Star Smash - Battle Description

Round: | 1
Game: | 1
Opponents: | 1 Scott Smith / Federation Squadron 1
| 2 Kent Jakway / Independent (Gorn) Squadron 1
Victor: | 1 Scott Smith / Federation Squadron 1
Play Date: | 8 December 2002
Play Location: | The Keep, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Order of Battle

1 Scott Smith / Federation Squadron 1
7 Ships / Combat Efficiency: 297.6

Ship Name |  | Class Name |  | Type |  | Class
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Alpha |  | Alpha Mk I |  | Cruiser |  | X
Alexander the Great |  | Thufir Mk IV |  | Destroyer |  | IX
Genghis Khan |  | Thufir Mk IV |  | Destroyer |  | IX
Pathfinder |  | Nelson Mk VI |  | Scout |  | VI
Magellan |  | Nelson Mk III |  | Scout |  | III
Lewis |  | Nelson Mk III |  | Scout |  | III
Clark |  | Nelson Mk III |  | Scout |  | III

2 Kent Jakway / Independent (Gorn) Squadron 1
10 Ships / Combat Efficiency: 300.0

Ship Name |  | Class Name |  | Type |  | Class
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Brick of Destruction |  | BH-3 B |  | Battleship |  | XIII
Hammer |  | MA-14 A |  | Cruiser |  | VIII
Club |  | MA-14 A |  | Cruiser |  | VIII
Mace |  | MA-14 A |  | Cruiser |  | VIII
Flail |  | MA-14 A |  | Cruiser |  | VIII
Unexpected Death |  | SS-4 B |  | Destroyer |  | V
Tower Shield |  | PD-1 A |  | Escort |  | VI
Spiked Buckler |  | PD-1 A |  | Escort |  | VI
Pain in the Neck |  | GX-1 A |  | Scout |  | III
Insect Bite |  | GX-1 A |  | Scout |  | III

Battle Description

As the engagement started the Gorn deployed into a symetrical formation with their battleship at the center and their one destroyer leading. They advanced slowly (6).

The Federation placed their scouts on the left flank, the two destroyers on the right, and the one cruiser in the center. The scouts advanced slowly while the destroyers and cruiser rushed forward at their maximum speeds. The Alpha opened the fight with a maximum range phaser shot which missed the leading Gorn destroyer.

The Gorn continued to advance steadily while shifting formation. The four cruisers moved to the right of the battleship while the two escorts shifted to the left side.

The lead Federation ships slowed, stopped, and began to back away from the Gorn force. Apparently this was intended to maintain the Federation's advantage in long range beam weapons for as long as possible and allow the scouts to advance around the Gorn's right.

All of the Federation ships engaged the Gorn destroyer Unexpected Death. A number of powerful phaser hits were made by the destroyers and scouts, causing the ship to explode (unexpectedly?). Gorn return fire was light due to the long range, and did not penetrate Federation shields.

The Gorn main body advanced around the left of their destroyer's explosion, aiming itself at the two Federation destroyers. Alone on the right, the Insect Bite moved to engage the advancing Federation scouts.

The Federation destroyers moved forward toward the Gorn main body. The Alpha reversed its direction, and took a position in the center of the Star Fleet force. The scouts continued to advance around the Gorn flank.

Most of the Gorn ships engaged the Alexander the Great, scoring notable damage. The Insect Bite hit the Pathfinder with heavy damage. Return fire from the Star Fleet scouts did only light damage to the Insect Bite. The two Thufir class destroyers engaged the leading Gorn cruiser, causing modest damage. For the third shot, the Alpha missed with all of its weaponry.

As the Federation destroyers continued their advance against the left Gorn scout, two Gorn cruisers suddenly swung away from the main body and closed to point blank range with the Alexander the Great. Supported by the two escorts and the battleship, the Gorn ships poured in all their fire power, causing the destroyer to explode. Return fire from the destroyers caused massive damage on the Pain in the Neck, which fell apart in space. The Gorn excitement was tempered by the large amount of damage their cruisers took from the exploding destroyer.

On the Gorn right flank, the Federation scouts nearly completed their flanking maneuver. However, fire from the Gorn scout and two cruisers smashed the Pathfinder, which exploded.

Ignored by the Gorn, the Alpha raced into the center of the fight and engaged the cruiser Hammer. The target disintegrated as the Alpha finally scored with almost all her weapons.

The two forces had now effectively exchanged positions, and were reversing courses.

The Star Fleet scouts continued to engage the Insect Bite which finally took a series of hard hits and broke up. Before it went, however, it and the two Gorn escorts delivered solid hits on the scout Lewis.

The Alpha engaged the Brick of Destruction, but did only modest damage. The remaining destroyer, Genghis Khan, fired on the cruiser Club.

Finished with the Alexander the Great, the two Gorn cruisers went after the Genghis Khan, but did only light damage. The Gorn battleship fired on the small Clark with modest effect.

Both forces had completed their course reversals. The Genghis Khan moved to help the scouts, which were pursued by two Gorn escorts. The Gorn cruisers rejoined with the battleship.

The Gorn cruisers fired on the nearest Federation ship, the Alpha. The battleship continued to engage the Clark, which disintegrated under the fire.

The Alpha and the Genghis Khan combined their attacks against the damaged Club, creating massive damage which caused its warp core to explode.

The Gorn luck fails!

The Genghis Khan flew through the explosion of the Club and emerged behind the Gorn battleship and cruisers, which were now effectively surrounded by the Federation force.

The Gorn cruisers and battleship massed their fire against the Alpha, but did relatively little damage, as most of the shots missed.

The Star Fleet return fire was much more accurate. The Mace was hit hard by the Alpha. The Flail was hit almost as badly by the Genghis Khan. Meanwhile, the two remaining Federation scouts hit the Spiked Buckler. When the smoke cleared, all three ships were crippled, each having had at least one engine blown completely off.

At this point the Gorn commander acknowledged that he was beaten. Only the battleship Brick of Destruction and the escort Tower Shield were still effective as fighting units. While all of the Star Fleet force, except the scout Magellan, had some damage, none were too impaired to continue the fight.