Dogfight Overview: Tau Vs Eldar

[Zelnik]

90 Points.

2 Phoenix bombers with starcannons
1 Nightwing interceptor

vs

5 barracudas. (me)


First things first, you notice how horribly the Eldar are outnumbered. This is always the price they pay for having such sleek and sexy ships.

Deployment: the table has several mountains set up, one even being altitude 7.  This is a dognfight, so they won't really affect anything unless someone did something stupid with a power dive. 

I deployed on my side of the table with my standard 5 ship formation.  two groups of two flanking a central "wildcard" barracuda. It looks like this:  OO    O    OO
Starting speed: 3, starting altitude, 7.
He starts off at max speed slight up off slightly to my left.  same altitude.

Turn 1. The far left aircraft take card 5 and everyone else takes 2., I am expecting him to come at me quick and hard, using his speed to slam into me with full force, so i want to meet him dead on and use superior firepower to knock him out quickly.   Instead of coming head on... he uses card 9 and turns parallel to the board. I move up and manage to get two craft into range of shooting turn one (it's a 3 foot wide table).

We exchange fire. One of my barracuda's takes a damage, so does one of his phoenix's... but on the whole there are a LOT of misses


Turn 2. I already know the two craft who hit first won't be shooting much for a while, so I have them pull a 6, trying to get them to come in a wide circle and act as bait while the other aircraft  (hopefully) move in for the kill.  center takes a 6, far right pull a 5.

He manages to pull off a perfect half loop and puts his nightwing right in the face of one of my barracudas (*sob*), while two more of my barracudas flank him. His other phoenix move close together and prepare to flank those same barracudas... wildcard takes his position to shoot them right back.  FURBALL!!

The result, another damaged barracuda (really crappy rolls) and the damaged phoenix goes down to a missile hit.  Nightwing is damaged by a lucky burst cannon shot (those damned things are EVIL!)

The opponent is in a BAD position, surrounded and down by 1/3rd, with a damaged aircraft.  He tries a 10 and a 9, while I just move around with 5's and 6's to keep him in firing arcs of at least one of my barracudas.  The result is one of my barracuda's dies horribly to shuriken cannon fire, but his nightwing gets shot down by ion cannons.  Game ends with his disengagement.


What we both learned: Tau are a pain to fight. speed 1 minimum gives them a HUGE maneuvering advantage over even the eldar, along with significantly superior firepower in close range.  What he failed to do was focus his firepower on a single target and take me down one at a time. 

The eldar have the advantage of speed and incredible maneuverability, this should be used far more often in hit-and-run attacks, taking out individual craft. remember: the enemy only needs to be knocked down to HALF strength in order to force a disengagement.  Against me, he needed to kill 3 aircraft. 


Also, tau are gods of close range. don't screw around when your playing against them.

[Lex]

Zelnik, explain please...

Card 5 ??

[Zelnik]

with pleasure.


Aeronautica Imperialis uses special cards to maneuver each aircraft. there are 10 of them, each a different maneuver, increasing in difficulty as they close in on 9 and 10 (which are the hardest cards to master, and very few aircraft can use them).  they can be as simple as "straight" to the amazing "spiral".

These cards are what allow you to change your direction and altitude (the dive or climb options and/or requirements are listed on each card). You may play them any time during your movement, but picking the right card can determine a winning shot, or certain death.

the cards are as follows

1. Straight (nothing really fancy here)
2. Low-G turn
3. Side slip
4. Power Dive

These four are the "low" maneuverability cards, and any aircraft may use them. Learning how to use them is essential since most bombers are restricted to these cards.

5. High-G turn (the Tau may allow their bombers access to this via upgrades, many view this as the best card in the game)
6. Spinning High G Turn (the only way you normally can make a 90 Degree turn)
7. Wing-Over (one of two cards requiring an altitude change)
8. Half-loop (the other card requiring an altitude change)

These are the "High" maneuverability cards, and most fighters use this.  5 is considered one of the best cards since it turns you at a very advantageous angle.  spinning high G is hard to master, and wing overs and half loops are very difficult to pull off with effect, but damn if they turn you around quick!

9. Super-High-G Turn (an instant 90 degree turn halfway through the card)
10. Spiral (turns you around instantly.)


With my tau, i tend to use side slip and High G Turn a LOT. with min-speed 1, side slip with a yo-yo can reduce my movement to the card alone, making the enemy move itself into a position for easy attacking. It does not work so well against imperial navy, since they thrive at the medium range game, but Eldar and Orks fall for it every time.


Oh wow.. i am a moderator!

[Lex]

With my tau, i tend to use side slip and High G Turn a LOT. with min-speed 1, side slip with a yo-yo can reduce my movement to the card alone, making the enemy move itself into a position for easy attacking. It does not work so well against imperial navy, since they thrive at the medium range game, but Eldar and Orks fall for it every time.

OK....  that all kinda make sense and is weirdly similar to a game I designed for use in the fraternity when I was a tadpole @ university... but that was pre the big interest in spacecombat and based on WW1 planes.....

Fond memories of putting the skyboard to cover the biljard, and have around 15 people playing in the big free for all´s

Which leads me to ask.....  do you need to drop cards in sequence ?? 
We used to have "decks" with the proper mix of cards for the plane-type, and you played 3 or 5 moves (blind) for the big free for alls (which is nice as it leads to LOTS of midair collisions...  or 3-5 cards in hand.

Oh wow.. i am a moderator!

Well, someone had too..... and if memory is accurate, you where one of the people asking for the board !

[Zelnik]

you select one per round, your choice so long as your aircraft can use it.

[Zelnik]

here is the link to the cards

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Aeronautica-Imperialis/Rules_and_Accessories/AERONAUTICA-IMPERIALIS-COMBAT-MANOEUVRE-CARDS.html

[Kelsik]

nice battle report and I agree with your assessment.  Eldar need to keep distance and turn around on a dime to kill one target with concentrated firepower.   with the ability to bump up or down the nightwings speed by 3 plus what ever card speed mod can provide  should allow eldar to make a hit and run possible with very little return dice bieng rolled thier way.

However against Tau craft its very difficult to get free shots with out drone burst cannons getting in a few shots.  (4 dice at short range) 

Your explanation of the game cards was very good.  all I would add is that Every plane must select 1 card at the start of the turn. 
Both players do this at the same time before any planes move.  the card selected is written down.
After determining who goes first is decided then that player moves 1 plane and uses the card they picked.  then the other player moves one plane and uses thier card they picked.  rince and repeat till all planes  for both player have moved. 
Having more planes than your opponent means you should  be able to get some planes in a good firing position with out a retaliation strike. 

AI is the closest ive come to playing  3d chess.