A short story of my game....

It all started as a drunken bet in the Officers Club on Coruscant.

Grand Admiral Thrawn loudly expounding his exploits and abilities and proclaiming that he could best any admiral, rebel or Imperial in a fight, taking only smaller ships in the Imperial arsenal.

Admiral Screed, quietly watching from a corner, took up the challenge, and Thrawn, by now in no mood (or indeed place) to back down, accepted.

The location was chosen, umpires selected and computers programmed for the various weapons load outs and ships etc. Their respective fleets arrived and began to deploy.

Screed watched, and assumed that Thrawn was still suffering a monumental hangover as he deployed his five ships and three squadrons in two groups, neither of which were able to support the other. Off to one side Thrawn placed his Arquitens Command Cruiser, with a GSD in Demolisher load out on the inside. Then over to the other side of the sector, were two raiders, a Gozanti and three squadrons. Two of Tie defenders and what was this, oh Bossk. So Thrawn was scraping the barrel for bounty hunter scum now. Interesting. On closer examination, one of the Defender squadrons had Maarek’s markings. This could be a challenge.

Screed deployed slightly off a central position, diagonally facing towards the raiders. ISD flanked by Gozantis and they in turn flanked by GSDs, one also in a Demolisher set up, the other Insidious.

As the umpires signalled both admirals that the challenge could start, Screed showed this to be a feint, and immediately started turning towards Thrawn’s command ship and Demolisher. Screed was confident that his own Demolisher could handle a raider or two if pushed. The Gozantis could also provide support but were by no means combat ships.

No sooner than they had started, Screed had Insidious raking fire from both front and right arcs into Thrawns command ship. Despite hoping for a very early ‘kill’, it was not to be and Thrawn limped away, badly damaged. However, Insidious did not escape unpunished as the return fire from the Arq was also heavy. Insidious survived, and also managed to get out of range of Thrawns Demolisher.

After this early exchange there was a period of manoeuvring. This was swiftly followed by some very accurate long and mid range shooting from Screeds own Demolisher and ISD, damaging both Raiders. The ISD was trying to turn to get a clean shot on Thrawn. However knowing the frontal arc would spell certain electronic death (the battle was after all just a simulation) Thrawn managed to evade Screeds frontal arc, and with the ISD otherwise engaged with different targets managed to keep commanding his fleet.

Now the quantum electronics working out the effect of each shot, damage inflicted etc had to work overtime.

Thrawn saw his fleet being dismantled before him. First a raider fell to Screeds Demolisher. Then the second, more heavily damaged, raider fell. Thrawn knew this was going to be a burden he would have to carry for some time. His last raider was destroyed by one of Screeds Gozantis. Likewise, Screed knew he could always bring this up in conversation at an appropriate time…. The only compensation for him was some damage to Screeds Demolisher.

Trying to recover some semblance of respectability, Thrawn was able to destroy one of Screeds Gozantis, but not the one that got the raider!

However in getting that kill, the Arq was now in a position for a good shot from a side arc of the ISD. Being too good an opportunity to miss, Screed gave the order personally, and smiled to himself as the automated systems announced the “destruction” of Thrawns command ship.

The umpires called the contest at that point with Screed being in firm control of the sector.

Thrawn accepted the invitation to the ISD and was very gracious in defeat, while Screed was equally magnanimous in victory. There was no point in one antagonising the other, they might well be working together in the rumoured campaign beginning soon to eliminate the rebellion in the Outer Rim.

And so ends my brief tale of an Imp on Imp simulation. I do think my oppos mind was elsewhere, as he usually plays better than he did in this game. I was first player and opted for his Opening Salvo.

In view of damage to Insidious, Demo and the remaining Gozanti, I got a 7-4 win. I had the tie defender down to 1 hull point, and Maarek down to 2 or 3. Bossk I left alone!

I did have Darth Vader boarding team on the ISD but didn't get to use it. Next time....

Next up is a chap I’ve never played before, who will be using rebels. Up to now he’s had a very tanky MC80, with a couple of nebulons, a CR90A and GR75. We’ll see how that goes on Monday. If I can get the ISD into the close range with the MC80, I hope to take something very useful off that with Darth Vader.

My list (basic list is the same, some small changes here and there eg Darth Vader in place of Gunnery Teams) is now played 8, won 6, lost 2. I'm sure this wont last!