With our Task Force tournament postponed until after the CDC lifts the restrictions on gatherings, it is an excellent chance to recruit more people for the event and to get some more practice in. Since @ArmadaMatt lives in Phoenix, we decided to get a game in since he is going to head down for the event once we get it back on the calendar. Until then, it gives him a chance to work on his tournament list and both of us an opportunity to get more proficient on Vassal. Here are the lists:

Name: Task Force Admonition
Assault: Surprise Attack
Defense: Hyperspace Assault
Navigation: Minefields

MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63)
• Lando Calrissian (4)
• Ordnance Experts (4)
• External Racks (3)
• Admonition (8)
= 82 Points
CR90 Corvette A (44)

• Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)
• Jaina's Light (2)
= 53 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18)
• Comms Net (2)
= 20 Points

Squadrons:
• Wedge Antilles (19)
• Dutch Vander (16)
= 35 Points

Total Points: 190

His goal was to try to use his three activations to last/first with the MC30, using Dutch and Wedge as a fighter screen.
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Name: Task Force Interdictor
Assault: Advanced Gunnery
Defense: Asteroid Tactics
Navigation: Doomed Station

Interdictor Suppression Refit (90)
• Minister Tua (2)
• Engineering Team (5)
• Disposable Capacitors (3)
• Targeting Scrambler (5)
• Grav Shift Reroute (2)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
• Interdictor (3)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
= 122 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)

• Hondo Ohnaka (2)
• Comms Net (2)
= 27 Points

Squadrons:
• Zertik Strom (15)
• Saber Squadron (12)
• 3 x TIE Fighter Squadron (24)
= 51 Points

Total Points: 200

No change to my list or strategy from previous BATREPs.

My opponent had initiative and chose to be first player. He picked my Asteroid Tactics as the objective. Unfortunately, since we were both trying to learn Vassal, I did not remember to take any pictures. Sorry.

Deployment: I placed all the obstacles (minus the station) near the center of the play area, closer to his side, and I placed them all at Range 3 so that could affect them after placing my Grav Shift Reroute token. He deployed across from me in the center of his deployment zone, with, moving left to right, his GR-75 and 2 x squadrons, the CR90, and the MC30. I deployed with my Gozanti a little left of center and my Interdictor to its right, with the squadrons placed ahead of them. I then used Grav Shift Reroute to move the obstacles so that they somewhat cut the playing area in half; one side would be coming directly at my ships and the other would be forced to go around the wall of obstacles.

Round 1: He moves his ships forward at speed 2. I drop my Gonzanti down to Speed 1 with a Navigte command while pushing my Interdictor left to try to get into engagement next round (while banking a squadron token). His squadrons take cover in between some obstacles while I push my squadrons a little ahead to be able to engage his squadrons the next round. I placed both exogorths in the play area, one in Range 1 of Dutch and both in Range 1 of Wedge.

Round 2: After moving his MC30, I activate my Interdictor and then fling Zertik and Saber against Dutch and a lowly TIE Fighter against Wedge (the goal was to attack them and lock them down so that the Exogorths could destroy them). After he activates his GR-75 with a Squadron command, Wedge destroys the TIE Fighter and leaves the double Exogorth kill zone and Dutch retaliates against Zertik. After movement though, the GR-75 lands on both an Exogorth and an Asteroid Field, taking it down to two hull. I activate my Gozanti and fling two more TIE Fighters against Dutch, slowly whittling him down. The CR90 activates and moves along the obstacle wall. The Exogorth attacks Dutch and takes him down to two hull. Exogorths are placed again in the play area.

Round 3: After activating his GR-75 with a Squadron command, Dutch attacks Zertik and activates him using his special ability. The Gozanti activates and passes its squadron token to the Interdictor. The MC30 and CR90 continue to move along the wall and are almost around it (we both forgot that Jaina’s Light can move and shoot through obstacles, so he doesn’t attack with his CR90 or breach the obstacle belt with it). The Interdictor activates with a Squadron command, discarding Disposable Capacitors. After the activated squadrons destroy Dutch and pounce on Wedge, the Interdictor damages the CR90’s shields while the GR-75 scatters the frontal attack. The Exogorth attacks Wedge and moves his activation slider. Exogorths are placed again in the play area.

Round 4: I discard Hondo at the top of the round to give a squadron token to my Interdictor and a Navigate token to my Gozanti (Repair token to the CR90 and a Concentrate Fire token to the MC30). The GR-75 moves away from the Interdictor, putting flak on some squadrons. This gives my Gozanti the ability to activate, bump up to Speed 3 with a Navigate command and a token, and get out of close range of the MC30; it still hits the Interdictor before the third knuckle, gaining a damage card. The Interdictor’s activated squadrons destroy Wedge and move towards the GR-75 (the Interdictor’s movement leads to it landing on a Debris Field, an Asteroid Field, and an Exogorth, but I forget that I can ignore their effects and take some shield damage and two damage cards from a Structural Damage face-up). The CR90 and the MC30 close in on the Gozanti.

Round 5: He activates the GR-75 first to get it out of range of the Interdictor, giving some flak to a couple squadrons while running. My Gozanti continues to run away. He activates his CR90 which also flaks some of my squadrons. I activate my Interdictor and move my vulnerable squadrons out of range of anything that would kill them (I accidentally bump Zertik who is on one hull, with my Interdictor, but my opponent thankfully doesn’t consider placing him in range of the nearby Exogorth). The CR90 moves in behind the Gozanti.

Round 6: Knowing that he only get one activation to try to destroy the Gozanti, @ArmadaMatt contemplates activating either the CR90 (double-arc, close range) or the MC30 (double-arc, medium range). He chooses the MC30. After I scatter the first attack, he takes a shield off the rear on the second. I then activate the Gozanti and move out to long range in the CR90's side arc. Even with a Concentrate Fire command and TRCs, he can’t do the necessary damage and overcome my defense tokens, so the game ends with me barely hanging on 35-8 (in our TF event, this would be scored as 70-16, for a 6-5 win with 54 MoV).

Thoughts: This was a fun game of maneuver that did not lead to any ships being destroyed. @ArmadaMatt brought a real Task Force list that I was very proud to play against (as opposed to a fully kitted out Starhawk or ISD). While there are no victory tokens tied to Asteroid Tactics, the Exogorths were essential in taking down his Aces once my squadrons locked them down. I also should have deployed my Interdictor in the center closer to the wall of obstacles (as Asteroid Tactics allows the second player to ignore the effects of obstacles as far as overlapping). A tanky ship does absolutely nothing if it doesn’t have the speed to get into the fight.

Hope you enjoyed the BATREP!