Topic: Battle Report (Small Battle)

Here is a battle report with less than 100 ComRat of ships. I wanted to evaluate a design that I am thinking of using for a campaign so I took two of them, 43 points each, and tried to find an opponent of similar value to test them against. I settled on the Arcturan Peregrine class Escort from the Starmada rulebook. They come in at 44 points which is as close as you could ask for. Of course, my ships are -2 tech level in all categories while the Arcturans are +1 weapon and equipment but the points were close to even.


Chuikov Class Destroyer of the Terran Imperial Navy   ( 43 )
Mass: 51 KmT, Crew: 213, TL:   E:-2  W:-2  D:-2  Q:-2
Hull: 4 3 2 1
Engines: 4 3 2 1
Shields: K: 0 | E: 0 | B: 0
[α] Uc3b Laser Emitter [3/6/9, 4+ 2/1/1, Energy, Doubled Range Modifiers]
AB, ACE, BDF
[β] ER-2 Proximity Missile [6/12/18, 3+ 1/1/1, Ballistic, Must Re-Roll Penetration Dice]
AB, AB, AB
Warp Drive [O], Armor Plating, Vehicle Bay
1[Hα], 2[Eα], 3[Hβ], 4[Eβ], 5[H], 6[Q]

VBAM Stats
Cost: 6, Maint: 1/2, DV: 3, AS: 3, AF: 1, CR: 4, CC: 2, Base: 0, Spd: 4, Warp: Y, Notes:


Peregrine Class Escort of the Arcturan Federation   ( 44 )
Mass: 22.1 KmT, Crew: 123, TL:   E:0  W:1  D:0  Q:1
Hull: 2 1
Engines: 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Shields: K: 2 1 | E: 2 1 | B: 2 1
[α] Laser Cannon [4/8/12, 4+ 1/1/1, Energy]
ACE, ACE, BDF, BDF
Warp Drive [O], Armor Plating, Long Range Sensors [O]
1[HEDα], 2[2EQ], 3[HEQ], 4[2Eα], 5[HEα], 6[EDα]

VBAM Stats
Cost: 4, Maint: 1/3, DV: 3, AS: 4, AF: 0, CR: 3, CC: 2, Base: 0, Spd: 8, Warp: Y, Notes: Atmospheric Fast


My ships looked sturdier and better armed but are pretty light on defense. Due to my -2 TL defenses are just way too massive so I was hoping the Armor Plating would help protect me. We have decided to not use the repair rules during combat in our campaign so the battles will go quicker.

Set-up: Opening distance was 21 hexes. Both forces started with their ships adjacent to each other, tucked in tight and straight down a line of hexes towards the other side.

Turn 1: I knew the Peregrines were fast and I wanted to keep them in range of my Proximity Missiles but out of their range as long as possible so both of my ships backed up two hexes. My opponent charged forward and slit up, one ship going a little left and the other going a little right. No shooting, we were both out of range.

Turn 2: Again, I backed up two hexes and the Arcturans flew eight hexes straight towards me. It worked out well as I was just out of range of their Laser Cannons but within range of my Proximity Missiles. Both of my ships fired at Arcturan-2.
Terran-1 fired at range 13 and scored two hits, neither of which penetrated. Terran-2 fired at range 14 but only hit once. This hit also failed to penetrate. It looked like the Must Re-Roll Penetration Dice weapon ability was a bad idea. I assumed that I would be fighting other low tech races who couldn't afford the SUs for defenses like me. However, the Arcturans were packing level two defenses.

Turn 3: Once again I backed up two hexes. I knew my opponent would close into range but seeing how poorly my Proximity Missiles performed last turn, I was now thinking I was about to get reamed. The speedy little Arcturan buggers again poured on the speed and moved eight hexes straight ahead. The Arcturans split their fire, each ship firing at a different one of mine while both of my ships fired at the slightly closer Arcturan-2.
Arcturan-1 fired two Laser Cannons at Terran-1 at range 8, hitting once, and penetrated (of course, since I had no defenses). Terran-1 lost a Hull and a Proximity Missile. Arcturan-2 fired two Laser Cannons at Terran-2, hitting once, and penetrating. Terran-2 lost an Engine and a Proximity Missile. In return, Terran-1 fired three Proximity Missiles and two laser Emitters at Arturan-2, missing with the lasers but hitting with all three Missiles. One of the missiles actually penetrated and took out two Engines and the Long-Range Sensors of Arcturan-2. Terran-2 got into the act and also fired three Proximity Missiles and two Laser Emitters. Again all three missiles hit and this time one laser also hit. Two of the missiles penetrated and both destroyed a Hull, Engine, Defense and Laser Cannon each. Deprived of Hull, despite the Armor Plating, the flimsy Arcturan-2 blew up before the laser hit could register.
Now the tables had turned. Both of my ships had piddling damage but the lone Arcturan was out massed and out gunned.

Turn 4: As this was basically a simulator test and not “real” ships from a campaign, my opponent bored in to get a little payback rather than using his superior speed to try and break off. His lone ship swung wide left (to my starboard), turned and faced back in. My ships turned to the right and closed on where I thought he would be. The damaged engines of Terran-2 meant that my ships ended up in the same hex, with my Arcturan opponent almost straight ahead 5 hexes away. The Arcturan fired at Terran-2 and obviously, both of my ships fired at Arcturan-1.
The Arcturan fired two Laser Cannons and both hit and penetrated. Terran-2 took a Hull hit through her Armor Plating and then a hit that killed another Engine and another Proximity Missile. Terran-1 fired two Laser Emitters and only two Proximity Missiles at the Arcturan. With the worst rolls ever, everything missed! Terran-2 also fired two Laser Emitters and two Proximity Missiles. Only one Proximity Missile hit. At least it managed to penetrate and destroyed two Engines and a Laser Cannon aboard the Arcturan.
If only I could get some hits, this battle would be over!

Turn 5: I thought the Arcturan would fly by my ships so, keeping my ships together, I turned to the right to keep him in arc and crept forward one but he fooled me. Taking a page from my book, he backed up three hexes. Now we were straight down a hex line from him 6 hexes apart and in his A and B arcs while he sat in my A and C arcs. He fired at Terran-2 again while both of my ships tried to nail him.
Arcturan-1 fired three Laser Cannons this time but only hit (and penetrated) with one. Terran-2 lost her Warp Drive.Terran-1 returned fire with two Proximity Missiles and two Laser Emitters. Both missiles hit and the lasers scored two hits as well. The missiles failed to penetrated (of course) but both laser hits went through. The first hit took out two more Engines and a Laser Cannon while the second destroyed yet another two Engines and her Warp Drive. Still no hull hits however. Terran-2 fired only one Proximity Missile and two Laser Emitters at the retreating Arcturan, scoring a hit with the missile and two laser hits.  The missile hit penetrated the still full strength Arcturan defense and destroyed another Engine and the Long-Range Sensor but the Armor Plating stopped any Hull damage. Both laser hits penetrated. The first destroyed a Hull (finally) and the last Engine while the last hit looked as if it would destroy the ship but it was also stopped by the dense Armor Plating. The lamed Arcturan was now dead in space but still retained half of her armament.

Turn 6: Wanting to end this bloody encounter, I turned to port and closed on the enemy who sat and drifted. Terran-2 with her maimed engines was 5 hexes from the enemy while Terran-1 closed to the point-blank range of 3 hexes. The Arcturan fired at Terran-1 this time as both of my ships fired at the lone enemy.
The Arcturan fired two Laser Cannons, both of which hit and did identical damage. Terran-1 lost two Engines and two Laser Emitters. Returning fire, Terran-1 fired three Laser Emitters and two Proximity Missiles. Everything hit! One missile and one laser hit failed to penetrate but the other one missile and five laser hits smashed home. Three rolls into the damage and the Arcturan Armor Plating failed and the tiny ship exploded.

Both of my ships had taken a beating but I was proud of how the design had fared against a higher tech opponent. In retrospect the Arcturan should have approached me straight down a hex rather than splitting to either side. They could have then massed their fire and perhaps won. Maybe we'll have a rematch?</t>

Re: Battle Report (Small Battle)

Sounds like a pretty even match if you ask me, but then again, that is what the point costs are for!

Now for me, size 4 ships are normally the move in and engage at short range (like your lasers have been designed for). For your missiles, I would lower the range to 15, remove the "Must Re-Roll Penetration Dice" and get rid of one of the missiles (2 instead of 3).  The comRAT is 48 (which isn't a big difference) and I think those pesky Arcturans will be in for a surprise.

You could also keep the missile's range at 18, change the to hit value to 4+ and the comRAT would be 47

Nice battle report and as always happy hunting,
-Bren

Re: Battle Report (Small Battle)

Sounds like fun I hope to play with you guys sometime.

...................Doug/Inari7