Order of Battle, or Task Group composition

[condottiere]

Having run the Marathon, I backpedalled to the Galactica rescue and started experimenting.

Galactica seems to have escalated the war, as my seven thousand point strike groups get regularly outnumbered.

Which is a shame, since the perfect composition at this level is a unique one, Daedalus, Galactica, two other Jupiters, and a Celestra.

If there is a restriction of twelve Jupiter class battlestars, it doesn't apply in this game, since I'm way past that.

The alternate to that was three Jupiters, a Manticore, and a Celestra, though this doesn't really appeal to me; using up the excess Artemisii, especially since they're all elite by now, one Jupiter, three Artemisii, and a Celestra.

Using the Jupiter as a missile magnet, the Artemisii fulfill the Ranger function mid battle, as well as extra firepower as the Cylon major and intermediate combatants close.

If the Colonials were stuck if a cap of one Jupiter per colonized planet, the smart thing to do would have been to create four strike forces composed of each sun's respective Jupiters, and established planetary defence forces of the leftover Artemisii, all legacy ships consigned to deep space patrolling and trade protection, until more Artemisii come online.

Outside of these battlestar classes, new construction should be mostly limited to Celestras, Manticores, Adamants and Rangers, though I suspect you could probably design better variants to fulfill their roles of general support, reconnaissance, close escort, and artillery support.

[Dux_Britanniarum]

With regards to Galactica escalating the war.

The more technologies in the form of ship blueprints, fighter blueprints or munitions you unlock - the more cylon ships are unlocked. But likewise ... if you have a fleet of 4000 points, you'll find cylon fleets of a similar size spawning. The larger your fleets, the bigger cylon fleets spawn. But you can use this to your advantage. I always have an auxilia fleet, with 1 manticore in it. That's only 500 points. So while I have several 8000 point battlestar groups spawning 11000-14000 point cylon fleets - that 500 fleet I have, also seems to trigger the spawn of smaller 2000-2700 cylon fleets. Sometimes those smaller fleets are just Nemsis corvettes. But sometimes they spawn Basestars. Its a nice change of pace and good for levelling ships and officers.

The Cylon called 'Clothos' actually tells you at one point that the war escalates as you advance. Its round about when you unlock nuclear weapons. So yes - as you unlock Jupiter class battlestars, you're going to find yourself facing tougher cylons.

[Dux_Britanniarum]

As for fleet composition.
Think 'horses for courses' or 'rock, paper scissors'. Different situations require different responses.

I disagree that the perfect fleet composition is three Jupiter class battlestars. That only comes to 6450 fleet points. I'd suggest you should aim for 8000 fleet points for a full battlestar group. With 6540, you could stick an Artemis in there too for another 1550, and come out at exactly 8000.

For most the original deadlock campaign you could have a standard battlestar groups which were 'jacks of all trades'. An example of this would be:

Jupiter – 2150
Minerva – 1850
Artemis – 1550
Artemis – 1550
Minotaur – 900
Celestra – 0
Total – 8000

A fleet like that would let you deal with whatever jumped you. Because you didn't know what was going to spawn in orbit of a colony, and because you couldn't recon your opponent. You needed that 'jack of all trades' approach to cover yourself. Sadly though – having 12 fleets which were identical, kind of means battles got a bit boring.

I find Resurrection and Ghost Fleet much more fun because of the opportunity to create varied battlestar groups using all of the ships available. This is only a viable tactic though, because you can now recon the cylon fleets that spawn and match your attack force accordingly.

That's where the 'rock paper scissors' comes in. Colonial fleet is versatile. There isn't a single ship which isn't valuable when used correctly. There are dozens of combinations you can put together, and all of them are viable counters to different cylon fleets.

So experiment. Give variety a try.

Unless that isnt your cup of tea, in which case... go with what works for you. 3 Jupiters never hurt anyone... well...anyone human.

[USS Midway veteran]

One of the great things about this game is - just like real battle - the factors vary and you need to deal with what comes up in a variety of ways. A combination of battlestars, along with Janus cruisers and a Celestra for support,was the key for victory for me and I beat everything in the early game on Admiral with that fleet. (I have beat everything in Season Two on Admiral as well, but with a more varied fleet composition). Other than missiles - including nukes - the situation will also demand a variety of special weapons and tactics, which will include debris mines to help fight off hordes of Raiders, PCMs and flak to guard against missile attacks, and ship positioning to deal with Cylons with heavy guns (Revenants). As the battle takes on more variety, you are going to have to vary as well.

[Dux_Britanniarum]

Originally posted by Battlestar Midway veteran:

One of the great things about this game is - just like real battle - the factors vary and you need to deal with what comes up in a variety of ways. A combination of battlestars, along with Janus cruisers and a Celestra for support,was the key for victory for me and I beat everything in the early game on Admiral with that fleet. (I have beat everything in Season Two on Admiral as well, but with a more varied fleet composition). Other than missiles - including nukes - the situation will also demand a variety of special weapons and tactics, which will include debris mines to help fight off hordes of Raiders, PCMs and flak to guard against missile attacks, and ship positioning to deal with Cylons with heavy guns (Revenants). As the battle takes on more variety, you are going to have to vary as well.

So say we all.

[condottiere]

Tactics depend very much on what you're comfortable with.

This isn't my first rodeo, it's just that I found I had other things to do before I completed it first time around.

Gamewise, nukes should either be used early in the battle and/or under ambush conditions, and need to be used up close, which if you're battlestar heavy, isn't likely, and therefore not a necessity. Skirmish is another matter.

I've found that you don't need more than twelve Manticores at the beginning of the game, and easily whittled down to eight towards the middle, mostly as revenue cutters fortifying the Colony worlds, the heavy lifting carried out by Adamants until you can get hold of Artemisii. with the point breaks at five thousand and seven thousand, until apparently Galactica.

You can getaway with three independent strike groups for the outer colonies, and seven fortifying the inner ones.

Generally speaking, Vipers can see off any number of Raiders, if they can get the jump on them early.

I think variety works for skirmish, but not on the strategic level, where surprise is a factor, and especially at four thousand points.

[Dux_Britanniarum]

I don't play skirmish. Just campaigns. I'd certainly not be any good at a rodeo ;-)

Variety works for Resurrection and Ghost Fleet.

Colonials don't get surprised on those campaigns, because cylons don't start battles and Colonials can recon cylon forces before they attack them.

In that situation having a variety of different colonial fleet groups which have specialised compositions is beneficial. It allows you to better counter the fleet your facing.

During the Deadlock Campaign though I think what you described makes sense. I assume by 'gateway the three outer colonies' you mean stick a fleet on Delium, Knossos, and Cocalus to stop cylon fleets jumping to Helios Beta, Delta and Gamma. Then by 'fortifying the seven inner ones' you mean sticking fleets on everything in Helios Alpha? Perfectly logical. The Quorum would do well to follow your advice.

[condottiere]

I plan to accumulate more Tylium and requisition points, and start launching stuff I normally have no use for, as well as trying to figure out what the other officer specialalities are good for.

It's the reason I started again at Galactica rescue.

[condottiere]

I have a Combat Engineer and an Explorer that came up through the ranks, and a CAG somewhere; CIC officers being thin on the ground early on. Silas Nash appears to be a Marine.

The Explorer officer doesn't really fit with a wall of battle formation, since if you use the flagship as a guide for formation keeping, it invariable jiggles around.

Probably happier as a commander if the task group has a flagship where you can leverage movement tactically, which with battlestars might be how you're presenting it, swing left or right depending on which side has more armour, and up and down to intercept missile swarms.

With pure gunstars, with which I would include the Manticores, you need to close fast, but having closed, you also have to be effective enough to quickly take out the target(s).

I would say probably most effective using hit and run tactics, with cruisers and corvettes, possibly with a Minerva as a flagship, since you should have enough weaker members of the herd that will attract Cylon attention first, as you've points to spare.

Will have to try it out.

[Dux_Britanniarum]

Yeah I think the game bugged out a bit with old saves. Silas Nash says he has CIC skill tree, but when you look at his skills - his bonuses are from marines. That is just on the Deadlock saves though. His skills are fine on newer campaigns. But you have to start a new campaign to get his custom portrait.

Someone (MalodorousFiend) recently suggested I try an Explorer in a Jupiter 1. What a difference it makes to the Jupiter's ability to move quickly! Really useful in those missions where Cylons are below you and you need to drop down fast! Give that a go, and see what you think. I think my Explorer has :

Jupiter 1 2150
Minerva 1850
Artemis 1550
Artemis 1550
Minotaur 900

Pretty standard formation, but with an Explorer those ships are able to move around quicker than normal. In fact I think the explorer I have is the only one to still have that set of ships.

It was a great tip - and I'd certainly recommend trying it.

[Microcebus rufus]

Originally posted by yugydoom:

For most the original deadlock campaign you could have a standard battlestar groups which were 'jacks of all trades'. An example of this would be:

Jupiter – 2150
Minerva – 1850
Artemis – 1550
Artemis – 1550
Minotaur – 900
Celestra – 0
Total – 8000

A fleet like that would let you deal with whatever jumped you.

Gonna try this, thanks for the tip! What formation do you suggest putting these ships in? They clearly won't all fit in a vertical stack...

[Dux_Britanniarum]

For that fleet, for a standard engagement I'dI set my fleet out with the two Artemis battlestars in the front line with full defensive posture, using flak to intercept missiles. Then with the Minerva and Jupiter in the second line, with max offensive posture. Minotaur in the 3rd line and Celestra at the back. Something like this:

Cylons.

^^^^^^Flak^^^^^^^^
[Artemis] [Artemis]
[Jupiter] [Minerva}
[Minotaur]
[Celestra]

The only issue with that 'jack of all trades' fleet is... its a bit low on Raptor support. So stick a raptor in one of the Artemis battlestars. Then have your raptor on your jupiter. That way you can boost your two front line ships which are 'flaking' to stop them getting hacked.

The trick then is to have the Jupiter and Minvera's flight pods in line with the battlestar artillery of the Artemis beside them. You want the second line to be able to fire over the top of the front line, but you also need ot make sure the front line's flak intercepts missile fire.

[Microcebus rufus]

Interesting. Good point about the Raptor support.

Just so I understand you correctly: The Artemises at the front would have their sides facing the Cylons and use their flak, while the Jupiter and the Minerva would be facing forwards (not on their sides) to fire their guns; and these four ships would be vertically oriented so that the flaks provide protection but also that the second line can fire past the Artemises. Right?

BTW, if the Minotaur is so far behind. Does it get to see any action?

[Dux_Britanniarum]

No the ships are all side on to the cylons.

Jupiter and Minerva Battlestars both have Battlestar Artillery on the top (as well as the front). Guns on top and bottom, can shoot off to the sides.

So on the little diagram I did, they're all headed in the same direction. Doesnt tend to matter which way they're going, as long as they're all going the same way.Keep your broadsides facing the oncoming cylons.

^^^^^^Flak^^^^^^^^
<---[Artemis] [Artemis]--->
<---Jupiter] [Minerva}--->
<---<---[Minotaur]--->--->
<---<---Celestra]--->--->

Drop down, or raise up your second and third lines (Jupiter/Minerva/Minotaur) to shoot at cylons.
That lets you shoot under, or over the top of the two artemis battlestars with the artillery and heavy turrets on the top and bottom of your ships.

if the cylons run out of missiles... that tends to be when I turn all my ships to face them...and go straight at em.

Re: Minotaur... to be honest my Minotaurs tend to have loads of kills. I have one in a group with Galactica called Vilnus. Its got 109 kills, and 176 kill assists.Only ship in my fleet with more is Galactica at 127 kills.

The whole fleet tends to be packed quite closely together. Close enough to move without crashing into each other ofcourse. But not far enough apart that they won't hit anything when it comes to shooting time.

[condottiere]

Jupiters are best for headbutting; their only weakness, ironic considering the Achilles Heel of the Cylon are their bottoms, one reason the Artemisii have to dive, is the top where fire control is vulnerable.

I had seven Minotaurs in one Task Group: at equal or higher points, you can win, but you also tend to take casualties.

I don't think closing was an issue, since you had to form them up as close as possible to the Cylons, it comes down to be able to take out their individual units as fast as possible, which would be more CIC orientated.

[condottiere]

Adamanticorvette - Offsystem Patrol Vessel; picket, scout, reconnaissance, close escort, trade protection.

Jupiter Twos appear to be the best all around ship in the size four category, Artemisii in the size three.

Outside of specialized role ships, the Colonial Fleet would need something between an Adamant and a Manticore in size two, that has the trident of guns, missiles and Vipers, and more or less the speed of the Manticore, which means it could sacrifice the armour, since midgame onwards. the frontline survival rate of the Adamant becomes abysmal.

So if the Defender can recreate a flak screen with six point defence guns, that's the broadside armament; substitute a hangar bay for launch tubes, and squeeze in missile launchers; hull points are probably a default sixty, with twenty points of armour all around.

Speed has to match the Manticore, since the idea is not to get close in, but use the Vipers and the missiles to hit the enemy at a distance.

Thus is born, the Adamanticorvette.