Re: Official Japanese ships??

>Vince said:

>While we're about it...has anyone used the playtest designs for the
>Islamic Federation?
>The UN? New Israelis? OUDF?
>
>Anybody?

I haven't had a chance to use the newest OUDF designs, but the CVLs and
smaller have had extensive playtesting. They require a change from the
normal tactics, you have to get in close ASAP (easier in cinematic than
vector), but have their own flavour and when used properly, can give as
good as they get.

I've had a CH take the entire firepower of a 3000 pt KV fleet at 22 MU,
and
it not go "pop". OK, it was rendered combat ineffective, and FTL'd out
at
the earliest opportunity, but its survival really affected the KV
player's
morale.

I've also had a flotilla of OUDF "Destroyers" at close range slowly
dismantle an ESU Battleship - 8 dice here, 8 dice there, each slowly
eating
away armour, hull, weaponry... salvo after salvo crashing in with no
respite.

"But it was only 6 Destroyers, and 2 of those are Escorts!". Yes, but
it's
also just shy of 40 dice. Even at 24 MU, it's 12.

On the other hand, it takes steady nerves to take the attrition at over
24
MU, when you can't fire back. You watch your larger ships get ablated
away,
and just have to grit your teeth and try to manouver closer. SMs are
particularly distressing, you just have to take your lumps. 

At 12-24, it's a relief to be able to finally get to fire, even at equal
odds, and with gaps in your line of battle from attrition at long range.
The FSE can keep you at this range, but you should have an advantage in
sheer toughness, and equality in firepower. Others have difficulty
keeping
you from getting closer.

Get within 12 (what the OU calls "decisive range" - close range is under
6), and although you start taking significant losses, multiple
thresholds
on multiple ships, the opposition melts like wax in a furnace.