Powerful Lyran Assault

The Lyran Red Claw is about to launch a grand assault on Kzinti Battle Station No.2:

The Combat Value of the attacking force is over 100 points, which makes this the strongest fleet I have seen in action during the campaign so far. But then, it's not entirely surprising given the force composition: a Battle Tug; a Command Cruiser, four Heavy Cruisers, a Fast Heavy Cruiser; a War Cruiser Squadron, three Light Cruisers and a Destroyer Scout. Nasty.

The defending Kzinti have a Strike Carrier Group, together with a supporting Escort Carrier Group, three Battlecruisers, a Light Cruiser and a Scout Frigate. Their combat value is 10 points lower than the Lyrans, and that includes the Battle Station and all of the fighters. This is the fleet to which my Kzin protagonist Meerclaw belongs, so it's going to be fun writing about what transpires from his viewpoint. He is currently the no.6 pilot in the CVE fighter contingent. He might be getting promoted after this fight...

I rolled very well for both fleets on the battle rating table: 5 on a D6 for the defence, and a whopping 6 for the more powerful Lyran force. This translates to a Kzinti defence of 27 morale points, while the Lyrans have 35, the equivalent of a Heavy Cruiser in points superiority. This is easily not just the strongest single force seen so far, it is also the one with the highest morale. The combination might even make it possible for them to take out the station in a single wave, but then they have another load ready to roll if this lot has to pull out to regroup, albeit a lighter one. It is beginning to look as though this will be the second station to fall to the Lyran offensive.

I have been tweaking my fleet rules as I go. Basically, it makes life easier for me if I move the ships as coherent groups, i.e. in squadrons or pairs. So for example, the Lyrans will pair their Command Cruiser and Fast Heavy Cruiser in the same hex, and there will also be two pairs of Heavy Cruisers; the War Cruisers work well as a squadron and so too will three Light Cruisers. The Scout Destroyer will stay tucked in behind the rather enormous Battle Tug leading this attack, using its special sensor channels to disrupt the targeting of drone missile stacks.

The Kzinti fleet resolves itself naturally into the CVS Group; the smaller CVE Group; and a squadron of three Battle Cruisers. The Scout Frigate will follow up after the CVS group; after all, it will be lending its electronic warfare support to the two carriers since they are the most expensive ships in the fleet. This is becoming standard practice for the Kzinti. The Light Cruiser is going to have to fend for itself. 

I am really looking forward to this one...

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