Fleet Battles

[Master_Xan]

Started a new Rebellion game today, and just because I'm bored, I'll put the game's progress here as things happen.

 

Starting conditions:

Large galaxy, Hard, Normal victory. I'm the Alliance

 

(Note: To get better fleet battles, and faster, I've modified the cost of all ships, along with troops and facilities. I've made all troops and facilities researched at the beginning, allowing for much faster build-up of infrastructure. So if the speed seems off to you, that's probably it.)

 

One or two planets in each sector, nowhere do I have any strongholds. The Imps have most of Sesswenna and Farfin sectors and a few planets in each of the other sectors. I control Yaga Minor and have Sarin Vergilio there, he immediatly goes on espionage missions to determine their beginning troop and general placements in the Sesswenna sector.

 

I have a very good start, with multiple troop training facilities and several shipyards. Immediately they begin churning out Xwings and Mon Cal regiments, accordingly. Two Mon Cal regiments per planet, with 6 on my capital, Tierfon in the Sumitra sector (same sector as Yavin, a good location for HQ). Also putting 6 on Yavin, and 3 for the moment on Yaga Minor; my goal is to hold at least one planet in each sector to use as a staging base, and I expect Yaga Minor to come under attack quickly. Lucky for me, it started with a shipyard, so I'll have some Xwings to beat off any troop transports they send over. I'm hoping to have a large group of Xwings deployed on Yavin to beat off their initial assault there; usually I just abandon the planet, but with my HQ in the same sector I don't want the Imps getting any intel on the other planets, or worse, capturing Yavin and using it as a base.

 

In addition, I started with two, yes, two escort carriers. One at Tierfon, and one at Duros. In that sector (Corellian), I have Duros and Talus; the Empire only has three planets in the sector, so this is a prime sector for Alliance control. I transfer my special operatives agents (those good with sabotage and espionage) to Duros, and get the shipyard at Talus building Xwings for the carrier stationed at Duros. I keep the carrier there instead of Talus because two of the Imperial planets, including Corellia, are closer to Duros, so I expect it to be attacked first.

 

Because my HQ is near Yavin, I transfer Mon Mothma there and take advantage of Han's speed when I move all those characters into the core. First stop, my holdings in the Farfin sector. I'm not defending them too heavily; the Imperial presence in the sector is too strong to hope for a quick victory here, and there aren't any planets that support me but are under Imp control. But I want my two planets in the system to fully support me before I begin ignoring them, and more importantly, one of my only two construction yards is present on Wistril. I'll have to hold that planet for some time until I get more construction yards built elsewhere.

 

Taking stock of other goings on, I notice that one system is ripe for an Alliance takeover. I only control one planet in the Sluis sector, Praesitlyn, while the Empire has several planets there. But two of those planets are garrisoned worlds! I take the fleet from HQ, consisting of two Correllian Corvettes and one of my carriers and move them to Praesitlyn. Because that carrier was at the HQ, it's already been filled with fighters; two Xwings and 4 Awings. This is also where I decide to move my characters to next; after doing diplomacy missions in Farfin sector they all move straight to Praesitlyn via Han's additional speed. This is where I'll make my stronghold, recruiting additional characters and dealing my first decisive blow against the tyranical Empire!

 

I leave my medium transport at HQ, load it up and have it take all the planets in the Sumitra sector, one by one. After the HQ construction yard is finished building adv. construction yards, it has 5 of them. The Sumitra sector will become a major grouping point for my forces; most of the planets will become mining or refining systems, but I'll have one, maybe two shipyards there, as both Boordii and Alk'something have extensive energy available. I also turn Kashyyyk into a troop production planet with 5 adv. troop training facilities, they will supply the entire sector and probably much of my fleets with troops.

 

Uh oh, Talus is under blockade! The AI moves out before I can get a look at what's there. They'll probably turn up at Duros soon and I'll find out then, as my carrier with either fight or flee.

 

Lando is doing diplomacy missions on the oddball planets I hold throughout the galaxy, including Yaga Minor. I like having my staging points like me, it makes it harder for them to do missions there, and thus easier to keep them until I make a major push into the sectors they are in. And if I do loose one, I can take it back fairly easily because the people will still like me.

 

Because this is a long game, I'm going to need shield generators on most planets. As Wistril's construction yards finish up multiplying, I end up with 3 adv ones. They begin making shield gens, mach 2, for various planets throughout the galaxy.

 

My fleet has arrived in the Sluis sector, so out they go! Just before heading to Kothlis I group them with a bulk cruiser I managed to pull from another sector for the fleet. Kothlis is being oppressed, I'll liberate that planet first. When I arrive, there's nobody to defend it, and no shield generators! Two military bombardments later, all 4 Imp troop regiments have met a grizzley fate. The people love me! Sluis Van has an uprising going on, two other planets have declared neutrality, and three have joined me! On to Sluis Van, more liberations to come!

 

When my fleet arrives, there are again no orbital defenses. But there is a shield generator; fortunately Han and the others are nearly to Praesitlyn. After waiting for awhile, I get Chewy and Page over, and down goes that shield. I swiftly dispatch the 3 ground troops, and... now the people really love me! A few other planets join, Praesitlyn is completely red, and the final Imperial planet, Mon Cal, is in uprising. Quick, to Mon Cal! I'm sending my first wave of espionage characters to Duros, including Chewy and Page. Han and the other main characters are doing recruitment missions on Praesitlyn, and I'm shipping my ship researchers to HQ. Sometime soon those construction yards will build me a shipyard or to there in the Sumitra sector, and because thats in the Outer Rim away from the Imps it will make a fine researching base.

 

The Imperial fleet that bothered Talus has now arrived at Duros... it has a VSD, one Carrack, and a few TIEs. Too much for my carrier to take alone, especially since it doesn't have a full compliment of fighters yet. I retreat, but they move off as well. I return the carrier to Duros; it has to be there to protect the characters which will soon arrive.

 

When I arrive at Mon Cal, I'm greeted by a TIE squad. That doesn't last long against a carrier worth of Alliance fighters. There's no shields, but I find to my dismay that there is a turbolaser battery. Maybe I shouldn't have shipped all my sabotage characters to Duros already... no matter. I bombard the planet, causing the last few systems in the sector to join me. My bulk cruiser takes a heavy hit from that turbolaser though; its out of commission until some repairs are done.

 

Its day 122, and I control the entire Sluis sector. I have troops on each of the systems in the Sumitra sector, some of which are now sporting brand-new mines or refineries. Kashyyyk has training facilities as well, and several planets throughout the galaxy have a shield generator mach 2 already en route. Its time to buckle down, build some infrastructure to take advantage of the sector I know control, and recruit some personel. Loosing so many planets should hurt the Imperial war machine for awhile until they can get new sources of raw materials and refined materials, so it should be safe for awhile to build up and recruit without any strong offensive pushes. I'll have to get some defense to Yavin if I hope to hold it, and Yaga Minor will need heavy reinforcements, as will Duros and Talus.

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

A good read Xan. Keep it coming.

[Paul]

As an Imperial I must hope we destroy you. But it is a good read.-Grand Moff Conway

[Master_Xan]

More to come tonight, I'm trying to not post too much at once. Hopefully that will be the longest post, had to get the set up and all.

 

Moff Conway, aren't you getting enough Imperial victories with BS's great story? If not, as there may not be such a thing as too many Imperial victories, you can rest assured that I'm planning on doing one from the Imperial side as well. Just because I'm enjoying writing this one, and would like to show some of my strategies, maybe get some comments on them.

[Master_Xan]

Sorry for the double post, but this is the next bit (much shorter for easier reading)...

 

EDIT: Corrected some goof-ups I had. I mixed up this game with another I had been playing previously (how Bulky died is now correct).

 

Between days 122 and 164, not much happens. Things are built, including an adv. construction yard for Yaga Minor (though it will be 50ish days before it arrives). I recruit many people, who are sent out across the galaxy. Most end up at Duros for sabotage missions or doing diplomacy missions in the Sluis sector.

 

Day 165 sees my first real bad news. Mon Cal is where I decided to put [i/Bulky[/i],my aptly named and damaged bulk cruiser, while I moved the rest of the fleet to Sluis Van for protection of the construction yards I’m building there. I had edited a few of the capital ships, removing the VSD completely and replacing it with an upgraded Interdictor. It makes the opening battles more interesting, as the Empire starts with a few even though they require research to build more. I named them ‘Grave’ class Interdictors, as their arrival is usually a very grave thing for the Alliance. Anyway, one grave arrived at Mon Cal. Bulky had damaged shields and weapons, but even worse his hyperspace engines were offline, so he was no match for it. After quickly dispatching poor Bulky, the Grave moved to parts unknown. This is a major blow, as Bulky was the only bulk cruiser I started with; he and my three Corellian corvettes (Swift, Smooth, and Quick) were the only capital ships I had outside of a medium transport and my two carriers. My corvettes are now the only escort I can provide for my carriers, meaning an engagement with an ISD would be dangerous indeed.

 

Days 166-173 were quiet as well… almost as though I really had sent the Imps reeling with my seizure of the Sluis sector. But Day 174 quickly broke me of such notions. Wistril is under blockade! THEY ARE ASSAULTING WISTRIL! AAAAH! They have TWO ISDS, a VSD, another Grave, and… crap, they moved away before I could see what else they had. Fortunately, it must have been a weak assault. I’d stationed three Mon Cal regiments there, they killed one and two mines. But I retain control! Ha, eat that, Imperial tyrants! Looks like it helped my PR out too, though not enough to push anybody over the edge…

 

By day 177 I had done quite a bit of busy work. Recruitment just finished, I’ve started construction on the major shipyards in Sumitra sector, and I’ll soon have a construction yard planet in each of my important sectors (and a few in unimportant ones as well; got to hold those staging areas!). Unfortunately, my fleet remains 5 ships, of which one carrier is off on its own without even a corvette for an escort. If I’m going to make this a fleet battle, I’d better get those major shipyards going so I can build something besides fighters… besides, I'm getting a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach. The Empire has a nasty fleet in the sector with Wistril... I may not be able to hold my two planets there for long.

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Keep it coming Xan. I may not yet appreciate some of the changes you've made, but it makes for a good read.

[Master_Xan]

I got bored with the slow start, hence the speed changes. Some of the units I messed with to make more realistic, such as the dreadnaughts, and some just for fun. The VSD to Grave is one of my newest changes, and I'm debating taking it out. But I've got to tell ya, it makes it real interesting trying to take those things out in the beginning... really spices up the first few fleet engagments.

 

More to come later tonight, I work late but I'm off tomorrow so there should be plenty then.

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

I was just stating my opinion Xan. There was no criticism there.

[Master_Xan]

Couldn't tell if it was critism or not, but I still wanted to explain my thoughts on replacing the VSD. You should hear some of the wackier things I've tried...

[Master_Xan]

I seem to be getting good at these double posts...

 

Anyway, its time for an update. Day 192, and they took Wistril.

 

Assaulted it, but there's still good news. My two Mon Cal regiments managed to fend off four Imp fleet regiments, a stormtrooper regiment, and a dark trooper regiment. That's 6 losses to my 2! Also, I now know the makeup of their fleet... and it doesn't look good. Two ISDs, two galleons, and a Grave. Plus 6 TIEs and 1 Interceptor.

 

The only good thing is that I've managed to get some shipyards operational in the Sumitra sector and have begun my first fleet. Modest beginnings, I'm building two B-Frigates right now, but its a start.

 

Day 196 saw more bad news. Page was captured by General Nothos during an espionage mission to Vagran. Fortunately, I've got the people power in that sector to free him, and that's a high priority because I rather like Page...

 

By day 215 nothing else terrible has happened... Wistril is uprising for me, the shipyards in Sumitra are continuing my modest fleet, and I just received word of three carrack-class cruisers enroute to Drall (Corellian sector, just above my planet of Talus). I won't be able to get reinforcements there in time, as the fleet is still under heavy construction and even if it wasn't, Talus is about as far away from them as you can get anyway. This doesn't bode well.

 

I've slowed down my operatives, don't want them getting too far ahead or I'll make the AI too busy replacing troops and mines to build any ships. Its day 240 and I've got 24 Xwing squads on Yavin, and my newly commissioned fleet of two B-Frigates and two Dreadnaughts, with the dreadnaught Cutlass as flagship (complete with command personel). That's all the resources I'm willing to put for Yavin's defense right now, time to get some ships to Talus (I've been sabotaging enemy missions there on a regular basis now). Infrastructure is nearly complete, minus the Sluis sector which still has plenty of extra energy. Soon I'll make a grab for the Corellian sector, but not too quick or I risk hurting the Imp war machine too much for optimal fleet combat.

 

More tonight, as I continue to play...

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Page is always good to have around. Especially if you are fortunate enough to get him as a (higher level) Jedi. When that happens he's unstoppable.

[Master_Xan]

Yep, that's why I like him. Once got him trained up to Jedi Master, the guy had better stats then even Luke! Sorry I didn't get that second segment up last night, girlfriend distracted me (don't you just hate it when they call? )

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

I had him up to Master once as well. That was the same game that I trained Chewie to Master in one mission. Luke had a combat rating of well over 4000. Page didn't stand a chance.

[Master_Xan]

Jedi Chewie... wow, that's odd. And 4000?!? What did you do, send him on a mission to Corescant, rescue him, and send him out again?

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

He had had whole heaping $#!7loads of foiled missions that he managed to escape from. On top of that I caught Palpy on a planet. Right-click Luke. Left-click Mission. L-click Palpy. L-click OK. Speed, Fast. Listen for "There is a message from Master Luke." Speed, Very Slow. Repeat.

[Master_Xan]

(Here's one for you Imperial fans to read... at least, the last paragraph should be a good one for you.)

 

I decided to set up Kothlis as my central operations center in Sluis (its centrally located and has some construction yards, so it’s a good choice). This means my Enshroud fleet (the carrier Enshroud and my three corvettes) is stationed there, along with my excess fighters. I’d just begun collecting my people there, including an injured Mon Mothma (injured when a diplomacy mission was foiled), when an Imperial fleet shows up! Not to worry, its just one ISD and fighters. I drove it off, only minimal damage to a corvette. Destroyed three TIE squads as well, since the silly fools tried to stick around and fight against my 18 assorted Xwing/Awing squads… I even managed to damage that ISD’s shield recharge, though only a tiny bit.

 

On day 268 I managed to finally bust Page out of captivity on Vagran… and guess what? He’s going back for revenge. Going to capture General Nothos! Other that this, I’m keeping a tight leash on my personnel; I want fleet battles after all. I’ve also begun to consider bombarding neutral planets in other sectors to give the Empire a quick boost in popular support. This obviously isn’t something the Alliance would do, but then again, they wouldn’t keep their people sitting around doing silly missions instead of sabotaging shipyards, either. I'll think about the bombardment, not sure if I'll do it or not. (I later captured Nothos on day 278.)

 

Pretty quiet until day 318… they blockaded Bothawui and started doing bombardments! It’s an ISD, Grave, galleon, carrack, and even a strike cruiser. How the heck did they get strike cruisers researched already?!? I’m moving in with my local fleet, I can't win but I should hopefully be able to take down the galleon, thus preserving my planet… My fleet arrives on 321, but by then my noble defenders have been brutally killed from orbit, and the Imps control the system. Even worse, they have more fighters then I thought; 7 squads of interceptors. As the battle begins, he launches his TIEs and moves the capital ships in towards mine… I wait as long as possible before setting all my ships and fighters after his TIEs. Unfortunately, the big guns on his ISD Exterminator came into range of Smooth before all his fighters were launched, meaning that Smooth was at half shields before I’d even managed to fire a shot. One squad of TIEs falls to my corvettes… another falls to my Awings… in the end, I destroy all his fighters and damage the Grave’s shields, but do little more. I just lost a planet and my entire Enshroud fleet! Okay… this is bad. I’m sending all available ships from Sumitra and Corellian sectors, amounting to three dreadnaughts, two nebulan b-frigates, and my remaining carrier Swarm. They will become my new Cutlass fleet when they arrive at Kothlis… I hope its enough.

[Master_Xan]

Double posting is fun! Anyway, you Imperial fans will enjoy this one even more... and everyone should begin to see why having the Grave interdictors livens up the beginning of the game.

 

Well, day 353 arrives with a message that Fleet Cutlass has arrived at Kothlis… that is, the first part. Right now, it contains only the two nebulan b’s and two dreadnaughts from my HQ sector, Sumitra. Even in this state, I’m willing to gamble with it. I suspect that, like they usually do, they will have abandoned their newly conquered planet of Bothawui (that is, their fleet has probably left). It’s a big risk to take, considering if they haven’t left then I’ll loose all four of those ships, but I think it’ll pay off considering the other ships won’t arrive until 384. So off goes my tiny fleet…

 

And I was right! They left, leaving 6 assorted troop regiments behind as garrison. A quick bombardment repairs my relations with the people in Sluis sector and regains the planet. I still lost an entire fleet though, and now I’ve got nothing in Sumitra or Corellian sectors… not good, considering intel just pointed out Devastator and Tyrant, an ISD and a Grave respectively, en route for Drall in the Corellian sector. Add this to rumors of a TIE Defender squad under construction in the Dolomar sector, and I’m woefully behind in research. This could get interesting; I’m glad I didn’t push my advantage earlier on, this is much more fun.

 

By now (day 363), I’ve gotten another four planets through diplomacy in the Corellian sector. That means there’s only one neutral left, I have six and the Imps have three. But even better news; I managed to sabotage the Grave ship, Tyrant! I didn’t get the admiral onboard, but I’m happy enough with one less interdictor running around. Of course, the Devastator is still there at Drall, and a carrack now as well. I can’t seem to keep up my ship production to match theirs, I’m going to need some pinpoint strikes to whittle their forces down or I’m always going to be behind. Question is, how do I strike without leaving myself completely exposed?

 

Uh oh. They’re coming back! Day 372 gives me nasty intel that the Imp fleet which took Bothawui is returning, only this time with an additional carrack and another ISD. Fortunately, they only have one troop regiment in tow, and I anticipated this move and have already gotten a shield generator built there. Well, almost there; it arrives day 376 and their fleet’s ETA is 379. Tight, I know, but its good enough. I just managed to scrape up three Mon Cal regiments to put there, and the last one arrives 378 Lets see them take it this time!

 

I’m going to try one of those pinpoint strikes… with 7 advanced shipyards going on Talus, I managed to build up a fleet. Fleet Serenity contains a Mon Cal cruiser (Serenity), two dreadnaughts and two neb-b frigates. Loaded up with Xwings, I’m going after Devastator and its escorting carrack. Wish me luck…

 

Day 379. Dang, this is bad. The Exterminator and Punisher have arrived at Bothawui with their support ships. Turns out my intel was faulty, they don’t have one troop regiment. They have ten, all stormtroopers and dark troopers. They can’t bombard the planet with the shield, but I only have three Mon Cal regiments for protection, and I’m not sure they’ll survive if they try an assault.

 

Fortunately for me, they don’t assault. Day 380 starts with their hasty retreat, probably for another system in the Sluis sector. Hopefully not one that doesn’t yet have a shield generator… Fleet Serenity also arrives at Drall, meeting Devastator. Its carrack escort has left for parts unknown, and Devastator quickly retreats. Fleet Serenity is heading straight for Corellia, where I hope to put Devastator on the run again. If I keep him moving, it’ll buy me more time to strengthen the sector and all my newly acquired planets.

 

Crap. Exterminator and Punisher (along with their faithful sidekick, the Grave Oppressor) showed up on my doorstop on 383. One day before two of my dreadnaughts arrive... Yet again I suffer a devastating defeat, loosing the entire fleet. I managed to destroy all 14 TIE Int. squads, took down the shield recharge on the Oppressor and even damaged its weapon systems a bit before the last of my ships was annihilated in the crossfire from Exterminator and Punisher. I can't help but think that if they had been one day later, those two dreadnaughts might have been enough for me to destroy Oppressor and escape with my fleet... For some reason, they didn’t stay to assault Kothlis though! I didn't have any troop regiments, and he didn't assault. If he had, he probably would have caught Mon Mothma, who is injured, and Han, who is a general there. Fleet Cutlass’ command staff escaped the destruction of the fleet, which is a very good thing as well. Now my only ships are back in the Corellian sector… and my refined minerals aren't up to the task of operating my shipyards in the Sumitra sector these days. I can only hope he moved his fleet off for repairs to Oppressor. Otherwise he could really do some damage in the Sluis sector.

 

I think I'll move Fleet Serenity to Kothlis, using the shipyards at Talus to replace it and if I can get the minerals, then the shipyards in the Sumitra system will also contribute to a reborn Sluis fleet...

[Mitth_raw_nuruodo]

Sounds as if you've got quite the fight on your hands...

[Master_Xan]

haha, yep. That was the goal though, so I'll be pleased even if I loose. Wow, loose... I haven't lost a Rebellion game for years. Obviously I needed to do something like this before, huh? Or play a human so I can get my head handed to me on a silver platter. Assuming there's enough left to put on a platter...

[Paul]

Nice to see my side be aggressive and do damage to the rebel scum!! Ha ha! Good reading either way though - Grand Moff Conway

[Master_Xan]

Warning: Now that I've gotten to a decent stage in the game, I can't seem to stop playing. That means these posts are going to get longer...

 

Fleet Serenity arrived at Corellia on 387… chases Devastator away again. On to Vagran to wipe out the fighters my people tell me are stationed there, after that Serenity and her battle group are going to Kothlis; hopefully I’ll have enough time to rebuild a similar fleet before Devastator makes a move. And I definitely need more forces in the Sluis sector, as Punisher just arrived at Denab with two carracks, the strike cruiser and a galleon. Now I’ve got to liberate the planet somehow, as my single Mon Cal regiment there was quickly overwhelmed (though they took two stormtrooper regiments down with them ).

 

Day 396

“Move Serenity straight in. Have Pincer and Torpedo follow to the aft and starboard, with Thorn and Bear to the aft and port. Make sure Red group stays back for awhile, give us as much time on those interceptors as possible.â€