Fleet War

[Master_Xan]

Anybody remember a loooooong time ago, when I optimized my settings to produce epic fleet battles? Guess what, I'm at it again!

 

I've made dozens of changes, all in the effort to focus the game (and the AI) around ships and ship combat. If you want all the details, drop me a line and I'll send you a list. It should suffice to say that I've halved research requirements, made adv. construction facilities available at the start, doubled their production and mine/refinery production, halved mine/refinery cost, chopped hyperspace times down by 75%, and added some Reloaded units (patrol craft replaces Imperial star galleon, bulk transport can be built by both sides, tie scimitar replaces bomber, ewing replaces ywing). Oh yeah, and all the systems start out colonized.

 

I will post here the results of my modifications. I'm confident that I will get to post epic fleet engagements, as I did last time I undertook to do so. For this game, I will play as the Empire; if there is enough interest, I'll do another thread as the Alliance. Because these will be long posts, I will put into bold and color the days where large battles take place, so if that's all you want to read, you can find it quickly.

 

Day 1:

Taking stock of everything. Looks like I have military control over Hoth and Tokmia in the Churba sector, Tatooine and three other systems in the Orus sector, two systems in the Dufilvan sector, one in Mayagil, nothing in Sluis, and two in each Corellia and Sesswenna.

 

Looks like my fleet is only two VSDs and an ISD. Oh, and one troop transport. Humble beginnings indeed...

 

Day 17:

The outlying sensor network around Corescant has picked up unidentified vessels on a least-time course to planetary orbit. NavInt makes it out to be one bulk cruiser, two other vessels that are probably transports, and an rebel fleet carrier.

 

Dispatching the ISD Chimaera (Admiral Ozzel commanding) and scrambling the local fighter squadrons under Commander Dorja. General Veers has been notified and is stationing his troops at the Imperial palace and other key locations planet-wide.

 

Ha, the fools! Com. Dorja's forces were able to jump their fighter screen, killing several of the rebel scum without a single loss. Long-range torpedo strikes damaged the bulk cruiser's shield generators even as it fled into hyperspace. A resounding Imperial victory!

 

Day 19:

While on a routine exploratory mission, the VSD Engager is ambushed by rebel starfighters in the Deyer system (Churba sector). Forced to flee, Engager's captain scrambled his entire compliment of TIE fighters while his ship made it's way out of one of the system's planetary gravity wells. Twenty-four pilots bravely gave their lives, enabling the Engager to escape with only minor damage. Just before pulling out of the system, unmanned probes tight-beamed sensor data to Engager's command bridge; based upon intercepted message traffic decoded after the battle, Deyer was seized by criminal factions some time ago.

 

Day 22:

Engager returns to the Deyer system. Having been outfitted with advanced TIE Interceptor models and with Commander Jerjerrod commanding, Engager's small task force utterly annihilated the two rebel squadrons which had previously taken the lives of so many courageous TIE pilots. After taking further sensor readings, Engager left to continue it's original mission, while Jerjerrod is dispatched to head a diplomatic envoy to nearby Tokmia.

 

The same day, Svivren's newly-placed sensor network squawks an alarm; a small rebel group under command of the rebel carrier Zephyrus is heading into the system! Svivren just joined the Empire days before, and is completely unprepared for the assault. While transports landed troops on the surface, the diplomatic envoy under Piett's command bravely fought to a starport just outside the capital. Piett had to be carried to emergency escape shuttles after saving his bodyguard from rebel snipers. He is expected to make a full recovery and return to active duty in a few weeks. Because of his valiant efforts, Coruscant has been warned of the rebel presence and Imperial officers are being dispatched to deal with the vermin.

 

Day 40:

Lord Vader's mission to sabotage several groups of rag-tag rebel troops is, of course, successful. In conjunction with General Covell's underground efforts to push the criminals out of Svivren, the system is now in open rebellion. Piett is said to have commented that nothing is more ironic than a planet rebelling against a rebellion. It is expected that when the rebels are forced from the system, Piett will return to a hero's welcome.

 

Day 42:

Breaking news! The VSD Entor has uncovered the rebel headquarters! While exploring the Sumitra sector, Entor's crew took note of some suspicious sensor readings. The officer of the watch, Lt. Cabbel, deciphered the “ghost readings” and determined that a rebel fleet was likely lurking in the Linuri system. Captain Lennox ordered the findings investigated, and sensor drones launched from the Entor picked up rebel signatures matching six bulk cruisers, a Corellian corvette, and an estimated one dozen fighter squadrons performing exercises (obviously an attempt to turn motley rebel crews into something approaching the Imperial officer corps). By freak chance, a rebel Awing pilot caught one of the drones on sensors, forcing the Entor to pull back, but not before another drone spotted the command spire of the rebel HQ floating city orbiting Linuri.

 

It is doubtful that the rebels will still be there by this time tomorrow; they know full well that the Imperial fleet would annihilate their pitiful forces in open battle. Our forces will continue to monitor known rebel hideouts, searching for evidence as to where they've relocated.

 

Day 49:

In a bold move, rebel troops simultaneously sabotaged Corsin's shield network and assaulted the planet. Facing overwhelming 3-1 odds, the planetary garrison still held out, pushing back the assault once and then holding the planet for several hours before finally being overrun. Shouting, “Never surrender to terrorists!”, the garrison was killed down to the last man in defiance. The four platoons successfully took seven rebel troop formations to the grave with them, while sending rebel leaders a clear message: Imperial forces will not surrender to criminals and vermin.

 

Immediately responding to calls to liberate the planet, Lord Vader has left Coruscant intending to show the rebels what it means to anger a Lord of the Sith.

 

(Unmanned sensor buoys spotted more than a dozen corvette-class ships, multiple transports, and two carriers before their communication arrays were jammed.)

 

Day 81:

The rebel fleet which attacked Corsin fled immediately after the battle, probably afraid of an Imperial counterattack. Lord Vader's mission to push the rebels out of the system has resulted in the annihilation of several rebel troop formations, leading the system's inhabitants to openly rebel. The uprisings on Corsin and Svivren are now so powerful that alliance garrisons are being forced to operate from hidden bases; strike teams are now being sent to root out these lairs and finish liberating both systems.

 

Noval Garaint has showed some aptitude with the force. He will become Lord Vader's apprentice when time allows for his training in the ways of the Sith.

 

Day 88:

Home Fleet, under Admiral Ozzel with Noval Garaint as an observer, has arrived in orbit over Svivren. Chimaera's TIE Interceptors made short work of enemy Awings who foolishly tried to put up a fight. Working with ground spotters loyal to the Empire, Chimaera's gunners pinpointed the rebel fortifications uncovered by operatives just days prior. No civilians were injured in the bombardment, and the grateful population embraced their liberators with enthusiasm and conviction.

 

Seeing the rebels fail so spectacularly, the people of Balmorra, Ghorman, and Chandrila immediately joined the Empire, while Averam and Yaga Minor declared neutrality in the conflict and Uvena raised up against their oppressive criminal governor. Imperial forces are moving to assist in liberating the system and finishing their work in Corsin.

 

Day 90:

Noval Garaint has discovered a massive fleet orbiting Uvena. With at least two dozen corvettes, three bulk cruisers, two dreadnoughts, two carriers, a half-dozen transports, and dozens of snubfighters housed on the surface, it's by far the largest rebel hideout we've located so far. In fact, it's large enough to threaten the capital itself; VSDs Engager and Entor are being called in from the outlying sectors to help protect Coruscant, but it will take several days for them to arrive.

 

Day 92:

I should be a fortune teller. An enemy taskforce lead by the dreadnought Intrepid has been spotted on approach to Coruscant. NavInt counts at least a dozen corvettes and two carriers, which are sure to be full of snubfighters. Home Fleet's Chimaera is moving to intercept, while Commander Dorja scrambles fighters on the ground.

 

As the battle begins, my fighters group around the Chimaera. I have seven TIE squads and nine interceptor squads; the rebels have brought a few Awings and Bwings, several Xwings and Ewings, 13 squads all counted. Their fighters barrel down on my own, right into my waiting guns. As their fighters fall left and right, their corvettes come into range... and massacre my brave pilots. In the end, Chimaera had to withdraw with damaged shield generators, leaving one corvette a lifeless hulk. All fighters were destroyed on both sides.

 

Fortunately for me, I have two operational shield generators protecting the capital. I also have several operatives in-system; all those who are able begin immediately working on ways to sabotage the orbiting fleet. Unfortunately, the rebels are smart enough to flee before my operatives can do anything.

 

I'm still worried about the rest of the forces I saw amassing at Uvena; they have fighters there to replace their losses. I do not. They have more corvettes, another dreadnought, and bulk cruisers. It will be days before I can get my VSDs into position, and weeks before I can build up enough shipyards to replace my fighter losses. This could get really ugly, really quickly... but in the end, I know I will triumph. After all, rebels and criminals can't stand against the combined might of the Empire.

[CaptArtemis]

Bravo!!! I found my self compeled to read every bit and was thoroughly entertained. Bring on some more.

[Master_Xan]

Can-do. I should have time to play some more tomorrow.

 

A word for the wise: the RR dreadnought is uber. At least, when placed alongside the original ships, anyway. Unless the copy I dug up has been messed with... In any case, one of my other games definitely did get huge fleet battles. Just all dreadnoughts. Still, it is freaky to see the Alliance descend on Coruscant with 50+ dreadnoughts stocked to the gills with Ewings and Wookie regiments... while you have an ISD. Just one.

[centaur]

Good read!

 

I'd be interested in what tweaks you made to get uber fleet battles...i've tried just reducing costs and mainatanece but it seems the ai still does not make huge fleets!

 

As for making every planet colonized, does that not cause a problem for the rebels? When I've tried that to get more resources into the game it meant every planet was also a core system so I got reports when ever they changed sides and of course knew the location of the rebel base at the beginning

[Master_Xan]

That's odd... when I make each system colonized and up their importance to "high" in RebEd, I still don't get updates on most of them. In fact, even when the rebels move their HQ into the core worlds, I never know about it unless informants pass me some info or my operatives get it during espionage missions.

 

I PMed you my changes, centaur. In general, the biggest fleet battles come the fastest when research is lowered, advanced construction facilities are available from day one, you double mine/refinery output, double construction speed, start with everything colonized, and play hard with huge galaxy. And personally, I LOVE decreasing hyperspace time. All other changes are cosmetic.

[Master_Xan]

Yay for double posts!

 

Day 98:

I found some fighters sitting around in Ryloth (Orus sector); they are now heading towards Coruscant. The shipyard I started with at Hoth had built a dozen or so Interceptor squads, which are also heading to the capital. One of my VSDs, the Engager, has made it to Corescant. I just hope I can get all these things in place before the next onslaught...

 

Day 125:

“Wait, hang on a mi--Sir! The merchantman is squealing a distress signal! He says rebel star fighters are closing on his position!”

“Go to battle stations. Ensign, get his sensor data. Let's see what we're up against.”

 

NavInt makes it four dreadnoughts and several corvettes, packing three mixed snubfighter squadrons. All coming against Balmorra, which doesn't have any garrison troops. Fortunately, the second shield generator came online earlier this week, so they should be able to hold out until Chimaera can get there from Coruscant.

 

Day 126:

Cowards. Upon seeing the Chimaera approaching from Coruscant's hyperspace lane, our buddy Intrepid led the retreat back to Uvena. Didn't even try a few broadsides to test my mettle. Probably a wise decision; my forces would have torn them apart. Chimaera's task force is returning to the capital, while a very relieved merchant continues his planned deliveries.

 

Day 138:

Tokmia, in the Churba sector, is under blockade. Not that I can do anything about it; I can't abandon the core for a world without a single facility on it. Although the sabotage of Hoth's shipyard was annoying. At least the Chimaera has repaired it's shield generators, and the shipyards at Ghorman have produced the Saber, a Lancer-class support frigate.

 

Day 139:

Yaga Minor is under blockade! It's a wussy fleet though; one dreadnought, one carrier, and one bulk transport. Yaga Minor's shields are operating at 100%; no way that fleet can get through them. Chimaera has been dispatched...

 

Day 140:

And the rebel scum flee. As I thought; they really are gutless worms. Why go to the trouble of blockading my systems if you aren't willing to back up the threat?

 

Day 147:

This time it's Svivren they've blockaded. My guess is they run as soon as I show up; it seems to be their game plan for the moment.

 

In other news, I'm experimenting with having researchers perform missions together, rather than apart (i.e. two guys on a single troop research mission). I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Day 148:

As expected, they fled. I'm going to have to stop reporting all this cat-and-mouse to you folks; it's too annoying to minimize the game and type it up when nothing happened.

 

Day 149:

I followed Intrepid's task force back to their base at Bortras. Four dreadnoughts, seven corvettes, and ten fighter squads, mixed Awings and Ewings... and it looks like the rebels grew a backbone! They aren't running for their mommies this time.

 

As the battle begins, Chimaera, Engager, and Entor scramble fighters. Saber and Lance move to screen for the heavy-hitters, and I instruct red leader to gather his five interceptor squads around Saber, while blue leader does the same around Lance.

 

In come the enemy fighters... and there go the enemy fighters. Wait, what? The rebel commander is trying to be sneaky, but it doesn't look like it will work. Instead of a traditional, fighter vs. fighter engagement, he's ordered his pilots to tackle Engager and Chimaera. Foolish; it would have been far more deadly to send both Awing and Ewing squads after one or the other. As it is, they waste their firepower while my frigates and interceptors catch up and pummel them to space dust.

 

The seven enemy corvettes also come right in to attack Chimaera, which is targeting Intrepid. Before I can get the enemy dreadnought into turbolaser range, my heavy hitters have reduced the corvette Wind to molten slag. Once Intrepid gets into range, my forces proceed to do the same thing to her.

 

About this time my fighters finish up with their last Awings, and they move off to attack another dreadnought, Saber and Lance there to back them up. Chimaera and company also begin to target this second dreadnought... and then the rebel commander decides he's had enough. Had he continued fighting, his dreadnoughts might have disabled Chimaera; as it is, they fried her shield generators and a lucky shot crippled her main hyperdrive systems. Backup drives are operating at normal levels.

 

In their headlong flight, the criminals lost a second dreadnought and another corvette, a total of four ships. Chimaera is my only damaged ship, though I did loose nearly all my fighters.

 

Day 150:

Ironic, isn't it? I go hunting rebels, and they come hunting me. While Chimaera is busy performing recovery operations for my TIE pilots, an enemy task force led by dreadnought Hero comes out of hyperspace at Chandrila. Just days before, criminals vandalized one of the shield generators there, and by freak chance a thrown vibro blade cut one of the main power cables. Just as my repair crews were putting the new cable in place, Hero shows up with a bulk transport and lands troops on the surface.

 

In unrelated news, reports of the jedi Luke Skywalker having been seen in the Chandrila system last week are pure rumor. Investigators found no evidence, not even a lightsaber mark, to indicate he was ever there.

 

Day 167:

Two more shield generators have gone mysteriously silent... I really need to get more troops out and about. Violent crime rates have risen 400% since the so-called “Alliance” began terrorizing peace-abiding citizens.

 

On the bright side, operatives have successfully freed Chandrila from the grip of a violent crime lord set up by “Alliance” troops. With his lackeys gone, the populace rose up and forced the criminal to submit to proper Imperial justice. His execution will be tonight at 6 GST (Galactic Standard Time).

 

Day 173:

Svivren is under blockade again. This time it's six corvettes, six system patrol craft, and three dreadnoughts. With the Chimaera I could take them, but she's still in dry dock getting her hyperdrive replaced. Svivren still has two intact shield generators, so the people there will be just fine.

 

Day 200:

My engineers tell me Chimaera is fully operational again. In addition, I've added the carriers Entomb and Fog of War to Chimaera's task group, each loaded with TIE Scimitars, and four system patrol craft, the Rapier, Hornet, Bloodhound, and Dagger, have also joined Chimaera. No longer a task force, Chimaera is now the flagship of Home Fleet.

 

An enemy flotilla arrives in the Vagran system. They assault the planet, but naturally, my forces don't just lay down and die. My three regiments managed to take down six of theirs before being blown away from orbit. They fought with such gallantry, the peoples of the Corellian sector couldn't help but take notice. But despite their best efforts, the barbaric rebel criminals killed hundreds of civilians who were trapped inside a mining complex. This deed will not go unpunished!

[centaur]

That's odd... when I make each system colonized and up their importance to "high" in RebEd, I still don't get updates on most of them. In fact, even when the rebels move their HQ into the core worlds, I never know about it unless informants pass me some info or my operatives get it during espionage missions.

 

I PMed you my changes, centaur. In general, the biggest fleet battles come the fastest when research is lowered, advanced construction facilities are available from day one, you double mine/refinery output, double construction speed, start with everything colonized, and play hard with huge galaxy. And personally, I LOVE decreasing hyperspace time. All other changes are cosmetic.

 

Thanks for the PM - I wil have a go at making some of those changes (mainly the ones for uber fleet battles!)

When I have made all systems colonised on the outer rim I always know where the rebel base starts..its the only rebel planet on the rim other than Yavin!