Misfire

by Frank Brooks, Missouri

At a secret weapons research base, work on a new energy weapon had finally reached the “let’s blow something up” phase. A large asteroid had been positioned near the base for use as a target.

Enemy intelligence had gotten wind of the base and its activities. While the exact nature of the weapon was unknown, it was been decided that this research could not be allowed to continue. A task force was assembled with the objective of destroying the base. Intelligence also discovered that the base’s defense ships had been sent out on a training exercise, and would be away from the area until some time after the testing was complete.

The task force arrived at the base just as the testing was beginning. The sudden influx of energy (caused by their warp engines) had an unexpected effect on the new weapon, causing it to suffer a massive failure. This resulted in the destruction of the science module where the research was being conducted, and in the totally unexpected (and rather shocking) formation of a black hole downrange of the target asteroid.

Intelligence had been only partially correct about the base’s defense ships. The ships were out on a training exercise, but they returned shortly after the attack began.

(SG_.1) NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2; the base player and the attacking player.

(SG_.2) INITIAL SET UP

TERRAIN: Black hole in hex 2215. See (SG_.45).

Large asteroid in hex 1512. See (SG_.46).

BASE PLAYER: BATS with one science module in hex 1210, initial facing and rotation rate at player’s option, WS-II. See (SG_.47).

REINFORCEMENTS: Up to 3 ships, no more than one size class 3, total combined BPV of 300 (including Commanders Options and drone upgrades), enter map between 3201 and 4201 on Turn #3, heading D or E, speed max, WS-III.

ATTACKING PLAYER: Up to 6 ships (no more than two size class 3), total combined BPV of 600 (including Commanders Options and drone upgrades), enter map in any hex between 3230 and 4230, heading A or F, speed 10, WS-III.

YEAR: Players should select a year before set up. This year will define available ship, weapons, and refits. Y172 is assumed if no other decision is made.

(OS21.3) LENGTH OF SCENARIO: The scenario continues until either the BATS is destroyed, or all attacking units have been captured, destroyed, or have disengaged.

(OS21.4) SPECIAL RULES
(SG_.41) MAP: The map is fixed; it does not float. The attacking forces can only disengage from the xx30 map edge. The base forces can disengage from any other map edge. Units which disengage in unauthorized areas are considered destroyed.
(SG_.42) SHUTTLES AND PFs: Shuttles and PFs will have warp booster packs depending on the year selected for the scenario. If the year is Y180 or later, all shuttles will have warp booster packs. If the year is 178 or later, all Interceptors will have warp packs. PFs will always have warp packs.

(SG_.421) MRS shuttles may be purchased [up to the limits in (J8.5)] under (SG_.431).

(SG_.422) If using EW fighters, one fighter in any squadron of eight or more can be an EW fighter. If not using EW fighters, it will be a standard fighter of the most common type in the squadron.

(SG_.423) PFs are available if the year selected for the scenario allows their use.

(SG_.43) COMMANDERS OPTION ITEMS

(SG_.431) The BATS and each ship in the attacking fleet can purchase additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (e.g. T-bombs, extra marines, etc.) up to 20% of its combat BPV. Each reinforcement ship has only 5% of its combat BPV available for Commander’s Option Items (they were not expecting combat). See (S3.2) for details and exceptions.

(SG_.432) Drone speeds will depend on the year selected for the scenario.

Each drone-armed ship can purchase special drones up to the historical racial percentages as part of the Commander's Option Items. Note that (S3.2) allows drone ships extra points for this purpose.

(SG_.433) If the players wish to use the optional rules for Prime Teams (G32.0), the BATS and one ship in the attacking force each have one team.

(SG_.44) REFITS: All refits are available depending on the year of the scenario.
(SG_.45) GRAVITY WAVES: Due to the unusual way in which the black hole was created, it is not entirely stable. Objects falling into it or weapons fired in its vicinity will cause gravity waves. These gravity waves will operate as defined in (P9.4), except as modified below.

(SG_.451) Any object size class 5 or larger that falls into the black hole will cause a 20 point gravity wave (P9.41). The large asteroid counts as a size class 3 unit for this purpose.

(SG_.452) Any non-phaser energy based weapons fired within 10 hexes of the black hole will produce also produce a 20 point gravity wave as described in (SG_.45).

(SG_.453) The initial strength of the gravity wave is increased by 5 for each weapon after the first that is fired on the same impulse. For example, if on Impulse #14, a Klingon cruiser eight hexes from the black hole fires two disruptors and a Federation frigate nine hexes from the black hole fires one photon, a 30 point gravity wave will be generated.

(SG_.454) Gravity waves will appear on the map as the last activity of Step 6E in the Impulse Procedure of the Sequence of Play.

(SG_.455) It is possible that a gravity wave could be generated by both an object falling into the black hole and by weapons fire on the same impulse. In this case both waves would technically be generated. However, for game play purposes, these gravity waves will be combined so that only one gravity wave will appear on the map. The strength of the combined gravity wave will be the combined total of both (SG_.451) and (SG_.452) [as modified by (SG_.453)].

Example: On Impulse #4, a crippled frigate falls into the black hole, which causes a 20 point gravity wave. On that same impulse, the BATS fires 3 Ph-4 at another frigate, which causes a 30 point gravity wave. During Step (6E), one 50-point gravity wave will be produced.

(SG_.46) LARGE ASTEROID: The large asteroid has been moved in to serve as a target, and is not anchored in place in any way. It will be effected normally by the black hole.
(SG_.47) BATTLE STATION:

(SG_.471) The BATS’s positional stabilizers are active, which prevents it from being pulled into the black hole (G29.27).

(SG_.472) The weapon was being developed in the science module. During the failure that caused the black hole, the module was destroyed. However, safety bulkheads prevented the damage from penetrating into the BATS itself. Mark all boxes in the science module as destroyed. This damage can be repaired during the scenario, but the weapon being developed there cannot be repaired by any means.

(SG_.473) Even though the BATS itself wasn’t damaged by the weapon’s destruction, it’s energy system was still tied into the science module. Because of this, phasers larger than phaser-3 are included in (SG_.452) and (SG_.453). A phaser-1, -2, or -4 down-fired as a phaser-3 counts as a phaser-3 for this purpose (i.e., no gravity wave will be generated).

(SG_.5) VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the BATS is destroyed and at least one attacking ship (size class 4 or bigger) survives, the attacking player wins. If the BATS survives, the base player wins. If the BATS is destroyed and none of the attacking units (size class 4 or larger) survive, the scenario is a draw.

(SG_.6) VARIATIONS: The scenario can be played again under different conditions by making one or more of the following changes:
(SG_.61) The scenario can be made more challenging by making the gravity waves bigger. This will cause more damage to the base, but attacking ships generating the waves will also take more damage.
(SG_.62) For a larger battle, use a larger base, with a corresponding increase in the attacking force.
(SG_.63) For a smaller, quicker battle, use an attacking force of 400 BPV (one size class 3 unit). Only allow 150 BPV for the base station reinforcements (no size class 3 units).

(SG_.7) BALANCE: The scenario can be balanced between players of different skill levels by one or more of the following:
(SG_.71) Allow the less experienced player more points to purchase ships.
(SG_.72) Allow the more experienced player less points to purchase ships.
(SG_.73) Change the arrival turn for the base reinforcements arrive in favor of the less experienced player.

(SG_.8) TACTICS

BASE PLAYER: While the BATS itself is not going to fall into the black hole, everything else that isn't nailed down probably will. Be prepared for at least one gravity wave on the first turn, as the gravity wave generated by the asteroid falling into the black hole will reach the base on Impulse #31. Don’t worry about blowing up enemy ships. Crippling them will force them to disengage or risk falling into the black hole. Use care in firing heavy weapons/phasers, as the gravity waves could quickly become dangerous. However, with a bit of planning, they can be used to damage the attacking ships, while you reinforce/rotate weak shields away.

ATTACKING PLAYER: You have two turns of just you and the base. Close on turn one and hit it as hard as you can. If you have multi-turn arming weapons, you will probably have to consider the reinforcement ships when you make your second pass.

(SG_.X) DESIGNER’S NOTES: I wanted a scenario that had a base (which ignores the movement effects of a black hole) and a black hole (which moves everything but the base) in the same scenario. Since the positional stabilizer rules prohibit placing a base next to a black hole, I had to place the black hole next to the base.