MZ Campaign report

Skip if you hate this stuff...

More fun & games. 

PanMa tries to consolidate his fleet at Mars, Norwegians retreat to 
Earth, GUGES tries to intercept the errant PanMa squadron in vain, AEUG 
promptly pulls a 180 and heads for Mars to fulfill a special mission.

Bad news for AEUG.

AEUG and PanMa man fleet clash near Mars orbit. AEUG is supposed to 
deliver a VIP to Mars. PanMans are unaware of this, but predisposed 
toward blowing up anyone entering their orbit. A PanMa station is
nearby.

Again, using my mid-range pre-battle system, Thr2 slow-pokes can't
engage 
anything that doesn't want to be engaged. AEUG has paid the points for 
Thr3 carriers, and it gives a very clear edge at this stage.

The VIP is safely delivered, but PanMa fast squadron and AEUG cruisers 
and escorts clash. True to their style, PanMans lauch missiles and turn 
tail. The AEUG force does not successfully evade all missiles, and ends 
up losing a cruiser and two escorts. The remaining force tries to
pursue.

PanMa detaches two pulse torp DDs to delay. Bad call, they're soon so 
much space dust. Of the actual DDGs, 3 are destroyed before they 
accelerate far enough to escape.

Notes: Pointswise, it turns out to be a fairly even trade. But it 
wouldn't have been if PanMans hadn't tried the delay tactic. Even with a

fast force of Thr6 & 8 ships, this launch&go tactic is hard to defeat 
decisively. Looks like the optimal ship for hunting would be an escort 
with Thr8 and as many A-batts as it can hold -- and even then you'd have

to enter table at max speed, a somewhat risky proposition.

Not content with this clash, AEUG reunites his fleet, eludes PanMa 
pursuit and hits their station, a M200 military installation.

A bloodbath ensues. The AEUG fleet of carriers with cruisers and
destroyers armed mostly with beams is exactly the kind of fleet NOT to
take against a heavily armed base -- even one without ships nearby. 

Both sides deploy panzers and AEUG heads in. Mistake number one. Gunnery
duel with anything with Screen-3 and 20 batteries isn't a smart idea.
The
same gunnery duel at close range is even less smart. A small launch of
missiles is attempted, but the defending panzers shoot them down. Yet
again, this house rule saves someone's bacon from missiles. 

AEUG rapidly loses 4 ships while closing to boarding range. They attempt

to board one section of the base, which turns out to be an even fight
but 
they're unlucky and lose. Attacking panzers arrive and make short work
of 
the defending squadrons.

Torpedo and Attack panzers pound the base. Two aces zoom in and blow off

two screen generators, leaving one part of the base completely 
unshielded. The base's days are not far from over, but this doesn't save

four more AEUG ships from destruction, including their flagship.

The mortally wounded base doesn't have much left to do but die. However,

the AEUG fleet is devastated -- only the two carriers and one escort 
cruiser remain... they promptly disengage.

Notes: Proper tactics would have killed the base without this much
losses,
but the most important issue is that as long as PanMa doesn't divide his
fleet, no one wants to fight it but it can't catch anyone either. Looks
like they're headed for tactical victories and a strategic loss -- one
valuable military base down, Mercury ground stations bombarded,
Mars-Mercury shipping riddled with pirate attacks... and the rest of the

players pissed off enough to form an informal allience against them.

-- 
maxxon@swob.dna.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio) 	  | A pig who doesn't
fly
+358 50 5596411 GSM +358 9 80926 78/FAX 81/Voice  | is just an ordinary
pig.
Maininkitie 8A8 02320 ESPOO FINLAND | Hate me?	  |	     - Porco
Rosso
http://www.swob.dna.fi/~maxxon/     | hateme.html |