[GZG] Phalon meaness and how to beat it

John Tailby wrote:

"have other people done this in their game groups and what was the
consensus on a fleet based around the PBL doctrine?"

In the group I belong to we use the Beta Test fighter/PD rules. One of
my opponents currently fields a heavy PBL armed fleet that was proving
to be an absolute menace. The vessels employ class 1 and class 3 PBL's
primarily and are able to put down a substantial barrage. He likes to
keep the range open and has the patience many other players lack,
which usually results with them dashing straight at his fleet at some
point in the game, usually to where he has just laid down a nice fresh
PBL  barrage. On the turn he fires his PBL's he then moves his fleet
away from the enemy and continues to keep them at arms length. If you
do side step the barrage then during the subsequent turn when he is
recharging he is usually pretty good at ducking out of the way or
moving into a position close to the pursuing fleet but in their rear
arcs. This, combined with activating vapour shrouds, reduces any
damage his PBL armed ships receive. So PBL armed fleets can be
extremely effective.

 After getting whipped a couple of times I gave the matter some
thought and employed a different approach...quite literally in this
case. I kept the range open for a few turns and then moved to the
location where a PBL barrage was most likely to be placed. My fleet
was arranged in a rough diamond shape, around 4 ships across and three
deep. In my orders I told the front rank of ships to slow by 2, the
middle rank to stay at the same velocity, and the rear rank to speed
up by 4, thus converting the diamond into solid line of ships, all of
which ended up in the blast radius of the barrage...but each PBL being
in the FS, F, or FP arc of 1 or more of my own warships at point blank
range. My opponent followed his usual tactic and had moved his PBL
firing vessels safely out of harms way. This allowed me, as I had
hoped, to concentrate all my PD and AS firepower (in this case my
vessels were armed with pulse torps, class 1 grasers in 3 arcs, and
PDS) against the PBL's. All the PBL's were removed by the volley. In
the subsequent turn I was much better placed to make a close range
pass and inflict some serious hurt of my own.

The same tactic worked a second time in the same battle and has worked
well in subsequent battles.

Of course, if your group is not using the Beta Test fighter rules then
this tactic is not going to work!

On the whole though our group has found that PBL's are just a little
to easy to shoot down with the Beta Test rules, but a little to over
powerful using v.2.5/FB2 rules. However we think the Beta test rules
work a treat for fighters, missiles and AMT's.

Well it's nice to be back (not that I expect anyone remembers me),

Matt Tope

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