Squadroning Minbari...is it a good idea?
- Thread starter TGT
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It helps because all your ships fire simultaeously. You can possibly take down an enemy ship, before it gets a chance to fire. Also if you have fragile ships, you get to fire you shot off before being blown up. The disadvantage is loss of initiative sinks.
Generally, its better for smaller/weaker ships when going against bigger targets. I wouldn't normally do it with Minbari since they generally have fewer ships, and need the initiative sinks.
Generally, its better for smaller/weaker ships when going against bigger targets. I wouldn't normally do it with Minbari since they generally have fewer ships, and need the initiative sinks.
Wulf Corbett
Mongoose
Squadroning has two major benefits.TGT said:
Firstly, it allows you to fire all the squadroned ships at once. However, you also have to move them all at once, so you lose initiative sinks. This is primarily handy if you have a lot of smaller ships. You get more firepower, and still have enough ships/squadrons to maneouvre in response to the enemy. As Minbari are rarely in the position of having numbers available for this, and usually use bigger ships, it's rarely an advantage.
Secondly, it allows all the ships in the squadron to use the CQ of the best ship. However, as Tourney rules don't use variable CQ (I think - I don't play Tourney rules), that's not a factor either!
Generally, Minbari aren't going to need nor benefit much from squadroning in a Tournament, unless you have lots of small ships, or really want to blast out a concentrated mass fire.
Wulf
Wulf Corbett
Mongoose
Tourney rules, not Tourney listBurger said:
There are still some special rules, after all (ships in hyperspace , etc).Wulf
Nothing official. Its up to the tournament organizers to generate the scenarios now. Although many have bveen using the Into The Fire pack it is not official and isn't available for public download.Wulf Corbett said:Tourney rules, not Tourney listBurger said:
About the only ships I'd squadron would be Torothas, if I am desperate to be using them, or Tigaras if I want to brutalise things after a hyperspace entry. The squadron can then be split in following turns.
The biggest ships I have squadroned have been 3 Omega Destroyers. It was a very nice edge for a turn or two, but I had to split it as initiative sinks disappeared.
The biggest ships I have squadroned have been 3 Omega Destroyers. It was a very nice edge for a turn or two, but I had to split it as initiative sinks disappeared.
If you need initiative sinks then don't squadron. In the last B5 game I played, the concluding battle to a campaign I was in I squadroned everything, 2 Octurions, 3 Primus, 3 Prefects etc - that way I wasted squadrons before they got to return fire. The beam weaponed Centaurii get away with it - fleets relying on bore sights such as Narns and EA will need to think carefully about how they do this.
lastbesthope
Mongoose
If you're going up against Narn, don't squadron. 6" max seperation versus a 6" diameter E-mine area of effect gives them a two for one when firing E-mines.
LBH
LBH
Actually it is often beneficial to squadron up for the first turn or two in which you will in all likelyhood just be closing straight into each others front arcs. Manuever is not a large benefit here and while it limits the use of CAF, other orders like close blast doors can be used freely.
Range manipulation can become important but it all depends on your opponents and his weapon ranges.
The firing early in the first turn or two when both sides have enough AD to blow ships up can be crucial. Course I play league and lose initiative alot, so fire heavily while firing second is a big deal, but my nightmare is my Minbari/Centauri learning to take advantage of the initial strike.
Ripple
Range manipulation can become important but it all depends on your opponents and his weapon ranges.
The firing early in the first turn or two when both sides have enough AD to blow ships up can be crucial. Course I play league and lose initiative alot, so fire heavily while firing second is a big deal, but my nightmare is my Minbari/Centauri learning to take advantage of the initial strike.
Ripple
I usually play Minbari and, unless facing a boresight heavy fleet AND the fleet has enough initiative sinks, I will squandron my ships. Usually 2-3 Tinashi's. All that firepower roled at once. can be brutal.
Moreover, a Minbari squadron can eliminate initiave sinks quickly--not many raids (and little below) can stand up to 8 SAP DD P B and 16 AP MB TL attack dice.
It does generally depend on your opponent, Narn I don't, EA depends heavily on the opponent, Drazi and Centari I almost always do. But the first turn or so I almost always squadron.
When I use a Squadron, I group as many heaviy hitters into it as possible. Use your small ships for initiave sinks, but get as many big guns to fire at once as you can.
In short, Squadron if you think it will give you the oportunity to drop ships before they will fire; don't squadron if the reduced initiive sinks mean that the opponent will get more shots on you. THe intresting calculation (that I have dailed more often than not) is whether you can drop enough you opponent's initive sinks before the absence of your initiative sinks becomes critical.
Moreover, a Minbari squadron can eliminate initiave sinks quickly--not many raids (and little below) can stand up to 8 SAP DD P B and 16 AP MB TL attack dice.
It does generally depend on your opponent, Narn I don't, EA depends heavily on the opponent, Drazi and Centari I almost always do. But the first turn or so I almost always squadron.
When I use a Squadron, I group as many heaviy hitters into it as possible. Use your small ships for initiave sinks, but get as many big guns to fire at once as you can.
In short, Squadron if you think it will give you the oportunity to drop ships before they will fire; don't squadron if the reduced initiive sinks mean that the opponent will get more shots on you. THe intresting calculation (that I have dailed more often than not) is whether you can drop enough you opponent's initive sinks before the absence of your initiative sinks becomes critical.
Iain McGhee
Mongoose
I tend to squadron the heavier Minbari ships early on and split them after a few turns, although only in large-scale games. That way I can knock out the largest threats quickly before they get close enough to reduce stealth or bring secondary weapons to bear as I'll almost always win initiative. Especially useful against ships with heavy missile or beam armament that could potentially CAF your ships at long range or carriers/motherships that can regenerate fighters.
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