than facing. The down side to this is that a single critical can take out every weapon on a ship, rendering it as useless in combat as a frisbee.
Shoo Fly
Vree ships all have copious anti-fighter batteries. So much so that they will seldom need help fending off attacks from anything other than long range fighters or the most concerted fighter swarm.
Big Alien Heads
The Telepathy ability gives a +1 to CQ checks. A bonus to CQ can make all the difference during a battle, from more frequent successes with difficult Special Actions to an inherent edge with opposed CQ checks.
In tournament or pick-up play the Telepathy trait of the Vree can be viewed as little different from the CQ boost enjoyed by the ISA or Psi Corps. But in campaigns it becomes something much more. While ISA and Psi Corps ships start out with a higher CQ rating they can only spend experience to reach a maximum CQ of 6. Vree crews get a +1 to CQ checks. This means they can reach CQ 6 and still have a +1 on top of this, making CQ checks of 8 automatic successes!
Vree Ships:
Ships in the Vree fleet are typified by good speed, excellent manuverability, strong weapon traits, and vulnerable hulls. Know your strengths and weakness and fly accordingly.
Auxiliary Craft:
Vree fighters are highly specialized and expensive. But they are excellent at what they do.
Boarding Pod
None. Little Grey Men don't send people to ships, they steal them from ships
Tzymm
A top notch attack fighter, the Tzymm has firepower to spare. It is tough enough to brave anti-fighter batteries and should do so when possible to gain the extra dice. All dice are twin-linked so you won't need scouts to assist. The Tzymm even has a Dogfight rating that matches most superiority fighters of the league races.
Zorth
Possibly the best superiority fighter in the galaxy, these craft have an unsurpassed Dogfight trait coupled with very high speed. The drawback is that they are fragile . Get them into dogfights and keep them there.
Patrol Ships:
One combat hull and one specialty hull are found in this class. Neither will long survive battle condidions unless the enemy has better targets occupying their attention.
Xaar Patrol Boat
This ship has few damage points, but it has better hull than the average Vree ship and the Dodge trait. This ship should use terrain and its high speed to come to grips with the enemy. It has decent firepower for an escort and its natural manuverability can often allow it to find a spot where the enemy can't return fire.
Xim Close Escort
While Vree ships seldom need escorting, Tzymm fighters can benefit greatly from anti-fighter support while closing on the enmey. Be sure to stay more than 4" away from the fighters you are supporting so your inevitable explosion doesn't destroy your charges.
Skirmish Ships:
This is where the greatest variety can be found for a Vree commander. If you know what you will be facing before the battle, choose the variants that work best against the enemy. Otherwise use them to fill out the gaps left by your choice of larger ships.
Vaarka Escort Scout
While having two good traits (Escort and Scout) may seem like a boon at first blush, this ship is not optomized for either role. It leans heavily on its stealth for survival but has less stealth than the other Vree scout. Its escort trait can be used (like the Xim) to protect fighters on the attack. But this will bring it close enough to weaken the stealth. Two Xim would be better than one Vaarka for that task. However, if you are tight on budget and absolutely need both traits (fighting the Gaim, for example) the Vaarka will suffice.
Vaarl Scout Saucer
This is a servicable fleet scout. It has good stealth and very little firepower, making it unabiguous that it should be kept far from the enemy. The antimatter cannons and torpedoes of your fleet will benefit greatly from scouting redirects.
Xeel War Carrier
For a carrier, the Xeel doesn't have much to reccomend it. It doesn't even have the Carrier trait. What it does have is four (more than a patrol point) of the excellent Vree fighter craft. It is up to the player to decide if 6 fighers is better than 4 fighters and a ship.
Xirr Bombardment Saucer
It's a shame that this is the only ship fielding a Heavy Antimatter Cannon. The Xirr is good for throwing consistent long-range damage at the enemy. The AD are low and it is interceptable, so use these in numbers or against enemies without interceptors. The turret mount and manuverability means that the Xirr need never get close to the enemy.
Xixx Torpedo Saucer
Much like the Xirr, this ship should never get close to the enemy. Vree torpedoes are powerful but slow loading. Against enemies with active defenses make sure to concentrate fire. A fleet with several of these can form a ring around the enemy fleet, forcing it to choose which direction to move in response.
Xorr War Saucer
This ship has weapons with excellent traits, but it has few AD even for a skirmish ship. It can fire from outside the range of most enemy secondary batteries, so manuver away from heavy weaopns and it might avoid return fire altogether. The painful part is closing with the enemy first.
Raid Ship:
The Vree have only one ship at this level.
Xill Battle Saucer
The Xorr's big brother. With the Xill the Vree have a ship that can close with the enemy and do some up-close damage. It should still try to use its manuverability to stay away from heavy weapons where possible. Don't forget the value of a CAF order or scout redirect when firing antimatter cannons.
Battle Ships:
There are two good entries in this class, both of which have a place in the vree order of battle.
Xaak Command Saucer
While the Xaak has good close firepower its primary values are in the 8 AD of torpedoes and the Command trait. It is short on damage points for a battle level ship, being a variant of the Xill. Keep it at long range throwing torpedoes until the situation is safe (or desperate) enough to use as a gunship. The command rating of +2 can give the Vree a fighting chance at occasionally winning initiative.
Xonn Dreadnought
This is a serious brawler to be feared by all but the toughest enemy vessels. It can throw up a whopping 28 AD of double damage at close range and it is tough enough to get there. The shuttles are a nice comic touch for a ship with only 2 troops.
War Ships:
The Vree have a couple of real winners in this class, combining a tough hull and massive damage points with the signature manuverability of all ships in the fleet.
Z'Takk Command Saucer
This is another command ship with good firepower at all ranges. However, the Z'Takk is a monster and can close on the enemy without fear. The first turn should be spent getting fighters out of the bays. After that it is simply a matter of "close and hose". Once the range is closed this ship still has the superior manuverability that can allow it to dance around enemy ships outside of their optimal fire zones.
Z'Trikk Heavy Carrier
Were this ship to have the Fleet Carrier trait it would be perfect. The Z'Trikk should stay at long range lobbing torpedoes and fighters at the enemy. Whenever possible use the CAF action to twin link the devastating torpedo batteries.
Special Actions:
The unique properties of Vree ships make some orders essential and render others useless.
All Hands on Deck!
Having all wepons in a single arc can leave a ship toothless from a single critical. Getting them back online can be a matter of victory or defeat and this order will help tip the odds.
All Power to Engines! (APTE)
This order can get a Vree ship somewhere very quickly. Doing this means that you surrender all the manuverability inherent in your ships so have a good reason, like getting behind some terrain. Larger ships can do this more often, relying on their strong hull and damage points to survive. Smaller ships have no active defenses or damage points to help survive a dash in the open.
All Stop! / All Stop and Pivot!
Vree do not need this order as they can move from 0" to half their movement automatically.
Close Blast Doors! (CBD)
This order can increase the survivability of the relatively weak Vree craft. A Vree brawler ship usually has range 15" and 10" weapons. When staying outside of 10" to avoid enemy secondary batteries this order will result in no loss of firepower.
Come About!
Suprisingly, this order can be of some help with the larger ships. It can increase the turns of large ships from 1/90 to 2/90, allowing a full 180 degree turn while moving full speed. This can be critical when you are too close to certain enemy ships and a half move won't get you free of danger. Moving at speed also keeps the threat of boarding parties at bay.
Concentrate All Fir-power! (CAF)
This is a very common order for Vree captains. Adding the twin-linked trait to weapons that already have excellent traits (like DD or Precise) is a force multiplier that can win battles.
Give me Ramming Speed!
The bonus to CQ rolls makes it a bit easier for a Vree ship to make the ultimate sacrifice. Strangely enough, none of the ships qualify for the Agile bonus when ramming.
Initiate Exctraction!
This can be a fun way to push an enemy ship across the line to Skeleton Crewed. In large battles you may even be able to gain a victory point or two. Excepting the rare "crew value on the line" scenario, only use this if you have nothing better to do and you are (for some reason) within 2" of the enemy.
Intensify Defensive Fire!
This is a common order for escorts. Other Vree ships will only need this in the most desperate of circumstances. Gaim swarm attacks come to mind.
Launch Breaching Pods and Shuttles!
How about not? Fisticuffs are beneath such highly evolved beings. On the other hand, be VERY aware that you give the enemy an opportunity for this action every time you utilize your own super manuverable trait. Stay outside of 4" range if you are doing this.
Maneuver to Shield Them!
Some ships are more important than others. Vree manuverability makes it very easy to keep a ship in a "blocking" position. Just remember that the weaker saucer hulls are easily damaged by the explosions of nearby ships.
Run Silent!
The scout ships can use this to stay out of sight. Sometimes other ships can use this in conjunction with terrain to avoid fire while approaching the enemy. Every little bit helps.
Scramble! Scramble!
Only three Vree ships can use this order. They all should do so as soon as possible. Vree fighters are awesome.
Stand Down and Prepare to be Boarded!
Your +1 CQ roll can give you an edge with this action. Your super manuverability makes it a snap for any ship to play babysitter after the capture.
Track That Target!
Um...no.
