Battle Report
Battlefleet Gothic
Admiral Cochrane's Hunt
Introduction
|
|
|
|
Turn One Turn Two Turn Three Turn Four Turn Five |
Turn Seven Turn Eight Turn Nine Conclusion |
Date of Game: Saturday 6th September 2001
Forces Used: Imperial and Chaos
Points Limit: 1200
Mission Played: None
Battlefield: Deep Space - One asteroid field only
Table: Three foot by eight foot (0.91m x 2.44m)
Special Rules: None. Standard Blue Book rules were used, however we later discovered that we had made a number of mistakes in our interpretation of them. Additionally, we do not use the fleet allocation rules for picking a fleet for a game, and simply choose whatever we like.
Background: The Chaos fleet is returning from a series of raids, their once large numbers depleted by system defences and engagments along the way. The Imperials have decided to meet the fleet as it returns, reasoning that it will be at a lower strength, and attempt to deny the Chaos force the spoils of its raid in the form of materials and captives. However, the Chaos fleet is still a stronger force than was anticipated and the two sides are evenly matched. The engagment turns into a simple fight to destroy the enemy and strengthen presence in the sector.
Prologue: I decided to return to my old haunt and challenged my regular opponent, Tim, to a game of Gothic with the view to write it up and place it here. He is a staunch Imperial player and my painting system is so slow that I will not be able to field anything but my Chaos fleet for some time. However, we dont get to play as often as we would like and so the familiar sides would not be a problem. A normal scenario for our games is a simple line up and fight, and this was to be no exception. Also, we find it a lot easier to simply scatter some asteroids on the table at the start and just setup and play.
I have, in the past, been in favour of the somewhat 'Nelsonnian' tactics of getting in as close to the enemy as fast as possible, and raking him with lance fire and torpedoes. It has usually been successful but tends to result in pyrric points only victories with large parts of my fleet destroyed (usually all my escorts!) or needing a year in space dock. This is particularly the case against an opponent like Iain who often fields Styx and Devastations and uses their waves of fighters and bombers to great effect. Bearing this in mind, the make up of my fleet for this action departs from my usual all 'big gun' fleets made up of Mars class battlecruisers, Gothic and Dauntless cruisers and Firestorm escorts. I am using three Dictator class cruisers, the Glorious, Courageous and Furious. Their ability to launch four squadrons of fighters or bombers (twelve per turn if all three can reload!) should negate Iains own ordnance. The Dictator also has decent strength six weapons batteries as well as torpedoes, so they should be able to hold their own if close combat ensues. As an insurance policy for this situation, close protection is provided by the single Overlord class battlecruiser, the Hood. Its long range lances and weapon batteries should be able to fend off any troublesome escorts. To provide further anti-escort cover and fend off any big ships I have included six of the ever versatile Cobra destroyers. Their strength two torpedoes used en mass allow them to punch above their weight in most situations and are my preferred escort in any game.
My tactics have been influenced by reading up on Pacific war battles in World War Two. I will use the Dictators as aircraft carriers and launch long range attacks on Iains ships and try to keep them out of range for as long as possible. Then, once Iains vessels are suitably crippled the Overlord and Cobras can go in for the kill. Lets see how the reality matches up to the dream. 'Let every man do his duty!'
The only thing that I know about this game, at this point, is that it is at 1200 points, and I will be playing against my normal opponent, Commissar Tim, and his Imperial Fleet. Aside from that, I know nothing, and we don't usually stick to the restrictions on choosing a fleet so he could have only Battleships! It will be a straight battle, fairly standard with the two fleets at either end and storming forwards to destroy each other, but I don't know the layout or 'battlefield'. I always play from a standard fleet list, I even have a selection of personalities which I use. I don't create new commanders or ships for each battle. However, I have a considerable fleet list (too much enthusiasm and I don't know where I got the cash) and while I have an individual ship for each listing, most are not yet painted (I think that I must be the slowest painter around - I wouldn't mind if it resulted in a fantastic ship). So, I can choose pretty much whatever ship I like and know that I have the model somewhere.
Tim is a very competent general, a good strategist and very able. He knows his tactics and can be a dangerous foe. If he has a weakness, then it is the fact that he likes to stick rigidly to his battle plan. If I can throw him a few surprises and get him on the defensive then he can be slow to react. This will work in my favour as he does worse when he has to be more flexible in his plan.
My first selections are relatively easy. I rarely go to battle in Gothic without at least one of my favourite class of Chaos Cruiser, the Devastation class, and a Mark of Nurgle - by far the most useful gift for me with an extra damage point. So, I take the Sariel, a Devastation, and Warmaster Lifeblight, with Leadership of eight and the Mark of Nurgle. Next, I decide on the Iblis, a Murder class Cruiser. The Murder class is the workhorse of a Chaos fleet, and as standard a cruiser as Chaos possesses. It should allow me to stay relatively flexible and I will probably keep it back to react to any surprises.
Next up, I want to be able to launch a small torpedo salvo. The Chaos fleet has few ships capable of torpedoes and so a group of three Infidels should do the trick. So, I take the Gamliel, the Namtar and the Malcodia. These will initially be used to create a bit of confusion and then to pick off any other ships as the opportunity presents itself, if they don't run out of ammunition.
When facing a closing Imperial fleet, I will be facing a front armour of six. To remedy this, I want to take lances as they are able to cut through the extra armour. So, I take an Archeron in the form of the Agaures. Not my favourite Heavy Cruiser, and a bit of a gamble, but it has the potential to devastate enemy ships. I also take a Slaughter class cruiser, the Astaroth. This should throw some surprises into the game. It is able to throw out a huge amount of firepower at close range. I went for this over the Carnage class as the Slaughter has the addition of lances. But, there is a tendency to throw the Slaughter class forward as soon as possible in order to get into range, and to leave it unsupported. They don't last long that way.
By now, my fleet composition is starting to suggest tactics, splitting my fleet into two waves. As the advance force rushes forward the second force follows up. I don't expect the advance force to survive the game, but if it can take a chunk out of the enemy then it has done its job. I still need a support for the Astaroth. For this, I take six Idolators in two squadrons, the Cagnazzo, the Dev, the Obizuth, the Guta, the Indra and the Saurva. Again, this gives me six lance shots and a combined firepower of twelve.
With my fleet chosen, it suggests my tactics for the game. I will advance with the Astaroth and the Idolators. These should sow confusion as the rest of the fleet catches up to attack what has survived. I will need to make sure that the two parts of the fleets are not too far apart and that they can support each other.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Setup was done blind (not viewing the enemy when the fleet is setup) and simulataneously. The result was the Imperial fleet distributed fairly evenly around the center of the short table edge, while the Chaos fleet was sheltered more behind the asteroid field - which was placed centrally across the board towards the 'northern' edge.
|
Damage Control Officer Johanson checked his display panel once more, the action designed to keep him busy more than
any doubt in the results or readiness of his sub-officers and systems. In front of him, was a linear diagram of
'his' ship, the Furious, cut away so that he was able to see all decks and the subsections that they were divided
into. Within seconds, a series of icons flashed green at strategic points on his display as sector officers
acknowledged the readiness of the patrols and systems which would react to any damage or invasion. One icon flashed
amber and a string of symbols appeared to one side of the ships plan. Johanson dispatched a team to check the
integrity and holding mechainsms of the bulkheads in that sector and turned towards the main display on the
bridge. He was sitting in a gothic alcove to one side of the bridge, and along the rows of similar alcoves sat stations each dedicated to a certain aspect of the ship, some manned by officers such as himself, others by Servitors plugged directly into their terminals and often displaying a regular tic movement as they analysed incoming data. Along the walkway behind him, preachers walked slowly, their long robes brushing the floor, swinging incense and chanting monosylabic hymns of dedication and protection. To his right, at the front of the bridge was the main window. That was the best reason to be an officer, to be able to look out of the viewing window and down the length of the ship. On the floor in front of this window and recessed into a pit so that it was visible from all of the bridge, was the tactical display, currently showing only icons for the Imperial fleet. To the left and right of the main window were banks of display screens, showing shots of the outside and the immediate local space of the ship. These were used for docking proceedures, detecting intruder points and targeting of close proximity defences. As Johanson gazed around, everything seemed quite, and yet there was an unmistakable tension in the air that he could almost see. He stared intensly through the observation window willing his eyes to see the reflection of light on an enemy vessel as it turned but at these distances he could see nothing. Commander Wilks paced up and down next to the tactical display, not making eye contact with anyone and staring at the floor. Suddenly, a red light lite up, high above them and a siren blasted twice. Icons appeared one at a time on the tactical display and as they lite up Johanson willed each one to be the last. But, scores appeared and he fought down panic as he realised that the enemy fleet was stronger than their advisors had bargained with. The Comms officer tore off a printout as it emerged from his terminal and passed it to a runner who handed it to the Commander. He nodded, and barked a number of co-ordinates to the Helmsman. Johanson turned back to his terminal, and ran another readiness check of the internal systems. |
Date: 11/03/2002
Written by: CyberShadow