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Re: 2503 - Attacking Abel. The Strategy (adjusted) Tue, 04 September 2007 10:59 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
AlexTheGreat is currently offline AlexTheGreat

 
Lieutenant

Messages: 661
Registered: May 2006
Location: Sydney, Australia
 Please express opinions, especially where questions must be answered (coloured orange)

Well, here's how I see it:

PREPARATION

1. Shannon Gate: Expected to deploy in 2506.

2. Ship Designs:
(i) "Revenge at Last" B-52: FM,2xCroby,2xJ20,12xHaB,3xLBU74.
(ii) "Martyr" Small Freighter: FM,RNA.
(iii) "Oliver" DD (sweeper): FM,Croby,1xGG
(iv) "Barricade" Galleon (unattractive ML): FM,4xCroby,2xJ20,1xDNA,3xMD50,5xST20.
(v) "Ampol III"/"Supply Line" (unattractive SFX): FM,2xCroby (Supply Line has Rhino).
Other ships are already in use.

3. Ship Numbers:
Note that numbers stated are extracted from previous statements + your turn files. At this stage the following contingents are expected:

Race .. Zaid Vlad Spart Ides 12Jug 18Jug Olivr RatL Barr CroML Martyr Chaff RedP M.T SupF CroSFX
Drakh .... 0 .. 0 ... 0 .. 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 .. 0 .. 0 ... 0 .... 0 . 331 .. 0 . 0 .. 0 .... 0
Gaim ... 250 . 40 ... 0 .. 0 .. 24 ... 0 ... 0 . 66 .. 0 .. 30? ... 0 ... 0 `250 . 0 .. 0 ... 50
Llort .... 0 . 15 . 110 . 30 ... 6 ... 0 . 240 .. 0 . 10 ... 0 .. 563 ... 0 `792 . 2 .. 2 ... 21
Narn ..... 0 .. 0 ... 0 .. 0 ... 0 ... 0 ... 0 .. 0 .. 0 ... 0 .... 0 ... 0 .. 2 . 0 .. 0 .... 0
Pak .... 161 . 44 .. 77 .. 0 . 102 ... 0 .. 88 .. 0 .. 0 ... 0 .... 0 . 789 .. 0 . 0 .. 0 .... 0
Spoo ... 166 . 29 .. 50 .. 0 ... 0 ... 5 ... 0 .. 0 .. 0 ... 0 .... 0 . 500 .. 0 . 0 .. 0 .... 0
TOTAL .. 577 `128 . 237 . 30 . 132 ... 5 . 328 . 66 . 10 .. 30? . 563 `1545 1044 . 2 .. 2 ... 71

Note: Steve has says he expects Pisces can contruct a gate by 2507. That being so, I have added ships from the Silver/Zucchini area & increased some other numbers made possible by the new gate.

4. Ship Transfers pre-gating
Expected enemy fleets are the driving factor determining what each race should fly.
1. Location of Vorlons: Since the Vorlons are building mainly Big Mutha BBs to date it is important that the IA races near them has either no significant ships or only one significant stack. I see the destruction of the Big Muthas early as a very important goal so probably the former. The following ships must not be near them in order of importance:
(a) Bombers
(b) Chaff (all types)
(c) Sweepers
(d) MLs
(e) SFXs
(f) M.T Probe/Super Freighters
2. Location of Ipsha: The Ipsha are likely to have some MegaD/Synchro BBs but they rather like missile boats so it is likely that they will have the largest fleet of Doom BBs. I see the destruction of those as the next most important goal. IMO the best strategy against them is to:
(a) Ensure that some SF chaff & scout chaff are both in range of missiles but not so close that the chaff gets fried by their beam ships.
(b) An IA race is nearby to (hopefully) destroy their ships in battle round 1 giving them only one shot at our chaff.
3. Location of Hyak: Likely to have predominantly MegaD/Synchro ships including some high-init ones but also a contingent of Doom ships. IMO we need to polish off the Vorlons & Ipsha first so it might be best to try for a position that places them at greater distance compared to the main IA force & take them on in battle round 2 if possible. Of course, as always we need to try for a good position for our more sensitive/specialist ships.
4. Location of Earthlings: Probably insignificant.

Conclusion: IMO it may be best to try for:
(a) Two major IA forces. One single-design range 3 fleet (Spartacus is probably the best choice since they have sappers as well as beams) to take on the Vorlon Big Muthas & one with the rest to initially take on the Ipsha.
(b) a 3rd IA race to fly the more sensitive unarmed ships to hide as much as possible (including the SF Chaff & bombers but excluding armed chaff). Hopefully that means that, since there are no armed ships in that direction the VA will head somewhere else.
(c) a 4th IA race to fly the armed chaff. Ideally (don't know if it's possibly yet since I haven't studied the positions well enough) the position should not too close to any VA race - ideally another IA race is closer than the nearest VA race?
(d) Unarmed ships & chaff should be split into several fleets to maximise the chances of escaping total destruction if they/some get caught & to avoid all chaff moving in the same direction & possibly moving out of missile range or into beam range.

Once we arrive at a battlegrid position decision we can determine the races concerned. As we've mentioned before, spare slots will be important.

Of course, my suggestions above are meant to be an ideal set. I expect that some will not be entirely possible.

GATING TO SQUIDCAKES

1. TIMING
As discussed, planned gating is:
2506: Gaim/Llort gate from Zippy to Shannon.
2507: ALL IA races gate Squidcakes: Pak, Spoo & Narn from Dog House & Gaim, Llort & Drakh from Shanno.

If gate at Squidcakes to be conserved:
2507: Gaim & Llort gate reinforcements from Zippy to Shannon.
2508: ALL IA races gate reinforcements & sensitive reserves to Squidcakes.

2. To destroy or not to destroy the gate, that is the question.
Since the last Pak spy with a realistic chance of scanning Squidcakes hit a minefield last year we are forced to go in blind.

IMO if the VA force at Arnold has left by the time we are ready to gate then we should leave the gate open for a year. As Andreas said, that affords us the chance to gate other ships in 2508, especially some of the more sensitive ships but also some reinforcements.

If, however, the VA fleet is still at Arnold then we have to either bite the bullet or wait. I know that Micha prefers the latter & I'm inclined to agree but I'm not totally convinced - Opinions. Assuming that we do bite the bullet we will, naturally, have to destroy the gate upon arrival. In this case Llort has 3 missile ships that can take down the gate.

3. Ships to hold in reserve if gate not to be destroyed

In this case, IMO we should gate the following in 2508:
(i) All except 25 B-52s.
(ii) Half the FF Croby MLs (Gaim)
(iii) Half the armed chaff (scout chaff & RPs). Note that Llort will have 186 SF Chaff reinforcements in 2508.
(iv) Half the SFX
(v) 80 Sweepers
(vi) M.T.Probes & Super Freighters (Llort)

4. Ensuring a scan
It is essential that Spoo &/or Drakh have surviving penscanners upon arrival. Depending on the scenario we go with that might mean ordering transfers to them in 2507.

5. Other gates
It appears that the VA have operational gates & smaller fleets at Milky Way, Bed Rock & Pi. Should we attack them if we can easily handle the situations there?

SCORING THE GOAL (the journey to Abel)

1. Sweeping
It is important to remember that we need only sweep a corridor & keep it open. Warp 9/10 sweeping will not necessarily be required. The best strategy will probably be seen only upon arrival at Squidcakes.

2. The first step
If the gate is to be destroyed then, as Andreas suggested, we can procede at warp 4 in year 1. If, however, the gate will remain open then it might be better to wait for reinforcements.

3. Mining the Route
The "Barricade" Galleon combo MLs can lay mines between Squidcakes & Abel (laying mines AT Squidcakes is useless since any VA ships that managed to gate there will automatically sweep the MF there). Gaim's FF Croby MLs will likely survive too but the "Tar Pits" have Buckley's (no) chance.

3. What Then?
From there I think it's a matter of "suck it & see". Most likely we will have to adjust our strategy according to our scan results.

The "Crikey, What Now" Scenario

There is, of course, a chance that the gate at Squidcakes has been/will be destroyed by 2507. What a bummer that would be! So what do we do if so? Some options:
1. Attack the VA through the gates at Milky Way, Bed Rock (& knock out Pi)? It's a long way to Abel from those gates but maybe we can just have a bit of fun by eg. wiping out Doris?
2. Try pinging all the planets in the region of Abel that might host a gate?
3. Give up?

THE END - INPUT & Constructive Criticism please

[Updated on: Sun, 09 September 2007 07:22]

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