Topic: Question about the trait Escort.

The rules state that a hostile ship using its "Escort" ability can block the line of sight.   Can the ship with Escort itself that is using this trait be targeted?  That is, while a DE with Escort is protecting a CV by blocking the line of sight, can the DE itself be targeted?  If so, are there any minuses to hit the DE?
I am thinking that the protecting DE can be fired on regularly, but want to ask to make sure.
Cheers.

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Yeah the ship with escort can be targeted.  If it couldnt then escort would be an incredibly broken ability, just think and entire fleet of escorts that cant be shot at?  That said it still seems worth it, blocking LOS to you bigger ships with something relatively cheap can really make a difference.

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Thanks, that is what I thought. 
That ship with Escort is gonna get pulverized first.
After a while it may be a bit difficult to get crews to serve on these small ships with Escort... lol

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

I personally havnt used it, but ive had it used against me, and yes his escorts did get shot up pretty quick.  Then again most of my fleets long range fire power is meant to hurt much larger ships, so...it was really over kill on puny escorts.  Must of though he was pretty crafty, until he found out 80% of my fleets fire power is out to 9in, by which time his escorts were slag.

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Excellent.
All of my heavy ships have their mains shoot out to 18, their secondaries shoot out to 15, and a teryiary battery for close range AA that shoot out to only 6.
Here is HMS Valiant, which is typical of my DNs:

NAME: HMS VALIANT

Stevens Ships QUEEN ELIZABETH-class Standard Dreadnought  (400)
ARMOR [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_][_][_] [_][_][_][_]
HULL [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_][_] [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_] [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_]
THRUST [5][4][3][2][1]    WEAPONS [_][1][2][3][4]
ECM [_][_][_][_][_] SHIELDS [_][_][_][_][_]
Fire Control

WEAPONS ARCS RANGE ATTACK DICE                                           -4   -6   -8 -10
15 Inch Strike Cannon (Acr/Gid) [FX2][AX2] 6-12-18          16 11 8 6 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 0
4.5 Inch Strike Cannon (Acr/Gid/Rpt) [TR1][RT3] 5-10-15    5 4 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
40 Mm Strike Guns (Acr/Gid) [TT4][TT4][TT4][TT4] 2-4-6    4 3 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Looks like  solid choice to blow away enemy escorts, if that is indeed its purpose.  In the game i played against them i also used a DN to take them out, though mines a bit different, if eqaulish i cost ^^.  Choose it instead of my BB, as my BB had done horrible terrible things to their ships the previous game...though in the end this ship did too. 



NAME:
TEC MARZA-class Dreadnought  (405)
ARMOR    [_][_][_][_]    [_][_][_]    [_][_][_]
HULL 
                [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_]    [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_]    [_][_][_][_][_]
[_]
THRUST    [3][2][2][1][1]       WEAPONS    [_][1][2][3][4]
ECM    [_][_][_][_][_]    SHIELDS    [_][_][_][_][_]
Directional Defenses (FF); Fire Control

WEAPONS    ARCS                                      RANGE    ATTACK DICE            -4           -6         -8         -10
Implosion MSSL (Acr/Bls/Gid/Slw)    [FF]    8-16-24    30    21    15    11    8    5    4    3    2    1    1    1
HVY Auto Cannons (Acr)    [FF3][FP3][FS3]    3-6-9    27    19    14    10    7    5    3    2    2    1    1    1
PD Laser (Sct)    [TT]                               1-2-3             3    2    1    1    1    1    0    0    0    0    0
LGT Railgun (Acr/Bls)    [FR]                         5-10-15    10    7    5    4    3    2    1    1    1    0    0    0

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

The HMS Valiant two posts up was soundly defeated today; not enough hull and Armor.  I have redesigned it lowering the speed to 4 and deleting the 40mm Strike guns.  All of the space saved has been used for Armor...  The ship now has 28 armor. 8-)

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Thats never good, always hurts to see somethin so big get blown up.  Hopefully it killed something.

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

I made some Federation type ships for my friends to use so I could introduce them to this Nova Edition.  Here is the Federation BC:

NAME:  These BCs are formitable...

Federation BATTLECRUISER-class Starship  (346)
ARMOR   
HULL [_][_][_][_][_]
[_][_] [_][_][_][_][_]
[_] [_][_][_][_][_]
[_]
THRUST [5][4][3][2][1]    WEAPONS [_][1][2][3][4]
ECM [_][_][_][_][_] SHIELDS [3][4][5][6][6]
   
WEAPONS ARCS RANGE ATTACK DICE -4   -6   -8 -10
Large Phasers (Sct) [FX2][PH4][SH4] 6-12-18 8 6 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
Photon Torpedoes (Dx3/Prc) [FH] 6-12-18 3 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

If a ship with the trait Escort is destroyed, does its effect linger for the rest of the turn; is any fire thru the hex that the escort was in b4 it was destroyed still blocked for the rest of the turn?
:arrow: For example, a hostile heavy cruiser is only 15 hexes from one of my Arizona class DNs and will get blasted by this DN.  To protect this vulnerable CA, my opponant moves a small escort right next to the CA in between to block line-of-sight.  When we enter the firing phase, my first ship to shoot is a DD that fires at & destroys the small escort ship.  Does this then clear the blocked line of sight so that my DN can fire at the hostile CA, and, of course,  the CA could fire back?

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

BeowulfJB wrote:

If a ship with the trait Escort is destroyed, does its effect linger for the rest of the turn; is any fire thru the hex that the escort was in b4 it was destroyed still blocked for the rest of the turn?

No. Once the escort is destroyed, its effect dissipates.

Daniel Kast
Majestic Twelve Games
cricket@mj12games.com

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Thanks for the clear-up. 
That was what I thought based on the wording.  It makes escorts able to be delt with two ways:  Scout ships, and pulverizing the Escort.  8-)

Re: Question about the trait Escort.

Escort is an expensive trait. It seems the ideal escort should be weapon-less and full of defenses. A flying bunker...

Marc