Face of the Enemy (an endgame clash of fleets)

[Mordante]

Right Chaps, a while ago I promised a report of the outcome of the clash of fleets envisaged by my "face of the enemy" post and here are some initial thoughts. Despite the various PBEM woes involved in hosting turns with huge fleet battles we have managed to progress 7 turns or so and the war is almost over.

Background:

First, the order of battle itself; - at the eve of the war the enemy axis had around 600 ships (supported by no-maintenance or low maintenance economics)

Around 150 were of the design I originally guessed would be fielded:

"Tyrant mk 3"

1xBridge
5xCrew
5XLifeSupport
2x Quantom Engines (+3 move)
1x Solar Sail3 (+3 move)
1x Combat sensors 3 (+65 attack)
1x ECM 3 (+60 defense)
1x Multiplex Tracking 5
1x Stealth armour (cloak and defense bonus)
1x Emergency Propulsion 5
1x Self destruct device
6x Phased Shield Generator 5
5x Point defense Cannon 5
10x Massive Phased Polaron Beams

Another 150 were a similar design mounting massive depleted uranium cannons for speed of building.

Another 150 were smaller hulls (battleships and dreadnaughts) armed with nullspace weapons.

The remaining 150 ish ships were a mish-mash of smaller designs with a scattering of crystal-equipped battleships fielding multiple cystalline armour units and Phased Polaron Cannons.

A handful of nullspace baseships completed the enemy order of battle.

To support all this the enemy Axis had over 300 planets combined between them - a combined mineral income of around 1.2 million, a massive research budget, over 200 base shipyards and assorted mines and fighters and defensive units.

Enemy fleet doctrine seemed to be based on the concept of massive projection of power around self-healing and supplying fleets; Each large fleet sported multiple repair base ships, mine-sweepers, warp gate openers, warp gate closers, and misc. utility ships. All enemy vessels were equipped with stealth armour for level 1 cloaking, but relatively few of them had been eqipped with quantom reactors for limitless supply.

Strategically, the enemy axis had constructed a network of artificial warp gates to bring all production systems close together (up to 6 warp points in single sectors) - one system was effectly sealed with 10 warp points. The idea of this was to enable the relatively slow base ship fleets (speed 8) to traverse home space quickly and effectively...

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Our side;

At the beginning of hostilities the allied forces numbered around 500 ships in total. Of these, 100 (the pride of my fleet) were baseships of a design I constructed with ideas and feedback from my earlier post!

"Arkangel Defensive"

1x Master Computer
2x Quantom Engines (+3 move)
1x Solar Sail3 (+3 move)
1x Combat sensors 3 (+65 attack)
1x ECM 3 (+60 defense)
1x Multiplex Tracking 5
1x Stealth armour (cloak and defense bonus)
1x Scattering armour (scan block and defense)
7x Phased Shield Generator 5
2x Point defense Cannon 5
3x Massive Shield Depletors
8x Massive Anti Proton Beams
1x Heavy Energy Dampner 3

Notes:

Master computer saves 50k tonnes on the design - I was intending a surprise attack and envisaged first volley kills. I was gambling that large-scale enemy deloyment of computer virus weapons would not occur quickly enough to alter the flow of the war.

The Stealth and Scattering armour stack (i believe) and the addition +30% defense is critical.

7 Phased shields for 2625 points of protection allows the ships to survive a first volley from *almost* any set of base ship weapons in the game.

*Apart from*

3 Massive Shield Depleters, which in my view are an absolute bargain and critical weapon system.

8 Anti-protons are (imho) superior to Phased Polarons in the endgame. They are cheaper, and the ability to hit at range 8 makes large Groups of ships more effective in strategic combat. I often saw my shorter-ranged opponent vessels failing to navigate their own ship Groups to get shots in while my baseships were happy to snipe from behind their own ranks. The analogy I make is the macedonian phalanx with the longer sarrista? (long spear) allowing more men to fight in a smaller front against their enemies with shorter spears. People have (rightly) commented that this is less of an issue in smaller engagements but I was planning from the outset for a big clash of arms in a small region of space.

Damage-wise the main guns of my baseship can strip away 2,250 points of shields every turn out to range 7, and do 1,800 points of normal damage every turn out to range 8. The damage increases significantly at close range.

The final sting in the tail of these base ships is the crystalline Heavy Energy Dampner gun - which with a successful strike (practically assured vs large opposing vessels) will delay *all* weapon fire on the target ship for 9 turns - yep! (a sitting duck for 9 turns). At 100 tonnes, this weapon system was destined to be fitted to every vessel in my fleet.

In retrospect, the base ships didn't make the best use of the energy dampner because there was no combatent they couldn't kill in one shot!

I didn't include a multiplex tracking system on my base ship because simulated combats made me doubt that it actually works reliably (if at all)

Few Point defenses because frankly, a no-maintenance opponent will build ships in preference to fighters every time. (Plus; I had a wealth of friendly fighters)

A final point from a design perspective - when mounting weapons on a design be extremely carefull to add them to the hull in the order you want them to fire in combat. ie. add all the shield depletors before you add conventional weapons - if you fiddle and add and remove things later the chances are that you will end up with ships that fire their main guns before the shield depletors (a farce!)

During the course of the war the Arkangel design received two minor upgrades; the addition of a light engine destroying beam and the addition of a large repulser beam at the cost of one anti proton mount. The engine killing weapon allowed individual Arkangel ships to be used for impromptu suicide fleet interdiction (see later) - while the repulsor beam worked fairly well at breaking up enemy formations and was admittedly quite amusing!

The rest of the allied force was equipped as follows;

Another 200 ships (cruisers, battleships, and dreadnaughts) as null-space attack ships - Heavily Shielded (6 phased shields) -fast (max engines and solar sails) - light pds cover, defensive armour combo (stealth and scattering) - 2-4 nullspace beams of varying sizes, and an energy dampner.

My ally, (an organic race) had managed a fleet of 200 odd vessels utilising a mix of seeking parasite missile ships, and projectile dreadnaughts and baseships utilising shield depletion and enveloping acid globules for big hits. The economics of the organic race meant these vessels were cheap! (almost half the cost of my own ships) He was using organic armour in preference to shields and of course the enveloping acid globules are organic heavy in resource cost. The effect was to make the ships a fine balance between minerals and organics, thus cutting down build time.

The Last allied ships were carriers, minesweepers, repair ships and suicide fleet interdictors;

Between us, my ally and I had around 25 huge carriers packed with fighters. My plan was to use these defensively, moving them to intercept invasions of our space. My own fighters were a peculiarly defensive design, mounting 3 shield units on a heavy frame with a single shard cannon for offense. Combined with the crystalline shield-lending system facility, (constructed in each of my systems) this meant that each of my fighters was protected by 240 points of shielding (proof against 4 pds hits!) Each carrier transported 312 of these fighers - and in the event of invasion, between 4-6 carriers could move to the target system and launch their Groups into space as a response to warp point opening. I had calculated that 4 Groups of 312 fighters could probably stop 40 base ships in system defense.

The fleet interdictors were battlecruisers (fast) heavily shielded (7 shields) and armed with only engine-killing beams. These ships were stationed in every vulnerable system and the philosophy was this; that a single fast vessel could close at speed 7 in battle against speed 4 enemy baseships and have a very good chance of firing first at (range 6). It fires; the target base ship loses it's engines and movement, the suicide engine-killer is then obliterated but the damage is done. The entire enemy fleet will stop dead for the strategic turn - buying time for the real defenders to arrive. For the good of my conscience the suicide engine killers were armed with master computers not conventional crew!

Strategically, I prepared for the war by sealing critical systems with the 10 warp point defence trick. (kindly revealed to me in the previous thread) I used 8 class 5 warp point openers to do the job and had sealed 12 systems before the invasion began.

My overall fleet doctrine was multiple independence; all ships had quantum reactors for unlimited supply - all ships had some pds defence. Attack fleets had several repair tenders and minesweepers attached. A mix of combat vessels rounded out the fleets; divided roughly evenly between Baseships, Nullspace Dreadnaughts, and smaller combatents. Fleet orders were "wall", "optimum range". My slowest ships were the baseships at speed 9 (an advantage over my non- "propulsion expert" foe that would later serve me well)

In preparation for the inevitable hostilities I moved the majority of my fleet into position around a fleet and ship training world on the rim of my space and positioned a warp point opener close by.

My plan was to strike first at a system bordering one of the enemy's central nexus systems (ten warp points) entering via a wormhole that would then be closer than 8 sectors from the warp point to the more critical system. I hoped to engage an enemy half-prepared, and taken by surprise by the directness and speed of my assault. I had faith in the ship designs I was using, simulations showed my baseships defeating the enemy vessels routinely 1 on 1, and often getting kills at 2 to 1 against. I had around 150 top class ships in the first strike and I planned a scourged earth assault to the centre of the enemy power.

Negative points were the economy; My fleet build up had come close to crippling me. I was paying 2million points per turn in fleet upkeep (a figure than could rise by up to a third when I left the protection of crystalline restructuring facilities) - Assuming no combat losses I would go bankrupt in 4 turns after the invasion.

Everywhere I scrapped research facilities and built mineral mines on marginal worlds (already having the 30% bonuses from system and planet facilities) - but the truth was that I was loosing the economic war and had to attack now to stand a chance of winning. The no-maintenance economics of the enemy was worth 2million+ points of advantage a turn to him, and with every ship build and fielded, that advantage only grew.

My best hope was to force an early fleet action and to cause (and receive) some serious casualties... a grim situation.

Still, the fleet was ready, the strategies were set, my organic ally signalled his readiness to strike elsewhere against the no-maintenance tyrant and I gave the orders to open the warp point to destiny!

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To be continued (when my fingers recover)

Next time - the extraordinary fate of the Vacuulums
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[Lisif Deoral]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mordante:
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To be continued (when my fingers recover)

Next time - the extraordinary fate of the Vacuulums
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Please recover soon =) I'm facing a similar "problem" although on a smaller scale in another PBeM game (ie. 31 warships heading towards my home systems, and only 12 ships to defend them...) and I'd like to know what happened to you.

[CW]

Newbie question: What's PBeM?

CW

[Jubala]

quote:

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Originally posted by CW:
Newbie question: What's PBeM?

CW

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PBeM = Play By eMail

And I agree with Lisif. Recover soon Mordante! I want to know if your empire or the enemies is in ruins.

[This message has been edited by Jubala (edited 16 June 2001).]

[Mordante]

Part 2 - or, "the strange fate of the Vaculuum Protectorate"

While the opposing fleets prepared for physical conflict and final preparations were made for the various invasion plans another contest was already taking place in the sphere of intelligence operations.

The long-term ally of the no-maintenance Emphyrian Hive was a race known as the Vaculuums Protectorate; they were unique for combining crystalline technology akin to my own, with a nearly zero-maintenance infrastructure. Unlike the Hive themselves, however, the Vaculuums had ignored the neccessity for resource infrastructure and had concencentrated almost solely on research facilities on their many planets. They were reliant on trade from their larger neighbours in the Hive, and in order to pay the small portion of maintenance they needed too on their sizable fleet, the Vacuulums depended on the continuance of partnership status.

This was a weakness; just how much of a weakness I think came as a surprise to us all.

My organic tech ally coordinated with my own intelligence operatives and together we began to conduct increasingly serious attempts to disrupt the Vaculumm/Hive partnership. Typically including a single high value attacks (puppet politic parties) with several smaller actions (coms intercepts, resource procurements, ship bombs etc), we each concluded with several communications mimics in the effort to deny the Vaculuums the fruits of their alliance with the Hive.

In the month before the potential invasion date we were successful and the pact was reduced. In fact, later analysis confirms that our success went far beyond simply disrupting the alliance and extended into the realm of planetary destruction and large scale fleet losses. Hive and Vaculuum vessels had been co-existing in the same sectors, and with the communication mimic inspired stated of war, a sudden violent convulsion rocked the military forces of once allied powers, leading to the destruction of several worlds and the obliteration of many vessels. Rioting then ensued, costing the Vaculuums all the worse for the loss of their supportive partnership.

Then the Vaculuums made potentially the worst single decision of their history in an effort to save the cream of their fleet from abandonment through non-payment of maintenance.

Orders went out to the Vaculuum fleet to destroy over 50% of its own starship strength. Choosing a form of violent triage in the field, the Vaculuum government wished to sacrifice its older ships to destruction while sparing the newer designs (and perhaps gaining a little combat experience).

A dozen engagements flared and Vaculuum ships fired on their cousins and comrades in arms. Over a hundred smaller, outclassed, combatant vessels were eliminated and perhaps the Vaculuum protectorate felt saved from resource shortfall and enforced abandonment of its prize vessels.

This was not to be and in a single decision spelled the end of Vaculuum power.

The combined effect of so many violent ship losses caused the remaining Vaculuum colonies to riot against the government. Order disappeared and the Protectorate faced a stark future of zero resource income and a fleet that seemed inevitably doomed.

To their credit perhaps, they decided quickly on the only possible course to preserve the axis military advantage. The Vaculuum Protectorate surrendered entirely to the Hive; placing all colonies, citizens, and warships under the direct control of the Emphyrian Hive.

Since the Hive never pay maintenance the remnants of the Vaculuum fleet were saved.

This surrender catapulted the Hive imperial score dangerously clear of the Senate of Shards; marking the formation of an economic and territorial powerhouse of awesome potential. Almost 600 ships under one flag; 300 worlds united; 220 base ship yards and a research budget to put the ancients to shame!

But it also removed the benefits of trade and racial speciality; the Hive now stood alone against us; weakened in the arena of intelligence operations and awaiting the pure military strike to come.

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In essence, the Vaculuum Protectorate Player was punished for operating a fleet beyond his means! Maintenance was being paid through the fruits of a partnership treaty and such things are extremely vulnerable. The communications mimic did a lot of damage and the destroyed planets certainly added to the rioting which followed the destruction of his own ships.

From one perspective the "fire on" own ship strategy seems a plausable shortcut to reducing ship numbers via the traditional scrap-ship route. But reasonably speaking, I guess the crew gets to leave first when scrapping a ship at a spaceyard while blowing up previously friendly ships in space is really an act of murder (punished accordingly by massive unrest).

This one decision was of vital importance and it killed a game position 104 turns old over the course of one turn.

In retrospect the Vaculuum player should have given the old ships to the Hive (since the Hive pays no maintenance) - but such decisions are rarely so clear at the time.

Anyway, this saw the end of the Vaculuums - on the very eve of the invasion of Hive space.

Intelligence and misfortune had destroyed one of the axis powers - pure might and clash of arms would be required for the other.

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Next time - "first contact - the race to Arklite" when the Senate of Shards mixed fleet encounters a hundred Hive baseships in warp point defence.

[Jubala]

Yeah, large scale riots is a real pain. Firing on his own ships like that. Not so bright of the Vaculuum Protectorate. I'm looking forward to hear the actual fighting went.