Magnetizing BFG Ships

Battlemarkers 2: Miniature wargaming markers that don't suck!

My second order of BFG Battlemarkers has arrived and I thought I will show them off a little bit. These things are awesome and I cannot recommend them enough. For the special orders markers, I recommend getting 2 pack for each color because you may lock-on more than 2 ships in one turn.

+++Battlemarkers+++

Battlefleet Gothic:Revised

As any of you know, I am a supporter and contributor to the Battlefleet Gothic: Revised (BFG:R) project. It has been in production for a long time now and the original creator, Plaxor, has decided that he will be unable to complete the project. I, and many others at the Specialist Arms forum have taken up the mantle and decided to get it done. BFG:R features, at this point, revised fleet lists, additional ships, and a couple small rules changes that make Battlefleet Gothic an overall better game. Here are the evolving fleet lists in their current (and live updated) form:


Finished:
++BFG:R Imperial Navy++
++Eldar MMS BFG:R Edition++
++BFG:R Necron Fleets++
++BFG:R Space Marines++
++BFG:R Tau Empire++

In Process:
++BFG:R Chaos Fleets++
++BFG:R Adeptus Mechanicus++
++BFG:R Dark Eldar++
++BFG:R Ork Fleets++
++BFG:R Tyranid Hive Fleets++
++BFG:R Planetary Defenses++
++BFG:R Rogue Traders
++BFG:R Inquisition++

BFG:R wholeheartedly endorses Eldar MMS 1.9b as part of BFG:R and it has been linked above to the BFG:R edition.

Voted Changes in 2012:
V1 - New Tyrant stats: 180pts, 12wb L&R 30cm, +10pts for 10wb at 45cm. +20pts Nova Cannon upgrade.

V2 - MMS 1.9b is the official BFG:R Corsair and Craftworld Eldars.
V6 - Nova Cannons:
-D6 damage if the hole touches your base.

-1 Damage if it touches your base without the hole over your base. ] -You can lock-on to re-roll your scatter dice (the scatter die and the other D6s) -The scatter bands are 30cm - 60cm -> D6, 61cm - 150cm -> 2D6. -The Imperial Navy is limited to 1 per 500pts. -Shooting at a vessel with Holofields, the player can make you re-roll your score scatter dice result. If you are on lock-on. it negates this ability and the Nova Cannon shot should be resolved as if Lock-On and Holofields are not in effect.

V7 - There are now 2 hit escorts with the following rules:
-1. 4 maximum 2-hit escorts per escort squadron.
-2. A critical hit to 2-hit escorts causes 1 hit.
-The following ships have been changed into 2 hit escorts, with possible point increases:
-Eldar Hellebore, Tau Defender, Ork Grunt, Tyranid Kraken, Dark Eldar Corsair, Demiurg Rampart,
-Defense Monitor, Orbital Weapon Platform, and Escort Carrier.

V8 - Necron Cartouche, Khopesh, and Reaper approved with modified stats.

V10 - The Imperial Navy fleet list Commanders have changed.
All non-Battlefleet Cadia Imperial Fleet Lists:
Ld 8 50pts
Ld 9 75pts
Ld 10 100pts
+1 Reroll 25pts
+2 Reroll 50pts
+3 Reroll 75pts

Secondary Commanders 0-3
30pts +1Ld
+1 Reroll 15pts

Battlefleet Cadia:
Veteran Captain 0-5
15pts +1LD
+1 Reroll 15pts

V15 - Endeavor and Endurance have been changed to 125pts

V17 - The Defiant has been changes to 115pts.

V19 - Thunderhawk Annihilators have been changed to D3 attacks in bombing, instead of D6.

V21 - Necrons do not have the modified Victory Point table anymore and their point costs have been altered to make up for it. Also, we have included the standardized Reactive Hull at 4+.

V23 - Tau Protector reduced to 180pts

V24 - Tau Defender weaponry changed to 5 WB and 1 Torpedo, at 50pts with 2 hits.

V25 - Tau Castellan reduced to 45pts instead of 50pts.

V26 - RSVs will be included in the Space Marine fleet as IN versions only.

V29 - The Venerable Battle Barge (or "Ultima Battle Barge") will be included in the Armageddon Fleet

V31 - Chaos Space Marines now have the following rules:
Chaos Space Marines should exactly how they used to be but allows the ship to have the SM Ld chart (8-10) and instead adds +1 to the Lord or Warmaster if on the same ship for 35pts

V32 - The Marks of Chaos are now the following:
Chaos Marks (all 15pts, on any capitol ship, 1 mark per ship, squadrons may only have 1 type of mark):
-Mark of Tzeentch: (voted on later)
-Mark of Nurgle: +1 hit on that ship.
-Mark of Slaanesh: Enemies within 15cm suffer -1 to their Ld value.
-Mark of Khorne: the ship doubles their boarding value.
-Mark of Chaos Undivided (25pts): May only be taken on a Lord or Warmaster. Once per game, the Lord or Warmaster may expend the Mark of Chaos Undivided and allow the entire fleet to use their leadership value for the rest of the player's turn.
--All Chaos fleets are allowed to take marks of Chaos.
--Squadrons may only have one type of Mark on its ships.

V33 - Abaddon now have the following rules:
-150pts
-Built in Chaos Space Marines and Terminators (Black Legion) instead of original Abaddon boarding rules and H&R rules
-original Abaddon RR per turn rules.
-original Abaddon "angry" rules
-original Abaddon double boarding value
-original Ld 10
-no Warmasters or Lords allowed in the fleet (however, secondary commanders are allowed)
-Abaddon may not take additional RRs

V34 - Tau Commanders and the Tau Special Character Mesme now have the following rules:
Ld 8 50pts
Ld 9 70pts
-up to 2 rerolls at 25pts each.
Mesme, same as original, 110pts.

V35 - Mark of Tzeentch
-"Vessels with a Mark of Tzeentch may re-roll the result of any critical hits they either suffer, or they cause on another ship. This includes the successful results of any Hit and Run attacks.

V36 - Chaos Ships Included:
-Relictor, Desecrator, Inferno, Heretic, Unbeliever, Schismatic, and Havoc vessels. 

V37 - Chaos Admirals
All Chaos Fleets...
LD 8 Lord 50pts
LD 9 Warmaster 75pts
-both admirals come with one reroll for free and may purchase 0-2 more for 25pts each.
Secondary Commanders LD 8 for 30pts and may purchase a RR only for their ship/squadron for 15pts.

V38 - Finalize Tau Empire (passed)

V39 - Chaos Unique Vessels' Costs
--Conquerer @ 380
--Wages of Sin @ 430
--Scion of Prospero @ 460
--Terminus Est @ 440
--Vengeful Spirit @ 425
----all would have built-in CSM.

Tactica: Corsair Eldar MMS

++Fleet: Corsair Eldar MMS++

Points of Power: Leadership, maneuverability (open space and celestial phenomenon), speed, advanced guns, advanced launch craft, amazing torpedoes, Holofields, better turrets, ability to remain stationary.

Weaknesses: Relatively fragile, less shields, relatively less guns and launch bays, less hits, twice the chance to take critical damage.


Synergy of Abilities: Eldar function much like a "glass cannon" fleet. They can dish out tons of damage but are fragile and can not handle damage back very well. Use your offense are your defense: kill off the most dangerous ships first and use your maneuverability to deny your own front arc as much as possible. Eldar are the kings of Alpha Strike. 

Ships Using this Synergy: Pretty much all of them.

Successful Alpha Striking: Eldar of all types have the benefit of speed and maneuverability. Make sure you are careful about your facing and where the sun is. This is important for making future attack plans. Preparing the Alpha Strike starts before any of your ships are deployed on the board because deception can come into play and tricking your opponent into deploying in the best spot for your sun facing can really help. On the turn you are going to engage the enemy, you want to have your side arcs facing the sun so as to keep as far away from the enemy guns as possible and to maximize your Holofield benefits.

Angling Your Fleet: One important tactic to remember is that, when you attack, remember that most fleets have to move before they shoot you again. Your guns are almost always front facing  and so you will need to have your front arc exposed to the enemy to fire on them. When Alpha Striking, make sure your turn ends in a way in which the enemy will be firing on your side arc after the move forwards, not your front. This will add to your defenses immensely. They will either have to make a Burn Retros special order to shoot your front art (with reduced battery power) or move forward, probably have to turn towards you, and be firing on your side (with reduced battery power). You will want to be close most of the time to make the best use of your weapon batteries. Make sure you plan in advance because, sometimes, you do not need to be within 15cm to make the best of your weapon batteries based on the chart. Then, it's preferable to be outside of 15cm but with 30cm (duh). Be careful about using Lock-On special orders to maximize damage. Your priority is to do damage but still survive the backlash. If you cannot Lock-On and keep the majority of your enemy on your abeam location (after their minimum movement), don't lock on and err on the side of caution. Yes, there is a chance you will do enough damage with Lock-On to mitigate the backlash, but don't count on it.

Protecting Your Escorts: I have found there to be a difficult decision here: Do you put your escorts or biggest ships closest to the enemy fleet (which usually means it takes more damage)? I personally think the escorts should be the closest. Why? Escorts naturally have a higher level of defense on the weapon battery scale and are more maneuverable and so, during the Alpha Strike, has the highest chance to be abeam to the enemy. Granted, lances will still be a problem. Another reason: if your escorts are closest, they will soak more lance shots which are partially wasting some of their anti-armor role on them. To shoot your non escorts, they will need to pass a leadership test to shoot past the closest ship/squadron and will probably allow for a Holofield save. This is the way to use some of the built in benefits of escorts to help protect your bigger ships.

Asteroid Camping: Eldar do not have a minimum move and do not need Burn Retros. This, combined with their Celestial Phenomenon special rules, makes them able to sit inside, just behind, right in front of asteroids.  Just keep in mind that you do not need to move and you are able to keep your entire fleet stationary for a turn if it will benefit you. This can help you set up a nasty Alpha Strike and keep you protected up until you execute the order.

Limited Ordnance: Eldar ordnance is amazing. You can do staggering amount of damage with just ordnance. Yet, your Fighter/Bomber/Assault Boat levels will almost always be lower than your opponent's. However, your Fighters are "resilient," meaning that they may be able to intercept more than one enemy piece of ordnance. The problem arises when you are forced to use Fighters defensively, mostly while putting them on CAP; you will be able to play defense with less ships than your opponent can strike. Yes, your Fighters are resilient, but the enemy will have more options and can split their waves more. How to solve this? Ordnance superiority.

Basic Strategy:  My recommendations are Alpha Strike and Ordnance Superiority. Because your limited but elite ordnance is a positive in offense and a negative in defense, you should make sure you intimidate your enemy with the amount of ordnance you have. Now, this may be difficult when battling Tyranids (with double ordnance capacity), Torpedo Imperial Navy (with lots of close ranged torpedo combat and launch bays), and Tau (who have massive amounts of long ranged torpedoes). You should put them on the defensive with how many Eldar torps and bombers you have. Other than that, you should have a nasty amount of guns. Eldar weapon batteries and nasty with their column shift and Pulsar lances are pure gold.

Ships:
-Void Stalker: This is the big beast. This battleship is as durable as a Vengeance cruiser (plus Holofields) with much more maneuverability and firepower.  It can reload both the torpedoes and launch craft in one special order, which is great. Also, its guns are not just forward facing, which can help with its limited turn radius. If you can lock on with a Void Stalker and catch a vessel while it is closing, you will do massive damage. Try a couple playtests with a Void Stalker shooting an Imperial or Chaos cruiser with different facings. Be careful with it. It is fragile for the points (as is the entire Eldar fleet). Personally, I try to take a Void Stalker whenever I can. I love it. In 1500pt games or less, you may not want to take one (though I sometimes do).

-Supernova: A cruiser with 5 (FIVE) Pulsar Lances? YES PLEASE. Slightly more durable than a Lunar (considering the extra turret, Holofields, and maneuverability, though no 6+ prow) but oh so much frontal firepower.  The trick for this monster is to shoot something with shields down. That Emperor has its shields down and you happen to have your Supernova locked on to it? Watch the damage fly. I highly recommend this ship but restrict it to the largest games when you already have ordnance superiority. Keep it near something that has good gun damage output too.  Shoot with the other group first to drop the shields, then Supernova it.

-Eclipse: Most look at the Eclipse as the mini Void Stalker. Same about of launch bays for the same price but much less firepower. This is a good way to get the Ordnance Superiority we need seeing as it is our primary carrier ship. Any time you have pulsars, I am happy. Keep it protected and only as close are you need to reach the enemy with damage when Alpha Striking. Your Bombers only flying 20cm means that, if you are going to "shotgun" them (meaning hit and enemy ship with them the turn you launch them), you will need to be within 20cm. You may not want to be that close unless you are sure you can be relatively protected from backlash fire the next turn. Your enemy, if he/she is smart, will want this ship dead. You will need to protect it heavily or the tides will turn against you quickly, especially in the ordnance department.

-Shadow: Torpedoes and a big battery. 12 Eldar weapon batteries are quite a powerful weapon. Compare this with 2 Nightshades and 3 Hemlocks. 12wbs & 4 torps vs 5wbs, 3 Pulsars, and 4 torps. It comes down to the Shadow having an extra shield, an extra hit, better armor, though easier to hit with batteries, less maneuverability, and less speed. Also, 7wbs vs 3 Pulsars. Personally, I like Shadows and take them often in larger games.

-Solaris: Compare the Solaris to 2 Aconites. Easier to fire on with batteries but has 45cm batteries with no column shift(!), the same armor, same turrets, 2 more hits, and 5 points more. Personally, I think they are worth it. They can make the best use of their Holofields based on their long range batteries and are the only thing other than the Void Stalker that has any gun over 30cm. Combine this with the fact that they are only 5cm slower in the first two bands of speed than our smaller escorts, this gives them the highest gun reach in our fleet by either 10cm or 15cm, depending on the speed band (and sun facing). I am highly considering using them more often.

-Aurora: People love these guys because they pack the two most powerful Eldar weapons. You can't go wrong with more pulsars and Eldar torpedoes are amazing. Keep these behind escort for some protection and join in the Alpha Strike. One thing to keep in mind is that it can sometimes be hard to place the Aurora in a protected position and in a place where it can fire its 4 torpedoes without hitting your own ships.

-Helebore: These guys are quite useful in the MMS rules, especially for Ordnance Superiority. They only have fighters? Use those fighters to take down enemy fighters on CAP before bombers or torpedoes hit. Yes, fighter do add to your ordnance superiority and obviously your defense also. I recommend using some of these (probably 2) in very small games for fighter protection. Also, don't forget that they so have some batteries and a pulsar each so they have lot to offer. Don't forget, you can take mines on these and, with their maneuverability and speed, you can use them effectively. I personally have not played around with mines, but  I plan to.

-Aconite: I never run these alone but always with either Hemlocks or Nightshades to amplify their batteries. Putting them with Hemlocks is my primary use for them. 3 Hemlocks and 2 Aconites have a nasty amount of firepower. Keep them behind the Hemlocks in the squad because they are of higher value. Also, consider their higher armor in their positioning.

-Hemlock: This is the basic gun escort for the Corsairs. I don't leave home without some. Each one has a pulsar; that's saying something. I like groups of 3 with 2 Aconites to make an escort gun group

-Nightshade: Possibly one of the best ships in the game. It's like a Cobra with more speed, maneuverability, holofields, better turrets, better weapon battery, and much better torpedoes. Granted they are more points, but that's how things should be. I have used the in groups of 3 or 5-6 and am happy either way. Eldar torpedoes, remember, ignore shield, reroll to hit against enemy ships, and are rarely hit by turrets. Don't leave home without these.

List Building:

Balance of offense. Make sure you are able to cause some good damage with torpedoes, good damage with batteries, pulsars, and bombers. Many will lean very heavily on torpedoes but I support more of a balance. Running 12 Nightshades for the torpedoes? That's 600pts with of 24(!) torpedoes and only 12 batteries. I will grant that eldar torpedoes can generally damage anything reasonably well but the highest armor enemies will require some pulsars. Also, whether you are running those 12 Nightshades in 2 or 4 squads, you will have a decent amount of reloading to do during the game (though with enhanced leadership). Be aware of how many reloads you will need to make during the game with your selected fleet. Personally, if I have a bunch of Nightshades and some Auroras (lots of torpedoes), I will take something like a squad of 3 Hemlocks and 2 Aconites for pulsars and batteries. Of course, to make the best use of your torpedoes, you will need Ordnance Superiority and therefore, you need launch craft. So, the usual foundation of my lists are the following:

1. Void Stalker and/or Eclipse (launch bays)

2. Nightshades and Auroras (torpedoes)

3. Hemlocks & Aconites and/or 1-2 Shadows and/or 1-2 Solaris (guns)

4. Once the first 3 are covered, I add whatever I want so long as I am not excluding any one gun type too much. 

Tactica Articles From Other Sources:

Deathwatch Break

Just an update for all my fellow BFG players: I have been taking a little bit of a break from BFG for some Deathwatch and have been painting a whole bunch of models for it. Here is a sample...

Front: Storm Warden Assault Marine. Right: Blood Angels Assault Marine. Left: Black Templars Techmarine. Back: BFG Eldar Ships.

All of these guys have their arms and jump packs magnetized and their shoulder pads are sticky tacked on. 

I have a craving for some BFG so stay tuned for some more Deathwatch and BFG updates.

Varnish Issues...

I did well in Gothicomp this year. I happened to win the Conversion category with my Dark Eldar Mortalis. Interestingly enough, I am pretty disappointed with my Dark Eldar. Why you ask? Because the stupid varnish clouded it all up.

Here they are before...

And after...

The new picture is taken on a nice Canon camera and the first one taken on my cell phone and honsetly, I think the first picture looks so much better because you can see all the cloudiness in the second one that was added by the varnish spray. I am now totally ANTI-SPRAY VARNISH.

I have found a better way to do it. Paint on varnish! I have been painting some Space Marines for our Deathwatch games and the paint on varnish is amazing. It is a "matte" varnish, thought it does add some shine. It seemingly makes the colors more bold (probably because of the slight shine) and doesn't cloud them at all. I will be posting some pictures of them soon as a sideshow before we get back to the carnival called BFG.

Battlemarkers: Miniature wargaming markers that don't suck!

I have recently been in contact with Scott at Battlemarkers and got two sets of BFG Battlemarkers to try out. I must say, these things look great. Here are the sets that I got...

and...

The concept for making these is great because they are essentially made just like a button of some metal band you would pin on your ripped, sleeveless, jean jacket to wear to the latest headbang fest, except they do not have the pin on the back.  The are flush on the back and lay on the gaming table without any wobble. There isn't any pixelation so the graphics and the font look very sharp and clean. There is nothing to tarnish the professional look of these babies.

One thing that is really helpful is that Battlemarkers carries a couple colors of the special orders dice so you don't get confused when your ships are dug into the enemy fleets lines and you want to keep a marker on them but not think you orders are from another ship.

Overall, with the price of these things, you can order a couple of sets because, for $5-6, they are awesome and easier to see than the special order dice from GW (which I still use and love). I would recommend that your game group order two sets of the special order dice for public use, and you personally order two sets of special order markers for yourself to use, of a color that is different than someone elses.

Another thing, Battlemarkers just released a blast markers set...

They are not exactly the same shape as the original blast markers from the starter set or the printout you can get on the GW website, but they are almost exactly the same size so don't be afraid to use them. I am hoping to pick up a few batches of these soon to use instead of my old frayed edged GW carboard ones. I assume the Battlemarker version will last a lot longer.

Pick up some of these at the following link...

Battlemarkers: Miniature wargaming markers that don't suck!

A+, sweet stuff, great job, awesome, you get a good grade. Expect to see these in future battle reports. Plus, the shipping is frickin fast if you are in the U.S.

Internet Battle 1.9: Turn 6 and End

Turn 6

Imperial Navy
Lunar 2 drifts forward 14cm
Carnage 2 stops burning and drifts 19cm.
Mars and Exorcist reload
Lunar 1 fails to lock on.
The Retribution moves forward and turns (so as to not fly off the board)
The Dauntlesses move forward and end their move on top of the Desolator and travel through to end their turn behind them, then turning 90 degrees.
The Lunar fires on Devastation 2 and knocks 1 shield down.
The Dauntlesses fire on Devastation 2 which braces) and takes a shield down and another damage which is braced).
The Retribution causes 3 total damage to Devastation 2, 1 is braced (now down to 3 hits left).
The Mars and Exorcist fire on Carnage 1 causing 1 shield to collapse.

THE END. Due to the night getting late and the fact that Gavin saw the impending doom of the Chaos (unless embarking on the next several internet turns to circle around), Gavin has conceded the game!

++Imperial Navy Victory+++

This is a shot from right at the end of the game where the bombers were about to make short work of the Carnage and possibly damaging the Acheron. The Mars and Exorcist made quite a good team and were able to separate two capable Chaos gunships from reconnecting with their main fleet.

This shot was also from the end of the game. The Lunar is about to drift off the board to the right and we can see the IN start to circle towards the north to make their circle around again.

Here is the final layout of the game in the middle of the last IN turn...

Completed Turns = 5

Imperial Navy - 0 RR

Retribution: (6, Crippled)

Exorcist

Mars: (6)

Lunar 1

Dauntless 1

Dauntless 2: (4)

Chaos - 1 RR

Desolator

Carnage 1: (2, crippled, Bridge Smashed)

Acheron 1

Acheron 2: (5)

Devastation 1

Devastation 2: (6)

Destroyed:

IN:

Lunar 2: (drifting hulk)

Chaos:

Carnage 2: (blazing hulk)

As you can see from the previous pictures, Carnage 1 would have most likely been destroyed in the following ordinance phase and Acheron 1 would have probably sustained some damage as well.  Sensing a defeat, Gavin decided to throw in the towel and hand the game to the Imperial Navy. To be fair to Gavin, scheduling time with him has been very difficult due to scheduling conflicts and this has prevented me from continuing the game. I hope everyone enjoyed our first internet battle! There will most likely be some changes for the next one. Thanks for reading!

Tactica: Imperial Navy

++Fleet: The Imperial Navy++

Points of Power: 6+ prows on most ships, Prow Rams, Tons of torpedoes, Nova Cannons, tons of options.

Synergy of Abilities: 6+ prows+Prow Rams+torpedoes=powerful head on fleet.

Ships Using this Synergy: Retribution, Armageddon, Overlord, Dominion (BFG:R), Gothic, Lunar, Tyrant, Dictator, Dauntless, Endeavor, Defiant, Endurance.

Rationale: The way I think the Imperial Navy functions best is in the shield wall/torpedo shotgun method; some call it the steamroller or sledgehammer. Many people prefer using Nova Cannons with the IN fleet but I am not in favor of them. I personally like the redundancy of having almost all my ships armed with torpedoes so I can get close and shotgun them. Nova Cannon vessels will have to stay back to be of good use and I prefer not to divide my fleet. Also, I like of using the prow ram upgrade to give them batter ramming capabilities. The only ships that I will pay the points for 60cm range will be the lances that come stock on battlecruisers and battleships and the Emperor battleship (which I do not use often). Most of my choices come in pairs because the IN works best in pairs. I start with 2 Lunars as the core of my fleet. They are quite well-rounded and have proven to be very powerful when used well. After this, I usually add 2 Dictators, my favorite carriers. Dictators can reload their torpedoes and their launch bays with one reload special order and I really like that ability. Plus, they can smash something really hard point blank with their torpedoes, then hit it with bombers when their turrets are all used up. So far, I have 24 torpedoes, 8 launch capacity (on the Dictators) for fighter protection and bombers, and lots of close range firepower. This gives me a great base fleet. Other ships I like to use in this style of IN fleet are Retribution battleships (almost every game, especially with the BFG:R rules with 18 weapon batteries on each side), Armageddons (my favorite battlecruisers), Overlords (they are growing on me), Swords (very powerful escorts when used wisely), Cobras (just like the Swords), Dauntlesses (both variants), and Vengeances. Make sure you have a decent Admiral in this fleet (preferably ld 9) and 2-3 rerolls.

Generic Steamroller against a "basic" maneuverability type fleet:

Phase 1: Closing. Deploy in a shield wall (straight line of cruiser pointed directly at the enemy). My main tactic is to all ahead full right away to get as close as possible and use whatever long range dorsal lances I have to blast something important on my way up to the enemy fleet. Protect your Dauntlesses and escorts by keeping them behind your shield wall of ships.

Phase 2: When I can get close enough, I will most within 30cm, turn my ships in a way that will allow me to ram them next turn if they are in the way, and point blank shotgun them with torpedoes and bombers. If you set it up right, you will be able to torpedo things and have at least one of your broadsides available to shoot another target. Get your escorts into an advantageous position and remember that they can turn 90 degrees and turn before they move. You eventually want to be behind the enemy to avoid their shooting. Cobras can join in the shotgunning but be careful with them. Torpedo Dauntlesses too.

Phase 3: Breakthrough: Eventually, you want to smash your way into the middle of them, either by ramming your way through (ramming can do tons of damage) or moving into a gap in their fleet and utilizing both broadsides on them. By this time, you should have caused tons of damage.

List Building (things to consider):

-This type of IN strategy focuses on close range torpedoes and guns. There will often be times were you will need long range weaponry. If you are clustered, which much of the game will be, it is a good idea to have some long range weaponry. I think it is always good to make sure you have some 45cm guns (like on a Tyrant and some of the battlecruisers) and some 60cm guns (like on battleships and some battlecruisers). I like to have 2 battlecruisers and a battleship in most games and that amount of long range weaponry has been just the right amount. If you are facing Eldar using the original, non MMS rules, it becomes crucial to have long range weapon batteries. If you think this will be a possibility, I would consider a Retribution and a Tyrant or two.

-I find it very hard to leave home without some escorts. Yes, an entirely cruiser fleet is really durable, especially with a 6+ prow, but the IN fleet isn't the fastest fleet and certainly isn't the most maneuverable. Make sure you have some escorts, or at least some Dauntlesses. Trust me, you will need it. I like to have 4-5 Swords or Cobras lurking around, mostly Swords (especially when original rules Eldar may be an opponent).

-Dauntlesses. One of my favorite ships in the entire game. Especially in larger games, Dauntlesses get that much better. Here is why. When you have a lot of hefty targets to shoot at, Dauntnesses tend to go unnoticed. Some enemies will notice the Dauntlesses as easier victory points than regular cruisers (which they are) and go for them. Here is how I get the best out of Dauntlesses. First, when I am making a list of 1,500pts+, I ask myself, am I really light on lances? If so, I take 2 lance variant Dauntlesses to fill that gap. 2 locked on lance Dauntlesses can do a hefty amount of damage (4-5 hits on average) and tend to be a sneak attack when the enemy isn't looking. If you don't need more lances and you think you have that area covered, get the torpedo variant. 220 points for 12 torpedoes which you can launch in 1 wave (while base to base). 12 torpedoes can do tons of damage, especially because they ignore shields. What happens if you have 2 Lunars, an Armageddon, and 2 Dictators, all in a shield wall? Well, why not take the torpedo Dauntlesses anyways? Either variant can be used well but I am starting to prefer the torpedo variant over the lance variant myself nowadays. Here is how I use them. I keep the behind the main shield wall about 10cm or so back. If they are in range to be targeted, most likely the enemy have bigger problems to deal with. Also, they will have to pass a leadership test to target them. This makes them less likely to be targeted, and good thing with that 5+ prow (their main downside). For the torpedo variant, use their maneuverability to shotgun something like an escort squardon or some ship that needs more shotgunning than you can give them in that turn. For the lance variant, I usually keep them near the sides and will target the cruiser (most likely) that I am able to target with some of my ships' broadsides. I usually try to hit something near the side with my Retribution and I tend to target the same thing with the Dauntlesses lances. Conclusion: Dauntlesses are great, especially in bigger games and very small games (in which I recommend the torpdo variant).

-In any game above 1,000pts, I am going to be taking a battleship and for this style of list, the Retribution is my choice (Emperor is we aren't using BFG:R rules). The reason I like the Retribution so much is because it works well with this type of IN tactics; 6+ prow, huge weapon batteries on the sides (BFG:R), and 9 (!) torpedoes; the only real line battleship the IN has. With the Emperor, I tend to keep it back and shoot through the wall. Not the Retribution! I put it front and center. Why would I take a battleship over 2 cruisers? It really just comes down to 4 shields and it looks awesome. It is intimidating looking, tends to take a lot of fire, and the 4 shields help deal with the problem well. Regular cruisers have 2 shields which can come back once you move off of blast markers. A battleship has 4 and all 4 come back when you move off of blast markers. That's a lot of hits regained every turn. Try one out for a few games and you will see why this is so important and makes a battleship so difficult to kill.

-Squadron everything but your battleship. This will allow you to deal with a lower leadership cruiser if you happen to roll a low ld, and allow for turret massing and combined torpedo fire. Ultimately, you would like to get each squadron base to base on the turn you shotgun the enemy that first time so you can hit something with a strength 12 torp wave. This means less turret defense (because 2 waves of 6 can be each be shot at by turrets). A wave of 12 torpedoes isn't the best way to go if you are shooting from long range (which I do not recommend) because of 1 fighter or weapon battery shooting taking out the entire wave by itself. When you shoot a wave of 12 in a turn where you are in 30cm range and they hit before the enemy can react, combining waves is a good idea. When I go about list building with squardoning in mind, I like to pair two ships that, when added up, will have good weapon battery amount and good lance amount. Most of the time, I take 2 Lunars (good weapon battery total and 4 lances per side). Also, a Tyrant/Gothic combo works well (plus the bonus of added range from the Tyrant with the sacrifice of some firepower), Overlord/Gothic, Armageddon/Overlord, Armageddon/Armageddon, pairs of Dauntlesses of the same variant, etc. Also, 2 Dictators squadroned is one of my favorite units.

Thoughts from Horizon:
Other types:
"The Traditional Gothic List"
Emperor Class Battleship, Leadership 8 admiral.
2x Dominator Class Cruisers
2x Gothic Class Cruisers
Escorts (Swords / Cobra's)

A rounded well travelled fleet. Good AC and long range coverage from the Emperor. Good barrage under 30cm from the cruisers.

"The Vaaish Fleet"
Emperor Class Battleship, Leadership 8 admiral.
2x Vengeance Grand Cruisers
2x Lunar Cruiser (NC)
2x Torpedo Dauntless
Escorts

This, in my opinion cool fleet, sprang forth from a great Imperial Navy discussion at Warseer:
http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?196900-Imperial-Navy-How-to-win-in-this-atmosphere

In this fleet the Grand Cruisers and Emperor benefit from eachothers broadside weaponry and 5+ prow. If you like more Attack Craft the Excorcist CG is good option to replace the Vengeance. The torpedo Dauntless are picked to give it the typical IN torpedo supplement.

Escorts are great if used tactically well. Swords are great allrounders with good speed. Cobra's nifty speedy with a good torpedo punch, make sure to use the widowmaker upgrade. Falchions are an unique choice. Useful against AC heavy opponents with using 1 torp to thwart enemy waves.

Under official rules and the FAQ I disagree with (squadroning every ship but a battleship). The trouble of Bracing is a serious one. One ship needs to brace, the whole squadron is braced. Now when using two Lunars squadroning is adviced to maximize offensive power but when using Dominator/Gothic I advice on not squadroning them.

Tactica Articles From Other Sources:
Warmancer Imperial Navy Tactics
Warprift Magazine (has tactics articles)
Blackstone Six Imperial Navy Masterclass
Grog's Guide: Imperial Navy

Starting Battlefleet Gothic: BFG Rules and Fleet Basics

++Starting Battlefleet Gothic: BFG Rules and Fleet Basics++

Before you start Battlefleet Gothic (BFG), you should know a few things...
-BFG has a few sets of rules that are commonly used: 1. the GW rules listed on their website, 2. the 2010 FAQ rules (still unofficial), and 3. BFG:R is a revised set of rules (also unofficial). I, personally, like BFG:R the best (I think it is the most balanced, interesting, and supported), and also FAQ 2010/2010 Compendium (I don't like it as much but it tends to be the most widely used). For full disclosure, I am a supporter of BFG:R and believe in the project. However, I do not have a say in the rules. That being said, most of my comments below apply to all 3 rules systems. If there are specific comments that need to be made for one of them specifically, I will mention it.

Game Phase Basics:

Movement: The movement phase in BFG is amazingly important, not just for getting in range and out of range of ships you want to avoid, but setting of the night firing arcs (which makes a huge difference in this game). Firing on a closing ship with your weapon batteries is WAY more powerful than if the enemy ship is abeam (of has its side) to you. Also, range matters. Over 30cm and you are long range; under 15cm, you are close ranged. This makes a big difference. Getting the right positioning to hit the enemy from the most advantageous point and being in a place where the enemy either has to move and shoot you from a bad angle or have to use a special order to hit you at a good angle (which reduces their firepower) is a huge part of the game. Many fleets, as you will see below, are much more maneuverable than others. This is a huge advantage. Understanding how to use the movement phase to your advantage takes time and is one of the challenges of the game. Also, this is the phase where you can "disengage ships" that are on the verge of destruction. Knowing when to get your vessels out of there before they go boom is an important judgment call. Ramming also takes place in this phase, with some fleets excelling at it and others needing to avoid it like the plague.

Shooting: After moving your ships, you get to fire your weapons at the enemy. Determining which ships should be fired at, with what weapons, and in which order, are important decisions. Most will recommend firing your weapon batteries before firing your lances (as would I). Having a variety of weapons in your fleet is usually a good idea because some weapons work poorly against some fleets (weapon batteries against Space Marines and Necrons, for example). Knowing when to try to get an enemy ship to brace for impact (thereby reducing their shooting against you the next turn), allocating enough firepower to cripple the enemy ship (permanently reducing its capabilities and earning you victory points), or going for the all out kill (obviously ending its shooting at you and earning you full victory points for the ship) are tough decisions and you will need to learn how to weight the benefits and drawbacks.

Ordinance: This phase is where you will be able to utilize your torpedoes, fighters, bombers, assault boats (bomber sized boarding vessels), and more. This phase becomes a mini-game within the game (which is amazing). Bombers and assault boats can do tons of damage to enemy ships but are vulnerable to enemy fighters (even more so in BFG:R where fighter squadrons can kill more than a 1:1 ratio of bombers and assault boats). When planning a fleet, you will have to consider how you will defend against ordinance; it is a necessity for having a powerful (or even decent fleet). When a ship is attacked by bombers, assault boats, or torpedoes, it can use its turrets to try to kill some of the ordinance off before it is hit by them. Some fleets have a low level of available ordinance but high levels of turrets. Be mindful of this when making your fleet list and make sure you have a way of defending against at least average ordinance.

End: In the end phase, a few different things can/do occur. First off, boarding actions can happen when you are in contact with an enemy ship. Many fleets have great boarding and some have very poor boarding. Make sure you remembering the possibility of being boarded. Another thing that can happen during the end phase is teleport and hit-and-run attacks. These attacks are basically the equivalent of mini boarding where you are either teleporting or deploying troops onto the enemy ship. This will mainly kill the smaller escort class ships or cause damage to larger ships, mainly in damaging their weapon systems. Also, blast markers (which mark explosions and debris on the battlefield) will be removed following the black marker removal rules. Finally, critical damage (damage to weapon systems, etc.) can be repaired in this stage.


Primary Factions: 
(all of these are written in my personal opinion and it is worth getting as many experienced opinions as possible. Names of fleets that are clickable will lead to tactics articles on that fleet.)

Imperial Navy (IN): The main strength in the IN fleet is their heavily armored prow and the amount of torpedoes they being to bear. They also have the capability of wielding the long range Nova Cannons. The IN has tons of options and is one of the most commonly played fleets. The weaknesses of the IN are that they are relatively slow, have average leadership, and boarding.

Chaos: Chaos are extremely well armed, are relatively quick, and have lots of long ranged weapons, especially on their broadsides. They have the capability of bringing lots of launch craft to bear to complement their long ranged weaponry. They have lots of options was well and are able to make a very capable head on fleet or a side-strafing fleet that focuses on broadsides (my personal choice). They are one of the two most played fleets. The weaknesses of the Chaos fleet are their lack of torpedo carrying ships (they have a couple) and only average armor all around.

Space Marines (SM): The Space Marine fleet is one of the most durable fleets in BFG, with mostly 6+ armor all around. They also have Bombardment Cannons (kind of like a mixture of weapon batteries and lances), and their torpedo ships can all fire boarding torpedoes (which is really nice for incapacitating ships and destroying escorts). They are fast, reasonably maneuverable, and have the highest leadership possible. Also, they have Thunderhawk Gunships which are great fighters and can also be used as assault boats. Their weaknesses are a major lack of lances, usually a smaller amount of ships, and Thunderhawks are the only launch craft you get and they are somewhat slow. As a side note, FAQ 2010 and BFG:R provide bonuses for whichever chapter you chose to be, which I think is a really nice touch.

Adeptus Mechanicus (AdMech): The AdMech fleet is essentially a more expensive and limited IN fleet but each cruiser/battleship comes with an extra lance and each ship gets an upgrade from the AdMech ship upgrade list. Depending on the rules list you are using, the upgrades may be random (BFG regular, FAQ 2010) or purchaced (BFG:R). This is the fleet that should focus on long range and Nova Cannons. Every cruiser has an additional 60cm(!) lance on top and they have the highest possibility for Nova Cannons. These facts combined and having a 6+ prow make for a great front facing, long ranged fleet. Not to mention, they have pretty high leadership. Their weaknesses are in their price (even more in BFG:R), their randomness (only in BFG regular and FAQ 2010), and their very low number of ships.

Corsair Eldar (CE): Of the Eldars, CE have the most options. Most players have abandoned the original Eldar rules in favor of the MMS rules, which balance out the Eldar fleets verses other fleets (they used to be terrible against some, awesome against others). CE have great weaponry and launch craft. They are amazingly fast and highly maneuverable. Every weapon they have is better than the normal version. CE fleets should be escort heavy because of how amazing they are. A common fleet will have 1 Void Stalker, 1 Aurora, and all escorts after that. Their weaknesses are that their guns are short ranged, almost always shoot only in the front arc, they are fragile, and are dependent on the sun for their speed (which makes it a little harder to maneuver).

Craftworld Eldar (CWE): CWE are very similar to CE in that they have the same weaponry besides a few things (Phantom Lances as opposed to Pulsar Lances). The MMS CWE are much more widely used (from what I can tell). Most people believe that they are best used as a balanced fleet with some escorts thrown in there (the only type they can have), some Wraithships (used with lances and torpedoes is a popular configuration), a Dragonship or two, and a Void Dragon/Flame of Asuryan. They have pretty good leadership and some nice upgrades you can get (not to mention the not so often used Ghostships). Their weaknesses are about the same as the CE but they also only have 1 type of escort (two really).

Dark Eldar (DE): DE are much like the CE and CWE lists except they do not have solar sails (and are therefore not dependent on the sun's facing), have Impalers (which are great), have leach torpedoes (which some like), have mimic engines (which vary depending on the rules set), and have only a couple ships which each have different gun options (more choices added in the BFG:R list). Their weaknesses are much like the other Eldars; they are fragile with great firepower so they must be cautious how and when they attack.

Orks: Orks are durable on the prow, have random firepower for many of their guns (may be weak or may be very powerful), can have a whole bunch of torpedoes, have ram ships, have fighter-bombers, and can automatically go on all ahead full special orders. Their weaknesses include very low leadership, slower (but automatic) all ahead full, and fragile afts.

Tau (Forgeworld and Specialist Games Tau): Tau fleets have above average prow armor and mostly front facing weapons, which makes them a great head on fleet. Generally, Tau like to close slowly because they have the fastest torpedoes in the game and their torpedoes are amazingly accurate because they can turn every turn. Their bombers are great and their ordinance capabilities are awesome. Mainly, their drone-controlled torpedoes are their selling point. Their weaknesses are they have relatively lower hit points, are awful at defending against boarding actions, and have less than average broadside capabilities. Side note: ordering Tau ships for Forgeworld is usually cheaper than ordering the pewter ones from Games Workshop and, in my opinion, are much better looking with similar rules.

Tyranids: Tyranids are highly evolvable. They have a couple different ship types which can be armed with a bunch of options. They have the capability to have a massive amount of assault boats and fighters on the table. Their weapon batteries and lances are better than the standard versions (though mostly with lower range). Tyranids also have amazingly high boarding values and can overwhelm enemies quickly. Their weaknesses are their spore clouds (instead of shields), low weapon range, "all is lost" (enemies can chose to self-destruct when they are boarded), synaptic control, and mandatory hive ships (pretty much).

Necrons: Necrons; the "overpowered" fleet. Necrons have amazing firepower, with most of their guns being better than the usual type. They are the most durable fleet in the game (arguably), are able to repair better than most, can destroy ordinance well without fighters, are able to disengage at will, and have an amazingly powerful all ahead full special order. Their weaknesses are the lack of ordinance (they have none), no shields (kind of made up for by their auto-brace for impact), and their PUNISHING victory point chart. Necrons are overpowered if you do not use the victory point chart that is build to counter-balance them.


Secondary Factions:
(I consider these secondary factions because they are either very small or are meant to be added onto other fleets)

The Inquisition: The Inquisition list adds 2 ships that can be used with Imperial Navy ships (Blackship and Inquisitorial cruiser). There are some benefits to using this list, mainly the Inquisition upgrades that can be taken with an Inquisitor. There really aren't weaknesses to this list other than it costs points to use the upgrades. Side note: the Inquisitorial cruiser is amazing. It's like a cruiser sized Strike Cruiser.

Rogue Traders: Rogue Trader fleets are similar to IN and Chaos fleets but each ship have different technology upgrades that can be taken. They can take ships from IN and Chaos lists and have a whole bunch of upgrade possibilities.

Demiurg/Kroot: Demiurg have laser technology that are over-charged by the energy of blast markers. They have powerful front armor and lots of firepower. They are fragile as far as hit points goes, and need to be careful to not get overwhelmed.

Space Marines Fleets: 6

I have been hammering away at the Carcharodon fleet. I finally have all the models built and primed. I am just starting to get to work on painting the cruisers. I have the escorts done.

Carcharodon battle barge and one of the touched up Raptors strike cruisers. I cut the side antenna off of the side wings of the Desolator and I think it looks that much better and matches the pre-heresy Strike Cruisers much more. Notice, I had to sand off the Chaos stars on it. 

More of the Carcharodon fleet is there plus some more goodies I have to work on. I am hoping to get another torpedo Dauntless to match the one shown and I am dying to paint the Blackstone Fortress. The battle barge is missing a piece but I will make it work. 

Space Marine Fleets: 5

Some updates on the Space Marine fleets:
-Resin casting is really hard. First mold making attempt went to crap after forgetting to use mold release. You can imagine how that went... Plus, the SM Strike Cruiser is just a difficult model for casting anyways. I eventually got a good mold but the casts will need a lot of touch up to look nice.
-The touch ups on the Raptors strike cruisers got so tedious, I had to take a break for a while; that, combined with my "Research Methods in Counseling" summer class.
-I have the Carcharodon Strike Cruisers casted, touched up, converted a few, and now based and ready to be primed.

I put the "Hunters" in there for a size comparison but they are also a sneak peak at the color scheme; not that you can see it all that well in this splendid picture.... All the green spots on the Strike Cruisers are, you guessed it, liquid green stuff for bubble filling. The way I made the mold for them wasn't the best and the result was some areas of bubbled in the model. Notice the ones on the top right with their launch bays on the sides.

-The Battle Barge for the Carcharodons is on the way so it looks like I will be finishing these guys completely before moving to the Raptors. All I need to do is assemble and base it, prime the BB and the cruisers, and then speed paint them. I need to pick up some varnish to finish these guys off after I paint them. Should happen soon! I am dying to use these guys in battle.
-I have the models for the Red Corsairs but I am going to take a crack at some lists with them and see how it goes.

Internet Battle 1.8: Turn 5

The fleets collide and leave massive damage upon their enemy.

Imperial Navy:

The Mars and Exorcist reload their ordinance.

The Lunars lock on.

The Dauntlesses fail their lock on roll and use a re-roll. They fail the second time as well.

All ships advance.

-The Retribution fires into Carnage 2 causing 4 hits: 2 shields and 1 damage is braced. 1 damage to the hull.

-The locked on Lunars fire on the braced Carnage 2 and cause a massive 6 damage, turning it into a blazing hulk! Acheron 2 has 1 shield knocked down.

-The port broadside guns of the Lunars fire upon Devastation 2. The shooting takes down 2 shields and does 2 damage to the hull.

-The Dauntlesses cause 3 total damage to Acheron 2 taking the second shield down and causing 1 hull damage.

-The Mars and Exorcist shoot at Carnage 1 knocking 2 shields down.

-The Lunars fire their torpedoes separately at the Desolator: 1 wave (from the crippled Lunar) is destroyed by the fighters, the other wave of 6 lose 2 to torpedoes and miss with the rest. 

-The Mars and Exorcist launch 4 assault boats and 6 bombers towards Carnage 1 and Acheron 1.

Chaos:
The Devastations reload.
The Desolator locks on.

-Carnage 2 moves forward 12 centimeters and continues to blaze.
-Carnage 1 runs into the assault boat wave killing 0 of them with turrets. Starboard weapons damaged, nothing, nothing, and engine room damage.
-Carnage 1 and Acheron 1 shoot the mars. Take 2 shields down and 1 hull damage.
-The Desolator shoots Lunar 2 with its batteries. Takes 2 shields down, 2 hull damage, and 1 is braced.
-The Desolator shoots Lunar 2 with lances. Braces 3 of 4 damage.
-The Devastations shoot Lunar 2. 1 hull damage.
-Acheron 2 shoots Lunar 2 and causes 2 hull damage after 1 is braced. Drifting hulk!

-The Desolator fires its torpedoes at the Retribution and causes 2 hull damage and gets the engine room damaged critical (another 1 damage and cannot turn).
-The Devastations launch 2 fighters: 1 on CAP on Devastation 2 and 1 on CAP on the Desolator. 6 bombers attack the Retribution causing only 1 damage.
-All 6 Imperial  bombers engage Carnage 1 causing 2 damage.
-Carnage 1 repairs its starboard weapons.

(Lunar 2 drifted forward 12cm after these pictures were taken. I wanted to get that out of the way so you can plan your tactics differently if need be)

Off in the distance, the Mars and Exorcist battle Carnage 1 and Acheron 1.

At the end of the turn, 2 cruisers are wrecked and the damage is high. The Retribution and the Desolator are within arms reach.

Here is a better view to see the special orders dice. Acheron 2 was barely able to shoot Lunar 2 with starboard weapons. 

It is difficult to see, but there is a fighter squadron on the Desolator and another on Devastation 2 (the left one).

Ready for turn 6 orders!

Space Marine Fleets: 4

Thank you all for voting in the Secessionist Chapter poll! I was a little bit surprised by how things turned out. Honestly, I thought Astral Claws were going to win easily. I am glad to see some support for the Lamentors and Executioners. And the winner is...

The Red Corsairs

Here is what I think I will do. I will use some of the Pre-Herey strike cruisers, maybe 3-4 or so, and I will make them up as Red Corsairs. I could make more strike cruisers to complete this but I think it would make more sense to make the Red Corsairs to complement my current Chaos fleet instead of making the World Eaters I mentioned before. I would be able to run them as a regular Chaos list with strike cruisers or a Space Marine list with Chaos ships. I will me making a pre-heresy fleet for the Carcharodons, a standard looking fleet for Raptors, and 3-4 strike cruisers to add to my current Chaos fleet as Red Corsairs. This is doubly good because I currently have all the models I need to finish the Red Corsairs, most of the models for the Carcharodons, and will need a few more things for the Raptors. 

Internet Battle 1.7: Turn 4

+++Internet Battle 1: Turn 4+++

Imperial Navy
The Lunars lock on.
The Mars and Exorcist lock on.

-The Mars and the Exorcist fire upon Carnage 1, which braces. The firing takes down 2 shields and causes 2 damage to the hull and causing a Bridge Smashed critical!
-Carnage 2 braces, expecting an onslaught of firepower. The Lunars take down both shields and cause 1 hull damage which is braced.
-The Retribution fired upon Carnage 2 causing 2 hits total, 1 is braced.
-The Dauntlesses cause 3 hits on Carnage 2, 2 of which are braced.

-The Mars and Exorcist launch Assault Boats and Bombers towards Carnage 1.
-The Chaos Assault Boats engage the Retribution, 2 are destroyed by turrets, and 1 causes a Dorsal Armament critical (repaired in the end phase).

Chaos
Desolator Lock-on.
Devastations Reload.

-Carnage 2 fired on the Retribution taking 1 shield down.
-The Desolator fired on the Retribution and takes down 3 shields and 2 hull points. It braces and shrugs off 1 of the 2.
-The Devastations fire on the Retribution and causes 3 hull damage, 2 of which are braced.
-Carnage 1 and Acheron 2 test to split fire and pass. Carnage 1 fires on the Imperial Assault Boats and destroys them. Acheron fires on the Mars and takes down 2 shields and does 1 hull damage.

-5 Bombers are launched by the Devastations and engage Lunar 2. 1 is shot down by massed turrets. The roll was quite lucky for Chaos and the Lunar takes 4 damage and a Shield Collapse critical.
-The Imperial Bombers engage Carnage 1. 2 are shot down by massed turrets and 2 damage is caused to the hull, 1 of which is braced.


Damage:
Carnage 1: 3 damage (5; Bridge Smashed)
Carnage 2: 1 damage (6)

Retribution: 2 damage (8)
Mars: 1 damage (7)
Lunar 2: 4 damage (4; crippled; Shield Collapse)


Distances
-Mars to Carnage 1: 29cm
-Retribution to Carnage 2: 11cm
-Lunar 2 to Carnage 2: 13cm
-Dauntless 2 to Carnage 2: 14cm
-Dauntless 2 to Desolator: 18cm
-Lunar 2 to Devastation 2: 25cm (23ish B2B)
-Retribution to Desolator: 20cm
-Lunar 2 to Desolator: 20cm (17ish B2B)

Notes
There is a fighter squadron on CAP on the Desolator, Acheron 2, and Carnage 2.

This poor purple planet must be in utter turmoil as two close by separate battles surround it.

Carnage 2, the Retribution, and Lunar 2 have taken damage. Note: the blast markers from the Carnage were removed at the end of the Chaos turn so these pictures show a one sided story.  Also, note the fighters on CAP on the Chaos ships. 

The Chaos are dangerously close to the Imperial vessels. This provided increased effectiveness for Carnage 2 and Acheron 2. 

This is a view from the galactic north. Surely this picture was blurred by Chaos interference.

We await your orders for turn 4!

Internet Battle 1.6: Turn 3

+++Internet Battle 1: Turn 3+++


Imperial:
The fleet advances as the Lunars lock on. The Mars destroys the Chaos Assault Boats with lance shooting. The Imperial Assault Boats advance near the edge of the asteroids.

Chaos:
Acheron 1 squad goes on All Ahead Full and rolls high, blasting forward.
All ships in the east go on orders: Desolator and Acheron 2 squadron go on Lock On and the Devastations reload ordinance. The all advance. The Acheron 2 squadron shoot the Retribution. The Retribution braces, expecting the rest of the Chaos to shoot him. Total, the Retribution takes 2 damage, after shields, from the shooting. The rolls were on the side of Chaos for this action.

The Desolator shoots the Dauntless squadron. They decide to brace and take 2 damage after a shield from the Desolator. The Devastations shoot at the Imperial Assault Boats and fail to destroy them.

The Devastations launch a wave of 3 fighters and 4 Assault Boats, and one separate fighter. The larger wave engages to Imperial Assault Boats and the fighters return to their mothership after destroying them all, leaving the Chaos Assault Boats nearby. The single Chaos Fighter holds position between the fleets.

Damage:
Retribution: 2 damage (10)
Dauntless 2: 2 damage (4)

The Mars pulls past the Exorcist and destroys the Chaos Assault Boat squadron. Acheron 1 squadron is coming in fast.

The Imperial bulk advances, ready for striking. The Chaos pull around the asteroids and unleash their firepower. The attack craft in between the two fleets are 1 Chaos Fighter and 3 Chaos assault boats. The Retribution and the Dauntless squadron are braced for impact. 

Acheron 1 squadron are advancing on the port side of the Mars and Exorcist.

Here is a few from behind the Imperial mass. 

The Imperials are closing quickly. 

Ready for turn 4 orders!