BSG

I should really leave it to the players to advise. BSG is, essentially, a team game; it wouldn't be good to create the impression that I'm assisting one team over the other. (Especially when I can actually see what's coming up in the Crisis Deck.) I will certainly help out with any rules questions, and can potentially state your options. (You can email me privately with questions if you want.)

On which note, thematically you're correct about Boomer. She can pilot a Viper in the game, but while Apollo and Starbuck both have special abilities that improve their Vipering, Boomer's special ability helps in scouting the Crisis Deck. Your skill set goes both ways. You get two red cards, which contain options relating to Vipers, but you also get two purple cards. Low-value purple cards let you use your action to scout the Crisis or Destination deck (in addition to your end-of-turn ability). High-value purple cards make die rolls easier, which would let you turn the die roll for a successful scouting mission into a guarantee.

BSG

Galactica, Apollo. Copy new DRADIS contact, Cylon basestar and multiple raiders bearing 187, carom 221! Weapons free and engaging. Request immediate Ready Viper launch. Get your bird in the air, Boomer!

BSG

Roger that Apollo

Move: armory->hangor
Action: launch Vipor from forward tube to wingman for unmanned Viper
2nd Action: I play Piloting Card: 3- Maximum Firepower play while piloting a vipor to attack upto 4 times.

Let's get those frakkin' toasters!!!

BSG

Ok, while your enthusiasm is admirable, note please that the Viper launch tubes can deposit you in either Sector 5 or 6 (you need to make a choice where you launch), and neither of these Sectors currently contain any Cylon ships (they're all still in Sector 1, which is adjacent to Sector 6). You could use maximum firepower against Apollo, I suppose. It's a little outside the rules but I could make something up.

BSG

Boomer, if you launch out of the aft tube, you can move into the sector with the civvie ships. The raiders will proceed clockwise around Galactica. Lee can move into pursuit mode if we've got more problems by his turn (and we will). Alternately you could head to the CAG to control the redshirt vipers

Apollo, this is Galactica actual. Copy DRAEDiS hits. Galactica will engage basestar in order to avert possible launch of heavy raider.

::Jinking like mad:: Boomer, Apollo! Negative! Weapons hold! Weapons hold! This sector is cold! Repeat, this sector is cold! Save it for the Cylons, Boomer!

BSG

Boomer to GM, I retract ACTION card as requested by the Admiral and CAG Apollo.

Galactica, aren't our vipers faster than the raiders? Wouldn't it be tactically better to engage from behind? Plus, it will take more turns to get to them going counter-clockwise around Galactica. Unless you want to do a 2 n 2 (half going forward, half going aft).

Apollo, Boomer. Is your DRAEDiS reading right? Contact bearing 187 puts them on the aft side of Galactica, no? (bearing 0 is straight ahead, 180 is straight behind).

Please advise. Waiting for secondary action. Should I launch off the forward tube to be with solo redshirt, or aft tube with Apollo & redshirt. Should I go forward and to engage, or aft to defend civvies?

BSG

Some relevant info: Raiders, on their turn, travel directly towards the nearest civilians. If civilians are equidistant in both directions (as now), they travel clockwise (which will take them away from the launch tubes).

Half the Crisis cards contain an "Activate Raiders" icon. 20% activate heavy raiders, 20% have the basestar firing upon Galactica and 10% launch more raiders.

BSG

I keep thinking too much show, not enough game. In actuality, I'm guessing we both move at the same speed, one space per round. So if we are at least one space away (from launch tubes to raiders) we would always be behind? But, in gameland, my secondary action after launch could be a MOVE, thus if I launch from forward tubes into sector 6, then secondary action MOVE into sector 1, the Raiders could be engaged. However, that would give them the initiative (?) and me at a disadvantage (?) yes? no? So in gameworld, would it in fact make more tactical sense to launch in aft tube and take a few turns to fly around Galactica to engage the Raiders?

BSG

Regarding DRADIS, the show didn't use a 360 scale since in they frequently called out bearings over 400 (as high as 800 IIRC). I'm guessing they are using a 1000 division scale (which the French actually advocated instead of 360 IIRC). Or their circles were bigger than ours on Earth, whichever.

As far as what the Adamas are suggesting strategy-wise, we believe that Apollo should move counter-clockwise to engage the incoming raiders, whilst Boomer moves clockwise to engage the basestar. We want to either destroy or cripple the basestar's ability to launch more raiders (or worse, heavy raiders). Adama is suggesting he is going to man the Galactica's big guns to hammer the basestar as well. Roslin will be of no help in this fight, since she is on Caprica One, but Baltar may wish to go to commo to move the civilian fleet away from the incoming raiders if they get into trouble. We generally would want the civilian fleet in sector 5 if at all possible, as they are easier to cover from there (launched vipers don't have to move to get into a defensive position).

Personally, I wouldn't move out of sector 6. If you move into sector one, you won't be able to attack unless someone plays an executive order on you (you've already taken an action this round). What this means is that the raiders, if activated, will not move, but will instead attack you. You have two red cards and you've inadvertently tipped one as a shoot 4 times, which means that at max you have only one evasion card -- not good odds against 3 cylon raiders. If you wait in sector 6, you will be in good protective space against heavy raiders (if they are launched), and on your next turn you will be able to engage the basestar because the raiders will have moved.

The plus side to moving to Sector 1 is that even though you can't attack, you will keep the raiders from moving for as long as you remain undamaged, and as soon as someone plays an XO card on you, you could take them out.

The choice is yours, Boomer. May the Gods help you choose wisely. Apollo out.