Round 3 – Rated Ace Tos Crawford (Wyn-Shark with 4 drone racks)

I think the Shark is the toughest disruptor ship against the Orion mainly because the Orion cannot afford to exchange a range 2 oblique shot with it due to its ridiculous fire power (OLs plus 5p3+6p1) at that range, even with the big brick. Another problem is that the Shark takes damage extremely well both in weapons and power. I was glad, however, that Tos did not take the 7p1 Shark, which would make a close range shot even worse. As for the drone racks, I did not feel that they would be much of an issue in this game due to the speed of the drones.

Given the Shark’s awesome range 2 oblique firepower, I planned to take it head on, #1 to #1, where the Shark would only have 3p3 in arc instead of 5 (the extra 6 points of damage at range 2 makes a big difference). With superior speed and maneuverability, an Orion that wants to go #1 to #1 cannot be prevented from doing so absent its opponent parking or letting it have a close range shot on the rears.

Turn 1: I did not double any engines and decided to cloak on impulse 1, going speed 16/15/16/15 and holding 2 suicides. Tos plotted speed 20 to start. I turned towards the corner and was fully cloaked on impulse 6. At range 32, needing a “1” to retain lock-on, Tos rolled a “1”. No worries since on impulse 7, I announced a speed change down to 15 effective on impulse 8, triggering another lock-on roll on impulse 8. Needing a “1”, Tos rolled another “1”. Doh!!! I started to sweat. I sped up again on impulse 17 to 16 and deceled again to 15 on impulse 25, triggering what I hoped to be the final roll. At range 22, Tos would again need to roll a “1” to retain and finally, he rolled a “2”. We ended the turn at range 14 or so and he fired 4 standards doing 4 points to my #6. Although I was able to eventually break lock-on, the fact that he made the first roll meant that I had to allow the decel to 15, making my max speed this turn speed 30. It also forced me deeper into my corner, leaving him the option next turn to run to the other far corner.

Turn 2: I doubled both engines, put 15 points of reinforcement on my #1, 6 in tractor, held 2 suicides, allocated a HET and plotted a 26/30 split. Tos began the turn at speed 16 and approached. I uncloaked and turned early to cross his T and launched 2 fake f-torps at range 8 and began to slip out to gain some separation from my torps. Tos began slipping out as well and at range 6, he had me centerlined with me showing my unreinforced #2 and plasmas 3 hexes out in front (but the torps had just turned left). Tos at that point announced a speed change to 31, which unfortunately, gave him movement preference. Without firing on what Tos thought was a reinforced shield at range 6, Tos turned next impulse to the left towards my corner to juke the plasma. The following impulse, I turned in to chase. On impulse 15, I was able to turn my #1 shield centerlined at range 4 on his #3. Tos chose to fire on my #1 with 4p1s doing 15, all of which were bounced by the brick. I seriously contemplated bolting at this point along with 5p1s and a fusion since at speed 31, he could not HET back to chase me. I decided that it was too risky since I might miss with the bolts so I continued to chase. On impulse 17, Tos was able to extend the range to 5 and continued to head towards the right side wall as I chased. On impulse 25, I fired 5p1s at range 5 doing 19 to his #4 shield. I figured that after that shot, Tos would turn on impulse 26 and then turn again on impulse 32 in order to show his #5 shield instead of his #4. Unfortunately for him, he did not turn until impulse 27, meaning that at his current speed, he could not avoid me getting another shot on his #4 on impulse 1 at range 5. Of course, the shot would not be as deadly if he could simply brick the shield in EA. So on impulse 32, I fired a fusion beam, 2 plasma bolts and 5p3s. Prior to the shot, Tos launched 4 drones. The bolt was not nearly as risky this time since I knew Tos would have to park next turn anyway to brick my 5p1 shot if I were to miss with the torps. Luckily, I hit with both torps doing 16 internals after reinforcement, knocking out a drone rack, 2p3s and more importantly, 2 warp. With the bolts hitting, I felt that I had a huge advantage.

Turn 3: I started of thinking of the only ways that Tos could come back and still kill me. I decided that I would have to be anchored and slammed with drones for that to happen. Tos had lost 2 warp on my strike on impulse 32, so assuming he would HET, the maximum amount of hexes Tos could go was 24. So I doubled both engines, put 10 pts to my #4, 3 into tractors and plotted 25 hexes of movement which could take me all the way to the corner. I decided to stop holding the suicides and instead began arming a weasel just in case. Sure enough, Tos began the turn at speed 24. On impulse 1, I fired 5p1s into the down shield at range 5 doing another 17 internals. I did not hit another drone rack, but I did knock out several more warp. Tos chased, eventually slowing down and we ended the turn at range 7 on my side of the map moving towards the left. During the turn, I launched an admin shuttle that was able to kill one of the drones and end the turn at range 8 on Tos’ down #4. Tos launched 3 more drones on impulse 32.

Turns 4: On this turn, I was just buying time until my f-torps would be fully armed again on turn 5. I still ended up doubling both in order to recharge phasers and still keep up speeds. On impulse 1, my shuttle declared fire and hit at range 8 taking out another warp! I flew to the left of the map and then back up as Tos followed at speed 23 all turn.

Turn 5: With my f-torps armed, I was just looking for an opportunity to HET back, dodge drones and unload my torps. I doubled both warp again and put 7 points into tractors and went speed 30 to impulse 6 and speed 26 to impulse 32. I waited until mid-turn to strike to make sure Tos spent enough points into movement and not all in tractors. At around impulse 17 and range 7 of his ship, I HETed towards Tos and past the drones. Tos at that point could have emergency decelerated, but then I would have a range 2 alpha strike (including bolts) to end the game anyway. Tos’ last hope now would be to tractor me at range 1. With my 7 pts in tractors, I wasn’t too worried, but it was still mathematically possible if Tos had a massive decel plotted from that point. So to be safe, I looked for a range 2 shot instead. Tos did not oblige and with a timely slip, forced me to go to range 1 or lose front arc. Tos went up to 3 on the tractor which I was able to beat. I launched my 40 pts which would be guaranteed to hit his #1, the same shield that I was currently facing. After realizing that he would be taking another 60 internals, Tos conceded.