Victory at PBEM Tournament HR3
After Action Report

By John Hanna "Gnaarl"

HR3.105: Kzinti (Lyle "Alzado" Miller)
Early maneuver mistakes on Alzado's part became a major factor during the endgame.

1. My plan was to weaken/drop a Kzinti forward shield and keep the Kzinti out of tractor range.
2. Turn 1: I plotted a 14/26 and armed 2-4 OL disruptors. The Kzinti plotted the usual 14/20 and dropped an SP shuttle on 1.16 and then fired 4 standard disruptors on my #6 on Imp 1.24, and slipped away from his drones and my ship. On Imp 31, the ESGs killed the 4 launched drones outright and damaged the other 6 drones. I launched both my suicide shuttles, 1 of which was immediately destroyed by 2 Kzinti Ph-1s. I fired 4 OL disruptors and 6 Ph-1s at range 5 and dropped his #6 shield to 1 box after 10 reinforcement.
3. Turn 2: I plotted 26/31/16 to escape his 6 drones and his ship. He went 24/14. I HET'd and ran and he chased. He identified my other suicide shuttle and planned on killing it with his rear phasers, but did not remember that the shuttle did not have to move straight on Imp 7. Thus, the the shuttle impacted on his #1. Much to my relief, the Kzinti only fired 2 OL disruptors at my #4 shield just before I got out of OL range and nicked it up a bit. At the end of the turn I used 6 phasers (all as Ph-3s) to kill the remaining drones from turn 1. He fired 2 std disruptors and launched 4 drones on 2.23. I announced 2 ESGs on 2.30 and fired my 2 LS Ph-1s into his 1 point #6 shield for 1 internal (hull) after 5 reinforcement.
4. Turn 3: I star-castled and waited for him with everything loaded. He went 12/14 for the turn. I cancelled my ESGs on 3.01 while he fired 2 std disruptors at my #2 shield for 6 damage. He was concerned that I might try for more Mizia damage on his down #6 shield. I pushed out a WW just as the 4 turn 2 drones were about to hit. The WW took out 1 more turn 3 drone as the explosion period ended. I changed speed to 3 in reverse to increase the distance he needed to travel to get me. He launched his remaining 3 drones, which I labbed and then killed using 4 Ph-3s. At range 2, I unloaded 3 OL disruptors and 4 Ph-1s at his #2 shield, doing 11 internals (1 disr, 1 p3, 2 warp). He continued to close. At range 1, I fired my last OL disruptor for 10 more internals (2 warp, 3 batteries, 1 impulse). On Imp 3.23, I dropped to speed 0 again to take advantage of tacs. On 3.29, I announced raising both ESGs (which would be up on 4.01 and do damage on 4.02) while he launched his last shuttle, which I used my last 2 phasers on, and he unloaded his remaining 2 OL disruptors, 2 ph-1s, 1 ph-3 dropping my #2 to 1 box. At his point, the Kzinti resigned. His forward shields were 0/12/0 and he only had 1 disruptor to fire until 4.05. I would have my full strength #1 shield facing him, the ESGs to stop his 4 drones and my full firepower to inflict on his ship at range 1.

HR3.205: Orion TBR (Mike Mulka "Junker")
Junker was the finalist in HR2 in the Orion, I knew this was not going to be an easy match.

1. My game plan was exchange damage with the Orion on a even basis. The Lyran is bigger and can last longer.
2. Turn 1: Junker went incredibly slow (8/13) with no engines doubled, presumably to fully OL both Photons.
3. Turn 2: I plotted 14/27/14 to outmaneuver the Orion as we hit battle zone and force a range 4/5 photon shot. I raised both ESGs (1 at range 1, 1 at range 2). Each ESG caught an Orion drone (1 was Type IV). With both ESGs up, I got the range 4 position I wanted. I fired 1 std disruptor and 2 ph-1s (just in case he hit with everything) while Junker missed with 1 of 2 OL photons and his phasers hit my reinforced #1 shield and his hellbore dropped my remaining ESGs. My fire revealed no reinforcement on the facing shield, so I fired my remaining 6 ph-1s on it next impulse when he didn't move, causing 4 internals (Photon!, Ph-3, Ph-1). He then charged my ship! Junker side-stepped my 2 (admin which could have been SS) shuttles. After labbing my shuttles and tractoring my ship, he launched a shuttle back at me (later labbed as manned). I launched my 2 SS and he promptly phasered/death-dragged them. As he dropped the tractor on Imp 2.31, he fired 2 ph-3s into my #4 as my 2 admin shuttles killed his admin shuttle.
4. Turn 3: We rearmed and maneuvered. I managed recharge my ESGs.
5. Turn 4: Time for another battle pass. I maneuvered so I looked like I reinforced again and again waited for the proper firing opportunity. Again, I raised ESGs at range 1 and range 2 as hellbore/drone defense. Junker took his range 4 shot with 1 OL Photon, 1 direct fire hellbore and 4 Ph-1s. He missed with the Photon, the direct fire hellbore automatically hit the ESGs and the 19 points of phaser damage failed to punch my #2 shield. Junker conceded at this point. I still had 3-4 OL disruptors and a full phasers suite to fire and I was going to get at least a range 3 shot on his #3 or #4 shield.

HR3.302: Archeo-Tholian (Steve Rushing "Tesuji")
This was yet another tough matchup for the Lyran.

1. Turn 1: I decided to Iron Jaw the maneuverable Tholian. He did not oblige. Instead, Tesuji slipped out to stay out of OL range while I raised 2 range 3 ESGs late in the turn. He plopped out a 5 hex web on 1.31.
2. Turn 2: Tesuji decided to do the 7 ph-1 through the web trick, dropping my #6 to half strength, and then run away. This was fine with me since he could have then entered the web, fired OL disruptors into my weakened sheild and then run away. Instead, I chased the Tholian toward wall, ending at range 7 with a weak 5 hex web blocking any fire.
3. Turn 3: With Tholian up against the wall, he was coming out no later than Imp 3.04. I decided to be calculating about what shot I would take. On 3.04, I fired 3 OL disr and 5 Ph-1s at range 4, doing 17 internals through his #3 shield. Nice internals killed his hull, 2 warp, 1 disruptor, 1 Ph-3, and 2 Impulse. Next impulse, I Mizia'd him with 1 Ph-1 at range 5 for 4 internals (warp, impulse, APR, battery). Later on 3.12, I fired my last 2 Ph-1s at range 6 for 6 more internals (APR, 3 batteries, 1 impulse, 1 warp). After I finally raised an ESG to keep his shuttle and ship away, Tesuji resigned. He was going too fast to turn in to get me.

1. We approached, the Gorn lobbed out a 30 pointer and a 20 pointer. I turned to get some running room and continued close. At the last moment, I fired 2 std disr (6 on his #6) and turned away. On 1.31, I launched 2 suicide shuttles to save power and prepared to outrun at least the F-torp. We ended at range 13, me facing E and him chasing and facing direction D.
2. The Gorn was looking like he wanted to put some plasma into me, so I plotted 26/14, armed 3 OL disr and prepared to eat plasma. He launched another 30 pointer on 2.05 and continued to close. I outran the plasma-F and ate the first 30 pointer after firing 1 ph-1 at it. It was a pseudo torp. Whew! After announcing a speed decrease to 14 and the raising of 2 ESGs, I waited for the Gorn's next move. He launched his real 30 pointer (A) and his last 20 pointer on 2.13. I immediately declared emergency deceleration and we fired at each other at range 5. His 4 ph-1s knocked out half my #2 while my 3 OL disr (2 hit) and 5 ph-1s scored 2 internals (both hull) through his #3 shield. Next impulse, I fired a std disr and 1 ph-1 at range 5 for 6 more internals (warp, Ph-3, Ph-1, impulse). Due to misplotting my shuttles on his map, the Gorn then ran into them, losing his #1 shield and conceded.

HR3.501: Kzinti TCC (Dave Trauger)
I decided to try something off the wall, and it almost cost me the game

1. My plan was to close to range 5 on the leading drones, blast them with phasers and run away. Bad plan. Do not use this plan! It will get you killed. As many people have stated, it is much easier to put up range 0 ESGs to kill lots of drones.
2. Turn 1: The Kzinti immediately messed up my plan by leading his SP drones. Instead I hit his #1 shield with 6 phaser-1s and turned/HET'd to leave the area with both range 3 ESGs to cover my retreat. At turn end, he hit me with 2 OL and 2 std disruptors and 4 phaser-1s on my #4 shield and then maneuvered to be on my #4 shield with his L arc disruptors. Advantage Kzinti.
3. Turn 2: Time for the Lyran to maneuver, kill drones, and set up for turn 3. Again, the Kzinti did not cooperate. He sent 1 speed 32 drone to visit my ESGs just before the main pack of drones caught up to the ESGs. I shot 1 phaser-1 at drones at range 4 three times, needing only 8 points of total damage to kill all the drones with ESGs alone. I rolled the worst possible: 6,6,6 and 5 drones got through with only 5 phasers left on my ship. I killed all the drones using my phaser-1s as phaser-3s, but at the expense of firing nothing at my opponent. Advantage Kzinti
4. Turn 3: Kzinti overrun on Lyran. I finally got a counter strike and scored some internals including at least 1 drone and at least 1 disruptor. Advantage Kzinti, but less then before. We end at range 2 down a hex spine.
5. Turn 4: I Star-Castled. He started at speed 4 and unexpectedly changed speed to 0. I noticed that if I tac and announce a speed change, I will be firing on his 1 box (and doubtfully reinforced) #1 shield while he would be firing on my full strength #6 shield. We fire and I score 20 internals, killing another drone and another disruptor. My Mizia fire next impulse scores more internals, killing yet another drone. Definitely Lyran Advantage! To prevent the Kzinti range 2 Ph-3 Mizia machine, I foolishly try my 3rd HET and breakdown and tumble. I lose 5 warp immediately, and lose another 4 power to his ph-3 fire. Much to my surprise, the Kzinti did not launch his suicide shuttle while my ship was spinning helplessly. When my ship finally stopped, he launched his suicide shuttle and I launched 2 (admin) shuttles, all of which moved the next impulse. I fired my last 2 ph-3s (saved for just this reason) and he ignored my shuttles, firing into my ship at range 1. I tractored the Kzinti on 4.32, and 1 of my admin shuttles reached his down #5 shield and scored 3 internals. Kzinti advantage in power, Lyran advantage in weapons. After looking at how much power I would need for next turn, I decide not to continue the tractor.
6. Turn 5: We both were at speed zero facing each other's #2 shield. He only had 2 disruptors, 3 phaser-1s and 2 phaser-3s in arc against my 3 disruptors, 6 phaser-1s and 2 shuttles. He launched his final drone. I fired 1 Ph-1 as a Ph-3 along with a Ph-3 from the other admin shuttle to autokill it. At the same time, we alpha'd each other. He missed with 1 disruptor, did average damage with his phasers for 4 internals on me. I hit with 2 OL disruptors, 1 std disr (not enough power to OL), and rolled an incredible 35 damage on 5 phaser-1s, scoring 25 internals on his ship. I was really expecting another 10 points of reinforcement, since he had a 10 point power advantage. The last 5 internals took out a disruptor, 2 phasers and 2 power. At this point, Dave conceded.