Just concluded a battle of 3 KGVs vs 2 Norcals, plus assorted screen. The heavies mainly duelled each other while the screen tangled with each other. At the end of it, all players (screen and battle line commanders on both sides) felt that the Heavy rule is rather overpowered, or at least is pretty unsatisfying.
With the large number of damage dice that BBs can generate, they can very rapidly reach critical saturation on the enemy BB. On averages broadside to broadside at long range (4+ to hit) the NorCals would generate 18 AD, of which 9 would hit generating 27 DD, of which 9 will crit. Assuming these are evenly spread in the critical hit tables (3 crew, 3 engine, 3 weapon), the ship will then suffer an additional 4 automatic critical hits. Crew +2 from engines 3 and weapons 3, weapons +1 from crew 3, and engines +1 from crew 5.
The target is now practically crippled, having a damaged turret, a destroyed turret, -3 to speed, and two escalate conditions present simultaneously.
We still had plenty of fun with screen actions, but for the battlewagons having a pair of ships with Heavy guns being able to delete a whole 7+ armour battleship in one turn with an above average roll was rather unsettling.
With the large number of damage dice that BBs can generate, they can very rapidly reach critical saturation on the enemy BB. On averages broadside to broadside at long range (4+ to hit) the NorCals would generate 18 AD, of which 9 would hit generating 27 DD, of which 9 will crit. Assuming these are evenly spread in the critical hit tables (3 crew, 3 engine, 3 weapon), the ship will then suffer an additional 4 automatic critical hits. Crew +2 from engines 3 and weapons 3, weapons +1 from crew 3, and engines +1 from crew 5.
The target is now practically crippled, having a damaged turret, a destroyed turret, -3 to speed, and two escalate conditions present simultaneously.
We still had plenty of fun with screen actions, but for the battlewagons having a pair of ships with Heavy guns being able to delete a whole 7+ armour battleship in one turn with an above average roll was rather unsettling.
