Space Combat: Bugs or Illumination?

D.I.E. · April 16, 2005

Greetings, All!

Got a very odd battle report, which I have posted below. I included the movement order and sighting that triggered the battle, so that you could see that this was not a standard warp point defense. It was at a warp point, but I MOVEd in, rather than WARPed.

Executive summary:

* He had 55 light screens in his fleet, totalling about 100,000 tons. My fleet was about 2,000,000 tons, mixed cruisers with heavy screening, plus about 3,000 fighters.

* He had 17 fire control. I had a base of 1, plus leader support.

* I won the battle, but not before he inflicted more than twice as many casualties amoung my screens.

The odd part is, that I did not influct ANY casualties on him until the third round of combat!!!

In order for this to happen, two things had to be true:

1) The vast majority of my ships did not open fire until at least the third round.

2) My fighters did not launch until at least the third round (if at all!)

Discuss amounst yourselves...

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-----MOVE (Move To Warp Point)-----

MOVE: 660, Avimelekh, 23449

660th Plague Fleet #660 moves to Avimelekh, Warp Point 23449.

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Alien Fleet Sighting : Avimelekh Warp Point # 23449 [in-system move by empire # 737]

[stellar cartography reports that Warp Point # 23449 has not yet been surveyed by your scouts]

PHO Phoenix Empire # 3587 'Cat's Paw On A Field Of Orange, Encircled By Stars'

Fleet 7566 [Tango]

10 CO LITTLE FANG IV (Corvette - 1,800 tons)

Fleet 7567 [Whiskey]

45 CO Claw III (Corvette - 1,900 tons)

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** NAVAL BATTLE REPORT **

----- AVIMELEKH [ G (Yellow) 7 Ia ] [single Star] - Warp Point 23449 -----

Imperial Demonic Envelopment #737 Total tonnage: 2,100,400 Base Fire Control: 1 [1,462,000 bridge]

Phoenix Empire #3587 Total tonnage: 103,500 Base Fire Control: 17 [1,840,000 bridge]

** Imperial Navy Report: Fleet Order of Battle **

Imperial Demonic Envelopment # 737 [World Impaled On Pitchfork Over Open Flame]

660th Plague Fleet [ROE: X] *Standard Line* (Fleet Tonnage: 2,100,400)

Fighter Bays: ... 30 Drone Racks: ... 1 ...

Vice Admiral Incubus of the Beta Circle ... Explorer Shiva of the Gamma Circle

2,450 Attack Fighter ... 650 Strike Fighter

--------------------[Deploy Location 1] 110 CO Mosquito (Corvette - 2,300 tons [each])----------------------------------

Fire Control: Minimal .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Average .. Shields: None .. Structural Integrity: Average

330 Condenser Beam (Cold)

--------------------[Deploy Location 1] 67 CO Midge (Corvette - 1,200 tons [each])--------------------------------------

Fire Control: Phenomenal .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Perceptive .. Shields: None .. Structural Integrity: Average

67 Condenser Beam (Cold)

--------------------[Deploy Location 1] 167 XB Gnat (Express Boat - 1,000 tons [each])----------------------------------

Fire Control: Minimal .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Blind .. Shields: None .. Structural Integrity: Average

167 Condenser Beam (Cold)

--------------------[Deploy Location 2] 6 DD Wasp Nest (Destroyer - 50,000 tons [each])---------------------------------

Fire Control: Excellent .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Blind .. Shields: Stout .. Structural Integrity: Mighty

108 Condenser Beam (Cold) .... 45,000 Cordellium Composite .... 6 Fighter Bay .... 450 Mk III Force Shield

--------------------[Deploy Location 3] 2 CA Cat O Nine Tails (Heavy Cruiser - 400,000 tons [each])---------------------

Fire Control: Phenomenal .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Oblivious .. Shields: Stout .. Structural Integrity: Mighty

320 Condenser Beam (Cold) .... 160,000 Cordellium Composite .... 8 Fighter Bay .... 1,600 Mk III Force Shield

--------------------[Deploy Location 5] 1 CL Bee Sting (Light Cruiser - 200,000 tons [each])----------------------------

Fire Control: Fair .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Oblivious .. Shields: Stout .. Structural Integrity: Mighty

40,000 Cordellium Composite .... 1 Drone Rack .... 4 Fighter Bay .... 13 Mk I Long Lance Torpedo (Missile) .... 11 Mk I

Pursuit Missile (Missile) .... 40 Mk II Standard Missile (Missile) .... 300 Mk III Force Shield

--------------------[Deploy Location 10] 1 CVF Impalement (Frontier Carrier - 300,000 tons [each])----------------------

Fire Control: Phenomenal .. Maneuverability: Fleet .. Sensors: Groping .. Shields: Feeble .. Structural Integrity: Mighty

45,000 Cordellium Composite .... 30,000 Energy Dispersion Armor Coating .... 12 Fighter Bay .... 25 Mk III Force Shield

** Imperial Navy Report: Fleet Order of Battle **

Phoenix Empire # 3587 [Cat's Paw On A Field Of Orange, Encircled By Stars]

Fleet 7566 [ROE: T] *Standard Line* (Fleet Tonnage: 18,000)

--------------------[Deploy Location 1] 10 CO LITTLE FANG IV (Corvette - 1,800 tons [each])-----------------------------

Fire Control: Phenomenal .. Maneuverability: Clumsy .. Sensors: Blind .. Shields: None .. Structural Integrity: Average

370 2.5cm Needler (Projectile)

** Imperial Navy Report: Fleet Order of Battle **

Phoenix Empire # 3587 [Cat's Paw On A Field Of Orange, Encircled By Stars]

Fleet 7567 [ROE: W] *Standard Line* (Fleet Tonnage: 85,500)

--------------------[Deploy Location 1] 45 CO Claw III (Corvette - 1,900 tons [each])-----------------------------------

Fire Control: Phenomenal .. Maneuverability: Clumsy .. Sensors: Perceptive .. Shields: None .. Structural Integrity: Average

225 Light Fusion Blaster (Plasma)

** Imperial Navy Report: Fleet Order of Battle **

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