• Registered: 2006-03-23
  • Posts: 241

Topic: Duel in Orlando

Recently, it was proposed to me by another member of the MJ12 forums that, as we live in the same town, we should meet and pit a fleet of our own designs against each other. I felt that it would be a good idea to post those fleets here for validation and a little constructive feedback from the community. I will be designing several fleets of approximately 2,500 point value and on the day of the game I will choose one of the various designs so that my opponent will not know my fleet composition.

  • Registered: 2006-03-23
  • Posts: 241

Re: Duel in Orlando

My first thought is a classic swarm fleet. A horde of small fast ships that will run an opponent down and destroy them.

Composition:
54x PIRANHA -class GUNBOAT

Design(s):
( 46 ) PIRANHA -class GUNBOAT of the CONJECTURAL SPACE NAVY
     Hull:     2 1
[0] Engines:  10 5
[0] Shields:  1 1

Weapons:
1:W  2:W  3:W  4:W  5:W  6:W
W: [0] Laser Carronade:  4/8/12,  1/3+/1/1, Carronade
[AB] [AB]

Special:  [0] Hyperdrive; [0] Armor Plating; [0] Countermeasures; [0] Stealth

  • Registered: 2006-03-23
  • Posts: 241

Re: Duel in Orlando

My second take is similar to the first except substituting a fighter swarm for a small ship swarm.

Composition:
3x BROBDINGNAG -class CARRIER
45x RAFAELE -class FIGHTER

Design(s):
( 812 ) BROBDINGNAG -class CARRIER of the CONJECTURAL SPACE NAVY
     Hull:     9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
[0] Engines:  6 6 5 4 4 3 2 2 1
[0] Shields:  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Weapons:
1:  2:  3:  4:  5:  6:

Special:  [0] Hyperdrive; [0] Carrier (750)

Comments: Carrying fifteen (15) squadrons of the RAFAEL-STANDARD FIGHTER, this class was designed as a pure fighter carrying platform. The BROBDINGNAG class is in serious trouble if caught without its fighters in space. In the basic rules, all fighters begin on the board but if required to launch  them during a scenario, this class will take five (5) turns to launch its standard fifteen (15) fighter groups.

( 50 ) RAFAELE -class FIGHTER of the CONJECTURAL SPACE NAVY
50, 6/10/5+/0

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: Duel in Orlando

japridemor wrote:

54x PIRANHA -class GUNBOAT

You will use figures  :shock: or counters?
About its stats, maybe the shield value of 1 could be forfeited (low value), as well as the armor plating which should not have a great value as the gunboat has not many hull points.
About the carrier, the launch tubes could be useful.

Marc

  • Registered: 2008-11-30
  • Posts: 79

Re: Duel in Orlando

I disagree with removing the Shield 1.  Unless your opponent has Ignores Shields you will always keep that rating against all attacks.  Therefore 1 in 6 of all hits are ignored, and with a massive swarm like this the other player may be trying to take down each ship with just a single attack.

I am unsure about the Armour Plating.  With the low Hull value I can see that you would want to do whatever you can to protect it, but with a vessel this small you could easily end up with ships with no engines or weapons that can then be ignored by your opponent (still a "mission kill").  You may want to replace it with Point Defense if your opponent uses fighters.

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: Duel in Orlando

RobinStirzaker wrote:

I disagree with removing the Shield 1.  Unless your opponent has Ignores Shields you will always keep that rating against all attacks.

Don't forget the piercing trait, easily found.

Therefore 1 in 6 of all hits are ignored, and with a massive swarm like this the other player may be trying to take down each ship with just a single attack.

What I say is that, having a low hull value, three or four hits will almost always kill the gunboat. The shild value will, in average, work only against one gunboat over two, and in the end, your 'protected' gunboat will have a fair chance to be killed nonetheless.

Marc

  • Registered: 2008-11-30
  • Posts: 79

Re: Duel in Orlando

Piercing won't help as the rules state that irrespective of any modifiers so long as the ship has a basic Shields value of at least 1 then you always need a 2 or better to penetrate.  Therefore piercing only helps against Shields 2 or higher.

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: Duel in Orlando

The rule says that the IMP roll must be higher than the shield value in order to penetrate.
The piercing rule says that the IMP DR is increased by 1.
Thus a piercing weapon always penetrate a shield 1.
I didn't find in the rules that you always have to roll 2+ in order to penetrate a shield 1. Where did you find that, please?

Marc

  • From: Denver, CO
  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 3,575

Re: Duel in Orlando

madpax wrote:

I didn't find in the rules that you always have to roll 2+ in order to penetrate a shield 1. Where did you find that, please?

Core Rulebook, p.23:

"Some options introduce modifiers to the impact roll. These modifiers may result in a situation where an impact roll cannot fail; e.g. a +1 modifier against a target with a shield rating of 1. In such cases, note that any die that comes up 1 (before modifiers) fails to cause impact, provided the target has a non-zero shield rating."

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

mj12games's Website

  • Registered: 2010-03-09
  • Posts: 630

Re: Duel in Orlando

Thanks a lot, I forgot this rule!

Marc

  • Registered: 2006-01-17
  • Posts: 740

Re: Duel in Orlando

Hello to all Starmada players in Orlando,
Let me know when y'all play again.  I have friends that live there and if the gaming is on the weekend, I could come visit from Jacksonville and play, if that would be ok.   8-)