Battlefleet Gothic - Tactics.pdf - BFG - Battlefleet Gothic - trzeci

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BFGTACTICS

By Adam Brown

Of all the races in the 41st Millenium, the two most common adversaries of all are without doubt the Battlefleets

of the Imperium and the treacherous warfleets of Chaos. The fleets share much in their approach to space

warfare, though also rely on their own strengths whilst overcoming their own individual weaknesses. Here, Adam

Brown presents a players overview of the fleets, their ships, their strengths and weaknesses, along with some

important tactical notes for budding Admirals.

OVERVIEW

Unlike their Chaos counterparts, Imperial cruisers are not

designed to win wars by themselves. The Imperial fleet is

a slow, methodical monster. Each cruiser is but a piece of

the whole. Conversely, Chaos commanders can afford to

have their fleet split apart to some degree. The long reach

of their batteries allows their ships to still back one

another when separated. Chaos ships are also designed

with a solo bravado in mind; each self-obsessed,

ambitious captain trying to outdo the next with a torrent

of heavy firepower.

IMPERIAL CRUISERS

Dictator Class Cruiser

Strengths: easy to build, excellent turret rating, heavy

ordnance output.

Weaknesses: undergunned, expensive.

The Dictator is equal in measure to Mars class

battlecruisers. Oddly enough, with its prow mounted

torpedoes, the Dictator outdoes its heavier counterpart in

the total ordnance it launches, being able to launch four

fighter or bomber markers as well. Dictators are designed

to help an Imperial fleet keep neck-and-neck with Chaos

in the ordnance race. Its flaws are more those of the

player than design. Many Imperial players pick up

Dictators in an effort to match Chaos players with total

numbers of fighter-type ordnance. They, of course, lose as

the Imperial Navy simply cannot compete with Styx and

Devastation class cruisers, especially when backed by a

Despoiler. I have often heard Imperial players feeling

cheated that way. The Dictator allows an aggressive

Imperial player to seize the initiative with ordnance. When

the formation of Imperial ships launches its torpedoes

alongside waves of fighters and bombers, their opponent

Not so the Imperials. To get the most out of your cruisers,

look at them in pairs at the very least. Gothic & Lunar class

cruisers are a waste of points on their own. They cannot

keep up with, say, a Slaughter class cruiser in a gunfight.

But pair them up with a second Lunar, take on two Chaos

cruisers of the same displacement, and the Imperials will

come to the fore so long as the Imperial ships work in

tandem with one another! Boasting 12 torpedoes and an

easy spread of either heavy firepower or lance decks, the

Imperials can bully their way through the worst of the

Chaos shooting and hit home hard.

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is forced on the defensive to counter the massed waves of

onrushing, shield-avoiding attack craft and missiles

inbound on their fleet. The enemy must prepare for this

inevitable deluge by launching fighters or risk taking a

severe beating by a crafty Imperial player.

Tyrant Class Cruiser

Strengths: long range weapons batteries, good firepower

strength, Nova cannon & improved battery options.

Weaknesses: ranged weapons batteries weak.

Gothic Class Cruiser

Strengths: heavy lance decks, inexpensive, easy to

assemble, very effective against enemy escorts, firepower

not diminished by aspect, damn cool looking.

Weaknesses: ineffective against other cruisers in duels,

weak against the Eldar.

The Tyrant class appears in many respects to be a variant

of the Dominator for players that don’t favour the Nova

cannon. It provides all the advantage of the former’s gun

batteries but with added strength. Granted, the

Dominator’s options allow it to take same range batteries

at a higher strength but at a sacrifice of the slightly longer

range batteries on the Tyrant. The Tyrant essentially

provides some reach for Imperial players that suffer from

getting battered before closing with the foe. It has options

enough to make it an improved clone of the Dominator

but at considerable cost. This makes the Tyrant a rather

unspecialised Imperial vessel, able to take on several roles

but be master of none.

The Gothic class is one of two main Imperial vessels. It is

in all respects a ship of the line and needs to work in

tandem with a sister vessel, such as another Gothic or

Lunar, to realise its full potential against enemy capital

ships. Its no-nonsense outlook towards combat makes it

very easy to use, firing last with its heavy lances. Many

Imperial players have had their Gothic ships score

impressive kill lists by virtue of always getting the last

shots in on a targeted vessel. Overall, the Gothic is a very

specialised ship. Use it well and enjoy!

Lunar Class Cruiser

Strengths: inexpensive, jack of all trades, easy to build,

awesome looking, underestimated, Nova cannon options.

Weaknesses: none appreciable.

Dominator Class Cruiser

Strengths: Nova cannon, heavy weapons battery

armament, improved range options.

Weaknesses: no ordnance, requires 4 weapons batteries

to build.

Pound for pound, by far the most effective ship in the

Imperial/Chaos cruiser arsenal. The Lunar class cruiser is

a little miracle. It is unimpressive on paper, but by that

very design, forces players to use it cunningly. The Lunar

is very direct in its purpose – close with the enemy while

firing ordnance, cross in front or behind and let loose

with others of its kind. Two Lunar class ships working in

tandem provides an awesome 12 torpedoes, 12 firepower

and 4 lances to each side. With the option of upgrading to

a Nova cannon, this beast becomes a hard-hitting

leviathan, forcing enemy ships continually onto the

defensive. The Lunar is also very easy to build. Each sprue

frame comes with the parts needed to build the ship

without encroaching upon another sprue. Very affordable,

they should form the bulk of any Imperial fleet over 1,000

points. Any fleet worth its salt has at least one Lunar on its

roster, most should have two.

Not a true ship of the line, the Dominator is an odd ship

in that it’s one of the few equipped with a Nova cannon as

standard. True, other ships like the Tyrant and Lunar may

be upgraded to bear a Nova cannon, but to do so those

vessels must sacrifice their prow torpedoes – quite a loss

to an Imperial admiral.

Enemy ships cannot afford to stay at long range against

Dominators, as the Nova cannon hammers them. Closing

with the cruiser only brings them into range of the massive

gun decks of the Dominator, along with any friendly ships

close at hand. A favoured tactic is to force an enemy to

close with the Nova cannon armed ship and, when they slip

inside its range, let loose with all the torpedoes of its sister

ships. Because of this, consider squadroning Dominators

with a Gothic or Tyrant class cruiser (or possibly both).

BATTLECRUISERS

Overlord Class Battlecruiser

Strengths: Long range, heavy turret options, good weapons

strength.

Weaknesses: expensive, requires 4 weapons batteries to

build.

There is no going wrong with an Overlord class battlecruiser.

It is a very self-sufficient vessel; something of a rarity in the

Imperial list. It can stand and fight unsupported for a turn or

two and batter an opponent in a one-on-one duel, something

most Imperial vessels struggle to do. Between the Overlord

and the Mars, the Overlord is the safer choice, though the

Mars provides a gamble many veterans are glad to take.

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The only telling flaw of the Overlord is that it isolates itself

from the rest of the Imperial fleet with its long range guns.

It often wants to begin firing broadsides into the enemy

fleet sooner than its shorter ranged counterparts. Up

close it fares little better than a Lunar for half again as

many points. However, it escorts a Retribution or

Emperor class battleship beautifully, as both ships are able

to reach out and smash the opponent at range. Against

Eldar, it is also equally invaluable, providing a null zone

into which the pirates are loathe to send their cruisers

until the Overlord is neutralised.

can also keep harrying the opponent once a ship is finally

crippled, racing past sheltering ships to put the deathblow

to these wounded vessels.

Murder Class Cruiser

Strengths: long range lances, respectable firepower.

Weaknesses: painfully ‘average’, requires four gun

batteries to build.

The Murder class cruiser is very much like its Imperial

counterpart, the Lunar. One’s not bad, two working in

tandem are incredible. If you have one, get a second and

keep them working together, even squadron them if you

want (I do!). The long range lances to the fore do not do

much until they’re backed by a second ship that can reach

out that far. A second Murder easily does so, providing the

punch of a Gothic class cruiser, but at a 60cm range. If the

enemy closes, the combined firepower of 20 that the pair

can bring to bear is nothing short of intimidating. The

Murder class is a workhorse. It is the master of no art, but

it is a very worthwhile vessel.

Mars Class Battlecruiser

Strengths: carrier, Nova cannon, improved gunnery

option, inexpensive for abilities, excellent ranged

weaponry.

Weaknesses: undergunned up close, expensive.

The Mars is everything an elite Imperial commander could

want. It has attack craft, it has range, it has lances that

allow it to fire while closing and it has a Nova cannon. It

is a hard-hitting little monster that, in the hands of an

experienced player, is a real tough nut to crack. There’s

no easy way to take out a Mars cruiser with a conventional

fleet. If the Mars has a weakness, it’s that it is no better

than a Lunar class cruiser up close, as far as gunnery is

concerned. Its waves of attack craft will still maul any ship

that gets too close, however. Closing with it is a pain

under the continual barrage of the Nova cannon and the

accompanying lances. Under escort, the Mars often forms

the core of a small Imperial fleet and makes an impressive

flagship.

Carnage Class Cruiser

Strengths: heavy firepower, good range.

Weaknesses: no lances, requires 4 gun batteries to build.

The Carnage class cruiser is a dream to any player that has

been frustrated by the Eldar. With the ability to reach out

as far as 60cm with weapons battery fire, it seems almost

cruel to those pointy eared gits. Up close, the Carnage is

absolutely brutal with its potential of 16 firepower to one

side. The Carnage, however, suffers from some key

problems. The first is that it is yet another Chaos ship that

requires the use of gun batteries to build. Second, some

Chaos players find them less effective against seasoned

Ork and Imperial players, who are less likely to flinch

when the gruesome amount of firepower is brought to

bear against their armoured prows. A newer opponent

might brace, even at extreme ranges, but against high

armour values (6+), the Carnage suffers somewhat. It’s

key to get around to the rear of an enemy vessel and

pound them to dust to get the most out of the ship’s guns.

Still, for those that like a theme, the Carnage is vicious.

Downing your first Eldar cruiser will make it all

worthwhile...

CHAOS CRUISERS

Slaughter Class Cruiser

Strengths: very fast, heavily armed, inexpensive, easy to

build.

Weaknesses: short-ranged, too fast.

No other class of ship have I seen so often ill used in a

Chaos fleet. Many players get caught up in just how

quickly the Slaughter can move and halo them with a

couple of escorts and go straight for the enemy’s throat

ahead of their entire fleet. Of course, the Slaughter does

an impressive amount of damage and then gets crippled,

reducing its effectiveness to something comparable to a

slightly damp cloth. I have found that a Slaughter is best

used by keeping it behind a Chaos fleet and using it to

follow up attacks rather than leading them. Only once the

enemy has finally closed with the Chaos fleet does the

Slaughter jump into the fray, becoming an immediate

mobile reserve. The Slaughter has an impressive amount

of weaponry (14 firepower from combined fore and side

weapons batteries backed up by two lances) and

pouncing on a straggler or jumping an annoying

squadron of escorts can be crucial during key turns. They

Devastation Class Cruiser

Strengths: long range lances, inexpensive carrier,

excellent turret rating, doesn’t require gun batteries to

build.

Weaknesses: undergunned at distance the Devastation is

comparable to the Lunar class Imperial cruiser in overall

effectiveness. Both ships launch a similar spread of

ordnance (though the Devastation can boast a more

versatile variety), and have similar weapons

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displacements. The Devastation is purely a fleet-support

carrier; a hybrid that sacrifices considerable distance firing

that’s so key to the Chaos fleet for ordnance. Just

remember what you’re giving up when you take a

Devastation.

Styx Class Heavy Cruiser

Strengths: heavy ordnance, long ranged weapons, good

weapons strength.

Weaknesses: often forced to be Chaos fleet’s flagship.

HEAVY CRUISERS

Archeron Class Heavy Cruiser

Strengths: heavy lance output, good turret rating, easy to

build.

Weaknesses: undergunned in one on one duel.

The obvious merits of the Styx are that it allows a Chaos

player to launch a large amount of ordnance at an

affordable cost. The Styx is a remarkable vessel, with an

impressive array of support weaponry with excellent

range. This allows it to stay at deliberate range from the

enemy while continually launching support elements in

the form of either offensive (bombers) or defensive

(fighters) ordnance. The only catch seems to be that the

Styx is somewhat expensive. The cost may not be so

readily apparent at first until placing the Warmaster within

the fleet. The Styx is a very obvious target for any

opponent, especially one that’s keen to cripple the

ordnance capabilities of their opponent. It often proves

key to remove it as early as possible, and if isolated, the

Styx cannot endure a duel with what’s sent against it.

The Archeron is a support ship, very comparable to the

Gothic class cruiser. At 45cm, its four lances and 6

firepower which can be brought to bear on one flank do

not seem like a lot, but it’s substantial enough to bear in

mind when choosing a Chaos fleet. The Archeron is,

simply put, a poor-man’s heavy cruiser. There is nothing

spectacular about it, but it does provide the Chaos fleet

with some badly needed lance support.

Hades Class Heavy Cruiser

Strengths: excellent fleet support ship, good forward

lance strength, inexpensive for power.

Weaknesses: requires weapons batteries to build.

REGENTS OF THE FLEET

There is nothing, but nothing, that can stand up to the

massive power of a battleship in Battlefleet Gothic. Over

several turns, anything but a rival flagship will be pounded

into dust. Their shields and armour and turrets are proof

against almost all forms of single attack. Only en masse

can they be brought low by the enemy ships. Their

appearance is inspirational and frightening all at once.

Their timely presence can easily turn the whole course of

a game.

Everything that applies to the Murder holds true with the

Hades. The Hades is essentially a 30 point upgrade that

provides an extra pair of lances with good fire arcs. At

range, this equates to some wonderful closing shots with

the enemy, particularly if the Chaos fleet takes its time

closing the gap. In ship to ship duels, the lances

(particularly when locked-on) can provide that nice knock

out punch. When backing Murder or Carnage class ships,

the Hades shows its worth.

Admittedly, they aren’t without cost, though it’s strangely

affordable. For the price of two cruisers (and the support

of three others) a battleship can be fielded. This usually

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limits their use to games of 1,500 pts or more. In smaller

games they, like Titans in Epic, either dominate or never

do enough to earn their keeping, making them a risky use

of points. Ideally, at 2,000 pts or more, a battleship should

be fielded though it isn’t necessary to do so. They make

spectacular flagships and always make their presence felt.

Many players include at least one, if only as a centrepiece

model. Like a Lord on a Monstrous mount in Warhammer

Fantasy, they don’t always hit the field, but they’re

available now and again.

Executor Class Grand Cruiser

Strengths: very heavy lance armament, good shields,

inexpensive.

Weaknesses: relatively short ranged, underarmed in

cruiser duels.

On its own, the Executor suffers all of the same problems

as a Gothic class cruiser. With only lances making up its

armament, it cannot damage enemy ships fast enough in

protracted duels. Its short range means that it needs to get

in close to ensure that its damage is telling. However,

when the Executor is paired up with another Chaos ship,

its weaponry becomes very formidable, allowing it to

either knock down shields before the rest of the fleet

opens fire with gun decks, or allowing it to get the killing

blow on stricken vessels.

So, without further adieu, the big ships:

Repulsive Class Grand Cruiser

Strengths: good armament, heavy torpedo salvos, good

turret rating, low cost.

Weaknesses: slow, low shield & armour ratings.

The Repulsive is a dueling class of ship.Though lacking

the defensive strength of a true battleship, it has the

hitting power of most ships in that class. The Repulsive is

a hunter of cruiser-sized ships, dominating them in size

and strength. With a small 10 point upgrade, all of its gun

systems have a 45cm range that can be brought to bear. It

has the hitting power of a Slaughter class cruiser but with

an additional lance. The impressive torpedo array to the

fore gives them an ordnance threat, easily forcing an

unwary opponent to brace for impact or risk losing (on

average with most fleets) two hits from their ship.

Desolator Class Battleship

Strengths: good lance armament, long range, very heavy

torpedo strength, fast.

Weaknesses: undergunned, unmaneuverable.

The Desolator is the poorer choice of the two Chaos

battleships. Unspecialised, its biggest advantage is the very

long range of its guns and lance decks. Its speed allows it

to keep the enemy at very long range while continuing to

punish its advance. There should be little reason for it not

to be on lock on orders from the get go, providing a

continual barrage at the earliest moment. When the

enemy finally closes, the Desolator can let loose a

frightening amount of torpedoes which can cause even

the most stalwart of players to swerve to avoid them. The

Desolator is best backed by at least a squadron of escorts

to provide some extra short range weapons battery fire

and to prevent it from being swarmed.

Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser

Strengths: excellent gun range, strong shields.

Weaknesses: unimpressive armament, slow.

The first of a group of grand cruiser variants, the

Vengeance is overall an unimpressive and unimaginative

vessel. It is a workhorse style grand cruiser, very much a

ship of the line rather than a definitive flagship. For those

seeking a ship that won’t overshadow their commander’s

vessel, the Vengeance is an excellent choice.

Retaliator Class Grand Cruiser

Strengths: well armed, well shielded.

Weaknesses: expensive, short ranged, small carrier

capacity.

Despoiler Class Battleship

Strengths: very heavy lance armament, very large launch

bay capacity, good range, inexpensive for power, torpedo

options.

Weaknesses: slow, awkward lance placement towards

prow.

The Retaliator is essentially a shorter ranged Styx class

heavy cruiser with better defensive capabilities at the

sacrifice of carrier bays. The Retaliator is fully able to

engage other cruisers in gun duels while launching its

attack craft, its heavy shield and turret ratings providing

proof against cruiser-sized armaments. However, it is an

expensive ship and is unspecialised in its role.

The Despoiler is a dream come true for most Chaos

players. It is incredibly heavily armed and comes backed

with a massive carrier output. At a glance, it loses one

lance at 60cm to the Desolator, but gains an extra four

towards the front at 30cm. Though these weapons have

questionable use on a carrier, in the right hands, the

Despoiler becomes a line breaker like the Slaughter. It is

almost guaranteed that whatever vessel slips within 30cm

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