[Flak]

Do you think 2nd UGCR should become 150/175% first before going forward? They have to do that in friendly area.

[SpardaSon21]

Just tell me where the 1st LSF is needed and I'll go.

[Lorric]

Do you think 2nd UGCR should become 150/175% first before going forward? They have to do that in friendly area.

We simply can't destroy the 2nd Cordi and stall the Zy with the mercs. Hopefully it will be able to pull out and recruit them after the next turn.

Just tell me where the 1st LSF is needed and I'll go.

Thanks. But we're not sure where to send you yet... 

We need to know what's going on with the 4th Cordi.

[Admiral MS]

Another round of fighting against Nordera. I hope 3rd CRF will be doing the same
I'm not sure if it's a good idea to destroy 2nd Nordera though. In the worst case another two 1st fleets can come to Hydra and attack right away. If the 2nd Nordera fleet is still present it'll occupy one slot preventing such a massive push.

Whatever... probably the best choice is to try to destroy them anyway.

[Flak]

If that is the case, just be prepared to deal with 5th Cordi that will most likely take the space of the 2nd Cordi. Also, someone need to stall 1st Zy, but good thing is they are boxed in and have nowhere to run. For sure, 1st UGCR needs to pull out next turn while the 2nd SF needs another turn to resupply before they can get back in the fight. Regardless of what you do to the Nordera fleets, the Fura'ngle and Hertak fleets may try to make a push to Draco.

[Lorric]

If that is the case, just be prepared to deal with 5th Cordi that will most likely take the space of the 2nd Cordi. Also, someone need to stall 1st Zy, but good thing is they are boxed in and have nowhere to run. For sure, 1st UGCR needs to pull out next turn while the 2nd SF needs another turn to resupply before they can get back in the fight. Regardless of what you do to the Nordera fleets, the Fura'ngle and Hertak fleets may try to make a push to Draco.

They can come into Aldebaran and attack if they want. Or go to the rear. There's nothing stopping them. But someone has to be there to stop them taking Tauri. Units from Alderbaran might attack Tauri as well.

If we don't destroy the 2nd Cordi, it will go to the back to resupply and be replaced by the 5th Cordi anyway.

[mobcdmoc3]

I'm not entirely sure what to make of the 4th Cordi's offer to surrender. Since this isn't detailed in the rules, I don't know whether or not this'll cost any of us an action or anything.

@Spoon - Could you clarify on what surrendering entitles and requires of us?

With regards to Draco, I think we're in serious trouble with the unknown 1st fleets in Kardoen. Judging by how the 1st fleets are stronger than usual, we could be in serious trouble if they both end up here. However, if they split up between Draco and Hydra, I think we can hold out until the 1st LSF, 3rd DD, or the 4th CRF comes in to bail us out.

[niffiwan]

@Jellyfish: I think that moving with your 1st action will cause the 4th SF to take damage because the 1st SF won't have arrived yet to cover your retreat.  It sucks that you won't be able to resupply this turn, although given that counterattack damage seems to be split between attackers (even if attacks occur in different phases) an attack vs the 1st Zy as your 1st move may be worthwhile (i.e. ~20% losses to yourself & 1st SF?)

Do you think 2nd UGCR should become 150/175% first before going forward? They have to do that in friendly area.

We simply can't destroy the 2nd Cordi and stall the Zy with the mercs. Hopefully it will be able to pull out and recruit them after the next turn.

Yeah, I'd love to be able to hire mercs before engaging since the UGCR fleet is a bit... anemic without them, but that will let the 2nd Cordi escape.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea to destroy 2nd Nordera though. In the worst case another two 1st fleets can come to Hydra and attack right away. If the 2nd Nordera fleet is still present it'll occupy one slot preventing such a massive push.

I've had these meta-gaming thoughts as well, i.e. when the enemy is qualitatively inferior leave fleets alive to reduce their quantitative advantage, i.e. create a fleet-jam in their systems   Still, in the current situation if the 2nd Nordera isn't destroyed then it could probably retreat with two replacement fleets taking its place anyway, even if the attack on Kardoen goes ahead (assuming that there's at least one more Hierachy fleet one system away (offmap) & available to reinforce the "Hertak")

Careful now, niffiwan, your next post is going to be your 1,000th post, you want to make it a good one, now, don't you...? 

Meh - 1024th post trumps the 1000th anyway, 2^10 HLP achievement unlocked!!

[Spoon]

Regarding accepting surrender: One fleet needs to spend a major action to take em in and disarm them. The prisoners will then be transported to Sol for interrogation and all that good stuff. If it's done as the first action in the turn then the system itself can be secured with a second action.

[Lorric]

Regarding accepting surrender: One fleet needs to spend a major action to take em in and disarm them. The prisoners will then be transported to Sol for interrogation and all that good stuff. If it's done as the first action in the turn then the system itself can be secured with a second action.

Can someone else secure the system on their first action, or will it have to be done with a second action?

[Spoon]

Well I did say second action didn't I? 

[Lorric]

Well I did say second action didn't I? 

Next question, will the other two fleets that don't use secure be able to use friendly-system actions on their second action?

[Spoon]

No

[Lorric]

Thanks Spoon.

Okay, with that out of the way, here are my revised recommendations, top:

2nd SF - double Resupply.

1st UGCR - pull back to Virgo and resupply.

4th SF - pull back to Librae and resupply (currently engaging Zy and staying put, this is suicide!)

1st SF - move to Tauri, don’t engage (currently engaging Zy, please don’t, or you will likely die a pointless death. Just stall them.)

2nd UGCR - engage 2nd Cordi (done)

2nd CRF - zeal, engage 2nd Cordi (done)

1st LSF - Travel to Aldebaran.

Bottom:

No one can travel to Kardoen. So here’s what I would do:

2nd LSF - travel to Odin and Resupply.

4th CRF - travel to Hydra.

3rd DD - travel to Vega.

2nd DD and 3rd CRF attack and destroy the 2nd Nordera. (2nd DD has done this.)

1st CRF - Capture the 4th Cordi, Use Zeal.

3rd SF - Travel to Vega and Resupply.

1st DD - Prepare Barrage and Secure the system.

[Jellyfish]

4th SF - pull back to Librae and resupply (currently engaging Zy and staying put, this is suicide!)
1st SF - move to Tauri, don’t engage (currently engaging Zy, please don’t, or you will likely die a pointless death. Just stall them.)

Not if we destroy them.

[Lorric]

4th SF - pull back to Librae and resupply (currently engaging Zy and staying put, this is suicide!)
1st SF - move to Tauri, don’t engage (currently engaging Zy, please don’t, or you will likely die a pointless death. Just stall them.)

Not if we destroy them.

We can't destroy them. And other fleets can come in and attack you two.

[Jellyfish]

We should have advance warning on that. And anything coming from Aldebaran would have to pass through you, right?

[Lorric]

We should have advance warning on that. And anything coming from Aldebaran would have to pass through you, right?

They can go right through. You can pass freely from contested system to contested system:

Travel: Moves a fleet from one system to another.
 - If a fleet moves from a contested system to an other system it is considered a retreat. If there are no friendly fleets to cover the retreat the retreating fleet will take damage.
 - If a fleet is in a contested system with an enemy fleet it cannot move to an enemy control system.
   - The exceptions to this rule are the Aquarius nebula system and the Sol Force Blitz ability.
 - A fleet can move from one contested system to an other contested system. This also counts as a retreat.

So the 5th Cordi could show up in Tauri if it wants to, though it wouldn't be able to attack. Anything from Alderbaran can attack Tauri next turn, and the 1st Zy can attack us in Aldebaran if it wants to, or pass right through to the rear.

Spoon, you might want to add the accepting surrender to the Major actions there.

[Lepanto]

...Well, blast, I guess my counter-offensive won't work.   

My revised recommendations:

In the north, I think it's worth it to move some fleets around and take some casualties if it means eliminating or crippling the 1st Zy. They are still very strong, and again, this game's battle system rewards making the first attack. If we just try and stall them, they'll keep mangling our fleets on the attack, give the Hierarchy another attack route in the north, and threaten an eventual breakthrough. Just kill them NOW, take back Tauri, and then we can use those fleets to hold Aldebaran easier / fend off any more flank attacks in the area.

The situation in Aldebaran is stable for now, especially with the 2nd UGCR in the area. I still think the 1st LSF and its 4th Gen fighters would be put to better use in the south. At most, I'd say bring the 3rd DD up north.

In the south, we have to respond carefully or risk getting overrun, especially if we can't attack Kardoen and the fleets there will be attacking Hydra/Draco next turn. Nothing personal, but I think we desperately need the 1st LSF to reinforce the fleets currently defending Draco. Hydra should hold if I bring in the 4th CRF, but our fleets in both systems WILL be getting savaged, and we need reinforcements on standby to relieve both our fleets in Hydra and Draco. If we don't have at least 4 fleets covering both the Draco-Vega and Hydra-Odin axes, I fear the Hierarchy could shatter our defenses and break through by committing enough forces.

Even if we can't do it right away, I think we desperately need to eventually counter-attack into Kardoen and seal off the flow of Hierarchy fleets into the south. As long as we have to defend two or more systems at once in the south and the Hierarchy can keep sending in more fleets through Kardoen, we'll eventually lose the battle of attrition. To push them back, or even to hold in the south with more enemy fleets undoubtedly inbound via Kardoen, we'll need to commit as many fleets as we can while leaving enough to keep the north stable. With some adroit maneuvering, we can still defend the north without sending heavy reinforcements there. The south is a different story. I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but seriously, we could lose the war if the Hierarchy breaks through our lines on either the Hydra or the Draco axis.

[Spoon]

Reading all this,

I can hardly contain my excitement for the next turn.