From: awarwick@southcom.com.au Date sent: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 11:44:01 +1000 To: babylon5-wars@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU Subject: [B5W] Clash of the Dreadnaughts: Nova Vs Octurion 1. Send reply to: babylon5-wars@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU Continuing the clash of the big ships of teh four races (Sharlin, Nova, Bin'Tak and Octurion) I played out a Nova/Octurion clash. Both ships (well, using current pre-2nd ed rules) seem to need to get in close, the Nova so it can acually hit with its short range weaponry and the Octurion so it can use all those twin arrays... The Nova began at speed 5, with 1 L/P array deactivated for extra power so it could to a turn each round. The Octurion was at speed 7. Turn 1. The two ships began closing, the Nova going completly defensive. The Octurion targeted it heavily, knowing it was outside the Nova's fire range. At the last moment, the Nova slid off to starboard, putting it out of arc of 2 of the Octurion's lasers. Of the other two, one hit heavily, (31 damage) damaging a thruster as well as the forward and primary structure. Turn 2. The two ships continued closing, the Octurion following the Nova's example and slipping to try and bring the other 2 forward lasers to bear, but the experienced Nova captain guessed it was the plan, and followed suit, remaining out of arc. Both ships channeled EW highly into targeting and opened up. The Nova took 8 out of 22 twin array shots, and 2 matter cannon rounds. In return 6 of its 7 medium lasers raked the Octurion. Both forward interceptors were destroyed on the Nova, along with heavy (1/2) damage to the forward structure, and minor damage to the empty hangers and 2 of the L/P arrays. The Octurion lost 1/3 of its forward structure, and suffered damage to 2 retros, 2 matter cannons and 3 twin arrays. Turn 3. Both ships turned to port, bringing their starboard guns to bear, continuing to paint each other heavily. A massive amount of shots streaked between the two ships, 3 battlelasers, 2 matter cannons, 17 twin array and 1 plasma stream shots impacting into the Nova, and 6 pulse cannons hit the Octurion 23 times. Both ships had their starboards ripped off, though the nova fares worse, losing 2/3rds of its primary structure as well. Turn 4. The two ships began slow turns, the Nova turning turtle as it had no guns it could bring into arc. The Octurion funneled all its EW into OEW realising this, putting TA shots into the Nova. Hitting the exposed primary area, they damaged the sensors, hangers and jump engine. Turn 5. Still doing its slow arc, the Octurion was surprised when the Nova began a roll. Both ships were too far apart or didn't have any heavy weapons in arc to allow shooting. Turn 6. The Nova completes its roll and continues on while the Nova still swings around to face it. No shoting again. Turn 7. Both ships beging to draw nearer, but still are just out or arc/range. Turn 8. The two ships find themselves very close and centerling each other. They pour all they can into each other, the Nova hitting with 22 pulses from 8 guns and the Octurion with 2 lasers, 3 matter cannons, 20 twin array shots and 1 plasma stream. The Nova is utterly destroyed, losing its front and primary structure. (There were still 7 TA shots that hadn't rolled for damage). The Octurion losts its front in the exchange. Conclusion: Both really do need to get in close to get full benifit from their firepower (though this will change with the downgrading of the twin arrays). Nova: Once it opens up with a broadside (or worse still, a centerline) it can do some serious hurting. Due to its poor maneouvering, it won't be able to that often. It also needs to get in close to have any real hope of hitting, and probably will fair reasonably poorly against fighters, if it were not for its large hanger capacity. It suffered 2 plasma stream, 7 nmatter cannon, 6 battle laser and 50! twin array shots during the battle. Octurion: While you can stay at range and just use the battlelasers, it is only in close that it becomes really effective (currently). All those twin arrays, backed up by the other guns ripp through anything. When it got close enough to bring most of them to bear, it removed one side and two thirds of the interior in one turn, and the front and the rest of the interior in another still with damage to spare. A smaller ship could proabably be taken out in a round with this fire power. It took 6 medium laser and 14 pulse cannon hits (with a total of 45 pulses hitting). Cheers ********************************************** Andrew Warwick awarwick@southcom.com.au There's too much blood in my Caffine System... **********************************************