Re: [FT] Keeping "Old" RGs - PLAYTEST

http://www.angelfire.com/va/basileus/kv.html

has latest rules used for playtests.  All Human ships were standard
Imperial designs http://www.angelfire.com/va/basileus/Janes.html

Ran 5 games, with two games going on at a time, and I played Humans in
one game and K'V in other.  Interesting.  :)

Game 1: K'V CVL, CA, DD, FF, 2xIntruders vs. Human CVA, Medium Cruiser. 

Humans sat back and launched fighter strike vs. CVL, got raped. 
Interceptors chewed up and spit out most of the K'V fighters, but 22
fighters went down when they attacked CVL.  Human fighters should not be
utilized except in overwhelming number or with a missle pre-strike to
soak off scatterguns.  Humans broke off.  Bad force composition on Human
part.

Game 2: K'V BDN, PC, DD, FF vs. SDN (in missle config), CE, 2xDDG. 
Humans used missles to soak off scatterguns, but failed to score any
hits with missles.  K'V defeated them by closing quickly and tearing
them up at close range.  Insufficient missle launchers present to
overwhelm any one ship in a single turn, and poor targeting spread
different turn's salvos over different ships.  Humans defeated. 
Balanced, or close to it.  K'V lost DD, FF, destroyed SDN, DDG.  SDN had
several bad system checks and was (IMHO) not utilized properly.

Game 3: K'V CVL group as 1 vs. Human Cruiser Squadron (CA, 2xCM, 3xCL). 
Humans failed to knock down enough fighters with PDS--broke off after
loosing 2xCL, 1xCM, and failing to destroy any ships other than
Intruders.  Also scatterguns did much damage in this one.  Bad force
composition on Human part.

Game 4: K'V BDN w/ escorts as 3 vs. Human BB, Light Battleship, CM,
3xDD.  Closed quickly, K'V knocked out escorts rapidly, lost FF. 
Excellent maneuvering on both sides led to drawn-out gun duel which
ended with heavily damaged Light Battleship fighting a badly damaged BDN
and a PC with six damage points left.  Unfortunately shop closed.  :( 
Very well balanced.

Game 5: K'V CVL, 2xDD, 2xInt vs. Human CVL, CM, DD.  Humans stayed put,
and made K'V come to them.  Used fighters to concentrate on 1 ship until
destroyed--smashed DD this way, and plinked both Intruders at long
range.	As closed, Human superiority at medium range resulted in other
DD being crippled to break-off point (1 DCP, no FiCon, heavy damage) and
CVL's scatter guns did only minimal damage, and broke off after
recovering it's single surviving fighter.  Balanced scenario.

Lessons:  These rules are balanced with two caveats.

1)Human force composition is critical.	Without prior knowledge of K'V
composition, setting one's self up for failure.

2)Scatterguns were a bit too powerful.	The fix suggested by my players
(and implemented in game 5) was that scatterguns degrade in accuracy
rapidly at range.  Up to 6", d6 damage.  Up to 12", d3 damage.	How do
ya'll feel?  I'm using it.

John M. Atkinson