Greg Smith
Mongoose
Excellent tourney organised by Da Boss, in the very picturesque surroundings of Boughton House. With cups of tea all day and cooked lunch provided.
As Ken said, “It is Call To Arms, as though Prince Andrew played it.”
The Games
I chose Shadows for my fleet, simply because I have my right hand bound up after breaking my wrist, so Iwanted a fleet I could move without measuring angles and accurate movement. For the same reason I limited the number of ships in my fleets as much as possible – less ships, less writing and book-keeping.
Game 1 vs Mr Pink
Mr Pink had drazi. I had 2 scouts and 2 fighter wings. I was horribly outnumbered, but it didn’t take me long to kill small ships, especially claw eagles. My luck started good – with two 6,5 crits. Mr Pinks rolls were unlucky. He failed a lot of stealth rolls, including during attack runs. Mr Pink’s fighters killed mine, but he could not do enough damage to my scouts.
Result 20-0, 7 ships killed, no losses.
Game 2 vs Adrian H.
Adrian had 2 white stars, a nolo’tar and 2 blue stars. I had a scout and a stalker. Again I was outnumbered, but my stalker made quick work of the nolo’tar. I was then struggling to attack ships of my choice, and Adrianwas beating my stealth pretty well, so I was forced to move the stalker defensively. I forgot the anti-fighter beam completely. But then my luck changed – to chase the stalker, Adrian moved a Blue star through an asteroid field at top speed, and rolled a 1. BOOM! He then moved a white star at high speed through the same field. “I won’t roll another 1”, he said. BOOM! All of a sudden it was two ships apiece, and I just remembered the anti-fighter beam. I was simply able to hunt down his remaining ships with my scout.
Result 20-0, 5 ships killed, no losses.
Game 3 vs TGT
Always a pleasure to play Neil. HE had cylons masquerading as Vree. He choose his fleet just before the game started – 1 Z’Takk. I revealed mine, one young ship.
We spent several turns, dancing around anasteroid field, until he got brave and popped out to shoot me. My first crit was a bridge hit. We danced around some more, then I got a 4,6 weapons crit. I lunged in for the kill and got an adrift crit. At which point Niel capitulated.
Result 20-0, 1 ship killed, no losses.
Game 4 vs Clanger
I wasn’t looking forward to this match-up. Clanger usually has the most incredible luck with beam rolls. I had seen him roll 6 hits and 3 crits from a 2 AD beam in his game vs G’Quan. Plus I knew what his fleet composition was for this game.
I had an ancient ship and a young ship. He had a mothership carrying a war cruiser and two light cruisers, plus a war cruiser. He was essentially a warship up on me. He also selected crit protection for his gegs.
We both kept a war ship in hyperspace. My tactic was to keep out of range of his secondaries and his mothership and concentrate on his cruisers. My fighters did me proud, savaging on cruiser, before the beams from the ships killed it dead. My beam rolls we good, and his were average, he failed to knock down shields in the first round of firing. Then my young ship received fire from all quarters and was pinned by the second cruiser. However, his beam rolls weren’t good enough to pin it again. His cruiser then succumbed to my beams, quickly followed by a light cruiser. His mothership then was easy meat and he capitulated.
Result 20-0, 5 ships killed, no losses.
I didn’t expect to do well. I didn’t chose what I would consider competitive fleets. I set out with the intent of having a few games and a bit of fun. And I did have fun, and a lot of luck and did rather well.
As Ken said, “It is Call To Arms, as though Prince Andrew played it.”
The Games
I chose Shadows for my fleet, simply because I have my right hand bound up after breaking my wrist, so Iwanted a fleet I could move without measuring angles and accurate movement. For the same reason I limited the number of ships in my fleets as much as possible – less ships, less writing and book-keeping.
Game 1 vs Mr Pink
Mr Pink had drazi. I had 2 scouts and 2 fighter wings. I was horribly outnumbered, but it didn’t take me long to kill small ships, especially claw eagles. My luck started good – with two 6,5 crits. Mr Pinks rolls were unlucky. He failed a lot of stealth rolls, including during attack runs. Mr Pink’s fighters killed mine, but he could not do enough damage to my scouts.
Result 20-0, 7 ships killed, no losses.
Game 2 vs Adrian H.
Adrian had 2 white stars, a nolo’tar and 2 blue stars. I had a scout and a stalker. Again I was outnumbered, but my stalker made quick work of the nolo’tar. I was then struggling to attack ships of my choice, and Adrianwas beating my stealth pretty well, so I was forced to move the stalker defensively. I forgot the anti-fighter beam completely. But then my luck changed – to chase the stalker, Adrian moved a Blue star through an asteroid field at top speed, and rolled a 1. BOOM! He then moved a white star at high speed through the same field. “I won’t roll another 1”, he said. BOOM! All of a sudden it was two ships apiece, and I just remembered the anti-fighter beam. I was simply able to hunt down his remaining ships with my scout.
Result 20-0, 5 ships killed, no losses.
Game 3 vs TGT
Always a pleasure to play Neil. HE had cylons masquerading as Vree. He choose his fleet just before the game started – 1 Z’Takk. I revealed mine, one young ship.
We spent several turns, dancing around anasteroid field, until he got brave and popped out to shoot me. My first crit was a bridge hit. We danced around some more, then I got a 4,6 weapons crit. I lunged in for the kill and got an adrift crit. At which point Niel capitulated.
Result 20-0, 1 ship killed, no losses.
Game 4 vs Clanger
I wasn’t looking forward to this match-up. Clanger usually has the most incredible luck with beam rolls. I had seen him roll 6 hits and 3 crits from a 2 AD beam in his game vs G’Quan. Plus I knew what his fleet composition was for this game.
I had an ancient ship and a young ship. He had a mothership carrying a war cruiser and two light cruisers, plus a war cruiser. He was essentially a warship up on me. He also selected crit protection for his gegs.
We both kept a war ship in hyperspace. My tactic was to keep out of range of his secondaries and his mothership and concentrate on his cruisers. My fighters did me proud, savaging on cruiser, before the beams from the ships killed it dead. My beam rolls we good, and his were average, he failed to knock down shields in the first round of firing. Then my young ship received fire from all quarters and was pinned by the second cruiser. However, his beam rolls weren’t good enough to pin it again. His cruiser then succumbed to my beams, quickly followed by a light cruiser. His mothership then was easy meat and he capitulated.
Result 20-0, 5 ships killed, no losses.
I didn’t expect to do well. I didn’t chose what I would consider competitive fleets. I set out with the intent of having a few games and a bit of fun. And I did have fun, and a lot of luck and did rather well.
