Lesson 7: Tactics

Excerpts from "A Treatise on Starship Tactics" by Lord Admiral Viktor Mallagant; Forward taken from "The Art of Naval Combat: Thoughts on Imperial Contemporary Tactics" by Line Captain Caldar Quinn

Like the humble infantry is the mainstay and the backbone of the Imperial Army, the grandiose capital ship is the mainstay and the backbone of the Imperial Navy. Thusly these are the main instruments we use to crush the enemy. In this text, the role of the starfighter is a secondary one. Only the capital ship holds the raw power needed to obliterate the opposing fleet.

Maximum Warship

An effective warship captain must not only know the capabilities of his ship, but also know how to draw upon every resource available to maximize those capabilities.  In combat, every joule of power matters, every shot counts, and every decision is crucial to your survival.  Learn to combine use these techniques and combine them based on the situation at hand; it may mean the difference between death and survival.

Power Control

A warship's primary reactor generates enough power available to run all of its systems simultaneously, and has enough carrying capacity to channel up to an additional +2D to any system, rerouted from any other system.  This power is in raw form, and has no benefit to computer systems, like navigational computer and targeting systems, although it might be able to boost communications range or active sensor scans.  In addition, power is commonly routed from an inactive system to an active one and from non-firing weapons to firing weapons.

For example, the Nebulon-B Escort Frigate Caligula is in an exchange with another escort frigate. Captain Pelar orders extra power routed to the main weapons and shields. Power Control takes this power from the ship's two tractor beams with 4D of power each - 8D of additional power to be divided among 12 main turbolasers. Power Control allocates 1D to each forward turbolaser and 1D+2 to the forward shields, leaving +1 left over and of no benefit to any system.

It is also possible to transfer unused power from the ship's engines to other systems.  In this case, the ship can transfer 1D per unit of its space code (1D per 100 km/h on vehicles) so long as the vehicle is not moving at high speed or greater.  Transferring power is a demanding task, and carries some built-in difficulties. Roll the appropriate Repair skill and use the following as benchmark difficulty numbers.

Maximizing Weapon Effect

Weapons can be fired in three different ways: single fire, coordinated, or fire-linked.  The usage of these different fire-control methods are determined by the circumstances of the weapon and the target.

Single Fire

The most simplistic method is to fire single shots from each weapon at the target.  This is the preferred method if the skill of the gunners and the fire-control of the weapon is high enough to assure a reasonable percentage of hits and if the weapon has sufficient potential to cause damage, however slight, to the target.  This results in a higher number of damage causing hits than the other firing methods and essentially wears the target down with light or moderate hits until it is eventually overwhelmed.

Single fire is default and unless otherwise specified it will be the way that an attack is rolled.  Simply add crew skill to fire-control and roll against the targets dodge (crew skill plus ships maneuverability).  Each weapon is rolled separately.

Coordinated Fire

One of the primary methods of increasing damage potential is to coordinate your weapons so that they fire in unison.  Firing the grouped weapons simultaneously so that the shots spread across the target's estimated path of travel is termed coordinated to hit.  This increases the potential for a hit because it is more difficult for the target to avoid all the shots.  This type of coordination does not increase damage because it is less likely that the target will be struck by more than one weapon.  The ideal situation to use this firing mode is when the enemy is too maneuverable for your weapons to accurately target, yet fragile enough for a single hit to yield damage.

Coordinated for damage is exactly opposite; all grouped weapons are fired so that they impact the same point at the exact same time - a daunting task indeed.  This can often be sufficient to break through the shields and cause damage to a target that would have been impervious to damage from the single weapon.  However, attacks coordinated for damage are much easier to evade because all the weapons converge at a single point.  Coordinate your weapons for damage when the target is easy to hit but to heavy to damage with a single shot.

Particularly talented captains can take advantage of both coordination methods by using several firing groups.  This flexible coordination allows each group to fire as if they were coordinated for damage, but each group is fired along a different trajectory.  This method does not yield the larger advantages to targeting or damage as does the other methods; its advantage is that you can gain a smaller benefit to both targeting and damage.

In all methods of coordination, the amount of weapons coordinated cannot exceed the number before the D of the captain's command skill (or appropriate specialization).  The coordinated weapons must be of identical type and be in the same fire arc.  This group will be rolled as one attack and all other weapons that could not be coordinated will be rolled in single fire mode.  The captain must roll his command skill against the following chart to determine if the weapons could be coordinated.  The bonus is equal to one pip (+1) for each weapon being coordinated above the first weapon (3 pips = 1D).  This bonus is then applied to the appropriate roll or split among either roll.

Fire-Linked

Fire-linked weapons are special situations and are not available to everyone; in fact, they are quite limited systems.  Fire-linking capital ship weapons requires outfitting it with special computer slaving systems and is extremely expensive, for this reason almost all of the capital ships do not have fire-linked weapons.  However starfighters, with their limited number of weapons that are usually mounted in fixed positions are relatively cheap to fire-link.  The damage value of fire-linked weapons is increased by +1D for every additional weapon linked together and fire-control is not affected.  Fire-linked weapons fire simultaneously and are only rolled once.  Ships that have fire-linked weapons will be noted as such.

Called Shots

Often a captain may wish to target a specific location on a warship to either avoid completely destroying it so that it may be captured or to knock out a system that may make the ship more vulnerable to its next attack.  This type of pinpoint gunnery is referred to as a called shot.  Calling shots is considerably harder than simply hammering away at the enemy ship, because more precise gunnery must take place.  Also note that a higher scale weapon cannot target a location on a lower scale target - for example, a capital scale ship can target a capital ship's engines, but not a starfighter's engines. However, it is possible for smaller vessels to call such a shot on a larger target but scale rules still apply.

Targeting a primary section of a ship (the conning tower of a Star Destroyer, the engines, the landing bay, the main body) adds +2D to the difficulty to hit. Targeting a subsection of a ship (a gun battery, a particular engine, the shield generators, the command section) adds +4D to the difficulty to hit. Targeting a specific location of a ship (a specific gun, the bridge, a maneuvering thruster, an engine's thermal exhaust port) adds +8D to the difficulty to hit.  If a shot misses the difficulty to hit the called section but exceeded the difficulty to hit the whole ship by five points, the ship is hit as if it were a normal attack.

Damage should be worked out normally. Occasionally, certain ship sections or locations may have a different strength than the hull, it is up to the gamemaster to decide the final results, though the following can also be used as general damage indicators.

A lightly damaged location loses -1D or -1 to its Move; a heavily damaged location loses -2D or -2 from its Move; a severely damaged location is disabled and unable to perform its function; a destroyed result indicates that the location has catastrophic damage (this may mean the engines have overloaded, or that a gun explodes, setting off a chain reaction of gun explosions). Targeting locations does not guarantee that a ship will be simply disabled, but it does increase the chances of capturing a ship with minimal damage. 

Multi-Arc Engagement

Most starships do not have overlapping fire arcs, allowing weapons from only one arc to engage a particular target.  However, a complex maneuver can allow a warship to move through multiple fire arcs while simultaneously firing weapons as they are brought to bear on the target.  This requires great skill by both the pilots and the gunnery officers to execute their actions at exactly the precise moments.  The captain must make a Command roll against the following chart to properly coordinate the actions.  The pilots must make the piloting roll against the specified maneuver (refer to Lesson 4: Helm & Navigation) required to turn the ship through the arcs.  The gunners must be able to time their shots so that they open fire the instant the target is within their arc, this reduces their fire-control by -1D for each arc after the second arc.

Fire Rate

All weapons have a maximum rate of fire, which indicates the number of shots per round that can be discharged from the weapon.  Unless otherwise stated in a weapons specifications, the fire rate is limited to four.  Fire rates of less than one are capable of firing only one shot every few rounds (i.e. a fire rate of 1/3 means one shot every three rounds).  If a particular weapon system has a targeting system that grossly overmatches the target's capability to evade, it may be wise to fire more than one shot so that more damage can be inflicted.  Each additional shot from the same weapon results in a -1D multi-action penalty for the gunner.

Preparation

Patience is a virtue, though there is not often time for it.  Whenever the combat situation allows for it, a warship captain should give his crew time to focus on their next task so that they may execute it with greater precision.  This is called preparation and it can provide an extra bonus (+1D to the action) if time allows for it.  The most common form of preparation on a starship is in preparing to fire the ship's weapons, by giving the gunners a few extra seconds to double-check their targeting system you will find they can be more accurate.  Other example of preparation include preparing to allocate shields or preparing to perform a difficult maneuver.  Captain's may prepare to command their coordinated strike and the Power Chief can set up a smooth transfer of energy from one system to another.  Preparing an action requires the utmost concentration and no other actions may be performed whilst preparing; however this applies on an individual basis.  For example, the gunners may prepare to fire while the pilots continue to maneuver the ship.

Priorities

Teamwork, Orders & Duty

No warship captain is capable of surviving completely alone for any substantial duration.  Almost all ships are part of a four-ship team called a line that is commanded by a Line Captain.  Lines can serve various functions such as defense, offense, support, etc.  When lines operate alone they must provide for their common defense and it is up to the Line Captain to issue orders to do so.  Similarly, lines serve as part of a larger force called a squadron which is commanded by an Admiral.  The chain of command that is established and the rigid adherence to military code is what makes the Imperial Navy such a well disciplined and effective fighting machine.  While superior officers tend to give their subordinates a certain degree of freedom, any orders they give are to be followed without question or hesitation.  For this reason, following orders becomes the primary factor in determining priorities.

Compare Capabilities

When determining target priority, the second factor is an educated estimate of the capabilities of your ship and your enemy's forces.  Do not waste precious resources on a target that you could not possibly damage when there is another target available that you could damage; match your weapons against a suitable target.  For example, 4D turbolasers will never reasonably penetrate a 10D hull/shields defense, choose a different target if one is available.  Furthermore, angle your shields to face the strongest opponents and only divide them up if more than one arc is being engaged.

Target Priorities

Cruisers

Cruisers are the most powerful warships in any navy and should be top priority for elimination in any engagement unless there are other specific objectives.  These warships carry the heaviest weapons, strongest shields, thickest hull and often a large complement of starfighters.  Imperial, Victory, Republic and Defender-class Star Destroyers are all classified as cruisers as well as all of the Mon Calamari designed Star Cruisers.  They have two primary functions: to frighten enemies into retreat or surrender and to batter other cruisers to pieces.  All other ships are assigned to protect friendly cruisers or harass the enemy's cruisers.  They typically rely on lighter ships or starfighters for protection against enemy starfighters and in some cases lighter cruisers must serve as escorts for the heavier cruisers.

Frigates

Frigates are smaller than cruisers and serve to protect the larger ships, they are usually outfitted to engage starfighters and are not much use against cruisers.  Frigates often carry large quantities of starfighters for a ship their size and starfighters use them for mobile protection if they must temporarily withdraw.

Corvettes

Corvettes are among the smallest capital ships.  They are fast and maneuverable but lack the armor and shielding required for direct exposure to enemy firepower.  They are generally used for anti-starfighter picket lines or for armed reconnaissance.  A heavily armed sub-class of corvettes are known as gunships and these warships can be useful against heavier targets due to their superior firepower.

Center of Gravity
Excerpt from "The Art of Naval Combat: Thoughts on Imperial Contemporary Tactics" by Line Captain Caldar Quinn

A capital ship which does not need to use its weapons on coordinated fire such as Anti-Starfighter Screens and does not need to use its weapons for self-defence will be much more effective. With DSP in place, the commander will attempt to bring all his capital ship firepower to bear on the enemy line's strongest or most vital point. This point is known as the enemy's "centre of gravity". It could be any number of things; it could be the enemy vessel with the strongest guns, it could be the ship carrying an invasion force. But normally it is the enemy's flagship. This vessel is usually the most powerful in a fleet, and contains the enemy's command staff. If your own forces do not have the firepower necessary to destroy this "centre of gravity" then perhaps you should be reassessing whether or not you should be committing your forces.

Once the enemy's strongest point is smashed, the rest of the enemy forces will become demoralised, and the force itself would have lost its most valuable asset. The sooner it is destroyed, the more profound the consequences. Once again Endor provides us with the perfect example. During the engagement Ackbar gave the command to concentrate all firepower on the Executor. This vessel was easily the most powerful warship in the Imperial Fleet and contained Piett and his command staff. As Ackbar had already achieved space superiority in relation to his starfighters, he had the luxury of using them in an offensive role also. When Executor collided with the Death Star II battle-station a symbol of Imperial might was smashed along with the officers commanding the Imperial fleet. The Imperials were routed, despite having enough firepower to finish off the rebels at this point.

Due to the fact some space battles may be spread across large areas of space it may not be possible to concentrate all of your guns against a single target. If this is the case, smaller, more localised vital points should be recognised and eliminated by the forces in proximity to them but not in range of the main vital point. Although, the fleet's objective, and overall focus, should be the primary VP.  This tactic will work with any size engagement, as the principles remain the same.

Weakest Link

Another method of forcing your enemy into withdraw is to focus on their weakest point.  Identify ships that are particularly vulnerable and attack those points with your heaviest vessels, this creates gaps in their picket and screening forces.  Concentrate on those gaps and wedge your forces into it, causing their lines to break apart.  Often the enemy will suffer so many casualties from its lighter vessels that the heavy cruisers will be incapable of defending itself against starfighter attack.

Formations

Formations are the positions ships take relative to each other as they travel through space and they play an important role in starship combat.  Formations allow the ships to mutually defend each other and to coordinate their attacks and placing your ships in the appropriate formation for the situation can give you an advantage that could turn the tide of battle in your favor.  Formations are usually based on lines and chosen by the Line Captain, but often multiple lines can form up with each other to make larger, more complex and more advantageous formations.  Maintaining formation is almost as important as the type of formation itself; more than one warship has been destroyed because it left its formation and found itself alone and in range of more enemies than it could deal with.

The affect of a formation is determined by the ranking officer's (typically the line captain's) Tactics: Capital Ships roll.  Simply designate the formation you wish to make and the effect that it would cause and roll against your opponents skill.  If successful, a particular bonus may be applied to the ships within the formation.  Examine the diagrams below to see the notes contained within (TIP: You must be using Internet Explorer 4.0 or better to view the hotspot tooltips.) 

Capital Ship Tactics

A tactic is anything done in combat that gives you an advantage over your opponent.  All of the aforementioned methods, including maneuvers, sensors, etc. are essentially tactics, but it is the objective of this lesson to combine those methods into strategies that help the Imperial Navy remain victorious in combat.  The situation determines the tactics and the tactics determine the situation, a continual loop of cause and effect that make warship combat quite fluid.  Strategy will change as the battle progresses and it is the commanding officer's job to make decisions in the heat of battle where seconds matter and many thousands of lives could be at risk and base those decisions on inaccurate or incomplete information.  The tactics in this session are basic capital ship strategies that can prove beneficial under the right circumstances.

The Exchange

The simplest of all capital ship tactics and it is questionable if it is a tactic at all since it provides no advantages.  The exchange is simply when two lines of warships pass each other on parallel but opposite courses and exchange gunfire with each other.  The ships with the strongest shields and best weapons typically win these type of engagements.  Another form of exchange is called stand-off.  A stand-off is when the two battle lines remain at long range to each other and exchange gunfire without altering their positions.  This can sometime be advantageous to the ships that have better long range weaponry, but often the weaker ships will not stay in that position very long.

Capping the "T"

One of the most basic tactics, but still very effective is to position your warships in a line astern and travel across the enemy's course at close range perpendicular to his own line.  The two lines form a "T" shape, with your line being the top, or cap of the "T", hence your line is capping the "T".  The advantage of this is that the enemy ships have to divide their shields to protect their front and both lateral arcs, while your ships deploy their shields to only one or two arcs.  The first few enemy ships are then very vulnerable to attack from multiple arcs and the rear ships can at best only return fire at long range.  The disadvantage is that the rear ships can also only be attacked at long range if they can be fired on at all.  Capping the "T" works even better if done in reverse, where your line crosses behind the enemy line.

Flanking

Another basic tactic is to position a group of vessels a short distance away from your main body so that they may approach the enemy from a different vector.  These ships are often referred to as wing divisions even though they may be a specific line of warships within the squadron.  Both the main body and the wing divisions get to approach the opponent with their shields in only one arc, while the opponent must split his shields to face both directions or risk taking fire directly to their hull.  The disadvantage is that the enemy will often flank as well effectively nulling each other out.

The Brawl

Simply put, a brawl is chaos in space.  When opposing forces meet without coordination and discipline they often break up into several small engagements.  Ships may collide with each other in the confusion or even fire on allies by accident.  Imperial Navy doctrine states that under no circumstances should you purposely break formation for a brawl and that once a brawl begins you should attempt to return to formation as soon as it is practical.  The New Republic will use a brawl more often because its the chaos that it generates might work in their favor should they be severely outmatched, which is often the case.

The Fake

A fake is the reason why Imperial ships should always maintain formation.  However, if you can make your opponent think that you are going to brawl, they may break their formation to avoid.  If they break formation, you can turn hard over and engage with a running broadside while the enemy is confused.  However, should the enemy realize this and maintain their formation, they can maneuver behind the line as it passes and obliterate the last ship.

The Breakthrough

A breakthrough is when one group of warships, typically in a wedge formation, attempt to penetrate and separate an opposing formation.  Once the enemy formation is broken, it becomes more difficult for them to coordinate their actions and they can be defeated piece-meal.  It is also possible for the wedge formation to reverse its course and attack the enemy from behind once it has penetrated their line.  The disadvantage is that if the enemy maintains their discipline, they can reverse their course and come in behind the wedge.

The Ackbar Slash

The Ackbar Slash was a supposedly daring (some would say foolhardy) maneuver performed by the New Republic's senior naval officer, Admiral Ackbar of Mon Calamari.  This is essentially a breakthrough, but done in a line astern formation.  The attacking line actually positions itself in a disadvantageous position almost identical to the negative formation in a T-capping maneuver.  The only benefit is that the ships near the rear of the formation are better protected, just as in a T-capping.  The leading ships are at an extreme disadvantage, they must often split their shields among multiple arcs and can often be disabled before they breakthrough, causing panic and confusion among the attacking line as they scramble to break formation to avoid collision.  There is only one battle on record where this maneuver was done successfully, and that was when New Republic cruisers broke through a line of picket ships.

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