This Game was a 2,000 point matchup between one of the newest members of our group and myself. He was using a fleet based on the Centuri from Babylon 5 and I used my Colonial Fleet from Battlestar Galactica.
This game gave me the first opportunity to use both of my Valkyrie class battlestars. I always thought they would look cool working in pairs.
The Centuri fleet was something of a surprise to me. I knew he was going to bringing the big battleship but I wasn't expecting so many fighters.
The first turn the centuri set up running parallel to their starting edge. I set up the colonials to try and cut them off between the asteroid fields.
Both fleets began launching fighters. The colonials had a slight advantage in this . Both battlestars had a higher launch rate than the century counterparts and with their catapults could launch while using their drives.
Even tho the centuri had a slower launch rate the fighters he did launch were a mix of heavies. My vipers would have a harder time shooting them down.
Turn 2
The centuri continued moving forward and launching fighters. The colonials moved their vipers to intercept and also launched their raptors which were armed as torpedo fighters. At this point I broke my ‘doctrine' which is to normally keep the raptors out of the battle until the enemy fighters had been dealt with. As it was they got caught up in the dog fight.
The colonials turned slightly and closed on the enemy fleet. With the centuri movement restricted by the need to launch their fighters the battlestars turrets were easy to plot a correct fire arc.
The furball was intense with guns and laser beams lashing out at their enemies. At the end of the fighter combat phase it was difficult to tell which side was gaining the upper hand tho the raptors had been mauled.
Ship fire was violent as well with the centuri ‘Vorcha' class cruiser and Altarian destroyer taking the brunt of the colonial fire. All of the centuri fire was concentrated on battlestar Triton. All of her armor belt was blown away and some hull damage was inflicted.
The centrui battleship took some damage, most of it punching thru her armor belt. The Vorcha was badly damaged but sadly few systems were actually knocked out. The destroyer was far less fortunate and was, essentially knocked out of the battle.
Turn 3
With all of their fighters launched the centuri fleet was free to maneuver. The colonial fleet plotted a slow turn to starboard with the intention of getting on the ‘tail' of the enemy fleet. However the centuri plotted a harder turn which took their battleship out of the fire arc the colonial turrets had plotted. Their carrier was not as fortunate however.
The fighter combat continued to rage. This time however the vipers clearly came out on top. The centuri inflicted enough damage however to effectively neutralize the vipers as an ant-ship attack force unless they attacked a weakened ship.
Ship fire was devastating to both sides. The Vorcha took a couple of hits and the carrier was badly damaged.
The colonial Battlestar Triton took very heavy fire. Her starboard flight pod suffered a secondary explosion in one of the hanger bays and both her CIC and main reactor room were damaged. Her damage control teams were unable to repair the reactor and she exploded!
The blast also caught the Victory class escort and she was destroyed. The Atlantia now found herself fighting alone.
Turn 4
Things were looking grim for the colonials. Despite the amount of damage the cenruti had taken they were still a potent force especially at close range. The best hope for the colonials was to put some distance between the Atlantia and the bulk of the enemy fleet. It was my hope to also use the asteroid field as cover.
A few of the vipers were unengaged and went to make attack runs against the small Sulust class destroyer. I hadn't realized the battleship had an ADFc and the vipers came under heavy PDS fire. Amazingly only a couple vipers were destroyed. They swooped in and destroyed the enemy ship.
In the ship fire phase the Atlantia was able to get a good firing solution against the ceturi battleship and scored heavy damage. In return Atlantia lost her armor belt and took some hull damage.
Turn 5
The Atlantia accelerated to flank speed and managed to get clear of the asteroids putting them between her and the enemy battleship. All the remaining vipers closed on the Atlantia to attempt a landing for fuel and reorganization.
The centari carrier ended up on Atlantia's starboard aft exactly where I didn't expect it be. Atlantias turrets were plotted for the opposite side.
With the carrier so close the vipers took the opportunity to attack it.
Between the vipers and the starboard guns on the battlestar the carrier was virtually wrecked but not destroyed.
Atlantia also took a couple shots at the Vorcha cruiser that had left the battle area earlier. The Vorcha retruned fire causing only minor damage.
Turn 6
The Vipers decided to pursue the enemy carrier despite being all most out of fuel. The Centari battleship cleared the asteroid field but found itself out of range of the Atlantia. Anticipating where the centuri battleship would be the Atlantia swung her turrets directly aft.
The vipers attacked the carrier a second time completely destroying her.
The Vorcha had swung around and traded broadsides with the Atlantia. The Vorcha survived with only one hull box remaining!
Both turret shots against the centuri battleship missed.
Turn 7
Atlantia was close to the edge of the map so she plotted a hard turn to starboard and decelerated. The vipers exhausted the last of their fuel and headed back. All conducted combat landings on the battlestar.
When the ship movement phase begun the Atlantia could not turn hard enough to avoid the table edge and disengaged.
The game ended with a clear Centari victory.
Any and all comments welcome!!!
