SFB PBEM Game HR3.205 Analysis

 Game HR3.205, Moderator:  Bernard Rose "Encoder" 

   John Hanna "Gnaarl" in his Lyran White Tiger TCC Purrcy (Email Gnaarl) 
       vs 
   Mike Mulka "Junker" in his Orion TBR (Email Junker)

 My Lyran TCC defeated Mike "Junker" Mulka's Orion TBR on Turn 4, Impulse 10.

   Turn 1:  We circled.

   Turn 2:  We exchanged fire at range 4.
            Orion hit with 1/2 photons and 
                  rolled poorly with phasers on reinforced shield.
            Lyran fired phasers at unprotected shield, 
                  scored 4 internals (Photon, 2 phasers).

   Turn 3:  We circled while rearming.

   Turn 4:  We closed for another close battle pass.
            Orion's photon missed, 
                    remaining firepower cannot punch shield.
            Lyran still had full firepower with range 4 and 
                  about to close to range 1-3.

 Analysis:  My original game plan was to make the Orion come to me and
            try to shoot an alpha strike at an unreinforced shield.
            Normally, there is no way to out-maneuver an Orion, so why try?

            However, since Junker went speed 8 on turn 1, I could 
            outmaneuver the Orion on Turn 2 by going speed 19 or greater.
            I made sure that I had the higher speed when we hit battle range.
            I used 1 ESG at range 0 to kill incoming drones and raised the 
            other at range 3 (after the drone(s) were inside) to invite a
            range 4 Orion attack or else get the ESG hit on the Orion.  Junker
            chose to fire at range 4 with 2 OL Photons (fortunately hitting 
            with only 1) and x Phaser-1s at my reinforced shield and 1 std
            Hellbore at my range 3 ESG while I fired 4 Phaser-1s at his facing 
            shield.  He dropped my #1 shield by 14 and I dropped his #6 by 13.
            Since he didn't move next impulse, I fired my remaining phaser-1s
            and battery-fired 1 disruptor at his weak and unreinforced shield,
            scoring only 4 internals, but hitting 1 photon and 2 phasers!  As
            the Orion turned in to overrun me, I dropped the remaining ESG
            since he could easily avoid range 0 with me and threatened the
            Orion with 2 shuttles.  He slipped away, ID'd them as manned and
            continued his overrun.  He then tractored my ship (no objections 
            from me, I wanted to stay close where I needed little power for
            movement).  When I launched my real SSs, he tractored one and 
            killed the other with phasers.  He then released his tractor, fired 
            his rear phasers and put distance between us.

            On turn 3, we both rearmed and maneuvered.  Junker did not repeat
            his slow speed mistake again.

            On turn 4, we made another battle pass.  This time I did not
            reinforce any shield and prepared to slug it out with my opponent's
            smaller ship.  Again, I raised ESGs at ranges 1 and 2, catching the
            turn 3 drone with the range 1 ESG.  Junker chose to fire at range 
            4 with 1 OL Photon, 4 Ph-1s and a direct fire Hellbore.  I don't 
            think he remembered that ESGs protect against even direct fire 
            Hellbores.  This just halved the Hellbore damage against me.  This
            really didn't make any difference since my other ESG was strong
            enough to prevent any damage to my ship.  His photon missed and his 
            phasers removed 2/3s of my #2 shield.  At this point, I was guaranteed
            to get at least a range 3 shot on one of his 24 point shields with
            4 OL UIM Disruptors and up to 6 phaser-1s.

            2 factors in this game were the quality of my 4 internals (1 photon
            and 2 Ph-1s) and the Orion's inability to hit with his photons.  If his
            first battle pass had hit with both photons, he would have scored no
            internals, but would have given him a great hellbore target for the
            remainder of the game.  With only 1 photon on the second battle pass,
            even hitting with the photon would not have caused significant damage
            to my ship.  If he had 2 photons, the game would have been much 
            different.

            I think that his speed error on turn 1 contributed to the results of 
            the turn 2 battle pass.  If he had been able to dictate the maneuver,
            he might have been able to avoid my reinforced shield and been able
            to avoid my phaser-Mizia which scored the critical weapons internals.
                        

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