• Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Topic: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

Hi.


There's a file for the standard Juggernaut (referred to nowadays as Juggernaut Alpha) over on the ADB site; which might go nicely with the Juggernaut mini they have available.

This pic might help show how large that mini is:

<IMG src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/Nerroth/Misc/CL41batch.jpg">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/Nerroth/Misc/CL41batch.jpg</IMG>

I only wish I had been able to get the thing assembled and painted. Ahem.

Given the nature of the game-to-game translation, there are a few details which aren't factored into the current Starmada Juggy (such as the rotating shield); while some of the options seen on later variants and hull types (not least the deadly Shriek missiles) have yet to be ported over. Still, the ship as it stands is no pushover.

Has anyone here had a go at using the Juggernaut as presented; and if not, based on what you see in the specs offered, how best might you fly it against (or fly against it with) the current crop of Star Fleet Armada empires?

  • Registered: 2010-07-08
  • Posts: 44

Re: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

I've played with the Juggy in FC several times, and have seen the Jug played in Starmada once.

I believe the Starmada Juggernaut is quite a bit more potent than it is in SFB/FC.

The rotating shield was more of a curse than a boon in my opinion, and removing it made the ship a far tougher cookie to crack. Also taking note the difference in phaser fire power in Starmada, the already ample phaser suite the Jug had is pushed strongly into the ohmygod territory. The phaser 4's in SFB/FC were awesome, but difficult to maximize their usage throughout the impulses while also keeping power for movement and the rotating shield. In Starmada, these considerations are minimized with only one firing and movement segment giving a Juggy captain a lot more room to err.

In fighting one in Armada, I think with equal ship values, you would have to maximize it's truly horrible mobility.

It's firing arcs are good, but I think getting a ship into the EF area would be of prime importance. Getting into close range will be suicide for most ships Battlecruiser and below. The Juggernaut will be able to bring round abouts 48 dice for concentrated phaser fire into her forward arc.

With her low speed, suicide shuttles gain some importance here. I'd think about launching a compliment and following them in 4-5 hexes back to at least draw some fire. Drone armed ships should do the same, if anything hoping he'll use some of his phasers to take them down, or maybe getting some lucky weapon hits.

I've got a player wanting to fly one in an upcoming game, I'll let you know how it goes.

  • Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Re: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

It is somewhat surprising to see it not be quite as nimble as its SFB/FC counterpart; perhaps this was a deliberate trade-off with the lack of a rotating shield?

Actually, two things that might be interesting to see in the future would be a revision to the current DN to incorporate Shriek missiles, and a variant showing the Missile Dreadnought from Captain's Log 41.

In case you are wondering, Shrieks cost six points apiece, and replace shuttles on a one-for-one basis. Historically, Beta had two, but others may have as few or as many as required. In FC, they go speed 32, take 12 points to kill, have an explosion strength of 35, can't be damaged by anti-drones, and have a +2 adjustment to hit from direct fire weapons. Oh, and they take six points of energy to tractor. For now, in FC, they are self-guiding, as they were when introduced to SFB; however, in CL41, SFB Shrieks were changed to become guided weapons, with a note saying that no Juggernaut (of any type) can control more than three seeking weapons at a time.

A diagram showing Beta would lose half of its shuttles, add two Shrieks, and up the ship's cost; one for a fully kitted-out Juggernaut DN would have no shuttles and 4 Shrieks.

Alternatively, a diagram for a Missile Dreadnought would have no cargo space, since those bays would be replaced with silos carrying 16 Shriek missiles! (This is why the seeking control limit is so important.) In theory, I suppose you could either leave the DNM's 4 shuttles on board as they are; but if you replaced them too, you'd have a grand total of 20 missiles to play with over the course of a given scenario.


Based on all of that, are there any thoughts about how Shrieks might work in Starmada?

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

Re: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

I think that this Juggernaught needs to have more hull; give it the full 24 hull.  Also, I would give it Armored Plating, because the SFB ship had armor as well as the rotating shield.  A way to better simulate its massive firepower, and enhanse the Phaser 4s at long range would be to give it Fire Control.   Do these upgrades and it will become the brute that it was/is in SFB.  8-)

  • Registered: 2009-12-10
  • Posts: 30

Re: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

One thing to bear in mind is, whatever hull size the standard Juggernaut would have, it might still need to not quite hit the upper ceiling; in order to facilitate the even larger Juggernaut BB (printed for SFB in CL41).

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

Re: Flying the Juggernaut in Star Fleet Armada?

There was a Bigger Juggernaught?  Wow!  Would love to see its SSD.  yikes  :ugeek: