Showdown on the border, with a twist

 After the successful training over the last three weeks, the last day of the month features a three way meeting of Terrans, Aquarians and Carnivores.  Setting a 2000 point ceiling on each force,  we were eager to see the three squadrons. 

The Aquarian squadron was lead by a battle cruiser (BC) , included 3 cruisers (CA), a destroyer, and a star bomber squadron of two Yeeha mk2's and one Yeeha mk1. The star bombers were a risk, brought along as an experiment to have waves of the annoying Aquarian missiles hit the opposing fleets.  

The space cloth used up the entire dining table surface.  The Terrans started in the left upper corner,  opposite in the right corner were the Carnivores fleet.  The Aquarian ships came in at the middle row on the lower side. 

The Terran Fleet consists of a battle cruiser,  a cruiser ,two destroyer Leaders, three destroyers, three star bombers and two armored pursuit ships.  The battle cruiser afforded the Terran player some fighters.

The Carnivores were organized around a battle cruiser,a cruiser, two destroyer leaders,  two destroyers and two star bombers.  The battle cruiser/cruiser combination allowed some fighters to the Carnivores as well. 

Starting positions.

The Carnivores had crossed into Terran space,  as the Terrans saw it. Last week the Entomolian fleet had ravaged the sector,  and now this brand of aggression needed attention to be stopped.

During our traditional show and tell,  Greg displayed his recently painted Terran Attack Carrier and Super Galactic Dreadnought,  calling them his 'heavy reserve.' They did stay just off table but were not available for the scenario.  

  

 Greg's Terran 'Heavy Reserve' on parade.

 

Carnivores versus Terrans,  interference from a third party. 

Fleets all started with a drift of three, the drift was controlled by all three fleets and had a muted effect on the game.

During the last stages of the first move,  where the three fleets approached long range to each other,  a message to the Carnivores from the Aquarian was heard over both Terran and Carnivores command nets. 

 

 

"Carnivore fleet,  this is the Aquarian Task Force commander.  We are neutral in this engagement. However unless you adjust the course of your ships before entering medium range of our ships, we will consider it a hostile act and will defend our forces." 

Needless to say, this message was unexpected by both the Terran and Carnivores...neither fleet wanted to fight two fleets, but the neutrality message was the first ever received by either the rebel Terrans or the Carnivores.   Neither fleet replied to the Aquarian directive directly. The Carnivores star bombers were redirected in turn two, the Terran Fleet angled its approach more directly toward the Carnivores.   Both fleets launched fighters. 

The Aquarian fleet reduced speed and took up a position to monitor the engagement. Just outside medium range of the weaponry. 

In turn two the first blood was due to a combination of Terran missiles, heavy fighters and a star bomber run against the two leading Carnivores destroyers.  It took turns two and three, but the first Carnivores destroyer succumbed to plasma torpedoes from a Terran star bomber.  Terran missiles also attacked the Carnivores cruiser but did not do heavy damage. 

The Aquarian fleet maintained station and monitored for life boats.

 In the third turn the Carnivores turned to fully meet the Terrans,  tentatively assuming the Aquarian ships would stay neutral.  Fighters and missiles were launched and directed at a second Carnivores destroyer and two Terran star bombers.  

  

Carnivore ships in buff, Terran in blue.

 Terran fighters in blue, Carnivore fighters in light grey.

The Aquarian ships maintained stations and monitored the positions of escape pods.

Turn four showed the Terran star bomber squadron swept from existence,  the second Carnivores destroyer reeling from Terran Fleet heavy and medium ranged weaponry,  with damage also to the Carnivores cruiser.  Answering the Terran, the Carnivores had damaged two Terran destroyers scoring some internal systems hits. 

The Aquarian ships maintained position, but just before turn 5 started,  a message to the Carnivores stating that the Aquarian squadron would pick up and deliver survivors if the Carnivores broke off the engagement.  A similar message was received by the Terrans.  Both fleets had received losses and decided that the empty space was not worth further loss, agreed to break off. 

Suddenly the Aquarian fleet was alone, except for some anxious but relieved escape pod occupants.  

And so art was affected by real life. I had a tooth extracted about ninety minutes before the game,  but we had planned on a three way action the week before.   Neutrality allowed me to interact with a plausible story line.  See below. 

The extraction was a personal experience not scheduled,  whereas the game was scheduled.  I was still numb, could not hurt.

When I saw all the fleets had star bombers,  I knew that the battle would start 'hot' as both Roger and Greg are aggressive with the star bomber squadrons.  I decided to use the rulebook fluff for the Aquarians, they are actually doing this sort of action, and actively helping one side if the battle is lopsided. 

What next ? Greg is pushing for scenarios more asymmetric,  with freighters and star bases in the mix.  We may just use one of the two ready-made freighters SSD and for the star base the stats of a Super Galactic Dreadnought.  

The more we get into the game the more I enjoy it.