Inspired in part by Chernobyl’s upcoming “King of the Jump Gate” tourney at this year’s Kublacon I have started a series of spreadsheets calculating the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various ships. I thought that I might post some of my findings for the amusement of the board members here and I am starting with the best and worst rated “Patrol” level ships.
A couple of notes on my technique: ships were rated for their defense factor based on the calculation of how many dice a weapon would have to be to kill the ship in three turns (that is three shots). This weapon has base stats – no modifiers. The ships are rated for attack based on the number of base dice equivalent damage they would do to a hull 5 target with no other special defenses. Ships ratings are then calculated with these two ratings modified by the cost in allocation points (based on a Raid level scenario) and finally are given a correction factor to compensate for the greater total weapon survivability of larger ships vs. smaller ones.
Naturally these sorts of calculations can only be taken so far and more importantly they do not take into account style of play or fleet strategy etc. The ratings are merely intended to show a ship’s basic fighting strength. Also keep in mind that the ratings are based on a ship’s ability to attack ships and not auxiliary craft (though I have done those calculations too…). Values are calculated with the inclusion of the best possible auxiliary craft that can be substituted for each ship. So with out any more filibuster – I give to you the best and worst of the Patrol level ships…
The Best:
1- The Porfatis – Pak’ma’ra (total rating 26.7)
Not very good defensively, but packs a punch and you get 12 for one Raid point.
2- The Thunderbolt – Earthforce (22.1)
Good offensively and defensively and you get 9
3- The Corvan – Centauri (16.1)
Our best non-auxiliary patrol level craft with Scout, Stealth, and Interceptors
4- The Scout – Drakh (14.7)
GEG and Stealth and Scout on a Patrol level ship.
5- The Double V – Raiders (13.8)
Another poor defender that hits hard and comes in a 12 pack.
The Worst: (starting with the worst)
For the record I am skipping Breaching Pods and the Abbai’s Shyarie as they have no effective attack.
1- The Tishat – Minbari (0.7)
An excellent dog fighter, but weak against ships and only 3 flights per Raid point.
2- The Nial – Minbari and ISA (2.2)
One of the best fighters in the game, but at 3 flights per Raid point too little bang for the buck unless it comes carried on another ship.
3- The Kotha – Abbai (2.2)
No surprise here – only the fact that it comes in an 18 back keeps it from the bottom of the barrel.
4- The Tethys Missile Boat – Earthforce (2.3)
This one surprises me as I have a certain fear of packs of these little pests. Of course my calculations have not given it the benefit of its 20-inch range and they are quite fragile.
5- The Razik – Centauri (3.1)
Two dice of Weak weapons just isn’t going to get it done as a ship killer even in a 12 pack.
So there it is, you may now gather your torches and pitchforks…
Humbaba
A couple of notes on my technique: ships were rated for their defense factor based on the calculation of how many dice a weapon would have to be to kill the ship in three turns (that is three shots). This weapon has base stats – no modifiers. The ships are rated for attack based on the number of base dice equivalent damage they would do to a hull 5 target with no other special defenses. Ships ratings are then calculated with these two ratings modified by the cost in allocation points (based on a Raid level scenario) and finally are given a correction factor to compensate for the greater total weapon survivability of larger ships vs. smaller ones.
Naturally these sorts of calculations can only be taken so far and more importantly they do not take into account style of play or fleet strategy etc. The ratings are merely intended to show a ship’s basic fighting strength. Also keep in mind that the ratings are based on a ship’s ability to attack ships and not auxiliary craft (though I have done those calculations too…). Values are calculated with the inclusion of the best possible auxiliary craft that can be substituted for each ship. So with out any more filibuster – I give to you the best and worst of the Patrol level ships…
The Best:
1- The Porfatis – Pak’ma’ra (total rating 26.7)
Not very good defensively, but packs a punch and you get 12 for one Raid point.
2- The Thunderbolt – Earthforce (22.1)
Good offensively and defensively and you get 9
3- The Corvan – Centauri (16.1)
Our best non-auxiliary patrol level craft with Scout, Stealth, and Interceptors
4- The Scout – Drakh (14.7)
GEG and Stealth and Scout on a Patrol level ship.
5- The Double V – Raiders (13.8)
Another poor defender that hits hard and comes in a 12 pack.
The Worst: (starting with the worst)
For the record I am skipping Breaching Pods and the Abbai’s Shyarie as they have no effective attack.
1- The Tishat – Minbari (0.7)
An excellent dog fighter, but weak against ships and only 3 flights per Raid point.
2- The Nial – Minbari and ISA (2.2)
One of the best fighters in the game, but at 3 flights per Raid point too little bang for the buck unless it comes carried on another ship.
3- The Kotha – Abbai (2.2)
No surprise here – only the fact that it comes in an 18 back keeps it from the bottom of the barrel.
4- The Tethys Missile Boat – Earthforce (2.3)
This one surprises me as I have a certain fear of packs of these little pests. Of course my calculations have not given it the benefit of its 20-inch range and they are quite fragile.
5- The Razik – Centauri (3.1)
Two dice of Weak weapons just isn’t going to get it done as a ship killer even in a 12 pack.
So there it is, you may now gather your torches and pitchforks…
Humbaba
