Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site houxn.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!ahuta!houxn!dossamg From: dossamg@houxn.UUCP (A.GOPIN) Newsgroups: net.games Subject: StarFleet Battles Playtest (long) Message-ID: <598@houxn.UUCP> Date: Thu, 24-Jan-85 16:58:25 EST Article-I.D.: houxn.598 Posted: Thu Jan 24 16:58:25 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 25-Jan-85 21:43:35 EST Lines: 137 One of the five SFB playtest scenarios I am responsible for appears below. If you wish to work on it please submit a report to me by 25 Feb. 1985. The report should include the following: The names of all the people who participated (so they can get listed in the credits). The scenario number. The number of times it was played. The number of times it was completed. Does the scenario "work?" Why or Why not? Is the scenario balanced? If not, who does it favor and why? Is there a "trick key" that can unlock this scenario and make it fall apart (become dull or disappointing)? If so, what is it and how can it be fixed? Should any changes be made? Any other useful comments. Thanks for your help Alan Gopin ihnp4!houxn!dossamg a.k.a. Cat Who Sleeps With Dogs Commanding: 3rd Kzinti Field Force PLAYTEST SCENARIO FOR SFB - COPYRIGHT 1985 (c) AMARILLO DESIGN BUREAU (SP671.0) THE WRECK OF THE REX In Y176 Admiral S'Trenk of the Gorn 3rd Fleet received a message from Admiral Marcus Tiercellus. The Romulan Admiral stated that he was personally tired of the war, and that his entire fleet was willing to declare its own neutrality and the eutrality of its home province. As this would cripple the Romulan forces on the Gorn border, the Romulan Emperor would be forced to sue for peace, ending the war. Tiercellus insisted on a personl meeting with S'Trenk to discuss terms. S'Trenk had little choice but to accept the invitation; any chance to end war and save countless lives was worth any risk. Even so, he was wary of a Romulan Trap. Tiercellus agreed to meet him in open space, each admiral in his own crusier and no other forces. To satisfy Gorn fears, the Romulan Admiral transferred his flag to a Sparrowhawk, a ship decidedly inferior to S'Trenk's Command Cruiser. Tiercellus even offered to allow a Gorn destroyer to sweep the area ahead of time to make sure no mines oe cloaked ships were present, an offer S'Trenk accepted. S'Trenk's Command Cruiser arrived and approached Tiercellus' Sparrowhawk. S'Trenk's flag lieutenant was not convinced. "I still think it's a trap," S'Toval warned. "There are probably a dozen ships within range, all cloaked and waiting for the moment to attack." "Unlikely, lieutenant," the admiral responded. "they would have to use small ships, and have them lying here cloaked for six months to avoid our detection. Anything shorter than that, and the residual effects of their arrival could be detected. And those tin cans don't carry the food or air to stay in space that long." "Then they've been eating moonbeams, Admiral, because they just uncloaked!" (SP671.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the Gorn player and the Romulan player (SP671.2) INITIAL SET UP GORN: Command Cruiser Rex in 3515, facing C, speed 0, WS-III ROMULAN: Sparrowhawk Avenger in 4218, facing F, speed 0, WS-III. Six Snipe-A cloaked anywhere on the board not within 10 hexes of the Rex and not within 10 hexes of each other, facing at the option of the Romulan player, speed 0, WS-III. (SP671.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario continues until the Rex has been captured or destroyed or has disengaged. (SP671.4) SPECIAL RULES (SP671.41) The map is fixed; it does not "float." Romulan ships cannot cannot leave the map. (SP671.42) The Gorn ship can only leave the map between hexes 0110 and 0120 inclusive. This is the only means by which it can disengage. (SP671.43) Because they have been cloaded for several months, the six Romulan Snipe-A firgates have only one crew unit each. They are considered undermanned (G9.42). The have no boarding parties, shuttles, or PPTs. The can uncloak (using fade-in) at any point, but cannot move on the turn that they complete fade-in. (SP671.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the Rex is captured, the Romulans win an astounding victory. If the Rex is destroyed, the Romulans win a decisive victory. If the Rex is crippled, the Romulans win a marginal victory. If the Rex escapes uncrippled, the Gorns win a decisive victory. If the Avenger is destroyed and the Rex is crippled, the result is a Gorn decisive victory. If the Avenger is destroyed and the Rex is not crippled, the result is a Gorn astounding victoy. Destruction or capture of all seven Roumlan ships and escape by the Rex (regardless of its condition, so long as it is undestroyed and has working warp engines) would surely mark S'Trenk as a legendary captain. Notes: The Snipes are old ships and considered expendable, and so do not figure int the victory conditions. However, several months have been spent laying this trap, and a failure to destroy the Rex will probably cost Marcus Tiercellus his command (if not his life). (SP671.6) VARIATIONS: the following variations can be used by the players to provide different challenges within the general conditions of this scenario. (SP671.61) Replace the Rex with a Federation Command Cruiser or Battlecruiser. (SP671.62) Add a DD (3316) and HDD (3513) to the Gorn forces (or a DDL and FFG to the Federation forces). Replace two Snipe-A with Snipe-Bs; add two Warbirds to the cloaked forces. (SP671.7) BALANCE: This scenario can be balanced to suit players of different levels of skill or experience by deleting a Snipe-A or replacing it with a Snipe-B. (SP671.8) TACTICS (SP671.81) ROMULAN: The trap must be carefully laid. Two ships must be deployed as goalkeepers astride the Gorn exit point. The others should be set up to provide interlocking fields of fire. Don't fire all of the torpedoes at once, as this would simply encourage the Rex to use a wild weasel. Remeber, the Rex can destroy the Avenger before the Snipes can reload. One possible tactic: have your ships grab the Rex with tractor beams to slow it down. (SP671.82) Gorn: Discretion is the better part of valor, and it is not going to be very wise to stay and fight seven ships. As such, your first duty is to escapt. Even using a HET on the first turn and maximum acceleration, it will be sometime during turn 3 before you can leave the board. That being the case, the most direct route is not strictly necessary. Indeed, a route along the edge of the map could put many of the Snipes out of range. Whatever you chose, don't be predictable. You might even roll a die to pick a course so that you can't be outguessed. Save your own phasers to blast plasma torpedoes. Since you will start with torpedoes armed, use them to pin down key Romulan ships, but don't reload them as you won't be on the board long enough. Save the power for shields and negative tractor. Your probably won't have time for wild weasels (although one or two should be ready, just in case), but the rest can be used for suicide attacks. Those seeking legendary status should be warned that no mere mortal can succeed. If you try, take out the Sparrowhawk first as it is the most dangerous opponent, then go Snipe hunting. You might even manage to capture a Snipe by boarding, if you want to add to your legend. (SP671.9)PLAYTESTER'S COMMENTS: A fast-pased scenario; it's all over in three turns. INSTRUCTIONS TO PLAYTESTERS: Note Snipe-A in Starletter #23; note that Snipe-A has six warp engine boxes, not eight.