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Author Topic: BFG Imperial Navy (to beat Chaos) - 1500  (Read 2970 times)

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Offline Crawfskeezen

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BFG Imperial Navy (to beat Chaos) - 1500
« on: April 25, 2013, 12:45:03 AM »
So after a brief discussion on the merits of the Imperial Navy and Chaos fleets in a previous thread, I have been trying to come up with a list to suit. I also have to be aware of what my opponent will be bringing which is going to be fighter/bomber/assault boat pain.

We play with a couple house rules:

1. You may conduct 1 crew exchange (exchange leadership values between 2 ships) before the game starts. This is done  in case one rolls an equal or better leadership for their flagship than the Admiral provides, it is not wasted. Or if this is not necessary you can swap between other ships, perhaps to increase the LD on a squadron.

2. The named ship upgrades and abilities (such as the Salvaged Targeting Matrix for the Mars, or being able to swap out lances for torpedos such as on the Dauntless) do not require the ship to be named as such. We like our own names.

We're using the updated points values available on the GW site. I figure he'll be bringing 1 Repulsive, 1/2 Styx, 2/3 Devastations and some Carnages and/or Slaughters to fill the points. Probably 2, none if he loads up on the Styx and Devs. He has no battleships or escorts so I needn't worry there. If he does load up on the carriers then I will just out gun him, if he's bringing more line cruisers I think I've brought enough of my own ordnance to counter his and still get some pain through. Here's what I plan to bring:


Fleet Admiral Crawford - 50 (No Extra Re-rolls)
Emperor "Churchill" - 365
Mars "Victory" - Salvaged Targeting Matrix - 285
Dictator - "Trudeau" 220
Lunar "Toronto" - 180
Lunar "Glasgow" - 180
Dauntless "Kodiak" - (Prow Torpedos) - 110
Dauntless "Grizzly" - (Prow Torpedos) - 110

Emperor - He's my newest addition and everyone seems to rave about him, 8 squadrons and 16 firepower if you concentrate and are in the L/R arc, but his job isn't to be in the thick of it, it's to hold at the back launching wave after wave of fighters and to clean anything up that breaks through.

Mars - Hangs back and launches fighters with the Emperor. Unloads nova cannon down range every turn hopefully crippling the Grand Cruiser or a carrier before they hit the line in full. Can fire his guns at over 30 cm without penalty (due to the shift provided by his targeting matrix).

(I only brought the one Nova Cannon in this list because I plan to win like a Boss Gentleman)

Dictator - Will hold closer to the front to provide more immediate fighter support. Forms main torpedo line with the two Dauntless. (In no way am I implying by this ships name that Pierre Elliot Trudeau (nor his son Justin) was/is a "dictator." In fact I'm a big fan of the guy (Sr.), which is why I named a beslubbering space ship after him.)

Lunars - Vanguard of the fleet, forms main prong of attack. They will be squadroned. Starts in the torpedo line then moves out and uses torpedoes in a "1 turn" shot (ie. shooting something within 30 cm).

Dauntless -  Squadroned. Cheap torpedo access. Backbone of the torpedo line. Can still bring half decent firepower to bear.

To be honest I wasn't quite sure what to do with my last 235 points here so i took the 2 Dauntless and the targeting matrix on the Mars. I could get a cruiser with the points but then the balance would only be enough to buy 1/2 escorts, if that. I could drop 1 dauntless and pick up a unit of 3 swords, or drop a dauntless and the targeting matrix to grab 4 cobras, but I'm not sure if any of those options would be more effective than the double dauntless.

Standard Deployment may look like this, Obviously terrain or "spatial phenomena" placement affects everything, but the 5 torpedo carrying ships will begin the game in Line Abreast.

    d    d   D       L  L   
                     M       
                   E 


16 Squadrons, 1 Nova Cannon, 30 torpedo opening volley, 18 torpedo volley on consecutive turns and a solid attacking core of 5.


Your thoughts rear Admiral
CO 46th Frostshields

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Offline Locarno

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Re: BFG Imperial Navy (to beat Chaos) - 1500
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2013, 02:44:40 AM »
Looks interesting.
Those paired light cruisers will be the key - the classic chaos tactic is to form line astern and shoot the crud out of you as you close - if your light cruisers can pac-man it up the flanks and turn inwards to present your prows to the front or back* of his line, that plan goes out of the window.

Now this assumption on his plan may fall apart. Repulsives and Slaughters are actually pretty close range, so you may find him coming to you, but your tactics shouldn't really change. Keep your armour pointed the right way, and if you've got fighter superiority, or even parity, consider a massed bomber/torpedo launch straight off the bat to psych him into defensive operations.

My one recommendation is to put the Emperor on an extreme flank. Because of those lovely traversable guns, it wants to be firing to one side only, unlike imperial line cruisers which will happily fight in both directions at once. Then put the Dictator at the other end (as you have done) to cover the resulting imbalance in fighter cover.

* I recommend back as the Repulsive packs a decent torpedo spread too!
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Offline Crawfskeezen

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Re: BFG Imperial Navy (to beat Chaos) - 1500
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2013, 02:44:16 AM »
Thanks for the reply Locarno. Would have pinged back sooner but I just wrapped up exams and was a bit busy. All done now though!  ;D

Those paired light cruisers will be the key - the classic chaos tactic is to form line astern and shoot the crud out of you as you close - if your light cruisers can pac-man it up the flanks and turn inwards to present your prows to the front or back* of his line, that plan goes out of the window.

Very good idea, I honestly hadn't thought of that, and chances are the chaos advance will present itself as such.

My one recommendation is to put the Emperor on an extreme flank. Because of those lovely traversable guns, it wants to be firing to one side only

I had thought of this, my only concern is dividing my forces too heavily. That said the Emperor can go toe to toe with pretty well anything given its high volume weapons batteries and launch bays so I really shouldn't be concerned about "stranding" him.

Ok, given that, a slight re-valuation of grouping/formation


  d    d         L  L  D
              M       
  E                   

Emperor is more to one flank with the light cruisers, the Dictator and Mars pick up the fighter/bomber slack on the opposing flank and the Lunars just try to get stuck in there.

* I recommend back as the Repulsive packs a decent torpedo spread too!

Ya, target priority on this rather unsavoury chap, what-ho old bean?, he always ruins one of my Captain's days.

Enemy fleet should be emerging from warp space in the next few days, will post details.
CO 46th Frostshields

"Relish The Cold, Freeze The Foe"

7th W/D/L

IG 1/0/0

Offline Locarno

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Re: BFG Imperial Navy (to beat Chaos) - 1500
« Reply #3 on: May 3, 2013, 01:01:38 AM »
Quote
That said the Emperor can go toe to toe with pretty well anything given its high volume weapons batteries and launch bays so I really shouldn't be concerned about "stranding" him.

Just make sure someone's batteries are capable of covering her nose and arse. It's not as big a deal as it might be with destroyers and raiders on the field, but it is important.

The Emperor has big advantages over a Retribution:
- Leadership bonus - not that that matters unless you have multiple battleships on the board; you'll be using the Admiral's leadership, not the ship's. They don't stack.
- Heavier broadside.
- Massive launch capacity.

But also has the following disadvantages:
- No lance firepower - not that this matters against weaker-armoured chaos ships.
- 2/3 of its broadside power can only be fired to one side at once.
 - Without 6+ prow armour, it's easier to hurt than a cruiser from the front; 4 hits needing '5's instead of 2 needing '6's to drop the shields, and subsequent hits are easier.
- With only 15cm move, a 5cm penalty from a blast marker leaves 10cm. Battleships have a 15cm move before turning, so you cannot manouvre the bloody thing whilst under fire.

Keep side-on to the enemy and you'll be fine.
Stories to read....
Songs of Earth
The Will to Survive Series

Tervigon Army List:
Games Played: 35
Termagants expended for the Hive Mind: ~2685

 


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