![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=91.7){kind=small}
happy We have three people, and today we did a three-way free-for-all. As I'm the most experienced (and teaching the others) it is inevitable that I would be the one that gets picked on more than the other two (even though I also had a weaker force). So today's line up:
Y135
| Mark | Mike | James | |||
| Federation | Klingons | Kzinti | |||
| CL | 98 | D6 | 122 | CL | 84 |
| DD | 94 | F5 | 71 | CL | 84 |
| Total | 192 | 193 | 168 | ||
The first couple turns were spent maneuvering and each trying to get a decent position without being too vulnerable to the third person. On turn 2 both the Fed light cruiser and one of mine took internal hits, but nothing they couldn't survive. The bigger problem for me was loosing both right-hand shields on that ship. This forced me into a graceless 360-degree turn that put me out of the fight for turn three.
Unfortunately, nothing decisive happened while I wasn't involved. But the Fed-DD missed with 2 photons at the start of 4, and then turned away - from me and it's supporting CL. I chased it down and made sure it wouldn't bother anyone again. In the meantime, the Klingons slipped in behind me.
Over the next couple turns, the DD gets away (by separation), the F-CL, the D6 and the F5 pound my damaged CL. We left the day with the D6 chasing away my other CL and the damaged one crippled and unable to get away from the F5 and F-CL. About the only thing that wasn't really decided was if the F-CL and F5 would have a falling out on the next turn, and what would happen. The F-CL had lost one shield, and a third of it's weapons. The F5 is smaller and had a couple of dented shields, but was intact. So, if one got a great shot at the other... and maybe the Z-CL could get away at that point. But it was crippled, and had lost 5 of it's six shields.
So with me out of it, and the Feds down a ship, it's pretty obvious that Mike came out on top of today's fighting. Considering that I'm trying to teach them to do better, it's good to loose. Good job Mike!
August 21 2005, 06:49:00 UTC 6 years ago
August 22 2005, 02:50:24 UTC 6 years ago
Hardest thing to determine with mulit-player free-for-alls like this is what constitutes teaming up? I cetainly had some lovely shots on Mark but didn't take them. Probably should have.
I think I could have taken the both of you on at end game. Ambush the F-CL, and my D5 was a match for your CL4. Kill them all! Let... whatever-that-Klingon-god-is sort them out
August 22 2005, 17:28:27 UTC 6 years ago
I think the team up to kill the hurt Z-CL (#5) made sense. But once it was crippled, there's the question of hurting it more so it's not so hard to chase, or try and take out the other pursuing ship?
Cagey play could give the F-CL a free shot at the weak rear shields of the F5. The firepower isn't great, but it'd certainly hurt it. Then the CL disengages in a hurry. ^_^
The D6 was certainly the biggest boy on the block. And pretty much intact too. Even at the beginning of the battle, it's biggest worry was probably avoiding exchanging a single close-range volley with the DD (which might hurt it more than the DD. However, CL4 was disengaging, and the D6 had gotten too far away from the fight centering on CL5 to influence it much.
August 22 2005, 17:05:51 UTC 6 years ago
Kzinti light cruiser review
I've played Kzinti before, but not often (and it was all a decade ago). Further, it's generally been with General War era toys like the BC, CM and fast drones.So what do I do? I stick myself with a pair of what's probably the most generally maligned class they have. Of course, they're supposed to be better suited for this early era, providing the bulk of the Kzinti fleet....
At first glance, they look underpowered (like a lot of early Kzinti and Hydran ships), with a maximum speed of 28.
The trick is to realize that it's very rare for any ship to go anywhere near that speed until the advent of war cruisers in another thirty years. In fact, they consistently went faster than all the other ships which could theoretically go speed 31.
Now, I was giving up a few things, I never overloaded disruptors, except off of batteries. But I don't think there was much overloading being done, except by a D6 that promptly dropped to speed 9.
What I realized, is that the CL isn't underpowered so much as underweaponed. Two disruptors, two ph-1s, four ph-3s and two drone racks is a little light in overall firepower, and decidedly light in medium- to long-range firepower. Worse, while it does all centerline, generally only half the firepower is available to fire at any target. (The same comments also apply to the larger CS, but I'm not used to it either.)
It seems a better strategy for the Kzintis is to plan an oblique pass off a particular side, and just charge/overload disruptors on that side, and load the opposite side disruptors off of batteries if needed. That would allow an overloaded pass at the 19/21 speeds I was already achieving, and boost speed up to about 23 with a standard load.
Now, the refitted CL with two extra disruptors and two more power in an era where firing passes *can* happen at speed 31... that is going to be underpowered. At least the four drone racks will be worth something.
August 29 2005, 04:19:31 UTC 6 years ago
This is only a simulation, in case of an actual emergency...
This game started well for the Federation, but a few tactical errors and a mis-guess of enemy intentions and well, it wasn't pretty.Really liked flying the Federation ships versus past Lyran ships, but need to be more patient with saber dancing tactics. The large amount of phasers on the Fed N-CL and DD allow for quick strikes while the photons keep the enemy from getting too close to counter punch. Unfortunately, I did neither well for this scenario and paid the price. Add to that that the Federation Destroyer is a ship that has trouble "walking and chewing gum" and it was a tough game to win. It is underpowered, plus I paid for energy for life support then I needed! However, this is only the fourth major SFB game I've played in the last 17 years, so it all evens out as I feel I'm still playing catch up re-learning the game.
Kudos to Mike for keeping his ship mostly intact while the Kzintis and Fed's lost systems like they were cheap tokens for a burro ride.
Next scenario promises to be just as challenging- "Tug of War" , will be flying Orions for that one.
August 29 2005, 17:32:17 UTC 6 years ago
Re: This is only a simulation, in case of an actual emergency...
One thought I had a couple days ago would be to send the CL ahead (with it's armor to absorb punishment), tractor an enemy ship, and drag it back to the DD. The CL would be pretty beaten up, but the victim could well be much worse, especially when used against races without great one-turn crunch power (i.e., disruptor races - or anyone else during a reload turn).I'm also hoping to keep you on the Lyrans. 1- The ESG was definitely designed with drones in mind, and this isn't the last you'll see of the Kzinti. 2- Around Y140 we have a massive three fleet battle -all with Lyran ships.