Topic: 1500 IN BFG list

[Captain F. Bunny]

Right... first crack at one of these things... I'll mostly play eldar, necrons and chaos with these.

2 Lunar class cruisers (one with a ld 8 admiral) and a re-roll also equipped with power rams
2 Dominator class cruisers, power rams
2 Dictator class cruisers
2 Dauntless class light cruisers.

The plan is to chug up the board at 10cm per turn to maximise the 2 Nova Cannons' shots. At about 30cm I drop my torpedoes, and then turn to broadside. The Dauntless are there behind the other cruisers to keep escorts and the like off the stern of the others. Waddaya think?

[Eagle of the Stars]

You might need some escorts yourself...  Other than that, looks pretty well balanced (if not imposing on the field)

[Captain F. Bunny]

Well, is it really nessesaey to have escorts? The threat of escorts should be able to be dealt with with my dauntlesses and my bombers from my dictators, no?

[Rummy]

Rather than a slow advance, I'd leap forward with the non-nova ships while maintaining your long range barrage. Keep the bombers/fighters up with your advance forces and push your opponent into either ignoring the Novas or ignoring your advance fleet. Otherwise your lack of speed is going to let your opponent set the tactics.

[Warboss Waaazag]

Well, is it really nessesaey to have escorts? The threat of escorts should be able to be dealt with with my dauntlesses and my bombers from my dictators, no?

Yes and no. Escorts serve you in these ways:
If yer opponent has none you will dominate the battle with your's. Flying circles around him and peppering him with
all kinds of bad things. I find small squadrons of Cobras to be most effective. 3 cobras have the same torpedoe salvo
strength as a cruiser. And they move faster and turn better.
If yer opponent has escorts and you have none, you will be constantly forced to choose between dealing with them
and destroying the rest of yer opponent's fleet. they will be a thorn in your side. Unless of course the cruisers you
field get lucky.
If you both have escorts, neither side will gain the upper hand...at least not with the escorts.

Besides which, bombers are much better set against cruisers, where their multiple attack dice mean bigger threat and
either more damage or lots of enemy ships on brace for impact special orders.
I also opt to swarm my enemy ships with assault boats, because it is very annoying to them when their ships suffer
multiple criticals and they have to spend valuable time trying to repair the damage.

[Abraxas]

Let me begin by saying I have not played many games of BFG... infact, I have never played a game. What I can say is that I have a rather solid understanding of the rules.

Let me begin by saying that all cruisers are a really bad idea. A fleet of 1500 points worth of Eldar escorts would rip you a new one. two squdrons of 6 hemlocks (costing all of 480 points) could probably cripple half of that fleet with minimal effort. The fact that the eldar player still has 1000 points left to spend on ordance (2 squads of 6 night shades) which is potentially 2 rows of S 12 torpedoes... I don't care how fast you move or how many nova cannons you have.... You are facing a serious problem. Then, with the reamining 500 points, put in 2 squads of 3 Hellbores and kiss you fleet good by.

Either you deal with the hamlocks or you deal with the destroyers, but you can't handle them both... Plus, which ever side comes under more fire, the hell bores can assisst both (2 torpedos each and 1 pulsar each...) These 30 escorts are serious trouble for your 8 cruisers.

Believe me, the eldar escorts are nothing to snear at...

[Captain F. Bunny]

Then what do you suggest? Replacing the two dauntlesses and taking the rams and re-rolls off to place in 3 squadrons of 3 cobras?

[Eagle of the Stars]

Yes. You might leave one Dauntless. Also, if your planing on fighting Eldar, I would throw in Swords instead of Cobras.

[Abraxas]

Tell you the truth... I don't know any thing about the Imperial Navy. I have ordered some Eldar ships and plan on using that fleet... (I play eldar in 40k... its only fitting).

What I do know is that relying as heavily as you are on cruisers is a major mistake. I suggest you put this fleet up for comments on the www.battlefleetgoth ic.com site. Got to the forum and then go to the tactsics and strategy page. I am curious as to what they say.

[Warboss Waaazag]

Not all this advice is good. Escorts suffer from some serious draw backs. Namely, weak hulls. it doesn't take much to
destroy even large swarms of escorts. especially not with the firepower that can be grought to bear by some of the cruisers
in the Imperial fleet. Although the Eldar are irritatingly difficult to hit they disintegrate if you do score any impacts. Even an
all escort Eldar fleet will run into trouble. However, total reliance on cruisers is also folly.
I'd keep at least one of the Dauntlesses. These light cruisers combine the best of escort and cruiser capabilities. they have
excellent firepower for their size and can manuever very well for a cruiser. You also have to remember that escorts have pitiful
armor. Cobras are as frail as Eldar ships and their torpedoes are virtually useless against Eldar ships. You want escorts and
cruisers with weapon batteries gallor. Take squadrons of Swords. Take Dominators and Tyrants (you'll appreciate the extra
range), take an Overlord battlecruiser. Even at close range you're going to want long range firepower as the Eldar will have
an irritating habit of moving into range, shooting, and then moving away in the opposite direction.
The Eldar fleet is going to run circles around you. Be careful as they'll try to manuever behind your ships. Take advantage,
as best you can, of your capitol ships' prow armor. It may end up useless against the pulsar lances you'll be facing, but it is
an advantage against weapon batteries, bombers and torps, so use it.
You might also think about a carrier of some sort. His fighters don't necessarily get removed when they come in contact with yer
ordinance but if you have threats on the board in the form of assault boats (very lethal against escorts - if you can find the darn
Eldar ships), torps and bombers, maybe yer opponent will field more fighters rather than bombers.
Its tough but try to keep the Eldar on the defensive. I play orks, so I'm always swarming around at top speed trying to bring the
fight right to those panzees. It doesn't always work, but it does throw Eldar players for a loop because they are typically used
to having the upper hand in fleet actions. Change the tables on them, fight aggressively, and keep them guessing and you may
just survive.

[Eagle of the Stars]

It may end up useless against the pulsar lances you'll be facing, but it is
an advantage against weapon batteries, bombers and torps, so use it.

About the bomber part, I thought that they attack rolled against the lowest armour value of the ship. 

[Rummy]

About the bomber part, I thought that they attack rolled against the lowest armour value of the ship. 

Correct. Bombers are assumed to target their weapons on vulnerable points the moment before launch. So the lowest armour value is used.

[Captain F. Bunny]

Here's the list I posted up on the BFG forums for them to review.. thought you chaps might be intrersted also.

Squadron 1
Overlord Class Battlecruiser With fleet admiral and turret array
Lunar Class Cruiser
Lunar Class Cruiser

Squadron 2
Dictator Class Cruiser
Dictator Class Cruiser

Squadron 3
Dauntless Class Cruiser
Dauntless Class Cruiser
5x Sword Class Frigate

Edit: Like i said on the BFG forums, the idea is to steam forwards until about 30cm, then slow down and unload firepower and have 3rd squadron intercept escorts or to nip into the stern of enemy cruisers.

[Abraxas]

I saw a simialr list on BFG forum, so I came here to see if you heeded my advice... and you did... I feel like I really contributed. 

Just to prvent people from asking the same qustion that Admmiral d Artagnan asked (people don't read other peoples comments, and when the same thing is said 50 times, its gets annoying) is to modify the original post. It can be done the same way as this board. Then delete your post and the Admiral will modify his accordignly. It makes it easier to understand how the fleet is actually set up.

Also, include a general tactic, just like you did on this board.