Having the CR-90 swing towards a Raider isn't a bad move. If your front is crippled, then you can block all incoming fire from the Raider by swinging towards it. It then means you can fire whatever you have in the rear section at the smaller ships around you. How many CR-90's have much in the rear, anyways?

A CR90 has one hardpoint in the rear. In a very limited fire arc. Better rear-wards than that of the Raider, less of a deadzone, but not exactly as much a threat without the fore section guns.

I'm going to venture in as a bit of mediator here... Kick me out if I'm not wanted!

While the tactic you describe here works for about two turns, three if you're lucky, Blue Five is playing a longer game with positioning. He's saying you might be able to ram the Raider once, but then you're going to be stuck behind the Raider facing the wrong way... with very limited fire due to the damage you've already suffered to your guns being crippled.

Anyway - it's your home rules ... But I think the more you play with the big ships, the less the rams will happen, the less you're going to need that house rule... I've seen them less and less as time has gone on, except for when we pull a new player into the fun and they learn the hard way despite many warnings!

I have only played epic 2 times. Both I enjoyed but definitely see the ram as a useful tool for keeping the game flowing. Otherwise everyone would get bunched up.

There are always the WTF moments when you do something for the first time. Reread the epic rules and give it another shot.

Hell I still see builds on a ship that after they get done doing some combination of thing's I just shake my head. Then I think we'll I won't be giving you the opportunity to pull that one off again

A CR90 has one hardpoint in the rear. In a very limited fire arc. Better rear-wards than that of the Raider, less of a deadzone, but not exactly as much a threat without the fore section guns.

The CR90 has the same aft section firing capability as the Raider. The CR90 has a stronger full broadside (the area where it can bring all its guns to bear is much larger than that of the Raider) and more coverage on the primary but the Raider can bring more weapons to bear on everywhere else.

The case we're dealing with is a close range head fore on fore battle which the CR90 unsurprisingly loses. It then proceeds to ram the Raider: it doesn't get a ram lock because the Raider captain isn't an idiot and manages to get one or two crits from side collisions.

It's now exposed its aft to the Raider's superior aft firepower and lost the ability to target the Raider's fore (which is the part that'd be damaged from the battle). It's probably now also in the midst of the Raider's support. It's now either in a circling battle with the Raider where the Raider has an advantage or simply food for the Raider's escort.

The ramming simply isn't high impact enough to warrant a rule change in my view.

A CR90 has one hardpoint in the rear. In a very limited fire arc. Better rear-wards than that of the Raider, less of a deadzone, but not exactly as much a threat without the fore section guns.

The CR90 has the same aft section firing capability as the Raider. The CR90 has a stronger full broadside (the area where it can bring all its guns to bear is much larger than that of the Raider) and more coverage on the primary but the Raider can bring more weapons to bear on everywhere else.

I'm referring to the fire arc on the aft gun. And I stand corrected - I thought the backside was forward swept, but you are correct.

Actually, this means the Raider potentially outguns the CR90 in the aft section (alone) as the Raider has two hardpoints to the CR90s one.

And yes, I know the CR90 broadside is way better... particularly at range!