Rafik vs Wasp – training game.I have recently downloaded and printed out the tutorial kit for AV:T and have been learning the game system. In short I have really enjoyed the process and play moves along at a brisk pace. So far the process has been pretty smooth, the game is really far easier to play than it can initially appear. After working through the tutorials and enjoying the game enough to order a copy I have been playing a few practice games using the tutorial rules whilst I wait for my copy to arrive. Here is a battle report using the two ships from the tutorial kit – the Wasp and the Rafik (I will be using the Mk1). The tutorial kit has (understandably) only part of the complete game rules, but there is still plenty to be getting on with and it is a great way of trying out the game. As I am using the tutorial ruleset some of the full game rules are unavailable so I used only beam weapons. The damage allocation rules are not included so in the replay the first to cause 50 points of internal damage won the duel. The tutorial rules have limited vertical thrust rules and so each ship was limited to a maximum angle of 30 degrees from the plane of the map. Rolls are also not available.The Rafik and the Wasp began stationary 25 hexes apart, level with the map plane. Below is the Wasp looking across to the Rafik.
What you are about to read was great fun to play and is a demonstration on how not to pilot a ship in AV:T! At various points in the battle I could almost feel the contempt from my bridge crew as I fumbled around the galaxy, they must have wondered how on earth did I get to command a spaceship?The battle begun with the Wasp holding position waiting to see which way the Rafik turned. The Rafik turned to its left and angled up 30 degrees and engaged full thrust. The Wasp responded in the next segment, turned, and adjusted its angle towards the Rafik's probable future position and engaged full thrust. Below is the view from the Wasp over towards the Rafik. The Rafik had begun to climb from the map plane. The Wasp waited to see which way the Rafik turned before following and so has not yet left the plane of the map. No thrust breaks yet but vectors were beginning to build…
Below the SSD's at end of turn 1 (I noticed I had forgotten to circle the symbols that were below the amber band on the AVID – i.e. the rear of both ships).
Turn 2 and both ships kept the engines burning throughout the turn. Both were still rising and despite the Wasp having the more powerful drive it looked as though the Rafik had done enough to keep out of the Wasp's kill zone (at least for now). The ships looked set to for a spiral battle. The closest point the rival s approached each other during the turn was range 14, a little too far for both the Wasp's 4SRLS and the Rafik's 3MRLS.
Turn 3. The use of the end of turn markers is really helpful in understanding what is going on. (note as both ships were climbing I removed excess height markers and maintained their relative positions).
By impulse 4 the Rafik realized it was not going to get a closer shot this turn and fired four of its 3MRLS at the Wasp. The lasers hit just to the port of the nose, armor and soak rolls reduced damage taken to just 4 points. Below shows the point when the fire was taken.
The biggest threat to both ships was a large alien that prowled around the area…
By turn 3 both ships had spun round and engaged engines to change their vectors. At the end of the turn the Rafik turned on its reactors to begin recharging its batteries. Positions at the end of turn 3 (I removed excess height markers again and maintained relative height difference).
Turn 4 and both ships had engines engaged and were correcting vectors for another fly by. The Rafik took a shot in impulse 3 just as it was about to move outside range 13. The Rafik powered 4 of its MRLS but this time hit against the weaker skin of the Wasp's port armor. Poor soak rolls saw the Wasp take another 12 internals (total internals now 16). The Rafik now only had 1 battery remaining but was quickly moving away from the Wasp. Below are the positions when the shot was taken.
End of turn 4. The Wasp, closest in the picture, had nearly cancelled out its vectors and was turning to pursue the Rafik. The Rafik had slowed but was still moving quite rapidly away, needing time to recharge its depleted batteries.
End of turn 5. Both ships had cancelled out their thrust which was moving them apart and had begun to close on each other again. View from the Wasp with the Rafik in the distance.
End of turn 6. Both ships were now closing on each other. The Rafik's batteries were back up to 22 so its reactors were switched off. The Rafik looked like it could yet again keep out of the kill range of the Wasp. The Wasp was having great difficulty getting the Rafik into range – the Wasp had burnt nearly half of its limited supply of fuel and had yet to take a shot… The Wasp and its SSD.
Turn 7. Five impulses in and the Rafik gracefully drifted into range 10 of the Wasp. The Wasp was pivoting and running its engines on maximum trying to get closer to the Rafik, however in doing so had briefly exposed its weaker starboard armor. The Rafik unloaded all its 3MRLS at the out of position Wasp. Armor and soak rolls reduce the damage taken to 25. This puts the total damage taken by the wasp to 51 and so the WASP extended its external radiators and surrendered… Below positions when the final shot was taken… The Wasp caught in an ill-timed pivot.
The Rafik with its enemy centerlined.
Summary – A good learning experience. The game took about 2 hours to play which I guess would shorten with experience (but lengthen a little with the full rules). A plus point is that at no time did I need to consult the rules – the game really is that intuitive. As soon as the full game arrives I will try this again using the damage rules and kinetic weapons. I am a little unsure how to play the Wasp, it has awesome fire power but needs to close to use it effectively… A 1-1 battle does not really give the 3D engine of the game enough opportunities to show what it can do – next I will try a 2-1 battle and really get some crazy vectors going…
goes back to the year 2000!
