Friday 24 August 2012

Star Trek: The Battle of Oinos IV (illustrated)

Captain's Log: On patrol near the Klingon border we have noted energy fluctuations, and been deployed to investigate in company with USS Drake. First Officer Spock suspects the Klingons intend to launch an attack. If that's the case, we will be ready for them.

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"Federation ships dead ahead, Captain - a heavy cruiser and a frigate."

"Bring us in closer, and let them taste our Disruptors!"

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"Klingon wessels to port, Keptin Kirk! USS Drake's keptin is requesting instructions."

"Full speed ahead, and bring us to port, Mister Chekov. Let's see what these Klingons are up to. Order Drake to stay to our starboard. She's too small to take the punishment we can."
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"The Federation vessels are staying close together. Let us swing round and attack the cruiser from either flank, then defeat the frigate at our leisure. Do it!"

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"Sir, the Klingons are moving to flank us."

"Good news, Spock. Let's keep them divided. Slow to half impulse and launch a shuttle and, Uhura, have Drake follow our lead."

Pew-pew! Shake! Shudder! Wobbly camera movement!

"Damage report, Mr Chekov!"

"Shields at 83%, Keptin! The Klingon bettlecruiser and frigate are concentrating their fire on us."

"Just as I planned. Drake is still undamaged. Uhura, order her captain to swing round that asteroid belt, and threaten the Klingon's lower left flank. I have a feeling that might just work."

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"Captain Phlegm, the enemy frigate is moving to our lower port flank. They could-"

"Aha! Now is our chance to divide them! Hard to starboard and full speed ahead, Helmsman!"

"But, Captain, that-"

"NOW!"

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"Chekov, as they swing past that moon, hit them with everything we have!"

Screech! Zap! Kaboom! Screech!

"Keptin, their shields are down, and their hull is heavily demeged, but they are returning fire - as is the enemy frigate! They heff also launched a shuttle which is hetted in our direction!"

"Uhura, signal the Klingons to surrender and stand down their weapons."

"Captain, the Klingon commander is dead. I have an Engineering officer on the Comm prepared to surrender. The Frigate has turned for Klingon space and is retreating at speed."

"Uhura, accept his surrender. Doctor McCoy, prepare to receive Klingon casualties. Stand down from Red Alert, Mr Chekov."

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The first turn involved both sides advancing on one another, and the whole game involved me forgetting that the Klingons are a lot more fragile than the Federation and simultaneously forgetting the benefits Klingons get for being shot in the forward shield arc. So I'm improving my knowledge of the game as I am more aware of what I've forgotten. It's too late to help this time, but still in time to help next time! I remembered to use shuttles this time, but didn't get any closer to using terrain, simply skirting around it. I did remember that crippled ship can only lose one weapon system, which would have saved Enterprise in the last playtest. I am just about happy next time with adding another player, so look forward to either my brother, Niall, or my friend, Nathan, taking on a commodore's role next time. In fact, with another player I might actually remember all of one side's special rules, and not to fly right in front of a Federation Heavy Cruiser and get shot to pieces by point-blank photon torpedoes! I decided to finish the game at the end of turn 3 as there was only one Klingon warship that could do any substantial damage, and it was hopelessly outclassed by the two Fed ships, one of which was quite untouched. I might increase the number of ships next time to three aside, and see if that works out well.

The system name is pretty much meaningless: I'm just picking random Greek words and assigning Roman Numerals. I'm a veritable John Logie Baird. For those paying attention, the last battle's name, Xiphos, means sword, and this name, Oinos, means wine. I think I am correct in remembering that oinos is one of those words that was preceded by a digamma (pronounced w) before the digamma died out in less ancient Ancient Greek! So it would have been pronounced woinos - find yourself back in ancient Greece, you know how to ask for a drink. That's woinos if you're with Homer, and oinos if you're with Plato. ;-) Don't ask me for help if you can't pay, though! Get your obols ready beforehand! Enjoy the pics before you get sucked into the time vortex, folks!










3 comments:

  1. That table is beautiful, is it home made or shop bought? I like the annotations too, maybe make them a little bigger though and perhaps score one of those Start Trek fonts, like Ding Trek to add some superfluous computer data around the ships, it'll look awesome. I'm sure there's plenty of Star Trek computer interface graphics available that'd be cool too.

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  2. Actually, just seen your post here: http://veganhaggis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/star-trek-sky-full-of-stars.html

    Not sure why I don't remember it as the table is fantastic and looks so much better with planets and ships on, well done.

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    1. Cheers, man! I'll grab one of those Trek fonts and some squiggly bits - as you say, that'd look grand. I'm vaguely tempted to see about locating some "phaser" graphics for the next batrep! I agree about it needing to be larger. I didn't plan it far enough ahead. The table was really easy to make, but it really does need some ships and scenery to bring it to its best.

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