So, my group has been playing a HotAC campaign once a week for several months now, and it's just about drawing to its conclusion. Or at least, it would be, if I didn't have more in store for our group. We've got two missions left from the original book, the battle against the Decimator, and the mission where they defend a GR-75 in the minefield.
In that last mission, I plan on having a TIE Advanced drop out of Hyperspace along with some TIE fighters at some point. The Advanced will have the Strike AI focused on the GR-75, and will be equipped with XX-23 S-Thread Tracers. When the TIE Advanced tags the GR-75, I'll use that as the trigger for my next three missions.
The first mission I have in mind?
Mission Briefing: After escaping the minefield and returning from Sullust, the Quantum Storm has returned to the Fueling Depot (captured in a previous mission). While refueling, a routine scan revealed that a tracking beacon had been placed aboard the ship. Proximity alerts warn that an Imperial Assault Carrier has just dropped out of hyperspace nearby. Scramble all fighters, and get ready to defend the captured Fueling Depot.
Objectives:
- Primary: At least one player ship and the GR-75 must survive until the end of turn 12.
- Bonus: If the Fueling Depot survives, all players gain 1 xp (Mostly a formality at this point. All of my main players are already PS9 with full upgrades)
- Bonus: If the Gozanti-Class Cruiser is destroyed, all players gain 2 xp
Mission setup - We'll be using a 3x6 board. The Rebel side of the board will be set up in the same way the board was during the mission to capture the Fueling Depot (with different asteroid placement, of course). The Rebels will be in control of the Depot and its Turbolasers this time around, and will have to deploy from the Depot's hangars. The GR-75 will be fueling at the Depot, so it will be hooked up in some way that I have yet to decide. The Gozanti shall be set up in the middle of the opposite side of the board. (Might have it slightly off-center so that it can turn better, I'll have to do some playtesting soon.) The Gozanti will be loaded with 4 TIE Bombers with the Strike AI, aimed at the Fueling Depot.
Turn 1, the Gozanti will do a 1 straight to gain 3 energy. Turn 2, it will do a 2 straight to gain 2 energy. Turn 3, it will perform a 4 straight to gain 1 energy, maxing it out, and it will deploy all four TIE Bombers in a set formation. (First one to deploy does a 4 and barrel rolls, second does a 4, third does a 2 and barrel rolls, fourth does a 2.)
Meanwhile, at the start of turn 1, the GR-75 does not have any of its upgrade cards face up. It will have all the same upgrade cards that the Quantum Storm had in the Care Package mission. At the end of each turn, the GR-75 will be able to flip 1 of its cards face up. Until all of its cards are face up, the GR-75 will be stationary, and will not gain any energy. At the start of Turn 6, it will be able to move and start building energy. If the Fueling Depot is destroyed before Turn 6, any upgrade cards not flipped up will stay face down for the rest of the game, and the GR-75 will be able to move at the start of the following turn. Once Turn 6 starts, or after the Fueling Depot is destroyed, the Strike AI for the TIE Bombers will change from focusing on the Fueling Depot to focusing on the GR-75. The GR-75, much like in the Imperial Entanglements mission, will need to build up 7 energy to jump to hyperspace. (I'm tempted to make it more, or limit the GR-75's ability to gather energy to make this more difficult).
So far, this is all I have worked out. I've had some ideas for the rest, but I'd like your help in balancing this mission. Should the Bombers have to disable all of the hardpoints on the Fueling Depot to destroy it? Or should the entire Fueling Depot just have a certain number of shields and hull before it's destroyed? Perhaps instead of counting the hardpoints, each section of the Depot could have shields and hull? How should I load out the Bombers for this mission? And what about the Gozanti? Which enemy ships should jump in from hyperspace after a certain number of turns? I've had ideas for all of these, which I'll give further details for tomorrow, but right now it's 1:17 in the morning, and I have to work in a few hours. So, please share your ideas and thoughts, and I'll get back to you guys tomorrow!
Edited by Underachiever599