Tholian Web Casters: 8 Impulses is too Long

silent bob · Post by **silent bob** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:15 am

plus as they are only 5 wide and another one cannot be placed adjacent it can be manouvred round with some thought.

Patrick Doyle · Post by **Patrick Doyle** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:03 pm

To all thos who requested a copy of the Transcript of the game, please let me know if you recieved it yet. I was late sending it out, as work did not go as I planned yesterday (for the better, but I wasn't near a computer all day).

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:13 pm

Remember that there is a rule preventing you from having too many neo-tholians in a pick-up game.

silent bob · Post by **silent bob** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:29 pm

true but there are some tholian shipswith webcasters IIRC

pinecone · Post by **pinecone** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:47 pm

I know that, and the rule should probably say the same of those ships.

It doesn't however, so bring out the DWP's and CAW's.

TJolley · Post by **TJolley** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:16 pm

pinecone wrote:I know that, and the rule should probably say the same of those ships.

It doesn't however, so bring out the DWP's and CAW's.

actually it does.

No more than 1/3 of a fleet amy be NEO, nor more than 50% of a fleet may contain web casters.

jmt · Post by **jmt** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:31 am

Have you tried it against the Seltorians?

Patrick Doyle · Post by **Patrick Doyle** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:15 am

I have played the Seltorians in conjuction witht the Klingins in a battle against the Tholians. However, it was early inthe learning process for the Tholians.

I have not had the time the last few days, but I plan to describe the tactic in detail (ie a hex by hex example). I'm not trying to keep anyone in suspense, I just want to get the descrition correct.

jmt · Post by **jmt** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:32 pm

I've played a few gems of Rocks and Bugs recently and the Seltorians do tend to chew through Webs much better than the other empires.

missmatronic · Post by **missmatronic** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:35 am

Patrick,

This in regards to the emailed transcript of the Tholian vs Klingon engagement. You seem rigid in keeping your forces all in the same hex, that is the Klingons. I do understand that as a conventional strategic advantage in some cases, but I don't think it does you any good against someone who places those webs in that manner. My pal is a MEAN Klingon player, played SFB since he was in grade school, and does just as well with them in FC. I think he would have good chances against someone employing those tactics. I mean to replay your battle using his guidelines and identical forces, but this brings me to a different aspect that I noticed.

Are there actual printed cards for the Tholian CPW and DPW? What CL or Communique do they come from if from nowhere else? Those ships seemed well armed. Also, which ship, if not both had the Caster and used it?

Your opponent did place those segments well, but I think that can be dealt with.

Oh yeah, I cracked open my Briefing #1 to read the section on pursuit courses. I haven't read it in over a month and then when I saw the author's name I realized why I kept getting "deja vu" since this discussion began. That was the real reason I picked it up. I think it's excellent and you deserve recognition for it. All your stuff in Capts Log is great too. Until next time.

Patrick Doyle · Post by **Patrick Doyle** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:09 am

Missmatronic,

Are there actual printed cards for the Tholian CPW and DPW?

Yes, the DPW was printed Booster Pack #17. The CPW (Photon Armed War Cruiser was in Boster 14. The DPW (improved Dreadnough had 2 web casters, 1 L+LF, 1 R+RF. I'm not sure if they were printed in a Capt log first.

As the Klingon player, I did keep my forces (1 C-7, 2 D5s) in the same hex. I could have split my force, but in this game, against Paul, I did not feel it would be effective. He maneuvers his ships well enough that I believed he would have concentrated on a portion of my force. Also, his group had Photons (2 on the DPW, 4 on the CPW), meaning that if a portion of my force went against the bulk of his forces, the outcome would not have been favorable to me. Obviously, the strategy I chose did not work. Under current conditions, I do not believe splitting forces would have been effective. Also, once split up, it's possible that may forces would never have been able to link back up do to webs being placed between them.

Remember, in this battle, as long as the Tholian does not get greedy, he simply has to slowly bleed his opponent. After turn 1, I did not cause a single internal to the Tholians, and the 1 internal I caused was merely a leak damage. If a Tholian player plays a conservative game, he simply stays behind the web and wears down the opponent. If it looks like the Klingon is going to dive into a web next impulse, he throws out another web to hide behind. It does take some practice and foresight on the part of the Tholian player. But one you get (or anyone) gets some practice as a Tholian, they will be hard to beat.

The Tholians goal is to set up phaser exchanges that favor him. It does not mean that he necessarily gets through the battle undamaged, just that his opponent take more damage with each exchange.

Also, Web casters do use a good amount of power. However, if you are doing it right, you should only be firing your phasers through web at your enemy. If power remains, you can use disruptors, but don't make them your focus. If you can fire disruptors at your enemy, , then he can fire them back at you. That would mean you have a fair fight on your hands, and you don't want that.

Let me throw out a simple tactic for the Tholians. If you can fire WCs on Impulse 8, then they will be around for the entire next turn. This effectively doubles your WC capability for the next turn. Thus a force with 3 Web Casters effectively has 6. Always fire off any unfired WCs on impulse 8. If nothing else it creates obstables for the enemy, and options for you.

Alternatively, firing webs on impulse 8 lets you use power from turn 1, to place webs that get used on turn 2. The during turn 2, you can save webs for emergencies, or Impulse 8 of turn 2.

Also, unless you are delivering the Killing blow to the enemy (or there is some other VERY compelling reason do do so) don't use your WCs as web fists. In all the examples of the successful employment of WCs, web fists were not used. Create obstacles for your enemy and cover for yourself.

And lastly, thank you for the compliments on the articles, I am glad to know that they are useful.

Pat

missmatronic · Post by **missmatronic** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 4:20 am

Thanks for the response, keep trying......you can take the Tholians!!!!

Patrick Doyle · Post by **Patrick Doyle** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:23 am

I won't post it here, but I did post a tactic in the Tactics section regarding the Tholians.