Author Topic: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships  (Read 1650 times)

Wildfire

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Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« on: 13 November 2024, 15:26:05 »
Down in the fan boards I've been reworking some old designs, what I need help with is some suggestions for the dropships and fighters to put aboard them.

I'm working on a Division of reactivated old ships

1x Monsoon BB
1x Avatar CA
4x Dart CL

I'm looking at 36 collars, what would you fill them with in 2750?

I'm thinking of per vessel:
2x Titan
3x Pentagon

Any suggestions for the last collar?

As for the carried ASF I'm looking for help as I'm not that familiar with the relative strenghts of the 2750 era fighters. though as it is SLDF I'm thinking homogeneous squadrons.



Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #1 on: 13 November 2024, 16:04:33 »
Since these are reactivated old ships, I'd be tempted to throw fewer Pentagons and Titans on them, and more Intruders, Achilles and Leopard CVs.

You also may want to mix in a few troop transports, since the SLDF was heavy on using the Navy as transports, and the Darts work well for that.  The Overlord wasn't really a thing at this point, and the Colossus was probably seen as a high-value transport, but the Dictator was around, the Union was nearly 50 years old at this point, and the Triumph and Lion are both active in this era and have been around for a while.
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2ndAcr

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #2 on: 13 November 2024, 21:11:27 »
 Reactivated SLDF? Year?

 Okay, the Monsoon can have LF Battery.

 I would make it five Avatar Cruiser, many in the reserve fleet, instead of the Dart's, stripped and sold off to the Periphery states. Same collar count. The Avatar also carry 24 Aerospace fighters each. So that is 120 right there. 18 more on the Monsoon. Not sure if they even need more Aerospace fighters.

 Would need to know the mission for this Division to sort out the Dropships to be carried and Aerospace fighters types.

Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #3 on: 13 November 2024, 22:38:49 »
Only one extra collar?  Totally a Mammoth... you need all the extra cargo you can get (assuming a Behemoth won't fit on a single collar).

Wildfire

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #4 on: 14 November 2024, 00:08:06 »
Thank for the suggestions might switch it up to a pair of Avatars, the year is 2750 and the mission profile is escort or lower end naval threats think reunification war level threats. Not the front line for now as the Amaris coup is still in the future.

Hellraiser

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #5 on: 14 November 2024, 00:41:44 »
I wouldn't bother with tripling up on any DS for each ship really.

Titan, Vengeance, or, Leo-CV
Pentagon, Achilles, or, Intruder
Triumph, Condor, or, DroST
Union, Dictator, Leopard, Lion, or, Confederate
Buccaneer, Danais, Mule, Manatee, or, Jumbo

Give each ship a slightly different selection of ships but have 1 from each of the 5 rows with an overlapping 6th.
Use the 6th overlap to have a pair of smaller ships.  (Like Leo+Confed,  or 2x Leo-CV, etc etc)
Pair up the mech carriers that have ASF w/ the ships w/ Leo-CV to add more ASF.
Put the larger Cargo ships w/ the smaller Non Cargo ships.
Use the 6th Warship to double up on Cargo Ships a 2nd time since the overall mission is convoy escort & the holds will be full of supplies.
Spread the tonnage around so each DS Flotilla is similar in terms of "Tonnage & Abilities" but in turn looks different from each other.


Examples:

Flotilla #1  -  (Double ASF)
Leo-CV, Leo-CV, Achilles, Triumph, Union, Jumbo

Flotilla #2  -  (Double Assault)
Titan, Intruder, Achilles, Condor, Dictator, Danais

Flotilla #6  -  (Double Cargo)
Vengeance,  Pentagon,  DroST,  Lion,  Buccaneer,  Manatee
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Wildfire

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #6 on: 14 November 2024, 12:13:57 »
Thanks for dropship suggestions, Any suggestions of ASF to put in the carriers?

Hellraiser

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #7 on: 14 November 2024, 13:44:13 »
Thanks for dropship suggestions, Any suggestions of ASF to put in the carriers?

Honestly, anything from the SL Era is probably open.
Just put them in groups of 6 identical ships & your pretty much covered.
If anything, make sure the smaller Leo-CVs are sporting Heavy/Medium class ships heavy on Energy for logistics & lack of full wings.
Mech Carriers should get Light Fighters since IMHO, L-ASF shine in Atmosphere where maneuverability is key to positioning v/s Black Space where you can "turret/pivot"


http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Filter?Name=&HasBV=false&MinTons=&MaxTons=&MinBV=&MaxBV=&MinIntro=&MaxIntro=&MinCost=&MaxCost=&HasBFAbility=&MinPV=&MaxPV=&BookAuto=&FactionAuto=&SubTypes=25&AvailableEras=10
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"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #8 on: 14 November 2024, 14:21:04 »
Whatever fighters you go with, don't forget to pack the Alamos! :)

Wildfire

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #9 on: 14 November 2024, 15:07:07 »
Whatever fighters you go with, don't forget to pack the Alamos! :)

Oh yes sunshine in a can :)

2ndAcr

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #10 on: 14 November 2024, 16:12:13 »
 Okay, Escort mission/limited combat.......pirates have warships in that era.

 Not sure I would load up full collar load. I could see the SLDF using the Monsson, two to three Avatar but the other ships being destroyers/corvettes, not cruisers.

 I would have:

 Flotilla One

 Monsoon, Avatar - Achilles, Achilles, Pentagon, Pentagon, Intruder, Intruder

 Flotilla Two

 Avatar, Whirlwind - Intruder, Intruder, Achilles, Achilles

 Flotilla Three

 Lola III, Lola III

 Or you can drop the Whirlwind/Lola III for the Carson, Baron, Naga family of Destroyers......Lola III is a low fuel bunker so for convoy escort I would expect larger fuel bunkers. Whirlwind has it and the three above have it. Fuel is not a major concern unless you plan to be maneuvering in system a bunch.

 As for fighters, for escort, I would expect medium to light.......Interceptors (lots) but with some good mediums......Samurai with large fuel onboard, Hammerhead HE model with 7 ton fuel, Hellcat 213R has a 10 ton fuel. Good for extended CAP around a convoy while sitting at a jump point. Though the Hammerhead is a heavy, it's fast with a punch.

Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #11 on: 14 November 2024, 16:29:00 »
All good advice except for the Baron... Tex Talks Battletech as an amusing video on why to avoid it like the plague! :D

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #12 on: 14 November 2024, 17:02:21 »
Whirlwind -
 Lola III, Lola III

Carson, Baron, Naga

Hammerhead HE model with 7 ton fuel,

1.  He's pulling ships out of mothballs I think so not sure how you get current era ships from Mothballs.

2.  These destroyers might be available in those mothballs, but I think most of them were given to the house lords.

3.  How in the heck is a Comstar variant available on the MUL a century before the introduction of Comstar?

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2ndAcr

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #13 on: 14 November 2024, 20:52:50 »
 1. The way the SLDF was, after a few thousand LY of travel they probably sent them to the reserve so new builds could take over.

 2. Most were, but there still could be a few around, esp the Naga, it is canon that there were those around. It's the nice thing about BT, anything can be around at any time it is needed

 3. It was a variant popular with the Comguard. But the MUL shows it avail in 2672 so that is how. Just because the Comguard loved it doesn't mean it was not avail during the Star League era. I think it's better than the Royal one myself. Much better with the extra fuel to chase down enemy fighters already bingo on fuel when they cannot spare the gas to fight back.

Giovanni Blasini

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #14 on: 15 November 2024, 02:19:33 »
All good advice except for the Baron... Tex Talks Battletech as an amusing video on why to avoid it like the plague! :D

Except, of course, he's wrong.  The Baron isn't as good as it could've been, but it's got good endurance, and a brutal anti-fighter armament.
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Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #15 on: 15 November 2024, 05:26:54 »
It would be brutal if it wasn't laid out so weird.  Fighters should have no problem staying out of the broadsides.

Weirdo

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #16 on: 15 November 2024, 09:57:07 »
At short range, yes, and only if the Baron didn't keep any thrust in reserve to ECHO.
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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #17 on: 15 November 2024, 10:39:20 »
Since it's only 3/5, that could be a challenge... ;)

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #18 on: 15 November 2024, 11:05:10 »
Honestly? Not as much as you'd think. Fights like that often devolve to fighters and DropShips swirling around the WarShip(s), and the big ships themselves having little they can do except for turns to bring guns into arc. That said, ECHO isn't perfect and has limits, but knowing those limits and knowing where enemies must go to take advantage of them is also a good way to make those enemies predictable for your own smaller units
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Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #19 on: 15 November 2024, 11:19:13 »
Good to know, thanks! :)

Wildfire

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #20 on: 15 November 2024, 14:42:28 »
Thanks that was also good to know, for the ships definately has to have been retired and removed from service so nothing that would be active duty at that time.

Hellraiser

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #21 on: 15 November 2024, 15:01:54 »
3. It was a variant popular with the Comguard. But the MUL shows it avail in 2672 so that is how. Just because the Comguard loved it doesn't mean it was not avail during the Star League era. I think it's better than the Royal one myself. Much better with the extra fuel to chase down enemy fighters already bingo on fuel when they cannot spare the gas to fight back.
I know that is the date on the MUL.
I'm wondering where they got that from.
The variant was never fluffed as being SLDF.
Much like the Clan Busters & the Rogue/Zero variants, they only appeared in the CG w/ TRO3050U.
I never got any implication that it was an old model from the SLDF.
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"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Hellraiser

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #22 on: 15 November 2024, 15:08:14 »
It would be brutal if it wasn't laid out so weird.  Fighters should have no problem staying out of the broadsides.

Mmmm,  Broadside may be the "worst" for them at 10-NL, but, there is nowhere that they won't face at least SOME of those NLs.
I don't know about you but as an ASF, I don't even want to deal w/ the Nose-6 battery.
Even the Rear at 3 is 105 points of Standard Scale damage
Sure, my Stuka can take that, but my Trident is going to get vaporized.

It's not the best AA but the fact that it does cover 100% of the incoming hexes w/o a single "blind" spot/arc counts for something.
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Daryk

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #23 on: 15 November 2024, 15:38:21 »
NL/35s have the worst range bracket among the lasers too.  I think Tex's underlying point was it could have been SO much better than it is.

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #24 on: 15 November 2024, 20:44:47 »
With as many fighters, I think you would want a few dropships outfitted as fuel ships.  Also, are you taking Mechs?  Unions and Overlords are handy.  I would also recommend a Fortress or two to support the ground forces and a few Achilles to support the fighters and warships as CAP.

EPG

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #25 on: 15 November 2024, 22:39:52 »
I’m thinking 2 titans and 2 pentagons for patrol and close defense, and the other 2 collars a general purpose cargo hauler, and a mixed use troop/offensive ground forces dropship.  If this is a team patrolling ‘peacetime but pirate prone’ I’m thinking they will have a LOT of ground deployments to eliminate threats identified from space, chase down intelligence, verify sensor reports, etc.  and cargo dropper(s) just because you technically could carry ALL the food and water the entire mission needs with you  doesn’t mean it’s a good plan.  A few large capacity dropships to transfer supplies between ships or to and from planet side are mandatory for a long duration patrol force like this.

DOC_Agren

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Re: Help with a SLDF naval units ASF and Dropships
« Reply #26 on: 17 November 2024, 22:16:39 »
I would recommend a mix of the following fighters, because you can find neat models of each.
Sabre Light Fighters
Eagle Medium Fighters
Thunderbird Heavy Fighters

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