The Four Powers War ( Our first real scenario) A report.

[Sweeper]

Wildfire67 (on SFBOL) and I met a few weeks ago and it was discovered that we had both owned F&E for many years, but had never played a single game. We tried out the intro scenario on Vassal to get a feel for the game and it went well. So, on a passing recommendation from Scoutdad, we decide to play Scenario 607-The Four Powers war.

Wildfire67, unfortunately, does not own Fighter Ops, (which has the 4PW scenario), so I'm relaying to him the scenario rules over that chat in bite sized pieces. We managed to complete Hydran and Kzinti Fall turn #1 with not too many errors. That isn't to say there weren't any.

T1 Fall Y157-Alliance

Mistake #1: I didn't read the entire scenario set-up and missed the part where Spring Y157 happens and all builds are produced, but no race moves. So it ended up with Wildfire, playing the Hydrans and Kzinti reciving the spring builds (which include a DNE in each), and yours truly as the Lyrans and Klingons not recieving them. When this was discovered, we decided to continue on as it'd take too long to reset.

So Wildfire buys his Spring T1 builds, including the DNE (Templar?), we work out the costs of all his hybrid ships (pretty complex looking at first glance, but is pretty simple once you understand what costs what.)

Wildfire has Gold,2nd, OLD COL Fleet, and most of Home Fleet, including the newly built DNE and company.


He uses operational movement to move a sizable force up to the lyran border and attacks the BATS and ships in hex 0413. due to the Lyran civil war damage rule, I had a damaged CL I had to retreat out. So that left Me with a BATs gaurded by a CA, CL 2 DD, and 2FF to his TEM, RN, 2 LN, 2 HN 3 CR and 2 CU with 16 ftr factors all together.

Mistake #2 neither of us set up Reverse fleets as we had overlooked Spring T1 and it had a decided effect on the resulting Battle Hex.

He offers approach battle which I decline and we set up our forces. We had decided to use S.I.D.S. to learn how to use it. A mutal friend who had much more F&E experience had popped into Vassal and corrected us in few things like how S.I.D.s actually work. I had misread the rule and thought one had to actually use the 2-1 directed damage rule, instead of the it just counting as that player's one directed damage attack for that round. The battle lasted 6 rounds and he managed to chase of my CA (the rest where dead) by R4 and destroyed the BATs. It was then pointed out that Wildfire's Scout had to be in the attacking force to offset my base's EW.

Mistake #3 Scouts and EW 'aren't' optional.

Afterwards, Wildfire uses Retrograde movement to move his remaining ships to the BATs on 0515 and repairs a few. Nick (our friend) explains the finer points of Strategic move and use of the RESV counters. Wildfire sets up the Kzinti builds and econ, then ends his turn.

T1 Fall Y157-Colalition

As I'd previously stated, I goofed on few things and was going to pay for them initially. The lack of a DNE from spring T1 and the rest is going to sting. A sizable portion of the Enemy's Blood was destroyed or crippled, but fortunately, Wildfire have moved his entire attack fleet back from the last turn, so I had a bit of breathing room.

I'm at a peacetime economy, so I don't get my full amount of EPs this turn, so I just build my fall schedule.

Mistake #4 Tugs 'really' want to keep busy.

We'd overlooked tug missions that last turn, but as I was down 1/3 a fleet and and a BATs, I couldn't do so this time. So I order my tugs on their missions with EB's tug to set up a Mobile base in the now vacated 0413, The others, I set upon missions which wouldn't do anything worthwhile this turn.

I then shifted forces from Home and used the new builds down to 0413 to provide cover for them tug while it setup the MB. I also started shifting forces from Far Stars East towards the Kzinti border with a few heading south in prep to be a reserve.

About that time, Wildfire had to leave so we saved the game and will pick it up at a later time. I'm still doing movement, so it'l bee interesting as to what'll happen next.

We both learned a lot about the game in that first turn. We expect that the game will run smoother, (if not faster ) as the turns go on.

To be continued.....

[Scoutdad]

Do not forget that in 4PW, the supply line is only 4 hexes long. This means that if both of the EB BATS fall to the Hydrans, then an assualt into Hydran space from the Lyran EB starbase is out of supply.
This means you'll need to use a tug as a forward supply point or use a convoy to extend the line of supply.

If that is done, then the forward supply point becoimes a primary target for the Hydran forces next turn.

[Sweeper]

I hadn't forgotten about that.

[Sweeper]

Reboot: We try to continue and get thuroughly confused with all the goofs we did. So we agree to reset the game and start fresh.

We go and setup our Spring turns correctly this time around. We set our spring and fall pre-war builds,( a point that was missed), set our Reserve Fleets, then deploy the Enemy's Blood and 2nd fleets per the scenario rules

And we start again, this time with the correct ships and on the correct turn T1 Fall Y157.

New game! Alliance T1 Fall 157

Wildfire gets his warchest and does his fall builds. He sets up his builds in his Capital and gives his 2nd fleet tug the order to start upgrading the BATS in 0515 to a SB, (It took us a bit of reading to confirm how that worked and what it cost. )

He then moves elements of his Gold and Home fleets to join up with 2nd fleet to attack my BATS on 0413. This causes me to activate the Reserve fleet I set up at the captial called Fire Squadron to move down and reinforce the elements of Enemy's Blood I had placed there.

We save the game at the start of Phase 5-Combat as he had to leave and we both knew this battle hex was not going to be finished quickly.

So, when we pick the game back up, we'll be jumping right into combat.

To be continued...

[Sweeper]

Wildfire and I get back together to to do Phase 5 of our 4PW game.

He offers approach battle which I accept. We setup our units ( I don't remember just what we had But it was a lot. ) and go at it.

He scores enough damge to destroy 2 FF and cripple a DD. I use Directed damage to cripple his scout. Turns out it was the only one he brought to the fight. so it was a good choice on my part. He pushes through to the base and we fight a few more rounds. He kills 2 more FFs and a DD. I bstart weedling down his small units, managing to kill a CR and a CU and his fighters. (2 of the rounds, I forget to add the BATS compot, opps).

Wildfire decides to retreat and repair. Unfortunately, He only had enough EPs after paying for the base upgrade to repair his crippled scout. He moves up OLD COL by Strategic move, sets his resvs and ends his turn.

T2 Spring Y158 Coallition

Wildfire had too many units on the border to make a push into Hydran territory worth-while. So, I collect my income Order Home fleet's Tug to take and deploy a MB on 0111. I do some repairs (but not as much as I shold have as was under the mistaken impression that repair points cost 1 ep during the Repair pahse) and my spring builds and move most of them down to the BATS at 0413 with the rest heading up to Red Claw's SB at 0404.

I Then move Far Stars Fleet to deploy with Red Claw on their BATS on the Kzinit Nuetral Zone. Since there were no battle hexes I did field repairs, set my resvs and ended the Lyran turn.

Moving over to the klingons, I collected my income and built my ships. I had North Fleet, North Reserves and the new build to play with, The Tholian Border Squad was too far away to do anything yet.

Wild had set his Resvs for elements of Home fleet and elements of Duke's Fleet (Question: Is the Marquis Fleet available? There's a typo that left the released fleets on klingon invasion out Is it Home, Duke, and Baron only?)

I decided that I wanted to invade and take out the BATS in 1405. I use most of North, North resv and the new builds on 1405 with a D7 leading a small force to attack the BATS in 1205. This has the effect I wanted. Wildfire takes the Duke's fleet to 1405 and the 1st Kzinti reserve (from the the Home fleet elements) to 1205. We do 1205 1st. I offer approach, he accepts, we fight one round. I cripple 2 FFs and he gets 2 E4s and cripples a D6. I retreat, he tries pursiuit, but can't make the die roll.

With 1st kz Resverve occupied for the moment, this let me do some damage. we do 2 apporach battles then move in with BATs. We're both rolling crappy for many rounds. Wildfire decides to voluntarily cripple his base to save his remaining ships and has them retreat. I took out the base the next round.

I use retrograde to bring my damaged ships back to the SB on 1509. The rest remain at various BATS with a sizable force left in 1406.

I repair all the damaged ships in 1509 and have them form the new green fleet. After that I use Strategic move to bring most of othe Tholian border squadron up and I set it, Green and southern resv as RESV fleets to finish my turn.

To be continued...

[Sweeper]

T2 Spring Y158 Alliance

Wildfire67 and I get back together and continue our game.

Wildfire starts his turn. He get's his eps and does his repairs and fall builds. BATS 0515 is now a Star Base, so getting rid of it will be a little more probelematic.

Wildfire decides to attack the Lyran BATS 0413 again as well as have the kzintis attack the force I left in 1405. I react to 1405 with a few ships and send RESVs to both 0413 and 1405 and two Battlehexes are formed.

The attack on BATS 0413 when a little diferently than expected. I fully expected hm to start using SIDS to at least cripple and destroy my BATS, he certainly was scoring enough damage each round to do so. When I asked him why he wasn't, he said he was trying to to reduce my ships. I pointed out to him that he was able to damage my BATS to the point of crippling and it would have cost me more to chase him out of my territory so I could rebuild the BATS than it would to repair/replace the ships he was taking out.

(Hey, this is a learning game).

Over at 1405, We do that battle. Wildfire was at an unfortunate disadvantage as he had serveral drone ships in his fleet, but was unable to use them as such due to the 4PW rule stating that drone bombardment can only be used at bases, convoys and the like, (stupid, slow moving missiles). We go at for a few rounds. I'm rolling great, while he isn't. I manage to chase him off with a sizable amount of his ships crippled.

Wildfire does his repairs, we discover that you can use field repaired ships in strategic move which Wildfire uses to beef up the border forces in hydran space and ends his turn.

T3 Fall Y158 Coallition

I collect my income for the Lyrans and Klingons, order the Klingon North Fleet Tug on Mission C (setup Mobile base) do a few repairs on lyran ships and get my builds. I decide to leave the Klin/Kzin border alone for a moment and look at the Lyran/Kz border and the Hyd/Kling border.

I have The Western Fleet along with elements of Southern Reserve and Tholian Border Squadron advance into Hydran Space towards BATS 1116. I then move Lyran Red Claw and elements of Far Stars to attack the Kz BATSs in 0701 and 0703.

On the Hyd/Kling border, Wildfire reacts with ships from his 1st fleet and up north The KZ Count Fleet moves to intercept Red Claw and Co.

He manages to pin a some ships At 1115 and 1215, but it's not enough to stall my advance. At 1115 we fight two rounds and he withdrawls. At 1215, it's just one round. This is good for me as I had realized that I might be in trouble for a retreat hex if he stayed.

We fight several rounds, I didn't want to do SIDS just yet as he had all those ftrs. Wildfire has been using the ftrs as prime attack units, crippling ships instead of giving up ftrs to soak hits at once. It seems to be working somewhat well for him, I'm loosing more ships than he is as the game goes on. But it does leave him with a lot of crippled units.

I manage to chase him off and destroy BATS 1116 but I took a lot of damage. loosing 7 F5s and 4 E4s in the assault. May need to rethink my manuvers.

I retrograde my damaged ships to SB 1716 which happens to have a FRD in hex do my repairs, then suddenly rember we still have two Battle hexes up north to take care of.

Wildfire had to leave so we save and call it a day.

To be Continued...

P.S.

Now, some of you may be thinking, 'Your kicking his butt, Sweeps!', and yes I am gaining territory bit by bit. But it should be noted that I'm loosing a whole lot more ships than he is.

Here's the list of Destroyed units so far (I'm keeping tally for victory purposes):

Hydran: 3 CR, 2 CU, 4 LN, BATS
Lyran: 5 FF, 4 DD
Kzinti: 8 FF, 1 CL, BATS
Klingon: 6 E4, 3 F5Q (thats 9 ships folks) 7 F5, 1 D6

As you can see, The Klingons are starting pay pretty steeply for teritorial gains and we haven't done the Lyran/Kzinti Battles yet. Wildfire is retaining more of his units than I am, so It's something to keep in mind. 9.5 more turns to go.

[Sweeper]

Almost 1 month between sessions. hmm.... should play a little bit more often.

T3 Fall Y158 Coalition Phase 5 Cont...:

We get together and finish the the remaining two Battle hexes.

We do 0701 first.

I send the Far Stars against Wildfire's BATS and supporting ships. We end up with me at 63 vs him at 44. We go two rounds him loosing 3 FFs and me loosing a DD and 2 FF. He retreats leaving to take out his BATS. 2 more rounds and one lost CL later, BATS 0701 is destroyed.

We move over to 0703 to resolve Red Claw vs Count's Fleet.

I forgot to move Red Claw's Scout with the rest of the fleet and that put me at a -1 disadvantage (we're using the standard EW rules in this game). Even so, I end up with 65 compot vs his 59. We once again fight 2 rounds with him loosing 3FF and a DF (not sure why he put it on the line) and he retreats out. I fight one more round with the BATS and destroy it.

I retrograde Far Stars and Red Claw back to Lyran space for repairs.

Bit of advice: don't adjorn a game in the middle of a turn if you can avoid it.

I knew I had more damaged Klingon ships than what I saw when we reloaded the game. Turns out I did repair them but forgot to note it on the Econ form last time. I end up doubling the repair cost of my remaining klingon ships to be fair to Wild. He agrees.

I finish up my econ forms and end my turn.


T3 Fall Y158 Alliance:

Wildfire gets his EPs, and Repairs what ships he can. He has no missions for his tugs this time around so he ignores them.

He moves his newly refreshed and greatly expanded Hydran 2nd Fleet back up to BATS 0413. We end up with Wild at 119 Compot vs me at 81 Compot (all those freakin' hybrid carriers of his don't count towards the 3 squadron limit in the battle force, ow....).

In the first round, he scores enough damage to take out 3 FF and 1 DD. his fighters eat my entire barage. 2 rounds later, Wild decides to use Directed Damage to cripple my DNE (I didn't to put in the formation bonus box so he hit me at 2:1 instead of 3:1 that the bonus gives. In fact, up to that point, neither of us had put our command ships in box. Lessons learned, right? ).

The next round I cripple his SF and he cripples the CC I swapped in for the DNE. Fith round, I cripple his last Scout and he cripples my other CC. This puts him at a -1 to his rolls, so he decides to retreat out of the hex.

Wildfire Uses his retrograde to pull back his damaged ships to SB 0515 for repairs while getting as many Kzinti ships repaired as well, then uses strat move to bring Some Hydran ships north and the newly arrived Baron's fleet south. And that's marks the end of his turn.


T4 Spring Y159 Coalition:

Spring builds mean Dreadnaughts! But before that, Tug missions. I order the Lyran tug that just finished setting up the MB in 0111 to go get a FRD from Lyran home fleet with a 2nd tug from Red Claw to set up a MB in 0702 in Kzinti space, 1 Klingon tug to also bring a FRD from SB 1716 to the Hydran Front. Lastly I order a tug to BATS 1214 to upgrade to a SB. The tug I ordered to deploy a MB at 1405 will arrive this turn.

For move, I get the tugs to their thing first. Wild reacts to 0702 and I move Far Stars and Red Claw to 0702. I move Klingon North and Green Fleets to 1205 were one of his RESV fleets is waiting. The New Klingon C6 and the rest of the builds move south to meet up with the North Resv Fleet in 1116. Wildfire reacts to the move in 1215 with 5 ships. I let him have the pin and move several ships from 1415 to 1215 as well.

3 Battle Hexes are formed and we start with 0702. Because I'm setting up a Base in that hex, it's considered a fixed position for the purpose of the drone bombardment rules. We do an apporach battle An I manage to fight him off for a few rounds we cripple each other's Scouts (again) and het retreats out of the hex.

In hex 1205, he declines appraoch to have scout protection. We fight 2 rounds with me scoring 2 SIDS and a retreat.

In hex 1215, we fight 1 round and he retreats after he looses his fighters.

With combat done, I retrograde my damage ships for repairs, And move them back up to posistions for my next turn. For the rest of my strageic move, I move move my new Lyran builds to SB 0404 and set it and the mostly repaired Lyran Fire Squadron to RESV Fleets. And that ends my turn.

To be Continued....