Re: Anti-Kra'Vak Tactics

Sean Bayan Schoonmaker wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Just a little lesson I learned from fighting the Kra'Vak the other
day,
> that could be turned into a few tactics. Those who've tried these can
let
> me know if I'm on the right track.
>
> Stutter-Step: I found that a slower approach speed, while skirting to
one
> side or the other, helped keep the range open for the first part of
the
> battle. This allows humans to take advantage of Class 3s' (and
possibly
> Class 2s' if you're feeling lucky) range advantage. Before the end of
the
> approach, however, you'll need to boost your speed to avoid those
K-Gun
> arcs. Try to arrange it to go from about range 18-24 MU to abeam or
past
> them in one turn. This allows you a passing shot with the
arc-advantaged
> beam batteries, with only his Class 1 K-Guns returning fire.

I'll take this from a KV perspective.  In the game I played the other
day, I
found that with my speed and maneuverability advantage (against NSL) I
was able
to keep the range right around 18".  Even with as beam heavy as NSL
ships are,
I found this to be an effective range for the KV, since I was hitting as
often
and stood a good chance of doing double damage with my class five
K-guns.  I'm
not sure that keeping the range open against KV is such a good idea,
since all
it takes is one or two really good hits with a class five or six K-gun
to ruin
your day.  Now, if it's possible to keep the range at over 30", then I
would
certainly agree with you :).

> Turn to Burn: The Kra'Vak will win this game every time, so don't even
try
> it. The main objective has got to be keeping them out of your rear
arc. If
> you've got decent turning ablilty (at least MD6) then keep your speed
high
> and occasionally reverse your turn when he overturns to cut the cord.
If
> you don't have decent turning ability (Hi there NSL), then cut your
speed
> down and hope that he overshoots you. Either way, it's only going to
be
> your multi-arced weapons that will score hits while you try to avoid
his
> big K-Guns.

I countered this by having several groups of ships come at them from
different
angles (see below).  It allowed me to get my BDN in the rear arc of his
SD, and
vaporize a battlecruiser

>
> Squadrons: As I see it, you have two choices here: concentration or
> dispersion. The first only works in very select circumstances, so I'd
say
> that it's not generally a good idea. Dispersion seems to work using a
> "wingman" concept. Use two or three squadrons and position them so he
can't
> get into a rear arc without taking some withering fire from the other
> element. I'm guessing a little bit on this one. If you know better,
please
> let me know!
>

This is a great idea.  My opponent the other day had all of his ships in
one
huge block; three lines of about five ships each.  It was a great
example of
precision flying, but once I got into the back arc---pfffft!  No more
NSL
heavies.  I've been toying with the idea of perfecting some sort of
'weave'
tactic to prevent enemies from getting into my ships' back arcs, much
like navy
fighters used in the early days of WWII for protection against Japanese
fighters.

Mark

>
> Schoon