Furrycon 2000 took place from 11th to 14th August in Brighton, UK. I decided to take the Klingon in both the Captains and Patrol events. This ship is one of the most dangerous in the game if played properly and it suits my style of play. Klingons usually react to their opponents and try to work their way into an advantage. The scatterpack is crucial to do this. It provides a distraction and a shield behind wich you can advance. I usually launch it on turn 1 and follow the drones into combat.

My standard energy allocation is suprisingly consistent. Load 3 standards, 1 overload, at least 2 power in shuttles and between 18 and 21 in movement. The remaining energy goes to reinforce the #2 or #6 shields by a few points. I go speed 16, launch the SP impulse 2 and slow to speed 15 on impulse 4. I then sideslip right as much as I can. When the drones are far enough ahead I turn left behind my drones and sideslip in or out to control the range and the FA firing arc. This happens about impulse 21-26 when I also have a speed up to 26, 28 or 31 depending on the opponent. After seeing the Klingon fire 3 standards most enemies try to close the range allowing a hack & slash on impulse 32 made more effective by the one overload. 6xIM drones should be between me and the opponent, which hamper pursuit or soak up phasers on turn 2.

This is the way it's supposed to go. As we will see it doesn't always work out that way but it is suprisingly flexible. I waste movement with all the slipping out then turning in so the Klingon could actually cover more ground with the same plot. Batteries can give you 3 overloads and a standard if you need them and the SP drones are great to run away through.

After a couple of warm up games in Patrol I drew my first round Captains opponent on Saturday morning. He was Koen van der Pasch flying an Orion TBR with fusions in the wings, a gatling in the nose and 2 plasma F launchers (eek). This ship can take one big volley of damage and still kill you. The package is taken by Chuck Strong (on the joint chiefs of SFB) to kill Feds with! My plan was to charge at 26 with 4 standards if he didn't double any engines. The SP drones would follow. Turn 2 I would run at speed 26 forcing him to cross off 2 warp and reload a few phasers used against the SP drones. On Turn 3 I would fight.

T1. He didn't double engines so I charged, dropping the SP behind me. He tried to keep away and I saw his #2 shield almost exclusively. Late in the turn I slipped out and got a range 14 shot on the #3 shield scoring 3 hits with my 4 standards. We ended the turn about range 12.

T2. I plotted a 26/21 split costing 24 power and started another weasel. I was going to run this turn, with my 12 hex head start he couldn't catch me. Koen saw this and didn't double engines but turned to pursue after I turned away. After impulse 6 my disruptors were back on line so I HET back towards him for a close range pass on very little shield reinforcement. The Orion was having none of it and did a HET away back into the corner. I closed the range by heading him off as he left the corner. My SP drones were off his front shields. He dealt with them easily with the gatling and 2 ph1s. I got range 4 and fired 4 standards and 5 ph1s on his #3 shield killing 2 ph3, a warp and 3 hull/cargo. I turned away and launched 2xIF drones and fired 2 ph2s for another 2 internals killing another rear ph3. We circled each other and he killed all remaining drones ending up about range 8.

T3. I counted the range to the opposite corner and decided I couldn't run. I TAC, recharged most phasers and put about 10 in tractor. I could only afford 4 standards because I didn't want to eat plasma F and fusions on the same shield. Koen doubled both warp and went speed 31. I launched 3 drones as he came in to soak up phasers. At range 4 I saw 2 plas F and then 2 more at range 1 along with a shuttle that wouldn't hit for a while. I popped the weasel and he moved to point blank. The second pair of plasma were real and the collateral killed his shuttle too. The Orion fired the lot at my #6 shield. His fusions were overloaded and he did 15 internals after my batteries went into reinforcement. I lost a ph3, a ph2, the ADD and 3 power. Next impulse he slipped out the other side and I gave him the phaser hose on passive fire control wich dropped his #5 shield and did about 10 internals. I killed 2 warp a phaser and a plasma F. He ran in a straight line which put his rear shield towards me but the wall was approaching and he had to turn sooner or later. He delayed until range 9 in case I had overloads but the power was in negative tractor. I fired one standard disruptor through his open shield per impulse hitting with 2 for more warp hits and a phaser.

T4. After crossing off 2 more warp the Orion didn't look too healthy and with the fusions empty I was safe this turn. I plotted speed 10 with 4 strandards and recharged my phasers and remaining batteries. Koen doubled nothing as he had no intention of charging. I was on his #6 shield and his predicament became clear. With no #3 or #5 shield he couldn't run and keep me on the #6 shield. He slowly spiraled in. He went speed 16 and I almost saw his down shield with a range 4 phaser shot but he used his second HET to aim straight for me. I turned in and blasted his front shield and saw my drones die to the gatling again. I went past him and ended the turn on his down #3 shield at range 3 with 5ph1 and 2ph2 in arc and ready to fire on impulse 1. Resistance was futile so he conceded.

I powered 2 overloads, 2 standards and a suicide. I did the usual speed plot but went 30 in the last impulses to help get the overloads in range. Aidan went medium speed and turned across my bow early. At Range 15 I fired 2 standards wich bounced off reinforcement. He returned fire with 4 disruprors for about 6 shield damage after my reinforcement. I then turned towards his ship and the speed change kicked in. By impulse 32 I took a range 8 shot with 2 overloads on his #3 shield doing 12 damage.

T2. I powered 3 overloads and a standard, put 2 in tractor and went speed 26,21,15. Aidan was in a corner and needed his half strength #3 shield to get out. He didn't want to risk me turning in on that shield so he Hetted across my bow with 2 strong ESGs set to radius 0 for protection. When I saw the HET I dumped batteries into tractor in case I lost them, I WAS going to take internals. A little later I took a nasty volley through the front and simultaniously fired 1 standard, a ph1 and 2 ph3 to give me something to cross off. I lost the ADD and a disruptor and both ph3s I slipped next impulse to guarantee range 1 and slapped the tractor on him with a 2 point auction (so much for dumping the batteries). My SP drones were near but I had to wait. I took another 8 internals from phasers and he now only had a gatling on the wrong side and the ESGs for protection. I waited for impulse 8 and fired most of my weapons killing an ESG. Next impulse I fired 1 phaser and the same the impulse after that. Aidan shot enough drones from the SP pile to leave his ESG with enough strength to stop 1 drone. He forgot to announce a speed change by 3 impulses so he lost a movement point wich could have got the last 2 gatling pulses in arc. As soon as my control chanels were free I checked the impulse chart and launched a suicide and 2xIVF drones to hit him next impulse along with 2 ph2s that had just come into arc. The game ended there.

I had played Doug (with the same ships) the day before. I won that game but it was close. I decided to use exactly the same EA as before for the first (and as it turned out the second) turn.

T1. 2 standards, 2 overload, 3 weasels, 18 movement (16,15,28 split) and 2 reinforcement. I dropped the SP on impulse 2, slipped out then turned in behind my drones (6xIM). I fired 2 standards, he fired 4. He did 7 damage, I think my hits bounced. Doug launched a shuttle speed zero after impulse 25. It could have been his SP and I would get range 8 before it blossomed but I was planning on weaseling next turn anyway so I ignored it. Doug launched 4xIM drones at my drone stack but I was able to go around them as his drones had to move forwards on their first movement. When his drones did a HET I knew I was safe. We ended the turn at range 4 with my drones 2 from him. Doug launched another shuttle impulse 32 toward me and we swapped fire. He fired 4 ph1 doing 12 to my front. I fired 5ph1 2 ph2s and 2 overloads dropping his #1 shield exactly.

T2. I powered 4 overloads, 4 Tacs and a speed up to 4(reverse) on impulse 23. The remaining points after completing my 3 weasels went to tractor. Doug TACed as well. Impulse 1 doug wanted to weasel my drones and get the ECM shift for my firing but his shuttle launch in impulse 32 meant he couldn't so I did 16 internals. He fired 4 overloads and did 16 to my #1 shield. Impulse 2 we both TACed and he weaseled my drones and his impulse 32 shuttle went inert. After the weasel explosion he launched his SP and 3 fast and a medium drone. I shot the 3 fast with the ADD and ph3s and then weaseled 7xIM drones. I TACed round after the explosion and reversed 1 hex towards him and launched 2 drones his way. On impulse 32 I turned away from him putting us at range 3 with him on the Klingon classic oblique hex row. A drone hit a non facing shield and I fired 5ph1, 2 ph2s and 2 overloads doing 8 or so internals killing a second disruptor and more phasers but missing his drone racks again.

T3 I TACed with overloads and fired 2 missing with one doing 8 more internals His return fire savaged a shield but he was loosing the battle and when I dropped a rear shield after the 8 impulse delay doing a few more internals he conceded. I still had 2 weasels and all my Ph1s and disruptors. His firepower could only drop a shield, not penetrate it.

I took a break to play a short patrol game then went to watch the other semi final of the Captains event. A Rom KE was reversing for his life away from a Kzinti who was definitely smelling blood. Eventually the Rom uncloaked and drew out the Kzinti's weasels and killed him. Whilst watching the game I spoke to Marc Taylor about the SFB event next year. Marc was saying he would like to play rather than judge so I made him an offer. If I won the final and got the rated Ace card then I would do the judging for next year's tournament! (JUDGES COMMENT - NO SUBSEQUENT BIAS INVOLVED!!) We arranged the final for 11:00 Monday.

I played Craig at last years UK Gencon and knew that he wasn't afraid to cloak and wasn't afraid to bolt plasmas if the need arose. I started the game with 3 standards, 1 overload, 2 WW and 21 in movement giving me my speed up to 28 a little earlier. Craig went 17 and turned accross my bow early showing me his #2 shield. I launched the SP early, slipped out a lot then turned in. My speed gave me a range 15 shot on his #3 shield for 6 damage. We ended the turn about range 10 and I discharged my overload. Craig had turned towards me on impulse 32 and lauched 1 plas-F.

T2. I felt safe with my SP drones (nicely split up because of his T-bomb) between us. I plotted 21 then up to 26 for half of the turn. 2 overloads, 2 standards and I started a third weasel. Impulse 1 Craig launched the R torp and impulse 2 he began to cloak. I slipped out a lot and ate both torps after 15 hexes of movement firing all my phasers into the R torp reducing it to 11 damage. Both torps hit and were pseudo which I thought would be the case. I could now plan on when to use weasels with a lot more certainty. Craig had cloaked out by this point and he was TACing so the SP drones lost tracking. I had traded my SP for 2 of his pseudos. I turned back at Craig and he had a speed up to 10. I reached range 4 and fired disruptors on his rear shield missing with 2 and the fire adjustment chart wasn't too kind. Craig did A HET under cloak soon after and the turn ended with the ships at range 3 and Craig had begun uncloaking on impulse 32. I launched a type VI drone at him that impulse and should have launched another drone as well but I was feeling sneaky.

T3. I left the disruptors empty and recharged the phasers. My speed was 21 for a few impulses then 26 and 15 in the second half of the turn. The Rom was TACing and would be uncloaked on impulse 4. I wanted him to weasel as he came out of cloak so I launched a IVF at him and a type IM at my own type VI drone. The fast drone would hit or force a weasel and the 2 mediums would fly on divergent courses and come back together and hit even if he cloaked or weaseled. The Rom continued to uncloak and I slipped out to range 4. On impulse 3 I asked Craig if he was launching a weasel, he declined and ate 24 points on the kisser as he uncloaked. 18 reinforcement! I couldn't believe it, and here was I slipping out to range 4 to protect me from tractors. Then I gritted my teeth and waited for the plasma bolts. If he had done anything else I could have easily outrun any torps so I fired as well dropping the front shield to a couple of boxes. The IM drone got shot but the VIM drone did 2 damage. He bolted the lot and missed with only an F torp so I took 25 or so internals. I had to turn in the long way as the batteries went into my #3 shield reinforcement. I had few weapons powered but he was empty for 2 turns. Craig weaseled impulse 15 and I had nothing to kill it with. By impulse 32 I was at range 1 on his rear shield and he was off my #6. I fired 2 ph2s and a ph3 doing 12 damage.

T4. I TAC, drop the weasels and overload my 3 disruptors and repower all the phasers and surviving batteries. I also start to repair a range 10 disruptor. Craig was speed zero too and began to cloak on impulse 1. I fired all I could and hit with 2 overloads and good phasers dropping the shield and removing all his armour but still no internals. Impulse 2 I TAC to get the crossdeck Ph1 in arc and launch a drone at his shuttle. I then did 5 hit and run raids one on each of his ph3s. Some of the best rolling I've done in a long time meant I killed 4 of them! The Rom taced after I failed my lockon roll and the turn ended.

T5 I TACed with a speed up to 5 then down to 3 later. 4 overloads this time and I repaired an impulse as APR. The KE went 10 in reverse but as we had just both been TACing his first move would have to be straight back. This gave me a range 2 shot on the weak front shield, 1-4 to hit with the disruptors of which only 1 hit. The fire adjustment chart didnt effect it so the 8 damage saw 6 reinforcement and still no internals. I then used batteries to change my speed change to a little earlier and a little faster and this got me a range 1 shot on the same shield. This makes range 7 with the cloak effects but I rolled well and got my first 7 internals on his ship. I killed a LS ph3 and 2 power. The turn ended with us at range 9 and Craig had his 28 point #6 shield in my direction.

T6. I moved 9 with a speed down to 4 as torpedoes were ready now. I charged standards repaired another impulse as APR and completed 2 weasels from last turn and started a third. Craig moved in reverse again and launched an EPT R-torp impulse 1. I weaseled on impulse 8 after my speed change to 4. Later on I weaseled 2 F-torps one of which I knew was definitely real. They both were. I fired 4 standards at range 12 hitting with 3.

T7. I pursued at 14 with standards loaded. The Rom had a shield towards me now and he was reversing at 17. Two of my drones got close but died to his repaired rear ph3s. I was heading the KE off as he tried to run across me. He saw I would probably get range 8 if this continued so he turned off and I fired 4 standards on the down shield. 2 hits did 3 internals as he used general reinforcement. Next I fired 4 ph1s doing another 6 internals at range 12. A side slip later and the cross deck ph1 came into arc and did another 2 internals.

The Rom had lost a plasma F torpedo, 3 ph3s, 2 ph1s most of his hull and his power was down. He had lost 3 shields and had another at half strength. I still had a weasel left and no damage to any shields apart from the #3 wich had been repaired to 1 box. Turn 8 I was going to fire standard disruptors as he cloaked out then move away and pick up my scatter pack shuttle to use as a weasel. With 2 weasels and 5 shields I could deal with whatever plasma he had then kill him. Craig conceded at this point.

I had a great time at the tournament. Every game was played in a friendly spirit and I don't think I heard anyone get angry all weekend. I'll be there next year, judging rather than playing. I'm thinking of running a Federation and Empire tournament alongside the Captains and Patrol events. Further details nearer the time.

See you next year,

Andy.