AAR: The Thorian Incident

[Peter Thoenen <eol1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Just finished up the Thorian Incident (2 games, I played each side
once) and have to say neither side has a chance.

NAC: You win Turn 1, no way to stop it.  First turn move orders, 'jump'
the Jade Star.  At starting velocity, ESU won't be within 6mu to board
and stop you.

ESU: If your opponent forgets about the jump drives, you crush the NAC
forces easily.  In both games (we played it out after the JS jumped)
the ESU was able to kill the NAC forces without a SINGLE capitol ship
loss (I think when I played ESU I might have lost a FF though think I
just got it gutted then I jumped it).  In my NAC game, I wasn't able to
kill anything.

Solutions:

- We need some sort of boarding rules other than get within 6mu.  If
you fix it so ESU can get within 6mu of JS on turn 1 (to stop jump), no
way for NAC to prevent this boarding.  Need rules to resolve multiple
opposing ships within 6mu of JS.

- Possible solution.  Victory condition is hold the Jade Star at the
end of the scenario (as opposed to capture and offload the spies).  Why
this doesn't make sense in a spy sort of way, maybe change the cargo to
a high value item. This allows the NAC to recapture it if the ESU snags
it.

- JS starts with destroyed FTL engines (or damaged) and has to repair
them.  This means the earliest you could jump is T2. 

- Whats nice about the 2 above mods is it turns the game into tag. 
Both sides getting each turn to within 6mu of the JS fighting for
control while trying to repair the FTL engines and jump it under their
control.

- Need a way to edit or self damage ship.  If you are about to lose
control of the JS, your crew would sabatoge the beams and engines (to
facilitate recapturing).  This would need to happen everytime the JS
changes hands.

- NAC needs an additional ship or something larger.  ESU just rolls
over them.