Hunter or Hunted?

Originally printed in the on-line newsletter, Hailing Frequencies.

As the second Klingo-Kzinti war started, a lone D4 was sent deep into Kzinti space to hunt down convoys. It was quite successful, preying on small and medium convoys without sustaining damage. It even managed to loot a freighter full of supplies to keep on operating. Finding a nice juicy large convoy, it decided to attack. Unfortunately, it found the Duke's Pleasure Fleet (several converted freighters escorted by the Duke's YCS, a pair of YCLs and several YFFs). Quickly recognizing the warships, the D4 turned to run. The Duke, seeing a chance to kill this very annoying invader, ordered his YCS to persue (the rest of the escorts stayed with the fleet, as did the Duke himself). With insufficient fuel to disengage by acceleration, the D4's only hope is to damage the YCS enough to slow it down without getting hurt.

(SHxxx.1) Number of players: 2; the Kzinti player and the Klingon player.

(SHxxx.2) Initial set up
Terrain: None
Kzintis: YCS in 2015, heading C, speed 10, WS-II.
Klingon: D4 (with F racks) in 2205, heading D, speed max, WS-III.

(SHxxx.3) Length of Scenario: The scenario continues until all forces belonging to one side hvae been destroyed, captured or have disengaged.

(SHxxx.4) Special Rules

(SHxxx.41) Map: Use a floating map. The Klingon can only disengage in directions A-B-C-D (the convoy is in the others) by distance only (see SHxxx.45). The Kzinti can disengage in any direction. Units which disengage in unauthorized directions are considered destroyed.

(SHxxx.42) Shuttles and PFs: No shuttles or PFs have warp booster packs. Note that this is an Early Years scenario and that the administrative shuttles have no phasers.

(SHxxx.421) There are no MRS shuttles in Early Years.
(SHxxx.422) There are no Fighters in the Early Years.
(SHxxx.423) There are no PFs in the Early Years.

(SHxxx.43)Commander's Option Items
(SHxxx.431) The Kzinti can purchase additional or special equipment as Commander's Option Items (eg T-bombs, extra marines, etc) up to 20% of its Combat BPV. See (S3.2) for details and exceptions. Note that whatever is bought will count in the victory conditions. The D4 has been on an extended patrol without resupply, the only Commander's Options it has available (excluding drones) are determined as follows. Put 6 chits (say Romulan plasma) numbered 1-6 in a cup and draw one. If 1, 2 or 3 is drawn, the ship has 1 T-bomb or 1 Dummy (Klingon's option). If 4 or 5 is drawn, the ship has 1 T-bomb and 1 Dummy. If a 6 is drawn, it has 2 T-bombs and 1 Dummy or 1 T-bomb and 2 Dummies (Klingon's option). Note that these will only count for victory conditions if actually used in the scenario.

(SHxxx.432) All drones are "slow" (speed 8) and one space. Type II and III are available for purchase as special ``restricted / limited availability'' drones. The Kzinti 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. See (YFD10.0) for additional data on what drones are available. The Klingon secretly rolls two dice on the following table 16 times to determine the drones it has. (If four sets of chits 1 to 36 are available, this could be done by drawing from a cup).

2: III (2.0)
3: I w/ internal armor (1.0)
4-5: I w/ extended range (1.5)
6-8: I (1.0)
9: II (1.5)
10: II w/ extended range (2.0)
11: II w/ internal armor (1.5)
12: II w/ external armor (1.75)

This reflects the random selection of drones it obtained from its raiding. The Klingon may replace any of the drones it rolled with standard type I drones. This is the only modification allowed to its drone load (see the victory conditions for why this might be desired). All armor modules are half space modules (thus the II w/ external armor goes speed 8). The drones are then put into the two racks and reload storage as desired, except that in every slot, the drone in the rack cannot be more expensive (using the drone construction rules--the costs are in parens) than the corresponding one in storage. This is to prevent the best drones from being in the racks to start, but drones may be shifted (ie loaded and unloaded from the racks) during the game. Only the drones in reload storage may be put in SPs at the start of the scenario.

(SHxxx.44) Refits: The Klingon has the F-racks.

(SHxxx.45) Limited Fuel: The Klingon is low on fuel. To reflect this, it cannot disengage by acceleration (since it is deep in Kzinti territory, it cannot disengage by sublight either). Furthermore, the Klingon can only exceed speed 20 for two turns during the game. Such a turn occurs if the ship's maneuver rate for the turn is over 20 (say due to a HET or EM) or if at any point its practical speed exceeds 20 (due to mid turn speed changes, for example). A third high speed turn causes the Klingon's victory to be at best a Tactical Defeat (and raised the Kzinti's level by one if less than a Tactical Victory) as the D4 will run out of fuel trying to get home.

(SHxxx.5) Victory Conditions: Several of the victory conditions are based on the supplies expended (BPVSE) by the D4. This is calculated as follows. Add up the BPV of all Klingon drones launched/destroyed (if a loaded SP or drone rack was destroyed)--see the values in the table--plus 2 BPV for each shuttle killed/abandoned, plus 2.5 BPV for each T-bomb used and 1.5 BPV for each Dummy used. Subtract from this the Kzinti's Commander's options to get the net expenditure of supplies (negative values are treated as 0). The following charts give the victory level of each player. Note that it does not matter which side disengages (either way is bad for the YCS and good for the D4). A lightly damaged ship is one that is reparable with Tactical Repairs (G17.132). Note that it is theoretically possible for a ship to be both crippled and lightly damaged, in such cases, the ship is considered crippled for victory conditions.

Klingon:
Astounding Victory: YCS destroyed/captured and D4 not damaged. -1 level if over 20 BPVSE.
Decisive Victory: YCS destroyed/captured and D4 not crippled. -1 level if over 20 BPVSE.
Tactical Victory: YCS crippled and D4 lightly damaged. -1 level if over 15 BPVSE. D4 not damaged -1 level if over 10 BPVSE.
Marginal Victory: YCS destroyed/captured and D4 not destroyed/captured. -1 level if over 20 BPVSE. D4 only lightly damaged. +1 level if 0 BPVSE. -1 level if over 10 BPVSE. -2 levels if over 20 BPVSE.
Draw: YCS damaged and D4 not crippled. -1 level if over 10 BPVSE. -2 levels if over 20 BPVSE.
Marginal Loss: D4 not crippled. -1 level if over 10 BPVSE.
Tactical Loss: D4 crippled (and YCS not destroyed) -1 level if over 15 BPVSE.
Crushing Defeat: D4 destroyed/captured.

Kzinti:
Astounding Victory: D4 destroyed and YCS not damaged. D4 captured (fresh meat) and YCS not crippled.
Decisive Victory: D4 captured (-1 level if YCS destroyed). D4 destroyed and YCS not crippled. D4 crippled and YCS not damaged.
Tactical Victory: D4 crippled and YCS not crippled. +1 level if over 20 BPVSE.
Marginal Victory: D4 destroyed and YCS not destroyed.
Draw: D4 damaged and YCS not crippled.+1 level if over 10 BPVSE. +2 levels if over 20 BPVSE.-1 level if no supplies expended. Both crippled:+1 level if 20 BPVSE. -1 level if no supplies expended.
Marginal Defeat: YCS not destroyed and D4 damaged or over 20 BPVSE. +1 level if an extra 10 BPVSE
Tactical Defeat: YCS not destroyed.
Crushing Defeat: YCS destroyed (and D4 not destroyed/captured).

Much of the victory revolves around how effective the D4 will be at raiding afterwards. The YCS is better off if both ships end up seriously damaged (since it has stopped the D4 from really being able to raid some more). There are several situations where one side gets a draw and the other a marginal victory as well as both sides getting marginal losses/draws.

(SHxxx.6) Variations: The scenario can be played again under different conditions by making one or more of the following changes:

(SHxxx.61) Make it a normal convoy raid by replacing the D4 with an F4 raider and the YCS with a YFF escort chasing it (the convoy apparently had several escorts...).

(SHxxx.62) Place it during the first Klingo-Kzinti war (Y80) no SP, D4 uses the following table (or replace the F-racks with two more shuttles)

2: II w/ external armor
3-4: I w/ internal armor
5-10: I
11: II
12: II w/ internal armor

(SHxxx.63) Replace the D4 with a Lyran YCA or the YCS with a Fed YCA. In the latter case, give the D4 both Tbombs, but only type I drones (since the Feds don't use any drones yet, the D4 has expended all its specials).

(SHxxx.7) Balance: The scenario can be balanced between players of different skill levels by one or more of the following:

(SHxxx.71) Give the Klingon more freedom in selecting drones and/or T-bombs and Dummies (small effect).

(SHxxx.72) Change the maximum speed of the D4 (over speed 23 will allow it to disengage at will) or the number of turns it can spend above the limit.

(SHxxx.73) Replace the D4 with a D4C or a F4 (to balance it the other way)

(SHxxx.74) Replace the YCS with a YCL.

(SHxxx.8) Tactics: ???
Klingon: Try to keep the range open and snipe at his shields. It will only take a few point of damage to his power systems to allow you to escape (4 points is enough). Save your high speed turns for when you need them (like when he's about to anchor you...)

Kzinti: Chase him down and feed him more drones than he can handle. Avoid distractions that let him keep the range open. Turn off your AFC (and use low power AFC to handle distractions), every point of power is needed for the chase. While its tempting to take no commander's options, you'll need the faster drones once you catch him.

(SHxxx.X) Designer's Notes: This scenario was set up to give the YCS and D4 a reason for an open space battle. The D4 will need every trick in the book to keep from getting mugged while being chased. This has currently been playtested once and played out in theory several times. All comments/suggestions are welcome dkass@cco.caltech.edu) -- especially concerning the VCs...

Historical Outcome: ??
With good maneuvering, the D4 managed to keep the YCS away until its front shields were paper thin. Once caught, the D4 took serious damage when phaser fire followed drones on the same shield. Fortunately, the return fire did significant damage to the Kzinti's warp engines, allowing it to escape the tractor and outdistance the Kzinti over the following turns. In between the damage and the munitions expended/destroyed, the D4 headed back to Klingon space. It attacked a small convoy along the way and while able to damage it, was unable to destroy it.