From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 08:35:42 -0500
Subject: [FT] AAR-IF vs NRE
Drove up to see John Atkinson off before he goes to Neu Swabia, and somehow <g> a FT game got started. Roughly 1200 points on a side. 6 IF ships, all Thrust 6, weak hull, no FTL, 3 with 5 SMR+ 1 Class2 and 3 with 8 Class 2 beams; plus an IF civilian tug. NRE forces were a DesRon, about 12 ships of frigate/destroyer size. Set up on more or less opposing courses, closing speed about 10 MU. NRE in a cluster, my ships in two squadrons by type with the tug in the rear. Turn 1, both sides accelerate towards each other. I win initiative and start rolling clumps of eight dice. John realizes why I bring my own dice, but nothng is killed although three of his ships are hurting--two of his four missile destroyers fail systems checks and their missiles go offline. Return fire scratches IF paint. Turn 2. SLM time, and there's no point in being subtle. John knew I had 15 salvos, but he still grew pale as I started setting out "one here, one here, two here, two here, one here..." About half a dozen of his ships were seriously damaged. One of them bravely acted as a banzai jammer, soaking up fourteen individual missiles (the first four rolls were 6,4,4,6...more rolls weren't needed). Meanwhile, I maneuvered exactly into his two missile salvos (I, er, *meant* to do that, just to make you feel good, John!). Beam time, again I win initiative, and this time we're within 12 inches. 16 beam dice make themselves known. IF Weak hulls also make themselves known as return fire eventually nickel-and-dimes two of my three beam ships into small nebulae. Turn 3. John's ships all ended up swarmed around my tug, which jumped out, so to speak, in a very final way. My other ships were out of range. Given that I had a 3 hour drive back and it was midnight, we called it. Two IF warships and a tug destroyed, the other four essentially untouched; three NRE DD and a FF destroyed, several others ready for the ship breakers, only two untouched. Three of mine surviving were missile ships, though, with only a Class 2 each remaining. Tactically, I'd say I was somewhat ahead; strategically, loing the tug was fatal. This was my first (yes, first) live game against an opponent other than myself, and I missed having my spreadsheets for move predictions. I also need to think more about my opponent's probable moves from his point of view. I might should have varied my weapons mix just a bit, also, although I was very pleased with my Beam ships. Large numbers of SMR's make for a very short game--either they're in the right place, or you lose. On the other hand, banzai jamming is the only defense against large numbers of SMR; PDS helps, of course, but it takes 4 PDS to kill ONE salvo on average. Bon Voyage, John.