SFB PBEM Game HR6.115 Analysis

 Game HR6.115, Moderator:  Scott Moellmer 

   John Hanna "Gnaarl" in his Lyran White Tiger TCC Purrcy (Email Gnaarl) 
       vs 
   David Keyser "Riov Tafv" in his Romulan TFH (Email Riov Tafv)

 My Lyran TCC defeated Riov Tafv's Romulan TFH on Turn 3, Impulse 16.

   Turn 1:  I moved quickly to control the center of the board.
            Rom moved quickly, yet turned toward edge of board.
            Rom turned back toward center.
            I announced raising of 2 ESGs on 1.24
            Rom launched 1 30 point plasma on 1.25
            I cancelled 1 ESG on 1.27,
              leaving the other one up for protection.
            I closed to range 8 on 1.31 and opened fire,
              scoring light internals, including 1 Warp engine and hull.
            On 1.32, not noticing the Rom's 1.31 turn,
              I turned into the 30 point plasma,
              which removed my #1 shield.
            Rom then launched a 20 pointer and fired 4 phasers.

   Turn 2:  We both went speed 30.  His max speed due to Warp loss.
            I got the shot I wanted (2 Ph-1s at range 4 on down shield)
              and scored light internals (2 warp plus hull).
            Not being familiar with ESGs and not looking at his map,
              Rom slipped his down shield into the range 3 ESG and
              ate another 15 internals.  This cost the Rom 2 more warp
              the remainder of his hull and starting into his batteries.
            A quick Ph-3 Mizia got another battery and another Ph-3.
            We then broke away and set up for Turn 3.

   Turn 3:  We both started at speed 14.
            Then Rom changes speed 24 and gains the maneuver advantage.
            With no Wild Weasel charged and we're closing,
              I realize I am going to eat plasma.
            As soon as I could guarantee an ESG hit, I announced
              Emergency Decelleration, hoping he would bolt.
            My ESG dropped half his front shield and my phasers
              removed the other half and some internals.
            I started launching admin and suicide shuttles to
              block his exit, before plasma blew them away.
            He bolted an FTorp and launched all his other torps,
              fortunately in direction A, so I could take some
              on a fresh shield.
            After anxiously awaiting the real/pseudo impact,
              all the plasma smashed my fresh #6 shield and
              caused light internals.
            He mistimed his shuttle launches and allowed me
              to identify 1 suicide shuttle and tractor another.
            I launched my last suicide shuttle to take out his
              suicide shuttle.
            He then moved into my previously launched suicide
              shuttle on his down #1 shield, sealing his doom.


 Analysis:  This was my first game against Riov Tafv, although I had seen
            his Romulan webpages before.  No help there as the webpages were
            pretty generic and more for fleet battles.

            Turn 1:  The Romulan's maneuvering hurt him.  By turning in
            toward me late in the turn, he guaranteed me a range 8 overload
            shot.  A late oversight error on my part (I didn't see his ship
            turn to direction F on 1.31) cost me dearly later on.

            Turn 2:  The Romulan had no significant phasers during 2.01 - 2.07,
            so it was time for the Lyran to maneuver.  I also noticed that I
            could almost guarantee a range 4 shot with my 2 RS phasers by 2.04,
            so I went fast to get the shot and attempted to leave the area.  He
            made a serious manuever error and slipped his down shield into my
            ESG and took 15 internals.  We turned away and set up turn 3.

            Turn 3:  With the original deadline approaching, I decided to
            be risky and almost lost the game.  My plan was to use
            maneuver and hit him with an ESG and then phasers.  Too bad I
            didn't tell the Rom about the plan.  He went much quicker than
            expected and engaged me.  My maneuver was greatly hampered by
            my almost non-existant #1 shield (see Turn 1).  Time to suck
            up some damage and pound the Rom as hard as possible.  The
            situation was looking really ugly as the Rom still had all his
            shuttles, had the maneuver advantage, had 70 points of plasma
            to launch and had strong shields facing.  My advantage was that
            I still had 1 full strength ESG, 2 suicides, 1 admin shuttle
            and he didn't know I didn't have a WW ready.  I determined that
            my biggest risk was getting Mizia'd to death by plasma, phasers
            and then suicide shuttles.  My goal was to pre-empt his direct
            fire and hopefully kill his shuttles as well.  Barring that,
            use my remaining direct fire/tractor to prevent his suicide
            shuttles from inflicting fatal wounds.



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